Your Pain Can Be A Messenger If You Are Aware of It

29 Apr

“Pain, like pleasure is a signal.  And the signal is saying, something is out of balance in your emotional life or in your physical life.  So you have to address that and process that.  If you don’t, then remembered pain surfaces later as anger and hostility.  The anticipation of pain in the future because you didn’t know how to deal with it in the past, is fear and anxiety.  The redirection of pain back into yourself, is guilt and shame.  And the depletion of energy which happens with all of the above is depression.” –Deepak Chopra from Oprah’s Lifeclass: The Tour: The Power of Forgiveness

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Tasty Tuesdays: Gluten and Dairy Free Basil-Pesto Tortilla Panini

27 Mar

Recipe & Photo by Amanda Kosarin

A Gluten Free, Dairy Free Basil-Pesto tortilla panini is 100% vegan and a great way to add lots of flavor to your meal, while not overloading your body with common allergens that cause inflammation, such as wheat, gluten and dairy.  For the recipe below I used a Food For Life Brown Rice Tortilla that is wheat and gluten-free because it doesn’t break when it is folded and flipped and adds the perfect amount of crunch.  I used a dairy free pesto sauce by, Basiltops, they have lots of  great flavors, but for this recipe I used Pesto Perfectto (their traditional flavor) or you can always make your own.  I also used Daiya Cheese, which is dairy (casein, whey and lactose) free, soy free and cholesterol free because it not only tastes good, but it melts easily and stays melted unlike other vegan cheeses. It’s an easy recipe and one you can get creative with!  Stay tuned for more recipe ideas for your gluten-free tortilla.

PREPARATIONS: 5 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 2-3 MINUTES

1 SERVING

RECIPE

1 brown rice tortilla

¼- ½ cup of vegan cheese

2-3 large organic basil leaves (chiffonade the leaves)

Pesto

  1. Pre-heat a cast iron skillet, by turning the stove to a medium heat.
  2. Place the tortilla on the skillet and heat each side for a minute or so until the tortilla begins to soften.
  3. Place the cheese on one half of the tortilla and then fold over, as if you were making an omelet.
  4. Check to see that the cheese is beginning to melt and then flip the tortilla over so the cheese melts evenly.  If the cheese is not melting, then turn up heat to high and flip tortilla every 10 seconds or so until the cheese is fully melted.  The tortilla should start to brown, make sure to flip it over again, so both sides are nice and toasty.
  5. Add the pesto sauce and basil to the inside of the tortilla.  Let your taste buds decide how much sauce you will use.  Be Creative!
  6. Using a spatula, remove the tortilla from the skillet, place it on a plate and cut in half with a pizza cutter or knife.
  7. Garnish with basil.
  8. Enjoy!

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Tasty Tuesdays: Gluten and Dairy Free Quesadilla

13 Mar

Gluten Free, Vegan Quesadilla

A Gluten Free, Dairy Free Quesadilla is 100% vegan and a great way to add lots of flavor to your meal, while not overloading your body with common allergens that cause inflammation, such as wheat, gluten and dairy.  For the recipe below I made a Cheese Quesadilla, but you can add any other ingredients you might like.  I used a Food For Life Brown Rice Tortilla that is wheat and gluten free because it doesn’t break when it is folded and flipped.  I also used Daiya Cheese, which is dairy (casein, whey and lactose) free, soy free and cholesterol free because it not only tastes good, but it melts easily and stays melted unlike other vegan cheeses.  It’s an easy recipe and one you can get creative with!  Stay tuned for more recipe ideas for your gluten free tortilla.

PREPARATIONS: 5 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 2-3 MINUTES

1 SERVING

RECIPE

1 brown rice tortilla

¼- ½ cup of vegan cheese

Cilantro

Lime

  1. Pre-heat a cast iron skillet, by turning the stove to a medium heat.
  2. Place the tortilla on the skillet and heat each side for a minute or so until the tortilla begins to soften.
  3. Place the cheese on one half of the tortilla and then fold over, as if you were making an omelet.
  4. Check to see that the cheese is beginning to melt and then flip the tortilla over so the cheese melts evenly.  If the cheese is not melting, then turn up heat to high and flip tortilla every 10 seconds or so until the cheese is fully melted.  The tortilla should start to brown, make sure to flip it over again, so both sides are nice and toasty.
  5. Using a spatula, remove the quesadilla from the skillet, place it on a plate and cut in half with a pizza cutter or knife.
  6. Add cilantro, salsa and lime to taste.
  7. Enjoy!

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Be Inspired! Have Faith.

1 Mar

Artwork by Amanda Kosarin

“As your faith is strengthened you will find that there is no longer the need to have a sense of control, that things will flow as they will, and that you will flow with them, to your great delight and benefit.” —  Emmanuel Teney, Professor of Psychiatry.

