Early on I decided personal vulnerability made me look weak and unknowing and so while my clients courageously opened themselves up to me, I put on my “everything is perfect” face whenever friends asked after my own welfare.  With walling myself away from my own authenticity, thinking I needed to know everything and do it all on my own, I covertly chipped away at my self confidence.  Now, I am not someone you would say is lacking in self confidence.

And yet with every compliment I gave myself, there was a quick “you stink” slap to follow.  Outwardly I was the girl who had it all together while inwardly I berated myself for not having all the answers, for not being enough or doing more.  It was a big secret to keep, this whole not being perfect thang.  And it sucked because let me tell you, that stuff is heavy!  It weighs down your body, your mind and your spirit until finally you say, “Enough!  I get it.  I need help!!”

Since embarking on this imperfection detox 9 months ago, I have seen more opportunities, love, and happiness appear in my life than ever before.  It sounds woo woo but when I gave myself permission to love and accept myself fully and completely, blemishes and all, the goodness radiating out reflected back to me 10 fold.  The best part of it all is that my clients are now making breakthroughs they never thought possible!  They are uncovering and releasing old thought patterns that have weighed them down for years and are experiencing their lives in an entirely new way.  Amazing stuff!

To get all the goods in my personal transition and rockin’ new self, join me for my FREE call:

Your Body Confidence Calling:  The keys to creating well-being, self- love and confidence that rocks your (and everyone else’s) world!

The call is part of Rocking Confidence 2012 and is a FREE month-long program in MARCH where I and 21 other talented women will be talking all about how to ROCK confidence! www.rockingconfidence.com

Over the course of the month experts will offering up a plethora of knowledge for growing in all aspects of your life from personal finance, spirituality, entrepreneurship, body image, marketing, nutrition, creative expression, to relationships.  Its free to sign up – just go to www.rockingconfidence.com 

Much love as always for reading, reaching out and having the courage to change!

Courage is essential in asking for support because with the ask you admit that you don’t have all the answers!  (Cue scary music.)  It seems ridiculous as any rational person knows they cannot have all the answers to every concern EVER, but it’s a different undertaking all together to be vulnerable and openly admit it.  And yet with such an admission, it feels like the weight of the world has been lifted off your shoulders.  You feel lighter, freer and suddenly have more space to shift into the changes you want to make.

In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve always had a laundry list of TO DO’s.  A list, which for years I thought had to be fully accomplished for me to achieve complete and lasting happiness.  Quite a tall order, don’t you think? Especially when some of the actions items, like #3 and #4- Lead thousand-person workshops and Get on Oprah!, might take a little bit of time.  Knowing what you want in life is great, fantastic even, but holding yourself ransom until you get it is not.  Withholding joy, love and self acceptance until you hit all your must dos, keeps you stuck and closed off from the goodness that might filter in if you just relax and enjoy in the here and now.  I’m not saying chuck your TO DO list out the window, but by shifting it to a DESIRES list and looking at each intention with reverence and excitement, the list no longer seems like a job, your anxiety loosens and lo and behold, happiness appears!

As support and community are huge themes for me this year, I am THRILLED to be attending the upcoming Institute for Integrative Nutrition MegaConference on March 3-4.  In fact, I’ve been asked to be a VIP Live blogger for the event and can’t wait to let you know how it all goes.  The line-up for the event is amazing and lots of AH-HA moments are guaranteed.  I’m particularly excited to see the brilliant Geneen Roth whose writings have inspired me for years and Gary Taubes, whose articles on fat and sugar both rocked my world!

Above all, the conference will be a BIG dose of love, fun, community and warm fuzzies to remind me that YES, life is good, happiness is mine to have now, not later, and it’s the process of my DESIRES list, not the end result that holds all the joy and contentment I need.

