Food: Delicious, organic recipes and memorable food inspirations. UPDATE**As of mid 2012 my recipes are vegan, vegetarian or raw vegan. Prior recipes may include humanely raised, organically sourced animal products. Everyone is welcome!No matter your food persuasion you'll find delicious recipes you & your family will love. While I now personally avoid gluten, sugar & animal products, most my recipes are customizable to suit your lifestyle, from traditional to gluten/dairy free, vegetarian etc.
Art: My paintings, (including such details as where to buy the adorbs necklace and cardi featured in one of my recent portraits), plus a few photographs. Visit my Fine Art website www.JulianePorter.com to view my commissioned Portraits, Landscapes & Private Collection pieces.
And Style: The effervescence underneath it all… Basically anytime I run across something chic and fabulous to make you, your home or your life more beautiful, I’ll post it here!
PS. Please leave a comment or just say Hi while you're here! I love to hear from you:-)
Watercolor on Winsor Newton Paper (Click image for better, larger view)
Please watch. It's not a matter of we're more intelligent or we're better. We're just different.
"Our task must be to free ourselves . . . by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty." Albert Einstein, physicist, Nobel Prize 1921
Wherever you go in the midst of movement and activity, carry your Stillness within you. Then the chaotic movement around you will never overshadow your access to the reservoir of creativity, the field of pure potentiality. - Deepak Chopra
Lighthouses don’t go running all over an island looking for boats to save; they just stand there shining. - Anne Lamott
The most useful piece of learning for the uses of life is to unlearn what is untrue. - Antisthenes
Truth is within ourselves; it takes no rise from outward things, whate'er you may believe. There is an inmost centre in us all, where truth abides in fullness. - Robert Browning
There is a dramatic and powerful connection between our mind and body, and our body and mind—in fact, it really should not be called a connection, because it is just ONE bidirectional system. - Dr. Mark Hyman
To go against the dominant thinking of your friends, of most of the people you see every day, is perhaps the most difficult act of heroism you can perform. -Theodore H. White
Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts. -Albert Einstein
The heart should be cultivated with more assiduity than the head. - Noah Webster
O God, help me to believe the truth about myself no matter how beautiful it is! - Macrina Weiderkher, a Benedictine nun
Show up and watch the magic happen! -Unknown
You are seeking joy and peace in far-off places. But the spring of joy is in your heart. The haven of peace is in yourself. - Satya Sai Baba
In loving kindess,
XOXO
Juliane
What/who is your favorite inspirational quote/person?
Open one young, fresh, Thai Coconut carefullywith a heavy cleaver (as shown above. keep one hand behind your back as you whack). Pour the gorgeous coconut water into Vitamix. Scrape out tender, creamy, interior meat and add to Vitamix also.
Save 1 or 2 delectable pieces (like the underside of the "lid") to savor on the side during preparation.
Sprinkle in a touch of organic cinammon. A twist of Himalayen Pink Salt. Dash of vanilla...
& bit of raw honey or stevia.
Blend til creamy.
Add a little extra purified water to acquire desired consistency as the mixture may or may not be very thick depending on the amount of coconut meat in your coconut (the amount of meat varies quite a lot between coconuts).
Blend once more.
Lunch. One Fresh Young Thai Coconut Smoothie enjoyed by yours truly
Enjoy your exotic, insanely delicious & nutritious meal :-)
Much Love,
Juliane
How do you enjoy eating coconuts? Share with us in the comments below!
My delicious aromatherapy Summer Scent has fabulous Bug Banishing powers!
Hello friends! I'm so excited to share one of my favorite Summer Secrets with you!
I've gotten really into Essential Oils lately, replacing toxic skincare, perfumes & other household items with delicious, organic formulations straight from Earth's beautiful flowers and plants. After all, our skin, for example, is our largest organ, so anything we're putting on it we're essentially eating, as the ingredients are ultimately absorbed and processed into our bloodstream, liver etc. And, obviously, the same idea goes for that which we breath into our lungs. Not only are Essential Oils non-toxic, (only source top quality 100% pure essential oils, such as anything from LivingLibations), they possess amazing healing properties for our bodies and they're also uplifting to our minds and spirits with their stress-relieving aromatherapy benefits.
My refreshing Summer Scent, in the silver canister above (I recycled it from a previous use) is an energizing mist of gorgeous mint and lavender. It's truly the most heavenly fragrance I've ever worn- so lovely for warm weather.
