of the season today. It's actually a pretty good, windy storm.
There is a beautiful, magnificent owl that has been sleeping in full sight in our oak tree, since I noticed him about 8:30am this morning. He is getting completley soaked by the rain, but apparently it does not bother him. It's 1pm and he is still there! The rain and wind are quite strong, and yet he sleeps. Thankfully Carlos came home around 11am and got some good shots with a long lens.
On the raw front;
Been using kelp noodles making Ani Phyo's thai noodle recipe (on youtube). Carlos loves these, and Josefina ate them as well, even though I made them wicked hot last night. Poor thing, next time I'll tone down the capsicum pepper now that I know she likes them so much. Per one readers comments on the youtube video, I too added in red bell pepper, red onion thinly sliced and some (fenugreek) sprouts for crunch. Yum!
Been sprouting regularly too, using a bag and a sprouting jar. The sprouts are delicious, and I use them in crackers, salads and we snack on them. I've sprouted buckwheat, alfalfa, fenugreek, and right now I have some green pea seeds going (they won't be ready for a few days. It is easy and I really enjoy it.
Made 'Not Salmon Pate' and served it in a red bell pepper boat the other night and it came out good, especially when topped with the Ranch dressing. Both recipes from Jennifer Corbleet's book.
Oct 13, 2009
Sep 21, 2009
Monday, Monday...
just noticed I need to update my photo since my hair has grown a lot, and I no longer wear bangs...
Hi There!
So many recipes to share I'm going to dive right in.
I have been about 98% raw now for four weeks! It looks silly when I see it in writing, but it feels like quite an accomplishment to me : ) The only non-raw meals have been on 4-5 social occasions where I could not keep raw, and didn't want to draw attention to myself or make a big deal about it. That's only 4-5 meals out of almost a month, if you look at it that way. When I'm at home I eat raw.
It would seem we've given up coffee completely. Carlos is the coffee maker, and for the last few mornings he hasn't made it, so we haven't had it! Before that, I was having less than 1/2 cup day, and never finishing that.
So, what have I been enjoying?
Carrot Pate (how do you get the accent grav on blogspot text editor? hmmm. Just pretend it's there)
Add in, and blend thoroughly;
Pasta Marinara
WOW, this is good. I could almost eat every night (*blush* for admitting)
I saw this on a youtube video and didn't catch the amounts so I wing it each time, but it works out. By the way there are TONS of youtube videos for raw food recipes, and I get a LOT of ideas from these.
into food processor with S blade, blend
Turn entire concoction out into a serving bowl and mix. Sprinkle Rawmesan, Parma, or nutritional flakes on top for extra flavor that mimmicks parmesan cheese.
Chocolate cookies
I made this up to use figs that were coming in faster than we could eat!
dehydrate overnight, then flip and dehydrate a few more hours.
there's more but I need to take a brake and do some work around the house. I'll post more recipes later!
Hi There!
So many recipes to share I'm going to dive right in.
I have been about 98% raw now for four weeks! It looks silly when I see it in writing, but it feels like quite an accomplishment to me : ) The only non-raw meals have been on 4-5 social occasions where I could not keep raw, and didn't want to draw attention to myself or make a big deal about it. That's only 4-5 meals out of almost a month, if you look at it that way. When I'm at home I eat raw.
It would seem we've given up coffee completely. Carlos is the coffee maker, and for the last few mornings he hasn't made it, so we haven't had it! Before that, I was having less than 1/2 cup day, and never finishing that.
So, what have I been enjoying?
Carrot Pate (how do you get the accent grav on blogspot text editor? hmmm. Just pretend it's there)
- 4 carrots, 1 clove garlic
Add in, and blend thoroughly;
- 1/3 cup raw tahini (Artisana makes)
- 2T Olive oil
- 3T lemon juice (i juice whole lemon through juicer)
- 1T ginger juice (I juice ginger piece through juicer after lemon)
- 1/2 t celtic sea salt
- 1t dried mustard
- pinch cayenne
Pasta Marinara
WOW, this is good. I could almost eat every night (*blush* for admitting)
I saw this on a youtube video and didn't catch the amounts so I wing it each time, but it works out. By the way there are TONS of youtube videos for raw food recipes, and I get a LOT of ideas from these.
into food processor with S blade, blend
- fresh tomatoes, quartered (4 or 5?)
- 1 lg red bell pepper or 2 med (this adds the sweetness - don't skimp here)
- 1 cup soaked sundried tomatoes. I've use oil packed, drained, and also dried reconstiuted with water. Both work fine. Rawfromthefarm.com sells raw sundried tomatoes.
- large clove garlic, pressed through garlic press
- olive oil (1/4 -1/3 cup?)
- generous sprinkle each of dried basil, and dried oregano. I haven't tried yet with fresh oregano, and I've used fresh basil a few times. The youtube vid recommends not skimping on these seasonings.
- celtic sea salt (don't need much if using oil packed tomatoes.)
Turn entire concoction out into a serving bowl and mix. Sprinkle Rawmesan, Parma, or nutritional flakes on top for extra flavor that mimmicks parmesan cheese.
Chocolate cookies
I made this up to use figs that were coming in faster than we could eat!
- fill processor bowl fitted with S blade half way with quarted figs (it's a lot!). Process into liquid, pour into large mixing bowl.
- three large heaping spoons of raw cacao powder (Zahhhh!!!)
- about a 1/4 c honey
- two scoops of protein powder we have called "Hemp Maca E3live" for added nutrition
- 1 cup Raw Bakery raw spouted 14 grain muesli
dehydrate overnight, then flip and dehydrate a few more hours.
there's more but I need to take a brake and do some work around the house. I'll post more recipes later!
Aug 26, 2009
School's in.....
so I'm back!!! Whew, summer was fun, but I'm happy to have the routine of the school year to help get myself re-organized.
I have been trying out lots of raw recipes, and I will be sharing them in upcoming posts. For now just wanted to reconnect with my blog and say hello.
hello!
I have been trying out lots of raw recipes, and I will be sharing them in upcoming posts. For now just wanted to reconnect with my blog and say hello.
hello!
Jun 24, 2009
May 30, 2009
green smoothie discovery
I've read how good green soothies are for you, but never quite got in the habit of drinking them. I preferred juicing. However lately I am reading about how more nutrient dense these are than juices, and I'm concluding each has it's nutritional 'place'.
I've always made my green smoothies with dark leafy greens and fruit. Well, I bought an ebook series on transitioning to living foods, and the woman includes some recipies that look really good. Level 1 is about incorporating 1 quart of green smoothies or energy soups in your current diet each day. I'm not starting from the standard american diet, and have been eating at least %50 raw for 6 months, however, her advice and reasons for the green smothies made sense to me. So I was considering a renewed focus on having a daily green smoothie (she gives lots of what look like great recipes for greens/fruit combinations too)
But the savory (soup) recipes seemed intuitively more intersting to me... Well, DUH!! My epiphany happened : ) Who says green smoothies have to be greens and FRUIT? I have more of salt tooth in general than a sweet tooth, and I lean even more toward savory now on raw foods. So I made a green smoothie with the following;
Oh. My. Gosh!!!!!! Love it!!!!!!!
Granted I am drinking this and it's 1pm, so it's definitely more of a lunchtime flavor than breakfast. But even the fruit/greens smoothies were not doing it for me at breakfast. Too thick and sweet. It was hard for me to finish them and get them down.
Lately, I've gotten into manna bread for breakfast. Whole Foods sells a manna bread that tastes like the richest, moistest muffin. I have a small amount (it's calorie dense) with my black coffee. Yum! Around 10am I green juice with fruit, greens, wheatgrass and lemon (somehow lately I'm only juicing 4 or 5 days a week).
