Yum Yum Smoothie

Today I went to the endocrinologist and began a new round of blood and kidney tests. It will take 2 weeks to get the results back, but I am optimistic. I will keep you posted.

Waiting at the doctor's office gave me time to reread the Logic stage of A Well-Trained Mind by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise. I love this book! It is my home school handbook. If you want to home school, are interested in learning about home schooling, or just curious, I highly recommend this book. When I got home I ordered the last of the books we need to have in order to start school next week. Honestly, looking at all of the lessons, made home schooling feel a little daunting. It is such a responsibility! I would be lying if I told you I wasn't worried about being a good-enough teacher. However, then I quickly thought back to all of the not good-enough teachers we've had in the school system, and about how that daunting responsibility is what enables me to be a good teacher. This evening I am feeling better about it. The best way for me to get over the fear is to jump in with both feet. Tomorrow I will be working on their schedules and first few weeks of lessons.

Tonight we were pressed for time because Phillip had soccer practice and Emma had chorus rehearsal. I was able to get the kids fed, but did not have time to prepare something for us since we weren't in the mood for salad today. Solution: Wayne and I made an experimental smoothie this evening which turned out to be wonderful! I had bought a young coconut yesterday and emptied the water and meat into the Vitamix. Next I added fresh pineapple, mango, strawberries, and banana. We had some ground flax seed so I threw that in as well with a couple dates to add a bit of sweetness. Wayne looked a little afraid, but once he tasted it he really like it! It was very good and earned the name "Yum Yum Smoothie." We highly recommend it.

Why Raw?

I have had many people ask me in the last few days why I decided to go raw. Here is the whole story. In March 2007 I was diagnosed with two thyroid tumors. After a biopsy, they determined that one of the tumors was probably cancerous and recommended I have a total thyroidectomy. Prior to being diagnosed my health changed and I began to feel tired all of the time, I had skin and nail issues, cycle problems, gained a lot of weight, and I would lose my voice every few days. It felt like I had a rock sitting on my throat. I was clearing my throat every few minutes. The tumor was pressing on my vocal cords.

The good news was that when they took my thyroid out the tumor turned out not to be cancerous. The bad news was that within 24 hours after surgery horrible things began to happen that would change my life. First I wasn't able to feel my lips and my legs kept going to sleep. Eventually my legs and arms started to spasm and draw up uncontrollably. My lips and eye started twitching constantly. They put me on a heart monitor and seizure watch. As I sat in my hospital bed I felt very scared. My parathyroid glands, though still intact, quit working. It is a rare complication of surgery. My 24 hour stay in the hospital turned into a week. Once I was released I had to get my blood drawn and my calcium levels tested every other day for about 6 months. Gradually it tapered down over the next year to 2 times a week, to once a week, and to once every two weeks. I continued to experience a great deal of numbness and extreme fatigue. Somedays it seemed getting out of bed and taking a shower would wipe me out for the rest of the day. Another side effect was depression. While I thought I had been "depressed" before, I had never even been close. I couldn't snap out of it. The doctors kept messing with the dosages of my medication trying to get all of the hormones right so that I could function. At one point I was taking upwards of 25 pills a day juts to control my calcium levels. That doesn't include my Synthroid or depression medications.

Year two after surgery I saw some improvements and was able to move my blood draws out to every 3 months. I began exercising again and lost some of the weight I had gained. Iw as starting to feel good again when I began getting kidney stones. I passed 2 on my own and found out I had 7 more to go. One was way too large to pass. I was banned from exercise. I had my kidney stones blasted and then passed two more extremely painful ones. Once they were able to analyze the stones they found the calcium had effected my kidneys and they were not filtering properly. I had extremely high levels of protein in my urine and the doctors feared I was moving toward kidney failure.

My urologist and my endocrinologist agreed that I needed to go on a strict vegetarian diet. No meat, no dairy, no whey protein. They told me an occasional egg or fish would be okay. At first, I thought I would never make it. Because my family still ate meat and I was the primary chef for the family I ate mostly salads and fruits. I bought a Vitamix because my blender broke and began experimenting with smoothies. I found some I loved! The kids wanted to try them and they started requesting their favorites as well.

I noticed that I was feeling a little better eating vegetarian. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired, though. That evening I saw a clip on the local evening news about a woman who had breast cancer who went on a raw food diet. Her cancer had shrunk and her incurable stage 4 cancer was now thought to be curable. The woman was young and had three children. She looked so vibrant and excited about sharing her secret. I think she went to the Hippocrates Institute in Florida. I told Wayne, "I could never do that." He said, "You pretty much are already."

