One of the best, and yummiest, ways to stay on a raw or high raw diet in the winter is to incorporate some warm foods into your diet like soups. They help warm your body and provide that “comfort food” that helps calm the mind. I mean, who DOESN’T like soup! I love making raw soups in a high speed blender. They are super easy and you can get them nice and warm.
“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” Hippocrates
Butternut Squash is one of my favorite soups. Winter squashes in general, are considered a warming foods in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Winter Squash is high in Vitamin A which assists the immune system and helps to fight off infections by making white blood cells that fight infections more effectively thus turning this into a medicinal food.
The spices used in the soup are also medicinal. Cinnamon stimulates and enhances both the circulatory and immune systems and is an anti inflammatory. Ginger is a warming spice and helps with nausea and colon cleansing. Nutmeg has been used as an anti inflammatory and for nausea and vomiting. Cloves assist with digestion, sore throats and coughs.
So, here’s to eating the most delicious medicine! Enjoy!
In Love and Health, Lori
Sweet Winter Squash Soup
Ingredients
2 cups water, warm
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 1/2 cups butternut squash or other winter squash, peeled, cubed
6-8 dates, pitted and soaked for 30 min
1/2 cup cashews, raw, unsalted, soaked for 30 min
1 tbls lecithin, (not raw)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ginger, fresh
1 tsp clove
Blend in High Speed Blender such as a Vitamix until warm.
Cashew Cream
Ingredients
3/4 cup water or almond milk
1 cup cashews, soaked for 15 minutes
1/4 cup agave or honey
1 tsp cinnamon, opt
Blend in High Speed Blender. Drizzle over soup. Enjoy!
As 2011 comes to a close, I sit back and reflect on the past year. For myself and many people I know this has been a year of transitions. Times are changing, and things are shifting. Many of us are sensing this, we just know things are a shiftin’! Do you feel it?
While transitions can be very exciting, sometimes they’re also full of unforeseen events, trials and sometimes just a little bit plain ol’ scary. But thats what life and transitions are all about sometimes, a blending of excitement and terror right? Yeah, right.......
Sometimes you just have to sit back and look at it all from a perspective of “Well, this is an interesting experience now isn’t it?” Have a little laughand not take yourself too seriously.Have you ever done that before? If you haven’t, you ought to try it sometime.
Try and detach from the emotion of it and look deeper at the lessons coming up. Try seeing it as if from an “outsiders” perspective. This works for transitioning in your food choices really well! Don’t beat yourself up there’s just no reason. Just learn what needs to be learned and move on. Ok? Sounds easier than it really is but with some practice you are able to gain very valuable insight.
Perhaps you have been feeling like it’s time to make a shift of your own. Perhaps you even know what it is but are nervous about making it. Take the leap! The thing I have come to know as truth in my life is that when things come up, they are gonna KEEP coming up until you start paying attention. And often get bigger....But it’s NOT going away!
This year I graduated from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition as a Certified Holistic Health Coach. What an amazing experience that was! I can’t believe how much I learned! Not just about food but about how every aspect of our lives is so intricately connected to our health. Our relationships, emotions, careers, spirituality, fitness etc...It’s ALL connected!
As I go though “Member Profiles” on Give it to me Raw, I have noticed that most people are looking for advice on transitioning to raw or a high raw diet so we’re going to talk about it ALL over the next month! As we go into transitions especially with food, lots of emotions come up........So get ready to do some shiftin’! (Big breath, smile!)
During the year at IIN we were given a poem called the Trapeze. This came to me at such a critical time, a time when I knew in my heart I needed to make a massive shift in my life. (Terror) I’ve since shared it with many people and I want to share it with you here.
Perhaps you are in a transition place in your life, be it your health, career, relationship, spirituality or fitness. I encourage and invite you to take that first step. Dare to believe. Be brave and bold in your actions. Your life is your creation. Think big. Dream awake. Manifest and visualize your perfect life. Listen for the guidance. It’s there in the quiet parts of your day, just waiting for you to hear.
So as we move into 2012, the year of Shifting, Transitions and Awakenings....Reach for the Trapeze swing knowing you can do and create anything you can dream!
In Love and Health, Lori
The Trapeze
Sometimes, I feel that my life is a series of trapeze swings. I'm either hanging on to a trapeze bar swinging along or, for a few moments, I'm hurdling across space between the trapeze bars.
Mostly, I spend my time hanging on for dear life to the trapeze bar of the moment. It carries me along a certain steady rate of swing and I have the feeling that I'm in control. I know most of the right questions, and even some of the right answers. But once in a while, as I'm merrily, or not so merrily, swinging along, I look ahead of me into the distance, and what do I see?
