Author: offwhiteliving

angry liver chi explains it all

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Today was so enlightening.  Through my job I got to be part of an interview with an acupuncturist.  Of course, I was eager to see the fella and lament about my digestive woes.  Poor me, I just can’t seem to get it straight.  Dairy makes me feel bloated, wheat makes me crave sugar, and it seems like an act of god to make me “regular”, if you know what I mean.  I used to see and acupuncturist for this very same plight (hmm…do I see a pattern in my life), and it was always so alleviating of my symptoms.

I should have known all that he was going to say.  The school where I studied nutrition had a traditional chinese medicine approach.  I “know” all of this, but have forgotten some of the basics.  I was so enlightened.  He explained the process of how my body can still be out of whack after so long at trying hard to live the off-white way.  It always baffles me how the solutions are simple : dietary changes, lifestyle, and herbal remedies.  Basically, getting back to the basics.

Here’s what I learned:

Liver dominating Earth:  Okay, so this is what happens when your liver chi (which is like the “General” in the army) gets too domineering and then supressed the activity of the earth element.  It’s like having a boss that won’t quit asking you to do things, so you end up frazzled and burnt out.

How does this happen?  So the liver is especially affected by STRESS and SUGAR.  Hello!!!  So, when there is a long-standing history of internalizing stress and eating sugar, liver chi goes bonkers.  The result is an influence on Earth element, which is stomach, pancreas and spleen.  They become deficient -they don’t work right b/c they are being suffocated by the overbearing liver.  This makes one crave sugar, have a hard time digesting fats (oh, yeah, can TOTALLY relate to that, especially after a nut binge on my Hood To Coast last week).  This can also manifest as low pancreatic enzyme production or low HCL production in the stomach, such as what I experience.

The plan: This is what is so cool are nutritional things and yoga poses to help this.  Duh, I knew this…but totally forgot in the midst of trying too hard 🙂

Foods:  

  • Liver is totally balanced by green things, especially cooked green veggies and spirulina/chlorophyll.  Green leafies are like the antithesis of sugar, so the harmonize the liver.  But, the veggies should be cooked because a deficient stomach/spleen/pancreas has a hard time with raw veggies.  So, no salads.  If you do have salad, put a little oil-based dressing (no ranch or blue cheese) to make the veggies more digestible, but not too much.
  • Spleen and stomach are tonified by use of turmeric.  This helps move the stagnant energy out of the digestive track (code for no more constipation).  Using turmeric when you have an episode, is a nice natural way to keep things flowing.  When you are feeling good, using herbs like fennel seed, dried ginger in moderation, and cumin, can help keep things regular, and help you avoid getting too much stagnation.
  • Drinking barley broth also helps clear up mucos, that can form when we eat too much dairy, too much sugar, or too much food in general.  BUT, I was told to drink a lot of water too, so I don’t get dried out. 
  • Mung beans and rice as a low-fat, easy to digest protein/carb complex.  So, stay tuned for some recipes along this vein.
  • Yoga:  Doing deep yoga breathing really helps to relax the body, which calms the liver chi.  Liver chi gets SO out of control in our culture, its crazy!  We have too much to do, so all of us probably have some angry liver chi from time to time.  Breath deep into the belly (called the hara in TCM) and exhale deeply.  Try a 4-second inhale and 4-second exhale.  Also, poses like bow, wheel, and bridge can help too!
Check out the poses:
BOW WHEEL
Check out the demo on acupuncture:
There was also mention of an herbal combination known as the 6 gentleman.  Naturally, this intrigued me most of all…what young woman wouldn’t want 6 gentleman to help her feel better 🙂
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stop to smell the roses

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Life is so full of mixed blessings.

I was parusing my collection of photos tonight, just to see if  there was anything worth blogging about.  Truly, its been a summer of dichotomy: on one had, lots of activities and opportunities for adventure, on the other, lots of personal stressors that have really shadowed my memory of the past few months.

Eating well and staying true to the off-white path is always hard for me when I’m stressed, and especially when I feel insecure about things like money and relationships.  This summer was a blockbuster of a stressor for both areas, so I found myself eating things that normally I can turn down, like bagels and steamers at cafe’s, and random offerings of bread and sandwiches and even a few store bought cookies passed my lips.    Little signs of imbalance that I simply couldn’t put my finger on.

