Meredith Talks Giveaways & Matthew Kenney's Spring Menu

Ok... so one of the MAJOR perks of my job is getting to eat amazingly delicious, innovative, raw vegan food. I know right? SO SOOOO hard. All that WORK! (Right?) 

In truth, that doesn't happen as often as I'd like! I end up preparing most of our meals myself (even though they are still healthy and delicious). So I always look forward to going to our restaurant and culinary school Matthew Kenney in OKC. Students come from all over the world (literally) to learn this type of cuisine. What comes out of that kitchen is none short of truly amazing. I never leave without being BEYOND inspired. 

The students make great food, and so does the kitchen! We change the menu every season. Fortunately this season change was on the cusp of hiring our new (amazingly talented) corporate Chef Scott Winegard. He is from Brooklyn, NY and has worked with Matthew in various capacities - including  Pure Food and Wine. Scott is in OKC to help execute the new  spring menu and he brought his passion for vegetables with him.

While in OKC I spent a week testing (tasting) every dish so I thought that I would supply you with some food porn {wink}! note: all of the photos are of RAW VEGAN dishes. Amazing, right?

Dessert often comes first in the raw food kitchen. If you have never experienced a raw food dessert, be prepared to be truly amazed. In our kitchen right now we have the lovely pastry fairy Tatiana Jankowski. This round of desserts was unbelievable.

I'm not biased. I truly can't say enough good things about all of the excitement that comes out of that kitchen in OKC. If you are passionate about health and beautiful food, please stay in touch! 

Check out all of the new dishes on our website. 

Our Tumblr is an endless amount of mouth watering photos!

Giveaway:

And guess what, I've decided to give away the Matthew Kenney iPad app as well as a copy of our new book, Raw Chocolate!

RULES:

Simply like MATTHEW KENNEY'S Facebook page and leave a comment here on PUREmamas that you did so! 

For extra credit, mention Juli Novotny & Meredith Baird in a tweet. 

Giveaway Ends May 18, 2012

US residents only, sorry!

Mother's Day Musing!

How do I even start and where do I begin? This Mother's Day Weekend was like no other I have had or ever will have, I'm sure. 

It's been a long few days of reflection, family and a few tears. When I say family, I don't mean my kids. I've been up in the moutains, thousands of miles from my home in California. My aunt has lived on a large beautiful property {10 acres} with dogs, cats, goats, pigs, horses and ponies for years now. I can't quite explain the quiet, serene beauty that I see outside the window. It's almost magical. The shadows, grass, tall evergreen trees mixed in with bright flowers, hay, fences and a few deer here and there. Nothing like my usual view of the Pacific ocean. Both peaceful but so different. You really feel ALIVE when you're here!

But it hasn't all been peaceful and wonderful, to say the least. I've tried to stop and smell the roses literally and figuratively speaking, every so often, if you know what I mean. But, this week seems to be the end of a long slow journey for my aunt. It's not easy seeing such a wise, witty, funny, strong, SPIRITUAL, independent lady going through this. She is wiser and more "conscious" than anybody I know as well. Had you asked her years ago about death, she'd probably tell you EXACTLY what would happen to you when you pass. She was one of those intuitive people who rarely doubted her beliefs and thoughts.

I don't want to go into much more detail about the day to day here or her personal experience and journey but instead I wanted to share my reflections and thoughts about this life and thereafter.

I don't care what you say or how spiritual, religious or confident you are or think you are of the "other side"; being faced with this moment in our lives is the most intense things to ever witness. Let's be real. Death and the unknown is the craziest part of our existence here on Earth. It's the one thing we can't be in control of, we will never understand or know about until we actually come to that fork in the road. 

This somehow made me think deeply about my own life and that of my kids. I'm not sure why I got sad when I thought about them. I really don't know. But suddenly I had a rush of memories streaming through my mind. I remember really LIVING life when I was a kid. Not only was I completely present, as most kids in fact are, but I was truly ALIVE. At some point, I think it's when responsibility kicks in, we sort of "stop living"?! We are too focused on the past, the future and the responsibilites and stresses of life to be in the moment. I know, it sounds like I'm throwing out excuses for not being 100% present. But, if a mom stops to smell the roses, her child might get hit by a car. OK, that sounds pretty terrible, but I think you know what I'm getting at. Being a mom is one of the hardest jobs on the planet, it's non-stop, there's not time to enjoy the scenery. We give up a lot of the LIFE inside of us and give LIFE it to the very babies we raise. 

