Articles archived for year 2009
Hi, y’all! I know my posts have been scarce. For that, I apologize. But once you discover what I’ve been up to, I think you’ll be very forgiving – including the sponsoring companies awaiting my reviews of their fantabulous products! 
I started this post Tuesday evening (December 22, 2009) but couldn’t finish it. My eyes were filled with tears, my head was pounding with questions and thoughts, and my heart was simply broken into a gazillion pieces.
It’s taken a couple of days to pull my thoughts together on this. What better day to post, though, than on Christmas Eve?
Here’s the draft I started (I’ll add today’s thoughts later):
Today I walked among the homeless. No, I didn’t pass them on the street or gaze at them through the window while driving by. I mean I literally walked into a building where they were. I looked into the eyes of men and women – many of them who have served our country through various military services – and saw far more than people without homes.
My grandmother always told me that “eyes are the windows to a person’s soul.”
When I peered into the souls I crossed paths with today, I saw real people. I saw moms, dads, brothers, sisters, grandparents – many of them have served our country. I saw people who deserve dignity, respect, kindness, smiles, hugs, handshakes – no matter the condition of their soiled, tattered clothes, hair, or skin.
No, maybe they aren’t perfect. Their hair isn’t all styled from that fancy new place everyone’s raving about, and their teeth aren’t pearly white anymore. No, they don’t have the most expensive cologne or your favorite luxurious cold cream for their dried-out, weathered skin. But they’re real people, and they have feelings. They have a heart and soul. They have likes and dislikes. They have talents. Some of them even still have dreams.
With an empathetic heart, and a little time spent with them, you can look past not only the physical layers of clothing, but the invisible layers (walls, really) they’ve cocooned themselves inside. If you take a few moments to stop and talk to them, look them in the eye, smile, and just treat them like they’re your friend – or even a relative, because they could be – you’ll find that their eyes light up. Relief washes over them. Joy bubbles in their hearts. They’ll begin to tell you that they have a passion for cooking, or that they used to work every day and even lift weights at the gym. Any one of them could be you – or me. Any one of them could be someone we know. Someone who woke up one day and learned they didn’t have a job. Someone who lost their family in a horrific car accident – and couldn’t cope. Someone who’s come home from serving our country, with nowhere to go. Someone who still can’t figure out how they lost their way, or how to find it again.
Sure, there are the negatives. Many people choose to focus only on those who are drug addicts, alcoholics, or are destructive. I’m guilty myself. But each time I’ve been in the presence of a homeless person, I haven’t felt threatened. I feel their respect. I feel their gratitude. I feel their joy and appreciation that I’m in their presence as a fellow human. Nothing more, nothing less.
Life can be so simple. Why do we have to make it so hard?
I’m not there to judge them. I’m there to be of service, any way I can. I’m there to blow on that flicker of hope any of them might have – or rekindle the hope in those who’ve let theirs die down.
I’m there to let them know, that yes, people do still care. That some of us hurt for them. That some of us realize they’re a real person. That some of us yearn to do more, but can’t figure out how to go about it on a large scale.
My head aches tonight. I feel sick to my stomach. My heart feels like it’s going to explode from all the pain it’s having to process.
But I can still smile through the tears. Why? Because when we walked into that building on a cold, dark, winter day, I watched a huge room filled with people change right before my eyes. Yes, that’s right. I saw people slumped on couches, and sitting hunched over at tables, and walking around aimlessly with their shoulders drooping, stand up or sit up straight. I saw worry and stress wash away from their tired faces as they realized we were walking in carrying Christmas goody bags, Christmas cards, and giant candy canes – just for them.
I watched everyone’s heart skip a beat. I watched the true meaning of Christmas unfold right before my eyes. That, my friends, is what it’s all about…
Christmas Eve
Even as I read the above draft I had written after leaving the homeless Tuesday, I can barely see the computer screen through my tears.
I had so many questions:
Why are Veterans homeless?
Why are Veterans forgotten?
Why is anyone homeless?
Why is anyone forgotten?
Why don’t more people do more – even the smallest amount of help is something?
How can I help more?
What if I were in their situation?
Where’s the compassion?
Many of you don’t know that my family has been in the ministry for over 20 years. Even when I was a little girl – before my parents committed their lives to God’s work – I saw them take their own bill money and give it to a young couple whose baby was near death at a hospital a few hours away. The mom was staying with the baby. The dad was working as much as anyone would let him. He wanted to get to his family. His wife didn’t even have any cash with her at all, as she sat alone in that hospital with her baby. I’ve also seen my parents do many other things over the years. We’ve taken food out of our cabinets, clothes out of our closets. If we’re able in any way, we try to help anyone we can. I’m so glad my parents have taught me to go the extra mile. My grandparents taught me as well.
You can read about the Christmas bags we took the homeless on our ministry site: Highways & Byways Ministries.
Our ministry is very, very different than most anything else out there. Why? Because we work with those who are basically considered “outcasts” – we strive to walk where Jesus walked….
Mom & Me
I wish you the best, most blessed Holiday Season EVER – and I urge you to do something – anything – for others.
Won’t you help the homeless?
Updated to Add
My family has decided to step up and take action to help cure homelessness in our area (read more here). We’re working to secure funds for our first building, which will allow the homeless who come to us to have their own living quarters – a place to call home – where they can shower, rest, plan their future, and pull themselves together and try to work toward restoring their lives.
We are MORE than people who feel empathy for them – we are their family. Our first building for our Momma’s Houses dream will house numerous people and get them off the street. They won’t be asked to get out in a few days, weeks, or months. They need adequate time to reenter society. They will have it. And, no matter what – we’ll always be their family, their support system, their friend.
If you aren’t comfortable donating electronically, feel free to send your donation to:
Highways and Byways Ministries
P.O. Box 115
Diggins, MO 65636
Yes, $80,000 is a LOT of money to raise in 30 days – but not if a lot of people give a little.
Bonus Christmas Blessing
Just stopping by? Have you tried my coconut peanut butter honey overnight oats yet? Or maybe you’d like to try your hand at my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls or raw tuna fish-less salad. Check out my interview with ShimmerOrganics owner, Lisa Ann Turkel, or read my thoughts on Julie & Julia.
Remember a while back when I shared Eli’s story with you? You know, the young guy pictured below? The inspiring fellow with a heart of gold – yet a heart that wouldn’t work correctly?
Well… I have a fantabulous update to share with you!
Juicer for Eli
First of all, a juicer was anonymously – and very generously – purchased for Eli by one of YOU not long after I posted about his situation. What a blessing!!!
The juicer made it safely to Eli’s family and they’ve been juicing for him non-stop ever since. And… Eli is getting stronger!!!
Enthusiastic Eli
I know a friend of the family and she keeps me posted on Eli’s progress as often as she can.
Here’s the latest:
"He’s been through the mill, testing wise, but is finally coming out of it. He had to have a bone marrow tap three weeks ago and the results aren’t fully in yet – but so far, so good. His echo has shown quite a bit of improvement over the one done last month. He has also been able to keep his blood cell counts up.
This is AFTER receiving the juicer and juicing DAILY.
He will get to go home for Christmas, pending his heart cath on the 22nd. Eli is telling everyone: Never give up and always look for the positive in every situation. When the road gets rough, stand your ground and fight!"
The family friend also says:
"And Eli wants that passed along. He is truly thankful and can’t wait to feel even better as time progresses."
Isn’t that RAWsome?!
