Raw Milk?

This book I'm reading has also prompted me to learn more and more about raw foods and what they really entail. I know that most of the raw foodists that are in the the news are vegans, and so naturally people think that all raw foodists are vegans. This is simply not the case. I think we all need to approach animal products in our own ways, according to what we believe may be ethically right as well as how eating animal products makes us feel. As for myself, I don't do well with cow's milk. Actually, I there are few dairy products that I even eat on a regular basis. I simply don't like the taste of plain milk, except in cereal, or with chocolate (which isn't exactly nutritious), or if it's mixed in smoothies or soups/sauces. The problem is, when I do eat it, it goes right through me. That is why I prefer almond or rice milk. However, I can handle cheese in moderate amounts.
So I was reading this author and I was surprised that she advocates drinking raw milk. At first I thought, "uh oh that bacteria will kill you". It can, I learned, but only if you are drinking untested milk from cows who are crammed into smaller areas where disease is allowed to spread and are fed hormone injected feed with all manner of chemicals or whatever else they put in there. That is why the milk in the grocery stores has to be pasteurized (heated to kill most bacteria). However, cows who are allowed to roam as they please, who are fed organically and who are regularly tested for disease, produce milk that is absolutely safe to drink. People have been drinking unpasteurized milk for hundreds of years. Granted, I would only feel safe drinking raw milk if it were regularly tested and certified ok by the Dept. of Agriculture. Also, many people have milk allergies, so it's not for everyone. Still, I went online to see what I could find about raw milk, and found this website: raw-milk-facts.com. It also led me to this page where you can find local people who sell safe raw milk products. I am thinking about maybe trying some raw cheese! I was also surprised to learn that there are many raw foodists who themselves drink raw milk, and advocate its healing properties. Hey, it's worth a closer look!

So...why raw milk?

Well, from what I've learned I think the single best reason that raw milk is better than store bought milk is the degree of calcium absorption. Have you ever wondered why they sell Vitamin D fortified milk? That is because in order for calcium to be absorbed vitamin D must be present. Also, phosphorus aids in assimilating calcium. However, when milk is heated, the enzyme phosphatase is destroyed, therefore the body cannot absorb the phosphorus correctly. That means the body cannot create calcium the way it should. It's a sad but true fact that the countries with the highest intake of milk also have the highest rates of osteoporosis. Why is this? Could it be because this milk that we are led to believe to be such a "calcium rich" food has been altered so much as to be rendered largely useless? Here are some other reasons why raw milk is better in my opinion. When milk is heated/pasteurized it loses:

at least25% of it's vitamin C
about 38% of the B complex vitamins
the factors that actually inhibit bacterial growth
much of it's vitamin A

This debate about milk has been going on for decades, but this is my two cents. Milk, as a food, is probably better in it's raw, natural form, such as all other foods (in my opinion). Why not give it a taste?

I am a slacker

Ok, yes I am a total slacker. I really need to update my blog more!! Well, about that juice fast...

Well, I did a lot of research on high quality juicers, and I've come to the conclusion that the more expensive, better made ones are worth the price. So I really want to get a Champion juicer, and the cheapest one I could find was $220. So, someday I will be able to buy one, hopefully soon. That being said, I did decide to go on a juice fast on Nov. 3rd. However, I didn't do it the right way. For 2 days I drank only herbal tea and bottled juice from the store. Did I feel better? Yes, but it was 2 days in when I started to realize that by only drinking pasteurized, barely fortified bottled juice that I was probably doing more harm than good. I came to this conclusion because at the time I was reading a couple of books that my mother-in-law had me borrow. One of them was written in 1954 or so, and is called Feel Like A Million, by Catharyn Elwood. Needless to say, some of the info was pretty dated (they still used DDT back then), but overall the book was really informative and interesting. Especially when she goes over each of the essential vitamins/minerals/amino acids etc. that our bodies need and how they work together. I took a look at my juice bottle and realized that I was basically only drinking fruit sugar and vitamin C. What about all the other nutrients that my body should have each day? I could definitely get them from juicing my own fruits and vegetables at home, but what I was doing then wasn't cutting it. Therefore, I have decided that I am not going to juice fast until I can do it properly, because that is really the only way to do it!

Fasting

I admit it, I've always been a little bit baffled about the concept of fasting. Why is it necessary? Why do we (some of us) do it for religious reasons? What good does it really do? Well, I've been reading about fasting for 3 days now and it is really fascinating! Fasting has been used for thousands of years to help heal disease and chronic illness. When we allow our bodies a break from digesting, it can set to work on the cleansing. Little did I know, Europe continues to use fasting even to this day as a major method of treatment. Why do we as Americans know so little about fasting, or have a stigma against it? I guess when most people think of fasting they think 'starvation'. But really, most fasts, at least those done for medical reasons, are actually juice fasts. The juice intake provides all the calories our bodies need while at the same time giving our digestive system a break and allowing our body to rid itself of toxins, bad tissue, and poorly formed muscle. Not only does juice fasting offer amazing physical benefits, but many people and many religions use fasting for spiritual reasons. Many believe that fasting brings us closer to our spirits and closer to God by humbling us and reminding us that we rely on the Lord for all we have. Many spiritual fasts are water fasts, but from what I've read doing a water fast for more than a couple days can really wreak havoc on the body. Not because it is necessarily 'bad' but because it is so effective. When doing a water fast, toxins are expelled so quickly from the body that one could be in serious distress if not already used to fasting for long periods of time. Still, the concept of a water fast, for spiritual reasons, is intriguing to me.
So...I've decided to take the plunge. I really want to add fasting, for physical and spiritual reasons, as part of my lifestyle. I am used to fasting on the first Sunday of every month, but I admit, sometimes it's more like starving myself because I don't take advantage of the spiritual benefits. In addition to my monthly religious fast (which is completely abstaining from food and water for 24 hours) I would also like to add periodic juice fasts, such as maybe 3 day fasts every month or couple of months. I also want to add in a large fast of maybe 30 days every year. This would translate roughly, if I did my math right, to almost 1/4 of the year where I am not eating solid foods. I think that if I can do this consistently, when the time is right I might be able to do a prolonged water fast, if I feel it's good for me.
So my new goal is to start off small. I want to say that I could do 30 days no problem but I know myself, and I know I'd cave and probably end up binging. So, starting Nov. 2nd, Sunday, I'm going to fast for 6 days. Day 1 will be abstaining from food and water, and days 2-6 will be my 5 day juice fast. I am going to buy a juicer tonight hopefully. To keep it pretty inexpensive I will juice fruits and veggies that I can buy in bulk for cheap, like apples, oranges, spinach, melons, other greens, carrots, celery etc. I also found a homemade detox lemonade that I could use which only contains lemon juice, water, and pepper. I think I am going to make some vegetable broths with the leftover pulp and drink that as well, along with herbal tea. They say that the hunger pains will subside once the digestive system goes into hibernation, after a few days. To prepare, I am eating less calories and trying to cut out everything but fruits, veggies, and grains until the day I start. More updates on this later! Wish me luck!

God's Beauty

Ok, so I've been on a real fruit kick lately. I just can't get over how beautiful some fruits and veggies really are. Look at this strawberry...
GORGEOUS! It's a natural beauty! The next time I'm craving pizza I'm just going to pop open this page and take a long, hard stare at this beaut...

bad cravings gone! Time to buy strawberries!

