By Guest Blogger on July 14, 2011
Raw food is a plant-based diet consisting of fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, sprouts, fermented foods, seaweed, live water, herbs and more. By definition, raw food is not heated above 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Raw food includes lots of fresh dishes and also foods that can be made in a dehydrator. Crackers, breads, cookies and things like kale chips can be made in a dehydrator. However, if you don’t have one, you can still make so many raw meals such as raw burgers, wraps, pasta and smoothies to name a few. Foods that have been heated to 104 degrees Fahrenheit still have their enzymes and nutrients intact, and this is very important. No mineral, vitamin or hormone can do any work without enzymes.”
By including more raw food in your diet, you can help your body by providing it with a rich source of enzymes, vitamins, minerals and water. It is important to note that as we age, the amount of enzymes that we have in our body decreases, so raw food should be a key part of our diet. Eeating a diet rich in raw and living foods can help prevent degenerative diseases and support healing at a cellular level. Raw food is often used as a tool for cleansing our bodies and getting rid of the toxins that we have accumulated from our environment.
Truth be told, I don’t just eat raw food for the enzymes and the nutrients; I eat it because it is the purest form of food and it tastes amazing. Raw food is full of texture and flavor. The simple fact is that when I eat raw food I feel an increase in energy and mental clarity. My skin and hair start to look healthier and my face glows. The raw food that I put into my body shines through to my outer appearance. I feel more connected to myself and others. I feel more connected to my spirituality. I also experience better digestion, weight loss and decreased cravings.
Ten tips on how to introduce raw food to your family
1. Revamp your salad.
Eat more salads. Revamp them and include different types of vegetables in your salad. Don’t know where to start? Introduce kale, sprouts, parsnip, seeds and seaweeds into your salads. Flax and chia seeds are great for you and a source of omega-3. Use avocado as a dressing and find out how yummy a salad can be.
2. Make a green smoothie or juice.
Green smoothies and juices are loaded with nutrients and are a quick, fun way to add more raw vegetables and fruits to your diet. Create a wonderful vitamin- and mineral-rich drink in under 10 minutes.
3. Make a raw dessert or treat.
This is a great way to get your family excited about raw foods. You can replace a lot of not-so-healthy ingredients found in the traditional store-bought desserts, ice creams, chocolates and treats. Instead, try making something at home that is filled with wonderful flavor, and your family will be hooked.
4. Make a new recipe once a week.
If you have a family that is eating cooked food, it may take a period of adjustment to include more raw foods. Plan to make a new recipe once a week. This way you will build up your raw repertoire and give everyone an opportunity to try new dishes. If they have a favorite cooked meal, try to make a raw version for everyone.
5. Subscribe to raw food blogs and e-zines.
These can provide you with recipes, where to buy raw food and support you along the way, and they are free. Most raw food enthusiasts are very passionate about their food and freely share their recipes. Most of them will answer your questions.
6. Pick a theme for you meals.
This is one of my favorite tips. Since I am trying to feed everyone and don’t want to spend forever in the kitchen making tons of dishes, I pick a theme. Let’s just say that I am making my husband some cooked pad thai over some rice noodles. I will make a raw dressing for his pad thai. That way I can use it for my raw pad thai. I will also use the same vegetables in both the raw and cooked versions, and this will shorten my time in the kitchen.
7. Get the children and your partner involved.
Go to local markets and get your children involved in picking fruits and vegetables. The whole family will be much more interested in raw food and what they are eating if you include them. My daughter loves working in the kitchen mixing dishes or putting away groceries. When we spend time together in the kitchen, we can talk about the new vegetables that I bring home. I often tell her why they are good and what they can be used for.
8. Find a local raw food group or restaurant in your community.
Often people who eat raw food may partake in monthly potlucks. If there is no group like this in your community, do what I did and make your own. You don’t have to be an expert or know a lot about raw food to do this. This will provide you with a community of like-minded people, and an opportunity to share and learn. Also, search to see where the closest raw food restaurant is and try it out.
