Raw Food/ Real World

Watching Julie and Julia inspired me in more ways than one. Watching two women pursue their passion despite setbacks, meltdowns and uncertainty was encouraging. Seeing two women passionate about food was pure delight. And watching two stories unfold in a way that parallels my life in so many ways (apart from the published cooking book and the movie deal) was very affirming.

So I came out of the movie theater convinced that my next project would be to cook every recipe in a raw foods book. Just as people who watch lawyers on tv dream of going to law school, I was already imagining crazed searches for rare ingredients and tantrums over tabouli. A dream come true. Then I remembered - wait, I have two kids, a business and a life. So I settled for a new cookbook (it's a disease I am sure). But I wanted one that would really teach me how to cook - good, somewhat gourmet, raw meals. So I bought "Raw Food/Real World: 100 Recipes to Get the Glow."

I mean, who doesn't want "the glow."

I went on to cook quinoa tabouli (no tantrums!), fudge!, a filling green salad and cashew hummus. So far four for four. I didn't take any pictures yet but I will give you my tip on sprouting quinoa.

I first ventured to sprout quinoa without any directions and ended up with a foul-smelling grain I was unwilling to taste. This time I went by the book and now I offer that knowledge to you. And guess what - it is so simple!

First take one cup quinoa and soak it overnight. Then upon rising the next morning, rinse the quinoa well in a fine mesh colander. Leave it in the colander to drain with a clean towel over the quinoa. Let sit for six hours. Rinse once or twice (I rinsed them once and that seemed fine) and then voila - sprouted quinoa.

Quinoa is an incredibly nutritious grain - high in protein (12-18%), balanced set of essential amino acids, a good source of fiber, phosphorous, magnesium and iron. And with just a little forethought a great raw grain!

David Wolfe and Julie and Julia

Two very inspiring events have recently transpired in my life. The first - I interviewed expert nutritionist David Wolfe last night for my Wisdom of Wellness series. He is so amazing. A wealth of information, backed by integrity, fueled by an unceasing passion ignited by love and truth. What more could you ask for in a nutritionist? If you want to hear the interview click here, register and then click on the link below David's picture. It's available for another 18 hours or so. I would go into more detail but I'm tired, and quite frankly, unsure whether anyone out there is even reading this. I will say just one more thing - I offered an incredible deal on David's lastest project LongevityNOW ($150 off!). To learn more click here.

The second inspiring event was going to see the film Julie and Julia. Ahhh...I could relate in so many ways and the thought of picking up a cookbook and cooking every recipe in it from start to finish (and not an easy cookbook either) intrigued and delighted me from the moment I first heard of the idea. I loved her passion and of course in the end, fame. so much to say but I'm just too tired. Have to do more in the morning.

The Complete Book of Raw Food

"Praise the Lord," said my husband, and he is not a particularly religious man (although he does have some spiritual leanings).

"All I can say is Praise the Lord." This in response to my stating that somehow, since starting to eating primarily raw, I feel mellower, calmer, less agitated. I don't know why. But it sure is nice. As someone who is rather easily agitated I welcome the change.

It took me almost 2 days to recover from the pizza fiasco. My stomach felt off for about 72 hours. I am finally beginning to feel back to myself. In the meantime I put together a 5-minute berry pie from The Complete Book of Raw Food.


I have always loved cook books and now I have an excuse to purchase more. A whole new way of eating certainly requires a new set of cookbooks! This time, in an effort to encourage my children to embrace living food, I went straight to the dessert section. And this is what I made.

The bottom layers are essentially an almond crust with a walnut/coconut butter filling topped with strawberries. As it is August and strawberry season has long since ended and we had just gone blueberry picking earlier that day, I placed blueberries on top.

Here are the first two layers:


With the blueberries on top:


And just before eating:


It was, admittedly, a little sweet but yummy. Everyone in my family approved!

Pizza again!

Oh boy. Well... I learned yet another very important lesson on this raw food journey. My cravings for so many of the foods I used to yearn for are gone and yet, today, I just wanted something different. I didn't want any more veggies, I didn't want nuts or any kind of nut pate, or even the very tasty raw "peppermint patty" I made yesterday (more on that in the next post). I wanted something different - anything different.

So, we ordered a pizza. Now, it has only been two and a half weeks that I have been eating raw. Of that time I would say I have eaten 100% on at least half of the days and between 80-90% the rest of that time. A lot of raw food and yet, only two and a half weeks. I didn't think a pizza would be such a big deal. I saw it as a nice treat.