So tonight when I looked back upon my summer pics, one theme became obvious to me – nature has been calling to me through the photo lens and I have totally missed the boat.   In every picture set amidst all the shots of family, friends or even food, there are pictures of flowers and plants, like the sunflower from a friends garden

 

 or like this rose from the Portland Rose Garden here:

What I see in all of these pictures is a powerful reminder to myself that the best thing I can do, is simply ‘be’.  Nature doesn’t try to be magnificent, it simply is.  Me, on the other hand: I try so dang hard to control it all that it crumbles into my hands and falls through my fingers like the finest sand.  And all that controlling leaves me nothing but tired with an upset stomach and a head full of unhealthy thoughts.

I am my most beautiful and authentic self when I can create space for life to actually happen.  When I give way to the buds of opportunity that are waiting to blossom, I too, can feel like the flower that opens to the light.  Funny thing, when I can connect more with nature, I want to eat more in tune with nature as well.  It feels so harmonious to break bread with earth’s offerings, instead of disconnect myself even further with processed foods.  They just numb me out or give me a distraction from what is real.  We are just not that different from the plants around us: we need food, water, love and light.  It really is quite simple…..if only I allow it to be.

 

Recently a friend shared a Buddhist proverb that I absolutely resonated with;  The proverb is:

“To know and not do is to not know.”

The word know has roots with the word Gnosis, which means to have acquired spiritual insights, or having had acquired direct spiritual experiential knowledge of the divine.

When I don’t act, I am disconnecting from the divine, from nature…when I act, it is because I know from a place of meaning so much deeper than my bird brain can fathom…..

Thank you to nature for being my compass and pointing me back to what is true 🙂

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it must be the heat…or the kimchee

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either way, I must have a diet soda.

My soda of choice tonight: Boylan Bottleworks diet cherry soda.  I suppose it feels healthier because its in a glass bottle and its not a product of the pepsi corporation (or is it….hmm…..).  Yes, it has splenda in it.  No, I don’t care tonight.  I simply must have it, and quite frankly, the smooth feeling of it running down my throat is just divine.

Not sure what brought on such a craving, but its been a weird day.  First, hot days always make me feel weird, especially now that I’m in Oregon and heat is something like an eclipse – its a rare and special occurrence.  But today I also ate a ton of fermented foods, like kimchee and amazaki and saurkraut.  I taught a class on fermented foods, which was fun, but certainly gave my body an unusual mix of flavors I don’t normally combine.  I will say, however, that being able to make cheese and eat it within 15 minutes post-production was pretty awesome.

Admittingly, I don’t love fermented foods.  I know that I probably should, as they really are a beneficial part of the diet.  All those live enzymes and healthy bacteria are just fabulous for the gut (as opposed to the artificial coloring in my current beverage of choice).  Its just that they taste….well, weird.  Its a part of the healthy eating sub-culture that I just don’t focus on because I suppose I feel somewhat shameful that my fridge isn’t always full of homemade yogurt and I don’t sprout all my grains before I eat them.

Oh well. C’est la vie.  Today I will simply drink my soda and beat the heat.

But for those who do want to try their hand at fermented foods,  check out this really easy, no-brainer way to make yogurt:

 

Ingredients:

1 cup organic, plain, high-quality whole milk yogurt
1 quart organic whole milk
1 large sauce pan
1 candy thermometer
1 13×9 pyrex dish

 

On the stove, heat the milk to 180 degrees (use thermometer) in the saucepan.  Once there, slowly bring temp down to 110 degrees.  Add yogurt and stir.

place mixture in the pyrex dish and house overnight at 110 degrees, preferrably in your oven or other contained space that is temp controlled.

In the morning you can drain off the liquid which forms on top (whey) and stir the yogurt.  Refrigerate and enjoy!  Add your own fresh fruit for a healthy, fruity snack.

Benefits:

contains millions of live, active cultures
easier to digest than milk, because the fermentation process breaks down the proteins to make them more digestible
can be helpful if you have just taken antibiotics and need to replenish all the healthy bacteria in the gut.

 

Okay, must get back to the original purpose of my escape to the cafe – to work on my book.

Enjoy the heat, Oregonians!