Spritz it on for its delicious scent and a cooling, energizing, aromatherapy boost... while simultaneous banishing away wasps, mosquitos, spiders & ticks! Peppermint and Lavender happen to be two scents these and many other bugs hate!
Just add 3-5 drops each (adjust according to your strength preference, your oil strength & container size) of excellent quality, organic, essential oils of Peppermint & Lavender to a container filled with purified water. I used about 5 drops of each for my 2 oz. spray bottle. Start with less as you can always add more. Obviously, the stronger you make it, the less the bugs will like you :-)
Shake. (& shake well before each use)
& Voila!
Delicious Summer Scent - Check
Energy & Mood Booster - Check
Bug Banisher - Check
Don't leave home without it:-)
Happy Sunny Days to all of you!
Much Love,
XOXO
Juliane
What is your favorite essential oil? Share with all of us in the comments below!
PS. Try dabbing on a few dots of orange citrus essential oil on in the morning when you wake up for a wonderful energy and mood boost first thing!
PPS. Did you know, applying a tiny dab of peppermint essential oil to the temples can even relieve a headache!
PPPS. To make a REALLY potent bug banisher, albeit overpowering the refreshing aromatic qualities of the recipe above, add a few drops of tea-tree and lemongrass (aka citronella) essential oil to the same recipe.
The "Grey Lady" is the nickname for beautiful Nantucket Island, referring to her appearance from the sea when fog-bound. Please enjoy my oil painting of one of Nantucket's historic marinas, captured just as the magical mist is setting in.
As always, share your thoughts in the comments below.
And, feel free to visit www.JulianePorter.com to view more of my commissioned portraits, private collection pieces & more.
Today, I wanted to share with all of you a very special
book, The Ancient
Wisdom of the Chinese Tonic Herbs, by Ron Teeguarden, along with his
equally special company, Dragon Herbs.
"If you have not used tonic herbs before, you are about to embark on
a great journey. If you are already familiar with tonic herbs but have just
discovered Dragon Herbs, you will find throughout the pages of this website (and book) products, education and services available no where else in the world."(1)
Dragon Herbs' formulations are of the very purest, highest
quality available. My experience and the experience of countless
individuals over thousands of years is that these sophisticated and proactive
tonic herbs and herbal formulations get results! After all, isn't that
the point?
To get started, Dragon Herbs offers free 30 minute
consultations to discuss your specific health and life goals, thus providing a
tailored program of safe, effective tonic herbalism to support each of the
three treasures: Jing, Shen and Qi. The herbalist I have personally spoken to was incredibly qualified with her Master's Degree in Chinese
Medicine, her own private practice previously, as well as the experience of
being a parallegal prior to all that. She, and the entire company, are
caring and impressively knowledgeable, making sure everything is tailored to your needs and
goals. I receive nothing for posting this information, in fact the
company probably isn't even aware that I have.
I wanted to share this amazing jewel of a company, and the
book as well, as I feel so blessed to have found them myself:-)
Do you incorporate Chinese Tonic Herbs or Formulations into your lifestyle?
Wishing you radiant health and well being.
Much love,
Juliane
References:
1. http://www.dragonherbs.com/gettingstarted.asp
I am not a healthcare practitioner or provider. To the
extent that any information is provided through this website, it is for general
informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute or substitute for
medical advice or counseling, the practice of medicine including but not
limited to psychiatry, psychology, psychotherapy or the provision of health
care diagnosis or treatment, the creation of a physician-patient or clinical
relationship, or an endorsement, a recommendation or a sponsorship of any third
party, product or service by me. If you have or suspect that you have a medical
problem, contact your health care provider promptly. Information and statements
regarding dietary supplements available on this website have not been evaluated
by the Food and Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat,
cure, or prevent any disease.
Who doesn't love the rich, creamy comfort of a bowl of mashed potatoes? Here's a delicious take on the classic that will keep our taste buds singing and our waistlines, hips & thighs slim and sleek. Oh, not to mention this recipe is fabulous for our skin, hair, nails, heart and digestion too! Here are just a few of the amazing nutritional bennies of our lovely friend Cauliflower...
Cauliflower is an excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid and vitamins C and K, which, when combined with lower intakes of fats and carbohydrates, are linked to a lower likelihood of wrinkles and dry skinaccording to a 2007 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Cauliflower contains other important antioxidant phytonutrients, such as beta-carotene, beta-cryptoxanthin, caffeic acid, cinnamic acid, ferulic acid, quercetin, rutin, and kaempferol, all of which work together to protect our body against free radicals and reduce the risk of diseases caused by oxidative stress, such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and various infections. They are also important in slowing down the aging process.
