Memorial Day

What a day! I had one of the best home BBQ's ever and I made it vegan friendly for myself and my Mom. It was my first attempt at a vegan BBQ and it was so successful that I feel like the world is wide open for me to dance and spin around in! So cheesy huh?

This morning I fixed the boys kitchen to toddler size because Miss Melody is getting old enough now to play with it. Doesn't she look so cute? She sauteed some play lettuce

Then the boys got hungry! BBQ TIME!

I stuck with my menu and made some vegan lentil burgers. Awhile ago I had bought some "Better Than Bouillon" no beef base vegetable stock and on the back gave me a recipe for vegan lentil burgers, how cool is that? The recipe was so simple that I decided to make it because I had all the ingredients. I really like the better than bouillon because it doesn't have any MSG in it. I can't believe that the other stuff like the bouillon cubes, all of those have MSG in it. Gross. If anything can give me headaches, it's definitely MSG.

Here is the recipe:

Cook the lentils as instructed (No soaking necessary, boil about 10-15 minutes)

Sautee 1/2 cup chopped onions, 1/2 cup chopped carrots in about 1 TB olive oil

Then in a food processor or blender, combine 1/2 cup oats, 1/2 cup bread crumbs (I just used some sourdough), the onions and carrots, 1/4 cup water, 1 1/2 cups cooked lentils, and 2 TB's of the Vegetable Better Than Bouillon base. Blend. Form them into patties and either pan fry them or bake them. I pan fried them, tee hee.

The patties. They tasted so rich, kinda salty but worth the recipe. I wrapped one in some romaine and topped with some veganaise. I ate like 1 1/2!

Here is a set up of the grill. I got carrots, eggplant, asparagus, pineapple, marinated portobello, and some Tofurkey Beer Brat Sausages!! I was really impressed with the sausages. There was a lot of flavor and the texture was very enjoyable.

When I saw them in the store, I immediately thought of some... Sauerkraut!!! I found some raw sauerkraut at the store by Rejuvenative Foods.

I put the sausage and sauerkraut in a sprouted hot dog bun, and topped it with some grilled bell peppers and onions. SO GOOD! I can't wait to eat more tomorrow!

Here is a photo of the grill. I got my pineapple on there, the boys really enjoyed them. By this time, I was so full that I only managed to eat one carrot stick and half of an eggplant slice. Good thing for leftovers!!! Lunch all week.

The boys insisted on being Ninja Turtles

And Miggs drew their bodies.

All in all it was a wonderful day.

Time to get back to reality!

Memorial Weekend, Raw Vegan Sorbet and Melody's First Vegan Pizza

Hello Everyone!

What a fun weekend so far, and tomorrow is a holiday! My Mother is visiting and we plan to have a BBQ tomorrow. I love BBQ's it gives me motivation to cook something fun rather than your ordinary burgers and hot dogs. Especially now that I have turned (mostly) vegan, I get excited to plan out what to cook.

Here is what I got brainstormed so far for my Mom and I:

Homemade veggie lentil patties (I'll post the recipe later this week)

Marinated portobellos (Cooked and uncooked)

and I've been wanting to grill some sliced pineapple!

For the boys:

Veggie burgers and grass-fed no nitrate beef hot dogs!

And then some homemade sweet potato fries!

Of course a BBQ wouldn't be complete without some drinkage. I plan on getting some delicious gluten-free Julian Hard Cider. I've been really into cider lately even more so now that I have been making an effort to eat/drink as little gluten as possible.

So on to a different subject, I have been really getting into raw vegan ice cream/sorbet. The other day I made some mango flavor. I made a small amount so about half a mango, with some ice, a dash of raw almond milk and raw agave nectar to taste. It came out so great but because I used my blender instead of my food processor, there were still lots of ice chunks (It's a crappy blender). It was still so good. The boys weren't with me but Melody was with me and she LOVED it.

Isn't it beautiful? Look at the color!

Then today I froze some bananas and strawberries.

To make this sorbet: 1 cup frozen strawberries, 3 frozen bananas, and about 1 cup or so of raw almond milk. With a dash of vanilla and some raw agave nectar to taste.

