Summer Veggies: Local and Delicious

Summer is one of my favorite times of the year to eat. So many of my favorite fruits and vegetables are available to eat and it's such a great opportunity to experiment your seasonal foods.

Last summer I bought my house and had big plans to start a garden come spring. So that's what I did. I spent weekend after weekend prepping the soil getting ready to plant the seeds. Once Mother's Day came around I got all of the seeds in the ground and couldn't wait to see what would happen. I grew up gardening with my parents but I have never started my own. This year I planted three types of lettuce, tricolor beets, tricolor carrots, squash, and tomatoes. Things are finally happening over here.

The lettuce has totally exploded, and is ready to eat. The beets are slowly but surely making there way into life, as well as the carrots, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the squash.

These are only some of my favorite things to eat. I have friends who have radishes and all sorts of fun veggies. That's where small trades come in really handy. Beets for radishes. It's so important to eat these veggies when we can because many of the veggies you buy in the store are brought in from other countries because they are not available to us during winter, hence we are eating out of season which is not ideal for our bodies.

If you need a little help getting started on how to eat your summer veggies, here are a couple of my favorite ways to eat them.

Beet Salad: red or golden. Boil your beets, sautee them in coconut oil, and then add some goat cheese and sea salt for a simple salad.

Squash: depending on what type of squash you have, you can always make your squash into noodles and make a cold summer pasta. Mix it with some home made pesto and parmesan and there you have it.

Tomatoes: sliced red tomatoes with mozzerella, basil leaves, olive oil, sea salt and cracked pepper. Keeping it light is sometimes the best way to go.

I know for me it's sometimes difficult in certain times of the year to stay disciplined about eating my vegetables, that's why when things are growing locally I do the best I can do stay on top of delicious, light, and easy recipes. Not to mention eating your veggies, especially when raw, is a great way to stay cool on hot days.

Guten Appetit!

Two Days In And So Much Good Food

The benefit of challenging yourself to cook at home every day is that you need to be creative or else you get bored and the challenge doesn't work! I am used to cooking at home, but when I know I have 28 days left of eating at home, I definitely don't want to be eating the same thing every night. So far I have used some of the great resources I received and made some tasty things that I will definitely be making again… but not until next month :)

DAY 1:
Started the day with my favorite berry smoothie: raspberries, blackberries, banana, cacao nibs, chia seed
At lunch I enjoyed some leftovers from the previous night :) A great rule: cook once, eat twice!
Dinner I made miso soup, asparagus corn cakes, and herb roasted chicken

DAY 2:
Started the day with full fat plain yogurt topped with berries, walnuts, chia seed, and cacao nibs
At lunch I wrapped leftover chicken in a flour tortilla and a little sour cream :)
Dinner was buckwheat soba noodles with sauteed kale, sweet corn, tofu, and crumbled goat cheese

Stay tuned for more delicious recipes!

xoxo

A Challenge: 30 Days of Home Cooking

There are so many 30-day cleanses, diets, fads, challenges, etc, that seem really unattainable and stressful to succeed in. Just like all humans, I have been in a funk around food. Lately I have been finding it difficult to make a decision about what I want to eat, been going out to eat much more frequently than I typically would, and making food choices that are not as smart as I would like them to be. It happens, but for me my solution is not to do a 7-day juice cleanse. It just won't happen. So my alternative is a 30-day challenge of no eating out, all cooking at home. You want icecream? Make it. You want french fries? Make them. See here with this challenge you are not eliminating foods, but rather eliminating all the middle-men involved in making your food less healthy than it should be. If you are interested in joining me, my dear friend, Edie, has sent me a bunch of great food blogs that I plan on using for 30 days. Here they are:

www.theminimalistbaker.com

www.ohladycakes.com

www.ohsheglows.com

www.ahouseinthehills.com

www.thechalkboardmag.com

These are just a few! I will post more as time goes on and we need more ideas. Feel free to start whenever you'd like… I may start today!

xoxo

A Note On Yoga

Maybe #yogaeverydamnday isn't such a great idea. I know I used to think it was. But then after years of needing to practice every day, I realized that I was harboring some negative space around my yoga that I needed to settle. There were days when I practiced twice a day, and the days that I didn't practice at all I was experiencing guilt. Days that I felt like I needed the heated yoga room in order to feel complete. Days where 60 minutes just wasn't enough. The problem is that these feelings are so counterproductive towards what we are trying to accomplish by practicing yoga. I am going to be completely honest here and say that when I made the decision to leave CorePower Yoga, I gained an immense amount of clarity around my purpose in yoga. I realized I had been brainwashed into thinking that practicing every day in 100 degree heat and 30% humidity that I was becoming a better and more well rounded person. What I was doing was taking up so much time in my schedule for a monotonous practice with little to no growth in an environment that felt toxic.

