The Boy Drives Off

Today, I watched the baby just pull out of the driveway and head off alone in a car for the very first time.

My feelings?  So many at once...a little sick to my stomach mixed with gratefulness that all went well, that he passed and  actually came home with the license. Sadness and relief,  that we won't be running down each night to pick him up from practice an hour haul round trip.

What is the boy, our treasured baby like? He is one of those people you come across in life that you just want to get to know better. He believes he has a strong place in this world. He takes up space, he is big and athletic with a very rugged appeal. When he enters the house, the door flies open with a sudden burst, he yells his arrival. Miss Bear always charges him with a rough and tough greeting she saves for her adored master.

When he comes into the kitchen, his hand is always reaching for food. The body always hungering. When he shuts his door he does it soundly, never a quiet click.
He puts in his all into whatever he is working on.

At times when he was younger, it could drive me crazy, he was so hard on himself, and now I see that was how he worked into the confidence he carries with him everyday. He understands within himself that he creates his world by how much he puts in.

He has me completely wrapped around his finger, though I try to convince him otherwise. When I do something that really pleases him he wraps his arms around me, squeezes my shoulders and with that deep voice says "great job Mom, I love you" I answer with "of course you do, you just got your way".

Inside though, I am swollen with joy.

This was the child that I decided to quietly create. Yes, of course I had a partner in my husband, he just wasn't quite aware of how I was hungering for this fourth child. After having three beautiful boys- I wanted my girl, I wanted my daughter who I would dress in pink,  play with her shiny dark hair, and take to ballet instead of basketball.  She would have a button nose and a spunk to her. I couldn't wait to begin the process of her creation, and so I didn't.  I started when my 3rd was just a tiny infant. (Yes there are moments in my life where I definitely feel that like Lucy in I Love Lucy: I leap forward, and worry later.)

The fourth pregnancy came immediately, I put on a front of shock like everyone else, and honestly felt so overwhelmed at my lack of planning- just good old fashioned emotional hungering.
For my husband wanted 2 kids and possibly one dog, if that.

I still remember clearly the night I told him of Kevin's pregnancy- the house full, upstairs a sleeping 5 yr old, 3 yr old and infant. We were watching Seinfeld, and every commercial I would gather myself to tell my husband, then recede back into myself, overwhelmed at the prospect of what was ahead of us. When I did tell my him,  I laid it out and let my false bravado slip away. His answer...I will never forget, "we will raise these kids to be really decent people, that we want to spend our time with."

Kevin of course is as far as can be from my delicate, shiny haired wanna be daughter. He came out with the blondest of hair and bluest of eyes. He was a wild infant in utero, and came out in the same style. I looked at him and fell so in love, laughed in relief that I finally felt complete. I knew immediately I had been waiting for him, that he would complete our family and quietly put my daughter dreams aside  and fell wildly, crazily in love with our last. Our baby.

We treasure our boys, love them and respect them. And expect that and more back from each of them. Ours is not a democracy, though as the boys are becoming wonderful men and the hammering days have gone, and we instead now quietly chisel and mold our boys,  I can see how we are becoming more like board members, advising in the backdrop to their lives- rather than the focus.

That is how it should be and so yes, as he drove out this morning so many thoughts, and yet the understanding this is what we hope and pray for everyday of their lives.  That they go forth.

 Safe traveling, my baby boy, love you always and forever. xo Mom

Good Clean Fair

Just wanted to share three powerful words as described and enforced by our friends at Slow Food USA.

This weekend, take a quick moment to visit their website and learn about the initiatives at municipal, state, national and international levels that this organization is taking action in. Find out about joining and supporting your local chapter and start to think about food, preparation of food and nutrition more mindfully and slowly.

I love these three words, as they can be applied not only to food obviously, but as well as life in general.
Be good, stay clean and be fair...
Happy weekend!

Good, Clean and Fair

Good:

The word good can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. For Slow Food, the idea of good means enjoying delicious food created with care from healthy plants and animals. The pleasures of good food can also help to build community and celebrate culture and regional diversity.

Clean:

When we talk about clean food, we are talking about nutritious food that is as good for the planet as it is for our bodies. It is grown and harvested with methods that have a positive impact on our local ecosystems and promotes biodiversity.

Fair:

We believe that food is a universal right. Food that is fair should be accessible to all, regardless of income, and produced by people who are treated with dignity and justly compensated for their labor.

Processed Food...Not Good for You Not Good For Fido.

In early December, some of you may recall that I wrote about Miss Bear's detox. Miss Bear is our Newfoundland-Lab mix dog. She is 5 years old and is absolutely the sweetest thing ever. She has always battled allergies- but now I am happy to report that the lovely Miss Bear is looking so beautiful.

