Mindful Monday: Customizing Your Life

You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success if found in your daily routine. The difference between who you are, versus who you want to be, is what you to. Pick up some motivation.

How do you create a routine? (and stick to it?)

I am no master, or expert in this subject. This is merely stemmed from a personal experience. When you begin your day with self care, you’re putting your needs before everyone else. A morning routine is saying YES, and allowing yourself that time to blossom. I’ve come to find that morning routines help with: creating an energetic space, allow for more clarity, invigorate intentions, maintaining positivity and an increase in productivity.

Hal Elrod wrote a book called, “The Miracle Morning” and broke routines down into an acronym, “S.A.V.E.R.S”

(S)ilence 10 mins: I have an app on my iPhone called “Breathe” and use it for guided meditation every morning.

(A)ffirmations 5 mins: I always say my affirmations out loud and in front of a mirror.

(V)isualization 5 mins: Create the life what you want in your mind, including the people and experiences to ensure ultimate fulfillment.

(E)xcercise 10 mins: I’ve been enjoying yoga these last few months. Do what makes you happy, and invigorated.

(R)eading 10 mins: Immerse yourself in an inspirational read. I’m currently reading “The Gifts of Imperfection” and “Eat Like You Care”.

(S)cribing 10 mins: aka, journaling. This has been part of my routine for years. Use this time to write what you are most grateful for. This works wonders.

If you want to direct your life, take control of consistent actions. Want to write well? Write everyday. Want to tone up? Fit in exercise frequently. What we do once will never shape out life. Remember, what is done in love is done well.

Good luck. xo, T.

 

Plantiful Sunday: “But.. How do you eat sushi as a vegan?”

You can’t buy happiness, BUT, you can buy sushi and that’s basically the same thing.

As a non-vegan, sushi was literally, life (plus I’m asian, so I’m biased towards all and any forms of asian cuisine). When I transitioned into becoming a vegan, a lot of the people who know my eating preferences questioned how I was going to live without beloved seafood? Especially, sushi. Get this..

Scary fact: If we continue the consumption of seafood at our current rate, there will be NO more cutesy, adorable, fun-loving marine animals left in the ocean BY 2048. Saddening, right? Not to mention, seafood is (now) HIGHLY contaminated with pollutants and irritants AND.. SO many of them are endangered and facing extinction. You don’t want to contribute to that anymore, right? Right. You’ve got a good heart.

On a lighter note: AVOCADO IS THE ANSWER. The creaminess and fatty-like texture mimics that of sashimi-grade fish. Which makes sense as to why there are like 57631 recipes on vegan sushi focusing on avocado. SO LET’S DO THIS.

What you’ll need:
1) White rice in (yes, white, not brown. Texture issues..)
2) Seaweed paper
3) A delicious and perfectly ripe avocado
4) Rice vinegar (seasoned meaning it’s got salt & sugar in it already)

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How-to set up this bad boy:
1) Once your white rice is cooked and cooled, pour 1/4C of the rice vinegar and mix well
2) Place seaweed paper (rough side down) and carefully, place rice on half on the paper
3) Place toppings diagonally on top of the rice
4) Roll diagonally, and use warm water to wet the ends to make them stick! AND..

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YOU HAVE A HAND ROLL. They see me rollin’, they hating.. Okay, I’m done.

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Good luck, and enjoy. xo, T.

Plantiful Sunday: Blissful date balls

Does anyone else laugh at the term “balls”? I’m so mature, I know. IN OTHER NEWS..

Who doesn’t want to snack on complete, delicious goodness which also happens to be raw, vegan, easy to make and packs the most nutritious punch ever? Not to mention, these taste SO naughty, but are totally guilt-free. These bliss balls are 3 ingredients.. YES. That’s it. No, I’m not lying.

3-ingredient bliss balls include:
1 cup of dates (pitted, duh)
1 cup of nuts (I used peanuts for that peanut butter flavor because… it’s life)
1/2 cup of raw cacao

How to:
1)Dump everything into a food processor until it all blends together like a paste
2) Roll into bite size balls
3) Coat in toppings of your choice (I used coconut sugar, coconut shreds and raw cacao) or not. It’s up to you. Your balls, your decision.

BOOM. Literally, the easiest things to make. Naturally sweetened by dates, bursting with that peanut-buttery flavor and packed with absolute nutrition. Health IS wealth. They’ll last in the fridge for atleast a week but trust me, they won’t hang around for that long. YOU’RE WELCOME.

Enjoy. xo, T.

PS: I’m a college grad now, so I’ll be around more. Adulting is real.

Fortunate Friday: Does your mind control your life?

