If this isn't the cutest thing ever, I don't know what is...

Peter Pan drinking the rest of my smoothie, with the muppet movie in the background.  Look at that little faceeeeeeeeeeeee!  The cutest vegan ever...

Cheesy left-over casserole

This was one of those there’s no food in the house-I’m starving-what are we going to do for dinner?? kind of nights, so I whipped this up, and as you can probably tell from the pictures..it was amazing.

I had some leftover cooked spaghetti squash with no sauce, some steamed broccoli, a portabella mushroom and half a red bell pepper laying around, so I threw it all in a casserole dish and covered it with this creamy mock cheese sauce and I was absolutely amazed with the results.  It was so tasty and left me feeling satisfied, not stuffed like usual cooked meals.  I want this every night!!!

You can basically throw in whatever you have on hand, but I love the combination I made.  The flavors really work well together with the cheesy sauce.  If you are using a vegetable that takes forever to cook, like broccoli or carrots, steam it first until tender to cut cooking time in half and make life a lot easier.  Substitute spaghetti squash for regular cooked pasta or cooked rice.  I used to make this with rice, broccoli and veggie chicken and it was amazing.

Put the oven on 450, cook uncovered and watch it after about 30 mins.  The top will turn golden brown when done.  I let mine bake a little longer because I love the combination of the thicker cooked cheese on top and the gooey cheese in the middle.  I also put it under the broiler for a couple minutes, watching it closely, to try to get the top a bit darker.  It was so simple and easy, I couldn't believe it.

I'm so glad to be vegan..  

Flore Vegan

Went to Flore Vegan off Sunset Blvd in Silverlake the other day for an amazing brunch with my sister.  She got the cranberry walnut french toast and I got "chicken & waffles" and we both got crappy cups of coffee, which alone were terrible, but somehow with the food, it all came together and was perfect.

The french toast was not traditional french toast.  It is made with a batter, instead of bread slices, a lot like thick pancakes but with the traditional french toast taste.  INSIDE were the walnuts!  Genius.  I'm going to have to try and recreate these one day, the idea is so simple, yet I've never heard of it.  I love that they served it with kale.  Usually, no one eats the garnish but together the flavors were perfect.  Also came with some tempeh bacon :)

The "chicken & waffles"... my mouth is watering just thinking about it.  Somehow this is the most amazing combination.  The waffles alone would be mediocre but topped with a big chunk of savory vegan chicken, potatoes, the best gravy ever (and I mean best), whipped butter and maple syrup, this has got to be one of my all time favorites.  The plates of food were bigger than our heads at a price that is easily affordable.  We took half home and it was so hard not to eat it right away, but I resisted and it was an amazing mid-day snack.  

Los Angeles Public Library-downtown

Went here the other day and fell in love!  Despite driving around forever looking for parking* and the fact that it's located downtown, where it's always dirty and bummy, the 1920's Los Angeles Public Library is absolutely amazing!  It's very clean and not what you would expect for downtown.  It's like an oasis of books, art and history.  I've never seen anything like it, with 8 levels (4 underground), it's filled with every book you can imagine, including a section of rare books and a whole floor for teens.  There's art and sculptures scattered everywhere you turn as well as art and history exhibits to get lost in when you need a break from studying.  (It's like an art museum full of books!  What could be better???) It's huge and would take forever to explore but it's well worth a try!  There are also tons of filing cabinets FILLED with folder after folder of vintage photographs and vintage newspaper/magazine clippings on every subject imaginable.  It was a nice day when I went with summery weather, so I also studied outside by the fountain.  There's also a pretty restaurant, Cafe Pinot, that looks worthwhile.  It's Californian-French with an impressive wine list and an optional fresh from the farmers market menu.  I'm sure there is a lot more worth mentioning, but you should check it out for yourself!  

*The parking garage (I just found out) is validated $1 flat rate after 3pm and on Saturdays so I will be spending a lot more time here (parking garage states a $4/hour rate but it's discounted hourly when library is open-check the website for hours and more info).  There is also an outdoor parking lot just up the street on 5th (past the freeway, where 5th turns into 6th) that is $5 flat rate after 12pm if you come early.

Bring me a dream!!

One of the reasons I love LA, stuff like this is everywhere.

Let kids be kids.

Once upon a time... from Capucha on Vimeo.

