You Are What You Eat

Since March 7, I've been participating in an online workshop, 30 Day Vegan, which is the brainchild of the lovely Heather at beautythatmoves. It coincides nicely with the "No Meat March" project at the yoga studio where I teach, and it has been a wonderful "retreat" at home. Heather has created an amazing workshop providing access to a exclusive blog that features twice-daily posts, incredible recipes, and boundless inspiration.

Since I didn't eat meat for a good 17 years of my life, "No Meat March" isn't a challenge for me, and even eating based on the menus Heather shares isn't difficult since I eat an organic whole foods diet anyway and have long been highly conscious of my food choices. I'm not a big dairy eater either, since I don't like the taste of cow's milk, but I am a fan of cheese, yogurt, even the occasional ice cream. Most challenging for me, then, has been finding new whole food snacks that don't involve dairy products but that are more filling than an apple or some celery sticks (even with nut butter).

Yesterday, wanting something slightly sweet and creamy, I came up with avocado "pudding," and it was fantastic. Of course, you have to like avocados to begin with, but for those of us who do, this treat is a winner. I sliced a small avocado into the blender, added about a half-cup of unsweetened coconut milk and about a tablespoon of natural maple syrup. After a whirl in the blender, the result was a creamy, sweet bowl of spring-green goodness: great taste, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals (even from the maple syrup, believe it or not)...a truly nourishing mid-afternoon treat that V and I shared.

If we are what we eat, I'm feeling good about myself and hope you are too.