RAWWOMAN RECIPE FILE:

VANILLA SCENTED PARSNIP SOUP

1 cup mushrooms

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4-5 parsnips, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 tart apples (Granny Smith) cored, seeded and chopped

2 cups almond milk

½ teaspoon whole cloves

1 whole star anise

½ teaspoon peppercorns

Seeds from one vanilla bean

Granny Smith apple, diced

Flat leaf parsley

Toss mushrooms with olive oil and a dash of sea salt. Set aside to marinate.

Put the parsnip , apples, almond milk, cloves, star anise, peppercorns and vanilla in a Vita-Mix. Blend for five 1 minute intervals until the mixture is pureed. Use spatula to keep soup in constant motion.

Pour soup through fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide into warm bowls and garnish with marinated mushrooms, diced apple, parsley and olive oil. Can also be served warm. Just heat lightly till just warmed. You should be able to put a finger in the soup without feeling burned. This will give you a nice warming concoction for these frigid winter months. Makes 8 cups.

Alisa: On The Road to Raw

Equipment

Well, this blog response is long overdue. Sorry Marie. I’ve tried to write this blog about a million different times (o.k., I am exaggerating a bit) and just have not been able to finish it, but, I will be damned if I do not finish it now. So here goes…

O.k., so let’s talk about raw food kitchen appliances, cutlery and gadgets.

Yes, over the past 9 years of embracing, enjoying and preparing raw food, I have bought almost everything and anything kitchen related that I could buy that might have helped me along my new culinary path.

I have it all: multiple juicers (Norwalk, Champion and Wheatgrass), blenders (VitaMix and K-tech), dehydrators (Excalibur), knives, cutting boards, processors, slicers, dicers, mincers, mandolins, spiralizers, salad hands, bash and chops, nutmilk bags, measuring cups, including, of course, the wondercup and measuring spoons, bowls of every size imaginable, offset spatulas, graters including, of course, the microplane, peelers, gadgets that will julienne, salad spinners, grinders, strainers of all sizes, and yes, even a tomato shark. To this day, Marie kids me about owning a tomato shark.

I am sure I’ve forgotten some of the other wonderful kitchen gadgets that I own, but I think you get the picture. I went crazy! I had a lot of fun shopping over the years (spent a lot of money) and, of course, playing with every single thing that I bought, but, the question is: what does one really need in order to prepare raw food??

If you already prepare food in any capacity, you probably already own much of what I have listed above. Whether you plan to embrace a complete raw food lifestyle or just add a little raw food into your existing diet, at the very least, here is what I highly recommend that you add, that you might not already have: a high speed blender, a food processor, a high quality chef knife, nutmilk bags and a few cutting boards. If you are really are planning to commit to this wonderful new lifestyle or if you really love breads, cookies and crackers like I do, then I recommend investing in a dehydrator.

That is really all it takes and, best of all, you do not have to buy all of the above at one time. To get started, all you really need is a knife and a cutting board. I you want to create some amazing juices and smoothies; however, then I cannot emphasize enough that you MUST purchase a high-speed blender. If I had to pick just one appliance to purchase first, it would be a high-speed blender. They are expensive but worth every penny. In the end, they pay for themselves. If you cannot afford to purchase a new one, go up on Craig’s list or E-bay and you will be able to find one; just don’t give up looking. There is always someone who has decided that they don’t want theirs anymore (lucky you) and now it can be yours, for a lot less. You can even find them at garage sales, flea markets and thrift stores. Just keep looking. In the end, it will be worth it.

I am going to go off on a tangent right now but I cannot help myself. To me, creating and drinking amazing green juices and green power smoothies are the “be all and end all” of amazing health, vibrancy and energy. So, even if you are not planning to become a raw food enthusiast, but you want to look and feel better, invest in a high-speed blender and go crazy; drink your way to great health and energy; doing that, all by itself, will shift your world in a way I simply cannot explain.

So, which blender to I recommend? A vita-mix or a k-tech. Both are superb! Both get the job done! Both are in the same price range. Both are worth every penny they cost. Don’t think about it; just do it!!! You will not regret it!!!

