Spring Break

     Wow! It has been a looooong time since I have written in the blog. It feels really good being back, although I can't promise I will be writing much until the summer. In fact I can probably promise not to be back much before summer. Before I dive into what wonderful things I have been doing on my week off I want to give you an update on the last couple of months.
   
     Last semester was an extremely stressful 4 months; I started a new job, started a master's degree (online classes right now, thank goodness!), and I had a very bad relationship with one of my assistant teachers. All of that equals little sleep, little exercise, food cravings, and lots of stress. Needless to say I gained about 7 pounds back last semester, which made me even more stressed and depressed. Finally Christmas break came and we got to house sit for one of my colleagues who has a beautiful house in the mountains surrounded by beautiful trees, a herd of deer, and a little dog that slept by our feet. We both got sick so I ended up doing a whole lot of nothing and I started to feel much better! During the break I did finish reading Kris Carr's Crazy Sexy Diet and thoroughly enjoyed the book. 

     I decided I needed to take my health into my hands so I did Dr. Oz's Three Day Detox Cleanse which I enjoyed, mostly because I was FORCED to take a bath EVERY night :) Then I jumped into Jason Vale's The World's Biggest Juice Detox which uses the 7 lbs in 7 days plan. Two things happened, I found that I LOVE Jason's juices and I became BALANCED! I hadn't felt at peace in so long and now that I did I didn't want to give up the feeling. So I made a plan; I wanted to try different diet or detoxing plans so I started with Juice Yourself Slim--like, then went on to 14 lbs in 14 Days, which is an app inside the 7lbs app, then I did the plans in the Hungry for Change book. During the 14lbs and the Hungry for Change plans I learned that my body does not like meat products; I ate salmon and eggs more than I have in... probably a year, and I think I gained about 5lbs from that (which have since come off, but the cellulite hasn't). And now I am almost finished with Kris Carr's Crazy Sexy Detox. Kris promotes veganism, and so I tried really hard to be vegan and didn't buy any cheese (I am excited to have a little next week) I didn't pretty good too. 

     So now I feel GOOD. I like the Crazy Sexy Detox because she has something to read every morning, which really helps to stick to the diet. Monday I am starting Natalia Rose's Detox Diet and I am excited about that. I really have been enjoying eating more and more raw--I have been learning that this is a journey and I have been trying to stay away from my scale :) I will try to keep you posted on how things go, but I am excited to see where this journey takes me. 

     Ok, Spring Break! Well I have been doing what you all wish you could do during your spring break... a whole lot of NOTHING!!! I have just been relaxing and resting from all my beautiful angelic students. I have really enjoyed my time, I did clean our monster bird cage (my mom calls it the Taj Mahal). I have also been cooking! I made raw oreos, coconut butter cups--my new favorite raw snack, and almond pulp cookies. That was Monday. 

     Tuesday I did homework all day long--nothing too exciting. I did do Cardo X from P90X and I think I did Chalene Johnson's (aka 'Crazy Lady' she is just too happy for 4:30 a.m.) Ab Jam. Wednesday I went shopping (for food), looked up a new discipline plan for my classroom, and had a date night with my loving husband. I also did about half of P90X's Legs and Back, without the back, and I am soo sore right now. For lunch I threw together what ended up being Chocolate Pie Soup, which I don't know if I will share just yet. But it was yummy! 

Today I went for a wonderful run, see what is outside my apartment?

That's right a trail, aren't you jealous ;)
I then cleaned out our fire place and finished cleaning my pots and porch. I am hoping to grow greens this year and save some money on groceries. 

Can anyone tell me what this plant is?

     I planted some seeds one year--peach, raspberry, apple, and one more, apparently, which I can't remember. So I have this beautiful vine that has been growing for about 4 years now, but I don't know what it is.  

I had a little helper (menace) in this project. 


Oscar walked outside, following me like a little dog before I knew he was there, then look what he did to my screen!

I ended my day doing guess what! Yup, cooking... Lunch was butternut squash, apple juice blended with cinnamon and a frozen banana. 

Then I made Vanilla Macaroons, Chewy Oatmeal Crunch Bars, Chickpea Poppers, veggie chips, cacao butter (I will post a recipe when I perfect it), and veggie fajitas (poblano pepper, mushrooms, onion, zucchini, tofu, sweet potatoes) with raw salsa, and a wonderful all-purpose cheese sauce made with cauliflower, I will also be posting this recipe when I perfect it (and get a picture)! 

