Raw & Healthy Travel Goodies

I love to see what other raw foodies take with them on extended travels, so I thought I'd share some of the things I'm taking with me ...

First up, Lonely Planet's guide to South India. These guides really do help when you're travelling. It's packed with info, maps, phone numbers and Hindi phrases. There's also a bag of Pure Fun's organic ginger spice hard candies. These candies aren't raw, but after almost 19 hours of travel (including 1 stop in Abu Dhabi) and inhaling all that recycled airplane air, the chances of me getting a cold are pretty high. So I'm bringing these candies along to help soothe my potential sore throat. There's also my revamped passport wallet hiding in the back.

I also made several baggies of raw trail mix. Normally I HATE these plastic, disposable, landfill loving baggies, and would opt for a reusable container instead. But since there's a weight limit for my luggage (not to mention a limited amount of space) and the heavier it is, the more fuel needed to propel the plane, I decided the best option was to use these light weight baggies. Once I eat the contents I plan on washing the baggies and re-using them, so there's hope for the planet yet!

The trail mix contains:

• raw almonds
• raw pumpkin seeds
• raw walnut pieces
• raw cashews
• dried goji berries
• dried cranberries
• dried cherries
• dried blueberries
• dried apricots
• dried & unsweetened dessicated coconut

Like most things these days, the trail mix is pretty much me trying to use up things I have in my cupboard. Although I did purchase some of the dried fruit specifically for this trip. I used a straw to try to suck out as much of the air as I could from each bag to help them stay fresh.

Of course I'm also taking my Diva Cup, a girl's best friend if you ask me (it's the small purple bag, top middle). I'm so glad I don't have to waste space in my suitcase with pads, tampons, liners, etc. If you haven't switched to a Diva Cup, do it today and you won't be sorry!

I'll also be stocking my suitcase with raw bars. These bars can be a little expensive, but if you choose your bar carefully, it can be a great quick & healthy snack. My usual bar has been LÄRAbar, but I've recently discovered a new raw bar, Perfect 10 that are made in Canada (see the little Canadian flag in the bottom left corner?).

Since the average temperature in the part of India I'll be in is 30 degrees Celsius, I'll need something to protect my Canadian skin from all those rays. I looked up the least toxic sunscreens on EWG's Skin Deep. I ended up purchasing Badger's SPF 30 because it scored the coveted 0 on Skin Deep's scale and is reasonably priced. Some of the reviews said the cream doesn't absorb into the skin easily and leaves a white film on the skin, which I admit is true. But I still prefer that over using some chemical cocktail Coppertone.

Lastly is my rose quartz mala. A mala, or prayer beads are used to keep count for those lengthy 108 chants. I'm sure I'll be making good use of the necklace (there's also Lonely Planet's The Travel Book in the picture. I'm not taking it with me. I just needed another item for the picture that could add height and I thought this book worked).

Before I head off to India, I'll be spending the holidays with my family. A new niece or nephew is due any day now. Hope everyone has a peaceful bliss filled season!

Raw Vegan Cookies, Teeccino & Soba Noodles

First up is a raw vegan salad ... and then I'll get to the raw cookies!

Raw Broccoli Slaw Salad

This is a simple easy one for when you're away from home. I used 1 bag of pre-cut broccoli slaw (broccoli stems, carrots and red cabbage) + 1 chopped cuke. Then dress it up with some cold-pressed sesame oil, a splash of Bragg's and a sprinkle of sea salt.

Now on to the cookies ...

Raw Cashew Cacao Chip Cookie

• raw cashew butter
• raw cacao powder
• raw sweetener (agave or honey)

Combine everything in a bowl until well mixed. Sorry I don't have exact measurements, I pretty much just winged it on this one. I like dark chocolate so I added quite a bit of cacao, but you can make it to suit your tastes.

Form small balls with the dough and flatten into rounds. To keep the cookie 100% raw, use cacao nibs or chopped raw nuts (I used carob chips because that's what I had). Refrigerate until firm.

Raw Gingerbread Sandwich Cookie
 

This was one of those things where everything goes wrong, but you love it anyway! My initial goal was to make a raw mock whipped cream using cashews. I've successfully done this several times in the past using whole cashews. But for some reason today I decided to experiment with cashew butter. I should have stayed with the whole cashews! The cashew mixture was tasty, but not whipped cream-like at all. It was just basically sweetened cashew butter. But I went ahead with my cookie idea anyhow.

