WTF is purpose ? And why does your health depend on it ?

Imagine my disappointment: I took my study-hating butt back to university for a degree in Nutrition Science, studied biochemical reactions in pathophysiology for 3 years, quit sugar and gluten and dairy and booze, learnt meditation, got yoga certified, found and faced some big character villains, recommitted to creativity, bought a vitamix... and then realized I've been missing a MAJOR piece in this proverbial puzzle of "Health" (it's a jigsaw titled Do-Re-Mi, a picture of Julie Andrews and Captain von Trapp frolicking and singing in the Austrian living hills with their seven perfect Kinder).

Intention. Purpose. A mission. 

I've heard clever calm folks like Deepak Chopra and a few enlightened priests and self-help authors preach it, but their abstract clichés fell on deaf, lazy ears. I never actually really gave the concept any more thought than: " YAH, I have purpose! I'm going to work tomorrow so that I can afford to buy rent and organic watercress and fancy cheese and those cool blue jeans I pinned so that I'll be happy and likeable and have many friends and a family, and an ego so stroked it has carpet burn. Rise, rinse and repeat, till death does me part. Pursue my posterior, you deep-pocketed messiah-wannabes" 

Well. Joke's on me.  Here is the bottom line of all this "intention" BS:

You have something unique about you, a natural ability that others view as a 'strength' and when you're nailing it, it feels like a fire in your belly and like you could probably fly if you tried. Doing this thing makes you feel completely authentic and energised and badass, and puts a literal skip in your step. 

Not doing it makes you feel stuck, frustrated, bored, out-of-flow, irritable, inferior, misunderstood, depressed, anxious and like you're surviving, not thriving. 

Many people are scared of accepting the responsibility of their uniqueness. Because A Big Thing can shake the ground when it crumbles and we're very scared of shaky soil beneath our feet. You can't blame us - we live in a huge, insecure, threatening world and we're taught from a very young age that "everything is dangerous" and "if at first you don't succeed, find an excuse and give up,". Along with  "broken things are ugly", "flawless is perfect and commendable, here's a trophy!" and "don't expose your vulnerability because then people will see your cracks and fears and know where to ninja-chop you".  

Computer says NO! You MUST absolutely be vulnerable in order to really be happy and healthy. "The courage to be imperfect" as Brené Brown puts it in the best Ted talk in the history of Ever. We must train ourselves to be honest about what we want and brave enough to take massive, scary risks to summit the peaks of our daydreams. We must be ready to fall on our face, repeatedly, and allow people to help us dust off and get back on track. 

Cruising in the safe lane sets you up for sadness and sickness and some potentially serious regrets along the way. 

The "wannabe messiahs" and purpose-driven peeps with the pudding to prove it, say this is how to find more aligned flow in your life and work: 

1. Learn to fit-out 

Forget what your parents and teachers and the 'popular' kids have instilled in you all your life. Stop trying so hard to fit in, blend on, camouflage against, lay low, with the status quo. The real bizniz happens when you find and feed what it is that makes you fit OUT.  What is odd about you? What do people always thank or compliment you for? If you disappeared from the face of the earth tomorrow, what would be missing? It's okay if the answer seems 'small-scale', roll with it, it probably isn't at all. Take or leave or laugh at this this pro tip, but it's fool-proof effective: Get quiet and comfortable and ask yourself who you are.  For 10 minutes. Every day. For the rest of your life. 

2. Practice courage 

Do small things that scare you, daily. Re-strengthen your gutsy muscle and become braver. The neat thing about this is it's just a matter of literally re-membering: you once belonged to the Fearless Kids club: a group of mini-humans who are curious and race around crashing themselves into all of life without an ounce of worry or whim. Remember how many times you failed and fell over? Was it such a big deal after all?

