Raw-fully Good

Banoffee Pie!

2011-10-02T07:24:00.000-07:00

Banoffee Pie...

Well who doesnt like banoffee pie?? I love it... In fact a few people have never had banoffee pie..

You are missing out!!

When I came across this raw version, I thought Id give it a go.

It tastes really really yummy and was a hit when I took it around to my friends place.

I found this recipe from www.rawloulou.blogspot.com

It is a great recipe that Im going to make on christmas day.

ENJOY!

1cup almonds

1 1/2 cups dates

In food processor grind up almonds to desired size

Add dates and blend together

Put in pie dish

1 cup soaked cashews

3 ripe bananas

2 Tbsp coconut oil

1/4 c water

In a high speed blender (vitamix)

Blender water and cashews until moderately smooth

Add banana and coconut oil

Blend until smooth

Spread filling on top of base

Sprinkle with pecan nuts

I didnt have pecan nuts so I used crushed almonds and cashew nuts

Put in freezer for a few hours.

Take out and let it sit to take the chill off before eating!

Am going to make again!!

Fun spiral salad!

2011-08-31T23:06:00.000-07:00

Ohhh look at the fun spirals.. it looks like pasta but it is a vegetable.. here I am using zuchunni or courgette..same thing.

If anyone wants to buy this fun gadget just google 3 in 1 turning slicer. I use mine every day.
You can made big spirals, little spirals, carrot spirals... sliced apples,sliced cabbage ect....

I make a salad for phill and I for work....
Spiralized zuchunni, cabbage, capsicum, spinach, carrot, mushrooms, beans, apple, currents, olive oil, grounded cumin, grounded coriander, curry powder, sea salt.

Below are the thin spirals..

Almond treats

2011-08-31T22:30:00.000-07:00

I was bored on Tuesday and decided to make some balls... the other day I tryed making almond paste but my food processor wasnt strong enough.. so I was left with half made almond paste.. it tasted exactly the same but just wasnt oily and properly done.. Anyways I scooped half made almond paste into a bowl, added a dash of coconut oil, a lil honey and some cacao powder.. Rolled into balls then rolled into broken up almonds :)
Very very easy and a good snack.. I always put the balls into the freezer.. I like them hard!

Carob Coconut Slice

2011-08-31T22:11:00.000-07:00

I felt like something sweet so I whipped up this slice.

In the food processor I put:

1 cup of organic almonds

5 dates- that was all I had left

1/8-1/4 cup carob powder

1 Tbsp coconut oil

1 Tbsp water.

Spread out into a cake tin or tray.

Put in freezer.

Topping

All the topping is, is coconut oil and honey.

I used a Tbsp of honey and then poured in some coconut oil.. I didnt measure :)

Blended together in my cheap little bullet blender..Anything does the job..

Pour over carob base, I sprinkled some grinded up almonds on top, you can use any type of fruit or nuts.. I did it while coconut still runny so it sets in the coconut oil.

Put back into the freezer

Doesnt last long in the house!!! It was yummy..

Kale Chips

2011-07-31T16:27:00.000-07:00

Kale Chips!! They are sooo tasty- I cant stop eating them!! I had kale in the fridge that needed to be eaten so what better time than now to make kale chips!!

Okey so wash and break kale up into bite size pieces!

Make a sauce out of what ever you can find. I put into the blender a handful of dates, x2 large tomatoes that needed to be eaten, handful of sun dried tomatoes, 1 fat garlic clove, cumin, chilies, paprika. People make cheesy kale, chocolate kale- what ever comes to mind !!

Pour mixture over kale and massage in with your hands!

Spread on trays and place in the dehydrator for hours and hours and hours.. Over night and into the next day. Just keep drying until they are very crispy!

( Kale chips before being dehydrated! )

End result... crispy tasty kale chips... they are very very yummy.. You have to try them and you will be hooked.. hard to believe something made from a green leafy thing could taste so good :)

Mung Bean Hommus

2011-07-27T06:39:00.000-07:00

Mung Bean Sprouts

Mung Beans are a member of the legume family of plants ,which amongst other things, have the unique capacity to fix atmospheric nitrogen by the nodules on their roots which harbour ( in a symbiotic manner ) nitrogen fixing bacteria.
In the Indian Ayurveda approach to health,Mung Beans are one of the most cherished foods as it is believed they balance all three doshas.

The consumption of 4 or more servings/week of beans,decreased heart disease by 22% according to a US study of nearly 10,000 people.

Unlike most beans,mung beans contain very few oligosaccharides,the sugars responsible for flatulence.This unique biochemistry makes mungbeans suitable for children and anyone suffering from delicate digestive systems.
The amazing biochemical process of sprouting transforms this seed with already a number of significant health benefits into a superfood.
Most people are aware of the mung bean sprouts, where the seed has germinated and is several times bigger than it's original size and the white radicle or root has emerged.It is often eaten in this form as a snack.At this stage the mung bean still resembles a pea in shape.The sprouting biochemistry has made available minerals,enzymes and Vitamins, in a form easily assimilated into the body.
The sprouting process makes Vitamin C available which is not found in the seed.
So if you are looking for a
vegetarian source of protein (around 23%)
dietary way of increasing your chances of living longer

superfood suitable for delicate digestive systems
way to decrease in your chances of suffering heart disease and colon cancer
then mung bean sprout consumption bears serious consideration.

