Lotus and Luna Blog
White Fright Cake this Spooky Season
October is here which means it is officially the start of Halloween! According to the zodiac horoscope, Scorpio is your sign if your birthday falls between October 23rd and November 21st. Scorpios aren’t afraid to take risks and try new things. That goes for their food choices as well.
Not only that, Scorpios are all about deep emotions and they love finding meanings in everything. Now is the time to make meaningful connections with people and in life.
Try out white fright cake this spooky season. White fright cake simply takes 45 minutes plus cooling. Not only that, it serves around 12-15 people so bringing it to a gathering is perfect! Here’s how...
White Fright Cake Ingredients:
- 1 package white cake mix (regular size)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped
- 1 carton (16 ounces) strawberry glaze
- 1/2 cup water
- 2-1/2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries
Directions:
Prepare and bake cake according to package directions, using a 13x9-in. baking pan. Cool on a wire rack.
In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped cream. Spread over cooled cake. Refrigerate until serving.
Just before serving, combine strawberry glaze and water in a bowl; gently fold in raspberries. Serve with cake.
Now, if you want to feel the effects of the Scorpio season a little more, try wearing a bracelet with garnet, agate, or tourmaline. Carry growth and bravery with you wherever you go!
Use the code: FRIGHT15 for 15% off your next purchase!
P.S. Have you signed up for our Full Moon Club yet?!
Written by Mimi Tran
The Magic of Lunar Tea
It’s crazy to think about how a celestial body some 250,000 miles from earth is responsible for the ocean tides that rise and fall every single day. In astrology, the sun is responsible for our zodiac personality and the moon is responsible for our emotions. Where the sun gives us our spirit, the moon gives us our soul.
The moon has a feminine energy in general which is responsive, reflective and receptive. Since about 70-80% of our bodies are water, it makes since that the Moon rules over how we react as well.
Sunlight helps lighten our mood so much that the lack of it can actually cause a type of depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder. Since the light of the Moon is reflective of Sun, the subtle glow of the moon can be just as valuable to us as the sunlight. Just as we create tea which the help of sunlight, we can also make tea with the help of moonlight.
A lunar infusion is simply an herbal tea, left to brew during the night under the soft moonlight. Lunar infusions make for an enchanting and fun full moon ritual. Sip in the morning to fill your body with Lunar Magic! Here’s how...
Lunar Tea Instructions:
- First, find a bowl, cup or pitcher that speaks to you and fill it with water.
- Place the water in the moonlight and add herbs to your liking.
- Next, place the bowl in the moonlight and let it brew overnight. You can place it wherever speaks the most to you. Try placing it in a garden or surround the bowl with your favorite energy stones!
- Once morning arrives, strain and enjoy!
- Some of our favorite herbs to put in our lunar teas are chamomile, hibiscus, passion flower, borage flowers, and lemon balm. There’s no exact amount, just add what feels right to you.
Other ideas to try:
- Mint
- Peppermint
- Rose
- Hibiscus
- Violet
- Calendula
- Borage
- Passionflower
- Self Heal
- Nettle
- Fennel
If you want to feel the effects of the Moon a little more try wearing a bracelet with Moonstones or adding some Moonstones to your tea overnight (don’t forget to wash them before and take them our before drinking)!
Use the code: LUNARMAGIC20 for 20% your next purchase!
P.S. Have you signed up for our Full Moon Club yet?!
https://www.lotusandluna.com/products/full-moon-club-subscription
Written by Kaylee Bustamante
Meet our French Intern, Quentin!
What was it like transitioning from life in France to life in San Diego? Any challenges?
What is your favorite place to eat in San Diego?
Where is your favorite place to go in San Diego?
What are some of the differences you have noticed between San Diego and France?
What is something you will miss most about San Diego?
How has this internship better prepared you for the future?
What was your favorite part about working with Lotus and Luna?
In what ways do you feel like your experience in San Diego has changed you?
Where do you get your style inspiration?
What has Lotus and Luna introduced to you style wise?
