Tea Time

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and what it stands for. tea time

Rituals are so sweet.  They keep me tethered while life happens.

Edible rituals can be a delight.  As the temperature drops I often crave a hot cup tea or a beautifully crafted cappuccino, usually paired with some kind of sweet treat.

I woke up Sunday morning and wanted that comfy ritual, so I went to a cafe and ordered a cappuccino and a chocolate croissant.  With my treats in front of me – I opened my journal and I realized I didn’t even want the coffee or croissant.

I wanted what they represented instead:  leisure, relaxation, idle time, & indulgence – all so i could contemplate.

I drank the cappuccino, had a few bites of the flaky, buttery pastry, wrote in my white moleskin, and then hit the pavement – with a wrapped up half eaten chocolate croissant in my purse – onto the next thing.  I was hungry for more time in that cafe, not necessarily for the treats they serve.

It was interesting to realize do I actually want what I am eating – or what it represents? Could I access that feeling in a different way?

Some examples: Do I want the freedom that exists in a bottle of beer or the irresponsibility that lies in between the crust & cheese of the pizza pie?  Or can I find that elsewhere?  Do I need the comfort of rich & creamy vanilla ice-cream – or would a call home, a snuggle, or hug do the trick?

Not to say cappuccinos & croissants, pizza, beer, and ice-cream are no longer in my future.  For that would be a bleak future indeed.  Instead I will tune into what it is I really want.  And in the meantime  create space for tea parties with friends, foamy cappuccinos in solitude, delectable pastries, with circular conversations, journals open, and hearts wide receiving the warmth.

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Be Smart

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We all have a pretty good sense about what we should and shouldn’t eat for our health and wellness.  Eat more vegetables, eat less potato chips.  Drink water, forget the soda.   Cook real food, forget the packaged stuff.  So then why is it so hard?

Maybe we need more information, or to look more closely at our habits and what they are telling us, or maybe there is something bigger in our life that is calling for our attention and disguising as overeating, undereating, etc.  There can be a lot of reasons, and as a health coach I work with my clients to get to the root of what’s working and what’s not working.

A few months ago I was featured on bSmart and had my very first video interview.  Skip ahead to 3:22 to hear about primary foods and how they can impact the choices you are making with your food.

You’ll see my eyes are blue, I permanently tilt my head (because that’s just the way I was made), and I had a pimple – blast!  But I hope you gain some insight as to what it means to be well fed.

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Oats, Apples, & Cookies

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As the crisp fall air replaces the summer ease, I’ve been switching up what I’ve been putting on my plate.  Apples have replaced summer berries, basil & corn have taken a seat to sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and squash – and oatmeal has reappeared into my regular routine.  Oh and cinnamon is generously sprinkled on many, many things – with gusto.

I feel more aligned and at ease when I eat what the season has to offer, it creates this subtle shift.  When I eat seasonally I can smoothly transition into the new space and pace of nature, rather than wanting and wishing what was (although that happens occasionally).  My body expects and welcomes the new seasonal food.  It’s grounding, warming, and comforting.  I find myself craving these fall findings – and unable to have enough apples.

I have been LOVING oats & apples in all it’s many forms.  In bowls or mason jars – depending on the amount of time I have to get out the door.  Here is a simple recipe you can incorporate into your weeks to make a great breakfast or even mid-morning or afternoon snack:

Steel Cut Oats with Toasted Apples & Pecans:

Steel Cut Oats

steel cut oats to stay

* Make a batch of steel cut oats (boil 4 cups of water then add 1 cup of oats and cook uncovered on low for 30 minutes OR add 1 cup of oats to 4 cups of water – stir and let sit for a minute, then cover and put in fridge overnight!) * this will give you about 3-4 servings for the week.

* Toast toppings:  Add a little butter or coconut oil to a warm pan and add cut up apples & pecans (feel free to add dried cranberries, cherries, or raisins here), stir, add cinnamon + perhaps a touch of maple syrup.

Prepare in bowl and sit and enjoy, or add to mason jar and plop in bag – I layered my to go oats by filling the jar halfway with oats + topping with cinnamon, maple syrup, and toasted treats – then repeat.

steel cut oats to go

steel cut oats to go

Of course this is only the beginning.  Top and taste according to what your boy wishes.

Then of course there was and will always be COOKIES.  As much as I am a cookie monster, I try and seek out healthy recipes with unprocessed sugar, good quality flour, and relatively little ingredients.  Here is what I found: click link or picture for recipe from Real Food Real Deals, they were really quite tasty.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

Doesn’t it all just look like fall?  Browns and oranges gently resting on the ground.  What are your favorite fall treats?  Would LOVE to hear.

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