I decided to make a mung bean hommus with all my mung beans!!
In the blender I put 400g of mung beans, a clove or 2 of garlic,(depending on your taste) a heaped tablespoon of tahini, lemon juice, chilli powder.

The photo below is of the before mung bean, the hommus and then finished snack...

Although I just used tomato- you can put whatever you desire!

Avocado, capsicum, olives.

Afternoon tea at Peta's

2011-07-27T06:21:00.000-07:00

I decided to go around to Peta's house and take afternoon tea.. I only decided 30mins before I went around what to make..

In the food processor I put on 1 cup of almonds and a few dates to make a constancy that binded together.

A dash of vanilla essence and cinnamon.

The filling is 1 handful of macadamia nuts, dates and orange juice. I used a vitamix blender for this- this made the creamy texture.

Then I topped with banana.

Having some almond mixture left over, I shaped around a cherry and then dipped into the macadamia filling!

Mmmmmm tasty... Wish the cherry would show itself faster!!!

Rhody would have loved to by passed all the almond and macadamia coating and eat only the cherry!! hehe

Starzi's made it to the cherry!!

Adrenal Fatigue

2011-07-27T05:04:00.000-07:00

I thought I should blog about adrenal fatigue as it is becoming more frequent these days. I would recommend you take the time and read the information I have collected as it is essential we keep our adrenals healthy, if not then we are going to have a very stressful life. One that I would rather not.
I have adrenal fatigue due to not looking after myself in the past, not listening to the body, lack of rest, shift work ..ect..
You can recover from adrenal fatigue but it is a very slow process and it takes a lot of dedication in doing the right thing :) While I am working shift work and putting myself through extreme stress on night shift- my adrenals are not going to fully recover. I just have to make sure I do my best to help them as much as possible xx

The adrenal glands are orange-colored endocrine glands which are located on the top of both kidneys.

No bigger than a walnut

and weighing less than a grape,

Each of your two adrenal glands sits like a tiny pyramid on top of a kidney ("ad" "renal" means "over" the "kidneys").

But.... don't let their size fool you; these powerful little endocrine glands manufacture and secrete more than 50 hormones necessary for life, including epinephrine (adrenaline), cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), progesterone and testosterone. Since they produce so many essential hormones, the adrenal glands are responsible for many of the functions we need to stay alive and healthy, including:

Energy production -- carbohydrate, protein and fat conversion to blood glucose for energy
Fluid and electrolyte balance
Fat storage

One hormone in particular, cortisol, is extremely important for keeping our body systems in balance, as well as protecting our cells. For example:

It controls the strength of the immune system: Too much cortisol weakens the immune system, setting the motions for increased susceptibility to infections and cancer, while too little leads to an overactive immune system and autoimmune disease.
It normalizes blood sugar.
It regulates blood pressure.

They modulate the functioning of every tissue, organ and gland in your body to maintain homeostasis during stress and keep you alive.

They also have important effects on the way you think and feel.

The adrenal glands health is paradoxical. They are the "glands of stress," but are also the first glands to fail during prolonged or intense periods of stress.
The problem with stressors is that they are "cumulative," in the sense that their impact tends to add up in the body over time until your adrenal glands (and probably your mental state) just can't take anymore.

The main purpose of your adrenals is to enable your body to deal with stress from every possible source, ranging from injury and disease to work and relationship problems.

Whether you have an emotional crisis such as the death of a loved one, a physical crisis such as major surgery, or any type of severe repeated or constant stress in your life,

Examples.. A difficult boss,

air pollution, family quarrels, financial problems, too little sleep,

illness and overindulgence in or sensitivities to food or drugs.

If their response is inadequate, you are likely to experience some degree of adrenal fatigue.If your adrenal function is low, as it is in adrenal fatigue, your body has difficulty responding and adapting properly to these stresses.

This can lead to a variety of physical and psychological health problems that are themselves a further source of stress.

It is also your adrenal glands' job to keep your body's reactions to stress in balance so that they are appropriate and not harmful.

The more chronic the illness, the more critical the adrenal response becomes.

Adrenal fatigue is a collection of signs and symptoms, known as a "syndrome," that results when the adrenal glands function, but not at their optimal level.

You cannot live without your adrenal hormones, how well you live depends a great deal on how well your adrenal glands function

Most commonly associated with intense or prolonged stress, it can also arise during or after acute or chronic infections, especially respiratory infections such as influenza, bronchitis or pneumonia.

You may look and act relatively normal

while experiencing adrenal fatigue and may not have any obvious signs of physical illness, yet you live with a general sense of unwellness, tiredness or "gray" feelings.

People whose adrenals are fatigued often have to use coffee,

colas and other stimulants to get going in the morning and to prop themselves up during the day.

