LRBG's UnCookBook news I was officially finished with my UnCookBook and was determined to get some estimates regarding having it printed. I went to Office Max, Staples, FedexKinkos, and tried a few places online. According to my current needs, each book would cost around $15 to PRINT! Oh no, that's way too much. So, I talked to a few know-it-all's and couldn't get the price dropped much. They suggested I find a way to pare down my color printing. So I was chatting with my wonderful friend tonight who gave me a great idea. What I was planning on doing was having a photo next to each recipe so you can see what it looks like. Well, that's a LOT of pages in color. Soooo...my friend's awesome idea was that I simply have a few pages in the middle of the book (or end, I'm thinking), of ALL the pictures with the page numbers for each recipe. That way it's much cheaper for you and for me! So, this puts the book back a few days. I'll be working on it a little tonight and tomorrow and I'm still hoping I can get it printed before September 1st. Kinkos said they could have them printed and bound next day...so I think I still have plenty of time! :) So, it's coming, everyone!!! LOTS of recipes! VERY easy! Tips, Shortcuts, even a glossary! Oooh, fancy-shmancy. One woman I talked to asked me why I was writing a cookbook when there are a billion out there written by, well, you know.."real chefs". HA! I briefly explained what I do and her eyes about fell out of her head! I gave her a card, and I whole-heartedly expect her to come to a class. ;) I may not be a formally trained chef...but I love what I do and the Lord has given me the gift of teaching. That's all that matters to me! I'm not "Chef" Living Raw By Grace! Just a plain ol' gal who wants to share what she has learned! Raw Recipe Nights Revamped I love my Raw Recipe Nights. I love showing people how to make healthy food and add it to their lifestyles. I love that almost everyone comes with an open mind and soaks everything up like a sponge. I love that most also implement what they learn and become healthier one step at a time. I do not like losing money. So the Raw Recipe Nights will be growing in a new direction. First, I will only host two classes a month in which I will pick the topic and you can sign up and come. Okay, now the new direction is exciting. If you have ever been to a tupperware party, a pampered chef party, a slumber party ;)....you have an idea of what I'm about to say. I'm going to start offering Raw Recipe Parties. Say you want to host a Raw Recipe Party...... You find 6+ friends and your admission is free, you get to pick the topic (ice cream, Mexican, Asian, Italian, dips, pies, cookies, etc.), AND you get to keep the leftovers. You pick the day (within reason), and I will bring ALL the supplies, food, and information. So easy. This way I'm not planning events on days that no one is available, or topics that few people are interested in. :) Please contact me if this sounds like something you would like to do!! Another idea I'm throwing around is to cater small events. Say you want to get together with a few of your friends. You all pitch in $10-$20 and get a four course Raw meal! You can choose off a menu and it will come either prepared for you, or I will prepare it in front of you for an extra fee. Whatcha think? Would anyone be interested?
