bliss food: strawberry almond coconut smoothie

We went strawberry picking at a local u-pick farm. By some miracle a few of these sparkling red strawberries made it into my basket and not directly into my mouth. They're just so good right from the source, juicy and sunny and warm. They aren't nearly a big as those California strawberries available in the supermarket year round, but I can wait until June in New England for these earthy little red-dressed wonders.

I've been adding them to breakfast cereals and yogurt, cooking up batches of freezer jam, and blending them in smoothies.

Here's this summer's favorite strawberry smoothie.

Strawberry Almond Coconut Smoothie

1 cup strawberries

2 roughly chopped dates

a small handful soaked almonds (soaked in water at least 1 hour)

1/2 inch grated ginger

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup water

1/4 tsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Sip through a straw. Preferably in the sunshine. Makes one serving.

words

Here's a little inspiration for your week courtesy of Pinterest.

Source: ilovemostthings.tumblr.com via Cara on Pinterest

Source: weheartit.com via Cara on Pinterest

sweet dreams

Sleep. I need some.



I've been teaching early morning yoga class all week, which means my own yoga practice gets bumped up an hour, to 5 AM. Wouldn't it be nice if I could align my bedtime with my change in morning schedule?

There's little separation between my work life and my personal life which means that sometimes I have trouble winding down in the evening.

These are a few things I do which help me feel more restful in the evening:

no caffeine after 2pm, no computer/ipad/cellphone after 8pm

a few gentle, restorative yoga poses, like supta baddha konasana or viparita karani

a mug of warm milk with a pinch of cardamom and a dash of maple syrup

rubbing coconut oil into the soles of my feet, and then pulling on a thick pair of cotton socks

steaming up the bathroom, with a warm shower or bath

calming scents like rosewater or lavender essential oil (put a few drops under your pillow!)

a cup of chamomile tea

If I start preparing myself ahead of time, I find I have less trouble falling asleep at night. It still happens, I stay up to late, I check my email on my phone in the bedroom, I'm all wound up. But usually I know why I'm having trouble, and I try to take better care of myself the next evening.

I'd love to hear your tips for getting a good night's sleep. Let's put our heads together and make space for rest and sleeping.

P.S. that dreamy photo is not of me, its of Christie, a health coach I photographed last week. I loved her pink eye mask. I should at that to my list!

bliss food: blueberry coconut chia pudding

I practice yoga early in the morning each day (before breakfast) and sometime I stay in the city for work or meetings afterwards.

There aren't a lot of healthy and quick breakfast options out there (but there are a lot of DDs!) so I try to pack my own breakfast whenever I have the time to prepare for it.

This healthy chia seed pudding recipe is easy to make the night before a big day. Just mix up all the ingredients right in the jar, and its ready to hit the road with you the next day.

I don't really know a ton about the actual health benefits of chia seeds (I hear that there are many). I just know that when I eat them, I feel good! Find them at your natural foods store, in the supplements aisle.

Blueberry Coconut Chia Seed Pudding

In a small, clean jelly jar, layer the following ingredients in these approximate proportions:

2 parts rolled oats
1 part shredded coconut
1 or 2 heaping tablespoons chia seeds
2 parts blueberries (fresh or frozen)
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
pinch of cardamom

Leave about one inch of space at the top of your jar. It should look similar to the picture on the left.

Now fill with unsweetened rice or almond milk, nearly to the top, seal with the lid, and shake, shake, shake!

When the ingredients look well distributed, let sit on the counter at room temperature for 5 minutes, then keep it in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.

Great as a snack or grab a spoon and pack it in your bag for your morning commute.

Frozen blueberries give this one its pretty purple color. Use fresh blueberries if they are in season!