Raw Royalty

Goodbye

2011-01-30T17:32:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone....

This blog has been a fun journey for me...but I feel now that it has run it's course. I won't be posting here anymore, but I will leave the blog up so that if you want any recipes or information that I've posted here; it's accessible for you.

Thanks so much for being such awesome readers and subscribers. Without you, I'm not sure I would've gotten too far on this little blog. You guys and your comments helped keep me more motivated! You all are awesome!

Charis

More of Summer Delights

2010-09-08T23:07:00.001-07:00

Lasagna...mmmmm, and it's raw style! We had a good friend over for a couple days a week or two ago and guess what? She's a raw foodie friend! So when I heard that, I went gung-ho...I made all sorts of goodies! Including the above deliciousness. This was the recipe from Sarma's Raw Food Real World book (my favorite raw recipe book, btw...I'm itching to get her newest one...soon, soon). IT IS DIVINE! I tweaked a few little things...but it was out of this world. My Mom said she liked it better than the cooked lasagna. Yup. That good.

What else did I make? I made a raw corn chowder (Natalie Rose), chocolate macaroons, chocolate pudding, crispy cereal with almond milk (Sarma), marinated squash (from Carol Alt's book), big salads with olives and nuts, kale chips, and raw caramel apple dip (with apples, of course)! DIVINE.

It's amazing how tasty the simple foods are. How light, yet filling they are...like you could run a race or do jumping jacks as soon as you're done eating. Love it. Having our friend here, definitely rekindled a healthfood spark in me again.

A couple days ago I had some frozen strawberries (from our garden) and some of our kale. I just blended the two together with some stevia, raw almond milk, and ice. Simple, but good. Filling too. All organic goodness. And kale chips...., our crazy, amazing garden (we did it the square foot garden way this year and boy, is it worth it) has produced SOOO so so much kale...I've been trying to juice it and we've been making the chips, but we still have lots...and we've even give quite a bit away. Mom made some amazing cheesy kale chips yesterday. I'm still licking my lips.

Hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into my summer. Keep it real!

What I've Been Eating All Of This Glorious Summer

2010-09-08T23:04:00.000-07:00

12.5

2010-06-24T21:27:00.000-07:00

So yesterday, I did something crazy. For me, it's been a summer dream to run to the nearest provincial park we live by. So I did. All 12.5 miles...without stopping, even for water. (I just drank as I ran). And I had a good time too...2 hours and 15 minutes, despite the wind that was against me half the time. Yes.

Almost a half-marathon. There were definitely hard parts to the run...but overall, it was fun. Exhilirating. Dare I say it? I think I like running now. But just so ya'll know, it took me about a year of torturing myself to run long distance to like it. I thought after this half marathon that I just did, that I would be done running for a while. But I don't think so...it makes me want to run more.

After I finished off that run, I came home and drank THIS....

GREEN HYDRATION

- 1/2 scoop whey protein powder (15g. protein)

- 4 TB. raw hemp protein powder (6g. protein)

- 1/2 cup 1% milk (out of almond milk, sniff)

- 1/2 cup frozen blueberries

- 1 tsp. maca

- 1 tsp. lucuma

- 1 tsp. coconut oil

- ice

- and then I stuffed the blender with organic spinach from our garden

I whirled it up and had half for breaky and half for my lunch. Perfect. But I didn't like the fact I had cow's milk in it. Despite that...it was great.

Here's another bonus recipe my sister and I made tonight for an evening munchie.

In the food processor, blend up:

-saskatoons (frozen)

-bananas (frozen)

-1 TB tahini

-milk

Once it's in a ice-cream format, then I topped it with organic, whole-grain cereal. Mmmmm...

So...I'm Alive. How nice.

2010-06-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's all over. I did it. So wonderful. It was a FREEZING day, like we saw snow driving up, and my body just shook involuntarily afterwards, BUT...it was a good run! One of my favorites. I ran the whole thing without stopping (well, once to tie my shoe and walked for a few seconds while I guzzled some water at an water stop). It took me 2:25 hours to run 13.1 miles.

Oh, that felt good.

Seriously, even though I think there were a few places I could've pushed myself faster, it was one of the best runs ever. I've never really considered myself as a person who enjoys long distance running. But I loved it. Makes me happy.

But I tell you, next time I do a run. Please make it warm. It was SOOO cold. It even started raining toward the end of the run. But hey, that's the one thing I love about running. If you can endure long distance, a little (or a LOT) of cold and wet can't shake you. :) Never mind, I guess it did shake me...but you get me.

Half Marathon....wow, it's soon

2010-05-27T18:44:00.000-07:00

(me drinking chocolate almond milk....the best prep for a run, lol)

The weather is CRAZY here....raining, cold, grey, very wet (not like the above pic)...and the half marathon is in 3 days...

Apparently, it's supposed to snow tomorrow. I will not freak out.

The last half marathon I did, was freezing too. Seriously, I did not break a sweat the whole run. It was raining, my hair got wet...the wind blew and it was COLD! I wore my jacket most of the time...I guess it's just a granted, that if I run a half marathon it'll be cold. And I live where normally, it would be very hot right now. Ha ha. Well, I think cooler than hotter is better for running anyway. As long as I don't die of hypothermia. If I do, you'll know why the blog won't be updated. :)

So I think I'm trained up. Hopefully. I've run 12 miles (furthest) and now I'm just chilling (literally) till Sunday, when the big day comes. I'm running with three of my strapping, strong brothers so if I die, at least I won't be alone. Haha....no, it'll be good. I think I'm prepared.

I'm not built like a runner. I'm 5' 11", medium frame, and personally....I dunno know....long distance running isn't fun for me. I just do it because I do. I enjoy 6-8 miles....but really no further. 3-5 miles is even better, lol.

And hey, while you're reading PLEASE check out the amazing DAILY RAW CAFE's incredible givewaway. My goodness! She's got some good stuff going on! And hurry, because all the giveaways end soon and you don't want to miss out!

I'll post after the half and tell you if I'm alive.

11 miles...YES!

2010-05-06T19:44:00.000-07:00

(me and my amazing sister!!!)

Slowly, but surely I'm picking up the miles. Next week I'm hoping to do 12 miles and from there, I will slow down. I'm officially running a half marathon the end of this month, so I think I'll make that run my longest.

From there, where am I headed with running? I think I'll just do pretty much my daily runs from 3-6 miles, but more than that...I dunno know. I'm just not fond of long distance running at all. I'm not sure I'm even built like a runner. I love short distances, but yah...more than that is more torture, hahaha. But I'm excited about the half marathon, should be fun...at least AFTER the run, lol!

I think that especially after this race I want to focus on more strength training, weights, interval training...not just the endurance running thing. I'm a girl of variety...and I know I need more than cardio in my life, but after running for 2 hours (that's how long it took for 11 miles), you're done! ;0)

Oh, and hey...while you guys are reading my blog, you need to check out these two great giveaways:

1. Green Mommy is giving away Dr. Alkaitis Skin Food Travel Kit

2. HiHoRosie is giving away Cubeba Mint Cream and Borage Butter Eczema Cream

How do you guys balance your cardio and strength? What do you do for each?

10 MILES

2010-04-27T11:37:00.000-07:00

Yessss! I am doing happy dances inside...after doing my 9-mile run a week ago, (which was torture!), I was super nervous about doing 10 yesterday, BUT it went really well! AND...I think I've stumbled on a little secret about myself.

I did this run in the evening...I'm a night person, always have been...and I had SO much more energy. I drank a little water during my run and ate half a Medjool date, but that was it. Another bonus, after a tiring, long run like that I slept like a baby right afterwards. From now on, I think I'll try to do my longer runs in the evening.

What about you? You guys morning, afternoon, or evening runners?

Oh, and hey...HiHoRosie has an amazing giveway which is ending SOON...for a bottle of Spirulina by Healthforce, so go on over there and enter yourself in!

It's a Coming...

2010-04-16T13:21:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure I'm the worst blogger ever. Yup.

Moving on...I DID 8 MILES THIS WEEK! Yay! It took me an hour and a half of solid running. This time, instead of the dates, I drank a natural electrolyte powdered drink from Jamieson. Though it took foreeevvveerrrrr, and I had maybe 5-10 minutes of cramps, and my hip hurt the last 3 miles or so, it was one of my runs where I just had ENERGY for it. You know, sometimes you feel it and sometimes you don't. Sometimes even a quick 3 mile run just is a DRAG, simply because I have no energy and it's the worst run ever. Do you runners ever have those days? Today wasn't bad either. I just hopped out of the shower after 20 minutes of high-interval training and then a 4 mile run...I had a good workout with both. But I sure do love those days where you feel you can do anything because you have so much ENERGY inside of you!

Thank you all for the comments on the last post and the great ideas ya'll had. I'm looking forward to trying them. The coconut water seemed to be a running theme, and I need to do that more often. Claire, for one, had a great idea....here's her comment.

"For a mid-workout snack I find nothing better than 3 or 4 medjool dates, mixed with some pumpkin seeds or almonds and a touch of sea salt. I bring this in a little bag when I go mountain biking. I eat it mid ride (I go about 30 miles on my normal track) and it keeps me going strong!!"

I'm going to have to do that next run!

Now since I'm absolutely starved from all the exercise I need to EAT before I start chewing on my arm! :0) I'm off to eat a big, green salad with olive oil. Mmmmmm....

7 Miles

2010-03-30T11:26:00.000-07:00

Yes, yes, yes! This is the longest I've run this year...and I'm so happy (and a little tired, lol). Because these next few days will be very busy and I'll be mostly away from home, I won't be able to do any runs for a while too...so I'm glad I got an extra good workout in.

Once it hit past the 6 mile point, that's when I start thinking of extra nutrition I need for running. During a 3-5 mile run, I don't need any water during or any form of sports snack...it doesn't take too long and I just drink up before and after...but once I'm past 7 miles...then I have to be a bit more prepared.

Right now, I'm reading Brendan Braizer's "Thrive" book (head on over to Rawdorable's site and check out her last two posts about Brendan Braizer and his books/recipes) and I'm really looking forward to trying some of his sports gels/bars...but today, since I don't have it all figured out yet...I just grabbed a couple Medjool dates and had one at the 5 mile mark and then one at the 6.

I've kind of fallen away from my green smoothies and been doing more protein/fruit based smoothies, so I'm trying to get back into it. This week I've committed to one every day. I fueled up after with a green smoothie for lunch. Here it is:

7 MILER SMOOTHIE

1/2 cup orange juice

1 peeled orange (with white pith)

1 cup or more of parsley

1/4 avocado

1/2 banana

4 ice cubes

BLEND. BLEND. and BLEND. I ate it with a 1/4 of an avocado with herb salt. An all green lunch...but I may go and get something else because I burned a lot of calories (like 828!) so I can afford to have something else, lol.

For those who workout, what's your favorite recipe/mid-workout snack or hydration drink?

Cinnamon Strageties

2010-03-15T16:45:00.000-07:00

The other day we were out of cinnamon and my sister was making cinnamon buns...and as everyone knows, you can't make cinnamon buns without cinnamon. What to do? The rolls were already finished, save the spice.

I thought, cinnamon comes from...cinnamon sticks. Of course, so if we have the sticks...

Turns out, we did. So I broke them into as tiny pieces as my fingers could manage and stuck them in the coffee grinder. It worked...and I ground and ground until I got the powder as fine as I could.

Plus, I like the thought of freshly ground cinnamon...sounds fresher, doesn't it?

Next time you're out of the powder...maybe give this a try! Hint: Next time you make a banana shake add some freshly ground cinnamon...it's an amazing shake!

Cleanse Day 2 + 3

2010-03-03T20:41:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's almost over...I'm sorry I didn't post yesterday. The computer was being used so I didn't have a chance at it.

My juicy cleanse definitely had it's tougher points, but I'm glad I stuck it out. I know I'll feel better for it. Right now I might feel on the weaker side, but tomorrow I won't, BECAUSE tomorrow I eat, lol!

Tonight I had the most amazing juice ever! Seriously, it tasted like grape pop. It was seriously the most delicious juice ever. So I'll share it with you.

MOST DELICIOUS JUICE EVER!

2 apples

small knob of ginger (keep it smaller)

1 cup red grapes

1/2 lemon

Juice it up! I added 1 TB. of white and black chia seeds because today I wanted to introduce a soft fibre into my diet, to help my body prepare for tomorrow. I did that for every "meal" I had. It was a beautiful juice that reminded me of cotton candy. Totally try it!

Another juice I really enjoyed during this fast, was a delightful concoction of grapefruit, orange, and lemon! Yup, that's it. Just squeeze 1 whole grapefruit and 1 orange, and then half of a lemon! Absolutely perfect for the morning. It looks like sunshine. I added raw, organic blue-green algae to mine for some added minerals, vitamins, and nutrients. Grapefruit and lemon especially, are know for their amazing detoxifying benefits. Some people even swear grapefruit will reduce cellulite. :)

Even if you aren't doing a cleanse, you can do a super easy, "mini" cleanse by swapping your daily breakfast with a fresh, raw juice. It's incredibly healing and cleansing after a good long night's sleep. Anyone can juice!

Mini Cleanse

2010-03-01T21:27:00.000-08:00

I'm doing a mini cleanse! So I'm reading a book we recently purchased and after reading a few chapters of that, I was even more inspired to clean my body and give a break for a bit. So I'm doing half a juice fast and half a master cleanse. I'll do this for 3 days. Then I'll taper off for 2 days....and so goes it. SO far, going good. It sure makes you appreciate food more too...and not take it so for granted.

SO today I had:
5 "lemonades" (master cleanse recipe)
6 waters
2 organic, homegrown peppermint tea
1 electrolyte vitamin C supplement in water (after my workout)
1 carrot/celery/apple/ginger fresh juice
1 freshly squeezed grapefruit juice with superfood powder

FITNESS:
ran 5 miles (tomorrow I'm going to take it more easy... a little hard without food, lol)

a DVD workout

I think my favorite "recipe" of the day was the grapefruit juice I had at dinner. If any of you are familiar with raw food guru Sarma, this is one of her favorite recipes I got from her book. Simply mix freshly squeezed grapefruit juice with your raw, organic blue-green algae and guzzle away. I added a packet of Truvia to it, so it wouldn't be so sour. Mind you, it doesn't look pretty, BUT it tastes fantastic. You could do this with any green superfood powder if you don't have the algae powder.

Although I half-way enjoy these types of fasts, in an odd sort of way...I'm already looking forward to something that I can actually chew. Till tomorrow...

Running Update

2010-02-26T15:24:00.000-08:00

Hey guys...I got news...I've mostly been keeping this to my little self, but here it is...

I'M DOING ANOTHER HALF MARATHON this spring! Woot! I'm excited, but I'm nervous. I may call myself a runner and I do run a lot, but really I'm pretty sure I'm not built for it...and I actually don't even like it all that much, lol. But I love how it makes me feel and how strong it makes me.

Today I ran the longest AND the fastest I've run probably since my last half...6.5 miles! I did it in 68 minutes, and that includes my 1 min. and 30 seconds warmup and beginning of cooldown! (I know, I need to cooldown better, lol) That's pretty much half the marathon right there. I have quite a few weeks left to train for it too, so I'm stoked.

I'm reading Brendan Brazier's book "Thrive" right now and it's super inspiring. I love how he has a super healthy lifestyle, food and fitness wise. The whole book is just fantastic and I completely recommend it to EVERYONE who has the least bit of interest in fitness (hey! You never know, maybe you can win them over to a more healthy lifestyle with it!)

I'm using quite a lot of my Nutiva Hemp Raw Protein powder lately, as well as my organic, raw maca powder, local bee pollen, and blue-green algea. For the most part, I've had a lot of energy training for this half, except for a couple runs. So I guess this stuff is working. I'm hoping to bump up my greens consumption and have more protein, muscle building foods in this next while. If you're a runner, comment below and let me know what helps you in your running lifestyle!

Btw, my Merry Hempster's vegan lip balm is all gone and it sure lasted me a while. While I loved that stuff, I'm using Burt's Bees a friend gave me right now and I LOVE that just as much!

Pass on the Carrots

2010-02-18T09:23:00.000-08:00

Never thought you'd hear me say that, did you? But don't worry...I don't mean for good. I just mean CHANGE IT UP. Recently, what we've been doing is putting jicama or turnip on our veggie trays. We cut it into long, peeled strips and dunk away in the dip. I like them good and plain.

Seriously though, I just love raw jicama (hica-a-ma) and turnip. It sounds a little strange, I know. The first time I saw raw a turnip on a crudites platter, I thought that it was extremely odd, but then I tried it. So just for a bit, replace the carrot sticks and celery...you might be pleasantly surprised.

Treats for Valentines

2010-02-13T10:54:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Everybody! Since tomorrow is the big day I'm just re-posting a special post I did a year or two ago...with loads of delicious recipes and pictures to drool over. Hope you enjoy and can make a recipe or two for yourselves tomorrow! Perfect for two!

These are raw chocolate Turtles (you can see the caramel peeking through on the first one) and around it are "Chocolate Carmel Bites". I originally found a caramel dipping sauce at Gone Raw by Mish. I tweaked it a bit and made it into just plain caramel.

Caramel
about 4 TB of tahina
about 4-6 medjool dates (depending on how sweet you like it, but this will make it thicker too)
a wee bit of vanilla
and a few tablespoons of maple syrup until the consistency you desire...but you want it thick, like a dough almost)
Mix it up in the food processor.

Dipping Chocolate
about 3-4 BIG heaping tablespoons of melted coconut butter
a few TB. of organic cocoa powder (you can use carob or cacao, if you have it on hand)
equal parts of agave nectar and maple syrup
You want this to be a bit thicker, not a sauce, but just a nice, smooth dipping chocolate. Because coconut oil is such a stable cooking fat you can melt it by warming it over the stove on the lowest setting. It's still raw. ;0)

RAW TURTLES
Make little balls of the caramel and slide a pecan in the middle of it. Flatten it a little and with a fork, dip it into the chocolate mixture. Put on wax paper. Do this with all of them and then put them in the freezer to harder.

Caramel Bites (above)
With the caramel mixture make little balls and with your finger make a deep dent in the middle. Fill with liquid chocolate. Freeze till hard.
Caramel Chocolate Bites
Do the same as above, but just mix in some carob/cacao/cocoa powder in the caramel.
These are nice little nibbles when you need that little "sweet" during the day.
Caramel Almond Smacks (the picture below, left) Just make flat, thin circles in the palm of your hand with the caramel. Place on wax paper. With a spoon drop on some chocolate and garnish with an almond.

