Posted on
December 30, 2014
by
Erika Davies
| 1 Comment
January is just days away and we're positively giddy! We promise its not just all the delicious raw chocolate we eat- but anticipation and excitement in looking forward to the freedom of renewal that comes with the turn of a brand new year! This month we're taking this crisp opportunity to focus on self care, detoxification and shedding what no longer serves us. Re-assessment, re-alignment, and re-setting of intentions that reflect our most current state of well-being, allow for a major mind/body update. New goals provide momentum, enthusiasm, and confidence in an active pursuit of our highest ideals in 2015.
January is a fantastic time to dig deep. Patience and compassionate self inquiry can provide us with so much clarity and insight, and, help to identify opportunities for growth and personal development. With some light house cleaning, organization, and heart-based internal dialogue, its amazing how much space we can find in old familiar environments. A little consolidation goes a L O N G way! Once we're aware of what we've got to work with- reclaiming the space and filling it with love and fresh perspective is a joy in itself.
Our mixologist
Nathalie prepared to kick off her new year by sauntering into the kitchen and indulging in a little soul-food plant-medicine and DIY body care! Below you'll find recipes to slough off what is no longer useful from the inside out. Whether you're drawn to the warm and satisfying or fresh and invigorating, she's got you covered. So here's to you in 2015! Get mixing, keep breathing. Countdown to renewal starts N O W!
Shrubs, aka 'drinking vinegars', are sweetened, vinegar-based syrups originating from medicinal cordials of the 15th century. This American version has its origins in 17th century England where vinegar was used instead of citrus juice to preserve berries and other fruit for the off-season. Because of their acidity, shrubs are well-suited as an apertif or used in cocktails as an alternative to bitters. Our favorite way to enjoy them is simply mixed with a splash of sparking water!
In her recipes, Nathalie used apple cider vinegar- rich in enzymes and potassium, it supports a healthy immune system by promoting digestion and balancing pH.
Ingredients:
2 C Strawberries, fresh or frozen
3/4 C Honey
6 Star Anise
1/2 C Water
and 1 C Apple Cider Vinegar (reserved)
To Make: Combine all ingredients except apple cider vinegar in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once a simmer is reached, lower heat and continue to simmer for an additional 10 mins. Remove from heat and let cool. Pour mixture into a quart-sized glass jar and add 1 C of cider vinegar. Shake and let sit at room temperature for 2 days. To use, simply strain the mixture and enjoy!
Ingredients:
Juice of 2 Lemons (rinds reserved for later use)
1 large knob of Ginger, sliced thinly
3/4 C Honey
1 C Apple Cider Vinegar
To make: No simmering necessary for these next two recipes! Simply mix all ingredients in a quart-sized glass jar. Let sit at room temperature for two days, strain and enjoy.
Ingredients:
4 small Apples, cored and puled in a food processor
1 C Cranberries, fresh or frozen
3/4 C Honey
1 C Honey
To make: Again, no simmering necessary! Mix all ingredients in a quart-sized glass jar. Let sit at room temperature for two days, strain and enjoy.
What cleansing initiative would be complete without a daily self massage? Many of us already know that our skin is the largest organ of our body, but did you know that our skin and lymph system are responsible for removing up to one pound of waste material from our bodies per day!?!! As part of your daily or weekly self-care routine- use these scrubs to slough off dead skin cells, promote circulation and lymphatic drainage, and increase your appreciation and acceptance of your innately perfect and beautiful body! Your tissues will respond to your love and affection.
Winter is notorious for drying out the skin, dulling it and weighing you down. New year-new you! Now is the perfect time to nurture your Self inside and out, and reveal the warmth and brilliance of your natural complexion!
Mix together the following ingredients and slather on!
