(Can’t wait to show you the chocolate making class I took in the Costa Rican rain forest last month ~ video coming!)

And one of my FAVORITE chocolate brands is from right here in NYC. Gnosis (which means knowledge of intuition, experience, and heart) Chocolate is made from the best quality, organic, raw , ethically sourced cacao available.

Gnosis Passion Collection for Valentine's Day! Photo Credit: Jeff Skeirik

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, here’s great news: Gnosis Chocolate’s organic, diabetic-friendly Raw Vegan Organic Handmade Chocolate!“>Gnosis’  Passion Truffles.  Each chocolate shell is infused with a special aphrodisiac herb blend, and filled by hand with a center graced with superfoods. Be romanced by exotic Passionfruit Cupuacu crème, luscious Cherry Vanilla jam with chocolate ganache, and a vegan white (!) Wild Rose truffle – free of all dairy, sugar, gluten, and soy! The three truffles are presented like gems in a recycled, veggie-ink printed box with a ribbon and gift tag in case you manage to give these away! From: Me   To: Me!!??
Gnosis Chocolate is the brainchild of Vanessa Barg, a Board Certified Holistic Health counselor (and fellow IIN grad!) who began making chocolate as a gift for her clients to show them that good nutrition wasn’t limited to eating brussel sprouts and broccoli.  Vanessa is motivated by a deep passion for educating consumers on how to vote with their every day choices for a shift in the marketplace towards higher integrity products. She has visited several of her sources – working with them directly to verify quality, working conditions, and to support the growth of organic farming.
Gnosis chocolate is one chocolate that fully lives up to valens – the original Latin root of Valentine – “capacity,” “strong,” and “powerful!”

Get a discount on Gnosis orders for sharing with your loved one this Valentine’s Day ~ you’ll be so glad you did!

xox Alex

If you saw my natural energy drink “Chia Fresca” recipe video, you’ll know I’ve been lovin’ my Chia Seeds for a while now.

Used for centuries by native Central Americans, Chia seeds were considered a powerful energy food and provide excellent nutrition.

Filled with detox-supportive fiber, chia seeds, which look like little grey, tan or black poppy seeds, provide the best plant source of those fabulous Omega-3s that protect your heart,brain, skin and joint health.

Plus, all that fiber is GREAT for diabetics who need to stabilize their blood sugar and lose weight. Do you think Paula Deen knows about chia seeds? If you know her, send her this recipe – I’d love to be on her show!

(*The extra cinnamon in this recipe helps balance blood sugar levels even more – one of those super ingredients diabetics and border-line diabetics should be using!)

Soak these seeds in liquid for 15+ minutes, and they begin to gel and soften, providing an excellent slow-moving fiber and protein, which helps you feel full and reduces appetite.

Chia also contains protein, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, antioxidants, niacin, and zinc.

Now you can enjoy these ancient seeds as a delicious dessert any time - and this recipe only takes about 20 minutes to make!

Chia Seed Pudding with Coconut & Vanilla

2 cups coconut, rice, or hemp milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons brown rice syrup or maple syrup

pinch sea salt

¼ cup chia seeds

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

-       Heat the milk over medium in a small saucepan.

-       Whisk in the vanilla, brown rice syrup and sea salt.

-       Once the milk is almost to a simmer, whisk in the chia seeds and cinnamon. Remove from heat and set aside for 15 minutes, or until the mixture gels up to a tapioca consistency.

-       Serve warm, at room temperature, or cool in the refrigerator. Serves 2-3.

I took 2 weeks off and went to Costa Rica.

Alone. Without my kid. Without my computer. 

Now, this may not seem crazy to you, but for a single-mom, almost divorced, self-employed work-a-holic, taking 2 weeks to just go hang out in the rain forest was pretty far fetched.

But I had support from my community of friends I met through (Ariel & Shya Kane’s workshops) and I took the leap. 

Two weeks away changed everything.

I came home refreshed, grounded, and revitalized – more than that, I was truly in love with my work again, and I was truly in love with my son again.

Yeah, these were tough secrets to admit – that I was losing my passion for my work, that I was overworked and not taking good care of myself, and that I was getting so fed up (especially as a single parent) that there were weeks I couldn’t wait for the Dad to come take over for a few days.

I learned the value of self-care in a way that I hadn’t really understood until then.

