Best Granola Ever

I've loved granola since I was tiny. I loved it so much that my favorite stuffed animal -- a big-headed gorilla with a green and white ruffled apron -- was named "Granola." I lost the apron years ago but the gorilla is still a part of my life. I passed her onto my two daughters but, sadly, but she is mostly relegated to the bottom of the toy bin these days. Poor girl.

This granola recipe, on the other hand, occupies a prime position on our countertop! We enjoy it daily. Just a little sprinkled on chia seed pudding or atop a big pile of berries is delicious. I tend to not eat a huge amount first thing in the morning, but a few bites of this helps me through school drop off and my morning exercise nicely.

Granola is one of the easiest and cheapest things to make. And once you start making your own it doesn't really make sense to go back to the expensive store bought, overly-sweetened ones. Plus, I'm a purest with granola. I don't want rice puffs, cereal flakes or gogi berries in mine. I just want crispy blend of nuts, seeds, oats and coconut flakes, sweetened with maple syrup. 

As written, this recipe is simple and comes out perfectly every time. But this recipe is also very forgiving -- you can spice it up to your heart's content once you get the basics down. I've given exact measurements of everything but when I make it I don't measure ANYTHING. I just loosely pour everything in a big bowl, give it a stir and slide it in the oven.  So...... if you don't have coconut oil, use olive oil. If you run out of pecans, use hazelnuts or walnuts. If you want it sweeter, drizzle in more maple syrup. If you like your granola with dried fruit add it on AFTER it cooks and cools (I've done cherries, sliced apricots and cranberries - all good). Riff on this to your heart's content to get the granola that YOU first fell in love with as a child.

A note about the texture. This recipes produces a crispy, piecey granola NOT a chunky, clumpy granola. If you are interested in chunks and clumps you'll want to add in a whisked egg white and stir to combine right before cooking. Press the granola down in the pan before cooking and try to maintain some big clumps when flipping

Ingredients: 

3 cups gluten-free rolled oats (not the quick cooking kind)

2 cups nuts of choice (almonds, pecans and hazelnuts are my go-tos) roughly chopped

1-2 cups seeds (pumpkin, sunflower, sesame all work well) 

I cup coconut flakes (not shredded)

1/2 cup coconut oil (warm it if it is solid)

1/2 cup maple syrup (taste after combining and add more sweetener if you need it)

1 teaspoons of cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt 

Directions:

Preheat Oven to 325 degrees.

Add all ingredients to a large bowl and thoroughly combine (get in there with your hands if you need to!). Spread granola out onto two large baking sheets and smooth with the back of a spoon so that it lays flat. Bake for 15 minutes and then stir. Bake for another 15 minutes or until golden brown and very fragrant. Let cool. Add dried fruits and store in a glass mason jar. Enjoy daily!

Coconut Cashew Energy Balls

If you are in need of a quick, easy, on the go snack or after dinner treat, these might be your jam.

Except for a bite of extra dark chocolate here and there, my tastes for sweets has drastically declined over the last few years.  The more wholesome, whole foods I eat, the less I crave packaged sweets or extra-decadent treats. But I am constantly in need of something to nosh on between school drop off, seeing acupuncture patients and teaching yoga and these little cuties are my go-to. They are also great for school lunches because they are compact and easy.

For quick energy, these protein-packed energy balls are nutrient dense and delicious. Loaded with protein, fiber, antioxidants and minerals, I use cashews in this recipe because they aren't in regular rotation anywhere else in my diet. It's good to have variety and since I eat so many almonds, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds in my salad and granola and smoothies daily, I like to switch it up here. But any nut will do, so use what you have!  Chia is full of fiber, is a good source of calcium and is loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids which are great for your mood, brain and skin. Cacao has over 300 phytochemicals in it and has 4 times the antioxidant power of dark chocolate. Cinnamon regulates blood sugar; lemon is a powerful detoxifer; and coconut oil lowers bad cholesterol, boosts immunity and reduces inflammation. So have a few, these are GOOD for you!

Ingredients:

• 2 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 8-10 Medjool dates
• 1/8 cup coconut oil
• 1/4 cup cacao
• 1/8 cup chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• Extra coconut for finishing

Directions:

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and pulse until you have a grainy consistency. Test the consistency to see if you can form into a ball and if its not sticky enough add one teaspoon of cold water and blend again. Continue to add a little water until you can form the mixture into a ball. You can make these big or small but a tablespoon is a decent size. Once the balls are made you can roll them in the remaining coconut or leave them as is. Place on a baking sheet or a plate and freeze for 1-2 hours and then refrigerate in a tightly sealed container. These balls will be good for at least 2 weeks but I'm sure you'll devour them in a couple days!

