MUST Watch Video to Save Orangutans from Extinction!

Hello friends. This week has been so amazing for a couple of reasons. First, relating my part-time job, we just released a powerful short video after working on it for months. And it had a huge impact! Secondly, re: my full-time job as mama, my little man turned six months! He’s such a joy in my life!

Here’s the skinny on our new campaign and video launch:

Here at Rainforest Action Network we’re doubling down on our campaign to protect the last wild orangutans and their rainforest homes from “Conflict Palm Oil.” On October 9 we released to the public a powerful short video we worked on for months. Will you watch and share this video today?

The video is crafted with the creative geniuses at Free Range Studios to help launch RAN’s new national campaign targeting the US snack food industry for its use of Conflict Palm Oil connected to orangutan extinction, child labor and massive carbon pollution. The campaign is called Last Stand of the Orangutan: The Power is in Your Palm.

The video is a brief (approx. 2 mins) and touching exchange – in sign language – between a young girl and an orphaned orangutan whose home has been destroyed by palm oil.  Please watch it here now and then share with everyone you know! Please also take a photo petition and upload it on #InYourPalm.org!

After you’re done sharing the video with EVERYONE YOU KNOW you should be hungry. I just created this delicious soup from scratch and it was so warming I thought you would enjoy it, especially since it’s getting chillier and is really starting to feel like fall!

Delicious fall soup:

• 1 Red Kuri Squash (the one I used came from our CSA, Eatwell Farm – so rich and yummy)
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 Onion
• Vegetable soup stock
• Cumin, Cinnamon, Salt & Pepper

Directions:

1. Slice squash down the middle vertically, roast at 400 degrees til soft (lots of juices will come out, use pyrex)

2. Put cooked, soft squash meat into a pot and slowly cook with a can of coconut milk for 15 min. or so on low heat, add salt & pepper to taste

3. Chop a yellow onion and grill in 2 Tbsp butter, add 1 tsp cumin,  3 dashes of cinnamon, and 2 Tbsp vegetable stock (better than bouillon paste), cook on low heat for 15 min. Add some water (just enough to cover onion mixture) and cook another 5 min.

4. Add squash and coconut mixture (should be creamy, chunky, rich) to onion mixture.

5. Enjoy!

Being a mama of this little man is the biggest blessing of a lifetime. I feel so grateful every single day!

Summer Recipes for the Soul

Here are a couple of my most recent fave food recipes:

Quinoa and Raw Kale Salad

Diosa Anastasia’s Kale Delicia:

2 bunches of kale (Dino kale is my favorite, with the thick part of the stems removed)

1 med avocado

3 tblsp tahini

1/4 cup olive oil

1tsp salt

1tblsp maple syrup

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 small lemons

2 or 3 cloves of garlic

1 tblsp nutritional yeast

I usually begin by massaging the kale with some salt, avocado, part of the garlic, squeeze and a splash of olive oil…

Then I shake up the rest of the ingredients in a jar, pour it over, and massage again!

The kale salad is delicious served with this yummy and simple quinoa recipe:

1 cup quinoa

1  3/4 water

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 olive oil

2 tblsp dill chopped

3 garlic cloves minced

salt to taste

Cook the quinoa, until water is gone and let it sit with the lid on for about 10 minutes then fluff with a fork. Make the sauce and then add it to the quinoa. Done!

Summer Watermelon Cake

After that saucy and delicious meal, refresh yourself with some delicious watermelon cake:

1 large organic, seedless watermelon

1 cup organic plain yogurt

1 tblsp maple syrup

fresh, organic strawberries

fresh, organic figs

Cut the watermelon in half. Shave off the peel, leaving a bit of the nutrient-rich white rind. Place both halves face up and carve two hearts. Cover the top and sides of the hearts with the yogurt maple syrup mixture. Place sliced fruit on top, serve!

A variation of this website’s Red Lentil-Rice Cakes, I made these for a dinner party recently and they were delicious. I doubled the recipe.

Cakes:

• 5 cups water, divided
• 1 cup dried small red lentils
• 1/2 cup uncooked basmati rice (I used brown)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded organic mozzarella cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 6 small potatoes shredded
• 1 large zucchini shredded

Preparation

1. To prepare cakes, bring 4 cups water and lentils to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain. Place lentils in a large bowl.
2. Combine remaining 1 cup water and rice in pan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 18 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Cool 10 minutes. Add rice to lentils.
3. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, onion, fennel seeds, and garlic to pan; saute 2 minutes or until tender. Cool 10 minutes. Add to rice mixture. Add mozzarella cheese and remaining ingredients, stirring until well combined. Let stand for 10 minutes.
4. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels. Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Spoon half of rice mixture by 1/3-cupfuls into pan, spreading to form 6 (3-inch) circles; cook 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Carefully turn cakes over; cook 5 minutes on other side. Remove cakes from pan. Repeat procedure with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and remaining rice mixture. Serve with salsa.

I hope you enjoy making and eating all of these yummy dishes as much as we did!