Which food processor do I recommend? If you want a food processor, in my humble opinion, the Cuisinart 14 cup food processor is the way to go; it is not too small and not too large; it is just perfect and can accomplish all your processing needs.

Which juicer do I recommend? (and you really don’t need one because you can make juices in your blender, as Marie already explained). The Green Star, Breville or Hurom Slow Juicer are my top three choices and without me droning on and on about the pros and cons here, simply, “Google” all three juicers to see their specific differences for yourself. Personally, if I were to buy a new one today, I would choose either the Breville or the Hurom because, in the end, both are easy to clean up. I want to spend as little time as possible juicing and cleaning up or else I will not want to make a juice in the first place! All three, however, are great juicers and will get the job done.

Which knives do I recommend? At the very least invest in a high quality chef knife and a cleaver (for coconuts). I adore my Mac 6” chef knife and my 6” ceramic chef knife. The proper length of a knife depends on what you feel comfortable holding. It is very personal. The knife becomes an extension of your arm. A 10” might feel comfortable for some, but not for me. Try it and see what works for you. My ceramic knife is my ultimate favorite, but if you only have enough money for one great knife you might not want to invest in a ceramic because they are delicate and if you accidently drop it, it will chip. I have directly experienced this mishap and I was not a happy camper. I still invest in them because I love, love, love them, but then again I am crazy about knives.

Why more than one cutting board? If you plan to continue to eat meat and dairy along with raw fruits and veggies, it is my preference to have a separate cutting board for each: one for meats, one for dairy, one for onions and garlic and one for fruits and non-offensive veggies. I have different colored boards and each color represents a different food group. I do this because I prepare food for people who have allergies and other diet restrictions and it is important for me not to contaminate foods. And sometimes, simply, washing the board isn’t enough to get rid of the garlic leftover essence and I prefer the pure taste an apple not a garlic apple. Do you know what I mean?

Which dehydrator? The Excalibur of course! It is the be all and end all of dehydrators. And I recommend purchasing the 9 tray because it only costs $20.00 more than the 5 tray and in the end, once you start making your amazing dehydrating treats, you are going to want to make them in large quantities and you will end up cursing the day you bought the 5 tray!

Well, as you can tell, I could go on and on because there is just so much information to share and I love sharing it and I would be glad to if any of you have any questions and or comments regarding what I just shared, but if I do not send this response to Marie now, I will never hear the end of it. I’ve procrastinated enough. She has been so, so, so patient with me. What are friends for? So, Marie, finally, here it is!

P.S. it is Marie’s birthday this Sunday….Happy Birthday Marie!!!!

RAWWOMAN RECIPE FILE:

RED PEPPER HUMMUS PIZZA

Pizza Crust

2 1/2 cups of sprouted kamut

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 cups ground golden flax seeds (or flax meal)

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Place sprouted grain in a food processor with salt and cayenne and blend till it breaks down, scraping the sides of processor.

Add water and oil while processing. Mixture will become doughy.

Transfer to a mixing bowl and put in the flax seeds. Blend well until thoroughly mixed.

Pour a small amount of oil onto teflex dehydrator sheet and spread it to cover entire sheet. Press dough into a circular Pizza shape. (You can use an oiled rolling pin as well. You can curl up edges to look like a more traditional pizza.

Dry for 2 hours at 110 degrees, then flip onto a mesh screen for at least 2 hours more.

Crusts keep, refrigerated, up to 5 days.

Red Pepper Hummus

!/2 cup sesame seeds, ground into a powder

2 teaspoons chopped garlic

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups seeded and diced red bell pepper

1/3 cup tahini

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Process the sesame seeds, garlic and salt into small pieces; add remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

Keeps for two days in the fridge.

