Posting From the Cabin

We made it to the cabin. We're having such a glorious time out here in the woods, green smoothies and all! The Internet connection is slow (dial up), but the beauty is that I simply look out the window, relax, and bliss out with nature as each page takes its time loading. I'm relaxing and loving it.

Awe-inspiring Stars: I love looking at the stars with my boyfriend, and this is one of the best places to see them. We've been enjoying them every night as we relax in the hot tub on our deck while listening to a gorgeous river rushing by just yards away. Being surrounded by nature like this causes me to pause and simply be still, soaking up the calm, yet invigorating energy and clearing my mind.

Yesterday it snowed. Even though I love living most of my life in the hot Arizona sun, it sure is lovely to witness snow - light, delicate, and graceful as it falls and floats to the ground.

Well, I'm off to our nightly hot tub and star gazing. Talk to you all soon!

Raw Entertaining Class & Vacation Time

Today, I taught a Raw food prep class (Raw Entertaining & Party Favorites) at Whole Foods. I'm so happy because it was another amazing turnout (sold out) and we had a blast! I love teaching people about Raw food; it's so rewarding, inspiring, and gives me a "high" that lasts for hours well after the class ended. Who could ask for a better career than that? My mom, always the entertainer, cracked us up with stories about...guess who? Yep, me. I can't help but laugh along. I won't even try to retell the stories because I wouldn't do them justice. Let's just say...you had to be there! Okay, I'll give you a little taste. She aired some laundry of mine (and I'm not talking about the kind you actually hang up to dry), as well as letting everyone know the way I kept my bedroom as a kid (those of you who attended know what I mean). Again, very funny stuff, but you had to be there to appreciate it.

Next class is March 8, Raw Around the World. Join us as we go on a global adventure tasting deliciously unique flavors from different parts of the world. Or, maybe you want to stop by because you want to hear more of my crazy childhood stories or insight into my love life. Either way, it'll be lots of fun!

The excitement isn't over for me yet. Tomorrow, we're going on a trip to a lovely, somewhat remote, cabin (yes, Zeus is coming along - he LOVES "bye-bye car!"). And, I can't wait to get there because they have horses near the cabins. If you know me by now, you know that I love animals (big time!) so I'm stoked about this trip! If my boyfriend can drag me away from the horses, then I'm sure we'll be spending some time reading (I have a stack of books I aim to get through), playing games and cards, relaxing, working on my next ebook, taking long walks (Zeus has doggy booties now - so freakin' adorable - especially when he walks), watching dvds (we're taking a few classics - Northern Exposure anyone?), and just having some relaxed fun. This is much deserved R&R.

As I pack for the trip now, I'm trying to figure out where I'll be sitting in the car - haha. The car will be filled with 2 coolers full of fresh, organic produce, my blender (and some other kitchen tools), plenty of raw organic food and snacks, Zeus with his toys and food, laptop, books, dvds, clothes, pillows, etc. This is going to be interesting. Are we there yet?

Let your dreams lead the way. Your creative genius is a star shaped kite that flies high and far.
Juicy Living Cards by SARK

Another Inspirational Blog Award and Dancing Smoothie

Wow, I'm beginning to feel giddy with all the attention from the blogger awards. I think you know what that means - DANCE TIME! Tap the left leg, and shake it out. Jump up in the air and twirl about. Grab my dog, Zeus and do a little jig. Clap my hands and smile real big. YEEHAW, BOOHYAH, we're dancing fools! (Where is the camera for a youtube video when you need one?) I'll settle on making a Dancing Smoothie to honor it and share the recipe below.

This award was passed to me from my truly terrific friend, Melissa, of RawBabyAlex. Truth be told, I wanted to give her one of my awards from yesterday because her blog is an all time favorite (but she was already given 2!). When I have kids, you can be sure that I'll pay EXTRA attention to her blog. Furthermore, I have to give her huge kudos for the juice feast adventure she's on. She is the one who inspired me to embark on my own juice feasting journey. (Thank you again for all of your advice and help, Melissa).

YEP! You read it, the cat is out of the bag...I'll be doing a 21-day juice feast starting on Valentine's Day. My awesome boyfriend and mom will be joining me on this fun adventure. We can't wait. We wanted to go 30-days for our first run of it, but with the class I'm teaching in March and the Raw dinner event at Mandala Tearoom (March 12), I simply can't juice feast through those.

For details on the basics of juice feasting (we're customizing it to fit our desires) please visit JuiceFeasting.com. Maybe you'll be inspired to try your own.

I'm honored again to pass the Blog Award to five others. I will post about this later...so be sure to check back soon!