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Livin’ la vida Loca

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I feel so fortunate to live in the Pacific Northwest.  Just today I was chatting with my good friend, C. at her local hangout called Cooper’s in SE Portland.  Lucky for us, the owner – a seemingly happy and inspired man, stopped at our table for a quick chat about all things local, community-based, and fun.    I got to thinking about how cool a place like Portland and its surroundings are because the people simply live a life dedicated to supporting the ‘little guy’, and that ‘little guy’ then provides everything from awesome food and a place to hang on a Saturday afternoon, to 2.5 lb Walla Walla onions, as seen in this pic.

How blessed am I to live here and experience this?  The icing on this cake: most of what is yielded from these locally inspired people is truly authetic (see last post), and very much in alignment with Off-White living.

We’ve been taking advantage of the flavors of our local region all summer long, and here’s a short list of what I’ve had the prviledge of experiencing:

sautees Walla Walla onions
Elk burgers from local Elk
Sheep cheese
berries that make your eyes roll into the back of your head
Amazing stories about Russian immigrants having to flee to Iran for 22 yrs before coming to the NW
Dinner parties that last well into the 11th hour, complete with heirloom tomato salads and quinoa pilaf
Trips to Bob’s Red mill
Rose hip infused dark chocolates served with our bill at the Park Kitchen restaurant
Laughing with friends at the Portland Saturday market, where you purchase all the ingredients to make this:

 

 

Livin’ La Vida Loca Burger

1 lb local ground Elk meat
2 tbsp fresh rosemary and thyme
salt and pepper, to taste
1 large (and I mean large) Walla Walla onion from the farmer’s market
1 bunch of varied lettuces, from farmer’s markets or your friends garden
1 slice of Dave’s Killer spelt bread
1 fresh cucumber, from farmer’s market or your friends garden 

take the elk meat and mix with herbs/salt/pepper.  Divide into 4 patties, set aside. Slice the onion into 1/4″ rounds, set aside.  Heat the grill to med heat and add a little butter or olive oil to the area where the onions will grill.  Add onions and elk burger patties to the grill, cooking the patty mostly on one side first before flipping.  mix the onions regularly so they grill evenly.  Add salt or pepper as needed.

Toast the spelt bread and add the condiments for a burger, to your liking.  Once done, add the burger patties atop the toasted bread and finish off with grilled onions, a little lettuce and perhaps a slice of tomato.  Serve with a simple side salad of mixed greens + cucumbers…..enjoy!!

aaaahhhh,  it is the good life here, and  I am so very grateful. 
 

Authenticity: in food and in life

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Okay, so this post is going to be a bit non-traditional, in that I’m not going to focus on the usual topics of recipes, food politics, and the like.  Recently I’ve been struck by a notion much deeper than that, yet it also relates to the concepts of Off White.

I want to talk about authenticity.  Its been a theme in my life lately, and I think there is a lesson in here for me somewhere.

Today at work, a very special person (we will call him J.) helped me see what is most important in my life, and that is being true to myself, my purpose, and from there living from a place of love.  No resistance, no emotional ‘junk food’ to toxify the soul.  Its much harder than it sounds, even though my experience tells me that being real, living in trust, and accepting what “is” sparks the fire of inspiration, synchronicity and peacefulness.

I can totally liken this to food too.  When I think about how our bodies respond to artificial, manipulated or contrived substances, like processed foods, or foods prepared without kindness or intention, the result is disease (in the long run) or discomfort.   My spirit is pretty much the same way.  Admittingly, I’ve been feeding my mind and my heart some junk food lately, because of fear and judgement.  And guess what…I feel totally sick and disassociated from my center.

So then I got to thinking a little deeper, and the work of Dr. Emoto came  to mind.  He is the guy who did all the work with images of water that were exposed to different words, music, and experiences.  his work is profound.  
Our bodies are mostly water, as is everything we eat.  I got to thinking about my mindset lately when I sit down to a meal.  Have I eaten in peace or with anger?  Have I hurried to eat my food becuase I’ve been over consumed by some other task or thought?  Do I even stop to appreciate the fact that I can go to the grocery store and buy anything I want.  Anything.  And what do I choose?  

To give you an idea of what Dr. Emoto’s work respresents, check out these pictures, taken from his website.  They depict the difference between purity, nature, and kindness and unconscious actions or negativity.  
         

Water from the cleanest river in 
Japan

I love these pictures because they remind me that nature is always going to create something more profound, more authentic and hence more beautiful than what is man-made.  Nature’s gentle way yields perfection.  When I extrapolate that to my thoughts and actions, I can see how being in flow, listening to my body, and trusting the process will bring a wellbeing far more profound than when I  try and force it or artificially recreate it.  I simply must allow and listen to the innate guidance we all have inside of us.

