PEACE in P-E-N-A-N-C-E and My Raw Lenten Journey

There is PEACE in P-E-N-A-N-C-E . (Can you find it?)

It is so easy for me personally, to find true peace in penance because I trust that God's mercy abounds. It is during this time that we prepare to renew our baptismal vows through penance and reconciliation. This is a time to enter into the healing spirit of this season and restore relationships with our household, neighbors and most importantly, God. It can also be a time to heal the body with raw living, life giving foods.
When I think of this time of year not only do I think of fasting, abstinence and penance but I think of reconciliation and NEW LIFE. The word "lent" comes from the Anglo-Saxon word for springtime, lencten. The importance of the integrity of life and the preciousness of life. Life represented in new growth and life being protected from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. And life as seen in the planting, sprouting and growing of life giving plants, nuts and seeds.
In celebration of life I finally got to accomplish one of my goals--the planting of my small garden. Plants need sunlight, water, and rich soil to help them grow. A garden needs to be nurtured to produce good fruit. Our Lenten growth is nurtured by the three disciplines of Lent: 
Fasting
Alms giving
Prayer
By tending to my garden and watching it grow I too anticipate God's grace to help me to grow in virtue. I hope to gain good fruit too from my wonderful little garden! All you wild bunnies and slugs stay away, please.

Half of my garden is in the yard, in a square foot box inspired by the book, The New Square Foot Garden. I have several varieties of tomatoes, Swiss chard, collards, strawberries, and red bell pepper. The other half of my garden is up on the second story deck in the form of potted herbs and sprouts on the sprouting rack and in jars on the kitchen counter tops.

Parsley (two pots)

Lemon Balm



Basil



Greek Oregano

Yesterday was the beginning of our family's Lenten Journey--Ash Wednesday. It was a day focused on Christ. We took the day off from school and began to plan how we each wanted our journey to unfold over the next 47 days. As a devout Roman Catholic, I love this Liturgical season. It is a very special and personal time for me. I will be sharing a bit more personal posts over the next 46 days showing how my raw journey melds so beautifully with my Lenten Journey! They just naturally go together. The cleanliness of my diet enhances  clear thoughts thus allowing me to focus and center on Our Lord's Passion in an intense way. Cleaner eating for myself will involve totally raw and living foods and the rest of the family will eat higher percentages of raw along with their cooked foods. But no meat or poultry will be consumed on Wednesdays and Fridays.  
Ash Wednesday--Abstinence and Fasting
What our day consisted of:

• Discussed and thought about each of our journey's.
• Two simple, meatless meals.
• Went to evening Mass, prayed and received our ashes.
• Scripture reading/reflection and the beginning of our "Scripture Tree" Lenten activity.

We made all of the felt symbols and banner.

Our tree starts out barren and dead looking as we think and pray about our sinfulness and the death of our Lord. New life is added each day as one more scripture passage is read and one more felt symbol is attached to our banner. As the Lenten season climaxes with Easter, we can see the life giving gift of His death and Resurrection. The beauty of Christ's life is shown clearly in the way our dead, brown branches will slowly be filled with blossoms; our symbols representing Christ's life on earth and his love for us all.
Our "Jesus Tree" is the best way I could think of to help the younger children learn and understand this pivotal time in our Liturgical year. This tree activity took about 6 six or more years to construct. That is because every time I decided to start working on it again a new baby was coming. So once the last three of the five babies arrived I made it a point to FINALLY get to use our "Jesus Tree" with the whole family. Hands on and very visual, making a powerful imprint on their imaginative and  sometimes wandering minds.
I hope you will enjoy some of my simple, clean, raw living recipes and may you too, in your own way, find true RAW living PEACE.



I began the day yesterday with a simple and hydrating blended green juice.

Dandy Cherry Blend
2 C water
7 dandelion greens
10 oz bag of frozen organic sweet black cherries
1 C ice
Blend into raw living goodness!

Lunch yesterday was light, simple and truly delicious. I was trying to restrict the amount of food at each of the small meals, so I could focus more on what I need to cleanse from my life so God can renew my spirit. I am trying to think of ways that I can draw closer to Christ, allowing Him to show me the areas I need to work on the most. My goal is to eat as clean and pure as possible. I have been incorporating herbal detoxifying teas as well. Boy do they work; really gets the system moving, if you know what I mean. It also settles an upset stomach almost instantly.

Hoping to take my cleansing to the next level, I am considering a juice feast, perhaps the last three days of my Lenten journey; Holy Thursday, Good Friday of the Lord's Passion, Holy Saturday, and then breaking the fast, gently, on Easter Sunday. I wish I could go to CHI to do a juice fast but I am just going to do my own here at home, hopefully.  A great book for juicing is, Juicing for Life. I will have enough recipes right there to keep me satisfied.
Here is a pic of yesterday's yummy lunch.

Pineapple with a Crunch!
1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple, diced
raw honey- just a drizzle
raw black sesame seeds
sprouted buckwheat crunchies
sunflower sprout garnish :)

So on to today's food. Breakfast consisted of a Berry Green Smoothie.



 Berry Green Smoothie

 Dole frozen mixed berry blend

2 C water

2 very small bananas

3 C organic baby spinach

Lunch involved a delicious oil free dressing on top of a sprouted fruit salad. I have been enjoying the lightness of oil free dressings lately. I really like how I feel after having a large salad topped only with more living foods in the form of an oil free vinaigrette.

Sprouted Fruit Salad

broccoli sprouts

sunflower greens

diced pineapple

diced organic strawberries

raw sunflower seeds

fresh Greek Oregano, cut onto strips

fresh Lemon Balm, cut into strips

Oil Free Fruit Vinaigrette

1/3 C diced pineapple

1/3 C diced organic strawberries

1 T balsamic

1 tsp raw honey

2 leaves of fresh Lemon Balm

Blend well in a personal size blender.



