Hola! Coming at you from Todos Santos…. The little beach town in Southern Baja Mexico I moved to (exactly) this time last year. I moved here to open a farm-to-table store/cafe on an organic farm (see here & here) and after the hurricane which touched-down on Souther Baja last month, the store and farm were nearly destroyed. {Which brings me back to Todos Santos to give alittle love}.
Since the local organic farms have been destroyed in the hurricane, the only available produce in town comes from farms that drench and drown their produce in pesticides
Tips on Healthy Traveling & Choosing NON Organic Produce: -Choose fruits and veggies that you can peel, minimizing your pesticide exposure!
(avoid berries and foods that grow IN the ground like carrots)
-I pack baggies of superfoods like spirulina and green tea matcha when traveling – both are loaded with antioxidants {fun fact: Antioxidants help repair damaged cells caused by free radicals in our bodies – free radicals come from pollution, pesticides, smoke, toxins, etc.)
-I also travel with Yogi Super Antioxidant Green Tea and freeze the brewed tea into ice cubes for smoothies
– while we’re on the subject, here are more healthy travel tips Green Smoothie Recipe: 1 Cucumber (peeled), Avocado, Lime, Frozen Banana, Spirulina, Green Tea Matcha and Green Tea Ice Cubes (not pictured)
Breakfast was chia seeds and oats cooked with cinnamon, vanilla and coconut oil. Topped with walnut butter, bananas, hemp hearts and local honey (I brought everything from SF except for the bananas, coconut oil and honey)
Papaya and Green Smoothie Afternoon Snack
Jicama and Cucumber with Lime and Cayenne
Loving my Klean Kanteen – Powereed by Spirunia and Matcha OOOOOMMMM
When my good friend’s husband called me asking if I’d be interested in throwing his wife Sarah’s surprise 30th birthday party on a vineyard in Alexander Valley, you can imagine my response was a bit like, “yaaaaaahhhh!!!!!”
I mean, what’s better than family and friends gathering around the dinner table (in the middle of a vineyard)!? um, nothing.
Ah I can’t believe this is my JOB!
From creating the vision for the night, the 6 course wine pairing dinner menu and styling every detail – right down to the silk ribbon tied around the name tag & rosemary – I love doing it ALL!
(I could do without the -up at 6am to marinate 30 lbs of flank steak though but that’s ok, part of being a caterer
Saturday was truly a magical night, so I thought I’d share a few pics:
I said to MacKensey of PoppyStoneFloral, “think, French woman standing in a vineyard in a flowy lace dress, holding a silver tray of appetizers and a glass of rose in cut glass crystal stemware” Does that paint the picture or what!?
The birthday girl sat in a French style chair and vintage rentals were, provided by Erica of Tine Roof Farm House.
And My mom and I browsed antique shops for mix-matching crystal votive holders. We had about 40 on the table. So pretty.
I made matches that said “Make A Wish – Happy Birthday Sarah” – everyone had a box at their place setting and we all lit a cadle and made a wish together!
Breadsticks and Olives in glasses to add to the Provence French theme.
Narine of Sweet & Crafty is the talented Calligrapher who wrote the beautiful name tags, menu and food labels.
Silver Trays lined with grape leaves I picked from the vineyard for serving appetizers. Also provided by Tin Roof Farm House.
Dessert table with a gold frame chalkboard that read “describe a special memory with Sarah” and everyone put their stories in my mom’s vintage hat box.
It’s a macaroon party
The sun goes down – but the party goes well into the night! SO much LOVE was in the air. Sarah’s friends and family even flew in from the east coast. Photo by Melanie
Six course wine and dinner pairing menu
And a huge thank you to my amazing friend Melanie who helped plan the night for our dear Sarah! While running your own business and raising a 1.5 year old, you still found time to help create the special night – thank you so much!
Hop on over to my website if you’re interested in learning more about my services.
(drum roll please)
I teamed up with Haley (an awesome chick and nutritionist!) to create an eBook and guided program that makes healthy living FUN, EASY & DELICIOUS! See HERE!
