The Cleanse..

So far things have been going really well. Yesterday I did my yoga and had a green smoothie for breakfast, a veggie stir fry with brown rice/red quinoa for lunch, and African Peanut stew with a large salad for dinner. I took my Vitamin D and acidophilus supplements and drank many cups of tea. I don't believe I've been this hydrated in a long time and I feel great! After dinner, I made some green juice for the next morning.

For me, the first step towards success is having a plan. I am a shameless list maker, I have one for everything! I make a grocery list for the week and go grocery shopping for a few planned meals and healthy snacks. Having a well stocked fridge makes me happy! I love grocery shopping and usually spend far too much time and money but it helps me be prepared for when the cravings set in or when I come home from work hungry and don't feel like cooking. In returen, we eat out less and eat healthier.

As for the green drinks, I adjusted the suggested recipe for a beginner and came up with these:

  

Liquid Energy:

• 1 inch section of fresh ginger root
• 3 celergy stalks
• 2 mini cucumbers
• 1 c spinach
• 2 pears
• 4 romaine

This produced about 12 oz juice. I served my juice in a wine glass with a wedge of lemon squeezed into it and a pretty lemon slice floating on top. 

Since yesterdays smoothie went so well, today I amped it up a bit:

Green Machine Smoothie:

• 1 c unswtd choc almond milk
• 1/2 c coconut water
• 1 small banana
• 1/2 c blueberries
• 1 scoop Spirutein chocolate protein powder
• 2 c baby spinach leaves
• 1 c chopped kale
• A couple handfuls of ice

(If you like a rich, chocolatey flavor, you can add a few Tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder. There's only 10 cal/Tbsp and cocoa is an antioxidant) This made about 3 cups of smoothie (I like mine more like a juice, reduce the amount of fluid if you like a thicker smoothie) and totaled about 350 calories. Not to mention it provides 3 servings of veggies and 1.5 svgs of fruit. :)  

I

Positive vibes & veggies <3

Just a little distracted

It's Sunday evening and when I get home from work, I frantically start chopping and peeling. It's the first night of 'Brothers & Sisters' since before the holidays and we do not have DVR.  Must. Cook. Faster. Tada! Dinner's finished just in time to put a plate together and make it out to the couch where I get sucked into the drama of the Walker family.  Before you know it, my plate is empty. As I go to take another bite I think, "What?!?! It's gone already??"

Sound familiar?? Today's society is overwhelmingly distracted whether by work, TV, computers, phones, people or our thoughts, its definitely becoming a problem. Suzanne Higgs is a psychologist at the University of Birmingham in the U.K and is studying how our thinking processes and our state of mind influence what we put into our bodies. Higgs recently measured the difference between people eating lunch in front of a TV or working at their computers versus those that mindfully paid attention to each bite. She found that those that ate while distracted, not only ate more but were more likely to indulge later on in the day.

 In another recent study from the University of Manchester in the U.K and Unilever, researcher Andy Woods experimented with varying levels of background noise in a dining room. He found that as it gets louder, people lose their ability to perceive saltiness and sweetness. Their perception of "duller" food leaves them unsatisfied and again,  they are more likely to indulge. The researchers  suggest that the noise may distort the brain's ability to gauge other senses.  However, when the participant liked the background noise, they reported the food was more liked. So, turn up the dinner music, light the candles, and slow down. Think about it...if this mindless eating causes you to consume an extra 200 calories/day that is 1400 extra calories/week. It takes 3500 calories to make a pound. So roughly every 2.5 weeks you could add a pound to your body. Let that happen for a year and whoops...you're 20 lbs heavier.

So what is this 'mindful eating' they speak of?  Well, I learned what I did Sunday night was the complete opposite, mindless in fact. However, I don't think I need to roll a raisin around in my mouth for 20 minutes to figure it out. It's about being present. Truly tasting each bite, paying attention to the textures and flavors. Take the time to thoroughly chew your food and enjoy your meal, slooowww dooown. You deserve this time to nourish your body. I tried this the next night, lit the table candles, turned off the tv and actually enjoyed every bite I took. Yes, Dane finished waaay before me but that's OK. I felt completely satisfied with the smaller portion and didn't go back for an extra scoop or two. Another bonus, he got a head start on the dishes. :)

If you're interested in checking out some sites on mindful eating, I listed a few of the ones I looked at.


