ACV to the rescue!

Happy Dia de los Muertos! And #nationalvinegarday too! Did you, uh-hem, overindulge last night? Whether it be in sugar or alcohol (also sugar), ACV is great for alkalizing your system, adding probiotics, and aiding in digestion! Believe it or not, it will shorten your hangover! Awesome! 

Whether added to a shot of coconut water, or warmed up and taken as a tonic drink, the benefits of taking apple cider vinegar, or ACV, are a boatload. 

I include it in my morning routine by adding some of my boiled water for my chai to a large glass of filtered water. It's just hotter than lukewarm. When doing this method, the objective is to drink very quickly, so don't make it too hot. Then add 1 Tbs of your ACV. This is the first thing I introduce into my body in the morning. I will warn you of a few things: 

- This speeds up your metabolism by waking up your organs and letting your whole body know it's time to start your day! And you will be starting your day right. You will want to be ready to use the restroom soon after. Your welcome:) 

- When you first begin this routine, or if you've halted it for a bit (reportedly even just one day for some) the vinegar is going to hit your palette with a very sour, astringent taste. The more you do it, the sweeter it starts to taste! When you run very acidic, there are certain foods that are altered on your taste buds. It's actually quite amazing. Just be patient with yourself and this new thing you're trying out. It is so worth it. 

If you've been in the beverage fridge areas in the health food stores, you are liable to see individual ACV drinks now. They are a great alternative while on vacation and not carting around your big bottle for all of your vacation bingeing. 

A quick note about brands: I don't endorse any one brand, but Bragg's is known to be of high quality, RAW and ORGANIC! You want that! I have found other brands and health food store's own brand which offer that quality. Just do your homework. Bragg's is just very known and distinguishable and so I tend to grab that one. The bottle below last me a couple months and varied as to whether the hubby is using any. It's worth the investment. 

This is the most comprehensive tid bit of info for 40 fantabulous ways to utilize this amazing tonic. https://selfhelphealth.wordpress.com/2014/04/28/more-on-that-wonder-aid-acv/

Try it out and let me know about your experience! Bottoms up! 

Stovetop Spaghetti Squash Frittata

Spaghetti squash is one of those rare foods EVERYONE seems to love, and what's NOT to love?

• high in potassium= helps to lower high blood pressure
• great source of beta carotene= benefits insulin deficiency
• low glycemic index value= great for diabetics
• Vitamins A, B, and C= prevents cell damage and aids in proper cellular functioning

Crisp, crunchy, fresh, a healthy alternative to pasta, a great filler in soups...and frittatas! I used to wash them and attempt to slice through the squash to halve it in order to bake it. Now, the body and skin of it isn't necessarily difficult, although they are round= potentially scooting and rolling all over while sawing through it, to get to the hardened stem area. THAT is where fingers and palms have gotten sliced on mis manos. Then, I found a smarter way to bake them! Woot!

Baking directions: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash and pierce the skin of the squash all over. If you don't do this there is a potential for explosion in the oven. Messy and dangerous. Place squash on cookie sheet and bake for 45-50 minutes, until easily pierced into. Allow to cool enough to hold while you cut in half. Scoop out seeds and seed membranes. Then, run a fork through the squash to release the strands.

I dig this means of doing a frittata on the stovetop because 1) It takes as long as a typical oven-baked frittata to cook, sometimes even less time! 2) There is no need to pre-heat or even USE an oven, which, living in Tucson, keeps more heat from entering the abode in any manner.

Stovetop Spaghetti Squash Frittata Recipe: 

Cutting asparagus at a bias keeps
the "woody" veg easier to eat.

2 servings, 20-25 minutes total time
Ingredients
1 c. spaghetti squash strands
3/4 c. thinly sliced asparagus
1/4 c. chopped roma tomato
3 chopped kalamata olives
1 minced garlic clove
4 eggs
1 T. water
pinches of oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme, marjoram
s&p
1 t. coconut oil

Directions
Warm coconut oil in small skillet to swirl around skillet up to an inch all the way around. Turn down heat to medium.

Break the eggs into a large bowl, add water and whisk for at least one minute. I found out a year ago, whisking eggs with water instead of milk is how the Euros do it, and it makes for a fluffy egg! And, yes, ONE WHOLE MINUTE OF WHISKING! Whisk in garlic and herbs. I add 3 large pinches of Italian herb blend of the above listed herbs.