Anti-cancer foods!

I read a great article on prevention.com today about the best anti-cancer fighting foods. You'll rarely find a doctor say this, and it blows my mind as to why not, but there are some foods out there that can actually help cure some cancers, because they can actually force cancer cells to die through a process called apoptosis. Here are some of the best foods:

pomegranate juice
ginger
broccoli, bok choy, brussels sprouts
garlic, onions, leeks, chives
citrus fruits, berries
dark chocolate (over %70)...or heck why not use raw cacao!?

It also recommended blending 1 tsp of turmeric with black pepper and dissolving it in oil, to use in soups, salad dressings, on vegetables, etc.

Cutting out meat and dairy also helps combat cancer, but adding fresh fatty fish has shown it's benefits.

So...not so surprising, but what is one diet that incorporates all these foods in their best (raw/natural/organic) form? That's right, RAW!




Eat yer apples!!

Something Pretty

Ok, so this smoothie isn't really anything that special, but it's so pretty! I used fresh raspberries from my parents' garden, 1 banana, and some almond milk, if I remember right.

What I have been searching for!

I've been neglecting my blog lately, because I've been neglecting myself! Sometimes I go anti-social for a couple weeks at a time, and become very apathetic, but I can feel myself coming out of this slump so hopefully I'll write more and have some cool things to share. Today I had a total epiphany, thanks to a great article that I read. I finally checked my email today and I got a new newsletter from Raw Food Right Now, and they had posted said article. After reading it I just felt so happy! I totally agree with what they are saying! I've been feeling the same way for awhile, but I thought I was the only one out of the entire raw food community, and I'm not! I don't think it will be bad to post the article, as long as I post a link to it (I hope not!). So here it is!:

The 100% Raw Trap

I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the awesome post Anthony from RawModel.com recently did over at We Like it Raw.

Go give it a read and then come back here: Anthony Talks about the 100% Raw Trap.

I don't think it's ever been put so elegantly as Anthony has just done.

For the record, I'm not 100% raw. Sure, I've been "100% raw" in the past, but what does that really mean, anyway? If I eat 100% raw for 25 years and then eat some cooked food am I not "100% raw" anymore? The label breaks down pretty quickly under circumstances like these.

When Heidi and I first went raw in 2004, we didn't go 100% overnight, but shortly after, we did go 100%. At the time, 100% raw was the buzzword. Not only was it the "it" phrase, it was the only way according to everything we read back then. This was also during a time when the phrase "cooked food is poison" was a common chant by many raw people, both online and offline.

It was all or nothing.

This is before raw blogs and raw communities really started popping up around the web. People were under the assumption that you had to be 100% raw. And we thought that everyone was 100%! But just a few years ago, we started hearing one raw food "guru" after another come out and say they now recommended 80% raw foods for everyone and 100% only if you felt it was right for you. Not only that, but every raw foodist we've talked to that did go 100% overnight, does not recommend that anyone do it overnight. The body chemistry and emotions are too complex for such a radical change.


How Eating Cooked Food Helped Me to Eat Raw

It's funny, because when people ask me how raw I am, I have to sit and think about it...

"Hmmm, I guess I was 100% raw Monday and Tuesday, but ate some cooked food on Wednesday...then today I've had...let's see..."

To me, it's become a total non-issue.

In fact, when I was trying to stay 100% raw, that is when I also had the most difficult time staying raw! I have had my times, just like Anthony, where I binged on cooked food, felt guilty, and went on a downward spiral...and this is coming from someone who never had any food issues ever before going raw!

But one day, over a year ago, I decided that I'm going to eat whatever I want, with love, consciousness, and intent. My only stipulation was that it had to be vegetarian. Once I did that, eating was no longer a dogmatic struggle, but was easy and fun! Not only that, but now I find it so easy to eat raw! Imagine that! Cooked food helped me eat raw!

Now what's interesting about this, is when you reach this point, you start to develop a relationship and communication with your body. You are no longer fighting it, but working with it together towards a common goal: Optimal Health. (Notice that I didn't put the word "raw" in there.)

Once I was able to let go of the 100% dogma and find my own gradual path to success, my body easily let go of so many foods that were harming me, and I was easily able to embrace and truly desire the foods that are good for me. My diet stabilized and I no longer was on any sort of yo-yo diet.


My Ultimate Goal

My new ultimate goal with diet and health is to only eat the foods that are the absolute best for my body and to truly only desire those foods. And friends, I am nearly there. I look at foods I used to eat and say "I could have you right now if I wanted, but I truly, truly don't. I really just don't want it!"

That's freedom.

I can't imagine where I would be if I was still trying to force myself to eat 100% raw. Being in the raw food world for nearly four and a half years now, I've seen so many people come to raw food and quit because they couldn't go "100% raw". They go back to eating junk because they are trying to obtain something that is unrealistic to obtain in a short amount of time.

The fact that people have heard of raw food and gotten absolutely excited, only to give up because they couldn't "do it right" is a sad reality of the current raw food movement. How many people have completely given up and may never try to eat raw again because others put on the facade that you have to be 100% raw?

I, for one, always want to be open and honest about where I am on my raw food journey. This is especially important since I co-run a very popular raw food website.

Let's all just be who we are, love where we are at, and always have our eyes on the goal that we are heading towards, whatever that may be for you. Be open to change, let go of your dogma...and do everything at our own pace.

With much love,

~ JS
The article is a breath of fresh air and makes so much sense to me! Lately I've been thinking about what it means to call myself "raw". People don't really know what I'm talking about if I say that I'm a "raw foodist". Actually, the first question I usually get is "does that mean you eat raw meat?". Then we have the obnoxious (albeit sometimes well meaning) ones that if they see me eating some cooked food have to point and say "uh oh, you are eating cooked food, you aren't allowed to do that! I thought you were a raw foodist!"..Sigh.. So I've been thinking that maybe the term "raw" just isn't the best word to use to describe how I eat. I don't want to say "vegan" because that has it's own connotations. I don't like labels as it is, but I feel like I need to be able to at least describe my diet in a way that is encompassing and makes sense. "Fresh" is a good word, so are "un-processed" and "natural", because all those things could mean "raw". I think that someday I'd like to be able to say that all I eat are "fresh and/or natural foods". This could mean raw, but it also could mean natural cooked foods. I know that this is a journey because my diet is a path, rather than a destination. I've said this before but I also don't believe that 100% raw is necessary or 100% healthy, so I believe that by eating only "fresh and/or natural foods" we will be eating the healthiest diet on the planet.

Still, however, since this is my raw food website, and since I believe the more raw foods we eat the better, I will still share lots of yummy "raw" stuff!

I know I've been focusing too much lately on what I shouldn't eat, rather that what I should. The best part of that article was when he said that he was going to "eat whatever I want, with love, consciousness, and intent." Isn't that really what it should be about?

More boring blather...

