Welcome to my blog about my LOVE for God's Raw Living food. Please join me on my journey towards health and wellness. I truly believe that pure natural raw living food is the doorway to a healthy body, mind, and spirit.
January 6, 2010
An empanada is a Spanish and Portuguese stuffed bread or pastry, also known as “impanada” in Italy. The name comes from the verb empanar, meaning to wrap or coat in bread. Empanada is made by folding a dough or bread patty around the stuffing-Wikipedia
I am waiting for the empanada pastries to be done so I can fill them with cheese and serve it to my deserving husband. I ate some of the cheese today with the tomato relish on lettuce leaves. I couldn’t resist. The meal is going to be delicious! I loved the cheese and relish.
Pastry Ingredients
flax meal
corn kernals
water
olive oil
cumin
red onion, roughly chopped
garlic
salt
lime juice
cayenne
The flax was in a bowl set aside. The remaining ingredients were put into the food processor.
I mixed it up by pulsing it. I turned it on and the liquid starting seeping out of the food processor.
I think this could also be done in the Vita-mix.
I then added the corn mixture into the flax meal and mixed it up. I measured 1/4 cup of the mixture and spread it on the Teflex sheet into 3-4 inch circles.
Then placed it in the dehydrator. I left it in there until 4 hours later. After 4 hours, I placed another dehydrator tray on top of the dry empanadas to flip it over and peel off the sheet. I couldn’t take them off any other way, they were far too wet.
I am expecting them to be done in about 2 hours. Hope Jason can wait to eat them.
First I put about 1 T cheese on the side of the empanadas. Then added spinach to some of them.
I folded the empanada over and squeezed the sides over into eachother
I had to hold the spinach in place so it would not fall out
They turned out perfect and then I placed them back into the dehydrator for a few minutes to become warm throughout!
THE FINAL AMAZING MEAL!! I WILL MAKE THIS AGAIN AND AGAIN!! THEY WERE FILLING BUT NOT TOO HEAVY! If you have his book please try to make these!!
Cilantro-Mint Ingredients
fresh cilantro
fresh mint
olive oil
I CREATE MY REALITY WITH MY THOUGHTS-Wayne Dyer from Daily Affirmations on drwaynedyer.com
Posted 15 years, 8 months ago at 6:56 pm. Add a comment
January 5, 2010
My boys are getting ready to go back to school tomorrow. I can’t believe the vacation is over. We will be waking very early and I am sure they will want to stay in bed because it will be freezing. They are used to staying up late and waking up around 9am. So they are going to be in for a big surprise tomorrow morning and so am I. Jason also starts school early in the morning. So I will be on my own tomorrow working on projects that I wanted to finish before I head back to school. Only one day.
Tonight I made tomato relish and the filling for empanadas. I didn’t have corn so I couldn’t make this part of the recipe, but I will try to do that tomorrow. The relish has an italian flair with parsley and oregano in it. I think I will eat some with zucchini spaghetti. I love fresh sauce.
Filling Ingredients
pine nuts, soaked
lemon juice
salt
nutritional yeast
scallions
All made in the Vita-mix.
Relish Ingredients
diced tomatoes
onions
olive oil
parsley
oregano
lime juice
lime zest
I used the food processor to save on time and I think it came out beautiful! I love the flavor, it is very fresh and the lime is nice with the parsley and oregano. I always feel like lime should be used with cilantro and cayenne, so this was a change from the norm.
Dinner will be served tomorrow! I need to pick up corn, cilantro and mint. I tried to purchase mint the other day and all stores were sold out. I did see a plant the other day, but the aroma didn’t smell like spearmint. I have had mint before and it died. I need to take some gardening classes. I look at my dead lavender and I feel so sad. I loved that plant. If I would ever try to live off the grid I would really need to learn how to grow the plants or else I would really be in trouble. I am putting it out there into the Universe…I want to be a better gardener!
Begin somewhere. You cannot build a reputation on what you intend to do.
– Liz Smith
Posted 15 years, 8 months ago at 7:19 pm. Add a comment
January 4, 2010
I loved this dessert so much I could hardly wait to write in my blog. This recipe came out perfect! Jason opened my coconut before work (yes I still don’t open those) he splits them down the middle so it is easy for me to remove the meat. I had a ton of running around to do today so I just made the recipe this evening. My plan is to freeze the flan and save them for the potluck this month. I was doubting that these ingredients would work together. For some reason, ginger, Irish moss and agave just didn’t sound appetizing to me, but they are divine:) This is a sweet dessert with a touch of ginger in it. My sesame brittle came out rather chewy, but still delicious. The presentation of the sesame brittle is rather repulsive, well, repulsive may be a bit too extreme but never the less I hid the brittle under the flan. I was not hungry until I tried this. After I tried it I couldn’t stop. I have never tried a dessert that has ginger. The closest thing I have had are ginger chews. I can’t wait for my hubby to get home to try it! He can only have one though (hee hee). I am going to have a smorgasbord this month at the potluck. I can’t wait!