9. Reorganize your pantry.
Make a list of new things you will need to buy. Most raw books have a pantry list in it. Start to look for raw sweeteners, nut butters, coconut oil, seaweed, herbs and seeds. Start moving these new things into your kitchen. Before you know it, you will have included a lot of new foods and raw staples into your kitchen, and you will purchase less of the unhealthy choices. I buy a lot of staples from my local health food store where they have a bulk section. This is great if you are on a budget.
10. Make your own.
Make your own dressings, sauces, condiments and drinks. This will allow you to include the freshest and best ingredients in your family’s meals. You will be able to reduce the amount of processed foods that you use, and you will find how amazing your own versions taste. My family now prefers raw dressings and sauces because they are so full of flavor.
I hope I was able to inspire you in some way and wish you the best on your raw food journey!
Sasha Campbell is passionate about health and raw foods. She is currently enrolled in David Wolfe’s “Raw Nutrition Certification Course,” is studying nutrition at the BodyMind Institute and is certified as a life skills coach. Sasha is also working on a raw e-book and runs a local raw food group.
Photo credit: SweetOnVeg (recipe for raw chocolate pudding)
Read More By Kris Carr on May 11, 2011
Congratulations! You’ve taken the first steps toward living a healthy lifestyle or maybe you’re already a wellness warrior vet. In any event, you’ve grabbed the unicorn reigns of your present and future, and for that I want to give you a virtual hallelujah! Yet, sometimes making healthy choices can be tough – not only on a personal level, but on a social one. So how do we deal with unsupportive friends, family, co-workers and strangers? Here are some of my personal tips; but I know you have a slew of suggestions too; so share ’em in the comments, love!
Step 1: Understand their motivation.
It’s easy to feel angry and frustrated when you’re bombarded with odd looks and questions like “Where do you get your protein?” or “Aren’t you worried about osteoporosis and nutrient deficiency?” To approach these questions and concerns with a clear mind, it’s important to know where they’re coming from. Perhaps your mother only knows about animal-based sources of protein and calcium, and she’s genuinely worried that you’re going to damage your health. Your sister might fear that you’ll never enjoy another night of bonding over movies and vanilla milkshakes, which has always been her most treasured moments with you. Maybe your best friend is addicted to McDonald’s and facing an uphill battle with her weight and cholesterol. She might be defensive about her own diet and taking out her insecurity and ignorance on you. The people you’re closest to might be wondering if they’ll have to change too. Mostly, a negative reaction stems from fear of change and a lack of education. Once you understand the motivation behind their reaction to your diet and lifestyle, you can build a positive strategy for communication. If your audience is open and ready to receive information and new experiences then get ready to unleash your hot wisdom, wit, love and compassion. Remember, judgment sucks. No matter what side of it you’re on.
Step 2: Be prepared.
You can’t be a teacher without going to school yourself! When you’re dealing with a skeptic who responds to facts, have some handy research and websites to lean on. If they’re a bookworm, suggest that they read a couple chapters from books like “The China Study,” “Crazy Sexy Diet,” “Becoming Vegan” or any of Neal Barnard’s many books. (Here are a bunch more reading recommendations.) Sometimes only a well-crafted film can bring on an “a-ha” moment. Check out these mind-opening flicks: “Food Matters,” Simply Raw,” “Forks Over Knives” and “Food, Inc.” If you want to feel confident when put on the spot, make sure you can answer common questions about the plant-based diet. Check out The Vegetarian Resource Group’s website for lists that cite vegan/vegetarian sources of calcium, protein, iron and other nutrients, so that you’re not at a loss for words when asked how you survive without the moo juice. While you’re at it, you may want to ask a few of your own questions. Point out the benefits of checking the ingredient lists on packaged foods, and ask your critics if they’re aware of how preservatives and things like high fructose sugar affect their health. Ask them if they want more energy and a better nights rest? Certainly Crazy Sexy Diet can help with that – cellulite too (um, but be gentle with the cellulite thing. You may offend. Asking your Aunt Ruth if she wants to lose her jiggly ass fat is probably not an effective go veg strategy!) Don’t overwhelm them, but a few friendly inquiries about their own choices might help them understand why you’ve chosen to eat more whole, fresh, plant-based foods.