So this past week has been another hectic one, and I'm sad to say filled with lots of cheating on bad foods (chicken sandwich, fries, burger, cheesecake..). What I'm happy about though, is that I have only eaten bad food lately because of necessity (meaning there was no other food), not because I really wanted the food. In fact, I went to a BBQ yesterday and ate a hamburger, but what tasted the best to me was the veggies I put on it, and the veggie salad that I had on the side. Weird. In fact, earlier in the week I was eating some french fries from the BK lounge, and I realized that I didn't even really enjoy the taste, but I was just eating them out of habit, almost like subconsciously I was thinking that I need to eat them because they "go with" a chicken sandwich. In actuality I would have much rather eaten a bowl of pineapple instead. Now that is really something that tastes good. Speaking of pineapple, I ate an entire one today. I really don't recommend that though, considering my mouth hurt for hours...ah the acid, it tastes like, burning!

Anyways, so after a week of eating much too much junk I find that I am craving healthy foods. This leads me to believe that my body is starting to recognize what it really needs to be healthy. Sometimes I lay awake at night just thinking of creations that I can make...

So there is an Asian food market by my house and I thought I'd check it out. I hope I can find bean sprouts there. Also, they probably don't but I wonder if they have durian? I really want to try that stuff, just to see what all the fuss is about. The very fact that durians exist just proves to me that nature has a sense of humor. I mean, it's supposedly the most delicious fruit on the planet (the "king of fruit"), tasting like vanilla pudding or some such, but the fruit is covered in huge sharp spikes, and supposedly smells like really bad feet. I wonder who the first person to eat one was, and did he stumble upon it by accident? Well enough about smelly fruits, I will try to share some new recipes soon. Adios for now!

Recipes galore!

Ok so it's not really "galore" but I have a few things to share that I made that I thought actually tasted really good! First I made the key lime pie recipe from Alissa Cohen's book, but I modified it a bit (the crust).

Key Lime Pie Tarts

Crust: 1 C dates
2 C soaked almonds
about half a cup shredded coconut (I use dried because it's much easier)
about 2 Tbs of coconut oil (just to make it stickier)

pat it down in muffin tins or tart tins and deydrate for about 12 hrs (or until hard)

Filling: 1 C soaked dates
1 large avocado
3 whole limes, peeled

Mix up thoroughly in food processor and pour into cups. Garnish with coconut! These are tart but yummy!




Ok I took this recipe from Raw, the Uncook Book

Milkshake: 2/3 cups favorite nuts (I used cashews), soaked for about 2 hrs*
2 C water
1 Tbs vanilla extract
2/3 C maple syrup ( I suppose you could substitute with honey)

Blend all together and then pour into ice cube trays to freeze. Once frozen, let thaw for 5 minutes, then blend for a ice cream-like treat!

*If you don't strain the nuts they will retain their pulp which gives the milkshake a grainy texture. For more smooth taste use a nut milk bag or cheesecloth and strain the nuts after blending.

This is also from Raw, but I left out the dates and raisins which was very bad, because my cookies were not very sweet! :(

Oatmeal Cookies: 2 C oat groats

1/2 C raisins

1/2 C raw almonds, coarsely chopped

2 or 3 apples, coarsely grated

Place oat groats in a FP and grind until fine. Add dates, raisins, almonds and apples and mix batter well. Mold into shapes and dehydrate at 90 degrees for about 12 hours or until desired texture is reached.

Sprouts

Ok no recipe for these, but these are what my sprouts looked like before I attempted to make bread (this is kamut). Austin kept saying that they look like maggots...rude! It's the only thing I've been able to sprout so far, but they didn't turn out too bad! Too bad I can't say the same thing about my bread! :(

Watermelon Soup (a.k.a. a smoothie in a bowl)

Ok I didn't get too creative with this one. Basically it's watermelon and mango that I put in a blender and made soupy. I should have added big chunks of fruit so it didn't feel like I was eating a smoothie with a spoon! But it was good none the less!

So I'll make sure to add more recipes once I make them!

Oh my it's been a busy week!

Ok, so I have been HORRIBLE about posting this past week! I've been so busy, and out of town, and things have been a blur. I did get to go to Boise to see one of my favorite bands, Sonata Arctica, and it was so awesome! Ok, so every time I try to do one of the 30 day raw challenges something hinders me, and I can never finish it out. I lost track of what day I'm supposed to be on over the week, but I'm really thinking that there is no need for me to even do the 'raw challenges' anymore. I already know what I need to eat, and who cares really if I'm eating 100% except for myself? I think that's the whole point of the challenge, to do it for yourself, but I don't even need to do it for myself, so why am I doing it? I think the only thing I'm really accomplishing is confusion. I have managed to stay mostly raw, except I did eat cooked for my birthday on Saturday. Also, Sunday my mother in law brought me over a cake...and I ate half of it, (it was small!) lol! However it's obvious how chocolate cake effects me now, and it's not good. I've never felt like I needed to throw up after eating my raw creations (however I can't say that about my raw bread if I had eaten it), but after eating that cake I needed to lie down!

So, speaking of the raw bread...let's just say it was inedible (the picture was too horrible to post). I've decided that until I can move into a kitchen with adequate space/light that I am going to just buy my sprouts from the store rather than do it myself. In fact, I was at Whole Foods the other day and I saw some 7 grain sprouted bread for sale. I think that I'm going to have to start eating bread like that, because there is no way I'm going to find raw, sprouted bread for sale, and I'm not sure I'd want to eat it if I did! However, I haven't given up on making raw, sprouted crackers. That will be my next experiment! I've been doing a lot of research lately on whether or not raw, sprouted grains, or cooked grains are better. I've come to the conclusion that raw grains are certainly more packed with nutrients, but that cooked grains allow us to assimilate the nutrients better. I think a good mix of both would be conducive to a healthy diet. I also learned that flax seeds are not processed by the body in their whole form, so to get the most of the omega 3 that they offer they must be ground (and probably soaked as well). I am making raw Doritos soon, so I'll share if those turn out well.

I don't have any pictures to post yet because they are in my camera and the computer I'm on will not let me transfer them, but hopefully tomorrow I will have at least 2-3 things (with recipes) that I have made lately posted. I did make manage to make pie tart crusts, and they look yum!

I guess my next big experiment will be to start sprouting rice to see how it tastes and whether or not it's worth it to eat it raw rather than cooked. Beans will be next after that, although I think I can just buy bean sprouts from the store (the ones that can be eaten raw anyway...the ones that can't I will cook). Mung bean sprouts are mmm good!

Oh and I have to mention that I went all the way down to Sugarhouse on Saturday just to go to the one and only raw food restaurant in Utah, and they were closed until the 15th because they went to some raw food festival in Arizona. How sad for me! Hopefully soon I will have another reason to go down there... /tear.

Anyways, today I ate:

-a small salad
-a giant peach
-some pecans
-a baked potato (with butter...gasp!)
-some chocolate cake (blast that cake, staring at me from my fridge!)

I must make Austin finish that cake else it be my downfall.

Oh, I'm also going to try to put up my journals from the very first attempt I had at going raw a little over a year ago to commemorate my 1st year. I did a 30 day challenge and I learned a lot.

Happy Day! Adventures with Sprouts

Alright...so today is "technically" day 6, but...yesterday was sort of "fall-off-the-wagon-day" so I have decided to count this as day 5, lol. Ok, ok, so I'm not doing 30 days consecutively but I'm still doing 30 days! Lol. Yesterday was my last cheat day, except for my b-day that is in 1 week. If I can make it raw that day then ok, but if not then ok too, as long as I keep it healthy.

