Mountain Lake

>> The day was warm and busy like any other Wednesday. But inside a rock sank deeper into the pit of my stomach, heavy, yet empty all in the same way. We collected little pieces of you to bring with us. Bits of your baseball glove, pictures, a deck of cards, a map from Europe, a toy from Millie- all memories from the many years you were stitched into our family. All the trips and Christmases and games of spoons... but memories now. Our family trekked the long trek to the special place, hidden deep in the Sierra Nevada's where only a select few spent time with you. Everything was the same. The icy wind, the monumental evergreens, and of course the glassy waters of the lake. Here there is a sense of peace that few places on this earth can rival. We spent the day drifting back in time, laughing, and weeping, and still trying to grasp that we would never share such a place, such a beautiful day, such a warm family trip with you again in the same way. But we vowed to carry you with us from one sunset to the next, lifting up the ones around us, smiling and loving each other more than the day before. For you illuminated the world with your light. We were blessed, among many others to have known you. 

In all the day was perfect. We were able to truly celebrate everything we knew you to be here. Taking in the beauty all around us, holding each other and remembering you in the place where you loved to go. I know you knew we loved you, but I don't think you knew how much. Something I will have to find a way to come to terms with one day. 

The hardest moment was turning for the last time away from the lake, leaving it behind, so desolate and majestic. Saying goodnight.

Bliss

>>BLISS BALLS

Salad from the garden.

Soaking & Sprouting

>>Recently I have been digging a little deeper into finding new ways to improve my overall health. I had previously heard about soaking nuts, and had seen sprouted, dried, mung beans at Whole Foods, but never understood why one would do either. Needless to say, I have a new hobby and want to share!

What I have researched mostly concludes that soaking and sprouting activates the benefits of the subject being soaked. For instance, once a legume begins to sprout, it is evident that the process of breaking down nutrient inhibitors has succeeded and the sprouted bean is now easier to digest and packed with more vitamins than before. Because seeds are "designed" to protect themselves from the elements until germination in warmer weather occurs, the seeds have qualities that are bodies struggle to break down. That is why soaking in warm water (with a little vinegar or lemon juice if desired) helps us take in all the seed has to offer.

And for those of you who are gluten free, you might want to consider this:  When examining the nutrient density of sprouted wheat to unsprouted wheat on a calorie-per-calorie basis, you’ll find that sprouted wheat contains four times the amount of niacin and nearly twice the amount of vitamin B6 and folate as unsprouted wheat; moreover, it contains more protein and fewer starches than non-sprouted grain and as a further boon, it is lower on the glycemic index making it more suitable for those suffering from blood sugar issues.

More specifically, soaking helps:

Remove or reduce phytic acid.

Remove or reduce tannins.

* These two benefits are particularly helpful for a breastfeeding mama, because phytic acid and tannins are hard on you GI tract and can cause discomfort (in adults but especially new systems in babys.) You can read more about this process here and why the "Paleo" diet may not be the best course of action when obtaining maximum health benefits from all plants.

Neutralize the enzyme inhibitors

Encourage the production of beneficial enzymes.

Increase the amounts of vitamins, especially B vitamins.

Break down gluten and make digestion easier.

Make the proteins more readily available for absorption.. 

Prevent mineral deficiencies and bone loss.

Help neutralize toxins in the colon and keep the colon clean.

Prevent many health diseases and conditions.

There is a lot of research on this topic if you are interested. One of my favorite cookbooks Nourishing Traditions has a few recipes and "how to"s. 

Here is a chart to help you get started with ratios.

And here are my first experiments in action: