I finally made the switch over to a self-hosted site. I hope that you will follow me over to angieeatspeace.com!
There are still some small updates being made, but I am overall excited with the changes. Please check out the new tabs, info and pictures. All new pictures were taken by my talented sister, Marcella!
Please update any bookmarks you may have. I truly hope to see you all over at the new site!
Peace,
~Angie
One of my favorite bloggers, Jennifer Chen has inspired me with her Gratitude Project. Jennifer decided for the month of October, she would send a personal thank-you card to express her gratitude to someone who had made a difference in her world. She did this everyday in the month of October and shared what she learned from it in this post.
Gratitude is something I try to make part of my everyday life. I sometimes speak aloud the things, people or situations I am grateful for, as I drive to work in the morning. I have tried to be intentional about texting or emailing someone as they pop in my head, to let them know I am thinking of them and grateful for their place in my life.
I love the idea of sending a personal thank-you note, by mail. Actual, tangible mail is something to get excited about in the days of social media. I know I love receiving mail and am excited to send some out, to let people who have made a difference in my world know that they are appreciated.
I am not making this a formal challenge for this month and I am not putting pressure on myself to send out a set number of notes, within a set time frame. I just know I want to be more intentional about sending thank-yous out and I hope this is something I continue for a long time.
Would you like to join me? Is there a way you can express more gratitude?
I was contacted to by Natural Balance Food to try and review their Nakd healthy cereal bars. I am always up for free, vegan goodies and was not disappointed by their product.
I was pretty stoked when this variety pack arrived in the mail. My step-son started calling dibs on flavors and we dug in. We made it a family tasting event and shared the various flavors, each sampling all the bars. Dylan was thorough and took copious notes to document his impressions. He is pretty adamant about sticking with cursive writing. Long-live cursive!
These bars are all vegan, gluten-free and made with all natural ingredients. I loved how few ingredients each bar contained. I was thrilled to see there was no added sugar, syrups or sweetners. My favorite aspect was how simply the ingredients were stated on the packaging.
I was sent the Sampler box and fortunate to try each flavor!
Cocoa Delight-great for any chocolate-lover, it could cure those cravings for candy!
Cashew Cookie-my absolute favorite. The only ingredients were dates and cashews. A winning combination.
Berry Delight-Dylan loved this one. He is the avid berry lover in our family and this meet his standards.
Cocoa Crunch-reminded me of a healthy Nestle bar!
Pecan Pie-loooooved this flavor. According to Dylan, it “tasted like pumpkin pie.”
Apple Crunch-reminded me of apple pie. YUM.
Caffe Mocha– a little too coffee tasting for me. Dylan loved this one, and I suspect coffee lovers would, as well.
Strawberry Crunch-another of Dylan’s favorites.
Cocoa Orange-I loved the citrusy hints. Orange and chocolate are always combination.
Ginger Bread-I would have loved if this was more ginger-y, but it still has a great flavor, without being too spicy, for those who don’t appreciate that “kick” from ginger.
Rhubard & Custard-this was my husband’s favorite, but Dylan remarked it was “too tangy.”
Cocoa Mint-mint haters beware, this one is pretty minty. I personally loved it, but my husband did not.
Banana Crunch-cashews, bananas and dates harmonize beautifully!
I truly enjoyed all the bars. They were a wonderful snack that could be taken anywhere. They were low enough in calories, but high enough in nutrition to be a small, sustainable snack in between meals.
Natural Balance Food is a Britain based company, but they have FREE shipping available to the US, until January 15th, 2015. Heck yes! I definitely recommend these bars for anyone looking for a vegan, gluten-free, all natural snack.
Natural Balance Foods provided their product to me free of charge, however, allĀ opinions are words are my own.
In October, I was only able to get through one 1,000+ page book, the long-awaited Edge of Eternity, the final book in the Century trilogy by Ken Follett.
The first two books were also 1,000+ pages, but I tore through them quickly. I have been anxiously awaiting the release of this last book.
