Hemp Hearts & Weight Loss

I read that many people who start their day out with a nutritious and balanced meal and a hefty helping of hemp hearts – usually in a salad or on raw oatmeal, in yogurt or in fruit, notice a significant difference in their health and energy. They experience diminished appetites and ample energy to get them through the day. They also notice reduced cravings for sweets and snacks and find it easier to avoid starchy foods, probably because of the high protein content in hemp hearts. In the long run, they can expect improved health in terms of arthritis, diabetes, obesity, energy, blood pressure, and so on.

It is also possible to lose up to one pound per day by eating a large raw breakfast with hemp hearts, then substituting a pot of tea for lunch, and for dinner, a large vegetable salad without dressing. Eating like this is only necessary if you want to lose substantial weight because of the daily calorie deficiency. It is reported that people have lost up to 50 pounds in 50 days following this method.

If you’re not trying to lose weight, you can eat a lot more and not gain weight, BUT you would have to avoid consuming processed “stuff” as well as food containing sugar, flour, potatoes, rice and pasta. Hemp hearts are an excellent source of balanced proteins and essential fats, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to avoid carbs and starches.

Comparing Hemp Hearts to Other Foods

Hemp hearts are a superior vegetarian source of protein that is considered easily digestible, and they contain more required amino acids, thus proteins, than milk, meat or eggs. I don’t drink milk or eat meat, but I do enjoy an egg on occasion, so by adding hemp hearts to my diet, I am supplying the mythical “deficiency of protein in a vegan diet.”

Hemp hearts are much more balanced and digestible than Soy products. I wouldn’t eat Soy if you paid me, so I’m happy to hear this! (Side note: I read that over 90% of soy products and 70% of corn is grown from genetically modified seeds. Plus, soy is practically grown in pesticides. No thanks!)

Nature's highest botanical source of essential fatty acid, with more essential fatty acid than flax or any other nut or seed oil. I like the idea of eating hemp hearts over taking a Tablespoon of flaxseed oil every night! Hemp hearts are MUCH tastier!! And there are so many ways you can incorporate them into your diet.

The more I read about Hemp hearts, the more amazed I am. The benefits are astounding. Since I want to achieve substantial health, I decided to put hemp hearts to the test. Okay, so it’s only been one day but this is what happened today.

DISCLAIMER: THIS GETS A LITTLE PERSONAL, SO CONSIDER YOURSELF FOREWARNED.

I made a nice big salad this morning of romaine, carrots, broccoli, snow peas, bean sprouts, red cabbage, cucumbers, red bell pepper, 3 TBSP of hemp hearts and dressing of flaxseed oil and fresh squeezed lemon juice. I wasn’t even ¾ of the way through my salad and I had to use the bathroom … TWICE before I left for work! Dang, that’s fast!! I also started to cough up mucus.

I made a liter of organic lemonade to bring to work in place of lunch. While at work, I had to empty my bladder four times plus had another bm.

When I got home, I had some raw “spaghetti” made with zucchini, raw marinara and another two TBSP of hemp hearts. I’ve had to empty my bladder four more times since I've been home. I can certainly see how you would lose weight consuming hemp hearts! Including hemp hearts in my diet for one day seems to have triggered a pretty good detox! And I can concur with the diminished appetite and sustained energy.

This post has kinda gone into the toilet, hasn’t it?!!

Phenomenal Benefits of Hemp Hearts

Does the word "hemp" produce visions of pot plants and pot heads dancing around in your mind? They are not the same and there is an unfortunate misconception regarding the two. Marijuana and hemp are different varieties of the same species of plant, Cannabis sativa L. There are different varieties of Cannabis, just as there are different varieties of citrus. If you want to read more about it, check out Dr. David P. West's paper Hemp & Marijuana: Myths & Realities.

Hemp is actually a superfood that is a well-kept secret in the United States, probably because of its exceptional health benefits. It seems our government just doesn't want anyone to know how to be healthy without depending on pharmaceuticals. Coincidentally, drugs never helped me get healthy throughout my childhood. They just kept me depend on more drugs.

Hemp Hearts are shelled hemp seed which is nature's perfect food - a super food - with a nutritional composition that is exceptional! They are loaded with essential fats, proteins, most vitamins as well as enzymes and amino acids. Hemp protein contains all 20 known amino acids including the nine essential amino acids that our bodies cannot produce. Proteins are considered complete when they contain all nine essential amino acids in a sufficient quantity and ratio, and hemp seeds meet the body's nutritional requirement for a well balanced diet. Approximately 65% of the protein found only in hemp seeds is globulin edistin that works in the body to create antibodies, promoting a strong immune system! Edistin also aids digestion and is considered the backbone of the cell's DNA.

Some Benefits from Consuming Hemp Seed
Excellent source of essential fatty acids including Omega 3, 6 and GLA
Lower blood LDL cholesterol levels
Lower blood pressure
Improve cardiovascular circulation & function
Improve organ function
Improve immunity levels
Increased energy levels & metabolic rate
Reduce symptoms of PMS & menstrual cramps
Reduce inflammation and the symptoms of arthritis
Improve recovery of muscles after exercise
Reduce & treat dry skin and hair conditions
Reduction of many degenerative diseases through preventative measures

Hemp products have a wonderful nutty flavor that can easily be incorporated into your diet while providing a powerful daily supplement. I add them to my salads, smoothies and to my Buckwheat Goji Bars. They can be added to most anything. I even eat them straight as they are mild and quite yummy.

It is recommended that 4-5 Tablespoons in a large salad at breakfast is ideal. If you prefer, you can add it to fruit, raw oatmeal or yogurt, but eating a large salad at breakfast time and then a light dinner of raw veggies will achieve the most substantial benefits. Avoid starches, processed foods and dairy.


How I added hemp to my diet today. I whipped up some muesli for brunch and it was so good I decided to share the recipe.

