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It's HERE :)))) The *free* Conscious Parenting Summit starts *today* at 8pm Eastern, 5pm Pacific time. http://consciousparentingsummit.com/cps/ Our first interview, available *free* for 24 hours, is with the wonderful Ingrid Bauer, author of "Diaper Free" - find out how to happily and healthily raise babies without diapers/nappies :))) Join us tonight, please spread the word :) All love, Angelalalaaaaaa, Mr. Mmmmmm & Oria Berry. ♥ ♥ ♥ xxx p.s. We also have the wonderful "Nappy Free" DVD on this subject too, see HERE...and check out the coming line-up for the Summit over the next 15 days HERE - enjoy :)))

Make money; change the world. Basic translation: Make a living doing what you love,  what you were meant to do … you deserve it!

Following your dreams doesn’t mean you’ll end up in the poorhouse. Yet so many of us are terrified to make the leap and for good reasons.

Money is a difficult topic, and it brings up lots of unresolved issues. Old resentments, anxiety, fear – the almighty dollar rustles up the gunk. I had money issues for the majority of my life. As a result, it was nearly impossible for me to ask for and accept help or own my value.

It hasn’t been easy to get to a place where my business feeds/nourishes me and supports my dream – and my team! Early on, I didn’t know what the heck I was doing. I learned by trial and error and trial again. And boy did I make some juicy (smelly) mistakes. What can I say? I’m an artist at heart, a free bird with a whole lotta love + wisdom to share. But I sure wasn’t a biz maven.

In the past few years my business and life have totally transformed. One major reason:  Marie Forleo + B-School.

Marie taught me how to grow a business that’s positive, bright and soul-level successful. You know, the kind of job that isn’t a job – one you can’t wait to wake-up for!

Now let’s get practical and strategic. Here’s one of my secret entrepreneurial weapons: Map out a year of products and work flow on your calendar (Ex. We have the rest of 2012 and most of 2013 planned and cruisin’). As Marie says, if you don’t schedule something, it doesn’t exist. And if your products and services don’t exist, you don’t have a business (or a means to buy/make green juice!). A calendar ensures we don’t bite off more than we can chew – especially when I’m also writing a traditional book for a publisher. This roadmap allows us to deliver smart + truly useful content that our customers love + appreciate. And that content changes lives, helps people feel better and ultimately helps change the world. See why your vision is so important?

Your plan may change. Your desires may sharpen. Stay flexible but don’t flounder. Sure, life is complicated. And yes, we get pulled in many directions. But when you have a strong foundation, you won’t get blown over by passing physical or financial storms.

Are you a coach, designer, artist, word chef, cook, shoemaker, brew master, graphic designer or founder of a unicorn sanctuary?

Do you want to work from a laptop in sweatpants (like me!) while spreading your art and your message? Your vision is the new reality. All you need is a lil’ confidence and some tools.

B-School will teach you how to provide incredible value, optimize your biz + your time, create authentic marketing, run a successful launch, up your communication + organization game, build your list, and polish your newsletter, opt-in and website + sooo much more. Seriously, Marie breaks everything down into easy actionable steps and lays out the path for you to follow your bliss while creating a dazzling income stream.

Watch Marie’s complimentary training videos. They are packed with useful content that will rock your world NOW.

Still on the fence? Join me + Marie this Thursday! I’ll be interviewing Lady Forleo and taking your questions. LIVE. FREE. EASY-BREEZY. Register here.

FYI: This year is probably the LAST time Marie will be teaching B-School live. So it doesn’t matter if you feel not “ready” yet, are traveling or having a baby! Enroll now, because we honestly don’t know how or when Marie will roll it out again. Also, as a B-Schooler, you’ll be part of a worldwide network of women who are committed to growing themselves and their businesses for all the right reasons. Plus, all students get LIFETIME ACCESS to the program.

Hope to see you around the digital campus. :)

Peace & pens, KC

BONUS: If you join me in B-School, I’ll be offering an exclusive group coaching call only for Crazy Sexy grads who sign up here and complete the entire program. I’ll share my biggest biz failures + successes so you can learn from my mistakes, and then I’ll tackle what you’re struggling with in a Q&A.

I love being in that state–of-grace place where synchronicity occurs, coincidences happen, just the right people, books, and events present themselves, and things work out better than I can imagine. It’s the magical realm of unlimited possibilities — I also call it the Miracle-Prone Zone. I’ve experienced this place throughout my life and it has thrilled me and filled me with a knowing that there is so much more to life than meets the eye.

For example, one night several years ago, I was having a dark night of the soul. I’d lost my temper with someone I deeply loved, and I was devastated that our relationship might be over. I felt bad and ugly and unlovable and, in a torrent of tears, I prayed for help. Just then, a card that was displayed on the shelf beside me floated to the floor. I picked it up and it read, “You are so loved.” A peace came over me. I knew I wasn’t alone. I knew I was loved.

This state-of-grace place where anything is possible is where I want to live. However, sometimes I find myself losing touch with that place and getting caught up on the hamster wheel of life. When I was diagnosed with uterine cancer almost three years ago, it was my wake-up call to hightail it back there! With a poor prognosis, I knew I needed to be in that expansive place beyond mind, beyond reason, beyond physical, beyond what most doctors will tell you is possible. My doctor said that though the grueling chemo and radiation treatment reduced the tumor in size, it would start growing again because that’s what tumors do — end of story. But in the state-of-grace place, it’s not the end of the story. Miracles happen there. Healing happens there.

As I cultivated the state–of-grace place through meditation, prayer, intention and healthy actions, everything I needed to heal came to me: the perfect diet and supplements, and just the right books and people showed up in my life. As the tumor growth was diminished my personal growth burgeoned, I realigned with my spirit, learned what I needed to learn from the cancer experience, and started doing the inspirational writing my soul had been longing to do. I even wrote a book that chronicled my cancer experience called “Oh No, Not Another ‘Growth’ Opportunity! An Inspirational Cancer Journey with Humor, Heart, and Healing.” I was good with my soul and my soul was good with me, and, therefore, I was in the flow of synchronicity and unlimited possibilities.