Every girl deserves to have a deeply satisfying relationship with her chocolate.  The problem is that many of us keep our sweetie hidden from view, only enjoying him quickly and covertly so as to avoid someone seeing him and asking for a nibble.  To miss chocolate’s slow, sensuous nature is to deprive ourselves of the relationship of lifetime.  No one will commit to you, listen to you and know exactly what to say the way chocolate will.  In fact, my chocolate man and I just hit year 20 and we are still going strong!

Here are four simple steps to creating a lasting and loving relationship with your chocolate:

See – Look your chocolate over and notice his beautiful shape and how he is melted into form.
Smell – Does he smell like coffee, Tahitian vanilla, or nutmeg?  Notice his unique scent and let it fill your senses.
Chew – Take one square of your chocolate and chew it very carefully in your mouth, making sure not to swallow.  This allows for him to melt evenly over your tongue.
Melt – Let the chocolate sit on your tongue and melt across your palate.  The longer you let the rich goodness stay the more chances he has to touch each of your taste buds.

I know, right?  When you eat chocolate like that, actual men seem to pale in comparison. (Just kidding, we love our real men!)  Now are your ready to commit to this relationship fully and completely?  Grab yourself a dark chocolate bar, find a luxurious couch, lean back and go slow.  It just doesn’t get much better than that.  (If you feel like going BIG, try these chocolate blueberry truffles.  All I can say is, wowza!)

Leave a comment and tell me what your relationship with chocolate is like and how he (or she) makes you feel.   Come on, I want to know  ;)

Have a wonderful Valentine’s Day makin’ sweet chocolaty luv!

I’m sure you are thinking, “Jamie sounds like a raving lunatic.  It’s only salad, for goodness sake!”  And yes, you are right.  However good salad, really, truly amazing salad is a rarity for which I would happily forgo any rich meaty dish or even, dare I say it, dessert.  Whenever invited to a dinner party I always bring salad, and without fail I am asked, “How did you make this?  This is the best salad I have ever had!”  I smile and say, “It’s not me, its the ingredients.”  So, are you ready to learn how to make a brilliant salad that will make you and your guests cry for joy?  Alright then, let’s go!

Secrets For Super Sexy Salad

(And if you are wondering what makes any salad sexy, I’ll tell you.  Any time something delicious and juicy hits your tongue and you allow yourself to sit and savor it, you are transported to a seriously pleasurable and dare I say, sexy place.  Yes, salad can be just as sensuous as lamb stew or chocolate fondue.  You just need to give the good stuff a try!)

#1-  Buy whole heads of lettuce-  This keeps you away from the dry, mealy stuff and opens up an entirely new world of plump leaves that beg to be eaten.  Leaves and stems should be firm, not floppy, and feel moist to the touch but not soggy.

#2-  Mix it up-  Experiment with multiple types of lettuce rather than sticking to boring ole’ romaine.   Red leaf, green leaf, arugula, escarole, chicories, red butter, and green butter are all different varieties of lettuce that entice the palate and keep you interested.  I love mixing different lettuces in my salad to create varying colors and textures.  (The gorgeous maroon-colored lettuce below is what I picked up at today’s Farmer’s Market.  Talk about mixin’ it up!)

#3-  Texturize-   There are countless reasons why most salads are flat, however a big one is lack of texture.  Just eating lettuce with a spinkle of Parmesan is a one note experience and as you know, you want eating to be a symphony. (Like how I did that?)   You want wet, dry, crunchy, and creamy co-mingling and gettin’ comfy on the salad plate.  Red and watermelon radishes, red/green cabbage, avocado, goat cheese, blue cheese, jicama, and even pickled cauliflower provide texture and taste that impart life to your salad.

#4-  Go nuts- For me, salad does not hit that divine place until it is topped with some kind of nut or seed.  Nuts and seeds add crunchy, fatty awesomeness that take a good salad to great.  I recommend toasting your nuts/seeds before using them as heat brings our their richness and flavor.  And please do not get sucked into only using almonds.  (I know you!)  Try sunflower seeds, pumpkins seeds, walnuts, cashews, pecans, and hazelnuts.  Each has a unique offering so experiment and see which you like best.