We believe that living healthy is a LIFESTYLE – not a strict diet plan –
which is why our guide is designed for real people, with real (busy) lives!
yes, you can eat your cake and have quinoa too :o)
sounds pretty awesome, right?
our beautifully illustrated eBook gives you the tools and guide to get you started and keep you motivated… forever!
If not, let me familiarize you with this great grain. Not only is it a hearty whole grain that transforms into tasty little puffs when cooked, but when milled into a flour it becomes a wonderful gluten free substitute for all sorts of baking….
I recently started experimenting with buckwheat, and to my surprise, have been love, love, lovin it
Why, you ask?
– It’s quite sticky, “glutinous” and “starchy” so does well in recipes that need a lil’ binding love like crackers and crepes.
– The flavor is deep and earthy, but mild enough to still be paired nicely with sweets like buckwheat crepes & Nutella!
– It’s naturally gluten free, high in protein (contains lysin, an amino acid not found in many other plant based sources), high in fiber, B vitamins, copper and magnesium.
Say HELLO to my new favorite grain!
These Crackers are ridiculous!!! 4 ingredients and SO SIMPLE-
YOU WILL NEVER BUY PACKAGED crackers again.
Packed Lunch for my friend who just had a baby – that’s avocado edamame spread under the lemon (so excited for the day I can pack my kiddos lunches!!!!)
Buckwheat Crackers with Almond Butter and Banana
Crazy (simple) Crackers:
I promise, these are so easy, after making them once, you’ll never buy crackers again!
Combine 1 ½ cups of buckwheat flour and 1 cup of Almond Flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup of hemp hearts. mix well. Add ¾ cup of water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix well with a spatula. Divide into 2 balls and and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375.
Roll out one ball between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Place on a cookie sheet and remove the top piece of paper. With a pizza cutter, cut into whatever shapes you fancy! Bake for 20-25 minutes until edges turn golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before breaking the crackers.
Chickpea, Pepper and Feta Salad
Perfect spot for viewing fireworks!
Cornmeal Crust Pizza, Walnut Pesto, Ricotta and Cherry Tomatoes
Jars are perfect (and adorable) for transporting
Coconut Rice Pudding
Perfect view for the fireworks
Cheers!
Ciao!
Check out this wonderful breakfast recipe that can be prepared in a big batch on Sunday & enjoyed all week! {plus: it tastes like an Oatmeal Raisin Cookie!}
This recipe checks all “breakfast boxes”:
Healthy
Fast & Easy
Naturally Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Whole Ingredients
Complete Plant Based Protein
No Sugar
Delicious
Cheap
We’re talking about OVERNIGHT OATS, my friends!!!
Ok, if you know me, you know I do not follow recipes or take notes when I’m cooking… so I’m not exactly sure on the quantities. But this only proves my philosophy: cooking can be simple… just add and taste as you are creating, and you can’t go wrong! All you really need to know are the ingredients, you can adjust the quantities to your taste preferences.
Ingredients: {makes a ton}
3 Cups of boiling water
1 cup Steel Cut Oats
2 cup Dairy Free Milk (I’m obsessed with Project Juice’s Almond Mylk – SO rich, creamy & flavorful)
1/2 cup Chia Seeds (and I use buckwheat groats too)
Raisins
Cinnamon
Vanilla Extract
Walnuts or Almonds
In a large Glass container combine the boiling water and steel cut oats.
In a separate container combine the remaining ingredients, except for the nuts. Mix well.
Let both soak over night.
In the morning mix it all together really well – this is an arm workout!
Divide into jars and top with nuts
ENJOY!
My personal story on Self Control
I’m going out on a limb here and being a bit vulnerable by sharing this with you… here we have it, my truth:
I HAVE ZERO SELF CONTROL WHEN IT COMES TO DONUTS. And I’m not embarrassed nor ashamed to admit this to you.
My Story:
Last Friday was International DONUT DAY! My favorite day of the year. But here’s my problem with donuts, I can not stop when I’m perfectly satisfied {after 3 bites} and I will end up eating the entire donut and feeling sick to my stomach. I’m sure we are all familiar and can relate to some degree. Whether it’s with chips and salsa, french fries, beer or chocolate… we’ve all done it.
