Ok, so this is really cool...

You know how in my last blog post I was gushing and going on and on about how cool my school is and how you should totally check it out? Yea, well I'm not done! I just found out something today that is just…well…it's just friken awesome.

But first, let me tell you a little story…

I found out about IIN (the school I just graduated from) through a blog post by a fellow Kind Lifer on Alicia Silverstone's website. She posted a link and advertised that if you attended a call that was occurring in a few days, you would save up to $1,000 on tuition. After checking out the website and realizing that this was an amazing opportunity, I jumped at the offer! I emailed Coach Blair and I was contacted almost immediately. Though I only had to attend one of three live calls, I ended up attending all 3 because they were so exciting and inspiring. Fast forward to a year later, and I can't believe I am already done with school and have had such an amazing education!

So here's the really cool thing. Are you ready? Seriously, can you handle what I'm about to tell you? Oh boy, here it goes.

The Institute for Integrative Nutrition is allowing me to give YOU the same opportunity I had!

AAAAH!

You may think I am overreacting, but I promise…this is such an amazing opportunity. IIN presents its student's with such wonderful tools and lessons. Not only do they provide great education on health and nutrition, but they also give their students business lessons! How many programs include business planning/structuring WITH their health program?! The thing is, you don't have to become a Health Coach. There are so many things you can do with the given education.

So here's how it all works. It's simple, I promise.
Attend at least one of these special live calls

Why My Healthy Isn't Your Healthy

Is Health Coaching Right For You? 7/23

What I Wish I'd Known About IIN Before I Started 7/24

As I said before, I ended up attending all 3 calls because they were so fantastic, but you just have to attend one. Also, contact Coach Blair at coachblair@integrativenutrition.com and let her know that I (Tommy Oaks) sent you! Or you can call (877) 733-1520, mention my name, and they'll take care of you! And THAT is how you save up to $1,000 on enrollment.  Honestly, enrollment could not be any easier. If a highly sensitive introvert can do it, you can do it too.

Be Kind. Be Curious. Be an IINer!

Now Is Your Chance!

I'm so thrilled to be able to share with you the opportunity to enroll in the school I just recently graduated from, the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. It has been such a life changing and rewarding year. I want you to have the same opportunities and more.

Just a little over a year ago, I was in a pretty bad place. I was at a job I didn't like, working for a company I couldn't stand, I was dealing with realizing I'm an HSP. You can read about all of that HERE. Once I started school, it felt like everything just started falling into place. I always loved health and healthy foods and focusing on the great things in life. IIN helped me do just that. I finally felt like I was surrounded by likeminded people and was given such great information on how to not only change my life, but to help make a difference in the world and change the lives of others. If you feel stuck and know you need to change, to make a difference in yourself and/or others, just click on the banner below and start the journey to a new you. And mention that I, Tommy Oaks, sent you! The scariest part about starting a new beginning is, well, the very beginning! Trust me, I was terrified! But I quickly learned that I didn't have anything to worry about. Change can be difficult, but it is often just what we need!

Also, check out, like and share my Facebook page for some healthy tips, recipes and every day inspiration!




Be kind. Be curious. Be courageous. 

I'm not a certified dog whisperer...

It has been 5 months since my last post.
Oops. 

As of yesterday, I am officially a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition! I am now a certified Holistic Health Coach! Woohoo! You should definitely go "like" my Facebook page. I offer great tips, recipes, guidance and more! It's something I am incredibly passionate about. Helping others reach their full potential is something I am driven to do. Contact me for a free consultation and we can set it up through Skype, or if you're in the area where I live, in person! I specialize with people between the ages of 18 and 30, but I'm willing to take on clients with anyone around that age group, as well.

So, what's new in my life that isn't business related?
Not a whole lot.
Summer is in full swing. It's about 834 degrees here. Just looking outside makes me want to whimper and throw myself in front of the air vent. Just like my dog is doing.
Wait.
Maybe that's why it's so stuff in here.
Stay tuned for my next post on how to convince a slightly overweight Golden Doodle to move away from the air vent on your living room floor.

