Cleanse, Day 4 nearly killed me

This cleanse has been such a whirlwind already. From trying to pack our lunches in the morning to figuring out what to eat for dinner, it has been rather exhausting. I am so lucky to be a part of Cleanse America and to be able to rely on everyone involved for strength.

I remember why I am doing this.

I am too young to be as sick as I am all the time. Heart burn, digestive issues, fatigue, weight gain. I am stronger than this. I have the choice to be healthier or to eat bad foods.

I have a choice.

Cleanse, Day 3 in review

Good morning! It is now day 4 of the Cleanse America raw food cleanse. Yesterday was excellent. And by excellent, I mean challenging. Someone was cruel enough to bring churros in to work. If you don't know what a churro is, it's a cinnamon-sugar covered, deep-fried donut stick... equaling heaven.

At first, all I could think is, "I can't have that!" Then I realized that this was an opportunity, not a loss. It's not that I can't eat the churro, I told myself. I absolutely could pick it up and eat it, no problem. Only, I have the opportunity to choose not to. This week, I am doing raw food. That is a choice. Next week if I want a churro, I can go get one.

By acknowledging that power in myself, that every time I am presented with a situation -large or small- I can choose how to respond, I immediately felt so lightened, so strong. I, of course, promptly ate a raw macaroon instead, but STILL! I beat the churro! Go me!

Cleanse - Day 2

Well yesterday was great. I had plenty of delicious raw food to keep my tummy full all day.

My very full fridge!

Strawberry Banana Ice Cream

1 cup frozen strawberries

2 cup frozen banana

3-4 tablespoons almond milk

Mix in Vitamix!

Tomato Zucchini Soup, topped with avocado and flax seed crackers

Mango Salsa

Romaine Lettuce, Mango Salsa and Mung Bean Sprout "taco"

Anybody else think sprouts look like sperm? I suppose that makes sense...

Sometimes I make ugly food. Spinach, tomato basil sauce with zucchini noodles.

Amazing Green Smoothie!

1 large handful Spinach
1 handful chopped Collard Greens
1 large Banana
2 cups pineapple or other frozen fruit
3-4 cups Water

Here is today's vlog!

Cleanse America - Day 1

My first video blog!

I am doing Cleanse America! 10 days of raw food.

It's not too late for you to join, too!

Wake Me Up Smoothie

Ran out of spinach yesterday, so today's smoothie is a very pretty peach color!









3 cups water
2 cups frozen fruit mix (pineapple, mango, strawberry, peach)
1 frozen banana
1 apple
2 large carrots
1/2 lime
1/2 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon matcha green tea powder

I did not peel the apple or carrots, just cut them into manageable pieces. I did peel the lime!
Blend blend blend.
Yum.


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What's Jicama?

As I continue down this raw food exploration, I am learning so much! Not just all the valuable healing and health stuff, but practical things, such as what a jicama is! Apparently it is a strange mix between an apple and a potato. And it is slightly magical, in that you can make "french" fries with them, RAW! Whoa. Neato jicamo.
Here is an excellent recipe from Raw Intentions. Sign up for their newsletter to get free recipes!

Crunchy Jicama Fries

Base coating

1 large Jicama, peeled, and sliced into quarter inch strips to resemble French fries

1 cup nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

¼ teaspoon cayenne

Pinch of salt

Place all ingredients in a ziplock bag. Can be doubled if using more than one Jicama. Add herbs and spices of your choice and enjoy the great flavors. Best if eaten the same day.

Divide in half if making more than one flavor and add:

Herb Fries

1 teaspoon Herbs de Provence

1 teaspoon garlic

1 teaspoon thyme

Place all ingredients in a Ziploc bag with the base coating and mix well. Add Jicama Strips and shake in bag until well coated.

 Mexican Fries

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon coriander

Place all ingredients in a Ziploc bag with the base coating and mix well. Add Jicama Strips and shake in bag until well coated.

 Sweet Fries

½ cup shredded coconut ground in a  

spice grinder or blender

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of Stevia powder

Optional spices could include, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom

Place all ingredients in a Ziploc bag with the base coating and mix well. Add Jicama Strips and shake in bag until well coated.

