Day 14! So much energy!

Hi Everyone. Hope you've been staying inspired while I was not writing. This is my 14th day and I'm finding that this is not as unusual as I thought. As I continue searching for recipes and advice online I am finding so many resources and other peeps who are and have been eating this way forever! I watched a video on youtube last night on how to make a raw chocolate mousse pie. Unreal! Haven't tried yet, but definitely on my list. Yesterday I packed my cooler with all of the ingreadients for the Acocado Kale Salad and made it sitting at the end of the water. We had raw fudge for desert while we watched the sunset. Incredible experience!

Anyway, I know this seems out of reach for many people, and I realize how hard it would be if you had a family to cook for or convince that this kind of food can sustain you. But after 2 weeks, the longest I've been raw, I'm starting to feel like this could be a new way of life for me. We'll see. Maybe a raw food restaraunt is in my future? "Rawesome!" Love, Love , Love~ Everybody. Namaste~

Raw Kale Chips Recipe

 

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Dehydrator Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours, 5 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 large bunch curly leaf kale
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon cold-pressed olive oil
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Preparation:

Tear small pieces of kale off of the stems and lay them out on mesh dehydrator sheets (or baking trays if you are using an oven). Sprinkle raw kale with 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt and place in the dehydrator.
For the first hour, dehydrate at 145°F, then turn the trays around and lower the temperature to 115°F.
Check them in another hour and either remove or keep dehydrating to your desired crispiness.
Place dehydrated kale chips in a bowl and sprinkle with the oil, nutritional yeast and remaining sea salt to taste. Gently toss the kale (a sensitive operation but you'll get used to it) and serve your raw kale chips immediately!
You can stop dehydrating your kale when they are at your desired crispiness. Around our house we let it go until they make a loud crunching sound in your mouth, that seems to be how you get children to gobble them up.
Enjoy your healthy raw kale chips! They're delicious!

Day 9 - Sprouting Consciousness-

So I am bound and determined to figure this sprouting thing out. Seems like some peeps leave out some info, like placing sprouts in darkness or covering them with a towel after the initial soak. So I am throwing away a big bowl of Raw Tabouli today. It's O.K, I have some new quinoa soaking now. I think the problem was, besides the darkness thing, that I let them sprout too long. I guess once the tail, or sprout, is as long as the bean or grain, then they are done. One recipe said that when you bite into it it's soft and chewy, like bulgar. I think I should have put them in the fridge, which stops the sprouting process, after the first day instead of waiting it out for two. Oh well, nothing too serious. They just started to smell sour. I made the tabouli anyway thinking this was normal. But not so!

Today I am going to attempt Raw Fudge and Kale chips in my dehydrator. I've heard the chips are a yummy substitution for potato chips, which I never eat, and can satisfy a salt craving. I normally eat a lot of corn chips since I am gluten free because of sinus issues and digestive problems. So I'm really excited to try these, once they're done.

Day 7 - My Sweet Tooth is Killing Me!

My refrigerator looks like a garden in full bloom. A friend is graciously sharing his share of a CSA (community supported agriculture) where you pay a set amount at the beginning of the season and then one day a week receive an abundance of freshly picked vegetables. You should see the amazing heirloom tomatoes, juicy green peppers, bib lettuce and sweet grape tomatoes I  got on Saturday from him! I also bought some Cacoa Nips and am going to make some Raw Fudge soon to ease my sweet tooth. I have been talking raw with people everywhere I go and there are more people interested in this way of eating than I ever imagined. So.....Updog Yoga will be hosting  a class called, "The Yoga of Nutrition" on August 21st from 4 till 5:30pm with Moses and Zeina. The cost is only $15.00 and you will be learning about this way of eating and healing your body from some real pros! Hope you can join us. I am continuing to have a green smoothie daily which makes me feel so energized. I ate out a couple times over the weekend and was overwhelmed by the support the restaurants around town offered to create a salad for me with all raw ingredients. Yesterdays spread of food was beautiful and included mango salsa, guacamole and raw hommus with raw crackers(or Flackers), fresh carrots and watermelon. What a delicious meal, and so light and healthy on a hot humid day. I'll be posting more recipes later. Thanks for sharing this experience and feel free to post your questions and comments. I changed the settings on here so anyone can post easily. Namaste~

