Juicy

It's embarrassing how little I've been posting on this potentially life-changing little blog. I chalk my limited activity up to the fact that I haven't really been creating any new recipes. Not to mention that it is the holiday season and life gets pretty hectic.

Thankfully, we are still staying strong and raw. I am of the mentality that "cheating," i.e., eating crap, is not actually enjoyable. In fact, the other day when we were in New Frontiers (my fav health food store in AZ) my husband held up a loaf of some kind of fresh-baked sugary bread and took a big whiff and cooed. Wanting me to share in his excitement, he held it under my nose. I got a whiff alright. And got a bit nauseous. Actually, it was the same sensation I used to get from the scent of wheatgrass! This was sensational for me. I felt like I really had turned a corner. Apologizing that I couldn't stand the smell, I went over to the counter to get my veggie/wheatgrass juice from the organic fresh juice bar--my real treat!

My best recommendation to anyone dealing with anything is always to eliminate sugar. Really. Whether it's a relationship issue, a school dilemma or a dietary concern, sugar will only hinder the results. It's like sin. (Granted, I am not saying in way that sugar IS sin. Trust me. Eliminating sugar is not a fast-track to godliness in any way.) But so many times we are tricked into believing that sex or greed will get us where we want. But do not be fooled. Sugar will not benefit you--not one bit.

So when it comes to the holidays, I don't add extra stress by becoming a raw nazi. But I don't want to weaken my immune system any more, either, by eating junk. It's all about a healthy balance, as I have said probably far too many times before. And after a while, your body really will stop craving the white drug. But you can't play around with it. You have to go completely cold turkey and leave it alone. No lemonade, no cookie once in a while. You have to commit to cutting it out. Reducing your sugar is always good, but you will never experience true freedom. As can be seen by my husband and my differing reactions to the pastry bread. (He stays away from cake and candy but still enjoys the occasional cup of lemonade or bite of sugar/soy ice cream, while I leave it out of my life altogether.)

I have been working extra hard this season, though, to keep my system as healthy as possible. My favorite cold-buster so far: juice!

Here's a sure cure:

4 organic kale leaves
3 handfuls organic spinach
1 small organic cucumber
1-2 cloves fresh garlic

It's pungent. It's out and out spicy! But it will knock any cold/flu right out of you. Be careful with the garlic. If you aren't as familiar with raw foods, stick to 1 or even half a clove. And as with any juice, drink it asap--do not let it sit and oxidize. Raw juice loses nutrients as it mixes with the air.

I also have a few fun beauty care tips that I've found helpful. First and foremost is maca. My husband and I are still on this stuff and I love it for many reasons. Not least of all that it has done wonders for my skin. Because it balances out hormones, it works great to cleanse the skin organ from the inside out.

Here's a quick and easy skin/face scrub I made from stuff in the kitchen:

1/4 cup oat groats, finely ground (I used a coffee grounder)
1 teaspoon flax oil
1 tablespoon raw honey

This usually requires refrigeration due to the flax oil. It's wonderful. All natural, organic and makes my skin feel soft and smooth. Use it only every 3 or 4 days.

I hope you all are enjoying your holiday season and are taking full advantage of the green leafy things growing all around us.

Merry Christmas and happy juicing!

New Easy Dinner Recipe

So no real update on the colon cleanse. Of course, eating green leafy vegetables as your main staple and avoiding all cooked food is considered by many to be an extreme colon cleanse in itself. Wink, wink. Oh! Maca update. All is going well. My mom did a little researching on her own and discovered that it is not supposed to affect hormones at all but does support adrenal function (which in turn aids the thyroid). There is no caffeine but by strengthening the adrenal many experience a boost in energy (and libido!). I can attest to both. It feels like I drank three espressos! And it only takes a 1/2 teaspoon a day.

Ok, but on to my favorite new recipe!

Rice Blossoms

Here's what you'll need to feed two people:

1 cup wild rice soaked in purified water overnight

6-8 whole cabbage leaves (we used green, but purple works well, too)

Handful of sprouts (any kind will work)

8 sprigs of parsley, finely chopped

1 clove of fresh garlic, minced

1/4 onion, chopped (optional)

Seasonings:

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup flax oil

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

2 dashes of turmeric

2 dashes of Bragg's Amino Acids

*Please note as with all of my recipes that amounts are not set in stone. Please play with these ingredients and adjust as you see fit.

If you have yet to soak wild rice, you may be in for a surprise. It's amazingly easy and tastes wonderful. I equate soaking with cooking in many instances. Soaking is a lot like cooking in that it softens the rice (usually so that the rice blossoms open--it's really quite pretty) but of course, unlike cooking, it won't be warm and all the nutrients will be activated rather than destroyed. Just be careful what you soak and for how long. You can often google it or invest in a good raw book like Nomi Shannon's Raw Gourmet for soaking charts.

After you soak the rice, pour out the remaining water and rinse the rice thoroughly. Then add the sprouts, parsley, garlic and onion (optional). Drizzle the olive and flax oil and mix thoroughly. Add apple cider vinegar, turmeric and Braggs. Add salt and pepper as needed. Remember to taste the mixture as you prepare. ;-)

Spoon the mixture onto the cabbage leaves like you would a lettuce wrap. It serves as a great lunch or add a salad on the side for dinner. Voila!

(Special thanks to my husband fo modeling how to eat the new recipe! Yum!)

Colon Cleanse Update/Holiday Shake Recipe

We still have not selected a specific colon cleanse. Sorry, not very exciting I know. But I just want to update you on our commitment to stay green.

Both my husband and I have signs of a poor working colon. For that matter, I wonder if we all do. We are seemingly healthy young whipper-snappers (25 and within healthy weight limits). However, I suffer from sinus congestion once in a while (a clear sign that the colon is clogged) and my husband suffers from poor energy and an interesting elimination "schedule." These symptoms along with the knowledge that serotonin is made in the colon and that the colon is the second brain are very motivating for us to keep our colon healthy. Basically it's critical for any kind of real health.