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CSA abundance We have a beautiful harvest for our CSA this week! I wanted to share what we got in our basket, and remind you all that this is ORGANIC, LOCAL produce…which when you buy at a farmer’s market or in a store, is twice this price. We pay $20 a week, three weeks in advance, to help support our local farmer so she can invest that money back into the planting…a wonderful cycle. First, we got a small bag of fresh herbs: basil, oregano, chives and mint. Now with all of these, you can leave them out in the AZ sun for a day or two until they are nice and crisp. Then, grind them down (mortor & pestle, food processor, blender, etc.) into powdered spices! OR you can use them in your dishes. Now, fresh herbs are WAY more potent than dried...you don't need much. Start with one leaf and taste. It's easier to add more than to take away. Second, we got 4-6 carrots. They would be great for dipping, or eating by themselves. They are also fun additions to MANY meals. We use them in my Asian class that's on Tuesday if you'd like to sign up for it. The reason I like this CSA so much is the incredible greens we get. This week it was kale. Don’t know much about kale? No problem! It is particularly rich in beta-carotene (which protects against diseases of the skin) and the carotenoid lutein (which prevents damage to the eyes), with seven times the beta-carotene and ten times the lutein of broccoli and carrots combined! Just one cup of raw kale contains 15% of the recommended daily value of calcium and Vitamin B6, 40% of the magnesium, 180% of the Vitamin A, 200% of the Vitamin C and a whopping 1020% of the Vitamin K and 45% of it's calories are PROTEIN! Now that you know it's a POWERHOUSE of nutrition, I would suggest making a green smoothie out of it (that's the easiest way to eat it). Now it's a mild green, like spinach, but still be careful not to overdo it...work your way up to a couple cups of kale in your smoothies. Also good for smoothies: cabbage. Wait, Haley...it's not very green! That's okay, check this out: It is impressive with high content levels of calcium, iron, iodine, potassium, sulfur, and phosphorus. In the vitamins department, it is loaded with vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, E, K and folic acid. This is NOT a mild green...less is more when adding it to smoothies. Feel silly with only 1/2 a cup of cabbage to the whopping 3 cups of fruit? Well, that cabbage is blended and broken down and already half digested...you're getting MUCH more nutrition than if you had simply eaten it straight. :) I'm taking mine to the Asian Night on Tuesday and we'll use it for the lettuce rolls...so we'll do cabbage rolls instead. So yummy! It make a great wrap, good salad additions, and again...it's awesome for smoothies! We also got a huge bag (3-4 pounds) of green beans, 3-5 small red and orange bell peppers, a quart baggie of small sweet peppers, 2-5 small red onions, a huge cucumber (not sure of the variety yet), and a large bulb of garlic (which I will use up quickly!). We also received 3-5 cobs of corn…yum! I remember eating my first cob of fresh raw corn and thinking, “why do we cook these?! They are so sweet and juicy raw!” No wonder we add butter and salt after cooking…we lose all the flavor! I’m excited for the fresh, tree-ripened peaches we got today. Realize that they were picked TODAY…RIPE…unlike the ones at the store picked months ago green. Eat them as soon as you can. J At last, but not least, we got a 4-7 pound watermelon. Some of these are really huge! We also offer a “family” basket that contained items that are easier for the “cooked” family than the “raw” family, like potatoes, eggplant, etc. This week they got sweet potatoes and cage-free/free-range eggs. They just get less greens and didn’t get a watermelon. Isn’t that a HUGE amount of food?! And organic! And local! Too good to be true! Nah, I love it. I’ve been organizing this CSA for a couple months now and I’ve never been disappointed with my basket. Sure, it doesn’t last me the whole week and I need to supplement with more fruit, but I use the whole thing. And if you have any bad items (once a watermelon was overripe, and the tomatoes doesn’t last too many days), my farmer at Horny Toad Farms will replace it for the following week. J I can’t help it…I love this. Good, inexpensive food? I’m in heaven. If you get a CSA bag and need specific recipes for any particular thing, please message me. I'll let one or two recipes slide for free. ;) AND, we use four of these ingredients in my Raw ASIAN Night on Tuesday. Speaking of which… Raw ASIAN Recipe Night SUCCESS!
