Valentine’s Day Party at Whole Foods Market Brentwood – So Much Fun!

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ValentinesDay

I had so much fun making healthy Valentine’s Day treats at Whole Foods Market Brentwood – yum!

 

Thank you to everyone who came out and joined us at Whole Foods Market in Brentwood for a fun day filled with awesome music, yummy food samples from various vendors, and delicious strawberries covered in chocolate, coconut shreds, and almonds! I have partnered with Whole Foods Market Brentwood and Whole Foods Market West LA and will be giving monthly workshops at each location. For Valentine’s Day, I wanted to be sure to have delicious, healthy treats that everyone could enjoy. We used Enjoy Life chocolate chips, which are vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free and so rich! I had a blast cheering on the participants of the LA Marathon, connecting with members of the Brentwood community, and spreading the chocolate-covered strawberry goodness!

My next workshop will be on Monday, March 21st at 6:00 PM at Whole Foods Market West LA where I will be talking about health eating for glowing skin. I will be giving the same workshop on Tuesday, March 22nd at Whole Foods Market Brentwood, so be sure to join us at either location! Come learn about which foods will give you gorgeous skin vs. which ones should be avoided because they wreak havoc on your health. Sample nutritious smoothies, meet like-minded people, and be part of a fun, interactive workshop. I hope to see you there! And thanks again to everyone who joined us in Brentwood yesterday!

ChocolateCoveredStrawberries

How YUMMY does this look? It’s so easy to make, too!

 

Filed Under: Valentine's Day, Vegan, Whole Foods Market Brentwood Tagged With: , ,

New Year’s Workshop Was a Success!

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MewiththeWomenWorkshop

On January 30th I hosted a New Year’s workshop at One Roof in Venice Beach. I am so pleased to share that the workshop was a success! I wanted to provide women with the time and space that they needed to relax, reflect, set an intention for the way that they want to live their lives, and come up with a plan to reach each and every one of their goals.

We spent the day talking about what we want our lives to look like and we tapped into our heart’s deepest desires. We wrote in our journals, created plans for our goals, made vision boards to help our dreams become a reality, meditated, ate delicious plant-based foods, and took part in an interactive talk that I lead. It was incredibly touching to see so many women come together, open up about their fears and desires, bond, support one another, and know that they are not alone in their joys and frustrations.

I am excited to share that I will definitely be putting together more workshops in the future, so please stay tuned!

WomenCreatingVisionBoards2

It turned out to be a nice morning/afternoon, so we decided to sit outside. Here are the women creating vision boards.

JoAnnandMonicaVisionBoards

Like the retreat that I hosted in October, we ended up having lots of mother/daughter duos at the workshop! Here are JoAnn and Monica, sharing their vision boards. JoAnn is working on finding balance in her life and making more time for herself. Monica recently got married – congratulations, Monica! She and her husband Ted would like to start a family soon and they are thinking that Monica should try to get pregnant by the end of the year. Because of this, Monica wants to eat healthier and stay active so she can be in the best shape of her life when she gets pregnant and so that she can also pass on good eating/living habits to her future child(ren). I can’t wait to learn more, Monica!

LynneAnneVisionBoard

Lynne-Anne created a great vision board that covers the four main aspects of her life. In each corner of her vision board are the letters “LOVE” because everything she does is surrounded by love. I love this, Lynne-Anne!

LynneAnneRuthVisionBoards

Here is Lynne-Anne with her mom, Ruth. Ruth is retired and wanting to enjoy her life and play more. She has an adorable cat that cuddles with her, so you’ll notice the two kitties on her vision board :).

GwennaVisionBoard

Gwenna created four vision boards! She’d like to do things fully so she is working on giving everything that she does 100% of her effort. She wants to see things through to the end. She is also working on getting fit and eating healthily. I can’t wait for updates on your health journey, Gwenna!

ElizabethVisionBoard

Elizabeth created two vision boards :).

NicoleVisionBoard

Nicole has been wanting to go on a cruise to Alaska with her husband so you’ll notice that she has a picture of a cruise on the top left corner of her vision board. She also wants to be authentic; she has a top-level position at her company where she is not only the youngest employee, but she’s also the only woman and the only minority. Though she is required to dress professionally and “be polished” at work, with her hair straightened, she sees her true self as rocking an afro, smiling, and wearing a dashiki, which she does on weekends :).

