I am so saddened by the loss of a special man who touched my life in 2007 while I was dealing with cancer. Dr. David Simon, partner to Dr. Deepak Chopra, and co-founder of the Chopra Center, has passed away. He was the catalyst to opening my eyes to integrative medicine–taking the wisdom of the east and combining it with the innovation of the west–to heal oneself. David helped me see that an integrative and holistic approach to my cancer would lead to my healing. It was because of him that I got the appropriate help and tapped into the power within myself to be healed.

Thank you David for touching my life in such a profound way. I am eternally grateful to you. My heart goes out to David’s family and all the Chopra Center staff, and also to Deepak, for their loss. I will be eternally grateful for having met and been counseled by Dr. Simon. David, thank you for your life, your dedication to healing and for personally helping me.

Remembering David Simon from Chopra Center on Vimeo.

Here are a few beautiful lines from the poet David called “my beloved Hafiz”:

The Sun Never Says

Even
after
all this time
the sun never says to the earth,
“You owe me.”
Look
what happens
with a love like that -

It lights the whole world.

In early January, I attended the annual vision board workshop conducted by Deb Roffe of Summit Life Coaching. Once again, it was a powerful experience. New things were revealed–some expected and others that took me by complete surprise. I already knew my central word for 2012 is CONNECTION–it’s what I kept hearing as I journaled. During the guided meditation, however, I discovered its meaning went deeper and there were other messages too.

In the meditation Deb took us through prior to creating our boards, we visited our future self 20 years from now. My future self confirmed that my core word in 2012 is CONNECTION–she told me how important it is that I connect to my own heart, to family and friends, and to the people I interact with professionally. She conveyed that I must help others connect with their hearts. She told me to have courage and tap into my POWER as our family continues to deal with difficulties. She assured me all will work out. She also said to surround myself in LIGHT–to be LIGHT and to shine LIGHT. As she wrapped me in a shawl, which was a gift from her, I knew she was showing me how to care for myself. It was a beautiful visualization, and so is the board I created as a result of our encounter.

You too can create a vision board. Attending a workshop is a great way to do it because of the group process. However, you can make one by yourself with a few materials. You’ll need magazines, scissors, a glue stick, and a poster board. Before you begin, it’s a good idea to meditate or take quiet time to bring focus to this process–to hear your own inner voice. Here are the steps to follow based on what I learned from Deb’s workshop:

1. Set a goal, make an intention, and dream. Remember to DREAM BIG.

2. Collect images and words from magazines. Put the images in one pile and the words and phrases in another. Choose what touches you. Maybe you get chills or feel your heart skip a beat as you come across a certain word or phrase or feel “grabbed” by a specific image. Sometimes you’ll just know. When you have a strong reaction to something, be sure to include it. Even if it doesn’t make sense now, know that at some point its meaning will become crystal clear. That’s part of the fun! Let your intuition be your guide.

3. Create your collage. This is the most exciting part, yet it can be the most nerve-wracking. Gluing is committing to your dreams. It allows for the possibility of actually manifesting what you desire.

4. See the results. You’ll know when you’re done–when it’s time to stop gluing. Step back, look at your board and take it in. Allow it to touch you. Many images will make sense. However, as I said earlier, some may not yet be clear. In the days ahead, take time to gaze at your vision board and journal about your feelings and impressions. You may find that something on your board has more than one meaning or signifies something deeper. Other images and words may begin to come into focus.

The excitement of a vision board is that its meanings will continuously unfold. Even more exciting will be the manifestation of your dreams.

Here it is! My absolute favorite dessert (other than Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory). The extra bonus is that it is gluten-free (I’m sorry to say that it is not guilt-free, but for me it’s an occasional MUST HAVE).

On one of my return trips to California to visit girlfriends a few years ago, they prepared a special dinner in my honor, which was so touching. The baker in the group asked what I’d like for dessert and of course I knew immediately it had to be flourless chocolate cake. I do not have her recipe, but I found this one through the Gluten-Free Goddess (glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com) and it is amazing. So, now you know. If you ever want to make dessert for me, this is my number one all-time favorite. I hope you love it as much as I do. Bon apetito!

