Having "The Talk"

Recently an acquaintance was visiting while I was in the kitchen making a Raw salad dressing for the night's dinner. This young lady is getting married in less than a month, and she still didn't have a dress. The problem: she was desperate to get down a size first.


Finally, she got around to asking me, "So how'd you lose all that weight?"


I hesitated. I was really busy, and not in the mood to explain all the theory behind Raw food, so I just said, "To tell you the truth, I mostly eat fruits and vegetables."


Note that I didn't even use the word Raw, and I didn't say I only eat fruits and vegetables.


"You mostly eat fruits and vegetables?" Yes. "And you don't get sick?" Huh?!?


Seriously, I didn't see that one coming. I might've expected the Protein Question, or a question about whether or not I get bored with my food, but not a question about getting sick.


If I thought she was really interested, I would've sent her to a few of the wonderful Raw websites, but not this time. I gave her a couple of recipes, advised her to give up soda and coffee drinks, and closed the conversation.


I know. It was, perhaps, a bit selfish, but I was busy, man! Do we owe it to everyone to have "The Talk" every time we get the chance?

More Mango Slaw

A quick treat on my way to a barbecue. This kept me on track, and was easy to prepare.

1/2 bag shredded cole slaw mix

1/4 small yellow onion

about 1 tbsp olive oil

1 mango chopped

1 jalapeño diced

Celtic sea salt

You can up the flavor with chopped cilantro, sliced red peppers, or added spices. What I love about this, is that it takes about 5 minutes to throw together and it travels rather well. It actually tastes better after a couple of hours. Both of my daughters love the sweet and spicy balance of the mango and jalapeño.

Okay, I know the plastic bowl wasn't the best. Let's pretend we didn't see that, shall we?

P.S. Sorry for the awkward formatting--Blogger!

Simply Delicious Salad

Lovely Boyfriend went to a local farmer's market on Sunday, with the goal of getting peaches for breakfast. He came back with lots of delicious fruits and vegetables, including heirloom tomatoes, and Reed avocados. If you haven't tried Reed avocados, you're missing a creamy treat.

This salad is a simple combination of heirloom tomatoes sprinkled with avocado oil, Celtic sea salt and pepper, topped with thinly sliced red onions, and the most amazing avocado. Nothing fancy, right? I know, but it was one of the dishes that's so delicious you just want to savor it. It must've taken me 15 minutes to eat that small plate.

Try it. You'll love it!

Life is Good!

Good times, but I've missed the Raw food world terribly! The summer has been incredibly busy for me and the fam, as I'm sure it's been for many of you. I haven't even had time to drop in on Bunny Berry's 100 Day Raw Food Challenge forums. I read the emails, but I know I've been missing out on the fun. (Sorry for the fuzzy pic above, but blogger doesn't want to let me delete it. )

Fierce-as-in Fabulous Teenager is safely off at college. We spent a lot time talking about how she'll survive in the dining hall. She's a veggie, but not Raw. They have a pitiful salad bar, but usually have vegetarian stir-fry options, and a bit of fruit available at breakfast. The bummer is that they can't have a fridge in their dorm room, so I couldn't leave her with lots of fresh fruits and veggies. She'll make it work though. Leaving her 3000 miles away from her mommy was tough!

My baby in her 1st dorm room!

Travelling while remaining High Raw turned out to be easier than I expected. We ate out a lot, so I typically ordered salads, hold all meats, cheeses, bread-like products and dressing. If it had lots of juicy fruit (sweet or savory), or yummy avocado, it usually didn't need dressing. I kept a small bottle of really good olive oil in my purse just in case! I did find myself eating quite a bit of steamed asparagus. For some reason, I just couldn't get enough of it.

While we were traveling, I was also working really hard to take my business online. I've set the initial web page up for Every Kid Fit . Check it out, and tell me what you think. It's still a bit rough, but Lovely Boyfriend is helping me get it going. I'm really hoping to do some good on a broader scale. Little kids deserve to run and play! It's fun!

I've missed reading all the Raw blogs. I haven't even been over to giveittomeraw or goneraw lately! I know I'm leaving out some wonderful Raw foodies, but I just want to say hey to some folks. Shout-outs to:

HiHo Rosie

Isle Dance

Yard Snacker

Disa

April (Rated R for potty mouth, and sinful desserts!)

