Group Outing: Mt. Tam Wild Walk and Grounding Chocolate Drink recipe

I'd like to share some pictures that bring back memories of a great experience I had in the summer of 2012. Christian Bates a long with his partner Bethanne Wanamaker as his co-hostess, both Marin County locals and experts in wild foods, led a group of us on a journey through the trails of Mt. Tam giving us insightful information about the plants that grow wild. We also visited two Spring Water sources and some of us filled up our small water jugs. For me it felt like we were tiny people walking on the edge of this huge mountain, but with all of Christian's knowledge that he poured out to us it really made me feel so empowered and connected to where I was. There is so much to learn about our environment and how humans and nature can be ONE.

We learned about the benefits of each plant and how to consume it, such as using Pine Needles, high in Vitamin A & C, for making tea or as a garnish for a superfood dessert. We each got a taste of the lemony Pine Needles. As we hiked up the trail I spotted some dark purple looking berries and asked if those are edible. We discovered some Huckleberries! They were so sweet and tiny. Further up the trail Christian introduced us to a wild Avocado tree. I found myself to be so amazed by standing infront of a wild Avocado tree. I love a good Avocado so seeing the wild species was a very neat experience. They are so small compared to the commercial variaties!

UPDATE: Unfortunately.....there was no wild avocado tree :(
I must have heard him wrong through all the commotion of the group infront of me. The tree Christian introduced to us was the Bay Laurel, which is in the same Lauraceae family as the avocado, but they are different genus from one another. Kind of a bummer....but still pretty neat!

Christian Bates' Wild Walk and Spring Water Gathering was an experience I'll never forget. He is a great public speaker, so warm-hearted, and you can just feel his passion for helping others to find wellness and happiness within themselves. We learned a lot about superfoods, wild foods, and herbs.

This was my first time meeting Christian Bates and his partner Bethanne Wanamaker in person. They are both beautiful and inspirational people. Bethanne is so sweet and has a fire within her when she speaks infront of an audience. She is passionate about helping others become the healthiest version of themselves, finding vitality, and take care of our environment. I've stayed connected with her after our meet and she has been a mentor for me and so inspirational. You should definitly check out her health classes and raw food workshops such as superfood chocolate classes, natural beauty care classes, and raw superfood smoothie classes.  

You can learn more about Christian Bates by visiting his blog here

and Bethanne Wanamaker here

 My good friend and I drinking a superfood
drink before the start of the hike.




We decided to share a cup
of this homemade superfood Cacao
drink brought for our group by Bethanne
and Christian. It was very tasty and
chocolatey :) Great light fuel for our hike.



 Christian teaching us about wild plants

               

  
Looks like our DNA structure,
 doesn't it?

Little man gathering his very own Spring Water

 Bethanne Wanamaker on the left meeting everyone

(lemon balm)

(old man's beard)

Good times with one of my besties! She had a great time and learned a lot too.

Time for a nourishing and grounding pure chocolate recipe...

So simple and easy....

-Brew a cup of your favorite herbal tea (my favorite being sweet chammomile)

-Wait for your cup of tea to cool down to a warm-hot temperature and add a tablespoon
of raw Cacao Powder. I find that the raw Cacao powder gives such a grounding and
comforting feeling as you sip this drink warm. If you'd like sweetner some good ones are
Honey, Maple Syrup, Stevia, etc.


We are small people in this world, but capable of many things if we go after it and make it happen.