Fall 2014 roundup

Hi Lovely! 

The fall is in full gear and that means that there is a new breeze out on the horizon. A more mellow, calm, and peaceful sentiment surrounds you if you truly tune in and focus on it. In addition, today, stop thinking about all of the things that are not right and try to limit your complaining. Smile, dance around, listen to your choice of music, and engage in goodness. 

I have written a few articles that were recently published and if you are looking for extra stress relief advice, here are the 2 links:

How to communicate effectively and calmly   (the article is on page 119*)
Tips To Calm Your Nerves When Faced With Stressful Situations

On a nice fall weekend we had some girl time and played Scrabble. Great for the brain, great for socializing :)

We are heading into the 70's, still towards the end of September!

For today's lunch here is a nice recipe:

1 tspoon Ketchup
Dash of Turmeric powder
1 tbsp Olive oil (optional)
2 handfuls of mixed greens
Steamed veggies: string beans, broccoli, carrots
Main dish- chicken cutlets (organic white meat) and cooked onion

Fresh Garden Salad Recipe

Hi Lovely!

Ready for the new week to begin? To help you transition into the busy and hectic hustle and bustle of the daily weekday, here's a great fall garden salad recipe which takes all the ingredients and makes the whole taste superb!

 Fresh Garden Salad Recipe 

So first comes the base of the salad, the largest quantity of ingredients:

- 5-10 baby tomatoes

- a few handfuls of lettuce and mixed greens

- 1/4 of an avocado

Next comes the the second layer, the yummy dressing:

- 1 tbsp ketchup 

- 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

- 1 teaspoon plum vinegar 

Last but certainly not least comes the topping of the salad:

- a handful of almonds 

- 1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped to your choice of thinness/thickness 

- lemon zest: about half of lemon juice

Mix up all of the ingredients if you wish. I prefer to mix all of them and them keep my almonds on a separate plate so that they don't get soggy. 

And there you have it folks! A great and tasty salad that is simple, refreshingly extravagant, and soothingly satisfying to each bite, enjoy :)

Apple banana flaxseed flaxseed oil weekend blend smoothie

Hi lovely!

Happy weekend! Now is the time to take a step back from the hectic week, honing in on your center, and gathering your peaceful state of mind and self. to help you with this transition, let's add a smoothie to your daily grind, literally, because we will be grinding all of the ingredients in a fellow blender :) Here is the complete recipe for this surprisingly sweet tasting smoothie:


Apple banana flaxseed flaxseed oil weekend blend smoothie 

- 1/2 a lemon (use its' juice)
- small piece of avocado
- 1-2 handfuls of mixed greens: lettuce, romaine, spinach, etc.
- 1 tbsp Flaxseed Oil
- 1-2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
- 1-4 of an apple
- 1-4 of a banana
- a few pieces of broccoli
- water for desired consistency


This smoothie turned out particularly smooth and creamy, which is always a fun result! Sip slowly to savor each sip and enjoy :)

 

Gingery Pumpkin seed Smoothie

Hi Lovely! 

Today's smoothie will be to your liking for sure, especially of you like that gingery taste. It's also a soothing smoothie for the more sensitive folks, so its a win-win. Here are the ingredients for this week's: Gingery Pumpkin seed Smoothie

 

- Lemon zest

- water (enough for consistency)

- 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds 

- a few small bunches raw broccoli (uncooked)

-  1/4 of an apple 

- 3 grapes 

- small piece of avocado 

- 1/4 of a banana

- a few handfuls of parsley 

- a few pieces of ginger 

- 1 tbsp green powder (Vitamineral)

 

Mix all ingredients in blender and enjoy! The taste is soothingly scrumptious and is not so intense like the smoothies with the mint flavor. It is savory yet simply delicate!

Gingery Mint Avocado Smoothie Recipe

Hi Lovely!