I Muesli
~~~~~~~~~

1/2 cup whole uncooked oats
1/4 cup of sprouted buckwheat
2 TBSP of hemp hearts 
handful of chopped almonds
handful of raisins
handful of sunflower seeds
juice of one apple

Stir together and enjoy!

Today's smoothie: 10 oz. Coconut Water, 2 frozen ripe bananas, 1 TBSP raw cacao powder, 2 TBSP hemp hearts, 1 tsp. Maca. Blend and enjoy. If the bananas weren't frozen, I would have added a cup of ice before blending.

TIP: I buy several bunches of bananas at at time. As they start to turn brown, I peel them, break them in half, toss them into a Ziploc bag and the throw the bag in the freezer. You could also slice them if you wanted to but I'd rather just break them in half. By doing this, you don't waste bananas when they get too ripe and have to be thrown out, PLUS you can use the frozen bananas in your smoothies.

What Happens When We Cheat on our Diet

While I have been maintaining - for the most part - 90-95% raw, I do have days where I cheat and will eat, of all things, a slice or two or pizza!! UGH! That has GOT TO STOP!! I'm only hurting myself when I make these poor choices. Several years ago, I came across an excellent article written by a raw guru, Frederick Patenaude, about what happens when we cheat on our diet. It was very helpful to me and I knew I would need to revert back to it again. I should have pulled it out sooner!! Here it is... 

Cheating & The Psychology of Dietary Change 

When we try to follow a healthy diet, it’s perfectly normal at first to have desires or cravings for unhealthy foods and to feel tempted by these foods. Sometimes, for one reason or another, we may decide to say, “What the hell!” and indulge. First, it should be said that what matters most is what we do on a daily basis and not what we do rarely or occasionally. So small diet derogations once in a while are not as harmful as if they were habitual. The other side of the coin is that these small but repeated cheats can sabotage all the benefits we are expecting to have with our diet. When we eat a diet composed mostly of fruits and vegetables without spices or salt, and when we eat those foods with genuine hunger, we eventually purify our body and become ultra-sensitive to any poor food choice. The body reacts violently to any unhealthy food, much like a child does. The worst thing is the surprise of finding out that the old foods we used to love — those that seem so innocent still — can have such a dramatic effect on us. We’d like to be able to eat them occasionally and be fine... oh, we’d like so much to be able to! Let me use my own experience as an example. In most people’s minds, a cooked vegan meal is a rather healthy meal. Most folks would eat that and feel fine. That might even be the healthiest thing they ate all week! But for someone whose system has been cleansed out by a pure diet of fruits and vegetables, things aren’t the same. If I ate such a meal, let’s say, composed of split pea soup, a vegan pizza and soy ice cream, it will definitely affect me in the most negative way. I might have a hard time falling asleep and my sleep could be disturbed by weird dreams. I’ll become dehydrated from all the salt contained in those “healthy” vegan foods. But the worst thing is that I’ll have such a hard time getting back on track again. For a week I might feel kind of ill, but not really — just a sort of slight sore throat and aching in the muscles. A slight depression could even set in and I’ll have the hardest time to feel like myself again. What a setback for just a little dietary indiscretion! I know from experience what happens when I decide to eat something I normally don’t, for having been there more than a few times. But I also know that this experience is common to all those that have experienced living on a natural diet of fruits and vegetables. Studying the Law of Vital Adaptation will help us understand why this happens. Here is the law as stated by Herbert Shelton: "The response of the vital organism to external stimuli is an instinctive one, based upon a self-preservative instinct which adapts itself to whatever influence it cannot destroy or control." What it means is that over time, the body can become accustomed to all sorts of harmful substances. It will adapt itself to it in order to protect itself. This is done at the expense of many vital processes. Shelton again: “There was the ancient king who, in order to protect himself against poisoning by his foes, accustomed his body to various poisons by a gradual increase in the amount taken, until, when a time finally arrived when he desired to take his own life, by poisoning, he failed in the attempt. The first effort of the living organism, in relation to adverse and inimical influences, is to overcome and destroy them. Failing in this, it attempts to accommodate itself to such conditions and influences. For what it cannot overcome, it must learn to endure or perish.” When we start a pure diet of fruits and vegetables, the process described by Shelton is done in reverse. The body rejects accumulated toxins and reverts to a more pure state that has little tolerance for poisons. That is why we can react so strongly to the foods we used to eat without a second thought.

A LEARNING PROCESS

It’s a rather interesting experience to see how bad certain foods can make you feel once you've eaten a simple diet of mostly fruits and vegetables for a while. I’ve noticed how certain foods make you drowsy, others just stimulate you and later make you feel depressed, others make you feel irritated, and others make you feel almost drugged. A friend of mine isn’t a habitual coffee drinker. Recently, he had 4 coffees in one evening. Although he felt great initially, because of stimulation, the following day he fell into a sort of depression that lasted a good 2 days! This backsliding is probably necessary to understand where we want to go. But what really hurts in the long terms are the small cheats that end up occurring on a rather regular basis. Let me explain. If you go out one night and have a pizza after having been on a clean diet for a while, you will feel it. I guarantee that you will not feel encouraged to repeat the experience the next day. But if instead you have a muffin here and there, drink some tea once in a while, add some soy sauce to your salads, etc., you might not feel horrible, but all of those little things begin to add up and one day you wonder why you don’t feel so good anymore, without realizing what has actually happened. When we disturb the instinct, we disturb the main natural and physiological alarm that is supposed to protect us from harmful things. Health can only be perfect when our instinct is perfect. Cheating often ends up depraving our instinct and perverting it. It’s better to perfect it, so that it can protect us in life. 

TAKING IT EASY

