Santa will be a vegan this year...

Has the jolly guy been to your house yet? He has been to mine and there is only one popular person's name under that tree, lol. Well anyway, Nina came up to me a couple of weeks ago and said "Mommy, Santa will be a vegan this year!", "He's going to have to eat like us." and I thought, hmm, that would be a great title for my blog at Christmas time. Santa has been getting fatter or should I say hasn't lost a pound since we first saw him. Could it be that we are giving him a heart attack with all our cookies and cow's milk in every house? lol Well I think he would appreciate our house more this Christmas, to show him we love him not only for our fancy gifts *wink* we are also feeding him with heart-healthy vegan treats. I will make him my favorite raw pie from my own recipe this year and a tall glass of almond mylk (Alexa spells it this way, I like it). How is that for a change huh? SANTA WILL BE A VEGAN THIS YEAR...IN MY HOUSE, how about yours?

We went to Stone Mountain the other day and although it was freezing cold, we did enjoy the beautifully lit houses, trees and cabins. My mom couldn't help but wonder how much the light bill would cost, lol. Only someone who doesn't take things for granted will think like that. When you are from a place where every little bit is appreciated, your view of certain things change. I didn't even think of that until she voiced it and I'm glad she did. My best Christmas ever will be the Christmas where me and a few others save enough money to build at least 2 wells in a village somewhere where people don't even have the luxury of having clean drinking water. We can do that next year, so if you want to join me do send me an email. I have done the research already for groups and missions who can help us fulfill this dream. Just imagine giving the gift of life to not only one person but a whole community. Things like that change the course of someone's life. And even if I have to do it alone, by next Christmas I would like to have saved enough to help build a well somewhere for people who need it. Nina has already joined me in this so we are two in this for now but we hope it grows and we can start a movement. I am so proud of her for since we talked about this project she has already saved up $7 dollars, seven precious dollars that tug at my heart, seven precious dollars that can change not one but several people's lives...

Here's Nina and her sister Savi after Sunday school. They made angels that day and colored a birthday cake for Jesus.

This is the pie that Santa is going to feast on. Hmm, how great does this look?

Yummy-deliciouso!

Upside-down

The biggest order I have had for my special pie. It felt great to see people eat it and lick their fingers and go "Hmm, this is sooooo good, and you say it has no animal products in it? and it's raw?" I am coming up with more great recipes for I now know that if people have the option to eat or give their loved ones a healthier choice, most of them would do it in a heartbeat. The thing is, most people (like me in the past) don't know there are choices out there like these. We need more raw food activist and more vegan activists as well.

Anyway I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a FANTASTIC New Year. May all your dreams come true and may this year be the best year ever for each and every one of you. God bless! I will be back after Christmas to share all the goodies.

~B~

Dear Banana...

My Famous Mouth-Watering Raw/Vegan Pie

"Dear Banana,

Let me just start out by saying I can't live without you. You are the sweetest fruit I have ever tasted. You shine like the sun and wear your polka brown dots when ready for me. You are the perfect one, providing me with tons of B6, Vitamin C and Potassium. You are my ideal; economically, nutritionally and in deliciousness. You have all the essential amino acids and up to 5.2 % protein by weight, putting you way above dates, figs, grapes, melons and oranges. My doctor once told me "An Apple a day keeps the doctor away." but now I know better, even apples don't come close to you being that they have only 0.2% protein by dry weight.
You are available to me all year round, something a girl sure appreciates *thanks* for I don't fare well with unavailability. Thanks you for being the sweet one I can always count on.

lovingly,

Bernice."

UPDATE: As of last week Tuesday, my mom has lost 8 pounds on the FYR lifestyle. Can you tell from how her face glows that she is very satisfied? We haven't reached our gaol yet so we keep on going. Great job, Mama!


Mom's green smoothie:

1 head of lettuce
2 ripe bananas
1 cup red seedless grapes
2 Tbsp of flax powder
2 tsp of coconut oil
1-1.5 cups of water


Aunty Flo's Apple/cantaloupe juice tasted really great. Instead of throwing away the pulp I always try to use it to make something else, so with this, I made some homemade apple sauce for Nina, needless to say it didn't last very long in the fridge. Apple sauce is one of her favorite snacks.


P/S

Yesterday I got orders for my first two raw pies. The pie above (my on-the-spot-ten-minute-creation) has been causing a huge stir. On first bite, I got two orders from two different people...this is just so much fun, I can't stop smiling. Nina's piano teacher has also been spreading the word around about my famous pie "You should enter it into a contest or better yet sell it to a restaurant as a healthy desert option." is what he said to me. Wao! didn't know I'd be getting that much buzz for a less than 15 minute creation--created with lots of love every time :-)
If you'd like to order some let me know what size (my standard is a 9' pie) and when. Send request to my email address provided.