Mindful eating:

http://zenhabits.net/mindful-eating/

http://www.tcme.org/

http://mindfuleating.org/

http://www.eatingmindfully.com/


Other Sources:
http://www.npr.org/
                      
http://www.torontosun.com/life/healthandfitness/2010/12/22/16649726.html

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip

On New Year's Eve, Dane and I spent the evening at home lounging in our pj's and sipping champagne while we working on a puzzle. I know, I know...this may sound lame to some. We decided to make a quick run to the store and Dane picked out this recipe to try.  It was effortless and super yummy!  With it's creamy garlic base and pops of artichoke and spinach you'll be tempted to eat the whole pan! Serves 4 for less than 200 kcal per serving.  

• 14 oz can quartered artichoke hearts (packed in water, not marinated in oil), drained and roughly chopped
• 3 oz of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (I chopped fresh baby spinach leaves instead)
• 3/4 c low-fat mayonnaise
• 3/4 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced (don't be shy, the garlic is my favorite part!)
• Pinch of crushed red pepper (we add a few pinches because we both enjoy the spice)

Preheat the oven to 450 F. In a medium bowl, combine the artichoke hearts, spinach, mayo, cheese, garlic, and crushed red pepper. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spread in and 8x8 baking dish and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the broiler to high and broil the dip-watching it carefully-until it is golden and bubbly (about 2 min). Serve with crackers, toasted baguettes, or tortilla chips.

Positive vibes....

The New Year...

Each year at this time I sit down and come up with a long list of new year's resolutions, most of them revolving around my health and relationships. I usually make a pretty scrapbook page and hang it on my bathroom mirror so I can look at them every morning.  Problem is, with a long list it's hard to actually make a lasting change. This year, I'm going to switch it up a bit and pick ***gasp*** just two things. I will focus on these two things for all of January and when the month is over I can choose to carry a few over or pick two new things for February. Having smaller, more attainable goals is less overwhelming and I will get more out of them this way.

For January I want to focus on detoxifying my body after a long holiday season of sweet treats, overindulging, and not enough exercise. For the next three weeks, I am going to pay attention to:

1) My diet:

For awhile now, I've been feeling foggy, slightly nauseous, and getting headaches. I started keeping track of when this was happening and it seemed to be after over indulging on sweets or gluten-containing foods. So, I am going to join the movement and try to incorporate green smoothies and juices into my morning routine most days of the week. In addition, limit my sugar and gluten consumption. I purchased Kris Carr's 'Crazy Sexy Diet' that includes a 21-day "adventure" cleanse. 

She suggests:

•  Eliminating animal products or at the very least reducing to no more than twice per week
• Saying sayonara to acidic drinks such as coffee, soda, energy drinks, and the booze
• Leaving those refined sugars and artificial sweeteners behind
• Banning 'The Whites,' white table salt, rice, bread and potatoes
• Cutting out gluten and dairy

Hmm, this is sure to be an adventure! Ha! I'm not going to stress about following this exactly, but I am going to use it as a guideline for my meal choices for the remainder of the month.

2) Yoga Practice

 One semester in college, I had signed up for a yoga class. We had to meet twice a week and I always left feeling more centered and relaxed (being able to touch my toes was just a bonus). Yoga for me, is more about my spiritual well being then it is about getting a good workout in. It's nice to have time set aside to slow down and be in the moment. Yoga does this for me. Why it's always on the back burner?? I have no answer for this. I have one slower yoga DVD at home and just ordered a Vinyasa Flow DVD and Jillian's Yoga Meltdown for the days I need to combine a workout with my yoga practice.  

*----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*

There, I did it. I successfully only picked two things to focus on the first month of the new year. I'm excited about them both. In fact, I started my morning off with a beginner's green smoothie (I used only 1 cup of spinach instead of the suggested 2 cups) and a cup of green tea in place of my usual coffee latte.

Dani's Green Goodness Smoothie:

• 1 c fresh, organic spinach
• 1 c unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1 scoop of Spirutein chocolate protein powder
• 1 banana
• Handful of ice cubes

This was actually really good! Surprisingly I couldn't even taste the spinach!