Horiatiki Salad

Yeilds 2 !/2 cups

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

1 teaspoon whole dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon Himalayan or Celtic salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 /2 lb. tomatoes (approximately 2-3 romas) cut into 12 pieces each

1/2 cucumber, sliced, not seeded or peeled then slices cut into quarters

1/4 red pepper quartered and cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1/4 red onion sliced thinly into half moons

1/8 cup sun-dried olives, chopped

Put the the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper in a large salad bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss to evenly distribute.

Extra Garnish

Arugula Leaves or Spinach

‘Raw’mesan Cheese (recipe follows)

‘Raw'Mesan Cheese

1/2 cup of macadamia nuts, soaked for 2 hours

1/4 cup pine nuts, soaked for 2 hours

2 teaspoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons nutritional yeast

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons water

Combine the nuts, lemon juice, nutritional yeast and salt in food processor, scraping down the sides until well mixed. Add water while processing to make it fluffy.

Spread the cheese mixture onto a teflex sheet and dry at 110 degrees for 6 to 8 hours. Do not over process or it will become sticky. Crumble and store up to 1 week in an airtight container.

ASSEMBLY: Spread Hummus in a thick layer over Kamut Crust. Spread some arugula leaves evenly over hummus. Scatter Horiatiki evenly over both. If using, sprinkle with ‘Raw’mesan cheese. EAT!

Note : This pizza sprouted from a combination of recipes from several different RawWoman classes; the crust and raw parmesan from our 'Breads and Pizza' Class, the ' Greek Horiatiki Salad' from our 'Super Salads' Class and the 'Red Pepper Hummus' from our 'Lunch in the Raw' Class. In a reverenced 'toot' of our own horn : this is truly delicious and since it also eliminates the more typical, nut cheese pizza topping it contains significantly less fat than a more traditional raw vegetable pizza. Eliminate the 'RawMesan' Cheese and you reduce the fat again!

RAWWOMAN RECIPE FILE:

HEMPED UP RED PEPPER DIP

2 red bell peppers, chopped

1 1/4 cup shelled hemp seeds

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tablespoon Nama Shoyu

1/2 teaspoon mild curry powder

pinch salt

1/4 cup water ( or less, use to thin dip to taste)

Place all ingredients except water in food processor. Process till smooth. Use a little water to thin dip slightly, to taste.

Marie: ON THE ROAD TO RAW

Equipment

Alisa and I came together as partners in one of those fated ways; both of the women who normally assisted her in her classes were unavailable - due to 'personal emergencies - on the weekend of her first 'Equipment' class. I - by simply being the only one available - became the substitute. And the rest is history, so to speak. But on the subject of 'Equipment'... my whole kitchen had been transformed into what I then dubbed 'Alisa's Chamber of Torture'. Everything looked impressive and imposing but mostly it just looked like ALOT! There was not an open space on the kitchen counter; it looked like any moment all this stuff would revolt and take over the house .

Never one to acquire gadgets, I was astounded to find instruments for taking the hulls of strawberries, pitting cherries and zesting lemons. "What's wrong with a knife?", became the phrase of the day.Alisa had many, many knives and a very large and dangerous looking cleaver (for coconuts). "What do you need so many knives for?" I queried. There is no real answer. Some people just collect knives. Which brings me to the equipment. Juicers; all different kinds, some of which I couldn't for the life of me figure out where the fruit went in and the juice came out! Three different kinds of blenders. Some white gizmo with a guillotine blade and a crank handle that supposedly turns vegetables into noodles. A big black box with removable trays called a dehydrator - the closest thing to cooking in the raw world but kind of like the grown up version of an Easy Bake Oven (another contraption that takes a whole day to bake a cake).

I felt scared and deprived at the same time. Was I supposed to have all this stuff in my own kitchen? Why didn't I have all this stuff in my kitchen? I think I better learn how to use the strange little lemon rinder but, again, what's wrong with a knife?

