Vegan Family Style

Preparing for a 30 day Juice/Smoothie Cleanse

2011-12-20T19:06:00.002-08:00

Then hopefully sometime in 2012 I will be wearing shoes like these and feeling amazing!

Chocolate Smoothie Recipe

2011-12-20T19:06:00.001-08:00

My Favorite Lemonade!

2011-12-20T19:01:00.001-08:00

Yummy Green Smoothie Recipe

2011-12-20T18:59:00.001-08:00

Rookie Green Smoothie

2011-12-20T18:57:00.001-08:00

Juice Beat Greens

2011-12-20T18:51:00.001-08:00

How To Eliminate Food and Drug Cravings Forever

2011-12-20T18:47:00.000-08:00

Mimi Kirk's "Save-the Turkey" Portobello Mushrooms

2011-11-19T11:55:00.000-08:00

How to Sprout the Tree of Life Way

2011-11-17T11:35:00.001-08:00

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

2011-11-17T11:14:00.001-08:00

This is really a un-recipe as I just threw ingredients in the blender.. But here goes:

About 3 cups of cut up raw pumpkin (I just scraped it out of the shell)

3-4 cups of raw almond milk (I blended up the meat of 1 young thai coconut into the almond milk for extra thickness and flavor)

1/2 cup of pitted dates soaked in warm water until soft

3 frozen bananas

1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg to taste.

I put all of the above into the Vitamix and blended until smooth. If too thick add more almond milk. It was very good. Everyone loved it and we will make it again tomorrow for breakfast.

Nut Butters Made with Stone Grinder- Raw Food World

2011-11-16T17:22:00.000-08:00

Making nut butters with stone grinder from The Raw Food World

Raw Carob Bar made with Stone Grinder- Raw Food World

2011-11-16T17:20:00.000-08:00

Raw chocolate using carob- with the stone grinder from The Raw Food World

Pure Market Express

2011-11-16T15:59:00.001-08:00

Meet Rebecca

Her family calls her "Rawbecca." So goes her story.

Life is full of ironies, and Pure Market Express co-founder and executive chef Rebecca Irey being born and raised on a 3,000-acre cattle ranch is one of them. "I can't remember once having a green salad growing up," she says. "Dinner was meatloaf, hamburgers, steak, goulash—always with boiled potatoes and white bread and butter."

The ironies continue: "I still don't like vegetables," says Rebecca (likely the first raw chef to ever concede such). Yet hers is the appetite that was won over by the life-giving, energy-boosting, weight-melting, soul-satisfying wonders of eating raw.

A taco salad at Ecopolitan, a Minneapolis raw restaurant, triggered Rebecca's conversion. "It had sour cream and cheese—mock, of course—and I thought, 'If this is what raw food is like, okay!'" She became an Ecopolitan regular, trying, with gusto, everything on the menu and taking every class the restaurant offered. Then she headed to New Hampshire to train with and get her certification from internationally acclaimed raw author and educator Alissa Cohen.

Thousands of recipe trials later (her husband and six children are ready repositories for her kitchen experiments), she and her husband launched Pure Market Express as a way to spread, like so much hummus on dehydrator onion bread, the goodness of eating raw.

If you haven't ordered from Pure Market Express you should definitely check it out. The food is delish!

Raw Pumpkin Smoothie w/ Raw Dawg Rory

2011-11-16T15:45:00.003-08:00

I am going to make this tomorrow. Need to get my almonds soaking to make almond milk..

Have You Seen My Shawls?

2011-11-16T15:29:00.000-08:00

I started a new business- I weave shawls and make shawl pins.. You can see (or buy) them at Debra G Designs..

Free Food and Money

2011-11-16T14:57:00.000-08:00

Trailer for new dvd set from Markus Rothkranz.. It looks freakin' awesome!

Wild Yards Are Best

2011-11-16T14:55:00.000-08:00

Another great video from Markus Rothkranz

How To Powder Plants and Herbs

2011-11-16T14:40:00.000-08:00

Markus Rothkranz Video Very informative..

Lunch Today...

2011-11-16T14:26:00.000-08:00

Avocado, garden fresh tomatoes, onions rolled up into kale leaves and nori sheets.

It is time..

2011-10-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

For honesty...

So much has been going on this past year and I have just hidden. I have not been my true self. Lost sight of who that was- what it was to be true to myself.

I have battled back and forth about whether to come clean or to keep living in secret. Well, I am here now so I guess the decision has been made to come clean.

Most of you know I started this journey at almost 300 lbs. It started with just switching to eating healthier and then I added exercise. Then I went vegetarian. Then vegan. After many months of being vegan and doing well I went raw. Within months of going raw I got down to my lowest in years! 198 lbs.

Being vegan was never about being an animal activist for me- I don't believe in factory farming but I do support the small local farmer. Being vegan was about losing weight and getting healthy.

After hitting the 100's I went off my healthy eating way of living and then life got troublesome. I couldn't stay focused on being raw or vegan for that matter. I would start the day off with good intentions but ended up eating crud I would never feed my kids or advocate to others. It was a battle every day. I ended up gaining 30 lbs back in a relatively short period of time. Then I had a speaking engagement and was able to get down to 208 lbs.

So for the last year I fluctuated between 208 and 230 lbs. Losing some, gaining some. I was humiliated. I still believed in everything I was teaching but I was struggling with following my own advice big time.

I felt very alone with my secret shame..

Then we moved and I started packing on more lbs. Living closer to town my older kids were eating out more and eating at places I didn't want them to eat. They didn't want to be vegan anymore. So as a family we made the choice to add to our diets locally sourced animal products.

This has been a recent move for our family- only the last couple of months. The kids and hubby are doing fine with the decision it is mama who is having a hard time.

I am very close to my starting weight a couple of years ago. This is hard for me to deal with. I believed I would never go back to that weight. I had gotten rid of all he plus sized clothes and sadly I had to go out and buy replacements.

These past couple of weeks I have been battling depression. I am so sick of being overweight but the food just calls to me. I could eat everything in sight. I have finally come to terms with the fact that I am a food addict.

This is hard- for the drug, alcohol, gambling etc.. addict you are called to abstain from your addiction to find recovery. What do you do when it is food?? You have to eat to live. As a former raw foodie and a certified raw food chef I knew of one time that I felt in control of my addiction. When I was 100% raw. I never over ate because of the nature of raw food- full of fiber, you just get full easily. I could eat a whole pizza to myself, a whole half gallon of ice cream, large amounts of foods that I am too embarrassed to admit. When I was 100% raw I didn't battle these things. I was in control- I was abstaining from what I was addicted to- cooked foods, bad for me foods, sugary and fried foods.. I never had a problem over eating carrots or celery. Food addicts gravitate towards that which is bad for you: fast food, processed foods, sugary foods, fried foods, breads and pastas..

I have been thinking about this with my husband for the last few days. This is something I have to do for me. I believe that there is nothing wrong with eating locally sourced organic animal products, breads, pastas, etc... if you are a normal eater. A normal eater will naturally eat that which is healthy for them: fruits and veggies with some animal protein as well. I am not a normal eater. I haven't been a normal eater since grade school- though I was able to control my weight by how active I was. I will never be a normal eater. I admit that. So I must abstain from my triggers and eat a 100% raw food diet. I just have to.

Knowing how I felt after having lost 100 lbs and how I feel now having gained 3/4's of that back- I know I can't stay here- I feel horrible. I feel like crap all the time. I have a life to live and I won't continue to live it if I don't make a drastic change.

My family will not be making the change with me. This is what I have to do for me. They eat healthy- they are all normal eaters. They love fruits and veggies, smoothies, whole grains.. but they also eat animal products. Someday we will get chickens- that is as local as it gets.

I have to do this for me. I don't want to be fighting this battle anymore. I have hit rock bottom and I am climbing my way up. I hope that someday when I am in recovery and have achieved health that I will be able to help others like me- the food addict.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Raw Food Detox

2011-09-29T11:00:00.001-07:00

Adam A Graham has written a very thorough book: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Raw Food Detox. Everything you need to know about the raw food diet, detoxing, and filled with great recipes too.

Part 1 The Raw Essentials

1. The Ins and Outs of Raw Food Detox

Raw Food Defined

The Uncooked Theory
Vegetarian or Not?

Detox Defined

Cleaning Your Internal House
Taking Out the Trash
Who Needs It?

The Basics of Detox

Unlocking the Toxins
Escorting Them Out
What About a Cleanse?

