hello friends!
for a while now i have been blogging from my website http://www.avenuesofartistry.com/the-blog
all of this content can be found on the new site plus new material. i am keeping this site going because of old links connected to this.
see ya over there! please comment and share to your hearts content!
much love ❤
the seasons are shifting again! maybe you noticed some changes in your body between summer and fall? belly aches, dry skin, a desire to eat different foods, slight grumpiness or some other minor differences? with the flux of weather and sun i have noticed changes within myself. friends of mine have also remarked on some of the bodily changes they have been experiencing as of late. with these changes in our natural world we too have to change our behavior to match the world around us. this is even important for people who live in areas that don’t experience as much seasonal shift. i also want to recognize that this California girl has a lot to learn about a REAL cold winter- but nonetheless here is a list of some ways to help our bodies, minds, and spirits feel best as we prepare for the cold- wherever you may live.
to defend against dehydration: drink a cup of (warm) water upon waking
sleeping through the night, we lose moisture while we breathe and our bodies use the water we consumed during the day to filter our blood. so we wake up in the morning already dehydrated. by beginning the day with a glass of water we rehydrate and begin to flush out anything our bodies can’t use.
in the winter it is easy to forget to drink water because it isn’t hot out and it’s easy to find a hot beverage to drink instead. additionally, many people sleep with a heater on or work in heated offices. heaters and even fire places are drying which aggravates our skin and mucous membrane in our sinuses, mouth and throat (and many other places). having mucous is important to our overall health and is at the forefront of virus protection. so bottoms up on those cups of warm water, room temperature water and nourishing herbal teas (steer clear from rooibos tea as it can be drying).
eat warm foods and trade cold salads for warm veggies & leafy greens
leafy green already prepped in the fridge. sorry for the plastic 
i didnt have a big enough glass tupper-wear. i also reuse my bag!
now is the time of year that you may find yourself craving warm foods, soups and hearty veggies. there is a reason you are craving these foods. our bodies are feeling the effects of the cold and are in need of warm, balancing nourishment. if cold green salads are your main source of veggies try trading them for warm veggies especially leafy greens. eating warm foods will help your body stay warm during the winter months. another good rule of thumb (which i often talk about)- eat seasonally.
here is a great link to find out more about your local seasonal eats. sorry it doesn’t cover every area of the U.S. please let me know if you find something that covers more regions or other parts of the world.
what are some of your favorite warming foods? how can you start incorporating them into your week?
stock your stock
keep your freezer full of veggie broth, chicken stock or beef broth (in glass tupper-wear) whatever you prefer to make your own soup in a jiffy. defrost and add a bevy of veggies and anything else you can imagine and you’ve got an easy meal. this is especially handy in case you feel that cold coming on! you can quickly get the frozen stock out of the glass tupper-wear by running it under warm water.
nourish: oils for skin and body
spoon full of coconut oil
with the cold and dry weather it is important to cook with healthy oils like ghee, pastured butter, and coconut oil. eat your flax, take your fish oil, or whatever you do to get your Omega 3′s. you can even use natural oils, like coconut, as if it’s lotion-keeping skin supple and happy.
find time for sunshine
sunshine!
this time of year it can be hard to get outside. steal moments here and there while at home or at work to take a quick walk during the day in the sunshine to warm up. find time to sit in a sunny spot outside at lunch or to read a book. make plans on the weekends to spend time outside. bundle up to take your favorite walk, go to an outdoor holiday event, or make a plan to enjoy an outdoor winter sport.
don’t give up on movement
we know participating in regular exercise is good for the mind, the body and the spirit. but during the fall and winter you may be spending more time inside to stay warm but don’t give up on enjoying moving your body. think about what kind of activities you LIKE doing and remember what helps you feel your best. is it going to a class with a friend? a bike ride with your partner? a hike by yourself? going to the gym and sitting in the sauna after? swimming in the rain? whatever it is… dig deep, think about what you enjoy and you’re more likely to keep it up.
what are your tips to weather winter?
happy cold weather all!
i am a sucker for figs. so when my most loyal facebook fan asked me to come up with a fig recipe i searched high and low for the last of the fall figs in Berkeley. this time of year i regularly roast acorn, butternut and kabocha squash. so i figured– why not pumpkin? fennel is also a staple in my roasting pan, adding an earthy sweet flavor.