The healing benefits of raw juices are AMAZING! Those fresh juices Eli’s family is making for him is helping to strengthen his weak, little body. It’s such a JOY to know that Eli is most likely going to have the opportunity to wake up on Christmas morning in his own bed, in his own home!!!
And even through the most difficult times of his little life, Eli has a positive attitude. What a precious soul he is!
My heart and prayers are with Eli’s family, friends, and Eli himself…
And, in honor of Eli’s courage and determination, I leave you with a few of his words that touched me the most:
“When the road gets rough,
stand your ground and fight!”
Amen, Eli! Amen!!!!
Latest Update (as of 12/24/09)
“"Eli’s Cath went GREAT yesterday so he is FREE for the next 2 1/2 weeks!" He is home with his brother and Dad for the holidays!”
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ELI AND HIS FAMILY!!! AND MY 2010 BE THEIR YEAR OF ABUNDANT HEALING AND HEALTH!!!!!
Just stopping by? Have you tried my coconut peanut butter honey overnight oats yet? Or maybe you’d like to try your hand at my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls or raw tuna fish-less salad. And you simply HAVE to try my latest, simple creation: Coconut Peanut Butter Cream. YUM! And don’t forget to take a peek at my Thanksgiving holiday eats + treats – or my interview with ShimmerOrganics owner, Lisa Ann Turkel!
It’s almost unfathomable to envision a blog turning into a book turning into a movie – when it’s yours, that is!
I finally watched Julie & Julia
I won’t spoil the entire movie for you, though! I totally think you should watch it. It’s definitely worth your time and money.
But just in case…
Spoiler Alert!!!!
I think Meryl Streep was fantabulous as Julia Child, and I loved Amy Adams as Julie Powell.
Julia Child was one very determined lady. She never gave up. That’s admirable! I wonder if she would have been a blogger had she been in our shoes? Ya think? Can you envision her blog: Mastering the Art of French Cooking? Can you see her creating YouTube videos; commenting on other blogs; tweeting; facebooking?
It was super fun to see the reality of a blogger’s life, too – especially home life. From the realization that a LOT of people are reading what you’re putting out there into cyber space, to the cluelessness others seem to have about exactly what a blog even is, or what it means to the blogger.
Explaining your overwhelming desire (need, actually) to blog is extremely difficult. As many gazillions of blogs as there is, there’s that many people who don’t know what one is, it seems! I’ve given up on trying to explain blogging. I just say: “I’m a freelance writer and blogger. I write about health.” And I leave it at that.
As a blogger who shares my heart with you, my fantabulous readers, I could relate to Julie as she pounded out her frustrations and joys over wading her way through Julia Child’s cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking
After she’d been blogging for a while, she began to sense that her readers actually anticipated – and needed – her posts. Can you relate?! Of course, that’s a hard thing for a non-blogger to comprehend. It makes us bloggers seem like we have our head in the clouds, like we just think we’re SO great that numerous people could possibly be on pins and needles – just for our next post, for words that flow effortlessly (okay, not always effortlessly! ) from our minds, through our fingers, onto the keyboard, out into cyber space’s infinity.
Yeah, that feeling.
Most of all, it was sooooooooooooooooo exciting to even consider that the words we share in the posts of our little corner of the blogosphere could be read by publishers, reporters, literary agents… How fantabulous is that?!
I actually think it’s a scary – and exciting – thought at the same time, really.
Have you watched Julie & Julia? Did you get to see it at the theater, or did you rent it like me? Did you read the book first? Will you read it now? I’m the type of gal who always likes to read the book first, then the movie. I’ve found most times I like the book better. But, that’s just me. 
Oh, and the ShimmerOrganics review/contest is totally in the near future – I’ve just been having some sinus trouble (swollen face and all!) and have no desire to plaster photos of my face on the Web right now. So, now my secret is out: If all goes as planned, I’ll be posting photos of my face before Lisa’s mask, while it’s on, and after it’s washed off. I actually have those already, but I wanted to show y’all before & after photos of a couple more treatments before I shared the review/contest with y’all. A little embarrassing, really, but I’m the guinea pig for y’all, ya know?! Can you wait??!! Pretty please with a (raw) cherry on top?!
And….. you might notice I put a PayPal button up in the left sidebar. I’ve explained a little over there, but I’ll be posting in-depth soon.
Happy Holidays!
Just stopping by? Have you tried my coconut peanut butter honey overnight oats yet? Or maybe you’d like to try your hand at my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls or raw tuna fish-less salad. And you simply HAVE to try my latest, simple creation: Coconut Peanut Butter Cream. YUM! And don’t forget to take a peek at my Thanksgiving holiday eats + treats – or my interview with ShimmerOrganics owner, Lisa Ann Turkel!
Hi, y’all! So sorry I’ve just left you hanging around without an update!
Hope you’re staying cozy and warm, though! It’s cooooooooooooooold out there, isn’t it?! I’ve had some snow and some very high, very strong (COLD!) wind, plus rain. But I have a woodburning stove – thank goodness!!
Anyway, I do have lots of RAWsome reviews, contests, and recipes (including some of Averie’s recipes!!!!) coming soon. I’ve just been SWAMPED with freelance stuff, holiday preparations, and lots of other stuff – oh my!
I also got overwhelmed, to be honest, and haven’t been feeling my best either. Ugh!
Did you read the book Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously
Oh, and get ready for changes (for the better!) coming in 2010. The site will be transforming to make it easier for you to locate what you’re searching for, and lots more. It’s exciting, folks. I promise!
How are things on your end? Busy with holiday to-do lists? Are you stressed out, or are you enjoying yourself?
Just stopping by? Have you tried my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls or raw tuna fish-less salad? Or maybe you’d like to try my latest, simple creation: Coconut Peanut Butter Cream. YUM! And don’t forget to take a peek at my Thanksgiving holiday eats + treats or my interview with eco-friendly creator of the raw, vegan beauty mask: ShimmerOrganics owner, Lisa Ann Turkel!
Hi, y’all! Hope your weekend has been fantabulous! I’m just popping in to let you know about a couple of contests I found out about….
Averie, over at the Love Veggies and Yoga blog, is having TWO fantabulous contests!
She’s giving away the Amazing Grass Chocolate Superfood Combo (such a great deal)!
Averie is ALSO having a Kay’s Naturals giveaway – and there’ll be TWO winners!
There’s ELEVEN ways to get your entries in (for BOTH contests!), so hurry up and get yourselves entered!!!
Just stopping by? Have you tried my coconut peanut butter honey overnight oats yet? Or maybe you’d like to try your hand at my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls or raw tuna fish-less salad. And you simply HAVE to try my latest, simple creation: Coconut Peanut Butter Cream. YUM! And don’t forget to take a peek at my Thanksgiving holiday eats + treats – or my interview with ShimmerOrganics owner, Lisa Ann Turkel!
The last time I tried to make raw flax seed crackers, they ended up being a flop, thus the new Healing With (Raw) Juices category: Raw Flops.
But these… these were NOT a flop!
Delicious Flax Crackers!
I soaked my flax seeds overnight. And this time, I used red and green bell peppers (like the recipe called for). I still used apple in the place of the zucchini – but this time I left the peel on.
Into the Blender
I forgot to take a photo of the other ingredients before I blended ‘em up! But here’s what it looks like when all the ingredients are whipped in the blender….
I added my juicy concoction to the soaked flax seeds….
Then I added the ground flax.
Stirred It Up
HimalaSalt = YUM!
I bought parchment paper this time!