So, today has been a happy day! I found my cousin's blogs from my sister's page and it was so good to read about their families and how they are doing! I miss everyone so much, all my friends and family are elsewhere it seems, and I'm under a rock here lol. Not really, but it's hard to keep in touch when life gets so hectic and full. I guess today I am just feeling grateful for life, and I have a lot more energy already since doing the 30 day challenge. I am a lot less lazy, although I feel like I still have a LOT to get in order. Did you know that laziness is a sign of disease? I never realized that, and I've been lazy for a long time!

So yesterday I started my sprouting, and today they are looking quite the same really, except my wheat berries look like they might be starting to split open to make way for a sprout. Hopefully tomorrow or the next day they'll be ready to use. I hope my kitchen gets enough light for them! It's amazing but since I've gone raw I feel like I have a new found respect for life in it's simplest form...the seed. It's amazing how things grow. I was thinking about the difference between plant forms of food and meat forms. I really do believe that God intended us to eat mostly plants, because a. He made it easy for us to create plant life, and b. We can benefit from a plant's fruit/seed/nut for years without killing the plant itself. But when it comes to meat, each time we eat it the animal has to give its life. We cannot create animal life, only take it away, and once we take the meat that we need, the animal is gone forever. Which seems more productive? I am starting to believe more and more every day that meat should only be eaten sparingly, and in times of need. I don't believe that it is wrong to eat animals, but I do believe that we eat them much too much. I've tried to find a word that describes what I could call myself or my thoughts on food, but ya know, I really don't want to be just a label. Why do I have to call myself anything, even a raw foodist? I think that if people ask about my chosen diet I'm just going to say "I try to eat the healthiest I can every day". :)

So today I am making a bunch of desserts to eat, like cashew cookies, a key lime pie, and also oatmeal cookies...all raw! Oh yes, it is going to be good! If I have enough walnuts I'm also going to try a milkshake...sounds strange, I know, but we'll see how it is! I'm charging my camera now so I'll be back later with some pictures...

Day 4, ho hum

So today was kinda uneventful. I ate:

8 oz almond milk w/ carob (chocolate milk)
a salad with avocado and tomato
1/4 watermelon

I think I'm gonna make tomorrow a dessert extravaganza day. I have these really good recipes that I wanna try! Also, I'm going to start some sprouting to see if I can really do it, lol. I'm going to try to sprout wheat berries, chickpeas, and kamut. I hope my basement has enough sunlight! It should take 2-3 days but if I'm successful then I'm going to make bread! Oh yess..

I'm starting to get hungrier than I have been so I'm sure I'll be eating a lot more from now on. I'm really glad it's the weekend so I have time to actually prepare stuff, and make crackers too.

Day 3 means pea soup!

Today I accomplished something that I don't think I've ever done before in my life. I got full off watermelon! The one that I bought was just so delicious that I ate a massive container of it! Then out of curiosity I looked up how many calories a whole watermelon has in it. Would you believe that a 15 in. watermelon has approx. 1355 calories? Holy! Which means that watermelon was meant to be shared! :) That's probably why God made them so huge :)

Still, I'm not really concerned about calories anymore. As long as I'm eating enough, and eating the healthiest food on the planet, then there is no need to count them really. Especially because it's almost impossible to overeat on fruits and vegetables. I will need to watch my intake of nuts and oils, but when eating a raw and living foods diet it would be hard to overdo it on those even. Unless I ate an entire coconut cake with tons of coconut oil, nuts, and dates. Holy saturated fat! The funny thing is though, even saturated fat is necessary for us, and when we eat a balanced diet nature doles out everything that we need in perfect proportions. Such a comforting, freeing feeling!

So anyway I have to talk about this "un-cookbook" that Austin bought me (he is a very supportive hubby, I'm so grateful!). It's called Raw, the Uncook Book by Juliano, and it's got some really awesome stuff in it. Well since I went on my little "I'm gonna eat rice and beans and bread rant" the other day I realized that I never actually tried sprouted rice or beans, or grains...so how do I know that I won't prefer them? I probably better try them before I spout off stupid stuff. Well, this book has a recipe for mango essene bread, and from the photo it looks sooo delish. If I could manage to make it, and it turned out decent, then I would totally eat that instead of "real" bread. Plus I could make it without the sweetness and use it for sandwiches and stuff. I really should make the recipe soon...if it's good I'll probably end up eating the whole loaf! Imagine mango bread with raw preserves or some almond butter....heavenly!

Well today I ate:

half a whole watermelon....oy it was good
a small salad
8 garlic croutons (oopsie)
a big bowl of pea soup

Let me just say, Alissa Cohen's pea soup turned out really good. Here is the recipe:

Pea Soup

2 1/2 C almond milk
2 C peas
1 small avocado
sea salt to taste

Throw everything in the blender and mix well.

I'm starting to like cold soups, even if this one did remind me of the exorcist. I was going to take a picture of it, but once again, my camera is dead!

Day 2

*Sorry if the dates on my blogs seem a little off. I always blog late at night so I'm writing about the 3rd, but technically it's the 4th..

Something really struck me today when I was reading Alissa Cohen's book Living on Live Food. She says: "Knowing how to eat a raw and living foods diet isn't enough. If you don't know why you're doing it - if you don't have a dream - you will fail." This is soooo true! So I've decided that my "why" is "because I want to be the healthiest I can be. Because I want to treat my body like the precious gift it is, so it in turn will treat my spirit with love and respect". When I think about it that way I realize that I'm not eating raw so that I can prove to anyone that I'm 100% raw all the time, but I'm eating raw foods because I feel they are the best food choice. But do I feel like they are the only food choice? No, and I think that's because it's unreasonable to think so. I think that there are some foods that were meant to be cooked, such as certain beans and potatoes, and since those foods are not bad for us then they cannot be bad if we eat them. On special occasions and when I feel like eating a cooked treat then I can say, "ok I'm going to go out to eat and get a yummy healthy dish, and if it happens to have something cooked in it then so what?" Honestly, am I eating raw because I never want to taste cooked food again because it's a carnal sin or something? No! I'm eating raw because that's the best fuel that I can put into my body, but some cooked foods are good too. The last time I did my 30 day challenge I came to the conclusion that there is absolutely nothing unhealthy about eating cooked rice/beans/grains. Are they the most healthy eaten in their raw or sprouted forms? Probably, but eating them cooked a few times a week will not hurt me, and will probably be beneficial in every way. I am still really trying to do my 30 day totally raw challenge (after all I am only on day 2 lol), but after that I am going to slowly start introducing those good cooked foods that I mentioned. I will not eat a lot of them, but I'll eat them when I feel like I need to. I have tried to listen to my body over the past year, and I have already decided that 90% raw works better for me than 100%. Ok that being said, do I sound like I'm justifying bad habits and bad foods? I hope not!

SO........today's menu was very limited, I wasn't feeling well (maybe detox?), but I got really hungry tonight and didn't have anything prepared, so I gave in and ate some Smart Pop :( I did however, resist zingers, so at least I am learning some self control!

