Going Intuitively Plant-Based Without Being Too Restrictive

Hi my loves! Happy FRIDAY!

Ever since I shared about going intuitively plant-based, I have gotten a lot of questions about how to try out this lifestyle without being too restrictive or feeling like you’re in a box.

That topic is very dear to my heart because as many of you know, I was once raw vegan and was very, very restrictive during that season of my life. Four years later, and after MANY ups and downs with my health / hormones / gut issues, I have overcome a lot and feel like a brand new person when it comes to my approach to food.

I would not have been able to ease into an intuitively plant-based lifestyle directly after my strict, orthorexic days of raw veganism and juice cleansing. I needed to let go of all of the rules to have food freedom at that time, which was great — until I got sick from what I was eating. Like, really sick. My body was not too happy to reincorporate everything under the sun at one time.

But now, I have found balance again and I am OVER THE MOON to share that balance with all of you. I still have lasting health problems that I am working to get to the bottom of, but my gut has been happy and I believe it’s largely due to the switch to intuitive plant-based eating I made a few months ago.

Over the years I have made it my mission to experiment and learn about my body, and I’ve really honed in on what food freedom means to me now vs. then.

And now that I have decided to share my new intuitive plant-based way of life on my blog and social media, I figured it was only right that I clarify a few things for those of you who are looking to try out this lifestyle too and do it in a healthy, balanced, non-restrictive way!

I have broken down my methodology with the whole intuitively plant-based thing into five steps… and I am sharing them below!

Photo creds to bae from our smoothie date this morning. Outfit is the Mudra Yoga Jumpsuit from my friend Donna’s line (local to Bali!!) Satya Yogawear. Use code BLONDE for 15% off if you order anything from her amaze site!

STEP ONE // NO RULES!

One thing about being intuitively plant-based is that it’s just that… intuitive! In my eyes, it’s very different from being strictly vegan, vegetarian or raw vegan.

As much as I truly wish in my heart and soul that I could be fully vegan for the animals and for the environment — I would be doing a disservice to my body, and ultimately to the animals and environment as well (because I would be sick and wouldn’t be any help to anyone) because I know that being fully vegan, 100% of the time, does not work for my particular body.

Instead, I can incorporate my values and my food preferences (plant-based eating) as MUCH as humanly possible while also allowing room for other foods when my body needs and craves them. For example, I have been about 95% plant-based since December, and I have also been incorporating bone broth protein powders, collagen powders, and the occasional bone broth from Erewhon or the occasional bit of fresh fish when I feel I need it.

When I was in Hawaii, I had fish a couple of times because it is so fresh and local there, and also because I knew if I didn’t it would be a huge headache and I wouldn’t have been able to eat at all (other than raw spinach if you know what I mean) at a few of our group dinners. Back in the day, I would not have budged. I would have survived on plain lettuce for days and then been WAY out of whack hormonally by the time the trip was over. That is not balanced, or intuitive, and is riddled with rules and anxiety.

Similarly, if being intuitively plant-based feels so good to you that you know in your heart and soul that you don’t want or need fish, bone broth, collagen, etc. for YOU then go with that! For the first 2.5 months of this lifestyle I didn’t have any of the above — it’s more recently that I have found myself incorporating them for health and variety.

It’s all about no rules, and what works for me is most likely going to look a bit differently for you.

STEP TWO // DO IT BECAUSE YOU LOVE IT!

If you are going intuitively plant-based because you think you should, or someone else told you to, or because I am and you feel like you usually have similar preferences to me… I would invite you to think long and hard about why YOU want to do it for YOUR personal body and needs.

If you come to the conclusion that you want to do it for your own reasons, you will enjoy the process so much more and it won’t feel restrictive or difficult to you.

I firmly believe that when we make choices based off of what we love, we are setting ourselves up for an enjoyable and abundant experience. I eased into this intuitively plant-based way of life because my mind, body, and soul was crying out for it. I wanted to try it so badly, and I knew it would be fun for me because I LOVE plant-based foods and have a long history with them (many lifetimes of history if we are getting into the spiritual side of things).

When you are in it because you love it, you also have the goal in mind of being balanced and healthy, rather than the goal of losing weight or something that might not be in alignment with the healthiest of mindsets. (Although if you do need to lose weight for medical reasons, going plant-based is not a bad idea. I am referring to people who don’t need to lose weight and want to steer clear of using the plant-based lifestyle to do so.)

STEP THREE // FIND YOUR OWN GROOVE

It might take a while to find your groove with this new lifestyle (same goes for any lifestyle change), and that is completely okay. I would encourage you not to give up before you’ve found your groove.

Part of finding what works for you means trying a bunch of different things. For a while I was on a major kitchari kick for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Lately I am all about smoothies for breakfast with bone broth collagen and even smoothies for dinner, loaded with all of the greens and bananas and sweet potatoes.

