This Is Our Last Good-Bye

Hello, everyone -

This will be my last post on "What This 'Raw Vegan' Eats." This has been a roller coaster of a ride. What started out as a blog to document my daily diet as a high-raw vegan has transitioned into an account of my diet as a local, organic, whole food kinda thing... very far away from vegan, though I'm still incorporating a lot of the raw. I am quite thankful to those who have inspired me along the way, especially when it came to listening to my body and doing what was right in the moment.

To stay in touch and learn more about my journey with food, tune into Sweet Peas Podcast at http://ritefoodandcompany.com/Podcast/index.html.

Thanks to everyone for reading.

Love,
Lisa Marie

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

What are the signs that an old habit is ready to be let go? Do you recognize the signs and abide them? Or do you try to ignore them and hope they'll go away? Change can suck. But sometimes not changing can suck even more.

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 142

• cup of spring water
• cup of hot yerba mate and Frank's Finest Cosmic Chai with raw cream and stevia
• cup of Spicy Herbal Blend (my own concoction of rooibos, carob pods, cinnamon, and stevia... I think) tea; one of my Salvaged Brownies (chocolate candy-making nightmare that was saved by inventing another recipe)
• handful of corn and flax chips; Sunspire chocolate-covered peanuts
• cup of Chaga brew
• cup of cold horsetail and nettle tea
  
• big green salad (mixed greens, yellow bell pepper, cucumbers, black pepper, balsamic vinaigrette); bowl of Beatrix Potter Soup (cannellini beans, carrots, celery, onions, leeks, mushrooms, water, Bell's Seasoning, black pepper, sea salt) ladled over brown rice and raw butter; two Salvaged Brownies; spring water
• spring water
  

Today's Observations
Weird food day. Was really thirsty today and not hungry so much. Hmm.

Hot-Headed

I had a dream that I was standing alone in the middle of a forest of birches. The animals were all making a ton of racket. I stood there with my hands over my ears. "Quiet! Damn!" The animals quieted down. The forest got unbelievably silent. I closed my eyes to listen. The Divine filled the middle of my head with a hot white light and spoke: "The chaga has been put here at this time for a reason. It eats all the viruses the humans have created and uses them for nutrition. When we consume the chaga, we have the antibodies it has created for us."

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 141

• cup of spring water
• cup of hot yerba mate with stevia
  
• bowl of Mo's Garbage Cereal (oats, walnuts, sesame seeds, chia seeds, dried apricots, raisins, cinnamon, ginger powder, homemade raw goat's milk kefir, honey)
  
• small cup of Chaga Brew; few pieces of my Top Secret Raw Chocolates
• lunch out at a salad bar (big salad with various veggies and 2 boiled eggs); bottle of spring water; Sunspire chocolate-covered peanuts
• baked acorn squash with raw butter; brown rice with raw butter, black pepper, and sea salt; Veggie Frittata (eggs, raw goat's milk kefir, spinach, mushrooms, garlic, Tabasco, black pepper, sea salt); spring water
• cup of hot Thai tea; 2 pieces of my Top Secret Raw Chocolates
  

Today's Observations
Gotta spend some time re-evaluating my relationship to sweet foods.

Stupid Dream

Sometimes your dreams are stupid. And that's o.k.

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 140

• cup of spring water
• bowl of Mo's Garbage Cereal (oats, raisins, chia seeds, sesame seeds, walnuts, homemade raw goat's milk kefir, honey)
• cup of hot yerba mate with stevia
  
• few pieces of my Top Secret Raw Chocolates
• small cup of Chaga Brew
  
• cup of hot ginger and mint tea with honey; samples from teaching a friend of mine how to make raw vegan food (nut cheese; salsa; blueberry-raspberry sorbet; zucchini hummus)
  
• take-out from Thai Dish: 2 fresh veggie spring rolls; 1/2 portion of veggie Pad Thai with tofu and extra veggies (though I ended up giving half my tofu to Jim); spring water
• cup of hot yerba mate with stevia
  

Today's Observations
GREAT day listening to my body's portion needs today. Really feel good.

I'm So Excited!

How often to you say, "YES!" to the idea of preparing food or consuming food? Folks, we gotta get a little more thrilled about what's going into our bodies. What we put into it is what we get out of it. I mean, if you're looking for survival, then just eat. But if you're looking to thrive, then let's hear some excitement!

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 139

• cup of spring water
• cup of hot yerba mate with stevia
• 2 pieces of my Top Secret Raw Chocolates
• cup of hot jasmine green tea with honey
• big bowl of leftover Vegetable Soup (water, tomatoes, purple cabbage, onions, sweet potato, broccoli, honey, curry powder, garam masala, black pepper) with a bit of raw butter
• small cup of Jim's Coffee Smoothie (espresso, Chaga Brew, spring water, ice, frozen bananas, frozen blueberries, sprouts, oats, lucuma, maca, cacao powder... I think this is everything...)
• sips of spring water; chocolate-covered caramel (BUZZ!)
• baked Carola potatoes from Maine with raw butter, homemade raw goat's milk chevre, black pepper, and sea salt; baked onion; kale salad (kale, tomatoes, cucumbers, sunflower seeds, garlic, nutritional yeast, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, black pepper, sea salt); spring water; more of my chocolates
  

Today's Observations
OK. I don't think Lisa Marie should be doing the coffee. I had that coffee smoothie and that chocolate-covered caramel back-to-back and my skin was literally CRAWLING! LOL! So funny. Good lesson though. Yeesh.

Streaming Thoughts

There is so much freedom in thinking that our lives, our food choices, our friends... everything... is all on a continuum. If we get too attached to one way of thinking, to one idea, to one person, then we tend to lose the plot. Stay in the flow and keep it moving all downstream, as Esther Hicks/Abraham would say. Life is so much more fun when it's easy.

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 138

• cup of hot yerba mate with stevia
• cup of spring water
• 2 pieces of my Top Secret Raw Chocolates
• apple slices dipped in tahini
• 2 pieces of my Top Secret Raw Chocolates
• 1/2 of a baked Delicata squash with homemade raw goat's milk chevre
• cup of Chaga Brew
  
• mug of Miso Soup (miso, spring water, brown rice, black pepper)
• quinoa (quinoa, raw butter, garlic, chives, black pepper, sea salt); Vegetable Soup (water, tomatoes, purple cabbage, onions, sweet potato, broccoli, honey, curry powder, garam masala, black pepper); few more pieces of those lovely Raw Chocolates dipped in tahini; spring water
• cup of hot yerba mate with stevia
  

Cooking my pot of vegan Vegetable Soup. Look at that crazy stock colour! Beautiful!

Today's Observations
Chocolates dipped in tahini? Ooooh, YEAH! My new favourite. Kind of like a peanut butter cup... but better. : )

Try This for Sighs

Expectations have simultaneously destroyed and saved. How do we figure out which ones are which?

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 137

• cup of hot yerba mate with stevia
• cup of spring water
• small bowl of Mo's Garbage Cereal (oats, raisins, dried cranberries, chia seeds, banana, cinnamon, homemade raw goat's milk kefir)
• small cup of decaf Earl Grey tea with honey
• Veggie Fritatta (eggs, spinach, mushrooms, garlic, water, black pepper, sea salt) topped with homemade Sauer Kraut
• few pieces of my Top Secret Raw Chocolates
• cup of Chaga Brew
  
• brown rice with raw butter, black pepper, and sea salt; baked Delicata squash with raw butter; kale salad (kale, tomatoes, sprouts, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, black pepper, sea salt); few bites of homemade raw goat's milk chevre; spring water
• cup of Chaga Brew
  

Today's Observations
Kefir, butter, eggs, and chevre all in the same day... Phew. I think this was a bit much for me. Felt like a ton of rich food! Tomorrow... Let's go lighter, shall we?

