Sorry about the delay in posting but I have some good news. Exams are done, I repeat, exams are done! Isn’t that just the best feeling?

After my exam, I came home to Mark, who had a sandwich and coffee ready for me, hooray! Also the cookbooks I ordered, My New Roots: Inspired Plant-Based Recipes for Every Season and The Sprouted Kitchen Bowl and Spoon: Simple and Inspired Whole Foods Recipes to Savor and Share had arrived, double hooray! Unfortunately, all I wanted to do was sleep. My brain needed a little R&R.

The next day, I couldn’t shake these feelings of anxiety and guilt. I paced around my kitchen and checked my calendar to make sure I wasn’t missing an appointment but I did not have anything planned. I puttered around the house, sorted laundry and scrubbed the tub but I still felt anxious, almost sick to my stomach. I texted my friend Kristen telling her I was really living it up on my first day off school and told her I thought I was coming down with something. She explained that the anxiety I felt was brought on by not studying for class. She said my brain is in the routine of worrying about studying and when I am not hitting the books, my brain is in panic mode.

I wandered around my apartment, disoriented by not knowing what to do and far too distracted to actually sit down and do anything productive. I put on my jacket, laced up my shoes and headed out of the door. I went for a long walk, something I haven’t done in months since it has been so cold out. The cool air, the empty streets, my music coming through my headphones and the steady pace of my legs helped me clear my head and left me feeling refreshed.

I know I have a hard time relaxing; to truly enjoy doing nothing productive except maybe read a non-food related book or to drink a cup of coffee without looking at my phone. My mind tends to race when I “try” to relax, I feel like I should be doing laundry, cleaning, editing my photos or literally anything on my to-do list for that day but I need the time to unplug. Mark can clear his mind and relax so quickly while my mind is like a live wire, whipping around and shooting sparks in all directions. I asked him for some advice and he told me to just concentrate on my breathing, thinking of nothing else but the air travelling in and out of my lungs. Telling me to “not think of anything” seems to trigger my brain into thinking of EVERYTHING like remembering that time I embarrassed myself at that party when I was 21, running through my recipe checklist and the groceries I need to get for them and anything else that comes to mind. Mark, being the nice boyfriend that he is, let me use his Mala beads to help me concentrate on nothing. I placed the sandalwood beads in my hand, counted them all along its string and concentrated on my breathing. It honestly helped with my fidgety hands and busy mind. Everyone’s method to relax is different and I strongly urge you to find out your own, whether it is running, yoga, meditating, walking or reading a book, find it! I thanked Mark for his help by making him this pudding.

What do you do to relax? Leave comments below with your suggestions.

This recipe is vegan, gluten-free and tree-nut free. The FDA classifies coconut as a nut, even though it is technically a fruit. This recipe is adapted from Oh She Glows: {Almost} Instant Chocolate Chia Pudding. Not crazy about chocolate? Check out my Raspberry-Lemon Chia Seed Pudding.

*Disclaimer:  I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program which means I do earn a small commission on the affiliated links.* Something I am trying out and if it works out, great  but if not I will take it down. 

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Coconut-Chai Chocolate Pudding

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Serving Size: 1-2

Ingredients

• 1 cup coconut milk
• ¼ cup chia seeds
• 3-4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• Pinch of ground cloves
• Pinch of ground cardamom

Instructions

1. Add all the ingredients to a high power blender and blend until completely smooth. At this point, the pudding may be warmed. Transfer to a serving bowl or cup, cover and refrigerate until the pudding is set and cool. Top with coconut, mulberries, granola or fresh fruit.

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Chia seeds are considered a super food since these seeds pack a serious nutritional punch. For every ounce of chia seeds, you get 11 grams of fibre to keep your tummy happy, keeps your brain healthy with all those all important Omega-3 fatty acids and has 4.4 grams of protein. This heart-healthy seed is so beneficial to your body and a great staple in any diet. I constantly keep chia seeds in my pantry and add it to mostly smoothies, breakfast pudding and if I am in a crazy rush I even add it to my water bottle with a bit of lemon juice or this drink. Chia seed pudding is great to layer in a Mason jar with frozen fruit and topped with some raw buckwheat grouts and refrigerate until you are ready to go. Since chia seeds are a tad on the pricey side, I usually make a little pudding parfait for breakfast verses just straight up chia pudding.