The next day I began to do some research on a raw food diet. The more I looked at the information the more excited I got. When I told Wayne I was going to do it, he thought I was a little crazy. He thought I was taking things a little far, but when I showed him what I had learned he was supportive. I even happened upon a link that said two prominent raw foodists, Matt Monarch and Angela Stokes were going to be speaking in our area that weekend and he agreed to go with me to hear them talk. After their talk, I was ready and went 100% raw.

Within one week I saw such an enormous difference! I had so much more energy! I had lost about 4 pounds and I felt great! I couldn't believe it. The next few weeks I lost even more weight, my skin completely cleared up, I was having no trouble sleeping, needed less sleep, and overflowing with energy. Although I haven't seen the endocrinologist again yet, my urologist told me I looked great and my kidney labs had improved (this after being raw about 1 1/2 months) and to keep doing whatever I was doing because it was agreeing with me.

I have been raw for about 3 months now and I have lost 25 pounds. I weigh less now than before I even had surgery! I feel 10 years younger and continue to have tons of energy. I see my endocrinologist next week so we will see what he has to say. Many of my family and friends have commented on the way I look, not just the weight I have lost, but my skin and hair, my confidence and my enthusiasm for life. I am happy and enjoying life again. I feel like I can do whatever I set my mind to do. Currently, my medications include my Synthroid and I take 1 pill a week to control my calcium levels, and I am not taking anything for my kidneys. Also, I no longer take anti-depressants. This has truly been a journey for me. I am eager to see what happens next.

I love my toes!

I am feeling so good today! Wayne has been eating raw with me ever since we've been back from vacation. This morning when he woke up he had lost 5 pounds and fit into a sexy pair of jeans he hasn't been able to wear in a while. He told me that he can't believe how much better he feels, and that he has more energy and isn't hungry at all. Wayne was surprised because he thought he would feel cranky and hungry not being able to eat "normal" food. Instead, he found out that his mind feels clear and decision making comes easily. I was happy to hear him raving about all of the things I've been feeling for the past few month! It is one thing to tell someone how good you feel, it is quite another when they begin to feel it themselves.

I talk to my mom every morning, and this morning I was telling her about Wayne. She told my dad all of the things he had said, and now I think my parents are also going to try raw foods as well. They've been eating the smoothies for a while, but now they are ready to try the next step. Even if they don't go 100% raw, I am glad they are going to try it. Any increase in raw foods is good! Everyone needs to take their time and go their own pace. I realize that more than ever. I have just been going on my merry way, eating what makes me feel good, and people have noticed. Patience has paid off and Wayne has come around. My little brother and his wife are trying to increase their raw food intake and now my parents are willing to give it a try. I love that the people I love are taking care of themselves and their bodies!

I am posting some new pics today, too. On our way home from the beach we were able to see my mom in Biloxi. My parents were there because my dad went deep sea fishing for his 65th birthday. Biloxi was on our way home and we got to visit with mom while dad was fishing -- what a treat. I have felt so bad since we've been home that I had not downloaded the pics until this morning. The other pic is of my feet. Yesterday I got a wonderful pedicure and decided to get some art on my toes. I love it! I wanted to share the artwork with all of you. Enjoy!

Feeling Better

Today I am feeling much better. The raw foods are helping to wipe this allergy out of my system, and I am so glad! I actually did not have to take Benadryl all day. Needless to say I was very productive. I swept the kitchen, vacuumed the den and did almost all of the laundry. Then we went to the dance store and got Emma some tap shoes and ballet shoes. She started a new dance school that she loves. Everyone had some lunch and then Jake and Emma and I went to work on the schoolroom upstairs.

We are starting out home school after Labor Day, but we got all of their notebooks and folder labeled, put new paper in them, and divided their books up. We cleaned out our supply closet (we still have a little work to do here), and set up our bookshelves. Jake and Emma made their timeline and put it on the wall so they can start entering their history dates when we start. I attempted (for the 3rd time) to make Emma's and Jake's study schedule so I can begin putting the assignments in their books. I need more uninterrupted time to work on this, though. I also have a lot of work to do setting up their assignments.

I made dinner early because Phillip had soccer practice and Emma had tap class tonight. Wayne went with the boys to soccer and I took Emma to dance. On our way home we hit a new grocery store - Newflower's Farmer's Market. I was excited because they had my Kombucha tea on sale. I will have to go back when I have a little more time to browse because it looked like they had some good bulk items. They had some organic produce, but Whole Foods may still be my best bet. I am tired -- it has been a long day, but it was nice to be busy.