I decided to add a few shakes of Mexican Seasoning to one tray of the mixture.
Here’s the four trays the recipe yields!
Up close
I cranked it up more this time (about 120).
Look at my crackers! Yay!
Some raw flax crackers all plated up. 
Look at how crispy and beautiful!
I used the same recipe for inspiration as last time, from The Raw Food Revolution Diet
I’ve enjoyed these crackers with sliced avocado, by themselves, with a drizzle of agave, a smear of nut butter, with salad…. SO delicious!
This post has actually been set to publish for a few days now, but I noticed Gena (from www.choosingraw.com) just published her raw juice pulp cracker recipe. Do check that out, too! I’m going to make her version as well.
Oh, and I’m also going to make some time to experiment in the coming weeks, and I’ll share the recipes I come up with on my own….
Have you tried your hand at raw crackers yet – with or without a dehydrator? Do you have Cherie’s book? If so, what do you think about it? Do you love it? Have you made good use of it? (I have a review coming up of my copy!)
Remember when I received a package from ShimmerOrganics? You know that one that was all wrapped up in pink (my favorite color)?!
Yeah, that one!
I have already tried this raw beauty mask, but first I wanted to introduce you to the lovely lady who owns ShimmerOrganics. She graciously agreed to an interview so we can learn more about not only the raw beauty masks she created, but about her.
And it’s my pleasure to introduce you to:
Lisa Ann Turkel
Raw Juice Girl: How was your company born?
Lisa: I used to have problem skin with acne and I have tried many different products on the market, including prescription medicine from a dermatologist and over-the-counter products. Nothing worked—and many of them irritated my already sensitive skin. So, I decided to make my own skin care using only organic, raw, and pure ingredients. I did a lot of research, purchased my ingredients and started formulating my mask. And that’s how I created the Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask! I decided to make my organic masks as Christmas gifts for my friends and family, and everyone loved the masks! They all encouraged me to sell them, and that’s how ShimmerOrganics was born! My skin is healthier and looks better than it has ever looked, and it is such a wonderful feeling helping others to have healthy, youthful and beautiful skin!
Raw Juice Girl: Why did you choose the name "ShimmerOrganics" (which I love, by the way!)?
Lisa: I’m so glad that you love the name ShimmerOrganics. My boyfriend gave me the name Shimmer a while back, and I’m all about being organic. So… I put the two together to represent my company!
Raw Juice Girl: What are your company goals?
Lisa: To have a simple, raw and organic beauty skin care line that is affordable, and to help people have healthy, youthful and beautiful skin.
I care deeply about my customers and about creating high quality products. Staying connected with my customers is very important to me. I am passionate about using only the purest and highest quality ingredients.
Raw Juice Girl: Where do you see yourself and your company five years from now?
Lisa: I want to have raw and organic beauty skin care parties and have my products available in natural spas, salons, and other health and beauty businesses and institutes. I also want to have my own charities to help women, children and animals.
Raw Juice Girl: What makes your products different from others on the market?
Lisa: I create my products with love and pure and raw ingredients. I am very passionate about creating pure skin care products. There are many companies that say that their products are natural, organic and pure, but when you read the ingredients, you will find parabens and other synthetic and toxic chemicals. These chemicals are very inexpensive. There are natural antioxidants and preservatives that are safe and work wonderfully, which are the type of antioxidants and preservatives that I use. In my organic clay mask, I use organic essential oils that preserve naturally, and organic raw honey and oils that contain antioxidants and are natural preservatives. What you put on your skin is absorbed into your body. And just like eating healthy is so important, so is using healthy and pure products on your skin. Natural, pure and raw is always best!
Thank you, Lisa, for taking the time to share your heart with us. It’s always nice to learn that a quality product is created by a caring person whose main goal is the happiness and health of their customers. Kudos to you for being such a kind, passionate business owner who truly cares about the environment – and people!
Lisa’s masks are raw, organic, AND vegan. You can purchase her Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask from her online store – and they’re listed as one of THE best holiday gifts for Going Green for the Holidays!
Have you tried the ShimmerOrganics raw beauty masks yet? If you (still) aren’t sure if you’d like to try it, check out Lisa’s ARTISAN BIO on her Artisan Shop to learn more about her vision. Be sure to read the testimonials at the bottom of that page!
Upcoming Review + a Surprise
I’ve had the amazing opportunity to use Lisa’s mask and will be sharing my thorough review in an upcoming post – and there’s a surprise for y’all!!!
References:
Coate-Hermes, Angela Going Green for the Holidays (Raw People)
Just stopping by? Have you tried my coconut peanut butter honey overnight oats yet? Or maybe you’d like to try your hand at my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls or raw tuna fish-less salad. And you simply HAVE to try my latest, simple creation: Coconut Peanut Butter Cream. YUM!
Hope you had a fantabulous holiday! I sure did.
I know a lot of you are curious about what I ate for Thanksgiving. A part of me feels proud of my choices because I didn’t eat meat and I didn’t eat dressing (aka stuffing).
No animals were harmed for my dinner.
But…
A part of me is disappointed with myself (make sense?) because my Thanksgiving dinner wasn’t 100% raw AND vegan. 
Night Before Turkey Day
On Thanksgiving Eve, my mom had leftover batter from the pineapple upside down cake (she makes hers in a cast iron skillet) and so she made cupcakes.
I wasn’t going to eat one, then I just did – it was the smallest one, though!
That was the first time I’d had any (real) cake since my birthday (in mid-August).
Choices, Choices
Aren’t we are own worst critics? Are you hard on yourself, too? Sometimes I think I’m too hard on myself. Most ALL of the time, other people think I’m too hard on myself.
I’ve been really torn about the direction my eating habits have been going and in an upcoming post, I’m going to share my feelings and plans for 2010. Since I lost my cousins (at such young ages) this year, I’ve really battled emotional eating. I’m going to address emotional eating and my food choices soon…
My Thanksgiving Dinner
I filled my plate with mostly salad: baby spinach leaves, kale, broccoli, carrots, avocado, pink sea salt, drizzle of olive oil, pecans.
Then I decided to have a couple spoonfuls of my mom’s sweet potato casserole, real mashed potatoes, baked pasta, and green bean casserole. And the cranberry sauce isn’t raw either – it’s fresh from the can.
Sounds like a lot – but it really wasn’t that much. I suppose some would say I went overboard; others would say I didn’t eat enough. I am proud that my plate is filled with mostly raw veggies. I ended up not have a vegan Thanksgiving because there’s butter in the mashed potatoes and cheese (+ butter) in the pasta. I don’t think I did that badly, though: I didn’t eat turkey, dressing, or the other stuff available.
Iced tea with stevia
Most importantly on Thanksgiving, though, I enjoyed the company. Good family and friends are hard to come by!
How did your Thanksgiving turn out? Did you get to see family and friends and have a good time? Did you eat all raw or high raw vegetarian/vegan? Did you worry about it? Did you splurge and have cooked foods and maybe even turkey? Did you go all out and work hard on mock raw or vegan options? Tell me all about it!
Just stopping by? Have you tried my coconut peanut butter honey overnight oats yet? Or maybe you’d like to try your hand at my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls or raw tuna fish-less salad. And you simply HAVE to try my latest, simple creation: Coconut Peanut Butter Cream. YUM!
Hello! How’s your day going? Mine is fantabulous so far. Mr. Sunshine is visiting today. How very kind of him – yay! 
