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Happy Mother's day! How my weekend went...

First off, I'd just like to wish all you moms out there a very "Happy Mother's Day"!

Well, I have been having a great time using my work friend's Vitamix 5200. "Boy does that blender rawk! The smoothies, the sauces, all the goodies made in that thing are smooth and delicious!" I really need to save up for one of my own!

Speaking of sauces, I made my Sweet Cheesy Kale Chips this weekend using the Vitamix. I was so into making the stuff, I forgot to put in the nutritional yeast that helps add the nutty flavor. Oh well, they still came out pretty darned good! Check out the recipe for yourself! I also made some raw ice cream - vanilla, and chocolate-carob. The Vitamix really made a difference in the consistency of the ice cream mix that I placed in the freezer. This batch is super creamy and delish! Still no need for an ice cream maker. Check my recipe blog later for the recipe and the pics.

Oh, you know what else? I don't know if I mentioned this previously, but my other good friend from work has an herb garden. His wife and him have been giving me fresh herbs right from the garden. I mean big bag fulls. They have given me basil, dill, cilantro, parsley, mint, and tomatoes (not an herb, but still from the garden). I've been feeling rather blessed. Well anyway, they gave me tons more. So this weekend I decided to dehydrate some of it to make dried herbs for my food prep. While I was dehydrating them, the dehydrator kept shutting off. It must have done that 6 times before it finally stayed on long enough to dry them. You see, I'm still using an old Nesco dehydrator (the round kind with no temp control). Another item for the wish list is an Excalibur dehydrator. I would love to own one of those things too! I use the heck out of my Nesco, and it shows.

Well, I was beginning to worry that I wouldn't be able to dehydrate my kale chips...but luckily the Nesco turned back on and stayed on overnight. The chips came out fine. I hope to make a few more things today with it, so hopefully it will hang in there a little while longer. Just knowing how I feel about the Vitamix, I'm sure I'd feel the same way about the Excalibur. I know that one day I will have these items for my very own! Patience...

Yesterday I also managed to take time out an watch my copy of "Simply Raw, Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days". Wow! This documentary was so "rawsome"! It was so well done, so heart-felt, I actually cried a few times out of happiness for the people who made the transition, and found hope in their health again! It's definitely a movie to see! Whether you suffer from diabetes or not, this movie will make an impact on you and how you think about your health, your diet, the medical industry, and raw food.

After watching that, I decided to take out my "Food Matters" video and watch that again. Another brilliant documentary to watch! Watching these two movies really empower you to want to go out and spread the word on using raw food to heal and feel well! "Hey, that's what I want to do!"

As for my daily raw, and the 100-day challenge through Raw Fu, I've been doing good overall. I have been eating a little more organic corn chips than I should, but everything else has been high raw! As you know, I was eating a lot of raw chocolate too...but I have cut way back on that too! For the most part, my daily diet consists a tall glass of water with MSM and freshly squeezed lemon juice, then later a small morning fruit smoothie (antioxidant rich), maybe a raw bar or mostly raw apple with raw almond butter to dip. Then for lunch I'll have a big salad of greens, seaweed, tomatoe, cucumber, and maybe avocado, hemp seed, and a little bragg's and kelp flakes. I'll also have a Kombucha with it or just plain water. Then for a late afternoon snack I'll have fruit (unless I'm still full). Then for my early dinner I have a huge green smoothie! That's it! The only thing that's not included is the occasional corn chip binge, and the two weeks of raw chocolate I consumed...

Well, that's it for today. I need to get back to working on my site, and hopefully making my first web video. We'll see. Till' next time, have a great day, and a blessed week!

Peace! :)

- Debbie

My daily raw...what's happening?

Hello everyone! Hope all is well and blessed. A lot has been going on these days. I have been working on my website, Raw-Riffic Food adding lots of new content and resource links. I also created a new blog through WordPress, Raw-Riffic Food Recipes. I decided that I wanted a separate space for my recipes that could also link to my site. It's pretty cool, and I've already gotten a several hits.

I also have been doing a lot of reading and research, and listening to every podcast and web-show on raw food and the raw food lifestyle as possible. I'm learning quite a lot! With all this activity, plus my usual involvement with my son and his extra-curricular activities (band), as well as full-time work with Wisdom (makers of the first GRAS stevia sweetener - and the only one that is truly 100% natural, using pure water extraction - no chemicals whatsoever), I haven't had much time to create any new and exciting recipes, or blog about my personal raw journey. So here I am tonight, making an effort.

On the book front, I have sold several of my books, "Raw-Riffic Food's 101 Super-Charged Juices, Shakes & Smoothies" through the help of my husband. He has been showing it to people at his local gym. I may even have my very first demo through a contact from his gym. I'm waiting on my books to arrive before we can commit. So, that's pretty exciting for me!

Which leads me to another fun and exciting adventure. My co-worker Chip, is loaning me his Vitamix 5200. Wow! That baby rawks! I can't believe what a difference it makes in my smoothies and nut mylks! It is awesome! I truly hope to have one of my own someday. But for now, I will enjoy every moment I get to use this loaner. I will have the "Chipster 5200" for at least another 5 days. I will try to get my hubby to video tape me using it. It will be my first video clip to post (if we do it).

I also have been tasting and reviewing a variety of raw chocolates with some non-raw foodies at work. I had purchased quite a variety over the past few months just so I could taste them and share them with others, and give my opinion of them. There are quite a few yummos out there!

On another note, I have had so much raw chocolate over the past two weeks, that I am starting to really understand what Paul Nison is saying about it. Don't get me wrong, I will forever love and enjoy "raw" chocolate! But I definitely feel that raw chocolate is so potent - it is very much like a drug. I think it does have some benefit, but it's not something to take lightly or to consider the cure-all superfood. It's super alright - but in definite moderation. I'm starting to feel that way about my favorite Kombucha too. Since I don't drink anymore, or drink coffee, these two things really get me high when I have too much! I can sort of handle them on a daily basis for just a few days, then it starts to take it's toll. However, I could get away with having raw chocolate every day, as long as I make it using a small portion of chocolate. But having a whole bar every day leads to more within the day (it's addictive to me), and then the next thing you know I have had way too much! I am truly a raw chocoholic! No doubt about it! More to come on this subject.

Some of my reading has included books on the subject of the law of attraction - which I'm really into these days. It's really changing my life, and helping me have a new perspective. One that's closer to how I felt and lived when I was a young girl. There is definitely something to be said about being clear with your intention and being positive. It's outstanding!

Well, that's just a little glimpse into what I've been up to. Hope to write again real soon! Till then, take care! Peace! :)

- Debbie