The Most Powerful Kitchen Machine: The Vita-Mix

If there's 1 kitchen appliance you just can't live without when trying to eat healthy, it's the blender. Raw foods and Superfoods are easy to incorporate into your diet when you can just toss them into a blender, whip up a great shake, and have it as your meal. Blended food is much easier to digest, breaking down the cell walls of a food allowing it to be readily absorbed and utilized by the body. Just a regular ole blender can do all that..

But, the Vita-Mix (VM) can do all this and so much more! It's really 10 machines in 1 - therefore replacing many other appliances (saving you money, time, and effort). On the slowest speeds - 1 through 6, is where you do your food processing (chopping, mincing, dicing). Turn it up to 7 through 10 and you can make cake batters, pancakes, brownies & cupcakes. Crank it to HIGH (which overrides the dial) and you'll get a fresh whole food juice in 60 seconds. Different than a juice extractor, you get to keep and consume the pulp and fiber of the whole food. I am a major fan of juicing, but I believe juicing both ways, with the VM (whole food juicer) and my awesome Breville Juicer (juice extractor), is ideal. With the VM you can even use the seeds, stem, core, and skin of fruits and vegetables, and it will liquefy leaving no trace behind. A good rule is: thin skin is 'in' (edible), and thick will make you sick (banana peels, melon rinds - watermelon is okay but may have a strong taste), orange peel - but eat as much of the white pith as possible for extra Vit C, calcium, and bioflavonoids).

Now, if you let that juice run for a couple minutes without adding ice first, you'll eventually make a delicious fruit syrup, because the longer you let it run, the warmer the contents get. There is no heating element, it just heats by friction, so you can prepare HOT soup made with fresh, raw vegetables in less than 2 minutes. You can put cold water in the insulated container (only blender container with NO BPA in it!) it will come to a rolling boil (if run on HIGH) in just 7-8 minutes - it doubles in temperature every 2 minutes while it's running. If you had lots of ice (2 parts ice to 1 part liquid), you can make healthy, raw, homemade ice cream, margaritas (if you're indulging) or snow cones in a cold breeze. Cleaning is super easy because you don't need to take it apart, there are no filters or screens - just add soapy warm water, blend for 5-30 seconds, and rinse. No more fighting over who gets stuck doing the dishes from now on!

The Vita-Mix is a 2.1 horsepower, similar to a small lawnmower (wow), whereas a regular blender is just a quarter horsepower.. so 8 times more power! The VM is 1400 watts and 37,000 rpms (compared to 400-500 watts of a regular kitchen blender maxing out at 12,000 rpms). You never have to worry about burning the motor out as there's a thermal detector, so it will turn off if it overheats (highly unlikely with the new 5200 version) and you can re-start it once cool. The blades are already dull so you don't even need to worry about ever sharpening the blades (ever), you just rely on the power and strength of the motor to do all the work. Consumer Reports named it the #1 blender and Maxim Magazine ranked Vita-Mix the 'Best Buy' compared to others such as Blendtec, Breville and Oster! The VM is the most used commercial blender in the country and the #1 bar blender (used in hundreds of well-known juice cafes, smoothie shops, restaurants, and even fast food joints) It has on average a 20-40 year lifespan, but if you continue to eat living foods there's no need to worry about it out-living you.

I'm extremely grateful to be working with this company now because from the testimonials I hear and my own personal experience (I've owned one for years), the Vita-Mix is the 1 machine that the health conscious crowd can't live without. I'm all about sharing what I do to make eating this way practical and exciting, and this is yet another way I can educate others on the benefits of raw, living, organic, green, juicy plants. They've just started to offer a travel bag, so you can even take it with you when you travel. I'll be doing demos throughout the NW (and some national shows) - if you're in this area and would like to get the very best deal on a Vita-Mix, email me and I'll let you know the upcoming show schedule.

Some favorite links on the Vita-Mix site:
Green Smoothies and Raw Foods

My apologies for not posting a blog over the past couple weeks while I was in the 10 day VM training.. between the long trainings and preparing for this weekend's Seattle Green Festival, I've been less attached to the laptop than normal (somewhat of a good break though) and unable to sit down for more than 5 minutes to write!

Attracting Everything You've Always Wanted

I see evidence every day that the Law of Attraction is working on my behalf to create the life I am here to live. To support the changes I'm experiencing in my personal and professional life, I've been immersing myself in the Law of Attraction material around the clock. The general idea of this belief system being that the more often you think certain thoughts and the more attention you give to each one that comes through, the more likely it is for them to manifest. In the car, I'm currently listening to the free CD that came with the book I just bought, Money and the Law of Attraction, which is really just 1 of several books on the Law of Attraction worth checking out. The words that are spoken in this CD seem to have me nodding in acceptance, acknowledging these truths, with an understanding of the thoughts I must put more attention to - all to get to where I want to be. FYI: This CD/book is not just about finances and is relevant to multiple areas of life.

