Homemade Strawberry Jam

Homemade Strawberry Jam

by | Jul 3, 2016 | Recipes

Strawberry jam is something I don’t regularly eat because most products at the supermarket are full of preservatives, sugars and artificial flavors. However, at this time of the year strawberries are in season here in the Hamptons. Strawberry picking is a typical weekend activity around here. Since there are so many strawberries around I wanted to make a really simple and healthy strawberry jam with very few ingredients.

What’s important to me is figuring out the fastest and most simple way to prepare healthy food from whole, minimally processed ingredients. I love to play around in the kitchen experimenting with different recipes, but not all the time. Fast, easy, and healthy is the name of my kitchen game.

This homemade strawberry jam is as simple as it gets. And this time of year in the Hamptons there are strawberries in abundance.

strawberry jam

strawberry jam

This recipe literally has 3 ingredients (4 if you count water…but who counts water as an ingredient?).

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup strawberries
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1-2 tbsp honey (optional, but it makes it sweeter)

Possible Modifications:

  • Add an extra tablespoon of chia seeds to make it thicker.
  • Substitute any natural sweetener of choice instead of honey, or use no sweetener at all if you like it tart.

Directions:

  • Put strawberries in the food processor
  • Add water, chia seeds, and sweetener then pulse a few more times so it’s evenly mixed.
  • Let it sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours so the chia seeds can work their magic.

Yes, I know it’s only 3 steps. It will probably take you no more than 5 minutes start to finish. Your welcome. 

I like to put it on sprouted grain toast with almond or peanut butter. SOOO YUMMS!

strawberry jam

Enjoy the sweet flavors of summer!

xo,

Caroline-2

Holiday Gift Guide for the Yogi in Your Life

Holiday Gift Guide for the Yogi in Your Life

by | Nov 23, 2018 | Wellness, Yoga

Happy Holiday Season! Even though Thanksgiving just happened and it still feels a lot like fall (we still have some beautiful foliage here right now in North Carolina) I am all into the holiday spirit right now.

I am also a firm believer in protecting your energy when it comes to the malls and hectic shopping situation during the holidays. It can leave you feeling angry, depleted, and completely out of the holiday spirit. You can either find me at the mom and pop shops in my hometown supporting local businesses, or ordering gifts online, in my pj’s with a cup of tea.

Let’s simplify the task of your holiday shopping, so you can retain some joy and remember what this time of year is really about. The gifts I have included in this guide are all affordable, and curated for you!

As I’ve started to grow my blog, I’ve had the opportunity to partner with some great small businesses and I’m so happy to share these companies in this year’s guides. I have noted in the descriptions below which ones are from small businesses, if you’re tying to support the little guis this year. Additionally, I’ve also shared Amazon links here as well, so make your shopping much easier. I’m a big fan of Amazon just for the convenience. I want to note that some of these links are affiliate links which means I may earn a small (like jokingly small) commission if you purchase through my link. Just gotta throw that out there to be all legal and stuff.

So for all the wellness enthusiasts out there…you know who you are… drinking green juices, going to soul cycle, sage-ing the F out of your house after you have a fight with your boyfriend, and reading the latest personal development book, I’ve got you! Check out my pics for 2018!

1. Confused Girl In The City- Grace Leggings. I love this brand! Not only was it started by a young female entrepreneur (I totally want to support all my ladies out there) but what makes them different is all the patterns are taken from images of actual crystals. The pattern on the Grace leggings are images taken directly from a ROSE ONYX Crystal. Onyx is associated with the root chakra. It assists with challenges in life, especially those caused by a drain of energy. It prevents the draining away of personal energy and can be used for protection from such. It also helps with grounding or eliminating unwanted energies.  These pants are on sale at the moment AND you get to use my discount code bloomspark. *You’re supporting a small business by purchasing from this company*

2. Sex, Drugs, & (mostly) Yoga by Kara-Leah Grant. I haven’t read this but I’m super in to Kundalini right now and it looks awesome!.

3. Satya Jewelry. I am sooooooo jazzed that Satya jewelry is now on AMAZON! I first learned about Satya through my teacher Gabby Bernstein who is friends with Satya the jewelry designer. She was selling mala beads at the Spirit Junkie Masterclass I attended and her stuff is beyond gorgeous! Any piece from her is a winner. For those who know me well, i wear my gold Satya Spirit Junkie necklace pretty much every day! *You’re supporting a small business by purchasing from this company*

4. The Singing Bowl is my jam right now. I’ve recently partnered with a small business out of Canada called Shanti Bowls that sources high quality yet affordable singing bowls. I use my singing bowl for helping to unwind from a stressful day and clear my mind from work thoughts and daily stress. *You’re supporting a small business by purchasing from this company*

5. Herbivore Coco Rose Body Polish, this stuff feels amazing after a sweaty vinyasa class, or really anytime you need to feel clean and sparkly. Also, the Herbivore brand is on Amazon now and all their products have an emphasis on organic, high quality, and food-grade ingredients.

