Build A Better Breakfast Bowl: Light & Crispy Superfood Granola

Posted on April 4, 2012 by Sarah Betts  

Like an everything bagel, (without all the processed white flour) this recipe for “Everything Granola” has just about everything you could want in a crispy, healthy, homemade bowl of goodness!

Everything Granola

Brown rice cakes provide a light crunch amidst the more dense rolled oats. Chia seeds, coconut oil and raw unpasteurized almonds add healthy omega’s and good quality fats that keep your heart, brain, tissues and nervous system healthy. Hemp adds a boost of protein to keep you energy up and your blood sugar stable. Dates and raw honey add nutrient dense natural sweetness and organic mulberries top the whole mix off with superfood quality nutrients, including powerful antioxidants and vitamin C, and great texture and color as well!

The key to this recipe is the low and slow cook temperature (preferably below 110 degrees using a food dehydrator), which doesn’t cause all the heart-healthy oils, heat sensitive nutrients and great tasting ingredients to deteriorate. This almost-raw recipe (everything but the rice cakes and applesauce are raw ingredients and stay raw if using a food dehydrator) maximizes the health benefits of each ingredient while still creating that satisfying granola-crunch!

Everything Granola

12 large organic brown rice cakes (plain or lightly salted)
3/4 cup chia seeds
21/2 cups whole rolled oats
3 Tbsp ground hemp seeds or hemp powder
1 cup raw unpasteurized almonds
1 ½ cup dates (pits removed)
½ cup coconut oil, melted
½ cup raw honey
1 cup plain applesauce
1 cup organic goji berries
1 cup organic mulberries

Break the rice cakes by hand, or in a Cuisinart blender, into small evenly sized pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl with the chia seeds, oats and hemp and set aside.

Place the almonds, dates, melted coconut oil and honey in the same blender and pulse until it reaches a thick but smooth texture.

Scrape the almond-date mixture, along with the applesauce, into the bowl with the oats and broken rice cakes and knead together with clean hands until well incorporated. Add the goji berries and mulberries and mix to evenly incorporate.

If you have one, evenly spread the granola mixture out on the tiers of your food dehydrator. Set it at a low temperature (under 115 to maintain all the nutrients in the ingredients you added) and let dehydrate for at least 12 hours.

If you don’t have a food dehydrator, evenly spread the granola mixture out on several baking sheets and bake at the lowest temperature your oven will maintain (on most conventional ovens this is 200 degrees Fahrenheit). Bake for 1 ½ – 3 hours, or until the granola is nice a crisp, stirring and checking about every 30 minutes (the bake time will depend on the oven temperature you are able to use).

Let granola cool completely before packing it in airtight containers for storage. Enjoy with your favorite fresh fruit, yogurt, milk, kefir or just plain as a great on-the-go snack or trail mix accompaniment!

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Always Have Healthy Snacks on Hand – Vegan, Gluten-Free Superfood Bites

Posted on March 28, 2012 by Sarah Betts  

If you’ve ever reached the “I am too hungry to think” state, and most of us have at one time or another, you know how menacing, both mentally and physically, it can be. Your whole body can feel rightfully crazy; smart decision making is completely incapacitated and your muscles feel as if they’re running full speed ahead on nothing but air.

Some of us can go for longer than others without fueling up (depending upon your metabolic rate, daily activities and hypoglycemic tendencies) but there’s no need to test the limits when it comes to nourishment. Everything you do on a daily basis depends on the fuel you provide your body, so why not be smart about it and always have some high quality nourishment on hand?

Superfood Bars

Whether it’s a handful of raw unpasteurized almonds, your favorite trail mix, a piece of fruit, a cup of yogurt or one of YogaEarth’s intelligent indulgence quinoa protein bars, you’ll save yourself from the perils of vending machine impulse buys, and over-hungry mental and physical breakdowns.

Stock up your work and gym bag, purse, backpack, car an bike bag with some healthy snacks to keep your mind and body running smoothly. It’s not about constant eating, but about intelligent indulgence when your body asks for it. Learn to listen to the signals, discover what your “I’m hungry” state actually feels like (as opposed to the I am too busy to eat or the I am bored so I want to eat states) and provide the fuel your body needs right when it needs it.