The deeper aspects of living Off White invite each of us to listen to that inner wisdom and learn from nature.    I have been humbled and inspired lately by this concept, and my hope is that perhaps you will to.  
A place to begin?  How about gratitude.  Think of something to be grateful for when you sit down to a meal or when you purchase food at the market.  Thing of something you are thankful for when you wake up and when you go to bed.  Its amazing how such a simple concept can really alter your perception of life, and hence the choices you then make, for the better.

I am so grateful for this blog, and the voice you all have given me to express myself.  The internet can be a powerful tool for connection, when the intentions are right.

Thank you 🙂
Rebecca

sorry world, I’ve been a little distracted

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Clearly its been too long.  I couldn’t even recall my wordpress (blog host site) password when I tried to log in.  It took 3 tries.  Yikes!

Fear not, I’m still off-white (well, mostly) and living well.  There have simply been many distractions, such as climbing  trips, husbands getting ready to head to grad school, hard drive failures on my computer, etc.  yes, excuses.  

The pic above is from our recent climb of Mt. Adams, in southern Washington.  We were blessed to be totally unaffected by the fire (not even smoky air), but it was a bit daunting to see the flames grow taller every hour as we completed our expedition.

So, what is new in the world of “off white”, you may ask.  I’ll tell you.  Trail putty.  Yep, that’s a fun new one that we’ve been playing with.  It’s a nice derivation of a tasty treat my friends and I sampled last spring on a bike event up in Washington.  Thank you to the Vancouver cycling club for the inspiration.

Try this recipe when you need a hiking snack or you are tired of shelling out upwards of $3 for a good quality energy bar.  Apparently New Seasons in Portland sells something similar for about $3/bar.  Our are better, I promise!!

Matt’s Trail Putty:

3/4 cup almond butter
2 tbsp rice protein powder
1 tbsp agave nectar
cinnamon, to taste (or leave it out)

In the almond butter jar, fold in the rice powder and the agave and finally the cinnamon.  Take the concoction out of jar and form into a log on tinfoil.  Refrigerate for about 2-3 hrs and cut into strips.

It works best when not squished in a backpack, as we experienced on our climb of Mt. Adams last weekend. 

 

I’m also working on an energy bar made with mung beans, but based on our last sample batch, it’s back to the drawing board for that one.  Mung beans are quite so easy to work with as almond butter is, but we’ll get it.

For those who are wondering about what the heck a mung bean is, check out this site.  Mung beans are an excellent protein and fiber source and are really easy to digest.  In many traditional eastern cultures, cleansing diets often include something called a “kitchery”, usually a mix of mung beans + rice + some veggies for healing.  Good stuff.

I’ll leave you with a clip from Youtube on how to cook some mung bean soup.  Enjoy and have a great “off white” day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VA4JpRRg-94

Secret to getting in all your veggies: Go VEGAN

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I have a secret, which I shall reveal……one of the ways in which I get all my veggies in and learn how to cook with those weird ones, like collards and turnips, is that I go vegan.

Those of you who know me are saying “wait a minute, you totally eat meat”.  yes, this is true, but I also think like a vegan when it comes to getting in my veggies and I use a lot of vegan and vegetarian cookbooks to help me out.

Here’s my thought: meat is relatively easy to prepare, at least in basic ways.  I can broil, bake, pan fry, bbq, etc and get a nice tasty lean protein.  But I can only eat baby carrots and spinach from a bag so long before I really want something creative with vegetables.

I now cook dark, leafy greens, like collards or kale at least once a week, and often 2-3x/week.  But if you knew me 10 yrs ago, this was soooo not the case.  I was your basic American.  I though canned green  beans and canned corn were pretty fine choices to fill my veggie requirement, especially if I ate them with ketchup (yes, gross, I know – but I was all about making them sweet).

My mom gave me my first vegetarian cookbook, entitled “Vegetarian cooking for everyone” by Deborah Madison about 5 yrs ago when I started to seriously change my diet and wanted to know how to make veggies taste better than ice cream.

I give myself permission to write in my cookbooks.  I see  them as living, breathing entities that capture both the author’s perspective and my own about a dish.  Plus, I’m just a geek and like to make note in books.  it make me feel smart.

thank God I have a very compassionate husband, as some of my adventures did not turn out well…such as the lasagna which had about 5 lbs of mushrooms and a bechamel sauce.  I’m sooo not a French chef, and totally underestimated the importance of cooking fine sauces in a tender way with a proven method.   I think we went out to Mexican that night instead…..