Why is Vaccination so Controversial?

thepeopleschemist.com

If vaccines are as safe and effective as the US Government alleges, then why are they so controversial? Implemented through the Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), shouldn’t we trust them? The answer, found somewhere between the science of western medicine and the precautionary principle, isn’t so straightforward.

As a resident of Berkeley, I’ve encountered many passionately opinionated people on the matter, advocates for both schools of thought. According to my Kaiser pediatrician, Berkeley has the highest rates of unvaccinated kids in the country. It’s no surprise, then, that there’s more to the issue than meets the eye.

I go to great lengths to minimize my family’s exposure to toxic chemicals – we eat only organic, wholesome foods, and always scrutinize the ingredients of cleaning and body products we bring into our home. With an alarming rate of friends and family who have fallen victim to cancer, it’s incredibly important to me to do everything I can to keep our lives as pure as possible.

As a new mom madly in love with my baby boy and confronted with this daunting decision I did some digging. To better understand the pros and cons of vaccines, I took a poll of my online community and came up with a host of resources (links below). From these readings here is what stands out:

I. Vaccinations are given way too early and contain harmful toxic chemicals. According to fact sheets put out by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), vaccines are brimming with dozens of chemicals, heavy metals and allergens, among them monkey kidney cells, aborted fetal tissue, formaldehyde, mercury & aluminum as well as antibiotics like neomycin, polymyxin B, streptomycin and gentamici. According to the FDA, “Excessive exposure to formaldehyde may cause cancer.”

Dr. Mercola warns that according to a new study published in Current Medical Chemistry, children up to 6 months of age receive 14.7 to 49 times more aluminum from vaccines than the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) safety limits allow. Yikes!

The people’s chemist points out that the makers of the Tripedia vaccine for DTaP state that certain outcomes are so frequent that they had to list them. These reactions include:

• Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
• Anaphylactic reaction
• Cellulitis (a bacterial skin infection)
• Autism
• Convulsion/Seizures
• Brain dysfunction
• Low muscle tone and strength
• Nerve damage
• Hyperventilation/apnea

Shayne the chemist believes these are some damn good reasons to use vaccine exemption forms.

But on the flip side of the coin, the Institute of Medicine analyzed over 1,000 research articles and in 2011 reported that few serious health problems are caused by or clearly associated with vaccines. So where does the truth lie?

II. Vaccinations don’t always work, and even the Mayo Clinic states that “vaccine failure has become increasingly apparent.” In one chemist’s theory vaccines actually make kids more susceptible to pertussis, measles and mumps, as outlined in the peoples chemist article. At best, vaccines boost our defenses only temporarily which is why they should never be called immunizations.

In 2009, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution recognized the trend too. In the article titled, “Whooping Cough Vaccine not as Powerful as Thought,” the publication highlighted a recent cluster of 18 whooping cough-infected students. Seventeen of those students – 95% of those infected – had been immunized with five doses of DTaP vaccine.

So why would I want to dose my 2 month old baby boy  with 14.7 to 49 times more aluminum than the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) safety limits allow if it may not even increase his likelihood of good health?

III. The US Government has not been completely transparent or truthful about vaccines. Of all the articles and reports I read, perhaps the scariest of all exposes how a doctor in the UK revealed 30 years of secret official documents showing that government experts:

1. Known the vaccines don’t work
2. Known they cause the diseases they are supposed to prevent
3. Known they are a hazard to children
4. Colluded to lie to the public
5. Worked to prevent safety studies

Those are the very same vaccines that are mandated to children in the US…

If you read the articles below (these are just the ones that were shared with me – there are probably thousands more), you will have a basic grasp of the pros and cons. I am still on the fence with the pertussis vaccine since whooping cough is so prevalent in the Bay Area it seems important. But after reading some of these article I’m not so sure! The others, I’m not convinced. I know many vibrantly healthy kids that are not vaccinated who almost never get sick. And I also know plenty of vaccinated kids (like myself) who get sick regularly but am otherwise healthy. For those who do decide to get vaccinated my friends suggest you space them out and don’t start til your baby is 6 months or so to let their immune system develop a bit on its own before dousing it with chemicals.

This was sent to me by a mother and public health expert:

This news article from link below is a typical example of propaganda for vaccinations.  There is no proof that parents who choose not to have their babies and kids vaccinated are the cause of random, sporadic outbreaks of what once were typical childhood diseases. The article didn’t mention if the measles episodes seen in Canada and England were German measles, or what used to be called “red measles.” Both are not that serious or life threatening in young children.

Dr. Tim O’Shea is a renown national authority on vaccinations and manages a website sharing the latest science on vaccines that all parents should read : http://www.thedoctorwithin.com/. Dr. O’Shea has been researching vaccinations and their side effects for over 10 years and lectures nationwide to other doctors and health care professionals. He’s written a book called, “Vaccination Is Not Immunization.”

Here’s an excerpt from website about the book:

“Vaccination Is Not Immunization” is 200 pages of fully documented information along with over 300 references that will open your eyes. Whether or not to vaccinate your child is arguably the most important decision you will ever make for your child. The nervous system only forms once, and most of it happens before age 2.”