The first Raw ASIAN Recipe Night was on Saturday and it was incredible! I love making these dishes for myself, but I don’t make them all that often…I have a good variety so I don’t wear out good meals. The day before, I was typing up the recipes for the class and started drooling…so I made my own Lemon Ginger Lettuce Wraps. Okay, I used collard leaves, because they are just way easier to wrap and less messy to eat, and I definitely doubled the garlic. They were SO good. On Saturday during the RRN, we started with the orange broccoli (my version of orange chicken). The orange sauce is so incredible I had a few people licking their plates afterward. The second dish was relabeled by one of my friends who attended: “Where’s the beef” & Broccoli over “Un-noodles”. Again…delicious, pretty, and filling! When we got to the third dish, people were already starting to complain that they wish they hadn’t eaten dinner beforehand. We finished off the night with the Lemon Ginger Lettuce Wraps. It’s almost an Asian DIY (do it yourself) burrito. You start with this, add some of this, and top with the dressing. Definitely a little messy with lettuce. I’m looking forward to taking my cabbage from my CSA bag and using it instead. Cabbage is already the right shape, so we’ll see how that goes. Yum! I’ll also be using the garlic, the carrots, chives and red onions that night as well. So if you come on Tuesday for the second Raw ASIAN Recipe Night, you’ll be getting fresh, local, organic produce. Oh, and did I mention that I sent several people home with containers of food as well? That’s right…next day’s lunch! Man, maybe I should raise the price of my classes! ;) International Green Smoothie Day August 15th, 2010 WHAT?! Green Smoothies are known internationally?! ;) Yes. You see, the book that led me onto my raw lifestyle was written by Victoria Boutenko, also known as the Green Smoothie Queen. She was the first one to do all the research and discover that green leafy vegetables are the miracle food that is missing from our diets. They contain more protein, calcium and iron than animal products and have loads and loads of incredible vitamins and minerals in one place. The problem is? They are often bitter and not very palatable. So what do we do? We add lots of sweet yummy fruit, blend it all up and drink it! Genius! Well, Victoria Boutenko not only wrote three books that covered the topic, but she also teaches classes internationally. Her and her family (the Raw Family) just finished touring around the globe, bringing raw food and Green Smoothies to the world. She has an awesome Green Smoothie blog that I follow and I recommend everyone else to as well. So on August 15, you will be joining the rest of the world when you drink a Green Smoothie. Now, if you need even MORE motivation to try a green smoothie, besides the obvious health benefits…how about helping the planet and children in need? What on earth am I talking about, you ask? I’m glad you asked! There is a wonderful event taking place right now. It’s called Believe In Green (BIG). Now the easiest thing right now is to simply go to the website and see for yourself. But I’ll break it down for you. Here are six INCREDIBLE reasons to Believe In Green. 1. For Personal Health It’s a ten day challenge to drink Green Smoothies. Not exclusively, just add them to your current diet. The incredible health benefits are more numerous for me to mention…just go here. Everyone I know that has tried them and stuck with them, has been startled by how fast the health benefits develop. 2. For Setting an Example I've noticed that it takes people who benefit from green smoothies to make an impact on other people. For most, the idea of putting bananas and spinach together in a blender seems outrageous. Trust me, I’ve heard the many ‘yuck!’s as people stare at me with my green jug of glory. BUT, they also always ask because they're curious! So I keep going out in the world, and I take my green smoothies with me, knowing they'll attract someone who needs them! You can open the door for someone by taking part and introducing them to the idea. Maybe they try a green smoothie, maybe they don't. But the more of us who start the process and share the concept, the more some people will try... It may be the answer someone needed to fight Diabetes, or obesity, or cancer, or emotional eating, or, or, or... You just never know. 3. For the Girls If you haven't been to the BIG site and watched the video about The Girls Club , then take a few minutes to do so. You'll see that this is an organization making amazing changes in peoples' lives. These girls are learning about CSA's, running their own farmers' markets, running a "blender on a bike" program, and becoming leaders! And 100% of your $10 registration and any extra donations will go to support the girls! What inspires us most is how the girls take the positive messages they learn about nutrition and the environment and then spread those messages to other children in their local neighborhoods and schools. It's a positive message