Tuesday, June 5, 2018

How to save the world.

I've often been misunderstood. It can feel very alienating, even from the people I'm closest to. Misunderstood ... That's an understatement. But I bet, if I asked 100 people, 100 people would say the same thing. Can we really all be misunderstood? Maybe it's us that misunderstands everything else. Maybe we don't have to. Let's dig in. Let's connect.

I took a long hard break from blogging. And I can't promise I'll get into it full-swing again. But, today I had a challenge, and I felt the need to write on the internet. Not in my journal, where it would stay nice and safe and protected. But out into the world of cyberspace and eventually into the hands that were meant to read the words. There are no coincidences. You and I are meeting on this page for a reason, and I embrace it and honor it.

A year and a half ago, I had a health crisis that I wasn't sure I'd make it out of. I don't talk much of it, and I am the only person who knows the depths of it. Because, it's not important now. What's important, is that it caused me to really search outside the box. I felt death gripping parts of my body, one by one. Nobody else took it seriously because they didn't understand, even doctors (dozens of them), so I kept it mostly inside. I became a hermit, and I quit my job. I couldn't do much of anything. I was too tired and in too much pain. When you feel your body dying, you know it. Out of desperation, I turned to fruit (and an angel on earth, Dr. Robert Morse) to save me. And that's where I began to find myself.

I went from this ... 
To this, in a matter of months. My face, neck and lymph nodes were swollen and oozing. I had no energy or life in me. 

Fruit vibrations heal!
Fruit is a vibration. Fact. It's full of life force and energy that can (and does) change your own vibration to begin to resonate at a level closer to nature. When we start vibrating closer to nature, we naturally heal. It's really that simple. Eating bowls of fruit was essentially performing surgery on my cells, organs and (eventually) my very soul. Fruit began a journey within myself that no other diet (raw vegan, paleo, ketogenic, SAD) was ever able to do. After 30 days of a fruit only diet, I regained all (plus some) of my strength, energy and vitality and most of my health. I found myself wanting nothing to do with television, Facebook, the news, or much else that the rest of the world was distracted in. There was no explanation for it. It just felt natural to listen to what I needed in this way. I went to bed with the sun and woke up with the sun. I turned off screens and turned inward. I wondered if I'd ever be able or willing to re-establish myself in society. Guided meditations became my go-to in every free moment. Eventually, I craved the silence. And silent meditation became my best friend. In a matter of months, I was able to close my eyes and instantly go inward to a place of peace, where I found I could connect with Source, the life-force for everything.


Raising my vibration became my obsession. It felt so good. But, like any obsession, it can overtake your life. Finding balance was my next goal. That's when I found the Isha Foundation and took their course in Inner Engineering. After 4 days of learning asanas and kriyas that opened blocked energies in me and allowed me to connect to the parts of me, I never knew existed, I felt alive and ready to integrate for the first time in so so long. It gave me the tools I needed to face others and to be okay with being misunderstood. I didn't feel the need to show a facade to the world. I stopped wearing make-up, bras and an attitude.

Issa Foundations Inner Engineering Program by Sadhguru. Life changing!

In mediation for 2 hours a day ... I kept going. The layers peeled off, as I slowly allowed myself to become who I truly am, a part of the divine energy that is all. No longer did I look at a tree and say "That's a tree." I began to look at a tree and feel it as an extension of myself, and myself as an extension of the tree. The grass under my feet felt as though it was part of my feet. That it was there to serve me and I was there to serve it. That we were an integral part of each other's existence. There was no me without it, there was no it without me. And that line didn't stop at grass. I became the clouds and birds and air and water and ... even the people I disagreed with. We were all one, just operating at different frequencies on the same plane.



The separation that keeps us all at war and battling others opinions on social media began to show itself to me. Rather, the "separation" began to drop away. And I realized that there is no separation that is there, other than what our ego places between us. Opinions that upset me became an experiential dive into myself. What inside myself is being triggered by the object upsetting my ego? And instead of fighting back (fight or flight was my absolute go-to for 40 years), I found I was repairing the very bits of myself that resisted others. To repair, you have to apologize, forgive, give love and be grateful. My approach to others who triggered me became this practice in my mind, "I love you. I'm sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you." How people reacted to me changed. All my relationships improved. Not one single thing in my life changed, other than my reaction and understanding of and to all that surrounded me. My job hasn't changed, yet it's not a source of crippling stress anymore. My marriage is the same, yet my home is much happier. And I realize, all that exists is within myself. All that I touch, feel, hear and see is a manifestation of my own creation.