We also learned that no matter how well you eat, it's the absorption that counts. (I know kind of a "Duh" moment but it helps to be reminded.) Of course the raw food diet is the best long term way to ensure this--as you have probably experienced more trips to the bathroom than you thought humanly possible if you have recently switched to a raw diet.

We are considering a juice fast and/or the 3 week diet plan listed in Nomi Shannon's book (heavy on green drinks).

In the meantime, we are eating our greens, juicing our greens and I am headed out today to get liquid Chlorophyll (this stuff is only one molecule different from our blood--very powerful!). We are also going to try to increase our pro-biotic intake and, of course, drink lots of water, exercise and stay calm. Stress is one of the quickest ways to poor absorption.

Btw, we have also been experimented with powdered maca. Wow. Talk about energy (and yes, ok, libido) increase! I think it has also cleared up my skin. We are taking VERY small doses right now, though, and hope that it will help balance our hormones as it is touted for doing.

Here's a smoothie recipe to get you in the holiday mood:

Pumpkin Pie in a Glass A Go-GO

2 pitted dates
1/2 cup rice milk (add more if needed)

2 frozen bananas

1 tablespoon raw almond butter

Dash of nutmeg, cloves

2 teaspoons of cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon maca (purely optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add ice if needed

Mix all ingredients in blender or vitamix. Beware: this is super filling! And tastes a lot like liquid pumpkin pie--which may or may not suit your fancy. I loved it and drank on it all day Saturday (it's all we had in the house, lol). If you want a little less pie flavor, hold off on the spices--it will be more of a creamy almond/vanilla shake. But now that we are in the Thanksgiving month, take advantage of the healthiest way to eat your pumpkin pie! I hope to work on a new recipe using this base for a raw pumpkin pie. Maybe you'll beat me to it? Either way, I'll keep you posted. Enjoy and voila!

Raw Tele-Seminar

Today I woke up specifically for the Raw Gourmet, Nomi Shannon's, tele-seminar. It was mostly a question and answer re: a lot of health issues and how diet, supplements and lifestyle plays a role. I took three pages of typed notes.

And most of them say the same thing! Greens, greens, greens. But according to the seminar greens aren't enough if absorption is an issue. They also talked about the need to balance our PH. And interestingly, though not too surprisingly, the colon and adrenals were identified as roots for many of the illnesses.

While I am convinced that a raw diet is the BEST, absolute BEST, place to begin a healthy lifestyle, health issues can still arise due to stress, environment and absorption. My husband and I are committed to doing a colon cleanse as a result. And I will be looking more into B vitamin supplements, also.

She also briefly addressed the coconut oil/agave craze that has become increasingly trendy in many raw recipes. While I use them in many dessert recipes, I do feel that the best raw diet is just raw veggies and some fruit. I think that's why I have very few raw recipes posted here.

My best advice to maintain a healthy raw diet is to go to your local farmer's market. Select at least one of each vegetable you see there and go home and eat it. Really! That's how I got started and that's continually what I lean on. Please make sure you're doing your best to get organic or pesticide-free--anything else contains toxins that will tax your system and harm your body.

Now there are lots of fun ways to eat these veggies aside from biting into them--which may be a little hard to do if you've purchased something like kohlrabi or a sweet potato. But start with the basics, the green leafy veggies and other familiar goodies like tomatoes, celery, carrots, etc. and just start chopping. Throw it all in a big bowl, add vinegar, olive or flax oil, spices and herbs (Celtic sea or Himalayan salt, pepper, basil, oregano, garlic, thyme, etc.) and eat. You will be amazed at how filling this is. I once read an article about a star athlete who called this his favorite meal. He said it would take a good portion of time to finish it off, but he loved it. Plus it is a great way to cleanse that colon and give you energy.

I would also incorporate sea veggies as I've mentioned before. Dulse was mentioned today in the seminar as a premier way to get the necessary iodine mineral. Snack on them or throw them in the veggie bowl meal, aka entree of greens.

For breakfast, juicing is the best (you can also do smoothies which are very popular). Carrot base is ideal for almost any veggie juice--again, whatever you find at the farmer's market buy a little extra of and juice it. Some typical combos: carrot, celery, spinach, kale; carrot, beet, lemon, spinach; carrot, celery, tomato, ginger. These are not V8 imitations, btw. These are real living juices that you need to drink immediately after juicing. Anything you purchase in a store has been heated, destroying all enzymes.

Don't be afraid as you begin or re-energize your journey. Look at nature and listen to your body. For some great tips, check out Nomi's book Raw Gourmet. Regardless of the food you eat, if absorption is a problem, then look into cleansing. If you aren't absorbing the nutrients, you are headed for trouble. I'll keep you posted on our journey.

Call it "An entree of greens"

My husband once whined about having salad for dinner.

"Excuse me," I protested. "This is no salad. This is an entree of greens." As soon as the phrase came to me, I knew I had a winner. And even my husband had to smile.

It's important to realize, though, that I do not like salad. Not salad in the traditional sense. The salad of yesteryear conjures up lame images of wilted iceberg lettuce, carrot shavings and a sad vinaigrette. It implied a four-letter word that is prohibited in our house: DIET. I have nothing to do with diets.

In fact, the other day I took my "entree of greens" to a local coffee shop for lunch. I bought my fresh-squeezed orange juice and sat down with my greens and a good book. A young girl next to me kept looking over in my direction. Finally she spoke up, "Your lunch looks delicious!"

I smiled and nodded. It was. I wanted to give her a bite because I knew that it tasted even better than it looked.

Here's what I made:

1 bunch of kale (any kind of kale will work--red kale is my current favorite)

2 organic roma tomatoes

Apple cider vinegar

Sesame oil

Red chile flakes

Sesame seeds

Pink Himalyaln Salt

Pepper

This really couldn't be easier. Chop up the kale into bite-size pieces and quarter the tomatoes. Drizzle the vinegar and sesame oil over the mix to taste. I tend to use just about a 1/3 cup of oil and then add vinegar until it has just a little bite. Sprinkle sesame seeds and chile flakes to taste--I like it spicy so I put a lot of chile flakes. Season with salt and pepper as needed. The one bunch of kale will make a decent size meal, but my husband and I can pack it away just the two of us. It can be addicting! And keep in mind that it is one of the most nutritious meals available. If you're feeling under the weather, mix it up and live well. Voila!

