Visions In Paradise

Time police

2011-06-10T23:45:00.001-05:00

It' has been a long time since I visited this space. There are so many blog post that I have written (in my head that is) and have not posted.

My perception of time has been changing - I feel like time is speeding up and I can not catch up despite my best efforts. Unfortunately, there is no time police around. It could have been nice if there is someone who can pull Time over and show it the book of traffic rules or give it a ticket for speeding.

Slow down, Time. I desire to savor each second as a rare and unique experience. And in doing so, I am going to follow my urge to capture more of it with my camera and share all the little moments that make life taste so sweet.

This is a picture Tanya drew on Monday. The colorful image makes visualizing our future so much easier - a tropical island in the back yard? Yes, Universe, I will take that!

1.11.11

2011-01-11T23:11:00.021-06:00

It is a new beginning.

1.11.2011.

Eleven brings the gift of spiritual inheritance. It is the number of the Light within all.

It is only when we silent the blaring sounds of our daily existence
that we can finally hear the whispers of truth that life reveals to us,
as it stands knocking on the doorsteps of our hearts.
...~K.T. Jong

I am learning to be more present on my path. To savor every. single. moment. For all I have is now.

Inspired by Pipi

2010-06-25T23:55:00.012-05:00

We started reading our first chapter book - Pipi Longstoking. Tanya enjoys it tremendously. I enjoy it even more!

Inspired by Pipi's breakfast, every morning for the last few days, I have been making a special "coffee" for Tanya on her request. Today she asked for a pancake to go with her coffee. Not just any pancake though. It had to be one that has been thrown in the air and caught on a plate! I did my best to not stick it on the ceiling or turn it into a mess. She ate three of those pancakes (!!!) spread with honey and rolled up.

(this photo was taken while holding a squirming baby brother, who was at the end of his tether,

so the focus is far from perfect)

The "coffee" is made with almond milk, cacao, sprouted brown rice protein, vanilla bean powder, noni powder (I just have to sneak some superfood in whatever I make ;) and sweetened with honey.

Tanya came up with this ingenious outfit all by herself using two different pairs of my socks!

We went for an afternoon walk around the block.

While trying to leap across a wide patch of grass but couldn't quite make it to the other side, Tanya said:
"I will keep practicing and when I grow up a little bit more, at around 65, I will jump over it." :-)

Next on our reading list is my childhood all time favorite book - Ronia, the Robber's Daughter. Oh, how I love this story book! I used to imagine myself as the leading character (after all, Sonya rhymes with Ronia!). I have read this book countless times when I was little, that it feels an integral part of my childhood and who I am today. When we start reading it, it will be interesting to see if the magic spell the book has had over me is still as powerful as I remember.

Z34 galore

2010-06-23T23:28:00.002-05:00

A healthy treat/desert/snack does not get any simpler than these little sweets.

They are a delightful indulgence to the taste buds when something sweeter and more decadent is required :) They are super fast to make and kids will enjoy helping measuring, shaping balls and rolling them up.

Selenium has an atomic number Z=34 on the periodic table - hence the name of this recipe ;-)

The richest dietary source of selenium is the Brazil nut. Selenium is considered to be part of the group of heart healthy compounds called antioxidants. It works with proteins in the body to make antioxidant enzymes. Antioxidants are known for their ability to prevent cellular damage. These helpful compounds may reduce the risk of heart disease and some (breast and pancreatic) cancers. Selenium also plays a role in the proper functioning of the thyroid gland.

So here is another one of our favorite recipes:

Z34 galore

1 heaping cup brazil nuts
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup dry cherries
1/2 cup packed chopped up dates
pinch of Himalayan pink salt
1 Tbsp mesquite
1 Tbsp carob powder

Ground the brazil nuts with pinch of salt in a food processor into a fine powder. Add the raisins and process again. Add the dry cherries and dates and process some more until all dry fruit is broken down to tiny pieces and the mixture starts to stick together. In a small bowl mix 1 Tbsp mesquite and 1 Tbsp carob. With your hands form balls and roll them up in the mesquite/carob mixture until well covered. Place the Z34 galore balls on a pretty plate and watch them disappear being gobbled up in no time.

For the rolling of the sweet little balls in the mesquite/carob mixture I have found it the easiest when done in pairs. I take a small plastic container, add the powders, put two balls in

and start rolling them around by making circle movements with the hand that I am holding the bowl with.

Because of the friction of the two balls they get great powder coverage that actually stays on and does not rub off later on.

Enjoy!

Six is a mix

2010-06-21T23:49:00.002-05:00

This expression has been on your face for the most part of the last month.

The last month has been a mix. Lots of changes - you transitioned from an observer to an explorer. Lots of mixed feelings on mommy's part - worry, happiness, confusion, joy, exhaustion, love ... sometimes experiencing everything all at once.

Few highlights:

- you are a master at rolling (mostly toward your left side). It takes you no time to roll over from one side of the bed to the other. You landed on the floor twice (so sorry, dear one!!!) even though surrounded with a fort of pillows. It happened at night, when you were sleeping and mommy was working on the computer downstairs. She knew right away what's that tumbling sound from the second floor. Mommy was flying over the stairs with her heart at her heels before you even started crying, which happened right away. You were on your back on the floor with hands and legs flailing in the air and crying from the top of your lungs. Mommy scooped you up and held you tight whispering softly in your ear until you stopped crying. After a careful check of your limbs, head and body, mommy rocked you gently in her arms and kissed you until her own heart stopped its galloping madness. Since then you are never left alone on the bed.

- you have been having an upset stomach for the last month. A whole month! And it has not gotten away completely yet.That got mommy very worried! Before week two we saw a doctor and it turned out you have a lactose intolerance. No more dairy for mommy (not that she had much of it anyway). Spirulina gives you tummy-ache as well. All that indigestion got mommy questioning her food choices. That is a post on itself though.

- we have worked out a daily rhythm (one that is constantly evolving ;) - feedings and nap times are much easier this way. Yey!!!

- you practice sitting.

- you are mama's personal hair-undresser. No matter the tightness of the pony-tail you always manage to pull strands off of it. And you end up with few hairs tangled between your fingers that have to be pulled right away or they end up in your mouth.