Dinner tonight will consist of zucchini pasta made with my spiralizer, tossed with some Arame, diced tomatoes, organic red bell pepper from the Farmer's Market, some of my herbs and a drizzle of scallion and garlic dressing. Simple and delicious. I adore seaweed!!

 Peace and RAW Health!

+JMJ+ Today I am grateful for the chance at a fresh start and the peace I feel in Christ's love.

RAW Onion Bread and a Dip Recipe

Inspired once again by the remarkable Lisa at Raw on $10 a Day or Less, I decided to break down and make another batch of raw bread that uses flax meal. My attempts in the past have turned out bitter tasting, raw bread that landed in the trash. Well this time I was convinced that I could make this work. How can you go wrong with one of Lisa's amazing recipes? This bread is nothing short of spectacular!! I am in LOVE with this raw onion bread.

I followed Lisa's recipe closely with the exception of using my leftover carrot/veg/fruit pulp. I make it a habit to freeze my juice pulp for future raw bread and cracker recipes. I was composting it but now I realize it is more valuable in my raw recipes. I have enough other kitchen scraps to compost, so this precious pulp goes into the freezer now.
I spread the dough quite thin on the teflex sheets, almost as thin as a wrap.

 For several weeks I have been enjoying many recipes with this raw onion bread. I sliced it into squares and froze the slices, separated by waxed paper. They thaw in less than 5 minutes and taste just as good as the day I made them.
Here is a fantastic recipe I made the other day. It works great as a dip or a spread.
Spinach Guacamole Dip/Spread
by Elizabeth @ RAW Living and Learning (March,2011)
1 large Haas avocado
1 scallion, rough chop
2 C loosely packed organic baby spinach
juice of 1 lemon
1 Roma tomato, cut up into chunks
small bunch of fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove, center stem removed
pinch of red pepper flakes

Directions: First process the avocado, spinach and lemon juice. Next add in the diced Roma, scallion, cilantro and spices. Pulse until just combined.
Use as a dip or a spread for raw sandwiches or sushi.



SPINACH GUACAMOLE DIP

 Here is how I served this wonderful spread, topped with some of my homegrown sprouts of course!

+JMJ+ Today I am grateful for my new tiny garden. Yes, I finallly got my square foot garden stared. More on that later. :)

FRESH New Look and The Story of Cashews

I couldn't resist when I saw this design for the blog. I wanted to jump right into the laptop and start munching away. Hopefully it will get others drooling or at least thinking about fresh, living, raw foods.
I have been experiencing even more of the benefits of the raw living foods lifestyle lately and one of them is even more ENERGY! The last few nights I have been so wide awake and full of life that I can't go to sleep--let me re-phrase that, I don't even think about going to sleep because I feel so awake and energized. When I finally do retire I wake up feeling refreshed; something that never use to happen when I was eating a high amount of cooked foods. I use to wake up feeling more tired than when I went to bed, my eyes would be puffy, muscles ached so badly I had to almost hobble to the bathroom, and I felt like I couldn't even think straight. Not to mention that my head would be so jam packed with sinus pressure and congestion that I swore my head was going to explode. So why the change? Why so alert at night and full of energy? I think it may be due to the fact that I have increased my raw intake to the maximum possible. And I am eating an insane amount of fresh sprouts!!! As of right now the only things in my diet that may not be 100 % raw are what I would consider "condiments/flavorings". Things like Dijon, real maple syrup, vinegar, carob, and the occasional cashew.
Cashews are never truly raw no matter how many people want to believe they are. Not sure if there are companies out there that can steam them at temps lower than 110 degrees--that would be something fun to research.
 Cashews have to be steamed in order for the "nut" to be firm enough to remove it from the shell. Go figure--who would have known? I never knew the true story of cashews--like I said the other day, I am so grateful for the new knowledge I am acquiring as I maneuver through this journey to optimal health. I heard the true story for the first time at our last Meetup.

