I have been playing around with the basis of this soup with different vegetables, but the other night I made an amazing one, too bad I didn’t record the actual measurements.  I usually don’t measure, I just throw things in the blender!  But here is basically what I added, play a little with the quantities to your liking, but this soup is so good and full of lots of nutrients, enzymes and vitamins.

- big handful of spinach

-1/2 cup sprouts

-1 – 2 cloves of garlic

-juice of 1/2 lime

-pinch sea salt

-some dulse

-1/2 avocado

-approx 3/4 cup water (or Rejuvelac which is what I used and will be going into that next post)

some cilantro (or parsley or whatever else you would prefer)

Blend all up until a smooth consistency and garnish with chopped green onion or what you would like.

I found this soup to be very cleansing and energizing.  (After a long day at the mall with the girls!! lol)

Enjoy!!

Wow, it’s September already, where did the summer go??
I was in the mall the other day with four teenage girls, so off they went their way to go shopping and I had a little work to do, so I headed to the food court. We were in Vancouver in a big mall and the food court was a good size too. I have to admit, one of my things I love to do, quirky I know but I love to people watch and I guess because where we live, it is so much quieter and really no malls to hang out in, it was rather interesting this day.
I was amazed at seeing what foods were available and what people were eating (ok I like checking out grocery carts too in groceries stores, I know kind of weird, there is no judgement just curiosity at what people eat!!).
One thing I find interesting is how the sizes have gotten bigger over the years. Remember when, ok I am going to date myself here, but a small drink was about a 6 oz size and a large was maybe 12 or 14 oz? Well, it seems a small starts there…….and I have to ask, who needs that much sugar and junk in one sitting?? And what is the size of a large?? 32 oz and that is not the biggest for some places. In the states it only gets worse…..FREE refills!!!
And the cookies, remember the ones mom used to bake ( or someone at home), and they would fit into the palm of your hand and now they are the size of frisbees!!! But I only ate one cookie, I don’t understand why I can’t lose weight or feel crappy we hear now a days!!
Ok, I am being a little cynical here, but it was interesting watching what people were eating, totally emotionless and so many people, and this part I found rather interesting, had no sparkle to their face or eyes, it was like they were going through the motions of just eating.
Now, maybe it was just the day I was there, or the time or whatever. It made me wonder how many people really associate what they eat with how they look and feel and live life. And what we label as ‘food’. It made me realize how out of touch so many of us are with our food and health being connected.
Maybe I’m just going crazy or don’t get into the big city enough, or ahead of the times, but what ever happened to real food. We seem to have lost it somewhere.
Love to hear your thoughts!!

Here’s to Your Health
Jodi

I have a guest blogger for this post, from my dear friend Dr. Jane Gartshore, who has opened her naturopathic clinic here on the Sunshine Coast and is very passionate about helping people with their health.

Whether it makes us happy, healthy, sick or overweight, the food we eat is an integral part of our existence. Our relationship with food is life long and like relationships with people, there are ways to optimize the experience. We can choose foods that enhance our well-being and vitality or ones that sap it.For many people, the foods they crave the most are the worst ones for their health. Therefore, we can sabotage our happiness through the choices we make, whether conscious or not.

In a society where fast-food restaurants abound and fad diets come and go, it is difficult to know what food we should we eat. A healthy diet is not one size fits all. When designing one’s ideal diet, consider factors such as chronic health conditions, genetic and cultural heritage, food allergies and intolerances, body composition, absorption issues, and even blood type. Remember: Not all food allergies are immediate, potentially fatal reactions. Often people have a milder, delayed reaction where the symptoms are more subtle and can appear hours after eating the offending food. This makes it more difficult to identify the culprit(s). A blood test for the IgG antibodies can help solve the mystery.

Naturopathic physicians are well trained in cllinical nutrition and can help you turn your relationship with your diet into a happy support one.

Dr. Jane Gartshore
Unbounded Naturopathic Medical Clinic

Raw Lime Cheesecake

You can make this in a regular spring form cheesecake pan or even an oblong glass dish.

