When you do this, you make space for more abundance

"Leaders in our lives" workshop.  An incredible morning with amazing participants.  

In order for abundance to come into your life, there has to be space for it to enter.  It cannot enter if everything around you is filled to capacity…Where would it go?  This not only applies to the material world, but to your mind and to your spirit.  One of my mantras in the past years has been “How do I create space for this in my life?” with “this” being anything from a new jacket I would like to get, to a new friendship that is blossoming.  Often, I’ve had to say goodbye to something or activities that are currently in place and that no longer serve me.  Sometimes it’s a sad process, though more often than not it is incredibly empowering, lightening, and freeing. 

Our home reflects the above.  More than once someone has approached me and said “I love the minimalist style you and your husband have.”  In reality, we are not rigorous minimalists.  I believe in the energetic space that needs to be created for abundance to enter, and both my husband and I also just hate having useless stuff that creates clutter!  We constantly ask ourselves if something (furniture, clothing, food, anything…) is really necessary.  And despite others noting this about us, we still believe we have LOTS in our home we need to get rid of (I have to confess this is mostly due to me and not my husband!).  That is why, when I heard about the popular organization and de-cluttering book by Marie Kondo “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” it was an automatic must-read for me.

I have yet to kick off Marie Kondo’s process in our home, though I can share that just reading the book has been eye-opening for me.  Even without a formal commencement of the process, I’ve already learned a ton about myself, my home, and my life.  My biggest learning?  A greater sense of respect for the things I have in my life, and those that will enter.

I recommend you read Marie Kondo’s book to benefit from her process (or listen to the audible; as you guys know I love audibles!).  Here are the 3 core steps of her approach to tidying:

Take a look at Marie Kondo herself breaking down her method.

1. Tidy in one shot, as quickly and completely as possible. Either do it all in one day, or put aside weekends to do this, and give yourself a deadline (e.g. 3 months).  Tidying is not something you do every day little by little, it is a special activity that should have time set aside just for it.   
   
2. When you are ready to tidy, start by sorting your things into what you will keep and what you will give away or throw out.  When you sort, sort by category, not by location.  We tend to go room by room, organizing and tidying the bedrooms first, then the kitchen, the home office, etc.  You do not want to do this.  You want to tidy by category.  For example, tidy all of the clothes in your house first.  Then tidy all of the books in your house.  Then tidy all of your documents, etc. etc.  Marie Kondo says that if you do not do it this way, all you end up doing is moving stuff from room to room. 
   
3. Ask yourself: Does it spark joy? When you are ready to tidy a category, you must touch every single thing you own in that category with your hands.  You must then ask yourself the question “Does this item spark joy?”  If it does not, you either give it away or throw it out.  The impact: everything in your home going forward will fill you with joy, which is not only the most incredible feeling, but guaranteed to help you feel relaxed and comfortable in your own home.    

I promise that implementing the above will result in a greater level of respect for your belongings and surroundings.  I hope this helps you! I would love to hear from you, so please leave a comment below.  If you enjoyed this post, share it with your friends and family!

Lots of love,

Judith

Pregnant friends, do you find this as uncomfortable as I do?

This week I will be 8 months pregnant.  As the date nears, I am becoming more and more excited!  I can’t wait to meet my little one.  As we get closer, I am also becoming bigger and bigger.  My baby bump is out and very obvious to the world.  As it would be expected, the bump is receiving quite a bit of attention.  Yet recently, something happened that made me so uncomfortable that I had no idea how to react.  Someone I know well and hadn’t seen in a while saw my bump for the first time and proceeded to rub it, kiss it, rub it again, kiss it AGAIN, and rub it SOME MORE, all the while talking to it in a baby voice.  I cannot describe how intrusive and overbearing I found these actions to be.  I had an emotional reaction (though I was able to manage it and not express it at the moment) at what I felt was an incredible intrusion on my personal space and body.  Just writing about this incident gives me chills again.

I cannot identify exactly what bothered me so much, but I do know there are a few triggers that were set off.  I felt very offended at how entitled the person seemed to feel in taking these actions so aggressively.  I interpreted their actions and mannerisms as if they felt that they had the right and authority to do this.  I keep on wondering what would lead someone to potentially have this sense of entitlement.  Could it be how well they know me?  Could it be that culturally, this could be seen as acceptable behavior?  And what was their intention?  To express their love to me? To express their love to the future baby, irrespective of me?  Regardless of what drove their decision and intention, I am wondering how the rights I still have to my body seem to be lost during this special time.  It seems that, despite being pregnant, I have not lost the right to decide when someone should or shouldn’t touch me. 

