Check Out The New Guide

I am so excited to announce this new guide about Raw Foods from IIN!  It's super easy to understand I am in love with it.  I want to print it out and just share it with everyone!  Check it out, it's such a great resource.

3 More Things I Think Every Raw Foodie Should Have

Green Mango Smoothie

As we all know I love a good smoothie.  Blending up deliciousness that is full of nutrition is amazing.  Today I bring you Green Mango Smoothie.  Full of yummy fruit and greens this smoothie will really give you a boost to your day.  As you look at the ingredients you may think oooo yummy until you see the dandelion.  Dandelion? As in the weed that grows in my yard? Oh yes my friends... This "weed" is so good for you we should be killing it but harvesting it! Why is it so amazing?

#1 – High in Calcium: Dandelion greens are loaded with calcium. Just one cup of chopped dandelion greens has 103 milligrams (10% of the recommended daily value) of calcium! That’s slightly more than kale! Add two to three cups of dandelion to a smoothie with calcium-rich fruits like orange, kiwi, fig or papaya and you’ll have a green smoothie that has more calcium than any dairy product!

#2 – Rich in Iron: Next to fresh parsley, dandelion greens have a high iron content. One cup contains 1.7 milligrams of iron.

#3 – Low Calories: Like all leafy greens, dandelions are low in calories. One cup of chopped dandelion greens has only 25 calories. While leafy greens are a low calorie food, I actually prefer to use dandelions because they have more calories than other greens. Since I try to get as many calories as I can into my morning smoothies, I add up to 4 cups of dandelion which adds 100 calories of nutrient-rich food!

#4 – Loaded With Antioxidants: Dandelion greens are high in vitamin A in the form of antioxidant carotenoid (beta-carotene) and vitamin C. Vitamin C also helps facilitate iron absorption.

#5 – The Ultimate Detox & Cleansing Green: If your goal is detoxification and cleansing, dandelion greens should be the ones you use in green smoothies! They are said to help cleanse the liver and many detox recipes call for them.

#6 – Lots Of Minerals: Dandelion greens are rich in minerals. Besides calcium and iron, they are a good source of copper (10% RDA), manganese (8% RDA), phosphorus (5% RDA), potassium (5% RDA) and magnesium (5% RDA).

#7 – 14% Protein: Dandelion greens have more protein per serving than spinach. The greens themselves are 14% protein and contain all essential amino acids so it’s a complete protein. One chopped cup contains 1.5 grams of protein.

#8 – Multivitamin Green: Besides vitamin A as beta-carotene (186% RDA) and vitamin C (21% RDA), each cup of chopped dandelion greens are also good sources of vitamins B1 (9% RDA), B2 (11% RDA) and B6 (11% RDA), vitamin E (13% RDA) and especially abundant in vitamin K (357% RDA).

#10 – Health Benefits of Dandelion Greens: The nutrients in dandelion greens may help reduce the risk of cancer, multiple sclerosis, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and stroke. Dandelion contains anti-inflammatory properties which may provide benefit to those with asthma and other inflammatory diseases.

I hope you will now look at those wonderful yellow flowers not as weeds but, nutritious delicious food.

I got the wonderful dandelion information here: http://www.incrediblesmoothies.com/green-smoothies/10-reasons-you-should-use-dandelion-greens-in-your-green-smoothie/

What Does A Vegan Eat For A Day

I have had a lot of people ask me what I eat since becoming a gluten-free vegan especially as a vegan who eats lots of raw foods.  So today I decided to document everything I eat to give you an idea.

Pre-Breakfast: Vitamin Water (16 oz)

Breakfast: Strawberry Mango Fruit Smoothie (32 oz)

Lunch: Homemade Gluten-Free Vegan Pasta

Dinner: Super salad with homemade Red Pepper Tomato Dressing

Snacks: pixie tangerines, dill flackers, and dried mulberries.

