I don't know about you, but my holiday shopping doesn't usually begin until December. Maybe it's because I grew up in the desert, where I have to put myself into the holiday spirit by sipping pumpkin spice frozen drinks and playing constant Christmas music throughout December to remember that it is December, because it is … Continue reading Unique holiday gifts inspired by change
I was Couchsurfing at a house in northern Germany when I met the first person I had ever heard say, "Ich stehe nicht auf Plastik." The phrase means, "I do not agree with," or, "I am not keen on" plastic. It was the most bizarre comment to me at the time. This was 2011. The … Continue reading Not so keen on plastic in my food
The mighty Prickly Pear holds within it a powerhouse of benefits. It is rich in vitamin C and dietary fiber, low-calorie and contains antioxidant compounds. My desert tortoise uses the juicy cactus pads as a main source of nutrients, the local birds have figured out how to drill into the fruits and extract the sweet, almost … Continue reading Harnessing the power of the Prickly Pear
I remember my grandma would always try to make sure I had healthy food when I went to her house. I'll never forget one specific occasion she said, "Oh Kaysha, look at those chubby little fingers!" I can't remember how old I was, but my ice cream and over-eating habits began to catch up with … Continue reading It’s okay to eat chocolate sometimes
"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." - Hippocrates First, we need to talk about Ginger. Let's talk first about how ginger is proving 10,000 times stronger than chemo in some cancer research and how it can attach to and fight cancer stem cells. If that's not enough to make you want to include … Continue reading Ginger Pear Blueberry Super Smoothie
There she was: a goat in a stanchion with a full udder, ready to be milked for the first time. Behind me was the culmination of about two years of dreams and planning to get to this moment. Of course after the initial excitement of baby goats wears off, you have a couple of weeks to wait … Continue reading To the rhythm of the squeeze and stream
Because of the desert southwest's recent onslaught of abnormally hot weather, I've found myself searching for non-traditional methods to keep the animals cool. It was 116 degrees at my desert home on Tuesday. We're far from the city's concrete metropolis and surrounded by cactus, bushes and dirt, but little shade. Luckily our temperatures didn't hit … Continue reading Watermelon goat’s milk pupsicles
When I cut meat out of my diet (except fish) in 2013, I knew needed to find a good way to load up on specific nutrients. I discovered breakfast smoothies and how quickly you can pack them with all the nutrients you need. I've had one every day since, except while traveling, because it's not easy to find … Continue reading Blackberry Sage Smoothie Recipe
Beginning a garden in Phoenix wasn't just going to be difficult because of the heat, I also don't own the property where I live and thus didn't want to plant anything into the ground. Could I successfully keep garden plants without planting a real garden, in Phoenix? The seasons are different from most other states. … Continue reading My green thumb
It was midnight in Alaska when I arrived. The trip was a last minute whim. I could see the sunset on the horizon. "Why is it light outside?" I joked to the women sitting beside me on the plane, both Anchorage natives. Aliza, with whom I'd be staying, met me at the arrivals in her big … Continue reading Anchorage after the breakup
