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Monday, March 2, 2009

Soft Corn Tortillas

I got this recipe from a site that I frequent and I really enjoy, Check it out. It is called We like it Raw


If you can take on this raw food recipe, you can take on anything! Although this dish is a bit intense, it is by far one of the tastiest things on the planet. I'm proud to say that we have the gorgeous Sarma to thank for that!

Feel free to check out more of Sarma's goodness. Check out her book, that she co wrote with Mathew Kenny- Raw Food/Real World: 100 Recipes to Get the Glow.

*Another Great book written by Matthew Kenny is Everyday RAW


Soft Corn Tortillas
with spicy “beans,” avocado-corn guacamole and tomato-lime salsa

Serves 6


Ingredients


Corn Tortillas

  • 3 Cups Fresh Corn Kernels
  • 1 1/2 Cups Chopped Yellow or Red Bell Pepper
  • 3/4 Cup Golden Flaxseed, Finely Ground
  • 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
  • 1 Tablespoon Ground Chili Powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Sea Salt
  • 2 teaspoons Ground Cumin


Spicy "Beans"

  • 1 1/2 Cups Sunflower Seeds
  • 1 Cup Sun-Dried Tomatoes
  • 1 Tablespoon Miso
  • 2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
  • 2 teaspoons Ancho Chili Powder
  • 1 Tablespoon Ground Coriander
  • 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Agave Nectar
  • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 6 Tablespoons Filtered Water
  • 1/2 to 1 Whole Jalapeno cored but with seeds chopped
  • 3 Whole Green Onions
  • 1 Small Handful Fresh Cilantro


Tomato Sauce

  • 2 Cups Sun Dried Tomatoes
  • 1 Small Tomato
  • 1/4 Medium Onion
  • 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
  • 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
  • Pinch Of Hot Pepper Flakes

Avocado-Corn Guacamole

  • 3 ripe avocados, pitted
  • 1 cup fresh corn kernels, cut from 1 ear (or use thawed frozen corn or simply omit)
  • 1 large handful cilantro leaves, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1/2 jalapeno pepper, finely minced
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

Tomato-lime Salsa

  • 3 cups finely chopped, seeded tomatoes
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 handful cilantro leaves, finely chopped
  • 1/2 small jalapeƱo, seeded and finely chopped
  • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt

Tart Sour Cream

  • 1 cup coconut meat
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon white miso paste
  • 1 cup filtered water
  • 1/2 cup cashew nuts, soaked for 1 to 2 hours
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

Assembly

  • 3 Whole Limes

Preparation
Make this dish as spicy as you like. Don’t cut too deep into the corncobs or you’ll end up with those hard little pieces that get stuck in your teeth. When making the “beans,” keep in mind that they will be tossed with a mild tomato sauce, so the spiciness will be mellowed out. If you want to make them ahead of time, keep all the components separate and assemble at the last minute, as the tortillas will get soggy if left to sit too long. The flaxseed can be ground in a coffee or spice grinder or Vita-Mix with dry blade (it will yield about 1 cup ground flaxseed).

“We sometimes get large, skeptical men in the restaurant who may have been dragged in by a girlfriend or family member and who proudly insist ‘I’m a meat and potatoes guy!’ For them, I always recommend this particular dish. It’s very filling and hearty. Then I smile graciously as the same guys later inevitably tell me something like, ‘I thought I was going to have to go for a burger after this, but I’m really full!’ I’ve had so many variations of this conversation, and it’s always the tortillas that get the best response from the self-proclaimed ‘carnivores.” - SM

For the corn tortillas:

1 In a food processor, chop the corn and bell pepper. Add the remaining ingredients and process until almost smooth.

2 Divide the dough onto two Teflex-lined dehydrator trays and spread to the edges using an offset spatula. Dehydrate at 115 F for 3 to 4 hours. Flip the Teflex sheets over onto the tray and carefully peel away the Teflex. Place back in the dehydrator for about 2 hours.

3 When the tortilla is completely dry on both sides but still pliable, remove it from the dehydrator and place on a flat surface. Use a round cutter or small plate about 4 inches in diameter and trace around it with a knife to cut round tortillas. You should have about 9 tortillas per 14-inch tray. Keep the scraps to add to a salad or just eat them plain as a snack.