But it wasn't. As good as it tasted going down, I know feel sick to my stomach three hours later. At first I just felt sluggish, tired. I noticed how different I felt from eating raw food when I feel more alive and awake. Then, after a nice warm bath meant to sooth my weary body, I began feeling worse. And now I just feel sick. Hard to believe after only two and a half weeks I could have such a strong reaction to pizza.

Why am I going into so much detail? Because I promised I'd let you know how this journey went. And as far as I am concerned this is definitely a part of the trip I'd rather not repeat.

Raw Food and Emotional Eating

For years I have struggled with emotional eating. I think it is one of the things that drew me to studying nutrition (that and my passion for everything having to do with anything edible). I would swear off of sugar only to binge three or four days later. Feel terrible for four days and then repeat the cycle. As much as I loved breads, cereals, cakes and cookies I felt imprisoned by their allure and my desires.

I tried many things to break this cycle. I fasted, cleansed, journaled and meditated. Everything helped in its own way but the song of sugar always rang loudest and in the end, the box of cookies prevailed. How could someone like me, who knew so much about food, still fall prey to ingredients?

And then raw food came along. And I was doing my Wisdom of Wellness series. And as part of the series I was interviewing David Wolfe. And I love nutrition. And I love David Wolfe. And David Wolfe is raw.

So I took up the challenge to go 100% raw for three weeks. Well, I didn't make it. I haven't been 100% raw but man, what a journey it has been (and in such a short time!!). The most amazing thing, apart from how alive I feel, is that my cravings, my emotional eating, is gone. Gone.

Now, I'm not saying it is gone for good. I've been down this road too many times to make a statement like that. But for now, right in this moment (which is all I really care about), I have no cravings. Don't get me wrong - I am still eating sweet things. The only difference is they are foods sweetened with dates and agave. Foods that don't encourage insulin spiking that lead to stress on the system resulting in a stronger desire for the very foods that wreak the most havoc on my system. They are foods that feel good. That nourish me. And I feel nourished.

I don't have to resist eating chips at 10 pm or frying up a tortilla with butter just before bed. I don't need to force myself to stop eating the chocolate chips or deny myself that second piece of cake. I don't have to do any of this because I don't even want it.

If I had known that raw foods would lead me here, I would have walked this road years ago. But all in its own perfect time. And that time seems to be now.

Live Food Power

So in my three week adventure into raw food land, there has been one aspect that has remained consistent.

On the days when I eat only raw, living food I feel more energized. I can't quite explain it. It's like I am more alive. I never thought I would say that. I like to think of myself as a very practical, grounded person despite my somewhat hippy skippy upbringing. And yet, here I am eating raw foods and feeling somehow, as if the energy of the food really is activating a whole new energy in me. Scientifically it all makes sense. These days just about everything makes sense scientifically - energy healing, vibrational shifts, shape shifting - you name it.

And you want to know what - despite my claims to be this practical, grounded person, I love it. Because I know that my head speaks a different language than my heart. And my heart is right there with the whole energy thing. It gets it. And it loves it. So now begins a completely different transistion. That of allowing my heart to speak louder than my head.

Somehow I think eating raw food is going to help me get there.

Cherry Malt

Today being a lazy, rainy, Sunday afternoon my son, Asher, and I decided to make a "Cherry Malt" from Ani's Raw Food Kitchen. Asher has always loved to cook. I think I may have made him that way. It was clear from early on that my daughter had little interest in the kitchen. So when my son was born and he was a Cancer (just like his mom - and everyone knows all Cancer's love to cook) I was convinced he would be my little chef. I told him so on a regular basis putting a lot of faith in astrology and the power of suggestion.

And guess what? It worked! O.K. I have no proof that it worked. Perhaps he would have loved to cook even if he had been raised with astrologically ignorant parents and no mind games. But I'll never know. All I know is that I got my wish.

So, on this lazy, rainy day we decided to make a cherry malt from cherries, almonds, dates, carob powder and water. Simple enough.

Here is Asher pitting the cherries:


Here he is before our all powerful "Vitamix" blender, blending it all up.



Nearly done. It's time for the true test - will he like it?




He loves it!


His comment, "It's better than ice cream!" Quite a statement coming from a boy whose favorite food group is sugar. A success indeed.