Coconut Quinoa and Beans + Staying In Vacation Mode At Home

I just got back from vacation and it was one of my most favorite adventures ever! But I pretty much say that every time I go on a a trip. It has a lot to do with the setting, but it has even more to do with being in vacation mode. Something changes inside of me. All of a sudden, the anxiety of my crazy inbox and unanswered emails vanishes. I’m more patient and actually enjoy going with the flow. And most importantly, I love my body more. Clothes that’d I’d never wear at home come out…fitted dresses and arm-bearing tanks. You might even catch some cleavage. I just feel free.

During this trip, I had a moment when I realized just how different I feel when I am away from home. And I really wanted to make a conscious effort to bring these feelings home with me. I made a commitment to be my free-spirit-vacation self. But it was much easier said than done. As soon as I got back, the email anxiety starting creeping back in. I made a pretty elaborate plan for the week ahead. And my T&A started vanishing under layers of clothes again. But I was committed to my vacation self…so I set up some new rules.

Yes, rules might seem counterintuitive to being go-with-the-flow. But if you’re like me, sometimes you need a little structure to force yourself to chill. Here are some new things I’m doing (Try them with me!):

1. Checking email two/three times a day as opposed to every 20 minutes. Half the time I’m in my email, I just stare at the emails I don’t want to answer and then click the ones that are for sure not work-related. Having a limited time to do email forces me to do the work that actually needs to happen.

2. Less social media. I didn’t check it once when I was away and it felt soooooo good. My two/three times a day rule applies here too. It’s important for me to engage and share (and I like it), but how can I make the most of my day if I’m so consumed with the days of others?

3. Reading a page or two from a book (not a screen) as soon as I wake up. Gabrielle Bernstein’s Miracles Now is a great book to try this with, and so is Daily Rituals by Mason Currey. Try to choose something that doesn’t pertain to your work/business or current events. It needs to give you freedom to think in a new way. Maybe dig into some old school poetry or new school spiritual thinking. Get creative – it’s only one page! (Thanks for this one, PL)

4. Making less plans and being more spontaneous. When I was younger, I would just walk next door and see if my friends wanted to play. Now, we have to make plans three weeks in advance just to have dinner. I’m changing this. To all my friends out there, start expecting random texts from me on a Saturday at 3:00pm to grab a juice or cocktail. No more super-advance planning – let’s actually spend more time together and plan less.

5. Showing more skin. Sort of. I mean, my style is generally Stevie Nicks meets Mrs. Roper…lots of layers and flowy gear. But damn, sometimes it’s hot with so much flow. So look out…I’ve got them hips and thighs and some pretty big knockers that you might be seeing more of this summer. The goal is to take that vacation confidence we feel about bodies/hair/self and rock that at home.

So now the recipe inspired by my trip! With the all meatiness happening in Honduras, I ate a lot of coconut rice and beans and loved every minute of it. My favorite came from a woman that had a stand on the side of the road named Jennilyn (shout out). I haven’t been able to figure out exactly how she does it, so decided to do my own version with quinoa. Also, this takes much less time than brown rice to absorb all the liquid. Change up the beans or make it more spicy, this is just a good base to get you going.

Now, go make a bowl of this coconut yumminess and don’t check email for the rest of the day. That’s what I’m doing. Most of it can wait until tomorrow.

{ Coconut Quinoa and Beans } 

1 1/2 cups quinoa
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 poblano pepper, diced
3 cups beans (I used kidney)
1 tablespoon of oil (or vegetable broth if you’re oil free)
1 can coconut milk
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onions and garlic with the oil or veggie broth until soft. Add the pepper and cook for another few minutes. Add quinoa and toast for a few minutes with the onion mixture. Add coconut milk, vegetable broth, and beans and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and cover for about 20 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed.

Finish with avocado and hot sauce!

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