Gluten Free Vegan French Toast

You know when you just can’t get a certain food off your mind? My breakfasts normally look like the same rotation of green smoothies, chocolate-green smoothies, and breakfast bowls. But then there are times that I crave meals like French toast, and I sit in my room pondering how to make this my reality.

And then I get in the kitchen and just fucking do it.

So here’s my take on vegan French toast. Enjoy.

Ingredients

¾ cup almond milk (or any non-dairy beverage)

2 tbsp brown rice flour or vanilla Sunwarrior protein powder

2 tbsp ground flax (or chia)

2 tbsp orange juice

1.5 tsp Xyla xylitol (or sucanat, coconut sugar)

Hearty dash of cinnamon

1 tbsp coconut oil

5 slices gluten-free bread (I used Food For Life brown rice slices)

Toppings: coconut butter, powdered stevia, cinnamon, maple syrup

Directions

1. Mix together all ingredients (except bread and oil) and let sit for 5ish minutes (to allow the flax to gelatinize and thicken the mixture).
2. Heat pan on medium level, add oil.
3. Soak each slice in cinnamon mixture and cook each side until golden brown.
4. Top with extra cinnamon, powdered stevia, coconut butter and maple.  Serve with a side of oranges and John Mayer.

The Chocolatiest Breakfast Bowl That Ever Was

I have always been a chocoholic. Nine times out of ten, I will choose chocolate over any other flavour. While some people crave savoury flavours for breakfast, I use it as another opportunity to eat chocolate. And you know what? I don’t see anything wrong with it. It makes me really happy. A few weeks ago I found I had an abundance of chocolate-flavoured items in my house and decided to make the chocolatiest breakfast bowl that ever was.

The Chocolatiest Breakfast Bowl Ever

1/2 cup chocolate almond milk

1/2 cup chocolate (or regular) coconut water

1 serving chocolate Sunwarrior Warrior Blend protein powder

1 serving chocolate Amazing Grass greens powder or 1 large handful of spinach

1/2 frozen banana

Optional optimizers: 1 tsp maca powder, 1 tbsp coconut oil

Optional toppings: 1 handful chocolate Kaia raw granola (or regular granola), goji berries, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp seeds

Directions

Blend all ingredients (except toppings) and pour into a bowl. Top with your, erm, toppings, and enjoy! Smoothies in a bowl taste better. Especially ones of the chocolate variety. Happy weekend! XO

 

The New Age Crystal Light

When I was a kid we always had Crystal Light drinks in our fridge. It was a childhood reminder of summer time (especially the lemon-lime flavour). I have a different type of “crystal light” now, one without fake colours, flavours, or aspartame.

Okay, and it’s kind of hippie-ish.

Here’s what I do. I take a few crystals and let them sit in a big jug of water for about 24 hours. Tigers eye and opalite are my current picks, but you should choose whatever you vibe with. This alone will change how your water tastes (seriously, try it). Tons of research on water will show you the effects of positively and negatively influenced water cell structures (see picture below), and this is essentially what putting crystals in your water will do. It will infuse the water with the characteristics of the crystals. Add some trace mineral drops to take it to the next level (check out your local health food store, they’ll definitely have a product like ConcenTrace).

DISCLAIMER: Do your own research on crystals and their effects on the body before making elixirs. Some have less than desirable or even toxic effects.

If you’re so inclined, also try adding some crushed fruit and a few drops of stevia. Add lemon slices and strawberries for a pink lemonade flavour. Or orange slices with vanilla stevia for an orange crush flavour. The options are endless. Plus, it makes you want to drink more water! Water’s kind of a big deal when it comes to your overall well-being. Just look at a plant. As soon as you water it, you can visibly see it perk up and glow a little bit. Considering how we’re mainly made up of water, it would make sense that drinking more of it would have a similar effect on us.

With summer (and music festivals, and outdoor activities, and traveling) upon us, it’s key to start drinking more water than you normally would! It’s one of my top seven ways to instantly feel better (as featured on MindBodyGreen). Read the rest of those tips by clicking here!

No leaves in my salad please!

No leaves in my salad please!

You know those days when you look in your fridge and see so many great ingredients, but no clue what to do with them? I realized that all you have to do is toss them in a bowl together and drizzle them with dressing. Cool, eh? Lately I’ve been into super simple “chunky salads”. These salads are fully forkable, with no leaves in sight (I’ve preferred to drink my spinach and kale leaves these days).

Creamy Citrus Chunky Summer Salad

Serves one, multiply to your hearts content!

Ingredients

½ avocado

½ cucumber

½-1 orange

Small handful of parsley

¼ lemon

1 tbsp oil

pinch sea salt

¼ tsp dill

Directions

1. Chop up the ‘cado, cuc, orange and parsley into chunks.
2. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad. Toss and serve.