I combined raw cashew butter with raw honey in the food processor (again sorry no exact measurements). Then cut a ginger snap flavoured LÄRABAR in half (if you're a purist you can make your own). Form the LÄRABAR into two balls and then flatten into a cookie shape. Layer on the sweetened cashew butter on one cookie and place the other on top to create a sandwich. Refrigerate until firm.

The end result was creamy with a hint of gingery deliciousness, even if it wasn't what I was aiming for. Ah, life! :)

"Coffee" with Sweetened Cashew Butter

Yup, you guessed it. I tossed some of that raw sweetened cashew butter in a warm mug of Teeccino herbal "coffee". Teeccino is a great option for late at night if you're hankering for a coffee, but want something that's caffeine free so you won't be up until 3 AM (like I was last night thanks to an invigorating late yoga class).

Cold Soba Noodles with Wasabi Sauce

The wasabi sauce added just enough kick to these buckwheat soba noodles without over powering it with too much spice.

I'm still having my daily green smoothie first thing in the morning. The recipe is pretty simple (greens + fruit + water), so I didn't post one today.

Hope you're all having a wonderful holiday season and making some time for healthy raw vegan food (well at least a little bit).

New Canada Organic Logo Sighting # 3

They're all coming out of the woodwork now. Yes, it's another new Canada Organic logo (I know the picture is a bit blurry and the logo is small, but trust me it's the Canada Organic logo).

This one was found on the 355 mL glass bottles of Kiju organic juice. The one in the picture is their new flavour, pomegranate cherry, but the logo was on the bottles of all 5 flavours. The day I took this picture I purchased a mango orange juice and it was delicious!!

To read about why this new logo is so important, read my previous posts on this topic here and here.

& happy logo hunting (although I'm probably the only one hunting for these logos)!

Simple Vegan Recipes

Here are a few of the vegan dishes I've been eating. Most are raw, but there's one cooked dish sneaked in there too ;)

Raw Carrot (cup)Cake (recipe from Ani Phyo's Ani's Raw Food Kitchen)

Remember the raw carrot soup I made last week? Well I made Ani's carrot cake with the leftover pulp. Since I didn't make a lot of soup, I cut the recipe by 3/4 and just made two small carrot cupcakes. The result was a light, but filling dessert (my favourite part was the creamy frosting that was surprisingly reminiscent of real cream cheese frosting!). Ani doesn't have the recipe on her website or YouTube, so you'll have to purchase her book for this one.

Raw Cranberry Zinger (recipe from Hamilton Beach)

I love this raw, healthy alternative to wine for holiday gatherings (or any other time of the year). The lemon also gives it just a touch of zing that will make your mouth sing!

• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
• 1 lemon
• 2 apples (I used honey crisp)

Toss everything in your juicer and enjoy the cranberry goodness that seeps out!

Raw Chocolate Fudge (recipe from gone raw)

• 4 tablespoon raw cacao powder
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon raw cashew butter
• 1 tablespoon raw almond butter (I omitted this and used 2 tablespoons of cashew butter)
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar
• 1 dash salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix everything in a bowl until well combined.

I molded the entire batch into a square, set it in the fridge overnight and cut it into four pieces the next day. Here's my first bite - rich, decadent and oh so fudgey!

Stuffed Roasted Turban Squash (inspired by Big Raw Vegan Blog)

When my mother received an organic turban squash grown by a friend, she asked me, "what am I going to do with it?" I remembered seeing a post on the Big Raw Vegan blog about stuffed squash, so I decided to try it out.

I simply cut off the top turban part (or cut an acorn or butternut squash in half), scooped out the seeds, coated the inside & outside with olive oil and stuffed the cavity with a vegan stuffing (ideally the stuffing would have been homemade, but I just used a vegan boxed one).

Toss in a 350 oven and bake for 1 hour or until tender. The turban needed more like 1 and a half, but I think that's because it was whole.

When the squash is cool enough to handle, peel off the skin (it should just slide right off now), and flip it so the stuffing side is down. The slice and serve. In the picture you can see a cross section of the yummy squash with stuffing.

