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RAWsome Videos: Opening a Young Coconut, Making Juice in a Blender & Cutting a Mango

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2012-04-14T14:17:50-04:00

I did a really fun “RAWsome Green Drinks Class” at Whole Foods today & we covered a lot of ground. Here are a few videos that demonstrate a few things we talked about in class. These videos were filmed by my friend Patrick of Ramble Productions. RAWK on & Enjoy! :-) And thanks to everyone who participated--it was great to meet you & share with you!

How to open a young coconut:

How to open a coconut from Ramble Productions on Vimeo.

Here’s a link to a video I did comparing the centrifigal & masticating juicers: the Breville & the Champion. These are both great juicers, it’s just that one does a better job on leafy greens. :-)

How to make fresh JUICE with a blender/vitamix:

How to Make Fruit & Vegetable Juice in a Blender -- powered by ehow

How to Cut a Mango:

The Best Way to Cut a Mango -- powered by ehow

A Quote from Albert Einstein

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2012-04-02T16:21:46-04:00

It is my view that the vegetarian manner of living, by its purely physical effect on the human temperament, would most beneficially influence the lot of mankind.
—Albert Einstein (1879–1955)

I think Einstein was spot on. Eating a whole foods, plant-based diet is such a pure, natural and wholesome way to eat and it is also a peace-loving way to eat with no harm or death attached to the food. How liberating.

I am motivated to be a raw vegan for health reasons first, but I certainly have a strong love of all living creatures, and that weighs heavy on my choice to live a raw food lifestyle too. Since becoming a raw foodie my spiritual awareness to the planet, my food and my body has increased significantly. I feel more connected to the land, my local farmers, my food, the people and animals around me and I am so grateful for that. I also feel more balanced emotionally and find that I get less “charged” out of things than I used to.

What about you ... Are you a vegetarian? Have you noticed a shift in your personal temperament since becoming a vegetarian, vegan or raw foodie? How so?

There are just so many positives to plant-based living ... it’s better for our health, as it can prevent and even reverse disease; it’s better for the sustainability of our planet, as there is much less waste involved and much of what we eat we can buy from our local farmers; and it’s better for our souls, as we are eating foods that are pure and free of violence, fear and anxiety. By choosing plant-based foods we are showing love and compassion for the world around us on a mind, body & spirit level and that feels amazing!

I do not judge what others put into their grocery carts & onto their plates. We all have the right to do what we think works best for us and I always respect that, but I do hope that people reflect on the choices they make & that they begin to incorporate a little more raw food & a lot less “Standard American Diet” (SAD) food into their life. The choices we make around food empower us and allow us to live our best life, and I believe that nothing helps us do that more that eating our veggies and fruit. :-) Raise your green smoothie glass now!

Never Say Never

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2012-03-26T20:50:04-04:00

Never say never! If there is one thing I have learned since discovering raw food, that is it ... never say never. Before going raw I said that I could never be a raw foodie; then after going raw I said that I would never, under ANY circumstance, give up my coffee; for years and years I said I could never do yoga because of the arthritis in my right hip; and before going raw I thought I could never do a fast of any kind. I was wrong!

I AM a raw foodie; I gave up coffee within 10 days of transitioning to a raw & living foods lifestyle; I have become a yoga junkie over the past year and I have done several juice fasts and a smoothie fast since going raw & am now doing a fruit fast! Phew! That’s a lot of proving myself wrong. :-)

What have you said never to? I always think of Justin Bieber and his “Never Say Never” song when I hear the word never. The truth is that we just never know what is in store for us, and the best we can do is be open to new experiences.

CHEERS!

COLOR Your World Green with Spirulina

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2012-02-25T16:16:35-05:00

With more nutrients per calorie than any other food, spirulina is a great food to add to your diet. But how do you eat it? Well, I recently got a sample package in the mail from Green Tara that included some “spirulina crunchies” and “energy bites” and they were fabulous! Each sample package was packed with a whopping 20 grams of protein. WOW! In case you aren’t familiar with spirulina, it’s a fresh water algae that is high in protein, iron, calcium, magnesium and all kinds of other vitamins & minerals.

Now on to the Samples ...
The “Spirulina Crunchies” are so yummy! They are straight up spirulina shaped into “bacon bit” shapes, perfect for sprinkling on salads, soups, dips & in lettuce wraps. And the flavor and texture are fabulous! Crunchy & savory. We put a bowl of them out at our monthly potluck & they were a crowd pleaser ... everyone enjoyed the crunch, the flavor & the added health benefits.

The “Energy Bites” are adorable, chewy, bite sized treats that contain banana, coconut and sesame seeds along with spirulina. They are tasty, addictive & so satisfying. I think of all of the crappy things I used to treat myself to pre-raw food ... like sugary coffee drinks, muffins, bready pastries ... and now I think about fantastic raw goodies that I can treat myself to when I want something special and different, and these treats fit the bill. YUMMMMMM! And don’t expect me to share many with you ... I like ‘em too much! :-) Check out the Kids Gone Raw blog post about the “Green Tara energy bites” that were left in the fairy house for my niece.

Thank you, Green Tara for sharing your fab spirulina food with us! YOU RAWK! :-) Be sure to visit the Green Tara website & try some goodies out for yourself!

Juicy January Juice Feast days 6-12

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2012-01-12T16:42:08-05:00

The feast continues & it has been good! I am able to do all that I normally do, maybe even with a little more focus. :-) I have been painting, going to yoga (in fact, I am doing a 30 day yoga challenge), working on “Kids Gone Raw,” walking the pups, babysitting my niece & nephew on Wednesdays, preparing raw food for others & loving life. I have faced daily challenges between the hours of 5 & 7pm ... I get tired, cranky, light headed & sometimes have a headache. I just breathe through it with a cup of juice in hand & find something else to do. I have been doing the enemas at least every other day.

I didn’t record everything I drank each day, but each day I have had 3-4 quarts of fresh juice, 1-2 quarts of a hot lemon juice tonic, 16 oz. of miso broth, a mug of herbal tea & 1-2 quarts of water & 1-2 cups of fresh young coconut water ... my juices include veggie juices, fruit juices & mixes of both. I find I need a couple of fruit juices a day for a quick pick me. :-)

Day 6: I hit power yoga this morning, followed by hot shower, a large glass of fresh coconut water & a yummy fruit juice of cantaloupe, kiwi, orange & grapefruit & now to work. Too much computer work is getting to my head, but other than that I feel GOOD! :-)

Day 7: I woke up feeling good, but mad at my pup for pooping on the floor again. I've been giving both dogs the juice pulp, which they LOVE, but it makes them poop their little hearts out! I hit a 1 1/2 hour hot yoga class which was killer ... towards the end of the standing poses I got really light headed ... but I rallied through & feel good & tired now. I hit the Farmers' Market for inspiration & came home to enjoy a pizza juice with tomatoes, basil, celery, garlic, spinach, a wedge of lemon, a pinch of sea salt & pepper.

Day 8: I felt nauseous all day. I think it may have been triggered by my enema. Not sure though. UGH! I still accomplished a lot, but just didn’t feel good. More detoxing, maybe?!

Day 9: Today was a good day! Felt great all around!

Day 10: I had a melt down tonight. Felt stretched & pulled in too many directions & then collapsed. EMOTIONAL!

Day 11: Tried to be mindful about my fast ... and asked myself if I was ready to stop or was my mind just telling me that. I think it was just mind chatter, so I will carry on. :-)

Day 12: I felt good & hungry for juice today ... I had lots of different juices & warm drinks as the snow fell. I spent time in the studio, actually got outside & shovelled which was ok, although I got lightheaded at the end, so I came in for juice & to get warm.

2 more days to go! :-)

Juicy January Juice Feast days 1-5

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2012-01-05T09:44:01-05:00

I am on day 5 of my juice fast & feeling pretty darn good! :-) I had a little bit of a rocky start in that my period arrived on day 1 ... sorry to any guys reading this. :-) My period made me feel extra tired & a little fragile for a few days, but I rallied through with lots of juice, warm tea & a warm lemon juice tonic.

We’ve got an online support group going which is nice. I just like knowing that there are other juicing along with me. Thanks, guys!

Here’s my day by day recap:

Day 1: I felt great today, until about 5pm when I got a headache & felt a little cranky. I drank 2 quarts of green juice, 2 quarts of a lemon, ginger, garlic tonic & 1-2 quarts of water. Not a bad day. And I slept like a rock!

Day 2: Feeling kind of blah & crampy because of my period, but am still being productive. :-) I had 2 quarts of green juice, 2 quarts of the warm lemon drink, some warm tea & water throughout the day. Started my enemas ... it was smooth sailing. Slept like a dog!

Day 3: Feeling the need for a little fruit energy! I started with 1 quart of water, followed by a 16 oz. of orange, grapefruit & cranberry juice. Then 1.5 quarts of green juice & another 16oz. of fruit juice throughout the day. Enema again ... enemas are easier this time around than my previous 2 juice fasts.

Day 4: More water, 1 quart of fruit juice and 2 quarts of green juice, warm tea & 1 quart of the warm lemon drink today. I strated to feel a little weird & light headed around 7pm, so I had a pear, apple, carrot juice & felt better right away! Enema was painless. Slept so well again!

Day 5: I started with 16 oz of water followed by 16 oz. of canteloupe kiwi juice ... yummm!!! And then a quart of green juice ... more like purple juice cause of the beet I put in. :-) Yummmm! Enema released more stuff from my colon. :-) Will have another quart or 2 of green juice & 16 oz of fruit juice before the day is done. :-)

Favorite juices this week:
Citrus Boost
2 oranges
1 grapefruit
1/2 cup of cranberries

Canteloupe Yumm
1/4 of a canteloupe
2 kiwi

Collard Sweet
5 Collard leaves
2 stalks of celery
3-4 carrots
1/2 inch piece of ginger
1/2 lemon
1/2 cuke
1 apple
1 pear

Simple Green
6-8 kale leaves
3 celery stalks
2 apples
3 carrots
1/2 inch piece of ginger
1/2 lime

Top 10 Ways to Stick to your Meal Plan

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-12-29T13:32:23-05:00

With a little planning, we can really set ourselves up for success! Eating a high raw diet is very important to me for many reasons & even though I have created some rawmazing habits around eating, I can still get pulled off of my path as easily as anyone else. Here’s my top 10 ways list for keeping healthy:

10. Start each day with a quart of green smoothie or green juice ... and bottle yourself up another serving to enjoy later in the day when you’ll need a pick me up.