(The pic posted is of the kale entree accompanied by a baked sweet potato.)

Mush it up!

Have I told you about pudding? Pudding is wonderful. Pudding is creamy and chocolaty and well, I want to make some right now.

Here's how I'll do it:

Chocolate Peppermint Pudding A Go-Go

1 avocado (I know it sounds weird. Just go with it.)
1/4 cup water (Kristen of Kristen's Raw turned me on to using Metro Mint water...oh yeah. So good.)
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons raw agave
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons raw cacao powder
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

Blend all ingredients until creamy and serve or let chill in the fridge. Voila! I can't even tell you how good this is. I will sprinkle dried, unsweetened coconut flakes over the top for added crunch and flavor sometimes, too.

I am constantly amazed at how rich, delicious and satisfying raw treats are. Drawing from nature, I see how things were intended to be. And they were intended to be g-o-o-d.

And before I sign off, let me again lighten the raw load. I was on the phone with a very good friend and fellow raw foodist who suddenly had to put me on hold and sounded really flustered. Finally, she laughed and said, "I'm sorry! I am at Taco Bell and I have to order. I am so sorry!"

Puh-lease. I will eat at Taco Bell. I don't like Taco Bell. I never feel as good from a bean burrito as I do a raw nori wrap or even just carrot juice, but I live a real life. I need to eat sometimes and sometimes nothing else is available.

But if you do have a sweet tooth and are around a blender, try this pudding. It will blow your mind. Enjoy!

He just ate what?

With family in town for a cousin's wedding, we've been around all kinds of eaters. But last Sunday, we watched a boy eat the tail off a shrimp. Apparently, he used to live in Japan (his father is in the military) and they do it all the time. Most of us just stared in shock.

This does remind me, though, of the importance of eating sea vegetables. Now, please don't eat the tail off of a shrimp. I have no idea if this is nutritious or not, but there are plenty of other ways to get sea nutrients.

First of all, the benefits of sea vegetables (Don't just take my word for it...):

"Ocean water contains all of the minerals and trace elements of blood. Seaweed vegetables supply all of these minerals and trace minerals needed for human health. ...The generous nutritional portfolio of sea vegetables is considered to be very bioavailable, meaning it is very easy for our bodies to digest and assimilate the nutrients. Seaweed is up to 38 percent protein. It is an excellent source of vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2, B6 and precious B12. Seaweed also has a magnificent substance called ergosterol, which is converted to vitamin D in the body." (-Living Cuisine by Renee Loux Underkoffler)

"Marine phytochemicals found only in sea vegetables have been shown to absorb and eliminate radioactive elements and heavy metal contaminants from our bodies. Other recent research demonstrates the inhibition of tumor formation, reduction of cholesterol, and anti-viral properties of sea vegetables. " (-Marine Coast Sea Vegetables, http://www.seaveg.com/)

I worry about raw foodists, or even vegetarians for that matter, who do not eat sea vegetables. Even cooked, it is critical to get this plant-based nutrition into our bodies. We all need the powerful nutrients found so readily available and tasty in raw seaweed.

I don't think we can obtain the health we desire and need without sea veggies. But rest assured that I am not advocating chewing on the orange colored grapevine-like bundles that pile up on the beach to nourish ourselves. There are actually several types of seaweed that can be found in most whole food/health stores.

Here are some common options:

• Dulse. Rather salty for my taste, dulse is reddish-purple and breaks easily into chewy bits. A lot of recipes call for this as a garnish, but it's rather palatable and can be chewed on as a snack. Very high in iron, protein, vitamin A, B-complex vitamins and chlorophyll.


• Nori. Think sushi. Nori comes in shiny black sheets and can be rolled into burritos, veggie sushi or cut up and thrown into any dish for a little chewiness and salt. 48% protein (the highest of all seaweed), good source of vitamin A, thiamine and niacine. (See nori recipe at the bottom.)


• Alaria. This one is new to me and a little fishier in taste, but easy to snack on. It has the greenest coloring, making it look the most like something from the ocean, and comes pretty tightly bound together. I break off little pieces, though, and chew away. This has more dietary (45%) and soluble fiber (16%) than oat bran, is a good source of chlorophyll, enzymes, beta carotene and B vitamins.


• Kelp. This is my favorite. Easy to eat, great in salads, this veggie is thin and green without being too fishy (for me at least). I just carry it with me (especially if I notice any bruising and/or anticipate my monthly cycle) and pull of pieces to chew on during the day. Highest in iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium and lots of vitamins B.

There are other sea veggies but the above are the ones I have the most familiarity with. Like with any vegetable, mix it up. Don't just eat one kind and don't eat too much. But do snack on them. Do add them to salads. Buy a bag of one kind either once a month or each time you're at the store. Keep them handy and chew, chew, chew.

I have been amazed by the energy I get just from chewing on it and it does wonders to heal bruising. (I am often worried about developing anemia, so any bruise will strike up concern. It's not founded on much scientific evidence, but this fear does keep me eating lots of iron which can't be bad.) Plus, the more I learn about these veggies the more I love them. I often think about our Asian models of health and how much seaweed they are known to eat regularly, so I buy it often and always keep a bag in the pantry.

For more info, check out my favorite brand, http://www.seaveg.com/. And, as always, do your own research to discover what sea veggies can do for you.

Recipe A-Go-Go For Today:
Nori Wraps/Burritos

One untoasted, organic Nori wrap
Spoonful of tahini and/or nut cheese of your choice (not nut butters)
1/2 avocado thinly sliced
1/4 sweet pepper thinly sliced
Handful of sprouts of your choice
Nama Shoyu (for dipping and/or to drizzle inside the roll)

Lay your nori sheet out flat and spread the tahini/nut cheese in a thin layer on one side. Top with avocado, pepper and sprouts. Drizzle nama shoyu or set aside to dip. Roll the nori just like a sushi roll (or burrito in this case) and enjoy. You can slice the roll into smaller pieces or just eat like a burrito. Feel free to add whatever veggies you have in the house: carrots, cucumbers, onions, marinated tomatoes, etc. I have even heard of using guacamole in place of the tahini and making it a real southwest style treat. Use your imagination. Voila!

