How’ve ya been doing? I know you probably thought Raw Juice Girl “flew the coop” but I didn’t. I’ve just been busy as a little worker bee doing all sorts of cool stuff – including gardening and writing about gardening!

I’ve also been hunting for treasures (which I’ve found!) for unique container gardening. I’m so excited to be growing yummy goodies to eat. Not only is gardening fun and healthy exercise, it’s rawsome to be able to eat produce you’ve grown yourself.

First up, is an old wheelbarrow that was full of junk. I knew right away it was a treasure that could be filled with rich soil and that it would make a wonderful home for produce of some sort.

Now that I think about it, strawberries would have loved living here, but pepper plants it was: cayenne, jalapeño, and sweet bell peppers to be exact.

Before

After

Note two things:

1. The recycled trash can lid turned upside-down in order to lift the bottom and result in using less soil.
2. That the wheelbarrow is now PINK – my all-time favorite color!

(I blogged about my “Pink Pepper Patch” here!)

Next up is an old shelf that was laying in someone’s yard and would have literally just rotted away to nothingness. I could envision a fantabulous raised garden bed and just had to have it!

Thanks to my sweet husband, with some scraps of thin plywood nailed on the back to make a bottom, I was in business….

Before

After

On each end of the above raised garden bed is yellow crooked neck squash (four plants on each end).

Along the back, is four cucumber plants.

Down the three center rows is tomatoes (green zebra striped and beefsteak). I’ve never grown green zebra striped tomatoes. I bought them from a lady down the road. They’re supposed to stay green even after they mature. Now, she also sold me some Ananas Noir tomatoes – more about that in a future post.

Squash Blooms Already!

Tomato Blooms!

(I blogged about How Gardening with Grandma as a Child Brings Writing Success Today HERE!)

Lastly is an old, rusty washtub. Oh, the joy!  This beauty was lost in the weeds and it just spoke to me. Yep, it did. It said, “Michele, you need me. I’ll grow delicious spinach and basil for you!”

It won my heart over. (I blogged about the story: Grandma’s Washtub Transformed!)

Before

After

And so it grows….

What about you? Are you a gardener? Have you discovered the peace and joy of gardening? Do you love garden-fresh produce? Do you remember gardening as a child? What’s your favorite veggie or fruit?  How has life been treating you? I’ve missed you so – fill me in!

Keep your eyes peeled for more gardening adventures!

Hope your weekend was RAWsome! Here we are – another Meatless Monday.

Just for the record, I didn’t start participating in Meatless Monday because I eat meat six days a week. I eat a high-raw (mostly) vegan/vegetarian diet – except for occasional honey, Greek yogurt, eggs, or a teeny bit of fish.

I thought it would be nice to show those of you who DO eat quite a bit of meat – especially if you eat it daily – that you can absolutely dedicate one day each week to being meatless. And that it doesn’t have to be tasteless or boring or all about just lettuce.

And I hope those of you who eat like me already enjoy the posts and maybe even pick up some new ideas along the way.

Anyway…

It really blesses my soul that you’re loving my recipe creations!

Here’s some of the most recent ones, in case you’ve missed ‘em:

• Rainbow Grass
• Black Smoothie
• Raw Rainbow Wraps

Here’s a sneak peek of what today’s post is about….

But before I get in to that, let’s talk about my last post.

Wow. Y’all really loved my Spiralized Apple Pasta with Nutty Sauce. Thanks for all your lovely comments, and for letting me know whether or not you have a spiralizer, if you want one, and what you’ve spiralized. I enjoyed the conversation!

I made Ani Phyo’s Sun Burgers a while back. This was before I got her book. I found the recipe on her blog (here <—was going to link to it but now I can’t find it???) but if you decide to buy the book, it’s on pages 194 –195. And it’s become one of my favorite raw recipe books: Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen: Easy, Delectable Living Foods Recipes.

And since I found it on the web, I printed it out and clipped it up on the chain that goes to the light above the kitchen table, with clothes pins (hehe). Guess that’s the country in me.

Sunflower Seeds

Chopped Celery

Bell Pepper

Flax (I sell high-quality flax in my Raw Shop!)

