Nori Rolls are a great healthy lunch option for while on the go.
If you haven’t tried making Nori Rolls before, I suggest you give it a shot… once you get the hang of rollin, they are super simple and you can fill them with practically any vegetable and grain! Roll them right into a piece of aluminum foil and just turn over the ends. Perfect for a for easy grab-and-go lunch and you can enjoy like you would a burrito – pulling down the sides of the foil as you munch down.
Limy Miso Ginger Dressing:
These are a few ingredients I always keep on hand – they last for ages in your fridge and you can have fun playing with the ratios….
Miso Paste (made of chickpeas, soy free gluten free), Organic Honey, Rice Wine Vinegar, Amino Acids, Crushed Ginger, a little Sesame Oil and Fresh Squeezed Lime.
Just back from a wonderful week of Bed & Breakfasts with Ben on the coast of Mendocino County. Oh man, we could get used to that! A light knock at 9am, followed by the secret bookcase-door creaking open and in comes our 3 course farm-to-room breakfast! (We stayed at Glendeven in Mendocino).
What better way to transition into the week back than enjoying a “healthier” version of the most important meal of the day with a few of mi favorite ladies (been watching too much Downton Abbey). Sarah hosted, Molly and I puttered around the kitchen and Melanie popped in with Andrew and their precious Zoe for a surprise visit.
Sarah served with warm organic syrup, strawberries and fresh orange juice HERE
I’ve been wanting to find and perfect a healthy and fast pancake recipe. Seeing as I am a gluten free chef and not big on breakfast (I know it’s bad, but a pot of coffee, fruit and a spoon full of almond butter is all I want until 12) I have not taken the time (nor am I interested in) making pancakes. That is until now. This are great and the dry ingredients can be combined ahead of time and kept portioned in your fridge/freezer.
I combined a few recipes and here we go. (ps if you are looking for a present to get me 🙂 look no further than here)
Ingredients:
1 cup milk (I used a combination of almond and coconut because I had 1/2 cup of coconut milk that needed to be used), 1 cup water, 2 eggs, vanilla and 1/4 cup oil (I use almond or walnut), 1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup sweet rice flour, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup sorghum flour, 1/4 cup tapioca starch, 1 t baking powder, 1/2 t salt, 3/4 t xantham gum,
Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate larger bowl, combine the dry ingredients. form a well in the middle and pour in the wet ingredients. beat well to incorporate. Should be silky.
Make on your griddle or non stick pan. Flip when bubbles form. These are best served hot off the pan, otherwise keep warm in the oven.
I’ve teamed up with 4 experts in the women’s wellness world to provide you with an unforgettable and relaxing weekend! Your stay includes morning meditation with my cousin Laney, rooftop pilates with Kelsey, holistic cooking/nutrition demos with Andi and Christian and 1 restorative massage. I’ll be cooking 3 nourishing meals a day with organic produce picked that morning, eggs from our farm and fish caught in the afternoon.
As some of you may know, right around Halloween I packed up my entire life, subleased my apartment in SF, said goodbye to the people I love and headed to Mexico with hopes and dreams for opening a farm-to-table cafe. I teamed up with 2 wonder farmers/investors and in 6 weeks we were open! Well, it is not a cafe yet (as the kitchen is still being built) so we’ll call it a farm-to-table store for the time being. We sell over 40 verities of organic fruits and veggies (from seeds I brought down in July), canned and preserved deliciousness made from otherwise wasted produce (if the produce doesn’t meet Whole Foods’ and Trader Joes’ standards for perfection it gets dumped into compost and never sold) and loads of fresh baked treats and breads (some gluten free too!).
So here’s a little list of what’s been going on down here during the past 6 weeks. Now, Nona and Popa, you’ll know what I’ve been up to and promise I didn’t move to Mexico to sunbathe (I actually only put my bikini on once)
Life Lately: Halloween to xmas eve (with a 2 week Thanksgiving-break in SF)
I’ve formed a deep friendship with Elizabeth, an incredibly smart and ambitious entrepreneur, who owns a very successful farm in Todos Santos. She and her team have given me nothing but love and respect and I am so grateful for her. During the short time I knew Elizabeth she was awarded by the Mexican Federal Government, “Women Entrepreneur of the Year” and “Philanthropist of the Year.” Yeah!
