Who has inspired you? Who has touched your soul and changed your personality for the better? Who only saw the very best in you when all you could see were your unfavorable flaws? Who told you that you were “amazing,” “awesome” and “incredible” all in the same sentence? Not everyone has this person, but I’m blessed because I DO. 

Now not to side track, but my mom has always been my biggest advocate…and not that I’m dismissing this immense important part in my life, but I somehow feel that my mom doesn’t fully count because she’d always love me no matter what I did or became. I do hear her words of belief in me “ring” through my head on a daily basis and she even unintentionally helped me get my last job by “replying to all” on an email to sing my praises and basically insinuate “they’d be fools” to not hire me. Yes, I was mortified, but that’s another blog. 

The inspirational person I’m talking about is a “non-blood-relative” mentor, a teacher of life or a friend. I hope to someday touch one person’s life like this virtuous person touched mine. His name is Phil. 

I met Phil when I was 25 years old. I’ve always had a great sense of adventure and humor in my genetic DNA, but I also had a rough edge to my personality. I guess Phil was the file that smoothed me out.  I didn’t see the world as a peaceful, loving place, but more like a boxing match where the last one standing was the winner. I was always looking for, not a fight, but the right-hook in the dark. I was on the defense. I had an extremely low tolerance for unfairness and my eyes could only see black and white.

Phil was my first boss after college. I never once saw him angry or in a bad mood. Things would get him annoyed, but he was always approachable and even-tempered. Over the years of knowing Phil, I saw a few people do him wrong, but rather than seek revenge he just turned the other cheek and kept smiling.  The most interesting thing is those people never defeated him or brought him down, but instead he bobbed and weaved like a champion and inevitably he always won.   

He told me one time that “you should never burn your bridges, Danielle.”  Hmmm…that was a hard pill for me to swallow in my mid-20s, because I wasn’t so sure watching that burning bridge wouldn’t feel like ecstasy. Time and time again, though, I saw him do exactly what he preached and sure enough, the world deemed him the winner.

I think my profound respect for him developed because he lived by example and every word he spoke was genuine. He was the best salesperson at his company…so likable and fun to be around that a large percentage of clients bought his ad space solely because of him.

It’s been 17 years since I first met Phil. I still go to see him when I’m back east and I keep in touch sporadically throughout the year. I also reference to him frequently by using Phil-isms: “as Phil would say.”

Just recently, I was sitting in my office working at night and I had the new NBC Tony Robbins show on in the background (which has since been canceled after only 2 episodes). I stopped working briefly because I was fascinated by Tony’s ability to relate, inspire and make a couple who’d lost so much believe that life was in their control. Right then I emailed Phil; the subject line was “Tony Robbins” and the body said, “Watching his new NBC series. You remind me of him! You inspire!” 

And when I needed it most, two weeks later, this was his response:

“You are  inspiration  personified ----------------

Look at  all  YOU have  done since  we  met  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Family, career, success ---------------

You have done all the hard work  --- I just pointed you toward your  horizon and  had  faith  in  you  always ........

 Keep on  course------“

What can I say but I’m the luckiest person on earth to have met Phil! My wish tonight is that everyone has a “Phil”!

Good night!

--Danielle

SWEET AND SAVORY VEGGIE STIR FRY

Ingredients:
1-2 cup purple or red cabbage (shredded)
1 cup frozen soybeans (shelled and thawed)
1 cup mixture of chopped celery and carrots
1/3 cup large golden raisins
Braggs Liquid Aminos (its Gluten free and taste like soy sauce)
1-2 TBSP PF NUTTZO
Add a little Agave Nectar to make it more sweet than savory
Coconut oil spray

Directions:
Spray your wok or skillet with organic coconut oil spray and heat on high
Throw in all your ingredients (don't matter what order!!)

Add your Nuttzo and Braggs stir ingredients

Cover skillet or wok and let it simmer for a few minutes
Add in spices and stir again on medium or medium high until veggies are all coated with nut butter & cooked thoroughly.

Serve up!

