• Homemade Toothpaste

    by  • March 9, 2014 • 0 Comments

    It’s so easy to make your own toothpaste (& toiletries & household items in general) with simple wholesome ingredients.  I recently made some toothpaste & it’s a huge hit in our household … it tastes great & leaves your teeth feeling super clean.  Here’s the simple recipe:

    Sweet Orange Toothpaste

    3/4 cup coconut oil

    3 Tbs baking soda

    6-10 drops of sweet orange essential oil (or to taste) / or peppermint or any oil you love

    10 drops of liquid stevia (or to taste) / or 2-3 packets of stevia powder

    Place all ingredients in a food processor & blend until well combined.  Scoop out into a bowl or dish & keep in your bathroom.  Use as you would typical toothpaste.  YUMMMMM!

    Coconut Curry Soup

    by  • March 1, 2014 • 0 Comments

    Photo by Lauren Lear of Lola Studios

    Here’s a rawlicious warming soup for you to enjoy this weekend!  So easy & sooooo tasty!  It’s fine to warm it up on the stovetop — just stir over medium low heat until warm to touch.  YUMMMM!

    Coconut Curry Soup - Serves 4

    Soup:

    Meat & water from 1 baby thai coconut (alternative=1.5-2 cups water & 1 cup shredded coconut)

    1 cup corn

    ½ red pepper

    1 handful cilantro

    1 medjool date, pitted

    1 stalk celery

    1 tsp cumin

    ½ tsp turmeric

    ½ tsp curry powder

    1 tsp sea salt

    dash cayenne

    1 cup hot water

    Place all ingredients in a blender & blend until smooth.  Top with garnish items & serve.

    garnish: 

    ½ red pepper, diced

    1 handful cilantro, diced (I used pea shoots here)

    1 Tbs dulse or kelp flakes

    Taco Salad

    by  • January 31, 2014 • 0 Comments

    PERFECT for SUPERBOWL SUNDAY!  :-)

     Taco Salad - makes 4 Servings

    Taco meat:
    1 cup walnuts
    5-6 sundried tomatoes, soaked 1-2 hours
    1 clove garlic
    1 Tbs cumin
    1 tsp coriander
    1/2 tsp chili powder
    pinch or two sea salt
    Blend ingredients together in a food processor until it looks like taco meat. Place in the center of a platter & surround with salad toppings.

    Salad part:
    1 head green or red leaf lettuce, shredded
    2 tomatoes, diced
    1-2 ears or corn, corn removed (or 1 cup thawed frozen corn)
    ¼ cup of diced onion
    1 avocado, diced

    1/2 red pepper, diced
    ½ lemon or lime juiced
    Surround taco meat with shredded lettuce & top with remaining salad ingredients.  (Or top with your favorite salsa & guac recipes).

    Dressing:
    1 cup cashews
    1 1/4 cups of water
    a small handful cilantro
    zest from 1 lime
    juice from 1 lime
    1 clove garlic
    1/2 tsp sea salt
    Blend everything in a high speed until smooth & creamy. Pour into a 16 oz jar. Drizzle some over top of the salad & save the rest for later. Store in refrigerator.

    Food Coop

    by  • January 30, 2014 • 0 Comments

    Hey there rawk stars!

     

    I am a member of the Portland Food Co-op & I love it!  I love the great deals I get, the access to locally grown & organic food & the amazing sense of community that our coop embodies!  If you aren’t in the greater Portland area, I hope you will take a few minutes to explore co-ops in your area–they offer so much to our communities.


    If you are nearby … Have you seen the time and temperature building in Portland lately? It’s flashing “FOOD COOP” to tell the whole town that the Portland Food Co-op is opening a community owned retail grocery store, and we need you to join us as a Member-Owner (http://www.portlandfood.coop/join-now/).


    As a member-owner, I am excited that soon Portland will have a retail Food Co-op open 7 days a week open to the public in town because it means building community, providing healthy food to our community, and supporting our local economy … and they will carry our Kids Gone Raw snacks! Wooo-hoooo! In order to open the doors this September, we need 1400 Member-Owners –  we are already over halfway there!