and experience that expands to touch others, and that's what we believe in too! AND... you should hear from the girls themselves about their experience, their hopes, and the things that they believe in and are working towards. Getting to Know the Girls of the Lower East Side 4. For the Planet "The best foods for us are the best foods for the planet." It can be pretty overwhelming to listen to the news and hear about the environmental impact of human actions on the planet. You may feel like curling up in a ball and pulling the shade on the windows down. The trick is not to be paralyzed; but rather, turn fear into your own personal flame of hope. But we do all have impact with our individual choices each day. And you can make change gradually. You can start with just your food choices. Including more vegetarian, vegan, and raw food meals has a HUGE impact in terms of water consumption, energy consumption, and green house gas emissions. Click here to see the difference in eating a pound of lettuce versus a pound of beef! Skipping your usual eggs and toast for breakfast and coming along with us for 10 Days of green smoothies would already be a hug for the planet, and that's just one small change! 5. For a Blendtec Blender Noble and philanthropic causes are great, but hey! As a member of the human race, I too am motivated by things I'd love to have... and while I absolutely am in love with my Vitamix, I’ve always wanted to try a Blendtec. They will be offering a Green Ripple Maker contest to those who donate, so we ALL have a chance to win a free Blendtec Blender! 6. For Local and Organic Farmers Who doesn’t love rooting for the underdog?! It can be difficult to compete with factory farms whose produce looks as perfect as plastic fruit bowl products (with similar nutritional value). Maybe it's not in your budget or particularly easy where you live to get your hands on organic or local produce, so maybe you seldom try or you stopped looking. Maybe it's not something you can do every day, but maybe it IS something you can do for 10 days! Maybe you'll make your first trip to a local farmers market and talk to somebody who actually grew the food you'll eat. If you've never had this experience, you'll find that you may look at the carrots, apples, or greens you bring home in a new and positive way! And, it’s the best time to get involved in my CSA through Horny Toad Farms. We get LOTS of fresh, organic, local greens through my farmer, and even some wild edibles (that have even more nutrition). See me for more details! If you haven’t noticed (and if not, it’s okay…you aren’t the first) the name of my business, I think I shall take this time to talk about it. Living Raw By Grace. No, my name is not Grace…although I think that’s an awesome name. I simply want to credit my God for the ability to do what I do. It’s His glory, not my own. Living a raw lifestyle can be difficult at times. I need to make everything from scratch, which can feel overwhelming. I cannot go eat at restaurants (with only two exceptions so far), unless I want to order a salad. 95% of any grocery store is useless for me, which actually saves time and money, but can certainly be tempting. But above and beyond any of this, the most heart wrenching is watching someone truly enjoy their cooked food. That slice of pizza that my daughter eats with her whole body. That pasta dish that smells scrumptious. Or simply watching people share food and talk about it. Yes, it takes more than just my own strength not to give in and order Taco Bell (which just happens to be my own personal weakness). Jesus Christ bestows grace upon grace for me. For the past I used to be ashamed of, for the mistakes I’ve made. I’m not talking about food here. I’m not even talking just about poor decisions, but about a discontent, selfish, self-centered, miserable heart. A constant erosion of myself into what the world wanted me to be. I had a need…a deep dark need that I just couldn’t fill. I tried acceptance, drugs, alcohol, sex, relationships, material goods, and I only became more and more hollow. May 28, 2004, after knowing about Jesus Christ my whole life, I finally bowed my knee and got to know him personally. I cried out and asked for Him to take the reins. And He did. I often can’t remember what life was like before He was my savior. My every day, minute, second savior. Mercy: not getting what we deserve. Being acquitted. Forgiven. I love mercy, and I serve a merciful God. If that sounds like a different picture from what the God you have heard about…please talk to me! While I love mercy and all it stands for, because I know what my black heart deserved, what my stupid actions merited, I love grace even more. Grace: receiving what you do NOT deserve. Not only am I not being punished for that which I have done/said/felt…I am being showered with incredible gifts! It’s the exact opposite of how we work as humans! The grace I receive can be as monstrous as eternal life, and as small as a green light when I’m running late. Yes, God is even in the small