For the spicy “beans”:

1 In a food processor, grind the sunflower seeds, tomatoes, miso, cumin, chile powder, coriander, cayenne, olive oil, agave nectar, and sea salt until thoroughly combined. Add the water a few tablespoons at a time and process further for a wet dough-like consistency. Taste for seasoning. Add the jalapeno, green onions, and cilantro and pulse a few times to combine, but leave small bits of herbs.

2 Spoon the mixture onto 1 or 2 Teflex-lined dehydrator trays. You don’t need to smooth it out; leave it chunky on the tray but flat enough to fit under another tray. Dehydrate at 115 F overnight, or about 10 hours. If possible, about halfway through, flip the “bean” mix over so the undersides can dry -- this step is not totally necessary, as the mix will be combined with the wet tomato sauce anyhow. The mix should be dry on the outside and not too mushy, so it can be broken up into pieces.

For the tomato sauce:

1 Place all the sauce ingredients in a food processor and grind well to a thick sauce consistency.

2 Place the “bean” mix in a medium bowl and break up any larger pieces. Add the tomato sauce and toss to combine well. It should be thick and somewhat spreadable. If not using right away, cover and store in the refrigerator for up to a few days, if necessary.

For the avocado-corn guacamole:

In a medium bowl, mash the avocados well with a fork. Add the corn, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeno, and salt and stir well to combine, If not using immediately, cover the surface of the guacamole with plastic wrap and refrigerate. This will only keep well for about a day or so.

For the tomato-lime salsa:

In a medium bowl, combine the salsa ingredients and taste for seasoning.

For the tart sour cream

In a blender, blend the coconut meat with the lemon juice, cider vinegar, miso, and 1/2 cup of the water until smooth. Add the soaked cashews and more water, 1 tablespoon at a time and blend until completely smooth (you may need more then 1 cup of water). Season with salt and blend further. Transfer to a squeeze bottle or covered container and refrigerate until ready to use. Can be kept for up to 2 or 3 days.

For the assembly:

3 limes for garnish
1 cup Tart Sour Cram

1 Lay the tortillas on a flat surface. Spread 1 heaping tablespoon of the spicy “beans” and tomato sauce mixture on each tortilla, leaving a very thin rim at the edges. Top with a heaping tablespoon of guacamole. Fold the sides up to form a taco shape. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

2 Cut each lime in half lengthwise (if you cut just on either side of the core of each lime, the sections are much easier to squeeze). Place a lime slice on each plate. Lay three filled tortillas against the lime and each other on the plates.

3 Top each tortilla with a heaping tablespoon of tomato-lime salsa and a drizzle of “sour cream.” As you eat them, squeeze a bit of the lime garnish on each one.

Nominated for an Award!

Thank you to Sweetie from http://sweetierawfoodgoodness.blogspot.com/ for nominating me for this award.


Here are the rules:
1~ I share with you seven things that I love
2~I nominate seven other bloggers for the honor

Things that I Love;


1~ I love the amazing connection I feel to all things. Especially the connection I feel to God. It fills me with energy and vitality. It helps me to connect to my life purpose and gives me the confidence and support needed to reach my potential. It also gives me a great passion for helping others.

2~ I love my Kids. I have two beautiful boys. They are amazingly athletic, they are creative and artistic. They are funny, intuitive and great actors. They have the best of me, and my ex. I am so proud of them, and I have a great relationship with them both...for all they are alike they are also different.. I love them both above all else in my life.

3~ I love my family. They have always been there for me. In the good growing years, giving me a positive loving base from which to flourish. And also through the difficult years of my illness and despair. Their love is unconditional and they have proved that through action. I feel so blessed to have all of them in my life. Not only my outgoing, amazingly selfless, glowing mother, and my quiet spiritual generous father, but also my brother(whom I have always been so very close to) we are 2 years apart but we should have been twins! lol As well as an amazing extended family of beautiful aunts and uncles and cousins who's prayers and support have been so appreciated over the years. I am just blown away by all the love sent my way. I am also so proud to be a part of a family that so selflessly help others, and keep me close to their hearts. We are truly blessed!

