Friday, April 24, 2015

How To Make Coconut Milk From Shredded Coconut

Creamy Coconut milk made from shredded coconut
Gluten free, dairy free and vegan


Coconut milk is such a wonderful alternative to cow's milk.  It has a natural sweetness and is so rich and creamy.  It goes perfect on cereal, coffee, tea and even by itself.  Many of the coconut milk's in stores are filled with preservatives, sugar and unwanted ingredients, so I prefer to make mine at home.

Making coconut milk at home couldn't be any easier and you can choose to sweeten it with whole foods like dates or berries.

Creamy Coconut milk made from shredded coconut
Gluten free, dairy free and vegan

Ingredients:

Whole Milk Consistency
1 cup unsweetened organic shredded coconut
1 to 1 1/2 cups warm water
dash of sea salt
1-2 dates (leave out for unsweetened)
1/2 vanilla bean or 1 to 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla

Mix coconut and water together and let sit for approximately 10 minutes.
Blend together and add the rest of your ingredients.
Blend until dates have combined.
Pour mixture into a nut milk bag or cheesecloth and squeeze until you have extracted all of your milk.
Enjoy ...

Skim Milk Consistency

1 cup unsweetened organic shredded coconut
3 cups warm water
dash of sea salt
2-3 dates (leave out for unsweetened)
1/2 vanilla bean or 1 to 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla
Mix coconut and water together and let sit for approximately 10 minutes.
Blend together and add the rest of your ingredients.
Blend until dates have combined.
Pour mixture into a nut milk bag or cheesecloth and squeeze until you have extracted all of your milk.
Enjoy ...

Here is a video making the coconut milk!  

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Find Your Happy Place

I have a challenge for you ... 

Find Your Own Happy Place ...


Let's face it, life is stressful.  We all have challenges that we face every day and there are times we just get overwhelmed.  What do I do when I am overwhelmed?  I go back to my happy place.  Sometimes I can't physically go there, but I close my eyes for 5 to 10 minutes and I imagine that I am there.  I can hear the sounds, I can feel the soft gentle breeze around me and I can even see the beautiful scene in my mind.  I feel like I am there.  Some call it meditation or relaxing, but I call it being in my happy place.


If you don't have 5 minutes, do 2 minutes and if you just can't manage to find that time during the day, do it right before going to sleep.  If you can, make a video of your favorite place and put it to music and watch it every day, allowing yourself to completely relax to the sound of the music.  You can also simply be still and sit silently allowing your thoughts to come and go.

Learning to take a few minutes every day to meditate is one of the most powerful things you can for yourself.   Creating a daily habit can relieve stress, help you focus, become more aware, improve happiness and even your overall health.


Be sure to find a comfortable spot and focus on your breathing.  Take deep breaths and allow your body to completely relax.  It may take a little practice, but you will be amazed at how much better you will feel.


Here are some steps to guide you ...

Choose your happy place ...

Begin by taking deep breaths in and then slowly exhaling.  

Now imagine your happy place.  

What does it look like?

What sounds do you hear?

What colors do you see?  

What do you smell?  

Hold the image in your mind ...


Close your eyes and think about your happy place and hold that image in your mind ... embrace it ...


I like to picture myself there, happy, smiling, in good health and filled with positive energy and surrounded by love.  I feel completely Blessed and thankful for everything I am, my family and friends and I imagine that feeling and hold it all throughout the meditation and through the rest of my day.  Sometimes if I have a problem I am working on, I can do it there.  Sometimes just being still, allowing no thoughts to enter and simply being quiet and still, is all I need.  Living with gratitude for all the wonderful things in your life is easy.  Living with gratitude for all of your challenges is harder.  The moment you begin to live with gratitude for everything in your life, and look at challenges as life lesson's, it is then that you will begin to feel truly Blessed.  Life is not about living without challenges, life is about learning how to live with them, rise above and be amazing.

Go there 2 minutes every day ...

Here's my video of my happy place ....