 The presenters at our Raw Living Foods Group Meetup explained why they do not use cashews in their recipes and substitute either pine nuts or macadamias whenever cashews are asked for in a recipe. That is what I will try to do from now on as well. It just makes good sense.
 Read this "Story of Cashews" and educate yourself about this amazing food, even if it is not raw-- it is still amazing. I have a recipe to share using cashews that is posted below, but in the future I will substitute macs or pine nuts--or better yet, hemp seeds!!
 The Story of Cashews
from The Nut Factory
The delightful cashew nut is loved by everybody. Cashews are a product loved by the wealthy nations and provided for by the poor nations. It is closely related to the Mango and Pistachio plants. Cashews are found growing on cashew trees or "bushes" near the equator. The cashew grows wild in brazil and in cashew plantations in India where the cashew was transplanted into a cashew crop.
Origins
The first western people sighting the cashew tree was by the Portuguese. They invaded Brazil in the 1500's. Portuguese seamen brought the seeds of the cashew nut tree from Brazil to be planted by the early settlers along the east coast of Africa. The trees took root and thrived. It was not long before cashew trees were growing wild along the entire coast of Mozambique. They spread to Kenya and Tanzania.
Uncared for and uncultivated, the ripe nuts were primarily harvested by the African natives. Later, they were sold to the Portuguese traders who in turn disposed of them to merchants who then shipped the nuts to India where they were shelled.
Cashew Apple +Nuts
Eventually, India grew their own cashew tree and the Kerala State (India) Cashew Association is now the largest exporter of cashews in the world. Forteleza, Brazil, ships the second largest quantity of cashews and the two areas represent over 80 percent of the world supply which is around 4 million cases (50 pounds per case). Africa is a distant third. The India crop harvests in May and the Brazilian crop harvests in October.
The Cashew Tree
Cashew trees flourish in extreme heat in the tropics and are readily found near the equator. The tree isn't more than 30 feet tall (like an apple or cherry tree) and often they are mistaken for bushes because the limbs spread easily, strike the ground, and reroot themselves. The trunk is gnarled and tortuous, giving the tree an unkempt appearance.
The Cashew Apple
The highly unusual cashew fruit consists of both a crab apple (called the cashew apple), and a kidney bean shaped appendage on the end of the fruit called the cashew nut. The apple is shaped like and is the same size as a pear; when ripe, it is a brilliant yellow, red or scarlet color. Like all fruit trees, a flower emerges and the nut grows from the center of the flower.
The receptor or "apple" is a later swelling between the flower and the nut - forming the cashew apple. After harvesting, the cashew apple keeps for only 24 hours before the soft fruit deteriorates. The cashew apple is not commercially important since it spoils quickly, but local people love the fruit. To harvest the nut, the ripe apple is allowed to fall to the ground where it is easily gathered by natives. The apple and nut are separated.
The gray/brown cashew nut hangs like a nose at the end of the cashew apple. The nut shell is 1-1/2 inches long and kidney shaped. The nut is found on the end closest to the cashew apple. The other end is honeycombed with cells. These cells contain a toxic resinous fluid called cardol that blisters the mouth. For many years, the cashew was referred to as the blister nut.
Inside the hard shell is a slightly curved white cashew kernel which is about 7/8 inches long and is wrapped in a thin brown skin called a testa which is removed during the processing. The cashew nut, therefore, has two shells - the hard exterior shell and the testa.
Processing the Cashew Kernel
There are two ways to remove the cashew shell, the inside fluid and the thin brown skin. Washing the raw nut in a water bath and storing it in moist heaps or silos for 12 hours makes the shells brittle as long as they maintain 7% to 10% humidity. The shell will rupture and liberate cardol fluid.
The older method is to roast the whole nut in shallow pans over an open charcoal fire with constant agitation. The process was used in native marketplaces and was dangerous and disagreeable. Shells burst, spurting the caustic fluid and releasing clouds of acrid fumes which blistered the skin. At the same time, the heat caused the caustic fluid to dissipate.
Modern extraction methods are to put the nuts in a large perforated cylinder which rotates at a declining angle above the heat. As the nut travels down through the roasting cylinder, the liquid flows from the shell and is collected in troughs and commercially sold. Some kernels get scorched because they become overheated near the bottom of the pile. These become second and third grades in quality. As the nuts emerge from their journey, they are water sprayed and set aside to cool and dry.
Nut cracking in small batches is done manually by native laborers. They place the nut on a hard flat stone and crack the brittle shell, hitting it with a wooden mallet.
The India Cashew Association Marketing Letter


Grading
This manual cracking results in many broken kernels which bring a lower market price. Cashews are graded on how white they are and how broken the kernel is. There are four color grades, four styles of break on the kernel and six sizes (or maximum number of kernels per pound).
1. is the whitest kernel and the best


2. is lightly scorched


3. is scorched and dark


4. is extremely dark and not in much demand
We purchase many grades and sizes because our customers have different needs. That's why the price varies as the nuts get larger and whiter. Whole sizes cost more than pieces. We buy the top grades of cashews - only the whitest and highest quality.




Zucchini Noodles with Garlic Cashew Cream Sauce

 Zucchini Noodles
1 zucchini, use vegetable peeler to make noodles
1 Roma tomato sliced thin, garnish
fresh cilantro, garnish
Garlic Cashew Cream Sauce
1 cup cashews, soaked (but really use macs/hemp/or pine nuts:)
1 garlic clove, inner stem removed, skin left on
1 tsp Pink Himalayan salt
1 T raw honey or 1 pitted date (optional)
1/3 C or less of spring water (for blending)
2 T fresh cilantro
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
fresh ground black pepper
~Blend all of the above ingredients in a small bullet-type blender until creamy smooth.

Raw Asparagus with GCCS

So now I know the truth and will never be fooled by labels that say "Raw Cashews". You must know the source of your foods, so you can be sure of what you are putting into your body. I have learned in life not to take another person's word as the final answer, I must research for myself and then compare notes and make up my own mind about what is true or not. That can be applied to all aspects of life; educate yourself and be amazed at what you can discover.
So what do you think of my new look?? I really like it and hope you do too.
Peace and RAW Health! elizabeth
~JMJ~Today I am grateful for three little warm snuggle bugs that crawled into my bed this morning. What a great way to wake up!!

Strawberry Pear Dressing

Strawberry Pear Dressing

This morning my daughter and I went to our 100% organic market and bought some amazing, fresh picked, local produce. I was literally picking it out of the boxes that they just unloaded from the truck, before they even had a chance to place it on the shelves. It was picked just hours prior!! I spied the most beautiful burgundy red leaf lettuce, a variety called Black Sampson I think, and I just had to have two heads of it. I also got some fresh picked strawberries, kale, heirloom tomatoes and other things. We headed home and I began thinking about my lunch recipe. I had some fresh arugula at home and wanted to make a pear and arugula salad. But now that I had this beautiful red leaf I switched gears, used the pear in a dressing with some strawberries and the juice of a Meyer lemon and created a different salad that turned out beautifully. The result was a sweet yet tangy fruit dressing, completely void of any oil, on a large bed of fresh, tender greens--it was spectacular.