Now I can start my day right and not feel overwhelmed about all the new things I have to work on. What are you going to focus on in the new year? There's no better day than today to go after your dreams!

Peace & positive vibes....

A little chocolate...

As a self-proclaimed chocoholic, just reading the word makes me crave a piece or two. So naturally when my friend, Jen suggested we check out the little mocha martini bar on Broadway I was game. As for Dane, he wasn't as excited until I mentioned happy hour. : ) From 5-7 pm they have 1/2 price martinis and appetizers.

We were a little bummed when we arrived and found out that happy hour was only in the bar area. There were a few small tables in addition to the seats at the bar making room for about 20 people. At first we had to split up at the bar, no fun! But soon enough, the group of four taking up the middle of the bar moved and we could all get together and catch up. It had been about six months since I had seen Jen. We met a few years back when I volunteered at Eagle Mount's adventure camp for kids with cancer. Montana won her over and she just decided to stay. This summer she moved to Oregon for an amazing job opportunity. Yep, she's going to cure cancer someday. :) She is spontaneous, passionate, nonjudgmental and maybe a bit of an adrenaline junkie with her crazy outdoor activities but this is why I adore our time together. My first drink was their signature martini, the ephemere. The inside of my martini glass was drizzled with dark chocolate and had a cocoa dusted rim. Then came the ephemere truffle sauce and a generous portion of vodka.  

Since we hadn't had dinner and were in good company, we ordered a few appetizers: zucchini croquettes, grilled brie with honey & pecans and caprese toast. We decided one martini wasn't enough so next was the 'Sea Salt Caramel.' This time my glass was drizzled with white chocolate and filled with the silky ephemere truffle sauce, fresh creamy caramel sauce, vodka and caramel Bailey's. The finishing touches, a cocoa and sea salt rim. This one definitely won me over! After happy hour,  we walked to their apartment for the weekend and opened a bottle of wine and chatted over chips and salsa. It didn't take us long to make our way up to the roof top to soak up the Seattle skyline.

Before we knew it five hours had went by and we didn't even play our board game! I had to work the next morning so we left thankful for a good night with good company.

Salad bars, cyanide, and ricin....OH MY!!!

Photo: vj_pdx, Flickr

I used to walk through salad bars wondering if the countless people in front of me washed their hands before grabbing the tongs and repeatedly dropping them back into the food. While it's enough to make me slightly cringe, it didn't keep me away from all food bars. However, in a recent article I learned we may have to worry about our salad bars being under attack by terrorists. Really guys, salad bars?!? Yes, it was recently confirmed that the terrorist group, Al Qaeda, has now added buffet bars to the their lists of places they may strike. This action would support their new plan, "...attacking the enemy with smaller but more frequent operations" to "add a heavy economic burden to an already faltering economy." By using cyanide and ricin, they could potentially poison hundreds and thousands of people around the US. I think we've all heard of cyanide but what the heck is ricin??

Ricin is a substance found naturally in the castor bean. During the process of making castor oil, ricin becomes part of the leftover  "mash."  Castor oil has proven to have many uses in today's society. The oil can be found in soaps to clean that beautiful body of yours, the lipstick you apply before meeting that handsome boy, the inks you use for printing your love letters and the plastic goods you use every day.  It also has a history in medicine and is used by naturopaths as a natural laxative and immune booster. How can something as nasty as ricin come from a bean that has proven to be so useful??

It turns out ricin can be transformed form a processing plant's waste to deadly weapon pretty easily. It can be used in the form of a powder or can be dissolved in water or a weak acid.  This means that terrorists could potentially expose people to ricin through air, food, or water. Eeek! Once it enters a person's body, it prevents the cells from making the proteins they need to survive, eventually harming the entire body and in some cases causing death. Sadly, there is no magical antidote locked inside a vault anywhere and the CDC has reminded us that the most important factor is "avoiding ricin exposure in the first place." Thanks guys! :)

How would you know if you were exposed? Well, this depends on if the ricin was inhaled, ingested or injected.  The symptoms typically occur within 6 hours and death could take place within 36-72 hours after exposure. Here's a quick rundown of the symptoms from the CDC:

Inhalation: Within a few hours of inhaling significant amounts of ricin, the likely symptoms would be respiratory distress (difficulty breathing), fever, cough, nausea, and tightness in the chest. Heavy sweating may follow as well as fluid building up in the lungs (pulmonary edema). This would make breathing even more difficult, and the skin might turn blue. Excess fluid in the lungs would be diagnosed by x-ray or by listening to the chest with a stethoscope. Finally, low blood pressure and respiratory failure may occur, leading to death. In cases of known exposure to ricin, people having respiratory symptoms that started within 12 hours of inhaling ricin should seek medical care.