Have a blessed day.

~B~

DAY 44 Spanish Spinach Casserole

MY SPANISH SPINACH CASSEROLE

i CAME uP wITH tHIS rECIpE jUST ThIS eVENiNG (I like writing like this, it's fun isn't it?)
okay, I added the ingredients as I went and happy to say I've started developing the knack for smelling ingredients and figuring which ones would work with which. Well, everything that is Nina approved (she cleaned out her plate) means it has got to be delicious--I passed my taste test. Oh, Rick finished his as well. Watching both of them enjoy my food makes me full :-)

Isn't She Lovely?

This was yesterday's project and now it's all gone. This is what a 5 LBs bag of fresh organic carrot yeilds. We added just two apples to this and juiced them all together. One of my favorite juice. Tomorrow i plan to make some fennel/ginger/apple (and by the way Alexa, I did send and speak some positive things to my juicer, she forgives me :-))



Here are my fruity truffles and chocolate covered snow mountain munchies. WHAM! that's what you feel when you taste these amazing deliciousness. YUMMMMY, hmm, don't let me start. can you permit me to get romantically involved with my desert? okay, "I love you chocolate, so very much." lol

A few of my coconut boats, walnut boats and raisin boats.....ah

A perfect example of my coconut boat desert...if you look below you can see what her insides are made of...pure goodness!

PURE GOODNESS! (Aunty Cathy, you will love these)

Tata for now

~B~

Day 43 My Very Own Organic Farm!

I have great news! I am now proud owner of my very own organic farm, yes, yes, you read it right. I get to manage it from the comfort of my own home and have planted on it whatever I want and when it's ready I will have it shipped to my house or sell it at the farmers market. NOW, whoever came up with such a brilliant idea is a genius. This is a phenomenal and amazing food system. Not only do I get to have fresh organic produce from my own garden, I get to sell it to others or give it some to feed hungry children somewhere. And oh, all the crops will use products certified organic by the USDA, guaranteed!

YOU CAN OWN YOURS TOO ...

Where ever you are you can own your own organic plot which you can manage from the comfort of your home. All your products will be free of pesticides and herbicides, 100% organic. The way the company works, you are basically getting your own organic food for less than nothing by introducing others to this amazing system and if that does not interest you there are still many more benefits. For example say you're paying $100/month maintenance fee for your full garden to be taken care of, you not only get all your organic products from your own plot sent to you but also a $100 debt card to use in their online store for whatever you wish to purchase, you can also choose to sell the rest of your produce to the online community farmer's market.






This is an idea worth supporting I believe. I am all for organic but then to have my own plot and an opportunity to make money while doing it sounds even better plus don't forget you can also choose to give good --guilty-free--organic food to hungry children.

For more information and to pre-register FOR FREE (the launch is in January so you can start building your income by referring other too now, right now!) click below:

p/s The first 2000 people to register become part owners of this great revolution plus you get to keep 2% of all the company's profits for years to come. I can't wait, can you?????????

CLICK HERE : http://www.myorganicacres.com/index.php?id=4399

HAVE A Blossoming DAY...and spread the word!

~B

DAY 43 Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake

Basil-Arugula Pesto Wraps

What a delicious recipe this is! I used green chard leaves to wrap my filling. Just 1 of those wraps were enough to satisfy me, you know I had to keep some space for a little bit of what's down below...go ahead look below, did you see that? lol, okay back to our grand wraps. Here's the recipe:

Basil Arugula Pesto
(recipe of pesto from http://www.thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com I made a little variation and didn't add the 1/2 tsp nutritional yeast it called for and instead added the wraps and julienned veggies for a more of a meal)

1.5 cups fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
1/2 cup arugula
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp mellow white miso
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbs almond, ground
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tbs pine nuts

Blend in food processor with 'S' blade to preferred consistency--I like mine not overly processed. You can wrap it as is in some green chard leaves or add some julienned squash and zucchini--like I did-- to fill it up more. ENJOY YOUR GREENS:-)

Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake
ONE ONE: RAWsome!

DAY 42 My extra virgin Piña colada

EXTRA VIRGIN PINA COLADA

Ingredients:
1 cup coconut water
Juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbsp agave nectar
8 0z frozen pineapple
2 Tbsp coconut butter
pinch of salt

Blend and enjoy!

