e a t , d r i n k & b e m e r r y

My glorious birthday weekend, full of food, friends and family. What more could I ask for.

Homemade Massaman Curry

Super food breakfast at the sunday Miami markets....Gluten Free Buckwheat Muesli, Coconut Yoghurt with Fresh Fruit, Mint & Ginger

From Earth and Water's Raw lemon Cheesecake 

Gypsy's Hemp Berry Smoothie with Raw Mango, Passion Cheesecake 

Gypsy's Cold Herbal Teas; Fresh made Ginger, Lemongrass and Lime & Pink Lemonade

Gypsy's Raw pizza with Seasonal Vegetables, Avocado "Cream" and Cashew nut "Cheese"

My Deliciously Raw Vanilla, Blueberry Birthday Cheesecake from Gypsy's

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b u d

Sprouted Grain: Benefits, Preparation and Recipes

Sprouted grain – rich in food enzymes and natural vitamins – grows closer and closer to the mainstream as people across all walks of life search for a better way to incorporate wholesome foods into their diet on a regular basis.   While sprouting grain requires extra attention and, like many aspects of traditional foods, additional forethought and planning, the practice is worth the time and is easy to accomplish in your own kitchen, once you get the hang of it. 

Sprouted Grain:Benefits 

Sprouted grain differs from whole grain in three fundamental aspects: 1) sprouting activates food enzymes; 2) sprouting increases vitamin content, and 3) sprouting neutralizes antinutrients like phytic acid which bind up minerals preventing your ability to fully absorb them.  When examining the nutrient density of sprouted wheat to unsprouted wheat on a calorie-per-calorie basis, you’ll find that sprouted wheat contains four times the amount of niacin and nearly twice the amount of vitamin B6 and folate as unsprouted wheat; moreover, it contains more protein and fewer starches than non-sprouted grain and as a further boon, it is lower on the glycemic index making it more suitable for those suffering from blood sugar issues. Furthermore, sprouted grain and sprouted flours – having been effectively “pre-soaked” do not need to undergo further soaking or souring and are therefore suitable for quick breads, cookies and cakes in a way that sourdoughs and soaked flours are not. 

Sprouted Grain:Preparation 

While it may take a few days to sprout grain, it’s not as labor-intensive of a process as it might seem. All grains and seeds can be sprouted following these basic instructions though the germination time may vary from grain to grain. 

How to Sprout Grain 

Start with clean grain, so take care in sorting through it to make sure all pebbles and grains with poor appearance are adequately removed. Rinse grains thoroughly. Add grain to a ceramic or stainless steel crock, pouring filtered water over the grain until the grain is completely submersed under several inches of water. Soak the grains overnight in warm water. In the morning, pour the grains into a fine mesh sieve and rinse them well. Throughout the day, rinse the grains multiple times taking care to stir them so all grains are rinsed evenly. Continue rinsing the grains for two to three days until the grains have sprouted to your liking. Rinse the grains one last time, drain them and either refrigerate them or dehydrate them to grind into flour. 

How to Make Sprouted Flour 

Start with grain that has been sprouted for only a day or two – until the sprout barely emerges from the end of the kernel.  The longer it sprouts, the more difficult it is to grind and use in baking. Pour the grain into a thin layer on a mesh screen for your dehydrator and dehydrate at about 105 ° – 110 ° F until thoroughly dry. Alternatively, spread it on a baking sheet and set it in an oven set to the lowest setting you can manage.   Note that sprouted grain dried in an oven has inferior baking qualities as compared to  that which is dried through the more reliably low temperatures of a dehydrator. Once the grain is thoroughly dry, simply add it to the hopper of your grain mill and grind as you normally would.

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h e a l t h k i c k

Sprouted Moong Bean Salad 

Ingredients
1 ½ cup sprouted moong
1/2 cup of red dahl
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup chopped cucumber
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped mushroom
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 seeded and chopped green chili (optional)

Salad Dressing:
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt, adjust to taste
1 tsp ground roasted cumin seed 
tsp lemon juice, adjust to taste
1 Tbs ginger juice
1 Tbs olive oil

Method

Chop and mix all the salad ingredients together. Keep aside.

Mix the dressing ingredients. 

Add dressing to salad.

Garnish with cilantro and green chilli.

Notes:

How to make sprouts:

Soak the whole moong for 10 to 12 hours. Water should be about four times more than the Moong.

After soaking moong, it will double in volume.

Line a colander with muslin cloth. Drain the water and loosely wrap the beans with the muslin cloth. Store the soaked beans in a warm dark place. For example, store the beans in a closed oven or cover with a heavy cloth. Within a day or two, the beans will have sprouted.

Sprouts can be refrigerated for four or five days.

First day back from India, day 1 of healthy eating begins. 