 

Ingestion: If someone swallows a significant amount of ricin, he or she would develop vomiting and diarrhea that may become bloody. Severe dehydration may be the result, followed by low blood pressure. Other signs or symptoms may include hallucinations, seizures, and blood in the urine. Within several days, the person’s liver, spleen, and kidneys might stop working, and the person could die.

Skin and eye exposure: Ricin is unlikely to be absorbed through normal skin. Contact with ricin powders or products may cause redness and pain of the skin and the eyes.

 

So now what?? I'm not trying to scare you away from your favorite chinese buffet or saying you should use it as an excuse to not get that salad for lunch. I'm simply providing a little information for you to use sensibly. 

Please check out this CBS video for more information:  http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7169294n&tag=related;photovideo

Sources:

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/ricin/facts.asp

http://www.slashfood.com/

http://www.cbsnews.com/

A few of my favorite things...

----------------------------------**FAVORITE COOKIE RECIPE(s)**---------------------------------

Peppermint Bark Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe was given to me by my coworker, Fionna, for our holiday recipe exchange along with a large tin of peppermint bark. Peppermint bark in a cookie?!? I immediately fell in love and couldn't wait to try it out. I even contained myself from eating all the bark before it made its way into these heaps of pure deliciousness. Kuddos to me! The recipe comes from http://www.101cookbooks.com/  where Heidi focuses primarily on natural, whole foods and ingredients - vegetarian recipes that are good for you and for the planet. Check it out!!

Nearly a pound of peppermint bark goes into these cookies, not quite, but close. This is a large batch of cookies, I typically bake off half of them, form the rest of the dough into cookie-sized balls, and place them in freezer bag for later use.

3 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

3/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups peppermint bark, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Position the racks in the middle of the oven, and line baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy, then beat in the sugar until it is the consistency of a thick frosting. beat in the eggs one at a time, incorporating each fully before adding the next and scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times. Stir in the vanilla until evenly incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in 3 increments, stirring between each addition. At this point you should have a moist uniform dough. Stir in the peppermint bark by hand, mixing only until evenly distributed. Reserve a bit of the bark to sprinkle on top of the cookies after you have dropped them onto the baking sheets.

Drop a heaping tablespoon of dough for each cookie onto the prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart and bake for about 10 - 14 minutes, until golden on bottom and top. Cool on wire racks.

Makes 2 to 3 dozen medium-large cookies.

Who doesn't love cookies?? I couldn't  give you just one cookie recipe so I'm also including my mom's sugar cookies and the molasses cookie recipe from my aunt, Rhonda. 

Mom's Sugar Cookies

. Warning: do not use this recipe if you like your sugar cookies moist and chewy. These are delightfully light and crisp and more importantly remind me of the holidays with my Mama :)

1/2 c powdered sugar

1/2 c granulated sugar

1/2 c margarine or 1 stick of butter

1 egg

1/2 c vegetable oil (I use canola)

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 c + 2 Tbsp flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cream of tarter

Preheat oven to 375. Mix sugars and margarine, cream well. Mix in the egg. Add oil, vanilla, salt, flour, baking soda, and cream of tarter. Mold into small walnut sized balls, place on greased sheet. Flatten with a glass dipped in sugar (you can use red and green to be festive). Bake for 8-10 min.  

Aunt Rhonda's Molasses Cookies

I love molasses cookies anytime of the year but they are that much sweeter during the holiday season. These are moist and chewy with mild molasses flavors and a hint of spice. The perfect cookie to enjoy with a cup of tea or a latte. Just heavenly....I dare you to try and eat only one.