Follett chronicles the lives of families from America, Russia, Germany and England through World War I & II. In the final installment of the trilogy, we find out what happens to the families through The Civil Rights Movement, The Vietnam War, The Cold War, Watergate, etc.
Follett once again, brilliantly intertwines historical events with fictional drama. I was so eager to find out what happened to the characters I found a connection with in the first two books.
It was very emotionally charged to read how characters I have been following through the series viewed or interacted in very historical events such as; the assassination of President Kennedy, riots during The Civil Rights movement, the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., etc.
I did feel that a chunk of more recent history was left out. I would have liked to see some of the events of the last decade included in the story and where the characters would have found their place in more modern times.
Overall, I loved this series. Follet finishes the story off nicely and brings some resolution to conflicts that were occurring over the series.Ā I look forward to reading more of his works.
What did you read in October?
Megan of Semi-Charmed Kind of Life is hosting a Winter Book Challenge.Ā Nothing goes better than winter to me, than a good book, a warm cup of tea and my hello kitty blanket! I am posting the rules below and the books I am thinking to use, for each prompt. I still need some help in thinking of books for some of the categories, so any feedback is appreciated!
General rules:
Which brings us to the exciting partātheĀ challenge categories!
The books I am considering are in BOLD.
5 points:Ā Freebie! Read any book that fits the general rules. The Silkworm
10 points:Ā Read a book written by an author who has published at least 10 books. ā Submitted byĀ Megan. Pillars of the Earth, because I cannot get enough of Ken Follett, lately.
10 points:Ā Read a book of short stories. ā Submitted byĀ Meredith. Couldn’t Keep it to Myself, stories gathered by Wally Lamb.
10 points:Ā Read a book with a foodĀ (not a drink!)Ā in the title. ā Submitted byĀ Megan. Tortilla Curtain,Ā because it has been sitting in my to-read pile for too long!
15 points:Ā Read the first book in a series that is new to you (so no rereads for this one!). ā Submitted byĀ Crystal. A Discovery of Witches, because I have really been wanting to read this!
15 points:Ā Read a book that was originally written in a language that is not your native language. ā Submitted byĀ Belle. I still need help with choosing a book for this category.
15 points:Ā Read a book written by a local author (either an author fromĀ your state if you live in the United States, or in your country if you live somewhere elseānote: author must be from where you currently live). ā Submitted byĀ Katelyn.Ā I still need help with choosing a book for this category.
20 points:Ā Read a “bookish book” (in which books play an important role, e.g. the setting involves a bookstore or library, a major character is an author, or a book that celebrates reading and books. Examples:Ā The Book Thief,Ā The Shadow of the Wind,Ā The Thirteenth Tale, etc.) ā Submitted byĀ Jen. The Uncommon Reader
20 points:Ā Read a book with a direction in the title (e.g. north, south, east, west or any combination of those). ā Submitted byĀ DonnaĀ Eastern Body Western Mind, because I have heard such great things about it!
25 points:Ā Read a book from a genre you don’t usually read. ā Submitted byĀ Jenn.Ā I still need help with choosing a book for this category.
25 points:Ā Read a book with a song lyric in the title. Be sure to tell us the song name and artist as well! ā Submitted byĀ Daire, who wasĀ kind enough to provide several example books, as this challenge is quite tricky! A few possibilities include:Ā Pop Goes the WeaselĀ by James Patterson (English nursery rhymeĀ of the same name),Ā The Girl You Left BehindĀ by Jojo Moyes (“Girl You Left Behind,” Pixie Lott), orĀ Somewhere Only We KnowĀ by Cheyanne Young (“Somewhere Only We Know,” Keane).Ā I still need help with choosing a book for this category.
30 points:Ā Read two books with a different meal in each title (e.g. breakfast, lunch, dinner, supper, brunch;Ā update: meals likeĀ feast, banquet, picnic will also count, but try not to get too “creative” with your meal words!). ā Submitted byĀ Amber.Ā I still need help with choosing a book for this category.