Dancing Smoothie
Yield 1 quart

2 cups water
2 bananas, peeled
1/2 bunch cilantro
2 tablespoons hemp powder
1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 tablespoon goji berries
1 teaspoon raw carob
1 teaspoon Vitamineral Green powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
smidge red limo pepper

Give it a whirl in your blender, do a keg stand and drink it down (haha - kidding) and dance your heart out!

Inspirational Blogger Award - It's Time to Dance!

What can I say but..."YIPPEE!!!" I'm thrilled to have been given this honor and award from Terrilynn at The Daily Raw Cafe.

The Inspirational Blogger Award is, "For those bloggers who inspire others through their words and actions. With a positive attitude, and uplifting spirit these bloggers make the blogosphere a better place, and encourage others to do the same. This award is for bloggers who rise up to set an example but continue to reach out and support others.”

To celebrate I'm doing a dance right now! Shake my hips a here and a there and twirl around twice...throw my hands up...yeah! yeah! Now, a little booty shake and jump around, clap my hands! BOOHYAH! :)

Okay, so now, I get to chat up five other blogs that move me, inspire me, excite me and thrill me...here we go!

ShannonMarie of Rawdorable ~ Your wonderful attitude and delicious creations make me smile from ear to ear. I love your creativity!

VeggieGirl of VeggieGirlVegan ~ You're a young shining star and I love reading your blog. It's exciting to see you tap into the Raw side of the vegan lifestyle.

KaleQueen of Loving the Green Life ~ Your biting humor and clever writing keeps me entertained and giggling non-stop.

RawFitMama of Loving Raw Food & Fitness ~ I love the attention you put on fitness. You're an inspiration all around!

Tera of The Raw Divas ~ True sparkle, fun, and excitement. I love your blog.

Chunky Love and Physical Excellence

My smoothie today - Chunky Love. I smished (yep, that's a technical term - haha) so much stuff into my BlendTec that it's no wonder it didn't all get blended in the first cycle. As I was pouring it into my quart glass mason jar, a chunk of it kind of sploshed (another one of those technical terms) onto the counter and all I could think was....Chunky Love. And, indeed it is delicious!!!

1 cup Water
2 stalks celery
1/2 bunch parsley
2 oranges, peeled
1 lime, peeled
1 apple, cored
1 tablespoon Vitamineral Green Powder
1 tablespoon whole, fresh rosemary
4 leaves red kale (smallish in size), destemmed

Physical Excellence
It's been a while since I reported on any physical activity (except for the snowboarding) so I'm overdue. I went to the gym two days ago and knocked out some chest exercises. Today, I'm going to work on back and biceps. Then, I'm taking my dog for a long walk. (The weather is simply way too gorgeous to be indoors today!)

Food intake, Celebrity Apprentice & Mad Money

I had to go to the dentist today (NOT fun!) so I've been baby-ing my teeth all day. Other than that, it's been a super fun day, as I've been playing in the kitchen and making all kinds of Raw goodies!

Today's food:
Super Bad-Ass Smoothie: Purple Kale, small banana, apple (cored), 1/2 cup goji berries, 2 teaspoons Vitamineral Green powder, 1 teaspoon raw carob, 1 lime (peeled), 1/2 lemon (peeled) and some water. *I love the lemon & lime in my smoothies, makes them "sweet-tarty!"

"It's Party Time" Salad: 2-cups (I'm showcasing this in my next class)

Insanely Good Fiesta Cobbler: 1-cup (I'm showcasing this in my next class)

That's it so far, but my day isn't over yet. I'll likely have more of the salad and cobbler for another meal later.

I'm getting ready to watch Celebrity Apprentice in an hour. I'm thrilled to see Carol Alt still on there (my mom modeled with her once) and Jim Cramer is on as a guest tonight (he has a financial show on CNBC called Mad Money). I like to invest in the stock market, so I'm a huge fan Mad Money. It's a fun show!

FDA OKs Meat, Milk From Most Cloned Animals

FDA OKs meat and milk from most cloned animals? WTF?

I love one of the comments left on the page, "Cool! Let's all line up for one more thing that the FDA deems safe so that we can find out 10 years from now that it contributed to the mystery finger growing out of our children's foreheads..."

View the article here. Glad I'm VEGAN!

I Feel The Need, The Need For Greens!

I feel the need, the need for greens! Kind of like that line in Top Gun...something like, "I feel the need, the need for speed!" - haha

I'm feeling extra wonderful today. I think it's all of the extra greens I'm adding to my smoothies. Lately, I've been adding much more (and less fruit). Don't get me wrong, I'm a big fan of fruit...but I'm listening to my body, which I always recommend, and I'm craving greens lately, so there you have it.