Hola Friends! I hope you all are well. It sure has been a whirlwind since I moved here (I used to say “world wind” up until a week ago). The first month was a week of catching up and acclimating to my new environment, followed by a week of looking for a new place to live while dodging scary dogs and ended with a week of finally getting the ball rolling on the farm-to-table concept (the reason for my move down here).
A month ago the “cafe” was, well, 4 brick walls and a roof. Seriously, that’s it. Today, I am proud to say that our hard work is showing and by December 21st we will be open for business!
First, I’d Like to clear the air a bit, because as my grandmother thinks, I moved down here to live on a beach 🙂 I am living on a dirt road, I brush my teeth with bottled water and my “shower” is dripping cold water. Dinning out is an uphill battle as everything is fried and garnished with a sprinkle of micro organisms. The stray dogs are terrifying, vicious and rabie-infested. There’s only 2 paved roads in town. I live on a beach and have out on my bikini once. To my surprise the locals do not understand when I speak to them in Italian. On Sundays Todos Santos turns into a ghost town. Expecting to FaceTime over stolen wifi is like expecting to leave Whole Foods spending less than $50- it’s just not gonna happen. Anyway, despite the norms (of living in Mexico), I am really enjoying being here and grateful for this opportunity to team up and learn from some of the best organic farmers!
Life in Todos since I arrived November 1st, 6 weeks ago (with a 2 week break in SF)
The soon to be cafe and farm-to-table store
When I arrived 6 weeks ago it was an empty brick building. Our new tables to display produce
Day of canning – with the labels and logo I designed – Organic Farm Girl yah
With Logan and Liz (farmers and investors in our project) and Ramon our carpenter.
Ramon getting my approval, “yes shutters open out”
Harvesting first batch of cucumbers. Brought the seeds down in July…so exciting.
I’ve just embarked on the next beautiful chapter in life….
Not exactly sure how to start. Ok, off we go…
This is me: My passion is creating naturally nourishing meals accessible to all while inspiring and educating people on the art of living healthy and well. My cooking style is beyond simple to the point I feel a little silly when I post a recipe as basic as this here. I cook with with familiar ingredients from the earth, I can’t follow a recipe with more than 5 steps, I’m intimidated by kitchen gadgets (though I love people who aren’t!) and I’m a bit embarrassed to admit I’ve never made a galette. I am not a chef by any means, I’m just a gal who loves chopping with the seasons and cooking for health.
So, here I am: “Rabbit” as some call me. A produce-loving, natural-believer who hopped upon an organic farm on a beach in Todos Santos, Baja last May (see here). A dream come true for a Rabbit! So it is here on an organic farm where I will be for awhile, living and learning.
Doing what I believe: I feel this is my opportunity to fully embrace what it takes to have 100% control over what goes onto my plate and into my body. From seed to soup and slaughter to skewer, I’m here to learn and experience first hand what it means to live the “farm-to-table” life. With access to all the resources and knowledge any farm girl could imagine, I’m so excited to share with you what I learn! From planting, cultivating, picking, hosting sunset soirees and wellness retreats, I’m beyond excited for this opportunity. And being in a beautiful place surely helps…see here
Keeping it real: Without the pretentiousness and snootiness that comes with the organic and local-food scene in the Bay Area, Todos santos offers true, raw, authentic farming and dining. There is no middle man making millions off your Whole Foods purchases, and as Logan’s family would say, “we are ethically producing and providing produce to all” (too many P’s? I like the sound of it though. Bumper sticker, right!?)
Day 1 on Farm: Gettnig dirty putting up a green house and hoping to gain the respect of the hard workers. Logan said, “They’ve never seen a girl working on the farm, let alone a gringa.” You’ll be buying this basil in Whole Foods in January.
The Journey: Now for the exciting Part! My dear friend Morgan (our business Performance-Foods) and her fiancé joined me on our 5 night adventure down highway 1! I traded in my old convertible for a truck, loaded it up with pots and pans, and off we went. We stopped only to sleep and fuel up on roadside tacos and gasoline.
