try new things
“I don’t like yoga.” I hear those words a lot. Or, “I tried yoga. It was ok but, eh.”
When I hear those words, I am always in disbelief because I fell hard and fast for the mat at my very first yoga class. Ok, it wasn’t my FIRST yoga class because I’d taken some crappy gym yoga that didn’t make me feel particularly awesome. But the first time I went to a real yoga studio that was rooted in creating positive change in the world – that was it. I became a believer. Even though I was sore as heck. Even though it was hard work that I’d rather skip out on sometimes and go get a drink instead. For some reason…I kept going back.
Here’s looking at you, Back Bay Yoga. And you, South Boston Yoga.
I loved how I felt walking out of those classes. My head pleasantly buzzed, humming the Ashtanga opening invocation long before I learned the words. Accidentally leaving my water bottle at the studio or walking down the wrong street because I was so on Cloud 9.
Anyway, when other people told me they went to yoga and left unimpressed, I’ve always been confused. But – Aha! I finally get it. See, I got REALLY lucky that I found some of the best yoga in Boston on my first try. I didn’t know any different.
When we moved away, I was psyched that our new home was a mere block from the closest yoga studio (which I’ll refrain from naming.) As soon as we got here I took prenatal classes. After Danny was born, I started going as often as I could. It was a pleasure to be back on my mat. Yet something was missing.
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September 6th, 2011 | Boston, try new things, Washington D.C., yoga | 15 Comments »
I’ve never cooked with okra in my life. Back in Boston, I’d sometimes see it at Whole Foods but it always looked old and dusty sitting untouched by New England shoppers. Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle – it showed up in my CSA the other week looking fresh and green and young and, well…
I took it as a challenge. Okra, I must cook you!
When I mentioned that I was cooking this meal on Facebook, a friend commented that clearly I was from the North. Oh yeah. I know DC doesn’t count as the South to some people. But based on the number of mosquitoes and availability of veggies like okra, I’m pretty firm in my declaration that this is southern living compared to what we’re used to!
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August 30th, 2011 | recipe, try new things, Washington D.C. | 8 Comments »
They don’t strike you as a summer food, do they? Turnips. Huh. At least I’d never thought of them that way. But suddenly they appeared in my CSA and I have to say…there really are a shortage of grounding foods in the summer so I was happy.
Grounding foods?
Yeah, stuff that makes you feel centered, grounded, secure. In the winter we have the dense, round pumpkins and squashes. Sweet potatoes. Stuff like that. They grow near or on the earth and carry a feeling of calm and content. Comfort. This idea of the energy of food is kind of woo woo but a very strong component of macrobiotics and I dare say…it kind of makes sense, doesn’t it? We don’t crave salads when we want comfort. Greens are too airy, light, all over the place. Dense root veggies are much more likely to satisfy.
So. Comfort food in the summertime? Who needs it?
I do.
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June 27th, 2011 | macrobiotics, recipe, summer, try new things, vegetarian | 7 Comments »
Doesn’t that sound dreamy? I mean, can you really melt fruit?
Turns out, yes you can.
I saw this recipe online and it was a miraculous day because I had all the ingredients on hand. Yup. I suppose apricots and raspberries are popping up everywhere because it’s the season for beautiful, colorful fruit! Go grab yourself some.
(Sorry, apples and pears from Argentina. It’s summertime in North America, suckas!)
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May 31st, 2011 | healthcare, quick and easy, recipe, summer, try new things, vegetarian | 9 Comments »
Pro – That sweet baby smell. Duh.
Con – Trying to not lose teensy baby socks that with poop on them going through the laundry.
Pro – Award winning smiles first thing in the morning.
Con – Having no idea what it means to ‘put baby down for a nap.’ I mean, I just leave him lying there? That does not work. This whole nap thing is ridiculous – noise machines, pacifiers, rocking, walking in the carrier…but it clearly is not just a matter of ‘putting him down.’
Pro – The feeling of “I MADE this.”
Con – The feeling of “I MADE this.”
Pro – Suddenly I can be friends with practically any other mom because we have so much in common.
