sunny vegan » food, photography, and fun

9.6.13

Take 5 spa water with melon and cucumber

I know how important drinking water is, and I suck at it.

Every day I set the goal of drinking more water and pretty much every day I fail. But not today!
Today’s Take 5 spa is the treat of spa water. Mix. Sip. Ahhhh.

This works great to get the kids drinking more water too, but make sure to treat yourself first.

Ingredients: per 1 serving

2 cups chilled filtered water
1/4 cup cucumber, sliced very thin
1/4 cup watermelon, sliced or cubed

Method:

combine ingredients in glass, allow to stand for 5 minutes.

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9.4.13

take 5 spa – body scrub recipe

I know school is back in session for most of us and I should be writing healthy lunch ideas, but I am not! If you are anything like me, you spent the past 3 months entertaining, feeding, chauffeuring, and truly enjoying time with your kids which was great. But as I did so much with them and for them, I neglected myself a bit and it’s time for me – and YOU- to take 5 minutes for yourself with daily spa breaks.

My skin has definitely seen the worst of this neglect. I am dry, scaly, splotchie and just plain yuck! So if you too are in need of a re-charge, this pampering body scrub is easy and will make your skin look so much better in just minutes! and the ingredients are things you probably have at home right now which leaves you no excuse not to join me and Take 5!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup turbinado or brown sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest

Method:

combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Usage Instructions:

in the shower, scoop up a small amount of scrub and rub into skin in a circular motion, paying extra attention to knees and elbows. rinse well and follow with your favorite lotion.
Common Sense Notes- avoid eyes and mucous membranes, use of oil will make your shower or bath slippery so be careful.

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September 5, 2013 - 5:36 am

Anna - I <3 your photography! And this scrub looks like just the thing. You're right, school's in and Mama needs some me time! Thank you for sharing this, I'm going to make it today!

September 8, 2013 - 12:09 pm

Jes - This looks like such a great way to take care of me, and it looks easy, which is right up my lazy alley!

Two quick questions: How long does this keep? And should I store it in the fridge, or will it be okay if kept in my shower?

Thank you!

8.6.13

stress buster smoothie

What, am I stressed out? Just because we have moved, rented out our house, am living among boxes and the girls are starting at a new school doesn’t have to mean Iam stressed! Whaaaaahhhhhh!
Yes, I am totally stressed. Happy, but stressed. So today I am going to do something about it, take a few minutes for myself and turn to nutrition to help relieve some of this stress naturally.

Blueberries are full of vitamin C which is a great natural stress reliever. Almond milk contains vitamin E which is known to fight free radicals and reduce stress, and add a banana rich in potassium, another natural stress reliever. Throw in a little flaxseed oil for those omega 3′s which are known to prevent surges in stress hormones and you have an all natural treat to help beat that stress.
That’s the nutritional side of reducing stress, but then there is the emotional side. Taking a few minutes to take care of myself ( instead of the dog, kids, email) playing some of my favorite music and a few deep breaths. ahhhhh, I feel better already.

What do you turn to when you are stressed?

Ingredients: per 10 ounce serving

1 frozen banana
1/3 cup blueberries
1 Tablespoon flaxseed oil
2/3 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon maple syrup * optional

Method:

place all ingredients into blender and mix well. serve immediately.

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7.16.13

moving on up!

It’s official, we are moving to the mountains!

That means that instead of making beautiful food this week, I am packing, cleaning and sorting. It’s overwhelming going through this stuff that I have accumulated over the years, but somehow with each drawer I empty, I feel liberated from my old consumerism practices.

So I will update you from the cabin next week with some beautiful healthy food and scenery. I’m going to need it after this week for sure.

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7.2.13

stars and stripes, a healthy 4th of July treat

We do NOT eat artificial colors. Do you know how difficult that can be when everything is colored red white and blue with Red no 40, Blue no 1 and 2 and don’t forget the “natural” version of red, carmine, which is actually ground up dead beetles. Yuck!

That doesn’t mean that you can’t celebrate with patriotic themed foods, you just have to use the gorgeous natural colors currently in season. Add a fun citrus dip and this healthy treat is fun to look at and to eat.

For the stars, I simply make a paper template and use a paring knife to cut them out of jicama. While not necessary, just a few of them adds a unique touch to these fruit skewers. Don’t forget to grab my free 4th Printable and check out last year’s healthy patriotic fruit dish.

Ingredients:

1 medium jicama
2 cups strawberries
2 cups blueberries

for the dip:
8 ounces silken tofu
4-6 tablespoons turbinado sugar – to taste
1/2 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest

Method:

cut jicama into 1/2 inch thick slices, then cut into strips or stars. alternate berries and jicama on skewer. combine all dip ingredients in food processor and blend well. allow to stand for 30 minutes before serving.

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