Red Leaf and Arugula Salad

organic red leaf lettuce--Black Sampson

organic Arugula

1 scallion, diced

broccoli sprouts

organic strawberries, sliced

black sesame seeds

Arrange the lettuce on a plate and top with scallions, broccoli sprouts, sliced strawberries and some black sesame seeds. Serve with Strawberry Pear Dressing.

Strawberry Pear Dressing

by Elizabeth @ RAW Living and Learning

1 organic pear, skin on, remove seeds

3 organic strawberries,  green tops on

juice from 1 large Meyer lemon or two small Meyer lemons

In a small food processor, process all of the ingredients until smooth.

 The pink color was just beautiful, the pictures do not give it justice.

Enjoy!

+JMJ+ Today I am grateful for fresh picked, right off the truck, organic produce.

SUNDAY SUNNY SMOOTHIE

Sunflower greens--I eat them, juice them and put them in smoothies; I adore these green goodies. I have said it before, sunflower greens are one of those foods that you want in your diet on a daily basis. If you haven't started sprouting them yet, what are you waiting for?? When growing the greens you want to purchase the organic black seeds, called black oil sunflower in shell. I purchase mine locally from our 100% organic market but you can also order them from these wonderful people. You can learn everything you ever wanted to know about sprouting on their site. We all know how important it is becoming to learn how to grow our own food. If you don't believe me go to one of my favorite blogs and listen to these videos Mr. H posted. Hi Mr. H !
 If you desire sunflower sprouts, purchase organic hulled seeds and grow them in a glass jar like any other sprout not requiring soil.
When growing the sunflower greens you must first soak your black seeds overnight in a glass jar fitted with a lid that allows for drainage, in the morning rinse well, tilt your glass jar on a 45 degree angle (I put mine in a small bowl) and rinse once daily until you see a tiny shoot emerge from the shell. I am still looking for a metal dish drying rack to use instead but I can only find wooden ones. I am afraid the wooden ones would mold.
 Now the sprouted seeds are ready to be sprinkled onto some good potting soil. Keep the soil lightly moist and watch your greens grow. You should be able to harvest them in about 3-5 days. During the last two days of growing put them in a sunny window to "green them up" with chlorophyll. Once cut, mine keep fresh in the refrig for 4-5 days after harvest. I put them in a covered dish on top of a piece of paper towel. Here is my previous post on this method. No fancy equipment is needed as you can see here. Also check out their root system; this goes into the compost pile.
Check out their nutritional content.
Nutritional info:

Vitamins A, B, C and E
Calcium, Chlorophyll, Iron, Magnesium, Niacin, Phosphorus, Potassium
Amino Acids
Protein: 20-25%

Here is a very short but good article on sprouted sunflower seeds:
Nutritional Value of Sprouted Sunflower Seeds

By Melody Horner, C.N., eHow Contributor
Sprouted sunflower seeds contain the protein, fat and carbohydrate combination that defines basic nutrition, along with minerals and vitamins. The nutrients intensify during the sprouting process.
Significance
Eating 1/2-cup of sprouted sunflower seeds four times a week may improve health because of the nutritious elements. The sprouts are gluten-free, useful for individuals who are allergic to grains such as wheat and rye that contain gluten protein.
Features
During sprouting, plant enzymes split the seeds' high protein value into easily digested amino acids, according to living-foods.com. Seed fats are converted to essential fatty acids, mainly linoleic acid. Carbohydrates convert to sugars, and vitamin levels increase. The sprouts retain the mineral content of the seeds.
Functions
The amino acid arginine in the sprouts promotes blood vessel flexibility, which may reduce high blood pressure, according to "SuperFoods RX" authors Dr. Steven G. Pratt and Kathy Matthews.
The magnesium mineral content may help heart arrhythmia. The copper and zinc aid in collagen production and wound healing.
The sprouts' high vitamin E level aids arteries and nerves. The A and D vitamins decrease risk for cancers.
Considerations
Eat fresh sprouts raw. Cooking sprouts will lower the vitamin values.
Uses
Add chopped raw sunflower seed sprouts to scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, soups, salads or fluffy brown rice, or eat as a snack with a dollop of dressing or sauce.
Read more: Nutritional Value of Sprouted Sunflower Seeds
eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/facts_5529776_nutritional-value-sprouted-sunflower-seeds.html#ixzz1FB41xJdH

My next post will feature another recipe utilizing these amazing sprouted greens but for now let me share my recipe

SUNDAY SUNNY SMOOTHIE
by Elizabeth @ RAW Living and Learning
serves 6-8
2 C spring water
5 kale leaves, remove stems
3 large ripe bananas
2 C frozen pineapple
2 T chia seeds
1 1/2 C loosely packed sunflower greens
handful of ice
Blend into creamy, green, sunny goodness! Drink in the living energy these greens provide. Enjoy the fruits of your labor--ok, sprouting doesn't require much labor. :) But you get the point. Get excited about raw living foods, I do!
+JMJ+ Today I am grateful for a good nights sleep. Haven't been sleeping well the last few night but last night was the exception--I slept like a rock!

Probiotics MeetUp--TIME CHANGE

Time has been changed to 6 PM!!!!!!


The coordinator of our Living Foods Group wanted me to post this awesome MeetUp. Here you go Lisa!!
Here are some pics of my Kim Chi I made awhile ago. I look forward to learning new recipes!

