Monday, January 30, 2012

Craving my Green Juice!! / Java Green

today was more like a winter day- crisp but beautiful!! yesterday i did not make my own green juice and i missed it soooo much. i truly crave it everyday!! i was almost salivating by the time i got back from equinox at 7am. i ran in and went directly to the frig for my shot of e-3 live and green juice, opened up a new bag of chlorella tablets and went to town. hahhhhhhhhh!! sooooo satisfying and nourishing!!


added spirulina to 16 ounces of my juice this morning.

next i could focus on my boys!! we started the morning with cantaloupe and almond milk with chocolate stevia. we made buckwheat pancakes which they love! owen also ate his chlorella tablets and drank his green juice.
mason likes his pancakes in numbers- today it was "100"

owen's chlorella tongue!!

we ventured to DC today for a doc appt and decided to go to Java Green for a raw food meal. in this area there are not many places that serve raw meals so when i go to DC i take advantage and head to either Java Green or Cafe Green for a quick bite. My friend Katie accompanied me for the adventure and she was just as excited as i was for a raw food meal that we did not need to plan ahead for and make ourselves.
the first thing we had was the best- raw pizza!! sorry no pic. we both devoured it before remembering i wanted to take pics! It was a raw almond bread with avocado spread & tomato sauce, mushrooms, basil & fresh veggies. owen loved it too.

next we had the kelp noodles- Kelp Jobche- seasoned kelp noodles made with dried mushroom, dried seaweed, kale, bell pepper. It was great but too complex for me!!

last i had a little cucumber salad. it was ok but just boring to me.

The problem for me is i love experimenting with raw foods but i know that if i combine too many flavors and types of food i just don't feel good. that is what happened. my system felt overwhelmed. i do best with extremely clean simple food!! that is why i eat the way i do. but occasionally i get excited and go a little crazy. i was reminded again today to NOT do that. keeping it simple is what makes me thrive. the raw pizza was a perfect meal- i should have stopped with that!! live and learn again!!

next it was outside in the chilly weather for some soccer and digging in the dirt.


for special time tonight we painted with water colors and then mason and i played shutes and ladders.

finally, we read books about the solar system.

Another fabulous day!! kelly

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Go Go Go- but still be PRESENT!!!

i love going, going, going!! Some people thrive on relaxing and others thrive with activity. i thrive on activity!! I love making plans, learning new things, engaging in conversation about topics i enjoy (life, love, movement, food/nutrition, travel, kids, family etc), organizing the house etc. as much as i go go go- i don't rush through each moment. i'm mindful of each moment and i'm present in each moment. this is very important to me. i've had to learn to say no and limit what i schedule so that i can be present in each activity and experience. if we have too much on our plates then life will just flash by.

its important to me to make every day activities meaningful. for instance, when the boys are taking a bath. yes we get clean but this is time for us to slow down, spend time together, make up fun stores and just chat. i have both boys in a contained area and we just get to hang out. Bath time for us is creative story time. they come up with amazing imaginary stories with all their toys in the tub and i just focus on listening and interacting with them.

when it comes to daily housework we all work together. i use this time for lots of training and encouragement. when i say training i mean teaching the boys how to do daily jobs to keep an organized clean house. for instance, when i'm unloading the dishes owen and mason help and know where everything goes. when we are making meals they are always involved. of course there are times that they just want to play but most of the time we are working together. i work on creating a family that works together and enjoys time together-even doing regular everyday things. i feel that these regular every day things can be the best times together. I always try to make it fun too!!

i've learned alot from the PEP classes that i have taken and i will continue taking more. one of the most important tips is giving your child at least 10 encouraging statements a day. For instance, tonight when we were making dinner the boys were making the pasta- black bean pasta with a raw tomato sauce. the boys took turns adding ingredients and stirring and when it came to owen's turn things went flying. i could have freaked out and said "now i have to clean all this up and half our dinner is now on the floor!" but instead i said "great job- you covered all the pasta in the bowl with sauce. we did lose a few noodles but no big deal. what should we do with the noodles that we lost on the floor?" owen said, "pick up and put in trash". i said, "exactly- lets do it together. what could we do differently next time to try to keep the noodles in the bowl?" owen looked at me for a little while and then said, "stir slower". i said, "yes- stir slower next time. mason, would you like to help us pick up the noodles too?" i'm aware of everything i say an do around the kids. i feel everything becomes part of who they are and who they will become!!

today was a go go go day with the boys!!
woke early and at the gym by 8am- boys had fun at the kid zone and i got in a workout.

today i ran out of greens to make my green juice so we stopped next to equinox at Puree to get their green juice which was apples, kale, cucumber, lemon- then i added ginger and spirulina and ate my chlorella tablets with it. i'm soooo happy puree is here for those days that i either run out of my greens or want my beet and carrot juices or just something i have not prepared ahead of time. thanks puree!!
i've been doing lots of spirulina in my green juices. i've been doing more strength training and i think my body wants the protein. spirulina is 60% protein.


home for snack- owen had a vega bar and mason had cantaloupe.
mason was off to karate with daddy

today was owens first day of soccer practice- he was a star!! i love how he put his foot on the ball like he is a pro soccer player!!




we all met at home for lunch and i did a short yoga practice while they ate lunch. i did my practice in the dining/kitchen area while they ate so we could all be together. i like just being together!

next it was soccer in the back yard.


here i am all bundled up!! mason always says to me, "why do you always wear so much stuff??" it could be freezing outside and they still don't want their coats. i'm always bundled up!!

then off to the park for bike and scooter riding. at the park today mason made up a new game- scooter soccer!!

owen still loves his bike!!

home for dinner, clean up, bath, game time- shutes and ladders, reading time and bed!!
love sundays with the boys!!
live each moment to the fullest!!

