health

Valentine’s Day “Sugar” Cookies (Refined SF, V, GF)

February 1, 2017 // by Admin// Leave a Comment

Love is in the air! At least it is for these awesome vegan + gluten free Valentine’s cookies! So, break out the heart cookie cutters and your favorite Elvis Presley playlist so we can get started!

As you might have noticed by now, I clearly live a gluten free and planet healthy diet. I try to chose recipes that both serve the earth and my gut in the best way possible.

“Cooking is like love: It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.” — Harriet van Horne

You may have also recognized my sweet tooth. I love desserts. In particular, I love holiday desserts. Baking (Or blending) for the seasonal favorites are my favorite health challenge. I love to transform holiday’s naughty side into something you can feel good about while maintaining your sweet tooth’s integrity. Mmmm.

Let’s get started.

My daughter was dazzled by the mess that these created whilst we began to make this beautiful concoction. She was even more dazzled by the sight of them as we sprinkled them with rainbow speckles warm out of the oven. Sorry, Zya, not quite old enough yet. All mine? Forget it. I have 2 hungry room mates that are absolutely of age to enjoy these savory treats, and while I am single, I am still generous with my baked goods.

“There is no love sincerer than the love of food.” ― George Bernard Shaw

You may be surprised that the key ingredient to these sweet treats are raspberries! YES! Raspberries. You don’t need fake food coloring to make incredible colors for your desserts. Mother earth has provided us with a rainbow if fruits and vegetables to do that for us quite naturally.

PREP TIME

2 hours 30 mins

COOK TIME

12 mins

TOTAL TIME

About 3 hours

Decadent and, “Buttery,” Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookies.

Author: Alana Roach

Recipe type: Dessert

Cuisine: Gluten Free, Vegan, Refined Sugar Free

Serves: 30 cookies

INGREDIENTS

For the cookies:

•1 cup vegan buttery spread

•1 cup coconut palm sugar

•¼ cup unsweetened apple sauce

•3 cups gluten free flour blend (I like Bob’s Red Mill brand)

•¼ teaspoon of pink himalayan sea salt

•½ teaspoon of vanilla extract

For the frosting:

•¼ cup vegan buttery spread

•2 cups powdered coconut sugar (Learn how to make your own here)

•1 Tablespoon non-dairy milk (Choose your favorite! I really loved these with cashew milk)

•the juice of 10 raspberries, strained

METHOD

1To make the cookies: Cream the buttery spread and the coconut sugar. Slowly stir in the applesauce and vanilla extract

2Add the gluten free flour blend and himalayan pink salt and mix until combined. If the dough seems too moist, add a bit more gluten free flour.

3Divide the dough into two balls. Wrap each ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours.

4Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or grease.

5Spread waxed paper on your rolling surface and sprinkle with gluten free flour. Unwrap one of the discs and sprinkle liberally with gluten free flour as well.

6Roll the dough to about ¼ of an inch thickness. Cut out your hearts, and place them on the cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes. They should be just slightly golden brown on the edges. The time may vary depending on the size of your cookie cutters. The hearts I used were about three inches across. Cool on wire racks.

7For the frosting: Press the raspberries against a fine mesh sieve over a large bowl. Discard the seeds.

8Add the vegan buttery spread and mix on medium speed.

9Add the coconut confectioner’s sugar a little bit at a time. When the frosting starts to look crumbly, drizzle in the non-dairy milk.

10Add the remaining coconut confectioner’s sugar and mix. If the frosting is too wet, add more confectioner’s sugar. If it’s too dry, add a bit more non-dairy milk. The more you make this recipe and/or frosting, the better it will get. So just do the best you can and have fun!

11Frost the cooled sugar cookies and top with sprinkles if desired.

Enjoy!

“People who love to eat are always the best people.” — Julia Child

Namaste, soul family

BIO : Alana Roach is a International Yogi currently based out of Annapolis, MD. Formerly adorned by the city lights and the busy streets of America, she was then whisked away by the illustrious path of yoga and took to traveling the world to share it with others. A few years back she started to write about the transformation she undertook by practicing conscious living. Her passions became her career and she now holds RYS Teacher Trainings & International Retreats, Health Coaches, and writes every opportunity she gets. In her spare time she loves cuddling with her daughter, surfing, being in nature, and living amongst her ever growing and global loving and conscious community. She is on Facebook , Instagram, Twitter, and can be reached by email explorationsofself@gmail.com & for health coaching at SelfHealwithAlana@gmail.com

A Shameless Retreat

January 9, 2017 // by Admin// Leave a Comment

Retreat! Surrender! Give-in! Fall back!

