2 Jars Full of Sunshine

As noted in the past my wonderful customers bestow ALL kinds of fruits, vegetables and other NATURAL delights!

A few weeks back I was able to fill a few large mason jars with FRESHLY SQUEEZED Orange Juice! Delicious! That was the beginning of my JARS FULL OF SUNSHINE!

A customer stopped by to bring me a bag of oranges and a bag of grapefruits! YEAH! I was able to have 2 more Jars of Sunshine! Very EXCITING!

Jar with GRAPEFRUIT JUICE!

This has made adding Chia Seed to liquid a WONDERFUL ADVENTURE!!!

I am hoping to do another 10k in Claremont this weeked and would like a better time than the previous Sunday.  Fingers Crossed!

Since the CHIA was used by the Aztecs BEFORE they were going to face ANY ENDURANCE CHALLENGE – I figured THAT’S WHAT I NEEDED!!!

Went for a run last night.  Whew.  I only ran 2.75 miles and at about the 2.5 mile mark I felt a challenge to finish.

While running there can be any one thought going through my mind.  I usually use my runs as THERAPY for the week and/or day.  The challenge to finish is ALWAYS THERE in life – It could be any given situation!  So I just listened to my breath and concentrated on what the problem was.  Was I mildly dehydrated?  Were my fuel tanks low/empty?  What was it???

I drank Chia on Tuesday, I also drank the Chia with my orange/grapefruit mix Wednesday.  Do I need to incorporate into my diet longer? Do I need to have MORE Chia then I am having now? Tonight I plan on taking it in right before my run.  Test it on myself.

I must admit I felt a bit rickity upon the initial 15 minutes of my run. That was a concern!  Usually I get out there and get it done on RACE DAY. What was this pain about??? My initial opinion was I am ACIDIC as oppose to ALKALINE.  It is also my opinion that I may have been MILDLY DEHYDRATED and not as ALKALINE as I was on Sunday AM. I’ll get out there and get it done this evening and see where this takes me. Maybe the run was too short.  In retrospect, I don’t usually feel warmed up until mile 4 or 5.  I feel like endurance in the mind isn’t the hard part about this latest adventure in life I have decided to adapt.

The challenge of THIS equation is what is difficult —>

NUTRITION + RUNNING = SUCCESSFUL RACE

I have taken in more Cacao the last few months than ever before.  Mostly because I know it is a bit of a stimulant and was said to help with endurance.  I usually add it to my smoothies.

While researching the EXACT REASON the Cacao is called a SUPERFOOD, I came across a few articles that were extremely NEGATIVE about this RAW food product.

As I read the theories regarding RAW Cocoa, I began thinking about it’s origin.  Back to the Aztecs and beyond!

Notations of cocoa in History is difficult since many of the codices were destroyed by the early church and conquistadors.

However, the information still available indicates the Aztecs drank chocolate with chili peppers NOT sugar or anything sweet.

I wondered IF the chili’s were added for a reason.  Most people today equate chocolate with sweet rather than hot.  That is unless you are lucky enough to have a mother that made mole – pronounced <MO-LE>.

Growing up my mother made spicy BROWN mole, spicy GREEN mole and other times a beautiful RED HOT HOT HOT mole.  It just depended on what she was feeling.

I digress…sorry!  So I looked up one of the MAJOR ingredients of a CHILI pepper – CAPSICUM! The results I found are interesting!

Capsicum (Digestive, Circulatory), aptly described as the plant that bites back, is a common condiment in certain diets. The plant grows in warm climates and is added to many herbal formulas as a catalyst for the other herbs.

It’s red color is partly due to its high vitamin A content. Capsicum has been used for decades as a catalyst for other herbs. Because Capsicum stimulants circulation and enhances blood flow, it is considered food for the circulatory system, a common condiment to the diet.

As a cardiovascular stimulant, Capsicum assists in lowering blood pressure and breaking down cholesterol buildup. The warming properties of Capsicum are useful for people suffering from poor circulation to the hands and feet and other related conditions.

