Ugly Ripe Tomato

Ugly Ripe Tomatoes

Yes, there really are tomatoes called, "ugly ripe tomatoes". I don't know if you get them up north but down here in Florida they are very popular. I actually took the children on a homeschool field trip to a local large farm company that grows them. The expert at the farm says they are the best tasting of all the Florida tomatoes, and we agree! They are meaty and juicy and full of flavor. If you ever see them in your market, give them a try!

I decided to make them the star of my lunch on Tuesday. I topped them with my Thick and Creamy Raw Ranch dressing. I served them with a side of sunflower sprouts and broccoli stems I had leftover from another recipe. I love broccoli stems. They have a sweetness about them and are so tender. They make great dipping sticks for raw dips too. Today I simply ate them with fresh lemon juiced squeezed on top. Man were they good that way. Sometimes simple is best.

Ugly Ripe Tomato Plate

1 large ugly ripe tomato, sliced into rounds

2 scallions, finely sliced (reserve one for the garnish)

broccoli sprouts

sunflower sprouts

broccoli stems, peeled and cut into thick matchsticks

fresh lemon juice

Thick and Creamy Raw Ranch Dressing

1/2 C raw cashews, soaked

squeeze of fresh lemon juice

1/2 t garlic powder or 1 small clove, pressed

1/2 t onion powder

1 small scallion, fine chopped. (Chop 2nd one for garnish, set aside)

sea salt and pepper to taste

1/2 t dill weed

1 t raw agave

water to blend

In a small blender, blend cashews, agave, lemon juice, and 2 T water till almost smooth. Now add the spices, scallion and more water if necessary. Blend until thick and creamy.

Arrange tomato slices on plate. Top with the Raw Ranch Dressing. Garnish tomatoes with broccoli sprouts and the reserved chopped scallions. Serve with a side of sunflower sprouts and broccoli stems that have been drizzled with lots of fresh lemon juice. Enjoy!

~JMJ~ Today I am grateful for the simplicity of ripe tomatoes. I got so much joy out of eating this lunch. It is amazing how great raw food can make you feel. It actually puts me in a good mood. Maybe that is why all of my meals have to be raw.

RAW = happiness!! :)

Peace and Eat Some Ugly Ripe Tomatoes This Summer.

Container Herb Garden Salad--Needing the Greens Today and Wheatgrass

Monday morning I woke up feeling the need for greens!! Upon awakening I had a cup of wheat grass and a little while later my Klamath Blue Green Algae. The wheat grass I drank was a powder from http://www.bestorganicwheatgrass.com/.
I signed up for free samples on their website. It is a great product. The taste is fine. It is not bad or good, it just IS. I get more of a grain taste from it than a grassy one. It is just unexplainable, but it is not bad at all. I drink it right down in about 5 seconds. No after taste at all! It is best to always take it on an empty stomach for proper absorption. It is assimilated into the bloodstream in about 20 minutes.

The company states ten reasons why they love wheatgrass.
Ten Reasons Why We Love Wheatgrass

1. A Complete Food. Easy Pha-max wheatgrass is the ONLY wheatgrass that includes the roots containing anti-cancer agents. One serving provides 17 kinds of amino acids, 13 vitamins, 10 minerals, fiber, chlorophyll and over 100 types of enzymes.
2. An easy way to eat vegetables, good source of fiber. Dr. Schnabel estimated that 15 pounds of wheatgrass is equal to 350 pounds of garden vegetables in nutritional value.
3. The king of alkaline food, helps maintain pH balance of the body. The human body, except for the stomach, maintains a slightly alkaline pH. If this is altered and acid wastes are constantly produced, various health problems arise. Most of us have an acidic body due to acid forming foods, negative emotions and a stressful lifestyle. Too much acid waste hinders absorption of nutrients, slows down the body's natural healing capacity, and stimulates abnormal cells to grow. Wheatgrass can neutralize acids better than most other fruits and vegetables.
4. The "Green Blood", Supports blood production and circulation. Wheatgrass contains 70% chlorophyll. Chlorophyll carries oxygen, nutrients and energy from the sun. Studies have shown that chlorophyll, which has a similar molecular structure with hemoglobin, intensifies blood production, improves it's quality and prevents anemia. Being oxygen rich, chlorophyll also promotes proper oxygenation of cells and better blood circulation.
5. Provides "Green Power", energizes and detoxifies the body. There are many active compounds in wheatgrass that help cleanse the blood, neutralize toxins and eliminate fats, mineral deposits and proteins that are clogging our system.
6. Rich in powerful enzymes. Every chemical reaction inside the body and every action that we make requires 1000's of enzymes. With age the amount of enzymes the body can produce on its own diminishes. Supplementing our body with enzyme-rich food enhances our cellular activity. More than 100 types of enzymes have been identified in wheatgrass. Two of the most important enzymes recognized are SOD (Super Oxide Dimustase), a potent antioxidant and P4D1, first known substance to actually stimulate repair of the DNA molecule. Both of these enzymes have anti-aging propertities.
7. Helps prevent cancer. In a study done in Texas, Dr. Chui-nan demonstrated that wheatgrass inhibits the activity of cancer causing agents, thus preventing the initiation of tumors. A plant hormone Abscissic Acid is found in wheagrass. It is a phyto-hormone that makes cancer cells vulnerable to the immune system of the body. The enzyme p4D1 strips the cancer of its protective covering and encourages cellular death. Wheatgrass has always been one of the mainstays of anti-cancer programs popular in the Hippocrates Institute of Dr. Ann Wigmore.
8. Enhances wound healing, good for the skin too! During WWII, wounded solders used chlorophyll derivatives topically and noticed loss of odor and foul-smelling wounds, faster healing and drying effect of pus and abscesses. Some legs were even saved from amputation. Dr. Carol Wright of Philadelphia also used chlorophyll in different types of skin diseases and found it to be especially useful in addressing chronic ulcers and impetigo. Other than healing diseases, wheatgrass juice is also good in energizing the skin.
9. Great internal deodorant. Dr. Howard Westcott discovered that chlorophyll extracts can neutralize offensive odors in food, alcohol and tobacco. Also, in patients and volunteers, it effectively neutralized bad breath, body odor from perspiration, menstrual odors and foul smelling urine and stools.
10. Good for intestinal problems and inflammatory conditions. Wheatgrass is rich in fiber that helps clear out toxins and garbage in the digestive tract. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and is great for addressing ulcers, colitis, sigmoiditis, pancreatitis and other inflammatory conditions.

