I have a bit of a sweet tooth. While I don’t eat sugary, buttery desserts I do need something sweet at the end of my night. My usual go to is a few yam cookies with raw honey and a couple of squares of dark chocolate. Nothing too crazy but it keeps me satisfied and happy.

Sometimes I do like to get a little more creative with my desserts. The other night I had roasted a bunch of beets to put on my new favorite dinner salad. I had some left over and decided to turn them into a chocolate beet pudding. Sounds crazy? Beets have always reminded me of dark chocolate, and their natural sweetness is perfect for a veggie based dessert!

After a few experiments I ended up with this pudding. The color reminds me of red velvet cake, and so does the taste. It’s chocolaty, earthy, and just sweet enough. Hey, if you can make a dessert out of vegetables why not? For a little extra fun you could serve this topped with cacao nibs, or small pieces of dark chocolate.

Just a note, if you are not a beet lover like me this pudding probably won’t convert you. However, if you love the AMAZINGNESS that is the beet I urge you to try this pudding. You will thank me later!

Red Velvet Pudding

• 2 cups roasted beets (you can either roast your own or buy pre-cooked beet like Love Beets)
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ cup almond milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp liquid stevia

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Wash beets thoroughly. Wrap each beet in tin foil and bake at 350 for one hour.
3. When the beets are cool enough to handle, gently rub off the skin using a cloth.
4. Chop beets into small pieces.
5. Combine all ingredients in a Vitamix or high-speed blender.
6. Adjust sweetness to taste
7. Allow to chill in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes before eating

Until a few days ago Paula Deen had little influence on my life. I am more Southern Manhattan than Southern Comfort (although I love me some Tim McGraw). Her butter, bacon and sugar laden recipes hold no appeal for me. In fact I get a little sick just reading one of them.

When she went public with her type 2 diabetes I cannot say I was surprised. The hiding of her disease while still encouraging her fans to cook with pounds of sugar and butter, and her endorsement with diabetes drug Novo Nordisk  shocked and appalled me. Anthony Bourdain said (or tweeted) it best, “thinking of getting into the leg-breaking business, so I can profitably sell crutches later.”

This news is still very new and I hope Paula will eventually use her celebrity for good. She should take a note from her son Bobby and his new Cooking Channel show, “Not My Momma’s Meals.” Bobby’s healthful makeovers of his mother’s recipes inspired me to take a stab at southern comfort myself.  My version of Paula Deen’s notorious “Hoecake” is vegan, naturally gluten free and even contains veggies! Like I said, I am more “downtown” than “down south” so forgive me if these are a bit of a departure from Paula’s.

Corn and Coconut “Hoecakes”

• ¼ cup flax meal
• ¼ cup water
• 1 ½ cups almond milk
• 1 cup coconut flour
•  1 ¼ cup raw corn kernals
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• 10 drops liquid stevia
• coconut oil

1.  In a small bowl combine the flax and water to make “flax eggs”. Set aside
2. In a high-speed blender or Vitamix combine  the almond milk, coconut flour, lemon juice, sea salt, stevia and 1 cup of the corn. Blend until a very thick batter is achieved.
3. Transfer the batter to a mixing bowl and add the remaining corn and the “flax eggs.” Stir to thoroughly combine.
4. Heat a skillet with just enough coconut oil to cover the bottom.
5. Use  a spoon or ice-cream scoop ladle out about ¼ cup of the batter onto the hot pan.
6. Cook for about 3 minutes, the underside should be browned, the top still wet. Flip the cakes and cook until both sides are browned.
7. Serve plain or with a little maple syrup

Winter in NYC puts me in hibernation mode. When it is cold and dark outside I have a harder time venturing out in the evenings. I still love going out with my friends, but I do spend more quiet evenings at home this time of year.

Most of my at home meals revolve around some sort of winter squash. Butternut, kabocha, acorn, spaghetti I love them all. This stuffed acorn squash recipe is hearty and comforting for a cold winter night. If you end up with more stuffing than can fill your squash, you could always make some of these!