1 banana
2 peaches
some Smart Pop

I really need to eat my produce that I bought a few days ago, and eat all of it!! I just need to eat more, period! I think tomorrow I am going to pack a salad and lots of fruit for work, and make a raw soup. I really love Alissa's corn chowder. I think I'll try her pea soup too. If it's good I'll share the recipe tomorrow! Oh I also got some locally grown green beans today, yumms.

Officially Day 1

Alright, today was the first official day of my 30 day raw challenge! I did go buy some neato Rubbermaid containers and I got them for a good deal, but I'm still working on the whole cleaning my kitchen thing. I totally need to get a bunch of mason jars or something so I can keep all my dry goods (like nuts/seeds/grains etc) organized and readily available. I wish I had more counter space!! When I get my own house I am totally customizing my kitchen! Think how much space would be available in a raw kitchen with no stove or microwave. I could fill the space with sprouting racks and 3 VitaMixs so I could make tons of raw dishes simultaneously :P...in my raw dreams of course....

So anyway today I bought enough yummy stuff to make lots of soups and salads. I love getting good deals on avocados! Also I got a whole watermelon for around $2.50 which will make for some tasty eatins. I estimate that I got enough food for about 2 days and it cost about $15. So that means $2.50 per meal, which ain't too shabby. I guess eating healthy really isn't as expensive as people make it out to be. Sure I could get a cheeseburger and fries at McDonalds for $2.50, but I could also make a yummy pea soup and avocado salad for the same price. I guess when it comes down to it it's all about putting the time and effort into making nutritious meals rather than grabbing an insta-meal of toxic fats and craptastic chemicals.

Creepy Ronald gives a big thumbs up to healthy food! Just don't stare into his beady eyes or they will consume your soul.

Anywhoo, after all this food talk it's funny to note that all I ate today was:

3 bananas
a TON of frozen grapes
some Ruby red grapefruit juice (not raw I know, but the machine was out of water!)

I find that when I switch overnight from eating SAD to raw I don't end up very hungry for the first week or so. I think it's because my body still has a lot of stored energy that it needs to use up. Then after awhile the hunger hits me hard and I end up eating A LOT. And, I'm sad to say this because it kinda grosses me out, but last night I ate one of those steakhouse burgers from Burger King, and I am probably still digesting it. That thing was a monster, and I can't believe I ate the whole thing. I need to learn that just because I get something for free doesn't mean that I should eat it. I find myself saying that very phrase "I can't believe I ate the whole thing" a lot, and I hope that the next time I say that it will mean that I just ate an entire raw chocolate pie or something instead of a greasy pizza :). Tomorrow is a new day! I'm gonna try to get some exercise in!

Day 1 of September raw challenge!

Alright, so I decided to do another 30 day raw challenge and just start over completely and new. However, today was not the best day to do it, lol. I've realized that there is no way that I can follow this diet if - a. my kitchen is disorganized, and b. I don't have any tupperware or anything to bring along my raw food with me. So....tomorrow morning I'm going out to buy some containers so that I can actually bring lunch/dinner to work with me! And also tomorrow I'm completely cleaning my kitchen so that I have space to work and create. I HATE my kitchen, maybe that's why I don't clean it? I would sell my soul for a dishwasher, or even cabinets that close all the way and don't have spiders in them >: Ugh, I can't wait until I can afford my own house so I can get out of the dump I live in!

I've noticed that my living surroundings are really affecting my moods and abilities to succeed. I think that if we want positive energy we need to make the area around us exude positive energy, otherwise it will only bring us down. I certainly feel really blah because of the place I live in. There is hardly any light/windows, it's stuffy, and we have a spider problem. I'm greatful at least that I have shelter and a place to call my own, but sometimes I feel like I'd rather live in a treehouse or a tent than a basement. However, I've been reading a lot about sunshine, and I've decided that my mood will probably greatly improve if I can just get about 20-30 minutes of sunshine per day. Whether it's taking a walk, riding my bike, or just laying out, the positive effects should be enough to get me through spending the rest of my day indoors.

Today was also a gorgeous day. It started off rainy and ended up with super clear skies and sunny, yet slightly chilly. It was as if I could feel the onset of fall coming. I absolutely love fall, it makes me so happy! For some reason my moods are very closely linked with the weather, and my memories too. If I could have 1 practical superpower it would be to control the weather (aside from manipulating time of course :P)...however I sure wouldn't tell, else people would know why winter ceased to exist (global warming?). Well enough of my blather, I'm sure tomorrow will be a better raw day. I'm going to start writing down what I eat, because that's what I did when I first went raw and it seemed to help. It also gave me a sense of accountability. Wish me luck!

Snacks!

So, I never re-posted after I did my juice fast, which was about 2-3 days, but I did feel better after awhile, and I didn't even feel hungry. I think that I'm going to try it again once I get a juicer and can actually make some real juice!

Anyways...I signed up again on the Raw Food Talk forums today because I really do need the support. Today I've decided that it's time to make the change (again) and get back on track to raw. I know I'm constantly falling off and getting back on the wagon, but I figure as long as I don't give up then things will start to get easier.

So I've decided to start swimming again! It's such a fun way to get in shape, and it really is so aerobic and builds muscle as well. Today I'm going to WSU to check out their pool to see what's up and if I want to go there (I might as well since I can get in for free).

So here are 2 recipes for today, together they'd make for one tasty snack! I am going to make this as soon as I can dehydrate the crackers!!

Chunky Almond Hummus

Ingredients:

* 2 cups soaked almonds
* ½ cup tahini
* 1 large garlic clove, minced
* 2 large lemons, juice of
* ¼ to ½ teaspoons Celtic sea salt (to taste)
* 1 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
* 1 teaspoon basil

* Almonds should be soaked for 8 hrs

Directions:

1. Break down the almonds using a coffee bean grinder or food processor.
2. Put the broken down almonds into a food processor along with all the other ingredients. Try to achieve a smooth consistency. Add a little water if necessary.
3. Process until you have it the way you like it. Some people like chunky bits of nut to remain, while others like it smooth - or you could take half out while chunky and process the rest to smoothness - they actually do taste a little different!
4. Serve with green vegetables, such as lettuce, cabbage, and kale, or spread on flax
crackers. Also good, of course, as a dip.

And to eat the with the yummy hummus...

Flax seed crackers

There are many versions of flax crackers because you can pretty much add whatever you want to them! Here is a recipe from Karen Knowler that I tweaked a little:

2 cups flax seeds
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
2 cups fresh tomatoes
Juice of 1 lemon
1 clove of fresh garlic +/or ½ large onion, chopped

What to do:

1. Blend all ingredients together in a food processor. Add water if a little too dry.
2. Press mixture flat onto a Paraflexx sheet into a large square or rectangle, making sure that the mixture stands only a few millimeters tall. (The thicker the cracker the harder to eat and the longer to dry).
3. Score the size of crackers you’d like with a knife or spatula before dehydrating. (I usually score the large square 3x3 or 4x4 depending on what I want to use them for).
4. Dehydrate around 115°F - 125°F overnight and flip over once one side is dry. Dry to completion.
5. Store in an airtight container, somewhere close to hand for when the cravings strike!