#5- Touch of sweetness-  This is a husband request as my man is more of a sweety while I’m a salty dawg.  However, I will admit that many times a touch of fruit is exactly what the doctor ordered.  Adding fruit to your salad should change with the seasons which helps keep you from getting stuck in an apple rut.  In the Spring add strawberries.  In the Summer, a plum, peach, nectarine or pluot.  I adore pears in salad in the fall and for winter, toss in a few orange segments, grapefruit or persimmon.  Remember, this is not a “fruit salad” but rather using a touch of fruit for balance of flavor.  For a salad for 2, I use 1/2 a piece of fruit.

#6-  Dress it up-  This is where most people get it wrong.   Repeat after me:  ”I will no longer outsource my salad dressings!”  Most people grab bottled salad dressings because they believe homemade versions are too hard.  Oh, how wrong you are.  First know, almost every salad I make gets dressed in the same way.  Unfiltered, cold pressed olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and pepper.  DONE!  Sometimes I work in a bit of Dijon mustard, Parmesan cheese, and lemon juice but that really is about it.  I prefer my dressing to be light rather than rich & creamy so as to get the vegetables’ tasty story.  Think of dressing as an enhancer, the finishing bow on an already beautiful present.

There you have it.  The secrets to super sexy salad every time!  Please experiment with these tips and let me know what you come up with.  Of course, with all this salad talk it would be down right wrong to leave you without recipe to try.  I made this salad for our 20 person New Year’s Eve party and truth be told, it was more popular than the champagne. The sweet and crunch of the cabbage played perfectly against the spicy nature of the arugula and onion.

It is also the perfect salad for a romantic Valentine’s dinner.  Pair with a glass of jammy Zinfandel and dark chocolate and honestly, you can let gettin’ it on be the main course.   Enjoy!

Arugula & Cabbage Salad

Arugula and Cabbage Salad with Onion, Lemon and Parmesan

You will notice here that I’ve broken rule #4 as there are no nuts or seeds to be seen in this recipe.  The beauty of rules is they are made to broken and so I took the liberty of making this salad sans-nuts.  However toasted hazelnuts, if you felt so inclined, would be delicious on this.

Serves 4

1/2 a small red onion

Juice of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon organic honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Sea salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

3 cups green cabbage, finely sliced

2 handfuls arugula

1/2 cup raw Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Soak the sliced onions in a small bowl of cold water for 20 minutes while prepping the rest of the salad.  In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, honey, mustard, and a touch of salt and pepper.  Whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is well combined.  Set aside.

Cut the cabbage in half and then one of the halves, into quarters.  With a sharp knife, slice two of the quarters of the cabbage into thin strips and place the second cabbage half in the fridge for later use.  This should be about 2 cups.   Place the cabbage in a bowl with the arugula, the drained onions and the dressing.  Fold in the Parmesan cheese, taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary.

First let’s get one thing straight.  I don’t like resolutions.  In fact, have you ever noticed that when you become “resolute” about anything, you set yourself up for failure? For example, what happens if you don’t meet your resolution of 2012 weight loss? You feel worse about yourself than before, immediately give up and comfort yourself with a bag of organic graham crackers.  (They are organic so that’s OK, right?)   Resolutions create a nasty cycle of over-promising and under-delivering that leaves you with no motivation to actually achieve what you want.  There is no greater promise for failure than creating a ginormous “to-conquer” list that is so daunting you become overwhelmed and immediately paralyzed into in-action.

Rather than setting rigid resolutions this year, try setting intentions. The beauty of intentions is they direct the mind towards goals you want to achieve, while leaving a bit of wiggle room.   There is aggressive immediacy to resolutions (I must lose this weight NOW!), whereas intentions require a bit of patience and time.   Now, don’t get the wrong idea.  Though softer around the edges, intentions are not about having an eject button or “get out of jail free” card when things get tough, but instead grant you permission to slow down, take stock and readjust if you feel overwhelmed, scared or are simply tired of pushing.

