My Daughter's Favorite Breakfast...Vegan, GF, SF

(although she only likes the raw version)

Soaked Oatmeal Breakfast (Raw or Cooked Versions)…

It’s important to soak oatmeal prior to preparation. Doing so increases the digestibility of oats as it does and it enables the nutrients found in the grain to be better absorbed by your body.  Generally speaking grains like Oats, contain phytic acid which can inhibit the proper absorption of minerals link zinc, calcium, magnesium and iron.

To prepare this soaked oatmeal recipe, you’ll need:

• 1 Cup Rolled Oats (if you are on a GF diet be sure to purchase GF OATS!)
• 1-2 Tablespoons Raw Cider Vinegar (if the taste is too strong use less)
• 1 cup water (or for creamier version you can use coconut milk)
• Pinch of Salt
• 2 Teaspoons Cinnamon (or to taste)
• Optional 1 Tablespoon Coconut oil*
• Optional Cardamom to taste
• Optional…Ginger to taste (fresh or powder)
• Optional Nuts and Seeds
• Optional Raisins, Dates, Figs, Coconut etc.

Instructions for Preparing Soaked Oatmeal:

1. Soak rolled oats, seeds and nuts overnight in enough water to cover – adding lemon juice, kefir, whey, yogurt or cider vinegar to the water.
2. In the morning, drain oats and rinse them well.
3. RAW VERSION…you would now skip to step 8 (serves 2)
4. COOKED VERSION…continue thru steps 5-8* (serves 4)
5. Add water/coconut milk to a pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
6. Immediately turn down heat and add remaining ingredients.
7. Stir frequently and continue to simmer until oatmeal has thickened to your liking.
8. Serve with Coconut oil, coconut milk, or nut milk and sweetener (honey, molasses, dates, agave, Stevia) of your choice.

*Coconut Oil...for my daughter's favorite Raw Version I heat the Coconut Oil on LOW! heat to melt before adding it to her oatmeal

Yoga Today - Knee therapy yoga

Yoga Today - Knee therapy yoga

What being in Silence meant to me...

I have never in my life been in Silence and the opportunity presented itself to and because I am very open to trying anything these days, here came the silence!   It felt a bit strange at first not talking to those around me or making eye contact, but I began to get use to it and actually really enjoyed it!  It was nice to not have noise, of course there was my brain being noisy trying to figure out work schedules and business ventures in my brain.  I would realize I was in my brain and I would focus on my breath and then Id notice the beauty all around me.  I enjoyed myself, I mean being with myself, it was very pleasant, different and I look forward to doing it again!
 I highly recommend enjoying silence at some time in your life, It may sound strange at first but really it's blissful!  O.K. so maybe it's not blissful for everyone and maybe it won't be so blissful next time, but I still think it is an experience that is worth trying! at least once!  I know I will be enjoying silence at least twice a year, spring and fall at hiddenlakeretreat.org, if not for the silence then for the amazing food that Laurie so lovingly prepared!  Seriously when silence broke, I think the main topic was how amazing the food was, and I so enjoyed hearing all the sounds of everyone eating and enjoying each bite not worrying about the future, being completely present! 
So Silence for me was an experience I will always remember, words cannot describe the amount of calmness, joy, love, acceptance, and space in my heart that was allowed in by simply being silent and having the support of others around me doing the same was so helpful!
 I am so thankful to my husband for always allowing me to grow, he is extremely supportive of my desire to try new things, even when in his mind he may not understand, he doesn't judge, he just accepts and supports.  I am one lucky girl, thanks to all those around me that supported me, I hope to always accept and love in each moment every day!
Cheers to silence, may you find a bit of silence for yourself everyday, even if it's just in the car on the way to work, turn the radio, and cell phone off and just enjoy the peace fullness within....

Namaste, Paleena 

Healthy Gluten Free Pumpkin cookies

These are a very healthy snack for everyone!   They are not too sweet but can be made as sweet as you would like, my little girl thinks they are perfect just the way they are!!

Ingredients:

2tbls Molasses

½ cup Honey OR the no sugar option… 10 drops vanilla Stevie w/ ¼ tsp of Stevie powder….I did the Stevie and  ¼ cup honey for mineJ

1 can cooked pumpkin OR 1 cup of your fresh baked pumpkinJ

6 tbl butter OR you can use vegetable oil OR applesauce in its place

½ cup of Amaranth flour, Millet flour, quinoa flour, brown rice, and ground flax seeds = 2 ½ cups

1 tsp pumpkin spice or cinnamon

¼ tsp real salt  (Redmond Real Salt is amazing!!)