I know that in a few weeks I will be onto something different. Part of living this lifestyle without getting too restrictive means letting yourself switch things up! Being plant-based doesn’t mean you have to have smoothies every day, or ever for that matter if they’re not your thing.

I find that the more new recipes I try, the more exciting this lifestyle is and the less restricted I feel. It is always a good idea to incorporate plenty of plant-based protein from legumes to nuts and seeds to plant-based protein powders — if they work for you and make you feel good.

STEP FOUR // BE OPEN TO CHANGE

When you’re doing intuitive eating of any kind…. you’ve gotta be open to the possibility of change. Or really, the constant of change. Because it’s always there.

It is so unbelievably hard for a Type A personality like myself to accept the fact that even though I am LOVING and thriving off of being plant-based right now… I know it won’t always be that way. Down the road I might be all about the protein. The ethical animal lover inside of me really doesn’t like that, but that is reality. I know I will always prioritize my health, and I acknowledge that what works right now may not work next year, or in 5 years.

When we are open to change we are allowing ourselves to TRULY be intuitive. To go with the flow. I know that I am plant-BASED which does not mean vegan. It means that most of my meals are plants, and plants will always take up the majority of my plate. Even if I have to eat meat again down the road, that will still be the case.

But this time around I am not closed off to change. I have had enough lasting health problems from my first go-round with veganism to know better for MY personal body. For the people reading who have no issues being vegan longterm, more power to you. I so, so wish my body could get on board with that, but this is my reality and I love my reality too. Wherever each of us are in this journey, it is beautiful and THAT is inspiring to me.

Grocery shopping is KEY. Be stocked up on all of the fruits and veggies so that you always have variety around! And ALWAYS ORGANIC, when you can make it happen.

STEP FIVE // ALLOW VARIETY!

This is similar to step 3, but I wanted it to have its own section too because variety is so important. Switch up your veggies and fruits, eat the rainbow, and DO NOT BE AFRAID OF FRUIT. I spent so many years fearing fruit and it was one of the most unfortunate things I ever did for my health because I missed out on so many vital vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants during that time.

I feared fruit because of the sugar content, but fruit sugar (fructose) happens to break down in our bodies very differently than other forms of sugar and laboratory-made fructose (like high-fructose corn syrup — never touch that). Now I enjoy it in abundance and have been feeling better than ever from the fiber and antioxidants. I have been more regular, which means my digestion is SO much happier than it was before… especially because I am coffee-free right now as well.

Listen to your own body and do you, but always make sure there is variety involved. One of my biggest issues the first time I was a vegan was that I ate the same thing every day… for 3 years! Not only is that not good for us physically, but it’s definitely not good for us mentally.

Switch it up, it’s fun! Try new recipes, get inspired, and make it part of your lifestyle to cook and spend time in the kitchen. Also seek out fun restaurants near you that support the lifestyle so that you don’t feel restricted to ONLY eating at home. Balance, in all ways!

Boom! There you go!

If you incorporate these 5 steps into your intuitive eating plan, you will be off to a great start. My hope is that if you try the intuitively plant-based lifestyle and fall in love with it, you will never feel restricted or bogged down by food again.

I have found that on the contrary of feeling restricted, this lifestyle has opened so many doors for me. I feel freer with food than ever, and that is largely due to the fact that I am eating foods my body LOVES and craves.

Plants feel so, so good in my particular body. Same with legumes, seeds, and the smoothies I have been loving on lately. I do eat a few gluten-free grains (rice, quinoa) but I keep them to a minimum because of my sensitive stomach and my overall grain allergy. I have found that I can tolerate them in a couple of meals per week at max.

For you, you may be able to have grains all the time… or never! It’s all about finding what works for you, which often includes getting tested by an integrative doctor to see what’s up in your personal body.

Lastly… I have also had a lot of requests for intuitively plant-based MEAL PREP which I am so on board with! I will get a post up about that ASAP!

Now, I am off to spend Passover weekend with my family… my parents are in town, you can find them on my IG stories all weekend! They are actually here until the day I leave for Bali, so I am so excited to soak in some good time with them.

So in love with all of you. Please leave any questions below, and use the hashtag #intuitivelyplantbased to share your experiences and your meal ideas with our TBB community! ALL MY LOVE.

XOXO

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SUGAR DETOX: Overcoming Sugar Addiction, Hidden Sugars, & Healthier Alternatives

Hi my babes!

We had an awesome question in the Soul on Fire Podcast Tribe on Facebook yesterday about how to stay strong when cutting out sugar.

Her question received so many awesome responses from our group members, which I will touch on below, and it inspired me to write this post and share my perspective on the subject. I have a long and tricky history with sugar (and with food in general, let’s be real), so this subject is something I am very passionate about.

A few years ago after a particularly crippling addiction to sugar, I realized I had to cut it out of my life entirely in order to move forward. I will tell the story below, but first I want to mention that as someone who once suffered from an eating disorder, I never want to promote cutting foods or food groups out entirely unless you feel mentally and physically comfortable and strong to do so.