“Doubt is a pain too lonely to know that faith is his twin brother.”  — Khalil Gibran, Lebanese-American, Artist, Writer and Poet.

“Faith makes the discords of the present the harmonies of the future.” — Robert Collyer, American Unitarian Clergyman.

“In faith there is enough light for those who want to believe and enough shadows to blind those who don’t.” — Blaise Pascal, French Mathematician, Writer, Inventor and Physicist.

“Faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe.” —Voltaire, French Enlightenment Writer, Historian and Philosopher.

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Tasty Tuesdays: Quinoa Soup with Avocado and Cilantro

28 Feb

Enjoy Healthy Soup!

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a great alternative to using noodles in soup that is abundant in anti-oxidants.  Quinoa is a great vegan source of protein and it is a complete protein, meaning it includes all 9 essential amino acids. Quinoa is also a gluten-free grain, which is a great choice if you have an intolerance or allergy to gluten, as discussed in a previous post.  Quinoa has other health benefits, it is high in magnesium, which can help reduce migraine headaches, improve cardiovascular health because it helps relax blood vessels and lower the risk for type 2 diabetes.  It is also a great source of fiber, which helps reduce the risk of high blood pressure and prevents gallstones.  With all these great benefits, quinoa is an overlooked grain that adds to your health! I also added, avocado, cilantro and turmeric, which all have anti-inflammatory properties. I always recommend using organic ingredients to steer clear from food with harmful pesticides.  Enjoy!

PREPARATIONS: 5 MINUTES

COOK TIME: 10-15 MINUTES

2-3 SERVINGS

RECIPE

1 cup of quinoa

1 avocado

Vegetable or Chicken Broth (To save time you can use Whole Foods Market organic low sodium broth, when you have more time you can make a homemade broth.)

Cilantro

Sea Salt

Pepper

Turmeric

  1. Rinse Quinoa and place 1 cup of quinoa in a medium saucepan with 2 cups of filtered water.  Bring to a boil and then turn to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes (depending on stove.)  When it is ready, it will look fluffy with all the remaining water cooked off.
  2. Heat up soup broth in a separate pan.
  3. Cut up 1 avocado
  4. Chop a bunch of cilantro.
  5. Depending on how you like your soup, spoon quinoa into bowl and place desired amount of broth over it.  Mix in the avocado and Cilantro.
  6. Add turmeric, salt and pepper to taste!
  7. Enjoy!

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Part 1: Is Water Draining Your Bank Account?

27 Feb

Bottled water is something of a mystery to me.  A single 16.9 oz. bottle of water sells for approximately  $1.50 to $2.00 and if you go to the movies that price doubles.  A study by the Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment and Security shows that it requires 2,000 times more energy to produce a liter of bottled water, compared to a liter of tap water. The study also went on to show that an estimated extra 32 to 54 million barrels of oil are consumed every year to produce the plastic to bottle the water and then distribute it across the country.  This all adds to the increased cost of water that gets, bottled, perfectly packaged and then sold to the consumer.  This also may explain why a natural resource that should only cost pennies to the gallon, is being sold by the ounce for outrageously high prices.

In a previous post, I spoke about the importance of drinking 3 liters of water per day for health.  Let’s say you were able to find a case water for $6.99 (that’s 24 bottles per case,16.9 fl oz. or .5 liter per bottle). If one person were to consistently drink 3 liters of water per day, it would cost you $0.58 for 1 litter and $1.75 for 3 liters each day.  Seems like a good deal, right? WRONG. At $1.75/day for water, one individual would be spending on average $638.75 each year on water! But wait, there is more, if you are a family of 4, you are spending a whopping $2,555 on water a year for your family.  So what can you do? The answer is simple…stop buying bottled water. Instead, get a high quality water filter for your kitchen sink and a reusable water bottle.

Premium 10 Stage Water Filter

New Wave Enviro makes  a Premium 10 Stage Water Filter that easily hooks up to your kitchen sink.  You can keep the filter on your kitchen counter for clean water to both drink and wash your produce.  This filter retails for $125 and will provide you with 1,500 gallons of clean filtered drinking water for up to 18 months before the filter needs to be replaced.  That is enough drinking water for a family of 4 and a huge financial savings! When it is time to replace the filter the company will send you a reminder to buy a replacement cartridge. You can buy the water filter online or at store near you.

Under Sink Mount for Water Filter

If you prefer, you can buy a conversion kit and mount it under the sink.  If you are handy you could install this yourself otherwise the plumber can do a one time installation for you.

Stay tuned for Part 2 on why to not drink bottled water and why it may be harmful to your health!

Find your truth.

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Be Inspired! Feel Gratitude.