So, I want to share one of my favorite recipes from this book.  This one usually comes out pretty well – even for first timers!  I modified it a bit from the original. It makes an awesome summer salad and you can absolutely go carnivorous with it by adding chunks of chicken or turkey to it, or on the side.

Enjoy!

PS: other cookbooks I like are :”Greens”, also by Deborah Madison, and the Blossoming Lotus cookbook.

Quinoa or Bulgur and Green Lentil Salad with Chickpeas

Serves 2-4, depending on serving size

½ cup French green lentils, washed
1 bay leaf
¾ cup fine or medium bulgur or quinoa
5 scallions, including some of the greens, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves
Grated zest of 2 lemons
6-8 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1.5 cups chickpeas (rinsed and drained if canned)
2 cups finely chopped parsley
1 – 1.5 cups chopped vegetables of your choice: cucumber, colored bell peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, etc
½ cup chopped mint

Cover the lentils with water in a small saucepan, add the bay leave and ½ tsp salt.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 25 minutes, until lentils are tender but firm.  Let them stand another 20 minutes.  Cook the grain (bulgur or quinoa as needed)

Whisk together scallions, garlic, lemon zest and juice, oil, paprika, and ½ tsp salt in a large bowl.  When lentils are done, drain them and add them to the dressing.  Press out any excess water.  Add the bulgur along with the chickpeas, parsley, mint, and vegetables.  Toss gently and then taste for salt/pepper. Can be served warm or cold.

The “lean and green” approach to falling off the Off-White wagon

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DID YOU KNOW THAT OVER 2,000 SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES HAVE BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT THE PHENOMENA OF SUGAR/CARB ADDICTION?? Its no wonder that some of us fall prey to the white stuff, even just “once”, and are back in the throws of bondage w/no way out….

But there is hope: Just recently a friend of mine shared a great term with me.  “Lean and Green”, she called it.  This refers to consuming a source of lean protein and ample green vegetables as part of a weight-loss, but also sugar/carb detox process.

Well, I just love the term and it fits so nicely to explain my suggestions for when you fall off the “off white” wagon and your knee deep into white stuff….

I can relate to falling off the wagon. In fact, for some parts of my life I spent most of my time bouncing up and down between the two: on one day and off the other.  I certainly don’t recommend this approach because it gave me nothing but bruises….

So, if you are struggling I want you to know that it is okay.  You are okay.  It may seem like the “white food” monster has a grip on you, but there is a way out.

THe way out starts with willingness.  How uncomfortable, inconvenienced, wanting for sweets but not having them, are you willing to be in order to flush out the white stuff.  Willingness can move mountains, if that is what you want.  Be honest with yourself.

So, if you are willing to do what it takes and put abstaining from sugar/flour first, then here’s what I suggest nutritionally:

  • Eat “Lean and Green”: lean meats (organic and free-range as much as possible) + cooked and raw green veggies for at least 1 full meal, if not two per day.  This helps detox from sugar and bring your pH back to normal (alkaline vs acidic from carbs)
  • Boost your water.  Even if you drink a lot of water, drink even more.  Add some lemon to help get the GI tract moving.  You need to eliminate that white stuff so your body forgets about it.
  • Eat gluten-free, high fiber grains, such as quinoa, brown rice, and millet/amaranth.  If you must have oatmeal, make sure it is whole oats and that you’re not adding sugar or dried fruits for a few days.
  • Consume fruit only with a meal, and focus on low sugar fruits like mango, berries (all types), green apples, lemons, limes, kiwis.  The reason for eating fruits with meals has to do with keeping the blood sugar in balance.  Fruits on their own, while they can have some digestive benefits (Ayurveda and Chinese medicine support eating fruits alone), this is not good for blood sugar nor for detoxing from the “sweet” taste
  • Be patient, and take it 1 meal at a time.  Sugar and flour create opiates in some people’s bodies/brains, which means that the longing for them can be really strong. Support from friends, family, coaches, nutritionists, group support systems, etc can help with this VERY REAL PHYSICAL PHENEMONA.

I hope this helps – I know that it works for me, when I find myself on the white road of insanity and sugar….