This dish goes great with baked salmon, chicken, or tofu. Leave it without the meat and its still protein packed with the nuttzo and soybeans. Perfecto!

Here comes my birthday.  I’ve barely thought twice about it except when forced to by others. I used to count down the days to my anniversary like a true birthday enthusiast. 

The first: My 6th birthday is the first one I remember. It was quite splendid, with all the bells and whistles only every six-year-old would yearn for, including my entire kindergarten class coming after school on my bus and Jason, one of the cutest boys, sitting next to “me,” the birthday girl.  We enjoyed an intricate game of Pin the Tail on the Donkey, a fabulous activity I was certain my mom had come up with just for my day…only to find out years later that it’s a birthday party standard. To top off the day, Gram Gove came exclusively to be at my party and help my mom. It was a grand day. 

Recent Funny: On my 35^th birthday, my husband swore to my best friend that my favorite cake was carrot. She tried to convince him otherwise, but guess what I got: a carrot cake. Funny, I know. It was good, but I don’t think I’d ever even bought a piece of carrot cake in my entire life. My all-time favorite cake is actually strawberry PIE.  Oh you snicker, but it’s the ultimate for a June birthday. My mom made this rich and slightly sweet cream cheese filling that she spread liberally all over her unique (can I emphasize “unique”) hand-“fluted” crust. Then she piled mounds of whole strawberries on top into a dome shape, and topped that with sweet strawberry glaze. I had this masterpiece every year of my childhood and into adulthood. It’s divine and my mouth is salivating just thinking about it. 

Least Favorite: On my 29^th birthday, I felt like I was too old to be in my 20s and that the 30s were an entryway into an ancient and prehistoric decade. I was in limbo. Ha. We can be so dumb, can’t we? 

Well, the last 12 months have been wild and entertaining.  Here are my top 10 things I’ve learned in the past year. Enjoy.

1)      Cutting veggies on a dirty carpet in a third-world country will not kill me.

2)      Dogs have nine lives, too.

3)      Unconditional love is easy with my children; my true test is using it on everyone else.

4)      Lists are not possible in my world.

5)      That weed I’ve been trying to eradicate from my life may actually be a permanent fixture that just needs some TLC to bloom.

6)      Burning off warts with a hot match works.

7)      God is not a fairy godmother granting wishes.

8)      Peeling pomegranates under water equals no mess.

9)      Some things I just can’t do myself to be frugal, i.e., plucking my eyebrows.

10)   My life is moving forward only, so I keep looking forward not back.

Now the countdown begins until I celebrate 43…and I can only wonder what this year has in store for me.

--Danielle

Why Organic?

Your body is constantly trying to filter out toxins in the environment.  It’s a rather vast list if you really sit down and think about all the ways your body can be introduced to icky pesticides, herbicides, preservatives, pollution, etc. Digesting them and absorbing them topically through your skin are the two biggest ways to have toxins introduced into your fine-tuned body. I have a lot of people ask me why I eat organic. There are two main reasons: to limit the amount of harmful toxins my body takes in and to help sustain a healthy and balanced environment.   

Expense is usually one of the biggest hurdles for people to cross when comparing items that are conventionally grown and manufactured versus organically grown. One of the chief reasons you’ll pay more for organic foods is that there are more labor-intense cost factors associated with farming organic.  Organic farmers don’t use herbicides to fight weeds, so hand picking them becomes the best alternative, along with mulching rows of crops. Organic farmers also avoid chemical fertilizers and opt for compost and manure, which are heavier and more expensive to ship. Conventional farmers will use every single acre to grow crops, while organic farmers rotate their crops to keep the soil healthier, producing less crop yield to sell. Also, organic farmers will have smaller crop yields because of natural pests that can hamper the end harvest. 

Conventional versus organic: A profound study by Chensheng Lu in Seattle, Washington, reviewed pesticide levels in Mercer Island children when they ate conventional produce and then switched to organic. He studied 21 children from ages 3 to 11. The results were astounding; when the children ate conventional produce, their urine and saliva tests showed biological markers of organophosphates, the family of pesticides spawned by the creation of nerve gas agents in World War II. Yes, that’s correct.  When the same 21 children switched to organic produce, there were no signs of pesticides found within 8 to 36 hours of switching. 

