I used to be on of them!

Hi, y’all!

Hope your December is going well. You aren’t stressed, are you? Remember, take time to slow down, breathe, have a cup of hot tea or a smoothie – or even just meditate for a few short minutes.

Our health is precious. Life is short enough as it is. We simply MUST make the most of it!

If you have time, I’d like you to take the time today to check out the 50% off savings that will make a huge impact on your health.

With a new year upon us, there’s never a better time like the present to dedicate ourselves to living healthier, more fuller lives!

Raw foods, juices, and smoothies have literally been lifesavers for me. And that’s why I can wholeheartedly promote the Raw for Thirty DVDs.

When I watched this set of films, I was in awe.

I mean, I saw myself in those people who were obese, discouraged, battling such illness.

I couldn’t believe it. If I would have had something like that to watch and learn from and be inspired by when I was going through those things, I’d have jumped at it!

Take this chance to check out the raw foods films I’m tell you about. It’s worth your time.

If you’ve been trying to decide on gifts to buy, these films would make RAWsome presents for those you love.

Me at over 300 pounds!

Me recently, around 165 pounds!

The way we change and grow is by educating ourselves and being inspired and then turning around and encouraging and inspiring others.

Do this for yourself. Do it for those you love.

Time is precious but so is your life and health. Give yourself and those you love the gift of life and health. Invest in these films. Buy several. At 50% off, you can’t go wrong!

Enjoy the savings! I love you all!

And, if you’re still not convinced… the following information and statistics should help.

What do the actor Woody Harrelson, Rev. Michael Beckwith from “The Secret,” Morgan Spurlock from “Super Size Me,” Dr. Gabriel Cousens and raw food guru David Wolfe all have in common?

They’re all featured in a powerful documentary film the will forever change the way you think about your health (just watching the trailer will leave you stunned).

If you haven’t yet seen this film there’s something really special going on this week that I think you should check out.

You can see the trailer for the film and see what’s going on here:

http://www.rawfor30days.com/cmd.php?Clk=4559246

Whether you’re in perfect health or suffering with an illness like diabetes or any other health issue I highly recommend you watch this film.

It’s a powerful, emotional and educational film that is a must see for anyone who cares about their health.

The films shows how important the food we eat is and how all it takes is 30 days to make a huge life altering shift in your health.

And for 5 days only the producers of the film are giving away this film entitled “Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days” and its companion “Raw for Life” 2 disc DVD set for 50% OFF the regular price…

All in an effort to raise awareness and raise funds for a ballot initiative to have all GMO (Genetically Modified Foods) labeled in California.

Why is it so important to get this passed in California?

Because it will set a precedent for the rest of the country to label GMO foods (something that much of the rest of the world is already doing).

Currently GMO foods are NOT labeled in the United States (or Canada)…even though they are labeled and even banned in many parts of the world.

http://www.rawfor30days.com/cmd.php?Clk=4559246

But back to the film itself and how it will impact YOU…

If you are dealing with any health challenge, or you want to get into the best shape of your life, or you just want to feel vibrant with energy and have glowing skin…

Then you need to check out the trailer for this film and pick up a copy for yourself. 

http://www.rawfor30days.com/cmd.php?Clk=4559246

The producers of the film (Alex and Nick Ortner – also known for their film “The Tapping Solution”) are also giving away a laundry list of amazing bonuses when you pick up a copy before this Friday.

So take a minute to watch the trailer for this amazing film by visiting the site below.

And remember, diabetes is a pandemic situation with over 246 million people suffering worldwide. If you or anyone you know is dealing with diabetes make sure that they watch this film. It just may save their life…

Hugs,

Michele Miller

aka Raw Juice Girl

P.S. – The 50% OFF is a ridiculously low price for the film.  With the bonuses they’ve added on it’s almost a no brainer.