WOW...doesn't that get you excited about wheatgras?? It does me! One of my raw goals is to grow my own wheatgrass and juice it with a manual juicer. When we get back from summer vacation, I am taking the plunge. I am going to start sprouting and growing wheatgrass. I have three family members that need its anti-inflammatory properties in particular and I want us all to get the full benefits that wheatgrass offers. But I am very glad that I found this powdered wheatgrass product as well, because it is perfect for traveling or when you are in a hurry and still want to get your wheatgrass into your daily routine. I will always keep some of the packets in the house for those two reasons.
After I had my wheatgrass and blue green algae it was time to think of my morning meal. I was thinking more green and this is what became of those green thoughts.
I have a small container garden on our upper deck. I posted about it back in June. I am growing a few different herbs, micro greens, tomatoes, a cucumber, and two peppers. So far I have only harvested tomatoes, one cucumber, micro greens, and several herbs. I pick herbs almost daily.
Well, I was really in an herbal mood and wanted to add something to these amazingly simple yet delicious marinated vegetables that I made. I went out on the porch and just started cutting. My daughter held out her hands for me and I piled them high with micro greens and herbs. Then I just started assembling this amazing salad along with my marinated vegetables. I loved how it turned out. It was one of those special salads that you hope you can recreate when you're craving it again. Let's start with my marinated vegetable recipe:

Marinated Zucchini and Carrots

1 zucchini cut into rounds
1 large carrot thinly sliced into rounds
1/2 of a sweet onion thinly sliced
3 Tbsp First cold pressed EVOO
3 Tbsp Rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp Tamari
1 clove garlic, pressed
Whisk together the oil, vinegar, tamari and garlic. Pour over vegetables and let marinate overnight.

Now we can assemble the salad. I took a bed of sunflower sprouts and topped it with the marinated vegetables. Then I began topping it with the following:
parsley
basil
lemon thyme
lemon basil
boxwood basil
micro greens

There you have it. I am amazed at the amount of food I get from this tiny container garden. I can hardly wait for Fall to plant my two, square foot gardens. I just hope I am successful at it. I am counting on having kale and collards and tons of other veggies growing in my own backyard. The rest of you are probably enjoying your gardens already, all of us down here in SW Florida have to wait till the Fall. Peace and Eat More Greens! Grow some wheatgrass too!!

~JMJ~ Today I am grateful for the time I spent with my parents. They came over to give Eric Jr. his birthday gifts and we had a fun time chatting about raw and living foods. I think I filled their heads with way too much information. They looked dazed and confused. Or maybe they were just thinking that their daughter has gone nuts. :)

Jicama Cilantro Salad

Jicama Cilantro Salad

It is HOT down here in SW Florida and I can't think of a more refreshing salad than this. It was so fresh and so light, making it the perfect dish for a hot humid day. I had it for lunch the other day and then enjoyed it as a side with dinner. I had some leftover jicama and cilantro and decided to throw this together. Here is the simple recipe:

Jicama Cilantro Salad

1 small jicama or 1/2 of a large jicama cut into small cubes
juice from 1 large lime or 2 small limes
handful of fresh chopped cilantro
pinch of sea salt
Toss all of the ingredients together and enjoy the simple goodness.
~JMJ~Today I am grateful for the fact that God is good, very good. He times everything perfectly, as He is perfect. We had an unexpected "gift", so to speak, come at just the right time to cover an unexpected, very large, expense. God is good, He will provide for all that we need. Trust and keep the faith. Peace and Raw Health!