Sarah

Pixywinks

Kristen

Connie

Michelle J

TheWriterStuff (Raw is not required, and I hope you're doing well!)

Penni

Bunny Berry

There are lots of other Raw blogs that I've missed as well! I hope everyone is having the bestest summer!

Are You Ready?

If you haven't gotten over to Raw Fu to sign up for Bunny Berry's 100 Day Raw Food Challenge yet, then get your butt over there! Registration closes tonight.

You do NOT have to commit to 100% Raw. You set your own goals. It can be as simple as commiting to starting each day with a green smoothie, or having a salad for lunch every day. She has lots of fun mini-challenges, give-aways and contests. What better way to kick up your Raw food consumption than with the support of 100's of people who are doing the same?

I'm still waffling as to what my actual goals will be, but I'll know by tomorrow!

At a Crossroads

For the last several months, LB and I have been seriously thinking of the idea of relocation. This had been our original plan, to downsize and move closer to Los Angeles once my Fierce-as-in-Fabulous Teenager graduated from high school. Well, she's done her part, but we've had a tough time making a decision. I've lived here with the girls for about 8 years. This is home to both of them.

The for sale/lease sign is in the front yard. We've looked at homes that we loved, but haven't found the right compromise on price and location. It seems no matter what we choose, either Lovely Boyfriend or The Amazing Wonder Girl will have to make sacrifices. I feel torn.

In the meantime, the stress (along with the rest of life) has thrown me off-course. I'm behind on my novel draft. I've been less consistent with my workouts and susceptible to eating things I wouldn't usually consider.

Because we'll be traveling to visit family and take FT to college in a few weeks, I have to get myself in a strong and good place right now. Traveling can take its toll any time, but particularly when one isn't eating well. So I'm back to being very aware of what I consume and checking my workout record for balance. I'm prepping for Bunny Berry's 100 Day Raw Food Challenge, and no you don't have to commit to being 100% Raw for 100 Days, unless you want to! Check it out.

One Hundred Percent

There's a lot of talk in the Raw blog world about whether people want to, need to or should strive for 100% Raw.

Debbie makes it plain that she's never going back to SAD. She will be a Raw Vegan for the rest of her life.

Michelle J isn't sure she wants to strive for 100%. She's happy with her results and wonders if it has to be an all or nothing effort in the future.

Kristen is quite happy with High Raw, All Vegan. It works well for her.

Yardsnacker is 100% Raw Vegan, but I don't think HiHoRosie has taken that plunge yet. High Raw seems to be her current goal.

Sara seems to be 100% Raw, low-fat Fruitarian.

Bunny Berry has been striving for all Raw during her 100 Day Raw Food Challenge, and she'll start another challenge on August 1st. So far, she's had marvelous results at 100%, but the rest of her family isn't Raw, so what's to come when the challenges are over?

Then there are of course, the Raw writers, educators and speakers. Matt Monarch, Angela Stokes, and the guys over at WeLikeitRaw, are all 100% Raw Vegans. Carol Alt is very High Raw, but not Vegan.

What about me? The times I've felt the best and had the greatest results in health, energy and fitness have been when I've been either High Raw, all Vegan or as close as I could get to 100% Raw Vegan. (The percentage isn't shared as a comparison to others, nor as a judgement, just as a point of reference.) When I deviated from these, it seemed that everything slowed down: my energy, my physical performance, my weight loss/maintenance, my enthusiasm.

I'll strive for what I know will give me the greatest results. Life is too short to make any other choice.

The Best Laid Plans

On Saturday we took our house guest to Versailles, a Cuban restaurant chain in Los Angeles. I planned ahead to stay Raw by looking at the menu online. It's a dinerish place, and they only had 3 salad options, but how many did I need?

The waiter took our orders, and I requested the largest salad, only to be told they had no tomatoes. Figuring this was due to the recent salmonella scare, I said no problem. Give me the avocado salad instead. Who wouldn't love an avocado salad? How lucky was I to be in a place that had avocado salad on the menu?

The waiter returned. No hay aguacate. All we have for salad is lettuce.

I suppose I could've had a plate of lettuce, but I cracked and ordered the tostones instead. I was hungry! These were of course deep fried, and after eating about half of the small order, I couldn't get any more down.