Slowly recovering

I am still quite itchy from my shellfish slip-up. Benadryl has been my friend these last few days and I don't think I would have any skin if not for it. I am hoping that by tomorrow morning I will be back to normal.

It is good to be eating my raw food again. Today I got onto meetup.com and joined a few raw food groups in Dallas. Now that I know I really like it and would like to make it a part of my permanent lifestyle, I am ready to find a community of people who are making the same kinds of commitments to themselves and their loved ones. I told Wayne I was having a serious craving for my favorite raw food restaurant -- Bliss. He agreed that it sounded very good. We will have to plan to visit soon.

Today I visited the library and looked for anything and everything on raw food diets. They didn't have very much, and everything they did have was checked out (which made feel good), so I put my name on a waiting list. I want to try some un-cook books before I purchase them. Some of them seem to have exotic ingredients that aren't very practical for everyday living. If you now of any good ones, please pass them along.

Recipe suggestions

I have lots of people asking me for recipes lately. Many of you are wondering how I find recipes and what kinds of things I eat besides salad and smoothies. When I first started my raw food diet my primary source of finding recipes was online. I would just google search "raw food recipes." There are so many websites that have free recipes. One of my favorites is welikeitraw.com. I have gotten many yummy things from this site. Here is a link to raw cupcakes http://www.welikeitraw.com/rawfood/2007/11/raw-choccie-cup.html

I haven't tried it yet, but they look so good! I can't wait to experiment with them. Other good websites are www.fromsadtoraw.com and www.goneraw.com and www.rawguru.com

There are two books that I own that I highly recommend for someone considering a raw diet. The first is The Raw Food Revolution Diet by Cherie Soria, Brenda Davis, and Vesanto Melina. I like this book because two of the authors are registered dieticians and the first half of the book is extremely informative about getting all of your vitamins and nutrients from raw foods. The second half of the book has wonderful recipes. A couple of my favorites are their "mexican burritos," "vietnamese salad rolls," and "bon bon sauce." The bon bon sauce is affectionately called "goody sauce" in my house because we love it so much!

The second Book I highly recommend is 12 Steps to Raw Foods by Victoria Boutenko. This book gives plenty of inspiration and is a little more hard core raw, but her suggestions and thoughts about food addiction were immensely helpful to me. There are some recipes in the book, but it is mostly information. Her "live garden burgers" with "live fries" and "tomato basil sauce" were to live for!

I hope this gives some of you a place to start. I am excited to know that you have been inspired by my journey.

Still Itchy

I am feeling a bit better, but still quite itchy! It was good to be at home and eat my good food today. My super sprouts salad from Whole Foods was quite excellent! I will definitely buy that again. A few of you have asked if my favorite shake really was spinach and banana, my answer is YES! Here is the recipe again:

2 large handfuls of spinach

1-2 bananas

1 tabsp. raw honey

1 cup of water

1 cup of ice

Blend together and enjoy! I promise you that it tastes delicious! Try it.

home again

Well, sometimes if you mess with fire you do get burned. I gave into a beach side weakness had ate crab legs and weakness, reasoning that a little cooked food wouldn't hurt me too bad and that shellfish was better than any kind of meat. However, yesterday on our way home I developed a light red rash and began itching all over my body. My ears, jawline, around me mouth, and hands were the worst. I also developed a wheezing cough and felt like I had a big rock sitting on my chest. We pulled in the driveway a little after midnight and I took two Benadryl and was able to sleep, but I woke up this morning and it started all over again, only this time my hands were beet red and swelling. Needless to say, I had to go to the doctor and get a steroid shot to help the allergic reaction. They told me to take 2 Benadryl every 4 hours around the clock until I was better. I slept for several hours and I am feeling better, but I learned a hard lesson.

A large part of going on a raw food diet was to listen to my body. When I ate 100% raw I felt so much better! I had lots of energy, no constipation or stomach upset, clear skin, and a general sense of well-being. My body spoke loud and clear to me that I was doing something good for it. It has now spoken loud and clear again, this time it said, "What the heck, we were doing so good. What did you have to go and eat that for?"

I am listening. This time it has been a little hard to ignore, actually. I've been to Whole Foods this evening and got all my favorite raw foods. I am sitting here right now drinking a G. T.'s Kombucha Mystic Mango raw tea. Tomorrow I am having my favorite spinach and banana smoothie for breakfast, a super sprouts salad for lunch, and heirloom lettuces and tomatoes for dinner. For snacks I have fruit and raw nuts and dried fruits trail mix. I am ready to feel better again and eager to listen to what my body is saying.

