Enerji Sisters

I have a few recipes for gluten & dairy free cookies that I’ve made up myself. They can all be altered to your liking; i.e. substitute peanut butter for sunbutter, cow’s milk or almond milk for soy milk. The consistency may be a little different so in the end, just make sure the dough can form into cookies. My sister, Jennifer, even substitutes fresh liquid stevia for the sugar. She does this by steeping stevia leaves in hot water and letting it cool. It’s very concentrated, so you don’t have to use much (I haven’t tried the powdered stevia, so I’m not sure how that would turn out).

Tips for all of the following recipes:

*These cookies will hold their shape and won’t melt down, so if you like your cookies thick, make them that way and the same for thin. I like mine thick and somewhat soft on the inside so the cooking time reflects this preference; for thin cookies, I would check them after 9 or 10 minutes to make sure they don’t burn.

*When cooling, let them cool on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes and when you can spatula them up without breaking, put them on a plate and cover them with aluminum foil (preferably recycled). This helps hold in the moisture. So many gluten free cookies crumble at first bite, so this really helps the cookie stay a cookie and not a topping for ice cream… which is actually not a bad idea

*As for the chocolate, Ghirardelli’s bittersweet chips are great (60% cacao) and my new favorite is Trader Joe’s Confection Perfection. They come in cubes and it’s 70% cacao. Just give them a couple of chops and toss into batter. I add the chocolate after all the ingredients are good and mixed together, don’t know why, I just do.

Easy Easy Gluten & Dairy Free Peanut butter Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 cup organic all natural peanut butter (or sunbutter)

1/2 cup natural cane sugar

1 egg (local, organic, or free range preferred)

1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (70% cacao or more is always good)

~optional: generous amount of ground cinnamon and ginger (I’ve never measured it, just shake it in ’til it feels right)

Mix all ingredients together until moist and spoon and shape into cookies.

Makes approx. 12 cookies. Bake for 12 minutes on 350 degrees

Enjoy!

Gluten & Dairy Free Double Chocolate Sun Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 cup all natural sunbutter

1/2 cup almond meal

1 egg (local, organic, or free range preferred)

1/2 cup natural cane sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup soy milk

1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (70% cacao or more is always good)

~optional: 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Mix sunbutter, almond meal, egg and sugar together. Then add cocoa powder and vanilla and slowly add the milk. Depending on the consistency of your batter, you may not need all of the milk. Then add chocolate chunks/chips (& walnuts if you like). Spoon and shape into cookies.

Makes 12-15 cookies. Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Share and Enjoy!!

Gluten & Dairy Free Ginger Sun Cookies

I feel like I’ve cheated a bit on this one because I use gluten free gingersnaps (from Trader Joe’s) instead of making up my own… I’ll play with the recipe and substitute the store bought gingersnaps for my own ingredients at some point, but until then…

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 cup sunbutter

1/2 cup crushed gingersnaps (almost flour-like; little chunks are ok)

1/4 cup almond meal

1 egg (local, organic, or free range preferred)

1/4 cup natural cane sugar

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup soy milk

Lots and lots of ground ginger and cinnamon and whatever else you feel like tossing in… ground cloves & allspice would be great too.

Mix all ingredients together adding milk last. Spoon and shape into cookies.

~Another option is to add chocolate chips… i love chocolate, can you tell??

Makes 12 cookies. Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Love and Enjoy!!

I hope you enjoy these seriously yummy and, I think, good-for-you cookies!! Any questions or suggestions, please let me know. Until then… peace, love and happy baking!

I want to share my experience trying to reverse my Type 1 diabetes naturally.  I was diagnosed on May 30, 2002.  My life changed dramatically since that shocking day.  I had (and continue to be) very active, growing up playing sports, running, lifting weights, etc.  I also tried to eat as healthy as possible.  I never drank soft drinks, ate fast food or even greasy foods.  It was so hard to accept that “this” could happen to me!  I immediately had to learn how to prick my finger to test my blood sugars, how to use a syringe to give myself injections, and what foods to eat and to avoid.  All of my doctors have told me that I will always be on insulin to stay alive since my pancreas does not produce insulin on its own anymore.  Insulin is the hormone that keeps blood sugars in balance.  Without insulin, people die.  High blood sugars over time cause heart attacks, stroke, blindness, neuropathy (numbness in legs) and kidney failure.  There is a difference in Type 1 (T1) and Type 2 (T2)  diabetes:  in T1, the immune system attacks the pancreas (researchers are still not sure why), leaving it damaged and unable to perform it’s insulin-producing function; thus, it is termed an auto-immune disease.  This is why T1’s must inject insulin into their bodies with syringes or use an insulin pump; with T2 diabetes, the pancreas is overworked so it sometimes does not produce the right kind of insulin or the body becomes resistant to insulin and does not use it correctly.  A T2 can help their pancreas by exercising and eating healthy foods and not ever have to use insulin.  If they do not change their lifestyle patterns, they usually need to take pills (to help their body be less resistant to the insulin they are making) or they eventually have to take insulin injections to control their blood sugar levels.