Like my family from Texas always says: 

If Mama ain’t happy, no one’s happy. 

In a few days I’ll be leaving for Costa Rica for my second 2-week R&R adventure. With supportive people I like, who are excited to help me be my best self, with no duties or agenda, without my laptop.

And I will come home stronger, loving life, and healthy. Isn’t that what true health is?

(Don’t worry, my son will be with his Dad globe-trotting and learning everything about being a producer/director while splitting his vacation at the BBC in London and Sundance in Utah.)

So here’s the big question for you, dearheart ~

What are YOU doing to take care of yourself?

Are you burning the candle at both ends and not getting enough sleep, sex, greens, laughter?

What’s ONE thing you can do NOW to romance yourself, feel calm, or love yourself more?

Go to my FB page and tell me what you’re doing for yourself -

You might surprise yourself, and you may inspire someone else, too!

“You’re a failure,” or “I’m doing it wrong again” were favorite put-downs of my
mechanical-mind-machine.

(I’ll bet you have something similar on endless repeat!)

While running a business, learning to be a single mom, and trying to figure out
how to date again after 10 years, I was constantly battered by my own harsh
thoughts.

Then I saw that I (or my mind) was the only thing holding me back.

I wanted to create a new, productive, healthy lifestyle, but I was getting
sidetracked by complaints and self-created drama.

Sure, there were plenty of chances to blame outside forces, to place all
responsibility on the world, my ex-, the weather – anything – but that way of
living wasn’t getting me anywhere.

There were times when life was starting to feel sweet again, when the light at
the end of the tunnel looked close, and my life was finally feeling like my own
when my “you really aren’t worth all this happiness and potential” thoughts
would kick in…

You’ve been there, I know.

You start getting a hang of a healthy way of eating, and start to see some
positive results of going to they gym, and then your best intentions get shot
out of they sky by the “b!tchy-bullets” from your harsh, criticizing mind.

Negative self-talk is a big part of whether you feel willing, ready, and able
to finally eat better, take care of yourself, and make the moves to drop the
muffin top.

I’m here to tell you there is a better, easier, fun way to make your wellness
goals happen ~

I found support.

I reached out and gathered people into my life who gave positive reinforcement,
crystal clear vision for what was really true (you know, friends and experts
who can tell you your BS thoughts are just that – total bull!?), and who I felt
drawn to supporting in return.

It’s a two-way street, this supportive and positive lifestyle – do you have
something to offer others while getting the encouragement you need? That’s
where the real magic happens, believe you me!

Your thoughts don’t have to rule your life, and you can keep on track to create
a healthy, deliciously vital life.

This is your chance to make 2012 a healthy, happy year, without all the drama
of harsh, criticizing, self-talk ruling your life.

What made the difference for me was a supportive community. You can get that
for yourself by joining this program and starting today.

(Yeah, the program kicks off on 1/5, but as soon as you join, we’ll get started
– no waiting!)

Get the support you need to make your life healthy & amazing -

Ready to join my 8-week Delicious Detox program?

Learn about what you’ll get and sign up here~

Got any questions?

Shoot me an email at alex@deliciousvitality.com and I’ll be happy to offer you my thoughts.

Sometimes the power of simple, healthy food truly astounds me.
My mother’s boyfriend Emilio is a middle aged farmer/bus driver who grew up in Texas and Mexico,
has a passion for saving farm animals, and has lived with Type 2 Diabetes for most of his adult life.

Strong and active his whole life, Emilio was overweight and beginning to see
signs that his body couldn’t handle the strain and illness any longer.
When a serious infection set in and his ability to work was compromised, Emilio
set out to make some big changes to his diet.

With my mom’s help, Emilio read my books and started to change his diet to
address his long standing health issues.

Switching from a diet based on lard, sugars, and fried foods,
Emilio has lost over 80 pounds and is almost off his medications.

Read Emilio’s story for yourself:

“I have started to reverse my diabetes that I’d dealt with for decades.

Matter of fact I only have to take one pill a day and no more insulin
shots. If Alex hadn’t been born to write her books I’d either be very
ill or six feet under!!

I also find it easier to deal with the pain from
the herniated discs in my back while working daily on my farm and
part time charter bus driving, which was extremely painful before
and required pain medication.

I no longer eat much fried foods, and
for a Texan that’s a big change!