roasted pumpkin, fennel & fig
serves 6
small pumpkin
5 med fennel bulbs
basket of figs
3-4 tablespoons ghee, butter or coconut oil
sea salt
you will also need 2 baking sheets or shallow roasting pans
step by step
preheat over to 350-400 degrees depending on your oven.
cut up fennel bulbs into heart slices, about 6 slices per bulb. try to leave the center intact so that they hold together during cooking.
fig & fennel prep. sorry for the shadow
slice figs into halves, this keeps they moist and juicy while roasting. if your figs are really large you can cut them into smaller chunks.
to prep the pumpkin (this goes for any winter squash)
cut the top off to expose a flat fleshy top. slice in half.
get the seeds out! see below for the basics of pumpkin seed toasting
put flat side down on a cutting board. remove pumpkin rind with a vegetable peeler or with a large knife. only cut AWAY from your body and keep your hands out of the way!
pumpkin prep
spread evenly onto 2 roasting pans. no crowding! crowding leads to steaming which means that your vegges don’t get the delicious crispy edges.
ready to roast pan 1
ready to roast pan 2
toss with melted oil/butter
put into oven. roast for 1/2 hour to 45 min.
roasted! the figs to make the pan a little crusty. its easy to clean if you put hot water on it right away.
you know when your goodies are done when they are soft with brown crispy edges.
out of the oven and into the bowl
this got scoops taken out of it before i even got to take a photo of it!
Basics of pumpkin seed toasting!
wash seeds in a strainer. clean seeds will cook more evenly.
boil for 10 min in salted boiling water– this keeps the seeds moist while cooking
pat dry
cover with the same kind of oil you used for the roasting above
sprinkle with salt
spread evenly on a pan- minor overlap ok!
toast at 325 until seeds for about 20 min.
test a few as you go to see if they are crunchy and done.
you dont need to wait for the outside to look dark brown. the inner part of the seed gets toasted before the outside.
eat them shell & all! dare i say better than popcorn?
ENJOY!
hey all! I am working on my roasted pumpkin, fig and fennel recipe for Mr. Rose.
i also wanted to list some links to other great pumpkin recipes as well as carrot & zucchini recipes!
hope you enjoy! (click on the photo to go to the recipe)
15 recipes that aren’t pumpkin pie
zucchini nachos
roasted celery root & carrot. switch out olive oil for organic pasture raised ghee or butter…. only use olive oil is you use the best of the best!
fig & olive tapendade
(forget the bread and serve with gluten free crackers)
pumpkin spice latte. i even saw a recipe recently that used pumpkin puree- if i can find it again i will post it!
also i owe you a meditation update. believe it or not- today is day 37! still going strong. at this point i feel like day 40 is just a marker and i can’t imagine not having a meditation as part of my routine. enjoy these and i look forward to posting the next recipe soon!
If you haven’t yet switched over to follow my new bog please sign up at http://www.avenuesofartistry.com/!
last thursday i noticed it had been a while since i posted a recipe. today i am posting two! i will also be following up with another recipe tomorrow. i asked my facebook subscribers to let me know what veggies they needed *NEW* recipes for.
the first two suggestions made were carrots and zucchini. truth be told, i don’t like cooked carrots and at this point of the year i am glad to be moving onto wintery veggies. some folks still have zucchinis in their gardens that they need to eat. so i made up two recipes to use these two veggies. at first i was not too excited about these recipes but after they were made i couldn’t deny their deliciousness!
i wanted to create recipes that were really easy to make, would only require one large pan and could be made consecutively with ease. hope you enjoy these!
RECIPE 1
savory zucchini sauté
serves 4
4 large zucchini
2 tablespoons organic, pasture raised butter
half a medium shallot or small shallot, chopped
2 teaspoons cumin seed or ground cumin
3-4 oz goat cheese
salt & peper
slice zucchinis lengthwise and then into half moon slices.
chop shallot and set aside
heat the pan to medium and add butter, zucchini and a pinch of salt. the zucchini pieces should be spread evenly throughout the pan.
with the heat on medium let the zucchinis sweat out their moisture for 5-8 min.
once they’ve shrunk a little you can turn up the heat to brown the zucchini.
add the cumin and chopped shallot.
stir until the zucchini are browned and the shallots cooked.
immediately transfer to heat safe bowl. let cool a bit then add the goat cheese in small pinches.
sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.
