8 Easy Tips to Feeling Amazing All Day

Leah Vanderveldt is a wellness writer and recipe developer based in Brooklyn. She’s the author of the cookbooks The New Nourishing and The New Porridge and loves learning and writing about food, travel, body image, meditation, tarot, and much more. She’s the former Food Editor of mindbodygreen.com and is certified in Culinary Nutrition from the Natural Gourmet Institute. You can find her cooking up vegetable-centric meals and exploring wellness in ways that are affordable, fun, and a little woo-woo over on her blog, The Nourish Exchange and Instagram @leah.vander.

Feeling good every day comes down to a few basics: Getting enough sleep, water and nourishment. Today, let’s focus on everything under the nourishment category — giving ourselves enough nutrients, movement, inspiration, and breath is really important for our energy levels and peace of mind.

Let’s figure out what we can add to our day that makes us feel great. It doesn’t have to be hard, but it does take awareness. Try adding one or two of the below to your schedule and see how it impacts you. Play with your routine and see what little shifts make a big difference to you. Have fun with it — it’s about feeling good after all!

Morning:

Kicking the morning off right is one of the best ways to make your entire day better — no matter how busy you are.

1. Move

Just 5 minutes of stretching can lift your mood and get your body buzzing. If you want to commit to a workout, awesome, but do what feels best to you on any particular day. That could be walking around the block or dancing to a couple of songs in your kitchen while your coffee brews (seriously, try it).

2. Get inspired  

I love combining my movement with a podcast, YouTube video, or audiobook, depending on what I’m doing. Starting the day by listening to an inspiring conversation or by learning something new can add an element of positivity.

3. Nourish yourself  

Consider making your mornings plant-based or ditching dairy from the equation to see how you feel. One of my favorite ways to do this is with a high vibe vegetable-packed smoothie bowl. When you combine vegetables, fruit, healthy fat, protein, and a plant-based milk (I love Califia’s Toasted Coconut Almondmilk), you’ll have everything you need to keep your mood up throughout your morning.

Afternoon:

A great morning is one thing, but as we face obstacles in our day it becomes harder to maintain that good feeling we harnessed from listening to a TED Talk over breakfast. Make sure to plan for stressors and energy dips in the afternoon so you can reset and finish your work day strong. 

4. Breathe and meditate

While many people swear by a morning meditation, I totally understand it’s often not realistic. Maybe you can make a little time in your afternoon instead. Replace a social media break with 5 or 10 minutes to sit quietly and breathe. Taking this time out can work wonders for creativity and productivity, especially when you feel stressed out and under the pump.

You can use a meditation app like Insight Timer or Headspace to guide you or just take a few deep breaths with your eyes closed and tune into your body.

5. Energize naturally 

Instead of an afternoon coffee or soda, reach for nutrients that naturally enhance energy. I love an adaptogen-fortified hot cacao for a sweet treat that carries me through my afternoon feeling calm, energetic, and happy. Cacao and maca are my most used super powders for energy and mood-boosting.

 Cacao Maca Hot Chocolate
Adaptogen hot chocolate for calm, natural energy.

INGREDIENTS

METHOD

Stovetop: Whisk everything together in a saucepan over a low heat until heated through.

Microwave: Place everything together in a jar with a lid and shake to combine (keep the lid on and take it to the office with you). When you’re ready to serve, shake again, transfer to a mug and heat for 45-60 seconds in the microwave.

Evening:

I believe we all need to indulge in a bit of lazy indulgence in the evening, but I think we can add more simple, conscious practices that help us wind down.

 6. Consider airplane mode

Airplane mode has been a revelation for me personally, as I’ve tried to cut down on screen time. I switch it on around 9 p.m. and don’t turn it on until after I’ve had my coffee the next day (which makes my mornings better!). We’re so inundated with screens and the internet all. day. long. that this practice in shutting off a little feels liberating.

7. Find a go-to evening drink

No, I’m not talking about a cocktail. While there’s totally room for that, when you’re ready for bedtime, consider something that’s truly relaxing and filled with anti-inflammatory ingredients that will chill you out on a cellular level. I love a vanilla rooibos tea or a turmeric golden milk.