INVIGORATING PEPPERMINT MOCHA BODY SCRUB:
1 C Coconut Palm Sugar
1/2 C Coffee Grounds
3 T Raw Cacao
1/2 tsp. Peppermint Essential Oil
1/2 C Almond Oil
WARMING CINNAMON CLOVE BODY SCRUB:
1 C Coconut Palm Sugar
1 T Ground Cinnamon
1/2 T Ground Cloves
1/2 C Almond Oil
Posted in
all natural,
almond,
antioxidants,
chocolate,
cinnamon,
clean,
cleaning,
cleansing,
coconut oil,
coconut palm sugar,
coffee,
coffee addiction,
conscious,
courage,
cravings,
creative vegan,
creativity,
culinary creativity,
detoxify,
diy,
diy bath and beauty,
diy bath products,
diy beauty,
earth,
energizing,
energy,
exercising,
feel good,
focus,
gifts,
handmade,
health,
Healthy,
healthy holidays,
healthy lifestyle,
healthy living,
healthy treats,
high vibration,
highvibrational,
holiday,
holistic,
holistic health,
inspiration,
joy,
local,
love,
make it yourself,
martha's vineyard,
mental,
metabolism,
mixology,
mood swings,
motivation,
MV Times,
natural,
new look,
new year,
not your sugar mamas,
notyoursugarmamas,
nutrition,
nutritious,
NYMS,
nysm,
organic,
positivity,
raw cacao,
recipe,
recipes,
resolutions,
season,
self-care,
selfhealing,
support,
the beauty that moves,
treats,
vegetarian inspiration,
well-being,
winter,
women owned businesses
Posted on
March 18, 2013
by
Bennett Coffey
| 0 Comments
This time of year I always get the urge to cleanse. I feel
like the idea of cleansing can either be really exciting for people or it can
cause anxiety and overwhelm. I encourage you to not be overwhelmed by the idea.
Simply put a cleanse is just an intentional simplification of your diet. It
gives your body a chance to rejuvenate when we simplify or lighten the load of
what we are consuming. When we give our digestion a break our body has more
energy to focus on deeper processes of cell rejuvenation, invigorating us on a
deeper level. Some people like to do juice fasts, some people like to eat raw
fruits and veggies for a week or a cleanse can be as simple as choosing one
food group, like meat for example, and excluding meat from your diet from a
week or however long you choose. Personally I am choosing to exclude meat,
dairy, wheat, sugars and alcohol from my diet for the next week. I will be
drinking green smoothies and juices and eating a whole foods meal like quinoa,
kale, veggies and beans once a day.
I always feel so much more energized and
clear after I cleanse. I feel like it really helps get my creative juices
flowing and helps me develop more focus. Some people choose to simply drink
more water in a given day to help cleanse. I think any awareness you bring to
making your diet a little healthier and a little cleaner is better than
nothing.
Amazing transformations can happen when you cleanse. I’ll give you an
extreme but attainable example. I saw a documentary this weekend at the Chilmark
Film Festival called “May I Be Frank.” The film was about an Italian man from
Brooklyn named Frank. He weighed close to 300 pounds, had hepatitis C, was on a
slew of medications and was very depressed amongst many health concerns. As
fate would have it he ended up at an organic, raw vegan café in San Francisco
while on a trip. They have a “question of the day” at this particular restaurant and this day the waiter
asked Frank “what is one thing you want to do before you die?” Frank answered
that he wanted to fall in love one more time before he died but he was scared
that he never would because no one would love him because he didn’t even love
himself. After getting to know the staff they decided to make a film on Frank
to document the change from his typical S.A.D. (standard American diet) to a
clean, raw vegan diet. To make a really long story short, Frank lost about 150
pounds, cleared up his hepitatis C, mended all of his broken relationships with
family by clearing up his anger, fell in love with his current, smoking hot
wife, and tours the world educating people on health and reminding people that
anything is possible. Sometimes all it takes is a little change in our routine
to help us gain perspective on the areas of our lives that need more attention.
I encourage you to bring a little more attention to eating a little cleaner and
lighter this week in celebration of Spring, the perfect time for renewal. Have
you ever cleansed before? If so, please share your experiences. If this is your
first time please share your feelings on the topic below!
Bennett
Posted in
antioxidants,
bennett coffey,
cacao,
chocolate,
cleansing,
conscious,
detoxify,
feel good,
focus,
food,
fulfillment,
green,
greens,
health,
Healthy,
high vibration,
holistic,
love,
Martha's Vineyard,
Movies,
MV,
Not Your Sugar Mamas,
nutrition,
NYSM,
organic,
season,
spring,
Superfoods,
well-being