 3. Ask not "what do I need?" but "what needs ME" ?

Service is a bit of a buzz word in the mind-soul-health realm. And again it has to do with your mission, ambition, the thing that drives you on the deepest of deeps. You're not a fony idiot, you need a real reason to get up and give give a sh*t about something every day. The bigger that thing is, the more people it touches, the more passion-driven it is, the more likely you are to be effortlessly motivated to keep going and growing at it. It's okay if you want to keep things 'safe' and make your life one long un-deliberate string of indulged fleeting ego urges, but I think you're smarter than that. Way smarter. And I think you secretly agree. It's a disservice to the world not to share your gifts. 

Don't make us wait. The suspense will kill us. And you.  

Let's get working on training our courage and vulnerability, with the same reverence that we use for sit-ups and trail runs and vegetable eating. 

So long, fare well, auf Wiedersehen goodniiiiiight. 

xox 

What you wish you knew about Nutrition

Sup butts!? 

In the first of a series that will answer all your Qs about the mad world of HEALTH + FOOD, here is our first answer to question one, asked by some sweet anonymous reader who we will call Ravin Junior, because that was one of Klara's lie names as a kid:

1. " Since when is healthy food such a big deal? If you're not obese why should you give a HOOT about what you put on your plate?? " 

WERD! (insert applause emoji). Here are the 3 main surprising things that happened to make us REALLY start to care about what we ate : 

• insulin, the hormone that keeps our blood sugar nice and steady for optimal brain and body functioning is very closely linked to the food we eat at every single meal. SO WHAT?  Here's what: HORMONES (e.g. thyroid hormones, sex hormones, sleep hormones, happy hormones, motivation hormones) ENERGY CONVERSION (metabolism and fat storage), FERTILITY (Polycystic ovaries, irregular ovulation, PMS symptoms) CONCENTRATION (brain fog, memory issues, attention deficit), INFLAMMATION (soooo many widespread inflammatory disorders these days unfortunately), CRAVINGS, MUSCLE MASS, EYE HEALTH, NERVE HEALTH, etcetera, etcetera!) Insulin affects a lot of stuff in the body. So we learned that, in this modern world of hyper-processed high GI everything, keeping insulin chilled-out and managing the glucose we eat can go a loooooong way in keeping our cells young and functional. Viva protein and complex carbs. 

• artificial chemicals in everything started taking its toll. We are animals after all. And such resilient beasts too. But something from nature will tolerate a foreign 'poison-like substance' only for so long before it reaches an exhausted, fed-up state and starts dysfunctioning in the most mysterious of ways. Examples? Remember when margarine was awesome and everyone jumped on it like it was the last fucking train to Disneyland, ever? We ate that crap and any version of it for years until some scientists wondered why heart disease is getting worse not better, then proceeded to figure out that an almost 14-step process of emulsifying, dyeing, hydrogenating and bleaching a food product can actually cause serious health issues in the body, beyond just our arteries. Wooopsies. So we started testing all kinds of chemicals on our food - pesticides on fruits and veg, chemicals in the plastic around all our food, colourants, preservatives, GMOs, syrups-, non-sugar sweeteners, all those big words on the ingredients list... we discovered that these foreign, factory creations are interfering big-time with our perfectly smart, self-correcting, self-healing bodies. More chemicals, more complications, more toxins, more cell confusion, more cancer?

• drugs and 'medicine' companies got very powerful and we stopped trusting them.  Healthcare became all about pharmaceuticals -- killing symptoms with chemicals in the form of patentable, profitable pills. Medical care became dishonest as it priorotized superficial, quick-fix surface 'treating' and ignored fundamental, deeper healing and prevention. A few really smart and still-sick patients realsized that modern medicine is great for acute emergency care but sucks when it comes to the chronic, more mysterious long-term health issues like heart disease, diabetes, digestive disorders, inflammatory conditions, fatigue, age-related issues, etc. Taking health into their own hands, these brave individuals removed toxins like drugs and focused on just supporting their whole bodies with the good basic building blocks - clean unprocessed, non-sprayed whole foods; pure untreated water;  fewer artificial chemicals, more natural nutrients, less psychological stress. And YES, slowly their bodies started to get stronger and healthier again. No way. Suddenly,  we all got super curious and the medical research exploded!  Now it's a widely accepted verity: The healthcare needs of the 21st century can only be met with a medical model that is personalized, looks at all the interconnected body systems together, and addresses the underlying causes of disease rather than just numbing the after, aftermath signs and symptoms. 