I tried making blended carob pudding with banana as the sweetener but turns out I am not a fan of carob. It looks like chocolate but certainly does not taste like it. Scratch that ingredient off my pantry stock list. I just like chocolate too much to try to replace it with anything else. However, carob is good for those people who may be sensitive to or avoiding caffeine since it is naturally caffeine-free. 

Mark who is indifferent to chocolate, say what??, asked me to make him a non-chocolate version. First thing first, do not blend a non-chocolate (or any dark coloured) pudding since it turns into a grey mess. Ok now that we have established that we can go to the recipe. Other than chocolate desserts, lemon is my second favourite flavour, especially the creaminess of lemon bars. This recipe can be made without the soaked cashews but they do add a lot of creaminess to this pudding so I highly recommend it.

I had this snack with frozen blueberries on top before my first ballet class! It kept me feeling energized and light, ready to take on all the French dance moves and positions. Turns out you can sweat a LOT by just bending and stretching. I thought I was the worst one in the class but every woman in the change room of the studio also made the same remark about their performance. It was the very first class ever and apparently we thought we would all be professional ballerinas after a mere hour and a half class? If only it were that simple. I had a great time and felt really accomplished that I pushed myself out of my comfort zone. I am very much looking forward to next week’s class. Special thanks to my mother who purchased the class for me as a birthday present (as well as the beautiful bracelet that I am wearing in my A Champagne Birthday photo shoot by Holly Bowman.)

 Anything you want to try out? Something that maybe you tried once before but gave up? Perhaps a class you always felt too embarrassed to take? What would it take for you to push yourself out of your comfort zone and really give it your all? Leave any comments or positive messages to other readers below! Or your own story on overcoming your fear of looking silly and really immersed yourself in your passion.

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Mark and I have a smoothie almost everyday since we are both very much on-the-go people; most days Mark leaves at 6:45am and doesn’t return home until well after midnight from rehearsals or gigs. He is literally the busiest man I know. We both have been running on fumes lately and needed a little extra boost in our diet so despite the frigid weather, we have been drinking more greens and fresh ingredients.

I have been hesitant to put up smoothie recipes after reading a few tweets, “Who needs a smoothie recipe? Just put in stuff you like.” Oh, if it only were that simple. After a year of having my Vitamix I am much better at combining ingredients to make a delicious, nutritious, and colourful smoothie but at first, I made some seriously ugly ones. It was so discouraging to me when I made an unpleasant tasting smoothie and figured I would have to choke down every foul coloured drink I made. Sometimes a little guidance is needed.

After a seriously busy weekend working at the restaurant, my joints were stiff and I was feeling burnt out. I have been drinking turmeric and ginger tea but wanted to incorporate these anti-inflammatory ingredients into my smoothies too. So what is so good about anti-inflammatory ingredients?

Turmeric: this bright yellow spice is used traditionally in Indian and Chinese cooking but has tons of medicinal properties. It is said to not only reduce inflammation but also prevents cancer cell growth, lowers cholesterol and detoxifies the liver.

Ginger: this spicy root has quite the list of amazing properties besides tasting great. Ginger relieves nausea, protects your body against cancer and has immune boosting properties to keep those colds at bay.

Cinnamon: I love cinnamon and add to smoothies, oats and apple slices. This spice great for warming you up and mixed with ginger, it makes a great team against colds but also is said to control your blood sugar levels.

Who needs a cold?? Not you! Drink up and feel great!

A big congrats to Terri the winner of But I Could Never Go Vegan: 125 Excuses, Zero Excuses by Kristy Turner. I hope you love the book as much as I do! Thank you all so much for entering and your continuing support in my site! 