    This week, while the whole town sees “FOOD COOP,” we plan to reach a major milestone, two-thirds of the member-owners needed to help open the store. If you are not already a member-owner will you join me today and become a member-owner online? (http://www.portlandfood.coop/join-now/)
    The time is right to join over 750 other current member-owners and help open the Portland Food Co-op store this Fall! www.portlandfood.coop/join-now/

    Thanks so much for considering joining the Co-op! I’m a huge fan of it & think you will love it too! :-) Elizabeth

    P.S. I want to make sure you know that you can easily become a member-owner online to help open the store and you will have no expected volunteer shifts.  Also, joining now means that you can give feedback on the design for the new store.  Join online here (http://www.portlandfood.coop/join-now/)

    P.S.S. Please share this with anyone else you think would be interested. It’s such an important time for the Co-op! We need you!

    So I Got the Flu

    by  • January 21, 2014 • 0 Comments

    I pride myself in keeping healthy … I make great choices around food, I have a regular yoga practice, I walk my dogs every day, I surround myself with people who feed my soul, my work is my passion … so imagine my surprise, when on the evening of day 15 of my juice feast I felt a sudden kick of ickiness.  Was I just cold & tired?  I thought maybe I was, so I went to bed & hoped for the best.  Well, I woke up with a fever & severe body aches.  WHAT?!!

    I was in denial & thought, “Oh, I’m just tired.  Afterall, how could I possibly get the flu when I’ve been putting 3-4 quarts of green juice in my body each day for over 2 weeks?”  I had been feeling AMAZING, light & energetic.  I had been practicing yoga daily & sleeping like a rock.  What happened?  I got the flu & I got it bad–that’s what happened.  I had a high fever for 48 hours & was unable to get up & dressed for 4 days.  I feel so much better today, but I am still not back to my old tricks–I have a cough & very  limited energy.  I had to let go of my juice feast (I have continued with 1-2 quarts of juice a day & have added in some vegan & raw vegan soups).  I felt a little discouraged to not be able to continue with my goal of 31 days of juice, but listening to my body is important & it wanted warm, soft food.

    Getting the flu really gave me a chance to reflect on where I went wrong in my self-care regime.  Nutrition will only get you so far.  Exercise will only get you so far.  Sleep will only get you so far.  Stress management will only get you so far.  BUT, combine good nutrition, regular exercise, 7-8 hours of sleep a night, & stress-management  through down time & you have balance, and with balance you will have health.  When one or more of these things gets out of balance, you put yourself at risk for getting sick, and that was my mistake!

    I skimped out on the 7-8 hours of sleep a night & taking regular down time for myself.  December is my busiest month of the year–I pack 3 months of work into 3 weeks.  I worked around the clock, 7 days a week, in my studio painting adorable pets for people to give as Christmas gifts & then I had all of the family celebrating & parties … so much going on.  I did take the Fri-Mon after Christmas off to relax, but apparently, that was not nearly enough time.  I need to give my body the gift of down time each week, not just once in awhile.

    I have now reformatted my schedule to include 48 hours of down time /play time / ME time each week, and I am really looking forward to it!  2014 is the year of balance & ME time so that I can continue to live my best life!  Yeah for self-care!  In fact, I have signed up for a “Self Care=Heart Centered Success” workshop with my friend, Britt Bolnick, of In Arms Coaching, on Sat, Feb 1st from 1-4pm.  It’s only $10.  Who wants to join me?

    Wishing you all a joyful week!  STAY WARM & HEALTHY!  :-)

    Juicy January

    by  • January 16, 2014 • 0 Comments

    Today is day 16 of my juice feast.  I am hoping to go for 31 days, but am taking things day by day.  I have been feeling really good from the start, which is such a blessing & gift!  My juices have been delicious & satisfying, my body has felt vibrant, I haven’t suffered headaches and I have had no problem maintaining my normal level of activity … until this morning.  Last night I got hit with a sudden feeling of ickiness & have come down with something … cough & sore throat.  I suspect my green juices will help me bounce back quickly! In any case, my only real challenge has been staying warm–I have to dress in layers & always have a scarf & hat near by.  I drink lots of herbal teas & occasional homemade mugs of miso/veggie soup broth to warm my core.

    For me a juice feast is mind over matter.  I set a goal & I just keep plugging along day by day with little question of whether or not I am going to continue.  I have had a couple of moments where something riled me & I found that my mind immediately wandered to food.  Interesting observation, huh?!  I’m sure I turn to food for many reasons that do not have to do with hunger & I will do my best to carry this awareness with me as I move forward.  :-)

    Juice feasting gives me a feeling lightness, mental clarity, sharper vision, more focus, weightloss (my clothes are fitting great!) & just an overall sense of balance & wellness (despite the cold that I seem to have gotten) … & that is why I return to juice feasting several times a year!