Now the reality. The truth is: you don't need all that stuff. We conduct most of our classes with a blender (just one) and a food processor. Sometimes we throw in the dehydrator. We use measuring cups and spoons and knives. And that's pretty much it. More than a year has passed since that first class with Alisa and I, myself, verge on living a life on the edge of All Raw (although sometimes when you live life On The Edge, you're bound to fall off sometimes - but that's another story), I still don't have a VitaMix - considered to be the blender of choice for all raw food-ists. It's just me and my little Osterizer - and that works fine. Except that I must admit that there is nothing like the Vitamix for turning nuts into a smooth cream, something my own humble blender refuses to do, eventually shutting down completely like a petulant child until I let it sit for awhile and cool down. I didn't buy a juicer either. And I drink TONS of juice. I use my blender to beat things into a pulp instead, then pour the fibrous concoction through a nut milk bag and into a bowl. $9.50 for a nut milk bag. It's a bargain. You could use cheesecloth if you had a mind to, but the nut milk bag is better. It just goes to show that you don't need to break the bank to get the job done. I like juicing this way. It's kind of like milking a goat and I've always kind of gotten a kick out of that too. I did, however, invest in a fabulous Cuisinart food processor, cutting my processing time for almost anything in half. I also bought a dehydrator; even though I consistently prefer fruits and vegetables in their most natural states, every once in awhile I get a craving for one of those 'easy baked' items. Chips, stuffed mushrooms, pie crusts, pizza, breads. And, after all, I like it because it warms things up a little and me being - first and foremost - a cook, I like that sometimes... a warm blast from the past. I bought the best dehydrator there is. The 'Excaliber': Dehydrator Of Champions. Honestly most of us consider it the only dehydrator there is. And yes, I too began accumulating knives ( in particular the ceramic kind though right now I'm pining for two lovely Cutco knives that slice through anything - bone, rope, you name it -and that I'm threatening to use on the farm as well). Oh! And I bought a cleaver. Because you can never drink too much coconut water.

RAWWOMAN RECIPE FILE:

SOUTHERN GREENS SALAD

1 cup curly green kale, stems removed

1/2 bunch collard greens, stems removed

1/4 cup basil leaves

3/4 teaspoons sea salt

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

Chop the kale medium fine. To chop the collard greens and basil, first stack several leaves, roll them and cut into thin strips. Then chop medium fine. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to massage the greens, working the dressing into them with your hands.

Indian Greens: Substitute mustard greens for the collards. Replace the olive oil with sesame oil and add 1/2 teaspoon curry powder and 1/4 teaspoon cumin

Asian Greens: Substitute spinach for the kale and bok choy for the collards. Replace the olive oil with sesame oil, replace the sea salt with 2 teaspoons tamari and add 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger. Peeled orange sections would be great in this salad.

***This recipe comes to you as a direct request from one of our students! She is working in DeKalb and had a craving for this kale concoction that we featured in our recent salad class. We don't blame her; we are avid kale lovers and have this one a few times a week, ourselves. Here you go Cheryl...Enjoy!

RAWWOMAN RECIPE FILE:

NECTARINE/WATERCRESS WRAPS WITH ALMOND SATAY

Satay

4 tablespoons almond butter

2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar

2 teaspoons maple syrup

2 teaspoons soy sauce

Process all ingredients in a high speed blender. Add two tablespoons warm water if desired to blend. Process until smooth.

Wrappers

Large Napa Cabbage Leaves

Filling

12 medium basil leaves

2 nectarines, sliced into approximately 12 slices

1 avocado, sliced

1 cup watercress leaves

If using rice wrappers: submerge wrappers in water and let soften one minut.

Transfer wrappers from water to towel and blot. Fold wrapper edge over one inch on right side.

Lay three basil leaves on bottom of wrapper, parallel to counter edge leaving 2 inches from left edge and 1 inch from bottom uncovered. Top with six nectarine slices, 3 avocado slices and 1/4 cup watercress, allowing watercress tops to overlap folded right edge. Roll up bottom of wrapper and tuck unfolded left edge over. Continue to roll into tight cylinder. Almond sauce can be drizzled over, dipped into OR almond sauce can be placed inside of wrap before wrap is rolled up.

SERVES 4.