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Does anyone actually follow the serving suggestion on a tub of hummus? Two tablespoons is the serving size on most purchased hummus. Like on one pita chip right? If you follow this serving suggestion then you have a greater will power than I do but I am just a mere mortal who loves her hummus. If I feel I have been indulging a little bit more than usual or eating a lot of takeout, hummus is one of those things that help me get back into the groove of healthful eating. I know I have food in the fridge if there is hummus and I have been known to really bunker down and eat my fill of it. Can you overdose on hummus? To me, the limit does not exist. (Still love Mean Girls)

Since starting school again I have noticed my hunger levels have gone up but my brain needs to be alert, focused and fuelled with good unrefined foods. Nothing is worse than a caffeine/sugar crash mid-test or exam so it is better to get your brainpower from whole food rather than stimulates like caffeine. Traditional store bought hummus is pretty good but uses a lot of canola oil (generally the second or third ingredient on the list) so it isn’t the best kind of fat you can eat. Store bought works in a pinch if time is not on your side and you need a snack ASAP!! I call these moments Snack-Attacks when I come home from work or school and literally tear apart the fridge on a mission to find the fastest snack I can shove in face. The hunger is animal-like and nothing can stand in my way.

Cooked dried beans make the best hummus. I don’t say this lightly but it is well worth the effort to soak and cook the beans for hummus. Cooked beans take the hummus to a freshness level that canned beans simply cannot and are way less expensive, even organic beans. I buy mine in bulk to make them even less costly and store them in large mason jars on my pantry.

Za’atar is a new spice in my pantry and I find myself eating more hummus because of it. This Middle Eastern blend consists of dried thyme, sumac, toasted sesame seeds and sea salt, making it a perfect pairing for hummus. Mark and I sprinkle it onto warm naan or pita bread drizzled with olive oil. A friend of mine who was raised in the Middle East says that at the Starbucks there they serve za’atar on warm buttered croissants. Sprinkle this spice on any Mediterranean or Middle Eastern dish that you fancy but also on roasted vegetables, hot rice with a squirt of lemon juice and with this hummus.

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in a city not so far away there lives a girl who loves green. Green is her favourite colour since it matches her eyes and her favourite sweater. She tries having green in all aspects of her life since she now realizes how important it is to love green food. She uses green vegetables in her cooking and smoothies but that wasn’t enough for this girl: she wanted green milk. Rich, cool, creamy and lightly sweetened green milk. Sounds crazy right? But this girl believed in the green!

She summoned the assistance of her Vitamix cauldron to concoct the perfect green milk. Double double turbo trouble! ITS ALIVE!!

The Green Monster Milk was ready to go out into the world, spreading the goodness of green for everyone to love and enjoy.

The only problem was this milk didn’t look like the rest of the milks in the world. On the surface he looked a little different but inside he had so many good things to offer: vitamins and minerals, those important micronutrients but all anyone saw was his green colour.

He was sad and lonely so he went on a journey through the spooky Collard Green Forest in hopes of meeting others that would understand him and his greenness.

Just when he thought he wouldn’t find any green monsters like him, he finally met some! And people who loved all his green goodness that he wanted to share!

He finally found his calling and that is bringing people only the best source of green power: plant power! He lived happily ever after. Definitely not THE END of this recipe.  

Happy Halloween from our new friend Green Monster Milk!

I made this milk for those who do not like green juice (I have yet to be sold on it!) but I do love green milk! It tastes just like my Homemade Vanilla Almond Milk but with all the green juice goodness. The milk is completely raw, vegan, gluten-free and refined sugar free since it is sweetened with dates! So if you are not a fan of straight green juice this milk is a great alternative.

For complete step-by-step instructions with photos visit my Homemade Vanilla Almond Milk post, just add the chopped greens and dates with the almonds instead of just the almonds. Warning: if your nut milk bag is made of a natural fibre like hemp, it will slightly discolour the bag. Wash right away for minimal staining. Trust me….

This is a great recipe to use if you need a little detox after a Halloween fete. If you are anything like me and stuffed your face with sweet bubbly punch and tons of candy, you will need this green milk in the morning. 

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