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!!