Winter Radiance :: Apple Cranberry Pie

An exquisite way to celebrate the bounty of Winter. Sweet, juicy apples meet tart delightful cranberries in a melody of flavor that does not disappoint. Eating seasonally brings your soul and body closer to nature. It is invigorating to eat what the season provides and to utilize it in fun new ways.  Whenever I bake or cook my senses come alive.  It is beyond taste, you have to use your sense of smell, sight and most importantly touch. We so often forget to use our hands in the kitchen but it truly transforms the dish when you infuse it with your love. This recipe will look stunning on any holiday table. Enjoy beauties.

by: Michelle Gerrard-Marriott, The Vibrant Kitchen & Home

The Goods

Crust:

• 1 cup brown rice flour
• ½ cup GF oat flour
• ½ cup buckwheat flour or all purpose gluten-free flour
• ¼ cup arrowroot starch
• 4 tbsp coconut sugar/dry sweetener of choice
• pinch of sea salt
• pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove and ginger
• ½ cup coconut oil
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup cider vinegar

Filling:

• 4 pounds sliced, peeled mixed apples, I love granny smith, pink lady, and some heirlooms if you can find them like Baldwin! 
• 12 ounces fresh cranberries
• One lemon zested and juiced 
• One Orange zested and juiced 
• 2 cups coconut sugar 
• 4 tablespoons Maple Syrup ( Or Organic Honey if you are not Vegan) 
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder 
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon 
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg 
• ¼ teaspoon cloves 

Get Cooking

Preheat oven to 350 F and lightly oil a 10 inch pie pan. In a large bowl, combine your flour blend, sea salt and coconut sugar. In a smaller bowl whisk together coconut oil, water, and ACV. Pour oil mixture into flour mixture and combine with your hands until well mixed. Dough should be a little moist. 

Once combined divide into two. Press one section into pie pan until it forms a beautiful bottom crust. Stick with a fork a couple times and bake for about 15 minutes. Roll our remaining dough and cut out Autumn Leaves, Pumpkins or whatever your heart desires! Set aside whilst making the apple cranberry filling! 

Core, peel, and slice your apples. Put in a large bowl with your washed cranberries. Add lemon juice, orange juice, lemon zest, orange zest, coconut sugar, maple syrup and spices. Mix gently and allow to sit for 15-20 minutes. This allows all the flavors to develop. 

On Medium/Low heat allow a saucepan to warm. Add in your apple + cranberry mixture.  Allow everything to become caramel-like and delicious. Taste along the way, if you want it a bit sweeter you can add more coconut sugar or maple syrup! Add your arrowroot towards the end and mix gently until combined and thickened. Pour your mixture into your prepared pie crust. Top with your cut outs and sprinkle a bit more coconut sugar on top of the pie!  Put in oven and bake for about 30 minutes until golden brown. 

Once out of the oven allow to cool for 15- 20 minutes before serving! Serve with Coconut Ice Cream or Coconut Whipped Cream! Enjoy every last bite! 

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Michelle Gerrard-Marriott is the founder of The Vibrant Kitchen & Home, a site for wellness and elegant recipes that nourish the body and soul. Find her on Instagram and Facebook.

Sleeping Monk

Sleeping Monk is a company based in California producing high potency herbal extracts that promote better sleep, beautiful skin, better sex, protected immunity and happiness.  The formulas are crafted in a manner akin to an ancient philosophy - Chinese Tonic Herbalism - which dates back to 2950 B.C.  

We visited the owner, Louis Lenard, at his Malibu home on a gorgeous summer day.  We lounged by the pool and discussed all things herbalism.  

What was your journey to create the Sleeping Monk line?

I grew up in Malibu, California and operate from there currently. From an early age, I was drawn to excel at whatever I put my mind and heart into. I found out later that this was the result of searching for love and approval from others, as I lacked it for myself. 

First it was surfing, then music. When the success and accolades only produced a fleeting sense of peace, I did the only logical thing I could think of – do lots of drugs. I got to experience what it felt like to destroy my body, mind and spirit and eventually the pain and demoralization reached a point where I had to change or call it quits.

