Surrender and Gratitude.
I just got back from a 5 day, meditation intensive and I'm so full of JOY and gratitude! It's amazing what happens when we turn off our phones, step away from our computers, surround ourselves with like-minded people and just go within (and of course, cook a lot)! We...
35 years in the making.
I can't believe I'm 35 today! In my wee little years, this is what I've learned so far.... There's always a great reason to celebrate. (thanks for that one, Dad!) Eating fresh foods makes a HUGE difference. Real friends are shining beacons of light during your...
Super Soul
When I took this great class in 2011, I was introduced to the work of Dr. Brene Brown; a research professor at the University of Houston who has spent the past decade studying vulnerability, courage, worthiness and shame. The depth of insight from her year's of...
Fennel, Carrot Spinach Wrap
What a weekend we had...it was packed with great weather, awesome meditations and some quality cooking time for my meditation teacher, Shri Anandi Ma. This weekend we went Shri Anandi Ma's Public Meditation Programs. Like usual, they were awesome and definitely...
The stillness of Shiva.
This past Saturday night was one of my all-time favorite nights of the year; Shivratri, a night dedicated to Lord Shiva, a hindu deity known to be "the destroyer" or one who brings about change and transformation. It's an especially prime night for deepening one's...
Making Lemonade from Lemons.
It’s that time of year in Northern California…the citrus trees are in their full glory! A friend of ours has an AWESOME Meyer lemon tree that produces the most deliciously sweet lemons. Every year they share their bounty and we most certainly enjoy them in many...
The goodness of CHUTNEY…and COOKING PARTIES!
It's been 70 degrees here this week; really loving the warm weather! Last weekend I gave my first Cooking Party Cooking Class; inspired by my friend Bruce who wanted to give a dear friend of his a special birthday present. Instead of going out for dinner I gave him...
Banana & Cloves: who knew their wonders?
Northern California is amazing. Even though we've had a relatively cold winter and it's still only February, spring is here. We recently had a string of warm days and voila! everything began to bloom. It's been beautiful driving to work this week because the...
Ghee: benefits of clarified butter and more.
Ghee (clarified butter) is one of those staples that almost every Indian home has. There are certain dals and curries where the flavor is greatly enhanced by using ghee rather than oil. The best part is that ghee, unlike butter has a lot great medicinal qualities---...
Chole-Palak and cooking the afternoon away!
This past Sunday I gave my first cooking class, in conjunction with Dhyanyoga Centers, and I'm happy to report to went GREAT! I have to say I was pretty nervous, but 15 minutes into talking, I warmed up and before I knew it three hours FLEW by! We had 12 lovely...
Ume: helper of many things.
My husband introduced me to Ume when we first got married and now it's one of my favorite go-to's in my home remedies kit. UME extract helps with healthy digestion and naturally relieves occasional heartburn because of it's soothing blend of organic acid that is...
Into the great wide open: Sebastapol.
Northern California is really special. You've got San Francisco a big city hub with an eclectic mix of neighborhoods, world renowned eateries and lots of shopping and sightseeing. Then right across the bay you've got Berkley and Oakland...thriving with young...