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE (from the Gluten-Free Goddess)

Ingredients:
16 oz. Belgian dark chocolate (or use your favorite dark chocolate bars)
1 cup organic light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
3/4 cup very hot strong coffee (or use espresso power in very hot water)
2 sticks organic unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons unsweetened organic cocoa powder
8 large organic free-range eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon bourbon vanilla extract (yes, a tablespoon)

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 10-cup Springform pan by lining the bottom with buttered parchment.

Note: Using a smaller cake pan will result in a longer baking time; adjust accordingly and keep an eye on the edges; if it browns too much while the center is still wet, wrap edges in foil; or if you are using a smaller pan, try placing it inside a warm water bath as Dorie Greenspan suggests.

Break up the dark chocolate pieces and pour the chocolate into the bowl of the food processor. Pulse until the chocolate breaks up into small bits. Add the sugar. Pulse until the chocolate and sugar turns into an even, sandy grain.

Pour the hot water or coffee slowly into the feed tube as you pulse again. Pulse until the chocolate is melted. Magic!

Add the butter pieces and the cocoa powder, and pulse to combine. Add the eggs and vanilla, and process till smooth. The batter will be liquid and creamy.

Pour the batter into the lined Springform pan. Wrap the outside of the whole pan with a big piece of foil. Bake at 350 degrees in the center of the oven, till puffed and cracked and lovely–about 55 to 65 minutes. (Note–it took an hour plus 15 minutes when I baked this at high altitude.) Use a wooden toothpick to check the center of the cake; pick should emerge clean, with maybe a crumb.

Place the cake pan on a wire rack to cool. The cake will deflate. Don’t worry! When cooled a bit, press down on it gently with a spatula to make it even if you wish. Or not.

When the cake is completely cooled, cover, and chill it for at least three hours (best up to eight hours) until serving. Overnight is even better.

Serve slices with drizzled chocolate sauce or a sprinkle of sifted powdered sugar. Garnish with fresh berries or mint leaves.

Yield: 15 slices

It’s a New Moon AND a New Year–the Chinese Year of the Dragon. Chinese symbolism representing this year as a dragon reminds us that this is an unsettling, exciting, and creative time, full of dynamic extremes and opportunities to overcome challenges. Today’s New Moon invites us to take time to consider and set our intentions. What a perfect day to give pause and reflection to what you want to manifest in your life!

The new moon (originally known as the dark moon) is that moment in between the ending of a moon cycle (the waning moon) and the beginning of a new moon cycle (the waxing moon). This dark moon is the period of time when we cannot see the moon in the night sky and is an optimal time for planning and seeding our intentions. All seedlings need a period of gestation. As they sit in the darkness of the soil, with proper light and water, those seeds will take root and break through the soil to reach for the sunlight. This is also true for our ideas and our desires. The mysterious dark side of the moon offers a nurturing environment where our intentions can establish roots before their miraculous manifestations begin to sprout and reach out to the stars.

To take full advantage of tonight’s new moon, if possible, set aside a few minutes to focus on your wishes and desires. This will help give you clarity and fill your heart with promise. There is no better time than during a new moon to set goals or plan ahead for the future. Any intentions you state or write down carry power, so please consider carefully the things you really want. Of course, the moon has its cycle and so do our individual wants and needs. We may discover that what we set as intentions during this new moon may not be relevant or appropriate by the next moon cycle. It’s therefore a good idea to take the opportunity to revisit our intentions each month and identify what we’ve manifested and what we need to let go.

Each new moon provides the perfect opportunity to take time and rededicate your intentions by renewing your list. To get the full impact of your intentions, it’s best to rewrite them on a fresh sheet of paper rather than cross out items and add new ones at the bottom of your original list. By lining through and adding to the existing list, you create a sense of clutter and haphazardness, even lack of focus. What might that do to the energy of that which you desire to create? As you write your new list each month, be sure to take time to consider where you are, who you are and where you want to go. Be sure to eliminate anything that no longer feeds your soul and add new things that make your heart sing.

