Just Eat It!

Raw and living food is very easy to make delicious because the food of the earth is delicious just as it is. I do like cooked food and eat it occasionally, but I have found that it requires more time, thought and effort to make it perfect. I'd actually venture to say that it is impossible to make raw food bad, unless you use an ingredient before it is ripe. My only issue ever is when the default method of sweetening is adding agave nectar or honey instead of adding another whole food ingredient like apples or mamey. Otherwise, just throw anything and everything all together, eat it, and love it!

This "pizza" is a perfect example of how raw food can be delicious without much thought or planning at all. I'll tell you my version which I created based on what I happened to have readily available at the time, but PLEASE feel free to experiment with making your own version. For instance, I would have added avocado if I had a ripe one, but I drizzled the pizza with tahini instead and it was just as delicious. What's really so great about this dish is that it is reminiscent of pizza - almost everybody loves pizza because it's easy and fun to eat. All you have to do is shove it in your mouth! Get creative because this is what will keep you traveling forward on your journey toward greater health.



"Rubbish" Pizza
Use a sprouted tortilla, or whatever tortilla/pizza crust you happen to have. Raw is advisable, but if you'd like to use a whole wheat pizza crust or tortilla that would be very good, too. Warm your pizza in a dehydrator or an oven at a low temperature for a more comforting effect.

1st Layer: "Massaged" Collard Greens
Juliane the collards to a quarter inch width. Add a pinch of salt (to taste) and 1 to 2 tbsp of EVOO and rub all of the oil and salt into the greens until they are as soft at you like. You could gently process the greens in the food processor if you want smaller bits, but you will want to add your love by using your hands to work the oil and salt into the greens before you process.

Spread/Place the greens onto the crust leaving only a half inch at most at the edges.

2nd Layer: Kimchi
You can find great unpasteurized kimchi in most health food stores. This is a wonderful enzyme-rich food if it's in it's raw state!

Create a layer on top of the greens with as much kimchi as you like. It can be spicy and you'll want to consider the tastes of whomever will be eating the pizza.

3rd Layer: Finely chopped Red Onion and sliced Olives
Use whatever olives you like. I used Kalamata olives. Capers would also be very good. Sprinkle as much as you like on top of the first two layers.

4th Layer: Dulse Flakes
Dulse flakes adds interest and nutrition to any dish. It's good with sweets too, like chocolate or fruit salad. That's another thing - Try breaking the barriers between "sweet" and "savory" to spark the intrigue of the pickiest eaters.

Sprinkle a few tbsp of Dulse flakes on top of the pizza to add organic minerals like iodine and iron, as well as Glyconutrients!

Finally, as I said earlier you could add chopped or thinly sliced avocado (the softer and riper, the better), guacamole, or do what I did which was drizzle the pizza with creamy, delicious (and vegan!) tahini. There are raw brands now readily available at most health food stores.

A drizzle of high quality EVOO wouldn't hurt either :)

Get creative and ENJOY!

Food-Free Lifestyle: Jericho Sunfire

Such an amazing video that highlights the life of Jericho Sunfire, a man who lives a food-free life. He subsists on the energy that is all around us... cosmic energy. He is in extreme physical health - the video shows him performing difficult exercises with ease. Your first thought may be that he's probably emaciated, or all "Breatharians" are, but this is actually not the case. Mr. Sunfire looks as healthy and alive as any other professional athlete.

It was his journey into rawfoodism that eventually brought him to his food-free lifestyle.

Really makes you think: If people can live completely food-free, then we can certainly take a moment before we eat to choose the best possible food for ourselves and this planet. Is that Philly cheese steak really worthy of you, or even some of the walnut and date treats that so many raw foodists love. We actually ask quite a lot from our bodies because of our addiction to the enjoyment and distraction of eating.

Choose whatever lifestyle works for you, but remember to consider the "slave driver" addiction can be.

Now I want to refer to Gwyneth Paltrow's lovely newsletter GOOP. This particular issue is all about addiction. Here's a very important excerpt...

Our addiction to the concept of self is the most deeply ingrained and the hardest to overcome. To do so we have to begin by seeing into the truth that there really is no self. The self is just a concept, an agreed-upon notion, much like that of a corporation. Over a period of 80 to 100 years, the CEO and all the employees will have changed several times. The product and even the name of the company may also have changed. So what is the company? In fact, there is no company, other than a legal agreement that it exists and persists over time as the same company. The self is just like this. We know that before there was a concept of self, there was no such thing called the self. We all agree when a baby is born that this baby is a self and has a self. But the baby doesn’t have a concept of self. We build that concept up over time, and the more time and energy we invest in the concept of self, the more attached, or addicted, we become to the notion that “I” exists as a separate, solid and permanent entity. Moment by moment, day by day, year by year, the more we have invested in this notion, the harder it is to free ourselves from the addiction of self. Once we have truly realized that there is no self, the easier it is to drop our addictions.
-Zen Master Dennis Genpo Merzel

And, some wise words from Michael Berg, co-director of the Kabbalah Centre™, about overcoming addiction...

Three essential things we can do to begin the process of leaving addictive behavior behind:

1. Realize these yearnings are coming from a true place (our soul) telling us we need to do more, and we can do and be more.

2. Begin a process of both realizing and connecting to our true essence by focusing, meditating and becoming more conscious of our thoughts, behaviors and true potential.

3. Do actions that take us out of selfish behavior. Become a more giving person. This helps us be less busy with ourselves.

Good luck with your journey, and ENJOY!

How to Masticate Properly

or

How to Chew Properly

This is a very important skill and before I share a certain salad recipe with you, I must make sure that you are a "conscious" chewer.

Very important... eat in calm and pleasant surroundings. Resist the urge to eat when stressed or rushed, like when you're driving or when you know you have to be at a meeting in 15 minutes.