    CLASS: If you are interested in experiencing a juice feast, please join me for my juice feast class next Tues, Jan 21st.  We will learn about juices, juicers, how to plan for, complete & end a fast.  We will make 5 rawlicious juices together & drink them up!  You will get a detailed handout, a shopping list & 3-5 day juice feast meal plan.  And there will be a private Juice Feast group on facebook for sharing!  We will also have a meeting on Sun, Jan 26th to share, drink juice & learn about how to properly end a fast. Click here to register!

    VIRTUAL FEAST: I am also offering a virtual plan so that everyone can participate. You will receive a detailed handout on Tues, Jan 21st with shopping list, juice feast meal plan & access to the private facebook group.  Click HERE to purchase this option.

    Juicing changes lives for the better!  Let it change yours!

    It’s a RAWvolution!

    by  • January 7, 2014 • 0 Comments

    I am hosting a RAWsome 7 day cleanse … raw vegan style!  Give yourself the experience of 100% raw for 7 days or whatever works for you–it will rawk your world!  The actual cleanse begins on Monday, January 13 &  goes through the 19th.  As a virtual participant, you will receive your detailed handouts on Saturday the 11th.  Handouts include info about the raw vegan diet, tips, shopping list, meal plan & recipes for the week.  You will also have access to a private raw food cleanse group on facebook (starting Saturday) that will include daily support, videos & an opportunity for questions.  Join this RAWvolution!

    IN PERSON, 2 PART CLASS:  If you are local & would like to come to the actual “It’s a RAWvolution” class on Sunday the 12th (it includes making & sampling 7 recipes) & a dinner party on Wednesday the 16th please register here.  This option includes everything else mentioned above. $79 Click HERE to register

    2 Juice Recipes for you on Day 5 of my Feast

    by  • January 5, 2014 • 0 Comments

    Morning Fruit Juice, makes approx 12-16 oz.

    1 grapefruit, peeled

    1 orange or 3 clementines, peeled

    1 apple

    1/2 piece of ginger

    Push through your juicer & drink up!

     

    Gorgeous Green Juice, makes approx 32 oz.

    1 bunch kale

    1 handful parsley or cilantro

    1 cucumber

    2 celery stalks

    2 apples

    1 pear

    1/2-1 lemon (peel ok)

    1/2 inch piece of ginger

    Push through juicer & drink up!

    I am doing an extended juice feast.  I hope to go for about 30 days, but I’m taking it one day at a time.  So far I feel fabulous.  I jumped right into without any difficulty, which is not always the case.  Often I feel tired & get an occasional headache.  Yeah for an easy start!

    During a feast I drink 3-4 quarts of fresh juice a day along with water, wheatgrass juice, herbal teas & a little miso & hot water when I need it to warm up.  :-)  And it has been FREEEZING out, so I have had needed stuff to warm me up!

    Potty talk:  I started out doing salt water flushes to clean out my colon, but didn’t love the results.  I was feeling kinda bloated.  So today I did an enema & that helped release some junk from my body.  YEAH!

    If you would like to participate in a cleanse this month, I am offering two different options:  A 7 day raw food cleanse & a 3-5 juice feast.  Click here for details.

    Wishing you a JUICY day!  xoxo 

    Happy 2014! Got any RAWsolutions?

    by  • January 1, 2014 • 0 Comments

    Ah, a new year.

    Life can get so busy & chaotic during the month of December & I often sway a little from my path between all of the long days in my studio painting & all of the family celebrations.  And by that I mean, I don’t sleep enough, I cut out on my exercise routine, I make food choices based on convenience … you get the picture.  Anyways, as a new year begins, I love to take time to pause, reflect & regroup.

    It has become my New Year’s tradition to begin January 1st with a juice feast, so today I nourished my body with fresh vegetable & fruit juices.  Yummmmm!  A juice feast of any length of time gives me a chance to slow down, to really listen to my body & to gain some mental clarity.

    I’m not big on rules & resolutions, but I am big on living my best life.  So with my best life in mind and my juicy January under way,  I will share with you a few of my rawsolutions for 2014:

    1.  Sundays Unplugged:  I plan to unplug on Sundays & stay clear of my phone, social media, email, texts, apps & anything else that makes me accessible 24/7.  I deserve time to simply be.  :-)  I will allow myself to take photos & share an occasional instagram picture–as an artist, I have a hard time letting go of the visual beauty that surrounds me.  :-)

    2.  More Juice Mondays:  I plan to stay connected to my body & enjoy a day of juice feasting each Monday (or whatever day of the week works best).  And if an entire day won’t work, 3/4 of the day is perfect.

