Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
The BEST Sundried Tomato Hummus
You remember how much I love sundried tomatoes, right? Well, I also love hummus. And together? They are like.....MAGIC!
My husband is always skeptical of my concoctions, but he can't stop giving me compliments on this recipe, which means a lot in my mind. Also, my 1.5 year old totally digs it on a brown rice or sprouted grain tortilla for lunch.
One thing I love about this hummus is that it is a bit more creamy than most homemade hummus dips. I have tried numerous hummus recipes and they are usually too dry for me. So, I made this hummus how I like it!
3/4 cup soaked, cooked garbanzo beans (use canned if in a hurry)
3 Tbsp. sundried tomatoes, packed in olive oil
3-4 Tbsp. (one whole lemon) lemon juice
1 Tbsp. raw tahini
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. Real Salt
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Put everything except olive oil in food processor and process until smooth. Drizzle in olive oil.
YUM, YUM, YUM, YUM!!!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Two Great Minds Think Alike
Too funny - In the posts below, you will find that Annie and I responded to a reader's comment at EXACTLY the same time, in our own homes, on our own computers. We then both published almost exactly the same message. It's almost eerie....
Can She Do It? Yes She Can...Almost
Okay, so I got a little busy with remodeling my daughter's room and neglected to post. But I'll have you know that I made it. Well, I almost made it. Last night we had people over for dinner and I thought it might be weird if I refused to eat the stuff I made. So technically, I was one day + one meal short of my goal. But it was worth it. I made a vegan apple pie last night that seriously got me high.
Sara left a comment on my "day 3" post informing me that she'll be embarking on a 7 day raw food detox starting tomorrow. She asked for any pointers I might have. Ask, and ye shall receive my friend. Here are a few tips for Sara and any other of you fine folks who are interested in detoxing:
*Make a plan for EVERY day of your detox. Be sure to include snacks in between meals. This will help you avoid the "staring into your fridge" syndrome. But don't be surprised if it still sneaks up on you.
*Do all your shopping on or before day 1, but be prepared to have to return to the grocery store several times that week too. Epiphanies happen. And you won't always have the right ingredients on hand.
*Dips. And. Sauces. It's the only way to mix it up.
*Day 1 through Day 3 SUCK! I'm just being honest here. But Jenny and I both agree that if you can make it through Day 3, you're golden. Day 3 really is hump day. Until then, it's SHEER will power.
*Find a restaurant where you can get some sort of raw meal at least once during your detox. It's a nice break from having to prepare EVERYTHING you eat and it's something to look forward to. Lucky for me, Jenny had a hankerin' for Omars raw cuisine on Friday night and I was happy to oblige. Then we hit a flick starring the girl that both of our husbands would probably leave us for...
*Be realistic. You can't go into this thinking that it will be easy. Trust me. It's not. But it's well worth it. Find something that will keep you motivated.
If you decide to detox, you'll discover some interesting things about yourself. You'll discover what your addicted to. For me, it's starch and sugar. The cravings were almost unbearable. But only for sweets and bread. And ALWAYS at the same time of day. You'll also discover that your more powerful than you thought. I know it sounds weird, but the most important part of this for me was finding out that I have the ability to commit to do something difficult, and to actually do it. It also reminded me that I really do control my own life. For the most part, our lives are a direct or indirect result of the decisions we make. Even the small decisions. If we make healthy choices, odds are, we will be exactly that. Healthy.
Sara left a comment on my "day 3" post informing me that she'll be embarking on a 7 day raw food detox starting tomorrow. She asked for any pointers I might have. Ask, and ye shall receive my friend. Here are a few tips for Sara and any other of you fine folks who are interested in detoxing:
*Make a plan for EVERY day of your detox. Be sure to include snacks in between meals. This will help you avoid the "staring into your fridge" syndrome. But don't be surprised if it still sneaks up on you.
*Do all your shopping on or before day 1, but be prepared to have to return to the grocery store several times that week too. Epiphanies happen. And you won't always have the right ingredients on hand.
*Dips. And. Sauces. It's the only way to mix it up.
*Day 1 through Day 3 SUCK! I'm just being honest here. But Jenny and I both agree that if you can make it through Day 3, you're golden. Day 3 really is hump day. Until then, it's SHEER will power.
