Holiday Gift Ideas $25 and under

I can't believe the year is almost over. I feel like I just did last year's Holiday Guide. Low budget doesn't have to mean low WOW factor, here are a few ideas for those that are thrifty yet thoughtful!

Live Butterfly Garden

Live Butterfly Garden

I don't understand why there is a photo of 2 kids on this package because this would be great for anyone of any age. I mean really who wouldn't love to have a gaggle of butterflies flitting about. Especially for those of us with gardens, they can make great pollinators!

$14.25

Recycled Glass Big Bowl Glasses

Recycled Glass Big Bowl Glasses

These pretty glasses are perfect for that stylish eco-minded friend. They can sip organic sulfite free wine while watching the butterflies flittering about.

$24 for a set of 2

Recycled Keyboard Frame

Recycled Keyboard Frame

For the tech lover in your life this 4x6 frame is a great gift. You can give it to them with a photo already in there to remind them that there's life in the meat space - j/k, but not really.

$16.50

Softest Hands Kit

Softest Hands Kit

I'm a big fan of 100% Pure products and absolutely love their hand creams so I was thrilled to see this hand cream set. I know where I would keep my 4: computer, purse, work desk, night table.

$22 for the gift set of 4

Davidson's Tea

Davidson's Tea Bulk, Classic Chai

For the tea snob in your life delight them with a pound of organic chai tea from Davidson's Tea. Chai not their thing? No worries, they have a huge variety teas to choose from.

$13.50 for 1lb

Moleskine Sketch Book

Moleskine Sketch Book

I love pretty notebooks. Moleskine books are one of the best out there. They're durable and make you look good. This notebook is a sketch book but can also double as a journal - you can use it to skournal!

$20.25

Donations
Not really sure what to give the person that has everything - how about giving in their name.

Farm Sanctuary

Bat Conservation International

Children's Defense Fund

Environmental Defense Fund

Lighthouse International

International Rescue Committee

Physicians for Social Responsibility

For more top rated charities go to: Charitywatch.org


Honorable Mentions
While these items are a little over budget I thought they were neat enough to include:

Wine Bottle Tumblers

Upcycled Recycled Glass Wine Bottle ... FOUR Tumblers made from Reused Repurposed Bottles with blue

$36

Davidson's Organic Tea Sampler

Davidson's Organic Tea Sampler

$25.95

Ventricle Vessel

Ventricle Vessel

Price: TBD Custom Made

Agate Coasters

Agate Coasters

$65

You are only as old as you feel!

I had a milestone birthday last week. I can look at it 2 ways, I'm middle aged now OR I'm in the prime of my life with an exciting future. I bet it's not hard to guess which way I'm looking at this...

I've been celebrating with friends and family all month long and have been loving every minute of it. So I ask myself why wait until a birthday to celebrate? Insert all those cheezey cliches that "you only live once" and "you're only as old as you feel" cause they are all true!! Thank you to all of my pumpkins cause you make me celebrate every day.

And speaking of pumpkins...

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

1 med pumpkin chopped, peeled and seeded
1 med yellow onion with peel on
1 bulb garlic (or whole if you like) with peel on
1 - 2 tbsp coconut oil
3 cups water or low sodium veggie broth
2 tsp salt (if not water add salt according to taste test)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cardamom
1 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp ground clove
1/8 tsp cayenne

Preheat oven to 400. Peel, chop de-seed the pumpkin. Cut the ends off of the onion and slice the top of the garlic bulb off, making sure the rest of the bulb stays intact. Coat everything in coconut oil, also coat the bottom of the pot. In a good dutch oven roast the pumpkin, onion and garlic (both with the peels on) until soft.

When the veggies are soft take out of the oven and add 1/2 the water or broth. Blend until smooth keep adding water until it is the consistency you desire. Add the spices and more coconut oil if you need fat.

Variation: Substitute 1 can of coconut milk for 1 cup of water to give it a creamier consistency.

