Sunday, July 27, 2008

Ch-ch-ch- chia or What's for Breakfast?

Hi everyone. I went to Whole Foods today and picked up a few things. I was looking for plain raw chia seeds to make an amazing looking chocolate pudding that someone posted. I found raw cacao powder (which appears to be pricier than heroin), but they didn't have plain chia seeds. The guy working there found this stuff in the cereal aisle called "Chia Goodness". It's a raw cereal, cranberry ginger flavored. It was $6 (!), but it says that the bag has 11 servings. I'll let you know how it tastes. You just mix 1/3 cup of water with 2 TBSP of the chia cereal and let it sit for five minutes. The website for the company is www.ruthshempfoods.com, if you want to check them out.

I'm going to have it with a banana. What are you eating for breakfast?

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Safe Foods and Goals

Howdy everyone. I'm still gearing up for the Raw Fu challenge. I read this story twice in one week, so I'm going to blather on about it. I checked out one of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" books from the library, because I like to be inspired, to warm the cockles of my sticky black heart. Anyway, there was this story about whales at Sea World type places, and how they train them. (I know, Sea World, not so nice.) But the way they train them is to first set a goal that there is no way they cannot achieve. They couldn't fail if they wanted to. They put the rope or line or whatever they jump over way under the water, so the whales just swim over it. Then they reward them like crazy. And gradually they raise the line until they can jump way over it. Every jump, huge praise and love and rewards. If they don't do it, no punishment, no mean looks, just no response.

Then, I got this story AGAIN in my email. So I started thinking about setting a small goal this week. In BunnyBerry's awesome week one raw fu workbook, she has us set a week one goal. Even though the challenge starts August first, I set a goal on Monday. I decided to write down every single thing that I ate this week. (I'm trying to lose some weight so I can be healthier and so I can get pregnant, so journalling my food is a good thing.) Then, I almost set a hard goal, like at least 50% raw! No matter what! Rawwrrrrrrr! Then I thought about the whales. So the other goal that I wrote down is this. I will take a green highlighter every day and highlight every raw thing that I ate. I won't make frowny faces or write that I suck next to the non-raw foods. And I like it. Because I can't fail. Some days have more green ink than others. It's achievable.

Finally, I'm drinking a sort of raw yummy dinner, because I just got home from work. (My lovely hubby is watching a scary show, and I can't watch it before bed, so I decided to write something.) Anywho, last night I soaked an ounce of raw almonds in some water, with a few raisins and some yerba mate tea. I meant to blend it all up to make a nut milk tea thing this morning, but mornings are difficult. So when I got home, I took out the tea bag, and drained off the tea (bummer, but it's almost time to sleep, and it has a little caffeine), added some soy milk and a handful of cherries and blended away on my trusty crappy blender. Yummy almond cherry stuff. With nut bits. But very yummy.

See you all tomorrow!

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Moderation!!

Hi Everyone! I am very excited that Bunny Berry's Raw Fu 100 Day Raw Food challenge is starting on 08/01/08. I tried to be 100% raw yesterday to see how it went. It was not the best day of the month to do this for the first time, if you know what I'm sayin', and I think you do.

I even babied myself and purchased some things from the Power Source Juice Bar near my work. It is the only place that I have found in San Francisco's financial district (the fidi, if you will) that is raw friendly if you want more than a plate of romaine lettuce and a wedge of lemon. I had a swampgrass smoothie in the morning, which I LOVE! I really like wheatgrass, and if you blend it with yummy fruit and spirulina, I'm all over it.

I went back to the same place for the Power Source Power Food Salad. Tons of spinach, with broccoli sprouts, hemp seeds, carrots and raw walnuts. With a yummy balsamic vinagrette on the side. I was even enjoying eating outside, instead of at my desk, until it became so windy that my spinach leaves started blowing away.

And I had a carrot juice in the afternoon. So I'm feeling pretty awesome, and then I get home. I was planning to have zucchini noodles with raw tomato sauce. I've made it before and like it. But the thought of the zucchini was making me feel queasy. I think I was just hungry, because by the time I was done making dinner for me and the hubby, I felt awful and sad and mad. I had a bowl of fresh mushrooms with chopped tomatoes and half a smushed up avocado. None of which tasted good until I put a little salt and hot sauce on top. Later in the evening I had some sourdough toast, which is not raw, but I felt gross and the toast made me feel better. Today I am only doing about half raw, and I feel much less creepy. I need to ease into this.

How was your healthy day??

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Independence from Feeling Bad!

I know, I know, that's cheesy. Here's the deal. Still no working webcam, so I'm just going to start blogging here without videos. The fabulous Bunny Berry is starting a new 100 day raw food challenge on August 1. I am going to do it too! You in virtual-land will help me keep accountable. (Even though there are only a couple people reading, it will help me!)

Tomorrow, I'm starting to transition, because I know that if I jump in to 100% raw, I'll do it for one day, freak out, cry and eat a plate of nachos. No, I am not kidding.

Luckily, the internet can be a great source of free info if you dig around a little. Karen Knowler, http://www.therawfoodcoach.com/, has some nice free things on her website. I downloaded and printed out a transitional planner to help people ease into raw. So I am sticking my toe in the ocean people! I hope it's ok with Ms. Knowler if I talk about her planner here. If it isn't, I will remove it of course. I will be modifying things, because our work weeks are very busy here for me and Mister Monster and there is no way that we are making complicated meals each night! (We are also on a super limited income right now.)

Here is the meal plan I am making for tomorrow.

Let's see, raw muesli is on the menu for tomorrow. Using the magic powers of google, I found a recipe, but I have tinkered with it to get this:

Jenni's Monster Muesli
1 apple, chopped
1 TBSP raw sliced almonds
1 TBSP raw cashews
2 TBSP raisins
1 cup of strawberries (defrosted from frozen)
1/2 frozen banana, blended in the magic bullet with a splash of soymilk to make a thicker soymilk conoction.

I will pour the banana soymilk over everything else. I'll let you know how it goes!

Lunch is going to be pasta salad, with whole wheat pasta, "raw ranch dressing", not my own recipe, and lots of chopped up veggies.

Dinner is going to be cooked veggie soup with sprouted bread and salad. I'm going to make the Tortilla Soup from one of my favorite cookbooks, The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook.

Have a healthy day, and I'll see you tomorrow.