Raw Girl Has Moved to a NEW SITE!!!

Dearest Readers,

THANK YOU SO MUCH for your support and patience since the start of this blog. The ALL NEW RAW GIRL is finally here! If you are already subscribed to this blog, no worries your subscription will automatically be switched over to the new site shortly. If you have not yet subscribed, please go to the new site www.rawgirltoxicworld.com and sign up there. You can also follow Raw Girl on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.  Looking forward to the next phase of the journey.  -XoXo Raw Girl 

How to Make Raw Tacos

If you’ve gone VEG or even if you are 100% raw, sometimes cravings for familiar textures and flavors of S.A.D. (Standard American Diet) or dishes traditionally made with meat may creep up on you. Rather than succumb to your cravings while sacrificing your commitment to health, the great news is that there is always a way to create raw and vegan meals that can satisfy your taste buds. Check out my buddy Aiya of BlackVeganLove.com, on the “Healthy Food, Happy You,” television show demoing how to make delicious raw tacos. -XoXo Raw Girl 

DC Raw/Vegan Spot: Elizabeth’s Gone Raw

This past weekend for my birthday extravaganza, I was surprised with a five course decadent meal at Elizabeth’s Gone Raw. If you don’t know, Elizabeth’s is open on Friday’s only, open for reservations from 6pm to 9pm, and is pretty much the only dining experience in the DC area where you can get a gourmet raw meal. The restaurant has been up and running since 2009, and was started by Elizabeth Petty, a breast cancer survivor who parlayed her new lifestyle and love of food into the venture.

Only one word to sum up this experience. INCREDIBLE! If you have the means, I highly recommend you experience this once a week event and be sure to leave sufficient room in your stomach for all the yummy courses. You could even get away with fasting or eating extremely light and then heading over for dinner, because trust, you don’t want to miss eating anything they set in front of you on the table. If you are a foodie, even if you are  a meat lover, you’ll feel like you’ve died and gone to tasty eating heaven.

Every single dish had such intricate texture and flavor, and they do an incredible job of pairing wines with the meal if you are a drinker. I don’t drink alcohol, but still had several wonderful virgin drinks including the goji berry tonic, which was wonderful. All of the courses were amazing, but I was borderline obsessed with their kale chips that had just the right amount of spiciness paired with the warm tomato soup, the beet carpaccio, and the decadent maple sassafras cheesecake. The best part about the evening was that we left very full, but not bloated and ready to take a nap in that way you feel after gorging on Standard American Diet foods.

For more info on Elizabeth’s Gone Raw visit their website: http://www.elizabethsonlstreet.com/

-XoXo Raw Girl 

The Acne-Free Diet Talk (Excerpt)

Last weekend had a  blast speaking at Everlasting Life Cafe in Maryland about my book “The Acne-Free Diet.” For those of you who are not in the DMV and missed this wonderful event, here’s a short excerpt from the talk. Unfortunately you can’t see my slide show with it, but I’m sure you’ll get the gist. Please pass it on especially if you know anyone suffering with skin issues. More people need to get hip to the fact that beating acne is an inside out game. We are what we eat, and one of the beautiful aspects of living is that we have at our fingertips the power to transform our bodies’, our skin, and our health at any moment, just by eating to live. The new version of the book is now available and combines all of the previous information along with a 3 Day Detox, and some extra nuggets of wisdom so that you have simple practical ways to begin your journey.  -XoXo Raw Girl 

LISTEN TO EXCERPT OF ACNE-FREE DIET TALK HERE

To learn more about the book and purchase the new edition, visit here: http://rawgirltoxicworld.com/the-acne-free-diet/

Raw Spicy Gazpacho & Vegan Eggplant w/ Thyme

This weekend I ate something fried. Don’t judge me! I’ve told you veggie lovers time and time again I am not living la vida raw one hundred percent of the time, and I encourage you to find your bliss and make the healthiest choices for you. That said, after the wonderful food demonstration at VegFest DC I decided to try out Executive Chef Ayinde Howell’s fried eggplant recipe. I did however make some modifications. I’m not a fan of fried food, but I knew my body could handle it without aggravation if I used coconut oil (because the oil is not rancid and has a higher burning/smoke point). There’s no way I could eat it without having a reaction if it was prepared with any other oil but coconut. In the demo Ayinde used earth balance, but I prefer to not add in additional heated oils of any kind that can encourage free radicals in my body. If you are a health enthusiast or concerned about keeping your skin optimal and you ever want to fry anything, I highly recommend you never use “dead” oils and stick to coconut. Anyhow it was delicious, and the eggplant has a natural buttery flavor when cooked this way.

On my first couple of days post-detox I also made a really yummy spicy gazpacho which lasted for a few days. It’s been summer hot in DC the past couple of days so cold soup is where it’s at. If you try the gazpacho know that its much better after sitting in the fridge for a couple of hours because it gets thicker and less runny. By day two, it was a much better consistency and paired well with the eggplant. If you would like to try this entire meal raw, you can marinade your eggplant and dehydrate it. There are some really great recipes out there for eggplant “bacon” which are just dehydrated marinated strips of eggplant. I will plan to revisit this soon and do a raw version of the eggplant. -XoXo Raw Girl 

Raw Spicy Gazpacho

Prep time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Cucumber

1 lb cherry tomatoes ( Used two small containers full)

1/2 sweet red pepper

1/2 red onion

small handful cilantro

1/4 cup lime

pinch of cayenne

red pepper flakes to taste

1 tsp minced ginger

1 tsp sea salt

Put all ingredients in the blender. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately, or for better consistency, let chill in the fridge and then serve. Enjoy!