Now holistic health very much is the new black. Quinoa is the go-to not-grain that even your pet prefers. Smoothies are the cool self-care accessory, and Avocados are the Oprah of Instagram. 

It's a good day to be alive. Ish.  I got you. Stay tuned for satiety and sanity and everything in between. 

Next question, next week. Love you like peanutbutter pie (with a quinoa crust).  xox 

The Mother of all Snack Attacks

Here's the thing about bites and nibbles:

 They're deeply comforting. And they complete every almost-perfect picture. What is a sky-full sunset drink on the beach without that ultimate bite of something salty crisp? What is the 4-hour super-soundtrack scenic road trip without the half-way surprise emergence of a packet of fresh chewables for all?  Edible gifts are often a welcome substitute for actual face-to-face verbal expression of gratitude or condolence or commendation or affection (hello chocolate industry). Snacks have a magical transformative power also: Any proper, awkward situation is instantly softened into a warm-hearted familial gathering as soon as someone pulls out a box of homemade cookies or a packet of sour worms to share with the group. The ice breaking is almost as audible as the communal lip-smacking and suddenly everyone is best buds, "Wow, so sour! Thank you! Here, try some of my beef jerky. In Africa we call it billtong. Like the tongue of a bull. No? okay". 

I'm not here to shun the snacks that clearly serve as butt-savers (ironically) in many a tongue-tied, thumb-twirled situation. I totally get your need to chew (who else tripped hard on sugar at age 5 from marathon eating 38 bubble-gum chappies all at once while watching The Magic Schoolbus at 7am on a Saturday?! No? okay). 

We're all adults now and can calmly accept that The Snack is here to stay. But our recent regard for the wellness of our insides proposes an all new challenge. My sister recently asked me, "What super easy healthy snacks can I have?"  I was like, "Uhm, how about carrot sticks with hummus!". To which she replied, "Carrot sticks? Like, I have to cut normal carrots-that aren't-sticks into stick shapes to eat them?! OK, no. What else?" 

So here, for my sweetest sibling, and any other semi health-aware, busy as balls, lazy as butts, modern working peeps out there, I present to you 10 lesser evil snack ideas for your sharp tongues and ever-empty tums. 

1. A small-ish whole wobbly carrot, washed not cut, dipped in hummus before each bite. 

I have, finally, mastered the art of dipping anything into hummus. Raw cauliflower mini-trees (super detoxifiers!), radishes, apple slices, peppadews, endive leaves, cherry tomatoes (yes, it's messy) and then, when the crudites are all out, my index finger.  Hummus is a flavour-dense, all natural plant-based dip made from high-protein chick-peas, making it the perfect spread. Where there is protein, there is satiety, stable blood sugar, and hope for humanity! I make my own hummus because its easier than pie, and cheaper than... buying anything already made . But you can buy yours next time instead of reaching for the mayo or cream-cheese or dressing. (The fewer ingredients in your hummus the better e.g. chick peas, tahini, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, maybe chili)

2. Banana bites with dollops of nut butter on them.

Not much more explanation needed here. Just again, "protein for president!". I prefer almond butter these days. Apples work real nice too. So do strawberries! (peanut butter and jelly/jam sandwiches sans the sticky stuffy bread).  

3. Fancy popcorn. 

Microwave all natural, non-flavoured, popcorn and then whilst hot, carefully open and sprinkle garlic-salt, onion powder, and a sprinkle of truffle oil  in there. Also add some finely grated parmesan or a few shakes of nutritional yeast (for a non-dairy/ vegan option) Then hold the top closed and SHAKE HARD!! serve.