 And tomorrow I will be cleaning my apartment, not too exciting. 

I have also been reading Ani Phyo's Ani's Raw Food Essentials. During the summer I will be learning how to eat more and more raw. So I will be happy for you to join my in that adventure. Also Jason Vale is doing a Spring Clean Detox in April that I will be joining. I will keep you posted. I might even blog during the Detox!

Happy Juicing!!!

What have been your best or worst times in your journey towards health and what have you learned?

What are your favorite comfort foods?  (Healthy or not)

Post on my Facebook Page if you can't post here. 

Thanksgiving Dinner (Sorry its a little late)

I had two thanksgiving dinners this year soo I just had to try out many different recipes. My first Thanksgiving dinner was Sunday with my family and I made sure what I made and ate was all nut-based. And it was very yummy. 

Everything Yum!

A beet salad that my mom made, I will post the blog when she tells me what it is. :)

Walnut Cranberry Squash "Rice" (Raw) from Ani Phyo

Grain-Free Stuffing by Detoxinista

Raw Bread, my own creation made with Almond and coconut meals with cranberries 

and pecans (it wasn't great so I am not giving you the recipe.)

Homemade Cranberry Sauce by Detoxinista

Raw Pumpkin Pie topped with Raw Cheesecake (oh and this cheesecake is AMAZING!)

(it didn't mix very well, I wouldn't do it again, but I am still eating and enjoying it!)

And a Raw Pecan Pie!

My second dinner was with my husband's family at my house and I, unfortunately, did not take any pictures, but here it is any way! Oh, this meal was starch based.

And I am sorry but this next one is going to be more of a list because I didn't take pics, sorry!

Stuffed Seitan--leaving out the walnuts and cranberries

Butternut Squash and Brussel Sprout Stuffing

Mashed Cauliflower

Whole Grain Spelt Bread inspired by this Recipe
     Whole Grain Spelt (5 cups)
     Sorghum Flour (1/2 cup)
     Rye Flour (1/2 cup)
     Brown Rice Flour (1/2 cup)
     Soaked Oat Groats (1/3 cup)
     Honey instead of Brown Sugar

A Yummy Kale and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad made by Me:) (Recipe  and Picture to come)

Happy Green Holiday Eats!!!

Peace Feast Challenge

It is time! For my first monthly Peace Feast! This time I am going to do a 10 day Peace Feast. I am still feeling super stressed out and I am definitely not getting enough sleep so I think that this contributes to weight gain and of course the loss of sleep contributes to more stress which makes me want to eat and it is just a vicious cycle. So 10 Day Peace Feast!

So what is a Peace Feast? Well it is basically a juice fast with a twist. The last time I fasted I realized how wonderful and peaceful I felt at the end of my fast. And actually (I am addicted to food shopping) I didn't want to stop by Natural Grocers on my way home everyday. Other areas of my life began to become more in balance while I was fasting. So a Peace Feast is when you only drink freshly made fruit and vegetable juice (I may add in some cocoa powder in the evening or some Stevia for extra sweetness) for, in this instance 10 days. During your juicing you make one pledge to make your life more in balance in another way too, like "I will do 10 minutes of abdominal exercises or yoga every day." Stick to it and see how you feel at the end of the 10 days, I guarantee your life will feel more in balance than when you began! 

I am going to start next Sunday. I am writing this now so that you can join me! I will try to post what I will be eating the next day on my Facebook page, I make three juices at night so I can eat them through-out the next  day while I teach. I usually make about 4 juices per day. Sometimes I drink all 4 and sometimes I only drink 3, it all depends on how I am feeling that day.

Fasting Tips for Beginners 

Some things I have noticed by watching other people try to do a juice fast. When you juice you are letting your body cleanse the toxins that you have been putting into your body through food and other various ways.  THIS CAN BE PAINFUL, usually people feel awful about day three. I have seen people have really bad headaches and become lightheaded. You have to get through that horrible, detoxing day and I promise you will begin to feel wonderful, awake, peaceful, and light. So if you are doing this for the first time please make sure you let me know so I can support you and I will start on Friday with you instead of Sunday so you have the weekend to detox and the week to feel amazing!

10 Day Peace Feast Challenge begins next Sunday the 21st!

Leave a comment if you want to Feast for Peace with me and during the challenge you can post on my Facebook page and we can support each other and let me know how you are doing!

