Dark Chocolate Lightning Bars

Yesterday, after a few days of fighting the flu, it was time for a jailbreak. We escaped the confines of our apartment for the afternoon, craving some sunshine and early spring air. We strolled around the neighborhood, spent a few hours at the Museum of Fine Art, and as we turned towards home, my stomach rumbled loudly. I suddenly looked at him and nearly shouted, "ARE YOU HUNGRY, OR IS IT JUST ME?"

And his reply was, "Oh, no. This is how you sound when you're hangry."

I'm a pretty lucky girl. I live in a great city, I feel engaged with life on a daily basis, and I'm marrying a man who is just as passionate about food and health as I am. But hanger is a real life problem, my friends, and I firmly believe that one in the throes of hangriness should not be taken lightly. So when we got home, he suggested that we whip up something that's both extremely tasty and can stop hunger in a flash. The result? What he's calling Dark Chocolate Lightning Bars.

These bars are really, really delicious. In fact, they're so good that you may never buy another sugar-laden, soy or whey protein isolate-filled bar again (and I have a feeling that your body will thank you for that too.) They're protein-packed with roasted almonds, walnuts, and peanuts, and held together with local honey, vanilla, and brown rice syrup. And the sweet touch on top? An antioxidant-rich dark chocolate drizzle and a sprinkle of sea salt.

They are also extremely simple to make. All you need to do is heat the liquid ingredients over the stove until they reach candy temperatures, roast and mix all of your nuts together with a puffed grain cereal of your choice, and combine, spreading the whole mixture together over a greased pan to cool. To me, that sounds easy enough - and perfectly satiating so that we never have to fight the hanger again.

Dark Chocolate Lightning Bars

(Adapted from "The Yummy Life")

1.5 cups of almonds

2 cups peanuts

3/4 cup walnuts

3/4 cup puffed cereal (we chose kamut)

1 tablespoon ground flaxseed

1/2 cup local honey

1/3 cup brown rice syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup dark chocolate chips

Several pinches of sea salt

2 tablespoons butter

1. Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan with 1 tablespoon of butter.

2. Roast all nuts in the oven until just toasted. Remove and let cool, before combining with puffed rice cereal.

3. Mix honey, brown rice syrup, vanilla, and a pinch of sea salt in a saucepan. Place over medium heat, and mix to combine. Using a candy thermometer, heat until about 260 degrees, whisking constantly. The mixture should be golden brown.

4. Working quickly, and carefully, pour the liquid over the mixed nuts and cereal, mixing until combined. Pour combined mixture over greased pan and flatten. Grease a rolling pin or mug and press the mixture down to remove any air and create a firm bar. Let cool completely.

5. Mix chocolate and remaining butter together, and put in the microwave for 30-45 seconds, checking and stirring so that the chocolate melts evenly. Drizzle over the bars, sprinkle with sea salt, and place in the refrigerator for another 20 minutes.

6. Remove pan, and using a good knife, slice the bars. To store, wrap in parchment paper and keep in an airtight container.

Happy weekend...

Happy SPRING Friday! It has been a quiet few days in our house. We were two days shy of escaping this winter illness-free, until somebody accidentally brought home the flu. I won't point fingers, but let's just say that one of us has been blending away some delicious new green smoothies (I've got a new one to share!) and wiping everything down with citrus all-purpose cleaner to limit the victim count to one. Here's looking forward to a weekend of feeling better and catching a little spring sunshine. But first, a few links to get you to the other side of Friday:

• Compiling a playlist of sunny tunes for cruising around the city. You can listen too here.
• Ordering double batches of this savior of a salve that has no rival these days for healing hands, lips, dry noses, and more.
• Interrupting this week's regular March Madness programming by revisiting the magical "Big Fish"(available on Amazon Prime Instant Video), in anticipation of seeing it come to life at the Calderwood on Saturday night.
• And finally, in light of the new season, and hearing those birds chirping more and more every day, a favorite line:

"sweet spring is your
time is my time is our
time for springtime is lovetime
and viva sweet love"

- E.E. Cummings

Coconut Citrus Smoothie

This smoothie is pure wow.