Sure, we could go into the psychology of “why” we overeat and lose control, but I’ll leave that to the experts. {Sarah, Nisha and Jamie are 3 of my close friends who can help you with coming clean with the “why”}
Also, there is a chemical reaction happening in your body/brain when you eat packaged/processed/manufactured foods. Seriously. Scientists have created packaged “food” in a lab that when eaten send signals to your brain so that you will keep reaching for more, more and more. Michael Pollan does a good job of explaining that here and elsewhere.
So I have few tips for when you have zero self control like me
a little silly, I know…
1) Simple: I do not keep “trigger” foods in my house. I know that I have trouble stopping at one chip & salsa so I just don’t BUY it! Easy as that. Out of sight, out of mind.
2) Ok, you’re going to laugh…. but after I savored a few bites of the apple fritter donut {and was perfectly satisfied, and honestly already feeling sick from the sugar} I put the donut in the sink, poured over dish soap and shoved it down the garbage disposal! haha! And there you have it. Out of sight out of mind
I don’t know why I’ve been avoiding learning to poach an egg all my life. Maybe because everyone makes it out to be “so difficult”. I found it to be the easiest thing I’ve recently learned! Expect to f**k up a few times at first . But that’s to be expected, it’s just food, no worries. Before you know it, you’ll be whipping them up with no troubles at all! Practice makes Perfect.
We could spend a lot of time going into the politics around eggs (which I LOVE doing), from cage free to pasture raised or from cholesterol concerns to the perfect protein source…there are a lot of opinions out there around eggs.
My philosophy is: Enjoy everything from nature in moderation (and sure, an occasional apple fritter is fine too!).
I happen to LOVE eggs. They’re versatile, affordable (well, kind of. $8 farmer’s market pasture raised, ek!) and not to mention, packed with vitamins, minerals and protein.
(However, I would never eat an egg on the airplane, in a random restaurant or from a place I know does not support the humane treatment of animals…see HERE)
OK, HOW TO POACH AN EGG…
What you’ll need:
a slotted spoon
shallow pot of boiling water
paper towels
eggs from happy chickens
distilled white vinegar
What to do:
bring a small pot of water to a boil
lower to a simmer
add distilled white vinegar
crack the egg into a small cup (I used an espresso cup)
slowly drop the egg into the pot of simmering water (I kind of slide it down the side of the pot)
set your timer for 3 minutes
it’s going to look weird and messy in the water- don’t panic
use your slotted spoon to move the whites towards the yolk, keeping the shape looking somewhat uniformed-ish
in the meantime, place a paper towel on a plate
in 3 minutes the egg is cooked (or when the white part of the egg looks firm and not runny)
remove the egg with your slotted spoon to the paper towel to dry for a bit
season with salt and pepper
(if making more than one, you can add eggs 30 seconds apart)
Recipe for above picture: I roasted a sweet potato, chopped greens and almonds in ONE dish in the oven while I made the egg. If you can do simple math you can learn to cook entire meals in ONE dish. Oven at 400. On a large cookie sheet bake the sweet potatoes (I poke with a fork and wrap them in foil). When the potato has 12 minutes remaining, scoot them to one side of the pan and add the chopped broccolini and kale (tossed with evoo and sp) along with the almonds. (I feel silly for even explaining this)
ENJOY!
Whipped it up again for a late lunch yesterday. Earrings off, computer aside… hello deliciousness!!!! Think I’ll make it again today!
Hello Friends,
My goodness, gluten sure has become the hot topic over the past few years.
My Thoughts: I believe gluten is difficult for many people to digest and most people feel better when they cut back on the bread a bit.
However, the gluten free packaged and processed foods on store shelves are not necessarily healthy – do not be fooled, my friend. Many gluten free breads, crackers, cookies and cereals are packed with ingredients you can not pronounce and sure as heck do not keep in your pantry.
Instead of turning to the gluten free versions of bagels and breads, try foods that are naturally gluten free. For example, have oatmeal instead of a bagel and a grain instead of bread.
