and I enjoyed that with a glass of port, yum.
So good.
All I wanna do today is bake warm tasty things, drink port and wear long socks. So, that's exactly what I did. I made an apple crumble with melted Coracao on top (you know the best chocolate in the universe) and I baked a zucchini bread. While Dan steamed artichokes and made an autumn bake. The apple crumble came out first and I enjoyed that with a glass of port, yum. The zucchini bread got sliced and topped with fifth quarter bacon, early girl tomatoes, mustard, garlic oil and homemade pickles. So good. Lastly the autumn bake had fifth quarter bacon, sweet potatoes from the mushroom lady, fall squash, wild-crafted rosemary, nutritional yeast, garlic, fresh ground pepper and salt. What a great way to stay warm, from the belly out.
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Talking about my health journey is a long topic. But I touch on it in the above video. Spirit animals was a fun topic, watch that video bellow. Thanks Mai for your topic suggestions (from Facebook). A nod to Zachar for leading the guided meditation i mention. Suggest a topic I would love to talk about what you wanna hear.
Dried plums are an amazing tool to having regular bowel movements. Yup I'm about to go there. But hey, we all drop the kids off, leave a duece, go poop - we all shit.
I brought a bag of dried plums from Fully Belly Farm, nice and juicy ones, tart in the best way, and Daniel had a profound experience. He said he had the shit of a life time. When Dan told our friend Ky about the dried plum experience it dawned on me; maybe everyone wants to know how to support regular bowel movements. So, here it is: All it takes is about 3 to 4 dried plums a day. Simple. I especially take a bag of dried plums with me when I travel away from home. Now keep in mind you can have too many dried plums! If you eat too many, which I unfortunately have...it loosens things up a bit too much. So, keep an eye on how many you eat. Ps I really like the Fully Belly dried plums and of course the Blossom Bluff dried plums from my local farmers market. Enjoy another way to eat your medicine. As I step into my fully expressed optimal self I realize how much
I hold my breath and hold myself back. Growth is an interesting experience. There are so many things that come up for me residually through feelings and body memory. I've been working on changing my own thought patterns connected to my resistance to growth. Mantras, herbs, good food, exercise are all things I utilize as I navigate through change. One of my favorite mantras is "I let go and trust in the flow." This mantra reminds me to release my held breath, release my body tension and trust in the natural flow of life. There are so many ways I enjoy herbs. Aromatherapy is probably one of my top favorite ways to utilize the support of these magical plants. Cardamom essential oil offers incredible support to the respiratory system; by opening up the lungs to release and receive a bigger, clearer breath. If you break down the word respiratory system it sounds a lot like "re - spiriting - the system." Thinking about exhaling negativity and taking a breath in of positivity; is like filling the lungs with a new spirit (I think of spirit as energy). As for good food - "you are what you eat." Really, we are what we eat, think, do, say - etc.! So, I eat local, fresh, organic, GMO-free, sustainable, pasture raised, amazing whole foods. I stay away from foods that cause an adverse reaction on my body; things that cause inflammation, lymph congestion or off balance my natural PH. It's not really a specific diet dogma, although I do like the Paleo trend, I eat for my vitality. As for exercise, it's really important to move the body. My personal regiment includes; yoga, core class, cardio, kettle bells - weight lifting, sauna, and climbing. Exercising helps move the lymph system, release stress and toxins and over all builds physical strength - which helps with my mental strength. Ultimately I'm doing my best to live, feel and be well. I just came back from Full Belly Farm's Hoes Down Festival. A celebration of the farmers putting their hoes down, reaping in what they've sown and celebrating the harvest! Camped out in the walnut grove, under the stars, belly full of YUM! Took a walk through Full Belly's herb garden. Pleased to see the lovely Vitex agnus-castus (Chaste Tree Berries, Monk Peppers) in bloom! Seeds getting ready for harvest! The mature seeds are used. When making a tincture; [1:5, 65% alcohol] 30-60 drops. When making a tea; grind berries measuring 1/2 to 1 Tspn. Let steep in 2 cups of hot water in a covered container for 20 minutes, drink once in the morning and the evening. As it strengthens the progesterone phase of the estrus cycle, it usually works best the two weeks before menses. A fantastic herb that balances the hormone cascade. - - - Vitex information adapted from Michael Moore Take a walk with me as I explore Full Belly FarmWalking through the pumpkin patch was such a delight, and then seeing them carved and lighting the way to the evening festivities - magical. Such a great reminder of where I get my food. Being an urban herbalist the closest I get to a farm, generally, is the farmers market. Grilled dinner, hay bails, dancing, fall cider, bicycle blended smoothies, local vendors and an early morning cuppa and farm fresh breakfast - this is a good good life.
Everyone loves recipes. I'm an experimental cook, mostly I'm an Herbalist - but sometimes I make tasty things.
Daniel and I had an incredible camping trip at an old mining town. Where we foraged pounds of apples and pears from these hundred year old trees. What a find ( !!! ) - so sweet and amazing we felt like old miners in that abandoned town all to ourselves. Dreaming up all sorts of things to make. When we got home I was inspired, I made a lot of pie of course and created a grain free recipe that rises. Yeah !!! My original goal was to make muffins but this experiment had a plan of its own: Pear Ginger soufflé (bread pudding) Grain Free Paleo Recipe
* (I grind my own whole; almonds, quinoa, buckwheat, and even coconut flakes in the blender to make my own flours) Blend all the wet ingredients (in a blender) then add to the dry ingredients and let sit for 10 minutes place into greased containers (or parchment paper covered muffin tins) cook in preheated 350° oven for about 20-30 minutes. It will rise and the center will be soft and so so so GOOD! I also like to make a kind of sweet butter. Made from coconut oil stevia, touch of vanilla bean (the paste scrapped out of a fresh pod), a dash of cocoa powder and a bit of salt. This sweet butter is then slathered all over the Soufflé. Whoa step back taste buds you're about to have a mouthgasm. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - It helps to have surrounded myself with foodie friends (shout out to my favorite local chef Kasey for constantly inspiring me and Daniel for your loving encouragement). Who shop with me at the local farmers market and support pasture raised, gmo-free, organic, wild crafted, foraged, happy, local food. Yes, I know I am blessed to live in California's Bay Area and I give thanks everyday for sharing my table with such great and immense love. It's been an incredibly warm Autumn season change. I would say it's time to dive in and pull your energy in, but it's so warm. Funny really how human civilization is evolving, how the planet is warming up, how seasons are changing. I watched this RSA animated TED talk: This video reminded me the evolution of human and all of life is constant, including our living planet. As our universe expands, or implodes depending on your gauge of thought. Honestly I believe you can't have one with out the other. The implosion has to explode somewhere...doesn't it? Recently I have taken on a challenge; to blog every day for 365 days. Today I begin with a ramble about what I have been pondering as October of 2012 roles into the forefront of my awareness. Letting my authentic quandary of the world be my muse.
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tatianai'm a practicing clinical western herbalist
aromatherapist wild woman thriving in Berkeley, CA you can find me on a hike or a leisurely walk watching the plants push through the cracks i love to cook healthy & delicious gluten free & frequently grain free sweet & savory wild foods while setting intentions--i burn frankincense, copal & wild-crafted pine resins on hot coals filling my space with aroma to please my spirit i'm driven to learn so i read the latest health articles, metaphysical literature & how-to books i choose love, hold hands, take a 6 point pulse, ask good questions and adore getting to the root of things Archives
April 2014
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