Nothing that you're living is just happening to you; we are not victims of our own life or circumstances - our life, and perception of our reality, is a direct response to our thoughts and the pattern of thoughts that we're constantly repeating and telling ourselves. Therefore, to create the life you want to live, there must be a deliberate creation of the life you want. It seems obvious when I heard it on the CD and read it in the book, but you must start telling a different story if you want things to change! Tell your story the way you want your life to be. Magic just might start to happen. Have blind faith.. what's the worst that could happen?

I love this quote taken directly from the CD: 'You will never again beat a negative drum and not have conscious awareness of it - and that is such a good thing because you cannot choose something that feels better, until you are aware of what you are choosing.' I compare this to eating raw foods and Superfoods because I believe we actually do have control over our health, body, and quality of life, and that once we have the information, we can no longer make naive choices about what goes into our body. More often than not, you just can't go back (long-term) to the old ways once you know and you're on the other side of the tracks - it would go against who you've become and wouldn't feel right. Now it's time to apply this same perspective to the areas in need of improvement.

As I live and breathe this living foods lifestyle and it's become so natural for me without exerting much effort to maintain (a blessing in itself), I can relate to those who have yet to arrive, as this newer way of thinking is not my default thought process every minute of every day. Interestingly, living foods and Superfoods play a vital role in allowing who I am to be fully expressed; they heighten my self-awareness and allow the shift to intentional thinking to be made with greater ease. When we eat food that is alive, at some point down the road, we are faced with looking at our old self, and as time passes, layers of the past shed off literally creating a new person (mind and body). Our potential as a vibrant being becomes more clear and recognizable, and begins to manifest. Now imagine if you combined all this together.. living foods and practicing this deliberate vibrational thinking.

For many years now, I've been contemplating sharing a part of my personal life that was key in bringing me to where I am today. One of the first blog posts of the Healing Raw Beauty Blog I even wrote about my desire to do this! I wondered how to best offer this, knowing it would provide the feeling of relief to me and hope for others. Coincidentally, at Raw Spirit Festival 08, I happen to have a booth located near a guy who was selling the super cute Thank God I'm Raw t-shirts. He mentioned this book series he was a part of, with stories from authors who had triumphed after extremely rough circumstances and experiences, and on the other side of the pain found a greater sense of self, and hope, waiting for them. Relating this to the Law of Attraction, in my interpretation, I put it out to the Universe that I've been wanting to do this and my thoughts have been on finding the most appropriate way to do so. Apparently, the Inspired Authors, LLC feel there's no better time than the present and I will write my story for the 3rd volume of the Thank God I series that will be released at the end of 2009. Wow! I'll be a published book author in less than a year! I am not releasing my chapter title until the release date gets closer (anticipation!). To me, this is just one example of the Law of Attraction working its magic.

I definitely recommend picking up this book and listening to the free CD, but only if you are really ready to take control and create the change that may just revolutionize your entire way of thinking, thus resulting in living your best life ever. What has been your experience with this way of thinking? What have you been able manifest as a result of changing your thoughts?

Using Herbs to Eliminate Nutrient Deficiencies

I'm asked every single day about vitamins and minerals and how optimal daily needs can be met. Most want to find an inexpensive way to remedy deficiencies and fill in the gaps between their refined sugar, caffeinated energy drinks and lifeless Healthy Choice frozen meals. How can we address and resolve this question?

One day a week I work at an 'integrative' pharmacy (that's another post) and my genuine heartfelt response to the vitamin/mineral question is to refer them to herbs and medicinal teas. It's unlikely the corporate pill-pushers want me around because of my minimal contribution to rising synthetic supplement sales! When people have a real need, I try to convey what was already present prior to the convenience of vitamin shops, supplements, and pills. Beautiful Nature - herbs, plants, roots, barks, greens - we have been given all that we need to keep our body emotionally, psychologically, and physically balanced and resilient. However, some have been steered so far away from a natural diet by a culture constantly whispering in our ear that 'food' comes in a box, can, or package, all of which is in an adultered state. Supplementing has become a perceived magic bullet to remedy the detrimental effects of processed and refined foods the people I talked with won't live without (cooked addiction).

I would much rather be unconventional and eat raw and living foods, build resilience with adaptogenic herbs, and reach superior health with superfoods. In my conversations with these desperate individuals (this is not a judgment, it's the reality of what I've witnessed), I think my approach comes across quite clear through the passion in which I talk, but most people really just want the short answer, quick fix, and to be on their way to Starbucks. I may be a poor synthetic supplement salesperson because I honestly want for others to grasp the enormous potential of pure food and superfood boosted living. I've been told countless times during my Superfood Education sessions (whether at HealthForce demos or in Healing Wellness Programs), that I can sell absolutely anything - if I wholeheartedly believe in it. To me, that's not selling - that's sharing and healing.

In Mountain Rose Herbs' January newsletter, there was a phenomenal article written titled 'Just Say No to Synthetic Vitamins and Processed Foods!' and I really recommend you read it. I love that this information is available to us! It's just a matter of making ourselves aware, keeping informed of the truth, and following the ancient herbal wisdom.