Bottom Line Results

Health and Vitality
Weight Control
Disease and Inflammation Prevention
Anti-Aging

2. Our Toxic World

Toxins 101

Metabolic Waste
Environmental Toxins
Our Food and Water
All About GMOs
Energetic Toxins
Radiation
Stress

Organs of Elimination

The Bowels
The Skin
The Lungs
The Kidneys
The Liver
The Lymphatic System

3. Why Raw Food Detox Works

Balanced Restoration

Acid and Alkaline
Bacteria and Flora
Hydration
Hydrochloric Acid (HCI)

Plant Based Nutrition

Vitamins and Minerals
Fabulous Fiber

The Magic of Enzymes

Enzymes as Life Force
Raw Chemical Reactions

Food Combining

The One Lane Digestive Expressway
Proper Eating Order
Avoid the Protein and Starch Pileup
Tools for Aiding Digestion

4. Calling in Reinforcements

Exercise

Yoga
Rebounding
Cardio and Sweating

Outside Assistance

Skin Brushing
Massage
Saunas and Steam
Acupuncture

Inside Assistance

Clays
Zeolite
Fluvic Acid
Sea Veggies

Water Flow and Waste

Colon Hydrotherapy
Cleanses and Enemas
Implants and Suppositories

Part 2: Getting Started

5. Where to Begin?

Raw Detox Score Card

Weight Goals
Medications
Regularity
Food Toxins
Cooked Versus Raw
Organic Versus Conventional
Exercise

Determine Your Score

Program A
Program B
Program C
Program D

6. Raw Food Detox Menus

About he Programs

Morning Ritual
Evening Ritual
Keep the Order
Watch Your Portions
Eat Dessert

Program A: 15 Days- Easy Does It

Substitutions

Program B: 15 Days- 80 Percent Raw

Program C: 1 to 2 Weeks- 90 Percent Raw

Program D: 1 to 2 Weeks- All Raw

Preparing Yourself

Symptoms of Healing
My First Cleansing Response

7. Preparing Your Kitchen

Tools of the Trade

Gadgets and Knives
Light-Duty Equipment
Heavy-Duty Equipment

Clearing the Decks

Stocking Up on Raw Food

Fresh Produce
Dry Goods
Sweeteners
Easy Mylks
Easy Almond Mylk
Easy Sesame Mylk
Easy Hemp Mylk

8 Raw Food Detox Social Challenges

Family Matters

Social Engagements
Extended Stays

Raw-Detox Travels

In the Air
On the Ground

Friends and Colleagues

Dining Out
Entertaining Raw

Raw Food and Romance

Spousal Support
Sharing Your Passion
Raw-Detox Dating
Finding Raw Support

Part 3: Recipes for Success

9. Consciously Cooked Recipes

Baked Spaghetti Squash
Baked Acorn Squash
Baked Sweet Potato
Steamed Veggies
Portobello Bella Bella
Veggie Pizza
Pasta Party
Wild Rice Medley
Sprouted Bread Toast Toppers

10. Raw Spreads, Sauces, and Dressings

5 Easy Pieces
Almond Miso Spread/Sauce
Sesame Spread/Sauce
Cheezy Sauce
Classic Marinara
Pumpkin Seed Pesto
Cashew Cheeze
Simple Miso Marinade
Orange Miso Marinade
BBQ Marinade
Garlic Avo Dressing
Apricot Vinaigrette
Avocado Dressing
Spirulina Power Dressing

11. Raw Soups and Salads

Cucumber Dill Soup
Simple Miso Soup
Almond Miso Soup
Sea Veggie Soup
Sesame Curry Soup
Spinach Sop
G-Man's Coconut Soup
Creamy Cauliflower Ses'same Soup
Massaged Kale
Sea Veggie Salad
Eggless Egg Salad
Tu-No Salad
Radish and Yellow Squash Salad
Beet and Radish Salad
Rockin Guacamole
Curry Cauliflower Cous Cous
Broccoli Rawdorf Salad
Corn "Shroom Salad
Avocado Apple Gadget
Classic Fruit Salad
Blue-Green Fruit

12. Raw Entrees

Lettuce Wraps
Pesto Pepper Boats
Marinated Veggies
Stuffed Portobellos
Collard Wraps
Nori Rolls
Veggie Noodles and Marinara
Almond Pad Thai

13. Raw Snacks and Desserts

Chia Chocolate Mousse
Chia in a Jar
Stuffed Dates
Banana-Ginger Whip
Coco-Banana Gadget
Banana-Carob Whip
Superfood Truffles
Brownie Bites
Maca Macaroons
Tropical Sorbet
Almond Cashew Ice Cream

14. Smoothies

Apple Ginger Snap
Green Machine
Banana Orange Kale
Monkey King
Berry Best
Hemp Seed Supreme
Coconut Cooler
Miso Sunrise
Citrus Flush
Mango-Basil Bliss
Strawberry Coconut Smoothie

15. Juices

Str8 Carrot
Carrot Spinach
Apple Carrot
Carrot Fennel
4 by 4
Carrot, Lettuce, and Kale
Juice Medley
Tree of Life
Cucumber Cilantro
Three C's and One G
CAB
Ring My Bell
Virgin Mary

Part 4: Let Raw Food Be Thy Medicine

16. Raw Food and Your Nutritional Needs

The Question of Calories

Less is More
Don't Count on Them for Now
Weight Loss

Carbohydrates

Simple Sugars
Complex Carbs

Proteins

Actual Needs
Amino Acids
Ideal Souces

Fats

Healthy Unsaturated Fats
Dangerous Saturated Fats

Micro-Nutrients

Micro- and Macro- Minerals
Coloring Our Lives

Fiber

Types and Purpose
Where to Find It

17. Healing Foods and Superfoods

Foods That Heal

Organic Considerations
Local Farming
Where the Wild Foods Grow

The Best of the Bunch

Top Ten Whole Foods
Honorable Herb Mentions

Sprouts: Big Nutrition, Small Packages

Ann Wigmore
Wheatgrass
Home Sprouting

Superfoods

Meet the Team
Superfoods and Raw Detox

18. Living Foods

Fermented Foods and Cultures

The Living and the Dead
Microbe Allies

Probiotics

Friendly Flora
Antibiotic Activity

Prebiotics

Food for Flora
Vital Benefits

Sources of Living Foods

Sauerkraut
Kimchi
Miso
Kombucha

Living Foods and Raw Food Detox

Added Benefits
What to Expect

Part 5: The Newly Detoxed You

19. Seasonal Cleaning

Fasting

All About Juicing
Feast Versus Famine
Water Fasting

Cleansing Programs

The Herbal Cleanse
The Master Cleanser
The Master Cleanser Procedure

20. Maintaining Your Success

I Did It! Now What?

Staying in Place
Avoiding Backsliding
The 60% Solution
Light Steaming and Cooking

Going All the Way

Diet Advice for Raw Food Newbies
Advanced Raw Food Prep and Eating

Falling Back and Trying Again

How Often Is Safe?
Getting It Right This Time

21. Detoxing Your Life

The New You

Natural Fiber Clothing
Energetic Accessories

Your New Environment

Himalayan Salt Lamps
Houseplants
Air Filtration
Water Filtration
You're Grounded
Staying Inspired

The Boy Who Loved Broccoli

2011-09-29T10:51:00.000-07:00

Another irresistible book written to encourage kids to eat their veggies. The Boy Who Loved Broccoli is written by Sarah A Creighton and illustrated by her father Gene Hamilton. In this book Baxter loves his broccoli and develops super powers from eating it daily. He goes out and saves the day for many and encourages that they eat their broccoli too. In the end they all save Baxter.

My boys loved this book, I have read it to them several times. I think you will like it too!

The Secret Life of Mitch Spinach

2011-08-17T13:01:00.001-07:00

The Secret Life of Mitch Spinach

In this first book in the Mitch Spinach series we meet Mitch Spinach™, who seems to be an ordinary kid, but his classmates have begun to suspect something. The notes in his custom-made, temperature-controlled Nutripak™ lunchbox appear to have been written in code. While other kids eat their usual chicken fingers and pepperoni pizza, Mitch Spinach mixes up his meal in a battery-powered blender before their curious and envious eyes. Although he is the smartest, nicest, strongest kid in Ms. Radicchio's class, he often misses recess when he is called to Principal Lycopene's office. The truth is that his high-powered fruit and vegetable smoothies give him special powers, such as super-sonic hearing and amazing night vision, which help him tackle problems and solve mysteries at Sunchoke Elementary.

My boys loved The Secret Life of Mitch Spinach by Hillary Feerick and Jeff Hillendrand. It was not only educational- from a health standpoint but it contained mystery and excitement as well. They were hooked. They loved the nutripak lunchbox and battery powered blender- they thought it was "way cool". Your children will love this book. If you are a teacher- get this book for your classroom. If you are a parent- get 2 copies, 1 for your children and 1 to donate to your local school library.

I just noticed that there is a new volume in the series available:

Mitch Spinach and the Smell of Victory

Everyone at Sunchoke Elementary now knows that Mitch Spinach is no ordinary kid. In this exciting field day adventure, Mitch Spinach receives a coded message on his futuristic watch asking him to report to the gym. After rescuing Becca out on the field, he is determined to help Principal Lycopene find the missing key to the trophy case. When solving the mystery seems impossible, what secret ingredients from his custom-made Nutripak lunchbox will he need? Will he find the key in time? Find out how Mitch Spinach fuels his remarkable sense of smell and boosts his brain power to take on this new challenge in Book 2 of the Mitch Spinach series.

Yerba Mate Almond Milk Latte

2011-07-30T09:22:00.001-07:00

This morning I made the hubs and I yerba mate almond milk latte's. So yummy!