Along with the great ready-to-eat foods from YogaEarth, like the quinoa protein bars and pure coconut water, here’s an easy recipe for a homemade snack that packs well, keeps well and will keep your body fueled and happy in all circumstances. They’re vegan and gluten-free too – an added bonus of clean fuel for every diet!

Vegan, Gluten-Free Superfood Bites

  • ¼ cup coconut oil
  • 1 cup dates, pits removed
  • 1/3 cup hazelnut milk (or other nut milk)
  • 1 large banana
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds, ground
  • 3 Tbsp maca powder
  • 1 ½ cups gluten-free rolled oats
  • ½ cup coconut flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ cup cacao nibs
  • ½ cup goji berries
  • ½ cup raw unpasteurized almonds, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 8 x 8 inch baking dish and set aside. Melt the coconut oil in a small pan over low heat. When melted, pour into a blender with the dates, nut milk, banana, chia and maca powder and blend until smooth. In a separate bowl combine the oats, coconut flour and baking powder. Pour the date puree over the oat mixture and stir well to combine. Add the cacao nibs, goji berries and chopped almonds and stir to incorporate. Scrape the mixture into the greased baking dish and distribute evenly, smoothing so it lays in an even thickness throughout the dish. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until lightly golden-brown in color. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into bars or squares. Let cool completely before wrapping. Store in an airtight container or wrapped individually for up to 2 weeks. Can be frozen and stored for up to 4 months. Yeild: 12-16 bars

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Four New Ways to Use Purity Coconut Water Powder Every Day!

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Sarah Betts  

Even for those who love sitting down to a big glass of pure coconut water from YogaEarth, discovering new ways to use Purity coconut water powder can be exciting. YogaEarth products are not just supplements to your everyday lifestyle, but part of creating a healthy and happily life that is vitalized by high quality whole foods that build a strong foundation for your every practice.

pure coconut water

As a powder, Purity organic coconut water can be a versatile ingredient to add nourishing benefits to other whole foods and recipes too. Here are four easy ways to incorporate Purity coconut water powder in your every day diet:

  1. Its natural sweetness makes a healthy, low glycemic sweetener for juices, tea and smoothies.
  2. As a low calorie and low glycemic starch, coconut water powder can be used in baked goods in combination with your flour of choice. Try swapping ½ cup of coconut water powder for 1/3 cup of flour to add nutrients and natural sweetness to your recipes.
  3. Add it to raw food recipes for an additional source of nutrients and natural sweetness. Use it as a sweetener to raw food energy bars or as a healthy starch base for sauces, soups and spreads. Check out this recipe for coconut water powder and raw cashew butter frosting.
  4. Ferment it with kefir grains to make pure coconut water kefir; a naturally probiotic and enzyme rich drink that aids digestion, immune function and tissue health. Get the recipe here.

Thinking about YogaEarth’s pure coconut water powder, and other nutrient rich foods, as foundational ingredients to your everyday healthy recipes makes it easier to ensure you get a good daily dose of as many high quality and nutrient rich foods as possible.

When each meal or snack you make contains more nourishing ingredients that that benefit your body, you’ll find it easier to avoid empty-calorie, processed and non-nourishing indulgences. As you feel, perform and look better with every bite, you will begin to crave the foods that provide it for you.

There’s no reason to feel guilty after a meal when there are so many great tasting, easy and fun ways to create intelligent indulgences that nourish you! Here is another great way to use purity organic coconut water, in combination with organic superfoods and quinoa protein.

pure coconut water and superfood energy bites

Purity & Superfood Raw Energy Bites

½ cup raw unpasteurized almonds
½ cup raw cashews
½ cup finely chopped dates
½ cup organic mulberries
¾ cup quinoa flakes
¾ cup Purity coconut water powder
¼ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp ground cinnamon
Zest of one orange
½ cup dried unsweetened shredded coconut

Combine the raw almonds and cashews in a Cuisinart or standing blender and pulse until they reach nut butter consistency. Add the dates and pulse again until finely chopped and incorporated with the nuts. Add the mulberries and quinoa flakes and pulse to combine. Add the coconut water powder, cardamom, cinnamon and orange zest and pulse to incorporate.

