A magnificent life

Herbs can take whatever you make to the next level. Besides tasting so very good they also offer therapeutic benefits. We have a variety growing in the garden and indoors too. You can find heirloom and organic varieties at the Village Market or order them from Urban Harvest .

These are some of the herbs we love:

Thyme: Undispensable in French cuisine and exemplifying graceful elegance to the Greek, thyme has a strong, delicious herby taste. It is very effective for chest problems and supporting the immune system. It tastes so good in soups, salad dressings and just about any vegetable dish.

Mint: The original medicinal mint was spearmint. It is the variety we are growing. Mint is a flavor that almost everybody is familiar with. It is recommended for tonic purposes, arthritis, morning sickness and digestion. Wonderful in tabbouleh and home made lemonade.

Basil: Mmmm… Basil always reminds me of Italy where I first had it. I probably use more basil than any other herb. Although identified with the Mediterranean cuisine, basil is a native of India where it is regarded as a sacred herb. Basil is yummy in pesto, with any tomato dish, lasagne and soups.

My son tends to our herbs with much love and for sure we can taste the difference.

This is a Pate I made last week and really enjoyed. When tomato season comes around buy tomatoes in bulk and dehydrate your own.  They taste so good.  You will need a lot of tomatoes though. They shrink a lot. Of course you can grow your own too. Mine just never produce enough so I am glad to get them from the organic farmer’s market.

1 cup sun dried tomatoes, soaked for a few hours

1/2 cup fresh tomatoes

1/2 cup walnuts, soaked

1/4 cup basil

2 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp curry powder

Salt to taste

Blend everything in the food processor. If you do not have one you can try the blender or a hand blender.

I enjoyed the Pate on cucumber slices and loved it spread on collard leaves and wrapped up. You can add olives, cucumber, avocadoes etc. to the wrap as well. It is so quick to make and can be stored in the fridge for a few days.

Enjoy.

Celebrating Mums everywhere. Being a Mum is one of the most rewarding role of my life. I dedicate this day to my Mum and my children and to Mums and children all over the world. My favorite song on being a Mum is Martina McBride’s song: In my daughter’s eyes. Here are the lyrics to the song:

In my daughter’s eyes I am a hero
I am strong and wise and I know no fear
But the truth is plain to see
She was sent to rescue me
I see who I wanna be
In my daughter’s eyes

In my daughter’s eyes everyone is equal
Darkness turns to light and the
world is at peace
This miracle God gave to me
gives me strength when I am weak
I find reason to believe
In my daughter’s eyes

And when she wraps her hand
around my finger
Oh it puts a smile in my heart
Everything becomes a little clearer
I realize what life is all about

It’s hangin’ on when your heart
has had enough
It’s giving more when you feel like giving up
I’ve seen the light
It’s in my daughter’s eyes

In my daughter’s eyes I can see the future
A reflection of who I am and what will be
Though she’ll grow and someday leave
Maybe raise a family
When I’m gone I hope you see how happy
she made me
For I’ll be there
In my daughter’s eyes

Happy Mother’s day. Take time today and everyday to cherish all that you contribute to the world.

Truly, madly, deeply loving yoga. It is helping me immensely with some turbulences right now. Is it just me or is there a major planetary shift?

Here is a beautiful piece from Yoga teacher Shiva Rea:

Embodying the Flow:

I

I had mentioned Abhyanga in my post on Slowing down. Abhyanga  is an Ayurveda  massage with oil. Abhyanga literary means to run or stroke one´s hand all over, all around the body in a gentle manner.

The oils detoxify as well as protect and nourish the body. The Sanskrit word sneha means both “oil” and “love,” and the effects of abhyanga are similar to the effect of saturation with love. Both experiences can give a deep feeling of stability, warmth and comfort.

