In my practice...

Ahhh, the time of reflection.

My tea is brewed, my candles are lit, and I've got those great socks on; let's begin.

Although this is how it should be everyday, today, I didn't have to desperately search for something to reflect on. As I sit comfortably and cozy at my desk, I think of how lucky I am to have had the privilege of the way I spent my Wednesday evening. I was able to be with a friend that touches my heart and to become one with an experience that fuels my soul. I was able to attend a yoga class downtown with my friend Samantha. Even though this could have happened any Wednesday night, tonight it was chosen, and chosen well I may add. In our practice we spoke with our bodies about being heroic. Little did I know that this was even possible. We stretched, meditated, focused, and breathed our way to peace tonight. I can say that yoga has changed me, made me stronger, and I owe it to magical nights like these.

Not only is yoga an inspiration to me, but so is Sam. She is free, happy, healthy, beautiful, caring, and whimsical. I can see this in just the way she carries herself when she walks. She has a warm heart, and a confident soul. Although I am thrilled for her to start at a new place in her life, I will miss her dearly.

I just wanted to say how happy I am to have had such a peaceful, fulfilling night. That is all.

Sleep with wonderful dreams everyone,

-V

20 habits toward happiness

Having so much free time over summer has really changed the way I live. Too much time can be a curse, pushing you into indulging in long naps, eating out of boredom, and complaints and desire of school to start up again. Here is what I have discovered to cure this madness! These small things I will continue to do daily keeps the heart healthy and the mind happy. Enjoy! =]

1. Wake early.
 Starting your day early and refreshed makes the difference in how you start your day.

2. Exercise!
Twenty minutes a day is all you need.

3. Review/rewrite your goals.
Keeping in touch with what you want in life (short or long-term) is vital to achieving them! Keep your eye on the prize.

4. Read/Listen to something inspirational.
Whether is it a quote or an audio book, there are a lot of wonderful people out there that have some pretty fantastic things to say.

5. Visualise the day ahead.
Take a few minutes to close your eyes and picture yourself doing the things you want to do.

6. Write a "to do" list.
You will really be amazed at what you actually get done.

7. Check the news.
Or, at least the headlines! It is important to keep in touch of what is happening in your community.

8. Take a multivitamin.
Everyone could use that extra boost, and this is a great way to be sure that you are getting everything your beautiful body needs.

9. Tidy up.
A cluttered space does not fuel a creative mind. Keeping things clean will keep you feeling refreshed!

10. Take time to look good.
Not only will you feel beautiful, but we live in a visual world- impressions are important. Take the five extra minutes each morning and focus on yourself.

11. Connect with nature.
At some point in your day you should cross paths with the wonderful earth. Whether that means walking to work, opening up a window and looking at that tree out there, please, notice it just a bit.

12. Blog!
Express yourself and let the world see! (even if no one reads your blog, lol)

13. Snack well.

14. Contact a friend.
Take a second to stay in touch!

15. Save your $.
At least 15% of your paycheck, if not MORE! You will be grateful later.

16. Set aside family time.

17. Floss!
Flossing can actually add six years onto your life.

18. Wind down and relax.
If that means television, indulge!!! (Your max should be an hour...)

19. Read and write.
We read all day everyday- signs, advertisements, paperwork. Take some "me" time and read something you truly enjoy.

last but most definitely not least....

20. Say I love you to all who you do. (:


-V

The Hobbit

I heard they are coming out with a Hobbit movie! After the whole deal with The Hunger Games and how happy I was that I read them prior to the movie, I knew had to read the Hobbit. Turns out, the book was great! I fell so deeply in love that I am continuing now with reading the Lord of the Rings series. I really think it is important to have an imagination of your own. According to me, although I love them, movies are too visual, and leaves no room for our beautiful minds to fill in blanks. Books are one of the few ways to see someone else's world from their perspective, but not with structure (like in the theater), but with leisure. Books are a way of not being ignorant, learning is awesome and reading is just too wonderful to pass up. I highly recommend The Hobbit; it is an easy read and it keeps the reader enveloped in the story. This was so strong for me I would drift away and forget where I actually was. So read, read, and read some more!

I love mornings!

