It’s Day 8 of my Raw Food Challenge and just wanted to give you a quick update. Today was the first of many raw meals to come, ones that I can actually chew! I feel very satiated just from chewing alone. I’m still drinking my smoothies for breakfast and lunch, but because this is the rebuilding phase, I’m also allowing myself to have more raw crunch than just at dinner time. Today I had a yummy green smoothie for breakfast and added some superfoods to give an extra boost of nutrients and energy. I think this was the first time I wasn’t hungry two hours later. For lunch I had leftover Gazpacho soup from last night’s dinner. PLUS a small salad with pea shoots, spring mix, dulse, sunflower seeds and diced tomatoes. I sprinkled some olive oil, lemon juice, sea salt and pepper. It was sooo delicious. I have quite the appetite and can usually eat more than my husband. I couldn’t believe after a very small salad and bowl of soup how full I was. I had another raw salad for dinner with a yummy pesto sauce. Life is good now. Though the temptation is still their for cooked foods, every day of this challenge I have a little more belief and desire for raw foods. I have lots of energy, a clear mind and feel very productive today! 6 more days to go…

“Yay smoovee, yay smoovee!” That’s what my two year old says every time he sees the blender come out. People always ask how my son eats and are amazed when I tell them he loves spinach, mushrooms, onions, avocados and even salad! Yet he thinks potatoes are poison! He eats what my husband and I eat, and his meals have always been focused on veggies and fruits from the very beginning. And he loves his smoothies. Smoothies are a great way to get your children to eat all sorts of fruits and veggies. Especially the healthiest of dark leafy greens. It’s also a fantastic way to improve your diet as well and get the nutrients your body needs. Make every smoothie an experiment. Try different fruits and greens to find one you love.
I believe that if you start baby’s palate off with fresh healthy food then you can ensure a much easier ride through the picky times. Of course children are always changing, keeping us on our toes. The day will come when something they used to love they won’t even touch. It could be a mixture of taste buds changing, defiance and becoming more independent, or instinctively they know (more…)

Easy meal in less than 30 minutes

I love to cook and prepare simple meals. I believe it is extremely important to be getting the majority of your meals at home prepared with love and nutritious foods. This doesn’t however mean that it needs to take a lot of your time. With this dinner, food was on the table in less than 30 minutes. Not only is it delicious but it’s super healthy balanced with dark leafy greens, vitamin C filled sweet potatoes and lots of healthy protein from the quinoa. And also extremely affordable! I mixed everything together for an all-in-one dish for myself, but kept the 3 foods separate for my 2 year old son who’s not quite in to the mixing of foods yet. I ate the leftovers for lunch the next day, cold and still very yummy. Quinoa is so versatile that any veggies can be substituted in this dish. Try adding raisins to this dish too! Enjoy and let me know what you think!

QUICK TIP: By adding in naturally sweet foods to your meals you help to reduce your sugar cravings.
For the recipe (more…)

I made this salad for lunch today not knowing what it would taste like, but to my amazement it was delicious! It only took a few minutes to throw things in my mini-prep food processor and then top it with some of my favorite fixings. When you’re cooking don’t be afraid to try something new and even mess up. That’s how you discover some of the best recipes! It was quick and easy, super healthy and also very filling. Hope you enjoy! (more…)