My favorite herbal remedy is a delicious thirst-quenching blend I call Stunning Skin Medicinal Tea. This inexpensive blend includes nettles, alfalfa, horsetail, burdock root, noni, oat straw, and red clover blossoms. This is also the blend that I use to infuse the organic olive oil I use in my Body Silks. As you'll read in the article link above, these herbs offer a broad spectrum of vitamins and minerals - all in a highly bioavailable form our body recognizes and therefore absorbs. You'll replenish your reserves of vitamin A, B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B5 (panothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B12 (cyanocobalamin), and vitamin C, D, E, and K. Minerals, such as calcium, chromium, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, potassium, selenium, sulfur, and zinc, are abundant as well. Who would have thought?

Cultivate health by adding herbs:
- as an infusion steeped overnight (add hot water to small handful of herbs and steep 6-12 hours for maximum potency) - it doesn't taste like medicine, but it is medicinal
- as your smoothie's liquid base - immensely healing
- as an herbal hair rinse in the shower
- in the bath (small muslin bag of herbs draped under spout) - soak and absorb the benefits through your skin
- in homemade skin care formulas in place of flower water (as the liquid part of a clay masque)

I typically make the tea every few days, store it in fridge, and enjoy it in these ways throughout my week. Comment on your experience and results! Do you use herbs in any other way?

Bethanne's Intentions/Opportunities 2009 (Part 1)

New opportunities are coming at me left and right, and I'll lay much of it right here so we can see what I'm up to these days together!

1) I've just organized the brand new Seattle Superfood Nutrition Meet-up Group and am amazed at the amount of members flocking to sign up! I'm not sure why, but I had been procrastinating creating this group (fear of .. ?) - and now that I have, I'm elated to see all of us join together in honor of the best foods on the planet (Superfoods, of course)! It's REALLY exciting right this very minute as the emails pour in for new member sign-ups!! Woo hoo! This seems to be an ideal way to build local community, share what I do, and meet more like-minded friends. We'll treat ourselves to my personal fav chocolate blendies, raw cacao desserts (superfood fudge, for sure), shots of Gold Rush, superfood snickety-snacks, and marine phytoplankton, until we drop. All creations will be homemade, raw, organic, superfood-loaded to the rim, and beaming with beauty! Check out the link and join us for our 1st Meet-up on Sunday Jan 25, at my house: http://www.meetup.com/Seattle-Superfood-Nutrition-Meetup-Group/.

2) As a holiday gift to myself, I joined the Elements for Life Superhero Team! I watched the 2 videos and immediately knew this was THE opportunity that would mesh perfectly well with everything else I am doing. It was an obvious decision for me: I eat superfoods every day and therefore much appreciate getting them at wholesale (who says you can't save mass cash on a raw/living/superfood diet?). The site created just for Superheros (distributors) is off the hook. I have the same giddy excitement about this as when I first began to eat high raw - (swimming in raw food nutrition books and uncookbooks, etc) - it all just feels really right. For me, this dream opportunity of starting a Superfoods business makes complete sense - another stream of income with huge possibilities, working with the Avocado himself, and the blessing of having the top Superdogs take care of virtually everything (entrepreneurs will tell you that it's the minor, yet required, time-consuming daily tasks that slow things down, until you are out-sourcing). I don't have to worry about any of that .. and I get to share the best foods in the world and watch how it changes THEIR world. That's priceless! I'll post a thorough review of Elements for Life and the life-affirming products soon! To read more Superhero goodness: www.HealingSuperfoods.net

3) Beginning at the end of this month, I am officially a student again! I joined Karen Knowler's Raw Food Classes Home Study Program and cannot contain my EXCITEMENT! Another decision, based on an inner knowing that this is perfect for me and will bring me to the next level as an Educator. The Program is all about learning to teach raw food classes - definitely something I've been looking forward to for some time and now with the proper guidance and technique ... I feel golden (especially with the addition of #4)!

4) To continue learning from Karen, this next program that has presented itself is called the Raw Professionals. This could very well be 'the' thing that tips me over the edge. To have this come into my life, business coaching with a raw foods coach (and not just a raw foods coach, but THE UK's Raw Food Coach), is literally what I've been asking for. Enough said. Ask and you shall receive. Believe it people!

5) After wrapping up the end of the year programs, I now have 5 openings available for my Healing Wellness Programs - either the 21 Day Turn-Around or the 90 Day Knock-Out. Because it's that time of year when everyone makes resolutions and doesn't stick to them, I am making it my mission to make sure 5 of you DO stick to the goals you set for 2009 and help you to start off on the right track. The Special New Year, New Intention Discount is a whopping 25% off either program. Only 5 people will be accepted to begin work in January. Refer to this blog post when contacting me to receive your discount.

Which one of these am I most excited about? As I listed these off, I'd think 'ooh, ooh, this one!', but really it's all of them for so many different reasons! It's like the universe has thrown at me the very best, top-notch opportunities and they've landed right in my lap. For 2009, I see a very bright future regarding my contribution to the raw foods and superfoods movement. And the best news? This is just the 1st half of the list (Part 1)! The 2nd half will be heading your way in just a few short days.