A true life challenge

Warning: This post is long and boring and reeks of emotional baggage! Read at your own risk! :)

So I realized that it's been about 1 year since I first tried to go raw. Naturally I find myself thinking "so what did I learn?". Plenty!!! As a matter of fact, things are getting more and more complicated as I go along. I am still going off and on raw, but I'm trying! Recently I've admitted something to myself that I should have admitted years ago. I am a full blown, food addict! Trying to become raw has truly brought out things that I've tried to stuff in a dark corner of my psyche for years. No, I have never been obese, and yes, I could have a much more destructive relationship with food, but nonetheless I found myself displaying the symptoms of addiction over and over again within the last year. This is one challenge that I'll probably struggle with my whole life, but I am so grateful for what I have learned in regards to my health so far, and I know that the path I'm on will help me achieve freedom from the emotional connection that I have with food. I also know that if I hadn't been prompted to learn about these things that I would only get worse and slide further down the (chocolate covered) mountainside. I think that maybe it's different for everyone, the paths they choose for health, and I think that maybe we gravitate towards the diets that our individual bodies need for optimum health (that is once we've decided to be make healthy choices!). I'm really starting to believe that that no 1 diet is perfect for everyone.

I think the moment I really realized that I had a problem was when one day I was driving home from work, and I just felt like I had to have a chicken sandwich, and fries, and ranch, and a corndog, and some chocolate right now or else I would not be happy for days, and I couldn't stop myself! It was so sad! It was like there was another me inside me making me go to Wendy's when my "real self" was saying "no I don't really want this!" After gorging myself I felt so guilty, more than I ever have about food in my life. I wanted to crawl in a hole and never face myself again, because I felt like such a hypocrite, knowing what I know and still hurting my body with food! I haven't had a moment like that since, but I know that it could still creep up on me if I don't take preemptive measures. I realized that it was easy for me to hide my addictions from even myself, because looking at me no one would probably assume that I have problems with food, so I felt that if it wasn't manifested physically it must not be for real. But now I feel like everything is on the table and I can look at things objectively now, and I can see why I make some of the choices I do. Now I can sort of look in to my self and say "I know why you're doing that, and there is no truly good reason, so stop it!" Austin has helped me a lot too, he stops me from being compulsive and talks me out of my cravings, lol. Actually, I have started to crave really healthy food again. Right now I am seriously craving flax crackers with guacamole, and also bean sprouts big time. Odd!

So I also decided that a major thing that I've been neglecting is exercise. I know it will help me not just to become healthier physically, but also make me happier, less prone to hating myself, and make me feel like I am accomplishing something good. I think that when it boils down to it, any kind of addiction has it's roots in self loathing. I think that we all need to love ourselves more, especially me, because if I truly loved and cared about myself I would do everything it takes to constantly better myself. Does that sound self-centered? Maybe only if we stop caring about everyone but ourselves!

Anyways, for the first time in my life I feel like I have real, realistic goals, and I know what I need to do to achieve them! I've already set myself up on an exercise program, and I've set up my schedule hour by hour for each day so that I can stick with things (and I won't have "no time" as an excuse!). I am starting school back up again this semester, even though it's only 1 class, and I already feel so much better about that. The hardest thing is obviously going to be the food thing, but I know that I'll just take it 1 day at a time, and that's really all I can do. I also have spiritual goals that I'm working on, but that's a different conversation (although directly related)!

So right now for today I am juice feasting beacuse I made bad food choices over the weekend, but I'm really starting to get hungry! Actually it was worse around mid day, I actually feel ok right now. I don't know how people do this for 90 days, even a week seems like it would be torture! Oy! But now that I think about it, I might even be able to continue this juice fast for another day or so, just so I get all the gunk out of my system...it will help me feel like I'm starting anew. Let's see if I can do it :/

Musings

So...I haven't yet left for my trip (I was supposed to leave 6 hrs ago >.<) so to pass the time I went through some of my other blog posts because I had forgotten a lot of the things I wrote. It's kinda like reading back through a journal and some of the things I said made me go "what?!" lol. I suspected they would though, since all of us are constantly changing, especially me (and my ideas). So I was reading one of my old posts where I said that I would "probably still eat molten chocolate lava cake once in awhile, because there was truly no raw version that could taste that good". The funny thing is, as of now I am not even craving that cake whatsoever! The thought of eating it just makes me cringe almost because my body can no longer easily handle that much sugar. I could probably take one bite and I'd be through. Now I'm sure that there is no raw version that would be exactly like the original, but why should it have to? When I break this down I think, "why do I want to eat molten chocolate lava cake?" and the answer is "chocolate!!!...and the compliment of ice cream on the side". Now, I've never been a huge ice cream fan (or dairy fan in general), so raw ice creams completely satisfy me. And I have seen some magnificent looking raw chocolate desserts which look even better than the lava cake. It's so funny how I hold on to certain cooked foods because somewhere deep down I feel like I need them, when really it's just the sugar addiction talking. On that note, I wanted to share another recipe from Russell James that looks to satisfy even the most rabid choco-holic.

Marbled Chocolate and Orange Tavoletta

For the crust

3/4c carob powder
1c almonds
1/2c dates
4T coconut butter
2t vanilla extract
2t cinnamon
1/4t salt

1. First process nuts, cinnamon, salt and carob powder into small crumbs.

2. Add dates, coco butter and vanilla extract and process again.

3. Press into the bottom of 9” square pan and place in fridge whilst working on filling.

Note: Before making this chocolate you should place the grated cacao butter in the dehydrator to melt. Alternatively you can melt it in a bowl over another bowl of hot water.

For the marbling

1c cashews
1T agave
1/4c coconut oil/butter
1/2c water
5T melted cacao butter

1. Mix all ingredients in a high power blender until completely smooth.

For the filling

2c cashews
1c orange juice
1T orange zest
2c cacao powder
1 1/2c grated cacao butter
2T vanilla
1c agave nectar

1. Mix the cashews, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla, and agave nectar in a vita-mix until smooth.

3. Add cacao butter and cacao powder, and blend again.

4. Pour chocolate mixture onto base and use a spatula to achieve a level surface.

5. Drizzle the marbling mixture over the top in lines using a plastic bottle or a spoon. Drag a toothpick across the top to create the marble effect.

I realize that I share a lot of dessert recipes...but hey, can ya blame me?!

Something delish!

Tomorrow I'm leaving for Bryce Canyon! We're gonna be there 2 days and have fun camping, hiking, taking pictures, all that fun stuff. I've never actually been there even though I live only about 4 hours away. I'll probably burn horribly, lol. Anyways, I thought I'd post a yummy recipe before I leave so that I can dream about making it when I get back. This trip is going to be tricky food wise, but I'm gonna make sure I have plenty of fresh fruit on hand, and maybe a couple pre-made salads. Still, I'm afraid the hotdogs and s'mores are gonna do me in! Must...resist...chocolate... Actually, my chocolate cravings are once again diminishing, because I find that carob completely satisfies me. So maybe it won't be as bad as I think. I've heard of such things as travel blenders that come with a cup so it's possible to have fresh smoothies on the road. Is that going too far?