Ultimately, as parents we have to educate ourselves and make the best decisions we can for our children and live with the consequences, knowing we did our best to protect and nurture them in this crazy world. Educate before you vaccinate!!

The case in favor of vaccinations:

A 2011 study conducted by the Institute of Medicine concludes that few serious health problems are caused by or clearly associated with vaccines: http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=13164

Evidence that vaccines are not linked to Autism: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/03/29/175626824/the-number-of-early-childhood-vaccines-not-linked-to-autism

An infographic by Sanofi Pasteur, the maker of vaccines: http://www.vaccines.com/why-vaccinate-fact-02.cfm

The CDC’s basic argument: http://www.cdc.gov/features/reasonstovaccinate/

The case against vaccination:

Reason’s why it’s not safe to vaccinate children from the perspective of a chemist: http://thepeopleschemist.com/reasons-dont-vaccinate-children-vaccine-supporters-shouldnt-give/

Dr. Mercola’s analysis of why the aluminum in vaccines is so harmful: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/09/21/could-this-be-the-most-dangerous-aspect-of-vaccines.aspx

Perhaps the scariest article of all – a doctor in the UK revealed 30 years of secret official documents showing that government experts lied to the public: http://nsnbc.me/2013/05/10/the-vaccine-hoax-is-over-freedom-of-information-act-documents-from-uk-reveal-30-years-of-coverup/

US Media black out of Italian Court Ruling that MMR Vaccine caused autism: http://www.collective-evolution.com/2013/05/08/italian-court-rules-mmr-vaccine-caused-autism-us-media-blacks-out-story/

Jules’ Birth Announcement

Hello!

We just made prints of these sweet little birth announcements for our close friends & family. We had so much fun during the photo shoot and Jules loved it. He’s going to be 9 weeks this Saturday, already! He’s really growing into himself these days. Smiling up a storm and too big for all of his 3 month clothes!

Today was magical. After our toughest night yet – Jules fought his sleep like crazy and kept me up almost the entire night (perhaps from eating dark chocolate for the first time in ages?) – Erol and I went up to Strawberry Canyon pool with my Dutch girlfriend Nina who also just had a baby. I got to swim for the second time since having Jules and it felt soooo good. Each breath I took in the blissful periwinkle sunshine-filled sky and redwoods above, and at the end of each lap watched Erol and Jules being cute over on the grass. Delicious!

Stationery Card

View the entire collection of cards.

Our Birth Story: Julius “Jules” Azul Yildiz

Julius “Jules” Azul Yildiz!

I am so overwhelmed with emotion – these are undecidedly the most beautiful, precious moments in my life. I sit gazing into the eyes of my little Jules and it’s an intoxicating feeling of love and gratitude. I just adore him, from his perfect little toes and fingers to the fuzz on his ears to his unbearably soft head and rosy lips. The way he reaches out and sleeps with his hand on my face or breast when I cradle him at night, how his little hands wrap around my finger when breast feeding, his warm, sweet breath and cooing noises he makes when he sleeps. How truly blessed I am to have such a beautiful family.

Today is his 6^th day in the world. I feel fortunate to say that he is an excellent eater & sleeper, and hardly ever cries! Born at home on April 6 at 6:06 pm 10 days overdue, Jules arrived very alert and healthy. He weighed in at 8 lbs. 11 oz. and stretched 21 3/4″ long (he only lost a few ounces in the days following his birth, he’s nearly back to his birth weight already). He has deep blue eyes and a full head of light brown hair. We are so in love!

The immense love and support pouring out from our community is just such a beautiful thing. Our home is covered in flowers and our moms are here cooking and cleaning for us! Not to mention our incredible midwives who have been there unconditionally every step of the way. So much gratitude!

So – the birth story. I wanted to write down my experience before it gets any more foggy; it already feels like a dream!

By Tuesday April 2 I was already 6 days overdue and feeling so anxious to meet my babe. That afternoon I had acupuncture induction points performed – no action. The following day, Wednesday April 3, at a week overdue my midwives swept my membranes and checked my cervix, informing me I was already 1 cm dilated which wasn’t surprising because I’d had cramps and BH contractions for weeks. Later that day I took a long 4+ mile walk to Solano with Suzan in the dreamy spring weather. At 9pm Audrey came and gave me an incredible massage, which got me going for sure and I had light contractions all night.

On Thursday April 4 I ate a very spicy Burma Superstar lunch with mom & Erol, then took a long walk in the beautiful Berkeley hills. Contractions started to come every 12 min for about 40 seconds and around 10pm slowed to 1 every 20 min or so. They picked up in the middle of the night but then tapered off completely by 7am Friday April 5. This baby was definitely giving me a run for my money.

Calling Jules through Art

On Friday April 5 I rested all day, with several light contractions an hour. Pulling out all the tricks, I heard that a spicy mole would do the job so I ate delicious mole enchiladas from Comal at 6pm and then a lovely hour walk in the hills at sundown. I finished the baby’s welcome collage around 9pm with contractions picking back up. I had a hunch that until that collage was finished he wouldn’t come. That night the contractions were so strong I was up most of the night, sometimes they were so painful I’d wake up Erol and ask him to hold me. I got out of bed around 1am and lit all the candles on the baby alter (with the owl feathers and birth stones I had decorated with Suzan) and turned on Krishna Das. This helped me move through my contractions throughout the night.