Serves 6 - 8 small bowls
Cook time 65 min
Equipment: Dutch oven, hand blender or blender

Every superhero can fly...Sometimes

OK - so I liked that title for an album and since I am utterly tone deaf the next best thing is a blog post... For those of you that follow Kris Carr you will have seen an email and blog post from her that talks about making November "Prevention" month. Similar to Breast Cancer awareness month in October. I loved that idea. I'm sick of the pink everywhere - especially where it really doesn't belong:

Source: examiner.com

I mean REALLY?? Another area that burns me is when cosmetics company start their pinkwashing - YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. How dare they stand there with the thousands of women that have had breast cancer and sell them the products that have the very carcinogens that contribute to their illness... This is plain old wrong, wrong, wrong. For more info please check out this article from my friends at The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. 

So great, you read that article and now you want to do something about it - here's what you can do or at least what I'm trying to do... 

The NO list: 

NO animal products, 

NO alcohol (except at my 40oz themed 40th birthday bash and Thanksgiving)

NO gluten, 

NO processed foods that contain flour, gmo corn or soy

NO added sugar (I have had agave nectar which I am trying to cut down)

NO caffeine (raw cacao is my downfall here)

The YES list:

YES fruits

YES fresh beautiful colorful veggies

YES beans

YES plant-based healthy fats

YES whole grains (think rice, millet, quinoa & buckwheat)

YES raw nuts and seeds
YES green juices
YES green smoothies

YES meditation

YES communing with nature

YES moving your body

YES journaling

YES counting blessings (or gratitude journaling)

YES quality time with the family (especially the fur babies)

As you can see the YES list is a lot longer than the NO list. That's no accident - it's because you are saying YES to a healthy, happy and loving life.

Happy Prevention Month!

Get the word out: #preventionrocks

Beauty Evolution

You are probably thinking what on earth is Beauty Evolution, what is she talking about now... It’s the glowing look that people have when they are healthy and happy. I was fortunate (my new outlook in life is that I think in terms of good fortune - but that's for another post) enough to be able to attend a raw food demo recently, looking around at all the fresh glowing faces of all ages made me think of how they evolved.

I know my daily skin brushing (face too!) has made my skin look amazing. Add to that a diet of fresh fruits and veggies, nuts, beans, herbs and spices, minimal processed foods, no animal products, and plenty of water.

That’s just part of the beauty evolution, another just as important part is mental or spiritual, whichever you prefer. A good attitude goes a long way, a smile can take you miles away. It’s been proven that people who are sick get better quicker if someone prays with them, doesn’t matter how, you can pray to Yoda if you like. I also know people who have healed their physical ailments with meditation. Stress is a killer as we all know. I'm slowly but surely getting more into the mental part of my beauty evolution, I've discovered guided meditation using Mediation Oasis podcast and often I meditate with Lola purring on my belly.

The final piece of the health and wellness trinity is exercise. Now I'll be the first to admit that I don't exercise any where near as much as I should. I've signed up for bootcamp and a friend of mine turned me on to Intensati - it combines cardio with affirmations, I'll be killing two birds with one stone with this one.

I've also come to love my evening walks with Luke and Jared. It's exercise and a great opportunity for Jared and I to have some time on our own without the outside world intruding. For me the journey has just begun and I plan on making the most of it.

How is your Beauty Evolution journey going? I would love to hear how your journey is going and any tips that you may have. Please leave a comment below.

Hummingbird Garden & Birdseed Pilaf

So a couple of weekends ago I saw a hummingbird. This is important because I am fast approaching a new decade and it is the first hummingbird I have ever seen in my life. Yes people, this urban raised girl has never seen a hummingbird before. I had heard of them and really thought they weren't in Jersey but lo and behold one of those mystical little creatures was loving my orange cosmos.

Photo courtesy of: Red Bubble: Ruby-throated Hummingbird on cosmos by Michaela Sagatova

Now we're inspired to plant a hummingbird garden next year. So what exactly do hummingbirds look for? According to Defenders of Wildlife "They primarily eat flower nectar, tree sap, insects and pollen." I've also heard they are attracted to red flowers, that's why so many hummingbird feeders have red in and on them. The red can be obtained from various sources including sugar water with food coloring... YUCK. Our approach will be to plant flowers that will attract the hummingbirds - we're doing it the good old fashion way.