Step 3: Be strategic.
Dealing with unsupportive people comes with the territory when we become “Prevention is HOT” cheerleaders. In the health trenches, communication and education are part of our mission, and we have to be willing to take some knocks. If you want to be a visionary, you can’t play it safe or small; but you can play it smart!
Before responding to a question or concern, take a deep breath and flash your bright smile. Let your answer come from that space, rather than a negative or defensive place. This small effort can change your entire interaction for the better. Secondly, believe in yourself, tootsie! You’ve done your homework and you walk the walk, so there’s no reason to think that you don’t know your stuff. You are very smart. Feel it, believe it. Early in my journey, I was faced with moments of brain-freezing panic while at conferences with a bunch of white coats, talking to hundreds of people about their health. Suddenly, I wanted to crawl under the table! In these situations, I have to be my own biggest supporter and trust that my knowledge, research and experience will carry me through. It’s all at my fingertips when I take a breath and trust. If you do that, you can’t go wrong.
During the conversation be a listener. It’s a two-way street and your companion deserves the same patience, love and understanding that you expect. If you think they’ll be open to it, use humor! Laughter, especially if it’s naughty, is a fantastic strategy. Trust me. J These interactions don’t have to be a frickin’ drag and, if you can get a few chuckles out of them, you might be able to open their mind and heart a little more. The entire experience will seem less serious, annoying and intimidating so that both of you can chat more freely. Also, share your personal triumphs. No one can argue with the renewed energy, clear skin, better sex life (ooh la la), weight loss or lower cholesterol you know you possess as a result of your clean and green diet and lifestyle! Pique their curiosity by sharing how Crazy Sexy healthy and happy you are.
Finally, don’t waste your energy on people who are not in a place to receive information or respect your personal choices. Plant-biased vampires and toxic people are not worth your precious time, so send them off with a smile (or a bite) before they can zap your zing. Recently, I coached a gal who had reunited with a college pal who was still clinging to their long ago days of debauchery. She wanted the old Sally back and accused her of losing herself. Unfortunately, she couldn’t see the joy and fulfillment Sassy Sally had found in her life after she let go of burning (and boozing) the candle at both ends. Instead of being happy for her, she picked apart her diet and lifestyle over dinner. Sally was exhausted. Her responses were met with blank stares and their visit left her feeling frustrated and unsettled. Rather than spending hours dissecting Sally’s approach to eating and living, she could have identified that the conversation was going nowhere fast and used a trusty, holstered response:
“I appreciate all of your questions, and I’d be happy to email you some resources later so that you can do some of your own research.
“I totally understand that this lifestyle isn’t your thing. Can we just leave it at that and have a good time?
“I’d love to just relax and hear about what you’ve been up to! If you’re still interested in learning about my diet, I’d be happy to lend you some books. If not, let’s agree to disagree.”
Step 4: Be proactive.
Now that you’re flying high on green juice, you may want to find fellow enthusiasts! It’s so much more fun when you’re swapping tips and sharing positive experiences with people who are in the same boat. There are tons of places online and probably in your community to hook up with these radical radishes. Check out Meetup.com, My Crazy Sexy Life, my Facebook FanPage, your local health store and veg-friendly restaurants, vegan and vegetarian festivals, or join a local vegetarian association.