Scored to make 4 patties (like Rachael Ray does it!)

I actually tasted the mixture before putting it in to the dehydrator and thought it needed to be kicked up a notch. So, I added some organic Mexican Seasoning I had on hand and that did the trick for me!

In the Dehydrator (Also in my Raw Shop!) 

After this, I decided to pop ‘em back in the dehydrator for a bit to get it a little more browned, ‘cause that’s how I like my veggie burgers. And I ate it without bread, with sliced tomato, ‘cause I’m like that.

And what’s the eco-friendly twist?

You can whip up some raw veggie burgers for yourself and use the super-cool Easy Lunch Box System for fun, easy – and green! – transporting. Take it to work, school, a picnic, or on a trip. I really love mine!

You can read my (in-depth) review HERE.

Have you ever made homemade veggie burgers? Did you dehydrate ‘em, fry ‘em, or bake ‘em? Do you have a dehydrator? What’s your favorite veggie(s) to add to veggie burgers? Do you stick with store-bought ones? Which do you prefer: store-bought  or homemade veggie burgers? Me: homemade all the way!

And…

Have you entered my Aurorae Yoga-sponsored giveaway?

So…. you’re waiting to see if you won, right?

CLICK HERE to find out who won the creamy, decadent, raw, wild honey!!!

And if you caught it, you’ll remember I mentioned that I’d be sharing a fun (green!) recipe later today. Well, I didn’t forget… just got myself into a pickle and actually thought I might have to waste food. I’m NOT one to waste food so it took me a while to regroup and try to figure out how to save these ingredients, but I did it!

Originally, I planned on making a Saint Patrick’s Day version of the raw cheese I’ve seen around the web for a while now. I’ve noticed raw foodies using soaked cashews or macadamia nuts and mixing the nuts with either an orange or a red bell pepper and seasonings (and sometimes even more ingredients) to make a raw cheese sauce.

Well, I thought I’d had a “brainstorm” and would replace the red/orange bell pepper with a green one – for green cheese, in honor of Saint Patrick’s Day!

Yeah, that didn’t work out so well.

I know it isn’t because of the green bell pepper. I tried to make this recipe in the food processor because I didn’t think the blender would do such a great job with the nuts. Maybe I should’ve tried because all I ended up with was a mixture of chunky bell pepper and cashews. I had added sea salt and a pinch of cayenne like a lot of recipes recommended. But it just wasn’t getting creamy like I’d seen across the blogosphere.

What to do?

I let the mixture sit in the food processor while I sorted it out in my head.

Hmmm… To waste, or not to waste. I almost tossed this in to that new “Raw Flops” category I created a while back. But at this point, I figured I’d just try to add a few things and see what happened.

Rewind.

Before I discovered my mixture wasn’t getting smooth (or maybe I didn’t wait long enough?) I started documenting my recipe.

Green Bell Pepper + Soaked Cashews

Chopped

In the Food Processor

After this, I started processing the ingredients and when I realized I wasn’t coming out with the smooth, green cheese I’d envisioned, I forgot to take a photo of the chunky mixture!

Okay, back to where I was with adding ingredients to try to save my concoction…

The full recipe is at the end of this post but basically, I threw in a splash of almond milk, added a little more salt, some freshly ground black pepper, and some minced garlic.

And with a little determination – and perhaps a little luck

this was born:

Raw, Green (Vegan) Chicken(less) Salad!

I gave it this name because when I dared take a tiny taste (I was getting scared, y’all!) it tasted similar to chicken salad! Eeek! My raw flop isn’t a flop after all – it’s a happy accident; a blessing in disguise!

And the photo doesn’t show just how green it was. I love its color.

I had planned on serving the raw (green) cheese with broccoli, celery and cucumber sticks, but after all the hassle – and cleaning up my mess! – I just ate a small bowl of this and called it a night.

Raw, Green (Vegan) Chicken(less) Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 medium bell pepper
• 1 cup (soaked) cashews
• pinch cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste
• minced garlic to taste
• splash almond milk (just for smooth sailing in the food processor)

Directions:

1. Chop bell pepper (or celery).
2. Add (drained) soaked cashews.
3. Toss in cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, garlic, and almond milk.
4. Blend until you get the consistency you enjoy.