Getting ready for my day the night before has really changed my mornings. I get to sleep in a bit more (wouldn't anyone?) which makes me happier and more awake in my 8:00 am classes (so brutal). I actually get to sit down with a nice cup of tea and let myself wake up a bit. I pack up all of my things and even set my clothes out the night before so all I have to do is wake up and smile through my breakfast. It has really taught me how much I enjoy my time. If you are interested, I highly suggest doing some of these steps the night before. I of course, I make my all- loving, all-vegan lunch and pack it in a little recyclable bag I found in my room when organizing one day. Here is just one little example of my typical healthy lunches that anyone can make!

Homemade hummus

What you need:

• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 cups canned chickpeas, drained, liquid reserved
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/3 cup tahini (sesame paste)
• 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons water or liquid from the chickpeas
• 8 dashes hot sauce

Directions:

Turn on the food processor (or blender) fitted with the steel blade and drop the garlic down the feed tube; process until it's minced. Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and process until the hummus is coarsely pureed. Taste, for seasoning, and serve chilled or at room temperature. 

I added some fresh spring mix, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and some mushrooms garnished with salt and pepper I roasted in the toaster oven.You can really add anything to these wraps. Any veggie is yummy and good for you! I just wrapped it all up, and put it in a Tupperware for school (plastic baggies produce too much trash). Also, a great alternative to cookies and chips is fresh fruit. Strawberries are full of natural good-for-you sugars that are tasty and beautiful. Raw asparagus is one of my favorite snacks. They are crunchy and pretty mild, so the flavors in the wrap will not clash.

Enjoy!

Strawberry cupcakes

Yum yum. Its baking time again! I wanted to make something delicious, something fantastic, something I have never attempted to make before. I guess it was that "domestic goddess" (as my mom would say) bubbling up inside me. Although they are not vegan, they were all the same delicious and smiles came from everyone who ate them. (:

Note: If you wanted to try and make them vegan, you can use soy milk (like I did), egg replacement powder, and also a vegan butter to replace the original ingredients.

Cupcakes:

What you need:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 3/4 cups sugar, plus more for sprinkling fruit
• 4 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 10 ounces strawberries, hulled and cut into small dice, plus more for garnish

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 1/2 standard 12-cup cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside.
2. Into a medium bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and then beat in vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with the milk and beginning and ending with the flour; beat until combined after each addition. Fold in strawberries.
4. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cups so that each is about two-thirds full, about 2 ounces each. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through, until the cupcakes are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely on wire racks.

Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting 

What you need:

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened (but not melted!) Ideal texture should be like ice cream.
• 3-4 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar, SIFTED
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• up to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Directions:

1. Beat butter for a few minutes with a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the sugar doesn’t blow everywhere) until the sugar has been incorporated with the butter. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add remaining sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add remaining milk 1 tablespoons at a time.

Post Office- Charles Bukowski

I felt very grown-up reading this book. The novel was a very in-your-face type, but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Not only did it make me see myself as a happy girl living in a happy place, but it also made me really think of others. Yes, Chinaski was a dick, but for pretty much the entire book, I felt bad for him. There was this part of him that had this knowledge of what he thought he was worth, and it was normally not very much. If there was even a glimpse of self-worth, it dealt with how much money he had in his pocket at that time. There were times that he felt he could really be happy, but then things would only fall apart for him. Chinaski did not want pity, he did not want sympathy. His only want was to “drink a fifth”, admire beautiful women, and be left out alone. This makes me sad for him, that he never had a burning passion, a way of feeling complete. Even though he did have a kid, had chances to start a new life (and knew he did), he had no knowledge of “something to live for” or something that really turned him on. Maybe it was the women, maybe it was the satisfaction of going from one to the next, waiting for them to either leave him or die.

Either way, looking at the composition of the writing, overall, this author did a fantastic job. Just the fact that I was distressed with emotion when listening to the main character think, I shovel a huge amount of respect toward Bukowski. The character development was incredible; as many women as there were in this book, I felt like I knew them as close as a friend would.

For me, emotion is most important in well, pretty much anything one does. So I say: nice job Bukowski, nice emotion. 

blog away

One of the best things (aside from a comforting cup of tea, of course) one can enjoy is reading the words of a fellow friend aimlessly speaking of their lives. This is especially true when there is positive, blissful energy radiating through their words. I only hope my femininity, creativity, and good taste flows through and hinders any negative energy that may be living within. I firmly believe that there are just too many wonderful things in life to enjoy and share.  As I travel through my art, experiment with vegan food, jump into the magnificent world of books, and enjoy the sweet, fresh air of Flagstaff, I hope you all enjoy reading!

-V