One of the best ways to educate others is by being you! Host a party and pack the table with your favorite vegan and raw goodies. Bring your juicer or blender with you when you visit friends and family, and treat them to a glass of green goodness. Going to a potluck? Knock their socks off with your best dish. If you are a creative whiz in the kitchen and a master of veg-substitutions, your pals will be wowed by your vegan chocolate birthday cake and they’ll realize that this lifestyle is not about deprivation. Grandma’s butter cookies don’t need to be trashed at the next holiday gathering, but maybe you’ll start your own tradition by bringing a delicious vegan cookie that makes mouths water. Why not bring the recipe too? Holidays, parties, and family dinners are prime locations for strutting your new skills in the kitchen. So get cooking, dehydrating, juicing and blending! Healthy, nourishing, delectable food is love and education in one.
OK, your turn! How do you cope, share, educate, listen and grow with the people in your life who might not be up to speed yet with your diet and lifestyle? Share your knowledge and personal experiences!
Photo credit: cayooo, SweetOnVeg, thegreenganster
Read More By Alexandra Jamieson on March 25, 2011
Some of my first memories are from my mother’s garden (that’s Mom and Me, aka “Sasha” at Eve’s Organic Garden, mid-1970s, Lake Grove, OR). When I close my eyes, I feel cool pebbles and dewy grass under my bare feet, hear buzzing bees and chirping birds and smell a cacophony of scents from roses, lilac, herbs, freshly turned earth and compost.
My mom learned gardening from her grandparents in Texas and moist, chilly Port Angeles, Washington. To me, she seemed like Snow White incarnate – mom could bring any dying house plant to life and sprout any seed, and knew where to find the birds, butterflies and interesting spiders. Her decade-long run as the radio host of Eve’s Organic Garden on KBOO in Portland, Oregon, proved that her ideas for planting and knowledge of gardening were admired by many. The local Italian family that ran Ricardo’s restaurant often stopped by looking for fresh herbs and flowers.
As a kid, I enjoyed the rambling gardens around our old farmhouse. Private tunnels of blackberries provided space to daydream, and the Rainier cherry tree offered sweetly blushed gems every spring. I found a lot of pleasure in picking seeds to grow every spring, learning the look of healthy soil and digging around for bugs and worms. It seemed like magic to discover the nasturtium seeds growing out of the stems where edible flowers of red and orange once bloomed so brilliantly.
While my brother and I grumbled about the inevitable hours of weeding, pruning, hauling and raking, today we look back on that time as peaceful, formative and a badge of honor. Now we find that gardening relieves our stress and keeps us healthy. It’s not just the organic, fresh food we can grow. We harvest something more – peace and connection.
Growing up on the west coast, we didn’t know that fireflies were real. My first sighting of these electric “lightning bugs” was actually in Central Park when I was about 21 years old. I was visiting my brother a few years before I moved to New York City. I excitedly told my brother, then almost 30, “I saw a firefly! They’re real!” He beamed back at me with joy, and it felt like we were kids again, sharing this wonderful discovery.
Now I long for spring planting and have happily settled in a ground floor Brooklyn apartment with a back yard and space to plant a few pots. Last summer’s freak tornados had the silver-lining effect of creating more sun in my previously shade-choked yard when three neighboring trees lost half of their limbs.
I’m passing on my love for digging, planting, watering, weeding and waiting to my son, Laken. When I discovered kid-sized tools at a stoop sale (we call them stoop sales here in Brooklyn, because who has yards? We have stoops!) a couple of summers ago, I scooped them up and handed them to Laken, who happily took them outside and started digging. Gardening seems to be in our DNA.
Teaching him how to dig a hole, bury a seed, water it carefully and often and look for slugs feels right. What could be more important than teaching my kid how to grow his own food? We won’t be living off of our harvest any time soon, but being able to grow our own lettuce, a few strawberries, snow peas and pretty flowers makes me feel capable, and I hope to pass that on to him.