Now I will add my savory green smoothie for the afternoon!
: )
I've always made my green smoothies with dark leafy greens and fruit. Well, I bought an ebook series on transitioning to living foods, and the woman includes some recipies that look really good. Level 1 is about incorporating 1 quart of green smoothies or energy soups in your current diet each day. I'm not starting from the standard american diet, and have been eating at least %50 raw for 6 months, however, her advice and reasons for the green smothies made sense to me. So I was considering a renewed focus on having a daily green smoothie (she gives lots of what look like great recipes for greens/fruit combinations too)
But the savory (soup) recipes seemed intuitively more intersting to me... Well, DUH!! My epiphany happened : ) Who says green smoothies have to be greens and FRUIT? I have more of salt tooth in general than a sweet tooth, and I lean even more toward savory now on raw foods. So I made a green smoothie with the following;
- big handful kale
- a few radish leaves
- small amount sweet onion
- very small garlic clove
- 2 tomatoes
- 3 small stalks celery w/leaves
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper
- 1/4 cucumber
- sea salt
- cumin
- sprinkle of Lydia's Seasoning (dried veggies, mostly)
- black pepper
Oh. My. Gosh!!!!!! Love it!!!!!!!
Granted I am drinking this and it's 1pm, so it's definitely more of a lunchtime flavor than breakfast. But even the fruit/greens smoothies were not doing it for me at breakfast. Too thick and sweet. It was hard for me to finish them and get them down.
Lately, I've gotten into manna bread for breakfast. Whole Foods sells a manna bread that tastes like the richest, moistest muffin. I have a small amount (it's calorie dense) with my black coffee. Yum! Around 10am I green juice with fruit, greens, wheatgrass and lemon (somehow lately I'm only juicing 4 or 5 days a week).
Now I will add my savory green smoothie for the afternoon!
: )
May 14, 2009
yummy salad
made this one up in my head last minute for dinner tonight, and thank goodness, it tasted just as good as I thought it might : ) Had it with some left over arugula salad, and an ear of steamed corn.
Enjoy!
- jicama root, peeled and chopped
- cherry tomatoes, halved
- Papaya, peeled and diced
- 1 bunch basil leaves, chopped
- squeeze of lemon juice
- black pepper
Enjoy!
May 12, 2009
reporting in
I have been doing so much reading regarding the raw food lifestyle, mostly books I have ordered and websites. There is so much information out there!! This movement is definitely alive and well, and many people have been eating raw for years or decades. I ordered a few DVD's, one I started watching and it's interesting. It's good to see the people speak "live" and also to watch the demos of the recipes. It's inspirational and motivational. There are lots of interesting videos on YouTube.
Hey, as I type this I am eating celery sticks with raw pesto dip that I made. yum.
The other day I tried a treat I ordered from www.rawbakery.com - chocolate macaroons. O.M.G. They were heaven. But only four came in the little package : ( They were dense and rich so I only had one at a time, but still, it left me wanting more and they were expensive. So, I decided I could make these myself (or try). They used cocoa powder, agave and coconut. I didn't have the cocoa powder so I went online and found a terrific one at www.sunfood.com. I am beginning to like David Wolfe a lot. Anyway, since I had to wait for that ingredient, I decided to make something similar, with what I had. A while back I purchased Artisana's Pecan butter to try. It was intense, but not naturally sweet like almond butter. I was left wondering what I would use it for. Bingo!
Into a small cuisinart I put:
A note regarding raw ingredients - a number of the raw food exerts I have been reading or watching have mentioned not to "sweat" the details making sure every single ingredient especially spices, etc. is raw. This is not the point of raw food eating. The point is to introduce as much raw live food into your body, because over time this will lead to the most healthful eating and state for one's body. This approach makes complete sense to me and feels right. It's unproductive to get dogmatic about things.
So for instance if a recipe calls for maple syrup or something not considered raw, it's not a big deal (for me anyway). It's the main/most ingredients that should be live or raw.
I read another "definition", that a raw foodist is one who eats 75% or more raw live food. This surprised me. In the past few days I think I have been doing that and yet I surely am not a raw foodist because part of the 25% is sometimes animal protein ( gasp!!) : )
So, while I am enjoying the journey of discovery and informing myself of this fascinating approach to nutrition and health, I have not lost myself in it. Yes, I am surely eating much more raw and health food in the past 5 months and I am happy for that! I love my daily green juices. I love being able to snack out of baggies filled with every fresh veggie that I take with me in the car, and not feel like I need to explain myself, even to myself! I love learning about the nutrition locked inside superfoods, about sprouting, about various preparation methods, etc. I've discovered some great raw foods that taste so good they easily replace non-raw snacks or foods I used to enjoy instead. But I sure will enjoy my 3 star lunch we're planning to attend in Paris. Or going to Aubergene. Or Carlos' roast chicken, for instance. Or baked sweet potatoes and squash. I still have coffee in the morning, and iced espresso in the afternoon. We're drinking less wine, but we still have it.
It's all a balance and an ongoing evolution. A trying out, and incorporating foods and practices that feel good and make sense, and shedding those that no longer work for me. And also keeping my head not to blindly follow advice or trends that while they might be good for some aren't for me right now.
: )
Hey, as I type this I am eating celery sticks with raw pesto dip that I made. yum.
The other day I tried a treat I ordered from www.rawbakery.com - chocolate macaroons. O.M.G. They were heaven. But only four came in the little package : ( They were dense and rich so I only had one at a time, but still, it left me wanting more and they were expensive. So, I decided I could make these myself (or try). They used cocoa powder, agave and coconut. I didn't have the cocoa powder so I went online and found a terrific one at www.sunfood.com. I am beginning to like David Wolfe a lot. Anyway, since I had to wait for that ingredient, I decided to make something similar, with what I had. A while back I purchased Artisana's Pecan butter to try. It was intense, but not naturally sweet like almond butter. I was left wondering what I would use it for. Bingo!
Into a small cuisinart I put:
- 1/4 c pecan butter
- 1/4 cup fine organic coconut - note - this is not raw. It is unsweetened Red's organic. I have found raw online, but want to use up my current stash of stuff before ordering new.
- 16 raw cocoa beans
- agave syrup
- chia seeds - I was thinking these would help with bulk since they swell. But they are also a nutritional superfood.
- a few raw cashews
- a few raw goji berries
A note regarding raw ingredients - a number of the raw food exerts I have been reading or watching have mentioned not to "sweat" the details making sure every single ingredient especially spices, etc. is raw. This is not the point of raw food eating. The point is to introduce as much raw live food into your body, because over time this will lead to the most healthful eating and state for one's body. This approach makes complete sense to me and feels right. It's unproductive to get dogmatic about things.
So for instance if a recipe calls for maple syrup or something not considered raw, it's not a big deal (for me anyway). It's the main/most ingredients that should be live or raw.
I read another "definition", that a raw foodist is one who eats 75% or more raw live food. This surprised me. In the past few days I think I have been doing that and yet I surely am not a raw foodist because part of the 25% is sometimes animal protein ( gasp!!) : )
So, while I am enjoying the journey of discovery and informing myself of this fascinating approach to nutrition and health, I have not lost myself in it. Yes, I am surely eating much more raw and health food in the past 5 months and I am happy for that! I love my daily green juices. I love being able to snack out of baggies filled with every fresh veggie that I take with me in the car, and not feel like I need to explain myself, even to myself! I love learning about the nutrition locked inside superfoods, about sprouting, about various preparation methods, etc. I've discovered some great raw foods that taste so good they easily replace non-raw snacks or foods I used to enjoy instead. But I sure will enjoy my 3 star lunch we're planning to attend in Paris. Or going to Aubergene. Or Carlos' roast chicken, for instance. Or baked sweet potatoes and squash. I still have coffee in the morning, and iced espresso in the afternoon. We're drinking less wine, but we still have it.