8. Practice gratitude and reflection

Try pulling a tarot card, reading a few paragraphs from an inspiring book, or thinking about what you learned today and write about it in your journal. If you’re not a journal person, say what you’re grateful for to a partner or a roommate, or to a friend in a text (this may seem weird at first, but I promise people get on board quicker than you might think!). This doesn’t have to be a big production, just 5 minutes right before bed will help you release tension and turn on those good vibe hormones.

Feeling good every day is actually more simple than we realize, we just need to be present and tune into our needs in the moment. Try pausing (or even putting a reminder in your phone) three times a day and ask yourself: How am I feeling? What would make me feel really good right now? See where it takes you. 

Pour Over Feature: Another Word on Diversity & Inclusion

A story by Michelle Johnson. Learn more at Michelle’s blog, The Chocolate Barista + social channels, @thechocolatebarista + @meeshalrj.

Imagery by The Ryans.
Imagery by The Ryans.

The coffee industry always has good intentions. Whether it’s with coffee producers in mind, or providing baristas with the necessary tools to advance their careers, we are an industry built on the idea of elevating people and bringing them together. “Diversity” and “inclusion” are terms that are thrown around a lot in recent times, and of course, people only have the best intentions with respect to these ideas. We never intend for people to not feel included in our coffee competitions. We never intend for folks to feel left out when our marketing material only shows one kind of coffee professional. We never intend to hurt anybody in our pursuit for the perfect cup of coffee.

The thing about achieving diversity and true inclusivity is that intention means nothing. Getting caught up in intentions pulls time away from taking action. The coffee industry—in our individual communities and as a whole—must shift its focus from intention to action.

I often get questions asking, “But how? What do we need to do?” There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to achieving better diversity within the coffee industry, and it will look different for different people.

Start by looking within. Do you notice a pattern of who gets promoted within your company? What about those who get to participate in extracurricular coffee activities? Many tend to give priority to those who make the most noise, but you could be overlooking people who also deserve those opportunities.

Do your research. There are resources, like the deeply personal online library Coffee Equity Toolkit, that can help create a more inclusive industry. Look outside of the coffee industry too— how is the tech industry tackling diversity problems? What initiatives are they taking that can be applied to coffee? Since we are smaller as a whole, the potential to see change much sooner is higher.

Most of all, listen. Listen to the people who are often left behind and do what’s necessary to help bring them forward. The solutions aren’t always complicated. It is as simple as turning our intentions into being intentional. We have to be intentional about who we consider for promotion, who we choose to represent our companies, and the communities we give back to. The actions of the coffee industry have to be intentional about lifting up people in marginalized communities who historically have been barred from so many opportunities. “Diversity” and “inclusion” have to move away from being buzzwords and become woven into the fabric of our companies, and something we must all strive towards together to accomplish.

Butternut Squash “Mac N’ Cheese” Stuffed Shells

This recipe was made by our friend Lindsey Baruch, a Los Angeles based food photographer, recipe developer, food stylist + social media manager. She loves to share her travels, new recipes and restaurants on her Instagram page @lindseyeatsla. Outside of food, Lindsey participates in weekly kundalini yoga and loves going to electronic music concerts which you can find her sharing on her stories along with step by step recipes of what she’s making for dinner. 

We’ll eat anything with mac n’ cheese in the title! Our expert on making plant-based meals simple + delicious, Lindsey Baruch, has done it again. These butternut squash “cheese” stuffed shells are a tastier alternative to heavy, dairy-filled cheesy mac’ n cheese or stuffed pasta shells. We love this recipe because it’s easy + packed with our plant-powered faves like roasted butternut squash, spinach, sage + our unsweetened almondmilk. 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4th cup Califia Unsweetened Almondmilk
  • 3-4 cups cubed butternut squash
  • 1/2 cup soaked cashews (in water overnight, allows for easy and smooth blending and sauce)
  • 8oz can tomato sauce
  • 1/2 cup raw cashews (this is optional! if you want to use all soaked, you can)
  • Lindsey’s 5 spice: 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp chile flakes, 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 tsp cayenne
  • 2-3 tsp good olive oil
  • 1 box of large pasta shells
  • 2 cups spinach sage for garnish

METHOD

Start by making your roasted butternut squash. Cook the cubes in a 400-degree oven until cooked through + tender, add salt + pepper to taste. Place squash in a blender with 1/2 cup soaked cashews (just put them in water overnight), Lindsey’s 5 spice, nutritional yeast, cayenne + olive oil. Blend until a thick paste/sauce forms. This will be for your stuffing.