Goodbye beach

It is our last few hours here and I am sitting on the balcony watching a beautiful pink sunrise over the horizon. I would take a picture, but the camera is already packed as we will be leaving soon. Right now though, the kids are still asleep, there are very few people on the beach, and it is a very peaceful and spiritual moment. Being in Dallas, sometimes it is easy to forget how awesome nature really is. I miss being connected to the earth, having my bare feet on it surface. I will have to be more diligent once I return home to make sure that I find ways to reconnect with this planet that feeds and sustains me. It will be harder I know to find those places and opportunities once I am surrounded by buildings, houses, and brick walls, but I will make a better effort.

In all honesty, I like the conveniences that living in the city gives me, but I am still not sure it is worth it. We are there for a while though, because Wayne has to work, and I guess the city still has things to teach me.

Once we get home it is time to get organized for school to start. This year I am home schooling Jake and Emma. I am looking forward to it, but also feeling the weight of responsibility. I know that I am their best teacher because I know their personalities inside and out -- what turns them off, what turns them on, how to motivate them (most of the time), their strengths, and their weaknesses. I also know when to push them a little harder and when to cut them a bit of slack. When their brains have been working hard we can run around the block or do a few laps in the pool before we begin again. I love seeing the "aha" moments when they discover something new.

So, as we end this vacation, we have a lot to look forward to. We also have so much to be thankful for - the relaxing and bonding time together, the sand, the sunrises and sunsets, our health, nature, family, love, the knowledge we have gained, the journey and learning that awaits us at home, a peaceful spirit, and feeling of reconnection to the Source of life. I feel very blessed this morning.

Last day

Today is our last full day at the beach. Yesterday we went deep sea fishing and I caught lots of fish, baited my own hook, got hot and sweaty, and did all of those tom-boy things. Then we came back to the condo, took a shower, and got all dressed up to go take a beach picture of the family. I love the dress I wore! It made me feel very feminine and was a perfect contrast from the morning activities. My personality was very balanced since I had the opportunity to fuel my very active and competitive nature by fishing, and my feminine side by dressing up and getting pretty. It was fun. I got the dress and a black and white store. I had never been in one, but I will definitely go back! I just wanted to share the pic from the other side of my personality since I posted the fishing pics yesterday. We're going to make the last day a good one despite the rain!

Deep Sea Fishing

Today we went deep sea fishing. We really had a good time. I caught lots of fish! I had to let a red snapper go because the season ended last Friday, but it was beautiful! I also caught a trigger fish and lots of vermillion snappers. I was exhausted by the time we finished. One guy on our boat caught a huge amberjack. Jake caught a few keepers, Emma caught one we had to throw back because it was too small. Wayne caught several as well. He caught one big red snapper, but by the time he got it up to the surface only the head was left on the hook. We saw a shark swimming nearby so I think he fed the shark lunch. He was a little disappointed, but we all got a good laugh out of it. We saw two sea turtles, several copias (that were 3 feet or longer), and lots of jellyfish.

Phillip slept for more than half of the trip. The rocking of the boat was a little much for him and he went straight to sleep. Unfortunately Emma turned white and then green. She ended up hanging her head overboard twice. Poor girl. Jake said it was a lot harder than he thought it would be.

I am exhausted! It was a real workout getting all of those fish in the boat. I have a cut on my thumb and a very large blister on my finger from trying to reel in the one that got away. The deckhand was quite impressed that I baited my own hook and caught so many. My daddy taught me well and would've been very proud of his only daughter! I am glad we packed our cooler well because we were all hungry and tired. I won't eat the fish, but Wayne and the kids will and they are all eager to try their catch.

A Little puny today

It was a beautiful morning this morning. We woke up a little before 6:00 and opened all of the curtains and looked out on the beach to a blue heron greeting the sun. In the sky overhead was a beautiful rainbow kissing the clouds. Phillip said, "We're not going home -- I'm just going to live here."

We had a bit of rain today -- off and on, but it was still very nice. I am feeling a little puny today -- I have a bad chest cold. I told Wayne that I think my body is just in shock from having some cooked food. It is saying, "Hey now, we have been doing very good, so what the heck are you doing to me now?" I have been eating maybe 60 -70% raw since we got here and I definitely feel it. I like 100% raw much better. I am already planning the gadgets I need to stock my kitchen with so that next time traveling will be a bit easier. First on my list is a dehydrator.

