Gandhi’s Top 10 Fundamentals for Changing the World.

I am grateful for my Life. 

1. Change
“You must be the change you want to see in the world.”
“As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world – that is the myth of the atomic age – as in being able to remake ourselves.”

2. Control.
“Nobody can hurt me without my permission.”

3. Forgiveness
“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
“An eye for eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”

4. Action.
“An ounce of practice is worth more than tons of preaching.”

5. The present moment.
“I do not want to foresee the future. I am concerned with taking care of the present. God has given me no control over the moment following.”

6. Everyone is human.
“I claim to be a simple individual liable to err like any other fellow mortal. I own, however, that I have humility enough to confess my errors and to retrace my steps.”
“It is unwise to be too sure of one’s own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.”

7. Persist.
“First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.”

8. Goodness.
“I look only to the good qualities of men. Not being faultless myself, I won’t presume to probe into the faults of others.”
“I suppose leadership at one time meant muscles; but today it means getting along with people.”

9. Truth
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”
“Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well.”

10. Development.
“Constant development is the law of life, and a man who always tries to maintain his dogmas in order to appear consistent drives himself into a false position.”

Making Water Kefir

Water Kefir

• 1/4 -1/3 cup of water kefir grains
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup organic cane sugar 
• 1 quart of filtered water or spring water
• 4 drops Liquid minerals or 1 tea of molasses (kefir grains thrive on minerals and I notice a difference when I don't add them, they also make them grow)

Take sugar and put it in the jar put about 1 cup hot water in....swish it around until sugar is dissolved. Add the rest of the water, minerals and kefir grains. Put on the lid and let sit in a warm place for 24 to 48 hours. Strain off the finished liquid into another container using a plastic strainer (grains don't like metal), once you rinse your grains you can use them for your next batch. Now you can flavor your Water Kefir.

Fruit Juice kefir: I use about 1 cup of juice and then fill the bottle with rest of the way with Kefir....shake and leave in a dark warm place to ferment for another 48 hours. Then refrigerate and enjoy.

This is the only way that I have made flavoured kefir. I am still experimenting....have fun with it. The kids love it and it is so so good for you. 

Juice Juice Juice

Here are 3 main reasons why juicing is so beneficial :

1. The juice requires hardly any digestion, so all its nutritional goodness gets rapidly into your system.
2. When you juice, you use more fruits and vegetables than you could actually eat. As a result, you are drinking a densely packed amount of vitamins, minerals and other plant-based nutrients.
3. Liver detoxification.

Juice #1

• 5 - Carrots
• 2 - Sweet potato
• 1 - Apple 

Juice #2

• 2 - Beets
• 5 - carrots
• 1 - cucumber
• 1 - Lime

Juice #3

• 7 - Stocks of Celery
• 7 - Romane lettuce leaves 
• 1 - Cucumber
• 2 - Apples
• small piece of ginger
• 1- Lemon
• hand full of Cilantro

I love juicing!!! I have a Hurom Slow Juicer. I got it from Costco...shipped right to my door....gotta love that. It is called a "Slow Juicer" because it operates at only 80 RPM and uses a mere 150 Watts of energy, instead of 1,000-24,000 RPM and up to 1,500 Watts of energy like a typical centrifugal "High Speed" juicer. But don't let the name fool you. My Slow Juicer actually juices faster than most typical juicers and expels much drier pulp with a much higher yield. 
The method of extraction is masticating and pressing, using the screw-like auger like a mortar and pestle. The action crushes and presses the food, releasing its deep-seated nutrients and enzymes. It also breaks up more of the phytonutrients, resulting in a richer colored juice that retains more vitamins and minerals. The slow RPM ensures that it does not disrupt the cellular structure of fruits and vegetables, eliminating oxidation and separation. Thus, it preserves the precious enzymes and nutrients that are closest to its natural form.



Hope you add a juice to your daily routine.


Ejoy

What is Kombucha?

Kombucha contains many healthful and healing properties that I believe help me heal myself and overcome fatigue.

Kombucha a fermented tea drink made by fermenting tea with a solid culture or "mushroom" shown to the left. Raw kombucha tea with no juice additives tastes like cider on the vinegary side. Kombucha can also can be quite effervescent.

Kombucha originated in Russia and the Ukraine during the late 19th century.

Kombucha is bursting with life, containing organic acids, active enzymes, amino acids, and polyphenols including acetic acid (anti-microbial in nature), butyric acid, gluconic acid, glucuronic acid, lactic acid, malic acid, oxalic acid, usnic acid, and  B-vitamins.

Many people have reported experiencing a whole range of beneficial effects from drinking kombucha. Decreased fatigue, improved skin appearance, enhanced digestion, detoxification, healthier hair and nails, and amelioration of a range of pain symptoms. People who have had cancer have also said they think kombucha helped their bodies heal. The maker of Synergy Kombucha states on the bottle that the founder's mother survived breast cancer because of kombucha.

How Easy is it to Grow Your Own Kombucha?