Uses:

• Serve with veggies, as a dip.
• Spread on crackers.
• Smear on bread like a real chicken salad sandwich.
• Smear on a tortilla and make a yummy wrap.
• You might even sneak a spoonful straight from the bowl!

Note: Next time I make this, I’ll use celery instead of bell pepper and add onion.

Of course, if I would have intentionally set out to make raw chicken(less) salad, I’d have used celery – not bell pepper – and I’d have added onion (similar to my Raw Tuna Fish-Less Salad). Yum! You know what I’ll be making for quick meals from now on.

AND…

Just so I knew I wasn’t just tired and crazy (LOL!) I had a couple of family members taste my creation. I didn’t tell ‘em what it was. Wanna know their reaction? Of course you do!

I saw big eyes and shocked faces, and heard: “It tastes like chicken salad!”

Bingo! I had saved my ingredients. Phew!

Updated on 3/18/10 to add: I’m getting requests for more!

Have you ever started out making one recipe and ended up with something totally different? Was it edible? Have you had happy accidents in the kitchen? If so, don’t you love ‘em? And what about the raw cheese? Did I just not wait long enough? Does it only work in a Vita-Mix? Chime in, wise ones, chime in!

And I hope you had a fantabulous Saint Patrick’s Day!

Coming Next

• Health Benefits of Blackstrap Molasses – And Why I Drink It
• Tart Cherry Concentrate Health Benefits – And Why I Drink It
• More reviews and giveaways!

Contest Alerts

• Averie, over at Love Veggies & Yoga, is having a raw food book giveaway.
• I’m giving away a jar of Tropical Traditions raw honey.

On to original post…

Note: There is SO much to my health history and story in general, it was especially difficult to focus this post on only RA and Fibromyalgia. I hope I’ve managed to successfully share this with you, though – and not just ramble.

I recently mentioned that I was going to share more information on living with Fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis, so here it is…

I was diagnosed with both Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia in my mid-twenties. (I was also diagnosed with debilitating migraines, depression, PCOS/Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, and endured other grueling health issues (like Candida and colon problems) but in order to keep to a bit of sense to this post, I’m sticking to the RA and Fibromyalgia today.)

This came after barely escaping domestic violence and enduring countless tests, doctors visits, and excruciating pain.

I’ve never shared to the full extent of just how horrific that time in my life was. I do plan on sharing everything in a book someday.

When I was diagnosed, I couldn’t believe it. Arthritis AND Fibromyalgia? But I was so young?! How could it be???

(Source)

Of course, it all made sense: the chronic (and never-ending) muscle spasms, sharp pain, awkwardness with trying to use my hands to do simple tasks (like hold a drinking glass!) and much more.

My hand-eye coordination was the pits – basically non-existent. When I was able to walk, I had to drag my right leg – my hip just wouldn’t cooperate. Things got so bad, I began to lose the ability to move easily. I could no longer hold a drinking glass, write with a pen, or fold laundry – and I woke up one morning and simply couldn’t get out of bed; couldn’t move; couldn’t roll over. Nothing. I became bedridden.

If my mom hadn’t nursed me during that time (brought me meals, drinks, helped bathe me, helped me to the bathroom – everything) I’d have ended up living in a nursing home. I’m not even kidding, people. Not even.

I had so many health issues in my mid-twenties that some doctors I went to literally thought I might not make it to see the age of 30. One doctor told me to my face: If you don’t do something – and quickly – you’re going to die.

At that point, I was right at 300 pounds with horrific levels: blood pressure, blood sugar, hormones, cholesterol – the works.

Now, I know some of you may think I ate myself into a Bolivian because of depression/stress brought on by barely escaping domestic violence – but that isn’t true. While I wasn’t eating tons of fresh raw veggies during that time (it was very hard times and there were lots of meals that consisted of packaged noodles, if ya know what I mean ) most of the weight gain was due to my lack of mobility, side effects from prescription medications and shots, and also stress.

Die? Going to die? In my 20s? AFTER escaping domestic violence? How could it be?