Rules are made to be broken

Ok, if you know me at all, then you know that title is totally out of character for me. But I think it's important to mention it when discussing a raw food diet.

To preface this, let me explain that I am an extremist by nature. I don't do anything half-hearted. And, this is where it gets kooky, I love rules. I love 'em. Live by 'em. Make up my own, even. So before I ate raw, I would have trillions of random rules running through my head about what to eat, what not to eat, when to eat, how to eat, etc. I don't think I realized it, but it was very stressful and exceptionally taxing. (I believe it resulted from not fully understanding food and health--a lack of knowledge/understanding.)

This kind of piggy-backs on my last post about defining your own diet, but I really want to explain that eating raw foods is not about NOT EATING. For example, I can go all day and not eat sugar, wheat, dairy, cooked and/or processed foods and still not get any nutrition. Creating limitations and regulations on the food you eat will not ensure great health. In fact, it will stress you out and burn you out way before your time.

So please, please, please do not define your lifestyle by what it's not, but what it is. For me that means eating colorful, living food. It's the only food I buy and keep at home. But I am not afraid to eat a tortilla chip!! In fact, the foods I eat give me the freedom to enjoy whatever dish is in front of me. I know that I am nourished, healthy and vibrant. A tortilla chip won't ruin that! I know that. The reason I don't eat it, though, is because it isn't appetizing. A diet of raw food is so rich, varied and energizing that regular, SAD food begins to lose its appeal. I don't force this. It is a natural effect of the lifestyle.

Anyone trying to push this effect on you or create rules around what you should/shouldn't eat, doesn't know what they're talking about.

A friend of mine once commented (and not very subtly at that) that she didn't understand how people could deprive themselves all day without cheating sometime. As if cheating implies fun and health implies deprivation. This same friend drinks at least two cans of soda each afternoon at work, has a "health" bar as her only lunch and cooks extravagant dinners (lasagna, enchiladas, etc.). She never refuses a sweet "treat" and has no energy. From my side of the coin, she is the one depriving herself. I wanted to explain that my lifestyle has nothing to do with depriving myself, but that I really have no desire any more to stop at Starbucks or "sneak" a candy bar.

I am so sad to see friends and even family that have never experienced the freedom and vibrancy of eating the way I have. But I trust that they are adults and can make their own decisions. I don't live by rules anymore--rather I eat what I really like, whenever and however I want to. I hope that all of us can say the same.

Recipe a go-go for today:

Raisinettes

These little treats not only taste amazing but actually help hydrate your body thanks to the coconut oil

1.5 cups coconut oil
1.5 cups raw, organic cacao powder

1 cup raw, organic agave

1 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla

Handfuls and handfuls of raisins

Mix oil, cacao, agave and vanilla in mixer on low until creamy. Stir in raisins by hand. Drop on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and freeze. Give 'em about twenty minutes and enjoy. Voila!

And a recipe, too!

From my dear friend Stephanie who had the gumption to create this on her own:

Cabbage Cole Slaw

Shredded cabbage (green works best, but purple is great, too)
Sliced bell pepper (green is hard on digestion, stick with red or yellow)
Shredded carrots
Diced cucumber
Equal parts white wine vinegar and olive oil
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste

Cabbage, bell pepper and carrot amounts are all to taste, as well. I prefer mostly cabbage, with half a bell pepper and just a little carrot--but make it to your own taste. Mix in a bowl, serve and eat. Voila!

def-in-ish-un

I like fluid terms. Words like clean, fun, delicious, and love all mean different things to different people. Add healthy, vegetarian, vegan and raw to that same category.

When my husband and I first told people we were vegan, suddenly the animal protein police came out in full-force. Random folks and friends alike all wanted to "help" us stay on the diet. Raw has been a similar experience.

But I am reminded to share with you the importance of defining your own diet. And let me encourage you to fight against the legalistic urge--eat for health, eat for life. Pray about it. Study and research it. Watch your body's responses. And above all, DO NOT stress yourself out about it. Do not create unrealistic goals or add extra pressure. Give yourself grace and eat for life--the kind of food and preparation of food that most gives you life and adds to your life.

For instance, when my husband and I first started raw, we went cold-turkey and hard-core. I would head to the farmer's market, buy all the fresh veggies and fruit I could find and then come home and eat it all week long. I didn't know about raw food recipes! I didn't realize that people lived this way and educated others. (This is a short-sight on my part. My very own mother-in-law had been talking about this for months, but I just didn't make the connection.)

At any rate, this unconventional method worked for us. And now, after 8 months of hard-core raw, we have incorporated about 10% cooked food into our diet. But we are still raw-foodists. We get to define it. Because we get to live it.

When it comes to your diet and lifestyle, don't be afraid to experiment. There are no hard and fast "rules." Don't be afraid to go extreme or keep it mainstream. But do your own research. And do follow your heart.

Even after the classes, the books, the websites and all the research, my favorite way to prep food remains going to the market, picking up the freshest of produce and just eating it! My heart knew what to do all along. And I love the confidence and comfort that comes from following it. It helps keep me in love with raw food and my life.

Consider Gardening, Lately?

I just found the greatest website: http://www.phoenixpermaculture.org/. This site is local to the Phoenix area, but is an amazing resource on sustainable agriculture. From their homepage:

"The Phoenix Permaculture Guild is a local 501c3 education organization with a mission to create in the ground green living solutions. Our community based learning model utilizes the skills of our community to deliver unique opportunities for us all to learn new skills."

Way cool. I am hooked to this website (I set up an identity and everything the first day I found this!).

What excites and inspire me the most is how they make gardening seem doable.

As I heard on the radio this morning that the FDA has approved irradiation on certain raw produce to eliminate salmonella, my heart sank. What do we have left if even our raw food is no longer raw?

Last winter I felt the pull to garden. My husband and I felt certain we could get our green act together in time for fall, but as of yet, it's only been a lot of talk.