If you feel okay having sugar in moderation or if you’re working to have more food freedom and LET GO of the rules, then BY ALL MEANS do so! Cutting out sugar (or anything for that matter) is not for everyone. I have learned a lot about how different we all are in our decision making processes (thanks a lot to HUMAN DESIGN among other things), so I recognize that going cold turkey on anything is only for a percentage of us — not for everyone.

So many studies have proven that sugar is the root cause of chronic illness from diabetes to migraines to cystic acne to obesity, and it has even been proven that sugar can feed cancer cells.

Beyond that (as if that wasn’t enough), sugar is highly addictive and when we eat it it happens to send more serotonin to the brain than COCAINE. So many of us get addicted to that sweet, sugary taste on our tongues and when we have a little, it just leaves us wanting more. As a true blue sugar addict myself… I KNOW the feeling. Taking just one bite is extremely hard, and only gets harder the more that I have.

So I am going to tell you a little story… something I have not shared in much depth on the blog before because my journey with it has been so deeply personal, but I feel it’s time for me to share more in hopes that it will resonate with some of you and inspire you to make positive, healthy changes in your life.

My Sugar Journey & Addiction //

When I first started recovering from orthorexia, sugar was a big crutch. It was something I leaned on when everything else in my life felt like it was spiraling out of control. It was still so hard for me to get used to eating meat, poultry, eggs, etc. but sugar? Sugar felt safe to me in a way (even though I knew the dangers of refined sugar and so many other types of hidden sugars… I didn’t care, at the time), and it soothed my soul on days where I felt so lost.

When I first let up on all of my food rules, sugar was extremely exciting to me. In particular, frozen yogurt. When I was orthorexic / diehard raw vegan I didn’t eat real sugar for YEARS… nor did I ever have anything that even tasted remotely sugary. But in my recovery, going out for a little (or big) fro-yo with all of the yummy toppings felt like the ultimate “non eating disorder” thing to do. At first it was fine and harmless, and I was proud of myself for shedding the rules and labels, but then it became a bit of an addiction.

Okay, actually… a huge addiction.

One super late night, after I was absolutely STUFFED from a decadent and delicious dinner with some friends at Fig & Olive in West Hollywood, I decided I wanted to cap the night off with dessert… frozen yogurt to be exact. At the time I wasn’t that familiar with the WeHo area so I mapped myself to a “nearby” shop and ended up driving deep into Hollywood for the one late-night fro-yo place that was still open. It had to be past midnight at that point.

The unhealthy thing for me (beyond all of the candy that I felt compelled to top it with — I mean COMPELLED, like it wasn’t even a rational choice at that point, it was just happening) was the ADDICTION. I was full, my body was showing me in so many ways that it was full, but I needed more. And clearly the “more” that I needed was a deep emotional hunger, a starvation for something I knew I needed but didn’t have.

That night I remember topping my large fro-yo with M&M’s, chocolate sauce, brownie bites, anything chocolatey that I could get my hands on. I ate it all in the car on the way home, and I swear to you it still wasn’t enough. I wanted more, and I considered pulling into a gas station to buy even more candy. It was a really scary and out of control feeling.

I did end up going to a gas station and buying more candy (M&M’s…) but after eating a few I made myself stop. I knew that I was going to make myself sick enough to be completely debilitated the next day, and I already felt like I was at that point. I also knew so much what it was like to be out of control with food because I had been the other way for so long, and I was so freaked out by my loss of control.

I threw the rest of the bag away before I could be tempted, and that night served as a HUGE marker for me for where I was going and what I needed to do. It was time to cut the sugar out. It still took me years to get to a healthier place with sugar, so I want to share what I have learned in terms of cutting it out, cutting back, making healthier choices / etc.

Cutting Out Sugar //

I recognized pretty quickly that the root cause of my sugar addiction was a feeling of EMPTINESS, and I was looking for sugar to fill me up and make me feel emotionally full in ways that it just didn’t have the power to do.

I know this is common for many of us who have suffered from eating disorders. I spent years starving myself and creating a gaping, open, empty hole that I felt I needed to fill with overeating, sugar binges, and all of the “unhealthy” foods so I could prove to myself that I wasn’t sick anymore.

But of course, I made myself sick in a different way. And the feeling of complete loss of control over what you’re putting into your mouth has got to be one of the worst feelings in the world.

From reintroducing so many new foods into my diet so quickly, I developed a range of stomach problems from SIBO to candida to a stomach ulcer. I also developed cystic acne, gained weight, and overall felt like complete crap. Now, almost three years later… I have even developed autoimmune issues and a major skin disorder — not just because of the sugar, but largely because what my hormones went through during those up and down years of this nasty food cycle.

After that infamous night of fro-yo, M&M’s and being stuffed to the brim all the while feeling ZERO control in my body… I knew it was time to cut sugar out because I just couldn’t handle myself around it. I was full-blown addicted.

