Kale chips were one of the first things I discovered when I ventured into raw food and they have remained one of my favorite snacks. In fact, they go so fast we make a batch every week! Kale is great for you (it's one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet) but I don't really like it raw... turn it into these cheesy chips and see how quickly my tune changes! The great thing about kale chips is you can make them in different flavors - after you coat them in the cheese try sprinkling some with chipotle seasoning... or garlic powder... or paprika... or cayenne etc. etc. No matter how you season them they are addictive!

1 bunch kale

Cheese:
2 cups soaked cashews
1/2 a red pepper
3/4 cup nutritional yeast
Juice of a lemon
1 cup water
1 tsp salt

Blend cheese ingredients in blender until smooth, thick and creamy. Wash kale, remove leaves from stems and tear into small pieces. In a large bowl pour cheese over the kale. Using your hands massage the cheese into the kale. Lay onto dehydrator trays and dry for about 6 hours or until crunchy.

Our life is the sum total of our choices. We always have a choice. 

After about a month of eating a diet high in raw foods I said to my husband “I feel like a totally different person.” He smiled in response and said “Actually, I think you are more YOU than you’ve ever been before."
He’s right. Raw food has stripped away everything that was not the true me. It’s as if a veil has been lifted and I am seeing the world through brand new eyes. And boy is this world beautiful! The truth is raw food has changed everything.
The physical effects are clear and undeniable. I have lost fifteen pounds, my eyes and skin are clear, and I feel a deep connection to my body that I’ve never known. Many people in the health or spiritual community talk about the idea of embodiment – the sense of being in communion with our bodies and listening to the messages it has for us. Most of us walk around in our heads, seeking distractions, and paying little attention to our body until something goes wrong. Many of us feel uncomfortable in our own skin – I know I did. Thanks to raw food I now understand what embodiment really means. I’m learning to listen to my body and honor it for the amazing temple that it is.
Then there are the mental effects of raw food. It’s as if somebody flipped a switch – shedding light and clarity on all the things that were once shrouded in shadows and confusion. “What do I want to do with my life? Where am I going? What is the next step? Who am I?”... I never dreamed that by changing my diet those questions would be answered. Suddenly I have a strikingly clear vision for my future and what I am here to do. My mind is clear, my calling is clear, and that makes me far more effective in terms of co-creating my life.
But more than anything the effects of raw food have been spiritual in nature. I’ve always been deeply spiritual – it’s the reason I started exploring raw food in the first place. But I never thought the effects could be this profound! I find myself in tears of joy nearly every day – my connection to the Divine has deepened and expanded exponentially. The highly spiritually evolved (yogis for example) eat very, very little and there is a reason for this. Food consumes our energy and keeps us functioning at a lower vibratory level – especially cooked food. But raw food contains life force – prana and the energy of the earth and the cosmos – that’s why we call it “living food.” I have literally felt my vibrations rise, expand, and lighten over the past two months. Instead of dwelling in my lower three charkas (the ones associated with the ego, sexuality and emotion) I am in my heart. I feel an overwhelming sense of love and Oneness with all human and animal kind. And for myself.
I laugh more. I love more. I feel in my body and power. I have more compassion. All the unhealthy habits I once had have fallen away. (I can barely tolerate even a few drinks now.) And instead of writing erotica – which I spent many years pursuing – I am writing self-help and spiritual non-fiction.
I feel like my world has shifted on its axis. Indeed I do feel like a totally different person, but my husband is right – I’m just me. More me than I’ve ever been in my life. I am finally stepping into my highest self… and I have raw food to thank.

Our life is the sum total of our choices. We always have a choice. 

I got this recipe from the very talented Dimitri, over at Dimitri, The Greek Raw Vegan.  Why didn't I think of these myself?! They are our favorite treats at Disneyland! I changed the recipe just a tad - omitted the coconut meat as I didn't have any, used cacao butter instead of coconut oil, and I mixed the nuts right into the chocolate sauce. Sooooo delicious they are already gone. I need to make more!!


Our life is the sum total of our choices. We always have a choice. 