I use the Jay Kordich Power Grind Pro to make my almond milk. It comes out smooth and I don't have to deal with nut milk bags. You can see that the resulting pulp is nice and dry.

The Run

2011-07-28T20:48:00.001-07:00

These past few days I have been working events that were to help bring in donations and awareness for The Run. Dr Godby and his sons and nephew are running across the US to bring awareness for natural medicine. Please check out their website and if you purchase a digital copy of my dvd I will donate 50% of the proceeds to this amazing event!

Here is Dr Godby interacting with a little boy who was mesmerized by the fact that they were both wearing the same wristband (a The Run wristband).

These are samples of my raw vegan cheesecakes. I handed them out at the Kings Beach farmer's market. We were selling raffle tickets for an event later in the day- we were welcoming in Dr Godby.

My table at the Sparks Marina event.

This is Isaiah Godby speaking about why this run is so important

The Run RV

Dr Godby, his nephew Jonas, sons Jeremiah and Isaiah.

Raw taco samples I hadn't out at Sparks Marina.

Please visit their website The Run to learn more about how you can support this movement.

Dinner

2011-07-24T17:10:00.001-07:00

Cheesecakes For The.Masses

2011-07-24T16:10:00.001-07:00

Yummy cheesecake- raw and vegan. In the middle is a layer of organic strawberry slices.. So yum!

105 raw, vegan cheesecake samples for Farmer's Market in Kings Beach, CA this Tuesday.

5 cheesecakes with a nut crumble for event at NaturaMed in Kings Beach also on Tuesday.

DVD Special!!!!!

2011-07-23T15:02:00.000-07:00

Until July 31st when you order the actual DVD (not the download) I will also send you the download for free- so you can start watching right away. This is a value of $14.95 .

For $29.95 you get a 2 hour dvd and a 350 plus page ebook with over 250 cooked vegan and raw vegan recipes, a vast resource guide and much more. Click HERE to make your purchase.

Raw-co's

2011-07-18T17:22:00.001-07:00

This is what I am making to take a meeting tomorrow. I am meeting a naturopath over in Kings Beach to discuss me teaching classes up there and also doing demo's next week at an event they are having. I used my recipe for taco "meat" found HERE. Everyone loved my taco "meat" so I will be sure to keep some in the fridge at all times- great salad topper. So I filled a leaf of raddichio with some guacamole, topped with some "meat" and salsa made from heirloom tomatoes of varying shapes and sizes.. I threw on some micro greens as well. Hubby tested it and loved it.

This Mornings Smootie

2011-07-18T10:50:00.001-07:00

Kale, golden beets, lemons, bee pollen, bananas, and strawberries.

Breakfast

2011-07-11T10:38:00.001-07:00

This morning I made a creme sauce to go over sliced bananas, chopped almonds, and pumpkin seeds. It was a huge hit. I watched Dara Dubinet's video last night- this was my inspiration for the creme sauce:

Coconut Curry Cracker From Livin' Spoonful

2011-07-10T22:00:00.001-07:00

Jeff's dinner

Dinner For The Boys

2011-07-10T17:39:00.001-07:00

Salad for dinner plus 2 slices of sprouted whole grain bread.. Peaches for dessert. They have to eat all of their salad in order to get their fruit!

Lunch with Hubby

2011-07-10T13:49:00.001-07:00

Women's Brunch

2011-07-09T13:16:00.001-07:00

Pesto Pumpkin Crackers From Livin Spoonful

2011-07-08T17:20:00.001-07:00

Hubby and I conquer: We like the pesto pumpkinseed better than the pizza flavored crackers. The pizza flavored were good but these popped with flavor! These crackers from Livin' Spoonful are raw, vegan and gluten free. The crackers are made with quality ingredients and dehydrated at low temps to keep the fragile enzymes intact.

Ingredients: Sprouted Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Organic Flax Seeds, Organic Tomatoes, Sprouted Organic Sunflower Seeds, Organic Garlic, Organic Basil, Organic Dates, Organic Lemon Juice, Celtic Sea Salt, Organic Jalapeño, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Watermelon Slushie

2011-07-08T12:47:00.001-07:00

Into blender put 1 whole lemon- cut in half (peel on), 1 apple quartered, 1 cup of ice, then fill the rest of the blender with cold watermelon (just stuff it). Then blend up- pushing down with tamper as needed. If you have room left in the blender after it has completely blended you can add more watermelon if you like. This is our FAVORITE summer recipe..

Pizza Cracker from Livin Spoonful

2011-07-07T17:21:00.001-07:00

This was my dinner tonight.. Hubby had some too. These are gluten free raw crackers from Livin Spoonful. Tonight we had the pizza flavor and it was delicious! Hubby loved them as well.

Ingredients are simple:

Organic Sunflower Seeds, Organic Carrots, Organic Raisins, Organic Flax Seeds, Organic Onion, Organic Lemon Juice, Organic Dates, Organic Garlic, Organic Salt, Organic Oregano, Organic Fennel, Organic Thyme, Organic Jalapeno, Organic White Pepper.

They are dehydrated at low temps to keep the ingredients fragile enzymes intact.

You can order these gluten free crackers from their website

Stove and Oven Are Off For The Rest Of Summer

2011-07-06T18:15:00.001-07:00

The heat of the summer is here and our house doesn't cool down easily. The girls would cook a meal for the kids and their dad and it would heat the house up. Last night I made them dinner and I was roasted.. That was enough. I announced that there would be no more cooked meals for the rest of the summer. This is actually good- I have been wanting to ease them into high raw status.. They had been eating 3 cooked meals a day and then all snacks would be smoothies, juice (fresh veggie juice), or raw fruits and veggies.

So this is how we are doing it- and day one went awesome!

Breakfast: Green Smoothies

Lunch: Peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a side of carrot sticks or celery sticks and some sort of fruit. The girls will probably make a wrap with whole wheat tortilla and hummus with lettuce and sprouts. I get a sprouted wheat bread from Trader Joe's, we make the peanut butter ourselves and I get an organic jelly from Costco.

Dinner: Salad, slice of whole grain sour dough bread, and fruit. I add sunflower and pumpkin seeds to their salads for protein and avocado for fat. They use homemade vegan ranch dressing. We use a variety of toppings- mushrooms, tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers etc.. Then a piece of fruit for dessert. I picked out something that they normally don't get because it is more expensive like peaches or nectarines (which just so happened to be on sale this week but usually they are more expensive than apples here). Then they can't have the fruit until their salad and bread is eaten. I made the salads directly on their plate so that there were no leftovers to have to find space for in the fridge.

The boys were so excited about eating healthy for dinner they kept showing me their plates and how well they were eating. Snacks will be carrot sticks, almonds, etc.. Clean up was super easy- less dishes, less mess. The girls who clean the kitchen just loved it.

Jeff had been wanting to go 100% raw but I actually think this is more do-able for him- he has reactive hypoglycemia.. This would put him at high raw status which would be great for him.

Dinner On A Hot Summer

2011-07-04T19:30:00.001-07:00

Too hot to cook for the mid-raw kiddos.. So they started with green apple slices.. Then I made a dip- raw almond butter with some honey and a bit of water to thin out. I piled carrot sticks, celery sticks, and cucumber sticks on their plate with the dip. They all loved it- ate until they were full..

Fruit Salad For Church Picnic

2011-06-26T13:32:00.001-07:00

Individual servings of fruit salad. Ingredients: watermelon, pineapple, peaches, blueberries, strawberries, mint and lime juice. Yum!

Green Smoothie Day at VBS!!

2011-06-24T12:38:00.001-07:00

Some of the kids enjoying their green smoothies!!

Vacation Bible School Day 5: Green Smoothies

3-4 cups of baby spinach washed well

3.5 bananas

1.5 cups frozen blueberries

1.5 cups of frozen strawberries

water

Put spinach in blender with enough water to blend it. Add bananas, blueberries and strawberries and enough water to fill blender (after fruit has been added). Blend well. If not sweet enough add other half of banana. This recipe makes a whole blender full of smoothie.

The green smoothies were a huge hit at VBS!! All of the kids drank 2 cups and would have had more if we had it!!

Raw Vegan Key Lime Pie

2011-06-23T14:47:00.000-07:00

This video is of Mimi Kirk. A 72 yr old raw vegan- doesn't she look amazing. She says she has the energy of a 20 year old! This is a good video but here is my recipe:

Raw Key Lime Pie

Coconut Crust:
1 1/2 unsweetened shredded coconut
1 1/2 raw walnuts
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup pitted dates unsoaked

Place the coconut, walnuts, and salt in food processor and process until coarsely ground. Add the dates and process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and begins to stick together. Crust mixture will keep for 1 month in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer.

For the Filling:
3 avocados (mash them first)
3/4 cup Raw Agave Nectar
1/2 cup Lime juice
Lime zest
Pinch Sea Salt
1/2 cup Coconut oil

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until creamy.

Press crust into pie pan (as if you were pressing in graham cracker crumbs). Add key lime mixture. Put in freezer until frozen. Take out about 10 or so minutes before cutting.

I like to make little pies and freeze them. When you want to eat- just sit out for about 10 minutes and enjoy.

