WINTER 2015 - Beauty & Health Bootcamp

Illustration: Agency Dreamstime

Ok...so winter is here. HAPPY NEW YEAR! Here is our Winter 2015 Bootcamp.

We're continuing on with some of the recipes from our Fall 2014 Bootcamp. But with colder temperatures that make staying inside more appealing - we decided to focus our attention on getting organized, a little redecorating, our feet (got some awesome foot soak recipes), some deep conditioning regimens for our hair, a day at the sauna and more.

Week One
Fruit/Veggie Smoothies: Blackberry Baobab Fruit Smoothie
Water: Bottle Water every day
Detox: Lemon Water
Shopping List: About Town - Ethiopian Coffee - Avoca; La Belle Boutique, Plano; Peppersmash Urban Kitchen, Plano.
Hair Deep Conditioning Regimen
Beautiful Feet: Foot Soak

Week Two
Fruit/Veggie Smoothies: Orange Crush
Water: Bottle Water every day
Detox: Bitter Melon Vegetable Juice
Organizing 101: The Bathroom - Creating An Oasis

Week Three
Fruit/Veggie Smoothies:
Water: Bottle Water every day
Detox: Bitter Melon Vegetable Juice & Lemon Water
Shopping List: TBA

Week Four
Fruit/Veggie Smoothies:
Water: Bottle Water every day
Detox: Lemon Water
Organizing 102: Getting Rid of Bedroom Clutter

Fall 2014 Health & Beauty Bootcamp - Introducing Week Four

Photo: Agency Dreamstime

Our 4-Week Fall Health & Beauty Bootcamp has come to its conclusion. The whole purpose of this bootcamp was to focus on introducing some small changes in our diet, meditating on our financial wellness and coming up with a plan for a prosperous 2015. Our Bootcamp was inspired by the Hebrew New Year which began this September. Let's make 2015 a time of more discipline, changing old mindsets and bad habits and really making good habits, healthy nutrition and true beauty a part of our every day lifestyle.

WEEK FOUR is pretty simple - see if you can incorporate the following:

Make Two Fruit/Veggie Smoothies Twice A Week
Drink Lemon Water every week
Create A Menu for each week in the month - that keeps your daily routine from being boring. Make the last week of the month a fun week - go out to eat; try new restaurants; add a new global cuisine to your menu like Moroccan food or Chinese food.
Wine Tasting - add cherry or pomegranate wine to your grocery list.
Financial Wellness - listen to a video, audio or anything that focuses your mind on removing financial curses, getting out of debt...read a new book and develop a 12-month plan for what you want to achieve financially. Your mind, body and spirit health are often reflected in your financial wellness.

Here's a recap of Weeks 1-3. You can check out our previous posts for the details of each. We're getting ready for our Winter 2015 Bootcamp. Each one of our bootcamps is 4 weeks. We're doing this right along with you - being more disciplined, changing bad habits and being healthy on every level.

WEEK ONE:

FOOD/NUTRITION

Fruit/Veggie Smoothie: Pineapple & Ginger

Detox: Lemon Water

Cooking Day: SALADS– Mediterranean Crusted Wild Salmon with Roasted Asparagus and Spinach Salad; Fig, Tomato and Sweet Onion Salad with Steak

Wine Tasting: Pomegranate Wine

FINANCES

Financial Wellness: The Importance of Tithing. Removing Financial Curses.

COMMUNITY EVENT: Trash & Treasures Cleanup, Lake Grapevine

WEEK TWO:

FOOD/NUTRITION:

Fruit/Veggie Smoothie: Israel Melon & Cucumber

Detox: Carol's Vegetable Juice

Cooking Day: CASSEROLES - Dorito Casserole, Chicken, Rice & Broccoli Casserole

Wine Tasting: Cherry Wine

FINANCES: Reading List - Business Secrets from the Bible by Rabbi Daniel Lapin

SHOPPING LIST #1: We picked our top 5 must-haves for our health & beauty bootcamp.

WEEK THREE:

FOOD/NUTRITION:

Fruit/Veggie Smoothie: Cantaloupe and Raspberry

Detox: Lemon Water

Cooking Day: SOUPS - Tomato Basil Soup

SHOPPING LIST #2 - Enjoy shopping list #2. Think home spa.

Trash & Treasures Cleanup With Keep Grapevine Beautiful and H20 + Greenliving

This summer, we launched an awesome initiative with our partner organization the JB Dondolo Foundation called H20 + Green Living. The overall objective of H20 + Greenliving is to bring companies, organizations and individuals together who promote clean energy, green urban design, holistic health and beauty.