Vegan Eggplant w/ Thyme

Prep Time: 10 minutes or less

1 eggplant

thyme

sea salt (to taste)

wedge of lime

coconut oil

Slice your eggplant into thin circles, cutting across the width of it. Heat a skillet and add in your coconut oil. As eggplant cooks season with sea salt, and thyme as needed and flip sides. Remove eggplant and away excess oil when slightly brown. garnish with avocado and squeeze a small wedge of lime over the dish. Enjoy!

4 Reasons to Love Collard Greens

Collard greens are dark leafy veggies that are related to kale, broccoli, and cabbage. In fact collards, are actually the descendants of wild cabbage. Most of us may know and love collards as a side dish (that sometimes is cooked to death), and accompanies a larger meal. Although these greens tend to be rough you can cut them finely and  steam sautee them easily or enjoy eating them raw with the right preparation in salads and or use them as a tortilla substitute for a wrap filled with veggies. If you grow them or if you can buy baby collards, they tend to be less bitter and really easy to add into salads like any other green. Collard greens are an excellent source of vitamin C, K, A, beta-carotene, manganese, folate, calcium, magnesium, iron, and fiber. Individuals who have pre-existing or untreated kidney or gall bladder issues should avoid collards because of the measurable levels of oxalates. If oxalates become concentrated in bodily fluids, they can crystallize and cause a host of health issues. Below are a few brief reasons why adding some collard greens to your life every now and then is not a bad idea. Whether you steam them, wrap them up, or toss them into a salad, know that these super greens are a great way to boost your nutrition. -XoXo Raw Girl 

• Consuming collards protects against cancer. Collard greens provide nutrients and support functioning of the bodies’ detox, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory system, all of which must become compromised for cancer to thrive in the body.
• Collards support weight loss, because like most greens they come with little to no calories and a nice serving of fiber to support digestion and proper elimination.
• These cruciferous veggies have also been show to have very powerful effects on heart related conditions and lowering cholesterol. THey contain niacin, a vitamin which is known to reduce cholesterol and prevent diabetes and heart disease.
• Collards also have anti-inflammatory benefits as they are an excellent source of vitamin K and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids (in the form of alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA), two important anti-inflammatory nutrients. Vitamin K acts as a direct regulator of our inflammatory response, and ALA is the building block for several of the body’s anti-inflammatory messaging molecules.

For a salad recipe using collards, check out this past post: Collard Green Salad w/ Grapefruit Vinaigrette

Meditation: Practicing Hope

Follow Sihnuu on Instagram @yogasihnuu

Hope is what fuels us, it can serve as our life support when we are at our lowest low and keep us charged and focused when we want to achieve our goals.  Hope is the root of our passion and the end of our pain.  Hope is as necessary as the air we breathe.  It is reflective of our drive and desire to live. With hope, our life has purpose.

Facts  About Hope

*Hopeful people have stronger immune systems than those who lack hope.

*Hopeful people do well in a variety of social environments.

*Hopeful people are able to achieve their goals more easily. According to universal law your thoughts are your truth. If your thoughts are life is wonderful, your life is well…WONDERFUL!

*Hopeful people are contagious. When you are surrounded by hope you have no other choice but to allow it to rub off on you.

Things to Ask Yourself: 

What is the root of my hope? Is it for temporary gratification?

How can I be hopeful and achieve my goals while remaining detached?

Do I have consistent attitude of hope in my life, or is my hope based on a certain outcome?

How to Be Hopeful

•  Quiet the chatter in your mind  through meditation – While it is good to be with your thoughts, they can sometimes be distracting. Do not allow negative thinking to take over. If you have a negative thought acknowledge it, honor it, release it.
• Know that expectation is a four letter word – Ok, ok, it’s more like 11 letters, but treat it like it’s a curse word as it relates to hope. When expectations are the seed of hope we set ourselves up for potential disappointment. Be happy regardless.
• Practice Positivity – Think of all of the amazing things that are happening in your life right now and drown yourself in all of the greatness that you encapsulate!!