DIY # 8: Eco Meditation Cushion

Have you seen the prices for a meditation cushion lately?! They're certainly not very zen ;) That's why I was super excited when I found this tutorial on how to make my own. I kept the cost nil by using leftover fabric both for the cushion itself and the stuffing. Traditionally hulled buckwheat is used for the filling, but I couldn't find a supplier for the buckwheat near me. So instead I used up my entire supply of fabric scraps filling the cushion. These scraps were too small, stained or faded to use in sewing, so I was glad to use them up without adding to the landfills. That means this project is made 100% from recycled materials and cost absolutely nothing!!

Start to finish this project took about 2 hours, but it's well worth the effort. Here's what you'll need:

• 59 inches of heavy fabric
• measuring tape
• straight pins
• Filling (fabric, buckwheat or other filling)

Start off by cutting 3 (or 4 if you want a handle) pieces of fabric. I used a heavy linen because that's what I had on hand, but any heavy fabric will do.

• 1 long strip - 59 inches long, 6-9 inches wide (this will determine the height of your cushion)
• 2 circles - 11-13 inches in diameter (this will determine the size of your cushion)
• 1 rectangular strip - 10 inches long & 3 inches wide (this is the handle) OPTIONAL

Steam iron all the pieces. Then begin making the pleats on the long strip. Starting 6 inches from the edge, make 3 marks on the fabric that are 3/4 inch away from each other (See diagram). Measure 3 inches from the last mark and make another set of 3 marks that are 3/4 inch away from each other. Continue in this pattern until you have 14 sets of pleats. Pin the pleats so they are all facing the same way and steam iron them in place.

Next you'll need to sew the edges of the pleated strip together to form the cushion. Fold it in half with the pleats in the inside and match up the raw edges. I chose to leave a space here in this seam for stuffing, so I didn't completely sew the entire seam. You can choose any seam to leave open though.

Then take 1 round piece and begin pinning it to the pleated strip right sides facing each other. By now your cushion should be taking shape. You can also choose to leave an opening here for the stuffing if you wish. If you are including a handle on your cushion you'll need to attach it here. Simply sew the long edges of the small rectangular piece you cut and turn inside out. Steam iron flat with the seam in the middle.

If you're really particular you can embroider the handle now, so the wrong side of the stitches will be hidden inside the handle. I wasn't entirely sure what I wanted to embroider, so I left this part until the end.

I chose to use a handle to "mask" my hand-stitched seam, so I inserted over the open seam in the pleated strip. Pin in the inside of the cushion with right sides together (so if you pulled the handle out the side with the seam should be facing you). Pin the handle in place.

Stitch on both circles and turn inside out using the seam you've left open. Stuff with filling. Hand stitch the opening closed.

If you can find hulled buckwheat it's the ideal filling for a meditation cushion. Aside from being natural (as opposed to the acrylic stuffing you buy in a plastic bag at the craft store) it also naturally repels dust mites and other critters that may be lurking in your cushions. It's allergy friendly and keeps its shape well, even after years of use.

Another New Canada Organic Logo Sighting

Hurray! The new Canada Organic logo is steadily proliferating among Canadian organic products. This one was seen on a bag of Salba Smart Organic White Corn Tortilla Chips. I almost missed it because the logo is in black and white. The red, white and green one is definitely more eye catching, but I guess it's up to the company as to whether they use the logo in colour or not.

I'm particularly happy to see this logo on tortilla chips, as I've seen chips sold in this same store labelled "organic" only to find when I read the ingredients on the back that only one or two ingredients are actually certified organic. This does not an organic chip make.

Remember when you see the Canada Organic logo you can rest assured that the product is 100% certified organic by a third party certifier (& at least 95% organic for non food products). To read more about this exciting new logo, read my post explaining the logo, or my post on Nature's Baby products, a company that is trying to fool customers into believing all their products are organic.

I wonder if anyone else in this world loves hunting for organic logos like I do ;)

Raw Food Recipes

I'll get right to the good stuff ... the recipes!

Fine & Dandelion Green Smoothie

Continuing with the raw green smoothies, I tried dandelion greens this week.

• 1 bunch dandelion greens, leaves & stems
• 1 banana
• 2 handfuls mixed frozen fruit
• 1 cup water

Combine everything in the blender until green and delicious!

Raw Cinny Pudding

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• agave or raw honey (to taste) I used 2 tablespoons
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• water (to make it blend to your desired consistency)

Combine everything in the blender until smooth. I topped it with a pinch more cinnamon.

