The Force of Love

Love is a force that propels EVERYTHING!

Love connects us, inspires us and beckons us forward...

Love is about connecting and sharing our unique passions.

Every feeling, thought, emotion and action comes from Love...

because there is ONLY Love.

Love is powerful and all encompassing.

Love is... 

gentle, sweet, kind, caring, gracious, happiness, joy, and beauty.

Everything evolves out of Love. Everything becomes Love. 

  Love always has been and it always will be.

Love is now. Love is Present.

Journey into the stillness of your heart...

...and feel the transformational force of Love

Raw Almond Hummus

I love hummus and decided to create a raw version

to make it easier to digest and to release the nutrients of the garbanzo beans.

Raw Almond Hummus

Ingredients*

1 cup sprouted garbanzo beans

(see my post on How to Sprout Beans)

1 juicy lemon juiced

2 tablespoons raw almond butter

3 tablespoons olive oil

Pink Himalaya salt to taste

*most ingredients are organic

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor
and blend until creamy and smooth.
hint: you can add 1 or 2 teaspoons of water to make hummus even creamier

It's that simple and simply delicious!

I added tomatoes to my Raw Almond Hummus

and it is so yummy AND beautiful!

This Raw Almond Hummus is good with raw veggie crackers, carrots, celery

or any vegetable.

And, you can always add your favorite fresh herbs.

Let me know how you like it!

Quarryhill Botanical Gardens

The Quarryhill Botanical Gardens in Glen Ellen, California, is a lovely place to spend a few hours. These gardens were founded in 1987 and features one of the largest collections of Asian plants in the world.

My favorite part of the gardens is the water lily pond with waterfall. This lush pond is filled with pink and yellow water lilies and one cannot help but think of Monet's Giverney. I enjoyed sitting on a rock in the shade by the waterfall, listening and watching it cascade into the pond. The dragonflies were busily hovering over the water lilies adding magic to this serene setting.

As I walked around the paths through the gardens, I happened upon a family of Canadian Geese with their young adorable fluffy gaggle. Lizards scurried across the ground, butterflies fluttered by and bees swarmed the bushes.

There are plenty of benches throughout the gardens to sit and contemplate, reflect and enjoy the beauty of nature. There are many bridges to walk over and shaded areas with gazebos and a wonderful marble Chinese Lion. I decided to have a roar with him...

I highly recommend this peaceful, beautiful, and magical San Francisco Bay Area locale. 

What are your favorite places in nature?

The Sunflower Center

I have recently begun eating predominately raw foods and was happy to discover The Sunflower Center and cafe in Petaluma, California. I live in Marin County only 20 minutes away.

Lydia's Organics, Lydia's Lovin' Foods and The Sunflower Center are owned by Lydia Kindheart. Lydia has been following her passion of nurturing and educating people through her organic, raw, and vegan foods for almost 30 years.

My first experience at the Center was wonderful. I was greeted and lovingly assisted by Marilyn and Natasha, two of the sunflowers that grace the center. I first wandered around the large relaxing space filled with tables, a children's area, music stage, retail areas, library with comfy couches, hanging chairs, and windows everywhere.

The Sunflowers: Marilyn and Natasha

After perusing the center I ordered the Raw Sampler Plate ($12) which was delivered to my table in just a few minutes. It included the Collard Wrap with a side of Sesame Dill Sauce, Kreemy Pizza, Kale Salad, Purple Goddess Salad, Green Soup, and Coconut Almond Hummus with Lydia's Green Crackers.

WOW! It was all amazing! So flavorful, fresh, creative, beautiful and all raw. 

I purchased cacao powder, sesame tahini, coconut almond hummus, green crackers, and sesame dill sauce from their retail food section to take home. They also have a beautiful and yummy looking dessert counter.

I highly recommend Lydia's Organic Sunflower Center Cafe. I will be eating there frequently and will be bringing my husband and friends. They also have cooked vegan foods available which looked super delicious. And, they are open everyday. See their website for details on hours, menu and all their fun events.

I felt the Lovin' in Lydia's Food!

 

 

 

  What are your favorite raw food restaurants?

Raw Cacao Mousse

This super easy, luscious and fun recipe idea
was given to me by one of my dear raw soul sisters!