Our babies are just beginning this process/journey and it sometimes takes your breath away to re-live those childhood experiences. I suddenly wanted to thank my kids for being my biggest life teacher. As much as they have taken from me, they have given back two-fold. I see their joy everyday and it reminds me how to LIVE again. I still think that being a child is almost the only way to really experience life. To be free again! To be STRESS free again! To be naive again! To be excited by the small things again! To not feel the need to self-medicate again! {ha}To be energized by daily experiences! To be passionate again!

I can't explain why this made me so choked up last night. But I had the sad realization that I'm no longer really on the upswing of life. If life is a bell curve, I'm at the top and slightly on the down hill. That realization is hard. So, that might sound depressing. There is a responsibility there that will never go away - aaah parenthood! For a mom, somehow the joys in life are all the things that our daily life isn't - like PEACE & QUIET, not having to say "no" non-stop, not having to listen to somebody cry or whine at you. Not worrying about dinner tonight! 

This Mother's Day is not about celebrating my hard work as a mom, but it's a day for me to celebrate my health and the fact that I am blessed to have two healthy boys who have a mommy to celebate each day of life with. A reminder for me to EXPERIENCE nature in a way we forgot how to as adults.

The joy of:

+ Sunshine on our faces.

+ A popsicle on a hot day. 

+ Being so tired that they can barely keep their eyes open. 

+ Swimming in the ocean all day even if your teeth are chattering. 

+ Feeding a pet or even just petting a dog. 

+ Watching a movie as though it's the first one you've ever seen.

+ The monkey bars at recess. 

+ Believing magic, mystery, ghosts and super heroes. 

+ A new friend. 

+ First kiss. 

+ Holding hands.  

+ Your mom's touch when your sick. 

+ A cool teacher. 

+ Winning a game. 

+ Playing sports. 

+ Staying outside playing until it gets dark. 

+ A home cooked meal. 

+ A boardgame. 

+ Riding a horse. 

Last night I relived so many of these moments and feelings in my mind and it was a strange feeling thinking about how it really doesn't seem that long ago in the scheme of things. And that at that age all I wanted was to be older. And here I am!???

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

Get outside with your kids and relive their joy, even if for one day!

Also, watch this moving video about Where The Wild Things Are author, Sendak, talk about his journey in life {and death}. Very interesting! 

lemon & mint ice cubes {for your water}

Lemon Ice Cubes

5 lemons, juiced
5 sprigs mint, chopped or whole {optional}
1 1/4c water

instructions:

blend all and pour into an ice cube tray. 
freeze. 
use 1-2 cubes in water for INSTANT lemon water. 

VARIATIONS

+ add 1-2 Tbls sweetener for lemonade. KIDS LOVE IT!
+ use lime & jalapeno for margaritas
+ add cayenne & maple syrup for "master cleanse" cubes

{vegan} Homemade Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Today was a pretty standard day at our house. Nothing major. Just a foggy morning, with a few peeks of sunshine. A bit humid {I swear, I was sweating all day} and hot in our house. I cleaned all day long. It was one of those days when I just NEEDED to be a homemaker. Unfolded laundry, dirty laundry, sheets needed changing, dirty dishes, floor had to be swept, shower doors had films; yeah and it's only been a week since my last big cleaning. {life with kids!!!}

The park was visited. The baby sitter was here for a few hours. Friends {with kids} came over for happy hour. New toys were openned. Yeah...that's not a standard thing but my son's 4th birthday is creeping up on us and I let him open an early gift. That ALWAYS keeps them occupied for at least one evening. 

But while the boys were taking their naps I decided to make a quick batch of homemade ice cream. I felt like it would be a great surprise to our otherwise kinda of monotonous day? 

And boy was it a hit. Not only was it easy, healty and super yummy, but it was popular amongst all the kiddos here at around 5pm. I mean, it is filled with chocolate chips afterall, so who cares that it's made from a healthy coconut milk base.

I was a bit nervous that it wouldn't go over well. But all I can say is...it's all gone! {score!!}

Have a lovely Wednesday and I hope I have at least inspired you to add at least a little bit of surprise to your otherwise pretty standard day! {wink} We all need that sometimes.

Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Recipe

4c coconut milk {full fat kind}
1/2-3/4c sweetener {raw honey or agave nectar}
1 Tbls  vanilla {you can use less but I like it pretty intense}
1/2c non-dairy chocolate chips {chopped in blender until pretty small}
2 heaping Tbls organic coconut oil {optional}

In a blender blend everything except chocolate chips. Transer to your ice cream maker bowl. Run for 10 minutes then add the chocolate chips. Then keep running for another 20-25 minutes. 

Voila! Ice cream is made!