Life should be fun, and eating healthily shouldn’t be a big struggle. At some point, you have to accept the path that you have chosen and be happy with it. What’s the point of eating healthily if you feel deprived and you’re constantly going back and forth and trying to find your balance again, each time? Trying to eat raw using the force of willpower alone is meant to fail, ultimately. On one side you are trying to make yourself eat in a way that you think is good for you, but on the other side you are fighting it, because on that level you do not want to do it. This inner struggle, in spite of the greatest willpower in the world, is going to make you fail. The key is to come to accept on a deeper level the diet choice we make, rather than understand it on a purely intellectual level. I always tell people that they shouldn’t strive to eat a particular diet, such as a raw food diet, simply because they think it’s the best for their bodies. Instead, they should focus on the reasons they are doing it. The reasons can include: having more energy, improved complexion, waking up feeling energetic, feel more connected to nature, feel more peaceful inside, radiate health, live healthily, etc. 

EVERYTHING IN BALANCE

“A discrepancy between what we eat and who we are in the world generates a kind of tension, which is resolved either when the diet moves back in line with the person’s incarnate role, or when the person’s entire life changes to come in harmony with the new diet. Force, that is, willpower, can hold diet and being apart, but not forever. The tension will build, in the form of intense cravings, aversions, and, eventually, physical illness.” Charles Eisenstein, The Yoga of Eating One thing that took me a long time to understand is that our diet must harmonize with our other behaviors; otherwise it is doomed to fail. There’s a saying that goes, “You cannot change one thing without changing everything.” Let me explain. A diet of animal foods and alcohol is compatible with a number of lifestyles, but incompatible with some others. The same goes for a vegan diet, or a raw-food diet. If you want to be in a death metal band, a raw vegan diet isn’t the most appropriate for that lifestyle choice. On a pure energetic level, eating banana smoothies doesn’t jive with screaming gory lyrics in a death metal band! A raw-based diet, such as the one described in the book The Raw Secrets, is a radical change. It will call for more radical changes in every area of your life. If you are not ready for it and were just looking for a quick fix, you will have to face some major hurdles along the way, because your diet choice won’t harmonize with your other manners of being. A fruit-based diet is a high-energy diet. It isn’t compatible with a sedentary lifestyle. It isn’t compatible with certain low-energy activities, friendships, and even jobs.

So one way to make the diet work, indirectly, is to focus on other areas of our lives. Instead of focusing on the diet, we can focus on becoming more active or inviting new, more positive friendships. By harmonizing those areas of life, it will become easier to make the diet work, almost without any effort.

###

I can so relate to this article because I am a living testimony of what Frederic writes. I can go for days consuming nothing but freshly juiced carrots/celery/apples/beets and parsley, green smoothies, and salads, but then, I'll come home and hubby has ordered a pizza. I cave in and eat a slice or two. Within 30 minutes, I can feel the mucous build-up in my sinuses, within an hour I start wheezing. The next day I start sneezing, my eyes itch and my lungs hurt. Wheat and dairy are major "no-no's" for my asthma. So why do I eat it?!!

I cannot even begin to describe how amazing I felt when I was 100% raw. I struggle to understand why I am finding it more difficult this time to maintain this lifestyle. My motivation the first time was to get off my asthma meds, which I did ... until I started eating cooked again.

When I make a decision to cheat, I am not only cheating myself but my Lord and Savior as well. My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit and I should treat it as such. Since I profess Jesus as my Lord and Savior, this area of my life should be surrendered to Him as well. I have decided to make eating an act of worship, thereby honoring Him with my food choices.

With the help of Jesus, I know I will succeed. I am determined to CHOOSE LIFE! Living (raw) foods are Life. Jesus is Life! I can do all thing through Christ who strengthens me!! Hallelujah!

Why Eating a Primarily Raw Vegan Diet Makes You Feel RAWESOME!!!

Happy New Year! Hope your new year will be Simply Rawesome!!

I must share with you the following site: Seeds of Deception

WATCH THE VIDEO!!! It is eye opening, very informative and enlightening. I strongly urge you to check it out.

Jeffrey M. Smith, author of "Seeds of Deception" and "Genetic Roulette: The Documented Health Risks of Genetically Engineered Foods," explains the ramifications of Genetically Modified foods. Scary! Dangerous!

When you watch this video, you will understand why eating a primarily organic, raw vegan diet is safer, wiser and healthier. You will feel like a new person.

The following is a summary of what crops, foods and food ingredients have been genetically modified as of July, 2007:

Currently Commercialized GM Crops in the U.S.:
(Number in parentheses represents the estimated percent that is genetically modified.)

Soy (91%)
Cotton (88%)
Canola (80-85%)
Corn (85%)
Hawaiian papaya (more than 50%)
Alfalfa, zucchini and yellow squash (small amount)
Tobacco (Quest® brand)

Other Sources of GMOs:

Dairy products from cows injected with rbGH.
Food additives, enzymes, flavorings, and processing agents, including the sweetener aspartame (NutraSweet®) and rennet used to make hard cheeses
Meat, eggs, and dairy products from animals that have eaten GM feed
Honey and bee pollen that may have GM sources of pollen
Contamination or pollination caused by GM seeds or pollen
Some of the Ingredients That May Be Genetically Modified:

Vegetable oil, vegetable fat and margarines (made with soy, corn, cottonseed, and/or canola)

Ingredients derived from soybeans: Soy flour, soy protein, soy isolates, soy isoflavones, soy lecithin, vegetable proteins, textured vegetable protein (TVP), tofu, tamari, tempeh, and soy protein supplements.

Ingredients derived from corn: Corn flour, corn gluten, corn masa, corn starch, corn syrup, cornmeal, and High-Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS).

Some Food Additives May Also Be Derived From GM Sources:

