The BEST parts of my wedding.

There are SO many amazing things about our wedding day that will forever remain in my mind. 

But I must say, these are the top 3 off the long list:

1. Being engaged was a blast! I was taken away by how so many people (my friends, family, coworkers and even strangers!) went out of their way to congratulate me, ask me questions, or celebrate our engagement. I usually feel bad when too much attention is on me, I like to be as mindful as I can about being sure to give a person just as much attention that they’ve given me. However, I made it a point that for my engagement, NOT to be so concerned about doing that. The result: I was able to totally soak up and enjoy everyone’s genuine happiness for Lammer and I, which was SUCH a beautiful thing!  Sometimes it’s important to allow people to devote that effort, time and happiness to you. It made me realize just how special of a time it was.  

The first few steps my father and I took as we
entered a room full of our favorite people!

2. With that being said, we were able to party down from the day we got engaged until our grand finale - our wedding!  The day of our engagement was Superbowl Sunday so Lammer had invited a bunch of friends and family to come celebrate. We were gifted a breathtaking engagement party in Garden City, NY where Lammer’s sister lives. It was like something out of a Martha Stewart magazine. My bridal party and I flew to Key West for a long weekend of total relaxation. We made it a point to sit by the pool, eat great food and catch gorgeous sunsets. Shortly after, my amazing bridal party and mother threw me a perfect wedding shower. The theme was a colorful, India-inspired design. So thoughtful and totally ME! My amazing coordinator at work threw me a surprise shower at work. I was touched at how many coworkers showed up to give me their blessings. The Indian women that I meet with each week for bhajans sang and danced to special songs called Suhaag, for me. Basically to wish me well in my new life!  Lammer’s parents hosted our rehearsal dinner at the beautiful Brielle River House the night before our wedding. It was a great way to catch up with those who traveled from out of town for our wedding. 

3. The most exhilarating part of the day and possibly of the whole experience was walking down the isle with my father while looking around the room that was jam-packed with our closest family and friends. Everyone I saw was smiling so bright back at me. There was so much love between Lammer and I that day and so much going around that room!  Even just thinking about how special it was to have everyone there at the same time makes me tear up. 

I feel so blessed and will be eternally grateful for our beautiful wedding day. 

We're Married!

John (Lammer) & I finally tied the knot and our day was a dream come true. 

We couldn't be any happier!

Check out a snip-it of our day HERE. 

Many more pictures to come!

Asparagus with Maple Tahini Dressing

Asparagus is a springtime vegetable that is versatile and delicious.  It balances insulin levels, which is one of the most important things we can do for our health. Its unique mineral profile makes it an effective natural diuretic, promoting the formation of urine in the kidneys, aiding in detoxification and cleansing. This is a quick side dish for all to enjoy this spring!

Ingredients:

1 bunch of perky thin asparagus, enough for four servings

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons sesame tahini

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Hot water, as needed

Coarse sea salt 

Directions:

Trim the bottom ends of the asparagus stalks, rinse, and lay them in a skillet. Add just enough water to keep them from scorching and cook them briefly, rotating them until they are bright green. Taste test for doneness to your liking. Rinse them quickly in cool water.

Whisk the dressing ingredients in a glass-measuring cup; add a little bit of hot water to thin. Whisk till smooth. Taste test and adjust the balance of sweet and nutty and tart.

Serve the drained asparagus on a plate with a drizzle of maple tahini dressing and a sprinkle of coarse sea salt.

Homemade Moisturizer Recipe

Just for fun the other morning upon awakening, I decided to count how many products I used during my morning routine. I was convinced it would be about 8-10 because within the past 5-years or so I’ve significantly decreased the amount of products and cosmetics I use. 

I was totally wrong. 

By the time I walked out of the bathroom and was ready for my day I had used over 16 products from my toothpaste, hair products and makeup. Even though the products I purchase these days are higher quality...they’re still not 100% healthy! I am committing to making more of an effort with my everyday products with the same enthusiasm that I do with my food. Best part, it’s WAY cheaper!!

Funfact: within the past 3 months or so of doing this I’ve lost count at how many compliments I’ve gotten regarding my glowing skin!  

I stumbled across this recipe online, ordered some beeswax pellets and made some. I’m in love. My fiancé is in love (and I didn’t even ask him to try, he willingly tried on his own!). I still can’t get over how quickly it took to throw it together. You only need a small amount each application and it absorbs fairly quickly into the skin. The smell will fade after a few minutes. It lasts a long time in the bathroom, so it doesn’t need to be refrigerated! Amazing for dry hands and feet, or even chapped lips. Got a baby with a rash? It helps their bum, too. Did I mention how affordable this moisturizer is? Please let me know if you give it a try!

Ingredients
1/2 cup olive oil (or almond oil)
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup beeswax pellets (I bought mine on Amazon) 
10 drops of essential oil (optional, my favorite is lemongrass)
  
Directions
1. Combine the olive oil, coconut oil and beeswax into a heat proof jug or large jar.
2. Put the jug/jar in a saucepan and fill the pan with water until it comes 3/4 of the way up the jug/jar.
3. Put it on a low heat on the stove.  Heat and stir it until it has melted (about 5-10 minutes).
4. Now empty out the hot water from the pan and replace it with cold water to the same level.  Put the jug/jar back into the pan. This helps to cool the moisturizer down quickly, as you’ll notice.
5. Add your essential oil to the jug/jar now if you are using.
6. Now to finish this quickly, use an electric whisk to quickly whip the ingredients into a moisturizer.  OR if you don’t have a whisk you can use a fork and give it a good stir.  You may have to stir this every 5 minutes until the texture is thick and creamy if not using an electric whisk.
7. Spoon into a glass jar of your choice, something that will be accessible for you to stick your fingers in to grab some moisturizer during your bathroom routine. I bought a bunch of these jars - they work great, you can split up your moisturizer so that you have a few jars on hand, and they are super cute!

Recipe from GreenThickies.com

Stop, Breathe & Think app

I'm LOVING the Stop Breathe & Think app for my iPhone. 

It's free. 

They're quick guided meditations.  

It's easy. 

Give it a whirl!

Sweet Eggs

  Wanted a sweet breakfast after yoga this morning so I scrambled eggs in cinnamon & all spice with half an apple sliced with almond butter, walnuts & raisins. Hot H2o with turmeric, coconut oil & cayenne to assist my digestion & curb my sweet cravings for later today. 

What do you have for breakfast when you're craving something sweet??

Sauerkraut for Sugar Cravings

My daily tablespoon (or two) of yummy sauerkraut. Yesterday I had a few too many gluten free cookie tasting bites for the wedding & am majorly feeling it today. This helps to ease sugar cravings, replenishes healthy gut bacteria, and is a great source of iron, fiber, vitamin C & K.

Just to refresh you on why fermented foods are so healthy, check out a previous blog post of mine on Fermented Foods for Digestive Health.