And now for my favorite of ALL! Oh, these are to die for! (drumroll, please!)

Dark Truffle Fudge (the heart above)
4-5 TB. of melted coconut butter
enough organic cocoa till it's a very thick fudge consistency
equal parts of pure maple syrup and agave nectar to sweetness
And then...thin it out with Coconut Milk for a creamy, milk-ness. It should thicken more when it's been in the fridge or freezer for a while. Place in a small square container and when more firm, score or slice into little fudge bars.

Oh, I could go on and on about the fudge. And I've tried lots of different fudges, or at least some, and I liked it, but this TOPS it! The ingredients may seem simple, but this really just melts in your mouth. It's so creamy and silky smooth (one fudge I can think of, seemed a bit granular, you know). If you're crazy about dark chocolate like me, this if for you! My mind spins when I think of all the incredible things you can do with it. Make balls and cover with a different type of glazing chocolate sauce or use as a layer in a sweet pie...sigh.

As you can see, I topped one or two of them with raw cacao nibs. It's funny, in the picture to the left you can see me (or at least my lips) taking the picture in the reflection. I was drooling over the chocolate, lol! I shaped the fudge into hearts and put a little bit of caramel into the middle of it.

Valentine's Day is a fun family tradition here. We always have a family banquet together, wear red or pink (it's a rule!), and decorate the kitchen table. My Mom always writes out a Valentine for each of us on a red or pink heart and leaves it on our plate, along with a whole pile of chocolate treats for us. This is always special, because she always writes out character qualities that she sees in each of us and tells us how much she loves us. I always save those hearts, they are definitely a dear treasure!

Raw Protein Smoothies

2010-02-04T15:21:00.000-08:00

Lately I've really been digging my hemp protein powder from Nutiva. I have two flavors, chocolate and berry, but I mostly use my berry kind. I've been doing a lot of running and DVD workouts lately...I also try to do a situp-program whenever possible (I've already managed to make it up to 91 situps...almost 100!) Even though it's the heart of winter where I live, after a good workout a cold, smoothie is what I crave! I ran 5 miles today, the first time in a long time, so that felt really good. I'm making it my goal to train without stopping, just to slow down my pace when I need it...so I was speeding along. FELT SO GOOD! I love it when you just feel in the GROVE for running. Before that I did 20 minutes of interval training and I'm pretty sure housework counts as part of your fitness outtake. ;0)

Here's a couple smoothies that I've been loving lately! I even posted the nutritional info along with it...I personally find it very helpful and fun to track my protein and fibre intake...I don't care too much about carbs, fat, or sugar (as long as it's generally on the healthy side, lol), but I like to know I'm taking in enough of the other two.

SMOOTHIE #1.

1/2 cup blueberries, frozen

1 banana

4 TB. raw hemp protein powder (I used berry flavour, but it really doesn't matter)

1 TB. flaxseed

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup raw almond milk

Blend and top with bee pollen for extra energy.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:

Calories: 358

Total fat: 6.9g (mind you, this is the HEALTHY fats we NEED!)

Carbs: 71.8g

Fibre: 16.7 (which is really good for a shake!!!)

Sugars: 43.4g

Protein: 11.8g

SMOOTHIE #2.

1/4 cup apple juice

1 TB. coconut oil (I used Efa Gold brand)

1/3 cup frozen strawberries

1/2 banana

4 TB. hemp protein powder

1 TB. flaxseed

1/4 cup almond milk

BLEND and top with sparkly, blue manna flakes for extra super food power...or drink as is. :0)

NUTRITIONAL INFO:

Calories: 392

Fat: 19.5g

Carb: 50.5

Fibre: 13g

Sugars: 28.1g

Protein: 8.3

This is our winter wonderland and our beautiful house our family built ourselves...

Lip Care

2010-01-16T10:01:00.000-08:00

One of my pet peeves is dry, flaky lips...I just hate the feel of it...plus, it doesn't look too nice...especially after you add some lip color. Completely an unpolished look. Anyway, pet peeves aside...it's something I barely ever deal with, even with the extra dryness of winter where I live.

Here's my secrets:

1. I read once, ages ago, that models use this trick all the time. They brush their lips with a wet toothbrush to exfoliate them. It's good not only for sloughing off any dry skin, but for boosting circulation as well. Not only that, it because of the stimulation it makes your lips just a tad bit bigger...(grin)

I do that every evening and always have very smooth lips.

If doing that with a toothbrush doesn't appeal to you...just mix a little sugar with olive oil and rub it on your lips...

2. I'm a lip balm/gloss addict...one of my little loves and always has been. I'm constantly smearing on lip balms...and I have them for every occasion. Lip balm with SPF for outside, tinted, natural very day wear, lip glosses with shea butter balm... intense balms for bedtime rehydration. No dry lips for me!

Here's one of my favorite, favorite lip balms...this is the one I put on, every night, before bed. It's just so rich and hydrating, that even in the morning, I feel like there's still some on my lips.

It's by the Merry Hempsters, a vegan body care company. I have the orange one (love orange!) and totally recommend it, especially if you're into vegan, all natural companies and bodycare.

Resolutions

2009-12-29T08:46:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again...reevaluation, goal setting, planning, and since I'm an organizer-driven person I am...I'm really excited to start making some lists, a fitness calender, some charts...yah, you call me a bit nutty, but hey! That's how I am...

We all have dreams. In order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline and effort.
~Jesse Owens

Getting inspired and hope you are too,

Charis

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T18:36:00.001-08:00

"Immanuel, God with us!" I'm SO grateful to God that He sent His son...so that we could have His Holy Spirit with us and in our hearts! His Presence in my life is so precious to me!

Now I'm off for an evening of family fun...and watching of a Christmas Classic, "It's a Wonderful Life"! Can't have a proper Christmas without that!

This is going to be such a special Christmas (they all are!), but I'm looking forward to the special family time together! Hope you all are having an amazing Christmas with your friends, family, and loved ones!

Dry Skin Helpers

2009-12-21T14:13:00.000-08:00

I don't know about anyone else, but I've been having crazy dry skin this last month or so...I guess it's the dry winters that we have here.

Here's some things that have helped me with the common, winter skin:

I used to get irritated, flaky skin by my eyes and couldn't figure it out...then I realized that it was because I was taking my eye makeup off with harsh soap. My solution: Coconut oil...this works WAY better than any typical, store bought remover and hydrates your the sensitive skin around eyes at the same time.

Baking soda! When my skin actually looks so dry it has flakes, this is my perfect answer! It leaves your skin super soft. Just be gentle when you use it as it can be irritating if you scrub too hard or too long. Be sure to moisturize afterwards with a dollop of olive or coconut oil. Wipe off excess with a tissue.

Washcloth! Use it gentle, circular motions on your face and it should do what the baking soda does...slough off the dead skin cells.

Do a little spa treatment. Here's one that I do occasionally, and yes, it sounds a little odd. I first scrub my face with baking soda. Then I steam my face with a hot washcloth for about 30-60 seconds. After that I put Miracle Whip on my face until it's dry and gummy. (I know, it's weird...here's a blog post I did on it a while ago). Then I rub and wash it off. Then you just moisturize with a good face lotion. Wala! Smooth, moist skin!

Two more tips for you!

1. Drink 8-10 glasses of water a day. You have to moisturize from the inside out!

2. Try an MSM lotion with is repairing, renewing, and super absorbent. Here's one I like which I got from Raw Guru. Alex has a great site there, totally recommend looking it up!

3. Make sure you get enough fats in your diet...coconut, avocado, olives, yogurt...you get the idea. If you don't get enough dietary fats it will show up in your skin.

Balancing Meals

2009-12-03T13:27:00.001-08:00

When I came home, I decided that I really didn't get a lot of protein in my diet...I just don't crave protein as much as other things...so I've been working on trying to incorporate more protein in my meals and snacks.

The shakes above is one of my attempts at this...I bought these...and I love them! They're an all raw product that is simply loaded with fibre and protein (two VERY important things!), plus heaps of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. I tried to buy them at Nutiva, but they only ship American so I ended up getting them at Vitacost, which is a Canadian health food discount site. The people at Nutiva were super nice too, very helpful...in fact, they were the ones that told me to try Vitacost, which ended up being a better deal for me anyway.

They have 3 flavours and I got the Berry and Chocolate version. My sister bought the one below, the Amazon Acaii. Frankly, I don't feel their flavour is really tasty in of themselves, but since I put the hemp protein in with frozen fruit and almond milk anyway, it ends up tasting very good. The chocolate one isn't as good as the berry ones...but it's actually more high in fibre than the fruit flavours. What I do is add cocoa powder to the shake when I use it and it is then converted from flat to fantastic. I often like to add raw, organic maca powder to these smoothies too.

Chocolate Hemp Smoothie (you could also just use the original Nutiva hemp powder too, if that's what you have, just add more cocoa)

2-4 TB. Nutiva chocolate hemp powder

1 heaping TB cocoa powder (or carob, if you like that flavour)

1 frozen banana

1 tsp. raw, organic maca

about 5-8 oz. raw almond milk (depending how thick you like it)

2 ice cubes

Blend to your heart's content...

Optional: top with bee pollen, add coconut or flax oil for some healthy fats, or top with hemp seeds or cacao nibs (my favorites with a chocolate shake!)

We're back!

2009-11-29T13:42:00.000-08:00

Me and my sister Anne-Marie

Wow, it's been a while, but we came back from a really special, amazing music tour...but it's great to be home again.

I actually came home with the H1N1, which in my experience, was the worst flu I've ever had...took me a while to get over that...I guess when you travel a lot you get exposed to lots of bugs and viruses...anyway, I feel great now! :)

So now, I'm just getting used to life at home again...trying to get back into a routine of healthy eating...I try to eat as healthy as I can on the road, but it's a lot easier at home...

I'll try to post in the next day or two about some fun stuff. Till then...

Trail Mix

2009-10-08T22:04:00.000-07:00

Just a quickie post before I hit the sack...tomorrow morning our family is leaving on a month long music tour, so don't expect any posts till I get back. :)

On one post a while back, actually on another singing tour we did, I posted a trail mix recipe that I did...now I'll just post what I did for the West Coast Trail that I recently did. Nothing special, but I thought it tasted fantastic.

Mix up the following:

freeze-dried strawberries (this totally made it!)
raw sunflower seeds
raw almonds
dried bananas
dehydrated apples
dried apricots
dried peaches
broken up pieces of an organic, dark chocolate bar (just do cacao nibs if you want it all raw)

I really like trail mixes that are mostly fruit for some reason...it feels lighter and much better in my tummy, I guess. I'm not really a nut person...nutty in personality, but not in food tastes. :)

Anyway, see ya'll in a month.

Hiking Girl

2009-09-26T12:34:00.001-07:00

...I haven't written in a while, but I have an amazing excuse...I've been gone about a month and I was able to do the most amazing thing ever! I went on the famous "West Coast Trail" on Vancouver Island. People come from all over the world to do this backpacking hike and lucky me, my brother, myself and 8 other friends were able to go and do it!!! It was such an amazing experience, but a lot harder than I thought it would be.

Hiking on the beach...that's me on the far left.

Being "eco-friendly", lol...I found some garbage on the beach and was getting rid of it. :)

So slippery, muddy, and rainy

We had to climb an insane amount of long, long ladders...sure got your heart pumping, especially with a 50-55 pound pack on your back!

Hiking in the forest...

I think I'm seriously addicted to backpacking now...the pamphlet says the trail is for experienced backpackers only, so I was a little apprehensive about going (I've NEVER backpacked before, only day hikes!), but I did it and loved it all! Anyway, there's a short update on my life...hope you enjoyed!

Oh, and on the health side of things, totally unrelated... I like to limit my sugar intake (the GI on raw honey is ridiculous, over 100), so here's something I've discovered I like to do with my apples. Chop 'em up, sprinkle with a little bit of stevia and cinnamon. It's perfect, plus, it's less calories. :-) The perfect afternoon snack.

Apple Green Juice

2009-08-19T10:23:00.000-07:00

Breakfast for this morning:

Apple Green Juice

Juice these all together and stir...

1 head of Romaine lettuce

some spinach leaves

3 BIG Swiss Chard leaves

3 small apples (this is how I like to use up the brown, bruised apples no one else wants)

3 stalks celery

And Darby (who has a blog about making homemade beauty "potions" - check it out) asked me, "Are you Vegetarian or Vegan?"

And the answer is, "No. I'm actually not. I don't really like labels or restrictions, I like freedom to eat whatever I want (which strangely enought often keeps me away from the bad stuff). I think I could be perfectly fine without meat, since I rarely crave it. But I like to keep my distance from red meats, unless they're organic...I really try to stay away from dairy products such as milk and the processed, dyed cheeses...but there are dairy products I do like. I love yogurt, cottage cheese, and right now, a favorite is goat cheese. I really want raw and whole foods to be the core of my diet, but I don't ever strap myself from something I really feel like. I used to be really extreme about my diet, which actually caused stress, now I'm seeking balance. I would like to be more vegetarian and vegan inclined though."

Best Makeup Remover

2009-08-07T17:02:00.000-07:00

In the past I've used the average makeup removers...but for the last few weeks I've realized what not only is the healthier option, is a lot more effective...organic coconut oil. It works great! And the fun thing about it...is that it actually doubles as an eye cream and eyelash conditioner. I've tried to make it a habit to put an eye cream around my eyes at night (vitamin E. oil, a little organic olive oil mixed with coconut oil), but now I don't really worry about it. The skin around my eyes is moist and free of makeup. Two steps in one!

Here's my breakfast for today:

Green Cleaning Juice (it just makes you feel "cleaner" inside :)

1 head of Romaine lettuce

some spinach

some Swiss Chard

a few green grapes

1/2 plum

Juice it up and sweeten it a tad with stevia. Perfect.

I'll try to post more regularly. We've been so busy with singing and a lot of social events this summer, so I've sorta slacked off....I'll be better. :) Really.

Drink up!

2009-06-23T12:03:00.000-07:00

There's no better time than summer to be glugging down more water...with all the heat, a more active lifestyle, and all the sweatin' that summer gives. It seems that people don't understand how vital water is to our health. Most of us are really dehydrated, whether we know it or not.

We should all be drinking one half of our body weight in ounces of water PER DAY! For me, at my height, that's about 80 ounces of water, which is about 10 glasses of water. Two more than the average 8 glasses. And if you're more active, you should be adding more water to that.

And contrary to what everyone seems to think...tea and coffee DON'T count. They actually act as diuretics. Herbal tea is an exception you can count as water.

So why do we need so much water? What's so great about being hydrated? Here are some of the reasons (some which were new to me)...

it acts as a solvent (reduces everything) and a transporter

purifies your body, carrying out waste

increases energy at a cellular level

transports metabolites of the brain along neurons

creates adhesiveness to the cell structures

proteins and enzymes function more efficiently in a solution that is more dilute

keeps your skin more healthy

And here are some things that can be prevented by drinking more water...that can actually be partly caused or helped by dehydration...

hypertension

dyspepsia

arthritis

headaches (add lemon in your water for even more benefit)

stress and depression

cholesterol problems

diabetes

asthma and allergies

colitis

low back pain

My Dad was reading all these great things about water and since then, he's been drinking a lot more. Trying to get his 100 ounces (around 12 glasses) of H2o all in before the day is out. He says he feels a lot better and he's not as tired.

It might be hard to get used to and you might be running to the bathroom all of the time, but soon you're body will get more used to it. I rarely go anywhere without my water bottle...it's almost my comfort drink. I like to add lemon and stevia often, or even just a squirt of some juice from the fridge. There's lots of ways to drink water if you don't like the taste...maybe try sun tea or iced green tea. You got no excuses, so drink up!

Food so far for today:

Breakfast~ Green smoothie (kale, banana, blue manna flakes, ect)

Morning snack~ 1/2 grapefruit

Lunch (so far)~ some watermelon (another great source of hydration)

Burdock Tea...Loving your Liver

2009-06-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

Quite a while back I was blessed with a Kombucha mushroom, which I enjoyed making into tea...but I found that after a while, I grew a little tired of making it and had a harder time drinking it (don't like homemade Kombucha? Check out Synergy's Kombucha at Whole Foods, which tastes quite good...grape is my favorite, but I like guava too!) So I got rid of my Kombucha mushroom and turned to other things to try out...

One thing I loved about the Kombucha was that it was very cleansing for the liver, which, I think, is one of the central things to good health. But guess what? There's other fantastic things you can take for your liver...one of which is Burdock Root Tea.

You can get it fresh too, which I haven't been able to try yet (as there is none in my area), chop it up and add it to salads or brew it fresh.

I went to Tea Benefits site to check out all the other great things about it and here's what I found...

It has a soothing effect on the skin and gastrointestinal tract;

It is known to improve appetite and digestion;

It has been shown to possess anti-microbial agents that may help reduce liver damage;

It also has the ability to mildly lower blood sugar (hypoglycemic effect);

It is very useful in fighting the effects of rheumatism;

It helps in the treatment of some kidney disorders;

It helps counter bronchial cough and other irritations of the pulmonary tract.

The taste is really special too, it's not like other teas I've tried. It almost tastes like Won Ton broth that you get at the Chinese restaurant...which is kind of fun. Hope you get a chance to buy a bag of it and let me know what you think...

Oh, and while you're on the web check out Tea Benefits...it's a great site, with lots of great info.

Time for an Update

2009-06-01T11:22:00.000-07:00

...Argh, life is so hectic right now I haven't had much time to do a post. Our family is doing quite a bit of singing and traveling right now so I do have a good excuse.

Because it seems like I'm always out of my regular routine, I find it harder to eat the way I want to, especially away from home. So lately, I've been bumping up my raw food intake to where it should be. I've been trying to have green smoothies in the mornings and have been making more of a habit of big salads at lunch. (below is my 0 calorie salad dressing I really like)

We have lots of dandelions scattering our home, so I've even picked a bowl of those, washed them, and bagged them for green smoothies and salads. I'm hoping to make a juice with them too.

We've just finished planting our garden, which I'm excited about (the cucumbers especially!). We just have to plant cilantro, parsley, onions, and find some kale seeds to throw in.

I've been making it a habit to drink more lemon water too (usually 4 cups with 1 lemon, if we have lemons in the house)...with the heat here it seems like I'm always drinking, and it's nice to have a bit of a flavour in the water. I just add a bit of stevia for what Natalia Rose calls, "a quick lemonade". My sister and I have also been making "sun tea"...throwing 2 peppermint and 2 green tea bags into a gallon or two of water to steep in the sunlight all day. We then refrigerate it. This tastes great if you add some stevia too.

