2014 Is My Year

When a new year begins, resolutions are set, and the intention to follow through is high. At this time in the yoga community this is all anybody talks about, and anybody themes about. But what isn't talked about so much is how to follow through with them. Or moreso, how important is this resolution to you? As I sat down to think about what I wanted to accomplish this year, so many things came to mind. I'm not usually one to create resolutions, and I typically try to work on improving my life at all points in the year. But there is something to be said about really putting your best effort in when a new year begins. A tangible, physical day, that can mark the start of your brand new goals. Last year was nuts. I started a new romantic relationship with somebody special, I bought a house, I started nutrition school, I started a new job, I quit that new job, started my own almond butter company (support local!), and the list goes on. Why did so many things happen last year? Because I get excited about ideas and doing new things and I start them without thinking... they don't always end well. 

Having the habit of always needing something new to satisfy you isn't always productive. Last year while I began many new projects, I also neglected some really important things. Like being organized, staying focused, listening to my yoga, staying grounded. All the fundamental things that create the person I really want to be. Life is an experience, we all know that, but the lessons you get from them are what make you grow. And this year I am committed to learning from my past. And then letting it go. 

Here is a list of things I am committed to this year:

1. Listen well.

2. Respond well.

3. Be compassionate and love big. 

4. Trust the people that love me most. 

5. Stay organized (ie, fill every piece of important paper I get in the mail).

6. Save money.

7. Read more... we all have time, because being busy isn't an excuse anymore. 

8. Spend more time on self-care. 

9. Don't take things personally.

10. Dedicate more time to things I have already created... because those things are really awesome. 

I could come up with so many more, but these ten committments are attainable and doable for me. Because I am dedicated to my list, I know that 2014 is my year. 

District Butter Co.

I think the one thing that allows me to stay authentic to who Clare really is, is the fact that I always have a new project. It is really difficult to be ok with just one or two things. It rarely works for me. I make career shifts annually, maybe more, and I have a burning desire to always learn more. I'm not very good at traditional school, but like most people, if it's something that I'm really interested in, then I can absorb the information and be inspired. Currently I am a full time yoga teacher and Thai Massage Therapist. It requires a lot of emotional energy and you need to stay balanced in order to have this job. I am not claiming that I am balanced all the time, because I am not. I have ups and downs regularly, something I am working on. But massaging and yoga, two things that require physical labor, are very exhausting. And if I know myself as well as I think I do, i'll get bored and burned out if I do it too long without adding something else.

SO.

My other passion is nutrition and eating well. At home I like to cook a lot and experiment with new recipes. Most of the time I am just making things up, so it's really hit or miss, and many times it's hard to do the recipe the same twice. My most recent business endeavor is one of my favorite things... Almond Butter! My company is called District Butter Co. It's delicious. I have three nut butter options. One of them, the one I am most excited about, is my collaboration with local chocolate company, Ritual Chocolate. It's just Ritual Chocolate, almonds and sea salt. Yum. My other options are classic almond butter, and walnut almond cinnamon. "like" it on Facebook :)

I think the biggest thing I am learning from nutrition school is to make the cleanest and smartest decisions about food. So although I may not become a health coach, I am learning how to connect people with clean eating. I am excited to give me something healthy to eat. But the thing I love most about making almond butter, is that I get the chance to create something.

If I have learned anything in my life, it's that you must always create. Get your hands in something and be unique. It uses a different part of your brain and allows you to engage in a way that you don't always get to. For me in builds confidence and allows me to proud of something that nobody else is doing.

So, create! Get started with something you love. Be inspired.

Gluten Free

I have been wanting to go gluten free for a while. I think it is an awesome thing to do, and let me just set the record straight.... it's not trendy, it's smart. Gluten intolerances have always been there, it's like everything else, it just takes awareness and education to make the shift. I have been thinking about being gluten free for over a year, and for some reason I have struggled with making the switchover. I think maybe I am afraid of not being able to eat scones and croissants? But when I dig deep and think about why I am doing it, I know that I will feel so much better, and that I can find my indulgences elsewhere.

Today is day 3 of being gluten free, and I feel great! It's really not a challenging thing to do, and considering the health benefits, I think I'll stick with it. The best part is that it gives me an opportunity to play with new recipes, try new things, and really get creative in the kitchen. This morning, for example, my dear friend, Nita, inspired me to make banana pancakes. They didn't turn out exactly how I wanted, but they were pretty tasty, and packed full of protein and potassium. When you are making gluten free baked goods, you can pretty much fill it with every delicious nutritious ingredient you can find in the kitchen. Flax, chia, almond flour, proteins, maca, raw cacao, all sorts of superfoods, and the plus in that those ingredients are what make the recipe.

Just as a recap for those of you considering going gluten free, anything that is derived from wheat, barley, and rye contain gluten. Stay away from those items and you are set. Check the ingredients on all packaging to make sure they are truly wheat free, and cook at home more!

9/10 times I make a smoothie for breakfast, but today was banana pancakes:

2 bananas, mashed
2 eggs
pinch of baking powder (aluminum free)
pinch of sea salt
cook in coconut oil
drizzle with raw honey

yummmyyy.

My Favorite Snack: Golden Beets

Although I am in nutrition school, practice yoga daily, make attempts at meditation, and do my best to have positive things in my life, I admit, eating my vegetables every day is tough! Most things I eat are pretty easy to prepare, but vegetables take a bit more effort to prepare... if you like to cook them that is. So although cooking vegetables is a little annoying and tough to do throughout the day, one thing that makes eating them way easier is making sure they taste delicious :) My favorite snack, appetizer, and side is golden beets... yummmm. Cook them just right and you will be hooked! Here's how:

Find a few delicious golden beets.