How to find your center?

We are a culture of comparers. Especially these days. Our access to social media can make us feel both more and less connected moment to moment.  That feeling of being drawn into your Facebook feed, only to be totally repelled and disconnected from others (and yourself!) is not uncommon.  Or is it just me?

Too often comparisons with others leave us feeling inadequate or that something is missing from our lives.  If we only had a better body, more money, less wrinkles, nicer clothes, or true love we think everything would be perfect. Sure, beautiful things make us happy (hello, my crystal collection!).  And things that work well and make life easier are satisfying (my Miele vacuum cleaner, comes to mind).  Things can bring joy. And life should be full of joy. But our constant need to fill the emptiness, buy more, have the next best thing--these tendencies bring only more craving and less happiness.  There is no perfect life or house or job or partner.  No one has figured it out-- not me, not you, not that beautiful Instagram-friend with the clever hash tags and pithy one-liners.  

Where does the satisfied, contented, full-heart come from? How exactly do you find it, cultivate it and draw on it in times of need? 

For me, the trifecta of well-being looks like this: movement; stillness, gratitude.

Movement gets me out of that stuck feeling. It flips the internal switch in my head and helps me have perspective. Effort, sweat, alignment all bring you to your center. You can watch your mind as you inhabit your body in exercise (or dance or yoga or, hopefully, all of the above) and become a witness to your thoughts and your breath.  And that awareness draws you in. When you are centered in your body you realize you have all that you need. You are home.

Which brings me to stillness: moving in, meditation. Restorative or yin yoga can provide the same psychic space. This process can be uncomfortable and challenging, but facing the resistance, breathing through it, and seeing that you are OK is such a gift. Such a tangible gem that you can take with you into moments of struggle or dis-ease. You can watch your mind without getting caught up in the drama, just like you watch the clouds passing across the sky. No judgements. Just clouds. Each and every thought.

Gratitude is a popular concept these days, and may strike some as a little precious or hackneyed. It's both, perhaps. But, how better to get in touch with your center, than to give thanks for the abundance in your life. A simple gratitude list at the start or close of each day can create a huge internal shift and fill you with contentment. My list today: Sunshine, Health, Coffee. Three simple things that I'm grateful for this morning. Because, if you aren't conscious of how good you have it, you should pick up a newspaper and take a closer look at the state of the world. Count your blessings. Daily. And then, spread the love. It's the only way to really BE happy.

xo

An Excerpt I've always Loved

For many years, Spring and Fall, I lead a yoga retreat to an amazing house In the North-West Catskill Mountains in Upstate NY. Many wonderful students and teachers and healers have been to that house and it is one of the few places that I think about often and miss deeply.  It was called "The Waterfall House" because it was perched on a hill overlooking a waterfall and river, and from the back bedrooms of the house you could hear the water rushing and feel instantly relaxed and nourished and at peace.  Leading weekend yoga retreats there was always fun because there was a lively game room with darts and shuffleboard, a japanese soaking tub for post yoga recovery, and, rumor has it, some other-worldly activity (ahem....ghosts!).  The house was huge and old--the upstairs living room was at least 50 feet long and filled with numerous couches and overstuffed chairs--and the locals say that it used to be an old boarding house for weary travelers with some special comforts to be had (ahem....prostitutes).

Anyway, we had many years of wonderful retreats there and every year I would read this amazing excerpt from The Desiderata which was framed in one of the bathrooms. I always loved it and I think you will too.

This is only the last bit, but I think it's really lovely.

"You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.  And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.  Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.  With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams it is still a beautiful world.  Be careful. Strive to be happy."

--Max Erhmann, 1927 (excerpted from The Desiderata)

An Essential Oil to Beat the Heat

Its 95 degrees in NYC at the moment, and with the heat index it feels more like a brick oven in hell.  With our modern-day luxuries: air conditioners, iced-tea, the freezer section of the grocery store--its hard to imagine what life was like before these conveniences. The traditional medicines of our foremothers were certainly being used--natural botanicals, flowers, teas, tinctures and herbs are nature's gift to help us stay stay cool.

