Going Raw-A University Student's Experience

Raw in Miami

2012-02-12T18:22:00.000-08:00

I tried to update with my new phone in Miami, but it never worked out properly :( I'm still learning how to use it.

BASICALLY, I was going to make a point of saying how easy it is to be raw in miami. This was without even visiting Coconut Grove, which many people suggested to me. I don't know why but for some reason I pictured carts of fruit on the beach, and it wasn't exactly like that.

At first I was scared I'd starve, but the first thing we found in the street behind our hotel was a fruit shop, tons of fruit, and smoothies to go which I took advantage of.

I went to the same place to eat every day for lunch and sometimes dinner because honestly, their salads were THE BEST. They were so simple, and cheap, but the greens they used (surprisingly this was at a hamburger joint called: Damn Good Burger) were super dark and tough and I always found a clover or two in it!! It was just avocado, greens, and red onion--which I never eat but it did add a great touch. On Mondays the salad is $1.....I bought 12. DON'T JUDGE...It was between me and my mom and dad haha. The people ended up recognizing us by the end, and I think were not used to having people just buy the salad plain. http://www.dgbmiami.com/

One night we ate on Ocean drive, as well as one breakfast, and they had a great fruit platter, as well as quite possibly the most delicious salad I've eaten. It had shredded coconut, mango chunks, pistachios, cherry tomatoes, ginger sesame dressing on the side, and dark spinach.

One night we walked down Lincoln Mall Road, which was so beautiful, an open mall concept with cafe trattorias along side the cobble stone pathway. There was a farmer's market with tons of coconuts, mangos, papayas, melons, and avocados. You can imagine my excitement...

SO all in all, great place to go, obviously the scenery is so beautiful food is the last thing on your mind. Next time I go for sure I will check out Coconut Grove.

Have you ever been to miami? What's your favourite place?

DELISH RAW STUDY SNACKS.

2012-01-28T14:12:00.001-08:00

Um. THANK YOU MOM.

She made these for my friend and I. BOMBTASTIC.

generous 1/2 cup of coconut unsweetened

1/4 cup sesame

1T coconut oil

1T lemon juice

1 full cup of medjool dates packed (Seeds removed, obvi.)

grated lemon rind as desired.

BEST WINTER SMOOTHIE.

2012-01-15T16:15:00.000-08:00

blueberries

baby organic spinach

2 big cups of water (from my pitcher of ice cold mint tea-bag steeped study water)

1 banana

big handful + of frozen organic mango chunks

Complete Greens scoop: 1 tsp

AHMAZINGGG.

HAPPY NEW YEAR.

2012-01-10T20:58:00.000-08:00

RAW 2012!!!

Who is living it up raw!

If you have any goals write them in the comments below, because this year is going to be YOUR healthiest year yet!!

My one goal is to enjoy a green smoothie daily. I feel like I'm taking care of myself in fulfilling this because I not only take time to make it, but I feel better too.

JOYEUX NOEL!!

2011-12-25T08:14:00.000-08:00

OKAY, first off. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy Hanukkah EVERYBODY!!!

I hope today is awesome, and that all of you got the vitamixes, and dehydrators you wanted :P

I want to share a story from last night! I went to a pretty amazing Christmas Eve Party with my family, lots of family friends and other people I met and had great conversations with. One person in particular told me how he lived in Armenia and was taken care of bye two individuals. At first he only elaborated on the first woman that took care of him, saying that she carefully sprouted lentils, grains, and seeds for him to eat, along with copious amounts of carrot, cabbage, and apple juice! My initial reaction was, "OMG RAW." Then I shared with him the story of a man I found on the internet who I wanted to meet one day: http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/europe/100708/armenia-gulag-guru

(That guy).

THIS MAN, at this XMAS eve dinner, PROCEEDED to tell me that he was the other individual that nursed him to health!!! I could NOT believe my ears, he had actually MET Vaghe Danielyan, a 90 year old marathon running, raw food eating, yoga-massage-language artist!!!

Anyway, I'm so excited, because I definitely want to get in touch with Vaghe, possibly initiate some sort of apprenticeship, WHILE simultaneously visiting my homeland...HOW COOL WOULD THAT BE.

Anyway, I'm sure you can sense my excitement from this dinner, but please share your cool XMAS stories below! Also, here is what I've been drinking a lot of.

-3T Cacao powder

-1T Carob powder

-2 cups water bring to a high temperature while slowly stirring.

-1 cup almond milk

When at desired heat, remove and add peppermint oil extract, cacao nibs.

ENJOY.

Weekly Fast, Coconut Water.

2011-12-15T18:00:00.001-08:00

Going to start fasting one day a week for cleansing purposes. I did this last year and I felt it changed my spiritual life and helped me focus on the areas I needed to pay attention to.

The plan for my fasts will be from Saturday night, to Monday breakfast. I will be drinking lots of water with aloe juice (150% concentrate) --you can see the brand I use and only trust in the sidebar. You guys may remember I posted about it last year when my acid reflux was healed from only 2 weeks of drinking it.

Also, I had ice cold fresh coconut water from a baby thai coconut. It was SO awesome. Hit the spot, also since Canada is slightly confused about the weather lately and we're having sunny/rainy days vs. snowy/snowfests.

Tell me your experiences with fasting, whether it's been a juice feast/water fast/anything! Would love to hear back.

BRRRRRRRRRRRR.

2011-12-10T19:12:00.000-08:00

YAH, it's cold. Packin' in the medjool dates.

I'm trying to exercise outdoors, it's quite interesting. Bundle up, and layer, and just go for it whether you're walking, doing some intervals or a jog, it feels good, and the fresh air is pretty ballin considering the dry indoor environment. I walked 6.5K today, down Bloor Street West starting at Royal York subway station.

IT WAS MAGNIFICENT, why? Because upon walking I encountered a hoard of carolers dressed in their vintage singing slash winter getup, only a few blocks later a brass quintet was playing, and a few steps later a church choir was singing, 'O Come All Ye Faithful.' Someone else was passing out Christmas cards and candy canes, and people were ACTUALLY saying, "Merry Christmas!" It was like everyone in the neighbourhood, children, dogs, parents were out there buying wreaths, trees, and just enjoying the season.

I don't know about you but in Toronto we're experiencing some sort of CHRISTMAPHOBIA, people are discouraged and occasionally frowned upon for wishing 'Merry Christmas', and all you see and hear is 'Happy Holidays.' Christmas concerts have been REMOVED from schools, and lyrics to songs changed. I understand everyone has different meanings of this winter season, but if I celebrate Christ's birth, then gosh, darnit, I'm going to wish you a Merry Christmas!

JUICE FEST.

2011-11-24T07:28:00.000-08:00

burgers and slaw.

2011-11-21T11:18:00.000-08:00

Here are the burgers I made from extra beet and carrot pulp (juicing by products).

-pulp

-braggs apple cider vinegar

-dijon

-a swish of evoo

-1 tomato

-a bit of red pepper

-onion (i hate onion but i have to admit this flavoured the burger)

-juice of half a grapefruit

blend in food processor (no salt or pepper needed)

add avocado/tomato

Slaw: made from beautiful yellow beets, I could not believe the colour when I started grating it.

-course sea salt

-juice from half a grapefruit

**added avocado and braggs after taking the picture.

Kensington Food Haul

2011-11-19T11:32:00.000-08:00

magical jewels of love bursting with caramel and chewy cream.

2011-11-12T11:06:00.000-08:00

My title is referring to medjool dates.

I have been indulging in boxes of these babies for weeks now, and I can say they're definitely helping me in this cold. HOWEVER, I do think I'm overdoing it, I'm remembering to brush my teeth better than usual (3x a day, not 1x or 2x), and I just have slight sensitivity on my right upper canine, SO......I'm going to lay off the 'jools for a while.

My favourite ritual is my daily walk into Kensington to go to this organic garage-like store (64 Nassua St.) I buy dates first, then bananas at 29cents/pounds and enjoy the vit D! Yesterday I went to buy dates, and the jar was empty. I literally freaked out, the owner just chuckled and said, "HOLD ON, fresh from the truck!" ...a potentially horrible day turned magical in an instant.

I will be ordering from the date people soon, so will update you on how that goes, where do you get your dates from, and how do you enjoy eating them? (With almond butter? bananas? alone? let me know!)

Taking requests for YOUTUBE channel content.

2011-11-09T18:38:00.001-08:00

I've decided to start filming---FINALLY.

Whether it's "How to stay raw during the holidays", "My favourite breakfast ideas", or "Why raw?", you choose what content you want to see on my channel.

Leave a comment below with your requests and suggestions!

Din Din on a cold night.

2011-11-07T15:11:00.000-08:00

MEGATRON Salad.

I find dill warming, good thing the grocery store sells it fresh!

-sprouted black and red quinoa

-soaked dried cranberries

-one whole head of romaine

-one roma tomato

-tons of DILL

-1T tahini + 1 tspn raw apple cider vinegar + 1 tspn olive oil

-don't have lemon juice or olives or else they too would go in.

Nut Mylkz + Sproutz.

2011-11-06T20:29:00.000-08:00

Pictures from weekend raw endeavors. I realized I never posted a how-to on nut mylk, so here are the basics.

Soak raw almonds for 4-8 hours

Check for tips = sproutage has begun!

Remove skin

Blend with double cup amount of water, ex. 1cup almonds = 2 cups water

Add cinnamon/(coconut oil/maple syrup/agave/stevia/medjool dates)

**strain through paint strainer bag/nut mylk bag (I didn't do this, I like it thicker for breakfast/fruit combos) Keeps for 2-3 days.

Sprouts: mung bean, buckwheat (soak lightly, few minutes, drain and leave to sprout), peas, and quinoa. I should express why it is super VITAL to sprout. Firstly, sprouts are a huge component of this diet, without them, you're screwed. They're high in protein (aminos), give tons of energy, add kick to salads/smoothies, and are ALIVE vs. dried/starchy hard to digest things (pre sproutage).

Two tablespoons per jar.

Cover + Set in dark place. Rinse every 4 hours. The shells come off and you need to ensure no mould grows!

NEW FAVE YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

2011-11-04T23:03:00.000-07:00

Actually, so knowledgeable, same wavelength, LOVE DIS GUYY.

http://www.youtube.com/user/cintronbrandon

It's a good thing midterms are over...because there have been too many late nights catching up on all his videos.

Winter-Autumn Recipes

2011-10-21T10:42:00.001-07:00

"stick-to-your-ribs" wild blue smoothie.

