"The problem is we are not eating food anymore, we are eating food-like products"

- Dr Alejandro Junger, "Hungry for a Change"

detox chococado smoothie (no banana)

No chocolate doesn't mean no cocoa! 8 days into the cleanse, I've found that I'm no longer craving as much sweetness as I used to. A scant 1/4 cup of blueberries in this smoothie was enough to satisfy my sweet tooth in this smoothie (allowing me another half serving of fruit later on if I so desire). The coconut milk and avocado lend to a dreamy creamy smoothie that doesn't make me miss my usual addition of banana. In fact, this smoothie is so delicious that I've been having it for breakfast for the past 3 days consecutively! Damn, smoothie, you good, you reaaaaal good.

Wild Rose D-Tox-friendly comfort smoothie/thickie:

- 1/2 avocado
- handful leafy greens
- 3 TBSP cacao powder
- 1/2 + cup coconut milk 
- almond milk to thin
- 1 TBSP coconut oil
- 2 TBSP almond butter
- 1/4 cup blueberries, frozen

optional
- spices (cayenne, cinnamon, nutmeg, garam masala)
- add-ins (flaxseed, maca, bee pollen, green algae powders)

Whirrrrrrr it up!

rawtkober: day sixteen

Yesterday, I ran into a raw foodist friend of mine from a few years back. He immediately asked, "are you eating raw? Because you're absolutely glowing!" He told me twice. I blushed the whole way home. Maybe he's right- I do feel lighter, airier, and my skin has been clearer than usual. It sure is nice to hear, though. Do you feel any changes?

     Oh! I absolutely have to share my corn salad recipe. It's heaven, I swear. I feel like it's summer again. Also, I put up the recipes for raw carrot cake and my raw thanksgiving, like I promised. Sorry for the delay-- I don't think I can commit to this whole post-a-day thing long term, I just get so busy with schoolwork (and wine- ahem) sometimes!

rawktober: day thirteen

Thirteen's a weird number. It looks weird. Like it's missing a letter. It's missing a "t," right? I mean, isn't it pronounced thirt-teen? 

It's bothering me.

Moving on.

Here's a slightly delayed post about my Thanksgiving dinner[s]. As you can see in the picture, I was occupied with my wine and it wasn't safe to have my laptop nearby. I make enough of a fool of myself as it is. This was my first holiday as a raw vegan (my Eastern-European family and family friends are still having a hard time accepting my veganism, and raw veganism is way up there on the wtf factor list), so I BYO dinner'd it. I decided to try out ATV's sweet potato dumplings (YUM!) with a few modest modifications that my taste buds can't do without - aka herbs & spices.

rawktober: day twelve

,,On the twelfth day of rawktober, my true love gave to me..''

     Just kidding, I don't have a true love. Wait, that's a lie, I do. It's food. So, I guess, my true love gave me satiety. (....Am I a nerd?)  Today I'm posting a recipe for raw vegan carrot cake. I've been wanting to make one for ages, so here's my first go (and there will certainly be plenty more attempts to perfect it to come!)

rawktober: day nine

I've got herpes.

- insert awkward pause -

     Sheesh, guys, chill out! I can see you freaking out over there, desperately dragging your mouse towards the close button on this open tab before you catch the virus via computer screen!!! Eeeek!!! What I mean is that I've got the gene for mouth herpes- in other words, I get cold sores. Yes, they're ugly. Yes, they hurt. And Yes, it sucks. But no, they're not contagious unless you also have the gene. For me, there's a few things that trigger my cold sores: stress, sleep deprivation, weather, and, of course, contact with someone who's got one. Since I'm obviously oh so painfully single at the moment, the first three factors must've set off these babies I've been sporting since yesterday! Wheee! ...not. Any of you that get cold sores know how big of a pain in the ass they are. I'm not even gonna start my rant. What I am going to do, however, is share a recipe for the scrumptious meal I prepared for myself this evening in honour of the offensive sprouting going on on my labium and of my sovereignty at the dinner table (aka life). 

Read on for the recipe as well as some tips on dealing with labial herpes (bro, I feel ya)

rawktober: day seven

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YOU KNOW IT'S A BAD DAY WHEN YOU PUT YOUR BRA ON BACKWARDS AND IT FITS BETTER.

unknown

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I don't wear bras. Firstly (and perhaps sadly?), because I don't need one. Secondly, because they're uncomfortable. Thirdly, because they're are hassle to remember to put on and take off. And lastly, because I just don't want to. A MindBodyGreen article I stumbled across today confirmed my decisions- bras aren't that great for you, anyway, apparently. My mum has been preaching to me for YEARS about how saggy my breasts (what breasts, mum?) are going to get in the future if I continue not to wear bras, but hey, according to numerous sources that include MindBodyGreen and LiveScience, wearing a bra should by no means be a necessity. If anything, it could even be more detrimental to our body than advantageous. Have a read, and unclip that shit gurl!