Winter wonderland survival

Although many would believe that eating raw foods in the winter is a hard choice to make, I like to prove otherwise. Actually, my full commitment to raw and living foods kicked off in the middle of last year's cold blustery winter. The reasons many 'go raw' didn't apply to me at this time: the need to lose weight, regain health, increase energy, eliminate sickness .. the list goes on. For me, it was a deep emotional pull that blew me away; however, my body literally wouldn't allow anything else to enter it (doesn't it always know best?) during this time of deep emotional and life transition. I remember thinking what odd timing it was for my body to drag me into this (it was very much an unconscious decision). And so the journey began.

I really prefer not to focus on the percentage of food I, or anyone else, is eating raw, because from what I've observed (and mutually shared in conversation with many other women), is that this can create a sense of not doing enough, among feelings of guilt, frustration, and failure. Percentages, numbers, and counting anything in regard to food can also possibly lead to disordered eating, especially with women. You need to read labels for one reason only: know and understand the source of your food (what is in it?). The more you focus on a number, the more you become disconnected with your body (because it then becomes about something else), and it's innate wisdom of guiding you to the best choice. I've wondered how one arrives at a percentage anyway? For me, I just know that I eat mostly raw and living organic food, with some exceptions (so is that 95% .. 99%?!). It seems absurd to claim a percentage and feel obligation to stick to it. Rules need to go out the window; we need to be flexible and do what FEELS best - doesn't that make sense? I suppose it's easier to know your percentage of raw the closer you are to 100%, but that number scares a lot of non-raw foodists away, and I believe this may be a reason they don't embark on the raw roller coaster ride in the first place (this was one factor back in the old days that made me hesitant - it was a perception that if I didn't do 100% all the time, I wouldn't receive the powerful transformation). Now that I know otherwise, I like to share my opinion.

I've always been one of those people that feels cold, especially on my hands and feet. I could be on a warm sunny beach, the wind could blow, and I'll feel cold - that's just how it's always been. I've read this has to do with circulation and/or the thyroid, but I disregarded this because my weight is ideal and there's no reason to believe my circulation is suffering. If you are an expert reading this and are thinking, 'I know what that's all about!' - please get in touch. I've heard a few raw food teachers and well-known advocates talk about how after a few years on raw they were able to get through a cold winter very well adapted to the extremes, but I never heard an actual explanation as to why. It's simple really: the cleaner you are internally, the better your circulation, and the less you need heavy food to insulate you - thus allowing a raw food diet to be an easy lifestyle in all seasons. It seems that time is what's needed to walk around comfortably barefoot. I am still cold this winter though (it's in the upper 20s with recent snow storms) and I look forward to having such stellar circulation next winter that this temperature doesn't faze me.

So, how do I survive eating a raw food diet in a winter wonderland? The attempt to keep my diet the same has been mostly successful, with the most noticeable shift in breakfast, from fruit smoothies to superfood fresh green vegetable juices (Rainbow Magic). Here's how I've wrapped up 2008:

❅ Primarily raw and living foods, with a shift toward more more avocados, root vegetables, nuts, seeds, heavier sauces and hummus

❅ Organic and wildcrafted superfoods - can't survive any season without them

❅ Fresh green vegetable juices - seriously the best way to start the day (the rest of your food choices throughout the day will be more in alignment with your raw approach)

❅ Naval oranges! My cravings have often been for citrus .. bringing me an abundance of vitamin C (from real food - never ascorbic acid!); pieces of fruit as a snack replacing the morning fruit smoothie; Truly Vitamin C powder from HealthForce

❅ Chocolate (green) superfood blendies - ridiculously nutritious and filling

❅ Green additions to most concoctions (juices, blendies, hummus, salad dressings, cacao desserts) - again, bumping up the greens and lessening the fruit

❅ Warm Earth soup (I'll post in more detail very soon) / miso soup with dulse and nutritional yeast

❅ Baked yams or squash - bite here, bite there (with cinnamon, agave, nutr yeast, or naked)

❅ Bikram hot yoga - there is nothing like heating your body at the core for 1.5 hours, especially during the chilly season

❅ Hiking (outdoors, yes in the snowy cold weather) - you really do warm up after just 15 minutes in the elements, and you get to feel so connected to the season vs. staying inside; go experience the cycles of nature!

Raw Chocolate Dream Fudge

I used to make an incredible vegan fudge made with tofutti's soy cream cheese (which now I cringe at) and powdered sugar - there were only 4 ingredients and it was so easy to make. But, I've found the perfect raw replacement and I know you will absolutely love it. It takes minutes to make from start to finish and there's no heat or anything complicated about it. You can make it in a food processor (as I did tonight) or a high-speed blender (like the Vitamix).

Confession: I made a batch just two days ago, filled up an entire ice cube tray (which makes perfect BIG bite size pieces), and needed (yes, NEEDED), to make another batch tonight because we (I do share these indulgences however difficult it may be) plowed through the first within 48 hours.

I am currently living on fresh green juices, collard wraps w/ the best hummus ever (recipe coming soon), super plump goji berries, macadamia nuts, and a different raw cacao dessert every other day. I'm finding this to be quite balanced. Actually, when have you ever had fudge that is super packed with super-nutrition? As a nutrition educator, I can tell you this is likely the healthiest fudge you'll ever eat, and you'll feel fabulous and guilt-free afterward, as you should. And now...