Place remaining ingredients in the skillet, loosely. Pour in egg mixture and lightly mix it around all ingredients to cover them all. Cover with lid. Set timer for 5 minutes. Be sure heat is medium, high will cause burnt bottoms and uneven cooking.

When timer goes off, "shuffle" the ingredients around the pan. Recover and set timer for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, the eggs will have started to congeal along the bottom, I release the layer and bring it up and around, pat down the top to even it back out if necessary. Recover and set timer for 5 minutes.

"Channeling" the huevos.

When timer goes off, start "channeling" the uncooked egg to the edges. The center is always the last to cook. This will help it to cook more evenly.  Turn down heat to low, recover and set timer for 5 minutes (sensing a trend?).

After those 5, it should be cooked through. Turn off heat. Cut an x in the middle and make sure there is no liquid pooling in it. If there is, simply recover and set for another 5, keeping heat turned off. After that last 5 it will be ready to enjoy! Season with salt and pepper as desired.

It's great topped with a few tablespoons of marinara, salsa, avocado slices or a sprinkling of balsamic vinegar- for real!

You can change out the asparagus and tomatoes for a cup of any veggies you like: chopped greens, broccoli, onions, shrooms, chef's choice...that would be YOU:)

I hope you all love this recipe as much as I do! Let me know any of your favorite veggie combos and/or topping choices. Oh, did I mention, this is a fancy-shmancy camping stove alternative, too?! Now, go wow yourself and someone else with this dish.

My pretty food! #1

I've embarked on a new journey of accountability. My daddy was always great with a camera. He takes fantastic landscape and nature photos. I've been playing a lot on my iPhone and camera apps. There are some amazing things one can do with them! I'm also learning GIMP, which is a lot like Photoshop. I've been having loads of fun with photography the last year or so.

I've also found I'm NOT having much fun or enjoyment with my food, something that used to bring me a lot of joy! I'm not going to get into all the reasons why right now, that's for another time. But a recent goal of mine is to determine emotional food cues and deconstruct them. I've found that written food journals don't work for me because I forget to write them down, or I forget the journal so then I have my meals written on receipts or napkins which float around and get lost.

Digital logs don't work for me either! I don't have my phone with me, or I don't have access to a computer so I have to write it down somewhere (refer to paragraph 2).Then I have to lie, not always on purpose, but I forget one meal or whatever. Argh!!! So, I have found one that has been making me happy in a couple ways: I get to use the new apps and that makes me much more cognitive and mindful of my food! Score!

I shared my photo food journal idea with a few people and they all wanted to see what I was doing and what I was eating. So, I get to share my great stuff with them and all of you. I've set it in my mind that this will continue until I've reached a couple of my goals- all pertinent to this project. So, it will end when I feel like it:)

I forgot to click my 2 vodka drinks we enjoyed that day- oops!

My coffee and smoothy pic was lost in the mix. So, picture the creamy coolness of both in your imagination:)

We went out for Cold Stone that night and I forgot to click it. It was a truly regretted move in more ways than one! It was so bad I couldn't even finish it! Ugh!

The salad has my leftover ahi on it from the night before, you just can't see it well. I also enjoyed ONE cookie at a party we went to that night- not pictured due to the grapefruit Perrier vodka drink I had which made me mindless...in more ways than one.

There is a group of loving ladies I send these to on the daily, and they've truly supported me! I just wanna send a big grin their way and a HUGE thank you for your continued love:) Muah!

My safeword is PINEAPPLE!

With everyone and their mother (literally) reading the Shades of Grey series, you know you just went to a very juicy place:) Per (condensed) wikipedia: A "safeword" is a code word or series of code words that are sometimes used to unambiguously communicate a physical or emotional state, typically when approaching, or crossing, a physical, emotional, or moral boundary. 

My introduction to safewords isn't nearly as entertaining as one may think.  Though it was a very powerful one I will always remember. A girlfriend and I were sitting in her simple yet swanky Manhattan flat, sipping on some vino and chatting about our latest shopping excursion down on Bleecker Street. She had just put on the dress she'd purchased and was looking at herself in a huge mirror, turning this way and that. She would look at her entire 5'1" length by starting at her wedge heeled feet and traveling up to her face. She would make eye contact with herself in the mirror, purse her lips and start the process all over again taking in a different angle. She was talking the whole time, and apparently, I didn't respond on cue. She turned and saw me, eyes wide and mouth agape. She asked what was wrong and I couldn't really put it into words! I could tell she truly liked, even LOVED how she looked! 