By 6am Saturday morning (April 6) when the birds started chirping I was absolutely exhausted. I had managed to sleep for 2-3 minutes in between the contractions but still felt spent. I told Erol the contractions were close to 4-1-1 (4 minutes apart lasting a minute for an hour) for most of the night and he reminded me to take a relaxing, hot shower to see if they slowed. I did and they actually became more intense, and I became very emotional in the shower because I was feeling tired and frustrated that I was still only in early labor, not sure how long this was all going to take; I wanted to know that I was at least making progress. So I texted the midwives at 7:30am and she said they would come over, what a relief! They showed up at 9am and checked my cervix. Sure enough I was already 6 cm dialated! Yay! My mood immediately lifted. They said they were staying and that I was having the baby that day. That was music to my ears! And once my midwives cozied up in the living room and brought in all their gear, my body knew it was time to get to business. My contractions almost instantly picked up.

Magnolia we planted for Jules’ Placenta

I ate a protein rich bowl of quinoa and fruit cereal and rested in bed as contractions became more intense. The midwives suggested Erol and I take a little walk in the back garden to get baby moving. In my midwive’s words, “you will come back a changed woman.” I wasn’t sure what she meant by that but it was so true! We went out into the beautiful, misty, drizzling morning amidst the flowering fruit trees and jasmine, and did a few slow jaunts around the herb spiral. Every couple of minutes I’d put my arms around his waste and moan into him, letting the waves crash over me as I surrendered to the process deeper and deeper. I had hoped to labor in the rain, so I felt so blessed to have that environment manifested. We walked to the front of the house to see Jules’ magnolia tree flowering and I had a couple of contractions right there on the sidewalk which was probably strange for the passerbyes. Canela came to get pets in the back garden and it was surreal, as in my altered labor state I was in another world. Once we came back upstairs things picked up very fast and labor became quite active.

I spent some time laboring in the living room on the massage table and the waves were crashing over me so quickly and powerfully then that I had to go back into the bedroom. My mom had changed the sheets and made it incredibly cozy with fragrant, delicious jasmine all around, palo santo and candles burning and Krishna Das playing. Erol got into bed with me and did some light massage as I was swept away into a euphoric world. Erol asked me if the contractions were painful, and my answer was “I wouldn’t call them painful, more just intense sensations at this point.” And I meant that – labor wasn’t painful yet, it was just incredibly all encompassing and required 100% of my concentration and focus.

Jules Day 5

At that point I gladly welcomed the birth tub’s soothing warm waters. I probably spent a couple of hours in it, breathing and moaning through contractions, energy flowing up and down, up and down. The moments between contractions were the most sweet, blissful moments in the world where time moved slowly and intentionally.

My midwives suggested I get into the shower for a little bit to keep me progressing, so I made my way into the shower and leaned against the tub for what felt like only a few minutes, but being on my feet and then squatting with the water pouring over my back intensified contractions so much that I had to go back in the bedroom. The midwives asked me to sit on the birthing stool next to the bed, and that was when the absolutely insane urge to push began. I can’t even describe what that felt like – the contractions transitioned from powerful waves crashing over me that required my intense concentration and breathing, and moving baby downward, to waves that came so powerfully and painfully that I had to harness every last ounce of strength and will in my body to bear through them, and just when I thought it would be over the peak of the wave would hit me and move through an instinctual pushing from my belly down. It was really the strangest sensation – not even a “need” to push, but rather like the great divine spirit blowing a massive breath into my mouth, pushing so much air inside of me that my belly expanded so big and was trying to explode something out as everything expanded and became swollen, pushing pushing pushing even when the pushing felt impossibly painful & unfair. I was definitely not in control – it was a deep, deep surrender.

Daddy and Jules Day 4

This pushing continued on the bed. The midwives asked me to move onto the bed because apparently since the second tub session baby’s heart rate was dropping, likely due to the umbilical cord being wrapped around his neck, and they made it clear that it was time to get baby out. My midwife asked me to lie on my left side with my right leg up, pulled down into my body in a frog leg position. After pushing in this excruciating position for a bit, my midwife asked me to look at her and listen very carefully to her every word.  Opening my eyes and taking in the scene for the first time all day, I saw three beautiful, powerful midwives, one putting hot ginger compresses on me with each push, and dousing my opening in olive oil, one coaching me softly, and one regularly checking baby’s heart rate. I saw my mom’s loving, encouraging face and I saw Erol’s sister Suzan’s soft, sweet, supportive eyes.  My midwife Kristen said, “Ashley, it’s time to have this baby. His heart rate is too low and we need to get him out. We’re putting an oxygen mask on you and we want you to take 5 deep breaths of oxygen for you and baby. Once you’ve done that, you’re going to push with all of your life three times, and the baby will be born.”