Anyway, a while back, Danica from www.DanicasDaily.com hosted The Great Pumpkin Giveaway. I entered. There were THREE winners – and I was one of ‘em!
My Package from Danica
I love that she sent her (nicely typed) recipe and a beautiful, kind letter. Thank you, Danica! I love my prize – and all the thought you put into it!
The pumpkin butter was put to good use right away. The family had it smeared on pancakes. I’m trying to avoid those, so I swiped a spoonful straight from the jar. *giggles*
I have to say this, though: Trader Joe’s has nothing on my mom’s homemade pumpkin butter! (But, I could be a tad bit bias.)
Turkey Day
A lot of you are wondering if I’ll eat turkey on Thanksgiving. I’ve received emails and messages and questions on social media sites.
The answer is no.
There have been times over the past few years that I’ve allowed a little fish or turkey into my diet. I’ve been at minimum 75% raw and the majority of the time, I’m 90-100% raw most every day.
But after studying meat and fish for articles I’ve written (and for personal curiosity) and coming across such heartfelt, informative articles (such as Gena’s Reconsidering Veganism at ThanksLIVING at Choosing Raw) I’ve found it very easy to reevaluate my level of Raw Foodism and have really thrown myself into focusing on raw food, my health, and am working very, very hard to learn to be at peace with others’ perception of the way I choose to eat. Gena’s article really resonated deeply within my soul and I thank her (from the bottom of my heart) for sharing that beautifully written post – and for all the effort she pours into her entire site. (Thank you, Gena!!)
Here a Turkey, There a Turkey
I thought I’d start by showing you my pet turkeys: Gobbles and Goblet.
How could I eat Gobbles or Goblet? Nope. Not happening!
What Will this Raw Vegan Eat?
Honestly? I don’t know yet! I’ve searched my heart (and raw, Vegan recipes!) and have decided that I’m simply not going to worry about it. The holidays are a time to come together with precious friends and family and laugh, talk, catch up, and just be. It’s a time to reflect on grandparents, parents, siblings, or other relatives and friends who are no longer with us – an opportunity to cherish all those memories that we hold deep in our hearts.
Thanksgiving is about forgetting about material possessions and being thankful for all those things that have nothing to do with food, things that money can’t buy – like hugs, kisses, laughter, joy, and sparkles in the eyes of those you love.
Sure, I’m thinking of making a raw pecan dessert. And maybe a raw coconut cream pie dessert. I’ll probably just have a ginormous salad with a few nuts and other yummy toppings. I might nab a bite of momma’s sweet potato casserole….
But overall, I’m pleased to just be entering this Thanksgiving with a purpose: to enjoy my family and friends and just be in the moment.
I will try to take photos and document what I eat, though – I’ll blog about it later.
If you’re super interested in a true raw, Vegan Thanksgiving menu, check out Gena’s. It RAWks! Averie’s raw, Vegan ideas are RAWkin’ too!
I’m Thankful For
- my faith
- my heritage
- two living parents who’ve been together for close to 40 years*
- a warm, cozy home
- family and friends
- the best brother in the world
- that I’ve maintained a 100+ weight loss for a few years now
- that I survived domestic violence and can be an inspiration to others, that they can too
- for blog readers who are so encouraging, inspiring, sweet, and loyal
- for another Thanksgiving to reflect on memories and cherish the new ones
- and soooooooooooooo much more!!!!
What does Thanksgiving mean to you? Will you be traveling? Or, is family and friends traveling to your house? Will you be preparing a turkey? Even if you aren’t going to eat it? Are you stressing over food, or like me, are you just feeling blessed to have special people to spend the day with?
Happy Thanksgiving!!!!
Stay safe, laugh often, and enjoy the moment!!!!
*I meant to write living, not loving – although they are!
Just stopping by? Have you tried my coconut peanut butter honey overnight oats yet? Or maybe you’d like to try your hand at my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls or raw tuna fish-less salad. And you simply HAVE to try my latest, simple creation: Coconut Peanut Butter Cream. YUM!
A Day of Eats + Treats
This post is a record of my raw, Vegan eats and treats from the other day. I started the morning off in a fun, protein-filled way by making myself some of Averie’s Raw Vegan (Vanilla) Chia Seed Pudding. It’s filling, delicious, and held me over nicely until lunch. Lotsa protein, flavor, texture, plus that fantabulous superfood: chia — YAY and YUM!
Oh, and Averie even told her readers all about me making her recipe. She shared lots of readers’ photos and links to their blogs in her tribute post to readers who’ve made her RAWsome concoctions!
Lunch was…
leftover Tuna Fish-Less Salad
on top of raw veggie salad, with a few cranks of pink sea salt
And the Treats?
How about two simple ingredients and flavor that’ll rawk your world??!!
Enter:
A Date with Almond Butter
I had two more of these later that evening. SO good!!
Wow. Such a simple dessert – and it’s raw AND delicious! Woo hoo!!
For dinner
I had more raw veggie salad topped with the last of my Raw Tuna Fish-Less Salad.
This is what a day is like for me when I’m truly sticking to 100% raw/Vegan foods. Of course, there are times I’ll use something that isn’t 100% raw but I try to stay as raw as possible. I just feel better physically and mentally that way.
So what’s a day of your eats and treats like? Have you ever enjoyed a date filled with almond butter? If not, are you going to try it?
Just stopping by? Have you tried my coconut peanut butter honey overnight oats yet? Or maybe you’d like to try your hand at my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls or raw tuna fish-less salad. And congrats to Cyn for winning my latest contest!!
This morning when I woke up, I enjoyed a delicious bowl of overnight oats. It was SO filling that noon came and went and I still wasn’t hungry for lunch!
I eventually wanted a little something and remembered I had some frozen bananas. My mindwheel started turning….
The result?
Coconut Peanut Butter Cream
Know the banana soft serve that’s swept across the blogosphere like a cyber hurricane?
Oh, yeah!
I tossed the bananas in the blender and I noticed there was some cream of coconut a family member hadn’t used up. So I threw 3 tablespoons in the blender. I’d say there was about 4 bananas in that bag.
What came out of the blender was this:
Beautiful, isn’t it?! And if that wasn’t delicious enough, I thought of the Coconut Peanut Butter that Tropical Traditions sent me!
Drizzle, Drizzle
Then… a MIRACLE
When Tropical Traditions Coconut Peanut Butter is drizzled over something cold (like banana soft serve), it hardens up!! Like the chocolate on a dip cone!!! Eeeeeekkk!!! What??!!! I was ecstatic!!!!
Dessert for Lunch
I must admit, this hemp-loving, salad-chompin’ Raw Juice Girl enjoyed every last creamy, smooth, decadent, sweet bite of her dessert for lunch. I know I’ll be having Coconut Peanut Butter Cream again soon!! YUM!!
Oh, and I only had a small portion. I shared the rest with family. Boy, were they SURPRISED at how good my banana ice cream tasted!!
For anyone wondering: The peanuts in the Coconut Peanut Butter are roasted so that isn’t raw. And the cream of coconut from that can had preservatives, so it isn’t raw either. Of course, the bananas are raw. Yippee for that!
Even though this dessert isn’t 100% raw, it SURE was yummy to the tummy!
Worried about the nutritional value of this dessert for lunch? Well, Coconut Peanut Butter Cream provides protein, fiber, potassium, and more!
What about you? Have you jumped on the raw banana soft serve bandwagon yet? What’s your favorite raw dessert? Are you going to try my Coconut Peanut Butter Cream? Tell me all about it!