So, with the familiar type passion and energy I grew up with, I completely re-focused on a healing lifestyle that helped me turn my life around and become someone that people can count on and actually respect and look up to, imagine that!  

Among other healing regimens, this path ultimately lead me to the beautiful system of Chinese Tonic Herbalism, which would become the basis for the 6 products we currently offer. 

With Sleeping Monk, we just want to help you build long-term health and happiness, from the inside-out. We strive to do this by carefully crafting formulas with Adaptogenic and Super Tonic herbs that regulate, balance and optimize our cells, organs and systems first – then tonify by nourishing and strengthening them. Then we’re left to flourish with more natural, grounded, calm and powerful energy, beauty and greater resistance to stress and both short term and degenerative disease. 

Why are tinctures so important?

I feel tinctures are important because they are the most powerful, safe and effective way to extract and deliver herbal medicine that I’m aware of. This is also a way to avoid many heavy metals that commonly contaminate powdered herbal products during processing. 

What is your ultimate vision?

My ultimate vision is to have as much fun as possible while helping others achieve meaningful change with their health and happiness, both with our products and with my daily actions and a loving attitude toward all.

I want to be a positive role model for my daughter and leave a legacy that she’s proud of, and to see her flourish with her own meaningful vision of like mind. 

What does “conscious business” mean to you?

In simplest terms, I feel conscious business equals customers’ health and happiness first, and profits are secondary. When we’re driven by passion for what we do, this often comes naturally. 

To me, it means having an awareness of, and being an example of what we stand for. I believe making meaningful change in the world requires having a conscious mindset within us first, then spreading the vision outward from there, again, with our loving attitudes and actions.  

We clearly want to make the smallest environmental footprint possible, and constantly strive to improve our mission and products to best help raise awareness that supports optimal health and the fair treatment of all involved in the process of what it takes for us to bring these precious herbal formulas to you and your loved ones.

Using the safest, highest quality, purest, most powerful and effective, organic and lab-tested materials is requisite, as are the manufacturing practices and facilities from which they come. 

Giving back is also key. We’re currently in the process of setting up an alliance with Waves 4 Water to help bring clean drinking water to those all over the world that currently don’t have access.

What inspires you?

Nature inspires me… waves in particular. My daughter’s drive, charisma and beauty inspire me. Music inspires me. Watching people light up with realizations and insights on their spiritual path inspires me. Observing others in the process of living their dreams inspires me. Being of service inspires me. Hearing feedback from customers’ testimonials and seeing smiles on their faces inspires me. Honesty and vulnerability inspire me. Courage inspires me. This question inspires me!

What are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of being a good father, for being clean and sober for nearly 12 years and for making a living doing what I love. 

What rituals keep you balanced and grounded?

While affirmations are more often finding their way into the mix, prayer, meditation and service have never failed to bring me back to what’s important. Surfing, yoga are laughing are rad too!

What is something you wished everyone knew about you?

I wish everyone knew how legendary I am, hah! Anyway, I wish everyone knew that I love surfing.  So, if any of you out there love to surf too, hit me up and let’s get some waves! 

If it was your last day on earth, what would you want to do today?

Last day? Surf with my daughter somewhere epic, with all my family and friends on the beach, or surfing with us. Then we’d eat some awesome food and play music by a campfire at sunset. 

Is there anything you want us to ask you, but haven’t?  And what is the answer?

Why yes! Do you have any new products available? And… Did you write guitar for the music score of the Kurt Cobain documentary, ‘Soaked in Bleach’, due out this summer? 

• Yes, we do! Goddess in Bloom, our divine female formula and Enter the Dragon, our supreme male formula. Check ‘em out at sleepingmonk.net 
• Yes, I did, thank you for asking! Keep your eyes peeled and thank you for your love and support! 

Keep up with Sleeping Monk on Instagram, Facebook, and their website!