Raw Birthday Cake

Raw Cacao Birthday Cake

Our son, Eric Jr., turned four yesterday. We took our five children to a movie in 3-D, came home for dinner, gifts and raw cake!!!! Here is a photo of the youngest three in their 3-D glasses.

Eric Jr. is on the left, Mason in the middle and Aidan on the right. The older two refused to pose.  All five children really enjoyed the flick. But I think they liked the raw cake even better. Here is a photo of Eric Jr. before he blew out his candles. He did not want his picture taken, he just wanted to dig into that cake. He was asking me all day when he could have some. Too funny!

I will NOT smile while you all sing!

Watch the expression change.

Blowing out the candles...gonna get a bite soon.

Now look at this expression, pure happiness....raw cacao happiness!!

"My fork is stuck."

"Oh, I got it out, back to the cake."

I used two recipes for inspiration. One was from Rawfully Tempting  and the other from the book, Everyday Raw by Matthew Kenney.  

My crust recipe was from Rawfully Tempting's Chocolate Mousse Cake. I pressed it into a spring form pan and put it in the freezer while I prepared the cake filling. For the filling I used:

1 1/2 Cups cashews, soaked

1/2 Cup filtered water + 2 Tbsp filtered water

2 T naturally decaffeinated coffee (optional)

1/2 Cup + 2 T raw agave

1/2 Cup coconut oil, melted

1/2 t vanilla extract

1 drop of almond extract

1/4 t sea salt

1/2 Cup raw cacao + 2 T (he called for cocoa powder)

1/2 Cup raw carob powder (or use all cacao)

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender. Pour into the chilled crust. Cover with plastic and freeze overnight. Take out of freezer 30 minutes before serving. Store in freezer.

This cake was so amazing. It felt like you were eating a cross between chocolate ice cream, chocolate cheesecake and a chocolate bar. It was just plain good. If you love chocolate you will love this raw cake. Matthew calls his recipe a "Chocolate Hazelnut Tart". I did not use hazelnut and I did not use cocoa powder like his recipe. I used almond in place of the hazelnut extract and raw cacao and raw carob instead of the cocoa powder. I added 2 tablespoons of decaf coffee to punch up the flavor of the chocolate. It was so quick and easy to make. I was happy with everything. I would have decorated it with some cashew cream drizzle and some raw cacao syrup but I decided to keep it simple. The family was so anxious to dig in so I just put it on the birthday plate and started cutting.

Here is a picture of the birthday boy with his gifts. He is a very happy four year old! Peace and Raw Health.

~JMJ~ Today I am grateful for my son. What else can I say. I love you sooooo much!!

Quick and Easy Tabbouleh and a Book Review

It is time to do a formal review of a book I was lucky enough to find at our local library. The title is, "Everyday Raw", by Matthew Kenney. I have already posted recipes from his book and I really like everything that I have prepared so far. But now I would like to share my review of his book and also feature another one of his recipes, TABBOULEH. The funny thing about this recipe is that he uses a sprouted grain, quinoa, that he didn't actually sprout. He doesn't personally advocate the use of sprouted grains, although they are technically raw, because he has a hard time digesting them and he doesn't think they are pleasant to eat. I disagree. I think everyone has to decide for themselves of course, but I love sprouted grains and do not have a problem digesting them. It is very important to follow soaking and sprouting timeline guides, to do it properly. Anyway, let's talk about his book:

The copy right date is 2008, so it is a fairly new book. It contains recipes for: blended and squeezed drinks, snacks, unbaked items, starters, spreads, dips and sauces, salads, larger dishes, desserts, and ice creams. He lacks a resource section but occasionally adds tips and information on some of the recipe pages. He also does not begin the book with enough information for a beginning raw foodist to get started. This book would be better for someone who has already researched and learned how to get started on the raw food lifestyle. He only devotes four pages to his introduction and basic understanding of the necessary equipment, techniques, and ingredients that are needed to begin the journey. But what he lacks here he more than makes up for with his amazing and simple raw recipes.

The first chapter, Blended and Squeezed, contains 17 recipes. He has basic nut milks, smoothies, shakes, cleansing juices, lemonade, cacao drinks, and protein power packed smoothies good for any athlete.

The second chapter is devoted to snacks. He has twelve snack recipes. All of them I will be making. They look great. The star snack recipe has to be his Super Gogi-Cacao-Maca Bars!!