VirginiaVisionBoard

You may have noticed Virginia from my last retreat – I love Virginia! She has such a warm, fun energy and she’s always open to attending these workshops and tapping into her true self. As a mom, daughter, and teacher, she is working on saying “no” more often so that she can say “yes” to herself. It’s taking some time, but I am so proud of her for finally prioritizing self-care!

PamVisionBoard

Pam is retired and loving life! She is traveling and taking the time to enjoy herself and her family. There may be something else that she wants to pursue in life, so with some encouragement from her daughter Nicole, we’ll see what life has in store for Pam!

MewiththeWomenWorkshop2

Here I am with the lovely women who attended this special workshop. It was a beautiful day and I truly enjoyed my time with them. Thank you, ladies!

WomenwithVisionBoards

Here are the women with their vision boards. Great job, ladies!

GettingReadytoMeditateWorkshopThe women are getting ready to meditate!

Lynne-Anne took a picture of me preparing the women for our meditation. I had no idea she was taking pictures!

MeTeachingatWorkshop2

We went over the mantra before we meditated.

MeTeachingWorkshop3

Getting ready to meditate!

MeTeachingWorkshop4

I always love spending time with women and helping them reach their goals and live a life filled with love, abundance, and self-care. Please join me for my next workshop!

Filed Under: Relaxation, Relaxing Retreat, Retreat, Self-Care, Self-Love, Stress Management, Stress Release, Vegan, Women, Women's Retreat, Workshops, Writing Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Vegan Golden Milk

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On my amazing yoga retreat in Kaua’i, we drank yogi tea and golden milk. I’ve had yogi tea before, but I was surprised at how delicious and comforting golden milk is so I couldn’t wait to come home and make it myself. My friend hasn’t sent me the recipe yet, so I decided to recreate it and it’s delicious!

Golden milk is not only yummy, it’s also really good for you. The key ingredient is turmeric, which is a very healthy, anti-inflammatory spice that can be sprinkled on vegetables, tofu scrambles, rice, and it can also be used to make an incredibly soothing vegan drink. This process is simple and thanks to the other spices that I added, the health benefits of this drink are phenomenal. This milk is sure to keep you healthy and happy, especially when it’s cold outside or when you’re feeling like you need some healing comfort. Turmeric is particularly helpful if you have any aches or pains, or are currently trying to heal from an auto-immune disorder. It’s important to use a plant-based milk for this recipe as dairy is inflammatory and will not be helpful in keeping you healthy – in fact, it will increase inflammation in your body, which we do not want.

Feel free to adjust the recipe to your liking and enjoy!

Ingredients:

Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free

2 cups organic almond milk (or a plant-based milk of your choice)

1 heaping teaspoon turmeric

2 whole cloves

4 whole peppercorns

1 cinnamon stick

Ground cinnamon to sprinkle on top of your drink (optional)

Fresh, grated ginger (optional)

Instructions:

Add all of the ingredients to a pot, stir, bring to a boil, cover, and let simmer for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure that the turmeric is blended well. Add ground cinnamon to each glass and enjoy!

Filed Under: Recipe, Vegan, Vegan Breakfast Tagged With: , , ,

Your Healthy Happy Getaway: An All Day Retreat for Women On the Go

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ChristinaTanios

Imagine if you could spend a day learning how to create the lifestyle that you’ve always wanted, so that you can enjoy the health and happiness that you deserve.

On this all-women’s retreat, that’s exactly what we’ll be doing.

If you feel stressed out, exhausted, overwhelmed, and are struggling to find the time and energy to keep up with your busy life – you’re not alone. And, it’s not your fault. We all have so many commitments and obligations; it’s easy to see why we often neglect our wants and needs. But on this retreat we will learn how to manage stress, decompress, love ourselves, and prioritize our mental/physical/emotional/spiritual well-being.