Although it affects millions of people around the world, conventional medicine does not yet recognize it as a distinct syndrome.To make matters worse, doctors often don't diagnose this problem. I have read of an example of a woman who has been to 37 doctors before finally receiving proper diagnosis and a renewed sense of hope.

Adrenal fatigue can wreak havoc with your life.

In the more serious cases, the activity of the adrenal glands is so diminished that you may have difficulty getting out of bed for more than a few hours a day.

This following information was taking from www.naturalnews.com

Fortunately, there are ways you can test yourself for adrenal fatigue. To start off, go ahead and "check off" the symptoms you have been experiencing.

Symptoms of adrenal fatigue:
- Morning fatigue -- You don't really seem to "wake up" until 10 a.m., even if you've been awake since 7 a.m.
- Afternoon "low" (feelings of sleepiness or clouded thinking) from 2 to 4 p.m.
- Burst of energy at 6 p.m. -- You finally feel better from your afternoon lull.
- Sleepiness at 9 to 10 p.m. -- However, you resist going to sleep.
- "Second wind" at 11 p.m. that lasts until about 1 a.m., when you finally go to sleep.
- Cravings for foods high in salt and fat
- Increased PMS or menopausal symptoms
- Mild depression
- Lack of energy
- Decreased ability to handle stress
- Muscular weakness
- Increased allergies
- Lightheadedness when getting up from a sitting or laying down position
- Decreased sex drive
- Frequent sighing
- Inability to handle foods high in potassium or carbohydrates unless they're combined with fats and protein
In addition to noticing these symptoms in yourself, you can objectively check for adrenal fatigue by using the following three tests:
1. Ragland's sign (blood pressure test)-- (Equipment required: Home blood pressure kit) Take your blood pressure while sitting down. Then, stand up and immediately take your blood pressure again. Your systolic (first) number should have raised 8 to 10 mm. If it dropped, you probably have adrenal fatigue.
Though the ACTH laboratory exam doesn't effectively test for adrenal fatigue, a salivary cortisol test can. You don't need a prescription for the exam. In fact, you can even buy the test online, do it at home and send in your sample to a lab for the results. Dr. Wilson is very positive about the effectiveness of the salivary cortisol test in diagnosing adrenal fatigue. It is so valid and accepted that Plan B Medicare covers it and "they don't want to cover anything they don't have to," he quips. If you don't have insurance, rest assured that this non-invasive test is also very affordable.

Treatment of adrenal fatigue
"Optimal adrenal health is one of the major keys to the enjoyment of life. If you have adrenal fatigue, you can fully live life again by making the necessary lifestyle and dietary changes to treat your disorder.
Treating adrenal fatigue is as easy as:
- Lying down during your work breaks (preferably at 10 a.m. and again anytime from 3 to 5 p.m.)
- Sleeping until 9 a.m. as often as possible
- Laughing
- Exercising
- Minimizing stress
- Taking negative people out of your life
- Eating regular meals
- Chewing well
- Doing something fun each day
- Combining unrefined carbohydrates with protein and oils
- Avoiding junk food
- Eating five to six servings of vegetables each day
- Taking calcium and magnesium supplements
- Adding sea salt to your diet
- Taking 2,000 to 5,000 milligrams of vitamin C each day
- Supplementing vitamin E with mixed tocopherols
- Taking B-complex supplements that are high in B6 and pantothenic acid
- Adding licorice root extract to your dietary supplement regimen
Taking back your life

If you take your treatment plan seriously, you can expect your adrenal fatigue to heal in:
- 6 to 9 months for minor adrenal fatigue
- 12 to 18 months for moderate fatigue
- Up to 24 months for severe adrenal fatigue
For help along the way to taking back your life, you may want to read Dr. Wilson's book,Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century stress syndrome.

Adrenal Fatigue Quiz

2011-07-27T03:18:00.000-07:00

This a quiz that you can take- this quiz is taken from Dr James Wilson's website.

Take the Adrenal Fatigue Quiz

Tired for no reason?
Having trouble getting up in the morning?
Need coffee, colas, salty or sweet snacks to keep going?
Feeling run down and stressed?
Crave salty or sweet snacks?
Struggling to keep up with life’s daily demands?
Can’t bounce back from stress or illness?
Not having fun anymore?
Decreased sex drive?

If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, you may be experiencing adrenal fatigue.*

“One person may withstand a stress quite easily and be ready for more, but another person, or that same person at another time, may find the same stress overwhelming and impossible to bear. It is important to understand the onset and continuation of adrenal fatigue has great individual variation.”* Dr. James L. Wilson

Examples of lifestyle factors that may contribute to adrenal fatigue:* (Most of these are within your control.)*

Lack of sleep
Poor food choices (white flour, low fiber, sugar, few vegetables or fruit, lack of raw food, etc.)
Using sweet or salty food and sweetened or caffeinated drinks as stimulants when tired
Staying up late even though tired
Feeling/acting powerless
Constantly driving yourself
Trying to be perfect
Staying in double binds (no win situations)
Too few of enjoyable and rejuvenating activities

Examples of people with lifestyles that may make them more vulnerable to adrenal fatigue:*

Full time university student
Student supporting self with job
Mother with two or more children and little support from family or friends
Single parent
Unhappily married person
Employee in extremely unhappy and stressful work conditions
Self-employed person with a new or struggling business
Drug or alcohol abuser
Shift worker on alternating schedule that requires sleep pattern to be frequently adjusted
Person who is all work, little play

Examples of life events that may help precipitate adrenal fatigue:*

Unrelieved pressure or frequent crises at work and/or home
Severe emotional trauma (death of someone close, divorce, etc.)
Major surgery with slow recovery
Prolonged or repeated respiratory infections
Serious burns - including severe sunburns
Head trauma
Loss of stable job
Sudden change in financial status
Relocation without support of friends or family
Repeated or overwhelming chemical exposure (including drug and alcohol abuse).