- everything you can get your hands on gets tested for chewability ... and it usually gets big thumbs up.

- more teething and lots of drooling.

- your big sister always wants to hug and kiss you and she makes you laugh out loud so hard it makes mama laugh too :) She includes you in her pretend play already - you have already been a knight, a prince, a dog, a turtle, Charlie (from Charlie and Lola), Tommy (from Pipi Longstocking) and many more.

- your personality begins to unfold :)

- you make lots of sounds and explore new ones constantly. When tired and demanding attention, bird like high pitched sound is your brand mark. And when you know you are about to nurse you squeal in absolute delight that makes mama smile!

We love you little one! Every day is more joyfully blissful because of you!

Hero

2010-06-14T23:48:00.000-05:00

I have always felt a very special connection with music.
I used to take piano lessons when I was a kid. And I love to sing.
At solfeggio, the teacher always let me go home first, because my beat time was great (where is that skill now?!) and I read notes with ease.
If I can go back in time and re-live my life, the only thing I would change would be those piano lessons. I would have kept playing the piano and practiced. Practiced and persisted. Persisted and perfected.

Sometimes when a song touches the strings of my core, when it speaks to my very soul, I get chills all over my body. Time stops. My heart opens up wider and I feel one. With all. I am home.

"Hero" could very well be the soundtrack of my life right now. Now and always. That yearning for freedom, the fierce search for meaning, the painful metamorphose into the best possible you, the surrendering...
Again and again.
Because change is the only constant.
And heart is where the home is.

<a href="http://badassjackson.bandcamp.com/track/hero-20-feat-holly-brook">Hero 2.0 (feat. Holly Brook) by badassjackson</a>

You can listen to more music from the amazing songwriter/singer Natalie Avakian here.

Photography by OOmnia

Babies

2010-05-28T22:34:00.002-05:00

The way other cultures raise their babies, has always been so fascinating to me. I can not wait to see this film on DVD.

xoxo

Conversation on growing

2010-05-22T22:32:00.007-05:00

Today was a beauty-full day.
Lots of singing, pretend play, a couple of long walks around the block, hugs and kisses.

Conversation between Tanya and I, right before bed time.

"Mama, I am sooooo happy I am still little."
"I am even happier because you are still little!"
"Am I going to be a mommy?"
"Well, yes, Dear. One day you will be a mommy."
"Are you going to be a grandma then?"
"Yes, I will be a grandma to your kiddies."
"No, mama! No! I do not ever want you to be grandma!" - tears on the brim of her eyes, ready to spill over...
"I will always be your mama, my Dear. Do not be afraid. Your mama. Always! It is a promise."
"OK, but I will not be in a hurry to grow up. Just in case."

She is sleeping now. As I write this, the tears in my eyes freely spill over...

Date on a plate

2010-05-19T22:28:00.002-05:00

I got these super juicy beauties the other day

and with the abundance of avocado from last week

they just had to go out on a date on a white plate

This is what a summer meal is all about - fresh and juicy, grounding and satiating, simple, vibrant and elegant.

Avocado and mango look and taste great together. With the help of some poppy seeds and dry cranberries they become a piece of art on a plate.

Want to make some for yourself? Here is how:

one big juicy mango (or two small ones) - peel and slice to bite-sized pieces
one avocado - peel and slice as desired
arrange them on a plate
juice 1/2 a lime over them
add few drops of olive oil and/or agave
sprinkle some poppy seeds
top with few dry cranberries
share with a loved one
m-m-m-m-m

Fly through our door

2010-05-17T23:03:00.000-05:00

A lot of this has been going on in the last few days

Little Dove is teething.
When no amount of singing, dancing, holding, chewing or nursing helps, we head outside.

Today, as I opened the kitchen door, pressed the button for the garage door to lift and put the car-seat in the stroller, a flying thing came through the door, flew past me and hit the glass door on the back of the kitchen. And hit it hard. Again and again. Feathers flying around. The sound of the little body painfully hitting the glass door was echoing in my own bones.
I low scream was stuck in my throat.

I left the kitchen door wide open as well as the garage door. Gabriel and I went to pick up the mail. Few minutes later the little bird flew out of the house and landed on the roof of the house across the street. Right next to a couple of her worried feathery friends. There were few moments of loud warbling. At that moment I was fluent in bird language - I could hear and feel the relief and the joy of the newly found freedom.
"If you only knew how scared I was. How fast my heart was beating and how every beat was jolting my body through the tips of my feathers. How devastated I felt when trying to fly toward the sky but could not." - the bird warbled.
"Oh, my!", "Oh, dear!" - the others tweeted back.

We went on our walk. As my own heart was slowing down, I was thinking: What did just happen? More accurately: Why did it happen?
I believe there are no accidents - everything happens for a reason. So what did the bird was a sign for? What did that flying force wanted me to pay attention to?

The glass door right in front of me.

Determent to try as hard as possible to go through something there is no way of going through, we settle for the pain and think we should try harder, do more, bear a little longer. But is that the right way? Is that honoring to ourselves? Why are we afraid to turn around?
The answer may be in the exact opposite direction. Freedom and joy may be waiting for us there so we can tweet to our friends: "If you only knew how scared I was. How fast my heart was beating..."

Is there a glass door that keeps you from reaching the sky?

Green silk

2010-05-14T23:50:00.000-05:00

I got some organic avocados from my local produce store yesterday. I could not believe my eyes when I saw the sale sign - 2 bags (4 avocados in each) for $3! Yey!!!

I immediately knew what some of them will turn into when I get home

It is creamy, smooth, tangy and sweet treat for children of all ages.
Green avocado silk. Truly!

While I was making it, snapping photos and admiring it's luminous green beauty, a certain someone was waiting impatiently

Are you as excited to try it?
Here is the recipe:

Green Silk

2-3 limes (they are ripe and should be used when the skin gets yellowish)
2-3 avocados (depending on the size)
1/4 cup agave
1/4 tsp alcohol free vanilla extract
a pinch of salt*

In a powerful blender put the pitted and peeled avocados, lime juice, agave, vanilla and salt. Blend until smooth and delicious.

