garden time!

the best time to be a raw foodie is the summer for sure!
the fresh fruit & veggies that are getting ripe for
pick & eat are juicy flavorful and deeeelishus!
:)
happy happy tastebuds, yumm!
my first real harvest:

lots of kale, collard, lettuce, herbs, & snap peas
tho i did have a tremendous amount of weeding to do
when i returned home from france. they were knee high,
hiding the veggies well. it was all that rain. wow!

first thing i did upon harvesting, was to blend a salad dressing
using garden herbs and some raw nuts, assorted other things
for a yummy green salad topping dressing.
what makes it easy and clean to apply was putting it into
a squeeze bottle (with a tip like from a mustard bottle)
eeeasy application, and darned right pretty results too.

i hope you are all enjoying the summer bounty
whether from your own gardens, farmers markets
or the local produce being offered in your grocery stores.
(better yet, gifts from friends & family's gardens- tee hee)

joy happiness and plenty of raw food!
xo
snowdrop

easy recipes

date nut log
1 c. dates, pitted, soaked 20 minutes
1 c. raw nuts walnuts ( pecans or almonds ok too)
1 c. dried coconut
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla

in a food processor, process the nuts until finely chopped.
add the coconut and briefly pulse until mixed
add the cinnamon and vanilla
add the dates a few at a time, process till well mixed.
roll the mixture into a log shape.
roll in additional coconut to cover.
refrigerate till firm.
slice and eat- wasn't that easy?? :)

guacamole
4 ripe avocados
2 roma tomates, diced fine
2 T. red onion, minced
3 T. cilantro, minced
1/2 tsp. garlic
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 - 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced fine (optional)

place all ingredients in a bowl with a flat bottom and mash it with a potato masher.
stir well and keep refrigerated.
this dish will brown on the areas exposed to air within a few hours,
so serve it shortly after making it or just stir again before serving.

banana ice cream
a few frozen (peeled!) bananas
how may you use depends on how large/small your food processor is...
blend until completely creamy like soft serve

again i ask- was that easy or WHAT???

just a few easy easy recipes to start you off with incorporating raw foods into your diet.

remember to play with your food- it's sooo much fun :)
xo
snowdrop

FAQ's ABOUT RAW FOODS

Here are some common questions asked about raw foods and answers!

1. What are raw and living foods?

You will find many definitions of this term, but from my teaching and understanding, raw and living foods are God's natural foods for mankind. Foods such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds and sprouted grains that have not been heated beyond 112 (some say 118) degrees are considered still living. Live and raw foods are mainly superior to cooked because when food is cooked it is denatured and the body identifies it as a foreign matter...something toxic, that need be attacked and cleaned out - not to mention cooked food loses many vital nutrients. But raw, living foods are full of nutrients that are easily assimilated by the body. Dead, processed and refined foods create the foundation for disease within the body.

2. Where do you get your protein?

This is probably one of THE most often asked questions to vegans and raw vegans. Protein does not create protein in the body, amino acids do. We get a great source of amino acids from green leafy vegetables! Also, even if we did need sources of protein to get protein, it's not only found in our beloved fruits and vegetables, but great sources are nuts (especially almonds) and seeds. Plant-based protein may not be as abundant as animal-based, but our bodies cannot properly assimilate animal protein as it can plant-based protein. Animal protein is difficult for us to digest because it creates a very acidic environment (which causes disease) but plant foods are alkaline. Our bodies therefore rob our bones of calcium in order to help break down the protein from animal sources. So, in essence, animal protein is not superior to plant-based protein!

3. Where do you get your calcium?

Once again, we have been told untruths when it comes to how much of a particular nutrient we need AND the best source of it. But first, I'd like you to consider two things: a.) Humans are the only species that drinks milk beyond weaning and... b.) Humans are the only species that drinks milk from other species! A woman produces milk for her HUMAN babies...cows produce milk for their CALVES...goats produce milk for their KIDS (not OUR kids or us!) Contrary to popular belief, milk is not a necessary aspect of the human diet. Think about this, we get our calcium from the cow (her milk)...but where does SHE get calcium and/or protein from? In normal/natural situations, they get it from the grass that they eat! So, where should WE get our calcium from? Well, we're not designed to eat grass, but we can eat green leafy vegetables such as lettuce (the darker the better), kale, collards, etc. Also, various nuts and seeds (especially sesame seeds) are very high in calcium! To learn more about why milk should be eliminated from your diet, visit http://notmilk.com.

