Month: November 2015

The Practice of Gratitude

Ahhh Thanksgiving…everyones favorite holiday, even before Christmas which proves that yes, food trumps all. I love how we all collectively focus our energy on gratitude. In a culture that is bred on scarcity, fear and worthiness it is so refreshing to practice gratitude nationwide. Brene Brown says: “If the opposite of scarcity is enough, then practicing gratitude is how we acknowledge that there’s enough and that we’re enough.” I say practice gratitude because it really truly is a practice, as with most worthy things. The key is to not be too hard on ourselves when our first reaction isn’t the most gracious. I think it can be incredibly powerful to notice this and then consciously choose differently. If your the type to struggle with worthiness and have thoughts like: “who am I to be joyful” or “what about the starving children in the world?”. Remember that in honoring what you have you honor what others have lost or don’t have access to. I woke up this morning and had the most lovely conversation with Andrew about what we are …

Warming Red Lentil Dal

I’ve been feeling cold a lot lately. I’ve transitioned from having my cold smoothies in the morning to making some warm oatmeal. Today I topped my steel cut almond milk oats with walnuts, flax, and banana. Lunch consists of a salad and some type of soup and dinners have consisted of squash, pumpkin or curry (to name a few). I really feel the need to eat warming foods. The past few days I’ve been waking up with a hoarse voice, which makes me think I’m fighting the head cold that everyone in the office has (booo). To help my body operate to it’s fullest I made up a big batch of one of my favorite meals: dal ❤ You will need: 2 tablespoons coconut oil 1 large onion 2 medium carrots 2 garlic cloves 1 inch piece of fresh ginger root 3 teaspoons curry powder (I love the simply organic brand) 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) 1 cup dried red lentils (rinsed, soak while chopping the above ingredients) 1 can coconut milk 1 cup vegetable …

Marinated Stuffed Portobello’s

My favorite food ever: MUSHROOMS. I swear I could eat them with every meal (which I kind of do). Last week Andrew and I both got home from work later than usual and were starving (always). We had 2 huge portobello mushrooms in the fridge and that’s about it. What we thought was going to be a pretty lame meal ended up being pretty darn yummy so I thought I’d share! You will need: 2 portobello mushrooms 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 avocado 2 cloves garlic 1/2 lime cilantro 1 tomato 1 cup orzo 1.Marinate the mushrooms with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and paprika. Let them sit for as long as you can before cooking (I think I only waited 20 mins). 2.Place mushrooms in a baking pan, gils-side down and pop in a 350 degree oven. Cook for 20 mins, turning them over halfway through. 3.Put a pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, prepare the guac. Mash 1 avocado with 2 garlic …

Ignite the light

It’s dark it’s dark it’s dark!!  Was it just me or was that all everyone was talking about yesterday? It’s easy to go to that place of loathing and negativity this time of year but there are two sides to every coin. With every change of season, mother nature is hinting at us to follow her lead. So with all of this darkness, what is she telling us? After a summer full of buzzing around being busy bees, it’s time for us to settle and take a bit more rest. I truly believe that summers wouldn’t be quite as sweet if we didn’t have the colder, quieter months to recharge and get grounded. It’s time to ignite our own light within. Here are my five favorite ways to ignite the light within: 1. Get more sleep. If you’re anything like me, this is music to my ears. I love sleep (but really who doesn’t?). Last night I went to bed an hour earlier and woke up feeling so rested! I actually woke up before my alarm and …