3/4 c melted margarine or butter (I use butter)
1 c white sugar
1 egg
1/4 c molasses
2 c all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 ground ginger
1/2 c white sugar (saved for later)

In a medium bowl, mix together melted margarine, 1 cup sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in molasses. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Blend flour mixture into the molasses mixture. Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the 1/2 cup of sugar that was saved for later. Place the cookies about 2 inches apart onto an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake for 7 to 10 minutes until the tops of the cookies are cracked. (I liked them closer to 7 minutes as they were more moist and chewy) Cool on wire racks.

ENJOY!!

----------------------------------**FAVORITE PIE CRUST**----------------------------------

Martha Stewart's Pate Brisee

Makes 1 double-crust or 2 single-crust 9- to 10-inch pies.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.

With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month.

----------------------------------**FAVORITE HOLIDAY PIE**----------------------------------

Mom's Apple Cream Pie

This was the easiest one to decide. My mom's apple cream pie has been my favorite for as long as she's been making it. I believe she originally got the recipe from my Aunt Sheila. The holidays just aren't complete in my family without this pie and its perfectly creamy filling and cinnamon streusel topping. I make this every holiday I can't make it home *sniffle, sniffle*

2 c finely chopped granny smith apples (about the size of a thumbnail)

                                  3/4 c sugar                                  

2 Tbsp flour

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 c sour cream

1 egg

Chop peeled and cored apples,set aside. Mix sugar and flour. Add sour cream,egg,vanilla, and salt.  Beat until smooth. Add apples and pour mixture into pastry lined pie pan (if you really want to save time, you can use frozen store bought pie crusts). Bake 15 minutes in 450 degree oven, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and continue to bake until pie is "somewhat" firm (like pudding). Remove from oven and crumble this mixture over top of pie: 

1/3 c sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/3 c flour

1/4 c Butter or Margarine (softened, but not melted)

(Some people add pecans, walnuts, or oats to the streusel - I haven't tried this yet)

Return to oven and bake another 10 minutes or until topping on pie starts to crisp and pie is firm. (i usually have to bake it longer than another 10 minutes). Some people like it hot out of the oven, i like it best after it has been refrigerated. Store in the fridge. 

----------------------------------**FAVORITE  BROWNIE**----------------------------------

While looking for a recipe for a coworker with multiple allergies, I decided to try this recipe from the 'Cooking for Isaiah' cookbook. Who doesn't like brownies?!? I was a little skeptical since 1) I had never baked with gluten free flour and 2) I had never made homemade brownies before (I know, I know). The result: SUPER. FUDGY. BROWNIES. The past is the past, and I will no longer reach for that boxed mix in the supermarket aisle. Allergies are becoming more prevalent and nobody likes to be left out (even though they were so good I wanted to keep them all to myself). These brownies will work for those with a gluten and/or dairy intolerance.  

1 c semisweet chocolate chips, melted

1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 c vegetable oil

3 Tbsp water

1 c sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 c gluten free flour (some varieties require xanthum gum to be added) or you can substitute all purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and line with a 14-inch-long piece of parchment paper, letting the ends hang over two sides of the pan (I didn't have any and they came out fine). In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted chocolate, cocoa powder, oil and water until smooth.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs. Whisk in the chocolate mixture. Fold in the flour and salt until just combined; transfer the better into the prepared pan and spread to the edges. Bake until set and the brownie edges pull away slightly from the sides of the pan, 25 to 28 minutes (mine took a little longer). Let cool in the pan set on a wire rack.

----------------------------------**FAVORITE SALAD DRESSING**---------------------------------

Cilantro Ginger Dressing  


You either like cilantro or you don't and I am one of those girls that happen to LOVE it! You can adjust the amount of cilantro in this recipe to taste, but the given amount is not overpowering. After a nice dinner at our friends' house I just HAD to have this recipe. It's flavorful, creamy and just a little spicy. Perfect topper for a bed of greens and some bold chopped veggies, try red and orange bell peppers.

1 c mayo

3 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

4 Tbsp sesame oil

4 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp brown sugar

3 tsp white sugar

1 tsp fresh ginger (I use from the glass jar)

1 tsp sambal olek (I also add a few flakes of red chili peppers if I want to add more heat)

1/4 c  rough chopped cilantro (to taste)

Combine ingredients and mix well. Stays in fridge up to 2 weeks. Makes 1.5-2 cups

----------------------------------------**FAVORITE SOUP RECIPE**-------------------------------------
African Peanut Stew: Serves 8 

This recipe came from my dear friend, Carter. I couldn't resist sneaking a taste whenever she made it. It takes some chopping but is very easy to put together. Even my skeptical hubby likes this recipe. It is bursting with flavor and good-for-you veggies!