It’s been a year and half since my doctor basically told me, “You’re toast,” and I’m still here, feeling vibrant, more whole than I have ever been, more alive, more on purpose, and deeply connected to my spirit. I intend to stay in this state-of-grace place. I’ve taped the card that said “You are so loved” to my mirror to remind me every day that miracles happen, that I’m not alone, that I’m loved, as are we all.

Janet Jacobsen always said she’d write someday — cancer kicked her someday into ‘write’ now! For the last three years she’s been writing uplifting, entertaining, informative essays about her cancer journey, helpful for anyone with life challenges. The essays are archived at her website, EnlightenInk.com. She has compiled 60 of her juiciest essays into a book called “Oh No, Not Another ‘Growth’ Opportunity! An Inspirational Cancer Journey with Humor, Heart, and Healing.” Her greatest intention in sharing her journey is to be of service to others.

Photo credit: Dean Areyes

Woooooo-HOOOOOOOO: our free online Conscious Parenting Summit starts *TOMORROW* :))))) Are you signed up yet…??? If yes, YAY, we’re so excited to share this with you :) If not, you can jump in HERE if you’d love to… Here’s a reminder of what’s in store: Below is a list of all of our esteemed speakers, along with the subjects that they are speaking on: Robin Lim (CNN Hero of the Year 2011) – Lotus Birthing, Breastfeeding, Bonding Barbara Harper – Water Birthing Laura Shanley – Unassisted Birthing Ingrid Bauer - Diaper Free Sarah Buckley, MD – Placenta Transfusion, Dangers of Early Cord Cutting; Breastfeeding & Co-sleeping Elena Vladirimova – Conscious Conception and Living in Community April Renee - Vaccinations Jan Hunt – Unschooling Naomi Aldort – Communicating with Children Hethir Rodriguez - Fertility & Avoiding Miscarriages Shazzie – Nutrition for Babies and Children Michael Mendizza - Primal Parenting in a Modern World Carrie Contey (prenatal and perinatal psychologist) – Slow Parenting and How Babies’ Brains Work Bregje Hamelynck – Dunstan Baby Language Mary Jackson (Midwife for 40 years) – Natural Home Birthing with Incredible Stories Marilyn Milos – Circumcision We hope that you can join us :) To sign up for this free event, click the link below: http://consciousparentingsummit.com/cps/
…and please remember to help spread the word of this informative, life-changing free event with your friends and family too :) All love and crowning joyblossoms, Angelalalalalaaaaaa, Mr. Mmmmm and Oria Berry. xxx

Hiya!

I couldn't resist trying the TRIPLE TOMATO SOUP recipe (P62) from this delightful book. The recipe is easy with not too many ingredients (also my moto as you may well know) and simply put, this was sublime! I enjoyed the differing textures of the same ingredient and it was very refreshing and tasty. I added more fresh thyme on top instead of the suggested rocket salad, only because I didn't have any!

Sunday, May 20, 2012: Be on the lookout for your “other half.” A new moon in Gemini gives us the green light to partner up with kindred spirits and like-minded souls.  This new moon also happens to be a solar eclipse, which can illuminate opportunities that are hidden in the proverbial shadows. Your perfect pairing may be with someone whose name is already filed in your contact database or among the ranks of your Facebook friends. Surprise! You’ve got something in common—and more than you initially thought.

Eclipses can also temporarily block out one situation, forcing us to look in a new direction. If one prospective duo seems less-than-dynamic this weekend, use the opportunity to branch out. Gemini is the zodiac’s social butterfly, and this is a great weekend to network with new crowds of people and check out a brand new scene. Here are a few ideas for harnessing the power of this Gemini solar eclipse:

Mirror Your Mate Communicative Gemini loves inspiring dialogues, witty banter, and the feeling of kinship. In fact, this is the sign that rules siblings, peers, and the people who share our common interests. (Hello twins!)  To create rapport with your nearest and dearest, try the “mirroring and matching” technique developed by NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming). Since humans unconsciously connect with people who look, sound and act like us, build bridges by mirroring people’s body language or matching their tone of voice. Pay attention to subtle cues near this eclipse. Say, for example, your sweetie rests his chin on his right hand while you’re chatting over Sunday brunch. Like a mirror, you’d rest your chin on your left hand. Swoon! Maybe you meet a super inspiring someone at a party whose voice is honeyed and melodious. Sweeten up your own tone and see how the conversation flows. BFF alert! Of course, you can’t be too overt with this or you’ll feel like an awkward marionette. Experiment subtly. It can help you break the ice with new peeps and deepen existing bonds.

Make It By Hand The hands are the body part that Gemini is associated with, and an eclipse in this crafty sign can make you feel like an Etsy maven gone wild. Summon forth your inner sartorialist and whip something up from scratch. The sky is the limit here. Plate the perfect spiralized zucchini pasta dish and serve for a small dinner party. Upcycle a pair of jeans into a denim skirt. Repurpose a flea market find as a home furnishing or garden decor. Write someone a letter using pen and paper (Gemini is the zodiac’s wordsmith) and pop it in that old-fashioned thing called a mailbox. Pen a song and strum a serenade on your guitar. There’s something so satisfying about being able to say, “I made that.” No self-deprecating judgments allowed!

Transport Yourself Anew Short journeys fall under Gemini’s domain and this solar eclipse wants us to rethink the ways we get around. It’s no secret that those gas guzzling local trips have a toxic influence on our environment. Rethink your modes of transportation this weekend. Invest in an eco-chic bicycle or maybe even an electric bike to get around your ‘hood on errands. Look into carpooling, ride shares, and public transportation options. It will take a little organizing on the front end, but there are definite benefits. Beyond doing something positive for the planet, biking is a great way to get exercise. As for the bus? If someone else is driving, you can kick back and read the paper or catch up on your emails as you  ride to your destination.