Very smart and beautiful little girl.  I was taken back by her wild imagination and choice of words.  It's really rare these days for kids to have an imagination, PERIOD.

I was at the mall the other day and saw kids under the age of 5, in strollers, glued to gameboys or playing on cell phones.  These kids can't even speak and they are already being taught to be technologically dependent!  What a life of staring at a screen!  Missing out on the passing butterflies and beautiful sunsets.  When I was little, we didn't have computers or any of that stuff, we had to use our imaginationsssss.  I basically grew up outdoors, with a magnifying glass for frying ants in one hand and a salamander in the other.  I would search the woods for vines to swing on and treasures to collect.  The playground was an island to escape the burning hot lava that was the grass!  Indoors, I was playing "Wedding" with my sister, fighting over who gets to be the bride with the long white vail (bed sheet) or I was playing in the basement, blasting music and screaming my head off.  The roller rink was my second home, we would skate all day until we couldn't stand up anymore.  I would read books and make up stories.  I dreamed that one day I'd be a mermaid and be best friends with Ariel.  Those were the best times of my life.

Sure we had tv, but even our cartoons were imaginative and tailored to a kids mind-Thundercats, Pinky and the Brain, Gargoyles... My brothers are at the age I was when I was watching those shows but guess what they're watching.... MAD, Spongebob, Family Guy-cartoons about celebrities, literally a show about a dorky sponge and his stupid best friend, anddddd sex.  We didn't have entire channels devoted to cartoons either..we couldn't sit in front of the boob tube from 6am to 10pm, mindlessly zoned out of reality and tuned into garbage. We had 20 channels, not 200!

The worst thing is, The parents. Don't. Care.  It's never been easier to be a parent as it is today.  Your kids crying?  Turn on the tv.  Bored?  Turn on the tv.  Sleepy?  Tv.  Dinner?  Tv.  You seriously don't even have to interact with your kids anymore, tv will raise them!!  It will teach them how to dress, how to act, what to look like, how to think... We used to know it was bedtime when the sun was going down, nowadays, kids can literally tell the time by what cartoon is on tv.

When they aren't watching tv, they are on the computer (5 year olds on google--yeah, it's happening..), or playing video games.  It never ends.  It makes me sick, especially living in California.  Come onnnn, you live somewhere where you can be outside any day of the year!!  There are countless free places to go to.. beaches, mountains, parks!  You can see snow and the beach all in one day.  There is at least one museum FREE EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK!  There are entire magazines devoted to free events all over California... But instead, you let your kids fry their brains so you can have that extra time to, what?  Sleep?  Knit?  Clean?  Read a magazine?

Well guess what, you're killing your kids.  You're killing their brains, their imagination, their spark for life, their determination to succeed in the world, their journey of self discovery, their good habits, their social life, their bodies, their courage, their judgement and their self confidence.

I have little brothers and have been a nanny for the past 8 years, so I've been around my fair share of kids.  I know being a parent is not easy, in fact, it's very tough (if you want to be an active, involved parent and raise your kids with morals and values), but it's also a choice.  If you don't have the money, the time, the commitment to raise your kids in the right way, then you shouldn't have any.  If you have kids, FIND THE TIME to give them the life they deserve.  If you truly care for them, care for their brains too.  They only get one childhood and it's a shame to waste it in front of a tv, never experiencing the wonders of life.

Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich-Video Pt.1

Amazing RAW chocolates

Seriously, you'll never go back to store bought chocolates again.  SO SIMPLE TO MAKE!

Raw Chocolate Bars

From Everything Raw Food Recipe Book  (Click the link to view the whole book and recipes)

• ½ cup cacao butter
• ¾ cup raw cacao powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons agave nectar
• ½ cup chopped almonds

1. Melt the cacao butter in a small saucepan on the stove. Gently warm it over low heat until it becomes a liquid.
   
2. In a large bowl, stir all ingredients together.  Mix until just combined, DON'T OVERMIX!  Fold in almonds.
   
3. Mixture will not be watery like melted chocolate, it will be a moist, soft dough.  Press into candy molds, cupcake liners, or  shape into chocolate bars. Place in the freezer until they are solid.  After 6 hours or overnight, you can switch these to the refrigerator.  Alternatively, leave in the freezer and when you want a piece, let it sit on the counter 5 minutes to soften up.

