Lately, and Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Cream

IMG_3417Hello my delectable! How’s your summer going? Mine is, well, going! It’s crazy how quickly it’s passing. I feel like I just pulled out my sandals! Just wanted to pop in and share what I’m loving lately, what I’m doing lately, and what I think you’ll love too! There’s too much to even list, but this is a start. Look for more “lately” posts for weird and random current obsessions from now on. And read till the end to find out how to use up all the zucchini that’s kicking around right now!

1. Beautycounter! I love it. I sell it (I think I told you). I wear it. It’s much much safer than conventional beauty and it offers options for just about everything. I love, love, love the new makeup, and the cleansing balm is my favorite thing of all time. Also, the overnight peel. Amaze. Really. Put this on at night, look better in the morning. I think I’m personally a skincare minimalist, and I am a little more detailed with makeup, but whichever way you lean, beautycounter has something you’ll love. Let me introduce you two! Contact me to find your new favorites. Or explore the lineup here. #switchtosafer

2. I’ve been attending the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, to put a more formal spin on my coaching. I started in May with the accelerated 6 month program, and it’s re-inspiring me with health and coaching in a lot of ways. But also reinforcing what I know for sure. Nice to know I know what I know. Wait, what? You get it. In any case I’ll be sharing some thoughts inspired by the learning. And I’m offering free intro coaching sessions as part of my requirement for school. Interested? Contact me to set up a call. As a thank you I will follow up with some free tips to start you on the way towards your goals.

3. I’ve been teaching more. I seem to talk and sing a lot in these classes, and I tell you what it’s kind of a nice change. I love that I get to share my love of the practice with a tiny bit more theory than I do just cranking people into a bind. Though hey that’s great too. Check me out at Euphoria Yoga in Woodstock 11:30 am Thursday the 16th and Thursdays thereafter. And stay tuned for updates! I hope to host a few pop ups, include some recipes and treats, and generally step it up. What are YOU craving in a yoga class or gathering this late summer and early fall?

4. It’s zucchini season! Yup it’s full force right now. Did you know August 8 was National Sneak Some Zucchini on Your Neighbor’s Porch Day? It is. It’s a thing. They even give you instructions. You sneak over there quietly, leave your zucchini and run away.

But there are lots of great ways to use it up, even if you’re sick of it. This latest one is a go-to of mine, but I don’t know if I’ve ever published it. Sometimes I don’t even sauté the noodles, I’m that lazy, and they’re good raw too. But it’s only a 5 minute stove top affair if you want them cooked. The dish is shown here with some raw mushroom falafels I pulled out of an old recipe book, but it doesn’t really need anything fancy. My favorite toppings are ripe summer cherry tomatoes and raw pine nuts with an extra swirl of olive oil and a sprinkle of basil. But you could put any protein you like on top too.

And with that, here’s how you can use up the zucchini I leave on your porch…

Have a delectable week. And don’t forget to contact me for your free health history.

Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Cream
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A zoodle recipe so decadent you won't miss the wheat or dairy, so easy you won't mind cooking dinner.
Servings Prep Time
4 10 minutes
Cook Time
5minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 10 minutes
Cook Time
5minutes
Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Cream
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A zoodle recipe so decadent you won't miss the wheat or dairy, so easy you won't mind cooking dinner.
Servings Prep Time
4 10 minutes
Cook Time
5minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 10 minutes
Cook Time
5minutes
Ingredients
  • 4 zucchinimedium sized, or 2 larger zucchini
  • 2 Tbsp. Avocado Oilor other neutral, heat resistant oil
  • 2-4 cloves garlicminced
Cream Sauce
Servings:
Units:
Instructions
Cream Sauce
  1. Slice the avocados in half and scoop out the flesh adding it to the bowl of your food processor. I like the small bowl, since it gives the blades more contact with the small amount of avocado for easier blending.
  2. Add remaining ingredients to the food processor and process until smooth and creamy. You may have to stop and scrape down the sides a couple of times.
  3. Taste, and add seasoning and more oil to taste, and then blend again until completely smooth.
Noodles
  1. To make the noodles, cut the ends off your zucchini and make noodles according to your spiralizer's instructions.
  2. In a heavy bottomed skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat, add the garlic and stir to cook, about 3 minutes. Don't let it burn! If it seems to be sizzling, turn down the heat to medium.
  3. Add the zucchini noodles to the pan and sauté until just soft. Don't cook too long or they will shrink a lot and release too much water.
To Serve
  1. Divide the noodles among four plates. Place a large dollop of cream sauce on each and toss to coat well. Top with desired "fixins" and enjoy!
  2. Notes: 1. Never, ever, ever add salt to the zucchini noodles until ready to serve. They will release water like crazy and the whole thing will be a soggy mess. 2. You might have extra cream sauce left over. It's great as a dip too! A squeeze of lemon on top, or a floater of olive oil, can help keep it from browning. Refrigerate until ready to use...if it even lasts past dinner. 3. Nutritional yeast is also a great topper. Replaces parmesan well as a topping.
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Euphoric Chocolate Delights (or something like that)

