"...Don't let others sway your heart..."

Discovering Fluevog shoes was like finding a new piece that fits in the puzzle called "Ideas and things that define me." It was a memorable moment of discovery of an idea, a value, something tangible that makes life a bit more interesting. My friends recently asked me to share my Fluevog story with them. Just a photo comment on Facebook is not a respectable way of talking about these things of beauty. Here's my story.


Few years ago, I was in Seattle for a teaching conference when my friend and I noticed a store window displaying interesting looking shoes. We took a break from the rain and I followed her inside the store to find shoes that looked like a Dr. Suess poem - dreamy, feel-good, and beautifully created. And, they came with a price tag to match the quality. Priorities were different then and I put this discovery down in my book of memories to keep.

Later that year, without being aware of what I was buying, I picked up my first Fluevog shoes, a pair of tan boots, for an unbelievable bargain at a liquidation sale. These boots are great for travel and for staying warm on a cool day. More importantly they come with comic relief - my man never misses to notice them when I have them on and address me as Lady Robinson Crusoe or something like that. I noticed the Fluevog signature imprint on the boots only after I had consciously bought my second pair and realized that the boots had the same signature mark of Mr. Fluevog on their soles. Hallelujah! I had joined the cult.


Imagine, and wear your imagination; two boots and two pumps later I have understood that life's too short to not wear Fluevogs and to not to be absolutely comfortable with who you are. I plan my Fluevog purchase when a design catches my attention. Thanks to hubby's sharp deal catching skills online, something tells me that it's not the end.

Your Fluevog pair comes to you in a simple white box with the Fluevog logo on the side, but what's inside is what matters. I love the felt shoe bags that come with each pair with a simple and personal message from Mr. John Fluevog.

There's no way I'd do it differently.

If you believe that your God is better than another man...

I am devoted to Pandora radio while I work or work on my photos on the computer. The music in the radio station you create builds up with your preferences. And, the best thing about it is that you can bookmark your songs, learn more about the artist, and even get lyrics of songs.

I came across Lizz Wright recently and have been "liking" her songs consistently; so, they play more of her music for me.

This beautiful title song from her latest album, Felloship, just played and it sums up basically how I feel about all the wars and the people on both sides who fight them.

  Fellowship Lyrics

  Lizz Wright's  Homepage

Enjoy and let the music make your day because -

"You are the music while the music lasts."

-T. S. Eliot

Earth Day: Show some love to mother Earth!

Some of you must have noticed the enthusiastic discussion Kevin, Kris, and I have been enjoying on Facebook that the almond muffins post triggered. I agree with Kris, it is a great discussion, timely because Earth Day is tomorrow.

I am proud and inspired to have close friends who go the extra step quietly in their daily lives and with great awareness beyond themselves to work towards a healthier planet for us and our future generations. 

It's a responsibility we should all be aware of and that needs some thought. You may be recycling diligently, but that doesn't permit you to waste packaging and plastic. You may be using natural cosmetics, but what about the tons of plastic grocery bags you get for every trip to the store? You may be buying bulk already, but wasting lots of water when you wash and clean. The task of being conscious consumers is not an easy one. Whatever you do, think of the chain of activities associated with it and how you can do your bit in your lifestyle to create sustainable practices.


On Earth Day tomorrow, let's make a pledge to incorporate one little thing in to our routines to thank mother Earth. We may not be able to clear traces of all the waste we've created dring our lifetime, but we can try to not leave a greater mess behind when we leave. You may call it carbon footprint or have other names for it. The point is to think beyond your needs and keep in mind how your actions affect the environment and the future. 

This beautiful image was taken from the Earth Day, Sacremento, CA website

Here are a few things you can incorporate in your lifestyle. I would love it if you shared some of your practices of how small steps can lead to big change for our planet.

