RECIPE: SPRING PEPPERS

 It's no secret that I've never been a great chef, in fact my husband is the one who has always cooked at home. Since I changed my way of eating to a whole veggie diet, the curiosity to start venturing with dishes I've never done, and take responsibility in the kitchen awoke. I prepared this recipe for lunch last Thursday and my husband literally licked his fingers (his version had mozzarella cheese on top). It's a light but satisfying meal, healthy, with great taste and full of vegetables.

 Here is the recipe:

DRY BRUSH, ANOTHER AMAZING RITUAL TO START YOUR DAY!

As you can see in the pic, I have quite a long morning routine. I think it's very important to start on the right foot and prep your body and mind for the day to come. Alkalizing, giving thanks, detoxing, invigorating, stretching and exercising will have a deep impact in your life, as it has done in mine. Today I'm going to talk to you about one of those non negotiable things for me...dry brushing.

Our body excretes about one pound of waste daily. If your pores are clogged, those toxins are reabsorbed instead of being eliminated.

Dry brushing (used in many spas), is a technique used to exfoliate skin with the help of a natural bristle brush, which basically means that it's fibers come from plant sources. Synthetic fibers are very hard and will leave you with irritated skin. In case you have very sensitive skin, you can also use loofah gloves.

This technique not only removes dead skin cells from the surface, but also stimulates cell production and provides smoother, brighter skin. 

OUR THIRD WEDDING ANNIVERSARY AND VISIT TO THE VIZCAYA MUSEUM & GARDENS

On September 11, my husband and I celebrated our third wedding anniversary. The truth is that since we went to St. Barths as a holiday to celebrate it, we had nothing planned (or so I thought). Savy suddenly surprised me by asking me to wear comfortable shoes because we were going to a mistery site (yay!).

Upon entering with the car, I was immediately transported to Italy...gardens everywhere, statues, and in the center of everything, a magestic home. It's called the Vizcaya Museum and Garden. I honestly had no idea that something like this existed in Miami, and if you live here or are just visiting I recommend you to come and spend a romantic day in this spectacular mansion that was built between 1914-1922.

 Here I show you a photo tour of our adventure...

RECIPE: SAVY'S CARIBBEAN SWEET POTATOES

This recipe was created last week by my husband when I was having a huge craving for "chips". They are incredibly easy to make and the flavor is DELICIOUS! In addition, sweet potatoes are complex carbohydrates that are high in manganese, which helps maintain blood sugar at a good level and stabilizes the appetite for hours. They have twice the fiber of any potato, posses vitamin B6 which helps heart health, is rich in beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant that protects the cells of your skin internally from sun damage and helps maintain the eye health. They are also rich in vitamin E and C, antioxidant vitamins essential to prevent disease and promote longevity.

Yum yum yum....!

MY FAVORITE NATURAL COSMETICS RIGHT NOW

In the previous post, I wrote about the most chemicals that are added to our everyday products and how they can negatively affect our body. In this past year I've been testing and researching many brands and products, some natural but not so good and others that are great but not so natural. I always keep looking for the best options on the market, but generally, is not a black or white issue and it becomes difficult (there are too many hidden ingredients).
  

Here is a list of the products I use at the moment, I hope it makes it a little easier and guide's you in the right direction so you can replace the toxic cosmetics you still have at home, with smarter choices. An important clarification is that when I recommend a product doesn't necessarily mean I'm supporting the whole brand, as what they use for their other lines may contain ingredients that I don't agree with. Remember to always check http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ to review the score and content of the products (just ask my husband how long I usually take in the "beauty" aisle of the supermarket, checking on the phone what I'm interested in getting). But I know that my efforts are worth it.

Many of these brands can be purchased only through the web, and usually cost a bit more than what you 're used to, but you will be paying for high quality ingredients and safer cosmetics. On the other hand, I don't use millions of unnecessary items and have saved some money there. Less is more!

WHAT'S HIDDEN INSIDE OUR COSMETICS?

* Warning: reading this post is worse than watching a horror movie on halloween at 3 am*

Today's women uses about 12 beauty products each day, that equals to 126 ingredients applied to our skin continuously. What we must realize is that the skin is our largest organ and that 70% of what we pour on our bodies is absorbed either through ingestion, inhalation, breast milk, placenta skin and mucous membranes of the nose, eyes and mouth.

This is concerning, mainly because although we buy products that look and smell incredibly good, within them are hidden a mixture of dangerous synthetic chemicals, including carcinogens (cancer-causing), teratogenics (birth defects), reproductive toxicants, and endocrine disruptors.

RECIPE: SMOOTHIE SUPER BOWL

I must admit that I'm head over heels when it comes to transforming my morning smoothies into delicious creamy bowls. I get creative with fun toppings of nuts, seeds, grains and super foods, also playing with different combinations of fruits and greens depending on my mood that day. I usually eat it as a pre-workout breakfast mainly because fruits fill you up with energy, fiber and antioxidants, greens oxygenate your cells and nuts and seeds provide a much needed protein kick.

MY NEW MORNING LOVE: OIL PULLING

One of those things that instantly resonated with me when I read about is “oil pulling”, immediately I started doing it as a part of my morning routine. This is a healing method of traditional ayurvedic medicine that was introduced to the modern world in 1992 by Dr. F. Karach, who claimed that cures a wide range of diseases.

Our mouths are full of viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites that consistently, when our immune system is compromised, take advantage in damaging our gums and teeth, also sometimes traveling through our body and blood resulting in secondary infections. The oil acts as a cleaner that extracts all those toxins and congestion, collects and allows it to easily be ejected. Many naturopathic physicians recommend oil pulling as a powerful form of detoxification and healing.

ST BARTHS, VACATIONS AND GOOD MUSIC

 

 Three weeks ago I visited the island of St. Barths with my husband to introduce our new musical project The Stereo Lights during the St. Barths Summer Sessions festival and also took the opportunity to take a pre – anniversary holiday.

In fact it is the first time I travel since I made the transition to a vegan diet and had my reservations, but that is why I went super prepared.