THE NAPLES LIVING FOODS GROUP PRESENTS:


A WORKSHOP ON MAKING YOUR OWN YOGURTS, KEFIRS, FERMENTS, & CULTURES
PRESENTED BY JACKIE and GIDEON GRAFF OF WWW.SPROUTRAWFOOD.COM
With the advent of food preservation through canning and pasteurization, the beneficial lacto bacteria are destroyed. Now pickles and sauerkraut are made with vinegar instead of the traditional method of lacto-fermentation with salt. There are many benefits to going back to the traditional ways of our ancestors, and eating more fermented foods.
OUR DIGESTIVE HEALTH DEPENDS ON HEALTHY BACTERIA, AND WE CAN KEEP A HEALTHY GUT BY MAKING OUR OWN PROBIOTICS!
In this two hour class, you will learn to make and enjoy: Coconut Kefir
Cultured Coconut Yogurt
Vegi Kraut
Fermented Dill Pickles
Ched R Cheese
Kale Chips
WORKSHOP COST IS $45 PER FAMILY. INCLUDES INSTRUCTION, FERMENTED RECIPE BOOK, and FOOD. THE GRAFFS TRAVEL IN THEIR RV ONCE A YEAR FROM ATLANTA THRU FLORIDA TO TEACH HEALTH AND WELLNESS THRU LIVING FOODS. BOTH HAVE NURSING DEGREES. COUSE THIS LINK TO REGISTER:
www.meetup.com/THENAPLESLIVINGFOODSGROUP/events/15917214/ OR CALL LISA TOMASI 239-641-5559

Peace and Raw Health,
Elizabeth
+JMJ+Today I am grateful for our Living Foods Group--I learn something new at each meeting! Thank you Lisa for your time and devotion given to our group!

Morning Chia



Friday Morning Chia

I had to laugh the other day when my husband walked into the kitchen and with surprise in his voice said, "Why did you buy pink salt??" My daughter and I had gone for the first time to World Market. I went crazy in the spice isle and found a great price on their Himalayan salt--aka "pink salt". So what does pink salt have to do with my Friday morning chia? It tastes amazing in this recipe. I only used the slightest pinch and boy did it make all of these flavors pop. I can't believe after living the raw foods lifestyle for 16 months now this is the first time I have bought Himalayan Salt. I have been fine using sea salt all these months but have always wanted to try this beautiful "pink" salt. If you want to educate yourself on salt and their differences, check out this video. Very informative!! If you haven't thrown out your "table salt" yet, save it and use it to scour your sink or bath tub with. It doesn't belong in your body so you might as well not waste it, just clean with it and then get yourself some Himalayan salt. Look at these facts regarding Himalayan Salt; I found it on Mercola's site. Man, I never knew there was so much to learn about salt!!

"This salt from the Himalayas is known as "white gold." Together with pure spring water, Himalayan Crystal Salt offers all the natural elements exactly identical to the elements in your body -- the very same elements originally found existing in the "primal sea."

Containing all of the 84 elements found in your body, the benefits of natural Himalayan Crystal Salt include:
Regulating the water content throughout your body.
Promoting a healthy pH balance in your cells, particularly your brain cells.
Promoting blood sugar health and helping to reduce the signs of aging.
Assisting in the generation of hydroelectric energy in cells in your body.
Absorption of food particles through your intestinal tract.
Supporting respiratory health.
Promoting sinus health.
Prevention of muscle cramps.
Promoting bone strength.
Regulating your sleep -- it naturally promotes sleep.
Supporting your libido.
Promoting vascular health.
In conjunction with water it is actually essential for the regulation of your blood pressure."
Here is another article discussing the differences between sea salt and Himalayan salt that I found here.
Salt is salt. . . right?

My Name is Walt Ingvoldstad and I am a Natural Health Therapist & Coach. Himalayan Salt is one of my 5 most recommended food/frequency substances that contribute to robust vitality, mental clarity and high immune function or illness/cold/flu prevention.
Allow me to give you a broad description of Himalayan Salt, why it is a unique type of salt and why it is so very important to have some every day.
Himalayan salt is profoundly amazing. It is 200 Million plus years old and has been nurtured by earth energy and pressure over this time. This ancient sea salt has been alchemized over millions of years into a special energized crystalline form in a process analogous to how coal gradually becomes a diamond. The 84 minerals in this salt are in an ionic form which is molecular instead of colloidal like regular sea salt. It is therefore more easily absorbable and much more use-able by our bodies than any sea salt. Sea salt because of its relatively large size is difficult for the body to digest and use whereas ionic Himalayan salt is molecular and virtually no digestion is required.
Why not ingest sea salt? Sea salt may dehydrate the body whereas Himalayan salt actually hydrates our tissue! Sea salt is difficult to digest and assimilate for our bodies because it is not At the organic mineral electrolyte size which is immediately usable in our blood and cells. No digestion is required for Himalayan Salt. It is therefore immediately available for use throughout the body shortly after drinking some dissolved in water – unlike sea salt! When in solution with water it becomes a solution referred to as Sole, which is electrical in nature and no longer molecular! Because the sole is electrical in nature, it therefore imparts energy for our bodies to use that other foods do not contain. Many sensitive people feel the energy from the salt immediately upon drinking a glass of the water with sole added – I find this is true for at least 1 of 10 people who sample it when I am present. See how you feel after drinking it!
Peter Ferreira is a biological physicist who collaborated with Dr. Barbara Hendel on the book, “Salt and Water”. He discusses how the Himalayan Crystal salt has a near perfect crystalline structure – unlike sea salt that contributes the unique crystalline energy to the salt water matrix which then contributes to our energy for up to 24 hours or more. Sea salt does not have the energetic nature of the Himalayan Salt. Sea salt is still an important nutrient that feeds the pro-biotics or friendly bacteria in our digestive tract. Himalayan salt is often directly absorbed right through our stomach lining before reaching our digestive tract especially when consumed in water on an empty stomach. It has an immediate, profound beneficial effect upon our blood health and immediately stimulates our red blood cells thereby activating the efficiency of our oxygen transport system!
Minerals are the foundational nutrient for the entire body. Every process in the body requires minerals and enzymes. Studies have shown that everyone with a disease has at least one major mineral deficiency. Mineral deficiencies are also present with those dying of natural causes. Organic minerals at a molecular level are also referred to as electrolytes. When we look at the word electro-lytes we can see this: Electrons “turning” the lights on --- eg. We ARE electrical energy beings first and foremost and these electrolytes help to increase our energy, balance and add to every system of our body thru the action of there vibration or the unique signature of each of the 84 minerals that are present and their associated electrons."