4. So all you eat are fruits and veggies? Don't you get bored eating that way?

Eating raw foods...TRULY eating raw and living foods is all about adapting to eating food the way nature intended...whole, fresh fruits and veggies. But we all know that for the vast majority, it would be difficult and near impossible to switch from a diet of eating cooked, processed, sugar-laden food to a strict diet of ONLY whole fruits and veggies, nuts, seeds and sprouted grains. Therefore, some very clever individuals took those base ingredients coupled with spices, natural mineral-rich sea salt, and other natural condiments and created living foods recipes that oftentimes can mimic or come darned close to cooked meals! There is the ability for you to have pizza, crackers, sprouted flat breads, cookies, cakes, pies, ice cream, ethinic foods, sushi and more! So, is eating raw boring? No WAY! This is why you should allow me to show you how to make raw goodies so you can see how much variety you can have in your diet and still be eating healthy, healing foods!

5. Is eating raw more expensive than eating cooked food?

It really depends on the spending habits while eating cooked foods. If you're accustomed to buying cheaper foods i.e. Raman Noodles, canned goods, boxed mac and cheese (the store brand), large bags of wing dings and that sort of thing, then yes, in the beginning eating raw will seem more costly. But if you were one who purchased the best cuts of meat, name brand foods, or even large amounts of frozen cuisine dinners and such (or even if you are a cooked food eating vegetarian/vegan buying all the soy analogues) then switching to raw may not be that much of a difference monetarily. Either way, look at it this way; when you eat a diet HIGH in raw foods or exclusively raw foods, then you will begin to no longer need medications, doctor's visits, and other things you spend money on currently. Not only that but over time, you may find you eat much less once your body gets accustomed to eating raw, your stomach shrinks, and you are properly assimilating the nutrients of your food. After all, isn't your health and well-being WORTH it? But there are ways to cut the grocery bill down and save money if you're on a tight budget or fixed income. I'd be more than happy to help you with that if you would like to set up a consultation!

6. Aren't some vegetables better for you when they're cooked?

There are some vegetables that are harder to digest and assimilate raw but the answer isn't necessarily to cook them because while cooking (and this could mean lightly steaming) does make it easier to digest and assimilate the nutrients, cooking also kills the nutrients and enzymes. There are basically some vegetables that are really not optimal human foods for example, broccoli and cauliflower. But we are accustomed to eating them either because we've been told they're healthy and good for us or because we really DO like them. So, if you want to eat those cruciferous vegetables, then it's best to marinate them and warm/soften them in the dehydrator as the lower temperature won't render them useless by destroying the vital nutrients!

7. How do I get started NOW?

One of the best ways for anyone to get started with healthier eating no matter what your current diet is, is to start each day with a green smoothie! Now, before you turn up your nose, green smoothies aren't greens and other veggies blended. Green smoothies are fruit smoothies blended with water (no milk please) and greens, usually in the form of kale, baby spinach or even lettuce! They are delicious but when first starting out, you may need to add a small amount of greens and then work your way up! But they are nutritious and energizing and just drinking one to two green smoothies daily may result in some great health benefits for you!

have you lost weight, dear?

no. i have always looked this good.
:) oh, hahahahahhahaaa!!
nothing is farther from the truth!
but this was my conversation this morning with my dh,
who hasn't seen me since i left for my family reunion.

i have just gotten back from a flurry of activity with little time home
in the past couple of months.
we went to france for a couple of weeks for a wedding in the country
at a beautiful chateau.

what a lovely place!
but now i am back home
and it is the time to get serious with what i am doing to be healthy
happy and in better shape than last year.
i have already unpacked and done all the laundry.
so out comes the pen & paper to make a battle plan to achieve
the goals i have set out.

to begin with i have blended a nice little kick-off green smoothie for this morning.
i wandered out to my garden (terribly neglected for weeks!!)
and found a beautiful large kale & collard leaf, a hand full of parsley,
pulled a few weeds...
and came in to make the green drink.
i filled my ktec with the 2 green leaves minus the stalk (didn't want a thick drink today)
the parsley (diuretic qualities)
a thumb size piece of peeled fresh ginger (zoom metabolism)
a banana for sweetness,
a peeled lime (burn fat burn!)
water and ice....
i liked it- but not sweet at all- verry puckery!
so i added a few drops of stevia to make it palatable.
yum!
now the grocery list needs to be made
the to do list
and then i can come back and clean the house,

humming & singing like snow white :)
and wait for a repairman 12-4pm

yes, this is the time to get things back together in my house and life.
& enjoy the rest of the summer.

so what is new with you all?
xo
snowdrop