What I have gained by stepping back and listening to what my body really needs, for ME, not for anybody else, is the lesson of slowing down. This has been my greatest lesson so far. The past few years of my life I have been stuck in a pattern… either I'm not doing enough, or I am doing too much. Where is the in-between? Well, I've found that when I feel like I am not doing enough, it's not a sign to start a new business, or change jobs, or switch my schedule, it's about being productive with the time that you are given. Do all of those things on your list that you keep saying you want to do. Read those books that are getting dusty on the shelf, start taking those walks around the lake, write a blog post, or simply catch up on the boring life tasks that we are responsible for as adults (filing paperwork, cleaning, taking the car to get serviced, etc). If the problem is not the above… then take a good long look at your life, and decide to either change what you do, or find a way to love it.

As I'm writing this post, I just stopped and asked myself, "wait, where am I going with this?" Then I remembered. Slowing down. Once I realized that I didn't have to practice every single day, and that I could experience a happy and healthy body without the regimented yoga schedule, then I started really enjoying my life. I chose to dedicate more time to studios that made me happy, started a home practice, and every time I stepped onto my mat, maybe 3x a week, I felt joy and clarity. I FEEL joy and clarity. I'm becoming more aware of what my body is telling me every day, and then I ask myself how I can give it what it's asking for. By slowing down in all ways I can connect to my purpose in a deeper way. I can listen intuitively to all things. I can honestly say I am experiencing freedom.

What I would like to see from all people is the ability to stop, slow down, and listen. Consider what could happen if you chose to live intuitively rather than do what you think you know. It's like Cheryl Deer said today in class, "Fuck alignment, it's great, but start to feel the posture and your body will tell you where to go."

Pantry Essentials: 10 Things You Should Always Have Around

I've found that as long as my pantry is stocked with very specific things, I can always pull off a healthy meal or snack. Sometimes, without these essentials I am stuck with nothing to eat or something really plain when I haven't gone grocery shopping recently. I'm going to give you the list, and you can get creative! Keep in mind the list is just things that I always have…a must, not that there are not more things that you should have! The list is truly endless.

1. Nuts/seeds: every kind of nut! currently I have walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts. I lump seeds into this list as well, again go wild on the type of seed you want to have!

2. Almond butter: I don't just say this because I have my own almond butter business, but because it truly is one of the greatest things in the world. Try mine, District Butter Co., or make your own!

3. Medjool Dates: I use dates in everything! Smoothies, granola, wrapped in bacon, you name it.

4. Cacao Nibs: similar to dates, you can throw these into everything and have a ridiculous amount of antioxidants added to your food!

5. Dried Cranberries: I like to eat these alone…. or even today I threw them in my tunafish salad :)

6. Coconut Oil: this is a pantry essential simply because it is an alternative to EVERYTHING. No joke.

7. Honey: obviously not if you are vegan, but I like to throw honey into dinner recipes, dressings, breakfast, tea, etc.

8. Maca Powder: it just is. It improves your vitality and oxygen levels… why not!?

9. Chia Seeds: this one is a no-brainer, but it is a simple way to get plant-based protein into your diet, and just make almost anything healther.

10. Gluten-free oats: such an easy go-to! Granola, add it to yogurt, smoothies, cookies, etc.

I hope this helps, and if you don't have some of these things I encourage you to get them, stock up, and try using them as much as you can!

Start With Something Small...

Being a student and teacher in the world of health and wellness can be both inspiring and confusing at the same time. Throughout nutrition school, I have struggled to find a balance of eating, and consistenly feel like I shouldn't be eating certain things, or that I should be eating more of something else. For the most part I am an incredibly healthy eater… but I have my cravings just like everybody else, and sometimes they get the best of me. There are a few things that I have learned from this process.