IMG_3600I’ve been meaning to post this recipe for a while. It’s divine, it really is. But I’ve been agonizing over the name, so if you come with a better one, one that’s not wildly suggestive (ahem!) go ahead and lay it on me. Best name gets free tips or digital cookbook.

In the meantime we’ll call them Euphoric Chocolate Delights.

Anyway, I stole the recipe from my brother (yup, that’s a first) but perfected the process in a Laura Life Delectable kind of way, as we know I do.  I simplified a bunch, as I like them pretty plain flavor wise. I don’t like too many other spices, herbs or flavorings in my chocolate. I’m a purist.

Though next week I’m thinking of how to stuff or coat them with peanut butter. I mean, what could be bad?

Back to now. These little chocolate energy balls are so awesome they really are euphoric. It could be because I craft them with a little witchery, or it could just be that chocolate + sea salt + dates = divinity. But any way you slice it you’re going to want to make them. I served them after teaching yoga at Euphoria in Woodstock the other day and I think everyone got a chocolate high! Guess that fits the setting!

If you’ve got a high speed blender that’s my first choice for grinding the nuts and chocolate, but you can also use a food processor. And you’ll want to freeze them solid to really solidify the coating, then put them in the fridge for a little while before serving, or on the counter for 10 minutes, provided it’s not the dog days of summer.

I highly recommend combining them with yoga for your most Euphoric experience.

Euphoric Chocolate Delights (or something like that)
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Servings Prep Time
About 16 15minutes
Passive Time
15 minutes - 1 hourfor chilling
Servings Prep Time
About 16 15minutes
Passive Time
15 minutes - 1 hourfor chilling
Euphoric Chocolate Delights (or something like that)
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Servings Prep Time
About 16 15minutes
Passive Time
15 minutes - 1 hourfor chilling
Servings Prep Time
About 16 15minutes
Passive Time
15 minutes - 1 hourfor chilling
Ingredients
For the balls:
For the coating:
Servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. To make the balls, grind the cashews, chocolate, chia seeds and salt in a high speed blender or food processor just till powdery and crumbly, not so much that it becomes a paste. Transfer to a bowl.
  2. Blend the dates, coconut oil, vanilla extract and honey in a high speed blender or food processor (I like to use the smaller bowl) until it makes a smooth paste. It's easier if the coconut is melted, but I'm usually too lazy. Add the paste to the mixing bowl with the chocolate and cashews.
  3. Add goji berries to the bowl and mix well.
  4. Scoop up heaping tablespoons of dough and roll between hands to form balls. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and freeze to set.
For the coating:
  1. Melt chocolate, cacao butter and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat stirring constantly, or in a double boiler if you have one.
  2. Stir the mixture well until it makes a smooth sauce. Let cool about 5 minutes.
  3. Dip the frozen chocolate balls into the sauce and place on parchment paper at least one inch apart. Sprinkle with sea salt if desired (so yummy!)
  4. Return the cookie sheet to the freezer and freeze to set. To serve, you can either eat them frozen, refrigerated, or allow to come to room temp for 5-10 minutes before serving (just not in the dog days of summer...they'll melt)
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Thanksgiving Stuffing Skillet Bake

skillet 1As Thanksgiving approaches I am reminded of how grateful I am to have so many I people I love. People I love to cook for. Also how much I wish there were less traffic and intense planning leading up to said cooking…

But never mind that now.

