Well, we've made it one week! That's a quarter way to our committed thirty days raw, basically. Today was a good day, although I have been experiencing some detox symptoms. A few trips to the bathroom as well as a sore throat, a headache, and being a little tired. My husband is stoked every time I tell him about a symptom because he knows that it means that I'm getting toxins out. It's a great attitude to have, and I'm glad he's here to remind me of the bright side of all these detox symptoms.
We went to a vegetarian restaurant in Long Beach today to celebrate our 7th day raw. Zephyr on 4th and L.B. Blvd. was awesome. I didn't even read the menu besides the raw section on the back, because I didn't want to be tempted, but they have vegan options. Nick and I each got a raw Spring Roll for $6. It was all we needed, although we each ordered more, thinking it would be small. The wrap was a collard green, stuffed with cucumbers, carrots, sprouts, and a tahini ginger dressing.
I also got the pesto meal. It was $11 and came with pasta (made out of zucchini), raw soup (which I did not care for at all) and a small salad. Nick got a salad. On the way out, we ran into a homeless man, who we were able to give our leftovers to.
The place was really cute, with a mellow, coffee shop atmosphere. I'll definitely go back on my way to Buffalo Exchange, but I wouldn't make the trip to Long Beach just for it.
I made a great Mango-Coconut Pie today, which I will post pics of as well as the recipe tomorrow.
Have a Blessed Night!
Claire
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Raw Food Day 6
Okay, so things are going pretty well today. This morning I helped Nick with a photoshoot. I was his assistant, holding the big bouncy board, and running and grabbing things as we needed them. About half way through our 3.5 hour session, I started to get really tired. We were on the beach, and in the hot sun, and I just lost my energy.
After the session, we stayed on the beach another two or three hours and read. I am reading David Wolfe's Sunfood Diet System. At first glance I didn't think I would like the book, but many parts of it resonate with me, and I am really enjoying it. Right before we left the beach, we swan for a little while. I love swimming in the ocean. It felt so cold and I didn't want to go in at first, but it was so nice after a little while, and it just seemed to wash everything off of me.
When we got home, I took a bath with bentonite clay in it. This helps to pull toxins out of you. Before the bath, I dry brushed. Dry brushing is a technique in which you brush your skin with a hard bristled brush to remove toxins on your skin. You may know that your skin is a major elimination organ, so it really helps to dry brush when transitioning to raw. After the bath I laid down for a few minutes, and then I felt like a new person again. (also after a quart of water)
My friend Susan is moving in with us for a month or two, and I had enough energy to do a really deep cleaning of the house and lots of organizing that I've been putting off.
Today I ate:
2 smoothies
lasagna
pineapple
an apple
Have a great day!
After the session, we stayed on the beach another two or three hours and read. I am reading David Wolfe's Sunfood Diet System. At first glance I didn't think I would like the book, but many parts of it resonate with me, and I am really enjoying it. Right before we left the beach, we swan for a little while. I love swimming in the ocean. It felt so cold and I didn't want to go in at first, but it was so nice after a little while, and it just seemed to wash everything off of me.
When we got home, I took a bath with bentonite clay in it. This helps to pull toxins out of you. Before the bath, I dry brushed. Dry brushing is a technique in which you brush your skin with a hard bristled brush to remove toxins on your skin. You may know that your skin is a major elimination organ, so it really helps to dry brush when transitioning to raw. After the bath I laid down for a few minutes, and then I felt like a new person again. (also after a quart of water)
My friend Susan is moving in with us for a month or two, and I had enough energy to do a really deep cleaning of the house and lots of organizing that I've been putting off.
Today I ate:
2 smoothies
lasagna
pineapple
an apple
Have a great day!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Day 4 Raw
Today was pretty easy. I worked this morning, and I had a big yummy pina colada smoothie before work with bananas, water, pineapple, and coconut butter. I also added a little maca to get me going. When I first thought of transitioning to a raw food diet, I was concerned about energy for work. The truth is that it hasn't even been a week and I find myself eating less and having more energy. My spirit and general attitude towards life has improved quite a bit. I didn't really have a negative attitude before, but I am finding myself with more patience and love for my friends and family.