My Dad had started an orchard in our backyard too, with even a blackberry bush...so I'm hoping in the quirky country we live in, that it will all thrive.

Here's my salad dressing that is great if you're trying to be more careful of your weight...do it all to taste.

1 tsp or so of organic Dijon mustard
a squirt of Braggs
a splash of Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp or less of lemon juice
maybe a little bit of balsamic vinegar
lots of dried parsley, dried basil, and dried oregano

Mindless Workouts

2009-05-18T11:23:00.000-07:00

Contrary to my last post...I haven't been exercising much lately, simply because I haven't had a stitch of time. We've been doing lots of singing and traveling, so really...I've barely had one day at home (hence lack of posts here).

But I've figured out there's always those little things that I can do, without really a thought about it, that helps me get little workouts in, throughout the day.

When I brush my teeth, I stand on one foot and hold the other one behind me. This is great for stretching your hamstrings and for balance. I alternate legs as I do the top and bottom teeth.

When I floss, I do lunges, alternating legs with top and bottom teeth. Maybe you think it's weird to do this, but who cares?

When I'm blending up the family's almond milk I've made it a habit to do about 50 toe raises (which are really great for your calves).

There's heaps of little things you can do...tighten your stomach muscles while driving, deep breathing while you're waiting for your appointment, or even just timing yourself for 5 minutes to get your sit ups in.

What do you do for your mindless workouts?

Half Marathon

2009-05-08T18:57:00.000-07:00

I have been aching to do a half-marathon since last fall, since most of my brothers started getting into it...but I wasn't sure I could do it, especially since I wasn't sure I could even run a mile. But once the new year rolled around, I printed out a 10-week half-marathon training plan and stuck to it with more diligence than I thought I had. It really motivated me, but I really over trained as the workout schedule was just too intense for my running level. I ended up with a couple injuries on my foot because of that.

With over three weeks of basically no training or working out (with CD mixing and visiting my sister) the official day came. I was rawwwther nervous, wondering what ON EARTH was I doing!!!? I had not run very much or far for a few weeks (though I certainly tried!), but God really helped me. It was the best run ever...there were more hills than I expected, but it was a rainy, cold day that was quite nice for running...there were water stations every 3 K...and it was just so much fun, altho' I must admit it was really hard on my body. About half way through, I got two painful blisters on my toes...so that wasn't fun to live with for the next 6.5 miles, but I managed. The last 3 miles were, to be honest, grueling...the wind was against me and it was raining, but once again, I asked for God's strength and He answered my prayer. What an amazing feeling it was to cross the finishing line.

For my first half-marathon my goal time was to have it done by 2:30:00 and I was thrilled to discover I was just under 2:20:00.

I know

2009-05-05T19:02:00.000-07:00

...been a while, but you'll have to wait a couple more days for an REAL post. In two days I'll be home from the most marvelous holiday you can imagine, and then I shall have something worthwhile to write. Truly. I had big news! (at least for me, it's HUGE) So till then...

Almost Done

2009-04-14T22:31:00.000-07:00

...our CD that is. This last week I haven't posted anything, because I was away in the states, helping mix our newest project. I just got home last night (or early morning I should say), so it's been crazy here. What's more, my sister Anne-Marie and I are leaving tomorrow morning and will be heading to the airport so we can fly out to see my married sister Lizzy for 3 weeks! I'm SO stoked about it...but thoroughly tired of packing and unpacking and then packing again. But hey! I'm done now.

I'll try to do a post once or twice while I'm gone, we'll see how busy it gets. Right now I'm just so excited about seeing my sister who lives SO far away. I haven't seen her since Christmas and I miss her so much.

Food for today:

B~ Hemp Protein Smoothie with almond milk, cinnamon, and banana

L~ Fruit...1/2 grapefruit, orange, green and red grapes, and a half of banana

Snack~ a raw chocolate macaroon and later, 2 homemade cookies

D~ Salad with onions and salsa and homemade WW pizza and for good measure, another cookie, lol

Today wasn't as healthy as I would've (and should have liked it to be), but hey...it's all about being real and I feel great! This evening I went for a 6 mile run on the treadmill too, as I haven't exercised for a couple weeks since I was preoccupied at the soundboard.

Eat something good for me!

Red Palm Oil...A must try

2009-04-04T10:18:00.000-07:00

Getting your good fats is totally vital...but lately, I seem to realize that everyone I know is stuck in a rut of olive oil or coconut oil. These fats are truly amazing, but variety is the spice of life, and there's lots of other oils that are really wonderful, that don't get the attention they deserve. I did most of this post almost two years ago, when I first started blogging and I thought it was due time that Red Palm Oil got some appreciation. (and when I talk about Red Palm Oil, of course, I'm talking about the raw stuff) So I hope this post will inspire you to try new varieties of all the amazing gifts of food God has given us.

Healthy fats is one of the most awesome things ever...I've been a fanatic of olive oil and coconut oil for a long time...but recently I have got into red palm oil. This stuff is absolutely marvelous! I didn't even know it existed until I read Serene Allison's article about it. Soon after, I bought some and I love the flavour of it, it's very different in taste compared to other healthy fats. If you're not exclusively raw you can even use it as a replacement for butter/margarine on toast (if you don't mind the way it dyes everything orange...I think it's fun), frying up your pancakes, or on your baked potato or yams. Read up on these super facts about the red palm oil...

RED PALM OIL (info from Serene Allison’s article “I love Fat”)

Red palm oil is the richest natural source of tocotrienols, which are not found in any other vegetable oil. Tocotrienols inhibit the proliferation and growth of human breast cancer cells in culture, therefore; it prohibits cancer and stops the growth of existing cancer cells. Tocotrienols also help prevent skin aging and damage from free radicals. It’s naturally rich in vitamin A for a properly functioning immune system. It contains no cholesterol and actually raises your HDL, your good cholesterol level while simultaneously lowering your LDL, the bad kind. It’s naturally rich in vitamin E for a healthy heart. It actually dissolves dangerous arterial plaque that can lead to a heart attack. It keeps the blood thin and free flowing. The antioxidants in red palm oil act as scavengers, they prevent and eat up the free radicals that lead to our modern diseases-Alzheimer’s, senility, rheumatism, heart attacks, arthritis, asthma, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, spinal muscular atrophy, macular degeneration, and stroke. One tablespoon a day contains 10000 IU of immunity boosting vitamin A, which is enough to eliminate the risk of the common cold and flu by 67 percent. The beautiful red color comes from its richness in tocotrienols, carotenoids, tocoplerols, which are all powerful antioxidants. Not only that it trims body fat by 27 percent. It's because of palmolein, a compound in red palm oil that helps your liver break down sugar for energy before it can be stored as fat.

More than that it:

*Reduces risks of diabetes by 58%

*Naturally rich in retinal for great vision

*High in essential fatty acids

*Rich in beta-carotene's – 15 times more than a carrot and 300 times more than tomatoes

*No carbs

*Prevents aging

*Easy to digest and absorb

*Excellent source of energy

*Safe for cooking, the most stable of oils because it’s protected by vitamin E, antioxidants, and has a natural resistance to oxidation and rancidity, even better than coconut oil by long shot.

There's lots of ways to use it in raw foods...turning your scrummy smoothies into orange delights, using it as a buttery spread on your raw crackers and breads (with a sprinkling of sea salt or something), replacing it with any recipe that calls for olive or coconut oil, or freezing some into your raw popsicles...WHATEVER you want. Something I do like to emphasize, is variety...keep on eating your coconut oil, just keep switching things up. Add, replace, switch around...variety is what keeps things interesting. It never ceases to amaze me the incredible things that God has placed on this earth to heal our bodies and to keep us healthy.

Here's a Red Palm Oil smoothie that I'm making with the last of my oil (sniff) tomorrow morning (a lovely Sunday breakfast)...

Safari Dream

1 banana

2 figs or dates

1 TB. Red Palm Oil

1 TB. Flax Seed Oil

1 TB. coconut (either white from the brown coconut or the flesh from a young coconut, or if you have neither of these, 1 TB. coconut oil or dried coconut)

Juice of one lemon

Blend this until like whipped cream.

And for those who care to know, I got my Red Palm Oil from Wilderness Family Naturals.

Green Beauty

2009-03-31T09:02:00.000-07:00

...I got it! Ever since the new year, I've been wanting to own this book. A dear family friend of ours bought me this book for my birthday, which I was SO excited about! One of my resolutions for this year was to make more of my own body and beauty potions and to buy more natural products. And so far, I've done pretty good...altho' I have bought one lip color that wasn't natural, that's it. My interest was peaked in this book when Shannonmarie got the author, Julie Gabriel, to give an interview (check it out here). She also did a really great review on the book, which you must read, if you're thinking about getting the book. Julie Gabriel also has a lovely blog, which I like to check up on, from time to time.

I'm really excited about making some of my own face washes, lotions, masks, conditioners, (even recipes for the "natural" baby) and all that fun, girly stuff. She uses a lot of essential oils, which I can't wait to experiment with. Julie has a great way of writing, that really keeps your attention and makes you more aware of what is going on in the "beauty" industry...alerting us to all those nasty chemicals that are put into products we use every day, sometimes even the ones that are made to sound "natural". I haven't finished the book yet, but already I'm just super stoked about doing a lot of these things myself with her recipes. I also loved the fact that she recommended quite a few products to buy, when you can't make something yourself. Hope you get your hands on a copy of this book (check your library)...because it's definitely worth reading.

...Life here is amazingly busy now. Our family has started our second session of recording our third music CD. We'll hopefully be done on Friday night...and then pack up the sound equipment on Saturday. Then, we're singing at a church on Sunday and on Monday, my family will take me down to the states to help mix our CD for about a week and a half. After that, I'll come home for maybe 1-2 days, pack my stuff up, and my sister Anne-Marie and I are heading to the airport to visit my sister Lizzy for the next 3 weeks. I haven't seen her since Christmas so I'm, naturally, very EXCITED! So, I'll do my best to keep posting, but please forgive me if I don't have time, lol.

Oh, and here's a recipe to "green" up your breakfast...this is the one I had this morning.

Green Beauty Cilantro Shake

1 bunch cilantro

1/2 grapefruit (without pith)

1/2 Navel orange (with pith)

1/2 c. pineapple

1 TB. honey (to taste)

Add some water to blend those greens into submission. I meant to add blue-green algae flakes this morning, but I forgot...so if you have those, plop those in too.

More Desserts

2009-03-26T12:03:00.000-07:00

I promised I'd post more delectable desserts...so here they are. But first of all, I just wanted to say what a fantastic birthday I had...it was so amazing...lots of family and good friends here. I was completely and utterly spoiled, but it was all good! lol. I got a lot of really special presents and in one of my next posts I'll tell you about an amazing book that goes right along with one of my new year resolutions (so keep tuned!)

I love, love, love ice-creams, so above is one of the recipes I dreamed up. It's called Caramel Ice-Cream with Chocolate Fudge Chunks. (It was so sweet, on my b-day, one of my health-loving sister-in-love's made me a healthy, sugar-free, berry ice-cream...which is particularly amazing! Like I said, I was spoiled)

Next, is one of those little, quick snacks that I might mix up if I'm feeling like I need a sweet now (I'm working on my patience). Crunchy Maca Chocolate...it makes one large truffle to indulge in!

Back to the ice-cream (told you I was hooked on this stuff!)...this one, is called "The Floaty Ice-Cream", simple, cheap and perfectly tasty! I topped a thinner version of a Chocolate Banana Shake with this...

And last, but not least...are my chocolate recipes. Chocolate Caramel Bites, Turtles, Caramel Almond Smacks, Dark Truffle Fudge, dipping chocolate...You can find them all here...I made them for a Valentine's Day a year or two ago.

And the easy, cheap recipe I talked about last post, about being so amazing...is the simple Avocado Chocolate Pudding. Pretty much it's just one avocado, some cocoa (carob or raw cacao), honey, agave nectar, or maple syrup as a sweetener, a few dates too, and a wee bit of the pink salt. It's SO good and you'd never ever guess it has a green avocado in it! Simple and cheap, but so divine for the chocoholics.

On another note, my running has been going good too...altho' I feel like I don't have quite as much energy as a week or two ago. Last Saturday my two brothers and I ran to another brother's house...which, there in back is about 8 miles...but it happened to be quite hilly. It was a hard run, because I've never done really any hill training, and it was my first outdoor run since last Autumn. I walked when I needed to, but I did it and it felt good. Well, until I finally stopped. I hurt my heel again, so I've been letting it heal, by being a bit more careful and trying not to wear any shoes. I did a 5 mile run yesterday and a 3 mile run today. And guess what? I bought a snappy running outfit, even those professional running socks...I asked if God would help me get some of it on sale (sometimes that sort of thing is pricey) and when I got to the store, that's exactly what I got! He's so good to me!

Menu so far for today:

First thing: 1 c. Synergy grape Kombucha with lemon and stevia

Breakfast: 1/2 grapefruit and a bowl of Kashi Probiotic Cereal with raw almond milk (usually I don't eat cereal in the morning, but today I wanted it)

Lunch: 1 glass green smoothie (parsley, grape juice, 1/2 banana, organic pumpkin seeds, and ice), and an organic herb salad with 1/2 avocado, olive tapenade, 2 cloves garlic, organic pumpkin seeds, and dressing (organic olive oil, Braggs, APV, and maple syrup)

Eat something good for me!

Desserts Revisited

2009-03-19T18:26:00.000-07:00

One of my readers and blogging friends, Abigail of Shine on Child, wondered if I knew any easy, or inexpensive desserts...I think that's a great question, because some people (like me!) are always craving the sweets and want something we can have right away!

So with this post I wanted to "re-visit" a lot of my dessert recipes or recipes that I've tried and absolutely love...

The creamy sweetness above is a Vanilla Swirl Cheesecake that I made when my sister Anne-Marie and I were challenging ourselves to 25 days of all-raw.

And because there's a bit of cheesecake cream left over when you make the above cake...this is a lovely fruit delight I made from it. You can do this with any raw pudding, cheesecake batter, or "whipped cream", like the stuff that Carmella of the Sunny Raw Kitchen makes. Check out her persimmon cake recipe there too, while you're there.

Another amazing dessert is Ani Phyo's Berry Cobbler...but I'm not indulging you with the recipe...you'll have to read her book yourself. Also, she just wrote a new one called "Ani's Raw Food Desserts", which you can now pre-order (this is on my wish list).

A great quick, simple (and cheap!) dessert is a sweet smoothie, whether it's the classic chocolate, vanilla, strawberry or a divine sensation from the tropics. Here's a simple strawberry one I really love...this also tastes amazing, when you replace the strawberries with blueberries.

...And here's one of my favorite smoothies...CHOCOLATE! This is a great evening dessert or snack. If you check out the above link, there's also a halva recipes there too, which is really amazing because it tastes like the non-raw version. My Dad loves this!

Fruit sorbets are SO easy to make (like the one below, made from intense Concord grapes). Just grab a fruit (EXPERIMENT and have fun! Try berry, banana, orange, apple, cantaloupe, pomegranate, lemon, whatever). Then get your sweetener (Agave, honey, maple syrup, or perhaps dates) and then whizz it into submission with a liquid base (water, nut milk, or a juice).

Since we just had St. Patrick's day I thought I'd also post what I did last year...another one of my ice-cream experiments that I had done for the occasion. I was trying to make a cheaper ice-cream that didn't require cashews or macadamia nuts, so there it is!

For those of you who crave cereal bars this one is for you...is it really one of the best that I've tasted! I created this out of a serious need for sweets with a definite crunch! This one I did use organic peanut butter for (you can either buy the raw or just use raw almond butter instead). These ones are really cheap too.

Sometime soon, in one of my next posts, I will do some more dessert recipes of mine, and tell of one of the simplest, cheapest, quick, and most delectable of desserts that I absolutely heart!

...And guess what? It's my birthday tomorrow...I was telling my sister today that it felt "so long" since I've had a birthday. Of course, that's true, because it's been a whole year. lol. So tomorrow will be extra special with lots of friends and family over, a heart-healthy cake and ice-cream, and lots of fun and games (and I know my Mom will make me a fruity breakfast in bed...she always makes me smoothies!)

So I hope you try one or two of those desserts next time you're craving something sinfully sweet. Have fun!

Green Smoothie Salads

2009-03-17T14:37:00.000-07:00

First of all, Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Hope you're all celebrating today with green smoothies and salads!

A bit ago, I discovered the fun concept of green smoothie salads...I thought it would be fun to try having the green smoothie itself be the dressing of a fruit/veggie salad, so I gave it a go!

I made a simple orange/spinach/banana green smoothie, blended with a few organic pumpkin seeds and then poured it over a fruit/veggie salad for my lunch. I had it over green and red grapes, halved sugar snap peas, pumpkin seeds, and a half a head of Romaine lettuce. Really, it was so good! I had two helpings, lol. Next time I make it, I'd like to add cut up celery and cucumber.

I think it's such a fun idea and I'm looking forward to trying it with all fruit. You know, making a blueberry banana smoothie and pouring it over berries, cherries, sliced banana, grapes, oranges, and apple slices. I think that would a fantastic salad.

This is especially good for those who like blended drinks, but often feel like they need to "just chomp" on something too!

I was gone this weekend singing with the family so it's good to be home again. And I've even gotten more regular with my posting, haven't you noticed, lol? It feels good to be blogging again.

Kitchen Beauty

2009-03-11T16:02:00.000-07:00

LEMONS~ Often after I squeeze a lemon I will rub the leftover half over my elbows to exfoliate. You can also just rub it on your skin to tone and refresh your skin. I've even heard that lemon juice is great for any blackheads you might have on your face.

OLIVE OIL~ I use this for a moisturizing face mask. It takes off all my makeup effortlessly and leaves my face feeling very soft. I use in on my arms and legs for a lotion. When I'm a meal in the kitchen, I always take that last drip off the lid and use it as a lip balm.

HONEY~ I betcha didn't know this, but it's a great lip balm (altho' I often end up licking it off, I love honey! lol) But my favorite way to use it is to put it on my face for about 20 minutes and it makes your skin feel like silk. Honey is very good for nipping bacteria in the bud, so it's great for breakout prone skin.

COCONUT OIL~ I know I'm young now, but I once heard that once you turn 18 you should start using eye cream. So once I reached that infamous number I started putting coconut oil around my eyes each night. I make my own eye cream by mixing the oil with some liquid vitamin E and some cold-pressed olive oil. This is an excellent potion and I simply love it. I'll often use the same stuff on my face when it needs some moisture or on scars I have. I'm always battling dry skin.

