Blender Mayo-amazing!

I avoided mayonnaise for the looongest time because I, like millions of Americans fell for the nationwide “fat is bad for you” hoopla pushed by the USDA for decades. Then when I went raw vegan, mayo was definitely a no-no and creaminess was replaced with nuts and avocado. But since reading more and more about nutrition, the work of Weston Price and even some raw food advocates like Dr. Mercola and Dr. Stanley Bass who recommend raw eggs, I’m finding creative ways to add them to my diet and mayo fits the bill nicely! So Why Raw Eggs? "Eggs supply all essential amino ...

Food Review: Askinosie Chocolate

I like to think of myself as somewhat of a chocolat connoisseur. For the longest time, I didn't indulge because I had really bad acne and chocolate aggravated it. It wasn't until years later that I found out that it wasn't the "chocolate" cacao bean itself, it was all the crap other unrecognizable ingredients that went into a typical SAD chocolate bar. After I went high raw and discovered raw cacao, wow! - not only could I eat it, but now it was good for me (in moderation, of course. ;)) Since then I've expanded my repertoire to include high quality ...

Roasted Garlic Goodness

When I last fired up my oven to make a batch of roasted veggies, I decided to try out my new (used) garlic roaster that I got for free. (Thank you Freecycle!) The garlic came out awesome! I mixed some of the garlic paste with my roasted cauliflower instead of roasting crushed garlic WITH the cauliflower. Much better! After squeezing a few cloves directly into my mouth - YUM! - I put what was left of the bulb into a little jar to use with other dishes. (I probably walk around reeking like a big old garlic clove and I don't ...

EcoFriendly Glass Drinking Straws

I just got a new glass straw from Glass Dharma. Love it! :) I chose the 8" smoothie size with green decorative dots. The dots are key, so it doesn't roll off the counter and break. The diameter is a roomy 12mm - perfect for my thick smoothies and elixirs. There are several other drinking straw styles, sizes and colors to chose from. I also got the stainless steel cleaning brush. The brush is tres important. My first glass straw got a bit cloudy after use because it's narrower and I didn't have a good way to clean it well. But ...

Raw Dark Chocolate Walnut Bark Recipe

Hi Everyone! I just wanted to post a little reminder that the Valentine's Day Coconut Giveaway ends tomorrow at 11:59pm. A winner will be drawn via random.org. As I write this, there are only 44 entries so there's a very good chance of winning. And the more you enter, the better your odds! Here is a Valentine's Day recipe that you can make with your coconut oil windfall - Raw Walnut Chocolate Bark. The lucuma powder and stevia sweeteners make it low glycemic. The maca powder adds a malty flavor. Maca is an adaptogen, which means it has the ability to balance ...

Coconut Oil Giveaway!

Quality coconut oil really does make a difference in food prep. I made a favorite quick dish yesterday - pan seared scallops with arugula sauteed in garlic and coconut oil (picture above) and it came out fabulous! So if you've been following my blog, you know that I decided to review four organic coconut oils. Tropical Traditions ranked the highest overall. To be honest with you, I have tasted some premium coconut oils nearly as good as Tropical Traditions, but what gave them the edge is a really good price for the AMAZING quality and labor that goes into the product. ...

Raw Christmas Canapes in July

I just made these little raw canapes last weekend for friends. They were really yummy and cute. Rolling them up and tying them with the chive without tearing it - tricky! I had a few casualties which I had to sacrifice and eat ;) but after the first couple, I had an assembly line going. I think soaking the chives in water helps make it more pliable. [caption id="attachment_1834" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Raw Amuse Bouche"][/caption] The recipe is called "Rolled Courgette Ribbons with Sweet Beet Paté" from Russell James Christmas Recipe E-book. I omitted the beetroot juice and agave because I'm trying to ...

Melty Chocolate Chunk Walnut unCookie

Sundays + rain = time to do some unbaking! I was itching for a sweet treat but too lazy to go out, so I started scavenging the cupboards. Cacao, lucuma, almond butter, walnuts, maca - all the makings of a quick yum pot, but I wanted MORE. Something special. A really raw decadent chocolate chip cookie! So I started rifling through my recipes and came across an all-time sure-fire winner - the infamous chocolate chunk walnut cookie from Sweet Gratitude. They came out AMAZING! Now this ain't one of your lickity-split, easy peasy raw recipes. It takes time and a whole ...

Adventures Across Oz – Part 1

Yep I did it. Crossed the continent of Australia from West to East Coast. On the "wrong" side of the road no less. lol. It was easier than I thought. The Nullarbor Plain was the most challenging part - just looooong stretches of desert with a roadhouse every 200k's or so. Luckily some very bored people have created man-made "landmarks" to keep you entertained - like the sneaker tree, the water bottle tree, the shoe tree and yes, the underwear tree. There are wild camels, dingos, wombats and of course, the ever present Aussie kangaroos, living on the Nullarbor. Was hoping to ...

Bali Eats – Part II

JUICE JA on Dewa Sita Street is a mellow hangout. They have free wi-fi and it isn't as crowded as Kafe. Pure and blended juices are on the menu and it's probably the only place that serves wheatgrass juice in Ubud. The small juices range in price from RP$12.000 - 14.000, but you can get them for half the price at the small family-run warungs all around Ubud. The food is good but not a lot of raw options here, except for a fruit and veggie salad. I tried the vegan tempeh curry and it was really good. Home-made tempeh in ...

Water and Chocolate

Visited a beautiful water temple today where the water bubbles up from an underground spring. It's said to be holy where people come to bathe and drink. I wanted to get into the pool, but no other tourists did, so I wasn't sure if it was ok. I did drink from the spring though and it was good, clean and pure! After getting back to the car, our guide said I shouldn't drink it because "my stomach is not the same as a Balinese stomach." LOL. But all is fine and I live to tell about it. ;) [caption id="attachment_1718" align="aligncenter" ...