1 large avocado + 1/3 cup cocoa + 8 soaked dates + pinch salt + shredded coconut for sprinkling = chocolate avocado mousse from heaven.
p.s. - i'm an auntie again! Tanner Leigh, 8lbs 8oz, born at 5:14pm!
Oct 5, 2010
Oct 4, 2010
gahh i'm drowning.
hey there beautiful people. today i'm swimming in homework, cooking for the family, and fighting off a cold, so no deep blogging thoughts for this noggin'.
instead of my post keeping you entertained, may i give you some suggestions?
- head to your library and check out, or if you aren't a dirt-poor college student, buy, the moosewood restaurant cooking for health cookbook. i finally brought this little treasure home after taking a hint from a very reliable source... check it out! you won't regret it, and you gotta make the southwestern black bean burgers - THEY HOLD TOGETHER!!!
- please read one size doesn't fit all by stacy at the habit of healthy. it's one of the most amazing posts i've ever read, and should be mandatory for EVERY female to read. leave her some comment love while you're at it... this girl is dynamite, y'all.
- the weather this time of year is MADE for long walks. skip the gym (really gotta twist your arm, right?), grab your camera, and hit up your neighborhood or a trail or park near you. listen to your momma and go get some fresh air!
love you guys! how's the weather near you? it's in the 60's here!
-r
instead of my post keeping you entertained, may i give you some suggestions?
- head to your library and check out, or if you aren't a dirt-poor college student, buy, the moosewood restaurant cooking for health cookbook. i finally brought this little treasure home after taking a hint from a very reliable source... check it out! you won't regret it, and you gotta make the southwestern black bean burgers - THEY HOLD TOGETHER!!!
- please read one size doesn't fit all by stacy at the habit of healthy. it's one of the most amazing posts i've ever read, and should be mandatory for EVERY female to read. leave her some comment love while you're at it... this girl is dynamite, y'all.
- the weather this time of year is MADE for long walks. skip the gym (really gotta twist your arm, right?), grab your camera, and hit up your neighborhood or a trail or park near you. listen to your momma and go get some fresh air!
love you guys! how's the weather near you? it's in the 60's here!
-r
Oct 2, 2010
my thoughts: make-up.
hey all. happy weekend! and thank you so much for your awesome thoughts on make-up!
some comments that really stood out to me:
Dana's honesty about the fact that we DO get treated differently all dolled up, but true confidence comes from within. amen sister!
Ayla totally owning that she IS pretty without it, and wishes it hadn't been invented because of how it's impacted us.
Katie asking herself if she feels acceptable without it... ohh that got me thinkin, girl.
Hedda pointing out that we can RELAX and be ourselves without it, seeing who are real friends are. so, so true!
Mo stating she feels wearing make-up is expected, so we do. interesting!
and many, many others! thanks again, everyone, for your incredible input!
my thoughts:
i've gotta go get ready to meet someone for tea, so this is a quick-fire version of my thoughts, uncensored. you've been warned!
personally, i've struggled with feeling physically unacceptable for most of my life, and make-up definitely played a part. i have chronic rosacea that for years left my skin blotchy, red, inflamed, and burning. when i looked in the mirror, it was all i saw! people would ask my if i had just been running, or if i was embarrassed. i hated my skin, so when i got old enough, i accepted that i was doomed to cover it for the rest of my life to feel pretty. this was probably around age 15.
since then, i've learned a few things about managing rosacea, but more importantly, i've learned about myself. quitting dairy and processed foods has made a huge difference in the blotchiness, but that's really quite minor in my eyes. in the last few years, i started digging deeper into why i felt the need to cover myself with a mask - why wasn't i acceptable without it, red skin and all?
i know plenty of my issues stemmed from dating a guy who wouldn't hang out with me unless i was in full make-up (yes, he was a keeper... NOT). but really, i wouldn't have listened to him unless i had already believed he was right. honestly, i agreed with him - showing my "flaw" to the world must not have been ok, so i hid behind a layer of foundation day in, day out... even in my dorm room!
the truth is, we all have flaws. it's called being a HUMAN BEING. and our "flaws" are what make us different. i know it's cheesy and we hear it all the time, but do you really believe it? really? and honestly, who was to say that their skin without rosacea was any more acceptable that mine with it? did it make me any less of a person? i think not (you could sub acne here, if that's your struggle).
once i realized that i was just as valuable, flaws and all, i started to relax. i realized that without make-up, you could see who i really was... and shockingly, i was alright! i have some pretty unique navy blue eyes, hair with a mind of it's own, and albino-white skin with a smattering of freckles. when i donned the daily mask, all these things were lost... and consequently, my identity was, too.
does this mean i think make-up is evil? surely not. i still enjoy swiping some mascara on my blonde eyelashes and feeling dramatic and flirty. i still use some shimmer powder to minimize the fibro/fatigue look from my eyes because, well, i get tired of looking tired. and i certainly don't think perfume is evil.
i guess i had to learn what make-up stood for in my eyes. i HAD to own that i was beautiful, unique, and acceptable without it before i could truly benefit from wearing it. and for the love of chocolate, i will beat up any guy who tries to tell another girl to just "put some make-up on." how about i just put my fist in your stomach???
in my opinion, some red flags to watch out for:
- do you feel less beautiful without it?