"You are actually LOOKING at yourself in the mirror!" I said.

"Yes, girl, that's what it's THERE for," she said with her always easy smile. Then she whirled and watched her reflection do it in turn and moved on to her next lovely purchase.  

I was dumbfounded! But she WAS, after all, one of the most beautiful ladies I knew. But, that's what they are allowed to do- ladies who just naturally look flawless. Those who can throw on anything and make it look absolutely perfect. In fact, why do they even bother looking into a mirror?! They have to know how complete they always are, right? Girls like me do the obligatory once-over to make sure our seams are straight on our hips. The hems aren't short enough to show the cellulite. The buttons aren't done crooked. The rolls are hidden as much as possible. The back fat is being somewhat managed by the wide banded bra. But it's always a very quick scan and then a quick dodge away. Girls like me don't even look at themselves while brushing their teeth- I even step out of the bathroom. There is no staring, unless you're looking for all the things that are wrong. All the things you know and hate. In those moments you DEFINITELY don't look into your tear-filled eyes because all of that pain and ugliness is seen there. There is no appreciative assessment because there is nothing good to find there in that reflection. There is no peacocking to be sure!

The next day we were getting ready to go out for tea.  I have limited choices on what I can wear because all I ever travel with is a carry-on. All of my outfits are carefully chosen days in advance of any trips, written down with the accessories, and sometimes the makeup and hairstyles. If I didn't take these steps I would be locked in a room, trying on everything stuffed in my case, attempting to make it work. This way, I've already been through the hours and tears. No mirrors need be involved once there! We had been at a doctor's lecture all day in professional clothing. This was an extra attire change and activity I hadn't taken into account. I had to put on the long gray cardi, black v-neck, and grey yoga pants I had traveled to NYC in. I put my hair up because the humidity had already done a number on my curls that day. I hollered to her I was ready, while changing into my appointed pair of shoes. We started talking while she was finishing her hair, I could hear hairspray being pumped. She came flitting out to put on her shoes by the front door. When I met her there to grab my purse she looked up at me and smiled saying, "You look stunning!" 

Again with that look: eyes wide, mouth agape. I shook my head vehemently and looked down at myself. What the?! What is she seeing that I'm not? And to use THAT word? Yeah, well, I definitely felt stunned but not stunning!  I started listing off all the reasons why I wasn't and she just rolled her eyes and opened the front door. Off we went.

We were sipping on our teas and she said something about my lipstick. How did it stay on while I was drinking? She said I had really great lips and that Ron must tell me how much he loves them all the time. I blushed, "Pfft! Yeah, right," I mumbled in my tea cup. She slammed her cup onto her saucer and hollered, "Pineapple!" 

I looked up into a very intense, almost angry look. Her brows were furrowed and she leaned forward over our teeny table, slowly sliding her cup and saucer out of her way. Narrowing her eyes, she quietly said, "Every time I hear you talking shit about yourself, from now until forever, I am gonna call you out on it. When you hear that word it means you've said something WRONG! It means you've said something that is bringing you down a notch. OR, that you're doing something to keep you small and insignificant. It means you've crossed the line. From one woman to another, this cycle stops now with our safeword. We are beautiful. YOU are beautiful! So, you need to stop and think about what you say and do in my presence. It better cause you to catch yourself in my absence."

And it has! It's taken me years to start this "practice" again, but I'm actively doing it! I later learned she used to think all the same lies I did. She caught all of the same social cues I did. She was blatantly told she was stupid and ugly. The loudest of all were other females. Why is it always another chick?! Why do we always put each other down, whether it be straight to the face or behind their backs? It's an ugly phenomena I've never understood and have always tried to stay away from. Not to say I haven't been apart of this in the past- I, too, am guilty. It's expected in our society! Because it's expected it's accepted!!! Well, it's NOT in my world. So, to all of my friends and family, if you hear me keeping myself small or saying something harmful (= anything but loving and respectful) about anyone else call me out on it! Scream it in my face! PINEAPPLE! And, if YOU hear ME say it, now you know what it means and hopefully it will make you stop and think, too! 

I got SLAMMED!

