Healthy Cupcakes

With the holidays fast approaching, sharing a scrumptious dessert recipe felt like the right move. My good friend Jenny Carr just released her anti-inflammatory cookbook, Peace of Cake. I've enjoyed Jenny's super yummy treats for years and was thrilled to learn she was making her recipes public with her book. As a (mostly) healthy eater, I really appreciate her angle. She shares food swaps that allow you to change out what you might be used to (the less healthy version) to healthy alternatives that don't compromise taste. It's brilliant! 

(Disclosure: This site uses affiliate links. All products are chosen at my discretion and promoted as other blogs promote products that reflect the lifestyle of the blogger, brand, and ethos. I only post brands and items I support.)

To celebrate the launch of Jenny's book, we got together with Lindsay Linton to capture the making of one of my favorite recipes from her book: Vanilla Cupcakes with Creamy Avocado and Cacao Frosting. Making the cupcakes was easy and fun, and I have no shame admitting I ate two in a row once they were done. If you have an upcoming party that you are either hosting or attending, these sweet treats will be a wonderful addition. Be sure to check out Jenny's book for more healthy recipes (especially if you have little ones you want to eat better) including breakfast, lunch and dinner, snacks, and of course dessert. 

One more thing I want to mention is how healing this book can be. If you or someone close to you has ever battled health issues, choosing an anti-inflammatory diet could be a huge help. Jenny bravely shares her own and her children's health challenges and how she found her way to making food for her family that was healing and supportive of their natural immune system response. Food is medicine. I truly believe that, and Jenny's book is an incredible and tasty guide to incorporating this knowledge into the every day. Okay, now for the recipe! Follow along below.

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cake...

1/2 Cup Coconut Flour

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

6 large eggs

1/2 cup virgin coconut oil

4 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

For the Frosting...

3 tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil

1 extra large avocado (ripe)

4 1/2 tablespoons cacao powder

1/3 cup raw honey

1. Make the Cake Batter.

In a food processor, combine coconut flour, salt, and baking soda. Add eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla.

2. Bake the Cupcakes.

Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners and scoop ¼ cup into each. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-24 minutes. Cool for 1 hour.

3. Frost the Cupcakes.

Process all ingredients in a food processor (or high quality blender) until smooth. Let the frosting cool for a few minutes before icing the cupcakes.

If these cupcakes and Jenny's anti-inflammatory approach to food is resonating with you, here's a little more about Jenny and ways you can follow or contact her to work with her. xx

Jenny Carr is an anti-inflammatory health coach, a motivational speaker, a mom and an international best selling author of the book Peace Of Cake: The Secret To An Anti-Inflammatory Diet. She went through a near death experience due to chronic illness and survived, by walking her talk in regards to anti-inflammatory living. Jenny specializes in helping people reverse chronic symptoms through anti-inflammatory eating without feeling deprived or overwhelmed.

Visit: Jenny-Carr.com to download your FREE copy of her new book, Peace of Cake.

Follow: @JennyCarrHealth

Many thanks to Lindsay Linton Buk for the beautiful images in this post and her all around awesome energy! xx

Make Space

I was having dinner with a couple of remarkable ladies the other night, and our conversation veered towards a vulnerable place. Through the natural flow of conversation we found ourselves identifying and speaking up for the need to make space. I'm not talking about cleaning out your closet, though I'm a fan of that too. What we were connecting to was the real and necessary human need we have to create enough space in our lives and minds to gain clarity and ask ourselves what we truly want from this life.

(Disclosure: This site uses affiliate links. All products are chosen at my discretion and promoted as other blogs promote products that reflect the lifestyle of the blogger, brand, and ethos. I only post brands and items I support.)

It was a powerful realization. I had been sharing my story of how I moved to LA last year and had an extremely challenging time. It was one of the hardest years of my life, to date. Yet, with that experience, I found my way and without a road map I began to make space for myself. I made time to read. I hiked almost daily in the Santa Monica Mountains and would prompt myself to think about what I wanted to do next on the way up, while letting it all go and simply appreciating the view and the fresh air on the way down. I wrote morning pages, and listened to smart and interesting podcasts. I attended conferences and dinner parties with inspiring people. Somehow, some part of me knew that I needed to push myself to expand and create more space to see what was possible. 

And through this make shift process I found myself again. With clarity and focus I received guidance from within. It was (and still is) incredible. It wasn't until I was sharing this at dinner and one of the women pointed out the value of creating that space that I realized how important the process was. Or that my doing it created a model for others. I want to do some version of it regularly. It's a way of checking in with our truest selves, I think. How about you? How do you make space for yourself and align with what's truly wanted of you in this life?