Unbaked crackers, breads and chips are next. Cumin flatbread, herb crackers, golden tortilla chips, za'atar flatbread, and bar-b-que crisps are the featured recipes in this chapter. Now he gives you "starter" recipes...that would be breakfast. He has pancake, sausage, bacon, gazpacho, tofu scrambler (do raw foodists eat tofu??) and then moves on to the other "starters"...hors d'oeuvres. Here you will see sesame cashew dumplings, soups, homemade tofu using no soy, olives, and crepes. I made his portobello sausages and they were fantastic.

He features fourteen different spreads, dips and sauces in the next chapter. I made his chili and it was loved by all who tried it. I served it both cold and gently heated in my Excalibur dehydrator. Did I mention how much I love my dehydrator?? This chapter features a macadamia red pepper cheese that I am dying to make. He says this cheese is great for crackers and for making a Middle Eastern-style pizza with vegetables. Sounds good to me. There is pesto, hummus and salsas and more in this chapter.

Now on to the greens. The salad chapter is one of my favorites. I posted some of his salad dressings in the past few weeks. They are spectacular. This chapter features the TABBOULEH recipe which I will share with you today. His chapter devoted to "Larger Dishes" contains pizza, mango wraps, fajitas, pasta primavera, baked macaroni and cheese, rosemary-garlic mashed potatoes made with jicama, portobello steaks, summer rolls, tomato torta with pesto and macadamia ricotta, and a pad thai recipe that is the best I have seen.

The final two chapters are devoted to desserts and ice creams, yummy!!!! The chocolate hazelnut tart is the recipe I used for our son's fourth birthday and the crust from another recipe (see below). Happy Birthday Eric Jr.!!! I love you! I will be taking pictures of it tonight when we eat it and posting it tomorrow. This tart will knock your socks off. Matthew says, "If you have a skeptical friend or family member who doesn't believe raw food is delicious, simply feed them this tart. Your point will be made."

You will be delighted to find recipes in the last chapter for ice creams, gelato, ice cream cones, sorbet, chocolate pieces to top the ice creams, and creamsicles.

I will be buying this book after I return this copy to the library. I definitely need it in my raw food cookbook collection. I think you will find it amazing too. Here is the featured recipe for today:

Tabbouleh

(**I sprout all grains..he did not sprout his quinoa for the recipe...I recommend sprouting for the most nutrition and digestibility)

1 Cup quinoa, rinsed and soaked 24 hours **and then sprouted 1 day

1/4 Cup first cold pressed EVOO

3 T fresh lemon juice

1 t sea salt

1 Cup seeded and chopped cucumber

1 Cup seeded and diced roma tomato

1/4 Cup minced red onion (I used white)

1/2 Cup flat leaf Italian parsley

Marinate sprouted quinoa in a medium bowl with the EVOO, lemon juice and salt for 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and toss until well incorporated. Eat immediately or let flavors marinate for an hour prior to serving.

This is a wonderful, quick and easy tabbouleh. Mine kept well for 3 days in the fridge. One of the days I even had it for my breakfast!! Give it a try! Sprouted quinoa is one of my favorite raw grains. It is so good for you and has a unique taste. I like it better that bulger that is traditionally in the cooked recipes for tabbouleh. Look at your local library for Matthew's book and see what you think? I think you will agree that it is a great raw recipe book. Peace and Raw Health!

~JMJ~ Today I am thankful for our son who turns four today!!! Eric Junior is our second to the youngest child. He is a joy and a blessing. I can't wait for tomorrows post. I will have pictures of him and his raw birthday cake, and the recipes that I tweaked. I combined Matthew's Chocolate Hazelnut Tart with the crust from Rawfully Tempting's Creamy Chocolate Mousse Cake. Every 5 minutes he asks, "Mom, is my cake ready yet?" I made it last night so it could set up over night in the freezer. I don't think he his going to be able to wait until tonight to dig into this amazing raw cacao tart.

Black and Blue Cobbler

Blackberry and Blueberry Cobbler

1/2 C blueberries
1/2 C blackberries
1/2 C sunflower sprouts
handful of raw walnuts, soaked 6 hours
handful of raw pecans, soaked 6 hours
4 deglet dates, rough chop
2 tsp raw honey
1 tsp vanilla
pinch sea salt
2 T hemp seeds

Process the dates, nuts, vanilla, honey and salt. Add the hemp and pulse a few times. Pour cobbler crust into a serving bowl. Top with the berries and garnish the side of the bowl with the sunflower sprouts. This makes one very large serving. Could be shared by two people. Enjoy!

~JMJ~ Today I am grateful for an empty refrigerator. We cleaned out the refrigerator and the pantry last week. We are down to almost nothing. Now we are going to restock them both with raw and living foods and some whole foods for my "cooked food eaters". Peace and Raw Health.

