Articles with the recipes Tag
Hi, y’all!
Wow. The days are just flyin’ by, aren’t they?! Gosh, they are for me!
I’ve been super busy outside, gardening and doing other outside chores. Things are really coming along in the garden. I’ll have to update on the progress soon.
But today, I just had to share my grass-inspired juice/smoothie concoction with you. I have been really tired lately (organic gardening is exhausting!) and I woke up yesterday with a sore throat. Definitely not good when there’s SO much to do!
So, yesterday I hit myself with some Vitamin B and C and drank plenty of liquids and paced myself. Today I felt like wheat grass would provide just the extra oomph I needed. And while I was watering the garden this morning, I spied the rainbow chard. It called my name, I’m positive! 
I plucked a few leaves and ran back in the house, excited for the raw creation that was being born in my head!
It didn’t take long to throw the ingredients in the blender and whip up a glass of….
“Rainbow Grass”
That’s right: Rainbow Grass!
Note the glass straw lookin’ so elegant and eco-friendly? Those beautiful babies are now available in my Raw Shop! Go ahead, check ‘em out. I’ll wait.
Of course, I chose the (fun!) title of this drink based on the (rainbow) chard and the wheat grass.
Freshly Picked (Rainbow) Chard
Size of my (small) hand…
And the runt…
Amazing (Wheat) Grass!
(Check out my wheat grass post HERE.)
In My Oster Blender
(Also in my Raw Shop!)
See the herbal tea in the bottom of the blender?
Ready to Consume = Yum!
Playing Photographer!
Rainbow Grass Juice-Smoothie Concoction Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 (frozen) banana
- 1 scoop Amazing Grass Wheat Grass powder
- 1 cup herbal tea
- 5 1/2 Rainbow Chard leaves (5 the size of my hand, 1 half that size) Freshly picked from my garden right before going in to this recipe!
- 4 ice cubes
Directions:
Toss above ingredients in to your blender and give it a few whirls until everything is blended nicely. Serves one big appetite or two smaller ones.
Note:
This drink is actually more like a juice consistency, but still has a (runny) smoothie volume to it. If you like your smoothies super thick, cut back on the herbal tea (or liquid of your choice). I personally prefer my smoothies on the thicker side, but this was so super delicious and energizing, I’ll definitely recreate it again – and soon!
Grassy Goodness
About the Recipe
I urge you to try my Rainbow Grass recipe – even if you are terribly afraid of green juices/smoothies! What is so RAWsome about this drink, I discovered, is that I tasted the fresh deliciousness of the rainbow chard, the “greenness” of the wheat grass (definitely NOT overpowering, though!) and the sweetness – and creaminess – of the frozen banana. The herbal tea allows you to get in some antioxidants and herbal tea benefits, which is great for those who aren’t really “tea” people. I could go on and on about this drink, but I’ll have to trust y’all to try it for yourselves – or just take my word for it!
Hated it!
Burning Questions I have for you:
1. Have you ever tried wheat grass? Do you love Amazing Grass as much as I do? I even added wheat grass and other Amazing Grass products on my last 30-day juice fast. I’ve done a LOT of juice fasting and several 30-day ones (plus a 52-day juice fast) and I could really, really tell the difference in how I felt by adding the Amazing Grass powders. I love ‘em!
2. What about those glass straws – aren’t they something?! I really do love the Beautiful Bends most. It’s just like drinking from a bendable straw when I was a kid – only now it’s an eco-friendly habit and no plastic is wasted or harming the environment! And I’m SO excited that I can offer them to you in my Raw Shop!
3. Will you try this juice-smoothie concoction of mine or is it too “green” for you? Are you someone who is willing to try new things or do you cringe at the thought of something crossing your lips that you’re not accustomed to?
4. And how is May going for you? Can you believe Mother’s Day is this weekend? I have a wonderful mother to celebrate with. I hope you do, too! And if you don’t, I’d share mine if I could!!!
Fill me in! I miss chatting with you all!!!
Last day to enter my giveaway!!!
This is another eco-friendly giveaway with a super cool, fun, green prize! Winner will be announced tomorrow.
Click HERE to enter!!
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
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boost the immune system
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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.
![VirginCoconutOilbookbyBrianandMarian[1]](file:///C:/Users/Jamaica/AppData/Local/Temp/WindowsLiveWriter-429641856/supfiles183DABC/VirginCoconutOilbookbyBrianandMarian.jpg "VirginCoconutOilbookbyBrianandMarian[1]")
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 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!)
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
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….
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 enter Healing With (Raw) Juices’ latest contest for TWO containers of Amazing Grass – one is CHOCOLATE! (Thursday, October 22 is the last day to enter.) You can also use the code hwj (small J as in JUICE) for a 15% discount on your order, if you can’t wait. And a BIG thank you to Amazing Grass for sponsoring!
Fun Treats for Fall
Nathalie, at Raw Foods Witch, recently shared a new raw recipe video: How to Make a Festive Raw Pumpkin Pie Recipe. I love Nathalie. She’s fun, creative, informative, and I just adore her enthusiasm for raw living!
Cindy, from A Sparkle A Day, made us readers drool with her version of a healthy pancake. If you aren’t 100% raw/vegan, I’d definitely recommend you give this a try. I haven’t yet, but I will!
Love Veggies & Yoga? Averie sure does! This gal is RAWkin the blogosphere with her creative raw recipes. She has a passion for raw, vegan living and shares all sorts of recipes and tips–with pizzazz! One of her creations I’m lookin’ forward to making myself: Raw, Vegan Apple Crumble! Of course, Averie’s recipe archive is exploding over there, so dig through and find yourself some stuff to eat!
