New Quick Salad Recipes!

Lower Blood Pressure Naturally with Hibiscus Tea

Here is a link to some of the health benefits of Hibiscus Flower Tea.

http://www.nilevalleyherbs.com/health.html

QOTW?? What is your favorite Green Smoothie Recipe?

If there is one thing that I find that keeps me balanced daily it would have to be the Green Smoothies. I have tried many different combinations over the years. I have tried such combos as spinach, banana, rasberries. And I love Kale, Pineapple. But my new all time favorite is the one I saw on this video by Jinjee Talefero from the Garden Diet. I tried it a few weeks ago and have been hooked every since.
I'll post the vid below.

So my QOTW is What is your favorite Green Smoothie Recipe?

Chickpea Salad(Eggless Salad)

Chickpea Salad(Eggless Salad)

Ingredients:
1 can Chickpeas(drained and rinsed)
1/4 cup Sweet Pickle Relish
3 TSP Veganaise Mayo
1 TSP yellow mustard
1 tsp tumeric
pinch of Paprika

Directions:
Pulse all ingridents in a food processor with exeption paprika till there are minimal chunks left. Then pour in serving bowl and garnish with the paprika.

Serving Suggestions:

You can eat it on a slice of Ezekiel Bread with some thick cut tomato and lettuce. You can also try it with your favorite crackers or cut raw veggies like a dip.

It keeps in the fridge for about 4- 5 days.

Laxative Effects of Okra!

Okay so I love all vegetables right. And since exploring a raw food diet I have been trying certain vegetables that I wouldn't normally consider raw. Being a Southern Girl at my roots I was curious what Okra would taste like raw. Well I must tell you it taste better raw than it did when I used to eat it cooked. But one thing I did not expect when eating it was that within 30 minutes or so I would feel a rush of pressure to go eliminate. LOL! I know TMI but this is about transparency. It took me a minute to figure out why I felt the way I did. I mean its not like I had some Senna Leaf Tea or Smooth Move. But I remember a while back I was reading on of Queen Afua's books and she mentioned that Okra can be taken as a natural laxative. I didn't believe it at first but now I know it to be true. The best part about it is that its not some strong herb. Its just a plain raw vegetable. Nature has a way of getting things done doesn't it.

Since I am a nursing mother I am always cautious not to take in things that would cause a quick cleanse. That is why I don't take any herbal laxatives or go on any extended fast. With the Okra I didn't notice any changes in my babies bowel movement schedule at all. So it was very safe. But do remember like with anything it affects every body differently.

I prepared it by just chopping off the ends like a carrot and slicing into circles. Then I sprinkled some kelp on and a splash of low sodium Tamari sauce and it was good to go. Plain taste fine also.

QOTW?? What is your favorie Bean or Legume??

One of my favorite beans or legumes is the most versatile there is and that is the Chickpea or in some countries the Garbanzo Bean. It is an all time favorite for our family. I mean eat it raw or cooked. Its great. Rather it is in hummus or made Paneer style with some Indian Spices and Spinach its all great for me. I mean it is definitely high up on the list for staple foods in this house. Its been a long time favorite. This week I will be sharing some of my favorite recipes using chickpeas starting with my Quick and Easy 5 minute Hummus. So the Question for this week is What is your favorite Bean or Legume?







Quick and Easy 5 Minute Hummus

Ingredients:

1 16oz Can Chickpeas(drained) or 1 1/2 cup soaked and sprouted(raw)
3 TSP Tahini(ground sesame seeds)
1 lemon(juiced)
1 clove garlic(minced)
1 TSP Salt
3 TSP Olive Oil
1 tsp Paprika(garnish)
1 Sprig of Fresh Parsley(garnish)

Directions:

Blend all ingredients in a food processor except for paprika and parsley and until smooth. Add pure water for desired smoothness. Serve in bowl garnished with paprika and parsley. You can also drizzle extra olive oil.

Variations:

Add:
Roasted Red Peppers
Sun dried Tomatoes
Roasted Eggplant
etc...

Changes!