For our first local community project, we helped Keep Grapevine Beautiful clean up Lake Grapevine's beautiful shoreline. Lake Grapevine is an 8,000 acre recreational lake park with miles of shoreline and more than 9 miles of wilderness trails in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. Every year, Keep Grapevine Beautiful hosts the "Trash & Treasures Cleanup" as part of their litter prevention and cleanup program.

Thanks to Keep Grapevine Beautiful's open heart, this 2014's "Trash & Treasures Cleanup" featured our partner Ben Lecomte who swam Lake Grapevine about 4 miles in total as a thank-you to the over 100 volunteers that came out. Ben is an amazing athlete who will be swimming the Pacific Ocean later this year from Tokyo to San Francisco. His goal is to educate all of us around the globe about the impact we each can make in cleaning up our environment. We also presented a greenhouse made of recycled plastic that showcased green lifestyle products you definitely want to check out. We'll have a feature on each of the companies that donated items in our Fall 2014 Health & Beauty Guide.

KEEP GRAPEVINE BEAUTIFUL

Sporting Goods Company REI was the major sponsor of the KGVB Trash & Treasure Cleanup

Sailboats on Lake Grapevine

THE LONGEST SWIM - BEN LECOMTE

Special thanks to the Editor-In-Chief of Equanimity Magazine - Lumbie Mlambo. Equanimity Magazine sponsored Ben Lecomte's swim of Lake Grapevine to the excitement of the kids and volunteers. Special thanks also to Grapevine's Fire Department who provided Ben with logistics support as he swam.

Lumbie Mlambo, Editor-In-Chief of Dallas-based Equanimity Magazine

Waiting for Ben as he finishes his 4 mile swim!

Ben reminded us of the importance of recycling our plastic bottles. He said that when he was a child and would swim in France in the rivers by his home, there was hardly a plastic bottle to be found. But now, it's a different story! Let's clean up our waters for the next generation.

Ben Lecomte holding 4 Mamma Chia Squeezes! Mamma Chia donated over a hundred vitality snacks!

SILENT AUCTION
H20 + Greenliving's piece de resistance was partnering with Global Greenology to present a 12 x 12 Greenhouse showcasing "green" lifestyle products from some of the best, innovative and creative companies in the country.

Global Greenology's Greenhouse is made using 100% recycled plastic!

CEO of Global Greenlogy Ken Peterson putting together a podium made of recycled paper!

Some of the great items auctioned off:

Texas Farm Girl Green Bag
This included an autographed copy by children's book author Rebecca Crownover of her wonderful book "Texas Farm Girl." The bag also included a Deluxe TickleMe Plant Family Greenhouse and two yummy Mamma Chia Juice Squeeze Snacks.

Texas Farm Girl Visits Green Products Showcase - Watch snippet here!

Safonique Natural Cleaning Green Bag

This bag included Soulful Essence Get The Funk Out Disinfecting Spray, Safonique's Detergent 2X Natural Cleaning Power Eco-Friendly Lavender Sea Laundry Detergent and a 12-pack of Mamma Chia Juice Squeezes.

We raised $850 our first event. We donated 100% of our proceeds on North Texas Giving Day September 18, which resulted in our donation amount to Keep Grapevine Beautiful doubling.

Special Thanks to The Companies That Donated Items for The Silent Auction.

Be sure to support your local farmers and innovative green lifestyle companies that are doing their part to make our world more beautiful and healthier!

1. Sweet Escapes by Zajigirl - that's us!

2. Gwen's Blends - www.gwensblends.com

3. Le Motto Designer Tees - http://sheshebonbon.com

4. Texas Farm Girl - Rebecca Crownover - www.texasfarmgirl.com

5. I Am Grateful To You Jewelry - iamgratefultoyou.com

6. Vi Bella Handcrafted Jewelry - www.vibellajewelry.com

7. Dorfman Pacific - www.dorfman-pacific.com

8. Tumblewalla - tumblewalla.com

9. Aromaearth - http://aromaearth.com

10. Tawna Hill Baby - http://tawnahillbaby.ca

11. Linkouture - www.linkouture.etsy.com 

12. Zorica of Malibu - http://zoricaofmalibu.com

13. Safonique - www.safonique.com

14. Mamma Chia - www.mammachia.com

15. Soulful Essence - http://soulfulessence.com

16. Karma Handicrafts, Grapevine - www.facebook.com/karmahandicrafts

17. Love Gem Studio - www.lovegemstudio.com

18. Prema Day Spa, Richardson - www.premadayspa.net

Fall 2014 Health & Beauty Cooking Bootcamp Week Three - SOUPS

Our Third week for our Fall 2014 Bootcamp is all about cutting down on the calories by making some delicious and hearty soups. We got inspired by our favorite soup from local French restaurant and bakery La Madeleine. Their tomato basil soup is always delish.

The best thing is to make your own. You can toast some bread with a topping of your favorite cheese to add some more depth if you're really hungry.

