If I could marry a salad it would be this one!

                   Coconut Quinoa and Kale with Nut-free Pesto 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed under running water in a fine mesh colander for a couple of minutes
• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1 cup filtered water
• 1 small bunch of kale, stems removed and leaves chopped,  (for a total of about 4 cups chopped kale)
• ½ small red onion, chopped
• 2 Tbs. coconut oil
• ⅓ cup large, unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted

Nut-free Basil & Cilantro Pesto

• 2 cups cilantro, packed
• 2 cups basil, packed
• ½ sunflower seeds
• 4 cloves garlic
• ½ cup olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• ½ lime, juiced (or more, to taste)
• pinch red pepper flakes, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup coconut milk and 1 cup filtered water, and bring to a boil. Add the quinoa, cover and simmer for 15 to 17 minutes, until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat, fluff with a fork and mix in the red onion. Cover and set aside.
2. Melt coconut oil in pan and add chopped red onion. Cooke on medium/low heat for about 15 minutes or until onions have caramelized (looking soft and have a LIGHT brownish color).
3. Add kale to food processor and blend until leaves are minced.
4. Add minced kale, onions, and quinoa to large bowl. Mix together. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. PESTO INSTRUCTIONS: Make the pesto: combine cilantro, basil, sunflower seeds, and garlic in a food processor. Start processing the mixture, and slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Season with salt, pepper, lime juice and red pepper flakes, all to taste, and blend well.
6. In a skillet over medium heat, toast the coconut flakes for a few minutes until golden and fragrant, stirring often. Top the salad with coconut flakes and serve warm.

*This salad would also be excellent with slices of avocado on the side!

*I served this quinoa salad over organic spinach leaves and added pan roasted garbanzo beans. I also served this salad with the pesto dressing on the side. It was delicious!!

Recipe adapted from www.cookieandkate.com  ( I LOVE THIS BLOG)

Who says it's too hot for soup?!

This is a soup both of my daughters enjoy. I use my food processor to mince the kale and/or collard greens just to avoid that "Ewww this soup has green stuff in it" comments. Happy slurping! 

Hearty Vegetable Stew

Yield: 8 bowls

Ingredients:

3 TB. Coconut oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

4 stalks organic celery, chopped

4 carrots, chopped

6 parsnips, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 (14.5-oz.) cans white beans, drained and rinsed

1 bay leaf

2 or 3 qt. vegetable stock

2 cup brussels sprouts, stems removed and cut in ½

2 bunches of kales and/or collard greens, stems removed

and chopped

1 large sprig of rosemary

Instructions:

1. In a large soup pot over medium heat, heat coconut oil.

2. Add yellow onion and celery, stir, and cook for 2 minutes.

3. Add carrots and parsnips, stir, and cook for 5 minutes. Add garlic,

white beans, and bay leaf, and stir for 1 minute.

4. Add vegetable stock until it covers ingredients by 1 inch. Bring to boil.

5. Add brussel sprouts and kale, along with more vegetable stock if necessary,

and bring to a boil.

6. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat, add rosemary, cover, and let sit for 15 minutes.

7. Remove rosemary and bay leaf, and serve.

*Recipe is from one of my FAVORITE go to books called the Conscious Cleanse.

You can't eat just one!!

I LOVE a good granola bar, but since my daughter Sloan is allergic to the ingredients in almost ALL granola bars available in stores I just make my own. Here is a delicious recipe that only takes about 15 minutes to create! 

Quick & Easy Allergy-Free Coconut Bars

Ingredients

§  2/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds, chopped in food processor

§  1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds, chopped in food processor

§  ½ cup coconut flakes

§  ¼ cup soy butter or seed butter (We LOVE Sneaky Chef no nut butter)

§  ¼ cup raw honey

§  ¼ cup dark chocolate 

§Pinch of sea salt

Instructions

1.     Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a 6x6 inch pan (or equivalent size), with parchment paper. You MUST use parchment paper otherwise the mixture will stick the pan while baking.

2.     Put seeds in food processor and blend till seeds are chopped.

3.     In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients together.

4.     Using another piece of parchment paper, flatten the mixture to evenly distribute.

5.     Bake for 15-20 minutes (check them around 12 minutes). Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes before slicing.

Sneaky Chef no nut butter: http://www.thesneakychef.com

Recipe adapted: www.loveandlemons.com

What do you think?

“Don’t say that!”

“Are you sure you know what you’re talking about?”

“Just let someone else handle it, you’re already doing too much!”

“I don’t want to make it a big deal.”

“Just let them think they’re right, but you know better…way better!”

“They don’t really need to hear what I have to say.”

“It’s not that important.”

Do you ever notice yourself keeping out of a conversation or situation because the tiny voice that runs like a river through your thoughts keeps you from doing so? So, that list above is me flushing out some of the things I’ve noticed I tell myself while I am out in the world “living” my life.

So here is what has shown up…this little voice is what keeps me safe. It keeps me looking good, in the right, feeling superior to others, and playing a really small game in life. Recently, someone requested that I take a look at where I discount myself and what it is costing me. Grrrrreeat!

At first I was totally resistant to the idea of this inquiry…no thanks! However, the seed was planted and I began to move through the next few days noticing how my automatic response in my head kept mouth shut in different areas in my life. It was a lot folks. I was glued to the thoughts that kept me safe and now I was in the midst of the inquiry “How do I own that I matter?” Here is a great example from last night:

On Wednesday evening in Baltimore, we had a powerful special evening about the Landmark Forum and I had two guests with me, my dad and my friend/past co-worker from my teaching days. I felt energized and totally connected to every one there. When we had an opportunity to introduce our guests in front of the room I was the first to raise my hand. I was on fire and totally unstoppable!

No way was I letting my internal dialogue sink its teeth into my aliveness baby!

A few minutes later people began to share at the front of the room what they had gotten out of their participation in this work and I wanted to contribute!

It was when someone shared about the profound and beautiful difference this work had on their marriage that I thought to myself, “Well, they don’t need to hear about ANOTHER transformed marriage. I’ll be redundant.” It was as if the flood gates had opened and in that moment I kept my hand in my lap. The truth is I was marinating in those two sentences for about 5 minutes (a long 5 minutes) until I realized what I was doing was keeping myself out of the game, out of the conversation, and definitely disconnected from contributing to others.

The beauty in noticing how I discounted myself and my contribution was that then I could make a choice. I could stay in my chair with my hands in my lap and there was nothing wrong with that OR I could raise my hand and stay true to what moves my heart and soul…to be and experience true aliveness!

So, I raised my hand and though I was not picked to share what I got was so much more! What I got was a new ability to notice when my internal state starts to be clouded by thoughts to keep me safe. It is in these moments of awareness that I then have the ability to choose powerfully who I want to be in that moment.