Pray for Nepal

Life is fragile. And scary reminders like these only reinforce this truth. Images of loss and destruction  from quake wrenched Nepal sent me to a knee-jerk. This could have been me, my family was my first thought.....we all lucked out but these people didn't. Many were buried in the safety solitarity of their mud brick homes that they built themselves and others lost their lives on the streets. Cries of pain and grief weakens the air that the survivors breathe. Resources were severed and hope was stolen in a wink. 

Let's support, uplift and say a little prayer for them as they try to stand the wobbly ground and slowly find a new normal. The road to recovery that lays ahead is a long one but also one that will whisper weighty tales of Nepalese resilience for years to come. This calamity might have claimed thousands of lives and brought boundless suffering but the soul of Nepal is unscathed.

Sending love and light to my warm wounded neighbors across the frontiers 

x o Renee

Image source : Omar Havana/ Getty Images

'What I Eat'

This time around I'm coming at you with a little 'what I eat’ because that seems to the conversation starter of the season.  Processed food and people, both wreck my zen and that is the reason why I don't give them free reign very often. My lifestyle is pretty attainable and making informed choices for my family is a priority. I do not wanna be insulated into any trending health label. My choices are conscious, deliberate, far-sighted and most importantly, functional. A healthier lifestyle in practice is way less intimidating than in thought. I base mine primarily on raw greens, fruits, nuts and lentils, secondarily on lean meats, complex carbohydrates and inappreciable dairy. A lot has changed since I first started this 'clean' intuitive eating journey. I have evolved for better, and so has my food. I'm selective about where and how I source my food and the whole process that brings it to my platter is becoming increasingly relevant to me. Now I cook a lot more wholesome vegetarian meals. Partly because I've grown sentient to the moral, rational and ecological repercussions of meat-eating.  However, I also gotta think about how a complete and permanent overhaul of animal products could impact my health given the sparsity of local sustainable food options where I live. Also, it would be totally hollow to trail a certain path like Veganism dogmatically but continue to shop for leather handbags and jackets (which I still do). I've seen people do both, but I cannot become that person who loses integrity in the midst of comfort.  Hence, it's work in progress for now.

And for peers asking about easy ways to lose weight and stay fit, you could do that by eating Cheetos and drinking diet Coke as long as they are in a sufficient caloric deficit. But that would be counter productive and gravely detrimental to your health. Start small and celebrate tiny victories, aim for moderation not deprivation and try limitation and portion control before you set out to eliminate. Chose a lifestyle that's worth growing old with. 

I'm sharing a few breakfast ideas here that I have been Instagraming lately. Hope you got to know me and my ways a bit better. Another time, when time is in a better supply, I'll muse a bit more on it. Until then come find me on Facebook and Instagram @thestylecradle.

Frozen strawberries and banana, flax seeds, bee pollen, walnuts and homemade oat milk yogurt smoothie

Frozen spinach, strawberries and banana, pear, cacao nibs, chia seeds, pistachio and homemade oat milk yogurt smoothie

   Frozen kale and banana, green apple, almonds, chia and flax seeds, spoonful of homemade muesli   and vegan dark chocolate bark smoothie

Crunchy natural peanut butter, amaranth and pumpkin seeds on a multigrain (Norlander from Al Fair) toastie. Fresh-pressed beet and ginger juice.

Oat milk yogurt and fresh mango drink topped with flax seeds and almonds

Acai almond meal bowl with dark chocolate and sunflower seeds

Blueberries, banana, almond milk, chia and hemp seeds smoothie

Homemade muesli and rawnola over oat milk in a melon bowl

Homebaked granola, hard boiled egg and rooibos tea

Homemade no-bake chewy protein bars

Kale, banana, almond milk and hemp seeds smoothie

Thank you for sticking around if you've been here for a while and welcome to my nook if you are new. 

xo Renee