Author: Tammy

Bill Clinton: Practicing Vegan & Meditator

Posted on by Tammy

Former President Bill Clinton, who just celebrated his 66th birthday, is now reportedly embracing meditation for stress relief while on the road, according to a Radaronline report.

“He has a hectic life. He travels a lot on business as an ambassador for the U.S. and needs something to keep him sane,” according to a source quoted in the report. “Meditation offers him that. He has a mantra that he likes to chant and after every session he feels transformed and full of positive energy. It’s definitely doing him the world of good – he feels fitter and stronger than ever.”

Also, Clinton stated in the past his favorite book is Marcus Aurelius’ “Meditations,” a collection of personal writings by the former Roman Emperor, which offers a theme of analyzing one’s judgment of themselves and others in order to develop a cosmic perspective, the report stated.

The former President also switched to a vegan diet in 2010, which he announced during a 2010 CNN interview, following heart problems, including a quadruple bypass surgery in 2004.

RECIPIE: Vegan Avocado Pesto

Posted on by Tammy

Love pesto but not the cheese in the recipe? We found a recipe for Avocado Pesto sauce on Shape.com shared by vegan chef Chloe Cascorelli, who uses it on top of pasta. She recommends brown rice pasta, but we also like quinoa for the boost of protein it offers!

Avocado Pesto
1 bunch fresh basil
½ cup pine nuts
2 avocados
2 tbsp lemon juice
½ cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic
Sea salt
Pepper

Simply mix the ingredients in a food processor or blender, and add to cooked pasta.

Enjoy!

Three Tips for Raising Self-Confident and Spiritually Aware Kids

Posted on by Tammy

By Maureen Healy

Just yesterday, I worked with an eight-year-old client named Ava. She is highly creative and intelligent, yet struggles with her self-confidence. So I asked her, “Would you like to paint today?” and she replied, “I am not sure if I can do it.” Of course, this is a clear sign she continues to need help building her sense of outer to inner confidence. Since I also know her family as a spiritual, but not religious one, I took the approach of cultivating confidence from a spiritual perspective.

Instilling Self-Confidence Spiritually
So how do I spark self-confidence at a deeper level in children? I must be honest, this isn’t a simple question or answer. Any adult can nurture a stronger type of confidence in their children, but here I want to emphasize that children begin looking outside of themselves for validation (grades, acknowledgment from parents and trophies) and the process of spiritual self-confidence is helping them go inward.

In other words, adults who nurture in children, on a consistent basis, that within them is a power, capability and greatness able to overcome any obstacles are teaching inner confidence. It is this power within that from a spiritual perspective is our divinity. Call it God, Spirit, Christ-consciousness, Shiva, the Buddha Seed or Jehovah – the name doesn’t matter, but the idea that there is an infinite intelligence in and around our lives that can help us is a powerful teaching for kids.

So I explained this idea to Ava and she immediately brightened up. She said, “You mean I have God within me?” And I said, “Yes. There is a power in you that can help you succeed no matter what is happening in the outer world.” Interestingly enough, she was also then willing and more optimistic about painting.

Inner Confidence: Three Tips for Today
Nurturing in your children a sense of healthy self-confidence from a spiritual perspective and awareness of their divine nature is conscious parenting. Some ideas to help you on your way are:

1. Daily Dose of Spiritual Confidence (Take one every day like a vitamin!) Just like a gummy vitamin we give our children daily, we need to nurture in them the belief that they have power, greatness and capability in them every day. This may be an affirmation, song, prayer, meditation or something unique to your family or culture – the point is it needs to be done consistently and not sporadically for best results.

2.  Get Inspired Together. By becoming genuinely inspired by life and seeing the creative force that made the daffodils come up early and butterflies emerge from their cocoons is the same powerful force inside of us – this sparks self-confidence in kids. So enjoy getting inspired together whether it is musically, going into nature or something else, but remember to reinforce the idea that that same greatness is in all of us.

3. Give More. Once children “see” how powerful they are – the path to inner confidence becomes easier and more possible. Lizzie, my neighbor, set up a lemonade stand on a hot day this week and used all of her earnings ($55) to give to the local humane society that has 19 bunny rabbits in their care and needs help with them. She was so happy to drop the money off, see the bunnies and know they’ll be taken care of until they are adopted.

Maureen Healy is a spiritual teacher with more than 20 years of global experience fostering children’s happiness. Her new book, “Growing Happy Kids: How to Foster Inner Confidence, Success and Happiness,” presents a model called The Five Building Blocks of Confidence that explains in everyday language how any adult can foster a deeper type of confidence in their children. For more information visit her website at www.growinghappykids.com or follow her on Twitter: @mdhealy 

How to Use Nutritional Yeast in Meals

Posted on by Tammy

Popular among the vegan community because it is a non-animal and non-dairy product, nutritional yeast offers a variety of health benefits, and can add a great nutritional boost to food!