Leaving the restaurant, I remembered I had a bag of fruit in the car and I wolfed down a couple of apricots. Next time the fruit goes in my purse. While I don't advise sneaking food into a restaurant, I did make a good faith effort to find something appropriate on their menu. My companions ordered enough food to make us good customers, so while I'd keep it on the DL, I'd bring in my backup in the future.

Do You Eat These?

Here's a NY Times article: The 11 Best Foods You Aren't Eating. The article explains the benefits of these nutritious but not very popular foods:

1. Beets
2. Cabbage
3. Swiss Chard
4. Cinnamon
5. Pomegranate Juice
6. Dried Plums
7. Pumpkin Seeds
8. Sardines
9. Turmeric
10. Frozen Blueberries
11. Canned Pumpkin

As for me, I won't be eating anything from a can any time soon, and sardines won't pass these lips either. I rarely drink pomegranate juice, but I do like to eat the fruit. I don't eat beets, because they taste like dirt to me, and not in a good way! I do juice them though. Orange-Beet-Lemon juice is delicious. I prefer my blueberries fresh, but I won't turn my nose up at frozen. Turmeric hasn't been in my food much, since I left cooking behind, but swiss chard, cinnamon, dried plums, pumpkin seeds and cabbage are all regulars around here. Good stuff!

All Things in Moderation . . .or Not

The other day I was at the stairs all alone. (I now go up and down 20 times when I'm by myself, for a total of 4600 stairs. I'm always exhausted and sleep well at night after that workout, and it's a great time to pray, meditate, plan or listen to podcasts.) One of my former writing teachers hosts a show called Writers on Writing, and I took the opportunity to listen to one of her podcasts. She was interviewing the female author of a weight loss book. I haven't read the book, so I can't comment on that, except she apparently isn't pushing a particular diet and she encourages people to eat real food rather than processed junk. Kudos to her for both of those things. At the same time, she gave some advice that I had a problem with.

#1. Gyms are basically evil, useless places and walking is all the exercise anyone needs.

Well, lucky her. She lives in New York City, and her lifestyle affords lots of walking, but for many folks in this country, weather and geography make finding a place to walk outdoors something of a challenge. And I'm sorry, but most of us go through each day without lifting anything heavier than our cell phones. If we don't use--and yes, even train--our upper bodies, we will lose muscle strength and mass, as well as bone density over time. So while walking is great exercise, it's not enough, and though I don't belong to a gym, I don't think we should begrudge the man or woman who enjoys running on the treadmill or biking to nowhere while they watch the news on a big screen tv.

#2. Eat whatever you want, as long as it's mostly real food and all things are taken in moderation.

I know from personal experience that this method can work for weight loss and maintenance. The question then, is whether or not we want to make weight the primary reason for our food choices. Don't get me wrong. I was miserable as an obese person, truly miserable, so I understand the obsession with shedding excess fat. As I said, I haven't read the book, but during the podcast interview there was no mention of what foods are truly beneficial to our health, and so should be the foundation of our diet.

Frankly, most Americans could only improve their health and fitness levels by following this woman's plan. It's not a plan for optimal health, but it would make many people healthier. It's not a plan for optimal fitness, but it does seem to encourage people to move their bodies. I wonder then, should we set the bar low? Should we start with the minimum, and if so, should we expect that people will want to or be able to exceed that? Is it enough to just do a little better?

Today's Yummy Healthy Raw Living Food

After yesterday's food fiasco, I'm focused on enjoying the food that fits my lifestyle. What's done is done, right?

Breakfast: mate vana tea
huge plate of carrots with guacamole, and corn chips from Leaf cuisine
The tortilla chips are tasty, but man, they stick in your teeth!

Pre-workout snack: 1 nectarine

Lunch: salad of spinach and blueberries, tossed with olive oil and garlic

Snack: raw granola (sprouted buckwheat, sprouted flaxseeds, raisins & dates), mixed with more blueberries
Wierd snack for me, but I was having food cravings & this hit the spot.

Dinner: Watermelon (2 huge chunks)
Yummy salad LB made for me as soon as he got home: deer tongue lettuce, mushrooms, and cucumbers

All The Way Quiet

An update on my 4 1/2 days of silence. . .