Just in giving myself love and allowing to finally dive into this connectivity, I have changed myself, my home, my work, my relationships. This self love has grown outside myself and onto others. And I now truly understand that the only way to improve this world, to heal it, to master it, to be one with it, to find peace in it, is to work on yourself in a loving, gentle and natural manner. When we allow the natural vibration of ourselves to break through the sociological conditioning of our ego, we become the essence of peace and love. Of course, high vibrational foods (lots of raw fruits, veggies, seeds, greens), sunshine, distilled water (decalcify that pineal) can and does move this along quite rapidly. Going vegan was the greatest gift I've ever given myself and the planet. Perhaps it wasn't even the fruit, and it was just going vegan that allowed me to connect so magically to this source energy and truthful existence. Regardless of what brought me to this place, I'm grateful. And gratitude manifests great change. And from here, we can alter the very existence of the entire planet, together.

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Coco Loco

I cannot tell you how LONG I've been wanting to post this particular blog. You know why? Because it's pure awesome....and delicious.

It's no surprise that I'm thrifty. And anyone who knows me, knows I LOVE all things COCONUT! I always have. But when coconut milk came on the market, I was less than thrilled. First, it never tasted like coconut to me. Second, it was missing a ton of flavor and was FULL of gut damaging fillers (carrageenan and gums? No thank you!). So, I set out on a quest to make my own that tasted like actual coconuts should.

At first I was making coconut milk from cans of coconut milk. Remember this blog post? Well, I never was quite comfortable with that method because I don't like to consume anything from cans. And, while that version was better than the garbage they sell next to the soy milks, it still lacked substance. So, I decided to buy a good old brown fuzzy coconut and go to town. What I found is that I could get coconut water, coconut milk, coconut flour and then coconut flour pastries, all from one single $2 coconut. Holla!

Without further adieu, here's what you'll need (all available via Amazon.com):
Your tools: Brown coconut, coconut tapping tool, meat separator and nut milk bag.
You'll need a coconut tapping tool & a meat separator (available as a bundle here), a brown coconut (available at asian stores, Whole Foods, Earthfare, etc.) and a nut milk bag.

Three eyes.
Once you have those tools, grab your coconut and look at the top with the three eyes. One of these eyes is a "soft spot" (only one, the other two are hard as rocks), where you will push your coconut tapping tool into.

Tap the soft eye. 
Once you've tapped the eye, remove the tool and either insert a straw and drink, or tip it over into a glass to drain all the delicious coconut water out of it.

Drink up!

Or save for later.
Once the water is drained, it's safe for cracking in half. I use a hammer, but I've also been known to just throw it down on concrete and watch it shatter open. It's a good way to get out aggression. Once it's open, you can see all the nummy white meat inside. This is what you'll use to make your milk.
Blessings from the tropics!
Now, that meat doesn't just fall out. It takes a little work to peel it away from the shell. This is where your separator tool comes in handy. Just work the tool in-between the meat and the shell and wiggle back and forth until the meat pops out. (Don't worry about the brown "rind" on the meat. You can eat that and leave it on!)

Separate meat from the shell.
Take all the meat and place in your vitamix (or similar) blender. I usually fill the water up a couple inches above the meat. Usually this will take the total mixture up to the 7-8 cup mark on my blender container. Put the lid on and blend on high for a good 30-60 seconds. In the colder months, I have to blend longer to get the coconut oils in the meat to really melt. You want it to be a bit warm so it's easier to strain. If it's not slightly warm, blend longer.

Meat and water. Don't worry about the brown fragments. They are edible!
Once it's good and blended, you'll want to strain the pulp from the milk through a nut milk bag. Don't forget to squeeze the bag to get all the delicious milk out!

Pour the blended mixture into your nut milk bag. 

Squeeze the bag to get all the yummy milk out.
After you've squeezed all the milk out, put the strained milk back into the blender with a pinch of real salt, sweetener of choice, vanilla, cinnamon, etc. (whatever you like!). Blend until mixed.
Add ins!

Make sure to rinse the blender container before adding the strained milk back in.
Once you have it blended, pour into mason jars. I usually get 1.5 -2.5 quarts of milk that I use for drinking, smoothies, creamer (for my chaga tea!), etc.