Interested in what JamieLiving’s got going on intention-wise for 2012?  I know you are so here’s my list:  

• Tighten my branding, voice and message of full-life wellness to empower women to reclaim to their food, their kitchens, their bodies and their inner sassy spark!
• Launch my 10-week digital program Live with Bite!
• Be a featured speaker on teleclasses, telesummits and online conferences
• Hit 2,000 LIKES on the JamieLiving FB fan page
• Be an expert food and lifestyle guest for local and national TV and radio shows
• Make Tanya’s (the newest JamieLiving Health Coach!) schedule so full of clients she can barely see straight!  
• Travel to France and kiss my man with a mouth full of gluten-filled baguette (sexy, I know)
• Write guest blog posts for well-known and respected blogs
• Create partnerships and friendships with fellow entrepreneurial ladies who are rockin’ it, changin’ the world and livin’ the life

Now at first glance one might say, “Holy goodness, are you crazy?!?”  Then on second look might say, “That’s a s*** ton of stuff, how will you find the time?”  Honestly, I said both those things plus a few other choice phrases including, “that’s totally impossible” and “who do you think you are”.  After I thanked those nasty thoughts for their input and told them to SHOVE OFF, I realized that though this is a seriously tall order, it is all completely doable.  And not only that, but doable in a way where I can still keep my sanity and balance.  ”HOW?”, you ask.  Because each bullet-point on my list is an intention that once put to paper and surrounded by forethought, planning, love, diligence, and faith cannot help but come to fruition.  There is no giant, slave-driving, taskmaster of resolution bearing down on me yelling, “Harder, faster, push more!” but instead a sassy angel of intention who says, “That’s right sweet girl.  I got your back, I’m on your side, we’re in this journey together and this is gonna happen!”  Whoosh, what a difference!

SO, what are your intentions for 2012?  In the comments below be sure tell me what you are creating and working on in this awesome even-numbered year.  (Oooh those round numbers just makes me so happy.  Yes, I am an order lovin’ freak!)  Remember, sharing is caring and I want to hear all about what’s on your agenda in the next few months.  Much love, happy New Year and enjoy those fabulous intentions!

We are in the height of winter vegetable season and I totally love it! The main reason is that I’m a serious soup junkie.  And of course winter veggies like carrots, celery, celery root, onions, cauliflower and hearty greens are just BEGGING to be turned into steaming, comforting and warming soups and stews. I’m pretty obedient so I have no problem doing as they ask and making a soup or stew once, even twice a week. My CSA has been brimming with wonderful soup veggies that sing cooking inspiration to me every time I open my box.

You just can’t go wrong with soup. For me it meets all my requirements for a weeknight meal:
-       Use what I have
-       Quick and easy
-       Forgiving (i.e. “screw up proof”)
-       Delicious

Soup can be the ultimate “clean the pantry” meal. I almost always have half an onion waiting to be used, carrots and celery on the verge of going limp and some sort of green leafy thing that is screaming “eat me”! Throw in a protein like canned beans or leftover chicken and you’ve got dinner in less than 30 minutes. If you have a slow cooker, throw it all in there, turn it on, go away, come back in 3-4 hours and dinner is waiting. I mean really, there is no reason to be waiting an hour for pizza delivery!

Here’s just how screw-up free soup is:   Got veggies? Got water?  Got soup!  Tastes bland? Do not despair! Add salt, pepper, a gulp of olive oil, a splash of tamari, spoonful of curry paste, squeeze of lemon or grated parmesan. Soup likes to be doctored up so don’t be afraid to experiment with different flavors.

Soup is going to help me stay sane in 2012 because I know it’s going to be a crazy busy year. I’m ramping up my health and wellness business, starting to see nutrition clients and training for the Death Ride in July (which means multiple century rides between now and then. Yikes!). Making a filling and delicious dinner every night is going to be tough but I know that as long as I have a pot of soup sitting in the fridge I’ll be able to make time for all of these things and have a quick meal waiting in the fridge.