The list may change as we encounter new information: ascorbic acid/ascorbate (Vitamin C), cellulose, citric acid, cobalamin (vitamin B12), cyclodextrin, cystein, dextrin, dextrose, diacetyl, fructose (especially crystalline fructose), glucose, glutamate, glutamic acid, gluten, glycerides (mono- and diglycerides), glycerol, glycerol, glycerine, glycine, hemicellulose, , hydrogenated starch hydrolates, hydrolyzed vegetable protein or starch, inositol, invert sugar or inverse syrup, (also may be listed as inversol or colorose), lactic acid, lactoflavin, lecithin, leucine, lysine, maltose, maltitol, maltodextrin, mannitol, methylcellulose, milo starch, modified food starch, monooleate, mono- and diglycerides, monosodium glutamate (MSG), oleic acid, phenylalanine, phytic acid, riboflavin (Vitamin B2) sorbitol, stearic acid, threonine, tocopherol (Vitamin E), trehalose, xanthan gum, and zein.

Some of the Foods That May Contain GM Ingredients:

Infant formula
Salad dressing
Bread
Cereal
Hamburgers and hotdogs
Margarine
Mayonnaise
Crackers
Cookies
Chocolate
Candy
Fried food
Chips
Veggie burgers
Meat substitutes
Ice cream
Frozen yogurt
Tofu
Tamari
Soy sauce
Soy cheese
Tomato sauce
Protein powder
Baking powder (sometimes contains corn starch)
Powdered/Confectioner's sugar (often contains corn starch)
Confectioner's glaze
Alcohol
Vanilla
Powdered sugar
Peanut butter
Enriched flour
Vanilla extract (sometimes contains corn syrup)
Pasta
Malt
White vinegar

Non-Food Items That May Contain GM Ingredients:

Cosmetics
Soaps
Detergents
Shampoo
Bubble bath

** Notice the lack of fresh fruits and veggies on this list!!

The impact of this list is lost without the knowledge gained from watching the video. Do yourself a favor and take the time out to watch it. It's long, but it's life saving!!

Don't die from lack of knowledge. Educate yourself.

Holiday Bustle

I have been trying to get this post up for a week, but have been caught up in the holiday hustle and bustle ... the shopping, decorating, preparing for company, menu planning, the whole kit and kaboodle.

Although it's a beautiful time of year, it can also be stressful. This is one of the many reasons I'm so blessed to be a raw vegan. Flooding my body with green juices, smoothies, and live foods feeds my cells and boosts my immune system. Being raw helps me to stay centered and calm, while maintaining a high level of energy. It's good to be raw. I like it. I like emoticons too. Can you tell?

In the midst of the flurry, I decided to add more to my plate and try out a couple of new recipes that I thought my Christmas company might enjoy. First, I made a variation of Dr. Gabriel Cousen's Cranberry Bread which I really liked!

It looks like bread sticks ... or biscotti, but it has the texture of banana bread, except made with cranberries. It's very good!

I did tweak it just a bit and added agave nectar to give it a bit of a sweet taste, and I substituted almond flour instead of soaked almonds since I have so much almond flour on hand.

Cranberry Bread
2 cups golden flax seeds, ground
1 cup almonds, soaked (I used 1 cup of almond flour)
3/4 cup fresh cranberries
1 Tbsp. orange zest
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. Celtic salt (I used Pink Himalayan)
1/2 vanilla bean (I used a whole one)
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup almond soak water or plain water. (I think coconut water would be good too.)

Grind the flaxseeds in a coffee grinder to medium consistency (not too fine). If you use soaked almonds, process in food processor with an S-blade until meal-like. Since I used almond flour, I just added a cup of flour to the ground flax seeds and processed till blended. Place "flour" in mixing bowl.

Next, add cranberries, juice, orange zest, agave nectar and vanilla bean to a Vita Mix or blender and process till smooth. I happened to have some almonds soaking for almond mylk, so I added about 1/2 cup of almond soak water, but next time I may try coconut water for added flavor.

Add the blended ingredients to the mixing bowl. Add cinnamon and salt, and mix well.

Form into two loaves approximately 4" x 8" x 1 and slice into 1/4" pieces.

Dehydrate at 145° for 2-3 hours and then 115° for 2 hours or until desired moisture is obtained.

Enjoy!!

Next recipe was Sergei's Butternut Squash cookies.

In the photo they look like chicken nuggets, but I assure you, they aren't. Lol. They were okay; reminded me a lot of the Mini Pumpkin Muffins I posted back on November 17th. It seemed to me that the juice of one orange was too much as I had to add some almond flour to thicken the batter up. If I were to make these again, I would start with 1/2 cup of orange juice and add more if needed.

Butternut Squash Cookies
4 cups butternut squash, peeled and chopped
1 cup golden raisins
1 orange, juice of (Start with 1/2 cup and increase if needed.)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 tablespoons agave nectar, raw

Blend squash in a food processor and put into a bowl.
Blend raisins and orange juice in the food processor and add to the squash puree.
Add the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly.
Drop the mixture by spoonfuls onto dehydrator trays and flatten each cookie to a thickness of one inch.
Dehydrate at 105 degrees for 12-15 hours.

Confession Time

The holiday season is always a tough time for my diet. I stay raw, but I'll start to nibble at certain cooked foods. Like the past few days, I've been cheating. I've been eating oatmeal cookies ... and NOT the raw kind! But they taste SOOOO good, I can't help it!

Well, I CAN help it, so I decided to find a raw alternative. I've collected four or five raw oatmeal cookie recipes and I'm going to do a ... hmmmm, well I certainly can't call it a "cook-off". I'm going to try them all and post the results. I've already made one batch. I just have a few more ingredients to buy to make the remaining recipes, but Christmas shopping got in the way. Hopefully, in a few days I'll be able to post the recipe I like best. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, be sure to drink your green juice everyday to keep your immune system boosted ... especially if you're out there shopping. Germs are everywhere! If your biological terrain is disrupted due to stress, processed foods, dehydration, or a number of other factors, your body won't be able to fight off the crud. Easiest green juice is 1 cup of coconut water (or plain water), couple handfuls of kale and a banana. Voila!

Another Green Healing Tonic

Actually made it to the gym today. The difference between today's workout and the last time I worked out, which was the Monday before Thanksgiving (1 week and 1 day ago), was depressing to say the least. I had considerably less energy and strength. I lifted half the amount of weight I did last week and did less reps than normal. Let's just say I felt like a real wimp. Today's green tonic was stepped up just a bit. I was out of cucumber, so I substituted half a zucchini and I added some cilantro and wheat grass.

Green Healing Tonic #2 

Garlic clove 

Ginger knuckle

Sliced Apples - 2 

Zucchini - 1/2

Celery - 2 stalks 

Carrot - 1 medium 

Cilantro - a few sprigs 