Saturday night we got dressed up for a fabulous wedding downtown!! its nice putting a dress on occasionally!! no that is not my beer on the table!!

the kids got to have fun with Katie!!! thanks katie!!

kelly

Thursday, January 26, 2012

My tips to fight a cold!!

first owen was sick, then my husband and yes- i got it!! soooo bummed. when i have a cold here are a few things i do:

-eat/drink very light. today i did a juice fruit cleanse with loads of ginger!! ginger and garlic are awesome for helping to fight colds!!

6am warm water lemon cayenne
7-9am green juice, chlorella, a few superfoods, supplments (loaded up on vitamin c and elderberry and a few other "cold-be-gone" tinctures)

11:00 beet ginger juice

11:15 carrot ginger juice

12:30 more carrot ginger juice and shot of e-3 live
lots of water all afternoon
5:15ish owen and i shared loads of fresh organic mango while watching mason at karate class

6:30ish was needing something else so i took a few spoonfuls of chlorella tablets- they totally satisfied me!!

-Use a neti pot or neil med to rinse nasal passages at least twice a day.
-Skin brush before every shower to get lymphatic system flowing. Exfoliate when in shower to get rid of dead skin.
-An infra red sauna would be ideal but just sitting in a steam room/sauna is great too. Equinox has a great one!!
-Rebounding to get lymphatic system flowing and blood pumping.
-Light exercise!! i still need to move my body. i did an early morning slow vinyasa practice focusing on connecting the breath with movement. i felt soooo much better afterwards!!
-Take it easy!! even though i had a regular work day today with clients back to back i was able to just slow down. when i had a few minutes between clients i would just lay down, breathe and stretch the body. ideally, i would have rested more today but that was not going to happen.
-Deep breathing to get oxygen to the muscles and activate the parasympathetic NS!!
-Colonics or enemas are great for getting the colon clean and getting rid of a cold asap!!
-get lots of sleep!! i'm going to practice what i preach and go to bed now!!

kelly

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Drink your SPROUTS!!

When making your green juice you want to not only include greens such as kale, chard, beet greens etc but also add loads of sprouts. Sprouts are packed with protein and incredibly nutrient-dense. Ideally, your green juices should be 50% sprouts!! Sunflower sprouts and green pea sprouts are the best but include all sprouts you love. Here is the recipe for today's green juice:



5 stalks celery
1/2 large cucumber
3 fuji apples (decrease apples if you want less sugar)
1 box sunflower sprouts
1 box pea sprouts
1 box alfalfa sprouts
1 box broccoli sprouts
1 large handful curly kale
1 large handful flat kale
1 large handful chard
1 large handful spinach
1 handful cilantro
1 handful parsley
1 handful beet greens
juice of 2 lemons
juice of 2 inches of ginger ** i love ginger!!

Enjoy!! kelly

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Superfood Mommy Day!!

what an amazingly beautiful january day today!! i unexpectedly had a mommy day today because the studio flooded and i had to reschedule clients- so i got to spend a fabulous day with the boys.
as usual i started the day with my warm water lemon and cayenne. i also take it with me to the gym.


after taking mason to school owen and i went to the gym. he loves going to the gym. at equinox they have a kid zone which is totally cool- he loves it!! i got a great almost 2 hour workout in- the body was strong and connected. Today i did elliptical, treadmill, whole body weights, core, vinyasas and stretching. After the gym we came home to make the juice!!

in my green juice today i added lots of good stuff. i don't always add all of it to one cup. i may make an 8oz cup of green juice and add just spirulina. then make another 8 oz with herbal tinctures etc... Today i did one 16 oz batch with spirulina.

to other green juice cups i added my crystal energy, ionic minerals, ginseng and goji/schizandra.
this is my ginseng

this is my goji schizandra

i love when i'm drinking my green juice at home and i just keep adding all my "stuff"!!
Owen drank his green juice and also had banana, chlorella tablets and then made a sunflower seed and jelly sandwich on sprouted grain bread!!


he topped it all off with a little bowl of bee pollen

after picking mason up from school we snacked on mango chunks and went to the park for some bike and scooter riding and just running around having fun!! the weather was just perfect.
after the park i made a fabulous superfood nutrient-dense smoothie for myself!!