I tweaked it a bit...

Raw Cacao Mousse

Ingredients

1 Avocado
1/2 ripe banana
2 Tablespoons Raw Cacao Powder
*you may need to add more cacao powder for chocolatey color

2 Medjool dates
*you can use Agave or raw honey instead of dates

You can easily double or triple this recipe
and add more dates or banana for sweetness
Explore quantities to your liking!

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender

&

ENJOY!

Wow! It is super delicious and silky smooth...

Thank you Rosa Maria
My Creative Dream Companion!

What are your favorite easy raw sweet treats?

My Talented Husband

My husband, Robert, is an extremely talented musician. He is a singer/songwriter and plays many instruments - acoustic and electric guitar, bass, keyboards and harmonica. And, he plays all types of music - country, ballads, rock, pop, classics and, I especially love the songs he has written.

We have a recording studio in our home and he loves creating songs and mixing them. He recently came out with his first CD, See You Again. It is an eclectic upbeat collection of his original songs - rock, blues, country, ballads and island music.

The title song is dedicated to a dear friend of ours, who passed away a few years ago. Sail Away is a song about our tropical adventures. A Woman Like You is about me! That Yellow Ball is about our tennis days. Grandma's Chocolate Bar is about his Italian grandmother and there are many more...

I enjoy having my own personal concerts in front of the fireplace or in the recording studio when he is creating something new. He often plays for our friends at dinner parties or impromtu gatherings. His sweet gentle soulful voice touches everyone's heart.

He has written songs about me, our family, life events, local happenings and any topic that inspires lyrics and music. Sometimes we even write songs together and I have fun singing along.

I am blessed to have a musical creative soul in my life and I fall in love with him all over again whenever I hear his sweet lyrics, music and especially his voice...

Purchase See You Again Here!
You can download the songs or purchase
a physical CD filled with pictures and liner notes written by me!

What creative souls bless your life?

Raw Hemp & Orange Salad

My favorite raw salad! 

Raw Hemp and Orange Salad

Ingredients*

Lettuce 

Shredded carrots
Shredded golden beets 

Tomatoes

Jicama
Mint leaves

Avocado 

Raw Hemp Seeds
(also known as Hemp Hearts
they are the most nutritious seed in the world!)

Pink Himalayan Salt and pepper to taste

Since I have been sprouting beans lately 

I like adding them to the salad too
Here's my Post on

How To Sprout Beans

Dressing*

Olive oil 

Juice from a mandarin orange
(I include the juiced mandarin orange wedges in the salad)
A few squeezes of lemon

Raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar

*most ingredients are Organic

And, I love my Fruit Water!

Purified Water

Chunks or slices of 

lemons, oranges, limes

and mint leaves

Nutritional LOVE for my body, mind, soul and heart... 

What are you favorite raw salads?
Please share them here...

The Joy of The Journey...

We have all heard the idea that Life is all about the Journey.
And for many years I have told myself that -
through thick and thin, through ups and downs, and through life and deaths.

Now, I really GET it!
Life is absolutely about the Journey - the inner and outer journey of our spirit,
the inner and outer journey of our soul.
Life is the intersection of these journeys.
Life is truly in each and every moment, each and every breath,
each and every creation, each and every connection and each and every
Everything!

I love learning, growing and expanding into the being I am meant to be. 

I love listening and hearing who I really am and revelling in the joy of my personal journey...

I love sharing my joy and light with others which inspires me to continue my expansion.

My spirit continually beckons me to express the fullness of who I am...

Love, Creativity, Joy, Fun, Clarity, Beauty, Expansion, Laughter, Caring, Connection, 

Appreciation, Abundance and so much more!

Life is truly about the Joy of The Journey...

Dream Days

I love my dream days. These are days when I take time to just be. I take everything slowly and do not "expect" to do anything in particular. I nap, do some art, pet my cat, do gentle yoga, take walks, 

drink tea and dream...

 

I imagine, create and appreciate. I listen, smile, and breathe. I reconnect, remember and rewire. 

I feel and know that all is well, that life is magnificent, and I am here for joy and connection.

Being a Creative Visionary, dream days are essential and part of who I am. 

They feed my soul and keep me focused. They calm me and bring peace to my heart.