Mysti, of Life’s Approbations, shared her original recipe: Fall Perfection Pumpkin Muffins. This one isn’t raw or vegan, but is made with healthy ingredients! If you’re looking for a raw recipe from this gal, she offers that too at her new site, Dining Family: Sweet, Smooth and Cold! (And you’ll find a real little pumpkin at the end of that recipe!) UPDATED TO ADD: “Egg can be substituted out with 1/4 c applesauce and 1/8 tsp baking soda,” says Mysti. She wanted to share that for vegan readers. Thank you, Mysti!!!
I love pumpkin seeds, so Katy Joy’s recipe (from Raw People), sounds like a delicious treat. I’d like to make it sometime. Have you ever had Pumpkin Spice Milk?
And, here’s one of my recipes–that I haven’t enjoyed in quite a while!
Pumpkin Pie Yogurt
Ingredients:
- a container of organic, Greek yogurt (I love Oikos, but you could use raw, nut based yogurt)
- about 1/4 to 1/2 can of organic pumpkin (or raw)
- pumpkin pie spice
Stir pumpkin into your yogurt and sprinkle on as much pumpkin pie spice as you’d like.
Optional Toppings:
- trail mix
- granola
- raisins
- cranberries
- cookies
- raw pumpkin seeds (or nuts)
Do you have any favorite Fall recipes? Do you stay 100% raw in the Fall and Winter seasons, regardless, or do you stray and enjoy some warm (or other non-raw) comfort foods? Have you ever had the recipes I mentioned today? Do you plan on trying any of them? Hope you enjoy your weekend! Can you believe we’re half-way through October??!!
Want to REALLY enhance your recipes?? Enter the contest for NuttZo over at An Apple A Day blog! Hurry, contest ends soon!
Want to keep up with Raw Juice Girl’s adventures + more? Subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life. I’ve also been working on a recipe page where you’ll be able to easily locate recipes for raw juices, smoothies, and now dehydrator creations!
If you’re just tuning in, be sure to enter Healing With (Raw) Juices’ latest contest for an 8 ounce bag of Raw Chia Seeds–thanks to NavitasNaturals.com for sponsoring–and don’t forget to check out my chocolate ice cubes!
Blended Blessings
I’ve mentioned a few times that my blender keeled over on me. It was sad. I was sad. But a new blender wasn’t in the budget so I’ve been a pouting, smoothie-less Raw Juice Girl for a while now. Pathetic, I know. LOL
I was on a real roll having awesome smoothies for breakfast, but I made due with substitutes:
- Green (Hemp) Overnight Breakfast Cookie
- Green Steel-Cut Oats
- Chocolate Hemp Shake
- Cashew Cookie LARABAR
Delicious, yes. A green smoothie? No!
So, imagine my out-of-this-world delight when my aunt donated her blender she never uses! Oh, believe me, I tried (and tried) to promote the health benefits of smoothies and convince her that she needed to keep her blender–she insisted on giving it to me anyway, reassuring me she never uses it and didn’t plan on it anytime soon….
Enter: the Osterizer 10-speed Blender
I took pictures of my blending adventures this morning, so you could enjoy the experience with me!
And, my goodness, this thing is a LOT more powerful than I thought it would be. It gobbled up the ice cubes like there was no tomorrow! Seriously! Eeeek! Bring on the smoothies, people!
Osterizer Blender
10 Speeds!
Sassafras Root Tea
Manitoba Harvest Hemp Pro 70
Chocolate Ice Cubes!
Green Hemp Smoothie
Wanna Taste?
YUM-O!!!!
Happy Hemp Smoothie
- 4 tablespoons of Hemp Pro 70 (from www.manitobaharvest.com)
- 1 cup Sassafras root tea (you could totally use Hemp Bliss milk instead)
- 1 banana
- 2 chocolate ice cubes
- 2 water ice cubes
- Freshly ground flax seeds
(a little less than a tablespoon)
- A drizzle of agave syrup
And that’s what I had for breakfast this morning. Ah, a green smoothie. I can’t tell you how happy my mouth–and my tummy–were as I chugged that gorgeous, bubbly, hemp-ish, thick smoothie down. YUM!!!
I did forget one thing, though: spinach! Yikes!!! Sheesh, guess I’ll have to make another one.
If you’re just tuning in, be sure to check out Healing With (Raw) Juices’ latest contest for an 8 ounce bag of Raw Chia Seeds–thanks to NavitasNaturals.com for sponsoring!
Want to keep up with Raw Juice Girl’s adventures + more? Subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life. I’ll also be making a recipe page where you’ll be able to easily locate recipes for raw juices, smoothies, and now dehydrator creations!
Note from Raw Juice Girl: In case you’re just tuning in, I wanted to bring you up-to-date by sharing (as I did in my last post) that I’m now the proud, new owner of a 9-tray Excalibur dehydrator. I’m beyond ecstatic; I’m overwhelmed with joy, gratitude, and so much more! So, I asked around to see if anyone had any favorite dehydrator recipes to share with me and I started getting emails. Then I started thinking: guest posts! The following guest post is one of those emails and I asked the author of that email, Mysti, if she’d be okay with sharing with you all what she shared with me. She said yes! Now, instead of keeping her awesome recipes to myself–you get to enjoy them, too! And, how very special that she’s the author of the first guest post to ever appear here on Healing with (Raw) Juices! (And for those of you who are 100% raw and/or Vegan, honey is listed as one ingredient on the granola bars. You could use agave or raw honey there. While Mysti isn’t a raw foodist or even a vegetarian, I commend her for eating a high amount of veggies and fruit and always finding creative ways to bring healthy sustenance to her family’s table.)
