This is my first experience eating a sapodilla…straight from Florida. I’ve yet to see any in the Wisconsin markets…

~How to Prepare Sapodilla 101~

Be sure your fruit is ripe (it will give a little under pressure). Don’t try to eat a hard sapodilla!

First wash it. Next, slice in half.

Scoop out the inedible seeds and discard…

Spoon out the flesh and enjoy!

***************

~~Short-Cut Soy-Free Vegan Cooking For Fam~~

Short-Cut Vegan Soy-FREE Pizza Roll Recipe

• refrigerated pizza crust
• spinach
• Daiya Shreds, Cheddar (vegan soy-free cheese alternative)
• your fave pasta or pizza sauce

How to: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the pizza crust dough, layer with Daiya Shreds, spinach, pasta sauce.

Roll up …

With a wet smooth-edged knife, cut the log roll into smaller pieces and place  upright so the ingredients show, place in a prepared baking dish..

I ended up leaving part of the roll large and like how it came out!

For those of you who don’t know, I’m on a computer fast until March 1, 2012. No internet, no facebook, no blogging, no e-mails. No worries! You’ll still be getting a new blog posting from me once a week throughout the month of February as I have pre-scheduled them.

The book pictured above: 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker inspired me to take on this computer-free experiment. Highly recommend this book to all!

I hope you take the opportunity to read 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker. May it make you think about your own life as much as it has made me reflect on mine.

Peace & Happy Reading~

Celeste

Freelee's new downloadable e-book!
Click here to order the book now! 

How do your beauty products rate? —Let’s take a look at YOUR shampoo you are using at the moment. Go to SKIN DEEP now to see how your shampoo rates!

On this fun journey, I’ve decided to eliminate conventional shampoo. YES! You read that right. I’ve been ‘no poo’  for 3-4 months now with great success:)

It’s really about simplifying one’s life and digging for the truth. Who says our hair needs conventional shampoo? Most conventional store-bought shampoos (and many haircare products) for that matter, are filled with toxic chemicals  (see SLS note below!) that seep into our skin. Shocking, yes!

So even if you clean up your diet–if you have NOT cleaned up this area of your lifestyle—-and looked closely at your shampoos and hair care products–you are doing yourself a disservice.

What I choose NOT to spend on traditional cosmetics & personal care products–I then have a bigger budget to spend on other things; i.e, quality foods, etc. In addition, eliminating toxic ingredients on my skin.

So what do I use to clean my locks?

Shampoo Substitute: Baking soda (1 TB) in quart size (or smaller) mason jar filled with warm water.

Conditioner Substitute: Apple cider vinegar & warm water (mix in mason jar). A TB of vinegar (or more) with enough water to cover my head/hair (maybe fill up jar 1/2-3/4 full of warm water). Each person has to play with the amounts of each to get their desired effect…

How to: First I wash with the baking soda mixture by pouring the mixture over my head and massaging it around/in, and then rinsing out. Then I pour the vinegar mixture over head and rinse out.  OR……check out this this article to see how others do it.

Result? Soft beautiful hair!

*************************************************

“Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) are detergents and surfactants that may pose serious health threats. They are used in car washes, garage floor cleaners and engine degreasers — and in 90 percent of personal care products that foam. Animals exposed to SLS experienced eye damage, depression, labored breathing, diarrhea, severe skin irritation and even death”, according to naturemoms.com. 

**************************

How does your shampoo and conditioner rate?  Post a comment!

Happy Valentines, Sweet Peeps! I heart your loyal readership, your comments, thoughts, and questions. I’m stoked that you are following along on this amazing journey! Make a big batch of these Valentine’s day cookies and share with friends, family, and those less fortunate. Hugs & Hearts to all~

Celeste’s Heart Cookies RAWcipe

• 10-15 organic fresh medjool dates
• 1-2 TB raw sesame seeds, ground in coffee grinder

How to:  Put all in food processor and whirl until ‘dough’ forms into a ball.  Wet your hands and form into whatever cookie shape you’d like.  I used a heart shaped cookie cutter for the pic above, however, they are really sticky so making them into tiny ball cookies is easiest.  I usually enjoy the ‘dough’ straight from the food processor!

**********************

~~Short-Cut Vegan Soy-Free Cooking For Family~~

Valentine’s Day Millet Porridge

Valentine’s Millet Porridge Recipe (Rather than give your kids candy on Valentine’s day, opt for this healthier treat!)

