Happiness is Healthiness

A couple of years ago I read a review about a vegan cookbook called Get It Ripe. I told Jason about it, and soon after he gave it to me for our 12 year anniversary (I know, it's been a while!). I fell in love with it right away; it's written by a local woman (Jae Steele), it's vegan (with lots of gluten, sugar, and dairy substitutes), and most of all Jae feels like someone I can really relate to, she is passionate about her work, and she seems to be doing a lot of it herself.

The first 100 pages of the cookbook talks about everything from vitamins and nutrients, to eating locally and organically. Usually I skip the intros to cookbooks and go straight to the recipes, but I thoroughly read and enjoyed this one.

The recipes are super tasty. I've cooked with them for many friends and family members, vegetarians and meat-eaters both love them! I've never had so many requests for recipes before. I liked it so much I started selling the books at our studio, and giving them as gifts. My Mom has been using it to cook for my Dad and Grandmother (who are both very traditional, old-school foodies). At first she tried to sneak in the tofu, telling my Grandmother it was chicken, but she knew something was up. Oma's favorite meal used to be meat & potatoes, now it's portobello mushroom burgers!

Even the baked goods are amazing, and that says a lot. Vegan desserts have a reputation for being dry, crumbly, and tasteless. Jae's Cowgrrrl Cookies are my nephews favorite, and some friends called us last week to say their son, who had been sick, was smiling after eating the Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins Jason had brought over.

After cooking many delicious meals from her book, I looked up Jae's contact info, and sent her an email inviting her to the studio... after some time, she accepted, and is now coming to give a workshop Happiness is Healthiness and promote her new book Ripe from Around Here next week!

Although we are friends on facebook, I've never met Jae Steele. I love to cook, I love good food, and I definitely think healthiness plays a huge role in our happiness, so I'm super excited to meet Jae, take her workshop, and get a copy of her new cookbook! Hope you can join us.

Here are some of our favorite recipes from Get It Ripe:
Sesame Miso Dressing, Perfect Peanut Sauce, Simple Dal, Coconut Cauliflower Chana, Barbecue-Baked Tofu with Mushrooms and Bell Peppers, The Good Shepherd's Pie, Double-Whammy Ginger Cookies

Happiness is Healthiness
Thursday June 3, 7:30-9:30pm @ Centre Luna Yoga
$45 (includes a copy of Jae's new cookbook Ripe from around Here)
info & registration

Honoring our Mothers

A Mothers love and kindness does not always get the full appreciation it deserves. It may come as a surprise to some of you, but I was not always the most grateful, loving daughter... my parents had to suffer through my dark and gloomy teenage years. But as I grew older and wiser, I once again saw the light.

My Mom is one of the kindest, most generous, loving and optimistic people I know. I am so lucky and blessed to have her as a Mother.

Mother's Day is a day to honor all the Mothers in our lives; our birth Mothers, spiritual Mothers, and of course the Mother of all, Mother Earth.

To celebrate Mother's Day, we'll be bringing lunch out to my parents house (Beautiful Borscht Soup & Apple Crumble from my favorite cookbook Get It Ripe) and then tea and cookies with Jason's family (Cowgrrrl Cookies, my nephews favorite). I spent the afternoon baking and cooking, so everything is made and ready to go, now the true test is for us not to eat it (3 cookies have already gone missing)!

Sending love and admiration to all the amazing Mothers out there!
xo
P.S. The photo was taken on our first Yoga Retreat in Costa Rica (my Mom was the first person to sign up)