*Find a restaurant where you can get some sort of raw meal at least once during your detox. It's a nice break from having to prepare EVERYTHING you eat and it's something to look forward to. Lucky for me, Jenny had a hankerin' for Omars raw cuisine on Friday night and I was happy to oblige. Then we hit a flick starring the girl that both of our husbands would probably leave us for...
*Be realistic. You can't go into this thinking that it will be easy. Trust me. It's not. But it's well worth it. Find something that will keep you motivated.
If you decide to detox, you'll discover some interesting things about yourself. You'll discover what your addicted to. For me, it's starch and sugar. The cravings were almost unbearable. But only for sweets and bread. And ALWAYS at the same time of day. You'll also discover that your more powerful than you thought. I know it sounds weird, but the most important part of this for me was finding out that I have the ability to commit to do something difficult, and to actually do it. It also reminded me that I really do control my own life. For the most part, our lives are a direct or indirect result of the decisions we make. Even the small decisions. If we make healthy choices, odds are, we will be exactly that. Healthy.
Advise for a Cleanse
We received this comment from a reader, Sara. I thought it was an excellent way to give some advise to those who are contemplating or beginning a cleanse.
I have been contemplating revisiting a cleanse (my first one was a disaster...) and then there it was on your blog. If you believe in signs, that was a giant neon billboard saying DO IT!! I was really excited to see both of your recipes and comments, that gives me a good idea as to where to start. Tomorrow is the big day and I am nervous/excited, any last minute advice?
PS. absolutely love this blog, don't think that I have tried a recipe that I didn't like...and I've tried a lot of them!
My response:
Sara,
Soooo excited to see you doing a cleanse! It's hard, as you well know, but sticking to it is key. One piece of advise is to set yourself up for success.
1. Make sure you have planned out what you're going to prepare to drink/eat, and that you have all of the ingredients available. Also, give youself a bit of variety, if you can. If you are juicing, create different juices. If you are making smoothies, give yourself different flavors so it doesn't seem so torturous. If you're eating raw, make all different kinds of spreads, dips, and sauces to go on raw crackers, lettuce leaves, cabbage leaves, raw veggies, etc...
2. Write down your goals and post them where you can see them. You can write down temporary goals (do a cleanse for 5 days) or long-term goals (get my body healthy, overcome certain heath conditions, to not feel pain all the time, etc...)
3. Get support. Make yourself accountable to a friend or family member to ensure that you stay motivated.
4. PLAN to finish. A lot of people say that if you get past Day 3 it's a lot easier. The initial detox symptoms may "unmotivate" you, but cleansing is very mental. Think in your mind that you can do it.
We wish you the best of luck. If you need help or motivation, you know where to come!!
Jenny
I have been contemplating revisiting a cleanse (my first one was a disaster...) and then there it was on your blog. If you believe in signs, that was a giant neon billboard saying DO IT!! I was really excited to see both of your recipes and comments, that gives me a good idea as to where to start. Tomorrow is the big day and I am nervous/excited, any last minute advice?
PS. absolutely love this blog, don't think that I have tried a recipe that I didn't like...and I've tried a lot of them!
My response:
Sara,
Soooo excited to see you doing a cleanse! It's hard, as you well know, but sticking to it is key. One piece of advise is to set yourself up for success.
1. Make sure you have planned out what you're going to prepare to drink/eat, and that you have all of the ingredients available. Also, give youself a bit of variety, if you can. If you are juicing, create different juices. If you are making smoothies, give yourself different flavors so it doesn't seem so torturous. If you're eating raw, make all different kinds of spreads, dips, and sauces to go on raw crackers, lettuce leaves, cabbage leaves, raw veggies, etc...
2. Write down your goals and post them where you can see them. You can write down temporary goals (do a cleanse for 5 days) or long-term goals (get my body healthy, overcome certain heath conditions, to not feel pain all the time, etc...)
3. Get support. Make yourself accountable to a friend or family member to ensure that you stay motivated.
4. PLAN to finish. A lot of people say that if you get past Day 3 it's a lot easier. The initial detox symptoms may "unmotivate" you, but cleansing is very mental. Think in your mind that you can do it.
We wish you the best of luck. If you need help or motivation, you know where to come!!
Jenny
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Detoxing Diets/Raw Recipes
Annie - Kudos for endeavoring on a raw food detox. I'm all about cleansing and giving your digestive system a break in order to get rid of anything that has been hanging around for a while.
