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Last Tuesday we enjoyed an evening with our friends at White Rock Lake, picking and eating mulberries off the abundance of mulberry trees which can be found there. Reportedly all fruits have small amounts of MAO inhibitors. We have a hunch that mulberries have a little extra because we always experience a joyful “mulberry high” after a good foraging adventure.

World peace on mulberries!

Mulberries are in our top three favorite wild fruits, wild persimmons being number one of course. While most berries went straight from hand to mouth, we did save about a quart of them to bring home with us. Half of this quart was gobbled up by my son and the other half was used to make a deliciously refreshing soda, inspired by Euell Gibbons, using only 4 ingredients! (Check out Euell Gibbons’ book for excellent mulberry identification information)

Ingredients for mulberry soda

Mulberry Soda
2 cups mulberries
1 lemon
4 tsp. raw coconut nectar
Sparkling spring water

Juice the mulberries and lemon. Mix in coconut nectar thoroughly. Fill glass 1/3 full with juice and fill the rest with sparkling water. Add ice if desired and enjoy!

P.S. While you are enjoying your soda I decided I would provide you with entertainment. Here is a short video clip and some more photos from our foraging adventure…

Bryan, David, Dan, and Me picking from a tree branch which was lowered to the ground by Isaac sitting on it

Bryan climbing a tree with David on his back

Cute mulberry face

Mulberry lips

David playing with butterflies. There were hundreds flying around this tree!

Plumber’s crack This man will carry my son and my pink hemp backpack at the same time! What a man!

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!

I am a big proponent of taking care of my teeth naturally and holistically. As the saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” The last time I went to a dentist was about 4 years ago when I removed my amalgam filling. After being disillusioned by at least three incompetent dentists, I realized I required to take responsibility for the health and longevity of my own teeth. One dentist, in realizing I had a slight jaw misalignment, actually suggested he break my jaw and put a metal post in it to fix it. What?! Are you serious?! He was. He had this insane procedure done on himself. Poor man! As for me, I will stick with my slight overbite thank you very much!

What are the main reasons people go to the dentist? One, to check for cavities. Two, to fix misalignments. And three, to get a semi-annual cleaning. Proper nutrition can prevent and even reverse cavities and teeth misalignment (especially in children). In his well researched book, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, Weston Price, a dentist, found nutrition had a direct impact on dental health and jaw bone structure. In an effort to find out why so many “civilized” people had dental problems, he studied several tribes of indigenous people. When these tribes consumed their natural diet they NEVER had any issues with their teeth or need for dental care! Once fed a western diet, the dental health of these same indigenous people, and especially their offspring, rapidly deteriorated. The hundreds of photos in this book are worth a thousand words!

As for the semi-annual cleaning. I have the perfect alternative solution for you! This tooth powder recipe, which I found on herbmentor.com, is the best way to clean teeth I know of. As most of you may already be aware of, conventional toothpaste is chock full of harmful ingredients. Sodium fluoride (used in rat poison), blue dye, sodium lauryl sulfate, triclosan, and hydrated silica just to name a few. Even organic healthier toothpaste versions have ingredients which can be too harsh and abrasive or can coat our enamel, therefore never allowing our teeth to be fully clean. So obviously a professional cleaning would be useful for those who use toothpaste. This tooth powder, on the other hand, leaves my teeth feeling as clean and fresh as a visit to the dentist. I like it even better than tooth soap, which is also a great alternative to toothpaste. In addition, the kaolin clay in this recipe is reported (by a dentist) to feel and look exactly the same as the expensive tooth polishing agent in her office. Hmmmmmm….

Tooth Powder:
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup sea salt
1/4 cup kaolin clay
30 drops spearmint oil
1 tbsp. ground dried sage (helps whiten teeth)

Mix ingredients well and store in airtight container. To use, dab a small amount of tooth powder on wet toothbrush and brush as usual.

Oh, and remember to floss!

Happy New Year!! This is one of my favorite holidays because of the renewed sense of hope and excitement it gives me for all the adventures I choose to have and goals I choose to accomplish. In celebration, I have included a video of a drink made out of juniper berries (which are in season now), called smreka. This drink is from Bosnia and is surprisingly tasty. It could make a great new year toasting drink for those who are not into alcohol, like myself.

However you enjoy your new year I hope it is blissful, whether you are partying with friends or staying home and keeping it low key like we are this year. Tonight we will be making new year’s resolutions, watching a holiday movie, toasting with kombucha, and sealing 2012 with a midnight kiss. If you are into making new year’s resolutions like we are, check out this post I did 2 years ago. It’s all about how to set the perfect goals for yourself and keep them, inspired by my sister’s adorable dog Chula.

Talk to you in 2012! Our best year yet!