With the latest from the FDA and the encouragement of the Phoenix Permaculture Guild, I feel called to garden. I am beginning to think anyone who takes their life and well-being seriously may want to do the same. Let's not allow the FDA to determine the course our life will take.

P.S.
I never thought I would become the extremist that I think I now am. I am beginning to wonder, though, if it isn't me as much as them (the FDA, the lobbyists, the brand-powered companies, etc.). Something to ponder at least...

The Tyranny of the Urgent

This title came from an essay I read in college. It described how our constant need to go, go, go accomplishes less and less and distracts us from what is really important. I can't remember all of the essay right now (and hope I am remembering this part accurately), but it beautifully and effectively described how we are losing our lives to "busy-ness."

I see that no where better than with the SAD. Our need to hurry here and there slowly and steadily edged out family meals--breakfast and dinner. We can now get breakfast in a single bar and eat it in our car or at our desk. We drive thru dinner and eat out of paper wrap in the car on our way to this thing or the next. Lunch, well, I don't know one person in my office who actually takes a lunch break on a regular basis. They often opt for some variation of the breakfast bar or drive thru.

These options do deliver: We do get there faster. We do stay at our desks that much longer.

But at what cost?

Rising above the tyrannical urgencies of life has been a struggle. But I'd rather fight a known evil than blindly allow everything else in my life to rule me.

Kudos

I did so much better on this trip than all the others. I packed my veggies. Picked up the extra sprouted lentils my girlfriend said I could have. Stayed hydrated. Ate meals of just greens. At Johnny Rockets, they had Boca burgers in stock. And although cooked and between two enriched white buns, it was the best vegan option I could think of. (Their salads of iceberg lettuce and KRAFT packaged italian high fructose corn syrup dressing sprinkled with cheddar cheese represented so much the antithesis of living food that I couldn't have ordered it with a straight face.)

I saw summer vacation evident in kids on the street with ice cream and my own sisters sharing a chocolate shake. But when I walked into the Whole Foods off of Ocean Ave, my summer vacation in Orange County finally became fun.

I think back to all my other vacations. Mint chocolate chip ice cream. Hot dogs. Mexican food. Cocktails on the pier. A salad from Johnny Rockets would have instilled a strong sense of healthy balance back then. I might have been a little wider around my mid-section, but nothing to worry about.

Then today when we went kayaking and I rowed my heart out (which was admittedly pathetic next to my husband), I enjoyed myself so much. Even under the sun and physically strained, I had fun. When we got back to the harbor and drove to lunch, I had no headache. Felt the strain, obviously, but not at all the exhaustion and pain I expected. Everyone was so exhasuted that lunch was the quietest meal we had ever had--except for all my chattering. I just wasn't tired.

Then, with some pleading and begging, I managed to finagle a stop into the Whole Foods just walking distance from the car. It was like walking home--but in a good way. I found my raw cacao and then my sister showed me a local company's raw food line. I bought their raw vegan cherry cheesecake and finished it before I made it back the car. I even savored the few licks I got from my messy fingers. Earth Cafe, Where Food Lives packed a great slice of home for me.

For all it's commercialism and "regular" SAD food, Whole Foods really deserves kudos. Not so many would be so daring. But then again, not so many would have my appreciation.

Vacations are a great escape. But there's nothing better than keeping what you know and love while enjoying the sun and surf of California. With cherry cheesecakes and farmers markets, my vacations are becoming a perfect balance of home and away.

The Hydratic Equation

No matter where you live, hydration is everything. And it's not just about drinking enough water.

Water is critical for survival. My grandma once told me about a man imprisoned either as a POW or some other type of political persecution who used water to heal the other prisoners of all sorts of diseases and ailments. When I personally was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease (at the age of 16 no less), they cited dehydration as a severe concern. In fact, I used to suffer from headaches about once a day. And sinus headaches every so often that were so insufferable I would simply go to bed and lose a day or two because the pain hurt too much to function.

By taking time to de-stress my own heart (through exercise, hiking, prayer, etc.) and drinking crazy amounts of water, I was amazed to find my headaches vanished. I literally spent the early part of adolescence certain that they would discover I had a terrible brain tumor. My headaches were severe and frequent. But now they are rare and never the severity they used to be.

Water has done amazing things for me, but I also know that my body needs hydration in other forms, too. Water is an excellent cleansing tool and cell hydrator, but our bodies also need hydration in other forms, like for joints, blood sugar and heart health. Enter: Omega 3 essential fatty acids. Get yours today!!

I was so discouraged when I started experiencing headaches after my yoga classes. I was drinking the water, breathing...I didn't know what was wrong. Then one day I ate an avocado after class and the headache disappeared. I was amazed! Thinking it was just a fluke, I tried it again. And again. It still works.

Here's how you can incorporate more omegas in your raw diet (or SAD):

• Grind whole flax seeds and add them to everything! Your body can't digest the whole seeds but the flax meal can go rancid quickly. So buy the whole ones, keep 'em in the fridge and grind 'em when you need them. I will post my morning flax recipe at the bottom.


• Take an avo with you. In your lunch, in your bag/purse just keep 'em handy. They don't need to be refrigerated and their hard exterior can handle a day of errands like pros.


• Substitute flax/hemp seed oil for olive oil in dressings. The flavors vary but the nutritional values are without compare. They are also slightly more expensive, so go easy at first.


• Make some crackers! Flax seeds and chia seeds make great, crispy crackers that are chock full of omegas and taste wonderful! I'll also post a recipe for those at the end.

Please use today to take control of your health. Someone once said, "If I don't care of my body, where else will I live?" God has entrusted us with so much. But He doesn't want us to do it alone. I encourage you to take it all before Him.

2 Thessalonians 5:24, "Faithful is he who called you and he also will bring it to pass." Let Him start this good work in you and then watch as He finishes it. He is such a loving Father.

Recipes:

Flax seed Pancakes/Cereal:

• 1 cup flax seeds, ground in coffer grinder until flour-like consistency


• 2 tablespoons coconut oil


• Berries/fruit of choice cut up


• Agave nectar or honey (optional)

Cut the coconut oil into the flax meal in a bowl (or if your oil is like mine, pour it in the meal). Mix it by hand with a spoon until the meal is moist. Top with fruit (I love diced apple/peaches/banana) and drizzle agave (like you would pancake syrup, but be careful--it can be overpowering. Start small and add as needed). Voila!