But for a long time I still wasn’t sure how to cut it out. Should I go cold turkey and cut it out completely? No, that might trigger my eating disorder and make me binge on even more of it because it’s off limits! Should I replace all refined sugars with healthier alternatives (molasses, honey, coconut palm sugar) so I can still get my sweets fix but without the health problems and the same feeling of addiction? Should I have fro-yo once a week as a Sunday treat so I always have that to look forward to and don’t have to worry about not having it at all?

The questions in my mind went on and on. And trust me, I tried all of it. I would have months of being sugar-free and feeling great, and just one vegan ice cream with friends (in a totally relaxed setting, emotionally filled up, etc.) could set me back tenfold. It was the most frustrating thing in the world.

A Huge Discovery! //

THEN I discovered the amazing Gretchen Rubin on Luke Storey’s podcast… and she mentioned something that I will never forget.

She was talking about her FOUR TENDENCIES, a book she wrote based off of scientific research on the four major different personality types. It is a book about human nature and how we respond to expectations — inevitably, the different types respond differently when placed under expectations / labels / told not to do something / cutting things out / etc.

Gretchen was talking about her own experience with sugar addiction as an “abstainer” personality type, and it hit me… OMG. THAT IS WHAT I HAVE TO DO.

She said that it was FUN for her to cut sugar out completely because it became easy for her to abstain and then she didn’t have to worry about the loss of control she felt around sugar. She then talked about her sister, her husband and other people in her life being more of Upholders, Obligers, or Moderators (three of her other types) which were people who could more easily handle “having a little, then walking away.”

IT ALL STARTED TO MAKE SO MUCH SENSE.

So many of my methods, like having sugar just on Sundays, or making healthy desserts to replace the unhealthy ones… weren’t cutting it for me, because I was still exposed to my addiction and could not for the life of me cut it out and regain my control.

That was about a year ago, and while I haven’t been 100% sugar-free I go through periods where I am and it feels amazing.

Lately, I have been back on the coconut sugar chocolate train (think Eating Evolved… it’s so good). Honestly, chocolate in general is a trigger for me. Even when it’s sugar-free, like Eating Evolved’s keto cups. I begin to obsess about them and feel like I “NEED” to have one after dinner.

So once the question in our Facebook group was asked, it prompted me to realize… I want to take the control back again. And I want you guys to do it with me!! (If you want to.)

Let’s Do It TOGETHER

So! For the next month, starting today, I will be hosting a sugar-free challenge in the Soul on Fire Facebook group. Request to join if you’re not already a part of it, and I would love to have you on board!

I will also be sharing about the challenge here on the blog and on Instagram, so if you’re not a Facebook person don’t worry. You can still do it with us!

First, let’s get the guidelines out of the way. Here is what I am considering SUGAR, including the HIDDEN SUGARS on labels that many of us do not know about…

HIDDEN SUGARS //

+ Corn syrup or high-fructose corn syrup

+ Dextrose or crystal dextrose

+ Fructose

+ Maltose

+ Lactose

+ Sucrose

+ Glucose

+ Evaporated cane juice or fruit juice

+ Caramel

+ Carob syrup

+ Brown sugar

+ Raw sugar (yes… even SuCaNat which is another name for it that has 100% tricked me even recently)

+ Dextrin and maltodextin (SAD because this is in some of the sugar-free chocolates that I love, like Lily’s!)

+ Rice syrup

+ Molasses

+ Evaporated corn sweetener

+ Confectioner’s powdered sugar

+ Agave nectar (really spikes blood sugar even though it’s natural)

+ Other fruit nectars (for example, pear nectar)

THE IN BETWEEN SUGARS (NOT BAD, NOT GREAT FOR ME PERSONALLY):

+ Coconut sugar — TOTALLY up to you whether you want to incorporate coconut sugar into your life during this challenge or on the reg, but for me it does trigger my sugar addiction and that’s mainly because I eat a lot of chocolate bars / coconut cups etc. that I feel a bit addicted to

+ Honey — honey also spikes our blood sugar but is a wonderful option for healthier desserts and sweet taste vs. the above.

NOW LET’S TALK ABOUT SUGARS THAT ARE OK (FOR THIS CHALLENGE AND IN GENERAL WHEN LOOKING FOR HEALTHIER SWEET OPTIONS) //

Fruit sugar — I will be eating a lot of fruit this month because I will be in Bali, and I am also sticking to the Medical Medium protocol for eczema which includes a lot of fruit. Fruit doesn’t trigger my sugar addiction, so I feel comfortable with it. If you want to cut out certain fruits during this time period, go for it! Just don’t get too caught up in a FRUIT FEAR because fruit has so many beautiful benefits for our bodies… from fiber, to antioxidants, to hydration, to vitamins and minerals, and beyond.
Stevia — I am a huge fan of the natural stevia leaf. These stevia drops are my literal lifeline. I drip them into decaf coffee, tea, smoothies, and more. It tastes so good and definitely curbs my sweet tooth.
Monk fruit — Another natural sugar alternative that I love. I love this monk fruit in the raw brand and use it the same way I use stevia!
Dried Fruit — It is up to you whether you are comfortable having dates, goji berries, raisins, golden berries, etc. during this time. For me they can be a bit of a trigger, but I will have a few dates here and there because I also know the benefits and they are part of my Medical Medium protocol!