We live in a culture where retreat means defeat. In the West, life is viewed as a competition and we are programmed to believe that if you are not winning you’re losing. We’ve heard it so many times: winning is not everything; it’s the only thing. So can we end up stressed out and spend our time living on a mental and emotional battlefield instead of authentically exploring our self. The masculine bravado and militaristic vibe of our culture has seeped into these words. It’s not by accident. There is a war that is being waged on going inside ourselves. The consumer culture can’t take that because if we all looked within we would learn that happiness is inside of us and we really wouldn’t be compelled to fill the void with useless products.

So, in this exploration of self, we are not called to force our way in. We are called to retake. Sure, we have re-take what ‘surrender’ and ‘retreat’ can mean, but we can do so peacefully. We have to fall back. When we fall back, we are vulnerable. This is the last thing the culture teaches and tells us that vulnerability leaves us open to attack. But vulnerability is going inside and taking an honest look about who we are and what we feel. And in that nakedness, we discover that we reject the struggle and the dog-eat-dog world and resent having to cling to it out of the necessity that our survival is at stake.

On retreat, we learn that we don’t have to cling to it! Meditation, yoga and sound healing create the space to silence the clamor of our minds and align us with our true nature. But we have to surrender to get there! What we are surrendering from is the way we think we ought to be and what we should do. In the clarity and understanding of our true nature, we naturally flow. We don’t have to think. There is just a knowing. That’s the beauty of it!

To retreat;

it is a quiet and relaxing space where we can feel the truth and beauty of our being. It’s in retreat that we lose the false ego that makes us fight outwardly to avoid the unrest we feel inwardly. By flowing with rest, we see that it was the unrest that made us fight and force in our lives in the first place! Enjoying our journey requires surrendering our false ego –that aspect of our being that runs programs contrary to our highest and best self. And when we do that, we reveal our true nature that is already there because we feel it from that quiet place of clarity and understanding. Surrender is tough for the false part of ourselves because it does not want to let go of the stories that keep fueling the patterns that don’t serve us. The catch is that the false ego has to turn itself in – or should I say inward – and see how it is sabotaging our greatest good by causing suffering based on craving, delusions and many other mental and emotional patterns.

The solution is simple. No matter what comes up, surrender. Your false ego can lay so many traps for your mind because it knows you so well. So let yourself be caught. Sit there. Don’t avoid it. Let the feelings come up to be known and cleared. Stop running from it. Once your thought or emotion has nothing to take from you, it has no power over you. It has no fuel to sustain itself. By virtue of your soul sovereignty, your essence cannot be taken away. You are eternal conscious light and love. So the only thing that you can surrender is what does not serve you –and then you are left with what you have always been – light and love. Surrender removes everything that obscures our light. In offering up our obstacles to the flames, we are transformed.

May you hear the call to retreat, so that your life may answer with all the joy, beauty and creativity you have to shine!

About the author: Brian is a teacher and healer. He brings the mind, body, heart and soul back into balance through overtone chanting, crystal and tibetan singing bowls and tuning forks.

He has the unique ability to hear oto-acoustic emissions, the natural
frequencies emitted by the body.

His spiritual name “Anahata Nada” means “unstruck sound” and echoes his ability to hear the sounds of the cosmos. Anahata also means heart and speaks to Brian’s passion to help others hear the sound of their heart to guide them on their journey. Follow on instagram @anahatanada333 www.besoundnow.com Contact: bjrusso333@gmail.com

A New Year to LIVE

December 31, 2016 // by Admin// Leave a Comment

I remember the first time I saw the picture that changed everything for me. It was of a man, somewhere on a seemingly deserted, white sandy beach, doing a one armed cart wheel. His legs were dancing in the brightly painted turquoise sky, and I knew in that moment that there was much, much more to life. There was more to life than the daily grind, and the striving for… what, exactly?

The Spiritual Path is like this. We get these glimpses into the very center of our SOUL and in an instant, we are changed forever. But we are not REALLY changed, we are just coming Home to, the inevitable and unshakeable Truth of our Existence, and who we REALLY ARE; who we were always meant to BE.

So how do we get so lost?

We wake up, brush our teeth, drink a cup or 2 of coffee, eat breakfast (If we are lucky) go to work or school or both, watch TV, distract, distract, more distraction. We spend money, consume, go into debt to make more money, and spend more money to get out of debt as debt consumes our lives. We end up angry, resentful, gaunt, and ultimately the lack of motivation to do anything is gone, and yet we keep going. We keep going as if we were somehow animated through wire and chord. We become caged in our thoughts, animated by our emotions, reactive, depressed, and spun out. We begin to think that THIS is the norm.

