So what has it been, two weeks? Maybe 3…I’m not sure, but it certainly has been a minute. With the craziness of the move, and a lot of other things going on, I couldn’t find the time to write. Well, I have been writing – journaling, and snippets of inspiration for a book in chewing on – but not here.
ANYWAY, we survived the move! It’s officially been a week and we’re nearly unpacked. When I say nearly, I mean we still have about 10 boxes sitting in the corner and a bunch of stuff strewn all over the place, but we’re settling in. I have been enjoying all the trails right outside my door, our beautiful pool, and A LOT more space.
Since I haven’t really had time to organize the kitchen and cook many proper meals, this week Foodie Friday is a salad – but a really AWESOME one! I made falafel the other night and put together this salad to go with it. If you’re saying to yourself ‘share your falafel recipe‘ Here it is, haha, you just add water.
So back to the salad…I am mildly obsessed with feta cheese – it goes on nearly every salad I make, & this one is no exception.
Weeknight Salad
- Mixed Greens
- Pine Nuts
- Tomatoes
- Cucumber
- Herbs (cilantro, parsley, & dill)
- Feta Cheese
- Shallot
- Balsamic Vinegar
- EVOO
- Salt & Pepper
I am pretty confident most of you know how to put together a salad but it’s all about the little things. For example, I buy raw nuts & toast them myself – TRUST, it makes a difference. Also, I don’t buy bottled dressing – get yourself some good EVOO and balsamic and just mixed them half & half. Last, add herbs to your salads to bump up the flavor profile – I always keep cilantro, parsley, and dill in my fridge but you can do whatever you want. Last, last, thing…just because its a salad doesn’t mean you shouldn’t add salt (salt literally brings out flavor in food). Generously salt and pepper your greens before you dress them. Now that you’re in the know, you’re ready to go!
’til next time, keep smiling! 🙂
First, why is everyone so obsessed with avocado?? Deliciousness aside, this creamy green fruit has 20 vitamins & minerals with only 80 calories. In 1/3 an avocado you get a nutrient dense treat that can be used to make brownies, ice cream, pesto, etc… and this awesome toast!
I love herbs & think they’re a great way to add a lot of flavor. When playing around with this recipe I tried a few different combos but consistently came back to dill, cilantro, & parsley. If you prefer something else – go for that!
With sunrise around 4:30am and sunset around 9:45pm there was so much time to get out and explore! I think my favorite day was when we went riding through Dyea – I absolutely love being on a horse! There is something about having a strong animal trusting you to guide them, and you in turn trusting them to carry you through the wilderness – it’s so great! Secretly I want to buy a horse now but seeing as we just bought a car, I think I need to halt on the horse. 
Yep, that’s right, we bought a car! Phil and I pulled the trigger on a 2015 Certified Preowned BMW X1 Sport & I can’t tell who likes it more, Phil or Theo! I’m just thrilled to finally have a set of wheels in this city & the ability to get around. Of course the car came as a result of our pending move but I will take it any way I get it.
The car will come in handy for transporting yoga props to Halcyon for my Hennessy sponsored, Jigger & Dash hosted, myofascial release workshop. I currently hold a bi-monthly myofascial release workshop at Moxie Nob Hill, and on the 18th I will be adopting it for industry friends…I am so excited to work with such a deserving group of hard working professionals!
Every couple years my Birthday falls on Mother’s Day! Talk about an incredible gift – I got to celebrate my birth on the day we all celebrate the women who gave us life. I was so thrilled when my mother told me she and Dad would be coming out here for the long weekend, I totally over-planned and obsessed over their visit! 
It was such a great trip – we tried new vineyards and regions that we typically don’t venture & shared some of our favorite spots too. It was nice to spend time, just the four of us, and be in such a beautiful region! I can’t even believe the weather stayed as nice as it did and everything turned out perfectly.
Now, as if I were some sort of jet setter, I’m heading to Alaska! This means I have traveled to Tahoe, Sonoma, Napa, Palm Springs, Nashville, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, Victoria, Juneau, Skagway, & Ketchikan all before the 6 month mark. I am so lucky to have a partner who likes to travel & explore as much as I do! 
In other news, I am going to start announcing my departure from the city to the students at the studio & my clients this week. I feel foolish leaving a place I am finally establishing a following, but it’s for the best. We’re embarking on a brand new chapter & it’s going to be amazing!!