© 2011, Denise Madeja

Home-made Sorbet

Hooray for Vitamix!

Handful of ice
Large spoonful of frozen juice concentrate- I used apple raspberry
Splash of Pom juice
Splash of apple juice
1/3 banana

Delicious!


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What a weekend!

What a weekend it was! I had a fantastic Saturday helping Denise at Raw Intentions prepare for Dinner & Movie Night. I designed a cute little menu for the evening.

And then the real work began! - Actually preparing the food!

Now keep in mind, this is a raw food kitchen. It is always so fascinating working at the kitchen with Denise. She is a hoot and a half . More importantly, she is extremely knowledgeable about health and happiness, and makes an excellent cheerleader for those of us beginning our journey in that direction.

Soon, Denise's kitchen will be open for business and we will all rejoice! Hallelujah for amazing food.

The Dinner went extremely well, and Denise was definitely in her zone.
Guests "oohed" and "wowed" and we brought out eat course. I think the tacos were the most impressive - every plate was licked clean.

And the movie! May I Be Frank. Very inspiring. Look it up. There were tears in people's eyes. Not mine of course.... that was just from the onions.
_________________________________________________________

And how to follow that awesome Saturday on a Sunday?
Why, you knit a pink elephant, of course. Pattern here on ravelry.

I foresee more of these little guys...

Me eat chocolate

I have been consuming an inhuman amount of dark chocolate lately. In order to change things up a bit, I tried a recipe from Raw Intentions.

Hooray for chocolate pudding!

The mad scientist secret?

It's made of avocados.

MUAHAHAHAHA!!!

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Cilantro Smoothie

Good morning! Yesterday was a very blah day for me. I was supposed to go take a blood test to see if I am preggers, but the clinic was closed. Hubby and I drove to 3 different drug stores to buy a home pee test. In the end, it was negative and we ate some nachos.

Today, I am feeling lighter. I may not know what the heezy is going on baby/body wise, but I can find much comfort in the people around me and the life I am lucky enough to have. I trust the universe to continue working as it is meant to; I'm down for the ride.

So! This morning's smoothie was a bit of a risk. This is how it started out...

1 cup Simply Apple Juice
2 Oranges
2 handfuls Spinach
8 sprigs Cilantro
2 Carrots
1 cup Frozen Strawberries
1 cup Ice
plus some Maca and Flax seeds

How did it taste, you ask? Like rubbing your face in a pile of cilantro.
Hmm.
Then we tried this...

Add:
1 Carrot
1  handful Spinach
1 Frozen Banana
1 cup Frozen Mango

And now? Better! Certainly drinkable. It's hard to mellow out cilantro once it's in there.
What did we learn today?

LESS CILANTRO FOR OPTIMAL YUMMINESS.

Have a great day :)

Pineapple Green Smoothie

The green smoothie saga continues. This morning we have apple juice, water, spinach, romaine lettuce, baby carrots, frozen banana and lots of pineapple. Also, maca, chia seeds and matcha green tea powder.

Yes! This is excellent!






Any body have any good green smoothie recipes to share?



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Green Smoothie

I have been inspired by a lovely woman to embark down a new path. Denise Madeja of Raw Intentions is helping me begin a journey into raw food living. While I may not be 100% committed to going without cooked food or chocolate cake, I'm eating more veggies and fruits than donuts and that's a good start.

As Denise would say, "It's about making a better choice today than yesterday so that tomorrow can be the best!"

So for today, I begin with my first "Green Smoothie."



1 banana
6 strawberries
1 kiwi
1/2 - 1 cup almond milk
small handful of spinach



Last night, I cut up the banana and put it in a Tupperware in the freezer so that it would be ready to dump in this morning. I used whole frozen strawberries, so they were easy enough to toss in. I sliced the kiwi without peeling it (yay, fiber!) and threw that on top.

I admit, I did not measure the almond milk; I just poured some in. Probably about half a cup. Then sent my poor immersion blender to work. I now know that immersion blenders do not do well with frozen things. But it persevered!

I added a little more milk, blended some more, added the spinach, blended LOTS more. A little more almond milk to thin it out. And voila. Breakfast. And it doesn't even taste like spinach!

Cheers and Sláinte to all on this fine morning. Bottoms up.