Maybe take a cool picture :)

Make sure you have what you need.... coconut oil, a good paring knife, Himalayan sea salt.

Boil the beets in a large pot for 50 minutes- 1 hour. Peel with your awesome knife and slice thinly.

Sautee in coconut oil on medium-high until slightly browned.

Transfer each batch to a nice big plate.

Lightly sprinkle Himayalan sea salt evenly over beets.

Option to add crumbled feta on the side.... it is sooooo delicious :)
Enjoy!

Homemade Honey Roasted Sea Salt Almond Butter

Make sure you have all the ingredients you'll need to make the best almond butter.

You'll need 2 cups of almonds, honey, coconut oil, and sea salt.

 I like roasted almonds to make my almond butter, but it's optional. If you choose so, set oven to 400.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Grab your food processor. Blend until flakey. 

Continue blending for a few more minutes until chunky and scrape from the sides. 

Blend until desired consistency.

Now add 1 tablespoon softened coconut oil, 2 pinches of sea salt, and 1 tablespoon of honey. 

Blend for a couple more minutes. Total blending time will be 10-15 minutes. 

Put it in a cute mason jar.

Keep it for yourself...

Or tie it up and gift it to a friend...

Enjoy!

Glorious Grains!

I've been really inspired lately by the nutrition school that I am in right now, and have been dying to write about the wonderful world of whole grains. I know I mentioned them in my last post, but I wanted to go a little deeper with that subject and talk in detail about why I am such an advocate for eating grains and ancient grains. I know that a lot of people struggle with a gluten intolerance, however, wheat is not the only grain in the world. Here are a list of non-gluten grains:

Buckwheat, aka Kasha
Quinoa
Brown rice/Wild rice
Amaranth
Millet
Teff
Sorghum
Corn

Andrea Beaman introduced me to the health benefits and importance of whole grains. Whole grains do a lot in the body. The bran and fiber content keep your colon moving, they increase your energy, balance blood sugar levels, and on top of it all, chewing grains more finely assimilates digestion... not to mention they fill you up. Grains include:

Enzymes
Iron
Dietary Fiber
Vitamin C
B-complex Vitamins

To take a look into history for a moment, it's important to recognize that grains have been central to every culture and region since the beginning of time. Brown rice contains the highest about of B Vitamins than any other grain... pretty cool. So something about grains that isn't very well known in the general community, and is new to me too, is phytic acid. There are so many articles written about phytic acid and how it is an anti-nutrient to your body. It has binding properties which extract minerals from your body. However, if you are relying solely on grains to get minerals and fiber, there is an issue... you should have high amounts of vegetables and leafy greens being absorbed into your body every day.

Here is the upside of phytic acid AND ways to reduce phytic acid.

Phytic acid is said to be a powerful antioxidant and is helpful in ridding the body of heavy metals and other toxins. One great way to reduce phytic acid AND is a good thing to do for easier digestion is to soak your nuts, grains, and seeds. Soaking these foods also reduces tannins and helps to decrease health disease and conditions. There are a lot of articles on phytic acid if you want to learn more, I know I am definitely still learning, so I recommend checking out this article that Andrea Beaman shared on her Facebook page:

http://wakeup-world.com/2012/03/04/the-benefits-of-soaking-nuts-and-seeds/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-benefits-of-soaking-nuts-and-seeds

I hope this provides at least a small amount of insight on grains! I also understand that not everybody enjoys eating them, and that's fine too... but for those of you who are questioning the consumption of grains, I hope this was a tad educational.

Or Maybe Not...

I thought that the Whole30 was going to be this amazing life changing experience and I would prove to myself that I could do something like cut out 6 different variables from my diet and be a new woman. But honestly, that's not what I want. Here's the thing about me... I already know how to listen to my body. After one day of doing the Whole30, I quit. I know that's like no time at all, but cutting out things that I know I need to feel great didn't make sense to me. In school we are encouraged to live by bioindividuality. One person's food is another person's poison. The cleanse and what I am learning in school were contradicting themselves, and at this point in my life my biggest concern is developing my knowledge as best I can, and that includes trying on what I'm learning in class.

Whole grains for example. They are carbs. But they are also much more. How many people in your life do you know that stay away from carbs to save their life? It's completely ridiculous....but, I respect it if that's the way they want to eat. For me, I am a grain fan. I love how they make me feel, I love that they are full of nutrients and phytic acid. And more so, I love ancient grains. AND.... not all grains have gluten... so the gluten-intolerant card doesn't work all the time. Millet, buckwheat, sorgum, amaranth, kasha. So many yummy grains that are so so good for you. Don't be afraid to eat grains and the RIGHT carbs. Here is a new sandwich that I've crafted that I absolutely love:

Rudi's Ancient Grain bread- panfry in coconut oil or ghee
Sliced Turkey
Sliced Avocado
Thin-sliced Roasted Golden Beets
Vegannaise or Light Canola Oil Mayonnaise
Sea Salt

When I decided that I didn't want to do the Whole30 I definitely had a complex about it. But really what matters is always listening to your body, and alwasy reminding yourself that what works for one person will not work for the next. And that is why there are SO many different ways to eat.

So I am back to posting my favorite smoothies, the wonderful things I am learning and trying in nutrition school, and always motivating people to get out and do yoga and try new things!