Use clean hands to remove the mixture from the blender and form into ping-pong ball sized rounds.  Roll each ball in the shredded coconut until covered. Enjoy immediately or wrap tightly and save for up to 10 days.  Enjoy!

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Superfoods to Nourish and Cleanse Your Body This Spring

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Sarah Betts  

sprouting flowersJust since just last week, more bulbs have been revealing their first green shoots and fresh spring greens are gracing farmers market booths. We can no longer cling to the dormant lifestyle of winter as the transition to spring is upon us.

As last week’s article on shifting your body through changing seasons explained, now is a crucial time to embrace, not resist, the change around you and within you. As the seasons change your body’s needs change too, and the nourishment you provide it is one of the most important ways to make the transition healthily and happily.

Specifically, cleansing, light, hydrating and green foods become highly important in the spring (see last week’s article for a full list of tips based on Ayurvedic principles to help transition your body through the change). Incorporating some of nature’s most powerful organic superfoods can make a noticeable difference in the way you experience the change.

Along with an abundance of seasonal fruit and produce and ample hydration (grab a package of Purity organic coconut water powder for a hydration boost) supplementing your diet with the following foods will help detoxify, refresh, enliven and energize your mind body and spirit and lifting you out of winter’s cool, heavy, and stagnant disposition.

• ChlorellaChlorella: This freshwater algae is a powerful, natural detoxifier and can help cleanse heavy metals from the body. When consumed regularly Chlorella also helps enhance oxygen levels in the body, cleanse the bowel, liver, and blood, remove yeast and mold from the body and speed the growth and repair of tissues. Chlorella is an excellent supplement to spring cleansing and can help eliminate stagnant toxins that have built up over the winter and help prime your digestive system for the lighter, fresh foods of spring.

• Maca: This root, native to the Andean region of South America, has been cultivated for centuries for its healing qualities. Maca is a highly adaptogenic food, which means it is a unique supplement to the diet that enhances the body’s ability to manage and overcome any type of stress. With an array of phytonutrients that aid in detoxification and natural support for the endocrine system, Maca is an ideal superfood to eat this spring. Maca comes in a powdered form and makes a great addition to fresh fruit smoothies, sauces, baked goods or raw food recipes.

• Goldenberries: These tangy-sweet berries pack a supreme nutritional punch. They are loaded with carotene and bioflavanoids that are powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory nutrients. Goldenberries are also a great source of Vitamins A and C, which help build immunity and cellular health, as well as fiber and pectin, which are useful cleansing agents that help extract and eliminate toxins and buildup in the system. These berries are a good snack just as they are or add them to smoothies, salads, cereals or jams.

• Chia: with Rich amounts of Omega 3’s, Chia seeds benefit your skin, heart, nervous system, immune function, and inflammation. They also have a high absorption capacity and can retain liquid in the body, provide prolonged hydration and satiation. While your body is transitioning through the change in seasons the omega’s and hydration that Chia provides will help facilitate the cleansing and lighter eating that this new season solicits.

Pure Coconut Water and Superfood Spring Smoothie

pure coconut water3 Tbsp Purity Organic Coconut Water Powder dissolved in 1 cup water
1 tsp Maca Powder
2 tsp Chia Seeds
2/3 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
1 Banana

Combine all ingredients in a standing blender and puree until smooth. You can swap the water for any nut milk or yogurt of your choice for a creamier consistency too!

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Virgo Full Moon – How Are You Feeling

Posted on March 9, 2012 by YogaEarth  

Critic, Addict or Healer?

Lunar WellnessAs the Pisces cycle reaches it’s climax, this is a great week to tune back in to dreams, emotions and receptivity. The full moon is highly charged and makes us extremely sensitive, because the earth is getting the total reflection of the sun.   It serves as a magnifying glass, or one of those cosmetic mirrors with the lights that show every little detail in your face, which can be a little confronting.