Any help for the categories that I am stumped on is appreciated! Head over to Megan’s post if you would like to join the challenge.
I am participating in the 39 day yoga progress project hosted by one of my favorite bloggers, Candace at Yoga By CandaceĀ (YBC). The purpose of this challenge is to focus on one pose that you working on gaining more flexibility in and track your progress through the next 39 days.
If you choose to participate, here’s how it’ll go down:
Candace also provides an excellent schedule for practices during the 39 days and links to videos to access.
It took me awhile to choose which pose I wanted to focus on. My first thought was crow, since I have been working on holding that pose longer and longer. However, this would be more about working strength then flexibility.
All the poses that kept coming to my head were strength based poses. I realized I prefer working on my strength, rather than flexibility.
If I am really being honest here; I am probably the least flexible yoga teacher.
I struggle A LOT with my flexibility and it was one of the things that brought me to yoga in the first place. Often, when people hear I am a yoga teacher, they ask if I am really flexible.
Errr….I guess compared to how stiff I used to be, I am really flexible, but not as much as you would think, for someone who teaches. I guess this is where my work needs to be.
I thought about which flexibility pose I dread the most and immediately Standing Split came to mind.
I loathe this pose and find myself wishing it was over as soon as I begin. I hate when I hear it cued and I realize I rarely teach it in my own class.
This pose is more difficult for me on my left, than on the right and I am sure that is due to my slight case of scoliosis and the left curvature of my spine (most of my injuries-knee, ankle, etc. have been on my left side).
I generally need to use blocks to support myself in this pose, though not always.
Below are Day 1 pictures on both right and left sides, with and without the block.
….and, my power yoga outfit because MICHAEL JACKSON.
I am looking forward to see if I make any progress with this pose and if I can work on my relationship with it, and flexibility in general. I would like to have a more positive attitude about flexibility poses and not dread them as much as I have been.
Want to join me in this challenge? Head over to YBC for all the details!
It’s time for another one of Deepak Chopra & Oprah’s 21 Day Meditation Experiences!
I have done two of their Meditation Experiences before and have loved them! You can sign up for free and each day, you will receive an email with a link to that day’s guided meditation. Oprah generally gives an intro into the day’s theme and Deepak guides you through the meditation, with his soothing voice and pearls of wisdom.
These 21 day experiences are a great way to establish a meditation practice and a great introduction to meditation, for those who may be intimidated by how to even get started. Each meditation is about 20 minutes long and can be done at anytime throughout the day.
I will be starting on November 3rd and would love if you joined me! You can sign up by clicking here.
I think it is such a beautiful thing to have beings meditating all around the world and raising the collective consciousness for love, peace and wisdom.Ā Please let me know if you have any questions and I hope you joint me on the meditation cushion!
Bratworks is a new gourmet hot dog eatery located in San Bernardino, the city I live in. Ohhhhhhh, how to describe San Bernardino…it has a bad reputation (not completely undeserved), but I believe in this city, and it’s historical roots. It is a bit misunderstood and has been mismanaged for so long. But, I truly hope that things are changing and new businesses are on their way.
I often complain that there are not many vegan options locally and I have to spend my money in other cities in order to find delicious vegan food.
Ā Bratworks is an approximate five minute drive away from my home. I saw someone post about it on my local Facebook board. I was intrigued. I saw a hot dog decked out in delicious toppings and I said a silent prayer that they had a meat-free option
A quick visit to their website told me they did and I jumped at the next opportunity to visit.
Loaded up hotdogs used to be one of my faves as a meat-eater, but luckily I have not been missing out on this as a vegan. Bratworks definitely tends to those cravings and then some.
The eatery is set up Chipotle or Subway-style. You pick your dog, your bread and your toppings and without much of a wait, you are ready to eat!
I loaded my dog up with onions, jalapeƱos, pineapple, spicy mustard, ketchup and sriracha sauce. My step-son accompanied me on this trip, but I could not tell you what he chose as toppings, I was way too absorbed in my own food (step-mother of the year!). We also shared a yummy order of fries.