Capsicum has been used as a digestive aid to ease intestinal inflammation, stimulate protective mucus membranes of the stomach, and also relieve pain caused by ulcers.

Capsicum is commonly used to buffer pain from other ailments, including arthritis, varicose veins, headaches, menstrual cramps and respiratory conditions such as asthma.

Since Capsicum is used as a catalyst in Herbal Medicine.  Why would it not be reasonable the chili’s were added to the drink as the catalyst? In addition to Chia and Cocoa, Spirulina was used the Aztec empire for endurance as well.

All of these endurance foods had to have worked wonders.  I believe they were being taken into the body in all of their NATURAL RAW states. The Chia, Cocoa and the Spirulina.  Corn is also mentioned as an endurance food.  I will test this fact on my body!

Thanks for reading.

I will update my finding!

Love and Light!

Namaste!

(As I am typing this post a customer just brought me 2 more bags of oranges and grapefruits! YES! The universe must be telling me I need to be taking in Vitamin C)

Rejuv*e*LACK there of !

All last week I DID NOT HAVE REJUVELAC!

Talk about feeling like I LACKED! And definitely the Healing Elixr of 2011 on the Veg888 Food Blog!

Luckily, I had buckwheat on hand and was able to sprout it!

Sprouted the buckwheat and made REJUVELAC in the usual three batch method.  LOTS AND LOTS of jars in the FRIDGE! YES!

Did I feel a difference without the REJUVELAC?

YES! YES! YES! ABSOLUTELY!

Although I was quite busy last week, the emotional strain of the week, compounded with no LIFE in my body was horrible! (RE: Rejuvelac – still had live foods of other sorts!-salad, E3 Live, etc)

Last Monday I received a call from my mother telling me about a family member going into the hospital.  Since this is the only forum where I share EVERYTHING, I thought I would tell you what has been happening.

My cousin was admitted into the hospital Sunday evening with a swollen liver and extreme fluid retention.  Within 12 hours the entire family was called and informed he had 3 hours to live.

Now, me being me I knew that this is and was totally NUTRITIONAL! or I suppose LACK THEREOF!  It hurt me.

It hurt me to know what his body was going through.

It hurt me that he isn’t even 50 years old and his liver was that of a severe 70 year old alcoholic.

It hurt me that I don’t speak to him unless I happen to come across him at a family function.  Which in and of itself is a RARE OCCURANCE!

To cut a LONG STORY SHORT…HE IS ALIVE AND WELL!   Not out of the woods so to speak, but coming back!

All last week my taste tester and I sent him healing energy and just kept telling him to fight and live!

I had been telling my taste tester that I felt like something was going to happen.  I didn’t know what and I couldn’t tell to whom…

I never expected it to be him.  Not because of any reason other than his age, I don’t see him.  Etc.

So, I don’t know how I will reach him but I will try.  If nothing else maybe tell him “You are loved and love yourself!  Take your life and nutrition to an entire NEW LEVEL! Love You cousin and I hope you will read this one day!

Now on to the Veg888 Kitchen Update:

The rejuvelac made out of buckwheat is quite sweet smelling, however tastes the same!

I am currently sprouting some wheat berries and will make the next batch from wheat.  I am planning on trying the Quinoa next.  I saw a BLACK quinoa at Whole Foods the other day and may mix the red and black together.

What will I do with the sprouted buckwheat you ask?

MAKE CHIA ENERGY BARS!

I found a great recipe in the Brendan Brazier book “Thrive Fitness”!  I will be making these tonight and hope to update tomorrow.

What about the wheat sprouts I dried?  I will have to update with my pictures tomorrow, however for the time being, I will tell you!

First I placed the DRIED the wheat sprouts (Thanks to my Excalibur), I then placed the dried wheat sprouts into the Food Processor which turned into a FLOUR!  I then made a dough with the wheat flour, olive oil and sage.  From this dough I made 2 bagels, 2 pizza crusts and 1 “french” loaf.  They were in the Dehydrator for 5 hours on Sunday and another 4 hours yesterday.