Numbers on the map are as follows.
1) “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” Confucius
2) Driving to Ensenada
3) A magical night in Valle de Guadelupe… baja’s wine country. Our second wine tasting turned into a 6 hour dinner until 12am with a family on their vineyard…fire pit, bbq, kids running around and bottles of wine being poured with out even their label on yet! Truly an unforgettable night… hint, we’ll be in Travel & Leisure (in towels 🙂
4) Sunrise Shot on Highway 1
5) Staying the night at Catavina (so small, didn’t even take a picture. One hotel in the town run on a generator)
6) Morning Taco
7) Staying the night in Loretto
8) Beautiful Drive and Bay
9) We make it to Todos Santos! first thing’s first: Celebratory Margaritas and Chips and Salsa!
Before pulling away from my home, I was feeling a little uneasy and my mom say:
Thank you Momma (and dad!) for always believing in me, supporting me and being my biggest cheerleaders!
I believe the food we put into our body should come from the earth, not a factory. Replenish and Nurture your body with whole foods (meaning without the additives, preservatives and nasty crap) so that your body can spend it’s energy on rebuilding, repairing, rejuvenating and recovering not digesting Skippy and Fried Chicken 🙂
I was inspired to make a healthier version of Banana Bread when a client told me it was a favorite of his. I absolutely LOVE taking people’s favorite old school comfort foods and by making just a few simple swaps turn them into healthier pieces of deliciousness! Every ingredient I choose, I choose for a reason. Every ingredient has medicinal and health benefits, and particularly helps with post workout recovery.
For Example the Banana Coconut Muffins: I used coconut and almond flours because they are higher in protein, fiber and vitamins than wheat flour. I sweetened with honey and coconut milk. I added Tera’s Organic Whey Protein for extra full protein
I believe that if you can not pronounce an ingredient on a label, and you don’t keep it in your pantry – do not put it into your body!
For Example, my Post Workout Smoothie: Banana, Spinach, Almond Butter and Coconut Water. As simple as that. But lookie here, I choose every ingredients for their health and medicinal benefits, not just because they taste great. Read HERE. Aa oppose to Odwalla and other packaged drinks that have additives and ingredients that you wouldn’t even find on your own pantry.
Health Benefits:
Banana: high in potassium..balances electrolytes
coconut water: natures Gatorade minus the added shit
almond butter: high in vitamin E, helps prevent muscle soreness
spinach: contains natural plant base “steroid” phytoecdysteroids” .. “can increase muscle growth by 20%”
Add ons
Berries: vitamins and antioxidants steve off soreness
yogurt: choose organic plain and greek for protein
Coconut Banan muffin Rcipe:
note: when i am baking I just throw ingredients together until I reach the consistency I am looking for… so this is not exact… but you get the idea 🙂
wet
3/4 cup honey
2 Bananas Chopped
2 egg whites
1 eggs
vanilla
2 T coconut oil
canned coconut milk
mix in 1/2 cup Organic whey protein powder
dry
1 cup coconut flour
1. 1/2 cups almond meal
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 t baking soad
1 t salt
I forget (it was 3 days ago) but think I baked at 375 for 15 minutes… sorry guys…. I’m such a “go with the flow, don’t make it technical” kind of chef 🙂
Seriously, you could have these for breakfast. I use Apple Sauce and Honey to Naturally Sweeten. Almond Meal in place of wheat flour and flax meal for added nutrients fiber and omegas.
They are SO moist and delicious, and healthy enough that you do not have to feel guilty for having a cookie before noon.
It has taken me a couple tries to nail it – but I think this is a winner. So moist and delicious! (ps: i hate the word “moist”)
wet
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup ground flax meal
4 egg whites
2 eggs
vanilla and cinnamon to taste
dry
2 cups oats
2 cups almond meal
1 cup walnuts
1 cup raisins
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
mix wet. mix dry. combine. bake on Parchment paper sheet pans at 350 for 13-15 minutes. Cool for a minute or two before cooling completely on racks.