I have been pondering the balance between respecting someone else’s body and expressing cari~no towards the baby they are carrying.  I understand that it is exciting to see someone you love and care about carrying a baby, but I do not understand how expressing these emotions (even if they are incredible passionate) could take priority over that person’s personal body.  And here’s a realization: If you are making the mother uncomfortable, you are probably making the baby uncomfortable as well! 

Maybe it was how forward this person was in the experience I described above that led to my emotional reaction, though I would love to hear your thoughts (especially since I have one more month to go!).  How do you feel about those around you touching, rubbing, and/or kissing you baby bump?  How have you reacted in the past? 

I would love to hear from you, so please leave a comment below.  If you enjoyed this post, share it with your friends and family!

Lots of love,

Judit

Recipe: Chicken, olives, & lemon noodles

This is a fast, healthy, delicious recipe for a weekday dinner.  I make it often, when I’m craving noodles and the saltiness of the Kalamata olives.  With the chicken, it’s also a great way to get some protein in your diet for the day.  I truly hope you enjoy!

Ingredients

• ½ pound of chicken breasts, preferably cut into thin cutlets
• One package of soba rice noodles (if you can’t find soba, just get brown rice noodles). 
• ¾ of a cup red onions, sliced
• ½ pound frozen peas
• ½ cup red cherry tomatoes chopped (into at least thirds, maybe fourths)
• ½ Kalamata olives (I LOVE Kalamanta olives.  Treat yourself and get really nice ones)
• ¼ of a cup of basil
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil (get a really yummy, delicious one.  There’s the olive oil that you cook food with and there’s the olive oil you use to finish dishes...You want the one that you finish dishes with)
• Zest of 1 lemon (watch this video on how to zest a lemon and here’s the lemon zester I use)
• Juice of 1 lemon

Preparation

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Start one big pot of water boiling for the noodles. Start one smaller pot of water boiling for the peas. 

Take the ½ pound of chicken breast, lay them flat on a roasting pan, sprinkle them with salt and pepper (I use a lot of pepper, I tend to use less salt), and roast them for about 25 minutes (20 minutes if they are thin, more time if they are on the thicker side.  FYI, I always ask my butcher to slice my chicken thin so that they roast quickly.  When the chicken breasts are cooked, slice them into easy bite size pieces. 

Cook the noodles according to the direction on the package.  You have two options, cook them 1 minute less than it says, drain them, and toss them with the 3 Tbs of olive oil in a bowl(this keeps them from sticking with each other in a big lump).  The noodles will keep cooking in their own heat and you will have them nice and warm when you eat them.  If you want room temperature noodles, then cook the noodles for the time it tells you in the package.  When they are done cooking, run them underneath cold water.  This will stop the cooking.  Toss them with the 3 Tbs of olive oil in a bowl.

Take the peas and put them in the boiling water in the small pot.  You just need to cook these for a few minutes; they are so small they cook right away.  How to know if they are done? The minute they turn a bright green, they are ready!  Take them out immediately so they don’t overcook and get mushy. 

In a bowl combine the red onions, cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives, basil, peas, and the zest and juice of one lemon.  Combine this with the noodles and chicken.  You are ready to go!

I would love to hear from you, so please leave a comment below.  If you enjoyed this post, share it with your friends and family!

Lots of love,

Judith

Recipe: Kale, Celery, Apple Green Juice

If you’ve been following my Instagram account you are aware that I’ve been trying to have one green juice a day.  Well, I’ve been drinking LOTS of different combinations of greenery and I’m happy to share my favorite thus far.  I LOVED this one.  I sipped and sipped and couldn’t believe something so yummy could be so good for me.

• I probably don’t need to tell you about the health benefits of Kale, but for the sake of writing a more complete post, here are just a few:
  • Just one cup of kale has the following required amounts of each vitamin:
    • Vitamin K, 684%
    • Vitamin A, 206% (from the beta-carotene it contains)
    • Vitamin C, 134%
    • Manganese: 26%
    • Copper: 10%
    • Vitamin B6, 9%
    • Calcium: 9%
    • Potassium: 9%
    • Magnesium: 6%
    • Among much more!
  • Great source of antioxidants
  • Can help lower cholesterol
  • May help reduce the risk of heart disease and provides cardiovascular support
  • Contains numerous cancer-fighting substances
  • Has anti-inflammatory benefits
• Un-sexy celery has some great health benefits:
  • Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory benefits
  • Digestive tract support
  • Cardiovascular benefits
  • Rich in key vitamins:
  • Vitamin K
  • Folate
  • Vitamin A
  • Potassium
  • Vitamin C
  • Good source of fiber
  • Anti-cancer properties
• Our good old fashion apple has some great health benefits of its own. From protecting against Alzheimers and Parkinsons, to reducing cholesterol and improving the immune system, among much more.    Yet, many of these health benefits are found in the fiber, so whether you get these depends on how you juice and how much of the fiber you consume.  Usually, we do not want to include too many fruits in our juicing, as many of the benefits are found in the fiber and not the juice; often, the juice contains way too much sugar in it.  One reason why this recipe only has 1 apple in it :)

