Tag Archives: vegan

One Day SELF RENEWAL Retreat with Lacey Budge

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Saturday October 28th, 2017

8:30 am – 9 pm

Anishnabe Spiriutal Center, Espanola

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The focus of this autumn retreat is one of renewal and relaxation. This one day getaway is an invitation to look inward, to recharge and to fill up your own cup. From this place of deep rejuvenation, you will feel more revitalised and present for yourself, your family, your purpose, your job and everyone who graces your path.

Throughout the day, you will be gently guided into restoration, softening and letting go, through the practice of hatha yoga {for all levels}, meditation, nature walks, and personal time in silence {mauna} for Self care and Self reflection.

The retreat also includes an inspiring afternoon workshop which will offer pointings to inner Truth. Remember how to sit in the company of your own splendour, and how to “tap in” to the stillness, joy, love and infinite energy that already dwells within. The intention of this workshop is to remind you that you are much more than your body, thoughts, emotions, reactions, roles and story. “Do not feel lonely. The entire Universe lives inside of you.” ~Rumi 

Your body, mind and spirit will be nourished and enlivened with a whole foods, organic (when possible) vegan brunch and dinner, infused water, herbal teas, as well as an afternoon superfood bliss ball snack!

Our day together will close with an evening practice of yoga nidra- the yoga of deep relaxation. Through this practice and the relaxing energy of the entire day, you will leave feeling in harmony and balance.

May we all rest in our natural state of Sat.Chit.Ananda {Truth. Consciousness.Bliss Absolute}

Namaste,
Lacey
Self Renewal Retreat Flow 

8:30 am – 9:00 am Arrival and Tea Time

9:00 – 11:00 am Morning Practice: Awakening Hatha Yoga and Meditation

11:00 am Nourishing Brunch

12:00- 2:00 pm Inspiring Workshop + Silent Walking Meditation
2:00 – 4:00  pm Personal Self Care Practice {… in sacred silence}
…time in nature, relaxation, journalling, creative expression, reading, resting, etc
3:00 pm Chocolate Bliss Ball Snack!…Andrea’s famous peanut butter chocolate balls! 
4:00 – 6:00 pm Gentle Hatha Yoga & Meditation
6:15 pm Nourishing Dinner
7:45 pm Yoga Nidra- the yoga of deep sleep and relaxation
8:45 pm departure

 

Rates

…$150 for first ten participants, or until September 30th.

…$165 after September 30th

To confirm your space and register, please:

Send an interac e transfer to lacey.budge@gmail.com in the full retreat amount see options below), an email with the password, as well as fill out the form below.

 

Cancellation Policy 

The retreat payment is non-refundable. However, in the case of a cancellation, your spot can be filled by another retreat participant by your consent.

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Chocolate Zucchini Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting 

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Chocolate Zucchini Brownies with Peanut Butter Frosting

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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup pitted and chopped dates
  • 3/4 cup hot water
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup organic light spelt flour, or buckwheat for gluten free option.
  • 1/3 cup raw cocao powder
  • 1/4 cup organic coconut sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan or sea salt
  • 1 cup finely shredded zucchini, by hand or with a food processor 
  • 1/4 cup walnut pieces or pumpkin seeds for a nut free version

FROSTING:

  • 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips
  • 3 tablespoons almond milk
  • 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter

Instructions

  1. Place the dates in a small bowl and pour the hot water over them. Allow to soak until the dates are soft, about 1/2 hour.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare an 8×8-inch baking dish by lining it with parchment paper or oiling lightly.
  3. Put the dates and the soaking water in the blender with the applesauce and vanilla. Blend at high speed until completely smooth. Set aside.
  4. Combine the flour, cacao, coconut sugar, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the zucchini and walnuts, if using. Add the blended date mixture and stir until all the flour is moistened. The batter will be thick. Spoon it into the prepared pan and smooth over the top.
  5. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until brownies are no longer liquid in the middle and edges are firm but not drying out. Allow to cool.
  6. You can eat them plain or add the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Frosting:
  7. Combine the chocolate chips, non-dairy milk, and nut butter in a double boiler, cook and stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Frost brownies immediately. Allow to stand about 20 minutes to firm up. Enjoy!

Inspired by Fat Free Vegan.com

ReWild and ReConnect: A Self Care Retreat for Women with Lacey Budge in Costa Rica, March 2018

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ReWild and ReConnect: A Self Care Retreat for Women with Lacey Budge

A 9 Day Journey to Rediscover Inner Strength, Wisdom, Courage, Divinity & Connection to Mother Earth.