I will update my pictures of culinary delights tomorrow!

In other news of the Veg888 Kitchen - CHIA!

Now yes I have spoken about Chia before, however I would like to discuss it a little more and discuss what my plans are for the next two weeks as I get ready for the 10k I hope to do on January 29, 2011.

The initial post I did regarding CHIA seed is HERE!

Chia gel causes a slow release of carbohydrates and an equally slow converting of carbohydrates into glucose (blood sugar) for energy. The outer layer of chia seeds is rich in mucilloid-soluble fiber, intended to keep the seeds from drying out in desert air. When chia seeds are mixed with water or stomach juices, a gel forms that creates a physical barrier between the carbohydrates and the digestive enzymes that break them down. The carbohydrates are digested eventually, but at a slow and uniform rate. There is no insulin surge or spike needed to lower the blood sugar level after eating chia.

I am hoping to do at least 12 races this year.  Maybe one a month.  Not all 5k and 10k’s.  There is a 13.1 Half Marathon hosted by Disneyland in Anaheim.  That seems quite interesting to me.  Least a fun filled day! Although known as the happiest place on earth…it will be the most tiring place on earth that day!  I am sure there are many PARENTS who feel that at the end of the day with their KIDS! Am I right?

I’m just really trying to be fit and centered. Whew!  That is always a challenge, however it is one that I am up and ready to do!

I ran on Sunday.  38 minutes for the usual course.  1 minute off of the New Years time and 3 minutes OFF of the desired time.  I will hope to add .25 miles each day until next Wednesday.  The race falls on a Saturday and I am hoping to be up to 4-5 miles by then.  Considering that the race is a 6 mile race, I certainly should be ready! (Fingers Crossed!)

I didn’t run last night since I had to get some paperwork ready for my taste tester.  He needed to be ready and out the door by 8am so we were in bed pretty early! (least early for us!)

I will run this evening and update tomorrow!

Love and Light!

Namaste!

E3 Live!

E3 Live Information HERE as Promised

This has been the most wonderful discovery!!!

I have enjoyed feeling the effect on my body mind and spirit!

Check it out for yourself!

Namaste!

 

 

And the Beat Goes On…

Happy Day!

How are you today??? Me? I’m okay.  A little bummed, but nothing to get upset over.  Although I may not like it when a “communication breakdown” occurs – it is after all expected in life!  Rather than getting upset over it or causing any kind of detriment to my day…the beat goes on!

Onto blogging!

Last night was the last and final batch of Rejuvelac from wheat berries.  It is technically my 3rd overall batch and I have decided to try another type of grain.  The next grain I am sprouting will be – Oat Groats.  I will let you know what the difference in taste is – if any!

So far I feel a HUGE DIFFERENCE with the Rejuvelac!

Clarity, Endurance, and a calmer vibration. When E3 Live is added to the mixture it is the most wonderful feeling!  Positive, ALIVE and absolute B-L-I-S-S!

As I was working in the kitchen last night, I came across one (there are 100′s by the way ) of my FAVORITE books – Recipes for Longer Life by Ann Wigmore.

Rejuvelac the “water” of the Institute, puts into your body the enzymes cooked food doesn’t.  Enzymes help freindly bacteria such as lactobacillus bifidus grow.  Lactobacillus  in turn gives off lactic acid, a natural astringent, which helps your large intestine maintain it’s natural, healthy, vitamin-producing environment.  This leads to a clean colon where sludge does not collect on colon walls, and where harmful, disease producing bacteria are unable to survive.

Since the Rejuvelac is pre-digested (fermented) the proteins are broken down into amino acids, and the carbohydrates into simple sugars.  These nutrients are assimilated by the body with little expenditure of energy.  Rejuvelac is rich in eight of the B vitamins, as well as vitamin E and K!

Great information, huh?  We can thank Ann Wigmore for this wonderful Healing Elixr!

Spent Wheat Berries

So my last adventure didn’t turn out to well when it came to the spent wheat berries…or so I thought!  I had initially set out to make ESSENE BREAD but it ended up being batter and/or oatmeal – rather than dough!