things. How does all this apply to my raw lifestyle, though?! One of my favorite blessings is not a car or a house, but the peace that passes all understanding. The peace that flows from within…and cannot be taken away. It’s the peace that fills me when I start to get depressed as to my feeling restricted with food. It’s the joy I feel when I create a raw dish that I can’t wait to share with everyone around me. It’s grace…the blessings of an incredible God who sees my every action/word/heart and loves me still. Mind blowing. J A friend of mine asked about Christian Stewardship…which usually deals with finances. How are you handling what God has given you? It also applies to your talents and gifts. Are you using what God has endowed you with for His glory or for yourself? But here’s an interesting twist: it can also apply to your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19 says “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” He has given us not only an incredible body that scientists still are unraveling the mysteries of, but the Holy Spirit inhabits us! We often say that Jesus Christ lives in our hearts…but are we taking care of them? If we have heart disease that we have brought on by a lifetime of food we knew was bad for us…are we being good stewards of what God has given us? I am saddened when friends of mine share about illnesses and diseases they or their children have, yet are unwilling to change their diets. You don’t have to make a permanent change, try a thirty day trial and see the results. I don’t even ask, recommend, or beg people to change their diets. I just try to show what God was able to cure me of through a change in diet. The many illnesses, the chronic conditions, the emotional exhaustion of being sick…all gone! Yes! Raw food is RADICAL! It’s against what the world says. It’s different from what your doctor will tell you to do! So was Jesus. He was RADICAL! He hung out with prostitutes, tax collectors, thugs, assassins, the ill, and the outcasts. He told the world to eat of His flesh and drink His blood! He said there was only ONE way to God. Himself. Seriously…either He’s a liar/maniac/egotistical loony, or He really IS the Son of God and we all need to come to terms with what that means for our lives. Me and my house…we serve the Lord. Do we really need to switch to an all raw diet? NO! That is not what I’m saying. Pray…seek your own path. But ask for guidance! Have you ever included God in what you put in your mouth, other than to thank Him for it? Have you paid attention to your body when it let you know, possibly subtlety or not, a food you ate wasn’t very good for you? God made this incredible body for us that HEALS ITSELF! When you cut the skin open, do you have to replace the skin yourself? No! It regrows! Isn’t that incredible?! So, next time you come to God and ask for healing, ask for wisdom as well. Ask for Him to reveal to you what needs to be done so you can take better care of what He has given you. Raw is what He led ME to. Other than HIM, it’s what I will share with everyone while I have breath. He has a path for each of us. It’s often the narrow, difficult one… Did I rub you the wrong way with this post? Talk to me about it! Don't just wimp out and unsuscribe to my blog, or de-friend me on FB...let's dialogue! ;)
I don’t know why I wait so long to blog that I’m overflowing with news. I need to blog more often so as not to overwhelm myself. Would you all keep me accountable in this area, and pray for me if you can? As much as is possible, I like to live a transparent life and keep everyone around me fully engaged…so as to make real friendships. Shallow, surface, connections are undesirable to me…but I digress. Upcoming Raw Recipe Nights The first thing I want to talk with all of you about is my upcoming Raw Recipe Nights. Let’s talk about Asian foods! This Saturday and the following Tuesday are RRN’s Asian Entrées and Appetizers. We will learn how to make an Orange Broccoli dish that is a great entree, appetizer or side, a Lemon Lettuce Wrap that is full of nutrition but you will want to lick your plate afterward, and an Oriental Noodle dish that will remind you of cooked Asian meals. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE it if you would RSVP and let me know if you were absolutely coming. I’ve gotten used to people letting me know the day of that they can and cannot make it, but its hard to plan that way. But, I don’t want to discourage anyone from not attending simply because their schedule is a little more spontaneous than mine. ;) These two RRNs are both on the west side in Peoria, see my website for the exact address. New Location in the East Valley! Exciting news!!! I have a third location for my Raw Recipe Nights! My good friend David has volunteered his home in Scottsdale as a prime location for a RRN. August 21st will be the debut RRN, in the afternoon. We will be doing something a little different at this location: learning three recipes, but also having a small lecture/Q&A session. It will be a three