With each bite, envision the food in your mouth. See it swirling around your tongue and crushing between your teeth. If it is raw food you're eating, fully experience the burst of flavors, textures, and sensations from all the different living ingredients. Do this until the food has disappeared from your mind's eye. Try not to consider your next bite until your mouth and your mind are empty.

okay. Here's the salad. This recipe can be three different dishes depending on the preparation you choose. If you know you may not be serving the salad to conscious chewers, you may want to turn it into a soup or slaw. Presenting different textures, especially if your aren't working with many ingredients, is also a great way to add excitement to a meal.

Pear and Avocado Soup, Salad, or Slaw
(For best results, all ingredients must be organic and/or raw.)
1 Pear
1 Ripe, but Still Firm, Avocado (about same size or slightly larger than the pear)
4 tbsp Flat Leaf Parsley
2 tbsp Coconut Oil (Gently Melted)
1 tbsp Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
few pinches of Celtic Grey Sea Salt to taste (or other high quality, not dried salt)

For Soup:
Blend in a Vitamix. Try to use a softer avocado for the soup. Add a bit of water or coconut water to make it easier to blend. Consider leaving the salting up to your guests. Garnish with a bit more parsley and cayenne pepper if you like.

Here's what the combination looks like as a salad. Pretty, ain't it?


For Salad:
Chop the pear into bite-size pieces. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and use a spoon to scoop out bits of avocado about the same size as your pear pieces. Roughly chop the parsley. Throw the three ingredients into a bowl. Add the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and salt. Toss and serve.

For Slaw: (You can serve this as a side dish, with chips or crackers, or in a nori roll with a savory seed/nut pate and greens.)
Chop the pear and avocado into small bits, or process gently in a food processor. Finely chop the parsley and combine with the pear and avocado. Finish as you would the salad.

Enjoy!

hail to the king

1958-2009

Responsible Luxury

As your veritable fortune quickly comes into existence, you'll want to start thinking about the best ways to experience luxury.

Let's shed some light on the subject...

Here's a lamp made out of found objects covered with knitted plastic bags. Check out more of these amazing designs from Swiss designer Anne-Cécile Rappaport.

Got a need for all-electric speed? It's called the Tesla Roadster and Ooooooh baby, this ride is sweet!

Go to the website for Tesla Motors. This website is so delicious. Visualization is an important part of acquisition.

There's no better combination than sexy cars and sexy ladies.

Let's treat these ladies right...

The most extraordinary eco-friendly bra we've ever found! A knock-out design that is both wireless and lightly padded for support. Made of a unique fabric created from pine tree trimmings!
Order online or check out more from FaeriesDance.com

Now, for the common shoe addiction. Mind you, I'm not a huge fan of shoes and I do believe we should wear them as little as possible. But if you've got to wear them to pass as human, might as well make 'em super sexy (and not to mention, VEGAN)!

Order these or other hot, vegan shoes at mooshoes.com

Need help aligning with your fortune? Watch this...


Count your blessings and ENJOY!

Find Your Path

I love you all, so I'll be frank...

If you have a tendency to freak out about "dogmas" saying that the people around you are preaching that their way is the way and blah blah blah... turn the finger around for just a moment.

My experience with people who preach "down with dogma" is that they are usually the ones who are most enslaved by dogmas, either created by themselves or "gurus."

Because really, if you live a life of freedom of choice, you're more likely to see the information from others as just that, information. Sure, people get passionate and even ridiculous about what they believe works for them. Let's take the information and applaud them for being passionate about something besides tabloids or television! And hey, if it is tabloids or tv they're being "dogmatic" about, here's a great opportunity to exercise your compassion.

Let's go back through the history of the word dogma. First off, it isn't a bad word. Dogma refers to "a system of principles or tenets," as defined at dictionary.com. The word got a negative connotation for several reasons, one being some less-than-excellent occurrences where people were murdered or excommunicated for speaking against the dogmas of a church. Okay, this is a total bummer, but dogma, the word or what it stands for, is not to blame. It's people.

Now don't get me wrong, I love people. But sometimes it's hard for these gentle, glorious creatures to take on some good ol' fashioned responsibility.

I felt compelled to talk about this after reading Anthony Anderson's blog (www.rawmodel.com) about giving up veganism. After a long stint of my trying to fit in with raw foodists, all the while knowing that I would probably never come to see myself as a 100% raw foodist. (I'm not big on labels so even if I did only eat raw food I'd be reluctant to label myself a "raw foodist.") Yes, I love the techniques used for raw cuisine and I will continue to go periods of time only eating raw/living foods. It really is a beautiful way to prepare food and as I've said in previous blog posts, it's one that we should regularly consider seeing as it uses much less nonrenewable energy, if any at all. My issue is that the trend with the lifestyle seems to be following dogma over listening to your body and considering the principles of alchemy and basic nutrition. For instance, eating whatever, whenever as long as it is a nut, seed, vegetable, or fruit and as long as it never reached a temperature of over 118 degrees Fahrenheit to stifle cravings is less-than-excellent if you still find yourself puffy, pissed, and unable to get out of bed before 9 A.M.

Dehydrating is indisputably better than cooking. Does this mean that one should never eat cooked food while eating dehydrated food with complete abandon? I beg to differ. To a raw foodist at whatever percentage he/she chooses to eat raw, dehydrated food should be treated as cooked food and it needs to be balanced accordingly. Why? Because the act of dehydration removes water from the organic structure of the food. Seeing as all food you eat must be turned into a liquid, the water must be reintroduced somehow and that water will either come from your body or the foods you choose to eat with the dehydrated food. This is where proper balance and food combining comes into play.

Water is also the element that receives prayer or vibration, which is very important for proper digestion. Consider an effectively combined veggie sandwich of cucumber, sprouts, tomato, lettuce, onion, olive oil, and raw Celtic sea salt on whole grain baked bread just as lovely a combination as that veggie sandwich on a dehydrated bread, commensurate with your desire for either and your gratefulness for having it.