Be kind. Be curious. Be cool. Be a great person and "like" and share my Facebook page.

Amazing Vegan Mac N' Cheese

For years now, I've been wanting to make vegan mac n' cheese. I've attempted the box versions.
You know what I'm talking about. The JUST ADD WATER! versions. Oh boy, were they gross. I'm not a huge fan of using vegan "cheese" in recipes. Anytime I have melted vegan cheese, it just got way too gooey and rubbery.

I've collected many recipes to make my own, but I've been too intimidated. Turning cashews into a powder? What kind of wizardry is this?! I was always convinced I would somehow screw something up. But then, on a cold winter's night, it hit. A craving. An insane craving for macaroni and cheeseless cheese. So I took to the web and found a simple and delicious looking recipe on ohsheglows.com and new I had found the recipe that I was brave enough to try. Yes, it called for turning cashews into a powder, but I figured I had to give it a shot. What did I have to lose? Except maybe a food processor that is probably older than I am. An interesting ingredient in this version is roasted butternut squash. I was a little skeptical, afraid that it might make it stringy or super mushy. But alas, I gave it a go.

I cheated a bit and purchased pre-chopped butternut squash. I just couldn't see myself attempting to hack open a squash. I've done it several times before, but I lack nice, sharp knives. Have you ever tried cutting a squash with dull knives? Let's just say that it shot off the counter more and once. And I got the blade stuck a few times. I'm pretty sure that if I even walked into the kitchen with a whole squash, the knives would just crumble under the pressure.

Anyway. The ingredient list was short and the prep time was even shorter. The longest part of the whole process was roasting the squash. While that was roasting, I threw all of the other ingredients into a bowl, except for the cashews. Those little suckers went right into the food processor. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect when trying to powderize the nuts, but it took a little longer that I thought it would. Again, my food processor is ancient. I think I heard it swearing at me after a few minutes. Once I had the cashew into powder form, I threw the remaining ingredients into the food processor, including the squash. It didn't take much blending at all to see the "cheese" sauce come into being. This is about the time I started to do a happy dance. What gave it the cheesy flavor is the nutritional yeast. It is the go-to ingredient for giving things a cheesy flavor.

I dumped the cheesy sauciness into a bot of cooked, drained pasta and cried tears of joy. I actually just did another happy dance, but I was close to crying tears of joy. A few stirs and a minute or two of heating…and I had a delicious, vegan mac n' cheese.  I was a little bummed to see that it didn't take very long for it to start getting thick and a little clumpy, but in my warped little head….that just meant EAT IT ALL! The recipe also gave the option to make it into a casserole, which will be my next attempt. The only thing I would maybe change would be to omit the garlic and add more mustard. I love garlic, but it just seemed like a bit of an odd flavor to throw into the mix. Give the recipe a shot and let me know what you think!

Also, don't forget to head over to my Facebook page True North Guide, like and share!

Be kind. Be curious. Be cheesy ;-)

Ingredients

• 1/2 butternut squash, peeled and chopped (yields: 3.5 cups raw)
• 3/4 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened + unflavoured soy milk), or more to thin out
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• 6-7 tbsp Nutritional yeast (provides the cheesy consistency)
• 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp or a bit more of dried Italian seasoning
• 1/4-1/2 tsp Tumeric powder, optional (gives the orangey colour)
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4-1/2 tsp Paprika + more to season
• Your pasta of choice (I used ~450 grams/4.5 cups dry penne for the casserole) + mix-ins