• 1/2 cup millet (I use my steamer to cook it. Usually 1/2 cup millet with 1 1/2 cups water for 30-45 minutes or until fluffy/having absorbed all water)
• 1/4 cup, more or less, to taste, Almond Milk (vanilla)
• Cinnamon
• Coconut Crystals (a raw sweetener) OR Sucanat (buy at your local health food store)
• fresh fruit, optional

How to: Cook your millet in a steamer or on the stovetop. Once done, add a little almond milk to taste, stir it up, sprinkle of cinnamon, and top with a pinchful of Coconut Crystals or Sucanat. Stir well and adjust cinnamon and sweetener to taste. Top with your fave fresh fruit, optional.

For those of you who don’t know, I’m on a computer fast until March 1, 2012. No internet, no facebook, no blogging, no e-mails. No worries! You’ll still be getting a new blog posting from me once a week throughout the month of February as I have pre-scheduled them.

The book pictured above: 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker inspired me to take on this experiment. Highly recommend this book to all!

I hope you take the opportunity to read 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker. May it make you think about your own life as much as it has made me reflect on mine. Be free!

Freelee's new downloadable e-book!
Click here to order the book now! 

Dear Beautiful Peeps!

I just read 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker.

Highly recommend this book to all!

I was so moved by the experiments in the book, I’m taking one on myself.

As of today, February 1, 2012, I’m taking a break from my computer for a month.

No internet, no facebook, no blogging, no e-mails.

No worries! You’ll still be getting a new blog posting from me once a week throughout the month of February as I have pre-scheduled them.

I will be back online on March 1, 2012. Until then, I hope you take the opportunity to read 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker.

May it make you think about your own life as much as it has made me reflect on mine.

Peace & Happy Reading~

Celeste

Freelee's new downloadable e-book!
Click here to order the book now! 

• Make sure the watermelon is free of bruises and cuts
• The underbellie should be yellow
• Signs of hollow = ripe (tap on it)
• look for a heavy melon
• Ripe melon’s flesh will be vibrant deep pink inside

*******************************

~~Short-Cut Vegan Soy-Free Cooking For Family ~~

Short-Cut Vegan Soy-Free Calzone

Ingredients:

• refrigerated pizza crust
• organic baby spinach leaves
• Daiya Shreds (cheddar), vegan, non-soy cheese alternative
• pizza or pasta sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Gently heat up your pasta or pizza sauce. Roll out some refrigerated pizza crust dough w/little flour, add some pasta sauce, baby spinach leaves and top it with a layer of Daiya Shreds (cheddar).

With a fork, crimp the edges. Pop in the oven and bake for 15-25 minutes, or until done.

Here is another way to enjoy cucumbers! I used my World Cuisine 48297-99 Tri-Blade Plastic Spiral Vegetable Slicer to make thin cuke noodles and topped with tomato slices.  Optional, add a little fresh squeezed lime  juice to the salad mixture. Couldn’t be easier! This makes a great low fat raw vegan potluck pleaser.

********************************

~Short-Cut Vegan Cooking For Family~

Cute Mini Muffin Pizzas–topped with vegan soy-free Daiya Shreds, the cheese alternative!

Daiya-Licious Mini Pizzas Recipe

• English muffins, halved and toasted, (some English Muffins are not vegan so be sure to read the ingredients!)
• your fave pizza or pasta sauce
• vegan & soy free cheese substitute, Daiya Shreds, mozzarella (check your local health food store)
• organic baby spinach leaves

How to: Preheat oven to 350.  Arrange toasted muffin halves on baking sheet. Spread sauce onto muffin halves. Top them with Daiya Shreds.  Place muffins in oven and bake until Daiya Shreds have  somewhat melted (see pic above). Take them out and top with a spinach leaf.

Just 2 ingredients-bananas & fresh organic medjool dates

*****************

~~Celeste’s Banana ‘Sushi’ 101~~

First slice your ripe spotted nanner lengthwise

Next, pit your fresh organic medjool dates and halve them and smoosh them on one side of nanner…

Top with the other side of your nanner…

With a wet serrated knife, cut the nanner sushi in small pieces…

Place upright on a plate and devour!

***************

~~Short-Cut Vegan Cooking For Fam~~

Vegan Spicy Mexican Beans & Rice

Recipe (This also makes a GREAT burrito filling!)

• 1-2 cans kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup Lundberg Short Grain Brown Rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 Rapunzel Vegan Veggie Bouillon No Salt Cube  (Get $5 off your first iherb.com order when you use my Code CEL445)

• 1 can diced Tomatoes & Green Chilis
• spice mix of sea salt, garlic, paprika, cayenne, pepper, onion

How to: Boil 2 cups water, add bouillon cube, allow to dissolve. Next, add rice, cook for 50 minutes, or follow the package. Meanwhile, add beans and diced toms to steamer and cook.  Add all together, add spices, and enjoy.

Serving size: This feeds 1 low fat raw vegan OR many peeps.

OR instead of blueberries, top with strawberries.