Sun Potion

How can we articulate our love for Sun Potion?  This amazing team is dedicated to health, happiness, and well-being through the use of medicinal plants, superfoods, and tonic herbs.  Their lineup is sourced from only the most potent, healing, organic or wildcrafted plants.

We had the utmost blessing of visiting their warehouse in Santa Barbara where Nitsa, Sun Potion's creative director, and Scott, owner and founder, made us the most outrageous pine pollen tonic while we indulged in Prash.  These two radiate unconditional love. Being in their presence might just be the ultimate tonic they haven't figured out how to bottle.  

What is your favorite herb?

Nitsa:  It’s hard for me to pick a favorite…but I definitely have a current (favored) herb.  That would be Pine Pollen.  It’s amazing.  It’s a complete food with full spectrum of essential fatty and amino acids.  It has bio-available protein - it’s incredible for the brain.  It balances testosterone levels in men and women.  

I always feel really nourished when I have it.  Since I don’t eat a lot of animal protein or even very many sprouted nuts anymore — the pine pollen supplies my body with protein that’s really easy to digest.  I feel it in my brain.  Most people notice the effects right away — you’ll feel kind of groovy.  

Ashitaba is also one of my favorites.  it contains essential B-vitamins, even more so than the pine pollen.  It has a history of being a Japanese beauty food — and any food that’s related to beauty and/or JAPAN I tend to eat a lot of- ha!  Ashitaba is called  “Tomorrow’s Leaf” because the leaves of the ashitaba will replensih their growth by the next day! Very resilient plant….   

My third favorite would have to be Reishi Mushroom.  Especially since we’ve been traveling a lot — I feel like it really supports my immune system and stress-relief.  

Scott: The combination of he shou wu and astragalus is mind-blowing.

Why consume herbs?

Scott: To create new circutry in your body so that you can hold more currency and energetic frequency — so that you can be an integrated embodiment of your soul.  Tonic herbs are amazing.  The results of eating these kinds of foods are more power and support in your body.  People start feeling things that they’re not used too.  Even feeling the breeze on the skin is a reality that people are not used to — because people are too busy turning mental waves.  Mental body is super limited.  Physical, spiritual, emotional body has a whole depth of experience available that’s not always appreciated or noticed…but if you eat plants that nourish those parts of your overall system — then it’s pretty likely you’ll start noticing those pieces.  

How should people take these foods?

Scott: The best thing to remember with these foods is to have a small serving consistently over a long period of time….ideally a whole lifetime.  These plants have a history of being consumed during one’s whole life.  A 1/4tsp or 1/2tsp daily is a good place to start.  You’ll get more benefit from the foods by having a small amount consistently than randomly taking large doses.

How did the look, name, and branding all come to be?

Scott: Just prior to when I moved to Santa Barbara…I lived in Ojai for about 4-5 years.  I lived a super ambient life…barefoot hiking everyday, living outside, didn’t work at a J-O-B (journey of the broke) the entire time.  By choice, I decided to have ultra minimum overhead and step outside of the commercial system and just be in nature.  When I was spending money, it was to learn Daoist alchemy and energy cultivation practices and learning about essential oils.  Woo-woo stuff.  It’s been a linear journey.  How did Sun Potion grow out of that?  There was a crystallization of a lot of experiential pieces that came to be realized in one ultimate path.  The herbs had been a part of my life for a long time.  The symbology, the logo, even the name — is coding.  The name is representing the shift to be embodied from consuming these foods; the winged sun disk symbol is representing the transmutation of the body into light — so that you are walking around on Earth embodying higher divinity.

The body has a relationship to the wing symbology that makes us gravitate towards Sun Potion products.  It’s ancient coding that reminds us of our soul truth.  

Did you guys think that you would be altering the entire course of people’s lives?

Scott: I don’t feel like we are personally doing that, but the plants certainly change people’s lives.  I had my own experience of these plants having an enormous impact on my life.  I used to be super ungrounded — so out of my body all the time and eating these herbs have totally shifted my energy.  There is a real service component to what we are doing.  Ultimately we are in service of people that are eating the herbs — but even more directly we are in service of the herbs themselves.  They have a spirit.  I have a relationship with the energetics behind these plants.  They want to work with people and they need avenues to get to people.  