The saag is raw, the channa masala isn't. I tried to make it raw, really I did. I sprouted the chick peas for three whole days (see the cute little tails on them?) made a delicious raw sauce, stirred in the chick peas and... yuck. I just couldn't stomach the beans raw. So I threw it in a pot and cooked it. But guess what? It still turned out to be the best channa masala I've ever made!! (I probably wouldn't even share this recipe otherwise.) And I have to believe even though it's cooked it's still healthier than any channa masala you'd make with canned, un-sprouted beans, and packaged spices.
The saag turned out pretty good also - though I'm not totally happy with it yet. I think I will try adding some cashews next time for a creamier texture. If you experiment with this one let me know how yours turns out!

Channa Masala - (sprouted but not raw)


2 cups sprouted chick peas
1/2 avocado
1 large tomato
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
1/4 cup red onion
1/4 cup olive oil
1 inch fresh ginger
2 Tbsp agave syrup
1 Tbsp. Indian curry powder (I have a large assortment of Indian spices and used a mix specifically for Urad Dal, but garam masala will work too. Just don't use a chinese curry powder or the flavor will be way off.)
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder

Blend all ingredients in food processor and mix with beans. Try it raw if you like. Or add about 1 cup water and let simmer on low heat for about an hour.

Raw Saag


2 cups spinach tightly packed
1/2 an avocado
1/4 cup onion
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup nut milk
1/2 jalapeno
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
Dash of tumeric
Salt to taste

Blend all ingredients in food processor. I let mine sit in the dehydrator for a few hours to warm - this also lets the spices settle in.

The rice is cauliflower, carrot, and green onion pulsed in food processor. (I was going for a Vegetable Briyani feel... meh.) :-\



Our life is the sum total of our choices. We always have a choice. 

I've been having a craving for lemon bars lately. But not the kind loaded with sugar, processed ingredients, flour, and all the other junk that goes into them. So I whipped up a raw version this afternoon. Craving satisfied! (Um, can we say how amazingly awesome it is that I am finally starting to figure out how to come up with raw food recipes myself!?)

Crust:

1 cup soaked cashews
1/2 cup almond or flax meal
4 dates
1 Tbsp. coconut butter
1/4 cup agave

Filling:


1 cup soaked macadamia nuts
1/2 cup soaked pine nuts
Juice of 2 lemons
3 Tbsp. coconut butter
1 tsp lemon zest
1 cup coconut milk (any type of nut milk will work)
1/4 - 1/2 cup agave (start with a 1/4 cup and add more depending on how sweet you want your bars)

Grind almonds or flax in your coffee grinder to make a meal. Then, make crust in food processor and the filling in blender. You want the filling to be smooth and creamy like yogurt - not thick like butter. It will thicken when it chills. Press crust into pan, pour filling on top and let chill in freezer or fridge for a few hours. Easy!

Our life is the sum total of our choices. We always have a choice. 

This is probably my husbands favorite raw dinner. Blending the mushrooms right into the sauce is the secret - it makes it hearty and filling. The spice comes from Sriracha hot sauce - yummm. It's a great meal to warm you as the weather starts to cool.  But of course you can always omit the Sriracha if you don't want your Pad Thai this spicy!

If you don't have a dehydrator, don't worry about it. Just let the mushrooms marinate a few hours longer and skip the dehydrating step. :)

1 large zucchini
2 carrots
6-8 mushrooms

Use a vegetable slicer or knife to slice zucchini into thin pasta-like strips. Slice carrots likewise - you can just use a vegetable peeler. Slice mushrooms and marinate them for about an hour.

Mushroom Marinade:

2 Tbsp Namo Shoyu
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp. agave

When mushrooms are done marinating place them in the dehydrator. (Make sure to save the marinade to make your sauce!) After the mushrooms have dehydrated for 1-2 hours - use 1/2 of them, along with the leftover marinade, and blend them with the following ingredients to make your sauce:

Pad Thai Sauce:


9/3-Oh my!! I just realized I left off one of the main ingredients! Almond Butter. If you've made this without it... I hope it was still good. And sorry!!

1/2 of the mushrooms
leftover marinade
3 Tbsp Raw Tahini
2 Tbsp raw almond butter
1 inch fresh ginger
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. Sriracha hot sauce (or 1/2 a jalapeno)
1 tsp lime juice

Toss zucchini, carrots, and the rest of the mushrooms in Pad Thai sauce and top with chopped scallions.

Note: You can always put the zucchini and carrots in the dehydrator for awhile just to warm and soften them a bit. Add a bit more Namo Shoyu to the sauce if you want it saltier - or a little water if you want the sauce thinner.