Support Local Who are the people in your neighborhood? Social butterfly Gemini is the queen of the local scene and this eclipse prompts us to get out and mingle with the peeps in our ‘hood—especially the proprietors of unique and homespun shops. Rather than head for the big box stores, what could you purchase from the family-owned business down the block? Putting money back into the hands of your own community is the way to keep your area thriving and sustainable. Join a food co-op. Take a class at the locally owned fitness studio; participate in a neighborhood event. Getting to know the people who live close by will make you feel more at home when you walk down the street—and this is something that Gemini loves.

Get free daily, weekly and monthly horoscopes from The AstroTwins at astrostyle.com.

Photo credit: jana.

How to pick up Australian girls. In this video I pick up an Australian girl literally and give you some tips on picking up a girl. Its all about having a plan and having a list of what you’re looking for in a partner and then becoming the sort of person that attracts those people into your life.

Everyone loves a rainbow, nobody loves a drainbow..

My pick up artist tips aka PUA tips are as follows:

Develop confidence by constantly shifting your focus to empowering thoughts. Develop high vitality by eating a high calorie high carb low fat vegan diet rich in fresh fruits. Develop a sense of humor by not taking anything personally and being able to make fun of yourself and others in a light hearted fashion.

 

A friend of ours grew a jungle last year and this year already has an entire box of delish radishes. They are fun to eat, greens and all. We found they grow fast and easily, as we planted a whole package of radish (cherry belle) seeds 6 days ago and already the leaves are coming out, take a peak in the video below. Below see a delicious spread (hempspread.com) I had to note, it is full of great nutrients. Also funny, I ate like 6 bananas today, partly in honor of the nice vlogger who asks is it more extreme his eating 25 bananas a day or is it more extreme to kill a cow and eat that? Check him out  via Youtube at this link. He is definitely getting plenty of protein on his non-meat diet.

As usual, thanks for the feedback on Friday. I mentioned that I’d be spending the next two weeks resting and spending a little time in the kitchen (OK, a lot of time), and these scrumptious raw dark chocolate and cherry cookies are one of the fruits of my labor!

These cookies are inspired by one of my favorite One Lucky Duck cookies: the dark chocolate cherry macadamia cookies. These cookies, like all of Sarma’s cookies, are delicious, and shockingly authentic. The texture is quite a bit like the “real thing,” but I think the taste has even more depth.

The secret to Sarma’s cookies, I suspect, is a mixture of almond flour and oat flour. My version features these same ingredients: I used almond meal from Bob’s Red Mill (a favorite baking ingredient for me) and I ground raw oat groats in my coffee grinder (which I use only for grains and seeds) for the flour. You could, of course, grind regular rolled oats, or you could use store bought oat flour. Because I didn’t have maple powder (which is in Sarma’s ingredient list), I used dates, but in order to make the cookies work, I needed to use more almond meal than oat flour. I like the slightly drier (less chewy) texture that the oats created, but you could use all almond flour if oats don’t agree with you (Bitt!)

If you like dark chocolate, and you like dried cherries—and how on earth can you not?—you’ll love the taste of these treats. I was super decadent and used 1/4 cup chopped raw dark chocolate (Fine & Raw), but vegan dark chocolate chips will be just fine, too.

Raw, Vegan Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookies (raw, vegan, gluten free if you use GF oats, soy free)

Makes about 8 large cookies; recipe can be easily doubled

1 cup almond meal (you can use store bought, like the Bob’s Red Mill brand, or you can grind almonds finely in a food processor) 1/3 cup oat flour (I ground raw oat groats in my coffee grinder, but you can use store bought, too) 3 tbsp raw cacao powder 12 large, pitted medjool dates 1/3 cup dried cherries 1/4 cup chopped raw dark chocolate, or vegan dark chocolate chips

1. In a food processor, process almond meal, oat flour, and cacao to combine.

2. Add dates, and process until the mixture is thick and sticks together easily when you clasp a little in your hand (look for similar texture to when you make homemade raw energy balls or Larabars). If the mixture is too dry, add an extra date, a drizzle of agave, or a tablespoon of almond butter!

3. Add cherries and chocolate. Pulse to break down the cherries and chocolate into small pieces and mix them evenly throughout.

4. Place "dough" onto a sheet of saran wrap that has been laid onto a flat surface. Cover with another saran sheet, and use a rolling pin to flatten the mixture to just over 1/4 inch thick. Refrigerate for a few hours, or overnight.

5. Cut dough into desired shapes with a cookie cutter, and enjoy!

These make for good snacking, as well as good dessert.

I thought hearts would be appropriate here, because nutritious raw and vegan desserts are heartwarming indeed.

Hope you get a chance to test these cookies for yourself. Of course, you can use any dried fruit you like (raisins, gojis, cranberries), and you can use walnuts or hazelnuts as the base, too.

I’m in the middle of getting ready to go to the filming of the finale of The Celebrity Apprentice, and the afterparty. Not a typical Gena Sunday—it’s usually a big deal when I get to watch Mad Men—but a friend of mine had a plus one. So off I uncharacteristically go, and I’ll see you back here tomorrow!

xo

Performed by Vitality Planet especially for The Fresh Network Blog

As he delved deeper into the holistic lifestyle, Anthony Anderson discovered the joys and profundity of gardening and realized that this just may be the panacea that will help heal humanity and planet Earth. Anthony's mission is to inspire others to plant paradise on the planet once again. He has founded www.GrowParadise.com to help inspire others to do just that: to grow their own food and create a paradise planet here and now. 'Grow Paradise' inspired projects are already underway internationally.

Cherry picked for modelling at 18, Anthony Anderson has been in constant demand as an international model since the age of 23. In his quest to hone his physique for his profession, Anthony came across Raw Food Nutrition - a huge change from the diet of processed foods he was raised on.

Delighted with the immediate positive physical changes, Anthony was also astonished to experience profound bursts of energy, happiness and mental clarity through his change of diet. His ongoing experience and success is documented on his hugely popular website www.rawmodel.com; his videos, which to date have been viewed 517,073 times on YouTube, and The Anthony Anderson show. He is also available for modelling ethically produced clothing. Anthony now interweaves modelling with his greatest passion: spreading ideas and awareness about sustainable living and the growing of Paradise on Earth, through his project 'Grow Paradise' (www.growparadise.com).