The full moon is also always in the opposing sign of the current cycle, so while Pisces is still ”swimming” the show, we now have Pisces astrological partner, Virgo, highlighting either the intentions that are serving and culminating or those we should release.

Pisces and Virgo are both “mutable” signs and mutable energy is transforming, adapting or dissolving. In Pisces we see that quality in our emotions, whereas in Virgo, being earth, we see it in the physical.  In Pisces it comes out as dreaming, intuiting empathy, or as the shadow of deluded, oversensitive co-dependence. In Virgo, mutability manifests as healing, cleansing compassion or critical, judgmental addiction.

Those qualities may seem pretty extreme, as do the labels of “Critic, Addict or Healer” but remember, the full moon is enhancing energies that are normally pretty subtle. Virgo is certainly not the only sign connected to healing and addiction, but it is highlighted in this realm.

Mutable earth is a hard nature to describe. Earth seems so much more concrete in the mountain of Capricorn or the tree roots of Taurus.  I struggle to find the most appropriate, tangible image for Virgo, but a really close one is the human body.  While our bodies are made of all elements, these bones, muscles, bands, skin and organs have an earthy sensation; and we are constantly transforming, dissolving and changing in these forms.

If we are intently focused on the mutable nature of earth, we often see it manifest in the following ways:

1. The critic: Our body is never good enough, nor is our home, job or anyone else. We only see what is wrong and are constantly trying to “fix” it from the outside. We want things to “look” perfect.

2. The addict: Often if we feel not good enough, or have been told that, we start trying to dissolve this form by filling it with another physical substance, which can be drugs, alcohol, food, sex, clothing, other people, etc; anything that makes us feel more comfortable and whole in our skin, or makes us feel like we are out of our bodies for a while. Once either of those states are experienced, we want it all the time.

3. The healer: We recognize there is change occurring, often uncomfortable, but we also see an opportunity to adapt to the change versus fixing or denying. Rather than being defined by the outer appearance, we see it as a gateway to transformation. We go with the flow of the form, which guides us in making the appropriate change. Within the movement, we experience true healing and freedom.

Again, these are very specific archetypes not limited to Virgo alone. Most of us experience some level of criticism, addiction and healing throughout our lives; but as this full moon is in Virgo, and these are her more potent qualities, we are getting a magnified look at our tendencies and the chance to make change.

It can be very healing simply to bring the emotional, intuitive essence of Pisces into the body right now, especially if you have been feeling disconnected and out to sea the last couple of weeks. But I do encourage you to take advantage of the healing potential in the next few days.  Examine your own relationships with Virgo’s archetypes, sit under the moon, let her light fill your mutable human form and support you in developing a sweeter relationship to your flesh. Try getting a massage, seeing the acupuncturist, chiropractor, energy worker or explore practices like Yoga, Tai Chi and Qi Gong.

The Vernal equinox is right around the corner (Monday 3/19) and our intentions around this full moon, as well as the following waning cycle, will initiate our spring blossoming and summer fruition. If we can let Pisces guide us in cleansing emotionally, connecting more deeply to our dreams, and allow Virgo to bring us into right relationship with our bodies and physical connections, we can greet the fiery Aries cycle that heralds Spring with a healthy, fertile space to hold the power of manifestation.

Take care of yourself, each other and the earth.

Namaste,

Bekah Finch Turner
Studio Manager & Teacher  Yoga Blend, Burbank CA.

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Welcome Spring with a Healthy Mind and Body with These Ayurvedic Tips

Posted on March 7, 2012 by Sarah Betts  

The morning air is still crisp as you walk out the door and take your first deep breath, but mid-day sunshine warms the earth quickly and the first of the season’s pea tendrils, asparagus spears and baby greens are pushing their stems towards the warmer skies. Spring is just around the corner and it’s evident in all the living and growing beings around us that anticipate and signal the change.

cherry blossoms

In Ayurvedic practices the changing seasons are highly regarded times of change for the body, mind and soul too; crucial to maintaining the balance that is fundamental to health and well-being. As seasons change, energies inside the body and from external sources change. Nourishment needs differ, certain internal organs need attention, the impact of exercises and meditations fluctuates and spiritual practices transition.