Milk!

I love fresh coconut milk in my morning chaga tea. I top with cinnamon! Yum!
Once the milk sets in the fridge, it will separate. The cream will rise to the top. You can scrape this and make coconut whipped cream and use the remaining liquid for smoothies. Or simply stir or blend it back together. I found that a pour lid works really well with my milk. You can find that on Amazon.

Now that your milk is finished, it's time to do something with all that pulp.

Coconut pulp. 
If you have a dehydrator, place in a tray of your dehydrator. If you don't have a dehydrator, you can use your oven on the lowest setting, or even dry in the sun!

Coconut pulp ready for dehydrating into coconut flour.
Once it's dehydrated, you'll want to blend it again to break up the chunks and then store it in the freezer. Coconut flour is EXTREMELY absorbent and will pull moisture from the air and get yucky fast in your cupboard.

Place in freezer bag and freeze the dehydrated flour.

You can toast the flour before use to give your baked goods a more "nutty" flavor. Or you can use it as is. I use as is and make so many yummy goodies like these 3 ingredient coconut flour cookies?

I'm loving this coconut flour zucchini bread with sun butter. Drool.

There you have it, folks! That's a lot of stuff for $2! And you can rest easy knowing that it's free of gut disturbing fillers, preservatives, etc. If you have a favorite coconut flour recipe, leave it in the comments! I'd love to try your family favorites.

I hope you love the results as much as I do. Cheers!

Stephanie

Thursday, March 5, 2015

I shop, therefore I am.


There's something that's been weighing on my mind so heavily for many many years now. I'm hoping that sharing it with all of you will lighten the burden on my soul a bit. If nothing else, perhaps it will allow some to think about our world and environment a little differently.

I love this earth. I love it more than myself. I'm in tune with it and very sensitive to it. I feel the need to defend it and be its voice. I can't help that I was born a deeply sensitive person. I feel things on another level, and they can really affect me and the way I live my life. Phew. With that said, here goes. Please bear with me.

I need to speak out against the fashion industry. (And consumerism, in general.)

America is a very wasteful country. Nobody wastes like we do. We have a "throw it out" mentality when we are done with things and don't want them anymore. We also have such a fear of "germs" that we are afraid to wear something a stranger wore or let our kids play with used toys ... you get the drift. Most countries in the world would never throw out perfectly good shoes or clothes or a bag, just because it was "last season". In fact, most of the world's population wears clothes or shoes with holes or stains on them. They are not judged for the stains. They are not lesser people. They simply don't have the luxury of being wasteful.

Guess what? ... neither does the richest American.

The day is coming, sooner than later, that water will be the most precious commodity on the planet. Rivers and lakes are drying up faster than you'd ever thought possible. The precious water the earth has left is being used to make plastics and textiles, and all that is left is a toxic cesspool of unusable liquid. And where does that go? There is no such thing as "throwing something away". It all goes into our soil and/or ground water. This eventually seeps into our fields and food and back into our bodies. How's that for junk food?

What most people see. 
What I see.


If we're not afraid of the threat of water being taken from us by these industries, then at least we can consider the landfill burden of our addiction to consumerism. When I walk into a store (I won't name any in fear of being sued), I don't see what I want to "buy". I instead see the burden it has on the earth. Someone might see rows of toothbrushes, toys, clothes, etc. But I see those aisles times the thousands. I picture every store and department store in the whole nation and imagine everything they are selling in a landfill. Then I picture the earth and wonder how long it will be until we use up every bit of beautiful earth by turning it into one big landfill.

Wow, I'm a downer. But I want to urge others to start thinking of things differently. Our kids are coming home from school, crying, because they don't "fit in". They get made fun of for wearing square toed shoes when pointy is in. Or pointy when round is in. They can't possibly be seen driving their parent's old car, because their friends at school all were gifted brand new cars when they turned 16.

We are creating the very existence that is harming the social structure of our childrens' lives. Instead of sitting our kids down and learning about the environmental damage we are doing just to "keep up with the Joneses", we are allowing this never-ending loop of consumerism to own us. These kids (and most adults, if I'm being honest) are completely owned by what they "own". It becomes the definition of who they are. It becomes the drive that pushes them to work in jobs they might hate, just so they can afford the very things that are keeping us in prison. Consumerism is prison. It's poisoning our land, stealing our water, creating battles between kids, stress for adults, and it's all for NOTHING.