-wild blueberries

-3 epic medjool dates

-1 frozen banana

-1 cup+ water (add less for a thicker drink)

I always used to question and..judge all the raw foodist/youtube people slash ANYBODY that added medjool dates to their fruit smoothie. I was like, WHY would you make something sweet, sweeter?! Except now I know, if you want a calorie-dense, filling, easily assimilating sugar source for your body and energy reserves, YOU GOTTA ADD THOSE 'JOOLS!

This smoothie is SO vibrant, I feel so happy drinking it (can you tell I'm on a study break..). It's a deep dark purple.

What's your favourite winter smoothie?

Fall Season, My Birthday, Tgivs, Fresh Starts.

2011-10-10T18:50:00.001-07:00

literally glowing?

mi amiga!!

peach cobbler! and local tasty thingz.

my little broseph (not in uni).

HAPPY TGIVZ EVERYBODY. (In Canada that is)

The weather this weekend has been so beautiful, up in the high 20's, broseph came home from uni to celebrate everything with us. Went to Niagra aka wine country, enjoyed the epic view of foliage, bought tons of local peaches, apples, and pumpkins, celebrated bday with extended fam, juiced magnificent heads of kale, made raw peach cobbler, ABSORBED copious amounts of love from everything around me.

Since my last post, everything has become more positive. I have definitely attributed this to my visualization techniques: dreaming of what I want, and aiming for it! I have been stretching more, running less, reading my Bible early in the AM, seeking truth and not worldly claims and juicing green!!

For thanksgiving dinner at my relatives house, I pre-made about 4 nori rolls that turned out beautifully. Avocado, sprouts, and pickles, with tahini for dipping sauce.

Also thinking about cutting out fruit for a while, just to see how I manage without the sugar. I tried without planning last week but failed, so now we're getting a little more official. Here's my list:

green juice: kale, ginger, lemon, lime

sprouts: sunflower, broccoli, mung, lentil, alfalfa, flax, adzuki, chickpea

salad: parsley, cilantro, fennel, anise, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, mint

green smoothie: half an apple or low GI fruits

herbs + citrus dressing: citrus + herb + 1T oil/sundried tomatoes

seeds: sesame-black, white, sunflower, pepitas, flax, hemp, CHIA POWER

sprouted/soaked nuts: almonds, brazil, walnuts, cashew

sprouted grains: quinoa, buckwheat, wild rice

seaweeds + kelps + spirulina/chlorella

fats: olives, coconut, flax, walnut, avocado

wheatberry: rejuvalac

wild greens: dandelion, etc.

grated squashes, radishes, beets, carrots, sweet potato

fermented: sauerkraut, cucumber, pickled anything

teas: chinese herbs, vanilla, ginseng, ginger, lemon rind

Balance: steamed root vegetables, steamed cruciferous, steamed quinoa, chickpea, sweet potato, minimal excito-toxins.

*note balance: emergency/necessary Yang foods

What are your favourite grounding foods, or routines? How did you spend the weekend?

Much Love!

Amy

Don't Doubt Your Path.

2011-10-01T10:14:00.000-07:00

The following post was inspired by Claudia Gaviria, owner and founder of Cruda Cafe, the RawBrahs, my best friend Jenna Paulson and my MOM<3. Thank you!

I felt I needed to write about something that's been on my mind lately.

I have made the realization that eating and being in this lifestyle is something that requires a mind, body, and soul transformation. You may be eating the PUREST, cleanest, most organic and local, fair-trade, breathatarian diet in your life, but if you are not purging your mind and body of the toxic stress and energy from around you, you will literally be a living sponge for all of it.

I speak from experience. I believe this diet is the purest, healthiest, life-giving and earth and nature unifying diet. I'm not going to edit my use of the word diet, it's a lifestyle obvi, but readers, I'm sure you understand either way. In my understanding of the word toxic stress I will list what I feel it includes, or has included in a negatively influential way in my life: Friends, people -strangers/family, environment - the city pollution/household energy, daily stress - school/work/debt/etc, and any thoughts - emotionally charged/passive/negative.

I know that the way I have been eating is not something I receive EXCESSIVE amounts of support for and until yesterday I don't think I had come to terms with that. It was truly tainting my quality of life, and experience with this perfect way of eating. The stress of school is something I've felt I've overcome but again it isn't something I have consciously dealt with in my mind. It is important to counteract the negativity with positivity. For all of you NON-hocus-pocus people I am not talking about floating energies, as much as I believe those exist, this is the basics of living. If you are not addressing the negative thoughts going through your mind, they are going to stay inside of you and much like mixing fruits and nuts, they will ferment.

Ex. "Traffic sucks, this is horrific", "The TTC deserves to die, why can't this commute exist without technical difficulties!?" , "Why can't my mom and dad understand that juicing is necessary for optimum health and longevity" , "WTF, Why is she so thin when she eats a crap ton of pasta and all you can eat sushi!"

You need to be your own beacon of light and positivity even when circumstances around you are the opposite. You also need conscious stress releasers. For exercise I mainly run and Claudia reminded me that I need a more balancing exercise to counteract the running. Yoga or walking are great ways to experience grounding, and more relaxation and stress-release. I strongly encourage writing as well. For people reading this, I'm sure you have read that journal writing in general is a great stress release, and it is just a suggestion that you skim over. Until you act this out, and commit to a small 5 minutes of YOU TIME with a piece of blank paper, you will never know how much this contributes to a clear mind and heart. I suggest starting with a clean desk space, and a few different coloured pens. For five minutes, just sit and focus on writing positive words on this paper, without hesitation. I guarantee you will feel on top of the world after.

The final thing I want to mention is getting out of the huge beach umbrella of dogma and black&white-ism--if that's even a word. The Rawbrahs couldn't have released a more compelling facebook note summing up their reasons and experiences leading up to their plunge away from the do's and dont's of raw. At first I'll admit, I was SO SCARED. Like, sleepless scared. I didn't want to believe that another set of raw fooders had turned around. But the truth is, it isn't turning around, it's moving forward! It's deciding what is right for you, and what works within your means and doing it. It doesn't make you any less raw to question, or any less healthy. After I read this note and was over my initial freakout session, I actually felt a huge sense of relief. Maybe one day I would like to eat raw honey (or..insert other so-called NO-NO), I'm going to see if it works for me, I don't care necessarily about other people's experiences or rules. If I did care, it might mean I'm not doing this for the right reasons. Being vegan for over 3 years I am happy to say that I feel excited to live outside of the rigid mental guidelines. I'm not eating dairy or any carcasses yet but if I ever decide to I hope that I will only receive support for it.

SO. IN CONCLUSION. For the month of October (TEN MORE DAYS TILL MY BIRTHDAY). I will be focusing on three things:

1) Finding more grounding exercises and incorporating them into my routine: morning Bible reading, yoga.

2) Purging the emotional, mental and physical toxicity from my surroundings

3) Getting out of dogmatic rules placed by "raw gurus" and individuals alike.

I CAN'T WAIT :D

Don't EVER. Doubt your path! --Mom

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

Please share any insight, advice, or experiential anecdotes!

Breakfast. AKA. Best Meal of the Day!!!

2011-09-29T06:17:00.001-07:00

Today I woke up, decided I wanted ice cream for breakfast.

Whipped out my blender and the frozen bananas, and VOILA.

Craving satisfied.

raw cacao nibs (optional)

dried coconut (optional)

banana slices (optional)

cinnamon (not optional)

vanilla bean (not optional)

I'm eating this as I type. Funny thing is that this morning I woke up and it was SO COLD. Like, nose reddened, don't sleep with the windows open OR without socks cold. [I actually never sleep with socks, that grosses me out]

MOVING ON TO BREAKFAST#2. I named this Yin-Yang.

-wild frozen blueberries

-walnuts

-cinnamon

-agave

Coulis

-strawberries

-vanilla bean

-agave

sprinkle hemp on top..

On another note, my neighbour birthed THIS baby from her backyard. She named him Zach and as much as I hate to say it, it was THE most delicious zucchini I've ever eaten. I juiced it, made raw pasta with it, my mom bbq'd some of it, I juiced more of it, and blended the last bit. AND the pulp fed my garden.

Phone Consultation with Kirt Tyson from 'Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days"

2011-09-20T21:19:00.000-07:00

SUCH EXCITING NEWS.

I get to skype with Kirt Tyson tomorrow at 7PM. I cannot wait, I have a list of questions prepared, but I need some more, is there any questions anyone wants to have answered, tell me now!!

Carrot Cake

2011-09-19T06:18:00.001-07:00

mmm..

First Day of School!!

2011-09-12T07:49:00.001-07:00

OH, how I love the feeling of a new school year. New classes, friends, clothes, a fresh start, and most of all the overwhelming desire to succeed. I'm going into fourth year university, shocking since I'm not sure how I ended up here, almost near the end of my degree. HOWEVER, I'm not complaining, I can't wait to start again and achieve the list of goals I have prepared for this year.

Some goals specific to health and school routines are:

-juice greens daily

-bring emergency snack kit ERR' WHERE.

-find people that are on the same wavelength; with health as a top priority

I will be posting more sustainable recipes, using the vegetable/fruit pulps from juices I make. It's going to be experimentation city, so if anyone already has recipes for these things, or tips hook me up!!

Definitely not AS excited as when I was in elementary school, but close.

Otra Vez Breakfast Variation.

2011-09-06T09:15:00.000-07:00

-blueberries

-nectarine

-banana

-chia seed

-cinnamon

-almond mylk

Total: $4.01

oh, and check out all the pretty rocks from Willows Beach!! :D

Quick Breakfast Idea

2011-09-05T19:51:00.000-07:00

-mung bean sprouts (took a day and a half to sprout)

-chia seed

-nectarine

-banana

-cinnamon

total: $3.14

On The Road: Traveling Raw

2011-09-03T07:48:00.000-07:00

So summer has almost come to an end for most, I personally can see the stress of school waiting for me just around the corner. This year university starts on the 12th, giving me a week of relaxation since being back from working in Ottawa. I have wisely chosen to spend these seven days in Victoria, BC with two of my best friends! I will provide tourist-y updates about this as the days go by, but more importantly providing updates on how I've been eating, and how you can eat inexpensively and healthily during travel.

Breakfast-bowl of blueberries, papaya and (lots of water the night before...don't want to dry out on the plane ride)

Lunch- 3 Medjool dates + lots of water and mint tea

Dinner-dried fruit/seed trailmix + 1 head of brocolli w/ hummus + 2 delicious containers of blueberries

Total Cost: $11 + free breakfast thanks to mom.