Tomorrow we are going deep sea fishing and we are all excited about that, especially Jake. I have packed lots of snacks including apples, grapes, raw crackers, and homemade trail mix. That should help me feel better. The little bit of pre-planning is definitely worth the effort -- I am finding out the hard way.

sunny day

What a beautiful day today was! Wayne took Jake golfing this morning and they had a very good time. Jake told me he was surprised how bad Wayne was considering he had played before (shhhh- don't tell Wayne). Emma, Phillip, and I went down to the beach. Emma met a friend (who had a 12 year old brother that Jake hung around with this afternoon). We built a sand castle, played frisbee, and I pulled Phillip around on the boogie board. When Wayne and Jake came back we all went back down to the beach and Jake showed me how to boogie board. It was fun, a little scary, but very fun! I finally got to work on my tan a little bit this afternoon as well.

As far as food goes I am still enjoying my morning smoothies. This morning I had spinach, nectarine, banana, with a little agave nectar. YUM! I have also been snacking on some trail mix I made before we left home (Dehydrated apples, dried apricots and cherries, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and gogi berries. I had a nice salad for lunch, and a live bar for snack. However for dinner I had mahi mahi tacos. They were very good, but not as good as my raw tacos -- even Wayne thought mine were better. It felt weird to eat cooked food. I don't miss it. The thing I notice most is my energy level plummets and the increased amount of phlegm in my throat. I know that sounds gross, but that is what I notice. I am loving vacation, but missing my food. We tried a new grocery tonight and were able to find a few things. I am looking for some good info on eating raw while traveling. I will let you know what I find.

Listening to the Gulf

Today we thought we were going to get soaked all day, but when we woke up it was not raining and looked like the rain was to the east of us. We took the kids down to the pier and did a bit of fishing. Let me clarify, I took pictures of them fishing, took everyone back and forth to the potty, and got the snacks and bait. If I had been fishing we would have had a ton of fish (ha! ha!). Anyway, Jake caught a vermilion snapper and a spanish mackerel. Emma was too impatient and didn't catch a thing, but she had a lot of fun anyway. Phillip caught a catfish, and Wayne caught a pilot fish. It was a lot of fun, but around noon it started getting very windy and a little bit of the rain moved in so we went back to the car.

Wayne and the boys went to a golf store and Emma and I went to a consignment store next door. We found a few cute things. Tomorrow and the rest of the week we are going to have nicer weather and I am looking forward to getting some beach time. Tonight Wayne and I sat out on the balcony and just listened to the gulf breathing. It fills my soul with peace and joy.

NO RAIN!

We woke up at 5:00 this morning to some pretty amazing thunder, but it turned out to be all bark and no bite. We thought we were going to have a little tropical storm, but at the last minute it turned and went toward FL. A very cloudy morning (and threatening skies) gave way about 1:00 to a wonderfully beautiful afternoon. Today we hunted for shells and found some really good ones by digging deep into the sand - even an unbroken nautilus shell. We also played some mini-golf and then hung out on the beach. The kids had so much fun using their boogie boards and, Wayne and I built a huge sand castle. I decorated it with shells. I even wore my bikini. Losing 24 pounds gave me the confidence to put it on and strut my stuff. We also went to some of the tacky tourist shops and the kids all got tattoos; they think they are so cool. Their tatts will last about 5 days. Jake got a king cobra, Emma a dolphin, and Phillip got a bat (as in batman).

BEACH

YEAH! We are finally here. I love the beach. The weather said it was going to rain today, and although it did get pretty dark at one point, we had no rain. It was such a nice day to play at the beach -- the temp was in the high 80's and a nice gulf breeze. This is Phillip's first time at the beach (look at the pics - I think he likes it). He dug in the sand, played in the waves, and just jumped around all over the sand. Emma had fun posing for pics and searching for shells. Jake dug a huge tunnel and had people wandering over to look at his half buried body. We all enjoyed catching some sand crabs tonight. I think we caught 18, and yes, we let them all go.

We went to the grocery and loaded up on the fresh fruit and veggies. The grocery even had agave nectar! I am excited about have a smoothie in the morning. We are also going to make some guacamole and salsa tomorrow (with fresh squash chips). My mouth is already watering. I can't wait to eat some of my good food! You should've seen Wayne in the grocery -- he was saying no to processed food left and right. I was very proud of him. I think he might just be convinced that raw, healthy food not only tastes better, it makes him feel better, too. He has had quite an awakening.