In short, adrenal fatigue occurs when the amount of stress or combined stresses over-extend the capacity of the body (mediated by the adrenals) to compensate for and recover from that stress.* Once this capacity to cope and recover is exceeded, some form of adrenal fatigue is likely to occur.*

Mikayla's 4th Birthday

2011-07-12T20:57:00.000-07:00

Mikayla's birthday on the weekend.. A great time had by all. Here are some photos of our fun!!

This is the birthday cake that Vanessa baked and I decorated. Had a heap of fun, mixing all the colors together like little school kids :) This cake isn't raw but tasted very yummy!! hehe

The spoilt little birthday girl.. lets guess what her favorite color is ??

I wanted to make something sweet and yummy, here is my beautiful sister Vanessa with our lil chocoy things which are made out of carob powder, honey, buckwheaties and coconut oil.

Once they have hardened in the freezer they are hard to stop eating!!

Below is some Kale, I bought this from the super market

I am making Kale Chips.

I washed the Kale, then added the tomato sauce that I prepared using dates, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, water, spices ect.
Hand squished the sauce through the kale.

Dehydrate over night and into the next day!

MMMMmmmm Mikayla thought the kale chips were tasty.

She even kept them in her pocket.. :)

I wanted to make something healthy for the party.

So I made this pizza base from left over almond pulp.

Dehydrated it , took it to Vanessa's.. The day of the party we made a tomato sauce to go on the base, I sprinkled savory yeast on to act as a cheese and then we piled the topping on!! Anything and everything!!

DOESN'T THIS LOOK TASTY!!!!!

Every morning we made a smoothie, this morning Aunty Tash made almond milk using her vitamix blender, she then added a banana, honey, carob powder to our almond milk and blended it smooth!! We loved it very much!!

At least the smoothie is a good start to the day, before all of the lollies and cake got devoured!!

4 Day Pizza

2011-06-30T09:03:00.000-07:00

4 Day Pizza

I soaked my wheat over night in water

Drained

Sprouted for 2 days.. I will blog how to sprout soon.

See the little tails..oh how cute :)

I put the sprouted wheat in the blender, looking back now I would have kept the wheat sprouting for another night. They would have been softer and sweeter.

So wheat, basil leaves,sun-dried tomatoes, tomatoes, garlic,onion, olive oil, italian herbs in the blender.

Put onto dehydrator sheet.

Dehydrate overnight and a bit more until you achieve the type of

crust you want..

Cheese time, blend cashews, savory yeast, garlic, lemon juice and water together.

Spread on pizza base

Tomato sauce is made by processing

Sun-dried tomatoes

Tomatoes

Garlic

Ginger

Red bell Pepper

Last but not least, add the toppings

Pineapple,

Spring onions

Pepper

Olives

Mushrooms

Anything you want.

Return to the dehydrator to warm.

Serve... Yum Yum

Looks like it tasted good, its nearly all gone!!

Cheesecake!

2011-06-28T16:03:00.000-07:00

RAWFULLY GOOD RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE

Last night we had our friend Darryn over for dinner, so that got me thinking how I should make a dessert.

I had a look for a recipe and came across this 1. Thanks to the rawtarian :)

So in my blender I put...

1 cup of macadamia nuts

1/2 cup of walnuts

1/2 dates

pinch of salt

Blend like crazy. :)

line your pie dish with 1/4 cup of shredded coconut

Photo above I have press the base mixture on top of the coconut layer.

In a high-speed blender blend together

3 cups of cashews ( I put these through the blank plate on my juicer as I don't have a good blender )

3/4 cup lemon juice

3/4 cup honey

3/4 cup coconut oil

1 tablespoon vanilla

up to 1/4cup of water, if necessary to facilitate blending

Pour over the nut base and freezer for a good hour.

Next our topping.. Yummy!

In a high speed blender blend up

2 cups of frozen berries (depending on what taste you want- I went with raspberrys)

1/2 dates

As you see I put it through my juicer as my blender wouldn't be powerful enough to mush everything together

but think outside the square on how you could mush these two things together.

Doesn't this look tasty and also it isn't plastered with un healthy fats and empty sugars.

Believe me this doesn't stay in the fridge long!

HaPpY eAtInG rAw FoOdIe FrIeNds

Sprouting for Mum

2011-06-28T08:25:00.000-07:00

See Mum sprouting is easy!!