It shows how passionate they are about getting this information out to the public. Make sure to check it out:

http://www.rawfor30days.com/cmd.php?Clk=4559246

FTC Disclaimer: There are affiliate links in this post. This is a promotion. I was not paid to write this. I will receive small commissions from the sales.

Hope you had a fantabulous and blessed weekend!

I’m thrilled you’re so excited about my Black Grass Smoothie Concoction. Can’t wait to find out how you like it!

And now for the Meatless Monday theme…

Why Meatless Monday?

I’ve been mostly meatless for the past several years (everything from 100% raw and not eating meat at all, to high-raw and having a little salmon, tuna, or small amount of local bison), but I’ve never joined in on the “Meatless Monday” movement. No time like the present, eh?!

Besides, I’ve been really enjoying Recycle Your Day’s Meatless Monday posts for a while now. I’m going to do my best to participate each Monday!

At first, I thought I’d have to skip my first Monday because everything I thought of was either a) boring or b) something I’ve already posted about – such as:

• Tuna Fish-Less Salad
• Chicken-Less Salad
• Spiralized Veggie S’ghetti

I know a lot of you have heard read me singing the praises of my latest favorite drink (Rainbow Grass) a LOT lately, right? If not, you can check out my post about it (and nab the free recipe here).

Check out the benefits of chard!

“If vegetables got grades for traditional nutrients alone, Swiss chard would be one of the vegetable valedictorians. The vitamin and mineral profile of this leafy green vegetable contains enough "excellents" to ensure its place at the head of the vegetable Dean’s List. Our rating system awards Swiss chard with excellent marks for its concentrations of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, manganese, potassium, iron, vitamin E, and dietary fiber. Swiss chard also emerges as a very good or good source of copper, calcium, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, protein, phosphorus, vitamin B1, zinc, folate, biotin, niacin and pantothenic acid.” – WH Foods

So, I’ve been drinking the Rainbow Chard – but I haven’t been eating it. Of course, I’ve eaten it before (a lot) but I’ve been consuming it via jar – and my fave, eco-friendly, glass straws – so far this year. Best thing? It’s growing in my garden! Fresh, raw, heirloom, organic rainbow chard. YUM!

And as I pondered how I’d wow y’all with a fantabulous Meatless Monday recipe, it happened: I was struck with the inspiration for…

Raw Rainbow Wraps

Tuna Fish-Less Salad plopped in to a chard leaf

Rolled Up & Ready to Eat!

Wanna bite?

Raw Rainbow Wraps Recipe

Ingredients:

• Rainbow Chard leaves (freshly washed)
• Tuna Fish-Less Salad

Directions:

1. Fill rainbow chard leaves with Tuna Fish-Less Salad.
2. Wrap and roll like a tortilla.
3. Enjoy!

Note:

I added a tad bit more water to this batch of Tuna Fish-Less Salad than I did when I posted about it before. It would have been easy to fix that (just add a little more ground flax and/or sunflower seeds) but I decided I liked this consistency a lot and it was great for oozing in to the crevices of the chard leaves. Yum!

You could also fill these beauties with any of the following yumilicious creations…

Jalapeno Hummus

(Click HERE for free recipe.)

Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus

(Click HERE for free recipe.)

Chicken-Less Salad

(Click HERE for free recipe.)

Meatless Monday Questions:

1. For those of you who aren’t vegan or vegetarian: Do you like to sometimes have meatless meals – or even entire days?

2. And for those of you who ARE vegan or vegetarian: What’s your favorite meat(less) inspired meal?

3. Do you participate in Meatless Monday? Do you allow yourself to eat a little meat (if it’s clean/local/organic, etc.) or do you just eat meat like you always have and don’t really think about it?

4. Would you try any of these recipes? And what do you think about the Rainbow Chard Wraps? These are yummy, quick and easy to make, and fun to eat! Are you inspired to try them? Have you ever tasted rainbow chard? What do you think about the benefits of chard, listed above?

5. Have you ever eaten raw rainbow chard? Did you like it or hate it?

Chime in… I just love your juicy comments!