– If you are not allergic to gluten, ask yourself this:
Which of these two crackers would my body prefer?
Rye Crisp Crackers (containing gluten. with 2 ingredients, rye and salt)
Glutino’s Crackers (oh my gosh you will not believe all of the ingredients here)
My favorite post run snack: rye crisp, almond butter, banana and chia and hemp seeds
Processed a bit from their natural state:
Brown Rice CousCous
Quinoa Pasta
Oats
Corn meal
Flax meal (I use as an egg replacement in veggie burgers and baking)
almond/coconut flours
As you may know I cook and live primarily gluten free. I am not allergic to gluten, however, 4 years ago when I removed gluten from my diet I immediately started feeling better. That’s not to say I pass on pasta in Italy or my dad’s berry pie on my birthday.
Traveling and being away from home is the perfect opportunity to rest, replenish and restore your body and mind… not to mention turn off your phone and disconnect!
I’ve just gotten back from a wonderful 3 week trip to New Zealand! You can see our pictures HERE.
A few of my tips for staying healthy while on the road.
1) Move your body!
Download exercise videos and apps to your phone and iPad. My Favorites are pilates, stretching and abb exercises. There are SO many free apps out there! Everyone has 5 minutes….no excuses.
I also encourage you to jog or walk daily. Not only is this a great way to check out a new city, but it’s a great way to reenergize and clear your mind.
Even something as simple as pushups, squats and planks in your hotel room will get your heart pumpin in just 5 minutes! (try 20 of each exercise 4 times)
2) Order Wisely & Pack Healthy Snacks! Yes, I pack my own meals for the airplane. It’s easy and you can too. Even picking up a salad from the airport is a great option if you’re tight on time. See what’s in my carry on HERE and watch the VIDEO HERE. Airplane food is full of salt, nasty additives and factory farmed animal products.
Freeze mini plain Greek yogurt -it got through customs and doubled as an icepack for keeping other items cool As far as alcohol goes: Wine or vodka soda (with 1/2 a lime) are healthy options compared to beer and fruity cocktails.
On every menu you can find a BIG SALAD. Ask for dressing on the side and add a piece of protein (fish, chicken, beans or tofu). Beware of anything that includes the words “crispy” “cheesy” “fried” “creamy”
Treat yourself once a day. Allow yourself to have one splurge a day like french fries, dessert or cheese.
Drink lots of water.
3) Disconnect from media and email!
Seriously. Turn off your phone. We don’t bring our phones into the bedroom which I love. Try starting with just that if you can’t make the full move to turning off your phone for the day. Or schedule 15-30 minutes a day (that’s it) to check in…but don’t get sucked in.
There is really no better time than when you are traveling because if your VM and email auto response is updated to say “out of the office and will get back to you on —” than you are free to disconnect.
4) Sleep!
Without a million things on your “todo list” – use these extra hours to catch up on some much needed shut-eye. When you rest, you are giving your body the time it needs to digest, repair and restore. So not only will you be feeling great the next day, but you won’t be feeling the need for that 4pm pick-me-up cookie and coffee.
Life Balance:
As I’m sure you can imagine, taking 3 weeks off (fully) from work was a bit stressful for me, especially because while I’m not working my business essentially stops. The first few days (like during any shift in life) were the hardest for me. The feeling of “I don’t deserve this time off” and “there are emails and work I should be doing” haunted me. But I reminded myself, “I’ve hustled and worked hard so that I we can enjoy these moments with the people I love, doing the things that make me happy (hiking, wine tasting, experiencing foreign cultures!)”
My dear friend Sarah Jenks put it perfectly here “How to Hustle and Flow”
A few great healthy traveling tips from Women’s Fitness Australia, HERE
And if you’re new here, check out My Meal Delivery Service: Every week I create 5 recipes based on what’s in season and available locally. The meals aregluten free, vegetarian, organic and absolutely delicious! You can checkout last week’s menu here, I deliver to client’s in SF every Monday night.