About a month ago, I went to my doctor (Dr. Hugo Rodier, a holistic M.D. who practices in Draper, UT) for a check-up to make sure my thyroid was functioning normally. The blood tests came back as normal, but in the meantime, he had me do a detox. So for two weeks I ate nothing but raw vegetables, nuts, and seeds. And, luckily, I took some pics. So, if any of you are joining Annie in her raw food detox, the recipes below might come in handy.
Before I give the recipes, I want to mention that there are many different types of detoxing diets. If you are eating the Standard American Diet (SAD), eat a lot of cooked food, or have recently deviated from your healthy diet, then a raw food detox will serve you well(nuts, seeds, fruit, veggies, sprouts). My diet consists of about 70% raw food already, and when I did my detox, I wanted to take a break from sugars in any form, so I chose not to include any fruits so that my body, especially my pancreas, could take a bit of a rest. (Also, some fruit is naturally slightly acidic, and on cleanses I prefer to eat/drink alkaline foods. )
If you want to go a step further, you could detox with a green smoothie diet (no solid foods). Even more intense is the combination of juicing greens and drinking green smoothies. You may choose to include, or not to include, fruits, depending on your preference. I prefer not to include fruit, but many people choose to do so - it's whatever you deem the most effective or feel the most comfortable doing.
If you take it even further than that, you're on a juice feast. Remember, I am not a doctor, but juicing, especially juicing green vegetables and green leafy vegetables, will allow your body to not only get rid of old waste stuck in your gut, but will enable it to pull toxins from your tissues and eliminate them, all the while flooding your body with phytonutrients and promoting healing.
I just finished reading the blog of Chris Sherry, who was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes and chose to reverse it by juice feasting. He juiced for 92 Days!!!! He followed the book, There is a Cure for Diabetes by Gabriel Cousens, M.D., and David Rainoshek, two amazing people who promote raw food and natural healing. Personally, I have only done detoxing by taking herbs and eating alkaline veggies, seeds, and nuts, but my husband has done a juice feast twice (once for 14 days and once for 3 days) to help heal his arthritic body, with much success, and I have always wanted to try it. I believe the time has come and I shall embark on a juice-feast for 7 days in the near future. I haven't decided when, so I'll keep you all posted.
When beginning a cleanse or detox, some people will experience detox symptoms (and some won't). One of these may include a skin rash, in which the body is trying to eliminate toxins through its largest organ, the skin. It also may include a fever or flu-like symptoms, or even a headache. Usually these symptoms will last only a short while and then subside. Some people like to get enemas or colonics on a cleanse to rid the body of toxins more easily. However, if you want to endeavor on an extended juice-feast, if you have poor health, or if you just want to make sure you're doing things correctly, consult a doctor or other professional to help you through this process.
With that said, here are a few recipes to keep your motor running while on a raw food diet:
About a month ago, I went to my doctor (Dr. Hugo Rodier, a holistic M.D. who practices in Draper, UT) for a check-up to make sure my thyroid was functioning normally. The blood tests came back as normal, but in the meantime, he had me do a detox. So for two weeks I ate nothing but raw vegetables, nuts, and seeds. And, luckily, I took some pics. So, if any of you are joining Annie in her raw food detox, the recipes below might come in handy.
Before I give the recipes, I want to mention that there are many different types of detoxing diets. If you are eating the Standard American Diet (SAD), eat a lot of cooked food, or have recently deviated from your healthy diet, then a raw food detox will serve you well(nuts, seeds, fruit, veggies, sprouts). My diet consists of about 70% raw food already, and when I did my detox, I wanted to take a break from sugars in any form, so I chose not to include any fruits so that my body, especially my pancreas, could take a bit of a rest. (Also, some fruit is naturally slightly acidic, and on cleanses I prefer to eat/drink alkaline foods. )
If you want to go a step further, you could detox with a green smoothie diet (no solid foods). Even more intense is the combination of juicing greens and drinking green smoothies. You may choose to include, or not to include, fruits, depending on your preference. I prefer not to include fruit, but many people choose to do so - it's whatever you deem the most effective or feel the most comfortable doing.
If you take it even further than that, you're on a juice feast. Remember, I am not a doctor, but juicing, especially juicing green vegetables and green leafy vegetables, will allow your body to not only get rid of old waste stuck in your gut, but will enable it to pull toxins from your tissues and eliminate them, all the while flooding your body with phytonutrients and promoting healing.
