Big Bowl of YUM!

Yesterday I was thumbing thru Vegan Richa's Indian Kitchen Cookbook and came across her recipe for Chickpea Spinach Stew with Lentils and Quinoa.  This YUM Dish - as I like to call it - is inspired by that recipe - yet still pretty altered so I think it's okay if I share with you what I did for my version.  This is packed with LOTS of stuff and has more ingredients than I usually use in one recipe but I think it turned out wonderful and I can't want to make another version VERY SOON!  This is a complete meal in itself that is for sure.  I made a HUGE batch and have gotten 3 meals out of it and even tried some of it in tacos - just for the heck of it - and am LOVING it!

1 t Coconut Oil
1 t Garam Masala

1/4 t each of Cinnamon, Cumin, Smoked Paprika

Knob of Ginger

2 t Minced Garlic

1 t Onion Powder

2 Large Tomatoes
1 Can of Diced Tomatoes in Green Chilies 

1 Package Frozen Spinach (Roughly a Pound)

2 t Apple Cider Vinegar
2 C Water
1 t Black Sea Salt (or to taste)
1 T Raw Cane Sugar
1 T Maple Syrup
2 T Lemon Juice

1/4 C Almond Milk
1 Handful Cashews

1 Can Chickpeas

1/3 C Red Lentils
1/3 C Couscous

1/3 C Super Grains*

The Super Grains I used were equal parts White Quinoa, Red Quinoa, Millet, and Buckwheat.

In other news...I spent all day at home today.  The weather is still crappy.  It's still snowing.  It's still very cold.  The roads are ICY.  While at home all day I spent much of it cleaning.  Years ago I totally re-did a room in our house and converted into a craft room.  Long story short but I got out of crafting because of a few nasty people ruining my love for it online.  It's become a CATCH ALL type of room and it was beyond BAD.  Today I finally started hoeing it out.  It's still going to take a while to complete.  My goal is to still have it as a Craft Room and I hope to get back into crafting BUT different kind of crafts.  I would also like it to double as a Yoga Room.  

As for what I can see myself doing in terms of crafting is VISION BOARDS and for yoga I want to work on YOGA for PAIN.  More on the progress of these two mini goals down the road.

Focusing On Pain

Make it stop!

I really did a number on myself!

So if you have followed my blog for more than a year you may remember that I have struggled with Sciatica.  I'm thankful that I have never needed surgery or even taken medication for it.  But it's back.  I'm not sure if it was something that I did or if it's just the time of the year and it getting colder, etc.  But I have been really feeling it again since Thanksgiving Day.  I'm hoping I can do things myself and at home so I don't have to visit the Chiropractor.

2nd issue I have been having the last few months is a sore thumb.  I know that sounds petty.  The last week or so it has looked crooked by the knuckle by the nail.  I don't know if I broke it or if it's arthritis but either way I'm not happy.  I've always been double jointed and very much so in that thumb.  My mom and her mom have and had horrible arthritis so I'm nervous about this.  

And the third strike came today while at work when I whacked my knee on my desk.  This isn't unusual.  I tend to do this every other week it seems BUT this was hardcore.  So much so that it brought me to my knees and tears to my eyes.

I need to do something about this so here is my plan...

YOGA.

I know that I am back and forth on YOGA but I have to be more consistent with it.  Even if I have to bring my mat to work and do it in the bathroom I am going to do it more.

Green Smoothies.

Again something I struggle with being consistent at.  I mean, REALLY, how hard is it?  It's NOT...it's just me making excuses for NOT waking up earlier enough and not having enough fresh produce...which is similar to my 'thing' with Juicing.  I seriously NEED to focus on this.

Herbs & Essential Oils

These are something I have been digging deeper and deeper into as of late and I need to step it up a notch NOW!  When it comes to pain the following are things I am going to do to combat it whether it's herbs and/or essential oils...Aloe Vera, Boswellia, Cat's Claw, Eucalyptus, Ginger, Green Tea, Thunder God Vine, Turmeric, and Willow Bark.  Of those I have already done a few of them often.  I will be bumping that up more tho.  One of those that I am not familiar with is the Thunder God Vine and will be doing more research on it very soon.

Speaking of my own personal research and development...I have been looking into many other things that I will be sharing with you very soon!

What do you do for pain management at home?

New Positive Project - The Raw Food World NEWS Site

At the end of last week I mentioned 3 wonderful blog related things that happened to me but wasn't able to talk about the 3rd one until YESTERDAY'S debut of The Raw Food World NEWS Site.  As many of you know I try and keep this blog positive and uplifting so when Matt Monarch was looking for contributors on this new project I crossed my fingers that he would choose me to be among them!  AND HE DID!  I am so excited!  Not only am I blogging for them - I'm an Uplifter.  I've been locating and passing along uplifting videos to be used on the site.  If you know of any positive/uplifting/inspiring stories that might be fitting let me know the link and I will check out!  PLUS...one of my blog posts was featured TODAY 'above the fold' if you will...My Yoga For Sciatica post.

You will find this excerpt from the ABOUT US Section that sums up WHY when asked THIS NEWS SITE...

'Turn on the television or scan the top trending headlines on the Internet and it seems to me that we’re bombarded with a slew of negative information. Scare tactics, sensationalism and belittling comments are often the name of the game for the majority of mainstream and alternative media outlets.
Sure, their ratings may be soaring, but so too are our stress levels. The feeling that goodness in humanity is unraveling at warp speed is commonplace. In the end, all we want is more peace, laughter and encouragement. We want to turn to a source that assures us that everything will be ok.' 

I'm looking forward to this adventure for so many reasons and in so many ways!  I hope you will subscribe to get the daily SMILE in your inbox, too!  Thanks so much for reading and staying positive!