 Ingredients

• 10 large kale leaves
• 3-4 celery sticks
• 1 apple

Preparation

Take all of your ingredients, place them in your juicer, and hit the “on” button.  Done! 

Note on juicing: You can use many different machines to juice.  You don’t necessarily need a juicer, though I do have this one and use it for my juicing. Here’s a great video on how to juice with blender (note that she used a liquid as a base, so just add water to the ingredient list above (or any liquid of your choice, she used some kombucha (!) which is so cool). 

I would love to hear from you, so please leave a comment below.  If you enjoyed this post, share it with your friends and family!

Lots of love,

Judith

Recipe: Blueberry Vanilla Protein Smoothie

Hi All!  Continuing to feed my body the smoothies, green juice and healthy food it is craving in my third trimester.  I was in search of a blueberry protein smoothie, and this one hit the spot.  Like last time, I’ve included the nutritional info so you are more aware of what you are consuming.  And like last time, please remember to have a balanced diet by looking at what you eat the rest of the day and getting the rest of your vitamins and nutrients from there.

Recipe (16 ounces)

• 1 cup almond milk
• ¾ of a frozen banana
• 1/3 of a cup frozen blueberries (you can use fresh, I just like froze as it makes my smoothie cold right away and you don’t lose any of the nutritional benefits)
• 8 tablespoons vanilla protein powder (I used Trader Joe’s Vanilla Whey Protein Powder)
• 2 tablespoons almond butter

Preparation

Take all of the ingredients and mix in your blender.  If you happen to have some shredded coconut left over from the last smoothie recipe (Banana Chocolate Coconut) go ahead and sprinkle some on top!  That easy!

No Excuses: Exercising Whenever and Wherever

Exercise is one the most important things in my life.  It always has been.  I started playing tennis when I was 6 years old and played competitively until about 12-13 years old.  I then played #1 singles on my high school’s varsity tennis team, and have since then played 4.0-4.5 on and off.  Tennis instilled many, many things in me (I could probably write pages of this), with the most obvious being a love and enjoyment of exercising.  I get a total high from exercising and if I skip one too many workouts it takes a big toll on my quality of life. 

I have thus always found creative ways to get my body in motion.  I usually do 2-3 rigorous Vinyasa yoga classes a week and 2-3 rigorous cardio sessions, for a total of 5 days a week of exercise.  For cardio I either go to tennis, rebounding (have you ever done rebounding?  You can learn more about it by clicking here), or the elliptical at my gym.  Yet, now that I am pregnant, my options have had to change a bit.  My energy levels at times are also a bit unpredictable, making it even more important to get that exercise in whenever I can…wherever I can!  This is how I still get exercise in despite being in less than ideal locations:

Have you tried the Udaya online studio?  I myself have been hooked on the Yoga Studio App (different than Udaya) but would love to hear from you if you've tried Udaya. 

yes, she can get your body that fit from your living room...!