9. Keep your fruit bowl well stocked & always have some veggie sticks on hand for nibbling.

8. Be sure to carry a healthy snack with you at all times. You never know when you’ll need a little something to carry you through. I am a big fan of having apples, bananas or a baggie of nuts & raisins in my handbag.

7. Plan ahead. Think through your day & plan out what you’ll need for snacks & meals, that way when that donut crosses our path we can say “no ... I’ve got something better that will actually nourish me!”

6. Get plenty of sleep. We make better choices for ourselves when we are well rested!

5. Share your healthy treats with those around you! Sharing makes everyone feel good & when you have something healthy to share, it means you won’t dive into something unhealthy.

4. Think about what motivates you to live your healthiest life each & every day! For me it is simply wanting to live my best life & to be healthy for my family & friends.

3. Exercise a little every day! Even though we are all wicked busy, making a little time for a power walk, a run, an exercise tape, yoga or zumba is really important. Aim for 20 minutes to an hour a day so that you can feel your best!

2. Giggle. Laugh. Smile. Dance.

1. Practice gratitude for the life you have & your beautiful body that is truly a miracle!

Here’s the link to the yummy nut nog recipe!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!

Green Smoothie / Green Juice Challenge

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-11-29T21:23:36-05:00

With the December Green Smoothie Challenge upon us, I thought I’d share a few pointers & recipes so you can start shopping.

• rotate your greens: Buy 2-3 different greens at a time and rotate them or use a combination of them in your smoothies & juices.

• store your greens in an open plastic bag & don’t let the leaves hang out of the bag or the ends will wilt.

• Don’t be afraid to try new combinations & to stray from recipes. Creativity is so much fun with green smoothies & green juices!

• If you have a regular blender, be sure to chop your fruit & greens up small enough for your blender. You may need to add a little extra water to get things blending smoothly too.

• spices can be tasty in smoothies & juices ... I love cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom in some of my sweet smoothies & curry or cayenne in some of the all veggie smoothies.

• If you aren’t big on bananas, try half an avocado instead of 2 bananas, or substitute them for another fruit you do like. (Bananas don’t go through the juicer)

• Crunched for time, blend your smoothie & make your juice ahead of time & store it in an airtight container for up to 48 hours. That means fill up a jar to the top leaving no room for air & then screw the lid on tight.

• treat yourself to a smoothie or juice at a local juice or smoothie bar. In the Portland area you can get them at the Maine Squeeze in the Old Port, at Whole Foods, at Mojo in South Portland & soon at the Bay Club in One city Center.

• Have fun & ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!! CLICK HERE to join the event on facebook

Day 1 recipe - makes 1 to 1.5 quarts
Apple Pie Smoothie
4 cups of spinach
2 apples
2 bananas
1 tsp cinnamon or to taste
2 cups of water

Day 2 recipe - makes 1 to 1.5 quarts
Sunshiny Day
3 chard leaves
a handful of cilantro
2 bananas
1 pear
1 cup of pineapple
1 Tbs coconut oil - optional
2 cups of water

Day 3 recipe
Basil Yummmmmm
5 kale leaves
3 roma tomatoes
1 stalk of celery
1 small handful of basil
1 clove of garlic
1/2 avocado-optional
pinch of sea salt
2-3 cups of water

•

Point of View by Shel Silverstein & Adopt a Turkey

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-11-18T16:54:12-05:00

Point of View
By Shel Silverstein

Thanksgiving dinner's sad and thankless
Christmas dinner's dark and blue
When you stop and try to see it
From the turkey's point of view.

Sunday dinner isn't sunny
Easter feasts are just bad luck
When you see it from the viewpoint
Of a chicken or a duck.

Oh how I once loved tuna salad
Pork and lobsters, lamb chops too
'Til I stopped and looked at dinner
From the dinner's point of view.

Click HERE to save a turkey!

Ginger Snap Smoothie on Delicious TV

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-10-18T10:12:43-04:00

I had the pleasure of meeting with Betsy Carson of Delicious TV in my raw food kitchen a week or so ago & we had a blast! Betsy produces fabulous vegetarian recipe videos & shares them on the really fun & hip website: www.delicioustv.com

The morning Betsy visited was a breezy & crisp Autumn morning & I decided to warm us up with a tasty ginger snap smoothie. Betsy caught the green smoothie process on video ... click on the link below to view it. So fun! And Calvin, our Boston Terrier, makes his debut too--he came running into the kitchen when he heard the knife hit the cutting board. Our doggies love their fruits & veggies!

Check out the new GGR video HERE!!!!!!!! And be sure to warm up your Autumn mornings with a ginger snap smoothie from time to time ... they are DELICIOUS! Yummmmmmmmmm!

Thanks for the visit, Betsy! I look forward to more fun in the kitchen with you! :-)

KIDS GONE RAW

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-10-03T13:07:07-04:00

Guess what? I am working on my first un-cookbook with my rawsome writer friend, Maggie Knowles & it’s called “Kids Gone Raw.” It will be filled with simple, yummy & fun recipes for kids & their people & everyone in between. It will also be filled with healthy living tips, ideas & projects for you & your family.

Maggie & I have some rawmazing kids in our lives (Maggie's a mom & I’m an Auntie) & we know the power & importance a healthy lifestyle plays in helping us live our best life.

Giving kids the opportunity to play in the kitchen & learn about healthy food & living empowers them and gives them the ability to make healthy choices that make them feel good about themselves. We know our book will change the lives of kids & their people & we can't wait to share it with you ... it's gonna knock your socks off!

We have a website up & running & hope you will bookmark it & join us on facebook & twitter too.

We are looking for fun photos of kids & food/gardens to use in our book & on the web, and any of your kid tested recipe creations (of course, we will credit you if we use them). If you have something to share, we’d LOVE to hear from you: info@kidsgoneraw.com

www.kidsgoneraw.com

NOTE: The Kids Gone Raw e-list is linked to the Girl Gone Raw e-list, so if you are already receiving Girl Gone Raw e-mails, simply update your subscription by entering your e-mail in the KGR box & following the prompts.

Practicing Gratitude

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-09-13T21:12:03-04:00

When we stop to think about the things in our lives that we are grateful for, we boost our spirit & increase the positive energy flowing through us. Even on our darkest days, being grateful for small things helps us get by. Who can’t use a little gratitude in their life? Do you have a gratitude practice? What are you grateful for?

I am grateful for friends, family, laughter, getting to share raw food with so many wonderful people this week, a boat ride on Casco Bay, witnessing a spectacular sunset, the full moon, picking tomatoes with my nephew & niece, a gourmet raw food dinner at a friend’s house, yoga on the Maine State Pier for Salutation Nation, our farmers, living the life I love & YOU!

Sharing

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-08-31T10:09:03-04:00

I LOVE TO SHARE! :-) And sharing healthy food is such a huge part of what I do. I share food with friends & family. I share food with raw food clients. I share food in all of my classes. When it comes to raw vegan food, sharing is most certainly caring & I am so grateful to get to share such nourishing yumminess with folks!
Here are a few photos of some of the sharing I did this week! How & what have you shared lately? I’d love to hear!

SERENDIPITY

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-08-09T17:46:58-04:00

My studio was open for First Friday Artwalk last Friday and it was such a beautiful Summer night filled with surprises! I was sipping on green smoothies & snacking on veggie sushi with my partner thinking that it was a rather quiet artwalk, when 2 lovely people walked in. They had been over at Rosemont Bakery (across the street from my studio) inquiring about where they might find a raw food dessert to purchase as a hostess gift. The woman at the register said to try Girl Gone Raw across the street. :-)

They walked in & asked about raw food desserts & we jumped all over that conversation only to find out that
Lisa is a raw vegan chef & she & her friend Hiram were invited here from Connecticut to host a raw vegan dinner & demo on Chebeague Island for a group of people the following night. My first question was “Is it open to the public?” Lisa said she would ask Marcy, the woman who planned the event, & get back to us.

We got a call later that night from Marcy officially inviting us to the raw food event on Chebeague Island. To say that I was excited would be an understatement! Chef Lisa just returned from a 6 month stay in Coast Rica where she volunteered at a healthy living retreat center specializing in raw food (www.fincadevida.com) & her food was RAWlicious, beautiful & inspiring. We had the best time ... between the incredible island backdrop, the beautiful people we met & the gorgeous multi-course meal we were served. Pinch me!

THANK YOU ALL FOR A WONDERFUL NIGHT!
We are so grateful to have met ALL of you & to have spent such a magical evening together!

Lisa’s website is in the works, so stay tuned for www.lisasobolewski.com/

Kids in the Kitchen

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-07-12T14:31:34-04:00

We have had the pleasure of having lots of kids visit recently & it is so fun to share raw & living foods with them. I invited all of the kids to help me make some different things & I have a few observations to share:

1. Kids are eager to help.
2. They make for really great assistants!
3. They are more likely to try foods that they help prepare.
4. Kids love to learn about food.
5. They take pride in their creations.
6. They ask great questions.
7. They love to turn blenders & food processors on & off.
8. They want to do everything on their own & in most cases they can!
9. Kids are so creative & are really good at plating food.
10. Kids LOVE to play in the kitchen!

Let the kids in your life help YOU in your kitchen!
You will all have a blast! :-)

Girl Gone Raw, Portland Power Yoga & Green Smoothies ... OH YES!

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-06-21T12:16:55-04:00

I discovered Portland Power Yoga this Spring after a friend encouraged me to try a class with her. After my first visit I was hooked! :-) Yoga fits right into the raw & living foods lifestyle & I am soooooooo excited to have begun a yoga practice & to announce that I have teamed up with Portland Power Yoga for a festive Green Smoothie Day on Saturday, July 2nd! Yipppeeeee ... a celebration of 2 of my favorite things, green smoothies & yoga!