Do you ever see yourself coming back to America after finishing your degree?
What are your aspirations career wise?
Lava Stone
Jade: A Powerful Beauty
Achieve your New Year’s Resolutions with Style!
Human beings are inherently social creatures. Friendships offer a number of mental health benefits, such as increased feelings of belonging, purpose, increased levels of happiness, reduced levels of stress, and improved self-worth and confidence. Forming strong, healthy relationships with others means opening up, actively listening, and being willing to sharing what you’re going through. Being proactive is important if your looking to nourish your social connections this year. 
Written by: Micaela Ideker
White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge
Who doesn’t enjoy fudge? A fun way to build your holiday spirit this time of year is to take a little time to bake something delicious. This recipe for peppermint fudge is simple, festive, and tasty.
64 servings
Per Serving: 89 calories; 2.9 g fat; 14.1 g carbohydrates; 1.1 g protein
Prep 20min/ Ready 2hrs 20min
Ingredients
2 (10oz) packages of vanilla baking chips
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
1 ½ cups of crushed candy canes
1 dash of red/green food coloring
Directions
- Line an 8 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil and grease the foil.
- Combine the vanilla chips and sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently until almost melted, remove from heat and continue to stir until smooth. When chips are completely melted, stir in the peppermint extract, food coloring, and candy canes.
- Spread evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan. Chill for 2 hours, then cut into squares.
Tip
Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it evenly, and make clean-up easier.
By Cameron Godbehere
World Kindness Day
8 Little Gestures to Make Someone’s Day
by Cameron Godbehere
Stella the Light's
1.
Easy, long-lasting weight loss.
This was one of the main reasons I came to this lifestyle. I had no idea what veganism was but had heard/seen of several women who were all about 5-10 years deep in the “plant-based whole foods lifestyle”, looked amazing, felt amazing and claimed to be eating abundantly and freely.. I wanted in!! Within the first few weeks, you will drop inflammation/digestion issues and gain energy and clarity! You will absolutely crave movement. My body has changed not only from the foods I eat but the energy I now have to move my body in such crazy ways! That pure energy and craving for movement never gets old! Weight loss/optimal body weight comes naturally, easily and with no restriction .. and it lasts (no RE- gaining the weight you lost while low-calorie dieting!)
2.
Amazing digestion.
We all know how depleting poor digestion is. It lays a blanket of anxiety on us and makes you want to hide in a big sweatshirt away from the world. Bloat, indigestion, gas, constipation, heartburn .. it all just STINKS! The increase in fiber alongside proper food combining and the detoxing from poorly digested meat/dairy = a flowing, clean digestive tract! Within the first 2/3 weeks of consistency, you will feel the body flowing with ease! Most of my own clients lose anywhere from 5-15 lbs just from dropping the bloat, inflammation and digestive sludge that has been backing them up. I used to think going to the bathroom 2/3 times per week was normal. I now go at least 1-2x per day with ease (no scary poos! LOL)3.
You get to eat way more food!
Meat/dairy and junk food are very calorie dense foods — hence why we have to set limits/portions for these foods. Luckily, plant-based foods can be eaten in abundance due to their low caloric density! I will pop a photo in here to give you a more visual idea of what I mean! PHOTO HERE. By cutting the animal fat, fatty breast milk and refined junk from your diet you are able to eat 2-4x the portions of what you are eating now! Which never gets old!
4.
Saving 75% of your money.
This is not a trick! Think about how you eat now - How many times do you eat out? How many times do you stop and grab takeout, fast food, snacks, drinks etc. How much is your current grocery bill with pre-packaged items? This all adds up to $1000s!
By going plant-based I save about 3/4 the $$ I used to spend on food. Explained: We ate out at LEAST 2-3x for dinner and 2-3x for lunch, we got snacks to go all the time and our grocery bill was full of expensive meat/dairy and pre-packaged items! Now we prep most of our food ourselves and the foods we buy at the grocery store are essentially the cheapest: rice, oatmeal, potatoes, seasonal fruits etc! Take a look at how much you are spending on food - imagine how much money you could save all while amplifying your health and happiness!