•  I’ve discovered walking as a mode of exercise!  I used to question whether “walking” could count as exercise.  How could you actually get enough of a challenge by just walking around?  Well you can!  I don’t think I need to state it, but you can speed walk and get your heart rate up (if you are pregnant, wear a heart monitor and make sure you stay under your doctor’s recommended heart rate guidance; if you don’t have a heart monitor, make sure you do not experience shortness of breath at any given moment).  You can also walk really long distances (or walk a short distance multiple times), prolonging the activity and getting an even greater workout.  Walking is proven to help maintain a healthy weight, prevent/manage heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, strengthen your bones, lift your mood, and improve your balance, among much more.  The American Heart Association has stated that 10,000 steps per day is the number we should all be shooting for.  I wear a Fitbit and make sure I hit that goal each day.  I have to tell you guys, after most of my long, brisk walks, I am SORE.  And this is coming from someone who is a regular exerciser. 
• I do Yoga from an App and/or online streaming video. Often it’s hard to get to a Yoga studio.  That’s why it’s really nice when the studio can be found in your living room.  A friend of mine told me about the Yoga Studio App, which can be downloaded on any iOS device (iPhone, iPad) and I am in LOVE (I’m not the only one, the App has 5 stars out of 17K reviews!!).  I am able to tailor the yoga exercises to fit my pregnancy, and I can speed up and slow things down as I wish.  Before and after being pregnant, I’ve done Yoga using this app and have felt the burn and seen incredible results; click here to check it out!  If you don’t have an iPhone or App, there are tons of Yoga options on the web and on YouTube.  I’ve been quite curious about Udaya Yoga, an online yoga studio, though I haven’t tried it yet.  Check out the video above.  If you end up checking it out, let me know how you like it in the comments below!
• Old school: DVD’s.  I still love a good exercise DVD.  I’ve tried many and when I wasn’t pregnant got good results with Tracy Anderson (check out some of her products by clicking here) and am super excited to have her pregnancy DVD’s.

You don’t need a fancy gym membership to exercise.  You don’t need all of the time in the world.  You don’t even need to really leave your home (except to walk around in your neighborhood).  As an athlete I can tell you that the above works, you just have to be focused and maintain your discipline…but isn’t that a requirement for everything extraordinary that happens in life? If you are pregnant, please consult with your doctor before beginning any exercise routine.  Do not perform any exercises until you have seen a medical professional. 

I am always on the lookout for new ways to exercise!  What are YOUR ways to get a workout in?  I would love to hear from you, so please leave a comment below.  If you enjoyed this post, share it with your friends and family!

Lots of love,

Judith

Recipe: Banana Chocolate Coconut Smoothie

Hi All!  My body has been craving smoothies, green juice, and super, super healthy food (along with yoga and meditation….very odd pregnancy cravings!).  So I’ve been in my kitchen recipe testing a storm!  Here’s one that my husband and I loved.  I’ve put together the nutritional info so you know what you are consuming.  Every time I order a smoothie at a health shop and/or restaurant, I am pretty scared to even ask about the calories and nutrition in this “healthy” shake.  The great thing about making these yourself is that you can manage all of that to your liking right in your kitchen.  Remember to have a balanced diet by looking at what you eat the rest of the day and getting the rest of your vitamins and nutrients from there.

Recipe (16 ounces)

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1.5 bananas
• 8 tablespoons protein powder (I used Trader Joe’s Vanilla Whey Protein Powder)
• 2 tablespoons almond butter
• 1 tablespoons coconut flakes
• 1 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 1.5 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

Preparation

Take all of the ingredients and mix in your blender.  That easy!

I truly hope you enjoy this recipe and that it helps you live a healthier life.  I would absolutely love to hear from you, so please leave a comment below and let me know what you think.  If you enjoyed this post, share it with your friends and family!

Lots of love,

Judith

Recipe: Cooking Tofu

Cooking tofu has always eluded me. To be honest, I used to be quite intimidated by it.  The last thing I wanted to end up with was a squishy, bland, mess that tasted like wet paper.  More importantly, recently there has been a big debate within the health/wellness community as to whether soy (what tofu is made of) is good for you. What many agree on is that the concern around soy is for those people who eat it A LOT (soy/tofu scramble for breakfast instead of an egg scramble, soy burger for lunch, tofu for dinner…and doing this multiple days a week).  As many of you know, I’m all about balance. I’m not planning on becoming a vegetarian and solely relying on my protein intake from tofu.  I see myself enjoying this yummy recipe once every so often, especially when I have cravings for “made-at-home” Chinese food J As you know, nothing in extremes is good. 

So here is how I cooked tofu in order to make a delicious recipe a few weekends ago weekend:

1. I chose “firm” tofu.  You can choose from different types of tofu, from silken, to soft, to medium, to firm, to extra-firm, to super-firm.  The times I’ve had tofu, I’ve always liked for it to have some “bite” to it..never liked the mushy, slimy type.  Thus for this recipe, I saw my options as “firm” and above…going with “firm” was a happy medium
2. I pressed the water out of my tofu. I took my tofu block and placed it in between a folded kitchen towel.  I then took a couple of plates and placed them on top of my tofu (make sure you don’t place too much weight on your tofu block or it will crumble).  I let all of the water drain as I cut up my vegetables. It took me over an hour to cut my vegetables up, and that’s how long it takes to press the water out of a tofu block (if not longer).
3. I cut up my tofu into 1-inch cubes.  I made sure they were as equal in size as possible, so that there would be even cooking.
4. I dusted my tofu cubes with a type of flour.  This time I used cornstarch, but you can probably use whatever you like best and which you believe is healthiest for you. 
5. I used a wok to fry the cubes. I LOVE my wok.  Yes, maybe I don’t use it every single day, but on those days that I do use it, I am SO HAPPY I have one in my kitchen.  Plus, you can find them in all price ranges.  From the more affordable for less than $20, to the elite pricey ones
6. I got my wok hot enough before pouring in my oil.  I got my oil hot enough before getting my tofu in.  Check out the video on how to tell if your pan is hot enough. 
7. I cooked about 10 cubes at a time inside the work.  If you put too many tofu cubes in, they will steam together versus searing and getting nice and crispy.  It might take longer, but you don’t want to pour too many cubes in the work…Patience is a virtue.
8. As I took my batches out, I placed them on top of paper towels to drain the oil.  Make sure you do this, you don’t want to pile them up and have an oily, wet mess. 

And, listo!  I was done! They were so yummy and crisp that I kept on eating them as I was making them (!)  In my next post, I’ll share a yummy sauce you can serve it with (I’m still perfecting the recipe) along with a ton of chopped up vegetables. 

I truly hope you enjoy this recipe.  I would absolutely love to hear from you, so please leave a comment below and let me know what you think.  If you enjoyed this post, share it with your friends and family!

Lots of love

Judith

Recipe: Roasted Sweet Potato Wedges

I love sweet potatoes.  And I mean LOVE sweet potatoes.  How can one not love something that tastes so good and has so many health benefits?  Here are just a few:

• Great source of key anti-oxidants like beta-carotene (among many more), which may play a protective role against certain types of cancer
• Rich in anti-inflammatory nutrients
• Able to potentially improve blood sugar regulation
• A great source of vitamin and minerals, such as:
  • Vitamin B6
  • Vitamin C (among many things, helps your immune system)
  • Vitamin D
  • Iron (which can help promote fertility when consumed from plant based sources)
  • Magnesium
  • Potassium (which helps with blood pressure)

There are many, many ways to cook sweet potatoes.  This is the simplest and one of the healthies ways I know how.  It makes a great dinner or lunch side for a wonderful protein and a salad or veggies. 

Ingredients

I love cilantro, so I always use it whenever possible!

• 2lbs of sweet potato
• Olive oil
• ¾ teaspoon of salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons of your favorite ground spice
• Your favorite herb, parsley or cilantro, to sprinkle on top

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Rinse the sweet potatoes, but there is no need to peel them (Yes to saving time!).  You want to cut each sweet potato lengthwise, so that in the end you end up with 8 long pieces (almost like fingers).  So cut each sweet potato in half lengthwise.  Then take that half and cut it in half lengthwise again. Then take that half and cut it again lengthwise.  Take the other half of the sweet potato and do the same thing.  You are left with 8 pieces per sweet potato, which have been cut lengthwise.  Do this for all of the sweet potatoes you have.

Take a roasting sheet pan and line it with your favorite liner so that there is easy cleaning afterwards (parchment paper, aluminum foil, etc.). Spread the sweet potato wedges and drizzle with olive oil.  You want to make sure each piece is nicely covered with the oil, so you might want to brush the oil on, or just use your hands to move things around. 

Combine the salt with your favorite ground spice.  Here, pick a spice that you truly enjoy.  Do you like heat?  How about 1 ½ teaspoons of Chili pepper or cayenne pepper? I believe All Spice could be a good option, as it will accentuate the sweetness of the sweet potato.  One of my favorites? Coriander.  I love the lemony properties that it brings to the sweet potato…it tastes so fresh! Once you have sprinkled 1 ½ teaspoons of your favorite spice, roast in the oven for 25 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender inside (use a tooth pick to check!) and golden brown.

When done, remove from the oven and sprinkle with your favorite herb, cilantro or parsley.  I LOVE cilantro, so I use it whenever possible.  Also it goes well with coriander, which is the spice I would choose.  Feel free to sprinkle some red chili flakes to give the sweet potatoes a kick if you would like. 

My sweet potatoes with roasted chicken.  This meal was SO good!

I truly hope you enjoy this recipe and that it helps you live a healthier life.  I would absolutely love to hear from you, so please leave a comment below and let me know what you think.  If you enjoyed this post, share it with your friends and family!

Lots of love,

Judith