ALOE VERA~ When I make a smoothie with aloe vera in it (and I'm not wearing makeup), I'll take the gel-removed leaf and rub it on my face. This tones and tightens my face and is very healing and moisturizing. Aloe vera is great for irritated or sensitive skin, even as a lotion.

CUCUMBER~ Yes, the famous cucumber. Just cut two slices and place them over your eyes for ten minutes to refresh and de-puff your eyes. This works well with two regular tea bags too, just makes sure to chill them. You can even whiz up cucumbers in the blender and use it for a toning mask.

SESAME OIL~ Of course I've never used it for this, but apparently it's a great stretch mark lotion.

I did a post of another "non-raw" mask that I really love too, it's really amazing! Check it out here.

While I was surfing the web for more kitchen beauty tips I found this link. Try out some of these great-looking recipes and let me know what you think of them

And since health is one of the best beautifiers ever, here's a smoothie recipe I did this morning after my run. It has cherries (anti-aging because they're chock full of antioxidants), red chard (greens, majorly important!), pumpkin seeds (full of zinc, which protects the skin and is an EFA source), flax seeds (EFA content, which is a must) and a banana (really good after exercise).

CHERRY CHARD SMOOTHIE

1 c. frozen cherries

Over 2 c. of red chard (or 6-7 big leaves)

1 TB. raw flax seed

1 TB. organic, raw pumpkin seeds

1 banana

3 ice cubes

...and water to blend. Whirl up and chug it down. The color doesn't end up being the nicest, but it tastes fantastic.

Have fun!

Simple-ness

2009-03-09T15:18:00.000-07:00

...And I'm back. We had a lovely girl time away together. It was so nice to just have a refreshing break from everyday life. I was able get caught up on some journaling, some reading, and sister time.

And guess what? Out hotel was pretty much beside a Whole Food store, which made me perfectly happy. We bought some organic fruit and some healthy groceries there, so that was fun. It's not often I we get to shop there, since Whole Foods, sadly, is not in Canada. I even splurged and got some natural ice-cream there. I wasn't going to write that here, lol...but hey! I'm going to be a real person on my blog, so there you go...I ate ice-cream!

I ran 26 miles in total last week, right before we left for the trip, which was the most I've ever run in one week, so that was exciting! I ran 4 miles this morning, after a breakfast of fruit and this afternoon I had a lovely salad for one. I adapted it from Carol Alt's "Raw 50" and was so happy with it. It had lots of juices from the ingredients so I didn't even need a dressing, which made it low calorie and it tasted simply delectable.

Charis' Salad for One

1 head of Romaine lettuce

4 TB. sauerkraut

1 TB. olive tapenade (or a few olives thrown in instead)

1/2. avocado

a splash of APV

Mix it up and eat! That's all. This is only about 162 calories, so it works as a great snack too.

A Quickie...

2009-03-05T07:27:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note...my sister-in-law Lisa is taking Anne-Marie and I to the states for a few days. She's attending a midwifery course and Annie and I will watch her baby for her, while she's there.

We'll all have the evenings free, so it will be a special sister time for all of us. I'm really looking forward to some girl time.

So in a few minutes we're off...be back in a few days!

...P.S. A really great drink for travelling is the Master Cleanse Lemonade. That's what I'm bringing today. It's delicious and very cleansing.

Mind Over Body

2009-03-02T20:12:00.000-08:00

Today I was determined to run 12 miles...so I marched to the treadmill, armed with a banana, a couple dates and dried apricots, and my 32 oz. water bottle. Honestly, it was the most horrid run ever, because the last 4 miles something sort of snapped in my foot which made every step really painful. It was like I pulled something hard and then I could feel a blister on my other foot...and then my hip felt all funny, like it wasn't really in the right spot...I knew I should probably stop, but I get so stubborn sometimes and I hated the idea of stopping at 8 miles when I had only 4 more to go to finish my goal. So I kept on going...but then it hurt so much, that I had to slow down and put a lot of my weight on the handbars. I know holding on handbars doesn't really count as true running, but I was so desperate to finish.

My i-pod tracks my runs (thanks to Nike+ shoes) and I had paused the workout for a minute...when I had run for a while, I realized that I hadn't un-paused it. So I stopped my room at 11.25 miles, because I guessed that I had probably run a quarter of a mile when it wasn't tracking. But because I'm so physcological and felt like I hadn't quite finished, so later, after I had rested my feet a bit, I "ran" around our hall for around 15 minutes to get .75 miles more done. This was just to make sure I had really done it, lol. I couldn't believe that it took me 15 minutes to run that little, but my foot hurt so much I had to go really slow. But I did it and that's all that mattered! (see, I said I was stubborn)

Anyway, my lesson learned? Well, I'm not quite sure, but maybe I should warm up before I run. I'm a complete lazy person when it comes to warming up prior to exercise and have never done it, nor had any ill effects for not doing it.

I simply love this quote...

"Now if you are going to win any battle you have do one thing. You have to make the mind run the body. Never let the body tell the mind what to do. The body will always give up. It is always tired in the morning, noon, and night. But the body is never tired if the mind is not tired."

-George S. Patton, U.S. Army General, 1912 Olympian

All the same...it's a very wise idea to listen to your body, especially if it hurts, lol. Oh, and warm up!

What helps me RUN...

2009-02-28T13:36:00.000-08:00

Six weeks ago I thought running 3 miles was killing me...but now, since following a ten-week running program, I consider those miles almost relaxing. Yesterday I ran 11 miles, the most I've ever run in my life. Over the past 6 weeks...I've run a total of 105 miles. I never dreamt I'd be able to do that.

Of course, it's still winter where I live so I've been doing this on the treadmill. I expect that once I'm outdoors again, it will be harder, since you're dealing with hills and different terrain, but doing things a little a time really works. I'm not a hardcore runner like my brothers...I run for about 9 minutes and walk about 1 minute. I've tried the other way, where you just don't stop at all, but the prospect of running 2 solid hours does not sound appealing.

Here's what's been helping me...

dates and dried apricots...I don't think I'd last long running without these. The intense sugars in them gives me quick energy. I usually have one bite of dried fruit per ten minutes and that really seems to work for me. I think Lara Bars or the new Pure bars would be fun to try, since they're all dried fruit too. Next time I think I'll try goji berries.

coconut water...I don't get this all the time because it's pricey...but when I can, it sure is nice. I like to chill it overnight in the fridge so that when I run the next morning or afternoon it's refreshingly cold. The electrolytes in coconut water are simply amazing for your body during strenuous exercise. (a pinch of sea salt is really great to put in the water for sodium)

Nikie Plus shoes...one of my big brothers bought me this pair of shoes when he noticed I went running in flip flops all the time...and they're truly amazing. There's a chip in your shoe that connects to your i-pod, so that it tracks your run...distance, time, and calories included. It's like a running coach for me.

Water!!! And lots of it...yesterday I drank a whole Nalgene bottle's worth during my run...and afterwards all I wanted was more. It's really important to rehydrate your body after a you lose a lot of water.

Comfy running pants...I've ran in jeans and that's just dumb. Not very comfy.

Green Smoothies for a post-run meal.

Yesterday I made the most amazing green smoothie...I adapted it from Tim VanOrden's recipe.

Here it is....

Post Run Smoothie

1 banana

1 c. blueberries

1 tsp. organic, raw maca

1 tsp. blue manna flakes (helps adrenals recover) and a pinch of dulse (sodium)

1 TB. North Coast organic Hemp Protein Powder

1 TB. raw, organic pumpkin seeds

As much spinach as you can fit in your high-speed blender

3 ice cubes and some water to blend, as needed

BLEND, BLEND, and BLEND...it is absolutely delish!!

And I really recommend North Coast Naturals Hemp Protein powder...(here's a link where there's a sale on for it)

Hemp Protein Powder can supply any diet with a vegetarian source of essential fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fibre, chlorophyll and a complete, balanced gluten-free source of the essential amino acids. Hope you give it a try...it's nice to refuel with a protein powder, but there aren't many powders that are really good quality. Raw Power, I hear, is also really good, but I have yet to try it.

Benefits:
100% certified organic hemp protein powder; absolutely zero non-organic powder present!
100% Vegan
50% protein which is 56% more protein than other hemp proteins, which contain only 32-37% protein.
Very rich in fibre (8g per serving) and high in EFAs, including GLA.
Derived from non-gmo, certified organic, THC free hemp seeds.
Derived from a cold press milling process, that does not use solvents or hexane.
Gluten Free, Wheat Free
Kosher Powder
Contains edestin and albumen proteins, which are similar in structure to the proteins that naturally occur in our bodies.

What helps you run?

Awww, thanks!

2009-02-21T12:10:00.000-08:00

Paulina of Eating as Nature Intended, nominated me for the Kreativ Blogger Award, which was sweet of her. I love blogging, though I have been too busy lately to keep up with it...but now, I'm trying to be more regular with it.

Here's the rules: I share with you seven things that I love and then I nominate seven other bloggers for the honor.

1. I absolutely love, love, love trying new things and don't understand people who don't, it's the experience that's so magical, even it happens to be eating frog's legs (which, I've discovered, I do not like)

2. I adore drama and acting and hope to be in Christian film someday

3. I don't care how childish it is, but I adore swinging and will never stop, even at 99.

4. I love makeup and green masks and all those girly things...as long as they're natural

5. Heels are the most amazing things ever, but I don't wear them too often because then I tower over people..like, you know, a tower (I'm already 5' 11")

6. I love singing SO much, it's one of my most fave things to do!

7. People are really important to me...I love meeting new people and observing them

8. I love God so much and am thankful to Him for the amazing life He's given me...I always want to go through life grateful (oops! Is that eight, lol?!)

And I'm tagging...

1. Shannonmarie of Rawdorable
2. Tera and/or Amy of Raw Divas
3. Penni of Real Food Tulsa
4. Jayna of Raw Fit Mama
5. Kristen of Kristen's Raw
6. Heidi of HiHoRosie's Place
7. Heather of Adventures of a Raw Goddess

A Little Cleanup

2009-02-19T13:57:00.000-08:00

A few days ago my stomach wasn't feeling top notch, so I decided my insides needed a good ole bath...so this week, for a couple days, I've been doing the Master Cleanse...finally breaking with some grapefruit and an orange...

It's amazing how two days without food makes you a very grateful person...I seem to take everything for granted sometimes, especially food, lol. Now a slice of orange is like heaven...

I even did a couple runs on my empty stomach and they weren't too bad, but I certainly didn't have the energy that I do when I have eaten something the night before.

Even though I don't really like "cleansing", the feeling afterwards always makes me want to do it again...you just feel better and it hypes your appreciation for food in general.

Stay grateful...

Dressing up the Greens

2009-02-16T16:41:00.000-08:00

I'm always fanatically looking for new salad dressings to add to my repertoire, especially since I try to make greens a big thing in my lifestyle. Often I like just the simple, like a drizzle of olive or flax oil with some course sea salt and a squirt of fresh lemon...but sometimes, especially when I'm feeling really hungry, I like something more complex.

I was at a potluck yesterday and one of my friends, Lydia, brought a salad with the most lovely dressing...I liked it so much I asked her to send it to me so I could publish it on my blog. She's really into raw food and running too, so she's very inspring for me to chat with.

So here's the lovely recipe she dreamed up...

Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

3 Tbsp White Balsamic Vinegar

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 Tbsp Flax Seed Oil (you could also use/mix coconut and olive oil)

1/2 Lemon, juiced

1 tsp Lemon zest

1 tsp Tahini (I bet you could use Dijon mustard for a similar effect if you don't have Tahini)

1 Tbsp Raw Honey or Pure Maple Syrup

2 Tbsp Poppy Seeds

1/2 to 3/4 cup H2O

Dash of Sea Salt

Thoroughly blend garlic w/ balsamic vinegar. Add remaining ingredients. Add more honey, lemon, or vinegar to taste. If you find it entirely too tart, you could add a drop of liquid stevia. Note: given an hour, the dressing will cure moderately. Store in fridge.

And if you have any lovely, simple recipes you love to splash your salads with...drop a note in the comment box and tell me about it.

And I'm sorry I haven't been posting regularly for a while...it's not that I've been lazy, we've been having a crazy winter (with computer problems) and I've been longing to be more regular with the blogging...so I'm trying. :)

Keeping Accountable

2009-02-04T13:11:00.000-08:00

I always used to have the idea that 3 meals a day and no snacking was the best idea for me...because, by my logic, I thought that by the time we'd eat our meals I'd be really hungry and ready to eat, so then I'd enjoy the food more.

Nope. Doesn't work for me anymore (and I wonder if it actually did). I've discovered what works best for me is small meals and snacks...about 2-3 snacks a day. Before, because I was so ravenously hungry I'd eat more than I would normally and not feel as nice...but now because I've had a snack a couple hours before, I'm not starved...therefore I eat the right amount of food at meal times.

This way I keep my metabolism revved all day, I feel good always, I'm never so weak I'm about to tip over, and it keeps my energy levels better.

I also like to keep myself accountable for how much water or herbal tea I drink, how much exercise I do, and what kind of foods I eat. I print out lists for myself off the computer (like the example below) and try to make sure by the end of the day I've eaten lots of healthy, raw foods, drank 8-10 glasses of water, and done something physical.

Here's today's (of what I've done so far):

Breakfast~ 1 glass of Ani Phyo's Cacao Banana Smoothie (check out her new site) *sniffles* today I ran out of my raw cacao nibs...sigh...I love that stuff

Snack~ None today

Lunch~ 1/2 cup steel-cut oats with cinnamon,1 tsp. raw honey, and 1 TB. grape nuts

Snack~ organic baby carrots

Dinner~ (not exactly sure yet, but I know there will be some delish Caesar salad)

Water~ OOOO (two green tea)

Fitness~ ran 4 miles

You can print out something similar to this on your own PC and then fill out what you've drank, eaten, or exercised during the day. I like making stuff like this fun with colored pencils and doodles...I'm the kind of person that needs to keep myself accountable to eat healthy and if you are too, then do something similar to this. I'm sort of an "organized" person so I even keep checklists of foods that I try to eat every day so I cover my grounds nutritionally (such as lots of leafy greens, a fruit or green smoothie, get my EFA's through raw oils like olive oil or avocado, ect).

Have fun!

2009-01-26T19:52:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been more structured with my running...altho' I'm very much a novice, I feel like I'm getting a little better, even looking forward to it a bit more.

I guess in all honesty, I don't really like running...but I do love the feeling afterwards...it's so amazing...like a clean energy burning through you and I usually have a lot more energy for the rest of the day. I like to run in the morning, when I first get up and my stomach is empty. Afterwards, I've been experimenting with green smoothies and protein shakes for recovery and re-hydrating my body. It's amazing how detoxing vigorous exercise really is...afterwards, I sweat like crazy and get that pink glow all over, and I usually have a little bit of phlegm to get rid of. It's odd too, sometimes after a run all my dead skin on my lips just comes off by itself.

This morning I ran 3 miles on the treadmill and then I fueled my body for the rest of the day with this:

I call it...

Runner's Smoothie (ain't I original??? I try, lol)

1 tsp. maca (help get your adrenals back on track)

1 aloe vera leaf (gel)

1 tsp. raw honey

2 leaves of kale (stemmed)

3 oz. spinach

1/2 navel orange

1 banana (froz.)

1 tsp. raw coconut oil

Blend this all up with a little water and some ice cubes. When it's whirled up, top with bee pollen and raw cacao nibs for maxium energy!

If any of you guys are into running, I want your biggest tips...post them in the comment box below. I especially love info with running raw, which I'm really excited about right now. Tell me your secrets.

Absence makes the heart grow...fonder?

2009-01-21T10:53:00.000-08:00

Well, maybe not in the case of blogging...but this time, I actually have a really good reason for not having done a post in a while.

Our family is currently recording a new CD and now that my sister Lizzy is married, I am helping with the producing and recording. It's been very stretching for me, but fun at the same time, since I really love music. We have one more set of recording to do in a few weeks, but for the moment we're done.

As soon as our first set of recording was finished, we headed down to the states for a funeral of a very dear friend of ours, who we've known all our lives pretty much. It was so special to be there, he was an amazing man who passionately loved the Lord. His family was amazing, even rejoicing with smiles at his funeral, simply because they know that their Dad is with Jesus. I've never seen a family like that! He has nine children and all of them are such incredible people with such limitless hope.

Anyway recording and going to that special funeral occupied about 3 weeks of my time, where I simply didn't even have a minute to post...but now I'm back and excited to try and post more regularly.

While we were recording, a few of us here had colds (all year I don't think I had a cold and then...OF COURSE...had to have one when I needed to record my voice!) and so I tried everything I could possibly do to get healthier. I ate up to ten cloves of garlic a day, I drank 2 oz. of organic Noni juice a day, took vitamins, ate a lot of oranges and grapefruit...and even went on a one day Master Cleanse. And you know what? I got slowly better, but not fast enough...but God was so good. I prayed to Him and asked that if He would just heal my voice long enough to record that would be fine. And that's exactly what He did. I'd go to record with a stuffed nose and when I started to sing, it didn't even sound like I had a cold.

Lately, I've been starting to fall in love with raw foods all over again...and I'm stoked about getting more of it in my life.

Little Goals...Big Changes

2008-12-31T18:27:00.000-08:00

I, among millions of others I'm sure, have written out my New Year's Resolutions tonight. But this year, I was a lot more specific than I'm usually. Really, I think that's so valuable. Instead of writing down the usual resolve like "I'm going to be more fit this year", I would write something more like this "I'm going to master my Intermediate Pilate's DVD by the end of this year". When you write down EXACTLY what you want to do, it's so much easier to carry out.

I broke down pretty much ALL my goals into very doable aspirations and I'm really hyped about carrying them out as much as I can.

Sometimes, I think, people that have such big aspirations often forget how to bring them to pass, which would be with small choices. I think of my Dad...he's such a lover of hot chocolate and iced tea, but now he's pretty much given them up entirely. Now he drinks 2-4 mugs of green tea a day. Truly, little changes make a big difference.

Here's some of my new year's goals for 2009...

Healthwise:

I'm challenging myself to an entire year without refined sugar...this is big for me, because whether or not I'm a health nut or not, there are a few bad foods I often find room for, like frozen yogurt (usually very sugary) or the standard chocolate bars...but NO! This year, I'm getting full of gumption and I'm going to forsake it, except for organic or very dark chocolate bars (because my quality of life would decrease dramatically without it, lol)

I'm going to replace my body products (like lotions, makeup, and nail polish) with more natural versions. Pretty near all my stuff already is very natural, but I want to step it up a bit more, especially with my makeup. I also want to learn more how to make my own products and creams (I'm aching to own the new "Green Beauty Guide" book ...Shannonmarie wrote a great review on it, even getting an interview with the author, check it out).