Breakfast from today: I brought chia seeds and cinnamon from home, and bought these massive BC grown nectarines! Easy, and delicious.

Lunch-red leaf lettuce salad with avocado, nectarine, cilantro, hummus

Dinner-red leaf lettuce salad with avocado, nectarine, cilantro, sunflower seeds

Total Cost: $8.17

Couldn't wear nail polish at my summer job, now I can..hence the dark plum lacquer :P

Kale Confetti Salad

2011-09-01T12:13:00.000-07:00

Easy Easy Easy!! University students take note! I've made this salad multiple times in inconvenient situations (ex. dorm rooms, tiny kitchens, on the road: use plastic bag to mix and eat out of), it always pleases, and tastes amazing, especially when left for the next day.

-1 head of kale: sliced thinly

-3-5 carrots: grated

-3-5 beets: grated

-one clove of garlic minced

-EVOO

-juice of one lemon

-sea salt

-olives: de-pit them

-sunflower seeds: we (my mom and i) always add these, but today we didn't have them and it was just as delicious without.

MIX. SET. EAT.

This yields a good family size portion. You can keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Summer in France: Raw Pasta

2011-08-29T12:29:00.000-07:00

This dish is PERFECT for hot summer days..it's light, yet filling. In addition to being easy to put together it makes use of left over pulp from juicing. This morning I had a juice with beet, carrot, ginger, celery and lemon. I saved the pulp in the fridge and blended it all with the 'SOWWHSS' ingredients.

Currently making the most of my new kitchen tool--a handheld vegetable julienning contraption. (I highly suggest everybody to get one, it was $20 from Canadian Tire: https://www.titanpeelersale.com/) Compared to my carrot peeler this is definitely a step up.

Sauce

-fresh mint from my backyard

-fresh tomatoes from neighbour's backyard

-juice pulp

-1 cup of water

-ground peppercorns

-sea salt

-tiny slice of purple onion chopped

-1 Tablespoon of Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar

-EVOO 1T

Pasta: julienne copious amounts of zucchini

The neat thing about this is that the sauce turns out textured like a true marinara and the beet pulp makes the sauce a dark pink colour--really beautiful against green!

Raw Summer Recipe.

2011-08-14T13:30:00.000-07:00

Finally got an afternoon off from work, went swimming outdoors, visited the nearest farmer's market in Ottawa and made a pretty epic, ultra-fresh salad with my friend!

-julienned zucchini, cucumber

-sweet corn (from Quebec :P): slice off kernels with sharp knife, soak in a bowl till water is clear

-fresh basil and cilantro (chiffonade-cut)

Sauce:

-fresh ginger

-sesame oil

-nama shoyu (or soya sauce)

-one lime with

-handful of cashews

-bowl of frozen mango slices

-half a green jalapeno pepper

-Herbamare + Provencal sea salt with mint

Place 'noodles' on bed of lettuce, garnish with diced veggies and sesame seeds, pour dressing and toss!

TIP: If you're tired of eating the same salad with the same dressing everyday, try changing how you prep your vegetables. Jumbo diced tomatoes and cucumbers can be julienned, turned into salsa, or blended with the dressing instead.

In Other News..

2011-07-28T07:16:00.000-07:00

dried seaweed, chinatown sale, 2 for $2. Anyone have any ideas as to what I should do with it?

It was my mother's day of birth yesterday! (yayyyyy happy bday.) Won't say how old she turned, but I will say that I bought her the best gift ever. A JUICER. It's the BREVILLE Juice Fountain Elite. Today we juiced: beet, carrot, apple, ginger, and lemon. Everyone in the house had a glass...even my 13 yr old broseph.

RAW VEGAN SNACK STASH.

2011-07-28T06:20:00.000-07:00

Thank you JP! My best friend slash devoted follower of this blog! Yesterday I hung out with my bf from high school and after not seeing each other for 2 years it was unbelievable, the transformation I saw in her. She has quite the raw food testimony, which I'll be posting shortly. BUT. For now...

ALL OF THE ABOVE. WILL BE TRIED. AND TASTED. Reviews to come!!

Dorm Room Tingz.

2011-07-23T18:49:00.000-07:00

Salad to go.

You'd think apple, kale and lemon would be bland..far from it.

Dorm Room Rawness.

2011-07-18T16:35:00.000-07:00

Here's the result of my latest shopping mission:

-chia seeds

-hemp seeds

-mung beans (to sprout)

-case of mangoes!

-strawberries

-cherries

-kale--(that's already been turned into a massaged kale salad...i'm eating it out of a plastic bag right not. I'm civilized..I swear.)

What's in your shopping cart???

Sprout CITAYYY.

2011-07-11T09:39:00.001-07:00

HELLO SUMMER RAW FOODIES.

I hope everyone has been getting their greens and eating fresh fruits, and juicing, and nut mylking, and dehydrating, and just getting excited about health, vibrance and longevity!

I need to give you guys an update on my whereabouts. I'm working away from home, aka. no blender/dehydrator/food processor, etc. I've been trying to make do but eating in a university cafeteria has been slightly difficult. I just wanted to show you one thing I'm doing which you can too!

[SPROUTINGGGG!!]

I soaked the lentils, sunflower seeds, and brown rice overnight, and rinsed them every 3-4 hours, now they're sprouting!

grow my little friends, grow!

La Belle Verte Obsession

2011-06-14T13:29:00.000-07:00

Many of you can recall my restaurant review from last summer about a new raw vegan restaurant in Gatineau, QC (literally a ten minute bike ride from the Ottawa side). WELL. Now that I have returned to the nation's capital city, I have begun making full use of this easily accessible restaurant. Here are some pictures from the last week.

Katey eagerly waiting for her Greek Pizza, (raw food newb who LOVED her meal btw.)

me and the soup du jour: creamy tomato soup with basil and chipotle (amazingg!)

devoured greek pizza: I honestly thought I wasn't vegan anymore, because the feta topping, tasted IDENTICAL to real feta cheese. (I was creeped out at first then intrigued, it was a cashew "un-feta cheese")

Obvi had to end the meal with dessert: Banana cream pie slice, and lemon tart (my favourite..so creamy)

More pictures to come...

addict.

2011-05-29T15:31:00.000-07:00

MELON..

I think I've been eating up to 2 melons a day..(slight exaggeration) but at least one whole one.

Someone tell me this is good for me..they're delicious, but also the only reliable fruit in the cafeteria I eat from right now.

that's weird..

SECRETS OF MAINTAINING RAW.

2011-05-21T07:14:00.001-07:00

HELLLOOOOO!!!

I apologize for the massive hiatus, but I'm back and have lots of good info to share with everyone! I have been reading books by Ann Wigmore, and Dr. Norman Walker and have had many epiphanies regarding this diet. I pretty much assessed my own lifestyle and reasoning for eating this way, and I'm not here to tell you I've stopped eating this way at all. IN FACT, I've have gained newfound motivation and determination to show the world that yes! it WILL work, heal, and purify the body if we eat this way.

My favourite book by Dr. Norman Walker was "Become Younger", it was filled with anecdotes, and information. The main points I got from that book were also paralleled by Ann Wigmore in her book, "The Hippocrates Diet and Health Program". I'm going to list the main points that you can incorporate in your lifestyle to benefit from eating raw.

one major thing learned: eating fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouts will NOT give you optimal health alone. Which is what I've been doing and have been getting discouraged from lack of results
vegetable juices are the builders of the body, while the fruit juices are the cleansers. They have two different digestive paths, it's not always optimal to blend both together.
germs propagate more freely on starchy matter than on almost anything else.
if you are eating 80% raw and still eating white bread every other day, or couscous, forget it. The walls of your intestines are (Excuse my bluntness) CAKED with hardened matter that prevent you from absorbing nutrients, and experiencing true cleansing on the diet.
One personal tip is that if you cannot let go of your starches, aim to eat gluten free starches: quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth, millet, red rice.
Colonics shouldn't gross you out, they are a vital component of "becoming younger" and maintaining your health with this lifestyle.
the raw food diet is incomplete without the following: wheatgrass juice daily, Rejuvelac, kelp (seaweed family), variety of sprouts: mung, lentil, buckwheat, etc
Finally, if you continue eating with all of these points in mind, your next step would be to take note of how you feel after certain food combinations. Maybe raw vegan restaurants start making you sick or sluggish after a meal. Research the basics, melons can be mixed with themselves, nothing else; greens digest separately than fruits; starches with fruit is bad, so is fat with fruit. This is something I continually learn after eating a banana with a few tsp of almond butter--AGGHHHHH. Bloat-fest..

What do you think? Is this new information for you, or are there things you will test out and try?

"BAM snacks on snacks, baby!"

2011-04-21T09:12:00.001-07:00

I'm studying.

I have ONE. MORE. EXAM. till my epic summer begins.

Just in case you want to know what I'm munching on..my mom definitely replenished the produce in this house. VARIETY!!!!! (MONSTER SCREAM)

absolute nausea.

2011-04-08T08:44:00.000-07:00

NEVER.

EVER.

JUICE.

BLEND.

BEETS.

ALONE.

I feel horrific right now, and just googled why I felt so bad (blended two raw beets with the juice of an orange), apparently it is a POTENT cleanser for the liver, and does cause nausea alone, with other fruits/veg not so much. I legit feel like puking now. LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES ughhh

GHETTO JUICINGGG.

2011-04-05T17:01:00.000-07:00

What you need: one mesh sieve (metal/plastic) + a thick smoothie made in a low power blender + a pot + one glass mason jar (to pour your beautiful concoction into) + big spoon

ex. half a lemon, butt-ton of spinach, cucumber, half a green apple

ex2. half a lemon (Frozen: this is my trick, it makes your drink cold, and COMPLETELY infused with lemon), crap load of spinach, one ripe pear, 1 beet, cilantro

pour out your drink into the mesh sieve, making sure the pot is directly below it, and slowly lift away from pot, while stirring, keep stirring and pressing against mesh to remove liquid. Keep pulp for compost, soups, or raw vegan desserts.

THIS IS SO EASY, and SO QUICK, I can't drink smoothies anymore because I find them too chunky..I might just need a vitamix though.

ENJOY YOUR "JUICING".

FUNGICIDE ON MY COCONUTS.

