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Happy Valentines Day everyone! Last night I had a dream about love. I don’t recall all the scenes, but I do remember as I was waking up a male voice spoke to me and summed up what my dream meant. “In order to receive pure love you must give pure love.” In other words, if I give love which is tainted with selfish motives and desires, that is the only kind of love I can receive in return. An image of my 15 month old son came to mind, demonstrating the pure love he gives and the innocent wide eyed, non-judgmental way he lives. This was a perfect reminder for me on Valentines Day morning that Pure Love is the essence of who we are, if we become like little children again. As it says in the Bible, Pure Love “suffereth long, and is kind; envieth not; vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up; Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Pure Love never faileth.” (1 Corinthians 13:4–8) That just about describes my son, except for maybe the patient part

My lover and I in 2009. This is one of the more recent photos of us together because…

We have been using our camera to take pictures of this little cutie! (Me wearing 11 month old David at the Farmer’s Market)

Can a woman love more than one man? I am living proof that she can! (Bryan wearing 15 month old David as we take a walk on our land)

In honor of Valentines Day I decided to share my favorite Aphrodisiac Hot Chocolate drink with you. Can you believe I used to be one of those girls who didn’t like chocolate? When I did eat it I would prefer milk chocolate over dark chocolate because it had less chocolaty flavor. That is, until I tried RAW chocolate! My body could tell the difference and I would eat straight cacao beans with pleasure. It doesn’t get any darker than that! After being introduced to raw chocolate I basically lived off of it for two years! After that my chocolate nutrition quota was filled. Now I only have raw chocolate on special occasions… holidays, birthdays, raw parties, and times when I require an extra emotional or mental boost. Eating raw chocolate is also a great way to get me in the mood… for fun! (what did you think?) This is why my man gives me Sacred Heart Chocolates, the best raw chocolate bars I’ve had, for all special occasions, like today! He knows he will be rewarded with a huge smile and a kiss! This morning I woke up to a box of raw chocolates and a love poem he had written for me! He is the sweetest!

Anyway, back to the Aphrodisiac Hot Chocolate Recipe. It contains 15 sexy ingredients…

1. Burdock ~ A largely ignored aphrodisiac. Burdock root deeply strengthens the kidneys and reproductive organs. It also purifies the blood and liver. This is one of my favorite daily herbs. It’s great for both men and women.

2. Ashwagandha ~ In Ayurveda ashwagandha is used to treat infertility in men. It is shown to improve the quality of semen. It is also a powerful adaptogen, regulating bodily functions, and restoring overall vitality, endurance, and strength. Ashwagandha helps calm anxiety and relieve stress. In some people this is all it takes to improve sexual desire.

3. Shatavari ~ Considered the most important herb for women in ayurvedic medicine. It increases milk production, boosts female sex drive and is an excellent overall tonic for a woman’s body. Shataviari is to women what ashwagandha is to men.

4. Rhodiola ~ Increases physical and mental performance. It opens the lungs and helps one breathe deeply.

5. Cinnamon ~ Its intoxicating smell has a long been regarded as an aphrodisiac. In the book of Proverbs, cinnamon, together with myrrh and aloe, was used to “perfume the lovers’ bed”. Sounds good to me!

6. Ginger ~ Great aphrodisiac because of it’s ability to increase circulation in our bodies.

7. Rose ~ A common symbol of love and romance. It is also my favorite flower

8. Jasmine ~ One of the most significant sensual aphrodisiac scents used in perfumes and incense.

9. Vanilla bean ~ A well known aphrodisiac with a delicious, calming, and exotic smell.

10. Yohimbe ~ Widely used in Central Africa for sexual potency. It increases blood flow to the genital area. Be careful! A little goes a long way!

11. Almonds ~ Poets and scribes have regarded almonds as a fertility symbol with the power to arouse passion in females.

12. Maca ~ A common aphrodisiac and stamina builder in Peru.

13. Cacao ~ The star of our show today and one of the most well-known aphrodisiacs. Cacao contains phenylethylamine and serotonin, two chemicals produced in the body when feeling joyful, loving, and passionate. It is also high in minerals, including magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium and manganese.

14. Reishi ~ A powerful Shen tonic, meaning it calms our minds and nervous system and brings up awareness of our feelings and spiritual self. Bringing spirituality into love making is vital for true fulfillment.

15. Honey ~ Honey is known as the nectar of Aphrodite. It is sticky, creamy, runny, and deliciously sweet! Supposedly, the word honeymoon came from ancient times when newlyweds would drink honey wine for the first 30 days after marriage.

Alright, are you excited yet!? Here it is…

Making the tea, which in and of itself is a fantastic recipe!

Aphrodisiac Hot Chocolate
1/2 cup burdock root
1/4 cup ashwagandha root
1/4 cup shatavari root
1/4 cup rhodiola
2 cinnamon sticks
1 inch piece fresh ginger
Big pinch rose flowers
Big pinch jasmine flowers
Pinch yohimbe bark
1 vanilla bean, chopped
I cup almonds
2 tsp. maca
4-6 tbsp. ground cacao nibs or cacao powder
1-2 droppers full of reishi extract
1/4 – 1/2 cup raw honey
Pinch high quality salt

In big pot add 10 cups spring water along with herbs (burdock, ashwagandha, shatavari, rhodiola, cinnamon, ginger, rose, jasmine, yohimbe and vanilla). Let boil for at least 20 minutes. Strain liquid and place into a Vitamix blender. Add almonds and blend on high for one or two minutes. Strain liquid and place back into blender. Add maca, cacao, reishi, honey and salt and blend until smooth. Enjoy with your lover!

Happy Valentines Day!

Hi Y’all! I hope your Thanksgiving weekend was FABULOUS, filled with family, fun, and good food! I love that we have a holiday which reminds us to appreciate our life and gives us an excuse to throw a party for our family and friends. There truly is so much to be grateful for. Every breath we take is a gift. And as Cicero stated, “gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” When I stop to ponder on all the blessings I have, I become deeply emotional and humble. There is no way I can be jealous, selfish, or complaining when I am in a state of gratitude.

In honor of Thanksgiving I thought I would do a food blog. It’s been a while. This video was taken a few months ago when I wrote my day in the life of a blissful mama post. It is a how to on making a yummy drink out of sumac berries. I know, I know, they are out of season, but hey, it gives you something to look forward to in the spring. In springtime you can munch on young sumac shoots and in the summer you can enjoy this delicious sumac-ade…

Thank you for being AWESOME! There is no one else in the world exactly like you!
Love,

P.S. If you had a raw/vegan Thanksgiving, please let me know what you had! We had a vegan pizza from the book Thrive and also some raw cranberry sauce and a delicious salad with pomegranates and nuts. Yum!!

For St. Patricks Day I enjoyed a fun vacation in Savannah Georgia where I visited my sister Rachel and her husband James. Here are a few fun things to do when you visit Savannah Georgia…

Savannah is a beautiful southern town with huge trees, old buildings, and rich, slightly haunted history. It is home to many good old boys, southern belles, and art students as it contains the prestigious art school, SCAD (The Savannah College of Art and Design).

“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page”
~St. Augustine

Below is a video of my weekend with Daniel Vitalis and friends. On Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009, we attended Daniel’s 6 hour Elixir Craft Mastery course which was awesome! Then we went to a fun halloween party that evening and a nature walk and lecture with Daniel the next day…

‘Tis the season to be JOLLY….

LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH every chance you have and enjoy your best Christmas EVER!