March 30th – April 7th, 2018

Farm of Life, Costa Rica

Will you join me on this journey of Self Discovery?

Hi Beautiful! Thank you for taking the first step on our journey together.

The ReWild & ReConnect Self Care Retreat is specifically created to honour, empower and celebrate you as a woman. Together, we will embark on a nourishing 9 day journey back to Inner Strength, Wisdom, Courage, Divinity & Connection to Mother Earth. It is my path, passion and purpose to bring women together, to share wisdom and teachings which have been revealed to me and to act as a sacred mirror to remind you of who you truly are.

“Women are the most powerful untapped natural resource.” ~ Achintya Devi

As a woman, I feel how easy it is for us to get caught up in the roles we play and the masks we wear with daily responsibilities and duties. I truly understand how we can simply forget who we are in our essence when the busy-ness of life consumes every moment.

I can relate how simple it can be to become imbalanced, stressed, sick and burned out in a world filled with unhealthy food and drink choices; chemicals and unnatural fabrics; toxins in the air, water and food; relief of symptoms with synthetic poisonous drugs; work days spent under artificial lights or diving in a car; self worth determined from media’s images, and a continuous feeling like there are not enough hours in a day, or not enough ideas for lunch boxes!

Who would you be without all of the doing and distractions? Who would you re-discover if you sat with yourself in stillness, simply Being, and asked the question Who Am I? What would you re-awaken when you surround yourself with a group of like minded women who lift up your vibration and accept you as your are? And when you found her, How would you honour and celebrate her? How would you bow down to Her inner wisdom?

From my own experience, the greatest way to truly nourish myself holistically {body, mind and spirit} is to connect with nature through the elements, plants and animals. I want to remind you of the magic, healing and wisdom that is always available to us in the natural world.

It is my absolute honour to extend this invitation to reconnect you with the Greatest Mother: Mother Nature, and I could not think of a more magnificent place than my “winter home,” the Farm of Life, in Costa Rica. This serene sanctuary, a place of peace and beauty, is where we will relax, restore, rejuvenate and come back into harmony with nature.

Will you join me in the Costa Rican jungle, Blessed One? In gratitude, Lacey Theresa Margaret Budge

Download Retreat Welcome Package 

which includes a personal invitation to you, retreat & excursion description, rates & registration, a sample schedule & menu, about the Farm of Life and so much more!

…more information…

Vegan Chocolate Pudding for Dinner! {made with sweet potato and black beans} {free of refined sugars}

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…So this started off as making sweet potato brownies, but didn’t end that way!  After trying what was supposed to be my batter, I turned off the oven and decided this was absolutely amazing as it was… no need to turn it into anything else. So here you are, a healthy, nutrient dense, chocolate pudding that is filled with plant based protein, fibre, and antioxidants, magnesium rich raw cacao, and healthy fats like almond butter and coconut oil. This recipe is free of refined sugars and only sweetened with local maple syrup. Enjoy!

This recipe makes about 4 portions, depending on who is making it and doing the “quality control” 🙂 🙂 🙂

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Ingredients

1 medium sized sweet potato, peeled and cubed.

1/2 cup black beans, cooked or canned (I like Eden Organics)

3 T organic coconut oil, melted

1/4 cup raw cacao powder

1/4 maple syrup (you could also use Medjool dates, but would have to add more water)

1 Tbsp almond butter, smooth or crunchy

1-2 Tbsp filtered water

Pinch of Himalayan sea salt

Dash of vanilla extract or a pinch of powder

Your favourite berries and superfoods for topping

1/2 cup almonds, ground, or nuts of choice (optional…add for crunch!)

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Method

This recipe can be prepared in a blender or food processor. For a Vitamix use the damper stick, for any other blender (and perhaps the food pro), continue to stop the blender and scrape down the sides with a baking spatula, as you add more ingredients.

  1. Steam cubed sweet potatoes until soft, about 20 minutes. I like to use a bamboo steamer. In the mean time, take out the other ingredients, melt the coconut oil, grind the almonds, etc.
  2. To your blender or food processor, add sweet potatoes, black beans and coconut oil. Pulse/blend until they start to combine well.
  3. Add cacao powder, maple syrup, almond butter, salt, vanilla and 1 tbsp of water. Blend well.
  4. Add additional water until desired consistency is reached.
  5. Remove the pudding from your blender, place in a bowl and stir in the ground almonds or nuts of choice.
  6. When ready to serve, you can top the pudding with fresh berries, additional almonds or any of your superfood toppings like bee pollen, chia, cacao nibs, spirulina or goji berries.