Ginger Date Flan Ingredients
coconut meat
cashews
raw agave
minced ginger
Irish moss
dates (I had to use Himalayan Golden Raisins, but they are delicious and so chewy)
vanilla extract
nutmeg
I put the recipe into little cups to serve at the potluck. I wish I could make it look more beautiful, but the taste will win them over.
I am going to write a pamphlet for the raw food classes. I am talking to a lady tomorrow to possibly do the classes in a public building. I am so excited. Tomorrow can’t come quick enough. I will keep you posted! Goodnight everyone!
“The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you, depend on no one. Only the moment you reject all help are you freed.”-Buddha
Posted 15 years, 8 months ago at 9:02 pm. Add a comment
January 3, 2010
I had a full day today. I woke up early and went to work. I was exceptionally tired because when I fell asleep last night, my kids got home. I am so grateful that they had a wonderful and safe trip. Sabby wanted to show me all of his pics, I was too tired, so I told him to go to sleep then I would see them today. It was 2:30am. I sent them to bed, but then I was up thinking about all the things I want to do. I was actually going to wake up and start working on things, but I made myself lay there.
After I worked in the morning I went to Unity. We had a white stone ceremony. It was so awesome. We meditated on our new name. This is actual ceremony that is from the Israelites. I guess when a criminal served his time he was given a white stone that showed he was free. This was the second part of the ceremony we had last week. We are free from the bondage of last year and on to a better year. I never heard of these stones, but the reference of it is in Revelation and John. I still need to look it up. My thoughts were very clear today when I went so I was able to receive. The words that kept emanating were EXISTENCE AND POWERFUL. I tried to hear something else but I kept hearing those words so we were instructed to write them down. She did say that we will find out what they mean when the time is right. I am anxious to see what God’s plan is this year for me:)
From what I got out of it so far is that He is always there and I do have a plan according to HIS plan. He is the most powerful and He does exist! Everywhere and in Every situation!
I decided to surprise my hubby with an awesome smoothie when he returns home.
Vanilla-E Ingredients
frozen banana
vanilla extract
vanilla bean, scraped
tocotrienols (powder supplement in the Vitamin E family)
almond milk
sea salt
Blended in Vita-mix.
Delicious!
It is a symbol of overcoming adversity or an ex-ternal challenge. And when we overcome there is a shift in consciousness – we grow, we change, and our lives become richer. We become blessed and nourished by new things.-Donna Smith on the white stone ceremony
Posted 15 years, 8 months ago at 10:50 pm. Add a comment
January 2, 2010
I just got back from a day in Orlando with my hubby. We had such an awesome day. We went to a cleansing class. A woman and Chef Olive gave a presentation on cleansing. I really enjoyed the information. We learned the importance of bowel movements, cleansing, and skin brushing. I have been wanting to attend Chef Olive’s pot lucks and seminars and I finally made it today! Praise God. I have already fulfilled one of my New Year goals(attending at least one of her gatherings). She is doing a 21 day Challenge and will be doing classes on Sundays at 3pm at Whole Foods on Turkey Lake. If you are interested go to Meetup.com and look for Central Florida Raw Food Meetup. I am going to try to attend as many as possible. She is a wealth of knowledge, she has humor and she is a blast to listen to. I am so grateful I was able to go.
After the seminar I went with Marsha, Tom, Gayle, Jason and a new friend Georgia to Cafe 118.
The food was of course delicious. The restaurant is based on Matthew Kenney’s recipes. The staff was pleasant, environment is warming, and the meals were delicious. We all ordered either the Spinach Lasagna or Chile Relenos.
The chile relenos makes me want to make the recipe tomorrow! It was perfect for my tastebuds. I am grateful I chose this meal. It was exactly what I needed.
Of course we had the brilliant desserts. Jason and I shared the Hazel nut torte. What a great choice.
I enjoyed the time with friends and great food.
I was not eager to get home, I loved the entire day, and starting tomorrow it is lonely days without my hubby. He is returning to nursing school and work. Kids go back to school on Wednesday and I am eager to start school again on Thursday. I am really anxious to start learning again!
Before I left today I made the sesame brittle. I was going to do the pear sauce to make the raviolis, but I decided that I am going to wait and make them for the Potluck this month. I didn’t have the right color sesame seeds for this recipe. I probably should have waited to make these because the presentation is not very pretty. I have had this page dog eared for many weeks so I was anxious to do it. Black sesame seeds and brown flax is probably the worst to use together. They are in the dehydrator. I haven’t tried them. Quite honestly I am supposed to flip them over off of the teflex sheet but I am really afraid to look at them, but I guess I have to.
