Late Friday night of the Raw Spirit east coast festival I met Xavier Hawk, musician and all around cool kat. He introduced us to kava which is a root that is crushed up and steeped in water to create a tea. Kava is known as the black pepper plant and is from the Western Pacific. It’s used in ceremonies as a form of sacred communication. It’s totally natural and works as a topical anesthetic which causes the tongue and stomach to go numb. It also acts as a mood enhancer and is know to open up ones heart for deeper communication.
Please be aware that it should NOT be mixed with alcohol or anti-depressants. Also do not drink it ladies if you are nursing or pregnant.
I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Aj Wentworth, health counselor, raw foods chef, and chocolatier at the Raw Spirit eco live food festival in Maryland. Chocolate Conspiracy only uses raw, organic, fair-trade cacao sweetened with local honey. All of their flavors are awesome, but the wild spice is my favorite! It’s the perfect chocolate bar that doesn’t give you the jitters, yet gives you a smooth feeling instead.
Continuing along with the video series from the Raw Spirit festival 2009 east coast; we have Philip Wilson, distributor of the Relax Far Infrared Saunas and health food store owner in Columbus, Ohio. Philip talks about how using one daily may:
- rid the body of heavy metals
- relieve pains and aches
- help recover from sports injuries
- improve circulation
- help diabetic ulcers
- good for people with blood pressure and heart problems
I met Rory Reese or Rawdawg Rory as he’s known, at the Raw Spirit east coast festival 2009. I was immediately drawn to Rory’s high energy and personality. Rory used to be overweight and suffered from chronic sinusitis. Since going raw he’s lost 90 lbs. to date and has noticed a significant increase in his energy levels (like he needs anymore! – just kidding). In this video Rory discusses how he transitioned over a period of time with raw foods and his advice for beginners new to the lifestyle.
While at the Raw Spirit festival, I spotted Sunshine Boatright and pulled her right aside to say hello. I knew Sunshine (love that name!) from online social sites and had heard about her son who has autism. I was so stoked to chat it up with her and as soon as we started talking, it was as if I’d known her for ages. She radiates warmth and energy just like her name. What a sweet woman indeed.
When Sunshine was 34 years old, she found herself overweight and out of breath. She suffered from chest pains, irritable bowel syndrome, and chronic fatigue syndrome. After going raw she immediately dropped 80 lbs. without even exercising! Because of the miraculous things that happened to her, the family followed along with the program, and since then she’s noticed quite an improvement in her son’s cognitive abilities and more. Watch to hear the rest of her story…
Finding a good raw food meal is few and far between in the city of Philadelphia. There are not many places to grab a bite to eat on your lunch break or enjoy a nice evening out with friends – or at least not yet. The only option you’re generally left with is a salad and you never know if it’s going to be flavorsome or the usual two pieces of iceberg lettuce garnished with a bland tomato. So if you’re tired of the same ol’ same ol’ when you go out to eat and are up for a fun trip, then I’ve got the perfect place for you. Arnolds Way raw food cafe has been open in Lansdale for eight years serving the local community fresh raw and organic vegan food. Owner Arnold Kauffman started his business eighteen years ago in the Manayunk section of the city, operating as a vegetarian cafe. After ten years in that location he decided to shift gears and moved out to Lansdale and has been there ever since passionately spreading the word about the raw food lifestyle.
When it comes to the menu the place is known for it’s delicious banana whips and green smoothies. You can pick and choose your favorite toppings for the famous banana whips. The green smoothies taste just like a refreshing fruit smoothie but with leafy greens added hence the name green smoothie. When trying a whip your first time I suggest going for the cashew dates topping. It’s lip smacking good and satisfying to the taste buds!
Every month guest speakers come from all over the country to lecture and educate on the topic of the raw food diet. Various classes are offered throughout the month focusing on easy preparation and there is even a movie night showing the film “Simply Raw:Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days” which plays the second Saturday of every month. Arnold also has a new month long series taught by him titled “The 7 Steps to Becoming Younger” with the focus on reversing the aging process, the protein myth, food combining, fasting, and restoring vital energy.
Monthly potlucks are held every third Saturday which feature a guest speaker who has usually overcome a huge health obstacle or an educator in the field. Cost is $12 per person or bring a raw vegan dish and just pay $2. Be sure if you bring a dish that the ingredients used are listed on an index card and that your dish feeds 6 people. Reservations are required as well. If you have any questions or would like to register you can call the store. These events are a fantastic way to chat with other raw foodies or just dabble into the scene.
I must say this place is truly a diamond in the ruff and is definitely worth the 45 minute drive from Center City. You can make it an educational day trip with family or friends. You’re sure to run into some folks with incredible stories of how they healed themselves with raw foods and in fact there are so many of them that Arnold has filmed over 200 testimonials posted on YouTube! The store is stocked with rare and old books, natural cosmetics, supplements, and plenty of interesting people. Their mission statement is,”Our mission is to create an energetic movement for the transformation of a disease-free World.”