Just stopping by? Have you tried my coconut peanut butter honey overnight oats yet? Or maybe you’d like to try your hand at my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls or raw tuna fish-less salad.
And… the news you’ve been waiting for…
Winning Number
There were 131 comments on the E3Live + BrainOn contest post. I visited Mr. Random (random.org) to select a winner.
The number result was 99.
Owner of #99
Why, that’d be Cyn from www.writeforehow.com!!
Cyn’s winning comment:
I follow your rawjuicegirl account on twitter.
I especially thought Cyn’s comments on the review posts (part of the contest entry options) were very sincere and deserving of winning this contest!
Cyn’s comment on The BrainOn Review
I. So. Need this.
I will be 40 years old in just five days. I’ve noticed –in the last year or so– a little forgetfulness and “brain fog” that wasn’t there before. It’s frustrating, because I was always such a great multi-tasker. Now, it’s harder to remained focused on one thing, let alone 4 or 5.
Cyn’s comment on The E3Live Review
I really-really-really want to try this stuff. If it weren’t for the price, I would have whipped out my credit card and ordered it after reading your review. The testimonials on their site are glowing…but most of all I trust your opinion. If you say it works, I believe you. Now I just need to figure out how to scrape together the cost during the costly holidays!
Like most of you, Cyn also entered various other ways. She worked hard to get her entries in.
And while I’d LOVE to send each and every one of you away with this fantabulous prize of over $200 of E3Live products so you could enhance your health, I simply cannot.
But do keep coming back. There are more contests in the future and more opportunities for you to win a fabulous book, delicious health foods, or even raw beauty products. Be encouraged, and keep working toward your ultimate health!
Congratulations, Cyn!!!
And a HUGE thank you to the fantabulous folks at E3Live for sponsoring this contest!!!
Just stopping by? Have you entered my latest contest (over a $200 value)? It ends tonight! Or maybe you’d like to try your hand at my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls or raw tuna fish-less salad.
Two of my latest product arrivals for review are Coconut Peanut Butter and Raw Honey from Tropical Traditions. (Of course, I’ll be doing a thorough review of each product in upcoming posts, but I had to share this recipe with y’all!)
Oh, and for raw foodie purists, the ONLY thing I can find that doesn’t make this breakfast recipe 100% raw is the fact that the peanuts in the coconut peanut butter have been roasted. Well, and I used boxed almond milk (you could make your own, raw almond milk though).
Before I share the recipe, I have to tell you that these two products are soooooooooooooo yummy!!!
A sneak peek to my upcoming review:
“The coconut peanut butter is amazing! It literally tastes like 50% coconut and 50% peanut butter in each bite. Although the consistency is runny, it really fills my mouth with explosions of flavor and healthy goodness. I’m a thick consistency/crunchy kinda gal but I’m LOVING this stuff. Really. I could eat it every day! And the raw honey is solid and needs to be scraped out or sat near a low heat to be softened but it is really sweet and fantabulous!”
Coconut Peanut Butter Honey Overnight Oats
1/3 cup oats (heaping)
2/3 cups almond milk
2 tablespoons Tropical Traditions Coconut Peanut Butter
1 tablespoon Tropical Traditions raw honey
1 (small, very ripe) banana
Coconut Peanut Butter is runny, but DELISH!
Dump your oats in the bowl.
Pour almond milk in.
Add coconut peanut butter.
Add raw honey.
Mash in 1 small (really ripe) banana.
Stir, and refrigerate.
Note: Averie saves half her banana for adding as a topping the next morning. I just mashed the whole banana in.
Looks like this going in…
This Morning
After Stirring
I’ll admit, I’ve seen various concoctions of overnight oats all across the blogosphere and although they all look delicious, I wasn’t thrilled about the idea of eating cold oatmeal for breakfast. Just sounds a little gross, doesn’t it?
I am not new to the idea of soaking oats overnight – I’ve done it for years (with steel-cut) but I’d always cook ‘em on the stove top the next morning.
And… I’m now a new overnight oats convert. I’ll be eating this often. It’s DELISH! Oh my gosh. If you’ve been hesitant to try it, you have to make this – I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the results!
Plus, this is the PERFECT (healthy) breakfast for anyone who has to be up early and works outside the home. You can make your oatmeal the night before, grab it out of the fridge in the morning and gobble it up. Who says you can’t have a healthy breakfast if you work long, crazy hours??!! Overnight oats is a fantabulous solution for you!!
And have you entered my latest contest yet? Prizes are valued at over $200!! And the contest closes at 9 p.m. (Central Time) TONIGHT. A winner will be chosen via random.org. There are TWELVE ways to enter. Hurry and get your entries in!
Coming Soon
Interview with the owner of ShimmerOrganics, my review of her raw beauty mask (plus a surprise for y’all!!) and lots more reviews and contests.
Oh, and guess what??!! I made a new batch of raw flax seed crackers – and they turned out this time! The recipe made 100. Eeek! I’ve been gobbling ‘em up and love every single taste! I’ll be sharing photos and everything in an upcoming post. Yay for raw flax seed crackers!!!
Your Turn
Do you make raw recipes often, or do you read raw blogs for inspiration and learning? Have you ever made overnight oats? What’s your favorite overnight oats combo? What did you think of eating ‘em cold? Let’s talk about it!
Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
Just stopping by? Have you entered my latest contest (over a $200 value)? Or maybe you’d like to try your hand at my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls or raw tuna fish-less salad.
You might remember the Excalibur dehydrator I was sent to review. I’ve been experimenting with it – just hadn’t posted about my adventures. Why? I’ve had quite a few “Raw Flops" goin’ on around here. Yep.
Upon a reader’s request (thanks, Beth!) I’ll be sharing my (un)cooking disasters in the new category: Raw Flops. But don’t worry, I have some rawsome stuff comin’ up, too!
And… here’s a story written in third person. Why? I guess I just kinda felt like writing about myself that way as I reflected on this dehydrating disaster.
Raw Juice Girl’s Flax Flop
Once upon a time, in a raw fantasy world, lived a gal who dreamt of creating the bestest raw flax seed crackers ever. She put her flax seeds to soakin’ while thinking about all those health benefits: omegas, manganese, fiber, folate, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and Vitamin B6.
Those beautiful little seeds gettin’ their soak on just screamed healthy heart, blood pressure, bones, hair, skin, nails, colon, and so much more—like fighting cancer, diabetes, dry eyes, and hot flashes.
Oh my!
<insert dreamy (healthy) eyes here>
The Raw Food Revolution Diet
It felt like DAYS waiting the 8 hours for those seeds to soak. *looks around* Where’d Raw Juice Girl’s patience go? Someone stole it!
Cherie’s recipe called for 4 cups of chopped bell pepper (or tomato). Raw Juice Girl had neither so she used raw broccoli slaw instead. Oh, joy!
Next up, raw zucchini. Nope, none of that either! Enter: diced, raw apple.
Blend it all up, Cherie says.
Um, it looks like puke. That’s what she said.
Gotta have some seasoning! Yay for HimalaSalt samples (again, free – yummy – samples Raw Juice Girl was sent for review)…
Organic garlic salt
Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
Stir it all up!
Smear it on the dehydrator tray (with a liner).
Close-up
Score the mixture to make separated cracker lines.
The house smelled sooooooooooooooooo good while these crackers were (un)cooking!
105* for 12 hours, Cherie says
Raw Juice Girl leaped out of bed the next morning, with bright eyes and pep to her step. She ran into the kitchen like a child on Christmas morning expecting shiny, new flax seed crackers ready for flippin’.