Tasty Tuesday: Pea Soup

I know it's not Tuesday but it is a day you could make your sweetie this super fast and delicious meal.  Enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday: Apple Cinnamon Flax Crackers

30 Days 100% Raw: Day 31 Conclusions

Well yesterday marked 31 days 100% raw and I have to say the journey was amazing.  I know I have said that before but really looking back it was.  This last week I stopped thinking so much about what I was going to eat and just ate and it wasn't hard to be raw.  I am so glad I decided to start 2013 this way.  Here what I learned:

1. Raw foods make me feel good.  Not just physically but emotionally, mentally, and spiritually
2. I learned to put my health first.  When I went on vacation with my hubby's family I stuck to 100% raw and while it wasn't the easiest thing I did it and am so glad I did.
3. Meat and dairy are not good for me.  They weigh me down again not just physically.  I find that I do not need them in my diet.
4. Strict 100% raw is not for me.  I need versatility and if that means using spices and such that aren't raw but are vegan is okay with me.
5. I need cooked food every once in awhile.  Psychologically I feel the need for cooked food and it seems right to me at this time to allow myself to do that when needed.

So what does this mean for me?  Well you are now looking at a high raw vegan.  I am not going to worry about percents because that is so hard to judge in my opinion but I am committed to eating mostly raw foods and every once in awhile eating cooked vegan food.  I am such a big fan of plant based diets that as I am going to go to school to become a certified health coach that is what I am going to promote.  I want to help others ease into eating plant based diets with high raw foods.  Now I just need to finish my book because I do think others would be interested in this story.  I think they may want some recipes I came up with and it just might inspire someone else to give this a try.  Thank you January resolution.... you changed my life for the best!

30 Days 100% Raw: Day 30

Wednesdays are always so weird for me because it is the one day per week that I work in the morning.  It completely changes how I approach eating.  Day 30 brought me:

Apples with Almond Butter
Handful of Blueberries
2 Oranges
2 Pears
Raw Vegan Nori Rolls

  Only one day to go until January is over!  Wow!

30 Days 100% Raw: Day 29

It is soooooo close to the end of this month and I cannot believe how fast and relatively easy it went!  I have learned so much about myself and I now am certain that plant based vegan diet is the way I need to go to feel my best.  Once January is over I am not going to be as strict about being 100% raw as I was for January.  I plan to eat very high raw with some cooked vegan food every once and awhile but there is no need for me at this point to set strict rules for myself on percentages.  So what did I have to eat?

Apples with Almond Butter (so obsessed with this right now)
Mean Green Soup (this is now one of my favorite go to meals!)
Dates

I didn't eat much on day 29 but that is due to lady time.  I am not hungry on day 1 of that time and usually have to force myself to eat.   That might be a little TMI but it's the truth and it can effect how and what you eat.  So there you go :)

30 Days 100% Raw: Day 27 & Day 28

I didn't blog yesterday because I was an idiot and hurt myself.  I apparently thought it would be a great idea to kick the wall and almost break my toe.  Man did that hurt.  The past couple of days I have not been really hungry.  I am so glad I did this little challenge, my body is seriously happy with me right now.  So what did I have to eat the past couple of days:

Lots of:

Dates

Apples with Raw Almond Butter

Mini Sweet Peppers with Pine Nut Hummus

Apple, Celery, and Ginger Juice

Pico de Gallo Salad

Raw Dehydrated Almonds

Oranges

Pineapple

Bananas

I haven't been into making large meals lately but frequent smaller meals.  It's worked for me this week.  I have decided my resolution for February is to work out at least 3 days a week as well as maintain a high raw diet.  Now on to Day 29...

30 Days 100% Raw: Day 26

For the life of me I cannot remember what I ate for breakfast yesterday.  I had to work at the co-op last night so when that happens I tend to forget to write down what I ate and when.  I do remember what I ate for lunch and dinner though:

Bean-Free Pine Nut Hummus on Cucumbers
Raw Pesto Crackers topped with Avocados, Sprouts, and Cucumber
3 Bananas
A couple of Dates

I was soooo thirsty yesterday and I know I did not get enough water.  We were so busy at work that I was running around the whole night.  I should have had some water before I went to bed last night but I didn't.  My goal for Day 27 is to drink more water.  We should never be thirsty... if we are it's time for water. 