Where your weight is: Have you tried to lose weight, but find that either you can’t or if you do it comes right back? Toxins are stored in your fat cells and a lot of healthcare professionals believe that unless you detox your body and stop absorbing toxins through your foods, etc., you’ll gain back any weight you lose because it’s your body’s way of protecting itself by segregating toxins away from your vital organs, cells, etc. 

ADHD?: a new study has just come out linking pesticides with ADHD (click here)

To top it off, organic just tastes better. It really does. If you’re having a hard time eating that conventional gargantuan shiny red apple, maybe it’s because it’s not organic? Hmmm. 

How you take care of your body and what you eat affects your business. There’s a direct correlation between the food you eat and how productive you are in a day. If you’re feeling sluggish at 4 p.m. because you ate a high-calorie carbohydrate lunch and just had a blood-sugar crash, you’re going to struggle to think clearly and stay focused on the task at hand, which affects your production and the future of your company.

I recommend that you eat six small meals a day. This easy modification in your daily diet will keep your blood sugar level even. Clean eating (eating mostly raw, organic and unprocessed foods) is most advantageous to help keep your body functioning in an optimum state. On your next grocery store visit, try to stay only along the outer perimeter of the store where “clean” foods are most available. 

The “must eat” superfood for 2010 is the Chia seed. Depending on how old you are, you may remember those great commercials with Chia Pets sprouting grassy hair instantly. The Chia seeds have a long history with the Aztec Indians; they used them as the sole food source on 24-hour voyages to trade on the west coast, nicknaming them the “running food” or “power food” because of their endurance properties.

These little gray seeds have the magical power of being able to absorb 12 times their weight in water, which means amazing hydrating qualities for your body. If you mix a spoonful of Chia seeds in a glass of water and leave it for 30 minutes, you’ll find a thick gel-like substance in its place upon your return. Researchers believe this same phenomenon happens in your stomach…and what’s great about that is the gel creates a barrier that slows down the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar, which helps you avoid sugar spikes. Also, Chia seeds’ capability to absorb water helps balance electrolytes, which is essential for healthy cellular function.

Chia seeds are the best-known source of plant-based Omega 3s ALA, since 60% of a Chia seed is essential fatty acids, which support cardiovascular health, healthy joints, immune system function, and overall cellular energy. Chia seeds are also high in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. 

I suggest you purchase some Chia seeds and add them to your yogurt, smoothies, soups, cookies, or breads, or just put them in a glass of water or juice and drink up. You’ll know you’ve consumed too many when your bellybutton starts sprouting green Chia grass…but who knows, maybe you’ll start a new cool trend!  Who needs a bellybutton ring when you’ve got natural Chia grass?

Thanks to NuttZo!

The Project Left Behind Foundation donated 38 school shoes for the children at the Aishworya Orphanage!  This is the same orphanage that I stayed at in July 2009! 

Thanks to all of you for your NuttZo support! 

--Danielle

There are certain foods I could surely live without, but ice cream isn’t one of them.  Ice cream is top 5 on my list of food pleasures.  Childhood memory... going into town in the summer with my mom, dad, and sister and stopping at Twisty or Frosty or something like that.  We all ordered a large (maybe it was even an extra-large) vanilla soft-serve ice cream cone dipped in chocolate.  It had to be at least eight inches high off the cone.  After ingesting this massive thing, I always had a stomachache.   My mom would blame it on the ice cream mix not being fresh enough.  Ummm, maybe it was because my 12-year-old body was in fat and sugar shock overload after ingesting a 3,000-plus calorie snack that was meant for Paul Bunyan.   