I was scared, folks. Really, really scared. I cried. I was angry. I couldn’t believe that God would spare my life from the nightmare of my abuser – only to let me die from the after-effects of stress, obesity, and all that came with it.

I couldn’t accept it. I didn’t want to die. I had come too far. Way too far.

I wouldn’t give up!

Things are MUCH better now, but I still have bad days and painful times.

For example, there are days I have tried to spend a lot of time in the garden or have done too much sweeping/mopping/walking, etc., and have ended up rotating an ice pack on different parts of my back and am literally in tears because the pain is so bad.

Hope

I finally realized that if I didn’t get my mind above the condition my body was in, I wasn’t going to make it – I was caving. I was giving in to the symptoms, the pain, the depression. No, my future didn’t look positive. No, I didn’t feel good. I hurt. I ached. I didn’t sleep. I cried. Some days I wanted to die. It was that bad. Other days I was afraid I would die. And I didn’t want to.

Mind over matter tips that inspired me to keep going:

• I wrote positive thoughts in notebooks, journals, or on loose scraps of paper.
• I eliminated toxic people from my life.
• I hung on to every word of positive quotes and encouraging Bible verses.
• And most importantly, I prayed – and believed – with all my heart.

The verse that especially pulled me through and still has a most special place in my heart, is Proverbs 17:22 (KJV)

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

I had to find joy in my situation. Yes, I was in agonizing pain – but I was ALIVE! I had survived domestic violence and I didn’t live through it only to whither away from illness and negativity.

When I did focus my mind on the positive, my life began to change. Yes, it was an uphill battle all the way. It still is. I can’t eat like other people, or I literally feel the pain of increased inflammation. And when I do fall off the wagon and “cheat” on foods I know my body can’t process, I pay for it with pain and feeling blech.

What I physically changed in order for the symptoms to fade dramatically:

• quit drinking soda
• cut out all white sugar, flour, and processed foods
• ate fruit sparingly, stuck mostly to berries
• added a TON of fresh, raw veggies
• started drinking raw juices and juice fasting
• started taking herbal supplements
• started drinking herbal tea
• began cleansing my entire body – especially my colon
• started drinking apple cider vinegar (with Mother/living enzymes) every single day
• started drinking tart cherry concentrate every single day, up to 3 x a day
• started taking probiotics daily
• and more

(Source)

What I physically do to maintain the decreased symptoms now:

• eat a high-raw (mostly vegan) diet
• drink raw juices and smoothies
• eat minimal fruit
• yoga
• drink herbal teas
• take herbal remedies
• continue to cleanse my body/colon as I feel the need
• take apple cider vinegar with Mother daily
• take tart cherry concentrate daily
• drink lots of water
• avoid soy
• avoid agave (post coming next to explain this)
• use stevia as a sweetener
• walk
• try to get enough sleep
• blog (because it brings great joy to my life, it seems to help my health overall)
• consume healthy fats and oils
• try to start every day by drinking warm lemon water on an empty stomach
• still take probiotics often

Natural vs Western

I mostly manage my pain with my high-raw (mostly vegan) diet, herbal tonics, apple cider vinegar with Mother, tart cherry concentrate, and yoga but there have been times I simply cannot tolerate the pain and I will (reluctantly) take an Ibuprofen or similar over-the-counter pill. I try not to, though. I personally gave up on Western medicine because I tried so many different pills and shots, I got tired of the side effects. It just wasn’t worth it to me.

I don’t judge people who go the Western medicine route, though, because I know what it’s like to suffer with horrible health issues and we all have to listen to our bodies, make the best choice we can at any given time, and be kind not only to ourselves, but to others. I’m a firm believer in the fact that we don’t know what someone else is going through unless we’ve walked a mile in their shoes – and even then, we all react differently.

Root Cause/Cure

Some of you wanted me to share my opinions on the root cause of RA/Fibromyalgia and a cure. And that’s exactly what this is: my OPINION. That’s it.

