HAPPY 2011!!

MUUV is excited to re-open this week after the holiday break. To start the new year off on a healthy note we're proud to be giving away free copies of an amazing book, Living Green: A Practical Guide To Simple Sustainability.

Written by Greg Horn, an incredible man who shares his story of health and his path to organic foods and sustainability with you in the forward of the book. He is also a man Tom and I call friend.
Here are some good words on the book and a link to site on Greg Horn and his many accomplishments.

"First published in 2006, Living Green has become the world’s best-selling sustainability book, with over 150,000 copies in print. Now in its fifth edition, Living Green is the leading resource for health and sustainability solutions at a personal level."

"Living Green is a must read for anyone seeking practical ways to start changing the world now. Real life experiences and practical tips make this a road map for personal action. This book helps you get past the worry and do something green."
- Anthony Zolezzi, Chairman of The Organic Center, Co-Author of Chemical Free Kids and CEO of Natural Pet Nutrition.

Might we also add Foerstel Design not only helped to edit the book but won an award for the design and easy to read format.
"Living Green beat over 1.5 million other books in popular requests on Amazon.com"

Your free copy of the book is available to pick up anytime in January at MUUV!

Introducing BAKE...

Check out Rayanne's story below...

MUUV Food in December: BAKE by Rayanne Fries

"I started dating my now husband (who has food allergies) in 2005. He introduced me to some gluten free food, and it was only mediocre at best. Lots of it was boxed, packaged, preservative filled food. One day, for my birthday, my husband made me a "gluten free pizza" in a pan, on the stove! It's not like we were without an oven, it's just the only way he found to make the gluten free crust work. Needless to say, I was not impressed with this mushy, wet "crust". I set out to bake, not only a good gluten free crust, but a gluten free crust that everyone (wheat eaters and gluten free'ers) would enjoy! I then continued to make foods he had not had in years, brownies, cookies, cakes, and bread.
In the last 10 years I have called, Minnesota, Michigan, Colorado, Oregon, Alaska, and Idaho home. Oh, and the RV that we lived and travelled in while working as a national marketing team. Through our travels I saw a lack of gluten free food, but met many people with allergies or intolerance's like my husband.
Upon moving to Boise permanently in late 2009, I started to really focus on living locally. I was quite relieved to get off the road, and step into a community full of amazing people. I see a need for gluten free and allergy sensitive baking in the valley. This is where Bake - Gluten Free was born. I am happy to have this opportunity to debut my products and company at Muuv this December! Thanks, hope you enjoy!"

REACHING OUT AT THE HOLIDAYS!!

Giving does the heart good! And this time of year when the holidays are upon us and it's cold outside; giving seems to feels even sweeter.
MUUV is offering three ways to give back this month and we hope one of them will fill your heart to join us.
Check out our charitable picks on the right of the page, and feel free let us know if there's a cause you think we should partake in.
Thank you for participating in the JOY of giving!

ThanksVegan! with Vicki Hodge and Andi Saucerman

We're giving thanks! Vicki and Andi, vegan cooks extraordinaire are going to be sharing some awesome food and recipes with you. Catch us after Deep Dance from 11-noon November 16, 18 and 23. As well as 7-8 p.m. November 17th. You can stay and eat, take it with you or just drop in during those hours. See you then!

Live Well: ThanksVegan!

1st IN OUR SERIES
You know when you buy something new, like say a blue car, and then all of a sudden you see the same blue car everywhere? Well, in this case for me, it was a lifestyle change; a new way of looking at food. My partner Tom and I were going vegan! Now I've been a vegetarian for almost 15 years and Tom for at least 5, but this was a whole new frontier. This new way of shopping for food, eating and cooking without eggs, butter, cheese, or any animal product or by-product was a huge change at the time. A change that is now more like a fascinating journey. I might add that it's not a perfect process by any means. We eat this way at home but find it much more difficult when we eat out, so we do our best.
When we embarked on this new path we started doing research and one thing led to another. First it was making the decision, then it was a killer article we found in Men's Journal, and then the surprise news about former president Bill Clinton (he recently went vegan). All these signs saying yes, you're on the right track, keep going!

But the best thing ever was reaching out to ANDI SAUCERMAN and VICKI HODGE. I had known a little about Vicki's passion just by reading some of her news feeds on facebook, so when I first approached her she welcomed my questions with passion and a love for something she believes in. That was soon followed by recommendations to some AMAZING cookbooks filled with killer recipes. I haven't known Andi as long, but we started talking at MUUV, and soon our conversations turned to food, and I discovered another amazing woman, filled with information about protein alternatives and amazing seeds and vegetables we never think to cook with!