We are not the things we own.

We are not our clothes, our cars, our toys, our shoes. We are not our jobs or even our thoughts. Who we truly are, is the being quietly sitting behind all of it, watching it, observing it and doing nothing about it. Why are we so crazy? I'm guilty of it. Most of us are. But we don't have to be. We have the choice to change.

I find myself daily having to remind myself of these facts. I see something cute and "want" it. But I have to tell myself what I tell my 4 year old son ... "We don't need that to live. What we need to live is water, air, food and love. These things might look shiny and desirable, but the cost is way too high. The earth is paying a big price." We talk daily about the rain forests, ground water and landfills. I smile proudly as he says "The Earth is going to get mad at you for letting that water run, mommy". And I rest assured knowing that the more toys my kids have, the more they want to stay inside. And there is some major mental and physical therapy that happen when we get our kids OUTSIDE instead.

For some facts about the fashion industry and the imprint it is leaving on the planet, please visit:
http://www.treehugger.com/sustainable-fashion/25-shocking-fashion-industry-statistics.html

Consider gifting memories instead of toys for your kids. Trips to the zoo, aquarium or science center; art or music classes; exploring a new city ... are all good alternatives to the typical birthday gift.

I don't think we can talk about consumerism without talking about what makes us feel the need to consume so much. Please stay tuned for grounding posts regarding getting back to our core purpose and being. There's a lot of change happening in our world, and I'm excited to be a part of it and see where it takes us all.

In love for all,
Stephanie

Friday, February 20, 2015

Friday goody

I am in desperate need of a detox ... Specifically a chocolate detox. (Honestly, a regular detox too, but that will have to wait until I'm finished breast-feeding my daughter). Whenever the holidays come around, I get on a chocolate kick that is so hard to get off of. Somehow I get to a point where I need chocolate every day in order to survive. At least this is what I tell myself. If I don't have it in the house, I start to get anxious. Two days without it, and I'm freaking out. (Picture me frantically searching cupboards, knowing there is no chocolate in them, only to confirm my disappointment by again finding nothing. All the while wondering to myself why I didn't pick up that bag of chocolate chips at the grocery store last week). It's pathetic really. Whenever I get to this point, I know I need to detox. Nothing should have a hold of my sanity like that. Time to put chocolate back in its cage and leave it there for good. (Well at least until next holiday season).

This is usually when I find my best recipes. Today was no exception. I have hardly anything in the house. But sometimes having nothing can create the most simple (and I like simple) recipes, which are also extremely delicious. 

Make these immediately. My kids and I just devoured one batch in a matter of two minutes, which is about how long they took to make. In fact, better make two just so that you have some for later. 

Typically, coconut recipes require a lot of eggs to keep them together. But these cookies are different. They hold together just fine with the few ingredients that are required. In fact, keeping the eggs out of this recipe allows the coconut to get super crispy. Best of all, these cookies are completely allergen free. No gluten, soy, eggs, corn, sugar, dairy. Winner winner cookies for dinner!



Easy Peasy Coconut Flour Cookies
3 Tbsp Coconut Flour (I use Trader Joes Brand because it's fantastically tasty and easy and cheap ... 3 things I'm notorious for).
2 Tbsp Cold Coconut Oil (cold meaning in solid form ... Not melted).
1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
1/4-1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
Pinch Sea Salt

• Smoosh ingredients together with a fork until blended and evenly consistent. 
• Roll into tiny bite-size balls and place on parchment lined cookie sheet (don't skip the parchment).
• Flatten with finger, then make cross-hatch marks with fork.
• Bake at 365 for 10 minutes max. These burn easily, so keep a close watch. 

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Children of Men

"Children of Men".  Have you seen this movie? It's a story about future mankind's inability to reproduce due to gene mutation. In the movie, one woman gets pregnant and has to be brought to a safe space to bear her child. It's an eerie movie with a seemingly unrealistic plot. Or is it?

What if I told you this is where mankind is heading, faster than we every thought ... or haven't thought of at all.

When our first child was born with a severe heart defect, we were told it was not our fault. We were told that sometimes flukes happen and there was nothing we could have done to prevent it. Of course, that answer wasn't good enough for me. Humans don't "fluke" when absorbing the right nutrients. Something in me or my husband was off and created a child with a heart defect big enough to take her life. And I have never rested in search of this answer.