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line a baking sheet. In a bowl, season chopped squash with some oil (~1 tsp) and kosher salt (couple pinches) and stir. Add to baking sheet and roast in oven for 40 minutes, flipping once half way through baking.
2. If making the baked casserole: Process 1 slice of bread + 1 tbsp Earth balance until crumbs form in a food processor. Set aside. If you plan on enjoying it straight from the pot you can skip this step.
3. Assemble your cheeze sauce ingredients (cashews, non-dairy milk, garlic, lemon, salt, nutritional yeast, pepper, mustard, seasonings) and add just the cashews to food processor. Process until a fine crumb forms similar to corn meal. Now add in the rest of the cheese sauce ingredients and process until smooth. Leave the sauce in the processor as you will be adding the squash.
4. Cook your pasta according to package directions. When squash is finished roasting, add it to the food processor and blend it with the cheese sauce until smooth. Adjust to taste. The sauce will thicken up with time. If at any point the sauce becomes too thick, you can add a bit of milk to thin it out.
5. Drain and rinse pasta with cold water. Now add the pasta back into the same pot and add your desired amount of cheeze sauce on top. Stir well. Add in any desired mix-ins like peas or broccoli. You can either heat this up in the pot, or pour it into a casserole dish (I used a 4 cup dish), sprinkle on breadcrumbs + paprika, and bake it at 350 for about 20-25 minutes. The casserole will serve about 4 people if you use 450 grams dry macaroni or penne. Store any leftover sauce in the fridge and use within a few days.

2013 Recap and 2014 Resolutions

Well, another year is over.
Another chapter has closed.

I hope you all had a wonderful New Year. Can you believe how fast 2013 went?! It's insane!
I was lucky enough to bring in the New Year with the stomach flu. I haven't even had a cold in two years, but this was how I was christened for 2014.
2013 was one huge roller coaster ride of a year.

I hit a point where I hated my job so much, I became seriously depressed every day I worked.
I discovered that I'm not a total freak ( bite your tongue)
I realized my doctor did NOT have my best interest in mind
I had a slight meltdown
I had a not so slight meltdown
I had Titanic sized meltdown
I quit my job
I found an amazing school and enrolled
I started a new job that I love
I've made amazing friends that I know will be around for a very long time

Take a gander at the above list, again. Do you notice something? For a while, I have a lot of really crappy things happening to me. It got to the point where it was all just too much to handle, and I cracked.
I cracked WIDE open.
And then the light finally came in.
Once I let some light in, everything started falling into place.

Am I always walking on sunshine and thinking "Golly, life is perfect!"
Yea-NO.
Of course not. But I now see that when bad things happen, it doesn't mean that they are necessarily bad. They're experiences. They are occurring because we need to learn from them. Something is coming our way that we may not be prepared for or may not have the correct tools to deal with, so we have to get through the tough stuff first.

What does this have to do with you?
Have you given yourself any New Years resolutions? Think about that. I, personally, think New Years resolutions are dangerous. You're giving yourself a specific start date for change to happen. So in 2 months when you aren't where you wanted to be at that time, then what? Throw in the towel? Figure out what isn't working and change that? Most people go with the first option.

So, do me a favor. For the new year, please don't be so hard on yourself.
You'll get discouraged, absolutely.
You'll get knocked down, brush yourself off.
You'll hit some road blocks, accept them.
They are there for a reason. And if need be, hit back even harder.

Focus on your health. Both mental and physical. Don't torture yourself with excruciating diets. I'll soon have my health coaching business up and running. Give me a call. I'm here to cheer you on and help you be as happy and healthy as you can be.
Meanwhile, head over to my Facebook page and give it a "like" for updates and tips.
https://www.facebook.com/TrueNorthGuide

Be kind. Be curious. Be determined.

Have A Great Meal Without Wanting Your Stomach Pumped Afterwards. aka The Holiday Prep Post

Can you believe we are almost through November?
Almost through 2013?!
Oy vey!

Thanksgiving is less than a week away, and while I don't support why we celebrate, it's an excuse to make lots of food and a chance to surround yourself with people you love. Two of my favorite things!

Being the only non meat eater (let alone vegan) in my family, food based gatherings came become a little frustrating. Though I have been veggie for 4 years now, my family still just doesn't get it.  I now acknowledge that they just don't want to. Every vegetable dish gets smothered in butter, that's just the kind of eaters they are. So, when I am heading to a family food gathering, I know it will solely be up to me to provide food I can eat.

