Four Conscious Courses under $40
On Thursday night and I found myself strapped for date night ideas. I wanted to do something awesome.. on a time budget and a money budget I felt this was out of reach.
Ahh maybe just the typical drinks and dinner thing... bleh bleh. I instead challenged myself to step out of the mundane and ordinary and into the extraordinary.
I've been practicing no letting my old beliefs..my shoulds limit me.
Part of this transformational journey is bringing intention to all I do from start to finish. I want to walk you through this conscious evening I shared with my friend.
At first I felt like there wasn't going to be enough time and it was going to be too pricey to do what I really want.
The shoulds started to set in... I should just do the normal dinner drinks thing, I should maybe cancel, I should just forget about it. I noticed I stated "shoulding" myself.
“Should is how other people want us to live our lives… Choosing Must is the greatest thing we can do with our lives.” -Elle Luna
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* When you start "shoulding" yourself check in with what is interFEARing- where are you letting fear-in. Is this fear real or just a delusion. If you start "shoulding" yourself change your shoulds to what you must do and move forward without interFEARance!
I pushed through the the shoulds and and put aside my fears and let intention rule the evening. I got out of my head and onto my bike! I enjoyed a nice pedal to the grocery to mark the beginning of the adventure.
I unleashed my creative practice and tapped into what I'm good at. Flow just started to carry me. I had no idea what I was going to make, all I knew was that it was going to be under $40, 4 courses, relatively easy, and..both beautiful and delicious! I need a miracle!
“Everything we do is infused with the energy with which we do it. If we're frantic, life will be frantic. If we're peaceful, life will be peaceful. And so our goal in any situation becomes inner peace.” ― Marianne Williamson
I made a lap around the grocery and the menu came to me. I picked up various ingredients that were looking beautiful and just asking to be loved!
When I got to the cashier I had a great time with her playing the "are we going to make it under $40" game. We were giggling with excitement as each item brought us closer and closer. We celebrated our success together as I came in at $41.34 (good enough considering my personal bottle of fancy PH balanced water I purchased; gotta hydrate). It was nice sharing smiles and victory.
*I can be a master isolator especially when i'm in a funk, it is amazing how a shared human connection can transform the day . I am starting to realize how much my phone serves as a barrier to human connection, i have made the conscious intention recently to drop the internet connection and up my human connection!
The Evening begins...
I returned home and my friend arrived. He had never been to the area and was also new to the country. I felt I should show him around but my impatience was setting in. I wanted to forget the walk and get the meal started. Then I thought for what? We had the whole evening and I was becoming overly focused on the outcome rather than enjoying the process. We ended up going for a walk and enjoying a great conversation and stroll. When we got back we got prepping! The great conversations continued as we came together through food, sharing memories, exchange of cultural narratives around food, laughs and great music(I was introduced to Musica de Portuguesa and he learned of The Grateful Dead for the first time ever(but the one song I played him felt like a lifetime).
The evening was a success. Letting go of doubts and fears allowed for creativity to be unleashed and resulted in an evening I will never forget.
Here are the recipes so you too can experience a conscious evening of connection
*Check yourself; when you notice the outcome being the main objective check in. Ask your body and mind, How can I be more fully in this moment? . I like the use of Affirmation here: My affirmation is "I am safe in this moment and all will work out. I trust in the presence!" I am diggin' on Mama Louise Hay and her work with affirmations: check her out!
Learn, Create Grow: Here is what was made and how you can do it too!!
What's in the Bike Basket:
1/4 cup of cold pressed olive oil ( I got lemon infused but regular will do)
2 lemons
2 limes
4 spanish tomatos
1 orange
2 peaches
5lbs watermelon
1/4 lb of pumpkin seeds
1 cup of almonds
1 young thai coconut
1 bunch of spinach on stem
1 bunch cilantro
2 sirrano peppers
1 yellow zucchini
1 green zucchini
1bulb of garlic
1 package of colorful sprouts
1 red onion
1 package of Pealed brand assorted dried fruit (soak as soon as you get home)
1 bunch of rosemary
1 bunch of fresh basil
1 bottle apple cider vinegar
1 bottle tamari or namashoy
1st Course
1st Course
Watermelon Consume with avocado and Pickled onion
3 lbs of watermelon
1/2 red onion
1/2 avocado
1 red onion
fresh Basil leaf for garnish
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 apricots soaked
sea salt 1 teaspoon
Pepper to taste
1.In a blender place 6 cups of watermelon cubed and sea salt to taste and liquify and strain
2. use a madolin or hand slice red onion as thin as possible, place in bowl. Combine 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and 1/4 cup of water in a blender. Combine contents and toss in a bowl set aside until
3. With a melon baller or a spoon ball half an avocado
4. In a bowl pour in 1 cup of watermelon broth, sink balled avocado and 3 tablespoons of pickled onion, crack pepper and top with basil leaf
2nd Course
3 lbs of watermelon
1/2 red onion
1/2 avocado
1 red onion
fresh Basil leaf for garnish
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 apricots soaked
sea salt 1 teaspoon
Pepper to taste
1.In a blender place 6 cups of watermelon cubed and sea salt to taste and liquify and strain
2. use a madolin or hand slice red onion as thin as possible, place in bowl. Combine 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and 1/4 cup of water in a blender. Combine contents and toss in a bowl set aside until
3. With a melon baller or a spoon ball half an avocado
4. In a bowl pour in 1 cup of watermelon broth, sink balled avocado and 3 tablespoons of pickled onion, crack pepper and top with basil leaf
2nd Course
Summer Squash Carpaccio
1 green zucchini
1 yellow summer squash
4 tablespoons of tamari or namashoy
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 sprig of rosemary
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 lemon
6 fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons of capers(optional)