So, today I started 2012 off with a fabulous and warming Turkey Meatball Soup. With ground turkey sitting in the fridge and the spinach, carrots and onion in this weeks CSA I was reminded of making this recipe in the spring. It’s perfect for this time of year as well….warm, comforting and absolutely delicious! Plus, you can easily improvise or adapt this recipe by adding different veggies or some barley or wild rice. Enjoy!

Turkey Meatball Soup

Serves 4-5

1 medium onion, chopped
½ cup celery, chopped (about 3 stalks)
1 cup carrots, cut into half moons (about 2 medium)
½ TBSP extra virgin olive oil, ghee or butter
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 lb ground turkey
1 tsp salt and pepper
no salt seasoning mix, chili pepper, dried oregano (herbs or your choice for meatballs)
2 bunches spinach, Swiss chard or kale (or 3-4 handfuls packaged)
1/3 cup chopped parsley

In a large soup pot saute onion in oil or butter until translucent. Add celery and carrots with pinch of salt. Continue to saute for 4-5 minutes over medium heat.

Add stock to pot and bring to a low boil.

Meanwhile, combine turkey, salt, pepper and seasoning of your choice in a stand mixer (or you can combine by hand). Get creative with the seasoning – any dried herbs and spices will work fine.

Once stock has come to a boil, roll turkey into small balls (about 1 ½ Tbsp sized) and add them gently into the stock. Don’t worry about them being perfectly round.

After you have used up all the turkey add the spinach and stir in until it wilts. Toss in the parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

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Tanya McCausland is a health and wellness coach and avid home cook. She hoards recipes (is there a TLC show for that yet?) and loves to ride her bike. She believes that great health begins with real ingredients and delicious home cooked meals. Her goal is to help others find the joy, empowerment and healing that the kitchen has to offer.

“What’s the word,” you ask?

“Tell us already!” you implore…

Today’s video reveals the one little word that can save you from a host of holiday pitfalls from getting stuck with unwanted leftovers to being the human garbage disposal.  (Don’t worry, we’ve all been there.)  Trust me when I say you are going to want to catch this tip as it is one for the ages.  (And even if not for that long, as least for any time next year!)

After watching, I’d love to hear your feedback. Specifically tell me this:

What are two insights you’ve gained by using the secret-stealth word?

Lastly, If you haven’t yet picked up your copy of my new digital cookbook, How to Savor the Holidays While Saving Your Waistline, I suggestion you do so ASAP.  According to a recent happy customer it “made her drool”!  And though it is technically a “holiday” cookbook, the recipes are tasty all year round.

Much love and have a wonderful holiday!

Luckily help is on the way with our next Holiday Survival Tip!

Today’s video gets to the heart of what to do when we are about to be derailed by a single tasty treat.  Is it really possible to save your day even if you’ve had too much double chocolate-chip cheesecake (and cranberry-pear tart)?  Click play to find out!

After watching the video, I’d love to hear your feedback below. Specifically tell me this:

1)  How does taking each meal on it’s own merit help you?
2)  How do you calm yourself after a bad food bonanza?

Lastly, I am only 97 LIKES away from our 2011 year end goal.  Whoo Hoo!  Thank you so much for your constant love and support. If you haven’t yet shared the JamieLiving luv, please do so right NOW.  Be sure to visit, say HI and pass on the JamieLiving page to all your friends, family, co-workers, and random people you meet.  Only 97 more to go…I know we can do it!

Much love and I’ll see you next week for my sixth tasty tip on surviving the holidays!

