Clip of a Food Demo by Brian Lucas, aka Chef BeLive!

This guy makes some incredible Raw Cuisine! Plus, he is so free spirited, positive, and entertaining. We were lucky enough to sample a couple of his recipes, and they were DELICIOUS!

Raw Food Spirit Fest in Sedona!!

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The Festival was amazing, so inspiring! There were a lot of great speakers, Food Demos with fantastic Raw food chefs, spiritual opportunity, amazing music, and of course Raw food! Sedona is just gorgeous, and I could not stop snapping pictures on my cell phone. What a weekend!

Strawberry Banana Popsicle-It's a Hit!!

Here is my son, Brandon taste testing a recipe for Strawberry Banana Popsicles from Nana's Raw (thecanary on Raw Fu)! He looks very pleased with it, doesn't he? It was the perfect snack after an afternoon of skateboarding in the sun. Thanks Nana's Raw!!

Yummy Eggplant Salad!

Boy-this Raw Fu Challenge is keepin' me busy! Not to mention all of the preparations for my three boys to go back to school! My oldest started high school this week, and my two younger guys went back to school after we homeschooled last year. I have mixed feelings about this (Yay-the house is quiet! And...Oh man, the house is SO quiet! LOL). They have all three started football, which absolutely takes over everything in this house. I'll be glad when it settles down

to twice a week starting next week (for the little boys). Bring on the football games-Go Danville!!

Since the kids started school, I will now have a good amount of time to try out some Raw recipes that I didn't feel I had time to do before! Now if I can just get the house straight first........

Mmmmmm Blueberries!!

I've been eating a lot of blueberries lately-you probably have been, too! They are sweet, tangy, and delicious. Since they're in season, they're cheaper than usual-bonus. My smoothies contain them, I eat them plain or in a salad, and my kids love 'em. Another bonus:they're good for you, too!

From Wikipedia:

"Blueberries have a diverse range of micronutrients, with notably high levels of the essential dietary mineral manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin K and dietary fiber. One serving provides a relatively low glycemic load score of 4 out of 100 per day.
Especially in wild species, blueberries contain anthocyanins, other antioxidant pigments and various phytochemicals possibly having a role in reducing risks of some diseases, including inflammation and different cancers."

Here's my recipe for a BLUEBERRY PINA COLADA (gone green!):

1/2 CUP FROZEN WILD BLUEBERRIES

2 LEAVES OF KALE

1 CUP FRESH PINEAPPLE

1 BANANA

1/2 CUP COCONUT MILK

1/4 CUP HEMP MILK

Soooo delicious-I had it this morning!! Enjoy!

100 Day Challenge Before Photo

So here's my before photo. I'm also adding to my exercise routine during this 100 days, so I'm hoping to gain some muscle, in addition to a great Raw Glow. It'll be interesting to look at ourselves after 100 days of Rawness-especially for those of us that are just starting out! On a side note, some really great NATURAL relief for sunburn is a spray of white vinegar and water (I got a terrrible sunburn yesterday-with sunscreen!). I've been really trying cut down on chemicals in my skin/body care, so the last thing I wanted to do was spray or rub some chemicals on myself! But, I really needed some relief from the burn-vinegar really worked!

Plan, Plan, Who Needs A Plan??

As we close in on August 1, Day One of the Raw Fu Challenge, I am trying to come up with a plan-some routines, and easy meals that will keep me Raw. So far, I've decided that an AM Green Smoothie, followed by some sort of salad for lunch works well. Dinners will have to be a little more creative, since my husband has expressed interest in incorporating more Raw food into his diet! I certainly don't want to disappoint! My snacks to fall back on are raw almonds or fresh fruit-easy to grab. Another big focus for me during this 100 days and beyond will be to increase my intake of good old H2O-a challenge for me. I just seem to forget about drinking when I'm so focused on eating. Anyway, enjoy your last day fellow Challengers!!