RAW WHITE CHOCOLATE in all its glory....

Okay, I always said if I could make raw/vegan white chocolate then I would be sold on the raw food lifestyle, yes I CAN! The secret ingredient for white chocolate lovers like me is raw cacao butter...AMAZING STUFF!!!!!! For this I just used equal parts of cashews, agave, cacao butter and 1 tsp of Lacuma powder. I got this recipe off http://www.thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com/

RAW NOT-NESTLE CRUNCH BAR

Then to tweak it some more I used half of my batch and added some raw cacao bliss and some crushed walnuts, okay people why on earth (even if you're not a raw/vegan) would you not want to eat guilty-free deserts??????????????????????????????????? This came out so great and fooled everyone who tried it. It tasted like a Nestle Crunch bar, except that it is a healthier choice. Try any raw desert and you will never miss the other kind.

Tomorrow I will unveil my raspberry white chocolate pie. It is sitting pretty in the freezer for a little while. Thank God for His bounties. RAW IS FABULOUS.

~B

Day 41 ...And The Beet Goes On....

...AND THE BEET GOES ON...

oKAY, sorry for posting so late but as you can see from above, this is what I was doing in the kitchen. Came up with this recipe on the spot because I have more collard greens than I know what to do with it. I hope you like it, I certainly did.

Ingredients for THE BEET GOES ON SALAD

4 cups of thinly sliced collard greens, tightly packed (great source of folic acid)

1 tsp of minced garlic ( I love garlic)

1/4 cup of Bragg's raw unpasteurized apple cider vinegar + 1/4 more

dash of salt

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup diced red onions

2 Tbsp green bell pepper or red bell pepper

1 Tbsp dulse granules (great source of iodine)

1/4 cup currants or 1/3 cup for sweeter taste

1/4 cup shaved or grated beets

First add apple cider vinegar and dash of salt to the collard greens and work with fingers to wilt the greens (till they start to take a darker green color). Then add the rest of the ingredients as listed. You can eat as is or garnish for more fun. I like more fun!

...LET THE BEET GO ON...

Day 39 (30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge)

WELCOME TO ALEXA'S RAW FEAST DINNER!

I had the most incredible dinner last night at Alexa's and George's house. I won't lie I have been secretly waiting to eat some of her food for a while; the girl has got SKILLS! and I do learn alot from her. Walking through the door, I immediately found the kitchen, I was curious to find out what she had made and yes my eyes did FEAST before my belly did. Seeing the different vibrant colors of live food got me very excited. I brought some of my coleslaw to add to the feast as well.
Not only did she make a variety of uncooked food but she also catered to the vegans and non-vegans with a delicious, heart-healthy, colorful and rich lentil soup. She also homemade some sprouted Eziekel flat bread! What did I tell you? THIS GIRL HAS GOT SKILLS :-)

Now, I must show off my plate of course: This is Alexa's Raw Food Dinner Menu
Flax seed bread-priceless
Cashew-Cilantro cheese-Amazing and priceless
Honey plantain with carrots-okay remember I once said you couldn't eat raw plantain, well, I didn't know better, you couldn't even taste it in this dish because it was diced up very thinly and small and oh, this dish too was priceless.
Olive tappenade-Yumilicious and priceless
Sprouted chickpea hummus-smooth and very delicious and priceless
Salsa-what a refreshing dip this was and oh so priceless
Clover Sprouts--I just love sprouts , I should have made a wrap with the lettuce she had but that flax seed bread got a hold of me, lol...hmm did I forget priceless too?
Basil Pesto--Hmm, Hmm fantastic. you may think I'm being overly dramatic but wait till you try raw foods and the slightest tastes start to explode in your mouth...you will need more adjectives like hmm, let me see, priceless?

Here's our gracious and lovely host, Alexa with her beautiful baby Ilusha.

Nina and April enjoying some lentil soup with sprouted Ezeikel flat bread.

Okay, I want you to focus on those tall bottles with Green Magic in them, lol. That's how I started my dinner, with this refreshing elixir of apple and fennel, the greener one has more fennel and ginger, that was my favorite. Homemade juices rock!

Here's me and Deidre and Ilusha in his high chair that looks like his own personal space station. The thing with raw food is this, you don't have to over eat to feel completely satisfied because you're eating nutritionally dense foods.

Alexa, Me, Rick, George, April and Nina

Enjoying our bounties...

Ilusha:One of the healthiest babies I know, just look at that face!