I attempted to make the best out of a bad thing and made RAW COOKIES!!!

Here they are!

They are actually good.  I was afraid for a moment, but my wonderful “taste tester” stepped in and made a happy face when he bit into the cookie!

Here is another shot!

Since I have approximately 4+ cups of wheat berries, I decided to place the other wheat berries into the Dehydrator to dry them out before I use them again.

Here they are about to go into the Dehydrator…

I will update what becomes of them tomorrow or the next day!  Hopefully my Essene Bread (RAW BREAD Adventure #2) will be much more successful…fingers crossed!

Sprout Updates

Look at these beauties! Radish Sprouts! When I pulled these out of the jar, I thought how fun it would be to make a dish around them! So that is what I will do tonight! (Do you see the little heart the leaves made? Right at the top of the cluster!) PURE LOVE!

Newest Raw Food Find

I mentioned the Mineral Rich Crusts in my last posting here and wanted to show you what the packaging looked like!  They are pretty tasty and very filling!

And finally…

No Impact Man Highlight of the Day

I think I have mentioned how the earth bestows wonderful produce upon me via customers and people within the community.

One of the most wonderful additions to my day on Monday was this gift!

This gift from the earth came via a very knowledgeable guy in the community.  He climbed his own tree and picked these avocados for me.  He says it’s better to give them to someone who will eat them rather than allowing them to fall and rot on the floor.  He also brings me these wonderful lemons.  He calls the darker ones Mandarin Lemons and the lighter ones the Sour Lemons.

I always use all of the produce he gives me and I am so thankful to both the earth and him for bestowing this gift of life upon me!  The universe always manages to encourage me!

Besides the “No Impact” of this guy using what is growing in the community, he walks everywhere – he NEVER drives, and he brought me a paper bag from his lunch to use as both the bag I would take the produce home in, but also to ripen the Avocados!  How much more “No Impact” could this guy be? Love it!

Here they are in the bag awaiting to be eaten! I placed them here among my DVD’s since I am usually picking movies out to take to the store or watch at home.  I figured if they were right in front of me, I couldn’t forget about them!

Okay, so let’s not pay attention to the fact that the bag says “The Hat” a local burger eatery in Los Angeles – known for their pastrami…life is funny that way..huh?

Thank you for reading!

Love and Light!

Namaste!

:) haPPineS (: —> Come Forth!

Well readers here we are!  Another year!

I wish you THE BEST YEAR you could possibly have!

You are ALL BEAUTIFUL SOULS!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Quite a bit has changed around here at Veg888 headquarters since last year!

I will continue to seek out longevity and healing & will ALWAYS INCLUDE YOU along my journey!

Thursday Night Run…

I headed out for my run about 5 min till 11pm.  It was cold but there wasn’t a wind factor to contend with! Whew!  Since it was so late, I was unable to take more than 1 picture of the run!  I will miss the holidays!  It is the only time the streets are illuminated with lights and creativity.  One of the houses decorated their palm tree with various colored lights!  Hopefully I will be able to take a picture of it before the lights are taken down!

I plan on running into the new year!  I will be out there thinking of the wonderful world we live in and all the beauty it posses!  Not that there aren;t bad things happening around the world, but I will release love into the world tonight!  I hope you will join me!

Raw Cashew Adventure – Part II – Update

When I got home, I went to look at my cashew cheese.  It smelled different than the eve before.

Projected Problems:

- I think I should have placed the cheese on top of the cheesecloth and allowed it to drain, this way I would have ensured a firm cheese.  (This is all theoretical until I can experiment!)

-The blender I have has seen better days.  Actually, it saw better days a year ago!  All the RAW FOOD PREPARATION over the last year has worn out the blades in both my blender and my Food Processor.  I think if I had a better blender it would have ground the cashews better and I would have had a “thicker” firmer cheese. (Again my theory!)

With these factors in mind, I added lemon, onion powder, cayenne, salt, dehydrated leeks, scallions, and shallots.