23 Feb

Artwork by Amanda Kosarin

“Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.”  — Brian Tracy, American Author.

“Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.” — Lionel Hampton, American Musician.

“When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.” — Anthony Robbins, American Author, Peak Performance Coach, Motivational Speaker.

“Learn everything you can, anytime you can, from anyone you can – there will always come a time when you will be grateful you did.” — Sarah Caldwell, American Author.

“You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life.  And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given to you.” — Sarah Ban Breathnach, American Author.

Find your truth.

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Tasty Tuesdays: Popeye’s Special

21 Feb

All the ingredients in the Vitamix Container

Ready to Drink and Enjoy!

Popeye’s Special is loaded with spinach, which is rich in phytonutrients such as carotenoids and flavonoids, both which which have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer  benefits. It also has an immense amount of antioxidants vitamin A, Vitamin K and Vitamin C and E  to neutralize any free radicals that can damage healthy cells and strengthen your immune system and regulate hormones. Mangos and Spinach, are  both known to be rich in iron, which is responsible for carrying oxygen to the blood cells. Mangos are also known to have enzymes that can help to relieve indigestion problems. I always recommend using organic ingredients to steer clear from fruits with pesticides.  For this recipe I used the Vitamix Blender, it has so many capabilities (purée, blend, dice, chop, make hot soups, chop nuts etc.), it blows away anything else I have ever used.  That’s one less piece of equipment you’ll need, it saves counter space and money! Enjoy!

PREPARATION: 5 MINUTES

PROCESSING TIME: 1 MINUTES

YIELDS: 3 CUPS

RECIPE

1 medium apple

1/2 cup of strawberries

1 cup of fresh spinach leaves

3/4 cup of mango

3/4 cup of banana

1/4 cup ice

  1. Place all ingredients into the Vitamix container in the order listed and secure lid.
  2. Select Variable 1.
  3. Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High.
  4. Blend for 1 1/2 minutes, using the tamper to press ingredients into the blades.
  5. DRINK AND ENJOY!

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Be Inspired! Be Love.

16 Feb

Artwork by Amanda Kosarin

“Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.”’  — Robert A. Heinlein, American Science Fiction Writer and Screenwriter.

“You come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.” — Sam Keen, American author, Professor and Philosopher.

“Absence sharpens love, presence strengthens it.”  — Benjamin Franklin, American Inventor, Author and Statesman.

“Love means to commit oneself without guarantee, to give oneself completely in the hope that our love will produce love in the loved person. Love is an act of faith, and whoever is of little faith is also of little love.”  — Erich Fromm, German-American Psychologist.

“We’ve got to convince our egos and our minds that if we want to live happy lives, love is more important than anything else!”  —  Ken Keyes, American Author and Lecturer.

 

Find your truth.

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Tasty Tuesdays: Coconut Ice Cream Sundae

14 Feb

Happy Valentines Day! No matter who you are celebrating with, love yourself enough to enjoy a healthy treat!  Try an organic coconut ice cream sundae topped with organic chocolate syrup and organic fresh berries!

Organic Coconut Ice Cream

Coconut Bliss ice cream is organic, vegan and dairy/soy/gluten free.  It has only a few ingredients and you know what they are! You can go to their website to find a store near you.  I get mine at the local Whole Foods Market.  They have several flavors, but here are a few examples.

Vanilla Island:
Organic Coconut Milk (Organic Coconut, Water, Guar
Gum*), Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Fair Trade Vanilla Extract, Organic
Fair Trade Vanilla Beans.

Mint Galactica:
Organic Coconut Milk (Organic Coconut, Water, Guar
Gum*), Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Fair Trade Dark Chocolate (Organic
Chocolate Liquor, Organic Sugar, Organic Cocoa Powder [processed with
alkali], Organic Cocoa Butter, Organic Vanilla Extract), Organic Coconut
Oil, Organic Peppermint Extract, Organic Vanilla Extract.

Dark Chocolate:
Organic Coconut Milk (Organic Coconut, Water, Guar
Gum*), Organic Agave Syrup, Organic Fair Trade Cocoa (processed with
alkali), Organic Vanilla Extract.

Ah!laska Vegan Chocolate Syrup

Ah!laska Chocolate Syrup is organic, vegan and dairy/soy/gluten free.  Add it to your coconut ice cream of choice!  You can buy online or find a store near you.

Ingredients:  Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Water,Organic Cocoa (Non-Alkaline), XanthanGum (a Natural Fiber Thickener),Organic Vanilla, Citric Acid.

Top Off Your Sundae With Fresh Berries

Top off your coconut ice cream sundae with organic fresh berries to add some antioxidants to your treat!  Try Organic raspberries, strawberries or blackberries and load up with vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin A, Manganese, Fiber and Potassium.

Enjoy and share your love!

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