I've also been trying out a green powder that I add sometimes from Health Force Nutritionals (Vitamineral Green) and it's been great. I'm not usually a big fan of supplements, but again, I listen to my body. If I feel out of balance with my diet or if I'm traveling and I won't have access to many greens, then I'm all for supplementing (it does have it's place in my world). Plus, it's just fun sometimes. I love experimenting when it comes to things like that, so I can't really help myself - haha. I've always had a passion for health, nutrition, diets, physical fitness, and...yes, even supplements. I don’t rely on them though; they’re just something I add once in a while.

Anyway, back to my intense adoration of greens lately. I've been enjoying them in mass quantities, and I’m reaping the benefits. My favorites this week have been cilantro, parsley, celery and spinach. Right now, I'm off to make a gigantic smoothie of parsley, cilantro, celery, apple, lime, kiwi, cinnamon, and maybe some cayenne or garlic for extra kick.

Have a GREAT day!

Heavenly Cookies Coming Up!

I'm sending out my email newsletter with my Heavenly Cookies recipe. You can sign up for it at KristensRaw.com.

Enjoy!

My Weekend & My Next Raw Food Class

It’s been an exciting, busy and fun weekend. I had a great time on TV, Friday, showing my much-loved Raw cookie recipe Heavenly Cookies. This recipe will be featured in next week’s email newsletter so sign up for it if you haven’t at KristensRaw.com.

Today I taught my Raw food prep class, Discover Raw, and it was a blast! I was scheduled to teach at Whole Foods where they have a nice kitchen-classroom. Quite last minute, however, I found out they had to use the room for training, so it was off limits to me. Yikes! They presented me with the option to use the café, but I was a little apprehensive initially. I wanted to make sure the atmosphere was still intimate, and somewhat private, now that it would be held in an open café that could be noisy and seemingly not conducive for teaching.

Well...it turned out great (Yay!); despite the after effects of my voice being hoarse from speaking loudly to ensure everyone could hear me – haha. We all had a terrific time and the café seems like a perfectly viable option if the classroom isn’t available in the future. What’s even better is there were many shoppers passing by, eager to find out what was going on…after all, the class was sold out (24 people), so the gathering of people in the café watching me prepare Raw food and having fun was intriguing to them.

Even though it’s nighttime now, I’m still on a “high” from such a great class. I loved seeing the familiar and new faces. It’s electrifying to me to help spread the word about living the Raw lifestyle and seeing people’s lives change as a result. It’s very rewarding. That being said, a lot goes into preparing for a class (many hard hours of work), especially during the 48-hours prior to class time, and lasting until about 4-hours after class when we’re cleaning up, answering final questions, and heading home to unpack everything. By the time I’m done I feel quite spent, in an exhilarated fashion, from running on all cylinders to put on a great show. As a result, this is a day when I want big-time, high-energy to get me through, so I rely on fresh organic green juices and smoothies. Today was no different. I started with a large fresh green juice at Whole Foods' juice bar, and had another one after my class (drinking plenty of water between). When I finally arrived home, the only thing that sounded good was a giant green smoothie…something about working hard all day and needing nutritious greens to nourish my bod. I won’t be surprised though if I’m raiding the refrigerator in the middle of the night for more of those delicious Heavenly Cookies.

Sunday’s agenda? I’m taking a break to relax because Monday, I’m back at it preparing for my next class (Jan. 26), Entertaining and Party Favorites. Whoo-wee! This class will be fantastic and I can’t wait to teach it.

Think the Raw Vegan Lifestyle Is Expensive? Think Again!

For those of you who think living the Raw vegan lifestyle could be costly, let me help break it down because it doesn't have to be. In the beginning stages, it can seem expensive, but in the long run, it's not. Keep the five following points in mind:

>If you are new to Raw, you're probably going to try lots of new recipes and you typically don’t have all of the ingredients on hand. As a result, you’re frequently buying new ingredients as you stock up your pantry. Once you’re stocked up with all the appropriate seasonings, herbs and ingredients then you’ll only purchase them occasionally.

>You may find yourself making all kinds of food for others to sample (in getting them to understand and support you, or maybe just trying to impress them, or even encouraging them to try the lifestyle for themselves). It’s all perfectly natural, but keep in mind that these – exotic foods, learning materials, parties, etc. – can increase the financial cost of going Raw.