Lucuma Pudding

Lucuma Pudding

I can eat different varieties of this raw pudding any day of the week. I am in love with this stuff. There are days when I can actually tell that I NEED this pudding. :) Well today was one of those days. I decided to use some Lucuma powder to flavor this version. It turned out spectacular. Right before I ate it I decided to sprinkle on one tablespoon of Hemp Seeds. They aren't in the photo. This will keep you full for HOURS. I sometimes don't get hungry again until almost dinner time! In June I posted a recipe for a basic carob pudding, this is a super charged version, minus the carob (I was out :() loaded with even more nutrition!! I added my buckwheat crispies to add a nice crunch. I have been adding these crispies to a lot of breakfast recipes lately. They take the place of dried cereals. Here is my recipe:

Lucuma Pudding

1  organic avocado
1 large organic banana or 2 small (plus a few slices for topping)
2 heaping Tbsp Lucuma Powder
1 Tbsp Tupelo Honey
pinch of sea salt
Handful of Buckwheat Crispies
1 Tbsp Nutiva Hemp Seeds

In a food processor, process the avocado, banana, lucuma, sea salt, and honey till smooth and creamy. Put into a serving bowl and top with the buckwheat crispies, sliced banana and hemp seeds.
Note: I was out of raw carob powder, next time I will add this also. You could also use raw cacao powder.

Buckwheat Crispies

1 pound buckwheat groats
Put buckwheat groats in a large bowl and fill to the top with water. The buckwheat will double in size, so use plenty of water to keep it submerged.
Rinse the buckwheat every few hours to remove the thick slimy layer. Cover again with fresh water. Let it soak a total of 6-8 hours.
Rinse the soaked buckwheat thoroughly after the 6-8 hours. Using your Excalibur dehydrator, place a teflex sheet or wax paper over the mesh screens so the buckwheat won't fall through. Spread the buckwheat out onto the trays and dehydrate 3-4 hours or until completely dry at 104 degrees. Once cooled, store in an airtight container in the pantry. Should keep for 6-9 months.
Uses:
These are like a raw version of rice krispies. They travel well and are very versatile because they are so bland. You can top them with your favorite nut milk or sprinkle on puddings, cobblers or salads. You could even try topping them with a chocolate nut milk for the children!!



~JMJ~ Today I am grateful that I can choose what I want to eat each day. My heart goes out to those who don't know when or where their next meal will come from. We are blessed in so many ways that often get taken for granted, let's not take things for granted; give thanks for even the simple things. Peace and Raw Health!

Drying and Grinding Steevia

My Organic Green Steevia Powder

When I saw the price for a bag of green steevia powder I said to myself, I can do this!! I found steevia plants at both Home Depot and Wally World. I bought mine at home depot. I have it growing in my container garden on the upper deck. I planted it in an organic soil mixture that I blended myself. I feed it weekly with an organic liquid plant food. I harvested my first bunch a month or so ago. I hung it upside down to dry in the kitchen. Once it was fully dried I ground it to a fine powder in a clean coffee grinder. I store it in an airtight container in the pantry. See how easy that was?? And just think of all the money I saved. Awesome in my mind!

 It is so important to try and grow at least a portion of our own food. I am limited during the summer as to what I can grow since I am in Southern Florida. Not much produce can survive the heat. I am successful at growing grape tomatoes, cucumber, red pepper and a variety of herbs and micro lettuce/greens. Fruit trees are good also. Right now I have a tree full of key limes and two pods of bananas on my banana trees. I'll get pics of those for another post.

How are you saving money by becoming more self sustainable?
~JMJ~ Today I am grateful for home grown goodness. Patiently waiting for our Fall planting season. :)
Grow Your Own Greens!!
Peace and Raw Health!

Mango Festival

This past Saturday we went to the Mango Festival. Man was it HOT!!!! Too hot to even enjoy ourselves to the fullest. It made the youngest two very cranky.They would just stop walking and cry. We all were dripping with sweat. But we stuck it out for a while and I got some good pictures. They had several vendors, activities for the kids, food, tasting tables, gardening supplies, fruit and vegetable trees and plants and even butterfly gardening information. Mote Aquarium had a set up there with many specimens on display as well as a touch tank and a beautiful fish tank. Our children loved the touch tank. They were able to hold a water hermit crab, sea urchin, star fish, and a horse shoe crab. 

Later we found a bounce house and our three youngest spent about 20 minutes in it. Then we decided to call it a day and go get something really cold to drink. I still am glad that we went, even though it was so stinkin hot. One of the reasons I am glad we went is because my husband and I tasted our first Leechee. I loved it, he said it gave him heartburn. Too funny. Anyway, I plan on planting a Leechee tree this fall when I get my two square foot garden beds set up. They really are a unique fruit!

Here is a refreshing salad using the delicious mango fruit, in honor of the Mango Festival:

Elizabeth's Mango Sprouty Salad

Organic red leaf lettuce

1 mango, diced

mung bean sprouts

adzuki sprouts

grape tomatoes, sliced

red clover sprouts

broccoli sprouts

First cold pressed EVOO

1 T coconut vinegar

2 T fresh squeezed orange juice

pinch sea salt

pinch of onion powder

1 T raw honey

fresh lemon basil, chopped fine

Directions: Plate lettuce, top with mango, sprouts, and tomatoes. Whisk the oil, OJ, salt, honey and basil. Drizzle this dressing over the salad. Enjoy! 