I know its been a while since I posted on this blog. The short version of why is simply I haven't been living my best life when it comes to my health and eating habits. I feel so far from the mark it wasn't funny. And I began to feel like who am I to give anyone advice on how to stay healthy and eat well if I couldn't do it myself. Some of the problem came from financial retraints and the rest was pure defeat. You can get caught up in feeling defeated by the goals you set for yourself sometimes that you can actually cause yourself to fail just from the way you are thinking.

Well I am back and I have changed my mindset. I do have something to offer the world. Based on my own trying experiences I think it truly qualifies me to help others on there personal health journey suceed for the long haul simply because I know what not to do.

Changes

So some of things you can expect from this blog from now on are more tips on transitions into healthy raw organic living. Rather than jumping in head 1st into a 100% raw vegan lifestyle just for the sake of telling everyone I am 100% raw is simply unacceptable. From here on out smooth and easy longterm lifestyle changes is the goal.

I will also try to make updates on this blog at least once a week to check in with recipes, tips, advice, insight into my own personal health journey, and so on.

I also have an ebook coming soon here on Raw S.O.L that I will release for free with all my answers to FAQ in the past 3 years. So keep a look out for that.

QOTW- Question of the Week is something else new I want to try out here at Raw S.O.L you can even do a video response. People love vids.

30 Days Back to Basics Raw Food Challenge: Day 5 pt 2

30 Days Back to Basics Raw Food Challenge: Day 5

Today I started out very strong. I Broke Fast(breakfast) with a Rasberry Mint Orange Juice with the childrens. I was finding it difficult this week to find things that my 2yr old son wanted to eat. He seemed to want to live off of trail mix, dates, and oranges. He didnt seem to want anything green other than an avocado. And doesnt seem to want much smoothie either. So that was a bit challenging. But I chop it up mostly to him being a typical 2yr old than to what we are eating cause these foods are not new to him. I just have to stay on my creative game and keep offering a variety of things to him to see what he likes right now. Other than that I ended up making a Purple Kale Salad for lunch with red bell pepper and apple. That was good and I ate that with some sliced cucumbers and tomatoes with a couple of kalamata olives , fresh dill, and lemon juice. It gave me that Lebonese Salad kind of feel. I also had a side of Clover Sprouts. I have been trying to get my sprouts in as much as possible We cant forget our Living Foods. They hold an abundance of lifeforce energy. Later that day We to a Salad Bar Restaurant and ate some soup and a baked potatoe. I got an instant headache and it eventually led to a rapid elimination(trying not to get to graphic). I dont know why I decided to eat that cooked food today but I can say that I will be back on track in the morning. On a more positive note that swelling in my left armpit that I spoke of in my 1st video of the challenge seems to have subsided some. So the waste seems to be draining. I have to keep on the challenge and see it through till the end and see how things feel after that. I also did some Yoga and that felt good. I really feel like it opens up your lungs and gets your circulation flowing. I think I might try to do a little bit of Yoga each day through out the remainder of this challenge.

30 Day Back to Basics Raw Food Challenge: Day 1

Carrot Raisin Salad with Walnuts and Vinaigrette

Marinated Kale Salad with Sun dried Tomatoes and Onions

Here is How the day went:

Breakfast- Coconut Water

Work Out- 1 mile on treadmill

Mid Morning Meal- Fresh Orange Juice

Homeschooled the Kids- They grazed on Fruit as they wanted to. They had apples, bananas, oranges, raspberries, and black berries

Lunch- Nori Roll( cucumber, clover sprouts, tomatoes, and red bell pepper) I ate it with a dipping sauce I made with:

Nama Shoyu

Raw Honey

Grated Garlic

Grated Ginger

I made a nut and raisin treat( sesame seed, flax, golden raisins, Brazil nuts, walnuts, shredded coconut and honey.)

Dinner- Kale Salad and Carrot Raisin Salad

I drank Water throughout the Day. In between meals.

That is the key to not feeling Hungry is Water.