2011-04-02T07:16:00.000-07:00

So apparently the lovely baby thai coconuts I purchase from chinatown are not so lovely after all. It seems like as soon as something becomes easy in this lifestylce, ex. OPENING COCONUTS, buying fresh produce locally, pesticide free farming, etc. ---something changes.

The coconuts that are fungicide free are the typical ones you see where the shells are used as bikinis..

I bought a few, 99cents at No Frills (this place is magical...I just realized), and attempted to enjoy one. My mom and I hacked at it this morning. NEEDLESS TO SAY, the best knife in the kitchen was destroyed, and the water that I was able to drink out of the coconut lasted for 3 tiny sips..I thought it was a joke, but my mom said those were the kind they always had in Lebanon and there was never much water in them.

My favourite part of this was after the water was sipped out, I went outside to my backyard and WHIPPED it on the ground for a few times, till is shattered and the outer (BIKINI) layer came off.

Best Video on how to cut (should have watched this prior to destroying said kitchen knife):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-gJC2mcebs&feature=player_embedded

END RESULT.

too much green smoothie to handle..

2011-04-01T13:05:00.000-07:00

If you live in the GTA..no frills has massive kale bunches for 1.79...SO CHEAPSIES!!

I went insane and made two giant blender fulls of pear + kale smoothie. I had 1.5 blenders full..I definitely overdid it, BUT I FEEL UNREAL NOW. My mom had the other half, which actually came out to one huge mason jar full plus some.

"getting JACKED on juice!!"

Soft Lemon Cookies

2011-03-22T11:56:00.000-07:00

SUPER EASY RECIPE.

2T almond flour: take raw soaked and dried almonds and run them through a grinder.

0.5T lemon juice

0.5T agave nectar

1 small lemon grated

Take a small spoon and mix contents in a little bowl, this makes a serving for one person.

It is delicious!! You don't have to dehydrate it, but I'm sure if you did the title of this cookie would be, "soft and chewy lemon cookies".

look at that lemon rind ribbon FAIL..haha

fruit addict.

2011-03-16T18:47:00.000-07:00

going through a grape FEST. i can't decide between the red ones or the green ones, they're both amazingg. ALSO. chinatown near school is officially selling ataulfo mangos!!! FREAK OUT!! I'm so happy :D

baking soda'd hair updatez.

2011-03-05T16:44:00.001-08:00

i love my hair with baking soda!

TIPS (so far):

-make sure you REALLY rinse well

-experiment between dusting it directly onto your hair and dissolving it in warmer water first in a bottle (and shaking it).

-section your hair off roughly into 4 chunks, and massage/scrub then rinse that way.

-use your fingers to thoroughly brush out your hair (it will dry very fast so you want it to be brushed before it does)

People talk about transition phases, I'm not sure if I'm going through one, I need to wash it every other day or else..slickness will ensue. However I am much happier with my hair falling out less this way, and being very curly, see for yourself!

Good Shampoo Recipe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8mCMyQFwm4&feature=player_embedded#at=91

SHAM-POO FREE HAIRRRz. slash CUURRLz.

Vegan Hygiene

2011-02-15T14:08:00.001-08:00

What do you use to wash your hair? I'm looking for the most natural product. I experimented with a few brands:

Green Beaver: GREAT SCENTS (lavendar and apple mint are my favourite), made lather, without the conditioner though your hair WILL turn to a matted nest of straw.

JASON: Peach scent was great, no lather, turned my hair to straw when it wanted to, some days was lush, other days resembled cardboard strands.

Desert Essence Organics: Amazing smells, minimal lather, I can't decipher ingredients but it is sulfate free, and cruelty free like the ones above.

Baking soda: No smell, no lather, gritty, felt genuinely clean, is cheap, kind of inconvenient to mix, and turn the shower off to massage, then rinse, will burn the skin around your face if not rinsed off.

Ultimately I feel the most safe using baking soda, and coconut oil to condition...if you have any suggestions I'd love to hear them! I have been seeing a theme of raw vegans not wash their hair..I don't plan on going down that route anytime soon.

did you know shampoo is the result of the two words, SHAM and POO combined...

MY NEW FAVE YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

2011-02-13T09:32:00.001-08:00

I'm in love..slightly joking. BUT actually...these guys are so vibrant, and exciting. How can you not want to try raw for yourself! They seem to follow the 811 lifestyle, it's pretty obviously working for them as their energy looks like it's through the roof, and so do some of their..muscles.

Watch their videos on their youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/RawBrahs

Gluten Free Success and Rawlicious: Raw Vegan Restaurant Review

2011-02-12T05:43:00.000-08:00

Gluten free is going amazing, and I am pretty sure your support has a lot to do with it! I feel great, and I am taking it day by day (thank you Antony, Sugar Magnolia, and Frannie). A lot of it has to do with diverting thoughts, understanding the consequences, and more importantly understanding WHY I want to remove gluten forever.

Rawlicious Cheesecake: I can't even be formal with this review, as I only tried the lemon cheesecake last wednesday night (After biology class..lamesauce). ALL I can say is that it was THE greatest raw vegan cheesecake I've ever tasted. EVER. Part of this overwhelming appraisal may be because it was my first cheesecake since being vegan (3 years), one that in addition to being dairy/wheat-free, was raw. My friend and I split one, and the waiter without thinking placed the slices on separate plates, with separate garnishes. It was perfectly creamy, and--my favourite part--NOT TOO SWEET! The crust was perfectly seeded, except I didn't like the taste, I wasn't sure what was in it, but I didn't care because the lemony upper mousse-like part was to die for..

Rawlicious

20 Cumberland St. Toronto, Ontario

M4W 1J5

416-646-0705

Price: $9 - $15 per entree/$2-$10 per dessert

Open: Mon-Sun: 11AM-10PM

yay for cell phone pics..

AGHH LOVE THIS.

2011-02-11T16:03:00.001-08:00

These two videos are beyond a doubt my favourite youtube videos in existence. I've watched these them too many times, and each time the honesty, experience and excitement is just as strong as when I first watched them!

part 1:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOP7Cd14C_k

part 2:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSLJ4o7NACA

FEB DETOX.

2011-02-08T15:53:00.000-08:00

What vice did you choose? Or still want to choose..it's only Feb. 8, that gives you LOADZ of detox time. I had chosen cooked grains and sugar, specifically wheat. I have posted sticky notes all over the kitchen that say, "NO WHEAT NO SUGAR", and they worked, until today when I had an intensely emotional incident in the morning that I totally didn't deal well with it. I went to the health food store later and bought gluten free, raw bread, had 2 pieces of that for dinner with some fresh sprouts and sunflower seed butter. Then couldn't stop thinking about the issue, and burst out into a weird craze and ran downstairs to have excuse my language. CRAP. on a stick. aka. wheat-bread. I had two pieces with agave and ran back to my room and was like, "WTFFF AMYY. What did you just do."

SOO. I'm writing about it to show you my fortress-style indestructible desire to continue with the detox. Why? Because I felt epic---(The definition refers to epic as something heroic and grand in scale or character)--without wheat and sugar in my life. I use this word freely, but trust me I really was feeling epic. I still want to feel heroic and grand so I have resolved to fight this whack crack and tell you guys about it. My first problem was that I never made a proper goal. Instead of writing, "NO WHEAT" on sticky notes, it should have been my goal. My goal is to have this out of my life. Realistically that will never happen because food does come into contact with things, people that don't eat in this way will always be present, so I think my goal needs to encompass how I deal with this as oppose to hating it, and branding it as something that should strike my heart with guilt.

Goal: Avoid wheat. (Remove emotional connection to wheat and learn to deal with situations where wheat is present.)

Symptoms of Wheat allergies, sensitivities--Check if you identify with any of these symptoms!

-bloating

-edema

-anemia

-energy loss, fatigue

-appetite increased to the point of craving

-acidosis

-dehydration

-constipation

Warming Hearty Winter Recipe #4

2011-02-03T06:30:00.000-08:00

Pure, frothy, buckwheat mylk + "oatmeal"=BEST COMFORTING BREAKFAST EVER.

-3T sprouted buckwheat

-half cup water (I eyeballed this..start with a little less and add if you need more)

-1 heaping tsp molasses (I need iron, you can add agave or maple syrup)

-cinnamon

-1tsp liquid vanilla extract

blend (i used a magic bullet), slowly pour into crystal goblet of love, while using a tea strainer (the type that fits around the rim of a mug), and pour slowly while using a teaspoon to stir a little. In between pours, removethe pulp left over, and put into a container. After straining, you have pure, frothy, DE-LISH mylk. What are you going to do with the remainder?

Take the pulp from the container and dump it back into the magic bullet. Add a little water, one apple sliced into pieces, more cinnamon and blend. Put into a bowl, add raisins, drizzle agave, AND BAM. tastes like oatmeal, is textured like oatmeal, but it's raw--and not wasteful!

stuff tastes better in crystal goblets lol.

february aka. FRESH STARTZZ Y'ALL.

2011-02-01T14:54:00.001-08:00

okay. people who blew their resolutions made on the eve of 2011, HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE.

This is partially inspired by 'Raw Food Rehab' and Penni Shelton who is focusing on the month of February to cleanse her system. You get to choose the guidelines to YOUR own cleanse plan. Will it include juicing? Smoothies? Fruits and or Greens? Penni asks in her video, "What are the big offenders found in your diet?" Pick anything, something simple, and remove it for a month. http://rawfoodrehab.ning.com/ (watch videos in the sidebar)

This reminded me of a quote by Angela Stokes Monarch (the very first inspiration for my path to raw foods):

"What you leave out of your intake completely, without exception is the way to ultimate health."

She talks about how eating raw foods in massive quantities, 24-7 wouldn't do you any good if you are still consuming damaging food groups: Animal Protein, Diary, Refined Sugar, and Processed Starches.

If you decide to join me on the cleanse for the month of February, write down in the comment's section what you're choosing to remove for 28 days and the answers to the following!

For the month of February I am removing...processed grains.

For the month of February I will add more...greens during the day-AIM FOR 1lb!

What drew me to raw food was...the healing from asthma, clearer skin, and weight loss.

From this 28 day cleanse I want to (accomplish)...lose the desire for cooked grains and experience the benefits of this lifestyle.

more inspiration from this ~~lovely~~ sexy raw vegan!

ODE TO JOY of coconut pudding, and CELEBRATIONZZZ.