~JMJ~ Today I was grateful for the breeze that would blow every so often, giving us much needed relief from the heat! Did I mention it was HOT at the festival? :)

Peace and Eat More Raw!

Water Kefir Grains

While eating a raw food diet, usually no dairy products are consumed. I do not consume dairy products and neither does one of our youngest. He has been struggling with GI issues for 11 months and we have been trying to slowly eliminate foods, attempting to pinpoint the culprit. I have read so much information on people healing when they eliminate dairy from their diet. Well, five days ago we totally eliminated all sources of dairy in his diet and he already is showing improvement!! This has been a looooong 11 months on all of us. I won't get into the details but changing 6-7 diapers a day will give you a clue as to what I mean. I try to keep dairy out of the rest of the families diet as well. But they still choose to consume some products that contain it. I won't feed it to them, so at least I know it can slowly be eliminated from their diet as well. 
I have been doing some research on making kefir. I have learned on the Internet and also from Ani Phyo, when she came to our raw foods group, that you can make coconut water kefir and even kefir with just regular filtered water, pear, and ginger. Ani likes this version right now. She uses the pear to feed the kefir grains with natural sugar and she adds the ginger because she likes the flavor.
I found water kefir grains and have added them to my store. If you are raw or even a vegan, you can't use kefir grains that have come from a dairy source so these water grains are the perfect answer. I have not made my kefir yet. That will be posted as soon as I give it a try, but I wanted to post about the water kefir grains now because a few of us were discussing it at our last meeting.
I found two young Florida coconuts in our neighbor's yard. I decided to try my hand at cracking it open to get to the coconut water. It worked! The coconut water tasted great. Even the kids liked it. I am excited to make coconut water kefir as well as Ani's version.
TIP: Freeze young coconut water that has been blended with some of the meat in ice cube trays. You then can easily add these cubes to your smoothie recipes.

Water Kefir Grains

~JMJ~ Today I am grateful for yet another answer from prayer and healthy bacteria! God is good, very good!
Peace and Eat More Raw!

Making the Transition to Raw

When making the transition to raw you can either jump in with both feet or slowly make the changes. I basically jumped in with both feet, with the exception of coffee. It took me six months of being raw before I could kick the coffee habit. But I am happy to say that I did it a few months ago and am so glad I did. My body was addicted to the caffeine but I just didn't enjoy drinking it anymore. As my body was getting more and more detoxed I was really noticing how awful the caffeine was making me feel. I quit cold turkey and the only with drawl symptom I suffered was night sweats the first night. I am very grateful for that because in years past I would suffer from migraines each time I tried to quit. I really believe that the fact that I had been eating raw for over six months at the time made it easier. I feel that as each month passes I notice more and more positive results from eating raw.
Here is a link that will take you directly to a great chart that helps you transition to raw. It shows you "bad, better, best" choices. There are six categories total on the charts. It really is a great resource. I didn't find this resource until after I had gone raw. I have found so many helpful resources on the Internet. I taught myself everything about eating raw by simply scouring the Internet. Now I have the good fortune to also learn from others in our Raw and Living Foods Group.
Here is the link for the charts, check it out:
http://www.thebestofrawfood.com/raw-food-diet-conversion-chart.html

This is another great starting point. When I was first researching and getting started on the raw and living foods lifestyle, I read every single page of this website. It took me several weeks, because I would read a little bit while taking breaks from the homeschooling, but eventually I read everything that I wanted to.
http://www.rawfoods.com/


~JMJ~ Today I am grateful for all of the wonderful people who are willing to share the intimate details of their journey on the raw and living foods diet. I have learned so much and am learning everyday.

Raw Carob and Raw Nori

I am so excited, I added two new raw products to my store. I have been looking for truly raw carob powder and raw nori wraps for quite a long time. No one in town sells them. Well I kept looking and I found them. I had to use lightly toasted nori for the sushi I posted yesterday. Once that bag is gone I will be ordering the raw nori!! 
I just uploaded both products to my astore!!
Here they are:
Truly Raw Carob Powder a 16 oz bag

and Raw Nori Wraps

P.S. I am doing a little research. I have asked Whole Foods if they can find and order raw carob and raw nori. We shall see what they say. Plus I want to compare the price to the two products I found and added to my store.

~JMJ~ Today I am grateful for my oldest child. She is our only girl. I am so happy to see that as she grows she becomes more and more like her father. They both have such a calmness about them. It is just what I need to balance me. They both are so patient and kind. I am truly blessed. Peace and Eat More Raw!