I want to work toward a more super-healthy, energy-charged diet...eating WAY more leafy greens and fruits than I do already.

Spiritually:

I’m going to be more “in the moment” with Jesus, always with Him in everything, depending and trusting in Him. He alone is wise and good…so when I can't see His hand, I’m going trust His heart.

I’m going to spend more time with the Lord…with my Bible, prayer notebook, fun pencils, and my tea. I want to know His heart better, deep down. I want Him to share everything with Him.

I’m going to love challenges and not let them beat me. I can do anything with God’s help. That doesn't leave much room for doubt or failure.

So what are you New Year's dreams and goals? Little and big? Comment below and tell me. Just writing something down can help make those goals much more attainable. Start small and see what happens.

Pineapple Dreams

2008-12-16T09:29:00.000-08:00

Despite the fact that the weather is acting like it's the dead of winter here, I'm finding that I'm craving a lot of "summery", light, and fruity drinks. I've been pretty consistent with my exercise lately, which I like to do as soon as wake up. After an hour or so of exercise, I'm very much ready for something refreshing. Maybe it's because I'm all sweaty and hot that I crave the cold, fruity drinks.

Here's one of my favorites...the famous Pina Colada, redone, raw style! Keep in mind my measurements are just a guideline for you, add whatever you wish, and dabble to your heart's content.

Aloha Pineapple Smoothie

1 frozen banana

1 not-frozen banana

1/4 quarter of a ripe pineapple

2 mandarin oranges

3 T. shredded, unsweetened coconut (or skip this in the blending and add for a topping after)

1 tsp. raw coconut oil

1/2 c. ice

And have fresh coconut water (from a young coconut) for the liquid base. This tastes amazing. If you like it thicker, add some more banana, a frozen peach or nectarine, or half of an apple or pear. Add some coconut extract for a bit more of a coconut flare if you like. And as usual, I love topping my smoothies with bee pollen.

Right now I'm impatiently waiting another pineapple to ripen. Oh, I simply adore the flavour of the exotic pineapple!

I can't believe how quickly Christmas is coming up...only a few days really...I'm so stoked about the holidays...my sister and her new husband are coming down for it and I know we'll have a splendid time.

I just wanted to thank you all so much for the comments you left on my last post. They meant A LOT to me, and were SO encouraging, each and every one!!! I'm very grateful for loving people, whom I haven't even met, who truly care about one another. Thank you!

Life means more...

2008-12-10T10:05:00.000-08:00

A couple days ago my family and I were in a car accident...we were on our way to do a concert, so we had our trailer hooked up to our van.

We hit black ice, and our van and trailer went out of control, going 103 kms and we slid across 3 lanes and a median and landed backwards on the other side of the ditch. It was the wildest, most frightening ride of my life, especially since I didn't have my seatbelt on (I always will now). Our van stayed upright, which was an absolute miracle, but our trailer came off the hitch and flipped. The angels were sure working overtime, but I don't think any of us have ever been so scared. Everything happened so quickly and suddenly thoughts like "Is this when I die?" come racing through your head. The police, ambulance, and fire fighters were all there, and all of them could not believe we hadn't rolled going at such a speed. It could have been our last day on this earth, as well as others, as the highway was so busy, but there was only about a 5 second break when we crossed the meridian over to the other 2 (oncoming traffic) lanes when no one was there. God kept the traffic away for those few seconds...just enough for us to cross.

I feel like I can look at life a bit differently now...as soon as our van came to a halt and we looked around to see if everyone was alright, tears filled my eyes...I looked over at my family and thought to myself, "Why do I sweat the small stuff, why don't I just love instead?"

Life is short, so short. I feel like I know that better now and I want to make my life count even more than I did before...a brush with death gives you a new perspective...but oh, how much better it would be, if I could realize that without an accident! God kept me and my family safe, so He has purposes for us to live here a while longer...and I want to love Him back and love my family more because of it.

Just love...some things really just don't matter.

And Charge It Please...

2008-11-20T14:21:00.000-08:00

Maybe I'm the only blogger that dotes on Eloise...but I can't help it. Kay Thompson's character is one of the most darling and endearing personalities you could ever read about. True, she is a bit of a mischief maker, but she "absolutely adores" her life, and so makes everything she does fun.

One of my sisters even collects Eloise books, which she then reads to her nieces. They love Eloise. In fact, one of my nieces, who is three, slept with the book, telling herself her own stories of Eloise as she fell asleep. I think collecting special children's books is a great thing to do...our nieces and nephews love my sister's book collection. I've started mine own since then...the children in my life love "book time" with me and if ever I have my own family, I can give them to my own children.

One of the big things that Eloise does, is charge everything she buys with a firm statement..."and charge it please".

I don't charge anything if I can help it, lol...but one thing I am wondering about is "charging water". Apparently, when you "charge" your water, the hydrogen molecules in the water are closer together, which makes the water more polar (electrical), giving your water better quality. I've always know that water was even better for you when you squeezed fresh lemon in your water, or added some mint, but I didn't realize that that is considered as "charging the water"...and frankly, I'm not sure if I believe it. A pinch of salt or MSM crystals are said to do it too. But...it's also said that putting your water under the moonlight or thinking loving thoughts to your water does it too...which I THINK IS TOTAL BALONEY AND STUPIDNESS, but anyway...what are your thoughts about it?

Anyway, whether or not, the "charging" theory with fruit juices and salts is true, squeezing lemon or lime or a pinch of pink salt in your drinking glass are always good, fun, little ways to keep cleansing your body and help you digest better...so drink up!

Today A-M and I are doing another all-raw day (except there was some good quality yogurt in our green smoothie this morning) so we plan on our favorite chocolate, young coconut pudding tonight. My Daddy is such an angel...in one week he brought me home 4 young coconuts and where I live, they ain't cheap. I have such a sweet family.

Toast to Life

2008-11-15T09:59:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I get so hyper about just how wonderful life truly is...my life is full of such beauty, adventure, and fulfillment. Perhaps I'm not a nurse or figure skater with a promising future, or an inventor who'll change the world, but I'm who God made me and when I "bloom where I'm planted" I'm perfectly happy. I see every day is an amazing gift from my Heavenly Father, every minute full of potential and promise.

I certainly look forward to what life will bring, but there is a special joy in just living in the here and now, trying to make each moment count for something.

My former "guest blogger", my sister Anne-Marie just had a birthday yesterday...she is such a sweet heart! A classic example of loving life with passion and gusto! Just being with her makes you want to embrace every good thing that God has given us, live life with an inner joy that manifests itself with a smile and an easy laugh...she's such a dear.

My last post was about the virtues of juicing and blending...here's a juice recipe I adapted from "The Juicing Bible", perfect for this cold, fall weather. We have heaps and heaps of apples that are starting to "go" so this is the best way to use them up (as well, as dehydrating them into leather or apple coins, mmmm).

Apple Spice Cocktail

5 apples (mine were small)

1 carrot

2 stalks celery

1-inch piece ginger root

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

Juice all but the nutmeg. Stir the nutmeg in your glass and add some ice, if you like it cold. Drink up!

We have lots of apples leftover that need something done to them...so comment below and tell me some of your creative, fresh apple juice recipes. I absolute ADORE trying new recipes. :)

Juices to Smoothies

2008-11-01T14:28:00.001-07:00

One thing I like about raw foods is their versatility. Sometimes I just wanna fresh, vibrant juice and most other times I want a succulent smoothie...and the cool thing is, for either craving you can use the same recipe.

Take this drink (above) ... I blended it...whereas Heidi from HiHoRosie's Place, she juiced it. Either way, it was superb. (here's the recipe). have an amazing book called "The Juicing Bible". It has the most delicious recipes invented and I like the fact that if I want, I can use it for blending or juicing, though both have their benefits.

Smoothies are really incredible because they contain all the fibre from the plant ingredients and sweep and clean out our systems like a good broom. Juices are amazing because they swiftly go through your body delivering a host of vitamins, nutrients, and minerals immediately, without really any bother of digestion on the body's part...it's like a healing tonic.

Often, I've looked at juicing recipes, wanting the flavor of the drink, but not wanting to waste all that good fibre, so...what to do?. The simple solution. Blend it.

Question: What's your favorite topping for your smoothies? Mine is bee pollen and cacao nibs.

Fruity Delights

2008-10-23T13:38:00.000-07:00

For simply ages I have been wanting to make the famous Concord Grape Sorbet from "Raw Food, Real World", so when Dad brought home a box of them, I was absolutely buzzing. Just 'cuz summer is gone, doesn't mean we can't be transported to the tropics through a fantastical, creamy delight.

I didn't have any agave, so I used maple syrup...basically, I have discovered, if you want to make a smooth, silky fruit ice-cream or sorbet all you need is:

A fruit (I want to try not just berries, but banana, orange, apple, cantaloupe, pomegranate, and lemon)
A sweetener (Agave, honey, maple syrup, or perhaps dates)
Liquid base (water, nut milk, or a juice)

All you need to do is blend up your concoction, strain it through a cheesecloth or nut milk bag (I actually use a paint strainer bag that I got at a hardware store, works great) to get the seeds out (I don't think you need to, if you use bananas or cantaloupe). Then you just pop it into your ice-cream maker for 10-20 minutes or so.

Last night was my Mom's birthday...we went to the city, did some bowling (I lost royally, as usual), and then headed over to Montana's for supper. I ordered a blueberry balsamic salad and guess what I found in my salad? Purslane! I thought it was the coolest thing ever...that mainstream restaurants have put wild weeds in their menu. It was the first time I've ever eaten it in a salad actually and now I'm stoked about putting them in our own salads at home. Yay for Montana's!

And I'm so proud of my Dad...he's really gotten into green tea...replacing his usual ice-tea (sugary stuff) and hot cappachino or hot chocolate drinks with it. Granted, he still drinks the others, but not very often anymore. Yay Daddy!!!

Happy News

2008-10-16T10:07:00.000-07:00

I'm so pumped about one of the most recent additions to our kitchen. We got (finally!) an Excalibur Dehydrator! I've been wanting one of these for years, always sighing over it when I saw a picture of one or people writing recipes that seemed to always include the famous Excalibur.

And I can see why it's so famous now. It's really amazing! We use to have a little round one, with the trays with holes in them. The heat was so hot, I was afraid that it was "cooking" rather than "un-cooking". When we made raw pizza rounds, they may have been round, but the hole in the middle was most inconvenient. And I always had to switching around the trays so that the heat was evenly distributed. Often in the night I'd get up to check on my raw creations (setting my alarm) because I had to make sure I didn't over dry things. And to top it all, I had to stop using down to basically nothing, because the electricity bill went up because of it.

Sigh...this one is a dream. Beautiful, huge square trays (9 of them, we got the biggest) that fit scads and scads of things, no hole in the middle. I don't have to switch trays because the heat of it is even distributed. I don't have to babysit the thing, because it has an adjustable timer. And hurrah! The Excalibur is really good on electricity and doesn't cost barely anything to run.

I love that thing! But despite my evident love for it, my Mom has been using it more than I have been. Lately, I've been wanting more fresh fruits and foods, or just not heaps of it...going more for the lighter stuff.

Last night she made fruit leather and has been drying apples. We've been doing pears, bananas, and all sorts of lovely fruits in there. I'm looking forward to culturing and making homemade yogurt in there too.

But there's more happy news, at least for me...yesterday I was SO SO SO tickled pink to find out that on Raw Epicurian's Blog I had won a book by Matthew Kenney! I've only won one other contest in my life, so I'm pretty excited. I just love the work that M.K. does, he's inspiring. Ingrid is such a sweetie to do all those contests.

Running is going okay too...I'm such a baby beginner and I feel like I'm gonna kill myself when I run, but afterwards...mwah! It's like a clean energy burning through you. Not like I should deserve that energetic feeling, now...the furthest I've run is 3 K. But I'm celebrating my victories and trying to make it fun. Maybe someday soon I'll be running 10 K...like my amazing older brothers (who are into running).

What's some of the most amazing things you like to make in the Dehydrator? (I want some more lovely ideas)

Running Aspirations

2008-10-04T09:24:00.000-07:00

I've taken up running this summer, very casually. I'm just a beginner and I'm not sure I even like running too much (but I'm liking it better lately, thanks to my new Nike+ shoes), but oh! I love the feeling afterwards. I don't run very far yet, but even if it's just 2 k. I feel so good afterwards. Usually the rest of the day I feel very alert, energetic, and all "buzzy" inside (does that make sense?).

We had a bit of family reunion in the late summer, and nearly each morning I would run with my brother. That was a lot of fun...as he lives far away from us, I don't spend heaps of time with him (sniff!). He is such a dear, he took pity on my running in flip flops (yes! I did that...don't laugh) because I didn't have any runners. He helped me buy a pair of the dreamy Nike+ shoes. They're awesome! You have a sensor in your shoe and a connector to your i-pod. It tells you how far you go, your pace, calories burned, and as you listen to music with the i-pod, a voice will come through to tell you how far you've gone and how many minutes are remaining. It's the most amazing thing ever and I'm having fun with it.

I used to run my short little distances (I'm not very good yet, lol) with flip flops, no music, and it was not as much fun, to say the least. Now I'm enjoying myself much more.

After I do exercise (like running) in the morning I usually crave something hardier than juice, but yet light, cold, and refreshing...something like a smoothie. I did this one yesterday after a run. It's got lots of the needed things that your body wants after exertion.

Runner's Smoothie

1-2 pears

1 banana (frozen)

1/2 c. pitted dates (I used honey dates)

about 6 ice cubes

a liquid base of apple juice (preferably unpasteurized)

Blend up and guzzle down. I love, love, love the pear taste in this smoothie! It truly tastes oh-so-good!!!

What do you like doing for exercise?

Best Face Mask

2008-10-01T10:21:00.000-07:00

....and though it's not a raw mask made from the usual honey, fruit, or veggie mask, I think it's truly the funnest thing ever. It's just Miracle Whip...or mayonnaise!

Here's the how-to:

Spread a teaspoon of MW on your face and leave on for 10 minutes. Then you rub your face for a couple minutes in circular motions. Lots of rubbery balls will come off your face...this is dead skin and MW. I know it's gross...but after you rub your face for a bit and then wash with your regular face wash, your skin is all pink, silky, and soft and it's definitely worth it.

Some people say that the reason it exfoliates so well is because of the vinegar in the MW. I don't know exactly what it is, even though I analyzed the bottle of MW, but I've heard of those people who don't want MW on their face trying olive oil mixed with ACV (apple cider vinegar). I haven't tried it yet, but that might be worth a shot too. I'm thinking homemade mayonnaise might work well too.

So have fun...sometimes just doing a pedicure or a mask can make you feel all spoiled and beautiful. Everyone needs that...

About a week or so ago, I got Disqus...faithfully obeying the call of duty that Drumhil suggested. I suggest all you other bloggers get it too....makes life so much easier for people who aren't on blogger to comment on your blog and you to comment on theirs. I'm going to see if I can convince my sister to get Disqus, I'm so happy with it.

Today I started off my day with Natalia Rose's famous Green Lemonade. Mmmmm!!! I love that stuff...so divine. You feel invincible when you drink green juice, like you're a superhero, infusing yourself with drinkable energy and power for adventures ahead. I always feel so good when I start my day with juices (and smoothies) and fruit till at least noon. I'm trying to make it a lifelong habit, not a rule (cuz' sometimes you do want something else). And I think it's one of the best things you can do if you're trying to be healthier. Juices and fruits till noon take little to no energy to digest, leaving your body (which has been cleansing all night) to detox several hours more. It does a body good. :)

We did it...I'm sick...and the best face mask in the world

2008-09-25T12:52:00.000-07:00

How's that for a random, disjointed title? I need to learn more about "case and point".

Anywhoo, Anne-Marie and I finished our 25 day RAW challenge and had SO much fun. Now that we're done...I'm excited about eating more raw food in addition to what other food I eat. I'm not a 100% raw girl or an extreme-ist, but I certainly do love the beauty of raw and living foods.

The day that we finished our 25th day I got so, so sick...I barely ever, ever get sick and here I had been eating mostly all raw. I figure it was just a very tired me that was susceptible to germs...that day we were up almost 22 hours because we were doing a concert over 6 hours away. We drove up and back in one day, not to mention the actual concert, set up, and tear down. I think not getting much sleep lately, singing in the freezing cold (it was a tented concert for a children's home), and whatnot that made me feel so bad. Although Annie didn't have a problem...

I absolutely adore raw, but to be blunt, I often feel a lot better when I balance a lots and lotsa raw diet with other non-raw, healthy food such as brown rice, our organic wheat bread we grow on our property and then make ourselves, steamed veggies, eggs and tomatoes on sprouted toast, or yogurt with fruit. These 25 days have been so good for me...I loved them, but I've come to the conclusion that I could never be a raw fanatic (like so many amazing blogger friends who I love). It's just not me...I can do it a while...but in the long run, it's not my character. I love to make gourmet food, I love preparing healthy food for my family, I love helping out with menu planning, I love arranging things to make it look truly beautiful, and I love the smell of garlic gently simmering on the stove. And there's something great about awareness and balance that I really love...eating raw food and balancing it with other things you love too. I think it's all about where you feel your best at, where you love where you are and what you're doing.

These last few days I've been glad that I was done raw, because when I get sick...I love my herbal teas and my toast. That makes me feel good. I've also been downing water by buckets and fruit by the bushel (well, not quite). Young coconuts are amazing for you when you feel under the weather, as well as coconut oil. I ate one the other day and as well as drinking the water I ate the succulent, pudding-like meat. Oops...my family loves raw chocolate pudding and Mom was hoping we can make it with the meat. Today she's going to pick up another. I only have a few days left till our next concert, so I have to hurry and get better. My Daddy is such an angel...He went shopping for us and picked up heaps and heaps of fruit, so we could all keep healthy.

Here's Anne-Marie (my raw partner) with her closing thoughts for the time being:

"Well, I finished my 25 days of raw, and I'm sooo very glad I did it, even though at times, I was just dying for a piece of bread or a big bite of real chocolate. The discipline of it all was very beneficial for me and now that I'm off raw I kind of miss that structured style of eating. Nonetheless, I'll still be eating lots of raw (I love the light feeling it gives!) with my sister!!"

...Oh, and as for the face mask...well, you'll just have to wait till my next post. I'm serious though...I've tried LOTS of homemade face masks and have never seen such instant results as this one. It's amazing and I'm using it all the time now. It's the most surprising ingredient I have ever heard of as a mask and it's not very popular. Till then...