I'm finally getting a bit more creative in the raw kitchen and coming up with my own recipes! My pudding creation came out so thick & creamy with just a hint of cinnamony flavour. I absolutely loved it! At first whiff it really reminded me of a spiced rice pudding (even though there's not a grain of rice in it).

Raw Creamy Carrot Soup

I really wanted to make a raw carrot cake, which required the pulp from juicing carrots, so I whipped up this creamy soup with the juice and a few other ingredients.

• 1 cup fresh carrot juice
• 1 avocado
• 1 stalk of celery, diced
• 1 roma tomato, chopped
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• dash of fresh thyme leaves
• splash of olive oil (cold-pressed)
• sea salt (to taste) I added 1/2 teaspoon

Combine everything in a blender until smooth.

If you have a high speed blender you probably won't need to juice the carrots first, they can go right into the blender. Last summer I tried to make a carrot soup without juicing the carrots and it didn't turn out well. This method (juicing) works best for me.

Averie's Peanut Butter Cups (recipe from Love Veggies and Yoga blog)

I instantly fell in love with these quick and easy peanut butter cups when I read the recipe on Averie's blog. If you want to make them raw you can use the chocolate recipe I posted previously with a raw nut butter filling. I had some carob chips leftover that I wanted to use up before my trip, so I went with that. I also didn't have any nutritional yeast as is used in the original recipe, so I used the thicker peanut butter at the bottom of my jar. This recipe makes 2 desserts. CAUTION: Carob has a distinctively bolder taste than dark chocolate, which not everyone enjoys. You can easily sub in a dark vegan chocolate chips instead. So many possibilities with this recipe!!

• 1 cup carob chips
• 2 teaspoons nut butter
• 2 paper muffin liners

Heat half the carob chips in a double boiler (or microwave). Be careful not to burn! When the carob is liquefied, pour a layer into the bottom of the muffin cups and spread evenly. Set aside for a few minutes to harden. Then spoon the nut butter into the middle. Heat the other half of the carob and pour into the muffin cups on top of the nut butter. Spread the carob evenly. Set aside for about half an hour to harden completely. I put mine in the fridge, but I think that made it too hard. When you're ready to eat, simply peel off the paper cup and consume.

Looks surprisingly like the candy you buy in the store, but tastes a lot better!

Passport Wallet Revamp

I'm getting ready for my trip to India. Dusting off my luggage, hunting for a paraben free sunblock and revamping my passport wallet! I bought this a few years ago, but I'm not diggin' the pale purple colour anymore. Instead of buying a new one I tried to figure out a way to make-over this one.

I went to the craft store and found this non-toxic & water based paint. I was skeptical that a water based paint would stick to the mock leather wallet, but it worked beautifully!

BEFORE (well almost before - I started painting and then remembered I needed to take a before pic).

AFTER - a beautiful deep purple (achieved after 2 coats of paint). I love it!

I personalized the back zipper with a blinged out A

 

Raw Food Nation Post

This afternoon I was browsing the Raw Food Nation website, when suddenly I see a very familiar looking raw vegan Thanksgiving plate - mine!! The kind folks there posted a pic and a link back here to my site in their Raw Thanksgiving Round Up. Thanks raw friends xoxo.

If you aren't familiar with the Raw Food Nation site, head over there now and check out their raw recipes page (the raw tacos look yummy!), inspirational stories, and other great info.

5 Eco-Friendly Toys

Remember when we were young and toy trucks were metal and dolls were made out of cotton? If you have kids or visit friends with kids, it doesn't take long to realize that most children's toys today are made out of plastic and come from China. Why not give the kiddos a BPA-free holiday this year and buy them a toy that makes a difference in this world? Here are some suggestions ...

1. HaPe Bamboo Race Car - My nephew was given this car last December and it was a hit! The metal handles on top are great for allowing little fingers to give this car a push, and the ergonomic design helps put the petal to the metal. And since it's made from a quick growing plant, the bamboo used to make this toy will probably grow back faster than your child out grows it.
   


2. Under the Nile Organic Cotton Toys - With so many beautiful certified organic cotton toys to choose from, you'll want to just buy them all. My personal favourites are the fruits and veggies. What better way to teach your kids early about the importance of good eating habits, than have them chew on an organic green bean when they're teething. Although I'm partial to the monkey too of course!