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☼ a r i s i n g s o u l ☼

Pony Gold 

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l i v e b y t h e ✧ l o v e b y t h e ☽

✧☽ DAUGHTER OF WANDS ☾✧

Sacred Play is this young lady’s jam.  She is inspired and full of spirit-everything she does seems to spark from a primal energy of creation.  The Wands this free spirit holds are Fiery, so don’t double-cross this Mama!  Her heart is on fire and her passion is palpable.  Stand back-her essence is about to burst into full bloom and will roll over anything in her way that isn’t for her highest good or that blocks her freedom.

✧☽ DAUGHTER OF SWORDS ☾✧

She calls on the North Wind when she wants to get some help from Mother Earth.  She’s a bit impatient and sometimes overeager, but her intentions are striving for clarity and action.  New projects and big challenges turn her on.  The key with the Swords are making the energy constructive and not destructive.  If you feel yourself going into judgement and hyper-critical thinking, pull out the sword and cut away the things that can go bye-bye.  Your aim is sharp and always true. 

✧☽ DAUGHTER OF CUPS ☾✧

Dreaming IS free and she represents the Daydream Believer who knows how to breathe, believe & receive.  Her youthful & romantic joie de vivre is contagious.  She raises her glass to Life and magnetizes helpers and support when her emotions are positive and heart-filled.  When the surge of emotions are painful, she may need to let the cup spill over so she can let go-and resume the flow.  Either way, it’s okay-because her secret garden of an inner world is hers alone-if you are invited to enter, get ready to FEEL.

✧☽ DAUGHTER OF PENTACLES ☾✧ 

Her motto is “GIVE and you shall receive.”  She knows how to take care of herself and enjoy the material world, but always remembers that her greatest resource is her inner strength.  If times are tough, call on her ability to snap into work mode, hustle if necessary, and get it done!  Take a time out from the social scene if you need to focus on building a life that feels safe and comfortable.  When you return from the journey, you will be the money, honey.  And drinks are on you-wink, wink.

 ✧☽ EMPRESS ☾✧

The Feminine often appears in our lives as Mother, Lover, and Teacher when she is working the Empress energy.  Being in nature is like being held in her arms.   Be like the Empress and consciously choose to shift into the most compassionate version of your self if you are being challenged.  Go somewhere green or dip into the ocean and connect with her.  Open up your heart and let the birdies out of their cage.  Then, kiss the ground and thank her or make love sweetly with your honey.  Give nourishment =  Be nourished.

 ✧☽ THE MAGICIAN ☾✧

She’s self-assured and has the ability to wave her wand and make magic! It helps that she has a full set of tools which she picked up on the hero’s journey. She has known desperate wanting and has evolved: now she has a matter-of-fact knowing that what she wants, she can create when she gets in the vortex. Manifestation is a muscle she’s been working. The Magician reminds us to follow Universal law and practice creating white light, often. Life’s what you make it... the message is: get clear and take action.

✧☽ THE LOVERS ☾✧

Hierosgamos is when two beings come together and their ‘marriage’ or bond is a gift to God.  Uniting our Masculine & Feminine selves can also arouse an evolutionary impulse so strong that we ‘fall in love’ with life even when we don’t have a partner.   The Lovers sometimes appear when we experience the pang of wanting for romance and deep connection and signal that we must be whole before we can find a partner with whom we can experience true union.  We are reminded to tread lightly in matters of the heart...try to generate good karma in your intimate relationships with loving kindness.  Sexual Healing is possible under the right circumstances when the Lovers show up at your door. 

✧☽ THE MOON ☾✧

The Moon symbolizes the Void, the feminine darkness and even our own deep forest.    She is everywhere yet much remains unseen.  When she is full, flashes of truth illuminate us on the Path.  When she has disappeared, we must carry on with only our intuition to guide us.  Fear not, the tide always turns.  When the Moon is weighing on you, there’s a good chance you are being called to dive really deep into your unconscious and the underworld and bring back a treasure. 

 ✧☽ THE SUN ☾✧

The Sun represents the Source of all life and the cosmic electrical socket we can ‘plug into’ when we need to recharge ourselves to full strength.  After we supercharge, we can step into the world with vitality and consciousness.   When the Sun energy is shining on you, your shadow takes a back seat and your true Self can step out.   You may be called to become a leader in your community or step up to the stage to make your grand performance!  Whatever you choose to do with the Sun’s rays, turn the station to Good, Good, Good Vibrations....and if you can’t get to a warm beach anytime soon, meditate on the Sun’s light connecting to your Crown chakra and you’ll be Golden.

✧☽ WHEEL OF FORTUNE ☾✧

“To everything, turn, turn, turn.  There is a season, turn, turn, turn” goes the song.  Destiny has a specific timing and you never know when that wheel is gonna turn again and life suddenly feels like it’s shifting in a big way.  When the Wheel stops and lands on you, be prepared to make a move, step it up, or receive the 411 the Divine is about to deliver.  A detour route can sometimes be what comes with this card-it’s up to you to decide if that is a blessing or a curse.