6. Four Sigmatic Lion’s Mane. If you haven’t gotten on the mushroom bandwagon what are you waiting for? The health benefits of mushrooms are innumerable! All of Four Sigmatic’s products are derived from high quality mushrooms are are incredible for your health and vitality. But sorry, they won’t get you high!

7. The Inner Tradition of Yoga by Michael Stone. I’m interested in reading this book because so much of yoga in our culture is so focused on outward things like your outfits and what fancy poses can you post to instagram. This will help you get back to the real meaning of yoga, which is truly an inward journey.

8. Confused Girl In The City Mystery Leggings. I know, I have them on here twice, I just find the patterns so pretty I couldn’t choose just one! The pattern on the Mystery leggings are images taken from a beautiful MARBLE Stone. This stone is beneficial for the blood, skin, and cleansing systems. It is used to provide both clarity and states of suspension in meditation. Provides for strength of self control and mastery of thought. It enhances the powers of serenity. These are also on sale at the moment AND you get to use my discount code bloomspark. *You’re supporting a small business by purchasing from this company*

Improving Sleep Hygiene to Get More Quality Rest

Improving Sleep Hygiene to Get More Quality Rest

by | Oct 8, 2017 | Self Care, Wellness

Getting enough sleep is important, but you shouldn’t underestimate the importance of getting QUALITY sleep. It’s not just the quantity, but the quality of the hours you’re sleeping each night that can make the difference in your energy and stamina the next day. With good sleep hygiene, you can improve the quality of your sleep. Sleeping better ensures that you get the restorative rest you need to perform your best each day.

Sleep Hygiene

Sleep hygiene means practicing good sleep habits. Important elements include maintaining a comfortable temperature, darkness and quiet in your bedroom, and comfortable bedding. You should go to bed at the same time each night, and avoid screen time, caffeine, and late naps. Sleep hygiene can also include incorporating relaxing exercises into your pre-bedtime routine, such as yoga and meditation.

Just like how you take care of your personal hygiene by brushing your teeth, your sleep hygiene should become a non-negotihtble part of your routine.

Yoga and Sleep

Practicing yoga poses an help you calm your mind and body. This makes it easier to fall asleep quickly and stay asleep through the night. You can practice some yoga poses in bed including:

  • Legs up the wall
  • Forward bend
  • Happy baby pose
  • Child’s pose
  • Corpse pose
  • Reclining Goddess pose

When you practice yoga in bed it’s a good idea to move pillows and comforters to that you have a large flat surface. You hold choose a mattress with a good support core so you’ll have a comfortable sleeping environment as well as a good place to stretch and do seated poses.

Sleep Hygiene

Meditation and Sleep

Meditation can be helpful for sleep, practiced with or without yoga. It can relieve stress, and can calm your mind so you can get to sleep quickly and experience restful, restorative sleep.

Meditation has been proven to:

  • Reduce fatigue
  • Diminish Anxiety and depression
  • Rewire Brains
  • Repair genes

Meditation can help you get good quality sleep by triggering a relaxation response, and it can hep yo if you’re short on sleep. it shifts your focus, helping you focus on the preset moment.

We can practice meditation for better sleep and daytime focus with:

  • Progressive muscle relaxation
  • mindful breathing
  • counting meditation
  • guided meditation

How You Can Improve Sleep Hygiene for Better Sleep

Improving your sleep habits can improve your sleep. Get better sleep by following thee sleep hygiene tips:

  • Maintain a comfortable temperature. Your bedroom shouldn’t be too hot or too cold. Most people tend to sleep best in a cool room. Make sure your mattress, bedding, and pajamas are breathable and appropriate for the season.

  • Keep your bedroom dark. Bright lights can interfere with your circadian rhythm, telling your brain it’s time to wake up even when you’re trying to go to sleep. Consider blackout curtains if your bedroom isn’t dark enough.

  • Keep your bedroom quiet. Loud noises can keep you up or jar you awake. Limit nighttime noise and consider using a white noise machine if you’re bothered by noises at night.

  • Invest in comfortable bedding. The right mattress can help you stay comfortable at night, aligning your spine and offering the support you need for restorative sleep.

  • Limit screen time before bed. Just as bright lights can interfere with your brain’s sleep signals, screen time can be confusing as well. Avoid using screens in the hour (or more) before bed to avoid sending your brain a signal that it’s daytime and time to stay awake.

  • Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bed. Consuming these items can interfere with sleep quality, or make it difficult to fall asleep.

  • Go to bed at the same time each night. Setting a consistent sleep time can train your brain and body to get sleepy at a regular time. This will make it easier to drift off to sleep each night.

  • Nap wisely. Avoid naps late in the day, or napping for too long, as they can interfere with sleeping well at night.

  • Use your bed as a dedicated place for sleep and rest. Your bed should only be used for sleep, sex, and restful activities, such as yoga and meditation. Avoid working, eating, and other activities in bed.

Sleep Hygiene

This post was graciously submitted to Bloom & Spark by Sara Westgreen. Sara Westgreen is a researcher for the sleep science hub Tuck.com. She sleeps on a king size bed in Texas, where she defends her territory against cats all night. A mother of three, she enjoys beer, board games, and getting as much sleep as she can get her hands on.