Cool Black Bean Cucumber Chunk Salad

Serves one, multiply to your hearts content!

Ingredients

½ cup black beans (Eden Organic canned and washed, or homemade)

1/3 cucumber

½ pear

1 tsp honey

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Pinch sea salt

Directions

1. Chop up cucumber and pear and toss in a bowl with black beans
2. Whisk together ingredients and pour over the salad. Toss and serve.

10 Lessons from the West Coast

The view from the top... of my building

Happy six month Vanniversary! One of the keys to a successful partnership is celebrating milestones, even the little ones. That was one of the lessons we taught in this episode of The Awesomeness Advantage. I thought in honour of my six months in Vancouver, I’d share some of the lessons I’ve learned so far (about life and about myself).

1. I love mountains, ocean, and forests. Being surrounded by this beautiful scenery has shown me just how much I love connecting with nature. Running along the ocean and doing a mid-run meditation on the beach has proven to be super grounding for me. I encourage everyone – especially you land-locked folks – to take a drive into nature. It will change your day, and maybe even your life. Who knows. It changed my life seeing the west coast mountains a year and a half ago; now it’s the view from my bedroom.
2. Strangers can become family if you approach them with an open heart. One of my biggest fears about moving was not making friends, especially being in a new city by myself. I was happily dropped into the middle of a conscious, loving family of people that welcomed my presence and connected with me on so many levels. It’s unlike any experience I’ve had.
3. I’m, like, really funny. Don’t interpret that the wrong way, I mean it in the sense that I love getting more in touch with myself, and figuring out what my strengths are. My sense of humour has helped me to get through difficult and sticky situations. More than anything, my goofiness has proven to that I have the ability to make people feel better about their lives. From dancing in the aisles of Whole Foods to The Awesomeness Advantage, I love to make people laugh.
4. Everyone is a mirror. Every person you attract into your life is a reflection of yourself in some way. I knew this before, but I’ve really started to embrace it since being here. It’s made my communication and interactions with people way more intriguing. For every annoyance or elation I experience in someone else, I’m given the opportunity to ask myself where that’s showing up in my life. The self-expression you admire in a some girl singing to herself as she walks down the street is a quality you also carry, but might not fully want to share (yet).
5. You can’t change anyone. Or the past. Or how people will react. The only thing you really have control over is how you react in this moment. My crew here has helped me to be more authentic. To me, this means learning to how to share what I’m actually feeling and voice my needs. Doing this empowers me and allows for clear communication between all parties. I can’t change anyone, but I can change how I react, which might influence how they react in return. Kindness is always better received than passive aggression or snippiness.
6. I love love. It’s easy to get caught up in negative speech patterns and hating on other people. I know this first hand, because it’s a way that women typically bond (“She looks gross” or “You’re way prettier”). Vancouver’s given me a love-reality check: I’d much rather talk about how awesome people are. I’d rather encourage the positive aspects of a person, than trash-talk the negative aspects of another (remember point #4). Why not raise your vibes by being positive and in love with your life, rather than lower your vibes by being in a state of jealousy and fear? Reframe how you articulate your thoughts and you’ll notice changes happen all around you.
7. I love staying in. In Toronto all of my friends were a minimum 30-minute subway ride away.  Now living in downtown Vancouver and having the majority of my friends living in my building, I rarely leave my condo (let alone my neighborhood). I enjoy lounging on my couch with some vino, tunes, and good people. Not only do I save money, I get to create real connections.
8. Spiritualism is cool. I didn’t doubt this in Toronto, but I never felt like I connected with anyone on this before I moved. Having a connection to source/Universe/Divine/whatevs makes life’s ups and downs flow together with meaning.
9. I love crystals. I keep them in my bra, my pockets, and under my pillows. There’s a fifty percent
   

   I have a raw piece of quartz I use on my seventh chakra during meditation and it’s a serious connection amplifier. Yeah it’s kind of like this…

   chance of finding at least one with a broad hand sweep under my duvet. They make a difference in my attitude and my spiritual connection (see point eight). Say what you will, crystals are sweet. And pretty.

10. I’m worthy of my dreams. I’ve learned that a lot of people, myself included, have difficulty accepting their worthiness. It seems much easier to give rather than receive and allow the Universe to deliver your dreams. I don’t know where in our culture we started to accept this untruth, or how we even allowed it to occur. I know I am worthy of my dreams. I am worthy of love. I am worthy of healthy relationships. I am worthy of abundance in all areas of my life. Accepting these facts is something I work on every day.

It’s been an amazing six months, Vancouver. Thanks for calling me out here!

Taking a Step Back in Time with Music

I’ve discussed my love for music and it’s power of keeping me in flow. It’s rooted deep in my bones. Going

The beaches of Cabo were beautiful... I've got a different mountain view these days.

without music is like going without food or water; it can be done for a certain amount of time until I feel myself needing it, craving it, even fantasizing about it.