Last November, my brother-in-law informed me that Dr. Neal Barnard was on The Mike Collins show (a local show on NPR).  Dr. Barnard has researched diabetes extensively and has written a book called “Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program to Reverse Diabetes Now“.  Reversing Type 2 diabetes (by following a low fat, vegan, high fiber and low glycemic foods diet) was the topic of the radio interview that day.  As I listened to him speak, I wondered if this diet could help T1’s like myself.  I emailed him a few questions and he answered them on the air.  He said this diet has not reversed T1 but that it could help lower insulin needs and help balance my blood sugar levels.  I decided to check his book out of the library and see if this was something I wanted to try.

I read his book in a few days, full of hope and excitement.  I decided to “go vegan” which means following a vegetarian diet and also eliminating dairy and eggs.  I had been a meat-eater all my life (35 years at the time) but did not have trouble giving it up.  I only ate eggs because they are a good source of protein- I never liked the taste of them so this was easy to remove from my diet.  My biggest challenge was dairy- I love yogurt, butter, and creamer- so I started substituting soy creamer in my coffee and gave up all foods that contained butter, milk, and eggs.  Grocery shopping was labor-intensive initially but I eventually “learned” what I could and could not have.  I also had to include low fat (so limited nut intake), fiber-rich and low glycemic foods so I became an educated label reader.   The reason I was able to transition so easily was because I could eat as much as I wanted as long as it fell under the above guidelines.  That was my saving grace!  Because of this diet change, I dropped 8-10 pounds (while eating like a teenager!) and lowered one of my insulin medications from 60 units a day to 12 units within a month or so!

I started this diet the day I finished reading his book, a week before Thanksgiving last year.  My partner was amazed at my determination and will power and my family was concerned that I was not getting enough to eat at the holiday dinner.  I brought vegetables that I could enjoy (without butter) and felt satiated.  I did feel a bit sorry for myself that I was so “different” and could not enjoy the traditional foods, but I had hope that this new diet would help me control my blood sugars, thus helping me feel better daily and prevent all of the diabetic complications I mentioned earlier.  To me, possible blindness, dialysis and strokes are reason enough to try.

My insulin needs did decrease, but I eventually hit a plateau and continued to need an average of 30 units a day.  Some days, I felt disappointed and upset because of this leveling-off, but I continued following it, unsure of what to do next.  In March, 2009, an acquaintance mentioned that she had heard of diabetics completely reversing their disease by following a raw diet.  I asked if this included T1’s and she thought it did.  I was skeptical at first, knowing the difference between T1’s and T2’s.  I did not look into a raw food diet for another month or so…

I am signing off from this blog because it’s getting long and my fingers are tired :)  I will continue with my raw food research next time.

Thanks for your interest!

A Student of the Truth asked her Wise Teacher, “what does this mean?” and the Wise Teacher answered, “what does this mean to you?

How often I look to others I consider wiser than me for answers to questions that I feel I’m in no way capable of answering on my own. The answers to life’s mysteries, to the Universal Truths of humankind, to the deep ache in my heart that longs for peace and serenity and love. I ask the Universe to send me a sign to the questions that I long to know, to allow clarity so that I can see. When I receive that sign, that feeling in my heart that tells me the Truth for me, I go directly to my teacher and ask, ‘what do you think this means, what should I do?’

I am extremely grateful for the patience of my teachers, as I do ask many questions, always sharing their experience yet encouraging me to seek the Truth from Within. It is like them that I strive to be.

I heard the conversation that began this blog just this afternoon in Tribal Wisdom, the Native American Store that my studio is above. I feel so blessed to be practicing massage in an environment that is infused with the energy of such wisdom.