Known for its cheesy taste, it’s a great source of vitamin B-12. In fact, it only takes between ½ to 1 tbsp to meet the daily requirement for the vitamin, and it’s also a good source of iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, chromium, selenium, 18 amino acids, protein, folic acid, biotin and more, according to a recent report by Ecorazzi.com.

Nutritional yeast is also gluten-free, low in fat and contains no added sugar or preservatives. And for those worried about “yeast” in the title, it’s actually deactivated unlike Brewer’s Yeast, according to the site.

Here are a few ways to incorporate it into you life:

Garlic Bread – Turn that garlic bread into a cheesy alternative by sprinkling nutritional yeast on top.

Popcorn – Because of its cheesy taste, it make an excellent addition to popcorn.

Pizza – Add it to the top as soon as the pizza comes out of the over, according to the article.

Bread Crumbs – It can be used in place of bread crumbs, whether its as a coating or mixed into a veggie burger.

Pasta – As a replacement for parmesan cheese, sprinkle nutritional yeast on top – and add some garlic powder and olive oil.

Roasted Vegetables – Sprinkle it on top of the hot veggies and it melts to become a cheesy flavored sauce.

Cooked Spinach – Often paired with cream and cheese, nutritional yeast is a great addition and lower in calories. Add a tablespoon or two to cooked spinach for a new twist.

Pesto Sauce – There are a lot of vegan recipes for pesto sauce that replace the traditional use of cheese with nutritional yeast.

Mashed Potatoes – Stir it in for a new twist on a classic mashed potato recipe.

Learning to Like Your Teen’s Friends

Posted on by Tammy

By Marthe Teixeira

I am sure every parent can relate to that one friend your teen has who instantly makes you shudder when hearing he or she is coming over your house. Not liking your child’s friends (or better yet their parents) is never easy!  It was much easier to control when your children were younger, using excuses like ” we are very busy” or pretending your child is sick. “Sorry no play dates today.” If only it were that easy now!

During elementary and middle school years, it’s easy to monitor friendships and get to know parents. No one can drive yet and you get to meet parents when you drop off/pick up the kids for parties and sleepovers. But as they hit the teen years and are able to drive themselves and control their own social calendar, parents become less of the gatekeeper. This can be a very scary place for most parents because teens are now in control of whom they choose to hang with – and they are less likely to divulge the juicy details of who their friends are and what’s really going on  in their inner circle.

Before writing this article, I asked my mother if I had any friends she didn’t like because to my recollection she loved all of them. I was completely flabbergasted to find out she actually didn’t like a few of my friends!  My mom was either very coy or I just didn’t catch her squatting outside my room with a glass between her ear and my bedroom door. I am sure if she told to me she didn’t like them (like she did with many of boyfriends), it would have made me want to hang out with them that much more.

It’s not unusual for parents to not like all of their kid’s friends. But as kids grow, they’ll befriend all kinds of people, so here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Open communication
Don’t pry! Instead create an open atmosphere for your teen. They need to figure out where they fit in with friends and peers. Invite them to come to you when they are overwhelmed or need advice. If you do not like your teen’s friend, try to discuss this with your the. Do NOT forbid them to hang out with a particular friend because the last thing you want is your teen going behind your back. Trust is key and helps build the relationship with your teen.

2. Never say . . .
“I told you so….” The last thing your teenager wants to hear is that mom or dad was right about their friend. Your teen is getting older and learning to make there own decisions on who to hang out with. If every time your teen tells you a story, you make it a life lesson or say, “I told you so,” then pretty soon they won’t tell you anything. You want your child to be able to come to you and confide not hide things from you.

3. Make your house a place your child/friends will want to hang out.
This can be tough because sometimes having extra kids in the house can be hectic!  However, this is a great way to get to know the friends more. This way once you get to know them, if you really disapprove you have legitimate reasons.

4. Keep your ears open (be a fly on the wall) and don’t get caught.
Listen to the conversation your child is having with their friends. A smart way to do this is to walk in the room (no need for army crawling) with snacks and drinks (or replenish them) without saying anything that would call attention. Oh the things you will hear!

Marthe Teixeira is the founder/CEO of Stixs and Stones and a life coach for teen girls. She works with local schools, colleges and organizations, such as the Boys and Girls Club and Strong Women Strong Girls, and she coaches one-on one with clients. She currently has a weekly advice column to help parents of teenagers navigate the pitfalls and perils of teen life. Marthe is eager to affect positive change in the lives of teen girls, as she has personally experienced struggles and challenges as an adolescent girl.