STRATEGIES & RESOURCES //

+ The Gretchen Rubin book that I mentioned, The Four Tendencies, might be a helpful read while you go through this process to discover which type of personality you are and whether you’re a “cold turkey” person or a “have a little in moderation” person.

+ This episode from TBB Podcast on Human Design — we touch on how two types are supposed to eat for their optimal human design energy type. As a reflector, I am supposed to eat ALONE which has been a game changer. It helps to “fill me up” whereas if I eat with a group I am eating their energy along with my food and it’s no bueno.

+ My first TBB Podcast episode with Kelly Leveque, where we dive deep into the science of sugar and how it affects our blood sugar levels.

+ This book Why Diets Fail: Because You’re Addicted to Sugar. Buying this one to dive deeper into the science for the month!

+ This book My Confection that I absolutely loved about the author’s addiction to, and eventually freedom from, SUGAR.

+ In general, focus on eating more healthy fats, quality proteins, nutrient-dense fruit and veg, and keeping your blood sugar nice and stabilized.

+ Try some of my high-fat recipes like RAW CBD BALLS (you can sub dates for more flour, or keep the dates if you’re keeping them this month) and this delish Sweet Potato Smoothie!

Breaking Free from the Addiction //

You will quickly start to feel AMAZING when you’re free from sugar. I have been there, and I am excited to be there again.

As another tip, dig deep within yourself about what your own personal triggers are. As I mentioned, my main trigger is chocolate. I am not all that excited by anything vanilla flavored, cakes, cupcakes, etc. It’s really CHOCOLATE for me and any combo of chocolate / nut butter is my ultimate weakness.

There is nothing wrong with that when the feeling of addiction does not play a role. I have a highly addictive personality (it’s part of being a Highly Sensitive Person, another fab book you should get your hands on!) so for me, going cold turkey entirely is the way to do it. Eventually, I will add a bit of healthier alternatives to sugar back in (coconut palm sugar, honey, black strap molasses, dates, etc.) but right now I am holding off because I want to really break the addiction and feel amazing.

Join the Challenge! //

I will be hosting this mainly in the Soul on Fire Podcast Tribe on Facebook, and will also be sharing recipes on my blog, my Instagram, etc.

Share with us on social media by hashtagging #tbbmademedoit, #tbbgoessugarfree, and #sugardetox so I can see your amazing participation!

Let’s all inspire each other and raise one another up. If you fall off the wagon, you can easily hop back on. It’s not about perfection or rules in my book, it’s about effort and passion and trying to feel as good as we possibly can.

It’s going to be a FAB month…. I am already excited!

And check out these resources below for inspiration & guidance on the subject. I also included some of my fave spices & healthy fat foods so you can get your hands on those as well:

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SECRET INGREDIENT BEAUTY BLISS BALLS… CBD OPTIONAL ;)

You guys… I am getting back in the recipe game and it feels so good! How I have MISSSED photographing food in my kitchen. I think I needed a healthy break from it after all my food stuff went down, but these days I have been loving it more than life.

Yesterday I shared this sweet potato smoothie bowl on Insta (it’s WARM… so good for us vata / pitta doshas) and then I spent the afternoon in the kitchen crafting up these delectable, fat-filled, fiber-rich, nourishing, flaxy-tahini BLISS BALLS.

You know I love my healthy dessert balls. Remember these CBD ball gems?

These are a littttle different, they have a BEAUTY BOOST, AND there is a secret ingredient in these bad boys! Can you guess what it is?

Probably not by the likes of these photos because the color of it didn’t pop… but I’ma tell ya – it’s MATCHA COLLAGEN!

That’s right, the Matcha Collagen from Vital Proteins that I am madly obsessed with and did a whole post on here over the holidays.

The ingredients in these balls make them the perfect option for a fat-filled breakfast, to a nourishing snack, to a skin-healthy treat, to a tasty (and sweet-tooth satisfying!) dessert. I have just been popping them in my mouth throughout the day, and I also love to put them in smoothie bowls or on top of coconut yogurt.

Here, I even topped one with full fat coconut cream for even MORE skin-health happiness! (Hint: all of the healthy fats make our skin super duper happy, especially when paired with collagen!).

Jonathan has been fully raw this month so he’s learned all the tricks to make raw desserts extra delish in all of the ways, and he was the one who topped a raw macaroon with the coconut cream and I thought… genius! #doingit.