So, here goes…

I personally believe that the root cause is inflammation. I believe processed foods, sugar, antibiotics, yeast, etc., contributes to out-of-control inflammation. I know immediately how much – or little – inflammation is raging in my body at any given time. I’ve learned to listen to my body and because of that, and my high-raw (mostly vegan) diet, I can manage my symptoms so well that it’s ALMOST like it is cured.

And when I’m juice fasting, I feel SO light – and I don’t mean weight; I mean inflammation. Make sense?

The Happy “Ending”

It seems silly to think of my current status as a “happy ending” because I feel my life is only beginning! I’ll be 35 this summer and just thinking of that is a breath of fresh air. I’ve lost over 100 pounds and gone are the days of not being able to hold a drinking glass – I can now type, write with a pen, and even thread a needle!!!

From this

(And this wasn’t even my heaviest!)

To this

And never in a million years did I EVER think I’d be sharing such inspiration and encouragement from this side of the screen because I remember countless times searching online (with tear-filled eyes) for any ounce of hope that my health might improve – that’s how I was led to juice fasting, and what prompted me to start this blog.

Do you suffer with RA or Fibromyalgia? How do you manage your symptoms? Do you just go the Western medical route? If so, do you supplement prescription meds with alternative remedies, a balanced diet, herbal teas, cleansing? Do you only seek natural methods for healing? Do you find relief in exercise – like walking, running, yoga, swimming, etc.? Can you relate to my experiences of battling illness at such a young age? And if you’re suffering tremendously right now and feel there is no hope of getting better, has my story encouraged you to keep trying different things, and to keep fighting no matter what? Did I leave anything out? Share your stories, tips, thoughts, opinions, pain, triumphs, and let’s glean from one another!

The sky is the limit!

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

Updated to add the winner

I’m excited to announce that we have a winner!! I used Random.org like always, to select a winner. Mr. Random chose comment #158…

Who is the lucky author of comment #158, you ask??? Why, that’d be Amanda!

Amanda said:

 

I stumbled the site. http://bit.ly/bgnP8n

I just need you to email me with your mailing address so Tropical Traditions can get your package out to you right away.

Congrats, Amanda!!!!

Remember the review I recently wrote about Tropical Traditions Certified Organic, Raw, Wild Honey? Well, the very generous folks at Tropical Traditions have decided to allow one of you, my fantabulous readers, to win your very own 17.6 ounce jar! Eeeek!

In case you’re just tuning in, or missed that post, here’s a recap of the recipes I created with this superb honey:

Chocolate Banana Avocado Pudding

(See full recipe with instructions and photos here .)

Happy Hemp Honey Holes

(See full recipe with instructions and photos here.)

Coconut PB Honey Overnight Oats

(See full recipe with instructions and photos here.)

Inside-Out Coconut Peanut Butter Cups

(See full recipe with instructions and photos here .)

And my recipe was also published on the Tropical Traditions website!!! <— I’m really excited about that, and very proud.

Search for tons of awesome recipes by clicking the banner:

Please read the contest rules before entering. Comments are moderated so you won’t see your entries right away. Thanks!

Contest Rules

This contest is open to U.S. and Canada residents only – sorry International readers!

There are only TWO required entries for this contest – but if you REALLY want to win, there are several (fun) extra ways you can enter following these required options:

Required entry #1

Subscribe to the Tropical Traditions email Sales Newsletter here: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com/subscribe_for_special_sales.cfm and come back to this post and leave a comment, letting me know that you did.

Required entry #2

Visit www.tropicaltraditions.com and come back here and leave a comment, letting me know which product (or recipe) is something you’d love to try.

There are 20 ways to enter this contest!!

** You must complete the above two entries before the following ones count.**

AND… If you want to put in a little extra effort….

(and receive a LOT of extra entries – aka chances to win) keep reading…

Numerous ways to get extra entries!

Note: The reason I ask you to leave a comment for EACH, SEPARATE entry is because I enter the total number of comments at random.org once the contest has ended – and each comment represents your entry number.

3. For FIVE EXTRA ENTRIES, share this contest on your blog, linking back to this post. Leave FIVE SEPARATE COMMENTS to let me know you did.(Yep, you’ll really leave FIVE different comments for this so you’ll be able to get five extra entries. )

4. Become a fan of Tropical Traditions on Facebook. Then, come back here and leave a comment to let me know you did that – or that you already are.