Raw Creamy Coconut Squares

• ½ cup coconut oil
• ½ cup raw carob powder

• ¼ cup raw agave nectar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup chopped almonds

1. Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan on the stove. Gently warm it over low heat until it becomes a liquid.
2. In a large bowl, place carob powder.  In a small bowl, stir all liquids together.  Add the wet ingredients to the carob powder, mixing until just combined, DON'T OVERMIX!  Fold in almonds.
   
3. Mixture will not be watery like melted chocolate, it will be a moist, soft dough.  Press into candy molds, cupcake liners, or  shape into chocolate bars. Place in the freezer until they are solid.  After 6 hours or overnight, you can switch these to the refrigerator.  Alternatively, leave in the freezer and when you want a piece, let it sit on the counter 5 minutes to soften up.
   
   
   ***TIP***
   
   The reason I say to stop mixing when just combined is because the dough will start to harden if you keep mixing.  To prevent this from happening, always have everything ready before you start to mix anything together; have dry ingredients combined and wet combined in a separate bowls, have almonds already chopped and everything ready to simply mix together (add wet to dry) and form into bars.
   
   You can tailor these chocolates to suit your chocolate craving.  Use mint extract instead of vanilla, substitute almonds for your favorite nuts, or add dried fruit, coconut flakes, ect.  The possibilities are really endless and it's amazing whichever way you make it!!

Positive Mantra

POSITIVE MANTRA is a favorite website of mine.  With an ENDLESS archive full of inspirational quotes and stories, there is always something amazing to stumble upon..  The most recent post:

6 Inspirational Failure to Success Stories

Six stories of Ford, Jack Canfield, Michael Jordan, Disney, Edison, Einstein - famous people who did not give up on early failures and eventually turned successful.

If you give up you don’t succeed in anything. Behind success is a lot of failure, criticism, pain and intense determination. Are you ready to follow your passion.

Giving up is the easiest thing to do, and that’s not the reason why you start on a journey. Persist, be obsessed. FAIL. FAIL. TRY. FAIL. TRY. Succeed.

Read the story of these celebrities who were seized by an idea and were determined to succeed despite repeated failures. At times, they were the only ones in the world to think the idea would succeed.

Success is also about long periods of loneliness.

Read the stories HERE.

Griffith Observatory

Roasted portabella mushrooms, cauliflower and broccoli

Serves 2

1 1/2 cup broccoli florets
1 1/2 cup cauliflower florets
3 garlic cloves, halved
1/2 an onion, sliced
2 portabella mushrooms
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400.
Toss cauliflower, broccoli, garlic and onion with a 2 tsp olive oil and mix to coat.  Brush portabella mushrooms, whole, with vinegar and 1/2 tsp olive oil.  Place everything on a baking sheet, not touching, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and roast until broccoli/cauliflower is starting to brown/edges are blackening and mushrooms are juicy and tender.

Served with tomato/basil salad (just toss together) and creamy cashew alfredo sauce.

Napoleon Hills Ladder to Success-Rung No. 1 and free success Ebooks!

RUNG NO. 1: A DEFINITE AIM IN LIFE

No one would think of gathering together a quantity of sand, lumber, brick, and building materials with the object of building a house without first creating a definite plan for that house, yet my experience in analyzing over 12,000 people proved conclusively that 95 percent of the people have no such plan for building a career, which is a thousand times more important than the building of a house.

Do not overlook the significance of the word definite, because it is the most important word in the phrase “a definite aim in life.” Without this word, the sentence represents what we all have, which is nothing more than a vague aim to succeed. How, when, or where we know not, or at least those of us who belong to the 95 percent class do not. We resemble a ship without a rudder, floundering on the ocean, running around in circles and using up energy that never carries us to shore because we do not aim toward one definite goal and carry on until we reach it.

You are commencing now to acquire man-power through the organization, classification, and intelligent direction of knowledge, but your first step must be the choice of a definite aim or else you might as well have no power since you will not be able to guide it to a worthwhile objective.

It is necessary not only to have a definite aim in life, but you must also have a definite plan for attaining that aim. Therefore, place on paper a written statement of your definite aim and also a written statement, in as much detail as possible, of your plan for attaining that aim.

