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Today I made a significant life decision that was this:

Today I decided I am going to be awesome. 

(Or my version of awesome, that is.)

And shouldn't we all be? Though we can't always choose everything that happens to us in life we can choose most things, and the things we can not choose we can choose how to respond to.

Being awesome does not equal being happy all the time.

How to Be Awesome:

To make up your mind about what you are passionate about and chase it fiercely.

To be patient and persist through hard times knowing they are part of any process.

To forget who you were five years ago or yesterday and keep your eyes on who you want to be.

To embrace cheesy quotes full on and not give a damn what anyone else tries to define you as.

To not care or waste energy on things that don't matter.

To live fully in the present moment as much as possible and know it will help you in the future.

To accept that the people around you have so much more to teach you than you have for them.

To invest in people.

To take opportunities.

To not complain about situations but instead see how much more positive you can make them.

To trust that there is a greater plan.

To love.

To never give up even if it means pushing restart every single F***ing day for a year.

To do the things YOU want to do because that is the best way you can help the world.

To share yourself and your time.

To be afraid of things and do them anyway. Twice.

To be able to say no to things you don't want to do.

To create.

To live in a way you will enjoy remembering.

To surround yourself with the best people, not ones you only feel obligated to.

To have pink hair and tattoos if you so desire.

My awesome looks incredibly different than your awesome which is what is so great about this whole new mindset! I can say for certain I know I will forget this at times or get caught up in being hungry or tired or irritable or upset. But I can also say today was life changing, and it happened while I was sitting on the couch. Say what?

And with these words I will conclude:

GET IT.

This is Not the End

I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven

Chai Spiced Butternut Squash

Maybe I'll stop making up recipes after this, maybe I won't.

WHO'S TO TELL?

Need:

1 medium organic butternut squash

2 tsp. Olive Oil

1 teaspoon cardamom

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon black peppercorn

1 teaspoon clove

Directions:

Slice the butternut in half and scoop out the seeds.

Divide the olive oil and spices evenly between the two halves

Roast at 350 for forty minutes

Take out, add the seeds, sprinkle with salt, and put back in the oven for twenty more minutes.

Let cool.

Now, it's up to you? What will I do with my chai squash?

Half will be used in a salad with plum, feta, spinach, and the roasted seeds,

Half will be prepared with slow cooking steel cut oats and cream.

Mmmmm.

Salted Coconut No Bakes

What to do when coaching is over and work is half as long?

Make up recipes. Duh.

Salted Coconut Cookies (no bake)

Makes 10

Need:

1 cup cashews

1/4 cup almonds

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup coconut

3 tablespoons coconut oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 tablespoons agave

2 teaspoons salt

(It is also appropriate to just use whatever you have in your kitchen. If you want to substitute walnuts or dates or honey or raisins, no one is stopping you.)

Directions:

Put everything in the food processor. Process.

Stir if needed. Stop when they look ready (about 1-2 minutes).

You should have one big chunk of 'cookie' at this point so form it into ten mini balls with your hands and flatten. Then make a criss cross design with a fork. 

I like to put mine in the freezer and eat for dessert or add to oatmeal or smoothies but it's up to you!

Done.

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Right now it feel like this outside:

Which is all the more reason for me to make these:

How? It looks like this: 

Last week I was babysitting and the family introduced me to the best homemade granola bars to date; OATY BARS.  If you want the vegan version, sub almond milk for milk, and 1 TBS ground flax w/ 3 TBS water for each egg. The best part of OATY BARS is you can add whatever you want.  Coconut, cacoa nibs, pumpkin seeds, flax, chia, hemp, almonds, dried fruit, yogurt covered fruit, chocolate covered fruit, almond butter, cashews, dates, dried figs, walnuts. Okay, okay, you get the point. Mix it up and let me know how it goes!

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"I didn’t want to kiss you goodbye — that was the trouble — I wanted to kiss you goodnight. And there’s a lot of difference."

LISTEN

If you play with my hair until I fall asleep I will probably fall in love with you

"Don’t settle. Know what you want and reach for it. And if you don’t know what you want, be patient. The answers will come to you in time, and you may find that your heart’s desire has been right under your nose all the while."

"There is nothing more beautiful than seeing a person being themselves. Imagine going through your day being unapologetically you."

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(sigh)

"If you want to identify me, ask me not where I live, or what I like to eat, or how I comb my hair, but ask me what I am living for, in detail, ask me what I think is keeping me from living fully for the thing I want to live for."

"When you do something noble and beautiful and nobody noticed, do not be sad. For the sun every morning is a beautiful spectacle and yet most of the audience still sleeps."

"If you limit your choices only to what seems possible or reasonable, you disconnect yourself from what you truly want, and all that is left is compromise."

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October 25, 2012.

It's snowed! And it's actually quite beautiful.  I think I understand now why people in Colorado get excited for winter.  I know it's only the first day but so far winter seems much more like something you live and lavish in as opposed to something you dread and brave through (Midwest). 

In light of the winter weather I had a warm things party with cupcake wine, homemade butter recipe from my best fran Megz, baguette, cherry chocolate vegan chili, and lemon cake! The crock pot makes for awesome meals to share with friends.

Dark Chocolate Cherry Chili

1 can kidney beans (drained)

1 can black beans (drained)

1 can pinto beans (drained)

1 bag frozen corn

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 bag frozen edamame

1 can vegetable broth

4 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

2 teaspoons coriander

1 heaping tablespoons Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon almond extract (for cherry flavor)

Instructions

So. Simple.-- Put everything in a crock pot and let sit for 8 hours. Done! I tend to like a lot of flavor so if you want a milder version just tone down the spices a bit! 

Variations:

pumpkin- Sub pumpkin beer for vegetable broth and omit cocoa powder and almond extract

traditional- Omit almond extract, corn, and edamame, and add buffalo, bison, or the meat of your choice. Drizzle some honey and wala!

spicy fire- omit almond extract and cocoa powder, add 2 diced jalepenos and siracha sauce. boom.

So get out your crock pot, french press, tea pot, and let's celebrate winter in fashion!

Je suis Elizabet

I've been feeling a little french lately which inspired my unallocated shopping spree at the world market today....  

this French beignet recipe is on my mind (especially since it's made with kombucha squash), can someone please make it for me? I have realized I get really excited about recipes but having a mini fridge and toaster oven makes things a LITTLE difficult. 

and my goodness, J'aime la mode francaise!

Excusez moi, venez avec moi au Francais?!

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 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.  I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

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It appears that it is all around us.