So what are these hummingbird attracting flowers? Well right off the bat I would say the cosmos are a winner, they didn't bloom until late July and are much bigger than I expected but they got us two birdies (I missed the second one, or the first one coming back for more).

According to Wild Bird Watcher there are a ton of natural wonders that can work

Annuals	Perennials	Vines	Shrubs
Fuchsia	Bee Balm	Coral Honeysuckle	Butterfly Bush
Impatients	Canna	Cypress Vine	Flowering Quince
Jacobiana	Cardinal Flower	Morning Glory	Lantana
Jewelweed	Coral Bells	Scarlet Runner	Manzanita
Petunia	Four O'Clocks	Trumpet Creeper	Mimosa
Salvia	Foxglove	Canary creeper	Red Buckey
Shrimp Plant	Hosta	Carolina jasmine	Tree Tobacco
Snapdragon	Lupine	Glory vine	Turks Cap
Nicotiana	Columbine	Cypress vine	Weigela

You will notice that my cosmos aren't on this list - this goes to show that there are lots and lots of flowers out there that can make a nice hummingbird playground. I wouldn't mind a nice patch of cosmos, fuchsia, impatients, mimosas, petunias, salvia and jacobiana. I'll have to see the bloom rates to make sure we have something going from spring into fall.

Speaking of fall and birds, here's something to try while we wait for spring:

Birdseed Pilaf

1/2 cup Millet*
1/2 cup Red Quinoa*
1/2 cup Spelt*
6 cups Water Divided
1 - 2 tbsp Coconut Oil
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
1 tsp Fenugreek Seeds
1 tsp Coriander Seeds
6 - 10 Cardamom Pods
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp Ground Cumin (I like Cumin a lot)
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 tbsp Sesame Seeds
3-6 Garlic Cloves**
1/2 Onion or 1 - 2 Shallots**
1 Thumbtip Size Piece Ginger**
1/4 cup Dried or 1/2 cup Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms 

1 Large Bay Leaf
1 tsp Salt (Sea Salt, Pink Salt etc...anything but table salt) OR Kombu

After soaking the grains overnight rinse and discard water. In a good pot heat coconut oil and add the spices through to the sesame seeds. Let them cook for a few minutes and then add the garlic, onion or shallots and ginger, let them cook for a few minutes. Add the grains and incorporate them well into the spice mixture, let them cook for about 3 minutes to get a nice spice coating. Then add the remaining 3 cups of water, the mushrooms, the bay leaf and salt or kombu. Bring to a boil and then simmer on low for 30 - 45 min depending on how soft you like your grains.

I also use this same recipe to make brown rice and different beans. Feel free to play around with the spice combos too.

* Soaked overnight in 3 cups water
**Minced, I like to put it all together in the mini chop

Juice Feast!!

I did a juice feast this weekend, with a clear calendar and temps in the hundreds for the last few days I figured it would be a perfect time to attempt my first juice feast. For those of you that are not familiar with the term juice feast this is when you do what can be considered a fast except you drink lots of fresh juice, instead of fasting you feast - get it. Here's the blow by blow:


Saturday 7:30am
I finally saw the movie Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead on Thursday. My  good friend Nicole from Pioneer Valley Vegan highly recommended it. It was moving, so much so that it inspired me to do my own juice fast - feast really since I plan to drink approximately 5 32oz juices and one turmeric tonic.

Here's the cache of veggies for the 2 days

I know I'm not fat, sick or nearly dead but a juice feast can be very beneficial to all of us. Even if it's just a day or two. Personally I think more than 10 days is putting you at risk for problems with your teeth, especially if there are fruits in your juices.However, having seen quite a few  morbidly obese people come down to a healthy weight and stay there by continuing to eat a healthy diet makes the case that for someone in that condition this can be life-saving.In addition to the health benefits I want to lose 2 or 3 pounds. Those of you that know me know I'm vain. I'm turning 40 at the end of this year and the plan is to look fantabulous. So this means going from a BMI of 22.6 down to 21.9 which is where  I want to be, right in the middle of the healthy range of 18 - 25.