Let's start off the week fresh. Fresh means homemade, healthy, and deliciously satisfying. So, here's a perfect smoothie recipe for any morning highly implemented with nutritional value:

- Lemon zest
- A few leaves of parsley
- 2-3 mint leaves
- 1/4 of an avocado
- 1 date
- 1-2 small pieces of ginger
- 1-2 TBSP green powder (Vitamineral)
- 1-2 apple slices
- 1/4 of a cup of sunflower seeds
- Add water for consistency

Once the ingredients are all mixed up in the blender and you begin to pour the smoothie into a cup, you will instantly feel the gentle aroma of the mint permeating the room and that will send your taste buds through the roof! Enjoy :)

Banana Pineapple smoothie recipe

Hi Lovely!

Happy Monday! We are in mid-September and the weather is cooling down. It feels refreshingly awesome. That being said, perhaps this is the time to begin making smoothies! They have many good nutrients and vitamins, they are super quick to make, and they taste delicately delicious. Here's a great breakfast that you can make in minutes especially when you are on the go:

Green tea with lemon juice 

 

Banana Pineapple smoothie:

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp ground flax seeds

1 tbsp whey protein 

1/2 of banana

2-3 slices of pineapple 

1-2 cups of almond milk

1-2 tbsp Greens powder: should have a mix of chlorella, seaweeds, etc. I like Vitamineral

 

Enjoy :)

Avocado egg salad delight

Hello lovely!

Here's something new: a great and super quick healthy salad recipe, perfect for any occasion or meal. The combination of these foods is satisfyingly superb. Here are the ingredients:

2 avocados 

7 eggs

2 medium eggplants

5 young leek (green onion)

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil 

Pinch of salt 

To add to the magnificent flavor of the overall salad, mix it up with a handful of walnuts and a few spoons of cream-cheese to satisfy your palate!

Enjoy

Summer Simplicity

The summer is a time of fun, food, and freedom! There are fireworks, fourth of July, and family time. Here are some pictures and accompanying stories to them:

A scrumptious bowel of oatmeal topped with blueberries.

Time for celebrating grandpas birthday! Here is a quick snapshot of the dinner menu from dessert (chocolate brownie sponge cake) to veggies and pasta!

On an evening summer night it's always fun to drink something warm and tasty. Try making tea out of strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.

Some exotic looking fruit and veggies from a garden: mint, strawberry, and peppers.

A nice salad for lunch consists of the following: grated carrots, cucumber, sliced onions, lettuce, and a handful of almonds!

Homemade baking is a blast. You mix ingredients and formulate something great and fun! Here's the end product of brownie cupcakes with cocoa.

Flowers brighten up anyone's day. Buy some every now and again to smell the goodness of the plants.

A quick lunch is sometimes needed, so get some blueberries, some raw mild cheddar cheese, and a green super smoothie.

When you want a light dinner have a cup of green tea with cucumbers and almonds. Top it all off with coconut oil to give you that luscious sweet flavor. Enjoy!

Walnutty Dinner with Turmeric on Top

Hi lovely!

When you're searching for a dinner recipe, you look for taste, healthiness, ingredients, and time management. I know that if the meal isn't tasty, why bother? You should ideally enjoy every meal you eat, as it makes you feel good, so focus on implementing different ingredients in order to form a delicious and fun recipe that easily consists of:

• String beans
• Turmeric
• Choose from a variety of nuts & seeds: walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds.
• Garlic or Ginger 
• Coconut oil 

There are many different varieties of ingredients that you can play around with to create a successful meal that you will enjoy! Boun Appetite

Recipes for the sensitive stomach

Healthy Breakfast for Nausea

Hi all!
When it comes to leaky gut, what is it really? Well, for one thing, it is actually fairly common among all people, as these days we do not take care of our overall health. Leaky gut can be caused from:

• overuse of antibiotics

• stress*

• foods with sugar, bread, gluten, starch, wheat (JUNK FOOD)

• lack of probiotics (KEFIR)

 *Keep the stress to a minimum; practice yoga, meditation, gratitude, keep a journal, free your thoughts.

Now that you know what potentially causes it, some of the symptoms that may appear could be you feeling bloated after a meal, nauseous, or brain fog (confusion). Usually you would be allergic to soy, dairy, and eggs if you would have an extreme case. So, a stool test would be ideal to take. Genova is a good lab and there are some others if you use Google.