hour class instead of the customary RRN…and it will also be in the afternoon instead of the evening. For that time period, the price has also changed. It will be $40 at the door and $30 prepaid, to encourage people to pay ahead of time and reserve their spot. This location has a bit of a cap, so I literally can’t allow a large amount of people…we need to keep it cozy and intimate. The theme for the evening will be crackers and dips. I’ll be demonstrating two different types of hummus, two garlicy spreads, and a simple and easy way to make crackers. Everyone will have plenty to snack on and take home, and I’ll be selling some dips and crackers as well. Can you believe that my Raw Recipe Nights first became public and I started this business three months ago? Already I have three locations (with a fourth vying for my business) in which to hold Raw Recipe Nights, I have two clients whom I work with one-on-one, and I have an UnCookBook due at the end of the month! CRAZY! Q&A I have had lots of questions lately, some of which I’ll save for the next newsletter (if you haven’t received a copy, make sure you email me with your info so I can send you one!), but I’ll go over a few with you right now. Q: My first green smoothie was less than appetizing. Do you have any green smoothie recipes for beginners? A: The main beginner blunder when making green smoothies is the attempt to add far more greens than your body is comfortable with. I did the same thing with my first green smoothie. I thought 2-3 cups of greens was very little compared to the 3-4 cups of fruit I had put into my Vitamix. I could barely choke it down and was completely discouraged. The second mistake I made was not adding enough water and it being more like pudding than something I could drink down easily. When I say to have one part greens and two parts fruit, I mean it! Also…a friend mentioned the fact that it felt wasteful to put so much fruit into a smoothie when she enjoyed simply eating the fruit. I would suggest you use fruit that you aren’t as enthusiastic about for your smoothies and save the savory fruit to eat whole. Say you love apple slices, enjoy those by yourself. Not a big fan of melon? Pears? Try them in a smoothie and you’ll feel less wasteful. I LOVE to put overripe fruit in my smoothies…things like mushy bananas, bruised pears, old and rock hard oranges. They are still nutritious, yet unpalatable. What better way to eat them, than by blending them into a full meal? Here are some easy beginner green smoothie recipes:
I find that spinach, swiss chard, and kale are the mildest of greens (besides many wild edible greens like purslane and lambsquarters), and I always love bananas in my smoothies as it makes it nice and creamy and provides a wonderful sweetness. I know many people aren’t as big of fans of bananas, so I included some non-banana smoothie recipes. Again, make these to your tastes…if they aren’t sweet enough then experiment and throw another piece of fruit in. NONE of this is going to waste. Your body will get all the nutrition and will use it! None of us chew our food to a creamy consistency before we swallow it, which is what the blender does, so we are losing lots of nutrition simply by chewing improperly. So if you buy a bunch of fruit and it all goes into the blender…think of it as one large (or two) meals and your body is receiving lots of protein, calcium, iron (from those awesome greens), as well as tons of vitamins and minerals that aren’t found in anything processed (even if it’s “fortified”). Q: Just a quick question about where to find cheap produce: what's the easiest way you've found for price comparing? I'm trying to conserve money as much as possible right now and I'm going to have to start looking for cheaper than the most convenient. A: Here is what I do and it's what I personally know about. First: google map the grocery stores in your area (simply to get a list, whether you would go to them or not). Then, see if they all have online ads (most do). Then, for each ad, do a search for produce. Start comparing them to one another and you'll find which stores have the cheapest produce on a regular basis. You can either go to the cheaper stores and do your shopping there, or make a list of all the stores and the produce that you like at the cheapest prices. Take your list to a Super Walmart (that sells produce) and they will match those prices for you. For example in my area of Phoenix: We have Bashas, Frys, Albertsons, Sprouts, Walmart, Food City, Ranch Market, Safeway, and Trader Joes. Through searching in their online ads, I’ve found that Food City and Ranch Market sell produce for at least half, if not more, the price of the other supermarkets. So I take those specials to Walmart and they sell me things like bananas for a quarter a pound, peaches for a quarter a pound, cherries for .69 a pound. Of course, this is all conventional produce, not organic. I check Bashas, Safeway, the higher end stores for their organic produce sales and see if Walmart sells organic (which most in my area