This blog on Sprouting is dedicated to Mum, I am very blessed to have such a beautiful, caring, loving Mother who has brought me up in a very healthy, happy home.

Mum is my role model, I always look to her for guidance and she inspires me everyday! She is 1 of the healthiest people I've met.

It has been a slow process but Mum has healed her body,whether it be migraines, chronic fatigue, shoulder/neck problems all by changing what she eats.. So many problems we have as a society is all due to what we put in our mouth!!! So Mum finally I can teach YOU something.. !! I expect to have some sprouts when I come home for xmas. Love you xxx

Okey Mum so today we are going to sprout Sunflower Seeds and Wheat Grass.

Remember to buy wheat for sprouting and unhulled sunflower seeds..I buy them via the internet , but Im sure Matamata would have some- maybe try the health shop?

Soak both seeds ( a few tablespoons) over night (12 hours) in water this helps with germinating and the growth.

Next go down to the Warehouse (NZ- where everyone gets a bargain) Find yourself some terracotta trays (bases from terracotta pots) they are under $10.

Find the ones that haven't been glazed. The glazed ones don't absorb the water and seeds can become mouldy and soil ucky!

Grab also some organic potting mix.

Mum you now are ready to put you soil into your trays, drain the water from your seeds, rinse and sprinkle a single layer of seeds over your soil.

Now put another fine sprinkle of potting mix over the seeds this acts as a barrier to help keep the moister in and help the seeds not to dry out. If they become to dry it slows down the sprouting process.

Water your little babies.

I put mine inside, I will move them to the morning sun, give them a water in the morning and wait patiently.

This picture now is the stage mine are at.. so stay tuned for current sprouting updates- Apparently they take 2 days to start sprouting.. see you in 2 days Mum xxxx

(Above photo) As you can see mum they have popped their little heads out of the dirt..exciting isn't it! Its all go from here!!

2 days later after last photo Mum and as you see they are slowly growing, since it is a bit cooler this may hinder their growth, they might be ready in time for Vanessa's. I should start another lot so I have an abundance once we have eaten this lot. But I haven't, we will see how this lot goes 1st :)

Mum the 2 photos above are how they are doing now. The sunflower seeds are growing slow, I'm guessing due to the cold weather and being locked inside our dark house.. Our house doesn't get any sun. Mum the sprouts should be ready in a week, mine are going to take longer. You will know when they are ready. Its great to see you went out and brought your sprouting stuff!! Wahoo :)

Above is 1 week + 2 day old sprouts.
The sunflower seeds are very slow, my friend Peta's sprouts are the same so must have to be the cold weather.
I'm not sure when I will eat the wheat grass.

Also mum here is an activated almond nut and a normal almond. Once you've had activated you wont go back!

The activated is a lot more crunchy and lighter! And of course better for your digestion!!
Since I am going away to Vanessa's the updates will be a bit slower :)

They are ready to eat mum!! yummy!
As you can see photo below, Ive already started eating it and now the cut bit has started growing back :)

20th June.. My goals

2011-06-20T04:47:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, thanks to all that have had a look at my blog site :) Slowly I will put up more recipes, how to sprout ect...
It is just a time thing for me since working shift work in the mines does take up a lot of my time..
The reason why I have decided to go raw is too see how healthy I can be, to have glowing, clear, tighter looking skin, to have a lot more energy, to see if I can cope with night shift a lot better/shift work, to see if I can improve my neck and shoulder problems, my chipped nails, dry scalp on top of my head, pain on lower right abdomen, x2 skin growths on right leg, maintain a healthy weight, to stop cravings and binge eating.

I love food, I am an emotional eater, I eat junk when I'm out of routine, I eat junk when I'm on holiday, visiting friends or having friends stay...
I've been eating raw food for the past 1 and 1/2 months, everything was going great- until our friends came for the weekend and all my raw went out the window :( Not good at all, not good for my adrenals that take on sooo much stress when I decide to jam lots of sugary, unhealthy, yucky food in my gob. Adrenal glands do play a big part in our everyday life.. If you have adrenal fatigue then you probably would find it hard to cope with stress, I will blog a whole page on our little adrenal glands.
Preparation is a big thing with raw food, yesterday I made corn/pea bread for work and walnut and courgette crackers. Today it is all back on with my raw food, I want to take this seriously hence why I've blogged my goals.
March I got my blood pressure done I was 117/71
Casp reading was 104mmHg
Casp ( Central Aortic Systolic Pressure) The amount of pressure going through the main artery of the heart
Pulse rate 79 BPM

June blood pressure 107/65
Casp reading was 98mmHg
Pulse rate 66 BPM
These are the results after 1 and a half months on raw food. So this is a good start, everything has dropped!
My biggest hurdle of course is being out of routine, in 3 weeks Phill and I are going to my nieces 4th birthday. This will be a test for me , I am planning on taking things so I can stay on track. I shall blog closer to the date.
Anyways this is a quick brief blog just explaining some of what I want to get out of my raw food and hope that I would help someone become healthier and too make the right choices. Life has its ups and downs, its never easy, by putting the right things into our body, it has to make a difference. Make just 1 meal raw!! Go on, for once listen too your body and give it the nutrience it needs!
Happy eating xx love tash

Rawfully good Salads

2011-06-14T23:13:00.000-07:00

This is 1 of my favorite salad recipes.

