bulk batch granola

makes 5 servings

what you’ll need

• 2 cups rolled oats

• 1 cup raw nuts

• 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup

• 1/2 cup coconut oil or ghee

• a healthy dash of seeds (hemp, flax, chia, poppy)

• spices to taste (cinnamon, cardamom, allspice, you name it)

how you’ll prepare it

pre-heat the oven to 350.

combine oats, nuts, seeds, and any other dry ingredient you have a taste for.

add in wet ingredients and fold it in til oats are coated in a tasty sheen.

spread uncooked granola on greased cooking sheet.

keep in oven for ~ 25 minutes (or until aromatic and lookin crunchy).

let cool.

ways you can consume it

currently obsessed with adding it to my morning cottage cheese parfaits (super easy to bulk batch).

can also eat as a quick snack.

try it as a crush on a berry crumble.

the options are unlimited.

june in your body

coming up on the midway point of the year and things really start to heat up. the cycle of the seasons are reflected in the cycle of life and even the cycle of the day. the beginning is cool and damp, the middle is the hottest part, and the end is chilly and dry. life imitates art imitates cycles and nature understands the concept of “work smarter, not harder”. she follows the same pattern all throughout without reinventing the wheel. with june’s arrive comes warmth and sun that winter-us dream of— so instead of immediately longing for the cold winter, let’s unpack some ways to make the most of the season without throwing your body out of balance.

lifestyle & routine

as the old adage goes, like increases like— so, as the temperatures outside rise, a lifestyle that is also hot and rajasic with minimal rest will exacerbate your hot quality. while we all may be drawn to exacerbating our hotness, heat in the body contributes to ailments such as inflammation, restlessness, anxiety, and volatility. because likeness is drawn to likeness (birds of a feather, after all), the longer days, warmth, and liveliness of the summer time fosters that in us. though the day is longer, continue to aim for sleep before 10pm so your hot organs (heart, liver) are able to reset and heal properly.

as another adage goes, opposites create balance— imbalance is the spice of life but encouraging too much imbalance makes everything harder on yourself. remember, work smarter, not harder. when you feel yourself getting caught up in the summer-y vibes of summer and need a bit of balance, try adding in a cool shower (or ever a cool face wash) in the morning.

with heat and humidity comes accumulation— this is particularly taxing on the lymphatic system which, when improperly set up in the spring, may be in a persistent state of stagnation. dry brushing (called garshana) helps to get the lymph moving. when your lymphatic system is movin and groovin, your immune response is more effective and your waste removal system gets to fire on all cylinders.

diet staples

so, in the hot time of year (and not too different from may’s staples), cooling foods and herbs will be your best bet. cucumbers, berries, bitter greens, tropical sweets, and melons will all quench your thirst and satiate the dry heat in the mouth. cilantro, fennel, coconut oil, quinoa, fish, and citrus add a splash of flavor to your meal without adding the weight/strain on your digestion.

though nothing hits like a summer-time day drink followed by some afternoon carb-loading and evening round two, alcohol is a ferment (like cheese, bread, kombucha). ferments contain the metabolic waste products from the “biotic additions” to the foods— essentially, we ingest a little bit of bacteria metabolites as a result of consumption. now, all things in moderation, but ferments in particular increase heat in the body and contribute to inflammation systemically. minimizing (or just moderating) ferment intake will support your system and save inflammatory energy for when it’s really needed.

what’s next

things are only going to get hotter and plans are going to continue to pop up, so be sure to schedule in your down time— rest, relax, recovery and then repeat so that you’re time out in life is most fulfilling. and, as always, reach out to your friendly neighborhood lifestyle consultant if you need a hand getting started.

may in your body

now that april showers are behind us, may is a month of beauty and bloom. here in the middle of spring, we’ve begun to clear out the stagnation of winter and thaw the cold, hard blockages. it’s a fabulous time to set yourself up for success for the daylight and warmth of summer, so let’s get after it…

lifestyle & routine

the sun is rising earlier (and so are the birds)— here on the sunnier side of the year is a wonderful opportunity to get started with your day sooner and really seize that jawn. the first few moments after wake-up are prime time to set an intention and start on the right foot (even before you put your feet on the floor). before you grab for your phone, try asking yourself this: “how do I want to feel about myself when I get into bed tonight?”

because springtime is a time to thaw, clear, and cleanse from the dark, cold winter, little habits like oil puling or tongue scraping take very little commitment and aid in clearing the wastes that accumulate from your body’s nightly cleaning. if you’re really looking to dive in to a new habit, try neti pot (which helps with clearing allergens from the sinuses).

good routine in the season of sun, growth, and light sets the stage for ample success in your days. not every moment (nor every day) will be high, positive, and progress— but finding 5 minutes in your morning to set the stage will support with stress response and resilience in the immediate moment, and health and flow in the long run.

diet staples

temperatures are still volatile (especially in early may) and clearing and cleansing is still priority. but with summer right around the corner, some staple food stuffs for the month include those with dilating, cooling, and hydrating properties. what goes on inside of us reflects what’s going on around us. and while the body is adaptive, modifying your diet for the season supports your systems so your energy can be directed towards more prudent tasks.

light and bitter greens like asparagus, brussel sprouts, or arugula are chok full of vitamins and minerals and offer a bitter taste to body tonify your insides skins and stimulate the peristalsis that keeps your wastes moving through your channels of elimination.

as the weather gets warmer, cooling foods like lime, cucumber, avocado will provide the nutrients our bodies need while keeping the system from over heating. in a nutshell, your liver processes all of the byproducts of digestion, filtering out waste before sending the good stuff into the blood stream. because blood is “hot” (from an eastern perspective), late spring diet into summer should consist of cooler foods to keep your liver function more stable/less over-taxed.

finally, as the heat kicks up, your body begins sweating and flushing that heat through your skin organ (like how that sounds? skin organ). we need electrolytes quite literally to exist properly, so berries, melons, pineapples (tropical fruits) are robust sources for hydrating sweetness.

what’s next

the soon-to-arrive summer is the season for being social, being in the sun, and making plans. may is a fabulous month to not only plan vacations, but also to plan for rest and recovery. sleep/rest/recovery time is important always but falls to the wayside when the outside is nice and it’s fun to go play. chill, vibe, and live wholly my friends.