I will be offering nutritious & delicious, organic, green smoothies made with love after the 7:15am, 9:00am & 11am classes on Sat, July 2nd. 16 ounces of green goodness for $5! So come get on your mats & treat yourself to a vibrant green smoothie after a great workout! Green smoothies are perfect for helping you to replenish & nourish your body! Hope to see you there!

AND for those of you new to Portland Power Yoga, get a 45 day unlimited yoga pass for ONLY $60 (normally $80) when you mention “liquid sunshine” at the register between now & July 1st. That is a RAWtastic deal! I hope you will take advantage of it! Wooo-hooooooo!

Maine Lemonade Day

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-06-17T07:04:11-04:00

June 5th was Lemonade Day, a day for kids to put their creative energy to use & to celebrate kid entrepreneurship. I was lucky enough to have a Lemonade Cooperative set up in front of my studio/raw food kitchen for the day selling my Girl Gone Raw recipe for fresh squeezed, organic lemonade. Yummmmmmmm! The day was a huge success ... the sun was out, the lemonade tasted great & people were out supporting all of the lemonade stands ... there were quite a few on Munjoy Hill. Don’t you just LOVE this lemonade stand built out of recycled & salvaged pieces? TOO CUTE FOR WORDS! Thank you for the fun Lemonade Day!

Check out the article about Lemonade Day in the Portland Press Herald.

Making the Most of your Social Life with Raw Food

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-05-29T09:51:57-04:00

Warmer weather is here ... wooo-hooooo ... & everyone wants to get outside & enjoy their back yards & patios & time with friends & family, right?! I know I do! :-)

As raw foodies, some of the biggest challenges we face are social engagements with friends & family. As a society, our socializing is often centered around eating things that a raw vegan won’t enjoy. And sometimes we don’t get invited over at all because people don’t know what to prepare for us.

For those of you who aren’t sure what to make for raw vegans, think simple: a garden salad (just look at that picture of that yummy lettuce) & dressing on the side, chopped veggies tossed with with olive oil, lemon juice & sea salt, or fresh fruit or raw nuts! That’s not so scary is it? Or you can check out some Girl Gone Raw recipes too by clicking on the link above. :-)

So how do we ALL make the best of our social engagements & have a good time?

• Always make a BIG batch of something RAWlicious to share!

• Check your attitudes & judgements at the door & remember that socializing is about spending time with the people you love & not about what is on one another’s plates.

• Try planning something with friends & loved ones that isn’t centered around food ... like a walk, a bike ride, a visit to the Farmers’ Market or a movie outing.

• Host a party & ask people to bring certain things like guacamole & salsa, a garden salad, a fruit salad, veggies for dipping & then you make a couple of entrees & a dessert to share & voila, you have a RAWKIN’ party!

The key to making the best of social situations is being prepared by having options for yourself on hand, like a bag of nuts & raisins or an avocado or some fruit, & keep sharing healthy food with others. I find that when you get away from describing your dish as raw vegan & simply call it what it is, people are more receptive & less fearful!

HAVE A GREAT MEMORIAL DAY! xoxo

•

Brunch at Prana Restaurant

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-05-12T11:07:05-04:00

As a raw foodie there is nothing more exciting than a visit to a raw food restaurant! Why is it so exciting ... well, because it’s not very often I get to go somewhere & pick any or everything off the menu. In fact, eating out is something I don’t usually enjoy a whole lot because the food I make at home is so much better than the average salad I can order elsewhere. So being at a raw food restaurant is wicked fun for me!
And of course it’s a treat because I don’t have to prepare the food! :-) Don’t get me wrong, I love spending time in the kitchen making yummy food, but sometimes it’s just nice to take a break & let someone else do it for you. So we were down in Massachusetts for the weekend to celebrate with a friend & we made a brunch-time trip to the Prana Restaurant in Newton. Lucky for me it was Mother’s Day & they had a special Mother’s Day menu which I couldn’t refuse.

Here’s what my 3 course meal entailed:
• Avocado Chile Chocolate Crepe with Mango Berry Salsa • Seasonal Gilfeather Turnip and Vegetable Hash served with Field Shoots and Bread with Coconut Butter (pictured at the top) • Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie
Everything was a hit with me! I LOVED it all, especially the turnip vegetable hash & the lemon meringue pie were my faves. Ahhhh! So here I am dreaming & drooling of yummy food prepared by others. :-)

You know what else I love? I love POTLUCK night & it is THIS Sunday, May 15th from 5-7pm! I love potluck night for the same reasons I love eating at a raw food restaurant ... I get to eat yummy food & I don’t have to make it all! :-) Join us at 81 Congress St. for a RAWlicious time! Hope you can make it. :-)

Sick, Fat & Nearly Dead

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-05-03T20:28:18-04:00

We had the pleasure of seeing “Sick, Fat & Nearly Dead” at the Nick in Portland last week & it was definitely RAWSOME! I always love a movie with a transformational story & this film did not disappoint ... in fact, I got 2 transformational stories for the price of one!

The film follows Joe Cross, an obese Australian businessman, miserable with his life & his health, on a 60 day juice feast. Joe begins his journey in New York City & then proceeds to travel across the US talking to people about health & obesity while juicing his veggies in the back of his car & sharing his green juice with anyone willing to try it. Joe winds up his trip in California 80 pounds lighter! WOW! And he inspired a trucker he met at a truck stop to take his health into his own hands too! This movie was so heartwarming--it just filled me with joy. In case you can’t tell I really LOVED this movie & highly recommend it. Highly! www.fatsickandnearlydead.com

Here are a couple of pics from the night! A green juice toast in our kitchen! And a shot of some of us at the theater!

The Greenhorns, A Movie About Young Farmers

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-04-19T20:00:15-04:00

We also saw the documentary “The Greenhorns” at Space Gallery on Saturday night & really liked it! It’s a film about young farmers across the US--I felt grateful & inspired. I love our Maine farmers! :-)

Global Warming & Our Food Choices

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-04-19T20:29:43-04:00

We went to hear Anna Lappé talk at Space Gallery this weekend for Food & Farm Weekend & it was really interesting. When I think of global warming & some of the things that are to blame, I think big SUVs, electricity, power plants & factories ... and because I have read a lot about factory farming, I think of that as well.

Well, Anna Lappé really brings our attention to our food & how it plays a huge role in climate change. And she had all kinds of interesting facts for us to ponder, like ... “If 10,000 medium-sized U.S. farms converted to organic production, they would store so much carbon in the soil that it would be the carbon-saving equivalent to taking one million cars off the road.” One more reason to love organic farming! :-)

I got her book, “Diet for a Hot Planet’ and am only a short way into it, but I do feel empowered! Anna gives me just one more reason to feel good about the choices I make around food as a raw vegan. And I’m sure she will give me many more ideas to continue do my part to save our planet & share my knowledge with others.

If you feel like you can’t make healthy choices around food for your own health, are you willing to make changes for our planet and future generations to come? I hope so!

Here’s a blurb from Anna’s website www.takeabite.cc to peak your interest :
“When you hear about global warming, do you picture dirty coal-fired power plants and industrial smokestacks? Do you kick yourself for not having replaced that last bulb in the bathroom with a compact fluorescent? Or gnaw your nails over how much you’ve been spending on gas?
Yes, the sources of energy required to power our homes and our cars are major emitters of the greenhouse gas of highest concern—carbon dioxide—but there’s another culprit to the crisis that until recently has largely stayed out of the climate change-hot seat: our food system.
Okay, so maybe food strikes you as an unlikely target. If asked to name the planet’s climate-change bad guys, you might tag Shell and ExxonMobile before Sara Lee or General Mills.
But, if you account for all the emissions from seed to plate to landfill and emissions from deforestation driven by agribusiness, the food and agriculture sector accounts for as much as one third of the planet’s greenhouse gas emissions. The livestock industry alone is responsible for nearly one-fifth of the total, says the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization.”

HAPPY EARTH DAY!!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE OUR PLANET!!!!!

Stepping Outside My Comfort Zone

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-04-13T21:22:53-04:00

For years I have resisted yoga. I have arthritis in my right hip & the thought of being in a yoga class, trying to get my leg to move in ways it just doesn’t go, wasn’t appealing to me. I have never been able to sit cross-legged, just to give you an idea of how restricted the movement in my hip is.

Well, a friend recently tried hot yoga for the first time & she raved & raved & raved about it to me. Her enthusiasm sparked some interest & I agreed to step outside my comfort zone & give it a shot. Guess what ... I loved it! WOW! And I’m even one of those people who does NOT like extreme heat. :-) Look what happens when we stop resisting things ... we are able to open our hearts & minds & discover something new & exciting!
Raw food & yoga compliment one other so nicely ... they just make sense together & I am so happy to have them both in my life! I am hooked on hot yoga, in fact I went to class at 6:30 this morning!
My 2011 is about love & adventure & I am so excited that I have added hot yoga to my list of things that I enjoy. :-) What are you resisting in your life that you can open up to?

My 2nd Juice Fast

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-04-04T10:29:00-04:00

I completed my second juice fast last week! Yeee-haw! I enjoyed fresh vegetable juices for 7 days & the whole experience was amazing. Aside from a couple of headaches & feeling chilled, I felt really good. I slept less, had decent energy & felt so clear! :-)

Here’s a list of some of the things I juiced in my Champion Juicer throughout the week: celery, cucumbers, carrots, bok choi, dandelion greens, broccoli, red pepper, onions, beets, spinach, swiss chard, kale, collard greens, ginger, lemon, lime, cilantro, parsley, basil, apple, pear, oranges & even a couple of grapefruits.
All of the juices were so delicious & satisfying. I enjoyed 4-6 large glasses of juice a day, along with water & lemon & herbal teas. And for some reason, this juice fast felt a little easier than the last one.
Like last time, I did almost daily enemas so that I could move things along & pull the toxins left in my colon out, so they wouldn’t seep into my bloodstream.

Here’s my play by play ...