Split the paste into half + leave the other 1/2 in the blender + add an 8oz can of tomato sauce or tomato sauce of your choice, the other 1/2 raw cashews + 1/4th cup of almondmilk until sauce forms, this will be the mac n cheese sauce. Set aside both the paste for stuffing and the sauce.

Start to sauté your spinach. All you have to do is heat a pan with 1 tsp olive oil + add in spinach until it wilts. Optional to add sage to fry it up as well. Once done, mix this with the butternut squash paste for the stuffing. While the spinach is sautéing, boil your pasta according to the package instructions, drain. You want them al dente.

Get a baking dish + place your butternut squash sauce on the bottom layer of the dish. Then, gently place the shells in your pan or baking dish + start to stuff them with your paste mixed with the sage + spinach. Top with more sauce and place in the oven just so everything is the same temperate + the flavors can combine, for about 10-15 minutes. Top with either pine nuts or cashews, spinach + sage. Serve alongside extra sauce, enjoy!

Every Occassion Frittata Cups

You can throw almost anything in these easy plant-based frittata cups fit for breakfast, lunch + dinner. Better Half + garbanzo bean flour builds a smooth, fluffy base combined with taste-makers like garlic, onion + pepper to flavor up our cups. Plus, they’re freezer + lunchbox friendly.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup garbanzo bean flour
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
  • ¾ cup Califia Farms Unsweetened Better Half
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 large yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 4 large cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups (packed) baby kale leaves
  • 2 roasted red bell peppers (fresh or jarred), cut into ½-inch dice
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray 8 cups of a muffin tin with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix together the garbanzo bean flour, nutritional yeast, salt, + thyme. Add the Califia Farms Unsweetened Better Half, lemon juice + 1 tablespoon olive oil, whisk until well combined.

Warm the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a large sauté pan. Add the onions, + sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, + sauté for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the kale + cook, stirring, until the kale is wilted, about a minute longer. Remove from heat. Stir the vegetables into the garbanzo bean mixture, along with the roasted bell peppers and walnuts. Transfer the mixture to the 8 sprayed muffin cups, filling in an even layer. Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until top is slightly golden, and the center has set.

Let frittata cups cool in the pan for a minimum of 5 minutes before removing with a knife – may be enjoyed hot or cold. If storing, wrap or cover frittatas + refrigerate for up to 4 days, reheating if desired.

Veggie-ful Curry

This recipe was made by our friend Lindsey Baruch, a Los Angeles based food photographer, recipe developer, food stylist + social media manager. She loves to share her travels, new recipes and restaurants on her Instagram page @lindseyeatsla. Outside of food, Lindsey participates in weekly kundalini yoga and loves going to electronic music concerts which you can find her sharing on her stories along with step by step recipes of what she’s making for dinner. 

A crowd-pleasing curry that’s veggie filled, plant-based + most importantly, tasty? You got it! You’ll find all the curry classics like cumin, ginger + peppers, with almondmilk for a deliciously dairy-free + creamy finish.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup diced white onion
  • 2 tsp sliced fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp olive oil salt and pepper to taste
  • 3 cups cubed potatoes
  • 2 cups cauliflower florets
  • 2 tsp tapioca starch
  • 3-4 tsp water
  • 2 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 cups Califia Farms Almondmilk
  • 5 serrano peppers sliced
  • white rice
  • 2 tsp tomato paste
  • For Garnish: basil, cashews, cilantro

METHOD:

Melt oil in a pan with your diced onion + 3 Serrano peppers, sauté until translucent. Add curry powder, fresh ginger, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper + tomato paste, then stir. Add in the cubed potatoes + stir so all the flavors are combined. Then add vegetable broth + cauliflower, turn to high heat + bring to a boil. Lower the heat + let the potatoes cook through.