30 Days 100% Raw: Day 25

We are still in a cold snap here in Minnesota and it is not fun at all.  Today I had a pretty good day... it was date night with my husband.  I am finding that I am craving some cooked food, but not the kind of food I would have craved before I started doing this.  I now know that for me meat and dairy and I do not get along very well as do gluten and I.  Once January is over if I do eat any cooked food it will be gluten free and vegan.  It will be interesting to see how my body reacts to that when I do choose to eat cooked.  I am going to still maintain a high raw diet regardless though.  So what did I have to eat today?

6 Blood Oranges
Chopped Cucumber, Tomato, Sweet Pepper, and Green Onion Salad
Garden Salad from Buffalo Wild Wings
6 Dates
1 Granny Smith Apple with Raw Chocolate Almond Butter

I can't believe that I am nearing the end!  Who knew it was going to be so educational and fast!

30 Days 100% Raw: Day 24

I had a hard time getting my act together today.  I don't know what it was, well I do have a theory.  We got a new white noise sleep CD and I had such a hard time waking up.  I am going to blame the CD because I can! Haha!  I noticed an interesting change last night.  Ever since my first miscarriage I've had heart flutters (or murmurs I guess) and a racing heart beat.  The doctors really didn't have any advice for me and said it was all stress related.  Anyways I noticed that I haven't had a heart flutter this whole month and my pulse has slowed down to a nice steady rhythm.  I really think I can thank the raw foods on this one.  So what did I have to eat on my disorganized day?

2 Apples
4 Mini Sweet Peppers stuffed with bean free Pine Nut Hummus
4 Raw Pizza Crackers topped with Avocado, Sprouts, Mushroom, and Olives
1 Navel Orange

I started this whole thing doing more 80/10/10 but I find myself going more toward veggies in the middle of the day and a bit higher fat.  I think it has to do with it being so cold in Minnesota at this moment.  My body is needing some more overt fats to help stay warm and satisfied... well that's my theory anyways.  I have been listening to what my body wants and going with it.

30 Days 100% Raw: Day 23

Yesterday was such a great day.  I felt physically good, mentally good, spiritually good... seriously I feel better then I have in a long time.  I have been starting to think about what I am going to do when February gets here.  I am going to do Raw Food Rehab's 28 Day Restart which I am really excited about.  But I am not sure what February's resolution will be.  I have time to meditate on it though so I'm not worried.  What did I have to eat today?

2 Grapefruit
1 Cucumber sliced and put on Homemade Flax Crackers and Eggplant Bacon (this was sooooo good and sooooo filling!)
Large Salad topped with a Red Pepper Tomato Dressing
More Eggplant Bacon.

I need to stock up on some fruits and veggies soon because my choices are getting limited.  I am down to greens, green onion, apples, sweet peppers, tomatoes, and 1/2 a jalapeno!

30 Days 100% Raw: Day 22

Day 22 brought about fun food day.  Sometimes playing with your food makes it fun and different.  It was a day of veggie "chips".  It's been cold here in Minnesota with having big time below zero temps.  If I can stay raw during that time I really think anyone can.  I relied on a hot shower, layers, room temp food, and tea to keep me warm and it worked out rather well.  So what did I have to eat?

2 Grapefruit
Cucumber "Chips" topped with bean free pine nut hummus and tomato
Zucchini "Chips" that I dunked in Red Pepper Tomato Dip

I took the leftover dip mixed it with some flax seeds and put them in the dehydrator.  Oh my did they turn out great (I tried them this morning, Day 23).  I also made up some eggplant bacon that's still in the dehydrator too.  I need to get a hand on some onions so I can make some onion bread and then I could make a delicious sandwich.  Oh, the raw possibilities are endless my friends and I can promise it gets easier to think of ideas as you go along.