Her coat is shiny, she is so physically active, moving around like a young pup. Her secret? Her diet. She now thrives on a diet of raw ground organic beef, chicken, salmon and duck. Added to it is the discarded raw pulp of vegetables and fruits from my morning juicing. Miss Bear's diet keeps me very disciplined and happy knowing her health is tied to mine. Her weekly menu also consists of any combination of raw eggs, avocado, greek yogurt , sweet potato and a limited amount of quinoa or brown rice.

Spoiled? No! Healthy? yes!

Too often as pet owners we are lured into the notion that pets eat pet food. Out of convenience we opt for kibble then sometimes wonder why Spot is overweight, itchy, anxious or unhappy. I too played for years with various versions of hypoallergenic bagged foods before I got up the courage to take her health and well being as seriously as I do my own.

Within one week of cutting the bagged foods and feeding her simple real foods- her scratching stopped. Cold turkey. Coincidence, I definitely think not. And so this brings me to today's great article in the Dining section of the New York Times titled "Eat Table Food? Some Owners Say Pull Up a Chair".  The article further justifies that feeding your pets a natural diet of real foods vs. processed bagged/canned foods makes a world of difference to them.

Furthermore- if only we could realize how simple this formula is for our own health. As soon as we rid our bodies of processed, packaged foods- we will begin to see amazing results. Our energy increases, our skin glows and we feel happier. I guarantee it. It's not a matter of dieting. It's a simple matter of eating clean, real, foods.

Read the article and commit to getting your pets and yourself on a track to better health and vitality and think what wonders it can do for your own health.

Miss Bear gives the article two happy, healthy paws up!  xo ginny

love your life!

My clients come to see me initially about food, and yet food frequently is just the beginning of our discussions. I am so frequently asked what about cravings... a craving is frequently your soul talking to you, perhaps you are lonely, bored, too stressed, tired or angry.

Try to start to look into yourself to understand why you crave. Perhaps if it happens everyday at the 4pm slump, your nutrient profile is not keeping up with your physical needs. I do not mean your calorie intake, but rather the quality of your food.

Maybe your relationships need adjustments. If you are a female,  has your identity been overtaken by the label wife and mom? Who are you? Do you have enough in your life just for you? I will tell you something from my own life, at times when my 4 boys were young it could be very overwhelming. They were six years apart top to bottom and life at moments was too much. I used to believe I had to be perfect, that was who I expected myself to be and was brought up to always show a proper facade. I lived up to that til the day I fell down a dozen stairs in the house rushing to make dinner. I was never so relieved not to have a baby in my arms at that moment.   I finally learned in an awakening moment that perhaps pizza and pajama nights have a great place in life.

Not only did I discover pizza nights, I also learned each of us needs a place to crawl into that no one in our daily lives has to be part of. For me it was a hovel of a yoga studio with a master teacher. It was my oasis, my home for an hour each morning, my sanity. It didn't make me less of a wife and mom, instead it gave my family and myself the gift of a strong impassioned woman who adored herself and her family and could give more because I saved some for myself.

A marriage like everything else needs major tune ups as do our jobs.
Are you passionate, happy? It is the start of the year, a beautiful time to reevaluate.

For myself my 21 day challenge has me re-looking at everything going on in my life. I am questioning mysef more, feeling more radiant and full of blessings. I feel strong, cravings are not part of my life lately and life has a feeling of wellbeing. Good nutrition and introspection does that, throw in the exercise and what bliss. xo ginny

Fast Life? Slow Cook!

In the spirit of the new year- I want to focus on helping you all (including myself!) make improvements in our daily lives. Eat better, sleep more, exercise often and live mindfully, with passion!

I strongly believe that baby steps guarantee permanent lifestyle changes. Whether you are trying to lose weight, quit sugar or exercise more- you will have a better chance of achieving a goal as long as you adopt reasonable steps that are easy to digest and incorporate into your daily grind. 


For those of you with fast-paced busy lives- like myself, cooking more and eating out less is a sure-fire way to eat cleaner and healthier.  Although going out to eat instead of cooking up dinner at 6pm after a long day is always tempting and habitual for most, I have two magic words for you to try: Slow Cooking.

Before the holidays, a good friend urged me to buy a slow cooker. Surprisingly I didn't already have one- so I bought one one...and boy it made my holiday in Utah quite delicious! 


In the morning, I would toss all my veggies, legumes, beans, quinoa, spices, broths into the slow cooker. Set it and leave for most of the day. When we would all return from a day on the slopes- invigorated and cold- it was such a nice surprise to be able to dig into the most delicious, healthy stews and soups! My slow cooker officially has re-defined the concept of 'apres-ski'!

This year I plan to make great use of my slow cooker from hereon out- using my newest cookbook, The Italian Slow Cooker, and just experimenting with recipes and getting creative. Really, it's hard to mess up a slow cooker meal so its perfect for beginner or reluctant chefs. And the big bonus is being able to walk into the house after a long, tiring day and have a healthy, clean meal that is hot and ready to eat- is such a nourishing blessing to our bodies and souls.