Enough about salt, let's get back to my Friday morning chia. I love how simple and quick this recipe is. It would be a great recipe to have when traveling. You could whip this together anywhere as it requires no kitchen appliances, just a knife to dice your apple. I always pack my sprouts when we travel, so you could even have those available if you pre-plan --very important to eat your sprouts EVERYDAY!! I began by soaking my chia in some water with a pinch of the Himalayan salt. I topped that with some sunflower and pumpkin seeds and my own sprouted and dehydrated Buckwheat Crispies. I let the chia do its thing in the water and returned 10 minutes later to add: Gogi berries, organic raisins, one red apple and my fresh homegrown sunflower sprouts. I have a feeling this chia cereal will keep me satisfied long into the afternoon (eating it as I type this). I love how chia keeps me full for long periods of time. I usually will eat it on days that are jam packed with activities knowing I won't have to worry about getting hungry while running around. I am one of those people who tends to forget to pack snacks for myself. I am always so worried about remembering all of the kids stuff that Mom gets put to the side sometimes.

Here is my simple recipe for Morning Chia.

Morning Chia

1/4 C chia seeds

1/2 C spring water

pinch of Himalayan Salt--pink salt :)

1/8 C Buckwheat Crispies

1/8 C raw pumpkin seeds, soaked

1/8 C raw sunflower kernals, soaked

1/8 C organic raisins, soaked

1/8 C Gogi berries, soaked

1 organic red apple, diced

palmful of sunflower sprouts

Soak the chia seeds and pink salt in the water for 10 minutes. Top with the Buckwheat Crispies, pumpkin seeds, sunflower kernals, raisins, and Gogi berries. Stir well. Add the diced apple and sunflower sprouts. Enjoy!

+JMJ+ Today I am grateful for learning about nearly perfect salt. I am amazed at the new things I am learning everyday while journeying down the path of raw living foods. Who knew I needed to study and learn so much just to nourish and feed my family the best that I can?!  And I thought I was learning a great deal educating my kids at home--this food thing is right up there with home education! I am loving this journey!



Monsanto--A Long Read, But Very Important

Our town has a wonderful 100% organic market, yes even the shelved items, meaning not produce, are organic. EVERYTHING in the store is organic. Makes it really easy to shop! They do a great job keeping their customers informed and this article was on their website. Sobering news, but we must be aware of what is to come and what is already here! I'm very afraid of Frankencrops, are you???
Peace & Raw Organic Health.
+JMJ+ Today I am grateful for open and honest people who work hard to keep us informed.

The Organic Elite Surrenders to Monsanto



“The policy set for GE alfalfa will most likely guide policies for other GE crops as well. True coexistence is a must.” - Whole Foods Market, Jan. 21, 2011