ECO OUTFIT DETAILS

For this look, I pulled this dress from Penny Lane Cooperative. PLC is a local store in Jackson, Wyoming that showcases work and products from local artists. It's fantastic! The owner, Andi Keenan, has done an amazing job of curating a clothing boutique in the front of the space and housing pop-up stalls featuring a variety of local artists and producers in the back. As an active member of the community, she uses the space regularly to host how-to parties (they recently had one about making essential oil blends and beauty products!) and community events. 

I'm thrilled PLC is part of our small town scene, and can't wait to engage more fully with this special place. Check out their EVENTS page to see what's on deck!

Photos by Cole Buckhart. :) 

Wait for it...

When I was fourteen, my Grandpa gifted me a fly fishing lesson with an outfitter called Reel Women. They taught me how to tie on my first fly and cast from ten to two, with just the right amount of pause on the back cast. I don't remember if I caught a fish that day, but I do remember loving the motion, serenity, and one-pointed concentration of fly fishing. I was hooked, and have been doing it every since.

(Disclosure: This site uses affiliate links. All products are chosen at my discretion and promoted as other blogs promote products that reflect the lifestyle of the blogger, brand, and ethos. I only post brands and items I support.)

One of the things I love most about fly fishing is the game of it. You have to choose the right fly that the fish want to eat, cast it out to them in a natural way, and then allow it to float in the water (sometimes for long stretches) and wait for a fish to take the bait. If I were limited to two words to describe fly fishing I would say: presentation and patience. 

I feel like I'm learning this lesson of patience and waiting in my life- not just on the rivers and creeks. I've been doing Jess Lively's Flow With Intention Online course this month (I did it the first time in February) which is all about finding flow in your life.  She says to find alignment before action, and to wait for inspired action. Sounds easy. In real life, it can be tricky sometimes. The waiting game- especially when you're an entrepreneur- feels like a death sentence. Yet, I can actually feel my intuition nudging me to just wait and see. To trust the timing and maybe just this once flow instead of force... So, my fly is cast on the river of life and I feel myself fluctuating between being very zen and totally freaking out about the wait. But I'm waiting. Waiting until it feels like the right time to take action, and even learning to enjoy the process. 

Eco Outfit Details

BARCLAY TOP, Aventura $75 #organiccotton 

BRAMWELL VEST, Aventura $99 #ethicallymade

For this post I partnered with Aventura and loved learning about the brand's commitment to creating every day pieces with a country twist while upholding ethical and sustainable practices. If you live in the mountains, or have a trip coming up- definitely check them out!

We shot these photos at Astoria Hot Springs, which is where I learned to swim when I was little! I'm thrilled to share that the Trust for Public Land’s efforts to revive Astoria Hot Springs Park, as a new 100-acre, public park, centered around an innovative, affordable new outdoor public hot springs facility succeeded! To learn more about how you can support visit AstoriaHotSpringsPark.com.

Photos by the one and only Cole Buckhart. 

Vegan Tempeh Tacos

I've had a revived interest in cooking, and food in general, in the past few months. A lot of it came from helping a friend out and making meals for him and his family to help support them through a hard time. I found that cooking is such a beautiful way to be of service and truly pour your love into something as a way of 'gifting' your love. And, it's a great way to be creative! 

(Disclosure: This site uses affiliate links. All products are chosen at my discretion and promoted as other blogs promote products that reflect the lifestyle of the blogger, brand, and ethos. I only post brands and items I support.)

So, when GlobeIn reached out and asked to collaborate, I thought there was no better way than to feature their amazing 'Chef Set!' GlobeIn is a curated marketplace that showcases artisan made goods from around the world. They also offer their sets which make great gifts, or you can subscribe to their monthly box and get a new set each month. Having been the recipient of one of their curated boxes, I can definitely see myself gifting their sets. 

The Chef Set I received felt like it had a Mexican flare to it and so I decided to whip up some fresh Mex with some of the produce I received from my local farm's crop share. I did purchase a few extra things to make it all come together, and was really pleased with the result. You can check out my recipe and some amazing photos by Lindsay Linton below. Please leave your recipes suggestions in the comments. I'd love to see how ya'll do Fresh Mex! 

INGREDIENTS:

mixed lettuce

baby kale

peaches

pepitas 

radishes

tomatoes

corn

purple onion

yellow onion

garlic

peach

cilantro

fresh chives

yogurt (non-dairy)

tempeh

corn tortillas

limes

salt

cumin

red pepper flakes

chili powder

apple cider vinegar

grape seed oil

1. Cook the corn.

Boil water in a large pot with a pinch of salt. Add corn and cook 10- 20 mins (depending on your altitude). Remove from water and let cool. Cut corn off of cob and place in bowl. 

