There’s nothing like a good ole camping trip to Big Sur to restore, rejuvenate and revive the spirit! What a relaxing four days we spent winter #glamping it up at Fernwood, as per usual. We brought some lovely bottles of wine with us to enjoy at night when the sun sank low behind the Redwood trees, some still marked from the fire last month. And Pfeiffer Beach was like a private island with it’s purple sand, handful of people and Corduroy and Sugar, among other pooches, swimming about and running amuck. Oh! And in honor of our first kiss 12 years ago to the day, we shared our favorite bottle of Laetitia Brut Rose Sparkling, that went perfect with the warm 80 degree afternoon! 

Chilled wine, packed SUV, open road, dogs in tow!

Pfeiffer Beach is known for this cutout in the rock where photographers gather at sunset to get the best shot!

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I know, 80 degrees! It was still cold though at night and Andy kept our camp fire roaring all night long before we (really four of us) took up a juxtaposition in the tent. This time I also brought along my kettle (genius idea) so I could make tea in the morning, and two sets of Christmas lights that we plugged in and used as a backdrop for our intense (and close) games of Uno and Dominoes! Also, key items included the table clothes I packed so that we could make the most of the picnic tables and not loose any Uno cards through the slits, and the extra bottles of wine I brought so we wouldn’t run out this time! We didn’t! Phew! We had every intention of visiting the Piedras Blancas and Point Sur Lighthouses, but they were only open certain times because it’s “winter.” Some winter we’re having here. As I type this I’m outside, on my patio, sipping a sparkling water and basking in the warm sun… with sunblock on, don’t worry Ma!

We ate and drank very well while in Big Sur. Wait! We ate and drank extremely well while in Big Sur. So much so that I had to make a nice detox soup last night to help flush out all the s’mores, fine cheeses and yummy wines. This here Mexican Tortilla Soup is vegetarian, and it’s dairy and gluten free but it’ll clean the heck outta ya. And it is SPICY! You were warned! You can always decrease the heat by leaving out the Serrano peppers but what fun would that be? 

Slow Cooked Mexican Tortilla Soup- serves four or more 

Ingredients:

-2 cans organic black beans 

-2 cans yellow corn 

-2 Serano peppers 

-3 cups organic vegetable broth 

-1 jar of green salsa 

-1 jar red salsa 

-2 large tomatoes, diced 

-1 handful cilantro 

-1 tsp paprika 

-Veggie Cheese (for garnishing) 

-corn tortilla chips (for garnishing) 

-salt and pepper 

Directions:

1. Cut up the tomatoes and peppers and add them, along with the broth and salsa to your slow cooker. 

2. Drain and rinse the corn and black beans. Add them into the slow cooker with the spices too. 

3. Stir everything up and set on high for 2-2 1/2 hours, or until the tomatoes are tender. 

4. When the soup is ready, crush some tortilla chips along the sides and garnish with the cilantro and Veggie cheese. Stir and enjoy! 

Colorful, flavorful and nutritional!

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I just got back from downtown SLO where the Yoga Centre has recently relocated, as of today. What was an old dance studio now holds two spacious floors of yoga, yoga, and more yoga! Check out the students practicing at my Power Flow class this afternoon and then resting in Supta Baddha Konasana, one of my favorite hip-openers.

You come! 

Ahhhhhhhhhh…….