WHYYY Matcha Collagen Balls?!

Well, ever since I have been off of caffeine I have been looking for ways to get just a tiny bit of it into my life without going overboard. And collagen is just a must. You can read all about the importance of it and my longtime obsession with collagen here.

I know I told you guys I have been on the decaf coffee train right now (but only when there are no chemicals involved… so I pretty much just go to Alfred every day!) which has been awesome, but I also enjoy the other benefits of clean caffeine (read: matcha) that don’t give me the jitters.

Just to recap why matcha is so awesome…

+ matcha green tea is packed with antioxidants, which can help fight free radicals in the body and promote long-term health.

+ it is rich in fiber, chlorophyll and vitamins

+ it enhances mood and aids in concentration

+it calms the mind and relaxes the body

+ it is the powerful polyphenol EGCG in matcha is known to boost metabolism and burn calories (just an added bonus to the health benefits

+ it provides slow & sustained energy versus the jolt and jitters that coffee gives us, so it’s also easier on our adrenals + hormones (the BIGGEST plus for me)

Plus the benefits of COLLAGEN (the one non-vegan thing in my life right now, because I have experienced so many benefits since adding it into my life about two years ago):

+ it is the most abundant protein in the body.

+ it is responsible for the maintenance of healthy connective tissues, such as bones, joints, skin, hair, and nails.

+ my SKIN has benefitted greatly from collagen… our body produces collagen naturally, so giving it an extra boost with a supplement like this powder is something that our body appreciates greatly, and it SHOWS when we do!

I thought it would be fun to mix a bunch of my favorite things into one delicious little ball: collagen, matcha (clean caffeine, just a smidge), healthy fats, dates (because I am not running from sugar like I once was, so dates are in ALLL of my dessert recipes right now), good fiber, and spices.

Is it just me or are those all of the best things?

Ok, let’s dive into the recipe!

INGREDIENTS //

– 1/2 cup coconut flour

– 1/2 cup flax seed (or ground flax meal)

– 1/2 cup coconut oil (I used MCT oil because I had it handy!)

– 4-6 dates, pitted (and soaked, if your blender has trouble blending hardened dates)

– 1 cup tahini

– 3 tablespoons cacao powder

– 2 tablespoons Vital Proteins Matcha Collagen

– Several shakes of pumpkin pie spice, or cinnamon / nutmeg if that’s what you have on hand!

– You can of course add CBD to these if you want (I didn’t this time around, but if you want to I recommend 3-4 tablespoons!)

METHOD //

– Pour all ingredients into a high speed blender and BLEND on high until smooth. You may need to add a bit more coconut oil if your blender is having trouble getting the mixture smooth, or you can also add a dab or two of water. Keep pulsing until it is smooth and thick enough to roll into balls.

– Pick up the mixture with your hands and roll the dough into balls. You may need to press it firmly together each time because the coconut oil can make the mixture separate a bit more than usual.

– Once all of your raw dough is rolled, put the balls into the freezer until balls harden.

– Keep them in the freezer for them to hold the best, or put them in the fridge if you don’t like the frozen ball thang. They last for about a week in the fridge, longer in the freezer!

And then enjoyyyy in every way you know possible. Balls are the JAM and they make such easy on-the-go snacks. These balls don’t hold up TOO long out of the fridge or freezer so if you’re eating them out and about, make sure you are keeping them in something cool!

You can find the Vital Proteins Matcha Collagen here, it’s kinda the best thing ever.

If you make these, be sure to tag me on Insta so I can see (a.k.a so I can stalk you) and use my new hashtag… #intuitivelyplantbased! Which, as you’ve now seen from this recipe, does not mean that I am fully vegan. To read more about my intuitive switch back to being plant-based, head here.

Love you guys! Hope everyone is having an amazing day.

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HOW MY LIFE HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS

I got this crazy ping in my brain while I was getting a shamanic micro current facial with the lovely Sadie Adams today, and that ping was pretty much about how differently I live my life now compared to the way I once did — and why I believe that doing the HARD WORK of figuring out who I am at my core and living that truth has brought me all the good and happiness that I have in my life now.

Actually to clarify, the image that popped into my brain was me about six years ago, at LMU (where I went to college), totally drunk, standing in front of a row of buses with a bunch of my sorority sisters and their dates, waiting to get on them to ride to a sorority or fraternity formal somewhere in Hollywood. Everyone was wasted, people were rowdy, some were crying, the scene was chaotic.

Although formals only came about twice a year at LMU, we had dances and events like this one almost every weekend. So yeah… that scene was pretty much my daily life.

I sort of fell asleep on Sadie’s table today or more like into a deep trance state of contemplation, and realized that the image of me at the sorority buses popped into my head to serve as a reminder of how far I’ve come, and how much in my life has changed.

I’m not saying that 21 year old sorority girl (me!!!) was doing anything wrong, or that I regret those years. I was the queen of taking vodka shots, I feel like I went to every club in LA in my heyday, and I had a lot of fun. I really did, and I met some of my lifelong best friends during those years.