3.  Parmesan crisps

Who likes melted cheese that cooled a bit and got hard? Right?  Pile and press small circular heaps of grated parmesan (or any cheese really) and bake on a baking sheet in a pre-heated oven 400 degrees F (200*C) for 3-5 mins until melted and golden almost-crispy. Sprinkle with some dried herbs (thyme, rosemary, pepper) if you feel fancy, and let them cool before you package or serve. Dip them in hummus! No?! Okay. 

4. Crispy chick-peas. 

You must get on this already. Drain and rinse a can/jar of cooked chickpeas, pat them dry and toss them in some coconut oil (preferable)/ olive oil/ ghee, then spread them on a baking sheet and bake in a pre-heated oven (400F/200C) for about 30-40 mins until super golden crispy. While they're warm, sprinkle with sea-salt and any spice blend you like (Cajun/ Garlic) or grate over some lemon zest for a surprising side-kick flavour. Let them cool and then dig in to crunchy, nutty low-carb high protein saltiness. 

5. Avocado nori roles

These are killer and vegan and silky and fancy. Not the fastest on the list but worth it.  Mush 2 avocados in a medium sized bowl. Add to it: the juice of a lemon or lime; 2 palm-fulls of finely-chopped chives or shallots; some freshly grated horseradish (or a tablespoon of wasabi paste); some grated cucumber/raw zucchini; half a cup of roasted pine-nuts; sea-salt and black pepper to taste.. Then spread this almost-guacamole onto 2 nori sheets and roll into sushi-like rolls. Cut into bites with a super sharp knife! (Wet the blade with water after every slice to cut through the tough Nori). Then make a dipping sauce of Tamari /Soy sauce with fresh ginger juice and some chili flakes (add a spoon of melted honey for sweetness). 

6. Hard-boiled eggs and hot-sauce avocado spread

I know, a literal mouthful. Hard-boil a bunch of free-range farm eggs. (boiled eggs are always to be found in my fridge, for you just never know) then cut them in half and serve with a dollop of the following creamy spread: Avocado mashed with a few shakes of your favourite hot sauce (Tabasco/ Tapatio/ Huy Fong Chili Garlic/ Cholula), lots of fresh black pepper and a dash of tamari (saltiness). If you want to be fun and ridiculous soak your boiled eggs in tamari sauce over-night so they get brown and salty and zingy (One of my favourite bars in Paris Le Mary Celeste does a similar thang). 

7. All of the round things. 

This is an ode to all of nature's round pearls of nurture. Grapes, berries, cherries, cherry tomatoes. I like to throw these glorious little balls into one pretty bowl and serve them ice-cold to my self and/or non-annoying others. Toddlers and elders alike love this situation. And unless you've been hiding in a cave with your sleeping mask over your eyes and new Hot Chip in your ears, then you will certainly know by now that berries are basically the healthiest things on earth, just ahead of red grapes (resveratrol please) and cherry tomatoes (lycopene thanks). So there's that. Up the fancy (and protein content) by adding tiny mozzarella balls or cubes of special mild hard french cheese) 

8. Leftovers that once were warm.

Never underestimate the accumulative flavour of yesterday's dinner, now served cold with some avocado or rucola to garnish. I'm talking sliced steak, fish, cold grilled mushrooms, peppers, eggplant, onions,crispy grilled green beans, sweet potato fries dipped in a garlic mustard sauce?! 

9.  Smoothies! 

I'm sorry but I really can't resist adding the super-star of nutrition here because 1. who doesn't like a creamy sweet milkshake and 2. what else gives you so much fulfilling wellness in 3 minutes? The base of any successful smoothie is a sliced frozen banana, a handful of green leaves, some water and non-dairy milk (almond/rice/hemp) a spoonful of nut butter and then whatever else you want to play with (berries, matcha powder, a date, chia seeds). 

10. The darkest chocolate. 

Cacao is enjoying worldwide fame all over again after the breaking news that it is in fact so full of health that we just don't know what to do with ourselves. Now unfortunately some idiot a long time ago decided that the perfect compliment to the world's healthiest natural antioxidant aphrodisiac, would be cow's milk (intended for baby cows) and toxic sugar (intended for no one) and voila! "Chocolate" as we know it was born. Not ideal. Stick to dark dark dark for extra beneficial bitterness. You'll get used to it and you'll end up being satisfied with much less. And do, for goodness sake, ENJOY every melting mouthful. 