What did you think, that we were gonna go without unveiling the best for last? OMG, okay, let me take a breather before you run off this page: This is the best tasting raw/vegan chocolates and truffles EVER!!!! What a healthy alternative to what you buy in stores, what a healthier choice for our children and us! She gave me some to take home, yeeeeeeeeeaaaaH. Needless to say my night was nothing short of spectacular. I love being raw, the possibilities are endless, the creative juices behind every recipe, the beauty of touching and making food with love knowing it is only going to add to the betterment of your wellbeing. What a way to live, what a joy to experience this lifestyle. I am truly blessed. Thank you Alexa and George and Ilusha. I have a different love and respect for all things living and to have found the versatile nature of fruits, greens, nuts and seeds is purely magical. GO GREEN!

Day 38 (30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge)

PHOTO FROM: http://www.naturemoms.com

I think finding the book that will become your favorite raw uncooked book is like finding the person you will be with for the rest of your life. Yesterday my wonderful hubby bought me a great pre-Christmas gift; RAW FOOD REAL WORLD by Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis and I must tell you I haven't been able to put this book down since yesterday.

I am in love with everything about this book, the colors, the photographs, the personal stories of the two very beautiful people (who happen to also be a couple) who wrote it and of course the recipes are to die for! For those of you who know me personally or at least know of me through my book Lemonade Street, you must know I am a die-hard romantic, so yes, I am stating (and forsaking all other books to come) that I have found my favorite raw uncooked book and I am only on page 37 out of 367. It is like an album of never ending warm and fuzzy feelings; a love story. And what a wonderful way to be connected with the one you love by sharing something you're both passionate about: that is one of the secrets to a happy and fulfilling marriage. Rick and I talked about this years ago, no wonder we're still together and still so in love with each other.

Anyway I just wanted to share this with you guys and hope you get a copy for you plus what I wouldn't give to get a gift card from her organic beauty site http://www.oneluckyduck.com/

This is a link to their restaurant in NewYork http://www.purefoodandwine.com/

I have to run now, will share some pictures of our dinner tomorrow. We've been invited to dinner by some good friends and I can't wait to see what's to eat. Come back tomorrow for more.

~B.

Day 37 (30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge)

"Life is color."--Bernice Angoh

EAT TO LIVE, NOT LIVE TO EAT. YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT and WHAT YOU EAT BECOMES YOU...GO GREEN. LIFE IS COLOR.

Hello happy people, I hope you're all doing great today. Well, I started my day with a 20 minute walk with my walking-buddy, my six year old daughter, Nina. We got a good dose of Vitamin D and then I did a 20 minute circuit training (cardio and strength training) which left me feeling very high and energized. Breakfast was one of the green smoothies from below and then for lunch I had a hefty plate of my coleslaw. By the way, yesterday I received my order of Lacuma powder, raw cacao butter and some raw/vegan chocolate paste (sweetened). So someday this week I will be making a fantastic raw ice cream...stay tuned :-) you wouldn't want to miss that!

I was researching more on Vitamin B12, you know, the one some people say you can only get from eating meat. Well, it goes that most meat eaters should be the ones who are vitamin B12 deficient more so than vegetarian, vegans or raw/vegans. The reason being most non-vegans lack intrinsic factor which is needed for the absorption of B12 in the ileum and that approximately 80% of consumed B12 is absorbed by humans with healthy digestive systems, plus at higher intakes, absorption of B12 quickly drops down to 3%.

This translates to the fact that those on the Standard American Diet of meats(all flesh including chicken and fish), sugars, dairy, processed foods and high fructose corn syrup are at risk of having unhealthy digestive systems due to poor food combining, highly putrefactive nature of animal proteins and a diet high in processed foods. An unhealthy digestive system causes the inability of the system to produce intrinsic factor which is needed for absorption of B12. Okay, some may argue that their systems are healthy and clean, but if you are a heavy animal flesh eater ( people who eat some kind of animal flesh more than one time a day and many do, they may eat bacon or sausage for breakfast, then eat a fish or chicken or beef dish for lunch and dinner), your absorption rate of vitamin B12 automatically goes down to 3%. So, I think it is safe to say that non-vegans are more prone to B12 deficiency. We can now lay to rest the notion that we (non-meat and dairy eaters) are B12 deficient. A cup of alfalfa sprout a day, mixed with your salad gives, you enough B12 to sustain a healthy body.

I rest my case.
~B

Day 36 (30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge)

My RAW-mazing COLESLAW

YOU MUST TRY THIS!