Raw Chocolate Dream Fudge
1/3 cup raw organic almond butter (Maranatha)
1/4 cup organic coconut oil
2 T raw cacao powder
small handful raw cacao nibs
1/4 cup agave (I prefer Sunfood Nutrition)
1 T maca force (HealthForce Nutritionals)
1 tsp raw lucuma powder (makes everything sweeter & smoother)
1 tsp - 1 T of E3Live (how good do you really want to feel?)
1 tsp vit E tocotrienols
drizzle of angstrom calcium (for mineral balance - see note below)

Whip this up into a creamy dessert in your food processor or blender, pour into ice cube trays, and freeze or refrigerate to store.

If you don't have every single ingredient, make it anyway! You can still make this even if you only have the almond butter, coconut oil, cacao powder, and agave - the remaining ingredients boost the nutrition, but I certainly don't want you to postpone making this just because your cupboards aren't filled with every superfood out there. I just started using lucuma powder this week and am experimenting with it in these desserts. Coincidence? I've eaten more chocolate desserts this past week than... - could it be that I'm still celebrating my birthday (yes, 4 days later), or, my body is craving sweets after the 3.5 day green smoothie challenge of deprivation (just kidding), or, is there something addicting about lucuma?

Angstom calcium is the most bioavailable form of calcium. Raw chocolate is exceptionally high in magnesium and the body needs calcium to balance this out, hence the addition of angstrom calcium. I get it mine from Sunfood Nutrition or Raw Vegan Source).

I'm throwing a Spa Party this coming Sunday, at the Beauty Bar Spa and Boutique in West Seattle and will be making this raw fudge as a decadent addition to the other sweet indulgences during this very special evening. Contact me if you'd like to join us - all are welcome!
Details: Sunday, November 16 from 5 - 9pm.

Day 3: Green Smoothie Challenge

Is it possible to feel worse on a post-raw detox than on a pre-raw detox? This is what's happened to me these last few days and I'm trying to understand the 'how' and 'why' of it all. I LOVE cleansing and do so relatively regularly, specifically in warmer weather. This time however, I was freezing cold the entire time, spacey, disconnected, with a lack of focus and concentration and coordination - and at times felt like I was about to lift off like a balloon. I'm not usually one to experience these severe cleansing crisis', and it proved challenging to continue the program, which I did for 3.5 days. It was so odd and I'm working on getting back into my groove now. I also experienced more pain, stiffness, and aches than ever before. Could it be due to eating cold smoothies in weather that requires winter gear? Maybe so, but it's been frustrating to see how my body reacted this time. I know it's not the Green Smoothie Challenge itself - this I think is an amazing idea and absolutely recommend it to my friends and clients, but maybe I had bad timing this time around. I will certainly do this challenge again, but will wait until the Spring to try again.

For those that have been raw for longer than me (more than 1 year): Is it possible that I've loosened up deep rooted old toxins? This was my first cleanse since being mostly raw, and feel I have been experiencing a more difficult detox, flooding the system with the old b/c of the power of eating cleansing living foods for the past several months. Even when I was eating cooked vegan/some raw fare, my cleanses were never this intense. Has anyone had an experience similar to this? Please share!

Anyway, today (Nov 6) is my 31st birthday and I started the day with my favorite chocolate ever - Sacred Chocolate, the milk chocolate variety - so scrumptious! I know, chocolate for breakfast is clearly the best way to celebrate! An impromptu visit to the bookstore later in the day resulted in finding Matt Amsden's book, Raw Revolution, and a killer recipe in there that was pulled together for dinner. Raw ice cream will follow :)

RAWSTA ALFREDO:

2-3 zucchinis - use spiralizer to make spaghetti

For Sauce:
3/4 cup coconut water (used packaged for convenience)
1.5 cups raw cashews (I plan to try pine nuts or macadamia nuts)
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp Pink Himalayan salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 T nutritional yeast (not raw)
1 avocado
Bundle of fresh arugula
Handful of Sunfood Nutrition kalamata olives

Day 2: Green Smoothie Challenge

Ok, so Day 2 wasn't as wonderful as Day 1: I felt light-headed, spacey, unmotivated, fatigued, and uncoordinated. My mistake may have been making smaller portions of the smoothies & eating them every few hours, because I seemed to have a killer appetite from the moment I awoke. I should have made fewer smoothies, in larger amounts, because after splitting each smoothie w/ Mike, the amount that was left wasn't satisfying my hunger. I don't do well w/ low blood sugar & was trying something different from Day 1 - it's an experiment & I'm still learning the recipes (and best approach) I like with so many greens!