Imagine her surprise when she opened the Dehydrator door and found this:
Flax Crackers Stuck to Wax Paper!!!
Raw Juice Girl wanted to just cry…
And the saddest part? Raw Juice Girl managed to break off a teeny piece of cracker (without waxed paper attached!) and it tasted REALLY good.
*sigh*
The moral of this story, folks, is that Raw Juice Girl shoulda used parchment paper or waited ‘till she got some Excalibur non-stick, reusable sheets.
She was so blasted mad at that wax paper, she thought about eatin’ it but didn’t have an appetite after finding her ruined crackers! Humph!
See, Raw Juice Girl is real. She makes mistakes. She doesn’t have all the raw food stuff figured out. She’ll be your guinea pig, though. You can learn from her mistakes and get a few laughs along the way…
Stay tuned for more Raw Flops. This is a new category featuring Raw Juice Girl’s bloopers. You won’t want to miss a single post!
Resources:
WH Foods: Flax Seeds
Just tuning in? Be sure to get yourself entered in my latest contest (prizes are valued at over $200!!!). Also, check out Zeenat’s guest post about the healing benefits of onions. You might also enjoy my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls or my version of tuna fish-less salad.
Hi, y’all!
Today, I’m going to share with you my experience of making Averie’s Raw Vegan Chia Seed Pudding. You can find all sorts of variations she’s created by checking out her chia seed category over at Love Veggies & Yoga.
I was super excited the other day when I mentioned I received a package from NuNaturals.com.
Why, you ask? Well, of course, I’m excited to get creative with all their tasty products, but I was even MORE excited when I saw my RAWkin’ friend, Averie, included in the information packet.
You go, Averie!
And now it’s Raw Juice Girl’s turn to try her hand at Averie’s Raw Vegan Chia Seed Pudding.
I followed her recipe to a T. (View her chia seed variations here.)
2 Tablespoons Chia Seeds
Almond Milk
Vanilla Stevia
Chia Gellin’
Gettin’ Thick!
All Thickened Up!
The amount of agave was too much for me – lots of sweetness! So, the next time I made myself some chia seed pudding, I used half the amount Averie does. She uses 2 tablespoons of agave nectar, and I cut it down to 1. Even that was too sweet for me, so now I just drizzle a little agave and it’s just right for me (kind of like the porridge from Goldilocks and the Three Bears!
But this is soooooooooooo delicious, y’all! If you’ve never made it – and you have the ingredients on hand – I urge you to stop what you’re doing and whip some up. Like, now! Seriously. It’s SO good!
Have you ever made raw, vegan chia seed pudding? Did you like it? Are you addicted to it yet? So far, I’ve enjoyed chia seed pudding as breakfast, and as a snack. YUM!
And guess what’s coming up? My chocolate version of chia seed pudding. It’s similar to Averie’s, but I put my own twist on this one. Can you guess what ingredient I used?
Stay tuned….
Before you scroll down to find out what takes the place of tuna in tuna (fish-less) salad, be sure to check out what I think about reversing diabetes in 30 days, plus my latest contest (over a $200 value!) and my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls. You might also enjoy some naturopathic teaching in Zeenat’s guest post about the healing properties of onion.
Gone raw – or want to – but don’t want to give up your beloved tuna salad? No problem! Just check out my raw tuna fish-less salad below. YUM! Pretty close to the real thing, don’t ya think?
This is an especially nice meal or snack for someone who can’t stand the fish smell/taste. You get the benefits of tuna salad (protein, omegas,vitamins, minerals, etc.) but not the fishy aroma or flavor. And you’re even getting zinc from the sunflower seeds! (Oops! I spilled the beans!)
Raw Juice Girl’s Tuna Fish-Less Himala Salad Recipe:
1 1/2 cups finely ground sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped (I used about 3/4 of that small onion)
17 (soaked) cashews, roughly chopped
small handful raw sunflower seeds (I didn’t take time to soak these)
avocado (half in the mix, half sliced for serving)
freshly ground Himala pink sea salt (to taste)
Himala organic garlic salt (to taste)
freshly ground Himala black peppercorns (to taste)
Just enough water to make the consistency of tuna salad
(I had a cereal-sized bowl of leftovers.)
Note for next time I make this: It needs more onion and some pickles. If you like pickles in your tuna salad and aren’t worried about being 100% raw, you could add canned pickles. If you are worried about staying purely raw, you could make some “fridge pickles” as my friend, Beth, pointed out.
Mix it Together
Serve with your favorite, sliced veggies – or dehydrated flax seed crackers (those are coming up soon!). Of course, you could also smear it on bread and have a sandwich but I try to avoid the bread-like stuff. If I don’t, I look like dough.
And there you have it. What do you think? Does it look like the real thing to you? Have you ever made mock tuna salad? Are you a vegetarian, vegan, or do you try to cut back on your meat intake (some people consider fish to be meat)? This is a great recipe for you, too – even if you aren’t a high-raw foodie.
The best thing about this tuna fish-less recipe is that it’s free of soy, gluten, dairy, and harsh chemicals/preservatives.
Himala Samples
And a ginormous thank you to Melissa Kushi from Himala Salt for sending me these beautiful, delicious samples! A full review of each product (and the extremely eco-friendly company is coming in the near future!)
First time visiting? Check out my latest contest (over a $200 value!) and my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls. You may also enjoy Zeenat’s guest post about the healing benefits of onions.
Sounds crazy, huh? Well, before you think I’m crazy just hear me out, please.
Raw Reflections
I had the amazing opportunity to review the Raw for Thirty and Raw for Life DVDs a while back. I still remember how raw and real the DVDs were.
Here’s a snippet of my thoughts from that review:
Simply Raw gives you a peek into the journey of six Americans who are battling diabetes. Some of them are also battling obesity. While staying at The Tree of Life in Arizona, under the supervision of Dr. Gabriel Cousens, the six individuals (with various diabetes levels and insulin problems) were carefully monitored and cared for.Looking into the lives of these people and watching their struggles, their honest attempts, and then more struggles as they tried to make it through the 30-day program just broke my heart. I’ve been obese morbidly obese. I know the pain. I know how discouraging it can be to wake up every morning with a heavy person weighing your life down and feeling like life is hopeless and like you can never, ever achieve the healthier, slimmer body you so desire.
I also used to be on diabetic medication because my blood sugar was atrocious. I related so much to the stories these people shared in this DVD. It was almost as if I were living my own morbid obesity and blood sugar problems all over again!
So, I absolutely believe in the power of raw foods and know from personal experience and my own journey that blood sugar can stabilize. I’ve lost over 100 pounds and am now eating 100% raw food–no more diabetic medication for me!
Raw Reality
Living with diabetes is no fun. And that’s why I wanted to let you know that for a short time, you can get a 50% discount on this DVD set about reversing diabetes! That’s right! That’s a HUGE savings!! And with money being so tight these days, that 50% savings is such a blessing for you – especially if you’re sick and tired of living with diabetes as the ruler of your life!
Raw Hope
Do check this DVD set out – even if you aren’t diabetic. I don’t believe you’ll be the same once you watch the stories and hear the experts chime in with facts.
Everyone’s bodies are different, so you may not be diabetic-free within 30 days BUT if you follow the raw food lifestyle, it’s a given that your blood sugar and other health issues should improve by the end of the 30 days. It depends on your weight and/or how bad your blood sugar levels are.