How to Open a Coconut and Make Coconut Milk

2011-06-23T14:32:00.000-07:00

Peanut Butter OR Almond Butter Balls

2011-06-23T09:26:00.001-07:00

Vacation Bible School Day 4: Peanut Butter or Almond Butter Balls

Peanut Butter or Almond Butter

Oatmeal- quick oats

Shredded Coconut

Honey

Into a bowl I placed about 1/4 cup of oats, I topped this with about 2-3 tbsp of peanut butter, topped with a couple of teaspoons of shredded coconut and a couple of tsps of honey. The kids stirred it together and then rolled into balls.

Pineapple 'Colada

2011-06-22T15:32:00.001-07:00

1 pineapple cut into chunks
1 young thai coconut water and meat
2 frozen bananas
Put all ingredients into blender and blend until smooth.

Fruit Plate or Kebobs

2011-06-22T09:27:00.001-07:00

Vacation Bible School Day 3: Fruit Kebobs

These were a huge hit. Every class that came in got a plate of fruit- watermelon cubes, chunks of banana, grapes and strawberries. Then they got a skewer and made their own fruit kebobs.

Apple Stacks

2011-06-21T10:14:00.001-07:00

VBS Day 2 Healthy Snack: Apple Stacks

Apples

Peanut Butter or Almond Butter

Trail mix or granola or both mixed together

Core your apples. Slice them into 1/4 inches rounds. Spread the nut butter of your choices on the apples and sprinkle with the trail mix or granola (or both). You can stack them as I did- though we found it very messy so the kids just left the rounds on their plates and ate one at a time.

Healthy Happy Faces

2011-06-20T13:23:00.001-07:00

Today at Vacation Bible School we read Adventures of Junk Food Dude by Robyn Openshaw and made Healthy Happy Faces..

To make the faces yourself you will need:

whole grain tortillas

hummus

sliced olives

shredded carrot/sprouts

red bell pepper slices

Spread the hummus (about 2 tbsp) onto tortilla

Use olives for eyes and nose

Use 2 bell pepper slices to form mouth

Top face with shredded carrots and/or sprouts for hair..

Salad for lunch

2011-06-15T12:25:00.001-07:00

Live Raw by Mimi Kirk

2011-06-10T14:19:00.001-07:00

I just love Mimi.. She is a very genuine person. She is one of my Facebook friends and I think she is amazing! I read the introduction to the book and was blown away by just the small bit of her life story.. Just a bit for you: She is 72 and was voted Peta's Sexiest Vegetarian over 50. She was also Mary Tyler Moore's stand in for the Mary Tyler Moore show. I saw a picture of her a typical "Mary" outfit and was blown away- yep she looked just like Mary. She has been a vegetarian and vegan for the better part of 40 years. Yes, she is an amazing lady, with an amazing outlook on life, and she just happens to be a raw foodist. She feels like she is in her 20's. I hope that when I am 72 I feel like I am in my 20's. I am still working on that now. I wonder if I could feel like I was a teenager while in my 40's! She is just a bit older than my mother in law- and yet my mother in law has all the ailments of the typical "old age" and she looks her age as well (beautiful yet 70). My daughter looked at the cover of the book and couldn't believe that Mimi is 72. She said that she hoped she looked that good when she is 72. Me too!

I first heard she was working on a book over a year ago. I patiently waited for it to come out. It was worth the wait. It is chock full of tips, information and recipes. This book "Live Raw" by Mimi Kirk is a must have for every raw foodie's library- but I believe it also a great "just getting started" book as well. If you have a friend or family member who needs to make a change or is thinking about it- get them this book! So let's get to it..

Introduction

Chapter 1: The Pleasure of Feeling Good

What Raw Food Means
10 Steps For Maintaining Memory, Mobility, Independence, and Beauty
The Pitfalls Of What We Eat Right Now
If I May Take A Moment To Rant About Animal Consumption- Please

Chapter 2: What To Eat And Why

Functioning Of Major Body Parts
Detoxifying- So Gravity
Won't Get You Down
29 Tips For Staying Young At Any Age

Chapter 3: About Ingredients and Equipment

How To "Cook" Raw
Ingredients

Chapter 4: Herbs, Spices, And Condiments

Italian Mix
Mexican Mix
Asian Mix
Indian Mix
Moroccan Mix
Middle Eastern Mix
Greek Mix
Herbes De Provence
Sea Mix
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Ketchup
Olive Oil Garlic Butter
Dill Pickles

Chapter 5: Smoothies, Juices, Warm Drinks, Mocktails, And More

The Green Drink Daily Motto
Basic Green Smoothie
Power Greens
Tangerine Green Smoothie
Trip To The Moon
Granny's Smoothie
Watermelon-Honeydew Smoothie
Tropical Smoothie
What A Pear
Banana Mania
Berries And Chocolate
Summer Celebration
Almond Milk
Cacao Almond Milk
Banana Cacao Smoothie
Orange Ice Smoothie
Carrot Nog Smoothie
Aromatica Tea
Maca Coffee
Hot Chocolate, Only Better
Spice Chai, Warmed (Or Iced For Summer)
Warm Apple Chai
Sarma's "Green Mango" Shake
Chef Ito's Super Lunch Drink
Alissa Cohen's Neroli Blossom
Russell James's Aloe Lemonade
Mathew Kenney's Pineapple-Aloe Smoothie
Vanilla Sky Smoothie
Raw Chef Dan's Green Dream
Mia's Knock The Years Off Smoothie
Cherie's Peaches 'n' Cream
Ani's Ginger Lime Aid
Mockarita
Mojito In The Raw
Sangria Tease
Very Dirty Mocktini
Da Da Daiquiri
Pretender Mai Tai
Shots

Chapter 6: Breakfasts, Breads, And Crackers

Banana Blueberry Pancake
Granola Cereal Or Bar
Hearty Breakfast
Sprouted Oat Groats
Rawkin Cereal
Bagels
Caramelized Onion Bread
Cornbread
Herbed Bread
Sweet Or Savory Bread
Mediterranean Flat Bread
Flaxseed Crackers
Pizza Crackers
Corn Chips

Chapter 7: Soups

Butternut Squash Soup
Broccoli Soup
Tom Yum Miso Soup
Corn Soup
Thick Tomato Soup
Cream Of Mushroom Soup
Gazpacho
Avocado Soup

Chapter 8: Salads And Dressings

How To Sprout
Salads
Lettuce
Microgreen Salad
Caesar Salad
Arugula Salad
Fennel Salad
Sweet Pepper Antipasto
Chop-Chop Salad
Cool Cool Cabbage Salad
Simple Mediterranean Salad
High-Energy Salad
Spinach Salad
House Salad
Hail For Kale
Upscale Kale Salad
Parsley Salad
Granny's Progressive Waldorf Salad
Beet Salad
Cold Noodle Salad
Dressings
Seaweed Salad

Chapter 9: Cheese, Pates, Tapenades, Wrap, and Rolls

Basic Herbed Cheese
Cream Cheese
Cheddar Cheese
Pimento Cheese
Sour Cream
Cashew Parmesan
Pates, Hummus, And Tapenades
Zucchini Hummus
Cashew Hummus
Tzaziki
Mushroom Pate
Pumpkin And Sunflower Seed Pate
Red Pepper Pate
Tapenades For Breads Or Crackers
Wrap, Roll, And Assembly
Lettuce Wrap Salad
Sauces
Filling Ingredients For Wraps And Rolls
Corn Tortillas
Sweet Red Pepper Coconut Wrap
Verde Tortilla Wrap
Sweet Potato Wrap
How To Assemble A Collard Wrap
How To Assemble A Nori Sheet Wrap
Sushi Rice
How To Assemble A Cabbage Leaf Wrap
How To Assemble A Lettuce Leaf Wrap
Quick Lettuce Wrap
French Edive
How To Assemble A Cucumber Wrap

Chapter 10: Vegetables And Side Dishes

Modern Brussels Sprouts
Mashed Parsnips And Cauliflower
Ratatoille
Stuffed Zucchini Squash Blossoms
Jicama Fries
Kale Chips
Nachos This Side Of The Border
Mini Tostadas
Wild, Wild Rice
Tabbouleh
Curly Cucumber

Chapter 11: Main Courses

Chili
Macaroni And Cheese
Mike's Burger
Crabless Cakes And Tartar Sauce
Falafel
Spinach Quiche
Stuffed Grape Leaves
Vegetable Patties
Pizza
Pomodoro Lasagna
Pasta Alla Checca
Sweet Potato Gnocchi
Stuffed Portobello Mushroom With Basil Pesto
Portobello Mushroom Stew
Shiitake Mushroom Skewers
Enchilada
Fajitas
Thai Pasta
Warm Asian Noodles

Chapter 12: Sweets

Vanilla Ice Cream
Chocolate Ice Cream
Strawberry Ice Cream
Almond Cookie
Simple Cacao Chocolate
Ice Cream Sandwich
Chocolate-Covered Nutty Candy
Chocolate-Covered Treats
Macaroons
Chia Pudding
Banana Pudding
Chocolate Caramel Bar
Apple Pie
Baked Fruit
Three Pie Crusts
Fruit Pie Fillings
Peach Cobbler
Sweet Crepes
Mike's Birthday Brawnie
Blackberry Cheesecake

Yummy Dinner

2011-06-07T17:20:00.001-07:00

Pineapple, mint, and lime juiced.. Fill glass just over 3/4's of the way with juice and then top off with sparkling water. Delish!

