Gluten Free, Kosher, Brown Rice Crispy Bars for your ADD kid and self!

If I believed in titles I am sure my son would test in as an ADD kid. He is pretty spirited and doesn't ever seem to stop..... Paul's dad is an adult diagnosed with ADHD and I would say Paul struggles with symptoms as well. We met with Ash's teachers about a month ago and they mentioned that they thought he may have A.D.D. & O.D.D.....again with the titles. So, I finally did what I've known for some time now that I should do, cut out the gluten. I have a strong gluten sensitivity and was a crazy hyperactive child with some definite oppositional deficiency in me... so maybe Ash has an allergy too. Since I don't really have the 350.00 to test him I just decided to cut it out for 4 to 6 weeks and see what happens..... 

The difference is insane! He has been free from gluten for 10 days and is like a different child. He has more control over his body and emotions... he's doing 100% better in school and stopped talking back to his teachers...he is able to fall asleep within 5 minutes and he is so much more focussed. 

I decided to make him a sweet treat.... an alternative to rice crispy bars. These are free from gluten, corn syrup and soy and he loved them! 

1-2 table spoons of unrefined coconut oil

1 bag of Elyon Kosher Gluten Free mini Marshmallows

1/2 box of Barbara's Brown Rice Crisps

DO NOT MICROWAVE YOUR FOOD :-)

In a sause pan melt coconut oil with marshmallows

Mix in rice crisps

Oil a 9x13 glass pan and smoooosh in mixture

Cool in fridge until hardened. Cut into squares and enjoy!

I am not saying every kid out there could be cured from his or her ADD but I am saying that diet has a lot to do with how we feel as adults and even more so how a child may feel. I know my child is sensitive to foods and so am I. I know that by changing my diet I have cured many health problems and improved how I feel on a daily basis. If you or a child you know is struggling with ADD or ADHD my heart goes out to you and I wish you luck...by no means do I mean for this post to be an offense.  I would encourage you however to look into changing your/his or her diet as an option. 

Kicking off 100 pound weight loss with a Cucumber!

My friend Vallie Gilley has begun her year journey to loose 100 pounds and transform her eating habits. You can learn more about her project and read daily blogs at her website;

http://www.perfectbiteoflife.com/

Part of my involvement in her project is to help with daily meal planning and incorporate new recipes that she will love. We will be choosing new recipes weekly to try.... so check in for pictures and stories about each recipe as we plug along over the next year. Todays recipe was a Cucumber and Apple salad. 

I combined my cucumbers with about 4 Table spoons apple cider vinegar, 4 Table spoons water, 1 chopped clove of garlic, 5 drops of liquid stevia and some salt and pepper. 

 

Mix your apples in with the rest and serve chilled. You can allow the salad to marinate if you wish or serve it up on the spot. Enjoy! 

You should be able to eat your beauty products...... not that you'd want to.

Organic Honey & Sugar Bath scrub infused with Lavender, Eucalyptus and Tea Tree Oils

Part of healing my body on the inside included using good beauty products on the outside. When I say good I mean beauty products that are from our earth and that do not contain crazy chemicals, dyes or perfumes. 

Our skin is our largest organ in our body and what we put on our skin should be something that we could eat if we wanted to. This recipe I am going to give you makes the most luscious wonderful body scrub that is gentle enough to use on your face! 

In a bowl mix 1 cup of coarse Organic Sugar with 1 cup Organic Raw Honey

 Add in your essential oils. Mix in any that you prefer. These happened to be my favorites. Feel free to mix in an Organic lotion that is either unscented or will mix well with the oils already set aside for the scrub. 

                                                                   Mix together well.

 Enjoy your body scrub in your bath with a nice hot cup of herbal tea or package it up as a gift in an old recycled glass jar! This sized jar is the Santa Cruz Organic Jams.... perfect to give to a friend. 

The Eucalyptus oil really opens up your pores and senses while the lavender cools and soothes you. 

IF COWS COULD TALK THEY'D SAY; GO MILK A NUT!

Native American traditions 

teach that you never take more than we need;

Thank Creator for what we have 

or what we will receive;

Use all of what we have;

Give away what we do not need

Everything on earth is alive;

Everything on earth has purpose;

Everything on earth is connected;

Everything on earth is to be embraced.

A principal tenant of our belief is that all things are connected and we are related to all things in the circle.

Humans are the only species that drink milk from another animal. Drinking cow's milk increases your chances of developing heart disease, diabetes, several types of cancer, and many other ailments.

We can get all the protein that they need from nuts, seeds, yeast, grains, beans, etc. Other good alternatives are almond, rice and hemp. For more information on the affects of milk visit www.notmilk.com

I think it is amazing when we can take something from nature and use all of it and for several different purposes. Here is my story of making my own raw almond milk and using all of the bi-product too. 

Soak your raw almonds over night at least 12 hours then blend them in your home or commercial blender. 1 cup of almonds to 4 cups filtered water. 

Blend for a while then pour over unbleached cheese cloth or a nut milk sack into your desired container. 