Which is a bit like the weekend that I just closed out. For three days, I kicked off my journey towards becoming a professional coach. I'll share more about that over time, but for now, three words come to mind: spiritual, possibility, and transformation.

I talk often about the importance of balance. In light of the nourishment that my mind and soul received this weekend, I'm sharing a smoothie recipe that does the same for the physical self. It's creamy, invigorating, and brings all the right kind of nutrients to elevate your morning and sustain your energy throughout the day.

The meat of mature coconuts is amazingly nutritious. It's metabolism boosting and provides your body with a great source of energy due to the fact that it's made up of medium length of the fatty-acid chains. While it can be a bit tricky to pry it from the shell (I used this video as my guide), once free, the meat is chewy, dense, and perfect for smoothies.

The other ingredients balance it out with a nice level of zing and tang. The almond butter plays well with the creaminess of the coconut, and the citrus brings an added punch of Vitamin C. Mint is a calming and soothing herb that is also high in antioxidants and helps aid in digestion.  After blending together, I've topped this powerful drink off with my favorite seed mix and some immunity-supporting local bee pollen.

Coconut Citrus Smoothie

1 small banana, sliced

1/2 naval orange, peeled

1/2 lime, peeled

2 tbsp chopped mature coconut meat

1 packet of raw protein powder (I prefer this kind)

1 tbsp organic almond butter

1 tsp hemp seed

1 tsp chia seed

1 tsp flaxseed

1 tsp bee pollen

Combine first five ingredients in blender, and top with water or preferred nut milk and 3-4 ice cubes. Blend until combined. Add in almond butter, hemp, chia, flaxseed and bee pollen and pulse until combined. Drink immediately, or if storing, reserve seed and bee pollen mixture until serving, as they will absorb much of the liquid and thicken the smoothie.

Happy (early) weekend...

Talk about a glorious week! If you live in the Northeast, you know what I'm talking about: sunshine, warm breezes, and an extra spring in your step. Tomorrow I kick off my studies to become a certified coach, so I'm sharing some awesome sights and sounds with you today. Have a wonderful weekend!

• Boogieing to summer-like jams, including Tennis's 2014 album "Ritual in Repeat." Start with "Needle and a Knife" and continue on to feel the warm weather vibes.
• Practicing my español as we've booked our honeymoon to Peru and Mexico! Two great resources that we've found are iTalki, which sets you up with native language speakers all over the world to have conversations, and Duolingo, which helps users practice  language skills while on the go.
• Re-ordering my daily sunscreen so that I don't miss a beat with these longer daylight hours. I love this one because it's a light powder and easy to apply on the go.
• And finally, a reminder from the highly-recommended guide  "The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It For Life" on the importance of taking risks:

“If you only do what you know and do it very, very well, chances are that you won’t fail. You’ll just stagnate, and your work will get less and less interesting, and that’s failure by erosion.”

— Twyla Tharp

Healing Oils

Several years ago, I stopped buying face wash and lotion. 

And while this might seem drastic, it was the best thing that could have happened to my skin. Yes, there might have been some element of my decision that had to do with not being able to pronounce the names on the back of the bottles, or perhaps I was a bit fed up with so much spending, and convinced there had to be a more cost effective way. But the reason I found myself at that crossroad in the first place was that my skin had stopped feeling like my skin. 

After doing some reading, oils were an interesting proposition. On one hand, the idea of washing and moisturizing with something like oil seemed strange, and differed from the foaming effect I've typically recognized as "cleaning." On the other, I was coming off of a harsh winter, and tired of always doing what seemed like more to try and combat my skin issues.  Doing less just seemed like a better choice.

And then, I found Daphne Miller.

Miller, a family physician, sought to understand how the environment and what we put in and on our bodies affects health in her two brilliant books: "The Jungle Effect: Healthiest Diets from Around the World--Why They Work and How to Make Them Work for You" and "Farmacology: What Innovative Family Farming Can Teach Us About Health and Healing."

"Farmacology" is part investigative reporting, part anthropology. In the book, Miller visits several family farms around the country to understand what might be lacking in typical allopathic medicine's approach as a means to better enhance her approach towards ailing patients within her own practice. In the final chapter, she turns the search towards herself and an embarrassing skin problem and heads to Evan Healy and an aromatic herb farm. Reading about what she finds (sustainable beauty! the benefits of natural plants! vibrational energy in products!) reinforced the need to simplify my routine, and try a new and more natural approach: oils.

