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DC Raw/Vegan Spot: Elizabeth’s Gone Raw
This past weekend for my birthday extravaganza, I was surprised with a five course decadent meal at Elizabeth’s Gone Raw. If you don’t know, Elizabeth’s is open on Friday’s only, open for reservations from 6pm to 9pm, and is pretty much the only dining experience in the DC area where you can get a gourmet raw meal. The restaurant has been up and running since 2009, and was started by Elizabeth Petty, a breast cancer survivor who parlayed her new lifestyle and love of food into the venture.
Only one word to sum up this experience. INCREDIBLE! If you have the means, I highly recommend you experience this once a week event and be sure to leave sufficient room in your stomach for all the yummy courses. You could even get away with fasting or eating extremely light and then heading over for dinner, because trust, you don’t want to miss eating anything they set in front of you on the table. If you are a foodie, even if you are a meat lover, you’ll feel like you’ve died and gone to tasty eating heaven.
Every single dish had such intricate texture and flavor, and they do an incredible job of pairing wines with the meal if you are a drinker. I don’t drink alcohol, but still had several wonderful virgin drinks including the goji berry tonic, which was wonderful. All of the courses were amazing, but I was borderline obsessed with their kale chips that had just the right amount of spiciness paired with the warm tomato soup, the beet carpaccio, and the decadent maple sassafras cheesecake. The best part about the evening was that we left very full, but not bloated and ready to take a nap in that way you feel after gorging on Standard American Diet foods.
For more info on Elizabeth’s Gone Raw visit their website: http://www.elizabethsonlstreet.com/
-XoXo Raw Girl
The Acne-Free Diet Talk (Excerpt)
Last weekend had a blast speaking at Everlasting Life Cafe in Maryland about my book “The Acne-Free Diet.” For those of you who are not in the DMV and missed this wonderful event, here’s a short excerpt from the talk. Unfortunately you can’t see my slide show with it, but I’m sure you’ll get the gist. Please pass it on especially if you know anyone suffering with skin issues. More people need to get hip to the fact that beating acne is an inside out game. We are what we eat, and one of the beautiful aspects of living is that we have at our fingertips the power to transform our bodies’, our skin, and our health at any moment, just by eating to live. The new version of the book is now available and combines all of the previous information along with a 3 Day Detox, and some extra nuggets of wisdom so that you have simple practical ways to begin your journey. -XoXo Raw Girl
LISTEN TO EXCERPT OF ACNE-FREE DIET TALK HERE
To learn more about the book and purchase the new edition, visit here: http://rawgirltoxicworld.com/the-acne-free-diet/
Raw Spicy Gazpacho & Vegan Eggplant w/ Thyme
This weekend I ate something fried. Don’t judge me! I’ve told you veggie lovers time and time again I am not living la vida raw one hundred percent of the time, and I encourage you to find your bliss and make the healthiest choices for you. That said, after the wonderful food demonstration at VegFest DC I decided to try out Executive Chef Ayinde Howell’s fried eggplant recipe. I did however make some modifications. I’m not a fan of fried food, but I knew my body could handle it without aggravation if I used coconut oil (because the oil is not rancid and has a higher burning/smoke point). There’s no way I could eat it without having a reaction if it was prepared with any other oil but coconut. In the demo Ayinde used earth balance, but I prefer to not add in additional heated oils of any kind that can encourage free radicals in my body. If you are a health enthusiast or concerned about keeping your skin optimal and you ever want to fry anything, I highly recommend you never use “dead” oils and stick to coconut. Anyhow it was delicious, and the eggplant has a natural buttery flavor when cooked this way.
On my first couple of days post-detox I also made a really yummy spicy gazpacho which lasted for a few days. It’s been summer hot in DC the past couple of days so cold soup is where it’s at. If you try the gazpacho know that its much better after sitting in the fridge for a couple of hours because it gets thicker and less runny. By day two, it was a much better consistency and paired well with the eggplant. If you would like to try this entire meal raw, you can marinade your eggplant and dehydrate it. There are some really great recipes out there for eggplant “bacon” which are just dehydrated marinated strips of eggplant. I will plan to revisit this soon and do a raw version of the eggplant. -XoXo Raw Girl
Raw Spicy Gazpacho
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
1 Cucumber
1 lb cherry tomatoes ( Used two small containers full)
1/2 sweet red pepper
1/2 red onion
small handful cilantro
1/4 cup lime
pinch of cayenne
red pepper flakes to taste
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp sea salt
Put all ingredients in the blender. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately, or for better consistency, let chill in the fridge and then serve. Enjoy!
Vegan Eggplant w/ Thyme
Prep Time: 10 minutes or less
1 eggplant
thyme
sea salt (to taste)
wedge of lime
coconut oil
Slice your eggplant into thin circles, cutting across the width of it. Heat a skillet and add in your coconut oil. As eggplant cooks season with sea salt, and thyme as needed and flip sides. Remove eggplant and away excess oil when slightly brown. garnish with avocado and squeeze a small wedge of lime over the dish. Enjoy!