I get to have the things I’m most in love with around me all the time now.  

What are your favorite spots in Santa Barbara?

Scott: This warehouse.  I love this place.  Mesa Lane beach is an incredible place I love.  It feels like a wild beach because of the huge bluff.

Nitsa: I like to hangout in my backyard.  Mission Canyon.  The botanical garden.  My studio / office. The farmers markets here are just beautiful.  

What makes you smile?

Nitsa: Herbs.  Spending time with plants.  I laugh a little when I say this because it’s really honest - being open with people makes me smile…. it feels good. 

Scott: Optimism.  Human experience.  Being in love with Nitsa.  Great food.  Being outside in California — I love the sun.  I think it’s part of my nature to  be half smiling.

Can you expound on your collaboration with the Wildize Foundation?

Scott: They are a women’s collective in Ghana.  They started off as a ecology preservation group.  They were doing educational things to protect different species.  After a couple of years, they started getting into humanitarian pieces….digging wells, creating economy for women, educating people…things like that.  They are a really sweet group.  

Basically, we teamed with them to source our shea butter and also provide an avenue for their foundation.  I’ve been using shea butter on my body since I moved to California.  It’s pretty much the only thing I use on my skin.  Shea butter is an incredible skin food.  It’s a dry oil — the skin totally sucks it in as if it was eating it.

Depending on quantities we receive — it sometimes come in a gourd.  It’s really blood of mother of Africa.  If you think about it — in a very seasonally limited rainfall with very dry climate and here is the shea nut tree that have to be like 50 years old or more to produce.  They are really revered and treasured.  The nuts are boiled, peeled out of their shell, and then mashed up.  It’s all this fat that comes out of dry, hard soil.  It’s crystallized sunlight.​  

Keep up with Sun Potion on Instagram, Facebook, and their website!  

Shiva Rose

We had the pleasure to join Shiva Rose in her beautiful home and talk to her about her consciously chic lifestyle. In her off-white creamy dress, her long dark effortless loose curls, and her upbeat relaxed personality enchanted us.

The Iranian-American beauty has a cozy gracious warmth to her.  She warmly greeted us with a rooibos tea with coconut milk and honey from her backyard. Yes, she’s a beekeeper. Shiva breathes spirituality, from her modern rustic home surrounded with Kundalini vibes, to the plethora of roses from her garden enriched in all corners and topped by whimsical crystals that decorate her earthy habitat.

A woman who has a profound relationship with the earth, a soul deep connection to her Kundalini practice, a hands-on mother, an activist, and working on her line of skincare - What can’t Shiva do? 

What got you into health and wellness?

I always was super conscious of the environment and what I put into my body. As a child I felt at times like an alien because, I would become so distraught over seeing trees cut or the natural world destroyed. Later when I had severe life threatening auto-immune issues, I realized that I had to take my health, into my own control. I began to eat 100% organically, and live close to mama earth. These things led me to becoming healthy in spirit, body and mind. 

What is "The Local Rose"?

The Local Rose is a holistic life style web site that proves you can be green and chic at the same time. I started it due to my desire to help our planet, celebrate artisans and people who are in harmony with nature, and as an answer from a call from the great spirit. 

What is beauty?

One of my favorite prayers is Walking the Beauty Way by the Navajo people. It states 

In beauty I walk 

With beauty before me I walk 

With beauty behind me I walk 

With beauty above me I walk 

With beauty around me I walk 

This i feel is the ultimate beauty to see it reflected around us in little details and gestures. Seeing it in the trees or flowers or sweet people you may encounter throughout your day. 

Beauty is also glowing from within from a peaceful state, food that is alive and using non-toxic products.

What do you do to get "centered"?

I go hiking in the mountains near where I live. I take salt baths with salts I make. I drink Living Tea and practice Kundalini meditation. 