You would think that my daughters would've been thrilled by the prospect of a mother who couldn't fuss at them. You would be wrong. They initially felt frustrated by the brief notes I wrote in response to their questions. Fierce Teenager quickly got over it, but Wonder Girl, who's 9 years old, worried that she'd forget what my voice sounded like. I thought I would have more time for introspection and creative pursuits, but initially I found myself exerting way too much energy in trying to communicate with my children.

Lovely Boyfriend, who supports all my wacky ideas, didn't disappoint. When I wanted to quit, he encouraged me to keep going. Admittedly, he enjoyed the fact that he could share his thoughts and ideas with me, and I would simply sit and smile at him in silence. Bless his heart! Many women complain about partners who don't communicate. He's a writer, and not surprisingly, very verbal, but in a house full of women he doesn't always feel heard.

Some things I learned about myself and my family:

• My children are too dependent on me to tell them to do things. (my fault)
• I don't listen to anyone nearly enough.
• Just eliminating phone conversations for a while can free up a lot of mental energy.
• After years of trying, I haven't mastered my temper or my impatience. (a work in progress)
• I need times of silence on a consistent basis.

I will have more days of silence in my future. In addition, I'm going to try to add a block of silent time to each day. I think the whole family can benefit from this. One of my mentors once told me that she didn't speak before 9 in the morning. Her husband and kids also accepted that, barring emergencies, they shouldn't speak to her during this time either. One of my friends thought this was incredibly selfish. I immediately wished I could have the same. Well, why can't I?

That being said, a true silent retreat is definitely in my future. It's key that I'm able to experience not just the gift of not speaking, but also the gift of not having to process inputs from others, the television, radio, or computer.

For those of you who've considered trying something similar, I can't recommend it highly enough. I would only say you should decide what you want to get out of it, in order to put your parameters in place, and then let go of all expectations.

Go for it. Be quiet.

Give It to Me Raw SEXY Dinner

Philip, Disa & Austin at the GITMR SEXY Dinner



Hey, I didn't make that up! That's what dinner last night at Au Lac, a raw and cooked vegan/vegetarian restaurant in Fountain Valley, was called. I had the pleasure of meeting several people from giveittomeraw.com and of dining on the unbelievably creative Raw tasting menu Chef Ito prepared for us.


Although Au Lac is only 25 minutes from my home, I'd never made it over there before last night. I will definitely return again and again. I can't wait to take Lovely Boyfriend, who's always game to try something different. Of all the Raw restaurants we've visited, Au Lac ranks as Number One for most imaginative use of ingredients. Don't believe me? Take a look at the menu from last night.



PASTA DI AMORE



Apertif: THE LOVE JUICE - Sweet grass, screwpine, frankincense, gold, hhut jolokja peppers


First: CHEF'S HAND ROLL
Nori, natto, sprouts, daikon, mustard, shrooms, shiso, cucumber

HUMANESE SOUP
Avo, coconut meat, cilantro, chips and thyme

LOVE SONG SALAD
Watercress, "fried" onions, cherry tomatoes, jicama, carrots, teriyaki

Second: PASTA DI AMORE
Sea tangle, kalamata, "fried" onions, holy basil, parmesan, pesto


SHREDDED "PORK" WITH GINGER ONION RICE
Funguy, oregano, chili peppers


HAWAIIAN LOMI LOMI PIZZA
Pineapple, "grilled" onions, zucchini, red bell pepper, melted mozzarella, marinara

Last: CHOCOLATE CANDY, DONUT HOLES, X-TASY
Macadamia, cacao, blue agave juice, coconut base

Yes, we were served all of the above! And yes, it was as good as it sounds! Wipe your lips with the back of your hand, and look up directions to this amazing place. Normally, I sit around restaurants trying to figure out how to recreate the dishes at home. For several of these, I knew my only chance to experience them again would be to come back and hope they're on the regular menu. My favorites included THE LOVE JUICE, sweet with a spicy finish, the hand roll, soup, salad, pasta and dessert. I ended up bringing much of my meal home.

