Dinner at Live

I went to Live tonight with a group of friends, James, Chris & Arlene (who we stayed with in Panama were in town), and a couple of their friends from Vancouver and they decided they wanted a raw experience. so we went out to dinner at Live. I missed pics of the appetizers, we had Breads and Spreads with lots of dips and Nachos with guacamole, raw cream cheese and taco meat.. it was all so delicious.

Above Cannelloni was the special of the day. Below, is the sample plate with pizza, nori, zucchetti and lasagna and salad. We ended up ordering almost everything on the raw menu, but I only took a few pics.
Below, I had the Thai burger.. there was a delicious sauce on top.

Tacos! ..filled with taco meat and cheeze and guacamole, I think.

And I didn't get pics of the desserts but we sampled lots - the amazing cheezecake, tiramisu, pistachio halva and brownies.

& bonus raw pic while I am at it.. just found this pic of the late night take away Pizza that we had from last weekend at Ottawa. It had cheeze and a basil pesto spread that was quite delicious! Now if you are going to be eating late night pizza - this is the type to have. You will feel so much better in the morning for it!

Happy pics - Phillip, the Ex, Pineapples and Butterflies

I started to type about deprogramming ourselves, I want to talk about so many things, about courage and how it can be difficult at times to be against the mainstream, and feel like you are always swimming upstream. But not tonight. It is a rare thing for me to feel tired and down, but I do.. feeling a bit burnt out.. as I find myself here again late, this time formatting this recipe book. So.. to make myself feel better I am just going to post some fun pics which I just found on my computer and will get back into serious topics tomorrow.
k? K. as always, love, hugs and sweet dreams!

This one really cheers me up - Phillip, of Loving Raw, & I. Phillip is absolutely awesome, I felt a connection as soon as we met. Amazing loving energy!!!

Me at the Ex. & below the buildings in back are not really in focus but very cool sci-fi type buildings.. seen sometimes in movies. cool.

Flowers at the Ex? Amazing how much I missed coming to the Ex with the kids.. we just stayed on rides all day. This time I got to check out the International Pavillion, Home show, flowers.. lots.
View down from the swings..

Ohh.. pineapple slices, from the dehydrater. So easy, just peel the pineappple, slice 1/4-1/2 " thick and dehydrate overnight.

: )
& butterflies.
I am feeling better. 'Night

Finishing Books - Reading and Writing

It's late and I am tired so am going to keep this short. I have been working a lot, both at Rawlicious and after at home - was really determined this week to get the recipe book finished, and I did it late, much too late, last night, rough draft.. I have been staying up really late the last few nights and now looking forward to a beautiful long night (& maybe morning) sleep!
Am really happy.. and looking forward to figuring out the next step in this project of mine.

and I am happy about my book purchases last night, Jim & I went out & he bought me books after dinner. Nice! I chose 2 books on Sedona 1st called Sedona Power Spot, Vortex and Medicine Wheel Guide and the 2nd is Sedona: Beyond the Vortex: The Ultimate Journey to your Personal Place of Power, both by Richard Dannelly.
My thoughts and love are with all of you at the Raw Spirit Fest! One day soon I will join you for it!!

I seem to be just flying through books lately - I am almost through Amazing Grace by Nick Good and David Wolfe. ..and am loving it!! I haven't even finished and plan to read it again. I am into so many of the things they are talking about in it.
I just feel like a sponge these days.. send info my way, I am just absorbing everything I can.
Life is so interesting..
..but right now this sleepyhead is off, feel my eyes already starting to close. 'Night xo

Coconut Jerky and Chef BeLive

I was inspired to try a recipe and experiment with the idea on my own.

I got a new raw recipe book yesterday - I have gotten a few new raw books recently but this one is different. The author is sending it to whoever requests it with a 'pay what you can' or what you think it is worth. I will send something soon, I'm going to read it & get inspired first.

What a Great idea! So far I have just scanned it quickly ..and got stuck on this interesting recipe for his Teriyaki Coconut Jerky.

I just happened to have a young Thai coconut in the fridge - just one.. so I made half with his recipe and half with my idea. I will type out my version - for his you will have to get his book. You can order it here


The author is Chef BeLive - Brian Lucas who was executive chef and co-owner of Organica: The Living Cuisine in San Francisco in the late 1990's (the restaurant was previously Juliano's Raw Living Foods and then Jeremy Saffron & Renee Underkoffler's Raw Experience)

Brian Lucas has just released this recipe e-book of 30 recipes from his collection of 1000!
One of these recipes was for his Teriyaki Coconut Jerky which was delicious..

but I also Loved the version I just made from his great idea! hmm name???