Guest Post By Mysti Guymon-Reutlinger
I jumped last year to buy a dehydrator. I absolutely love it! I don’t think I could imagine my life without it, truthfully.
I have one of the pickiest eaters in the world. It’s not his fault, but the foods that once brought terror into our lives with allergic reactions limited his diet early on and now that he has outgrown those allergies, we struggle to incorporate anything outside of his toddler years “norm.” Having struggled so much, I looked high and low to find ways to bring more healthy foods into our oldest son’s diet and the dehydrator I bought last year has been vital in that process.
Fruit Roll Ups purchased from the store are filled with sugars and preservatives. Making your own roll ups takes a bit of practice, but once mastered adds a new way to enjoy the goodness of fresh fruits (and vegetables!) in a not-so-healthy way.
My favorite recipes are:
Tropical Rolls
- 4 C Bananas
- 1 Orange, peeled and cut into quarters
- 1 C Pineapple chunks
- Fruit Roll Sheets or Parchment/Wax paper
- Oil
Puree fruits together in a blender until smooth, but thick. Take the fruit roll sheets or wax paper and lightly dust with oil for ease of removing once dry. Spread the fruit puree about 1/4 inch thick on the sheets and dry at 120-135 degrees F for 4-8 hours, until moisture is removed.
Apple Strawberry Rolls
- 2 C Strawberries
- 2 C Applesauce
- Fruit Roll Sheets or Parchment/Wax paper
- Oil
Puree fruits together in a blender until smooth, but thick. Take the fruit roll sheets or wax paper and lightly dust with oil for ease of removing once dry. Spread the fruit puree about 1/4 inch thick on the sheets and dry at 120-135 degrees F for 4-8 hours, until moisture is removed.
We love granola and granola bars in our house. You can get quite creative with combinations of items that you have on hand or readily available. The basics are covered below.
Granola/Granola bars
- 5 C Rolled oats
- 2 C dried fruit (apples, raisins, dates, bananas, etc)
- 1 C crushed nuts
- 1/2 C wheat germ
- 1/2 C flax or sesame seeds
- 3/4 C brown sugar
- 3/4 C butter (melted)
- 1/2 C honey or agave
- 1/4-1/3 C Olive oil
- 1 tsp vanilla
- Solid dehydrator sheets or wax paper
Combine all the ingredients, mixing well. Spread onto dehydrator sheets and dry at 130-150 degrees F for 3-5 hours, until crunchy.
If you would prefer granola bars, form into shape before placing in dehydrator.
As with everything that you dehydrate, you must remember to store in air-tight containers. We prefer to use vacuum sealed bags personally. Anything kept at room temperature will keep for two-four weeks. If frozen, it will keep for up to six months.
Playing with your dehydrator is fun, exciting and an amazing experiment!! You will find combinations of foods that serve yourself and your family better than others. It’s all about preference!
Mysti Guymon-Reutlinger is a wife, mother, and amazingly creative (and healthy!) chef for her family and friends. She’s also a freelance writer with an edge on parenting, health and inspiration. You can find her on the web at www.lifesapprobation.com or email her at mysti2009 at gmail dot com.
Thank you, Mysti, for sharing your dehydrated creations with us! I recommend you visit Mysti’s blog there. I’m a HUGE fan. Mysti shares her life so openly and honestly. And sometimes she shares recipes with special stories about why they’re a part of her family’s meal time. I personally compare her site to Chicken Soup for the Soul stories–it’s aweosme!
Do you have favorite dehydrator recipes you’d like to share? They don’t have to be 100% raw to qualify for a guest post, but I’d like to focus on creations using veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, superfoods, etc. Contact me for guest posts similar to this one. Unless I’m totally bombarded, I’ll try to respond soon and let you know if your post qualifies. If approved, I’ll contact you requesting a short bio, a bio photo, and link to your blog/website if you have one.
Want to keep up with Raw Juice Girl’s adventures + more? Subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life. I’ll also be making a recipe page where you’ll be able to easily locate recipes for raw juices, smoothies, and now dehydrator creations!
First, I’d like to remind you about TWO contests I currently have running:
- Food Matters DVD Review + Contest. (Contest ends Thursday, August 27th. There are SIX ways to win!!)
- Detox 4 Women (by Natalia Rose) Review + Contest (Contest ends Friday, August 28th. There are SIX ways to win!)
Let’s Talk Chocolate!
You may remember the other day when I posted my chocolate avocado pudding experiment (it turned out delish!) or yesterday when I posted my Chocolate-Vanilla Hemp Bliss Shake recipe.
Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate!
I’ve always had a great love for chocolate. Growing up, I’d always lean toward the German Chocolate cake, Snickers candy bar, or even an Almond Joy. Now, after losing over 100 pounds and focusing on a high-raw, whole foods diet, I tend to hold those forms of chocolate a distant memory–other than a rare, rare occasion when I go bonkers and splurge (like on my birthday).
But there’s bound to be a way for a girl to enjoy her chocolate in a healthy way, right? A way other than a tiny square of dark chocolate (which I really don’t like all that much, by the way). I’ve always been more of a milk chocolate gal myself. (See my dilemma here?)
Enter: Heather’s Gluten-Free Blog
I’ve been a fan of Heather Strang’s blog for a while now. Although I didn’t really intend on being gluten-free, I suppose I am–other than an occasional splurge. My diet basically consists of a foundation of TONS of raw veggies, a little fruit (mostly berries), nuts, seeds, nut butters, organic Oikos Greek yogurt, and sometimes organic farm fresh eggs (from either my farm, or my neighbor’s).
Back to Heather’s blog…
I’m subscribed to Heather’s blog via email and saw this recipe a while back: Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free RAW Chocolate recipe.
