I've been waiting for the temps to reach near 60 to start my outdoor walking--I'm not a die-hard by any means!--and yesterday was the perfect day.

I might have been a bit ambitious, but I was feeling good.

I ended up doing 3.85 miles total, at an average of 4.5 mph (including warm-up and cooldown. 4.7 mph on my non-warm-up/cool-down laps). A good start, and better than my 4.2 mph average at the beginning of the season last year (AND it included some hills---well, as...

Here's a recent invention of mine I've been making to keep the energy to teach late classes (makes about 16 oz.):

1 frozen banana

12 oz. coconut water (I like "One" brand. Optional. Water would also work)

1 tea bag of unsmoked Yerba Maté (I just open the tea bag and pour in the insides, You could also use bulk tea, about 1 Tbsp.)

2 Tbsps raw cacao powder

1 Tbsp maca powder (optional, but is good for adrenal support and support...

Blend 3 Tbsp hemp seeds with 2 cups water (optional, but adds amino acids, omega fats and helps make it creamier)
Add 1 large tomato, two smallish (but not mini) carrots. blend.
Add about 2 cups spinach and 1 cup fresh cilantro. blend.
Add about 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice, 1/2 tsp (or to taste) onion powder or flakes, 1/2 tsp (or to taste) garlic powder, and 1 tsp (or to taste) Herbes de Provence and about 1/2 tsp sea salt. Blend.
Add two avocados and blend until just incorporated...

Adapted from Nomi Shannon's "The Raw Gourmet"
For one serving:

Buzz together in a blender to make the 'cream' base :
1/3 C. almond butter
3/4 C. water

Add and blend until smooth:
1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms (I used a combo of dried, soaked shitake and portobello, but only 1 cup, and it worked fine).
1 Tbsp miso

Warm in dehydrator to serve (or heat gently on the stove, or let blend about 2 minutes in Vitamix or Blendtec...

A nutrient-packed, sugar-free altenative to cranberry sauce. I brought this to a vegan holiday potluck and (after they got past the confusion that it looks more like salsa than a cranberry sauce) people thought it was delicious.

Soak about 1 cup goji berries in just enough water to cover for 2-4 hours. At the same time, soak 3 pitted medjoul dates in juice of 1/2 large orange. (next time I do this, I'll just soak the dates and berries together, and just use o.j. and not water, for...