It was a bit scary at that point, but I trusted in the process and my midwives immensely, and began breathing in the oxygen deeply. I felt the bulging between my legs get so large, and burning like crazy, and was sure his whole head should have been out by then, but apparently it was only a small portion of it! Hearing that pissed me off so I pushed like mad, through the pain and the anger and the saddening thoughts that this would likely be my only child because, well, I just wasn’t sure I could muster the strength to do that again! They had me feel his head crowning and that was just crazy. And then just when I thought it would never end, I felt a slippery wriggle and out my little angel came!! I felt his olive oil coated, chubby bottom in my hands as the midwives put his little body on my belly and it was an unbelievable feeling of relief and awe and amazement all at once.  He did the “breast crawl” up to my breast and instinctively started nursing on his own! After pushing out the placenta (which was one of the bigger placentas my midwife had ever seen!) we spent that next hour in bliss, together, me and baby Jules and Erol and all the goddesses in the room.

Jules & Mama Day 1

Due to some tearing, and a lot of bleeding that wouldn’t slow even with a shot of Pitocin in my leg, my midwife took me to Kaiser to get a specialist to stitch me up. My blood pressure was so low after losing 1000 cc of blood they wheeled me up to urgent care and fixed me right up. It was a very unpleasant couple of hours of shots and catheters and stitching, but I felt grateful to leave with such an important part of my body intact 😉

Each and every moment since Saturday has been so so special. Having my little Jules is way more magical than anyone could have ever prepared me for. If I had known it would be so amazing I probably would have started a long time ago 😉

1 day old

More Delicious Recipes!

Goji Berry Coconut Chocolate Granola Bars from Veggie Paradise’s Blog

homemade granola bars!

This granola bar recipe is even easier than baking cookies!

* For my add-ins I used goji berries, semi-sweet chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds, & coconut flakes and I did the “New: stickier, chewier version” below, where you melt the butter, honey and vanilla together first for a few mins, then mix in. *

Ingredients

1 c. butter, softened (I used 1/2 cup organic butter and 1/2 cup coconut oil)

4 1/2 c. rolled oats (I used 4 cups)

1 c. honey (I used 1/2 cup and they were still very sweet!)

1 ½ c. whole wheat or spelt flour (I used almond meal/flour)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

2 1/2 cups of add-ins: mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, coconut, chia seeds, other nuts…

Makes at least 20 bars, equivalent to about 3 boxes processed bars

Directions

Lightly grease a 9”×13” glass pan with coconut oil. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter, honey, and, vanilla. Tip: If your butter isn’t softened, use a rolling pin and roll it between two sheets of wax paper. Or cut it into cubes and then put it in some cool water. It will soften in about 10 minutes.

Add the oats, flour, and baking soda. Beat well until combined. Stir in add-ins by hand. Press mixture hard into pan. (You can use your hands!) I use the back of a spatula.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 15-22 minutes until just golden brown on the edges.

You will think they are too soft. They are not. Just remind yourself that there’s not even any egg in the recipe, so you can’t hurt anybody if you underbake. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into bars. Let bars cool completely in pan before removing and serving. Store at room temperature or freeze.

*NEW: Stickier, Chewier Granola Bars: The one drawback of this original recipe is that it tends to be a bit crumbly, especially if you overbake the bars even slightly. You can avoid that by melting the butter, honey and vanilla in a saucepan and cooking on low for 5 minutes after the butter melts, then mixing the liquid ingredients into the dry.

NEW: Crispy Bars (the stick together trick): After cooling and cutting bars apart, place them separately on a cookie sheet or baking stone, spaced out at least an inch from one another. Toast in a 325-350F oven for 10-13 minutes until just browning on the edges. Watch closely for over browning. You will think this trick didn’t work when you take them out, but don’t touch! Let everything cool completely right on the cookie sheet, and you’ll have a healthy snack that truly deserves the term “to go.” Once completely cooled, they will be slightly crispy on the outside and have much more structural integrity.

A reader also tells me one can take parchment paper and simply manually press down on the just-baked bars, compressing them, which holds them together well.

Variations

✔ Add ¼ c. cocoa powder to the dry ingredients; no chocolate chips needed.

✔ Use ½ c. natural peanut butter, almond butter or sunbutter in place of ½ c. of the butter (stay on the short side of baking time as nut butters can dry out the bars).

✔ Use a large cookie sheet and press the bars more thinly, then do the ‘crispy bar’ trick for totally crispy granola bars (or put a half batch into a 9×13 pan – just be sure to really press them together before baking.

FAQs

✔ Can I make these gluten free? Just sub GF all-purpose flour or almond flour for the whole wheat and it should work fine.

✔ How about dairy free? Coconut oil works fine in place of butter, especially in the nut butter versions.

✔ How long is the shelf life? Seriously, I found a bar in our diaper bag that had been there for months, and it was perhaps a bit lower on the quality scale, but no mold or other issues that would deem them inedible. Generally they are gone so quickly you don’t have to worry about shelf life!

✔ Can I use less honey? Honey is expensive and the “unhealthy” ingredient in this recipe. When you heat the honey, you can definitely cut it down by at least 1/3 cup and everything still holds together. I also had success substituting natural applesauce for up to 1/2 cup honey, but the resulting bars weren’t very sweet. The chocolate chips were a necessity.