P.S. Apparently my kitchen has bad lighting. I apologize about that to all you artistically minded people. See this post for more bad lighting footage

Hackberries are in season! Woo Hoo!! These are one of my most favorite wild foods. During late fall and all through the winter you will find me drinking hackberry milk 3-4 times a week for breakfast! Breakfast of champions I tell you! I am always experimenting with my superfood drinks, adding a little of this and a dash of that. Sometimes this results in a beverage which requires me to plug my nose and chug it down as fast as possible. Other times my experiments result in the most delectible delight and for a moment I fancy myself a culinary genius! Recently I created a hackberry milk which tastes so much like egg nog, only with double the nutrition and without the gut bomb effect. Try it! You just might LOVE it!

Try it fancy

Or try it casual. Either way it ROCKS!

Holiday Hackberry Nog:
1 cup wild foraged hackberries
4 cups warm rooibos tea
2 Tbsp. raw honey (or sweetener of choice)
1 Tbsp. organic non-gmo soy lecithin
1 Tbsp. coconut oil
2 cloves
3 shakes cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
big pinch sea salt

Add rooibos tea and hackberries to high speed blender. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes. Strain and add liquid back into blender. Add in remaining ingredients and blend well, until creamy. Pour into mugs and sprinkle nutmeg on top. Voila! Best Holiday Nog EVER!!

Sometimes I add 2 tsp. of medicinal mushrooms to the mix, but this tends to change the flavor, so I don’t recommend it if you are a beginner

Happy Holidays!

P.S. For all you breastfeeding moms, this drink is great for replenishing your milk supply!

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!!

Hackberries are so amazing!! They have fat, protein, carbohydrates, and tons of vitamins and minerals, making them a complete meal in and of themselves. Hackberry trees are prevalent throughout most of the United States. Therefore, they are an important fruit to know about for anyone who is committed to health, interested in survival skills, or desires to make wild food a large part of their diet. Below I have posted my hackberry foraging adventure and a recipe for a yummy drink you can make from your harvest…

As promised, here is a photo of what hackberry leaves (or sugarberry in our case) look like…

Sugarberry leaves have a unique appearance, making them easy to recognize. Usually you will find galls on them. Sometimes hackberries are called the “nettle tree” because it’s leaves bear a superficial resemblance to the leaves of stinging nettle.

Happy Foraging!

There is something so exhilarating about knowing how to forage for your own food. When you know enough edible plants you start to feel confident that no matter what happens to our societal structure, you will always have something to eat. Today’s video is to show you how you can make a yummy wild salad from foods growing right in your backyard…

Stay tuned into my blog for more sustainable living videos:) Now that winter is complete, it is time to do some serious wild food foraging and gardening!!
Live in Bliss,

Here is a fun video I recorded of my chickweed foraging adventure:) I also included a yummy raw recipe for you. The awesome thing about chickweed is it can survive cold weather, making it an excellent herb to consume in the winter!

Benefits of Chickweed:

• Like most wild food it is super high in vitamins and minerals (Iron, Copper, Manganese, Magnesium, Zinc, Potassium, Vitamin C and A). It is higher in iron and zinc than any domesticated green. Zinc and Iron are especially important for those who choose to be vegetarian
• Helps maintain healthy weight (contains saponins, which may help to bind fats and remove them from the body)
• Nourishing for the lungs
• Helps carry off cellular debris through our lymph system and it also helps clean out and clean up cysts
• Great for drawing out infections and soothing pain (excellent herb to add in your homemade salves and oil infusions)
• Great remedy for eye problems (sties, conjunctivitis, pink eye, etc.)

Here is a picture of a chickweed flower. Notice how it has only five petals yet looks as if it has ten

Enjoy your Best Health EVER!

These are probably the most nutritious Thai Noodles you will ever put into your body:)

Kelp noodles are made from the clear substance you can find in between a piece of kelp when you peel it apart. I discovered this one evening while taking a luscious seaweed bath. So they are actually raw (I had my doubts at first too). Kelp noodles make it super easy for me to get my weekly seaweed nutrition (I like to consume seaweed about 3 times per week). The dressing is both creamy and spicy. It tastes even better if you leave it in the fridge for several hours and let the flavors meld. If you end up trying this recipe please let me know what you think!

KELP SEAWEED BENEFITS:

• Excellent source of minerals! Especially rich in potassium, iron, iodine, vitamin B6, riboflavin, and fiber.
• Helps the thyroid produce thyroid hormones because of the high amounts of iodine found in kelp. The thyroid influences all body functions and stimulates energy production of the cellular mitochondria.
• Is shown to absorb and eliminate radioactive elements and heavy metal contaminants from our bodies because of the phytochemicals contained in kelp.
• Contains polysaccharides… Xylose, which is antibacterial and anti-fungal… Fucose, which supports long-term memory and fights allergies… Galactose, which also improves memory and aids in the absorption of good calcium.
• It is a wild, non-hybridized food!

Wondering where to buy kelp noodles? Check out your local health food store or click below and do a search for kelp noodles:

Enjoy!
”

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