May your month and year be blessed with abundance, peace and joy. And may the Year of the Dragon inspire you to intentional action!

It’s a new year, and I intend to once again post weekly recipes on Thursdays. To kick off 2012, I’m sharing this wonderful treat I discovered during the holiday season.

For New Years, I wanted to find something special to deliver to our neighbors. Thanks to Whole Foods Market’s website, I found this recipe that combines a bit of tartness with sweetness to create a very satisfying taste. I especially liked that it was sweetened with honey rather than sugar. Since we’d all consumed more than enough sugar throughout December, I assumed my neighbors would also appreciate a short reprieve from super sweet foods. (Of course, I baked one for our family as well and we all loved it!)

I hope you’ll give this a try this winter. Please let me know if you like it. Bon apetito!

CRANBERRY NUT BREAD

3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1-1/2 cups all purpose flour (I used finely ground whole wheat flour; you can also substitute with gluten-free flours)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped dried cranberries (I use the ones sweetened with fruit juice rather than sugar)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and honey together in a large bowl. Stir in eggs, orange juice and orange zest; set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt and add to honey mixture in thirds, beating after each addition. Stir in cranberries and walnuts, then transfer batter to an oiled loaf pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until cooked through.

This past year has been mixed with many blessings and challenges for me and my family. In an attempt to not dwell on the challenges, yet take the opportunity to learn from them, I asked each family member to write their list of two to four lessons learned in 2011. Here is my family’s list:

Dominic:
*Things could always be worse;
*Health is paramount;
*Above all else, love is most important.

Frankie, age 16:
*Guys are problematic (not exactly the word she really used);
*Girls are sometimes easier;
*Honesty is the only true virtue that people should cherish;
*Life often feels like it is against you–it’s up to you to turn it around for yourself.

Alix, age 16:
*True happiness comes from within and can be found no matter what the circumstances, if you’re willing to do the searching;
*Love above all else heals, even when you yourself cannot find the hurt;
*Instead of taking time to ponder further, take the time to trust and just let go.

Donna:
*Finding my voice and expressing it honestly are essential ingredients to living authentically;
*Having deep connections to family and friends is key to experiencing a beautiful (bellissima) life;
*Time for self-care needs to be a priority;
*Two of my best teachers are still my children.

Tonight at midnight, I (and whoever is awake with me) will light a candle. My intention is to feel gratitude and make peace with the past year while sending out a light into the world with our intentions for the new year. For me, those intentions include abundant joy, peace, love, gratitude, health and prosperity in 2012 along with my desire to be of service and bring more of these same attributes to others.

I’d love to have you join me in lighting a candle tonight. If you can, please light one that has never been lit before. Before you light it, think about this past year and what you are grateful for. Then, as you light your candle, think of what you intend for yourself and those closest to you in the year 2012. Know that you are joining with many others to send love and light into the world.

In the upcoming days, I also invite you to make your own list of lessons learned and set your intentions for what you want to perpetuate and give birth to in 2012. It is always up to us. We have free will to choose how we live, how we see things and what lessons we want to take away. What do you choose to take away from this year? What do you want to manifest in 2012?

Here’s an act I want to follow!! Thanks Michael Buble for reminding us to be kind and generous of spirit!

What acts of generosity can we each do today?

My daughter Alix is getting back into the kitchen little by little. Her favorite form of expression, besides writing, is to take a recipe and make it her own. I am in awe of her ability to explore ingredients and quantities as she creates her own amazing variations on a theme.