First a definition: Cassoulet is a slow-cooked meat and white bean stew that receives its name from the ceramic vessel cassole in which it is cooked.  Though cassoulet means a very specific thing in France, in the good ole’ U.S. of A. it is often used as a fancy term for any combination of meat and beans.  As a vegetarian, my first cassoulet experiment came in the form of this roasted garlic and butternut squash recipe.  I left out the meat (of course), yet since I was serving it to a bunch of other vegetarians, no one cared that I called it a cassoulet.  (At the time I didn’t have any French friends either, so that was helpful.)   It was an awesome dish and one that I whipped out every fall when squash season came around.  And then I started eating meat.  Oh meat how I do love thee.  Particularly paired with beautiful beans.  And yet I’m still not serious enough to make a real cassoulet.

Honestly, I’m intimidated by all that meat.  It just seems excessive, no?  I’m also not a big super fatty, crazy-rich dish fan.  It’s not that I’m a food prude, my palate just doesn’t swing that way.  So here is my first meat attempt at cassoulet.   Serious traditionalists please turn away as I can tell you right now this will cause you pain.   However if you want an extremely tasty chicken and bean stew, this dish will make you very happy!

And for those of you who are curious, here is a recipe that is the real deal…

Roasted Chicken Cassoulet

I made this recipe gluten free however if you are gluten full, before adding the parsley, top the dish with homemade breadcrumbs and throw it in the oven for a few minutes to crisp up.  Quite delicious!

Serves 4

4 ounces organic pancetta, chopped (optional though highly recommend)

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

2 onions, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

½ cup white wine (you can also use 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 cups chicken broth

2 15-ounce cans of great Northern or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (Go for the Eden brand as they are BPA-free)

2 carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch rounds

3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed from the stem

1 sprig fresh oregano, leaves removed from the stem and chopped

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper taste

3 cups leftover roasted chicken thighs, cut into chunks **

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Heat a heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven and add the pancetta.  Sauté until crisp and remove with a slotted spoon, leaving the drippings in the pot.   Add the olive oil, onions and a pinch of salt to the pot and cook until golden brown, about 12 minutes. Add the garlic and wine and simmer for about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and broth.

Add the beans, carrots, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, salt, pepper and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender.  Add the chicken and cook for another 3-5 minutes.  If the stew is thin, let it cook, uncovered for a few minutes.  If it is too thick, add a bit more broth.  Taste to adjust the seasoning and top with chopped parsley and an extra drizzle of olive oil.

**If you are using fresh chicken, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and sear 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs in a single layer. Cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper.  Transfer to a plate and when cool, cut into chunks.  Add the cooked chicken at step 4.

SO, on to our next Holiday Survival Tip!

Today’s video is a personal favorite of mine as it brings you straight into the lion’s den of all things food.  That’s right….the kitchen!  For those of you afraid of the “k” word, don’t be.  It’s actually a very lovely place where tasty things happen.  There is even a warming device called an oven, which makes the room particularly nice on cold winter nights

How can bringing your own dish save you this holiday season?  Click play to find out!

(Oh Youtube, why do you make me look like a crazy person?)

After watching the video, I’d love to hear your feedback on the blog. Specifically tell me this:

1)  How does bringing your OWN dish help you?
2)  What is your very favorite party-pleasing dish to share?

If you are now racking your brain trying to think of what to bring to your holiday shin-dig, don’t worry.  I’ve got your covered with my new digital cookbook:

How to Savor the Holidays while Saving your Waistline and your Sanity! 

If I was stranded on a desert island and could only bring one holiday cookbook, this is absolutely the one I would bring.  (Not sure why I would need a cookbook in such a situation, but you get the point.)  Each chapter is divided into the different emotions we feel during the holidays and then provides the ideal recipe as a tasty tonic.  If you’ve ever been stressed, exhausted, peeved, worried, worn-out or simply in need of a sweet, guilt-free treat, this digital cookbook is for you.  Make sure to download your copy today!  (It’s also a brilliant holiday gift and makes you look very green and technologically advanced.  Always nice.)

Much love and I’ll see you next week for my fifth tasty tip on surviving the holidays!

P.S.  Since I love sharing recipes with ya’ll, here’s my all time favorite gingerbread cookie recipe.  They are sweet, spicy and perfect for any occasion!