I got my first iPod-like device when I was seventeen. This is when I started organizing my songs by the month. Each month I create a new playlist to keep track of what songs I’ve recently added (since the “Recently Added” file just isn’t organized enough for me). Ever since I’ve started to create these lists, I’ve found myself going back and listening to the old ones.

Since I was seventeen I’ve had a few different music devices, so some of my lists have been lost over the years. When I’m going through a musical dry streak (i.e. I don’t have any new songs I’m obsessively listening to), I go back about eleven months to an old playlist. I’m not sure why, but the old tracks I feel like listening to are always from ten to eleven months prior.

I can close my eyes and remember exactly how I felt at that point in time. I remember where I was, who I was with, what I was going through. I remember how each song made me feel, and observe that feeling from a new, outside perspective. It’s interesting. It takes me somewhere comfortable, somewhere I’ve already been to and I start to get nostalgic. This week I was listening to my playlist from last April. It reminds me of my trip to Cabo. It reminds me of the walk I took from my parents house to the subway station, where I would go to meet my boyfriend for our gym dates. It reminds me of my cousin. For just a moment, it reminds me how easy it would be to go back to all of that. And if I’m being honest, it’s hard to not want that.

Everything’s better in hindsight right?

Just like music keeps me present and in flow, music also keeps me grounded and reminds me of what I’m creating for myself. I won’t grow or expand by wishing it was last April.  But I can certainly still enjoy Machu Picchu while strolling along the sea wall, being grateful for how far I’ve come.

Pause. Inhale. Hold. Exhale. Pause. Repeat.

Thank you.

Other favesies from last April:

Reminded – Tyga ft Adele

My First Song – Jay-Z

Rolling In The Deep – John Legend

She Said – Plan B

Forever – Wolfgang Gartner ft Will.i.am

Getting Out of My Comfort Zone

I do miss Toronto, especially as summer rolls around. Photo credit: Farida Wahidi

En route back to Vancouver, I had a moment of sadness as I looked out the window at the YYZ tarmac. I don’t think anyone could have prepared me for the moment of homesickness I felt. While I was back in my hometown, I didn’t get to see all of my favourite places, or eat at all of my favourite spots.  I didn’t get to spend time with all of my friends, and I would’ve loved an extra hour with my mom.  I didn’t have too much time to reminisce as I made new memories with my Vancouver family in downtown Toronto. So as I sat in my pod, it hit me that there is a part of me that really does miss living in that city.

While I was home, I had a situation where I was given the chance to be authentic and honest about my feelings, and step out of my comfort zone. I got to honour how I felt and instead of making up excuses, voice what I was experiencing emotionally. It was uncomfortable for a moment. Fear and apprehension held me as I shared my real feelings, but also empowered me. This situation also allowed me to honour the other person’s feelings. It helped to remind the Universe (and myself) what type of people and situations I want in my life and which ones I am ready to move on from. I’m going confidently in the direction of my dreams, with the faith that letting go of my past will propel me further, faster.

At dinner one night at Fresh, my girlfriend turned to me and said I was glowing with happiness.  I confidently told her I couldn’t foresee myself moving back anytime soon. I love the mountains and ocean. I love my roommates, my apartment, and my life in Vancouver. But homesickness is a funny thing: it doesn’t care about any of those factors. It reminds you of what is familiar and what is comfortable. It reminds you that you could easily fall back into that life without many adjustments. So, what’s keeping me on the coast?

I realized, as a few stray tears fell down my face on the plane, that I wasn’t going to grow if I went back into my comfort zone.  The six months I’ve spent in Vancouver has taught me more about myself than I’d realized. It’s taught me how to be authentic, what type of people I want in my life, and given me a better idea of who I want to become. It’s introduced me to a group of people that I feel closer to than any group I’ve met. I actually feel like I belong in that family. I’m an important part of a community that operates out of and in love.

Along this journey of moving out and away from home, I’m learning as I go. None of us really know what we’re doing all of the time. I can do all of the card readings and meditations I want: all new experiences are going to feel scary. I think the key is to step into that fear of not knowing the end result. If you keep repeating the same actions, you will keep getting the same results. And that’s not what I want for my future. I want the results to keep getting better.

Actually, the Universe Wants You to Be Friendly

When I was a frequent gym-goer, I noticed that 90 percent of the time, I chose a locker RIGHT next to someone who would walk in 30 seconds later. I swear, if not before my workout, then it would be right after my shower that someone will have just settled into the locker next to mine.

Just a few of my Vancouver "tribe" family members. Surrounding myself with loving people has reminded me that I'm not on this journey alone, and I was never meant to be.

It just occurred to me a couple months ago why this might be.