2011-02-01T06:15:00.001-08:00

THANK YOU FOLLOWERS! This blog has reached 100, and I'm so grateful for your interest! There is a raw vegan restaurant, Rawlicious that opened up a second place near my school. Anyone living in Toronto PLEASE come celebrate this perfect number with me and my friends [details to come]. *http://www.rawlicious.ca/Rawlicious/Menu.html

Forecast for Toronto: Snowstorm to come overnight, currently flurry-ing, and -8˚C

Recipe of the day: 'Take me to Maui-Coconut Pudding'

-meat of one coconut-drink the water first...whilst laughing at poor Canadian drivers passing your street. MUAHAHA.

-1 ripe banana

-1tsp vanilla extract (liquid)

-1T melted coconut oil: put in a container or plastic bag and keep in hot water

BLEND. eh, voila! This is a perfect parfait topper with buckwheat/or a cheesecake base with other fruits replacing banana, AND OR. a fruit dip.

EAT THIS WHILE LISTENING TO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ1McdLKDj4&feature=related

As viewers, what other things would you like to see on this blog?

beets, plants, winter blues.

2011-01-30T06:28:00.000-08:00

hellurrr

It's a bright Sunday morning, and I improv'ed this drink, and I can most definitely brag that it was a great success. My 13yo brother and mother drank, wait no. CHUGGED it.

-1 raw beet: peeled into thin strips with carrot peeler or cut into small chunks for low grade blenders

-half a banana

-half a golden delicious apple

-3.5 large romaine leaves

-1.5 cup water

-squeeze of lemon juice

It was perfect, I'd suggest using a frozen banana, or adding ice, it was even on the sweet side with the halves of fruit, next time I'd addginger, maybe cilantro and make it more savoury.

Next to the drink in the picture is the main cure for any sadness I may have experienced this winter season. I planted arugula, and these babies just SHOT UP, I will admit, I sang to them and played my french horn to them...so I can't see myself eating them any time soon. They also have made me very happy, it's nice to see green on a gray day!

One last thing is at the bottom of my blog page there is an email you can write to with any questions, comments, etc. rawveganunistudent@gmail.com

crap pic, but this drink was SO VIBRANT. I stained my fingers nicely.

Warming Hearty Winter Recipe #3

2011-01-23T14:24:00.000-08:00

SUP.

so this is the greatest breakfast ever.. (high pitched kanye voice, EVA-EVAH, EVA-EVAH!).

-raw buckwheat: soak max 20 minutes, sprout overnight in mason jars

-add chia seeds

-cinnamon

-raisins, goji berries, coconut shavings, etc.

-more cinnamon

-ginger powder

-almond milk

-add in any amount of sprouted buckwheat

-slice bananas, add blueberries (my favourite fruit to add to this)

DEVOUR.

no seriously, you'll want to. It is truly a change from the traditional green breakfast drink, and it never becomes old. I made a chocolate version before, but hadn't thought of eating it, undehydrated. It's still crunchy ish. It's also given me inspiration for an epic raw vegan apple pie recipe! PLUS. Look up the stats for buckwheat nutrition. After they sprout, they're 15% protein! SCORE.

these were covered in an avocado chocolate mix then dehydrated, but same idea, just purer, no added/dehydrated things.

a recent picture of breakfast of 'buckwheaties' and coconut water. BTW. I HAVE FIGURED OUT A FOOLPROOF WAY TO OPEN A COCONUT. I will make a post on this later.

TROPICAL GETAWAY DRINK.

2011-01-16T07:17:00.000-08:00

The magic of agriculture, as UN-local, and distant produce may be can really make mornings (and raw vegan winters) a much happier time. For example, yesterday it was legit snow storming outside my window all morning. What did I do? Grabbed a young thai baby coconut from the fridge, HACKED AWAY, and voila, had coconut water for breakfast. This morning wasn't as gloomy, but I still wanted a tropical flavaa flaved breakfast. I blended a little water with all the coconut meat and a cup of pineapples plus a dash of salt and vanilla extract. Blended then added the remaining pineapple chunks on top. It was more like a pudding breakfast, as oppose to a drinkable smoothie. Version two of this breakfast will be coming shortly, I'm thinking PARFAIT BREAKFASTS!

if you like pina coladassss, and getting caught in the rain..

Warming Hearty Winter Recipe #2

2011-01-14T17:29:00.001-08:00

my mom's on a rampage! a pleasant one, with lots of innovative uncooking.

olive tapenade

green olives pitted

walnuts

fresh basil

fresh thyme

chili pepper

lemon juice

balsamic vinegar

olive oil

chopped/minced lightly in food processor.

yes, that's real cheese, not mine don't worry.

She also made chocolate macaroons (Sarma's recipe, not shown for obvious reasons. They're all gone), and raw slaw---picture soon to come.

Warming Hearty Winter Recipe #1

2011-01-08T12:15:00.000-08:00

Carrot Salad with Ginger-Lime Dressing

Winter Fiesta Burger over a bed of sprouts and romaine "bun"

Today a miracle was born.

In my kitchen.

My mother initiated this improvisatory/un-cooking journey. I'd call it a fiesta. We made the happiest, sunniest, TASTIEST, most EPIC. raw vegan burgers. No dehydrating, or juicing, or blending. The only kitchen tools needed are a grater/food processor that grates, a coffee grinder/blender that turns things into flour and a knife.

1 cup sunflower seeds (lightly, not too fine)

1/2 cup sesame seeds ground finely (we used tan)

1.5T whole sesame seeds unground

3T organic golden flaxseed ground

2 cloves of garlic minced

3 spring onions

3 cups of shredded carrots

2 celery stalks chopped SUPER finely

1/2 cup of parsley chopped

1/4 cup of cilantro chopped

1/2 tsp of golden curry

1/2 tsp of cumin

1/4 tsp of turmeric

one-two pepper dashes

1 whole lemon juiced

1 tsp sea salt

2 generous tbsp of extra virgin olive oil. (Lebanon-in-a-bottle kind..duh)

1/4 tsp of paprika

1.5 T organic balsamic vinegar

Grind the first 4, chop the next 6, add spices, and remainder of ingredients. TASTE TEST. Form into burger shapes, eat right away, or store in fridge for 1 day. You can dehydrate these if you want, but the flavours were just right, we (my mother and i) didn't want to risk it. Yields 16 medium sized burgers, a total time of 1 hr prep, and a cost of less than $10 to feed a family of 4, entirely for lunch including the carrot salad.

BON APPETIT!

Raw in the Winter Time.

2011-01-04T09:43:00.001-08:00

Typing this post I realized my fingers were very very cold. This is partially due to the fact that my dad thoroughly enjoys lowering the temperature in the house, Canada's icy reputation, AND my lazy spring break lounging skillz.

For some reason I find it way easier eating raw during winter months than any other time of the year. I'm not sure if this is because of winter break which allows me more recipe testing slash relaxing time, either way I know some people do not find it as easy and that's why I'm here to help! Let this post move you to building and creating your own stash. What I mean is, a giant cupboard/box/shelf/mental space of things you have compiled (recipes or foods) that will make it easier to be raw--things you can have, choose from, and enjoy.

#1: Warming Spices. DO NOT. UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF SPICES.

(I'm sure you've heard this before, but I'll do a quick review.) During winter months, using spices such as ginger, (garlic, horseradish, curry---not my fave), cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg will encourage circulation and blood flow to important parts of your body, keeping you warm. I absolutely love using cinnamon, I sprinkle it everwhere, in fact I leave dust trails of it behind me when I walk. Cayenne pepper and the other more..I'll call them harsher spices are great if you experiment first. Find out what works for you, and what doesn't. Garlic does not work for me, cayenne pepper on the other hand does. Even sprinkling the TINIEST bit in your smoothies will warm you up without overpowering the taste of the drink.

#2: Hot Drinks.

Teas, Apple Cider, Nut milks, water, shpicy soups, etc. Don't be afraid to warm up your liquids, make sure you watch them carefully, and stir on the lowest heat. It's a treat to have on a cold night, or even during the day. My favourite winter drink is made with a simple blender and a few dying apples and results in peel chips (dehydrated), apple sauce (un-strainable pulp), and "cider".

Peel and slice 4 small apples(macintosh..yummay)

1.5 cups water

BLEND.

*use a giant metal strainer/paint strainer/nut milk bag over a small pot and warm it up. This is surprisingly satisfying and perfectly sweet. ADD cinnamon, ginger, or nutmeg. THEN CHUG. (kidding...sipping is fine too).

#3: Grains...yes, grains. Did you know these are a part of a balanced raw vegan diet?

Some grains you can experiment with, (soak, sprout, and/or dehydrate) are: quinoa, raw oats, chia seeds, wild rice, buckwheat (FAVE), and millet.

Post your favourite winter drink/recipe or tip below!

Cruda Cafe: Raw Vegan Restaurant Review

2010-12-30T18:33:00.000-08:00

Gnocchi Carbonara + Flourless Sundried Tomato Wrap + Green Drink (Kale Chipotle healing soup not shown, WAS INSTANT TELEPORTATION TO SHPICY LAND)

Claudia, the owner, and Veronica, employee!

Waiting for my epic food..

Where the magic happens!

Cruda Cafe

92 Front Street East, Toronto

905-477-6501

Price: $5 - $12

Open: Tues-Fri: 9 AM to 5PM, Sat: 8 AM-5PM. Closed Sunday, Monday.

RAW FOODISTS/VEGANS/CARNIVORES/AND THE REST OF THE WORLD:

Cruda Cafe, another petit restaurant, this time in the glorious city of Toronto, ON is my new favourite eatery. This little hidden gem can be found in the lower level of the St. Lawrence Market on Front Street. Owned by the beautiful Claudia Gaviria, she makes everything from scratch, and with love. A completely raw vegan experience, you will be able to choose from a huge variety of entrees like gnocchi, pizza, nut burgers, quiches to delishhh wraps made with raw vegan pate, and flourless "tortillas", fresh salads, warm soups, and best of all desserts! My favourite is the Gnocchi Carbonara: house made dumplings, creamy rawmesan and fresh English peas with pea shoots and crispy eggplant, over zucchini pasta, and the Green Smoothie: kale, banana, sprouts, udo's oil, raw vegan protein, and E3 Live. Students and Toronto citizens alike, this place is a treasure trove waiting to be discovered. GO. DISCOVER IT!

David Wolfe's Longevity Conference.

2010-12-26T19:35:00.001-08:00

I took some notes from Wolfe's conference, the main points are listed below. As you can see I immediately took them to heart, I'm eating more pomegranate..