Thanks for reading sweet treats. If you like what you've learned then feel free to spread it all over like glitter, thereby assisting my dream of reaching the entire wide world. Casual.  

Thank yooouu.  I'll never forget your deeds :) 

Together in munching, xox 

New month new MOJO

Well hello June-bugs!!

holy shits and bambis, what happened to the first half of 2015 ?   

Who else thinks it's a total waste of time to worry about how time never stops? ok good. With that out the way, let's look forward, to infinity and beyond and not waste a single second more on bad vibes that cramp your zen. Here are 4 snippits of hope slash wisdom slash real talk to keep you cool as f*ck and well on your way towards your most kickbutt self. 

1. Shed the BS. New month new narrative.

Chose one sentence that your mind likes to tell you often. (I'm not ready. I need to do...... first. I'm too busy. I'll be happy when.....No one gets me. Everyone is lame. I'm always tired. I hate my job. I'll never look that cool.) And then push the delete key on it. Draw a line straight through. Say SHUT it. Erase the bullshite from your database like it never was. It's only becoming an excuse for you not to give yourself what you want. So bid it g'bye and then notice how nice it feels to let go of these blah beliefs. You ARE ready. You DO have a lot of time in a day. Some people totally get you. You don't hate. You're not always tired, but thinking about being tired will make you feel tired. You do have what you need. In abundance. 

2. Have a brain break. 

No, not phone scrolling. Not checking your emails. Not getting a snack. Not indulging your old narratives (see point 1). No automatic default shit. A one-minute dedicated mindful moment of tuning inward and taking 3 slow oxygenating, restorative breaths. Close your eyes if you want. Maybe slowly scan your body from head to toe. Gently soften the areas of discomfort. Take a super long exhale and then check back in to your task with new sharpness and vigour! Now that was 2 minutes well spent. See, you do have time :)

3. Revisit your resolutions.

Remember all those rigid new years resolutions you had in January? Me neither.

My guess it it was probably to work out more and eat healthier. But here's a not-so-new(s)flash: WORKing out sucks because it has the word work in it. And healthy food has a bad rep because someone once over-boiled broccoli and called it 'healthy'. Here's what you should be asking yourself. What will 'working out' and 'eating healthy' get me? And how important is that to me? What do I want from life and do I need a healthy body and mind to get it? Then, once you've clarified your purpose, find movement that feels good for you and food that you really LOVE to eat! It's that simple. 

4. Make daily life better. 

Obvious yet hard to stick to. As grown-ups we're super skilled at being serious, inconspicuous and stressed out about life's variables. Not so much at living though. Question your stress-ness. What's it getting you to have this tight-ass chest and racing heart? Uncover your reasons to lighten-up. Surely we're missing the point if we aren't having at least a little bit of clean, senseless fun every day? 

I wrote a separate post on this. It's some spiel about being happy in the present moment because the past is dead-and-gone and the future is iffy and unpredictable.  It's revolutionary and utterly original. Have a re-fresher here. 

I'll be sharing my rando moments of childsplay on the ol' instagram and if you do the same then it'll be almost like a global revolution of lightening-the-f-up? Whose in? Hashtag BSBplay. 

Lastly, thanks for being here. Love you like butter xox 

Mediterranean diet with extra fat prevents cognitive decline

Evidence that eating nuts and fish and veggies keeps you sharp as a tack ! 

HOLD up! We already knew that peeps at the Med tend to live longer than the rest of us and their diets have cardio-protective effects BUT NOW, as of yesterday, we also have hardcore first-level evidence that following a Mediterranean-type diet, with extra fat, is closely related to better cognitive function and a reduced risk of dementia.  

Which is way cool. If you have a birthday every year and are into the idea of keeping, or maybe even improving, your brain power as you age.  