This is a picture of the #1 Smoothie~

#1 Smoothie (pretty good):
2 cups red grapes
2 cups frozen blueberries
1 apple
1 banana
1 bundle romaine lettuce

#2 Smoothie (this was fabulous):
3 bananas
1 mango
1/2 pineapple
1 bundle kale
1/2 cup coconut water

#3 Smoothie (LOVED this):
2 bananas
1.5 cups frozen blueberries
1 heaping handful spinach
1 T Azteca Spirulina
spoonful raw, local honey

#4 Smoothie (YUM):
Fresh squeezed apple juice
few bananas
bundle of kale

#5 Smoothie (I didn't measure a thing & was putting whatever was within reach into this concoction ... low blood sugar frenzy):
2 handfuls frozen blueberries
2 handfuls frozen strawberries
3 bananas
2 handfuls spinach
1 bundle kale
1 T Fruits of the Earth
spoonful raw, local honey

Day 1: Green Smoothie Challenge

Smoothie on the left is Smoother than a Brazilian and on the right is Cotton Candy. YUMMY!

My dessert last night was raw macadamia nuts (I'm hooked) and raw cacao maca ice cream - it was divine! These foods will be the hardest for me to part from at this time, as I've slowly become dependent upon knowing they'll be eaten by me every day in some form. The culprits are: raw nuts (specifically Brazil nuts, macadamia nuts, and cashews), cacao in any form (nibs or powder for me), and dates. I've grown an addiction.

We (my brave green lover and I) started the morning in a dash to the farmer's market to pack as many greens as possible into our reusable bags. To keep things relatively simple here, I'll just list off the green leafy vegetable that I included in the recipe, as we grabbed many different kinds of kale, chard, and lettuces (plus bags full of perfectly gorgeous spinach) - and I don't remember all their individual names. I'm using pears, apples, plums, and other greens and veggies from our weekly CSA delivery. The market was a great start to rev the green glory engine!

Green Wreck (Morning Smoothie):

1/2 cup purified water
4 bananas
1 large ripe mango
1 pear
1 apple
1/2 bundle dandelion greens
1/3 bundle parsley
1 big handful spinach
1 T Vitamineral Greens
1 T Azteca Spirulina

At first, my green smoothie let me down. This was likely because there were not any dates anywhere near as far as I could see. But, I realized why I am doing this (I KNOW I need it) and that the stringy green things that hang over your mouth as you gobble it up are what it's all about. So get over it, right? And I did. Green magic started to happen.

I've snacked on an apple, half a pear, and a few nibs of (No, not cacao!) kale today, and have drank my green superfood powder (Vitamineral Greens) in purified water throughout the day - but not much because I feel so hydrated w/ out this!

Smoother than a Brazilian (Afternoon Smoothie): taken from one of the recipes given in this challenge by the raw divas - although I did change it somewhat by using Brazil nut mylk instead of water as the base (nut mylk is part of this program, at least for Day 1 & 2). Oh, and a small spoonful of local, raw honey :) Believe me, if you saw this morning's smoothie you would treat yourself to some healing honey too!

2 cups homemade Brazil nut mylk
2 cups red grapes
1 cup frozen blueberries
4 bananas
One handful of kale
One handful of spinach
spoonful of local, raw honey

Cotton Candy (Evening Smoothie):
1.5 cups homemade Brazil nut mylk
3 bananas
2 cups frozen strawberries
1/2 pineapple
2 handfuls of spinach
spoonful of local, raw honey

And so, we have ourselves a delightful dinner and dessert, all in one! I'm looking forward to tomorrow - whereas last night all I could think about was how I was going to miss my 'favorites' and rationalizing my way out of this 5 day commitment. This challenge is typically 3 days, but I like to be extreme and add my own spin to it. Life has gone on temporarily without them ... and I've survived ... and thrived!

Cacao withdrawals and conscious language

I took a break from cacao and goji berries the last 5 days and all I could think about that entire time was how much I missed them! It was an involuntary break- I ran out and was waiting to purchase them locally from Raw Vegan Source, the largest raw and vegan superstore in the U.S., which fortunately for me is just a short drive away. My boyfriend Mike and I took a class there last night on Conscious Language and spent hundreds of dollars on foods that I wish every single person on the planet ate. He wanted to participate in the class (as did I), but all I could think about on the way and once there was grabbing every product off the shelf as if I had been living on an island without access to fresh foods and superfoods for years and this was my reuniting with them.

Some of the fascinating phrases and thoughts we heard last night (really think about these!):

Genes have nothing to do with you.
It's the Biology of Belief, not genes.
Do you choose to be conscious?
The illusion is about ready to be transformed.
Battle the darkness.
100% of what is going on in our current world is agreed to.
What are we going to wake up to & what are we going to do with it?
Our greater self is right here, right now!
Be in your consciousness of grace.
My greatest weakness is becoming my greatest strength.
Inspire each other to accept your authority and genius.
If you know the truth of something, you have the power over it.
Pain happens, hurt is optional.
What is it going to take for me to be consistently successful every time?

What to say to yourself on a DAILY BASIS?
I AM living my life!
I reclaim my own life!

Say what your new choice is until you FEEL IT IN YOUR BODY!

VOTE VICTORY for others! See perfection in others and this will support them in seeing it themselves.

Getting back to chocolate...