I love my dream days...

Home Exercise...

...for Body, Mind and Soul

I love exercising at home in my beautiful loft filled with light - from high ceilings, skylights and lots of windows. I enjoy my solitary gentle yoga sessions. Sometimes I just want to do a 20 minute yoga practice and sometimes longer so I have wonderful DVDs to guide me.

   

I also enjoy my Swiss Ball sessions in my loft. There are so many wonderful stretches and exercises one can do on and with the Swiss Ball. It is low impact, yet it can be quite a workout.  The Swiss Ball can be bounced on, stretched over, sat on, leaned on and anything else you can think of. It is great for balance and core work.

My cat Asia loves to stretch (as all cats do) but seems to know when I am doing Yoga or the Swiss Ball and joins in. She stretches next to me, licks my hair, sniffs my hands and often walks under my bridge poses. Then she seems to settle in and sits nearby watching, or nodding off into a Cat Savasana.

Over the years I have joined different health clubs and yet always love my home exercise practices.

I also live in a beautiful valley with walking paths and an abundance of flora and fauna right outside my door, so I take walks in nature many times a week. Walking in nature feeds my soul.

      

What home exercises for your body, mind and soul do you enjoy...?

Cat Love

We all love our pets. Animals give so much unconditional love 

and there is nothing quite like a relationship with an animal. 

My cat, Asia, is no exception.

  

                           Awww!                     Watching me draw        On her way to the Royal Wedding
                                                                                     
As a child we always had cats as pets, however, when I moved out on my own I often lived in places where pets were not allowed. When my husband, Robert, and I bought our condo I began searching for a cat. Robert never had cats (only dogs) and was a bit wary of cats, but he knew how much I had been wanting a cat and lovingly agreed.

I began searching for a cat on Petfinder. Petfinder is wonderful online website - you can put in the characteristics of animals you would like and they find many that fit those qualifications.  I wanted a small, female, about 2 year old cat and finally decided on Asia. She was in a foster care situation about 2 hours from my town. The day I was to pick her up I was so excited I didn't think I could drive, so a friend drove with me.

The foster care mom told me to have her in a small room for awhile until she became more comfortable in her new surroundings. Well, the first night she meowed so much and seemed to long to be with us, so when we opened the door she ran right up to our bedroom, jumped on the bed and 9 years later she is still there.

She loves using her mouse as a pillow

She has brought so much love, joy and fun into our lives. And, it is always enlightening to watch a cat relax, stare out the window, explore everything with such amazing curiosity, and well, just be a cat!

Robert absolutely LOVES her and they have a unique connection that is so adorable to watch (especially since Robert never thought he was a "cat" person). He often tells me how happy he is that I brought Asia into our lives.

There always seems to be a photo opportunity when cats around...

Enjoying the iPad

Helping me sort socks
       

             Where's Asia...?              

                                                                                                                                                                    

 What animals bring joy into your life...?

Sprouting Beans

I have recently begun eating predominately raw foods and am discovering fun foods to add to my menu. Sprouted beans are super healthy, easy to make and a great source of protein.
Sprouting releases more of the bean's nutrition and makes them easier to digest.
They are great for adding to salads or as a snack.

I will be sharing my first sprouting adventure...

First I bought 5 kinds of dried organic beans: mung, garbanzo, green lentil, adzuki and French green lentil. These are the best beans for sprouting and they can be sprouted all together. 

I  used about a cup of dried beans.

 

Next, soak the beans in water for 8-12 hours in a sprouting jar.
(one quart mason jar with screen lid can usually be found at a health food store or online)  
Use a 2-1 ratio of water to beans for soaking. 

The beans will grow in size after soaking. Rinse thoroughly.

  

Next, rinse the beans 3 or 4 times twice a day for 3-4 days. 

Be sure to rinse thoroughly and drain completely.
You can keep them on your kitchen counter.

 

Now the fun begins...as you watch them sprout...

 

                                                Day 2                                  Day 3

              They are now ready and can be kept in the mason jar with a solid lid in your refrigerator.

(if some beans do not sprout you can pick them out 

and continue to rinse twice daily until they sprout too)

Eat and Enjoy!

I would love to hear about some of your favorite raw food recipes...