1 ¼ tsp baking soda

½ tsp cream of tarter

½ cup dark chocolate chips or carob chips or raisins

½ cup of your favorite nuts… (I chose walnuts although I think pecans would be fabulous too!)

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Thoroughly mix honey or sweateners of choice with molasses, and pumpkin. Add butter. In a separate bowl mix next  ingredients. Add to pumpkin mixture. Fold in Raisins and nuts.

Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased cookie sheet or cooking stone if you have one. Bake until light brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and cool. They would be yummy with some frosting!

Optional frosting:

One small container soft goat cheese combined with 2 tbls Maple syrup or as much as tastes good to youJ

Gluten Free Pumkin Muffins, that EVERYONE will luv!

These are so amazingly moist and yummy and they freeze well too!  Yes these are Gluten free but I promise that even if you don't eat gluten free you will love them!

1 1/2 cup Pumkin puree (canned or fresh)
1/2 cup ground flax
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup brown rice flower
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar or 1/4 cup honey & 8 drops vanilla stevia
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons bakeing soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or carob chips or 1/4 date pieces & 1/4 walnuts

Preheat oven to 350, prepare muffin pan

Combine pumkin, sugar or honey, water, oil and vanilla until well blended.  Then add flours, and flax meal, baking soda, salt, and dark chocolate or other options given and mix completely.  Divide the batter among the mufffin cups.  Bake until the tops are lightly browned and spring back to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes.  Let cool, then enjoy!

You could frost these if you'd like with the following healthy frosting, or one of your own recipes!

1 small container organic greek yogurt or soft goat cheez
maple syrup, and vanilla to taste

Chayse’s GLUTEN FREE Yellow Birthday Cake

Chayse’s GLUTEN FREE Yellow Birthday Cake

The cooked millet in this recipe gives the cake it’s amazing moist texture! You can enjoy this as a cake or cupcakes, chayse enjoys these frosted with Greek yogurt mixed with a bit of honey and a sprinkle of coconut.

2 cups brown rice flower

1 ¼ tsp baking soda

½ tsp crème of tarter

½ tsp salt

1 ¾ cup cooked millet

1 cup juice of choice (apple, berry, orange)

½ cup water

1/3 cup cold pressed vegetable oil

½ cup maple syrup (or ¼ cup maple syrup, honey, or agave with 8 drops stevia)

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs, separated

1 cup carob, or dark chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix flour, baking soda, crème of tarter and salt together in large mixing bowl; set aside. Put cooked millet and juice in blender; blend until smooth. Add water, oil and syrup to the millet puree in the blender; pulse briefly. Separate egg whites in separate metal bowl. Add egg yolks to millet puree and pulse again. Add wet and dry ingredients and mix well and add your carob or dark chocolate chips if using. Whip egg whites until peaks form, and then fold egg whites into millet mixture. Pour into cake pan (either two 8 inch or one larger one) 30-40 min. until cake begins to pull away from edge of pan. Cup cakes take a little less time…20-25min. until they too pull away from edge. Let cool completely before frosting with your favorite topping!

Feel Free to share with those you know that are Gluten Free or even if there not it's a yummy cake and it just so happens to be good for you too!

Yoga for back pain..

Do you have back pain? Most of us do...I know I did for 8 years and I was given drugs, and physical therapy, and none of it helped for more than a few days! I was diagnosed with L4, L5 bulging disks and told that they would only get worse!
When I was pregnant with my little girl I started acupunture and that definately helped but after she was born I started doing Yoga and after a year I realized one day I had absolutely no pain! After 8 years of chronic pain, so bad it would keep me on the couch for weeks at a time, and I'm a bit of an athlete and for me to be on the couch was torture!
Why did Yoga help my back? Well, at first I didn't really understand it but now that I have been practicing and teaching yoga for over 5 years I get it! In our society of doing and getting those to do list's finished we live in the future, we don't listen to our bodies! We tend to move from our shoulders, locking our knees and bending at our bellies instead of our hips! In yoga we learn how to move with our largest joints in mind, shoulders, hips and knees and hinge from our hips! Of course there is so much more to it but I do believe that it is the awareness that yoga gives us that begins to heal and strengthen our bodies, and by lengthening our muscles it release's tention!
It's not just the Yoga class that begins to heal your body/back pain it's the awarenss of moving in a way that honor's our bodies and of course learning how to breathe is extremely helpful to reducing stress! Yoga is something I look forward to each day, it's all I do to keep strong and flexible! My back has been pain free for 5 + years and I am a true believer that we can all be pain free, and that Yoga is truly for everyone!! For more info. check out my website @ myuniqueperfections.com