* I always add a small pinch of salt to deserts and sweets. I find the salt opening the flavor to a whole different taste buds experience.

Did you know that technically the avocado is a fruit?

Avocados are best purchased firm and allowed to sit out and soften until they yield to gentle pressure. Once ripe, they must be refrigerated.

Avocados are rich in mineral elements that regulate body functions and stimulate growth. Some of them being iron and copper which aid in red blood cell regeneration and the prevention of nutritional anemia. Avocados are very valuable sources of organic fat and protein. As a regular part of your diet, they will improve hair and skin quality as well as sooth the digestive tract.

Although acidic to the taste, limes have a strong alkaline reaction on the body. They are an outstanding source of vitamin C and are used for fevers, to dissolve gallstones, to aid digestion and more.

Mamas, prepare yourself to be amazed how quickly the bowl gets licked clean! And your heart will sing with joy, knowing how healthy this desert is and how nourishing to their little bodies.

A kiss for my babe

2010-05-11T23:19:00.004-05:00

She is sleeping.
The light is off.
The sheet tucked in,
the hair - stroked.
The cheek is kissed.
For the very last time as a three-year-old.

Tomorrow she will be four.

Vision is blurred.
Cheeks - wet.
Throat is choked.
Prayer said
for this young life entrusted to us.
Love unconditional
infinite
tender caress.

Few moments of reflection.
Breathing in a sweet exhale.

A life full of possibilities.
A world in a dream.

Coloring the space of love

2010-05-08T17:33:00.001-05:00

Please remember to breathe while reading the poem below! It did left me breathless.
Read it. Feel it!
And when you wipe the tears off go and do some coloring with your little one(s). Today and every day from now on! After all you will be coloring not only the black and white page of a child's notebook but the space of love - your heart and theirs.

To My Grown-Up Son or Daughter

by Alice E. Chase

My hands were busy through the day,
I didn’t have much time to play
The little games you asked me to,
I didn’t have much time for you.

I’d wash your clothes; I’d sew and cook,
But when you’d bring your picture book
And ask me, please, to share your fun,
I’d say, “A little later, hon.”

I’d tuck you in all safe at night,
And hear your prayers, turn out the light,
Then tiptoe softly to the door,
I wish I’d stayed a minute more.

For life is short, and years rush past,
A little boy grows up so fast,
No longer is he at your side,
His precious secrets to confide.

The picture books are put away,
There are no children’s games to play,
No goodnight kiss, no prayers to hear,
That all belongs to yesteryear.

My hands once busy, now lie still,
The days are long and hard to fill,
I wish I could go back and do,
The little things you asked me to.

Donut holes heaven

2010-05-07T23:48:00.002-05:00

My in-laws came today to spend the weekend with us.

I went to Trader Joe's yesterday and was still trying to decide what dessert should I make for them, when I saw dry pineapple on the very bottom shelf by the dry fruits and nuts and I new right away - Donut holes by Ani Phyio.

These are good!

Insanely good!

Super easy to make and much healthier than the gluten-full, sugar-loaded namesake.

The recipe is from the fabulous Ani Phyio's book Ani's Raw Food Kitchen. I adore this book. It is filled with tips and trick on eating and living healthy and sustainable. A friend of mine wanted me to get her a book on raw food. There are so many available but I chose this one because it really is a great book for someone who is new to this way of eating. The tone of the book, the layout, the recipes are so thoughtfully chosen and very inspirational.

The pretty ingredients:

The mixture:

The final result:

The recipe:

Dreaming About Donut Holes
by Ani Phyio

1 3/4 cups almonds
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 vanilla bean, scraped
2 cups dried pineapple, soaked until soft, chopped
2 cups pitted dates
1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup shredded coconut

In a food processor place almonds, salt and vanilla. Process into a fine powder first. Slowly add chopped pineapple and dates, mix well. Place in a large bowl. Mix in 1/3 cup shredded coconut.

To serve, use an ice cream scooper or spoon to form into donut holes. Roll holes in 1/4 cup shredded coconut.

********

I just used my hands instead of an ice cream scooper to form the donut holes. The mixture needs to be pressed well into a ball to stick together. The dry pineapple is unbelievably good in this recipe. I love the fact that there is no added sweetener besides the dry fruits. You can't go more natural than this. The quantity of the recipe yielded about 36 super yummy donut holes. They keep well for over a week in the fridge but they never make it to day three at our house.

Wisdom nuggets

2010-05-06T22:20:00.005-05:00

Wisdom from a 4-month-old

The sign language for "Mama, you may have to buy me a toothbrush earlier than you thought. Another tooth is cutting through." is stuffing both fists in a mouth until you gag.

Teething, while mama is frantically trying to get the house in something resembling order because the grandparents are coming tomorrow, is not fun. You may have to be left on a bed, sling, play gym complaining while mama is moving around waaaaaaay too fast to feel comfortable.

Calming down when teething is mission impossible if not in mama's arms.

Big sisters act with too much color and too many words. My sister entertains me for a while then she decides she needs to wear a different dress. She comes back wearing the new dress and a hat. With a feather! And a boa!! She entertains me some more until she needs to put on more of her lip gloss and a different pair of dress-up heels. And she uses the "f" word a lot - f.u.c.h.s.i.a. What kind of language is that? Certainly not one I speak.

Chocolate parfait

2010-05-04T23:17:00.003-05:00

This is what I made with the coconut meat and water from yesterday's post

When I was pregnant with my second child I was craving this daily for a month! Cacao is a great superfood for pregnant women because it is an exceptional source of magnesium, iron and antioxidants. I have read somewhere that babies born from mothers who had cacao in their prenatal diet, have happier predisposition.