The Great Coconut Jerky Experiment

Meat of 1 Young Thai Coconut - sliced in strips

Marinade:
1 T Agave
1 t Nama Shoyu
1/4 t each of Cardamom, Cumin, Cinnamon, Black Pepper and Salt

Marinate the Coconut strips in the marinade for 4 hours and then dehydrate. I would have to experiment with times and I forget offhand what Brian suggested (you'll have to get the book!)
I liked it best after in for 3-4 hours before I went to bed, but then I flipped and left it in until morning - and they were a bit too tough, still very delicious and great exercise for the jaws! lol

Step 1 - Opening the Coconut and spooning out the meat - usually quite easy to do. There's a bit of a trick to it & that is after you get it started by separating the meat with a spoon, use your fingers to gently separate by running your fingers between the coconut meat and shell.
Then use a knife to scrape or cut off the brown bits left on.


Marinating the strips, above and below, placing them on the teflex sheets, ready for the dehydrator.
Thanks Brian for the new snack idea! : )
Best wishes with your book!!!

Kellan - Day 17 - Raw - Kellan is doing Amazing!!! Sometimes you just know when someone has it & Kellan has it. He is doing great.. he came into work early yesterday and today and I got a chance to get caught up with him. He brought in watermelon and a basket of beautiful organic yellow plums, his breakfast-lunch. The watermelon was so sweet, he inspired me to go get some on my way home.. Mmm another favorite food. Is it possible to live on watermelon and mangoes?? I think so. well, maybe with some greens also. Speaking of which, Kellan has been juicing every day, big green juices and sometimes with beets and other vegetables.. he has juicing down. In fact, he seems to have the whole raw thing pretty much down, big salads, juicing. He is looking very comfortable with it. Alex brought in her copy of Steve Arlin's Raw Power for him to read - but he thinks he already knows most of what is in it. It's really promoting the raw diet. Nice! Congratulations Kellan!

Tea Lands

Sri Lanka - Ella

The Great Protein Myth

I am still basking in the warmth of being bundled in big cozy blankets.. and was working on writing the recipe book, which led to a bit of websurfing, it happens .. & I just came across a blog with interesting info on Protein. I get asked so often about this!

One of the biggest food myths there is is that you need to eat meat to get a lot of, or a high-quality, protein. Well, I think it's important on this subject to realize that the only time you need an abundance of protein is when you are growing,, so if you are a baby or if you are muscle-building than you will need more protein than average - but the average person does not need a lot of protein and usually has an abundance of protein anyway - often enough to create health problems. I have heard that here is not a word or description in medical language for having too little protein but having too much in the body is common precursor and can lead to many diseases. That alone should be telling us something! (if only most of us were aware of it)

Also, meat and dairy products contain complex protein complexes already formed. So say its beef, the cow has eaten the grass (all of the essential amino acids are readily available in grass and leafy greens) and with these amino acids it makes the complex protein structures it needs.
Now when we ingest an animal protein our body has to break down this complex protein structure to get the amino acids it needs to create the protein structures that our body needs (which are different). Now first we could have gotten the animo acids in an easier way already broken down from the leafy greens but on top of this after the body destructs and reconstructs the proteins we are left with little bits of unbroken down protein.. the body is very efficient and will only do the work needed, it will only break down the complex protein so far to get the amino acids neded. The rest of the little clusters of proteins are left to circulate around in our bloodstreams before getting eliminated - however, often these little clumps get stuck in places or clung to walls and can help to create and further diseases.. get the picture?

To further add onto the Great Protein Myth Steve Pavlina wrote a blog article which elaborates and adds to this common misconcepption and explains how plants are abundant in protein and that plant proteins are not incomplete.
Read his article here:
Steve Pavlina - The Great Protein Myth

The Simply Raw and Green Lifestyle Film Festival Weekend

You might have thought that I would have taken more pictures while I was at the Simply Raw Festival this past weekend in Ottawa - It was definitely picture worthy!! There was lots going on, lots of wonderful, bright, vibrant people, so many great vendors and exhibitors and speakers, the pie contest! it was full of activity.. and umbrellas, amazing how many people came out despite the cold rainy weather.. that was great to see.

We got in Friday early evening and headed straight to the film festival, but I just couldn't get into watching films, so went for Raw Pizza at the Wild Oat, Yay!! which we ate late at the hotel room.. Oh & I met up with Matt Monarch, Angela Stokes, Philip McClusky, Paul Nison and others ..

But I was up and at the park at 7 am to help set up tents for the festival - I got saved from the pouring rain and driven back to the hotel (where I went to Marie's room and curled into her warm bed and got a footrub and fed an incredible superdrink of E3Live, Stem Enhance (phenylethylamine), some special cherry mineral supplement and organic apple juice - Nice!
I was quite refreshed, although still a bit sleepy, and spent most of the day at The Film Festival table (we were helping Dorit).. the pic below is from the Crudessance table just a couple booths away..this is a raw cafe in Montreal who was making incredible food - There were so much amazing, and delicious raw foods here - I definitely ate well!