4~ I love my Wonderful Sweet Boyfriend Drew. He is so loving, giving, supportive and kind. He is truly a partner in my life and he has shown me what love can truly be. He applauds my achievements, forgives my flaws and encourages my dreams. I am so thankful to have found such a wonderful companion in this life.

5~ I love my friends. This year I have seperated myself from many people in my life that were not adding to my life. People that were selfish and sucking the life from me. I have also opened myself up to bringing people back into my life that were beautiful loving souls that I want in my life. I have been blessed with having amazing friends in my life- both friends from my childhood, and new friendships that I am cultivating now. I feel very fortunate to have the support and friendship that I cherish.

6~ I love my New Raw Food Path. I have found so many life changing benefits to this journey. You can read about them here. Body soul and mind. I started out wanting to lose some weight and find some relief for my pain. I never realized what a huge undertaking I was venturing into. Not only have I released over 40 lbs of excess weight, but I have a significant less amount of pain, and I have completely gone off of several of my medications that I could never have stopped taking without the healing benefits of the live foods, I am nourishing my body with. It has given me greater spiritual connection, and greater Mental clarity.

7~ I love Knowledge. Since starting my raw vegan regime of consuming live foods and taking in the right supplements to suit my personal needs I have found that my mental clarity has greatly improved. I spend hours daily educating myself about my body and how it functions. How stress, chemicals and toxins effect us, and how our body tries to protect us. What goes wrong inside of a body that is designed to heal itself..and most importantly the steps we can take to reverse the damage and find health again.

I could go on about the things that I love. I have a great abundance of love in me.

I love that I have wonderful artistic talent
I love that I can write
I love that I can sing and write music
I love music
I love healing energy
I love that I can naturally move that energy
I love the wealth of information there at our fingertips just waiting for us to uncover
I love my passion for helping others
I love the wisdom of others
I love that I have connected with my life purpose
I love that I am growing each day
I love that my consciousness is expanding each day
I love that each day brings me closer to greater health
I love that I can be an example for others to help improve their own lives


I am nominating others that have somehow been inspiring to me;

1. ~N~ at http://lovinglifeandlaughing.blogspot.com/
2. SimplyRawsome at http://simplyrawesome.blogspot.com/
3. HolyMother at http://holymotherofgod.blogspot.com/
4. Kristin at http://kristensraw.blogspot.com/
5. Debbie at http://daisyhalos.blogspot.com/
6. Heidi and JS at http://rawfoodrightnow.blogspot.com/
7. Angela at http://www.momsraw.com/

Thank you again Sweetie I am honoured!

Friday, February 27, 2009

Reclaiming Your Health


Living and Eating in a Raw Vegan Lifestyle is more than just a dietary discipline, it completely changes and heals every aspect of your being. Along with supplements geared for your situation, and supplemental juicing...You can give your body what it needs to naturally go through it's healing process. This healing starts at the cellular level when you allow your internal environment to be condusive to healing. I feel so blessed to have this experience of entire self healing. I am still a work in progress for sure, but I have come so far, so quickly. I want to share with as many as I can about my experience so others who are sick, depressed, desperate, dying, weak, unhealthy physically or mentally can find a solution to their pain. There is a solution, there are intelligent informed steps you can take to take control of your life again. Start here. Decide today that you want to be a beautiful, healthy, joyful being...Living life Vibrantly!!


Spiritual Awakening



Upon this path of pure living foods..of knowledge, of clearing, of healing
We awaken....

The chemicals that are in our food, our water, and in our air are clouding our minds, our emotions and our body's. Once cleared we rediscover what has been there all along..but that which has been forgotten. Our Source, our true selves. Our connection to all things. Our purpose.