It's all a balance and an ongoing evolution. A trying out, and incorporating foods and practices that feel good and make sense, and shedding those that no longer work for me. And also keeping my head not to blindly follow advice or trends that while they might be good for some aren't for me right now.
: )
May 7, 2009
Food Stuffs, or, the Stuff that is Food...
a few my currents favs...
- Luscious Lemon Swirl cookies - These are fantastic. Coconutty and quite lemony. Not bitter as one other Lemon Macaroon I tried was (yuck). Alos like most raw food that I have tried, less does more. In others words, it takes more chewing and time to eat raw goodies, and they seem to be much more filling because of that. These are on the expensive side, since the package only contains 7 cookies. On average they are about $1 a piece.
- Mauk Family Farms Crusts - there are three flavors; Breakfast crusts, Mineral Crusts, and Wheat-free crusts. The Wheat free are the lighest and have a lovely light flavor. The Breakfast crusts are more substantial, have a little dried fruit, but still are not too heavy. The Mineral crusts use nori and onion powder for a really nice flavor! Not too strong and no bitterness. Love all these!
- Synergy Kombucha - I know, I know, bottled Kombucha is a no-no and we're all supposed to be brewing our own, right? But this stuff is good, and has the right amount of fizz. The fizz is hard to consistently master making your own (I hear), and flat kombucha is ho-hum. Now, if we could figure out a way beyond all the glass recycling (that part isn't so cool) but anyway.... Best favors are Original (citrusy, and better than their 'citrus' flavor), Cranberry, Passionberry, Botanical no.3 (has Lavander!)
- raw chocolate - you know, raw chocolate, when done well, is so much better than traditional!!! I am seriously getting hooked on raw chocolate. You all know my chocolate addiction, so I will be making a point to share with you my favs. Currently my fav is Gnosis, especially their Rose Lemon flavor. Stay tuned...
May 6, 2009
boo...
I'm baaack!!!!!!!!!!
OK, so much has been in my head that I have been wanting to capture in my blog! I'll probably break it up into several posts as I remember things. And I won't promise continuity or chronological order : ) .....
I have been doing so much reading (books and websites), internet searches, trying different products etc... I'll talk about each in more detail as I go. Since Feb I initially went through a rough period where I got away from eating raw beyond salads and veggie sticks, raw snacks, etc... I probably was at about 40%. "Low raw" hee hee.
I went to Tucson, we traveled to NY in Feb, and then there was a trip to Austin in April. In between hectic but usual 'life', somehow I allowed myself to stay off track. It really is a choice so I want to acknowledge that and not make excuses. However, when we got back from Austin I've been steadily getting back on track. These past days I've done really well eating raw the whole day until dinner. And I'm green juicing again. I'm not sure what percetage I'm at, but i'm feeling better and better, my nice nails are back, my skin is looking a little better, my hair is softer, etc. I am happy.
Today, look for updates to my favorite products list. I'll add some new things I am happy with. I am also going to delete Lara Bars. It's not that I don't like them now, but I find I've moved past these; they seem to heavy and dense to me now. I have a bit of a stash still, so I'll eat these (half or 1/3 at a time) and just not get any more once they are gone.
I'm also going to add some other list sections to this blog.
OK, so much has been in my head that I have been wanting to capture in my blog! I'll probably break it up into several posts as I remember things. And I won't promise continuity or chronological order : ) .....
I have been doing so much reading (books and websites), internet searches, trying different products etc... I'll talk about each in more detail as I go. Since Feb I initially went through a rough period where I got away from eating raw beyond salads and veggie sticks, raw snacks, etc... I probably was at about 40%. "Low raw" hee hee.
I went to Tucson, we traveled to NY in Feb, and then there was a trip to Austin in April. In between hectic but usual 'life', somehow I allowed myself to stay off track. It really is a choice so I want to acknowledge that and not make excuses. However, when we got back from Austin I've been steadily getting back on track. These past days I've done really well eating raw the whole day until dinner. And I'm green juicing again. I'm not sure what percetage I'm at, but i'm feeling better and better, my nice nails are back, my skin is looking a little better, my hair is softer, etc. I am happy.
Today, look for updates to my favorite products list. I'll add some new things I am happy with. I am also going to delete Lara Bars. It's not that I don't like them now, but I find I've moved past these; they seem to heavy and dense to me now. I have a bit of a stash still, so I'll eat these (half or 1/3 at a time) and just not get any more once they are gone.
I'm also going to add some other list sections to this blog.
- "Favorite websites"- for shopping, recipes or inspiration
- "Rawfood lifestyle leaders" I'll comment on their books or websites, and my opinion of their teachings or advice.
Feb 12, 2009
row, row, row your boat....
Carlos has purchased a rowing machine. It is the kind that professional rowers practice on. We can't wait to get it. This is going to help us a lot in our indoor quest for fitness. He is using one right now at the gym during his training sessions, and really loves it. More on this soon...!
Feb 11, 2009
I'm back
I'm back from Tucson! Being gone for 6 days threw me off bit regarding my raw diet. I brought raw snacks (more than i needed, actually : ) and was able to munch on these during the days for the most part. But I drank a little more coffee in the am than I would have if I had my juice. Man, i missed my green juices! But I brought ground Cherry Bean Italian raost coffee with me and it was goooooood..... But I have definitely cut back. Because before this two month raw endeavor, I would need some kind of caffeine in the afternoon. And even with not drinking the juices, I only had a mid-day iced espresso two of the days, and I felt fine. So this is good.
The first day I went to a grocery store and got some snap peas (they were tough), a box of Earthbound arugula to munch over the days (I had pinches of this out of the box as I got ready in the a.m., and it actually was good. Strange), green grapes, some green apples (skin was tough; had to peel), and 2 gallons of water for coffee and drinking.
I packed snacks for the day, each day. My mom and I would skip a formal lunch or buying anything. We would just take a break and eat what we had brought. It helped that we ate a protein breakfast each morning at the lodge before leaving. I had a spinach/veggie omelet that was very fresh, along with some fruit (no toast or potatoes or juice). One of the nights I tried their Ventana salad and it was good, so I ordered it for breakfast one time also (no dressing) : ) It had a lot of fresh berries, mandarin orange slices, baby leaves, spiced pecans, a few blue cheese crumbles. It was really good! I must say the food at the lodge we stayed at was very fresh and good.
So for the past two days I am focusing on juicing. Although after my yoga this morning, I made a killer green smoothie. It contained;
The first day I went to a grocery store and got some snap peas (they were tough), a box of Earthbound arugula to munch over the days (I had pinches of this out of the box as I got ready in the a.m., and it actually was good. Strange), green grapes, some green apples (skin was tough; had to peel), and 2 gallons of water for coffee and drinking.
I packed snacks for the day, each day. My mom and I would skip a formal lunch or buying anything. We would just take a break and eat what we had brought. It helped that we ate a protein breakfast each morning at the lodge before leaving. I had a spinach/veggie omelet that was very fresh, along with some fruit (no toast or potatoes or juice). One of the nights I tried their Ventana salad and it was good, so I ordered it for breakfast one time also (no dressing) : ) It had a lot of fresh berries, mandarin orange slices, baby leaves, spiced pecans, a few blue cheese crumbles. It was really good! I must say the food at the lodge we stayed at was very fresh and good.