Wash spinach and break up into pieces.

Chop onion and add

Red Capsicum

Broccoli

Corn or Snow Peas

Pumpkin Seeds

Add half an avocado and work the avocado through the salad

Add a good amount of Olive Oil

Salt

Give it a good mix and work all the olive oil, avocado and salt through the salad.

Raw fully good I say!!!!

Glorious Salads... I love making salads that aren't boring

For this salad.. I don't measure- I just put everything in according to how I feel :)

Spinach,Lettuce, Red Capsicum, Cherry Tomatoes, Beans, Sweet Peas, Onion, Radish, Parsley

This dressing is sooo good :)

2 T of unhulled tahini,

2 T Apple cidar vinegar

Water for consistency

A little salt

I also added garlic last time I made this.

If you find its too tangy or overpowering add honey.

Get your porky fingers in there and taste, add, taste, add

Blend or mix with a fork and pour over salad when ready to eat.

Happy 2yr cake!

2011-06-14T01:42:00.000-07:00

HAPPY 2 YEARS Phill... Phill and I have been together for 2 years now. Time flys.. We are very happy and look forward to the next 100 years together xxxxx

This is a raw cake our friend Peta made for us!

Now who said eating raw was boring?

Inside is coconut fresh from the coconut! None of this bought stuff!

Organic fresh berries on top.

The chocolate is raw cacao powder and Im not sure what else, its is Peta's kept secret :)

All raw- tasted great!

Thanks everyone and Happy 2 years babe!!

Sandwiches/crackers

2011-06-13T21:55:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the world of yummy sandwiches and crackers.. I will get around to blogging more recipes but for now these are the 2 main ones I eat.. :) I usually have 2-4 slices a day, depending on how big of course you make them and what they are made of.

RAW-Fully Good Walnut and Zucchini Crackers... (thanks Peta for the recipe) these taste buttery and very yummy. You can't stop once you start !

Soak 2.5 cups of Walnuts over night

Drain water

Put Walnuts in the blender with 2.5 cups of Zucchini

Half a cup of Flax Meal

Celtic Salt

Blend until smooth!

Put mixture on to 1 dehydrator sheet, get a knife and slice 9 portions.

Dehydrate over night, the longer you dehydrate the crunchier and cracker like they will be.

If you take out earlier then its more like a sandwich.

My made up, put anything in bread!

Okey Sammie time! Ingredients... Anything in your cupboard.

I used 3 Cups corn

1 Cup peas

Handful Parsley

Spring Onions

Some Broccoli

1/2 Flax Meal

1/4 Chia Seeds grounded

Paprika and lots of it or cumin and coriander

Celtic Salt

I brought this little bullet blender for $29 from K-Mart. Works a treat when your saving for a better blender.

This is Chia Seeds and Flax Seeds being mulched up!

Everything in ..... and .....

Waaa Laaaa ... Taste, add more spices, more onion, ect

Put in dehydrator for an hour or 2, flip then I keep dehydrating for about 4 hours, all depending on thickness and how soft/ crunchie you want your sammie.

I put tahini on the base, avocado, onions, tomato, sprouts, salt and pepper!! You can put anything on, I sometimes eat with just almond butter :)

Yummmy !!! Enjoy

Sweet raw Pies!!

2011-06-11T23:41:00.000-07:00

Raw-Fully easy Blueberry Pie!!

I got this recipe from www.fromsadtoraw.com

BASE

1c Almonds (soaked makes it a moister crust)

1c Medjool Dates

LAYER

Large handful of Blueberry's

FILLING

Rest of a pint of Blueberry's (after handful removed)

1/4 c Coconut

1/4c Pine Nuts

1 T Lemon

3-5 Dates optional, only if sweeter is wanted

To make crust, process almonds and dates. Press into pie dish. You can either dehydrate or leave as it is. Arrange blueberry's on top of the crust for a layer between the crust and filling. To make filling, process all ingredients until smooth and pour over blueberries/crust.

This is a very easy pie to make!!

"Raw-Fully Good Sweet Potato Pie"

Crust

2 Cups of soaked Almonds

1 Cup of Walnuts

10-15 Dates

2 T Orange Juice

I put all the ingredients through my juicer using the blank plate or else I would process all nuts in the food processor, dont process to much if you want a chunky textured base.Put aside.
Put dates and orange juice in the blender/food processor until mushy .Stir through nut mixture.

Spread into a pie dish. Put in the freezer.

Filling

3 Cups of chopped up Sweet Potato

1 Avocado

1 Cup Dates

1/4 - 1/2 Banana depending on how ripe, don't want banana over powering

1 T Honey

1 tsp Cinnamon or more

Vanilla to taste

I put sweet potato, dates, banana through the juicer using the blank plate. Added mashed avocado, honey, cinnamon and vanilla.

