We are in the midst of the hottest part of the summer in Central Texas; your body is working hard, and it’s essential to replenish all the vital nutrients it needs!
Omega fatty acids can help lower the risk of heart disease, lower blood pressure, fight against depression, dementia, and arthritis. It’s important to remember that our body cannot produce them on its own; you have to consume them in food, or take supplements. The best source of omega-3 fatty acids, DHA and EPA, is in fish.
High intakes of dietary nitrate, like that found in arugula, have been shown to lower blood pressure, reduce the amount of oxygen needed during exercise, and enhance athletic performance. This is great when your body is working extra hard during the heat! Consuming 2 cups of arugula will provide an intake of 20 percent of vitamin A, over 50 percent of vitamin K, 8 percent of vitamin C, folate, and calcium needs for your day.
Did you know that Avocados contain more potassium than a banana? Avocados are packed with essential nutrients, and ideally should be consumed daily!
In avocados, you will find:
Vitamin K: 26% of the daily value (DV)
Folate: 20% of the DV
Vitamin C: 17% of the DV
Potassium: 14% of the DV
Vitamin B5: 14% of the DV
Vitamin B6: 13% of the DV
Vitamin E: 10% of the DV
Avocados also contains magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, zinc, phosphorous and vitamins A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin).
Safe to say, in this yummy medley, you will be consuming a meal of superfoods.
Ingredients You’ll Need
4 (5- to 6-ounce) wild caught salmon filets
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 cups baby arugula
1 ripe Hass avocado, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
The Dressing
2 tablespoons fresh juice from 1 lemon.
Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 cloves of minced garlic
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon fresh dill
Instructions
Begin by prepping your dressing so that the ingredients may have time to meld together. Mince your fresh garlic, and mix into the olive oil, lemon juice, and dijon mustard. Add in the fresh dill, cayenne pepper, fresh ground black pepper, and Himalayan salt.
Place freshly sliced smoked salmon in a bowl, and pour the dressing over, set aside, and allow the fish to marinate.
You may leave the arugula in whole leaves, or slice into smaller bites. Dice the fresh avocado into cubes, and mix into the greens. Add in the salmon, and pour the remainder of the dressing over the ingredients, stirring together.
When we think about nature and health, we think of green.
Green vegetables contain an abundance of carotenoids-antioxidants that protect our cells. They also contain high levels of fiber, iron, magnesium, potassium and calcium.
Leafy greens give the body folate. The word folate describing the B vitamin originates from the Latin root word folium, which means leaf. The function associated with folate is varied and works in conjunction with other nutrients. Folate deficiency is common, and leads to a multitude of health problems including digestive disorders, cardiovascular disease, and most famously perhaps, birth defects. Folate is also crucial in epigenetics (external or environmental factors that switch genes on and off without changing the DNA sequence), through a process known as methylation, where folate acts as a methyl donor promoting cellular differentiation. Folate is also essential for DNA and RNA synthesis, amino acid production, and cell division. To put it plainly, you really, really need folate in your diet.
Greens lead to longevity.
Ingredients You’ll Need
2 cups greens, kale, spinach, chard, and arugula
1 pound broccoli florets (about 10 cups)
4 large eggs
8 ounces sugar snap peas
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups cooked grains, such as farro, quinoa, and/or brown rice
2 cucumbers, halved, sliced
2 avocados, halved, pitted, sliced
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
1 cup edamame
The Dressing
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup Bulgarian yogurt
2 1/4 teaspoons himalayan salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 cup mixed chopped cilantro, parsley, chives, and tarragon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss broccoli with 2 Tbsp. oil, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until charred and tender, 15–20 minutes.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add eggs, cover, and cook 4-6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of ice water (keep cooking water boiling) and let cool. Peel eggs.
Add sugar snap peas to boiling water and cook until bright green and just slightly tender, 1–2 minutes. Transfer to bowl with ice water.
Purée yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, herbs, 2 tsp olive oil, 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, 2 tsp nutritional yeast, 1 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a food processor until smooth.
Toss grains, 1/2 cup dressing in a large bowl. Mix in broccoli, edamame, snap peas, cucumbers, and the mixed greens into the bowl. Top with avocado slices, pumpkin seeds, sliced eggs, and remaining herbs. Use any remaining dressing for drizzling atop your mix!