In the meantime, mix your tapioca powder + almondmilk until smooth in texture. Add the mix to the curry + let simmer. Add some cashews + basil, stir for a couple minutes. Top your curry off with white rice, Serrano pepper, cashews + cilantro.

Cinnamon-Blueberry Smoothie

If you’re like us, you’re always looking for ways to up your smoothie game in health + in taste. We’ll let you in on Califia secret — top your smoothie with creamer for a smooth, velvety finish. Try for yourself with our cinnamon-blueberry smoothie, it’s packed with antioxidants, superfoods + creamy flavor. 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 banana
  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
  • 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
  • Handful of baby spinach
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup coconut water
  • 1 cup ice
  • 3 tablespoons Califia Farms Vanilla Creamer

METHOD

Blend banana, blueberries, hemp seeds, spinach, cinnamon + coconut water together until well combined. Add ice + creamer, + blend until smooth. Serves 2.

Tossed Taco Salad

This recipe was made by our friend Lindsey Baruch, a Los Angeles based food photographer, recipe developer, food stylist + social media manager. She loves to share her travels, new recipes and restaurants on her Instagram page @lindseyeatsla. Outside of food, Lindsey participates in weekly kundalini yoga and loves going to electronic music concerts which you can find her sharing on her stories along with step by step recipes of what she’s making for dinner. 

A plate full of color, is a plate full of goodness. Our food genius, Lindsey Baruch, took to the kitchen + put a plant-based spin on an old-school favorite — tacos! Her super-creamy, deliciously diary free dressing has us begging for more. The best part? It’s dietitian Ashley Koff approved!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 roma tomatoes diced
  • 1 red onion sliced
  • 2 ears of corn roasted
  • 1 head chopped romaine lettuce
  • 1 can black beans cilantro for garnish
  • 1 avocado (1/2 sliced and 1/2 mashed)
  • 1 cup tortilla chips smashed

Creamy salad dressing:

  • 1 juice of lemon
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 avocado
  • 1/2 cup Califia Farms Almondmilk salt and pepper to taste

METHOD:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees + slice the corn off the cob. When oven is ready, place the corn on parchment paper with your choice of spices (we used 1 tsp salt, pepper, garlic + paprika) + let roast for about 20 minutes. While that’s roasting, prep your other veggies. Dice your tomatoes, onions, lettuce, cilantro + drain black beans.

Start to make your dressing by adding the lemon, cilantro, garlic, avocado, almondmilk, salt + pepper to taste, + blend . Now, it’s time to assemble your salad. Mix all components together with your dressing. Top with cilantro, 1/2 of a sliced avocado + 1/2 mashed for texture. Enjoy!

Superfood Zucchini Bread

Warm up the oven ‘cos this superbread will have you bakin’ up a storm. Using zucchini as a nutritional base, this delicious loaf is sugar-free with dates + maple syrup for sweetness, and flax, chia + hemp seeds for superfood power.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1¼ cup whole wheat pastry flour (or gluten-free all-purpose blend)
  • ¾ cup finely ground blanched almond flour
  • 1/3 cup ground flaxseed powder
  • 1/3 cup hemp seeds
  • 3 tablespoons cacao nibs
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • ½ cup Califia Farms Unsweetened Almondmilk
  • 1¼ cup finely shredded zucchini
  • ¾ cup Deglect Noor dates, chopped

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly spray a 1.5-quart loaf pan with cooking spray, and line with a strip of parchment paper, allowing an overhang of paper on either side to make a sling.

In a medium bowl, combine the whole wheat pastry flour, almond flour, flaxseed powder, hemp seeds, cacao nibs, chia seeds, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Mix well.

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, and Califia Farms Unsweetened Almondmilk. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and stir until just incorporated – do not over-mix. Gently fold in the zucchini and dates, distributing the ingredients into the batter using as few strokes as possible. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, smoothing out the top into a flat layer. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then use the parchment flaps to easily remove it from the pan and place it onto a baking rack to cool completely. Cut into thick slices to serve.

If storing, wrap the loaf tightly in plastic and store in a cool, dark place at room temperature for up to 4 days.