I came home from work early, and my husband and I relaxed together and read after another big smoothie. I whipped up a delicious raw lasagna between clients today, and I could smell it all day. It certainly put me in the mood for Italian! I thought it was delicious, but Nick found the textures more difficult to get used to. He had another piece, so he clearly liked it. I think evenings are the most difficult for him because he is used to that time to have his big cooked meal.
Lasagna recipe:
(ish-I haven't really been following recipes, I just add foods until the dish tastes right)
slice three zucchini on a mandoline pretty thin-these will be your noodles
tomato sauce
2 handful sundried tomatoes
2 handfuls chopped tomatoes
dash sea salt
dash cayenne
lemon juice to taste (i used a whole lemon)
basil and parsley to taste-fresh!
cheese
2 cups soaked sunflower seeds
dash salt
juice of 1 lemon
dash cayenne
layer the zucchini on the bottom of a 8x8 dish.
spread seed cheese on top, then cover that with spinach.
top spinach with tomato sauce.
repeat these layers to your desired size lasagna.
I heated mine in the dehydrator because I am still getting used to the raw dinner. Dinner was the only time we would eat cooked food, we usually had a soup and a salad. It is just as yummy cold, though if you don't have a dehydrator.
I just found my camera, and the battery is charging. I will post pictures soon, I promise!
Enjoy your evening!
I came home from work early, and my husband and I relaxed together and read after another big smoothie. I whipped up a delicious raw lasagna between clients today, and I could smell it all day. It certainly put me in the mood for Italian! I thought it was delicious, but Nick found the textures more difficult to get used to. He had another piece, so he clearly liked it. I think evenings are the most difficult for him because he is used to that time to have his big cooked meal.
Lasagna recipe:
(ish-I haven't really been following recipes, I just add foods until the dish tastes right)
slice three zucchini on a mandoline pretty thin-these will be your noodles
tomato sauce
2 handful sundried tomatoes
2 handfuls chopped tomatoes
dash sea salt
dash cayenne
lemon juice to taste (i used a whole lemon)
basil and parsley to taste-fresh!
cheese
2 cups soaked sunflower seeds
dash salt
juice of 1 lemon
dash cayenne
layer the zucchini on the bottom of a 8x8 dish.
spread seed cheese on top, then cover that with spinach.
top spinach with tomato sauce.
repeat these layers to your desired size lasagna.
I heated mine in the dehydrator because I am still getting used to the raw dinner. Dinner was the only time we would eat cooked food, we usually had a soup and a salad. It is just as yummy cold, though if you don't have a dehydrator.
I just found my camera, and the battery is charging. I will post pictures soon, I promise!
Enjoy your evening!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Day Three Raw
Hi!
Today is Sunday, and it's sunny and breezy. I had a great day two and three raw. Yesterday I went to visit my cousins in Sherman Oaks, California. That whole family is so cool-they are always laughing and having fun. My aunt and uncle hung for awhile and then they went to a party, while my cousins, my husband, and I played Monopoly. My cousins are going into ninth and sixth grades.
They couldn't believe that Nick and I are eating only raw foods! The fact that we were vegan was pretty hard for them to grasp, but I think this seemed over the top to them. They were very polite, though, and we loved eating our dinner of tomatoes, avos, spinach salad, and corn. One of my cousins even wanted some of my salad.
I am very tired now, but I think that had more to do with the long walk this morning than the journey with raw. I am about to have a pina colada smoothie and take my buckwheat grouts out of the dehydrator~
Sweet Dreams!!