Stuffed Acorn Squash

• 1 acorn squash
• 1 cup diced cremini mushrooms
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 cup diced parsnip
• 4 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 T minced fresh sage
• 1 T minced fresh rosemary
• 1 T coconut oil

1. preheat oven to 400
2. with a sharp knife cut the acorn squash in half and scoop out the seeds
3. sprinkle inside of  the squash halves with sea salt
4. fill a baking dish with a little water (so squash won’t scorch) and place squash cut side up in dish
5. roast at 400 for 40 minutes or until tender
6.  place the remaining ingredients on a baking sheet and toss so the vegetables are coated and the garlic and herbs are evenly distributed.
7. Roast for 20-30 minutes until the vegetables are tender and have reduced in size.
8. fill the cavity of each squash with stuffing

These can either be served immediately, or warmed in oven for 5-10 minutes before serving

I love long weekends. The one extra day makes a world of difference. All of a sudden a Monday feels like a Sunday! When a weekday is proclaimed a holiday I give myself permission to really relax and not run all over NYC like a crazy person. In fact, I barley leave my neighborhood.

On a freezing holiday Monday like today my favorite chill-out activity is a long, hot bath with a great body scrub. In this cold, dry weather I make a point to exfoliate several times a week to keep my skin from getting dry and flaky.

Sadly, the other day I accidently dropped and broke a jar of my favorite (and slightly pricey) scrub. Instead of ordering another one, I took the opportunity to try and make my own. After a little experimenting I think I came up with a great formula. All you need is coconut oil (which helps you moisturize while you scrub!), some sort of grainy substance to exfoliate, and an essential oil to make it smell heavenly. That’s it. It could not be simpler.

I personally love a calming vanilla and sugar scrub but the possibilities are endless. You can use any essential oil you like, and even substitute the raw sugar for salt! Using salt will make the scrub a bit rougher, so for sensitive skin I suggest sticking to sugar. I can see a lot of my friends getting custom scrubs as gifts in the future!

Happy exfoliating!

Heavenly Homemade Body Scrub

• 1 cup coconut oil
• 2 cups raw sugar
• 5 drops essential oil of your choice ( I used this amazing vanilla one by Aura Cacia)

1.  Combine all ingredients in a bowl until thoroughly blended
2. Add a little more essential oil if you want a more potent scented scrub
3. Transfer the mixture to an airtight jar

On New Year’s Eve Doug and I rang in 2012 with a romantic tasting dinner at our favorite restaurant, Blue Hill. As always they were incredibly accommodating to our many eating preferences. No meat, no grains, no dairy, no problem! We had a truly wonderful dinner including perfectly prepared veggies and sustainably caught fish. As the time edged towards midnight my final savory course of 2011, their semi-notorious Cauliflower Steak arrived. I cannot think of a better way to have ended an amazing year!

This week I was inspired to create my own version of a Cauliflower Steak. It is very hearty, makes a great main course and is a wonderful way to use my favorite Roasted Garlic Dressing.

Cauliflower Steak with Kale and Roasted Garlic Dressing

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1 bunch kale
• 4 cloves of garlic minced
• sea salt and pepper
• ½ T coconut oil
• ½ cup water

1. Preheat the oven to 400
2. Trim the leaves and stem from the bottom of the cauliflower head. Starting at the top center cut 1” thick “steaks” from the cauliflower. You should get about 2 steaks per head of cauliflower.
3. Cut the remaining cauliflower into small florets.
4. Line two baking sheets with tin foil. On one sheet place the cauliflower “steaks” sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. On the second baking sheet toss the remaining florets with 2 of the minced garlic cloves, sea salt and pepper.
5. Roast the cauliflower steaks and florets for about 20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
6. While the cauliflower is roasting remove the hard center rib from the kale and tear into small pieces.
7. In a large sauté pan brown the remaining garlic with a little coconut oil
8. Add the kale and sauté,slowly adding water. You may not need to add all the water.
9. To serve place each cauliflower “steak” on a bed of the sautéed kale, surrounded by a rim of roasted cauliflower florets topped with a little Roasted Garlic Dressing.

Roasted Garlic Dressing

• 1 cup peeled garlic
• ¾ cup olive oil
• 1 T mellow white miso paste
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Place peeled garlic in a small baking dish and cover with olive oil. Roast for approximately 40 minutes or until slightly brown.
3. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
4. Using a slotted spoon remove the garlic from the olive oil and place in a blender with the remaining ingredients.
5. Blend until thoroughly combined. Adjust seasoning to taste

I am not shy about my love for beets. I adore their sweet, earthy taste and their deep pink color. Did you know you can use beet juice as a quick lip stain? Truly a versatile veggie!