Wheatgrass Comfort Drink

Well, I am sick. My husband and I thought it would be a really great idea to go to Debate Fest at the University of Denver on Wednesday night. It could have been fun, except the temperature dropped 20 degrees in about an hour. Besides that we decided to splurge and got ice cream before the temperature dropped. So I think a combination of watching the debate for an hour and a half in the freezing cold and eating a ton of sugar in that ice cream made my sickness, which was leaving, come back full swing and once again I cannot talk! But fortunately we have Friday and Monday off so I am sitting in my bed doing all the homework I was suppose to do this week.

So because I am sick and it is freezing outside I have been drinking hot drinks, that will hopefully heal my throat. I also wanted to make a green drink, but my kitchen is a mess and I am not in the mood to clean up just yet so I didn't want to get my juicer dirty. I made a wheatgrass shot compliments of The Vegetable Centric Kitchen earlier and had an amazing idea!

This idea comes from a drink which my daddy used to make us when we were sick. I still make it every time my throat hurts! (There was no ginger or wheatgrass in the version my dad would make us ;)

Wheatgrass Comfort Drink 

1 1/2 - 2 cups warm water

1 large lime

1 1/2 TBS Honey

1/2 inch piece ginger, cut into small, thin strips

2 cubes frozen wheatgrass

Place the ginger in a mug add lime and hot water, then stir in the honey till melted. Place cup in the refrigerator for a few minutes until cooled enough so the heat does not damage the wheatgrass. Add wheatgrass cubes and stir. Then be blessed with the bliss of comfort foods!

On a side note, I know that this month is vegan month and honey is not vegan. I don't know if we could ever give up honey, I like the taste too much and haven't heard a convincing argument against it (except the sugar content). If you would like to try this drink and make it vegan I would suggest try agave nectar or coconut nectar. You will have to put more in to get the sweetness. If you try this veganized, tell me how it tastes. 

Confessions of a Food Addict

Well I am sick today, but thanks to veggie juice I feel good. I just can't talk and it is very hard to teach preschool children without a voice ;) So my day has been very productive (or maybe not). I started my first sauerkraut! I will tell you how it turns out sometime next week.
I made some very garlicky hummus for my husband to enjoy as lunches (I always enjoy a little too). Finally I am now working on Spicy Peanut Kale Chips, I substituted the peanut butter for almond butter and tahini and they are coming out great!

 Well on to confessions :( I cheated. You know that juice feast I am suppose to be on, well I confess it, I cheated. I saw the fruit that I was suppose to be juicing and I just couldn't help it. I ate a pear one night, some watermelon another night and another pear the next night along with some raw coconut, almond balls I had made for my husband. Plus this morning while I was cooking I couldn't help trying the food I made, I have to eat when I cook. If you can cook without snacking on everything you make, more power to you. I get that from my mom, she always said she ate two dinners. So I am finishing Feasting on Juice a little early, but guess what! I lost all 10 lbs that had gained since school started. Tonight I am going to be making some raw soup, and will hopefully post the recipe later and a raw salad. YUM! I am soo excited!

Feasting on Juice this past week has been very eye opening for me. I not only lost the weight, but I learned something very important--when you eat healthy foods you are happier and less stressed. I have been so calm this week even though making four juices every night for dinner and then to take with me in the morning, takes a lot of time, I still felt more peace. My body really needs peace. I thrive on stress, which is why I am a teacher, but it is hard on my body. So I have decided that in addition to eating healthy foods more regularly and in a more detoxifying way. I am going to feast on juice about once a month or so, it will be my Peace Feast :) I will tell you a couple days before so you can do this with me if you want and I will try to post on my Facebook page what I ate that day.



Well I think I will end my post with two recipes I discovered this week. I have pictures for one but not the other. First a smoothie...
I was trying to make Vegan "Booster Juice" but I couldn't find half of the ingredients so I came up with my own 

Tropical Kombucha Smoothie

1 mango

1/2 pint strawberries

1 Frozen Banana

3 Kiwis

1/4 cup each Passion Fruit Kombucha and Guava Kombucha ( I like J.T.'s Kombucha best)

Pour everything in a blender and blend till smooth. Add ice if desired.