Deliberate the frequency a food takes on if the thought before eating is "yeah, I'm overeating, but at least it's raw" (translation: I do not deserve the best.) or "at least I'm eating raw food instead what those idiots I work with are eating" (translation: disempowerment - my best is dependent on outside forces). These disordered thoughts create disorder in the organic water of the food, and this is another aspect of "you are what you eat."

When I'm at my healthiest and most cleansed, I'm able to follow a basic schedule of eating/drinking. I'm never ravenous and I just listen to my body to see if I might need some cleansing greens, a good helping of fat like coconut oil, and/or a savory chewy crunch like walnuts or brazil nuts. I can think clearly before I put whatever it is into my mouth and consider "should I actually be drinking something first... yeah, if I take this time to respond to my e-mails [or create a blog post ;) ], that's enough time for the drink to be absorbed so the bulky salad I'm going to have won't be swimming in a sea of coconut water (or whatever the beverage happens to be)."

Life is a blessing. You are life. You are consciousness. Praise yourself and the foods you choose to put into your body. You are magnificent. You deserve the best... ALWAYS.

No Time for Pessimism

Just watched the movie Home by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. Such a beautiful film with a vitally important message. You can watch the full film at YouTube until June 14th. Visit the channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/homeproject

As a people, we live under a shroud of fear. The shroud was created long ago and it's based on a myth.

The myth is scarcity.

The myth started as a means of keeping the masses under control. The negativity of a lie is impossible to harness indefinitely, and eventually it came to envelop everyone, even those who created it.

So what do we do now?

Consider our lives lived in quicksand. The more you struggle, the faster you sink. Calm down and look around you. What can you grab onto to pull yourself out?

What organizations are already in place to help slow and reverse the destruction of our home?

Calm down. Look around you. Grab onto that branch or rocky protrusion that you maybe didn't notice before in your frenzied state and slowly, carefully, pull yourself out of this muck.

You can do it.

i'm a prize. you're a catch. we're a perfect match.

Bleed the pot
When you're hot you're hot
And when enough is enough
Do the fakers drop out?
Promise me
You will always be
Too awake to be famous
Too wired to be safe
But all you really wanted
Was everything
Plus everything
And the truth
I only poured you
Half a lie

Carry on
It's a marathon
Take me off the list
I don't want to be missed
Carrion
Its what we all become
From small minds and tall trees
Away from the action
But all you ever wanted
Was everything
And everything
Plus the truth
I only poured you
Half a lie
Half a lie

Visions of Paradise

The Prophet speaks... and it is clear where we're headed.

Can you see this as clearly as I do? Where do you see yourself going? Know that you and you alone have the power to create whatever you wish to see.

Best EVER!

Instant Karma

It is important to be thankful for all that occurs, whether we deem it good or bad. It is the Universe maintaining balance. Of course there are some deeds which we cannot immediately face having committed, but you will be faced with the karmic repercussion until you recognize how you alone created the situation surrounding those actions. Avoid blame, for it is important not to blame anyone including yourself.

Allow empowerment - it is your natural state.

Can You Handle Love?

I've heard the song "5 Years" by Björk on a loop in my head. Today I thought about the lyrics "I'm so bored, of cowards, that say that they want, then they can't handle." It's common to hear about love as something that we must handle. I've always thought of "handling" to mean that it is difficult. Today I realized that I'd like to think of love differently, as in, I'd like to think of it as something to "handle with care."

Love is precious, important and something we all want to experience. To create a visual of Love, let's think of it as a fragile object, like the ripe fruit of a tree. It requires attention and maintanence like watering while it is in bloom, but it also requires undisturbed time in direct sunlight. Pluck it from the tree too early, and the fruit does not develop fully and yield all of the nutrition it could. Hold the fruit too tightly, or transport it carelessly, and it is sure to bruise or break.

We often forget how precious love is and handle it as if it's a box of hammers rather than a delicate fruit. The delicate creation fades or ends abruptly which creates regret and longing, yet all the while we've maintained our entertainment systems, automobiles, jobs and wardrobes.

Is it so impossible to hold love as dear as the many other fleeting objects with which we are generally so careful?

When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams
as the north wind lays waste the garden...

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.

--from Khalil Gibran's The Prophet

Yes, I am "bored of cowards who say they want and then they can't handle," but I do realize that as much as it would be reasonable to blame others I must ask "am I the coward who can't handle?" Honestly, yes, I've been that coward. As Gibran says, with all of the abuse you perceive to be coming from love, it is "the secrets of your heart" which you come to know.


Last night I participated in a cleansing ceremony during which I drank medicinal tea, which gave way for the full light of consciousness to shine upon the insanity of the mind. Yogi tea tag today reads "When ego is lost, limit is lost." I am grateful for this small reminder of big last night.

One of the many resolutions I've come to as as results of last night: It is nothing more than the ego reciting the program of "I'm sad my beloved is gone."

The light of love continues to guide me just as it always has.

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

Apartment Grown Food!

So easy, any city dweller can do it.

I've just started with a couple of herbs, basil and rosemary. Check out my first batch of fresh basil!



I wanted to do some internal house cleaning, so I ended up putting this whole batch into the blender with some olive oil, a splash of raw apple cider vinegar, sea salt and garlic. Made this into a dressing for a bulky salad of dandelion greens, sprouts, radish, nori seaweed bits, and just a few crushed walnuts.

It's great to eat a cleansing salad like this and the KEY is CHEW CHEW CHEW. Visualize the food inside of your mouth (no, you can't see it with your eyes, but you can see it with your tongue), and do not swallow until your food is chewed most excellently. Improper mastication is a real problem for one's digestive health.

Here's the rosemary plant!