For more info: Arnolds Way, 319 West Main St. Lansdale, PA. 215-361-0116. Please call for store hours of operation as they vary from day to day.
Many people have developed severe allergies to cow’s milk and soy milk, making almond milk a great alternative to both. I’m highly allergic to cow’s milk and suffered for a number of years from chronic sinus infections and eczema. You can purchase almond milk already packaged in your local health food store, but unfortunately it’s pasteurized and a great deal of the nutrients are diminished in the process. You can easily make your own fresh batch at home with a nut milk bag, cheese cloth, or a personal favorite of mine, 1 gallon nylon mesh paint strainer bag. A commercial blender like a Vita-Mix is ideal but a half way decent department store model will do.
You can use this as a base for your favorite smoothies, soups and even a creamer for teas. It’s sure too sweeten things up and add variety which is key to succeeding with eating more raw foods. Almond milk is cholesterol free and contains high levels of omega fatty acids and protein. Almonds also contain a rich source of vitamin E, zinc, magnesium, potassium, fiber, phosphorus, iron, and calcium are among the other vitamins and minerals in this powerhouse of a drink, helping aid everything from your bones to your blood. Be sure to soak your almonds overnight to allow the enzyme inhibitors to be released. Also make sure to discard of the water they were soaking in and use fresh instead. Please enjoy a personal recipe of mine below.
Fresh and delicious almond milk
1 cup raw almonds soaked
3 cups filtered water
raw agave nectar to taste
sea salt to taste
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1. Place 1 cup raw almonds in bowl and soak at least 6 hours or overnight in water.
2. Blend 3 cups water and soaked almonds (drained of soaking water) until thoroughly blended.
3. Strain the milk through a nutbag or cheesecloth into a large pitcher.
4. Rinse blender and put the strained milk with the agave and sea salt back in the blender. Blend once more and enjoy!
Optional: Add fresh vanilla bean or extract to jazz things up. Try experimenting with other flavors for a change. Add 3 Tablespoons of cacao powder for chocolate milk or a pint of strawberries for strawberry milk.
I was fortunate enough to get an interview with these two goofballs together (I say that with love). If you’ve been into the raw food scene for awhile, chances are you’ve heard of Jim Dee, the husband of Wendi Dee, who together run the All Raw Directory and Pure Jeevan website and blog. Both of them have had tremendous results from eating a raw food diet. Jim shares his story of how he suffered from high blood pressure, acid reflux, and being overweight. For more information please visit their sites. You have to see their before and after pics on their blog, unbelievable!
- http://www.purejeevan.com/
Charles Balcer recently got back from his west coast adventure to explore the plethora of raw food restaurants and farmers markets. You can learn more about Charles on We Like it Raw or follow him on Facebook. Tell him Michelle sent ya.
Nowadays we don’t even need to be concerned about still being able to enjoy our favorite pastime foods. Ice cream, mint chocolate chip in particular was something I enjoyed immensely. Since going vegan seven and a half years ago, I haven’t missed it since. In fact I love the banana ice cream so much, that I wanted to share the simplicity of it with you. Not to mention it’s really affordable to make too. Cool off with this simple and refreshing recipe, even for the novice.
Banana Ice Cream
Ingredients:
2 bananas frozen, with peel off
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1. Take bananas out of the freezer and place on counter, allowing to thaw for 15 minutes or until soft enough to be able to cut in 1 inch chunks.
2. Place the cut up chunks in the food processor and turn on. The mixture should start to whip up and come together. If the processor has trouble moving the mixture then you will need to allow the bananas more time to thaw off. You should end up with a creamy whipped consistency. You can either scoop out as is from here or add your additional toppings. Serve and enjoy immediately. Remember it’s not like traditional ice cream where you can leave it out for a while. It will start to melt, so eat it up quickly.
Variation: If you’re looking for the texture of a soft serve ice cream, follow all of the above steps except now place the ice cream in a bowl or container and place back into the freezer and allow it to refreeze. Then scoop out later and enjoy.
Suggestions for toppings: Try using any of the following to create a desired flavor of your own: almond butter, coconut butter, fresh or frozen berries, cacao powder or nibs, cinnamon, mint, vanilla bean. For more fun and easy recipes visit the Living Sun Foods blog.
This weekend I was at the Raw Spirit festival in Maryland working for Brad’s Raw Chips. I’m so thankful to have been given the opportunity by Brad Gruno. I had such a wonderful time meeting new people and listening to their inspirational stories. It was especially awesome to finally meet people face to face that I had been in communication with via social media. On the first day I met Peter Douglas, who was on day 65 of a 100 day juice fast. Peter was motivated by Philip McCluskey’s story of transformation from morbid obesity…
I love love love fresh green juices, especially with my favorite supplements.