RECIPE 2
gingery cooked carrots
serves 4
(this recipe inspired by the lady at the farmers market! thank you!)
4-5 large carrots or a bunch of smaller ones
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tsp good maple syrup. none of that Aunt Jemimah stuff!
pinch of sea salt
use large fresh carrots for best flavor. avoid using bagged baby carrots if possible.
cut into 1-2 inch segments (this will help the carrots keep some of their texture and defend against reminders of soggy cooked carrots). you can do this ahead of time and keep them overnight in the fridge in water and covered.
heat a large pan to medium high heat. with enough room to keep the carrots from overlapping in the pan.
add a 1.5 tsp of coconut oil to the heated pan. reserve 1/2 tablespoons for later. once melted drop the carrots into the pan and start stirring. add a pinch of salt to help the carrots release their moisture.
the idea is that the carrots start to brown on the outside. this takes a bit of time. about 10-15 min. keep stirring. grate the ginger.
once the carrots are beginning to look brown add the last ½ tablespoon on coconut oil, ginger and maple syrup.
the maple syrup will help finish caramelizing the carrots.
this dish isn’t very sweet but because of the maple syrup and sweet carrots this dish it is less like a veggie and more like a starch/carbohydrate portion of your meal.
pack these items up with some sliced cabbage and black beans for a great lunch!
hey followers! i have moved my blog over to http://www.avenuesofartistry.com/blog
this will be, for now at least, my website notifying you of upcoming art shows, classes and soon wellness coaching!
so please head over to my new site and check it out! in the mean time i hope to periodically update here for a bit longer.
here are links to the last few posts!
day #2catching up day #3, #4, #5
hope you get a chance to make your way over there to check out my meditation ponderings and the little water colors i have been making.
paintings and a baby scoop of peach sorbet
happy happy friday dear followers and friends!
i am in the process of updating my facebook page, my pintrest and this blog to be more reflective of the holistic wellness coaching work i am doing in conjunction with the arts teaching and making i am doing.
as i embark on path of beginning to call in clients, friends, art folk and seekers of whole person happiness i am noticing that i need to start actually TELLING people what i am doing! this week had many exciting developments. i have been working with a friend in the wellness field on the beginnings of business brainstorm and planning . almost even more exciting is that i will be showing my work in october at Tara’s Organic Ice Cream Telegraph location in the Temescal location of Oakland. and possibly in Reno, NV in September.
i also noticed as i wrote last week’s blog post that i was using capital letters and a more formal writing style naturally. perhaps that is where this blog is going as i focus more on the professional aspects of this blog. thanks everyone for reading and i look forward to sharing more updates with you.
for this week’s inspiration eye candy
fabric patterns ❤
Chia seed pudding has become a summer favorite in my house these days!
For many people with food allergies or dietary restrictions summer fun events can feel limiting or isolating. Or, sometimes you just want to have a summer alternative to eating ice cream… This dessert is great to share with everyone with and without dietary restrictions. There seem to be plenty of recipes out there for this but I wanted to create a recipe that is easy and simple to make with basic ingredients you most likely have lying around the house…. except for maybe chia seeds. I also created this recipe to compliment all of the delicious seasonal fruit around us. This pudding can be sweetened to taste but I recommend not making it too sweet so you can really taste the summer fruit you pair it with.
First let me tell you a bit about chia seeds
They are an ancient seed indigenous to Mexico and are said to be a staple of the Mayan and Aztec diet. They are extremely high in readily digestible fiber and have a really nice flavor. On top of all of that, they are high in Omega-3s, which is one of the most essential fats we need and usually don’t get enough of. Sooooo not only is this dessert delicious it has nutritional value as well. Chia seeds are roughly $10.00 for a 12 oz. bag. This bag will go a long way! You can add chia seeds to almost any dish for a great crunch, to act as a thickener of sorts for baking or for a beverage. My point is, if you are buying a bag for the first time it will last you a long time even though you will be finding uses for them in many dishes. I have also seen then available in bulk bins at local health food stores. Feel free to ask any more questions about where to order, brand etc… in the comments section.
