Simple Greek Salad

Ingredients:

Salad

• 1small red onion, chopped
• 1 cucumber, cut in bite size pieces
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 small red pepper, chopped
• 3/4 cup kalamata olives
• 1 head lettuce or bag of baby spinach
• A few pepperoncinis

Dressing

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced and crushed
• black pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• juice of 1/4 a lemon
• 1/2 dijon mustard 
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• a pinch of salt (optional)

Directions:

• Combine salad ingredients in large bowl and toss the salad. 
• Combine dressing ingredients and stir until well blended.
• Dress salad with dressing and enjoy! 

Vegan Chocolate Cake With Chocolate, Coffee and Coconut Ganache

While this cake recipe doesn't follow my usual whole food plant-based recipe posts, it certainly was a delicious cake!  I made this recently for my father's birthday, and everyone loved it. It's fun to be a little indulgent every once in a while. :)

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cake

• 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cups natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 cups coffee (or water)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Chocolate, Coffee, and Coconut Ganache

• 8 oz semi sweet or bitter sweet (depending on desired degree of sweetness) chocolate chips (dairy free)
• 2/3 cup almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 3 tablespoons raw blue agave syrup (or maple syrup)
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 7 tablespoons coffee
• About 8 oz unsweetened shredded coconut

Directions:

Cake

• Heat oven to 375° Fahrenheit.
• Grease and flour two 9" cake rounds (you can also line them with wax paper if you prefer).
• Combine all dry cake ingredients in a large mixing bowl. 
• In a smaller mixing bowl, combine all wet ingredients. 
• Slowly add wet ingredients to dry ingredients until well blended together with minimal lumps. 
• Add mixture to cake rounds and cook for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out dry.
• Let cool for about 10 minutes before carefully removing cake from pans (it will be harder to remove cake if you wait much longer than 10 minutes so try to keep cool time to 10 minutes or under)
• Let cake cool completely.

Ganache

• In a small saucepan, heat milk on medium heat until it comes to a gentle boil.
• Add chocolate chips and agave syrup and stir until chocolate melts. 
• Remove pan from heat and add powdered sugar and coffee. 
• Let cool for about 25 minutes. 

Cake Assembly

• After letting ganache cool for about 25 minutes, spoon some of the ganache mixture onto the top of the bottom layer of your cake. Cover the top completely with the ganache (ganache should still be pretty runny at this point; that's ok).
• Place the other cake round on top of the freshly frosted bottom layer. 
• Place the ganache in the fridge for a few hours before completing the rest of the cake so that it is easier to apply to cake. 
• After letting the ganache cool in the fridge for a few hours, or overnight, begin by frosting the very top of the cake leaving the sides unfrosted. 
• After the top is thoroughly frosted, start adding the shredded coconut to the remaining ganache in the pan and stir. Continue adding coconut until it becomes your desired consistency. I didn't add quite the whole bag of shredded coconut.
• After achieving desired coconut to chocolate ganache ratio, begin to coat the sides of the cake until the cake is completely covered. 
• Let set in the fridge for an hour or two (optional) and enjoy! 

Brown Rice Pasta With Veggies in a White Wine Sauce

Another vegan pasta recipe!

Ingredients:

• one package brown rice pasta 
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• About 5 cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 3-4 roma tomatoes, chopped
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 4 garlic gloves, minced
• 5-7 ounces baby spinach (depending on how much you like)
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1/4 of lemon for juice
• handful of fresh parsley

Directions:

• Cook brown rice pasta according to package directions.
• Meanwhile, add about a tablespoon of olive oil to medium high heat in a large pan. Add onion and sauté until translucent, then add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove onion and garlic and set aside. 
• Add about 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of olive oil to pan again, and add mushrooms. Sauté for a few minutes.
• Add spinach and cook until spinach begins to wilt, adding more olive oil if needed. 
• Add the onions and garlic back into the pan with the spinach and mushrooms as well as the tomatoes. 
• Cook on medium heat for about 1 minute, then add wine. Let the wine reduce. 
• Add vegetable broth and cook for another few minutes, stirring when needed. 
• Add salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to your liking in the sauce.
• Using tongs, slowly add pasta to sauce making sure sauce coats the pasta as you add more (I didn't end up using the entire package of pasta). Depending on how you like your sauce to pasta ratio, add more or less pasta. 
• Squeeze lemon over pasta. 
• Add pasta to serving dish and add fresh parsley to garnish. 
• Serve and enjoy!