I’ve noticed that quite a few folks are still looking for Thanksgiving mains that don’t involve poultry or meat of any kind. READ MORE >

Perfect Quinoa Porridge

IMG_1880“Brrrrr…I need a sweater!” That’s my favorite thing to say in the summer. Yes, summer. Because while I love the long days and bright sun and outdoor time, I am not the biggest fan of high temps and humidity. Those clear, cool, sunny days that happen unexpectedly before fall? Precious!

Around the middle of August we had a few of these days and I thought, “hey, is this my birthday present?” But on the flip side, I suddenly didn’t’ know what to eat. A smoothie just seemed stupid, I mean, I don’t want to need hot tea and a heating pad after breakfast every day, do I? And sometimes I just don’t want eggs. Plus, oatmeal doesn’t stick with me. I get overly full and then suddenly empty. READ MORE >

Anytime Pumpkin Pudding

img_0216Just in time for Thanksgiving…a new favorite fall recipe! I’ve been wanting to create the perfect warm breakfast to replace my summer smoothies, and it’s taken me quite a few trials to perfect. But in the meantime I discovered an amazing thing…this recipe is a fantastic dessert too! And really healthy, unless you put it in buttery ginger snap tartlet shells, that is. READ MORE >

My Favorite Matcha Frosty

I love my hot matcha lattes, so so much. Even in this steamy August weather. There is no day too hot for my latte. But there are those times when I want a little boost after practice, and a cool creamy treat seems like just the thing. This simple soft serve (aka smoothie you eat with a spoon) hits the spot without sending me on a coffee bender and subsequent crash. And it makes the dog days of summer just a little more bearable. All hail matcha and frozen bananas!

Notes:

I used a protein powder I happened to have around, but I don’t have a favorite. Protein powders are so personal. Just choose one you like, sub for straight hemp powder (which is gritty, but very simple with no artificial flavors or stevia) or even sub for a couple of tablespoons of nut butter.

If you prefer a creamy treat that’s not quite as frosty (Ayurveda types I’m looking at you) take out the ice and add avocado to taste. In fact, you can add avocado even if you do use ice, for a thicker texture.

If you prefer a sweeter treat, one juicy medjool date will do the trick, or a teaspoon or two of honey or maple syrup.

Happy blending!

matcha frosty 2

Favorite Matcha Frosty
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A sweet, creamy, frozen treat for a buzz without the crash.
Servings Prep Time
1 3minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 3minutes
Favorite Matcha Frosty
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A sweet, creamy, frozen treat for a buzz without the crash.
Servings Prep Time
1 3minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 3minutes
Ingredients
Servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Blend well, top with crunchy things as desired and serve!
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My Shiny Happy Life

imageMy life is all rainbows and unicorns. That’s right, every morning I wake up and little birds help me put on my yoga clothes. I meditate calmly with no monkey mind for a full hour, after which I drink pure lemon water from the stream before getting on my mat for a focused, intense yoga practice on my own. After that the day flows easily with the perfect healthy food, all of which I make myself. Abundant clients throw themselves at me willy nilly. I easily handle all personal interactions. If there is the rare time of stress, I handle it with equanimity, without being overly reactive. I NEVER go crazy and do something self destructive. I am totally at peace, regardless of what life throws at me.

Yeah, and if you believe that I have some ocean-front property in the Everglades you might like.

No, the truth is I am a work in progress, just like everyone else. And despite the beautiful veggie/smoothie/raw dessert shots I splash all over IG, I also eat out too often, just to get out of the house when being a solo-preneur makes me feel trapped. I am also more reactive than I’d like. In face, yesterday I was upset by a personal interaction and totally lost my cool, ate all my travel snacks in a row and then ended up beating myself up for an hour or two. But because of so much yoga practice and work on myself, these times are rarer and rarer. I have more ‘wins’, more grace and calm breathing through crisis as time goes on.

I think it’s easy in this digital world to see only one side of things. I have FOMO too by the way! SO much. I should definitely quit Facebook. Yeah, right. That’s gonna happen.

Even though I try to show some of the messiness and talk about the ‘hard parts’ of life too, I’m not sure it completely hits home. And it’s important to show the struggle. After all, how can someone help you out of the ditch if they haven’t experienced what it’s like to be stuck down there themselves?