References:

WH Foods: Swiss Chard

For those of you who celebrated, I hope you had a blessed Easter holiday – I most certainly did!

Remember a while back, when I shared the news with you about my new partnership with OpenSky? No? Okay, here’s an excerpt from that post:

Why I HEART OpenSky

I quickly fell in love with OpenSky and what they’re doing. What exactly are they doing, you ask?

OpenSky is bringing old-fashioned charm to Internet shopping. They are creating harmony for bloggers, readers, shoppers, and merchants. They are opening the door to a warm, inviting shopping experience; one that will be memorable, enjoyable — and so fun that you’ll want to do it again and again!

I am super excited to announce that I’ve teamed up with OpenSky to host a giveaway! Details are at the end of this post, but don’t skip the middle; there’s some good stuff – including a free recipe for my latest raw, vegan smoothie concoction: The Cabbage Patch! It’s smooth, clean, and delish. Perfect for a warm Spring day!

I will share the prize with you, though: a 12-speed Oster Blender! Eeeek! If you love smoothies, raw chocolate pudding, banana soft serve, raw crackers, raw nut milks, etc., you’ll love the Oster Blender. Why Oster? Well, my Oster Blender (which happens to be 10-speed) was a gift from one of my favorite people in the whole world – one of my aunts. She passed her (very) gently used blender on to me when she found out mine had burnt up. I was elated! Seriously, I was in smoothie withdrawal!

12-Speed Oster Blender

At first, I thought the Oster Blender might not be a very good one. Honestly, I had my doubts regarding its ability to whip up thick, creamy smoothies – or whatever else I concocted.

I was wrong to doubt!

My Oster Blender does a fantabulous job of chomping ice until it’s smooth and blending ingredients beautifully. I’ve yet to be disappointed – and I use it a lot.  It’s super easy to clean, fun to use, and I highly recommend it – especially if you love smoothies and raw creations as much as I do!

Some things I’ve made in my Oster include:

Raw Flax Crackers

Chocolate-Banana Avocado Pudding

Pearadise Smoothie 

Chocolate-Covered (Tart) Cherry Smoothie

Happy Hemp Smoothie

Raw Cashew Milk (!!!)

Voila: Raw Cashew Milk

What’d I do with my fresh cashew milk? Make a smoothie, of course!

Banana + cabbage, anyone?

Enter: The Cabbage Patch

See the hint of green color??

Cabbage Patch Smoothie

Cabbage Patch Smoothie Recipe

Serves one

Ingredients:

1 cup raw cashew milk (1/2 cup cashews + 1 cup water, blended – and not strained)

1 cup cabbage, chopped

1 banana, frozen chunks

4 ice cubes

 

Directions:

Add ingredients to your blender and process until well blended. Enjoy!

 

Note:

My cashew milk was freshly made so it wasn’t cold enough for my preferences. Although the frozen banana did cool off the smoothie, I felt it needed to be colder, so I added the ice cubes.

 

OpenSky Oster Blender Giveaway Rules!!

This giveaway is different than any I’ve ever hosted – and I’m SO excited!!! You don’t have to leave a gazillion comments or flood social media to qualify for this contest (although I won’t complain if you do! )

There’s only one required entry. It’s super easy to enter and you’ll be on your way. When you enter, you’ll automatically receive a….

10% discount coupon code!!

The coupon code can be used for anything in my shop – but remember to use it quickly as it EXPIRES FRIDAY!!!

ONE winner will be selected randomly within 48 hours and notified (via email) immediately. You can enter for your 10% coupon code until Wednesday, April 14th.

CLICK HERE for a chance to win your own 12-Speed Oster Blender (valued at $35!!!) and get your 10% discount coupon. Have fun!

And look at the fancy schmancy page OpenSky created for us!!!