I clipped several branches today and processed that with some Celtic sea salt to make rosemary salt. I sprinkled the salt on another cleansing salad and it was oh so nice. The salt is easy to make. Start with 1 part rosemary and 2 parts salt. In a food processor, pulse the herbs and add the salt in batches until fully combined and the rosemary is little tiny bits. Do not over do it - you just want the salt and rosemary to come together.


Another ritual I've acquired is brewing sun tea.


Green Tea with Acai and Lemon Grass (this is the second go with the lemon grass, which are the twigs you see in the bottle)

Sun brewing is great for any tea, but you really want to try this with delicate teas like green or white teas. Green teas generally need to brew at lower temperatures (175 degrees), and if you're pouring hot water from a kettle over the leaves it's best to let it steep for 3 and NOT MORE THAN 5 minutes, or else it will get bitter. You don't have to worry about all of those rules with sun tea. Throw your most delicate teas into a glass jar or bottle and leave it where it can get direct sunlight (the picture above was taken in the morning. it gets direct light later in the day). Just forget about it all day, then bring it in at night and voila! Perfectly brewed.

I happened to acquire some fresh dried lemon grass from a friend's garden, which I've been using for sun tea. This one is best after at least a day and a half, but normal teas usually just take a day. Play around with it and see what works for you. Try using any herbs or hearty flowers from your garden.

GREEN Life

This blog post is for anyone, but especially vegetarians and raw foodists. We seem to get so caught up in all of the different foods available. So many different types of fruit and vegetable, supplements, powders, and herbs. And now we have superfoods. Wow! How much there is to choose!

BUT

I MUST emphasize the importance of the basics. If you don't provide constant cleansing for your body, you will get all clogged up NO MATTER WHAT YOU'RE EATING. If you are on a raw food diet, or any kind of diet, you must get these two basics every day...

1. CHARGED WATER

2. GREEN LEAFY VEGETABLES

You can throw all of your superfoods and herbs down the toilet if you do not incorporate these two massively important elements for any healthy lifestyle.

Human beings are identical to plants, and plants need water. When I say charged water, I mean water with structure or electrolytes. Your body cannot do much with water that does not contain electrolytes, and the water will end up taking from you rather than giving. There are many ways to charge water and I'm certainly no expert, but what I usually do is add a pinch of sea salt and/or a squeeze of lemon.

BEFORE I DO ANYTHING IN THE MORNING (and especially eat anything) I have a nice, big glass of clean water with a pinch of sea salt and about a teaspoon of MSM powder. If you're new to MSM, you can work your way up by starting with a small pinch. It's quite bitter so if you've passed the taste threshold with it just know that you can use a little less and still get great results. At least every other day I'll squeeze a lemon into the water. Lemon water is great for providing a burst of vitamins and it's very alkalizing. Helps keep you alkaline for the rest of the day.

It's best to drink water on an empty stomach and not within 30 minutes of eating. I believe the general rule about how much water to drink is the number of ounces of your body weight divided by 2. So, someone who weighs 100 lbs should drink about 50 ounces of water a day. The more raw food a person eats, the less water one can drink. David Wolfe says that a raw foodist can divide their body weight by 4 to determine the number of ounces of water to drink each day.

(Daniel Vitalis can tell you much more about water. And trust me, you want to know.)

Now, the GREENS.

Perhaps we're hearing the word "green" so much that people are beginning to block it out. But I have to say that if you never eat maca, chocolate, or hemp seeds again you'll be right as rain as long as you get your greens.

Victoria Boutenko breaks it down in this interview for Supreme Master TV. (Watch parts 1 and 2)



The first 4 letters of the word HEALTH is HEAL. Health is the process of continuous healing. CHLOROPHYLL IS ESSENTIAL for healing. We are constantly bombarded with destructive free radicals and toxins, so we need chlorophyll to repair the damage and flush these toxins out.

Greens can be hard to eat, so liquify them. I do have a juicer which I use a few times a week. I'll use it for a burst of nutrition when I don't want my body to have to work through the fiber (after a workout or in the morning). Unless I'm fasting, I use the juicer sparingly. It's also great to blend your greens. A wonderful standard recipe for a green smoothie is...

1 cup of seed milk or water

Sweeten with fruit like apple or tropical fruits like durian or mamey. A banana works great if it is an organic, farm fresh banana (I do not recommend giant bananas like Chiquita). You could also add agave nectar or raw honey.

2 cups of greens (dandelion, kale, chard, collards, broccoli, etc.)

It's great to add tumeric root, ginger root, and cinnamon to any juice or blended green drink. And always remember to chew everything that goes into your mouth. Chew each sip until you taste the sweetness. The act of chewing stimulates your body systems for proper digestion.

You will notice proper bowel regularity, enhanced mood, and a sweet little figure if you eat/drink your greens. Get at least two servings of greens a day. If you're on the the run, try a green powder like Pure Synergy for one of your servings.

Once your body is working properly at the basic level, then you can really start having fun with superfoods.

Life is Simple

What is life?

This word has been defined so many ways. I often hear people define it by their identity or who they appear to be within society. "I do this job, wear this brand, have this boyfriend who does this, watch this television show... that's my life."

Let's take a breath and state what "life" really is. Maybe this will make it easier... what is not life? The most obvious answer is death. And what is death? Take a person who breathes, thinks, moves. This person is alive, or they exhibit life. Now consider that body not doing any of those things, or anything at all. That is death.

So, a simple definition of "life" is that it is consciousness. That's it. There's nothing else to it.


This blog is called World Redress. To many it appears to be a blog about raw and vegan food. I primarily choose to approach the issue of eating because this is where we are generally the least conscious. "You gotta eat" has been sandblasted into our thinking, and it stops there, without much consideration about what we're eating or the means of production. As a result, much of what people eat destroys their bodies and the environment and ultimately leads to cruel and painful death. This is death for the person who eats unconsciously, but also for animals, and for people who live on the lands that we either pollute or neglect.

