Body Scrub + Day 12 + Friday Link Love

ankles

Happy Friday!! Hope you’ve all had a great week doing the body scrub. It’s already starting to feel like part of the routine. After taking such a long break from doing it regularly, it feels amazing to be back on track- and my skin is also feeling noticeably smoother. ALREADY!! So. Awesome. I’m going to keep it up and report back on occasion over the rest of the project! Okay- gotta run. I’m taking some hours away from the computer screen this afternoon to meet my friend Karin (the gorgeous red-head in the photos this week) for some yummy vegan Indian lunch, and then I’m off to pillage the burdock at the grocery store. Have  a great weekend everyone!

february friday link love!

this will blow your mind! serve it like this for a quick weeknight dinner

i want to travel here to buy the beautiful produce

these look crazy good and easy

this is the next macro book on my list

gorgeous tutorial on making this macro staple

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Body Scrub – Day 11

scrub gently

It’s just been a few days and already I feel a difference. Tell me, why is it so easy to neglect something that is so simple and has such an amazing result? It really is all about developing good habits- and being kind to yourself in the process. Sure, there are going to be days where you don’t do it. The thing is to just get back on the train and keep on going- no guilt required. Have you been doing the body scrub this week? I’d love to hear how you’re making out with it (hehe, making out…)

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sandra mesquita - February 6, 2014 - 9:15 am

It’s funny how true it is that we neglect such simple things as the body scrub. It did it this morning and I felt amazing and ready for the day afterwards. It is the most simple and life changing practice I could recomend. It is truly AMAZING!

Teresa@sweetveg - February 10, 2014 - 7:58 pm

I am loving my body rubs! I’ve missed one day this month. I’m hoping to do two today to catch up. :) My skin is in the dry phase, especially this morning. I hope to get to the fresh, vibrant, glowing phase in the next few days.

Day 9 – Body Scrubs and Revelations

refreshMy head hit the pillow last night and I swear I was almost asleep within seconds. It was a crazy day of intense but extremely rewarding work- about 18 hours worth. So, my head hit the pillow, and 3 – 2- 1… “CRAP. I forgot to do my body scrub.” I contemplated getting up to do it for about 5 more seconds before completely passing out.

After eating my giant bowl of brown rice porridge for breakfast today I was ready to jump back into work, but I looked around at “dish mountain” and realized that if I was going to have a day that really flowed well it was important for my surrounding space to be tidy and clean too. Forty-five minutes later and dish mountain was clean. “Great!! Now to work!” I sat at the desk, but something wasn’t quite flowing right. And I was feeling a bit guilty about feeling guilty for missing the body scrub last night, and not writing here today. So. I decided that in this spirit of “Being Kind” to myself I would treat myself to an AM body rub.

Friends, I can’t tell you how much better I feel now with my skin still gently tingling. It’s great. And,  about half way through the body scrub, I was flooded with work  ideas- good ones. I realized that by taking those few minutes to do the scrub for myself, to create my own good health, I would be better able to produce good, creative work for others. Pretty amazing stuff. Ok- tight timeline and big projects to tackle. Back to work! Can’t wait for the scrub tonight.

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Mandy Woytkiw - February 4, 2014 - 12:35 pm

Your work is much appreciated.. and I am so happy you are being kind to yourself first! None of your genius can play out if your not at your best! ♡

Shauna - February 6, 2014 - 6:01 am

<3 thanks! We're really all in this big crazy thing together. If by taking care of myself, the payoff spreads to others which spreads to others etc etc? All the better. So cool.

Body Scrub – Day 8

body scrub teaser

I’m in the midst of finishing up a giant work project, so this week is going to be pretty intense. Since macrobiotics is about more than just food, I thought that for week two it might be fun to focus on a lifestyle practice. And if we’re talking big rewards for just a little bit of time (and next to nothing for cost!) the body scrub is huge. As we’re nourishing our bodies from the inside, let’s pamper them from the outside too. My goal this week is to do the body scrub before bed everyday, although if you’re joining in this week you can do it in the morning if you prefer. If you’re really feeling hardcore or are already a champion daily body scrubber you can aim for morning and night. Ready, set, scrub! (New to the body scrub? Click here for a detailed explanation and step by step guide!)

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Teresa@sweetveg - February 4, 2014 - 4:48 pm

Wow! We really were on the same wavelength! I just saw this. :) I know that feeling of missing a day and feeling off.

Shauna - February 6, 2014 - 6:02 am

If only I had been just missing a day… I was seriously off track with the body scrub!! It feels amazing to get back in the habit! How’s your February project going?

The Dainty Pig - February 6, 2014 - 1:14 pm

Wonderful! Great way to warm up and feel nice in chilly weather <3

Day 5 – Brown Rice Porridge

brownriceporridgeIn a bold and daring move, splashed with a side of insanity, hubs and I adopted a kitten a few months back. How could adopting a cute little kitten be bold, daring and slightly insane you ask? Well. I’m allergic. And when I was a kid, I was REALLY allergic. The kind of allergic that if a friend had a cat I couldn’t stay and play for too long before I’d be a sneezy, eyes watering mess. It started when I was, I think, around 7 or 8 years old and I got scratched by a cat the night before my Aunts wedding. Whoa nelly, the next morning was brutal. My eyes were almost swollen shut and the scratch was nasty and red and itchy as hell. Basically since then, cats and I, well- we weren’t meant to be.

That is, until this past July when the same aunt posted a picture on facebook of kittens. Tiny, cute, little spotted and completely adorable kittens. EEEEE!!!!!! I was a woman obsessed, and smart move or not, 2 months later one of them found his way out of his travel crate and into our living room.

I’ll talk more about the allergies in a later post (they’re better) but for now, all you need to imagine is a giant 11 pound almost 7 month old kitten, jumping onto my stomach yesterday morning, head in my face, purring louder than a helicopter flying overhead. At just before 5 am. Sleep? Soooooo not happening. So I padded across the apartment to the kitchen and got some brown rice simmering. Now we have kitty to thank for this particular post.  Thanks, kitty!!

You can make brown rice porridge any number of ways. If I have leftover grain I just add water and heat it up. If you have time, add a bit more water and let it do it’s thing for a little while longer. You get a really nice creamy porridge this way. You can pressure cook grains for porridge too. If you have lots of time, like I did yesterday morning, bring 1 part rice and 8 – 10 parts water to boil, along with a small pinch of salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and wait for a couple of hours, checking occasionally after the first 40 minutes or so to make sure all is well. Add more water if you need. Yum.

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Irene - January 31, 2014 - 9:39 am

This reminds me of the congee my grandparents used to have for breakfast every morning! Great idea! Thanks, Shauna!

Shauna - January 31, 2014 - 10:45 am

Irene! It’s totally like congee! If I cooked it longer and the rice disintegrated a bit more it would be (although there are so many variations on congee, this could probably qualify as is, lol!) in any case, it’s yummy!!