Oh, I also wanted to share how excited I am over my new game Wii Fit. It's so fun, and cheaper than a gym membership (if you're lazy like me and don't like to leave the house much). You can do yoga, strength training, cardio, and balance exercises. It also keeps track of your weight and BMI, and helps you set goals. I'm going to play with it for a month and see if I improve any. Wii Sports is also very fun to play, and you can actually break a sweat if you get into it. I know it's hard to find a Wii, but it's worth it, even if one just uses it to improve their health! I am also doing my yoga dvds which I have been neglecting for far too long. I can't wait to feel like my spine is flexible and healthy again!

I found this recipe from The Daily Raw Cafe. It looks so unique and yummy!! This would be perfect as a dip for veggies, or if you're like me and love love love peas, you could probably just eat it with a spoon!

Sweet Pea Guacamole
3 cups fresh peas (or use a 20 ounce package of organic frozen peas, rinsed, defrosted and patted dry)
1 small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
Juice of one lime
sea salt and pepper, to taste

1 Place peas, onion, jalapeno and garlic in food processor. Process until you achieve a smooth and creamy consistency.

2 Transfer into a bowl, stir in cilantro and lemon juice.

3 Season with sea salt and pepper.

It's been too long!

Oy vey! I know I should update my blog more but I haven't had much to say lately! Well, I should have lots to say, but I wait so long to write that I forget everything that was interesting to talk about!

So, it's been almost (1 month shy or so) a year since I first decided to try raw, and I must say that I have learned sooooo much not only about the lifestyle but about myself. I've been on a few months, off a few months, but overall I'd say this year has been about half raw, half not. I know I shouldn't get down on myself though, because I was transitioning from a fullblown SAD diet, junk food and fast food every day, to a raw vegan diet. Hello, that transition is going to be hard! The more I read about the raw diet the more people I read about who have had the same challenges. In fact, I read about 1 person who took 5 years to transition to raw. This makes me feel so much better in knowing that I don't have to be perfect, just keep trying! I may not eat the healthiest on the planet, but I certainly eat light years healthier than I did a year ago. I've come to learn that the raw diet is not a destination, it's a journey, and even if I were to master the eating part it may still take years for me to embrace it emotionally.

Lately I've been doing the best I can with making good choices, and it's funny because instead of telling myself "I'm gonna eat 100% raw, or 90% raw today" I just eat what I want, and many times I do end up eating 100%. But I've decided we live in a very complicated world, that offers many yummy tasting foods, and that most things should be taken in moderation, and some things avoided completely. My goal is to get to the point where I don't have to consciously think about what I am eating, just eat what I want - and have these "wants" be the healthiest foods. Every day is a journey! I've also decided that I am not going to weigh myself or measure myself except in monthly increments. I don't want my life to revolve around my scale. In fact, I don't even want to really know how much I weigh because I don't want it to even to be an issue. Someday I will get to this point!

So anyway, enough with my blather. I found this recipe from Russell James who happens to be an amazing raw food chef. If you go to the link it will take you to his blog, and you can even sign up for his newsletter for even more delish stuff. The recipe is kinda complex, but it looks soooo worth it - just take a look at that pic!

Pomegranate Cheesecake with Clementine Gelato

For the base

1c cashews
2T agave
1/4c coconut oil
2t vanilla extract
¼t salt
2t lemon juice

• First process cashews to flour.

• Add remaining ingredients and process again.

• Press into the bottom of 9” springform pan and place in fridge whilst working on filling.

For the filling

3c cashews, soaked
1c coconut oil
1/2c lemon juice
2T vanilla extract
1/2t salt
3/4c agave
1 1/2c pomegranate juice
1/2c beetroot juice (optional, just for colour)

• Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth.

• Pour on top of the base.

• Place in the freezer to set. Once it’s set, the cheesecake can be moved to, and stored in, the fridge until ready to eat.

For the Clementine Gelato

2c cashews
½c coconut butter/oil
¼c agave nectar
1t vanilla extract
1c almond milk*
1c clementine juice
2t clementine zest
Pinch salt

• Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.

• Pour mixture into a rectangular container and place in the freezer to set.

*Almond milk is made by blending 1c of almonds with 3c of water, and straining through a nut milk bag or sieve.

Something is happening to me

Yes, something strange is happening to me and I don't really know how to explain it. I was thinking about all the horrible things going on in Darfur right now, and how much crap is going on in the world today. I know that I really shouldn't dwell on the negative all the time, and I know that all I can do is make a little difference, but I know that if we all made a "little difference" then we'd make a big difference, especially if we stopped caring less about celebrities and more about our worldwide brothers and sisters who are in danger. Now, I really don't think society is so far gone that we just don't care about these things happening, I just feel like we don't know what we can do about them, and we have our own busy lives to worry about, our own families, our own sets of problems. Lately I have been likening this to the way we treat our bodies, and the responsibility we should take for our own health. I think that it's easy to chalk it up to everyone just not caring, but really, we do care, even if we don't realize it until we are sick. I think that the main problem is that we just don't know what we can do, we don't know how to change our habits, and we have been so indoctrinated by people who care more about the bottom line than they do our health, that we believe what we are told and have these total misconstrued ideas about health and nutrition.

So, like I was saying, I feel like something is happening to me, and I can't stop it. The more I try to deny or ignore the things I've been learning the more sensible and apparent they become. The more I learn the more I see around me, and the more I worry about those who wonder why they are sick, and just don't know enough about what they can do to heal themselves without taking truckloads of meds. Tonight I was reading a book, New Choices in Natural Healing, and it was talking about how heart disease is really a 20th century disease. It quoted Thomas Edison as saying "the doctor of the future will give no medicines but will interest his patients in the care of the human frame, in diet and in the cause of disease". Even Hippocrates said "let food be your medicine and medicine be your food". As I'm reading this book I'm getting this burning feeling in my chest, like my heart is so full and wanting to burst out of there! I know it was the Spirit talking to me and finally giving me answers to my prayers as to what I should do with my life. I want to educate people and help them. I want them to be able to see past what they think they know, and give them facts. I want to shout it from the rooftops, it's that important! And I know that the 1st step is making sure that I have my own life in order, so that I can be an example, and practice what I preach.

Ok, so enough about me and my blabbering for today. I'll try update soon! Ta-ta for now.

Summer = Produce Heaven

I went to Macys foodstore this weekend, and yipee!! I am starting to see the first beginnings of summer based on the beautiful produce on display and the beautiful prices as well >;). Giant avocados, 4 for 5 dollars! Giant juicy pears, perfect tomatoes, giant pineapples...yum yum. The only drawback is...they're not...organic :*(. Now, it used to be that I got really hung up on this, because I know most raw foodists will absolutely not eat anything non-organic, but you know, I think that eating more fruits and veggies, even if they aren't organic, is still better than not. Don't get me wrong, I believe all the hype against the pesticides that are used, and I'd love to grow my own garden as soon as I can get some land, but until then I'm not going to stress over it. If the kicker is that I won't eat raw because I can't afford organic, then I won't buy organic. Still, I have found some great, cheaper organic foods that are worth the extra 10 cents per pound or so, including apples, bananas, spinach, lettuce, and sprouts. I have heard that organic broccoli is pretty cheap too, so I'll look into it.