Looking for something lighter? Replace the sweet potato and black beans with 1/2 a papaya.

All in One: Women’s SUPERfood Elixir RECIPE

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Hail to being a woman… to fully feeling, embracing and honouring our emotions… ..to celebrating our ecstatic highs and witnessing our lows. Let’s set a collective intuition to thrive, rejoice and feel optimal and balanced in our body, mind, heart and spirit.

This drink is inspired by:

❤ the gratitude I feel for being a woman

❤ my love for superfoods (especially chocolate) and super health!

❤ my intention to live with a wide open heart

❤ my yearning feel fully alive and to thrive

❤  the inherent place of joy, stillness, love and freedom that dwells within my heart.

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It is so easy to collect a cupboard full of superfoods and not know how or why to use them, so I decided to make one drink withe everything in…that actually tastes amazing!

This drink has everything in one heart opening-balancing-nourishing-calming,-immunity strengthening- revitalising- detoxifying – chocolate bursting- delicious ELIXIR (a.k.a tonic, superfood tea, glorified hot chocolate, hot beverage).

Ingredients

2 cups brewed tea of choice. I like to use Tulsi (holy basil) Chai, lemongrass-ginger, chaga or gynostemma tea for the medicinal properties.

2 heaping Tbsp Raw Cacao Powder

1/4 tsp (up  to 1t) Ashwagandha

1/2 tsp (up to 1t) Maca powder

1/4 tsp (up to 1/2 t) Spirulina

1 ml reishi tincture (or your favourite mushroom tinctures/powders)

1 Tbsp Coconut or MCT oil

1 Tbsp Hemp seeds

2-3 tsp Maple syrup or local honey

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Pinch of Cayenne

Toppings: Bee Pollen, Goji Berries, cacao nibs, additional hemp seeds and cinnamon

Blend all ingredients together in blender. Makes one very enjoyable serving! 

Read more about these superfoods in the article top-10-superfoods, also featuring aloe vera, camu camu, chlorella, fo-ti and more!

More superfood recipes you may like to try:

Raw Cacao Superfood Truffles 

Maca Cacao SuperMylk 

Chewy Chocolate MACAroons (ps. you can bake with maca … I did the research!)

 

 

The Essentials: Your Morning Coffee {Sugar Free September}

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The Essentials is a series of recipes and tips that will inspire you to stay sugar free without changing your daily routine. Ok, you have decided to take on the challenge of going sugar free for the month of September. You committed to yourself that you could 1) avoid store bought sugary baked goods, 2) that you are going to replace soda pop with hydrating herb and fruit infused water and 3) you are going to attempt making your own sauces, condiments and dressings at home…

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BUT.. then you remember… you favourite morning ritual… your coffee (w/sugar!) No need to worry, I got you covered with this creamy, silky and sweet morning brew… I can assure you, you will not be missing your double double!

Directions

After brewing your morning cup (or 2) of coffee, add it to your blender with 1 tbsp of virgin coconut oil, 1 tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and optional 1 tsp of cacao.  Blending the coffee with coconut oil turns it into a creamy latte, while giving you a dose of your healthy fats. The added cinnamon helps to balance blood sugar levels and the cacao is a great magnesium and energy boost.

Not a coffee drinker? Try one of my Superfood Latte Teas (click for free e-book with 5 recipes!) for a morning boost like Maple Chaga, Matcha-Maca, or Turmeric Chai!  They are all dairy free and prepared with your choice of coconut or almond milk. You could also experiment with using an all natural coffee replacement such as Dandy Blend.

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Turmeric Chai Superfood Tea 

Easy Overnight Chai Oats

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Ingredients:

1 cup gluten-free rolled oats

2 cups almond milk or fresh homemade coconut milk  *

1/4 cup raisins

1 inch piece fresh ginger root, grated

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

freshly grated nutmeg, to taste (less than 1/4 tsp)

2 tsp cinnamon

ground clove and star anise (optional)

1/2 cup almonds, sliced

1/4 cup pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup

*for canned coconut milk, add 1 cup coconut milk + 1 cup water.

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a glass tupperware container and stir until well combined. Let sit overnight in the fridge.

Optional garnishes: fresh fruit like sliced banana or cubed apple.

Tip: Soaking the oats over night improves digestion and assimmilation of the oats!

