So... apparently many states are experiencing the warmest winter on record for some 40 years or so.. (well, atleast compared to last year, when freezing temps and blizzards swept across the country killing lots and wreaking all $ORT$ of havoc, remember??) Here in San Francisco, blossoms are a blooming. Not to mention my body thinks its Spring and I've been allergy-ridden. Hard to believe, being that it's only the 1st(ish) week of February, where in the past, this time every year meant miserable-subzerotemps-my-bones-are-freezing wintertime in NYC. Yeah, no. I don't miss that, NY!

At the end of the day, it's February, which means it's still Winter. And with that, and in keeping with the seasons, I bring forth this simple yet nourishing Winter's Stew. In my household we do well on this type of thing because it lasts us atleast 2 nights (better than 1), is cost-effective, takes minutes to prepare and is super yummers. The best part about this is not only how easy it is to make, as all it takes is chopping and throwing contents into pot, but how nutrient-dense therefore good for you it is...

Have Some Now and Have Some Tomorrow Winter's Stew (makes about 6-8 servings)
1 can Organic Aduki Beans, drained and rinsed (I use the Eden brand)
1 can Organic Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
4 stalks Organic Celery, chopped
4 Carrots, chopped
1 medium Organic Sweet Potato, chopped 
3 Organic Tomatoes, chopped
1 cup Organic Frozen or Fresh Corn Kernels
4 Organic Collard Greens or Kale, chopped
2 cups Organic Veggie Stock
3 cups Water
1 small Shallot 
3-4 Garlic Cloves, crushed
Herbs and Spices
Cinnamon Stick
Bay Leaf
Cumin
Cayenne
Turmeric
Paprika
Sage
Thyme
Oregano
Lemon Pepper
Black Pepper
1-1/2 Tbsp Sea Salt
(or pretty much everything in your herb/spice pantry)

In a large pot, bring together garlic, shallot and 3 Tbsp of Olive Oil over medium heat. Once the sizzle, add in potatoes (for 5 minutes- stirring), then carrots, celery and tomatoes. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add in Cinnamon Stick, Bay Leaf and Veggie Stock. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. Add in corn and beans, then stir in more and more water to your liking- depending on how thick or runny (like soup!) you like it. Then in go all the herbs and spices.. It's your experiment, therefore there's no such thing here as the "right amount" of anything, because everyone has a preference. I like it spicy, others do not. I like a little less salt, my boyfriend is the opposite. I pretty much use 1/2-1 tsp of mostly everything listed under Herbs and Spices, but that's just me. Try it! Have fun.. and here's to staying even cozier this winter!

Spice up some root veggies like carrots, turnips and beets in less than 5 minutes! I've been hankering some sauerkraut so I used red cabbage...

Pickling Made Easy:
1 Quart Jar
3/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar (Bragg's is recommended)
1/2 cup Water
1 Tbsp Sea Salt
1 Bay Leaf
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 Tbsp Black Peppercorns
1 Tbsp Fennel Seed
1 Tbsp Cumin Seed
1/2 lb Chopped Red Cabbage or 1 lb Root Veggie of choice (or mix of both!)

First, bring together the liquids and salt in a small pot, letting it boil over low heat for 7-10 minutes. Turn off heat, then pack the jar tightly with the carrots or cabbage as well as the spices, cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Lastly pour in the warmed up brine, adding more water if necessary to fill the jar up to the brim. Cover and let sit out in room temperature for at least 24 hours before enjoying with mixed greens, in tacos, with grains or just straight out of the jar!

Enter, the Sesame Seed.. Small in shape but loaded with goodness, these nutty seeds contains substances that belong to a group of fibers called lignans, which lower cholesterol. Due to its high levels of copper they are a wonderful ant-inflammatory food and can be beneficial for those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Copper also activates an enzyme necessary for building elastin and collagen, which provides structure and elasticity to the bones and joints. In the hull of the seeds are loads of calcium, which is a mighty mineral that lowers blood pressure, reduces migraines (which are caused by blood vessel spasms) and builds bone structure and overall health.

Grind up some Sesame Seeds with a bit of oil to make Tahini Dressing, a wonderfully tasty Middle Eastern fundamental.Drizzle over a boring salad and bam, best salad ever it becomes..

