I am happy to say that we have moved to a new site. Please join us over at Blyssful Health: Reclaim| Renew|Revive with Raw & Vegan Food.
I will still be keeping this site open as there are a lot of recipes and information here. However all of my new posts will be here
Hope to see you over there. Once you have made the switch please make sure to let me know by saying hello! Also if you have this site on your blog roll please make sure to add www.blyssfulhealth.com as the new link.
So come on over and join the fun...
Raw Food Book Giveaway.
It is that time again. Time to enter my contest for a new raw food cookbook. I am sharing one of my favourite books with you.
The contest starts today November 20th and ends November 25th.
The catch is if you are coming to this site, I will need you to transition over to my new site. Over the last couple of months I have been working on a new project which happens to be my new website.
It is still a work in progress, however I wanted to share it with you today. This is where I will do all of my posting so make sure to add it to your blog roll.
So hop on over to Blyssful Health and have a look at one of my all time favourite raw food cookbooks and then make sure to enter for your chance to win!!!
Thanks for all of your support in the transition. Hope to see you there.:)
The contest starts today November 20th and ends November 25th.
The catch is if you are coming to this site, I will need you to transition over to my new site. Over the last couple of months I have been working on a new project which happens to be my new website.
It is still a work in progress, however I wanted to share it with you today. This is where I will do all of my posting so make sure to add it to your blog roll.
So hop on over to Blyssful Health and have a look at one of my all time favourite raw food cookbooks and then make sure to enter for your chance to win!!!
Thanks for all of your support in the transition. Hope to see you there.:)
Loaded Smoothie
Being a mom of two little children under five can be hectic some days. Okay who am I kidding most days. Then add in two parents who are entrepreneur’s and that takes it up a NOTCH. So one of my favourite things to do is create a “loaded” smoothie.
It means that you can be strategic about what you are choosing to eat and you can “load” up on some key ingredients to give your smoothie an extra nutritional punch! Instead of just a fruit smoothie make it a Super Energy Boosting Smoothie.
Now how does that sound? Just look at this amazing drink and the inspiration for this post. It is loaded with so much good stuff that you just feel great drinking it.
Ingredients: 2 Cups of Water, 1 scoop of raw vanilla protein powder, lecithin, mint greens, cacao nibs, 1 frozen banana, and raw cacao. Vegan DHA oil added at the end and topped with cacao nibs. Yummy.
One of the things that I learned many years ago is that you can take advantage of every opportunity that you have to fuel your body with amazing ingredients. To be honest if you make any kind of smoothie you should give yourself a HUGE PAT on the back, because that is awesome!
Here are some great things that you can consider adding to your smoothie to make it “LOADED”. You don’t need to add all of these at once but you can pick and choose and start to add in some of your favourites.
Here are some of my top options:
Raw/Vegan Protein Powder
Extra Green Powders ( wheat grass, spirulina, blue green algae, raw greens powders)
DHA Oil (I opt for a vegan source of DHA and EPA)
Lecithin (helps emulsify fats and contains some great nutrients for your brain)
Fiber (ground flax seeds and chia seeds are great)
The key is that you want to buy great ingredients with no fillers or artificial ingredients. The great thing is that once you get comfortable making smoothies these ingredients don’t have to mean “awful taste”, on the contrary they can blend really nicely and still taste amazing.
I would love to hear from you. What are some of your special ingredients that you use in your smoothie? I also wanted to let you know that I have been working on a special project-my new website. I have not make the full switch over there yet but it will be soon. So go check it out
Rich, Happy & Hot!
I was able to go to NYC on October 21st for a weekend of fun, inspiration and dancing. Yes lots of dancing. I attended the Marie Forleo's Rich Happy & Hot Live, otherwise know as RRHLive. For those of you that have been following me for a while you may have heard that I took an online business course in the spring called RHH B School and it rocked. This trip was the RHH Live event.
Kris Carr Speaking at RHH Live
This trip hit the amazing barometer on so many levels that it is hard to explain. Let me just say that I took a leap of faith, organized the kiddo's at home with my husband and a few great helpers and headed to the airport. I have never left my 2 children. Partially because life has been a little crazy and also with my son having special needs he needs some constant care. However the event and all the possibilities called to me.
Upon arriving in NYC I was fortunate enough to connect with a friend that I haven't seen in years who just happened to be there for 2 of the days that I was there. We went to a vegetarian restaurant and got fresh juice and smoothies at a local health food store.
The first night at RHHLive featured Josh Pais who shared Committed Impulse with us. We were all barefoot in yoga attire.
It was a beautifully grounded way to start the weekend. Body movement, being present, breathing and much more led to a very special intimate evening among 250+ amazing women and a few men. We were all dressed in yoga gear.
The next two days were jam packed with amazing speakers who came out to inspire, challenge, educate and share their stories with a room full of entrepreneurs.
The speakers totally rocked it and inspired us to live the dreams we want to, create the business that we have been striving for and to be authentic to our true selves. Yes of course they did much more than this, but in reality I have no way to articulate what it felt to be at this event. I remember another woman at the event calling it a business conference, matched with a dance party and a sleepover. A huge SISTERHOOD is what comes to my mind. Whatever way you describe it-it was pure magic. A gift that will keep on giving.
As I sat on the plane home looking through my Rich, Happy & Hot Journal, a handful of business cards from some amazing women and books to help me keep on learning-I just felt so grateful to be present and share in the combined energy of this event.
For those of you that are starting up your own business or are looking for some inspiration and fun, I have listed a lot of the sites below for you to check out. You can sign up for their free newsletters and learn so of the topics below and so much more.
Juicing and detoxing your body.
How to use twitter/FB and blogs effectively
Steps to build your business today
How to deal with fear
How to create online products
Finding what inspires you and so much more
How to dance and get your grove on
How to have fun and passion in your life
Here are a few links!!
Marie Forleo
Kris Carr
Danielle Laporte
Simon Sinek
Laura Roeder
Mama Gena's
Okay so these are not all of the speakers, but definitely enough to get you started and inspired.
I think one of the most amazing gifts of this weekend was connecting with so many beautiful, powerful, inspiring women at the event. Having lunch, going out for dinner and sharing in some karaoke!!!
I had the privilege of connecting with the women behind 2 amazing projects and I can say that they would love your support! So please go check out bodyheart inspiring women to love their bodies.
As well go stop by the Legacy Boutique and see what the lovely Karen is up to with her photography and inspiration.
Oh yes and the foodie stuff will come next post. Let's just say their were lots of vegan/raw options there!
Kris Carr Speaking at RHH Live
This trip hit the amazing barometer on so many levels that it is hard to explain. Let me just say that I took a leap of faith, organized the kiddo's at home with my husband and a few great helpers and headed to the airport. I have never left my 2 children. Partially because life has been a little crazy and also with my son having special needs he needs some constant care. However the event and all the possibilities called to me.
Upon arriving in NYC I was fortunate enough to connect with a friend that I haven't seen in years who just happened to be there for 2 of the days that I was there. We went to a vegetarian restaurant and got fresh juice and smoothies at a local health food store.
The first night at RHHLive featured Josh Pais who shared Committed Impulse with us. We were all barefoot in yoga attire.
It was a beautifully grounded way to start the weekend. Body movement, being present, breathing and much more led to a very special intimate evening among 250+ amazing women and a few men. We were all dressed in yoga gear.
The next two days were jam packed with amazing speakers who came out to inspire, challenge, educate and share their stories with a room full of entrepreneurs.
The speakers totally rocked it and inspired us to live the dreams we want to, create the business that we have been striving for and to be authentic to our true selves. Yes of course they did much more than this, but in reality I have no way to articulate what it felt to be at this event. I remember another woman at the event calling it a business conference, matched with a dance party and a sleepover. A huge SISTERHOOD is what comes to my mind. Whatever way you describe it-it was pure magic. A gift that will keep on giving.
As I sat on the plane home looking through my Rich, Happy & Hot Journal, a handful of business cards from some amazing women and books to help me keep on learning-I just felt so grateful to be present and share in the combined energy of this event.
For those of you that are starting up your own business or are looking for some inspiration and fun, I have listed a lot of the sites below for you to check out. You can sign up for their free newsletters and learn so of the topics below and so much more.
Juicing and detoxing your body.
How to use twitter/FB and blogs effectively
Steps to build your business today
How to deal with fear
How to create online products
Finding what inspires you and so much more
How to dance and get your grove on
How to have fun and passion in your life
Here are a few links!!
Marie Forleo
Kris Carr
Danielle Laporte
Simon Sinek
Laura Roeder
Mama Gena's
Okay so these are not all of the speakers, but definitely enough to get you started and inspired.
I think one of the most amazing gifts of this weekend was connecting with so many beautiful, powerful, inspiring women at the event. Having lunch, going out for dinner and sharing in some karaoke!!!
I had the privilege of connecting with the women behind 2 amazing projects and I can say that they would love your support! So please go check out bodyheart inspiring women to love their bodies.
As well go stop by the Legacy Boutique and see what the lovely Karen is up to with her photography and inspiration.
Oh yes and the foodie stuff will come next post. Let's just say their were lots of vegan/raw options there!
Raw Detox
Detoxing is such a key part of being healthy. Year after year we put strains and stresses on our body in the form of food, environmental toxins, stress, cosmetics and much more. Detoxing allows your body to get rid of this toxic overload and it also gives your body a chance to repair. If your body does not have to work hard at digesting it can turn it's attention to repairing itself and getting rid of toxin.
This month I have been doing detoxing. Now I know there are numerous ways to detox out there. If you walk into any health food store you will see product after product on detoxing. For myself I prefer to focus on detox through my food choices as opposed to some of the herbal products on the market. However there are some great products out there that can help you if that is the route you choose to take.
The interesting thing is that when you enter a detox you will find a lot of practices that you could actually add to your daily routine.
Most detoxes will have most of these components in them.
Increase your water consumption
Eliminate salt and sugars from your diet (including raw sweeteners and dried fruits)
Add exercise into your daily practices-Sweat baby sweat and get the toxins out.
Eat organic fresh fruits and vegetables
Take a break or naps when needed.
Remove oils and fats from your diet
Some include food combining principles
Baths, skin brushing and oil pulling
8 or more hours of sleep
Relaxing
No refined products
I don't know about you, but a lot of these things sounds great to add into your everyday practice such as organic food, 8 hours of sleep, relaxing and reduction or elimination of sugar. Even my daughter got involved in the raw detoxing and relaxing by being a great support.
I actually choose to take bits and pieces from a couple of detoxes and work that into my own plan. For me this was very important. I didn't want to cause stress to my body with the detox. So instead of being rigid with it I created my own plan to fit into my lifestyle. If you are still eating cooked food the Kris Carr detoxes is a great places to find some inspiration. Even if you are eating all raw food it offers some nice affirmations, ideas and structure. The Raw Diva's also has a great information on detoxing too.
I focused on green smoothies, water, fruits and raw meals. No sugar, cacao, dried food and minimal fats. Since I love my raw cacao and raw desserts I thought this would be a challenge for me. As well I do enjoy salt in my meals. However eliminating these was much easier than I thought.
Looking at the emotional detox I personally think is harder than leaving behind some of the food. So having a good emotional plan in place is great. Be prepared to journal, do some meditation and be gentle with yourself on your detox. Do yoga, breathe, take nature walks to nourish your soul.
If you are feeling sluggish, tired, rundown you may want to consider doing a detox in the near future. Have you ever done a detox? What were some of your triumphs and challenges? I would love to hear from you?
This month I have been doing detoxing. Now I know there are numerous ways to detox out there. If you walk into any health food store you will see product after product on detoxing. For myself I prefer to focus on detox through my food choices as opposed to some of the herbal products on the market. However there are some great products out there that can help you if that is the route you choose to take.
The interesting thing is that when you enter a detox you will find a lot of practices that you could actually add to your daily routine.
Most detoxes will have most of these components in them.
Increase your water consumption
Eliminate salt and sugars from your diet (including raw sweeteners and dried fruits)
Add exercise into your daily practices-Sweat baby sweat and get the toxins out.
Eat organic fresh fruits and vegetables
Take a break or naps when needed.
Remove oils and fats from your diet
Some include food combining principles
Baths, skin brushing and oil pulling
8 or more hours of sleep
Relaxing
No refined products
I don't know about you, but a lot of these things sounds great to add into your everyday practice such as organic food, 8 hours of sleep, relaxing and reduction or elimination of sugar. Even my daughter got involved in the raw detoxing and relaxing by being a great support.
I actually choose to take bits and pieces from a couple of detoxes and work that into my own plan. For me this was very important. I didn't want to cause stress to my body with the detox. So instead of being rigid with it I created my own plan to fit into my lifestyle. If you are still eating cooked food the Kris Carr detoxes is a great places to find some inspiration. Even if you are eating all raw food it offers some nice affirmations, ideas and structure. The Raw Diva's also has a great information on detoxing too.
I focused on green smoothies, water, fruits and raw meals. No sugar, cacao, dried food and minimal fats. Since I love my raw cacao and raw desserts I thought this would be a challenge for me. As well I do enjoy salt in my meals. However eliminating these was much easier than I thought.
Looking at the emotional detox I personally think is harder than leaving behind some of the food. So having a good emotional plan in place is great. Be prepared to journal, do some meditation and be gentle with yourself on your detox. Do yoga, breathe, take nature walks to nourish your soul.
If you are feeling sluggish, tired, rundown you may want to consider doing a detox in the near future. Have you ever done a detox? What were some of your triumphs and challenges? I would love to hear from you?
Time to Play
Someone told me this morning that I have been working too hard and that I should enjoy a day of play.
Hmmm. Let me think about that for a moment.
Check
and
Check
Can I just say. Check, CHECK, check, CHECKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!
Not really complaining! Life is good. I have been working on some great projects. I have a new website in the works, along with some raw food cooking classes and Health & Raw food coaching. As many of you know I have been studying nutrition and raw food for a while. I am so excited to be putting everything together in some fun ways.
Sometimes it is just important to take a BREAK. I think it is great to stop while you are in the midst of a project and just allow yourself to relax, play and have fun.
So today after dropping my daughter off to school and my son off to preschool for a few hours I took a trip to Chapter's. I had fun checking out the raw food and the vegan sections and also the nutrition area. I ended up picking up a new book and a journal for an upcoming trip.
Then into the kitchen to have some fun playing with food.
My husband and daughter made zucinni and squash noodles.
I used a tomato sauce. This one is from the book RAWvolution by Matt Amsden. This is one of my favourite raw books. I added some shitake mushrooms, fresh basil, black olives and a little bit of kale. Can't forget the kale.
Then I made a cashew/ macadamia nut cheese. I think this one is my best yet.
Cheese Recipe
I cup raw cashews
1/4 cup macadamia nuts
pinch of salt
lemon
paprika
onion
nutritional yeast
agave
Raw Play= Yum!!
So I am suggesting that you find some time for play, to relax and just have fun with whatever it is that you enjoy. For me it is often food related.
I would love to here what you are going to do to nourish your sense of play?
Make sure to join my FB page on the right so we can stay connected.
Hmmm. Let me think about that for a moment.
Check
and
Check
Can I just say. Check, CHECK, check, CHECKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!
Not really complaining! Life is good. I have been working on some great projects. I have a new website in the works, along with some raw food cooking classes and Health & Raw food coaching. As many of you know I have been studying nutrition and raw food for a while. I am so excited to be putting everything together in some fun ways.
Sometimes it is just important to take a BREAK. I think it is great to stop while you are in the midst of a project and just allow yourself to relax, play and have fun.
So today after dropping my daughter off to school and my son off to preschool for a few hours I took a trip to Chapter's. I had fun checking out the raw food and the vegan sections and also the nutrition area. I ended up picking up a new book and a journal for an upcoming trip.
Then into the kitchen to have some fun playing with food.
My husband and daughter made zucinni and squash noodles.
I used a tomato sauce. This one is from the book RAWvolution by Matt Amsden. This is one of my favourite raw books. I added some shitake mushrooms, fresh basil, black olives and a little bit of kale. Can't forget the kale.
Then I made a cashew/ macadamia nut cheese. I think this one is my best yet.
Cheese Recipe
I cup raw cashews
1/4 cup macadamia nuts
pinch of salt
lemon
paprika
onion
nutritional yeast
agave
Raw Play= Yum!!
So I am suggesting that you find some time for play, to relax and just have fun with whatever it is that you enjoy. For me it is often food related.
I would love to here what you are going to do to nourish your sense of play?
Make sure to join my FB page on the right so we can stay connected.
Raw Banana Coconut Cream Pie
I was craving something sweet today. I had cashews in the fridge that had already been soaked overnight and drained and just sitting there waiting for me to do something.
If you know me I am kind of crazy in the kitchen. I just get on these whims and throw some of this and that together and see if it works. For my family this worked great today. Either they have been lacking some sweet treats or this hit the spot.
When I ate cooked desserts I never really choose a banana cream pie. I was always and apple pie kind of girl, blueberry girl second. However I thought of this raw Banana Coconut Cream Pie.
Simple Yummy Crust:
2 cups of macadamia nuts
4 tbs of ground flax seed
10 Pitted dates
Put nuts in the food processor and grind until fine. Start adding dates and process until a ball starts to form. Add 2 tbs of ground flax seed and gently pulse into mixture. Scrape out the mixture and place in a spring form pan or tart tins. You can sprinkle the bottom if needed.
Press mixture into a pie crust formation. I use a bottle to help smooth it down. However you can also just use your hands. (see all my bottle marks-just smooth that out with your hands)
Pie Filling Ingredients:
I cup of processed raw cashews that have been soaked overnight
1 cup coconut water
2 Frozen or fresh bananas
2 tbs of agave
pinch of sea salt
2.5 tbs of extra virgin coconut oil
nutmeg to taste ( I went a bit heavier on the nutmeg)
Flavoured stevia is a nice addition to this recipe. I used a little bit of hazelnut Stevia in the crust. You can make any flavour combo that you want. Cacao banana would be great and you could do this by adding cacao powder to the crust layer.
Blend the cashews in the food processor and make sure to use 1 cup blended. Then add in the coconut water and oil. Proceed to add in the bananas. Then lastly add in salt, agave and nutmeg. Pour into pie crust.
Decorate with sliced bananas and grated nutmeg. Add sprinkle of cacao nibs for a nice crunch. Put in freezer for about an hour or until you are ready to serve. This is a light and fluffy texture so I enjoyed it not frozen and at room temperature.
This is my daughters which she devoured= happy mama
This is my husbands with more bananas, creams, and nibs! Let's just call it LAYERED
As always have fun in the kitchen and ENJOY your healthy treats! Make sure to jump on over and LIKE my facebook page.
If you know me I am kind of crazy in the kitchen. I just get on these whims and throw some of this and that together and see if it works. For my family this worked great today. Either they have been lacking some sweet treats or this hit the spot.
When I ate cooked desserts I never really choose a banana cream pie. I was always and apple pie kind of girl, blueberry girl second. However I thought of this raw Banana Coconut Cream Pie.
Simple Yummy Crust:
2 cups of macadamia nuts
4 tbs of ground flax seed
10 Pitted dates
Put nuts in the food processor and grind until fine. Start adding dates and process until a ball starts to form. Add 2 tbs of ground flax seed and gently pulse into mixture. Scrape out the mixture and place in a spring form pan or tart tins. You can sprinkle the bottom if needed.
Press mixture into a pie crust formation. I use a bottle to help smooth it down. However you can also just use your hands. (see all my bottle marks-just smooth that out with your hands)
Pie Filling Ingredients:
I cup of processed raw cashews that have been soaked overnight
1 cup coconut water
2 Frozen or fresh bananas
2 tbs of agave
pinch of sea salt
2.5 tbs of extra virgin coconut oil
nutmeg to taste ( I went a bit heavier on the nutmeg)
Flavoured stevia is a nice addition to this recipe. I used a little bit of hazelnut Stevia in the crust. You can make any flavour combo that you want. Cacao banana would be great and you could do this by adding cacao powder to the crust layer.
Blend the cashews in the food processor and make sure to use 1 cup blended. Then add in the coconut water and oil. Proceed to add in the bananas. Then lastly add in salt, agave and nutmeg. Pour into pie crust.
Decorate with sliced bananas and grated nutmeg. Add sprinkle of cacao nibs for a nice crunch. Put in freezer for about an hour or until you are ready to serve. This is a light and fluffy texture so I enjoyed it not frozen and at room temperature.
This is my daughters which she devoured= happy mama
This is my husbands with more bananas, creams, and nibs! Let's just call it LAYERED
As always have fun in the kitchen and ENJOY your healthy treats! Make sure to jump on over and LIKE my facebook page.
Summer Fun, Road Trips and Raw Eats!
The summer has been really fun and it has also flown by so quickly. As I am starting to get the house and children ready for school I can't help reflect on the summer. I am really proud that as a family we ate pretty good. Raw food and lots of coolers were packed with yummy treats and eats on all of our trips. I think "road trips" are going to be a big part of our future. Here is a little recap of our adventures. A trip to several beaches, a whirlwind tour of Niagara Falls, lots of indoor parks and many fun car rides. Chance to go to Blue Mountain and relax in the natural springs. Listened to David Wolfe in Barrie and went on a car ride to collect some SPRING WATER. If you have never tried it you don't know what you are missing. Coolers full of raw bars, juices, smoothies and sprouts. Traveling raw was a little bit of a challenge on our first road trip. However I LEARNED my lesson and packed better for the future road trips.
Here are some photos of raw granola, chocolate elixirs that I bought at the David Wolfe event, some raw bread that I also bought and a bottle of spring water that we collected. I also threw in two of my favourite photos of the children having fun. Coolers full of raw bars, juices, smoothies and sprouts. Traveling raw was a little bit of a challenge on our first road trip. However I LEARNED my lesson and packed better for the future road trips. It also helped that the 2nd last day I was able to refuel by shopping at the David Wolfe event in Barrie.
Enjoy!!
What is your INTENTION?
This past weekend my husband and I celebrated our 6 year Wedding Anniversary. Yeah!! If you know our story well, you will realize that this is a great day for us. Don't get me wrong, it is not that we are having problems. It is just that the amount of things that we have had to deal with and withstand in the last couple of years ranks pretty high on the stress level. Want to read more: My story is the 3rd one down.
This weekend turned out really great. We took a road trip into the country and had a raw picnic which of course included fresh fruit and cashew cream:). We also had a chance to look at some amazing paintings and jewelry while touring an art gallery. My daughter was away at my Aunt's house for the weekend, while my son stayed with us.
Even though life can be CHAOTIC and busy and crazy sometimes or a lot of the time. Setting your intentions for the day, week or even year can add focus, clarity and purpose to your days. So I new this weekend that even though it maybe busy and hectic that if I set the INTENTION to value our weekend and all of the time and effort that we have put into our marriage and family over the years that the outcome would be good.
Intention is defined as being a GOAL, a PLAN, an AIM or OBJECTIVE. It is a conscious thought or goal put into place in efforts to reach a desired outcome or experience.
You are probably wondering why I am talking about this on a raw food blog? To be honest I like sharing a little bit about myself and my family so that you get to know me a little better. However the main reason is that I think that to be healthy you need to take a holistic approach. Yes food is really important, but so is our thoughts and actions.
Intentions are POWERFUL and they can help you along your journey to better health and wellness. They can help align you in a direction that you desire. It just takes a few minutes at the start of the day to sit and write out your intention, or just to simply think of it before you jump out of bed to start your day.
So what is your INTENTION?
Is it to make a juice today?
Go to the local market and buy some fresh produce?
Or maybe make a fun new salad?
Maybe it is something even bigger than this. Whatever your goals and dreams are, start with your intention and you might be pleasantly surprised with the outcome.
Take action now and set your intention for the week. I would love to hear from you. Share what you have set into motion for yourself this week.
Peaches and Cashew Cream
I just love fresh fruit in the summer. This is dish is so yummy and easy that you will be surprised. Right now in my community there are a lot of fresh local peaches on hand. We have been going through peach after peach after peach. However this would also work with strawberries too.
This dish provides you with a healthy cream to dip the peaches into. My daughter and husband had this eaten up in record time. I won’t tell you how fast, but I bet you can use your imagination. The great thing is that my daughter didn’t care what the cream was made of, she just loved it. To my daughters I add a sprinkle of ground flax and hemp seeds to give her some fibre and protein. The flax seed mixes in nicely with the cashew cream.
Here are the ingredients that you will need to make the cream:
1 cup raw cashews (soaked for 4-6 hours in water)
2 tbs and 1 tsp of Extra virgin coconut oil
2-3 tbs of sweetener (agave, maple syrup, yacon or raw honey can be used. Or any combination)
3 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla powder
3-4 tbs water (more if needed to make it fluffy)
ground flax (optional for added fibre sprinkled on top)
First prepare cashews by soaking them in water for 4-6 hours.
Rinse and drain cashews and put them in food processor and blend well. Add the rest of the ingredients. You can choose the sweetener of your choice. I used a combination of agave and maple syrup. Maple syrup is not raw however often used by raw foodies for it’s flavour. You could also use raw honey if you wanted.
I prefer mine on the slightly less sweet side and with a heavier vanilla flavour. So you can adjust yours accordingly. Blend and blend until cream is fluffy and add to your peaches. This stores nicely in fridge, however it won’t last long!
Enjoy!!
Just a note if you have not voted yet. Please go and "Like My Sunwarrior Raw Smoothie" . First you must "Like" the SunWarrior Page, then like my smoothie pictured below.
Contest ends August 18th.
Thank you.
This dish provides you with a healthy cream to dip the peaches into. My daughter and husband had this eaten up in record time. I won’t tell you how fast, but I bet you can use your imagination. The great thing is that my daughter didn’t care what the cream was made of, she just loved it. To my daughters I add a sprinkle of ground flax and hemp seeds to give her some fibre and protein. The flax seed mixes in nicely with the cashew cream.
Here are the ingredients that you will need to make the cream:
1 cup raw cashews (soaked for 4-6 hours in water)
2 tbs and 1 tsp of Extra virgin coconut oil
2-3 tbs of sweetener (agave, maple syrup, yacon or raw honey can be used. Or any combination)
3 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla powder
3-4 tbs water (more if needed to make it fluffy)
ground flax (optional for added fibre sprinkled on top)
First prepare cashews by soaking them in water for 4-6 hours.
Rinse and drain cashews and put them in food processor and blend well. Add the rest of the ingredients. You can choose the sweetener of your choice. I used a combination of agave and maple syrup. Maple syrup is not raw however often used by raw foodies for it’s flavour. You could also use raw honey if you wanted.
I prefer mine on the slightly less sweet side and with a heavier vanilla flavour. So you can adjust yours accordingly. Blend and blend until cream is fluffy and add to your peaches. This stores nicely in fridge, however it won’t last long!
Enjoy!!
Just a note if you have not voted yet. Please go and "Like My Sunwarrior Raw Smoothie" . First you must "Like" the SunWarrior Page, then like my smoothie pictured below.
Contest ends August 18th.
Thank you.
Tropical Infusion!
In the spirit of summer and the hot weather I have decided to come up with a new smoothie recipe.
I also was inspired to create this by an email I received from SunWarrior. SunWarrior just happens to be my favourite raw protein to use in my smoothies. So if you are wondering how to get protein on a raw diet this is one of the products that you can use. Here is a post on why I love it so much.
So here is my smoothie contribution. It is light, tropical and great for a hot summer day. I hope you enjoy! I am sure this would be great on a beach.
Tropical Infusion
500ml Water
1 Star Fruit
10 Organic Strawberries
1 Ripe Mango
2 Tbs Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1 Tbs of Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
1 Scoop SunWarrior Vanilla Rice
Add water to Vitamix. Peel mango and prepare star fruit by cutting off ends and trimming edges. Take tops of strawberries. Add fruit, SunWarrior protein, lime juice and coconut oil. Blend until smooth. The smoothie will be nice and thick. Add 3 ice cubes to a fancy glass and fill. Garnish with starfruit slice .
Close your eyes and imagine that you are on vacation on a a beach relaxing and enjoy a healthy drink. (That's what I do)
Starting August 8th-18th please go over to Sunwarrior and Vote for my smoothie entry. A winner will be chosen based on how many viewer Likes it has. You must like the Sun Warrior Page First and then scroll through to find my smoothie in the photos.
I also was inspired to create this by an email I received from SunWarrior. SunWarrior just happens to be my favourite raw protein to use in my smoothies. So if you are wondering how to get protein on a raw diet this is one of the products that you can use. Here is a post on why I love it so much.
So here is my smoothie contribution. It is light, tropical and great for a hot summer day. I hope you enjoy! I am sure this would be great on a beach.
Tropical Infusion
500ml Water
1 Star Fruit
10 Organic Strawberries
1 Ripe Mango
2 Tbs Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1 Tbs of Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice
1 Scoop SunWarrior Vanilla Rice
Add water to Vitamix. Peel mango and prepare star fruit by cutting off ends and trimming edges. Take tops of strawberries. Add fruit, SunWarrior protein, lime juice and coconut oil. Blend until smooth. The smoothie will be nice and thick. Add 3 ice cubes to a fancy glass and fill. Garnish with starfruit slice .
Close your eyes and imagine that you are on vacation on a a beach relaxing and enjoy a healthy drink. (That's what I do)
Starting August 8th-18th please go over to Sunwarrior and Vote for my smoothie entry. A winner will be chosen based on how many viewer Likes it has. You must like the Sun Warrior Page First and then scroll through to find my smoothie in the photos.
Fennel Salad and Zucchini Stars
I got a whole lot of zucchini and fennel this week in my CSA box. I love this box, you never know what you will get.
I know this concept does not work for everyone. Some of you may like to know exactly what you are getting each week. However for me this has been fun, it brings out my creativity in the kitchen. I imagine myself being on a TV show where you have a mystery ingredient and then you are off to the races to make something new....
So here is my Going with the Flow Fennel Salad
1 Fennel Bulb, sliced thinly
1-2 Oranges, peeled and cut into cubes
1-4 Sun dried tomatoes, chopped
Lettuce
Parsley
Assemble salad by laying fresh lettuce on a plate. Layer fennel on lettuce, followed by orange chunks and sun dried tomatoes. Sprinkle parsley on the salad.
Dressing
Olive Oil
Hemp Seeds
Orange Juice
Apple Cider Vinegar
Honey
Pinch of salt
Mix well and pour over salad.
Enjoy!
The sun dried tomatoes add some extra texture and colour.
I also got about 5 LARGE zucchini's, so I sliced them up for my daughters Birthday Party of the weekend. The zucchini had these great ridges on them and formed star shapes when sliced.
Zucchini Stars
This is from one zucchini!
I used these as veggie chips and offered it with a delicious hemp dressing.
So get out there this week and find a new ingredient to use in your salad or meals. Maybe it is something that you have wanted to try but have been afraid to experiment with.
Be open to new vegetables and tastes and you might be pleasantly surprised. I would love to hear what you come up with!!
I know this concept does not work for everyone. Some of you may like to know exactly what you are getting each week. However for me this has been fun, it brings out my creativity in the kitchen. I imagine myself being on a TV show where you have a mystery ingredient and then you are off to the races to make something new....
So here is my Going with the Flow Fennel Salad
1 Fennel Bulb, sliced thinly
1-2 Oranges, peeled and cut into cubes
1-4 Sun dried tomatoes, chopped
Lettuce
Parsley
Assemble salad by laying fresh lettuce on a plate. Layer fennel on lettuce, followed by orange chunks and sun dried tomatoes. Sprinkle parsley on the salad.
Dressing
Olive Oil
Hemp Seeds
Orange Juice
Apple Cider Vinegar
Honey
Pinch of salt
Mix well and pour over salad.
Enjoy!
The sun dried tomatoes add some extra texture and colour.
I also got about 5 LARGE zucchini's, so I sliced them up for my daughters Birthday Party of the weekend. The zucchini had these great ridges on them and formed star shapes when sliced.
Zucchini Stars
This is from one zucchini!
I used these as veggie chips and offered it with a delicious hemp dressing.
So get out there this week and find a new ingredient to use in your salad or meals. Maybe it is something that you have wanted to try but have been afraid to experiment with.
Be open to new vegetables and tastes and you might be pleasantly surprised. I would love to hear what you come up with!!
5 Reasons Why You Should Try a Raw Food Meet Up!
This weekend I had the pleasure of hosting a raw food potluck for the K-W Raw Food Meet Up. It was a success and the turnout was a great. Big thank you to all of the members!
5 Reasons Why You Should Try a Raw Food Meet Up:
1. You get to sample a multitude of raw food dishes. Having access to 15-20 different dishes to choose from is amazing.
2. The company is just as great as the food. You will meet all sorts of people from all walks of life and most of them are passionate about raw food whether they are new to the raw movement or have been in it for a while.
3, Share resources on raw food recipes, books, films and information.
4. You become part of a community. You can do a lot of things together like go see health related movies, have discussions and go to raw food events together.
5. The sweetest part is the SUPPORT. Whatever stage you are in on your raw food/health journey you can get moral support from other's in the group. I think this is one of the most important points. While you start to eat more and more raw food it is nice to have the support of others to help you along the way.
I hope you get out there before summer is over and enjoy some raw food with friends! Big THANK YOU to all my raw foodies for the great day.
If you haven't seen it yet, I would love for you to check out the guest post that I wrote on Crazy Sexy Life on "Raw Food Strategies For Your Family" and leave a comment.
.............Stay tuned for our next contest coming up soon.
5 Reasons Why You Should Try a Raw Food Meet Up:
1. You get to sample a multitude of raw food dishes. Having access to 15-20 different dishes to choose from is amazing.
2. The company is just as great as the food. You will meet all sorts of people from all walks of life and most of them are passionate about raw food whether they are new to the raw movement or have been in it for a while.
3, Share resources on raw food recipes, books, films and information.
4. You become part of a community. You can do a lot of things together like go see health related movies, have discussions and go to raw food events together.
5. The sweetest part is the SUPPORT. Whatever stage you are in on your raw food/health journey you can get moral support from other's in the group. I think this is one of the most important points. While you start to eat more and more raw food it is nice to have the support of others to help you along the way.
I hope you get out there before summer is over and enjoy some raw food with friends! Big THANK YOU to all my raw foodies for the great day.
If you haven't seen it yet, I would love for you to check out the guest post that I wrote on Crazy Sexy Life on "Raw Food Strategies For Your Family" and leave a comment.
.............Stay tuned for our next contest coming up soon.
Cacao Smoothie & Hazelnut Cupcakes
Hope you are having a great day! First I would like to share this beautiful photo that my professional photographer took this week. Pretty good protege? Only 5 years old.
Check out my guest post on Crazy Sexy Life today on raw food strategies for your family. Here is a healthy cooked recipe that was featured as recipe of the week.
I am sure you are all wondering why I have been on this hazelnut kick lately. To tell you the truth, I found this amazingly huge bag of raw hazelnuts, that I rarely ever see. It has led me to some creative time in the kitchen. So I thought I would share a few photos. I actually made these a little while ago but forgot to share them.
My daughter and I made these together. She loves to get in the kitchen and get messy.
Next I want to share this quick smoothie. You could add many other things to this if you wanted to. The sky is the limit. You could also add ice to make it cold and frothy.
Ingredients:
Frozen Banana
Almond Milk
Touch of Maca-optional
Vanilla Powder
1 scoop sunwarrior vanilla protein
Cacao Powder
Bambu Alternative Coffee Mix
Blend together in the vitamix and ENJOY on a nice hot summer day!! This is definitely a guilt free treat.
Stay tuned for a new contest coming your way in a couple of weeks. You won't want to miss this one!!