Without further ado- here is a great simple recipe that is rich in protein, fiber and taste. Feel free to experiment with this recipe by adding in different spices such as curry and even a little cinnamon (helps regulate blood sugar) too!

Mushroom and Barley Stew
Ingredients: 
2 quarts vegetable broth
1 can of tomato paste

• 2 cups sliced fresh button mushrooms
• 1 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, torn into pieces
• 3/4 cup uncooked pearl barley
• 3/4 cup dry lentils
• 1/2 cup golden onion, minced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon of thyme
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tsp. cumin powder
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• sea salt to taste
• 
  
• Directions:
• 1. Put all ingredients into the slow cooker
• 2. Cover, and cook 4 to 6 hours on High or 10 to 12 hours on Low. 
• Remove bay leaves before serving.

Enjoy!!

XO ginny

Save Your Health (and money) with Soup!

I strongly believe that preparing a delicious clean and simple meal is faster than ordering in. And the long term benefits are astounding. 

You will save money, you will maintain your weight and you will take pride in the fact of knowing that you mindfully crafted a meal in your own kitchen. This fact alone will hopefully, inspire you to cook! 

Here is a simple, light (and quick) vegetarian soup recipe that I always follow.

Quick Butternut Squash Soup

1. Take a Butternut Squash and chop into cubes.

2. Saute in 2 tbsps of olive oil with 1 chopped white or golden onion until onions are soft.

3. Add 6 cups of organic Vegetable Broth and simmer for 20 minutes.

4. Puree in a blender or Vitamix. 

5. Season with sea salt, pepper and nutmeg.

If you would like a little something to dip into the soup, toast up some delicious Mochi bread (find it at Whole Foods with the refrigerated breads). It is gluten, yeast and dairy-free, and great for those of us with food intolerances. 

I had this Butternut Squash soup for dinner tonight and will have it for lunch tomorrow with some avocado and cooked lentils added to my soup. 

Asparagus and carrot soup can be made the same way. 

Try adding some curry if you are making only Carrot soup.

happy cooking! 

xo ginny

Day 2-4

Funny, the alcohol doesn't bother me, gluten no issue, nor sugar. It is that salmon. I have always loved it. It is now time to try and live without the seafood. I am taking this like a science experiment as I fine tune my nutrition.
 I love the feeling of waking up each morning to a cocktail of green energy. I have been making it for my husband as well, and  feel the good health flowing into our bodies. Today I used cucumber, celery, kale, ginger,  carrot, and a pear. It was not as sweet as say a carrot, juice. It is more plain with a little grassy taste. I love it, my husband didn't. If you try it,  don't give up everything in life takes getting used to.  I drink it on an empty stomach and make sure to give it time to fully digest so my body can absorb its powers.

 I just came back from Whole Foods where I picked up B12,  I like the twin lab brand 5000mcg. I know the only source for that is animal products and besides eggs I will not be taking any in. In the past when I attempted to go raw or vegan, mouth sores from a lack of B12 got me every time. This time  I will be ready, my system is loaded with its B12,  hopefully it will keep the sores and lip splits away. I will keep you posted of course. xo ginny

Good Morning and Happy 1st day of 2011

Wow, a fresh slate for those that choose it on a very traditional day to start. So many people wake up today, massive headaches, and  weight gain from the holidays to deal with...What would it be like for so many if they truly realized their health was not in the hands of the medical community, but in their own.

If each of us decided to give up the processed junk and decided to take control of our own bodies that there is a realization that it is not normal or natural to be exhausted everyday at 4 pm,  overweight, moody and depressed. That there is a path to a better sex drive, a glowing feeling of well being. All can be attained if individuals decided to get back to basics and take control. No more looking for the quick fix of the cookie diet, 100 kcal bags of processed junk.

Decide to change to become happy and whole to have that light step, the quick giggle and a big smile of well being. Get moving,  exercise, ramp it up, get some weight resistance in there to keeps muscles strong so as we age we don't become these walking skinny, old ladies or overweight persons with the fat just jiggling around.

Where to begin? Get rid of the white processed junk, if you are further a long, decide to move to a whole foods organic lifestyle, or come with me for the next 21 days as I ramp up and fine tune my path. I love salmon and really all fish, but have decided the mercury may be causing some of the symptoms of a lagging episode of candida. I also want to save some fish a long the way. I am going vegetarian this next 21 days and doing more than that. I am juicing or making green smoothies  for breakfast everyday. I have begun doing it in Utah and am feeling so great.

 Instead of a few times a week it is the first thing that enters my system after a great cup of tea. I am giving up coffee, gluten, any sugars, dairy, and alcohol.
Today I made a green smoothie of avocado, romaine lettuce, cucumber, banana and flax seed oil. I am going to let you know of my progress and hoopefully inspire you.

 A beautiful, glowing, truly healthy New Year for you.  xo ginny