Describe what you do in 2-4 sentences if that is at all possible?

Being based primarily in NYC, I use modelling and acting to help me raise funds for my three passions in life - eating amazing organic food, travelling the world, and planting forest gardens. I founded www.rawmodel.com and www.GrowParadise.com to help spread that passion of green living and paradise creation via the web through blogs and videos.

What is your greatest success?

Overall, I would say that creating a lifestyle that gives me the freedom to travel and enjoy life is my greatest success. Planting the Minnesota food forest for my family gives me a deep sense of pride for helping to do my share for my parents and relatives. Being able to speak with people about green living and growing paradise also makes me feel very good about the path I am on.

Have you set up any projects or initiatives, or do you support any?

I set up the green initiative known as Grow Paradise to encourage people to plant edible “food forests” - organic gardens based on trees and shrubs that need less maintenance and energy inputs than normal gardens. Grow Paradise plants these gardens for schools, needy communities, and private citizens. We film these “planting parties” and spread that joy online to inspire others to do the same themselves.

Where in the world do you feel most at home?

Whenever I am in the Rocky Mountains or the West Coast of the United States, my heart sings. I feel a strong soul connection to that area. As a single specific space on the planet, my answer would surely be my family food forest in Minnesota, USA.

What piece of advice would you give to the 16 year old you?

I would say TRAVEL before enrolling in university. Take a gap year. Meet people from other cultures and travel the world while possibly volunteering or working on organic farms... See how other people live in other countries and THEN decide what you want to do with your life.

I personally rushed right into university without even knowing who I was or what my passions were, and I think about those years and wonder what could have taken place during that time. In addition - the way the global economy and culture is headed, investing time and money into a degree may NOT be as wise at it once was.

If there is one thing that an individual could focus on to positively influence 1 billion people in the next 10 years what would it be?

Plant as many edible forest gardens in their local areas and beyond and just keep out planting any negativity and literally grow paradise on planet Earth, and while doing this, document it so that others can be inspired and spread that passion.

This action feeds both humans and animals, prevents erosion, cleans the air, and requires far less energy to produce food than “modern” agriculture. Of all the things I can think of, this is the most powerful action that comes to mind, and once the message is received by others, the spirit carries on and multiplies indefinitely.

International male model, Anthony Anderson presents "Grow Paradise: Co-creating Paradise on Planet Earth" at Wellbeing Conference, Vitality Planet, Kensington, London, June 30th 2012.

Much more than "just a gardening lecture", this is about our overarching Lifestyle Design - and thus moving towards a lifestyle of freedom, health, and of primary wealth and success. "Learn what Individuals, small groups or large organisations can do NOW to start co-creating real change today."

Vitality Planet presents ‘Wellbeing conference’ – June 30^th, 2012, 10am – 8pm. This event is set to be the UK’s most supercharged raw vitality event for 2012. Join Anthony and 5 other international speakers and be the vitality you wish to see in the world.

Other speakers include Dr Alla Svirinskaya (keep energised from top to toe), Dr David Jubb (explore your cells and how to ‘hum with health’), Mike Nash (expand your own potential), Stewart Pearce (Alchemy of Voice teacher) and Kyle Vialli (explaining why 95% of all diets fail within the first few months).

All Fresh Network readers can save £5 on tickets with the code FRESHPLANET! Go to www.vitalityplanet.co.uk to purchase your tickets now!

W: www.vitalityplanet.co.uk    Facebook: www.facebook.com/events/308448579220117

When I wrote the title of this post, I thought “it’s taken me over three years to post my recipe for curried chickpea salad?!” In spite of the fact that I’ve never shared it, this was one of the first vegan lunch recipes I concocted on my own. I loved it then, I loved it now. And since my Mom is a great fan of curried chicken salad, and we’re eating some vegan food together over this holiday, I thought I’d share my recipe with her.

This recipe differs from curried chickpea salad in one obvious way (chickpeas, not chicken) and one less obvious way (no mayo). I use a tahini based dressing instead, which I truly love (and sometimes thin out just slightly as a salad dressing—yum!). To imitate many curried chicken salad recipes, I add some finely grated carrot, and I also throw in some raisins, which complement the slight sweetness of the dressing nicely. The dish is packed with protein, fiber, and folate from the legumes, and it’s also got a nice helping of healthy fat from the tahini. Best of all, it’s 100% plant-based and animal friendly.

I often like to serve these chickpeas in a nutrient dense salad: they add flavor and texture! But they also make a good side dish or party appetizer. It goes without saying that you can stay true to the idea of this being a vegan response to curried chicken salad, and serve it between two slices of Ezekiel bread—curried chickpea salad sandwich! And finally, this little dish makes a lovely snack. There are days when I want something to nosh on that’s far more grounding and solid than a snack bar or a smoothie or a veggies + hummus; on these days, munching on chickpeas really hits the spot.

A little odd? Maybe. But deliciously odd.

Gena’s Favorite Curried Chickpea Salad (vegan, gluten free)

Serves 3-4

For the salad:

2 cups cooked chickpeas 1 large carrot, grated finely (use the smallest size on a box grater, if that’s what you’re using) 1/3 cup raisins

For the dressing:

2 tbsp tahini 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 2 tbsp water 1/2 tbsp tamari or Bragg’s or shoyu 2 tsp maple syrup 1 tsp curry powder

1. Whisk all dressing ingredients together.

2. Dress the salad ingredients with the dressing to your liking: I tend to use most of the dressing, but not quite all. You can thin down any leftover dressing slightly with some water, and use it over a salad (it’s slightly too thick for dressing greens as is, but again, use your kitchen intuition!).

3. Munch.

What a tasty bowl to dig into with a spoon. Seriously. So satisfying! And I love the slight contrast of the raisins and beans.