The period between winter and spring is a highly significant one, in that the risk of imbalance is high. Opening the body to lighter and less quantities of food, stimulating circulation, letting the tenseness of the winterized body relax and clearing out the buildup of mucus and stagnancy in the body can be difficult. It takes a conscious mind and lifestyle to let the natural cleansing of spring happen. But, just as you have the tendency to open all the windows of your home on the first warm day of the season and do a big “spring cleaning”, your body has the natural tendencies to do the same. it is important, though, to make time, create awareness and help usher your body thought that change.

Here are some tips from Ayurvedic traditions that will help ease your body through the change in seasons, take care of the elements that most need it at this time of year, and build and improve overall health.

  • Focus on cleansing: not a dramatic cleanse but one that incorporates cleansing foods that are high in antioxidants, chlorophyll and vitamin C and fresh foods that have a high fiber content.sprouts
  • Eat mostly light and green foods like raw fruits and vegetables, raw soaked nuts, seeds and sprouts, as well as raw greens like sprouts, dandelion greens, sorrel and arugula. Also incorporate sea greens like spirulina and chlorella to boost your greens intake and help facilitate the cleansing process.
  • Add a squeeze of lemon to your water or organic coconut water. Lemon is cleansing for the liver and balancing to your body PH. Adding it to organic coconut water will also help with re-hydration. Drink it first thing in the morning to cleanse your body after sleep and awaken the digestive and metabolic systems.
  • Nourish your liver and gallbladder. In ancient Chinese traditions spring is a time of imbalance in the wood element, which relates to your liver and gallbladder. Your body can no longer accommodate the heavier, oily, salty and sweet foods of winter. Instead, nourish it with sour, light, high water content foods that promote cleansing in the liver.
  • Avoid refined foods, processed sugar (raw honey is ok this time of year and may help those with seasonal allergies), fatty, oily and dairy foods that work against the cleansing process.parsley
  • Express yourself. Cleansing is not just for the physical body but for the emotional one as well. It is healthy to express feelings and thoughts, that may have been tucked away in the winter months, in ways that are supportive to yourself and those around you.
  • Move your body and work up a sweat. Practice yoga and/or engage in aerobic exercise to promote cleansing and enhance circulation that may have become stagnant.
  • Smile. The sun is shining, the air is warmer, the birds are chirping and there’s no shortage of reasons to smile. Your positive mental attitude will rub off on your body to create positive transitions as well. Focus on positive thoughts, things you have to be thankful for and ways you can share good things with others and this period of transition will pass smoother than it would for those whose minds are dragging along negative thoughts from the past.

YogaEarth’s March Lunar Wellness Kit is also focused on natural detoxification and health for this season. The kit includes one box of Vitality, Pomegranate Green Tea from the Art of Tea and a sample bulk pack of Purity organic coconut water powder. You can sign up to receive lunar wellness kits today and save over 40%!

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Eating Smart – Gluten-Free Superfood Carrot Cake

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Sarah Betts  

When the occasion calls for it, or you just can’t resist the urge to warm up your home with the smell of a fresh baked treat, all aspirations of health don’t need to be buried beneath cupfuls of sugar and refined flour.

Carrot Cake with coconut water powder

Wise ingredient choices, clever techniques and versatile superfoods are great tools for making healthy baked goods. Here are a few tips:

  • Think about the type of fat your recipe calls for and learn how to substitute a healthier one, like coconut oil, in its place.
  • Utilize the naturally sweetening effects of other foods like lucuma powder, coconut nectar or fruit and vegetable purees in place of high-glycemic processed sugars.
  • Add nuts, like YogaEarth’s Raw Unpasteurized Almonds, and seeds to bring additional healthy qualities to your recipe like omega 3’s, protein and minerals.
  • Reduce or eliminate white flour (and gluten) consumption by using other flours like quinoa, coconut, rice, millet, sorghum, almond or a blend.
  • Add nutrients to the mix with whole food powders like Matcha green tea, Acai berry, Maca, Cacao, Hemp, Camu and other powdered superfoods.
  • Get creative with seasonal ingredients. Eating seasonal foods helps ensure you get the nutrients you need, in the biggest natural doses, from great tasting foods!