Share a line from your favorite poem: 

I love Poetry! I’m half Persian and half Irish so here are two from each culture…

This paragraph by Persian Poet Forough Farrokhzad:

I will plant my hands in the garden

I will grow I know I know I know

and swallows will lay eggs

in the hollow of my ink-stained hands.

I shall wear

a pair of twin cherries as ear-rings

and I shall put dahlia petals on my finger-nails

By Yeats:

How many loved your moments of glad grace, 

And loved your beauty with love false or true, 

But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you, 

And loved the sorrows of your changing face; 

What inspired your skincare line?

I have been mixing oils and making my own products since I was a teen. During a kundalini mediation I got a message about starting the line. It was a natural progression since I am ruled my the Rose and this is one of the crucial ingredients in the first product I made the Rose Face Serum.

Describe your perfect day?

A perfect day would be to wake up with my daughters, make a delicious breakfast, take a hike, then go on a picnic with some friends in Ojai or Big Sur.

Who has influenced you most in your life?

I grew up reading lots of novels and plays so I would say heroines in both fiction and non-fiction have inspired me. Many artists have also since they seemed to determine their own paths and were vanguards in terms of art, fashion, and philosophy. Women like Frida Kahlo, Georgia O’Keefe, Tina Modotti, Beatrice Wood. 

How has your childhood experience shaped the rest of your life?

My childhood at least the first ten years was in the country side of Iran. This bucolic setting inspired in me a love for nature. Later when we were in the States, my American Grandparents made sure to take us camping every summer into beautiful places like Yosemite. This taught me that these places are sacred and sanctuaries to be protected. Having been exposed to a lot of trauma and challenges as a child has made me appreciate a calm, peaceful life. It also gave me an artists soul, and now that is being translated into the blog and products. 

What is so special about roses?

Roses are the Queen of all Flowers. They have the highest vibrational frequency and can be so healing. They are anti-aging and anti-inflammatory for the skin and also open the heart chakra. They are my allies and I am so honored to carry their name. 

What is your favorite product you've created?

My products are like my children I love them all! Since I make them by hand they truly come from my heart. Lately my Nectar Body Oil is giving me lots of joy. The ylang ylang and cardamom combination makes my soul sing! 

Keep up with Shiva Rose on her Instagram, Twitter, and beautiful website!

Alchemy Arts Center

Alchemy Spa is the premiere healing sanctuary.  From Ayurvedic cuisine to sensory attenuation tanks - there is a doorway to every desire inside Alchemy.

The owner, Emma, was lovely enough to sit down with us for breakfast.  Emma's life is dedicated to her mission of healing at Alchemy Arts Center.

Could you tell us about the history of the center?

Alchemy opened four years ago in March after being inspired by a two-week retreat I experienced in Thailand that changed my life. Everyday I did yoga, ate cleansing foods, and was supported through healing treatments like acupuncture. I felt incredible! My energy was boundless and I felt clear, strong and positive—something I hadn’t felt since I was a child. 

I found myself asking, “Why did I have to go all the way to Thailand to experience this?”  That was question was answered for me shortly after landing back in Santa Barbara where I intuitively decided, “It’s going to be here.” My intention was to create a sacred space for both guests and employees to thrive and heal.

Our priority at Alchemy is to provide people with support and inspiration to lead a more balanced life. Creating Alchemy Wellness Spa has been the most incredible experience, but it’s also been intense. There’ve been many challenges (especially in the beginning), but this is my passion—I had to push through! I feel incredibly blessed to have had the opportunity to have gone through this experience and been so closely involved throughout the journey of manifesting this idea.

Can you tell us about your offerings?

We are all dealing with a lot of stress in this modern, fast-paced world of ours. Whether that stress is from the environment, a divorce, the death of a loved one, an injury, the loss of a job, etc., it’s essential to allow the body to release that stress – along with any other negative emotions. It’s also important to have the consciousness to learn how to take care of one’s self. People need a place where they can go to learn how to do this, to reset themselves so to speak, so they can enjoy life to it’s fullest. Alchemy is that sacred space. 