3. Plan Toys Ring Set - Remember ring towers? Kids must place the largest ring on the tower and then continue with the next largest ring and so on until all the rings are on. When is the last time you saw one that wasn't plastic? Not only does this toy teach your child about sizes and colours, but its also made of recycled rubber tree wood. All of their toys use soy and water based biodegradable ink. As an added bonus the tower is collapsible in case anyone happens to fall on it. Of course your kids never fall ;) [I also love the fruit and veggies that your child can "cut" and serve].


4. Yellow Label Kids Teapot - Your children are probably too young to play with a ceramic tea set, but you definitely don't want them playing with (& maybe drinking out of) a plastic set either. So buy them this darling hand crocheted 5 piece tea set. The women who knit each of Yellow Label's toys are paid a fair wage, so there's no detail overlooked. Of course there's also some fruit and veggie crochet rattles that are adorable too.
   
5. I saved the best and most thoughtful gift idea for last. Make your own! Get out your knitting needles, crochet hook, sewing machine or bottle of glue and get crafty. There are fabulous organic cotton and bamboo knitting yarns available at most craft stores. Or use some leftover fabric and sew up a storm. Last year I made my niece and nephew toys made from socks. Sure it was more work than going to a store and picking something off the shelf, but they're worth it and I bet your kids are too.

**Don't forget to vote in my first web poll ** (located on the right).

Yoga Asana of the Month (December)

I'm shaking it up this month with a video of acroyoga (part acrobatics & part yoga asanas). See if you can pick out the yoga poses in this incredible video ...

Voting Now Open

In honour of my super exciting announcement last week, I've decided to launch my first web poll. Here's the question du jour:

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Please place your vote in the box on the right.

Bonus Homework Assignment: What barriers are keeping you from realizing this dream, and how can you tear them down?

Happy Travellin'

UPDATE: Poll is now closed.

DIY # 7: Bath & Body Products

Over the years I've cut back on the number of lotions and potions that I buy commercially. The unpronounceable ingredients and questionable preservatives irritate my skin, my planet and my wallet! While I still buy products like shampoo and conditioners at my health food store, other things like moisturizers, body sprays, bath salts and exfoliators are quick, easy and inexpensive to make myself - so I do. Here are some of my own personal recipes:

Bath Salts

So simple and easy you'll wonder why you ever went to Lush (which uses the dreaded SLS by the way). Combine 1 cup of Epsom salts with 4-5 drops of pure essential oil. Mix well. You can add dried rose petals or lavender flowers if you have some. Add a few tablespoons of these salts to your next relaxing bath.

Moisturizing Winter Face Mask

The next time you're cutting into an avocado, don't throw out the peel, use it as a moisturizer instead. After scooping out the avocado, turn the peel inside out and rub the inside of the peel on your face and neck. Leave it on for 5 minutes and then rinse with warm water. You should feel the results immediately. This is great for those loooong Canadian winters.

Anti-Bacterial Moisturizing Face Mask

Did you know that honey is naturally anti-bacterial? That's why this face mask is especially good if you have acne. It's also incredibly moisturizing too. Honey isn't vegan, so use your own discretion on this one. I buy raw honey from a local biodynamic farm, which for me is a better choice than buying a chemical laden lotion probably made in China. For this mask, simply spread the honey on your face and neck and leave it on for 10-20 minutes. Rinse off with warm water. You feel noticeably softer skin immediately.

Dry Lip Scrub

Here's another one especially good for those living in cold climates. When your lips are dry and chapped mix a pinch of sea salt with a bit of olive oil. I mix them in the palm of my hand, but you can use a bowl. You only need a tiny bit. Spread the mixture on your lips and rub them together gently. The salt will help remove the dry flakes and the olive oil moisturizes and soothes your chapped lips. Rinse with warm water.

Vegan Lip Balm

Many commerically available "all natural" lip products contain beeswax. If you'd like to avoid this, use organic coconut oil instead. Coconut oil (sometimes referred to as coconut butter as it's solid) glides on smooth just like store bought lip balm. The oily nature helps to moisturize your lips and if you're into raw food, you probably have some in your cupboard anyway. You can even scoop a bit out and put it in an oil lip balm jar to keep in your purse or at the office. Careful in the summer though. This stuff will liquefy in the summer heat, so you probably don't want to carry it in your purse.