✔ Do I need raw honey? No. In fact, you’ll lose any health benefits of the raw honey by baking the bars, so you may want to use the least expensive honey you can find.

Green Quinoa Pancakes by the beautiful Lisa Martin Wilcher

Recipe:

2 cups sprouted quinoa

1-2 tblsp raw honey

splash almond milk

3 tblsp coconut oil

2 eggs

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tblsp b. powder

1/4 tsp sea salt.

Directions:

Vitamix quinoa first and add wet ingredients. Then mix dry ingredients and blend in separately. At the very end blend in as many handfuls of spinach as you like. Heat coconut oil in cast iron skillet- grill – add coconut butter or maple syrup and enjoy!

Most Delicious Smoked Tempeh Sandwich Ever

38 weeks pregnant!

Granted I am going on 39 weeks pregnant, which could slightly bias my enthusiasm for food and/or overly sensitive taste buds, I can definitively say that I just ate the most delicious sandwich of my life. Which is why I am dedicating my first post in months to it 😉

Ingredients:

• 4 slices organic ‘smoky maple bacon’ marinated Tempeh
• 2 slices Food for Life brand gluten free brown rice bread
• 1 T Wildwood brand zesti garlic aoli (dairy free mayo alternative)
• 3 slices pepper jack almond cheeze (dairy free)
• 3 slices organic cucumber
• handful organic arugula
• 1 T Primavera brand organic roasted chipotle salsa
• 1 T organic walnut oil

Directions:

• grill the bread slices in a cast iron skillet over low heat with the walnut oil, turning frequently to make the bread lightly golden brown on the outside but still soft in the middle
• once grilled nicely add the cheeze slices and let melt
• simultaneously grill the tempeh slices in a bit of walnut or coconut oil for a couple of minutes on each side
• smear the garlic aoli generously on one face of the bread, then the salsa on top, then add a handful of arugula and put the tempeh slices on top
• add the cucumber and close the sandwich
• enjoy this crunchy yet chewy, saucy, oozing with flavor and texture delicacy!

The only missing ingredient was sauerkraut! I hope you enjoy this as much as I did sitting in the blissful spring sunshine with two fluffy kitties at my side and a sweet baby boy growing in my belly!

Raw Pie Recipes from our Delicious Sunhawk Wedding

Posting these publicly due to popular demand! These were served at our amazing wedding on 10.20.12 (click to view photos!). Serve with vegan lavender infused ice cream made from coconut milk for optimal enjoyment 😉

Raw pies made by Eliza Frey, adapted from a raw food cookbook

Raw Fruit Pie

Crust:
1.5 cups macadamia nuts
1/4 cup cashews
2 tblsp coconut oil, melted
2 tblsp agave (or maple syrup)
pinch sea salt

Filling:
sliced mango (2 big or 2 small and 1 big)
papaya (whole small or half big)
blueberry (half a pack or so)
kiwi (1 kiwi)

Chocolate Cake

Filling:
3 cups dry walnuts
1 cup pitted Medjool dates
2/3 cup cacao or carob powder
1/4 tsp sea salt

Sauce:
There is a coconut cream chocolate sauce I usually put on top of this, but I’m not sure what the brand is. It’s the best shit ever. I’ve never tried to make it. The ingredients are coconut cream, cacao, dates, and spices. This is also really good with a peanut butter sauce on top!

Sunhawk Wedding Bliss

Açaí Cheezecake (so amazing)

Crust:
1.5 cups pecans
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup pitted Medjool or other semi-soft dates
2 tblsp shredded coconut

Filling:
3 cups cashews
3/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup liquid coconut oil
1/2 cup agave syrup (sometimes I replace with maple syrup)
1 package (100 grams) frozen acai smoothie packs, thawed
1 banana, sliced

To make the crust, combine the pecans and salt in the food processor and gently pulse to mix. Add the dates and pulse to break the pecans into small pieces. Avoid over-processig into a powder or butter.
Sprinkle the coconut onto the bottom of a spring form cheesecake pan. Add the pecan mixture and press evenly to form a crust.
To make the filling, combine the cashews, lemon juice, coconut oil, agave syrup, and acai in the high-speed blender ad blend until smooth. Add small splashes of water if the mixture is too thick and needs help moving in the bender.
Scoop half the filling onto the crust. Arrange the sliced banana on top. Top with the rest of the filling. Place in the freezer until firm, a few hours.

Finish them off with edible flower mandalas on top!! Buen provecho 😉

Click to view Sunhawk Wedding Album!

Boy or Girl? A Tale of Synchronicity & Magic

Keeper of the Gate by Susan Seddon-Boulet

After waking up sick in the night and dreaming many times of throwing up, much to our surprise, on August 2 my husband, best friend and love of my life Erol and I found out that we were pregnant.

A couple of weeks prior, we were at my dear friend Anna’s wedding in the Pacific Northwest where Erol found a magical owl feather and gave it to me, knowing how much I’ve always connected with owl medicine. Once home I placed it on my sacred alter with my other special crystals, feathers, talismans, and artwork.

