strawberry basil smoothie

I've been so busy with school lately that the quickest thing to grab in the morning is a smoothie. During my 12-day cleanse, I've weaned myself out of my obsession for bananas and instead turned to avocados. I mean, seriously, what's better than a nice, ripe avocado? They're smooth, creamy, rich, and delicious, and best of all, they go with both sweet AND savoury! I'm sold. 

Smoothies are super easy to make (literally like 5 minutes of my morning, 2 of which are spent making tea while I whir it up in my magic bullet) and they keep you satiated for a good few hours. Not to mention - dddelicious. Stay tune for some housekeeping tips for avocados!

1/2 avocado
1 cup (coco)nut milk
1/2 cup strawberries, frozen
handful basil
handful greens
TBSP flax seeds
TBSP coconut oil

optional
matcha powder

detox porridge

Wild Rose D-Tox friendly porridge

(a staple for any wintertime cleanse)

1/2 cup brown rice

1 can coconut milk

+ almond milk or water to thin
2 prunes, finely chopped

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp flaxmeal

vanilla bean, gutted

cinnamon (stick), nutmeg, cardamom

pinch of salt

topped with

chopped almonds

coconut flakes

Cook until desired consistency (approx. 1/2 hour). Dig in!

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 fourteen

Please excuse my absence these past few days. I've been busy hanging out with family, drinking way too much wine. Don't worry, I'll make it up to you with a recipe post on the raw carrot cake I made! I hope your Thanksgivings were less detrimental to your health, but, if you're in the same boat as me, here's a recipe for a little post-holiday detox juice.

     Note: I don't make my veggie juices sweet, but if ya can't handle the bitterness ("what bitterness?" I ask), feel free to toss in an apple!

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 five

I know my posts have been a day or two behind schedule but hey, it's hard to post every day! With school work and the raw food prep (and getting offered free, good-quality beer?) I've been doing, I hope you can understand.

     I feel like I need to tackle the issue of going out whilst on a raw food diet. Yesterday was my childhood best friend's birthday, to be celebrated at the infamous Cactus Club restaurant, and I was faced with the unavoidable scenario of having to go out for dinner with him and his friends. Although I felt uneasy at first, I decided that I couldn't simply chicken out - he would appreciate my coming even if I didn't participate in the eating (which saved me some $$$ too!). So, I ate a big raw dinner before he picked me up, and simply conversed sat at the table with his friends without ordering anything. I sensed out the crowd and, feeling like they wouldn't be the most open to my lifestyle, decided not to talk about my "weird" vegan diet, not to mention my month of raw foods. Conversely, my best friend, who told me is awfully impressed with my rawktober challenge, chose to flaunt it for me. "Olivia's vegan, and she's only eating raw food," he gloated for me. The girl sitting across looked up at me from her burger - wiping a drip of mayo off her chin, - uttered "ew," and continued eating. 

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NEVER WASTE YOUR TIME TRYING TO EXPLAIN WHO YOU ARE TO PEOPLE WHO ARE COMMITTED TO MISUNDERSTANDING YOU.

dream hampton

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Now, I'm not saying that we should hide behind the safety of our blenders at home and avoid any potential such situation! Don't let the fact that you choose not to eat certain foods restrict you from going out with friends to restaurants. If appropriate, use it as a tool to inspire others and share your knowledge and experiences. On the other hand, there are simply (and this is the sad truth) some people who chose not to open up to novelties in terms of eating. I could rant about this for hours, referring to more traditional folks like [my] relatives or some a**holes whose life goal seems to be to put every vegetarian down, but I just ran out of carrots to snack on and I'm getting antsy.

rawktober: day three

By the time I get around to blogging, my energy has wound down a couple hundred notches for the day and I want to do is send you all zen vibrations. Although I swear, this morning, I was thinking up some pretty passionate topics to share with you! Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately, who knows), I'm drawing a blank. Nevertheless, I've got some fun facts on H
2O. Did you know that 40% of water bottling companies that claim to sell mineralized spring water are actually just purifying tap water? (here's the trick: a gallon of tap water is valued at about $0.02, whereas bottled can be up to $8.26) Who knew, even companies like - gasp - Dasani have been ripping us off for our water! In 2004, Coca Cola confessed that Dasani had been selling tap water in disguise for 3000% more than its worth. Luckily for us, tap water is actually required to be continuously monitored by the EPA, whereas the FDA only regulates about 30-40% of bottled water! (Sage)

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IF THE GRASS IS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE, YOU CAN BET THE WATER BILL IS HIGHER.

unknown

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I loooove my water. I'm ALWAYS carrying around my bottle, and I'm more inclined to forget my cellphone somewhere than my Nalgene (true story)! If I don't get at least 3-4 litres in per day (excluding all water intake through various foods, eg. fresh produce) I feel incredibly dehydrated. And since thirst lags behind the body's actual need for water replenishment, it means business. How about you? How much do you drink in a day?

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.

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. 

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.