All year-round we offer organic cold press juice cleanses and a cleansing food program. It’s really important to understand that our organs are our guidance system for this life of ours. Even if we have a super clean diet there are environmental pollutants that store in our bodies. 

Once a month we offer featured cleanses facilitated by our beloved Siddhi. 

Our last cleanse focused on the liver. The participants gathered in the morning and were guided through movements and breath work focusing on cleansing the liver which supports weight loss, healthy sleep, renewed energy, better digestion, relief from depression & balanced hormones. 

There are also food treatment packages designed for liver support; Alchemy’s amazing wraps with macerated herbs soaked in specific oils. 

We also have an incredible float tank full of Epsom salts with a special Memon ® transformer to remove any harmful energetics from the water; Much like a crystal, water stores energy. If we have “unhealthy or bad” information/radiation that enters our cells (us), the water in our cells, naturally transmits this to the cells next to it making reproduction of healthy cells more complicated. This is the natural process of our body’s intelligence. The usual  "purification" process used to treat water is great at removing potentially dangerous chemicals and ionic materials from water. Though these potential dangerous contaminants are removed, the water still remains, with electrical "imprints" of bad things that were in the water, attached to the water molecules before those chemicals were removed, or simply "imprinted" into the electrical characteristics of the water molecules from external sources. The tank is especially amazing after a massage. 

We have a wide array of services and have ways for people of all budgets to interact with us. For example we hold a group acupuncture class every week . They are an amazingly economical way to experience Alchemy at $15 . 

We also offer Aura-Soma, which is a non-intrusive, self-selective soul system. Combining the energies of colour, plants, and crystals, these vibrational tools can support all levels of our being, bringing harmony and balance within the subtle fields promoting wellbeing and a joy for life.

What treatment do you suggest for first timers?

I love the crystal healing facial. Using the healing vibration of crystals, this experience very calming. We use fresh Rose cells and Rose Damascena to rejuvenate and raise the vibrational energy of the skin. Deep lymphatic drainage and acupressure with hot poultices and Rose Quartz, restores a glowing radiance to the skin..Pure Bliss…

Then to complete the Alchemy experience I would recommend our Pearl and Jasmine body renewal with an amethyst wrap. This mineral-rich Himalayan salt crystal treatment, has the immediate effect of restoring energy, mental clarity, wellbeing and strength. This is followed by a gel body wrap to relax and restore the nervous system; stimulating the circulation, regeneration of skin cells and cell growth.

What are your favorite spots in SB?

Santa Barbara is a truly incredible place to live.  I’m a swimmer so I love the ocean. But really there’s so much to love here—the sunsets, sunrises, the trails, the trees, the restaurants, the people. The list goes on.

What is essential that you can’t live without?

My essentials are my family, my spiritual practice, friends, Ayurveda, and last but not least adventures.

I was just going to say that.  You seem like an adventurous person.

Humans can get stuck in repetition, so I like doing something that takes me out of that. Like getting up early in the morning and going for a swim in freezing cold water, Sleeping under the stars—something that gets me out of my usual comfort.  

It’s strange that as humans we are often afraid of change, yet we change all the time. At each breath our molecules are transforming. We often look for safety in not changing, even if it’s not supportive to our well-being. I like to ask, “Who would you be if you were really just present living your life right now in this moment?” This is all we have . This moment ! We have to show up the best that we are able to…To Forgive, To be grateful, To Laugh, To share, To Love.

We’re not necessarily taught how to do that.  When you give yourself to the moment, you start to live your life from a different perspective.

What does alchemy mean to you?

Transformation, transformation of one thing into something greater and more refined. Alchemy is a place to come together, share ideas, find connections, release old patterns that no longer serve us and transform ourselves into something better.

Why is self care so important?

I believe it’s vitally important to take care of yourself. In our culture we are taught that it’s selfish to put ourselves first. When in actuality, unless you know how to take care of yourself (love and fully accept yourself), you won’t be able to do that for another.

Tel: 805-899-8811

35 West Haley Street,
Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Keep up with Alchemy Arts Center on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and their website!

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