Just three days after returning home, Erol’s sister and my close friend, Suzan, went into pre-term labor. Since we had not yet had a chance to do her blessing way, on the way to the hospital I grabbed the owl feather as it represents wisdom, as well as my protector crystal. All night throughout her labor, the little owl feather sat above her head in the hospital, bringing her strength and wisdom.

Suzan’s birth completely opened my heart and while I was delivering Niko Flynn, counting her contractions and telling her when to push, all I could think about was how beautiful and powerful this all was and how much I wanted a baby! Overcome with emotion, I even told her the following morning that I didn’t think I could wait til the following summer, when Erol and I had planned to get married and then conceive in Turkey. Well guess what? I was already pregnant and didn’t know it.

So when I found out I was pregnant about two weeks later, on August 2, I was utterly shocked and overcome with joy. I wanted to hold onto that little apple seed inside of me so badly that I was anxious. I knew so many women that miscarried with their first, I didn’t want to get too excited. So in my nervous state, I decided to pick a medicine card. I have a book of cards given to me by my mom that for years has served as my spiritual guide. I meditated on my baby and picked Owl.

Owl medicine is symbolically associated with clairvoyance, astral projection, and magic…An Owl feather is silent. You cannot hear Owl when it flies…Owl is a symbol for wisdom. This is because owl can see that which others cannot, which is the essence of true wisdom. Where others are deceived, Owl sees and knows what is there. Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, had a companion Owl on her shoulder which revealed unseen truths to her. Owl had the ability to light up Athena’s blind side, enabling her to speak the whole truth, as opposed to only a half truth…Owl can bring you messages in the night through dreams or meditations. Pay attention to the signals and omens. The truth always brings further enlightenment.

This was the first time I had ever picked owl. I was pretty blown away that Erol had given me the owl feather shortly after conception, then I took that owl medicine with me to accompany little Niko Flynn safely into this world – a night which made me realize how much I wanted a baby of my own – and then shortly after I found out I was pregnant and when meditating on my situation drew the Owl medicine card. I call that synchronicity!

A week later we went up to my dad and Nantzy’s property up in Hopland and found a gorgeous feather out on the counter. I asked Nantzy about it and she said for some reason she felt compelled to pick it up, which was strange for her because she saw many feathers all the time and never picked them up, asking me if I wanted it. I accepted, and we looked it up in the bird book and it was, not surprisingly, another owl feather that found its way to me!

These owl tales are the reason I started referring to my little baby as “owlette” (though actually my dear sister Heather Hendrie coined that nickname!). With all this owl medicine being drawn to my womb, Erol and I were sure we had a little boy in there. But it wasn’t until our next animal medicine appearance that we knew we were having a boy.

Wolf Spirit by Susan Seddon-Boulet

After my first and second to last ultrasound (I don’t trust those machines – my baby put his hands up to his head and started flailing his legs vigorously, turning away from the machine) at 10 weeks, we came home feeling excited after seeing our little baby, it finally feeling real. With a new photo of our little peanut, we decided to pick another medicine card. I closed me eyes and felt the energy of little owlette’s picture. It was very clearly a soft green light, and very warm to my hand. After identifying owlette’s energy, I passed my had over the 52 animal medicine cards, one by one, eyes closed, until I found the card with the same soft green light and warmth as owlette. I immediately drew it. Wolf!

The significance of wolf is so huge, I simply can’t explain in words. But the long story very short is that many years after my brother Jesse Robin passed away, during a life changing semester studying Environmental Politics in the American West, he visited me in Chaco Canyon, New Mexico, in the spirit of a wolf. I was supposed to go with the rest of the group of 25 to explore some ruins and instead felt compelled to take some personal time and go running in the magical mountains. Midway through my run, I glanced over to my right and saw a beautiful, majestic wolf sitting just 10 feet from the trail. When my eyes pierced into his, a chill ran through my entire body as thunder and lightning crashed in the sky. I am not even enhancing this story – it was incredible and happened exactly in that order. In the fleeting second of our eyes meeting, and the skies crashing, every single cell in my body knew that Jesse was visiting me, it was an overwhelming feeling, and I didn’t stop but kept running, letting the warm tears pour down my face.

It was about a year after that occurrence that I watched my brother’s memorial service and heard one of his best friends saying that during Jesse’s final years of life (ages 18-20), he had asked all his friends to call him “Jesse Lupis.” Canis Lupis is the latin name for gray wolf. I confirmed this story with Jesse’s friend and felt blessed to have finally understood the deeper significance of the wolf visit in New Mexico.

So when I drew the wolf medicine card while searching out the medicine of my baby, I felt pretty sure that not only was I having a little baby boy carrying the spirit of my brother, but that also I was carrying some potent wolf medicine.