I am convinced that cacao is an appetite suppressant and slimming for the body, and chocolate expert David Wolfe could explain much better why this is, but I know it to be true. It's not that I gained weight in these last 5 days, but I definitely felt a difference in my body and craved much more food than I usually do, and cooked food, which is rare (pasta, pizza). When I 'give in' I realize just how much it just doesn't work for me anymore! The pleasure and taste is nothing like it used to be. I do admit to eating raw chocolate every day and it's just part of the routine, nothing I put much thought into until it's gone, and I'm suffering (could I be addicted?!) and feeling more bloated and puffy as a result of the choices I've made in this short time.

This is the super delicious smoothie I've made this morning that keeps me feeling great until later in the day. For dinner we'll have fresh greens (maybe even w/out washing them to get some needed B12) that we picked from Raw Vegan Source (they have an amazing permaculture garden) and who knows what else. Please try this at home!

4 cups water (half of which could be coconut water)
2 T raw cacao powder
2 T raw cacao nibs
1 T pine nuts
1 cup raw cashews
6 dates, pitted
2 tsp hemp seeds
2 tsp chia seeds
1 tsp local bee pollen
1 tsp coconut oil
1/2 cup blueberries or 3/4 cups blackberries (experiment w/ local fruits)
1/4 cup dark agave
1/4 tsp Himalayan pink crystal salt
1 T Vitamineral Greens
2 tsp MSM powder
2 tsp Maca Force
1 tsp Truly Vitamin C
small handful goji berries
small handful Incan berries
1 tsp angstrom calcium
1 droppersful Ocean's Alive Marine Phytoplankton

Blend really well. If you don't have every single ingredient, make it anyway!

I also added a droppersful of a tonic called RenewU - from The Herbalist, a local apothecary with excellent formulations (RenewU contains: milk thistle, Oregon grape, dandelion root, burdock root, yellow dock, cleavers, wild indigo, fennel, ginger).

CHILL and serve cold. YUMMY!

Raw Spirit Festival 2008 - Sedona, AZ

Hello Friends! I've returned home from the long journey to Sedona from Seattle and have been swamped (in a good way) with filling orders, so I haven't had a chance to journal in the blog yet! But a moment now allows me that, and I feel so proud and fulfilled after making tons of scrubs and silks today, packaging them up, and getting them ready to ship tomorrow.

I'm one to bring all my comforts with me when I travel and that's exactly what we did (my boyfriend and I) for this 1500 mile road trip. The cooler was packed with a huge bag of brazil nuts, raw cashews, goji berries, raw cacao nibs, walnuts, and dates. I made one of my all-time favorite recipes ever, the Cinnamon Rolls (found in David Wolfe & Shazzie's Naked Chocolate book) and had to regulate how much we could savor each day, otherwise these unbelievably tasty morsels would be gone in the first day and we'd be longing for them for the rest of the trip. The remainder of the cooler was packed with a nice big glass jar of homemade brazil nut mylk, a homemade chocolate blendie, the contents of that week's CSA bag (which included lots of squash, greens, apples, melons, and juicy nectarines, plums, pluots, and peaches), and Lydia's Organics dehydrated Spirulina and Crystal Manna bars, and 2 flavors of her crackers: the green and luna nori ones. Daily we made a delicious simple combination I found on We Like it Raw: a creamy mash, we call it 'Nana Mash', of avocado, banana, and dates - mix them together (add a touch of agave & Pink Himilayan Crystal Salt if you make it at home or have these extras with you during travels), and you won't want to each anything else I promise. I eat these three foods often, really often - why hadn't I combined them all together before? We thrived on all this for 3 days on the road. And you can't forget about the VMG (Vitamineral Greens), Earth, Fruits of the Earth, MSM powder, and the Ocean's Alive Marine Phytoplankton that I brought along, too. I don't let a day pass without enjoying all of these.

I did a search on www.happycow.net (healthier options for international travelers) and found a great raw food cafe in Salt Lake City: Omar's Living Cuisine; we stopped in and relaxed for 2 hours while ordering raw, living, organic item after item off the mouth-watering menu. It turns out the cafe was heading down the following day for Sedona, so we were able to enjoy their food throughout the entire weekend as well. Food really has this tendency to make a vacation (or work trip) really memorable, and when you live on superfoods and such yummy combinations of living foods, it's makes everything that's happening that much lighter and brighter, because you're happy when you eat, and you feel excellent after you eat!

The response to the Organic Healing Skincare line completely blew me away; in fact I had to step away several times throughout the weekend once the reality of its success caught up with me. To say I am grateful and appreciative doesn't really explain how much it means to me to have people love what I'm doing. Whether there's a purchase or not, to see responses in person was absolutely the most treasured part of the weekend. It's really magical when you put your heart into creating something and others drink it up as you do. People were actually giving me hugs and thanking ME! I still have a hard time piecing together the words that describe that 3 day phenomenal event. I can't wait to get to the Raw Spirit Festival in early June 2009, near Santa Barbara!