    3.   Good Things Gratitude Jar:  I have set aside a jar & lots of paper to begin my “good things gratitude jar.”  At the end of each day I will take a few minutes to think about all of the blessings in my life & I will write down anything that comes to mind that made my day special.  At the end of 2014 I will empty my jar & re-visit all of the magic from my year.

    4.  Books!  I love to read, but I don’t always make time for it.  I plan to carve out time each day to sit with a book.  Speaking of books … we have started a health/plant-based book club called the Raw Maine Book Club.  Check it out & join the fun.  Our first book is “Healthy at 100″ by John Robbins.

    5. Yoga & Movement:  I have a pretty consistent yoga practice and I plan to keep it that way.  Yoga keeps me connected, breathing, moving, grounded, fit and free of back pain.  I am grateful to yoga & the gifts it has given me … and to PPY, where I practice.

    6.  All things Love, Peace & Gratitude:  I will find love, peace & gratitude in each being that crosses my path and all things that I do.

    Balance in life is always high on my list too, but I think if I am able to put into practice everything else on my list, balance will follow.  :-)    Feel free to check in with me or ask me how I am doing with some of my rawsolutions & feel free to share your own!  I will be posting updates about my January Juice feast too, so stay tuned … & if you are interested in a cleanse of your own, I have several on the class calendar!

    NEW WINTER /SPRING CLASSES POSTED.  Hope you can join me!  Cheers!

    Let’s Make Party Food Together

    by  • December 1, 2013 • 0 Comments

    With the Holiday Season in full swing & lots of tempting & unhealthy food options around us, why not learn some great crowd pleaser recipes that are beautiful & healthy!   If you live near by, I hope you will join me tomorrow night for this RAWsome time.  We will prepare a bunch of sweet & savory treats & eat them too!  Registration is required:  http://www.eventbee.com/event?eid=105601193

    And if you don’t live near by, I hope you will make an effort to learn a few new recipes that you can share with y our loved ones this holiday season!  We are all worth it!  xoxo

    Cornbread Stuffing

    by  • November 27, 2013 • 0 Comments

    Corn Bread Stuffing

    Makes 8 servings

    Marinated veggies:

    1/2 cup mushrooms, diced

    2 Tbs yellow onion, minced

    ½ red pepper, diced

    2-3 Tbs coconut aminos (soy sauce)

    Stuffing Mix:

    3/4 cup of sunflower seeds, chopped

    3/4 cup of pumpkin seeds, chopped

    2 cups corn (I use thawed organic frozen corn)

    1 celery stalk, minced

    1/2 cup of fresh cranberries cut in half

    ½ apple, diced

    2 Tbs of maple syrup, agave or honey

    1/4 tsp sea salt or to taste

    2 Tbs cilantro, chopped

    2 Tsp parsley, chopped

    Marinate your mushrooms, onion & red pepper for 10-15 minutes in coconut aminos & set aside.  Chop nuts in food processor until a chunky flour forms then pulse chop in the 2 cups of corn.  Place mixture in large bowl & add in remaining ingredients & toss.  Serve as is or warm in dehydrator for 2 hours at 110.  YUMMMM!

    Here are a few more Thanksgiving recipes:

    Nut Loaf / Neat Loaf  •  Un-roasted veggies  •  Holiday Stuffing •  Cranberry Orange Relish  •  Pumpkin Pie

    HAPPY THANKSGIVING, RAWK STARS!  

    I am so grateful for YOU!

    46 Million Turkeys Project

    by  • November 20, 2013 • 0 Comments

    Turkey Trot
    10×10 oil on canvas
    www.paintsquared.com

    Spread the turkey love & join the 46 Million Turkeys Project.  Grab a pen & paper or a rubber stamp TODAY & start creating turkeys.  Mail them off to with a few bucks to the address listed on the website & remember each of the turkeys that will be eaten this Thanksgiving.  Donations will be split between 2 non-profits:  the Harlow Gallery & the Peace Ridge Animal Sanctuary.  Get creating TODAY!  :-)

    I am grateful for you today & everyday!  Thank you for being you!