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Cannabis Trash Fashion Wins First Prize

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Last weekend, cannabis won at The Haute Trash Fashion Show in Nelson, BC, where I entered a small tote created out of cannabis packaging waste.

Just a cute little tote with a big message about how burdensome the cannabis industry can be to the planet and those working within its failing regulatory policies.

I pulled a large portion of the materials for this bag out the recycling bin found at Buddy’s Place (a local pot shop) in Nelson. The two tapered dube tubes that make the top handles, I got those from a guy in The Valley. The bags were chosen because of their colors and sizes, not because I use or am partial to those brands.

I fashioned the tote so the way the hemp twine was sewn still allowed for twelve of the mylar bags to function as closable ‘smelly proof’ pouches. I carefully removed the excise stamps and arranged them along the seams to showcase the taxes killing the small producers/processors and the biggest reason for the packaging waste problem that exists in the cannabis industry, regulatory policy.

The bag itself is very light and easy to carry. I tested it for strength, function, and durability to see how much the design could handle and found it could carry at least 25 pounds while still discreetly holding all the tools and snacks that a stoner would need while out and about. I used this bag for several months to test it and it has held up perfectly except for a little wear and tear on the excise stamps. While out and about, the bag brings a lot of attention and has started many conversations that often end in photos being taken of it.

The bag was entered in a family friendly show, making it mildy risque to be potentially showing off cannabis packaging and THC warning labels to children. It didn’t seem to matter in Nelson because the judges accepted it, loved it, and placed it first in the accessories category.

I know that if I had been in another town, even where cannabis is legal, that this bag may not have even been allowed to enter such a show. However, being in one of the weed capitals of the world, they celebrated it here.

Now the bag will be on display for a month at the Nelson Museum for all the locals, tourists, and their families to look at. At the end of the day, hundreds and hundreds of people will have been sparked to think about the plant, its dirty stigma, and the waste that industry creates.

Winning a prize for fashionably and peacefully protesting the regulatory burdens and the garbage coming out of the cannabis industry is another win of its own.

Do Vegans Eat Their Chia Pets?

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Chiapuddin

Of course vegans eat their chia pets! I dare say that more than one chia pet has educated the vegan foodie to sprout their chia seeds before they eat them to maximize nutrition.

Do you eat chia seeds? You might want to as they are an amazing food for your digestive system, your heart, your skin, your brain, and your immune system.

I swear by them for how good they make my sensitive digestive system feel and for the long lasting kick of energy they predictably provide. Lately, I have found myself on a chia pudding kick where I am consciously eating them every day with the intention of using them in at least one meal for the protein, essential fatty acids, and a solid dose of fiber.

When I discovered that if you soak them before you eat them they start sprouting and become more bioavailable, easier to digest, better absorbed into your system, and help to keep you hydrated I became mildly obsessed with all the possibilities of how I could use them.

Pumpkinpuddin

 

Basic Creamy Coconut Chia Pudding (4-5 servings)

1 can of coconut milk

1/2C chia seeds

1/2C of filtered water (add more water if you prefer it to be less thick)

  1. Combine all ingredients and let sit in a covered container in the fridge overnight.
  2. Eat one serving per day.

Suggested ways to customize your pudding:

Add a tsp of vanilla, use juice instead of water, sweeten with 1-2t honey or maple syrup, add chopped fruit or berries, mix with a fruit puree, pumpkin puree and cinnamon, hemp seeds, nuts, shredded coconut…the possibilities are as infinite as your imagination.

“I’ll have the chia tenderloin with a side of garlic infused olive dipping oil.” 😉

Blueberry Hemp Cake

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I’m in a minor cake mode. I’ve made a new cake every week for the past few weeks and this last one came out with a muffin feeling but since it was made in a cake pan, I’m calling it cake. Perfect for breakfast, snacks, and in the freezer for later.

Recipe positives:

-gluten free, dairy free, paleo friendly, no processed sugar, full of nutrients, easy to make, takes delicious.

Blueberry Hemp Muffin Cake

1/3C coconut oil

1/4C maple syrup

1t vanilla

4 eggs

1/t baking soda

1/2t salt

1/3C hemp seeds

1.5C almond flour

1C fresh or frozen blueberries

  1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease an 8 inch pan or line with parchment paper. Cream together coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Mix eggs into mixture.
  2. Add all dry ingredients mix until combined.
  3. Stir in blueberries.
  4. Spread evenly into the pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick stuck into middle comes out clean.

It has been in my thoughts that this recipe would work great in a loaf pan or as actual muffins although I have yet to try.

As you may know, I like to use hemp in my diet. I first discovered it when trying to find healthy sources of plant based protein and it has turned out to be a great one for my sensitive digestive system. Hemp comes with other bonuses like omega-3 fatty acids and B-Vitamins which rounds out the beneficial nutrient profile needed for a healthy brain and nervous system. I highly recommend it.

Happy Health to You.

How To Change The Health Of A Nation

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Hi. Welcome to my latest blog, Butterfly Sessions. This place is a continuation of my big dream to help others feel better now and also help the next generation grow up feeling healthy and having ample access to less processed food than what is currently available for many in the current standard food system.

My vision starts by helping people who provide food to children to know more about  and have access to healthier food. It continues with sharing how to create easy access to food by growing it yourself. It is complete when the masses change the current food system with their almighty dollar and demand healthier choices.

Why is this my dream? The answer, you see, is because I grew up as a sickly child. I repeatedly had earaches, tonsil infections, bronchitis, and then grew into migraines and scoliosis. To their credit, my parents fed me well. The majority of the meals in our house  were made from scratch, grown in our garden, and cooking was a normal part of daily life. I was exposed to a lot of varieties of vegetables and foods and I could not only see how they were raised but butchered, harvested, and prepared.

Fast forward a bunch of years and I found myself as an immigrant in the USA trying to understand why the food down here has so many additives and chemicals. I’m stunned to discover that I am sensitive to many of the processed foods that most people here eat as their regular food. I still have chronic health conditions and focusing on food makes a major difference in the quality of my life.

I’m also still a personal trainer after 20 years and know all to well the struggles of managing a healthy body while dealing with ailments that will never go away. I’ve learned first hand and seen through the experiences of clients that living healthy is about making sure your soul is being filled with as many good things as your plate.

 

So what is it that you want or need to change to feel better? Do you need to remember to drink more water? Do you need to move more than you are? Do you need to go to the beach and relax? Do you need access to fresher food and know what to look for at the grocery store?

I want that for you too. I believe big change starts with little actions. So, how can I help you? If you are looking for help finding more energy, a better night’s sleep, the ability to feel more joy, and real food choices without going on a diet give me a shout. I’ve helped hundreds of people maneuver their way to feeling great.

If you’ve read this far I say, Come with me! Let’s learn about food together and how we can create positive change in our own health and that of our nation. Sign up for my blog and never miss a beat.