- do you feel there are situations you have to wear it?
- are you self-conscious without it?
- can you not go to the store, on a date, or in public without it?
- can you take a compliment when you don't wear it?
- are you not "yourself" without your face on?
- do you think other people/men will judge you or dismiss you without it?
if so, you may want to dig a little deeper. what's behind these feelings, and what can you do about it?
just my thoughts... agree/disagree?
-r
some comments that really stood out to me:
Dana's honesty about the fact that we DO get treated differently all dolled up, but true confidence comes from within. amen sister!
Ayla totally owning that she IS pretty without it, and wishes it hadn't been invented because of how it's impacted us.
Katie asking herself if she feels acceptable without it... ohh that got me thinkin, girl.
Hedda pointing out that we can RELAX and be ourselves without it, seeing who are real friends are. so, so true!
Mo stating she feels wearing make-up is expected, so we do. interesting!
and many, many others! thanks again, everyone, for your incredible input!
my thoughts:
i've gotta go get ready to meet someone for tea, so this is a quick-fire version of my thoughts, uncensored. you've been warned!
personally, i've struggled with feeling physically unacceptable for most of my life, and make-up definitely played a part. i have chronic rosacea that for years left my skin blotchy, red, inflamed, and burning. when i looked in the mirror, it was all i saw! people would ask my if i had just been running, or if i was embarrassed. i hated my skin, so when i got old enough, i accepted that i was doomed to cover it for the rest of my life to feel pretty. this was probably around age 15.
since then, i've learned a few things about managing rosacea, but more importantly, i've learned about myself. quitting dairy and processed foods has made a huge difference in the blotchiness, but that's really quite minor in my eyes. in the last few years, i started digging deeper into why i felt the need to cover myself with a mask - why wasn't i acceptable without it, red skin and all?
i know plenty of my issues stemmed from dating a guy who wouldn't hang out with me unless i was in full make-up (yes, he was a keeper... NOT). but really, i wouldn't have listened to him unless i had already believed he was right. honestly, i agreed with him - showing my "flaw" to the world must not have been ok, so i hid behind a layer of foundation day in, day out... even in my dorm room!
the truth is, we all have flaws. it's called being a HUMAN BEING. and our "flaws" are what make us different. i know it's cheesy and we hear it all the time, but do you really believe it? really? and honestly, who was to say that their skin without rosacea was any more acceptable that mine with it? did it make me any less of a person? i think not (you could sub acne here, if that's your struggle).
once i realized that i was just as valuable, flaws and all, i started to relax. i realized that without make-up, you could see who i really was... and shockingly, i was alright! i have some pretty unique navy blue eyes, hair with a mind of it's own, and albino-white skin with a smattering of freckles. when i donned the daily mask, all these things were lost... and consequently, my identity was, too.
does this mean i think make-up is evil? surely not. i still enjoy swiping some mascara on my blonde eyelashes and feeling dramatic and flirty. i still use some shimmer powder to minimize the fibro/fatigue look from my eyes because, well, i get tired of looking tired. and i certainly don't think perfume is evil.
i guess i had to learn what make-up stood for in my eyes. i HAD to own that i was beautiful, unique, and acceptable without it before i could truly benefit from wearing it. and for the love of chocolate, i will beat up any guy who tries to tell another girl to just "put some make-up on." how about i just put my fist in your stomach???
in my opinion, some red flags to watch out for:
- do you feel less beautiful without it?
- do you feel there are situations you have to wear it?
- are you self-conscious without it?
- can you not go to the store, on a date, or in public without it?
- can you take a compliment when you don't wear it?
- are you not "yourself" without your face on?
- do you think other people/men will judge you or dismiss you without it?
if so, you may want to dig a little deeper. what's behind these feelings, and what can you do about it?
just my thoughts... agree/disagree?
-r
Oct 1, 2010
make this slaw!
hey friends - i'm running an errand in Williamsburg with my mom today so i'm not sure when i'll get to it, but be looking out for my thoughts on make-up sometime this weekend!
photo: Happy Healthy Life.
in the meantime, make this asian slaw and die happy! i know it's crazy coming from a southern girl, but i'd never had slaw before because, um, i don't do mayo. i thought this mayo-free version sounded much less vomit-inducing, not to mention way more interesting (hello cumin seeds and coriander!).
i substituted a bag of trader joe's broccoli and carrot slaw for the cabbage, and used homemade tahini in the dressing! don't you guys just love it when you can use homemade stuff in recipes? i feel so domestic :)
am i weird in my mayo phobia? any mayo lovers out there (shudder)?