Alyssa & Chris, our wonderful organizers

The company was as wonderful as the food. Many thanks to Alyssa and Chris, who arranged this get-together for us. Philip from Lovingraw was visiting L.A. and made it down to the O.C. as a guest of honor. Matt Monarch was also in town and joined us. I didn't get a chance to chat with Debbie, from Debbie Does Raw. (Debbie- if you see this, I really enjoy your blog!) Gavin and Erica stopped by our table, too. I don't remember everyone's names, but I had the pleasure of dining with Disa, the Unbaker, and Austin, Dan (a raw curious guest), KarmaFree Kale Chips, Vanilla Bean and Pineapple Head, and another guy with a great sense of humor at my table.

Matt Monarch, author of Raw Spirit, chats with guests

I have many more pictures, most of which I will save for blackmail purposes, since I caught lots of folks chewing, and the light was low, casting scary shadows that make people look older than they do in real life. It was a pleasure to meet in person so many of the supporters of Raw food that I run into online. Can't wait to do it again!

Yesterday's Yummy Food

Breakfast: Raw Strawberry Fields cheesecake from Earth Cafe
5-6 fresh figs (happiness in a box!)
1/2 cup coffee (non-raw)
I'm not doing coffee everyday any more, but I do still have it on occasion. Since I was working in my neighborhood coffee shop, I felt I should buy something. Tea would've been a better choice!

Snack: watermelon

Lunch: Salad of romaine, broccoli, mushrooms and onions; topped with fresh salsa and guacamole

Dinner: more fresh figs, and raw breakfast crusts topped with raw peach preserves (fresh peaches blended with Raw agave and dehydrated) Delish!

It was a great eating day! I had some cooked food while my family was here for FT's graduation--not a lot, but enough to feel the difference. Generally, I avoided cooked while eating out by ordering salads with extra veggies and avocado, or by skipping the meal altogether.

Silence and Smoothies

Shannon, at Raw Mom, has also undertaken a speaking fast. It seems she's finding herself in a rush of creativity. Perhaps I'll reach that point if I remain silent longer.

Right now, I'm reaching the point of headache. I homeschool Wonder Girl, and while she works very independently, my written coaching is getting on her nerves. I'm also finding it hard to keep her on track. It normally only takes a word or two, but she's taking advantage of my silence, and trying to debate me on what she should or shouldn't be doing. LB would help me out, but he's working out of the house this week. It probably would've been wise of me to wait for this until he could be here to help me out, but I was tired of waiting for the perfect opportunity.

On the wonderful side, started the day with an extra yummy green smoothie! Spinach, blueberries, and frozen mango, strawberries and papaya. Oh yes, and a bit of ground flax seed. We haven't been doing smoothies much in the colder weather, but now they seem to be finding there way back into our regime. I'm taking the rest of mine out to the backyard, where I'll lie in the hammock and read a book in the sunshine. . . all alone.

Horses for Sale

Though I rarely eat animal products, I am not 100% vegan. With that fact in evidence, I just finished watching a recent episode of Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, and found myself struggling with the segment on the slaughter of race-weary thoroughbred horses. Apparently owners will sell them to butchers for a few hundred bucks once they feel the horses have outlasted their money-earning utility. They showed footage from the killing process, and several times referred to the fact that the process was designed for cows, not horses. They highlighted individuals and organizations that work to rescue noble steeds from the cow-butchering machine.

Once again, I am not a vegan. Yet, is the hypocrisy here not obvious? What's good for the cow is too cruel for the horses.

Yes, change has to start somewhere, but are we still arguing that horses and cows are so different from each other? In other countries, where most of the horse meat is sold (7 days from stable to table), most people would scoff at us for being so sentimental about an animal that has served its purpose and can serve one more in death. We're not talking about people who have nothing else to eat. We're talking about cultural tastes.

Does a cow, or sheep, or goat, or chicken, or pig deserve a less noble fate than that of a horse that once ran a good race?

While I think Real Sports is one of the best news mags on television, I have had issues with the host over the years. Perhaps that bias is coloring my judgment. I don't think so though. Either its okay to brutally slaughter animals for dinner or its not. Let's not pretend our affection for one species, or the fact that it once had the potential to win buckets of money, somehow earns it better treatment.

Raw Food Tips

Haven't been in much of a blogging mood lately, though I've continued to enjoy reading Raw food, fitness and political blogs. In an effort to get back in the swing of things, I'll try posting some tips that I've picked up along the way. (Not that I always follow my own advice!) Many thanks to all the Raw foodies out there who've contributed to my knowledge.