So here is the recipe to make this super yummy and healthy cacao coconut melt-in-your-mouth delight:

Chocolate parfait

1 or 2 young coconuts. Depending on the maturity and the size of the coconuts you will need about 1 cup tightly packed coconut meat and about 1/3 to 2/3 cup coconut water.
1-2 Tbsp coconut butter
1/4 cup agave (or maple syrup, or combination of both, or other sweetener of choice)
1/4 cup cacao
1 Tbsp. alcohol free vanilla extract or 1/4 tsp. vanilla beans
pinch of Himalayan pink salt or I used a dropper full of Oceans Alive

Open your young coconut. Pour the water out and scoop up the meat. Put everything in a powerful blender* and blend well until smooth. Taste test and adjust if you need to by adding more agave (if you prefer it sweeter) or cacao (if you want it to have a deeper chocolaty flavor). Transfer in two big or three small pretty glasses or bowls. Put the glasses with the chocolate parfait in the fridge to set for a couple of hours. Decorate them. Then take a pretty spoon, sit on your favorite place, have a spoonful of chocolate parfait, close your eyes and imagine all the beautiful places the ingredients of this recipe have come from. Enjoy!

When I was done blending and transferring the chocolate parfait in the glasses I had some of it left in the blender

This is so good I didn't want to wash it away so I added one banana, some water, a heaping tablespoon hemp seeds, 1/2 teaspoon Crystal Manna** and a bit more agave. I blended it all up and it became a wonderful smoothie for Tanya.

Crystal Manna** is a wild blue-green algae harvested from the pristine waters of Upper Klamath Lake in Oregon. It is my algae of choice because it is very gentle on the taste buds yet full of vitamins, minerals, trace elements, enzymes, essential fatty acids and more. Plus it is just pretty to look at

This is from the bottle I got last year. It looks like fairy dust and that is what we call it at our house :) When Tanya wants a toast with Veganese it gets sprinkled with fairy dust. When she eats an organic boiled egg, it comes with some fairy dust on the side. I try to sneak it in her food so she can have some every day. Crystal Manna supports healthy immune system, brain development, digestion and more.

Isn't that beautiful?

It is the Crystal Manna I got few weeks ago. Same bottle. Same company. Two totally different looks. This is the power of Nature. No two things are identical. The crystals vary in shape and color depending on the yield of algae.

Here are the two side by side

*This is my blender or choice. It has 2 horsepower motor. The blades turn at 240 miles per hour! The tamper it comes with is very handy when trying to make something of a thinker consistency super smooth. I have one of those blenders and I use it daily, few times per day. It is hands down the most used equipment in the house. It is worth every penny! The Raw Food World usually have a 7% off coupon in their newsletter.

Give this chocolate parfait a try

You will be in love!

Nuts about coconuts

2010-05-03T21:15:00.003-05:00

I love close up photography! Everything looks so abstract.

The above picture shows the inside of a young coconut. One that looks just like that on the outside:

and like that in nature

Young coconuts are just that - the younger version of the brown hairy coconuts we all have seen at the grocery store. Most of the time the green outer shell is cut off before they are shipped from the Tropics. The green or young coconuts can be found in the produce section of health food stores or in Asian markets.
Coconuts in their young stage of growth are most health enhancing. The coconut is a natural water filter. The water travels through many fibers up the tree being purified and it is stored away sterile in the nut itself.
The young coconut water is a wonderful drink (kids love it too!) - it tastes sweet, it is full of electrolytes, enzymes and it has abundance of minerals. An interesting fact is that coconut water is identical to human blood plasma (plasma makes up to 55% of human blood). So by drinking young coconut water we give ourselves an instant blood transfusion.

Because coconut water is quite sweet, it raises the blood sugar level. If you are concerned about that a better way to consume it is by fermenting it to coconut kefir. That is a great liquid to add to a vegan, raw vegan, someone who is allergic to dairy or anyone's diet to get the benefits of a fermented probiotic food without the animal factor as in yogurt. Some of the benefits of coconut kefir are: better digestion, cleansing the liver, eases aches and joint pains, increases energy.

Here is my way of opening a young coconut.

I hold the coconut in my left hand ( I am right-handed, if you are not, it may be easier for you to switch hands)

With the sharp edge close to the handle of my chef knife I hit the coconut quite hard

and rotate and strike the coconut few times until I end up with something resembling a hexagon

As you can see the knife goes into the coconut quite deep. I hit the shell with force so the knife can go through it. I should really buy a cleaver because it is stronger and heavier making the job easier but for now the chef knife works great too.

Then I lift the cut hexagon on top of the coconut and you can see the "meat"

and the water inside.

Then I pour the coconut water in my blender through a strainer.

I slide a spoon between the coconut shell and the "meat"

and I go all the way around on the inside of the coconut with the spoon scooping the meat out.

The coconut meat should be white in color and soft, sometimes even jello like (depending on the maturity of the coconut). If it is pink or gray it should be discarded. The same applies for the coconut water - if appears pinkish or grayish do not use it.

So here is the coconut meat scraped from the inside of the shell

and scooped out on a plate.

I wash the coconut meat in a strainer under running water to remove any pieces left from the shell.

And voila!

Perfectly wonderful and super delicious coconut meat and water ready to be used in a yummy recipe.

And that is what I am going to share tomorrow - a winner of a recipe. And if you know me, you will be pretty sure it involves cacao, transforming this white substance into a creamy, chocolaty I-can-not-believe-there-is-no-dairy delight.

A first as a four

2010-05-02T20:43:00.002-05:00

We went to Brookfield Zoo today.
This was our first long outing as a family of four!
It was awesome - the weather, the green-ness, the togetherness.
I could have used less of the crowd factor though.

So here are few photos from today:

My little tree-hugger!

Hubby and I photographed by Tanya.

And a great quote

Cutting through

2010-05-01T22:58:00.002-05:00

Gabriel's first tooth cut through today!

We went upstairs when he woke up around 2 p.m, I held him over the bathroom sink (we practice EC) so he can do his after-nap-business (which he did! Good boy!!) and I put the diaper back on him. I washed my hands while he was trying to fit both fists in his mouth with such ferociousness, I decided to take a look just to make sure there are no teeth in sight. What a surprise it was when I saw the wavy hard surface cutting through a reddened gum (bottom left)! My dear Little Dove! In such a hurry to grow up.

