Movement for Detox

Exercising is essential for cleansing those organs, and when that isn't enough motivation for you, you can watch one of these videos.

 I long to be this strong and graceful on the mat

This video is both entertaining and educational, and proves just a little bit goes a long way.

Spring is near! Detoxing and canned foods

On my walk to the dogpatch the other day to get a fancy cup of joe, I couldn't help but notice that all of the cherry blossom trees were fully bloomed. Maybe it's because I'm originally an Arizona girl, but spring is definitely my favorite season. It's also a season for detox. I don't mean detox like, let's go on a juice fast for 20 days, but it is a good time to cleanse your body of all the warm, heavy winter foods we've been feeding on. In the next couple weeks I'd like to discuss many ways we can detox and eliminate harmful toxins from our daily lives. 

One thing we can do is limit our exposure to BPA. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used in some plastics. In our bodies this chemical disrupts our natural hormone levels. Some ways we can avoid it is to store our food in glass containers, and limit our intake of canned foods. Canned foods are lined with a BPA plastic, so the acidity of the food doesn't rust the can. Two foods with the highest found levels of BPH are tomatoes and coconut milk. 

For a while after I found this out, I avoided coconut milk all together. Which is sad because I love making curries. Until I found out how easy it is to make your own! If you don't now how, I've left instructions at the bottom of the page. 

In line at Piccino's coffee stand in the dogpatch

You can make coconut milk a few different ways. The most authentically homemade kind is from a whole coconut, however I find using shredded coconut works well and is much faster.


Homemade coconut milk
Need:
A blender or a food processor
cheesecloth or muslin
bowl
a cup of shredded unsweetened organic coconut (more like 7/8 a cup)
1 1/2 cups warm water
2 small jars

1. Place shredded coconut in your blender or food processor and add 1 cup of warm water. Pulse 5 or 6 times, or blend on high for about 30 seconds.

 2. Dump the coconut into a bowl lined with your cheesecloth or muslin, and squeeze the coconut juice out.

3. Place the coconut back into your food processor or blender and add the remaining 1/2 cup of warm water, and repeat the process. 

4. Pour the milk evenly into the jars, and store in the fridge or freezer.

5. Save for a detoxifying recipe that is coming up this week! 

Most wanted list

As I find ways to procrastinate studying for my midterms, I thought I'd share with you my top granola-ish wants at the moment.

1. An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace. By Tamar Adler.
I think this video might help you understand why I would like to own this cookbook.

2. A potted orange tree. For a never ending supply of vitamin C, and because I think it would look great in my apartment.

3. A Chemex coffee maker. For entertaining guests.

4. A free day in the sunshine. Without feeling guilty for not studying for a test. 

What's on your list?

5 granola-ish things to do for Valentine's Day

I have mixed feeling about this holiday. I'm a little annoyed by the pressure couples feel to impress each other, and how single people all of a sudden get down on themselves. Nevertheless, I always find myself participating one way or another. So I wanted to share some Granola-ish ways to I like to celebrate.

1. Skip going out to dinner if at all possible! Instead, make this rendition of Vegetarian Pot Pie. I made this last year for Valentine's Day after I was inspired by the post on Big Girls, Small Kitchen. I liked the idea so much that I always make pot pies this way. It's adorable, and you end up eating MUCH less crust. I love the recipe these girls put together, it's an upgrade on the classic. However, I love to play around with pot pie recipes and end up making it a little differently each time.

2. Save some of the veggies (raw) you used to make your pot pie and eat them with this beet hummus to share at the office or with friends. Use the heart shaped cookie cutter you needed for the pot pie recipe, and make heart shaped pita bread.

3. I'm definitely going to try and do this DIY project I saw on Honestly... WTF, I love elbow patches.

4. Homemade cards are the best. I usually make the children's type to bring back the nostalgia of Valentine's day in elementary school (and they are compatible with my DIY skills), however this one I found via Pinterest really impressed me! 

5. Lastly, make the day an excuse to give your sweetheart a massage. I recommend a foot massage, and when your fingers get tired, use this technique Shiatsu technique I learned in school. Ease into it though, elbows can be pretty intense!

***Bonus- you can listen to this animal collective song that I love, and think is very romantic.

Dr. David Agus-Know these things about yourself!

On the Thursday night episode of The Daily Show, John Stewart interviewed an oncologist named Dr. David Agus. I was pretty impressed! So much so in fact, that I may have to buy his book (which is rare for me nowadays because I'm on a limited student budget). I wish I could find a clip of the interview for you, but you can watch the whole episode on Hulu, or Comedy Central.

After seeing it, I visited Dr. Agus' website, and I found a link to a personal health inventory questionnaire. THIS IS GOLD. Seriously. He made it so that you can fill it out before your next doctor's visit. This way you'll get the most out of your appointment. I find that M.D.'s these days skip these questions, and many of us don't spend time thinking about our personal health until something goes wrong. 

Chances are if you're seeing an N.D. or an acupuncturist you have already thought about these things-they are trained to ask you these questions. However, no matter who your primary care doctor is, they should know these things about your health, and you should too! 

Has anyone already read this book? What did you think of it? Do any of the questions on this questionnaire surprise you?

One that note, I'll leave you with this ;)