He basically said, if your body is out of whack in any way it is most likely caused by a hormonal imbalance between, the growth hormone, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

To rejuvenate your system the following were consistently mentioned:

-Eat cruciferous vegetables: cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, kale (my fave!), radishes, and brussels sprouts

-Include wholesome saturated fats: olive oil, coconut oil: ingested OR rub it on your skin.

-Remove any sources of RANCID oils and fats, these come from shelf items, including safflower oil, sunflower oil, hydrogenated anything, trans fats, etc.

-Use peels of lemon, lime, which break down bad estrogen in your body

-Eat steel cut oats

-Eat less, live longer, and include regular fasts

-Great sources of protein: spirulina, chlorella, hemp seeds (unaltered sources)

-Omega 3's from marine phytoplankton, fish, crill

-STOP ALL FORMS OF SOY, 2 products are equivalent to 3 birth control pills, and can significantly change levels of estrogen in your body negatively (there are 30 types of estrogen in your body btw)

-Include pomegranate, goji berries (UGHHHH delish) and flax (make sure you grind this up, or it will go right through you)

Hope this helps, incorporate one thing at a time, experiment. I am starting with pomegranates, and raw coconut oil.

pretty and red, (natural phytoestrogen)!

Seasons Greetings.

2010-12-25T15:41:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

I hope you enjoy this special time with friends and family!!

We just had xmas dinner, and are following up on one specific family tradition--Watching Home Alone 2 as a family! What are your holiday traditions??

Love,

Amy :)

Orange rindz.

2010-12-23T11:04:00.000-08:00

Tip #3: Never, EVER. underestimate the power of grated orange rind.

ok..i'm kidding, that's not the REAL tip of the day, but I guarantee it will spruce up anything you make during the holidays.Chocolate log cake? Add orange rind! Cranberry squares? Add orange rind! Mushroom risotto? Add orange rind! (It's the answer to EVERYTHING).

Real tip of the day: Keep your environment clean. It seems simple enough but having a clean room, kitchen or house really does clear your mind. My parents always say, "Your room is an exact representation of your mind!" They're usually saying that with irritation because my room is not always clean, HOWEVER. Now that I'm on winter break, I have time to de-clutter my life, thoughts and surroundings.

Recipe: SALAD with figs and apple slices and citrus ginger vinaigrette.

-spring mix (pre-boxed leaves) or spinach/romaine

-dried figs cut into pieces with kitchen scissors

-one apple sliced thinly

-raw cashews

-one carrot made into ribbons with peeler

-olives

Dressing

-grated ginger

-grated carrot

-grated orange rind

-red wine vinegar

-a tiny bit of olive oil

-2T water or more (to your desired consistency)

-half an orange juiced or one (add less water)

-grapefruit sliced (optional)

Don't be fooled. This is a big salad bowl..that might be an understatement even.

festive snow truffles.

2010-12-18T09:04:00.000-08:00

Tip #2: To avoid unnecessary weight gain from fluid retention/poundage, decide for yourself a nice time during the day that you will make your green drink (preferably more green than fruit). Another helpful point is to avoid eating once you have ~~eaten~~ devoured err' thang. Let's say it's 4PM, and you are stuffed..do not eat till the next day. Trust me, you've provided your body enough fuel most likely to last more than a day or two, give it a rest. The final point of this tip is to do exercises at home, anything you do is better than lazying around. A great walk outside in the snow will help diverge your thoughts to more serene things.

Recipe: Festive Clementine and Ginger Snow Truffles!

-2-3 small juicy clementines

-rind from two juicy clementines

-cloves (grind these separately)

-raw ginger grated

-1.5-2T raw carob powder

-2-3T raw coconut grated

-3T raw almonds, soaked

-4-5 giant medjool dates (remove pit!)

Blend in food processor (or magic bullet), freeze, then roll in coconut powder. The result will be a delicious, christmas truffle, moist, chewy, and chocolaty with a hint of spice.

Santa wants a snow truffle..

i have a slight obsession with nutcrackers.

2010-12-15T07:07:00.000-08:00

If you are reading this you may or may not be under the stress of holiday dinners, guests arriving and leaving, tree hauling and decorating and are maybe even finishing exams slash fall semester!

Every few days I will be posting a tip that will help you emerge from Christmas 2010 more or less raw. There will be some holiday recipes as well.

Today's tip: Yes, it's only December 15th, but this is a perfect day to pull out an old notebook, and write down your goals for the new year. If you start now, you will have had a a good 2 week head start than others and if not a physical head start, definitely a mental head start. To make these goals, you need to be specific with what you want. There has to be a destination, so that you take the journey.

Vague: "I want to spend more time with my family and friends this year"

Better: "I want to spend one hour a week with a different friend or family member"

To make your goal go from Better to Best, you need to think about how you're going to measure that goal. Can you measure the vague goal? No, not as easily as the Better goal.

Best: "I want to schedule in weekly times for family members and friends" There's a reference in this goal, and proof, that yes! you are accomplishing that goal.

The Recipe

Understanding that most of us are under stress, MOST of the time, either from schoolwork, work in general, and or life, reaching this relaxing time of the year may be the moment your body decides to get sick. It's been putting it off for approximately 365 days, so when you're snuggled in front of the fire with some tea, and you feel a tickle in your throat...don't freak out! Drink this instead. [I woke up feeling congested, and wheezy after wearing a peacoat on the coldest day of winter so far<---foolish: symptoms were gone in two hours after drinking this]

1 large grapefruit

3-4 leaves of romaine

1 large handful of cilantro

1 large handful of parsley

grated ginger, amount to your liking

BLEND. DRINK. REFUEL.

*a woman on the subway asked me what I was drinking, I had to explain...everyone was watching. Maybe opaque jars would work better for drinking this in public..

only a mere third of my nutcracker collection.

going overboard with sprouts.

2010-12-05T13:15:00.000-08:00

im going to start taking pics of sprouts i grow.

i will also provide a step by step, super simple way to grow your own.

what are your fave types?? mine's pea and alfalfa.

soup and salad lunch; raw stylez.

2010-11-29T12:25:00.000-08:00

-large handful of organic baby spinach

-large handful of spring mix

-handful of cilantro

-2 tsp red wine wine vinegar

-2 tablespoons evoo (hills of lebanon pressed in a bottle)

-1 medium tomato

Blend. POUR. Garnish. **sprouts works great, it's almost like raw pasta with sauce**

endives and raw ginger for breakfast.

2010-11-24T21:45:00.001-08:00

I was going to ask if it's weird to eat endives raw, in salad form, but I've been doing it for two days and am still alive, so I'm assuming it's perfectly fine. They're tasty, with a hint of shpiciness, and I have been enjoying them with evoo from the hills of Lebanon (contact me, I'll hook you up), and a little balsamic vinegar with a HUGEEEEEE TON of grated ginger.

Don't ask why, but I have been sneaking chunks of ginger from the fridge. Literally, just biting them off. Okay..not that savagely, but chewing them raw, and they taste epic! They burn, sting, then turn sweet in my mouth..I LOVE IT.

Please scroll down to admit your weird habits, akin to eating raw ginger, in the comment section below.

KELP VIRGIN.

2010-11-15T15:44:00.000-08:00

I made seaweed salad for the first time today. It was insane. I bought a pack from china town the other day, and thought I'd give it a try. I soaked it for about thirty minutes, and yes...I played around with it. It had such a WEIRD texture. It was slimy, and rubbery. I felt like I actually resurrected a giant sea monster in my kitchen. I kept pulling and lifting and these long kelp strands were just taking over my sink. It didn't smell as bad as I thought it would, and taste-wise I have to get used to it but with the list of benefits running through my mind, it wasn't so hard to eat!

Recipe

about 2 arm's length kelp strands (PEOPLE, this was one pre-packaged strand cut in half lol)

cucumber + carrot julienned or made into ribbons with a carrot peeler

1-2T maple syrup/honey/agave/molasses

1 tsp. ginger powder

2T sesame oil

2-3T soy sauce/Nama Shoyu

sesame seeds for garnish

Soak the seaweed, make sure it is rinsed from its salt, sand, and grit. Snip off tougher parts, found usually on the ends. Pat strands dry, take kitchen scissors and cut into strips, or try rolling a strand and cutting in chiffonade way with a big kitchen knife (DON'T. cut yourself)

Benefits (a smidge from the long list of benefits)

trace minerals
protein
rich source of iron, iodine
helps to detoxify and clear mind and body

SO. Bottom line, buy your seaweed, soak, snip it, (GROW A MONSTER), then show it whose boss and eat it!

IT'S PERSIMMON SEASONNNNN.

2010-11-11T07:36:00.000-08:00

My FAVOURITE fruit ever. has now. officially launched its season. How do I know this? Simply, because chinatown near Spadina and College has amazing deals.

Try, 12 for $5, or 7 for $2.

I went crazy, and of course I only have a few to take pictures of now..they've been eaten devoured. Also, I should mention that I made a new name for this fruit a few years ago, because I felt that persimmon didn't fully encompass the true textures and tastes of this fruit.

Pelatunia-singular (Can't you just taste the fruit in your mouth after saying that word??)

Kale Salad part 2.

2010-11-09T07:20:00.001-08:00

Here's another salad, I made it this morning with some things lying around.

-1 avocado (small)

-smoked sea salt

-cumin

-2T lemon juice

-optional knob of ginger

(blend these then pour over kale)

I took the kale, de-stemmed, washed leaves, then cut them in a haphazard "chiffonade" way, for ease of chewing! The smoky flavour was great in this, and if you like shpiceyness, you could add some cayenne pepper.

don't forget to massage these babies.

sprouts are crunchy.

2010-11-08T08:33:00.000-08:00

eating these like chips in the library is not such a good idea due to a high level of noise production..i've learned my lesson.

ps. a benefit for all students and people, eating raw WILL keep you awake. When I study I make sure to have fruits/vegetables and a ton of water. I've noticed that anything else, specifically grain or wheat based will cause me to fall flat on my face and go into deep sleep mode. Firstly, it freaks out other scholarly individuals in the library and second, it is NOT conducive to productive studying.

eat me.

Kale-cium Salad.

2010-11-02T10:53:00.000-07:00

Found kale in my fridge this morning, and after making an ultra healthy (aka gross) smoothie for breakfast I washed, cut and left the leaves to marinate for lunch time.

[massaged with sea salt and olive oil from Lebanon]

-raisins

-tomatoes

-tahini drizzled

-paprika

-garlic minced

November Goals [relate indirectly to this salad]: I stopped making goals for a few months, I'm not sure why BUT they're back. Goal making is a part of my life.

