Fresh Fuel, Love and Success

I enjoyed a wonderful salad for lunch yesterday…

“Fattoush” - Cucumbers, Radishes, Sumac, Lemon Juice, Fresh Mint, Olive Oil and LOVE!:)

Wonderful Salad in all it's GLORY!

RULE #1

Eat as many greens as you possibly can!

I made up the above stated rule after reading a “blip” out of the THRIVE fitness book by Brendan Brazier!

Leafy vegetables are a rich source of chlorophyll, important in offsetting stress by alkalizing the body.  Chlorophyll also cleanses and oxygenates the blood, making it an essential “modern world” food and a true performance enhancer.  Having more oxygen available in the blood translates to better endurance and an overall reduction in fatigue.  In their raw state, chlorophyll-containing plants possess an abundance of live enzymes that promote the quick rejuvenation of our cells.  The consumption of chlorophyll-rich, leafy green vegetables combines with moderate exercise is the best way to create a biologically younger body.

Makes you think, huh?  I am totally down with the “younger body” and better performance vibe! What about you readers???

RULE #2 & RULE #3

#2 Drink Chia and #3 Drink Rejuvelac DAILY!

I shared my last Chia recipe with you HERE.  Last night I made another elixr that combines both Rule #2 and Rule #3!

CHIA – BANG!

6 Strawberries

6 Dates

2 cups Rejuvelac

1/2 cup Chia Gel

Directions: Place all ingredients in blender and drink!

In all of the research I read about the chia, many of the complaints were about the consistency and taste.  TASTE / FLAVOR don’t matter IF you are taking this into your body for nutritional benefits.  Luckily the seed is open to many many additions!  It mixes pretty easily with just about EVERYTHING!  I haven’t found anything it is bad with.  I have even taken shots of it by itself.  I must say say this – While it is not something that has flavor (bad or good), I am guessing it is the gel consistency that makes people not like it…drink it! Nutrition! NUTRITION! Nutrition!

As far as rejuvelac…I am still brewing this wonderful elixr.  Definite difference with this one – It can be a bit difficult to get down the “hatch” so to speak.  Not the flavor.  NEVER the flavor.  It actually tastes REALLY REFRESHING!  It is usually the smell that can keep me at bay for about 15 minutes.  Once I am drinking it, I usually just DOWN IT!  I usually take in approximately 20oz a day.  I would like to get to 32oz.

This wonderful sprout finds itself turning GREEN these days!  Even the Chia has been sprouting in the kitchen!  I love life and the definite presence it has in the VEG888 kitchen!

I was reviewing an Anne Wigmore book the other day and found this “blip” about REJUVELAC!

Rejuvelac – The Enzyme Drink

Rejuvelac is rich in proteins, carbohydrates, dextrines, phosphates, saccharines, lactobacilli, saccharamyces, aspergillus oryzae and they have the faculty of breaking down large molecules of glucose , starch, and glycogens.  This is the reason rejuvelac is an aid to your digestion.

The natural lactic acid and fermentive enzymes which are produced during the fermentation process have a beneficial effect on the metabolism and a curative  effect on disease.

Thanks for reading!

Love and Light!

Namaste!

100% Life in a Bowl!!!

In this posting I mentioned that I began sprouting Quinoa.  I was amazed to see how long the tails were when I got home!!!  I put them in a container to make something the next night.  I have about 4 cups and used (2) cups for (2) different recipes. (I have an update picture of the Quinoa with tails about 1″ but I forgot my camera card. )

While scanning through Raw Food Uncook books and surfing the internet I have come across several Tabouli/Tabouleh salad recipes.  I have made Tabouli in the past on this blog.  You can see one I made most recently here.

Anyway, I figured that’s what I would use the sprouted Quinoa for.  I sprouted red quinoa since it was a bit more festive looking.  I will try the other quinoa next week.  I will also be updating my sprout adventures as well.  As you know a SPROUT KIT is up for raffle for the next few weeks.  I hope you will join the RAFFLE! You can see the prize here.

Sprouted Quinoa Tabouli Salad

1 cup Sprouted Red Quinoa

1 Avocado

1 Cucumber

3/4 C Parsley, chopped

3/4 C Cilantro, chopped

2 red tomatoes, chopped

Juice of one Lemon

1 capful Apple Cider Vinegar

1/4 cup RAW golden flax seeds

1/4 cup RAW pumpkin seeds

Preparation: Place Avocado, Tomatoes, Cilantro, Parsley, and lemon juice in a large bowl and mix together.  Add Sprouted Quinoa, flax seed, and pumpkin seeds and mix.

Next I decided to try a sweet sprouted quinoa recipe I came across.  I made some changes to the original recipe.