I remember the first time I saw the picture that changed everything for me, because it TOUCHED my Soul. Somewhere deep down in the core of my being, I felt like a tapestry that was just coming to life and woven by the Divine. Unlike the feeling of chord and plug, I felt powered by something far GREATER, far Superior to woman/man made (Though woman and man has made some really incredible things.) I can hardly describe it, as Spirit goes, It is ineffable. I do know that I couldn’t turn away or go back to sleep.

“The breezes at dawn have secrets to tell you

Don’t go back to sleep!

You must ask for what you really want.

Don’t go back to sleep!

People are going back and forth

across the doorsill where the two worlds touch,

The door is round and open

Don’t go back to sleep!”

― Jalaluddin Rumi

By the New Year of 2012 I had broken a lease, went on a leave of absence at work, finished a semester in college with notice that I would be taking at least one if not two semesters off. By February of 2012, I was living and back packing through my sacred heart’s home. India. Though my flesh isn’t from this INCREDIBLE land, my soul most definitely is.

By New Year’s of 2013 I became a full time yoga teacher & I started to fully allow my rainbow colored tapestry to become a muse and channel for other hearts’ songs. I woke up every morning asking how I could serve the Divine Energy that changed everything for me, that BREATHED Life back into me (As if it were lost somehow, lol.) Animated by this Divine Spirit, I came to step into my PURPOSE on this Earth. I was GUIDED to combine what inspired me and made me HAPPY in order to take it to the masses so that THEY could be HAPPY; while continuing DEEP inner work to shed the guiles of the ego so that I could be a CLEAR and unencumbered channel for God.

By New Year’s of 2014 I was looking at leading my 3rd yoga retreat in Costa Rica after living on the Nicoya Peninsula of that land for 6 months. I was leaving the man I thought I would spend the rest of my life with in order to marry the MAN/WOMAN that has never and will never leave my side. God/Goddess. In 2014 I began my courtship with Divine. Truly. Though I strayed (Or thought I strayed) from the ULTIMATE Truth of who and what I was, Divine always persisted that I was GREAT. Thank you, Divine, for always BELIEVING in ME! 😉

By New Year’s of 2015 I was incorporated as a full fledged wellness and yoga retreat business, and embarked on the most important business of all, motherhood. This was the year of fine tuning my skills. I registered for an Integrative Nutrition school that I had been wanting to go to for many years, but was too afraid to believe in myself enough to do it. This was the year of staying in touch with my dreams, whilst recognizing what didn’t serve me (Attachment to anything that was material and changeable.) It was surrendering selfishness in order to be able to serve my daughter and my Dharma.

By New Year’s of 2016 I was sitting alone in a hotel suite. I was taking time for myself, ringing in not only the New Year, but my 30th birthday, 7 months pregnant with my daughter, and fully open to learning more from Divine. “However can I serve YOU and this Planet,” was my daily morning prayer and invocation. I spent time mapping out my life on a Vision Board and hours meditating on what I was grateful for (Everything) and what I desired to CO-CREATE with the Universe and my daughter. This is a great practice for anyone on a New Year’s Day. I suggest you try it if you haven’t a ritual planned already!

The New Year of 2017 is upon us, with the Solar New Year already among us (Winter Solstice.) My beautiful, nearly 8 month old daughter is sitting in my lap as I finish writing this. I am now fully realizing my dreams, traveling the world and teaching what I believe will help AWAKEN individuals to their HIGHEST Potentials in this incarnation. I am so, SO grateful for what is to come, because in my experience, what the Universe DELIVERS is far Superior to what I can even imagine in my BIGGEST DREAMS!

What LIT you up and INSPIRED you in 2016? What were your happiest moments, and what challenges did you over come? What do you want to DREAM into being in the New Year of 2017? How can I help in praying for you to fulfill this? How can I help guide and support you? Leave comments below…

A New Year’s 30 Day Warrior Woman Course to LIVING YOUR DREAMS starts soon. Stay tuned to the, “Self Heal with Alana,” Facebook page or email SelfHealwithAlana@gmail.com for information. Come away with the Explorations of Self Tribe and me to fully be present with yourself and to unwind from the daily grind on one or more of these incredible Wellness Retreats, information at www.explorationsofself.com or email explorationsofself@gmail.com