Cleansing Juice Recipe

Lately I've been juicing a lot. I've experimented with a lot of different recipes, but this is the juice that I've been making the most because it has a lot of different great ingredients in it yet the juice still tastes delicious. I've been using the Breville Compact Juice Fountain available for $99 on Amazon. I'd say the juicer has been working fairly well for me, although the pulp could be drier. I'd eventually like to invest in a higher quality juicer, but for the money this one is working great. I'll post some of my other juice recipes, but for now here is my favorite:

Ingredients:

• 1 beet plus the beet stems
• 3-5 kale leaves (less if you want it sweeter)
• a handful of fresh cilantro
• 1 carrot
• 1 cucumber
• 2 apples, cut to fit in your juicer
• 1 lemon, peeled

Directions:

• Wash ingredients and brush the apples, beet, carrot, and cucumber (This is the brush I use; it's so cute!)
• Add ingredients to juicer (I usually start with the beet, then the kale and cilantro, then the cucumber and carrot, and end with the apple and lemon. Although, I don't think the order matters). 
• Enjoy!

Healthy Valentine's Day Treats

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone! 

1. Superfood Love Smoothie

Ingredients:

• 1 cup frozen strawberries
• 2 bananas
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 tablespoon raw maca powder
• 1 tablespoon raw cacao powder

Directions:

• Blend all ingredients in a vitamix or blender!

2.  Strawberry Roses

Ingredients:

• Five strawberries (or however many roses you want)
• Bamboo Skewers

Directions:

• Wash strawberries.
• Starting at the root, cut four slits around the strawberry with a sharp knife to resemble pedals. 
• Make your next four slits higher up on the strawberry, making sure to make your cuts in between the already cut pedals. 
• At the very tip of the strawberry, cut a slit and very gently pull it apart slightly. 
• Gently pull the pedals away from the base of the strawberry to make them more distinct. 
• Stab stem end of strawberries with the skewers then put in vase of your choice.

3. Berry Kabobs With Dark Chocolate Drizzle

Ingredients:

• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Any other berry you want!
• Bamboo skewers 
• Dark Chocolate Chips (the higher percentage of cacao the better!)

Directions:

• Wash all your berries.
• Cut the stems of the strawberries, then cut them lengthwise. 
• Slide berries onto kabobs
• Put chocolate chips in a metal bowl and place on top of pot. Heat until chocolate chips melt (or use microwave with microwave safe bowl).
• Using a spoon, scoop a little melted chocolate then drizzle over your kabobs. 

4. Watermelon Hearts and Dark Chocolate Dipped Strawberries and Bananas

Ingredients:

• One watermelon
• One banana
• About seven strawberries
• Dark chocolate chips (the higher percentage of cacao the better!)
• Heart-shaped cookie cutter

Directions:

• Cut watermelon into about 2" slices, then use cookie cutter to make heart-shaped pieces. 
• Put chocolate chips in a metal bowl and place on top of pot. Heat until chocolate chips melt (or use microwave with microwave safe bowl).
• Using a spoon, scoop a little melted chocolate then drizzle over your watermelon.
• Slice bananas into thin slices; dip into melted chocolate about half way.
• Keep strawberries whole. Hold strawberry leaves and dip strawberry into melted chocolate. 

Enjoy!

Fitness Essentials: 7 must-have workout tools

I tend to keep my yoga practices and workouts separate, but for the sake of this post I have combined elements of both. As a certified yoga teacher and fitness fanatic, here are some of my favorite things: 

1. Lululemon The Mat: As a yoga teacher, I practice yoga a lot and need a durable, reliable mat that I can count on. I love this mat because unlike other mats, it won't slide around on hard floors. I also tend to sweat a lot and this mat has a special coating so you won't lose your grip, even when you're sweating. It's also thicker than your typical mat so it's more supportive and protective. So if you're serious about yoga, I would highly recommend this mat. 

2. Nathan Sonic Boom Armband: Whenever I run or use my elliptical, I love to listen to music. Holding your phone in your hand can be annoying and you will get your phone sweaty. Using an armband is the perfect solution for handsfree running. 

3. Foam Roller: I love to roll out my muscles before and after every workout. Using a foam roller is a great way to massage your muscles and release tension or tightness. It also works wonders on sore muscles.  

4. Lululemon Namaste Yoga Tote: If you practice yoga away from the home, you may want to consider a yoga mat carrier. Not only does it keep your mat from unrolling and getting dirty, but it can store your water bottle, keys, towel, and other items. Plus, it's easy to carry by just sliding it over your shoulder. 

5. Yoga: The Spirit and Practice of Moving Into Stillness: I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys yoga whether you are a beginner or a teacher. This book is really easy to understand, has very clear images, and I love how deep it dives into meditation. If you struggle moving past yoga being only physical, this is the book for you. 

6. Lululemon The (Small) Towel: When you sweat during workouts or yoga practices, it's always nice if you have a towel with you so that you can quickly wipe down and get rid of sweat dripping on your face or hands. Any towel will do, but I like these because they are super absorbent and soft. 