This recipe for carrot cake is a great foundation because the carrots hold its texture and flavor well and can withstand several substitutions without caving in or becoming a solid mass like some baked goods do when you don’t follow the recipe exactly. The real treat is in the frosting though – made from coconut butter, ‘Purity’ coconut water powder and raw cashews – a perfect stand in for the typical sugar and dairy loaded cream cheese frosting on carrot cake. Use any extra frosting as a spread on toast or apple slices.

Decadent Gluten-Free Superfood Carrot Cake

For the Cake
2 cups gluten-free flour blend (Mama’s gluten free coconut blend works well)
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
3/4 cup coconut sugar
¼ cup maca powder (for an antioxidant boost)
3 Tbsp. Purity coconut water powder
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
½ cup coconut oil (melted)
2 eggs
4 cups shredded carrots (beets, yams and parsnips work well too)
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut or coconut flakes
½ cup chia seeds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Thoroughly grease a round bundt pan and set aside. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, coconut sugar, maqui or goji powder and coconut water powder together in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl thoroughly combine the applesauce, melted coconut oil and eggs. Add the wet mixture to the dry and fold together. Add the carrots, coconut and chia and fold in to incorporate. Spoon batter into the greased bundt pan, place in the preheated oven and bake for 50-55 minutes or until a knife inserted in the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 20 minutes before tipping the cake out of the pan. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting.

For the Frosting
1 1/2 cups raw unsalted cashews
1/3 cup water
1 packet or 3 Tbsp. Purity organic coconut water powder
1/4 cup raw honey
1/3 cup Coconut Butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine the cashews, water and coconut water powder and let soak for 30 minutes. Put the cashews and soaking liquid in a blender with the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth. Frost the cake after it has cooled completely and enjoy!

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Making Organic Coconut Water Keifer – Nature’s Most Incredible Healer

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Sarah Betts  

organic coconut water keifer Any way you take it, organic coconut water has a vast number of health benefits. Whether you like it plain and simple or added to a smoothie or oatmeal, your body is going to benefit from its minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, amino acids and enzymes. Not to mention, compared to other “hydration” drinks or fruit juices, organic coconut water has only about a fifth the amount of sugar and is naturally a low fat and low-glycemic drink.

So, what do you get when you combine this natural superfood with fermentation, one of nature’s most miraculous and health benefiting processes? You get coconut water keifer! But, more importantly you get an ultra-hydrating and ultra nourishing food that exceeds the health benefits of almost anything else you can consume in one simple sip!

Fermentation (in food) is a natural process that takes place when a substance is exposed to microorganisms, either by inoculation or naturally through the air, which feed on the existing carbohydrates (sugars). This process forms alcohol (if left to ferment long enough), carbon dioxide and other organic compounds such as amino acids, enzymes and nutrients. In addition, the microorganisms involved in the process kill any “bad” bacteria present in the substance and rapidly multiply to create an abundance of “good bacteria” or probiotics. While fermentation was originally used as a method of preservation before refrigeration was available, it is now touted for it’s immense healing qualities.

The combination of the fermentation process and the superfood qualities of organic coconut water creates an incredible health tonic whose benefits include:

  • Improved digestion
  • Alkaline cleansing qualities
  • Immune enhancement
  • Improved absorption of nutrients
  • More efficient metabolism
  • Decreased sugar cravings
  • Enhanced energy production
  • Skin and hair health
  • Overall vitality and wellness

Within a few days of consuming organic coconut water keifer you’ll probably notice a difference – even if it’s just in the lightness of your body and the spring in your step. It’s a great health tonic to drink on a daily basis and luckily it’s easy to make.