8 oz coconut water
8 oz gynostemma tea
1/4 cup blueberries
1/8 cup goji berries
1 handful spinach
2 scoops sun warrior vanilla protein
1 tbsp maca
2 tbsp hemp seeds
1 tbsp coconut meat
1 tbsp chaga
1 tbsp reishi
1 tbsp pure synergy
1 tbsp bee pollen
1 tsp dulse
1 dropper stevia
blend it all up and enjoy!!

i made the boys a vanilla protein drink to drink as i was preparing their dinner. they loved the drink!!
almond milk
sun warrior vanilla protein powder
banana
hemp seeds
goji berries

love this pic of owen i took tonight!!

Mason and daddy have been putting together loads of lego sets. mason is sooo excited to put this one together!!

get out and enjoy the weather this week!!

kelly

Monday, January 23, 2012

Kicked-up Green Juice, Tonic & My Sweet Treat!!

Today started at 5am at equinox with an invigorating workout!! i love getting my body moving first thing in the morning- elliptical, treadmill, total body weights, core, stretching. then home to nourish my boys. they were already up when i arrived at home at 7am. they too wake up and are loaded with energy and ready to move!!
i was craving my green juice and still had to make it when i got home. i got the boys their morning drinks and food and then juiced it up!!

i rarely drink my green juice without adding something to it. i almost always add herbs, medicinal mushroom and / or superfoods. today i added crystal energy, ionic minerals and mega hydrate.

after owen and i went to My Organic Market and Whole Foods for our weekly shopping we did some yoga- i should say i did yoga and he bounced on the trampoline and played choo choos around my mat.
next it was time for a little tonic!!
tonics are awesome and a great way to get loads of nutrients into your body. Tonics are nutrient-dense drinks with a variety of herbs and medicinal mushrooms made to taste good. many of them are made to taste like typical coffee drinks- they are totally delish!! These are great on a cold day because you can make them warm by using warm tea. today i made a small tonic that included:
Gynostemma tea- spring dragon
Coconut oil
Chaga
dragon herb capsules
Reishi
Maca
Non-gmo lecithin
He shou wu
Astragalus
Noniland honey
i blended all the above together in my vitamix. It was warm, delicious and totally nourishing.

for my hubby and owen i made a simple green smoothie:

coconut water
mango
banana
spinach
green powder
camu camu
vanilla stevia
date
owen drinking his smoothie out of his cars cup!!

i was in the mood for a sweet treat so i made owen and i a snack of ripe pears and my sweet sunflower hemp seed butter!! i make my own nut/seed butters. its soo easy. i'll do pics of the steps in another blog post. in this batch i did:
sprouted sunflower seeds
hemp seeds
coconut sugar
couple drops of vanilla stevia
*i had the sunflower hemp seed butter prepared from another day and just added the coconut sugar and vanilla stevia to it today for this meal. i totally love this combo. it totally nourishes me and makes me feel playful- like a kid!! i often add spirulina to this too.



Have an assortment of organic raw sprouted nut/seed butters in your frig. Use them as dip for fruit or veggies, add to soups for good fats, add to dressings to make them thicker, add to smoothies for nutrients and soo much more....

have a yummy week!! kelly

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Green Juice and Fruit Day plus more...

My day started with rebounding. i woke early before the boys and rebounded and then did my morning yoga practice. Rebounding is awesome to get the blood flowing plus get the lymphatic system pumping which helps to get rid of toxins. Rebounding is an awesome form of exercise for all ages. As you can see i keep the rebounder in the play room because the kids love it too.

my green juice, e-3 live and chlorella!!- my power breakfast!!


i always start the boys off with water or green juice and fresh fruit! today they had cantaloupe and mango. owen also ate his chlorella tablets which always turn him green!! the blue cup is owen's green juice. they usually eat up their fruit while i make them something else- eggs, buckwheat pancakes, sprouted bagel, raw dehydrated cereal, etc...

After more fun in the snow- snowboarding, building an igloo and sledding we came inside for watermelon and warm cacao- not a great combo but the boys ate it together. i just at the watermelon.

the boys warm cacao: pumpkin seed milk, cacao powder, honey, chocolate stevia, dash of cinnamon

today i did a green juice fruit cleanse day.
7ish had my green juice, chlorella, e-3 live
supplements, water
10ish watermelon
2:30ish mango
5ish a few chlorella tablets and small glass of green juice
8ish sipping on a green kombucha tea

I took owen to see Mouse on the Move at Imagination Stage today!! he loved it!! i highly recommend it!! Owen just sat in my lap totally immersed in the play. i love that it was audience participation too. Imagination Stage has lots of great opportunities for kids of all ages to get involved with theater and the arts. i look forward to many more shows there with owen and mason!

one key to living a healthy lifestyle is being organized and prepared!! this is one of my drawers filled with bottles and glass containers to store my drinks and food in.

i've actually stored away most of my mason jars because i now reuse puree's glass bottles for my juices. i love using the cups with straws (see in pic above) for my smoothies. For my salads and solid food i always use my pyrex glass containers. I suggest you find glasses, travel mugs, bowls etc that you love to use. Eating well is of course primarily about what you are eating but the drinking and eating experience is made better when you like the container its in. When i'm preparing all my juices and food for the day i always know i have a container to take it in- and plenty of them!!

have a great night!!

kelly