Read More By Guest Blogger on November 29, 2010
You may know Laurie David as the producer of the documentary film, “An Inconvenient Truth,” or for her other groundbreaking efforts to stop global warming and protect the environment. Today, Laurie is here to discuss another topic close to her heart and home – the sacred tradition of sharing meals with family and friends. So pull up a chair, pass the veggie stew, and take some tips from Laurie on how to make your meals more meaningful!
What is the premise of your book, “The Family Dinner,” and how will it inspire family togetherness?
Because of the crazy, hectic times we live in, we are letting one of the greatest parenting opportunities each day gives us slip by. That lovely opportunity is family dinner. We desperately need to have a moment in our day where technology is turned off, and we can purposely become a family – all doing the same thing at the same time and enjoying each other’s company to boot. “The Family Dinner” is about great food, great conversation, laughter and love.
What are some of your favorite vegetarian recipes in the book?
I cook all the recipes in this book over and over again and am constantly amazed at how delicious these dishes are. While my household is not strictly vegetarian, we are definitely moving in that direction. My personal favorites are the meals where you pretty much have a whole meal in one pot. Add a green salad and you’re done. Give me a stew, a casserole, soup, with a little side salad and I’m happy! Also, I’m crazy for leftovers that can stretch to another meal so the big pot concept works well for that also. This past week I made one of my favorites – Danish Yellow Split Pea Soup. Delish!
How would you advise parents to broaden their children’s eating habits???
My philosophy is that you don’t cook for your kids, you cook for your family. Enjoy the food yourself and eventually, your kids will follow. Two of my dinner rules (the other eight are in chapter two of the book) address this very point. One is that you should have one meal, no substitutions, so you don’t end up as a short order cook. The other rule is that everyone tries everything. This is different from our parents’ adage to eat everything on our plate. Tasting everything is important because it shows respect for whomever prepared the food, and it gives your taste buds an opportunity to be pleasantly surprised.
What desserts do you and your kids like best?
Dessert can be just a cup of tea and cut fruit. That’s what we often have, and my kids love it. When we do have a sugary dessert, our chocolate chip cookie recipe is hard to beat. And here’s a great tip for the cookies: when you make the cookie dough, make extra, wrap it in a roll with wax or parchment paper and store in your freezer. That way, homemade cookies are always just 10 minutes away, and your house will smell like you’ve been baking all day!
Your green philosophy is sprinkled throughout the book. What is something that everyone can do to be a little more green?
The great news is that the kitchen is definitely the best place in the house to practice and teach green values. Three of the simplest things you can do are to try to buy food that is in season, that is grown locally in your community, and of course, that is organic. And nothing is better and more green than growing some of your food yourself. (And more fun, I might add!) Even if you just have a windowsill and grow some of your own herbs, it’s a lot more rewarding to pinch off exactly what you need than to buy rosemary, for example, that is packaged and expensive.
What do you most hope people take away from reading your book?
My hope is that everyone’s copy will be food-stained, tattered, highlighted, flagged and well used.
Laurie David, producer of the 2006 Academy Award winner “An Inconvenient Truth,” wants to help America’s overwhelmed families sit down to dinner. Her newest book, “The Family Dinner: Great Ways to Connect with Your Kids, One Meal at a Time,” is an inspirational, practical and green guide to the most important hour in your family’s day.
Read More By Kevin Archer on November 19, 2010
Holiday traditions are deep and rich enough to be considered articles of faith. They transcend physical experiences, often creating memories that grow beyond the proportion of the actual occasions being remembered.
I embrace this phenomenon at will, choosing the traditions that I will keep active and the memories I will nurture into legend. This creative myth-making offers a lot of room for new ideas, but there is one thing that I don’t have to invent: my connection to food.
My family’s food heritage runs deep. I have direct experience with four generations of growers and preservers, and I know it goes back further than that. It should be a surprise to no one that I’m working as a chef these days.
As I prepare for the upcoming holidays, I find myself taking inventory of the foods that I’ve enjoyed almost my entire life: pecans, corn, beans, potatoes, tomatoes, greens, chiles.