In deep DEVOTION and AWE of this WILDLY ABUNDANT UNIVERSE,

I go in PEACE & JOY,

Alana

Namaste, soul family

BIO : Alana Roach is a International Yogi currently based out of Annapolis, MD. Formerly adorned by the city lights and the busy streets of America, she was then whisked away by the illustrious path of yoga and took to traveling the world to share it with others. A few years back she started to write about the transformation she undertook by practicing conscious meditation. Her passions became her career and she now holds RYS Teacher Trainings & International Retreats, Health Coaches, and writes every opportunity she gets. In her spare time she loves cuddling with her daughter, surfing, being in nature, and living amongst her ever growing and global loving and conscious community. She is on Facebook , Instagram, Twitter, and can be reached by email explorationsofself@gmail.com & for health coaching at SelfHealwithAlana@gmail.com

5 Ways To Feel Into What Works For Health

October 19, 2014 // by Alana Roach// 1 Comment

I was recently approached by someone who was curious about the way our mind and body connect in relation to the food they give it. They, like me, had more than one expectation when, “Going mind/body green.” Expectations can lead to confusion, and I have explored my own questions with vigor and dedication for the past 6 years. Yoga has opened me up to a mind/body/Spirit connection that I had never dreamed possible. Shortly after my first yoga class I stopped eating chicken and beef… why? I simply lost the taste and it felt right. I have been FEELING into what is right ever since and benefiting leaps and bounds. A lot of it, for me, is trial and error. I want to share some of these trials with you. Please know that I am not a doctor, please seek a health professional before trying any of this on your own.

Please remember that these are merely examples of my own experience and I truly believe that everyone is a bit different. I am an advocate of learning how to LISTEN to your body with and open heart and attuning that heart so you can more easily access Self-Love & Acceptance.

5 Ways To Feel Into What Works For Health

1. Trying new things. I had to say it, but if I don’t try it, how do I know if it feels right or not. That could mean that yoga class or 5k marathon you have been putting on the back burner. Typically when I try something knew I reflect for a bit afterwards. I close my eyes and take about 5 or so long inhales and exhales, being mindful of my breath. After I empty my mind, I notice how I feel in that moment. If I feel even a little better than I did when I walked in, I mark it off in the, “Do it again category.”
2. Eating slowly and deliberately. I try to only eat when I am hungry and when I eat slowly I am able to savor the flavor of the food I am eating. I can feel the textures, taste the juices, and I give my body time to fill up! It takes about 20 minutes for our belly to chat with our brain and let it know that it’s full. I eat extra slow these days (Or maybe it feels that way because I am usually the last one to finish).
3. Journaling how you feel after you eat. This can be fun and also a little disheartening. When I started to recognize the patterns in how I felt after I ate certain foods, I realized I had to make major changes in my diet. This also means to recognize how you feel in the morning after you eat that late meal. Timing food can be a big factor in feeling your best. So once again, eat your meal or drink your juice and close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and say to yourself, “How do I feel in this moment.” With love and kindness, answer HONESTLY (Honesty is the only way this works)… If you feel tired, groggy, grumpy, foggy, upset stomache, bloated, and the like… you may have to reconsider what you are putting in your body.
4. Eating the Ahimsa Way. Ahimsa is a yogic term which means non-violence. This could mean non-violence for you but also non-violence for whatever it is you are consuming. I am not saying to go vegan because again, no two bodies are the same… but I am saying to notice where your energy level is after you eat that farm raised egg, chicken wing, etc. Do you all of a sudden feel angry, sad, etc? The cleaner I started eating, the more sensitive to this I became. Opting for organic whole foods is always a safe bet, but no two people are the same in what they need, breathe/pause, feel into what’s right.
5. Environment. Surrounding myself with positive, uplifting people and seeking out healthy environments (Excluding bars, etc.) helps me stay on track. This becomes easier the healthier one gets. I believe we are all mirrors for one another, and like attracts like. Water will seek water at the same level, so the healthier and whole you get, the more of the same will come to you. So work on yourself, practicing self-compassion, unrelenting forgiveness the whole way. Just be mindful of what or who you put your energy towards or into. Breathe/Pause/Ask!

With much love, light, and honor for your Inner Journey,

Alana Roach
CYT, E-RYT, Wellness Motivator, Travel Blogger/Writer/Artist
alanaroachyoga.com

Want to explore feeling into your health with me in Costa Rica this January? Click here to find out more!

Valentine’s Day “Sugar” Cookies (Refined SF, V, GF)

“Cooking is like love: It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.” — Harriet van Horne