1. Buying unpackaged, loose foods in bulk are a good way to start. - farmers' markets are a great way to buy local food that is not packaged or shipped from the other sie of the world. In India, I would buy from street vendors or organic farmers and take my own cloth carry bags. We also still have the luxury of buying grain in gunny sacks in India or easily getting loose grains by weight. Out here in the US, Whole Foods and similar conscious grocery stores have bulk sections where you can buy lose grains in a bag or your own container and pay by weight. 
2. No plastic water bottles, please! - More and more I see people carrying their empty water bottles through security check at airports and then refilling them. Plastic bottles are a menace and I noticed the overuse in India and cringed a the thought that we are making the same mistakes the West made ten years ago. It's about forming the habit - get a light weight water bottle and take it with you when you leave the house or keep it in your car. 
3. Soak. Sprout. Pressure cook. - Here's another practice I find very common in India, but something we need to hold on to. Sprouting is healthy and uses less energy to cool. Pressure cookers are irreplaceable and you can cook anything from greens and lentils to chicken in them in minutes. So, you save time, energy, and calories. What a great solution!
4. You can use nature's cleaning agents to clean. - Do whatever it takes to use less gas and less water when you are in the kitchen. Salt, vinegar, and lemon and orange peels are the best cleaning agents. I rub used peels on my counter tops, cooking range, and my face. Their fruit acid works great on all surfaces.

There are so many such solutions. You just have to look around with an open and aware mind. 

Your life, your relationships, your actions can all have a sustainable approach that includes the environment, economics, and society. 

Here are some interesting links for more lifestyle ideas - 

Earth Day

Recycling is Cool

Tree Hugger

Have a beautiful Earth Day! 

Don't forget to stop and smell the flowers this week and thank our lovely planet for it's endless beauty.

Why waste time on toast? Try these muffins for breakfast.

Give your breakfast a gluten-free and high protein filled face-lift and start the day with lots of energy and no guilt. These delicious flour-less Almond Energy Muffins will make your day.  No, they do not taste like marzipan and they go well with your favorite morning beverage. They are great after a work out or a long night of partying. ;) They are easy and fun to bake with kids - plus, the smell of fresh muffins will put every one at home in a good mood.

Ingredients: (6-7 large or 12 mini muffins)

• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup Omega oil or any light vegetable oil from your kitchen
• 1/4 cup agave syrup (used instead of sugar, safe for diabetics, low glycemic index)
• 2 cups almond meal (ground almonds)
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1/4 cup organic milk (can be substituted with soy, almond or any other nut/grain milk)
• 1 tsp. almond extract (can be substituted with vanilla extract)
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 376 degrees Fahrenheit or 200 degrees Celsius.
2. Combine the beaten egg, oil, agave syrup and mix well. 
3. Add the almond meal, baking powder, milk, almond extract, an sea salt and blend just until smooth.
4. Fill a regular sized or mini muffin tray with two-thirds full using a large spoon or a 1/3 cup measure.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in to the center of a muffin comes out clean. 

Variations:
You can substitute half of the almond meal with any whole grain flour if you think this is too healthy for you. :) I have also used ground oats or a porridge mix and it works really well. There might be a slight change in texture.

You can also add 1/2 cup of carob or bitter-sweet, high cacao-content dark chocolate chips. In addition to absolute bliss, they give you anti-oxidants for the day.

If you like this recipe, ask me for more!

The Perfect Match

Certain wines go well with certain foods, but have you ever tried wine with chocolate? 

It's very simple.

Bite the Chocolate, let it melt slightly in your mouth,   take a sip of the wine, feel the burst of flavors!  But remember, it's all about portion-control and it needs to be the right combination to get the right harmony of taste.

Wine and chocolate pairing has been experimented for a while, but with more awareness in consumers, there are more choices of both chocolate and wine available in the market now. Depending on where you live, you should be able to find milk and dark chocolate and most probably dark chocolate with different percentage of darkness. 

The rule is simple for starters - 

Milk chocolates go better with light and fruity white wines while dark chocolates go best with red wines. The darker the chocolate the more full-bodied your red wine should be. For me, generally, light white wines like Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc go well with milk chocolates or semi-milk chocolates, while I prefer to have a 60-75% dark chocolate piece with Merlot or my all time favorite, Malbec. If I am going more full-bodied, I like to up the chocolate percentage. So, you try an 70-85% Cacao content chocolate with a Cabernet or Pinot Noir. 

So what are you waiting for? Crack open that chocolate bar from your secret stash behind the organic brown rice container in your pantry. Get the wine at the right temperature to match and create pure bliss in your mouth. 

For those who have access to these, here are two of my favorite combinations.

 with 

Valrohna Manjari 65% Cacao with Gascon Malbec 2008

with

Vosges Habana 45% Cacao with Kendall Jackson Chardonnay

Enjoy!!!