…and why you”re not invited. Monday trail runs in China Camp are where some of my best business ideas are generated; my mind is clear and there’s not a soul to be seen or an industrial sounds to be heard. I mean, if this doesn’t inspire creativity and clarity what the hell would? It’s what I also call “trail-therapy” and a time when things on my mind are identified, processed, labeled and stowed away. Not only are there wonderful mental and emotional benefits to being outdoors, but when we’re connected with nature and our body, specifically during physical activity, we release endorphins creating the “happy” feelings. Added bonus, your skin “glows” (foods for the glow here)
2 Miles to the top… Eye spy 3 bridges and SF
Now that you’ve been trail blazing, it’s time to nourish and replenish your body. My favorite post workout snack(vegetarian and gluten free):
Banana, Almond Butter, Chia Seeds and Hemp Hearts
While down in Todos Santos, Baja this summer I was enjoying this snack every morning post run with banana’s from Logan’s orchard. Look at them hanging over the creek!
A few shots from my run in Paradise!
CLICK ON THE LINK FOR THE VIDEO BELOW….AND HEAR COW BELLS 🙂 AH!
We’re at Bloomfield Farms for a morning of “U PICK” – and guess what else… every Sunday a guest chef is on the farm whipping up breakfast with produce from the farm… AH talk about a day of farm to mouth!
Enjoy your 3 day weekend, friends! Start your Tuesday off fresh with 5 vegetarian and gluten free meals right to your door…and we’re at Bloomfield Farms for a morning of “U PICK” – guess what, every Sunday a guest chef is on the farm whipping up breakfast with produce from the farm… AH talk about a day of farm to mouth.
Cape Cod and the East Cape, Baja are so similar, yet ooooh so different. With less than 24 hours in between trips (just enough time to switch suitcases in my trunk) I went from one extreme to the next. Well, in my eyes it was extreme. I’m not the type who sails in Nantucket nor sleeps next to bondfires. Though I must say, they’re both lifestyles I feel very comfortable in! Especially the latter. All in all I had a wonderful 3 weeks and I’d like to thank my friends for their hospitality and love.
Thinking the best way to document this summer is through pics representing the contrasts:
Sleeping Quarters
Driveway
Seafood Soup
Home Office
Sunrise over water
Organic Farming
Fancy-pants cocktails: kale martini, quinoa vodka. Riiiidiculous 🙂
Seafood and Beer on a hot summer day
Lunch at Pier
Morning jog. “In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks” John Muir
Follow your heart and your dreams will manifest into reality…go on…now’s the time.
Back to reality. Back to the grind. Back to the fog. Oh how I missed the San Francisco.
After 3 weeks of vacation (Nantucket and Baja pic here), the things I am happy to come home to: that leaf blowing on the ground is NOT a cockroach, a shower warmer than the ocean, and oh, you can flush the toilet paper!
On my last day in Mexico I threw together this breakfast just with what we had on hand. Was ready in 5 minutes and was so simple I feel silly even writing the recipe. The beet’s came from Logan’s farm, the eggs were SO local and organic that there were still feathers on them, and the rice was made the day before with our Chicken Mole dinner (I’ll post recipe later…used the chicken we slaughtered).
This is a FANTASTIC breakfast for a hangover! There’s really something to be said for a greasy fried egg after a night out…. truly magical. Plus, the starch from the rice and vitamins in the greens… add a sprinkle of chia seeds and a glass of coconut water and you’re game!
Shredded Beet and Carrot Salad with Desert Cattle Cheese, Toasted Almonds and Honey Dressing
Recipe
Mix about 1/2 cup cooked rice with an egg white. Form into 2 patties and fry. Sautee Beet greens, red onion and garlic. Fry an Egg. Done and Done!
List of things to do while in Mexico: Surf. Fish. Camp on the beach. Plan future business. Kill a chicken.
After a week here: Check. Check. Check. Check. Ok, stop dilly-dallying
It only seems natural that if I respect animals the way I say I do, then I should be able to take one’s life with my own hands. I wanted to really connect with life, death and the process in which an animal goes from being a living, breathing, beautiful, creature, to a piece of meat on my plate. I wanted to have 100% control, awareness and involvement in the process of an animal’s death for my consumption.