I blended it in my food processor this time and it was BETTER THAN ICE CREAM IN MY OPINION. The boys ate their entire bowls. It's so easy there is seriously no excuse not to make it. And you can use any milk it doesn't have to be raw.

I got some chocolate coconut ice cream at the store yesterday. I think for dessert after the BBQ tomorrow I am going to make some smoothies. Chocolate coconut ice cream with some coconut meat, bananas and nutritional yeast... With maybe some raw cacao butter or raw cacao nibs. Can't wait!!

One of the highlights of the weekend was yesterday when I made pizza. I made half of it vegan and half of it regular (for the boys). Here and there I have been letting Melody taste some of my Daiya cheese whenever I cook it and she loved it. So yesterday I gave her half a slice and she wouldn't put it down! My pizza girl<3 She had me eat so much pizza when I was preggos, it only makes sense!

Lastly, yesterday I took Joaquin to the movies to see the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie. It was okay. I gave in and bought some popcorn :/ but I packed my own trail mix to last me through the movie. Raw almonds, sunflower seeds, dried cherries, and raw cacao nibs. It was kind of messy, especially in the movie theater, so I need to revise it. But it really did help me ignore those pesky little devils on my shoulder calling out to those jalapeno nachos that I used to always buy at the theater.

Here's to a fun weekend everyone! Let's hope the weather clears up tomorrow. Johnny really wants to wear shorts.

Wendy

I want a fancy camera so I can take lovely photos of food. I think pretty food photos are the best!!

Anxiety Mixed With Good Food

I did not have much of an appetite today! I had to take a test at my work and serve the owner so my stomach was in knots for HOURS. But, I passed! Pretty excited.

I made this salad for dinner tonight even though my appetite wasn't up to it. It came out good, I got the recipe from Carol Alt. The recipe is supposed to have scallions and Udo's Choice Oil but I didn't have any... Came out good anyways!

What I made:

The salad:

1 cup germinated slivered almonds

1 cup germinated sunflower seeds

a ton of broccoli (I just cut up as much as I wanted)

The dressing, mix in a blender or I used my food processor:

4 dates, pitted

1/4 cup cold-pressed olive oil (I added a smidge more because I didn't have any Udo's)

And since I didn't have any Udo's I splashed some "asian stir fry oil" thinking it would maybe put some different flavor - and it wasn't bad!

I think about 3/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar

Toss! I was surprised how much I liked the apple cider vinegar. I couldn't eat all of it so, bam fridge, lunch, tomorrow - Oh yeah!

Every now and then I get a really huge sweet tooth and I got one tonight. I was thinking of my Mom's old oatmeal cookie dough that we used to make together and eat it raw out of the bowl. So I made my own version and I shocked myself! I made my own recipe and it was awesome!

About 1 cup or 1 1/2 cups oats (I just eyeballed it)

About 1/2 cup raw almond milk (Or just put enough in to get the consistency you want, kinda doughy but not runny)

3 pitted dates

About 1 tablespoon raw agave nectar

About 1 tablespoon (maybe less) vanilla extract (I still need to get the alcohol-free kind)

-BLEND

then add some raw cacao nibs for that tasty finish!

SO GOOD!!!

I rolled them into cookie shapes and put them in the fridge to harden.

I am totally going to make these puppies again when my Mom visits next!!

Okay goodnight, ugh... beat!

Love,

Wendy

Homemade Raw Almond Milk and T-Rex (The Dinosaur, Not the Band)

Hey all!

I haven't updated in a few days because I got a new job so I have been going to orientation and training a lot. But I'm still going strong with my food! I've had some good days, and some rough... Meaning that I feel the difference in my body between raw and cooked/processed food. I feel pretty confident when I say that I can read my body pretty well. Sometimes I think that I may read it the wrong way (too much), kind of like a hypochondriac. But I take pride in knowing what my body likes, and doesn't like. What is funny is that after eating raw food, I noticed that my body felt more "kinetic" meaning that I felt like there were little sparks going off within my body almost like cells bursting! How crazy is that?! Anyways, I am still on a long road of learning; learning about all the food and recipes out there!

My Mom visited last weekend, and she loved the raw dishes as well as the vegan dishes that I prepared for her. I inspired her so much that she went home and threw out her mayonnaise and sour cream as well as other things. She is on her own road to good health and I commend her on that. I am really proud of her.