>Super foods can be expensive (goji berries, green powders, raw cacao, etc) and many people don’t find them necessary at all. Personally, there are times I enjoy them and times when I don’t have them for months on end. It just depends on my preference at the time. For example, if I find that it’s been a couple of weeks without much variety in my diet, I’ll add them to make sure I’m getting a more balanced diet. Or, if I’m traveling, I always take a green powder to mix with water or juice so I’m still getting my greens. Just keep in mind that overall, if you use a lot of super foods, they can add to the cost of your Raw vegan lifestyle.

>Living the Raw lifestyle means not eating out at restaurants very often. This alone can save money! The equipment cost you pay in the beginning can add up, but remember you probably won't need to buy these items again (or for a very long time) if you purchase high quality equipment. Ask for these gifts for holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

>Remember the things you will not be buying, which will save you money. Meat is expensive. Supplements are VERY expensive – most (if not all) will no longer be necessary. Processed and packaged food is expensive. Going to restaurants is expensive. Doctor co-pays and bills are expensive. Prescription drugs are expensive. Being sick and staying home from work is expensive. Not having enough energy to really pay attention to your kids and be there for them 100% is expensive.

Today's Food:
Large green juice

Large green juice

2 of my Heavenly Cookies

Large salad of lettuce, red bell pepper, carrots, celery, tomato topped with a zesty Raw Italian Dressing YUM!

3 of my Heavenly Cookies

The Ethics of What We Eat

I’m back from my snowboarding adventure and it was so much fun. I love learning new skills. Funny thing is that I thought for sure my legs and butt would be sore. Nope! My back and arms are aching from all the snow shoveling I did to help dig out our car. Flagstaff was dumped on with snow the past few days…it was positively gorgeous, glistening, and refreshing. That being said, it’s always nice to be back in the sunny, warm part of Arizona, of which I can never get enough.

I began a fascinating book while I was away titled, The Ethics of What We Eat by Peter Singer. Oh my…it’s a compelling page-turner. I think the review by The New York Times describes it best, “Vital, urgent and disturbing.” I can confidently recommend this book even though I only just started it.

Today’s food was simple:
A dose of E3’s Renew Me Emerald Blend
Handful of Raw Sweet Vanilla Rain Almonds
Large fresh green juice
Huge portion of curly kale salad with dried cranberries
Hemp Chocolate Protein Shake

The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way it treats its animals.
~ Gandhi

Snowboarding in a Winter Wonderland

I'm alive and well! I made it through my first day of snowboarding. BOOH-YAH! We started the morning with organic green smoothies made in my awesome travel blender. Then, we stuffed our pockets full with Raw snack bars to enjoy during the day. I came prepared.

It was so beautiful and picture perfect driving up the mountain. We had a ton of snow overnight so it topped the mountain with lovely, fluffy snow perfect for falling down on my bum (or face!) Fortunately, I didn't do too much of that. It was exhilaratingly exhausting. Just getting used to attaching the snowboard to my seemingly 20-pound boots, getting up from a seated position, under layers of clothes and snow gear that makes me feel the like the Pillsbury Dough Boy, from delicate snow that you sink into and want to fall asleep on (if it didn't start to make your clothes wet)... all of that is a workout in itself (not to mention the elevation adjustment). My heart was racing all day. Then, as a beginner in a class, they take you down the bunny slope a little, make you walk back up, go down just a little again, and walk back up. Talk about an arduous affair in the cold and blistery wind when my life is typically basked in the warm therapeutic sun of the desert. I admit, I had moments when I looked enviously upon the skiers, feeling a longing tug at my heart to run back into the lodge and swap out the board for familiar skies. But, I'm all for new adventures. All I can say is...Wow. I kept thinking to myself, this is such great exercise even if I'm only spending 15 seconds at a time actually riding the snowboard. All that hard work topped by a few brief moments of sheer thrill...totally worth it and I'm going back for more.

Next up on the lifetime list: surfing!

Snowboarding Adventure and Staying Raw

Tomorrow we’re leaving for a snowboarding trip. Whoo-hoo! I used to be a big-time skier, but this is the first time I’ll be snowboarding. I can’t wait! It’s going to be awesome exercise and I’m sure I’ll work muscles that I haven’t used in a VERY long time.

Staying Raw while going on our snowboarding adventure will be super easy. I'm not going to abandon my healthy eating habits while I’m on the slopes, so I’m planning in advance. Since we’re driving to the mountains for our adventure, we’re able to take a cooler, which will be full of fresh produce. I packed my Tribest Personal Blender so we can still enjoy our super nutritious smoothies every morning and evening. (To keep our produce fresh, I'll change out the ice in the cooler using the hotel’s ice machine.)

