Gently lead this Wild Beast, O gentle Heart of Mine

Roasted Garlic in Olive Oil

I decided I had more garlic on hand than I needed today, and rather than let it go bad, I looked online to see if it were possible to store roasted garlic easily. Turns out, it’s as simple as placing roasted garlic in a jar, covered with oil. In this case, I used olive oil. In addition to being able to store the garlic on the shelf for easy access, turns out I’ve also made a delicious seasoned olive oil to enjoy as well. 

Simple Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 400°

2. Cut the tip off of the garlic bulbs (removing any easily removable lower cloves from large bulbs if need be and roasting them individually). Generously coat the garlic bulbs with oil, by drizzling the oil inside the bulb. 

3. Loosly wrap the oiled bulbs in foil and cook until cloves are tender when pierced with a fork. Approximately 45min – 1 hour. 

Possible uses for the oil: use for cooking or as a dip for bread. (Opt, add additional seasonings as well.)

Possible uses for the roasted garlic.. Truly, there are infinite uses! But here are a few ideas: smashed in mashed or baked potatoes, spread over bread or crackers or simply added to any dish that calls specifically for fresh garlic or some additional flavor.

The possibilities are endless! 

For added clarification, I’ll include a helpful link to the page I found, by a fellow blogger whom I quite enjoy.

Minimalist Baker: How to Roast Garlic

I’ll also include a link to a few health benefits of eating roasted garlic here:

Health Benefits from eating Roasted Garlic
Cheers to good heath!

Sweet Apple Ravioli

 

Inspired by Carol Brotman’s recipe in this cooking video. Check it out.

Cheat sheet:

1. Thinly slice apples (mandolin slicer works wonders).

2. Line a large bowl (glass works well) with layers of thin apple slices, drizzled coconut oil, sweetener of choice (ie maple syrup, honey or agave) and plenty of cinnamon between layers.

3. Let warm briefly in the dehydrator around 160 degrees while preparing the filling

4. Filling: in a food processor (worked best for me) blend pecans with maple syrup and water, adding water gradually until desired consistency in reached.

5. Prepare ‘ravioli’ by placing a dollop of pecan filling on an apple slice, and cover with an additional slice.

6. Dehydrate the apple ravioli on flat trays for a couple of hours and serve warm! Cold leftovers are delicious also, but def worth enjoying while they are warm. Dare I say, apple pie-esque!

 

Cheers to good health! 

Note:

I’ve made this recipe a number of times now and the family is always quick to devour it.

We hope you enjoy it too!

🙂

 

Chronic Illness as my Teacher

What once was my biggest bully is now one of my strongest allies.

Chronic illness is nothing to bat an eyelash at by any means. I’ve been through my fair share of ups and downs and I’ve been on this healing journey for sometime now. In some ways I feel like I’ve lost out- often times not being able to work as hard or as strenuously as I’d like for instance, or not being able to maintain as consistent a state of health as I would like, but mostly I feel as though I have been given an incredible opportunity to learn from what my body is telling me, and I am constantly receiving feedback from which I can change my habits accordingly.

When I refer to feedback, I’m referring to various symptoms that present themselves and are either incessant or unbearable to the point of saying “something’s gotta give” enough times that something eventually, gives. Slowly but surely, and at my own pace my eating habits continue to change for the better. The more I learn about healthy eating and healthy life styles, the more I want to add healthy habits into my routine, naturally eliminating the negative habits and as a result I become less susceptible to falling victim to my cravings.

If it weren’t for the intensity of some of my digestive symptoms, i.e. poor digestion, intense periods of pain and extended periods of discomfort, to name a few, I don’t know that I would care about health as much as I do. But because of the experiences I have had when eating certain things (usually anything not considered healthy) and that I have been able to adjust what I eat accordingly, I have been able to develop a keen sense of awareness when it comes to what my body can and cannot tolerate. Being that I do experience a great deal of pain if I eat a slice of bread for instance, and the fact that I’ve experimented with this hypothesis of mine enough times to know it to be true, I’m much better able to make dietary choices that will benefit me both in the short term and the long run. In other words, when I see something made of gluten (an inflammatory food that I happen to be sensitive to) I can finally see clearly and choose wisely. I’ve reached the place in my life where I’d much rather ‘miss out’ on said item and spare myself the misery later.