My sister in law made a delicious beet dip for Christmas Eve, which inspired me to create my own version. This one is super simple to make and can be kept in the fridge for a whole week of dipping!

I love roasting my own beets, you cannot beat (pun intended) the taste. However, if you want to “cheat” you could use pre-cooked organic beets such as the Love Beets they carry at Whole Foods.

• 2 medium beets (about 2 cups when cut )
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 T tahini
• 2T lemon juice
• ¼ tsp cumin
• 1/4tsp coriander
• pinch of sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Wash beets thoroughly. Wrap each beet in tin foil and bake at 350 for one hour.
3. When the beets are cool enough to handle, gently rub off the skin using a cloth.
4. Chop beets into small pieces.
5. In a food processor combine beets with all other ingredients. Adjust seasoning to taste.

The other night I had the singular and rare pleasure of having our apartment to myself for the evening. I adore my husband, but sometimes a girl needs a night to herself to take a bath, watch trashy TV (Grey’s Anatomy and The Vampire Diaries) and lay on her Pranamat.

What’s a Pranamat? So glad you asked! My Pranamat is my new bliss out discovery. It would be an understatement to say I am obsessed.

The Pranamat was designed in the tradition of ancient Indian Yogis who would use a “bed of nails” for meditation and self-healing. I promise, this is much better than lying on nails!

I exercise a lot. A lot. Exercise makes me feel great, creates natural endorphins and gives me energy. However, if I am not careful my muscles can get tight and tense and my body can feel “locked up.” I am always looking for news ways to relax and keep things flowing.

As you lie on the Pranamat, the tiny spikes of the lotuses press your skin, massage your body and intensify the local blood flow and lymph circulation. The natural endorphins your body releases block pain and create a feeling of well-being. Along with all those great endorphins, your body also releases Oxytocin- it’s own natural happy pill. When Oxytocin levels rise, stress hormones decrease. Our bodies are pretty amazing huh?

All you have to do is lie still and in about 30 minutes you will experience total bliss. I liken it to the “massage coma” feeling I get during an amazing deep tissue massage. You are not asleep, but not awake either. Just totally 100% blissed out.

I lie on my Pranamat a few times a week, usually before bed. It truly helps relieve my muscle tension, stress and pain.

Amazingly, the Pranamat can also be used as an energizer. Just lie on it for 5-20 minutes. It is not until after 20 minutes that it becomes a relaxant. On Saturday night I was feeling tired and lazy but I knew I had to motivate and rally for my dinner and drinks plans. I lay on my Pranamat for 15 minutes before getting dressed and I was good to go!

I like my wellness with a bit of style. Lucky for me the Pranamat is good looking too. Mine is orange with purple lotus spikes-it fits right in with the décor of my office! No need to shove it in a closet-just careful it is not somewhere you will accidentally step on it! I also love that it is made from 100% natural materials including linen and coconut fibre.

The Pranamat is truly 100 % natural bliss. I think I am in love.

Do you ever buy the tubs of pre-peeled garlic all excited about not having to peel it yourself? I do and then realize there is much more garlic than I can use before it spoils-and I use garlic in a lot of my dishes! Here’s a great way to use up that peeled garlic before it turns on you. This dressing will last at least a week in the fridge and is delicious on just about any dish! I of course love it with beets.

Beet and Arugula Salad with Roasted Garlic Dressing

• 2 medium beets
• 2 cups wild arugula

1.  Preheat oven to 350
2. Wash beets thoroughly. Wrap each beet in tin foil and bake at 350 for one hour.
3. When the beets are cool enough to handle, gently rub off the skin using a cloth or napkin.
4. Chop beets into small pieces.
5. To serve divide the arugula between two plates, top with roasted beets and a few spoonfuls of the Roasted Garlic Dressing.