How can one be so excited over such a little thing while feeling endless sadness for the no longer bare baby gums?
I was doing my best at ignoring the signals - constant drooling, chewing fingers and even a feeling of warmer to the touch skin. He is only 4 months old so I thought he is immune to have his teeth so early. His big sister got her first tooth at 7 1/2 months. He has been such a brave little boy - no other change in behavior besides the mentioned above.
In the late afternoon he got fussier than normal but I took him for a walk around the block and he was content again.

Happy first tooth, Little Dove! We love you!

From the chef

2010-04-29T22:46:00.002-05:00

The very first time I had raw kale, was in this recipe.

And I loved it!
I loved it so much that I had it every day for a week. After that I did not make that salad for few months but that is another story.
I printed out the recipe and put it in my special "Yummy!!! Make it again!" recipe folder. You will see many of those favorite recipes on my blog. Every time I make one of them and bring to a gathering, many people ask for the recipe. So I find myself writing the same recipe over and over again. Now I will just send them a link to my blog - much more efficient. Everyone who stumbles upon my blog will benefit from a fine selection of handpicked recipes also. The judges are really tough - my husband, my toddler and I. And that is not an easy crowd to please. Especially the first two :) The recipes that make it to the folder are recipes that appeal to all three of us.
Every time I make this Wilted Kale salad I remember why I love it so much. It could be a meal on itself or a side salad to any meal for added super nourishment. I do not use chipotle peppers so I make it with the substitute spices listed below.

***A good strategy when trying a new recipe is to make only half of it. So if you do not like it (as many times has happened at our house, ops!) you do not regret sending perfectly fresh (and expensive) organic ingredients in the garbage can.

So here is the recipe:

Wilted Kale Salad with a Creamy Chipotle Dressing
Serves 4-6

For the wilted kale
4 heads kale ** (this will seem like a lot but will wilt down when the salt is added)
2 T salt
2 cup baby tomatoes, sliced
1 cup hulled hemp seeds

For the dressing
3 avocados
2 chipotle peppers*
½ cup olive oil
2T agave
¼ cup lemon juice
*If not using chipotle peppers, substitute with onion powder, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder and tamari/nama shoyu

Remove the stems and then wash and cut the kale into small pieces. Place into a bowl, add salt and start to massage the kale until it wilts and takes on a ‘cooked’ texture.

Add the tomatoes and hemp seeds to the bowl and mix in by hand.

Blend all remaining ingredients in a high-speed blender until creamy and mix into kale by hand.

----------------------------

The recipe is from Russell James also knows as The Raw Chef. He is a genius! On his blog you can find many more delicious raw food recipes.

** Kale has powerful antioxidant properties and is considered to be anti-inflammatory. It is very high in beta carotene, Vitamin K , vitamin C and rich in calcium.
Kale contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical believed to have potent anti-cancer properties.

On the wings of inspiration

2010-04-28T23:50:00.004-05:00

Have you listened to the free interviews that were part of W.I.S.H.?

You can access the free calls, listen and be inspired by Dr. Mercola, Neale Donald Walsch and Marianne Williamson right here.

There were so many pearls of wisdom in each interview, I listed some of them below for future reference.

Neale Donald Walsch

-To truly communicate use all communication devices not just words

-We are so involved with form rather than substance, it is our opportunity to recognize that and to turn it around

-When everything changes, change everything

-Step forward and step up in order to make your mark in the world

-The totality of our self-worth, the ability to experience who we are, depends directly on our ability to send directly from the depth of our being that expression into the world - give the gift of you to others

-We are all connected - if you want more of something in your life, you need to cause another person to have more of it in theirs

-We are all one, there is no one else in the room, do unto other as you would like done unto you

-Life is a question of balance. It is the state of being that is really important. We are not only what we eat but what we dream, what we believe and how we contribute into the world.

-Be. Do. Have. When I have enough time I can do the thing called vacation and be the thing called relaxed. This formula is backwards. Everything starts with being-ness. Doing is something you achieve by being something. Being peace before doing peace.

-The Chinese character for opportunity is the same as the character for danger - recognize the opportunity and step into the highest, grandest notion of you - think grandly, hugely. Who am I? If the future of reality depends on me, what would I do differently tomorrow? I am the way and the life. Leadership is not follow me I am better and will do it better than you. Leadership means I will go first I will cross that bridge while still sways, I will step out and do something others may be afraid to do.
We are though to believe to be humble. But it takes courage, arrogance even, to step out and do and be the things before the masses do.

-We have nothing to learn. We have only to remember who we really are. You can not teach a baby how to love. People need to trust what they already know and to come from that space into the living of their everyday lives.

-What is it that I deeply know that I have been afraid to live as if I was IT?

-Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. Get out of the no hassle zone and you begin to affect life not simply react to it.

-Stop arguing with life. Embrace it fully and just love it!

-The mystery of life is what creates the wonder of life.

Marianne Williamson

-Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

-You are not who you think you are. You are not the wave, you are the ocean. You are not the sunbeam you are the sun. You are one with all of life. You are one with God. You are one with every other living thing and person.

-Develop a genuine spiritual practice - pray and meditate and you will begin to experience life differently, more deeply.

-With every thought you think, you are either a host to God or hostage to the Ego. If you do not feel a room with light, the darkness can enter.

-Complexity is at the Ego.

-Love is not love until is unconditional.

-You do not have to feel the feeling of love to be Love.

-When I am healed I am not healed alone.

Dr Mercola

He gives the blueprint on how to be healthy and thriving. I love his opinion on vaccinations!

Some great points that he made:

- Adopt the principles of natural health as much as possible

- Get your vitamin D! Through sun exposure during the warmer months and supplement or safe tanning bed during winter.Wear hat to protect your face. Avoid the use if sunscreen in most circumstances. For the bulk of your body - chest, arms, legs to not use sunscreen. If you are concerned about getting sunburned, get in the shade. Use it on your face or wear a hat.

- To recover your vision or prevent it from getting worse, try Bates program to improve eyesight.

- The importance of sleep, rest and exercise.

Go ahead and listen in, you will be SOooooo glad you did.

I spy

2010-04-27T22:39:00.002-05:00

While I was making our chocolate hemp milk yesterday morning, this was going on in the living room

It reminded me of a movie with Catherine Zeta-Jones - Entrapment.