On those days where you are very bloated and have much brain fog, here is a great way to relieve all of that:

• Take an enzyme with every meal

• Eat more liquids than solids so that your body can easily digest all of the nutrients

• For breakfast eat some tangerines or a grapefruit.

• Wait about 10min so you can digest accordingly.

• The next three ingredients are a great little recipe that my mom came up with and it helps an upset stomach greatly with a perfect combination

• 1-2 cups of Green tea (not too strong to avoid caffeine) +  a cup of applesauce + a cup of Tvorog with 1 Tablespoon of Udo 369 oil (Flaxseed)

Enjoy :)

 

Hi lovely!

Sometimes you want a meal that is easy on your stomach. Either you have cramps or just want something soothing and scrumptious nonetheless, check out these uniquely combined ingredients that make for a great meal: 

Garlic, homemade apple sauce (sliced apples mixed in a blender with a bit of water), coconut oil, and raw cheddar cheese. To make it even better add some green tea (matcha is great) and turmeric (sounds interesting but tastes superb with the cheese combo). It is truly smooth and satisfying and if you need something to soothe and ease your sensitive stomach after or during a cold, try this quick and delicious recipe! Boun Appetite :)

December Daydreams

Hi Lovely!

December has come upon us! This is the holiday season that brings joy, laughter, and excitement. Lets take this time to really love one another and not be angry. Breathe calmly and act peacefully. If you all want, check out my recently published articles in the "Spiritual Wisdom Magazine": 4 things to be grateful for this holiday season, Path to Spirituality, Do You Live With Faith?,Thoughts are the minds nutrition, To be or not to be...and in "Elite Daily": 5 Lessons in Discipline I learned as a Professional Ballerina. They can help you get into the holiday spirit as well as offer you some insight and inspiration on how to live with joy and creativity, enjoy! 

 

For today's dinner, here is a great list of homemade food: red tea, a shot of carrot juice, some sunflower seeds, lentils, and sauerkraut!  

Winter is here, and the first snow fall is as delicate as a feather in flight. Enjoy every moment! The glistening snow makes you want to make snow angels, sing holiday music classics, and meditate on the refreshingly beautiful air around you! Happy December :)

Homemade Cranberry Juice with Honey!

Hi lovely!

On a cold December day you want to drink something soothing and enjoyable. You want a sweet and sour mix. So, here is a delicious concoction that tastes delicately elegant: 

• Homemade cranberry juice*

• 1 teaspoon raw honey 

*homemade cranberry juice does not contain any hidden sugars or artificial flavors, so you are on control of the ingredients. Buy 1 or 2 large packs of Cranberries, either frozen or fresh.

• First wash all the cranberries and then drain them accordingly.
• Combine one pound of these cranberries with one quart of water in a big pan and boil on the stove.
• Cook for together until you begin to hear noises from the excited cranberries.
• Strain the almost ready cranberry juice through a fine strainer preferably with a cheese cloth to keep any particles away from the smoothness of it (you should see a lovely bright pinkish color!)
• Let it cool off and then heat it up when you want to drink it again.
• I add them to jars so the rest can be stored in the refrigerator.

Once you are ready to devour the cranberry juice, I would suggest adding a touch of honey to the meal. Grab a teaspoon and take a drop of honey to add a sense of sweetness to the every sour cranberry juice. 

Cranberry Juice Health Benefits: Let's come back to the health benefits of cranberry juice. It prevents urinary tract infections (UTIs) and bacteria from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract. Cranberries are known to be rich in antioxidants as well as phytochemicals. These are both great for promoting a strong and robust immune system. Plus, if you being good and are not adding sugar, the unsweetened juice can actually help minimize dental plaque build up. Happy Drinking! :)

Scrumptious Dinner Salad

Hello all!

Whenever we have to decide on a meal, we always want to have it taste good and be good for us. Therefore, here is one salad recipe that has amazing health qualities and once mixed together, just tastes simply magnificent!

It is a dinner salad, which means it really fills you up with cheese, turmeric root powder, ketchup, and feel free to add some of your favorite vegetables!