Also, I have given up using lard in the foods I prepare, using
primarily locally grown produce and wild
pig or deer for meat. (It’s organic!!!)”

Emilio Vasquez Thrall, TX

If you want help managing your Type 2 Diabetes with the same success that Emilio had, then send me an email at alex@deliciousvitality.com to apply for my upcoming Delicious Detox Program in January. 

With clean ingredients, instructional photos, and a genius palate, Christy’s book is a great addition to an experienced cook’s library – or the perfect gift for a new veg-curious home chef!

Cooking in a way that’s good for you and for the environment—not to mention delicious—doesn’t have to be a pain; in fact, it can be sheer bliss. In Blissful Bites: Vegan Meals That Nourish Mind, Body, and Planet, Christy Morgan shows readers how to make healthy, delicious, animal-product free meals without a lot of effort. It’s been long-accepted that giving up animal products also means giving up easy and enjoyable cooking, but that’s just not true. Blissful Bites is a refreshing introduction to the idea that switching to a plant-based diet that uses locally grown and organic products can be easy and rewarding—for both body and mind.

Blissful Bites includes more than 150 recipes that make eating every meal healthier and exciting.

I’m giving away one copy to a lucky reader, so enter by Friday, 12/1!

Just leave a comment here on my blog about why you want this yummy cookbook, and you could win!

(Contest only open to residents of the lower 48 state, please – sorry Canadian, English, Hawaiian, and other readers!)

Maybe you’re stuck in a repetitive cycle of

“I don’t like my body – it’s feeling tired, and pained, and I don’t like how I feel.”

or

“Why can’t I lose those last 10 pounds?”

or even

“Why is my body always doing stupid thing like craving sugar?!”

I’ve been in that head space before – thinking myself in circles about what I’m eating, how my body doesn’t feel the way I think it should, and how there are so many women who are better looking than me – that they’ve figured it out, and I don’t have a clue.

The good news is, you’re not alone – welcome to the human race!

Your brain is often working against your hopeful, happy goals of peace, health and abundance, while your body is just trying to keep up with the daily grind, metabolizing your food, breathing, circulating, moving, standing, and all the other million actions it must undertake on a daily basis – it does so much stuff you don’t even know about, and here you are beating up on it for not fitting into a size 2 dress!

I’m not saying you’re doing anything wrong or bad – because you’re not.

The cool thing is, you can start to play a different game with your mind and body, which may actually help you start to feel calm, lose weight, and feel amazing.

It’s called The Gratitude Game.

The rules are simple:

1. When you catch your reflection in the mirror, say “Wow! My body is amazing! I’ve been breathing and my heart has been beating all day without me even thinking about it!”

2. When you find yourself tired at your desk, with your eyes feeling heavy, and just wanting to go home to a big bag of potato chips, stretch your arms up long over your head, feel your sides stretching, and think “Thank you body! You are getting so much work done today!”

3. When you get home and put your finally put your feet up after a long day, place your hand on your stomach and breath deeply down into your gut. Imagine a warm, pink light glowing inside you, from that place of creativity, power, and productivity that is your gut and lower belly. Feel the love and gratitude that you have for being alive – because this moment is all there is.

Just you and your amazing body.

VegOnline Award Vegetarian Website Award for Excellence in Vegetarian Information

Apple Pie Ice Cream!

Apple Pie "Ice Cream"

Now, it’s not really ice cream, but I believe anything you scoop with an ice cream scooper can be called ice cream.

Gluten-free, vegan, and mostly raw, this recipe was actually a big hit, and most of the class ate their entire scoop – even some kids who said “Ew, gross!”

Here’s how we made this healthy snack together:

APPLE PIE “ICE CREAM” ~ Serves 4-6

8 Medjool dates, pitted

3-4 Honeycrisp apples, cored

1/2 cup oat bran

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Have the kids use plastic or kid-safe knives to remove the pits and throw away.
2. Cut the apples into quarters and remove the seeds and core. Use the grating/shredding blade in your food processor to grate the apples. Scoop into a large mixing bowl.
3. Replace the grating/shredding blade with the S-blade and combine the apples, dates, oats and cinnamon together. Pulse until the ingredients are well combined.
4. Scoop the “ice cream” into the mixing bowl and use an ice cream scooper to give each person a share.

With all the oats and apples, this recipe will also add a nice dose of fiber for those constipation-inclined readers!