Sometimes, we bloggers have foods we eat so regularly and make with so automatically that we just forget to blog about them. You guys have seen most of my regulars, but there are still some time honored snacks and dishes that I tend to dismiss because I think they’re not noteworthy enough for CR. I bet I’m wrong. And I hope you like the salad.

So, since you all have been kindly cheering me on through a hard few weeks with school, I wanted to give you all an update on how it turned out. I did, thankfully, pass Orgo. Phew!! I’m so happy that I managed to squeeze by. That said, my academic profile is still not where I need and want it to be for applications, so I hope that I’ll be able to improve it with my remaining classes (which won’t be quite the conceptual beasts that orgo was). I’m also very aware that pressure to “redeem oneself” academically can be unproductive, so I’m also trying to be gentle with myself. It’s a fine balance.

I’ve got classes through the summer, and one class in the fall, and after that my post-bacc will be essentially complete and other things (applications, glide year) enter the picture. I had hoped, when I started, to finish sooner, but a tough first semester forced me to drop a class, and then the whole delicate schedule got pushed back.

It’s no secret to any of you that I have struggled a lot through this process. In response to my Superhero Smoothie post, a friend of mine asked if I was setting the stage to possibly tell you all at some point that I was changing directions. I wasn’t, but it’s a good question. I think what I was trying to share was the reality that the post-bacc has never been the same thing as guaranteed admission to med school. Sometimes, when you say you’re pre-med, people assume that you’re automatically on a straight path to a lab coat! But it always was, and still is, a journey: I’m figuring out if this is the path for me. That’s what I set out to do when I left publishing, and I always knew it would be hard. It just turned out to be much harder than I anticipated.

If any of you are wondering whether I’ve had a profound change of heart about this decision: no, not at all. I still want to devote my life to the healing arts, as it were, and I particularly hope to do so by becoming a doctor. I didn’t blog about my hospital volunteer experiences this year for the sake of the privacy of the children I met, but I spent nearly 100 hours volunteering in pediatric oncology, and in spite of how hard it sometimes was, I loved it. It was always the best part of my week, and it was a constant reminder of why I set out to do this in the first place.

As many of you have insightfully reminded me, if med school doesn’t work out, there are a ton of avenues I can consider in health care: DO programs (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine; this is for all intents and purposes the same as med school); nursing, which most of you are probably familiar with; PA programs (Physician’s assistant—many of my readers are PAs, and love their jobs); RD (Registered Dietician, which would love, and I have always kept in mind as a future option!); and psychology, which would be a shift of direction, but very germane to my interest in mental health and eating disorders. These are only a few, and if I were to ultimately change courses from the MD, I’d take some time and consider which of them would let me use my strengths most effectively to help people. In the end, helping people is what this is all about.

Anyway: this is all my typically verbose way of saying that I’ve still got my heart set on practicing as a doctor, but that I’m also prepared to explore other directions, when and if the time should come. I’ve never been very good at change or uncertainty, but both are part of post-bacc life, and in some ways, it has been an awesomely humbling experience. Again, I’m so grateful to you all for being supportive and insightful as I make my way through it.

And now, I’m taking time off from that humbling experience for two more weeks! I look forward putting a little mental distance between me and school, and to enjoying time with my friends, hanging out with my mom, and savoring a lot of unfettered time in the kitchen.

Happy Friday, everyone!

xo

Vilda: Erica har som många av er vet släppt en ny bok alldeles nyss. Raw Food, ett lättare liv på tre veckor. Gav den till min morbror Hans som behöver cancerkost. Men medan han bläddrade i den fastnade han på ett recept som jag genast skrev ner. Och idag lagade jag Ericas broccolipaj med pumpakärnost. Jättefin bok. Men vår blir också fin :-) I Helgen gifter sig Eriks nära vän Andreas (med sin kära Sanna) och han har gjort sitt yttersta för att trotsa den ihållande influensan och ta sig dit. Om han före viruset levt på hälften råkost hälften surdegskanelbullar från bageri Kin samt en kopp kaffe om dagen, tvingades han snabbt att fasta när febern slog till. När han sen kunde börja äta var det bara frukt, juice och vetegräs som lockade och kaffet kunde han lätt göra sig av med. Trots detta har maratonsjukan hållt sig fast och nu efter att ha kört upp till Arboga själv i sju timmar igår känner han sig fortfarande så dålig att han kanske inte ens klarar av att ta sig från Arboga till Örebro. Så nu är han lite ledsen. Men det är inte vi! Förrutom att vi naturligtvis hyser den största medkänslan för vår fina Kire har vi andra saker för oss. Charlize har nytagna hål i öronen och hänger med sin mormor i stugan i Lerbeckshult. De spelar tjejsnack, tittar på gamla foton och gör om i mormors egenbyggda kåk med båtfönster och målarstuga. Vilgot ropar monsterapa och gömmer sig under täcket, Lemoni kissar ner gammelmormors byxor och jag handlar oskrivna vintagevykort på Loppan i Höganäs. På kvällarna får jag lektioner i sömnad av min mormor och virkar häxor och fula monster. Vilgot är i en ålder där han identifierar sig med allt och alla. Han är en myra, då är jag en mask, Erik en spindel, Lemoni en fjäril och Challan en fluga (och många många andra är andra kryp och djur). Nyligen är han Nalle Puh mesta tiden. Ibland Nalle Puh Vilgot men mest springer han omkring i sin röda tröja och påminner oss "jag är Nalle Puh!" Och om han är Nalle Puh vem är då vi? Jag, självutnämnd Uggla för mitt besserwissersätt och min självgodhet, Erik I-or för hans väldolda optimism och hypokondri, Lemoni=Nasse (även uttalat Näsa) och Challan spralliga Tiger. En annan sak Vilgot gör nuförtiden är att fråga frågor, främst om vart olika människor är, ibland när de står precis bredvid. Härom natten, efter ett maratonpass med Mad Men, hör vi Vilgot gny i sömnen. "Var är Uggla?" frågar han plötsligt från sin lilla säng i hörnet till vårt sovrum. "Jag är här." svarar jag "Var är I-or?" "Jag är här." svarar min make. "Okej" säger Nalle Puh och somnar om.