And NOW! The recipe!
Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding (Serves 6)
1.5-2* cups Unsweetened Almond Milk (or any other milk you like. I always prefer unsweetened to control the amount of sugar I am
consuming as well as to avoid refined sugars) I wish I had home made almond milk on hand at the time…..
almond milk
1 cup canned coconut milk
coconut milk
1/2 cup chia seeds
1 1/2 cup unsweetened coco powder
4-5 tablespoons Maple Syrup (grade B)
a pinch of sea salt
pinch of cinnamon (optional)
*important note! the amount of milk seems to vary a bit and depends on how much the chia seeds soak up. Start with a 1.5 cups of the almond milk and you can add more if needed to get the pudding consistency you want. Also, the more coconut milk you use the thicker the pudding gets.
For this post I made this recipe using the super, duper fast way by starting the chia seeds soaking before making the flavor slurry that makes this so delish. This way if you don’t have time to make it ahead of time you can make it in a pinch and will be ready to eat for dessert. In total the pudding should soak for at least 2 hours. The longer it sits though the better the flavors meld and the more puddingy the consistency becomes.
Step by Step:
Add 1/2 cup chia seeds to 3/4 of a cup almond milk and let sit for about 45 min in the refrigerator.
Put coco powder into a small bowl with high sides and add a small amount of the coconut milk. Mix together making a chocolatey paste with no lumps.
Add maple syrup, cinnamon and salt along with the rest of the liquid.
Slowly add the chocolate mixture into the pre-soaked chia seeds. Make sure to break up any existing chia seed clumps that may have developed. Mix with a big spoon or whisk to incorporate all ingredients, evening out the consistency. It should still be liquidly at this point but the chia seeds will still be sucking up moisture. Let the mixture sit for about half an hour longer in the fridge to let the chia seeds soak up more liquid. At this point if it seems to be more chunky than the smooth you can add more liquid. Let the pudding sit for another hour. If it still seems like it needs more liquid you can add more.
clumps of chia seeds in the pudding that need to be incorporated into the rest of the pudding
Serve with fresh fruit. Ta dah! Enjoy!
I hope to post a savory recipe soon! I don’t ever follow recipes so it’s a lot harder to make up savory foods recipe. I am looking forward to posting regularly again.
Thanks!
hello dear readers!
it’s been almost 2 months since i wrote a blog post and almost as long since i posted on the avenues of artistry facebook page. throughout this sweet hiatus i did not forget about avenues of artistry social media or internet presence. rather, i have been collecting photos to post here and articles to post on the facebook page.
i consciously chose to take a pronounced break during my thesis writing to focus on finishing my master’s degree in Integrative Health with a certificate in Wellness Coaching. april to may was a whirlwind of finishing my thesis and presenting my work to faculty and peers. the process of the thesis was perhaps one of the most stressful experiences of my life. once i completed the thesis process i was relieved but i could feel the stress and exhaustion that had built up in my body.
graduation at Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco
at the end of may i was lucky to be able to celebrate my graduation with my family and my birthday with friends, as well as have some delicious alone time. june has been about celebrating love with the marriage of good friends and spending time reconnecting with myself. finding balance as a way to prepare for diving into my career.
i want to share with you the website i made for my academic e-portfolio. please feel free to take a look at it and contact me with questions or feed back. unless you’re my mom….. this is a prototype for the next steps in my career and i look forward to continue sharing with you as things unfold! please remember the art images images are copyrighted and may not be used without my permission.
here are some of my favorite photos i’ve taken over the last few months to let you know what i have been up to. hope you enjoy them!
so glad to be back!
2 posts in 24 hours, i must be procrastinating? nope! i just find inspiration when i am working really hard!
last night a poem. this morning music. these are fuel to my creative fire.
i just had to share this with you because of the uniqueness of the sound of this cover of a song that most of us know. this version blew my mind this morning. these two go together like peanut butter & jelly. the way their voices dance together is cosmic bliss. ENJOY!
back to typing away!
avenues of artistry 