I make everything from scratch and do not use pre-made gluten free crusts or tarts. For example, these cauliflower crust pizzas and cornmeal zucchini tarts are all made with ingredients you can find in the bulk aisle at Whole Foods. Shoot me an email if you’re interested in getting on my private mailing list for meal delivery.
Coming at you from Todos Santos, Baja. {My last day actually, as I’m packing up and moving back to SF tomorrow…My dreams came true here and it’s been an amazing experience}
It’s week two of Wellness Wednesdays and I’m LOVIN this!
Today’s Take-Away on Living Well:
The Power of Community and a Support System…Together we can inspire, reenergize and cultivate change!
Over the weekend, I was reminded time and time again of the importance of community, a support system and surrounding yourself with inspiring, driven and like-minded people!
This is going to be a quick one… I’d like to share a few thoughts and hopefully my experience can inspire you too!
4 days with 5 wonderful girlfriends will do that! We are all coaches, teachers, givers and therapist who share the same vision: to spread wellness and enlighten the people in our communities. Whether through yoga, business coaching, healthful cooking or massage, our mission is to inspire, teach and heal!
A Women’s Mastermind Wellness Weekend, we called it, and it was a perfect! We were able to seamlessly move from relax to present, teacher to student, baja white wine to local organic kale juice. Ashley and Martin led effective and strategic lessons on business/personal goal setting and helped us dial in on our 2014 business plan. They held the space for us to be open and clear so we could give ourselves permission to fully express ourselves. Twice a day we took a break from relaxing and business-work-shoppin to clear our minds with a little rooftop, gentle yoga, led by Leila and Nicole.
It was being in the presence of inspiring women that was the force behind my transformation It was all of our combined energy that has created change within and furthermore, provided us with the tools to create change in our communities back home! It this support-system that can motivate all of us to translate our passions into action in our urban communities.
We are pack animals…. we’ve evolved over hundreds of thousands of years to to stick together, support one another, inspire one another and survive together!
Not only is this a delicious salad, but the benefits of the combination will boost your health and slow down aging by reducing cellular inflammation!
Photograph was taken by the talented Eric for my Decadent Detox website – thank you, my friend!
I love learning about foods and their medicinal purposes, and in addition, what foods paired together create an even bigger beneficial bang (than when eaten on their own)!
When I cook for myself, I cook with a purpose and choose foods for their health benefits do I always want flax seeds on my yogurt? No, but I always sprinkle a little on because probiotics (yogurt) need high fibrous foods (flax) to thrive and do their thang’ in our tummies!
When I cook for my clients, it is with these intentions as well…every ingredient I choose serves a specific purpose… I LOVE IT… So fun!
Grapefruits are rich in lycopene, an antioxidant that’s been shown to reduce inflammation and prevent cell damage. But when you pair grapefruit with avocado, the avocado’s healthy fats actually help increase lycopene absorption, making it more available for your body to use. says Dr Oz
Lately I’ve been enjoying making a Lemon Honey Flax oil dressing for this salad. I like this Flax oil for dressings. And anything tastes better with chopped nuts on top and fresh greens.
Grapefruit makes for a yummy snack, but this power fruit’s uses extend far beyond the kitchen. You can use grapefruit to make a facial mask for your skin. The citric acid in grapefruits helps to exfoliate dead skin and boost collagen, and the vitamin C in the fruit brightens and tones your complexion. Source: Livestrong
Since I was leading the cooking and nutrition portion of the weekend, I felt it only necessary to cover our bodies in food too Made with everything we have on hand in the house and all local ingredients….Yeah!
Who knew a facial could be SO simple…and economical!?
What you’ll need:
1/2 a grapefruit, Zest of 1 Grapefruit, 1 Egg yolk, 1 T Coconut oil, 1/4 cup oats. Blend it all together and lather on your. Wait 20 minutes (we painted our nails and whale watched!) Then rinse off!
Hello Hottie!
I’m actually making the laftovers into pancakes in the morning we’ll see.
