Sippin' on private stock

I am so ready to embark on Natalia Rose's Detox for Women. My mom surprised me with a rebounder (a miraculous mini-trampoline that is Rose's preferred method of exercise) delivered directly to my front door here in Gainesville. The thing is just amazing. It fits under my bed until I feel like bouncing, at which point I simply slide it out, secure the legs, put on some Beyonce and go to town. It's a convenient stress-reliever, as the weather can be fair or not and it doesn't matter a bit.

Anyway, the other apparatus it is suggested you have for the detox is a juicer. Breakfast every morning is supposed to be something called a green lemonade, involving a whole head of romaine or celery, some kale, one or two apples, lemon juice and fresh ginger. Well, I haven't tried that combo yet, but since receiving my Tribest Z-Star hand-crank juicer in the mail, I have tried a few combos, like the beet-carrot-garlic juice pictured and some carrot-papaya juice that I'm considering henceforth referring to as Carotene Attacks!

Ohhh my goodness, I love juice. There is definitely a lot of sugar, though entirely unprocessed, in fruit juice, so I'll be cutting out the fruits except for a few once the cleanse starts. I think the carrots alone will be enough sweetness for me. While I'm in experiment mode, what are some of your favorite fruit/veggie combos for juices?

Everyday Soul

This weekend, thankfully, held quite a lot of soul in store. Saw a fantastic documentary from 1960 about a kickin' jazz festival, appropriately titled Jazz on a Summer's Day. The style, from the cinematography to the clothes and music, made me feel like I was right there watching Louis Armstrong improvise.

Was treated by a dear friend to a still-warm mason jar of homemade blueberry jam, delivered right to my doorstep.

And my momma has been keeping me up to date on a cleanse she just started, the Detox for Women by Natalia Rose. We've already read a couple of her books on how to make the transition to a raw diet without wreaking havoc on one's digestive system, and this one, tailored specifically to women, I can hardly wait to get in the mail. If you're interested in raw food, but want to ease into it, Rose knows how, allowing a cooked meal for dinner and even wine and chocolate everyday! Sounds pretty do-able to me.

Everyday Soul

Ah, first days of school. Going back when July hasn't even begun feels a little wrong, but I was ready for a reason to leave the house during these sweltering days of summer. At least in six weeks, I'll be through with math classes for GOOD!! Now, I think I'm in need of some Everyday Soul.

Been on a serious kick for Angela of Oh She Glows' Vegan Overnight Oats. Layered mine yesterday morning with some Banana Soft Serve (Choosing Raw) as per Angela's suggestion. YUMMMM, I can hardly eat hot oatmeal anymore! Summer is for cooling foods, dudes!

Now, how many of you have ever whipped up some homemade almond milk? Anyone? It's so simple, it's GENIUS! I almost made a habit of it in the fall of last year, but I have pledged to make a batch every Sunday from now on because it saves SO much money, reduces packaging aaand tastes so fresh and delicious! My golden ratio is 1 cup almonds, soaked overnight, rinsed, then blended with 7 cups filtered water. Strain well and use within a week.

And finally, finally the Cooking Channel is live! Since I read this NY Times article on the new Food Network brainchild, I've been waiting to see more. Well, Two Fat Ladies reruns rule, and so does the ethnically diverse set of CC hosts. Plus vegan cupcakes are listed as a "Food Trend" on their front web page - a very good sign!

Images courtesy of Oh She Glows and the Cooking Channel.

Georgia on my Mind

Whilst among my Southern kin, my mom and I came by a bag of some of the first Georgia peaches to ripen this season. Mm mm, do I love me some peaches! So in my fervor to fulfill this nagging craving for a fruit tart I've been having since the onset of Spring (remember?), I decided these peaches were destined to adorn one. Added bonus: It's RAW! And in keeping with the Southern feel, it starts with an easy pecan-based crust.



Raw Peach Tart
makes 8 slices

[Crust]
12 pitted Medjool dates
8 oz. raw pecans

Blend well in a food processor. Press crust into a tart dish, cover and refrigerate until you assemble the tart.

[Peach Topping]
5 fresh peaches, sliced
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 tablespoon raw agave nectar or honey

Toss and refrigerate until you assemble the tart.

[Cream]
8 oz. raw cashews
3 tablespoons raw agave nectar or honey
1 teaspoon almond extract

Soak cashews in water for at least two hours. Blend thoroughly with sweetener and almond extract, until very, very smooth. Spread over crust, top with peaches and either serve immediately or let it set up in the fridge for a few hours beforehand.

I'm still working on my cashew cream, trying to get it to that point of sublime smoothness, so if you have any suggestions or go-to recipes for a cashew cream, go right ahead and make 'em public!

My mom's totally rawsome.

So on this lovely Cinco de Mayo, I'm excited to share with you her amazing raw recipe for luscious, decadent chocolate mousse. What makes my mom's version of this fairly common raw dessert so spectacular for me is its strikingly similar flavor to a Christmastime classic in my family: the chocolate orange. You know, those balls of chocolate wrapped in orange peel-patterned foil that you smash on the table so that it breaks into little slices. Chocolate tinged with orange zestiness...too good!!

And hey, to add a little Mexican flair to it, you can replace the orange extract with vanilla, then mix in some cinnamon and a pinch ancho chili powder! This mousse is very versatile - change the flavors up and it becomes a whole new sensation.

Who'da thunk I'd be enjoying a glorified avocado for dessert four nights strong?



Raw Orange-Chocolate Mousse
serves 2

2 ripe Haas avocados
1/4 cup cocoa powder (Green & Black is my favorite!)
2 tablespoons raw honey or agave nectar
2 packets of stevia
1 teaspoon orange extract

Peel avocado and blend with all other ingredients in a strong food processor until very smooth. Chill in the fridge for at least one hour. Or the freezer for half an hour, if you're in a hurry. But trust me, it's the chilling that really takes it to the next level.

Know yr farmers!

On this cloudy Sunday, I was able to attend a tour of Sandhill Farm, a biodynamic operation just outside of Gainesville. Got to meet the man behind some of the beautiful, fresh vegetables I buy at the farmers market each Wednesday, sift some compost and take in the lush acre of land on which he manages to grow enough to feed 25 families invested in his weekly CSA.

It's always such a valuable experience simply to visit small, organic farms like Sandhill. Serves as an important reminder that your food is actually grown by other human beings, y'know? And I'm really looking forward to attending one of the neat workshops I learned they're holding in the coming months: herbal medicine, soap and bread-making lessons?! Count me in.

So I started off the morning with a simple, über-healthy and protein-rich breakfast to hold me over until after the farm visit - something I like to call...



Grainless Granola
serves 1, but can certainly be doubled or even quadrupled!

1/3 cup almonds
1/3 cup pecans or walnuts
a handful of shredded coconut
various dried or fresh fruit, to your taste
10-12 drops liquid stevia

Pulse the nuts in a food processor until they reach a chunky consistency, with few whole nuts remaining. Mix in a cereal bowl with coconut and fruits of your choice (today I used raisins), then either cover with non-dairy milk or dollop with yogurt. I've even tried it with coconut kefir. Just prepare it however you would normal granola! Because the almond milk and soy yogurt I use are unsweetened, I swirl in some stevia for sweetness, but you could use agave nectar or honey or whatever sweetener you have around with similar results.

Voila, guilt- and gluten-free granola! Yum.