MeYoga

We’ll have the day to do yoga, meditate, create vision boards, write positive affirmations, eat delicious plant-based food, listen to a nutrition workshop, and more. We’ll create an intention for the way we want to live our lives and we’ll learn how to carve out the time and space we need to live our dreams. We’ll finally be able to tend to ourselves, instead of constantly putting everyone else first.

FlowersTemescal

If you want to:

  • Relax, Recharge, Refresh
  • Be in the company of amazing women
  • De-stress and decompress
  • Do yoga and meditate
  • Receive a FREE mini massage from Takahashi Chiropractic while you are attending the retreat
  • Attend a workshop filled with information on how to be healthy, happy, and at peace with your body
  • Create a vision board that will make your dreams a reality
  • Be surrounded by nature in all its beauty
  • Eat delicious food catered by Pretty, Healthy Foods

Then this retreat is for you!

In order to ensure your continued health and happiness you will leave with:

  • A free one hour consultation with me (a $125 value)
  • A bundle of beautiful sage
  • A massage certificate for $29 from Takahashi Chiropractic
  • A free initial consultation with Brandon Takahashi at Takahashi Chiropractic
  • Organic, natural skin care from Zatik
  • Your new vision board
  • A sense of calm, peace, and tranquility
  • A deeper love for yourself
  • A community of women who share your wants and needs
  • Energy to fulfill your purpose in life

Join us on Saturday, October 10th, 2015 (10:00 AM – 5:00 PM) in beautiful Temescal Canyon for the relaxing getaway you’ve earned. Space is limited so reserve this experience today by clicking the link below, which includes a reserved parking spot for the day!




Don’t need a parking spot – want to park on the street instead? Click below.




Your relaxing retreat awaits. I am excited to see you soon! Namaste.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Plant-based, Plantstrong, Relaxation, Stress Management, Stress Release, Vegan, Women, Workshops, Yoga Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

What Are You Waiting For? Reach Your Health Goals Now!

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ChristinaTanios

In my time working as a Nutritional Consultant, I have helped people lose weight, lower their cholesterol levels, lower their blood pressure, reduce their blood glucose levels, manage their stress, get clear skin, sleep soundly at night, and much more. I am currently working with a vegan endurance athlete who wants to make sure that she is nourishing her body with healthy food. I have helped, and am continuing to help people transition to a healthy plant-based diet. And I love what I do! If you need help reaching your health and wellness goals, I am here for you.

I truly enjoy working with people and watching them know that health and happiness are within their reach. I have listened to my clients thank me for supporting them and teaching them what I know about leading a healthy, balanced lifestyle. I would love to do the same for you. Stop putting off your health goals. You can lose weight and get healthy now. There’s no time like the present to take charge of your life. Contact me for a FREE initial consultation and let’s get you started!

Still not convinced? Read what others have to say about working with me. I am looking forward to being a part of your health and wellness journey!

Filed Under: Cleanse, Detox, Diet, Health Tips, Plant-based, Self-Care, Stress Management, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Show Your Heart You Care

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Eat Red for a Healthy Heart!

A special thank you to PCRM for this great information!

February is American Heart Month! Since heart disease remains the #1 killer in America, it’s imperative that we all learn how to protect our hearts by making simple, lasting lifestyle changes that can save our lives. A plant-based diet has been shown to treat and even reverse heart disease in adults and children alike. If you need help transitioning to a plant-based diet, I’d love to help. Many of my clients have successfully adopted a plant-based diet and seen remarkable results, including: weight loss, lower cholesterol, lower blood glucose levels, lower blood pressure, better sleep, increased energy, clearer skin, and much more.

Whether you adopt a 100% plant-based diet or not, it’s important that you eat enough fruits and vegetables throughout the day. Take a look at the photo on the top of the page and be sure to include these foods in your diet as best as you can. Since cardiovascular disease (CVD) can be prevented and even reversed, we know that we can save many lives, just by sharing this information with others, and helping each other make positive changes to our diet and lifestyle.

Facts on CVD:

  • Costs the US $108.9 billion each year, including the cost of medications, lost productivity, and health care services.
  • According to the CDC, “about 600,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year–that’s 1 in every 4 deaths.”
  • Many CVD deaths can be prevented through simple lifestyle changes – wow!