I mentioned my “antique” molds and I wanted to use them for the cheese…

Here they are before the process…

Next I lined each mold with plastic wrap and filled each mold with cheese.  Filled the molds with the cheese and covered.  I had hoped the cheese would firm up by morning, but 8 hrs later the cheese is still soft!  I have seen on the Raw Forums this problems occurs and I hope this is not like my adventure in making Gnocchi!  In one word… DISASTROUS!  I have NEVER ATTEMPTED it at home AGAIN!

Rejuvelac Front – Update

This is my third batch of Rejuvelac and I am quite PLEASED!!!  Tonight will be the last batch I can make with what is brewing.  I saved the other sprouts and hope to experiment with the next batch ALL TOGETHER!  I am also going to DEHYDRATE the “spent” sprouts and make a bread!

I have noticed some profound differences since I have begun conuming REJUVELAC!  My running times have contined to get BETTER! YES!  Last night I ran the 2.8 miles in 38 minutes!  For the last few weeks, between the REJUVELAC and the E3 I have felt enormous differences.  I have cut my time by 8 minutes!  I’ve got to get to 35 minuted!  Once I do that, I will be able to start with intervals.  Intervals will change my time and strength while I am in a race!  10 k – HERE I COME!!!

Hopefully I will be able to conquer a 4-5 miler this weekend!  I will let you know!

Another positive and maybe negative ALL AT THE SAME TIME – MY SENSE OF SMELL!  I know this seems strange, but I have a keener sense of smell and sharper vision.

My stomach seems to feel really good all of the time and the “Taste Tester” has definitely experienced some changes as well!  Love It!

Love and Light!

Namaste!

Last Years Holiday Wish! Read It and Know I still mean it!

New Years Eve – Eve!

As we drove home from the shop last night it was FREEZING!  Least by California standards!  I know, I know – here in California we are big babies about the temperature!  I don’t know how some runners, raw foodies and vegans deal with zero degree weather! Eeek!

It was 48 degrees with winds at 15 – 20 mph!  I WENT RUNNING ANYWAY!  I figured if I could conquer the run last night, I would be alright to conquer my runs the rest of the week!  The weather promises to be windy and cold and I have made a promise to myself to continue running !!  The January 10k will be here soon enough! 

There were a few races I wanted to attend, but traffic and being in the car isn’t something I want to deal with during a holiday weekend. If you know what I mean! So I will be hosting my own mini race!  Between 11:30-11:45 pm I will be embarking on my own 5k!  Hopefully my taste tester will accompany me into this NEW YEAR RUNNING!!!

Sorry no pictures from the run, my camera wasn’t charged!

After my run, I lifted weights and headed into the kitchen! 

I went to the Rejuvelac brewing and witnessed a phenominal sight!  There were green sprouts coming out of the REJUVELAC!

WILD!  I thought how beautiful! How A-L-I-V-E! 

I think they sprouted because there are other sprouts growing in the kitchen – life is abounding in the Veg888 kitchen right now!

I am going to try and make a recipe I came across in an Ann Wigmore book – Energy Soup!  Followed by a Rejuvelac/E3 Live Cocktail and a run sometime over the LONG WEEKEND! The soup requires fresh sunflower sprouts, rejuvelac, etc. I will update later!

I also decided to take advantage of the fact that I have several jars FULL OF REJUVELAC!  I am making a Cashew Basil Nut Cheese! 

Last night I pulled out my trusty Recipe Book/Personal Journal.  In it were the basic instructions for a Cashew Nut cheese.  I got the recipe from somewhere on the internet!  I am always scouring for interesting recipes and have wanted to make this particular recipe for a fair amount of time.  I don’t know why I hadn’t made Rejuvelac before?  It would seem that I would have totally made it during the cleanse last year, but???? Well I suppose it doesn’t matter.  Slow and easy!  I’ll get there….

Basic Cashew Cheese

3 cups soaked Cashews

1 1/2 – 2 cups rejuvelac

Instructions: Place ingredients in the blender/food processor and blend until smooth!  Place contents in a glass and cover.  Allow to ferment for 24 hours!  Uncover and begin creating!!!