Avacado Dressing

2008-09-16T12:10:00.000-07:00

DAY 19

And once again, things are going swimmingly. We were gone for the weekend singing, just got back home last night, and it was a fun challenge to eat raw while we were gone. Some cooked food did enter our system, but not very much...so I think we did jolly well.

I truly thought fall was here to stay, but I guess not. Today is so hot, so beautifully "summery"...so I'm soaking up any rays of bright sunshine however I can. Already I did some lawn mowing (probably the last of the season) and it felt so good to be outdoors, without bundling up. Nonetheless, I'm looking forward to the cozy-ness of autumn, wrapping up in warm blankets with tea in one hand and a good book in the other, to writing and reading a bit more, and getting caught up with preparations for Thanksgiving, which, for us Canadians, isn't very far off. I just love how the Lord changes the seasons just when you're ready for a change.

Anne-Marie ~ "Eating raw continues to go well, and I certainly am enjoying this time of feeling lighter, weighing less and eating live foods that enrich my body. We were gone during the weekend singing and consumed lots of fruit and salads while away. It can be harder to go raw while away from home, as your options are limited even more, but at least Charissa and I were in it together. Only 6 more days to go!!!"

Dill Dream

1 avocado

2 tsp. dried dill

1/3 c. olive oil

2 T. apple cider vinegar (I actually used Kombucha)

2 tsp. honey (or agave)

a few rounds of course sea salt

1/3 c. water

Blend all, but the oil together and then slowly add the oil in last. Use this as a dip for veggies or a dressing on salads.

I just ADORE avocados and just love their versatility. I've used them for not just dips and dressings, but puddings and shakes, adding them for their creaminess.

What do you like to do with your avocados?

Strawberry Cream Shake

2008-09-12T11:20:00.000-07:00

As I promised...here is the shake that I fell in love with...mmmm! I know it's pretty basic, and maybe everyone in the raw world has made it, but it was just so amazing I have to write it down anyway, lol.

Strawberry Cream Shake

Almond Milk (as much as you want to drink)

4-5 big, frozen strawberries

1 tsp. honey (optional, depending if you like it sweeter)

the tiniest pinch of pink salt

2 TB. yogurt (I put some links to raw yogurt on the bottom of the page)

2-4 ice-cubes

Now blend and blend. Pour into a sparkling glass and garnish with a fat, juicy strawberry.

This is our 16th day...and it's going great. We've been having way too much fun picking out recipes that are special, as well as the daily things such as salads and smoothies. Some of the things we've been enjoying are raw oatmeal with almond milk (like this morning), chocolate pudding, ice-creams with chocolate sauce (we're hopeless chocoholics...never to be cured), caramel apple dip, cheesecake, and all sorts of amazing raw dressings.

Note from Anne-Marie:

"It's the 16th raw day for me and I continue to go on with the encouragement of my darling sis Charissa! Lately, I've been struggling with wanting to eat cooked food (the aromas from the kitchen can be so tantalizing) but I'm determined to do the 25 days raw and keep on. Charissa has made it such fun with special desserts she's made, smoothies, main dishes etc. Tonight we're going to have raw tacos and I'm quite excited about them. I do want to be good and hungry for them tonight, so I must not have too much for lunch. Going on raw has been so good for me in learning more self-control and even in just cleansing my body. I also am glad to have shed some pounds. Yay! Until next time..."

Strawberries Galore

2008-09-08T16:06:00.000-07:00

If any of you have made the Vanilla Swirl Cheesecake, you'll probably realize that there is a little extra cheesecake filling. Besides the ample amount of taste testing (one of the best parts) needed...I used the extra for smothering onto fresh strawberries and then topped that with blueberries. It was a perfect dessert...light...yet rich tasting.

But I still had extra, despite even more taste testing...so I dipped whole strawberries into the cheesecake cream and ate them like that. I think of it as a more gourmet version of chocolate dipped strawberries.

And...guess what? I still had a little bit extra, so...I added chopped almonds into a little, tiny bowl and had the chocolate cheesecake cream over that. One of the nicest nibbles ever.

But you don't have to do that, with this specific recipe...find any cheesecake cream you like, perhaps a pudding you love, or even some gourmet-type, sweet smoothie and let your imagination fly! Check out Gone Raw and drift around for a good recipe that is adaptable to heaps of others. That's one of the fun things about raw food...there's SO much room for creativity!

It's Anne-Marie and I 12th day raw...and we're having fun. Tonight we're having a raw chili while the rest of the family has steak. Despite the fun of eating something as lovely as raw chili, I still hope our organic, home-grown steak doesn't smell too enticing, lol.

Next time...I'll post one of the most amazing recipes ever (I think) for a strawberry smoothie. Simple, but so deliciously complex in flavour. Till then...

Vanilla Swirl Cheesecake

2008-09-03T21:27:00.000-07:00

...I'm in love with it...desperately. It's just SO decadent and divine! One bite and I'm in cheesecake heaven. It's Day 7 today, one week, and this dessert has made me perfectly and sublimely happy. So if you're craving the cheesecake of old...try this one, the raw way.

Vanilla Swirl Cheesecake

Chocolately Crust:

1 c. almond pulp (wet, leftover from making almond milk)

3 rounded TB. organic cocoa (or carob)

2 TB. maple syrup

3 TB. liquid honey

3 tsp. liquid coconut oil

Mix this all together in a bowl and then form a ball. Flatten and smooth it into a spring board pan.

Vanilla Swirl Cheesecake:

3 c. cashews (soaked for 1 hr. and then drained)

meat from 1 young coconut

1 and 1/2 c. almond milk

1/3 c. liquid honey

1/3 c. lemon juice

1/3 c. liquid coconut oil

1 tsp. vanilla

1 TB. maple syrup

Blend together, adding the coconut oil last while the blender slowly turns for best mixing, reserving about 1/2 c. of the mixture in the blender. Pour over crust. With the remaining batter add 2 TB. of organic cocoa and blend. Now pour in straight lines over your cheesecake. Then take a table knife and gently swirl the cocoa part in. Garnish with sliced almonds around the sides. Freeze overnight. And when you have the deep pleasure of eating it...cut it while it still is thawing.

Cheesecake isn't the only thing that has made me excited...today I purchased a julienne. Wahoo! I'm very stoked about this. I've never been able to afford one of those gorgeous spiralizers, but a julienne...yes! It is amazing! Tonight we had zucchini spaghetti and it was just INCREDIBLE! The texture of the "noodles" was so wonderful, like the real thing. Thin enough to twirl on my fork! With the zucchini from our garden, I'm sure we'll making this as often as the zucchini will last. I have now decided that I'm an avid fan of raw pasta.

Once again, some thoughts from my temporary co-author and sister...Anne-Marie:

"Yes, it's me again, an amateur, temporary raw foodist and today marks my 7th day of being raw! Yahoo! Tonight I was making spaghetti for my non raw family members, as well as making this wonderful marinara sauce for those eating non cooked food. While checking to see if the regular noodles were done, without thinking, I popped one into my mouth and then realized I can't eat this. I got most of it out of my mouth before swallowing it all... Whew!! Sometimes I just don't think! I say "amen" to what Charissa said about the zucchini pasta! I absolutely loved it with that divine sauce!! What a treat to the palate! Oh yes, and my sister made the most awesome raw cheesecake ever! I couldn't wait to eat it to satisfy my very sweet tooth! Each bite was a delight to the senses!! I'm blessed to be related to such a talented non cook!! I'm looking forward to what tomorrow brings!

Want some???

Green Gravitation

2008-09-02T10:55:00.000-07:00

...is something that everyone always need a little more of. This morning I decided to make a different kind of green smoothie and I just loved the way it looked.

Garden n' Greens

In your blender mix:

3 ripe bananas

1 tsp. liquid soy lecithin (opt.)

1/2 c. carrots

1 tsp. honey (or agave)

6 ice cubes

1/2 c. - 1 c. water or nut milk

After you blend this, pour 2/3s of the mixture into sparkly glasses. With the rest of the drink, add a huge handful of spinach and give it a whirl.

Pour over the back of a spoon into to finish filling each glass.

It is officially Day 6 of raw for Anne-Marie and I and we're having heaps of fun. We just got back from singing yesterday evening and we were both glad that it wasn't that hard staying on track while away from home. That's when I find it the hardest to do raw...but we did good. Today I am making a raw cheesecake, so tomorrow you can expect a post about it. I've lost a couple pounds already and I feel really good. Sigh, I love raw food!

I asked Annie to write a bit about what she thinks of it all, so here she is...

"Wow, what a great experience this is for me to go raw for more than one day! It's hard to believe that I've been on the raw for almost a week now. When I did it for the one day a while back it was a stretch for me, and now I'm going to do it for 25 days! Perhaps I shouldn't have made the big leap, but here it goes. I am determined to stick it out, even when tempting smells and aromas from the kitchen try to entice me back to cooked food. It's such fun to do this with my sister, for she inspires me to go on. While we were away this past weekend, we went out to a restaurant and of course being on the raw your options are very limited. I ordered an ordinary house salad and when it was delivered to me, I noticed two pieces of very yummy looking garlic toast on top that I didn't realize came with the order. Well, I did stick my tongue on the garlic butter, (bad me) but other than that I folded the bread up in a napkin and did not give in to eat a bite of that sinful, non fiber, non raw food.

I've had fun looking at all sorts of scrumptious looking raw recipes in some of Charissa's amazing raw recipe books. It will be fun to try them out, as well as some my sister has already found tried and true. Well, bye for now and I applaud all of you out there who are presently eating raw!"

~Anne-Marie

Till tomorrow...

Two Sisters going on an Adventure...

2008-08-28T22:09:00.000-07:00

...and not just any adventure...a raw adventure! Of course, I've always been "into" raw, but lately, ahem...well, our life has been the busiest that it ever has been, mostly because of singing and travelling, and I have just been eating what every one else is eating. And now I'm ready to feel that raw energy again SO I've enlisted my best friend and sister, Anne-Marie to join in. The agreed time is twenty-five days to do all raw. It should be easy for me to do, as I love raw and have gone long periods of time doing it, but the most Annie has done is 1 whole day, so like I said, it will be a fun adventure. And that's exactly what we'll make it. We're going to drool over raw recipe books and get more exercise in and devise new and delightful recipes of our own and have heaps and heaps of fun...

Today was Day 1 and Annie tells me it was easy. So that's good. But I'm not going to report everything that she says...she's going to tell ya'll herself. She'll co-host this blog for the next while with me and give her own ideas and opinions of what she thinks of it all.

So when I'm not busy, I will try to update this blog frequently (not like lately...I apologize for my slacking and beg your forgiveness more ardently). But I won't be able to post for a couple days because we're away singing for the weekend. Also, our family just got a sweet, new camera so I'm happy to report that I will have some better pictures here.

So inspire us on, folks! And please, if you have a moment, take the time to cheer my sis Annie on! She'd LOVE that and it would make her day!

Wild To-Go

2008-08-03T19:10:00.000-07:00

There is so much fun in going outside and harvesting your own lunch...whether it's from your garden, or from grabbing a few dandelions from your lawn and adding them to your salad, picking a few herbs from a pot, or getting fresh mushrooms from the grass (making sure you know them to be completely safe).

When we had beautiful, plump yellow roses this summer, the silky petals went into my salad (above)...and one of my last salads had bright marigold petals in it. Edible flowers look so pretty in whatever you add them too, giving your dish a snazzy flash of color. Pansies are another edible beauty.

Another thing I have discovered is wild grass. Ok, well, I have not discovered it...as it I already knew it existed, lol...but I have found out that is a very cool thing to put in green smoothies. It adds heaps and heaps of fibre, and is just another great source of greens. I'm not talking about cultivated lawn grass, but wild grass you find in the country.

All those things are great too in salads (even wild grass, cut up very small). One of my favorite ways to eat salad lately is simply massaged well with pure olive oil and salt, and then having fresh lemon wedges squeezed onto it. It is simply amazing and so fresh tasting!

So this week, make it your challenge to find some wild greens in your backyard and branch out. It's lots of fun and it's very easy and quick to do. And have buckets of fun!

Drop me a note in the comments below and tell me what wild edibles you like to get and how you use them.

Better late than ever

2008-07-29T14:04:00.000-07:00

...or so I'm told. I'm finally back into the blog sphere of things. Once we got back from our trip (that's my sister Anne-Marie to the left and myself, in our travels) we had several more singing things, a wedding and a weekend with family to attend, and truly...I've barely been home for too long and when I was, I was really quite busy. But now I'm back, ready to make amends, lol.

Here's the "recipe" I tweaked that a few of you wanted:

Metabolism Booster

1 gallon of strong green tea

Lightly sweeten with raw, liquid honey and add as much as organic cayenne pepper as you can handle (start with 1/2 tsp). You can add a few TB. of lemon or lime juice (then it will be similar to the MC lemonade)

You can brew your tea in the sun, if you like...or use a hot water kettle. I'd use about 5 to 6 teabags of green tea. Throw in a bag or two of peppermint tea for better digestion.

Thank you all so much for your kind comments on my last post. I'll try to post more regularly, when I have time. You guys are great!

The Reason

2008-06-25T19:31:00.000-07:00

Today is my 100th post here on Raw Royalty. Yay! Because of this momentous occasion, lol, (ok...maybe it's not that monumental) I'll just tell you why I call my blog what I do.

No. 1. I like the sound of it, don't you?

No. 2. RAW...Because I like trying to eat lots and lots of raw, and I think the more of it the better and more healthful a life you will live. ROYALTY...Because that's what I am! I'm an adopted daughter of the King, Jesus Christ. He's the reason I live and I'm so honored to be His Princess.

So there you have it...

Sometime I want to buy a plain purple or green shirt, take it to a shop, and then get the words RAW ROYALTY printed on it...I think that would be the funnest thing ever.

Today I'm doing the "cleanse" or "detox" for this month (and tomorrow). I've done one (short and long) every month since the beginning of this year. Now I've just been having fresh juices, tea, and a Metabolism Booster drink (my invention...it's lovely! I'll post the recipe sometime here) for two days (as well as blended citrus, if I want).

Breakfast~ Blended orange juice with honey

Lunch~ MB (metabolism booster drink)

Snacks today~ MB drinks and a lemon blended drink

Supper~ Carrot, celery, and apple juice

I have a gazillion things I want to write and post about, but once again, our life has gotten hectic...day after tomorrow we're going away for a weekend of singing and then away for two weeks on a trip...but once I'm back expect lots of fun things.

Till then...

Pampering with Ice-Cream

2008-06-18T16:42:00.000-07:00

...It's been quite a few days since my sister got married, so with all the busy-ness of company, cleaning up after the wedding, and whatnot, we've been trying to adjust to life without her...which in our case is more difficult than some. Not only are we an extremely close family, but as a lot of you know, we have a family music group. Elizabeth was what we call the "key pin" of our music. She played banjo, mandolin, guitar, harmonica, piano, and violin (not all at once, of course, lol). As you can imagine that leaves quite a gaping hole...but actually I've been very surprised at how quickly we're managing without her. I've taken up her banjo and a lot of her singing parts...and in the future, will work on some of the other things she has done.

We're singing the next two weekends and preparing for that and then going to my sister's 2nd reception where her new home is (which will take a couple weeks because it's 6 days travelling total), and then afterwards we'll have more singing engagements. So I'm afraid my blogging might be a bit sporadic, but I'm sure it will be very easy to find it in your heart to forgive me.

Now to the creamy, caramelly subject (which I hope you shall enjoy)...

Caramel Ice Cream with Chocolate Fudge Chunks

1 3/4 c. cashews (soaked for an hour or so)

1/4 c. tahina

1/2 c. maple syrup

1 c. young coconut meat

1 1/2 c. young coconut water (or nut milk or water)

1 tsp. pure vanilla

pinch of pink salt

Blend this in your high-speed blender and then process in your ice-cream maker with the manufacturer's instructions (they always say that in the recipes...thought I'd sound professional, lol)

Once in the ice-cream maker, you can add Chocolate Fudgey Chunks (just mix 1-2 TB. coconut oil, 2 T. organic cocoa, pinch of salt and a little vanilla and then refrigerate until hard...cut those into little chunks) as the ice-cream spins.

Hope you love it as much as I am! This recipe makes a lot, so I put most of it right in the freezer for whenever the ice-cream craving hits me...a girl's gotta be prepared.

She's Married!

2008-06-12T21:02:00.000-07:00

My sister Elizabeth is now on her honeymoon, the wedding over, and normal life is starting to become reality again. It was the most beautiful wedding that I've ever been to (and I'm not just saying that because she's my sister)...everything, even the tiniest detail, she had perfect...it was a magical, beautiful day where God was really honored in everything that happened.

She and her "now-husband" James shared in their first ever kiss, saved just for each other. I know that's a radical idea in this day and age, often scoffed at, but I think it's the most beautiful thing ever. They have kept themselves purely for each other, even all those small things, all those little "firsts" to share just for each other. They're such a beautiful couple, they just shine with God's joy!

This is a lot of my family......And the crazy bridal party, all siblings of both families (except one friend of the groom). We all had so much fun together.

I have to admit that after the wedding (and during) never in my life have I cared so little about healthy food or lifestyle. I was so tired from working...already missing my sister in my heart...that I didn't care, not even when I felt sick. Even my family was surprised at some of the things I nibbled on...but I honestly didn't care. But now, no need to worry, I'm more balanced...trying to get myself back on track, now that the wedding is actually over. I'm not perfect, and never will be, but at least I'm "caring" more. :)

I just want to thank you all for your sweet comments on my last post. You all are so sweet and your thoughts and "I understands" meant a lot! You keep me inspired...and for all you who subscribe, bless you, you know who you all are, and I hope you even halfway enjoy this rambling blog.

The Three Unclaimed Treasures

2008-06-05T18:19:00.000-07:00

... or so we jokingly called ourselves, our single sisterhood. But now, day after tomorrow, our sister Elizabeth (center) will be officially married and then moving 42 hours away (3 days straight driving). We've always been very close and already it's been so hard for Anne-Marie and I to be losing our best friend. But we know that this is what God wants for her and we're SO HAPPY for her...it's just hard, you know...having her go so far, into a new chapter of life that we can't follow. Most things will always be the same, but yet...many things change. And as much as I love all the new stages and seasons of life, change is always bittersweet for me and I think, always will be.