Sprouted Quinoa Raisin Cookies

1 cup Sprouted Quinoa

1 cup Raisins

1 cup pecans

1/4 cup Agave

2 T RAW Cocoa Powder

Preparation:  Place Pecans in Food Processor and process until the consistency of a fine meal.  Then add Quinoa and process.  After the quinoa and pecans have processed together, add raw agave slowly to the mixture while the food processor is on.  You may have to slow down the processor if possible.  I went from high to low while adding the agave. Place this mixture in a bowl and add cocoa powder and raisins to the mix.  Place a spoonful of “dough” onto teflex sheet.  Dehydrate for 3 hrs @ 105 degrees.  Remove Teflex sheet and dehydrate another 7 hrs or until pliable and dry.

These cookies are really good!!!  I think I will add some nuts and some golden flax seeds the next time.  But I really liked them.  I don’t usually like cookies eiether.  I was a big danish person prior and I am coping fine.  Maybe I will fall in love with RAW COOKIES???

Thanks for reading!!!

Namaste!

JOIN THE RAFFLE!!!  ADD FRESH SPROUTS TO YOUR DIET!!!

60% – 70% Protein!!!!

(Protein also, in Green Algae!!)

Day 8 of 30 – 22 to go!

When you enjoy each second of your existence, you have achieved the state of self-realization.

This morning I woke up quite rested.  It had been some time since I was able to really acheive a restful sleep.  This is due to the die off of the parasites. Ick!

I wanted to take a moment to talk to you about something.  It is called Sankalpa.

This powerful sanskirt word means resolve.

“The purpose of Sankalpa: Influence and Transform the whole life pattern, not only the body, but also the mind, the emotions, and the spiritual forces. These forces are normally dissipated by inner conflicts, or confusion, or by various external demands and responsibilities of life. Sankalpa is a tool to focus the energy, the Prana – the life force, so that it becomes like a laser beam.” Dr. Rita Khanna

This was a really powerful hit to my ego recently.  If you think about it, that is what is keeping us from all kinds of things in life.  Whatever struggles we go through in life.  The ego is our biggest barrier.  We decide to make the decision rather than listen to what our inner self tell us. We think we want something because it feels good or tastes good or looks good.  But is it?

I encourage you to find a quiet space and close your eyes.  Focus on your heartbeat and your breathe.  Begin to visualize what you are struggling with and what changes you would like to make.  Be still and know you are loved and you are beautiful. Decide what it is you are willing to do to meet your goal.

For me?  My goal is wellness.  To feed my body live food.  This began as a Raw for 30 days mission.  For all I know I will be Raw from this point forward.  I am learning and I am loving.  Thank you for reading this blog.

Today’s Smoothie was adapted from Gone Raw a wonderful resource that I found!

2 bananas

1/2 cup fresh cranberries

A few Almonds

Handful of Hemp Seed

1 Head of Romaine

Oxygen Water

This smoothie is pretty good!  Sorry no picture.  I ran out of charge! ;(

Last night I had a salad topped with a salsa recipe I really liked and a beautiful avocado!

SALSA

1 Jalepeno Pepper

2 Tomatoes

1/2 of a brown onion

2 cloves garlic

2 handfuls of Cilantro/Fresh Coriander

Preparation: Place all ingredients in the food processor and process until chunky.  CAUTION-DO NOT PROCESS UNTIL IT LIQUIFIES! THIS WILL HAPPEN PRETTY QUICKLY IF YOU ARE NOT CAREFUL!

I also began to prepare a falaffel recipe and a wrap!  I will post pictures tomorrow so you can see the final plating.  It is Dehydrating at the moment at 105 for the next 8 hrs.

Updates tomorrow!

Namaste!

Day 7 of 30 – 23 to go!

So I am happily at Day 7.  Technically day 8 but I am always a day behind in documenting my journey to wellness.

I will begin with yesterday’s smoothie.  I didn’t take a picture of it since it was really not that good.  Well, I take that back.  If you would like a smoothie that tastes like Grapefruit Juice and is as filling as any meal, then the recipe is below!

1 peeled lemon

1 peeled orange

10 Almonds

10 Cashews

1/4 cup coconut meat

4 Dinosaur Kales Leave

1 Handful of Blueberries

Water

Mix and get ready to pucker!

Needless to say I didn’t even take a picture of it!  It was okay, just not the treat to have when you are ready for a sweet smoothie.  But I guess such as life.  Sweet & Sour!  Somewhere there is a reggae song called Sweet & Sour…I’m digressing!

PIZZA

This was a fun one indeed!  Can I just tell you that I like pizza in any form.  (Meatless of course!) Anyway, I can safely say that RAW Pizza is now on the list of GREAT PIZZA Experiences!

I began soaking buckwheat the other day to make it sprout!