Wolf is the pathfinder, the forerunner of new ideas who returns to the clan to teach and share medicine…The senses of Wolf are very keen, and the Moon is its power ally. The Moon is the symbol for psychic energy, or the unconscious that holds the secrets of knowledge and wisdom. Baying at the Moon may be an indication of Wolf’s desire to connect with new ideas which are just below the surface of consciousness. Wolf medicine empowers the teacher within us all to come forth and aid the children of Earth in understanding the Great Mystery and life…As you feel Wolf coming alive within you, you may wish to share your knowledge by writing or lecturing on information that will help others better understand their uniqueness or path in life. It is in the sharing of great truths that the consciousness of humanity will attain new heights. Wolf could also be telling you to seek out lonely places that will allow you to see your teacher within.

It’s really quite amazing and special that this all came to pass. Again – synchronicity at its finest. I feel so very blessed to be receiving these messages from the Great Divine. It confirms all my beliefs that there is so much more going on in this universe than meets the eye, and I am grateful for these lessons.

It’s a Boy!

A couple of months before we got pregnant, our dear roommate Ruth moved out and gave us a going away present – a beautiful blue tile with two swirls mirroring each other and a round circle in the middle. Clearly a symbol of fertility. She said she was very excited for us to have a baby and the tile represented that potential. Then, just 2 days after we found out we were pregnant on August 2, she wrote us that she had a dream we were pregnant! It’s little events like this that, again, convince me that there is so much incredible energy beyond our control in this universe.

So – to wrap up a very long post, I’ll say that today Erol and I had our 20 week ultrasound and found out we’re indeed having a baby boy! 😉 Our due date is March 27, 2013 – the same date that Erol proposed to me in Brazil earlier this year! Magic? Yes.

A Love Story in Brasil: Part II

Magical Ouro Preto

We rolled out of Chefe Jeffe’s little beach abode in Serra Grande exactly a week ago with two surf boards tied to the roof and our journey talisman protector, Iamanjá, on the dashboard of Jeff’s little car azuleta. Saying our goodbyes to the magical state of Bahia, we drove for several days to get to the dreamy town of Ouro Preto in the state of Minas Gerais. Known for its sweeping mountains painted in every hue of emerald green, quaint homes neatly stacked on top of one another, an abundance of crystals and precious stones, and its aged beauty as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ouro Preto did not disappoint us.

The road to get there was both beautifully inspiring and frightfully dangerous at the same time. I can honestly say it was the scariest road trip I’ve ever been on – passing huge trucks on windy one lane highways, barely making it back into our lane before huge trucks smashed into us head on. Or the awesome potato chip trucks called “PUNC” which nearly rear ended us so aggressively that we practically got eaten alive from behind. Totally par for the course here, and yet wild and risky business if you ask me (or any sane person for that matter). I’d end each long day on the road feeling grateful for our lives.

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Once we were off the busy roads and into the magnificent green country hills, it was breathtakingly magnificent with huge stone faces jutting up, misty mountains, and Mata Atlântica forest with flowers of gold, purple, orange and white. After 3 days and 2 nights on the road we finally made it to the jewel in the crown – Ouro Preto. Pure eye candy, ancient churches sit perched atop hills, glowing in the sunset light. It was a particularly perfect time to experience the town the week before Easter since during Holy Week most of the gorgeous, antiquated buildings have vibrant sheets of all colors hang out their windows! What a site to behold. We were even blessed enough to see a procession starting from a glorious church move down the cobble stone roads, with little girls dressed up as angels and priests holding all kinds of crosses to the sky saying their prayers. If we had stayed just a week longer we could have witnessed the famous Semana Santa flower petal ritual that is considered one of the most traditional ceremonies in Brasil.

One of the key highlights of Ouro Prêto was all the amazing gem and crystal shops on every corner! Heaven. Erol and I spent hours in gem shops learning about tourmaline from Paraiba (the stone in my engagement ring which we learned is one of a kind and very special), emeralds, rubies, agua marina, topaz, etc. until we found the perfect color scheme, price, shape and size of a few small gems we purchased for our wedding bands!

Paprika Sales Man in Open Market

Another full day’s driving carried us to Buzios, which we renamed Bourgeos for its over the top tourist vibe. Despite the intensely thick layer of tourism, Buzios has real raw beauty and feels a bit like the Mediterranean with turquoise waters and yachts. I detest tourist traps, but was determined to get over it and enjoy the lovely beaches until I caught a flu bug of some sort from all the bread, cheese and sugar, which made me grumpy…but not for long! The real reason we made the trek to Buzios was for Erol to play one of my dad’s good friends, Nigel the terrible, in a fiercely competitive match of tennis. After a lot of shit talking from the old boys club peanut gallery (my dad, Nigel the terrible and Mr. Kirsch), Erol slayed the poor Englishman on an incredible court overlooking the ocean.

Last night we arrived to my magical amiga Lee’s penthouse apartment in Rio de Janeiro. She unfortunately just left for a month in Cali, so we missed her but she hooked us up fat! The full moon is rising above the outdoor balcony where there is a hammock, a hula hoop, couches, and an outside shower. We are only one block from the beach and a few more from a gorgeous lake. Thirteen stories below, Babylon grinds on. I’m not much of a city girl, but Rio de Janeiro has real character. Hopefully tomorrow I will feel well enough to explore and get back to my routine of lekker açaí na tigela!