I can't believe how fast life has gone by...it seems like only weeks ago when Lizzy and I were little, making mud pie potatoes with smatterings of sawdust "cheese" dusted on top...and then onto other things more important than mud pies, like making supper together, or making miniature dollhouse furnishing together...and then late night talks and giggles, pedicures and manicures...friends and picnics...girl movie nights...and now...she's going to be someone's wife! James, my to-be brother-in-law, sure has a treasure (and she has one in return!) and I'm so happy for them and their new happily-ever-after life God has for them. He has been so good to bring the perfect, pure match for both of them. They're so in love...

...And so, with lots of tears and big hugs, I'll be saying goodbye to her this weekend...but just till next time I see her, when she'll be a Mrs. :) I'm thankful that we are able to attend her 2nd reception which will be by her new home, that will help us adjust...knowing we can see her again, not too soon after the wedding this Saturday. Next post will definitely be non-raw/health related and I'll post a few wedding pics.

I wuv you, Rabby! (my nickname for Lizzy) I'm so happy for you and what God has brought for you!

New life...

2008-06-04T11:39:00.000-07:00

It's official...I'm an Auntie for the 12 the time...two of my two brother's wives have just had girls. Our 8th niece in a row, lol. They're such precious little ones...beautiful gifts from our Heavenly Father. Whenever I hold one of my nieces or nephews, I just cannot wait for when God allows me to be a wife and Mom. To me, that would be the highest call...raising little ones to grow up in character, virtue, and to love the things that are the most pure and wonderful in life.

In 3 days my sister Elizabeth is getting married...so terribly soon. How I'll miss her! Because of the busy-ness of it all, I'll have to keep this post super short...but because this happens to be a raw-ish blog I'll leave ya'll with a super tasty, scrummy smoothie. I am such an addict of orange smoothies. Mmmmmm...

Smooth Green

2 oranges, peeled with pith on

3 cups of spinach

2 TB. raw honey

Blend with a little water as a base and then add ice slowly.

Just Thoughts...

2008-06-01T13:06:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was absolutely sublime...I broke the Master Cleanse with orange juice and a whole orange. My family had actually gotten me organic oranges...I didn't even ask for them. Mwah! My family is so sweet.

During the day I just ate small increments of different foods, lots of fruit...and that was good and my tummy was definitely happy with that. It's so happy to be eating again, lol.

I'm in a recipe mode right now...just wanting to make tons of different, fun things. I "bookmarked" tons of recipes off Gone Raw that I'm dying to make, as well as other fun, healthy recipes. I guess it's because I haven't had food for a while.

Today my family and I are going to have a long bike ride and then a picnic dinner where we end up. It'll be super special...my sister Lizzy is getting married in 6 days, so we're trying to make these last few days really memorable. How I'm going to miss her! My sisters are my best friends and it's really hard having Elizabeth leave, especially so far.

After completing the Master Cleanse I really want to incorporate more cayenne pepper into my diet (love the spice!). It's fun even just adding it to a hot drink because you're already drinking something hot, so you barely notice it and you get all the health and metabolism/circulation benefits from the cayenne.

It's lunch...so I better scramble.

End of the Line

2008-05-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

...the finish line, that is. Today was my 10th day and the final day of the Master Cleanse. YAY! I'm so excited to be done, but SO grateful that I did it. It was the best cleanse that I've ever done and I feel really good about it...now I'm excited food...real food. Bring it on!

This afternoon was really hard...I was super hungry and too busy painting to stop and prepare myself a drink. Oops...I got super weak and felt seriously sick. Then I went in and made supper for my family (they were all busy painting as well) before I got a drink. Thankfully I didn't fall over (altho' I certainly felt like it), lol. Anyway, I'm great now. :)

The first 5 days were easier than I thought, and the last 5 days were way harder. If and when I do this again, I think I would shorten it somewhat and definitely not do it in a time when we're super busy. It's only 8 more days till my sister's wedding and we've been working all day preparing for it and all the guests that will be coming here. I'm looking forward to when our life will slow down a bit...if it ever does, lol.

Tonight we have to practise music...so this is short tonight.

Tomorrow...orange juice and fruit! Yay!

How to make lemons fun...

2008-05-28T17:05:00.000-07:00

Today is DAY 8 and I am happy to report that I'm still alive. I feel great when I'm doing things that aren't strenuous, but felt stupidly silly when hoeing the garden was exhausting me...but in a couple days I'll feel up to full strength again. I'm having this dreadful craving for popcorn...the kind that has lots of olive oil on it and salt...But really, any food sounds particularly nice right now, like juicy salads with one of my favorite dressings and my raw chocolate milk and my raw cereal bars and my...

Ok, I better stop now. I have purposed at this very moment NOT to think about food...

Anyway, here's some tips and tricks that I've picked up these last 8 days to make the Master Cleanse bearable, and even fun...

Don't always drink your lemonade the same way. My favorite way to drink it lately, has been nice and hot, and then cuddle up in a quilt and a good book while I sip it. Pour your lemonade over ice and stick a fun straw in it. Break up the monotony.
If you have chosen to continue to eat meals with the family, involve yourself. Don't just sit there, wishing dinner over. Put hot lemonade in a bowl and eat it like your family eats soup, with a spoon, talk about your day, and keep your mind occupied (believe me, it can be hard watching others eat, lol)
When you feel tired of drinking lemonade, buy some good, herbal tea (preferably organic) and sip on that. If you don't want it hot, pour it over ice, or refrigerate it. I imagine it would be perfectly acceptable to sweeten it with a small amount of maple syrup, since it's used in the lemonade.
Exercise lightly, nothing hard or strenuous. This helps with the cleansing process, as well as aiding your breathing. I recommend a light Pilates workout, which is what I like.
Get lots of rest at nighttime, and have a nap in the afternoon if you feel the need for it.
Bathe or shower each day. I have been saving the lemon rinds from the lemonade and I just throw those in my bath water. It smells beautiful and I like to use them for a natural sponge sometimes.
Try to use a loofah or a dry brush every day, which is also stimulating and cleansing for the body.
Get involved in some of your favorite activities, whether it's a good book, going for a lap around the pool, bowling with friends, shopping, jump on the trampoline, going for a long walk, talking with a friend over herbal tea, or playing guitar.
Avoid recipe books with beautiful pictures of food...glorious food. This has been my biggest mistake, lol, I look forward to all the recipes I'm going to make. This makes it really hard to be content with good ole lemonade.
Pack your lemonade with you in a travel-friendly container or water bottle, so that you never get starved. Temptation is hardest to resist when you're hungry.
Take your blender and instead of making your lemonade the normal way, add ice and water, as well as your cayenne, peeled lemon (even the seeds), and maple syrup, and blend it into a frothy slushy.
Freeze your lemonade in freezer-friendly (plastic) cup. When I was little I used to do this all the time with ice-tea. I would watch a movie or read a book, while hammering away at my frozen concoction. It took a while to eat and made things that much more fun.
Read articles on detoxing or fasting...this is encouraging for me and also familiarizes me with the common detox symptoms and of what to expect.

Make your fast/detox fun in some way...and if that means playing tennis in bare feet or dressing up in your clothes backwards for a day...do it!

Have fun!

One Week...

2008-05-27T15:37:00.000-07:00

...is over. I've done seven days of this and I don't think I've ever gone this long with actual food, unless of course you call lemonade actual victuals.

DAY 6 went good, but I started feeling weak then and have ever since. I'm fine, as long as I don't do lots of exerting activities...perhaps my body is telling me to rest. I like that idea, lol...but with only 11 days until my sister's wedding, resting is the last thing I or anyone else around here can do. I've been saving all the lemon rinds from the lemonade and then I put them in my bath...it makes it smell really pretty and you can use the lemon rinds for a natural type of scented washcloth or sponge.

As for today, DAY 7...I'm tired. But that's Ok, only 3 more days of this and then I'm all done. Time goes by so fast lately, perhaps because I'm desperately trying to soak up and hang on to the minutes with my sister Elizabeth (the one who's getting married). She's moving about 42 hours away from us (which is 3 days of straight driving). We won't get to see her very often.

My beloved tongue is still white, but less, and my teeth have cast off their fuzzy sweaters and scarves (yay!). Tonight we're having company, the second time since I've started this MC. Goodness, it's hard to have company when you're doing this. Just like at lunch, Anne-Marie (my other sister) was making one of my favorite raw dressings for her salad. That was just sheer will power that kept me from licking it.

Yesterday I was desperately feeling the need to chew and I thought of my natural gum I got at a health food store...no food content, no calories, natural...definitely not a food. So that is my new vice and at the present moment, it's keeping me sane. :)

Till tomorrow...

the Master Cleanse Bear (I know, isn't that sappy? ...but sometimes I just am)

Master Cleanse Bear

2008-05-25T11:19:00.000-07:00

...or so I have dubbed myself until Friday, when I'm all done. I'm definitely looking forward to food and drooling over lots of succulent recipes, but I'm fine without it and trying to keep this fun.

It is now DAY 5 and that truly is a comfort...time goes by fast...so 5 more days shouldn't be too much of a trial, lol.

DAY 4 was probably the hardest day (yesterday). I ended up doing the salt flush that morning instead of the day before, and that took a lot of my energy out of me. It was really disgusting drinking that warm salt water, but it definitely was cleansing.

Salt Flush~ Just like it's important to bathe the outside of our bodies, so it is with the inside. The Master Cleanse guide says that a salt flush cleansing of the colonic tract is without the sometimes harmful effects of the normal colonics and enemas. This method cleanses the entire digestive tract while the colonics and enemas will only reach the colon or a small part of it. Colonics can be expensive while the salt water method is not. I've never done an enema or a colonic, and have no desire to from all I've heard about it, but this salt flush, though unpleasant to drink, gave my insides a good ole bath very nicely. All the same, I don't really want to do it again. At first, I was concerned that all that salt in the water wouldn't be good for my body...but then I read that the salt water has the same specific gravity as the blood, hence the kidneys cannot pick up the water and the blood cannot pick up the salt, so the water just goes through, giving you a nice shower.

The rest of DAY 4 was fine, but I had more symptoms than before...I was cold, tired and a bit weak, had chapped lips, and still a white tongue (but considerably less). We had my sister Elizabeth's bridal shower last night, so I just toted my bottle of Lemonade along with me...of course, this was one of those showers that had healthy refreshments like guacamole and lots of fruit. I just stayed away from the table, trying not to imagine the guac. (one of my favourites!)

But today is DAY 5 and I feel much better. I felt a little sick this morning, but again, I'm good now. Today I'm just going to do some relaxing with the family, enjoying some of our last days with Elizabeth before she's married (13 days!). That will be nice. I don't feel as tired, my lips aren't as bad, my tongue is looking way better, just a bit of white gracing my tongue. (Ok, the gracing part was a joke), and I lost another pound. I did some dry brushing this morning...my skin has gotten really soft during this cleanse. I'm not sure if it's because of the cleanse or the dry brushing, or both. Anyway, I like that part. I'm finding that I'm a bit tired of the Lemonade, so it helps having it hot, as a tea, and I think it tastes a bit better that way currently. Besides, warm/hot tea is very cleansing through the system as opposed to a cold drink.

So it's going really well...

Signing off for today...the Master Cleanse Bear

Limey

2008-05-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

DAY 2 and 3

Everything is going so well...I'm actually LOVING this cleanse. I never thought I would LOVE it, but I am. It's exciting to see the little detox signs like sore throat (first two mornings), fuzzy feeling teeth (even though I haven't eaten anything), and a white tongue (despite me brushing every night, which I nearly always do). I feel really good. I feel lighter (because I am). I've lost 7 pounds in 2 days...but don't get concerned, I'm not a gal who's really concerned about my weight, I go by how I feel, not the number on the scale. Some of my clothes are fitting much better, which was one of the many reasons I wanted to do it. I've gained quite a few pounds since our singing tour and wanted to get back to the weight where I feel comfortable at...because of my height (I'm almost 5' 11"), hardly anyone would be able to notice me gaining or losing weight, just me, lol. I really think it's a good principle to go by how you feel, look at your weight realistically (not trying to be like a skinny model), and not be obsessed by being at a certain number on your weigh scale.

Yesterday I tried "lime-a-nade", that was really nice too. We were shopping all day yesterday (which is why I didn't post) and those are always the hardest days for me when I'm doing a detox or cleanse. Food is EVERYWHERE! But it was still a great day...we picked up some organic cayenne, some more lemons and limes (organic and non-organic) so that I'll be super stocked. I feel like now that the 1st and 2nd days are behind me, it's not very hard to be doing this. I'm enjoying it!! I feel really good, not tired, not weak, and not emotional. Water fasting makes me soooo hungry, but this keeps me feeling light, yet fulfilled.

Yes, I'm excited about food, but right now...since it's not an option, I'm not even that attracted it. I love the lemonade and the fact that I can enjoy herbal teas and lots of water.

Today I'm going to be doing the salt flush (part of the whole cleanse thing), so we'll see how that goes. It feels so good to know that my body is getting cleaner and cleaner inside with each passing day.

Lemony

2008-05-21T18:50:00.001-07:00

Day 1

It's going well...I was half afraid to try the lemonade once it was made, but I like it...today. I have a feeling that in a couple days I will not like the cayenne taste at all. It's fun and spicy and so now, I'm loving it. It's amazing how it fulfills your hunger. Simple water fasting seems to make me suffer in hunger and salivate over pictures of food, but this makes me feel light and nice, not really that hungry.

I drank loads of water along with it and tomorrow (as we're going to town) I'll pick up some more lemons and (limes?) some organic cayenne, oh, and some tea.

I did some dry brushing this morning and tried to do some more deep breathing. Both of these things are incredible for your cleansing process. I'm in a hurry at the moment or I'd spent a few minutes writing down some of the great things about them.

So till tomorrow...

Kale Chips

2008-05-20T18:42:00.000-07:00

...are extremely addicting. This was the snack that I "snuck" into the movie theatre when my siblings and I watched "Prince Caspian". So super tasty, both the kale chips and the movie, lol. I would have never dreamed that kale "chips" were so incredible. Last time I made them I used oregano to flavour them and that was supremely lovely, but this time I made a dill and vinegar version which I just LOVED!

Dilly Dally Kale Chips

Wash and devien the kale leaves, tearing each leaf into palm-size pieces. Put the kale in a big bowl of salted (1. tsp. or more), cold water. Take the kale in your hands and squeeze it for about 30 seconds to bruise it. Drain water, but don't rinse. Add the following ingredients (you can even let it marinate for an hour or two, to let some of the flavours sink in).

1 bunch of kale

1 TB. olive oil

1 TB. honey (or agave nectar)

1-2 TB. apple cider vinegar

And then, sprinkle generously with dried dill. Dehydrate until crispy. Believe me...you need to hide the dehydrator while it dries, otherwise, if you're at all like me...at least half the trays will be completely gone. A great movie snack...

...Speaking of..."Prince Caspian" was absolutely wonderful! I just loved it. They certainly changed the plot quite a bit, but they really had to, considering that a lot of the book was of one of the characters telling the story and walking and walking through the woods being lost, lol. Anyway, they did a beautiful job of it and now I want to own the movie. (That means I like it...a lot! lol) I'm such a Narnian addict.

I'm super excited because tomorrow I'm starting the Master Cleanse that everyone is always talking about...yup, the famous Lemonade Detox. I feel like I really need it right now (due to not being as careful as I should be) and I've always wanted to try it. It'll be the most intense cleanse that I've ever done, but I'm actually looking forward to it. My goal is the standard 10 days. Cheer me on!

Caspian Containment

2008-05-16T07:48:00.000-07:00

Containment as in, alluding to my bottled up excitement of seeing it today as it debutes (if that's how you say it, if not, I give you permission to laugh at me)! Anyway, today my siblings and I are going to the city to have dinner together and then to watch "Prince Caspian"! So super excited, because not only am I a "Lord of Rings" fan, but a "Narnia" fan. If you catch my enthusiasm, you can probably tell I'm big into fantasy. So in dedication to this day, and to Prince Caspian, I give you the...

Fantasy Fantastical

1 big orange, leaving white pith on
1 big handful of frozen strawberries
1 small handful of frozen cranberries
1 tablespoon of raw honey
a smattering of pumpkin seeds (for zinc)
1 cup of ice, according to the consistency you want

Whirl yourself (as well as the blender) into another world of pink, sweet, dreaminess! Top with a strawberry or a smattering of obliging raspberries.

Celery Cocktail

2008-05-14T08:06:00.000-07:00

I don't know why those lovely snack callings come every evening...perhaps it's because when I was little I was very adamant about a bedtime snack, especially my favorite, chocolate chips and milk. It was one of those comforting little rituals that told me it was bedtime. I still can't give up the habit, and I don't really want to. Now, when I don't have small snacks...I try to drink tea or other "nummy" drinks, as my last post declared.

On one of my last snack attacks which I had no intention of conquering came, I opted for a different drink, with more of a veggie twist. For those who own the famous Vita-Mix, you know that it come with a fantastic recipe book full of whole food and raw food recipes. One of which, caught my eye...the Celery Cocktail! Sublime and sweet...

Celery Cocktail (from Whole Food Recipes by Vita-Mix)

1 c. apple juice, chilled

1 TB. lemon juice

2 big ribs of celery, with leaves (save a small slice for garnishing)

1 c. ice cubes

That's all there is to it! Blend, garnish, and suck it up through a straw or savour with a spoon.

Yesterday was one of the greenest days I've had...breakfast was a big, superfood smoothie poured over even more superfoods and fruit (eaten like cereal), lunch was a big salad with a dressing I tried that had an entire bunch of parsley in it (as healthy as a green smoothie, methinks) and then for supper I had even more salad (massaged with olive oil and Celtic sea salt - too good!). Even though I loved the quick "dressing" I had over my green leaves...I was a little tired of salads, so I had some of the healthy dinner that my family had as well, which was fine. My body feels often just as vibrant on some super healthy cooked foods as well as raw (I am looking forward to trying some of Natalia Rose's recipes), I just have to be careful to eat really healthy stuff, rather than "on-the-border" foods. I like to eat mostly raw, a high-raw lifestyle, and feel really good there.

My posts have been rawwwwther sporadic lately. Our life is a circus currently and so many other things besides raw food are on my mind. Goodness gracious! My sister is getting married in 24 days and wedding preparations are on the "high" button...so much to do, it's absolutely crazy.

Oh, and you'll be pleased to know that I got brave again and donated blood for the second time! Hurrah for me...unfortunately, I guess I didn't drink enough water for them a couple days beforehand (maybe 5-6 glasses) and because of that the needle wasn't working as it should have. They had to keep readjusting the needle in my vein and that was not pleasant at all, lol. I've found out that my blood type is B+ (isn't that cute? Be positive!) and only 7.46% of the population have it, so my blood type is one of the rarer kinds. I've decided it would be fun if I could donate 100 times in my lifetime. We'll see what happens, but for now...I'm bracing myself for number 3! ;)

Best Chocolate Milk Ever!