I see another trapeze bar looking at me. It's empty. And I know, in that place in me that knows, that this new bar has my name on it. It is my next step, my growth, my aliveness coming to get me. In my heart-of-hearts I know that for me to grow, I must release my grip on the present well-known bar, to move to the new one.
Each time it happens, I hope—no, I pray—that I won't have to grab the new one. But in my knowing place, I know that I must totally release my grasp on my old bar, and for some moments in time I must hurtle across space before I can grab the new bar. Each time I do this I am filled with terror. It doesn't matter that in all my previous hurdles I have always made it.
Each time, I am afraid I will miss, that I will be crushed on unseen rocks in the bottomless basin between the bars. But I do it anyway. I must.
Perhaps this is the essence of what the mystics call faith. No guarantees, no net, no insurance, but we do it anyway because hanging on to that old bar is no longer an option. And so, for what seems to be an eternity, but actually lasts a microsecond I soar across the dark void called "the past is over, the future is not yet here." It's called a transition. I have come to believe that it is the only place that real change occurs.
I have noticed that, in our culture, this transition zone is looked upon as a "no-thing," a no-place between places. Sure, the old trapeze bar was real, and as for the new one coming towards me, I hope that's real too. But the void in between? That's just a scary, confusing, disorienting nowhere that must be gotten through as fast and as unconsciously as possible. What a shame!
I have a sneaking suspicion that the transition zone is the only real thing, and the bars are the illusions we dream up to not notice the void. Yes, with all the fear that can accompany transitions, they are still the most vibrant, growth-filled, passionate moments in our lives.
And so, transformation of fear may have nothing to do with making fear go away, but rather with giving ourselves permission to "hang out" in the transition zone between the trapeze bars.
Allowing ourselves to dwell in the only place where change really happens.
It can be terrifying. It can also be enlightening. Hurdling through the void, we just may learn to fly.
A New Year, A New You: How to Set Intentions for a Happy & Healthy New Year...and a recipe too!
We have survived another Holiday Season! I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. I had to pause on Christmas Day to reflect on the many, many blessings and people in my life. Every amazing thing and every challenge is a blessing.
I had the pleasure of attending my first Winter Solstice celebration last week where we did a ceremony and spoke what we wanted to “let go of” in the new year and what we wanted to draw into our lives. This lead perfectly into the theme of this blog.
Moving into the new year is the perfect time for a fresh start. A time to hit the reset button, to reboot your health or life in general. Stop and reflect on the past year, evaluate what’s working and maybe a few things that need some work.
Start by looking at all the blessings in your life, the “What’s Working” part. Write a list of all the things you are grateful for.....a “Gratitude Journal” List all the amazing things that have happened this year, the things you’ve accomplished or learned, the family and friends that make your life so awesome.
Try making a Gratitude Journal part of your everyday life and watch your life transform before your eyes. Sometimes we don’t really see how amazing our life really is until we write it all down. Focusing on the blessings and beauty in our life rather than the stuff thats not working so well, helps us to put more energy towards attracting more of the good stuff into our lives.
However, I also encourage you to spend some quiet time looking at what may need to do a little shifting as well. Sometimes we need to do some checkin’ in. Is there a nagging voice in your head encouraging you to start a project, lose a few pounds, start exercising, do a cleanse or detox, create a more harmonious work situation or a more heart centered relationship or create some other change in your life?
Here’s my first Mini Challenge of the week for getting set to move into the New Year....
Find a comfortable place to sit where you won’t be disturbed for a while. Close your eyes, take some nice, deep breaths ask yourself the following questions and listen for an answer. Have a notebook handy to record what comes up.
What’s really important to me? Your children? Your health? Being able to participate fully in your life, your children or grand children's lives? A purpose you feel like you are here on the planet to accomplish?
If there were no obstacles, what would my life look like? Would you be able to go on that vacation you’ve always wanted to go on? Would you have the confidence to attract a new relationship? Have the financial ability to ......?
How would I feel if these changes happened? Would you have more energy? Confidence? Not be in pain? Feel secure knowing you have he resources to pay the bills? Have more clarity and think better?
What would I be able to do that I can’t do now? Play with the kids? Go out hiking? Dancing? Go out for an all day shopping spree?
Would my relationships change? And if so, how? Would you have the confidence to ask for what you need in a relationship? Would you love yourself more? Would you feel confident to go out and find that awesome relationship?
What are the things that are stopping me from taking action? Money? Fear of failure? A comfortable complacency? Who or what is really causing your pain?
What would you do right now if you knew you couldn’t fail? Do it.
What is it costing you to do nothing? Is it worth the cost? We hear this all the time but it’s worth repeating. If you were lying on your death bed, what would you regret? Would you regret not taking the action to create the life of your dreams?
Life is precious and it ticks by very quickly.