So for the past two days I am focusing on juicing. Although after my yoga this morning, I made a killer green smoothie. It contained;
- kale leaves (I take out the rib and save that for juicing)
- 1 banana
- 1 cutie tangerine
- green grapes
- fine unsweetened coconut
- ground flax seed
- raw chocolate nibs (unsweetened)
- hemp seeds
- goji berries
- lots of cold water
Feb 2, 2009
wheat grass
I never would have thought I'd be saying (or writing) this, but I really have grown to like wheat grass! I said I would never buy it again, and yet I have three pints in various stages of growth on my kitchen windowsill : ) I actually even craved it today and had a mid-morning juice just to accommodate my craving.
I bought an large yellow heirloom tomato yesterday at Whole Foods. Sliced it, topped with fresh basil leaves and raw olive oil, as a salad for dinner. Then come to find it the tomato was tasteless and pithy. Ugh. So today I juiced it in my second juice. Along with two small lemons, a few collard leaves, some kale, green grapes, an apple, a few 'limequats', and snap peas. Not too sweet, but not bad either.
Carlos is enjoying a full range of raw snacks now, and basically eats raw throughout the day. He likes raw sprouted grain granola with almond milk in the morning, and then crackers, seeds, a few nuts, and fruit during the day. At night we've been cooking, but eat as much raw as possible, and then the only cooked food is steamed or sauteed vegetables and a small amount of protein, and sometimes a wheat pasta or brown rice. The starch is mostly for the kids, but we'll have a few bites.
Overall, our diet has improved immensely!!
I bought an large yellow heirloom tomato yesterday at Whole Foods. Sliced it, topped with fresh basil leaves and raw olive oil, as a salad for dinner. Then come to find it the tomato was tasteless and pithy. Ugh. So today I juiced it in my second juice. Along with two small lemons, a few collard leaves, some kale, green grapes, an apple, a few 'limequats', and snap peas. Not too sweet, but not bad either.
Carlos is enjoying a full range of raw snacks now, and basically eats raw throughout the day. He likes raw sprouted grain granola with almond milk in the morning, and then crackers, seeds, a few nuts, and fruit during the day. At night we've been cooking, but eat as much raw as possible, and then the only cooked food is steamed or sauteed vegetables and a small amount of protein, and sometimes a wheat pasta or brown rice. The starch is mostly for the kids, but we'll have a few bites.
Overall, our diet has improved immensely!!
Jan 31, 2009
greens; smoothies vs juicing
I bought Victoria Boutenko's book that all the raw foodist biggies talk about as one of the bibles of Raw, "Green for Life". I haven't read it all, but just perused. One place I spent a little time was on her opinion of juicing vs smoothies (green) and I must say, I am no less confused, or should I say decided, on what is right for me.
Some experts rave about juicing and the ability for juicing to get maximum nutrition and minimal effort of digestion on the body, but with the obvious drawback of little fiber. While green smoothies contain the fiber from the greens, but also require more from the body in terms of digestion and elimination. But, I wonder, why can't someone juice and get their fiber another way??
So today when having the morning green juice I juiced all the greens first, pulled aside the pulp, and mixed it with water, while I juiced the rest of the ingredients. After, I used the pulp/water mixture with some bananas and additional water for a smoothie. Victoria illustrates in her book how she came upon green smoothies of Kale and bananas, by first blending Kale and being ut off by the smell after opening the blending top, so she added bananas and claims the smell wa "freshness" and very appealing.
Well, maybe because I juiced and then made the smoothie, but the pulp I think had time (even in that short amount of time) to start fermenting or breaking down, and the resulting smoothie was slightly sulfur smelling/tasting from the kale. Also I mixed a little of the pulp into the juice before deciding to separate it and then blend with the bananas. So even the juice had pulp and it was awkward to drink with little strings of pulp ending on my lips after each sip. Not nice, really...
So the end result of my experiment today is;
: )
Some experts rave about juicing and the ability for juicing to get maximum nutrition and minimal effort of digestion on the body, but with the obvious drawback of little fiber. While green smoothies contain the fiber from the greens, but also require more from the body in terms of digestion and elimination. But, I wonder, why can't someone juice and get their fiber another way??
So today when having the morning green juice I juiced all the greens first, pulled aside the pulp, and mixed it with water, while I juiced the rest of the ingredients. After, I used the pulp/water mixture with some bananas and additional water for a smoothie. Victoria illustrates in her book how she came upon green smoothies of Kale and bananas, by first blending Kale and being ut off by the smell after opening the blending top, so she added bananas and claims the smell wa "freshness" and very appealing.
Well, maybe because I juiced and then made the smoothie, but the pulp I think had time (even in that short amount of time) to start fermenting or breaking down, and the resulting smoothie was slightly sulfur smelling/tasting from the kale. Also I mixed a little of the pulp into the juice before deciding to separate it and then blend with the bananas. So even the juice had pulp and it was awkward to drink with little strings of pulp ending on my lips after each sip. Not nice, really...
So the end result of my experiment today is;
- Continue green juicing as I have been.
- Once a day make a green smoothie, but just blend everything in the blender and not worry about juicing first.
: )
Jan 26, 2009
Sunday nite
Last night I made a squash, that looked very much like the squash I made a few weeks ago, but ended up being very different! I need to learn my squashes. So this one was squat and round, orange, with rough, fluted skin. While the other looked the same, it was lighter in texture, and more of a butternut squash consistency; this one was quite starchy and very much like a huge sweet potato! It was yummy, but didn't go as well with the tomato sauce, as the other squash did. It was a little too sweet and starchy.
I made a second batch of the tomato sauce, but this time only put one clove of garlic (it was perfect) and used fresh basil, and no dried herbs. Carlos and I both liked it much better, but Josefina liked the first rendition! I think she didn't mind the strong garlic of the first, and the fresh basil was a little off-putting to her.
I also made a salad with arugula, dandelion greens, radish greens, sunflower sprouts (these were new for me, and delicious), red bell pepper, raw green bean bites, greek olives (raw), hemp seeds, and some yellow flower petals from a bunch Josie, and chef friend, brought. She forgot the name, and I didn't know either, but they were edible and organic, from the farmer's mkt.
Kids had Annie's organic cheese and pesto pizza. The whole wheat crust was super on this, sweet but not too sweet.
I made Josefina try the squash, but she didn't like it.
I made a second batch of the tomato sauce, but this time only put one clove of garlic (it was perfect) and used fresh basil, and no dried herbs. Carlos and I both liked it much better, but Josefina liked the first rendition! I think she didn't mind the strong garlic of the first, and the fresh basil was a little off-putting to her.
I also made a salad with arugula, dandelion greens, radish greens, sunflower sprouts (these were new for me, and delicious), red bell pepper, raw green bean bites, greek olives (raw), hemp seeds, and some yellow flower petals from a bunch Josie, and chef friend, brought. She forgot the name, and I didn't know either, but they were edible and organic, from the farmer's mkt.
Kids had Annie's organic cheese and pesto pizza. The whole wheat crust was super on this, sweet but not too sweet.
I made Josefina try the squash, but she didn't like it.
Jan 23, 2009
salad
This morning (friday) I had my usual big green juice while I made lunches, and later a cup of coffee while I dropped both kids off. This commute to both schools takes over an hour (and that's without walking Josefina inside). Then I went to Star and got lots of yummy greens and veggies and fruit. I am going to try juicing cantaloupe. I'll let you know how it tastes. I wasn't too crazy about the musk melon (although I finished it) so I don't think I'll buy that for juicing again.
On the way home I was craving a green salad. Now this is new. I can't remember ever craving salad at 10am. But here I am now, eating said salad. And typing.
I read recently about eating radish leaves. I've always thrown them away. So today I dug out my bunch of radishes from the fridge and the leaves were still perfect. Apparently you are supposed to separate the leaves from the radishes to make them last longer, anyway. I threw a bunch of green things in the salad spinner and washed it all.
My salad includes;
On the way home I was craving a green salad. Now this is new. I can't remember ever craving salad at 10am. But here I am now, eating said salad. And typing.