Here we are ALL COVERED!  I will do all of my experimenting when we get home this evening!  I would like to cover the cheese with some herbs and spices.  However, I was able to attain one of my KITCHEN GOALS!  YES!

I purchased some antique molds off of EBAY a few months ago and I am planning on using them for some Cashew Cheese experiments…stay tuned!  I will update soon!

Thank you for reading!

Love and Light!

Namaste!

Christmas 2010 !

Did you spend time with your favorite people this weekend?  

Are you waiting to spend time with them on New Year’s Eve?

Me?  Christmas went by pretty fast! 

On Christmas Eve my mother fell and needed to be taken to the hospital! Her fall resulted a broken wrist and dislocated elbow!

Woke up pretty early on Christmas Day.  I drank LOTS OF REJUVELAC!!  I also made a drink that had 1 whole  apple, an entire orange, rejuvelac and E3 Live. 

Here’s my big and beautiful APPLE!

Here is the orange, apple and E3 live in the Blender!

What is E3 live?  

E3Live® (Original) is 100% Aphanizomenon flos-aquae blue-green algae (AFA for short) that is an all-organic wild-harvested aqua-botanical considered by renowned health authorities to be nature’s most beneficial superfood. (I will link the website on another posting!) 

As long as the algae is frozen it will be alive when you consume it.  It will keep in the fridge 7 days once it has thawed, however if you aren’t going to use it, the instructions state to put the bottle back into the freezer.  Since there is no possible way I could determine if I was going to use the rest of the algae within the 7 day time period, I made doses, cubes and/or portions!  I found a plastic ice cube tray and placed the thawed algae into the mold and froze them.   This way I could just toss a few into the blender to use them!

I made sure to drink Rejuvelac and E3 live ALL DAY!!!  I think we went through 9 glasses of rejuvelac before this green concoction! 

 Check out the FOAM on this one!!!

I also went on an Evening run!  When I left my parents house it was raining pretty steadily!  I was upset and thought I wasn’t going to be able to run.  As I drove home I noticed it was misting on my side of town! Yeah!  I went inside, dressed for my run and headed out!  I ran a little faster than I did on Christmas Eve, so I was very Satisfied!  :)

Here are some Christmas shots I took during my run!!!

MERRY GINGERBREAD MAN!

When I initially took this picture, I imagined Ganesh standing in Tree Pose and all of his arms extended into different mudras.  Looking at this shot, I see a face!  What about you? What do you see???

This was such a beautiful shot!  This tree was so peaceful and beautiful with it’s lights that night!  At this point it was barely starting to rain and I knew I had to head home FAST!

I wanted to take a few more pictures of this street, but by now the rain was really really heavy!!! The Christmas lights line this entire street!  Can you see all the lights in the distance???

I hope you all had a great HOLIDAY!  My running has been going quite well!  Los Angeles is expected to have more rain tomorrow!  Fingers crossed I will be able to get 1 or 2 more runs in the next few days!

Here are my Wheat Berry Cinnamon Raisin Cookies!

I had just turned them over to Dehydrate on the other side for 3 hours.  They will be consumed this evening!  Can’t wait!  The cookie feels more life the Ehtiopian Bread called Injera.  Do you know what that is???

Love and Light!

Namaste!

Raisins, Cinnamon & Christmas Eve 2010

Hello Longevity Seekers!

I wish you the best possible Holiday you could have!

Rejuvelac Part II

Here are the wheat berry sprouts I placed in the fridge.  They smelled quite fresh when I opened the container.  Very Clean…

The plan was to make RAW BAGELS…so that didn’t happen!  I placed the wheat berries into the Food Processor.  All of the recipes I found said to add olive oil and a pinch of salt.  Process the wheat until it makes a dough type of ball…

Here is the wheat in the Food Processor…

A pinch of Salt… (If you have been here a while, then you know I have a small store.  One of the most rewarding experiences has been the people I have met through the years.  I am quickly coming up on my 10 year anniversary of owning this store and luckily I still have many of the same customers.  One of them, always has really cool adventures, vibrations, and overall beauty about them.  He is a father, a musician and a great friend to me and my “taste tester”!