I sometimes feel (predominately-felt) I have no control over my cravings and will munch accordingly. The same way I transitioned from vegetarian to vegan and the way I transitioned away from eating gluten, with patience and at my own pace, I am also transitioning away from indulging in sugar. For the most part I eat clean.. and every once in awhile I still crave sugar and give in. I’m working on not beating myself up over it, because for one thing my symptoms aren’t as drastically affected by sugar as they are, say, with animal products and gluten. But since I know the importance of eating right, now more than ever, ending my addiction to sugar is next on my list to tackle. Patience and persistence are key. 

I like to offer gratitude for my conditions because although I am on this healing path towards health as a result of looking for relief, had it not been for the path given to me initially, I wouldn’t have been led to road I’m on now, one in which I love so dearly.

There’s not much these days that makes me happier than spending time in my kitchen. I just love nutrient dense food, both the way it tastes and the way it makes me feel. I also get a real kick out of introducing and turning people onto foods they’ve either never heard of, or never thought they liked before.

Initially I like to take a moment and offer thanks to the food items I’ll be using, showering them with love and appreciation and continuing with those sentiments I pour love into my meals both while making and enjoying them. Love really does make everything taste better! What’s not to love about the smells that permeate an active kitchen. I adore the time spent with people I have the pleasure of sharing my meals with and I continue to be amazed at the ability to make things I’ve used before taste even better each time I try. There are no limits when it comes to eating healthy, the creative options are limitless. When immersed into the action on set in my kitchen I am filled with a sense of fulfillment and appreciation unlike I’ve ever experienced before. For it’s the quality of the food I consume that is helping me to heal from the inside out. And my passion to live a healthy, happy, pain free life keeps me motivated to keep trying new things, and finding new ways to get the tastiest and most nutrient dense foods into my diet.

Quality of diet for me = Quality of Life. 

Is there a moral to what I’ve shared with you today?  We must be patient with ourselves, open to learning and trying new things, patience, attentive to our bodies-listening to what they tell us, see food as fuel/medicine, Oh, and did I mention we must be patient with ourselves? I for one must be patient with myself! Progress is progress no matter how slow. Every day is a new day and an opportunity to do something differently.

Do you have any experience with food addiction and possibly a triumphant story of overcoming you’d like to share?

Do you have any experience with pain relief from eating the right foods for you?

I’d love to hear from you!

Cheers to a healthy and happy life, cheers to good health!

Spiritual Foodie

 

Healthy ‘fried pickles’

*Vegan and Gluten Free

Healthy ‘fried’ pickles:

1. bread and butter pickle’s (or any)
2. batter: in a food processor blend Brazil nuts, cashew nuts, chia seeds and shredded coconut. Add oregano, oat flour, almond flour & salt. (add intuitively. This recipe is primarily nuts and oat flour, but have fun with it and add how you feel called!)
3. transfer to a bowl and mix gently w small amounts of water and pickle juice
4. bake 400° aprx 6-8 min

Enjoy!

#healthyoptiontounhealthyfood #vegan #glutenfree #flavorful #nutritious #friedpickles #bakedpickles #cravings #improv

Walking with Faith

*Inspired by BIG MAGIC by Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love

When you feel inspired are you able to hold space for the idea to come into fruition? Are you able to walk with fear and see the idea through?

I am feeling called to write about my relationship with Faith as this has been coming up for me a lot lately and I am feeling empowered and incredibly inspired by Elizabeth Gilbert’s new book. The way she talks about ideas as their own energetic life-forms resonates with me in a real way. When we work with inspiration and use what moves us to create something, magic happens. And if we let an idea slip by us for whatever reason, not to worry. I however, feel that due to oftentimes paralyzing fear I have let too many ideas slip by and this time I am allowing fear to sit with me but not steer the direction of my words.