Looking Up From the Bottom of the Barrel

Ha. I love this. This has happened to me so many times... especially in judging myself.

"Anyone who has declared someone else to be an idiot, a bad apple, is annoyed when it turns out in the end that he isn't." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 136

• cup of spring water
  
• cup of hot yerba mate with stevia
• 2 little homemade Sprouted Spelt Biscuits with raw butter; 2 scrambled eggs with black pepper and sea salt; homemade sauerkraut
  
• 2 bananas; a couple of walnuts; a couple of almonds; a few dried cranberries
• big honkin' glass of Bunny Juice (carrots, green leaf lettuce, apple, ginger)
  
• 2 homemade raw Crispy Mint Truffles
• a little homemade Sprouted Kamut Biscuit with raw butter; Choco-Nana Shake (frozen bananas, spring water, dates, mesquite powder, cacao powder, maca)
• 2 gluten-free, vegan chocolate chip cookies; cup of cold horsetail-rooibos tea
• bowl of Pea Soup (split peas, carrot pulp, sweet potato, onion, celery, water, marjoram, black pepper, sea salt); 2 little homemade Sprouted Kamut Biscuits with raw butter

Today's Observations
I am all OVER the map today with cool homemade food! WOW! So much fun eating today! I am so fortunate to have the creativity, the joy, and the resources needed come up with exciting new recipes!

Daniel's Word: SurThrival

If the economy collapsed and you had no access to electricity or grocery stores or restaurants, could you survive? Could you thrive?

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 135

• cup of spring water
  
• cup of hot yerba mate with stevia
• 2 homemade raw Crispy Mint Truffles; cup of hot rooibos tea with stevia
• small bowl of oatmeal (oats, spring water, dried apples, honey, cinnamon, sea salt)
  
• big bowl of air-popped plain popcorn
• few little homemade Sprouted Spelt Biscuits with raw butter
• handful of Sunspire chocolate-covered peanuts; bottle of spring water
• cup of hot vanilla rooibos tea
  
• take-out from Thai Dish: 2 fresh veggie spring rolls; 2/3rds of an order of Vegetable Pad Thai with tofu
  

Today's Observations
YAY! More sprouted breads! These are rockin' my WORLD! I'm going to have to get into a routine of having sprouts available all the time for breads. Crazy good.

Ask and Receive

Can you listen hard enough to really hear what your body is asking for? How good are you at listening? And maybe more importantly... how good are you at honouring those requests?

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 134

• cup of spring water
  
• Banana Mash-Up (bananas, walnuts, cordyceps powder); cup of hot yerba mate with stevia
  
• two homemade raw Crispy Mint Truffles
• mug of Carrot Ginger Juice
• very small bowl of Rabbit Poop (raisins, dried cranberries, tahini, cinnamon)
• cup of Chaga-Fo-ti Brew
• lunch at a friend's: 2 eggs fried in butter; green salad (mixed greens, yellow bell pepper, cucumber, broccoli, mushrooms, snow peas, avocado) with Balsamic Vinaigrette (olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, garlic, tarragon, black pepper); 2 decaf Earl Gray teas with honey
• few bites of Chocolate Sauce (cacao powder, coconut oil, honey, cinnamon, sea salt)
• bowl of sushi rice with raw butter topped with lentils, homemade sauerkraut, and hot sauce
  

Today's Observations
Yep, I broke out the juicer today. I've been craving juices. Don't know why. I've never really been into them, but ginger-based juices are calling to me. More experimenting to come.

Pride (In The Name of Love)

What is the value in pride, humility, vanity? They each totter those fine fines: going to far to the left or right and you'll be mocked or pitied or canonized. If applied to your outlook on your health, that could be precarious as well. There is value in recognizing your self-worth. How much do you need to be reminded?

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 133

• cup of spring water
  
• cup of hot yerba mate with stevia; a homemade raw Crispy Mint Truffle
• brown rice (raw butter, nutritional yeast, hot sauce, black pepper, sea salt); cup of hot rooibos tea with stevia
• bowl of Superfood IceScream (ice, almonds, walnuts, 2 homemade raw Crispy Mint Truffles, cold dandelion tea, honey, cacao powder, lucuma, mesquite powder, maca, sea salt)
• cup of hot rooibos tea
• Guacamole (avocados, garlic, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, black pepper, sea salt) with cucumber slices and celery sticks
• few bites of Chocolate Sauce (cacao powder, coconut oil, honey, cinnamon, sea salt); cup of Chaga-Fo-ti Brew
• dinner out at Bruce's Burritos: chips and salsa; Veggie Burrito with sweet potato
• cup of hot yerba mate tea with stevia
• humongous cup of spring water
  

Today's Observations
Because of tight timing, I had to grab dinner out. I was trying to think of where I could go that would have the least amount of impact on my digestive system with the maximum amount of satisfaction... meaning, I didn't want to feel hungry in an hour. I decided to go to Bruce's. In hindsight, I find it funny that I didn't go to, say, a grocery store or a natural foods store, but chose a restaurant instead. Habitual. Anyway, I ate the burrito in the car on my way to pick up a friend. After I ate it, I thought... Did I even taste that?!? Fortunately, it's been quite a while since I've eaten in the car. I really don't like doing it. I feel totally ungrounded. Funny that. Anyway, good (re?)lesson for me tonight.

Mind-Free

Why weren't we taught about proper food combining? Why is there such an emphasis on sugar-free, fat-free, calorie-free foods? Why are there even trends in diet at all?

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 132

• cup of hot yerba mate with stevia
• couple pieces of my super-delicious homemade raw vegan Almond and Raisin Chocolate
• bowl of green salad (greens mix, carrots, beets, tomatoes, Spicy Seeds, balsamic vinegar, olive oil)
• cup of spring water
  
• few tastes of my Crispy Mint Truffles (not giving out the ingredients yet... still in test mode)
• cup of spring water
• cup of Chaga-Fo-ti Brew
• Apple-Raisin Salad (apple, raisins, tahini, cinnamon); few pieces of Ally's raw vegan Indian Bread with raw butter and a couple of bites of Beet-Seed Pate from last week
• cup of Chaga-Fo-ti Brew
  
• 2 vegan, gluten-free cookies; bottle of spring water
• Veggie Frittata (eggs, sweet potato, spinach, garlic, black pepper, sea salt) topped with homemade sauerkraut; brown rice with raw butter, black pepper, and sea salt; piece of boiled sweet potato; spring water
• couple pieces of my homemade Medicinal Mushroom Chocolates; cup of hot mint tea with stevia and honey
  

Today's Observations
BIIIIG dinner! Think I had too much food today. Ugh. I feel like I used to feel a year ago after dinner. This is not good.

Skin Meals

Did you know that your skin absorbs over 50% of what you put on it? Holy cow, now I need to start monitoring what my SKIN eats?!? LOL! Yep. Sure 'nuff. I am really careful about what I put on my skin. I don't wear make-up, only use essential oils for scents, and "lotion up" with a homemade cream made out of coconut oil, vitamin E, and essential oils. I've heard Ani Phyo say that she only puts things on her skin that she would eat. Great rule of thumb.