I was really excited when I saw it because it looked delicious, seemed totally simple to whip up, and it was HEALTHY! Things got busy, though, and I either had other stuff to do or didn’t have one or other of the ingredients.
The other day I finally ended up with some free time and realized I had ALL the ingredients Heather used for this recipe. Yay!
Note: I made my recipe a little differently than Heather’s.
Getting Things Ready
Ready to Mix
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup organic cocoa powder
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
Heather’s recipe called for a blender or food processor. I don’t have a blender anymore (mine died )so I just whipped it up the old-fashioned way. Hey, it works! 
Stirred + Poured
With Chopped Pecans on Top
(I just sprinkled enough to cover the top–I didn’t measure ‘em.)
Heather didn’t add nuts to her chocolate recipe but chocolate isn’t chocolate without nuts, in my opinion.
In the Freezer
(…)
Waiting
(…)
1 1/2 hours later….
Out of the Freezer
Cut in to Pieces
Hands-On Chocolate
We Hated It!
(Like you believe that?!)
Verdict?
Um, I’ll be making this recipe until I’m 100 and can find the ingredients–and hopefully know what they’re for!
Seriously, though, this was delish! It was kind of like fudge, I think. It was soft, but had a firm texture (it doesn’t fall apart!). I can totally see this as something you could make for a Christmas party or some other party or event. In my opinion, it definitely rocks!
And… the reason it left so fast is because I shared it with some folks. I’d say they liked it too, wouldn’t you?
I, of course, tasted the chocolate in its liquid form before it went into the freezer. I’m thinking it would be YUM just like that, drizzled over Gena’s banana soft serve.
Off to freeze me some nanners!
Upcoming Contests Featuring these Fabulous Companies
- Oh Nuts! (raw macadamia nuts and pecans) <— These are seriously delicious nuts–and they’re JUMBO sized!
- E3Live (Green-tasting (which I don’t mind!), but I REALLY notice that it’s making me feel better. It was definitely put to the test through my recent stressful events!)
- 2 books (Coconut Water for Health and Healing
and Oil Pulling Therapy: Detoxifying and Healing the Body Through Oral Cleansing
by Dr. Bruce Fife
- and MORE!
You’ll definitely want to stay tuned!
So… be sure to subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life.
First, I’d like to remind you about TWO contests I currently have running:
- Food Matters DVD Review + Contest. (Contest ends Thursday, August 27th. There are SIX ways to win!!)
- Detox 4 Women (by Natalia Rose) Review + Contest (Contest ends Friday, August 28th. There are SIX ways to win!)
Chocolate Business
I mentioned the other day that the fantabulous people at www.manitobaharvest.com sent me samples of their Hemp Bliss milk to review. I LOVE that they sent one of each flavor: chocolate, vanilla, original (unsweetened), and original (sweetened)–and they’re Certified Organic. Yay!
Also, I wanted to mention that my contact at Manitoba Harvest reassured me that Hemp Pro 70 dissolves nicely in liquids and that I didn’t have to only consume it in steel-cut oats (see that review here). I took his word for it, and decided to combine Hemp Bliss with Hemp Pro 70 powder. Know what happened? Keep reading!
Hemp Bliss Samples
(All in a row…)
But first, let’s take a peek at the nutritional value of these flavored hemp milks…
Chocolate Hemp Bliss
From the site:
Size: 32 Fl oz / 946 mlDescription:
A blissful way to start your day! Hemp Bliss is more delicious and nutritious than other non-dairy beverages.
Chocolate Hemp Bliss is made from organic hemp seeds and organic cocoa powder. We cold filter Hemp Bliss for a great taste. This blissful beverage is rich and creamy with a chocolaty nutty flavor.
Enjoy Chocolate Hemp Bliss served chilled by the glass or “hot chocolate” style. Try adding it to cereal, coffee, tea and other recipes that call for milk. Chocolate Hemp Bliss provides a protein and Omega 6 & 3 EFA boost in your smoothies and shakes.
Suggested Use: Serve chilled, shake well and drink often. Refrigerate after opening.
Ingredients: Filtered Water, Organic Hemp Seeds, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic Cocoa Powder, Sea Salt, Xanthan Gum. Contains No Preservatives. Lactose Free. Soy Free. Gluten Free. Cholesterol Free. Nut Free.
Certified Organic by: OC/PRO
Vanilla Hemp Bliss
From the site:
Size: 32 Fl oz / 946 mlDescription:
A blissful way to start your day! Hemp Bliss is more delicious and nutritious than other non-dairy beverages.
Vanilla Hemp Bliss is made from organic hemp seeds and organic vanilla. We cold filter Hemp Bliss for a great taste. This blissful beverage is rich and creamy with a nutty vanilla flavor.
Enjoy Vanilla Hemp Bliss served chilled by the glass. Try adding it to cereal, coffee, tea and other recipes that call for milk. Vanilla Hemp Bliss provides a protein and Omega 6 & 3 EFA boost in your smoothies and shakes.
Suggested Use: Serve chilled, shake well and drink often. Refrigerate after opening.
Ingredients: Filtered Water, Organic Hemp Seeds, Organic Evaporated Cane Juice, Organic Vanilla Flavor, Sea Salt, Xanthan Gum. Contains No Preservatives. Lactose Free. Soy Free. Gluten Free. Cholesterol Free. Nut Free.
Certified Organic by: OC/PRO
Non-Dairy Milk Comparisons
Hemp Bliss + Hemp Pro 70
Hemp Pro 70 Powder
All Shook Up
a serving of Hemp Pro 70 powder (4 tablespoons)
50% Chocolate Hemp Bliss
50% Vanilla Hemp Bliss
a couple of ice cubes
Poured into my Amazing Grass shaker cup
Note: My shaker cup holds 12 ounces or so. I’d say it was filled up but I took a gulp before taking these photos.