Sorry I haven't blogged the last few days. We are traveling to the beach. In fact, I am writing this in the car. I'll keep it short and write more tonight. Traveling has been a little difficult for the diet and I did eat some cooked food last night somewhere in Louisiana. It wasn't very good and it made me really hungry for some of my food! This morning I ate fresh fruit at the hotel and we bought a bag of cherries -yum! We are going to the grocery as soon as we get there. It looks like we will have rain our first few days:(. Oh well, there will be lots of shells when it stops.

Favorite shake made for a good day!

This morning I started the day with my favorite shake:

1/2 a bunch of spinach

tablespoon of raw honey

1 banana

2 cups of ice

1 cup of water

I know what you are thinking -- sounds gross.  But, I promise that it is very good!  Tastes like banana and honey - you can't really taste the spinach at all, and it makes for a fun color.

Anyway, it started my day out on a good foot.  Later I talked with my good friend Joshua and was able to do some long overdue catching up.  It was so nice to hear all about him and his family.

For lunch I had leftover raw tacos; it was still so very yummy!  Dinner was nice and simple, a salad.  Mixed greens with dried sour cherries and blue berries. Salad sounded so good and refreshing because it was hot here today.  Even Wayne commented that it tasted really good.  

Now I am one day closer to having the sand in my toes!  I can't wait!  I am definitely ready for a little R & R.  

Tomorrow my dad turns 65.  He also loves my favorite shake.  Happy Birthday Daddy!  I love you so much and wish that I could be there with you.  I am so lucky that you are my father!  

Seeking ideas for eating while traveling

I am counting down to our vacation.  I have so much to do before we leave, but I am starting to get excited!  I am ready for some beach time -- long overdue, in fact.  I am trying to plan in advance so that we can all continue to eat well while we are away from home.  I have decided to definitely take the Vitamix and the food processor with me.  Tomorrow I am making almond cookies, fig bars, and raw brownies (my favorite sweet treat).  I am also going to bag up some mixed fruit and nuts.  I can take all of those treats in the car.  Before we leave I am also going to make some spring rolls and veggie sushi.  The kids like those and they will be a great substitute for sandwiches in the car.  Got any idea on what else I can make and bring?  Remember I don't have a dehydrator yet and that we leave on Friday.  Let me know if you have any ideas.

Dinner success

 Ever since we ate at Bliss I have been craving those tacos again.  This morning I went through all of my cookbooks and found a recipe in Angela Elliott's ALIVE in 5: Raw Gourmet Meals in Five Minutes.  The recipe is called Fiesta Tacos and it recommends serving it with their Dreamy Sour Cream and Sexy Salsa.  I made it all just like the book said -- it took me more like 15 minutes, but it was well worth it!  

Emma was at dance and didn't get to try it, but Jake and Phillip loved it!  I was shocked considering that neither one of them like sour cream or salsa.  Granted, I served their fiesta tacos on corn tortillas, but with all the fixins.  Phillip came to the table with is regular, "I don't like it," attitude, but when he tried it he liked it and told Wayne he was hungry for another bite.  When the inside of the taco fell out,  he ate the rest with a fork and cleaned his plate.  I was saying to myself, "Go Mommy!" and doing my happy dance, especially when Jake asked for seconds.  It wasn't until he was finished eating that I told him he ate salsa AND sour cream!  He was surprised and said, "but I still don't like them on chips!"

Wayne and I ate ours on romaine leaves and I didn't even miss the taco shells -- yes, they were really that good!  He was impressed!  I will definitely make this again.

YUM!

Yesterday we went to Bliss, a new raw food restaurant and elixir bar in Dallas.  It was so good!   Miranda made some suggestions about what we should try.   Our friend Matt ordered the rawsagna and a superfoods caesar salad.  His plate was absolutely beautiful!  The tomatoes, which were the outside layers of his rawsagna were huge and succulent.  The other layers were mushroom, zucchini, and different sauces (red, green, and orange).  Matt has never eaten raw cuisine, so I could tell he was taken back a little bit.  I think he expected it to look more like cooked lasagna.  He was surprised to find that, "it actually tastes like lasagna."  Of course we all sampled it and I thought it was delicious!  Matt thought it was a lot of food and was not able to eat it all.  He also had a Minty Hemp elixir and a gogi berry sheezecake.  Matt said he would go back again.

Wayne had the Thai Noodle Bowl.  Of course I am fairly new to raw foods so I was wondering how in the world they got noodles that were obviously not squash.  Turns out they were made of kelp and they were excellent!  Miranda explained that they come in a package and are dry, but once you add the sauces they obtain their noodle-like quality.  Wayne really liked his dish. All of the herbs and spices mingled together made it look and taste wonderful.  I think that my children would like what he had.  He drank a goji berry lemonade elixir, which was a beautiful color, and had a banana chocolate sheezecake for dessert (more on that in a minute because I had the same thing).

