Organic Veggie Buckwheat

I love buckwheat and use it often. Not only is it alkalizing, low in sugar, easy to make, but it is absolutely delicious! I grew up in Russia, and buckwheat is a grain we eat daily. Russians make buckwheat "kasha" for breakfast, and enjoy it with milk and a sprinkling of sugar (just like cereal), they make it as a side for meat and eat it for lunch and dinner. It is a relatively inexpensive grain, and our National staple, even more so than potatoes. You will be surprised to know that buckwheat used to be in deficit during the communist times! My mother used to have to wait in line and purchase her ration with a coupon, and the only people who were given access to it were diabetics, since this was the approved low-sugar food they were allowed to consume to stay stable, and not spike. 

Not only is buckwheat a delicious, fluffy, and warm comfort food, but it is also good for you! Did you know that buckwheat is one of only few alkaline grains? This means that it won't feed candida, and won't cause inflammation and acidity imbalance in the body. This recipe will not only satisfy your taste buds, but will keep you full without spiking your blood sugar - so it's low on the GI (glycemic index) and absolutely satiating.

Ingredients (all-organic)

1 cup buckwheat
pinch of salt
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 large sweet onion
1 medium tomato
1 carrot
1 cup spinach
1 cup crimini mushrooms
1/2 small head of cauliflower

For this simple vegetable recipe,  boil a cup of buckwheat and set it to the side. In a pan,  sautée the onions with carrot in the coconut oil, and add the rest of the veggies, except for spinach. When the cauliflower starts to gently caramelize, take the pan off the heat and add the spinach on the top. Stir everything together, and fold in the buckwheat. You can plate this hot or wait for it to cool! I paired this warm veggie meal with a baby greens salad with figs, walnuts, avocado and shaved parmesan cheese, dressed in flax seed oil! Lemon water on the side to help me cool off after a hot day!

Enjoy!

"You can't be everything to everyone."

I had a favorite marketing professor in college, who once said something that stuck with me, and resonated deeply within my being. "You can't be everything to everyone." I always repeat this affirmation when I am feeling lonely, down, not worthy enough, anxious, or disappointed. There are billions of people on this glorious planet, billions of beautiful, talented, intelligent, and successful people. No matter how famous, interesting, sexy, fit, talented, rich, popular, or successful you you are, there is someone who may have surpassed you in the eyes of another, and that is OK. 

When I remind myself of this, I feel a relief, as if a weight is lifted off my shoulders. How great it feels to know that I don't need to compare myself to others to feel good about myself! How easy it is to work when I know I don't need to be as big as some brands or as rich as some businesspeople, or as beautiful as a some women to be the center of my own thriving universe. 

I release any resentment towards those who didn't want to date me, I release any resentment towards those who didn't befriend me. Those who are with me are with me for a reason, and I am grateful for having this awareness, to keep me balanced, and alive!

5 Ways to Improve Your Kid's Childhood Experience, and Teach Kindness

Everything I have learned in life has been a stepping stone to my current state of well-being, prosperity and balance. I am a constant learner, and am always open to self-improvement, even now, as an adult. Children get most of their ideas about themselves and the world around them by what the adults in their life say and do, so it is important to be fully aware of the message you are giving to your little ones. In this short blog entry, I will give you some wonderful ways to nourish and encourage your children's creativity, promote kindness, and engage in positive activities that you both will enjoy and treasure as cherished moments! I do these activities now, as an adult, so this will be excellent advice for people of all ages.

1. Cook Something Healthy

Making healthy food daily is an absolute must in my life - my food nourishes my mind and body. Give your children a chance to participate in food preparation, and they will take responsibility and pride in their task. Small tasks such as washing the veggies or ripping lettuce leaves for the salad allow your kids to feel like they have contributed to making the meal, and teach them how to become efficient and autonomous. Sharing food is a beautiful way to show love and care, and I often make enough food for my family, as well as the neighbors. My neighbor is a doctor, and works late, so I often invite her for dinner. I also have an elderly woman on the cul-de-sac, and I feel that it is a privilege for me to bring her food. A wonderful weekend activity is making sandwiches for the homeless, and passing them out. Make food with love, share food with loved ones, and teach your children to share and care.

2. Make Bird Friends

I currently live in a house with a large back yard, but I have grown up in an apartment, and have learned to live comfortably and efficiently in a small, urban space. I have a dog and a cat whom I love very much, but if your living conditions don't allow for pets, this advice will be wonderful. It can be challenging for parents to tell their kids they can't have pets because of space or time constrictions, so a great alternative is to hang up hummingbird feeders filled with nectar, and watch these lovely beauties come to sip their sweet nectar. Here is a photo I took yesterday of the bird flying up to drink - they are truly majestic, and therapeutic. Making the nectar is easy - it's a 1-cup sugar to 4-cup water ratio. Simply bring this mixture to a boil, cool, and pour into the feeder. I make enough for the week, and store the rest in the fridge - it's much more convenient, also. This is a wonderful activity to do with the kids - they will love it! Another great idea is to put out feed for the larger birds, especially if you have colorful birds in your neighborhood, like I do. I buy bird feed in bulk, and put it out for them in the flat bowl feeder I have in the back yard. It's great to know that even little creatures can benefit from your kind gesture.

3. Grow Something
Buy a plant that the child will have the responsibility to water. If you have a chance to start a small
garden together, there is nothing more fun than digging in the dirt while taking care of your vegetables or flowers! Children will take great responsibility in doing their part to water veggies, or flowers, and proudly display their labor when it is time to harvest! This is a great activity that will beautify the home, and will also teach the child the values of farm-to-table lifestyle.