A Med diet Pyramid 

The 4-year study, conducted at the University of Barcelona in Spain followed and tested 447 cognitively healthy participants aged 55-80 years, who were put on a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, and almonds) or olive oil (five tabelspoons of extra virgin) versus a control group on a low-fat diet.  Memory function, frontal (attention and executive function) and general global cognition (assessed by a Mini-Mental State Examination) all significantly benefited in the Mediterranean diet plus fats group. 

Viva Preventative Medicine! 

Here is a simplified 1-day Med diet food plan example for you: 

BreakF: What I just had: 

Gluten-free steel cut oats, crushed raw walnuts, raw farm honey, cinnamon, organic dried berries with a cup of green tea. 

Lunch: All Of The Greens (the darkest, freshest, funkiest greens you can get your paws on) covered with 3 of your favourite/ seasonal chopped fresh veg (sugar snap peas, radishes, mushrooms, beets) with a fist-size portion of grilled salmon OR 3 skin-and-bone tinned sardines covered in this dressing: olive oil, fresh ginger, fresh garlic, pepper, a bit of mustard, a dash of raw honey. 

Snack:  fresh-cut carrot sticks dipped in creamy hummus / a palm-full of mixed raw nuts and a bowl of fresh cherries / apple dipped in almond butter / a freshly-pressed veggie juice. 

Dinner: Egg-Fried Quinoa (pan-fried green onions and finely chopped veggies, cooked quinoa, scrambled eggs, fresh herbs) with a glass of your best red wine. 

And then: 2 blocks of the world's velvetiest, darkest chocolate on earth. 

(side note: this is a generalised suggested meal plan and unfortunately doesn't take into consideration your personal health history, health goals, food intolerances or specific style of life. Still, it's summin. Email me your questions).

(second side note: lets also adopt other Med-like habits for health i.e. outdoors, ocean play, family time, siestas) Deal. 

Follow my Eat This board on Pinterest for more brain-boosting cooking inspo, yo! 

4 life lessons learned in Africa

JUST got back from two delicious weeks of African therapy at home in Namibia where the clean air is thick and sweet and smells of damp earth...and the unspoilt nature wraps itself around you all ways, whether you'd like it to or not. 

I'm back with ample inspiration to share with ya'll, starting with these here 4 wisdoms of the wild: 

1.     Slow gets more done

“Nature never hurries, yet everything is accomplished.” Lao Tzu knew the bizniz.

Despite us all knowing by heart the story of the slow-poke Torotoise and the hyper-active Hare, somehow it’s still considered cool to be in a caffeinated multi-tasking frenzy all day.  Nature shows us that everything has its inevitable place and time and there is nothing you can do about it. So calm down, go through all the ropes with undivided awareness and maybe you too will achieve something impressive like an anthill. 

2.     Animals are smarter than us

Birds have brains the size of a lentil. But they fly many miles towards the nearest water without google maps and build nests that Frank Lloyd Wright himself couldn't design. With their BEAKS! We're stupid man. What if we can achieve all kinds of cool shit if we let go of all this "intellect" and trust whatever it is that helps ants be so awesome.

3.     All you need is less

In big cities like New York we’re constantly bombarded form all angles with messages that we don’t have or do enough. You NEED those f*cking trainers if you want that butt and the boyfriend with the white teeth to run with you. You need 6 different kinds of seasoned himalayan salts,  7 varieties of scented candles, and 8 colours of that PURRRFECT cotton tank top and YOU MUST try the new organic smoked walnut butter at Wholefoods if you care about your health and want to live.

Nature says, “That’s bullshit bambis”.

Things don’t ever get us all the way there. Ad agencies do a super job of scaring us into thinking we need to part with our hard-earned monies to get more and more stuff that will finally make us happy and healthy.  Consumption is grossly overrated. On this visit home I took things back a gear: I sat outside on the lawn with the sun on my skin, laughed with friends and family, picked and prepared whatever veg was in the garden, and was surprised at how satisfied my mind and body was with so much “less”.