Thankfully I live near peach country, where the hugest, most beautiful, tastiest, juiciest, most scrumptious peaches I've ever eaten are grown. This summer I am buying a box full! And I'll eat them all myself! There are also local farmers around here that grow cherries, one of my faves. I am doing what I can to find a farmer's market around here, because summer is really a raw foodists happy time (if you're like me where summer is actually a season, not a way of life). I'm sorry that I get into raptures over produce, lol. Speaking of it, I'm gonna go buy me some, and then bask in the sun...sounds like a satisfying Saturday to me :). Adios for now!

It's been forever !!

Wow, it's been almost 2 months since I've written, I feel horrible!

To tell the truth, I'm still in the process of transitioning to raw, I am hitting some speed bumps on the road to health if you will. As of May 1st I have gone raw once again, and I feel better in 2 days than I have in 2 months! Despite my shortcomings, however, I have learned so much about myself, and really why I am doing this whole raw food thing anyway. I've been thinking too hard, trying to hard to be perfect, and stressing too hard over recipes! It's really easy to get caught up in the excitement of raw food, and want to create perfect, gourmet raw dishes that have an ingredients list a mile long, some of which are hard to find. I think I was starting to get caught up in this, and I couldn't see how easy it was just to modify a recipe to what I had in the house, or just enjoy something simple, like a tomato, just for the sake of it. Eating raw is so EASY, but I was making it hard!

Well, on August 1st or so, it will be the first year anniversary of me really trying out the raw food lifestyle. I hope that by then I can be fully transitioned, but if I can't, I'll keep trying. The other day, I realized something profound as I was biting into a beautiful, juicy ripe strawberry. In actuality, a perfectly ripe strawberry tastes better than pizza, it really does! The taste is sweet and yummy, it fills me with sunshine, and makes me feel light and happy. Now, when I take a bite of a piece of pizza, the addictive elements of the food go straight to my brain, and make me think "ooh this is really yummy I need more...MORE!" But in actuality, it makes me feel sluggish, fills me with grease, and makes my stomach upset and heavy. And when I break it down, I don't like cheese, bread, or tomatoes more than I like a strawberry, but it's the combination of those processed foods, the grease, the animal fats, and other addictive substances that make me believe I like it more. Food is so psychological, I really need to get to the bottom of this when it comes to me! I'm thinking of a juice fast, but I think that will come later, once I can get in solid comfort with my raw diet. I am at the point again where I'm really starting to crave fresh fruits and veggies...I dream about them!

I wonder, those who eat raw say that they look and feel younger...why is this? I have felt this way too, and I have a theory about why it works for me.

Eating raw reminds me of sunshine.
Sunshine reminds me of California.
California reminds me of my childhood.
Therefore, eating raw makes me feel younger! :)

I wonder if feeling younger inside translates to looking younger in my face?

So, last pondering of the day before I share a recipe. God has blessed me so much lately, and he's given me answers. Since I was 14 years old I've pondered the question "what I am supposed to do with my life?", and in the past 2 weeks I've gotten my answer. I understand now why I didn't get it right away, why He didn't just send down a little sticky note from heaven saying, "here is exactly what you need to do!" as soon as I asked. God knew that I had a lot of discoveries to make in regards to my body and my health, and He waited until I knew that it was right before he showed me what would make my life rewarding. I have decided that I am going to do a double major, in Health Promotion, and Art. The Art so I can become better, for myself, and do it on the side because I love it and it's a huge part of who I am...and the Health Promotion and Education so that I can make a difference by helping others make good health/food choices. I'd love to study nutrition as well. I would love to work with children, because the problem with obesity is effecting younger and younger generations. I would also love to work with prenatal care, and educating pregnant women on making the best food choices for their babies. I came to this conclusion one day as I was waiting for my husband outside the pizza place that he works at. They have an all-you-can-eat buffet there, and I saw a family with 2 overweight parents, and an overweight, sweet little girl walk in. I've never been so effected by my choice of health education as I was at that moment, because I realized that little girl was not there because she necessarily chose it, but because her parents maybe didn't know better. To think that the habits she is learning may lead to such diseases as juvenile diabetes or goodness knows what else, breaks my heart. I feel so much better now that I have a goal, and I really feel like I've found my calling. I know God answers prayers...I know that.

So, here is a great recipe that I found on the Raw Food Cafe (link on the left) that looks so yummy. I happen to have the ingredients too, I'm making it for lunch!!

Avocado Salad with Creamy Lime Dressing

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup cashews
juice of 2 limes
1 teaspoon agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
1 head Romaine lettuce, roughly chopped
1 small bunch cilantro, leaves only
2 ripe avocados, cut into small cubes

1 Combine oil, cashews, lime juice, agave nectar and cumin in a blender. Process until cashews are smooth and creamy. If needed, use water a 1/2 tablespoon at a time

to reach desired consistency.

2 Combine the lettuce and cilantro with the dressing in a large bowl. Top with the avocado pieces.

New Recipes!

These past few days have been good! It's easy to eat healthy when there is a lot of healthy food in the house, but easy to eat badly when there is bad food. So I made a goal to use every last drop of the good food I have because I don't want to waste any. Also, I want to show Austin that I'm serious about it and will use it, because if I show him that it's something I'll stick with then he'll be more apt to agree that we buy a VitaMix, hehe. I also finished my recipe book! Of course it's just a fraction of the recipes out there, with all the books and online recipes, but I wanted to make something that I could share w/friends and family in case they ever want some healthy alternatives. Well, I'm almost positive now that I am indeed lactose intolerant, because I haven't eaten dairy in days, and my bloaty, gassy symptoms stopped. I was never a big dairy person in the first place, and now I think it will help me avoid things like cheese. Plus, I think that giving the excuse of "I'm lactose intolerant" when declining dairy is more acceptable than "I'm a raw foodist" lol. So I read something ironic today, along the lines of my last post. As I was coming to terms with the fact that I'll never have a figure like Nicole Kidman's, I read in a magazine that she's "wanted Marilyn Monroe curves her whole life". I guess it's true for all of us, even celebrities, that we only want what we can't have. I am for sure making my pizza bread tonight, finally! I also found this recipe for raw veggie pizza with a nut based crust that looks way good, so I'll make it soon and share it.

So the other day by accident I made a shake that tasted just like an Orange Julius! It was sooo good. I also made some chocolate pudding, and some raw spaghetti!:

Orange Julius

half a banana
juice from 2 oranges
8 oz almond milk, or vanilla almond milk
1 tsp vanilla extract (omit if using van alm milk)
ice

It comes out very nice and frothy, just like a "real" orange julius. Scrumdidlyumptious!

Chocolate Pudding

1 avocado
1/4 C carob powder
squirt of agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla
water to blend

Ok, so I just put all this in a blender, adding water as I went...but...I'm pretty sure this recipe would be TONS yummier if instead of water I used almond milk, and used an electric mixer to make it creamier instead of my crappy blender. I could also substitute cacao powder instead of carob, but for me, that would be way too chocolaty.

It doesn't look very creamy but that's my blender's fault.




Raw Spaghetti

sauce:
1 tomato
dash of oragano
dash of garlic powder
drizzle of olive oil

noodles:
zucchini strips

Just pour sauce on top and eat! I'm not gonna lie, I'm not a huge fan of zucchini, so I didn't eat much of this. I am thinking of trying butternut squash next time instead. The sauce was good though.