1 Tbsp olive oil
1 red onion finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped (I left this out)
1/2 c. carrots, chopped
1/2 c. celery, chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
2 Tbsp. peeled ginger, minced
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 bay leaf (take out when soup is finished cooking)
4 c veggie broth
1 yam cut into small cubes (the darker orange sweet potatoes)
1 1/2 c shelled edamame
1/2 c crunchy peanut butter
1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped
1 bag baby spinach leaves ( I used fresh but you could use frozen)
1/2 tsp salt

(You can use some other African spices such as: turmeric, cloves and cardamom if you're feeling creative)

Heat olive oil in a 4-qt saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, pepper, carrot, and celery. Saute until soft (about 5 min).

Add garlic, ginger, and  curry powder and saute until fragrant (about 1 in). Do not brown garlic.

Add tomatoes and bay leaf. Cook, uncovered until tomatoes are slightly reduced (about 3 min). You can also add other spices now if you want

Add broth and sweet potato and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 8 min. Stir in edamame and peanut butter until combined. Cook until thoroughly heated (about 2 min). You can stir in cilantro now (I used as garnish instead) and spinach until spinach wilts. Season with salt & pepper

----------------------------------**FAVORITE STORE BOUGHT TEA**-------------------------------

This is a full bodied tea with sweet cinnamon notes in an earthy rooibos (roy-bos) base. I buy the caffeine free version so that I can enjoy it anytime of the day. The cinnamon flavors make it the perfect companion on a crisp fall day or snowy winter eve. Try it out, you won't be disappointed!

------------------------------------**FAVORITE MICROBREWS**-------------------------------------

Pike Brewing - Kilt Lifter

A local Seattle brewery offers this Scotch style ruby ale. It offers layers of rich malt with a subtle smokiness.
 (6.5% alcohol)

After a little research, I've decided I also need to sample the XXXXX Stout, Tandem Double Ale, Entire Wood Aged Stout. Can't wait!

Rogue - Santa's Private Reserve  

Rogue is an Oregon based brewery that I have yet to visit. Rogue’s annual holiday offering, Santa’s Private Reserve, is a variation of the classic Saint Rogue Red, but with double the hops--including Chinook, and Centennial, and a mystery hop called Rudolph by head brewer John “more hops” Maier! Red ale that is reddish, copper in color with a roasty malt flavor and a hoppy, sprucey finish.

I also really enjoy their 'Hazlenut Brown Nectar' and 'Double Chocolate Stout' (which is flavored with Dutch bittersweet chocolate) during the crisp fall and winter seasons. It also looks like I might have to try the 'Double Mocha Porter' which is brown black in color with a rocky reddish tan head. MMMmm, with dark chocolate, roasted nut, creamy and melon aromas followed by dark nut toast notes and a long, tart, kumquat, cocoa and pepper fade with vibrant astringency.  

21st Amendment Brewery - Back In Black 

 A black IPA?!? It's brewed like an American IPA but with the addition of rich, dark malts, this beer has all the flavor and hop character you expect with a smooth, mellow finish.

 (6.8% alcohol)

I've decided I really like this San Francisco brewery and am excited for their new release in Feb 2011 called Monk's Blood. 1st Amendment founders Nico Freccia and Shaun O’Sullivan traveled to Belgium to develop the recipe for this special beer, visiting small, traditional breweries in the hop fields of west Flanders, not far from the famous Trappist abbey of Westvletren. Monk’s Blood is designed to pair beautifully with rich winter stews, creamy cheeses, unctuous desserts or just by itself, in a Belgian tulip glass, with a good book by the fire. It's deep mahogany in color and has ingredients like dark Belgian Candi sugar, cinnamon, vanilla bean, dried black mission figs and is aged on oak.

(8.3% alcohol)



-----*------*-------*------*------*---------*---*------*------*

OK, that's it for now. I will be sure to share a few of my new favorites along the way. I wish everyone a happy and healthy 2011.

Positive vibes...... <3