Enjoy

Hydration Week & Brussel Sprout Chop

It's been a great week of serious hydration. I am happy to say that my skin looks much cleaner and my uneven and brighter. My skin definitely shines a bit more and dehydration wrinkles are minimal.

The best part of this week was the unexpected surprise - my dark spots {pigmentation} got a lot lighter. I wasn't planning on this happening, so I was very excited. 

This is my final post about it and I wanted share the details of the process because it was a really fun journey. I didn't "detox" per se or even juice "cleanse", but rather I focused on consuming less caffeine, sea salt, packaged foods and dairy and more fresh raw fruits, veggies, lots of water and green drinks without fully removing everything from my diet cold turkey. 

Here is a daily journal, in case you want to try something similar {if you do try something similar, please send me your feelings on it and if you noticed a difference.} No meat. I don't eat meat, so if you normally eat meat, you can add some fresh fish. Wes eats meat but he did a whole week of no meat. Try it. It can be fun for a change. 

Day 1

water + lemon
green juice x 2
ran 30 minutes outside 
more water + lemon

1 whole avocado {ate with a spoon} 

sprouted tofu {uncooked}
avo
brown rice 
seaweed 
little miso mayo 
no added sea salt

fresh young coconut
water + lemon x 2

kale salad
steamed artichoke {vegan dipping sauce}

water in the night

DAY 2 

little coffee {kids woke up at 5am}
lemon water 

pear, parsley, yellow beet, ginger cucumber juice

1 egg lightly boiled 
3/4 avocado
tiny tiny bit sea salt {man, i have a hard time w/o this}

lemon water
watermelon juice

raw collard wrap from PEACE PIES
1 dehydrated cookie

castor oil + steam room + whole body exfoliating brush + cold shower rinse

argan oil on face

HUGE kale, butter lettuce sprouted seed and nut salad
glass of wine
lemon water

bed

Day 3

ice water with lemon
green drink {frozen fruit, greens, stevia, citrus, ginger}

1/2 avocado
cucumber sliced

lemon water + cucumber
gym work out - 30 minutes
lemon water + cucumber

shower + steam room {oiled up my face and body} with hydrating hair mask
more lemon water + cucumber {while in the steam room}
ice cold cold shower

vegetarian sushi roll
kale chips

fruit + handful of sprouted walnuts 
fresh homemade almonk milk
raw brussel sprout chop topped with olive oil + toasted hazel nuts + peccorino

lemon water before bed

used the clarisonic on my face, covered it in argan oil

bed

---------------------------------- My Green Drink ----------------------------------

Hydrating Green Smoothie Recipe

1c frozen fruit {I did a mix of mango, pineapple & butternut squash}
1/2 cucumber
1" piece of fresh ginger
handful of parsley
handful of kale
1/2 lemon, peeled
1 lime, peeled
1 orange, peeled
1 tsp honey
1 dropper stevia
1/2c - 1c liquid {coconut water or water or almond milk or grapefruit juice}

Blend all of the above in a Vitamix or high speed blender until smooth. Use the least amount of liquid and add more if needed.

-----------------------------------My Brussel Sprout Chop Salad---------------------------------

Brussel Sprout Chop

12 raw brussel sprouts or 1 bag Trader Joes shredded brussel sprouts
2 handfuls chopped hazelnuts, toasted
1/8c olive oil {or barely coated brussel sprouts}
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4c peccorino cheese, or to taste
sea salt & pepper, to taste

Chop or slice brussel sprouts, very thin. Mix in the olive oil and sea salt. Add lemon and peccorino. Toss and let sit about an hour. Add hazelnuts when ready to serve. It's so tasty. 

I created this salad after having something similar out on date night at a restaurant nearby. It was an italian restaurant. This dish is very Italian. If you don't like cheese, you might not like this salad. But it can be made vegan by adding avocado and more nuts or sprouted seeds! A different taste but all together still amazing. 

Enjoy! 

p.s. my mom made this and used it as a side dish for her lemon talapia fish. she said it paired up really well!

Hydrate From The Outside :: Meredith Shows Us How

For those that know me well- you know that I am obsessed with hydration. Staying hydrated is one of the most important aspects of "getting the glow". If you are not well hydrated your body doesn't have enough water to function properly. We loose water all the time through sweating, going to the bathroom, breathing etc. Staying hydrated helps control your appetite, energy levels, and increases immunity. So... I try to remedy by that drinking a large glass of lemon water in the morning, plenty of water throughout the day, and eating a diet full of water rich fruits, vegetables and juices. I could go on about the inside stuff, but Juli and Christine covered it. 