Go Raw with the help of a Vitamix. Use my affiliate code 06-005401 to get Free Shipping ($25) on your next Vitamix 5200 purchase! Shop for your vitamix here! As a Vitamix affiliate, I’m able to pass on  savings to you.  And who doesn’t like to save a few $$?

*************************************************************

NOTE: A note about the corn chowder recipe I recently posted. I was reminded by a reader that most frozen corn you buy in the store, has been cooked.  If unsure, contact the manufacturer. Aha, yes!  So unless you are doing the freezing yourself (shaving the kernels off the cob and then freezing it), you can use fresh off the cob corn in the corn chowder.

There are some raw books out there that do use frozen corn, thawed, in their recipes. For some raw peeps, it doesn’t deter them from using it even if it has been cooked prior to freezing, as it’s such a small part of their diet in most cases, etc.

According to livestrong.com, “Besides frozen vegetables, (frozen vegetables are not considered raw foods suitable for a 100 percent raw diet because they undergo a process called blanching before they’re frozen) there are other foods commonly included in so-called raw food recipes that are not technically raw. According to The Raw Food Society of British Columbia, some foods that many raw foodists don’t know aren’t raw include liquid aminos, natural soy sauce and miso — all of which are made with boiled soy beans. Some other foods which you may not realize are at least partially cooked include: most dried fruits and spices, cashews, most olives, most cooking oils, maple syrup, most nut butters, and most green powders and nutritional supplements. If you adhere to a strict raw diet, it is a good idea to contact the food manufacturer before eating any packaged food product to make sure the product has not been heat-treated.”

]]> http://rawkinraw.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/warm-banana-pudding-fruitarian-lfrv-low-fat-raw-vegan-801010/feed/ 0 rawkinraw fruit girl fruity girl http://rawkinraw.wordpress.com/2012/01/15/corn-chowder-lfrv-low-fat-raw-vegan-short-cut-vegan-cooked-millet-chili/ http://rawkinraw.wordpress.com/2012/01/15/corn-chowder-lfrv-low-fat-raw-vegan-short-cut-vegan-cooked-millet-chili/#comments Sun, 15 Jan 2012 18:08:11 +0000 rawkinraw http://rawkinraw.wordpress.com/?p=3478 Keep reading →]]> Corn Chowder

Corn Chowder RAWcipe

• 4 zucchinis, peeled, and sliced OR you can use yellow squash
• 2 cups fresh cut off cob, non-gmo corn OR frozen corn that you have personally frozen yourself after taking off cob, as store-bought frozen corn in most cases, has been cooked.

How to: Blend all in your vitamix until warm.  Plate up and top with more corn.

****************************************************

~Short-Cut Vegan Cooking For Fam~

Millet Chili

Millet Chili Recipe

Serving size:  This recipe makes a lot (see huge baking dish below).  Determine the batch of size you want to make and add the can(s) of beans, and rest of ingredients accordingly.

• 1/2 cup millet, cooked in steamer (1/2 cup millet with 1 1/2 cups water), steamed until fluffy (30-45 minutes, or thereabouts)
• 2 cans organic pinto beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cans organic kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 jar (or more) salsa, your fave and in the amount you choose
• package organic frozen corn, thawed
• sprinkle of chili powder and garlic powder, to your taste
• Daiya Shreds, Cheddar (vegan cheese substitute), optional–pick up at your local health store (yes, Natural Living Health Food Store in Antigo. WI, now carries this-go stock up today!)

How to:   Steam your millet until light and fluffy. Meanwhile, Add beans, spices, corn, salsa, to a saucepot and cook gently on stovetop. Once done, add the cooked millet. Mix all together. Optional, if you’d prefer a melty cheezy top for your chili, transfer all to a baking dish and top with some Daiya Shreds (cheddar) and put under broiler, watching closely, just until shreds start to melt (this wouldn’t take long-watch closely).

Here’s a pic before it went under the broiler…

What I find fun about this fruity lifestyle is everyone has their own way of eating the various sweet and non-sweet fruits!

I grew up eating grapefruit by cutting them in half and drizzling my fam’s pure maple syrup on it and digging out the flesh with a spoon. Utter sweetness! But after years of not eating any grapefruit, I’ve reintroduced them to my diet recently and am crazy about’em. They are super sweet by themselves and to me, they already have a hint of syrup flavor. Maybe it’s just a past taste sensation showing it’s face?

~How I Prepare My Grapefruit~

I wash the grapefruit and then I slice off the ends.

Next I slice down the middle.

Then I slice down those 2 pieces …

This gives ya 4 thick juicy slices.

Next I pull the half rounds straight to expose the sections…then I nosh into them. The flesh easily comes off the rind. Slurp, slurp!

***********************

How do you eat your grapefruit? Be sure to post in the comment section!