Ani's Raw Food Asia by Ani Phyo

2011-06-05T09:31:00.000-07:00

I love Ani's books! This new book "Ani's Raw Food Asia" is no exception. The recipes are simple yet delicious and of course very, very flavorful! Another thing I love about this book is that it is chock full of tips for living an eco-friendly life- and tips for longevity, tips for living a Super life.

The pictures are amazing.. Not just pictures of the food- but pictures from all over Asia.. Amazing pictures!! I love to just thumb through the book to look at the pictures..

This book is a must have!! It is published by Da Capo Press- my favorite publishing company for vegan cookbooks!

Introduction:

Growing Up Korean American
Fresh, Living Cuisine
Raw Food: More Than Just a Diet
Kitchen Tools and Techniques
Ingredients and Substitutions
Techniques

Chapter 1 Drinks

Entertaining in the Raw
Nut Mylks
Date Syrup- India
Nut and Seed Mylk- India
Tea
Cinnamon, Fig, and Ginger Sun Tea- Korea
Shakes
Coconut Durian Shake- Thailand
Avocado Shake with Chocolate Fudge Sauce- Indonesia
Chocolate Fudge Sauce- Indonesia
Mango Lassi- India
Superfood Coconut Lemongrass Smoothie- Thailand
Cocktails
Pomegranate Cocktail- India
Blushing Roses- Japan
Cosmojitos- Vietnam
Vanilla Jalapeno Cocktail- Thailand
Fresh Lemonade Cocktail- Hawaii

Chapter 2 Salads and Dressings

Whole Foods Nutrition
Salads and Dressings
Sesame Romaine Salad- Korea
Spinach with Kreamy Miso Dressing- Japan
Green Mango and Coconut Noodle Salad- Thailand
Carrot, Cucumber, and Red Bell Pepper Matchstick Salad- Indonesia
Rainbow Salad with Tahini Dressing- Indonesia
Seaweed and Daikon Salad- Korea
Green Papaya Salad- Thailand
Radish Sprout and Pea Salad with Parsley Dressing- Korea
Pineapple, Red Cabbage, and Corn Salad- Indonesia
Arame and Nori Salad with Micro Greens and Cabbage- Japan
Black and Tan Encrusted Coconut Meat on a Bed of Shredded Daikon, Carrots, and Cucumbers Tossed in Goddess Dressing- Japan

Chapter 3 Pickles, Condiments, and Accompaniments

Probiotics
Pickles
Cucumber Pickle- Indonesia
Fast Cucumber Salad- Thailand
Daikon Lemon Pickle- Japan
Crunchy Cucumber Slices- Korea
Easy Kimchi- Korea
White Kimchi- Korea
Daikon Kimchi- Korea
Cucumber Kimchi- Korea
Namuls
Asparagus Namul- Korea
Mung Bean Sprout Namul- Korea
Okra Namul- Korea
Zucchini Namul- Korea
Cucumber Namul- Korea
Spinach Namul- Korea
Shiitake Mushroom Namul- Korea
Crushed Mixed Nori- Korea
Chicory and Endive Namul- Korea

Chapter 4: Sides

A Clean Environment
Sides
Kreamed Curry Saag Spinach- India
Baby Bok Choy with Chinese Cabbage in Ginger Sauce- China
Mixed Vegetable Skewers with Almond Butter Sauce- Hawaii
Vegetable Tempura with Orange Lemongrass Dipping Sauce- Japan
Marinated Shiitake Mushroom Dumplings with Lemon Soy Dipping Sauce- Korea
Cilantro Cheeze- Stuffed Cucumber Ravioli- Vietnam
Lotus Root Chips with Pine Nut Mustard Sauce- Japan
Pine Nut Mustard Sauce- Japan

Chapter 5: Soups and Curries

Toxin-Free Living
Soups
Chilled Cucumber Soup- Korea
Miso Soup with Spinach and Bean Sprouts- Korea
Sesame Mushroom Soup- Korea
Seaweed Soup with Shiitake and Daikon- Japan
Coconut Tomato Soup- Thailand
Coconut Hot and Sour Soup with Mixed Marinated Mushrooms- China
Green Papaya Soup- Thailand
Curries
Jackfruit Curry- Indonesia
Yellow Coconut Curry Vegetables- India
Orange Coconut Curry Sauce- India
Curry Sauce with Raisins- Hawaii
Rendang Curry- Indonesia

Chapter 6: Rolls, Wraps, and Pancakes

Physical Fitness
Rolls, Wraps, and Pancakes
Iceberg Lettuce Wraps with Mock Tamarind Sauce- Thailand
Tamarind Sauce- Thailand
Mock Tamarind Sauce- Thailand
Mint Chutney- India
Samosas with Tomato Dal and Mock Tamarind Sauce- India
Tomato Dal- India
Summer Rolls with Ginger "Peanut" Sauce- Vietnam
Ginger "Peanut" Sauce- Vietnam
Rendang Curry- Filled Samosas- India
Vegetable Pakora- India
Corn Fritters with a Hot and Sour Cucumber Dipping Sauce- Indonesia
Dosas with Vegetables and Dipping Sauces- India
Coconut Wrappers- India
Pineapple Coconut Wrappers- Vietnam
Moo Shoo Vegetables with Hoisin Sauce- China
Scallion Pancakes with Spicy Sesame Oil Dipping Sauce- Korea
Spring Rolls with Mango Dipping Sauce- Indonesia
Mango Dipping Sauce- Vietnam
Mushroom "Bul Go Gi"- Korea
Mushroom "Bul Go Gi" Filled Daikon Wraps- Korea
Mushroom "Bul Go Gi" Lettuce Wraps- Korea
"Rice" with Catsup and Vegetables in Coconut Wrappers- Korea
Summer Rolls with a Mustard Soy Sauce and a Kiwi Sauce- Vietnam
Kimchi Wraps- Korea

Chapter 7: Noodles

Rest and Recovery
Noodles
Sukiyaki Mushrooms with Noodles- Japan
Spicy Mixed Vegetable Noodles- Korea
Glass Noodles with Marinated Mushrooms, Spinach and Carrots- Korea
"Fried" Vegetable Noodles with "Deep Fried" Shallots- Indonesia
"Deep Fried" Shallots- Japan
Noodles and Vegetables in a Red Curry Sauce- Thailand
Red Curry Paste- Thailand
Noodles in Seaweed Broth with Japanese Seven-Spice- Japan
Seven-Spice Seasoning- Japan
Vegetarian Pho with Vegetables and Hoisin Sauce- Vietnam
Hoisin Sauce- Vietnam

Chapter 8: Rice

Social Fitness
Rice
Sweet Corn "Rice" with Lemongrass Chili- Singapore
Cashew Nut "Rice"- Hawaii
Mushroom "Rice"- Korea
Jicama "Rice" with Sliced Scallions and Sesame Oil- Vietnam
Bi-Bim-Bop (Mixed Vegetable "Rice") with Gochujang- Korea
Gochujang- Korea
Pineapple "Fried Rice" with Pineapple Curry Sauce- Thailand
Pineapple Mango "Rice" with Honey Lemon Sauce- Hawaii
Coconut Saffron "Rice" with Tomato Mango Sambal- Indonesia
Tomato Mango Sambal- Indonesia
Garam Masala- India
Kashimiri Pulao- India
Vegetable Pulao- India
Mixed Vegetable Seaweed Rolls- Korea
Mixed Vegetable Nori Rolls with Pickled Ginger and Wasabi- Japan
Pickled Ginger- Japan
Wasabi- Japan
Wasabi Mayo- Japan
Kimchi Kim Bap- Korea
Wasabi Mayo, Umeboshi Plum, and Shiso Leaf Nori Roll- Japan
Zucchini and Shiitake Kim Bap with Daikon- Korea

Chapter 9: Desserts

Happiness
Desserts
Buckwheat Crispies- China
Halo-Halo Shaved Ice with Coconut, Fruit, Cashew Kream and Matcha Green Tea Ice Kream- Philippines
Coconut Balls in Sweet Rose Kream with Pistachios- India
Five-Spice Poached Pears Parfait with Candied Walnuts- China
Chinese Five-Spice- China
Saffron Cardamom Cashew "Rice" Pudding with Rose Water- India
Rose Water- India
Vanilla Cinnamon "Rice" Pudding with Coconut Milk and Sliced Banana- Indonesia
Asian Black "Rice" Chia Pudding- Indonesia
Sweet Sesame Halvah- Korea
Lychee Asian Lime Crepes with Ginger Pear Sorbet- Thailand
Mochi Coconut Maki Rolls with Chocolate Fudge Sauce- Japan
Matcha Green Tea Ice Kream- Japan
Lavender Ice Kream with Blackberry Jam, Lavender Syrup, and Cashew Kream on Buckwheat Biscuit- Indonesia
Coconut Vanilla Goji Berry Ice Kream- China
Chai Ice Kream with Chocolate Syrup- India
Kreamy Shaved Ice with Fresh Fruit and Chocolate Syrup- Korea

Chapter 10: Menus

Menus for Entertaining
Brunch
Cocktail Parties
Dinner Parties
Picnics
Birthdays and Celebrating
Weddings
Buffets and Potlucks
Romantic Dinners
Take-Home Gifts

Afterward: Raw Food For Longevity

Theories on Longevity

Things I've Learned

Living Light Chef Showcase, Hot Chefs, Cool Kitchen Part 8

2011-05-30T16:34:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I have shared about the dvd's from Living Light Chef Showcase- Hot Chef's Cool Kitchen. A couple of weeks ago I watched 2 demo's from Victoria Boutenko. The first was on puddings and parfaits using green smoothies. I was so excited about what I learned that I immediately made a huge batch of puddings. I posted those results here on the blog. The kids loved them. I loved their simplicity and that because of the added fiber (psyllium husk) the resulting puddings will keep for 5 days in the fridge- perfect for busy moms. You could spend an hour on Sunday making a bunch- put them in pint or half pint canning jars- lid them and put in fridge. Snacks and lunches for the week!