     Since you're probably busy burning your bra collection, here's a quick and easy salad recipe you can throw together for dinner.

rawktober: day six

I guess I haven't really been talking about how I've been feeling since starting this rawktober cleanse, have I? Of course, I can't be sure if the two are related, but I definitely think I've been having some detox symptoms including headaches and fatigue. But maybe I could just be having a slight hangover today... Hmm. On the flip side, my poops have been RAWSOME and frequent. I know we all feel uncomfortable talking about these things but hey, it's an essential part of our lives! Why so awk?

     In a nutshell, I've been eating, pooping, and sleeping a whole lot. How about you? Do you feel the detox?

     ANYWAY, today I'd like to share a recipe for bbq cauliflower bites.

rawktober: day two

     I woke up this morning at my usual early hour with my head still pounding from yesterday's overload. My house freezing, all I wanted was a big hearty bowl of piping hot chili. Instead, I grabbed 3 bananas and a jar of almond butter, set the kettle, curled up on the couch with a blanket and watched as the rain ceremoniously pissed on my lawn.

     It was decided. I wasn't going to leave my blankets today. I filled my trusty hot water bottle, made an extra litre of tea, and proceeded to do absolutely nothing for the next few hours. Except make raw sushi. And go for massage therapy. And get a [de]coffee. And read intermittently. It's been a soul-healing kind of day. Maybe I'll even have a bath, and maybe a sneaky glass of wine... or is that pushing today's self-care levels off the charts?

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I’VE LEARNED THAT YOU CAN TELL A LOT ABOUT A PERSON BY THE WAY (S)HE HANDLES THESE THREE THINGS: A RAINY DAY, LOST LUGGAGE, AND TANGLED CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTS.

maya angelou

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rawktober: day one

     Today went more smoothly than I thought. A 13 hour day at school, with one midterm in the morning and the other late at night? I didn't think I'd have the energy to resist non-raw campus food and carry around my own 3 meals all day. Alas, I pulled through. Now, a warm cup of tea and off to bed to soothe my pounding brain.

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A COMFORT ZONE IS A BEAUTIFUL PLACE, BUT NOTHING EVER GROWS THERE. 

unknown

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prepping for rawktober

Hey guys! Just so you know, I haven't fallen off the face of the Earth- I've just been out travelling for 4 months, and spent the last month getting back into the routine groove. But I'm back! 

While I was drifting off to sleep the other night, I decided I needed a change. Something to help me jump back on the health-conscious bandwagon (which I've been unceremoniously slipping off of during my adventuring). I thought, rawktober. Now that sounds cool. No, it sounds cheesy and ridiculous and so very me. So here we go, I'm commiting to a month of eating live foods. Join me, and let's make it fun times for all of us! (Oh, yeah, I've even gotten around to the whole #rawtkober on Tweeter. psh, I'm no noob anymore! By the by, here's a link to my account, follow me, I'm new!)

The most important thing whilst embarking on a raw food diet is planning. You don't want to be stuck with a burning hunger or low blood sugar with nothing but processed food around you! Sounds like a recipe for disaster, in my case at least. It's essential to remember to EAT, and to eat everything you need to be eating. Don't restrict yourself to munching on raw fruits and veggies. Keep your fat intake at a healthy level with avocados, nuts, seeds, nut butters and oils. You CAN eat grains and legumes, you just have to sprout them! Raw food doesn't have to be skimpy. It is rich, energizing, and satisfying. You just have to know how to go about it.

I've put together a list of basic food staples that are going to come in super handy in the kitchen for the next 4 weeks. Make sure your home is stocked with [some of] these essentials so you don't experience a "there's no food!" crisis mid-week. Alter according to season and preference:

FRESH FOODS:

apples; bananas; plums; pears; grapefruit; oranges; grapes; lemons; tomatoes; cucumbers; celery; cabbage (savoy, green, purple); avocados; leafy greens (kale, swiss chard, mustard greens); eggplant; mushrooms; cauliflower; broccoli; cayenne, bell, poblano & jalapeno peppers; fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, parsley, dill, mint); root veggies (ginger, turmeric, carrots, beets, yams, garlic, onions - red, yellow, green), squash (zucchini, spaghetti, acorn); frozen spinach; frozen berries; wheatgrass shots.