Our life is the sum total of our choices. We always have a choice. 

A perfect party snack! (If you can avoid eating them all before you get to the party. They are addictive!) This recipe is adapted from the Red Pepper Poppers over at the amazing Rawmazing. I had no idea that eggplant could make such a great bacon substitute!

You will have to prep the bacon 1 day ahead and the raw sour cream 2 days ahead.

Raw Sour Cream:

3/4 cup soaked cashews
Contents of 1 Probiotic capsule
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Dash of sea salt

Combine all ingredients in blender adding water until it's smooth and creamy. Place contents in bowl, cover loosely, and let sit at room temperature 1-2 days to ferment. Stir and taste it a few times a day. When desired sourness is reached cover and put in fridge.

Eggplant Bacon: 

Slice eggplant thin using a vegetable slicer (a knife will work if you don't have one.) Marinate for about 2 hours in a bowl with:

1/2 cup water,
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. chipotle
1 Tbsp agave.

After marinating, dehydrate for 24 hours or until crispy.

Cheese Filling:

1 cup pine nuts
1 cup raw sour cream
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp. paprika
Dash of salt

Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth (adding water as necessary.)

This will make enough cheese to stuff about 20 jalapenos sliced in half. Make sure to scoop all of the seeds and innards out of the jalapenos or they will be really hot! After stuffing I prefer to let them dehydrate a few hours so that the flavors can settle in and they will be nice and warm (and it seems to reduce the heat of the peppers as well.) Top with eggplant bacon and ta-da!




Our life is the sum total of our choices. We always have a choice. 

Many raw foodists aren't 100% raw - especially in the winter when we want something hot and produce is less abundant. Though I've become very passionate about this lifestyle, and want to share the benefits with the world, I'm not dogmatic about it. I want to inspire others to become conscious of their relationship to food and knowledgeable about how their choices effect the planet, their body, and their spirit. Above all, listening to our heart and our body is most important, not what someone else tells us we should or shouldn't eat.
Anyway, since this Not-Tuna Melt isn't totally raw it's a great transition recipe for those new to raw food - or for anyone who just wants a healthy vegan version of a tuna melt. Personally I haven't had much luck with making raw bread so unless that changes I'll be sticking with my gluten-free bread. And now that someone has FINALLY made a vegan cheese that actually tastes good (thank you Daiya!!) I'll be throwing that into more recipes as well! (Maybe it's been around for awhile but it's a new discovery for me.)
I layered the Not-Tuna on top of some Dill Cheese (raw) then sprinkled the Daiya cheese on top. Stick it in the dehydrator for a little while to melt the cheese - or just toast it. Somehow I forgot the tomato!



Not-Tuna:

1 cup soaked almonds
3 ribs celery
1/2 cup parsley
1 garlic clove
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 sheet of Nori
2 Tbsp. veganaise or cashew mayo
2 Tbsp chopped fresh (or dried) dill

Blend ingredients in food processor.

Dill Cheese Spread:

1 cup sunflower seeds (or cashews)
2 Tbsp. lemon
1 clove garlic
Dash of sea salt
Handful of fresh chopped dill

Blend ingredients in blender - add water as needed.

Our life is the sum total of our choices. We always have a choice. 

Excitement! I just enrolled in my first class at Living Light Culinary Institute! Since I want to coach people around healthy eating and raw food I decided to go the route of Raw Food Nutrition Educator Certification. (As opposed to the chef training. Of course I'd like to do that too, eventually, but I have a lot of pans in the fire right now! - or, in the dehydrator as it were.) I figure it's great to be able to make pretty looking food, but if you can't teach people how to be healthy eating it then it won't do ya' much good.
Anyway, my first class is Raw Food Nutrition 1. It's in October. I'm looking forward to it - not to mention a few days on the coast in beautiful Mendocino, California.
You know, I never expected to become this passionate about raw food. But here I am. You can't argue with the body and my body knows that it feels better (and looks better) than it ever has.
More than anything I am so grateful that my husband has taken this journey with me. And I'm so happy he loves it as much as I do. It's done us a world of good to find something so positive, healthy, and fun to channel our energy into together. Things are better than they've ever been. Crazy how getting healthy actually does more for a relationship than anything else possibly can. And it's true - raw food certainly does increase the love vibration. :)


Our life is the sum total of our choices. We always have a choice.