Day 1: I felt super, mild headache in the evening ... enema was fairly uneventful.
Day 2: I felt good. I am getting chilled easily. Didn't sleep well ...
Day 3: It feels like I am seeing clearer & that my head is equally as clear. I had a busy day, felt good. Didn't sleep well again. Skipped the enema.
Day 4: Woke up feeling good. Again, my eyesight felt very crisp! Good cleaning in today's enema. Forgot to make a mid-morning juice & got a headache.
Day 5: Slept better--am realizing I just need less sleep while juice fasting. I enjoyed my juices. Another good enema.
Day 6: Loving the juices--they just taste so good. Part of me thinks I could just keep juicing for life--it is that satisfying. With the enema I had the flushing of a clean system.
Day 7: Another great day! Trying to decide if I will extend my fast!
Day 8: I enjoyed green juice in the morning & smoothies during the day. My mouth is watering at the thought of food. I might be ready to eat!

I used Steve Meyerowitz’s book “Juice Fasting & Detoxification” as a guide through my juice fast. It’s important to have a good resource to fall on during any kind of fast, as there is a right & a wrong way to do things!

Girl Gone Raw is Going on Tour! :-)

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-04-04T10:34:37-04:00

Yes, it’s true! I am a team member of “Envisionary Events” & the “Tools For Life Mastery Tour 2011” and I am so excited, I can hardly stand it! ;-) I have joined forces with a phenomenal group of individuals and I really hope you will visit our websites (linked above) and join our e-list to see what we have in store for you.

"Gift" yourself one magical weekend to be immersed in our guidance and loving support. We share our passion with you and show you how to incorporate more love, positivity, well-being & balance into your world, one simple step at a time. Come transform your life!

I will be sharing my story of health and inspiring you to live your healthiest life by incorporating more raw & living foods into your diet, & I will give you the tools to make easy and delicious changes. Isn’t it time to unleash a vibrant NEW YOU by learning to make healthy choices around food?

Learn more about us on our pre-registration call THIS Friday, April 8th at 1pm & get an exclusive pre-registration call discount! And don’t fret if you can’t join us on Friday at 1pm--the call will be recorded & you can listen at your own convenience once you register.

Registration NOW OPEN for Portsmouth New Hampshire May 13-15

In addition to the core team of presenters, each weekend will be further enhanced by guest speakers, and local wellness practitioners in varying modalities. Each month we will offer varying options for individual sessions. Please click here for our workshop schedule.

JUICERS: centrifugal vs. masticating

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-03-24T21:39:36-04:00

A friend of mine lent me her Champion juicer this week & I have been trying it out during my Spring cleaning juice fast. After making juice with the Champion a couple of times, I decided that in order to fairly judge the performance of it, I would need to do a side by side comparison with my Breville centrifugal juicer. Check out the video to see what unfolds. And be sure to giggle at the high speed juicing part & my chipmunk voice. :-)

I made this video on day 2 of my fast & while my initial reaction was that the Champion was more work for little difference in juice taste, I changed my tune after my experiment. I could see & taste the difference in the 2 juices ... the Champion made a bigger glass of juice that was richer in color & nutrients too. My centrifugal juicer is easy to use & wicked fast & both are fairly easy to clean, but for a nutrient dense juice, my vote would be for the Champion. That’s my 2¢ from my juicing experiment. Now to see I can talk to my friend into helping me make the Champion a part of my home. :-)

This is my second juice fast & I am starting day 5 & feel great ... click here to read about my first juice fast. I love Steve Meyerowitz’s book “Juice Fasting & Dextoxification” & highly recommend it for anyone thinking about doing a juice fast/feast. Cheers!

Spring Cleaning, The Raw Way

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-03-18T10:03:56-04:00

We had temps in the 50s yesterday! I ventured out without my Winter gear & it felt sooooooo good. I even saw yellow crocuses in FULL bloom, which seems amazing since there are still snow piles around. With Spring comes hope, joy & MORE fresh, local produce! Here are a few things you can do to increase your raw food intake over the next few months.

1. Enjoy at least 1 green smoothie a day!
Green smoothies are loaded with nutrients & give you a energetic burst at any time of day or night.
2. Add a simple side salad to your lunch & dinner plate each day.
By making a simple little salad of greens for your lunch & dinner plate you can keep your immune system strong & your blood clean! Just toss it with a little lemon juice, olive oil & nama shoyu, or apple cider vinegar. Have you tried the kale salad?
3. Snack on fresh fruit.
Grab an apple, a pear, a banana or an orange on the go. They taste great & will put a little jump in your step.
4. Snack on fresh veggies with a rawkin hummus or guacuamole.
Slice up some cukes, carrots & celery & munch away as is or with a yummy dip. When we put healthy food in our body we feel good about ourselves & we naturally take better care of ourselves. You can get a little fancy & make these cucumber rolls!
5. Enjoy a raw food dessert from time to time.
We all enjoy a sweet treat now & again, so why not enjoy a wholesome raw food dessert like a berry cobbler, carob pudding, lemon macaroons or carrot cake?

HAPPY SPRING!

Raw Vegan Cooking Show with Girl Gone Raw

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-03-12T13:41:13-05:00

I had the pleasure of doing a half hour raw vegan cooking show with our wonderful Community Network Television station, CTN5, a few weeks ago. The show is called Community Kitchens & they travel to different kitchens in the Greater Portland area & share what folks are up to. I got to make cashew cilantro burgers, corn chowdah & coconut donut holes. Roger, the host, & Lesley & Bill, the camera workers, were so fun to be around--we had a great time in the GIrl Gone Raw Kitchen & of course, everyone enjoyed the food. Yummmmmmmmmmm!

Visit the CTN5 website: www.CTN5.org

Staying Warm in Winter

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-03-03T12:17:45-05:00

If you are like me, you probably enjoy some warm food from time to time, especially when the temps dip into the single digits. I have always loved warm soups & stews & I make sure I get to enjoy them regularly as a raw foodie. Here are a few of my tricks for staying raw & warm in Winter ... & Spring!

1. Don’t be afraid to warm up your food. I often warm up stew, chili & soup in a pan on the stove. I set my stove to medium low & I stand there & stir my food until it is warm to touch. It should never be piping hot, just warm.

2. When I make blended soups, I set all of my vegetables out on the counter for the day or for several hours beforehand so that they reach room temperature, & then right before blending them I add in hot water. This usually results in a warm soup.

3. I also use my dehydrator to make warm foods like un-roasted veggies, cauliflower popcorn, cinnamon buns & lasagna.

4. Another trick is to simply add warming spices to your smoothies & blended soups ... like ginger & cayenne.

118 is the magic number for raw food, as we want to keep all of the enzymes in our food in tact. And most of us bathe in water that is 110-115 degrees & that is pretty warm water. So when you think about warming up your raw food dishes, just keep in mind that it should never be warmer than your bath water. :-)

Green Smoothie Heaven

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-02-21T13:42:29-05:00

Thank you all for participating in the 30 Day Green Smoothie Challenge & for entering some great photos in the Green Smoothie Mustache contest on facebook. You are all RAWK Stars for completing the challenge! And I LOVED ALL of the pictures that were entered in the contest. :-)

This little girl stole the hearts of many & won the contest!!! YEAH! She just captures the happy, healthy spirit of green smoothies, don’t you think?! And the prize ... a copy of the book “Green for Life”!

And this handsome guy was our runner up. I love his double stache. Wicked cute!

The next Green Smoothie Challenge will begin on Monday, March 7th. I hope you will join us! And of course we’ll have another mustache contest to go with it, so get your cameras ready! :-)

Cacao: Save it for a Special Treat!

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-02-13T20:52:18-05:00

I LOVE CHOCOLATE! Always have. It tastes sooooooooo good & it sends happy feelings all over my body. BUT, I have to be very careful about eating it. Ever since transitioning to a high raw diet I have become very sensitive to stimulants, & cacao is definitely a stimulant--it contains theobromine & caffeine.

Some folks claim cacao to be a superfood & while it does offer antioxidants, magnesium, iron, calcium & vitamin C, I don’t think a superfood is supposed to make you feel bad. If I enjoy an occasional chocolate/cacao treat, I feel fine, & if I overindulge on cacao, I don’t feel so hot. UGH! It can make me feel bad & I often have trouble sleeping. That is my simple explanation of why I don’t view cacao as a superfood, just a special treat.

I have pretty much switched to using carob powder & it is loaded with lots of good stuff too, like protein, calcium, potassium, magnesium & manganese to name a few. So feel free to substitute carob for cacao & feel RAWtastic afterwards! :-)

So what prompted this blog post ... well, I have been playing around with simple chocolate recipes & because it all tastes so darn good, I have had a few too many samples. So, I don’t feel my best & I just thought I’d share it with you. And by the way, I did make about 1/2 of my chocolates as carob chocolates, but I still just ate a few too many of the real chocolate stuff.

Enjoy your valentine sweets, but don’t over do it! :-) xoxo

Super Bowl Sunday Menu

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-02-03T20:55:12-05:00

I look forward to Super Bowl Sunday for several reasons ... good food, good company, commercials & of course for a little football too. :-) I will be making some tasty raw treats for Sunday night’s game and I wanted to share my menu with you:

tahini garlic kale chips
salt & vinegar kale chips
bruschetta
happy burritos stuffed with chili
flax seed crackers with chili

What will you be making?

*** *** ***

Please VOTE for my WHOOPIE PIE recipe in the Hot Raw Chef Contest! CLICK HERE TO VOTE I am video #10!

VOTE for me in the Hot Raw Chef Contest

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-01-29T09:56:46-05:00

Help make me the next Hot Raw Chef! :-)

I have gone through the entire process, & submitted all of the requirements for the Sweet Valentine Video Recipe Contest & am officially a contestant. YOU can help me win -- Go to hotrawchef.com & vote for me in the next Hot Raw Chef Video Recipe Contest (I am video #10). You’ll be helping me win one of 3 great prizes, and you’ll receive a FREE e-book full of the recipes of all 44 contestants, JUST for voting!

Please send this on to your friends, family & co-workers! I could really use the support & it’s so easy to vote! Please go to hotrawchef.com & vote for me & my whoopie pies. I am video #10!