I've heard it, I teach it, and I've truly lived it. I believe that no one else can rule my emotions, my time, my efforts, my dreams. I had allowed each fear, doubt, self-deprecating, -hating thought to slowly build a pretty hefty wall which I was inevitably going to encounter somewhere along my journey. So, when I hit that wall at mach nine, it was messy and took awhile to clean up. I scrubbed and scrubbed. I broke down that wall brick-by-brick and threw each one as far away from me as my little arms could throw. Aaaaaand, I'm back!

 

Without getting into the details of it all, I am making a new commitment to me and the direction I want my little feet to go. Whodathunk it would be so hard to keep a little thing like a blog going? Well, fear reared its ugly head and kept telling me that people wouldn't want to hear what I had to say about the little things, about the big things, about ANYthing! I was petrified of more rejection. Well, I've been through it before, and I'm a better person because of it, blah-blah-blah... So, here I am:)

 

Anywhoo...this season, which is usually my busiest season, has slowed to a pause. So, instead of spending my time with clients, or people I've jumped into projects with, I am finding I'm spending a lot of time with ME! And ya know what? I'm not so bad:) It's also given me time to start exploring and researching not-so-fun stuff, like marketing, and the uber-fun stuff, like FOOD!!!

Telling clients to "slow down and enjoy life" is a phrase I use over and over again. Now, I am literally glancing into mirrors and shiny objects, looking myself in the eye and screaming it! I've never done well with idle time, I like to keep my little hands and my HUGE mind busy:) It keeps me out of trouble and out of the cookie jar- literally...

I truly believe that we "are always EXACTLY where we're meant to be." Now think about that, every struggle, hiccup, stagnate moment, pain and victory was meant to be. So, with this "free" time I have right now, how am I choosing to fill it and what am I meant to learn from this? So far, there's a lot of scary stuff being drudged up, things I've tried to push down and hide away from the world and myself. I still knew it was there, like something rancid. So, NOW is the time to deal with it and dispose of it once and for all! No more wondering, "Gee, what's that familiar stench?" Nopers!!!!! So, many tears and, literal, frozen-with-fear moments have been in my recent past. They will probably continue into my future for awhile, too. BUT, after I do this necessary spring cleaning I am gonna *SPARKLE* like I never have!

If you see me looking far away at nothing, or with an uncharacteristic angry or sad expression, or if you DON'T see me- please note: all is well and fine. Tiffy is just working through her self! Hearing about victories is always a great thing for me, but also, hearing the struggles someone has found methods to handle are good for my mind and my heart, right now. So, please feel free to share! No challenge or success is too big nor too small. None of us are alone and we are all stronger than we know...

The Start of My Benchmark Year

2012- Happy New Year! Last night, amongst the fireworks being shot off every 10 minutes,  I heard the cracking of the shell on this new year being hatched. It's filling me with a lot of hope and trepidation. There are MANY things I am looking forward to being different, stronger, better! Health, relationships, career, self love, acceptance of what's thrown at me... the list goes on!

I want change! Every person I work with wants it, they wouldn't seek me out otherwise. But the thought of it, the mere mention of the WORD instills fear in the strongest and smartest of us. Getting a gameplan and guidance to help you with them is key. You need to set yourself up for success! For me, I'm trying to get my "tribe" togegther. It's a motley crue of age, gender, cultures and backgrounds which all lend some sort of strength to my whole. They offer areas of strength and knowledge in which I lack, and vice versa! Not that I expect those in my life to GIVE to me, it's a mutual exchange of acceptance and love. Boy, does that sound sappy or what?! But, for real, I am very grateful for every person I am blessed to know and love. I love learning from other peoples' experiences, both good and bad.

I never thought of myself as one who needed a specific date or event to begin a change. I've always been one who kinda eeeeeased into changes, okay, I'm lying. After TRULY reflecting on times of profound change that I've made for myself in the past, it's been by diving in headfirst, no dipping of toes in the tides. I am leaping again!

I headed into a big challenge at our gym...again. The last two I did surprisingly well at! I was so surprised the first time that as the winners were being announced, and when I saw those who were heading to stand on the podium placements, I figured there was NO WAY I would be up there- comparing myself to those ladies. So, I went over to the food table and grabbed myself a Paleo cookie. (There is a whole other issue with this picture, which will be a future topic!) My mouth was full of gooey cookie deliciousness when my name was called!!! What the what?! Every triumph picture was one of me trying to get all the coconut flakes outta my teeth!