At Bouldin Creek Cafe in Austin, Texas, Tarzan’s Big Salad is becoming a local legend. With the perfect fusion of raw and sautéed ingredients, this dish will leave you begging for more. In an exceptional display, you will find an array of ingredients including seasoned roasted portobello, stir-fried broccoli tossed in nutritional yeast, local tomatoes, carrots, avocado, sunflower sprouts and seeds, layered with chipotle-pecan pesto, ginger miso dressing, and organic mixed greens.
Nutritional yeast is high in protein, and is a significant source of B-complex vitamins, iron, fiber, and thiamine. Often used as a cheese substitute, the flavor is described as nutty, savory, cheesy, and creamy. It makes for an excellent superfood with super flavor to add to nearly any meal.
What You’ll Need
portobello mushrooms
broccoli
local tomatoes
carrots
avocado
organic mixed greens
garlic
sunflower sprouts & seeds
pecans
nutritional yeast
chipotle salsa
pesto
ginger
miso
coconut oil
Instructions
Mince ginger and garlic, and heat in a pan with coconut oil, stirring in salt, pepper, portobello mushrooms and broccoli. Sauté on medium heat for five minutes, or until the mushrooms and broccoli are a bit soft.
Stir together more minced ginger and garlic with chopped pecans, sunflower seeds, pesto, miso, and chipotle salsa, and begin preparing your vegetable medley.
Shred carrots, and chop avocado, tomatoes, and sunflower sprouts, and stir into mixed greens. Add your dressing, and let the ingredients begin to marinate together.
Once mushrooms and broccoli are heated, layer with nutritional yeast, and mix into the greens and veggies that you have marinating.
It’s time to relish in the heat, using this time to detox, and soak up the nutrients of the sun. Transform your outdoor space into a garden oasis, with sleek modern style. Cook healthy food over an open flame, and create unique craft cocktails to sip by the poolside!
Check out some inspiring looks for beautiful outdoor spaces, and our top picks to begin grilling season in style!
The start of the week is an opportunity to renew and revitalize your energy.
In ways, the beginning of the week is a kind of rebirth of your sense of self, resolutions, dreams, and responsibilities. Cultivating a drive to revive your inspiration and stimulate your creative forces can be done simply through formulating a ritual.
Whether you commute to your place of employment, or work from home, begin your week by taking 30 minutes to an hour to fully dedicate to setting an intention, and engaging in a form of mindfulness practice.
Meditation is not an easy practice for a busy mind, but it can do wonders for the health of your mind and body. You can begin meditation with a simple breathing exercise using your hands, creating a space for concentration and grounding.
Begin by taking a seat somewhere peaceful. Light a candle, or burn some palo santo, create an environment that makes you feel warm and comfortable. Cross one leg over the other, and begin to align your spine. Imagine each vertebrae perfectly stacked on top of one another, keeping a long neck, slightly dropping the chin, and lifting tall through the crown of your head.
Hand Counting Pranayama is an ancient Indian ritual used to engage the mind in meditation. Closing your eyes, stack your hands together on your lap, with the dominant hand on top. With an open palm, and use your thumb to draw a spiral, counting each joint of your fingers until you have completed 12 deep, rhythmic breaths. If you break concentration and lose count, begin again. Bring your mind’s awareness entirely to the 12 cycle spiral of breath.
Inhale deeply through your nose, opening the back of the throat to a point of making a course, audible breath. Envision the air flowing into your body and circulating like blood does within your veins. Exhale through your nose, until all the air has been expended fully. Repeat these deep cycles of breath while completing the 12 count spiral on your hand, as many times as it takes to feel completely relaxed and centered. Become completely still and aware of the present moment.
Once you feel really connected to your breath, and have quietness of the mind, you can begin visualizing all that you wish to transcend or achieve in the following week. Maintaining your lightness of being, keep your mind away from negative thoughts and energy. Only allow your focus to be on tangible, positive notions.