There is a psychological reason for insisting that you reduce your definite aim and your plan for attaining it to writing, a reason you will thoroughly understand after you have mastered the subject of autosuggestion. This reason is explained again in another article that will appear in these pages on the subject of self-confidence building.

Bear in mind that both your definite aim and your plan for attaining it may be modified from time to time. As a matter of fact, you will be an unusual person if you have the vision and the imagination to see a definite aim now that will be large enough in its scope to satisfy your ambition a little later on. The important thing for you to do now is to learn the significance of working always with a definite aim in view, and always with a definite plan. 

This principle is one that you must make a part of the process of organizing your faculties, and you must apply it in everything you do, thus forming the habit of systematic, organized effort.

One year from the time that you write out your first statement of your definite aim in life, you will be surprised, more than likely, at the small scope it covered, for you will then have developed greater vision and greater self-confidence.

You will be able to accomplish more because of your belief that you can do so and because of your courage in setting a bigger task for yourself, as indicated by your definite aim.

This process of education – of educing, expanding from within, drawing out your mind – will enable you to think in bigger terms without becoming frightened. It will enable you to look upon your definite aim in life with eyes of analysis and synthesis, and to see it not only in its entirety but in its component parts, all of which will seem small and insignificant to you.

Engineers move mountains from one spot to another with no difficulty whatsoever, not by trying to move the whole mountain at one shovelful, you understand, but by shovelful at a time and according to a definite plan.

The time and the necessary money required with which to build the Panama Canal were correctly estimated years ahead, in fact before a single shovelful of dirt had been removed, because the engineers who built it had learned how to work by definite plans.

The Canal was a success!

It was a success because the men who planned and built it followed the principle that I have laid down, for your guidance, as the first rung in this ladder. Therefore you can readily see that there is nothing new about this principle. It needs no experiment to prove its accuracy because the successful men of the past have already proved this.

Make up your mind now what you wish to do in life, then formulate your plans and commence doing it. If you have trouble deciding what your lifework ought to be, you can secure the services of able analysts (not many of them, but there are a few) who can assist you in selecting a lifework that will be in harmony with your natural inclinations, your temperament, physical strength, training, and native ability.

You can download the free Ebook here which includes all 16 rungs on the Ladder to Success.  

This is a free success Ebook library with more from Napoleon Hill and other greats like James Allen, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Ben Franklin.  I think it's so amazing that there is so much free information in the world, if we study these amazing people we can change our lives and have everything we've always wanted.  

Just don't get download crazy the first day.  There are so many good books, you'll want them all.  My advice, bookmark the website, download one book and stick to it until you finish it, then go back for another. :)  

Hope from the inside out..

Ally Hamilton for TedxSanta Monica.  Ally is one of my favorite yoga instructors at Yogis Anonymous.  She is such a beautiful person, inside and out.  Her classes are always very positive and I leave feeling like I can take over the world.

I've found that most yoga instructors are absolutely gorgeous, and it starts on the inside.  Once you switch your negative thinking to a positive, balanced life, it definitely shows up on the outside.

Her blog, Dear Ally, is equally amazing.

Perfect soup

This soups so simple, I'm not going to give any measurements.  You can pretty much just throw stuff in and it will taste great!

Fry onion and garlic until brown.
Bring veggie stock or water to a boil (we use the water left over from cooking kale with mushrooms).  When water is boiling, add onions, chopped broccoli and carrots, cubed yams/sweet potato and what ever else you want!  Mushrooms would be perfect.  When veggies are tender, you're done :)

Sooo good!

Henry Miller

Creamy cashew Alfredo sauce

Prepare spaghetti squash:
Cut in half.
Scoop out the seeds (dry and bake them for a snack :) )
Brush insides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake at 425 degrees for about 1 hour, until tops are browning and skin is soft and flexible (might feel a little rubbery but a lot softer than when started)

Creamy cashew alfredo sauce:
1 1/4 cups raw cashews
2 TBSP lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup water for blending

Blend everything in a food processor with HALF of the water.  Gradually add the other half until it blends into a nice, thick sauce.

When spaghetti squash is done, let it sit until it's cool enough to handle.  Scrape longways with a fork to form noodles.  Stir in alfredo sauce and enjoy!