Brittle Ingredients
sesame seeds
flax seeds, ground
maple syrup
sea salt
In the recipe book the brittle almost looks transparent, mine however does not! If the flavor is good I will probably try to do this with lighter colors.
Dehydration time is 24 hours, flipped after 12 hours. This recipe goes with ginger date flan with mint syrup and shaved pear. I found out how enjoyable pears are. In fact I just ate one and it was perfect!
I am getting sleepy so I am going to lay down. My boys are on the way home from their adventures in the snow. So I am waiting for them to arrive. My father took them to North Carolina so they could see snow and go sledding. What an awesome Grandpa! Thank you Dad:)
My day was unbelievable and I hope that my wish comes true that I get to be involved with Chef Olive’s Challenge. There is so much to learn. I always want to improve myself and I believe that through cleansing and raw food and of course and most importantly through God I can be the person I am designed to be according to HIS plan.
Goodnight!
“He who has health, has hope; and he who has hope, has everything.”
Arabian Proverb
Posted 15 years, 8 months ago at 11:18 pm. Add a comment
January 1, 2010
Wow, that is the first time I wrote the new year. I just got home from work and I made my cheese earlier. Here is the recipe:
Ricotta Ingredients
cashews
lemon juice
water
olive oil
salt
nutritional yeast
All ingredients went into food processor for about 3 minutes. I stored it in the refrigerator until tomorrow. I fell asleep last night with my wraps in the dehydrator, so I woke up early this morning and I ran to the dehydrator. I was so mad, but I opened it up and found out that my wraps were perfect! I am going to watch the Gator game with my hubby, it’s the last Gator game for Tim Tebow. He has been waiting all week to watch it.
I am looking forward to tomorrow’s meal and the cleansing class I am scheduled to go to.
Enjoy the journey, enjoy every moment, and quit worrying about winning and losing.
Matt Biondi
Posted 15 years, 9 months ago at 9:36 pm. 1 comment
December 31, 2009
Well, it will be the year 2010 in less than 3 hours. All day I have been thinking about all the wonderful things that have happened this year. So many great things have happened it’s hard to recap it in just a few words.
One of the most exciting things is the Raw Food Gatherings that I started. What’s even better from that are the most amazing people that I have met through them. I connected with so many people that are like minded and excited about the Raw Food Lifestyle. I have made some of the greatest friends that I have ever known.
I started this project 6 months ago and it has brought me a new understanding about my love for food. I have a deeper love for the food prep and know that raw food is a doorway to so much more than just the nutrients. I have a deeper spiritual awareness and a deeper appreciation of my earthly body than I have never known. I switched churches this year and found a place that I can feel at peace with myself and it will house the Raw Food Gatherings that our group will have. It was difficult leaving a church that I loved so much but in turn I found a place that I feel is very unique just like myself:)
I have lost friends but have gained a deeper understanding of what friendship is and what I expect from others as friends.
I attended Raw Spirit Festival in Maryland with 2 wonderful people (D’Adjoa and Destiny) that I met this year. We also met the other half of our raw food friends from Gainesville there too (Marsha, Theresa, Steve, Jackie, and Ruth).
I feel the year, 2010, will be so much better and I am looking forward to the next 6 months of my project. I plan on staying as raw as possible. I plan on learning to sew, learning to play guitar, meditating more, loving myself more, in turn, giving love to others. I want to remain open to new friendships and embrace the people I meet. I have been holding back for so many months. I think I needed time to embrace my life and realize what I have. For this time I am very grateful.
Happy New Year Everyone!
Tonight I decided to make the Immunity smoothie and the raviolis. Jason wanted to drink the coconut water but I decided to make him the immunity smoothie to share with Cathy, my sister. It turned out delicious.
Immunity Ingredients
1 1/2 cups frozen banana
1 packet frozen Acai (I used Sambazon)
1 cup frozen blueberries
2 cups coconut water
1 t vanilla
1 pinch of salt
Cathy and Jason enjoying my smoothie. I love when people eat my food.
I also made the raviolis. These turned out so beautiful. I love the bright colors. I feel like I painted tonight with all these vibrant colors.
These are the beet raviolis going into the dehydrator
These are the spinach raviolis going into the dehydrator
Beet and Spinach Raviolis Ingredients
2 cups chopped coconut meat
2 T spinach juice
1/4 t salt
2 T beet juice
Blend half the coconut with spinach juice and half the salt in Vita-mix until very smooth. Spread very thin on dehydrator Teflex sheets and dehydrate 3-4 hours. Repeat the process with the beet version using beet juice instead of spinach juice. Remove from the Teflex sheets and trim edges. Cut into 9 squares to fill with cheese.