Wheat free vegetarian lasagna recipe

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Hello all,

I am making a lasagna for a class I teach (titled “off white”, naturally….) and feel the recipe is just too good not to share.

BUT, before I do…a word about the cost of veggies.

You’ve probably noticed an increase in the cost of veggies this year so far.  For instance, I paid nearly $7 for 3 large zucchini for the lasagna.  I feel that the committment to eating “off white” and creating that base of fruits and veggies is going to be more at risk as the cost of “healthy” food rises while junk food stays cheap.  Just today I saw Kellog’s cereals, like Trix, on sale for $1.88/box.  That is quite cheap.  Even in my hayday of eating those items it was difficult to get them for under $2.  It may be that the overlords of processed foods will take advantage of the economic times and tempt us to make choices for economical reasons.

I get it that paying $7/lb for bell peppers (which I heard of today) is not sustainable.  And this blog is all about sustainable, so what can we do to keep our options open?  Here are some ideas.  The recipe is next, I promise 🙂

  • Plant a garden.  Invest in a few  good organic plants (which are inexpensive when they are  small).  Two or three good plants may yield ample amounts to get you through the season
  • Share your garden bounty with friends and trade for what you do/don’t have
  • Buy what is on sale (especially local stuff) and freeze excess.  Frozen veggies and fruits are almost as good as fresh
  • Don’t let those veggies go to waste.  raise your hand if you sometimes throw away produce that goes bad?  At $5-7/lb that won’t happen, right?
  • Shop local farmer’s markets, roadside stands, etc
  • Buy organic frozen veggies when you can and it makes sense for what you are cooking
  • Buy bulk at Costco – share with a friend if its too much

Okay, here’s what you’ve been waiting for:

Sneaky Spelt Lasagna (wheat free, vegetarian)

7 Vitaspelt Spelt lasagna noodle
1 bag frozen organic chopped spinach
1 15-oz container ricotta cheese
8 oz real mozzarella
8 oz mozzarella almond or rice cheese
3/4 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 large jar organic marinara sauce, flavored as you like it
1/2 cup cream of tomato organic soup (optional for added flavor)
3 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
2 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste
3 large zucchini, thinly sliced using a Mandolin or with a knife

Boil noodles to al dente.  Place 3 noodles + 1/2 in the bottom of a lasagna dish.  Mix the marinara with the chopped onion, mushrooms and soup.  Set aside.  Defrost spinach and then add with basil, thyme and ricotta.  Blend until fully mixed.  Shred the cheeses.

Add approx 1/3 of marinara mix to 1st layer of spelt noodles.  Next add similar amount of ricotta mix.  Now add a similar amount of shredded cheese. Add a layer of Zucchini, fully covering the dish (this acts like a pasta layer).  Repeat with the marinara, ricotta and cheese.  Add the last of the noodles.  Add marinara and ricotta layer and THEN ADD 1 MORE ZUCCHINI LAYER.

Finally, coat the top with leftover cheese.

Cook at 375 for 30-40 minutes, with at least 10 of those with the dish uncovered.  It makes A LOT of lasagna 🙂

Other options:

1. use cottage cheese in place of ricotta, or silken tofu, flavored with Italian spices

2. Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts into cheese mix for added texture and fat

3. Use only almond or rice cheese for a low/non-dairy option

4. Add about 3/4 lb ground turkey to marinara mix for a carnivorous delight

“Good Earth” gives good stuff….

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Sometimes one has to go vintage to get a good reminder that the basics have been around for a while.

What I’m talking about is my recent ‘re-discovery’ of a product that kills the sweet craving because its so yummy and naturally sweet, but is just a tea made of herbs.

I’m talking about Good Earth Original Herbal blend tea.  SOOO delicious.  Here I am sipping a cup on (another) rainy day in Oregon, so happy that I don’t even want to add anything like Agave or stevia.  Its the cinnamon and chicory root, I think, that makes it so good and gives it that earthy sweetness.

When shopping, look for this label:

I chose the non-caffeinated option because I don’t do caffeine well, and I save up my caffeine for chocolate.

Happily I discovered a new tea blend on the website: Cocoa chai tea – I know what my next purchase will be.

Check them out -they have some awesome blends, the company has been around for over 30 yrs, and they do good things for the environment, like make their boxes out of recycled paper and have partnered with American Forests to plant trees.

Enjoy,

Rebecca

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