Eating better does not have to be something for elitists, either in intellect or economic status. It can be just as simple as life is, if you clear your head of advertising. Food does not come from a box. Food comes from the earth. The stuff that comes from a box is the product of a system based on profit for government-subsidized farms, pharmaceutical companies (as in, those who "enrich" or "fortify"), confectionery labratories (labs that manufacture flavors), advertisers, distributors, trucking companies for transport, etc. This list is not all-inclusive - there are others who profit that I don't know about and I don't want to know about.

So eating better is as simple as supplying your cupboards and refrigerators with different and better food. Instead of marinating a Perdue chicken at night and baking it the next day, you could be using that same set of time to put water in a bowl of nuts for soaking and blend and strain into nutmilk the next day. Actually, making nutmilk takes less time than almost any cooking endeavor.

The other issue is that a vegetarian is not better than an omnivore. Really, we're all equal, it's just that one is part of the solution to a crisis of which we're all aware and one is adding to the crisis. Meat production is terrible for the environment, terrible for our bodies, and a waste of resources including water, land, feed, etc. And if there is an energy crisis, why should we turn on a stove or oven when we can eat raw food?

Profit is ruling our society, the two big industries are pharmaceutical and agriculture (or food). If it is profitable for the pharmaceutical companies to manufacture and sell drugs, why would they want to cure anyone? That's an obvious example, but for a less obvious example... why would bottled water companies want there clean water to be in abundance? Much of what we deserve as guests on this beautiful planet is polluted or destroyed to increase profits for private individuals.

We can all live together as a synergistic unit. Imagine if all of our kitchen waste was compost. Imagine that even our poop is so rich with plant food and nutrients that it can just go right back to the earth. Or our urine so pure from the clean water we drink that we could piss in a river and not worry about polluting it. How far can you take your own ideas for sustainability and how to use technology?

There is No "Other"

vital information for our survival.

This video seems to be pretty popular on YouTube now. Thank goodness.

Raw Birthday Cake

Yes you can have a yummy layer cake with lots of frosting
EVEN IF YOU'RE RAW :) If you have a dehydrator, the basic recipe for the "cake" is 1 part raw pumpkin seeds (Turn the seeds into a meal before adding other ingredients. Feel free to experiment with whatever nuts or seeds you like), 1/2 part irish moss gel, and 1 part soaked dried fruit, blended in a food processor. Sweeten with agave, add about a teaspoon of cinnamon, and whatever other flavors you like (ie. vanilla or lemon extract - find all natural, fair trade sources. These taste the best.)

I made a birthday cake for Brittney at Lifefood Gourmet. The whole crew shared the little cake, and it was plenty for all of us. A raw cake is very nutritious and thus, very filling!



Form discs in whatever diameter you like and about an inch high. The cake I made was about 4 inches in diameter and like I said, it was plenty for 5 adults. Dehydrate for about 24 hours at 110 degrees. Flip each cake once during dehydration so that each cake is firm and chewy all the way through.

Once the "cake" is done, you can frost it with whatever you like. A quick frosting can easily be made with avocado blended with irish moss gel (optional), coconut oil, sweetened with agave, and flavored with raw cacao and vanilla, or lime (which makes sense with the green color). Fruit makes a beautiful and delicious garnish.

The frosting I used was the vanilla cream from Lifefood, which is absolutely delicious. You can get this recipe and many yummy others from the Lifefood Gourmet eBook. The fruit on top is farm fresh mulberries and blueberries. Use whatever you love!


Enjoy!

Want a sandwich? Try a nori roll :)

If eating raw means lots of salad and dessert for you, remember your friendly sea veggies. It's ideal to get some seaweed into your body everyday. Seaweeds provide you with...

MINERALS: this is what you're made of!

POLYSACCHARIDES: highly complex sugars which are essential for longevity. Daniel Vitalis, the superfood elixir guru, calls them "computer chips" for the immune system which "activate the longevity code in cells."

GLYCONUTRIENTS: Recently discovered. David Wolfe describes them as "elastic proteins." These are also a sugar, but a bitter sugar. Seaweed is the only food that contains all 8 glyconutrients. Many health experts see the study of glyconutrients as an integral part of the future of medicine.

Here's David Wolfe with some powerful information about seaweed:



David mentions 4 seaweeds in particular that will give you all 8 glyconutrients. These are Kelp, Dulse, Nori, and Sea Lettuce. Stock your cupboard with these seaweeds and you always have a nutritious snack or tasty condiment.

Nori is the wrapper for sushi and is readily available. It's generally toasted, so look out for the kind that isn't toasted if you want to stay raw. You can find nori as sheets or as flakes. If you buy the sheets, you can put anything on it that you would normally put on a sandwich, roll it up, and presto! I usually add lettuce or salad greens, tomato, zucchini, and nut/seed pate. You could also add sprouts, or use tofu if you just want to be vegan and not raw.

Here's a simple and delicious way to incorporate the 4 seaweeds into your lifestyle.


Not-Just-Nori Roll




Toss a salad of mixed greens and dress with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. Add shreds of dulse, and sprinkle with Kelp powder and Sea Lettuce flakes.

Set a piece of nori out on a DRY, clean surface (becomes wilted and hard to work with if it gets wet). Put a nice mound of salad across the middle of the seaweed so that it looks like a green French flag (the salad is the middle stripe).

Lay slices of tomato, zucchini, or whatever other veggies you crave across the top of the salad. The put 4 or 5 tablespoons of nut/seed pate on top of the veggies. Try to make your placement of veggies and pate even across the seaweed so that you get equal amounts of all ingredients in each nori roll that you slice.