Chocolate Bubbles = YUM!
Verdict/Grade?
I give Chocolate and Vanilla Hemp Bliss a big, fat, delicious A+! Seriously. I was pleasantly surprised at how good this shake tasted. I shook it up a lot, so there wasn’t any random, floating hemp powder. I also tasted both the Chocolate and Vanilla Hemp Bliss separately before I added them together with the Hemp Pro 70–they are delicious!!! The Chocolate Hemp Bliss really tastes like chocolate. It’s sweet, chocolaty, and divine. The vanilla is super vanilla-like and sweet, too. No complaints here at all–although some of you hemp haters may taste the hemp, I only tasted a very, very slight hempness about it. Honest. Of course, I always like to mention that I am used to taking strong, herbal tonics and drinking fresh, raw green juices, etc., so I may not notice some tastes as strongly as some of you who have never included a lot of earthy, herbal-type foods/drinks in your diet.
These hemp milks are $4.99 USD per 32 ounce box. With their nutritional value + yummy taste, I think it’s totally worth the price! Visit www.manitobaharvest.com to order your own hemp milk, or check out their other healthy products.
You may have to start calling me the “Happy Hemp Girl”. LOL
Upcoming Contests Featuring these Fabulous Companies
- Oh Nuts! (raw macadamia nuts and pecans) <— These are seriously delicious nuts–and they’re JUMBO sized!
- E3Live (Green-tasting (which I don’t mind!), but I REALLY notice that it’s making me feel better. It was definitely put to the test through my recent stressful events!)
- 2 books (Coconut Water for Health and Healing
- and MORE!
You’ll definitely want to stay tuned!
So… be sure to subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life.
First, I’d like to remind you about the current contest I have running: The Bolder Mat Company Yoga Mat + Stacy McCarthy’s Yoga DVD. (Contest ends Wednesday, August 19th. There are SEVEN ways to win!!)
My day started out with an hour of yoga, which was fantabulous! I almost fell asleep during Shavasana, I was SO relaxed! (Have I mentioned lately that I’m in LOVE with yoga??!!) After that, I gobbled up an organic Greek yogurt with frozen blueberries on top (this is by far my FAVORITE, non-raw meal)!
Then, I did some writing + blog work and some other stuff. Once it was time for lunch, I was STARVING.
Spinach Salad
a bunch of baby spinach leaves (this is a bigger bowl than it seems)
organic tomatoes (from my garden)
frozen peas +organic bell pepper from my garden (lightly steamed with coconut oil + Italian herbs)
hemp seeds (from www.manitobaharvest.com)
macadamia nuts
THIS SALAD WAS DELICIOUS!!! YUM!!!
Once lunch was finished and cleaned up, it was time for me to stop procrastinating and make some chocolate pudding from avocados! Enter: Chocolate (Avocado) Pudding Heaven!
Cleanin’ Out the Fridge + Garden Overflow
There was a little of this, that, and the other in the fridge where veggies are concerned. I’ve been eating a LOT of salad but needed to clean out those odds and ends. Also, I needed to use up some freshly-picked garden veggies…
Organic, Heirloom Tomatoes
Organic Heirloom Bell + Banana Peppers
All from My Garden
First Up: Tomato Juice
(After I washed all that garden dirt off!)
Beautiful Tomato Juice Bubbles!
Made 3 Cups + a Little Leftover
Just for me!
Next Up: Juice Concoction
rest of the tomatoes
3 bell peppers
5 big banana peppers
whole bag of organic carrots (16 ounce) + a few other stray (organic) carrots
2 big cucumbers (from my garden)
teeny bit of spinach
Juice Concoction Bubbles
Juice Concoction Pulp
(The pulp went to the ducks, chickens, and turkeys.)
Organic, Heirloom Cucumbers
9 big cucumbers went into this juice!
Gorgeous Cucumber Juice Bubbles
Those 9 cucumbers made 3 cups of juice (shown above) + half of my oversized, favorite cup for drinking right away!
Cucumber Juice for Me!
It’s a Raw Juice Party!
In all, I ended up with:
1 – 3 cup container of tomato juice
1 – 3 cup container of cucumber juice
1 – 3 cup container which contained 3/4 cucumber juice + 1/4 juice concoction
2 – 3 cup containers of juice concoction
1 – 12 ounce Amazing Grass shaker cup of cucumber juice
1 – 12 ounce Amazing Grass shaker cup of cantaloupe juice
leftover 8 ounces or so of cucumber juice, which I drank in my polka-dotted cup (shown above)
Cantaloupe Juice
I forgot to take a photo of the cantaloupe but it was organic, heirloom (from my garden) as well.
It made 12 ounces–which fit perfectly into an Amazing Grass shaker cup! This one went into the freezer for later. Yum!
Juices in a Nice, Clean Fridge!
What’s in your fridge?
Be sure to subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life PLUS get to enter all sorts of awesome contests! 
First, I’d like to remind you about the current contest I have running: The Bolder Mat Company Yoga Mat + Stacy McCarthy’s Yoga DVD. (Contest ends Wednesday, August 19th. There are SEVEN ways to win!!)
For the longest, I’ve been meaning to make Angela’s raw chocolate pudding (which is RAW and VEGAN) but have never got around to it until today. Gosh, have I EVER been missing out! Seriously. This chocolate pudding is the best stuff–and it’s WAY healthier than the chocolate I ate on my birthday!