There were so many connections made, amazing conversations, and uplifting talks, but one stands out and replays often in my head. Tom and Susan from Raw Vegan Source, in Redmond, WA (my neighbors just over the water and east of Seattle) really put my experience into place - standing in line for one of our delicious nightly dinners, I made the comment that so far everything had been so incredible, and that I had a hard time finding the words to put to it. Susan said, 'take that word out of your vocabulary. It's not incredible, it is credible, and you deserve it. Get used to it because this is your new reality.' It was so matter of fact; it is my new truth and I knew it in that moment. Chills go through me every time I recall that part of our conversation because it reminds me that I am on the right path, I am pursuing my dreams, and living, to some extent, quite the fantasy.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who expressed their gratitude for my effort, mission, and deep passion, to revolutionize the skincare industry!

Summer Raw Cucumber Soup

I unexpectedly came across this recipe and it just so happens that it uses many of my CSA items from this week. I've adapted the recipe; it's not something I ever would have made unless I was presented with the 'stress' of using as much cucumber and squash as possible.

Raw Cucumber Soup

2 cups very hot water or veggie broth
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup shredded/diced summer squash or zucchini
1/2 cup avocado
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp dill
1 clove garlic
cayenne to taste (don't skimp - this is what makes this recipe!)
Himalayan Pink Crystal Salt (use generously)

Blend until smooth. This is so unusually tasty. I'm pleasantly surprised that I was able to use all these summer veggies in a soup that is super refreshing with a spicy kick.

Boundless energy continues

There's dozens of reasons why eating raw, living, fresh & organic foods resonates with me so well, and I'll get more in to that in future posts. But I find it quite ironic that it was just until this past year that I was somewhat resistant to the whole idea. The approach sounded complicated, impractical, inconvenient and unsatisfying, and EXTREME! Now I smile and reflect on that; it's been a gradual process that differs greatly with each one of us. I'm so passionate about this pure way of living that I spend a majority of my spare time soaking up as much reading material as possible. I swear I read every word of the Get Fresh! magazine and absolutely LOVE it! If you haven't checked it out, it's a must.

I certainly didn't ever envision a night like tonight where I have endless energy and decide to make a fresh Brazil nut mylk & another version of my chocolate blendie, at 10pm. These nights are more and more common and I love them! I'm bursting with the joy of feeling fantastic & my life path continues to become more crystal clear - can anyone relate?!

Super Creamy Mylkshake - ingredients are always organic

1 handful (about 1/2 cup) raw cashews
1 banana
1.5 cups purified water
4-6 dates - (this is dessert, it should be sweet)
2 tbsp raw chocolate powder
1 tsp MSM powder
1 tsp angstrom sulfur (beauty mineral)

Blend, chill and revel in the supreme taste!

Yet another version of chocolate goodness blended up together.

Organic Healing's raw chocolate blendie

For the launch of my Healing Raw blog, I thought I'd give you something that I'm constantly asked about: my crazy creations of super delicious smoothies and what I call, blendies. Usually when people try them, they gasp, as if shocked that such a creamy shake could exist (not having a clue as to what's in it) - but it does, and I'm here to share with you all about it! If there's an interest, I'll keep posting these scrumptious recipes that I've gathered over time as well as nutritional skooshes (sk-O-shiz) - (a silly way to describe advice, tidbits, info., fascinating facts) of all things related...

Chocolate Blendie - ingredients are always organic

* 1.5 cups coconut water
* 2 small/medium bananas
* 3-5 pitted dates
* 1/2 cup nuts (raw cashews are ideal for that creamy texture, then Brazil nuts/macadamia nuts)
* 2 tbsp raw chocolate powder / cocoa nibs (ok, you may use up to a couple handfuls if need be..)
* Optional: Vanilla pod, maca, 1 tbsp coconut oil, MSM powder (see below), tocotrienols/rice bran solubes (raw super vitamin E)

Blend like crazy in a high powered machine (Vitamix if available) until it's super creamy & well-blended. Resist the temptation to inhale this concoction, and put it in the fridge for an hour (or until it becomes all you can think about). Blendies taste best when their super cold.

Note: I'm not one to follow recipes exactly, esp w/ something that potentially has so many variations. Adjust to your liking (more banana to thicken, more dates to sweeten, more nuts for texture, more chocolate, for... more chocolate :)

Next time, use freshly made almond milk (insanely easy to prepare - I know, it first sounded waaaay too complicated, but now there's just no other option & you'll see why if you ever get around to doing it too), instead of the coconut water (which by the way, you can find at any natural health food store - Whole Foodies, PCC, etc - in the refridg. section in mini milk size cartons) - or crack open a real coconut (same stores or Asian markets)! You can source the best raw chocolate, truly raw cashews, MSM, and tocotrienols from Sunfood Nutrition (you may link from my site: http://organichealing.net/content.php?pid=7)

You can add a vanilla bean pod (slice open & scrape insides from the vanilla bean - found in the bulk section), maca extract or powder, and/or MSM powder (a beauty mineral - check my website http://www.organichealing.net/ for more info) - all of these which I typically do to enhance the taste/health-giving properties. The recipe here is just the start, and I must say I vary it each time for that surprising melt-in-your-mouth ('I can't believe how good this is'..) milkshake taste - yet, in the cold, dairy-free kind of way.

Tip: pour into ice cube trays and freeze for a tasty treat later.