Raw Food Tip: Keep it fresh. Dehydrated snacks are great but are best balanced with fresh food. A ration of 3:1 (fresh:dehydrated) or greater works well. Adding a green salad to almost any meal can make it easy to cover 3/4 of your plate in fresh living foods. This actually works great even if you're not going Raw. Imagine how much healthier a SAD plate becomes when most of its covered in living plant food.

Stay Raw, yall!

Salad - Getting Hot in Here

Lame post title, but it's the best I can do this early! In the cooler weather, I started to crave warm foods, not necessarily anything cooked, just something that felt comforting. While I enjoy soups, I can be quite lazy about pulling out the blender. Here's a great alternative- the dehydrated salad.

Toss ingredients in a bowl, in this case: tomatoes, corn, spinach, chopped mushrooms and onions. Pour a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, crushed garlic and ginger, sea salt, and a bit of agave over it all, and toss well. Spread on dehydrating racks and dehydrate for 3-4 hours. I like to stir occasionally to prevent bits of spinach from crisping up.

The whole family loves these salads. (I added avocado to this one after it finished warming up.) There's a lot of, "can I have a pinch?" and "when will it be ready?" all of which makes me happy. We get more greens in this way too, as they're easier to consume once they've wilted down a bit.

Enjoy!

Staying on (or Reclaiming) the Raw Wagon

Did you go Raw overnight, twenty-seven years ago? Have you managed to make it more than a decade without consuming so much as a drop of nama shoyu, a piece of questionably dried fruit, or a heat-shelled nut? Congratulations, you've made it into an elite group that most of us will never join.

I first discovered Raw food as dietstyle five or six years ago. I was working my way through some Tony Robbins tapes, and he advocated a very low-fruit, high fat, high greens Raw way of eating. I tried it with great success, but eventually slid back into my old conventional foods. The results I achieved on Raw (weight loss, glowing skin, mad energy and more) impressed everyone around me. Still, no one got it. None of my friends or relatives knew how to support me in my Raw quest, and I had no idea what to ask of them.

The world's a much different place for me now, with Raw restaurants, products, meet-ups, social networks, websites and more. Going Raw came much easier this time. (Thank God for the Internet!) Though I still didn't have a miraculous over-night transformation, I've come across many more tips and tricks to aid me this time around.

If you're facing challenges with Raw transition or maintenance, check out this coaching call. Karen Knowler, the UK's Raw Food Coach, shares some insight with a client. It's 45 minutes long, but worth the investment of time, even if you have to listen to it in pieces. Good stuff to support any of us on this journey.

Walking the Tightrope

Last weekend Lovely Boyfriend and I spent four days in Los Angeles, celebrating our friend's fortieth . . . I mean twenty-first . . . birthday, and hustling Wonder Girl to her play performances. It was a lot of fun, but a very different schedule than I'm used to following. Part of me wishes I had packed in more events, and part of me is happy to have found some time for more relaxing, self-focused activities, like climbing the sand dune (6 times!). By Sunday night, I was exhausted and ready for some solitude.

This week, I've set major goals for my fiction work, but also have vowed to eat a more simple Raw diet. Wonder Girl's homeschool work still needs my attention, the finances have to be managed to accommodate unexpected expenses (like the $500 deductible on $6000 worth of car accident damage), Fierce Teenager needs to begin organizing for graduation, I must get my workouts in, we're making major decisions about moving to another city, and the household still needs to run.

I'm not complaining about all this. In fact, I'm excited about most of it. It's just that my personality isn't particularly suited to balancing all these things. I don't like living in a world of multi-tasking. Given my way, I could shut myself in a room for six hours each day until I burned out on a project. Unfortunately, life demands that I give each area it's due.

Here are some tools that have helped. I've added a countdown timer to my Google sidebar, forcing myself to quit working on a given project when its allotted time expires. In the kitchen, I just use the oven timer. I've also created a free page on backpackit.com, with lists of all my short-term goals and the immediate steps I need to achieve them. This is now my home page. I've used this system for a couple of weeks, but the weekend of partying threw me off a bit.

Today, I'm back to seeking balance, trying to keep one foot always on the tightrope.

*The photo is from Tees For Change, a socially responsible t-shirt and jewelry company.