Don’t forget to have a look around my OpenSky shop once you’re entered. New products are in the works, so check back often to see if your favorite product has been added. If you don’t see it, let me know and I’ll work with OpenSky to try and get it for you!

And a HUGE thank you to OpenSky + Oster for this RAWsome opportunity!!!!

Do you have an Oster Blender? What do you use it most for? Smoothies? Banana soft serve? Chocolate-avocado pudding? Have you ever used cabbage in your smoothie? Did you like it? I love it myself. Of course, I love cabbage (raw or cooked) – and it’s so good for us! Now, go get yourself entered for that FREE Oster Blender!!!

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.

“Lose the labels. Lose the percentages. Who are you competing with? Seriously. Set your own bar. Neither a label nor a percentage ever made anyone healthy.” – Earth Mother

Wise words, Earth Mother, wise words…

Labels Schmabels

Why do we feel the need to label ourselves? Even the process of overeating is labeled as “emotional eating.” So, on top of all the other labels life sends our way, we’re now “emotional eaters” as well – me included.

*insert deep sigh*

For the past few years (as I’ve mentioned numerous times before, all across the Web, and on this blog), I’ve eaten at least 75% raw. I didn’t think about labeling myself at that time (although I did eventually start calling myself a vegetarian). I was just  trying to improve my health and just considered it as eating more whole foods so I’d have a healthier diet/lifestyle, overall.

I didn’t have a blog at that time so I wasn’t as aware of all the various labels raw foodies (and people in general) put on themselves, and others.

I didn’t consider myself “not a raw purist” – I was just a gal who was eating high raw (sometimes 100% raw for months at a time) with an ultimate goal of losing weight, improving my health and  lifestyle habits, and basically finding a way that resulted in eating to live. – I just wanted to live and be healthier and happier.

And I was!

When I felt my best…

I was eating the following:

• a lot of raw veggies
• minimum fruit (mostly berries)
• some nuts
• some seeds
• salads topped with fish
• eggs
• Greek yogurt
• a little honey

Yeah, fish and eggs. I was looking and feeling sooooooooo much better when I (without guilt) included these foods in my diet.

So, what changed?

First, I labeled myself “low carb” and then I was “vegetarian” and then “mostly vegan” and then “high raw” and then “raw foodist” and then “vegan” and somewhere in the midst of all the transition, I lost the part of myself where I was eating better, feeling better, looking better, and was actually happy.

Sheesh.

How’d that happen, eh?

I’m not sure how I lost my (true) happiness along the way. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not seriously depressed or anything – I’ve just noticed a difference in how I view food and how I feel when I eat it. If I’m starving for an omelet, I usually feel guilty if I decide to eat it.

In the past, that guilt wasn’t there. Yes, I’d feel guilty about eating cake or something because I was so overweight, but I didn’t feel guilty about eating an egg or a little honey – so, imagine how crazy it is to feel guilty over eating an egg or a small portion of salmon now that I’ve lost 100+ pounds! Gasp!

Craziness.

What’s a gal to do? Hmmm….

Positive Solution

I’ve decided that even though I do live mostly a vegan/vegetarian-ish lifestyle (and have for several years), I’m going to do my very best to remove myself from the labels I’ve limited myself to.

Does this mean I’m going to run out and eat meat? No. It just means that I want to simplify my life. I want to enjoy the food I eat – even if it happens to include an omelet (made from farm fresh, organic-omega eggs) or a little honey drizzled over a treat, or some fish on top of my ginormous, raw salad.

It means that by removing the labels I’ve placed on my life, I’ll be stepping into a confident, beautiful, peaceful existence.

Aaaaahhhh, now that sounds awesome!

What will I be eating?

• whole foods
• raw foods
• nuts
• seeds
• fruit
• veggies
• grains
• Greek yogurt
• and sometimes this will include eggs, maybe fish (???) and honey

I may even throw an occasional splurge in there for good measure.

Seriously, raw foods have been such a huge part of my healing journey and weight loss – I’ll never give ‘em up!

