Do you know these days when you wake up and you don’t really feel all that well? More like staying in bed all day, eating take-out and watching a stupid soap on TV? Well that was me for a very long time. I treated my body like rubbish and didn’t think for two seconds before I put something in my mouth. The result was feeling not so well for most of the time. I treated those „not so well-moments“ with sugar and food with additives that make you feel great the minute you eat them, but oh not so great afterwards.

Those days are history now, also due to my new morning rituals that I don’t miss ever. I think it all lies in starting the day right, mind and bodywise.

So here they are:
After you’ve woken up I urge you to actually get up and make yourself a cup of warm water (filtered is best) with the juice of half a lemon. The lemon should be fresh and preferably organic. Don’t go for the stuff in plastic, it’s soo not the same. Just add it to the water and then sip it slowly. It won’t be long until you feel your body waking up from the inside. The benefits of this ancient ayurvedic ritual are endless, but to name a few: it’s a natural diuretic, balances pH levels, boosts your immune system and aids digestion. Also the high amount of Vitamin C in a bio-available form will boost immunity and improve your overall health.

While drinking this I try to think of my goals for the day and also to plan a little something that could turn an ordinary Wednesday into a superduper fun Wednesday. This could be a picnic at the park, a small bicycle tour, a walk through a part of your town which you don’t know very well… just anything to get you out of your comfort zone.

Since Jan. 1st, 2014, I’ve started a gratitude journal in which I write three things that I’m grateful for every morning. Like: I’m grateful for my warm home, my beautiful and kind family and my new comfy sweater. It can be anything, but you should feel really grateful for it. And you need to come up with three new things every day. Sounds hard? It is! But it will shift your perspective from the things you want/need to the abundance of things you already have. You will notice that everything you need to be happy is already there and I’m telling you, I already feel so blessed with all the amazing people, talents, memories, things and ideas I have!

Now you’ve probably gotten hungry. One of my favourite breakfasts is the Raw Buckwheat Porridge that you see here. Buckwheat is naturally gluten-free and comes with lots of health benefits, e.g. it’s a great source of fiber, protein and antioxidants. The best thing is, that you can soak it over night and blend it the next morning to receive a wonderful white fluffy mash that also tastes amazing. You can vary this recipe endlessly and top it with whatever you have at home. I found a similar recipe on the blog www.greenkitchenstories.com a long time ago but there are dozens out there. This breakfast keeps you satiated for a long time and nourishes your body without being hard on the stomach. The fruit keeps it light and the toppings provide awesome healthy superfood power.

Raw Buckwheat Porridge

Makes 3-4 portions

Ingredients:
1 cup buckwheat groats
a handful of cashews
1 organic orange (blood orange makes it pink!)
1 organic sour apple (if you only have a sweet one, add 1 tbsp of lemon juice)
1/2 tsp ground vanilla
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
a pinch of salt

Toppings:
almond butter
, raw cacao nibs
, pomegranate
, gojis, 
bee pollen, 
passion fruit, 
or whatever you have at home.

Soak the buckwheat and cashews in two separate bowls over night (or for at least 8 hours). Rinse both and place in a food processor. Add the apple, orange, vanilla and cinnamon. Blend until smooth. You may want to scrape down the sides during this. Spoon it into bowls or mason jars (great if you need a to-go-breakfast) and top it with almond butter, cacao nibs, gojis, pomegranate and bee pollen.
Enjoy!

About Caroline Saint Ange
Caroline Saint Ange leads a plant-based lifestyle with a focus on whole, unprocessed foods. She loves to prepare healthy meals which she shares with her husband and friends. She studied philosophy in Munich but works as a private tutor in the afternoon and spends her mornings with food shopping, cooking and reading about nutrition and health. Due to chronic inflammation she was forced to change her diet and has now almost healed herself from all symptoms. She strongly believes in the power of healthy food and loves teaching others about it. Caroline has quite an active instagram account, which you can find here: healthygreenkitchen