Thank you for your support!
:-) Elizabeth, aka Girl Gone Raw & your next Hot Raw Chef hopeful

*** *** ***
1) The Grand prize is $4,995 in tuition towards Living Light Culinary Institute or stay at the Living Light Inn in Fort Bragg, CA.
2) One runner up will receive $450 credit towards any Living Light class.
3) The People’s Choice winner (the person who receives the most votes from online voting alone) will receive a $250 gift certificate to spend in any way they choose at any of the 4 Living Light businesses.

Green Smoothie Bliss

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-01-27T10:33:48-05:00

We are 11 days into the Green Smoothie Challenge & I think we are all having a ball! At our house, we have been playing with some wonderful smoothie concoctions & trying new greens in them like watercress, cilantro, parsley & dandelion greens. It’s so fun to get creative with the fruits & veggies in your kitchen. You should check out some of the creations people are sharing both on the Girl Gone Raw facebook page & on the Green Smoothie Event Page.

And if you have kids, get them involved ... they LOVE making them & of course drinking them. Check out this video of my 3 1/2 year old niece demonstrating how to make a green smoothie.

Blending your greens will get you double the nutritional value than when you chew them, as blending breaks open every cell in the green making it easy to absorb all of the goodness! It would take a lot of time & patience to chew open every cell of greens.

And please note that I have added a green smoothie class to the schedule for Tues, March 1st with a second Green Smoothie Challenge beginning on Mon, March 7th.

LOVE YOURSELF, LOVE YOUR GREEN SMOOTHIE! :-)

AMAZING STORY ... Crazy, Sexy Diet with Kris Carr

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-01-19T08:25:34-05:00

Inspiring! I look forward to getting a copy of the book! :-)

Can Anyone Thrive on a Vegetarian Diet?

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-01-10T17:06:15-05:00

I read the China Study last Summer & found it to be a fascinating & interesting read. One of the conclusions the China Study comes to is that a diet high in animal based protein causes illness. The China Study has jump started many interesting conversations around vegetarianism & health & I have enjoyed following the dialogue.

In September of 2010, Dr. Mercola wrote an article questioning The China Study & the vegetarian lifestyle. I had once been a follower of Dr. Mercola’s & was surprised to see his take on The China Study. While I do recognize that every person is different & that each of us may require different foods to thrive, I was surprised that he stated that most people would not benefit from a vegetarian lifestyle.

I am a raw vegan, so I certainly want to believe that the choices I make around diet are the best ones I can possibly make for my health & well being. My mom died from breast cancer at the age of 53 & since her death I have been on a quest to learn all that I can about staying healthy. I can say that I feel better NOW as a raw vegan than I have in ages ... my energy is great, I feel balanced emotionally & my weight has been stable for the first time in years. Becoming a vegan has been such a powerful & positive experience in my life on so many levels.

I was happy to see that both Dr. Colin Campbell, author of the China Study, & Dr. Gabriel Cousens, a world-recognized live-food nutritionist responded to Dr. Mercola’s “attack” on The China Study. Dr. Campbell reveals Dr. Mercola’s ties to a Washington based agricultural lobbying group & revisits some of the research from the book & Dr. Cousens talks about 40 years of helping people heal through a living foods diet while taking into account the practice of ayurveda. Very interesting stuff! I hope you take a minute to check it all out & share your take.

elephant photo taken from infobarrel.com

HAPPY RAWKIN' NEW YEAR!

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2011-01-02T08:30:48-05:00

Thanks for being patient with me during the month of December while I painted my heart out in the studio. December is always a busy month for pet portraits. Click here to see a few of them. :-) I hope you all had a wonderful holiday & that your New Year is off to a great start. I am not big on resolutions, but I do like to take time to reflect on the past year & the year to come, so that’s what I will be doing over the next couple of weeks. I’ll let you know what I come up with. :-) What about you ... any resolutions or intentions for 2011 you want to share?

Holiday Cheer in my Studio

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-12-13T08:01:23-05:00

I’ve been consumed with my art world this month. Lots of sales going on & lots of commission work to be done, so I have had to just go with the flow. :-) I have a really fun Group Holiday Sale going on in my studio this week, so I hope you can drop by for some fun Holiday Cheer. There are 11 different artists represented here & there are so mnay fun gift items. Sale hours are Thurs & Fri 10am-8pm & Sat & Sun 10a-5pm. I even have some raw food goodies for sale ... gift certificates, nut milk bags & wheat grass growing kits! Come visit www.fraserartstudio.com

VEGETABLE ORCHESTRA ... check it out!

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-11-21T09:40:00-05:00

I just saw this group on the CBS Morning Show & have to share it. These innovative musicians play music on vegetables! I LOVE IT! One more reason to love veggies. :-)

Check them out at www.vegetableorchestra.org

RAW FOOD FUN: a Luau & Thanksgiving all within a few days

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-11-18T08:29:11-05:00

I have had a fun raw food week. Talk about some tasty food! We celebrated my partner’s 40th b-day with a Luau theme over the weekend. Check out the picture of our table of food. We had papaya steak, sushi, veggie kabobs, veggie stir fry, guac & salsa & a yummy banana chocolate caramel cake! I love talking about food. :-)

And then on Tues I had my “Gobble-free Thanksgiving” class which was fabulous--a wonderful group of people & a tasty meal! Our menu included a gratitude rawktail (green juice), a sunflower sprout salad, cranberry relish, stuffing, a free-range veggie loaf, carrot ginger mash & pumpkin pie. Happiness! I hope you’ll try my cranberry orange relish for your Thanksgiving table--it’s so easy & so good!

And if you’d like to sponsor a turkey & send it to a sanctuary to live out its life, check out this post from Maggie Knowles.

GREAT MUST SEE VIDEO SERIES

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-11-07T10:20:07-05:00

There is a new video series out by the makers of the fabulous & inspiring movie “Simply Raw: Reversing Diabete in 30 Days” & I think you’ll really enjoy it. Speakers include Morgan Sprulock (of Supersize Me), Dr. Joel Fuhrman (author of Eat to Live), David Wolfe (living foods expert) & Mike Adams (author & health expert). Click on this link to view the videos: www.rawfor30days.com/VideoSeries/

Kitchen Catastrophe

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-11-04T11:51:48-04:00

With the cold weather setting in, I have taken to enjoying a hot cup of tea pretty regularly--it warms my soul. :-) My kitchen is a set up to be a raw food kitchen & we use 3/4 of our stovetop as counter space & 1/4 to heat the tea kettle. I'll bet you know where I am going with this ... yesterday morning I turned on the WRONG burner & walked into the living room.

I was sitting on the couch reading an e-mail when I looked up & out of the corner of my eye I saw flames in the reflection of the kitchen window. I ran to the kitchen & saw my stovetop on fire. I screamed. It was a SCARY sight! I opened the cupboard under the sink where we fortunately keep a fire extinguisher, & I sprayed it on the stove. Within seconds the fire was out. PHEW!

That was a wake up call. While my expensive vitamix container & my spice grinder melted in the fire, I am so grateful we weren’t hurt & that there wasn’t more damage. I am telling you this story because I don’t want you to make the same mistake. As careful as we all think we are every time we turn on the stove, it only takes one mistake to put yourself in harm’s way.

After cleaning up the HUGE mess from the fire extinguisher, we removed the control buttons on the stovetop so that we can NEVER make that mistake again. And we are planning to take the stove out of the kitchen all together & replace it with an official countertop space. YEAH!

MORAL of the story: You cannot be too careful--Know where your fire extinguisher is! And if you don’t have one, get one! And it you are using your stove as a counter, make sure you cannot mistakenly turn on the wrong burner.

Nuts & Dates & More, OH MY!

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-10-29T10:06:46-04:00

Just wanted to share my last pick up from the food co-op ... it consists of 25 lbs of cashews, 5 lbs of almonds, 5 lbs of sunflower seeds, 10 lbs of raisins, 11 lbs of dates, lots of sundried tomatoes & a bunch of raw bars. YEEEEE-HAW! For more info on the Portland Food Co-op, visit www.portlandfoodcoop.org

Baby Loves to Prepare Raw Food Too!

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-10-29T10:08:34-04:00

I babysit my niece & nephew on Wednesdays which always involves a little raw food fun. This week, my 6 month old nephew was teething & he just wanted to be held & moving. I strapped him in the baby bjorn & went to town in the kitchen. We made “meatloaf”, un-tuna salad & flax seed crackers. As you can see he was a very engaged helper. So engaged in fact, that he exhausted himself & crashed hard. So cute! I think he loves being in the kitchen! My niece was at school while we made these things, but when she got back, we made smoothies & banana chocolate ice cream. It was a RAWsome day! :-)

Bionic Burger--Would YOU Eat it?

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-10-19T08:09:50-04:00

I am SOOOOOOOOO happy I don’t eat these & haven’t since I was a kid. Pretty freaky, huh? Even the bread does not decompose. It makes you wonder how on earth people digest this food. Would you eat one?

High Raw

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-10-14T14:06:50-04:00

As you probably know, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE raw food! People are sometimes intrigued by the fact that I am a raw foodie & they often ask me: “Do you eat 100% raw all of the time?” And my answer to that is that I eat very high raw. What does that mean? Well, at home all of my meals are raw vegan meals. On occasion I may use an ingredient that is not a raw ingredient like nutritional yeast or olives from the health food store, or raw almonds that have technically been pasteurized. But all in all, I eat raw at home. I do love hot tea though! :-) I also enjoy a wholesome vegan meal on occasion when I go out to eat. In fact, last night I went to a wonderful locavore potluck that had a lot of vegan dishes, so I sampled & enjoyed a few of them. That’s what I mean when I say “high raw”--I do what feels right for me! How would you describe how you eat?