Day 6 On the Road with Raw

No problems today. A friend and I left early morning for a wonderful yoga event in Grand Rapids, MI. I had no idea that G.R. was one of the most green city's in the country. The event was called "One for All" and it was set in the East Grand Rapids High School track field. What a perfect place! There were booths filled with organic clothing and homemade jewelry. We saw hoola hoopers and aerial yoga acts that were amazing. Most of all, we met some of the most "inspired by yoga" people. Moses, who will be coming to Updog Yoga August Sat. 20 and Sun. August 21st, is one who lives his yoga. He told us the story of how as a child he always had a dream of buying a bus. He had been teaching yoga for many years when the opportunity arose. He got his bus but the question was, "What do I do with it?" Being the selfless human he is, he decided to take his teachings on the road. That's when the "Green Bus Project" was created. The bus runs on veggie oil and they were on the road last year for 3 1/2 months. He told me yesterday that it wasn't enough. So this years tour is for a full 12 months. Yes, one year of traveling, teaching, and spreading the word about sustainable living. Three months into the tour his mother suffered a stroke while receiving chemotherapy for lung cancer. He rushed to her side and held her hand and she passed a short time later. She was only 67. Like many of us who have lost a parent, we frequently look back with some kind of regret that we could have done more. But yoga teaches us that we do our best in all situations and become stronger knowing that. We love you Moses and appreciate your commitment to teaching us, even in this most challenging time of your life. You are one who truly lives yoga!

Day 5 - Quinoa, Hurry Up!

So I've been waiting all day for my quinoa to sprout so I can finish making my Tabouli! I can see a little bit of action but they're still really crunchy. Tomorrow I am traveling to Grand rapids to co-teach a yoga class at the One For All Yoga Festival that Seva Yoga is sponsoring. When you eat raw it's really important to be prepared, especially when you take it on the road. So my tabouli salad is part of the plan, along with raw hommus and crackers, guacamole and lots of fruits and veggies!

Like I said in a previous post, I have never had much luck sprouting, but I am determined this time to figure it out! I mean, it's not rocket science, right?

Raw Hommus and Salsa

Last night I topped my raw burrito off with some salsa that I assumed was raw. But after consulting with some friends today found out it was not. Oops! So today I found a simple recipe and whipped up some fresh homemade salsa and had another burrito for lunch. The good thing is you can double the recipe like I did and save them for the next few days. This way you don't end up spending every day slaving in the kitchen.

I decided to attempt sprouting, again. Seems like every time in the past my sprouts end up getting moldy. So I asked a friend who sprouts regularly how to do it. I guess the trick is to rinse them several times a day, not just once! So I sprouted some green lentils and they turned out pretty good. They didn't continue sprouting after the first day out of water, so I tried them and they were definitely soft enough to eat. So tonight I am making them into raw hommus. I have another recipe for this I'll share later but it seemed like a good idea. And it tastes pretty good. You just have to make sure you buy "raw" tahini.

Raw Hommus

Ingredients:

2 cups sprouted beans, I used lentils
1/2 cup raw tahini
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup green olives
1/2 tsp cumin
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 lemon squeezed
dash of salt
add water to desired thickness
 
Directions

Blend all ingredients until very smooth. Chill and serve with raw crackers or veggies!

Simple Homemade Salsa 

Ingredients

• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup green peppers, chopped
• 1/4 cup celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro 
•  1/2 teaspoon ume plum vinegar
•  1 tsp chopped garlic
• squeeze of lime
• dash of salt

Directions

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl; drain briefly. Return the mixture to the bowl; stir in the remaining ingredients and chill, allowing the flavors to combine. Serve atop raw burritos!

Raw Quinoa Salad Recipe - Day 4

Day 4 is going pretty well. I started my day off with a new kind of green smoothie made with daldelion greens. They are kind of bitter so instead of water I used coconut water and added a whole banana and apple. I have to admit, it looked a little bit scarey. But it tasted delicious! I have some bloating today,which is the whole reason I started this. But I'm definitely releasing some toxins, if you know what I mean? Several times today, actually! I'm hoping after a couple more days a lot of that will be out of my system. I'm watching some raw food sites and reading what other explorers are encountering so I don't make the same mistakes. I got this recipe from Michael Mccarthy on Facebook. I have my quinoa soaking and will finish it tomorrow or Saturday depending on when the quinoa decides to sproat it's wings. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm definitely craving some protein!

Quinoa Tabouli

By Elaina Love
Serves 6

 

Ingredients:

4 cups sprouted quinoa (about 2 cups before sprouting)
4 green onions, thinly sliced
20 mint leaves, minced
1 large tomato, seeded and finely diced
¾ cucumber, peeled in strips, seeded and finely diced
¼ cup parsley, minced
4 to 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 to 5 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
1 to 2 tablespoons tamari or Bragg Liquid Aminos or 1-2 teaspoons Celtic sea salt to taste
½ teaspoon fennel seed, soaked 1 hr., if desired

 

Directions:

Mix everything together in a large bowl. Let sit 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld before serving.