We aren’t supposed to be segregated, iPod-listening, hustling and bustling commuters. We are meant to live in communities and create relationships with each other. Our very nature is to have others we can depend on and be depended on. Seriously, the Universe wants us to play nice and form bonds with one another.

Before the days of babysitters, plumbers, and restaurants, us humans had these things called communities and tribes. We depended on each other to help take care of our children, tend to our sick, and rebuild our houses when catastrophe struck. Our insurance was our neighbors. Now, we build gates higher than we can see and hire professionals to mend whatever is broken. We have this complex that we don’t need to ask for help and can fully depend on ourselves for everything. Well, this isn’t true. While I can cook a great meal without any assistance, I certainly have other areas of my life I need help in. Depending others and allowing them to help you gives you the opportunity to acknowledge their actions. You could say that asking for help is one way of providing service.

So today’s lesson is to be friendlier. Your coworkers aren’t much different from you, so crack a grin in their direction. Maybe say hello to your neighbor next time you’re in the elevator. Allow yourself to be vulnerable and ask for help. You are worthy of being helped, and deserve a loving supportive community around you.

Living, and Eating, In the Moment

I was happy to discover that the Maple Leaf Lounge has some healthy options

Traveling does a funny thing to me: I tend to “allow” myself to eat foods I don’t normally consume (keep in mind, I am an avid flexitarian, and I set flexible guidelines for my dietary choices based on how my body feels). During my trip to Toronto, I woke up one morning to some freshly, made-with-love whole wheat bread. Normally I forgo wheat, since it doesn’t get along with my body all that well.  But hey, it was still warm from the oven, what was I gonna say? No, I don’t want your beautiful bread topped with local Ontario honey, almond butter and banana? Sorry, I’d rather stare at it longingly wishing that “I ate wheat”?

I could also make the argument that the dialogue would be more like “Sorry, I don’t want to cripple my guts by eating gluten”.  I get that.

Instead I decided to live in the moment.  In that moment, my eyes widened and my stomach growled and my legs lurched me forward towards the kitchen where I carefully sliced two pieces of bread for Kelsey and I.

And you know what? I felt great.  The mindset you have while eating impacts your body that much. It’s not something I eat all the time, and the circumstance – made with love, fresh, and my body literally pulling me towards it – called for it. I didn’t think “Damn I’m going to have the worst stomach cramps after this,” I thought “Oh my gosh, this is freaking delicious” and savored every crumb.

So what’s the difference between eating and living in the moment, and letting your food “exceptions” get out of control? Well the first way to tell the difference is by checking in.  You already know which foods you usually avoid and why.  If you find yourself craving them or being drawn to them, stop and ask yourself why that is. Is it because you don’t have any other choice, or is it because you had a crappy day and it’s your comfort food? Change your mindset: If you’re travelling and really don’t have any other food choice, reframe your thinking. Try, “Wow, I’m so grateful to have this food! My body loves and can handle eating this right now because it’s nourishing me.” If you simply crave the food, not because you’re hungry (and are probably quite emotional at the same time), try thinking “I am safe to be in control of my emotions.  I fill myself only with the clean food that my body enjoys and absorbs. I eat only foods that make my mind, body and spirit feel good.” Breathe. Pause. Repeat.

I love traveling. I love the excitement of the plane taking off, and exploring new cities.  The places I will travel to might not always be able to accommodate my food choices. The friends I have don’t all subscribe to the same dietary guidelines as me. Living in the moment keeps me grounded, and eating in the moment keeps my body and mind happy. Don’t take life so seriously, you’ll miss out on Kodak moments and freshly baked bread.

Sometimes it helps to have someone hear you out on your food cravings, and help you sort out why you’re drawn to certain foods. Sometimes, that someone is me abigail@abigailchristens.com.

University of Life: Your Professors and Your Classmates

Let’s say there was a formal school for this.  Let’s say you had your first day of school today.  Who were your teachers, and who were your classmates?

Your teachers are the people in your life that allow you to look at your most negative and most positive aspects of yourself.  They shine the light on your skeletons as well as your best qualities. That man blabbing on his cell phone about the seemingly minute problems in his life in front of you at the bank, that was your morning class.  Learn compassion and patience for others.  He may have mirrored a quality in yourself that you don’t like to acknowledge.  Maybe you focus on the negative too much, and your homework is to look at the amazing, positive aspects of your life more often.

The single mother you held the door open for on your into your apartment building was your afternoon class.  The genuine thank you and smile she flashed you mirrored the loving, kind qualities you embody but may sometimes dismiss.  Your homework tonight is to remember that you are an incredible being of light and love, and each little action you do to display this counts, and is noticed.

Your classmates are the people you brush past in the subway, or your brother that tries to start a conversation with you, as you hastily brush past him en route to the fridge. Have love and gratitude that they are in your life.  We are all the same type of humans trying to experience universal love for each other.

Remember these lessons as you go to bed tonight.  Class dismissed.