It takes a while for the milk to make it's way through the cloth so give it time. 10 to 30 minutes. Scrape off the "nut flour" that is left in the cloth, set this aside for raw cooking later. 

 I added into my milk; stevia and a small amount of pumpkin spice with vanilla. You can add honey, yucon, agave, raw cocoa whatever you want. Shelf life is 3 to 5 days per batch. 

I love that you can take almonds just almonds and make milk and dessert! 

Desert was dry soaked almonds in the food processor with a teaspoon of agave and a tablespoon of coconut oil. Make into a pie crust and refrigerate. 

The filling is the left over nut flour from the milking, add in raw cocoa powder, a tablespoon of raw peanut butter and a few drops of stevia. Mix together and fill pie crust with filing. As an option for adding an extra layer on the pie, make home made chocolate with 1/2 a cup unrefined organic coconut oil and 1/2 a cup raw cocoa powder. Place the bottom of the bowl holding the oil above a bowl of hot water to met the oil without over heating it. This should make a chocolate soup. Add in stevia until desired sweetness then drizzle a think layer over the top of the pie and put in your freezer immediately but for 5 minutes only. This chills the oil in the chocolate causing it to harden like a dipped ice cream cone. Remove the pie and serve then store in your refrigerator. 

So from almonds we created all of this! RAWmazing! 
YOU ARE WELCOME COWS!

Toca Rivera predicts Christine's birth... and she delivers in her shower just hours after PCB's show with Raining Jane and Jason Mraz!

     While some women cringe at the thought of giving birth outside of a hospital, other women across the world squat in fields and deliver their babies themselves. Well.... this is one of the most amazing stories I have ever had the privilege of sharing...and it happened in Christine's shower! 
     Our friend Christine Cyr was pregnant with her 3rd child. She plays cello for my husbands band the Paul Cannon Band. She is a trooper! Showing up to practice and shows even past her due date! 


Yesterday PCB (Paul Cannon Band) had a show in conjunction with Feeding the Soul Foundation and OliveUS Deserve to Lear, a campaign to raise money for the Indigenous Education Foundation of Tanzania. The show was at the House of Blues in san Diego with Raining Jane, Jason Mraz and the Love Birds. We had been so nervous because her due date was last week. We assumed that this being her 3rd child, she would deliver at least a week before the show and be there no problem. But as the week came about.....she did not go into labor. Friday and Saturday we crossed out fingers and she crossed her legs hoping the baby would stay tucked away until after PCB's show. 

     Yesterday, Sunday the day of the show arrived and there were no signs of labor. Christine came and performed no problem and the evening was a wonderful show filed with love, friendship, great music and positive energy all around. Christine and PCB along with Jason Mraz, Toca Rivera, the Love Birds and Raining Jane all took to the stage to perform one last song together. 

Christine nor anyone else could tell that she was about to go into labor.... and quick labor at that! The show ended and was wonderful. We raised a lot of money for the cause.... and as we loaded up to leave. Ironically Toca Rivera said to Christine and Fernando that he felt that she would have the baby by 2am....which was just a few hours away. We laughed and Fernando said lets hope not and they bet a meal on it or something silly like that. 


Christine and I were waiting at the curbside for her husband Fernando to get the car and she said, " ya know my stomach feels a little tight like maybe these could be contractions." She got home a little after 11:30 and laid down in bed. About midnight her water broke and she said hmmm maybe we should call the midwife. Fernando called the midwife and Christine decided to get in the shower to wash off the fluid from her water breaking. She then had one long contraction and felt the babies head come out. Fernando walked in and said oh ok let me turn on the tub. He left the room while on the phone with the midwife and came back less than a minute later and Christine had already pushed out the baby and caught her on the way out. She then sat down and waited fro the midwife and her mother to come. This photo was captured just after. 

Incredible! The baby is healthy and beautiful!!!! Christine is healthy and at peace as always! She's ready to get back out and play more music! I just think wow how inspiring!!!!!!! Talk about a committed, determined musician and mother! Welcome beautiful baby girl..... still waiting on a name but I think after everything else being so rushed, Christine deserves a little extra time to decide on a name :-) And kudos to Toca for calling it. The baby was born at 1:20 am just 40 minutes shy of his prediction!!!!

Rest in Peace Ed Tall Bear ~ The story of Paul's guitar strap

I am asked often the story of Paul's guitar strap. Today  I found out that Ed Tall Bear, the creator of this masterpiece passed away shortly after making this strap for Paul. My last conversation with Tall Bear was me telling him I would blog about our experience with him and the creation of this strap....so today Ed Tall Bear I am sharing our story. 


Last October Paul and I volunteered at the California Surf Festival where we met Donavan Frankenreiter. Paul mentioned to me that he loved Donavan's guitar strap. When Christmas was rolling around I decided to surprise Paul with a handmade leather Native American strap. So after googling for about an hour and searching with great intent I found a link to a man named Ed Tall Bear. I loved the pictures of the work on his website and I called the number listed. An hour later I was still chatting with Tall Bear on the phone. He was an incredibly interesting artist and we talked on and on about his tribe, land, creations, the earth and our spirit guide. Near the end of our conversation he said; do you know who Donovan Frankenreiter is? Well I made a guitar strap for him........ WHAT! I was in shock! I had accidentally come across the same man that made the very strap Paul had 1st admired. 

