My Raw St.Patrick's Day

Inspired by Penni's plethora of green Raw options, I decided to have something green at every meal today.

Breakfast: 1 green powder drink, 3 cups green tea

Lunch: Apple-cinnamon-spinach smoothie

Post-workout: 1 green powder drink

Snack: Soup (Avocado, cucumber, spinach and tomato, topped with sun-dried tomatoes & olive oil)

Dinner: I was going to have something green. Really, I was. But last night I made these super-delish apple crepes and I couldn't resist having one as a dinner treat. So . . . Raw Apple Crepes, filled with apples and topped with caramel sauce. Recipe to come soon.

The Holidays Simplified

Though we missed our families, who were 1000s of miles away, we didn't travel over the holiday season. While it's always worth it, traveling home is a hectic ordeal, and this year we avoided that stress.

In addition, we created a spreadsheet to keep track of what we bought, for whom, and at what cost. That way we were able to stay within our budget, avoid charging anything, and finish the season without that sick what-have-we-done feeling that comes from spending more than you should or buying gifts no one will remember. Every present we purchased was something we thought the recipient needed or wanted. We called some friends and said, forget gifts. Let's get together and enjoy each other's company instead, and we made dates to do just that.

What does this have to do with being Raw? Well, for us part of the beauty of Raw Food is it's inherent simplicity. While I'll never give up the occasional Raw gourmet dish, a bowl of apples and figs is a simple pleasure I can't resist. It's wonderful to find that more relaxed and appreciative attitude touching other parts of our lives.