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 131

• cup of spring water
• cup of hot yerba mate with stevia
• few pieces of my lovely homemade raw vegan Almond and Raisin Chocolates
• brown rice with raw butter, black pepper, and sea salt; Veggie Frittata (eggs, onions, broccoli, red bell pepper, garlic, chives, black pepper, sea salt); homemade sauerkraut; spring water
• very small cup of Coffee Smoothie (espresso, ice, frozen bananas, frozen blueberries, lucuma, honey)
• taste of our friends' Rebel-made chocolate sauce (I have no idea what the ingredients are, but I understand it's a top secret recipe!)
• big glass of spring water
• dinner out at Thai Dish: fresh veggie spring rolls; Veggie Pad Thai with tofu; spring water
• cup of hot jasmine green tea with honey; piece of my lovely homemade raw vegan Almond and Raisin Chocolate

Our lovely Frittata Brunch

Today's Observations
Oh, my! Today was over-the-top day for food. Lots of rich, lots of cooked, lots of decadent! I've just gotten so into experimenting lately. I've been having fun!

Package-Clinging

What package have you been sold about your health? What packages are you defending like crazy? What would happen if you... just... dropped... those... packages? Would your health suffer?

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 130

• cup of spring water
• cup of hot yerba mate with stevia
• Figgy Pudding (chia pudding, dried figs, honey, cinnamon)
• couple pieces of homemade raw vegan Almond and Raisin Chocolates; cup of Chaga Brew
• few sips of Mo's Green Smoothie (spinach, frozen blackberries, frozen strawberries, frozen bananas, dates, cold dandelion tea)
• small bowl of leftover beans and tomatoes with hot sauce; rooibos tea with stevia; couple more pieces of those lovely chocolates
  
• cup of spring water
• avocado with balsamic vinegar
• small bag of corn and flax chips; small cup of Chaga Brew
• quinoa with raw butter, black pepper, and sea salt; baked spaghetti squash with raw butter, black pepper, and sea salt; homemade sauerkraut; spring water
  
  

Today's Observations
I weighed myself today for the first time in a couple of weeks: 190.1. This down from 232 in April of 2009. The more weight that comes off, the more these things can occur: high energy, less need to sleep, less obsessive thinking about food, less obsessive thinking about portions, more joy from eating, less guilt from eating (and this is mainly because of WHAT I'm eating), and the ability to stand tall and take up space. The only thing that's making me crazy is that... I need new clothes. Can I have a sugar daddy, please? Or a sugar mama. I'm not picky.

The Hunger

When we have a hunger or thirst, our immediate reaction is to squelch it. Even when we hear "hunger" or "thirst," we tend to associate it with negativity. I've been working to reprogram these triggers from "warning bells" to "friendly reminders." I told my kid that I forgot to feed the dog yesterday. She was shocked and told me (jokingly, I think) how cruel I was. It got me to thinking about how we've become so comfortable in our food gathering and consumption.

I would challenge you to start thinking about what happens mentally when you don't immediately satisfy your hunger or thirst. What kind of broken-record thoughts start to go around in your head? Do you panic? Is there fear attached to that lack? Do you start to obsess about the food or drink you're going to consume? This type of noticing always makes me wonder how those reactions got programmed in the first place.

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 129

• cup of spring water
• cup of hot yerba mate with honey; couple pieces of my raw vegan Medicinal Mushroom Chocolates
• cup of Chaga Brew; couple little chunks of my homemade Carrot and Raisin Sprouted Grain Bread with raw butter
• few bites of oatmeal with raisins, honey, cinnamon and sea salt
  
• cup of hot rooibos tea with stevia; couple pieces of raw vegan Almond and Raisin Chocolates (made with Bridget!)
• big bowl of spinach salad (spinach, tomatoes, avocado) with Hope-Full Miso Dressing (Hope's rosemary-infused olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, miso)
• handful of clover sprouts
• cup of Chaga Brew; handful of Spicy Seeds
  
• cup of hot Blackcurrant Vanilla herbal tea
• weird dinner concoction of sushi rice (sushi rice sauteed with raw butter, eggs, and sea salt), adzuki beans (adzuki beans, garlic, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, sea salt), and tomatoes
  
  

Today's Observations
All about the hot teas! Still having a hard time staying warm. Ugh. Been pining for hot baths, heating pads, and piles of blankets. I'm sure that's the nature of winter in Maine, but I'm a Southerner at the core. The spinach salad today was so lovely! I was grateful to have it. Unfortunately, it also made me pine for warmer weather and fresher greens. Alas...

The Times They Are...

"If you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it." - Mary Engelbreit

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 128

• cup of spring water
• 2 eggs fried in raw butter; chunk of my homemade (!) Carrot and Raisin Sprouted Grain Bread with raw butter; small cup of Chaga Brew
• cup of hot yerba mate with stevia
• handful of Sunspire chocolate-covered peanuts; cup of ice water
• couple pieces of my raw vegan Medicinal Mushroom Chocolates
  
• cup of Butternut Spiced Soup (butternut, onions, tomatoes, miso, water, honey, garam masala, black pepper, cumin); scoop of Smashed Potatoes (sweet potatoes, white potatoes, garlic, raw butter, black pepper, sea salt); small chunk of my homemade Carrot and Raisin Sprouted Grain Bread with raw butter; small chunk of my homemade Cinnamon Date Sprouted Grain Bread with raw butter; spring water
• cup of hot yerba mate with stevia
  
  

Today's Observations
I need greens. Tomorrow: salad!

Durian-Headed

Sit in silence, let the top of your head crack open like a durian, and just be with that for a moment. What kinds of things slide in and out? Information? Fears? Old habits? Persuasive words? ... ... You?

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 127

• cup of hot Chaga Brew
• cup of spring water
• 2 leftover (from last night's raw vegan potluck) Cinnamon Rolls
  
• little chunk of my homemade (!) Cinnamon and Date Sprouted Grain Bread with raw butter
• cup of hot decaf chai tea with honey
• lunch out at Mehkong: vegetable soup; crunchy things with that spicy sauce stuff; 1/2 portion of Vegetable Pad Thai
• few pieces of my raw vegan Coconut Goji Medicinal Mushroom Chocolates; spring water
  
• dinner was a weird layering thing of brown rice, scrambled eggs (eggs, raw cream, chives, black pepper, sea salt), homemade guacamole, homemade salsa; spring water
  
• few more pieces of my raw vegan Coconut Goji Medicinal Mushroom Chocolates with a small cup of hot Chaga Brew
  
  

Today's Observations
Today was all about the portions. I was SO PSYCHED that I stopped eating when I'd had enough. For all those that have this down pat, just go look at something else. For all those that don't, I have to admit that this was a physical challenge. I got about halfway through my Pad Thai and looked down at my plate. My friend was talking about something and I was listening to her while trying to process this huge mass of food still left on my plate. I thought, If I eat this, I will feel pain in my stomach and sides and then will feel like crap emotionally. I sighed and pushed the plate away from me. It was tough because it tasted great. I could have kept going on that alone. But I made a different choice. I feel like Mel Gibson in Braveheart: "FREEEEEEEEEDOOOOOOOM!"

I Am Superwoman

Mo dedicated this song to me. Made me cry.



Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 126

• small cup of hot yerba mate with honey
• small cup of hot yerba mate with honey
• bowl of Chia Pudding (chia, water, banana, walnuts, honey, cinnamon, sea salt)
• veggie salad (cucumbers, carrots, red bell peppers) with Hope-Full Miso Dressing (Hope's rosemary-infused olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, miso)
• Superfood IceScream (ice, cold dandelion tea, almonds, goji berries, cacao nibs, honey, maca, lucuma, mesquite powder, sea salt) topped with yacon syrup
• some Lil Lad's popcorn; cup of cold dandelion tea
• Millet Scramble (millet, eggs, mushrooms, purple onions, chives, black pepper, sea salt) with hot sauce and homemade sauerkraut
• cup of hot yerba mate with honey
  
  

Today's Observations
Drink yerba mate much?