These foods were on display, in one form or another, at so many family holiday gatherings. Pecan pies were de rigueur and celebrated, with the nuts often coming from my great-uncle’s trees in Navarro County, Texas. Gardens, usually dormant by November, still offered their bounty through the miracle of food preservation.
Thanksgiving dinner was a monstrous affair: a potluck invasion of my great-grandmother’s home, with no room for even one more dish. The dining table provided no room for our sizable extended family to sit, so the house became a labyrinth of card tables. Dominoes clattered above the chatter, then reluctantly yielded to dinner.
There was no convocation significant enough for me to remember, and only a simple prayer of thanks was offered by one of the several patriarchs. After the “amen” we lined up as if we were boarding a plane: women with small children first, then the elders, on down to the youthful and unruly.
As I mark time and changes this Thanksgiving, I wish to nurture these memories into present and future lore. The joy contained in them is sufficient for sustaining faith in the family bond. The associated traditions are still dear to me, as I love to delight others with my food, and I work to be at home during the holidays.
Faith would be nothing without a bit of iconoclasm, however, so I deviate as I recreate. Now all my food is plant-based, markedly animal-free. No animal is sacrificed as I give thanks. They might not be aware of my actions, but perhaps somewhere one life was spared because of my choice. That’s another reason to give thanks.
Being “home for the holidays” is still important for me. But since I’ve lived so far from home most of my adult life, I frequently spend the holidays in my own dwelling. I use the day for quiet and purposeful reclusion. It has become a very personal tradition that I work hard to preserve, and for which I ask the indulgence of family and friends.
Thankfulness is paramount, however. My giving of thanks runs through my daily existence, but I offer focused appreciation on Thanksgiving for many things: the peaceful presence of my family in my life, a simple and compact existence, the loving and supportive people that have befriended me, and the many other good people that I know. Above it all, there are the ever-appearing lessons of life.
Just as inflexibility can kill one’s faith, traditions will die if they do not progress. In this spirit, I offer up these ideas for your holiday meal. Perhaps we can share them virtually while offering up universal thanks.
SPROUTED QUINOA WITH TAMARIND
-4 tablespoons tamarind paste
-2 teaspoons lime juice
-1/2 cup raisins
-1/2 teaspoon ginger, grated
-1/8 teaspoon sea salt
-3 cups quinoa, sprouted
Mix vigorously the tamarind paste and lime juice, making sure there are no lumps. Add the raisins, ginger, and sea salt, mixing well.
Add the quinoa and mix well.
Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Note: You can substitute cooked quinoa for the sprouted quinoa.
WINTER SQUASH TART
-3 pounds butternut, acorn or other winter squash
-olive oil
-sage, dried
-8 ounces firm tofu
-1 cup coconut milk
-1 teaspoon cinnamon
-1/2 teaspoon mace or nutmeg
-1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
-1/2 teaspoon onion powder
-1/4 teaspoon white pepper
-1 teaspoon sea salt
-One 10-inch tart shell
-Maple Currant Glaze (see recipe below)
Preheat oven to 450° F.
Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds. Coat lightly with oil and dried sage. Roast for 45 minutes or until soft.
Reduce oven to 375° F.
Scoop squash out of peel. Place into food processor with tofu, coconut milk, cinnamon, mace or nutmeg, garlic powder, onion
powder, white pepper, and salt. Process until very smooth.
Fill tart shell with squash and smooth the top.
Spread Maple Currant Glaze evenly over the squash filling.
Bake at 375° F for 30 minutes. Cool slightly before serving.
MAPLE CURRANT GLAZE
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup currants
1/2 cup water
Warm the olive oil in a sauté pan over low flame. Add the diced onion and sauté gently until clear. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, place the maple syrup, currants and water. Simmer for 15 minutes. Blend.
Mix the sautéed onion into the blended syrup.
Photo Credit: La Grande Farmers’ Market
Read More 