I haven't looked back since. I now stock an arsenal of therapeutic skincare oils that I use to cleanse and moisturize my skin - which feels healthier these days than ever.  It's also the first tip that I passionately share with friends who are looking to shake up their beauty routine or find themselves frustrated by the look and feel of their skin, despite ongoing attention and spend.

Below are a few key oils and links to brands that I love and use. Many are widely available at a natural grocery store or online. I've also included a few tips on how I've found most effective use of them.

As a note, all skin is different. It's important to test out what works best and discontinue use if issues occur.

Favorite Skincare Oils

Kukui Nut Oil: The oil that started my journey, this one is extracted from the official tree of Hawaii and is filled with essential fatty acids. It's emollient and completely luscious for cleansing and when applied on body or face after a warm shower.

Rosehip Oil: Rosehips oil is amazing for giving dehydrated and dry skin a drink. Also full of fatty acids, this one is great for balancing combination skin. I use this one for moisturizing, rather than cleansing.

Jojoba Oil: Extracted from jojoba tree seeds (Simmondsia chinenis), jojoba is an excellent moisturizing oil, and one good for oily skin as wax ester (what it actually is) is extremely similar to human sebum (also known as the oil on your face). This one also absorbs nicely so I keep it in my gym bag to cleanse after exercising and showering.

Grapeseed Oil: Full of linoleic acid, grapeseed oil is a restorative one, and I've noticed it helps prevent clogging in pores. It's extremely light and skin-tightening, so I balance it with a more hydrating oil for cold dry days.

Sweet Almond Oil: Sweet almond is high in vitamins E, A, B1, B2, and B6. It's also an excellent massage and carrier oil, and gorgeous when used on the body or to enhance other oils on the face.

For cleansing, I prefer to splash my face with warm water and drop a small amount of my chosen oil into my hand. I then rub my hands together and apply to my face, always performing a facial massage for several minutes. I then get a small washcloth damp with warm water and use that to gentle massage my skin. After one final splash of water, I then massage my face until dry. That's right - I don't dry my skin with a towel.

For moisturizing, simply perform the same facial massage without water. If you plan on using makeup, let oil absorb for several minutes. Avoid use on eyes.

Mango and Golden Beet Smoothie

Last night, we returned from five glorious days off in Florida. It was a much needed break from a recent busy period and the epic winter we've been having here in Boston, and a great place to celebrate my love's thirtieth trip around the sun.  But there was one thing that was missing from our trip south: the sun.

Gloomy skies aside, we had a wonderful visit filled with quiet island adventures, meditative walks on the beach and some good vacation indulgence. We also had the pleasure of devouring delicious citrus in their natural locale. And now that I'm back, I'm craving more of those fruits and a return to my weekly health routine. 

This mango and golden beet smoothie is a variation on what typically makes up my daily breakfast: a blended mix of fruit and vegetables, nourishing powders and a mixture of seeds.

Beets are a wonderful detoxifying food, and in conjunction with mango, are filled with antioxidant-loaded carotenoids to help support eye health. Maca is a hormone-balancing root vegetable native to Peru and known to help boost fertility and control adrenal activity. These ingredients are combined with orange, raw sprouted protein, my hemp, chia, and flaxseed mix and immunity-boosting bee pollen to provide the right kind of sunny energy needed on a winter morning.

Mango and Golden Beet Smoothie

1 small banana, sliced

1/2 naval orange, peeled

1 small golden beet, peeled and diced

1/2 a mango, cubed

1 packet of raw protein powder (I prefer this kind)

1 tablespoon Maca powder

1 tsp hemp seed

1 tsp chia seed

1 tsp flaxseed

1 tsp bee pollen

Combine first six ingredients in blender, and top with water or preferred nut milk and 3-4 ice cubes. Blend until combined. Add in hemp, chia, flaxseed and bee pollen and pulse until combined. Drink immediately, or if storing, reserve seed and bee pollen mixture until serving, as they will absorb much of the liquid and thicken the smoothie.