There is one label I don’t mind: Healthatarian

A while back, I was chatting with my friend, Beth, about how I was getting stressed from labeling my eating habits. So, she said something like:

Michele, just quit calling yourself a vegan or vegetarian and consider yourself a “healthatarian” – genius, that girl is!

(Thanks, Beth!)

By trying to adhere to a “healthy” lifestyle, we’re merely choosing to strive to do our best. That takes a lot of the pressure off. If you miss a day of exercise or enjoy that cupcake at the office, it isn’t the end of the world. We aren’t perfect – none of us. We all have something we don’t want to give up. We all dream of chocolate or caramel or whatever. We’re human.

And I’d never tried to deceive anyone…

• I blogged about falling off the 100% raw food wagon (because of several family deaths – that emotional eating label again).
• I blogged about the side effects of falling off the 100% raw food wagon.
• I blogged about having an omelet and cake and ice cream – and even a Zero candy bar on my last birthday.

So, you can guarantee that I’m not in the deceiving business and I’ll always be upfront.

It is – and always has been – my desire to share my heart with you.

And I want you to know I’m not perfect, and that we’re on this health journey together. I may slip up and call myself a raw foodie or high-raw vegetarian from time to time but I’m going to work on just living as a healthatarian.

So… here’s my advice for food choices:

“Make the best choice most of the time, the better choice as often as possible, and enjoy the splurges when they come.” – Raw Juice Girl

I feel much better now that I’ve shared this with you. It’s over. It’s out. What a relief!

And, I’m NOT saying that you’re a bad person or anything if YOU call yourself a vegan/vegetarian/whatever – I’m just sharing that it stresses ME out to limit myself with labels.

Your Turn

Do you worry about what people think of your food choices? Have you recently limited your eating habits by labeling yourself? Do you wish you could rewind and remove that label? 

Do you consider yourself to be a hardcore vegan, vegetarian, or whatever else? Do you label yourself? Tall, skinny, short, fat, etc.? Do you even think about how often you label yourself? Do you feel like it’s a bad thing? Good thing? Does labeling yourself help you live a more peace-filled, harmonious lifestyle, or (like me), do you find yourself stressed over trying to live up to certain labels or expectations?

And would you be upset to see photos of salad, topped with fish or boiled eggs on this blog?

Let’s glean from each other. Do share!!

Contest Alert

Oh, and don’t forget to enter my Tropical Traditions coconut peanut butter contest – this stuff is delicious, no matter what your food choices are!

Note: I updated that contest post to include an amended rule (the one about tweets). Thanks for understanding!

References/Credits:

Wordle (by me)

Quote (Earth Mother, In the Raw)

Hi, y’all!

I hope you enjoyed my interview with Lisa Ann Turkel and my review of ShimmerOrganics Mandarin and Honey mask! The contest was fun, but it had to end sooner or later.

Mr. Random (random.org ) chose the winner. He says comment #11 won…

And… comment #11 says

Upcoming Posts

Yoga + Warm Lemon Water = a (Very) Happy Raw Juice Girl

Plus, more contests, reviews, and YouTube videos!

You know… the one that made me look like this:

Well….

She’s given me the RAWsome opportunity to HOST A GIVEAWAY for ShimmerOrganics!

Thank you, Lisa!!!

Winner receives the 4.5 ounce Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask (the biggest container) – a $36.00 value!

There are FIFTEEN ways to enter the ShimmerOrganics contest (US residents only):

#1 is mandatory – the others are optional. But the more entries you get in, the greater your chances are of winning!