Now that I am more clear, and I have taken steps to avoid the consumption of toxic causing chemicals. And I have purposely fed my body whole pure live foods. I feel the veil has lifted. I can clearly see that God is the life energy that holds all things together through infinite threads of Light Energy. All things are part of that same energy. Bringing about this truth; We are not separate beings, all alone, but rather very much a part of an interconnected existence. When we open ourselves up, to receiving that energy, we begin to see that source of energy is pure LOVE. We begin to see that we had been living in an illusion of separateness..leaving us feeling alone, unfulfilled, depressed, sick, endlessly longing and searching for something we could never quite acquire. Only to see that it is exactly that, an illusion. When the veil begins to lift we begin to find happiness and fulfillment within that source. We reconnect to our knowing and find love, fulfillment, and peace. We see our place amongst the living pulsing vibrating fabric of our endless universe. We see that we can allow that energy to flow through us and around us, from us. Joy bliss and contentment become our constant companions. We can see it..I believe we all can.

It is time to reclaim our connection, our health and our happiness. To be responsible for what we as humans will allow on this earth. Our quality of life is suffering...it is up to us to manifest positive change for ourselves and our children. health happiness and success are ours to have!

Benefits of Eating a Raw Vegan Diet..Day 48


So it has been 48 days on this Raw vegan Diet, and









It is time to check in and do some measurements.



I have released 40 lbs of excess fat, mucus, and toxins. Yey!


I have released;

2 " off of my Breasts
2 " under my Breasts
11" off of my Waist
7" off of my Hips
2" off of my Thighs
1 and 1/2 inches off of my Biceps

Wow, I love looking in the mirror and seeing the new slimmer me. I also feel fantastic. Giving myself pure, organic, raw, life giving foods has made so many positive changes in my life. I feel so much healthier, Body Mind and Spirit. I am still detoxing, and have a long way still to go,but I am feeling really good.


Physically


- I feel ALIVE inside
- I have more energy
- I am eager to exercise and move my body
- I feel very little pain in my body, and sometimes no pain, which is a miracle after being in great amounts of pain for 15 years. (I have an auto immune disease, causing inflammation/pain in my joints). I'll talk more about my struggle with my health and my personal journey as we go.
- I have been on several medications over the years, for inflammation and pain, as well as antibiotics after surgery... and I am happy to know that my body is flushing the residuals of those toxic medications out and away from my body.
- My eye sight is clear and perfect again
- My eye color is bright and vibrant blue again ( they were very blue gray for the last 12 years)
- The whites of my eyes seem more white
- My teeth are whiter, and the lingering pain I had from a partial root canal is gone completely.
- My skin is softer to the touch, and firmer in appearance.
- My skin is younger looking, clear, even toned, fresh and has a natural glow.
- The skin on my body is tightening as I lose weight
- My body is releasing Fat out of my cells as it flushes away toxins and buffering mucus from those cells. I will write more on the release of toxins and the body's natural release of fat in the process.
- My senses are all keener
I can see better, my sense of smell is amazing, I can taste goodness in the foods, and this week I have been able to even taste the chemicals in the food if there are any. I can even hear better( and I have never had a problem with hearing, it just makes it even better!) My sense of touch is heightened as well.
- My sex drive is higher, I am more responsive to touch, and I have heightened sensation.


Mentally


- I feel very focused and eager to learn
- My concentration has improved
- My sense of humor has returned
- I am more playful and feel happy and more like myself
- I am more confident
- I have a sense of adventure
- I feel like going out and doing things with friends and family
- I have a passion for life
- I feel like my life has purpose
- I have a clear vision of what I would like for myself in the future
- I am very positive in the thoughts that I have about myself, and what I feel I deserve in life
- I am open emotionally
- I have greater empathy
- I am more trusting
- I generally just feel freer
- Unclouded
- Free of depression, or negative thoughts


Spiritually


- I feel a greater sense of awareness
- I feel more connected to everything
- My connection to GOD and the life force within all things is abounding
- I am more clairvoyant,clairsentient, clairaudient
- I trust my intuition completely
- The natural flow of healing energy surges through me to those around me
- My ability to see energy through auras has greatly intensified.
- My ability to see illness or blockages within the energy body has become more focused, as has my ability to manipulate them.
- All of my psychic senses are heightened, but with a greater sense of how to control my abilities and use them to help myself and others.


I have experienced so many Wonderful side effects from this new healthy lifestyle. I have spent much of my time reading and educating myself about how our body's work, and it all makes sense. Pure, clean, supported and loved being..That is what I am creating in myself. I hope that through my example, information, and support others can find total health and happiness also!