The 2nd demo was on savory smoothies. This has saved my life! My hubby has been growing weary of green smoothies.. He is a hot and spicy loving guy. After watching Victoria's demo on savory smoothies I immediately made a savory smoothie (been posting the results here on the blog) and served it as a soup topped with sprouts, chopped avocado, tomatoes, onions and such. He loved it! I have been getting green smoothies into him every single day since then by utilizing the savory smoothie. Sometimes he drinks them in a glass but if he is really hungry I serve it as a soup.

If you would like to see these demo's then head over to Living Light Culinary Arts Institute to pick up the dvd's.. I have learned a lot from watching these dvds.. If you want to expand your knowledge on the raw food diet but can't afford or don't have the time to attend a raw chef program then get the dvd's.. You will be glad you did!

Hubby Eating His Savory Smoothie

2011-05-27T09:16:00.001-07:00

Hubby's Breakfast

2011-05-26T13:36:00.001-07:00

Lunch Smoothie

2011-05-23T12:20:00.001-07:00

Pea shoots, sunflower greens, mint, parsley, bee pollen, coconut water and meat, strawberries, lemons, and bananas.

Snack for hubby

2011-05-20T13:37:00.001-07:00

Strawberry/Banana ice cream

My Breakfast

2011-05-20T10:43:00.001-07:00

Spinach
Parsley
Pea shoots
Bee pollen
Coconut water and meat
Bananas
Blueberries
Lemons
Mint
Chia Seeds

Hubby's Breakfast

2011-05-20T10:04:00.001-07:00

Yes, he loves his raw soup!

Yummy Juice This Morning

2011-05-20T09:27:00.001-07:00

Hubby's Breakfast

2011-05-19T11:04:00.001-07:00

In the bowl is the savory smoothie I posted the recipe for yesterday.

The toppings are:

Sprouts

Red onion

sliced snow peas

red bell pepper

tomato

sliced jalapeno

pea shoots

crunchy dehydrated lentil sprouts

dulse flakes

This has become hubby's favorite meal. If I had only known this years ago- he doesn't like sweet smoothies- give him savory/spicy all the way!

Hubby's Dinner

2011-05-18T16:56:00.001-07:00

Spicy Savory Soup

In the blender:

handful of sunflower greens

handful of parsley

big handful of cilantro

1/3 of a bunch of mustard greens

handful of spinach

1/2 large cucumber

juice of 2 limes and the juice of 1 lemon

2 avocados

2 cloves of garlic

chunk of red bell pepper

half a jalapeno

3 roma tomatoes

water enough to blend

This makes 5 generous bowls of soup.

Topped the soup with 1 diced roma tomato, diced cucumbers, lentil sprouts that had been dehydrated with a bit of olive oil and sea salt (crispy yuminess) 1 diced avocado, some diced red onions and pea shoots. Oh and dulse flakes.

More juicing

2011-05-18T13:39:00.001-07:00

I used the new Jay Kordich Power Grind Pro to juice all of this lovely carrot/apple/celery juice.

Hubby's Lunch

2011-05-18T12:50:00.001-07:00

Juicing with Jay Kordich Power Grind Pro

2011-05-18T11:32:00.001-07:00

I am excited to tell you about my experiences with this juicer from Jay Kordich. First off- I had the privilege of meeting Jay and Linda Kordich a year ago at the Modern Manna's Health and Healing Crusade. What an honor it was!

They are truly wonderful people and I am so blessed to know them. They are doing some great things in the raw food world- teaching people about juicing and how to live an amazing- healthy life!

I was very excited to hear about this new juicer. The first thing that intrigued me was that it makes nut milk! Yep! This was the first thing I tried out and the kids loved it. I used less water than normal and threw in an apple for sweetness- and it was the best. I love that I can now make nut milk without having to add sweeteners. This feature alone makes it a worthwhile investment to me. For those of you who make nut milks often- you understand what I am saying. No more blenders, no more nut milk bags, no more squeezing the pulp.. Simplicity! And the nut pulp was very dry.

On to juicing. I have learned a thing or two since getting my juicer. First off- it has a built in shut off mechanism so prevent it from over heating- when you get too much pulp build up. If your juicer stops juicing just turn it off- take off the lid- remove the pulp from the lid and scrape the pulp from the screen- should work just fine after that. This is not a problem when doing a small amount of juice- up to a few qts but when you are juicing larger amounts- for 9 people let's say- it is kind of annoying. Today I juiced lots of greens, lemons, carrots, apples, and ginger.. Enough for the whole family (9 people) and 3 qts for the rest of the day. I had to stop many times to scoop and scrape out pulp. Not that big of deal but I just wanted to keep juicing. I am not sure I will use this juicer when doing this much juice again- I did 15 lbs of carrots, 5 lbs apples, 5 lemons, 1 lb cilantro, 1 lb parsley, 2 lbs kale, 2 heads of celery, and 6 cucumbers- just so you know how much juice I made. I normally DO NOT juice this much at once but everyone wanted juice at the same time so I did. Normally I would only do about 5 to 7 lbs of produce at one time.

The Power Grind Pro- it is a slower juicer- like a cross between the GreenStar juicer and a upright juicer.

Check out the videos below to learn more about this juicer.

Lunch for the Family

2011-05-17T13:15:00.001-07:00

Baked potato bar, avocado, red bell pepper, jalapeno, pea shoots and dulse flakes.

Hubby's Breakfast

2011-05-17T09:40:00.001-07:00

Green Smoothie Parfait

2011-05-16T21:37:00.001-07:00

To learn how to make this parfait check out Victoria Boutenko's book Green Smoothie Revolution- it has a chapter on puddings.. It is delicious!

Boys lunch

2011-05-16T12:18:00.003-07:00

Breakfast

2011-05-16T12:18:00.001-07:00

Simply delicious!

Better Than A V-8

2011-05-16T10:46:00.001-07:00

3 large tomatoes

1 large avocado

1 cucumber

3 stalks of celery

2 cloves of garlic

juice of 3 smallish limes

1 cup of pea shoots

1/2 bunch of cilantro

1 large jalapeno (more or less to taste)

dash of sea salt

Blend well- you will not need to add any water to this. Makes about 2 qts. You could use spinach in place of pea shoots.

Dinner for my boys

2011-05-15T18:15:00.001-07:00

Savory Green Smoothie

2011-05-14T09:30:00.001-07:00

Served as soup. It was a hit

Raw Vegan Ravioli's

2011-05-02T13:58:00.001-07:00

Thinly sliced beets- marinated in herbs, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. Filled with my cashew herbed cream cheese. Topped with a herb infused garlic olive oil.

Living Light Chef Showcase, Hot Chefs, Cool Kitchen Part 7

2011-04-28T21:15:00.000-07:00

This week I watched a demo by Chef Heather Haxo Phillips of Raw Bay Area, hosted by Chef Cherie Soria. I loved her presentation because I have been wanting to learn more about making kefir. She made water kefir using the coconut water from a young thai coconut. Then she used the kefir to make coconut yogurt. Another thing I have been wanting to learn more about fermented foods. She used the yogurt to make a lovely breakfast parfait.

The next demo was for low glycemic chocolate almond butter cups by Chef Colleen Cackowski of Best Raw Chef. The presentation was hosted by Chef Cherie Soria. This demo was wonderful because Chef Colleen is the winner in several catergories of the first two Best of Raw Cacao contests. She knows her stuff when it comes to chocolate. I learned what oils are best to use for what type of chocolate I am trying to make, I learned about tempering and so much more.

If you would like to see theses presentations you can purchase the dvds from last years Living Light Chef Showcase. They are already gearing up for the 2011 showcase- but you can still get 2010's!

Making Almond Milk in a Juicer???