1) Get healthier. To elaborate, I got some blood test results and found that I am low in Iron, HOWEVER, before you start freaking out I have to explain that I haven't been on top in terms of nutrition. I realized in the past two months (since my other blood test which showed things were balanced) I stopped eating sprouts, focused only on spinach as my green source, and forgot about lentils and beans. SILLY, right? Don't mess with your health. This was a wake up call for me, (Kale is a good source of calcium).

a) These are sub-goals from number 1. Follow a prescribed meal plan. I am making a few for myself for the coming months and will post them up. It's best to do them in shorter weeks vs. longer ones. 3-5 days is good.

b) Focusing on grains/legumes that are soaked, sprouted and occasionally cooked. Quinoa, Red rice, millet, amaranth and black eyed beans, garbanzo beans, alfalfa, and flax.

c) Removal of all extra sugar sources. One of my IDOLS in the raw food world recently added animal products back into her diet. I was devastated when I found out, however I have to attribute these symptoms that her as well as others experience to excess sugar, and cacao. I love desserts, and fruit, and cookies, and cakes, and muffins, and tarts, and everything that includes sugar but I know it does have a negative affect on your system. My goal is to focus on fruit sources for any sugary desires my heart screams to have.

FESTIVE. Raw Vegan Pumpkin Pie.

2010-10-29T20:51:00.000-07:00

light, creamy, nutty, PUMPKIN-Y, CINNAMON-Y, WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT!

okay, I'm calm. Here's the recipe.

Filling:

2-3 cups pumpkin pieces (flesh, with some slimy bits too)

1 cup almond milk, a little lemon juice and water

soaked dates (1 cup)

nutmeg grated

cinnamon (tons, i love this magic dust)

dash of all spice

2 handfuls of tiny chopped apple pieces

BLENDDDDDDD.

Crust:

2 big handfuls walnuts

6 dates

2.5T water with lemon

Chill the whole pie overnight and, there WILL be extra filling from the pumpkin. Luscious...spoonfuls.

Tell me what you think. It was actually difficult to get the rawness of the pumpkin out of the flavour.

WOOOO. WOO. yah..UGHH. SO. GOOD.

look who else drinks green smoothies!

2010-10-20T20:27:00.001-07:00

CHEER UP NICOLE. You're drinking liquid energy!

Fruit Obsessions.

2010-10-20T19:14:00.000-07:00

Experiencing raspberry overdose right now. I need to justify my actions by telling you how nutritionally explosive these tiny pink things are. They contain:

-lutein (important for healthy vision)

-Vit C

-fiber

-manganese

-vitamin B2

-folate

-niacin

-magnesium

-potassium

-copper

ANDDD ellagic acid, a polyphenol antioxidant, basically fights cancer and aging. yum.

tropical flavaaa.

2010-10-16T09:48:00.000-07:00

okay, i'm sorry for the disappearance, food just hasn't been exciting enough to blog about. BUT from now on it will be.

Read this, or make this, or DRINK THIS while listening to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usfiAsWR4qU

1-2 cups pineapple chunks

2 huge handfuls spinach

water 3/4 cup

1 ripey ripe banana

ehhh, voila.

Coconut Cream Pie

2010-10-05T09:52:00.000-07:00

Crust (food processor from Coconut Strawberry Tart-March) Filling

A big handful of almonds, soaked for only 20-25 minutes

6-7 prunes, soaked for only 5 minutes

2 bigger slices of pear peeled

2 tbsn of cinnamon (I LOVE CINNAMON)

1 tbsn of raw carob powder

1 tsp liquid vanilla extract

a small drizzle of maple syrup

Filling

3 bananas

meat from 1 large coconut

1T coconut oil

This was super easy to make, one difference would be to not freeze it overnight, it tastes better when the filling is creamy and not frozen. If you know it will be eaten for guests in one night, after making it place it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!

sneaky cooked food.

2010-10-02T19:43:00.000-07:00

I had to blog about this, but lately the amount of raw food I've been eating has been slowly decreasing while my cooked food intake has been increasing. It's been about two weeks, but it all started when I went out for sushi (veggie, obviously so not actually sushi), and had inari which is tofu pockets of rice.

I'm going to be frank about what I'm experiencing, some of it may be directly related, others not, or it could all just be a combo of stress + diet. I am tense all the time, my shoulders hunch even in my sleeping position, so I've had to be conscious about that. My skin is FREAKING out at me, and I don't like it one bit. My hair is drier, my thighs are bigger--wtf. and I haven't been feeling my usual happy self.

HOWEVER. this will all change, I mean since I have been attentive I've been changing certain things. I know now one thing, that to sustain a raw food lifestyle you need to give yourself grains. Soaked buckwheat, soaked wild rice, soaked millet and quinoa, even cooked during your dinner meals will benefit you.

Usually when I feel nonchalant about eating cooked food it means I need to reduce my fruit intake because the excess sugar gives me cravings for junk. Including sprouts have helped me reverse this fruit dependence. So buy a jar, put some mesh over the top and start soaking those flax seeds and mung beans! Also, drinking unbelievable amounts of water really start re-cleansing your system. If you feel you've been dragging behind the raw food wagon, jump up, dust yourself off and introduce these things back in: water, sprouts, and cooked/soaked grains.

+ +

lol, this baby's face is jokes.

NIFTY to the extreme.

2010-09-24T15:12:00.000-07:00

Just found this item online, called Seedballz. They are a special mixture of herbs and quality humus. Plant them in pots, or in the backyard and you have an herb garden just like that! I know, not food related but for people in dorms or rooms keeping a few of these make the place look nicer and keep for a tastier meal.

http://www.catchingfireflies.com/products/-seedballz-herb-mix-seedballs-mix-%2AON-SALE%2A.html

they're on sale now at the website posted above.

New Raw Vegan Website! With Recipes!

2010-09-18T20:58:00.001-07:00

http://www.justgreenerrecipes.com/cranberry%20maple%20granola

That's my favourite recipe so far, I can't wait to try them all. Also, how are all my student friends doing, packing your lunches?? I hope so!

don't forget to make your lunches beautiful, and add some grains too!

QUESTION TIME.

2010-09-16T07:32:00.000-07:00

Spirulina or E3 Live?

Also in terms of minerals from seaweeds like dulse, nori, hijiki, kelp, arame, kombu, and wakame. Would you choose one over the other, or eat all of them?

YUHMMM.

disgusting juices will actually change your life.

2010-09-07T06:59:00.000-07:00

i repeat, disgusting juices will change your life.

let me explain. This past week I have made approximately 3 and a half disgusting juices, and not on purpose. I was just experimenting because I was a) bored and b) peckish, so instead of eating something wrong I just kept whipping out the blender. The first juice was a giant FAIL, mostly green with less fruit than my usual green smoothies. It had tons of romaine, cilantro, a few strawberries, and one peach. It was absolutely disgusting but I shoved my little dharma straw in there, closed my eyes and drank it.

The second unappealing beverage had the same kind of ingredients but with a carrot, gross. Today's disgusting juice however made me realize something I HAD to share with all of you. It had a big handful of cilantro, and parsley and huge amounts of spinach, a squeeze of lime juice and 2 cups of water. My realization after drinking this juice was that all three of these juices as unpleasant to the mouth as they were provided me with a different sense of satisfaction. They halted cravings in their tracks, and helped me stay full for hours.

One of the reasons this is huge for me is because I realized the parallel between a non-vegan converting to veganism. In the beginning people are usually told to go ahead and have those processed soy products, and meat substitutes when the true base to your diet should be raw produce. The same is when anyone converts to raw veganism, in the transition phase one of the things people are attracted to are the green smoothies that TASTE sweet but have greens in them, as well as the gourmet snacks. I think the lesson to learn is that the more raw you eat you have to balance out the greens with the sweets. If you find yourself always reaching for a banana or an apple, go for a red pepper, or a few leaves of romaine and some cherry tomatoes. ALSO. don't be afraid to rummage through your fridge and go crazy with your blender, either way whatever you make will be good for you!

Here's the other half disgusting juice recipe, it looks gross, but tastes epic..so it's only half gross!

-2-3 pieces small watermelon chunks

-one banana small

-handful spinach

-a big handful of blueberries

-ICE ICE BABY.

Lemon Coconut Mousse and Green Juice.

2010-09-02T10:27:00.001-07:00

Breakfast: mango + spinach + 2 cups water + banana

Dessert Experimentation: My goal was to make some sort of tart with the coconut filling, but it changed forms after I chilled it. The picture taken was right after I blended it, it was less dense so I felt it had taken on a yogurt-y, creamy texture. HOWEVER, after refrigerating it, it was like a heavenly little mousse that just melted in my mouth. It took two seconds to make, so try it and see how you like it, I'm sure with the refrigerated version it would make a perfect tart centre.

-meat from 1 coconut

-juice from half a lemon

-some lemon rind

-1T agave nectar

-vanilla extract, two drops

-a little coconut water to blend

-two teaspoons coconut oil

chill or eat over fruit as is.

*ALSO, this time I did not cut my finger while opening this beaut!

lemon thyme as garnish, enhanced the existing lemon flavours.

HOME FOR GOOD.

2010-08-31T07:45:00.000-07:00

I'm back from Ottawa and here to stay in Toronto for the rest of the school year. This morning was smoothie paradise with delicious ontario peaches!

-four ripened ontario peaches

-1 ripe banana

-3 ice cubes

-2 cups water

-2 big handfuls of spinach

-2 drops of vanilla extract

BLEND. and drink. It has the greatest after taste of peach and with 2 cups of water tastes more like a sweet juice than a thick green smoothie. Tip: If you have an old blender blend the water and spinach first so it's finer in texture and then add fruits one by one.

BEST 2.5 DAYS OF MY LIFE.

2010-08-23T21:54:00.000-07:00

SOOO. My happiness levels are soaring hrough the roof even though I'm slightly exhausted, and I have to wake up in a few hours for work. I just want to share this story because it shows how easy it is to get people to just TRY the raw food diet. EX out diet. make that lifestyle.

I was up in cottage country near Westport in Kingston for 2.5 days it was absolutely gorgeous, even though it rained it was just nature everywhere. I was reunited with a couple that my family has known for a while, where the woman was my kindergarten teacher. I used their blender to make green smoothies and after having to chew my leaves for the past few months, let me tell ya. It was a treat and a half. It was so funny to make these, I would serve mine in a tall glass, next to it place a smaller glass and next to that place a shot glass. AND they loved it.