The Journal of the American College of Cardiology studied 20, 721 men over the course of 11 years and determined that by doing these 5 things, these men lowered their risk of having a heart attack by 86%, as compared to those men who did not enjoy this diet and lifestyle:

  • Eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes
  • Getting enough exercise – a brisk walk 30 minutes a day is a great start 🙂
  • Not smoking
  • Limiting alcohol intake
  • Reducing belly fat

Blood Pressure and Cholesterol

It’s important to know what your blood pressure and cholesterol levels are; if you have high blood pressure, it’s crucial that you work to keep your blood pressure under control. A healthy diet that includes whole, plant-based foods and contains a minimal amount of processed junk and animal foods will help to keep your blood pressure normal. Since cholesterol is only found in animals and their by-products, making a switch to a plant-based diet will help improve your cholesterol levels.

Manage Your Stress

I also believe that it’s important for us to reduce our stress levels. One of the ways that we can keep our stress levels low is by exercising! Find an activity you love and enjoy it :). This can be walking, biking, hiking, running, yoga, jogging, swimming, dancing – whatever you love, do it, and do it often. Another way to keep stress at bay is by meditating. I always feel instantly calmer, happier, and more grounded when I meditate. Be sure to surround yourself with people you love, who support and cherish you. There’s such beauty in friends and family who make your heart happy – nurture these people and the relationships that you have with them. If you are creative, express your creativity. Find a career that encourages you to share your talents with the world. Do what you love and you will feel fulfilled. As always, be grateful for what you have, and be compassionate towards others.

I know that the statistics on CVD can be frightening, but the good news is that we can keep our hearts healthy by enjoying a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes (eat your beans!). We also need to find an activity that we love and keep stress levels low by exercising, meditating, and developing positive relationships with people we love. Be healthy and happy!

Filed Under: Exercise, Fruits, Healing Naturally, Health Coaches, Health Tips, Healthy Heart, Healthy vegan, Heart Disease, Heart Month, Meditation, Plant-based, Plantbased, Plantstrong, Stress Management, Stress Release, Vegan, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , ,

Spicy Chana Masala

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ChanaMasala

I came across this recipe on Happy Herbivore’s page and I wanted to give it a try. I’m so happy I did, because it’s delicious! I was limited on time, but next time I make this I’m going to add organic carrots and organic potatoes (not entirely traditional, but I think they’ll make this dish even yummier :). I will also add a bit of roasted jalapeno as I thought the original recipe was fairly mild. This dish is delicious, easy-to-make, cooks quickly, and everything required to make it is affordable. I had about 1/2 a bowl full of organic baby kale that was left over from lunch, so I added that to my chana masala and it was delicious! Make sure the cans that you are using are BPA free, otherwise you should buy the chickpeas and cook them, and then roast some tomatoes with jalapenos. Here’s the recipe as I made it:

Ingredients:

Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free

  • 1 cup low sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 whole onion, small
  • 2 whole garlic cloves, minced
  • 15 ounces chickpeas, rinsed and drained
  • 15 ounces fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chilis 
  • 1¼ tsp coriander or fresh cilantro
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • ¼ tsp turmeric (probably a bit more though)
  • ¼ tsp ginger (or fresh ginger)
  • ¼ tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garam masala or curry powder if that’s what you have on hand
  • Tiny bit of roasted jalapeno
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup organic baby kale to have with your meal (I just stirred mine into my plate)

I’d also recommend adding 1 organic carrot (chopped) and 1 small, organic potato (cut into medium sized chunks).

Instructions:

Add vegetable broth or water to a medium sauce pan and saute the onions for about 3 minutes. Add black pepper and minced garlic and continue to saute until the onions are translucent. You will likely need to keep adding vegetable broth or water, so keep these handy. Add cumin, turmeric, paprika, roasted jalapeno, and ginger, and continue to stir the mixture for a couple of minutes.I usually make fresh salsa at home and I always have a bit of roasted jalapeno left over, so I’d use this. You can roast a jalapeno in a toaster oven if you have one – it’s a fairly quick and simple process :). If you’re using ground coriander, add this as well. If you’re using fresh cilantro, I’d wait to add it until the end. Add the chickpeas and  fire roasted tomatoes with the remaining broth or water and stir everything together. Bring ingredients to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in garam masala or curry powder and let sit for 5 minutes. Salt to taste and serve with brown rice or whole wheat pita bread. Enjoy!