2011-04-21T21:57:00.000-07:00

Jay and Linda Kordich are my friends and I care about them very much. But I must admit I was a bit skeptical about the claim that their new juicer could make nut milk. I am happy to report that the claims are true- not only are they true but I was blown away with the resulting nut milk! Imagine making almond milk and not having to use a sweetener to sweeten the milk! This morning I made almond milk as Linda does in this video. Where she adds a pear slice I added a whole apple. I used 2 cups of water to 1 cup of almonds and 1 apple. The resulting milk was amazing. My 3 youngest boys loved the milk, even my husband enjoyed it. A little tip. If you make milk and then decide to juicer after- make sure to rinse the screen to remove the excess almond pulp. If that screen gets clogged the juicer shuts down.. Yep- it happened to me and I thought the juicer had died. Thank God it was a simple mistake.

Stay tuned for more reviews on this juicer. Just being able to make my almond and other nut milks this easy makes this juicer so worth it! To learn more about the juicer go to Jay's WEBSITE.

Lookie what the Fed Ex guy just delivered!!!

2011-04-20T17:12:00.000-07:00

A new product review... The new juicer from Jay Kordich! The Power Grind pro.. You can even make nut juice in it! I am getting my nuts soaking and tomorrow will try it out. I also have the dvd to watch and we will be juicing tomorrow!

Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead

2011-04-17T11:51:00.000-07:00

An amazing film. A must see!

Testimonies of people who saw the film and decided to reboot their lives:

Fred Diaz- a butcher with Whole Foods

Joe Kramer Embarks on a 60 day reboot

Joe Kramer Day 1

Joe Kramer Day 4

Joe Kramer Week 2

Joe Kramer Day 15-30

Joe Kramer Day 31-60

Joe Kramer- final check in with Dr Fuhrman

More info on Juice Man "Joe" Joe Kramer

Wright On Time Book 1 by Lisa M Cottrell-Bentley

2011-04-13T21:16:00.000-07:00

I know that I mostly review cookbooks and health related books. These books are so special I made an exception- I am after all a homeschooling mom. Wright on Time Book 1 is published by Do Life Right and written by Lisa M Cottrell-Bentley.

Meet the Wright family- Harrison the dad, Stephanie the mom, Nadia and Aiden the children. The Wright family are a homeschooling family traveling the United States in a RV seeking adventure, family time and an education they could never get in a public school setting (or home for that matter- though not all homeschoolers could load their kids in a RV and travel the US). By the way- The Wrights are vegan- I asked the author. She is slowly introducing veganism through each book. It isn't discussed at this point but you do see them eating healthy meals.

Book 1 covers Arizona (each book covers a different state). The Wright's go on a cave expedition. Through the eyes of the Aiden and Nadia we learn about rock formations, stalagmites and stalactites, malachite, soda straw formations, bats, and more. The book had my boys and I looking up caves and rock formations online.

Each chapter was intriguing enough and short enough to keep the attention of my 7 and 1o year old boys. At the end of the book is a great glossary of terms used and more information about Arizona. My boys loved this book and to be honest so did I!

The next adventure is Utah so stay tuned..

My Breakfast 4/11/2011

2011-04-11T10:03:00.000-07:00

This is my breakfast this morning. The water from 1 young Thai coconut (if I don't plan on having a smoothie that day I scoop out the meat, put into a little zippy bag and throw in the freezer for future use) and 1 serving of Barley Max (my favorite is the berry flavored). I am doing a juice and smoothie feast but these past couple of days I have been doing just juice and plan to continue to do so until I crave something more substantial then I will have a smoothie.

Breakfast was delicious. When I have the water of a coconut I feel like I am having something decadent.

Green Smoothie Recipe Submissions Needed

2011-04-10T20:01:00.000-07:00

Ok my fellow green smoothie enthusiasts I have a request. I am speaking at a vegan conference in June. My topic will be green smoothies. I am putting together a booklet of my own recipes and some recipes from some of my facebook friends and fellow bloggers.. I am looking for great tasting green smoothies. What I mean by that is that as a long time smoothie drinker I can handle a lot of greens- even less sweet smoothies but people who are new to green smoothies may not be able to handle that. With you recipe you can include a short bio of yourself (a picture of yourself if you like) and the link to your blog/or website. If you have written a ebook/book etc... you can give the link for that as well. I will be selling this book. For your submission you will be getting advertisement in the booklet.

If you are interested or have questions please email me at debra@veganfamilystyle.com

Vegetable Pot Pie

2011-04-09T17:52:00.001-07:00

Today the girls made vegetable/lentil pot pie from La Dolce Vegan! by Sarah Kramer. It was a huge hit. Now next time I will get them to use half whole wheat flour/half organic white flour but this was their doing and they did a good job. Everyone loved it. It smells amazing (which is all I got was a good whiff of it- as I am juice/smoothie fasting). Hubby gave it 2 thumbs up!

The Battle of the Nut Cheeses!

2011-04-09T14:19:00.000-07:00

On the left we have cashew cheese, on the right we have almond cheese. If you look closely at the almond cheese you can see it is not as smooth. I wanted it to be thicker and so I added less rejuvelac.. Should have went with more rejuvelac- maybe it would have been smoother. The boys love it but the older girls said "it tastes like a raw nut cheese where the cashew cheese tastes like regular cream cheese." I was surprised because when the cashew cheese was first finished you could still taste the cashews but after sitting in the fridge overnight you no longer taste cashews- just creamy goodness.. Yum!

Cashew Cheese won this war but the battle is far from over. I have so much to learn about raw nut cheeses.

A Juicy Saturday...

2011-04-09T12:54:00.000-07:00

Kale, Dandelion, Ginger, Pineapple, Carrots, Cucumbers, Celery, and Lemon.. Very strong but a cleanser indeed!

Food Art Step By Step

2011-04-09T11:51:00.000-07:00

I got to thinking a couple of weeks ago.. I am making raw food dishes that I want people to love. What could I do to make them even more appealing? For most raw foodies we get excited over a beautiful heirloom tomato. Just a picture of one is art to us. But what about those who are not raw foodies- how could you draw them in? Garnishing, making the plate beautiful- even whimsical would certainly do the trick. My children recently got involved in the youth groups at the new church we are attending. As vegans it is not easy for them when snacks are being served. I got to thinking that I should take a plater of fruit or veggies in when they are having special functions or parties. I don't want to embarrass the kids so I asked them "What if I made the display amazing so that the others would want to partake in all of the goodies?" They thought this was a great idea.

I am sure garnishing is taught at places like Living Light Culinary Arts Institute but I can't afford to go to Living Light right now- so I learn a lot on my own. I started with a google search and found Chef John Gargone's website Food Garnishing. He has a dvd on Food Garnishing and Fruit Displays, another dvd on Knife Skills and Kitchen Safety (stay tuned for that review) and a book "Food Art, Garnishing Made Easy". Today I am reviewing his dvd on Food Garnishing.

I watched the dvd last night and learned a lot of great techniques. The dvd covers the following:

Specialty Cutting Techniques
How to tourney vegetables
Easy how to carve vegetable tulips
Create an unusual tulip centerpiece
Vegetable logs, diamonds and triangles
Vegetable borders to hold products
Cucumber rings for salads and condiments
Creating salad bouquet presentation
How to peel, section and slice citrus
Melon flower centerpiece or appetizer
How to peel, slice, and fun melon for display
How to create sliced fruit displays
Mis en place and salad preparation
Salad border garnishing
Vegetables Apeeling presentations
Plate and platter rim garnishing

Chef Gargone is not a vegan or a raw foodist so I need to make that perfectly clear- this dvd is not about veganism or raw foodism- it is about learning the basics of food garnishing and fruit displays. After watching just once I was able to make the garnishes pictured below.

I learned some knife skills as well as garnishing techniques. This is a great dvd to get started in the art of food garnishing. I am excited to learn more. I can see myself doing fruit and veggie displays at weddings and other events- that would be so fun!

The dvd was well made and entertaining. It is well worth the investment to learn how to highlight your dishes with amazing garnishes. One of the things I loved about the dvd was the salad bouquets. I will use that tip on presentation over and over again. The fruit displays looked amazing, I can't wait for the opportunity to do my own fruit display using the techniques I have learned from this dvd.

Living Light Chef Showcase, Hot Chefs, Cool Kitchen Part 6

2011-04-07T19:55:00.000-07:00

I think of all the demo's I have watched so far I enjoyed this one the best. Chad Sarno took a simplistic yet gourmet approach to the ingredients. He really stressed that we should look for ways to showcase the amazing flavors of the veg!

The first demo was showcasing the glorious tomato! 3 simple dishes using this glorious dish! I learned so much from this demo and got several ideas for my own creations just from watching him work.. I can't wait for heirloom tomatoes to be in season again!

We have been talking a lot on Facebook about simplicity and this demo fit right in. The tomatoes looked amazing! I was longing for a nice juicy heirloom tomato after it was over.

The next demo was on watermelon tots and rellenos. Both amazing looking. The watermelon tots- oh my! I can't wait for watermelon to be in season again! I love watermelon.. So simple..

His last dish was rellenos. They looked incredible.

One thing that was enjoyable about these demos was Chef Chad has amazing knife skills! I was blown away. It definitely inspired me to work on my knife skills.

The demos were hosted by Cherie Soria- which is always a pleasure! She is always full of great questions and tips.