The stakes are MUCH higher, in many ways, in this current challenge. I am finding that those thick, grimy, bottom-of-the-barrel emotional layers are finally visible. Instead of looking at them, freaking out and running away I am committed to finally being done with all of this! Done with the guilt, the self-doubt and -hatred, D-O-N-E!

So, bring it on, I can take it. I know I'm sore and weak in some of these areas, but I AM GONNA F-ING DO THIS!

And, so it begins...

Notice the sucking of the teeth?! Grandma would be so proud...geesh! 

Lesson: keep away from the food table, and believe in myself- 

I just may surprise me:)

Mango Tango!

Golden like a setting sunset, refreshing to every palate, sweet like sinful candy...the mango! I was just flipping through the weekly ads from the grocery stores and noticed that mangoes are on sale at our Fry's, or Kroger brand store, 3/$1!!! I am getting my little hands on some tonight to make some of my favorite treats and creations. I used to agonize about finding organic mangoes, in staying true to how I try to live, but found out last year that avocados and mangoes are on the Clean 15 list!!! To get a list of the Clean 15 and the Dirty Dozen go to the Environmental Working Group's site and get their wallet cutout of the lists for easy shopping.

So, in the next few days, I will be making some of my mango wraps, fruit leather, and chips. Ahh! I'm getting excited just thinking about it! I'm attending a Raw Food Potluck in a couple weeks and my mango wraps are ALWAYS a huge hit! So, they will be ready for me to bring, create, and share with everyone there. Here are a few of the recipes with my beloved fruit, the mango!

Mango Wrappers: Adapted from Matthew Kenney's, Everyday Raw
Ingredients
4 c. chopped fresh mango
1 1/2 c. raw, unsweetened coconut meal
1/2 c. ground flax seed
Pinch cayenne, or chipotle
Pinch sea salt and cumin
1/4 c. cilantro, roughly chopped


Preparation
For added nourishment, you can add up to 1/2 c. ground flax seeds
Place all ingredients in blender. Blend well until smooth. Spread mixture thinly on fruit leather or Teflex sheets. You can sprinkle with a little extra cilantro for a pretty, aesthetic touch. Most times the mixture is thick enough to spread around with a spoon to make into pretty little circles for great wraps. Dehydrate 4 hours, until dry but still very pliable. Cut each sheet into appropriate sizes/shapes.

Use these as you would any conventional grain wrap or tortilla. I like mine with humus or seed spread topped with veggies: carrots, daikon, cabbage, bell peppers, celery, raw sweet potato, sprouts- whatever I may have!

 

Mango Fruit Leather:
Puree mango in a blender or food processor and pour into lightly oiled fruit leather trays of a food dehydrator and dehydrate at 115 degrees until the top of the fruit leather is no longer sticky to the touch. I generally dehydrate for a couple of hours then flip and continue for a couple more until no longer sticky. This tends to keep the edges from getting "crispy" and ensures a more even texture. Although, the crispy parts a wonderful, too!


Adding a fruit that isn't a "sticky" fruit, like berries, is a great way to make multi-flavored fruit leathers. They can be pretty fancy: mango, banana and pineapple is a great tropical blend. Get creative!


Mango and Black Bean Salsa:
Ingredients
1 mango, diced
1 (15-oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

1 teaspoon grated lime rind, zest 

1/4 c. fresh cilantro, finely chopped 

2 Tbs. fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup diced jicama or daikon radish

Preparation

Lightly toss all of the ingredients together and allow to sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.

This is a great accompaniment to a bed of lettuce greens for a quick and easy salad, served alongside corn tortilla chips, on fish, mixed into grains for a complete protein meal (legumes and grains= complete protein), or enjoyed with a fork! A few summers ago, my sis, bro-in-law and I ate this for WEEKS on and in everything!

Mango Chips:

Slice up mango into pieces, 1/4 inch thickness. Dehydrate at 115 for about 5 hours, or until they are crispy and not "bendy" or soft. They need to be crispy for health sake if storing or traveling with at room temp. They will last for months if completely dehydrated and stored in a sealed container.

Disclaimer: Mango mentioned above in recipes is not to be confused with our luscious, sweet-as-candy, delightful, devilish, fat cat, Mr. Mango!