Crust

11/2 cups almonds

6-8 medjool dates

1 tsp vanilla

pinch sea salt

Process in processor until crumbly and can stick together. May need to scrap down sides of processor a few times.

Put the mixture in the bottom of the pan and spread evenly. Press down with hand or spatula to set it.

Filling

3 cups raw cashews soaked in water for at least 2 hours

1 cup fresh organic lime juice (approx 6-8 limes)

3/4 cup raw honey

3/4 cup melted coconut oil

2 tsp vanilla

pinch sea salt

Mix all ingredients together.  If you are using a processor it may take a bit to mix all to a smooth consistency.  A narrow base blender is probably not the best choice to use.  If you don’t have a Vitamix, a processor a wider base blender is the best choice, it just may take a little longer to get a nice smooth consistency.

If you want to make it a little greener in color, add in a handful of spinach.  In doing so, you may need to increase the amount of lime juice or it may be too thick. (Another way of getting a little more greens in their diet especially to those you love who may not always get enough!!)

Once all ingredients are blended to a smoothness, pour over the crust and put into fridge for a couple of hours to set.

Enjoy!

Ok ok you can’t have a green smoothie if you add blackberries!!!!

As you will see from my You Tube video yesterday, we are having an abundant of blackberries around us right now, actually they get out of control!!  You may not be able to go in your backyard and pick them, but they are in season, so are blueberries, strawberries and raspberries.  This smoothie is with blackberries, but switch it up, variety is good and have fun with them while they are in season and eat lots of them!!

1 cup blackberries (or any other)

big handful of lettuce (that is what I had in my little garden but any greens will do)

2 bananas

I threw in a couple of pears in mine today as they needed to be eaten but that is optional

I had a young coconut here so I added the coconut water and the meat of the coconut, you can also use plain good water or even an almond mylk.

Blend up and enjoy!!

Smoothies are such a good way to get lots of good nutrients, enzymes, vitamins  and minerals in so blend them up!!

A few weeks ago I found out that David Wolfe would be in Vancouver for a few days doing a few different seminars.  I was quite familiar with his name and being a leading expert in nutrition and a ‘raw foodist’ but I really didn’t know much else about him.  He was doing a lecture on Thursday evening and I called a friend to see if she would be interested, which she was, so I said what the heck, lets go.

Well, I was in for a little bit of a surprise I will admit, so much so, that after Thursday nights talk,  I signed up for the all day event this past Saturday and am I ever glad I did!! (Friday’s was sold out already…..)

Not only is David very knowledgeable and passionate about health, nutrition & raw foods but also funny, friendly and full of life.  He knows his stuff and is a wealth of information talking about things that make sense yet we don’t stop and really think about them.

Saturdays talk went into more detail about super foods and super herbs, which I must say living in the rain forest, I am able to go out in my backyard and pick some of these herbs and use,now how cool is that!!??

David was joined by Gabrielle Brick, who brought in elements of self love and emotional eating, and she just filled in some pieces for me that had been missing. Her honesty and vulnerability yet non-judgemental approach was dynamite. Actually both brought to me a few pieces I was missing to my healthy and raw journey so I was really excited to be part of this event ( like you can’t see it in my face here in the photos………..!!!!).

We had an amazing lunch served up by Organic Lives here in Vancouver, thank you Preet and your team, it was awesome!

If ever you get a chance to attend or hear either one speak, go, it will be well worth it.
Remember, You Are What You Eat!!

Here’s to Your Health

JB

Yes it’s summer but I felt like something different and this turned out well even cold!!  This is very quick and easy to make.

Raw Creamy Cashew & Carrot Soup

1/2 cup cashews ( I soaked them for about 15 mins – it’s optional)

2 good size carrots chopped up

1 garlic clove

1/2 tsp sea salt

juice of 1/2 lemon

approx 1 cup water

I added some chili peppers also, this of course is optional, I like to add a little spice!!

Blend all until smooth

Pour into bowl and add garnish if desired.

Here I added a little cut up green onion, parsley and avocado ( off set the chili peppers!!) cilantro would be nice or anything else you would like.