One of the things I respect about him is his regard for his son, the earth and his culture.  From time to time he reads my blog and he brought me this wonderful salt.  The salt was brought from a salt mine in the mountains of Mexico.  It is said the only way to get this salt is ONLY IF SOMEONE GIVES YOU SOME!  They don’t sell ANY of the salt from their mine and it only is used in that small town! Thank you L!)

Okay, so back to the wheat berry adventure…

I put the wheat berries in the Food Processor and it looked like oatmeal!  NOT DOUGH!  So I added Raisins, Cinnamon, and a bit of agave.

Here is the mix! Don’t you think it looks like oatmeal?

I mixed in a bit more Cinnamon and then put them on a Teflex sheet. The Dehydrator was set at 115 and they are going to be in there for 12 hrs. The beauty of the Rejuvelac is how the food product keeps going on and on!

Christmas Eve Run in SUNNY Southern California!

This is the beautiful San Gabriel Mountains while I was running!  At this point I had been running for about 15 minutes!

I took this picture on my way back.  It was the 2 mile mark!  The sun felt GREAT!  At first I thought I was going to be cold in what I had on.  Long Sleeve Fleece Jacket, T Shirt and pants.  Just then I saw two kids running around in shorts and tank tops!  Whew!

And about 5 minutes until I was back home I saw this miraculous creature!  He was jamming on some carob that had fallen into the street!

I got back home and noticed I had finished my run in 37 minutes! YES! Best time yet! Thanks to E3 LIVE and Rejuvelac!

Have a great Holiday!

Love and Light!

Namaste!

Thursday’s Kitchen Report

Things have been moving along nicely in the Veg888 Kitchen lately.

Last night I jarred the THIRD BATCH/LAST BATCH of Rejuvelac.  This is the last and final batch before it will turn into a “bread”.

The wheat berries have tails that are about 2.5 cm.  They are happy little things!  They have turned a really interesting color.  Much like a cream color? or an eggshell color?  not white, but almost there???  The tails have tiny little fuzzy roots!  They also smell very “green” and VERY FRESH!

I placed the “spent” wheat berries into a glass container and popped them into the refrigerator.  This is supposed to slow down the sprouting process and since I have made ALL THE REJUVELAC I can…I am awaiting to RECYCLE & REUSE!

I will make the “bread” this evening and place it in the dehydrator over night.  I am planning on making RAW BAGELS with this batch.  My favorite non-raw bagel is an EVERYTHING BAGEL so that is what I am going for tonight!  Since my schedule it usually chaotic – I wasn’t able to make my Bagels/Essene bread.  I will update the process and the taste!

On Sunday (Dec 19, 2010) I began soaking more wheat berries and sprouted them over the next 2 days.  This allowed me to begin a new batch of Rejuvelac immediately after the final batch.

I was also able to wash the large container and refill it with “NEW” REJUVELAC within a 10 minute frame.  Of course this was going on at about 1:30 am.

Most of my kitchen experiments go on between the hours of 9:30pm – 3:00 am.  ESPECIALLY since running became part of my schedule in the evening.  When you go to bed at like 3 or even 4 am it is quite difficult to wake up at 6 or even 8 am. I am hoping to change my schedule a bit this next year.  My goal will be to get a good portion of my workouts done in the morning before I open the store.  In order to do this, I will have to have dinner AT THE STORE and get to bed by 11pm – Midnight.  Fingers Crossed I will meet this goal! (Along with all of my other goals on my list for 2011! )

Overall Rejuvelac Review

Although time consuming the rewards I feel from the Rejuvelac seem well worth the wait.  My tummy feels really good, I am very clear in my mind.  I don’t forget things AS MUCH!  I am able to execute tasks on my list for the day.  I am also able to keep a very good energy level sustained throughout the day.  No word on gray hair/dark hair – yet.  But a very good addition to my diet.