Welcome to Day 1 of Wellness Wednesdays! I’ve started this weekly news letter as a way to share tips, advice and wisdom on “Living Deliciously Well”. If you haven’t noticed, I LOVE an alliteration. So clearly, Wednesday must be the day to share Wellness Wisdom
Why “wellness” as opposed to “recipe” or “health”? Because wellness incorporates ALL aspects of living a whole, healthy, happy and mindful life! And yes, “wisdom” sounds a little hippie dippie or self-salvant of me {I made up that term}, just don’t over think it…it works well with my alliteration obsession
Day 1 on Living Deliciously Well… drum roll please…
Happiness!
I truly believe happiness is the foundation for overall wellbeing, health and success (in relationships, career, finances, etc). If you are living a life of resentment, substances and greed, it won’t mater the number of yoga classes you attend and green smoothies you down, you will never reach a level of contentment and true happiness.
And how coincidental that this was my YOGI tea mantra this morning. So true:
“Inspiring others towards happiness brings you happiness”
Ben sent me an article today published in the Elite Daily titled, “15 things that emotionally strong people do not do” And number 15 nailed my happiness philosophy to a T! Here it is verbatim… I wont even paraphrase, that’s how spot on this is:
“They don’t forget that happiness is a decision: Most importantly, the emotionally strong have learned to understand the power their brains have over both the mind and body. They understand that emotions are reactions, not reactions to direct physical causes, but to the way we perceive those causes. In other words, our emotions don’t reflect reality; rather, our emotions reflect the way we interpret reality. Understanding this gives us near-full control of our emotions and, therefore, our lives.”
I read this quote in Oprha on the plane yesterday, and though Iyanla is speaking of LOVE, I believe it applies to happiness as well.
“Don’t expect to get all you need from someone else. Whether we are talking about romantic relationships, deep friendships, or close bonds with family members, love is never codependency, validation, self-worth, self-value, or self-esteem. It’s an experience that should fill us with joy – not serve as a replacement for loving ourselves.”
Happiness and love begin from within. You must be happy and content in your life, in your body, and with yourself FIRST and not seek it through external sources (relationships, materialism, food, etc). Your GLASS must already be FULL before moving into a deep authentic relationship with someone.
I’m writing to you from Baja. On Halloween, I packed up my entire life, left SF and drove to the very most southern tip of highway 1….you can read about the journey HERE. Anyway, point being, I thought a life of beach, sun, tacos, organic farming and yoga would be the happiest place on earth. And as it turns out, even though I accomplished and learned a lot while living here, a slow-paced Mexican beach town, away from my friends and family, is not for me.
What to do with a ton of bananas on a rainy Saturday morning? Make banana bread obviously!
I topped these little warm loaves of heaven with organic ricotta, warmed honey and toasted coconut. Good Mornin!
I LOVE baking….I have so much fun experimenting with alternative flours and substitutes for sugar (honey, apple sauce, maple syrup etc). Anyone who knows me, knows I can not follow a recipe for the life of me… so I used this wonderful recipe here and included coconut flour and Bob’s Redmill biscuit flour for a little extra lovin fluff!
I think the bananas were plenty sweet to I did not bother adding the honey to the recipe.
Paleo Banana Bread:
3 mashed bananas (1.5 cups)
3 large eggs
1 T vanilla
1/4 cup butter
1 cup almond meal
3/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup Bob’s Redmill Baking Flour
1/2 t celtic sea salt
1 t baking soda
Blend first 4 ingredients.
mix in dry ingredients
scoop bater into a greased loaf pan (I used minis)
Bake at 350
55-65 minutes for loaf pans, about 35 minutes for minu loaf pans
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What Our Clients Are Saying
Thank you so much for the absolutely perfect event last week. Many guests said it was a truly "old-fashioned Christmas party!" The delicious family-style meal made it so! — Ann McNamee
First, Thank you so much. Recreating the dinner you taught me was surprisingly very enjoyable and easy for me today (which is a huge testament to you) and secondly, every single bite was consumed and thoroughly enjoyed. Salmon dish was a HUGE hit. We all toasted you. — Lauren Irons, Mother of 3
Claudine is a master when it comes to making healthy food gorgeous and delicious. — Sarah Jenks, Weight Loss Coach
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