Whatever it is, I encourage you to take a real and honest look at your life and decide to start living on purpose, with an aliveness and vibrance. When you begin to do that, the Universe, God ...whatever you chose to call that force that creates magic in our lives, starts to act, to create possibilities beyond possibilities in your life. Get clear on how it is that you would create your life and do it. You have nothing to gain from playing small. You are here on the planet to shine your amazing light. Start shining and shifting!
One of the most amazing ways you can take control of your life is by refining your food choices. Food has the ability to give us vibrant energy or make us feel tired,. It can ensure our health or cause disease. If making a shift in your diet is on your list read on......
When my clients come to me to make shifts in their diet, the FIRST thing I have them add is more GREENS! Greens are one of the easiest and most effective foods you can add to your diet!
Greens are PACKED full of nutrients! They contain Iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, folate, vitamins K, C, E and many of the B vitamins. They are very low in carbohydrates and rich in fiber. They are slow to digest and help you feel full longer, have very little impact on blood sugar and enhance elimination.
Greens are amazing for the immune system because they contain phytochemicals that scientists believe may be more beneficial to protect against certain cancers than beta-carotene.
As a bit of inspiration, here’s a yummy salad I created for my Magical Greens Mini Cookbook!
Salad Ingredients:
4 cups shredded spinach (or other green of your choice)
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms (crimini or portobello)
1/4 avocado, chopped
1 orange, segmented. cut each piece in half
1/4 cup red onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup zucchini, chopped fine
1/4 cup tomato, chopped
1/4 cup dried cranberries or cherries
1/2 cup sunflower or other sprouts
Toss all ingredients in a large bowl!
Dressing Ingredients:
1/4 cup cashews, soaked for 15 minutes
1 clove garlic
Pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup water
1/8 tsp marjoram
1 tsp nutritional yeast (not raw, optional. but adds B12 and makes it super yummy!)
In a blender, add all ingredients and blend until creamy! Enjoy!
So, this is the FIRST of the Mini Challenges I will be posting this week. I invite you to participate and start preparing to move into the new year with a clear and defined sense of what YOU want to bring into your life or let go of and perhaps add a few new recipes into your diet!
Up tomorrow is more on “Transitions”, a poem and video. So check back!
Do delusions of Sugar Plum’s spin in your head, while you lie wide awake just envisioning bread?
Does that little black dress seem just a little too small? Did your feet take a beating at the local mall?
Do you go to the parties in deep contemplation Just wondering how to get past all temptation?
Trade the cocktails for mocktails, don’t pack on the pounds! Give your colon a break or you’ll feel slightly bound.
Take a deep breath and exhale, pop an enzyme or two Try a foot rub, a scalp rub, raw cookies will do.
Have a bite here or there, no need to deprive But remember how raw food makes you feel so alive!
Be true to yourself, cuz it’s all up to you Give a smile, give a hug, eat a kale chip or two!
When the parties are over and the fun’s all been had You’ll wake up next year and you’ll feel very glad That you watched what you ate and you knew how to breathe You’ll feel rather great and have little to grieve
Go out for a walk with a spring in your step So happy were you to have NOT overslept!
Find a cooked or SAD person who’s walking too slow Just sit down and tell them the treasures you know!
Blessings surround us with each apple slice, the chard wraps, the spinach, it’s all very nice!
Be grateful and humble you are who you are Because of your diet you shine like a star!
Happy Holidays From Lori and The Crew at We Like It Raw
Directions: Put everything in a processor. Process until crumbly and sticks together when you press it between your fingers. Press into pan. Place in fridge while you make the filling
Pumpkin Chocolate Filling
3 cups soaked cashews (Soak no longer than 20 minutes)
2 cups sweet potato shredded or finely chopped
1 cup carrots, shredded or chopped
1 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/4 cups 100% pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
3 tablespoons lecithin
1 cup coconut oil
Directions: Place in a vitamix or high speed blender. Blend well until all ingredients are totally broken down and the mixture is creamy.
Remove 1 cup of the mixture for chocolate swirl.
Pour the rest of the mixture into the pan and set aside.
To the 1/2 - 1 cup add:
1/4 cup cacao powder
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla
Pour into pumpkin mixture and use a chopstick to create swirls.
Place in freezer for about 3 hours or until firm. To serve, remove from fridge and let thaw for about 20 minutes.
Over the next few weeks my good friend Lori Clayton is going to guest editing We Like It Raw. This week's theme is The Holidays!
Here's Lori with a little bit more on the theme and bit about herself.
“A loving heart is the truest wisdom.” Charles Dickens
Today is a beautiful, yet chilly, winter day here in Utah. The sky is blue and the sun is out. I’m so blessed to be looking out at the amazing snow covered mountains as I write my first blog post for Give It To Me Raw. I’m very excited to be writing and sharing with you all.