1. Eating food is always an experience, not an opportunity to feel guilty. If your goal is to cut back on sugar, and you find yourself eating a chocolate croissant with a friend… it's all good! Recognize how it makes you feel, how if affects the rest of your day, and learn from it… no need to get dramatic about it.

2. Know why you want to change the way you eat. Going gluten free just because everybody else is, will most likely lead to "failure." Read about the downfalls of gluten and ask yourself if you are affected by it, try it out, and if you feel good then stick to it!

3. Only buy the foods that you know you will eat. If you are buying a bunch of kale just to be healthy, but you REALLY hate kale, it will probably end up rotting in your fridge. So find a really delicious way to prepare it ahead of time, or find other vegetables… there are so many veggies out there!

4. Start small. This one is huge for me. It's easy to feel like we need to be perfect eaters, and have the cleanest bodies, but that can be really overwhelming. If cutting out caffeine is a goal of yours, or exploring your digestion is something you need to tap into. Instead of cutting out everything in your food regiment, find one thing you can do daily that will help you get there. For example, drinking a warm cup of fresh lemon water in the morning is great for your belly and will help you make better food choices throughout the day! Give it a try.

Happy Eating!

Tools to Living the Life You Want to Live

I believe that everybody needs support. That everybody deserves to ask for help, and that it's hard to do most things alone. I have spent the last 5 years in trainings, school, getting a certification for something, and building all sorts of credentials. But now is the time that things need to start happening. I have put a lot of time and money into education, and I have no other option but to put my knowledge to the test. School is safe for me, for most of us, so not being in school requires having the right support system helping you to get where you need to be, and understanding that where you are now is totally ok. For those of you who know what I'm talking about, and those of you who are working into a big shift in your life, the following links are people/tools/things/inspiration, for getting you there.

www.thenuminous.net

www.eyla.com

www.elizabethrider.com

www.integrativenutrition.com  - for those of you interested in getting into Health Coaching.

www.theartofattention.com  - this is mostly because everybody should own this book.

www.ericajago.com

I hope that you find these links helpful, some of them are just people, because I find people that are succeeding in the world I hope to, the most inspirational. Find the ones that will guide you and mentor you and get on your path.

Granola: Start making good food at home.

As many of you may have seen from my postings on my blog, Instagram, and Facebook, making food at home is a big part of my life. I'm always trying new recipes that are quick, easy and healthy. My go-to foods, are roasted golden beets, kale chips, avocado slices, fruit, smoothies, almond butter, etc. The following granola recipe is quick and easy and makes A LOT that you can store for up to two weeks! Check it out :)

3 cups- raw oats
1 cup- chopped nuts (i like walnuts and almonds)
1/2 cup- coconut flakes
1/4 cup- raw cacao nibs
7 whole, pitted, chopped dates
3 tbsp- grade B maple syrup
2 tbsp- coconut oil
1/2 tsp- sea salt

preheat at 300, bake for 15 minutes.
store in cute mason jars :)

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!

You Can Do Anything For 30 Days: A Challenge

I am involved in a lot of things within health and wellness. I really enjoy being in the field, and I love studying health and nutrition, it excites me. I am always up to try new things and always willing to make a change, as hard as it may be. So for the month of September I have made a commitment. I will be participating in The Whole30. What is it? Well, it's not a diet, but more like a cleanse. It has similarities to the Paleo diet, but it has different rules. You can think of it more as a reset button for your body and your mind. Here is what I cannot eat for 30 days:

Sugar.
Caffeine.
Alcohol.
Grains.
Dairy.
Legumes.

And that's not all because it is more detailed than that. Like honey... NO HONEY!

For some reason we have decided that we cannot doing something this "crazy" for 30 days. I am not sure what the big deal is, our culture of confusion I suppose... too many things to choose from and not enough structure and discipline. But I am going to do this, and there will be struggles, but one day at a time and September will be over sooner than I know it. I hope.

The upside to all of this is that I am not the only one doing it. A good friend of mine has put all of this together and there are now over 30 other people participating in The Whole30. Knowing I am not alone makes it so much better.