Modern medicine operates much like a farmer who fixes his fences only after the horses or cows have broken out. Hence, most serious health conditions incubate for years before they are diagnosed. This is certainly true of type 2 diabetes.

A couple of weeks ago, I read a timely article in Life Extension magazine entitled “Glucose: The Silent Killer.” In addition to summarizing all of the really bad things that excess blood sugar can do to your body, the article documented an important fact: By the time you are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you’ve actually had blood sugar problems for years. (Note: Do not confuse type 1 diabetes with type 2 diabetes. They are really very different. Type 1 is an autoimmune disease, which begins in childhood and requires insulin. Type 2 diabetes, also called diabesity, is related to your diet and lifestyle.)

I certainly knew this to be true, and I have written about it in my books. But there is a new piece to the puzzle: We’ve set the range for normal blood sugar too high. Recent studies indicate that fasting glucose levels should be in the range of 70–85 mg/dL. Unfortunately, most standard labs give the upper limit of normal for a fasting blood sugar at 99 mg/dL. That’s too high!

In addition, blood sugar levels after a meal should not spike more than 40 mg/dL higher than your fasting level. This means that your blood sugar level should be in the range of 110–125mg/dL one or two hours after a meal.

After reading this compelling new data on blood sugar, I decided to test my own blood sugar on a regular basis to see how I was doing—to take my health into my own hands. Taking control of your health starts with knowing where you stand. You don’t need to wait! I sure didn’t. (I have a family history of cardiovascular disease, so doing what I can to keep my blood sugar normal is a good way to support my heart, and so forth.) The first thing I did was consult with my Facebook community. I have a lot of “experts” there — individuals with diabetes who regularly check their own blood sugar. After getting some opinions, I bought a One Touch Ultra Glucometer on Amazon.com, along with lancets and blood sugar strips. Ingenious, simple, and oh-so empowering!

I quickly discovered that my blood sugar never went above 120 mg/dL. Probably because I have pretty much quelled my excess sugar cravings over the years by focusing on lots of activities that bring sweetness into my life in other ways besides eating sugar. This includes dancing tango in close embrace, listening to good music, de-cluttering my house, doing work I love, and taking long baths while reading good novels or looking out the window at the river. I have created a personal paradise for myself. This process has taken a lifetime and began in earnest during perimenopause—the time of life when most women first develop blood sugar and blood pressure problems.

I encourage you to do the same. Be kind and gentle with yourself if you’re not there yet. (I realize that I am reporting from the front lines here!) Bringing sweetness of other kinds into your life will bolster your health, allow you to enjoy your life even more, and help you curb those carb cravings! Don’t get me wrong. I crave a gooey chocolate brownie, just like you might. So, from time to time, I indulge without going overboard and savor every bite. But I want to continue to flourish in the personal paradise I’ve created. And that means doing what I can to keep my blood sugar levels normal.

If you’re checking your blood sugar levels regularly, if you’ve figured out a way to curb your sugar cravings, or if you just like what you’ve read, please leave a comment here or on my Facebook page.

This information is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure, or prevent any disease. All material in this article is provided for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you have regarding a medical condition, and before undertaking any diet, exercise, or other health program.

Photo credit: Steve Rothman

Jag träffade Shirin för första gången för en vecka sedan, och nästa torsdag ska jag träffa henne igen. Låter spännande det där med att bli tio år yngre… Fast å andra sidan mår jag ju tio gånger bättre i dag än för tio år sedan, så jag vet inte om jag vill bli tio år yngre… hm…

We are doing our 10th Annual Garden Diet “Back to the Garden” Retreat for one week this July 16th through 22nd, 2012 (http://TheGardenDiet.com/retreat). Can you believe it has been 10 years since our first Ojai retreat, featured in the video above!! We only do one retreat a year, and I love it! This retreat is the social event of our year. We always have the most wonderful guests, and many have remained friends for life.

Our retreats are very simple and informal. There is nothing to buy; no products, services, superfoods or supplements. The focus is on teaching you how to prepare delicious, easy-to-make raw food recipes that form a completely balanced diet to help you to stay raw and thrive long-term on a 100% natural, plant-based diet.

The Back-to-the-Garden Retreat is also a fabulous weight-loss retreat and is open to people of all ages and fitness levels. Every day we hike the magical high-mountain-desert in the national forest of Ojai, California. Our hikes accommodate everyone at their own ability-level. You will release weight in this wilderness!

Storm has discovered a new waterfall system (seen in all the pictures on this page) that is only an hour-long hike to get to! There are some amazing jumps into deep pools from 12 and 24 feet! There are some incredible waterfalls with algae-covered rock that you can slide down like water-slides! It is a great place to spend all day playing!

So, other than the food and the hiking, and some optional yoga if people are interested, you have a lot of time to relax, read, journal, socialize, and enjoy the beautiful retreat and its surroundings. The town of Ojai, should you choose to visit it during your stay, has much to offer in healing modalities from massage to colonics for those who wish to avail themselves of such local services.

For more information and reservations, please visit our 10th Annual Garden Diet Retreat site! We have room for 12-15 people and have several spaces left.

Hope to see you there!

Jinjee and Storm http://TheGardenDiet.com/retreat

You may recall my recent post singing the praises of SweetGreen, which is one of my favorite vegan-friendly eateries in DC. Though SweetGreen is associated with salad, the restaurant chain offers far more than greens alone; it also serves warm grain bowls, wraps, and fresh soups, which are nearly always vegan and gluten free. Recently, the restaurant has been featuring a white bean and vegetable pistou with which I am unequivocally in love. I often find restaurant soups to be very salty and garlicky; this one definitely lets you know that garlic is there, but it’s not overwhelming, and the seasoning is just right. I also love the hearty white beans and the basil sauce, or “pistou,” that brings the dish together.