*Be careful, this recipe is extreeeemely addicting :)

Stolen fruit

Gathered these on the way home from a long run at the Silver Lake Reservoir.  I am always amazed at the abundance of citrus in California.  It seems every where you turn there is some sort of citrus tree.  The sad thing is, they are always FULL of ripe fruits.  That's sad?  It is when you consider that this means no one is eating them...  How can you have this beautiful, fruit bearing tree in your own backyard and let 90% of it fall and rot on the ground???  If I was lucky enough (WHEN I am lucky enough) to have these trees, I would definitely be a raw 80-10-10 vegan (80% of diet is fruit!)

I can't wait to one day have a huge back yard with oranges, lemons, kumquats, avocado, berries, dates, basically anything and everything, I will plant. 

BexLife

Her name is Rebekah Borucki, aka, Bex..  She's a mother of four, vegan and a fitness and yoga instructor.  Basically, she's amazing.  Not to mention gorgeous to the point where it's kind of hard to stop staring.  I found her youtube account the other month when I wanted to check out some faster paced yoga videos and I fell in love with her personality and her lifestyle. 

 Her kids are ADORABLE, watch the video above and see what I mean.  Just wait till he gives himself a hug :)  I read a comment on this video that said, "I will not be responsible for any babies made due to this video" and it made me laugh so hard...  I swear I never will have kids of my own (I will adopt when I'm like 60 :p ) but watching her beautiful interactions with her kids makes me feel a longing for that feeling... It's entirely innocent pure love.  Unexplainable and serene.  It's different than the love you have with your boyfriend, it's entirely free of judgements or demands.  It's just you and this pure being that has no expectations for you and just wants you to be there with it and love it for who it is.  

We come into this world with no expectations except to make the most of every second and to be happy.  It's sad that this doesn't last long as we venture out into society (or even our own house).  We're taught that we are not good enough, not pretty enough, not smart enough.  We don't like the right things, we don't dress the right way, put that down, don't touch that, act like a lady, be a man...  Who's to say what's right and what's wrong?  Listening to the majority will only turn you away from your natural state of being, which is how you come into this world, pure, happy, non-judgemental, not afraid to try new things, not willing to sacrifice your preferences to satisfy a group of people who obviously aren't looking out for your best interest.  

Take a moment to watch this video and gather the pure positive energy inside of you that you were born with.  It's still in there, just got lost along the way...  Learning to be calm and positive is like catching the train instead of walking...  You will attract the things you want when you come into alignment with who you really are.  Your mind is a powerful magnet, choose what you want to attract into your life and you'll be amazed at the endless opportunities that will open to you.

More on Bex:
Blog
YouTube
Website

Best raw "nacho cheese" dip

So simple and soooo good!

Raw nacho cheese dip (Vegan)
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup cashews
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 of a red bell pepper
3 TBSP freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp crushed red pepper spice OR chili powder & cayenne pepper TO TASTE, be careful not to put too much, the pepper will come as a sort of after taste, so wait a second after tasting to dump more pepper! :) I use a lot because I like it spicy.


Blend everything in your food processor until thick and creamy, adding the bell pepper to the processor first.. If you want to thin out the sauce a bit, add some more of the red bell pepper.  Just remember, this is a dip, not a sauce, you want it to be a little thick.  My favorite things to dip in this are cauliflower and carrots.  You can dip crackers, other veggies or use it in a wrap (so good).

Sweet potatoes for breakfast

Usually, I stick to fruit and raw veggies until dinner time then I'll cook one meal, but when my sister made this for breakfast, I couldn't resist.  Sweet potatoes, portabella mushrooms, onions and tomato.

Fry the sweet potatoes in a little sunflower or olive oil until browning.  Add mushrooms and onions, sprinkle some dried (or fresh) herbs like rosemary and thyme, let sit on low heat, covered.  Add tomatoes at the end, sprinkle salt & pepper to taste and heat until warm.  This would be sooooo good in a tortilla or on toast, but is equally amazing by itself.

PROTECT YOUR DREAMS

Can Will Smith be any more amazing?  He always puts himself in the best possible rolls, he is truly inspirational and if you haven't seen this movie, The Pursuit of Happyness, well, what are you waiting for?  It will change your life.

Dream big

I carry around a couple birthday candles to help celebrate the little things, like you got an A on your test, or you tried something new that you didn't have the courage to try before.  I lit a birthday candle to celebrate a job interview process that went very, very well.  