In the wake of a 12-year battle to keep Monsanto’s Genetically Engineered (GE) crops from contaminating the nation’s 25,000 organic farms and ranches, America’s organic consumers and producers are facing betrayal. A self-appointed cabal of the Organic Elite, spearheaded by Whole Foods Market, Organic
Valley, and Stonyfield Farm, has decided it’s time to surrender to Monsanto. Top executives from these companies have publicly admitted that they no longer oppose the mass commercialization of GE crops, such as Monsanto’s controversial Roundup Ready alfalfa, and are prepared to sit down and cut a deal for “coexistence” with Monsanto and USDA biotech cheerleader Tom Vilsack.
In a cleverly worded, but profoundly misleading email sent to its customers last week, Whole Foods Market, while proclaiming their support for organics and “seed purity,” gave the green light to USDA bureaucrats to approve the “conditional deregulation” of Monsanto’s genetically engineered, herbicide-resistant alfalfa. Beyond the regulatory euphemism of “conditional deregulation,” this means that WFM and their colleagues are willing to go along with the massive planting of a chemical and energy-intensive GE perennial crop, alfalfa; guaranteed to spread its mutant genes and seeds across the nation; guaranteed to contaminate the alfalfa fed to organic animals; guaranteed to lead to massive poisoning of farm workers and destruction of the essential soil food web by the toxic herbicide, Roundup; and guaranteed to produce Roundup-resistant superweeds that will require even more deadly herbicides such as 2,4 D to be sprayed on millions of acres of alfalfa across the U.S.
In exchange for allowing Monsanto’s premeditated pollution of the alfalfa gene pool, WFM wants “compensation.” In exchange for a new assault on farmworkers and rural communities (a recent large-scale Swedish study found that spraying Roundup doubles farm workers’ and rural residents’ risk of getting cancer), WFM expects the pro-biotech USDA to begin to regulate rather than cheerlead for Monsanto. In payment for a new broad spectrum attack on the soil’s crucial ability to provide nutrition for food crops and to sequester dangerous greenhouse gases (recent studies show that Roundup devastates essential soil microorganisms that provide plant nutrition and sequester climate-destabilizing greenhouse gases), WFM wants the Biotech Bully of St. Louis to agree to pay “compensation” (i.e. hush money) to farmers “for any losses related to the contamination of his crop.”
In its email of Jan. 21, 2011 WFM calls for “public oversight by the USDA rather than reliance on the biotechnology industry,” even though WFM knows full well that federal regulations on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) do not require pre-market safety testing, nor labeling; and that even federal judges have repeatedly ruled that so-called government “oversight” of Frankencrops such as Monsanto’s sugar beets and alfalfa is basically a farce. At the end of its email, WFM admits that its surrender to Monsanto is permanent: “The policy set for GE alfalfa will most likely guide policies for other GE crops as well True coexistence is a must.”
Why Is Organic Inc. Surrendering?
According to informed sources, the CEOs of WFM and Stonyfield are personal friends of former Iowa governor, now USDA Secretary, Tom Vilsack, and in fact made financial contributions to Vilsack’s previous electoral campaigns. Vilsack was hailed as “Governor of the Year” in 2001 by the Biotechnology Industry Organization, and traveled in a Monsanto corporate jet on the campaign trail. Perhaps even more fundamental to Organic Inc.’s abject surrender is the fact that the organic elite has become more and more isolated from the concerns and passions of organic consumers and locavores. The Organic Inc. CEOs are tired of activist pressure, boycotts, and petitions. Several of them have told me this to my face. They apparently believe that the battle against GMOs has been lost, and that it’s time to reach for the consolation prize. The consolation prize they seek is a so-called “coexistence” between the biotech Behemoth and the organic community that will lull the public to sleep and greenwash the unpleasant fact that Monsanto’s unlabeled and unregulated genetically engineered crops are now spreading their toxic genes on 1/3 of U.S. (and 1/10 of global) crop land.
WFM and most of the largest organic companies have deliberately separated themselves from anti-GMO efforts and cut off all funding to campaigns working to label or ban GMOs. The so-called Non-GMO Project, funded by Whole Foods and giant wholesaler United Natural Foods (UNFI) is basically a greenwashing effort (although the 100% organic companies involved in this project seem to be operating in good faith) to show that certified organic foods are basically free from GMOs (we already know this since GMOs are banned in organic production), while failing to focus on so-called “natural” foods, which constitute most of WFM and UNFI’s sales and are routinely contaminated with GMOs.
From their “business as usual” perspective, successful lawsuits against GMOs filed by public interest groups such as the Center for Food Safety; or noisy attacks on Monsanto by groups like the Organic Consumers Association, create bad publicity, rattle their big customers such as Wal-Mart, Target, Kroger, Costco, Supervalu, Publix and Safeway; and remind consumers that organic crops and foods such as corn, soybeans, and canola are slowly but surely becoming contaminated by Monsanto’s GMOs.


Whole Food’s Dirty Little Secret: Most of the So-Called “Natural” Processed Foods and Animal Products They Sell Are Contaminated with GMOs
The main reason, however, why Whole Foods is pleading for coexistence with Monsanto, Dow, Bayer, Syngenta, BASF and the rest of the biotech bullies, is that they desperately want the controversy surrounding genetically engineered foods and crops to go away. Why? Because they know, just as we do, that 2/3 of WFM’s $9 billion annual sales is derived from so-called “natural” processed foods and animal products that are contaminated with GMOs. We and our allies have tested their so-called “natural” products (no doubt WFM’s lab has too) containing non-organic corn and soy, and guess what: they’re all contaminated with GMOs, in contrast to their certified organic products, which are basically free of GMOs, or else contain barely detectable trace amounts.
Approximately 2/3 of the products sold by Whole Foods Market and their main distributor, United Natural Foods (UNFI) are not certified organic, but rather are conventional (chemical-intensive and GMO-tainted) foods and products disguised as “natural.”
Unprecedented wholesale and retail control of the organic marketplace by UNFI and Whole Foods, employing a business model of selling twice as much so-called “natural” food as certified organic food, coupled with the takeover of many organic companies by multinational food corporations such as Dean Foods, threatens the growth of the organic movement.


Covering Up GMO Contamination: Perpetrating “Natural” Fraud
Many well-meaning consumers are confused about the difference between conventional products marketed as “natural,” and those nutritionally/environmentally superior and climate-friendly products that are “certified organic.”
Retail stores like WFM and wholesale distributors like UNFI have failed to educate their customers about the qualitative difference between natural and certified organic, conveniently glossing over the fact that nearly all of the processed “natural” foods and products they sell contain GMOs, or else come from a “natural” supply chain where animals are force-fed GMO grains in factory farms or Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs).
A troubling trend in organics today is the calculated shift on the part of certain large formerly organic brands from certified organic ingredients and products to so-called “natural” ingredients. With the exception of the “grass-fed and grass-finished” meat sector, most “natural” meat, dairy, and eggs are coming from animals reared on GMO grains and drugs, and confined, entirely, or for a good portion of their lives, in CAFOs.


Whole Foods and UNFI are maximizing their profits by selling quasi-natural products at premium organic prices. Organic consumers are increasingly left without certified organic choices while genuine organic farmers and ranchers continue to lose market share to “natural” imposters. It’s no wonder that less than 1% of American farmland is certified organic, while well-intentioned but misled consumers have boosted organic and “natural” purchases to $80 billion annually-approximately 12% of all grocery store sales.
The Solution: Truth-in-Labeling Will Enable Consumers to Drive So-Called “Natural” GMO and CAFO-Tainted Foods Off the Market
There can be no such thing as “coexistence” with a reckless industry that undermines public health, destroys biodiversity, damages the environment, tortures and poisons animals, destabilizes the climate, and economically devastates the world’s 1.5 billion seed-saving small farmers. There is no such thing as coexistence between GMOs and organics in the European Union. Why? Because in the EU there are almost no GMO crops under cultivation, nor GM consumer food products on supermarket shelves. And why is this? Because under EU law, all foods containing GMOs or GMO ingredients must be labeled. Consumers have the freedom to choose or not to choose GMOs; while farmers, food processors, and retailers have (at least legally) the right to lace foods with GMOs, as long as they are safety-tested and labeled. Of course the EU food industry understands that consumers, for the most part, do not want to purchase or consume GE foods. European farmers and food companies, even junk food purveyors like McDonald’s and Wal-Mart, understand quite well the concept expressed by a Monsanto executive when GMOs first came on the market: “If you put a label on genetically engineered food you might as well put a skull and crossbones on it.”