Mint - a few springs 

Spinach - handful 

Broccoli - a few stalks 

Romaine - one flowerette 

Red cabbage -handful 

Wheat Grass - 1 TBSP. 

 It was a lot better tasting than I expected. 

The Live Food Factor by Susan Schenck is a phenomenal book, and if you are serious about pursuing a raw vegan lifestyle, I highly recommend purchasing it for your raw lifestyle library. It is LOADED - all 660 pages - with invaluable information. As it says on the cover, it is The Comprehensive Guide to the Ultimate Diet for Body, Mind, Spirit and Planet. Susan starts out with ten reasons to stop cooking and they are: Super Health, Mental Ability and Mental Health, Optimal Weight and Beauty, Emotional Balance and Happiness, Spiritual Growth, Economy, Pleasure, Ecology, Free Time, and finally, Longevity. I can relate each and every reason. So after all these months, wouldn't you know that I'd open the book up to "Is Cooked Food Toxic?" Why, oh why, didn't I open this book up the day BEFORE Thanksgiving?!

I Hit a Pothole!

Or should I say SINK HOLE!!!

Sometimes on the roads of life, we hit a pothole. Thanksgiving was a sink hole on my road to rawesome health ... and it took me four days to crawl out.

It started out with good intentions but ...

We had a delicious organic, free-range turkey, two versions of yummy dressing, creamy mashed potatoes, scrumptious sweet potato and orange casserole, fresh green bean casserole, cranberry sauce ... and it was all ohhhh so good.

Then there was dessert, but my demise came with this Ice Cream Casserole:


Our dear neighbor - bless his heart - brought this sinfully delicious dish over. It was layered with ice cream sandwiches, caramel, Butterfingers and Reese's Peanut Butter cups. For someone who has been 98% raw for almost two months, this was like injecting a shot of heroine. SO MUCH SUGAR!!! And the DAIRY!! UGH!!

Well, I started out this morning back on the healing path with this delectable green healing tonic which consists of:

Romaine - handful
Spinach - handful
Parsley - small bunch
Celery - two stalks
Cucumber - half
Mint - small bunch
Green apple - 1
Fuji apple - 1
Carrot stick - 1
Clove of garlic - 1 sm
Ginger - sliver

An example of how detrimental cooked food is for the body, after one day of eating cooked food, I woke up with a food hangover. After two days of eating cooked food I started sneezing, eyes started itching, I started to get congested and my energy level tanked. After four days of eating cooked, my lungs started aching, I began wheezing and coughing up mucus. My vision has deteriorated considerably. I couldn't even drag myself out of bed this morning to go to the gym.

My plan is to fast on green juice, organic lemonade and green smoothies this week to get myself back on track. And then Christmas gets here.

Mini Pumpkin Muffins

Where's the pumpkin?! There is no pumpkin stuff in these muffins! And they don't exactly look very much like a traditional muffin, but they sure are tasty!

These muffins actually contain butternut squash as the main ingredient. I had never done anything with a butternut squash before, and was pleasantly surprised by (1) how much it smelled like cantaloupe, (2) how much it tasted like cantaloupe, and (3) how hard it was. The "meat" of the squash was a beautiful vibrant orange color.

It was quite the challenge to peel one of these things. I tried peeling it with a potato peeler but quickly resorted to a paring knife. Below is a photo of the squash and all of the untensils I used to prepare it before I could run it through the juicer. I had to scoop out all the seeds, much like a cantaloupe!



I wish I would have taken a photo of the "muffins" before I dehydrated them, because they looked much more impressive beforehand.


I also made a Sweet Cashew Cream to top the "muffins" - and I use that term very loosely. I won't post what I call them in the privacy of my home.

These are some pretty darn good raw muffins!

Mini Pumpkin Muffins

I use little candy papers that look like mini pleated cup cake papers.

1 Butternut Squash, peeled
1 ½ cups Raw Walnuts
About 1/3 cup Raw Pecans
3-4 dates, pitted
3 tsp. Pumpkin Spice (or 3 tsp. Allspice and ½ tsp. Ginger)
1 cup Cranberries, chopped

Cut squash into quarters, Peel skin with paring knife, Run through juicer with blank plate on. (For a smallish squash should have about 3-1/2 cups.)

Put all ingredients into food processor with the s blade and blend until smooth. While the blender is on and mixing, add about 1/8 c water. More if needed to make it smooth.

When finished, scrape all ingredients into a bowl, add 1 cup of chopped cranberries and mix in.
Drop mixture by teaspoon to fill the little cups.

Dehydrate for 10-15 hours @ 110 degrees.

Sweet Cashew Cream

2 big handfuls of Cashews, soaked in water for about 1hr.
Juice from ½ Lemon
2-3 TBSP. Agave Nectar
Pure Water

Drain and put nuts in blender with lemon juice and agave.
Add just enough water to get the mixture moving.
*Only add water as needed.

Blend till completely smooth, keeping consistency thick like whip cream. Store in fridge.

Top Pumpkin muffins with cream when they are ready.

Stuffed Mushrooms & Brownies ... Yummm!

I'm so excited. I went to a ladies retreat this weekend with my church family, but since they did not serve "raw" food, I had to bring my own. I tried to keep it simple, so I made some simple stuffed mushrooms by pulsing red pepper, cauliflower and some onion in my Jr. Chopper. Then I scooped out the center of my mushroom and layered spinach on the bottom of the mushroom. I added a spoonful of the chopped veggies, placed a few alfalfa sprouts on top and then drizzled some Balsamic Vinegarette on top. YUMMMM!!! Everyone asked me what I was eating and said it looked delicious. It was!!


For dessert, I found a recipe for brownies and revised it to use almond pulp. My stepson's comment while eating them, "This is ridiculous! These taste like the real thing. Raw food shouldn't taste this good." HA ha! Yay! Success!!

Thinking GREEN

I started making a salad and realized everything at that point was all green, so I decided to go with the flow.  

My salad consists of: 

A bed of romaine 

Alfalfa sprouts

Broccoli florets

Cucumbers slices 

1/2 an avocado 

spring greens

grated zucchini 

a sprig of parsley 

Okay, so much for the salad. Now what about a green dressing? I did a Google search for a raw green salad dressing and at the top of the list of results was this video by the LifeRegenerator. I adapted his dressing and came up with the following: 

Pearly Green Dressing 

1 orange 

1 pear 

1/2 avocado 

1 tsp of fennel 

Blended it all in the VitaPrep and voila! 

Yummy Protein Smoothie

I made the following smoothie before going to the gym this morning with the intention of having it after my workout, but it was so good, I consumed it even before I got out the door. Just couldn't stop myself from drinking it.