  ~Namaste, Sihnuu

VEG Transition Recipe: Steam Sauteed Kale w/ Bell Peppers

I really do not mind preparing vegan dishes from time to time, but for whatever reason, it actually pains me to cook the life force out of my greens!  Last week my cooking class assignment was to make steam sauteed greens. Because I got to do what I got to do to get my degree I made this simple meal as instructed, and it took no time at all. Although I much prefer to season and massage my greens and eat them raw, this is a really great recipe for anyone looking to add more greens into their life, transition into veggie living, or those who have an aversion (gasp!) to raw greens. The combination of the carmelized onions and the bell pepper adds a sweetness to it, and throwing in some garlic and ginger makes it even yummier. Just make sure NOT to overcook your greens so you still have some of the glorious nutrients available. This is a great side dish to a main course or you could pair it with an additional hefty food like quinoa and call it a meal. If you despise greens give it a try you may find a new easy and simple way to add some more essential veggies into your life. -XoXo Raw Girl 

             Steam Sauteed Kale w/ Bell Peppers

1 bunch Green Kale roughly chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic diced

1/4 ginger root diced
Splash of good olive oil

 

1/2 Onion chopped

1 organic red bell pepper chopped 

 

Sea Salt

 

Heat a pan, or wok with a lid. Add a dash of good quality olive oil and then add in your diced onions. Cook the onions until almost translucent and then add in your peppers. Cover the pan and let the peppers and onions steam for a minute. Add your greens on top and add in your garlic and ginger with sea salt to taste. Cover and steam until cooked but not overcooked. Serve and enjoy!

EAT 2 LIVE 101: Making Health a Priority

 

One of the most common complaints or excuses for not adopting a healthier lifestyle is lack of time. I’ve heard it again and again. You have to many engagements and commitments between work, kids, school, and juggling that with whatever life throws at your day planner. I get it. The problem is, nothing worth having can be achieved without some sort of sacrifice or investment and that includes radiant skin, and a healthy disease-free body. If you find that whenever life gets full your healthy living goes out the window, that may be a red flag that you need to learn new ways to deal with stress. Most of medicate or feed our faces when the ish gets the fan.

This month I have been reminded greatly of this truth as my life has taken on a more hectic pace and more commitments have surfaced. When all the new activity first began, stress took a hold, but by last week I finally found my groove and it was  daily meditation practice and feeding my body the right fuel that has kept me grounded.  Even if you are busy and ESPECIALLY if you are busy, it is essential that you eat consciously to give yourself the right amount of fuel to perform at your highest level. Below’s a list of ideas to get you thinking about how to make healthy living number one on your to-do list. It’s up to you to take the daily actions and carve out the time that you need, but trust that if you do, the investment you make now will pay dividends in the future. -XoXo Raw Girl 

• Schedule and track your workouts with apps or write them in a planner or calendar, make your other commitments work around your fitness “dates.” There are so many great apps out there now to help you track and maximize your workouts. If you are like me and are still a traditional pen and paper kind of boy or girl, you may want to try tracking your workouts in a day planner. I have a fun system that works for me in which I track my workouts and mediation practice daily by marking the day with star stickers. When you get to the end of the month it’s always great to have a clear visual of what your commitment has been like.
• Plan your meals days or even a full week ahead and shop accordingly. It’s easy to by random things we don’t need or shouldn’t be eating from the grocery store when we don’t have a plan. With a list and some forethought, it will be easier to bypass all the temptations and end up only with the health essentials by the time you reach the checkout line. You might also add some change to your piggy bank in the process.
• Stock your workplace with health snacks so you are are not tempted to become an office cookie monster whenever someone brings in treats. This is a big one for a lot of people I know doing the nine to five hustle. If your office doubles as a part-time bakery with people bringing in desserts, sweets, and non-veg friendly fare, you’ve got to be on your A-game. Humans are not meant to be sedentary, and when we sit at desks for long periods we get bored, and out of boredom start snacking. You can easily nip the office love handles by having health snacks in desk drawers, having frozen fruit to blend into smoothies (if there is a fridge), or even fresh juice.
• Find one stress relieving or mindfulness practice and commit to it daily for a set period of time. It helps sometimes to create a challenge for yourself and say I am going to meditate every day for 30 days. Most times often than not, by the time you reach day 30, your practice will become so engrained you will not want to stop.
• Never travel without your health living rations in tow. It’s never ever fun to be a veggie lover in a food desert with no green oasis in sight. Make sure if you have longer days or if your heading on a road trip you pack ahead of time so that you can stick to your true life insurance plan (ie: EATING TO LIVE). Doing this not only will keep your stomach from growling, it’ll also keep your mood balanced so that you can indeed be a healthy and happy example while everyone else is indulging in their vices.

DC Vegan Spot: District Tea Lodge

Finding a new veg spot sometimes feels like discovering an oasis. On Monday I was taken on a little adventure by a friend and ended up at District Tea Lounge. This is one of my favorite finds of late because not only are they in DC and a few blocks away from the Georgetown area, they serve raw, gluten-free eats, have Kombucha on tap, and have a friendly staff, which given them three gold stars in my book.

We sampled the mint lime Kombucha which they get in from Capitol Kombucha, and a raw brownie, which was really yummy and made from all natural goodness. What I like about the place is not only is everything an awesome deal price wise,  they also place heavy emphasis on using local ingredients, so the menu changes as the seasons do.  If that’s not natural, I don’t know what is. In addition to all of the wonderfulness I have already mentioned District Tea Lounge also has teas blended by an herbalist according to Ayurvedic principles and the meals they serve are sattvic meaning they are comprised of foods that promote clarity and enhance or support regular meditation and yoga practice. Looking forward to going back and having a full meal; will plan to report back. -XoXo Raw Girl