I think I outdid myself today with this recipe. I hope you all love it. I made a big batch so I have leftovers for tomorrow.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups of green cabbage, thinly sliced

1 cup of purple cabbage, thinly sliced

6 medium sized organic carrots, 3 grated, 3 julienned (or all grated)

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

2 organic apples, chopped

Mix all in a bowl and set aside.

Dressing:

2 cups of almonds, soaked overnight

1/4 cup of agave or raw honey (I like and used agave with this one)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp dried mustard powder

1.5 cups of olive oil

1/4 cup coconut oil

juice of 1 lemon

juice of 1-2 oranges

Process in blender until smooth. Pour over veggies and toss.

warning:WILDLY DELICIOUS!

Day 35 (30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge)

My Rich Fudge Brownies with Hazelnut Sauce

Can you believe it's day -35? Well, there is something I must say, cooked food is very addictive. The other night I tried some of my husband's vegan baked-zitti and after two spoonfuls I found myself wanting more. I had to restrain myself, because I realized what was happening; cooked food is addictive! and I, Bernice, definitely don't want to go back to that. I also realized that the food tasted different on my tongue. It felt like, well, it didn't give me the great taste that raw foods, especially my greens, gives me. It is almost as if I could feel the lack of nutrient whereas with raw foods every time I eat I feel like I am adding oxygen to my body, there is a freshness in the chlorophyll that leaves you very satisfied and quenched, lol, ok I know that didn't help but that is as close as I can describe the feeling.
Yesterday I had a whole oatmeal for breakfast, the recipe for this delicious raw breakfast is on a previous day, feel free to cruise around. I made a big bowl of my kale salad for lunch, I think I am addicted to this salad, it is just that good and the pine nuts make it very tasty. Today am going to make my Asian cabbage salad or maybe a tasty raw coleslaw, yes, why nut? lol, did you see that? I wrote "why nut?". Nuts are wonderful and very versatile. I still have some cheesecake and that will be my desert for tonight. I am still waiting for the raw cacao butter I ordered so I can do a white chocolate cheesecake and invent some more recipes for you all to try.
I also wanted to point out that I have added some affiliate sites to my blog and if you need to order something you can do it from the link here, it will help me make some spare change, lol. I am hoping to add more as time goes on. Eventually there will be some FYR apparel for those who'll like to support the blog and all FYR efforts.

I am also happy to announce that I donated a a poem to the children's orphanage in Haiti. The kids made the banana leaf cards by hand and every card you buy (I wrote all the words to the card) will be a double gift as the profits will go back to support the children in the orphanage. If you feel inclined to give, please do so by clicking on this link :http://web2.accureg.com/PiggyInk/ProjCur.aspx

Here's the recipe for the famous Rich Chocolate Brownie I promised you:

Chocolate Fudge Brownie:
1 cup walnut
5 mejool dates, pitted
1/2 cup raw cacao powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Blend all ingredients in a food processor with an 'S' blade till it's fine and start to ball up. Press into a square pan and freeze for 1 hour. Cut into desired squares and enjoy with a fresh glass of raw almond milk. YYYYYYYUUUUUUUMMM. This is the easiest desert recipe. i added some chopped macadamias to half of mine to give it a white chocolate speckled illusion.

Have a blessed day.

~B.

Day 33 (30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge)

NINA'S GRAPE-LEMONADE POPSICLE

It is drizzling outside my window and I am watching a great movie with some raw/vegan strawberry cheesecake I made yesterday. My morning started off wonderfully, did a 20 minute jog and then a 15 minute Pilate's (abs). For breakfast I had half a cantaloupe, Nina had the rest. Lunch today was pretty basic, pesto and veggies! I can't get enough of that. I tried Nina's creation; grape-lemonade Popsicle and it was fantastic. It's a good treat for a hot day. Here's what she said she put in it:

Grape-Lemonade Popsicle:
1 glass of water
Juice of 5 freshly squeezed lemons
3 packets of stevia
1 cup of red seedless grapes, cut in halves



Pretty creative of her and it did taste good. You might want to try it for you or some little angel you know :-)


Gotta run, got a busy day today. catch you all tomorrow.





~B.

Day 32 (30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge)

DEE-LICIOUS STRAWBERRY-BANANA SMOOTHIE

MY FANTASTIC PESTO ON JULIENNED VEGGIES

Are we ready for Halloween? My daughter wants to be an African princess and Tinkerbell this year, so we are going to make this happen! I'd like to be an Angel but can't find my size, all the angel outfits start at sizes 12-14 grrrr! Anyway, we'll see. I will post up some pictures and tell you how it goes.