radish sprouts for garnish
1. with a mandolin thinly slice the squash
2. In a bowl combine lemon, minced garlic, tamari, and olive oli. Whisk contents together.
3. Toss zucchini in mixture and massage.
4. Drain liquid from bowl and set aside
5. Plate zucchini strips
6. Get Creative; Garnish with basil, rosemary, sprouts and capers
7. Drizzle remaining liquid lightly to finish
3rd Course
1 green zucchini
1 yellow summer squash
4 tablespoons of tamari or namashoy
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 sprig of rosemary
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 lemon
6 fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons of capers(optional)
radish sprouts for garnish
1. with a mandolin thinly slice the squash
2. In a bowl combine lemon, minced garlic, tamari, and olive oli. Whisk contents together.
3. Toss zucchini in mixture and massage.
4. Drain liquid from bowl and set aside
5. Plate zucchini strips
6. Get Creative; Garnish with basil, rosemary, sprouts and capers
7. Drizzle remaining liquid lightly to finish
2. In a bowl combine lemon, minced garlic, tamari, and olive oli. Whisk contents together.
3. Toss zucchini in mixture and massage.
4. Drain liquid from bowl and set aside
5. Plate zucchini strips
6. Get Creative; Garnish with basil, rosemary, sprouts and capers
7. Drizzle remaining liquid lightly to finish
3rd Course
Spinach Basil Capris
2 roma tomatos
fresh basil
15-20 spinach leafs
4 tablespoons of coconut oil
1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds
3 dates
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon of seasalt
1 lemon juiced
1. Slice tomatoes into cracker-like slices about 1-2 cm thick
2. Combine spinach, coconut oil, pumpkin seeds, lemon juice, dates, garlic and seasalt in the blender and liquify.
3. Place 2 tablespoons of mixture on top of each tomato slice
4. Garnish with slivers of basil and cracked pepper
4th Course
2 roma tomatos
fresh basil
15-20 spinach leafs
4 tablespoons of coconut oil
1/2 cup of pumpkin seeds
3 dates
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon of seasalt
1 lemon juiced
1. Slice tomatoes into cracker-like slices about 1-2 cm thick
2. Combine spinach, coconut oil, pumpkin seeds, lemon juice, dates, garlic and seasalt in the blender and liquify.
3. Place 2 tablespoons of mixture on top of each tomato slice
4. Garnish with slivers of basil and cracked pepper
4th Course
Young Thai Coconut Civiche
1 young thai coconut
1 tomato deseeded
2 serrano peppers deseeded
1/4 cup of cilantro chopped
1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup of 1/2 a juiced orange
1/2 orange pealed and cubed into 1 cm cubes (about)
1 lime juices
3 tablespoons of purple onion
1 teaspoon of salt
1. Open coconut with the larges knife you have in the house and hack away . Great way to practice caution and get over your fears and get out some stress! Here is how: This chick will show you, or just ask the produce guy at the store and drink the coconut water as you shop!
2. Drain (drink) coconut water and scoop out the meat. Chop the meat into 1-2 cm cubes
3. In a bowl combine diced tomato, diced serrano, chopped cilantro, chopped purple onion, pumpkin seeds, cubed orange. Pix together
4. juice 1 lime and 1/2 an orange directly into the mixture add sea salt and mix together with your hands or a spoon
5. For plating I cut a sliver off the round side of the orange so it sits flat on the plate, removed fruit part and filled with ceviche.
Dessert
1 young thai coconut
1 tomato deseeded
2 serrano peppers deseeded
1/4 cup of cilantro chopped
1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup of 1/2 a juiced orange
1/2 orange pealed and cubed into 1 cm cubes (about)
1 lime juices
3 tablespoons of purple onion
1 teaspoon of salt
1. Open coconut with the larges knife you have in the house and hack away . Great way to practice caution and get over your fears and get out some stress! Here is how: This chick will show you, or just ask the produce guy at the store and drink the coconut water as you shop!
2. Drain (drink) coconut water and scoop out the meat. Chop the meat into 1-2 cm cubes
3. In a bowl combine diced tomato, diced serrano, chopped cilantro, chopped purple onion, pumpkin seeds, cubed orange. Pix together
4. juice 1 lime and 1/2 an orange directly into the mixture add sea salt and mix together with your hands or a spoon
5. For plating I cut a sliver off the round side of the orange so it sits flat on the plate, removed fruit part and filled with ceviche.
RosemaryVanilla Almond Peach Halves
1 peach
1/2 cup of almonds
6 pieces of the dried fruit soaked
1/4 cup of the soak water
1 tsp of vanilla
1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary
1. Half the peach and remove the pit.
2. In a blender or food processor ( I love using my nutrabullet) combine almonds, dried fruit, soak water, vanilla and fresh rosemary. Pulse until contents it is an even consistency.
3. Stuff contents into each half, using an Ice-cream scoop is Ideal
3. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
1/2 cup of almonds
6 pieces of the dried fruit soaked
1/4 cup of the soak water
1 tsp of vanilla
1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary
1. Half the peach and remove the pit.
2. In a blender or food processor ( I love using my nutrabullet) combine almonds, dried fruit, soak water, vanilla and fresh rosemary. Pulse until contents it is an even consistency.
3. Stuff contents into each half, using an Ice-cream scoop is Ideal
3. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
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