And sure enough a lot of the moves from the movie were demonstrated:

Tanya was so skillful at tangled web weaving, I had to cut the cute pink yarn into pieces to get it off the furniture.

On another note little Dove has not been sleeping much the last few days. Especially yesterday and today. He only took a couple of cat naps 10-15 minutes each and was wide awake for the rest of the day. And he was so loud to let us know he needs attention. As a result my hands were full, the "to do" list was getting longer, the work was piling up and my patience was getting shorter and shorter.

So what does a girl do to keep her sanity? Go shopping! At Joann's. Yet again.

On the way home at twilight this evening, when I made the last turn, behind the corner greeted me the brilliantly full glorious body of the moon.

Of course Gabriel would not sleep! He never does when the moon is full.

He has the cutest ear hair.

It is not as much as when he was born but it is still there. I lovingly call him my Wolverine.

So spying into all of that the question lingering about in my mind is this: Do I sleep every night next to a future Jacob Black?!?

Garden Spaghetti Alfredo

2010-04-26T00:45:00.008-05:00

This meal is to live for!
It is Visions In Paradise original!

It is easy and quick to prepare. It is super healthy, vegan and gluten free.
When I serve it, there are long periods of silence at the dining table - everyone is savoring every bite and you can feel the m-m-m-m-m -s going on mentally.

The spaghetti are made from zucchini. What? Really? Oh, yes! And they are so crunchy, super long and neutral tasting (ready to host every sauce imaginable) not to mention MUCH healthier than the wheat or white flour Italian relatives.

I make my zucchini spaghetti using this amazing gadget. You can find it here.

And here is how:
Peel the zucchini and place it's center on the metal ring of the vegetable slicer next to the blade.

The other side of the zucchini is held by a prong

Start turning the wheel while pushing the base toward the vertical julienne blade and you will end up with lovely continuous spiral strands just like that

If you do not have this vegetable slicer, you can use your vegetable peeler. Start by "peeling" layer after layer of the zucchini while rotating it so you can peel on all sides, just like you do with a regular peel.

Do not use the soft inside part of the zucchini as this will make your spaghetti very watery.

You will end up with thicker but still yummy noodles.

For best results, leave the zucchini spaghetti at a room temperature for few hours. By doing so, some of the water will evaporate and their texture will become chewable and more spaghetti-like.

If you are using the vegetable slicer you will have the inside (the watery) part of the zucchinis left

Save them and use in another recipe (they make a great base for soups!).

After you prepare the spaghetti ( I used three medium sized zucchinis), set them aside and make the garden part of the recipe - the marinated veggies.
My preferred combination is:

2 cups carrots

1/2 bunch of kale

1 red bell pepper

Process the carrots in a food processor for few seconds.

You want them well chopped but not pureed. Transfer to a big bowl.

Next chop the kale - pulse it in the food processor few times. Process it some more, so it becomes the texture of steamed kale - softer and more palatable.

Hand chop the red pepper.

I have tried processing the bell pepper in the food processor but it gets too mushy and releases lots of water. Much better way to prepare it is to chop it with a sharp knife.

In the bowl with the chopped veggies add the marinade:

the juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup hemp oil
2 tbsp tamari
1-2 cloves pressed garlic (to taste)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin powder
Stir well so all veggies get well coated with the marinade and leave for an hour or so steering occasionally.

Next we are going to prepare the Alfredo sauce:
1 cup cashews
1 clove garlic
the juice of one lemon (approximately 1/4 cup)
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
Blend well in a blender until you get a smooth white cream.

When you are ready to assemble the meal take the bowl with your spaghetti and put the Alfredo sauce over them. Using your hands (much easier and adds more love to your food :) massage the sauce into the spaghetti coating them well. Place a handful of spaghetti on a plate and put marinated veggies on top. Sprinkle some hemp seeds over the entire plate.

Before you devour this delicious meal say a blessing.
Enjoy the food you so lovingly prepared knowing that with every bite you are charging your cells with super nutritious live food.

Fabric bracelets

2010-04-23T22:45:00.005-05:00

Who would have thought that a fabric bracelet can look so stylish?

Fairy Princess happily wearing hers

- it is a matching "mommy and me" bracelet from the fabric left after making this dress

These fabric bracelets are addictive! I love making them following this tutorial. They are the perfectly simple yet charmingly unexpected accessory to any outfit.

This is a great (and very fashionable) way to use all the many scraps that are left after a sewing project.
A fabric bracelet would also make a lovely gift for the upcoming mother's day.

Four months

2010-04-22T22:05:00.008-05:00

Has it been four months already since we met you for the first time, little Dove? It feels like yesterday when we felt your first hiccups in mommy's tummy. At the same time it feels like we have always known and loved you!

What you are up to these days:
- you drool a lot. Especially so on some days.
- you love looking at your fingers and playing with them. You love sucking them too!

- your look of curiosity is so funny - with raised eyebrows and open mouth

- you used to fall asleep in daddy or mommy's arms but now you sleep in your sling or next to mommy in bed.
- sleep is not your favorite thing to do (maybe that is due to mommy working crazy late hours when pregnant with you!) - it is not easy to get you to sleep and you wake up easily
- a couple of days ago you rolled from tummy to back for the very first time!

- you do not want the pacifier as much (which makes one mommy very happy!) - you used to cry your lungs out for it.
- you are very skillful at pulling strands off of mommy's ponytail and always end up with few hairs in your tiny fists.
- you grab toys with both hands.

- you coo and coo and looooove attention! As soon as someone smiles at you or just starts talking softly to you, you smile back your dazzling tootles smile.

- you love your sister - every time you see her a big smile brightens your face and you laugh out loud!

- your tummy still gives you some trouble (slippery elm is the next thing I am going to try to soothe your tummy with)
- you are a very active baby - your hands and feet are almost always moving about
- you love to be kissed and snuggled and we are delighted that it is so, because we just can not stop kissing and snuggling you!

We are honored that you have chosen us for your family! We love you!!!

Rollie Pollie

2010-04-18T22:04:00.002-05:00

Question: What does a work-from-home mom of two do when there is a pile of laundry to be folded, dishes to be washed, work to be done, floors to be swept?