Sensational Sushi

I was so pleased with the results when I made this recipe. It actually is a recipe for a Sunflower Basil Salad. I decided to make it two ways.  I used some of it for my sushi filling and the rest to make salad wraps using romaine lettuce. I got the recipe from my copy of the book, The Raw Transformation. I mentioned before how much I like all of the recipes I have tried so far. This really is a great raw book. Here is the recipe:

Sunflower Basil Salad

Serves 6

1/4 C grated zucchini

1/4 C grated squash

1/4 C grated jicama

2 C sunflower sprouts, chopped

2 C firmly packed fresh basil

3 green onions, sliced thin

3 tomatoes, chopped bite size

1/2 C sunflower seeds soaked overnight

1 large avocado, cubed

2 garlic, minced

1/2 tsp minced ginger

1/4 tsp minced jalapeno ( I used a pinch of red pepper flakes)

3 T first  cold pressed EVOO

1 T fresh lemon juice

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp onion powder

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, adding spices, oil, and lemon juice last. Serve chilled.

I wrapped some up in romaine leaves, remove the tough center rib first. Then with the remainder I rolled it up in Nori Wraps. Cut them with a very sharp knife into bite size sushi pieces. You can google how to roll sushi. It is pretty easy once you get the hang of it. I didn't use a bamboo mat and it turned out fine. You really should try this as a sushi roll. It is my favorite sushi thus far.

~JMJ~ Today I am grateful for the beautiful morning spent at our beach with the three youngest children. We got up early, had breakfast, packed up our things and got in the car by 9 AM. I was proud of myself...I got us all ready by myself and everything came together beautifully. I even pulled right up to an open parking spot and didn't have to worry about using the parking garage halfway down the block. I was wondering how in the world I was going to lug all of our stuff down to the beach carrying the baby and holding on the hands of the other two. So I must say I was very grateful for that "up front" parking spot. The water was calm, the sky was a most beautiful blue and the kids were having a ball! Can't beat that. I actually thought about eating seaweed when I was there, watching it roll around in the surf. I actually got hungry!! I love my seaweed. I didn't eat any. Peace and Eat More Raw!

The Dairy Lie--But I Love Ice cream!

Blueberry Ice Kream
My New Kinda Ice Kream


"The number one cause of cancer is casein from milk" says Brian Clement leader of Hippocrates Health Institute in Florida.

I found some great videos regarding the dairy topic.
As well as many resources on the dangers of cow's milk. Of course if you are on an 100% raw food diet you do not consume dairy. Not even from goats or sheep. Now some people on a raw food diet do choose to consume raw goats milk from time to time but all animal milk contains casein, and that is where the danger is. Click on this link to go directly to this information.  There is also a video demonstrating how easy it is to make nut milks at this link.
http://www.thebestofrawfood.com/vegan-protein.html
Many raw ice kream recipes use nut milks, that is how we get the creamy texture. I like to make quick ice kreams at times that have no nut milks and I love them. I don't think I will miss the milk based ice creams. Hopefully the family won't either. They bought me an ice cream maker for Mother's Day so I can make the raw ice kreams in it. I have already tried it and I was blown away with the results.
I personally know many people negatively affected by dairy products. People in our family suffer from the adverse effects. It is my goal to get everyone off of cow's milk or products containing cow's milk. I am reading labels and looking for all of the hidden words for milk or milk products. Whey is a big one that you'll see on many food labels. (The rest of my family has a portion of their diet that contains cooked foods.) It is worth it to do the detective work because the quality of life for these individuals will only improve. I can feel good about that. Not to mention that we can feel happy about eating frozen raw goodies and not guilty or sick like we would if we consumed unhealthy dairy products.
This is a great place to start. It is not a raw site, but a great dairy free site to help you with eliminating dairy from your diet. http://www.godairyfree.org/
But also google for yourself the dangers of milk...your eyes will be opened wide! Here is what I found:

http://www.google.com/search?q=dangers+of+milk&rls=com.microsoft:*:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7SUNA_en
Next, google "raw ice creams" and you'll see all of the options available to tickle your taste buds. Most all of the raw food books contain several raw ice cream recipes along with the most amazing raw desserts. I have yet to find a cooked dessert that can compete with my favorite raw desserts! Raw wins every time. And you don't feel sick and tired after eating them. The opposite is true, you feel light and full of energy, living energy from the living foods. Here is the recipe for my blueberry ice kream topped with mixed berries:
Blueberry Ice Kream
1 1/2 frozen bananas, cut up
1 C frozen blueberries
fresh mixed berries for garnish
Place frozen bananas and blueberries into a small food processor. Process till smooth and creamy. Top with a mixture of fresh berries. Enjoy!
~JMJ~ Today I am grateful for raw food dessert recipes. The endless raw food dessert recipes can make the transition to raw easier. I personally do not miss the sugar loaded, fat laden unhealthy processed and cooked desserts one bit. All they did was make me feel terrible. Now I can eat a dessert and feel wonderful. Life is good! Peace and Eat More Raw!