BEET & GREENBEAN SALAD (pictured above):
Bowl of Fresh Greens
1 Tomato
1 Cup Fresh Greenbeans
1 Cup Chopped Red Cabbage
1/2 Cup Mushrooms
1/2 Avocado
1/2 Cup Shredded Beets
1/3 Cup Walnuts
1/3 Cup Dried Cranberries

DRESSING:
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
Drizzle of Olive Oil
Few Splashes of Balsamic Vinegar
Freshly Ground Seasonings (I used a natural Steak Seasoning that includes Salt, Pepper, Garlic, and other spices)

This salad was SOOOO good!!

Fresh Farmer's Market MINT!

I visited my local Farmer's Market here in Danville, IN on Saturday morning. There was a nice variety of fresh veggies, along with other natural odds and ends. The herb cart caught my eye, as I pictured fresh basil on my tomatoes, or fresh mint in my lemon water. I purchased a bag full of mint, along with my other delicious finds and headed home to get creative!

Mint is obviously well known for it's oral care benefits. But, here are things about mint you might not know:

Mint is well known for its ability to sooth the digestive tract and reduce the severity and length of stomach aches. It soothes the stomach in cases of indigestion, inflammation etc. The aroma of mint activates the saliva glands in our mouth as well as glands which secrete digestive enzymes, thereby facilitating digestion. Also, balms based on mint, or mint oil, when rubbed on forehead and nose, give quick relief to headaches.

In addition, mint teas and other herbal preparations have shown great promise at easing the discomfort associated with irritable bowel syndrome, and even at slowing the growth of many of the most harmful bacteria and fungi. The well-documented antifungal properties of mint are thought to play a role in the treatment of asthma and many allergy conditions as well.

It is even thought that mint may have benefits as an anticancer food. Mint is known to contain a phytonutrient called perillyl alcohol, which has been shown in studies on animals to prevent the formation of colon, skin and lung cancer.

So eat, or drink it up! Here's a recipe to get you started:

MINTY SWEET SMOOTHIE

1 LARGE CUCUMBER

2 STALKS CELERY (OR 1 LARGE)

1 LARGE GOLDEN DELICIOUS APPLE

1-2 KALE LEAVES

1/2-1 CUP WATER OR NUT MILK

10-15 LEAVES OF FRESH MINT

2 tsp AGAVE NECTAR

YUMMMM.....

Beefsteak, Anyone??

When my son Zack, 11, told me he wanted some steak for lunch, I had an idea (I needed one, I don't have any steak!). What if it wasn't quite steak, but had the same steak seasonings he loves? Even better-what if I could get him to eat a new Raw food at the same time as substituting beef for something healthier?? Now we're talking! Well, I came up with BEEFsteak tomatoes sliced up, with all natural seasonings designed for steak. I tried the concoction on my youngest son (a tomato fan) first. When he said, "Zack-tastes just like steak," (?) I was thrilled. Not because he was accurate, but because I might just slip this past Zack's lips. Sure enough, he tried it and smiled. Now we can add this to Zack's regular intake of Raw nutritiousness-yay! But will it fool my husband.......?

Gettin' Geared Up for the Challenge!

Just over a week left until the start of Bunny Berry's 100 Day Raw Fu Challenge! I'm gettin' ready-can't wait! My personal goals are to be completely vegan and very, very high Raw for these 100 days. I don't want to be disappointed if I find 100% isn't achievable for me. Maybe if I had a dehydrator, I would think I could be 100% Raw. I have been eating vegetarian since I started this blog, and lots of days I eat vegan all day. My Raw intake is increasing every day (see lunch above!). Cutting out yogurt and kefir has been a bit of a challenge, no problem losing cheese and milk though. I've also just removed gluten from my diet, due to my mother's recent diagnosis of Celiac Disease. She carries two genes for gluten-sensitivity/Celiac, meaning I am guaranteed one. I think the prudent move for me is to go gluten-free, ASAP. Luckily, this falls right in line with a Raw diet!

Lookin' Pretty Healthy!