Peppermint is a great essential oil to use in these dog days of summer because of its cooling properties. Use a drop on the back of the neck or soak a washcloth in cold water with a few drops of Peppermint oil and place on your neck for a refreshing pick-me-up.  Since Peppermint can create a tingly sensation for some people, try it in a carrier oil, such as coconut oil, the first time you use it.  Don't think that once summer is over you have to shelve your Peppermint until Memorial Day. Peppermint oil is one of the most versatile oils. Here are some other ways to use it:

- add one drop to water and drink before eating to reduced bloating and gas*

- dilute in carrier oil and massage on temples and the back of the neck to relieve headaches

- To soothe itchy skin mix a few drops of Peppermint and Lavender and combine with a few                             tablespoons of coconut oil:             

- mix Peppermint oil and coconut oil and rub on the soles of your child's feet to reduce fever

- support concentration and focus by inhaling Peppermint oil directly from the bottle

It's important to always use the highest quality Essential oils when using directly on your skin, near your children, or when ingesting them. As a wellness advocate for DoTERRA I stand behind their quality, rigorous testing and CPTG (Certified Pure Theraputic Grade) designation. Cheap oils, like cheap food, have been processed and altered, leaving only a fragrance with none of the vital, dynamic properties of a true essential oil. 

* ingesting oils should only ever be done with oils that have the CPTG designation

How to develop daily ritual in your life

Full Disclosure Here: Ever since my kids were born (2011, 2013) there has been very little daily ritual in my life beyond my two cups of strong, life-affirming, can't-get-out-of-bed-without-it morning coffee and making my bed.  The coffee is made possible by my husband's daily ritual of setting up the coffee maker at night  and the bed-making seems like the least I can do as a thank you to him for that.  After a quick cuddle with the kids and a short shower the chaos of the morning hits like a tornado. 

Of course I wish that my daily rituals were more exotic: I envision myself in a flowing, printed caftan, lighting a smudge stick, with some chanting happening far off in the hills. It's quiet and serene and misty (I'm not sure why, but don't you agree the mist is important to set the right tone?). That vision couldn't be farther from my chaotic mornings in Brooklyn: throwing together lunches before school, brushing one child's hair while they brush their own teeth, while the other child is....missing/ crying/ using marker to color her own feet (this happened last week). But, even though the circumstances are less than ideal (and really, will they ever be ideal?), it doesn't mean you can't develop a life of ritual and meaning, beyond the chores and necessities of daily life. And maybe for those of us that find ourselves in the eye of the tornado daily (the tornado itself becoming something of an unwelcome daily ritual), the steadiness of a daily practice is even MORE important and necessary to make time for.

If you are interested in developing a daily ritual, how does your version look? Close your eyes. . . what does it look and feel like? How does it serve you and your life?

Is it a do-to list thats energizes you and helps you get organized for the day? Or 5 minutes of reflective journaling, some morning sun salutations or a short meditation? Maybe lemon-water first thing in the morning to help your journey towards eating mindfully? Or a cup of soothing tea and a gratitude list at night? If you have an altar or a favorite, cozy spot maybe some quite time there brings meaning to your day. Light a candle, set up an alter, read a poem.  I recommend keeping your practice simple and easy to start, so that you can accomplish it daily and begin to cultivate a relationship with your intention and ritual.

Both morning and bed-time are great times to develop a practice because you are in your home and your focus is more turned inward. In the morning I like to burn incense, san palo or sage. For me, these smells are stimulating and help to create a mental, spiritual and energetic shift. Just the very act of lighting these is a ritual, but the smells create so much more meaning in my bones. Before bed is a wonderful time to reflect on your day and prepare yourself for tomorrow. Tidying up your belongings or packing your bag will make your morning run more smoothly. I've been packing lunches at night and it is a game changer! Turn off your phone, and create a ritual around bedtime with some stretching (a supine spinal twist / legs up the wall), or breathing (breathe in and out slowly to the count of 4). Essential oils are wonderful in the evening to help promote relaxation and improve sleep. Rubbing a few drops of Vetiver or Cedarwood on the soles of the feet, helps to ground energy and pulls the energy from the head. A few drops of Lavender or Chamomile on your pillowcase can help signal a shift toward sleep and soothes the nervous system. Rosy-sweet oils like ylang ylang, rose or bergamont can be rubbed on your wrist creases to help pacify the heart.  This is a good choice if you feel overwhelmed or anxious. 

While your ritual may look totally different, and may evolve to suit your changing needs, creating a profound moment each day to give thanks or set an intention could help you feel grateful and centered in the eye of the storm that is life.

What are your daily rituals? I'd love to hear!

xo

You Belong Here

You. Belong. Here.

Where is here, exactly?

In your home. Your body. Centered fully in your heart. Leading an inspired life. In the flow. Moving without resistance.  FInding the joy. Weathering the storm. Breathing through it. Finding grace. Accepting what is. Being hopeful for what could be.

You. Belong. Here.