Or else put everything in a good blender, I'm thinking along the lines of Vita mix Blender. Be inventive- get your little porky fingers in there and taste it. If you want more cinnamon.. shake some more in. If its too sweet put more sweet potato in!

Fill in the pie dish. Refrigerate until time to devour!!

Decorate with fruit and eat! Nom nom

Apple Pie

Crust

Same pie crust as Sweet Potato Crust, recipe above.
I put nuts in food processor 1st, then put dates through the blank plate using my juicer. Mixd together. I like this way best as base is chunky.

Filling

3 Cups of Shredded Apples

1 Cup of Soaked Raisins

1 1/2 Cups of Soaked Cashews

1/2 t Cinnamon

1/4 t Nutmeg

2T Honey

1/2 Cup of Soak Water

Raisins to be soaked in advance.They will expanded so use only 1 cup of soaked raisins.Keep the soak water. Shred 3 Cups of apple, mix in raisins.

In the blender put in other ingredients and blend.

The longer the raisins have been soaking the sweeter the water.

Mix the blended sauce with the apples and raisins. Pour over crust. Refrigerate.

Decorate with fruit and eat! yummy :)

Raw food picnic photos!

2011-06-11T01:43:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone.. Take a look at the yummy food we had at our picnic.. a picnic indoors as the weather wasn't nice.

1st we had entree Parsnip Soup with Essene Bread and Sunflower Sprouts!! Very nice, tasted great and the best thing- its all raw!!! Thanks Jess, a nice warm soup goes down well on such a cold day.

MMMMmmmm don't these pies look wonderful!! Thanks Peta for coming up with these tasty delights!! 3different types of pies!! Bets processed supermarket pies ANY DAY!!!! Check out the pie recipes on Peta's blog loverawliving.blogspot.com

Last but least my "Raw- Fully Good Sweet Potato Pie" and fruit salad! The pie went down a treat! Everyone enjoyed it! Check out Pie Recipes on how to make.

The food was very tasty, this is why I love eating raw- you feel satisfied and you don't over eat!
You can make anything - you are only limited by your imagination!!!

Bring on the raw foodie picnic!

2011-06-10T01:53:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, what a hectic day! Rush, rush, rush!
Tonight I start my 7 night shifts - arrrahh poor body! stress!!....
Today has been rushing around getting meals ready for work shopping and of course getting my pie ready for "The Raw Food Picnic" tomorrow . Yummy! Cant wait.
Now I know I promised you all an apple pie- well I thought Id be a bit more adventurous and try a yam pie! But do you think there are any yams in Kalgoorlie? NO not today when I need them.
So Tash the raw foodie chef thought she would come up with her very own made up version of "Raw-fully Good Sweet Potato Pie"
I think you all should know it has turned out way better than expected,it tastes great! I know you are all thinking ewww yuck!! hehehe ewww yummy I say!!
It is currently in the fridge awaiting judgement day from all the fellow raw foodies! I will indeed post the recipe up with photos when I have a few minutes spare! Bare with me whilst on night shift my posts may slow down a bit due to being a bit zombied!!
Keep watching this space for raw foodie picnic! How exciting.. can't wait!! wahhhooooo :)
Have a great weekend everyone, see you soon Tash :) xo

Detox Day 3

2011-06-09T01:45:00.000-07:00

Detox Day 3.. Hello to all, well it is 4pm in the afternoon and I haven't stopped all day. Ive just hoped out of the garden, Ive spent the last 2 hours pulling all those nasty weeds out of my soil.. grrrr I am preparing to plant a vege forest! Stay tuned for garden photos!
Anyways my day started at 7am with me tucking into some juicy Nashi Pear and Melon! Mmmmmm funny how something so simple as a piece of fruit tastes so good! In fact Raw-fully Good! :)
9am- I went out for coffee with my friend Mandy. She had a mocha and double shot.. and me... well I had a hot water. Its always funny how the waiter looks at you strangely "Yes, I said a hot water Sir" You know .." hot water in a mug?" haha
Back in New Zealand people don't look at mum strangely when she asks for hot water, maybe I'm too young to be drinking hot water? After all that, I ended up having more energy on my hot water than Mandy on her 3 shots of coffee!
I then went off to the supermarket, stocked up on apples and pineapple :) yum , had a little feast before going to the gym.
10.30am Arrived at body balance for an hour class, who ever has done body balance ( mixture of Yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates ) knows that it isn't an easy class. It is very good for the body.

I'm feeling great today, as long as I have some fruit now and then I can keep my energy up. I really enjoy being content. I am a bit scared going back to eating - all because I am enjoying being happy and not moody, feeling light and not bloated! I will just have to keep an eye on what I put into my mouth. :)
My next blog is going to be about why I have chosen the raw lifestyle. I have so much to tell you all. Yay!