I read recently about eating radish leaves. I've always thrown them away. So today I dug out my bunch of radishes from the fridge and the leaves were still perfect. Apparently you are supposed to separate the leaves from the radishes to make them last longer, anyway. I threw a bunch of green things in the salad spinner and washed it all.
My salad includes;
- radish leaves, torn
- arugula
- dandelion greens, torn
- basil leaves, torn
- raw green beans, broken into pieces
- moroccan olives
- hemp seeds
- grape tomatoes, cut in half
- sprinkle Himalayan pink salt
- drizzle olive oil
Jan 22, 2009
thursday update
This holiday weekend was a 'raw' disaster : ) but a lot of fun from an activity point of view! We went to a birthday/Mexican party on saturday, and then had a dinner get-together at our house on Sunday. Monday (school off) we all went to San Jose and got sushi fixin's at the Japanese supermarket, and came home and had a sushi feast.
So you see, besides the daily morning green/fruit juice and raw snacks throughout the days, I'd say I went to about 40-50% raw these three days. Back on the wagon on Tuesday.
Carlos is up'ing his seriousness to loose weight. He wants to loose 20 pounds. He also wants to lower his cholesterol and blood pressure. His numbers are all better than before (yay!), but now he wants them in the 'good' range. I will continue to eat raw as much as possible, he will join me where interested, but pay attention to calories more, and increase the numbers of days of exercise. When not eating raw we intend to include steamed vegetables. Very low sat. fat (cutting out cheese for now).
Last night (Wed) I made my first raw marinara sauce. all ingredients were blended smooth. We ate it over baked spaghetti squash, which was fab. The recipe called for tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, dates, onion, basil and oregano (didn't plan ahead and have fresh; used dried), lemon juice, salt and pepper. I put too much garlic, and a little too much black pepper, and I don't recommend dried spices - that flavor is too strong- but otherwise it was great! Even Josefina liked the squash, and she liked the sauce. I set sauce in the warming oven (low), but it really didn't do much to the temp, so I believe it would have been below the 115 degree threshold.
We also roasted sweet potatoes cut in slices, and cauliflower chunks, lightly coated with olive oil, in the oven. Yum!! Carlos added a little jarred tuna to his plate for protein.
So you see, besides the daily morning green/fruit juice and raw snacks throughout the days, I'd say I went to about 40-50% raw these three days. Back on the wagon on Tuesday.
Carlos is up'ing his seriousness to loose weight. He wants to loose 20 pounds. He also wants to lower his cholesterol and blood pressure. His numbers are all better than before (yay!), but now he wants them in the 'good' range. I will continue to eat raw as much as possible, he will join me where interested, but pay attention to calories more, and increase the numbers of days of exercise. When not eating raw we intend to include steamed vegetables. Very low sat. fat (cutting out cheese for now).
Last night (Wed) I made my first raw marinara sauce. all ingredients were blended smooth. We ate it over baked spaghetti squash, which was fab. The recipe called for tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, dates, onion, basil and oregano (didn't plan ahead and have fresh; used dried), lemon juice, salt and pepper. I put too much garlic, and a little too much black pepper, and I don't recommend dried spices - that flavor is too strong- but otherwise it was great! Even Josefina liked the squash, and she liked the sauce. I set sauce in the warming oven (low), but it really didn't do much to the temp, so I believe it would have been below the 115 degree threshold.
We also roasted sweet potatoes cut in slices, and cauliflower chunks, lightly coated with olive oil, in the oven. Yum!! Carlos added a little jarred tuna to his plate for protein.
Jan 16, 2009
Friday
Last night I made sautéed chard. Used a little garlic and olive oil and I didn't cook the heck out of it. I washed and spun the chard to get all the water off first. I think that's why it came out so good. Even Josefina liked it!!
Tonight we had tuna salad, with a large green salad including celery, red bell peppers, sweet onions, with avocado and raw greek olives on the side. It was fab!!!!!
The weather was in the 70's today, and I went for a 5 mile run, and did great! Is it cumulative effects of all the juicing??? (I hope, but don't really know). I only had one small cup of coffee today, around 11:30.
Got a new shipment of Lydia's crackers/bread and her green powder in the mail today. I havent tried the green powder - I'll let you kow what I think. My reason for buying is I want to experiment and find something I like and that works for me, to use as a supplement when traveling (when green juicing won't be an option)
I have been ordering books, and two that came today look interesting. I'll list the titles in a future post (I don't have the books handy to get it correctly). Yesterday I received "The Idiot's Guide to Raw Food Cooking" (no kidding, there's an Idiot's Guide!!) This is the book I am perusing and it looks like it has some great recipes! Carlos is interested in trying out some raw dishes so I want to ake advantage of this. Even though it sounds like an easy goal, I want to try at least one new raw recipe a week. That way we'll slowly build a nice repertoire.
Today I tried a juice combo that I wanted to tell you about, because I don't think the combo was that great. I am sure it was healthy though! My morning juice was a green one, with my usual "Green Giants" of kale, cucumber, lemon, grapes, apple and parsley. This was super.
Later though, after my run, I was thinking 'hydrating' and made a juice with half a canteloup, celery, cucumber, lemon, and a few strawberries and green grapes that were laying around. It was ok, but really could have benefitted from something sweet, like a whole apple or orange. And I am not a 'sweet' person, but this really did need something. Just a littel data to pass on to my juicing friends : )
Tonight we had tuna salad, with a large green salad including celery, red bell peppers, sweet onions, with avocado and raw greek olives on the side. It was fab!!!!!
The weather was in the 70's today, and I went for a 5 mile run, and did great! Is it cumulative effects of all the juicing??? (I hope, but don't really know). I only had one small cup of coffee today, around 11:30.
Got a new shipment of Lydia's crackers/bread and her green powder in the mail today. I havent tried the green powder - I'll let you kow what I think. My reason for buying is I want to experiment and find something I like and that works for me, to use as a supplement when traveling (when green juicing won't be an option)
I have been ordering books, and two that came today look interesting. I'll list the titles in a future post (I don't have the books handy to get it correctly). Yesterday I received "The Idiot's Guide to Raw Food Cooking" (no kidding, there's an Idiot's Guide!!) This is the book I am perusing and it looks like it has some great recipes! Carlos is interested in trying out some raw dishes so I want to ake advantage of this. Even though it sounds like an easy goal, I want to try at least one new raw recipe a week. That way we'll slowly build a nice repertoire.
Today I tried a juice combo that I wanted to tell you about, because I don't think the combo was that great. I am sure it was healthy though! My morning juice was a green one, with my usual "Green Giants" of kale, cucumber, lemon, grapes, apple and parsley. This was super.
Later though, after my run, I was thinking 'hydrating' and made a juice with half a canteloup, celery, cucumber, lemon, and a few strawberries and green grapes that were laying around. It was ok, but really could have benefitted from something sweet, like a whole apple or orange. And I am not a 'sweet' person, but this really did need something. Just a littel data to pass on to my juicing friends : )
Jan 13, 2009
tuesday
sorry I've taken a few days off from posting. I am still 'on the wagon', though : )
Sunday I tried a bit of wheatgrass in my juice. First time ever having this. Yikes! It smells very strongly like a petrochemical, if you ask me. Carlos actually doesn't mind it! I will use what I have (two pint growers), but I'm not sure I'll seek it out that often.
Could only find conventional lemons at the markets we went to over the weekend (Costco/Star). Meyer lemons make such a difference! I'm going to buy two meyer lemon trees; one (more) for the yard, and one for indoors. "...Must have lemons..."