do). OR, if I have time I will drive down to a Ranch Market and buy their produce, as there is much that is NOT in their online ad that is still ridiculously inexpensive. So, check in your area and find who sells the cheaper produce. ALSO!!! Google CSA or Farmer’s market or orchards or farm in your area. Call or stop by and see if they are organic, what their prices are, and if it’s a CSA, how much produce you will get for your investment. When I was in Pennsylvania I found a wonderful little farm that had a farm stand and a U-pick (usually even cheaper) that was all organic. It is where I purchased almost all my produce and it was wonderfully priced. Always support local produce, it’s healthier for you and it’s closer to the earth (better for everyone!). Next Blog Post Okay, I believe that’s everything for tonight. Tomorrow or the next day I’ll be blogging about Christian Stewardship. My friend asked me how I believe it ties into diet and health and I will be responding for everyone to read. I’ll also be praying that the words flow from God through me so that it might be understandable and relatable. J Q&A I’ve had lots of questions lately, which I LOVE, and I’ll share a few with you as they could benefit everyone. Q: How do you transport your Green Smoothies? What containers do you recommend? First and foremost, I recommend either BPA-free plastics or stainless steel. Now, since you are filling it with green smoothie (which can get rather thick) whatever container you choose needs to be rather simple and void of any nooks and crannies that are hard to clean. This cancels out most sports bottles. I used to live by stainless steel as their lids are easy to clean and I know that there isn’t anything leaching into my smoothie. Then I discovered Contigo’s spill-proof BPA-free plastic bottles. They are much lighter, cuter, and easier to drink from. They are a little harder to clean, but if you have a good bottle brush you should be fine. I usually buy mine from Costco for half the price that they sell from the manufacturer. There are LOTS of different containers to choose from out there, so have fun finding bottles. Oh, and since I usually do a liter of smoothie at a time, 2-3 bottles are full and I take my time drinking them. Q: What is in your recipe book? How do I buy it? The Living Raw By Grace UnCookBook Table of contents: 1. A Healthier Way 2. Appliances 3. Tips and shortcuts 4. Raw for Breakfast 5. Unbaked: Breads & Crackers 6. The Spread: Dips and Dressings 7. Entrées & Main Dishes 8. Guilt-free Desserts 9. Glossary Once finished and bound, you can purchase it off my website and have it shipped to you, you can buy the e-book and download it from my website, you can buy it at one of my Raw Recipe Nights, I will have a stand at Momma’s Organic Market on the 3rd Saturday each month, or you can simply email me and we can work something out. The price is still being discerned and negotiated, so when I find the best price for YOU, I will let you know! I'm your huckleberry
There are lots of strange berries out there that you won’t come across in the stores: gooseberries, huckleberries, elderberries, boysenberries, dewberries, mulberries, and loganberries, to name a few. Most grow wild – and there is a whole blog post about wild edibles coming soon – and are filled with wonderful nutrition. If you have any berries that grow wild near you, you might want to check and see if they are edible! Now, for those of us who live in AZ, we can only dream, but those of you who live in lusher climates, go for a walk! I walked through my father’s neighborhood up in the Poconos of Pennsylvania and came across countless huckleberry bushes growing on his property. He had mentioned them, but complained of their seeds. They look and taste very similar to blueberries, but their seeds remind me of figs. Small and edible, I found it to be a wonderfully pleasant berry. I wish I could have picked and picked and then brought home, but I only discovered them hours before I left. Huckleberries are antioxidant powerhouses because of a phytonutrient called anthocyanidin, which gives them their blue color. The huckleberry is rich in vitamins C, E and B, iron, potassium, manganese and dietary fiber. Recent USDA studies show blueberries and huckleberries to be number one in antioxidant activity compared to forty other fruits and vegetables. The health benefits are numerous: they help support and speed up the metabolic rate; keep skin and muscle tone healthy; improve immune system function; promote cell growth and division (including red blood cell production); and help prevent pancreatic cancer. They also help protect against immune deficiencies, cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, and eye disease. Huckleberries also act to protect the cells against the damaging effects of free radicals; and helps prevent premature skin wrinkling. It also contains minerals that are essential in the proper functioning of nerve and muscle tissues, such as the heart and the skeletal muscles. Another important health