 I have always been a terrible interviewee... Although I always prepared myself through practice and research, I would get so nervous, shy and would forget everything I wanted to say...  I never have been comfortable in an interview.. that is until I interviewed with Lululemon.  First of all, all the girls are amazing and so sweet, you feel right at home with them.  Second, the preparing I did for the interview CHANGED MY LIFE.  

Lululemon is all about balance, well being for body, mind and soul, positive thoughts, goals!, and a friendly, caring staff.  The online application asks you some fun questions to get to know your personality, e.g. "How have you elevated someone from mediocrity to greatness?" "How will you elevate Lululemon?" "How would you spend an ideal day off with no financial limits?"  I thought long and hard about these questions, not necessarily from wanting to impress them, but mostly because I didn't know myself anymore.  I've been sleepwalking through life and didn't even realize.  For the past couple years, I've been putting myself last, working for people I didn't like, and spending way too much time mindlessly getting by.. I would listen to all these inspirational cds and feel so good, then I would ruin the rest of the day by letting a mean comment go to my head.  I blamed everyone for my problems and it never occurred to me that I could be happy if I wanted to be.  

Lululemon contacted me for an interview and I was supposed to bring a copy of my goals, a 10, 5 and 1 year goal for your career, health and personal.  Oh man... I had no idea where to start... For as long as I can remember, my dream was to become a famed fashion designer of a women's vegan line.  I love clothing, I have a burning passion for it.  But for some reason when I would think about being a designer, I'd get this horrible feeling in my gut.  I pictured myself, 30 years old in my NY skyrise apartment with brick walls and high ceilings, living my dream as a designer.  The only problem is that the fashion business clashes with everything I believe in.  Considering my only other goal in life has been to become a Buddhist monk and live in an ashram for the rest of my life, it's kind of a shock to me that I fell so deeply in love with fashion.  I'm not materialistic in the sense that I am excessively concerned with physical comforts.  I love to buy nice things, and I will shell out a considerable amount of cash for quality, but it comes from a place within that tells me, I am important, I am worthy of these things, why not spend some more money on something that is made to last opposed to something you'll have for two weeks and throw away (think Alexander Wang vs. Forever21).  I'm attracted to so many types of businesses from animal rescue and vegan restaurants, to real estate and fashion design, from inner peace to fame and wealth.  When I sat down to write my goal, I had a realization;  Why can't I have EVERYTHING I want???  If you think about it, we're going to be in this life for a lonnnnnnng time, you might as well enjoy it.  In my opinion, if you are not doing what you love YOU ARE WAISTING YOUR PRECIOUS TIME!!!  

At Lululemon, they have a specific way of writing out your goals to help you visualize your life with the end in mind.  You start out by writing your vision,  this is a paragraph or two describing your life in 10 years time.  Where are you living?  What are you doing?  Who are you with?  From there you write a short and specific 10 year goal for your career, personal, and health.  Once you have the end in mind, you trickle down to your 5 and 1 year goals, thinking about what you need to do in those years to get to your vision.  By using positive words, speaking in the present tense the whole way through and having a specific end date for each goal, you start to get excited about the possibilities and you can see that if you want something, there is a way!  Maybe it takes a little hard work, but all the best things do.  

DREAM BIG. 

You are living in a world where only 1% of it's population is wealthy (financially independent).   ONE PERCENT.  That's 1 out of every 1,000 people.  That's shocking considering we are in the best money making time there has ever been in history!  I don't know about you, but I want money for the freedom that comes along with it.  I don't want to have to limit myself in anyway because I can't afford it.  Money is just a piece of paper, I know that, but it is unrealistic to say, "I don't need money" or "money's not important" when we live in a society that values money more that anything.  I want to help the world, I want to start businesses that are considered the best in their field, I want to start organizations to teach kids how to grow up in this crazy, chaotic world, I want to live in Hawaii and wake up to the sounds and smells of the ocean, I want to take surfing lessons and learn to sail, I want to eat at nice restaurants and wear nice clothing, I want to go to financial seminars and take business classes,  I want to rescue animals and give them a sanctuary where they can freely roam.  All these things take money, and lots of it.  I wish that wasn't the case, but it is.  And now more than ever.  Just like in the wild, if you don't adapt, you will get wiped out.