ChanaMasalainPot

 

 

Filed Under: Chana Masala, Plant-based, Plantstrong, Recipe, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Should You Eat Walnuts?

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WalnutstuffedDates

I run into lots of people who avoid nuts, because they think that eating them will make them fat. While nuts do have some fat, eating them will not make you fat. In fact, eating nuts, especially walnuts, may save your life. It’s no secret that I love Dr. Michael Greger – the fantastic, amazing, vegan doctor who always puts together videos that are packed with helpful information. This video from him about walnuts is worth watching. In summary, “not eating walnuts may double our risk of dying from heart disease (compared to at least one serving a week), perhaps because nuts appear to improve endothelial function, allowing our arteries to better relax normally.”

When I was younger, my mom would always take peanuts and stuff them inside of dates. When I finally tried them, I loved them! I use walnuts instead of peanuts and this treat is just as delicious as the one my mom likes to make – and a bit more nutritious, too! Enjoy this video and go eat some nuts :).

 

Filed Under: Healthy Fats, Heart Health, Nuts, Quick Breakfast, Raw, Raw Foods, Raw Vegan, Recipe, Vegan, Vegan Breakfast, Vegetarian, Walnuts Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Delicious On-the-Go Breakfast Ideas

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CreamyBerrySmoothie

Lots of people are always asking me about healthy breakfast options, especially when they’re pressed for time. This morning, I had a meeting in Downtown LA, so I made this smoothie and put it in a to-go cup. It was yummy, satisfying, and quick to make. I always have organic fruits in my freezer, bananas, greens, and organic flaxseeds. Even if I just had some fruit, I’d still be able to make a smoothie.

My recommendation to you if you’re concerned about spending too much time preparing breakfast is that you start stocking healthy fruits and vegetables and just blend them together before you leave your house. I understand that you may be incredibly busy, but I hope you’ll be able to spare a couple of minutes to give yourself the breakfast you deserve. If you have organic flaxseeds or chia seeds, throw some in – if not, it’s okay – just have some fruit and possibly some greens (like organic kale or organic spinach) to blend together.

This simple action of making a smoothie will give you a healthy, quick, affordable breakfast that can be taken wherever you’re going. If you have a refrigerator at work, you can keep an organic nut butter in there and spread it on some fruit or rice crackers. You can also make oatmeal the night before and take it with you to work. When it’s warm outside, you can use a nut milk to make your oatmeal by using old fashioned oats and leaving them in the refrigerator overnight.

When the weather cools down, soup is another satisfying option. I know this might sound a bit strange, but actually, in many parts of the world, people enjoy soup for breakfast. If you’ve made some the night before, you can heat it up in the morning, and put it in a to-go cup and enjoy it once you get to work.

These are great options and are much better than skipping breakfast, grabbing a doughnut, going to a fast food place, or just having coffee and toast. What do you think? What’s your favorite quick, affordable breakfast? Share with everyone!

Filed Under: Breakfast, Breakfast On the Go, Non-Dairy Milk, Plant-based, Plant-based Milk, Plantbased, Quick Breakfast, Raw, Raw Foods, Raw Vegan, Recipe, Self-Love, Smoothies, Vegan, Vegan Breakfast, Vegetarian, Whole Foods

A Perfect Dessert Smoothie

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TropicalIslandSmoothie

I absolutely love this smoothie! This blend of strawberries, pineapple, and coconut is perfect. I truly feel like I am on a gorgeous, tropical island when I am drinking this smoothie. I can honestly say that it makes the perfect dessert, as it’s refreshing, sweet, and satisfying. This is the same as my Tropical Island Smoothie – please try it and share it with friends and family. It’s so good that I feel that I have to share it again and again!

Filed Under: Cleanse, Dessert Smoothie, Detox, Healthy vegan, Plant-based, Plantbased, Raw, Raw Foods, Raw Vegan, Recipe, Smoothies, Spring, Tropical Island Smoothie, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole Foods Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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