1. Leave a comment sharing  why you absolutely MUST try the ShimmerOrganics Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask.
2. Become a fan of ShimmerOrganics on Facebook. Leave a comment saying you did.
3. Become a fan of Raw Juice Girl on Facebook. Leave a comment saying you did.
4. Add ShimmerOrganics to your Hot List on Artfire. Leave a comment saying you did.
5. 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 a 4.5 ounce container of #raw #pure #ecofriendly ShimmerOrganics clay mask! ( http://tinyurl.com/y8uhde7 )  Then, leave a comment that you did – with your Twitter name or status link.
6. Do you Plurk? Plurk about this contest and leave a comment with your Plurk URL.
7. 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.
8. Follow @RawJuiceGirl on Twitter. Comment, saying you did.
9. Are you a Stumbler? Stumble and review any post you want to–just leave the link to your SU review in (its own) comment.
10. 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.
11. Leave a comment on the ShimmerOrganics Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask review post . Come back here and leave a comment letting me know you did that.
12. Leave a comment on the package arrival post and let me know what you like about (or recommend for) the packaging. Come back and let me know you did, with a comment on this post.
13. Leave a comment on my interview post with ShimmerOrganics owner, Lisa Ann Turkel. Leave a comment here saying that you did.
14. If you share this contest on 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.
15. Follow me or friend Lisa Ann Turkel (or me) on any of the social media sites for an extra entry. If you follow or friend Lisa (or 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 (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!

This contest is open to US RESIDENTS ONLY (sorry, international readers!!) – 0h, and I’ll be using Random.org to choose the winner.

Contest ends Wednesday, January 20th. I’ll accept comments until midnight. (Central Time). Winner will be posted the next morning.

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!!!!

Disclaimer: The ShimmerOrganics Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask was sent to me to review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not paid to write this review.

Remember that beautiful pink package from ShimmerOrganics? And the interview with Lisa Ann Turkel, owner of that RAWsome, organic  beauty company?

Wow. Have I been itching to share this review with y’all!

It’s pretty cold here in Missouri so the woodstove is already working overtime to keep the chill knocked out of this Amish house. Wood is a wonderful, warming, cozy heating source but it also dries out my skin -  big time.

Take a look for yourself.

(Note: I took the photos outside because the lighting in an Amish house isn’t the best. )

Before ShimmerOrganics Mask

Note the dark circles under my eyes (that’s from having a gazillion freelance projects going on at once AND living on an Amish farm without a finished kitchen or bathroom). And see the lines that have crept up (Ack! Tell me it isn’t so!!)

Tip: I don’t have those lines when I’m living a 100% raw food lifestyle, or close to it. I’ve let too many non-raw foods slip into my mouth. So I get reminded of that by age creeping up on my face. Blech.

I’m feelin’ really, really ugly in these pics, y’all. Just a wee bit embarrassed, I am! But I wanted authentic before and after photos so you could compare and see for yourself the genuine results of the ShimmerOrganics Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask.

As you can see, I’m needin’ some revitalizing! It’s okay if you agree. I’ll still love ya!

Of course, it wouldn’t be any fun if I didn’t show you the actual mask while it was on my tired face. Right? Right!

Deep breath…

ShimmerOrganics Mask at work

According to Lisa’s directions, I needed to wash my face, apply the mask, and: “Leave mask on for 15-20 minutes for Sensitive and Dry skin, 20-25 minutes for Normal skin, and 25-30 minutes for Oily skin.”

Key Ingredients
* Pure Clay Minerals
* Raw and Organic  Aloe Vera
* Raw and Organic Antioxidant Rich Oils
* Raw and Organic Honey
* Organic Blend of Essential Oils

When I put this mask on, something magical happened: I felt like I had pulled into “Rejuvenation Station!” I’m serious, folks.

I love how this mask made my face tingle and feel so fresh. I could tell the ingredients were hard at work, cleansing and revitalizing my skin!

But something more happened… I literally felt all tingly and refreshed all over, from head to toe. It’s like the ingredients entered my body through my skin and had a huge party while they were inside.