Self-Violence

All that chastising yourself? That's a form of violence. Is violence too harsh a word? Well, maybe that's the light we need to put it in to stop us from doing it. Cuz it ain't gettin' ya anywhere doing it. It's just making you feel worse and worse. And who wants to implement any kind of change from that place?

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 125

• cup of hot yerba mate with stevia
• leftover quinoa with raw butter, chives, black pepper, and sea salt; Spicy Chickpeas (chickpeas, garlic, raw butter, coriander powder, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, sea salt); spring water
• small cup of hot yerba mate with honey
  
• small handful of Sunspire chocolate-covered peanuts
• Apple-Fig Bowl (apple, figs, tahini, cinnamon)
• bottle of Summit Springs water
• Smashed Potatoes (white potatoes, sweet potatoes, garlic, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, sea salt); green salad (romaine, scallions, red bell pepper) with Hope-Full Miso Dressing (Hope's rosemary-infused olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, miso); few bites of the leftover Chocolate Pudding (avocados, coconut oil, honey, cacao powder, sea salt); rest of the Summit Springs water
  
  

Today's Observations
OK. That Apple-Fig Bowl was rockin' my world. VERY nummy and satisfying. Mo looked at it suspiciously, asked to try it... then asked me to make her one. Too funny. I made it for her and she looked down into the bowl and said, "Nice presentation!" I know, Heidi, I should have taken a picture of it. Will soon. ; )

Mirror Time

Facing your fears is scary as shit. Just sayin'.

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 124

• cup of hot yerba mate with honey; few pieces of Super Secret Recipe Raw Vegan Chocolate Candy (nice breakfast!)
• Butterscotch Banana Shake (frozen bananas, raw cream, spring water, dates, maca powder, lucuma, mesquite powder, sea salt)
• cup of hot rooibos tea with stevia
  
• Vegetable Frittata (eggs, raw cream, sweet potatoes, onions, mushrooms, chives, black pepper, sea salt) with homemade sauerkraut; spring water
• small bowl of frozen blueberries
• spring water
• lovely large glass of fresh carrot-ginger juice from Whole Foods
• tastes of things made in my raw vegan class: banana slices with Raw Vegan Chocolate Sauce (honey, coconut oil, cacao powder); Chocolate Pudding (avocados, coconut oil, honey, cacao powder, sea salt)
• quinoa with raw butter, chives, black pepper, and sea salt; kale salad (kale, olives, olive oil, black pepper, sea salt); Spicy Chickpeas (chickpeas, garlic, raw butter, coriander powder, cumin, chili powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, sea salt); dandelion tea
  
  

Today's Observations
Whoa! Waaaaaaaaaay too much candy, dairy, and eggs. Wow. I feel really ugh. Just like I've had too much food, not like any of it sat weird on me. The carrot-ginger juice though really spoke to me. I want to start incorporating more of that in my diet. The ginger was so perfect! Nummy!

Eye of the Storm

"Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no trouble, noise, or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart."
- Lady Gaga

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own - except when they're the restaurant's.

Day 123

• cup of hot yerba mate with honey; few pieces of Super Secret Recipe Raw Vegan Chocolate Candy (nice breakfast!)
  
• cup of hot Mate Dark Roast herbal tea
  
• cup of spring water
• Superfood IceScream (ice, spring water, Brazil nuts, honey, cacao nibs, goji berries, maca powder, lucuma, mesquite powder, sea salt) drizzled with yacon syrup
• cup of hot Aztec Fire herbal tea with cinnamon
• few Savory Chia Crackers with raw butter; dried figs; spring water
• dinner out at Tandoor: Mango Lassi; Tomato Soup; Vegetable Samosas; Shahi Paneer with basmati; water
  
  

Today's Observations
I've been doing so well with portions lately. I wonder if that panic is something from a past life...? Did I starve or have to fend for myself? A number of years ago, I remember eating something and someone asked me for a bite. I mentally heard a little click in my head and felt like I immediately had to protect my food. I don't think that's anything from this life. I was raised an any child, so it's not like there was any competition around eating. Over the past few years, I've been trying to reassure that side that I will always have enough to eat... and that there's enough for others. It's like taming a wild beast - sometimes unpredictable, but I think it's learning to trust me.

R.I.P.

Sometimes in the middle of eating dinner, a little panic settles in my chest. I wonder, Will there be enough food for me? Recently, I've been just watching that panic come up... acknowledging it... and putting it to rest. There always seems to be enough. I think I'm finally starting to get that.

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 122

• cup of spring water
• few pieces of Super Secret Recipe Raw Vegan Chocolate Candy; a pear; a few Savory Chia Crackers with butter; spring water
• cup of Rehmannia-Chaga Brew
• small cup of Jim's Coffee Smoothie (get ready for this ridiculous list of ingredients: espresso, spring water, ice, walnuts, frozen bananas, frozen blueberries, goji berries, dates, raw cream, honey, maca, milk thistle seed powder, mesquite powder, cacao powder, vanilla bean, sea salt)
• big bowl of green salad (red leaf lettuce, celery, broccoli sprouts, seaweed flakes, nutritional yeast, balsamic vinegar, Hope's rosemary-infused olive oil, black pepper)
• cup of hot jasmine green tea with stevia
• Veggie Frittata (sweet potatoes, red bell peppers, mushrooms, garlic, Hope's cheeken's eggs, raw cream, chives, black pepper, sea salt); barley with nutritional yeast and sea salt; buttercup squash and acorn squash with butter, black pepper, and sea salt; few more pieces of Super Secret Recipe Raw Vegan Chocolate Candy; spring water
  
  

Today's Observations
Oh. My. GOD! I feel like my world is totally turning upside-down with regard to food. I feel like with the raw vegan diet I was able to clean out a lot of toxins (mental, physical, and spiritual) and break ground for some new ways of thinking through food gathering, prep, and consumption. Lately, we've been adding raw cream and raw butter. This has been working really well on my stomach.... surprisingly. Or maybe not. Today I cooked eggs for the first time in years. It was really magical for me because they were from Hope's Cheeckens(tm). I'm not saying that we're not going to continue eating a high raw diet, but I am appreciating the importance of incorporating more local, organic whole grains and dairy products. Don't think I'm quite ready for meat, though. That's gonna take a while, if ever....

Building an Army

What are you using for your health support system? When I started thinking about this today, I was positively floored at how much of a system I'd built around me. Here are some tools I use: family, well-chosen friends, books, videos (some delivered to me daily via email subscription), podcasts, email subscriptions, the classes I teach, the monthly potlucks I hold, and my writings. Wow! So much encouragement from so many fronts! Bring it on, world! I got me some back-up! LOL!

