I'm an advocate for personal growth and development. It's very important to me and I have used alternative spiritual methods to discover who I am as a person and a spiritual being.
The dark and the light resides within every one of us. Through reading astrology, numerology and other spiritual texts, I accepted the light and the dark that sat within me, and chose to reach for the light to overcome obstacles, behavioral loops and patterns. Although I learned new information, I took that wisdom and applied it directly to thoughts, actions and behaviors. Much of the fear, anxiety and negative self-talk that sits within us is what holds us back in many areas of life. Unlearn the old and welcome in the new. As always, inspired by the sun, Elizabeth Join Mind Body Soul Food Every Sunday for some inspiration, or Sunspiration, where we analyze quotes and sweet nothings in 150 words or less. Get inspired everyday with our Instagram account, sunspiration_everyday with inspirational quotes, motivational messages & sweet nothings.
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Living by the motto, "a lifestyle inspired by nature," I could not help but fuse the beauty and sweetness of strawberries, rhubarb, freshly picked flowers and a recent estate sale find - a vintage butterfly nature book.
Butterflies are a symbol of summer; a social and sunny season that leads to many affairs, whether with a good book, a cocktail or a soul mate. 
"Butterflies are graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable. Butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life. And everyone deserves a little sunshine."
I experimented with a different type of a strawberry-rhubarb recipe. A clafoutis is a traditional French baked flan-like dessert often made with cherries. There are no rules with vegan French baking so any fruit will do. Tofu replaces the egg and upon sitting and cooling, the clafoutis firms, making it easier to cut slices.
Short and sweet, just like this dessert, I recommend trying something new. Don't forget about your pies and crisps, but discover a new dessert that is light and airy, just like summer and it's beautiful butterflies.
Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Clafoutis
Makes: 1 8-inch pie Total Time: 40-45 minutes Ingredients: 1/2 cup rhubarb, chopped 1 heaping cup strawberries, chopped 1 12-oz. Mori nu Silken Tofu (firm) 1/2 cup almond flour 1 tbsp. corn starch (or flour) 1/3 cup agave nectar (or maple syrup) 1/2 cup applesauce 1 tsp. vanilla pinch of salt Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Wash and prep the strawberries and rhubarb. Set aside when done. Pour all the ingredients, except for the fruit, into a blender and blend until smooth. Place the fruit in the bottom of an 8-inch tart pan. (If you want some fruit to be visible on top, leave some on the side). Next, pour the tofu mixture on top and use a spatula to even out the top. Place some of the remaining fruit on top as a topping. Bake for 33-36 minutes. Love rhubarb? Check out our other rhubarb recipes: Vegan, GF & Refined Sugar-Free Blueberry Strawberry Rhubarb CrispLet's Connect! 
I believe our soul is the gateway to our higher mind. And our higher mind is the gateway to our soul. Those clouded with addictions, of any kind, may experience may hear a voice inside their head guiding them to a better life.
Get a counselor. Eat healthier. Stop having one night stands. Stop binge drinking.....whatever the message, this is the soul trying to speak. The soul thrives off the light and gets "depressed" when in the dark for too long. Your soul is like a. shield calling you to walk into the light, freeing you from heartache despair. Life is a journey and we walk many paths in order to find the right "way" in life. Like a shield, your soul is guiding you to higher places, so stop, listen and think - what is your soul trying to tell you? As always, inspired by the sun, Elizabeth Join Mind Body Soul Food Every Sunday for some inspiration, or Sunspiration, where we analyze quotes and sweet nothings in 150 words or less. Get inspired everyday with our Instagram account, sunspiration_everyday with inspirational quotes, motivational messages & sweet nothings. 
"The root of suffering is attachment." - Buddha
Thoughts of attachment have come and go lately in my brain. And the irony of posting a vodka recipe with thoughts of attachment is comical in its own way. Not that I am telling people to detach from their situation via the consumption of alcohol, but the fusion of Buddha and Buddha's Hand, well, goes hand in hand with each other.