Here’s today’s menu so far (it’s 3pm now):
water
green smoothie with kale, banana, water, carrot & coconut oil
dried apples as a snack
tea
cider
big salad with spinach, grated squash & carrots, tomatoes, dried basil, radish sprouts, cabbage, red onion, sunflower seeds, olive oil, nama shoyu & apple cider vinegar
water
a handful of cashews & raisins
... not sure what dinner holds for me! :-)

Gluten Free = Raw Foods

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-10-07T09:34:13-04:00

So many people have wheat allergies in today’s world & they feel so limited by their choices. It’s not fun to feel deprived. It’s not fun to feel like you can’t enjoy yummy treats. Well, I am hear to tell you that raw & living foods offer an incredible array of delicious food for YOU, as everything is essentially gluten free! Nama shoyu, which is an unpasteurized soy sauce, is really the only wheat based product that is sometimes found in raw food recipes & you can simply substitute it for a wheat free tamari. If you are missing a yummy bread in your life, then you NEED to try this week’s recipe of onion bread ... it is absolutely to live for! Enjoy these pics of gluten free enchiladas, apple pie & sandwich.

Have You Ever Done a Cleanse?

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-09-30T08:47:29-04:00

My fab chiropractor was on WCSH6 for Fit at 5 this week talking about cleanses & good sport Kelly LaBrecque dove in & did a 7 day cleanse for the segment. :-) There are all kinds of cleanses out there. Have you ever done one? What kind & for how long? If you haven’t done one, would you consider doing one? Feel free to share in the comments below! :-)

I did a 7 day juice fast/feast in the Spring. It was a really positive experience for me. It gave my digestive track a break & it gave me extra time as I wasn’t preparing meals or thinking about what to eat & I felt fantastic! I think I am due for another one. Click here to read about my juice fast.

Girl Gone Raw in the NEWS

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-09-16T12:44:06-04:00

Going raw can bring new, youthful energy
by Maggie Knowles

I sat in between Margaret and Justine. For a few moments the only sounds were “Ohhh, this is amazing” and drawn out “Mmmmmmmm’s.” Elizabeth Fraser watched us devour her creations, as proud as any chef could be.

When I signed up for a raw cooking class, my husband was quick to point out that “raw cooking” is the ultimate oxymoron. Semantics aside, raw living is a growing trend, arguably the most healthful way to eat. You can eat any fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, sprouts and grains — as long as they aren’t heated over 118 degrees. This way, the powerful nutrients and enzymes are not destroyed by heat.

Elizabeth Fraser, owner of Girl Gone Raw on Congress Street hosts classes and workshops that teach how approachable raw living can be. “Raw food takes you on a spiritual journey where you move toward making more time and space for what is important and what you love,” Fraser says. Her vibrance speaks for itself. Surrounded by dozens of her paintings (she is also a very talented artist) her smile is contagious as she chops and peels.

While the trio of participants watch Elizabeth make (insanely delicious) guacamole-stuffed portobello mushrooms, we chat. Margaret Flitsch, from Wellesley, Mass., talks about slowing transforming a male colleague from judging the lifestyle to joining her on weekly raw lunches. She also lost 46 pounds since changing her diet. Portland dweller Justine Denny is trying raw food after suffering from sinus headaches and other health issues.

I admit that I am nervous to give up coffee. Elizabeth laughs. “Me, too! I swore I would never stop the coffee. But after a few days of eating this way, drinking caffeine made me so jittery, I knew my body was saying it didn’t need it anymore.” But what of the 2:30 slump? According to the group, when you consume all those undiluted vitamins, your energy level rivals that of a toddler.

So why is it that the most natural way to eat has become the shocking alternative? Margaret says when she tells people she eats raw they literally gasp and ask, “Really? Why so extreme?” Our society favors the quick and the easy. Better to nuke something for two minutes than spend a few more making something that is completely healthy and delicious.

But incorporating a completely raw lifestyle isn’t the right fit for everyone. But you can still reap the benefits for a meal a day or even make one day a week your Raw Day. Our systems need breaks from digesting the chemicals and preservatives found in processed food. For kids especially, who need pure nutrients to fuel their growing bodies, start their day off with Girl Gone Raw’s Green Smoothie (blend 2 ripe bananas, a peeled and diced mango, 2 handfuls of spinach, 2 cups of almond milk, one TBSP of coconut oil). If you take one of Elizabeth’s classes, she shows you how to make the most amazing almond milk; you will never go back to store bought.

We also gobble up some incredible Zucchini Hummus. Pair this with a pile of fresh vegetables and they will be gone in seconds. (Place 2.5 cups peeled and chopped zucchini, 1/4 cup tahini, 2 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/8 cup EVOO, 1/4 tsp paprika, dash each cayenne and sea salt in a food processor and blend until smooth.)

I notice as I eat my third plate of Zucchini Spaghetti with Cashew Cheese (you have to taste this!) how slowly I am chewing and savoring every bite. The colors and flavors and so intense that I don’t want my plate to be empty again--and I know I won’t get the inevitable carb-crash that normally accompanies multiple servings of pasta. Margaret Mead said, “It is easier to change a man’s religion than his diet.” I’m only guessing here, but I don’t think she ever tried a Fudge Ball or Purple Pocket. If she had, the quote books would read, “Seriously, I just licked my plate.”

Check out Elizabeth’s website at girlgoneraw.com for more recipes and her calendar of classes. She also has raw food tastings during the First Friday Artwalks (her kitchen abuts her studio). Another amazing resource is Alissa Cohen’s book, Living on Live Food.
(Maggie Knowles is a columnist for The Portland Daily Sun. Her column appears Wednesdays.)

Look What I brought Home Last Night

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-09-16T16:40:24-04:00

Girl Gone Raw's Top 10 List for Joining the Co-op

10 Lots of LOCAL FOOD from 2 different Maine Distributors
9 Organic Bulk Nuts
8 Organic Bulk Dates
7 You’ll meet wicked cool peeps
6 Get raw Maine organic oat groats
5 Discount Prices on stuff you already buy!
4 You’ll be a shareholder of a really rawsome co-op
3 Fresh Maine Produce ... you should see the blueberries!
2 You can shop at home in your jammies
1 Just look at my picture of last night’s pick up ... need I say more?!

www.portlandfoodcoop.org

NEW WORKSHOP!

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-09-10T07:39:41-04:00

I am so excited to share this new workshop with you! I have teamed up with the wonderful life coach Deb Bergeron for a 1 day mini-retreat on self care. Pamper yourself on Sat, Oct 16th! You are WORTH it! CLICK HERE TO REGSITER!

Tooth Soap ... Love at First Brush?

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-09-05T08:04:59-04:00

I ordered some tooth soap a few weeks back & have been trying it out. The one I bought was the one pictured, peppermint tooth soap shreds. You bite down on a shred & brush with water. Your mouth suds up & you brush as normal. While the shreds to have a nice peppermint smell, they also have a soapy taste.

SO my first impression of tooth soap was ... DISGUSTING!!!!!!! I didn’t like the taste & couldn’t get beyond it. I used it faithfully for one full week & while I felt like my teeth were really clean, the soapy taste didn’t grow on me. I started using my Tom’s of Maine again & after several days, I realized that I felt a different kind of clean with the tooth soap. For a few days I used both the tooth soap & the toothpaste & now I am back to the tooth soap. The taste has grown on me & is less offensive than at first & like I said, my teeth do feel clean. The tooth soap really gets suddzie & it’s easy to brush, brush, brush! Try it, you just might fall for it too!

Here’s what the toothsoap.com website boasts about tooth soap:
There is no longer a need to fear the dentist. You can have better dental check-ups as well as reduce the frequency by brushing with Tooth Soap®. Some quick facts:
• Tooth Soap® is natural, non-toxic and never needs a warning label of any kind ...
• Cleans teeth, gums and deep cleans fissures and pits in teeth (the most common place for cavities) ...
• Removes oils, residue and other contaminants from teeth, promoting remineralization which reduces sensitivity ...
• Therapeutic essential oils nourish gums and subdue bacteria ...
• Softens tartar with continued use, making it easier to whisk away ...
• Tooth Soap® is made with whole foods, No Palm Oil and 100% sustainable ingredients, ToothSoap is healthy for your teeth and gums ...
• Manufactured in the USA in a gluten free facility ...
• Kosher certified Star-K ...
• Tooth Soap® is available in several different flavors in "Original Shreds" and "Liquid" ...
• Economical and saves you money at the dentist ...
• Can be used with braces and on dentures ...
• Recommended by dentists and endorsed by many health experts ...

We joined the Portland Food Co-op! :-)

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-08-31T09:31:46-04:00

We joined the Portland Food Co-op at the end of July & just recently placed our first orders ... yipppeeeeeee! We are so excited to be able to get great prices on some of the things we use so much of, like raw nuts & seeds & dates as well as Maine produce!

We attended an orientation & were shown how it works & how orders are placed. Everyone was so friendly & welcoming. When it came time to place an order, we just looked over what other folks were ordering & added on. Our first pick up date is early next week. I’ll let you know how it goes. :-)

How does the Co-op work? Basically the co-op takes out the middle man & lets you order groceries directly from the suppliers so that we all save money. You buy into the co-op & become a shareholder for $100. Once you become a member you can then place orders online from the different suppliers at your convenience. As a member of the co-op you volunteer 2-3 hours of time a month to helping this organization run smoothly. I am going to be involved in community outreach & my first gig will be manning a booth at the Common Ground Fair on Saturday the 25th. YEAH!

The Farmers' Market

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-08-19T14:58:51-04:00

It’s all about the pictures for this blog post!

And here’s a picture of all of the yummy goodness we brought home! YEAH! :-) See the recipes page for tasty recipe ideas for these fabulous fruits & veggies.

Visit my daily painting blog www.paintsquared.com to see paintings inspired by the market. :-)

LAKE TIME

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-08-09T15:12:59-04:00

I spent all of my childhood Summers & then some in North Hero, VT on Lake Champlain. It’s a heavenly place to get away to ... very remote & peaceful. I spent the week there last week which was GREAT! I took my dogs, my beach chair, my bike & a cooler filled with my raw food groceries. I had a great time hanging out with my dad at the cottage & got to enjoy some r & r, bike rides on the island, refreshing swims in the lake, walks on the beach, a few meals out & even a visit to a raw food cafe called Fiddleheads Cafe in Worcester!

