Cardinals are beautiful birds. In my eyes, they seem regal and majestic. For the past 13 years, they have seemed to find me. Or maybe, it's the inverse and I seemed  to have found them. Nearly every day I have a “meet cute” with one of them whether it be in my backyard, flying past my car while driving or on a morning walk or evening stroll around the neighborhood.

My paternal grandmother had a lovely and quite extensive porcelain collection of cardinals displayed on a table outside of her kitchen.  As a little girl, I remember looking at each one with awe and wondered why she loved them so. Now, as an adult, I suspect they meant more to her much like they do for me.  

Some say cardinals carry messages from our loved ones that passed on. Maybe, they are offering a glimpse into the invisible? 

My grandmother passed away recently at the wise age of 96 years old. That day while driving home, I asked her for a sign that she was at peace. Outside my home, I was greeted by a symphony of chirps that I gratefully know all too well.  Looking up, there were four perfect male cardinals in the trees. Over the next few days, a female and male were sat on the telephone wire in my backyard. Even as I type this, I’m listening to a single cardinal chirping. 

My teacher, Grand Master Nan Lu speaks a lot about the invisible and intuitive mind- what is behind the reality that we see with the rational mind.  He teaches that above all; there are no accidents. 

For me, the vibrant red color of the cardinal symbolizes the Fire Element in the Five Element framework of Chinese Medicine. The Heart and its energetic frequency belongs to the Fire element and perfectly enough, matches the frequency of the summertime season that we currently entered upon.  Sitting quietly thinking about the Heart energy, brings a rush of feelings that I recognize as love. Times I felt love, observed love. Those I love. Those that love me. The gifts of love that Nature and God have given to us. 

I’m reminded of my grandmother’s face that would light up, as the expression goes, every single time she saw me throughout my life. Even in the end, when it was hard for her to speak to me, she was still able to beam with that light. I know she still felt it and so did I; pure, simple … Love.
 
May those that have gone before us fly free in the love that we shared together.  

Here are my top 8 for 2018.. Green is Good!! 
 
 Body:
The first two, are my favorite additions to my multi vitamin, fish oil, and vitamin D regime: 
1. Spirulina... packed with  calcium, niacin, potassium, magnesium, B vitamins, beta-carotene, vitamin E, manganese, zinc, copper, and  selenium.  This is the holy grail of superfoods and bonus it contains protein!!  

2. Echinacea Premium by Standard Process...not all echinacea supplements are created equal.  To get a little science-y on you, this product contains a total of 4.1 mg of alkylamides per tablet. This is the active component that provides the immune stimulating benefit.  This product is also beneficial for upper respiratory and throat health.  
 
3. Aesop hand soap and lotion …nothing beats a good ‘ol hand washing to wash away the germs. If you wash your hands as much as I do, you need a gentle and beautifully smelling scent. This product doesn’t disappoint- Luxurious and wonderfully crafted...  A treat for your skin and senses! 

 4. Uriah Urban Farm lettuce... I am a foodie- a healthy one, that is, and I shout from the rafters that “green is good!”  
This weekly service of fresh hydroponically grown, vitamin packed lettuces and herbs is truly genius if you either
A) don’t have a green thumb or
B) don’t have the space or time to have a garden.  
My favorites are Arugula, Bibb, Red Gem, Basil, and Mint. 
 
 Mind:
 5. A great cook book: Eat smart, what to eat in a day-every day
I have cooked my way through a good portion of this book and love it!!
 
 6. Matcha green powder... Contains L-theanine the amino acid which provides mental clarity and increased focus without feeling jittery, and is full of the antioxidant EGCG. This daily ritual of mine brings out my inner samurai warrior.  

 Spirit: 
7. 5 Minute Journal- I started this habit a few years back and honestly am so thankful I did.

8.  A question a day for children This is a daily, after dinner ritual in my household. The boys really look forward to it, and remind me everyday... It’s like a little archive of all the precious things that they say. 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 

​Hands down my husband is a gem. Anyone that has had any interaction with him would agree. He's intelligent, humorous, Captain Safety, looks great in a pair of glasses and knows a lot about food!  He is truly the Yang to my Yin when it comes to cooking... the marriage (literally) of healthful (me) and flavorful (him). And now, true to the symbol, my cooking has evolved to be a tad tastier and a little more "fancy" and he is a whole lot healthier. Ok on to the fat part, specifically Duck fat! A little in moderation can change up the flavor profile! Its tasty, makes roasted potatoes sing, and did a little something wonderful for these petite Brussels sprouts pictured below. What’s more, it has less saturated fat and more unsaturated fat (the good fat) than butter.  Duck fat is minimally processed, really just melted off the duck skin. It is not refined, deodorized, or bleached like some other oils. Its’ smoke point is 375 degrees F and the big bonus for me; it brings a big smile to my French husband and his beloved French family heritage.
 
Now in the hierarchy of oils, here’s the scoop… Olive oil is still your best bet in terms of health. It has lower saturated fat, higher unsaturated fat, and no cholesterol. When roasting, use Virgin Olive oil because it has a higher smoke point.  The smoke point is pretty important, if you exceed that point when cooking with oil, it denatures and releases free radicals, which is no Bueno for your body. Finish with Extra Virgin Olive oil and use in salads.  I am also a fan of the health benefits of Coconut oil and use this in baking quite often.  Finally… I beg you, do not under any circumstances eat Canola oil!  It is dangerous to your health. Do the research and you will be astonished and horrified. Read your labels. It can even exist in "healthy" bread. More on this nasty oil in another blog post! 
 