Almond Butter Protein Smoothie

2 cups almond milk
2 bananas
2 Tbsp. almond butter
3 dates, pitted
1 heaping Tbsp. of Vanilla Hemp Protein Powder
ice

Blend. It is SOOOOOOO scrumptious!

Day 31!!! I MADE IT!! WOOOHOOOO!!

Today is the last day of my 31-day Raw Challenge. Although I completed 31 days of 99.5% raw, it's not going to change much going forward. I plan to remain raw because of the benefits. I feel so much better than I did a month ago. I've lost my tummy and my muffin top is almost gone! lol. I have more energy and my skin is noticeably better.

This morning I woke up and had a bowl of rolled oat cereal with walnuts, banana slices, grapes, sunflower seeds and almond milk.

I had a tangerine mid morning.

I'm drinking a green smoothie now that my hubby says is probably one of the best ones I've made so far.

TropiGreen Smoothie
1.5 cups of coconut water
1/3 pineapple
1 cup grapes
2 handful of spinach

Blend and enjoy! Oh my gosh, it is absolutely delectable!

Guidelines to Drinking Green Smoothies

This article is a must read for all green smoothie drinkers. Through everyday blending, research, experience, and letters from readers, the Raw family has created the best recipes and came up with the basic principles of green smoothie making and consuming. To help people receive the most benefits from drinking green smoothies and to avoid some typical mistakes, Victoria created the following guidelines:

• Prepare your green smoothie first thing in the morning in the amount that you usually consume in one day, one or two quarts (liters). Pour enough smoothie in a glass for your morning enjoyment and keep the rest in a refrigerator or another cold place.


• Sip your green smoothie slowly, mixing it with saliva. Sometimes I put my smoothie in a coffee mug with a lid and carry it with me to the car or to my office. That way I minimize a chance of spilling it and keep it private without distracting others.


• Don’t add anything to your smoothie except greens, fruit and water. I don’t recommend adding nuts, seeds, oils, supplements or other ingredients to your green smoothie. Most of these items slow down the assimilation of green smoothies in your digestive tract and may cause irritation and gas. Even though I provide recipes with more than basic ingredients in my books I encourage you to stick to the basic green smoothie recipe (fruit and greens) in your daily routine.


• Drink your smoothie by itself, and not as a part of a meal. Don’t consume anything, even as little as a cracker or candy with it. You may eat anything you want approximately 40 minutes before or 40 minutes after you finished your smoothie. Your goal is to get the most nutritional benefit out of your green smoothie.


• Do not add starchy vegetables such as carrots, beets, broccoli stems, zucchini, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, egg plant, pumpkin, squash, okra, peas, corn, green beans, and others to your green smoothies. Starchy vegetables combine poorly with fruit and may produce what my children call “gas 4 less.”


• Don’t add too many ingredients into one smoothie, such as nine different fruits and a dozen different greens. Try to keep most of your recipes simple to maximize nutritional benefits and to keep it easy on your digestive system.


• Learn to prepare a really delicious green smoothie so that you are always looking forward to the next one. If your drink is not tasty, you will eventually discontinue consuming it. Keep your taste buds happy.


• Always rotate the green leaves that you add to your smoothies. Almost all greens in the world contain minute amounts of alkaloids. Tiny quantities of alkaloids cannot hurt you, and even strengthen the immune system. However, if you keep consuming kale, or spinach, or any other single green for many weeks without rotation, eventually the same type of alkaloids can accumulate in your body and cause unwanted symptoms of poisoning. Please note that you don’t have to rotate the fruit in your green smoothies. Most commonly used fruit have very little or none of the alkaloids and cannot cause the same toxic reactions as greens. At the same time, rotating fruits will enhance the variety of flavor and nutrition in your smoothies.

Choose organic produce whenever possible. The absence of pesticides and other toxic chemicals is only one of many benefits of organic food. The most important reason to consume organic food is the superior nutritional of organic fruits and vegetables in comparison to conventionally grown produce. We have been discussing earlier, how deficient most people are. The best way to nourish your body is to consume organic produce and whenever possible, locally grown. I consider it very important to get the fruit that was allowed to ripen on the vine because it is the best for nourishment. Tree-ripened fruit is several times more nutritious and when consumed shortly after picking retains significantly more nutrients.

Day 30 - Still hanging in there!!

Had a great day today. Went to the gym this morning with my hubster.

I drank a quart of Kale, Banana,and Water smoothie. That filled me up for most of the day.

I did grab a bite of my raw brownie before dinner and it tastes even better today than it did yesterday! Oh, and I also had a tangerine.

My inlaws came over for dinner so I made beans, ham and cornbread for them and a huge salad for me. Well, the salad was so huge that just about everyone had some! I did have a wee little bowl of beans & cornbread but it was barely three tablespoons. So it was a baby cheat. =) The salad consisted of romaine, carrots, red cabbage, cucumber, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, spring onions, and sunflower seeds. After dinner, I had another tangerine. Yummm.

I just had a nice glass of freshly-made almond milk and now I'm going to bed!

Day 28 - Scrumptious Fudgy Brownies

Last night I had a craving for brownies, so I made some!

Fudgy Brownies
1-1/4 cup pitted medjool dates
1 cup raw walnut pieces
1/2 cup cacao powder
pinch sea salt

Combine dates, walnuts, cacao powder and salt in a food processor and pulse until a dough has formed.

Chop 1/2 cup of walnuts just slightly and mix into dough.

Press into a pan and cut into squares.

Top with Raw Chocolate Sauce

Raw Chocolate Sauce*

INGREDIENTS
4 Tb coconut oil, melted
2 Tb maple syrup
3 Tb raw cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS
Whisk together all ingredients into a small bowl until completely smooth. The more coconut oil you add, the more thick the syrup will be.

Place into a pouring bottle and chill in the fridge for 10 minutes to thicken a little. If the sauce is too cold and thickens up too much, simply place closed bottle into a bowl of hot water until it melts.

Simply rawesome!!

(*Recipe from https://www.forkandbeans.com/2012/09/11/raw-chocolate-sauce/)
~~~~~~~~

