I got it from my mama

As yesterday was Mother’s Day, I thought I would dedicate this post to my own awesome Mama. My mom is pretty much responsible for my interest in healthy eating, veganism, honoring life, and living with integrity and joy each day. In the interest of sharing, I’d like to tell you the top 7 things I’ve learned from my mom over the past 24 years.

1. Eat organic. This was probably the first thing my mom every taught me. I distinctly remember one day when I was in high school I threw a fit because no one ever wanted to come eat at our house. I said, “Mooooom, why do we always have to eat organic? Why can’t we just eat normal food for once? No one will ever eat dinner here!” Her response? You don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. And organic is better for you. So there.
2. Tofu rocks! No really, I was one of those crazy tofu-eating kids. Preferably in the form of tofu loaf. My mom’s tofu loaf can rival your mom’s meatloaf. No joke. If you missed the recipe in my newsletter because you don’t subscribe to my newsletter, well then, what are you waiting for??
3. If you eat animals, thank them. We rarely ate meat in my house growing up, but we always had turkey for Thanksgiving. In addition to saying what we were thankful for in our lives, we had to be sure to include the turkey in that – “thank you, turkey, for giving us your life so that we may enjoy this holiday.”
4. Green veggies should be the staple of any meal. My mom is the type of person to eat steamed broccoli and kale for breakfast. It doesn’t matter what time of day it is, it’s always time for green veggies! If you think I love green veggies, you really haven’t met my mom. The best part is she’s totally right! Green veggies should be the staple of any meal.
5. Take responsibility. This one is a big one in my mom’s life. Even if someone has done her wrong, she always looks to see where you can be responsible for causing that reaction in someone. She’s not excusing others’ bad behavior, but she’s taking ownership for her life and her reaction to things. If you were in a fight with someone and they suddenly took responsibility for everything, wouldn’t you find it hard to be mad at them still? Try it sometime - it really does work.
6. Live with integrity. If taking responsibility is big, then living with integrity is even bigger. This one used to kill me when I was growing up, because it essentially means following the rules to a T. If the sign says go 35 mph, you go 35 mph. If the law says you can’t drink until you’re 21, then you can’t drink until you’re 21. If the government says report all of your income on your taxes, then you report all of your money on your taxes. It’s like karma, except you don’t do it so that good things will happen to you. You just do it because life only works when you live it with integrity. No lying, cheating or swindling. If you do, you own up to it. I admire my mom every day for this, even when I can’t always do it myself.
7. Do what you want to do. If you think the last two items make my mom sound uptight, this one will change your mind. Integrity aside, when my mom wants to do something, she does it. If her body is craving chicken, eggs, cheese, steak, she eats it. If she wants to call a man, she calls him. If she wants to go to the movies but no one will go with her, she goes by herself. She certainly doesn’t impose unnecessary rules on her life. If that’s not a great way to live, I don’t know what is.

My mom is awesome, isn’t she? Thanks mom – I love you!

Why is your mom awesome? Brag about her in a comment, and then tell her to read it! It’s never too late for a belated Mother’s Day present.

Drink your greens!

Lately, I've been absolutely obsessed with green smoothies. What started out as a small love affair has turned into a full-blown scandal. Yes, I'm talking about my relationship with kale, spinach, chard and collard greens. Weird, right?

In all seriousness, for anyone who wants to feel more alive, experience more energy, and maybe even lose a little weight, greens are the food of the goddesses. And the best way to eat them is as they came - completely raw and in the nude (I mean the greens, not you!).

Greens have amazing benefits for our bodies. They are packed with essential vitamins and minerals - calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc, and Vitamins A, C, E and K! They are also crammed full of fiber, folic acid, chlorphyll and more than a handful of other micronutrients and phtyochemicals.

Greens aid in purifying the blood, strengthening the immune system, improving liver, gall bladder and kidney function, fighting depression, clearing congestion, improving circulation and keeping your skin clear and blemish free.

All of those terms may not mean anything to you, but what I'm trying to tell you is that greens are the super heros of our salads!

Despite all of the kick-ass benefits of leafy greens, they are still the number one food missing from the American diet.

So how do you form the same love-love relationship with greens that I've come to foster? By far the easiest way is to throw them in the blender with your favorite fruits! Green smoothies will do wonders when you turn them into a simple breakfast or a quick afternoon pick-me-up. 

And I'm going to tell you a secret. Here is the easiest smoothie recipe in the world, and you can whip it together in less than 5 minutes (I'm not kidding, I just did that!).

Easiest Smoothie Recipe on the Planet

1 part water

2 parts fruit

1 part greens

1 tsp vanilla

That's it - seriously! This morning I did 1 cup of water, 1 banana, 1 cup frozen strawberries (those are my 2 parts fruit), 1 cup of spinach, and 1 tsp vanilla. Mmmmm was it tasty! Don't be intimidated by the color (mine came out brown) - it's still delicious!

What's your favorite way to eat your greens? Do you have any questions about greens? Leave me some love in the comments below and I promise I'll respond!