At the bookstore, along with my raw book, the boys got these:

Joaqin loves his train book. It adds to collection "Momma I have three train books!" (Among others).

Then we went out to eat sushi. The boys loved their "Sushi Dumplings" (Gyoza). I had my Sashimi (Raw fish), what a great dinner!

On Tuesday, I made this yummy salad: Marinated portobello with red onions, spinach, kale and I think some romaine? With homemade raw dressing: Raw tahini, yellow miso (unpasteurized), olive oil, garlic, and salt, with a splash of balsamic vinegar.

On Thursday I made my second attempt at raw mashed cauliflower. Fail. Again. Ugh. They were pretty gross. But I won't give up!

In the photo the sandwich is made of Ezekiel's Sprouted hamburger buns, with avocado, olive oil, sea salt, raw feta cheese, cayenne pepper, romaine, and tomato (Thanks to Carol Alt for this recipe; "Hungry Man Sandwich"). This photo shows my lunch though I only ate like half the portobello (The cauliflower was yuck), half the asparagus, the sandwich and the mango/avocado for dessert. I was stuffed! And I felt so full! **That is one thing I notice with eating raw is that I feel full very quickly... with less food. There is some green coconut smoothie to drink in the background :)

Then I finally got around to making some raw almond milk! Yay!!! :)

Here is my gorgeous table and my raw almonds soaking in some water! I read that almonds need to germinate for 8-12 hours

I made a lot because I use several cups a day. I may have made too much but oh well we learn right?

about 1 cup germinated almonds per 3-5 cups water. (Again, soaking/germination time for almonds is 8 hours)

blend and strain

I added a little bit of vanilla and raw agave. I still need to get some raw vanilla or alcohol-free vanilla. You can also use raw honey to taste.

And I need to get a non-plastic pitcher.

Then I tried one of the Carol Alt recipes "Spaghetti Al Pesto" - OMG NEW FAVORITE DISH!!! Her recipe calls for squash but I used zucchini instead, and I did not have any parsley... But it came out AMAZING!!!!! I will be making this dish every week! Hurray for pine nuts!!!

The recipe called for too many ingredients so I cut it in half (And I did not have any parsley). This is the recipe cut in half (what I made):

1/2 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 bunch of basil (Thought I just eyeballed it and looked for the right color/smell) It came out great

1 1/2 garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

mix in food processor, peel zucchini into strips kinda like fake fettucini :P then toss w/ the pesto!

I can't believe all these yummy dishes are raw. It's almost too good to be true.

This week I won't be doing anything different. My shopping is pretty much tapped out for the month.

Next month I plan on making some raw "spaghetti marinara" and some raw whipped cream among other newly discovered favorites! Eat healthy everyone!

Love,

Wendy

Vegan Tamale Pie - and My New Outlook on Food!

i wanna make this!

Raw Zucchini Hummus (yields over 3 cups; you can easily cut this recipe in half)

2 zucchini, chopped
½ cup lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 ½ tsp cumin
1 cup raw tahini (the Artisana brand is nice; substitute regular tahini if you need to)
4 tbsp olive oil
½ cup raw sesame seeds

Vitamix instructions:

Put all ingredients in your Vitamix and blend to a rich perfection!

Food processor instructions:

Same as above. You may have a hard time blending the sesame seeds, so I recommend soaking them for a few hours first, halving the recipe, and stopping frequently to scape the bowl. You can also omit the seeds entirely, but in that case I also recommend omitting the olive oil to keep a thick consistency.

http://www.choosingraw.com/perfect-raw-hummus-for-raw-wednesday/

___

Other than getting some grocery shopping done, we did get to make it to a local bookstore where I purchased Eating in the Raw.

So far I am on chapter 3 and I don't want to put it down. I am so excited about my new life with raw food that the only way I can describe this feeling is that it is like being in love. I am In Love with Raw Food. It is so real. So much energy. I feel alive and clean when I eat it. I want to get better with what I eat meaning less cooked and more raw. I want to increase my raw intake from 35% to 80%. This is a goal that I will try to accomplish by Melody's first birthday in 2 months.