Until you cross the bridge of your insecurities, there’s no way that you could even begin to explore possibilities. Put on your positive pants! My mind is always at a constant race – overthinking situations – the root cause of past unhappiness. Generally, I’m content but I’m also not a robot, I’m human and I’m continuously “filled with feelings” for people, for the world, for the environment, for the animals..

Too often, we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, a compliment, or a small act of compassion – all of which have the potential to influence an abundant life. I’ve come to realize that talking about our problems is our greatest addiction. Break the habit, let’s focus on joy & blissfulness.

I’m a firm believer in intention & mantras, both of which have been scientifically proven to influence perception. Think about this: Everytime the sun sets, luminous colors are left. These colors give promise to a new day. A new day brings new intention – choice, change, chance. I’ve learned (and still learning!) that energy introduces you even before an exchange of words.. because faith & doubt cannot exist in the same mind.

So, I’ve stopped apologizing for being “sensitive” or “emotional”. You should too. I’m no longer afraid of revealing my heart & letting others bask in its infectious nature. You should too. Showing emotions is a sign of courage so go ahead, acquire some strength & seek adventures to open your mind. The world needs it.

Good luck. Xo, T.

Choose Meaningful Friendships

2016 has brought a plethora of changes – mostly positive, but some negative – boy, have I found myself in the deepest depths of reflection when it comes to all my friendships.

 Sometimes, we need someone to simply be there. Someone to just BE. Not to fix anything, or to do anything in particular but just to let us know that we are supported when we are scared. That’s when I’m reminded of the true meaning of friendship; someone to love you – the imperfect you, the confused you, the wrong you – because that’s what people are supposed to do.

If I’ve learned anything about this topic, it’s to consistently make an effort to hang on, stay connected, put in effort, fight for them & never walk away or be distracted, don’t be too busy or too tired and don’t take them for granted. Friends are a part of the glue that holds life and fate together – powerful stuff. With gentle honesty, close friends are truly one of life’s treasures to offer us a presence to remind us that we are never alone.

BUT..
If you have to force it, leave it.
Relationships, friendships, yoga poses, top knot.
Let that shit go.

When connections are real, they can never die but they can be buried or ignored. If you’ve found deep resonance with another being, connection will remain despite distance, time, situation or circumstance. If you’re doubtful, revisit to see if you can make sense of the spaces between. If it’s true, you’ll instantly find yourself being swept back into the moment with the same wonder, hope, comfort & heartbeat.

Q: What have your experiences with friendship been like?

Xo, T.

Plantiful Sunday: Rainbow rolls & ginger-peanut sauce

So much goodness in every bite. Seriously, you need/MUST make this and show your friends what “#brunchgoals” is really about. And don’t even get me started on the peanut sauce. Holy shit, I’m SO in love. Here goes!

Peanut sauce set up is simple:
1) In a bowl, add 2 TBS soy sauce (we use liquid aminos!), dash of chili flakes, 2-3 TBS of pure maple syrup, grated ginger, juice of half a lime, half cup of nut butter (we make our own so pb/almond/whatever works).
2) Pour a little bit of hot water and whisk all ingredients until desired consistency.

Springroll set up is even simpler:
1) Slice all (and any) veggies/fillings you want – make it vegan. 😉
2) Dunk your rice paper in warm water for 20 seconds, remove & place on a damp surface, put in your fillings & wrap it like the pro that you are.

Go ahead and nosh on this full force. I basically attacked this like a wild animal.. This is SO easy to make, and SO nutritious. Love that combo.

Eat well. Xo, T.

Plantcakes for breakfast

Traditional pancake mixes contain ingredients that are unnatural and even worse… unseen mold can grow in there causing pancake-lovers to experience difficulty breathing and other internal and sinus nastiness. I’m NOT okay with that. Sorry to be the grim reaper of your life, but that $2 box of pancake mix is not worth it. So, make your own!

Okay, I’ll have to admit, I didn’t coin the term “plantcakes”.. But how clever is it to describe pancakes made completely out of plant-based ingredients? Not to mention, these plantcakes take half the time to cook than traditional pancakes.

Plantcakes:
Blend 1 banana, a heaping cup of oats, cinnamon & almond milk to a flour-like consistency. Cook them like traditional pancakes (bubbles form then flip).

Chocolate sauce:
Blend 4 dates, 1 tablespoon of raw and organic cacao and a bit of water.

Lastly, top your stack together, add some fruit & seeds and make it as pretty as you want before gorging into it like a wild animal. Don’t say I didn’t tell you these were addicting!

Eat well. Xo, T.