Here are my three boys: Zachary, Tyler, and Brandon (ignore the date on there-this is from the 4th!). I was just looking through some pictures today, and I noticed a real difference in their appearance! Not just the obvious, "Look how they've grown!", but a difference in them that can only be credited to a healthier diet. As I have mentioned before, my younger boys, ages 9 and 11, and have been gluten/casein (dairy) free since March. Since then, their Raw intake has increased dramatically to probably 50%+. My oldest has increased his Raw fruit/veggie intake as well-he is my Smoothie Partner! The circles under their eyes have diminished, their skin is smooth-(without eczema!), their eyes just seem brighter and more alive. My 14 year old has the best skin of all his friends! I wish more parents would understand the extremely important part diet plays in the health, and behavior, of their children. I thought I would talk a little about this topic to support those of you who are doing similar things, and to inspire others who are thinking about it.

Good Morning Green Smoothie!

My newest addiction is my A.M. Green Smoothie. I absolutely look forward to it everyday! Sometimes that's even what propels my butt out of bed! Now, for me, that's highly unusual. My "old" breakfast consisted of a "healthy" type of cereal, with a bunch of (cow's) milk poured over it. My body feels completely different when I have my smoothie. My mind is clear, I'm not bloated, my energy is up. What a great way to begin the day, every day!

Here's a great smoothie to try:

GREEN HEMP SMOOTHIE
½ CUP FRESH PINEAPPLE
1 PEACH
½ AVOCADO
2 HANDFULS SPINACH
6-8 OZ CARROT JUICE
2 T HEMP PROTEIN

1 T FLAX MEAL OR GROUND SEEDS

Focus on RAW!

It's amazing!! Just the way my perspective is changing, is, in a word...Amazing! I have been focusing strongly on Raw, Raw, Raw. Thinking maybe I was jumping ahead of myself-I'm not even totally vegetarian yet-I really wasn't looking for major success being Raw. What I found instead was success in another way. Because my focus is on Raw-all that I can do Raw-I feel so free and easy eating totally Vegetarian (Step1). And eating Vegan (Step 2) just seems far less daunting as I eat meal after meal and say to myself, "That was actually Vegan!". I just may be able to succeed at this 100 Day Raw Challenge thing.......

Today's Lunch

I just fixed myself a nice Raw lunch, which turned out to be laughing material for my husband! As I was finished putting together my, admittedly, boring and plain plateful, my husband remarks to me, "OK, go blog about it! Ha Ha Ha!". (Read: Why would anybody want to read about what other people eat, especially when it's THAT?) He doesn't quite understand why people read blogs, yet. Perhaps as I move along this path, he will follow and understand the great comfort and support you feel as you read (or watch) someone else's struggles, successes, and ideas from their point of view on their Raw path. Wish me luck!

Lunch:

1 cucumber

baby carrots

bunch of red grapes

1/2 yellow pepper

1 oz. raw cheese (not quite totally vegan yet!)

Cranberry-Lemon water

Have You Signed Up For Bunny Berry's 100 Day Raw Fu Challenge?

Well, I have! I'm so excited to start-it's going to be my first real experience going totally RAW. Bring on August 1st!! In January of 2008 I started a diet transformation. My raw food intake has increased dramatically, I am slowly inching closer to Vegan, and I have become a smoothie junkie! I am coming from a pretty typical SAD (standard American diet) in 2007 to, hopefully, Vegan, High Raw/Raw by the end of summer 2008.

My three boys, and my husband are being dragged along with me:
Zack, and Brandon-my 11 and 9 year olds started a gluten-free, casein-free diet in March. This is to help with behavior and neurological issues (extremely successful, so far!).
My husband Tim and 14 year old, Tyler aren't quite as enthusiastic as I am, but they go along with my basic standards (for all of us) of no artificial ingredients or preservatives, organic, and a minimal amount of processed foods.

My mother is on this same path toward Raw, so I've got a great patner to accompany me on this journey! As a matter of fact, we will be attending the Raw Spirit Festival in Sedona, Arizona this September. I am really looking forward to that for great inspiration and comeraderie. Hope to see you fellow Raw Community junkies out there!