Today is Sunday, and it's sunny and breezy. I had a great day two and three raw. Yesterday I went to visit my cousins in Sherman Oaks, California. That whole family is so cool-they are always laughing and having fun. My aunt and uncle hung for awhile and then they went to a party, while my cousins, my husband, and I played Monopoly. My cousins are going into ninth and sixth grades.
They couldn't believe that Nick and I are eating only raw foods! The fact that we were vegan was pretty hard for them to grasp, but I think this seemed over the top to them. They were very polite, though, and we loved eating our dinner of tomatoes, avos, spinach salad, and corn. One of my cousins even wanted some of my salad.
I am very tired now, but I think that had more to do with the long walk this morning than the journey with raw. I am about to have a pina colada smoothie and take my buckwheat grouts out of the dehydrator~
Sweet Dreams!!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Day One-Raw
Hi,
Yesterday completed day one of my personal challenge-thirty days totally raw. My husband and I cleaned out our fridge and freezer and dropped all of our soups and sauces off at a friend's house. It was perfect, actually, because she had just had a baby, and was very grateful to not have to cook for the next few days.
The transition was easy for me. The only time I really eat cooked foods anyway is at dinner time. It was more difficult then, but I just ate extra and moved past it. Here's what I ate yesterday:
Green Smoothie (kale, brazil nut milk, bananas, blueberries, goji berries, cacao, flax, dates, spirulina)
Raw Carrot Muffin
Mango
Fresh Pineapple
Guac and Raw Corn Chips
Two Huge Spinach Salad with raw tahini dressing
Apple Pie
Nick drove to downtown L.A. yesterday and went to an organic produce warehouse. He got cases of:
apples (80)
mango (9)
pineapple (6)
wheatgrass (1 flat)
Spinach (4 lbs)
Carrots (25 #)
Bananas (huge case)
The total for all of this was $140 and it will easily last us two weeks! If we had bought this food at whole foods, we would have easily paid double.
So, I cut up pineapple and banana and stuck them in the freezer for smoothies for the next two or three weeks. I also sliced about 10 bunches of bananas which are now in the dehydrator making banana chips. As long as I dehydrate them at under 114 degrees, all the enzymes stay intact and they are still easy to digest!
I also did alot of sprouting yesterday. I sprouted sunflower seeds and buckwheat groats, and dehydrated them, so if I have a recipe that calls for them, I can make it easily and quickly!
I also made raw apple pie. It was delicious!
I will let you know how today goes!
Enjoy your day!
Claire
Yesterday completed day one of my personal challenge-thirty days totally raw. My husband and I cleaned out our fridge and freezer and dropped all of our soups and sauces off at a friend's house. It was perfect, actually, because she had just had a baby, and was very grateful to not have to cook for the next few days.
The transition was easy for me. The only time I really eat cooked foods anyway is at dinner time. It was more difficult then, but I just ate extra and moved past it. Here's what I ate yesterday:
Green Smoothie (kale, brazil nut milk, bananas, blueberries, goji berries, cacao, flax, dates, spirulina)
Raw Carrot Muffin
Mango
Fresh Pineapple
Guac and Raw Corn Chips
Two Huge Spinach Salad with raw tahini dressing
Apple Pie
Nick drove to downtown L.A. yesterday and went to an organic produce warehouse. He got cases of:
apples (80)
mango (9)
pineapple (6)
wheatgrass (1 flat)
Spinach (4 lbs)
Carrots (25 #)
Bananas (huge case)
The total for all of this was $140 and it will easily last us two weeks! If we had bought this food at whole foods, we would have easily paid double.
So, I cut up pineapple and banana and stuck them in the freezer for smoothies for the next two or three weeks. I also sliced about 10 bunches of bananas which are now in the dehydrator making banana chips. As long as I dehydrate them at under 114 degrees, all the enzymes stay intact and they are still easy to digest!
I also did alot of sprouting yesterday. I sprouted sunflower seeds and buckwheat groats, and dehydrated them, so if I have a recipe that calls for them, I can make it easily and quickly!