Take the bottom of the nori and fold it over the veggies as you tuck all of the filling under with your fingertips. Continue to roll until you have a cylinder of stuffed-nori goodness. You can seal your nori roll with liquid by rubbing a left-over piece of tomato or a lemon wedge at the end of the nori sheet just before you finish rolling. Gently cut 5 or 6 pieces with serrated knife. Keep a wet towel handy for wiping the knife between slices if you want to stay neat and tidy with each slice.

Here's a recipe for a Sunflower Seed Pate. It's great for Nori Rolls, Lettuce Wraps, or with a crudite.

Meaty Sunflower Seed Pate:
1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked and drained
3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked and drained
1 garlic clove
2 tsp salt
1 tsp each of chili power, ground cumin, and curry powder
1/2 cup of irish moss gel (very easy to make and a recipe is easy to find on the internet)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp black pepper

Blend until smooth in a food processor.

ENJOY!

There is a Future In Creation

I'm now remembering the fear in letting go. The fear that surrounds the idea of letting the present go so that something new, and potentially better, can replace it. After many difficult experiences with moving forward, I also remember that what I'm feeling now is the same old fear. I really could move forward and create a new and better life for myself.

I want this for you and for every being in this Universe. If you agree with me in any way on any topic, please join myself and others like us. The following video will get you oriented.

I Want My Mamey!

Picked up a beautiful mamey at the farmer's market on Thursday. It was ready to go the moment we bought it, but after a couple more days in the fridge that baby was definitely ready for breakfast this morning. What a beautiful sight!

Mamey is a tropical fruit with a thin, earthy skin and pinkish orange flesh. It should be eaten when it is very ripe. You'll know it's ready if your fingers could go right through it (skin and all) if you squeezed it, but you should be able to tell just by holding it in your hand.

I woke up this morning with the thought of a Mamey Chocolate shake. Messed up and used carob instead of cacao. What a delicious mistake! This shake ended up a lovely tawny color. The carob and mamey really compliment each other. Try it out for yourself and your sweetie tomorrow morning!

(Mamey is also readily available in the freezer section of many grocery stores. Don't know if you can get organic and it is probably pasteurized.)




Tempting Tawny Mamey Shake
(don't worry too much about measurements - just follow your intuition and tastes)
1/4 Mamey fruit (about 3/4 cup)
1 cup of nut/seed milk
1 tbsp agave
1 tbsp raw carob powder (finely ground)
1 tbsp raw minimally processed cacao or cacao nibs
1 tsp green powder or your choice (try chlorella, spirulina, or Pure Synergy - superior green powder)
1/2 tsp vanilla

Blend until smooth. Add ice while blending for a frosty treat.

I'm always using seed milk, which I make regularly. It's easy and fast to make. Anyone can do it! Below is a quick video from Sexy Bitches Like It Raw. If you use hemp seeds, you won't have to strain it. Hemp seeds make a delicious and super nutritious milk for anyone who wants to just blend it and go.

the Bayfront Park Farmer's Market

A gorgeous, delicious, and pleasant way to support local business! Today was a beautiful day in Miami and I finally got to get over to the farmer's market at Bayfront Park. There's beautiful produce, exotic fruits and live music!




I had a delicious raw, vegan lunch from a young woman who seemed to single-handedly run the only raw food booth at the market. She served curry salad with cashews and a meaty walnut pate. She also had some other interesting dishes like ripe plantain salad with cilantro and avocado salad, both jazzed up with dulse flakes.

I got the sampler so that I could try a little of everything. Yum!

I almost ate the whole thing before I could take a picture of it!

Damon had cerviche from one of the stands. I don't eat fish, but he said it was very fresh and tasty.

This market is every Thursday from 11 to 3. Click the picture to find out more info...

Bayfront Park Farmer's Market


We picked up a few fruits from the market, including a mamey and an egg fruit. The egg fruit was new to both of us. It reminds me of bright yellow pound cake. The pit is similar to that of a durian. Damon doesn't like durian all that much, but he liked this fruit.

Here's what they look like...

What Will You Do?

Very good video from the march against the G20 in London on 3/28/09. (see SOVIET films)

[The G-20 (more formally, the Group of Twenty Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors) is a group of finance ministers and central bank governors from 20 economies: 19 of the world's largest national economies, plus the European Union (EU)... Collectively, the G-20 economies comprise 85% of global gross national product, 80% of world trade (including EU intra-trade) and two-thirds of the world population... read more at wikipedia]

Strike fear into the rich...



The demonstrations continued into yesterday, when protesters stormed the Royal Bank of Scotland in London. One protester died. Many more were arrested. You won't see an overwhelming amount of press over this event. The number of protesters was stated to be around 5,000 by the BBC, but there is reason to believe that the number was much greater.

The march was largely the brainchild of Chris Knight, a self-described anarchist and an anthropologist at the University of East London, who has been the galvanizing public voice of a loose umbrella group of radical environmentalists, academics and left-wing activists known as the G20 Meltdown that spearheaded the protests... Read full article at the NYTimes

The top is blowing off the pressure cooker. Are you saying "what the $%#&" yet?

Obscene payouts to AIG, Wall Street and banking officials have resulted in violence in the United States and elsewhere too and this will grow until all of those responsible are stripped of their ill-gotten gains, go to jail or both... (Diane Francis, Huffington Post)

The economic crisis is global (which includes the USA as hard as that is for some to believe), and as tensions rise we will see more and more protests in any and all cities of the world. Is our government preparing for these types of protests in the U.S. by establishing an active unit here (as of Oct. 1st, see video). There's also the promised withdrawl from Iraq by December 2011? What will these troops be called to do when they get home? The estimated number of troops in Iraq is about 142,000 as of February 2009.