Answer: Sew of course!

Sewing is my daily espresso.

It is my preferred form of meditation!

My latest sewing project was something big, round, suuuuper soft and most of all fun.

So here it is in its full, round and stripy glory - the Rollie Pollie!

It is perfect for a Princess to rest on after dancing with her imaginary Prince

great for a quiet meditation....

...or just some silly bouncing...

Little Dove loves it too!

tummy time got to a whole new level of comfort

I have been working on the Rollie Pollie for few days, stealing away five minutes here, ten minutes there throughout the day and sewing mostly at night. It is not the cheapest of projects to make but sure it is fun!
I found a great deal on the twill fabric that I used for the inside - $2.50 per yard from Walmart. The outer fabric is from Ikea (I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the fabric and the reasonable price).

Husband jokes that the Rollie Pollie is so big we need to build another room for it :)

I for sure would love to chill out on one just like that:

This is what resting on a cloud must feel like!

Chocolate coconut delight

2010-04-10T01:22:00.001-05:00

My love for raw cacao is well known :) Now, that I breastfeed my three-month-old, I reach for the reddish brown superfood more than ever.

Here are some of the benefits of raw cacao:

- lowers blood pressure
- helps with the metabolism of sugar
- supports cardiovascular health
- increases blood flow to the brain
- decreases inflammation in the body
- it is very rich in magnesium - very important for strong bones for growing children and adults
- according to Cornell University food scientists, cocoa has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine and up to three times those found in green tea. Compared to traditional cocoa, raw cacao has about 6 - 7 times more antioxidants per gram!

Cacao makes me feel great. I have it daily in my morning drink and I love incorporating it into yummy recipes like this one

Yes, it is as delicious as it looks!

Can you feel how alive (and full of nutrients) the ingredients are:

raw organic coconut flakes and hemp seeds

coated in raw cacao

with some coconut oil, raw agave nectar and sprouted brown rice protein powder

mixed well, smoothed down and ready to go chill in the fridge

an hour later - chocolaty coconut hemp perfection!

This desert is a favorite in our house. I have made it many times and everyone who tries it loves it! It is such a simple recipe that you can whip up in 5 minutes, put it in the fridge to set and have it ready to indulge in in less than an hour.

You can find the complete recipe in this book

A day in our life

2010-04-09T00:36:00.001-05:00

When Fairy Princess woke up this morning, she said: "Today I am going to be good, mommy." And she kept her promise throughout the day. She did model the description of a "good girl" to perfection. It was such a refreshing change after few days of drama.

We all took an afternoon nap. Oh, how great for the soul some time of zzzzzzzz-s can be! I love snuggling both kids and falling asleep with one on each side. Pure bliss! When we woke up, Fairy girl asked if I would read "The little mermaid" to her. I started reading. Dove boy was listening too. When I was reading the sea witch's lines with my dramatic wicket voice, his lower lip started trembling and almost began crying! He understood the change in my voice and the witchy mischief in it. He is 14 weeks. Of course he would!

Little Dove started reaching for things already. Today he pulled the toys on his bouncing chair with determination and got the lion in the middle singing its happy song. That was a first :)

All the cacao

2010-04-07T23:43:00.000-05:00

Staying up working until the small hours of the day and going to bed after 2 a.m., waking up at 7 a.m. by a colicky baby who does not want to go back to sleep, trying to convince a toddler that slamming doors when upset is not a princess like behavior but putting things back where they belong is, is a sure recipe for an exhausted mommy, cranky kids and a messy house.

I haven't had a coffee in a long time. I was sooooooo dreaming of Starbucks today.

Little Dove boy does not sleep for longer than 20 minutes at a time during the day. If I add a coffee flavor to his breast milk shake, I can only imagine what that would do to his sleeping pattern. So I have been having a raw cacao and superfoods hemp milk every morning for breakfast hoping that the cacao will give me a good kick, will get my body moving and brain functioning. Well, after doing that routine for quite some time, it does not seem to work any longer.

All the raw cacao in Peru can't make up for lost hours of sleep. Or lack of exercise for that matter.

Interior design

2010-04-05T20:52:00.000-05:00

The walls at our house are a little bit neglected - there are very few pieces of art on them. To choose and display any kind of art has never been an easy task for me. I absolutely have to be in love with it - colors, composition and overall feeling. It becomes a part of my life after all, doesn't it? It must be beautiful throughout.

Hard for me but easy for my fairy princess of a daughter. Interior design at its best.

She started with the fridge: "Princess Tanya" - notice the "sandals"! The girl loves her heels already!

continued with the doors of her room: "My little brother and I"

... and our bedroom: "Mommy and daddy"

and her masterpiece: "Gabriel and Tanya"

My favorite detail - the fingers. They look like flower petals so the hand becomes a flower. How beautiful is that?! And how true!
When I take the time to stop and watch Tanya draw, I am mesmerized. She draws with such enthusiasm, attention to detail and intention behind every line and curve. So sure of every stoke. So proud of the outcome.

I love my little fairy's art! Her vision of our family is beautiful - happy together, holding hands and smiling. A true vision in paradise!

Chocolate Cherry mornings

2010-03-25T21:20:00.000-05:00

I am very passionate about the raw living foods lifestyle. And when I get excited about something I become obsessed with it. I dig, delve and dive until I get fully immersed in it. Needless to say, I have a lot of raw food books. A lot! Ask my husband. He would say I have waaaaaaay too many. As pretty as some of these books are, I have only made two or three of the recipes included. Some recipes are very time consuming, some are too complex, some are too simple, some require hard to find ingredients and some are simply not tempting enough. For the majority of the raw food books I have, most recipes are ok, some are good and very few I would bookmark and make again. So I get very excited when I find an author/raw food chef whose personality, writing style and recipes add extra spiciness to my days.

I can not point out just one thing about this woman that makes me reach for her books again and again. Is it her enthusiasm, her sense of humor, her charming personality or the recipes themselves? I think it is all of the above that make Kristin's raw food books an endless source of inspiration for me. I have four of her books and have made about a dozen of her recipes so far. A couple of them did not turn out great but the rest of them I have bookmarked and will be making again for sure!