I’ve always loved to write, but sharing with others is another story. Blogging only came into my life as a means to share health-related information by the request of a few friends who were looking for more information on healthy living and recipes to support their new life styles. I believe I’ve had my blog about 3 years now and I’ve accumulated a number of recipes I’ve been able to share, but I’d like to go deeper and share more intimately on some of the spiritual aspects of my being. There’s a lot going on and for fear of judgement I’ve held so much back.

While reading ‘Big Magic’ I was inspired and rather than let this idea slip by me I’ve decided to stop in my tracks and take time to put pen to paper and share from my heart a bit about my relationship with faith. I’m choosing to see this idea through and share in an authentic and vulnerable way, unlike I’ve ever been able to do before. Of course you’re reading this online but I’ve first had to write with pen and paper, because for me this has always been the easiest way for me to express myself. I am fully embracing my creative process and am enjoying seeing the way this unfolds.

A definition of Faith I really like: Complete trust or confidence in someone or something. 

My faith first and foremost resides in the Divine to support me and in all ways. While leaning into faith I am learning to trust not only the Divine to meet me half way but I am also learning to trust myself. I am learning to trust that intuitively I know what’s best for me, intuition being my direct connection with the Divine. It’s as though I have a direct phone line to the Divine and we are able to work together.

A dear friend and teacher of mine, James Keeley of LiveRUH uses a wonderful metaphor to represent this relationship. If I am standing on the edge of a branch of a tree wanting to make a decision and take a chance then the Divine can’t push me off but it can certainly catch me, and it has. I must have FAITH and complete trust in the Universe to indeed catch me when I take that leap of faith and step off the branch into the unknown.

I’ve spent a number of years establishing and nurturing my relationship with the Divine and experiencing what it means to me. Perhaps I’ve got some trust issues but with time my ability to trust is getting easier.

With utmost grace, I have been patiently guided and encouraged to trust in the Divine and I feel so beautifully supported. In order to establish a more personal relationship with my readers (for which I am incredibly grateful you care enough about me to support me) I’d like to share a really cool and recent example with mystical qualities in which the Universe has completely and totally supported me with some recent endeavors.

This blog post for one. Inspiration came and rather than put it off or create negative self-talk, I took action and have sat down to write. I can sit back a bit and watch as the words that follow simply flow through me the way they only can when inspiration is present.

Secondly, I have been able to make my way to Costa Rica, which is where I am now, when originally I didn’t think I would be able to pull it off and make it here this year. I am staying in my home away from home with my dear friends of Gentle Earth Retreats, juice fasting, and I’ve even got the pleasure of being here with my beloved mom! The opportunity to travel here to cleanse and to heal, to relax and to rejuvenate before my wedding in just a few weeks has presented itself and is such an incredible opportunity. Knowing that tomorrow isn’t guaranteed, I sat with the numbers, addressed the pros and cons and naturally there were more pros, so here I am. Faith was my biggest ally in making the decision and I trust that I am exactly where I am meant to me.

The opportunity presented itself to travel to Costa Rica and rather than turn it down with a sense of lack, I decided to consciously make the decision and find the means to get on a plane and go. I was careful not to act impulsively, working in that space of inner knowing and decided it wasn’t only possible but that it’s actually the best thing for me right now. Scary as it was to spend so much money and to make a last-minute decision, it has proven over and over to be the best thing for me and the Universe has continued to support me, ceaselessly! From a discounted retreat rate, affordable and perfectly timed plane tickets and then…

When all was said and done, plane tickets booked, reservations made, I kid you not, the very same day I received a check in the mail from a beloved family member, as an early wedding gift for the exact amount I needed to cover the costs. I stepped with Faith to make a decision that I knew would best serve me and my body and the Universe rewarded me in a truly magical way. Having an amazing family helped too. 🙂

My faith has been renewed, yet again, as indeed the Universe has provided exactly what I needed. My relationship with the Divine has strengthened and I’ve been able to continue experiencing the incredible magic and wonder that the world has to offer.