PANTRY::

almonds; cashews; pecans; sunflower & pumpkin seeds; sesame seeds; nori sheets; quinoa; wild rice; buckwheat groats; oats; tahini; apple cider vinegar; dates; dried fruit; raw chocolate; kelp noodles; maple syrup; honey; coconut oil; COCONUT & CACAO BUTTER (nom!).
ADD-INS:
nutritional yeast; maca powder; cacao powder; bee pollen; spirulina; chlorella; acai powder; dulse flakes; spices.

warming up to quinoa

Although these dreary days are slowing turning into warmer, spring ones, I'm still working on getting over my winter blues. I've never been a big fan of quinoa (gasp in astonishment here), but lately I've been experimenting with ways to make it please me. The other day, I had a warm quinoa/tomato/kale salad, which wasn't all too bad. I have a feeling quinoa would be pretty good risotto-style; I don't seem to mind it when it's coated in something else altogether. This morning, however, I felt confident enough to try the ever-so-popular-on-Google-searches apple cinnamon breakfast quinoa! Gotta admit, I was hesitant to add the raisins, as I've never done so before to any porridge, but they definitely made the meal. (And maybe you've noticed that cooked bananas are an indispensable component of any porridge- no need for sweeteners when I've got these babies on hand!)

Serves 1

1/8 cup cooked quinoa

approx. 1 cup almond milk

1/2 banana, mashed

1/2 apple, diced

1 tbsp raisins

vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, coconut flakes, etc.

Cook the already-cooked quinoa in the almond milk. When it expands to desired consistency, add the remaining ingredients and heat until the banana caramelizes, and the apples and raisins soften (if you so desire). Enjoy topped with coconut flakes, walnuts, or whatever else tickles your fancy.

nutrition (entire recipe):

268.0 kcal

fat 5.2g

carbs 55.4g

protein 5.4g

no better way to wake up on a rainy saturday

Fruit in the morning is my favourite. Especially bananas. I've been feeling pretty down in the dumps lately, I feel like I'm about to come down with something, but it's only hit me 3/4 of the way. It's a pretty crappy feeling. I resisted the urge to gobble down some snickerdoodles and decided to prepare myself a lovely fruity "cereal-less" bowl instead. And now I'll move on to my favourite chocolate-kiwi-kale smoothie, and I'll be set for the day!...hopefully.

Although this so-called "recipe" is basically just throwing a bunch of the fruits you have on hand into a bowl and topping them with non-dairy milk, here's my combo this morning:

Serves one

1 banana

1 plum

1 nectarine

6 strawberries

handful of blueberries

1 cup of non-dairy milk (or yoghurt)

Dice the fruit, toss in a bowl, and feel free to garnish with nuts, toasted buckwheat groats, coconut, peanut butter, or agave. Get creative! ;)

raw pumpkin pie porridge

I always do this. I start eating clean, I feel clean, I feel great, and then I go and eat 3 muffins in a day (despite cravings for fresh fruit and veggies) and I wonder why I've got a stomach ache and a sore ego. And so then I resolve to start eating more living foods again- I keep that up for a while, and the same thing happens. Oh well, that's life. Either way, today was muffin day. I'm not feeling so fly on the whole; maybe my lack of clean foods lately isn't helping me fight off this bug that seems to be taking over my body. So, I decided to blend up some raw, healthy porridge to have ready for the next few days in case I'm too bed-bound to prepare anything else!

Based off happyhealthylonglife's recipe.

Enough for 3 small servings, but top them off as you wish!

1 + 1/4 cup soaked buckwheat* (measured after soaking)

3 oz non-dairy milk (a little over 1/4 cup)

1/2 large banana

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1 tbsp ground flax

1 tbsp chia seed

vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, pumpkin pie spice etc.

sweetener, to taste

In your blender or food processor, combine 1 cup of the soaked buckwheat groats (reserving the remaining 1/4 cup) and the remaining ingredients, processing until smooth. Stir in the leftover groats. Sprinkle with some coconut, walnuts, and more fresh/dried fruit. Eat it up, and/or refrigerate the leftovers.

*For some simple, uncomplicated help with soaking, click here!

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EVERYONE THINKS OF CHANGING THE WORLD, BUT NO ONE THINKS OF CHANGING HIMSELF.

leo tolstoy

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nutrition (1/3 of recipe):

168.5 kcal

fat 3.3g

carbs 22.4g 

protein 5.6g

chocolate & vanilla kale smoothie variations

When you can't decide on breakfast, have it all - a saying I live by. The other day, I decided to have raw crepes, raw buckwheat cereal, a smoothie, and a raw bagel with avocado mash for breakfast. 