 

This scrumptious salad is made up of: 

- a few steamed string beans (cooked for 30min),
-  raw cheddar cheese cut up into small bite sized pieces
- a dash of extra virgin olive oil
- about 2 tablespoons of organic ketchup
- 1/4 of a green pepper
- 1 tomato
- a few dashes of turmeric root powder

*After all of these ingredients are conveniently in your plate, mix it all up "toss the salad" until they are evenly distributed to get that yummy taste on every bite! Enjoy :)

Simple Fall Breakfast Recipe

Hi Lovely!

Breakfast is the foundation of your day, so that means that you want to start out the day with something that is great for the immune system. I generally use Organic products when I can get them, since they have are best quality food. Here's one of my fun breakfast ideas which takes no time to make yet contains lots of antioxidants and active cultures (probiotics). Plus, it tastes amazing!

First I pour some Kefir  into a glass and add a handful of blueberries and half a banana, sliced. Plain is the best flavor to get as there are no added artificial sugars. (Click here for great Kefir options)

If you want some added sweet flavor, you can add 1 or 2 dried prunes (plums). It is great for alleviating constipation and it just tastes like a candy bar! 

Then I make 1 or 2 eggs (cooked for 5 min) and eat them with a tiny bit of REAL butter (Click here for places to buy Real Irish Butter) and a 1/4 or less of a teaspoon of Celtic Sea Salt. (Click here for places to buy Celtic Salt)

Enjoy :)

XOXO Lusciously Levi

Image credit: http://37.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mc0fx6b4BD1rfbibwo1_500.jpg, http://www.kerrygold.com/images/sized/images/uploads/KG_Pure_Irish_Butter-604x414.png, http://www.makeit-loveit.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/IMG_5076.jpg

Juicing with Ginger

Juicing is a great way to add a unique variety of vegetables to our typical daily diets. In addition, Ginger can be added for a great source of nutrition. 

Ginger juice

We are slowly becoming aware of the many benefits of juicing. Aside form all of the celebrities juicing in order to maintain their slim figures, juicing provides one with a great quality of nutrition.
One main source of this guaranteed nutrition from juicing is the fact that it is derived from a large amount of fruits and vegetables that instead of taking a lot of time to chew, we can simply drink it up in half the time. In addition, the recommended 6-8 servings of fruits and vegetable makes it hard for us to eat so much. Thus, juicing makes the accurate portions quickly and efficiently digestible.
Another valuable aspect to juicing is the fact that is basically better absorbed into our bloodstream. In essence, all of the nutrients and vitamins from the fruits and vegetables are quickly able to digest these foods; the juicing almost acts as a pre-digestive contribution to our overall gut. That is great news for us, since we have an average American diet that prevents us to digest our ingested foods at an even normal rate.
Juicing is a great way to add a unique variety of vegetables to our typical daily diets.

Ginger Juice with Greens!

 In addition, Ginger can be added for a great source of nutrition. Ginger contains a chemical that can basically inhibit inflammation. If you feel nauseous, try a Ginger smoothie or juice. The chemicals that are contained in this ginger are able to influence the digestion in the stomach and the intestines. The chemicals may also possibly reach the nervous system in an effort to control that feelings of nausea. Ginger aids the flu as well. When you begin to feel under the weather, take a few sips of ginger juices and it should help relatively quickly. Ginger has been shown to boost the overall immune-system. Thus, is makes us stronger, faster.

Ginger in all its glory 

 in a bunch

Ingredients for one cup of juice

• 3 Romaine, leafs
• 1 Kirby
• 1 Tomato
• 2 Celery, stalks
• 1 Garlic, cloves
• parsley, for taste
• dill, for taste
• ginger, for taste

Greensuperfood

Hey all! We know that raw veggies are pretty good for you. Therefore, let me share one of the coolest green drinks that actually tastes nice. While there are many varieties and ways to organize your smoothies with additional ingredients, the major ones are listed below:

Ingredients for 1 portion: (All ingredients are put into blender then mixed**)

*1/2 a Cucumber*
*1/2 a Tomato*
*1 Kale Leaf*
*1/2 Clove of Garlic*
*2 Romaine leaves
*1/4 a Bell Pepper*
*1/2 Tablespoon Chia seeds*
*1/2-1 cup of water*

After they are all blended up and poured into your favorite mug, add a teaspoon of the Udo oil and 1/4 teaspoon of the Kyolic Aged Garlic Liquid. 