Photographer // Emman Montalvan
Model // Lauryn Holmquist
Styling // Chloe Chippendale of Born to be Wild Blog

Art by Tami Snodgrass of Charmed I'm Sure

This one is for the tarot reading, hypnotist collecting, crystal swinging, Stevie Nicks ticket-holding, candle lighting, sage burning, white magic mamas. Pick your card, trust your intuition, follow your heart, live by the sun + love by the moon.
Tarot card descriptions courtesy of our personal Tarot mentor: Victoria Kray of Vega Jewelry.

Featuring Jewelry by ManiaMania + Pamela Love Nyc // available at BONA DRAG

Shop the new collection HERE 

Like us on FB to see the full shoot!!

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c o o k i e s

Buckwheat Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Dry Ingredients: 


3 cups of soaked buckwheat groats


1/4 cup of pepitas, finely ground


1 tablespoons ground golden flaxseeds


1 teaspoon cinnamon


1 teaspoon of baking powder

Wet Ingredients: 


2 Tbs of maple syrup


Other Ingredients:

sugar-free boysenberry jam

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a large cookie sheet with coconut oil.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the wet and stir together with a spoon.

Form dough into balls and place onto the cookie sheet. Make an indent in each cookie with your thumb (you can have your child do this). Then drop a small spoonful of jam into each thumbprint. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes. Timing will depend on the size of your cookies.

Yield: 20 to 25 cookies

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D I Y

DIY: Vanilla Chai Brown Sugar & Coconut Body Scrub

You will need:

1 chai tea bag  

2 tbsp cinnamon 

1 tsp nutmeg 

1 tbsp vanilla extract or the seeds of a vanilla pod 

2 cups brown sugar 

1/2 cup of white sugar 

2-4 tbsp of coconut oil 

A jar

You can make your own deliciously scented, body scrub which also makes a great gift. This brown sugar scrub smells and taste absolutely amazing! It's definitely the perfect treat for your skin, not only is it a wonderful exfoliant, but thanks to the coconut oil it's very moisturising. 

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b o h o m o r o c c o

Isn't this holiday home for Consuelo Castigliani, designer of Marni amazing!!! 

Can't wait to have a bohemian/moroccan inspired home one day. 

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s e n s e o f c o l o u r

Alexandra Valenti is more then a photographer, she is an artist with her unique approach to her work. I love her hand painted photographs that incorporate psychedelic designs with black and white photographs of free spirits, almost nymph like in their magical costumes.

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p e a c e

s o n g  o f  t h e  w e e k  

PEACE - BLOODSHAKE 

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f r o m e a r t h & w a t e r

F r o m  E a r t h  &  W a t e r restaurant

raw vanilla bean, fig tart 

raw chocolate trio with chocolate sorbet, chocolate mousse & snickers imitation cake

I had an amazing food experience tonight at from earth & water, a raw food restaurant in Burleigh Heads. Everything at from earth and water is made by hand and their food is kept below 40 degrees during its preparation to preserve vital enzymes and nutrients. Their menu is free of dairy refined sugar, gluten, soy, wheat, processed ingredients and animal products . As I have the biggest sweet tooth I ordered dessert for main course and dessert. No better way to start and end a decedent evening.

 

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s p r o u t e d

Vegan Sprouted Chickpea and Buckwheat Bread with Walnuts & Rosemary

So like all my cooking I don't usually follow a recipe. I usually go with the flow and experiment (so much funner that way). I based this recipe around what I had in my cupboard and went from there, but you can add and take out ingredients according to your personal preference. Truly was delicious, love sprouting my own grains and legumes. I know its effort but if you have the time its worth it and your body will love you for it as sprouting greatly helps digestion.

Ingredients: 

2 cups of soaked, sprouted, dried, and ground into flour chickpeas 

1 cup soaked, sprouted, dried, and ground into flour buckwheat 

1/2 t baking powder
1 flax egg + 4 Tbs water

handful of walnuts and pepitas 

handful of fresh basil

2T of fresh rosemary 

1t minced garlic
1/4c of spinach 
1 tomato, sliced 
ground black pepper and himalayan salt.

Method:

Preheat your oven to 200*

To make flax egg:

[1T ground flax seeds + 2.5T hot water, whisked + gelled for 5min] to veganize. 

Dry fry walnuts and pepitas until golden. 

Blend sprouted buckwheat groats and chickpeas into a fine powder (I had to do this in 3 batches). Blend toasted walnuts/pepitas, fresh basil, rosemary until roughly chopped. 

Stir in buckwheat flour, chickpea flour, baking powder, salt,black pepper, garlic , until combined.

Stir in spinach then flax egg. 

Grease all sides of an oven safe baking tin. 

Pour batter into the dish, place the tomato slice on top and bake for 32-37min on the center rack of the oven.

Test with a toothpick. Pull out when slightly moist.

Loosen edges by running a knife along the edge of the dish. 

Flip out onto a plate.

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