Tried a couple of cool recipes esp loved the ones with cream cheese. Check them out.

First Look Then Cook

What A Girl Eats

Fall 2014 Health & Beauty Bootcamp - CANTALOUPE & RASPBERRY SMOOTHIE

Photo from Wikipedia 

Photo from Raspberries.us

Cantaloupes have never been our favorite fruit, but God has blessed the cantaloupe with so many health benefits. Well, you just have to incorporate into your diet. Cantaloupes are part of the watermelon family and the best and originals come from Africa. 

Adding raspberries. Well raspberries are an excellent source of Vitamin C...contain good amounts of iron and potassium, high in fiber and provide bioflavonoids which protect against cancer.

Here's another simple recipe that uses cantaloupe and raspberries. Raspberries have a sour and sometimes tart taste that goes perfectly with cantaloupe's sweetness!

Enjoy!

1 ripe cantaloupe

3 oz or a packet of raspberries

Water to taste

1 Tablespoon of Baobab fruit powder (optional)

Peel the cantaloupe, scoop out the seeds and cut into large chunks. Fill about 2/3 of blender with melon. Add raspberries and fill rest of blender with water. Puree until smooth. Add more water till you get it how you like it. Chill thoroughly and serve. 

Voila!

Fall 2014 Health & Beauty Bootcamp - Winetasting #3- CHERRY WINE

A Cherry Tree - Photo from Cepolina Tree Pruning and Removal

We're lovin' the Tree of Life Collection. They produce two of our favorite wines - pomegranate wine and cherry wine. These wines comes from Armenia, an area of Central Asia that has been producing beautiful wines for almost 5000 years.

"Cherries are a great source of beta carotene, Vitamin C and potassium. Cherries are also a good source of pectin, a soluble fiber that helps control blood cholesterol levels. Cherries can also help with gout and have anti-inflammatory properties."

Find more info on Drink Tree of Life

Fall 201 Health & Beauty Bootcamp - Introducing Week Three

Week Three of our 4-week bootcamp has us taking stock of all the new health regimens and books we have to read. It's a pretty easy week. Consider it your catch up week before Week 4, which is a week of celebration, hanging out with friends, shopping and having fun as well as implementing new habits.

Firstly, make it a habit to make at least two fruit/veggie smoothies every week. Prepare a detox drink every week - be it lemon water or veggie juice detox like our Carol's Detox. Stay on your menu - Week 1 Salads; Week 2 Casseroles; Week 3 Soups Week 4 About Town.

Then focus on reading books on financial planning and make sure you have a healthy food reference book that gives you info on the health benefits of different foods.

FOOD/NUTRITION:

Fruit/Veggie Smoothie: Cantaloupe and Raspberry

Detox: Lemon Water

Cooking Day: SOUPS - Tomato Basil Soup

SHOPPING LIST #2 - Enjoy shopping list #2. Think home spa.

Fall 2014 Health & Beauty Bootcamp - Nutrition - FOODS THAT HARM AND FOODS THAT HEAL

It's important to stay informed about the health benefits of fruits and vegetables. Our modern Western diet is often deficient in nutrients. Take ebola for example, there are many alternative media and medical sources that say this disease is a weaponized and mutated form of scurvy, which traditionally used to kill many sailors who didn't get enough Vitamin C in their diet. We need to not be passive consumers of news stories. It's important to do our own research so we make educated decisions. 

Love this book. It's a good general reference on the health benefits of foods that can harm or heal. It was published about 10 years ago. Remember we are what we eat! We need to stop consuming junk and appreciate our beautiful earth and trees that have so much healing and goodness! You can find this book on Amazon.com. We picked it up at a Half Priced Book Store.

Fall 2014 Health & Beauty Bootcamp - ISRAEL MELON AND CUCUMBER SMOOTHIE

Photo from Encycolopedia Britannica Kids

Fruits from the melon family are some of the healthiest produce you can add to your table. The original melon originated in southern Africa. There are many varieties that have spread throughout all continents. We checked out Israel Melon and added Cucumber. Lovely combination!

Recipe

1 Israel Melon or Melon of your liking

1 Medium or Large English Cucumber

Half of one Lime to taste

Water to taste

Peel melon, remove seeds and cut into large chunks. Fill blender with melon. Chop cucumber into small chunks (you can peel or not peel). We peeled the cucumber. Add to blender.

Chill completely after blending. It's lovely and refreshing.

Here's some info on the health benefits of various melons:

Melons protect your heart, douse infllamation, reduce blood pressure, build immunity, packed with vitamins - http://www.besthealthmag.ca/eat-well/nutrition/the-health-benefits-of-melons?slide=1

Here's another amazing melon variety from Africa!

http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/article-142385/thorny-melon-answer-africas-nutritional-problems

"The horned melon is primarily a good source of vitamin C, potassium and iron.