Last night I went out with my boyfriend and had a couple of alcoholic drinks. Though I did not get "drunk" I had enough to make me wake up feeling really gross. I just felt... awful. I cooked vegan banana pancakes and home-fried potatoes for my Mom this morning. So add lots of gluten, starch and oil to make me feel even crappier. What made it worse was that me being so exhausted I went and got a soy mocha from Starbucks. It was a recipe for disaster. I felt so awful today and I think that since I have been experiencing the benefits of raw food, I am more in tune with my body and now realize what effects cooked food, alcohol and caffeine can have on my body.

Even though I have just somewhat, preached, about raw food I am going to end this post with a recipe my Mom and I came up with tonight. It's not raw but it is vegan. Definitely not the healthiest but I thought I would share anyways. My Mom, who is not vegan at all, not even vegetarian, who loves fat and sugar and salt... Thought it was so tasty that she wants to go and buy some Daiya cheese.

Tamale Pie

Cornbread:

1 cup all--purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal

1 tab. baking powder1/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teas. salt
egg replacer to equal 2 eggs
1 cup soy, rice or almond milk

"meat"

2 pack 12 oz Smart Ground Original Crumbles

1 Red Onion, chopped

1 Medium green pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

olive oil

3 cans (15 oz) tomato sauce

1 can (8 oz) ripe olives, sliced

8 oz (about 1 cup) fresh or frozen kernel corn

8 oz Daiya Cheddar style "cheese"

1/4 cup cumin

1/4 cup chili powder

16 oz penne, uncooked

1 dozen corn tortillas

heat smart ground in large skillet or wok.

while heating, boil 2 quarts water, add 2 tbsp oil, then pasta when at full boil.

saute onions, green pepper and garlic in another skillet in oil. add them to smart ground.

add tomato sauce, olives, and corn.

when pasta is soft, drain, add to smart ground mixture.

fry tortillas in oil, drain.

line 9X13 dish with 6 tortillas, layer smart ground, 1/2 daiya cheese. then add the remaining 6 tortillas, the other 1/2 of cheese, then top with corn mix.

for decoration you may save a few sliced olives to add on top of corn mix.

bake at 350 F for 15 minutes or until bubbling.

don't have a photo of the finished product only of the "meat" mixture"

Sincerely,

Wendy

A Trip to the Store: "You're Brave"

This is what our normal grocery store trip looks like. FUN and A LOT OF WORK!

Some times it really is like a vacation to get to go to the store all by myself.

Johnny says "We went to the cold ice cream. There were ice cream boxes. It was a fish. We went around the store, we saw everything! And that's it. And my friends."

Joaquin says "There was fruit! Food, food!"

Love,

Wendy and The Kids

Raw "Cheesecake" - Done!

The "cheesecake" was a success! Boy was it tasty. I am so proud of myself... and the best part is that Johnny loved it!! He ran into the bathroom when I was giving Melody a bath and with a mouthful of vegan cheesecake he shouted "I love it!"

Raw Cheesecake

2 cups macadamia nuts

1 1/2 cups cashews

1/2 cup pitted medjool dates

1/4 cup dried coconut (I used unsweetened of course)

6 tbs coconut oil (liquid)

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 raw agave nectar

1/2 of a sundried vanilla bean (I just used a regular vanilla bean…not sure if it was sundried or not)

3 cups mixed berries (I used blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries)

Place macadamia nuts and cashews in two seperate bowls. Cover each with cold water and soak for four hours. Rinse, drain, set aside.

Pulse the macadamia nuts and dates in the food processor to a sticky, crumb-like consistancy. Sprinkle dried coconut on the bottom of a 8 inch pie plate. Press macadamia nut mixture onto it, to form a crust.

Place cashews, lime juice, agave nectar, coconut oil and 6 tbs water in the food processor. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into the food processor. Puree until smooth and then pour onto crust. Freeze 1 to 2 hours, or until firm. Slice while frozen, but defrost on counter or in the fridge. Top with berries and enjoy! (*I think the mixing some of the berries into the cashew mixture could be neat as well, but I have not tried it!)

My First "Raw" Recipe Done!