 

Plantiful Sunday: Pitaya Bowl

Notice anything different? This platform was “Wild in Practice,” but that was a remnant of the past. I decided to rename this blog “Plants and Balance” because it completely resonated & aligned with my personal, moral and ethical beliefs – that the pursuit of eating well can lead to patterns of discouraging disease, enhance well being & improve quality of life.

Every Sunday I’ll be posting a delicious, vegan, plant-based meal. This series will be called “Plantiful Sunday”. Get it? Get it? I’m SO excited to share my vegan lifestyle with you.

I was introduced to dragonfruit (pitaya) years ago when I discovered my health. Intrigued by its cactus-like skin & its vibrant green and pink hues, I gave it a go. These fun-looking fruits give way to rich properties such as being low in cholesterol, high in fiber, high in antioxidants, stabilizes blood sugar, treats acne & more!

So.. How do I make this part of my daily routine? Pitaya smoothie bowls, duh.

Process is simple in 3 easy steps:
1. Blend 2 pitaya packs (purchase here), frozen bananas & mangoes and coconut water.
2. Place in a bowl and top with your fresh fruit, nuts and seeds.

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3. Take a picture of your gorgeous bowl to remind yourself how awesome you are for choosing to indulge in a nutritious, plant-based meal.

Eat well, and good luck. Xo, T.

Fortunate Friday: Discovering my health

In 2012, I had no balance. I found myself binging on late-night McDonalds and relying on processed foods to fill my nutrient and calorie deficiencies. Until one morning, I woke up with an awful outbreak of eczema on my thighs, my stomach, my hands and my face. With a shattered self-confidence, I made my way into a dermatologists office in which I was offered steroids as my course of treatment. I declined.

I obsessively researched ways to cure control my eczema and fell deeply engrossed with the mission of homeopathy. I found myself investing time to cook, create recipes and soon realized that I felt contentment in the kitchen. I found myself truly savoring every bite of my whole-fooded meals and realized that buying groceries was more satisfying than anything materialistic. I fell in love with the process of choosing to prioritize my health. Three months later, my eczema completely disappeared.

Not only did my physical exterior change, so did my quality of life. Holistic health addressed my mind, body and soul. I decided to treat my body as a system instead of compartmentalizing myself into symptoms or parts. Most importantly, I learned (and still learning!) that nutrition does not mean low fat or low calorie. It’s a nourishment of your being so you can feel energized to live life to it’s true potential.

So here’s my doctors orders: Sometimes a small step may be the biggest step in the right direction. Tip toe if you must. Eating crappy food is not a reward, it’s a punishment, remember that! Lastly, fall in love with taking care of yourself.. Mind, body and spirit.

Good luck. Xo, T.
PS: Shoutout to my friend, Shireen, who inspired me to blog about this. Thanks girl!

Unfolding

Life is the most difficult exam you’ll never stop taking. Most people fail because they try and copy others, not realizing that every person has a different set of questions.The idea of being “inert” can be a bitch, so make sure that you can chart your own course.

It is a beautiful thing when career and passion come together, ultimately, also both terrifying and amazing. But there’s nothing more dangerous than a lack of self-love. “Trish, why do you want to become a physician? What is it about medicine that inspires you?” Sure, the “dream” is big, scary and according to published statistics… Almost impossible to achieve (unless you’re composed of the 1% of brilliant Einstein-esque minds out there). Let’s be real, I’m just an ordinary girl trying to find her place a world that is bound by social norms in order to make a dream come true. To me, being a physician is the only profession that I find myself loving and hating (with the most intense, and fiery passion) at the same time. But to break it down, all dreams come with a standard principle: Work hard, and STAY persistent.

How? A “good life” is when you assume nothing, do more, need less, smile often, dream big, laugh (ALOT!) and realize how blessed you are. Find that thing that you love and figure out a way to capitalize on it. More importantly, never give up on a dream simply because it takes time to accomplish. Honestly, the time will pass anyway. Your goals will come paired with an enormous amount of stress from yourself, from your peers and from this world that dictates who makes it, and who doesn’t. Learn to separate yourself because nothing is worth poisoning yourself into anxiety, or fear. Believe that your dream requires no expiration date. So take a step back, breathe in and try again.

So here are my Doctors orders: Don’t be bullied by your problems, I have learned that doubt kills dreams more than fear ever will. Don’t be discouraged when you (or other people) don’t see the things the way you do. Dream on! Not everybody will understand what or why you’re doing it, or where you want to go. Accept that that’s okay and that you’ll get there.. Eventually. But If all else fails, the best thing you can go is… Nothing. What I mean by that is not think, not wonder, not imagine or obsess. Just breathe and have faith in yourself and in the journey that it will soon unfold into its natural course.

Good luck. Xo, T.