Nectarines are all over the place now and we love them! This has become a lunchtime staple for anyone who's tried it partly because it's so easy but mostly because it's so GOOD! We prefer it with napa cabbage as the wrap. It's subtle and adds an extra layer of freshness to the wrap. But you could try collard greens or romaine as well. And double the satay recipe . It's addictive!

Alisa: ON THE ROAD TO RAW

Shopping

As you already know, before becoming a raw food enthusiast, before becoming ill, I did everything I could not to set foot in a kitchen. I really, really disliked cooking and I still do. My Ex will tell you he couldn’t believe someone could actually burn butter. My cooking repertoire consisted of preparing waffles, pancakes, French toast, pasta with jarred sauce, steamed veggies (from a frozen food package) and boiling rice. Yes, that was it! Ask my son, I am the world’s worst cook.

So what does this have to do with food shopping? Because I disliked cooking, I disliked food shopping; for me, they went hand in hand. I would only venture to the grocery store if my Ex needed me to. Food shopping and cooking was his domain and he was great at it. He was the gourmet chef in the family and thank God for that because we all would have starved if it was left up to me.

For me, going to the grocery store was like going to the dentist; a very, very painful experience. My Ex would hand me the list and once I entered the store I would grab a cart and the race would begin. What was the goal? To get out as fast as possible. I didn’t care what I was buying. I didn’t care what was there. I never looked for more than a second at what I was picking out. To me, an apple was an apple, cereal was cereal and a nut was a nut. And whether something was organic or not was not even a consideration. It wasn’t in my consciousness to care. I was completely and utterly detached from what I was buying and where I was buying it. At this point in time I still didn’t understand that there was a direct relationship between what I bought, where I bought it and the health of my body.

Pre-raw, I shopped at stores like Publix, Albertsons, Smiths, etc. Health food stores were not yet in my universe. I lived in the candy, canned, frozen, dairy and junk food aisles.

After turning raw, my food shopping world was turned upside down! Because I became ill, I was forced to change my diet (it was either that or take pharmaceutical drugs for the rest of my life). Now, food became my whole life. I became food obsessed. I was determined to heal myself. Since food was now the focal point of my life, food shopping and food preparation became my only hobbies. My world was rocked!

Immediately, I sought out every health food store in my area. And buying organic was very, very important to me. I knew I had to eat the cleanest, healthiest food the planet had to offer so I could heal. So now, I shopped at places like Whole Foods, local co-ops and farmers’ markets. For the first time I saw food and food shopping in a way I never imagined I would.

It is difficult to explain but I was seeing food for the first time. Now I cared about what I was buying and what I was putting into my body. I wouldn’t purchase a single food unless I looked at the label and read the ingredient list first. I had to be sure that nothing was entering my body that was going to hinder my healing. All produce had to have an item number that began with a 9 because that meant it was organic. If a fruit or veggie item number began with a 4 or a 3 I stayed clear of it. An item number of 4 or 3 meant it was not organic. I had to be careful.

Now, when I entered the health food store, I looked forward to grabbing a cart and beginning my shopping trip in the produce aisle (this is where I spent majority of my time). I was in no rush. And very slowly I would work my way through the store aisle by aisle. And because I was now not only shopping for myself but my family as well because we all wanted to be healthy, even if I was picking out an organic packaged food product I had to read the label. I had to know what each item was made of. I had no idea that high fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin and MSG were in so many products. My new motto was “if you cannot define it and if you cannot pronounce it, you cannot eat it!

Getting back to the produce aisle. Who knew there were so many kinds of fruits and veggies to choose from. I had no idea what kale, collards, chard, watercress, nappa cabbage or bokchoy were. I never ate avocados, mangos or papaya. And what the heck was a star fruit, passion fruit, durian or even a pomegranate??? Pre-raw I was living in a very small food world. I had a lot to learn and a lot to taste and I was nothing but excited to try it all.

After the produce aisle, I moved on into the nuts, seeds, dried fruit, nutbutter and raw packaged aisles.

And, of course, as a treat, every so often, I picked up an organic dark chocolate bar and a bottle of organic wine. Yes, even I indulged a bit. After all balance was and still is the key!