Formulate positive affirmations to support the success of all that you do. After reflection, begin writing your affirmations and revelations in a journal. Carry confidence with you to your next task, and next meal. Make each household chore a time for quiet contemplation, each movement becoming a motion of zen. The next time you eat, concentrate fully on each bite of food you take, chewing slowing, savoring every flavor, and feeling gratitude for the nutrients you are taking into your body.
Release all resistance to the natural flow of the day. This means being gentle and patient with yourself, listening to your body and its needs, and releasing control over matters that are not directly within your grasp to navigate. Take care of tasks that are your responsibility to complete, and allow anything else to flow towards you. Remember that what you seek, is seeking you. The positive things that are of real necessity in your life will inevitable cross your path. Walk with openness and lightness of being!
Following health-conscious recipes filled with nutrient packed foods will contribute to the energy of your body and your mind. Healthy food doesn’t have to be bland, in fact, some of the tastiest flavors can be combined to create exotic fusions. Eat clean to feel clean!
This island delicacy may appear complex and slightly intimidating to create, but it really is quite simple! The contents are fresh and raw, and require little preparation.
Ingredients You’ll Need
8-12 ounces of Sushi Grade Ahi Tuna, Salmon, or Tofu
1 cup of Steamed Jasmine or Brown Rice
1 Cucumber, Thinly Sliced
1 Avocado, Diced
3 stalks of Green Onions, Thinly Sliced
2 tablespoons Minced Shallot
2 radishes, Thinly Sliced
1/2 cup of Shredded Carrots
Fresh Minced Cilantro and Basil
2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced
Freshly Grated Ginger (to taste)
The Dressing
Soy Sauce or Tamari (Gluten Free)
Rice Wine Vinegar
Sesame Oil
Shichimi Togarashi*
Dijon Mustard
Cayenne Pepper
*Shichimi Togarashi is a mix of spices and herbs including Sansho (Sichuan pepper), dried citrus peel, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, hemp seeds, ginger, garlic, shiso (Japanese basil), and nori (pressed seaweed). Most of these ingredients might already be in your pantry, but the rests should be available at your local Asian food supply.
Begin steaming your rice of choice; I personally prefer jasmine sticky rice for taste, but brown rice has a bit more fiber. Whether you choose white or brown rice, you will still be consuming almost exactly the same number of calories, carbs, protein, and fat.
Shred carrots into a jar. Whisk together shredded ginger, and rice wine vinegar and pour into carrots. Shake and refrigerate one hour to pickle carrots.
Cut the Ahi Tuna, Salmon, or Tofu neatly into 1/2-inch cubes, and place into a bowl.
Stir in soy sauce or Tamari, sesame oil, Dijon mustard, rice wine vinegar, cayenne pepper, minced shallots and garlic, and chopped green onions. Refrigerate while you prepare other ingredients.
Fill the bottom of your bowl with your rice of choice, and top with freshly minced cilantro and basil, diced avocado, the pickled carrots, grated ginger, and thinly sliced cucumbers and radishes.
Scoop the tuna, salmon, or tofu on top, and garnish with Shichimi Togarashi and green onions.
A lady’s purse is her mysterious source of power, and one could never presume to guess the contents.
A common assumption would be that a woman’s purse only contains cosmetics, but I tend to keep an array of items that will keep me prepared for any number of adventures! Here are some of the items you will often find in my handbag on any given day!
Therapeutic Oils
Young Living Breathe Again is a pure distilled essential oil blend containing four types of Eucalyptus oils, Rose Hip oil, Peppermint oil, Blue Cypress oil, Copaiba oil, and Myrtle oil. You may roll the oil on your face, neck, and chest, or simply hold beneath your nose and inhale. Not only does the blissful aroma leave you feeling clear and refreshed, it has immense medicinal effects, supporting respiratory health and lung function. This oil blend is a must-have if you live in an area with allergens like mold or pollen are prominent.
Papaya Enzymes promote healthy digestion and help your body absorb the nutrients from the food you consume. Chlorophyll is an antioxidant superfood that fights cancer, improves liver detoxification, speeds up wound healing, improves digestion and weight control, and maintains healthy complexion! This yummy chewable supplement will keep you looking and feeling great, and is wonderful to have on hand if you find yourself often eating exotic cuisine.