We need to do something, and violence is not the only answer. I'm going to speak openly about how it just doesn't make sense to me that wealth can be privately owned, as capitalism suggests it should be. I will speak of local, organic produce that I do not buy from a "rich get richer" enterprise like Walmart or Publix (for all of us in the Southeast USA). I will speak of how to maintain a healthy body with fresh whole, raw, and vegan foods that do not destroy our bodies or the planet. I will not drown out the warnings from my body with pharmaceuticals or drop napalm on my organs in the form of antibiotics while private companies collect profits. The list can go on and on.

What will you do?

Shoes: The World's Most Dangerous Invention?

I've spent the last month and a half down in Miami, FL and I'm having an experience like no other. You see the worst of Capitalist and Consumerist America, as well as the greatest beauty this country has to offer.

I underwent a major surgery last July and began my healing in Atlanta, Ga. I thought I was doing well, but my healing seems to have accelerated dramatically since I came to Miami. I knew it had something to do with walking on the sand and swimming in the ocean. In the past, there was always a hunch that my shoes were doing me more harm than good, so it really has been wonderful to have direct contact with the earth as I do when I'm on the beach.

Today I discovered this video from David Wolfe, who is undoubtedly one of the most cutting-edge health gurus in the world. He blames the common shoe for much of our health woes. After spotting the title of this video I immediately said "uh huh... that's what I thought."

Here it is...

Rawkin' Saturday in Miami :)

My twin sister Vicky and her beautiful life partner Rosita came to visit last Saturday Mar. 21st. We had an amazing day of raw food! We started out the day at the farmer's market in Coconut Grove. You can see our pictures on flickr - the picture below is a link :)



Later that evening I took them to the restaurant where I'm working, Lifefood Gourmet. Here's a little video of the experience...





After this amazing day, they'll be back soon. We'll be making a couple of videos then, so stay tuned :)

Vicky's also got some great information to share. Check out some of her Youtube Videos. Here's her latest, which I really like.

This Is The Best of Times

Yesterday I posted a link at my Facebook page to an interview with David Wolfe about our current economic situation. I really recommend listening to it. I think it's the Best Ever, of course :)

http://tinyurl.com/ao8j67

The interview stirred up some emotions, some of them negative about Mr. Wolfe. Here's my response. It was a private message, but this is an issue we need to be talking about right now, so I'm making it public.



My issue is that there is no value behind our money other than our BELIEF that it has value. The gold standard is out of order. If there was value behind our money, then "interest" would make sense because if someone has loaned this thing of value, they obviously cannot partake of its value until the thing is returned.

What's happening now is that the Federal Reserve (a private bank) creates money which has no backing, be it gold or any other good, and they do this at will. Then they charge interest, but what interest is there really? It's just paper. This system can create nothing but debt. Especially when you consider that the more money you print, the higher inflation goes.

Every dollar printed is immediately attached to debt. Our government borrows money from the Federal Reserve, which they create out of thin air and then charge interest for it. And then after they print the money and inflation goes up, that money is not worth what it apparently was, AND there's interest, too. Our tax money is not paying for roads, it's paying for interest owed to Federal Reserve.

Our money seems to have value within our current system. Perhaps a worker who has helped with basement renovations would take some other kind of compensation besides money, but he probably had to report to a boss and bring back some cash or else he would be fired and "Oh GOD, where would he be then?" The business owner needs the currency, mostly for taxes (which I won't even go into), but a little will go to paying the employee so that he can go buy goods from other folks stuck in this system, as well as pay more taxes. All of this comes as a result of our being told that our labor or the goods we harvest have no value other than how many printed pieces of paper you HAVE to put forth for it. Creating this system gives certain people control, and it's not us.

The stealing most obviously occurs at the highest level - the Cartel between the Federal Reserve and our Government. To us, we think "yeah, of course I need money to buy things!" We're the pawns in this scheme and people generally don't question it. Many people think we're still on the gold standard and that the Federal Reserve is a government agency.

Sure, banks could go back to just banking, but I think the real issue is that our currency needs to be based on something other than private interest.

XOXO...c

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia Seed Pudding

I've heard so much about chia seeds ever since I got into raw foods. I often saw chia seed pudding as a dessert or breakfast item at my favorite raw food restaurants.

Here is a picture of the chia seed pudding at Quintessense Raw Food Restaurant in NYC...


And the restaurant where I'm currently working in Miami, Lifefood Gourmet, serves up a delicious chia seed pudding as one of their desserts. That's actually where I got the idea to put dried mulberries in it - brilliant!

Chia seeds are an ancient food. They've been with us for so long because they are just that good! (like, hey! this is really not broke and don't need fixin'!) Check out this article, Chia Seed - The Ancient Food of the Future, for some detailed information on this incredible superfood.

Here's my version of chia seed pudding:



Ch-ch-ch-chia Seed Pudding!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Chia Seeds
1 1/2 cups Nut/Seed Milk
1 cup Dried Fruit (I use golden raisins, black/light mulberries, and goji berries)
2 tbsp Agave Nectar
2 1/2 - 3 tbsp of Coconut Oil
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Cinnamon (I say 1 tsp in the video, and there's never anything wrong with a little extra cinnamon, but 1/2 is totally sufficient)
Pinch of Salt (Celtic or Himalayan)

Mix all of the ingredients and refrigerate for at an hour or over night. Serve with fresh berries.

And as always... ENJOY!

Raw Mama

Dr. Ann Wigmore. She is arguably the mother of the raw foods movement. She was one of the first to tell us about the amazing benefits of wheat grass, which basically makes her the "Les Paul" of natural foods in the West. It was her grandmother who first educated her on the powers of whole foods and herbs. Her message is that there are natural remedies for any and all maladies, as she has proven by winning her battle with cancer.

If you haven't heard of her before, here's a little video for a sweet introduction to Dr. Ann Wigmore...




Why raw? (a few thoughts that stand out in my mind)

1. I generally don't turn on a stove or an oven, which makes me feel good because I've been hearing some rumors of a serious energy crisis.