4 Reasons to Love Collard Greens
Collard greens are dark leafy veggies that are related to kale, broccoli, and cabbage. In fact collards, are actually the descendants of wild cabbage. Most of us may know and love collards as a side dish (that sometimes is cooked to death), and accompanies a larger meal. Although these greens tend to be rough you can cut them finely and steam sautee them easily or enjoy eating them raw with the right preparation in salads and or use them as a tortilla substitute for a wrap filled with veggies. If you grow them or if you can buy baby collards, they tend to be less bitter and really easy to add into salads like any other green. Collard greens are an excellent source of vitamin C, K, A, beta-carotene, manganese, folate, calcium, magnesium, iron, and fiber. Individuals who have pre-existing or untreated kidney or gall bladder issues should avoid collards because of the measurable levels of oxalates. If oxalates become concentrated in bodily fluids, they can crystallize and cause a host of health issues. Below are a few brief reasons why adding some collard greens to your life every now and then is not a bad idea. Whether you steam them, wrap them up, or toss them into a salad, know that these super greens are a great way to boost your nutrition. -XoXo Raw Girl
- Consuming collards protects against cancer. Collard greens provide nutrients and support functioning of the bodies’ detox, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory system, all of which must become compromised for cancer to thrive in the body.
- Collards support weight loss, because like most greens they come with little to no calories and a nice serving of fiber to support digestion and proper elimination.
- These cruciferous veggies have also been show to have very powerful effects on heart related conditions and lowering cholesterol. THey contain niacin, a vitamin which is known to reduce cholesterol and prevent diabetes and heart disease.
- Collards also have anti-inflammatory benefits as they are an excellent source of vitamin K and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids (in the form of alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA), two important anti-inflammatory nutrients. Vitamin K acts as a direct regulator of our inflammatory response, and ALA is the building block for several of the body’s anti-inflammatory messaging molecules.
For a salad recipe using collards, check out this past post: Collard Green Salad w/ Grapefruit Vinaigrette
Meditation: Practicing Hope
Follow Sihnuu on Instagram @yogasihnuu
Hope is what fuels us, it can serve as our life support when we are at our lowest low and keep us charged and focused when we want to achieve our goals. Hope is the root of our passion and the end of our pain. Hope is as necessary as the air we breathe. It is reflective of our drive and desire to live. With hope, our life has purpose.
Facts About Hope
*Hopeful people have stronger immune systems than those who lack hope.
*Hopeful people do well in a variety of social environments.
*Hopeful people are able to achieve their goals more easily. According to universal law your thoughts are your truth. If your thoughts are life is wonderful, your life is well…WONDERFUL!
*Hopeful people are contagious. When you are surrounded by hope you have no other choice but to allow it to rub off on you.
Things to Ask Yourself:
What is the root of my hope? Is it for temporary gratification?
How can I be hopeful and achieve my goals while remaining detached?
Do I have consistent attitude of hope in my life, or is my hope based on a certain outcome?
How to Be Hopeful
- Quiet the chatter in your mind through meditation – While it is good to be with your thoughts, they can sometimes be distracting. Do not allow negative thinking to take over. If you have a negative thought acknowledge it, honor it, release it.
- Know that expectation is a four letter word – Ok, ok, it’s more like 11 letters, but treat it like it’s a curse word as it relates to hope. When expectations are the seed of hope we set ourselves up for potential disappointment. Be happy regardless.
- Practice Positivity – Think of all of the amazing things that are happening in your life right now and drown yourself in all of the greatness that you encapsulate!!
~Namaste, Sihnuu
VEG Transition Recipe: Steam Sauteed Kale w/ Bell Peppers
I really do not mind preparing vegan dishes from time to time, but for whatever reason, it actually pains me to cook the life force out of my greens! Last week my cooking class assignment was to make steam sauteed greens. Because I got to do what I got to do to get my degree I made this simple meal as instructed, and it took no time at all. Although I much prefer to season and massage my greens and eat them raw, this is a really great recipe for anyone looking to add more greens into their life, transition into veggie living, or those who have an aversion (gasp!) to raw greens. The combination of the carmelized onions and the bell pepper adds a sweetness to it, and throwing in some garlic and ginger makes it even yummier. Just make sure NOT to overcook your greens so you still have some of the glorious nutrients available. This is a great side dish to a main course or you could pair it with an additional hefty food like quinoa and call it a meal. If you despise greens give it a try you may find a new easy and simple way to add some more essential veggies into your life. -XoXo Raw Girl
Steam Sauteed Kale w/ Bell Peppers
1 bunch Green Kale roughly chopped
3-4 cloves of garlic diced1/4 ginger root diced
Splash of good olive oil
1/2 Onion chopped
1 organic red bell pepper chopped
Sea Salt
Heat a pan, or wok with a lid. Add a dash of good quality olive oil and then add in your diced onions. Cook the onions until almost translucent and then add in your peppers. Cover the pan and let the peppers and onions steam for a minute. Add your greens on top and add in your garlic and ginger with sea salt to taste. Cover and steam until cooked but not overcooked. Serve and enjoy!