Flax seed/Chia seed crackers:

• 4 cups, whole flax seeds (soaked 4-6 hours--they will become gelatinous! This is really fun for kids to see/play with. It feels much like slime....)


• 1 tablespoon lemon juice


• Pinch of Celtic/Himalayan salt


• Spices/herbs to taste. This is where you let your creativity take over. Add chili flakes/cayenne pepper for some kick (just go slow--they get really spicy), or some cacao and agave for some sweet. You can even just chop your fav herbs (parsley, thyme, basil) for veggie crackers. Incorporate tomato for sundried tomato cracker. Just taste as you go.

Stir all ingredients together and spread thinly and evenly on a teflex dehydrator tray. The thinner the spread, the crunchier the cracker. Dehydrate for 6 hours and then flip and dehydrate that side for another 6 hours or until it reaches the desired crispiness. Voila!

H20, Love and other works of God

I eat raw food because God pursued me in it. The idea of eating salad day in and day out, repulsed me. But how often do we take the word of God and immediately put ourselves in self-assumed bondage?

Do not, thou shalt not...this is how so many of us see God.

Raw food seems like the ultimate expression of that kind of kooky bondage.

But it's not. It's just really not. When it came to eating raw food, all I thought was, "Thou shalt not eat, do not eat, etc." And to be frank, I just wanted one part of my life that was mine! For crying out loud, I do good things. I work on my marriage. I try to be the best sister, daughter, friend, co-worker, employee that I can be. LEAVE MY FOOD ALONE!

But after three very real attempts by the Lord to get my attention regarding eating raw food, I couldn't resist. He pursued and I could not resist.

I started the very day I received the third "message" to eat raw. I didn't read a book on it. I didn't receive an education in it. I went to no one to discuss it. I just did it.

And I found freedom.

Isaiah 55:7-9. "For my ways are not your ways, neither are my thoughts your thoughts, declares the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

My natural inclination is to see the word of God as bondage, a sacrifice on my part. But it is not. It is a sacrifice on God's part to bring life and freedom to my very being--mind, body, spirit. His ways are not my ways and my thoughts are not his thoughts. I am so blessed that He is willing to use something as simple, yet powerful as food to demonstrate this to me. And set me free in the process.

A new-age raw recipe book talks about the most important ingredient of all: love. No matter what you're making, what you're eating, if it isn't made with love it will not nourish as it should. When I cook/prep out of my own strength, it is rarely made with love. But as the Lord works through me to prepare meals, I am freed to let His love fill our very food. There's nothing new age about that: man cannot live on bread alone, but on the very word of God--who is Christ Jesus!

As a new friend reminded me last night:

"In repentance and rest is your salvation,

in quietness and trust is your strength,

but you would have none of it." -Isaiah 30:15

Through drinking plenty of water, letting the love of God through Christ dwell in me and being alive and well, I am free.

So hard...can't go on...

The next raw food book I read better have a whole chapter devoted to sticky social situations as a raw food-er.

We have a friend, whom we love dearly but haven't seen in months, who invited us over for dinner. She and I had gone out to lunch a while back and I didn't make my eating habits main conversation but just ate a huge fruit salad and mentioned briefly that we try to eat raw, vegan food.

I never expected that she would make us chicken for dinner--organic chicken she bought especially for us from Whole Foods. That she was making from a special recipe. That she was trying out for the first time. Just for us.

You know, no pressure.

As we hung out in the kitchen, watching her prepare the poultry, I determined in my heart that I would make no mention of our veganism. But my husband couldn't watch her make it, just to watch us avoid it on our plates. So, he told her. She laughed out loud, certain we were being silly. "You are joking, right?" She laughed, slicing the raw chicken parts into thin strips for the grill.

So hard to say no. We smiled and apologized, I died in my heart, but told her about the vegan thing. So we ate salad and risotto (like I was going to tell her we don't eat cooked rice!) and she felt horrible.

But she brightened up when it came time to serve dessert--special dessert she had bought just for us from Whole Foods. A real treat that she never buys just for herself but wanted to share with us.

When she brought out the caramel custard cups, we oohed, aahed and ate. No questions asked. I couldn't believe I was actually allowing the white satan (refined sugar) to enter my mouth, but it did. And I even swallowed.

I don't ever want my ideals to wound another person. Granted, there is a right and a wrong. Truth is not "up to interpretation." But when someone I know and love has gone out of their way to bless me, I am going to receive it--whether it's what I want or not.

As we left, I still felt guilty for not eating the chicken. But as my husband and I got in the car, he said he almost vomited from the custard. Not that it didn't taste good, but he sad his body just didn't want anything to do with it. Now that's the real victory for me.

Eating Raw Means Eating Raw

This is just a quick encouragement to return to the basics. Let's not forget that the reason this diet/lifestyle works is because it's simple--as life was intended to be.

I have lately been inundated with Raw lifestyle "cook" books. I am amazed at how this lifestyle means so many different things to different people. I admire all of these opinions, but must continue to promote simplicity.

• Eat raw foods. The more the better. Research and common sense show that the more processed, decayed foods you eat the more likely your body is to deteriorate--sooner than necessary.


• Plant-based is always better. Animal products are not a problem if at least less than 10% of your diet. This means your primary source of protein and food should be plant-based--from nuts, green leafy veggies and sprouted food.


• Grow your own food. You DO NOT know where the food you buy comes from. "Organic," too is a fluid term these days.

My favorite thing to do (because my garden is not done) is to go to the local Farmer's Market (where I continue to ask about the farming methods for each item I buy--don't assume their thinking is your thinking) and simply follow my instinct. I buy what looks good, smells good and feels good. Then, I go home to clean and prepare the food. I make meals based on what I have. At times, I've cried not knowing what to make. When I ask the Lord for help, He has always provided amazing ideas. That's how I've made my best recipes.

Happy Eating!

There's no place like home

So, I did it. I went on my first trip while on the raw diet.