Little did I know, I am not cut out for stabbing into a living creature and slicing a knife through it’s neck. I chickened out mid-slice.
Since we all may not have the access and resources to a chicken to slaughter, let’s dedicate today’s post to practicing mindfulness and to making conscious decisions. You can start by becoming aware of where your food is coming from. For Pete’s sake, at least be mindful of what animal is in your meatballs on Mondays.
Logan (my farmer friend) who has killed “thousands of animals” as humanely as one can, talked me through the process and steps in preparation. With a knife in one hand a strong drink in my other, I paced the patio for a few minutes trying to mentally prepare myself for what I was about to do.
Ok, now is the time. Logan held the chicken’s wings tightly against its body, I looked the chicken in his eyes and let him know it would all be ok and no part of him will be wasted.
I found his vein with my left hand and held the knife in my right. My hands were shaking uncontrollably and my heart was racing a mile a minute. I took a deep breath and stabbed him in the neck. The chicken let out a scream. I couldn’t finish it. I couldn’t rip the knife through his vein and out the other side. I put down the knife and said, “I can’t.” At this point Logan was upset because all I’ve really done is stab a chicken and left it to suffer. I turn away and say “You do it, I can’t.” When I look back the chicken is hanging upside down with his head dangling by a small piece of flesh as he bleeds out onto the patio.
By this time tears are pouring down my face uncontrollably. I don’t know why I started crying. Maybe because I made an animal suffer or because I was disappointed in myself for not being able to follow through with something. Or maybe because I’ve never been in the presence of an animal being slaughtered. Or was it because I was 100% responsible for taking the life of a creature?
Whatever the reason, I still cannot explain the feelings and emotions moving through my body and mind. Definitely made up for having not cried in the past 3 years!
I think everyone who consumes animals should try and kill an animal once in their lifetime, or at least educate themselves on how most animals are raised and slaughtered. See HERE and HERE
How it all started and step by step:
Logan came home from the farm around noon and at about 12:30 said, “oh I got us a chicken” and went out to his truck. He walks in carrying a cardboard box with white feathers poking through the holes. Not the grocery bag I was expecting. I asked “Is that for me to kill?” while halfway laughing because he had forgotten about a living creature in the bed of his truck on a hot summer day 🙂
I said, “Ok, tell me a little bit about the chicken”
Logan, “He lived on the our farm. Some of the farm workers had him living in their yard. He ate all the bell peppers, cucumbers and other organic produce I grow. He is about 4-5 lbs and 5-6 weeks old. They asked for 5 bucks but I gave them 10.”
And there you have it…
This expression represents thoughts and feelings I’ve never experienced before
“I don’t think I can do this. Yes I can. Shit. Can he feel my energy? Am I making the chicken scared? What if I hurt him. I don’t want to kill an animal. Yes I do. This is ancient human behavior, I can do this. Shit no I can’t. My hand is shaking .I think I’m going to vomit. Ok. Pull it together and do it.
Pouring boiling water on the chicken helps with removing the feathers
Cleaning him up before putting him in the ice bucket
Our set
We drive down the road (2 minutes from Logan’s house) onto the beach to take a swim. Feeling the need to cleanse in the ocean. No one else for miles.
Body Surfing
Salty Sandy Cleansed
6 years ago I became a vegan after watching the documentary “Meet Your Meat”. My decision was based on animal rights reasons… I could not justify eating something knowing that an animal had suffered so I could satisfy my taste buds. I believe all animals feel pain to the same degree, therefore, animals raised for consumption should be treated with the same amount of respect as domestic animals. Right? I mean it’s only our Westerns culture that tells us it’s okay to eat cows but for some reason inhumane to eat dogs.
I moved to Thailand 5 years ago and started eating seafood and eggs. Then from there moved to Paris and started eating dairy products. My philosophy has changed over the years to “As long as the animal was raised/slaughtered humanely and sustainable/environmental practices were used I support the consumption.”