5. Become a fan of Raw Juice Girl on Facebook. Leave a comment on this post saying you did -or that you already are.

6. Follow Healing with (Raw) Juices on Facebook’s Networked Blogs. Leave a comment on this post saying that you did – or do.

7. Do you use Twitter? Follow @RawJuiceGirl on Twitter. Comment on this post, saying you did – or do.

8. Follow @TropTraditions on Twitter. Leave a comment on this post that you did that.

9. Tweet about this contest and then leave a comment with your Twitter name. Use this tweet:

@RawJuiceGirl is giving away #raw #wild #honey from @TropTraditions Enter now: http://goo.gl/fb/XpMG

Then, leave a comment that you did – with your Twitter name or status link.

FOR EVEN MORE ENTRIES: For tweets, Facebook shares, or Plurk you may share the contest up to 5 times a day, but each tweet/share must be 1-2 hours or so after the previous one. (Thanks so much for understanding my position of keeping things fair and square, y’all!)

10. Subscribe to Healing with (Raw) Juices via e-mail (sign up here) – be sure to verify your subscription or this entry won’t count. Then comment and let me know you did – or that you already are.

11. Subscribe to Healing with (Raw) Juices via RSS (sign up here). Then leave a comment telling me you did – or that you are.

12. Subscribe to my brand-new newsletter (sign up here). Then comment here and let me know you did – or that you area.

13. Do you Plurk? Plurk about this contest and leave a comment with your Plurk URL.

14. Add me as a friend on Wellsphere . Leave a comment saying that you did- or do. 15. Add me as a friend on RawFu. Leave a comment saying that you did- or that you area.

16. Add me as a friend on Give it to Me Raw. Leave a comment saying that you did- or that you are.

17. Subscribe to Raw Juice Girl’s YouTube channel. Leave a comment saying that you did- or that you are.

18. Are you a Stumbler? Stumble and review any post you want to–just leave the link to your SU review in (its own) comment.

19. Do you have a Digg account? Digg this post. Come back and leave a comment on this post with a link to your Digg post.

20. Visit Tropical Traditions blog. Come back here and leave a comment sharing which of their newest products you’d most like to try.

NOTE: Please leave a comment for each entry (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.

Deadline

Contest ends Wednesday, March 31. I’ll accept comments until midnight. (Central Time). Winner will be posted Thursday, April 1.

That gives you THREE WEEKS to get your entries in. Hurry and spread the word. The more entries you have, the higher your chances of winning a delicious jar of Tropical Traditions Certified Organic, Raw, Wild, Unprocessed Honey!!!

Let the contest begin!!!

Can’t wait?

Check out the Referral Option:

If you’d like to join the Tropical Traditions Healthy Buyer’s Club, visit www.healthybuyersclub.com/orderform.cfm

And enter Raw Juice Girl’s User ID number: 4845073

By following these steps, you will receive a complimentary copy of the book Virgin Coconut Oil: How it has changed people’s lives and how it can change yours! by Brian and Marianita Shilhavy.

Your sponsor (that’d be me! ) will receive a coupon for a complimentary gift to redeem on their next order.

You may view the current complimentary gift being offered here: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com//referral_program.htm

Further instructions can be found here.

Thanks again to www.tropicaltraditions.com!

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

I already reviewed the coconut peanut butter. If you’d like to read that in-depth review, click here.

And now on to my thoughts on raw honey…

It’s Raw!

You know I have a soft spot for raw foods and their healing benefits. This honey would be RAWsome in a smoothie, y’all – especially if you’re wanting added sweetness to hide the taste of kale!

From the site:

Tropical Traditions Organic Raw Honey comes from the frontier areas of Canada, and is only harvested during a 6-week period in the summer. Tropical Traditions is the exclusive source of this premium organic honey in the U.S. Most commercial honeys available on the market today come from bee farms, where the bees are controlled within a certain area and get their pollen from usually only one kind of flower. Many of the plants that produce these flowers (clover, orange blossom, etc.) are grown with pesticides and fertilizers as well. In addition, almost all honeys on the market are pasteurized in high heat and filtered, removing many of the beneficial nutrients and enzymes.