Still having small amounts of protein at night. Just turns out that way. But it is much less than I used to eat, and I am very aware of portion and what is going into me. So that's good. I also had some of the dirty rice Carlos made with Bragg's (yum), and some jarred tomato sauce on my kelp noodles. I thought kelp noodles might imitate spaghetti, but they were too crunchy. Tasted fine though, just not a like pasta dish. But the experimenting is fun.
So I have been craving tomato sauce at night. What is this? Warmed. I've had it with steamed veggies (Enrico's is a tasty organic brand, not too expensive), and this does the trick. It's not a raw dish, but at least it's vegetable. But why tomato sauce? I bought tomatoes and I want to look up a raw sauce recipe and give it a whirl (pun intended).
This morning I made a green juice before school. That's my usual routine. I sip a little coffee (literally sips) while I make lunches. Then I juice. Later I bring a (not even full) mug of hot coffee on the way to school. But I am drinking much less coffee this way.
Got home around 10:15 and made a fruit juice with a quarter of a cantaloup! It was fab!! Also used a handful green grapes, one honeycrisp apple, one d'anjou pear, and two wedges lemon. Then I broke off a piece of Lydia's sunflower seed bread (dehydrated like a cracker, but thicker - a little goes a long way), and had with crumbled coconut butter (not warm enough for it to be soft). I still am loving coconut butter : )
Sunday I tried a bit of wheatgrass in my juice. First time ever having this. Yikes! It smells very strongly like a petrochemical, if you ask me. Carlos actually doesn't mind it! I will use what I have (two pint growers), but I'm not sure I'll seek it out that often.
Could only find conventional lemons at the markets we went to over the weekend (Costco/Star). Meyer lemons make such a difference! I'm going to buy two meyer lemon trees; one (more) for the yard, and one for indoors. "...Must have lemons..."
Still having small amounts of protein at night. Just turns out that way. But it is much less than I used to eat, and I am very aware of portion and what is going into me. So that's good. I also had some of the dirty rice Carlos made with Bragg's (yum), and some jarred tomato sauce on my kelp noodles. I thought kelp noodles might imitate spaghetti, but they were too crunchy. Tasted fine though, just not a like pasta dish. But the experimenting is fun.
So I have been craving tomato sauce at night. What is this? Warmed. I've had it with steamed veggies (Enrico's is a tasty organic brand, not too expensive), and this does the trick. It's not a raw dish, but at least it's vegetable. But why tomato sauce? I bought tomatoes and I want to look up a raw sauce recipe and give it a whirl (pun intended).
This morning I made a green juice before school. That's my usual routine. I sip a little coffee (literally sips) while I make lunches. Then I juice. Later I bring a (not even full) mug of hot coffee on the way to school. But I am drinking much less coffee this way.
Got home around 10:15 and made a fruit juice with a quarter of a cantaloup! It was fab!! Also used a handful green grapes, one honeycrisp apple, one d'anjou pear, and two wedges lemon. Then I broke off a piece of Lydia's sunflower seed bread (dehydrated like a cracker, but thicker - a little goes a long way), and had with crumbled coconut butter (not warm enough for it to be soft). I still am loving coconut butter : )
Jan 11, 2009
Saturday
Tomorrow we have a busy day. So today we got errands done. Shopping at Costco and Star. Got restocked on juicing goodies : )
Juiced the rest of the watermelon today and Josefina even had a glass and enjoyed it!
Ate raw during the day, and at night included protein. This seems like a pattern for me, but I'm ok with it. This is week three with this new focused eating, so I have to remember to stay positive nad motivated and give myself a break.
I have more to write but I am tired, so I'll save it for tomorrow. G'night...
Juiced the rest of the watermelon today and Josefina even had a glass and enjoyed it!
Ate raw during the day, and at night included protein. This seems like a pattern for me, but I'm ok with it. This is week three with this new focused eating, so I have to remember to stay positive nad motivated and give myself a break.
I have more to write but I am tired, so I'll save it for tomorrow. G'night...
Jan 9, 2009
must be transition
Today;
For dinner I tried a new raw recipe, 'Sautéed Mustard greens' but didn't realize until I started making it that it needed to marinate for up to 12 hours. So I really had mustard green salad. Plus I think I didn't make enough dressing to render them "sautéed" for the amount of greens I cut. It's ok, it tasted really good).
Along with that I had some La Tur cheese on celery pieces (not raw; Italian, combination of cow, goat and sheep milks, that is OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD. My new obsession.
Got weak at the end of dinner and had the remaining Amy's pizza that the kids had been eating. Two very small slices. It was fab. That's the only non-raw I ate today. Hence my title of this post. I am clearly not 100% but consider how I am doing, good, if one considers that everything requires transition. Meanwhile, I continue to educate myself and read everything i can get my hand on so to speak, about raw foods. The more I read the better informed I feel I'll be to decide what is for me and what is not.
- a juice this morning around 7am ('kitchen sink' greens, vegetable and fruit),
- half a Lara bar at 9am,
- a sprouted english muffin with coconut butter at 11 (beyond yum! and filling),
- Watermelon juice at 1:30 - I did not like this - Carlos did. Drank mine anyway.
- some raw cashews at 4:30.
- snacked on small amount of cheese (raw, hard, from Whole Foods, forget the name) and raw Greek olives while preparing mustard greens.
For dinner I tried a new raw recipe, 'Sautéed Mustard greens' but didn't realize until I started making it that it needed to marinate for up to 12 hours. So I really had mustard green salad. Plus I think I didn't make enough dressing to render them "sautéed" for the amount of greens I cut. It's ok, it tasted really good).
Along with that I had some La Tur cheese on celery pieces (not raw; Italian, combination of cow, goat and sheep milks, that is OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD. My new obsession.
Got weak at the end of dinner and had the remaining Amy's pizza that the kids had been eating. Two very small slices. It was fab. That's the only non-raw I ate today. Hence my title of this post. I am clearly not 100% but consider how I am doing, good, if one considers that everything requires transition. Meanwhile, I continue to educate myself and read everything i can get my hand on so to speak, about raw foods. The more I read the better informed I feel I'll be to decide what is for me and what is not.
Jan 8, 2009
another new fav
Coconut butter. Oh. My. Goodness. I never considered myself much of a coconut fan, although I do remember liking them when I was little. My Dad would buy mature coconuts and bring them home. We'd drain the water through a hole made with a nail, and then split it with a hammer (yes) and eat the meat. Now that I am older, this memory seems odd and funny to me, in that we lived in upstate NY! How strange is that?
Well, raw coconut butter tastes nothing like toasted coconut. In fact it makes the toasted version seem rancid! Another "how crazy is that"? : ) I read that adults can have up to two tbs. raw coconut butter or oil a day, and I for one plan on gettin' my share!! I had it spread on green crackers today. Oh yeah, I need to add Lydia's cracker products to my 'raw fav' list.
missed out on starting my 2 day streak : ) of 100% raw... Did well the whole day but come dinner, I just wanted protein. SO, I think my body is telling me something (and I'm listening!). If I am going to get enough protein raw, I need to up my grains and leafy greens. I am getting a lot of leafy greens through my juicing, so I think it's more a grains issue. Also I have to remember sea vegetables (nori, wakame, hajiki, etc...) Always tweaking!!!
OH, I read this idea I thought was clever, for 'raw' protein powder. I don't use protein powder, but Carlos does so I read it with interest. It's simple. They just dehydrate peas, and then pulverize in a food processor until powder form. Mix it into any drink (probably juice would be best to hide the taste. Peas are 19% protein! That's crazy. Hey, I am using snap peas in my juicing, so I must be getting protein from these, no?