I went out for a 20 minutes jog today and then did about 30 minutes of taebo; I felt up to it today so I indulged in some great aerobics. My breakfast was a delicious green smoothie which was very simple to make; 2 bananas, 2 ripe pears and 5 stalks of kale (My kale-panana, remember?). I added just 1.5 cups of water today to make it a little thicker, and this is by far my favorite smoothie.

For lunch I had Nina's creation, she calls it a Salad-ballad because all the ingredients are dancing together, talk about a genius for a kid! Here's the recipe:

Nina's Salad-ballad
2 cups of mixed baby spring veggies
1 cucumber, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup alfalfa sprouts
1 avocado diced
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 tbsp sesame seeds
juice of one lemon
sprinkle of ground yellow mustard
sprinkle of ground black pepper
1 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup of raisins, soaked and diced

This was extremely mouth-watering Nina! Thanks! Plus today she made her own homemade grape-lemonade. She has them right now in the freezer in the Popsicle cups. Brilliant idea. When I asked her what she used for sweetener she said "Stevia of course, mama." I will make sure I take photographs of her grape-lemonade.

~B.

Day 31 (30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge)

30-Day Celebration kale Salad

Yes, you read it right, it is Day 31 today and the opening day of Michael Jackson's "This is it". You know I wouldn't miss it for the world. Nothing was new to me as I watched this incredible entertainer whom I just adore; he has one of the most beautiful hearts of anyone I know in the world. I know a lot of people may argue with that but that is my opinion. God bless you and rest with Jesus, my friend.



I started today with a strawberry/banana shake. Decided to shake things up a bit huh? I added a tablespoon of coconut oil and it tasted exactly like strawberry yogurt--only healthier than the store brands.

I won't write too much today as I have been out all day and need to rest my delicate head, lol. For super I am having some julienned zucchini and carrots with some zesty pesto sauce. The recipe for my pesto sauce is somewhere below and all I added to it was 1/2 of sun dried tomatoes. YUMMMMMMMMMMMM!



I promised you the recipe of my celebration kale salad so here it is. AMAZING



30-day Celebration Kale Salad:



1 bunch of kale
juice from two lemons
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 pine nuts, soaked and rinsed
1/2 cup raisins, soaked, rinsed and diced
1/4 cup chopped olives
1Tbsp freshly grated ginger
1 avocado, mashed
1 red bell pepper, diced



Thinly slice the leaves of kale. add juice of lemons and olive oil and mash with fingers to wilt kale. Once it starts to change color to a darker green, it is about ready. Then add the rest of the ingredients, mix and DEVOUR! This never last for more than a day. I could eat it three times a week and it is very filling. Dee-liciouso!

~B

Day 30 (30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge)

Photo by Nina Lakota

DAY 30! Why do I feel sad then? why? I think I know why. With every other diet I've tried before--even though I'd enjoy the journey--I welcomed the last day just so I could go back to eating some of the things I used to crave or eat. With every other diet I have done before, there was a starting and an ending date and I liked the ending part more because I had some addictions to cater to but with the raw food, I don't want it to end. There is nothing better to go back to, no cravings to satisfy, nothing at all. I am fully and completely satisfied and alive. So I am telling you now that this is not the end for I have found something that works perfectly for me.

I Love Me (Ode to eating RAW)

I don't want to go back to the days of eating so much and yet feeling empty,
days of eating non-foods that weigh me down and make me lose my shine,
days of eating foods and feeling them like dead-weight in my belly; just sitting there and waiting too long and finally putrefying and giving me horrible gas and bloating.
I don't want to go back to days of feeling drugged after eating and all I wanted to do was sleep.
I don't want to eat red meat or pork or chicken or fish; I want to live and let live.
I do not need any dairy, hydrogenated foods or high fructose corn syrup;
the only high I'm getting is that which I get from being healthy and alive
I want to fight to keep the PH of my body more alkaline and avoid dis-ease.
I love eating RAW.
I love feeling light and airy; I love soaring and gliding.
I love the glow on my face and the peace in my hips.
The laughter in my bones and the quietness of my gut.
I like the shine in my hair and the swagger in my steps,
the light that makes people smile back at me,
the friendliness and thoughtfulness of my mind.
The better person I am,
the cheerful wife and mother and sister and daughter and friend.
I love me
I love me enough to eat and live more green
because contrary to what they say, the grass on my side is greener and perfectly so!
(I'm sure I'll perfect this more and more as time goes on)

Copyright© 2009 by Bernice Angoh

Today is a wonderful day and since starting this lifestyle I have lost 18 pounds but gained something much more;
I have gained wings to fly as high as I want,
I have gained peace with humanity,
I have gained understanding of body and soul
I have gained more love than I can hold
I have gained a chance to live a far better life than I was taught
a life of abundance promised by a man called Jeshua
I have found the child I once was...
what a wonderful day it is.