If you can boil water you should be able to grow your own kombucha. It's a fairly easy process with minimal input. All you need are a few black or green tea bags, a couple jugs of distilled water or spring water, (which I get right up the road) organic sugar a large glass bowl that can hold at least 4 quarts of water (got my 10L one from Costco), and a clean dish cloth.

Container Size	Tea	Sugar	Water	Starter Tea or Vinegar
One quart	1½ teaspoon loose tea or 2 tea bags	¼ cup	2-3 cups	½ cup
½ Gallon	1 tablespoon loose tea or 4 tea bags	½ cup	6-7 cups	1 cup
Gallon	2 tablespoons loose tea or 8 tea bags	1 cup	13-14 cups	2 cups

To make flavoured Kombucha I put 1 cup of organic juice in my 1 litre bottles, fill them up to the top and store them in a air tight bottle in the cupboard for another 4-7 days. I got beautiful bottles with those hinge tops from a beer making store in Calgary. After the 4 days put them in the fridge. They will have a lot of bubbles...my Kombucha is like Champagne. One of my favourites is peach.

Since kombucha "mushrooms" double each time you make a new batch of tea you might find yourself with more than you know what to do with after a few weeks. This is a good time to start giving them away to people or composting them in your garden. So If anyone wants a mushroom just let me know...mine is growing like crazy!!!




Enjoy

Black Sesame Seeds

Home made Sauerkraut with cucumber salad topped with Black Sesame Seeds  

Salad:

cucumber
tomato
onion
avocado
nori sheet
Dressing:
Apple cider vinage
olive oil
garlic
ginger
lime juiced
salt & pepper 

What's on my mind today....well it's actually been a couple of months now.....It's my Hair.  I am going gray, about 75% gray....so my hair dresser tells me....and there for I'm going lighter.....not too happy about this fact of life. So I have pulled out the Black sesame seeds...you may ask why? Well research suggests that antioxidant properties can prevent the oxidation of cells that cause grey hair.  I don't know if it will bring my dark hair back but it's worth a try. 

Here are some other reasons why you should eat Black Sesame Seeds.

• The skin is one of the parts of the body that readily benefits from eating sesame seeds. Sesame seeds are known regulators of skin health and are also good for skin cell growth.
• Sesame seeds are rich in antioxidants and antioxidants are strongly linked to anti-aging, cancer prevention and promoting heart health.  
• They are good for fighting off free radicals 
• Black sesame seeds are rich in minerals like iron, calcium, copper and manganese and phosphorus. 
• Black sesame seeds have been used in traditional Chinese medicine and traditional Ayurveda Indian medicine to address the underlying physical disturbances that lead to aging and premature gray hair. 

Enjoy

Apple Cinnamon Chia Seed Cereal

Apple Cinnamon Chia Seed Cereal 

Being a stay at home Mother is one of my passions. I am a Mother of 5 boys....yes all mine. Two of my older son's have moved out but are still over all the time. One of my other passions is to share with others the joy in all that I do. Health and wellness are important to me. I like things that are quick, easy and nutritious. This recipe is all three. There are so many variations for this recipe that I will share with you in the future....stay tuned.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups spring water or filtered water
• 1/2 cashew nuts
• 5 brazil nuts
• 2 tbsp hemp seeds
• 2 tbsp lecithin 
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 1 apple
• 1 banana
• pinch of sea salt
• sweeten with stevia, honey or maple syrup

Preparation:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender.
2. Blend until it thickens up.
3. Top with coconut, chopped nuts, sliced apples, sprinkle a little cinnamon and don't forget goji berries.

This mixture gets pretty thick. My Vitamix handles anything but I'm not sure about using a regular blender...let me know if you do and if it works. You could also use 2 1/2 cups of nut milk and skip the cashew nuts, brazil nuts, and hemp seeds. I do it this way because it's easy for me and I must say it's a nice combination. 

Seth enjoying his breakfast with his black bear

 Chia seeds are a great source of Omega-3 and 6 essential fatty acids. Omega-3s enhances immunity and promotes communication between brain cells. That means your kids will get smarter and also good for us working Mothers. They are also high in fibre, antioxidants, which means we are going to be looking and feeling younger everyday, calcium, protein, magnesium and much much more. Oh they also help regulate blood sugar levels, thus curbing the desire to overeat! 

Side Note: I drink chia seed with Chlorophyll everyday....love the stuff. My husband Jon and the kids enjoy it too.....add some lemon or any other flavouring with a little sweeter and you shouldn't have a problem getting your little ones to drink it....they're so much fun. 

Enjoy

Omegas

Omegas from raw, sprouted hemp, flax and chia. I blend it all into my morning smoothie. I also love placing a couple Tablespoons of chia in a bowl with dried fruits like goji berries and golden berries. Both are high in antioxidants to combat free radical damage and oxidation of our cells, keeping us looking and feeling more youthful and vibrant. Soak chia and fruit in your favorite nut milk for 5-10 minutes to hydrate into a gel, and enjoy! Chia holds a ton of water, and keeps our skin hydrated.