Just before I started blogging I made some corn crackers and breakfast cookies.They are drying nicely in the dehydrator. I have made them up myself so if they taste Raw-fully Good then I shall post the recipe up for all the cookie munchers out there! "Go raw breakfast cookies!!!." Nom Nom!
I have also chosen to make a raw apple pie for the raw picnic on Saturday. It doesn't require a dehydrator so all the pie eaters out there, stay tunned!
Easy for you all to make, then you can eat till your little hearts content!
Sadly I'm a lone ranger finishing this detox, Phill did very well at his attempt, he has had 3 meals in 3 days, with fruit juice and fruit. I give him credit at least he tried. A lot of people wouldn't even consider doing 1 day! Well done Phill. I would throughly recommend the 3day clean up to anyone wishing to clean the system out, feel better, have more energy, be more in tuned with their body. My only advice would be PREPARE.. cut out all junk, white flour, dairy, meat ect... a week before so come Day 1 you don't go through a nightmare!
If anyone wants encouragement or advice then just ask, I'm more than happy to help.
Well I'm off to the super market to get some melon to take to my friends for dessert. I shall keep you all updated with the how the cookies are cooking!! Have a good night. Tash xxx

Detox Day 2

2011-06-08T00:24:00.000-07:00

Juice Day Today.. Sweet Lady
1/2 Pink Lady Apple
1/2 Nashi Pear
6 Red Grapes
Juice together & enjoy.. yummy

Hello to all, Today is Day 2 of my detox.
Last night I had no energy, I blobbed in front of the t.v and heater with some warm water and that was me for the night.I had a great sleep.. I woke up hungry and sore from yesterdays body balance, had no energy until I made myself a freshly juiced Apple, Nashi Pear and Grape Juice (Sweet Lady) at 10am. The body was running on nothing so fruit juice has given me a boost I needed.
Isn't raw juiced way way better than bought stuff .. yuck
Apart from feeling lighter from detoxing, I am enjoying staying out of the kitchen, I seem to be in there 24/7 experimenting, blending, dehydrating or cleaning up!
I am feeling the effects of this detox, lighter, less bloated and I'm not moody, I feel content.
Food effects me in a lot of ways, I will write a post about that later.
My thinking cap is going on, I have a raw food picnic on Saturday with my raw foodie friends! I love being with people that have the same mind set.
It is my 1st picnic, we all have to bring a raw food plate and a copy of the recipe. I shall take lots of photos for everyone to see!
I am feeling a box of birds, it is 3.30pm and I have a lot of energy.. the sun is shining, 1st time in a few days. I'm about to put my winter woollies and go for a brisk walk, full the lungs with air and get rid of these google eyes! See you all tomorrow xxx

Detox Day 1

2011-06-07T00:04:00.000-07:00

Day 1.. I have never fasted in my life, attempted any type of detox so with the thought of taking on this new raw food journey, what better time to give my body time to unclog and recuperate than today!! I'm lucky to have my partner Phill jumping on board and detoxing with me.

After being at a raw food workshop 2weeks ago and meeting Peta (an amazing raw foodie chicky babe) check out her awesome blog loverawliving.blogspot.com. She is very inspiring and suggested I do the 3DCU (3 day clean up)

Detoxification is vital for a really healthy, happy individual. A lot of people have a toxic build up in their system so in order to help the body through the process, a week before it is advised to cut out dairy,breads,tea,coffee,chocolate,meat,cakes,pies ect.. all the things that us humans aren't really meant to eat anyway.

This helps reduce the side effects when detoxing.

3DCU consists of Day1 only water..no food.. just pure water! "Yummy" good for flushing the system out..

Day2 some freshly squeezed juice.. whether it be apples, pineapple, grapes, watermelon.. the choice is yours.. Go nuts..well not literally!

Day3 we are aloud to eat fruit.. Yay !

Day4 is all about slowly bringing all goodness back into your life that will benefit you and make you a healthier YOU!

What I like about detoxing is the thought of my digestive system finally getting a much needed break that it deserves and when it has a little break our bodies can then go and repair other parts of our body. Isn't that a wonderful thing?!

It is now 3pm on the 1st day, I haven't eaten since 8pm last night, Ive had a few tummy rumbles but apart from that no side effects, leading up to this I had 9 days of eating raw so my body is finding it easy to do. If I was to do this 9 days ago, I would be a mess on the floor, headaches and all. Thank goodness I am prepared.

Anyways I am going to slumber in front of the warm heater, watch a d.v.d and rest my over worked body. See you all tomorrow xxx

1st day for everything ..

2011-06-06T22:33:00.000-07:00

Good Morning my friends, today I am blogging for the 1st time so this is all very new too me... I am not good on the computer so at the moment my blog is simple.. I shall upgrade it in the near future.

I suppose 1st things 1st.. My name is Tash I live with my partner Phill in the desert in Western Australia in a town called Kalgoorlie. It is very brown here, no beach for hours but it is a place that we need to be for now.. can't wait for the day when we have the dust behind us and blue seas in our sights.

We are both shift workers so there will be times that I wont be on here due to night shift and being not really "with it"

Ive decided to start up a blog to help people understand how raw food can benefit you in so many ways.Its about finding ultimate health not only in your body but your mind and soul.

I am very new to raw food and are wanting to heal my stressed, worn out body through eating wholesome foods. We can go on the journey together, right here, right now!

I will blog my goals, how I feel daily/weekly/monthly with lots of great tips and photos.