I also think that had to be my life at that point in order for me to go down the path that eventually lead me to where I am now, which stands in such stark contrast to those years. It was the in-between time that I don’t look at so fondly, which I will share below!

The reason I’m sharing this is because I imagine so many of you reading can relate. Whether you were a college party animal, a high school party animal (that was me too, I was actually way more wild in high school believe it or not!), or simply used to live your life differently than you do now… we all have a past to look back on and reflect on how we’ve grown.

And it’s GOOD to do that. I think sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in where we want to go, how much we want to achieve, where we’ll be in 10 years… but what about looking back on 10 years ago?! 5 years ago? What have you done in the last 5 years? I built a thriving business that makes me incredibly happy, and I don’t often give myself enough credit for that.

I also STOPPED drinking, don’t stay out late anymore pretty much ever, and would never ever be caught dead in a rowdy crowd (when I can help it…) the way I was alllll of the time back then and didn’t think twice about it. I actually even felt hungover from being out to dinner in Malibu until about 11pm the other night, even though I didn’t have a sip of alcohol and ate healthy vegan food! My body just isn’t used to all that stimulation anymore.

How that compares to where I am now…!

Although that was the college me and so many of us don’t know quite who we are yet when we are in college, I also think back to just a year or two ago when I was still very much living a life that I didn’t feel 100% in alignment with.

After college I moved to NYC and experienced the best kind of freedom. I didn’t have the same ties that I did here, so while a few of my best friends moved to New York at the same time as I did, it was very easy for all of us to live OUR truth and be exactly who we were. It was so liberating to be ME, stay home on Friday nights making my vegan food, write fiction and blog for hours and hours on end with nowhere to be and not a care in the world, and still have my friends in New York love me for me.

No guilt trips about “you never see me,” or “you never drink with me” (my least favorite sentence of all time)… I was just allowed to be who I was, every day.

It was hard when I moved back to LA a year later, because it was the same city I went to college in. I felt like a lot of that newfound freedom had been taken from me in a way, and had stayed in New York leaving me to rebuild who I was all over again.

(Granted, that was a crazy time with SO MUCH STUFF happening with my eating disorder, writing my book, transitioning from being a vegan, things happening with my family, on and on. So it wasn’t all just the move.)

I think those first few years back in LA were the hardest of my life. I felt so disconnected from who I once was, but I was still trying to BE THAT PERSON because it was all that I knew. And to my friends here, it was all that they knew.

That was also when I developed pretty much ALL of the health problems I am still dealing with now, and I believe a huge part of that was because of the stress of still surrounding myself with people and things that didn’t feel right in my soul.

But over time, I started growing roots here in LA, in a new way. I met so many people who were in the wellness world and had similar preferences to me, and then I started meeting people in the spirituality / high vibe part of the wellness space and WOW did that help me see very clearly who I was and where I was going.

It was almost like a mirror was held up to me, and I saw that I could be ridiculously, completely happy ALL OF THE TIME. Just like I was in New York. I didn’t have to not be me, just because it wasn’t in alignment with how a lot of people knew me.

What I realized…

About a year and a half ago I realized that who I am now (and maybe who I was all along, I just didn’t have anyone to show me it was okay to be that person) is someone who:

a) is happy all the time and doesn’t dread situations and events, because I ONLY say “yes” to what I actually want to do… meaning, I say NO a ton!

b) spends a lot of time alone because I need it to recharge and to have the calm and focused headspace to run my business

c) doesn’t drink alcohol pretty much at all

d) doesn’t need to go to a place where there will be a big, loud crowd that will throw my nervous system off (bars, clubs, big parties, basically everything my adolescence and young adult life was in so many ways)

e) can be PRESENT and energized for her best friends, family, and boyfriend in a way that feels really good because I am not depleted and worn down from living a life that didn’t feel good

f) energetically broke up with people who dragged my soul down, spoke negatively every time I was around them, or treated me in a fake / not real way that I couldn’t stand

g) is happier than I have EVER BEEN IN MY LIFE.

It’s amazing, and everyone can have this feeling!

The truth is, change is scary. A lot of us resist it for years on end because it really takes a lot of hard work.

My first few years back in LA I dated someone who was wrong for me in every way. There was a lot of love between us, but at the core everything was unhealthy and off. When that ended about a year and a half ago, I finally got the HUGE PUSH that I needed to take the leap into being FULLY me.

I stopped drinking, stopped eating foods that didn’t agree with me, cut a few toxic people out of my life (to the best of my ability), started journaling and writing my intentions every month, meditating, doing kundalini, practicing reiki, and living life on MY terms.