Well, raw coconut butter tastes nothing like toasted coconut. In fact it makes the toasted version seem rancid! Another "how crazy is that"? : ) I read that adults can have up to two tbs. raw coconut butter or oil a day, and I for one plan on gettin' my share!! I had it spread on green crackers today. Oh yeah, I need to add Lydia's cracker products to my 'raw fav' list.
missed out on starting my 2 day streak : ) of 100% raw... Did well the whole day but come dinner, I just wanted protein. SO, I think my body is telling me something (and I'm listening!). If I am going to get enough protein raw, I need to up my grains and leafy greens. I am getting a lot of leafy greens through my juicing, so I think it's more a grains issue. Also I have to remember sea vegetables (nori, wakame, hajiki, etc...) Always tweaking!!!
OH, I read this idea I thought was clever, for 'raw' protein powder. I don't use protein powder, but Carlos does so I read it with interest. It's simple. They just dehydrate peas, and then pulverize in a food processor until powder form. Mix it into any drink (probably juice would be best to hide the taste. Peas are 19% protein! That's crazy. Hey, I am using snap peas in my juicing, so I must be getting protein from these, no?
Jan 7, 2009
I may have a cohort...
Yesterday, I mentioned to Carlos (really just running it by him) my interest in possibly doing a 30day trial 100% raw, and Carlos was not that enthusiastic. But today, he was at the doctors and when he weighed himself, decided he really wants to lose weight. So he said he wants to do a raw diet trial with me!! We'll see. He's still not home and we haven't talked, but that would be cool to have him on board : )
This morning I juiced
around 2 I had a few raw cashews and a bit later some sea crunchies as a snack.
4:30 juice
I went to Earthbound before picking up Josefina and they had purple Kale. Does anyone know if this is as nutritous as the green kind? I imagine it's missing chlorophyll? So maybe it's not as nutritious as the dark green kind? Hmmm. Anyway, I bought it : )
I also bought 'cilantro', which when I got home I realized I had actually picked up flat (italian) parsley. Whoops! I also bought meyer lemons. I can believe I have to pay for organic meyers (not cheap at this farm stand) when we have a tree outside. But my new juicing obsession currently has the tree bare, with only green fruits : )
so my juice included;
Dinner was leftover roast chicken (it was delish cold with a touch balsamic dressing), a little squash, and a huge salad. That's two days in a row raw during the day and chicken (animal protein) at night. So I'm putting the next two days together 100% raw. We'll go from there : )
This morning I juiced
- Kale
- meyer lemon
- 1/2 cucumber
- snap peas
- parsley
- d'anjou pear
- green grapes
around 2 I had a few raw cashews and a bit later some sea crunchies as a snack.
4:30 juice
I went to Earthbound before picking up Josefina and they had purple Kale. Does anyone know if this is as nutritous as the green kind? I imagine it's missing chlorophyll? So maybe it's not as nutritious as the dark green kind? Hmmm. Anyway, I bought it : )
I also bought 'cilantro', which when I got home I realized I had actually picked up flat (italian) parsley. Whoops! I also bought meyer lemons. I can believe I have to pay for organic meyers (not cheap at this farm stand) when we have a tree outside. But my new juicing obsession currently has the tree bare, with only green fruits : )
so my juice included;
- purple kale
- flat parsley
- 1 large honeycrisp apple
- about 10 peeled baby carrots
- 1 1/2 meyer lemons
Dinner was leftover roast chicken (it was delish cold with a touch balsamic dressing), a little squash, and a huge salad. That's two days in a row raw during the day and chicken (animal protein) at night. So I'm putting the next two days together 100% raw. We'll go from there : )
Jan 6, 2009
back to school...
I need to add a few extra minutes to my morning, I realized today. Adding time to assemble ingredients and juice them, to making lunches and breakfasts needs planning.
Juice this morning;
Smoothie around 10:30
got hungry around 1:00, but couldn't eat until 2 (busy playing with Vincent. Some days he is happy playing with Alicia, some days he only wants mom). Now I am eating a large salad (left over from last night) with cracked pepper, olives (listed under 'fav foods' above), hemp seeds and olive oil. YUM! The olive oil rocks. Bariani (raw). I am craving an avo but I don;t have any. I am going to keep these around as a staple. I LOVE avocados! And I never even had one (outside of guacamole a few times ) until I moved to CA. So funny.
Yay! Carlos bought me organic avo's at EB farm on the way home from picking up Josefina : )
For dinner I baked this big round orange wrinkly squash (japanese, I think?) that I got at earthbound and it was so sweet it needed no butter, salt, nothin. The kids wanted pasta with sauce, so I had the squash with some organic tomato sauce and it was fab. Carlos roasted his baking powder chicken and I had a little of that too. What a yummy dinner!
Now its yoga time : )
Juice this morning;
- spinach
- cucumber
- 1 1/2 lemons
- small Empire apple
- snap peas
- parsley
Smoothie around 10:30
- Banana
- Almond milk (although I though about this afterward, and I don't believe it's raw because I think the processing involves heat)
- Chia seeds - read last night that this is what is making my smoothies pudding like. Chia is used in raw pudding recipes, and gets gelatinous when wet. It's highly nutritious, though!
- Flax meal
- 2 medjool dates
- squeeze agave syrup
- generous sprinkle fine unsweetened coconut (Bob's organic, but I don;t know if it's considered raw...)
- small sprinkle cocoa nibs
got hungry around 1:00, but couldn't eat until 2 (busy playing with Vincent. Some days he is happy playing with Alicia, some days he only wants mom). Now I am eating a large salad (left over from last night) with cracked pepper, olives (listed under 'fav foods' above), hemp seeds and olive oil. YUM! The olive oil rocks. Bariani (raw). I am craving an avo but I don;t have any. I am going to keep these around as a staple. I LOVE avocados! And I never even had one (outside of guacamole a few times ) until I moved to CA. So funny.
Yay! Carlos bought me organic avo's at EB farm on the way home from picking up Josefina : )
For dinner I baked this big round orange wrinkly squash (japanese, I think?) that I got at earthbound and it was so sweet it needed no butter, salt, nothin. The kids wanted pasta with sauce, so I had the squash with some organic tomato sauce and it was fab. Carlos roasted his baking powder chicken and I had a little of that too. What a yummy dinner!
Now its yoga time : )
Jan 5, 2009
raw monday
Today was almost completely raw (!). Although I didn't plan it that way, that's how it ended up. Started with a green juice in the am, then another at noon (although here's where I go wrong, and need to change; I need a banana/flax/chia smoothie at noon for the fats and nutrition, not a juice. I'm learning).
Anyway, my skin was bothering me today - too dry. So I actually took a small spoon of olive oil. I have no idea if this would help , but it was a reactionary response : ) Dry skin can be a detox response, or a result of too little fats in one's diet.
Around four I had a large bowl of wakame sprinkled with furikake, alongside half an avocado, and it was fantastic.
For dinner I had a large salad with celery, tomatoes, sweet onion, drizzled with raw olive oil. I ate accompanied with 1/4 avocado, raw greek olives, raw milk raclette bites. YUm!
My energy was not great today, but I didn't fight it. I ran only 1 mile before giving up and showering. I got enough sleep last night, too. But I didn't stress, and was ok with it. Tomorrow I'll run harder and longer. As long as I feel good at the end of the day, its a good one.
This raw food diet will take a while for me to adjust to, I can tell. It's confusing whether to know to follow those who say 80-95% raw if best, and those who tout 100% raw. I just need to do what I can and feel like, and then see where it takes me!
Anyway, my skin was bothering me today - too dry. So I actually took a small spoon of olive oil. I have no idea if this would help , but it was a reactionary response : ) Dry skin can be a detox response, or a result of too little fats in one's diet.
Around four I had a large bowl of wakame sprinkled with furikake, alongside half an avocado, and it was fantastic.