The Buckwheat is the bowl at the left corner.  The others were Macadamia Nuts,  Sundried Tomatoes, Pine Nuts and then the buckwheat.  Soaking seems to be an imperative step to this cuisine.  It is also something that helps the body intake the nurtients.  They say “Soaking nuts and seeds before consuming them helps with digestion and softens the texture .”

I made a buckwheat crust according to a recipe I got off of Gone Raw.  You can find the link on the Blog Roll to the right. —>

I altered the recipe a bit to my liking.  This is what I did.

This was the crust before it went into the Dehydrator.

Buckwheat Crust

2 1/2 cups soaked buckwheat

2 peeled zucchinis

1/3 + 1 handful flax seeds

2 1/2 cups sunflower seeds

4 cloves of garlic

1 T Basil

1 T Oregano

1/3 cup olive oil

Water to smooth the batter up.

Preparation:  I put the buckwheat in the food processor and began to process.  Meanwhile, I peeled the zucchini and then added the zucchinis into the paste that began to form.  I allowed this to process while I grinded up the flax seeds.  I stopped the processor and then added the flax seeds and 4 garlic cloves.  When I turned on the processor again I allowed it to breakdown the garlic and mix in the flax for a moment.  When it appeared that the mixture was ready I added olive oil and water until smooth.  I added all of the rest of the ingredients last.  I waited until it was the consistency of cake batter.  I spread this onto the teleflex.  (I was able to make 2 large pizza crust out of it.  One big rectangle and another circular.  I also pre scored the batter with a ravioli cutter.)

Dehydrated at 125 degrees for 2 hours and then set it at 100 degree for another 3 hrs.

Sunflower Seed Hummus

2 1/2 cups sunflower seeds, soaked

2 Heaping T Raw Tahini

Juice of 1 Lemon

1/4 cup olive oil

1 garlic clove

1 T Spike

Preparation: Put sunflower seeds into food processor and process.  While the sunflower seeds are processing, juice lemon.  Add lemon juice, olive oil, and tahini through the chute.  Stop and add garlic clove and spike. Process again.  If it is still thick, add a bit of water a little at a time.

The Sunflower Seeds in the processor…

Here are all the toppings for the pizza…

And here is the final plating…

Sundaze Adventure

So once again we are at Sunday and it is time to cook for my wonderful clients again.

This weeks menu consisted of:

Living Lasagna - Side View

Another View of My Living Creation!!

Living Lasagna – This was something that I had really wanted to make for awhile.  I saw a few recipes over the Internet in regards to lasagna.

I generally look at the website gone raw, and other blogs out there in regards to raw foods.  I like to get ideas from them and see what others are doing.  It is quite inspiring to know that there are so many out there living a raw food lifestyle.

This was the first time I used Pine Nuts to make a raw cheese.  What a wonderful flavor.  This was also the first time I had the opportunity to make a Raw Marinara.  I made it with a combination of recipes.  Part of the recipe was from Brenden Brazier’s Thrive Book and Matt & Sarmas book called Get the Glow – Raw Food Real World or something like that.  Their link to their store with access to their publications has been added.  Click on their name above…

I found the pine nuts to get as soft if not softer than the Cashews.  I didn’t put my selections in a large baking dish.  There was something about each one coming out small and personable.  I made each serving it’s own living pile of love.  The recipes were really helpful.

If you anything about me or my cooking then you’ll know that I don’t follow many “rules” in life and I certainly don’t follow recipes to their portions given.  I just never have.

For the Pine Nut Ricotta I used:

2 cups Pine Nuts

Big Handful of Basil

2 Tbl. Nutritional Yeast

2 shakes of Bragg Amino Acid

Water to smooth out and make the Pine Ricotta Fluffy

Keep processing unitl the cheese is thick enough to be like ricotta and thin enough to spread easily.

For the Raw Marinara:

12-15 sun dried tomatoes

pinch rosemary

pinch oregano

2 roma tomatoes

big handfuls basil

I purchased some heirloom tomatoes that were really beautiful.  They were a wonderful fusion of orange, yellow, red and green.  I used these for the tomatoe layer.  I also used shredded zucchini and sliced zucchini.  (I purchased a large food processor yesterday.  It came with a few different blades, so I had the opportunity to try most of them out.)

Below are the 4 Entrees I made after the living lasagna.

Jars of Organic Food Fresh to Order !

Quinoa with Hemp Seeds – Far Left

Steamed Vegetables w/ Black Beans – 2nd Jar – Yellow Squash, Black Beans, Sweet Red Peppers, Sweet Yellow Peppers and Carrots!

Lentil Soup – 3rd Jar – Lentils, Carrots, Garlic, Celery, Basil, Onion Powder, Liquid Aminos

Steamed Vegetables w/ Garbanzo Beans – 4th Jar – Orange Tomatoes, Cauliflower, Beets, Fresh Basil, Garbanzo Beans, Basil