Here's how easy it is:
Homemade Tahini
2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds
1 tsp Olive or Unrefined, untoasted Sesame Oil
1/8 cup Water (or more depending on desired consistency)
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
1 tsp Sea Salt 
In a food processor (or blender) grind Sesame Seeds until smooth, then add in Oil and Salt. Slowly add in water and lemon juice, blending until smooth. Enjoy over everything...

xoS

Take some time today to enjoy the fruits of your labor..

Do what you love and love what you do.
xoS

Now that the Holidays are over, now what? Back to the program is what..
I just came back from an unbelievable getaway to Thailand which consisted of savory, tasty and fresh Thailand food x 3 meals everyday, snorkeling and swimming alongside wildly-neon fish, riding motos, basking in age-old and mirror-tiled palaces, reading for leisure (!),  swimming through an emerald cave, falling in love with an elephant, gawking at bats (I know), and getting massaged... 

I crawled my way to a yoga class last night for the first time in weeks and I kind of fell asleep in child's pose. The process of getting my groove back has been trying, but at least it's begun. "Letting go" and keeping up with healthy habits during the winter months are always more difficult to sludge through. But here I am, being my best cheerleader and yours too. You can do it! Get back on it and find your groove again. A bunch of friends and coworkers are embarking on juice cleanses this week, which is a splendid idea and a great kickstart. Juicing has tons of benefits and is great to implement as a regimen, not to mention extremely popular these days. Honorable mentions include Living Greens , Can Can, Organic Avenue and Blueprint, for starters.

But what happens post-juicing? How to maintain that glow, lightness of being, clearer eyes, bloat-free belly and improved energy? It's easier than you think to change your food and get on a path that's not necessarily FREE of gluten, alcohol, sugar, caffeine, meat and dairy, but one that contains a lot LESS of these categories which are taxing on the body. I can show you how!

I usually lead a nourishing food cleanse and detox seasonally both with private clients and at Yoga Garden. Stay tuned on the next group cleanse, btdubs. The point of my cleanse program is not to convert people to veganism, but more about providing the tools to help people make good food choices that ultimately make them feel way, way better. Besides, you are what you eat, so what you eat should be clean, nourishing, nutrient-rich, delicious food that is ideally prepared with love.

Stock up on these yummy Detox foods:
*Root Veggies (Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Beets to puree for soups or for roasting)
*Broccoli & Cauliflower (also perfect as soups and as a roasted side dish)
*Dark Leafies (Kale and Arugula top my charts; mixed greens =less boring)
*Nuts and Seeds (an unsalted variety for snacking or pureeing as dressing!)
*Miso Paste (for soups and salad dressings)
*Organic Beans (red, white, navy, mung, garbanzo, black- for dips and salads)
*Gluten-free whole grains: millet, quinoa, brown rice, amaranth (for nutrient-dense salads and morning porridges)

Big diff between eating and feeding. Don't eat just to eat. Feed yourself. Nourish, enjoy and take care.
Happy New Year indeed.
Peas and love,
S

Tis the season for lots of cooking.. and baking! 
I used to stay away from baking; I could never get anything to rise properly or get my cookies soft enough. But alas, Babycakes came along and everything changed. 

Try these surprisingly simple and super delish morning muffins!

Roasted Apples
1 lb Granny Smiths, peeled, cored and diced into 1" cubes
1 lb Pink Ladies, same
1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Agave Nectar
1/4 Fresh Lemon Juice

Muffins
2 cups Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Baking Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Xanthan Gum
1 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Ground Cinnamomn
1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
1/2 Coconut Oil (gotta melt the solid! to do this, place entire jar with top off in a small pot of boiling water)
2/3 cup Agave Nectar
2/3 Rice Milk2 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 325. Line a baking sheet with parchment. In a bowl, toss together apples, cinnamon, agave and lemon until apples are completely coated. Spread mixture over prepared baking sheet. Bake apples on center rack for 35 min, rotating the sheet 180 deg after 20 min; apples should be soft by then. Let apples stand for 30 min.

Now for the muffins- keep oven at 325; line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. In a bowl, whisk all the dry goods: flour, powder, soda, gum, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Then add in the wet stuff: oil, agave, milk and vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth. Add 1 cup of roasted apples and stir to distribute.
Pour 1/3 cup batter into each prepared cup. Bake muffins on center rack for 20 min, rotating the tin 180 deg after 15 min until muffins are golden brown and fork inserted into center comes out clean.
Let cool and enjoy with a cuppa tea!