I just finished reading the blog of Chris Sherry, who was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes and chose to reverse it by juice feasting. He juiced for 92 Days!!!! He followed the book, There is a Cure for Diabetes by Gabriel Cousens, M.D., and David Rainoshek, two amazing people who promote raw food and natural healing. Personally, I have only done detoxing by taking herbs and eating alkaline veggies, seeds, and nuts, but my husband has done a juice feast twice (once for 14 days and once for 3 days) to help heal his arthritic body, with much success, and I have always wanted to try it. I believe the time has come and I shall embark on a juice-feast for 7 days in the near future. I haven't decided when, so I'll keep you all posted.
When beginning a cleanse or detox, some people will experience detox symptoms (and some won't). One of these may include a skin rash, in which the body is trying to eliminate toxins through its largest organ, the skin. It also may include a fever or flu-like symptoms, or even a headache. Usually these symptoms will last only a short while and then subside. Some people like to get enemas or colonics on a cleanse to rid the body of toxins more easily. However, if you want to endeavor on an extended juice-feast, if you have poor health, or if you just want to make sure you're doing things correctly, consult a doctor or other professional to help you through this process.
With that said, here are a few recipes to keep your motor running while on a raw food diet:
Sundried Tomato Spread on Kathy's Krackers
I just recently found Kathy's Krackers at Harmon's grocery store and Good Earth Natural Foods. I love these crackers because they are made locally (Orem, UT), they taste WONDERFUL (especially the Salsa flavored ones), they are thicker than other flax crackers and can even be used for an open-faced sandwich, and are less expensive than other brands. I just received an Excalibur 9 dehydrator for Christmas, so I'm excited to make my own, but until then, I'm munching on Kathy's!
This recipe has been in the making for a while now. I absolutely ADORE sun-dried tomatoes, and thus most sun-dried tomato dips/spreads/pesto sauces. Only problem is, they cost a fortune! So, instead of paying $3.70 for 8 oz., I decided I'd make my own. Even though they're not organic, I use sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil from CostCo because they're cheaper. I eat too many dang sun-dried tomatoes to be buying the best of the best...I go through those suckers like mad!
One good thing about this recipe is that it has a plethora of vegetables, so if your kids eat it on a rice cake or cracker, they will be getting their veggies too!!
Not to wait any longer - the recipe:
1 c sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
1 red bell pepper
1 medium carrot
1/4 c diced red onion
2 stalks celery
3/4 to 1 tsp. Real Salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil
Combine all ingredients except olive oil in food processor and process until semi-smooth. Then open feeding tube while processor is running and drizzle in olive oil.
Cucumber, Kale, Celery Juice
Juice:
1 cucumber
5 leaves Kale
5 stalks celery
I love this combination. It seriously cleans you out!
I love this combination. It seriously cleans you out!
*If you don't have a juicer, you can whiz the veggies in a blender and put it through a nylon sock or nut milk bag (found on Amazon.com for $6).
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Day 3
I'm exhausted and my head feels foggy. I have to pee, like every 15 minutes. I'm irritated. I don't feel energized. I don't feel cleansed. I just feel hungry for a GINORMOUS hunk of bread. Word to the wise: don't start your detox when your pms-y.
However, I will press on.
GAH!
However, I will press on.
GAH!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Day 2 (and a few recipes)
I was this close to throwing in the towel tonight. No joke. THIS close. But right as I was reaching for a bagel, my cell phone...buzzed (actually it's more like a beep, but you get it right?) to notify me that someone left a comment on our blog. And of course it was none other than my cousin (who literally oozes coolness by the way) asking me how day 2 went. "Thou shalt not disappoint thy favorite cousin in law". I think it's commandment #11. And so? I whipped up another green shake and chugged it. I'll tell you what though, that bagel has never before seemed quite as tantalizing. Need. Yeast.
Thanks Anna. You saved my bacon.
Here are a few of my favorite recipes so far:
Raw Tomato Soup (fyi: if you don't like raw soups, this probably isn't the recipe for you. Just sayin')
2 big tomatoes
Thanks Anna. You saved my bacon.