I am drinking this one right now :)

Carrot Papaya Pumpkin Pie Juice

It might not sound the best, but believe me, it tastes like pumpkin pie and I LOVE pumpkin pie!

4 carrots

1/2 papaya (Mine was on the firm side, otherwise I would have just eaten it.

1 bag Celestial Seasonings Sweet Harvest Pumpkin Black Tea

6 drops Vanilla Stevia

Pumpkin Pie Spice to taste (I put in quite a bit)

Juice carrots and papaya. Stir in tea bag, stevia and spice. I let mine sit in the fridge overnight, but you could probably drink it within half an hour or so.

Happy Juicing!

New Recipe, Challenge and ... Fast or Feast?

Well there has been so much going on lately I have not had time to post anything. I have made two resolutions since my last post which I would like to share with you. But first, the moment you have been waiting for...! 

Strawberry Rhubarb Juice (Creamed)

Yes I finally did it, I figured out the recipe--it is smooth and sweet!

1 pint strawberries

1 1/2 long stalks rhubarb

1 medium beet with greens (add extra greens if desired)

2 sweet apples

2 limes or lemons

Juice all ingredients and top with a little cinnamon and nutmeg (you may also want to add a little vanilla stevia depending on your taste-buds). 

To cream--after juicing the ingredients pour into a blender and add a banana and an avocado (I think that is what I did, I will have to look at this recipe again when I get home so the creamed version might change a bit in a few days) and blend until smooth. Top with toasted almond and coconut meal leftover from making nut milks. And most importantly ENJOY!!!

On to my two resolutions and I am very sorry but I do not have pictures for this part. 

There has been one constant in my life for the last two months...STRESS! It has ruled my eating choices and also my purchasing choices so I decided I was going to spend less money on groceries (I happen to be addicted to food shopping. Can anyone relate?) Well to do this I decided I needed a plan and there are soooo many amazing blogs with recipes on them, I decided to try and go through them making the recipes found on these blogs. I will try to remember to tell you on my page on facebook what I am eating that day. Also I will try to post my husband's and my favorites for the week. I am hoping this will be fun and also save me money :)

So my next decision... I recently looked at my eating decisions and they have not been good. Basically I have been eating everything I can get my hands on in the last couple of months and it has gotten so bad I cannot stop eating, especially chocolate and sweets! So Friday morning I stepped on the scale and instantly decided I needed to go on a juice fast because what I was doing was not working...Hello my name is Alissa and I am addicted to food! So I started with what I had, a green juice, two smoothies, and another green juice to end the day. Today, Saturday, was my first full-blown juice fast and I had a very difficult time. We didn't do much today--just play with my two-year-old nephew and wait for my newborn nephew to wake-up (which I don't think ever happened). So I got very frustrated today and finally went for a walk to clear my head, but I am going to do this fast because I do not want my life run by food adding to the stress that is already piling on top of me. 

I don't like the word fasting...Courtney Pool from www.CourtneyPool.com and www.SpirulinaJunkie.com calls it juice feasting. I love the term feasting because it is something you want to do not have to do and when you juice you are feasting on an extreme amount of nutrients. So I am going to use the word feasting. 

This week I will be feasting on juice. I will add in a smoothie Friday afternoon and for dinner raw soup and salad. Would anyone like to join me? Post on my facebook page the best juice you ate that day and I will keep you up-to-date on what I am drinking and how I am doing through out the week!

Happy Juicing!!!

Raw Cardamom Soup

I know I promised the Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Juice, but you are just going to have to wait. I have perfected the recipe but as I was drinking it in the car the other day I thought, "Hey this would be good with crust and crunch!" So I want to try on more thing.

I am currently trying to be on a juicing fast, but I have cheated today (and it was my first day :( ) I just had to try the banana muffins my kids made and the raw carob cheesecake was in the specials isle at Natural Grocers and I must say, AMAZING!!!

So anyway on to the soup. It is sweet and has a nice Cardamom flavor--kinda makes me feel like I'm back in India. In fact, now that I think of it you could garnish this soup with raisins, pistachios, and cashews and make it really Indian! Huh, I'm going to have to try that! 

Raw Cardamom Soup

1 Zucchini or Sweet Potato

1 Avocado

1 tsp ground cardamom seeds (out of the pod)

Juice of 2 beets and a handful of greens (I like using beet greens)

1 dropperful Vanilla Stevia

Cinnamon and salt to taste

Blend everything in a blender and enjoy!