Very shortly after, I started my podcast which I firmly believe I wouldn’t have had space for in my life if I was still holding on to so much toxicity. Shortly after I started my podcast, Jonathan and I started dating. (I do believe he is the best thing to come from ALL of this. I often think about how “energetically” lonely I was before I had him… I was surrounded by people, but I didn’t have my human. I never want to go back to that feeling, and if I had never DONE THE HARD WORK of being me, we would not have been a match!)

Then everything came together. The income from my blog / podcast went from being good to being totally, radically abundant. Pretty much everything I tried to manifest into my life, I was able to.

It. Was. Nuts.

All of this to say, sometimes it’s so good to look back on where we came from and give ourselves the credit of how far we’ve come.

And if you’re reading this and you feel like you’re still in that “phase one” of your adolescent or adult life, don’t fret because you can START NOW! It’s never too late to step into your truest you.

I also find that now I don’t rely on things that I used to so heavily like intense exercise, extreme juice cleanses, etc. because I live the healthy, wellness-focused life DAILY rather than grasping for it in the extreme ways that I once felt like I had to.

The biggest gift we can all give ourselves is to allow ourselves to be exactly who we are. Even just practice in the mirror by telling yourself: “I am allowed. I am allowed. I am allowed.” EVERY DAY until you believe it.

It’s the most beautiful thing in the world to know who we are from deep within and let that light shine through us.

Thoughts?! Did you have your wild days too? What does your life look like now? Tell me, I love to hear!

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Hi my angels!

Short and sweet post for y’all right here, because the juicy long posts are coming but I need to share the fresh & exciting events that are taking place in the next WEEK that I want to see your shining faces at!

Let me tell you what we’ve got…

EVENTS, EVENTS, YAY!

1. A Night of YOGA & SHAMANISM with the amazing Shaman DUREK!

The epic Shaman Durek (from Episode 57 of TBB Podcast) & I will be hosting an exciting night of yoga and shamanism in West Hollywood on Tuesday, March 13th. It will be from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. and we have so much magic up our sleeves for you guys. The evening will start with light yoga to get our bodies warmed up and our energy as present as can be. Then, Shaman Durek will teach us his magnificent ways of incorporating shamanism into our every day lives. (Think protecting our energy, manifesting our dreams, getting infused with reiki symbols, igniting our innermost power, and so much more.)

And we will close out the evening with a LIVE PODCAST Q&A, where you will have the chance to ask Shaman and I any questions your hearts’ desire! Your questions will be featured on TBB Podcast, and you will get to see my first ever live L.A. podcast in action.

Lastly, Alo Yoga will be providing a mega discount on clothes so you can close out the evening with a little shopping before you head home. And it’s right across the street from Erewhon… so HEALTHY DINNER/tonics/desserts, anyone!?!? They are open til almost midnight! Just sayin’!

2. A LIIIIIVE Podcast with the Almost 30 ladies (Krista Williams & Lindsey Simcik!) at Westfield Century City!

Okay, okay. I am doing TWO LIVE PODCASTS in ONE WEEK?!?! WHO AM I!? I mean, I go big when I start doing something.

I have been dyyyyying to have these two ladies on the pod for quite some time. We have all become good friends here in LA LA land and I love them for their wellness ways, their down to earth vibes, their obsessions with all things spirituality, their comedic personalities (I mean they are both hysterical), and so much more. I think the three of us keep Erewhon in business, just saying.

This event will be from 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. outdoors at the brand new Westfield Century City! Have you seen all that they have there now!?!?! An EATALY, a Chan Luu, all of the shops I am obsessed with, an Apple Store, sooooo many good restaurants, and so much more.

Come hang with us, ask us Q’s and get FEATURED on the pod, and so much more!

We will have a registration link very soon, but the event will be FREEEE (!!!) and we have stellar goodie bags coming your way if you attend. Like, stellar.

And it’s ON A WEEKEND. So all my humans that can’t make my weekday events, this one is for you! Magic in ALL OF THE WAYS!

It will be super casual and will be like three friends chatting onstage. I meeeean, fun AF or what!?

SAY HI TO KRISTA & LINDS! COME HANG WITH US! If you’re coming, shoot us an email or a DM! Will get the registration link up ASAPPPPP once we have it… but even so, just COME.

XOXOXO

That is it for March events, I think! I am heading to Bali for the month of April (EEEEK) so will be getting ready for that after this weekend and SIMPLY CANNOT WAIT. Gone for all of May also at a location that I will share very soon.

More events to come in June!

Love y’all!! More posts to come today and beyond!! Missed ya while I was in Hawaii!

Showing posts from March, 2018

Going Intuitively Plant-Based Without Being Too Restrictive

Coffee must carry cancer warning, California judge rules

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‘Our greatest fear’: Highly drug-resistant gonorrhea confirmed by health officials

Genetics may make some babies vulnerable to SIDS or ‘crib death’

Planned Parenthood demanded ‘a Disney princess who’s had an abortion.’ Then it had second thoughts.

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SECRET INGREDIENT BEAUTY BLISS BALLS… CBD OPTIONAL ;)

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