Hey folks! So yesterday was a pretty awesome day. The boys were with their Dad so that was a bummer but I did get some time to make my first "raw" vegan recipe.

First let me start out with saying that Wednesday night I had dinner with a friend at a vegan-friendly restaurant. I ordered a "Vegan Lentil Burger" - not just an ordinary veggie burger, but something they actually hand make with lentils, wild rice, carrots, and a few other vegan ingredients. It came out DELICIOUS, and I ordered a Black Currant Cider by Fox Barrel.

If any of you do not know about cider, it's a tasty drink that is GLUTEN FREE. A nice alternative to beer.

**I am just getting used to having a real blog so the thought of taking photos while I am doing something related to my blog, does not come to mind until later. I will get better at this! So in the meantime, here is a photo of the label of the cider. I have no photo of the burger either. :( sad face.

BUT and here is when it gets ugly... Exactly 6 hours after eating that burger I became terribly sick. I won't be returning to that restaurant, unfortunately. I want to mention though that on the menu they have a Stone Porter milkshake. I wonder what that would be like made vegan? :P

So, because I woke up still feeling ill, I made a little comfort food breakfast. Old fashioned oatmeal with almond milk... and tons of yummy fruit n berries! Doesn't this look amazing??

The drink in the corner is what was left over from a green pina colada (virgin) smoothie. Yumm

Not going to mention lunch but it wasn't bad, I just want to go straight to my dinner. This was my salad, so good! It was completely raw, and it had 3 different types of leafy greens. Also a sprinkle of some sunflower seeds. I ate the whole bowl.

And for dessert, I made those raw carrot oat bites that I posted about a few days ago!

The one in the corner got the last of the coconut so because it was not as pretty as the others, that one was eaten first and let me tell you... Y-U-M. I've already eaten 3 others but I must save the last 2 because my boys are coming back today and I think they would like them. I might end up making some more anyways because I want my Mom to try them. They remind me of her famous oatmeal cookie dough that we used to eat uncooked. I also need to go to the market and get some better vanilla extract. Lastly, I will make them smaller because I made them too big and only came out with 7.

Here is the recipe again.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! I am going to be cooking (and uncooking) up a storm for my Mom so she can taste all the yummy things that I get to taste!

Wendy

Carrot Oat Bites (Raw Vegan)

13 servings, 65 Calories each

• 3 Pitted Medjool Dates
• 1/2 cup Walnuts
• 1/2 cup Oats
• 3 Small Carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• Optional: 1 Tbsp Unsweetened Coconut Flakes (For coating)

Directions: In a food processor, grind oats and carrots. Add in the rest of the ingredients (except coconut) and process for a few seconds until it is a thick, sticky texture. Using a Tablespoon, measure and roll into balls. Then, if you would like to, roll them around in coconut. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.

Note: If you would like them sweeter, add more dates, agave or a few drops of stevia.

My Smoothie Tomorrow - Marks 1 Week Vegetarian

I also will be attempting to make this for my mother's visit this weekend. It looks so good.

Raw Cheesecake

2 cups macadamia nuts

1 1/2 cups cashews

1/2 cup pitted medjool dates

1/4 cup dried coconut (I used unsweetened of course)

6 tbs coconut oil (liquid)

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 raw agave nectar

1/2 of a sundried vanilla bean (I just used a regular vanilla bean…not sure if it was sundried or not)

3 cups mixed berries (I used blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and cherries)

Place macadamia nuts and cashews in two seperate bowls. Cover each with cold water and soak for four hours. Rinse, drain, set aside.

Pulse the macadamia nuts and dates in the food processor to a sticky, crumb-like consistancy. Sprinkle dried coconut on the bottom of a 8 inch pie plate. Press macadamia nut mixture onto it, to form a crust.

Place cashews, lime juice, agave nectar, coconut oil and 6 tbs water in the food processor. Scrape seeds from vanilla bean into the food processor. Puree until smooth and then pour onto crust. Freeze 1 to 2 hours, or until firm. Slice while frozen, but defrost on counter or in the fridge. Top with berries and enjoy! (*I think the mixing some of the berries into the cashew mixture could be neat as well, but I have not tried it!)

