Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

This recipe is quick, simple, delicious, and perfect for those mornings when you are in a rush but still want to eat something healthy that will fuel you through your morning. During the fall and winter seasons, I love to make oatmeal because it is warm and comforting and also because it is high in fiber and low in fat. Oatmeal stays in your stomach to make you feel fuller longer and it's full of anti-oxidants. This recipe also works great for apples that are starting to get soft.

For this recipe you will need:

• 1/3 apple
• 1/2 cup quick oats (I used 365 organic quick oats) 
• about a 1/4 cup almond milk, or whatever milk you prefer
• about 1/2 cup water (this doesn't have to be exact and can vary depending on how hard or soft you like your oats to be)
• cinnamon 

Directions:

• Add oats to bowl
• Dice apple and add on top of oats
• Pour almond milk over apples and oats
• Add water until all parts of oats have been contacted
• Microwave for 1-11/2 depending on how cooked you like your oatmeal
• Sprinkle cinnamon over your oatmeal

And like always, you can modify this recipe by adding more oats and using the entire apple; this is just the serving size I typically make. 

Enjoy!

Free 21 Day Meditation

Oprah and Deepak are offering 21 days of guided meditations available here. This started on November 11, but each meditation is available for 5 days after being posted so there is still time to start today; you could even do two meditations a day to catch up! This is a great way to get into meditating. Even if you already meditate, this is a good thing to do to guide you and remind you to find some peace of mind on a daily basis. This meditation series is about desire, destiny, and finding who you are. Each mediation also comes with inspirational messages and quotes. If you can find 20 minutes tonight, sit down in a quiet place, close your eyes, and start this 21 day journey with me!

So Hum. . . I am.

Star Fruit!

Star fruits, or carambolas, are one of my favorite fruits. They are great to eat on their own but they are an even better to add to a festive fruit salad that you might make for a party or just for the family, especially with the upcoming holiday season. They are also rich in iron, fiber, and vitamins A and C. If you've never had one, go try one today!

Veestro Delivery!

For the most part I try to prepare meals using fresh, whole ingredients but there are times when I simply just don't have time to cook (or feel like cooking)! In times like those, Veestro is the perfect option to have stocked in your freezer. Veestro is an online organization that creates delicious vegan, plant-based, preservative free meals at an affordable price and then ships them straight to your house. If  you buy a meal plan, then shipping is free! So we usually buy a meal plan and then also buy individual items on top of that and get free shipping for the whole order. Then, when it's delivered, you just put everything in your freezer, and when you're ready, the products can be thawed, boiled, or microwaved for a simple and speedy preparation!

 They use dry ice to keep everything frozen in the package.

(Full Order)

So if you ever feel too busy or tired to cook but also don't want to compromise eating a natural, plant-based diet, I highly recommend checking out Veestro! 

Homemade Vegan Pasta Recipe

 

Today I have for you a very simple yet delicious vegan pasta recipe. I have to say I wanted to make this recipe because I wanted to use my pasta maker with my Kitchen Aid mixer that we've never used since we bought it years ago. However, after making the pasta dough I realized there was a part missing! So needless to say I had to do some improvising and make the pasta the good old fashioned way with a rolling pin and knife. The pasta still ended up being a great success and was quite delicious. I will order the missing part and do yet another pasta recipe, only next time I'm thinking whole wheat ravioli.

Ingredients:

• 5 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used 365 organic unbleached all-purpose flour)
• About 1 1/2 cups water 
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon tumeric

Note: This makes a lot of pasta, and you can always reduce the measurements. Also, you can add more flour or water as needed to make sure the consistency of the dough is right; you don't want it to be sticky or tacky but you also don't want it to be too dry.

Directions:

• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, tumeric, and salt. 
• Make a well in the flour and pour in olive oil and water.  Gradually combine ingredients, adding more water as needed. 
• Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 5-10 minutes or until texture is smooth. 
• Cover dough and let sit for 20 minutes. 
• Cut dough into several different sections (about 7)
• Roll out each section of dough using rolling pin on a floured surface (or using a machine) using flour as needed so your dough doesn't become sticky. 
• Starting with the end closest to you, fold the rolled out pasta sheet a few inches (going away from you), and then continue doing this until you have a flat jelly roll shape.
• Using a sharp knife, cut the jelly roll pasta dough forming your desired width. I made a pappardelle shaped pasta, about 3/4 inches thick. 
• Lay pasta strands on a floured towel and dust them with flour. 
• Let the noodles sit for about 10 minutes before cooking them, and then cook them in salted water for about 5 minutes. Cooking times vary widely so keep an eye on your pasta to tell when it's ready. 