Most excitedly, what made food shopping a whole new wonderful experience was that only after eating raw whole foods for three months not only did I heal my condition but most importantly my taste buds and palette became so clean, keen and sensitive to taste. Tasting a tomato or a strawberry was like tasting it for the first time. The tomato tasted like no tomato I had ever tasted, even though I had eaten tomatoes a million times. It was so sweet, so juicy, so luscious! It was like eating candy but with no comparison – there is really no way to describe it.

Everything I ate from then on forward was a delight.

As I said before, pre-raw, I never liked avocados, mangos or papayas. Now, I can’t get enough of them. They are scrumptious!

Changing my diet changed my shopping experience and my life.

And if organic produce, nuts and seeds were too expensive to buy, I would buy non organic and just clean them before eating. Nothing was going to stop me from eating this way and healing my body.

And I must share this little tidbit because it had such an impact on me. After shopping at health food stores for months and months, I had to run into a “conventional” grocery store for some water. As I journeyed up and down the aisles what I once saw and accepted as “normal” food, I now saw as candy. It all looked unreal, fake and harmful to the body. I know this sounds extreme but for me it really wasn’t because the way I used to eat in the past made me ill and the way I eat now healed me. And if you really think about it, there is no comparison between eating a fresh whole strawberry and a strawberry flavored food item or fresh spinach and canned spinach. When presented with the option, why not eat the real thing???

It really is amazing. Eating whole fresh fruits, veggies, sprouts, nuts and seeds have existed from the beginning of time and yet I was eating fast food, junk food, food from boxes, jars, bags and cans with just a smidge of fruits and veggies. How did we as a society move so far away from the real thing; from goodness, deliciousness, health and beauty? Just something to think about on your next food shopping trip.

And please never take my word for it. Question everything I share. This is just my experience. And by no means am I advocating that you should be eating the way I chose to eat. All I would recommend to you is that no matter what you eat whether raw or cooked you try to eat organic if you can.

I challenge you to eat a whole fresh foods diet, cooked or raw, for 30 days and I promise you will get a taste of what I am talking about.

Food shopping will never be the same for you whether you enjoy doing it now or not.

It is quite a trip! Happy shopping!

Marie: ON THE ROAD TO RAW

Shopping

I kept thinking that I could go 100% raw. I seemed so close with more than half the day already taken care of. I was always trying to eat consciously. I had always looked at packaging, trying to avoid anything that contained ingredients that I couldn't pronounce. I had always carefully considered what I would feed my husband and children; even if they clamored for 'Lucky Charms', I would undoubtedly force muesli upon them. And it seemed like it would be simple for someone like myself to just go completely raw since I had - for the most part - always preferred fruits and vegetables anyway, albeit not exclusively. Yes, I've had my moments. But generally my cravings for junk food were minimal, standing up well to the onslaught of fast food establishments that beckoned with the welcoming arm of drive-through lane as I made my way down Cerillos Road and into the heart of Santa Fe every afternoon. Sometimes I've been really hungry, having somehow managed to inadvertently miss a meal somewhere in the web of my day while attending to some unexpected event; an animal birth, an overflowing toilet. My stomach would be growling past every bright sign and a burger might have seemed to represent a suitable , quick antidote - an instant gratification. Even then, I could usually resist. I always knew how bad that stuff could make me feel. And I could always remind myself of the time I found an actual rock in my Kentucky Fried Chicken (lucky me - there are a few of those urban legends that attest to people finding body parts in theirs). But resisting temptations such as these is one thing: 100% raw - going "all the way" - was a whole new ball game.

It is interesting when you first go to a grocery store with the idea of a raw diet in your mind. All of a sudden that whole, huge edifice is reduced to two aisles: the produce aisle and the bulk foods aisle where they keep the bird and squirrel food aka nuts and seeds and across from which they usually keep the agave nectar, honey and a smattering of raw nut butters. I could include the spice section but the whole spice thing is up for debate. A lot of the so-called experts will argue that commercially produced bottled spices are not raw. So, in a nutshell - if you can't see a cinnamon or nutmeg tree in your backyard or vanilla beans dangling in their pods you are either not getting those raw or else you are simply not getting those. These are the kind of things that pose as great raw quandaries.