30 Back to the Basics Raw Food Challenge!

This time around I am going to shoot for a whole 30 days of eating 100% Raw and living foods. The big differences in this time than the last few times I have attempted to eat a 100% Raw and Living foods diet is that I truly have my health on the front burner instead of taking a backseat to things like Weight loss. Dont get me wrong I am hoping to shead some pounds during this 30 day Challenge but its mostly about getting my body back in alignment. I want to be able to run around with my 3 very energetic children. Lets get down to business. I know you are wondering what the Back to the Basics 30 day Raw Food Challenge is all about. For the next 30 days I will be eating nothing but Vegetables, Fruits, Nuts, and Seeds, and of course plenty of water. That why I call it Basics. There will be no Gourmet Raw Cheese Cakes, and Deydrated treats and goodies. There will be no sprouted Grains. I am just eating the old fashioned way(Genesis that is) LOL! I will be keeping my thoughts and food journal here on my blog as well as a continous update on my Youtube channel.

I'm Back!!

Its been a while since I last blogged. I just gave birth to my 3rd child. She was born Feb 23rd 6lbs 10 oz girl named Marley Rose. At this point it has been about 6 weeks since my last update. I made a video let you know what I have been up to.

Enjoy

Raw Carob Pudding Cups!!

Here is the recipe for the pudding. It is very quick and easy. You don't even have to use a food processor if you dont want to. You can save energy and just add ingredients to a bowl and mash with a fork then sturr w/ a spoon till smooth. For the children just get yourself some individual containers and its better than JELLO that is for sure.



Raw Carob Pudding Snack

2 Ripe Avocado(pitted)
1 Ripe Banana
2 TSP Raw Carob Powder
1 TSP Coconut Oil
1/4 cup Agave Nectar(or to taste)


Blend all ingredients in food processor till smooth. Refridgerates for 2- 3 days.

Hitting the Wall w/ 100% Raw!

Part 1




Part 2

Walnut Meat Taco lunch!

Here are some pics of what me and the kiddos fixed up for lunch the other day.

Day 10 Grocery Budget Since Raw

Grocery Budget Since Raw
Family of 4

As of Day 10 we have spent Approximately 190.00 on our produce. Which has been almost 100% organic which the exception of a few items.

Our Budget on Vegan cooked was somewhere around 100.00 to 150.00 per week for a family of four and that was only buying about 50% organic foods.


The organic does make a difference. I feel like I am getting more nourishment from the organic produce as well as more flavor. The conventional doesn’t sustain me as long as the organic does.


So People love to ask is the Raw and Living Lifestyle worth it cost wise.

I must say my answer is YES! The health benefits out weight the cost. Also now we are spending less money on dietary supplements, herbs, and teas to maintain our health on a cooked diet. That money now gets allocated to the fresh produce budget. We also don’t eat out anymore (Somewhat due to the fact that the only raw restaurant in the area is 45mins away) so that money goes back into the pot for to cover other expenses as well.

I also notice there has been minimal produce waste since going 100% raw. Everything is being used and eaten before spoiling unlike when we were cooked vegan some of the fresh foods would turn on use before used.


People have been asking the question:
What are your mainstays or staple foods on a raw and living lifestyle?


Greens
Always Organic

Spinach
Kale
Swiss Chard
Romaine Lettuce

Fruit
Apples
Oranges (bulk)
Bananas
Blueberries or other fresh in season berry
Avocado
Tomatoes
Young Thai Coconuts (bulk)
Lemons (bulk)
Dates (bulk)
Raisins

Veggies
Celery
Cucumbers
Red Onions
Zucchini
Olives (don’t buy all the time)
Sundried tomatoes (last for a while)

Fresh Herbs and Spices
Celtic Sea Salt (don’t need to buy often)
Dulse Flakes (don’t need to buy often)
Dill
Basil
Parsley


Nuts and Seeds
Don’t need to buy every week

Sunflower Seeds
Walnuts
Brazil nuts
Almonds

Sea Veggies
Nori sheets
Wakame or Arame
Spirulina Powder (last for a while)

Oils and other
Don’t need to be replaced often

Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Coconut Oil
Olive Oil
Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

Day 8 100% Raw! 1 week of Sucess!!