There IS hope for a better, more beautiful tomorrow, people. It lies within you to resurrect it and make it happen. Take this RAWsome opportunity to change your life. Who needs to wait until the new year to make resolutions and lifestyle changes?! Start today, so you’ll have your own raw reflections and health transformations to share with others!!
If this is your first time visiting, be sure to enter my latest contest for E3Live products (a value of over $200!) and check out my chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls. They’re easy (and fun!) to make.
And now I have a special surprise for you: We have a talented and inspiring guest today!
Zeenat Syal is sharing her wisdom of the healing benefits of raw onion. You know how I love the healing benefits of raw foods!
Take it away, Zeenat!
Onions – A Pungent Surprise of Natural Healing
The onion, a pungent edible of the lily family, is one of the oldest cultivated vegetables. It is considered food of exceptional value for flavoring and seasoning.
The onion is a biennial herb, usually grown as an annual. All its parts produce a strong odor when crushed. It has a superficial root system, a very short flattened stem at the base of the plant, which increases in diameter as growth continues. Leaves are long, linear and hollow. A bulb is formed by thickening of the leaf bases when the plant reaches a certain stage of growth.
The onion is believed to have originated in Central Asia, possibly in the Iran-Pakistan region. It has been cultivated since ancient times in the Middle East and India. It was a popular food in ancient Egypt, where it is depicted on the tombs as early as 3200 BC and has been found in mummies. Almost all religions in their holy scriptures have mentioned onions in some way or the other.
Onion is now cultivated in most parts of the world, including India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Burma, Philippines, China, Egypt, West and East Africa, tropical South and Central America and the Caribbean.
Food Value:
Onion which derived its name from the Latin Onio and French Oignon, has been described by some one as the dynamite of all natural foods. Compared with other fresh vegetables, it is relatively high in food value, moderate in protein content and is rich in calcium and riboflavin. There is considerable variation in composition between different varieties and it also varies with the stage of maturity and the length of storage.
The odor in onion is due to organic sulphur compounds, and is produced only when they are cut or injured, by enzyme action on a water-soluble amino acid. Heating, freezing and drying prevent the enzyme action. That is why cooking produces a different odor, flavor and pungency. The pungent flavor is appreciated by many people in many countries. The strong odor lingers for a considerable amount of time after consumption. It is said to be due to small particles retained is the mouth which cannot always be removed by brushing.
Onion is one of the vegetables which has the best keeping quality. The dried cured bulbs may be kept for several months without deterioration and can stand rough handling.
Natural Benefits and Curative Properties:
Onion is highly valued for its therapeutic properties. It has been used as a food remedy from time immemorial. The physicians of ancient Egypt prescribed onions in various diseases. They are stimulant, diuretic, expectorant and rubefacient.
The white onion is preferable to the red and yellow varieties. Onions should be taken with meals preferably raw as fried or cooked onions are comparatively difficult to digest. For therapeutic purposes, it is advisable to use onion juice instead of the whole onion as it is an all round medicine. Onion being stimulating and irritating food, its consumption in excess should be avoided.
Several parts of the plant have a place in traditional medicines. The seeds of onion relieve dental worms and urinary diseases. The stalks of onion are a source of Vitamin A, thiamin and ascorbic acid. They are used in both tender and mature stages.
*Onions*
Food Value Minerals and Vitamins
Moisture 86.6% Calcium 47mg
Protien 1.2% Phosphorous 50mg
Fat 0.1% Iron 0.7mg
Fibre 0.6% Vitamin C 11mg
Minerals 0.4% Small amount if Vitamin B Complex
Carbohydrates 11.1%
______
100% Calorific Value: 51
*Values 100 gms edible portion.
Respiratory Diseases:
Onion possesses expectorant properties. It liquefies phlegm and prevents its further formation. It has been used for centuries in cold, cough, bronchitis and influenza.
Tooth Disorders:
Onion also possesses bactericidal properties. Hence, consuming one raw onion everyday, chewing thoroughly, can protect you from a host of tooth disorders. Chewing raw onions for three minutes is sufficient to kill all the germs in the mouth. Toothache is often allayed by placing a small piece of onion on the bad tooth or gum.
Anemia:
Onions are noted for their easily assimilable iron content. They are therefore, beneficial in the treatment of anemia.
Heart Disease:
Onion is an excellent preventive food item against heart-attack. Its beneficial because of the composition of the essential oils, calcium, iron, phosphorous and vitamins. The onions are very valuable in heart diseases as they correct thrombosis and also reduce blood cholesterol.
Skin Disorders:
Onion is irritating to the skin and stimulates the circulation of blood in the mucous membranes. Warts also sometimes disappear if rubbed with cut onions. Roasted or otherwise, onions are applied as a poultice to boils, bruises, wounds, etc., to bring the boils to maturity by its heaty sensation.
Ear Disorders:
Onions juice dipped in cotton wool and put into the ear is a popular Russian remedy for ringing sound in the ears. Dropped hot in the ear, it relieves earache.
Urinary System Disorders:
Onions are highly beneficial in the treatment of urinary system disorders. Regular intake of onion juice will bring about considerable amount of relief to patients suffering from burning sensation as well as to patients suffering from urine retention.
Bleeding Piles:
Onions are a very valuable treatment in bleeding piles. Onion juice mixed with a pinch of sugar taken twice daily by the patient will bring relief in a few days.
Uses:
The onion can be used in innumerable ways. The immature and mature bulbs are eaten raw or they may be cooked and eaten as a vegetable. They are used in soups, salads, sauces and for seasoning many foods. They may also be fried. Onion oil, produced by steaming distillation, is used to a limited extent for flavoring foods.There has been an increasing demand, in recent years, for dehydrated onion products. The onions are sliced and dried. They are used for flavoring food and in canned meat products, sausages, canned and dried soups and ketchups. Dried onion flakes can be reconstituted by cooking in water. Chopped and dried green onions are a kind culinary herb for culinary purposes.
Zeenat Merchant Syal is a Practicing Counseling Psychologist & Naturopath with degrees in Motivational and Counseling Psychology. She also holds degrees in various fields of Holistic and Naturopathic Medicine. Her Blog “Positive Provocations” focuses on Positive Thinking through Healing the Mind, Body, Heart &Soul-Trying to heal the world one blog post at a time-Spreading Positivity, Motivations, Inspiration, Love & Happiness.
Thank you so much, Zeenat!
Okay, y’all. Get busy adding those onions to your meals and enjoying their natural healing benefits!
And be sure to stop by Zeenat’s blog. She’s so inspiring and knowledgeable. Her posts are a joy to read and I know you’ll be glad you took the time to visit her!
(Onion) photo credit: Vic Lic
If you’re just tuning in, be sure to check out my review of E3Live and also my thoughts on BrainOn. And a huge thank you to the folks at www.E3Live.com for sponsoring the first contest where one LUCKY reader will be receiving a prize valued at over $200!
Chocolate-Covered Katie’s Mission
This post is in honor of Chocolate-Covered Katie’s Charity Page View Drive: Operation Chocolate-Covered Kindness
Katie is doing a fantabulous job of spreading kindness. Let’s help her out!!
In honor of the chocolate theme (and y’all know how much I love chocolate!) I thought I’d share a few recipes. Only one is mine, but I think you’ll like the others I mention, too!
Chocolate-Covered Recipes
Katie has a long list of chocolate-covered recipes on her blog. You’ll want to browse through ‘em all! Not only will you come across delicious treats you can whip up for yourself and your family and/or friends, but you’ll be helping Katie raise money for charity while you’re looking!