My Bushnell Legacy Binoculars are basically my best friend. I don’t often leave home without them. If you’re a bird lady like me, or simply enjoying site-seeing, you should consider keeping a pair of travel size binoculars in your handbag! If you can’t always bring your camera along, holding your mobile phone lens up to the lens of the binoculars will do a fine job of capturing far off wonders!
The Rare Resplendent Quetzal, Coban, Guatemala
(I took these photos with my iPhone and binoculars!)
Tikal, Peten, Guatemala
Phone Tripod
The Joby Phone Tripod helps me take amazing videos and pictures wherever I go! Whether I want to film a yoga sequence, or am backpacking alone and don’t have a companion to snap a photograph, the Joby easily clips in my iPhone for great footage! This little tripod is small, flexible, and lightweight, hugging onto nearly any surface.
As a writer, photographer, designer, and absolute music and film fanatic, it’s essential for me to have a way to transfer data at all times! For conducting business this keychain flash drive is key, but it can also come in handy if you meet a new friend at a coffeeshop and want to exchange some tunes or films!
Nemat Indian Jasmine Oil is my favorite fragrance to wear. Jasmine is sweet, spicy, earthy, and sensual. When used in aromatherapy, jasmine has an incredible array of medicinal benefits such as acting as an antidepressant, antiseptic, aphrodisiac, antispasmodic, sedative, and aids in reducing anxiety.
Palo Santo emits resonant aromas of citrusy sweet, earthy tones, making it a sublime enhancement for any environment. Native to Mexico, Central and South America, Palo Santo has been utilized ceremonially for ritual cleansing, purifying, prayer, and healing for thousands of years.
NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 30 is essential to my daily beauty routine if I find myself out and about under the sun. I often wear a sun hat, but this amazing lightweight cream will protect the delicate skin on your face, and give it a warm glow! I find that most sunscreens clog the pores on my face making me breakout if left on my skin for several hours. That makes it quite difficult to choose between protecting my skin from harmful UV rays, or keeping my skin free and clear of oils and chemicals that will cause blemishes. This NARS product is very mild, and has had no adverse effects on my face so far!
Lip Balm
“Unicorn Pee” in Exquisite Mint Cupcake. Sooth your lips with sweet tingling natural ingredients including cocoa butter, jojoba oil, organic coconut oil, organic peppermint, organic sunflower oil, beeswax, and organic vanilla flavor.
This extra long, braided rope iPhone charger is really a life saver. When working remotely from a cafe, you can’t always find a seat located close to a power outlet. Additionally, in most bedrooms, you will often find the position of the bed is not conveniently located in relation to a power source. Having the extra long, durable cable gives you freedom and flexibility to keep your mobile device nearby while charging.
Ever since my beloved Grandmother first bought me a Smithsonian Appointment Book, I haven’t found another that I enjoy more! The Smithsonian Appointment Book gives you daily, monthly, and yearly details for capturing your plans, and features photographs of fine art, world maps, and many other useful tools for connoisseurs of travel and culture.
This smooth, dreamy handbag was handcrafted by artisans in Panajachel, a village alongside Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. It is both feminine, and subtle, versatile enough for business, travel, and casual outings. It’s spacious enough to fit your laptop, books, and all of your daily needs!
Summer is the time of year when we want to be lighter and more energetic. We want clarity of mind, and optimal health in our bodies. It’s the time of year where we spend more time outside, with less clothing, so we want to look and feel our best!
We are beginning a weekly series of healthy recipes to help you become inspired to take charge of your nutrition by eating cleaner!
The 10-minute Thai Cucumber Salad
Ingredients You’ll Need
2 organic cucumbers
1 shallot, minced, or 1/4 cup of red onion
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup of freshly minced coriander or cilantro
1 fresh red chili pepper with seeds removed
1/4 cup of chopped roasted peanuts
The Dressing
2 Tbsp. of fish sauce
1/2 lime squeezed
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 cloves of minced garlic
1/4 cup of cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp. of honey
Instructions
Begin by making your dressing, so that the garlic and herbs can marinate in the sauce while you prep the other ingredients. Mince the green onions, coriander, garlic, shallots, and red chili peppers, and mix them together in a measuring cup. Measure and pour in the fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, cayenne pepper, and honey. Stir the dressing until you have a paste, and let it sit while you prepare the cucumbers.