Today's Raw Consumption:

"Green Pineapple Orange Smoothie" for breakfast consisting of:

1 cup water
1 Banana
1/2 Pineapple (cored and skinned)
2 Oranges (peeled)
2 handfuls of spinach
2 TBSP. Ground Flaxseeds
1/2 tsp. Lucuma
1/2 tsp. Maca
Ice

My "After Work-Out Superfood Protein Smoothie" consisted of:

1 cup Almond Milk
1/2 Banana (all I had left!)
1 TBSP. of Almond Butter
2 TBSP. Ground Flaxseeds
2 TBSP. Cacao Powder
1/2 tsp. Lucuma, Maca, Mesquite
1 TBSP. Hemp Protein Powder
1 TBSP. Agave Nectar
Dash Cinnamon
Ice

For dinner I had a huge salad, some Fudgy Brownies and some water.

And now I'm off to bed!

Day 27 - Cranberry Salad Smoothie

I decided to try something different with my cranberry smoothie. First of all, rather than using almond milk, I decided to juice an apple and use apple juice instead. Next, I increased the amount of cranberries and celery, using 1 cup of cranberries and two full stalks of celery. I was going to use two oranges, but ended up only using one. It came out quite tasty and actually did remind me of the Cranberry Jello salad that I make at Thanksgiving.

Cranberry Salad smoothie - Version 2
Juice of 1 Fuji apple
1 cup cranberries
1 orange, peeled and quartered
2 stalks of celery
1 cup red grapes

Blend and enjoy.

The Cranberry Salad Smoothie was my brunch drink. Then, late in the afternoon I had Carrot/Celery/Apple juice with a scoop of Wheat Grass.

For dinner I'll probably have a salad as well as munch on some Energy Flat Bread with Rich (and Raw) Cheddar Sauce and some of the Fresh Tomato Salsa I made this morning.

Somewhere in all this, I plan to drink a couple of bottles of water.

Wow, I just realized there are only four days left of this 31-day challenge. It's hard to believe that the month of October is almost over ... and the holidays are just around the corner ... and then a new year and another year older. As we get older, the value of time and quality of life seem a lot more crucial than they used to be. Since turning fifty, things that used to be important no longer are, and things that I never thought twice about, I now reflect upon and ponder. Don't waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them, to share the love of Christ because God IS love. You wouldn't know it the way some people react when this topic is brought up, but God truly does love each and everyone of us. Have a blessed day!

Day 25 & 26 - Time flies!!

Wow, I can't believe how fast time flies when you get old! LOL!!

On Sunday, day 25 of my 31 day challenge, I didn't have a chance to try the Cranberry Sauce, so instead, I created a smoothie based on a recipe I make for Thanksgiving called Cranberry Jello Salad. It's has cherry jello, cranberries, chunks of orange, diced celery, apple chunks and sugar.

Cranberry Salad Smoothie
Almond Milk (next time I'll try it with water)
1/2 cup cranberries (next time I'll use 2/3 cup)
1 Fuji apple, peeled and quartered
1 orange, peeled and quartered (next time I'll use 2)
1 1/2 stalks of celery (next time - 2 stalks)
1/2 cup red grapes

It came out pretty good, but with the almond milk, was too creamy. I think it would have been even better with water.

By the time I left for work, all I had was this smoothie, so when I got home, I was starving. I made a salad but my step-daughter made a pumpkin bread and, well, I ate a slice. Shame on me! But it was good!

I munched on grapes, a banana and then we polished off a veggie platter of celery, broccoli and carrots. Had a bottle of water.


Day 26
Went to the gym this morning and had a bottle of water.

Came home and had a protein smoothie: Almond Milk, Banana, Vanilla Bean, Peanut Butter, Scoop of Hemp Protein Powder.

Worked in the yard for four hours - had another bottle of water.

After a nice soothing bath in the jacuzzi, I made a salad, then had a slice of banana bread , some Energy Flat Bread with Mock Salmon Pate. The banana bread was sent home with my step-daughter's boyfriend so that's out of my system! Tomorrow will be a better day. It's supposed to rain, so I'll have plenty of time to try some new recipes.

Day 24 - Recipe Surfing

With the holidays just around the corner, I did some raw recipe surfing this evening and have saved approximately 30 recipes. I can't wait to start testing them out, but it will have to wait until Monday as tomorrow is a full day. The recipe I want to start with is:

Carmella's Cranberry Sauce
1 cup cranberries
1 1/2 small oranges
2 medjhool dates
A small piece of fresh ginger, peeled
Dash cinnamon
Dash nutmeg
Dash clove or allspice
Agave until desired sweetness is reached

Whirl in blender til smooth.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I love cranberries and now that watermelons and peaches are gone and grapes are fading fast, time to shift to the fruits of this season. This recipes sounds sooo good! I might be able to squeeze this one in tomorrow between church and work.

As for my consumption today:

Breakfast: Smoothie of Almond milk, Banana, Pineapple, Wheat Grass.

Lunch: Water with Lemon; the most amazing Salad at a local restaurant that included Red and Yellow Peppers, Snow Peas, Squash, Artichoke hearts, Green Onions served over hearts of palm, fresh mushrooms, tomatoes and mixed greens. Mmmmmm...mmmmm...mmmmm. I ate half at the restaurant and half for dinner at home.

Snack Late Afternoon: Some Buckwheat bars and a Banana

Dinner: Other half of my salad from lunch.