I packed organic Raw Sweet Vanilla Rain Almonds (recipe in this ebook), along with fresh dates, dehydrated buckwheat groats and energy bars (all perfect for stuffing into my ski coat pockets) which will serve as filling snacks when we’re warming up in the lodge between runs – clearly I won’t be having the traditional donuts and hot chocolate.

I researched the area for health food stores (fresh, organic produce) and vegan-friendly restaurants ahead of time. What did people do before the Internet? And, when we’re back in the room and need a midnight snack…no worries!…I’m prepared with Raw cookies.

Living the Raw vegan lifestyle is easy even when I'm away from home because I make it that way. It's simply a matter of thinking ahead, being prepared and packing the essentials.

Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness. ~Edward Stanley, Earl of Derby, speech 1873

Today's Food, Arizona Sun & New Friends

Today it was such a lovely day in Arizona. The warm sun was shining in the bright blue sky, and I filled my body with Organic Raw goodness. I was craving Mesquite Carob Banana Smoothies with Sassy Superfood Green Goodness...so I drank like...uhmm, four of them. And they were large ones at that. What can say? I go a little overboard sometimes. *giggle*

When I was not outside enjoying the gorgeous sun today, I was having fun exchanging emails with people all over the world answering great questions about living the Raw lifestyle, swapping cool ideas about athletics, and making friends. I get so excited when I think about all of the new pals I'm making. (Note: This is always nice when you're traveling and need somewhere to stay, am I right? haha).

Welcome to the center of your life.
Wake up and see the other souls around you. Let them affect you. Live in the center of your life.
~Juicy Living Cards by SARK

Get Your Family's Support for Raw - Including Kids!

Are you trying to get your family (and kids!) to eat more Raw Vegan? Here are some fantastic tips from my latest ebook, Kristen's Raw - The EASY Way to Get Started & SUCCEED with Raw Food:

1. Show your family great Raw recipes from books and the Internet. Then, let them take turns picking out which recipes you make for them. This will really get their taste buds overflowing with anticipation.

2. Make one Raw dish at every dinner (or every other dinner), and don’t even mention it. They probably won’t even realize they are eating so much Raw food.

3. Introduce your family to Raw with Raw desserts. When kids get to eat dessert after every meal, that is exciting, especially when they can have second helpings of it.

4. Make certain meals Raw. The easiest way to do this is to make breakfast 100% Raw. You can start by drinking fresh organic smoothies for breakfast or having creamy cinnamon nut milk with crunchy Raw granola. It’ll greatly help if you let your family take part in choosing what flavors to make. So, the night before you make a smoothie, ask your kids which flavors they would like. Make it fun by talking about the different colors, too. I love getting my nephews excited about drinking Green Smoothies. I give it a much cooler name, however: “Dragon Smoothies,” or, make a strawberry and banana smoothie and call it “Pretty-In-Pink Smoothie.” Trust me…these things help!

5. Give your kids choices so they don't feel forced to eat just one thing. You can do this by offering them something really tasty compared to something that might not be as tasty, thereby making the tasty option seem that much better. For example, offer your kids a choice between blueberries and celery. They will probably pick the blueberries and be happy about it because they had a say in the matter and blueberries taste good (imagine how different this is than offering them blueberries or Oreos!) Or, make it a choice between carrots and zucchini. They’ll probably pick the carrots and be happy about it because of the alternative.

6. Another super tip is to cut your children’s fruit and veggies into fun shapes and sizes using inexpensive kitchen tools. They'll be sure to show these off in school!

7. Include your children in the experience of shopping and preparing the food. This helps them feel more connected to the food and it makes them feel proud to have helped. Have fun while you’re doing it and be sure to thank them for their help.

8. Here is another great way to get children excited about eating fruits and vegetables. Tell them that they get to eat a “rainbow of colors” each day. Get a piece of construction paper for every color of the rainbow - red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. Then, have your children cut out a big, fun shape for each color. On one side of each shape, write the word “DONE” and draw a smiley face. Stick them on the front of your refrigerator door with the word “DONE” side down. Each day, as your kids eat a fresh fruit or vegetable that is a color of the rainbow, flip over that color’s shape so the word “DONE” is face up and you can see it. It’s a great way to motivate your kids and get them excited about eating all the colors of the rainbow, because they get a challenge and a sense of accomplishment.

This is just a sample of the tips and tricks I offer in my ebook, Kristen's Raw - The EASY Way to Get Started & SUCCEED with Raw Food available at KristensRaw.com. Happy New Year!