I would be lying if I didn't admit that external hydration wasn't what really turns me on. It is. I fear the dry patch and the wrinkle and am on a lifelong mission to fight it! 

My skin is naturally on the dryer side, and I live in a cold climate so for me moisturizing goes beyond slapping some lotion on when I get out of the shower. It is a ritual. I moisturize first thing in the morning, and last thing at night, every single day- in addition to my out of shower moisturizing application. Crazy? Not really. For me it is therapeutic. I use the 5 minutes to relax and focus on the day ahead, or chill out before I go to sleep. The full body self message is an ancient technique for maintaining wellness. I completely subscribe. 

I try to make 90% of my products as natural as possible. Fortunately the natural brands are starting to get on the science bandwagon and creating things that really work.

What are the products that make this happen? And what is the schedule?

BODY A.M. 

Coconut Oil or Sesame Oil (if I am working out or going to the gym) 
ShiKai Borage Oil Lotion (If I have to get dressed in real clothes) - I LOVE this product. It absorbs well and has little to no scent. 
Aesop Rejuvenate Aromatique Body Balm Tube (If I am feeling like spoiling myself) 

3 Step After Shower 

1- Coconut Oil 
2- Environ Derma- Lac Lotion - (This isn't the most natural product, but it is completely AMAZING) It exfoliates, and hydrates like no other. 
3- Shikai-Borage Oil- You have to follow the derma-lac with a lotion or oil for it to really work. 

Note *Always put the coconut oil on before your skin is completely dry. This helps lock in the moisture. If you have extremely dry skin-  taking long hot showers sucks the life out! I know it sucks not to take LONG, HOT showers, but it really doesn't do you any good! 

Bedtime

Coconut Oil or Sesame Oil (This application is really just for fun) + Lavender Essential Oil 
Face

My face products always fluctuate.The one face "tool" that I can't live without is the Clairsonic Mia. It exfoliates, cleanses and tones your skin allowing all the product to get in. It is an amazing investment. 

Exfoliation + Moisturizer = HYDRATION (You really can't do one without the other!) 

Some of my face moisturizers on rotation are (love them ALL) :

Tata Harper Rebuilding Moisturizer
Mario Badescu AHA and Ceramide Moisturizer
Ren Ultra Moisturizing Day Cream 
Aubrey Organics Sea Buckthorn and Cucumber 
Face Mist

On hand ALWAYS. I can not travel, live or breath without face mist! I love Aubrey Organics Sparkling Mineral Water Herbal Complexion Mist. It works wonders! 

Ok. Ok. Ok. I can't stop yet. When hydration and detoxification is REALLY necessary is after travel. After a red eye flight a few days ago, and social obligations that didn't give me any jet lag time, I came up with my own version of the overall castor oil body pack. I am now completely obsessed! 

After Travel Hydrating Detox Mask 

As a life long health food store "goer" and obvious skin hydration product hoard, the fact that I seemed to miss the boat on the powers of Castor Oil came as a shock to me. It wasn't until I started writing my book last year that I became enlightened. Castor Oil is pretty much the miracle moisturizer. It is a little too thick and greasy to use socially, so I use it as an all over body hydration mask. 

Castor oil is a super high density vegetable oil with a very mild odor and color. Because of its molecular density castor oil absorbs very well into the skin, making it an extremely effective moisturizer. It is a powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-fungal so it is beneficial for various ailments, including ab cramps, headaches, muscle pains, inflammatory conditions, skin eruptions, lesions, and skin irritations. A castor oil pack is made by soaking a piece of flannel in castor oil, then putting it on the area of complaint and placing a heat source, such as a hot water bottle, on top of the area. The powers of castor oil work from the outside in! It can even induce LABOR. 

- Get the bathroom steamy hot with a little shower steam and a space heater. (not super green, but I don't have a sauna) 

- Set up a little palate in your bathroom and bring some magazines. 

- Massage your whole body in castor oil (head included) *A little goes a long way

- Hang out naked for at least 30 minutes (or meditate). 

- Follow with a warm shower or Epsom salt bath. 

- Moisturize like normal 

With no food, sleep, or down time- I literally felt like a new person after this. I can't wait to do it again! 

Last note... taking care of yourself is the point of ALL of this- whatever that means for you. I am a firm believer that skincare is a HEALTHY obsession!! So... ENJOY-  LOVE yourself and your BODY. 

#1 Tata Harper #2 Castor Oil #3 Mario Badescu AHA #4 Aubrey Spray #5 Clarisonic #6 Aesop Body Balm #7 Environ #8 Shi Kai Borage #9 Coconut Oil #10 Ren Moisture