One could argue that shopping becomes easier. There are not as many choices to be made. Naturally we should aim for organic. But Braeburn or Granny Smith? Anjou or Bartlett? It's all just apples and pears, after all. I should add that if you want to stick with organic produce and are shopping in a store like Smith's or Albertson's in lieu of an organic grocery store, the square footage of space representing the organic factor of what a raw foodist can eat is even smaller - some 6 foot section of refrigerated shelving in the produce department sporting no more than 6 bunches of anything the staff could steal from their neighbors gardens on the way to work in the morning on any given day. Or so it would seem. In the winter there is barely anything... probably because it's not as easy to forage for root vegetables in the snow. The first time I really noticed this was at the onset of my raw experimentations. "This is it?", I spurted aloud at a handful of carrots in the Albertson's organic section as some elderly woman in a kerchief rushed past me in a nervous attempt to escape an onslaught of Turrets.

Fortunately there is no dearth of natural grocery stores in Santa Fe. Whole Foods even has an actual Raw Food Section (albeit a small one) where you can find such tidbits as crackers and breads. I use the word bread in its loosest definition because it certainly doesn't look like any of the bread I grew up with in Europe, bearing a greater resemblance to WASA Thin Crisps than anything else. Anything else besides corrugated cardboard, that is. But if they want to call that bread, far be it from me to put up a stink. I put some Nori crackers in my basket and headed back to the produce aisle. That was what I had. Maybe it's not 14 aisles. But no matter what, everything there was vibrant and beautiful and exactly what it seemed to be.

Marie: Right Now In The Raw

Summer is such a wonderful time to be raw! In fact, it's a great time to begin incorporating more raw food nto your diet! During this time of the year it takes barely any energy at all to create satisfying raw dishes that will completely steal the spotlight away from cooked foods. It's just not what our bodies crave in the heat! Me, I love to whip things together in the kitchen but it's just too warm to spend alot of time doing it so my summer fallbacks are incredible soups and smoothies that I toss together in a blender in a matter of minutes. This is something the whole family can get on board with! Watermelon/ Mint Cooler? The smell of it alone sets your taste buds dancing. My daughter, who is twelve, pronounced emphatically, "Now that smells good!". Cucumbers and grapes make another wonderful pairing that can be eaten as cold summer soup or downed as super smoothie! As my husband gushed, "I could live on this!" Pineapple/ Lime Soup? Bring it on! And I swear...Mango/ Orange Soup... it will actually make you smile. When we made it at our recent Summer Soups class Alisa and I took one sip and grinned ear to ear. That was certainly a happy little soup! Anyway, while I am fiddling around in the kitchen trying to feed myself (and doing a really bang-up job, if I do say so myself), I figure, Spread the Joy! So be prepared... there's alot of it coming your way!









Marie

RAWWOMAN RECIPE FILE:


GREEN GRAPE AND CUCUMBER SOUP


2 cups green grapes
1 cup cucumber, peeled and sliced thick
small handful of mint leaves, roughly chopped
1 cup water
handful of ice

1/2 cup green grapes, halved (garnish)



Combine all ngredients except for the halved grapes and blend till smooth in a high speed blender. Pour into bowls and garnish with the halved grapes. Enjoy!

* This is a simple and refreshing recipe that can also be served as a smoothie minus the addition of the halved grapes. It is a lovely summertime cooler!

Alisa: On The Road To Raw



The Green Drink


O.K. Let's talk green! Green is beautiful! It's both beautiful to look at and beautiful for the body. None of us, even the 'raw foodies', take in enough greens on a daily basis. Most tend to overdose on healthy fats (olives, avocados, coconuts, nuts) and sweets (raw chocolate).