So in 10 min I plan on getting out of bed and making the first juice of the day. Here's the menu of juices I plan to drink:

Juice #1: Green Juice (based on Organic Avenue's Green Love juice):  Watercress Cucumber,  Spinach,  Celery,  Romaine, Beet Greens, Collard Greens,  Pear,  Lemon,  Parsley  

Juice #2: Veggie Juice (based on Organic Avenue's Veggie Vibe juice):  Cucumber, Spinach, Celery, Beet Greens, Lemon, Parsley, Carrot, Beet, Ginger 

Juice #3: Green Lemonade (based on Organic Avenue's Green Lemonade juice):  Cucumber, Spinach, Celery, Lemon, Ginger, Water, Salt 

Juice #4: Mild Green Juice (based on Organic Avenue's Mellow Love juice):  Cucumber, Spinach, Celery, Romaine, Parsley, Salt 

Juice #5: Berry Juice:  Cucumber, Celery, Carrot, Beet, Ginger, Strawberries, Blueberries 

Juice #6: Turmeric Tonic (based on Organic Avenue's Turmeric Tonic):  Lemon, Carrot, Ginger, Water, Salt, Turmeric, Cardamom, Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper  

12:30pm

On to Juice #2. I did my morning workout and had my wrist adjusted - too much sudoku while commuting. I was going to get a massage but at about 11:30 I was feeling hungry. Now this is interesting because I usually have a banana, watermelon and an orange for breakfast and am hungry by 11am so Juice #1 is a keeper. I do think I'll need to have a juice every 3 - 4 hours to keep hunger at bay. Juice #1 was at 8am so it makes sense to be hungry by 11:30am. Energy is good and no detox effects so far. Once I finish this one I'm off to my massage.


8pm

About to have Juice #4. I'm hungry. Energy level is fine. I think it's definitely psychological. Jared was eating peanut butter and it took all of my will not to rip it out of his hands. Also the romaine in Juice #4 was giving me a craving for a sandwich. Not sure if I will be able to hold out until Monday morning. Not because of hunger but because of wanting to give in to cravings. Hopefully the next juice will satisfy some of that - it's a berry one so should be really really good.

Juice #5

11pm

I only made it to Juice #5, the berry one. It was delicious. I felt like I was having a real treat. I'm off to bed now. Hopefully I can get a good night's rest and do this all again tomorrow. I have to admit I am craving real food, a collard wrap would hit the spot...

Good night

Sunday 8am

I feel OK. I slept pretty well. Only got up once to pee. I woke up hungry, nothing special though, the same as any other day. I'm hoping to kick the food fantasies. I keep thinking about stuffed grape leaves. I'm also down 1.5 pounds which is nice. If I lose the same today I'll be at the 3 pound goal and only 3.5 away from my ultimate goal weight, yippee!!

Juice #2

5:30pm

I did my 90 min Yoga X DVD this morning I also took a nap that ended up me missing Juice #3. I'm now on Juice #4. I'm a bit surprised that I was out of commission for so long. Is it the fast? Is it the heat? Yoga or my body making up for lousy sleep earlier in the week? Probably all of the above. I've decided to break the fast tonight, something light with the berry juice. Some veggies in a collard wrap, nothing fancy.

7:30pm

Break of the fast. I had 2 brazil nuts and a collard leaf wrap it consisted of zucchini, carrot, basil, tomato and sauerkraut. I seasoned it with a little extra virgin olive oil, Herbamare, kelp granules and cayenne... As soon as I finished I ran to the bathroom, I'll leave it at that.

11:30pm

In bed, I never had the last berry juice, ate a small bowl of blueberries with raw cacao nibs instead. I also had 3 tortilla chips with Jared's spice peanut butter concoction, that was good, good enough to maybe have when entertaining... My tummy feels a little off, looks like I should have had even milder snacks. Hopefully tomorrow it will be back to normal.

Signing off and good night.

The Results:
Total weightloss: 2.5 lbs
Energy Levels: OK, I did nap on both days and slept the full night, so even though my energy was OK I did need rest
Mood: I was on the verge of cranky but I think it had to do with the heat and boredom, I didn't go anywhere since I had to juice every few hours. And there's only so many Korean horror movie you can watch in one weekend
Sleep: Good, I took naps and slept in the evening
Skin: Looks good, can't say I notice much of a difference though
Bathroom: Pee a lot, the first day I drank the equivalent of 20 cups of juice. Day 2 I drank 12 cups, nothing to sneeze at. As for #2, it was more like #1 - ewwww TMI!