Day 23 - Top 10 Foods for Women's Health

Breakfast - Juice of Carrots, Celery, Apples, Wheat Grass. Sunflower seeds and Goji Berries.

Lunch - Smoothie of Almond Milk, Banana, Spinach, Grapes, Orange, Camu Camu, Lucuma, Mesquite and Maca powder, a splash of Agave.

Dinner - Salad plus some Carrots, Celery, Broccoli off a veggie tray, bottle of water.

Great workout today.

~~~~~~~~
Got an email today listing the top ten foods for women's health, but I'm sure men would benefit too. Dr. Ariel Policano is a leading naturopathic physician with over 25 years of experience using raw foods and superfoods to treat a wide variety of conditions. She recommends the following top ten foods for optimal health.

1) Raw Chocolate
• Improves mood by increasing serotonin and other positive brain chemicals.
• Contains magnesium -- good for heart health, insomnia, bone density, hormonal balance.
• High in Vitamin C and electrolytes.
• High in antioxidants -- slower aging, disease prevention.

2) Maca
• Incredible hormone regulation from the top down -- works from pituitary gland.
• Adrenal support for strong, steady energy.
• Thyroid support for healthy metabolism.
• Reproductive support -- Balances hormones and reduces hot flashes.
• Libido support.
• Rich in B Vitamins.

3) Flax Seed
• Excellent raw materials for creation of health reproductive hormones.
• Anti-inflammatory.
• Good for healthy colon.
• Lignans improve hormonal balance.
• High "electron" food -- gives you energy and optimal cellular health.
• Possible anti-cancer properties written about by Johanna Budwig.

4) Sprouts
• Very nutrient dense.
• High protein.
• Good source of trace minerals.
• Broccoli sprouts have anti-cancer properties.
• Alkalinizing -- improves metabolism.
• Satisfies nutritional needs -- reduces appetite.

5) Kombucha
• Supports excellent digestive health.
• Improves healthy gut bacteria that helps with production of serotonin, good mood hormone.
• Rich in enzymes -- helps energize the entire body, all organs, hormones and neurotransmitters.
• Rich in vitamin B-Complex.
• Alkalinizing -- improves metabolism.
• Has been used by some women as a part of a breast cancer treatment plan.

6) Goji Berries
• Very high in antioxidants.
• High in Vitamin C.
• Complete protein containing all essential amino acids.
• Contains factors for human growth hormone.
• Rich in polysaccharide sugars for healthy immune system.

7) Coconut
• Anti-bacterial.
• Anti-fungal.
• Anti-viral.
• Healthy source of saturated fats.
• Rich in electrolytes.
• Alkalinizing -- improves metabolism.
• Increases energy.

8) Marine Phytoplankton
• Rich in chlorophyll.
• Alkalinizing -- improves metabolism.
• Cleansing
• Vegan source of EPA and DHA.
• Many different carotenoids means strong antioxidant support.
• Virtually all trace minerals in marine phytoplankton.
• Great for balancing blood sugar.
• Good for weight loss -- satisfied nutritionally, not as hungry.
• Energy improvement.

9) Hemp Seed
• Complete protein.
• Omega 3 and Omega 6 present in healthy ratio.
• Anti-inflammatory.
• Raw materials for healthy hormones!
• Contain chlorophyll for nourishment and cleansing.

10) Sea Vegetables
• Thyroid health.
• Breast health.
• Weight loss.
• Cancer protection.
• High mineral content good for blood sugar, focus and creativity.

Day 22 - Benefits of Reishi Mushroom

I just got an email that touts the benefits of Reshi mushroom and it said:

Reishi is an exceptional Chinese mushroom that has long been highly rated in traditional Chinese medicine and used in the treatment of a variety of disorders.

It is believed to promote health and longevity and to be one of the best boosters of the body's immunity against diseases. Reishi contains Germanium and is considered to have a powerful effect against tumours and cancers. Recent research has found Reishi to be beneficial in relieving fatigue and stress, treating joint inflammations, lowering high cholesterol and triglycerides, reducing heart disease symptoms, regenerating the liver, alleviating allergies, calming the nervous system and helping with the treatment of diabetes.

I was already aware of these benefits as I love to drink Reishi coffee.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Today's food consmption.

20 oz. Juice of Carrots, Celery, Apples, Wheat Grass.

Buckwheat bars.

Zaxby Zensation Salad minus the chicken, Sweet Tea.

Day 21 - Three weeks into 31-Day Raw Challenge

Okay, so I spoke too soon yesterday when I said I was doing so well. I did cheat a bit today, but it was a small cheat. =)

I made some fresh Tomato Salsa the other day, and earlier today, my stepson told me that it tasted so much better the second day, now that the flavors had a chance to meld. Then, hubby was snacking on some salsa and chips and he commented on how good it was. Without thinking, I walked over, grabbed a chip and scooped up some salsa. I guess I didn't realize the impact of two little Serrano chili peppers because almost instantaneously I was hootin' n hollerin' n doing a jig around the kitchen. I was choking and gasping like I'd swallowed fire. I grabbed a bunch of chips to diminsh the burning in my mouth and throat. It was a site to behold, I'm sure. Unfortunately, I ate some chips that were most definitely NOT raw!

I didn't eat before heading out to the gym this morning but when I got home, I made up a protein smoothie of banana, vanilla beans, raw almond butter (didn't make almond milk), cacao nibs (out of cacao powder), peanut butter, agave, coconut oil, maca, mesquite powder, hemp protein powder and water with ice. This was quite filling because it kept me going for several hours.

Then I went out and did yard work which took up about four hours. I realized I hadn't eaten anything, so I came in and made up some juice of Carrots, Celery, Beet, Ginger, Lemon and Wheat Grass. =|

Then went to the natural market where I ended up buying a Greens Plus Protein bar because I was just plain starving. Another "not raw" item. =(

For dinner, I had a salad and now I'm munching on some Buckwheat Bars and drinking a bottle of water.

It was a very busy and productive day today that flew by like greased lightning!