In my attempt to make healthy, vegan dishes for me and my mom for a couple of days (I wrote about this initiative here), I thought I would try recreating this excellent springtime soup/stew. My version uses sugar snap peas, broccoli, and kale, only because it’s what I had, but you could use any mix of spring veggies you like: asparagus, peas, tender greens, and so on. The soup is brimming with vegetables, it’s low in fat, it’s incredibly high in fiber, and it’s also easy to make. I’ll treat this in the future as the kind of soup into which I put most of my vegetable odds and ends—the carrots that haven’t been used, the few remaining broccoli stalks, and so on. Zucchini will also taste great in here, and I can’t wait to try it.

Spring White Bean and Vegetable Stew “Pistou” (vegan, gluten free, soy free)

Serves 4-6

1 small white onion, chopped 1 small russet potato, cubed 5 cups vegetable stock or 5 cups water + 2 vegan bouillon cubes 1 cup carrots, cut into bite sized pieces 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp dried thyme (or 2 tsp fresh, chopped well) 1 scant cup diced tomatoes, fresh or canned (if you used canned, drain before adding) 1 cup broccoli florets, cut into bite sized pieces 1 cup snow peas, cut into bite sized pieces 1 cup kale or collard greens, chopped 1 1/2 cups cannellini beans, pre-cooked (either home cooked, or canned) 2 heaping tbsp + extra pesto (homemade or prepared) Salt and pepper to taste

1. Sautee the onion in coconut oil spray or water until golden and tender. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

2. Add the potatoes, carrots, stock or water/bouillon, herbs, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for about 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes can be easily pierced.

3. Add the broccoli, snow peas, cannellini beans, and kale. Simmer until the veggies are bright and cooked through, but not mushy. You may want to add a bit more liquid; I like this soup to feel like a “springtime stew,” but if the veggies are dominating to a ridiculous degree, go ahead and add more broth.

4. Stir in the pesto, and then season to taste (how much salt the soup needs will depend on whether you used low sodium or regular broth/bouillon, your tastes, and your health needs).

5. Ladle soup into serving bowls, and serve with an extra dollop of pesto if you like!

You can see how the the pesto infuses the soup in a lovely way. You can also see how many veggies are peeking out of this hearty springtime stew!

I am submitting this lovely recipe to Ricki’s wonderful Weekend Wellness series.

If you haven’t met Ricki and her blog, Diet, Dessert, and Dogs, now is the time! Ricki is a holistic health practitioner, a professor, a recipe genius, and a lovely writer. Each weekend, she hosts a “wellness weekend” event in which her readers can link up to/submit healthy recipes. They must be vegan, whole food recipes, and they must be free of refined sugar and flour. Readers pick particular favorites, and Ricki also selects some highlights of her own. I’ve been meaning to submit recipes all year long, but student life always kept me thoroughly discombobulated. I look forward to submitting a lot of raw food, but while I’m home and cooking for two, I thought I’d start with this lovely, nutrient rich soup/stew.

One pot meals like this are always a treat. Enjoy! And see you here tomorrow.

xo

Freelee’s story on recovering from anorexia. Sickly anorexic twig to sports model babe

 

 

 

Perfectionism can be a frustrating little pest. Wanting everything in our lives to be perfect is the quickest way to cultivate feelings of “I’m not good enough” down every corner we turn. Perfectionism can block us from being productive, intuitive, creative, and authentic. It can keep us from celebrating our progress. Perfectionism can also keep us from beginning something new or completing a project, for fear of not being the best. And it can keep us from enjoying the journey — feeling like our efforts are never enough.

All my life, I’ve felt the frustration of being an imperfect perfectionist. One day, I realized that life would feel a lot easier if I just accepted my perfectionism and learned to love it! Some say perfectionism is the enemy of progress, but if we can learn to harness the power of our perfectionism and make it our friend, it can begin to work for us, rather than against us!

Here are some ways we can make friends with that feeling, give ourselves a break, and love where we are today:

1. Honor the ways your perfectionism works for you. There are lots of ways your perfectionist tendencies are already working for you. Let’s honor them! Maybe you have a great eye for detail that makes you a spectacular writer or editor. Maybe you’re a brilliant problem-solver, able to pick out discrepancies and find fast solutions with your highly critical eye. Maybe you’re terrific at travel planning, a meticulous chef, or a researcher who leaves no stone unturned. Maybe you love to take on challenges, knowing you’ll follow through. There are lots of ways your perfectionism serves you — make a gratitude list!

2. Laugh at the perfectionist; thank it, and keep moving. You know the areas that your perfectionism trips you up most. Is it your diet, exercise plan or body? Your work? Your art? Your public image? When you feel the perfectionist tendency arising, notice it. Acknowledge it. Laugh, lovingly — saying “thank you — I realize I have the fierce drive to be successful in this area, which is awesome, but all I can do is put one foot in front of the other, knowing that doing my best — today — is enough!”

3. Celebrate your everyday successes. At the end of the day, instead of thinking of all the things you still need to get done with that “What’s next?” mentality, take a few minutes to celebrate what you accomplished. Even the smallest positive steps forward are worthy of your celebration and acknowledgment. The more you celebrate the small steps, the more you’ll start feeling like a rock star every day of the journey — not just when your big goals are achieved.

4. Give yourself permission to change course. If you’ve set up a strict, high-standard goal for yourself, make sure to check in along the way and see if you’re actually enjoying it. Is this course of action really working for you? Does it make you feel good or do you feel pressured and stressed out? Sometimes the only thing stressing us out is our own perfectionism. You’ll get better results if you allow some wiggle room for your intuition to flow in. Let your intuition work hand in hand with your high-achieving mentality, make commitments that feel exciting, and allow yourself the time to reflect and change course along the way.

5. Have compassion for yourself if you take a step backward, or if you’re struggling. One of the pesky traits of perfectionism is beating ourselves up when we make a mistake or veer off course. If your best friend was going through a slump, a period of struggle, or seemingly took a step backwards from her ideals — how would you treat her? Probably with lots of compassion, encouraging words and love. Treat yourself the same way. Acknowledge that having perfectionist tendencies can make you hard on yourself, have compassion for that, and encourage yourself the way you would encourage a friend.