Are you tired of me yet?lol I hope not. I hope this inspires you to incorporate more greens and raw foods into your lifestyle. Even if you have to start with dedicating 2-3 days of the week to eating raw/vegan, that will make a tremendous difference in your health. Whatever you do, add more greens, they are good for you. Green is the color of life. Don't you want life?

I am celebrating my Day 30 with an original recipe, a kale salad, I will put that up tomorrow for you to enjoy. Maybe later I will make some chocolate mousse desert, we'll see. Just know that the journey hasn't ended...I will put up more and more recipes as I learn more and more.
I have some very interesting things to share with you tomorrow about animal protein, ah, the things we don't know...I will leave you with something I wrote a few days ago.

The Story of the Seed

Out of the goodness of His hands
You were created from the Light
There in the warm soil you dwell
Bearing storms, weeds and bugs
Till you find a way to breathe and form
Sprouting forward, you shoot like a comet
Tenderly and lovingly I gaze at you “Hey there you! took you long enough.”
Like a parent, protective and nurturing, I become.
And then comes your first kiss and it’s nothing like mine
Kissed by the sun—golden!
Ripened with talents and fruits, you’ve finally come into your own
Swaying your green fringes in the wind
You are the lovely ballerina of the valley.
I am beautifully and fearfully made. You say to me
Eat of me and be merry. I come with abundance, I come to
Give you life.

And to this I reply:

“Out of the Light you’ve come to bring me comfort and joy. At this meal in which I partake with body, mind and soul, I take thee to heart and with all the gratitude I have in me, I give you thanks. You will bless my soul with the wholeness of you, ease my pain with the fullness of you, heal my body with the goodness of you and purify my spirit till I become the light—the Light of the world, a perfect reflection of my Creator. Amen.”

Copyright© 2009 by Bernice Angoh

Day 27 (30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge)

FROM MY KITCHEN TO YOURS: WALDROF SALAD WITH ALMOND MAYONNAISE

"Nothing will benefit health and increase chances of survival of life on earth as much as the evolution to a vegetable based diet."--Albert Einstein

Waldrof Salad with Almond Mayonnaise

Salad:

2.5 crisp organic apples, seeded and nicely diced
2 cups of red seedless grapes (you can use green if you like)
1 cup of nicely diced celery
1 cup chopped walnut, soaked and rinsed and re-dried
1-2 pears, nicely diced
1 cup of thinly sliced green cabbage
put all in a bowl and set aside

Almond Mayonnaise:
1/2 cup of olive oil
1/2 cup of soaked almonds, rinsed
1/2 tsp yellow mustard powder
2-3 tsps of agave nectar or honey
1/2 tsp of salt to taste juice of 2 lemons

Blend all until smooth and add just a little bit of water to facilitate blending process. Pour over bowl of prepared salad, mix evenly and ENJOY! YOU CANNOT RESIST THIS ONE. AND IT WON"T LAST MORE THEN TWO DAYS...

Day 17 (30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge)

FROM MY KITCHEN TO YOURS: fyr sIGnatURE ApRIcOt PiE with a pECan cRUst

Going raw is one of the best things that ever happened to me. First of all, I have always been in pursuit of the optimum healthy lifestyles and I think--in my opinion--the Raw food lifestyle is it. It is a lifestyle because unlike most popular diets out there where people have a start date and an end date, the raw food lifestyle is a way of life that reflects your beliefs and values. Belief that live foods create live beings (Ann Wigmore says it best).

The fact that I can still satisfy my sweet tooth when I so choose--and in a healthy way too-- is just mind blowing to me. The fact that I don't necessarily need eggs and flour and bleached sugar and that one can safely use nuts, seeds and natural sweeteners to create a delicious-healthy-nutritious crust is just perfect. Today I made the best tasting pie ever. I added the ingredients as I went and it came out MARVELOUSLY GORGEOUS, lol. I now realize that there is a great shortage of adjectives to describe the different foods and experiences I've had ever since I started this raw journey.

There is an immense variety of foods and you don't have to eat just fruits and a bowl of salad everyday. If that were the case I would have been long bored out of my mind. Anyway here is my signature FYR Apricot Pie with a Pecan Crust.