Phil gets on a plane tomorrow to travel for business so I’m single in the city for a little while. I hate it when he leaves but it will give me some time to prepare for our special guests, my mom & dad! My parents let me know about a month ago they planned to come out here so mom and I could celebrate Mother’s Day/My Birthday together. Every so many years my birthday falls on Mothers Day. Selfishly, I wished I would be a mother this year myself but it is all in God’s time, not mine, and I am grateful to be celebrating the best mom this coming Sunday! We’ll be celebrating in style with a three day, two night stay in Sonoma. I have scheduled the works: private tastings & pairings, to massages & tasty dinners, we’ll have a wonderful weekend getaway!
Apparently our dreamy wine country weekend wasn’t enough of a vacation because Phil and I head to Alaska a few days after my parents leave! If you follow my blog (God bless you) you know I went to Alaska in 2014 with my family but Phil wasn’t able to make the trip. It was so incredible I promised Phil we would visit Alaska together & the time has come. We’ll be spending about 10 days hiking, kayaking, horse back riding, and taking full advantage of everything Alaska has to offer. 
The whole month of May, moving forward, is vacation and loving life; which means June is going to be a slap in the face in terms of moving, haha, but we’ll worry about that later!
I am quite skilled at forgetting to practice what I preach & it was time for me to take a deep dive into the root of the problem. I realized certain shifts had to be made, and while change may scare the shit out of me, it is inevitable. As my father always says, “The only constant is change.” If we want to keep succeeding and taking steps towards future goals, things have to change. So what did I change? I adjusted my studio offerings to give myself self care time in the mornings. I’ve started doing more meditation and activities I like, rather than exercise to look a certain way. I also stopped lying to myself. I didn’t want to admit it but I was living for others – trying to be perfect for everyone instead of just being happy with myself. I know that I need to be my most authentic self, & I can’t please everyone. I can only take responsibility for my own happiness & hope it rubs off on those around me. 
Oh, also Phil and I are moving to Walnut Creek. Yep, in a few short months we will be moving over the bridge & establishing a new routine in the East Bay. For the record, we are NOT moving because we are pregnant, haha (my family ALREADY asked), but we do think this is better for our family. The thought of leaving the city is bittersweet but I’m sure they’ll be more to come on that later.
I have always wanted them and am so thrilled to have gotten two pair of beautiful boots in the Music City!
With all the excitement we have been indulging a bit. Over the next few weeks we’re making a solid effort to stick with a healthier dietary routine starting today. Here’s what was on the grocery list:
So excited for the first time in history the Eagles are Super Bowl champions! Phil and I hosted a small gathering so anyone who had to listen to me scream and yell at least was well fed & there voluntarily!
The Super Bowl was the kick off to what will be a busy month for us! We had dinner at International Smoke Monday night to celebrate a friends birthday! It was so cool to eat at Ayesha Curry’s restaurant but we were out so late I hardly got any sleep. Phil and I were fortunate enough to check out the Color Factory yesterday. We do our best to take in all the art and culture San Francisco has to offer and this particular exhibition has food too so how can you beat that! Even more exciting than that we’re heading to Nashville on Saturday!!! Neither of us have visited Nashville before and we’ll have a few dog free days to explore, spend time together, & take in some music. Rounding out the month we have a wine country trip planned and time on the slopes in Tahoe!
I’m doing my best to keep up with eating healthy but with all the Super Bowl leftovers in the house its very tempting. Thankfully I’ve sent Phil to the office with all of the cupcakes, cookies & dips so the worst of it is out of the fridge!
BEFORE I got sick, we had some friends over for dinner. Entertaining is up there on the list of my favorite things & it’s an added bonus when there are dietary restrictions I have to cook around. As a health coach I love when people take steps to better their health through food, and 
It was really fun to cook a clean meal for friends and remind myself of how much of these ‘NO’ foods I tend to eat. We started with some Za’atar spiced crudite, spicy dehydrated kale, & a strawberry lime mocktail. Dinner was citrus & herb poached salmon, vinegar dressed greens, & roasted delicata squash w/coconut gremolata. We finished with some subtly sweet pears that were perfectly ripe & an incredible way to round out our healthy meal! I wish I had taken some photos but I did manage to snag a few while I prepped. 
Livingleen 