It has high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, well-known for their anti-inflammatory properties.
Cauliflower is an Excellent Detoxifier due to its sulfur-containing compounds called glucosinates which help our body get rid of toxins and carcinogens. After broccoli, cauliflower boasts the second highest content of glucosinates. Eating cauliflower can help prevent various types of cancer and cleanse our body of toxins.
It can help prevent heart diseases in many ways including via allicin, which reduces the risk of stroke and many cardiovascular disorders.
Cauliflower contains excellent anti cancer properties via compounds such as sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol, which have been found to reduce the risk of prostate, breast, cervical, colon and ovarian cancers. One Canadian study has shown the consumption of ½ cup of cauliflower/day may cut risk of prostate cancer by over 50%.
I enjoy this simple and satisfying dish at least once a week. I'm certain you'll love it too :-)
Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes with Chives
Recipe for Creamy Cauliflower "Mashed Potatoes" (Makes 4-6 Servings)
Ingredients
1 Head Cauliflower broken into florettes
1/2 small clove Garlic
Coconut Milk or Almond Milk- to taste depending on how thick you like your mash (use less than you think as you don't want it to get too liquidy)
Sea Salt to taste
Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
1/4 tsp of fresh lemon juice (yes you read that right- you won't taste it & it adds a fab freshness)
Coconut Oil for garnish (optional - an option I go for always :-)
Fresh snipped chives for garnish & zippy flavor pops
Method
Steam cauliflower and garlic over medium heat for about 8 minutes until a fork easily inserts into the side. (Be sure not to overcook as that causes it to get increasingly bitter, as well as lose nutrients)
Place steamed cauliflower, garlic & 1/4 tsp lemon juice into a food processor or heavy duty blender along with coconut milk. (Start with less than you think you need- as once the blender gets it all moving it will get surprisingly smooth & thin out quickly.)
Add sea salt and pepper to taste.
Process until mash is smooth and creamy. Check seasonings and adjust if necessary.
Pour into serving bowls and add a dallop of coconut oil for extra richness plus a sprinkling of snipped chives for some contrasting zip and green brightness. A little fleur de sel on top is always nice too:-)
Serve immediately (mashed cauliflower is best eaten immediately as it's pungency develops if it sits overnight)
Enjoy!
What's one of your favorite healthified recipe makeovers?
Do share with all of us :-)
Lots of love,
XOXO
Juliane
PS. If you just can't give up your potato fix try my amaze lightened up Irish Style Colcannon Mashed Potatoes. SO much lighter & way better tasting than standard recipes.
My Gratitude Journal waiting for me atop the pillows.
"I'm either the luckiest
gal on the planet… or I just have really low standards." :-) That's a great quote from my teacher, and, I have to say I'm right there with her! The fact is, there is such an
abundance of gratitude for life overflowing from me each day, it feels as though I've
cracked some secret code to a treasure chest of beautiful miracles. There
are many practices to which I attribute this freedom and joy... seven years of Soto Zen Buddhist Awareness Practice & Transcendental Meditation, my amazing Teacher, my cheerleaders, and a simple, yet powerful ritual...
my nightly Gratitude Journal.
My Nightly Gratitude Journal
Taking
a moment each night to record just a few of the infinite miracles for
which I am grateful each day, is a beautiful frame of mind to fall asleep. And it doesn’t
stop there, I wake up in the same beautiful space of gratitude. It's an
excellent practice for everyone - including those of us sweethearts who occasionally wake up on the “wrong side of the bed” :-)
It only takes a minute or two - though you’ll
find yourself wanting to write much more than you expected... that’s
the nature of gratitude, it has a compounding, expansive, contagious
quality. Keeping a gratitude journal is a really fun way to focus our brains on the infinite miracles in our lives, and away from conditioning's incessant mantra of something wrong/not enough.
The greatest gift we can give to the world is our own happiness. It ripples out reaching farther than we can ever begin to imagine.
Love,
XOXO
Juliane
Do you have a favorite practice or ritual which brings you happiness or peace? Do share with us!
I say, follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.
"Summertime Shade." Oil on Canvas by Juliane Porter.
(please click image for better, larger view)
This gorgeous, old, climber in Chatham, MA begged to be painted.
I recall my father describing his great joy in climbing about the limbs of such trees as a young boy. I too have always loved and had tremendous respect for trees. They take me back to childhood. I love their power, grace & often imposing wisdom of living hundreds of years- like this one. This is a very expressive, childlike piece about innocence and the power of presence.
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