Check out my guest post on Crazy Sexy Life today on raw food strategies for your family. Here is a healthy cooked recipe that was featured as recipe of the week.
I am sure you are all wondering why I have been on this hazelnut kick lately. To tell you the truth, I found this amazingly huge bag of raw hazelnuts, that I rarely ever see. It has led me to some creative time in the kitchen. So I thought I would share a few photos. I actually made these a little while ago but forgot to share them.
My daughter and I made these together. She loves to get in the kitchen and get messy.
Next I want to share this quick smoothie. You could add many other things to this if you wanted to. The sky is the limit. You could also add ice to make it cold and frothy.
Ingredients:
Frozen Banana
Almond Milk
Touch of Maca-optional
Vanilla Powder
1 scoop sunwarrior vanilla protein
Cacao Powder
Bambu Alternative Coffee Mix
Blend together in the vitamix and ENJOY on a nice hot summer day!! This is definitely a guilt free treat.
Stay tuned for a new contest coming your way in a couple of weeks. You won't want to miss this one!!
5 Reasons Why You Should Eat Local Produce
One of the best things about the summer is the chance to eat local produce. Have you ever gone to the grocery store and just looked at all of the food and how far it is come from? This year I signed up for a local CSA (Community Shared Agriculture), since my little furry friends in my backyard like to nibble away at night on my veggies. I wasn't sure I was going to find one so late, but I managed to get signed up and I am thrilled.
Here are my top 5 reasons that you should Eat Local:
1. FRESHNESS
Imagine picking up your vegetables right of the farm or getting a box of fresh vegetables just an hour or two after they are harvested. The quality can not be topped. Nutrients are not lost over long transit times from one side of the world to the other, not to mention the reduction of our carbon footprint. The vegetables are picked at their peak time, instead of being harvested early and ripened while sitting in a truck.
2. VARIETY
What you will often find on the farm or in you local CSA box is variety. Vegetables that you may have not seen before. Different herbs and wild greens. This new variety can force you out of your comfort zone and ignite your creative juices.
One of my favourites is garlic scapes, which are the flowering part of garlic. They are loaded with the same healing properties such as garlic such as boosting the immune system, a source of calcium and anti fungal.
3. EDUCATE YOURSELF AND FAMILY
This is a great opportunity to help educate your family on where food comes from. It doesn't just show up in the isles of grocery stories. This can help reconnect your children or even yourself to the earth and our food. Where and how it is grown and what it looks like in the field.
4. ORGANIC AND GREAT FOR YOU
You can find some great organic options in your community. Start talking to local farmers and see what organic produce they have. If you are like me and eat a lot of vegetables, you will want them to be organic and pesticide free. Just think of all the green juices and smoothies that you can make.
5. SENSE OF COMMUNITY
When you are out and about you have a great opportunity to MEET people. Yes to get out of our fast paced world, slow down and talk to people. Meet your farmers and others in your community. Just this week I was able to connect with some really nice people, that I maybe would not have met if I was rushing through a grocery store. We even went to an asparagus festival last weekend.
Hopefully I have encouraged you to go find some farms, join a CSA or even visit your market. I would love to have you comment about what your are doing in your community and if you are part of a CSA.
If you haven't already it would be great to have you join my facebook page .
Stay tuned for another one of our Blyssful Health contest coming up in the month of July!!!!!
Here are my top 5 reasons that you should Eat Local:
1. FRESHNESS
Imagine picking up your vegetables right of the farm or getting a box of fresh vegetables just an hour or two after they are harvested. The quality can not be topped. Nutrients are not lost over long transit times from one side of the world to the other, not to mention the reduction of our carbon footprint. The vegetables are picked at their peak time, instead of being harvested early and ripened while sitting in a truck.
2. VARIETY
What you will often find on the farm or in you local CSA box is variety. Vegetables that you may have not seen before. Different herbs and wild greens. This new variety can force you out of your comfort zone and ignite your creative juices.
One of my favourites is garlic scapes, which are the flowering part of garlic. They are loaded with the same healing properties such as garlic such as boosting the immune system, a source of calcium and anti fungal.
3. EDUCATE YOURSELF AND FAMILY
This is a great opportunity to help educate your family on where food comes from. It doesn't just show up in the isles of grocery stories. This can help reconnect your children or even yourself to the earth and our food. Where and how it is grown and what it looks like in the field.
4. ORGANIC AND GREAT FOR YOU
You can find some great organic options in your community. Start talking to local farmers and see what organic produce they have. If you are like me and eat a lot of vegetables, you will want them to be organic and pesticide free. Just think of all the green juices and smoothies that you can make.
5. SENSE OF COMMUNITY
When you are out and about you have a great opportunity to MEET people. Yes to get out of our fast paced world, slow down and talk to people. Meet your farmers and others in your community. Just this week I was able to connect with some really nice people, that I maybe would not have met if I was rushing through a grocery store. We even went to an asparagus festival last weekend.
Hopefully I have encouraged you to go find some farms, join a CSA or even visit your market. I would love to have you comment about what your are doing in your community and if you are part of a CSA.
If you haven't already it would be great to have you join my facebook page .
Stay tuned for another one of our Blyssful Health contest coming up in the month of July!!!!!
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