Since changing my diet, I feel like everything is unfolding right in front of me and I am utterly amazed at my excitement for life.  When you are in line with your life and your vision, you will attract only things in line with your vision also, whether its people doing the same thing that you can learn from, a place to be yourself, or opportunities to make money towards your goal..  I promise, it is a life changing process and to see your goals written on paper is the first step to attracting what you want/need in life.

Check out this post and download the goal worksheet to get started.  My life will never be the same, and I hope the same for you.

Do what you fear and fear disappears

Grow old with me..

Broken sundial outside of my apartment, "Grow old with me, the best is yet to be."  One of the most beautiful days we've had in a while.

Mohandas Gandhi and a day of silence

"Mohandas Gandhi spent one day of each week in silence.  He believed that abstaining from speaking brought him inner peace and made him a better listener.  This influence was drawn rom the Hindu principles of mauna (silence) and shanti (peace).  On such days he communicated with others by writing on paper.  For three and a half years, from the age of 37, Ghandi refused to read newspapers, claiming that the tumultuous state of world affairs caused him more confusion than his own inner unrest."  Taken rom here.

For a while now I've felt the need for more silence in my life.  When you are forced to be silent, you are forced to listen.  Most of us don't know how to listen anymore, there is always something going on in the back of our minds, some kind of judgement or a need to give ones opinion or relate it back to ourselves.  We can never just fully listen and take in what another person is trying to tell us.  When you take time for silence, you open your mind to a whole new world.  You learn that everything is not always about you and you don't need to relate everything back to you or compete with anyone.  There is a lot of information floating around that we miss because are minds have become so filtered to only hear what we relate to.  You not only miss a lot of opportunities to help others by actually listening, but you miss opportunities to help yourself, to change your view, to see the world through a different perspective, to become a deeper, better person.

I find it hard to listen anymore with a clear mind and I can feel the effect it has on my overall well-being.  If you can't fully listen, you cannot grow or expand your mind which is what I strive for so I am going to devote every Monday (like Gandhi) to a day of silence.  My hope is to develop the ability to listen fully everyday without the intention of turning it into something about me.  I want to become more aware of the world around me and more able to relate to others fully, and not with a preconceived notion.

I challenge you to make time for silence.  If you cannot do a full day, set aside 1 hour a day to be completely silent.

Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you might miss it.

Ferris Bueller

You CAN overcome all odds

I almost started crying, this is so powerful.  This video has totally changed my attitude towards life and others.  Never judge a book by it's cover.  "I am autistic, but that is not who I am.  Take time to know me, before you judge me."  She is doing more with her life than most of us and this is proof that you CAN overcome all odds and turns your dreams into reality!!  I can't believe how smart and insightful Carly is.  "I think the only thing I can say is don't give up.  Your inner voice will find it's way out.  Mine did."  

Carly's twitter.

Homemade almond milk

Super simple.  Recipe here.  Dehydrate the pulp to make almond flour!!  Place on a baking sheet and put the oven on the lowest temperature.  When pulp is dry, process it in the food processor for 1 minute and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

An orange growing an orange

Happiness is the way

Sunrise yoga

6am this morning, practicing yoga with Mary Beth LaRue through Yogis Anonymous.  Watching the sunrise with little ratties running all over me and rose incense burning.  Woke up with such a grateful attitude, it's was a pretty amazing feeling.

Devils chair hike

On our way to hike the Devils Punchbowl to the Devils chair... such a pretty place, the drive alone is worth it, about an hour drive from Los Angeles.  The hike is pretty long but you don't really notice , about 3 hours total.  The rock formations called the Devils Punchbowl (pictured above) were formed when two earthquake faults collided.  The hike is mostly shaded and you'll experience peace and quiet like never before.  It's amazing to take a break when you reach the devils chair and just listen to nature with no interruptions.  I would bring a snack or sandwich to eat when you get to the Devils Chair :)  Our camera died right when we got there so I don't have pictures from the Devils Chair, but you can see some here, or go check it out for yourself :)

30 things to stop doing to yourself

30 things to stop doing to yourself  -an eye opening post that really made me realize there is always room for self improvement.

Things I need to work on;

1.  Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.  If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you.  You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot.  Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth.  And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends.