Sat evening I sat and watched all of the films at the festival - the ones I enjoyed the most were Money Talks: Profits before Patient Safety (mostly about the pharmaceutical companies and very interesting, and the last film, in 2 parts (2 hours long) Healing Cancer from the Inside out - It was so well done, so disturbing and so educational - many things I had assumed, but it was just shocking to hear the facts, the history, how they can easily mislead ie. by using relative (rather than absolute) numbers and hearing the actual figures, how the FDA, AMA, the Cancer Society and more all work together and with the pharmaceutical companies, about the Cancer Industry, which I was made well aware of when my sister in law had her battle and did extensive research into it - the money always goes right back into the pharmaceutical industry, never into any innovative, alternative or other research. It is an industry unto itself and a thriving and booming one. It's one of those films I want to have and to share with people I know who have cancer and going through it and at the same time, not, because it is so shocking and sad and disturbing.
And after the films downstairs there was a party hosted by Wild Oat with lots of beautiful raw desserts, absolutely incredible.. and so much! I ended up leaving with a plate of desserts which we enjoyed on the drive home. Lemon macadamia something delicious, Raspberry cheesecake, amazing chocolate brownies, blueberry desserts and more .. Mmmm.. but I ate so much so late, so hard to resist!! I will get better at my late night eating - I know it's not a good thing! But it was so yummy and I don't really regret it!!!

Hmm.. Sunday, today.. more tables and tables and tables of food, and amazing people.. it was a clearer day, the sun actually came out for awhile and I was walking barefoot in the grass and mud which was awesome and I bought a special rock - Dravite, which I can't let go of.. and great books, my fav things, and I ate a Stevia leaf, which was absolutely incredible, so sweet and well, much better than the powdered or liquid stevia which I have but barely use and seems so strong.. its when you come across plants like this (and ayahuasca, (Banisteriopsis caapi), etc; ) that you realize how wonderful and fascinating nature can be. I spent some time today thinking about nature and how humbling it can be - it is so strong, much stronger than us individually..

I am into an Osho book and he talks about an Oak tree, which is such an individual and gets torn down in a storm, it uproots this huge tree ..and the grass which all grows together and is low and humble just sways down with the wind and then comes right back up again. ... Nature is incredibly powerful!!! All bow down to Mother Nature, and celebrate her!

So yes, I forgot to take a lot of pictures ..but I did get a pic taken of this incredible plate of food which I brought in the car to eat on the way home - it was sooo delicious!!

On my way to the Simply Raw Festival

Quick post - dashing off to the Simply Raw Fest in Ottawa & my ride is leaving soon...




Kellan - Day 6 or 7 Raw - is doing great! He has a juicer.. but no blender, usually its the other way around.. but he has been making lots of juices for himself, and salads.. and he bought The Complete Book of Raw - which is a great choice, lots of recipes by lots of great raw chefs.

His motto in life is Simplicity and contentment.. he read the Thoreau's motto was Simplicity, Simplicity, Simplicity.. He loves Thoreau's writing! ..and his perfect place to be would be on a mountain with a clear zen lake.. definitely a true raw type. He said he always pictures himself living simply, before raw maybe with a bowl of rice, one or two vegetables.. the simpler life is the better.. but now he will just translate his philosophy into raw, which is pretty easy, an apple her, a banana there.. can't get much simpler than that.

We spent a minute or two last night marveling and laughing at how bizarre it is that to eat this way seems strange to so many people.. I mean think about it - it's just the most natural thing in the world - we tend to really complicate things, andit seems that sometimes (or often) we get messed up in the complication. ..just a thought.

pics by Veri Kleiner Winkel at flickr

Burning Man 08

Every year, tens of thousands of participants gather to create Black Rock City in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada, dedicated to self-expression, self-reliance, and art as the center of community. They leave one week later, having left no trace. Read more about the Burning Man Project here.

Flowers and Butterflies & Juice Feasting

Alex - Day 5 - Juice Feasting - Done. This session is now finished.. but I am sure she will start again one day soon.. this is what happened.. Alex thinks the huge headaches she was getting is not from the juicing but from stress. Sounds right.. because Alex has been off & on juicing for a long time - she is almost constantly seen at work with a big glass of green juice on the go. ..and she even stays completely away from fruit, because of the cancer, always, eating or drinking. She is very strong and sticks to lots of leafy greens and I have never seen her eating a piece of fruit, not even to taste-test something, Seriously! Other staff always taste anything that is sweet. She has been doing some hard-core detoxing for a long time.