I order my nut milk bags from Vermont Fiddleheads & when I saw on the map that their cafe is located right near where my dad gets his honey, I knew we had to make a road trip. :-) My dad was a good sport & not only did he enjoy a couple of raw food meals at home, but he ventured into the cafe with me & we savored 2 rawlicious desserts: a key lime pie & a berries & cream pie! YUMMMMMM! It was really fun to meet Linda in person after having purchased a bunch of her nut milk bags over the past 6 months. Sadly, I forgot my camera that day, so I don’t have any pictures to share ... know that the road trip was beautiful & the food was so yummy!

I’m back home now & have been playing in the kitchen a little ... check out me new zucchini boat recipe!

The China Study: PLEASE READ IT!

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-07-30T08:37:46-04:00

For months now, the book the China Study has come up in conversations. I bought it awhile back, but with so much going on, I never took the time to start it, that is, until now. I am about half way through the book & I am completely blown away. This book is bound to change your life. It makes me feel really good about my high raw vegan lifestyle. It is full of scientifically backed information that just may save your life & the lives of your loved ones.

Here’s a blurb about it from www.thechinastudy.com:
The science is clear. The results are unmistakable.
Change your diet and dramatically reduce the risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease and obesity.
Respected nutrition and health researcher, Dr. T. Colin Campbell reveals the truth behind special interest groups, government entities and scientists that have taken Americans down a deadly path
The China Study is a bestseller & can be found in just about any bookstore or health food store. I hope you get your copy soon! :-)

I am reading The China Study as part of a health & wellness bookclub sponsored by Absolute Health Choropractic on meetup.com Visit meetup.com if you would like to get involved.

Follow Dr. Cait on her Raw Food Journey

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-07-30T08:59:51-04:00

I have been working with Dr. Caitlin Morrisroe of Absolute Health Chiropractic on the “6 weeks to a Healthier YOU!” program which has been so fun! Here she is with her GORGEOUS zucchini lasagna. Doesn’t it look divine?!

Dr. Cait has embraced her raw foods journey & is making great sense of it all. Check out her blog where she writes openly & honestly about her experience with raw foods.

And if you are in need of a great chiropractor, I highly recommend Dr. Cait. I go every 2 weeks & she’s simply RAWSOME! :-)

Alissa Cohen Level I Classes This Week

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-07-22T17:36:01-04:00

I had the pleasure of teaching 2 Alissa Cohen Level I classes this week! It feels so good to share raw food with people because raw food really has changed my life & I can see that it is changing the lives of others as well. Happiness ...

We talked raw food, shared information with one another & of course made some fabulous, easy food to enjoy! What an empowering journey this is! Christina, one of my rawsome students, took this picture of me making spaghetti. It makes you want to get in line for a plate of pasta, doesn’t it?!

Well, why not get a group together & have a Level I Class party--it’s a wicked good time & you’ll learn so much! Click HERE for details.

And scroll down to read about the raw food class I took with Matthew Kenney!

Raw Food Class with Matthew Kenney

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-07-22T17:26:12-04:00

We were up in Camden last week & got to enjoy a fabulous evening at the Cellar Door Winery in Lincolnville for a raw food class with Matthew Kenney. WOW! What an amazing treat that was ... to sit & enjoy a gourmet raw food meal by a well known chef ... Life is good! We enjoyed a demonstration with Matthew in a gorgeous kitchen, then we headed up to the loft where we sat down for a 4 course meal that was out of this world ... and each course was paired with a different wine! We had pad thai, lasagna, mocha chocolate torte, a chocolate truffle & a macaroon. SO MUCH FUN & SO YUMMMMMMMY! :-)

Here’s a picture of us with the sweet couple we had the pleasure of sitting with during dinner.

Sprouting Class Last Night

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-07-07T15:42:39-04:00

I didn’t have my camera with me my during class last night, but rest assured, we all had a good time, despite the HOT weather! Good thing it was an “uncooking” class! I sprouted a bunch of seeds & grains earlier in the week & I shared some different sprouting methods with participants ... including my simple invention of using a wide mouthed mason jar with an ankle high panty hose over top of the jar to rinse & drain through. :-) Sprouts are so nutritious & they add such a refreshing touch to any dish you make. Last night we made sprout salads, a sprouted buckwheat applesauce, a soup with sprouted lentils tossed in & an apricot butter made with soaked nuts ... SOOOOOO YUMMY! Thanks for the good times! :-)

My next class is on Saturday & it’s a dehydrating brunch that will start off with blueberry pancakes & bacon! Click HERE to sign up!

Happy July 4th!

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-07-07T15:36:04-04:00

Here’s a video I took of the fireworks while the Portland Symphony played ... what a magical evening! WOW! I hope you had a great 4th of July too!

Here’s a picture of the crowd, Casco Bay with all of the boats in the harbor & the edge of the stage for the symphony on the right side.

Veg Fest 2010

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-06-29T08:44:21-04:00

Girl Gone Raw was at the Portland Vegetarian Festival on Saturday! What a fun day it was! We served up some yummy green smoothies made with spinach, banana, strawberries & water & they were a bit hit ... especially with my 3 yr old niece. She must have had a whole pitcher of green smoothie on her own.

Family Time

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-06-29T08:36:59-04:00

We’ve had some fun family time on Tues & Wed with a visit from our sister-in-law & 8 year old niece. We started our girls day with a raw food picnic ... what did we serve for our raw food patio picnic? We made some onion bread topped with nut cheese, fresh basil, avocado & tomato, we had kale chips, a simple salad, fresh fruit & ginger ice cream. What’s not to like, right?! With our bellies happy & full we headed over to Spring Point for some rock hopping. It’s always fun to share some of our favorite places with loved ones!

SUMMERTIME

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-06-21T08:04:07-04:00

We had a perfect kick off to a FUN weekend! It all started with an island adventure to Peaks on Friday. We packed up a raw food dinner & headed over on the 5:30 ferry to enjoy friends, pups, food & summer. We were lucky enough to enjoy a private boat ride on Casco Bay too ... it was heavenly to spend time on the water on such a gorgeous & warm evening. AHHHHHHHHHHHH! And after the boat ride, we enjoyed a raw food supper that included an appetizer of onion bread & “veggie tempura” & then egg foo young as an entree. It’s so fun to try new, delicious recipes!

And that was just Friday night! Saturday was filled with more raw food fun as one of our raw foodie college friends came for a visit. We ate delicious food, enjoyed a festive afternoon at Deering Oaks for Pride & then a fabulous show with the Kings of the Hill at Portland Stage. And Sunday we did a raw food italian extravaganza & made 3 dishes ... all DELISH!!!!!!! And we headed up to Taylor Pond for family fun, a boat ride & a swim in the lake. I couldn’t ask for MORE! I’m so grateful for everything in my life. :-) xoxoxo

SO.ME VEGANS: putting the Maine in Meatless

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-06-18T13:34:39-04:00

Check out this fab blog for vegan fanfare SO.ME VEGAN! It’s fun, informative & has lots of local flair ... and Girl Gone Raw was mentioned lsat week. Yipppeeeeeeee! Click HERE to read the entry mentioning GGR & then poke around the blog for more vegan good times! You’ll meet some of the wonderful folks who grow our food, you’ll find recipes, vegan fun facts, info about local vegan businesses & MORE!

Creating The Life You Love Workshop

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-06-15T06:45:28-04:00

I’ve taken this workshop listed below & it was SOOOOOOOO fun that I thought I’d share it with you! Deb & Lisa are amazing & you walk away feeling so happy & full of hope & of course you get to create a COOL vision board with all of these beautiful papers, trinkets, stickers & more! This is a picture of my vision board. :-) I think you’ll LOVE this if you are looking for something to do on Sat during the day. It’s also Pride weekend & there’s a lot going on with the parade & afternoon activities in Deering Oaks Park & then of course an evening with the Kings of the Hill & their “Rainbow Fried Circus” Show, which I also HIGHLY recommend!

Creating The Life You Love - Do You Want A More Joyful Life?
A workshop with Deb Bergeron & Lisa Clement

Date: Saturday, June 19, 2010 • Time: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm • Cost: $99.00 if pre-registered / $120.00 at the door. Price includes all vision board supplies.
Click HERE for to register online.
Let us help you create the life you love with this interactive workshop. Through guided imagery and visualization you will awaken your mind to all of the possibilities of your future. You will learn how to use your natural powers of attraction to bring health, happiness, wealth and the love you deserve into you life.
In addition, you will be introduced to the principles of Feng Shui and you will be lead through a hands-on process of deliberate creation as you create your own vision board.

Berry Class

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-06-14T07:57:27-04:00

BERRIES ARE SO GOOD & GOOD FOR US! They are loaded with antioxidants, have anti-inflammatory properties, help improve our memory & coordination & fight cancer. One thing to keep in mind is that berries are some of the most heavily pesticide/fungicide sprayed fruits so it’s best to buy organic! If you want a yummy recipe to try, check out the Berry Cobbler on the recipe page. DELISH!

On Thursday night I had my “Berry Tasty Treats” class which was lots of fun with lots of yummy berry dishes, from salad, to pie & to pudding! Thank you to my wonderful participants!

Raw Food & Protein

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-06-13T20:31:03-04:00

I just came back from a yummy raw food potluck. We had maki rolls, collard wraps, kale salad, chocolate cookies & raspberry sugar cones. HAPPINESS!!!!!! It was fun to talk raw food & share. We were chatting about the most frequently asked question raw foodies get: “Where do you get your protein?” Let me tell you where we get our protein ... from greens, veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds & sprouted grains. Yep, there is protein in ALL of them! Animals live & thrive off of greens, veggies, fruit & grains, so why can’t we! As a raw vegan, I am just taking out the middle man & going directly for the source. :-)

Best Commercials of 2009 • PETA

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-06-09T07:54:01-04:00

I was just watching the today show & they were showing some of the commercials nominated for best commercials of 2009. This one made the cut, although NBC refused to air it at the time. It sure gets the point across & makes me glad I don’t eat meat. God bless turkeys & all other animals. xoxox

RAWlicious Picnic on Mount Battie

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-06-07T11:01:28-04:00

I went up to Belfast last week with my favorite girls to drop off my artwork for the art show at the Maine Farmland Trust Gallery & on the way home we had a picnic on Mount Battie. What an inspiring place to eat lunch! :-) Our picnic consisted of cabbage burritos stuffed with a delicious salad, sprouts, nuts, nut cheese & avocado. DELISH! And we also enjoyed a little chia seed pudding. That was a perfect meal before exploring the summit.