Last year, I made a HUGE Thanksgiving meal. I may have gone overboard. I'm pretty sure at one point in the day, Martha Stewart was trying to contact me to make sure I wasn't going off the deep end. This year, because of budget, I have to reel it in quite a bit. This year, my menu consists of (so far…and is subject, and likely, to change…)
Potato, Spinach, Parsnip Casserole topped with roasted Mushrooms
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
a warm Quinoa Salad (a work in progress)
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Baked Apples

 I usually prepare a faux meat dish, along with some sides. Over the past year, I've really been rethinking the whole faux meat thing. I think that it's great for someone who is transitioning, or for special occasions like holidays. I just ask that you make sure you know what is in your faux meat. Just because it isn't animal, doesn't mean that it's necessarily good for you. I recommend Googling some brands and figuring out what you feel comfortable with. Make sure you understand the ingredients!

Most people feel that since it is the holiday season, they get a free pass to eat whatever they want and however much they want. Then when the new year rolls around, they head to the gym because they've gained so much weight. Don't let yourself be one of those people. You can eat a variety, without eating large amounts! Try to focus on hearty, filling dishes.

EAT SLOWLY. Are you competing in an eating competition? Probably not. The more you focus on actually chewing your food, we're talking chewing until there is nothing left to chew, the more nutrients you will get from your food and the more full you will feel…faster. Ever wonder why you feel fine while downing your two or three plates of food…then suddenly you feel like Violet from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? You're not giving your body enough time to recognize the mass amounts of food you're eating.

This doesn't mean, however, that you should make yourself miserable. If you want that extra slice of pie…have it. Just don't make the extra slice 3 times the size of an average slice. You'll be amazed at how these few simple tips can leave you feeling satisfied and not like you need to be rolled to the bathroom.

Be kind. Be curious. Be thankful.

Life Update

Oh, the changes that have occurred!

Greetings blog readers! It sure has been a crazy summer! It began in April with a mini breakdown of sorts, I started school in July and a new job at the beginning of this month!

WHOA!!!

It seems that after feeling that life had become pretty stagnant for a few years, it just took a little emotional/spiritual/mental breakthrough (or breakdown) to get the ball rolling. I am a firm believer that, no matter how hard you try, the right things will not come to you until you are ready for them. And no amount of my kicking and screaming was going to change that.

As I mentioned, I started school in July. I am taking a one year course at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. It's an online course that has a kind of go at your own pace way of teaching. Part of the stagnancy I experienced over the past few years was largely because I just didn't know what to do with my life. I have never really been one to go with what everyone else is doing, and I knew that going thousands of dollars in debt for a degree I likely wouldn't use just wasn't an option. Nor was it an option to get a full time job working in a warehouse (pretty much the only two options around here for a twenty-something year old). I want to help and educate people, save the planet, not neglect myself for my job (a BIG no no for an HSP).

One day I was browsing the discussion forums on TheKindLife.com and found a lot of people talking about IIN. I figured it sounded too good to be true and was probably a scam. So I Nancy Drew'd the hell out of it. While there are the occasional disgruntled students, it seemed like the perfect thing for me.  Within 2 weeks, I was signed up and within another two weeks classes began! Once again, thanks to Alicia and great, fellow Kind-Lifers, my life has changed!
IIN trains you to become a health coach so you can help yourself and others! And instead of it simply being about what you eat, it focuses on the health of mind, body AND spirit! Perfect! Though only a little over a month in, I can't wait until I start taking on clients! More to come on that as it unfolds...


Another big change is my new job. I worked in the coffee shop for 4 years.

 That's a long time to work in a coffee shop.

Let me rephrase. That's a long time to work in a coffee shop that does very little business and for a company that knows very little about coffee shops.

I needed out.
ASAP.

I am now working in a large bookstore. Is it an incredible job that makes me want to do a handstand and skip around all day? No. But it's a much needed change until I can start taking on clients and getting a little extra income.

For the first time in a pretty long time, I can say that I'm pretty content.

(Please note: I am a Gemini and being content is often a passing state of mind.)

Until next time, which hopefully will be sooner rather than later.

Be kind. Be curious. Be patient.