In recent weeks, we’ve enjoyed a new waffle recipe (which I’ll post next week–sorry Nonna) and a great stuffing that can be enjoyed at any time. The following is Alix’s Everyday Stuffing, greatly modified from a rice stuffing recipe she found at wholefoodsmarket.com. In her opinion, this can accompany any roasted bird, but her favorite is turkey. You can eat the stuffing right out of the oven and left over:

ALIX’S EVERYDAY STUFFING

1 yellow onion
3 cloves garlic
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 cup pecans or walnuts
1-1/2 cups chopped celery
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
4 cups vegetable broth
6 cups dried bread, cubed (we used sprouted hamburger buns)
salt & pepper to taste
Olive oil

1. Place cubed bread on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until bread is toasted and brown.
2. Saute the onion, garlic, dried cranberries and nuts in olive oil.
3. Add thyme, sage, parsley, ginger, cinnamon, salt, pepper and celery. Continue to saute.
4. Pour toasted bread into pan and add the vegetable broth. If you need more liquid, add additional broth or water.
5. Bake in over 20-25 minutes. Serve immediately.

As happens each month, tonight at my home in Castle Rock will be another wonderful WWW event. Our speaker tonight, Karen Loucks Rinedollar, author of Working for Peanuts, is a delightful gift to lead us toward the holiday season.

On a wintery December Sunday morning more than a decade ago, Karen was divinely inspired by a Parade magazine article. There, in an article entitled, “Joy to the World,” written by Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist Eddie Adams were photos and words that drew Karen in like the steam from the warm tea she sat drinking. In the midst of the two-page article was three-year-old cancer patient Laura Williams who stood holding a blanket–her security blanket–which, made by her aunt, went with her to all her appointments and procedures and through her day-to-day life. It was as if Laura spoke directly to Karen that day. As Karen says in her book, “My mind churned. What about the children who did not have someone to make one of the ‘magic’ blankets for them?” Karen’s book is a must-read. Her story is an incredible one, telling how because of her experience that morning she went on to found Project Linus, a nonprofit organization with presence around the world.

Tonight Karen will share her story and inspire us. We all have the ability to make a difference in the world. We were each born with gifts, talents and passions inherent in our beings. Sometimes all we need is a light tap on the shoulder or a nudge from the Divine to remind us of our calling. I believe Karen was whispered to on that December morning and she heard the urging. Because of her vision, determination and unwavering belief, children who struggle with loss, illness or traumatic life experiences can have the gift of a Project Linus blanket lovingly made by one of the hundreds of PL blanketeers.

We don’t have to found an organization to make a difference in the world. There are many ways to be of service. All we need is the belief that we are here to serve in some way, the openness to listen within, and the willingness to be inspired to action. Maybe tonight is your night to be touched by Karen’s story. Whenever it is and whatever it will be, I wish you the patience to listen, belief to see your true value, and the courage to step into the light.

It’s been so long since I posted a recipe. With the season of fall underway, it seems like the right time to start thinking about those indoor recipes. Since in our home, we won’t be grilling quite so often, we are beginning to crave soups and stews. Not only do they provide warmth to our bodies, but they provide rich smells that fill up the house with yummy goodness.

As the snow fell yesterday here in Colorado’s front range, we craved something warm and hearty. Here is the version of split pea soup I made for our family last night–it turned out great. Whether you use my recipe or one from your own family, be sure to start incorporating soups and stews into your diet. Our bodies crave them in fall and winter and they are a great way to stretch our food dollars. I always make enough for two meals. Whether we serve it for lunch the next day or another dinner, it saves me time and money.

For a nice large pot of soup that can feed a family of four two meals here’s my quantities:

BELLISIMA’S SPLIT PEA SOUP

3 cups split peas, rinsed and drained
6-8 large carrots, diced
1 bunch celery, diced
4-5 small russet potatoes, in small cubes
1 yellow onion, diced
2-3 bay leaves (personal preference)
1/2-1 teaspoon dry thyme (personal preference)
salt and pepper to taste
9 cups water

Put all ingredients into a large pot. Stir and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and allow to simmer until peas are softened and soup takes on a creamy texture (2-3 hours).

Serve with a side salad and fresh bread.

As an alternative, serve with a side of brown rice (I like to add my brown rice into the soup, giving it a “crunchier” texture).

Bon apetito!