Monday, February 23, 2009

Complex Carbohydrates Verses Simple Carbohydrates


Many people struggle with the idea of carbohydrates, since carbs have such a bad wrap now days. What people need to know is there is a difference between a good carb and a bad carb.

Carbohydrates are your body's primary source of energy. Your system needs carbs to sustain itself. Carbohydrates are necessary to your health, because every cell in your body uses them for energy. In fact, your brain can only use carbohydrates for energy. However, eating the right Carbs, is what is essential to your body's well being. Understanding the difference will help you to make good Carbohydrate choices to bring your body to better health.


Simple Carbohydrates

Are exactly what they sound like- Simple Sugars. Simple Carbohydrates are quickly changed to glucose in your body. Glucose, that's a fancy word for sugar. Simple carbohydrates are made up of one or two sugar molecules linked together. The truth is that the simple carbs are bad because your body processes them too quickly and therefore turns all that energy to fat. Over-consumption of sugar and other highly refined carbohydrates has been associated with a higher incidence of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and even breast cancer. Sugar and other simple carbohydrates can alter your mood, lead to cravings and compulsive eating, cause wide swings in your blood-sugar levels, and cause weight gain in most people. Some forms of simple carbohydrates include; glucose, fructose (fruit sugar), sucrose (table sugar) and galactose (the sugar found in milk). Simple sugars are used as ingredients in candy, ice cream, cookies and other sweets. Plus they occur naturally in fruits and lesser amounts are found in vegetables.

Examples of Simple Carbohydrates are:

White Four
White Sugar
Corn syrup
Fruit juice
Candy
Cake
Bread made with white flour
Pasta made with white flour
Soda pop, such as Coke®, Pepsi®, Mountain Dew®, etc.
Candy
Most baked goods made with white flour
Most packaged cereals


Addressing the Simple Carbs in Fruit:


Fruit does contain a natural source of sugar called fructose which will need to be monitored especially if you tend to easily gain body fat from too many carbs. If your main goal is to lose large amounts of body fat, you definitely don't want to eat an unlimited amount of fruit. Although fructose is rather low on the glycemic index, I recommend not eating it after 6pm and limit it to a few portions throughout the day. The best thing to do is monitor your body fat levels and use the mirror along with weekly photos of yourself to really see how your body is changing. If you see that your adding too much body fat, then cut back on the fruit and focus more on vegetables like lettuce, kale, cucumber, green beans, broccoli, mushrooms, squash, zucchini and green peppers, swiss chard. These fibrous carbs contain very low amounts of calories and carbs which are the key to losing body fat.



Complex Carbohydrates


Complex carbohydrates are more slowly digested keeping your body's Glycemic Index lower. Thus not spiking your blood sugar levels and allowing your body to digest and absorb the important life giving nutrients in the foods we eat. It also allows our body to use the foods we eat for energy and not just store it as fat. Complex Carbs are found in high-fiber foods, which improve your digestion. They help stabilize the blood sugar, keep your energy at an even level, and help you feel satisfied longer after your meal.

Examples of Complex Carbohydrates are:

Spinach
Whole Barley Grapefruit
Turnip Greens
Buckwheat Apples
Lettuce
Buckwheat bread Prunes
Water Cress
Oat bran bread
Apricots, Dried
Zucchini
Kale
Spinach

Nuts
Seeds
Oatmeal
Kiwi fruit
Cherries
Pears
Asparagus
Oat bran cereal Plums
Artichokes
Muesli Strawberries
Okra
Wild rice Oranges
Cabbage
Brown rice Grapes
Cucumbers
Rye
Pinto beans
Sweet Potato
Bananas
Dill Pickles
Mushrooms
Soybeans
Radishes
Skim milk Lentils
Broccoli
Navy beans Garbanzo beans
Brussels Sprouts
Cauliflower Kidney beans
Eggplant
Celery
Peppers
Snow peas
Green lentils
Chic peas

Soy milk
Soya beans
Kidney beans
Lentils
Squash
Swiss Chard
Tomatoes
Green beans
Onions

Tomato Soup
Lentil Soup
Multi grain bread
Whole meal spelt bread
Split peas




Complex carbohydrates should be a major part of your diet; about half of your daily calories should come from carbohydrates -- mostly from grains, cereals, fruits and vegetables. Choose a piece of fruit instead of fruit juice, which is very high in naturally occurring simple sugars. Choose whole grain breads instead of white bread. Choose whole grain oatmeal instead of packaged cold cereals.