“Let your faith be bigger than your fear.” -unknown

Thank you for your continued support and taking the time to read this post.

Cheers to a healthy life and faithful living!

Spiritual Foodie

Hearty Veggie Soup

This soup is a complete meal unto itself and has delighted us for days! It’s hearty and full of flavor, and the flavors continue to develop with time, making for wonderful leftovers!

We enjoyed it with our own Seeded Baguette.

Veggie Soup Ingredients:

• 1 roasted butternut squash, chopped
• 1/2 onion, sautéed
•  1 large eggplant, cubed and sautéed
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 5 carrots, chopped
• 3 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 kohlrabi, peeled and thinly sliced

After prepping the first 3 items on the ingredients list, transfer to a large pot and add remaining ingredients. Fill with filtered water until vegetables are completely submerged.

Add:

• 1/2 tbsp oregano
• s & p

Bring to a boil and let simmer until everything is cooked thoroughly. Approximately 30-45 min.

While soup is cooking:

1. Prepare brown rice and season it with olive oil, garlic powder and sea salt.
2. Roast pecans in ghee, stovetop.

Once vegetables in soup are cooked to desired consistency (you want them to be soft)

Add:

• an abundance of fresh dill
• 1 can of light coconut milk

Blend with a hand blender until soup thickens, leaving large chunks. Add the prepared brown rice and top with ghee roasted pecans when serving.

Enjoy!

Cheers to good health,

Spiritual Foodie

 

Seeded Baguette, gluten free & vegan

 

Gluten Free Dough

• 2 cups brown rice flour
• 3 cups tapioca flour
• 3/4 cup oat flour
• 3/4 cup almond meal
• 2 tbsp yeast
• 2 tbsp guar guar (or xantham gum)
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 and 2/3 cups of lukewarm water
• 4 large egg substitue: (1 egg = 1 tbsp ground chia or flax or combo of both mixed with 3 tbsp of water)
• 1/3 cup neutral flavor oil, i.e. avocado or olive oil
• 2 tbsp honey

*makes enough for about 4 loaves (1 lb each) — I made two small baguettes with 1/2 of this recipe

1. Combine ingredients for dough, dry ingredients first, then wet.
2. Cover mixing bowl and let sit for 2 hours.
3. Careful not to disturb the bubbles, shape dough, on wax paper, to desired shape with WET hands (not flour like when baking glutenous breads) and cover with plastic wrap, loosely, let sit for 90 min. (Refrigerate any remaining dough)
4. Pre-heat oven with baking stone to 475 for at least 30 min
5. Remove plastic wrap and cover with your choice of seeds, I used sesame and pumpkin, and make 3 diagonal slits.
6. Bake at 475 for 30 min and let cool on a rack for 15-30 min.

With little experience baking I was grateful for the awesome guidelines provided by: www.artisanbreadinfive.com 

The recipe I followed and modified: Artisan Bread in Five, Baguette

 

 

 

Coconut Kale Chips

Coconut Kale chips

1. Massage kale leaves with melted coconut oil (1-2 tbsp), coconut aminos (drizzled), salt (1/4 tsp)
2. Spread evenly on non stick flat cooking tray and top w shredded coconut and coconut flakes.
3. Bake 350 for 10-15 min

A real treat!

*Inspired by a recipe (crispy kale chips) in ‘Heal Your Gut cookbook’ by Hilary Boynton & Mary G. Brackett

Oat Milk, raw & vegan

 

Simple as can be:

1. Soak 1.5 cups gluten free rolled oats in a nut milk bag overnight (8-12 hrs) with 4 cups of filtered water.
2. Squeeze all the liquid from bag, refrigerate and enjoy!

(Can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.)

*Heads up, the consistency is very gooey. If you have kids, this is a wonderful sensory activity for them to help out with. The gooey oats that remain afterwards can also be a lot of fun to play with. Hint: try adding natural food coloring and toys to the mix as well.