I, too, want to thank you all for your positive words about our new website. Lula and I learned a lot about creating websites with the help of our designer, Sharon Powers. I am grateful for the experience and excited that it is up and running! I also want to thank Shannon and Erin for taking pictures for our site. Thanks to all of you for your gifts of friendship and loving support.

I want to thank everyone who has already visited our site!! (Hey Christy, I love you and miss you too!!)

Everyone’s support and wonderful wishes is overwhelming my heart this morning with love and gratitude. I feel blessed to be surrounded with such beautiful souls.

Jen and I are truly grateful and we love you all, Lula

I absolutely love giving massage and energy work. It is truly my passion and my gift. I feel healing work is what I chose as my purpose here on Earth to do to contribute to the harmony of life. I Know it is ever evolving and I am FOREVER learning from others and reading books to enhance my practice mentally, spiritually and physically.

With each session, I invite in Source Energy. I invite my Guides and Angels and the clients Guides and Angels. It is not necessary for the client to believe in this process for it to work. I create a safe and sacred space for clients to come and relax and just let go… My hope is that each client feels nurtured and healed to whatever capacity they are ready to be healed. We are all growing and opening to the Love that is here for us at our own pace.

That is the beauty of Earth. It is a school for us to learn and to grow. It is not a judgment of who is better or worse, right or wrong. It is our own unique experience becoming truly what we make it. I choose to make it BLISS!! One of my lessons here is to be grounded. My natural state is in the light and fluffy space where all is spiritual and heavenly, with metaphysical philosophies flowing. What I must concentrate on is Mother Earth and her powerful energies. Being grounded is a beautiful place to be too. For that I am truly grateful. heart smiles to all….

Last week, Marti and Robbie, the owners of Tribal Wisdom, (the store below our studio) opened their beautiful home to us body workers who rent rooms from them and their employees for a fun get-together. Jonathan Winn, one of our massage therapists, organized this event. The idea was for all of us to get to know each other better while sharing a meal. We had a wonderful time! Thanks Jonathan for taking the initiative to get us together! First, we toured their gorgeous home and fell in love with their meditation room. At one point, 4 or 5 of us were in that room enjoying the great energy in it. I loved their open kitchen and living area. After enjoying our meal, we circled up to discuss our “vision” for our incredible space. We want it to be a place where people can buy unique gifts and receive healing on a physical, mental and spiritual level. We offer massage, sound therapy and rolfing. Our resident rolfer is Christina Kettell. We also decided to create a bumper sticker that represents the Plaza-Midwood area. We will all be at “The Krawl” on June 14th from 6-11pm sharing our healing modalities and handing out the new bumper stickers to the neighborhood. We will also be displaying art work by local artists in our space. So stop by and see us at 1525 Central Avenue. We look forward to seeing you!

Hi all! So this is blogging… quite an interesting concept for me. I usually journal with pen and paper… typing is not my forte. My pinkie gets all the work with the delete button but I am going to give this a try.

My sister Jen and I have opened our very first healing center. It is currently one room but one day it will be a entire holistic center, maybe even a retreat center. This experience has definitely been a learning process for me; very gradual baby steps leading to bigger steps of growth.

As for massage, I am a Licensed Massage & Bodywork Therapist. I paid good money for that title But what I really feel I am is someone who has been given the privilege to help another person heal themselves. I have been told by all my great teachers that I am not the one doing the healing, it is the client. I create a safe space for them to come and they heal themselves. It’s actually pretty awesome.

As for the energy part in all of this, we are all made up of energy. We have it inside of us whether we are aware of it or not. I first felt the energy outside my body during a tai chi class at the Y. We were holding an imaginary ball with our hands and moving it side to side, bringing our hands closer together and farther apart. It felt like magnets opposing each other. I was amazed I could feel something that I could not see. That was about 7 years ago and I’ve been hooked on learning about this energy ever since.

I’ve had Reiki attunements and learned Healing Touch techniques. In my practice I call on Universal Source and Mother Earth energy to guide me to where ever the healee needs healing. I call on my Guides and their Guides to be with me and to whisper in my ear where to guide the energy. I’m still learning to trust my intuition. It’s such a process and a gift.

So goodbye for now… Sending lots of loving heart energy to all those who read this…namaste