Here's three pieces of advice if you are starting the raw food diet. Mimi Kirk was right when she said, you need to find the motivation that just clicks with you. You know you want to eat this way, but there has to be something about the diet that puts you in the right mindset.

1) Find a few good recipes you feel you could eat or include regularly and start incorporating them at your own speed into your daily diet. (**key: green smoothies, salad rolls, gazpacho)

2) Take a step back before diving in and do your research, and ask questions.

3) ALWAYS. ALWAYS. have an emergency, back up, back up, crisis snack box. Fill it with nori sheets, flax crackers, fruits, dried fruit belts, raw bread, sprouted buckwheat, nuts, seeds, juices, and water. You'll feel better and won't give in to temptation when you start feeling like your stomach is eating itself. Omm..nomm..nom..om?

Actually what the view from the dock looked like in the morning, but with rain.

new school year fast approaching!!

2010-08-19T14:16:00.000-07:00

I know as sad as it is for me to type this, I have to come to grips with reality. Summer is so over. I mean in t-2 weeks, but still, soon I will be writing blog posts in between essays and music practices, and running from class to class forgetting to be as healthy as I can be.

SO I HAVE A PLAN. A plan that will terminate and annihilate all chances of unhealthy snacking, and irregular meal eating, etc. I want to have three week meal rotations where on Sunday night I plan out what I need for the week, either freeze it, or store it in the fridge. I commute to my downtown university campus and sometimes I just can't be bothered with bringing lunch and dinner, and extra snacks. Which always ends up screwing me over, where I end up eating my biggest meal before bed when I get back home. Lamesauce.

I will post the meal plans here and for all you students going back to university, now's the time to exchange tips, and ideas so we can be super organized and set for September! My goal is to be about 75-80% raw. I'm estimating that to be all meals and snacks raw except dinner which can include steamed vegetables, or "Stew", including some cooked grain; amaranth, buckwheat, millet, quinoa.

Here's my rule of thumb for packing a satisfying meal:

1) FRUITS; either cut up in a container or on their own, 3-4

2) VEGGIES; either cut up in a container or on their own, 2-3

3) BIG SALAD; add some fats to this, quinoa, nuts, strawberries/orange slices

4) RAW SOUP; in a jar cold, with avocado and some spices

5) GREEN JUICE; 2 fruits: 1 veg ratio

6) RAW GOURMET SNACKS (optional); cookie/tart/crackers/dried eggplant bacon/buckwheat coco crispies/dried fruit/coconut water

ANSWERS TO MA Q'S.

2010-08-14T10:20:00.000-07:00

Thank you for all the people that helped me come to an answer about this! (Heidi from HiHoRosie, whitecosmicwizard, Jay, and Charlene.

The sodium in the dressing would explain the puffiness in my hands, I just thought this is helping me down two platefuls of greens, what could be so bad?

I used what the cafeteria here offers, balsamic vineagar, OLIVIOLA (get this: 1 part olive oil, 2 parts canola oil mixed...) and orange wedges, I ripped off the slices and put then on top of my salad. DIDN'T feel as gross, and also felt fuller with one salad..surprising.

Jay, the monomeal question is so applicable to even non vegans/raw people in determining good and bad things.

Thanks for your help, another question will be posted later on :)

QUESTION!!

2010-08-11T06:03:00.001-07:00

I need to know your opinions!

Do you think eating a KRAFT balsamic dressing with my huge salads daily affects the positive EFFECTS of eating raw? The answer I thought was initially no. considering how colossal my plates of greens are (two per meal) it has to be counteracted somehow. Then I read somewhere that strong spices, and things like onion/garlic irritate your insides and cause you to think you are not full.

What do you think??

Thanks :)

lime water. fedoras. and the month of august.

2010-08-02T08:54:00.000-07:00

i bought a new hat.

it had to be in the picture.

the POINT of the picture is to show how delicious my lime water is: mint leaves, and lime slices.

just biked a crap ton..from North York to downtown past the waterfront to Etobicoke. and all I could think about was how the six peaches blended with a banana and a head of romaine was giving me pure energy! I'm going to make some mango salad, a raw soup and some rolls.

wait out for pictures!

Mango Salad

-sliced mango

-lime juice

-cashews

Raw Vegan Soup

-one long sprig of rosemary

-one long sprig of mint

-one small tomato

-one medium sized apple peeled and cored

-2.5-3 inch cucumber

-handful of mushrooms

-handful of parsley

-tablespoon of cashews

-pinch or two of sea salt

-one slice of lime

-lime water/juice

-dash of cayenne pepper

-pinch of paprika

-pinch of thyme

-sesame seeds sprinkled on top

YUMMM.

peachy goodness.

2010-08-01T05:18:00.000-07:00

three ripe peaches

one ripe banana

1 ripe pear

1.5 cups water

1 ice cube

BLEND.

This is probably the most beautifully coloured breakfast smoothie/juice I've ever made. It looks like a melted orange creamsicle in a cup. OBVS without the loaded sugar. It's also thinner in texture, more juice like, change that depending on your amount of water used.

pictures are best taken on the hardwood floor of my room haha..

Watermelon Slushi

2010-07-25T05:32:00.000-07:00

Perfect for a super smokin, humidity heat wave like day. OR. just for breakfast when there's left over watermelon. Camille from http://rawcandy.wordpress.com/ made this a few weeks ago, I just added a few pineapple pieces for sweetness.

just think of all the flavours of slushies you could make..an infinite amount!

Post Overload. KRAZY SALAD.

2010-07-24T15:36:00.001-07:00

Take A Gander..

-avocado

-purple cabbage

-carrots shredded

-romaine lettuce

-baby spinach

-tomatoes from the garden

-cucumbers

-lemon, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt

-garden herbs: oregano, thyme, mint

BAM!

Mint Mango.

2010-07-24T05:32:00.000-07:00

I don't know why I haven't thought of this flavour combo before but it's pretty amazing.

-6 mint leaves

-almost 2 cups of water

-1 big ataulfo mango

-1 banana

-1 entire small head of romaine

*turned into a light juice like drink, add less water for smoothie effect and experiment with less mint OR spinach instead of romaine lettuce.

look at that straw. what a beaut.

drinks of the day.

2010-07-23T10:54:00.001-07:00

I'm home in Toronto now, feels amazing now that I can finally blend some things!

Morning Smoothie: spinach, strawberries, water, banana

note: lack of glass straw

Afternoon Water: mint leaves, lemon juice

note: GLASS STRAW!!

ps. note about water, forget equations just know that you should be peeing 10x daily..CLEAR.

PEACHES!

2010-07-22T08:20:00.000-07:00

bought these from a fruit stand, ONTARIO PEACHES!!

yummayy.

Glass Dharma.

2010-07-21T19:27:00.001-07:00

I finally bought one of these straws! I kept hearing about them, and thought they looked cool. It's not the greatest reason to buy it but it seems like the obvious reason is that it doesn't waste plastic or pass my pure green juice through a toxic pipe.

so beautiful..

La Belle Verte: Raw Vegan Restaurant Review

2010-07-15T22:43:00.000-07:00

La Belle Verte

166 rue Eddy, Gatineau,

819-778-6363

Price: $5 - $12

Open: Mon-Tues: 11AM to 6PM, Wed-Sat: 11AM-9PM

RAW FOODISTS/VEGANS/CARNIVORES/AND THE REST OF THE WORLD:

La Belle Verte, a petit restaurant in Gatineau, QC is possibly the cutest and most delightful place I've been too. The interior is painted shades of bright green, and as you walk in you are welcomed by the thoughtful decor, a home-y antique looking piano, high chairs, and wooden tables. Their menu boasts of both vegan and raw vegan items. Pizzas, sandwiches, sampler plates, burgers, soups and salads that come in regular and deluxe sizes, as well as a full array of desserts. I ordered a soup and salad combo that came with a choice of any soup du jour: Vietnamese Veg, La Cru: Tomato, avocado, cilantro, and Dahl: Indian Lentil with coconut milk. Choices for salads were Ceasar, Greek, something Cleopatra which included "caramelized onions", and another salad including seaweed. In addition to the combo, I ordered a green juice, which they improvised and whipped up on the spot. I'm serious, watching this juice being made, there were at least half a dozen fresh ingredients: beets, carrots, kale, parsley, ginger, cilantro, and apple. It was a bomb of tasty greenness.

For a green juice, giant salad, raw crackers, creamy avocado soup the total was $16. If you're in the Ottawa area this is definitely a place to make a trip to. Also, of importance, on a scale of 1-10 in hunger levels, 10 being starved, at the end of the meal I was definitely around 1-2, I'll call it stuffed, but not disturbed in terms of digestion!

you'd be this happy too if you ate delicious food like this..

July Goals.

2010-07-10T08:46:00.001-07:00

I KNOW I KNOW. I'm SO late with these goals. but here they are.

(Every month I make a set of goals altered from the previous months goals: don't forget to write these down and stick them somewhere where you can see them)

1) Ride on the back of a motorcycle

2) Continue eating two salads per meal

3) Sugar only from fruit + no excess grains apart from morning flax/oats

4) 3.0L of water a day: take your wait / 2 = ____ oz. needed to live/day

What are your goals? Also, don't forget to make a silly one..like riding on the back of a motorcycle, or burping the alphabet, or trying a new recipe a week, etc.

scratchy throat remedies

2010-07-04T17:32:00.000-07:00

Felt dry/itchy throat, last night, I attempted to eat this entire lemon, I only made it through about 3/4 before giving up from tooth sensitivity.

What do you eat when you feel a cold coming on?

people make fun of my giant salads.

2010-07-02T21:49:00.001-07:00

I've been eating two dinner plate sizes piled high with dark green spinach/spring mix or romaine with tomatoes cucumbers, and olives, with some dressing, and sometimes kidney beans or chickpeas per meal. I actually crave it when I'm hungry! If someone comments at the enormity of your salad, take it with pride, the benefits of eating greens increase with each comment.

Also, the secret to eating copious amounts of salads without a blender and fruit, is to find a dressing you like and stick with it, or rotate between a few favourites, AND don't forget toppings.

-onions: red, white, green

-olives

-sundried tomatoes

-sweet potato

-almonds, cashews, pistachios, etc.

-dried fruit: crans, apricots, etc.

-dehydrated vegetables

-dehydrated flax crackers

-fruits: strawberries, apple slices

-other lightly steamed vegetables.

What have you been eating too much of lately, good or bad?