Here is a new recipe of the fam that we will be adding to our favorites. It is from Jennifer Cornbleet's book " Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People". www.learnrawfood.com


Zucchini Hummus

1 zucchini peeled and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons raw tahini
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic( l clove)
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt


Place all ingredients in a food processor fitted with s blade and process until smooth. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Stored in a sealed container in the refridgerator. Zucchini Hummus will keep for five days.



I did have to double the recipe for my family and I added a little more paprika.

Day in the Life of My Raw Children!

I know a lot of people wonder what to feed there children on a raw vegan diet. Mostly its about getting in essential nutrients for growth and also making sure it is something they will actually eat. I will give you an example of what a day might look like for my children when practicing a 100% raw diet. Keep in mind that my children are only age 4 and 2.


Early Morning 2 oranges
1 grapefruit


Midmorning Almond Milk Shake

1 cup of soaked almonds
4 cups water
pinch of celtic salt
2 pitted dates
- blend until smooth 1 min to 45 sec
- strain through cheese cloth or nut milk bag
- put milk back in blender and add the following:

1 frozen banana
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of cinammon
- blend until smooth serve immediately
- yields 2- 3 servings


or Coconut Milk Shake

1 young thai coconut meat and juice
1 banana
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon

- for chocolate shake add a few tablespoons of raw carob powder

or

Green Smoothie

1/2 bunch Spinach
2 Ripe Bananas
hanful of fresh berries
water to blend





SNACK


bananas
apples
oranges
dates
other in season fruits
1 pk of raisins
handful of goji berries
prunes
or raw baby carrots




LUNCH

Guacamole

2 ripe avocados
1/2 tomato diced( heirlooms are best)
pinch diced red onion
1/2 lemon or lime juice
1 teaspoon of dulse flakes
1 teaspoon celtic salt
- mash until desired consistancy
- optional ingredients are fresh dill or cilantro, or a sprinkle of spirulina
- can be eaten wrapped in romaine lettuce leaf, flaxseed cracker(mexican flavor), or Kale Chip
or

Green Salad w/ lots of tomatoes cumcumbers and sprouts



DINNER

A gourmet recipe or dessert



Another coconut drink or

Green Smoothie
1 handful of spinach or a few kale leaves
4 cups of water
1 mango or handful of fresh berries( frozen works too)
1 banana
cold pressed extra virgin coconut oil ( organic if possible)
1 teaspoon spirulina
- can add raw agave nectar for sweetness or dates






Although it doesn't sound like a lot of food it is very filling. You assimilate way more nutrients when you eat food with the enzymes still intact. My only suggestion when children eat this way is to make sure they can get physical activities in or else they will be wired and you will feel as though they are bouncing off the walls.

Raw Carob Brownies!!

This went over quite well with the children. My daughter helped me make them. the best thing is I didn't have to worry about her being next to a hot stove cause we didn't use one.



Raw Carob Brownies

1 cup Walnuts
1 cup pecans
1/3 cup Almonds
6 dates(pitted)
1/4 cup Agave Nectar
1/3 Raw Carob Powder
1 lemon(juiced)
1 TSP Coconut oil
optional: 1 tsp Spirulina powder or Hemp powder


Place all ingredients in food processor. Blend until all big chunks are incorporated. The mixture should resemble fudge in consistancy. Speed mixture into a square glass baking sheet lined with wax paper. Freeze for 2 hours. Pull out brownies in wax paper over onto a cutting board and remove wax. Slice into desired shapes and size. Store in an airtight container in the freezer if there are left overs. I doubt there will be once you taste them. Enjoy! Yummy!

Day 6 100% Raw!!

DINNER





Here is the social network I grabbed tonights dinner recipe off of. http://lifeit.ning.com/ We improvised just a little with it. We didn't add the lemon juice and instead of grandulated galic we used fresh grated garlic. It was great over a bed of salad greens. Here is the recipe video.