Staple Mocha Morning Buzz

I did both.  I fell off the wagon and got back on the train.  Luckily, though, I'm not going to die.

Just coffee, nothing too serious.  My adrenals may think its serious, but my now-30-close-to-over-the-hill mind (wink) has been enjoying the lift of caffeine lately.

I do try to stay away from too much caffeine.  For years I was an uncaffeinated tea-drinker.    

In the morning, I like to choose liquids.  Solid food early on in the day makes me feel heavy and sedentary.  That being said, too many liquids in different cups take a long ass time to drink and I just haven't been getting up early enough for a.m. leisure time.

So, I came up with this recipe out of functionality.  To my delight, I've been finding it a morning staple.

Staple Mocha Morning Buzz Smoothie:

1 frozen banana
1 large handful greens (I've been using chard cause we have like pounds of it from the garden every day.)
1 cup almond milk
3 ice cubes
1/2 - 3/4 cup cold, brewed coffee (Leftovers from the day before work really well.)
Scant handful almonds
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 teaspoon chia seeds

Powders of choice:
1 heaping tablespoon plant-based vanilla protein powder
1 heaping tablespoon raw cacao   ** totally necessary for the mocha-ish flavor **
1/2 - 1 teaspoon spirulina

Whizz in high-speed blender.  Rock on.

 

Unlikely Combinations

We are all unlikely combinations of the world around us.  We take in and filter life according to what we have to work with.  Or what resonates with us.  Or the patterns that feel comfortable.  This way of filtering everything we see, hear, smell, touch, and sense becomes us.  It literally directs our genetic expression at the cellular level.  And each cell of ours is fighting to be heard.  Survival is the goal.  Each part of our being has a mind of its own in this respect.  Somehow they manage to exist synergistically to keep us surviving.  We are the container that our cells exist in.  What we do to our bodies, becomes who we are.  And, who we are affects the world around us as other people take in their experience of us.

So, keep it light and be the light.  'Cause I want to be light.

Unlikely Delicious Smoothie

3/4 cup organic frozen mixed berries
1 frozen banana
3 tablespoons raw shelled hemp seeds
1/2 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
1 heaping tablespoon plant based vanilla protein powder
1 tablespoon raw cacao nibs
1 1/2 cups homemade raw almond milk

Blend a super rad high speed blender.  (Doesn't have to be a Vita-Mix, but I'm just sayin'...)

Serves two in 16 oz pint glasses.  Or just drink both, I did.








"So hold nice and closeI want to get to your soulSo that when it is coldYou won't feel so alone'Cause the roads that you takeMay just crack and breakWith the changes you will confront
With each gift that you shareYou may heal and repairWith each choice you makeYou may help someone's dayMay your journey be longAnd now I wish you the best of luckWell I know you are strongMay your journey be longWell I know you are strongAnd now I wish you the best of luck."



 

Yum, Almond Cherry Macaroons

Almond Cherry Macaroons

1 can almond paste
1/3 cup dried sweet cherries
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 normal sized egg whites
more dried cherries as garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 325F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add to food processor almond paste and cherries.  Process until cherries are small bits and almond paste is ground up.  Add brown sugar until all are combined.  Add egg whites.  Process until a sticky paste is formed.  Drop by tablespoonful onto parchment paper.  Garnish with one dried cherry if desired.  Bake for 20 mins on middle rack.  Move macaroons to top rack and bake 5 more mins until golden.  Should make about 18 macaroons.

Yay winter is coming!

Summer Quiche

Ingredients:

2 Yukon Gold potatoes
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
2 large leaves Swiss chard
2 small to medium heirloom tomatoes
large handful chopped green onion
1/2 lb sliced smoked turkey (optional) torn into small pieces
few pinches fresh ground pepper
1/2 red pepper chopped
1/2 red onion chopped
1/2 head cauliflower chopped
few more pinches fresh ground pepper
1/4 ish cup bleu cheese
1/4 ish cup feta
8 large eggs
1/4 ish cup milk
olive oil
butter

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Slice potatoes into 1/4 to 1/8 inch slices.  Toss with paprika, salt, chopped garlic, and tablespoon or so of olive oil.  Roast potatoes on cookie sheet for 15 mins until just soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Turn oven heat down to 350 F.