Then once all your hard work is done, take your fresh green latte goodness and catch up with your family, or go out into the sun and get some Vitamin D! Whatever you choose to do, make sure it soothes your soul and calms your mind. 
 

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June, Summer, Full Moon

June welcomes summer! Enjoy the beautiful nature.

INTERESTING FACT: We all know that the full moon comes around every month. This month, interestingly, on Sunday, this particular Supermoon will be closest to the earth than any other typical full moon night.

Welcome Summer! The days are longer and the sun shines brighter. In essence, this is a time for rejuvenation. Energy is at its' high. We can do lots of things that can brighten up our day. First, get a notebook and begin making small goals that are reachable. 

-Like, laundry this weekend, planting flowers on the windowsill, or learning a new craft such as learning a new language or an instrument. It could be baby steps, but any movement forward is the right direction to take! You can organize your house and begin a new and healthy lifestyle. Yoga every other day, watching YouTube videos on how to do yoga. Call up your parents and grandparents and chat with them. Talk about the weather, the family, or old memories. Set aside some quality time to spend with your loved ones. This will fulfill your heart and soul. Make a difference. Take your kids or friends to a local community shelter or anything that gives you the option of helping others.

Summer is a time for a new thought process. Whatever stress you went through or are going through, transition to a new way of thinking. It may be hard at first, but healthy in the long run. Think positively, and do not attack people. Do not put down the people that really love you and care for you. Yes there may be misunderstandings or communication gaps every so often, but keep your head up high and stay happy! We owe it to ourselves to maintain that vigilance and vigor and strength to keep us grounded and sane at the end of the day.

A nice and healthy lunch today consists of 1 cup of green tea, an organic green apple, and sunflower seeds! This is a great lunch that is light, just right for summer.

The fireworks commenced Friday evening, the first of the season, it's official! Fireworks are always fun and thrilling, and they have a way of bringing people together to essentially unite them. Welcome Summer!

After the supermoon of 2013, the sunset was sublime! The clouds were spread apart and the sunset had a gorgeous red/orange lighting. Great way to end a weekend.

Pineapple is such an attractive fruit wouldn't you agree? Not is it only tropical, but it has great health benefits as well. It is so colorful one would think it is as sweet as candy. Well, it may be as sweet as candy, but it is very healthy nonetheless. It has immense qualities such as aiding indigestion and minimizing sinuses. It also has large amounts of manganese crucial for overall bone density and health. Bromelain may very well be one of the main sources of nutrition. Bromelian breaks down protein and this is a vital part in the whole process of digestion. It also acts as an anti-inflammatory fruit. So go buy yourself some fresh pineapple and enjoy it in your smoothie or after a big meal!

June also brings sibling graduation! ~6/23/13

Celebrations and food go hand in hand. Dinner time is cheese pizza, olives from Greece, and some orange juice.

After dinner there's dessert! Apple strudels and La Moure ( old fashioned Cake of love) with a glass of whole milk.

One morning at 5am I was awakened (6/25/13) by this beautiful full moon! It was simply beautiful and not so usual at this time (when the sun typically begins to rise).

The weather looks like its going to be cloudy the whole week, no tanning this week folks! It will still be warm so you can still go out for a walk or jog and enjoy it without getting too hot.

The Saturday sky is clear and lusciously appealing! Even in the evening the sun is still shining bright and the sky is like a baby blue color.

My sister's yummy snack, PB&J time. Then strawberry Haagen Dazs ice-cream. The ultimate weekend indulgence at it's finest!

Fruits Galore, summertime is a time for tropical and juicy fruits! Pineapple cut and ready from the fridge.

For today's dinner we have some salad with sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, and garlic with a drop of olive oil. Since the strawberries from the farmers market are so delicious everyone wants to eat them quickly, with dinner and with breakfast! 6/30/13~