You Get to Decide How Much You Enjoy the Holidays + Citrus Grain Salad (plant based and oil free)

I have a few things to say about the holidays. But first:

I went to a gong bath / Kundalini yoga class on Tuesday night and it was the hippiest shit I’ve ever done in my life. And this is coming from someone who grew up in a teepee. First of all, I found out after I got to class that you’re supposed to wear white clothes, so you can imagine how awesome I felt, sporting black sweatpants and a black long john shirt. #rockystart.

Up next there was chakra aligning, chanting, blankets and pillows, patchouli, mantras, and lots of heavy breathing. I think they even snuck in some Reiki. By the end of class I had surrendered to the situation, so when it was time to lay down and get “washed’ by gong sounds and the teacher requested that anyone who didn’t want to be touched with tuning forks raise their hand, I thought, fuck it, I’m all in.

So yeah, that happened.

Okay, so the holidays can be stressful, weird, chaotic, and filled with crap food, sugar, and alcohol up the wazoo. But they can also be magical, special, delightful, and entertaining.

And the good news is, it’s totally up to you how you experience the next few weeks.

You can become a ball of holiday stress nerves or you can relax into the action with child-like wonder, and enjoy yourself. You get to choose.

So it’s time to make some decisions, my dear. Here are some options of things you could do:

1. Decide that you won’t put more pressure on yourself than necessary.
2. Declare that you will ask for help when you need it.
3. If you eat something that you normally wouldn’t eat, don’t beat yourself up over it.
4. Make the decision to spend quality time with your loved ones instead of always making sure they have what they need and want. They will be fine; let them sort themselves out once in awhile.
5. Make the choice to stop that soundtrack in your head about how much you suck for not being perfect. No one is perfect, moving on.
6. Decide to welcome in patience and kindly ask cranky to move along.
7. Make the decision to hit a yoga class (if it’s a Kundalini class, be sure to wear white clothes, and for the love, email me DIRECTLY after class).
8. Choose to see the magic of the season instead of being pinned down with stress.
9. Decide to rise above the chaos and find the humor in it all.
10. And lastly, you could give yourself a free pass to have as much fun as your 7-year-old self had during the holidays. That 7-year-old is in there just wanting to play.

Sometimes we forget that we are in charge of what we believe, what we think, how we feel, how we act and ultimately, the results we get. Don’t throw your power out the window, redirect it so that it envelopes you and helps you find the twinkly magic in the holidays instead of dreading them each year. You’re one thousand percent worth it and you’re the only one who can make that happen. So do it!

Are we good here, my sugar plum fairy? If you’re not, hit me up in the comments below.

Final thought, if you’re batching the meal plans, you’re setting yourself up for less stress over the holidays by having quick access to scrumptious whole plant meals during those times when you’re running on empty or have unexpected visitors, even one with a big beard wearing a red suit.

Today’s recipe is super easy and yum.

Citrus Grain Salad

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Author: Molly Patrick

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 ¾ cups water (400ml)
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 cup couscous (120g)
• ▢ ½ cup bulgur wheat (85g)
• ▢ 1 cup frozen peas (125g)
• ▢ 1 cup red bell pepper, diced (140g)
• ▢ 3 green onions, thinly sliced (discard root-end) 
• ▢ ¼ cup parsley, finely chopped (7g)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
• ▢ 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ▢ 2 teaspoons lime juice
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon lime zest
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garlic granules
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dried basil
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon coriander powder
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon dried red chili flakes (omit if you don't like spicy)
• ▢ Salt and black pepper to taste
• ▢ Walnut parm for topping (see notes for recipe link)

Instructions

• Bring water and salt to a boil in medium-sized saucepan.
• Remove from heat and add the couscous and bulgur wheat to the saucepan. Cover with a lid and let set for 20 minutes. Transfer the grains to a large bowl and fluff with fork. 
• Add the remaining ingredients and gently stir to combine. Serve warm or room temperature and sprinkle with Walnut Parm when serving. 

Notes

Walnut Parm recipe

Wishing you a happy week. May it be filled with choosing the light.

Xo
Molly