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EAT BREAKFAST LIKE A KING, LUNCH LIKE A PRINCE, AND DINNER LIKE A PAUPER. 

adelle davis

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Okay so maybe I haven't been entirely true to that statement lately-- I feel as though I've been dining majestically at all meals. But hey, who's to judge? Either way, part of today's breakfast included some smoothies that I never thought of trying before. You see, usually when I think of smoothies, I think of loading in everything I can to make it the most nutrition-packed green goodness possible. I guess "keeping it simple" never crossed my mind, even though I've heard claims that the simplest smoothies are, in fact, the tastiest. Halfway through my blending this morning, I decided to pour out some of my original smoothie into a cup, and add a few more ingredients to the rest to test out a few new flavours. The verdict? Heaven. And for those of you who aren't completely in love with kale (yet) like I am, great news: You can't even taste it!

Note: don't question the kiwi, just throw it in. You can thank me later ;)

The recipes: 

Make one cup of thick smoothie each, or 2 cups thin (if you dilute it with some more milk)

Basic vanilla shake

1 cup kale

1 cup non-dairy milk

1 banana

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of cardamom

sweetener, to taste

Chocolate kiwi shake

1 cup kale

1 cup non-dairy milk

1 banana

1 kiwi

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp cacao

pinch of nutmeg

sweetener, to taste

Blend together, pour into glasses, and savour the deliciousness. 

sweet & sour portobello "steak" and cauliflower/carrot mash

Based off Quiche-a-week's delicious recipe. Details to come!

garlic zucchini noodles with roasted brussel sprouts, fennel, and mushrooms

Serves one.

1 zucchini, spiralized or hand-cut into noodles

lemon juice

5 brussel sprouts, sliced, halved, or roughly chopped

1/3 bulb fennel, roughly chopped

2 mushrooms, sliced

1/3 onion

1 clove garlic

oil

spring onion

nutritional yeast

salt and pepper

liquid smoke

garlic powder

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Prepare the zucchini, set aside with a squeeze of lemon juice to soften them up. Combine brussel sprouts, fennel, onion and garlic in a dish and coat lightly with oil. Place in oven for approx. 15 min; give the veggies a stir and add in the mushrooms for another 10 minutes or so. Remove from oven, and combine with the noodles, spicing it up with the toppings. 

Devour, guilt-free.

carrot pasta with creamy dressing

Today's been a tough day. PMS and complete exhaustion don't go hand-in-hand. I tried to cheer myself up by spreading some joy, but my speech failed me and I ended up complimenting a random chick on her "awesome boobs!" instead of boots... Sigh. A compliment's a compliment, I guess, even though I did come off as a massive creep. The minute I got home I fixed me up a delicious raw dinner -- and gobbled it down before I could even snap a photo or two. Below is my variation of the recipe, and here's the inspiration. One Vegan Bite's also got a picture of it on the post to tickle your tastebuds.

Serves one.

1 large carrot, spiralized or cut on a mandolin and sliced into "noodles"

some kelp noodles

2 tbsp milk (I used flax)

2 tbsp tamari

1 tbsp Dijon mustard (because it's my favourite condiment; although I 

          can imagine that the almond butter originally called for would be

          quite delicious here as well)

1 mushroom, chopped

handful of broccoli, chopped (or any other veggies)

sprinkling of 1/2 nori sheet, crumbled

pinch of kelp, nutritional yeast, black pepper, and garlic powder

Prepare the carrot and throw in some kelp noodles; set aside.

Combine the 3 sauce ingredients and pour onto the "noodles." Allow to marinate and soften them while you prep your veggies. Shouldn't take long- devour!

cheesy pasta

Drunken pasta. Best. And so easy to make!

Serves one drunken vegan.

1/2 bag shirataki spaghetti noodles
3 chanterelle mushrooms
3 tbsp roasted tomato paste
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/4 cup broccoli florets
1 tbsp tamari soy sauce
4 drops liquid smoke
1/2 tsp kelp
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp nutritional yeast

Heat the chanterelles on a pan with soy sauce; add the remaining ingredients and heat through. Serve with ketchup (nom) and attempt to sober up ;)

pre-cleanse

I need to reconnect with my body. I've been feeling detached.

With the stress of finals and long hours of studying, I need to start feeding my body good food and good energy as opposed to the vegan muffins, cookies, and rice krispie bars I've been stuffing myself with every day. Yep. I go to a lovely, cozy coffee shop to study every time exam period starts. The only problem? Their delicious vegan goodies. The first few days of going there I just get myself the usual tea. Then, I start up the habit of a muffin a day. A few days later? You guessed it, I've added on a peanut butter stuffed chocolate chip cookies for good measure. Not to mention, a few days ago, I began to add their yummy matcha rice krispie squares to the tally as well. 

When I'm studying, I eat to distract myself. I eat for comfort, and I eat because I convince myself that my brain will work better if I reward myself. But these rewards -- continuing daily for the past 2 weeks -- are costing me my health, energy, and mood. Squeezing in a light workout at the gym a few times a week won't cut it, and otherwise, I've hardly moved my arse an inch, to say the least. It's time for a change.