I had the Rawko-Tacos Plate.  The plate was absolutely gorgeous!  The taco shell was red and it had ground sunflower "meat", a beautiful salad, salsa, and even sour cream on top.  YUMMY!  My plate was the hit of the table.   Wayne and Matt both loved it.  Eating it was a very messy experience, but well worth the effort!  I also had an elixir called chocolate bliss -- my children would LOVE this drink!  For dessert I had a chocolate banana sheezecake.  It was so very yummy!  The good thing was that my sweet tooth was more than satisfied and I did not feel like a heavy blob after I ate it.  My mouth felt clean and not filmy.  The texture of the cake was perfect, and Wayne said he would definitely be having that again.  

Overall, our experience was wonderful!  There is only outdoor seating and we were lucky to be there on an evening when the wind was blowing and the humidity was low.  I highly recommend going if you get a chance!  Miranda told us they were adding a children's menu and I would take Jake, Emma, and Phillip.  I can't wait to take my friends and family back to my new favorite restaurant! 

What's for Dinner?

As you all know, my family has been trying some raw foods (mostly smoothies and desserts, which they all love), but I am also still cooking for them.  Tonight when I made my dinner I made extra.  I put a little bit of their normal cooked food on their plates, and a little bit of my raw food on their plates.  I told them they did not have to like it, but that I did want them to at least try it.

Since I just devoured Victoria Boutenko's book Twelve Steps to Raw Foods, I tried out some of her recipes.  We had Live Garden Burgers, Live Fries, and Tomato Basil Sauce.

Emma helped me make the Live Garden Burgers so she really liked them.  Jake did not care for the texture, but liked the taste, and Phillip ate it all without complaint (I was shocked since he is my pickiest eater).  The Live Fries were a hit for the whole family.  Wayne did not eat any cooked food at all.  He even said that he would not mind having this dinner again.  He said he was surprised because he felt comfortably full and did not feel like he had just eaten "rabbit food" at all.  He also liked the clean feeling and taste of the Live Fries and sauce.

The meal was really good!  In all honesty Jake was right, the texture of the burgers was a little off, but that is my fault - I ground the nuts a little too much.  However, I have made a note of it and next time I will know better.  You should check out Victoria Boutenko's website:  www.rawfamily.com.  You can read about her journey and order her books from the site.

On another note, I am glad it is Friday!  I am looking forward to a relaxing weekend with my family and friends.  A friend of ours, Matt, will be in town and is going to try the raw restaurant with us.  The name of it is Bliss.  Matt is not a raw foodist, but is willing to humor me, so it will be interesting to see what he thinks of it.  We are also going to visit the art museum.  Wayne and I are looking forward to catching up with him.  Fine art, fine food, fine friends and fine family -- what more could I ask for?

Doctor's Visits

Today I had to take Jake to get a physical.  He was GREAT!  The doctor if he continues growing at the same rate he will be 6'4".  I can't believe that my first baby is so grown up -- he even had to turn his head and cough today.  They asked him how many cups of milk he drank per day.  Anyone who knows Jake knows that he doesn't really like to drink milk.  She encouraged him to drink more milk and then gave us a handout on calcium rich foods.  On the list were lots of things like yogurt, hard cheese, soft cheese, even macaroni and cheese.  I was amazed!  Also on the list were a few other things like cooked spinach and roasted almonds.  No raw fruits or vegetables.

Last week I quit buying milk altogether.  Currently, all of my family drinks almond milk.  I have bought some from the grocery, but really prefer making in the Vitamix.  It is really easy.  At first, Jake and Emma rolled their eyes and asked why they had to drink this stuff.  But, when they saw Phillip (who didn't know it a different kind of milk and is by far my pickiest eater) chug it down without complaints they decided to try it.  To their surprise they really liked it.  When we went to the grocery store Emma even said, "Hey mom we need more almond milk."

Jake asked me later if I thought he was getting enough calcium in his diet.  We came home and looked up all of the fruits, vegetables, and nuts that he eats on a regular basis and discovered he is getting more than enough calcium.  He was relieved.  It would be nice to see more fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds on that list!