Shall I start with the good news or the bad news?

Ok, so the bad isn't so bad, but when you're on a work trip in Illinois raw food is not so easy to come by. I had planned pretty well, though, by bringing a lot of nuts and dried fruit to snack on (I even managed to pack four organic apples for some raw enzymes). Thankfully the conference offered a vegetarian option for lunch. I don't know what I would have done without that.

Well, ok, I do know what I would have done. I would have picked the grapes out of the chicken salad and munched on the green leaf garnish. Yuck.

Thankfully, the vegetarian options were decent: cold cooked squash over spring mix. They also had plenty of fresh fruit. I know I lost some pounds on this trip, though, because there were no healthy oils (not even an avocado to be found at any of the restaurants). Overall, I ate a lot of salad with oil and vinegar, an entire bag of dried apples, almonds and cashews like you wouldn't believe and all four of my "real" apples before the last day of the trip.

We did a quick sight-seeing trip in downtown Chicago, though, which compelled me to try the famous deep-dish pizza. I tried some (started the meal out with a mega Italian salad) and as usual, the SAD food did not impress. It was fun to try, but more rewarding to know I am not "missing out" on SAD food.

And, I am happy to say, my pizza was, um, "eliminated" by my raw-loving digestive system the next day.

I texted a friend who asked me about the trip, "I love trips like these. They remind me how much I love being home." And I do love being home. I am off to Whole Foods right now to replenish my fridge and settle back into being home.

Breakfast of Fatties

I would just like to say that I ate cookies for breakfast-- a perfect blend of crunch and chewiness with a delightfully sweet flavor. Mmmm...

Did I mention they are amazingly, unbelievably good for you?!?! Like actually wholesome and nutritious? So wholesome, in fact, that I reached for them INSTEAD of my flaxseed pancakes?!?!

'Tis true. I was running late, didn't have time to mix the coconut oil with the ground flax, and was nearly about to resign myself to no breakfast at all when my eye caught the plastic bag on the counter: dehydrated oatmeal raisin cookies.

I had made them just last night and made an extra batch to turn into granola. Instead of the almond milk and granola, I grabbed two cookies.

I am still trying to convince myself that any shame I now feel is simply in my head. I feel like it was the breakfast of fatties; but it wasn't. I had a breakfast of champions.

How is the whole world not living this way?!?! Food tastes amazing, food nourishes my body, I have energy, I stay healthy, my tummy couldn't be happier.

Can I say it again: It's almost as if God had been trying to bless us all along--we just keep inserting our own thoughts and ways and ruining everything.

Thank You, Lord, for this food. And for the strength to be different.

A Wounded Spirit

For all the health hoopla I push and believe in, no food, medicine or therapy can cure a wounded spirit. This weekend has been first-hand experience and an unavoidable reminder for me.

For a variety of reasons, I am experiencing some emotional stress--trauma, even might better describe this situation. It's really come to a peak over this last weekend and I have not been able to ignore it. I even missed work on Friday because of it. And I really hate missing work for a day of crying at home alone. (I called in sick. And I was--heart-sick. But they don't really give you work-place compassion for heart-sickness.)

I tend to lose my appetite when I am burdened and this weekend was no different. While I eat about a meal a day during times like these, I was especially aware this time of the meals I was craving: pizza, macaroni and cheese, ranch dressing, baked potato, etc.

While I sat home and cried Friday, I ordered a pizza (no cheese, but still...). I ate three slices and slept the rest of the day. Saturday consisted of a baked potato (with salsa), macaroni and cheese (the cheap kind...from Souper Salad) and a very small salad (ok, so I had maybe three bites of the salad? I wanted the mac and cheese).

I was so glad to have the chocolate sauce around! I ate so much of that I really can't stand to think about it at the moment. But other than that, I ate junky and felt junky.

It turns out that no matter what I ate, though, I would have felt awful. Because my emotions are in turmoil! I know that eating raw improves energy, mental clarity, overall health and so much more, but it can't fix a broken heart. Not even medicine can. It can numb it, but it can't repair it.

So, in the meantime, I am eating better today. I don't feel any better, but I know I am making choices for a healthier tomorrow--when maybe my heart will be stronger, too.

Divinity A' Chocolate

I have found my living oxymoron--and it's beautiful. Check it out: wholesome, antioxidant-rich CHOCOLATE. And not just that commercial jargon about how chocolate contains antioxidants (that is, a few healthy molecules in there somewhere covered by refined sugar, hydrogenated oils and wax). I mean actually nourishing your body with chocolate.

I tried out a recipe for raw, vegan chocolate sauce. As I was blending the blessed, unadulterated ingredients, I dipped in a finger for a little tasting.

A few tears fell to my cheeks.

It was beautiful. I actually began to wonder what other great, miraculous, life-giving food we have been sacrificing for cheap, convenient, energy-depriving, nutrient deficient junk. Kiss the waxy, teeth-decaying, been-on-the-shelf-longer-than-the-dog-food-down-the-aisle chocolate bars away.

Dates, olive oil (what doesn't contain olive oil?!), cocoa powder, vanilla and agave syrup. Blend it all together (my blender is broken so I used the food processor) and voila! In less than five minutes you have an unbelievable dessert that your body (and spirit) will thank you for. It's all natural, it's all raw.

For a real thrill, slice a few fresh strawberries. Dip, bite, experience a few tears for yourself.

Recipe (from The Raw Transformation by Wendy Rudell):

1 cup soaked dates (I gave 'em about 45 minutes)

1 tablespoon of vanilla

1/2 cup olive oil

1 cup cocoa powder/carob powder/cacao powder

Agave syrup to taste (for strawberries, I use a little less agave so it's not overly sweet)

Weekend--what weekend?!?!

Today is one of my random days "off."

It's Tuesday and I don't have to go into the office at all today. Ah. I love that. I even told my dogs, Roxy and Depot, to pray that someday soon I can spend everyday at home. I know they support me.

While I'd love to relax and hit up a coffee shop, book store, shoe store, etc., the one thing I want to do more than anything else is prep food! I actually get a little excited over it.