4. Volunteer
Lending a helping hand to others is a divine privilege, and a task that will not only fill your children's heart with joy, but will serve as a wonderful reminder of how important each and every one of us is on this planet. I've been caring for my grandmother for the past few years, and one day I thought of
the countless number of elderly people who spend their lives at retirement homes, and rarely get visitors. I went to the dollar store, and picked up puzzles, coloring books, crossword puzzles, crayons, beads, glue, and a couple of poster boards, and showed up at a retirement home. The feeling of joy these wonderful elders experienced made me so happy! Your children will enjoy interacting with elders, and vice versa! I volunteer with kids at an orphanage in Mexico, and the days spent with them have been as rewarding for me, as they have been for them. Gratitude and appreciation creates children who mature into appreciative and self-sufficient adults.

5. Help the Homeless

Vacation season is approaching, and many of us will travel with our families. I frequently travel for work, and spend a third of the month in a hotel room, but since my company manufactures skincare, I bring my own products with me.  Did you know that you are paying daily for the toiletries in your hotel room, and they are yours to use and take? Give your children the task of collecting all unused shampoos, conditioners, soaps, and small toothpastes each day, and putting them away into their suitcase. In six months to a year, the child will have a large box of travel-sized items to donate to the local homeless shelter/mission. These small toiletries may seem like meaningless items to most people, but every little bit counts for the less fortunate. I regularly send monetary donations to charities, but since children don't have the financial ability to help, teaching them to help in this way will get them on the path to sharing and giving. When generosity becomes second nature, so do gratitude and abundance.

Be well, live abundantly, and give abundantly!

Heavenly Vegan Bulgur With Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

My heavenly vegan bulgur with sautéed brussels sprouts, parsley, and carrots is a warm, soft and fluffy dinner you can make in 15 minutes! Brussels sprouts can be delicious, if cooked correctly, and I am here to teach you. This is one pilaf you will LOVE!

Ingredients:

1 cup bulgur 

1 1/2 cup organic brussels sprouts 

1 large organic carrot

1/2 medium sweet organic onion

1/2 chopped organic parsley

2 tablespoons organic cold-pressed coconut oil

pinch of salt

I love the 10 Minute Bulgur from Trader Joe's , and use it for all my bulgur recipes. The first thing I do when working with a grain-based salad or pilaf, is start boiling the grain, and while that is on the stove, I chop the veggies. Bulgur is just like rice - you will need 2 cups of water for 1 cup of bulgur. Bring it to a boil, cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes. Take off the heat, and let rest for 5 minutes with the lid on.

Thoroughly wash, and cut the brussels sprouts in half. Warm up a skillet on medium heat. Sweat the onions and thinly shaved carrots in the coconut oil until clear, and add the brussels sprouts. Sauté for 5 minutes, just until the brussels sprouts begin to look soft. Add this mixture to the bulgur, along with salt, and stir in the chopped parsley at the very end, so it stays fresh, and flavorful! Enjoy, and be well! 

Home Is Where the Peace Is

"Wow! That's quite a lot of books you have there!" - exclaimed my friend as she sat in my car. I looked back, and giggled - I had almost forgotten that the back seat of my car looked like a bookshelf- I'd gotten so used to it over the years. I carry a book in my purse, I keep another book on my desk at work, and you should see my bed stands! Books have a very special place in my heart, because they come from a place of love, and carry associations that warm my heart.

While my mother was getting adjusted in the USA, I was raised my my grandmother, my father's mother, in Moscow, Russia. As you can imagine, the only ladies who ever came into our house were in their 60s, just like my grandmother, and (since fancy candy was scarce, and they were all engineers and abhorred pointless dolls) I always received books as gifts. My birthdays were filled with books, all signed by friends and classmates, and those gifts were all carefully arranged in the "library" that my grandfather built himself in one of the hallway hollows. This was a miniature room with a chair, and bookshelves that towered from floor to ceiling. Yes, I was the youngest proprietor of a library, and that was my safe haven.

I had severe problems with my kidneys when I was a child, so I spent a lot of time in and out of the hospital. I remember my hospital roommates always being rude, so I tried not to leave my room for a long time. My roommates had stolen from me, destroyed my belongings, and eaten the food my grandmother had so lovingly prepared for me, so instead of leaving the room  to play, a stayed and read. I read about Egyptian pharaohs, about the Incas and Mayas, I read all of Chekhov and Pushkin, Lermontov and Grimm brothers. I loved Dumas, and imagined the 3 Musketeers fencing their nemesis with épées in my hospital room! 

My days were filled with inpatient appointments, and reading, and one day, my grandmother came in the evening and announced that we were going home! I was discharged, and I could sleep in my own bed! It was about 7pm, and already dark outside when we left, and I remember how the snow crunched under my boots, and how great the fresh, cold air felt inside my nostrils! It was freezing cold, but all I wanted was an ice-cold can of coke and real food. Everything tasted delicious when I was home - even the air had a different taste, and it was amazing! 

Years later, I am re-living my hospital experience with my mom. While she undergoes her doctor's visits, lab work,  MRIs, avastin infusions, ultrasounds, and chemo preparations, I read, and float away on the loving clouds of books. We typically spend 2 to 5 hours a day at the hospital, about 3 times a week, and there is no better time than the moment we both know we are done for the day, and are going home! That moment that she tells me what she feels like having for dinner, and how extremely famished she is (and there is no way she is eating anywhere other than home!) 

There is no place like home. No place that can comfort you, and make you feel well and healthy. That's why home is where our peace is. I sincerely hope you all have spent a beautiful Holiday with your families, and give gratitude for your home today, and every single day you have the privilege of sleeping in your own warm bed, and making yourself a meal in your own cozy kitchen.

On Growth and Learning

Accept the possibility of learning from others, from nature, from your mistakes, and from your victories. Relax, and release your attachments from prejudices, and preconceived notions. Be open to everything.