So, Alex has been going through huge transitions in her personal life lately.. and as I have personally discovered lately sometimes you need some grounding when going through big changes. .. and Alex was not even really juice feasting, she was juicing/fasting.. Day 1 & 2 she water fasted, on the 3rd day she had 1 glass of juice (this is not exactly feasting she was doing). On Day 4 she had juice but when she went to her Moksha yoga - Alex is very into yoga (she teaches also) .. well, when she was doing yoga her hands and feet were getting numb, especially in poses when her hands were above her head.. she would have to shake them to get circulation going and the feeling back, her feet went numb when in the pigeon pose and she was concerned about this.. she realized that she was not getting enough juice and went to a juice bar after and got a big glass.. but the following day she ate.

Another big transition Alex is going through is moving, & not just any moving - she is actually renovating her new space to move into and is hauling and building and doing physical stuff on the side. She realizes now that she really needs to be more organized about this (juice feasting).. it would be very helpful to be settled in her own place and not in transition. And she also realizes now how important it is to be organized with it.. to make sure she has supplies/groceries to make 4 quarts/liters of green juice every day.. in this case she didn't get her act together to actually go shopping until day 4.

Also she hasn't been sleeping well, she has been up most nights lately until 3 am and getting up around 8:30 - and we all know how important sleep is, especially when you are detoxifying, juicing and healing your body - thats like Rule #1 - get lots of sleep and rest! Last night I got a call from Tracy who didn't know where Alex was. I hadn't seen her since the afternoon and she actually fell asleep in High Park (for 2 hours) she went and sat on a bench and was meditating and .. well, Alana found here there a few hours later asleep. yikes!

So, her plan now? She is going to stay off juice feasting for a few days but she wants to try again. She feels she needs to get into the right head space .. (I feel it might be more than a few days - but I will still document it if she attempts again soon) Oh and yesterday she broke out into hives - could be stress or detox. So.. she is going to be more prepared when starting again next time.. and we will all be here to support her, again! ; )
(special hugs to Alex!!!)

I haven't heard from Kellan today, I will call tomorrow morning .. I am guessing that he's doing great. ..and I will let you know soon.

& speaking of Juice Feasting I think I going to meet Philip McClusky tomorrow.. which I am looking forward to.. he's going to come by Rawlicious. A few of my friends are friends of his, but we haven't met yet. Philip has the website Loving Raw and he has lost over 200 lbs on the raw diet and did a 100 day Juice Feast!!!

& now a special video, which I just have to post, cause it just came in my inbox & I am in a bit of shock.. flowers & butterflies! My husband just sent this to me & he has been sending me really funny, absurd, off the wall and obscure, mostly punk-type videos.. the last one was "All the people that Died, died" being sung over and over to a really funky cute Anime video..lol, which was really amusing.. but this.. well, I keep telling him I'm more into flowers & butterflies ..and then this comes in. Wow! hmmm.. cool! really thoughtful. (but I kinda liked some of those others also, they were pretty funny!)

Relax Music, Flowers and Butterflies

Mentors and Muses

"So cheat your landlord if you must, but do not try to shortchange the muse. It cannot be done. You can't fake quality." ~ William Burroughs

Finding Your Muse

Muses are those things and people who excite and inspire you. They turn you on and motivate you to reach further down into your creative soul and bring your deep desires out into real life. They help you to do whatever it is that you truly love doing. Sometimes people can be their own greatest muse; they can find it within, others find it in other people and creations, watching and playing.. a muse can be anything from a thought, an object, a person, place or even a spirit. You may have met your muse when you were a child or you may still be looking for it (her or him).

A muse is the thing that makes you most happy, that is the biggest clue to finding her.
What makes you happiest.. where in the world do you most want to be, what do you most want to do, who would you most like to do it with.. follow this lead..

& when you find your muse, get active.. do the things that make you the most happy, create to enlarge your dreams and bring them to life ..this will enhance your muse, your life.. you are on an upward enlarging spiral of happiness and creative action. Keep flowing and expanding.. it's the way of the Universe.

"Cherish your visions and your dreams, as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements." ~ Napoleon Hill

Mentors are important to have ...and there are different types of mentors. Some mentors are the type that you personally know & who give you advice and information to help you.

Other mentors are people who inspire you in some way, they can be either living, your contemporaries, or people who lived before you.. many people are inspired by people from history.

If you pay attention to how they lived and acted, you can take on the qualities that impress you most, that that person has or had. Think of what that person would do in a certain situation and it can influence you to act that way and you will start to take on those attributes which you most admire.


Tonya Kay's Fire Reel