One of our last "good" days with Kaia before her open heart surgery.
My quest for health has exploded into a completely different me. It had to. How could I ever stay the same, when my first born didn't make it into her second month of life?

Me holding Kaia several weeks after open heart surgery and a few days before she passed.
In the 5 years since Kaia's passing, I've done almost one year straight of cleansing, had two more children, cut out top allergen foods (such as gluten, dairy, corn, soy, etc.) and began a huge spiritual journey that has brought some really amazing people into my life.

Finn & Nova, Kaia's "little" siblings and the reason for my intense passion for a healthier life and planet.

This journey has been tough. When I started, I was considered a bit of an odd ball. "Normal" people didn't eat the way I do, and they certainly didn't meditate. Over time, the people that surrounded me got replaced by people walking a similar lifestyle to mine. People searching for truth in their food, body products, environment, spirit and life path. With my new teachers in place, information started flowing into me at an overwhelming rate.

And here I sit with my newest nugget of information "MTHFR gene mutation". What is it? Why is it being brought to my attention? Even after my diet changes and spiritual growth, I live with an extremely slow heartrate, metabolism, bvitamin malabsorption, mental fog, and food sensitivities. My gluten and dairy intolerances are directly linked to MTHFR. I've spent the last 3 months in intense medical testing with 5 different specialists, ranging from neurologists, to hematologists to allergists to gastrointerologists to endocrinologists, etc. Not one has had an answer for me. But not one has brought up this gene mutation that affects up to 60% of the population either. With this mutation, you are unable to utilize certain b vitamins correctly. This results in the entire body being "off" in countless ways. Ways in which I was able to check my way all the way down the extensive list. It takes a simple supplement to correct your system. Yet not one doctor brought it up. Not only that, but if most of the population has it, shouldn't we all be genetically tested? Wouldn't that save us all countless prescriptions, mental health disorders, physical problems, digestive problems, reproductive problems? Oh but where's the money in that? There is no money in health management for our corrupt medical system. So, I'm always about getting to the core issue yourself. Empower yourself to do so. Had I known of this mutation, Kaia might still be here. Heart defects in babies are a pretty good sign that mom or dad or both carry that gene mutation.

Why am I talking about all of this? Well, with this mutation, the liver can't function at full effectiveness.

"I believe the MTHFR gene mutation is a highly significant public health problem that is completely ignored. Yet, millions are suffering from pulmonary embolisms, addictions, fibromyalgia, miscarriages, schizophrenia, severe depression, cancer and autism to name a few."  -http://mthfr.net

When the liver can't detox toxins and heavy metals properly, you have multiple gene mutations that can form from it. These get passed onto your children. Our children are only as healthy as we are when we are carrying them. With that knowledge, and the American diet of processed foods, toxic laden toothpastes and body products, poisonous cleaning products, pollution filled air, no free time to meditate or relax the mind, substance abuse and addiction, over stressing, social media addiction, the need for constant verification of ourselves through others, mindless tv watching and zero attention left to discover and live our true self and most divine purpose ... well, are we so far off from "Children of Men"? Probably not. Each generation is getting weaker with more gene mutations, autism, cancer rates, mental health disorders, etc. And are we are sometimes too busy eating processed food and filtering our selfies to pay attention to it? We have a world of knowledge at our fingertips now, and sometimes our paths open up our minds to learning things we never could fathom. I'm glad to share my lessons with you and hope that some of you resonate with them.

Maybe we can all take a moment today and look within. Take some time away from the distractions that pull us away from the core purpose of our individual lives. Lay down the resentment, anger, stress, and replace with gratitude and acceptance. Some days I put my phone in a place I can't get to it, so I'm not tempted to even look at social media. This is my journey to get to the core of it all. MTHFR is just a part of the HUGE picture. And the  less distractions I allow, the closer I get to the truth that sets this woman free. After all, if my mind and body are not free, then how can I be completely happy? And if I'm not completely happy, how can I give my children the gift of happiness?

Lots of love to you all today, wherever you are in your own journies. We are all in this together. I got your backs!

To be tested for the MTHFR gene mutation, please visit the most accurate and informative testing site and order from there at https://www.23andme.com

Monday, November 10, 2014

What to do with your butts

I think every post I ever write unveils just how deep my frugality goes. Is frugality even a word? It is today. I'll make this one quick, because I now a ton of you are waiting for this cauliflower alfredo recipe. But I had to share this one to get to that one. You'll see why soon enough.