2. Make the Dressing and Taco Sauce.

For the dressing, mix 1/4 cup grape seed oil with 2 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar with fresh lime juice (to taste) and red pepper flakes. Cut peaches and squeeze them as you add them to the bowl so that you get some peach juice. Let peaches 'marinate' while you prepare the corn relish.

For the taco sauce, in a small mixer blend one single serve container of plain greek style yogurt, fresh chives, and 1-2 teaspoons cumin until smooth. Transfer to a small serving bowl. 

3. Make the Corn Relish side dish.

Chop tomatoes, onion, cilantro and slice limes. Mix tomatoes, onion and cilantro into bowl with corn. Squeeze lime juice to taste on top with a sprinkling of salt to taste. 

4. Make the Salad & Dress it.

Place washed and dried baby kale and lettuce mix in a large bowl. Thinly slice radishes. Sprinkle radishes and pepitas on salad. Using a slotted spoon add peaches. Toss everything together. Reserve adding peach juice marinade dressing until just before you are ready to serve the salad so it doesn't get soggy. 

5. Cook the Tempeh.

Heat a medium size non-stick skillet over medium/high heat with 1-2 tablespoons grape seed oil. Chop 1/2 a yellow onion and 1-2 cloves garlic. Cook for a couple minutes to release their flavor. Crumble tempeh into pan and sautee. Sprinkle salt, cumin and red chili powder to taste. Stir and cook for 10- 15 minutes until tempeh has a nice golden brown hue. 

6. Warm the Tortillas & Serve.

Use a non-stick pan to heat the tortillas on each side over medium heat for a couple of mins and then transfer to a basket with a napkin or towel to keep them wrapped and warm. Create a buffet line on the kitchen counter or place everything in the center of the table for a Mexican fiesta! 

Go Your Own Way

I'm currently enrolled in Brooke Castillo's Self Coaching Scholars program. Jess Lively (one of my favorites in the self growth sphere) interviewed her on the Lively Show podcast (many thanks Eunique from Stranded On Land for introducing me!) and I felt like, 'That's my coach.' I'd been curious about life coaching and felt like the topic kept coming up amongst my girlfriends. I wanted coaching on how to go above and beyond my current potential and put some effort in that space to see what I could unlock. It takes work, and the work is worth it.

(Disclosure: This site uses affiliate links. All products are chosen at my discretion and promoted as other blogs promote products that reflect the lifestyle of the blogger, brand, and ethos. I only post brands and items I support.)

I'm really enjoying SCS. Brooke is a no nonsense lady with a big heart, and she provides amazing structure and a model to work through on the daily to get in the right mindset to achieve your dreams. If you need a kick in the butt to get going, you should listen to her podcast on productivity. Talk about getting shit done!

Everything was going great and then this last week I kind of hit a speed bump. So much of what Jess talks about on the Lively Show is about flow, and I did her Flow With Intention Course in the spring and it set me on a totally new trajectory for which I am very grateful. I feel like I'm having to balance the action oriented structure of SCS with the 'go with the flow' approach that Jess shares. This past week was challenging. I struggled to find my way and what felt like the 'right way' of working. 

Luckily, I went on a walk with my friend Liz Gibbs, who simply stated that we can take in the advice and methodology of others and then we have to make it our own. The good news is, we really do know how to make it our own. Just listen to yourself and you'll feel the guidance. She reminded me of this, and I felt it right away. 

Brooke's structuring is a little overboard for me, and that's okay. I can be inspired by her methods and then apply them as they work for me (ie: planning out each week instead of the entire month). I do the same with what I am getting from Jess. I do think that finding that good feeling before I act is important, and I'm leaving room in my schedule for that, while balancing my 'to do' list from Brooke. 

It feels important to have goals and things we are invested in and building or working towards. At the same time, I think it's necessary to enjoy life in the current moment and allow time for the things and people we enjoy. I'll admit that finding the balance isn't always easy, but being aware of it and putting attention there feels like a step in the right direction. In the end, I hear Fleetwood Mac in my head telling me to... 'Go your own way!'

Eco Outfit Details

LEATHER JACKET, The Sway, $600 #upcylcedleather #ethicallymade

KNIT DRESS (similar to one shown), Everlane $38 #ethicallymade #transparent

BAG, Ona Villier $145 #handmade #artisanmade #ethicallymade 

BOOTS (similar to one shown), Everlane $225 #madeinItaly #ethciallymade #naturalfibers  

Looking for handmade, high quality bags that you can afford? Enter Ona Villier. Their bags are artisan made in the Mediterranean using bovine leather from Spain and Italy. FMG readers can take 20% off when you use the come 'welcome20' at checkout.