Bratworks also offers a diverse selection of fountain drinks and beer by the bottle. I love an ice cold hoppy beer with a spicy dog. I will definitely need to return to try that combination out.
I am delighted that there is a new vegan option in my own zip code! I will definitely be back!
I am so excited to have Jacqueline guest posting today. Jacqueline is one of my former students and through the wonders of social media, I have been fortunate enough to stay in contact with her. I have been thrilled to follow along as she has discovered more natural remedies and developed a passion for all that is healthy, holistic and good for the body, mind, soul and earth. She recently posted about making wheat grass juice without a juice. My head nearly exploded from the wisdom she dropped and I was super stoked to try!
I am a huge wheat grass juice fan and feel a wonderful energetic lift from a shot. A wheat grass shot has normally been an extravagant treat, when I was at a juice bar or natural foods market. Knowing I can have this delicious and healthy treat more accessibly has made me down right giddy. I will let Jacqueline take it from here and share how to easily make this shot of wellness, anytime of day.
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Greetings! I’d like to firstly thank Angie, for allowing me to be apart of her blog and share with you all something I am very passionate about. My name is Jacqueline and I love learning and practicing with herbs, oils and all remedies that come from our mother earth!
Nature has everything living beings need to be healthy! I have recently been learning about all the incredible benefits of wheatgrass and the purist form to ingest it. Making wheatgrass juice is the best way to receive all of the nutrients it has to offer. Before researching different methods for making it, I would drink it from local juice bars or just blend it up in my blender. With further research, I found out that blending strips away most of its benefits and juicing is good but most places cut the blades from its roots way before serving to their costumers. Since wheatgrass is alive it needs to be taken that way in order for you to get the complete benefits, drinking it as soon as possible after it has been cut from its roots is best. After twenty minutes its nutritional value begins to decrease.
Wheat grass is powerful! Here are some benefits…
Ā The purest method to make wheatgrass is with a good ol’ fashion mortar and pestle! I made some the other night and it was really fun and came out absolutely delicious. I’d like to share with you all the steps to making this powerful immune booster! š
Ā All you will need is a mortar and pestle, water, scissors or a knife, cheese cloth, a cup and living wheatgrass!
Ā First step, cut enough wheatgrass to fill the bottom of your mortar. In order to grind the blades evenly it’s best to do a little at a time. When finished with the first pour start over again with the same amount of wheatgrass and water.
In a circular motion, grind the blades until they form somewhat of a gunky, shredded paste. Next, add enough water to cover at least Ā¼ of your mortar. Continue grinding the wheatgrass in the water until they get very light in color and the water is green. Finally cover the top of your cup with a piece of cheese cloth and pour in the juice. When finished gather the ground up blades into the cloth and make it into a little sac to squeeze the rest of the juice. Add a little lemon if you wish and enjoy!!!
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I had to try this for myself, so I got out all my tools and got to grinding.
It was a little more muscle work than I anticipated, but that’s never a bad thing. I was psyched that it worked and I was able to have my very own wheat grass shot, prepared at home! It’s not wrong to serve up wheatgrass shots in my Vegan Beer Fest cup, is it?
Thank-you so much Jacqueline, for sharing the recipe!
This weekend featured a wonderful hike to the Devil’s Chair. I have done this hike a few times before and it is always an enjoyable experience. The trail isn’t too strenuous and the expansive view at the end is a huge payoff.
This time around the added bonus was taking some of my husband’s students from the hiking club he runs at his high school. It is a pretty amazing experience to see students who have not done many outdoor activities before, discover nature through a new lens and feel the accomplishment of a good hike.
The trail is 7.4 miles total, with a 1,000 ft. elevation gain. It is steep in some parts, but overall, the gain is too slight to even notice. This is an excellent hike for both experienced and newer hikers. Beginners may find it difficult in some spots, but it is still accessible to anyone willing to push through a little incline.
Fun was had, by all.
What are some of your favorite hiking spots?
Angie Eats Peace 