Serve and enjoy!!

Please feel free to share.

To Your Health

Jodi

As much as I believe in healthy eating and food, I also believe in healthy thoughts or attitudes.  Now, I will admit up front I don’t always have the healthiest of attitudes all of the t ime.  I am learning though, for me, that when I eat really healthy, get exercise, enough sleep and eliminate toxins to my system like caffeine, alcohol and negative thoughts, my attitude is high on life, and when I don’t do those simple little things, it sucks!!

I am also noticing (even though it has taken me awhile!!) that I can be brought down or sucked in to other people’s stuff.  By that I mean victim hood, addictions, negativity and so on.  I am a rather trusting person and like to believe people are good, but I do get sucked into their stories of why their lives suck and how people take advantage of them or how they have all these health problems so that is why they have to eat and drink the way they do, or they keep smoking or whatever else is going on.

I was with some people last night, and we were enjoying a nice evening out in the beautiful weather we are having, but as the night went on, a few people got out of control with things, not major but for my comfort of how I want to be.   What I realized for myself then was I was not surrounding myself with positive, upbeat healthy people.  Now, I don’t mean to place judgement here, I like all people. But when there is whining and complaining about how unfair life is and I need to drink because of it and use the ‘f’ word like it was an adjective, then I start to get bothered by it.  What I have though is a tendency to  get mad at myself and put myself down for trusting or falling for it and allowing myself to get sucked in.

That’s what I did and I woke up mad at myself, frustrated and also feeling down.  I am learning to be nicer to myself, instead of keeping this going, I asked myself how do I want to feel?  Well, a hell of alot better than now, that is for sure!!.  I am also learning that I am sensitive to others or empathetic and I have to  protect myself, which I don’t always do.  EFT – is the next best choice.  I can tap on what I am feeling when it’s in the negative and then like Tony Robbins always says, ‘Change your state’.  In other words, go for a walk or a run, or try something that will change how you are feeling…….like by asking myself ‘How do I want to feel?’……..so then I start by feeling that feeling, which is usually happy, joy and empowered and I breath it in and expand it……..it starts in my stomach and I keep focusing on it for a few minutes till it overrides the other crappy feelings.

It has taken me awhile to do and use this even though I have known all along………the way you feel is everything!!!!

We put words to describe how we are feeling……..love, hate, happy sad, confident, scared etc but really what is happening is a chemical reaction going on inside of the body…….that is why EFT works, it helps release the negative energy and changing your state works, it changes the chemicals inside.

I just wanted to share that with you as much as I fall back sometimes I am jumping back up much faster as I have these tools and the ability to think, create and attract good things.  I think we have these little tests just to help us stay on track!

As the Universe says………’Thoughts become things so choose the good ones!!!’ It is so  much easier when you know you have choice and control over your thoughts!

Love to hear your thoughts………..

JB

Found a soba noddle dish and I just changed several things and made a ‘raw’ dish and it turned out pretty good, even my husband liked it, so you know what that means!!!  Quick, easy and healthy!

Seaweed Salad (serves 2 )

2 – 3 Zucchini’s peeled (a spiroli works well to make a pasta like noodle or you can even fine a grater of sorts and make it work that way, but I have replaced my pasta noodles with zucchini and it always tastes so good and you feel so less heavy after)

1 cup chopped spinach

1 tbsp Wakame soaked for at least 10 mins

3 – 4 strands Macro Kelp soaked for 10 mins and cut into little strips

1 clove minced garlic

3 -4 tbsp sesame oil

Mix alll but zucchini together and either then mix all together or put on top of pasta like zucchini or other noodles.

Garnish with chopped green onion.

Enjoy!!

There are many health benefits of including seaweed into your diet.

Macro Kelp  is one of the best sources of trace minerals and protein, but it also is rich in iodine and iron.

Wakame also is a good source for trace minerals iodine and iron. Both also have calcium, iron, and a few other vitamins. Not bad for seaweed, so add some to your salads or other things, as it is good for you, but don’t over do it!!

JB

Click here to view the embedded video.