Healthy Holiday Cookies

Happy Winter Solstice! Tonight is the longest night of the year. Here in Seattle, the sun rose today at 7:55 am and set at 4:20 pm. Less than 8.5 hours of sunlight. And on this long winter night, with the flick of just a switch or three, I can turn on the fireplace, the Christmas tree lights, and some holiday music, creating a festive holiday spirit to welcome the return of the sun. And to complete... [Read more]

Thanksgiving Day Poem

Let us give thanks Let us give thanks for the bounty of people. For children who are our second planting, and, though they grow like weeds and the wind too soon blows them away, may they forgive us our cultivation and fondly remember where their roots are. Let us give thanks For generous friends with hearts and smiles as bright as their blossoms; For feisty friends as tart as apples; For continuous... [Read more]

Persimmon and Pomegranate Salad with Arugula and Asiago

This past Saturday morning, this past blustery, rainy Saturday morning, I was sipping tea and sorting through my recipe box. While seeking autumnal inspiration as I prepared my weekly grocery shopping list, I came across a recipe that I had completely forgotten about (I love it when that happens). I only tried it once five years ago. A classmate of mine from Bastyr University was giving a talk about…hmmm…I... [Read more]

Cheesy Kale Chips

My son (who hasn’t yet tasted them, mind you), says cheesy kale chips look like something you would scrape off the bottom of a boat. Let me assure you – to try them is to LOVE them. As my new favorite recipe, I make a double batch most weekends. And, with a little bit of mindfulness, I can make them last until Tuesday. I bring them to potlucks, make them for guests and visitors, share them... [Read more]

10 Tips for Eating Healthy, Organic Foods on a Budget

Food costs can be a big part of your overall budget, especially when you are trying to buy the healthiest foods for you and your family. Being mindful about what you buy (and eat) can make a positive impact on both your health and your wallet. There are many ways to cut food costs. Here are 10 tips that help me afford to nourish my body with healthy foods: 1.    Plan a weekly menu. Know what... [Read more]

Living in the Moment – More Lessons from my Dog

Every moment is my favorite moment. And as “new-agey” or zen-like as that sounds, it is just one of the many lessons that I learned that from my dog. Being out of the loop, I missed the following email that made the rounds a few years ago. Thanks to a dear client who also appreciates what we might learn from out pets, he passed it on to me. I am including it in its entirety because, even... [Read more]

Quick and Easy Beef Stew Recipe

During the winter months (meaning November, December, and January here in Seattle) I get in the mood to slow cook yummy dishes that I dote over lovingly – dishes that bring me through the long winter nights. But once February rolls around, and the daffodils bloom, and the days are noticeably longer (and warmer), the sunlight calls me to come outside to play. My fading interest in slow cooking... [Read more]

Easy, Easy, Raw Chocolate Cake Recipe

I made a delicious chocolate cake on Valentine’s Day. From scratch. It had only five ingredients (walnuts, cocoa powder, dates, vanilla extract, and sea salt). And it took me only 10 minutes to make from start to finish – with the help of my food processor. That it was gluten-free, dairy-free, and raw was just a bonus. And not only is the recipe easy, it is fun. After you mix everything... [Read more]

Sprouts – A Winter Garden

While I did see signs of springtime during my weekend walk, today it is snowing. And over much of North America, we are still smack in the middle of winter. Summer raspberries and peaches seem forever away. Even the fresh shoots of springtime asparagus or spinach are beyond the horizon. “Fresh” veggies and fruits are transported from Florida, California, Mexico, and Chile. So in search... [Read more]

Powerful Thoughts are Creative

What if our thoughts manifested immediately? No lag time whatsoever? Imagine. We could immediately be swimming with dolphins in the Bahamas, or skiing down the best powder run in Colorado, or dining on delicacies with good friends on the patio of our dream home. Or. We could immediately be handed a pink slip, or receive a dire medical diagnosis, or stall on the freeway, or lose close relationships... [Read more]