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 121

• cup of Rehmannia-Chaga Brew
• Banana Mash-Up (bananas, walnuts, cacao powder, cordyceps powder)
• cup of Rehmannia-Chaga Brew
• handful of Sunspire chocolate-covered peanuts
• few bites of Mo's super-thick smoothie (frozen bananas, frozen raspberries, frozen mangos, frozen strawberries, cold rooibos tea)
• bowl of green salad (romaine, carrots, celery) with Spicy Miso Vinaigrette (apple cider vinegar, olive oil, miso, honey, garlic, Frank's Finest Smokey Southern Spice)
• couple of my Top Secret Recipe Medicinal Chocolate Candies
  
• few oat crackers with Almond Punkin Pate (almonds, pumpkin seeds, carrots, celery, garlic, balsamic vinegar, sea salt)
• cup of Rehmannia-Chaga Brew
• tried a few bites of our first successful batch of sauerkraut (cabbage, carrots, hot peppers, salt)
  
• brown rice with butter and sea salt; baked butternut squash; (very lightly) sauteed mushrooms, broccoli, and onions in balsamic vinegar and nama shoyu; cold rooibos tea
• a piece of my Top Secret Recipe Medicinal Chocolate Candies
  
  

Today's Observations
So, I was feeling all loopy on the top of my head again today and realized... too late, maybe... that I was dehydrated again! I always forget to drink just straight water. Technically herbal teas are considered a food and that's all I've been chugging down. Gotta do better at that. It's just that I'm usually a little chilly and always want to go towards the warm stuff. Alas... But the good news is: I finally got my cacao order in! 5# of cacao powder, 5# of cacao butter, and 5# of cacao nibs! That should last us, oh, a week or so. LOL! So nice to have my lovely candies back in the house. ; )

Clearing the Path

I think it's funny that people look at me askance when I tell them about different things I am trying on my health quest. People are so committed to the lock-and-load response to others: "Wait - I thought you were vegan!" or "But that's not raw!" or "Why didn't you test that spring water before you drank it?" When I began to listen to my body, a whole new world opened up. I started hearing things that surprised me. I changed portions, I changed food types, I added things, I subtracted what wasn't working.

But, to be fair, I need to watch how I sell myself, so to speak. Do I introduced myself as a raw vegan chef? What am I touting? Am I trying to push a particular thing in a conversation? I've been noticing that when I'm talking to people, I've been talking more and more about my ideas around intuitive and intentional eating and less about shoulds and shouldn'ts. I think my friend, Michael, would tell me that's a very good thing indeed. ; )

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 120

• cup of spring water
• Chia Pudding (chia seeds, water) with banana
• medium baked sweet potato and teeny baked white potato with butter, nutritional yeast, black pepper, and sea salt
  
• 2 gluten-free vegan chocolate chip cookies; spring water
• cup of hot Mate Chai
• Green Smoothie (frozen bananas, frozen raspberries, sprouts, cacao powder, cold nettle and Pau d'Arco tea, stevia)
• few oat crackers
• baked white potatoes with nutritional yeast, black pepper, and sea salt; kale salad (kale, carrots, sprouts, garlic, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, nutritional yeast, black pepper, sea salt)
  
  

Today's Observations
OK. I've gotten my freakin' fill of baked while potatoes! Ugh! I've been comparing what affect white potatoes has on me versus sweet potatoes. Totally different animal. White potatoes make the top of my head all loopy, like I'm drunk. How weird is that?!? So, I'm sticking with the sweets. They sit so much better on me and they're actually more fun to eat. I don't know why. Maybe it's because of the butter? Probably it's because I'm eating them with Mo... who looooves sweet potatoes. LOL!

Next Step on the Journey

The time for me to beat myself up over my food choices, to guilt myself out about how things could have been done differently, to chastise myself for not being good enough... that's done. I don't want to regret that that side of me was once there, rearing its ugly head; that side of me got me here.

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 119

• cup of Chaga Brew (chaga, coconut flakes, cinnamon sticks, cordyceps powder, vanilla bean)
• 2 small baked sweet potatoes with homemade raw butter; cup of cold cat's claw and nettle tea
• bowl of Superfood IceScream (ice, hazelnuts, mulberries, honey, raw cream, carob powder, maca, mesquite, sea salt)
• cup of cold nettle and Pau d'Arco tea
• apple; half of a Coconut Cream Larabar (raw! cool!); bite of Mo's Peanut Butter and Jelly Larabar (not raw, but vegan and unbelievably delicious!)
• take-out from Bua Thai: veggie and tofu Pad Thai; spring water
  
  

Today's Observations
I haven't been doing too much with greens lately. I need to pay more attention to that. BUT I am psyched about the snack choice at Whole Foods today! Mo and I were wanting a snack and I remembered the last time we were at Whole Foods (candy, headache, blech), so I decided to get an apple and a Larabar for us to share. Mo got a Larabar for herself, too. VERY good choices... and no headache! Go, me! LOL!

Prioritizing

Do you trust yourself to make the best decisions possible about your health? Or do you look outside yourself for the final answers? Learning to listen is tough - especially since most of us were never taught how. I've found I've had to learn how to listen by forcing stillness. My head goes a million miles an hour, I've got a thousand projects to do, attention being pulled in a hundred directions... so it comes down to putting myself as the priority. Sometimes I have to do a little pep talk. Whatever works as a good brake... make it happen.

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 118

• small cup of hot yerba mate with stevia
• Green Cream Smoothie (green leaf lettuce, frozen raspberries, bananas, cordyceps powder, raw cream, spring water)
• cup of hot jasmine green tea with honey
• small bowl of Superfood IceScream (ice, almonds, mulberries, honey, cold cat's claw and nettle tea, lucuma, mesquite, maca, carob powder, sea salt)
• small cup of decaf Earl Grey tea
• big honkin' green salad (green leaf lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, carrots, sunflower seeds, seaweed flakes, black pepper) with Jim's Miso Vinaigrette (miso, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, honey, Frank's Finest Smoky Southern Spice)
• cup of Chaga Brew (chaga, coconut flakes, cinnamon sticks, cordyceps powder, vanilla bean)
• baked onion with nutritional yeast and black pepper; roasted garlic cloves; sweet and white baked potatoes with homemade raw butter, nutritional yeast, and sea salt; spring water
  
  

Today's Observations
Since I've been paying more and more attention to only eating when I'm hungry, I'm finding that I've gotten into some really bad habits. Yesterday Mo wanted me to make her some ice cream and I said I'd make it later. What I was really doing was waiting until I was hungry. That way, I wouldn't have to make it twice. But that's silly. I realized that I was ignoring her hunger so that we could sync up. I ended up making her some ice cream and didn't have any myself. Sounds like such a simple solution, but there was so much emotional baggage around it. When I pulled myself outside the situation and looked at what was really happening, I quickly rectified it. Nice to have that ability. : )

Questioning the Question

Make sure the questions are right. If the questions aren't right, the answers will be all wrong.

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 117

• cup of hot yerba mate with stevia
• Oatmeal (oats, raisins, homemade raw butter, honey, cinnamon, stevia, sea salt); spring water
• big bowl of Miso Soup (spring water, miso, woodear mushrooms, garlic, seaweed flakes, black pepper, sea salt); small scoop of Almond Pate (almonds, carrots, celery, garlic, Bell's Seasoning, nama shoyu, sea salt) with wasabi powder
• piece of Blueberry Lime Cheez-cake (crust was almonds, dates, sea salt; filling was cashews, blueberries, lime juice, coconut oil, honey, sea salt)
• cup of hot yerba mate with honey
• apple
• handful of Sunspire chocolate-covered peanuts; spring water
• Mexi-Mass (following in layers: spinach, brown rice, homemade guacamole, homemade salsa, jalapenos, nutritional yeast); spring water
• small cup of Wysteria's Warming Woo-Woo tea (blend of roses, rooibos, cardamom pods, and fennel seeds! Mmmm!)
  
  

Today's Observations
I've really been watching myself when I'm feeling called to eat. Most of the time, it's not when I'm hungry. Today I only ate when I was hungry. Weird! What's funny is that Mo and I were getting a little peckish while shopping and chose the candy. Why we didn't choose a piece of fruit or something is (almost) beyond me. About 30 minutes after eating it, I got really flushed and felt nauseous. Then... it passed. Good lessen for me: eating something that has a strong emotional tie (candy = fun times! ; ) may not always bode well physically. It also helped me redefine "convenience foods."

Heart Revolution

"If you take the responsibility for your life you can start changing it. Slow will be the change, only in the course of time will you start; moving into the world of light and crystallization, but once you are crystallized you will know what real revolution is. Then share your revolution with others; it has to go that way, from heart to heart."
- Osho

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 116

• Superfood IceScream (ice, Brazil nuts, cold nettle and cat's claw tea, honey, goji berries, carob powder, maca, mesquite powder, lucuma, cordyceps powder, sea salt)
  
• cup of Reishi and Chaga Brew (reishi, chaga, coconut flakes, goji berries, vanilla bean)
• 2 bowls of kale salad (kale, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, nutritional yeast, seaweed flakes, black pepper, sea salt); 2 Seed Crackers with butter
  
• Yumpot (coconut oil, honey, lucuma, sea salt)
• big glass of cold nettle and cat's claw tea
• cup of hot blueberry white tea
  
• handful of chocolate-covered cranberries
• baked delicata squash with butter; brown rice with butter, (very lightly) steamed broccoli
  
  

Today's Observations
Mmmm... lovely Maine butter. Love it.

Change in Blog Entries

I've been having some problems with my arms again. Too much time on the computer. So, I'm having to change up my computer usage. For a while, I will only be posting blog entries Monday through Friday. I know, I know. Dry your eyes. But wish me a speedy recovery. ; )

Head Games

If you're in your head while you're eating, you won't be able to enjoy the other sense experiences.

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 115

• cup of hot jasmine green tea with honey
• Banana Mash-Up (bananas, sesame seeds, cordyceps powder)
• cup of hot rooibos tea
• small serving of Almond Pate (almonds, carrots, celery, garlic, Bell's Seasoning, nama shoyu, sea salt) with homemade Seed Crackers
• Green Smoothie (frozen bananas, frozen blueberries, frozen mangos, spinach, spring water)
• snack from Whole Foods salad bar: seaweed and sesame salad
• Yumpot (coconut oil, honey, cacao powder, lucuma, maca, sea salt)
• brown rice with butter; Kidney and Mushroom Stew (kidney beans, mushrooms, red bell pepper, onions, oregano, black pepper, sea salt)
• 2 cups of Reishi and Chaga Brew (reishi, chaga, coconut flakes, goji berries, vanilla bean)
  
  

Today's Observations
Lots of wonderful numminess today! I'm so loving the direction of our food choices lately. We're putting more intention into where we're choosing to get our calories and nutrition from. Lovely!

Between a Rock and an Apple

When we spend more time thinking about what we're eating and less about enjoying the food itself, we get out of balance. In other words, if you're caught up in working through your emotional baggage around food issues and not spending time learning how to enjoy your food, you're missing the crucial component to reprogramming. Reprogramming our thinking around food involves not only uncovering those places of pain and shame, but also making opportunities for and taking great pleasure in joyful eating. I get that it's not easy, but it is essential.

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 114

• handful of chlorella nuts
  
• Blackberry Pudding (frozen blackberries, avocados, bananas) topped with coconut flakes and homemade granola
  
• cup of Reishi and Chaga Brew (reishi, chaga, coconut flakes, goji berries, vanilla bean)
• small serving of Almond Pate (almonds, carrots, celery, garlic, Bell's Seasoning, nama shoyu, sea salt) with carrots, celery, and homemade Seed Crackers
• Superfood IceScream (ice, Brazil nuts, cold nettle and cat's claw tea, mulberries, cacao nibs, honey, maca, mesquite, carob poweder, sea salt)
• celery with Olive Sesame Dressing
  
• cup of water with Watch Your Back flower essences
  
• cheese and flatbread sandwich from Dunkin Donuts [hard admission... be gentle]
• take out from Bua Thai: veggie spring rolls; veggie and tofu Pad Thai; cold nettle and cat's claw tea
  
  

Today's Observations
OK. The Dunkin Donuts. While driving to teach my raw vegan class (LOL!), I realized that I was hungry. I also was craving cheese - which is really rare for me. So, I tried to think of what I could have that was low-impact, but also I knew I needed to get to my class quickly. So, it wasn't the greatest choice. I get that. I'm trying to not beat myself up over it. I'm actually more frustrated with myself for choosing that particular establishment than I am for choosing that particular food. Dunkin Donuts isn't known for their organics. ; ) Tomorrow: lots of chlorella.

Sidenote: I actually debated not putting that Dunkin Donuts foray in the list. I really did. Then I thought, you've never excluded anything on this blog and to start not would lead you down a slippery slope. So, I really had to work through some serious baggage to be able to type that in.

Turning Off and Tuning In

When you compartmentalize your foods, you miss the whole experience. If I think in terms of where I'm getting my calcium, my vitimin C, my fiber, I'm not listening to my body. If I turn off my Talking Self and turn inward and listen to what I need, I find the answers. There's no need to do all that Food Math.

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 113

• cup of hot jasmine green tea with honey
• Banana Mash-Up (bananas, walnuts, cordyceps mushroom powder)
• small bowl of Lickety Split Pea Soup (water, split peas, carrots, potatoes, celery, liquid smoke, marjoram, sea salt); Seed Crackers (my homemade dehydrated seed crackers... can't remember ingredients) with butter
  
• mini Yumpot (butter, coconut oil, honey, cordyceps powder, maca, lucuma, cacao powder, sea salt)
• couple of big handfuls of Sunspire chocolate-covered peanuts
• big glass of spring water
  
• made a wooooonderful dinner for my friend, Larry: green salad (romaine, carrots) with Olive Sesame Dressing (sesame seeds, date, olives, olive oil, water); roasted spaghetti squash with Pesto Cream (fresh basil, garlic, hazelnuts, olive oil, sea salt); baked potatoes with Garlic Butter (roasted garlic, butter); spring water
• 2 cups of Reishi and Chaga Brew (reishi, chaga, coconut flakes, goji berries, vanilla bean)
  
  

Today's Observations
Goooooooooo, medicinal mushrooms!!! Goooooooooo, butter!!!

Help!

When people don't want to take you up on an offer to help, let it go. The energy you've put into the Universe just by offering alone is as important as the help itself.

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 112

• grapefruit with honey
• brown rice with butter and guacamole (avocado, garlic, chili poweder, cumin, sea salt); spring water
• cup of hot jasmine green tea with honey
  
• few pieces of my not-so-great chocolate candy experiment from last night
  
• big cup of Reishi Brew (reishi, horsetail, Pau d'Arco, carob pod pieces, vanilla bean)
• small packet of roasted and salted cashews at Starbuck's
• bowl of Mo's Garbage Cereal (oats, chia seeds, sesame seeds, raisins, mulberries, coconut flakes, banana, Brazil nut mylk)
• dinner out at some unpronounceable Thai restaurant... like Srjeworj9iegnfio or something: fried sweet potatoes; vegetable and tofu soup bowl; water
• glass of spring water
  
  

Today's Observations
I want 4500 hot homemade chocolate chip cookies. Just sayin'.

Naked Empowerment

If you let your fears fall to the side, you will be left naked and vulnerable. The next step is to decide what you will pull to you. Sometimes that pulling towards you can be vulnerable, too: can I handle the energy of this new thing that will empower me and make me more authentic?

I encourage you to read this quote out loud with fiery joy each day... until you believe it in your heart.

"Everyday Grace" by Marianne Williamson

My deepest fear is not that I am inadequate.
My deepest fear is that I am powerful beyond measure.
It is my light, not my darkness that most frightens me.
I ask myself, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who am I not to be? I am a child of God.
My playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing
enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel
insecure around me. I am meant to shine, as children do.
I was born to make manifest the glory of God that is within me.
It's not just in me; it's in everyone. And as I let my own
light shine, I unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As I am liberated from my own fear, my presence automatically liberates others.

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 111

• cup of Reishi Brew (reishi, horsetail, Pau d'Arco, carob pod pieces, vanilla bean)
• big bowl of kale and spinach salad (red kale, spinach, carrots, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, dried cranberries, garlic, olive oil, nutritional yeast, balsamic vinegar, sea salt)
• cup of jasmine green tea with honey
• 16 oz. Katalyst schizandraberry kombucha
• banana with peanut butter
• handful of sunflower seeds, handful of Spicy Seeds
• Green Smoothie (beet greens, spring water, frozen banana, frozen blueberries, cacao nibs, maca, lucuma, sea salt)
• dinner out at a friend's: outstanding egg and veggie frittata (with pickles!); cabbage soup (with lovely chickpea miso!); spring water; weird and wonderful reishi brew (I think it had reishi, chaga, coconut, and vanilla in it); homemade chocolate candy attempt (made with nasty-ass cacao paste!)
  
  

Today's Observations
Written in the morning: I've decided I need to start working towards drinking more spring water (straight and not just in teas) and incorporating more fermented foods/drinks. Written at night: Well, good intention! I did just that today! : ) Outrageous dinner at our friend's tonight. I really loved the frittata. I could tell it was made with such love and I so appreciated that. : ) xoxo

New Work Ethic

"We either make ourselves miserable or make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same."
- Carlos Castenada

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 110

• cup of hot jasmine green tea with honey
• bowl of leftover brown rice with butter mixed with some of the leftover Spicy Chick Peas
• cup of Reishi Brew (reishi, horsetail, Pau d'Arco, carob pod pieces, vanilla bean)
• bowl of leftover brown rice with butter mixed with some of the leftover Spicy Chick Peas topped with hot sauce
• Superfood IceScream (ice, hazelnuts, Brazil nut mylk, goji berries, cacao nibs, cacao powder, colostrum, maca, lucuma, mesquite, sea salt)
• cup of Reishi Brew (reishi, horsetail, Pau d'Arco, carob pod pieces, vanilla bean)
• roasted delicata squash with butter; kale and spinach salad (red kale, spinach, carrots, sunflower seeds, chia seeds, dried cranberries, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt); water
  
  

Today's Observations
Now why would I get lightheaded after my breakfast this morning? Could it have been the caffeine? The honey? I can't imagine the food would have anything to do with it. Strange. Been doing too much cooked food lately. Feeling bloated. Also, I've been craving green smoothies. Think there's a connexion? ; )

Swimming Trunks

When I lost weight, naturally my clothes got baggier. But I haven't replaced them yet with smaller versions. I'm still revelling in the swimming around.

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 109

• cup of hot rooibos tea with stevia
• Blueberry Pudding (avocados, bananas, frozen blueberries) topped with coconut flakes, Hunza raisins, and homemade granola
• cup of hot rooibos tea with stevia
• plate of the following in layers: spinach, brown rice, Spicy Chick Peas (chick peas, garlic, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, black pepper, sea salt), guacamole (avocados, garlic, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, chipotle powder, sea salt), Nik's homemade salsa
• cup of hot jasmine green tea with honey
• Superfood IceScream (ice, hazelnuts, Brazil nut mylk, mulberries, honey, lucuma, maca, mesquite, stevia, sea salt)
• 2 vegan, gluten-free chocolate chip cookies
• small bowl of Smoky Veggie Soup (onions, carrots, celery, zucchini, broccoli, raisins, water, miso, honey, Frank's Finest Smoky Southern Spice, smoked paprika, tarragon, sea salt)
• small cup of Reishi Brew (reishi, horsetail, Pau d'Arco, carob pod pieces, vanilla bean)
  
  

Today's Observations
Lots of cooked today, but some great choices in cooked. The cookies were a bit over the top. I mean, the first one was o.k., but I ended up finishing off the second one just because it was in the package... and not because I wanted another one. I know you can relate... ; )

Gourmet Defined

Take away the dogma and the complexity and you have gourmet food.

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 108

• cup of spring water
  
• Coffee Elixir (espresso made with Reishi Brew instead of water, spring water, coconut oil, hazelnuts, honey, vanilla bean, maca, colostrum, stevia, cinnamon, cayenne, sea salt)
• bowl of Smashed Taters (sweet potatoes, white potatoes, olive oil, garlic, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, sea salt) slathered in hot sauce
• cup of spring water
• Superfood IceScream (ice, hazelnut mylk, Brazil nuts, mulberries, irish moss, honey, carob powder, fo-ti powder, lucuma, mesquite, maca, sea salt)
• an orange
• 16 oz. bottle of water; celery and peanut butter
• 20 oz. bottle of water
• kale salad (red kale, sprouts, tomatoes, Jim's Vinaigrette, nutritional yeast, kelp flakes, black pepper, sea salt); steamed veggies with local butter
• mini Yumpot (coconut oil, honey, lucuma, sea salt)
• a taste of Jim's weird-ass tea (spring water, St. John's Wort, yarrow, mandrake root, splash of homemade mead, honey)
  
  

Today's Observations
I have been crazy hungry and thirsty today. What's up with that? Maybe I need more minerals? More calories? More fat? Experimenting around with different combinations to see what helps.

You Are The New Exhibit

I made a new friend today named Lauren Michelle Kinsey (http://laurenkinseyraw.wordpress.com). She calls herself a "Health Exhibitionist." Makes me wonder what I should be doing to fall into that category. After all, some boxes sounds more fun to play in than others. ; )

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 107

• cup of hot rooibos tea with stevia
• bowl of Mo's Garbage Cereal (hazelnut mylk, oats, banana, Hunza raisins, figs, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds)
• Yumpot split between Edgrrr and Mo (coconut oil, honey, sea salt)
• bowl of brown rice mixed with guacamole, nutritional yeast, hot sauce, and sea salt
• Coffee Elixir (espresso made with Reishi Brew instead of water, spring water, coconut flakes, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, dates, vanilla bean, maca, colostrum, cacao powder, cinnamon, cayenne, sea salt)
• bowl of Smoky Veggie Soup (onions, carrots, celery, zucchini, broccoli, raisins, water, miso, honey, Frank's Finest Smoky Southern Spice, smoked paprika, tarragon, sea salt) with a little brown rice in the bottom
• taste of my Inebriated Banana Chip Ice Cream (frozen bananas, cacao nibs, homemade vanilla rum extract)
  
  

Today's Observations
This is the first time I've had a pot of caffeinated espresso in YEARS! I totally expected to be jacked, headachey, and OCD-triggered (caffeine usually triggers my OCD symptoms), but... nothing. I just felt good. It tasted amazing. Thanks, Jim, for turning me onto these! This was the first time I've tasted the homemade vanilla rum extract. Yowza! Nice!

Eating Awake

Dinner doesn't have to be an elaborate affair. Eating foods as they are, without sauces or spices, is a wonderful way to reacquaint yourself with the true taste and qualities of the food. As I eat more meals with fewer ingredients, I am aware of perspective changes on all levels: who am I when I eat this? What are my expectations around this food? How is this food changing me?

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 106

• cup of hot jasmine green tea with honey
• cup of homemade spicy herbal tea (rooibos, carob pod pieces, cinnamon, stevia)
• banana
  
• lunch out at Silly's: falafel and veggie vegan wrap; sweet potato fries with spicy vegan dip; spring water
  
• cup of hot nettle tea
• cup of hot decaf vanilla nut tea
• Superfood IceScream (ice, cold horsetail tea, walnuts, hazelnuts, mulberries, honey, lucuma, mesquite, maca, colostrum, sea salt)
• several pieces of romaine dipped in Olive Sesame Dressing; about 30 chlorella nuts; a couple of handfuls of homemade apple chips (Mmm!); an Energy Ball (almonds, dates, sea salt)
  
• cup of Reishi Brew (reishi, astragalus, cat's claw, Pau d'Arco, elderberries, vanilla bean)
  
  

Today's Observations
Ate too much at lunch. Damn Silly's makin' good food. They'd better knock that shit off. ; )

More Inspiration

Inspired again.

"Beautiful" by Christina Aguilera

Every day is so wonderful
And suddenly, it's hard to breathe
Now and then, I get insecure
From all the pain, I'm so ashamed

I am beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring me down
I am beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring me down
So don't you bring me down today

To all your friends, you're delirious
So consumed in all your doom
Trying hard to fill the emptiness
The piece is gone left the puzzle undone
That's the way it is

You are beautiful no matter what they say
Words can't bring you down
You are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring you down
Don't you bring me down today...

No matter what we do
(no matter what we do)
No matter what they say
(no matter what they say)
When the sun is shining through
Then the clouds won't stay

And everywhere we go
(everywhere we go)
The sun won't always shine
(sun won't always shine)
But tomorrow will find a way
All the other times

'Cuz we are beautiful no matter what they say
Yes, words won't bring us down, oh no
We are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring us down
Don't you bring me down today

Don't you bring me down today
Don't you bring me down today

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 105

• cup of hot jasmine green tea with honey
• cup of hot jasmine green tea (using previous tea's leaves)
• cup of Reishi Brew (reishi, astragalus, cat's claw, Pau d'Arco, elderberries, vanilla bean)
• 1/2 cup of hot coca tea
• bowl of Mo's Garbage Cereal (hazelnut mylk, banana, oats, coconut flakes, goji berries, Hunza raisins, sesame seeds, chia seeds)
• lunch out at the mall: steamed white rice with steamed veggies; water
• handful of Sunspire chocolate-covered peanuts
• cup of water
• bowl of green salad (romaine, red bell pepper, sunflower seeds) with Olive Sesame Dressing; Smashed Potatoes (white potatoes, sweet potatoes) with a little Olive Sesame Dressing
• Superfood IceScream (ice, cold horsetail tea, walnuts, few pieces of my Mulled Berry Chocolates, mulberries, honey, lucuma, maca, mesquite, colostrum, sea salt)
  
  

Today's Observations
I miss my usual homemade chocolates. I can't wait til my cacao butter and cacao powder order comes in.

Paying It Forward

I read Carmella's (of Sunny Raw Kitchen) post today and was quite moved while reading this excerpt:

When we were staying at Hanna Park, one particularly chilly evening a young woman and her father walked over to our site, holding Tupperware containers. She said that they had lots of left over soup and since we were camping in the cold, she thought we might enjoy something warm. Although I was in shock about her kindness and thoughtfulness, I somehow had the wit to mention that we were vegetarians. She candidly replied that the soup was made with cheese tortellinis, Portobello mushrooms, onion and chicken broth. Yep, pretty much as un-raw and non vegan as can be, but humbly and gratefully accepting her offering felt like the right thing to do. It was such an act of genuine kindness that I simply couldn’t refuse. Can you picture me telling her, “Thanks very much but I’m sorry, we actually don’t eat wheat and animal products. As a matter of fact, we usually don’t even cook our food!” How do you think it would have made her feel? Surely wouldn't have encouraged her in future to listen to the wild impulses of her generous heart!... Don and I ate the soup huddled in our tent, and you know what? It tasted delicious! And in spite of the fact that it contained three major ‘no-nos’ for me, I had zero adverse reaction whatsoever! Not even a runny nose from the wheat! Wowsers!

- http://thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com/2010/01/sunny-raw-kitchen-tour-adventures.html

I really appreciated the insight into how her own actions could have adversely affected the future actions of the woman giving her the soup. I am going to work to incorporate this type of forward thinking more often. Thank you, Carmella.

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 104

• 2 glasses of spring water
• bowl of Strawberry-Raspberry Pudding (frozen raspberries, bananas, avocado, coconut flakes, Hunza raisins)
• cup of Reishi Brew (reishi, astragalus, cat's claw, Pau d'Arco, elderberries, vanilla bean)
• bowl of Jim's Bean Stew (layer of shredded romaine, layer of brown rice, layer of some black bean and veggie spicy stew stuff)
• Superfood IceScream (ice, cold horsetail tea, a few of my Mulled Berry Chocolates, honey, hazelnuts, goji berries, colostrum, maca, lucuma, mesquite powder, sea salt)
• cup of homemade spicy herbal tea (rooibos, carob pod pieces, cinnamon, stevia)
• 1/2 cup of hot decaf chai tea
  
  

Pudding and Cosmic Wimpout... the morning standard for Mo and me

Today's Observations
I don't like to weigh myself much because it tends to act as a trigger for old patterns. I have to watch that. But, that being said, after getting back from vacation, I weighed myself this morning just out of curiosity. After busting my ass to eat as responsibly - and joyfully! - as I could... I lost 1/10th of a pound! LOL! I seriously thought I'd gained a few pounds, but I guess not! So funny!

Mourning

There is a time for hanging onto old patterns... but that time has passed.

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 103

• 2 glasses of spring water
• handful of cashews
• couple of pieces of my Mulled Berry Chocolates
• few mulberries
• big, fat bowl of Lima Vegetable Soup (water, miso, potatoes, carrots, celery, onions)
  
• cup of homemade spicy herbal tea (rooibos, carob pod pieces, cinnamon, stevia)
  
  

Today's Observations
It's so good to be back home, eating my own food, drinking my own spring water... AH! Didn't eat much, but I'm so damned tired from all the traveling. I think my body must be sleeping. ; )

Eatin' Time

Eating to bide time is dumb. This is from personal experience.

Note: Capitalized recipes are my own.

Day 102

• cup of hot jasmine green tea with honey
• 3 slices of Carrot Raisin Manna Bread with coconut oil
• few sips of Mo's Green Smoothie (kale, frozen bananas, frozen strawberries, water)
• bowl of vegetarian baked beans
• food on the road: green salad (spinach, cauliflower, tomatoes, carrots, quinoa with Spicy Thai dressing), kombucha, some raw vegan chocolate nut bar thing, apple, cashews, hot herbal tea, hummus with celery
  
  

Today's Observations
It's official: eating dairy makes me phlegmy. A couple of weeks ago I was getting really stuffy in the nose and it was running down my throat and giving me a sore throat. I thought, wow, this is weird. The last time I felt like this was ages ago. I started taking pulsatilla and ascorbic acid and that helped a bit, but didn't fix the problem. Since I've been here on vacation, I haven't eaten any dairy except for in the past couple of days. That whole phlegm thing went away within a couple days of being here. I didn't even put 2 and 2 together until now. The last couple of days I've had a few bites of conventional cheesecake (which is funny because I don't even LIKE cheesecake, but have been craving MY raw vegan cheesecake... thought maybe I could substitute one for the other... HA! ; ). I woke up this morning and am phlegmy again! Wake up, Lisa! So... I need to go back to square one. I would like to try doing the goat's milk kefir only and see how that affects me. In kefir, the lactose that causes phlegm gets eaten by the bacteria, so it becomes a non-issue for those intolerant. I did notice, however, that kefir made me gassy. Hmmm... Alas... LOL!