WOMEN WHO INSPIRE

ALEXANDRA ERNST Nurtures Change with Bracelets

By Patricia Danflous

Bali Bracelets are available at www.balibracelet.org and will be available shortly in yoga studios, boutiques, markets and surf shops. Ernst will soon introduce necklaces and anklets to complete her line.

Searching for a guy named Jelly in the shadows of Bali temples is not the way most businesses get up and running. Then again, traveling to Indonesia on a whim is also not the norm – unless you are Alexandra Ernst. T he New Orleans native booked a flight to Indonesia on a Thursday, stored her belongings and packed her bags over the weekend and was in the air on Monday. Three years later, she is the founder and creative designer of Bali Bracelets, a growing environmentally focused business that provides sustainable income for Bali locals.

“It was pretty surreal,” says the entrepreneur, who was just 24 when her Indonesian adventure began. “I had no plans, didn't know a soul, but just had a lot of trust and something calling me.”

She stayed for almost two months, and that is when the concept for Bali Bracelets came to her. She now lives in Bali on a regular basis.

The simple, colorful bracelets are handcrafted by arti

sans in a small Bali beach community. Made with recycled surfboards, each piece carries the message “travel in kindness” and is marked with a unique code. The code can be entered into the search bar on the Bali Bracelets website, where you can add photos and a pinpoint on a map. Then, give it to someone else and follow as it connects people around the world.

The idea to use recycled surfboards is one of

“I had no plans, didn't know a

soul, but just had a lot of trust and

something calling me.”

many pivotal moments Ernst has encountered in the last several years. “I was brainstorming at a little organic warung (restaurant) here in Bali, about 15 minutes away from the world famous surfing spot in Uluwatu,” she explains. She soon met Douglas, a surfboard shaper, and Sonja, who painted on broken surfboards. “I mentioned that I was looking for recyclable material that I could make beads with, and so it was, the first major epiphany: recycled surfboards.”

Then came Jelly. “I was told to look for a local guy named Jelly who could help me,” she reflects. “Jelly is a spiritual guru/healer, and one of the most incredibly happy and humble people I've ever met. We make the beads together, and then I work with ladies down on the beach to make the bracelets.”

Ernst is inspired by “the incredible friends I've made through my life and travels — many of whom are really involved with the environment, higher consciousness and social change. My vision for Bali Bracelets has always been to create something that would be part of that change.” 

recipe

COASTAL CARROT “FETTUCCINE” WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES AND PUMPKIN SEEDS

Text excerpted from EATING CLEAN, © 2016 by AMIE VALPONE. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved. Author/Recipe photo © LAUREN VOLO. Serves 4 INGREDIENTS:  2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil  1 garlic clove, minced  ½ cup grape tomatoes, quartered  2½ Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil, divided  3 large rainbow or orange carrots, peeled  1 cup Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce  ¼ tsp. sweet paprika  ¼ tsp. sea salt  ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper  2 Tbsp. pumpkin seeds, toasted, for garnish

DIRECTIONS: ❶ In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat. ❷ Add the garlic and saute until soft and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and 2 tablespoons of the basil and saute until the tomatoes burst and release their juices, about 5 minutes. ❸ Meanwhile, slice the carrots into ribbons, using either a spiral slicer (aka spiralizer) or a vegetable peeler (this is easiest when you hold the carrot down on a flat surface).  Add the carrots, Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce, paprika, salt, and pepper to the pan, and cook until the carrots are tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ tablespoon basil and the pumpkin seeds before serving.

SUN-DRIED TOMATO SAUCE MAKES 2 CUPS

INGREDIENTS:  1 large red bell pepper  3 cups water  ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)  1½ cups diced grape tomatoes  ⅓ cup chopped red onion  2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil  2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh flatleaf parsley  1 Tbsp. golden raisins  1 garlic clove  ¼ tsp. paprika  ¼ tsp. sea salt  ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS: ❶ Roast the bell pepper by holding it with tongs over a medium flame on a gas stovetop, rotating it for 7 minutes or until charred. Alternatively, cut the pepper in half, lay it on a large rimmed baking sheet, and smash it until flat. Broil on high for 7 minutes or until charred. Let cool for 2 minutes, and place the pepper in a brown paper bag, secure it with a rubber band or twist tie, and let the pepper steam for 10 minutes. Remove from the bag and rub the charred skin off with your fingers. Discard the seeds and chop the pepper into large chunks. ❷ In a medium saucepan, combine the water and sun-dried tomatoes. Cover and bring to a steady simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Drain the tomatoes, reserving 1 cup of the soaking liquid. ❸ In a food processor, combine the roasted pepper, soaked sundried tomatoes, grape tomatoes, onion, basil, parsley, raisins, garlic, paprika, salt, and black pepper; puree until smooth. Add ¼ cup of the reserved tomato soaking liquid to thin the sauce. If the sauce is still thicker than desired, add more soaking liquid 1 tablespoon at a time. Serve immediately or freeze in a sealed container for up to 1 month.

TOMATO SAUCE TIP Less acid, more flavor: Tomato sauces can be a little too acidic for sensitive stomachs. To lower the acidity and add nutrients, add shredded carrots, zucchini, or chopped kale when sautéing onions in the beginning of the saucemaking. If needed, add a touch of honey, too, to even out the flavor.

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