I am still eating RAW and am very grateful to have found this lifestyle. Incorporating RAW foods is a natural way to help your body cleanse itself, but I felt like I really needed a good house cleaning!

I met Natasha Kyssa of SimplyRaw this summer and made a wonderful new friend. She is absolutely glowing and radiates health. Natasha holds so much knowledge about the RAW life style, and she has been living this way for almost 20 years, RAWesome! At the beginning of July I decided to embark on Natasha Kyssa’s Detox Program and….wow, what an eye opener! I successfully finished her program at the end of July and gained a whole new knowledge about what a well balanced RAW food diet should include in order to provide optimal health. I am forever grateful to have met her, to have found her awesome program and book. Her book alone will help you to understand some of the keys to optimal health and she keeps it simple which is great because you won’t feel overwhelmed. Since finishing her program I have been eating simpler foods, focusing on greens, sprouts, green smoothies and using less natural sugars (I believe that I have Candida).

My life has changed so much in three months, and I feel like a completely different person. I am so excited for this journey and ready to soak up any new knowledge about living foods, and looking forward to meeting new friends.

I have a deeper connection with my Turtle-Butt, my friends, animals and have been experiencing a very deep state of happiness. What else can I say….I feel like a RAWstar!!!

Even though I am keeping my meals simple (trying to) I still indulge in RAW gourmet, and soon will start posting some new yummy recipes. For those of you with Candida or sugar issues, I will be posting a very simple sugar free chocolate recipe that is delish, so stay tuned!

Peace and Love

I think many people believe that RAW food is just about eating salad. Keeping it simple is the best way to eat for the most part, but we all need treats. So, I introduce to you……

Gourmet RAW!!!!!!

RAW gourmet gives me the opportunity to be very creatve, which I love! Don’t you just adore the vibrant colours that live in RAW foods!

The weather has been gorgeous in Ottawa the last few days. Turtle-Butt and I are just loving it – ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, life it great! I have been trying to get outside for some strolls to enjoy the singing of birds, and to feel the warmth of the sun, sooooo I have been spending less time in the kitchen.

Last Sunday was Turtle-Butt’s last exam, so I treated him to Ani Phyo’s Raw lasagna for dinner, with some modifications – that’s what I do! To finish off the evening, I made a simple RAW chocolate cake that that I found here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7r4CNuj-o8 courtesy of RAW food chef Andrea Primm and it tasted kinda like a brownie cake…mmmmm.

I have made this recipe twice, once without vanilla and then with vanilla bean instead of extract. I have also used a mix of almonds and walnuts that I soaked for a few hours then dried, but you don’t have to do this. I have been soaking my nuts and seeds lately because I find them much easier to digest. Also, soaking seeds and nuts releases the enzyme inhibitors which helps the body to absorb more vitamins and minerals.

RAW Chocolate Cake
- 3 cups of walnuts
-1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
- 2/3 cup of raw cacao powder
-20 dates
- 1 vanilla bean scraped

Directions
- Food process walnuts and sea salt until combined.
   Do not over process or the walnuts will get oily.
- Then add vanilla bean, cacao and dates, process.
   Batter is done when it’s slightly crumbly, sticky and holds it’s form.
- Divide the cake batter into two portions, and form them each into
   a large hockey puck shape.
   Helpful hint: If you dampen yours hands, this will help to prevent the cake from
   sticking to your hands.
- Refrigerate or freeze while making the icing.

Fudge-y Banana Frosting
I wanted to make a frosting with the ingredients I had, so after playing around I came up with the recipe below.
These are ball park measurements
- 8 Medjool dates
- 1.5 to 2 tablespoons of raw cacao
- 2 teaspoons of agave
- 1 ripe banana
- 3 to 4 teaspoons of water for blending – you may need less or more

Directions
- Process until smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until firm or cold.

Cake Assembly
- Place one cake puck on a plate and lather with half of the prepared frosting.
- Stack the second layer on top and lather with remaining frosting.
   Optional:
- Top with sliced banana and sprinkle with shredded coconut and/or cacao nibs.
- Serve or refridgerate for an hour to firm cake.

Enjoy!!!

Recently I purchased “The SimplyRaw Foods Detox Manual” written by Natasha Kyssa, at the Singing Pebble Bookstore in Ottawa. I am hoping to start this program either June 1st or July1st, but the sooner the better. Right now I am reading her manual and trying to prepare myself for the detox by eating a really clean, vegan and mainly RAW diet. So far, this way of eating has been pretty effortless and in return has brought a lot of positive energy.

For breakfast I have incorporated green smoothies and they are fabulous. Who needs coffee when you can have all the enzymes and energy from a delicious living smoothie!

Thus far I have learned a lot from The SimplyRaw Foods Detox Manual. It’s apparent how much love and hard work Natasha has put into this project. I feel so grateful to have the privlidge of owning this manual which contains oodles of knowledge. I cannot wait to experience the benefits this program is sure to bring.

So, from this moment on, my boyfriend will be known as…

Turtle-Butt!

This is the blog I’ve created to support my RAW journey. It’s going to be a place where I will share RAW food recipes, and feelings/thoughts about this way of life.

Last summer I purchased my first RAW food uncook book; “Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen” by Ani Phyo. I immediately fell in love with the easy, creative, no stove recipes. I remember eating RAW foods over the course of four days and it felt great. Sadly, I quickly returned to many cooked food items because I was not ready for any commitments. I believe that summer is when the ‘seed’ was planted, patiently waiting to be watered. By fall, I had been working an extra job with my sweetie to earn extra income, pulling in over fifty-five hour work weeks and drinking lots of coffee to fuel my body. Then I got sick and felt as though my body was crashing from all of these stresses. At this point I was mainly eating a diet that resembled that of a vegan, yet I had not really committed to any particular way of eating. I decided to get more rest and incorporate more RAW foods to help heal my body. Little did I know is that this is when that ‘seed’ was watered. After a few tough days I began to feel better, lighter. I did once again return to cooked foods, but still incorporated many RAW fruits and veggies. During the holidays, after eating things that I normally would not make nor consume, I felt horrible. My tummy was so bloated and I literally felt cooked. I decided to eat strictly a vegan diet with minimal processed foods. This has brought me to where I am today. I believe that the ‘seed’ is beginning to grow, and I want to give it plenty of love, sunshine and nourishment to see it blossom. I have seen some changes within myself over the last few weeks, but it’s difficult to express what’s really happening. Right now what I do know is that I am feeling great, fresh and alive.

I am participating in this RAW food lifestyle and it’s something that I feel connected too. I’ve learned not to hold back any longer from experiences and things that I want to be apart of, in fear of what others may think. This is my life and I need to respect my own choices. All I ask for is love and support from my family and friends. This is such a positive and enlightening journey that I’m proud to be experiencing.

Peace & Love,

Banana