Con – Having nothing in common anymore with childless friends. Yes I’m sorry your party starts at 5pm and that’s much too late for us!
Pro – Grins from everyone in the grocery store admiring your baby.
Con – People asking, “Are you going to have another???” Grrrrr
Pro – Baby starting to laugh real laughter when Daddy plays with him.
Con – Waking up every hour even though the kid is asleep at night. I’m always listening, listening for the rustling and god forbid he lets out a little cry in his sleep, I’ve already leapt out of bed with a boob out before realizing he’s still asleep.
Pro – Having a family. One day, he will come to Thanksgiving dinner and bring his wife and kids and we will take a family photo and eat lasagna. Yes, I like to make Italian food on Thanksgiving.
Con – One day he’ll probably be in therapy because of something I said or did. Oops.
Pro – Re-prioritizing life, seeing what’s really important, letting go and making space.
Con – Never remembering to scoop the cat boxes. EVER. It’s gross.
Pro – I think he looks like me!
Con – Arguing with my husband from lack of sleep and frustration about why this kid is crying again and should we or shouldn’t we bring those two twin mattresses back to Ikea now that we bought a King mattress that actually fit up the stairs. Because yes, you really need a King bed if you’re going to nurse lying down at night.
Pro – The amazing support system of other moms, sharing knowledge, tears and tidbits.
Con – Comparing myself to other moms, comparing my baby to theirs. Oh, your kid just GOES DOWN for a nap. F you.
Pro – Not feeling obligated to do my hair or wear makeup. See, I have this KID and he’s wearing a clean diaper and that’s as good as mascara, right?
Con – General lack of personal hygiene. At one point I only was shaving 1 leg per day. Just not enough time. Oy. Don’t worry, am back to 2.
Pro – Leisurely strolls through the neighborhood.
Con – Realizing the awesome wheels and features of our City Elite stroller do not matter when I can’t fit the damn thing through narrow doorways.
Pro – Baby falling asleep, head on my chest.
Con – When I have to pee and baby is asleep, head on my chest.
May 25th, 2011 | baby, try new things | 9 Comments »
Welcome to 21 Days of Detoxing! Whether you are one of our amazingly motivated participants or just interested in eating clean, whole, real food – boy do I have some recipes for you! From now ’til May 21st I’ll be featuring a delicious detox-friendly recipe each day. (And if you want to get in on the detox magic I have a Do It Yourself version available – right here.)
Every time I run this detox I hear the same thing – THANK GOD FOR BANANA ICE CREAM! Yeah, man. It’s that good. When you’re not eating processed sugar you really start to appreciate the incredible sweet/creamy properties of the everyday banana.
But hold on there! We’ve got something even better today. One of our detox participants has her own spin on banana ice cream and I think it’s brilliant. Just because you’re eating clean doesn’t mean you don’t get dessert…it just means your dessert is real food too and you’re going to feel good tomorrow.
Killer.
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May 10th, 2011 | 21 Days of Detox Recipes, quick and easy, raw foods, recipe, try new things, vegan, vegetarian | 7 Comments »
Welcome to 21 Days of Detoxing! Whether you are one of our amazingly motivated participants or just interested in eating clean, whole, real food – boy do I have some recipes for you! From now ’til May 21st I’ll be featuring a delicious detox-friendly recipe each day. (And if you want to get in on the detox magic I have a Do It Yourself version available – right here.)
Superfoods kind of piss me off. I think…well, sure they’re nutritionally dense and all. But so is a carrot. So is kale. Or almonds.
Eating real food is the point. Superfoods…well I tend to think they’re unnecessary (and pricey!) but that’s just me, ok? Go on with your bad goji berry self, if you like ‘em!
Today’s detox recipe makes excellent use of chia seeds for their pudding-making properties, aside from super nutritional benefits. That’s pretty great. I bet you could make this one with like, raisins and pumpkin seeds if you wanted to save a few bucks. Just sayin’. It’s gonna be delicious any way you do it!