I am going to enjoy the rest of my night with my sister and my fam. Christian is not here:( He is at his friends house. I know he wanted to go so I let him. I know he will have fun with his friends. It’s a blue moon tonight. And it won’t happen for another 19 years. I am listening to Sabby play rock band. He is playing the drums and has the microphone in his shirt. It’s so funny. After he is done playing, I am going outside. Enjoy your night!
“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man.” – Benjamin Franklin
“Blue Moon, guide us through the shades of darkness as we welcome 2010 under your brilliant light.”
Posted 15 years, 9 months ago at 9:23 pm. Add a comment
December 30, 2009
Ingredients
frozen pineapple chunks
young coconut meat
agave
mint leaves
coconut water
vanilla
sea salt
Christian, Jason and I tried this delicious smoothie. This is my favorite so far. I would like to make it for a hot day sitting by the ocean. It makes me want to hear the Pina Colada song. That is such a fun song. I had visions of sitting on a sandy beach with a cool breeze laying there with my absolutely gorgeous husband!
We will one day….
For now, we are off to Palatka to go to the Garden Ravines. It’s going to be a beautiful day!
I love spending time with the fam, there is only one week left until we all go back to school! It went too quick!
love builds up the broken wall
and straightens the crooked path.
love keeps the stars in the firmament
and imposes rhythm on the ocean tides
each of us is created of it
and i suspect
each of us was created for it”–Maya Angelou
Posted 15 years, 9 months ago at 10:15 am. Add a comment
December 29, 2009
After having last night’s smoothie, I decided I would make another smoothie today. I tried a sip and Jason finished it. We both enjoyed it very much. It was perfect for an after workout snack. Coconut water is always so hydrating for us. I used Bio Greens for the blue-green algae. I did have spirulina lost in my refrigerator somewhere, so I decided to use Bio Greens. Bio Greens seems to really work best for both of us. The last few times I have had spirulina, it made me feel weird.
The Blue Green Ingredients
young coconut meat
extra virgin coconut oil
blue green algae
agave
fresh mint
coconut water
vanilla
sea salt
All ingredients were blended in the Vita-mix.
I ate completely raw today (except my toasted carob). I feel so good, after a session at the gym and a bike ride with the fam. Feeling clean is better than any feeling on earth. I feel unstoppable when I eat God’s food ONLY! Thank you Lord for showing me the way, and allowing me to follow what my body needs and not what my old habits want. Through this last year I really have been listening to my body, but sometimes ignoring it. Ignoring what I hear only ends in devastation of weight gain and depression. Raw food has been a door way to health for me (emotionally, physically, and spiritually), which I am very grateful.
Now I’m going to rest and watch a movie, 9 with the kids, our plan is to leave in the morning and go to Palatka. There is a beautiful park there. I am praying the weather will be nice for all of us. I have been wanting to take the boys to this place for years. I will let you know how it goes.
“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
Albert Einstein
Posted 15 years, 9 months ago at 7:00 pm. Add a comment
December 28, 2009
Mint is my favorite flavor right now, even over chocolate or carob! Chocolate mint always reminds me of the winter season. I couldn’t pass this recipe up considering the 3 coconuts in my refrigerator waiting to be used. I bought a case of them, hoping I would finally get to my coconut wraps that I have been wanting to make. I still have that dynamic recipe to do. I think it will be delicious but I am hesitant to make it because of the many steps.
Mint Cacao Cooler Ingredients
1/2 cup young coconut meat
1/4 cup agave
1/2 vanilla bean scraped
1/4 cup cacao powder
2 cups almond milk
10 fresh mint leaves
All ingredients were placed in a Vita-mix. It makes 2 smoothies or 4 small dessert size drinks.
It is going to freeze tonight, so I should go find my cat outside so she doesn’t freeze, maybe now she will understand that it is cold and it is time to come in. She dislikes the indoors so much. I think because she was a stray kitten. I like to believe that it is in her genes. She is the ruler of the neighborhood. The funny thing about it, is our neighbors have a band named Bad Kitty and they named their boat BAD KITTY, so it is on the side of the boat. Well, they are selling it now, so they have it out front and our cat has adopted it as it’s home. I love to see her peak over the side and the letters are screaming BAD KITTY right underneath her. Priceless. I still have to get a photo.
“In a cat’s eye, all things belong to cats.” – English proverb
I just came across this old photo of my dad and David Wolfe. I was actually annoyed that my recipe photos were stored in the wrong file, and then I found this pic! I found out that DW was going to be at an opening of a juice cafe in San Diego, so I told my dad. My dad does so much for me, he showed up to the opening to get a photo. This might be the best picture of my dad that I own! You gotta love his dedication to me and making me smile! I love you DAD!
Posted 15 years, 9 months ago at 10:44 pm. Add a comment
Living Rawesome 