Note: Since I added the organic Oikos Greek yogurt, my recipe isn’t raw or vegan like Angela’s. If you’d prefer it to be, head on over to her site (linked above) and use her recipe. If you don’t mind the yogurt, feel free to make mine! (I am going to try it without the yogurt next time. I think I added too much cocoa powder this time, or maybe it was an after taste from the agave nectar. Ya think? Should I try a different Agave? Any suggestions on that?)
Organic Blue Agave
Cocoa Powder, Vanilla Extract, Agave
Into the Food Processor
4 avocados (forgot to photo them separately, sorry!)
1/2 unsweetened cocoa powder (I used the Certified Organic NOW brand)
3/4 cup agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons of water
All Combined
It tasted TOO chocolate-y. Does that make sense? So I added a 5.3 ounce container of organic Vanilla Oikos Greek yogurt to try to mellow it out some….
After the Oikos
Scraped Clean
Into a Container
(Notice the recipe on the fridge in the background for lots of future use!)
Creamy Chocolate Heaven
Half a Banana, Sliced
With Chocolate Pudding On Top!
Yum-O!!
(This chocolate lovin’ girl is H-A-P-P-Y!!!)
How’d your Sunday go? After I made this awesome chocolate pudding, I cleaned out the fridge and between fridge veggies and stuff from the garden, I juiced up a few containers of raw juice. I’ll post about it next. I thought you’d love taking a peek at my avocado chocolate pudding adventure! Hope you did!
Be sure to subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life PLUS get to enter all sorts of awesome contests!
First, I’d love to extend a HUGE thank you to Rick Diamond of The Book Publishing Company (www.bookpubco.com), as well as both authors, Nomi Shannon and Sheryl Duruz, for making this contest possible!
If you’ve been following this blog, you know that I just reviewed two raw food books: The Raw Gourmet and Raw Food Celebrations. After publishing the reviews, I launched a contest for both books and last night that contest came to an end. So today, you get to find out who won! How exciting is that?!
Feel free to read the in-depth reviews I wrote for each book:
The Winner
I used random.org to select the winner, and it chose comment # 16 — and that’s Mika!
Here’s Mika’s winning comment:
- 16 mika { 07.29.09 at 9:47 am }
-
i have officially tweeted too! @om_sweet_om
thanks for this fun contest
And I thought I’d share the comment from Mika’s first entry:
- 15 mika { 07.29.09 at 9:45 am }
these cookbooks would be great for the raw food potlucks and events that are going on in my small but sweet town. we have 5 raw foodists that are putting a community together via fun get-togethers, events and of course yummy food 
The Raw Gourmet and Raw Food Celebrations will help you expand your raw food wisdom, Mika, and those get-togethers won’t be so small any more, huh?! Congratulations and best wishes on all your raw food adventures! Be sure to email me (healingwithjuices@gmail.com) with your mailing address and I’ll get your books in the mail early next week!
Upcoming Contests Featuring these Fabulous Companies
- 2 Food Matters DVDs (Haven’t had a chance to watch this one yet, but do check out their site–they have a RAWsome message to share!!)
- Detox 4 Women by Natalia Rose (I read this book last night and it’s awesome; it really helps you understand water retention, etc!)
- Oh Nuts! (raw macadamia nuts and pecans) <— These are seriously delicious nuts–and they’re JUMBO sized!
- E3Live (Green-tasting (which I don’t mind!), but I REALLY notice that it’s making me feel better. It was definitely put to the test through my recent stressful events!)
- 2 books (Coconut Water for Health and Healing
- and MORE!
You’ll definitely want to stay tuned!
So… be sure to subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life. 
First, I’d like to extend a HUGE thank you to Nomi Shannon and her publisher (Books Alive) for not only sending me two of Nomi’s books to review and enjoy for many years to come, but for also generously sponsoring a contest here at Healing with (Raw) Juices, so one of you can also add both books to your raw food library and enjoy more creative raw foods!
“I embraced a 100% raw food program, and over a matter of several weeks said good riddance to fibromyalgia, hypoglycemia, mood swings, allergic sinusitis, digestive disorders, including acid reflux, and in time rid myself of candida (a systemic yeast infection that has multiple symptoms). My physical, emotional and mental energy was so high I had never experienced anything like it. It would be a lie to say that, in my mid-forties, I felt as though I were in my twenties again. I had never felt as good in my twenties.”–Nomi Shannon
How inspiring is that?! Oh my goodness, what an honor for me to be given the amazing opportunity to review not one but TWO of Nomi Shannon’s books! Let’s focus on just one of those books today.
The Raw Gourmet is a delicious UN-cook book. From bright, beautiful photos of RAWsome dishes to health information about various ingredients, you’ll take away much more from this book than tons of new recipes to try.
Nomi Shannon, the author of this fantabulous book, is a Raw Foodist, Gourmet Chef, and a true source of encouragement for anyone who is suffering from health issues, who is looking to clean up their diet.Nomi has been 100% raw since 1987, when she was first introduced to raw foods as a complete lifestyle.
Even if you aren’t looking to convert to a 100% raw food lifestyle, you can benefit from this raw recipe book. You can use the raw recipes Nomi shares as snacks or side dishes alongside your cooked foods if you’re simply wanting to incorporate more raw/healthy foods into your diet. Or you can start creating these raw recipes if you’re wanting to transition to a high-raw or 100% raw food lifestyle. And you don’t have to be a Raw Foodist to enjoy tasty raw desserts. Either way, you can’t go wrong and you’ll enjoy these yummy rawlicious dishes!
Gorgeous Cover Design!
Sneak Peek
I knew you’d be trying to imagine what is hidden in the pages of Nomi’s book. So, I thought I’d give you a sneak peek! I took a few photos of the inside, of a few dishes and sections. See for yourself!