Grease a 7.5" by 9" deep dish pan with butter.  Line bottom of pan with a full layer of potatoes.

Saute turkey with lots of fresh ground pepper in a little bit of olive oil.

Saute red pepper, onion, cauliflower in frying pan with some salt and pepper and small amount of olive oil and small amount of butter until soft but not overdone.  Set aside to cool.

Chop kale and tomatoes and spring onion.  Leave behind tough stem sections of kale.

Layer quiche over potatoes... chopped kale, chopped tomatoes, chopped green onion, sauteed turkey, sauteed veggies, bleu cheese, feta cheese.

In a seperate bowl whisk eggs and milk.  Pour into baking dish with other ingredients.

Bake for 1 hour 15 mins until set up and golden on top!

Mmmm Delicious!!

Smoothie


1/2 apple (skin and all)
1/2 frozen peach
handful raw pecans
2 tablespoons flax seeds or 3 tablespoons flax meal
1 1/4 cup soy, almond, hemp, or whatever milk
1/2 cup water
dash cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla

Blend!!

You can always add some greens, protein powder, frozen peas, or ice.  It may require a little more liquid with  any additions.

To Bikram or not to Bikram?

Wow, I'm glad that's over.  I stepped out in the sunshine filled afternoon and let the cool breeze fill my body in a way that I'm pretty sure has never, ever felt so relieving.  Good god, it had been so hot in there.  The last time I attended a Bikram class was about 5 years ago.  This was long (about 1 whole year) before my life path really had aligned with the Practice.  I had hated it.  I swore swore swore I would not return.  The pushing and sweating and harshness did not appeal to me.  I could not relate to the alignment principles; "Lock out your knees!", "Feel the pain sensation!"... What?!  So I let it go.

I tried some Anusara style classes with the "Melt your heart!  Melt your heart more! No moooorrreeeee!"  Jesus I thought my rhomboids would go into full and unstoppable spasm at any moment...

Then, I found vinyasa flow.  I moved through the postures and though they were difficult and I was inflexible I had amazing teachers whose subtle alignment clues brought me home.  They repaired the division in my body and mind.  I became more flexible and with that, my life began to change.  I moved out of old holding patterns, both physically and mentally.  I burned away samskara, so literally that I have now found a fast-track pace toward the almighty "purpose in life".  (There is a very faint hint of sarcasm here, but only in the most joyous manner.)

Now, back to the question -- To Bikram or not to Bikram? -- I returned to Bikram after 5 years of swearing it off both to myself and those around me.  But, the questions have come up over and over lately.  What, Danielle, do you think of locking out your knees?  Why so hot in there?  What about this and that Bikram posture?  Well, hmmm.  I'm not quite sure.  I disagree with this and that and the other thing about Bikram, but do I really know??  Can I say to my fellow shishya that I really understand?  There is always understanding on a deeper level.  There is always this magic, this "a-ha" moment that arises out of almost anything.  Even if something doesn't quite resonate with you, this is no reason to cast it aside and judge, n'est-ce pas?

The first two principles which resonated with me from yoga philosophy were NON-JUDGEMENT and NON-ATTACHMENT.  So in order to rid my judgement from my opinion about Bikram philosophy, I have stepped through the doors of hell... to find the doors of perception.  I signed up today for an intro-one-month-unlimited, winner-takes-all Bikram pass.  The only way to know is to dive right in I suppose.  I will need desperately, more than ever to supplement my life with my vinyasa practice so that I may remain grounded and open to this new endeavor.  And, who knows maybe even without long flowing lines of energy and vinyasa to rinse and regroup,  I will still feel the profoundness of the world around me after a Bikram yoga class.

We'll all be shishya together!!  

dream big.

Nobody ever said the life would be easy.  My parents tried really hard to make it so.  They gave me all the right advice and a lot of the right opportunities.  But, alas, I was adamant that I would make my own mistakes and DO IT MY WAY!  They were correct of course.  It would have been much, much easier to take their advice and live more responsibly at a younger age.  Now, here I am.  

I wrote a business plan.  It was such an eye opening and enlightening experience.  I sifted through all the ideas in my mind and came up with the ones that stuck, that stood out, and that were realistic.  It all seems so clear now.  Except the part where it actually happens.  Does it actually happen?  We'll see...

"I got my feet on the ground and I don't go to sleep to dream."