6. Learn to relax and embrace uncertainty. Most people with perfectionist tendencies have trouble relaxing. There’s always something more you could be doing, another goal to be attained, something that can be fixed. Taking time to just relax and not work toward a goal can be exactly what you need to enjoy your life as it is now. Realize that no matter how hard you work or how much you analyze and control your life, things can always turn out totally different from what you anticipated. Giving yourself some time to really relax and enjoy life will only make you more productive when you do revisit your goals. So just do your best today, honor yourself for that, and then truly chill out! The serenity prayer helps: “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

7. Get support! Having a friend, mentor, coach, therapist or other sounding board can help you laugh and have fun with your inner perfectionist. When you’re feeling “not good enough” — tell someone! Out yourself. Just saying it out loud to someone else can relieve some of the pressure, help you let go, and make you realize you’re not alone in this wild, crazy, beautiful journey of life.

Jenny Sansouci, a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, writes about nutrition, health and personal development.

Photo credit: Liza

I know what you’re all thinking, so I’ll just say it for you: there is no flattering way to photograph two brown colored bean dips. Fact.

Hopefully, the title of this post is enticing you even as you snicker at the image. Two creamy, super healthy bean dips: black bean chocolate and peanut butter dip, and sweet cinnamon adzuki bean dip. Both are unexpected, yet delightful spins on the notion of “hummus”—sweet variations on the theme. Both present you with a more nutrient dense and lower fat alternative to almond butter or peanut butter, if you’re looking for a new sandwich filling, oat topper, or something to dip fresh fruit in. Both are inexpensive, quick to make, and feature a short list of ingredients. It took me a while to discover sweet bean dips, but now that I have, there’s no going back.

The adzuki bean dip is a close cousin of my recent sweet cinnamon spiced kidney bean spread.

A lot of you loved the idea of this recipe, but to my surprise, a lot of you were put off by the idea of using kidney beans, and said you wanted to try it with either chickpeas or adzuki beans instead. While I do love me some kidney beans—they’re fantastic sources of lots of minerals, including manganese, molybendum, and iron—I also adore most all beans, and adzuki beans are a special favorite. Adzuki beans, which are native to east Asia and the Himalayas, are small, red/brown in color, and they’re often used in sweet, dessert-like applications. More interesting still, these beans are relatively high in zinc (1 serving gives you 25% of your RDA), which is sometimes tricky to source in a vegan diet; oysters, meat, and scallops are often presented as the richest sources, though all vegans should take note that pumpkin seeds, peanuts, crimini mushrooms, sesame seeds, and adzuki beans are all very good sources.

So is dark chocolate. What a burden for us all.

Anyway, I’m delighted to be presenting a very similar recipe to my sweet kidney bean spread, this time with adzuki beans as the main star. This dip is absolutely scrumptious, and I love the addition of sunflower seed butter; if you can get your hands on it, it really does have a different taste than other nut butters!

Cinnamon Spiced Adzuki Bean Dip (vegan, gluten free, soy free)

Serves 4

2 cups adzuki beans, cooked at home or canned 4 pitted dates (more if you want it sweeter), soaked 4+ hours and drained of water 1 heaping tbsp sunflower seed butter (peanut, cashew, or almond butter will also work!) 1 tbsp mellow white miso or 1/8 tsp sea salt 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 cup water

Place all ingredients except for water in a food processor fitted with the “S” blade. Pulse to combine, and then run the motor. Drizzle in water until the dip is super smooth; you may need  a few tablespoons extra water as you go along.

Absolutely delicious. A bit of this on Ezekiel toast or a rice cake with sliced pear is just about my idea of a heavenly snack!

The other sweet bean dip I experimented with this week was a black bean dip with chocolate and peanut butter. I don’t think I need to say much more, do I?

Chocolate Peanut Butter Black Bean Spread (vegan, gluten free, soy free)

Serves 4

2 cups black beans, cooked at home or canned 6 pitted dates (more if you want it sweeter), soaked 4+ hours and drained of water 2 tbsp butter (peanut, cashew, or almond butter will also work!) 2 heaping tbsp raw cacao Pinch sea salt 1/4 cup water

Place all ingredients except for water in a food processor fitted with the “S” blade. Pulse to combine, and then run the motor. Drizzle in water until the dip is super smooth; you may need  a few tablespoons extra water as you go along.

I have a slight preference for the cinnamon spread, only because I’m a veritable cinnamon junkie. But this dip is also stupendously tasty, and once again, it’s a really nice way to enjoy something that’s reminiscent of peanut butter, but invested with all of the nutrient density and deliciousness of legumes.

Side by side:

Hope these dips give you all a great sense of the possibilities for bean dip—it’s not just a savory dish!

So, there was lots of interesting feedback on my review of Thrive Foods Direct yesterday! To all of you who expressed hesitation/frustration with the cost: I hear you. As I said in my review, I wouldn’t be able to use the service myself, but I’m presenting it as an option for those who would spend equivalent or more money on hotel food or on a non-vegan meal delivery service. That may not describe many of us, but it does describe some!

To Elizabeth, who inquired about the “meal plans” presented on the Vega website (you can peek at them here): I agree. Far too low calorie, especially when presented for those who are unusually athletic, or in training for a race or competition. And to me, “Vega fruit dip (slices of apple, banana, orange), 1/3 serving Natural Vega, 1/3 serving” is a snack, not lunch, so perhaps the meals are meant to be supplemented with other foods! I’d be curious to hear if you get a response to your query.

And to those of you who asked about lower-cost vegan/raw protein powders and supplements: oh, you are in luck. I have a new protein powder round up post coming soon, full of my take on nutrition, cost, and quality. And that’ll happen as soon as I’m back in DC, with my beloved Vitamix.

Speaking of which, it’s time to meet a friend for a drink at Temple Bar in NYC. It’s good to be home.

xo