Tropical Traditions Organic Raw Honey has not been subjected to the heat of processing, only warmed enough to flow (same temperatures the honey would see inside the hive). We select only premium honey that is pure, smooth and creamy, with the consistency of soft margarine at harvest. It contains live yeast and enzymes, because it has not been processed. It also contains pollen because it has not been filtered—merely screened.

Fine textured crystals are characteristic of totally pure, unheated, unprocessed, raw honey. Properly crystallized honey has a fine, smooth texture. Crystallized honey preserves natural goodness and doesn’t drip. The more rapidly honey crystallizes the finer the texture will be. It will also turn harder over time as it crystallizes. Truly raw honeys do not deteriorate with age, but like fine wines, continue to age and develop into more complex tastes.

Some of you wondered why Tropical Traditions raw honey is solid – and not liquid/runny like you see in stores. I hope the above information helps you understand.

Fun Fact!

“Honey has been used since ancient times both as a food and as a medicine. Apiculture, the practice of beekeeping to produce honey, dates back to at least 700 BC. For many centuries, honey was regarded as sacred due to its wonderfully sweet properties as well as its rarity. It was used mainly in religious ceremonies to pay tribute to the gods, as well as to embalm the deceased. Honey was also used for a variety of medicinal and cosmetic purposes. For a long time in history, its use in cooking was reserved only for the wealthy since it was so expensive that only they could afford it.”—WH Foods

It’s (Certified) Organic!

I know for most of you, consuming (certified) organic foods is a priority. It’s not always easy to find certified organic products but when we do, it’s a blessing!

From the site:

In order for honey to be certified organic, the beehives must be placed in isolated areas miles from the dense population, industry, traffic congestion, and farm fields treated with chemicals and landfills. Second, a bee’s flying range is determined by their natural instinct which tells them to stay within their natural four mile range from the hive location. Finding area which can be certified organic is extremely difficult, which is why there are so few certified organic honeys on the market. Tropical Traditions sources its honey from hives in the wild frontier areas of Canada.

These regions are a rich source of wild vegetation that produce some of the finest honey in the world. The USDA and Canadian Organic Certification implies a rigorous set of standards and conditions that must be adhered to by both the producer (beekeeper) and the packager. All aspects of the honey production including the source of the nectar, forage area of the bees, management of the bees, extracting process, transportation, “lot” management, processing temperature, integrity (no co-mingling with non-organic honey), screening, and, packaging materials, are taken into account in the certification process.

17.6 oz. glass jar
Retail: $17.50

15 lb. pail
Retail: $160.00

Health Benefits

Raw honey is anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial and has been known to help:

• alleviate sore, raw throats
• coughing
• allergies
• heal wounds
• fight against free radicals
• lower cholesterol
• increase energy
• improve athletic performance
• boost the immune system
• and more!

“Phytonutrients found both in honey and propolis have been shown to posssess cancer-preventing and anti-tumor properties. These substances include caffeic acid methyl caffeate, phenylethyl caffeate, and phenylethyl dimethylcaffeate. Researchers have discovered that these substances prevent colon cancer in animals by shutting down activity of two enzymes, phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C and lipoxygenase. When raw honey is extensively processed and heated, the benefits of these phytonutrients are largely eliminated.”—WH Foods

Raw honey is also a wonderful natural beauty treatment. Smear some on your face and let the raw goodness seep into your pores.

Diabetics don’t have to fear raw honey either:

“Honey may promote better blood sugar control. Proper fueling of the liver is central to optimal glucose metabolism during sleep and exercise. Honey is the ideal liver fuel because it contains a nearly 1:1 ratio of fructose to glucose. Fructose "unlocks" the enzyme from the liver cell’s nucleus that is necessary for the incorporation of glucose into glycogen (the form in which sugar is stored in the liver and muscle cells). An adequate glycogen store in the liver is essential to supply the brain with fuel when we are sleeping and during prolonged exercise. When glycogen stores are insufficient, the brain triggers the release of stress hormones – adrenalin and cortisol – in order to convert muscle protein into glucose. Repeated metabolic stress from cortisol produced when less than optimal liver glycogen stores are available during sleep, leads over time, to impaired glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, diabetes, and increased risk for cardiovascular disease and obesity.”—WH Foods

Also, Whole Foods says: “Although our food ranking system did not qualify honey as a dense source of traditional nutrients, it did emerge as a source of vitamin B2, vitamin B6, iron and manganese.”