5.
Biggest impact on the environment!
Did you know that if the world went vegan we could reduce our carbon footprint by up to 73% and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by two thirds! .. that’s a pretty big deal! This was another perk I knew nothing about when going plant-based, the fact that I could make such a difference with such ease. It is one of the best feelings in the world to know I am helping to bring this planet back from the damage it has sustained over the years from us being so careless!
If you are interested in learning the ins and outs of this lifestyle, let’s get you started! Visit StellaTheLight.com for more info on my 30 and 7 Day Coaching Programs, E-Books, Client Reviews, Recipe Blog, Free 14 Day Group Challenge + much more!
Tell me YOUR story, goals, struggles, current eating habits and why you wanna go plant-based!
SPAGHETTI + (no)MEATBALLS!
These are a favorite with my vegan partner, Damon. He has them not only with pasta and sauce but will also dip them in ketchup or bbq sauce! They can be made in bulk (double or triple the recipe) and frozen in an airtight container .. the perfect meal prep for easy, very cheap dinners! + the comparison of a high saturated animal fat meatball vs these is crazy! Jam-packed with protein just no animal flesh, fat or cholesterol! + you can have double or triple the amount of meatballs because they aren’t as calorie dense as a normal meatball! (Goes along with the perks of eating more as a plant-based vegan!!)
Ingredients:
-
1 15oz can of organic black beans (or kidney beans work, too!)
-
2 cup oats
-
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
-
1.5 tbsp ground flax
-
2 tsp garlic (or to taste)
-
1 tsp salt (can omit)
-
a few dashes of liquid smoke OR 1 tsp smoked paprika
-
about 2 tbsp italian herb mix
-
bread crumbs (optional)
NOTE: Feel free to saute up some onions, carrots, mushrooms etc and add into the mix.. this gives it a very textured meatball which is lovely!
Instructions:
-
Pre-heat oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper!
-
Blend oats + ground flax in a blender or food processor until it becomes less oats but not exactly a fine powder — you want to leave some texture in there!
-
Set aside in a big bowl + add the spices (herbs, nutritional yeast, garlic, salt and smoked paprika if you’re using that!)
-
Rinse beans and pop in a vitamix OR food processor and blend until smooth (add in liquid smoke if you are using that)
-
Add this mixture to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly (mix in any sautéed veggies as well!)
-
Roll into small balls and roll in breadcrumbs (or not!) and lay evenly on parchment paper.
-
Bake in the oven at 425F for 5 min (flip) and another 5 min on the other side!
-
Serve with wholesome pasta + sauce of choice (we make our own using the recipe from my ebook!) Pastas we use: Corn pasta, Quinoa pasta, Rice Pasta, Bean Pasta, Lentil Pasta, Whole Wheat Pasta.
by Stella the Light
Thai Pumpkin Curry Recipe
Happy Halloween, witches!
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ Tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 small red chili or serrano pepper (stem & seeds removed, thinly sliced)
- 1 large red bell pepper (thinly sliced lengthwise)
- 4 Tbsp red Thai curry paste
- 4 cups or 1 lb peeled and cubed pumpkin or butternut squash
- 3 ½ cups unsweetened coconut milk--the thicker the better
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp lime
- ⅔ cup roasted cashews
- ¼ cup fresh basil for garnish
- Jasmine rice, brown rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice
Instructions:
- Add coconut oil, onion, ginger, garlic, and chili to large pot. Saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add bell pepper and curry paste and stir. Cook for two minutes, then add the pumpkin/butternut squash and stir. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add coconut milk, maple syrup, turmeric, sea salt, soy sauce, and stir. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Once simmering, slightly reduce heat to low and cover.
- Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Once the pumpkin is tender, add lime juice and cashews and cover, simmer for 3-4 additional minutes over low heat.
- Serve over rice, quinoa, or cauliflower rice.
- Garnish with basil and enjoy!