For starters, you might enjoy perusing her Fudge Babies. Oh, yeah! If that isn’t enough to drive you chocolate bonkers, feast your eyes on All Things Oatmeal, Pancake Pandemonium, The Pudding Files, or the Most Popular. Of course, there are tons more. Enjoy!
Oh, and you might want to grab a napkin before you dig through her recipe archives – you just might drool!
Averie’s Chocolate Fudge Balls
The amazing Averie is always, always whipping up the most RAWsome Vegan desserts over at Love Veggies & Yoga. She creates the most decadent, sinful looking (yet healthy!!!) treats over there. She’s an incredible inspiration, from her years of yoga practice, to her ability to juggle day-to-day chaos with a toddler, she manages to be wife, momma, blogger, reviewer, keeps a spotless home, and even hosts contests for her readers! But back to those delicious desserts… Her latest: 3-Ingredient Dark Chocolate Fudge Balls
I haven’t tried Averie’s chocolate ball recipes yet, but I will soon.
Jocelyn’s Brownie Batter Balls
Jocelyn blogs at Jocelyn Eats Fresh. I’m sooooooooooooo proud of her because although her blog posts are often upbeat and inspiring, she’s worked very, very hard at overcoming an eating disorder. She is finding a beautiful balance of healthy foods and also allows herself to splurge sometimes on the not-so-healthy stuff so she won’t find herself feeling the need to go back to those old, harmful habits. She has an “everything in moderation” mentality and it’s working wonders for her body, mind, and soul. She’s a beautiful person, inside and out, and is losing weight the slow, right way. You’re doing a great job, Jocelyn. Keep up the great work!!!
Anyway, I knew I had to try out Jocelyn’s cool creation when I happened upon her Raw Chocolate Brownie Batter Balls. I didn’t have the exact ingredients she used, so I switched it up a little. Or, well, a lot!
And Raw Juice Girl’s version…
Chocolate-Covered Raisin Hemp Balls
This recipe made 14 chocolate balls. It probably would have made 16 or 17. Um… Oops!! *giggles*
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 1/2 cups raisins
- 6 tablespoons Dark Chocolate Hemp Powder (www.manitobaharvest.com)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon agave (or so)
I had to add a dash more almond flour and a little water to try to get the right consistency. I should have used the food processor, I think. I used the blender instead. Hmmmm…. Or, I needed to start with more liquid.
No worries… they turned out YUMMY!!!
Manitoba Harvest Chocolate Hemp
Oh my goodness y’all… The dark chocolate hemp powder from www.manitobaharvest.com is DIVINE!!! So far, I’ve enjoyed it in a smoothie and these chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls. It’s fantabulous to get your hemp protein in via chocolate. YUM-O!!!!!
You can expect a full review on the product itself in an upcoming post.
Roll the dough into balls
Then wash your hands!
And enjoy! Yum!!!
Good, and Good For You!
And that’s it! If you love chocolate-covered raisins, you’ll LOVE these chocolate-covered raisin hemp balls. You’re getting a chocolate (and a snack) fix!
AND hemp is full of whole food nutrition:
“ALL Essential Amino Acids (Protein), Omega-3 and Omega-6 Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs), and both soluble and insoluble dietary fibre.”– www.manitobaharvest.com
You’ll also be gobbling up antioxidants, boron, calcium, vitamin C, iron… (from the raisins). And the almonds are giving you manganese, vitamin E, magnesium, tryptophan, copper, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), phosphorus…
My goodness, that little chocolate-covered raisin hemp ball packs a powerful punch. I could take a beating (or two!) from these yummy treats. Yep, I could!!!
Don’t forget about Chocolate-Covered Katie’s Charity Page View Drive: Operation Chocolate-Covered Kindness
Contest Alert!!!!
Katie (as in, Chocolate-Covered Katie I mentioned above) is having a Your-Choice Giveaway
Leslie (from Leslie Loves Veggies) is also having a contest: KALLARI Chocolate {Giveaway} 3 Winners
Win a mixed case of Chobani Greek yogurt over at The Actor’s Diet Blog.
And… don’t forget about the awesome giveaway I’m hosting. Prizes are valued at OVER $200!!!!
Latest Package for Review!
I have lots of awesome posts planned for these yummy products!!!
Visit www.NuNaturals.com to learn more about their line of sweeteners, extracts, and other health supplements.
Thank you, NuNaturals!!!
Resources:
If you’re just tuning in, be sure to check out my review of E3Live and also my thoughts on BrainOn. And a huge thank you to the folks at www.E3Live.com for sponsoring this contest!!! It’s the first contest where y’all will be receiving a prize over $200 in value!
It’s here! It’s here!!
It’s time to give away FIVE bottles of E3Live and a shaker cup with that super cool ice wand to keep your juice or smoothie cool as a cucumber!
Eeeekkk!!!!
Here’s what you’ll win (over a $200 value!!!!):
3 bottles of E3Live
2 bottles of BrainOn
E3Live Quick Shake Cooler Cup with ice wand
There are TWELVE ways to enter the E3Live contest:
Note: Please leave a comment for each thing you do (tweet, plurk, etc.) because each comment will be counted as a number when I enter the total number of comments at Random.org once the contest ends. (Don’t just say “thanks for the contest” or something like that–I do not publish those type of comments because they seem like spam and aren’t fair to the other contestants who leave a thoughtful, genuine answer.) Thanks!
- Visit www.E3Live.com (by clicking on the above photo) and take a look around. Leave a comment sharing any of their other products you’d like to try–and why, if you’d like to add a reason.
- Do you use Twitter? Tweet about this contest and then leave a comment with your Twitter name. You can swipe this tweet: RT @RawJuiceGirl is giving away FIVE bottles of @E3Live products + a shaker cup! ( http://tinyurl.com/yjxdnl7 ) Win over a $200 value!!
- Do you Plurk? Plurk about this contest and leave a comment with your Plurk URL.
- Share this contest on your blog, linking back to this post. (The pingback will be counted as an extra entry.) If you don’t see your pingback, just email me at healingwithjuices at gmail.com and let me know. It may have gone to spam for some reason.
- Add Healing with Juices to your favorites on Technoratori. Comment again to let me know, with a link to your technoratori profile to show you added me.
- Follow @E3Live on Twitter.
- Are you a Stumbler? Stumble and review any post you want to–just leave the link to your SU review in (its own) comment.
- Do you have a Digg account? Digg one of my posts. Take your pick. Come back and leave a comment on this post with a link to your Digg post.
- Leave a comment on my review of E3Live post. Come back here and leave a comment letting me know you did that.
- Leave a comment on my review of BrainOn post. Come back and let me know you did.
- If you have Facebook or some other social media account, I’ll accept that as an extra entry. Just share the link to this contest on that site and leave the link here in the comments to let me know you did.
- Follow me or friend me on any of the social media sites for an extra entry. If you follow or friend me on more than one social media site, simply add an extra comment sharing that you did.
NOTE: Please leave a comment for each entry. Each comment equals an entry number.
ANYONE can enter this contest. You DO NOT have to be in the United States. Oh, and I’ll be using Random.org to choose the winner….
And did I mention the winner will be receiving a prize that’s valued at over $200???!!!
Contest ends Sunday, November 22nd, at 9 p.m. (Central Time). That gives you TWO weeks to get your entries in. Hurry and spread the word. The more entries you have, the higher your chances of winning!!!
Let the contest begin!!!!