Wound Cleaner

As a kid my parents used Ozinal on us when we got minor cuts, but have you ever read the ingredients in that thing? A few years ago I saw Dr. Oz on Oprah recommending salt water. So I gave it a try and it really works. Simply mix warm water with a pinch of sea salt (don't make it over salty or it will sting). Apply to wound and let dry. Cover wound with a band-aid and re-apply as needed.

Other beautifying products/techniques that I use:

• Neti-pot nasal rinse
• oil pulling
• dry brushing
• regular ionic foot baths

Organic Tip # 5: Shady Coffee Farms Are A Good Thing

Recently I have been seeing more and more coffees labelled as organic, fair trade and shade grown. Most people understand the first two of these three distinct (although often interconnected) processes, but what exactly is shade grown coffee?

When coffee was first introduced to the West, it was not grown in an open field as most crops are, but grown in the shade provided by a diverse species of native shade trees. These trees protect the coffee plants growing beneath them from rain and sun, help maintain soil quality, reduce the need for weeding, and aid in pest control by fostering or attracting predators such as songbirds. This was how coffee was grown for more than 200 years. In fact original coffee plants were quite intolerant of the sun and direct sunlight would burn the leaves.

Unfortunately as is the case with virtually all crops, farmers looked for ways to increase the coffee plant's yields and make harvesting the beans easier, quicker and more cost effective. About 30 years ago sun resistant coffee plants were developed. Of course these sun grown plants required more chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides than their shade grown counterparts. Not to mention all the birds and small animals that lost their homes to make way for a monoculture coffee farm.

Shady coffee farms (and I mean that in a good way) provide habitat for a great number of migratory and resident birds, reptiles, friendly insects, butterflies, bats, plants and other organisms. Focusing solely on birds, shade coffee fields shelter up to two-thirds of the bird species found in natural pristine forests in the same geographic areas. In contrast, sun coffee fields shelter less than one-tenth of bird species. Among transformed land, shade-grown coffee is most likely the crop that supports the highest diversity of migratory birds, native flora and fauna (source: Perfecto et. al. 1996, Greenberg et. al. 1997).

Not all organic coffee is shade grown, and just because it's shade grown doesn't mean its organic. However shade grown coffee uses far less chemicals than sun grown coffee, so be sure to read your labels people.

And now the obvious question ... where can I get it?

Fair trade organic coffee is everywhere now. Add shade grown to the mix and it's a little harder, but definitely not impossible. Here's a few to get you started:

Bridgehead - An Ottawa based company that offers a line of organic, fair trade & shade grown coffee and tea. Available to order online.

Pura Vida Coffee - Online shop offering organic, fair trade shade grown coffee.

Starbucks - offers an organic shade grown medium roast from Mexico. I'm glad to see shade grown going mainstream.


You can also ask your local coffee hang-out if they serve shade grown coffee. If not, ask them to start!

5 Links, Articles & Videos From 'Round the Web

1. I have a secret to confess ... I've never opened a young Thai coconut. I'm afraid of accidentally chopping off my hand! But this video, which shows an experienced raw chef opening one, and then a newbie trying it herself, helps to calm my fears. I love how excited she is when she actually opens the coconut. Very inspiring.


2. A Salad in Motion Remains in Motion by Natalia Rose via Crazy Sexy Life. This wonderfully written article details the importance of eating raw living foods, how it helps kick start our digestive system, and why some raw newbies mistakenly believe the excess gas and bloating they may feel in the beginning is a sign that raw food doesn't agree with them. This is one of my favs from this site.


3. Greenpeace's StopGreenWash.org. Phenomenal site to learn about greenwashing (which is when a company uses buzz words and fancy ad campaigns to look like they're offering an environmentally friendly product, when in fact they are not). You can also comment on and upload your own greenwashing product finds.


4. Bad, Bad Baby Carrots by Girlie Girl Army. I've been hearing a lot of conflicting evidence about whether baby carrots are rinsed with chlorine or not. This article offers a few other reasons to avoid those little orange sticks (with some humorous antidotes along the way). It also makes me wonder if pre-package lettuce is treated with chlorine as well. Either way, I'm steering clear of all pre-packaged veggies.


5. Pimp My Swine Flu Mask photo gallery. I generally don't like the use of the word pimp because it's misogynistic. But I do like creative non vaccine preventions of the flu. Plus this is totally hilarious!