I’m looking forward to going for a walk later. There’s a certain smell to the air in Winter. There are fires burning in homes, the sweet smell of decaying leaves and just a crispness in the air.
This is the first winter for me in Utah since I was a child. Having lived for the better part of my life in Southern California this weather is new to me. I have to say I like the cozy sweaters and snugly boots. I’m learning how to build a fire in the fireplace, well, mostly I learned what a flue is and that it needs to be opened all the way. I learned that the hard way.
There’s a hustle and bustle out there on the streets as people prepare for the festivities of the Holiday Season. The stores are filled with shoppers. I’m looking forward to my oldest son visiting form Oregon. And we are hoping we have a white Christmas.
Every year at this time, however, I am taken back to my childhood, to one particular Christmas when I was about 8 or 9 that literally changed my life.
My parents, bless their hearts, always made sure that Santa provided well for us. And this Christmas was no different. I had a “boyfriend” who came over Christmas morning to see me. He sat on the couch as I showed him all the gifts Santa brought, and there were many. Finally after coming up for a breath I asked him what Santa brought him. (Remember we were about 8 or 9) He said he got a disposable razor. I just sat there stunned, puzzled, wondering why....a disposable razor?
He left quietly and I started asking my Mom why something like that would happen. Why would Santa leave something like that for him? Why wouldn’t Santa leave lots of toys for him just like he left for us. I was so sad over this and it seemed so unfair.
This was when I learned the truth. There was no bearded, jolly man dressed in a red suit that magically flew threw the air to deliver toys all over the Earth. This made me so sad to think that some kids got so much and other had nothing.
So as the years went by I tried my best to contribute to charities or service or help those in need. It’s such a beautiful thing to bring joy to others. I love seeing the smiles and sometimes the tears.
“The greatest treasures are those invisible to the eye but found in the heart”
I chose to let my two boys believe in the magical idea of Santa (in moderation). We handmade cards and gifts and always picked a name or two off a Christmas Tree to shop for a child in need.
The year came when my oldest son started asking if there was REALLY a Santa. I told him that there DEFIANTLY was an amazing spirit of love and giving but that it may not be exactly what he THOUGHT it was. I thought he would be upset that I had lied to him because I had always taught them to tell the truth no matter what. I thought that this Santa bit was a biggie...I was nervous! He sat with a deep, thoughtful look on his face and tears started streaming down his face. He looked at me and said “Mom, did YOU do all that for us?!” I said yes and he literally threw himself into my arms saying “Thanks Mom, I love you so much!” with tears now streaming from both our eyes...I told him I loved him too.
“The heart has reasons that reason does not understand” - Jacques Benigne Bossuel
Raising two boys as a single parent in Newport Beach, California wasn’t always an easy thing to do and there were times when things were tight. I got to experience the sweetness of sitting with my kids, family and friends and making cookies, gingerbread houses or handmade cards or some kind of gift. It was the time spent connecting with them, creating memories, creating “special” things for loved ones or picking names of a Christmas Tree for a child in need and shopping for them that made the Holidays really magical!
Christmas is about the Spirit of Love, the Spirit of Giving, the Spirit of Caring, the Spirit of Connection, it’s about sharing and opening your heart. It’s not about the gifts you buy at a store, it’s not about making a list of all the things you WANT or as my son jokingly calls a “list of demands”.
“The Human heart feels things the eyes cannot see, and knows what the mind cannot understand” Robert Valett
This week the theme of our blog is about how to have a truly RAW Christmas. Raw is defined as: In a natural or unaltered state; unmodified from the original state. Christmas is about the Spirit of Love, the Spirit of Giving, the Spirit of Caring, the Spirit of Connection, it’s about sharing and opening your heart. It’s not about the gifts you buy at a store, it’s not about making a list of all the things you WANT or as my son jokingly calls a “list of demands”.
There will be some recipe videos for RAW Holiday desserts, beautiful ways gift wrap your treats, handmade gift tags and thoughts about Giving from the Heart.
I would love to hear your thoughts about how YOU create a Raw Christmas, your magical Holiday traditions!
P.S.....Did you know that when you do something kind for someone it raises the levels of serotonin in your body? Serotonin is the “feel good” chemical in the brain. Not only does YOUR serotonin level go up, the person you did something nice for has an increase as well! And if THAT wasn’t enough....Anyone WATCHING has a rise in the “Feel Good” chemical too! Can you even imagine what would happen if more people practiced kindness? There would literally be a flood of serotonin....we’d all be feeling super awesome! So, start the flood! How many acts of kindness can you do today?
What are your favorite ways to show kindness? A hug? A sweet note? A helping hand? A meal and a hug to a homeless person? (Never,ever underestimate the power of the human touch, especially in the form of a heartfelt hug!