If you are serious about wanting to learn more about raw food uncooking but can't afford to go to Living Light at this moment then you need to buy the replay of this showcase.. You can watch it online or buy the dvds. They are worth the money. I have learned so much from these demos.

If you want to learn more click HERE

Living Light Chef Showcase, Hot Chefs, Cool Kitchen Part 5

2011-04-02T20:56:00.000-07:00

This is Chef Vinette Thompson

This is Chef Tina Jo Stephens

Tonight I watched two demos- one for Chef Tina Jo's recipe of bbq meatballs. The other for Chef Vinette's recipe for coconut cream pie. Chef Vinette did both the demo's as Chef Tina Jo couldn't make the showcase due to illness. Both demo's were amazing. Cherie Soria was the hostess with the mostest! She asks just the right questions. I love learning from her. I wish I could take a class at Living Light! Chef Vinette is also amazing. I have learned so much from watching her demos. Both dishes looked amazing and I can't wait to try them.

To purchase the replay package (watch online) or the actual dvds please click HERE

Smoothies and Rejuvelac

2011-04-02T14:57:00.000-07:00

Today I went to a couple of our local health food stores. Both looked like little holes in the wall but I was pleasantly surprised. One had every herb and superfood you could imagine in bulk jars. I can try a couple of ounces of irish moss rather than buying a pound. I was like a kid in a candy store. I ended up getting some tea, xylitol, rye berries, hard red wheat berries and bee pollen from this store. I also left my card- they are interested in classes or at least referring me out. The next store had a little bit of everything- honey by the gallon, all kinds of products I use on a regular basis- so I know if I run out before I can order more in bulk I can get enough to get me by here.

I went to Raleys and found young Thai coconuts for $1.99 each! Cheapest in town. I thought my Asian market would be cheaper- he had quoted me at $16 a case but his source raised their prices and I paid $20 and that wasn't even enough to cover his cost. He said he wouldn't order again. So Raley's is it. I told him to please keep ordering it and I would keep buying it.

I came home and made smoothies that pack a punch! Hubby isn't feeling well so this was to clean us out! I made 6 qts of smoothie for the rest of today and tomorrow morning. I used 1 whole bunch of dandelion greens, 1/4 of a head of napa cabbage, chia seeds, blueberries, mixed frozen fruit, bananas, coconut water and meat, and bee pollen. It isn't as sweet as normal because the punch of the dandelion greens but it was good.

Today for the first time ever I am making rejuvelac.. I was told by a friend on facebook that the Grezzo cheese in Alissa Cohen's new book is awesome! So I set out to make the rejuvelac needed for the recipe. I will keep you posted on my progress. This recipe makes 1 gallon of rejuvelac- which is enough to make many batches of the cheese which you can also freeze.

2 New Books

2011-03-31T20:00:00.001-07:00

Today I picked up this book at Borders. I had been trying to get a review copy for a while with no luck.. I will let you know how I like it. I have found a couple of recipes already that look good.

This is another book I had been trying to get a review copy of.. Since I was unable to obtain one I finally picked up a copy. Babycakes is a bakery in NYC. All vegan and mostly gluten baked goods. With the kids getting more involved with the youth groups at our new church I needed to get some amazing recipes for baked items I could take to church when snacks and goodies were needed.

I have been saving some recipes from various blogs as well but I have just heard so much great and amazing things about Babycakes. Many famous chefs, actors and actresses have reviewed Babycakes and all said "Outstanding, delicious, amazing, can't believe it's vegan!" Those are the responses I want from these kids.. So I had to get the book..

So stay tuned for my thoughts on these books in the near future..

Hay Bale Garden, Waist Height Raised Bed and more at the Orange County G...

2011-03-30T23:03:00.000-07:00

How to Mitigate Strong Winds in Your Vegetable Garden and Harbor Freight...

2011-03-30T22:27:00.000-07:00

Growing Wheat Grass with Got Sprouts?

2011-03-30T21:03:00.001-07:00

Growing Sunflower Greens.. Great for salads and smoothies..

2011-03-29T11:58:00.001-07:00

Today on the Menu...

2011-03-29T10:48:00.001-07:00

This is my breakfast, lunch and dinner... Green smoothies.. Napa cabbage, chia seeds, coconut meat and water, lemon, blueberries, strawberries, and bananas. Yum! This has become my favorite smoothie.

I am a lemon head!

2011-03-28T14:45:00.000-07:00

I love Hello Kitty.. Until yesterday I have refrained from spending my money on anything Hello Kitty related.. Then it happened.. While in Target yesterday buying notebooks for the boys I found this little notebook. I love lemons. They are one of my favorite fruits and so good for you. Hello Kitty and lemons! I couldn't pass it up.

From LifeMojo:

Daily consumption of lemon water provides a number of health benefits like:

Good for stomach
Lemon can help relieve many digestion problems when mixed with hot water. These include nausea, heartburn and parasites. Due to the digestive qualities of lemon juice, symptoms of indigestion such as heartburn, bloating and belching are relieved. By drinking lemon juice regularly, the bowels are aided in eliminating waste more efficiently. Lemon acts as a blood purifier and as a cleansing agent. The intake of lemon juice can cure constipation. It is even known to help relieve hiccups when consumed as a juice. Lemon juice acts as a liver tonic and helps you digest your food by helping your liver produce more bile. It decreases the amount of phlegm produced by your body. It is also thought to help dissolve gallstones.
Excellent for Skin Care
Lemon, being a natural antiseptic medicine, can participate to cure problems related to skin. Lemon is a vitamin C rich citrus fruit that enhances your beauty, by rejuvenating skin from within and thus bringing a glow on your face. Daily consumption of lemon water can make a huge difference in the appearance of your skin. It acts as an anti-aging remedy and can remove wrinkles and blackheads. Lemon water if applied on the areas of burns can fade the scars. As lemon is a cooling agent, it reduces the burning sensation on the skin.
Aids in Dental Care
Lemon water is used in dental care also. If fresh lemon juice is applied on the areas of toothache, it can assist in getting rid of the pain. The massages of lemon juice on gums can stop gum bleeding. It gives relief from bad smell and other problems related to gums.
Cures Throat Infections
Lemon is an excellent fruit that aids in fighting problems related to throat infections, sore throat and tonsillitis as it has an antibacterial property. For sore throat, dilute one-half lemon juice with one-half water and gargle frequently.
Good for Weight Loss
One of the major health benefits of drinking lemon water is that it paves way for losing weight faster, thus acting as a great weight loss remedy. If a person takes lemon juice mixed with lukewarm water and honey, it can reduce the body weight as well.
Controls High Blood Pressure
Lemon water works wonders for people having heart problem, owing to its high potassium content. It controls high blood pressure, dizziness, nausea as well as provides relaxation to mind and body. It also reduces mental stress and depression.
Assist in curing Respiratory Disorders
Lemon water assists in curing respiratory problems, along with breathing problems and revives a person suffering from asthma.
Good for treating Rheumatism
Lemon is also a diuretic and hence lemon water can treat rheumatism and arthritis. It helps to flush out bacteria and toxins out of the body.
Reduces Fever
Lemon water can treat a person who is suffering from cold, flu or fever. It helps to break fever by increasing perspiration.
Acts as a blood purifier
The diseases like cholera or malaria can be treated with lemon water as it can act as a blood purifier.

Breakfast Smoothie Yum, Yum....

2011-03-27T12:34:00.000-07:00

Today's smoothie... Chia seed, Coconut meat and water, whole lemon, blueberries, strawberries, bananas and napa cabbage.. Yum!!!! Have about 3/4's of a qt left for dinner tonight.

Breakfast This Fine Saturday Morning!

2011-03-26T11:12:00.001-07:00

Todays smoothie consists of: Kale, Coconut (meat and water), Chia seed, Lemon (whole), Bananas, Blueberries, a few Strawberries, and some Agave Nectar (don't use if your smoothie is sweet enough already). Enough water to blend up. Made 3 qts (one for breakfast for hubby and me, and one for me for dinner). With about 4 ounces leftover that one of the kids drank. Yum!

Raw Wraps For Lunch

2011-03-25T12:33:00.000-07:00

Today I made a couple of types of raw wraps. First I made a guacamole. One wrap is wrapped with long slices of zucchini- but my zucchini wasn't big enough so the slices are narrow- so I switched to romaine leaves. Topped with guacamole (which was loaded with cherry tomatoes), cucumbers, green onions, and herb lettuces blend... It was very good!!

Recipe Please.....

2011-03-25T10:52:00.000-07:00

Arugula and Orange Salad with Basil Vinaigrette

10 cups of arugula washed and spinned (you can mix the arugula with other greens if you prefer)

3 medium oranges- peel them. Cut oranges in half lengthwise and then crosswise into 1/4 inch slices.

Basil Vinaigrette

Into Mason Jar:

2 shallots minced

3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar

1/3 cup cold pressed extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup basil finely chopped

Put lid on jar and shake. Season with salt and pepper.

Put your greens in bowl. Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss to coat. Place dressed salad on plates and divide oranges amongst the plate (on the salad of course!). Serves 6.