Hiker’s Hemp Chia Dream Pudding
1 small container of unflavored coconut water (like single serve Zico)
1/4 cup goji berries
1/4 – 1/2 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup hulled hemp seeds
chopped up fruit or nuts of choice
cinnamon to taste
raw cacao powder or raw cacao nibs to taste
Throw everything in a bowl… mix it up and let it sit for 25 min or so. Or make it the night before and let it sit in the fridge.
Today’s recipe is from Dave at http://ridgefieldwellness.com.
**See all the 21 Days of Detox recipes so far by clicking here.**
May 9th, 2011 | 21 Days of Detox Recipes, quick and easy, recipe, try new things, vegan, vegetarian | 4 Comments »
Welcome to 21 Days of Detoxing! Whether you are one of our amazingly motivated participants or just interested in eating clean, whole, real food – boy do I have some recipes for you! From now ’til May 21st I’ll be featuring a delicious detox-friendly recipe each day. (And if you want to join in and get the whole detox manual, cookbook and access to our online forum, it’s ok to start a few days late – click here and sign up!)
Now we’re gettin’ crazy. That’s right. Mochi is like, the 7th level of Whole Foods Heaven. No not the Mochi ice cream treats at Trader Joes, I don’t know why they call it that. Real mochi is made from brown rice! But don’t be scared. This stuff is really interesting, easy and inexpensive. (Find it in the refrigerator case, btw.)
Baked Mochi Stuffed with Cashew Cheese and Tomatoes
Serves 4-6
1 Package of Mochi
1 cup of cashews
1 small/medium clove of garlic
1 Tbl. lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup water
10 cherry tomatoes
Tamari
Preheat oven to 450.
1. Cut mochi into 1″ squares and bake for 8-10 minutes.
2. In the meantime, make the cashew cheese by combining the cashews, garlic and salt in a food processor and puree until coarsely ground. Add the water and lemon juice and puree again until mixed well. This should be the texture of ricotta cheese.
2. Slice cherry tomatoes in half.
3. When mochi is done baking, allow to cool enough to touch and then take a paring knife and make a small slice in the middle to create an opening for the stuffing.
4. Spoon in about 1tsp of cashew cheese and drizzle inside with a little tamari. Add the tomato and serve. These are best if served immediately but can sit for up to a half hour.
This recipe is from my friend and talented chef Laura, at http://laurachionchio.blogspot.com
**See all the 21 Days of Detox recipes so far by clicking here.**
May 3rd, 2011 | 21 Days of Detox Recipes, try new things | 7 Comments »
Welcome to 21 Days of Detoxing! Whether you are one of our amazingly motivated participants or just interested in eating clean, whole, real food – boy do I have some recipes for you! From now ’til May 21st I’ll be featuring a delicious detox-friendly recipe each day. (And if you want to join in and get the whole detox manual, cookbook and access to our online forum, it’s ok to start a few days late – click here and sign up!)
First of all, let’s just admit that changing your diet can be challenging. It’s Day 1. It’s gonna feel weird to skip that morning muffin. Of course. But the thing is, with time, this is all going to seem very normal. I promise!
Today’s recipe is a big winner, meaning that my husband loved it. And to win over him on a vegan mac-n-cheese is like…whoa. Seriously difficult. My tactic is to not say “Honey, I made mac-n-cheeeeeese!” Instead I say, “Honey I made a creamy noodle recipe” and let him say “Oh it’s kinda like mac-n-cheese.”
It’s all about setting expectations.
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May 1st, 2011 | 21 Days of Detox Recipes, recipe, try new things, vegan, vegetarian | 6 Comments »
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I’m on a bender. Every day I’ve got my drinky drink blended up and swallowed down before you can say “diaper change.” See, after my c-section I was feeling really icky. Unable to move for a few days, full of IV fluid and drugs…boy oh boy did I want something to make me feel better when I got home from the hospital!
That’s where it began.
I’m talking green smoothies, people.
While the rest of the world chugs beer and paints glittery shamrocks on their cheeks, I’m celebrating St. Patty’s Day my own way.
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March 16th, 2011 | baby, beverage, detoxify, flax, quick and easy, raw foods, recipe, spring, try new things, vegan, vegetarian | 17 Comments »