Before Digging In

After Digging In

(Notice the wagon wheel in the background – Amish living at its finest! )

After One Use

Before & After

View Full Album

And I’m not the type of gal who splurges on “special treatments.” I’m not a tomboy. Don’t get me wrong… Believe me, I hate getting my hands dirty! But I’m not a woman who pampers herself with facials, spa treatments, or beauty products. This was such a treat for me!

My face feels softer, and I feel so refreshed. It’s a sense of renewal I’ve been missing since I haven’t been practicing yoga or doing anything else to make myself feel better.

ShimmerOrganics Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask is a “something for me” gift I’ve been missing out on!

After Second Use

(Just two uses, people – two uses!!!!)

Before, After 1st Use, After 2nd Use

Pros

This mask is raw and organic. It’s an eco-friendly solution to your skin health. Not only is it safe for our precious environment, it’s safe for you – and that’s priceless!

Also, something I not only noticed myself (but have been told more than once), is that the lines are less noticeable and that my skin looks more hydrated and healthy.

According to Lisa:

“Using a thin layer under and on the outer corners of your eyes reduces puffiness, dark circles and lines. It’s also great as an overnight spot treatment, or anytime spot treatment to heal blemishes.”

I’d say that’s a plus, wouldn’t you?!

Lisa takes special care to select her ingredients:

“I choose manufacturers who are Fair Trade Certified. Fair Trade guarantees fair wages for farm workers and farmers, fair labor conditions, provides environmental stability and offers farmers and farm workers autonomy is choosing how they invest their money. Fair Trade ensures proper nutrition, suitable shelter, sufficient clothing and essential education. Fair Trade enables community development, protects the health of farmers and farm workers and protects our precious environment for future generations.

All ingredients are from manufacturers whom I have chosen for their commitment to protecting animals and our environment and who are dedicated to creating superior quality products. I have hand selected every ingredient for its healing and restorative properties. There are no synthetic chemicals, synthetic colors, or synthetic fragrances added.”

And who doesn’t love a business who cares deeply about their customers?

“We are all connected in this world. I feel that it’s very important to be there for others and to help others. I love to hear from customers who tell me how youthful, beautiful and healthy their skin looks and feels. It’s so great to hear from customers who tell me that using my organic clay mask has given them more confidence. To make a positive difference in someone’s life is such a wonderful feeling!

I love to make people happy. I enjoy wrapping and mailing your new product and picturing you opening up your package and smiling. Connecting with others is what I love most about creating my skin care products.

If you are giving my organic clay mask as a gift, I would be happy to personalize your gift by including a lovely card in your own words.”

Lisa’s passion for providing raw, vegan, organic beauty products to the world shines through so brightly, it’s blinding!

Cons

According to the Federal Trade Commission’s ruling, we bloggers must be specific with any pros and cons we can find to share with you, our readers.

I honestly can’t think of any cons with the ShimmerOrganics mask. A 2.5 ounce mask is $22.00 and a 4.5 ounce mask is $36.00 – but even at those prices, you are getting SO much value. If you consider those prices a con, you must take into consideration that you only use a teaspoon or so of the mask and will end up with many, many uses.

Verdict/Grade

I have absolutely no choice but to give this mask a 100% – with bonus points! Did you see this grade coming? My experience with Lisa (and her mask) has been nothing but phenomenal!

As you can see, Lisa is very beautiful and is a fantabulous reflection of what her mask accomplishes!

Be sure to check out Lisa’s ARTISAN BIO and find out more about her and her beauty business.

Want to try this mask yourself?

Lisa has been very generous and has offered to give away a 4.5 ounce mask to one (very) lucky winner (details coming soon)!

Have you tried the ShimmerOrganics Mandarin and Honey Revitalizing Mask? Would you, now that you’ve read my review? Can you see the difference in my before and after photos? Aren’t you glad there’s such a caring, compassionate person like Lisa who works so hard to provide healthy, eco-friendly beauty products?!

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 by Cherie Soria (sent to me by www.bookpubco.com for review). The recipe really makes 100 raw flax seed crackers. Yay!

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!)

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!