Added Benefits of being Raw

Today I  hit the 20 pound mark.  I have lost 20 pounds since becoming raw (about 7 weeks).  I love the way I feel when I put my clothes on and they are too big.  Two years ago I would have never thought it was possible.  My goal with eating a raw food diet is to get healthy; losing weight has been the bonus.  I never thought losing weight could be this easy.  In the past I have tried strict workout regimens, South Beach, and The Zone, among other things.  I had initial success with all of them, but after week 2 or 3 I would either plateau or start gaining weight back -- it was very frustrating!  

Some of the other added benefits of eating raw have been:

I don't sweat as much

My body regulates temperature much easier (I don't have to turn the A.C. way down)

Less body odor

Reduced bad breath

ENERGY!

Although I do not sleep as much, I sleep better

My confidence is restored

I no longer have to take daily calcium supplements in order to function

In short, I am excited about my new diet and plan on making it a lifestyle.  This weekend we are going to try out a raw restaurant in Dallas.  I will let you know how it is.

Hands on research and experimentation

The new book I ordered off of amazon got here today and I have been devouring it!  I feel the need to learn more and more about what goes into my body and the bodies of my family.  The more I read the more I cannot believe how ignorant I have been.  One of the quotes in it is from Oscar Wilde, "The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple."  Can I get an Amen?

The book I is by Victoria Boutenko, 12 Steps to Raw Foods.  I have just finished Part I and I already highly recommend it.  I am learning so much.  While my family is benefiting from my eating raw foods, I still cook for them and they are still eating animal products.  They get much more raw foods than they previously did and eat much less cooked food and animal products, but I am wondering if it is enough.  Just this week Phillip has had borderline pneumonia and Emma has complained of headaches and her ear hurting.  Funny thing is that this afternoon when she complained about another headache I made her a huge green smoothie (which she loved), and within a half hour her headache was gone.  Coincidence, possibly, but I don't think so.

How do I get kids to drink greens?  Easy.  They taste good!  I promise.  Just try it.  Here is the recipe for the one I made today:

two large handfuls of spinach

1 cup papaya

2 ripe bananas

2 kiwis

1 cup of water (good water)

2 cups of ice (made from good water)

1 -2 tablespoons of agave nectar

Blend all ingredients in the Vita mix.

My kids gave me a face when they saw the color, but once I convinced them to taste it, they loved it!  I hope you do, too!

Challenge and Hooray for Amazing Women

All of my adult life I have had friends and family tell me how amazing I am.  Whether I was working two jobs with two kids and going to school full time, or teaching classes while going to school full time with three kids, my friends have always told me they didn’t know how I did it.  The truth is that when they told me I was amazing I did not believe them.  The other truth is that I was running myself into the ground trying to do everything, something that wasn’t healthy for my children or for me. 

 

I was so busy trying to be more that I didn’t realize how amazing I was already.  Last night I had a conversation with my sister-in-law and I realized that she had these same tendencies – to think everyone else is so much more amazing than she is and being reluctant to believe anyone when they tell her how amazing she is.  MY sister-in-law is super smart, successful in the business world, and has three wonderful children of her own.  Why is it that we can we see that “amazing quality” in everyone but ourselves?

 

So, this is my testimony for today and now it is time for me to be a living testimony.  That is why I am admitting today that I am pretty amazing!  I challenge all of the amazing women I know to do the same.  We all need to look ourselves in the mirror and see how amazing we are.  I have many women in my life that support, encourage, and inspire me every day and I simply don’t tell them enough!  So, mom, Paula, Emma, Heather, Joanna, Julie, Liz, Tiffany, and Megan – you are all pretty damn awesome!  I wouldn’t be as amazing as I am without all of you!

PROTEIN

Sorry I did not blog yesterday.  Phillip has been sick and I just ran out of time in the day.  I think he is finally turning the corner, though.

Today I am including a link to a raw food website regarding frequently asked questions: http://www.living-foods.com/faq.html   Many of you have asked me about a raw food diet and expressed concern about lack of protein in my diet.  This website addresses the protein question toward the bottom of the page, but it also answers other questions you might be interested in reading.   In addition, it is worth noting that my doctors (a urologist and an endocrinologist) both separately recommended that I strictly limit or even eliminate animal protein in my diet, including milk, yogurt, and cheese.  The complexity of these proteins is extremely difficult for my body to break down.  Neither one of my doctors was concerned about my meeting daily protein requirements when I asked.  If it had not been for their concern about my SAD diet (Standard American Diet) I probably would not have ever even considered a raw diet.  Eating a raw diet has significantly changed my life for the better!  My attitude, my weight, my energy level, and positive health changes in my life are evident to everyone around me.  I appreciate all of your support on my journey!