Here are a few of my favorite recipes so far:
Raw Tomato Soup (fyi: if you don't like raw soups, this probably isn't the recipe for you. Just sayin')
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp himalaya salt (real salt will do)
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cumin
1 young coconut, water & meat
1-2 tsp freshly grated ginger
dash of cayenne
juice of 1/2 lemon
dab of raw honey or agave
Put all ingredients in blender. Garnish with avocado slices or fresh parsley.
Butter Lettuce Wraps with a twist
1/2 cup soaked hazel nuts
1/2 cup soaked sunflower seeds
1/2 cup soaked almonds
1-2 sticks celery (chopped)
1/2 of a small white onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup water
1 tbs. grapeseed oil
1 tbs. agave nectar
3 tbs. lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
head of butter lettuce
Process everything except the butter lettuce in a food processor or blender. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the nutty filling in each of the lettuce leaves. Garnish the top or sides with chopped or sun dried tomatoes.
Green Shake Numero Dos
2 big handfuls of spinach
1/4 english cucumber
1 granny smith apple, cored
1 frozen banana
few sprigs parsley
juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 cup coconut milk (or water)
1/2 cup almond milk
enough ice to make it...frosty
Blend all ingredients in blender. Make your kid taste it first.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Detox Day 1
One down, six to go. I stuck to the plan, but DANG, I've hit my threshold for fiber consumption. Things seem to be...moving right along. I felt great until about 3:00 when I had to start telling myself, "self, you DON'T have to have a 3:00pm sugar fix". Not to mention the Diet Coke headache. I know what you're thinking, but truth be told, I only "fell off the wagon" like 3-4 times/week over the holidays. And compared to my Coke consumption last year at this time? That's just a bump in the road.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
ANNIE'S 2010 DETOX - the concept
Is it just me or is there a certain element of blah-ness permeating the air. I just feel...blah. It could be that the anticipation of Santa's arrival is now over. It could be that there are aren't any parties left to look forward to. Or it COULD be that I've downed more sugar over the past two weeks than I normally would over a 6 month period. Um, yes. I believe it's the latter.
Now, I know. I've talked about maintaining balance in life and not getting too "nazi-ish" when it comes to eating healthfully, but I've really stretched my description of "balance" lately. And I believe it's time to whip out the grey trench coat and little black mustache. But just for a week.
Tomorrow? I'm starting a raw food cleanse. Don't freak out. No weird teas or supplements. Just good wholesome stuff grown in the ground (or above the ground, or on the ground - whatever). I really just want to clean out and reset my system. And maybe clear up this sugar induced break out. I have absolutely NO intention of staying on this for longer than 1 week. But honestly, it'll be a serious miracle if I even make it that long. So to up my chances of success, I'm going to report to you. Every day. And if you feel so inclined? Join me in my endeavor. I could use a little comradery (comradery, comradery, it just looks wrong, comradery. Whatever, I'm leaving it).
I think I'll begin with a green shake tomorrow morning. Then maybe a LARGE salad w/ romaine, grape tomatoes, sunflower seeds, cucumbers and olive/lemon juice dressing for lunch. I think I might go with raw tomato soup (recipe coming) for dinner. Possibly I'll throw in a blueberry almond shake for dessert (possibly, ha...possibly). At least I have a plan for day 1. I'll let you know how it goes.
Now, I know. I've talked about maintaining balance in life and not getting too "nazi-ish" when it comes to eating healthfully, but I've really stretched my description of "balance" lately. And I believe it's time to whip out the grey trench coat and little black mustache. But just for a week.
Tomorrow? I'm starting a raw food cleanse. Don't freak out. No weird teas or supplements. Just good wholesome stuff grown in the ground (or above the ground, or on the ground - whatever). I really just want to clean out and reset my system. And maybe clear up this sugar induced break out. I have absolutely NO intention of staying on this for longer than 1 week. But honestly, it'll be a serious miracle if I even make it that long. So to up my chances of success, I'm going to report to you. Every day. And if you feel so inclined? Join me in my endeavor. I could use a little comradery (comradery, comradery, it just looks wrong, comradery. Whatever, I'm leaving it).
I think I'll begin with a green shake tomorrow morning. Then maybe a LARGE salad w/ romaine, grape tomatoes, sunflower seeds, cucumbers and olive/lemon juice dressing for lunch. I think I might go with raw tomato soup (recipe coming) for dinner. Possibly I'll throw in a blueberry almond shake for dessert (possibly, ha...possibly). At least I have a plan for day 1. I'll let you know how it goes.
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