Humans have issues with attachment, mainly material goods.We find ourselves attached to so many things that we lose ourselves, or our happiness along the way. Life is like a beautiful flower. The petals don't last forever and continue to go through the death and rebirth cycle. The natural world contains countless metaphors and lessons that we humans can take to heart. Attachment should not be confused with love. Attachment occurs out of fear and dependency, which many use alcohol to cope with their problems. A spirit (alcoholic beverage) can either enhance a situation or make it worse. It depends on the intention and the use. Okay, enough of the deep thoughts and lets get to the point of the Buddha's Hand. 
The Buddha's Hand is an exotic citrus fruit that crosses between the scent and the favor of an orange and lemon. The fruit is native to China and the Himalayas and not commonly found at all grocery stores.
The Buddha's Hand shape is the most puzzling. Because of traveling in Thailand and various regions in Asia, the hand is symbolic and looks "identical" to the real hand, just in a deformed citrus fruit type of way. Sweet like candy, it is unique in every way.
The most magical part of the Buddha's Hand is the scent. It is the most pure citrus scent you'll ever smell. It is a reminder that heaven is on earth. My kitchen smelled like the after effects of a citrus cloud crying sweet tears of lemon all over my kitchen. To say the least, scent is a powerful thing, like nirvana. 
Buddhas-Hand Citrus Infused Vodka
Makes: 3 cups / 24 ounces / 800 ml Time: 3 weeks - 4 months What You Need: 1 Buddhas hand 3 cups / 24 ounces / 800 ml or more of vodka 1 mason jar How to Make: Cut the fingers of the Buddha's Hand off the base. Wash the Buddha's fingers and base as dirt sticks in between the fingers. After washing, cut the fingers length-wise, removing the excess white pith. I just removed enough and didn't go crazy over it. I used as much of the base as possible, mostly the peel. Place the Buddha's Hand and vodka in a mason jar. Seal the jar and store in a cool and dark place. You can infuse for several weeks or several months. The longer it infuses the stronger the flavor and the vodka will turn yellow. Prior to serving you may need to strain the vodka to remove any small pieces of fruit. 
Is love the most powerful force on the planet?
I’ve pondered this question countless times. Each time I enter deep thoughts regarding this topic, I do believe the base of human existence roots to love.
I have two cats. Snickers and Smittens. They are like the sun and the moon. Snickers is as emotional as the moon and craves chronic affection. Smittens is as fiery as the sun. You don’t touch her unless she comes around. She hisses and sometimes swats her paw if provoked. Some would call her a bitch cat. No matter how fiery she is, she too craves love. Although it’s on her terms, even the most miserable human being craves love, affection or attention from other human beings. One example is through the Christmas Carol story of Ebenezer Scrooge. He looked at his ghosts and witnessed his life as a miser. Through processing the emotions of his life, his family and Tiny Tim, Scrooge was touched by love. Love, and personal reflection, changed his life.
Years ago, I read a study that housing professionals conducted with homeless people. Through the eyes of the homeless individual, they saw everyone living these perfect lives with people they love meanwhile they suffered on the street not knowing when they’d eat or how much money they’d get that week. They too craved love.
I talked to many friends who’ve had cold or tyrant parents say that all they ever wanted was their mother to share that maternal love and affection with them or their father to show emotion. So maybe love is the most powerful force on the planet?
Humans continuously search for love. I believe it is natural to want to give and receive love in various forms. We want something to love so we buy a pet. We love watching things grow so we plant a garden or raise a child. Many spiritual people are obsessed with finding self-love.
Even Einstein, a brilliant man of science, questioned the capacity of love. He wrote countless letters to his daughter, Lieserl, one that had a powerful impact on his thoughts of love, which you can read here. Einstein stated, "To give visibility to love, I made a simple substitution in my most famous equation. If instead of
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AuthorElizabeth Rae Kovar M.A. is Author of her memoir, Finding Om and is a Fitness Trainer, Yogi, Reiki Master, Presenter and Lover of Life. To view her portfolio please visit www.elizabethkovar.com 
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