Who doesn't like ice cream? I can eat it anytime of year; freezing weather doesn't stop an ice cream lover.  My favorite time of year for flavors just ended…pumpkin and eggnog, oh and I almost forgot Snickerdoodle.  Swirls in Del Mar has the best soft-serve and flavors!  Although I like the aforementioned flavors, my tried and true favorite is vanilla with a slight modification; I've expanded that to tart when it comes to soft-serve. Oh, and since I just mentioned soft-serve, I think it's only fair to recognize that soft- serve is the BEST! Soft-serve warning: beware treats that are airy and/or almost melting because they’re not being kept cold enough in the machine.  The ice cream machine needs to be set low!  That's why Swirls is one of my favorite ice cream places. Its ice cream machines are set to Arctic low, low, low.  These low temps definitely produce the “brain freeze” or ”Jamie Truax” as I call them (another blog story), but oh is it de-licous! 

 Hard ice cream, of course, is more economical.  You can get a whole half-gallon for the price of one serving of the soft stuff.  But dear Breyer’s, let's chat about the recommended serving size of a half cup that’s perfectly mounded on the sides of the ice cream containers everywhere.  Are you joking?  Save the ink. Has anyone ever adhered to the half a cup serving size?  Why bother indulging if it's a mere half a cup. It's not worth digging the ice cream scoop out of the drawer and finding a half measuring cup. 

I don't eat ice cream all the time because it really does hold a caloric whopper for fats and sugar and you cannot go “light and healthy” on ice cream…and I've tried. I get sucked into thinking it will taste the same as the real deal with cream and sugar, just like all of you probably have.  Every 6 months or so, I succumb to the idea, and purchase a half gallon of a somewhat “healthy” version of ice cream. There it sits beautifully in my freezer, waiting for me to try it.  I like all the wonderful things it says to me: half the fat, no sugar, only 110 calories, etc. I try a cup or two and then I'm deflated again; it's just not good, plain and simple. This healthy ice cream will continue to sit in my freezer until ice crystals begin to attach and form so massively that I really start to believe it could be perfect for Gregory's science fair project this year—a new glacier in the making.  

I'm going to share with you my recipe for when I'm feeling in-the-mood for some soft-serve, but don't want to go wild and crazy with the real caloric deal:

Happy New Year!
Danielle

My feet…well, they’re considered“wide” at 4-1/4 inches.  They’re also quite long, at 10-1/4 inches.  As an adult, I’ve appreciated the fact that both the width and length help to keep me upright, which is not a bad thing, but like any girl with a size 10 plus-inch foot, I used to think my feet were way too big and wished desperately for a“normal” size 7. I can now rationalize and chuckle at just how ridiculous that would have looked on my 5’10” frame.

 I was born in New Jersey, but spent most of my adolescent life growing up in a small town in northern Pennsylvania with my younger sister. My parents had 137 acres, the perfect place to run barefoot through the grasslands and forests dreaming up and collaborating on big ideas.My childhood friends at a very young age would marvel at my ability to run over sharp gravel and stones barefoot. 

My foot phenomenon is genetics at its best. The combination of my mom’s childhood frolics of barefoot bliss mixed with my father’s very unusually long toes make for a hereditary masterpiece. My sister, who’s four years younger, holds the same abilities… but I don’t know ifshe can drink a glass of wine with her toes, a little trick I picked up on a dare a few years back. However, I’m almost certain she could if she tried.  

I can pick anything up with my toes, which are long like extended fingers. This “skill” has the uncanny ability to freak people out, especially my husband.  Why, I’m really not sure. I find it just as peculiar that most people can’t pick up pencils off the floor without bending over.

One other small distinction between me and almost everyone else is that I don’t ever wear socks…so I don’t own any.  I haven’t owned a pair of socks in more than 20 years. Ironically, and probably for good reason, my feet don’t sweat or smell.  Socks are therefore suffocating to my feet; it’s like having a pillow over my face. No room to breathe or move.  Wearing socks is considered borderline abusive in my world.

The big “upside” for remaining barefoot is that it’s extremely light on the wallet. I’m not a shoe shopper,nor will I ever be…with one exception. I do like flip-flops; I consider them as my “Jimmy Chu’s.”  

Look down at your tootsies…maybe you haven’t been listening to them. Are they wiggling at you?  They just might want to be free. Listen to them; go barefoot!

 -- Danielle (fearless with no shoes)