AND these sometime next week <3

Carrot Oat Bites (Raw Vegan)

13 servings, 65 Calories each

• 3 Pitted Medjool Dates
• 1/2 cup Walnuts
• 1/2 cup Oats
• 3 Small Carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• Optional: 1 Tbsp Unsweetened Coconut Flakes (For coating)

Directions: In a food processor, grind oats and carrots. Add in the rest of the ingredients (except coconut) and process for a few seconds until it is a thick, sticky texture. Using a Tablespoon, measure and roll into balls. Then, if you would like to, roll them around in coconut. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving.

Note: If you would like them sweeter, add more dates, agave or a few drops of stevia.

Sincerely,

Wendy

Good Information

http://www.purelyraw.com/deadfoodlist.htm

can't copy and paste. A little overwhelming but I think eating raw takes time and knowledge. It won't happen overnight

Cilantro

So here is something about me that I am willing to share with the public: I have suffered from depression for more than half my life. One of the reasons why I chose a vegan diet with 50% raw, was to try and improve my life from the inside out. Meaning, can the food I eat really affect me mentally? Will it give me more clarity so that I will be able to someday choose how I think and feel?

I say, yes. But I also think that it will have a lot to do with the food I choose to eat and how much. I can be vegan, yes. But not all vegan food is good for everyone. That is why I am trying to be 30-50% raw to add that extra UMPHF! I will feel so much better about myself if I know that I am not only trying to eat healthier, but actually DOING IT.

I am a firm believer that if you want something done, you really have no one to depend on but yourself. I also believe that if you want to do something well and be proud of it, you have to aim for above-average. Currently, this diet to me is average but what I am aiming for is above average, that way I know I'm going that extra step. Almost like an extra step to fall back on, if you will.

So I'll end this quick entry with a little tidbit I read about cilantro. This week coconut, cauliflower, and cilantro are my BFF's.

"More Love for Cilantro

Free radicals are everywhere - in the water we drink, food we eat, and in the air we breathe. The main defense to free radicals (coming from pollution, x-rays, radiation, chemicals, heavy metals) are antioxidants. Cilantro leaves are rich in calcium, iron, carotenes, and vitamin C, which it happens are great antioxidants. A Japanese investigator, Yoshiaki Omura, has made the revolutionary discovery that cilantro can mobilize mercury and other toxic metals from the central nervous system if large enough amounts are consumed daily. Reuters reports that cilantro contains a chemical which has been found to kill the Salmonella bacteria that cause foodborne illness.

The heavy metal detox capabilities of cilantro should also make it of great use in the treatment of depression, Alzheimer's disease, lack of concentration and other related disorders. In other words, this herb can apparently help to keep you happy, focused, and sane (http://www.welikeitraw.com/rawfood/2007/03/sarmas_cilantro.html)!"

Sincerely,

Wendy

P.S. Today marks 1 week without an alcohol beverage. 170 lbs. 30 lbs to go.

Too Much Today

So I kind of messed up today, but not too bad. Mostly in that I ate a little too much and I feel like I need to be more aware of it.

I had those pancakes for breakfast, and had a really healthy lunch but for dinner I was so tired that I threw some pitas on the grill with some olive oil and daiya mozz.

Though it's not terribly bad food... It's still more than I want to eat in 1 day, it's not the healthiest, and I'm trying to eat more raw foods, lose weight, feel better, etc. Oh well. Trying to let it go, I need a good night's sleep.

Wendy

It's Like a Birthday!

I'm having a great day so far! I'm taking a little break because, it's my day, duh!

My boys (mostly boyfriend) made me vegan pancakes this morning! From scratch! They were so delicious, the texture was close to bread pudding almost. I topped it with organic light corn syrup (I don't have any good jams at the moment), and as you can you see from the photo one of the pancakes has some raw cacao. SO GOOD. But I didn't wanna overdo it, so I only put some on one. I will definitely be making these bad boys again but maybe throw in some other stuff like blueberries. I apologize for the bad picture but I started eating them before I realized I should have taken a picture first. Oh well! Thanks boyfriend! Tons of kisses in return of course.

And guess what my boys made me!? They made it at their Dad's house so it's not vegan and to be honest I'm a little scared to eat it. But I will take a bite later for them so they know they did such a good job. I'm proud of these little men!

