Lazy Sunday: In The Tub

Taking a long, lazy bath on Sunday has become a bit of a habit. Best enjoyed with some aromatherapy mineral salts and post-dip flannel pajamas, I can't recommend this habit highly enough.

How do you work best?

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"Strangely enough, my imagination works best when I am sitting alone in a large assemblage, when the tumult and noise require a substratum of will if the imagination is to hold to its object; without this environment it bleeds to death in he exhausting embrace of an infinite idea." -Søren Kierkegaard

I stumbled across this quote by danish philosopher and granddaddy of existentialism, Søren Kierkegaard, in the book Wanderlust: A History of Walking by Rebecca Solnit, and couldn't help but feel an absolute sense of agreement. In college I always loved doing my work in a bustling coffee-shop (side note, why can't I find any place as cool as Stella's in DC?), and even now I've got Pandora cranking out the tunes all day as I work to liven up the office ambiance. To me, there's something about the struggle to stay on task when so much is happening that allows me to focus in a way a quiet room never could. As Søren explained in his journals, you can focus on what you're actually doing as you block out the layers of distraction rather than focusing on being isolated from the distraction.

Of course, I know plenty of folks who tell me they need polar opposite conditions to get anything done (the boyfriend for one). In fact, sometimes I can't help but think perhaps there's something wrong with my choice of work environment... is it because I can't handle the quiet? Do I have a need for continuous distraction because I watched too much TV as a kid? It's secretly nice to know my need for a bit of chaos isn't solely a result of growing up in an era of over-stimulation - something tells me that Kierkegaard's quiet, 19th century Copenhagen upbringing didn't over-saturate him with Sesame Street.

Another quote plucked from Kierkegaard's writings for Solnit's book was so sweet I had to share:

"This very moment there is an organ-grinder down the street playing and singing -- it is wonderful, it is the accidental and insignificant things in life which are significant." How perfect a sentiment for the start of the weekend. Now go out and see how many significantly insignificant things you can experience.

Back to Work

We're wrapping up the long Thanksgiving weekend here in the US. A sense of melancholy has drifted over our home as the reality of heading back to work tomorrow sets in. Let's face it, getting back into a typical routine is never easy after you've had some time off. But I read a quote yesterday (in a fantastic book I plan to write more about soon...) that is the perfect antidote to the Sunday-evening blues.

"Let's become more creative, more loving, and more joyful in our work, care more for the earth and each other, and reinvent work as the joy it is meant to be - as the expression of our heart's purpose." - Will Tuttle, PhD

Now get out there and kick some ass.

Kale Chips Made Easy

I enjoy dabbling with raw food recipes that preserve each and every enzyme naturally found in tasty fruits and veggies. Delicious and nutritious to the extreme! But sometimes raw food recipes can be even more intimidating than their cooked counterparts if for no other reason than most of us didn't grow up creating these culinary delights, so it's a bit unfamiliar. For example, I thought for the longest time that those crunchy and addictive kale chips I'd get at raw food restaurants were beyond my reach. There's no way I could recreate that signature flavor or incredible crispiness on my own, I would think... so I never tried.

Well, a few weeks ago I decided to pull out my trusty Excalibur dehydrator (ok, who am I kidding, this thing is huge and doesn't fit in any of our cabinets so technically it required no pulling out, only plugging in) and give homemade kale chips a go. A few hours later, and my world was forever changed. It is the easiest this you could possibly make and so freaking good! So I thought I'd share this remarkably easy, 3 step technique for making incredible kale chips on your own.

1. First, rinse a giant leafy bunch of kale. Tear the leaves from the tough stem, and toss into a salad spinner for a quick ride.

2. Next, transfer the leaves into a large bowl a handful at a time, spritzing each pile with just a little extra virgin olive oil (I recommend using a Misto sprayer). Then, once you've got your bowl filled with kale, add a few shakes of soy sauce and toss the leaves to distribute that liquid flavor!

3. Finally, throw that leafy goodness onto your dehydrator trays and set the heat to 105-110 degrees. That's it! And a few hours later....

Oh baby. It's time for some crispy, crunchy, savory kale chips! Such a simple process yields such major return. If your chips taste at all chewy, get them back in the dehydrator - stat! When they're ready they will crumble to bits the instant they hit your tongue. Pairs perfectly with a good movie or as a prelude to a creative raw dinner.