 

Note:

To sprout the quinoa, soak for 4-8 hours. Drain water and rinse. Sprout in a jar for another 18 hrs. or more, rinsing the quinoa every 8 hrs. To test whether the sprouts are ready, chew one. It should be firm, yet soft – and not too crunchy.

Mezunte Burrito

Mezunte Burrito

1 cup walnuts soaked overnight
1 cup pumpkin seeds soaked overnight
1/2 lime squeezed into juice
1/2 tsp umeboshi vinegar
1 tsp cumin
2 tbs chopped onion

1 cup cilantro
chopped jalapeno (optional)

cabbage leaves
1 avocado chopped
1 tomato chopped
2 tbs green olives chopped
1 cup romaine chopped
lime wedges

Blend first 6 ingredients into a meal consistency.
Place into a bowl and add cilantro and jalopenos and mix.
Scoop 2 heaping tablespoons into a cabbage leaf and add toppings.
Squeeze lime on top, roll up and enjoy!

Day 3 - Gettin' More Energy

I actually woke up today not starving like I usually do. My stomach felt healthier than it has in a long time. So I didn't even have, or need, breakfast. I drank a small green smoothie early afternoon. Today I am making Mezunte Burrito's from "Super Cleanse". And it is soooo delicious and very filling too! It takes a bit of preparation but once you have the "meat" together you can save it and eat it for the next couple days. Thanks to everyone who has already been trying some of these recipes. Keep comin' back and be sure to post your comments at the bottom of this page. It will help others have the courage to try something new! Namaste~

Kale Avocado Salad

 KALE AVOCADO SALAD

Kale cut into chiffonade(ribbons)
Fresh Lime Juice
Sea Salt
Avocado
Sunflower Seeds
Radishes
Tomato
Olives

Toss first 4 ingredients in a bowl. With your hands, squeeze as you mix to wilt the kale, break down the fibers and coat the leaves with avocado. Add the remaining ingredients and toss together. Spoon serving onto a plate and enjoy!

Note- I didn't include amounts because I want you to make your salad as large as you want. It's like a meal so I usually use a big bowl full of kale, a whole avocado and tomato, a big chunk of lime and a handful of seeds and olives(any pitted kind).

Green Smoothies

Hey everyone,
I know I have been on my soapbox a lot about drinking daily green smoothies ever since Vivian turned us all onto the book, "Green Smoothie Revolution". I started having one every morning for breakfast a few months ago and can't believe how strong my immune system feels. Even when so many peeps were coming down with bronchitis and colds this summer I managed to push through without even a sinus infection, which is something I've struggled with forever. So here is a basic green smoothie recipe if you are interested in trying a little bit of raw in your regular diet. Having one first thing in the morning sets you up for a whole day of healthy eating. Rawsome!

Green Smoothie
1 Medium Banana
1 Apple or Pear, peeled and cored
2 Cups of Greens- spinach and/or Kale are my 2 favorites
1/2 Cup water (add more to thin out)

Blend all ingredients for at least 1 minute or so until all ingredients smooth into one consistent green color. Pour over ice and enjoy!

Apple Porridge

This easy and delicious recipe is taken from "Super Cleanse" by Adina Niemerow. The porridge is packed with pectin, fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. The flax seeds act as an intestinal broom! Soaking the nuts overnight starts the sprouting process, boosts the enzyme count and makes them easier to digest. You can use sour green apples for an extra dose of vitamin C and malic acid that helps cleanse the gallbladder.Enjoy!

1 large apple  cored and peeled
1/4 cup almonds soaked overnight
2 black mission figs
1 Tbsp flax seeds
1/4 tsp fresh ginger
pinch of sea salt

Blend all ingredients until it looks mealy like hot cereal. Spoon into a bowl. Top with fresh fruit and enjoy!

1st Day Success!

So my first day was a great success. At the beginning I always find myself forgetting that I am now eating only raw. So no coffee with whipped cream piled high. No scones or crackers. I started my day off with a great recipe from Super Cleanse called Apple Porridge. It looks exactly like hot cereal and is so satisfying. Next I went to Chomp, a restaurant here in Rochester that whips up amazing green smoothies to order, and only $5.00. They happen to be serving gazpacho soup so I ordered a large bowl  in anticipation of lunch. Later on I had a big Kale Avocado salad for dinner. I finally saw "Midnight in Paris" and fell madly in love with love again and enjoyed snacking on raw carrots and a raw Kombucha tea from Whole Foods. After the movie for a snack I had olive romulade and cucumbers which is so delicious. I wanted to get some raw crackers but all of the stores were closed by the time I had a chance to stop. But veggies are great dippers too! On to day two now. I'll post some more recipes that I've mentioned later today. Namaste~ Life is Rawsome!