2008-05-10T14:47:00.000-07:00

Yes, I suppose it is rawwwwther a bold title, but though simple, I have never tasted anything so similar to the "real" thing. Almost every night I have sweet cravings before bed and I'm trying not to eat very much after supper...so what is my solution? Sweet liquids that pack a powerful punch for health...Juices, tea with honey, or this dreamy concoction. I must say, this is my favorite! It's really nice, because the honey in it has natural sugars that help you go to sleep.

I feel almost silly putting the recipe down because it's so simple.

Real Chocolate Milk (1 glass)

A glass of your favorite nutmilk (I used almond milk, but I think it would taste lovely with a really creamy nut such as macadamia or cashew)

1 heaping tsp. of honey

1 tsp. of organic cocoa

Stir with a spoon and savour each sip.

Note: Don't replace the organic cocoa with cacao powder if you're drinking this at night time. That would keep me awake for hours. I've had experience, lol.

I was so excited because the other day I discovered that the brand of fair trade, organic cocoa that I had bought also was sold in bulk in that same store...at half the price!!! I was so happy, because often organic products are more pricey. I can enjoy my chocolate!

Raw Reasons

2008-05-09T21:51:00.000-07:00

Just some fun, inspiring reasons for raw...

~Energetic…amazing energy, waking up in the morning ready to go

~Rarely feel ups and downs in energy during the day

~Light and lovely, at my ideal weight

~Glowing and clearer skin

~More graceful and strong

~A more natural way of life

~Bright, shining, clear eyes, the window of our souls

~Deep, satisfying sleep every night

~Sparkly, joyful attitude (foods do help moods)

~Inspiring and motivating

~EXCITED about eating super healthy and living a glowing, euphoric life…whether it’s juicing, feeling light and empty in the morning, the thought of green smoothies and fruit, growing the organic food I eat, or twirling in the early morning sunrise.

Okay, you can tell I added my own little spin on things I like about a more raw and pure lifestyle...especially the twirling in the mornings part, lol.

Simplicity

2008-05-06T12:10:00.000-07:00

I must say, that despite my last post, I haven't been taking care of myself as well as I know I should have been lately. I've let a few things "go" and haven't been eating as much raw as I like to. Naughty me! Well, I've repented and am excited to be doing ALL raw again (I'm more of a high-raw girl).

This morning I had my first ever Green Juice! I learned from one of Kevin Gianni's recent videos how to juice with the Vita-Mix (since our juicer is pretty pathetic) and so I had fun doing that. But next time I make a green juice I'm going to put some fruit in it, for a first time, all greens (kale, spinach, romaine, alfalfa sprouts, 1 garlic clove, and some lemon) was a bit too much. I'm familiar with fruit and veggie juices so I think I'll mix some of that in my next batch. If any of you have some scrumptious Green Juice ideas, comment below and let me know.

Today I've been eating super simple, breakfast was, of course, the Green Juice and 1 orange. Lunch was a Strawberry Milkshake (my Mom makes an incredible raw version) and pineapple slices (hence the picture).

Sometimes simple is the nicest.

Detox...Retox...Detox...Retox...

2008-05-02T21:13:00.000-07:00

...and so it goes. It doesn't at all make sense, does it? What's the point of detoxing if we're just going to add those "toxins" back again. I mean, we do a cleanse or a detox or even just the standard raw food fare and then, suddenly we're not careful, and we're "retoxed". That clean feeling inside is so nice, why would we want to spoil it? There's such freedom in making healthy choices, but sometimes we just don't listen to the conscience inside saying "you'll regret it if you eat that"...and we do it anyway. And then we feel sluggish and tired wondering why.

I love what Shazzie wrote in one of her articles and just had to copy a portion of it out...

"...it's not very sensible to rid your body of a load of horrible chemicals one month (which, let's be honest shouldn't have been put there in the first place) if you're going to reintroduce them the next month. There's a danger with detoxing and retoxing -- it shocks your body and might leave you ending up in a worse state than before. Detoxing has to be done with intention of staying detoxed, and probably going further than just physical house cleaning."

I love that! Such a great paragraph. So, in the light of that quote, for me and for all the others who are trying to eat pure and clean, whether you finished a detox or cleanse or not...let's be careful of our food choices, having fun, fun, fun and experiencing all the delights that clean eating brings. I mean, really...life is so wonderful, it would be shame to feel sick, ey?

All Done

2008-04-30T12:27:00.000-07:00

Those were 3 short days, but it was fun. Yesterday I ate loads of fruit and today I broke the fruit feast with Raw Cocoa Crispies with coined bananas and fresh almond milk. I probably should have had a Green Smoothie, because I haven't eaten greens in the past few days, but I'm afraid I just didn't want one. But I had a salad at lunch today and will probably have some for some of my supper too.

Probably everyone has made this classic, fruit shake...but in case you haven't here's a lovely snack that I had for breakfast yesterday...

Simple but Sweet

2 oranges, peeled

1 banana

Ice

Blend in the Vita-Mix and pour into a tall glass, garnishing with an orange wedge and a fun straw.

It tastes like summer in a glass. Speaking of summer, the sun has been shining with such brilliancy these last couple days (minus today and yesterday) and I've been soaking up every beam of sunlight I can. I'm even starting to get a tan (yay!). I think my sisters are jealous, lol, they're the best!

Dreaming of summer...

Frozen berries and Yumberrys

2008-04-28T15:49:00.000-07:00

I have a lovely habit of ill-timing. I choose to do this fruit cleanse, right when nearly our entire house is out of produce. Yesterday, I managed alright, but today I ate rather lightly and drank a lot of water.

Breakfast~ Frozen berries blended into a chunky sorbet, and then a date

Snack~ A couple more dates

Lunch~ A tomato (can you sense my desperate-ness? ...That was all the fresh "fruit" left, and yes, it is scientifically a fruit)

Snack~ Some dried figs and a couple dates and a Yumberry juice

Supper~ Oh, I long for supper, even though I don't know what it will be. My parents are in town today so they will bring home food, glorious food...and most importantly fruit. I'm thinking of bananas, oranges, mangos, and young coconuts. (happy sigh)

I don't mind eating all fruit and I don't feel really any deprivation, but to do a fruit cleanse without real, juicy fruit...well, it can be a challenge. It wasn't my initial idea to be eating some dried fruit in these three days, but if you're hungry, you're hungry. A girls gotta do what a girls gotta do.

Juicy Fruit Cleanse

2008-04-27T16:33:00.000-07:00

And no, I'm not talking about the gum. Every month of this year I have succeeded in doing some sort of cleanse or detox so I wasn't about to let April slip away without my doing one. I think it's been a great habit to keep up with, just to have a time of limits on food (anyone who had done a detox knows how good it is to eat afterwards), rest (if that's possible in this house), and get priorities back into shape.

Because fruit is one of the best catabolic (speeds up cleansing or detoxifying) foods, I have chosen it to be the subject of my 3-day cleanse. My sister-in-love and my brother did this once, making my brother say, "You don't know how sweet fruit is after 3 days." I guess I'll find out.

I have been drinking lemon water (often with stevia added) every morning for the past few days. I'll sometimes drink an entire quart of it before breakfast. It's so easy to drink lots of water when I just carry my quart-jar around all day. About 8 or so days ago I started taking MSM for the first time. I'll be taking it 50 days until the bottle is empty and see how I feel about it then. I know many people are crazy about it and all the benefits, but some others after taking it, haven't noticed much at all. We'll see how my body responds.

Breakfast~ 2 oranges and 2 apples

Lunch~ cucumbers (There was a potluck after church and I thought someone would bring fruit, alas, they did not. I ate cucumbers thinking it the best replacement)

Snack~ 1 young coconut

Supper~ Not sure yet, but I'll probably have some sort of fruit shake, drink, or sorbet

Oh, and if you have any MSM success stories, please comment and tell me what you like about it.

Scrummy Cereal Bars

2008-04-26T13:28:00.000-07:00

A few days ago...I was craving sweets desperately. And this was the result...and I tell ya, I'm making it again. These seriously taste like the typical cereal or popcorn bars that everyone always brings to your average potluck, or you know, the recipes that are always on the back of cereal boxes or peanut butter jars. In fact, that's where the inspiration came from...I just rawified one of those SAD favorites. Hope you enjoy!

Sticky Cereal Slices

3/4 c. of liquid honey (or agave if you're vegan)

2/3 c. raw peanut butter (or do what I did, using organic peanut butter, which is just ground up peanuts)

Combine the two, mixing well. And then mix the following into it.

3 c. of raw cereal or granola (the simpler the better, something like "Buckwheat Crispies")

1/2 c. of shredded, unsweetened coconut

1/2 c. dried cranberries

1/4 c. raisins

Toss together and then place in a lightly oiled (coconut oil or olive oil) 8" square pan. Freeze until firm and then slice. Makes 16 squares roughly.

After I placed the squares in the pan I added a Carob Syrup (just carob and maple syrup mixed) over top. Totally scrummy!

And because I'm giving you a really sweet treat recipe, I'll give you something to balance you out. Admit it. Most of us eat too many sweets, raw or not, so here is something that is an example of a better daily staple.

I was totally surprised how good this actually tasted.

Really Romaine

1 head of romaine lettuce

Put this in your blender with a little water, until the Romaine is totally liquid. Then add the following:

1 banana

2 TB. of raw honey (or agave)

1/2 ice cube tray of ice

Blend and enjoy.

That's what I had yesterday, but this morning I made it without the banana and it was still really good, just with the Romaine and honey. Simple, but lovely.

"Simplicity is the ultimate Sophistication..."

Banana Cheesecake Trifle

2008-04-23T17:44:00.000-07:00

I guess it's a rather flamboyant name for such simple preparation, but I must say...pompous or not, it does somehow fit, because it tastes so divine. Our camera is not working properly, so the picture really doesn't do the dessert justice.

All I did was slice bananas into a bowl, make a quick, raw chocolate sauce, and then put spooned out pieces of Carmella's Whipped Cream along with it. The secret is to refrigerate the cream until it's like cheesecake consistency. And then, of course, you drizzle the sauce over top and enjoy every spoonful till...saddest of tragedies...it's all gone.

Today I made kale chips for the first time ever. They were incredible. To be honest, when I first heard of them, I thought that sounded really disgusting. But now my mind has been most certainly renewed and I like them. I ate nearly an entire bunch of kale, just in the "dehydrated chip" form. Very addicting. My sister and I were reading "The Fellowship of the Ring" together again and that was my snack along with some organic tea. She and my Mom liked them too. Really, I think it's a marvelous way to eat kale, and get more greens into our diet. I could easily eat 3 or 4 bunches of kale just straight, when they're prepared this way. I know I'm going to make these much more often. I meant to post a picture of a bowlful of them, but...alas! I ate them all before it could be done.

Raw Chocolate Bar

2008-04-21T17:19:00.000-07:00

...My first "official" raw chocolate bar ever. I just finished it this morning while doing some studying, so, so good. I got it from Raw Guru, the ultimate online raw store.

A couple days ago I had this dreadful chocolate craving, what's a girl to do? Here's my quick fix, which I shall entitle the...

Crunchy Maca Chocolate

1 T. organic cocoa or raw cacao

1/2 T. maca powder

1/2 T. lucuma powder

2 T. almond bits (I just smashed some in a bag with something hard)

1-2 T. maple syrup or agave nectar (or honey)

Mix in a small container and shape into one deluctable ball of indulgence. Coat with lucuma powder or cacao nibs.

I'm afraid I've been craving sugars lately (not again! lol) so it's nice to have a little fix now and then, such as the dreamy Medjool date, Shannonmarie's Million-Dollar Brownies, and Carmella's whipped cream. :)

A couple days ago my Mom served our whole family Green Smoothies with our lunch, they were actually purple, but they had greens in them. I'm so proud of her. Oh, and Anne-Marie, my eldest sister has been having Green Smoothies in the mornings too. Our family loves to have smoothies and is always happy when someone is willing to share. We keep our Vita-Mix very busy. I really just adore my family! :)

Our Singing

2008-04-19T21:33:00.000-07:00

This post has nothing to do with raw food, but a couple people were interested in our family's singing (as we just got back from a 3-week tour), so I promised I'd post a few singing pics. Here they are! Above...not anything official. We were just waiting for the man to unlock the church's door (we thought he was late), so we decided to use our time "wisely" while we waited. Good memories.

Next: Raw chocolate! ;)

Orange Memories

2008-04-18T08:32:00.000-07:00

I can't believe we're back home! So many good memories. It was the best singing trip we've ever taken, meeting so many new friends, seeing old friends, singing fun places, and going on a bit of a holiday in between. God was so good and it was such a special time. Now that we're back you can expect me to post more regularly.

One of my highlights was picking oranges off a tree for the first time in my life! It was so fun! We were staying at a family's place who juice oranges nearly every day, in large amounts, so I got to juice oranges in an citrus juicer for the first time too!

Mom and I with our freshly made orange juice...such fun!

I'm actually picking oranges...off trees!

We brought home so many oranges that we were able to leave a bag at many, many people's home's we stayed at afterwards. The friend's we were staying at were so generous to give us so much of their fruit. Even now, we have a big basket on our table just asking to be devoured. Actually, at this moment my sister Anne-Marie is making fresh orange juice, Vita-Mix style.

Here's her easy-peasy recipe (it tastes like Orange Julius!)

Anne-Marie's Easy Orange Juice

Oranges, peeled with not too much white pith on

Water

Ice

I didn't give measurements, because it's really up to you...how sweet you like it, how thin, how watery or juicy, or how cold. :0) It's good to have water and ice because then the sugar level isn't so high. If you're making fresh fruit juices, it's usually a good idea to add some amount of water.

Two Wishes Come True...

2008-04-05T09:08:00.000-07:00

At another hotel, with a few minutes on my hands again. Yesterday was such a beautiful day...and as the title says, two of my wishes came true! I got to go to a raw cafe and touch the ocean for the first time! I was so excited! I ordered a chocolate tart with strawberries and my sister Anne-Marie, who went in with me, ordered a mango fruit tart. It was so special! We popped into Good to Go, a new raw cafe here in California. I believe it's only been open for about 4 weeks. It's really quite near the beach, so I got to eat a few bites actually on the sand.

Daddy and I, he's my hero!

On Tour ~ Grand Canyon

2008-04-01T22:45:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to post some quick pictures from our latest escapade. We've been having the most wonderful time EVER! We've met loads of wonderful people, sang quite a few times already, toured the sites (when we have time, which is rare, lol), and are having the most incredible time as a family. Today we found time to visit Grand Canyon and all I can say is "Wow!" It is gorgeous! God has created such a beautiful world, hasn't He?

I can't say that I'm eating all raw on this trip, but I am eating really healthy (and raw), which means a lot of natural and organic food, so that's good. I've been really quite careful about what I eat and so it's been a fun adventure. I'm the kind of girl that loves experimenting and trying new things, especially while on vacations/singing tours, so I'm not giving myself many rules concerning food...just trying to stick to healthy guidelines and be careful. I'm so glad that people all over are becoming more health-conscious in general, this gives me so many more options in restaurants or even fast-food places (most sell salad, whatever the quality...it's a GREAT step!). Anywhoo, I'm having a wonderful time (but missing reading all of your blogs...Internet access is very limited due to our busy-ness) and enjoying every minute travelling. I want to find time to post again (some singing and concert pics perhaps?) so hopefully it'll be soon. In the meantime, I need to get some shut-eye. We're singing tomorrow and I need to be rested. Enjoy the pictures!

Leaving on our Music Tour...

2008-03-25T12:50:00.000-07:00

This is my typical pose on our many singing travels...and I don't mind telling you, that I'm itching to back on the road, singing with my family, and having adventures. I'm really hoping I can get a hold of Internet somewhere so I can post or two times during our trip. We'll see.

Just thought I'd post a couple pictures of some of my "eating healthy while travelling" ideas, such as, what I call "Charissa's Healthy Traveling Box"...

Here's what I put in it (and what I have yet to put in):

~A small container of Stevia (to sweeten the tea or to make raw lemonade)

~Tea bags of all kinds (When we stop for fuel, my sister's and I like to go in, pay a little bit for the cost of the cup, and get hot water for free. In the van, we put in our teabags...this keeps us from spending money on other drinks, that just aren't worth the money anyway)

~Lemons (to squeeze into my water or make raw lemonade)

~Raw Granola (for breakfast on the road or just to snack on)

~Raw Trail Mix (to eat as is, or mix in with the Granola)

~A serrated paring knife, fork, and a spoon

~Good salt

~Seaweed wraps (to wrap up with veggies and avocado or just to eat as is)

~Supplements or daily vitamins (Emergen-Cs)

~A little coconut oil

~A couple of oranges and a kiwi or two

Now you can be ready for all those little hunger emergencies and still stay raw, or at least, eat more raw.

Here's what made up my Raw Trail Mix:
Raisins, dried Cranberries, cashews, goji berries, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chopped dates, dried coconut, chopped prunes, some chunks of Raw Granola, and some dark chocolate pieces (that's the part that isn't raw, but it is a treat! lol)
I also added sesame seeds, flax seeds, poppy seeds, and dried coconut to my container of Raw Granola to make it that much better.

Well, we've got to pull out soon so I better scurry. See you all soon! ;0)

Raw Recipe Book

2008-03-25T12:36:00.000-07:00

Here's my latest little project...a gift for my sister-in-love Rebecca. It's her birthday in a couple days and so I wanted to finish it before we left on our trip. So here it is...my 2nd Raw Recipe Binder (sorry, the picture is a bit dark)! (here's the first one I did) I designed it different and had lots of fun doing it so. Really, I think this would be a great gift for many people, whether they're trying raw out, or going "gung-ho" at it. It's fun to find lots of cool recipes on the web or good blogs and print them out and then organize them into different categories in the binder. It's a little more special too, than your regular, store-bought gift, because you put time and energy into it yourself. I think people like that.

We're running around like crazy here (still...). Today we moved Grandma and Grandpa's stuff over to Becca and Andrew's because that's where they're going to stay while we're on our trip. We'll miss them a lot, but it will be such a fun holiday! (well, sort of...I don't know if you can call tearing down sound equipment at 11 or 12 o'clock at night a holiday) But I know no matter what happens and how busy it is, it will be a wonderful time. I really can't believe we're leaving tomorrow! So very soon. I want to post one quickie before we leave tomorrow. Till then...