Spotted in Georgetown

Please pardon the terrible photo quality (the camera on my phone has lost its ability to focus) but I spotted this festive doorway, cascading with pumpkins and gourds of every stripe, and had to document it for longevity. What a great idea! They did such a good job finding just the right spot of every last pumpkin and gourd. I'm a huge fan of the mini pumpkin myself. We have a little guy keeping us company as a kitchen table centerpiece - and if you get a couple in different shades they just as colorful as flowers, but WAY less expensive and last for months.

The BEST Travel Containers

I spent this past weekend in Atlanta for my brother's wedding which meant I had to pull out my trusty quart-sized Ziploc bag to stash all my liquids in per the good folks at airport security. But alas, I had lost the plastic bottle destined to hold my face wash. I ran over to the grocery store to pick another $.99 bottle, but there was no such container to be found. My only option was a slightly pricier variety that seemed fancier than what I required - but since it was the only option, I tossed it in my basket.

Well this week when I head to the store I'm picking up a couple more of these "fancy" bottles and I can't wait until I need to use them. So what makes these little pouches so special? Why am I oh so in love with them? Let me count the ways:

1. They're made from soft but sturdy silicone that is super easy to squeeze.
2. They balance on their caps so you don't have to shake the bottle to get your liquid out.
3. A large opening allows for easy filling and no spilling.
4. A no-spill nozzle ensures your goop doesn't leak and the cap doesn't get all gunked up.
5. The flip open cap is incredibly easy to open.
6. The 2 oz. version I purchased has a built in suction cup that really does stay put and allows for single-handed dispensing.
7. There is a built in ring you can adjust to show what the contents of your container are.

Have I sold you? The brand that makes these little tubes of joy is called Humangear and the tubes I am a total convert to are called GoToobs! A definite must for any frequent travelers out there. Plus they come in three sizes.

Autumnal Eats: Breakfast Edition

This weekend the temps dropped and fall hit like a Hefty-bag full of leaves. Granted, we're supposed to see some relief from the sub-50 degree weather soon, but until then I'm going to be enjoying this perfect fall breakfast... Carrot Cake Oatmeal with Maharaja Chai Oolong Tea.

Carrot cake lovers rejoice - there really is a nutritious and delicious carrot-cake-inspired breakfast option, all thanks to the amazing Angela of Oh She Glows. Seriously, you need to make this tomorrow. No excuses. It is so yummy and filling and will keep you energized all morning long. The recipe is below, but you should definitely go check it out on Angela's site for the gorgeous photos on Oh She Glows.
While I suppose any chai tea is nice to wash down the delicious oatmeal with, my favorite has to be Teavana's Maharaja Chai Oolong Tea. As I may have said before, the flavors are so intense and complex, and you get the sweetness without having to add anything but water (a much healthier alternative to boxed chai tea mixes which contain major amounts of sugar). This blend is so good it'll instantly warm you from the inside out.

And now on to the recipe...

Carrot Cake Oatmeal from Oh She Glows
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup regular oats
• 1 cup almond milk (or soy, rice, etc)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  
• 1 large carrot, finely grated (1 heaping cup)
• 2 tbsp coconut milk cream (use the cream off the top of the full-fat can only)
• 1/2-1 tsp ground cinnamon, to taste
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger
• 1/8th tsp ground nutmeg
• Pinch of kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 2 tbsp crushed walnuts, divided
• 1 tbsp coconut milk cream + 1/2 tsp pure maple syrup (to drizzle on top)
• Shredded coconut, for garnish
• Cinnamon, for garnish
• Raisins, for garnish

Directions: Finely grate the large carrot to yield 1 heaping cup of grated carrots. Note that you want to use the fine grate, not the large one so the carrot shreds are very small.

In a medium sized pot over medium heat, add your almond milk, lemon juice, and coconut milk cream. Stir well. Add in your spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger) and salt. Stir again until mixed.

Stir in your grated carrots and oats. Adjust heat if necessary or bring heat to low if it starts to boil. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring frequently. When the mixture has thickened up, stir in the vanilla extract, 1 tbsp crushed walnuts, and 2 tbsp of maple syrup. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl.

Top with 1 tbsp of crushed walnuts and 1 tsp of shredded coconut. Prepare your coconut milk cream + maple syrup mixture and drizzle it over top. Sprinkle with cinnamon for garnish.

Serves 1 large portion or 2 small portions.