Green is the gateway to a vibrant, happy, healthy life and it is EASY to incorporate into your daily eating routine, without asking yourself to give up anything. All it takes is to add one green juice or green smoothie a day to your daily diet. That's it. If you want to take in more juices and smoothies per day, I say go for it! You will be a green superhero! But one per day will do the trick!

Simply put, greens provide the body with unending energy, fiber that the body needs and craves and all the protein needed to meet the daily recommended allowance.

Many people ask if there is a difference between a green juice and a green smoothie and, if there is, what is/are the difference(s). They also ask if a green juice is healthier than a green smoothie. There are two different camps on the subject. Some raw food experts recommend drinking juices over smoothies and vice versa; that is because some say that it is healthier to take in the whole fruit or vegetable (fiber), while others say the juice is all you really need. After researching the subject and testing them out myself, it is my opinion that they are both equally vital in mantaining and increasing one's overall vibrancy and health. The real secret, however, to really reaping their reward, is to consistently incorporate both into ones daily eating routine. Everyday one or both should make an appearance in our diet. And I do not want to hear any excuses! If we have no problem drinking our morning cup of coffee every single day, we should have no problem drinking our juice and/or smoothie every day...

So, what goes into a green juice, how do we make it and what makes it a juice and not a smoothie? A green juice is one that is prepared with mostly green, leafy vegetables, other vegetables and a little fruit. These vegetables are then put through a juicer. ( Note: they can also be blended together and the juice squeezed through a nutmilk bag). When you prepare a green juice with whole, fresh greens, vegetables and fruit, the juicer extracts the fiber from the fruits, greens and vegetables and all you are left with is the juice. When you drink a green juice, it's minerals, vitamins, nutrients and natural sugars go directly into the blood stream and little to no digestion is required to break down the juice, hence the body wastes no energy digesting but rather instantly receives , not only the juice's nutrients, but also instant energy. Among other benefits, green juices are great for fasting, illnesses such as irritable bowel syndrome and other conditions.

What goes into a green smoothie, what do we make it from and what makes it a smoothie and not a juice? A green smoothie is one that is prepared with whole fresh greens and whole fresh or frozen fruit. These fruit and vegetables are then blended together in a blender. At the end of the blending process you are left with, not only the juice, but the fiber as well. In drinking a green smoothie, the presence of the fiber allows the vitamins, minerals, nutrients and natural sugars to enter the blood stream at a slower rate, thereby helping to keep the body's glucose level on a more even keel. Your body reaps nutritive rewards along with receiving a longer-lasting constant energy. And, although some digestion is necessary to break down the fiber, it won't take nearly as much energy as if it were trying to break down meat, dairy, processed white sugars etc.

To get a more complete picture of why we should be adding more greens into our lives I highly recommend reading Victoria Boutenko's book "Green For Life - The Updated Classic on Green Smoothie Nutrition". She discusses at length the benefits of adding greens into your life. A few of the tremendous benefits are: greens are a great source of fiber, protein, chlorophyll and omega 3's; they help to alkalize and they help to maintain homeostasis in the body.

The idea behind eating a diet consisting of more raw foods is simply that the more whole, fresh and raw one's diet is, the less amount of energy is needed for digestion and the benefit to that is that if the body is not using all of it's energy for digestion it can expend it on more important matters. It can expend it in healing the body when necessary; directing it's healing energies to the parts of the body that need it in that moment. And, if no healing is necessary at that particular moment in time, then your body just gets the awesome benefits of feeling energized! Isn't that what we are all looking for in our lives - more energy, feeling more vitalized and vibrant?

So, what is the final answer? Incorporate both green juices and green smoothies into your daily routine. One day do a juice, another a smoothie and so on. If you are wild and crazy like Marie and I, you can take a juice and a smoothie on the same day. Go even wilder and crazier and add in a shot of wheatgrass juice and Brain On and watch out! You will have so much energy you will not know what to do with yourself. Imagine that... too much energy! What a concept. No matter how you look at it you will be giving your body the stamina, vibrancy and great health it deserves and was meant to have! It's a win/win all the way around!