Enjoy!

Relax in a Bath

No matter how much we try to avoid stress in our day to day lives, it still has a way of finding us one way or another. Taking baths is one thing many people overlook as a way to wind down and find some relaxation and peace of mind. Not only is it an underrated stress reliever, but they can also do wonders for soreness and pain, and they are a great sleep promotor. I love taking baths for all these reasons. So after a long day, whether you're sore from a hard workout, stressed from work/personal problems, or just wanting to sleep easier, light a candle, make a cup of tea, hop in a bath, and enjoy yourself. Here are some of the products I use during and after baths that I highly recommend. 

1. Epsom Salt

This will help to detox and relax your body and mind, and it also works miracles on muscle aches and soreness. I love the Dr. Teal's Relax and Relief with Eucalyptus Spearmint; the smell is amazing. Pour about 2 cups of this into your bath's running water and just soak and enjoy. This can also be used as an exfoliant by mixing a handful with your favorite body wash. 

Ingredients: Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt), 

Fragrance (Parfum), Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus)

 Leaf Oil, Mentha Virdis (Spearmint) Leaf Oil.

2. Body Wash: ORIGINS Ginger Burst Savory Body Wash

This is my favorite body wash to use. As you can tell, the bottle is basically empty. Massage this all over your body before exfoliating to feel and smell wonderful. This stuff is like caviar for the skin. (If you love the smell of this, you will also love the ginger soufflé body whipped body cream.) 

3. Exfoliate: Sunshine Spa's Brown Sugar Scrub:

 This organic Beverley Hill's Spa scrub will leave you feeling like you've never felt before and makes your skin appear brighter and healthier. It naturally removes dead skin cells and leaves your skin rejuvenated and moisturized. Apply a generous amount to your body and massage in circular motions. This stuff is amazing.

Ingredients: Organic Brown Sugar, Expeller Pressed Almond Oil, 

High Oleic Safflower Oil, Sunflower Oil, Grapeseed Oil, 

Apricot Kernel Oil, Avocado Oil, Sweet Orange Essential Oil, Basil Leaf, 

Ginkgo Leaf, Sage Leaf, Natural Vitamin E and Fragrance. 100% Vegan

4.  Face mask: ORIGINS Drink Up 10 minute mask to quench skin's thirst

If my face is feeling dry, particularly in these fall and winter months, I like to use this face mask during my baths to give my skin moisture and smoothness. Alternatively, if your skin is breaking out, you can use a different mask that treats pores and acnes (staying on the Origins train, a great mask is the Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask). Make sure you apply this to a clean face.

Key Ingredient: Apricot Kernel Oil

Don't forget to spend time closing your eyes and just relaxing while in the bath. I like to put a hot wash cloth over my face to steam my face and lungs, and then rinse with cold water. 

5. Moisturizer: ORIGINS Make a Difference Plus + rejuvenating moisturizer and ORIGINS Make a Difference Rejuvenating hand treatment

After getting out of the bath use a moisturizer to keep skin from drying out. These are two of my favorite moisturizers. The hand treatment is great for your hands because it makes your skin feel moisturized and smooth without leaving your hands feeling sticky or greasy. 

Key Ingredients in Moisturizer: Rose of Jericho and Watermelon

6. Overnight Mask: ORIGINS Drink Up Intensive Overnight mask

On those particularly dry days, I will use this at night to give my skin that extra drink of moisture. I tend to use heavier moisturizers in the fall and winter because my skin gets very dry and I live in a desert. So depending on your skin's condition, you can skip this step. 

Key Ingredients: Avocado Oil, Mango Butters, Japanese Seaweed

<a href="http://www.hypersmash.com">HyperSmash</a>

Stay Tuned: New Recipe Soon!

This week I will be doing a homemade vegan pasta recipe with a homemade sauce. It should be very tasty and perfect for fall! Check back in a couple days! :)