9.  Stop trying to buy happiness. – Many of the things we desire are expensive.  But the truth is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter and working on our passions.


11.  Stop being idle. – Don’t think too much or you’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place.  Evaluate situations and take decisive action.  You cannot change what you refuse to confront.  Making progress involves risk.  Period!  You can’t make it to second base with your foot on first.


18.  Stop holding grudges. – Don’t live your life with hate in your heart.  You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate.  Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.”  It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.”  Forgiveness is the answer… let go, find peace, liberate yourself!  And remember, forgiveness is not just for other people, it’s for you too.  If you must, forgive yourself, move on and try to do better next time.


19.  Stop letting others bring you down to their level. – Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.


29.  Stop focusing on what you don’t want to happen. – Focus on what you do want to happen.  Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story.  If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.


30.  Stop being ungrateful. – No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life.  Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.  Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.

Buddha

"Your body is precious.  It is our vehicle for awakening.  Treat it with care." -Buddha 

If you don't know the story of Buddha, check out this documentary.  It's extremely interesting and a beautiful story.

Instant strawberry-banana vegan ice cream!

This ice cream is so easy to make, it will take you less than 5 minutes.  It's so creamy, fluffy and sweet and made entirely from fruit!  An amazing alternative when you want something sweet.

Serves 1 large portion or 2 small

1 1/2 frozen bananas, cubed

2 large strawberries, cut into four pieces each, fresh or frozen

Add everything to a food processor* and blend until smooth and creamy!  Serve immediately (who could wait anyways?)

*to speed up the process, you can add a small amount of water-small, like a soda-pops CAP full with water

**If you are using fresh fruit, add that first and place frozen on top.  You can make this with all frozen ingredients or the majority frozen and some fresh fruits.

Some other options;
Banana ice cream- blend 2 frozen bananas
Mixed berry- add 1/4 cup frozen berries in place of strawberries
Almond butter & chocolate- add 3 tbsp almond butter and 3 tbsp cocoa powder to 2 frozen bananas

Add dried cherries, chocolate chips, dates, nuts, coconut, cookie dough....the list is literally endless.  I think this will be my breakfast from now on :)

 I'm seriously amazed at how good this is.  Enjoy :)

Marketing

It comes naturally

I've been waking up at 5:30am for the past week and a half to start my day with yoga and it's been surprisingly easy to get used to this routine.  Before changing my diet and mindset, I was trying everyday to do the same thing but only made it up before 7 a couple times.  It was so hard to get out of bed and I would hit the alarm and think, "What's the point of getting up when I can go back to sleep and be comfortable."  Before, I was eating big bowls of rice or pasta for dinner and would go into a "food coma" and go to sleep that way.  It's no wonder why I couldn't get out of bed in the morning.  Eating the way I do now, fruits and veggies, I rarely feel "FULL" but satisfied, which is a 100 times better.  You are not immovable or lazy after a meal, you have energy and motivation to get things done.

A couple things that have changed about me since starting the Whole30 on the 22nd:

-decreased computer time (mindlessly staring at blogs)

-decreased movie time (I don't have a tv but would watch at least one movie a night, now it's maybe a 30 min tv show if any)

-increased memory (remembering people names easily)

-more energy, motivation, more creative

-able to awake easily in the mornings (even with little sleep)

-happier, more appreciative

-am not starving all the time, less cravings

-more focus!

I feel so grateful to be 23 years YOUNG and have all the knowledge I do now and all the opportunities that have came to me the past couple weeks.  Some people don't start even considering some of the changes I've made until they are much older, and some people never start at all.  There will be more changes to come, I'm sure of it, and I can't wait to see how I'm feeling at the end of the 30 days!

This morning I practiced Yoga through Yogis Anonymous Live Videos and was grateful to hear this message by Kate Cariati;

"I’m just in a great mood today..  You know when you feel like things are just flowing, you're in your element and you're like oh thats how its supposed to be..  feels good, really natural, natural state of being.   Sometimes it's such a struggle to get there, and when you have to fight that hard were maybe not doing what were supposed to be doing.  If its that big of a fight every day to get out of bed to go do something its not right....  We want ease, we want flow.  Sometimes we just have to sort of surrender into it and open up to the mystery, have a little faith in the universe.  We just accept that we are little sparks of the divine instead of trying to prove it all the time, we just are."