Thoroughly wash the cucumbers so you may leave the skin on, and remove each end. Slice paper thin, and place in a bowl with the chopped peanuts. Mix in the dressing, and place the salad in your refrigerator to allow the cucumbers time to soak up the flavor!
Stay tuned for more of our weekly healthy recipes, and check out our recommendations for the Best Cutting Boards of 2018!
Your bathroom is a place of cleansing and renewal, and you should feel an immense sense of peace upon entering and leaving. It is where you prepare for your day, and where you spend your last moments of self-care before sleeping.
Treat yourself to the experience of a serene spa retreat, right inside your own home. Fill your bathroom environment with greenery, rich with fresh aromas of flowers and essential oils. Keep the area tidy and organized, hang artwork, or make a mosaic of tilework. Ideally, you want your bathroom to be illuminated with natural light, but you can also play with mirrors to reflect light from wall to wall. You want to feel like spending hours in your bathroom, a personal place of zen and luxury.
We love these selections of luxurious bathrooms, where your cleansing ritual becomes a space of escape and quietude.
For thousands of years in folklore and traditional medicine, stones have been used for healing, protection, and stimulating or moving energies.
All crystals and gemstones are living organisms, and contain a life energy of their own. They are evolving entities, growing in clusters that can take thousands of years to fully mature. Each stone vibrates at its own individual frequency, and each unique vibration that they emit are said to affect us in a vast array of ways.
Many crystals and gemstones are as old as our planet itself, and some even originate from unknown sources in our cosmos, such as moldavite, which was found inside and partially formed within the crater of a meteor that struck in Southern Germany about 15 million years ago.
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the use of stones provides the most profound and permanent effects to treat the most difficult of diseases. Ancient healers contend that the density and solidity of stones represents a stabilizing effect. Wearing specifically prescribed stones near your body over a length of time is said to promote the healing of a chronic health condition, or promote evolutionary changes and development. Stones can be used in combination for a synergistic effect, just as the process of combining herbs when formulating an an elixir or tonic. Preparing stones through cleansing, clearing, and recharging is imperative. One can purify stones and crystals by submersion in salt water, smudging with Palo Santo or Sage, and soaking beneath sunlight and moonlight.
Originally discovered in Ethiopia, obsidian is a dark volcanic glass formed by the rapid solidification of lava without crystallization. It has been used for thousands of years for ritual ceremonies, pottery, and weapons. Place Obsidian near your entryway in a planter or on a table or altar to ward off anything negative from entering your home. “Wash” yourself on every length of your limbs and up and down your energy centers while concentrating on affirmations to free yourself of emotional attachments that are no longer serving you. Hold the obsidian near your heart center during breathwork and meditation to create an energy of grounded stability and peace.
Rose Quartz
Manifesting Love + Compassion + Tranquility + Balance
Rose quartz is most commonly found in Brazil, India, South Africa, and Madagascar. It has a blush tint due to its contents of titanium, iron, manganese and an aluminum boro-silicate called dumortierite. Traditionally, it is said to dissolve emotional wounds, fears, and resentments, promoting loving energy to circulate throughout your body and essence. Rose quartz can induce receptivity to beauty of all kinds, attracting love and restoring trust and harmony in existing relationships. Place rose quartz in the Southwest corner of your bedroom to attract abundance of love and balance existing relationships. Wear a rose quartz pendant in level with your heart energy center to create a flow of peaceful, loving energy in your life.
Citrine is formed when amethyst undergoes extreme heat exposure. Rio Grande do Sol in Brazil is the world’s largest supplier of natural citrine, but other mines can be found in the USA, Russia, Madagascar, England, France, Scotland, Spain, Brazil, and South Africa. Citrine will aid in increasing confidence, therefore making it a fluid path to manifesting wealth and abundance of all things. Set an intention of that which you wish to manifest, and hold a citrine near your solar plexus energy center. Place a genuine citrine in the Southeast corner of your living room and office, preferably both on a wooden surface and near a water fixture like a fountain or water vessel.