7. Thera-bands: Thera-bands are great for resistance training and strength building. When I was a ballet dancer, I would use these every single day to gain strength in my ankles and feet, and I haven't stopped using them since. There are so many exercises you can do with these to work every part of the body. 

I didn't put numbers with these because they are pretty standard, but also pictured are small dumbbells and wrist-weights; I like to use these during certain exercises and on the elliptical. Let me know if you want to see any of my workout routines including foam roller exercises, thera-band exercises, and yoga sequences! 

10 Ways to Live More Sustainably

1. Avoid disposables - This is a broad one, but it is one of the most important. Our society has gotten into such a bad habit of using disposable products - using something just one or two times and then throwing it away. This creates so much unnecessary waste when one could, instead, just invest in reusable items. Doing so will also save you money (imagine using a disposable coffee cup every day for a year; that's 365 cups you would have to pay for as opposed to a one time purchase of a reliable, travel coffee mug). Here are examples of ways to switch from disposable to reusable:

• Use a glass or BPA free water bottle for water, and filter your own water.
• Bring your own reusable utensils when eating out or taking your lunch on the go.
• Use glass tupperware instead of disposable plastic tupperware and plastic bags. 
• Use washable cloths and rags instead of paper towels (or if you use paper towels, compost them!)
• Drink and bring your own water instead of buying bottled soft and sports drinks.
• Take reusable bags to the grocery stores. 
• Take your own coffee mug to coffee shops (I know some places, including Starbucks, will give you a discount when you do this).

2. Be conscious of your water usage - Be aware when you're using water, and try to use as little as needed.  Saving water will also save you money! Here are some examples of how to reduce water usage:

• Don't leave the water running while brushing your teeth.
• Use a water saving shower head. I use the evolve shower head. It stops the water flow after the water gets to a warm temperature (95º fahrenheit), so the water won't keep running once it's warm. When you are ready to get in the shower, you just pull a cord and the warm water flow resumes. Unfortunately for me, my shower takes a couple minutes to warm up, so a feature like this really comes in handy. On top of that, it also saves water while the water is running, about 8 gallons for every 5 minute shower compared to standard shower heads.

3. Recycle! I have lived in a lot of apartments that didn't offer a recycling service, and there are ways to work around this so you can still recycle. Most cities have a drop off recycling center that you can find through your city government's website. If you can't find one, there are usually recycling programs through schools and other organizations that will take your recycling as well. You'll just have to search a little bit. These are also good alternatives if you don't want to pay for the recycling pick-up service. 

4. Compost - Disposing of food waste properly is important. Did you know that about 1/8 of solid waste is from food scraps? What most people don't realize is that it is harder than you would think for food to biodegrade once going to landfill. In order for biodegradable items to actually biodegrade, they need the right conditions - light, oxygen, and water. Because landfills are so tightly packed, even biodegradable items can stay preserved for many years. Many cities now have food waste roadside pick-up, and if you don't want to pay for that service, you can always just compost at home! Another great benefit of composting, aside from making good soil, is your trash can won't smell! 

5. Sort your trash - going along with recycling and composting, have specific divided areas for all of your waste. A good way to sort your trash is into these categories:

• Recyclables
• Compost 
• Landfill
• Hazardous Waste (batteries, lightbulbs, thermostats, electronics, etc.)

You can find places that will take your hazardous waste like Lowe's. Once you sort your waste, you will be surprised how little is actually going to landfill. Also, instead of putting unwanted items like old clothes, furniture, and other items in the trash to go to landfill, find ways to reuse them by taking them to thrift stores, donation centers, etc. 

6. Be conscious of your energy usage - Try to conserve energy. While not everyone has solar powered houses, there are still ways to cut back on energy spending. Get in the habit of being energy friendly; this will also save you money! Here are some tips on how to do this:

• Turn off your lights when you're not using them.
• Unplug appliances when you're not using them. 
• Wash your clothes with cold water.
• Line-dry your clothes.
• Dress warmer and keep your thermostat colder in the winter. 
• Keep your thermostat higher in the summer time. 
• Make sure your house is well insulated. 

7. Bike, walk, and bus - try to use your car less by using public transportation or finding energy friendly ways of getting where you need to go. This should be no surprise, but this, too, will save you money!

8. Grow your own fruits, vegetables, and herbs - If you live in an apartment, you can still grow your own herbs and a couple other things in pots or you can upcycle milk and orange juice cartons into an herb container by cutting out one of the sides. 

9.  Eat a plant-based diet - Meat industries are a major source of emissions. 

10. Reduce paper usage - Here are some ways how:

• Most companies now have an eco-friendly paperless option for bills, statements, etc. Use this!
• Cancel your newspaper and read online. 
• Switch to electronic methods for calendars, note taking, etc. 

If you have any ideas or other ways of living green, I would love to hear about them in the comments! Have a great weekend everyone!