The past few weeks have been tireless. I honestly have no one to blame other than myself–being one’s own workhorse has it’s benefits and drawbacks. The benefits of finding my own path, and choosing how best to accomplish my goals definitely outweigh the negatives. However, I tend to get wrapped up in worries–incessant, ceaseless, never ending lists of worries that try their damnedest to bring me down. This winter, I took a lot of time to pin point the sources of these worries and get to the root of some of my core fears. This, my friends, was challenging! I realized that I fed off of some of my fears, basing my reality in what was little more than a distant childhood memory. How liberating is has been to even just realize this–and now, to be able to take steps and move forward.
The past few days have been especially challenging–I can trace back most of my angst to one little place: impatience. And there are two sides to everything–on the upside, impatience gets a fire lit for me, get’s me going in areas that I may dawdle or procrastinate unnecessarily on. But on the other hand, when I’ve done everything that there possibly could be done, or better yet, I am in the MIDDLE of doing something (like research or planning…) I imagine the final result so clearly, that I just want it NOW. Does this ever happen to you? This is when try to remind myself “Hey girl, slow down. Good things come to those who wait…”, well, I certainly hope that’s true, chimes in my cynical side.
Today I had one of those serendipitous moments where I met with a friend and she was having some of the same concerns. It is interesting, and in a way calming, to hear your own questions being voiced by someone else. It’s like, ‘Hey! That’s what I was thinking too!’ in that way that really brings people closer together. I don’t know why I get in the rut of thinking I’m alone, or I’m the only one who thinks/feels… but it is just not true, for any of us. And that fact is really such a wonderful thing to dwell on for a moment.
Verde means green in Spanish. It’s the color of my city 365 days a year, the color of my eyes, and the color of millions of living things. It is also a color that I’ve been wanting to eat more of. If you are not convinced, check out my post on kale I did a few months ago–talk about a super food. To welcome the warmer weather (WELCOME WARM WEATHER!!! I’ve MISSED you!), I decided to make a green smoothie–just to see how it would go. Would it be palatable? Delicious? Or spit-it-out so bad? I decided it wouldn’t kill me to try, in fact, it would do just the opposite! So what the heck. But after making it, I was so convinced by its great flavor (and especially the way it made me feel long term)I decided that this was going to become a new habit. Green smoothie making would be something I did each week and if I made enough, I would only have to do it once, maybe twice, a week–perfect!
The smoothie I made was juicy and full of pulp, just the way I like it–it had undertones of green but vibrant flavors of mango, ginger, and a little coconut. There are so many combinations, I’ll give you a list to get your creative juices (no pun intended, or maybe there is…) flowing. I found that having a glass of this for breakfast, I wasn’t hungry until lunch–no crazy hunger pains or blood sugar drops mid morning and I felt great. I’ve been drinking the rest of it for the past few days which has been a nice treat and snack. It’s so easy to grab for this, instead of a hunk of cheese or something of that sort (which I normally do), and feel satiated. I’m glad I took the challenge!
Tricia’s Green Smoothie 3-4 leaves dino kale, washed and stem removed, rough chopped 1 hunk (about the size of your thumb) fresh ginger, skin removed 1 tablespoon flax seeds 1/2 cup coconut kefir (you can use yogurt, regular kefir, or just juice instead here) 1 cup pinapple juice 1 fresh mango, skin removed and sliced 1 stick celery, washed and cut into 4-5 pieces, easier for the blender
Blend it and drink up!
Other smoothie ideas: 2-3 cups any greens of your choice, 2 cups papaya, 2 oranges, 3 dates
1 handful lettuce leaves, 1 handful mint, 4 bananas, 1/2 cup water
Winter Smoothie – 1 cup organic frozen berries (any kind), 2 cups fresh spinach, 1/4 inch fresh ginger, water
Spring Smoothie – fresh orange juice, ripe bananas, frozen mangoes, and several large leaves of kale (extra frozen mango gives lovely thick consistency you eat with a bowl + spoon)
1/2 bunch romaine lettuce, 1 cup strawberries, 2 bananas, water
4-5 kale leaves, 4 apples, 1/2 lemon juiced, water
2 big handfuls mixed baby greens, 2 pears, 2 mangoes, 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Choc-mint – 2 cups spinach, 10-12 mint leaves, 3 bananas, 2 Tbs. carob powder, 1 cup water
1 handful of spinach, 2 stalks of celery, 2 bananas, 2 pears, 1 apple, 1 cup water
1 small handful of spinach, 2 cups arugula, 2-3 mangoes, 1 cup water
1/2 head romaine lettuce, 1 small pineapple, 1 large mango, 1-inch fresh ginger
1 handful wild greens (e.g. dandelion), 1 small handful mint leaves, 3 cups honeydew melon
3-4 stalks celery, 2 ripe persimmons, 1 banana
1 handful chard leaves, 5-6 kale leaves, 3 large bananas, 1 cup water
1 handful parsley, 3 cups of peeled papaya
Why am I always amazed when I follow my gut and things work out? There is nothing truly more wonderful when situations, directions, and ideas unfold onto your lap like a present–all because you trust yourself and the greater good. And that is precisely what has happened to me this past week.
I am getting my certification as a holistic health counselor from the Institute of Integrated Nutrition. It is the perfect compliment to Eating Design, allowing me to work with clients one on one, with small groups, and with families–integrating design, food, wellness, and communication, for the betterment of an individual or community. The goals of a personalized health counseling program are to radically improve your life, resolve concerns specific to you and your body, and to provide you with tools for a lifetime of balance. I work together with clients to find the right foods for your body and to balance your Primary Foods–the areas of your life that feed you on the deepest levels. This unique approach provides meaningful, lasting results–and it is so much fun!
I am so excited to be able to use my creative approach to food and communication as truly a way to give back and to help others live a holistic life–connecting themselves with themselves and with others–as a holistic health counselor and eating designer! And I am also super excited to have you along for the journey as this will be a place I share this journey with you! Cooking tips, stories, and new approaches to food will all be right here 
.
Last night, a few girlfriends and I got together and juiced some winter fruits. There was a lot of citrus action happening and we made two different concoctions. First, a coconut water, champagne mango, lime, and cucumber with coconut meat; and second, blood orange, lemon, carrot, cucumber, and ginger. We also made a quick tabuleh (parsley, spring onion pulsed in a cuisinart, cut up tomatoes, threw in some cooked Bulgar wheat, squeezed half a lemon and crumbled some feta on top–delicious) and some yeasted pita breads. We were feeling at optimum health! And it tasted great too.
Andrew and I went on another great hiking excursion this weekend, this time to the Columbia gorge. We did a hike at Wahkeena Falls and as we progressed up the extremely vertical trail, we went through mist, rain, sleet, then snow and ice. It was reall cool traveling through so many weather climates on foot!
I hope you have a fantastic week ahead! Cheers!