Crust:

1 cup pecan

1/2 cup sunflower seed

3-4 mejool dates

pinch of salt

1 Tbsp carob nibs (optional) but if you want the full blasted taste of Yumminess you must get carob or 100% pure cacao nibs

Filling:

1.5 cups dried apricots

1/4 cup raisins

1/2 apple

juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp organic grade B maple syrup (you can also use agave or raw honey)

1/2 cup fresh raspberries or blueberries (I like it for tartness)

In food processor with 'S' blade chop pecan, sunflower seeds and pinch of salt till almost fine. Then add dates and blend till mixture starts to stick together. Press into pie plate and sprinkle carob nibs on crust. Slightly press nibs into pie crust.

Blend ingredients of filling except raspberries or blueberries and process till thick and gooey. Spread thick mixture over crust with a spoon or flat spatula. Garnish with raspberries or blueberries. Serve as is or refrigerate and serve chilled. ENJOY! :-)

Day 12 (30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge)

FROM MY KITCHEN TO YOURS: COCONUT CHEESCAKE ON CHOCOLATE CRUST

Going raw is by far the best, the simplest and most nonrestrictive diet I have ever been on. The reason I say this is because I don't feel restricted at all, whereas on other diets I have felt the need to sneak things I wasn't suppose to be eating from time to time. At the end you find yourself back to square one trying another new diet in search for the one where you won't feel that need to binge. Isn't this what yo-yo dieting is all about? When humans feel the need to fight or resist something, the more they feel they need to give in to that temptation or situation. Restriction is a very frustrating feeling. on the raw diet, I don't feel any restriction whatsoever. I feel like I'm eating what I'm suppose to be eating because my body is not craving anything I used to like before, even white chocolate, can you believe that? even white chocolate.

I admit the first few days can be very daring because your body is undergoing this new change and your taste buds have to learn a whole new experience. I used to look at the behaviors of some raw fooders and think they were a little you know what, lol, but now I understand where that passion comes from. It is a passion for life. I've never felt more alive. When I was a vegan I thought I had reached the pinnacle of healthy living (no offense to vegan, veganism is awesome much better than the Standard American Diet) but then I've taken it one step further to being raw and vegan and it is an ethereal experience. I feel like my body is at peace with itself. There is no bickering from brain to stomach, lol or from liver to gut. All my insides are in harmony, no one is nagging their 'neighbor' , they are all brothers and sisters in unity working to provide the best for me. I feel like a queen. I do.

Well, so many people have asked for my coconut cheesecake recipe so here it is.:

Crust:

2 cups of walnuts, soaked and rinsed

1/2 cup raw cacao beans (ground)

1 tbsp agave nectar or raw honey

sprinkle of salt

Process nuts and cacao in food processor with 'S' blade until crumbly and then add salt and agave or honey till it starts to stick together. Press into a pie plate and keep aside.

Filling:

2 cups raw macadamia nuts, rinsed

1/2 cup raw shredded coconut meat (just the white part)

juice of 1.5 oranges

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup raw honey or agave nectar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

dash of salt

Blend everything except shredded coconut until mixture is creamy. If you don't really want to chew on the coconut then blend all together, if not, after mixture is creamy just mix the shredded coconut into it. Spread mixture over crust and freeze for about 2 hours or more if you prefer. serve with blue berry syrup if you choose.

Blueberry syrup:

2 handfuls of fresh blueberries

2 Tbsp of agave nectar

dash of salt

Blend till it's liquefied.

Enjoy!

Day 11 (30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge)

FROM MY KITCHEN TO YOURS: G'RAW'NOLA AND ALMOND MILK

Good day folks. I am feeling super today. Woke up bright and early and went for a 20 minute jog. I made myself a great smoothie (from one of the ones below) and then Nina and I made some fresh almond milk and g'raw'nola. Don't forget to scroll all the way down to view our slide show with some of our delicious recipes. I must start by giving you the recipe of my breakfast.

G'raw'nola and Almond Milk:

1 cup almonds (soaked over night)

4 pitted dates

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups f water

Mesh bag or cheese cloth

Blend all the ingredients together till mixture is milky. Strain using a mesh bag or cheese cloth. You will have to milk it like you're milking a cow to get all the almond milk out. Save almond pulp for another recipe later.

For G'raw'nola:

1/2 cup almonds (soaked, dried))

1/2 cup walnuts (soaked overnight and dried)

1/2 cup sunflower seeds (Soaked and dried)

1 cup dark raisins

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 golden raisins

sprinkle of salt

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Chop in a food processor with 'S' blade till coarse. I like chunks of nuts but you can choose your own consistency. Add almond milk to it and some blueberries or sliced bananas and devour.

Yummy!