sunshel

conscious living & parenting -- plant based -- minimalism sunshel.com / instagram @sunshel

[sunshel]

Singing. I call it my "magic trick", because I can hug my wildly frustrated toddler, sing our song and feel his entire body relax. On nights when I hurt too much to nurse him to sleep, I can pull him close and sing lightly while stroking his head. He falls asleep within minutes. If I'm cooking dinner and he's demanding attention, I can wear him in a wrap and sing while I finish what I need to do. When he was a baby and couldn't stand being in his carseat, I could literally turn his crying on & off with my voice. ⠀

There is magic in a mother's voice, isn't there?⠀

This is one of E's favorite books. We checked it out from the library once. It's based on the Bob Marley song, "Three Little Birds". For several weeks, Dad and I would read it to E, singing the chorus together: "Don't worry about a thing. Every little thing is gonna be alright." Now it's our special song and I'm so grateful for the peace it brings to every day. ⠀ ⠀

[sunshel]

Words of wisdom.

[sunshel]

**Gentle Reminder**

• Please don't dismiss a child's pain by calling it a simple difference in "parenting choice".

• Please don't invalidate and trivialize someone else's pain by saying "It could be so much worse".

• Please don't shrug your shoulders at the suffering of another living being simply because our culture says it's "normal".

• Please don't turn a blind eye and then pat yourself on the back, saying "I don't judge."

Where do we draw the line? When does non-judgement become indifference?

Something is no longer a "lifestyle" or "parenting choice" when it involves violence and cruelty toward another living being. I am sick and tired of hurtful actions being written off as a simple difference in opinion. My heart is hurting today. (Maybe I'm not as *love & light* as some people.)

[sunshel]

"Viewing parenthood as a process of spiritual metamorphosis allows us to create the psychic space to invite the lessons of this journey in. As a parent, to the degree you are able to recognize that your children are in your life to foster a renewed sense of who you are, you will discover their potential to lead you to the discovery of your own true being." (Shefali Tsabary. Read her books and listen to her podcast interviews -- her message is so important.)

[sunshel]

"One of the most calming and powerful actions you can do to intervene in a stormy world is to stand up and show your soul. Struggling souls catch light from other souls who are fully lit and willing to show it." ✨ #nowreading // Women Who Run With the Wolves. B O O K S just keep on transforming my life.

[sunshel]

When I decide what's for dinner, I usually start with one or two ingredients. Today: Plantain. I've been wanting to cook with these because I know they're a prebiotic and a rich source of resistant starch -- the fuel that feeds your healthy gut bacteria. Too often, people buy a probiotic supplement and call it a day. But like any living organism, the beneficial microbes need FOOD. A high fiber, plant based diet is the best way to keep your microbiome happy and thriving. 🌿 Chop up a plantain (while it's still green or barely yellow) and pop it in the oven with some oil and spices. Simple! Tonight we had jackfruit chalupas with black beans (+ nutritional yeast), guacamole and lettuce --- all on a sprouted corn tortilla. On the side, leftover veggie quinoa. And we enjoyed dipping the plantain chips in the guacamole. Delicious. 😍

[sunshel]

He's playing with his butternut squash and watching the rain. ✨ Today I was reading an article on the importance of being barefoot and one sentence really struck me : "Children are not fashion accessories." This -- is why we will never choose cute over comfortable. And sometimes comfortable means crawling around in his birthday suit. ☺️

[sunshel]

Tonight's Recipe

E's new favorite food: Falafel! He scarfed it down at an impressive speed. 😛 I made a few patties and we each ate them differently. For me, a salad with lemony hummus dressing. For TJ, a sandwich on sourdough bread. On the side, we had baked Rosemary fries. Mm mm mm. I have 4 more patties in the fridge for lunch tomorrow. So easy and nutritious. ✨🙏🏻

[sunshel]

I tried putting him to sleep but he caught a ray of light through the window and before I knew it, I was pulling up the blinds and watching him stomp up and down at the window sill. Dimpled cheeks and love in his eyes. 9 months of these little moments. You are my sweetest surprise, E.

[sunshel]

Greetings from Pecan Springs Ranch, where I am trying to imagine my little sister getting married in a year from now. ✨ I'm also imagining my son at almost 2 years old, walking / running all over this place. Interesting, to say the least. ☺️ And now, Baby's getting some time with Grandma while I head to a Vinyasa class. #loveeveryday (at Pecan Springs Ranch)

[sunshel]

goodness [inspired by one of our favorite @ohsheglows recipes!] : roasted red onion, asparagus and purple potatoes + avocado + cooked lentils + sunflower sprouts + green onion + sauerkraut and pumpkin seeds. With @ohsheglows tangy mustard dressing on top. A M A Z I N G, go check it out and add this to your weekly menu. Makes great leftovers, too. 😉

recipe link: oh she glows

[sunshel]

Dinner (& probably lunch tomorrow because I made so much food) : black beans with nutritional yeast and spices + leftover broccoli quinoa + roasted cauliflower & asparagus + tomatoes + a LOT of @farmhouseculture sauerkraut + green onions and a "dressing" of avocado mixed with lime and cilantro.

I've struggled with dinner for weeks and weeks. What do I make? How do I get it all done while keeping E happy? How do I get enough veggies in each meal? [I should also add that cooking does not come naturally for me -- so an important question is also "how do I make it taste good?"] B O W L S have been the answer. Try it out, y'all! And tag me if you do. I'd love to see what you're eating! 🌿

Instagram @sunshel

[sunshel]

F U E L : romaine lettuce + sunflower sprouts + roasted squash and Brussels sprouts + lentils + watermelon radish + tomatoes + sauerkraut, topped with hummus dressing, lime and sprouted pumpkin seeds. Thankful for this vibrant, nourishing food. #foodismedicine #eatmoreplants

[sunshel]

Monday Bowls 🌿 : Lentils with apple cider vinegar and cilantro + broccoli quinoa + roasted sweet potatoes and brussels sprouts + sauerkraut + chickpea miso dressing (2 tsp miso with orange and lemon juice). Oh and sprouted pumpkin seeds on top -- we've been adding these to everything! THIS is a power bowl. 🌎🙌🏻 #foodismedicine #plantpowered

Instagram @sunshel

[sunshel]

Broccoli, broccoli, broccoli. He loves it and I love watching him eat it. ☺️ Thank you, Earth, for all that you give to us. We are so grateful. 🙏🏻 #earthdayeveryday #foodismedicine

[sunshel]

It's Earth Day and here's a picture of E "climbing" his first tree. 💕 I'd also like to announce that @t_jedi is officially going V E G A N! 🌿 (Though he's pretty much already been one for as long as we've been living together 😉.) When I met him 4 years ago, he was eating chicken wings and pepperoni rolls. Now his green smoothies are double the size of mine. This guy continues to amaze me. 😻

Many of you know that I've been a vegan for over six years. I originally made the shift for health reasons (after reading The China Study) but now, it goes way beyond that. Today, I choose veganism out of a deep love for myself, this planet, and the animals and habitats that surround us. This lifestyle has enabled me to unfold and expand in ways that I never thought possible. It is a lifestyle centered around connection, and I am grateful to have found my way here. So in celebration of Earth Day, here's a pretty scary statistic for you.. 😛 "If every American dropped one serving of chicken per week from their diet, it would save the same amount of CO2 emissions as taking 500,000 cars off the road."

[sunshel]

Tuesday Bowl : Greek! Romaine lettuce, cucumber & tomatoes marinated in olive oil + apple cider vinegar + lemon juice, brown rice with peas, baked falafel (@minimalistbaker) and H U M M U S hummus hummus.