The surprise of this recipe is the half cup of ginger it requires, giving it quite a kick!  If you don't like spicy you could use less ginger.

ingredients:
26 cloves of garlic (roasted, unpeeled)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons (raw) organic butter or coconut oil
1/2 tsp cayenne powder
1/2 cup fresh ginger
1 onion sliced
1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
26 cloves garlic (peeled)
1/2 cup coconut milk
3 1/2 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
lemon (optional)

FYI, 52 cloves of garlic is 2-4 bulbs of garlic, depending on the variety.

Preheat your oven to 350. Break apart 52 cloves of garlic.

Place 26 cloves flat with their skins in a baking dish with a lid. Sprinkle with salt plus 2 tbsp of olive oil. Cover and bake about 45 minutes, until golden and tender.. Remove, and let  cool. to the touch so you can remove the roasted garlic from the skins.

Melt butter or coconut oil in a soup pot saute onion, ginger & cayenne until onions are translucent.  Add raw (peeled) garlic plus the roasted garlic, removed from the skins and saute another 3 minutes. Add water, cover and simmer until all the garlic is soft - about 20 minutes.

Puree the garlic mixture with coconut milk in your blender. Options when you serve:, squeeze some lemon on top, add salt and pepper to taste, I was also enjoying some truffle oil on top.!

#BodyMindGifts #IngredientsForJoyAndWellness #tistheseason for #superfoods
#recipe modified from an article found on Complete Health & Happiness

In junior high I began to swim competitively and had the great fortune of having Olympian sisters, Lara & Dara Torres, as coaches. I was particularly good in solo and group relays. My strongest strokes at that time were Butterfly and Backstroke with a decent Freestyle and Breaststroke. One summer we did an underwater race and I far out swam my teammates, going 60+ meters underwater on one breath. As an adult I continued to swim with leagues and coaches would yell, "breathe Vanessa," as I liked to swim laps on the surface holding my breath as long as possible.

In 2012 while swimming at a pool where some of the members of the US Freediving Team train, I discovered that something I did naturally as a child, swimming under water with one breath hold, was now an official sport.  I have a slow resting heart rate and as I began to train I discovered all of these qualifications made me an excellent freediver, In 2013 and 2015 I placed second in the US in different pool disciplines.
 
When I moved to the North East for college I joined the Triathlon club. Because of the extreme Winter weather, we had seasonal workouts entirely in the pool and on stationary bikes at the gym. I learned  many new skills and drills to improve my swim speed and efficiency. We worked in a deep water pool on cycling and running in upright positions, essentially hours of variations on treading that mimicked the moves of cycling and running on land. The added weight of water on our legs built and lengthened the muscles we needed for the same actions on land. This type of training was new to me, and transformed as it strengthened my body. It also made me aware that cross training athletes in a pool was a great value for amplifying the strength of specific muscle groups needed for land sports.
 
When I began to teach Yoga, I would bring private clients, anyone from professional athletes to wall street business moguls, to the pool when they had shattered their feet in a car accident, were in postpartum recovery, had busted a knee on the ski slopes or had injured themselves during an extreme sporting adventure. Their doctors often asked what they were doing as they started to heal 3x faster than their peers with the same injuries who were not being trained in the water; I knew I was on to something.
 
Fitness in the water has yet to hit its peak in the US, like it has in South America and parts of Europe. Most people think of it as something for the older population, not realizing that those people they see in the water are super strong, especially at their age, because they are working  muscle groups with resistance in both eccentric (elongation) and concentric (contraction) movements while getting their heart rate up.
 
Working out in the water creates a strong core as the water does not let you cheat into bad alignment for the most part. You can also get your heart rate up while keeping the impact low on your joints. You control the amount of intensity of each exercise by how hard you push into the water. For example, one of the movements I teach to students is based on something I saw watching the super bowl one year. They ran a segment showing the star quarterback training in a pool, doing a particular movement with the additional pressure of running into a jet stream, to build the endurance and strength needed to push back and make a touch down on land.
 
Other exercises I teach come from my fitness background in Yoga, Pilates, and ballet barre, also from researching the training regimes of other land athletes, then bringing their moves into the water. One of my favorite athletes to watch videos of is MMA fighter Ronda Rousey - such a beast! The moves she does to get the drive she needs in her arms are perfect for the pool.
 
I feel so blessed to work at a gorgeous pool near the ocean. My youngest clients are just 4 years old. It brings me tremendous joy to see people of all ages improving their swim strokes and getting stronger in their bodies. Whether you are looking to cross train in the water, heal an injury, or just become more confident as a swimmer, reach out with your questions and we’ll get you into a pool and on your way to meeting your fitness goals while enjoying the beautiful year-round weather of Southern California.

As spring sets in here in the city of Angels I find myself craving mint (like off the charts) and playing with various recipes inspired by stimulating visits to my local farmer’s market, one of which I will share with you below... Coco Cream de Mint Shake.
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Appropriately, mint has been considered a hospitality herb in Greece and the Middle East for centuries; used to welcome people as they enter your home, served as a tea, iced or hot, or even rubbed on the table before a meal for a special guest. Mint is rich in Vitamins A and C, contains small amounts of B2 and also a wide range of minerals such as manganese, copper, iron, potassium and calcium. Mint is thought to decrease the risk of colon and rectal cancer and can aid in stimulating digestion before a meal plus improve digestion after a meal.

On a side note, if you ever find yourself in Boulder, CO – go to visit the Celestial Seasons Factory. Apparently the oils and aroma of mint leaves are so strong that they are stored behind big heavy doors in their own room, so as not to infuse all of their other teas. On the FREE factory tour, you are allowed to go into this room, and can immediately feel the deep healing properties of the mint infused air clearing your sinuses and lungs. Needless to say, that visit inspired me to want to create my own “mint room”…some day. For now, I am growing mint in the sunlight of my new patio.

COCO CREAM DE MINT SHAKE
1 freshly picked organic apple
2 heaping table spoons of fresh pressed coconut cream*
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 pieces of  kale, de-stemmed
1 large handful of freshly picked mint leaves
3 cups fresh coconut water*

Blend all ingredients in a powerful blender, like a Vitamix. Use less coconut water if you like your shakes thick. ENJOY your energizing, naturally sweet, green shake.

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