Makes 3-4 servings

Goin’ Seasonal Week 4: Heirloom Potato Salad with Caesar Dressing & Garlic Scape Pesto

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Last year, I had the honour of being a part of the Dare 2 Dream Sandy Loam Produce first ever Community Support Agriculture (CSA) program in Espanola, Ontario. On a weekly basis, CSA members as well as those of you signed up for the Holistic Lacey newsletter received a flyer filled with delicious recipes, tips and nutritional facts. I have decided to share this deliciousness to inspire, educate and encourage everyone to enjoy eating locally and seasonally, and to feel the difference for yourself.

Week 4: Adirondack Red Potatoes 

Red, on the inside and out!

Adirondack Red Potatoes are an oblong, slightly flattened tuber with purplish-red skin and pink-red flesh. They are flavourful and moist and can be enjoyed boiled and roasted.

 

Colourful Potato Salad with Green Beans

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Ingredients

– 6 cups potatoes, washed and cut into 1″ chunks, skin-on

– 2 large shallots, diced, or spring onion
– 1⁄2 cup celery, diced
– 1⁄2 cup fresh parsley or dill, roughly chopped – 3 cups green beans or asparagus, trimmed,

washed and cut into 1/2″ pieces
– 1⁄4 cup fresh chives, chopped (about 20) – 3-4 Free range eggs, boiled, sliced

(optional)

For the dressing: Choose from my favourite simple dressing included last week or for a creamy version, choose my ultimate dairy free creamy cashew Caesar salad dressing.

What in the world is a garlic scape?

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I still remember the first time I saw these beautiful wispy spirals that began to grow out from my garlic plants, planted the previous fall. I immediately did some research to learn more and was amazed (and excited!) about what I could do with them in the kitchen. I will also never forget the moment I harvested it and ate it raw…weooo…hello garlic!

 

Click Here to read more about garlic scapes and how to enjoy them grilled or in hummus + a delicious Arugula Walnut Garlic Scape Pesto recipe!

For your Health….scapes can

  • oxygenate blood
  • Reduce inflammation
  • Boosts immunity; high in antioxidant glutathione
  • lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels
  • garlic scapes, like cloves, and other alliums are known for their anti cancer qualities
  • rich in sulfur; important for health and strength of hair, nails, skin and important for synthesis of amino acids.

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream {dairy-free}

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Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

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Serves 2

4 tbsp or 1/4 cup fresh coconut milk or other milk substitute

1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)

1 cup baby spinach or curly kale

3 to 5 drops of food grade peppermint oil or mint extract

4 bananas, frozen

3 tablespoons raw cacao nibs or mini chocolate chips.

handful Fresh mint leaves, optional

Instructions

Add coconut milk and spinach to blender and blend until as smooth as possible. Add maple syrup, bananas, peppermint oil and leaves. Start on low and slowly turn blender up to high, using the damper stick of the vitamix. Use the damper to mix well in all four corners, for about 1 minute. Add cacao nibs or chocolate chips and pulse 3 times. Enjoy immediately or allow to set for one hour in the freezer.

Inspiration and photo by @anna_bananas__

Avocado Lover’s Pesto {family size} {oil-free}

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Summer sunshine and warm days are here. You’ll want to add this simple pesto to your weekly repertoire, especially if you 1) love avocados, 2) have a lot of ripe ones on hand or 3) are looking for ways to include more healthy fats into your diet. Enjoy with veggie sticks, raw crackers, on pasta (cooked brown rice pasta or raw, spiralized zucchini noodles), on toast with your favourite sandwich or with corn chips.

I created this recipe for a food demo I offered at Farm of Life in April, and guests were so surprised that there was no oil!  I usually add oil to my pestos but with a lot of avocados to use, I had an idea to completely replace the oil with the avos. This pesto is rich, yet still light, creamy and fluffy. Add as much or as little garlic as you like. You can also add a handful or fresh greens like spinach or kale for extra leafy green action!

images-20What you’ll need:

4 avocados

2 bunches of basil

1 cup walnuts or nuts of choice like macadamia, pecans, brazil nuts, cashews

1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed

4-6 medium garlic cloves

1 tsp Himalayan pink salt

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/4 – 1/2 cup water, to reach desired consistency

1 cup spinach (optional)

In a food processor, add all ingredients, except water and spinach and pulse until well combined. Slowly add water until you reach your desired consistency. Pulse in spinach and combine until smooth or leave slightly chunky. Store in an airtight container or sealed mason jar and refrigerate. Pesto is best if used within a few days, otherwise you can freeze it for several months.

Trusting this will bring a smile to your face and warm your heart!

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