For dinner I had a large salad with celery, tomatoes, sweet onion, drizzled with raw olive oil. I ate accompanied with 1/4 avocado, raw greek olives, raw milk raclette bites. YUm!
My energy was not great today, but I didn't fight it. I ran only 1 mile before giving up and showering. I got enough sleep last night, too. But I didn't stress, and was ok with it. Tomorrow I'll run harder and longer. As long as I feel good at the end of the day, its a good one.
This raw food diet will take a while for me to adjust to, I can tell. It's confusing whether to know to follow those who say 80-95% raw if best, and those who tout 100% raw. I just need to do what I can and feel like, and then see where it takes me!
Jan 4, 2009
Sunday, Green Sunday....
This morning's juice, before a little coffee (waited 20 min. for juice to clear stomach). I make enough to fill the juice catch container. This is about 12-14 oz each for Carlos and I (yes, he's drinking it now!).
1:00 smoothie.
(note - I haven't made a smoothie in about 4-5 days, and I notice if I eat substantially raw during the day, or just for a few days, my skin feels dry. I think raw eating keeps me borderline low on the fats, so I need to be mindful of eating avocados, olive oil (I have a raw one), nuts, seeds, etc. )
With that in mind my smoothie included (get ready, its weird!)
2 small ripe bananas
cocoa nibs (raw)
1 small avocado
almond milk
splash agave syrup
spoon of flax meal
small sprinkle of chia
some hemp seeds
water
forgot my usual fine coconut and date. Maybe that's why it was more banana-y and not so sweet. But VERY creamy from the avo. I have read raw pudding recipes where they blend an avo with other ingredients. It became thick from the flax, and I need to get better at estimating volume- I made a lot! But I drank it all : ) Anyway, I'll get better at it.
4pm green juice - the 'Kitchen Sink' version
Kale
Parsley
Bok Choy (3 large leaves w/ stalk)
3 small carrots
snap peas
Fuji apple (one whole)
Cucumber (1/2, peeled
small meyer lemon
I haven't exercised today and maybe that is why I am cold. I think the raw also keeps my body temp lower (even than my usual temp!) so I need to bundle up, and also exercise. Tonight I'll do yoga.
For dinner I am making a noodle casserole. The kids like it and it's yummy. Not raw at all but I am going to try spelt noodles in place of regular pasta. I use good tuna, and top with an organic cream of mushroom soup (then bake in oven till warmed through). I think I had enough raw today, so I'm ok with it. Plus I really see this as a life long change for me. So I don't need to go from 0 to 60mph within a few weeks. : )
- whole d'anjou pear
- Kale
- snap peas
- lemon
- parsley
- cucumber
1:00 smoothie.
(note - I haven't made a smoothie in about 4-5 days, and I notice if I eat substantially raw during the day, or just for a few days, my skin feels dry. I think raw eating keeps me borderline low on the fats, so I need to be mindful of eating avocados, olive oil (I have a raw one), nuts, seeds, etc. )
With that in mind my smoothie included (get ready, its weird!)
2 small ripe bananas
cocoa nibs (raw)
1 small avocado
almond milk
splash agave syrup
spoon of flax meal
small sprinkle of chia
some hemp seeds
water
forgot my usual fine coconut and date. Maybe that's why it was more banana-y and not so sweet. But VERY creamy from the avo. I have read raw pudding recipes where they blend an avo with other ingredients. It became thick from the flax, and I need to get better at estimating volume- I made a lot! But I drank it all : ) Anyway, I'll get better at it.
4pm green juice - the 'Kitchen Sink' version
Kale
Parsley
Bok Choy (3 large leaves w/ stalk)
3 small carrots
snap peas
Fuji apple (one whole)
Cucumber (1/2, peeled
small meyer lemon
I haven't exercised today and maybe that is why I am cold. I think the raw also keeps my body temp lower (even than my usual temp!) so I need to bundle up, and also exercise. Tonight I'll do yoga.
For dinner I am making a noodle casserole. The kids like it and it's yummy. Not raw at all but I am going to try spelt noodles in place of regular pasta. I use good tuna, and top with an organic cream of mushroom soup (then bake in oven till warmed through). I think I had enough raw today, so I'm ok with it. Plus I really see this as a life long change for me. So I don't need to go from 0 to 60mph within a few weeks. : )
Jan 3, 2009
juicing, so far...
My favorite juice ingredients. I tend towards green juices, vs pure fruit;
Anyway, the salad included arugula, radish, tomato, alfalfa sprouts, mung bean sprouts, and cucumber.
The juice was a brownish green (hmmm) and tasted like, well, salad water. I bravely drank half of it, and then went back to the juicer and added one small apple and one small lemon. Infinitely better and drinkable : )
Other juicing notes; we bought Alicia a juicer for her belated christmas present. She was excited to taste and see the results of ours, so we surprised her with one. Yay!
And today we have one going out to Santa Cruz.... : )
- Kale
- Lemon (meyer, from our tree)
- apple
- parsley
- cucumber (I feel like this adds a hydrating aspect to the juice; don't know if this is true or not, but that's how it feels)
- carrot
- lettuce
- pear
- orange
Anyway, the salad included arugula, radish, tomato, alfalfa sprouts, mung bean sprouts, and cucumber.
The juice was a brownish green (hmmm) and tasted like, well, salad water. I bravely drank half of it, and then went back to the juicer and added one small apple and one small lemon. Infinitely better and drinkable : )
Other juicing notes; we bought Alicia a juicer for her belated christmas present. She was excited to taste and see the results of ours, so we surprised her with one. Yay!
And today we have one going out to Santa Cruz.... : )
slow down on the alcohol, my dear
So I've missed a few days blogging...
Had company and a WONDERFUL New year's EVE celebration...
Some observations re: the raw journey;
I have read that when one becomes raw or mostly raw their tolerance to alcohol goes way down. I experienced this friday night (1/2). I felt uncomfortably DRUNK (there simply is no other word, as harsh as it sounds!) by the time I had to put the kids to sleep around ten. We opened wine at 5pm as we were beginning dinner preparations for the children, and there were three (and later four) of us drinking, and we had shared three bottles in five hours. That may sound like a lot (?), but honesty I have drank more over the course of an evening and never felt the severely strong reaction as I did that night. Bed spins and all. It was awful. I didn't even get up to go back out after the children were asleep- how embarrassing! I had not eaten much at all, all day and I think that also had a lot to do with it. I juiced three times, had a Lara Bar in the afternoon, had a couple bites of olives, and some Foie gras around five, and then at dinner only ate a small slice of pork, and large salad, and one fingerling potato. Simply not enough.
Anyway it's all good because now I know to be aware and also not to drink so much, which is good for me anyway : ) Geez!!!
Had company and a WONDERFUL New year's EVE celebration...
Some observations re: the raw journey;
I have read that when one becomes raw or mostly raw their tolerance to alcohol goes way down. I experienced this friday night (1/2). I felt uncomfortably DRUNK (there simply is no other word, as harsh as it sounds!) by the time I had to put the kids to sleep around ten. We opened wine at 5pm as we were beginning dinner preparations for the children, and there were three (and later four) of us drinking, and we had shared three bottles in five hours. That may sound like a lot (?), but honesty I have drank more over the course of an evening and never felt the severely strong reaction as I did that night. Bed spins and all. It was awful. I didn't even get up to go back out after the children were asleep- how embarrassing! I had not eaten much at all, all day and I think that also had a lot to do with it. I juiced three times, had a Lara Bar in the afternoon, had a couple bites of olives, and some Foie gras around five, and then at dinner only ate a small slice of pork, and large salad, and one fingerling potato. Simply not enough.
Anyway it's all good because now I know to be aware and also not to drink so much, which is good for me anyway : ) Geez!!!
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