Here’s a picture of me with the sweet town of Camden down below & then a picture of my partner & niece enjoying an avocado.

Cheers to picnics! :-)

RAWK Out at Some Girl Gone Raw Classes NEXT Week!

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-06-03T15:21:20-04:00

I invite you to join me for some fun Girl Gone Raw classes NEXT week: “5 Delightful Summer Salads--NOT Your Ordinary Salads!” on Tuesday night & “Berry Tasty Treats!” on Thursday night. Come take a class & enjoy a gourmet evening of eating & learning.

And then a weekend extravaganza with Alissa Cohen’s Level I & Level II Classes ... make it a raw food weekend! There will be lots of sampling, learning & fun!

We will have a blast, I promise! Class sizes are limited, so sign up NOW! Click here to view my calendar

Paintings of Farmers

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-05-29T11:35:19-04:00

I am getting ready for an art show called “Guardians of the Land” sponsored my Maine Farmland Trust in Belfast & I focused on farmers. As a big fan of the Farmers’ Market, I decided to paint the wonderful farmers that I see regularly. I did 6 paintings of farmers ... you just may recognize a few of them! Visit www.mainefarmlandtrust.org for details on the show! It opens on Fri June 4th & runs through July 13th.

Visit my art websites: http://www.fraserartstudio.com & http://www.paintsquared.com

Farmers' Market in Deering Oaks

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-05-29T07:02:11-04:00

I love, love, love the Farmers Market! And after watching the movie DIRT! last night, I love it even more! :-) Portland has an incredible market & everything was bursting with color & life this morning ... I get so stimulated & inspired by walking through all of the booths. I can’t think of a happier way to start the weekend! We got some seedlings for our garden & a few flowers too. I don’t know why we held off so long in doing our own vegetable garden ... I’m just so grateful & happy we finally did it this year! :-)

Watch "DIRT! The Movie" THIS Friday!

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-05-25T18:37:37-04:00

Join me for the showing of “dirt! The Movie” at Fourth Friday Food Films at Zero Station, 222 Anderson St. in Portland THIS Friday, May 28th. Doors open at 6:30 & movie starts at 7pm. Girl Gone Raw will be there with some munchies to share! :-)

My 2nd Raw Food Class: Eat MORE Greens!

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-05-22T19:01:18-04:00

EAT MORE GREENS! :-) That was the focus of Thursday night’s class & it was so fun & delicious. I love helping people see how many yummy & creative ways there are to eat greens ... it’s so much more than salad! Here’s a picture of me making the spinach & cilantro soup & then 2 participants enjoying their collard wraps with an almond butter dipping sauce. GREENS RAWK! :-)

Elizabeth knows how to make healthy raw food taste AMAZING! Her recipes and creativity make you feel like you are eating gourmet meals! We are hoping she can show some local chefs how to make some raw dishes to expand Portland's already amazing repetoire! So excited to go eat my raw leftovers!!! Yummmm!
Leanne Bard
Participant in "Eat MORE Greens & Love it!"

My 1st Raw Food Class: A Day in the Life of a Raw Foodie

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-05-18T21:51:53-04:00

Tonight was my first raw food class since launching my business, Girl Gone Raw, & it was so fun--it felt so good to share my passion with others! A year ago at this time I hadn’t even discovered raw food ... who knew this was around the corner for me. I had a wonderful group of students & we had a blast talking, eating, making food & eating some more. We had a great mix of recipes & if you are interested in raw food & want a good intro class, this is it! :-) The pictures show the veggie maki rolls & 2 different kinds of fudge balls. So yummy!

Raw foods are the basics of our ancient ancestors and they take the body and mind back to our natural state. As a serious Foodie, I can attest to Elizabeth’s recipes as simple, flavorful and exciting on the pallet.

Shel ( aka Guy Gone Raw)

Join me THIS Tuesday night!

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-05-16T21:01:32-04:00

Join me on Tuesday night for a fun-filled class covering a day in the life of a raw foodie! We will make food for breakfast, lunch & dinner ... and of course dessert. Here is a picture of my yummy veggie maki rolls that we will learn to make. Click HERE to register for class on Tuesday. Classes are $65 & include recipe handouts, lots of sampling & hands on learning. Bring your enthusiasm & your appetite!

The Movie: "Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days"

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-05-11T09:48:26-04:00

JOIN ME for a showing of this movie on Mon, May 24th from 7-9pm Click HERE for details!

I ordered this movie last week & it came yesterday, so of course we watched it last night. WOW! We were blown away. The film follows 6 individuals with both type I & II diabetes to The Tree of Life in Arizona where they embark on a 30 day raw, plant based diet to reverse their diabetes. The movie is filled with stories of healing, hope, struggle, love, inspiration & joy. I HIGHLY recommend it and I can’t wait to share it. I will be setting up several viewings in my studio so you can come see for yourself how powerful a raw food diet can be. “Simply Raw” is simply amazing!

Visit the movie website & watch a trailer for yourself!

My Raw Food Tasting Was SO FUN!

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-05-09T13:52:10-04:00

I had a combined Raw Food Tasting & Art Show for First Friday Artwalk on Friday Night & it was FABULOUS! So many people came out--we must have served 70 sample plates of food & 70 little dishes of ice cream. The tasting menu included: papaya steak, pesto stuffed mushrooms, beet ravioli with a tarragon “cheese,” cilantro/jalapeno “cheese” & flaxseed crackers & ginger & cinnamon “ice creams.” The energy in the studio was so positive & contagious--I am so grateful for getting the opportunity to share some yummy treats with my community. The only bummer of the night was that I didn’t take a single picture ... I was just too darn busy! :-) Here are a few pics from other photo shoots of some of the things we sampled ... beet ravioli, papaya steak & “ice cream.”

Click HERE if you’d like to sign up for one of my classes!

Cheers & Happy Mother’s Day to all of the moms out there!

Before & After Raw Pictures

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-05-02T20:01:28-04:00

Well, I was just searching for a full body before picture & I found one. I thought I looked a little chubby, but once I put my after picture next to it, I look a lot of chubby! WOW! What a difference. It’s the first time I have put a before & after picture side by side, so I am pretty blown away! I was a “healthy vegan” when that before picture was taken a year ago. This is wild!

Now we’re gonna do my partner. I always thought she was skinny ... but even she managed to shed a few pounds ... check out her before & after raw pics too. AMAZING! We both have the raw food glow & feel great! :-) Cheers to the raw food lifestyle!

My 1st Vegetable Garden

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-05-03T12:10:35-04:00

Becoming a raw foodie has taken me on a journey I never would have expected ... I feel so connected spiritually & physically to our earth! As Spring arrived here in Maine, I knew I wanted to try & grow my own veggies. I did some internet research & talked to a friend of mine who is a master gardener & away I went. I planned out sunny spots for my square foot gardens: 2 4x4 foot beds in the front yard & 2 6x1 foot beds in the driveway. I built the boxes (with the help of my brother), ordered the soil, planned out my veggies, bought some seeds & was ready to roll! YEAH!

My raised beds have started so many great conversations amongst the neighbors who have walked by while I was outside working. Gardening definitely builds community!

Here are a few pics of my beds! I have planted peas, lettuce, spinach, kale, beets, parsley & radish so far & will keep you posted on my progress.

Check this out: You can design your own square foot garden at Gardeners.com It’s so fun to play around here. I highly recommend it! :-)

My 1st Juice Fast

elizabeth@girlgoneraw.com — 2010-05-03T11:47:57-04:00

I did my first juice fast a couple of weeks ago & wanted to share my experience with you. Basically, I was curious about fasting & detoxing & wanted to give it a shot so I set out on a plan of juice fasting for 5-7 days. I have the book Juice Fasting by Steve Meyerowitz & I used it as my guide.

I juiced fresh vegetables & fruits that included kale, spinach, collard greens, swiss chard, cucumbers, lemons, limes, celery, carrots, apples, pears, beets, parsley. My program included 5 to 6 large glasses of fresh juice a day, lots of water & tea with honey (yes, I am a honey eating raw foodie), a daily shot or 2 of wheatgrass juice & daily enemas.

Day 1 & 2: I felt good, happy & satisfied. My first enemas were interesting & it felt good to clean my bowels knowing that it would help prevent toxins from entering my blood stream.

Day 3: I felt weird this day. I experienced chills, nauseousness & a headache. The uncomfortable moments didn’t last long, but I was very aware of how I was feeling. I did sit in the sun for a half an hour at lunch time & I think the sun may have pulled some toxins to the surface making me feel kind of icky. I was also surprised that my day 3 enema really got in there & flushed out my system.

Day 4 & 5: I was in the zone. My juices were delicious, satisfying & I felt like a million bucks. And surprisingly, the enemas were still cleaning out the system!

Day 6: I felt energetic & happy, but I think I overdid it physically this day & by nighttime I felt a little off. My enema was simply a flushing of a clean system.

Day 7: When I woke up on the morning of day 7 I new it was time for me to transition back to food. Steve’s book said to listen to your body & that it would tell you when it wanted to eat & it really did, so I listened. I had a green juice for breakfast followed by a banana spinach smoothie mid-morning. I ate a bowl of cubed watermelon for lunch & a blended vegetable soup for dinner. I felt great & energized! No more enemas! :-)

Day 8: I continued to transition back to food. I had a smoothie for breakfast and 2 delicious salads later in the day with fruit as snacks. Again, I felt great!

Overall my juice fasting experience was awesome! I generally felt clear, happy, & energetic ... aside from a few fleeting moments of discomfort that I mentioned above. I slept fewer hours and was very productive with my time. I didn’t watch any tv, I cleaned, painted in my studio, rearranged my spaces, started building raised vegetable garden beds & read a little--what a great week! :-)