If that wasn't good enough, guess what else my wonderful boyfriend did!! The best Mother's Day present ever! (Besides a ring, lol)... A food processor! Now I can make a lot more dishes. So happy. I christened it by making my chipotle hummus with garlic. And I didn't have to cut anything.

I thought it would be fun to share my produce tupperware bins that I put in the refrigerator. I love my tupperware and it helps save room as well as time when I am looking for something.

I made a portobello wrap last night for dinner but that one was cooked. I had one more in the fridge that had been marinating all night so I ate it raw with raw tahini, onions, tomatoes, sprouts, kale, and romaine. It came out so good that I think it tasted better this time round than last night. I also really loved that it was (mostly) raw (i learned that "raw" tahini isn't 100% raw), yet so tasty.

My boyfriend made the boys chicken quesadillas with rice, and Joaquin of course ate off my plate of veggies. :)

I feel so great and happy that I get to do this. I feel like my insides are clearing up. I feel like my skin and face are clearing up too. I feel like my skin can breath.

More updates this week. I have to go take care of my boyfriend now, he is pooped. It's a lot of work being a full time mommy.

Sincerely,

Wendy

Happy Mother's Day! xoxo

It's Official, I Am Head Over Heels In Love With Coconut

It's true! Coconut and I, we're getting married next Spring... Isn't it wonderful!?

Let me start out first with my day.

My pre-lunch late breakfast consisted of a green coconut smoothie. It was a fail. But, I won't give up! I need to get used to drinking smoothies that aren't ice-cold. And I need to learn more recipes.

For lunch I made a raw salad. Spinach, shredded zucchini and carrots, and diced tomatoes, with lemon juice and olive oil. I also ate some quinoa with mushrooms, it was very tasty! Then finished it off with mangos and avocados - I read this simple recipe online and I first thought "G - R - O - S - S" but being the adventurous person that I am, I gave it a try and OMFG it is going to be a weekly if not daily thing!!

I was so full and tired from the night before but I had so many things to do so I made myself get up. Miss Melody and I ran some errands and then went to Henry's where we got some yummy stuff. When we got home, this is what was delivered to my door, it was such a lovely surprise! From my Momma for Mother's Day! heartheartheart I love it

Hahah No she didn't give me a knife or garlic for Mother's Day! It's that lovely carving block!

For a snack I was craving something spicy. One of my favorite things in the universe is chipotle hummus. I learned this simple little recipe from a cafe I worked at. I think it is better than any other flavor of hummus you buy pre-made. It tastes fresher. I just get the canned chipotle in adobo sauce, slice it up with the seeds, and stir it in original hummus. Simple yet so fresh tasting and delicious. I love to eat this with pita bread but I'm not really eating bread that much right now, so I eat it with lots of fresh raw veggies like carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers mushrooms, asparagus, bell peppers, and tomatoes.

For dinner I did the portobello wrap. I marinated it in red onions, garlic, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil. Topped it with tomatoes, broccoli sprouts and raw tahini. Then I wrapped them in kale and romaine. For the side I attempted to make mashed cauliflower though it was kind of a fail. I need a food processor! I used to have one when I was married... I think we lost it. I used my blender but it didn't blend the cauliflower. I had to add water since I didn't have plain soy milk. I threw in some Earth Balance vegan butter, and some garlic... But it was too runny. I had to put it in a pot and cook it to try and reduce it... To no avail I ended up putting in some potato flakes. Topped it with green onions, it was tasty...

But a little too heavy.

Melody was really curious about what I was eating

So I gave her a bite and... She approved!

Okay so now to the part where I talk about the title of my post. I got raw cacao and coconut butter from Henry's, so I experimented again on a smoothie.

About 2 tablespoons of raw cacao and coconut butter,

about 1 cup of vanilla coconut milk,

about 1/4 cup shredded coconut,

1 banana,

about 1 tablespoon of raw agave,

2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast,

and about 3/4 tray of ice....

...HOLY CRAP!! I nearly fainted it tasted so good.

Don't have a pic cuz I inhaled it. Seriously. Brain. Freeze.

COCONUT PARTY ALL NEXT WEEK!!!

Sincerely,

Wendy