Sep 29, 2010
how do you feel about makeup?
in typical rebekah fashion, i totally missed rabbit write's The No Make-Up Week Experiment last week.
which is a bummer, because i had been planning to participate (i saw the rockin' post on medicinal marzipan, one of my favorite body image bloggers). so, instead of posting my experience make-up free (which is most days), i have a question for you guys.
for most of us, what does our need for make-up indicate we believe about ourselves?
p.s. - thank you all so much for your support yesterday! it's wonderful to finally have another piece to this puzzle of my health figured out. if anyone has any questions about going gluten-free or dealing with food allergies/intolerances, i would love to help you!
Sep 28, 2010
Kickin’ in the kitchin’.
hey friends! (and happy tuesday, jess!)
thanks so much for your sweet words about my insomnia. i really appreciated all those who chimed in with personal experiences, but i wish you guys didn't struggle too! it breaks my heart that insomnia is so common these days, ya know?
by the way, if you're interested in extra better sleep tips, check out the expert advice in the comments from tatianna, both melissas, peace be me (what is your first name?), and bitt.
but now that we're all awake, how about a picture/recipe/life update, shall we? i finally found the darn escapist camera cord, so no more excuses for me. in no particular order, here are some recent happenings:
first day of school. look out VCU.
pinto bean and plantain stew, sans parsnip chips
this soup is crazy good! i didn't make the chips because i'm poor and parsnips are like gold around here, but hello - a little recognition for cooking with a plantain!!! they were on sale for 54 cents at waldirtmart, so one magically jumped into my cart somehow.
but no, your eyes don't deceive you - i did finally made a recipe from Veganomicon, one of the cookbooks i got for my birthday. i was super excited about this book specifically because i see jessica, matt, the other jess, the other other jess (haha ok enough), and many others refer to it as "the vegan bible" and cook from it fairly regularly. good enough for me!
... honestly? i hate to say this, but i was a tiny bit disappointed. for someone who doesn't see the appeal in "mock meat" or soy meat substitutes, i wasn't thrilled to see a good portion of the book devoted to seitan, tofu, and bean cutlets.
don't get me wrong - certainly all those things have their place in the freezer section, and if you dig 'em, it's totally cool! i'm just not a fan of eating food that mimics other food... if i wanted meat, i would eat it, ya know? i'm already cool with soybeans and black beans, so i don't feel the need to "transform" them into a substitute.
i like food that just is what it is. no imitations. but that's just my deal, yo.
spicy coconut curry squash soup
after i just ragged on their cookbook full of homemade tofurkey, i gotta give the ladies at the Post Punk Kitchen a shoutout... those girls can make some SOUP, man. hopefully that makes up for it?
i modified this recipe because, well, i had squash and not sweet potatoes, and can't leave well enough alone!
i made guac. alton brown's guac. no explanation needed.
and what's not pictured? in the last week or so, i've made gluten-free millet and flax crackers (like sami's bakery, but waaay cheaper), mom and i tag-teamed some delicious veggie bean chili, then some enchiladas (with beef for my brother, and without for us lettuce heads), various kitchen sink salads, gluten-free orange sweet potato muffins, quinoa coconut "rice pudding," homemade peanut butter and tahini, chocolate coconut cherry laraballs, pesto, and two kinds of hummus: roasted red pepper and jalepeno cilantro.
um, yeah. i've been busy. if you want details on how to recreate anything i made, comment or shoot me an email! mostly i just throw stuff in the pot and cook, but i'd be more than happy to share my "recipes" with you guys!
................................................................................
to continue on in this insanely random post, remember how i finally got around to a gluten-free trial? yes? well houston, we have a problem.
i gave it a month gluten-free before i "tested" my stomach again with my old foods, and let's just say that yes... it's clear that the remainder of my ibs issues are from gluten.
i won't die if i eat it (like when eating out), but for what i can control, i'm sticking with eating gluten-free. practically, it just means i avoid sandwiches and wheat pasta (almost everything in our kitchen is safe because of my sister), which is cool because i'm not a huge fan of those foods anyway. we have plenty of gluten-free bread should i get the urge for a sandwich, but that's pretty rare.
it's awesome though because i thought i was doomed to being bloated all my life, and hooray - no more! if you struggle with this, you might want to test for a gluten-intolerance... why not? and head's up you guys, unless i mention otherwise, the recipes i post from here on out will be gluten-free.
phew. you guys have been along for quite an interesting journey with me, no? now i leave you with the most hilarious food face i've seen in a while:
mom's blueberry goat cheese english muffin. oh snap, he has a moustache!
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