 

I am horrible at keeping secrets! I was so excited to have found Ed Tall Bear and I couldn't tell Paul. It was sooo hard! But Tall Bear and I started on the process of creating the perfect strap for Paul. Tall Bear asked many things about Paul including his tribe and all about his growing up on his reservation and the experiences he had. He wanted to know about Paul and his intention with music..... and then he began to create. Here are pictures Ed sent me along his journey of creating the strap. 

I really wanted hawk or owl feathers for Paul's strap rather than peacock like Donovan's. On a symbolic level Paul had told me so many stories of his walks on the reservation growing up and the spiritual experiences he had revolving around hawks. Ed Tall Bear said he would ask permission from the hawks on his property. After he did ask permission the hawk shed the feathers that are on Paul's strap today. Here is an email I received from him shortly after.  


"Lacey, I am attaching a picture that i was honored to get - i had a 'conversation' with this young Swainson Hawk (not long out of the nest) - they nest across the road in a big Cottonwood tree.  We visited for about 10 minutes before Mother swooped in and told me that visiting hours were over."
Chanshka Gleshka (young spotted Swainson's Hawk

 I can't sell the Hawk feather , but we will include them as a 'gift' - feathers from our Swainson's Hawk or the Cooper's Hawk.

  We will talk soon.               Mitakuye oyasin (all my relations)              ed

 SPR stands for San Pasqual Reservation where Paul grew up as part of the Kumeyaay Band of Indians. 

When we received the strap in the mail we were blown away! It was much more than I had expected and was so blessed by all the time Ed Tall Bear put into this sacred gift. Here is the last email I received from Tall Bear shortly before he passed away. 

"Lacey and Paul - - 

we can't thank you enough for your very kind words and we are very happy that you are pleased with the strap.  We do put a lot of our positive energies into our work, sort of a meditative state while doing the rather of mundane tasks of punching holes, sewing, stitching, lacing, etc.   It takes a lot of concentration and we like to think about the people we are working with and somehow the two combine and come out into the piece.    I have always thought that i am just a channel for an artist from the past, an ancestor, who has more work to accomplish and is using my hands to do this -  i feel quite honored to be able to serve. 

   We received both payments and we appreciate your thoughtfulness and generosity.   We look forward to seeing your writings. 

     And Paul, we are very pleased that you are now ready to take on a project that can do nothing but good for the young ones, the ones who are usually shoved aside and forgotten.  If we can help in any way please let us know.

    We send all our best wishes and as the Navajo say "Walk in Peace and Beauty"      

                    Ed and Tina

                                                  Ed Tall Bear August 1941-March 2011

Thank you Ed Tall Bear for blessing us with this strap. We are more than blessed to have one of the last pieces you made. I am shocked to hear of your passing in March. Blessings to your loved ones and may your spirit live on in peace. Thank you friend. Your guitar strap will be loved and greatly used. It will journey with Paul as he continues to share his story through his music. 

                            For more information of Ed Tall Bears live and artwork visit 

                                      http://www.earthspiritpartnership.com/index.html

A vision Board kind of day!

 Saturday I left work exhausted and fighting negative vibes from my work shift. We were supposed to go to a friends Birthday celebration in Rancho Sante Fe and so I showered and we headed over. 
Have you ever arrived somewhere and felt at peace instantly.... like you had been there a hundred times  before. Well, as we pulled up to this house I found myself having that feeling of sinking into a super cozy chair after a long hard day of work. 
We have an amazing group of friends in our life that truly have become family. I have come to love them and look forward to sharing many music tours with them and their kids. 
We walked through the amazing garden picking our food fresh from the plants and trees. Ash snacking on tomatoes and strawberries. 

Frank and Terry cooked an unbelievable dinner from the food we had brought back from the garden and we all sat outside enjoying each others company. 

Ash swam in the pool and threw the ball for the dog in the yard and jumped in the jumpy house with Alejandro.... 
After dinner we had handmade raw ice cream, with to die for Gluten free sugarless cupcakes.... I laid on the massage table and enjoyed a massage from my friend Christine and some great energy work...followed by an Osteopathy treatment from her and her mom. Are you kidding me this day rocks! We got the kids to bed, Paul also received a massage and treatment from the Christine and Terry.... and we finished off the evening with a night swim in the bathwater temp pool outside. Laughing for hours in good company for sure. It was one of the most enjoyable days of my entire life. 
It may seem silly... or the house may not look so super amazing to you and you cant figure out why this chain of events was so special to me but the energy and vibe that we had going was what I am talking about! Paul and I have built our whole married adult life together around a specific vibe.... and to make friends that are music and love and laughter and health is something great! 

Thank you to our friends.... I wish I had more pictures of outside to post and show. I will be placing photos of this house on my vision board :-) Thanks for recharging us and reminding us of the things we are thankful for in life everyday!