Juice #2

The Verdict:
Would I do this again. Probably for a day or so, I don't think I would hack it for than that since I love to eat but I can see where you want to "reboot" every once in a while. Also, another option is to be a juicer before 6pm and then eat whatever you want for dinner. Kind of like a juicing version of Mark Bittman. That way no matter what damage you do - and I know you are all eating right all of the time - you are getting your fruits and veggies in.

The secret to a long and heathy life

OK, OK - so I really don't know if the following is really the secret to a long and healthy life BUT I have a really good feeling about this so bear with me...

#1 Eat Well

I know I don't have to tell you to eat you 5 - 9 fruits and veggies a day, you already know that. I'm gonna say it anyway - EAT YOUR FRUITS & VEGGIES. Eat the ones that you love and try something different at least once a week. Hell even once a month can work. Eat a variety of things of every color of the rainbow:



RED: Tomatoes, Strawberries*, Raspberries, Red Peppers*, Beets, Red Apples*, Watermelon, Red Grapes*, Red Onions, Cherries, Cranberries, Pink Grapefruit
ORANGE: Oranges, Pumpkin, Butternut Squash, Orange Peppers*, Sweet Potatoes, Mangoes, Carrots, Apricots
YELLOW: Lemons, Grapefruit, Yellow Squash, Yellow Peppers*, Yellow Apples, Yellow Tomatoes, Pineapple
GREEN: Kale*, Lettuce (all varieties)*, Limes, Broccoli, Green Cabbage, Leeks, Scallions, Brussels Sprouts, Artichokes, Zucchini, Acorn Squash, Avocados, Collard Greens*, Spinach*, Watercress,  Green Peppers*
BLUE & INDIGO: Blueberries*, Blackberries
VIOLET: Eggplant, Plums, Grapes*, Purple Cabbage, Purple Peppers, Purple Carrots, Elderberries, Currants, Raisins, Prunes

For a lot more colorful options please check out this out. And don't forget your legumes, nuts and seeds too! For those of you that still eat animal products, consider the source and how it was raised. Try for organically fed and ethically raised meats. For seafood, eat low on the food chain and always wild.


#2 Get Outside
Nothing beats the great outdoors, even the sun in moderate amounts is good for you. All you need is about 15 min a day out in the sunshine to reap the benefits. Use a safe sunscreen if you plan on spending an extended amount of time in the sun. Not only is the sun good for you, just being surrounded by green is good for you mind. Studies have shown that being in a park or green space can help with depression. If you go on a hike you're doing double duty by getting exercise AND communing with nature. Which brings me to #3. 


#3 Move Your Body

Again and again exercise has been shown to have lots of benefits even into old age, it helps keep everything working properly. It helps keep you limber, keep you at a healthy weight and improves your mood. While training for a marathon is great for you all you need is about 30 min every day. This could easily be a walk thought your town, dancing in your living room or an afternoon gardening... hmm, sun, outdoors, exercise, mood enhancer - can't be beat!

#4 Be a Social Butterfly
Having a social network has also shown improve mood and health. Studies have shown people that had a support system actually get better faster than people who don't. Also, having a confidant can help during those difficult times. Even pets have shown to improve the health of their people. No one should go it alone


#5 Get Enough Rest

This goes without saying, getting plenty of rest is very important. For those of you that think you can make it up on the weekend, guess again. Inadequate sleep can literally take years off of your life. Your best range is generally between 6 - 8 hours of sleep. So cut the late night TV and caffeine if it interferes with your beauty sleep.

#6 Be Happy

Remember, you only have one life - don't spend it moping around. Eating right, staying active and having friends can work wonders on helping you stay happy. 2010 was a terrible year for me but I somehow managed to stay positive. I attribute it to all of the above. Being grateful and meditating can also help you stay grounded and happy.



Here's to a long and healthy life!

*Buy Organic Recommended