So why am I doing it?

First: I believe everybody can always be healthier, including myself. I am always looking for ways to improve my eating habits, and by cutting out a lot of variables I will be able to resolve what works and doesn't work in my body.
Second: I am doing it because I have a future career in health coaching. I think it's really important to speak about something when you've had a first hand experience. Often, people voice their opinions without having a personal relationship with it. It's easy to talk, but challenging to lead by example.
Third: I have never fully committed myself to this sort of discipline. I've claimed it in the past, but I have never actually succeeded. My friend, Bri, can tell you that I definitely ate Froyo the whole time we were on the wellness cleanse. So I want to show myself I can do this, and clients.

So tomorrow, Sunday September 1st is the day. I will keep everybody posted on my progess including weaknesses and successes. You'll know everything.

Wish me luck!

The Most Amazing Vegan Cookie You Will Ever Eat: Created By Me.

This is the vegan cookie you have always wanted to eat but never could because it didn't exist until now. Please enjoy this fabulous-ness. And you can eat the whole batch, permission granted.

2 Bananas

1 cup raw oats

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/2 cup blended almonds and raw pepitas*

1/3 cup raw cacao 

1/2  teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup coconut oil (softened)

1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 tablespoon almond butter

Put all this stuff in a bowl and mix it.

Use coconut oil as a pan shortening.

Preheat oven to 375.

Bake 12-15 minutes.

Makes 6-8 cookies. 

Eat.

*blend 1/2 cup almonds and 1/2 cup raw pepitas in chopper/grinder until fine. 

ENJOY!

Juicing: It's Trendy For A Reason

The health and wellness industry is a really funny world to work in. We put billions of dollars, literally, into helping people get healthy, and giving everybody the tools they need to reach their goals. One of the best ways to get healthy is to understand that it is not complicated. Eating well can be SO simple. Joshua Rosenthal, the owner and founder of Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where I am attending school, says that it doesn't matter where you go, everybody on this planet knows that they should eat healthier. You hear this alot, "I know I should eat more vegetables." But are you eating more vegetables and fruit? That's where the line is.... everybody knows, but few are doing it. Finding the reason why you are not listening to what you know, is key. My diet is so simple. I make smoothies every morning, I juice mid-day, I eat good nutritious sources of protein, I enjoy food, and above all, I hydrate constantly. Most people on this planet are either sleep deprived or dehydrated. And there are SO many things you can do to fix that, and one of those things is juicing. 

Like many nutrition fads, juicing has spread to all corners of the world. And for a good reason. And let me set the record straight.... I do not think juicing is better than making smoothies. I get asked this ALL the time. I think they are equally important. It's very true, juicing takes most of the fiber out of the drink, but as long as you are conscious of getting fiber in other foods and meals, juicing will still hold its value. There are so many health benefits to juicing, and they vary from the ingredients you put in the machine. I highly recommend looking into the benefits of each ingredient you use for your drinks, because then you can determine what you really need. For example, making a beet-blend juice will give you nutrients that you wouldn't get from any other vegetable.... read the following, and you will eat beets every day. 

Beets are high in vitamins and minerals (potassium, magnesium, phosphorous), they serve as a blood purifier, and they have high amounts of sugar (healthy sugar) that are released slowly into the body give you lots of energy. I have also read that beets help with depression because of the betaine content.... not too bad. 

Invest in a juicer, I just bought one recently, and although it was costly, it has been amazing. And it's REALLY simple and takes only a few minutes. One of the best benefits of juicing is that it cuts cravings. When I juice in the morning my desire for coffee and caffiene decreases almost completely. Juicing diminishes your desire for carbs, breads, and sugary crap. I'm sure the side effects are different for everybody, but the common understanding is that you can more easily give up your guilty pleasures. Speaking of which, another result is that I feel more productive. It's just true.... when you are treating yourself with high care and putting your well-being at the top of the list, you get more things accomplished. Taking care of your health does not need to be time consuming and stressful; find easy and simple ways to get your vitamins and nutrients and you will see changes so quickly. 

Try out this beet juice recipe and you will fall in love, I promise...