You can imagine when I introduced Andi and Vicki to one another there was an instant connection fueled by their love of eating Vegan.

We have tons of ideas on how to share their knowledge and passion, but for now we are starting relatively small by cooking for you! Eating and cooking this way is a very creative process, stepping out side the box and learning a whole new language. Which is another reason I love it so much; it encourages us to be ever expanding and creative with our lives.

Now for ThanksVegan at MUUV, these two women have prepared some delicious treats to give you a sample of the nutritional goodness that comes from a vegan diet, with the added bonus of knowing that nothing was harmed or suffered to feed your belly.

Environmental concerns and the humane treatment of animals are two of the main reasons many people choose this way of eating. Others go vegan strictly for health reasons. Most vegans will tell you they feel like they're lean, mean, healthy-eating machines; that eating this way makes them feel lighter, mentally and physically.

Most people have a ton of questions about veganism, with concerns about getting enough protein, for example. Well, we're here to answer all your questions! Please feel free to contact Vicki and Andi directly through email and fire away. Please see all their contact info on the right side of the blog.

We hope you taste something that inspires you, and maybe find a fun challenge with all the new food choices waiting for you to try them. Enjoy!

GETTING STARTED
Here are some cheat sheets and beginner's guides to going vegan!

For starters, check this out Guide to Going Vegan, from of all places Men's Journal, and continue to read the excerpt of the Rise of the Power Vegan. It's an article about pro athletes and how being vegan gives them their edge.
AND
Vegan Cooking For Dummies

MUUV People - Heather Schwabe

4th IN OUR SERIES


I never really knew Heather that well, I guess I’ve always just known her as the sweet, smiling, woman who joins us for DDX. When I approached Heather on having her story be next, I didn’t realize what I was asking. What makes Heather such a compelling story is that she has experienced physical and emotional suffering many of us have never known. And yet her ability to find joy and greet life with such grace, would leave most of us thinking her life is roses all the time.

I’ve been moved getting to know Heather more, maybe even a little bit humbled. You see the story below is just a fraction of who Heather is. And while she was going down a very scary and altering path, she was also dealt curve balls that come with life sometimes. Things she had to process and take care of even while going through her own very personal hardship.

In months past Heather had a liver transplant and remarkably the donor for the transplant was her husband, Don. Prior to the transplant Heather underwent chemotherapy and radiation for two months:
“People cannot live without a liver so if the liver is at risk for whatever reason, you have to wait on a cadaver or if you can, find a Live Liver Donor Match.  Don matched right away, blood type and liver size, which is rare.  We transplanted on (no lie) the exact date we met 18 years ago.  The date was pushed up for some reason and swear to God, landed on the day we met.  That's when I knew everything was going to be fine.  Don gave me part of his liver, it then regenerates in me and his part left regenerates in him.  The liver is the ONLY organ that can do this.  It's one of the hardest surgeries performed, with huge risks.  There have not been many Live Liver surgeries performed, we were number 100 in the history of liver transplanting at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester.

What I love about Heather is she may have a million things going on or happening to her yet she can still show up to dance with a smile and her sweet laugh. “Probably one of the reasons I smile a lot, is because I've been given the beautiful gift of life.  I really do cherish each day, with so much gratitude. There are things to worry about but I just try not to dwell on them, deal with them when they need to be attended to, and move on. “

“As bad as things can get I realize there are always people out there in worse situations.  I remind myself of that often. Someone once told me, family, friends and laughter will get you through anything, and I believe it and am so thankful to have people that care in my life.”

I asked Heather what advice she would give on staying healthy: “Follow your intuition, especially when it comes to your health.  I really do believe your attitude can make a big difference in how you live your life.  My personal stress management and healing is exercise through music, one of the many reasons why I love to coming to MUUV for DDX.  I tell everyone it's my therapy ( smile).”  

This YouTube video is of Heather and Don right after transplanting. “We're on a lot of pain meds so we sound kind of funny.  It really is a beautiful story, but I heard lots of these stories while I lived in the Transplant House, these people were so inspiring to me, seeing them fight for their lives and some doing it so graciously.”

Heather you have shown us that we all have ability to keep on believing that whatever life brings, we never lose our essence. You're a beautiful reminder that this moment is all we truly have, and having the grace to accept and embrace what is, is what life is all about. 

Thank you.
Love,
Mikayla
Photos of Heather taken by Erica Sparlin Dryden