Understand this: whatever emotional eating issue, body image crisis, lack of motivation, beating yourself up, perfectionist, pendulum swinging thing you are going through, I have been there. More than once. And after so many years of slogging around at the bottom of that ditch, I know how to help you climb out of it.

That doesn’t mean life will be all rainbows and unicorns and kale salads. Though today was a great day of meditation, yoga, healthy food, productivity and calm mind, tomorrow I may wake up, check facebook from my bed and haul off to the diner for a stack of pancakes slathered in syrup while stewing over all my faults. I really hope I don’t, but if I do, I won’t whip myself erotically after the fact. I will walk around the block, drink a green juice (or maybe a great glass of red wine) and get over it.

This is balance. Just like some of those crazy yoga inversions, it is not a static spot. You don’t land there and say “ah, balance, there you are.” And just stay stock still. You have to make constant micro-adjustments to stay there.

Can you get down with that? Then let’s get there! My 90-day bespoke program is designed to help you tune into your own needs, joys, likes and dislikes and tune up the vibration to help you find that place of balance that is delectable and sustainable for you.

Book your free consultation now and let’s get going>>

With love, lemon water and (raw) chocolate covered cookies.

-Laura

World’s Easiest Matcha Latte

matcha shotIf you’ve been anywhere near instagram lately, or have read the menus at your local coffee and tea shops, you may have noticed a craze for a bright green tea called Matcha. It is everywhere suddenly! Even my favorite little local coffee shop is offering a matcha latte. And, it’s a pretty healthy craze. Matcha is loaded with antioxidants, even more than ‘regular’ brewed green tea, due to the fact that you drink the whole ground leaf rather than just brewing the leaves and tossing them.

And it has a whole host of other benefits. This is pretty good roundup of matcha’s powers. And this is a great description of how it gives you calm focus. Love that!

I love matcha as a supplement to my daily routine, but every now and then I’ll go a little further and trade in my beloved coffee for a matcha only month. When I recently did that and started posting pictures of my yummy drinks, I got a lot of comments from people who want to love it, but just don’t.

Well, in all honesty, you don’t have to drink it! Coffee has antioxidants too…and hey, I drink coffee most of the time. If you can handle the super charged feeling of drinking coffee, and it’s your love, go for it. Brightly colored fruits and vegetables have antioxidants too. Red wine… No one superfood can ‘fix’ your health. But, if you really want to drink matcha and are unsure what to do with it, I have a few tips and a recipe that may make you a believer.

Tip #1:

If you’re new to matcha and it’s too grassy/bitter/pungent for you, try ceremonial grade. People will try to sell you on the culinary variety if you’re making a latte out of it, but I find culinary matchas rather bitter, and often muddy tasting (and kind of a muddy green color too, as opposed to bright green like fresh spring peas). I like the smoothness and sweet quality of the higher grade. There are many ceremonial matchas that are affordable. Just do some experimenting until you find what you like. Here’s a link to the best matcha guide of all time, you’re sure to find something here.

Tip #2:

Make a latte. Yes, it is more traditional to drink it straight up, but tradition isn’t everything. It will be just as good for you in a creamy treat-like latte that you actually want to drink. Though there is some evidence to suggest that pairing matcha with dairy products negates the antioxidant effect, so go for nut milks or coconut milk.

Tip #3:

Make it into dessert. Got a favorite vegan vanilla ice cream/smoothie/chia pudding/raw tart recipe? Add a little matcha and turn up the flavor and health benefits.

And finally, here is my favorite matcha latte recipe. To enjoy it hot, use hot water. To enjoy it cold, use cold water and pour it over ice. Like it creamier? Add more coconut oil or cashews. Like it stronger? Add more matcha. Like it sweeter? Add more honey. Or less if you go for that slightly bitter quality.You can’t ruin it. And it’s much faster than brewing coffee.

World's Easiest Matcha Latte
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Servings Prep Time
1 2minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 2minutes
World's Easiest Matcha Latte
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Servings Prep Time
1 2minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 2minutes
Ingredients
Servings:
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Instructions
  1. Blend well, preferably in a high speed blender, until frothy and creamy.
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