So, you know I'm always telling you to save all parts of your veggies. I love giving you all sorts of ways to use them, throwing very little away. I'm like the Native Americans ... only with veggies instead of buffalo. I can say that, being as I am part Native American. Maybe that's where I get this need to use every bit of everything? Any schnitzel, I specifically remember mentioning to keep a bag in your freezer in which you throw all your bits and pieces, day after day. Kind of like this.
My current stash of frozen bits
If you forget me telling you that (or if I forgot to tell you that but think that I did), then here's what I mean. When you have bits of veggie stuff that you'd typically throw out or compost, toss it in a freezer bag instead. Here's some examples:
Cauliflower leaves? ... throw them in the bag.

Onion skins? ... Yep, they are super full of nutrition and add a fab flavor to any veggie stock.

Garlic skins? ... Just like onions, they are perfect for this!
Don't forget to keep and freeze parsley/herb stems, carrot tips, etc! Once your bag is full, it might look a little like this.
Ready for stock!
Now, toss all those frozen bits and pieces in a soup/stock pot. Cover it with filtered water. Bring it to a boil. Let simmer for a few hours. I like to add some salt and spices (salt, cayenne, herbs). Drain through a nut milk bag or just a colander. Now you have veggie stock for rice, soups, etc. I freeze in one cup portions in my deep freeze, so they are always measured and ready for any recipe! This comes in super handy ... like tonight when I made curry and needed some stock on-hand!

So, go make some stock so you can create this amazeballs alfredo I'm going to share with you.

Namasté!
Steph

Friday, October 10, 2014

When life gives you cauliflower, make reubens.

Nom nom nom. 
Monster cauliflower! Sweet pie pumpkins! Hearty kale! Oh my! Locally grown loveliness is bountiful as our CSA for 2014 is still going strong. In fact, despite the cold weather, we've been getting more veggies than this entire season! And they are beautiful.

Last week we got these massive cauliflower heads. It had big leaves attached, which I had to remove just to get it in my bag so I could get it home. I'm sure everyone has a million things they can do with cauliflower: Roasted with turmeric, raw cauliflower spanish rice (thank you Lori for bringing this to my attention!), roasted cauliflower & garlic soup, steamed cauliflower with garlic "butter". So, I'm not going to talk about the part of cauliflower that you typically eat. I'm here to talk about those leaves I cut off. 

We are always so quick to disgard leaves. But, when you think about it, lettuce is leaves. Kale is leaves. Chard is leaves. Collards are leaves. And if you can eat those, you can eat cauliflower or broccoli leaves. They are in the exact family as kale, you know. 

I've been known to fill & roll them with some soaked and cooked black beans, avocado and tomato and lightly sauté in a pan. Or just use them as a wrap for your sandwich. They are extremely low in calories, unbelievably high in nutrients and minerals and help you (and me) look younger than our years. Greens are the fountain of youth ... both inside and out. So, throwing them out is not an option for me. Here's a quick idea for lunch this week. Put the turkey sandwich down (I'm talking to you, my husband). Open your mind & your mouth. Taste the goodness.

Reubens, revisited
Vegan reuben: Plant based, full of probiotics & enzymes, vitamins, minerals and protein.


INGREDIENTS
  • Cauliflower leaves
  • Grain free tempeh (this is literally the only way I will eat soy products ... fermented)
  • Real sauerkraut (I make this myself. It's super easy!)
  • Homemade Thousand Island (I literally will just mix mayo/vegenaise with organic ketchup and relish or homemade chopped pickles). Alternatively, you can use Hummus or Tahini, which I also LOVE.
  • (Optional) Wilted spinach leaves

STEPS
  • Trim center stalk out of leaves.
  • Lightly brown tempeh in a cast iron skillet.
  • Roll spinach leaves in your hands until they are wilted and soft.
  • Place tempeh, spinach & sauerkraut in your leaf & top with thousand island, hummus or tahini. 
  • Roll the leaf around the goodies & eat your heart healthy.
Trim the tough center vein out of the leaf & toss that vein in your freezer for veggie stock later.
Add the tempeh, sauce, sauerkraut & wilted spinach. 

It looks divine and your cells (and energy levels) will say "thank you". 
 I can't talk while my mouth is being stuffed full of deliciousness.
Happy lunching!