If I stay on a good rotation, I think everything will work out fine.  Last night as I began sprouting more Sunflower Seeds and Radish Sprouts, I began to think of what I was REALLY doing.  I knew I also needed to begin sprouting NEW wheat berries Thursday evening, this way I would be ready with proper wheat berry sprouts once the next THIRD batch is ready.

I also want to add more “Sprouted Greens”  to my diet.  While reading the “Thrive” book by Brendan Brazier I came across some helpful information on Sprouted Greens.

“RAW enzyme rich sprouts are plentiful in all three food components: simple carbohydrates, amino acids and fatty acids.  They are predigested so the body does not need to produce it’s own enzymes, plus the nutrients are in a usable form-a considerable net gain of total energy suppled by the food.” Brendan Brazier, Thrive

It also went on to say “The sprout occupies a transitional phase in the plant life cycle.  Having yet to form roots, the sprout, a new growth from the germinating seed.  Once activated by moisture, enzymes begin to utilize nutrients supplied in the seed as a rapid growth fuel.  The plant equivalent to mother’s milk, densely packed nutrients in the seed quickly convert the sprout into a plant with leaves…throughout the sprout’s rapid growth phase, digestive enzyme inhibitors are expelled; proteins are converted to amino acids, and fats to essential fatty acids, making a very efficient food.  Power packed with vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll and enzymes, since sprouting enhances the efficiency and nutrient value of the seed.  Sprouts, because of their HIGH pH level, will also help alkalize the body ” Brendan Brazier, Thrive

I have to kick training up a notch if I am going to finish the 10k which will be January 29, 2011. (Not that far away mind you!) So there will be more recipes to come!

There doesn’t seem to be the usual excitement for Christmas this year.  I don’t even hear people say they are going to buy gifts -or- that they are celebrating Christmas!?  I wonder if it’s the rain or the finances???

No Christmas Tree in my shop or at home.  Just lots of Sprouts!  Life!

The rain seems to have subsided -for now-.  I woke up to the Sun this morning but it seems to have disappeared since!

Love and Light!

Namaste!

Rockin and “Rollin” with REJUVELAC!

Tonight’s the night!

Everybody ROCK & ROLL!

That’s what I was thinking as I walked through the door last night!

It was time for my REJUVELAC adventure to continue.  Once I got home, I went in to see what was happening!  There was not as much foam at the top and the color was quite opaque!

Here is the REJUVELAC when I got home…

I drained the wheat berries.  I was able to fill 3 Large Jars and still had enough for a glass of the “etherial” REJUVELAC!

After I drained the REJUVELAC, I got more water ready for the 2nd Batch of REJUVELAC.  Here is the container totally drained.

Here is an aerial view!

Tonight I will make my 3rd batch and then start all over again.  I will also be able to make some “Essene Bread” with the left over sprouts.  I have been sprouting new wheat berries since Sunday, so when the 3rd batch is done I will wash the container and start all over!!!

Here we are READY TO ENJOY!

As far as the taste goes…in a weird way there was some lemon flavor to it.  Kind of like there was too much water and not enough lemon?  There was a wonderful REFRESHING  flair to it – no doubt.  But it is difficult to pin point the taste but you do taste the sprout.  The Life! BEAUTIFUL!

On the running front.  I got on the stationary bike again last night and I am coordinating a schedule for the Treadmill.  I will also begin free weights this eve.  STRENGTH TRAINING BEGINS!!! :/

I found a wonderful recipe call “Energy Soup” by Anne Wigmore and I will enjoy this with the Essene bread.  On the Menu for this week is also some cashew cheese and some nice smoothies.

This morning before we left for the shop, my taste tester and I had E3 Live mixed into the REJUVELAC.  It was nice and GREEN!  Very good beginning to a wonderful RAINY day!! There is more mist than RAIN today.  Hopefully, fingers crossed, I can get a run in as well!

Thanks for reading!

Love and Light!

Namaste!