Shedding Winter Skin

In four short days, we're trading our wool sweaters and boots for some sand and sea. And while I'm thrilled for a break from the snow, I truly can't wait to feel a little sun on my skin. Before I do this, however, some targeted exfoliation is in order.

On a weekly basis, there are three tools that I use to boost circulation, encourage cell turnover and slough off dead skin:

• A washcloth
• A good body brush
• May Lindstrom's "Clean Dirt" cleansing clay

On a daily basis, I cleanse my face with a variety of oils, and use a warm washcloth to gently remove before patting dry. Before showering, I also spend a few minutes dry brushing my entire body, in a circular motion and always upwards towards the heart, which helps remove dead skin cells and stimulate circulation. 

Several times a week, I also use May Lindstrom's "Clean Dirt" as part of my scrub routine. This divine product is a dry powder of clays, herbs, and spices which foams up when mixed with a few drops of water. Once combined, I paint onto my face and neck, let sit for an invigorating minute or two, and then gently massage for another two to three minutes before rinsing with warm water.

As you've likely noticed, I'm extremely passionate about my personal self-care rituals. I love researching, purchasing small-batch or single ingredient products, and combining to formulate my own potions. That being said, when I discover a company with values and ingredients that I can get truly get behind, I'm all in. May Lindstrom's line falls into this camp, and I've been equally impressed and obsessed with her line since discovering it last year. A true alchemist and artist, May's products were formulated through her own kitchen experimentation, and contain a wonderful mix of wild-crafted, organic, and consciously harvested ingredients.

While these are all elements that I support, what I love most about this line is that it encourages and celebrates the type of personal rituals that encourage overall wellness. I'm a firm believer in the magical power of feeling like you are taking good care of yourself, as mindful self-maintenance can better encourage overall health and self-esteem. Simple techniques like self-massage and aromatherapy lift your mood, lower cortisol levels, and promote good health and immunity. Combine them with a gentle scrub, and you've got yourself fresh skin and a nice routine.

For more on dry brushing, read more here. For May Lindstrom, click here.

Nourishing Winter Facial Steam

I love pampering.

The rituals of wellness are something that I inherited from my mother, a beautiful woman well-versed in the craft of holistic self-maintenance. Growing up, the casual mention of "needing to take care of myself," was a line I heard frequently, and began adopting myself as I got older.  Today, I generally use this phrase when life gets a little bit crazy, when I need to de-stress, or even as I'm looking to find balance before approaching a new week.

As a teenager, I was fortunate to be treated to the occasional facial, and in turn, experimented with many of the techniques I experienced at home. Steaming was one of these tactics, and as I've gotten older, have learned to appreciate as a great weekly delight, even if it's just done while boiling water for morning coffee. As a side bonus, it does one hell of a job clearing stuffed winter noses too.

Steaming, when performed periodically, is divine for boosting circulation, breaking up any dirt or debris in your pores, and plumping up your skin. The glow it imparts is nearly instantaneous, and when combined with nourishing and relaxing herbs, the relaxation experience is magnified.

Below is a recipe that I've used to bring a little warmth and love to my cold winter skin. It combines lavender and lemongrass, which are both awesomely antimicrobial and antibacterial, Vitamin C-packed dried rose hips, and chamomile, which soothes irritation and delivers calming vibes. After steaming, follow with a gentle facial massage for an extra-pampering boost.

Nourishing Winter Facial Steam

2 parts dried chamomile

1 part dried rose hips

1.5 parts dried lavender

1 part dried lemongrass

2-3 drops sweet orange essential oil

Combine the first four ingredients in a glass jar, and store in a cool place for use. When ready to steam, place a heaping handful of the mixed herbs into a pot and fill with several inches of water and 2-3 drops of sweet orange oil. Bring to a boil, and remove from heat. Drape a towel over your head, and allow the steam to fill the space for 5-7 minutes, inhaling deeply and taking cool air breaks as needed. When complete, rinse face with cold water and finish with a facial mask and/or facial massage.

Note: As with everything, steam in moderation, as overdoing it can damage and age skin. Also, steaming on extremely active acne can also have the opposite effect, so avoid during major breakouts.