My husband and I scanned through our raw UNcook books over the weekend and picked a few recipes out that looked delicious. We got out the calendar and plotted out how to make these recipes happen around our busy schedule. Today is a critical day in the process.

My husband is addicted. To ketchup. I think it's weird, but I'm amazed at how many people can't live without the fructose-filled red sugar sauce. So what did he drool over in the uncook book? A picture of meatloaf...covered in red ketchupy, bbq sauce.

I just love that man.

So today, I'll probably juice for the morning meal and then soak the almonds, sunflower seeds and portobello mushrooms in preparation for the meatloaf.

The great thing about soaking is that you toss the nuts/seeds in water in the morning and then by night, they're ready. So I'll be slaving away in the kitchen in prep for a major meatloaf dinner. Er, I mean I'll sit around doing whatever I want while the nuts, seeds and mushrooms prep themselves.

I love raw.

Don't kill it, but...

I would be remiss if I didn't inform you of the number one most dangerous threat to healthy eating: your tv.

I was watching the news this morning and caught a commercial for some kind of wireless special something. It showed a younger, professional woman walking down a city street, towards a Starbucks, using the priceless technical device they were advertising.

The Lord instantly revealed my own thoughts to me, "Oh, I want a coffee. I want to feel stylish and in control. A Starbucks in my hand will bring me the power and confidence I need."

Don't laugh! These were my honest, initial thoughts.

My husband and I had argued before work this morning and I was feeling pretty blah. I saw the woman on the tv and instantly saw the solution to my problem: Starbucks!

And they weren't even selling Starbucks! They were selling something technical and wireless.

But let's pursue this. Say I go get a Starbucks. I order something with caffeine and/or dairy and/or sugar and/or carbonation and/or some other worse junk. It comes to me in the convenient, stylish cup with brown cardboard sleeve. Ah. Yes, so hip!

I drink. It tastes good! What was I so worried about? Starbucks is good.

I get back in my car, and back to my real life. The coffee sure is good. Not magical, though.

Plus, now I probably have a headache and/or stomachache and/or the jitters and/or an intense addiction that promises to begin craving early tomorrow.

Sounds like I just bought a Starbucks and lost control.

Veggies and nuts don't do that. They just don't. I can have a nightmare of a day, drink my green drink and eat nuts and flax chips 'til I burst and not lose control. No addiction. No headache. No jitters. No tummy aches. My life may still writhe in misery all around me, but I'll have saved myself the added mess of addiction and poor health.

I so hate to be repetitive, but can't you see with me how it is almost as if God were trying to help me, not hinder me all along? I mean, come on!

As I continued to watch the news and all the commercials that made these segments possible (McDonald's, Dunkin' Donuts, Jimmy Dean...), a news segment caught my attention: Singulair may be linked to suicide. The pharmaceutical drug used to treat seasonal allergies and asthma is now being investigated by the FDA.

If you want to eat the SAD food, then be prepared to live the SAD life.

I immediately thought back to my Starbucks drama earlier. If you want to eat the SAD food, then be prepared to live the SAD life. Eat the SAD food and then medicate the problems caused by poor eating. But who wants to risk their life to alleviate allergies? Unfortunately, too many of us.

I often want to create my own advertisements: a spoonful each of cod liver oil and bee pollen once daily will actually boost your immune system to eliminate all seasonal allergies. They come from natural, living beings uniquely equipped by God to help us. $20 for both and no side effects--well, except for a stronger immune system, better health and a desire to live. But you know, just stuff like that.

Stupid religion. God is always trying to get in my way.

Plus/Minus

To be honest, there are two aspects of raw eating that bum me out (sometimes more than others).

#1 The prep time. This week, I have been coming home and falling asleep before I can prepare the next day's food. I always run late, though, so even getting up early doesn't give me the time I need to get my lunch ready. I know there are lots of places I can eat out, but there's nothing better than raw, fresh, homemade food. It's a passion! So it's been pretty rough this week, trying to get it all done. The weekend is almost here, though, so hopefully I'll be able to do some better planning.

#2 The short life span of the veggies. Bought a bag of spring mix from Whole Foods last night and had to pick through the dead stuff already this morning. Yuck. But the majority was in tact and still tasted great. And regardless, I am grateful for the convenience of places like Whole Foods.

It's funny, though, because I can remember having similar problems with the SAD (Standard American Diet) food I ate before. I can remember racking my brain for a decent lunch or dinner idea that I didn't have to cook or marinate or slice up beforehand. And there were countless slices of cheese and deli meat that went straight from the fridge to the trash due to mold. Cooking used to be such a dreaded chore.

I have to say that with the raw diet, I actually experience joy from and get excited about the food I prepare. I tell you there's something inspirational about taking just flax and sesame seeds and making a bag of chips! Or how about turning nuts into cheese? The flavors are sensational and the nutritional content is purely exceptional. I seriously need to quit my day job and just make food all day--what a life!

So, for breakfast today I grounded flax seeds, mixed it with coconut oil and topped it with berries and agave. Wow. (I have to thank shelshelsraw.blogspot.com for that recipe!)

I had a busy, busy work day and took a mid-morning break for Holy Yoga and surprisingly, wasn't very hungry so I grazed my way through the day with cashews, a Lara bar, leftover bites of breakfast and mixed greens and sprouts. Maybe it's the heat, but I just haven't been as hungry as usual. I still manage to eat just about all day, though. And I continue to maintain a great weight and more energy than I know what to do with. Really, it's almost like God knew what He was doing when He made all this food in the first place!

Thank You, Lord, for this abundance of food. And the abundant life that comes with it. It's not perfect, granted. But it's exciting.

Leftovers

Ok, so today I had leftovers for lunch. But man are these leftovers so much better than any kind of leftover I used to eat. Gone are the days of old pizza, cold noodles and mushy pasta.

I had soaked wild rice for about four days and then made Wild Rice Salad that I put in cabbage rolls on Saturday night. I stored everything in the fridge and now today the flavors are even better because they've been marinating all weekend. Even a co-worker commented on the delicious scent!

I was in a major hurry for breakfast, though, so I used my raw granola, added blueberries and rice milk and ate it in the car. Talk about fast food!