Feel Good Guru

These fancy little seasonal beauties are a cinch to prepare and they’re so good for you there’s no need for a special occasion to indulge.

I have some left over from a dinner party and discovered they’re awesome as healthy breakfast balls. They’re very lightly sweetened so the goodness of the main ingredients comes through.

Cranberries are loaded in antioxidants and phyto-nutrients, especially needed at this time of year to keep the winter nasties at bay. Raw cocoa is also incredibly rich in nutrients, raw coconut butter is so creamy, delish and full of enzymes, vitamins and protein, and don’t worry about the fat content in raw cashews – 75% of the fat in cashews is the same heart-healthy fat as found in olive oil. (more…)

I went for a long sunset rollerblade this evening past the pier, past the temporary big top of Cirque du Soleil, past fast-moving bikes and skateboards, north until the sun touched down on the ocean just over my left shoulder. I try to do this at least a couple of times a week because we only have a finite number of sunsets.

I love how everything slows down for those few minutes while people take in the magic of another day ending, the sun melting into the horizon, the sky slowly turning beautiful hues of orange and purple. Smiles between strangers come easy as people seem to forget for a moment their worries and witness together a miracle. (more…)

He who binds himself to joy, does the winged life destroy. But he who kisses the joy as it flies, Lives in eternity’s sunrise. William Blake

When the high-pitched shrill of an ambulance’s siren blares past me on the road, I usually recoil; startled, concerned. But on the evening the siren blared for me, I neither saw the flashing lights, the stretcher, the oxygen mask, nor heard the gasping of the surrounding crowd. In fact the anxiety that had been building within me for days was curiously gone. There was no more reason for concern… I had floated up.

Read more of Kelly Sullivan Walden’s inspirational story: (more…)

You don’t have to be a hemp-wearing, weed-puffing, dreadlocked dude or dudette to love this holiday feast. Even Sarah Palin, if this vegan came over for dinner, would have to admit my Hippy Holiday Roast is tastier than anything she can shoot from a helicopter and throw on a fire. And boy, I’d sure like to cook a meal for her;)

If you’ve seen Food, Inc., a fantastic film detailing where our food comes from in North America, or some of the shocking videos on YouTube of what happens at some of America’s turkey factories, you might be thinking twice about picking up your frozen Butterball for the family this holiday season. Even Martha Stewart’s going veg for Thanksgiving this year! What a world of change. Lap up the goodness!

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Low in fat, high in quality protein, rich in soluble and insoluble fiber, good for the heart, stabilizing blood sugar, low in calories, high in iron, kidney beans have it all. Bonus – they’re great at absorbing flavors, so bring ‘em on!

I always think of kidney beans as the “red meat” of veggies. Combined with brown rice, millet or any grain, you can get a big hit of protein without all the moo.

The fresh ginger and mint in this recipe give the beans a special fresh flavor, the red chilis bring the capsaicin and the heat. These herbs are also used in ayurvedic medicine to ease digestion, cleanse and make your skin glow. So good, and so good for you! Eat your Extra Special K-Beans often! (more…)

As some of you know, I’ve been putting the finishing touches on “Feel Good Fast – 21 days the Feel Good Guru way – your plant-powered seasonal guide to a cleaner, greener, leaner lifestyle”.

I’m excited to be able to finally offer this to you after doing the cleanse for years at the turn of each season!

The book will be released in early January, first as an e-book. You’ll be able to order each season separately, or the entire year in one complete doc. It includes the full-on how-tos, photos, menus, recipes, shopping lists, inspiration, motivation, and a special treat ~ tips and tweets from you! What do you do to feel good fast? Tweet @feelgoodguru with your best feel good fast tips using the hashtag #feelgoodfast. I’ll publish the best of them with a link back to you! (more…)

It’s really hard to find a good prepared polenta crust for pizza, yet it’s soooo easy to make. People get intimidated by polenta because they think they have to stand over the stove stirring constantly for an hour and who has time for that?

With this easy-shmeasy polenta crust, you whip it up, cover it and walk away. The polenta takes the shape and size of the pan you cook it in and browns up in the oven on a cookie sheet. Top with your favorite sauce and toppings, or follow the recipe below for a perfect wheat-free, dairy-free polenta party pizza! (more…)

Aim higher than you thought you ever could. Aim higher than your family or masters or teachers or gurus ever expected. Aim higher than you can imagine because truly, everything you can imagine is real. That’s The Secret. Picasso said it sometime in the early 20th century and didn’t charge a dime…

I’m no angel but I try my best to be a decent human. I consider myself both a teacher and a seeker; someone with a lot of great groovy life experience and someone with a lot to learn. I make mistakes, I treat people badly and I can be as self-absorbed as the next person. (more…)

This chili is a substantial meal and will fill any hungry belly with more protein than you’ll need to get you through the day. I always prefer to use dried beans rather than canned. It’s two extra steps, but worth it for quality & taste.

The combo of chili with spicy corn muffin makes for a majorly satisfying meal even your meat-lovin’ friends will devour. It’s a good recipe to keep as a chilly day standard, and make your own unique variations each time.

A lot of vegetarian chili recipes will use TVP for filler and texture. Texturized vegetable protein is way to processed for us. Soothing, alkaline millet will give you the same “meaty” texture and help complete the protein of the beans.  (more…)

This is my favorite super-healthy super-speedy insta-meal. If you have the ingredients on hand, this is a wonderful 5-minute creation.

It’s sometimes hard to find 100% buckwheat noodles. Most so called buckwheat noodles will contain about 30% wheat. Buckwheat isn’t wheat at all, but a seed, and is therefore much easier to digest and acceptable for most people with wheat allergies.

Eden brand makes an excellent quality organic buckwheat noodle you can find at good health food stores. And all Japanese specialty shops will carry them. Slurp on! (more…)

This is a super fast and super simple way to get your super food breakfast in you on the way out the door. Make up a pan in advance and you’ll be good to go for several days. It’s a wonderful, hearty cross between oatmeal porridge and a granola bar.

Goji berries, also known as “wolfberries” have been revered in China for generations for their health-giving qualities. Eat’em up for longevity, or to treat high blood pressure, fever and to balance blood sugar. Gojis are filled with antioxidants, which as we now know can help prevent serious diseases like cancer and heart disease… (more…)