So without further adieu, on to the recipe:

2 bags of small sized Brussels Sprouts
Himalayan Sea Salt
1 Tbsp Duck fat.. of course I use Rougie Duck fat

Wash and Cut Brussels Sprouts into half or quarters depending on size, peel away outer skins if they are brown
Toss with a tsp (or less) of salt and a Tbsp (or less) of the Duck fat


​Place on parchment paper
Roast in oven at 375 degree F for 25 ish minutes or until soft and slightly browned.
​ You may need to toss mid cooking so as to cook evenly.
 
Enjoy! ​

I gotta say its been a minute since our last blog post and boy am I sorry.  The past holiday season was lovely, and then our healthy little home bubble bursted, compliments of our sweet preschooler.  
This nasty guest made its first appearance in December and pretty much stayed with our family as a resident until a week ago. 
Chinese herbs, homeopathy, probiotics and acupuncture has helped us manage the strength of the cold virus stopping it at just upper respiratory symptoms. Thank goodness!  
Always boosting our immune system is my primary goal, and doing so in the form of food therapy is my primary method.  The classical way to take Chinese herbs is boiling raw herbs in water and drinking the tea.  At times with life's fast past speed this preparation method is not very feasible, so when I can find a product that eases this burden, and tastes good, I'm all for it! 
Enter Pukka teas- organic, herbal, healing, and the big plus- tastes great! 
My current daily obsession is the Cleanse variation.  It has organic nettle which is super useful for clearing and protecting the upper respiratory system of bacteria and viruses.  Dandelion root assists the liver in filtering toxins while Fennel aids the stomach in digestion.  Peppermint lends itself to a nice taste and also helps clear excess heat.  Also a great flavor enhancer is Licorice Root, but please note that it is not indicated for individuals with high blood pressure.  
Cheers to afternoon tea! 

Vegan Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcake
3 cups gluten free baking flour 
1 3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda 
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 cups coconut milk 
6 tsp coconut oil 
1 1/2 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar 
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Oil 24 cupcake papers placed in tin with coconut oil spray 
3. Stiff the flour, baking powder/soda and cinnamon into bowl 
4. In saucepan, bring coconut milk to quick boil while whisking in cocoa powder. Remove from hest when combined and add in maple syrup, salt, vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar. Whisk to combine. 
5. Add the wet to the dry ingredients. I use my kitchen aid mixer when combining. 
6. Using an ice cream scoop,place one scoop of batter into each cupcake paper. Bake for 20 min or until toothpick comes out clean. 
7. Let cool and enjoy! 

​Here are some of my favorite cookbooks that I’m currently cooking through- whole foods and easy for a home cook!   Some recipes I make as is but some I use for inspiration. I’m the queen of substitution! Not as bad as Sally from ‘When Harry met Sally’… but close! 

Whole Bowls
Raw Food Real World
Crazy Sexy Kitchen 
The Vibrant Table
​Against the Grain 

How do you find the time to...? 


Prior to motherhood I enjoyed hour long workouts... Long gone are those days with running a wellness practice, raising and FEEDING two hungry boys ( three if you count my husband for the feeding not the raising, hehe).  Now multi tasking has taken on a new meaning and my cardio workouts have gotten really interesting!
Im asked on a regular basis what I do for my personal workout and some tips I may have! 
So, here they are:

1.  Invest in a Heart rate monitor and use it to track your intensity during a workout.
2. Interval train- alternate between 65%-85% of your max heart rate for 30 sec- 1 min each
3. If you have children, purchase a jogging stroller or a double one in my case and take the workout outside.
4. For music lovers: make a track of 5 of your favorite songs and split the song up to interval training. For example: jog for verses and sprint for the chorus. 
5. Please listen yo your body.. If you are tired, don't push it. Maybe a walk is needed instead of a sweat it out session! 
6. Breathe deeply and intently ALWAYS! 

Salmon Salad with Roasted Veg
 
For the Vinaigrette:
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Splash of apple cider Vinegar
¾ tsp Himalayan pink salad
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tsp maple syrup (optional)
 
For the Salad:
Roasted wild salmon cut into 6 oz pieces
2 big bunches of lettuce of your choice, washed and spun dry
 -I use two heads of lettuce from my Uriah urban farms delivery
Bunch of fresh cut parsley or basil
1 ripe Hass  Avocado
 
For the Roasted Veg: cut into 1-2 inch cubes
1 butternut squash 
3 golden or red beets medium size
5 large carrots
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp salt

1. Roast Salmon (seasoned with salt) at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes
2. Roast the Veggies at 400 degrees for 30 minutes
3. Prepare the vinaigrette and put lettuce and avocado in salad bowl
4. Toss the salad with the dressing when the salmon and veggies are out of the oven. Reserve a small amount of dressing to coat the veggies and salmon
5. Combine the veggies into the salad.
6. Remove the skin from the salmon fillets and place on top of salad
7.  Sprinkle over top of salad fresh torn parsley or basil