The biotech industry and Organic Inc. are supremely conscious of the fact that North American consumers, like their European counterparts, are wary and suspicious of GMO foods. Even without a PhD, consumers understand you don’t want your food safety or environmental sustainability decisions to be made by out-of-control chemical companies like Monsanto, Dow, or Dupont – the same people who brought you toxic pesticides, Agent Orange, PCBs, and now global warming. Industry leaders are acutely aware of the fact that every single industry or government poll over the last 16 years has shown that 85-95% of American consumers want mandatory labels on GMO foods. Why? So that we can avoid buying them. GMO foods have absolutely no benefits for consumers or the environment, only hazards. This is why Monsanto and their friends in the Bush, Clinton, and Obama administrations have prevented consumer GMO truth-in-labeling laws from getting a public discussion in Congress.






Although Congressman Dennis Kucinich (Democrat, Ohio) recently introduced a bill in Congress calling for mandatory labeling and safety testing for GMOs, don’t hold your breath for Congress to take a stand for truth-in-labeling and consumers’ right to know what’s in their food. Especially since the 2010 Supreme Court decision in the so-called “Citizens United” case gave big corporations and billionaires the right to spend unlimited amounts of money (and remain anonymous, as they do so) to buy media coverage and elections, our chances of passing federal GMO labeling laws against the wishes of Monsanto and Food Inc. are all but non-existent. Perfectly dramatizing the “Revolving Door” between Monsanto and the Federal Government, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, formerly chief counsel for Monsanto, delivered one of the decisive votes in the Citizens United case, in effect giving Monsanto and other biotech bullies the right to buy the votes it needs in the U.S. Congress.


With big money controlling Congress and the media, we have little choice but to shift our focus and go local. We’ve got to concentrate our forces where our leverage and power lie, in the marketplace, at the retail level; pressuring retail food stores to voluntarily label their products; while on the legislative front we must organize a broad coalition to pass mandatory GMO (and CAFO) labeling laws, at the city, county, and state levels.
The Organic Consumers Association, joined by our consumer, farmer, environmental, and labor allies, has just launched a nationwide Truth-in-Labeling campaign to stop Monsanto and the Biotech Bullies from force-feeding unlabeled GMOs to animals and humans.
Utilizing scientific data, legal precedent, and consumer power the OCA and our local coalitions will educate and mobilize at the grassroots level to pressure giant supermarket chains (Wal-Mart, Kroger, Costco, Safeway, Supervalu, and Publix) and natural food retailers such as Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s to voluntarily implement “truth-in-labeling” practices for GMOs and CAFO products; while simultaneously organizing a critical mass to pass mandatory local and state truth-in-labeling ordinances – similar to labeling laws already in effect for country of origin, irradiated food, allergens, and carcinogens. If local and state government bodies refuse to take action, wherever possible we must attempt to gather sufficient petition signatures and place these truth-in-labeling initiatives directly on the ballot in 2011 or 2012. If you’re interesting in helping organize or coordinate a Millions Against Monsanto and Factory Farms Truth-in-Labeling campaign in your local community, sign up here:
http://www.http//organicconsumers.org/oca-volunteer/
To pressure Whole Foods Market and the nation’s largest supermarket chains to voluntarily adopt truth-in-labeling practices sign here, and circulate this petition widely: http://www.http//www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_22309.cfm
And please stay tuned to Organic Bytes for the latest developments in our campaigns.
Ronnie Cummins
Organic Consumers Association

My Cherry Green Goodness Posted on Blend It And Mend It

I posted a few days ago about a great site I found called Blend It and Mend It. Well, now she has show cased two of my smoothie recipes!! She videos her recipes and also viewer submitted recipes, demonstrating how to make wonderfully healthy and delicious smoothies and green drinks. A recent video is of my cherry smoothie that I wrote in to tell her about.

Elizabeth's Cherry Green Smoothie
2 C spring water
1 10 oz bag of organic cherries
2 ripe bananas
3 handfuls of organic spinach
1 T chia seeds
1 T hemp seeds
1T sprouted and dehydrated raw buckwheat (buckwheat crispies posted here)
1 tsp pure vanilla or almond extract (we use almond primarily)
Blend until creamy smooth. Enjoy!

I love how Jane improvises, using what she has on hand when recreating other's recipes. She has made some good substitutions. Go to her site and watch the video. My recipe calls for hemp seeds and she substituted sesame. Did you know that a 2 tablespoon serving of hemp has 5 grams of complete protein including all eight amino acids and 880 mg of omega 3's?? And one tablespoon of raw sesame seeds contains as much calcium as 5 cups of (toxic) cow's milk!!
When you go to Jane's site plan on spending some time there, she has fabulous recipes that you are going to want to write down. Trust me, I went through all of her previous posts and wrote down all of the recipes into my raw  spiral notebook. You won't be disappointed.
Here is the other video she made for her smoothie recipe that called for grapefruit and I suggested she try substituting my beloved Pummelo! You can view that here. Her original recipe called for spinach, I think, but this time she used parsley.
+JMJ+ Today I am grateful for a beautiful female cardinal who sang me the sweetest song this morning when I opened up the kitchen window. This has happened to me several times before, but it is still just as special as the first time.