Making simple healthier choices through out the day will bring you closer to a healthy you...

*Remember that the closer you get to nature, the closer you get to health.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Nori Rolls Recipes

I have found a few different recipes on the web and in my Raw Recipe books. I ended up making my own version based on a few different ideas. Follow the links to the different ones I looked at....

The first was in Ani's Raw food Kitchen recipe book. It is posted on This Blog. There are a lot of good Recipe ideas on that blog. There is also a Video that Ani Phyo has done to show you how to make the Nori rolls step by step. Click here to go to the video now.

The next was at The Sunny Raw Kitchen. The Recipe is posted here. This is a great source for really tasty Meal ideas. I love her Recipes and her energy.

I also partially went by a recipe by Jennifer Cornbleet from her book Raw Food made Easy for 1 or 2 people. Click here to see the recipe.


For my Nori Rolls I used;

2 nori sheets
3 tsp of Mellow White Miso
Ani's Ginger almond pate (see below)
Alfalfa sprouts
4 leaves of Spinach
The following Veggies cut thin and lengthwise;
1/4 Cucumber (with seeds cut out)
1/2 a Carrot
1/2 a red pepper
1/4 a small yellow pepper
1/2 Avocado ( I put it on last because it is so fragile, and I didn't marinade them).
* I marinated the veggies in Braggs Amino Acid for about 15 min before I made the rolls.

Assembly;

Using a Bamboo Sushi mat ( I got mine at Safeway in the Asian section) start layering the ingredients;
- starting with the Raw Nori sheets You can get these at healthfood stores that carry food, or you can buy the rosted ones that are at most supermarkets that carry Asian foods. Check out this link to hear about "RAW" Nori sheets..aparently not all Raw nori sheets are Raw so be careful if you are doing 100% Raw that you get truly Raw Nori Sheets.

Make sure that you leave about 1 inch of the nori sheet showing, from the edge closest to you. And also at the edge farthest away from you. This will make it easier to roll, and close, when you are done layering the ingredients.

Start layering the miso on the nori sheet. I put a very thin layer, about 1/4 inch in width across the nori sheet, from one side the the other. Pretty much making a base for where I wanted to put my veggies.

Then I put a thin layer of Ginger Almond Pate (See recipe below) on most of the nori sheet. Make sure it is thin because if you put too much on it can be overwhelming because it is very filling and takes over the roll.

Then I added the marinated Cucumber, Carrot, red and yellow peppers. With a nice layer of alfalfa sprouts next. Then I ripped the spinach leaves in small strips over that. Then I added the Avocado to finish the filling.

Now it is time to Roll the Sushi with the bamboo mat;

Take the bottom of the bamboo mat (along with the nori) and fold it tightly over the ingredients.
Roll the nori tightly, making a cylinder, using the bamboo mat to direct the roll away from you. Squeezing it as you go. Once you get to the 1 inch strip of uncovered nori at the top, dip your fingers in a bowl of water, wet the strip and finish the roll, squeezing the bamboo mat tightly around it. Unfold the mat and you've got your first sushi roll.

Lay it on the wooden cutting board, wet the flat-bladed knife in a bowl of water before each cut and slice the roll into bite-sized pieces.
I also found that wetting my fingers helped as I held the roll during the cutting process.

I used Braggs Amino acids for dipping sauce. You can also use Tamari or Nama Shoyu.

* I made the Ginger Almond Pate from Ani's recipe book;

2 Tbsp of Grated ginger root
2 cloves of Garlic ( I used minced garlic)
1 Tsp of Sea salt
2 cups of almonds( she doesn't soak hers, but I find they are too hard for me..I like a softer texture so I soaked my raw almonds for 6 hours prior to blending)
juice of 2 lemons
1/2 a cup of water, as needed to get the texture you like.
Enjoy!!