Vegetables Are All Your Body Needs

... well you probably need some nuts and sea veggies in there too, but isn't this ad from the International Vegetarian Union awesome? I wish I had a poster sized version.

Meatless Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday & FOREVER

Okay, I'm not making fun of the Meatless Monday campaign, because I think it has introduced a lot of people to vegetarianism that otherwise wouldn't have tried it. But why stop at just Monday? You know it's always meatless on this blog ;)

I've still been drinking my green smoothies every morning - and LOVING it! I had some leftover cranberries from my raw vegan cranberry sauce, so I've been adding it to my morning greeny goodness (sorry no picture).

• 2 large handfuls swiss chard (or any other green)
• 1 banana
• 2 handfuls of cranberries
• 1 cup of coconut water (or water)

Raw Chocolate Cashew Stuffed Dates

This quick and easy dessert will change the meaning of "once you pop, you can't stop". Combine 1 tablespoon of Artisana raw organic cashew butter (or other nut butter of course) with 1 teaspoon of cacao powder (I pretty much just winged it, so the measurements aren't exact). Then slice a few dates half way through and remove the seed. Holding the date length-wise, pinch it gently to allow the date to open up and create a cavity. Fill the cavity with the chocolate cashew mixture.

Don't try to take a bite out of these tiny treasures, just pop the whole thing in your mouth and enjoy.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Ginger, Basil & Coconut (recipe from ascent magazine)

• 1 large butternut squash, cut in half
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2-3 inch piece ginger, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch dried red chili flakes
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• 1 lime, juiced
• 5-6 leaves fresh basil, chopped
• 1 cup coconut milk

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Brush the cut sides with olive oil and place them cut-side down on an oiled baking sheet. Bake until soft, approximately 40 minutes.

Scoop the squash from the skins once cool enough to handle. Heat the remaining olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and ginger and stir while cooking until they are soft, about 8 minutes. Add the coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon and chili flakes, and cook for another 2 minutes, continuing to stir.

Add the squash, along with the vegetable stock or water, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook for 10–15 minutes. Add the lime juice, herbs and coconut milk. Ladle into bowls and garnish with extra coconut milk, more herbs, or anything else that inspires you.

Averie's Breakfast Cookie - Chocolate Version (recipe from Love Veggies and Yoga blog)

• 1 banana, mashed
• 1/3 cup dry oats
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 packet chocolate brown rice protein powder (or your fav)
• few swirls of agave or honey

Combine everything in a bowl with a cover and refrigerate overnight. The next morning uncover your "cookie" and devour.

I don't usually do the protein powder thang, but when I received a free sample of this chocolate brown rice vegan protein powder, I decided to try out Averie's recipe. Reading her daily posts have become part of my morning routine, so I saw it as fitting to make a breakfast recipe from her blog.

Raw Chana Masala (recipe from Raw Gastronomy)

• 1 cup sprouted chickpeas (about 1/2 cup dried chickpeas)
• 1/2 avocado
• 1/4 cup olive oil (cold-pressed)
• 1/4 red onion
• 1 fresh tomato, diced
• 1-inch piece of fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• sea salt and pepper, to taste

Soak raw chickpeas overnight (use lots of water). Sprout the chickpeas for a few days until tiny tails start to appear. See my previous post on making your own sprouts. If you sprout chickpeas too long, the beans will get too bitter. These beans were sprouted a little too long - 3 days. I'll probably only sprout them for a day and a half next time I make this recipe.

Combine all the other ingredients in the food processor until well combined. Mix the sauce with the chickpeas sprouts. Garnish with fresh basil if desired.

Rawdorable Chocolate N'ice Cream (recipe from Rawdorable blog)

• 1 banana, frozen
• 1 teaspoon cacao powder
• pinch of sea salt
• drizzle of olive oil (cold-pressed)

I've wanted to try this unusual recipe for awhile. Since the winter weather is unusually delayed this year, I figured this might be my last chance for raw ice "cream" for awhile (it's too cold for me to eat when it starts getting colder). Today was an unseasonably warm 13 degrees. In mid-November - it's crazy.

Combine the first two ingredients in a food processor until it resembles ice cream. Scoop into a chilled bowl and top with a sprinkle of sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil.

I know, I know it seems weird. But it's actually quite good ... well if you enjoy olive oil that is ;)