1 whole beet

4 large carrots

1 whole cucumber

1 whole apple

Fresh ginger (cator to your taste buds, I don't like it too heavy on the ginger)

Eating Healthy: A Commitment to Better Living

I came from an incredibly active and healthy family. My parents were both athletes and they directly translated their love for the outdoors into raising my sister and I. Growing up we had a fire engine red, diesel Suburban...super intense. But having nature-dork parents and a huge car just meant that you could pack more camping gear and food for days in the back of the car. As much as I was exposed to the outdoors and parents who cooked dinner every single night, I still struggled with eating nutritious foods up until college, and if we are being honest, after college. I get it, really I do, veggies, proteins, less sugar, it’s all good for you. But all I wanted was candy and carbs :) Literally, fajita night at my house was amazing, and somehow my plate ended up being a tortilla with butter and cheese...because why would you ever need to put anything else in it? I was blessed with a high metabolism that allowed me to eat a lot of sugar, but it doesn’t matter what your size, it is ALWAYS better to eat clean. 

I used to go to yoga with my mom here and there in high school, and then every so often in college, but it wasn’t until I graduated and moved back home to Baltimore that I really got into a daily practice at a Baptiste inspired studio. I got hooked right away to the hot yoga, and made a commitment to go regularly. Conveniently, next door was a a smoothie bar that used healthy ingredients in their drinks, and my friend, Erica, and I, would stop in their together after sweating out all the yuck, and feed our bodies with nutritious goodness. I played tennis, rowed crew competitively, rock climbed, and so many other sports...but yoga is the one form of exercise that got me to want a healthy lifestyle...to want change, internally and externally, and to feel good all the time. I am now entering my first week at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition to become a certified Health Coach. Nutrition, yoga, thai massage, and well-being, are my calling, so here starts the journey to spreading the word of healthy living to everybody. Teaching yoga allows me to share all my knowledge and all my gifts, just as everybody should, because as Amy Ippoliti says, “If you are not sharing your gifts, you are doing a disservice to everybody around you.” All of my contributions are gifts to you...and each post and each recipe are tools for you to use and share. The following is one of my favorite recipes for starting the morning...get into the habit of drinking smoothies for breakfast and see what it can do for your energy, your mind, and your body. 

Kale Smoothie:1 Banana1/2 Apple (I use Gala)3 large leaves of KaleHandful of Almonds1/4 cup Chia Seeds2 cups Almond MilkBlend until fine

Getting Prepared

So as many of you know I am readily preparing for Institute for Integrative Nutrition. I am so excited, it's beyond words. I have been reading and cooking and playing with new recipes and finding out so much about myself! So I have to give a lot of credit to my new best friend, Gwyneth Paltrow... yes, I said it, Gwyneth. She has helped me on my new health extravaganza in so many ways due to her new cookbook It's All Good. I was told by others that this book did not get great reviews, that apparently Oprah didn't like it.... whatever. I love it! It's all clean eating, teaching you basic kitchen skills, ingredients I have never used before, and it has pretty pictures. I have avoided dairy for the most part for a year and a half. I am alwasy playing with food and finding the best alternative to fit my lifestyle and most of all, my digestive system. It's not just about eating in moderation, but more about creating an awareness around what foods make you feel a certain way. Anyway, the following is what I ate today :) Maybe it will provide a little inspiration for you as well!

Breakfast: Creamy Avocado and Cacao Smoothie (credit to Gwyneth)
1 whole Avocado
1 tablespoon raw honey
1 tablespoon raw cacao
1 cup coconut water
1 cup almond milk
blend and drink!

Lunch: Veggie Dumplings (from yesterday, also credit to Gwyneth)
Refer to It's All Good or email me at clareandrsn@gmail.com for this recipe, however I HIGHLY recommend buying the cookbook :)

Dinner: Garden Salad with Tofu
Leafy greens- kale, green, and a third of your choice
Chopped basil
Sliced yellow pear tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes
3 thinly sliced pieces of tofu- fry in 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil until golden brown
Thinly sliced red onion- sautee in extra virgin olive oil until crispy
Sea salt and cracked black pepper to top

Yummy after-dinner smoothie:
1 tablespoon almond butter
1/2 banana
1 tablespoon raw honey
1 tablespoon raw cacao
1.5 cups almond milk
blend and drink!