Abhyanga nourishes the skin, and gradually the tissues beneath. With habitual use of this technique, each of the dhatus is replenished. Dhatus are the 7 levels of bodily tissue that create the structure and make the functioning of bodily systems possible. On a slightly deeper level, physical and psychological tensions are eased. Abhyanga is recommended in Ayurveda as part of the daily ritual for wellness. It is recommended to do it in the morning 10-15 minutes before your shower. Massaging just your feet and scalp will benefit your whole body if you cannot do your whole body. The oils can be warmed by placing the amount you need in a little container and putting this in another container with hot water. Essential oils can be added according to body type.

Benefits of Abhyanga

• Improves the complexion,
• Makes the skin glow and prevents dry and rough skin,
• Promotes better skin texture,
• Improves blood circulation,
• Pacifies the skin affections,
• Improves physical strength and stamina,
• Improves muscle strength and bulk,
• Improves the nervous system. thereby preventing nervous disorders,
• Improves digestion,
• Relieves constipation,
• Prevents aging

Oils recommended for the massage are sesame, olive and coconut.

US researchers from the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, report, that people with the highest  blood levels of Vitamin K have the lowest risk of Arthritis in the hands and knees. Here are their top 10 Vitamin K food sources:

1. Kale

2. Collards

3. Spinach

4. Turnips greens

5. Beets greens

6. Dandelion Greens

7. Mustard Greens

8. Brussels sprouts

9. Broccoli

10. Spring Onions

Drink your Green Smoothies, eat your salads and stay healthy and strong.

It has been a while since my last post. I have had an urge to reorganize my life with my main focus being to slow down. I do not have to do it all. I love everything I do but I have noticed my tendency to overdo things. So the last few weeks have been wonderful as I continue to simplify, slow down and live a mindful life.

Here are some of the things that I love doing: Many of the habits are not new but are done more consciously now.

Sleep early, wake up early 

Greeting the new day

Abhyanga - more in another post

Sun Salutions

Walking my daughter to school instead of driving

Drinking and eating more mindfully, without distractions and with love and gratitude

Herbal teas with grounding spices

Calming activities before bedtime

Prayers, visualizations, blessings

A rhythm to my day and more rituals of appreciation for the gift of life

Peace and Blessing to all. 


One of the most popular supplements I have seen my clients take is Omega 3. Most people are aware of the benefits of this group of  essential fatty acids due to plenty of media attention. It is excellent for heart, brain and mood function. It is now added to many packaged foods like milk, eggs and juice. Everyone benefits from taking it: babies, children, men, women, seniors, athletes and body builders. Omega 3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory, protect the body from pollution as well as helping the body detox oil soluble toxins.

The major omega-3 fatty acids are:

• ALA, (alpha) linolenic acid
• EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid
• DHA, docosahexaenoic acid

Alpha linolenic acid (ALA) is the only essential omega-3 fatty acid because our bodies can convert ALA into others such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). There is a wealth of scientific data that suggests the conversion rate of ALA to DHA is only in the region of 4-15%. There are, however, other conditions where this conversion is inefficient to non-existent. For example, infants and people with certain enzyme deficiencies cannot efficiently convert ALA to EPA.

Udo Erasmus, Author of Fats that heal and Fats that kill, however mentions that it is a lack of good quality plant fats that effects this conversion in the first place.  

Most omega 3 supplements are fish based. We do have a great choice of unpolluted plant source omega-3 fatty acids that also supply other super nutrients like lignans, protein, antioxidants and more.

Flax seeds

Hemp seeds

Pumpkin seeds

Chia

Walnuts

Green leafy vegetables

Marine algae (excellent source of DHA)

You can make a vast array of really delicious food with the above sources. It is really easy to get your Omega 3 from plant sources.

I LOVE smoothies. I drink a variety of several ones. One of my current favorite is a smoothie that looks muddy brown but tastes fantabulous.

1/3 - 1/2 pineapple

1-2 oranges

1 container President’s choice organics Italian Salad mix (142 gr)

A piece of ginger

7 mint leaves

3/4 cup water

Blend. Drink and feel your cells jump with super joy.

The Italian Salad mix is a blend of baby romaine, frisee and radicchio. No other greens or salad blend makes it taste quite like this blend. You might try Earthbound’s Field Mix. May your heart sing whichever way you make it.