4. Your tribe matters 

In the age of information overload and endless possibilities (merci internets), there is little excuse not to be awesome and achieve great things with great success in every area of our lives. ASAP.

But I bet my bum that my final reflections before kicking the bucket one day won’t be delight that I owned and sometimes wore that overpriced Miu Miu anything, or that I got my ass into a size 2 after having kids or that I took that selfie on the f*cking crowded Arc de Triomph that earned me all that approval on “social” media. 

Apparently Love is everything. Anyone over 60 who's done some living says it : Time with your tribe is priceless.

That's it.  

Fin. 

Warm curried zucchini, carrot and chickpea salad

This meal is spicy, gooey, crunchy, HEALTHY and 100% satisfying. 

It started with a craving for curry, a can of cooked chick peas and some carrots. 15 mins later lunch was ready and my family was like "Whaaaat". 

Loaded with anti-inflammatory Turmeric and anti-oxidant pomegranates, good fats that support a healthy metabolism (Coconut oil), vitamin C (in every ingredient), Beta-carotene (in you guessed it, the carrots but also the zucchinis), protein ( the chick peas) and a LOT of fibre. A super low-carb and very hearty vegetarian dish that gets you full of richness without the post-meal food coma. 

Here's what:

• 1 can/jar cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed 

• 2 carrots, sliced thin 

• 2 zucchinis, sliced thin

• 1 small head of broccoli (or anything from the cabbage family e.g red cabbage slithers!

• Greens of your choice 

• 1 cup of pomegranate arils (that's what the edible part of a pomegranate is called)

Here's how: 

1. Fry the chickpeas in a teaspoon of coconut oil on medium heat and season with cumin, a lot of turmeric (2 tsp at least) and a sprinkle of ground cloves and cardamon (just whatever cool indian spices you have and like) for about 8 minutes.  Dish them out of the pan into a plate to wait. 

2. Add the carrots, zucchini and broccoli florets to the pan and sauté them on medium heat in some coconut oil and a dash of tamari or soy sauce. 

3. When they're just soft enough (about 7 mins), turn off the heat and grate over some fresh ginger in the tiniest grater you have (really you're going for the fresh ginger juice sprinkling all over). 

4. Assemble it all on a bed of greens and top with pomegranate arils. 

5. Take a pic and hashtag bothsidesbuttered on the Instagram so I can feel like a proud Italian Mama and we can all live happily ever after. 

  

A hood guide for the Strala guides: 7 favorite spots in our ghetto

How's the concrete jungle treating ya so far, pigeon posers?! 

The city where dreams are made of is filled with the foodstuffs of your dreams. If you know where to look.

I got you.  I came, I saw, I stretched and then I ate and drank. And here I am still doing mostly that.  Please enjoy my mini-guide on the surrounds of Strala, our home-away-from-home-that's-better than-our-actual-home-because: so much ooey-gooey yoga. 

Lets start at the very beginning. Coffee.   

1. La Colombe

Best coffee. Beautiful design details. No wifi.

400 Lafayette St.

2.Gasoline Alley

Great coffee. 1 minute from the studio. Friendly baristas. Nice music. Get a loyalty stamp card. 

325 Lafayette St.

3. The Butcher's Daughter

Good for a relaxing solo lunch. Haphazard wifi. Good salads. Cool side store. 

19 Kenmare St.

4. Siggy's 

Go with friends. Delectable big bowls of plants. No wifi. 

292 Elizabeth St.

5. Juice Press 

Fast. Celeb standard healthy. Pricey. But where else can you get homemade vegan rosemary cream cheese and marinated cucumbers on a toasted sprouted grain bagel, in 2 mins? 

250 Mott St.

6. Juice Generation

Fast. Close. Delicious. Their Peanut Butter Split with added spinach is what everything should taste like. Have all their Acai bowls too. 

69 Prince St

7. Brazilia Cafe 

Big. Bright. Good salad bar. I'm having the vegetable wrap right this minute and it's defos a game-changer in the wrap world. Fast wifi and ample workspace. 

 684 Broadway