The yellowish-green coloured pigment found in the seeds and pulps of horned melon contain vitamin A (beta carotene), which helps in strengthening of the body’s immune system and it also helps repair and protect DNA, thereby slowing the ageing process.

Vitamin A also helps to maintain eye and skin health. Additional minerals that are less abundant in thorn melon are magnesium, phosphorous, calcium and sodium. Furthermore, the seeds contain a number of fatty acids including linoleic acid which is one of the omega 6 fatty acid.

It is essential for human health. Besides, the seeds have the oleic acid, also found in olive oil, that is thought to be responsible for reducing effects of blood pressure, just as olive oil.

In addition, the seeds contain some traces of vitamin E responsible for healthy skin and proper functioning of the heart as the vitamin helps to neutralise, damaging free radicals that can cause cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The vitamin further helps in formation and strengthening of muscles, nerves, and boosts formation of the red blood cells"

Israeli Melon - this is a melon popular in the North Texas area. Some information we found out about the Israel Melon is its interesting origin.

Origin: 
Its initial origin of the Ogen melon is disputed. Some say it is from Israel, others contend that the melons were not actually developed there; they were grown from seed brought from Israel to Hungary or derived from a Southwest Indian melon. In Hungary, this type of melon is called a sarga dinnye. Whatever its true origin, you will certainly agree that Ogen is one of the sweetest, most aromatic melons you will ever taste. 

More Links

http://dallas.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/07-28-13-israeli-melons-texas-farmer-cantaloupe/

http://www.dianeseeds.com/melon-israel.html

http://www.seedaholic.com/melon-ogen.html

Spiritual Meditation Week #4 Psalm 91

Photo from Life in Africa For Children

91 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High

Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

³ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler^[a]
And from the perilous pestilence.
⁴ He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
⁵ You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
⁸ Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

⁹ Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
¹⁰ No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
¹¹ For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
¹² In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
¹³ You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

¹⁴ “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
¹⁵ He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”

From Bible Gateway.com

Life is crazy. With pestilences like ebola and other infectious diseases, it's easy to be caught up in the hype. But take a deep breath. The best way we maintain our health is focusing on the positive and not being taken in by a fear mentality.

Surround yourself with positive WORD SOUND POWER. Chant this verse out loud after listening to the negative and propaganda news. Stay positive and healthy. Keep yourselves informed and have faith in the goodness of Our Creator.

Blessings!

Fall 2014 Health & Beauty Bootcamp - SHOPPING LIST #2

Our shopping list this week focuses on making a delectable home spa. The way we deal with stress has a huge impact on our health and wellness. Making your own items for a home spa is a perfect way to incorporate a relaxation and de-stress routine into your daily regimen.

Week Two's Shopping List

1. Terry Shower Wrap - these are fun and after a hot shower or a warm bath make your skin feel beautiful. Wrapping yourself up in a lovely wrap makes your routine just a little more luxurious.

2. Beeswax Candles - Beeswax candles are the most healthy and non-toxic. Soy candles are really not that healthy, so be kind to your local bees and support your local bee farmers. We picked up some great beeswax candles and honey from a Texas rancher called gretchenbeeranch.com. These are wonderful.

3. DIY Honey and Salt Scrub

Honey and Salt scrubs are amazing for your skin. Honey has some amazing benefits for your skin as does salt. When shopping for your ingredients, look for sea salt or the best salt that we use is Kalahari Desert Salt. If you use sea salt, remember to use the fine salt. The coarse salt is alot more difficult to use as a scrub and you'll have to end up blending it or grinding it some more to make it easy to bathe with. Salt & Honey scrubs make your skin super-soft. Here's the recipe we use. Play around it with as you please. You can also add your own scents - we've added drops Indian fragrances, a new favorite perfume - Laila and more. After your scrub, you'll want to seal in the moisture with your favorite organic shea butter.

Here's the recipe

Salt and Honey Scrub 
2 cups extra virgin organic olive oil2/3 cup raw honey AND 3 cups sea salt (fine) or coarse (blend/grind)
Mix the first 2 ingredients together in a bowl. Gradually mix in the salt 1/2 cup at a time. It's easiest to mix with your hands. Wear gloves if you have sensitive skin.

Add salt in half cup increments until it's a gritty oily paste. 

You can add a tablespoon or a couple of teaspoons of your favorite essential oils. We made a whole batch and put a small amount into a separate container so we could play around with different fragrances and scents. Have fun with this - it's super easy!

Our favorite salt for salt scrubs is Kalahari Desert Salt. Amazing! Thanks to the wonderful San people of the Botswana Kalahari Desert for their amazing knowledge of our beautiful planet!

Sunfood Kalahari Desert Salt