Chia Pudding

The first time I tried chia was when I made my blueberry chia parfait. I fell in love with chia and wanted to try my second recipe. The taste of this pudding reminds me of coconut cream pie. It also tastes very festive at the same time, like eggnog. I can't really explain it, but it is just plain good! The first day I enjoyed it as a dessert topped with fresh blueberries. The second day I added some banana slices and a drizzle of real maple syrup and had it for breakfast. The chia recipes I have made seem to stay fresh in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. But I bet they could stay even longer. If they thicken up too much for your liking, just add in some more water and stir...good as new! Here is the recipe:

Chia Pudding

1/4 C chia seeds
1/4 C raw coconut, shredded and unsweetened
1/4 C raw cashews, soaked
4 fresh Deglet dates
1 1/4 C filtered water
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp Lucuma powder
1/8 tsp vanilla powder or extract
Stir the chia seeds and coconut. In a blender, blend the remaining ingredients and then add to the chia and coconut. Stir well and then let sit for 5-10 minutes. Then stir every 5 minutes for the next 15 minutes. The chia will have soaked for roughly 20 minutes. Enjoy the chia goodness!
~JMJ~ Today I am grateful for my loving husband. We celebrate twenty years of marriage today. We met when we were 16 years old. We dated each other for 7 years as we completed high school and college. Our journey as man and wife began on 7-7-1990. I am so blessed. He is the most patient and kind man I have ever met. There is a certain calmness about him that balances my tendency to be high strung at times. He has a perfect way of grounding me again and then I can focus, and life goes on. We have five beautiful children who enrich our lives each day. For all of this and more, I am truly grateful! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY HONEY!!! Peace and Eat More Raw!!

A Days Worth of Recipes

Carob Breakfast Pudding

Sprouty Citrus Salad

Marinated Mushrooms and Spinach

I thought I would share a days worth of meals again. I always like to see people's daily menus; it inspires me to be creative with my own menu. This day I started out with my favorite carob pudding. I can eat this any time of day, I really like it. I decided to top it with fresh banana and my buckwheat krispies. Wonderful! It kept me so satisfied. This is a great filling breakfast for those days when you know lunch might be later than usual.

For lunch I had a refreshing sprouty citrus salad. I love finding all kinds of ways to incorporate my sprouts into recipes.

For dinner I adapted a recipe from $10 a Day and served it on top of some raw organic spinach. It went so well together that I will always prepare it this way. I really love this recipe. Here are all three recipes. Hope you can try them soon.

Carob Breakfast Pudding

2 ripe organic bananas (use them separately)

1 ripe organic avocado

1/8-1/4 C raw carob powder

1 T raw honey or real maple syrup (syrup is not raw)

1/4 C buckwheat krispies

Directions:

In a small food processor, process one of the bananas, the avocado and the raw honey or syrup. Place this smooth mixture into a bowl. Top with the other banana sliced into rounds and a sprinkling of the buckwheat krispies. Yummy!!

Sprouty Citrus Salad

2 C mung bean sprouts

1/4 C sprouted quinoa

1/4 C sunflower sprouts, rough chopped

1/2 C Gogi Berries, soaked

1 C orange cut into chunks

1/4 of a red bell pepper, chopped

1/2 C cucumber, finely chopped

1/2 C jicama, chopped

2 T fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

6 leaves of fresh lemon basil, sliced into thin strips

2 T broccoli sprouts, reserve for garnish

Place the following ingredients into a bowl. Top with the following dressing and toss.

Dressing:

2 T First Cold Pressed EVOO

1 T fresh lime juice

1 T fresh orange juice

1 tsp orange zest

2 tsp raw honey

1/2 tsp ginger, grated

sea salt

pinch of red pepper flakes

pinch of cumin powder

Whisk dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and toss. Garnish with broccoli sprouts. Enjoy the goodness of these living foods!!

Marinated Mushrooms and Spinach

10 oz white organic mushrooms, sliced

1 organic green zucchini, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 medium onion, diced

broccoli sprouts

red clover sprouts

mung bean sprouts

2 T raw honey

2 T first cold pressed EVOO

2 T balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic, pressed

pinch of red pepper flakes

raw organic baby spinach

Directions:

Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Pour over the mushrooms, zucchini, red pepper, and onion. Place this in a covered dish and let sit for 2 hours. Plate the spinach and top with the marinated mushrooms, broccoli sprouts, red clover sprouts and mung bean sprouts. Enjoy!

~JMJ~ Today I am grateful for our new pool!! We put up our new above-the-ground pool yesterday. Today I will be hooking up the filtration and our salt water pump. We only use salt water systems to clean our pools. We absolutely love the salt water pools. It is so gentle on the skin and the environment. Get Swimming and Eat More Raw!