Pros

As you can see, Tropical Traditions honey is raw, certified organic, and is super high quality, so I know it’s not only chock-full of sweet deliciousness – every smidgen is bursting with health benefits and energy.

I personally love that the raw honey is solid. It’s fun to use and all you have to do to keep the raw enzymes intact and turn it into liquid, is simply put the amount you need in a small bowl and set that bowl in a bowl of warm water – or set that small (glass) bowl/cup near a low heat so it can liquefy.

Cons

It may be a little expensive, if you’re frugal or having to really watch your pennies. A  17.6 oz. glass jar retails for $17.50 so if you’re used to spending $3 – $5 for regular old honey at the grocery store, you might feel like the cost of this honey is a huge splurge for you; however, isn’t what we put into our bodies worth the extra cost?

And that is seriously the only con I can think of, folks!

Verdict/Grade

Raw Juice Girl gives this honey an A. I feel it deserves an A because it’s truly raw, it’s wild, it’s natural, it’s (certified) organic and cruelty-free. I also believe it deserves an A because the company does everything it can to ensure it is the quality product they say it is. And I didn’t add the + (a lot of times I give products an A+) because I feel that the cost may be an issue for some of you. Although I absolutely feel it’s a worthy investment and you are only going to use a small amount so it would last you a while, $17.50 plus shipping is a lot for some folks to shell out – and I realize that.

If you can rearrange your budget or can afford this at all, I absolutely feel it’s worthy every single penny. You have my word!

And be sure to check out the recipes I created using Tropical Traditions raw honey:

Chocolate Banana Avocado Pudding

(See full recipe with instructions and photos here .)

Happy Hemp Honey Holes

(See full recipe with instructions and photos here.)

Coconut PB Honey Overnight Oats

(See full recipe with instructions and photos here.)

Inside-Out Coconut Peanut Butter Cups

(See full recipe with instructions and photos here .)

And my recipe was also published on the Tropical Traditions website!!! <— I’m really excited about that, and very proud.

Search for tons of awesome recipes by clicking the banner:

Win a FREE jar HERE!!!

Referral Option

If you’d like to join the Tropical Traditions Healthy Buyer’s Club, visit www.healthybuyersclub.com/orderform.cfm

And enter Raw Juice Girl’s ID number: 4845073

By following these steps, you will receive a complimentary copy of the book Virgin Coconut Oil: How it has changed people’s lives and how it can change yours! by Brian and Marianita Shilhavy.

Your sponsor (that’d be me! ) will receive a coupon for a complimentary gift to redeem on their next order.

You may view the current complimentary gift being offered here: http://www.tropicaltraditions.com//referral_program.htm

Further instructions can be found here.

Thanks again to www.tropicaltraditions.com!

Have you tried Tropical Traditions raw honey? Did you love it? What did you think of the consistency? Was it sweeter or better than other honeys you’ve tried? Do you prefer the solid consistency or are you set in your ways when it comes to runny honey? Of course, I realize it isn’t vegan but to my vegan readers: Don’t you think this honey is a wonderful honey to use for those who are transitioning to veganism? Don’t you agree? Or, I know some vegans consume honey from time-to-time. If that’s you, would you give this raw honey a try? Chime in, folks! I LOVE reading your thoughts!

Oh, and just in case you didn’t hear the news: This site is in the midst of a redesign and things might get a little wonky for the next couple of days.

Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.

References:

WH Foods: Honey

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 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 , by Cherie Soria (sent to her by The Book Publishing Company for review – aka as in free sample/Raw Juice Girl didn’t buy it) had a raw flax seed cracker recipe that sounded fantabulous!

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

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!!