Asian Pâté Stuffed Peppers
Raw Desserts
Raw Cabbage Rolls
Veggie Salads
Raw Juices and More!
Yum!
See, I told you there are TONS of fantabulous photos and super healthy raw recipes for you to try. I think it’ll take you a looooooooooong time to wade through all these recipes!
Table of Contents
Want to know what all you’ll learn from this book? Check it out!
Chapter 1. The Basics
Here, Nomi teaches lays the foundation of raw foods. She explains the benefits of eating raw, living food and why you should choose organic. In this chapter, she also shares how for you to make the best use of this book, how to prepare raw foods, and lists ten raw food kitchen essentials.
Chapter 2. Breakfast
Learn to be creative with your raw breakfasts!
Chapter 3. Juices and Blended Drinks
Discover a whole new world of drinks: raw nut milks, grain milks, smoothies, green juices, and other juices.
Chapter 4. Salads and Vegetables
Think salad is just a chopped head of lettuce with some puny carrots thrown on? Think again! Enter the beautiful, creative paradise of these salads: dehydrated, marinated, exotic, sprouted, green, and gourmet specialties!
Chapter 5. Fundamental Flavors
Learn how to make all sorts of neat raw gravies, dressings, soups, sauces, marinades, spreads, toppings, and dips.
Chapter 6. Entrees
Do you hesitate going raw because you love your meat? Check this out: You can prepare raw burgers, roll-ups, mousses, loaves, and also stuffed veggies.
Chapter 7. Desserts
Who doesn’t go crazy for dessert, huh? Love candy? Sauces? Cookies? Ice cream? Pie? Pudding? Snack bars? Sweet toppings? Dive in to this chapter and go wild!
Contest
Love how The Raw Gourmet sounds? You can win your very own copy! Yes, that’s right. But you have to be patient. Why? Because I’m not only giving away this book, I’m giving away a second book of Nomi’s, so this contest will be for a combo prize! You’ll win both books! In the next post, you’ll find a review for a book Nomi Shannon co-wrote: Raw Food Celebrations. You’ll never be left wondering what you can prepare/eat at a party or celebration again!
You’ll definitely want to stay tuned!
So… be sure to subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life. 
Wow, do I ever wish I could hit the rewind button and go back to yesterday morning!
Last night was simply atrocious. My arm kept swelling and throbbing and hurting and I didn’t get ANY sleep. None. Zilch. Zero. That makes for a VERY exhausted raw juice girl!
I finally gave in and got up at 5 a.m. That’s early for me, but there was absolutely no way I was going to be sleeping any time soon with all that pain.
I probably should have just laid in bed because not long after I got up, it started….
My tummy was turned inside-out! I started throwing up and couldn’t stop. Now, I’m no medical doctor, but guessing from how my body normally works, I’d say that my system must have been overloaded from all those red wasp stings and it made me sick, overall (I’ve never thrown up on a juice fast before, and I’ve done a 52-day juice fast!).
I can’t count how many times I threw up.
My Mom urged me to eat a couple of crackers to try to calm my tummy.
“But, Mom, this is day 29! Day 29!!! I only have the rest of today and tomorrow to complete my 30-day juice fast!!”
I was horrified by the thought of breaking my fast–and not the way I had planned on breaking it, at that!
Since I was way too sick to handle my daily warm lemon water, I tried sipping on a glass if ice-cold herbal tea. That helped a little. But, still, I kept throwing up.
I was really weak and in a LOT of pain from the swelling/throbbing of my arm where so many wasps stung in one area.
I hated to do it, folks, but I know my body. I know how far I can push myself. And I had reached my limit.
Broken
Breaking a juice fast is a very special event. When I decided to share this juice fast with you all, I had visions of sharing photos and details of my first raw meal after the fast. I planned on telling you why I chose raw fruit (because of all the enzymes that aid digestion) and why I didn’t choose vegetables (because they’re harder to digest when coming off a fast).
The fast wasn’t the only thing that was broken here: My heart and spirit were as well.
Cowboy girl Up
So, as my neighbor says: It was time to cowboy girl up and realize I’d reached my limits and that more importantly than stopping at the end of day 30, I should love my health enough to do what’s best for me at the time–and not worry about what the world would think of me for breaking the fast just a tad early.
So, I sucked up my pride (cowgirled up) and listened to mom: I nibbled on a couple of salty crackers. They were organic, but still….
I also nibbled on a piece of ginger.
“You look like death.” Mom said (thanks for the compliment, Mom! LOL). I took that as a cue to lay back down. My tummy finally settled down enough for me to get in a decent nap.
I knew I needed something but I didn’t really have the strength to drag out the juicer. Since I’d already nibbled on a couple of salty crackers (I’m still upset that I did this!!! ) I decided to make a green monster. Next best thing, right?
Amazing Green Monster
1/3 cup fresh blueberries
1 scoop berry flavored Amazing Grass SuperFood powder
1 big handful spinach
4 ice cubes
1/2 cup herbal tea
(This needed “something” so I added a tiny drizzle of raw honey–then it was perfect!
And it wasn’t as thick as I normally make my smoothies, so it was almost juice-like! )
A Monster Alright!
I had all my ingredients in the blender–and it wouldn’t start. Can you believe it?! Ugh. I was really tired and sick and not in the mood for a dead blender at all! I’m not one to waste, so I dumped the contents of the blender into the food processor and started it up. (Where there’s a will, eh?)
Red Wasp Stings
This photo doesn’t do my arm justice. Several stings were on the other side of my arm (not visible in this photo) and my arm was swollen double its normal size (or more!). Very painful. It felt like burning, heavy concrete that was about to explode and worse.