Her Cherry Chocolate Bomb shake is hands down one of my all time favorite recipes! When you try it, you will see for yourself what the hype is all about. I have been having this awesomeness of a smoothie every day for breakfast for the last few weeks. Every day! For weeks!! To get the recipe even more exciting I add different superfoods that I rotate every few days, so my body can get variety of trace minerals and nutrients from different sources.

If you haven't checked Kristen Suzanne's website out and got the recipe from her blog already, here it is. Below are my notes on how I take it to the next level (not that it's not fabulous just on itself!)

Cherry Chocolate Bomb Shake
Recipe by Kristen Suzanne of KristensRaw.com

1 cup water
1 frozen banana, chopped
1 cup frozen cherries
1/4 cup hemp protein powder (I use this sprouted brown rice protein powder that I absolutely love!)
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
2 tablespoons raw chocolate powder
splash vanilla extract

My notes:
*I start with one cup water, add all ingredients (plus the additional superfoods - see list below), blend well, add another cup of water and blend again briefly. This way I get perfectly smooth consistency and I have enough to share with my toddler who loves this shake as much as I do! I find just one cup of water making a very thick shake that is not very drinkable to me. That is just my preference.
*Here is a list of the superfoods I add: marine phytoplankton, algae, mucuna, ashwagandha, ho shou wu, noni, maca and suma. Not all at once though. I usually pick three or four and switch them up every few days.
*If you do not have frozen banana on hand use a ripe banana and add ice instead of the additional cup of water. The frozen banana does make a difference though, it somehow makes the shake creamier.

This shake is not only extremely yummy but it is also loaded with nutrients - Omega-3 fatty acids, highly absorbable protein, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals far too many to list here. It truly is a nutritional bomb in the most delicious, creamiest and chocolaty kind of way. M-m-m-m...

Here you can watch a video of Kristen making the Cherry Chocolate Bomb Shake and fall in love with her joyful personality as I have :)

Balancing Blueberry

2010-03-22T10:31:00.000-05:00

I used to be all or nothing kind of person. I used to be obsessed with order. I used to plan ahead of time and get frustrated if things do not go my way. There are so many other "I used to be"-s that were an integral part of my BC (before children) version. Most of them did not make the transition to the updated version of me - a work at home mommy of two. Now I am learning balance. I am loving the chaos (well I am doing my best). I am living in the moment.

I used to be a raw vegan. Now I am nourishing my body with a balance of whole foods - mostly in their raw state with occasional experiments in the cooked vegetarian realm. The emphasis for me and my family is still on a high raw diet and lifestyle though. It will always be.

Last weekend we woke up to a snowy morning so it was the perfect time for some homemade baked goodies. I used whole wheat flour instead of white and organic ingredients where applicable. The paper liners I used were unbleached and made from recycled paper.

We started with this

23 minutes and a deliciously scented kitchen later we got this

My daughter was asking "Are they ready yet?" during the whole time the muffins were baking. She was delighted to have breakfast just like her favorite TV character - Franklin the turtle.

The muffins were delicious! So much so that I had to make another batch the next day :)

Here is the recipe if you want to try it.

Bewitching raw desert

2010-03-19T00:09:00.000-05:00

This is my favorite raw desert/treat/candy ever!!!

Made with spirulina and raw cacao butter this green almost black delectable treat is outstanding! I can not stop eating it. My body totally craves it. It must be all that nursing going on.

Spirulina is known as the food of the ancient Aztecs and super nutrition for the modern lifestyle. The protein in Spirulina contains all 8 essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. Spirulina (a blue-green algae), also contains vitamins A, B-1, B-2, B-6, B-12, E, and K. It provides minerals, trace minerals, cell salts, phytonutrients and enzymes, as well as an abundance of chlorophyll. One 3 gram serving of Spirulina provides more antioxidant activity than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables!

The recipe is adapted from one found here.

The Avocado speaks

2010-03-17T21:46:00.000-05:00

I get SOOoooo inspired when I listen to David Wolfe's talks and interviews. He speaks with such enthusiasm, knowledge and passion it is contagious! The interview he gave for W.I.S.H. last night was as powerful as ever.

According to him the top three foods for women are royal jelly, goji berries and cacao. I love goji berries and cacao! In fact, every morning for breakfast I have something with raw cacao in it - a raw chocolate pudding, warm cocoa nut milk or cherry-cacao smoothie. I add loads of other superfoods that give zing to my mornings and days! My daughter enjoys them as well and that makes me very happy because I know she gets powerful nutrients in every sip.

I am curious what would royal jelly do for me, how would I feel when taking it? It is the food for the Queen bee after all. It must be phenomenal and super nourishing for the body. I am going to order some and will report my body's reaction to it.

One of all the many brilliant pieces of information that David Wolfe shared on the interview last night, was about the essential amino acid Lysine. Based on the research of Dr. Matthias Rath 10,000 mg of Lysine stops cancer cells growth! How amazing is that! The power of Nature! Share that with everyone you know who is struggling with cancer. I know I will.

Thank you, David Avocado Noni Cacao, for your amazing work in nutrition! We are truly blessed to live in a time when all this knowledge is made available and easy to understand and apply.

WISH

2010-03-15T00:54:00.000-05:00

Today I spent few blissful hours sewing a couple of dresses for my daughter. What a treat :)

I love to sew but I love it even more when I am listening to an inspiring interview while sewing. The speakers at the Women's International Summit for Health are amazing! The topic today was on fitness. Oh, how I needed a gentle reminder to get some form of exercise into my days! I wish to be more flexible. I have the Rayoka DVD. I bought it months ago but haven't opened it yet. Well, tomorrow is the day! I will find time to do some stretches and watch the DVD. Even if I have to do it while holding my newborn in one arm and fixing breakfast/lunch/diner with the other.

My visions

2010-03-15T00:12:00.000-05:00

Hello, Love!

This blog will be a place where I share what inspires me, what makes me smile and what it takes to hold the world by the hand. This is my adventure to finding infinity in the limitation of time and space, bliss in the mundane and joy in the grace of a challenge.

Welcome to Visions In Paradise!