Roasted Garlic Dressing

• 1 cup peeled garlic
• ¾ cup olive oil
• 1 T mellow white miso paste
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp dried oregano

1.  Preheat oven to 350
2. Place peeled garlic in a small baking dish and cover with olive oil. Roast for approximately 40 minutes or until slightly brown.
3. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
4. Using a slotted spoon remove the garlic from the olive oil and place in a blender with the remaining ingredients.
5. Blend until thoroughly combined. Adjust seasoning to taste.

My name is Sara and I am a product junkie. I started getting facials right before my 13^th birthday and have never looked back. Healthy, glowing skin is a huge priority for me.

Sadly, a lot of the products out there are filled with synthetics that are pretty terrible for us. Our skin is our largest organ-whatever we put on it gets directly absorbed into our body. Remember the birth control patch? That wasn’t magic. Personally, I like my products clean and natural. After all it’s called skincare not skinharm.

When I first discovered Tata Harper Skincare, I knew it was love.

Tata Harper is committed to creating all natural products that make your skin look amazing. Not only are her products effective, the eco-friendly packaging is also beautiful. All of the gorgeous bottles are made of glass. Effective, clean, green AND chic? Yes please!

Tata says:

I started Tata Harper because I felt women deserved to have non-toxic products that really work, products that offer dramatic effective results driven by science. Generations of women have been putting toxic chemicals into their bodies for far too long – it was time to stop the madness. My mission was to find the best flowers; extracts, essential oils, hydrosols, infusions, macerations and plants that provide skin rejuvenation, hydration, anti-wrinkle properties, radiance, vitality, elasticity and more. After five years of non-stop work with a team of 8 chemists, the results are a development of a unique skincare line that is 100% natural and 100% effective.

As soon as I started using Tata Harper Skincare my skin began to glow. The line is all about helping your skin stay moisturized, so now that it is dry and freezing outside I am even more grateful for my Rejuvenating Serum and Rebuilding Moisturizer.

When I find something I love I want to share it with my friends. So, a few weeks ago I hosted a Tata Harper Spa Party! Fifteen of my favorite gals came to my apartment where they were treated to mini facials, and healthy treats.

The evening started with my friend Stephanie, who works with Tata, talking about the line and it’s origins. The idea for the line came when Tata was helping her stepfather through cancer treatment. His doctors asked that she bring in all of his personal-care products. What she learned was shocking: almost all of his high-end shampoo, lotion, and facial products were too toxic for him to continue using. As she searched for alternative products that were just as high quality but without the toxins, she was amazed to find they did not exist.

Each gal received a mini facial with all of the awesome Tata Harper products including the Resurfacing Mask. The mask goes on clear so my friends were able to have some cocktails and snacks while their masks dried. No one was walking around with goopy green faces!

The facials ended with a heavenly arm and hand massage with one of Tata’s Aromatherapy Treatments.

The evening was a huge success. Most of my friends ordered products for themselves. Everyone went home glowing and relaxed. My sister, who was nine months pregnant with Benjamin and Grace ordered a Starter Beauty Kit to bring with her to the hospital. Talk about a post baby glow!

Three days into 2012 and I so far I am on track with my resolutions. Doug and I even have plans to take yoga together Thursday night! So far, so good.

You may recall one of my more concrete resolutions-no more paper towels!!!

At first I thought this was going to be a terribly daunting task. For years there have been two entire shelves of our hall closet devoted to paper towels. Fresh Direct had them marked as “your favorite.” We went through rolls and rolls of them. I don’t know how the need/obsession started. I am fairly sure they were a staple in my house growing up. Along with Diet Coke. Yuck.

Knowing that these one use wonders were costing the world thousands and thousands of trees I had to make a change.

I tried using dishcloths, but they were just not absorbent enough. Normal sponges did not wipe as well.

Then I discovered the Twist Euro Sponge Cloth.

I have been using Twist  sponges for a while. I love all of their natural plant based products. They do a great job of cleaning and are not made from gross synthetics like most conventional sponges.

The Twist Euro Sponge Cloth is much wider and flatter than a normal sponge. I think of it as the result of a night of passion between a sponge and a paper towel. Sexy! They are super absorbent and great for wiping up messes. No more crying over spilled green juice! Best part is unlike a single use paper towel they can be used again and again and again. When they get dirty either throw them in the dishwasher (if you have one) or rinse out and leave to dry.

I really love using these. I also love the extra storage space I now have in our hall closet!

Happy cleaning!