benefit of huckleberries is their specific effect on the pancreas. Huckleberries help the pancreas in digesting sugars and starches, thereby preventing the blood sugar levels to rise. If you haven't noticed, I've been on vacation. ;) I have to admit, traveling raw hasn't been easy, since I'm working with a fraction of my usual supplies. I've used up all of the nuts and seeds that I've brought (so my bags ought to be nice and light on the trip home!), and I'm looking forward to the variety I have at home. Not that I couldn't have bought more here, but why build up a stash if I don't need to...gotta save money. :) It was actually fun discovering where to find organic produce, where to find inexpensive produce, which stores sell raw nuts. For those of you who live in Southwestern Pennsylvania, I recommend Weaver's Orchard for organic produce, Jim & Ralph's produce for inexpensive conventional (not organic) produce, and I've found that Giant Food Stores sell things like Young Thai Coconuts, Jicama, and other exotic produce, as well as LOCAL produce. :) While I was in the area, I was asked to bring my Raw Recipe Nights. :) I was excited to comply! It was hosted in a beautiful little house in Pottstown, Pennsylvania and was a huge success! I had several people ask for pies, and I love to make them (easy & delicious). We did the three that I originally taught (when the holidays come, we will be making three different ones), which were a lemon pie, chocolate pie, and a peach cobbler. This RRN was much different from what I'm used to doing...but it turned out wonderfully. I'd rather have everyone participate, rather than just lecture at them...but I love answering questions to the best of my ability. That's one thing that was reaffirmed during the latest Raw Recipe Night. I do not profess to have all the answers. I do not know miracle cures. I do not claim to have the ONLY way (unless we are talking about Jesus ;) to health, nor do I tell everyone that they MUST become raw. Quite the opposite. These RRNs are simply to provide you with a healthy, easy recipes that you can do yourself that is still delicious and inexpensive. That's all. If you ask me questions, I can simply respond from my own experience and what the Lord has revealed to me. I do not know how to cure your diabetes, but I can point you in some directions and toward people who have HAD diabetes and have cured themselves with raw food. Candida? Morbid Obesity? Cancer? I can't help you with these...not personally. But I can help you find others who have had the same illnesses, and no longer have them. I can only speak for myself, but I know many people personally who have adopted more and more raw foods into their lives and have seen and felt the benefits. I also LOVED my RRN because I was able to invite all my facebook friends. I know there are many issues out there regarding facebook, but personally I love all the people that I can keep in touch with, whom I otherwise would never have seen or spoken to again. A childhood friend and babysitter/"adopted" mother (I haven't seen in fifteen years), a middle school friend, several friends from college, and quite a few people that were simply referrals. I'm hoping I can go back to the area for another visit and host another RRN! Raw Recipe Book in the works! I've been compiling a recipe book for some time now. I keep adding more and more recipes to it, but I finally stopped and have started making a second recipe book instead, so I can finish the first, complete with pictures and lots of information. It should be done before the end of August. I'm thinking it should only cost between $10-15, plus S&H for those not in the AZ area. After much encouragement, it looks like I'll be autographing the first 50 copies. I'm excited, not only because I get to share LOTS of recipes easily, but because it's my first attempt and I love to learn through experience. So please send me lots of support, encouragement, and constructive criticism when you receive your copy! I have six different "uncook" books from other raw vegans, but most of the recipes tend to be complicated, with many ingredients, and they take far more work than I'd like to put in. I don't like to spend hours in the kitchen if I don't have to. So most of the recipes in my book are under ten ingredients, and take less than ten minutes to make. Some are a little more complicated, but totally worth it. :) So, my question to all of you is: What would you like to see in this "uncook" book? A FAQ section? (if so, send me your questions!) Necessary appliances for each recipe? Shortcuts for beginners? Please share your thoughts, your ideas, your dislikes, etc!!! :) Especially those who have been to my classes, what has been the most helpful? Thanks everyone!!!! |
About the BloggerHaley is passionate about Raw Food and how God has used it to heal her. She loves to share what she knows with anyone who is curious, and finds herself talking to everyone around her about her lifestyle. Archives
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