Happiest Holidays to you and yours!
xoS

Tis the season for lots of cooking... Try these super easy sides for the next Holiday dinner you throw or go to! 
While we did have a bird, the sides are as always (well mostly) vegan/gluten/dairy-free,  delish, quick and won't leave you with that sinking feeling afterward. 

Glazed and Roasted Brussel Sprouts
1 lb. Brussel Sprouts (optional to halve them; they cook faster and more even that way.. I did not halve them this time and liked the toasty exterior/ fresh and crunchy interior)
3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 Tbsp. Leftover Bacon Grease (optional; if you happen to've cooked some bacon that morning and have leftover grease that you didn't throw out yet, use it for a smokier flavor... the guys will thank you)
2 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
Huge handful golden Hunza Raisins and crushed Almonds
Salt to taste
On a baking sheet, lay down the sprouts, drizzle oil over and massage well until well coated. Pour on maple syrup and add in raisins, almonds and salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes until edges start to get toasty looking.

Simply Mashed Potatoes
Quite simply the easiest thing on the menu and the hardest thing to mess up!
3 lbs  Medium Potatoes (15 or so)
2 Tbsp Earth Balance (Vegan Butter) or Regular Butter
2 Tbsp Coconut Butter
1/4 cup Almond Milk
Minced Chives
Fresh Rosemary
Salt to Taste
Boil Potatoes for 30 minutes, or until soft when pierced with fork. Drain, let cool, and peel off skin. Start mashing with a large wooden spoon or spatula and add in Milk, Butter, Coconut Butter, Chives, Rosemary and Salt. For creamier potatoes, take all ingredients into a food processor.

Roasted String Beans
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
3 Cloves Garlic, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Ground Red Pepper
Lemon wedge
On a baking sheet, lay down beans and pour over oil, salt, pepper, Paprika and Ground Pepper- and sprinkle over garlic Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes until roasted and toasted looking. Optionally, squeeze over a small lemon wedge when cooled off.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes + Cran-Orange Sauce
4 Large Sweet Potatoes
2 tsp Cinnamon
2 Tbsp Coconut Butter
2 Tbsp Earth Balance (Vegan Butter) or Regular Butter
1 tsp Salt
Bake Potatoes at 350 degrees on center rack for 20-25 minutes, until soft when pierced with fork. Let cool, then peel off skin. In a bowl, mash potatoes with wooden spoon or spatula, then add in the rest of the ingredients. Easy as that..

Cran-Orange Sauce
1 package Organic Cranberries
1/2 cup Agave Nectar or Maple Syrup
1 cup Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
1/2 orange peeled and cut into 1/2" bits
In a pot, boil cranberries in OJ over medium heat until cranberries start to pop and absorb all liquid. Start mashing with a wooden spoon or spatula, then add in syrup or nectar and orange bits. Turn down heat to low and mix it all up until thick sauce forms. Serve with everything!

Glazed and Herbed Hormone/Antibiotic-Free Bird 
We were blessed with a giant bird that I glazed, stuffed and over-herbed. Try this simple glaze to pour over the whole thing...
2/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2/3 cup Maple Syrup
1/4 cup OJ
Bring all ingredients in a pot until boiling and mix until sort of thick (3-5 minutes). Pour it over!

Apple-Chestnut Stuffing
1/2 old baguette or 5 slices of toasted bread, cut into small pieces
1 cup Veggie Stock (or Chicken stock if desired)
2 stalks Celery, chopped
1 small Onion, chopped
1 apple, chopped
1 cup Chestnuts (roasted in oven for 20 minutes, skin peeled off)
1/2 Pecans
Fresh Thyme and Sage
Mix it all up and stuff it!

A wonderful Thanksgiving was had indeed... Happy Holidays!
xoS

The makings of homemade pies... recipes to come!

Being grateful is not only good for you but good for the others around you when you flex that grateful muscle. A little gratitude goes a long way, and everyone's better off..

Today I'm feeling grateful for the lucky and loveliest things: wonderful friends, jobs I love, a cozy nest, a neato partner, my sissy, and all the nourishing food I get to constantly make and indulge in; speaking of which, off to do more meal-prep (and house-straightening) in anticipation of my parents' arrival!

Nothing happier than baking on a cold wintry day to A Charlie Brown Christmas... Happy Thanksgiving!
xoS

Cook- more often than not. 
Cook with love always, and whenever possible cook with the ones you love.
xoS

Carrots, Purple Pepper and Candy-striped Beets: makings of something yummy and cozy for tonite...

Amazing Fall Amarettas... I left the Farmers Market--- penniless!