30 Days 100% Raw: Day 21

Well I am proof that you can be 100% raw in the winter.  Day 21 brought about -30 degree temps with wind chill and I maintained a 100% raw diet through it all.  I think room temp food really helps as well as layers and hot showers.  So what did I have to eat today?

Large Mean Green Soup
Sweet Potato chips w/ almond butter
Sun-dried Mulberries (now addicted thanks to Megan Elizabeth!)
High Country Kombucha

I am so glad to be back home where I have yummy fruits and veggies to make delicious raw foods.  I am finding that I am having more energy lately and not having to sleep as much.  My digestion is starting to get back to where it was before I went of vacation as well.

30 Days 100% Raw: Day 18, 19, & 20

Well I am back from my vacation to the Wisconsin Dells.  I think I did pretty good overall, never ate cooked food, and learned a few things along the way.  Once huge thing I learned is that I cannot count on others to bring food I can eat.  I was in charge of bringing fruit and someone else to bring cut up veggies.  While they did bring veggies most of them were pickled.  I did eat some olives but they gave me some gas and an upset stomach.

I ate a lot of fruit, mostly satsumas during our stay.  I am a bit sick of them right now to tell you the truth.  Even when people were eating pizza I munched on satsumas and raw dehydrated almonds.  On our last night at the hotel my hubby ran to the store to get me some greens so I could make a huge salad.  I ate spring greens with some peppers, satsumas, olives, carrots, onion, and I cannot remember what else.  That kept me very full until that night and I wasn't even tempted at the second round of pizza they ate.

So all in all, it's very doable but do yourself a favor and bring all your own food.  That way you know there will always be something to eat.

30 Days 100% Raw: Day 17

Sometimes it's hard to believe that it's been 17 days already.  I feel like I am starting to get the hang of this.  Today I ate:

1 Grapefruit
1 Large Smoothie w/ Kale, Blueberry, Lemon, and Cranberry
4 Raw Pizza Crackers
Leftover Broccoli Slaw w/ some Kelp Noodles
2 Bananas
2 Minneolas

I feel great, satisfied and can't wait to see how this whole raw thing will be on vacation w/ my hubby's family.  I'll update you once I get back I promise!

30 Days 100% Raw: Day 15 and 16

I just realized I forgot to blog yesterday!  Sleep is still my best friend but I can sense healing taking place.  On day 15 I had an amazing Red Pepper Tomato Soup with Cucumber "chips" for dinner.  It was heavenly and something I would make again.  I have been working all week due to the fact that we are going on vacation Friday through Sunday.  It will be interesting being 100% raw while in a hotel room with my hubby's family.  I know it'll go fine but a part of me hopes I will have enough food!

Today I had some cravings for warm food.  It really didn't matter what it was but I was so cold that anything warm sounded like a great idea.  It was probably due to the fact that I had to walk home and it started raining then snowing.  I didn't partake however in any cooked food.  Instead I ate 3 bananas and felt much better.  What else did I eat today?

1 Grapefruit (I've been obsessed with these lately)
1 package of Strawberries
Broccoli Slaw with a Ginger Orange Dressing
Handful of Raw Sweet Potato Chips
Handful of Raw Potato Chips

I am still going strong though cravings do pop up now and then.  I find it is usually when I am hungry.  To help combat this I have been eating a banana or two or three and they go away.  I also took a free web class tonight on Spiritual Nutrition and Healing The Emotional Body.  It was very interesting and made me realize that as I heal myself physically I cannot forget to heal myself spiritually and emotionally.

30 Days 100% Raw: Day 14

Sleep is becoming my best friend lately.  I am in big belief my body is doing some major healing to cause this.  We heal best when sleeping so it makes sense to me.  Since I woke up so late again I got to start my day with some lunch.  Here's what I had to eat today:
1 Qt Banana Blueberry Smoothie
3 Bananas
1 Pinata Apple

I was really busy at work again so I didn't get a chance to eat dinner.  Once I got home it was already 9:30 pm and I didn't feel like making a large meal right before I went to bed.  I am hoping this sleeping in thing goes away eventually.  Here's to healing!