Purity organic coconut water from YogaEarth is an ideal coconut water base to use because it’s completely pure, has no additives or preservatives and has the most natural composition of starches, nutrients and sugars for the keifer grains to feed on. You’ll need to buy keifer grains before you start, but they’re becoming increasingly easy to find online or at your natural foods store. Make sure you get water keifer grains, not dairy keifer grains, as they are different in composition and the way they ferment.

Organic Coconut Water Kefir

1/4 cup kefir grains
1 quart Purity organic coconut water (about 5 packets or 1 cup of the bulk coconut water powder mixed with 1 quart water)

  • Combine the water kefir grains and the coconut water in a very clean and sterile jar – stir lightly with a clean spoon.
  • Seal jar securely with a lid.
  • Let sit for up to 48 hours at room temperature and out of the sun or direct light.
  • Taste your keifer after 24 hours – the longer you leave the more pungent and sour it gets.
  • Strain the keifer grains from the coconut water when it fits your taste. Reserve the grains for another batch (keep in a sealed container in the fridge).
  • Refrigerate in a sealed container and enjoy, or see below for a second fermentation phase if you want to add flavors.

Adding flavors…

Organic coconut water kefir
1/2 to 1 cup juice of your choice

  • Combine the coconut kefir and juice in a jar and again seal with a lid.
  • Let to stand at room temperature for 48 hours. After 48 hours your keifer will be a bit fizzy because the fermentation process will break down the sugars in the juice and create CO2.
  • Refrigerate in a sealed container and enjoy!
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Are you Hydrated?

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Sarah Betts  

Coconut Water for Hydration

Hydration is not just about the pure amount of water you drink. In fact, you can drink excessive amounts of water and still be dehydrated. Hydration is intricately linked to minerals, your body’s ability to digest and absorb them, and their regular depletion rate from your body. Keeping your body adequately hydrated is more complicated than sitting down to a glass of tap water and more essential than you would ever expect.

Hydration, put simply, is the measurement of fluid levels in the body that allow for optimal functioning. In this measurement, the intra-cellular (inside your cells) and extra cellular (outside your cells) fluid levels, and the balance between the two are highly important.

Electrolytes, which we often hear about on sports drink labels, are key players in hydration and maintaining the balance of fluids inside and outside your cells. Essentially these little electrically charged minerals circulate throughout your body and act as messengers carrying nerve signals that control tissue function and movement. For hydration, sodium, potassium and magnesium are the 3 most prevalent.

Sodium

regulates the fluid levels outside the cells by holding water inside the cells. Without sodium your cells can’t hold water, which is essential for their normal functioning. However, balancing sodium levels is important because excess sodium can cause your cells to hold too much liquid, triggering swelling in the tissues and hypertension.

Potassium

is the most abundant electrolyte found inside the cells of the body. It is essential for nerve function, muscle contraction and energy production. Potassium works in tandem with sodium to maintain fluid balance, its main role being fluid regulation outside the cell. Your body loses potassium through sweat during exercise and needs to be regularly replaced in order to stay hydrated. Those who drink excessive amounts of coffee, regularly consume alcohol, take prescription drugs and/or consume a diet high in salt, also need to pay special attention to getting enough potassium in their diet.

Magnesium

plays a regulatory role controlling enzyme function, energy production, cell metabolism, cell growth and cell reproduction. About 1/3 of every cell is made up of magnesium, where it controls the entry and release of calcium from the cell during muscular activity. The combined role of magnesium and calcium is crucial because calcium conducts electrical currents through your body that carry signals for muscle movement. When your magnesium levels are out of balance, the function of calcium in your body is as well, thus compromising your energy level and muscle function.

Improved hydration with Organic Coconut Water

Where hydration gets complicated is in maintaining the balance of these essential electrolytes and, due to diet, stress, water sources, water purification techniques and other factors, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to get adequate amounts of them. One of the biggest factors elevating organic coconut water to the superfood status it holds today is its natural combination of easily absorbed electrolytes that significantly improve hydration.
coconut water powder

Unlike other drinks formulated for hydration, which have electrolytes artificially added to them in production, coconut water comes perfectly formulated with abundant electrolytes right out of the husk. Like most things formulated in nature instead of a food lab, the natural electrolyte components of coconut water are more easily digested and absorbed for your body’s use. Its high potassium content perfectly compliments what the body needs after exercise as well, replenishing and re-hydrating what is loses through sweat.