Since I didn’t get to share a raw meal that broke my fast, I’ll be writing a post with tips for breaking a juice fast, possible foods you could eat, and also share ideas for meals in the coming days after a fast.
What really gets me about this, is that I wasn’t hungry! I wasn’t even craving food and didn’t NEED to break the fast–even on day 30. I could have kept going.
I blame that yoga mat! LOL
Until tomorrow… happy juicing!
Don’t forget to catch up on my 30-day juice fast…
Day 1 of a 30-Day Juice Fast and Juicer Mishaps
Day 2 of a 30-Day Juice Fast–and AMAZING GRASS!!
Day 4 + Wheat Grass Galore + a Juicer!!
Day 8, Let’s Talk About Weight!
Day 11, Grapefruit Juice Heaven!
Day 15 + Living Tree Community Contest Winner!
Day 16 + Books by Dr. Bruce Fife
Day 17 + Green Pineapple Juice
Day 19 + July 4th Celebrations!!
Upcoming Contests Featuring these Fabulous Companies
- 2 books by Nomi Shannon, The Raw Gourmet (These two books have GORGEOUS photos and the recipes are amazing!
- 2 Food Matters DVDs (Haven’t had a chance to watch this one yet, but do check out their site–they have a RAWsome message to share!!)
- Detox 4 Women by Natalia Rose (I read this book last night and it’s awesome; it really helps you understand water retention, etc!)
- Oh Nuts! (raw macadamia nuts and pecans) <— These are seriously delicious nuts–and they’re JUMBO sized!
- E3Live (Green-tasting (which I don’t mind!), but I REALLY notice that it’s making me feel better. It was definitely put to the test through my recent stressful events!)
- 2 books (Coconut Water for Health and Healing
- and MORE!
You’ll definitely want to stay tuned!
So… be sure to subscribe to Healing with Juices’ Feed for free updates. You can get free updates to your email as well (sign up here). You’ll also receive inspiration, juice and smoothie recipes, and juice fasting tips and encouragement to help keep you motivated toward your ultimate health–and more personal posts about stuff that’s going on in my life. 
Copyright 2008 Healing with Juices
Photos and Article
By
After my recent birthday dinner, I decided I should drink a few raw juices to flush my system. I prefer actually juice fasting for at least two days (without eating at all) but haven’t had time to do that. Also, I finally found my favorite organic Greek yogurt at a local store so I bought several containers of it. Now I have to finish them all before they ruin! A short juice fast is just around the corner for me, though.
As I work toward the fast, I’ve only been eating some raw fruit and veggies, the Greek yogurt, raw nuts
My regular diet is pretty much clean anyway but I like to really prepare my body for a juice fast – and that means a goal of 100% raw foods, lots of water and herbal tea. I do eat some fish, eggs, and cooked vegetables, so I just begin to eliminate them a little at a time until I’m eating only raw. Another thing I do to transition into a juice fast is start drinking the raw juices like I’m doing now.
I’ve enjoyed a variety of raw juices so far, but today I want to focus on the watermelon juice. Watermelon is an amazing fruit. It’s loaded with goodies for our bodies to drink up and its juice will flush your kidneys. It’s nice to give the kidneys a boost and help them rid our bodies of toxins (toxins are in the air we breathe, food we eat, etc.) So, It’s very healing – and delicious too!
Here are a few fun facts:
- Eating watermelon may help fight inflammation in diseases such as colon cancer, arthritis, asthma, and others.
- Three servings a day could fight macular degeneration.
- It could possibly even prevent cancer!
Healing for (Raw) Juices Tip:
- You could get all 3 of those servings in one tall glass of tasty juice.
A few nutrients you’ll be feeding your body are:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin B-6
- Vitamin B-1
- Potassium
- Magnesium
- Antioxidants
- and more!
*Nutrition information from whfoods.com
The fun part is you get to juice the entire watermelon. Yes, there are nutrients in the rind and seeds – isn’t that great? You just chop the watermelon into pieces that will fit into the top of your juicing machine and if you want a regular glass (approx. 16 oz.) you’ll need 2 pieces (about 1 inch or so thick) or 4 cups, chopped.
It takes only a short time to get all the pieces in and then you can enjoy its sweet goodness. You’ll wonder how something so tasty is so healthy for you, but it is!
Enjoy your watermelon flush…
Here’s to life, health, and healing with (raw) juices!
I love this smoothie! It’s amazing. The flax really gives it a great flavor and by using the herbal tea in the place of milk, you’re really giving your body a healthy kick of antioxidants that will give you strength, flush your kidneys and bladder, and make you proud of yourself for incorporating healthful drinks into your daily regimen.
I felt like a smoothie today (like most every day) but this time I wanted something simple, filling, and not as thick as my normal smoothies are. So, I decided I’d just have banana and flax. I called it “Banana-Flax Filler Upper” because it really filled me up! I didn’t think it would be quite so volumous because I added more liquid than I usually do. I think the fiber from the flax had something to do with that.
Banana-Flax Filler Upper Fruit Smoothie Recipe:
- 2 bananas, broken into chunks and frozen
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 1 cup herbal tea (I used a blend I made myself from nettle leaf, yerbe mate, dandelion root, burdock root, and milk thistle seed)
Tip:
If you really prefer a richer taste, you could use rice, soy, or almond milk. I’m thinking almond milk would give this one the best taste. Also, if you’d like it to be really thick you should only add 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of the tea.
Have you tried the banana/flax combo? What did you use as your liquid? Do you ever add tea as your liquid in your smoothies? What’s your favorite smoothie? Would you rather have a fruit or veggie smoothie or a raw juice? Share with us in the comments. I can’t wait to read your answers!
Here’s to life, health, and healing with (raw) juices!
