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Coconuts are one of the yummiest foods in the world. You can buy boxed coconut water nowadays, but if you get the chance, treat yourself to the fresh water and soft spoon meat of a young coconut found in your health or local Asian market.

The juice is packed with simple sugar, electrolytes, and minerals to replenish hydration levels in the body.  The key nutrients contained in coconut water include lauric acid, iron, potassium, magnesium, and calcium, which helps make your skin look younger.  The soft, young coconut meat is full of healthy fats to moisturize your skin and help keep it youthful from within.

To read more about the benefits of coconut water, read here.

1.  Cancer Prevention:  Studies have shown a significant reduction in cancer risk among those who avoided meat.  Meat is devoid of fiber and other nutrients that have a protective effect.

2.  Lose Excess Weight and Keep it Off:  A high vegetarian diet low in fat and rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes, accompanied with daily exercise, is the perfect formula for healthy weight loss.

3.  Slow the Aging Process:  Plant based diets are generally rich in fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients, which in turn strengthens the immune system and slows down the aging process.

4.  Reduce Risk of Heart Disease:  High vegetarian diets are naturally lower in saturated fat and cholesterol, and higher in plant nutrients that most meat-based diets.  Vegetarians have been shown to have a 24% lower risk of dying of heart disease than non-vegetarians.

5.  Enjoy the Diverse, Colorful, and Delicious World of Vegetarian Cuisine:  Vegetarian meals can be tasty, fast, and easy.  You can also make any of your favorite dishes by substituting with ready-made meat alternatives.

Just a little speck.
Well, that’s what the surfers look like in comparison to the world’s largest waves. You won’t be surfing Big waves the first week of a surf camp but not to worry you will still get your adrenaline charge and you may even ‘feel’ like you are a big wave surfer. It’s surprising how big waves look on your belly as you are paddling out in comparison to standing on the beach. Not to mention, the power of mother nature… even small waves have some ‘umph’… Sghare with us your biggest and best wave story? I can still remember mine. Head high, glassy and super clear, a long clean ride where I felt like I was carving up and down a perfect snowboard bank and of course, it was on the beautiful island of Maui.

Tasty Fall Treat

Roasted pumpkin seeds

Ingredients:

1 medium sized pumpkin
4 cups water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

preheat oven to 250.
cut seeds out of pumpkin and remove any stings and pulp.
Transfer seeds to a colander and rinse off well.
Bring water to a boil and add pumpkin seeds. reduce heat and boil seeds gently 10 minutes. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels.
Toss seeds with oil and then spread out onto a large baking sheet. Roast seeds stirring every 10 minutes for 1 hour. You can also mix in 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt, cumin, coriander and cardamon powder before roasting for spicy pumpkin seeds

About Our Swell Chef: A stand out at our SwellWomen retreats is our very own private chef, Chef Phill DeMott. Chef Phill DeMott comes to us with over 35 years of culinary experience ranging from New Orleans to Thailand and everywhere in between.  If you are looking for private chef services, please contact Chef Phill DeMott at 808.283.1425.

I had the privilege of attending this year’s annual 2010 Hawaii Spirit Festival held at the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s North Shore. What was even better is that it was a sister trip for my sister, Monica and I. Our last yoga retreat was two years ago and we were long over due to enjoy some downward dogs together. The festival was held from Oct. 21st-24th and features some amazing yoga instructors such as Annie Carpenter, Rod Stryker and Sarah Tomson-Byer to name a few. The other component to the festival was music. The guests were treated to a 6 hour concert on Saturday night featuring artists such as Justin Ancheta, John Cruz, Rocky Dawuni and Go Jimmy Go. Some of the proceeds went to supporting local non-profits’ Hui O Ko’olaupoko, Stretch Your Imagination and Kanalu’s. The cool thing about the proceeds is that WE got to pick the non-profit that we wanted out money to go to. I’m looking forward to The Hawaii Spirit Festival 2011! A big Thanks to all the wonderful teachers, Kate and the new friends that we made.

Sister Yoga Trip (Monica left, and Me-Shell right)

Prop work with Annie Carpenter

Annie Carpenter teaching an all day workshop next to the beautiful ocean.

Annie Carpenter assisting my sister into a deeper forward fold.

Another sibling duo, The Yax Brothers.

An adventurous read full of lessons.

One of my guests recommended the book, Kook by Peter Heller while on our SwellWomen retreat. The title itself immediately had me (I was definately a Kook learning to surf…still feel like a Kook on occasion) and I soon purchased the book.

Peter Heller learns to surf by going through being a Kook to learning to get barreled while on an adventure that begins in So Cal and ends in Mexico. His journey becomes less of a goal when he begins to notice the life lessons that surfing is teaching him along his journey.

Why do I love this book? Adventurous, witty, feeling like I’ve been there…  Also and more importantly, I agree that the ocean if full of lessons and if you stop struggling so much and take a minute to be present in the water these lessons will become apparent. Peter Heller accomplished this while on his board learning to surf.

Thanks Peter for a wonderful read, can’t wait to read your other adventure stories.

Peter Heller website, click here.

You will be dearly missed my surfing sister.

My dear friend Laura Vogel, an incredible surf sister and goddess, has been missing since Feb. 21st.  I miss all her early morning texts  about where t0 go for our morning surf session, I miss her Aloha Spirit in and out of the water and I miss her kind and loving heart. I feel deeply saddened by this but at the same time absolutely grateful that I have had the honor of being her friend. She has taught me gratitude on a whole new level.  Her goal was to be barreled in 2010 and I truly believe that she is catching the wave of her life, deeply positioned in the most perfect barrel. Laura, I love you and miss you buddy! I know I will feel your presence in the ocean.

Quinoa Tabouleh

Quinoa is a super grain with tons of protein.

The best part of our retreat is our own private chef who creates healthy, organic and delicious food for all our guests. Nothing feels better than having our very own private chef nourish you with healthy food to get you energized and feeling swell for the week.  Another benefit is the knowledge of healthy food that chef Phill brings to our guests, over 30 years to be exact. Enjoy making this quinoa super grain and let us know how it turns out!

Ingredients:

4 cups water
2 cup red quinoa
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tomatoes, diced
1 cucumber, diced
2 bunches green onions, diced
2 carrots, grated
1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. In a saucepan bring water to a boil. Add quinoa and a pinch of salt.
Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool to
room temperature; fluff with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine olive oil, sea salt, lemon juice,
tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, carrots and parsley. Stir in cooled
quinoa.

A stand out at our SwellWomen retreats is our very own private chef, Chef Phill DeMott. Chef Phill DeMott comes to us with over 35 years of culinary experience ranging from New Orleans to Thailand and everywhere in between.  If you are looking for private chef services, please contact Chef Phill DeMott at 808.283.1425.