Avocados, Bastards and Turtle Cheesecake

did you have a beautiful lover's day, Angels?




I was thinking about you all day but donated the broadband cord (no wifi here) to Husby as a gift. He sweetly took the day off to spend it with me and as he's flying this morning it's my chance to pop on and discover what You got up to on Valentine's?!!




ALSO I couldn't wait to share this video with you.   Having spent most of my time in the states before in NYC and Boston, the business of EATING is a real eye-opener down here in Florida. I appreciate seeing first hand the challenges we discuss in my curriculum at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and this sweet little video highlights the changes the school supports and much of what we believe in as students.






On our Valentine's we took a short ride to the beach (my choice of destination:  Cocoa Beach pier) a little touristy and run-down, but so salty and authentic, it felt like stepping back in time.

cocoa beach pier tiki bar

Chocolate turtle cheesecake!

We super-indulged; I actually ate the seasoned fries on my plate, and for once we had dessert- a Cheesecake sampler,(selection of three cheesecake slices).   My favourite was the Chocolate turtle cheesecake laced with caramel and walnuts.
(probably very naughty of me to post that recipe link there for you ;)

I've never in my life before heard of turtle cheesecake which means far too many years not knowing this decadent treat!

It's certainly a once-a-year special dish.  you read it here.




Back at the estazia last night, I was as "full as a goog"! as we say down under (goog = egg), only did a few yoga stretches instead of the 12 bastards - that's what they are called, REALLY, I promise you- I've been doing all Jan and Feb thanks to Men's Health magazine challenge.  I admired so much Husby doing 25 pushups.  He hasn't done a Bastard yet, though ;)  





Back to healthy, this morning I had my first cup EVER of Kombucha green tea, via Yogi teas.  It was absolutely delicious and I can now fully appreciate the fascination and fan base Kombucha has, even though mine was only made from a tea bag and many inspiring fellow coaches brew their own!

 Breakfast= also a whole fresh avocado chopped into a bowlful of green leaves- baby spinach and mixed lettuces.




Confession:  A year ago I could not eat avocado, i considered it such a high calorie food with what I thought to be zero taste.   

 Just another brilliant tiny, life-changing adjustment the year of training as a Holistic Health Counselor has given me.  I now even crave the creamy, sweet chewy flesh- it seems to go especially well with baby spinach and a squirt of lemon juice- and appreciate it's jam-packed with antioxidants, fat-soluble vitamins, fibre and plant fatty acids not only beneficial for heart health... but unbeatable for great skin, and a satiated feeling.


Finally this morning so far :)), intead of jumping on the laptop as soon as Husby walked out the door, and dangerously delaying my exercise (dangerous, you'll know, because life has a funny way of jumping in and hijacking you as the day wears on!) I laced up my Nikes straight away and did a few laps of the compound, ending with a lovely chat to a curious squirrel.  Yet another beautiful occurrence which is everyday living in the sunshine state, and which I am loving so much!

But back to you, Angels.  How did you celebrate Valentine's?  I'd love to know!

love to you yesterday, today and always,

Samantha.


"You are beautiful, and loved more than you know."

cocoa beach pier

Sweet change

darlings-
I have never felt so good.
I feel lighter, and fresher.
I can't wait to wake up in the morning and make preparations for a new day


I have lost a kilo, somewhere, from years of being the same (healthy) weight for me- and it feels good to be a little bit slimmer, a little bit more toned, with a hundred times more energy.


Last night I went for a walky-run, very late.  
(we have had blissful weather this past week on the Isle of Man- warm days with fresh breezes but not blow-your-socks-off-the-line as per your average IOM wind) 
At the end, I sat on the wall looking into Port Erin Bay.  
(A few pretty sailboats have docked up here of late for the sunshine, their little lights atop mast and cabin lights on below made me feel mellow.  They were looking at our beautiful promenade, string of lights switched on.  People last night had their windows open, sitting reading, or in the company of their lovely large tv, or in chat with their loved one and/or at laptop)
Sitting on this wall, listening to the waves lick the shore, rhythmically, it was a moment of true blessedness.  Complete luxury.


And an amazing thing I noticed- have checked and re-checked, yup, it's really true- is that... I have completely lost my sweet tooth.  Everything tastes sweet to me- in a true energy type of way, like the way I first began to read the energies that governed a room in feng shui.  quick example: I have onions and peppers in the oven now, roasting- I knew they are not done yet, for I recognised they've not released their inherent sweetness.  And my favourite 'sweet' of all, splenda- is just- a mouth violation.


Does this mean anything to you?  To me this is a major health shift- like, plates- platelets? :) shifting.


I will explain how this relates to feng shui and what's the cause later- unless, dear and clever friends- you do see the link and know where this is going, already.