2. The meat industry is a f*ing disgrace to the human race.
(watch Meet Your Meat if you haven't already)

3. The meat industry is destroying the Earth, which happens to be my home! (read this!)

4. People can never believe I'm above the age of 20 :)

5. I don't have to deal with snot, acne, thunder-thighs, asthma, allergies, urinary tract infections, bad breath, body odor, brain fog, depression, etc., which is pretty darn sexy these days.


Don't suffer your life away. You've got a choice.

actually, i don't give a %$^& about the octo-mom

every time i see her, I look away. i don't know her name. i will not stare at her face long enough to consider whether or not she looks like a.j. but i do really wonder... why would a woman have 8 babies all at once? if every human life is here as a continuation of a previous life/lives, why do 8 need to occur at the very exact moment through the very exact portal?

is this an example of advanced technology? or are these souls who had to come back and right their past wrongs? maybe they knew each other... 8 monstrous terrorists or 8 benevolent doctors. they either had a great idea which the gods allowed to continue in brand new bodies or they're being punished and are doomed to repeat the same lifetime until they try something different.

what does it say about earth right now? is it a place where great ideas lead to creativity? or is earth the obstacle course where you have to prove yourself worthy of a break?

if nothing else, is the birth of the octuplets a hint that reincarnation is real? or is this really only important because of the shape of mommy's lips?

Financial Crisis

Hello everyone.

I'm sure you are fully experiencing the financial crisis in whatever way it must manifest for you. Some of us have some hard evidence of the change in our economic climate. Maybe some of us are not fully experiencing any hardships out of the ordinary, but you or someone you know is fully invested in complaining about the situation. Yes, this is scary. It seems the tendency is to ask "what can I do to have more for myself and my family?"

I simply want to point out that that is exactly the thinking that got us here. As impossible as it seems, maybe we should take a different approach. Try to think about what you can do for others. This is the perfect time to challenge yourself and to powerfully say to the Universe "There is more than enough for everyone. See! I have plenty to give." It may be as simple as giving the beggar you often see at the train station that dollar you always tell yourself he doesn't deserve. Or it may be something bigger, like donating your time to a charity.

If you live in a world where people think about what they can do for each other, it is certain that someone will be wondering what they can do for you. Live in this world through your actions and you will see.

Think about what you have to offer. If you don't know, consider what you'd like to improve in your life, but instead of holding that desire inward, turn it outward. Begin to wish that everyone has this same thing that you desire, and create ways to deliver it to as many as you can. This is actually exactly how I chose the path of raw food chef. I wanted better health for myself. I felt I desperately needed it, but it was only when I turned the desire outward and began to sincerely wish it for everyone around me and the world did I start down the path of this new fulfilling (absolutely delicious) lifestyle. It's the best thing I ever did!


So please, choose a different path for these tough economic times. Do something out of the ordinary, and become EXTRAORDINARY!

Cat makes dinner

Following my very first entry for this blog, I made a delicious dinner and decided I must share it with you.



My philosophy on food is to do what feels good. I am an advocate for raw foods and living food, but I also like to create dishes that integrate these disciplines with some cook foods, for those who are considering a transition for themselves or others. All the dishes I make are vegan and at least 75% raw.

Here's how to recreate the tofu dish. It's pretty fancy and would be great for a veg date at home ;) I will make a separate video for the Mexi "meat" - it is an easy and delicious spread that will wow any raw foodist or meat eater!

Miso Marinated Tofu
w/ Asian Kale Slaw and Spicy Sesame Sauce
(Serves Two)

Ingredients:
7 oz. (half block) Extra Film Organic Tofu
1 garlic clove, chopped
same amount ginger, chopped
1 1/4 tsp Red Miso (Organic, Unpasteurized)
1/4 cup soak water from sundried tomatoes or plain water
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp Bragg's Amino Acids

Drain the tofu and slice into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place the slices in a glass baking dish. Combine the other ingredients and pour over the tofu. Let the tofu marinate a few hours or overnight (the longer the better). Occasionally flip the slices and baste them with the marinade.

When the slices are done marinating, pre-heat your oven for the lowest setting (or turn on your dehydrator). Pour the marinade and all the little bits of garlic and ginger into a dish and set aside. Bake the tofu in the low-temp oven for about 45 minutes to an hour.

Now, make the Asian Kale Slaw:
4-5 leaves of Lacinto Kale, shredded/julienned
2 tbsp Cold-Pressed, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Sesame Oil
1/4 cup Fresh Basil leaves, julienned
1 tbsp Red Bell Pepper, small dice
1 Green Onion, sliced (green part only)
2 tbsp Avocado, small dice

Massage the Kale with the oils, then mix well with all of the ingredients except for the avocado. Once everything is well combined, gently stir in the avocado.

Finally, we have our Spicy Sesame Sauce:
1 tbsp Tahini
2 tbsp seed/nut milk
Remaining marinade
1 Jalepeno, chopped
1/4 EVOO

Blend all of the ingredients in a blender. Keep the blender running and add the EVOO in a thin stream until emulsified and creamy.


Now we're ready to plate the dish.

Remove a lightly-baked tofu plank from the dish. Place in the middle of the plate and put a small handful of the Kale Slaw on top. Top with another tofu plank and place another spoonful of the slaw on top. A fresh tomato slice and a basil leaf makes a lovely garnish. Put the sauce in a squeeze bottle and squirt it in a elegant fashion about the plate.

Enjoy!

le premier

a world of peace is a world without time.

Forget who you were. Don't concern yourself with who you will become.

Who are you now? Love that person and/or fully forgive them.

Acceptance is a dance - you look better faking it than standing by and smirking.

Do you want to know about me?

I do, too... and do and do and do so that maybe I'll learn more.

I don't want to say anything that won't be relevant later. So this will be short.

My promise to myself and to you is that I evolve everyday with something interesting to say and meaningful to teach.

Let me know how it goes.

...meow...