I also made raw apple pie. It was delicious!
I will let you know how today goes!
Enjoy your day!
Claire
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Raw Carrot "Muffins"
Hello again!
Today my husband and I decided that we are going to try a journey of 100% raw food for thirty days. We have discussed the raw diet quite a bit and for the last two and half weeks, we've been raw until dinner. My friend, Mary, lent me a few of her raw books upon my request, and we have been pouring through them since then (yesterday!). I will keep you posted on the ups and downs of the journey. I expect mostly ups, but there is usually some detoxing that goes with being raw. I'm not too worried about the detox, though, because we've been vegan for about 4 years and have gone on many juice fasts.
Tonight I strolled over to Mary's blog: OneRawMama.blogspot.com
She is amazing, as is her entire family and her blog. I encourage you to check her out if you haven't already.
I made the muffins on her site and they are in the dehydrator right now. I know for a fact that they are going to turn out great, because I had one yesterday.
Thanks!
Love and Light!
Today my husband and I decided that we are going to try a journey of 100% raw food for thirty days. We have discussed the raw diet quite a bit and for the last two and half weeks, we've been raw until dinner. My friend, Mary, lent me a few of her raw books upon my request, and we have been pouring through them since then (yesterday!). I will keep you posted on the ups and downs of the journey. I expect mostly ups, but there is usually some detoxing that goes with being raw. I'm not too worried about the detox, though, because we've been vegan for about 4 years and have gone on many juice fasts.
Tonight I strolled over to Mary's blog: OneRawMama.blogspot.com
She is amazing, as is her entire family and her blog. I encourage you to check her out if you haven't already.
I made the muffins on her site and they are in the dehydrator right now. I know for a fact that they are going to turn out great, because I had one yesterday.
Thanks!
Love and Light!
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Well, Hello Again!
It's been quite a while since I've been in touch with my blog. I'm back with the intention of sharing my experiences as a vegan. I live in Southern California and spend alot of time cooking vegan meals, researching vegan products, and eating in vegan restaurants. I am here to share my recipes as well as product reviews.
Last night I went to The Spot Restaurant in Hermosa Beach, CA. We started with chips and guac-delish. The chips are baked, so they are different than what I'm used to, but I love it. I asked for a side of their green salsa, which is made with jalapenos, tomatoes or tomatillos, depending on the season. I love the spice of that with the coolness of the guacamole. Our server kindly brought us the terriyaki sauce to taste when my husband inquired about it. I ended up ordering the "Dear Bubba," which is rice and beans, steamed collard greens, and savory sauce, served with a side of cornbread. My husband ordered a veggie burger.
We both really enjoyed our meals. The veggie burger was amazing-both the texture and the flavor impressed us. The savory sauce was so good that we asked for another side of it, and we both put extra on our food. For dessert-vegan cheesecake. It was good, but not great. We make one at Thanksgiving every year that definitely gives them a run for their money. Next time we go, I'll remember my camera and post pics!
Last night I went to The Spot Restaurant in Hermosa Beach, CA. We started with chips and guac-delish. The chips are baked, so they are different than what I'm used to, but I love it. I asked for a side of their green salsa, which is made with jalapenos, tomatoes or tomatillos, depending on the season. I love the spice of that with the coolness of the guacamole. Our server kindly brought us the terriyaki sauce to taste when my husband inquired about it. I ended up ordering the "Dear Bubba," which is rice and beans, steamed collard greens, and savory sauce, served with a side of cornbread. My husband ordered a veggie burger.
We both really enjoyed our meals. The veggie burger was amazing-both the texture and the flavor impressed us. The savory sauce was so good that we asked for another side of it, and we both put extra on our food. For dessert-vegan cheesecake. It was good, but not great. We make one at Thanksgiving every year that definitely gives them a run for their money. Next time we go, I'll remember my camera and post pics!
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