Your body, when adequately hydrated on liquids rich with natural electrolytes like organic coconut water, reaps a myriad of benefits:

• Improved energy production
• Improved circulation
• Better processing and elimination of toxins
• More balanced PH level in the body
• Improved immune function
• Improved muscle function
• Better skin and tissue health
• More efficient transport of oxygen throughout your body
• Improved hormone production
• More available energy for brain function
• Enhanced function, strength and flexibility of the joints
• Mood and mental clarity improvement

Paying attention to the quality, not just the quantity of what we put in our body is essential – not matter how much water you drink your body can still become dehydrated without essential hydrating nutrients. Adding just one packet of Purity Organic Coconut Water Powder to a glass of water can provide the electrolytes your body needs for an entire day of hydration. Pair that with other whole food nutrients from organic foods, or Balance and Vitality supplements from YogaEarth and your body will thank you.

Take note of how you feel now and how your body ranks on the list of things that hydration impacts (above) and notice how those change as you begin to feed your body more of what it needs and less of the excess of things that don’t make a difference. Indulgence alone won’t fuel you but intelligent indulgence will fuel your mind, body and practice!

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5 Reminders to Live and Love Every Day

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Sarah Betts  

Why wait for a special day to celebrate love? Every day you rise out of bed, see a ray of sunshine peering through the clouds, wrap your hands around a warm cup of tea, laugh while reading the comics, smile at a stranger as your paths cross or just take a deep breath, you have the chance to love. Whether you’re in love or not, you have love to give and are loved by others and every moment is a chance to appreciate that.

Love your body for what it does for you every day. Love your mind for its strengths as well as its weaknesses. Love your weird quirks. Let love in; soak it up like rays of warm summer sun penetrating your skin after a long winter. Let it be contagious, catch it from others and pass it along.

Love Yoga Earth

Sometimes it’s easy to keep a straight face, hurry from one commitment to another, walk with your head down to a passerby, but it feels better not to. Slow down, remind yourself of these few basic things, enjoy the day and share the love!

  1. Breathe: On your own or in the arms of a love one, connecting with your breath will help you connect with the moment, your body, your mind and your heart. A deep breath can calm, nourish, energize, and lend appreciation that a fast paced life often skips over. Wrap your arms around your own body or the body of someone you love and feel the rise and fall of your chest as you take a deep breath and absorb the love you have and the love you’ve been given.
  2. Nourish: Share something nourishing and be present with yourself and those you’re sharing it with. Appreciate every nutrient that you’re giving to your body and what it means to build a strong, healthy being that has the abilities, large and small, that you have. Come together around a table with people you appreciate, share good food together and let them know you care.
  3. Glow: Do something that makes you glow; that makes you smile so big it makes your cheeks hurt. Grab a good book, meditate, walk, hike, run, laugh, cook or just absorb a few rays of sunshine and let what makes you happy nourish your glow, inside and out!
  4. Inspire: Do something and be someone that inspires you or someone else. Tackle a challenge you didn’t think you could, or send a heartfelt card to a friend. Whatever it is, bring inspiration to your life and others through good intention, positive thought, genuine words and constructive actions – all will make a difference.
  5. Be: Be you. Don’t try to be someone else or something you’re not. Appreciate your strengths and weaknesses and love yourself for all you’re worth. Be present in the moment, in your body and in your self. You are your own foundation and will only benefit from steadying yourself, being genuine, sinking your roots into fertile earth that nourishes you and reaching out to embrace all the wonderful things you call life.

What’s not to love about a decadent bar of chocolate that’s good for your body too? Check out Yoga Earth’s Keen-Wah Decadence bar, a chocolate covered quinoa protein bar, and the full array of products including organic coconut water powder and the Vitality and Balance superfood supplements. Sign up for regular delivery of any product, or the monthly wellness kit, and have just one more excuse to love good food when it shows up right on your doorstep!

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