Collard Green Salad w/ Grapefruit Vinaigrette
To kick off my Master’s program this first semester one of the classes I’m enrolled in is a cooking class. Best part so far was receiving a some awesome knives in the mail, a cutting board, apron, and other goodies. I made this salad and vinaigrette last week for one of my first assignments to practice a few of the cutting techniques for that lesson. Eating collard greens as a salad is amazing, but for me the trick is to always use a bit of oil, vinegar (or lemon), and sea salt to massage the greens prior to adding toppings or dressing. This not only make the greens more flavorful, it also just makes it easier for the body to break them down. If collard greens are still too much for you to handle alone, try mixing in spinach or arugula. Below is the recipe for the vinaigrette which amazingly enough has a creamy texture that is really nice. For the salad, dice up your collards whatever way you like them, and add toppings. I used fresh baby tomatoes from the garden, yellow pepper, and avocado. -XoXo Raw Girl
Grapefruit Vinaigrette
2 grapefruits
3 cloves diced garlic
1 Tablespoons Agave Nectar
Pinch of Sea Salt
1/4 cup olive oill
1-2 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
Blend, pour onto salad, enjoy!
Yoga: Utkatasana or Chair Pose
Utkatasana A.K.A. Chair Pose / Powerful Fierce Pose
Benefits
Strengthens back, thighs, spine, ankles. Reduces flat feet. Stretches shoulders Boost immune system.
Steps
1. Begin in Tadasana (mountain pose) with arms lifted and fingers sparked. Engage all of your bandhas and bring length to spine lifting up and out of the pelvis
2. On the inhale lift your toes and activate the legs
3. Exhale and lower your hips as if you are getting ready to sit in a chair.
4. Look down and see all 10 of your toes. If you do not see your toes work to send your knees closer to the back wall
5. Continue to lengthen your sacrum downward sending your belly button toward your spine to prevent over arching.
6. Reach out through the fingertips and draw your shoulders away from your ears.
7. Send your gaze forward keeping your chin parallel to your mat.
8. Allow your inhales to bring length and your exhales to sink you deeper into your hips.
Precautions
Those with hip or knee problems use caution and try entering the pose with the back agains the wall or a block between the thighs.
~ Namaste, Sihnnu
You can find Sihnuu on Instagram @yogasihnuu
The Healing Power of Massage
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Need a chill pill? The majority of us could use several the way we rush about from engagement to engagement and double book ourselves into a frenzy. I’m not pointing any fingers without taking a good look at myself in the mirror first. Life can get hectic, and it’s important to listen to the signs that our bodies give us to slow down, smell the roses, and perhaps get a massage! Why are massages great? Besides the fact that they promote relaxation, massages may relieve you of that kink you’ve had in your neck for a month, or help you sleep better, the answer is very simple. Humans need human touch. Keep in mind that your skin is your bodies’ largest organ. Not only do we need touch, but it’s been scientifically proven that massage has powerful effects on the healing progress of a wide range of ailments.
According to the American Massage Therapy Association several studies have show that massage can positively affect back pains, burns, carpal tunnel syndrome, lung cancer, cardiac patients after surgery, boost immune function and relieve stress in women with breast cancer, assist students in relieving academic stress, assist with recovery and soreness of athletes, and relieve overall anxiety and depression. If you are suffering from a stress relation disease, massages should be in your arsenal along with yoga or meditation. If you have certain types of cancer, inflammation of the veins, certain skin conditions, an infectious disease or cardiac issues you need to consult a doctor before considering massage therapy.
While in New York, I had a hot stone massage that changed my life. I came in stiff and sore, and left skipping with the soundtrack from the Sound of Music playing in my head. The world really seems like a better place when you muscles are relaxed. So just as you find the time weekly, and daily to breathe, stretch, and go within, make sure you get someone to rub on you. Even if it’s for a few minutes, it could make a great difference in promoting a healthier happier you. -XoXo Raw Girl
Below are a few scientific studies that prove that massage can speed up healing :
A groundbreaking study of 40 preterm infants included the practice of giving a gentle, 15-minute massage three times a day for several days to a number of the group. The results were astounding; infants given massages gained 47 percent more weight, became more responsive, and left the hospital six days earlier than controls (Pediatrics, May 1986).
A controlled study of 20 HIV-positive men who received a 45-minute massage five times weekly for a month showed that natural killer cells increased (suggesting positive effects on the immune system), and that anxiety, stress, and cortisol levels were significantly reduced (International Journal of Neuroscience, February 1996).
In another study, thirty-two children with asthma received massage or relaxation therapy from their parents for 20 minutes before bedtime for 30 days-and only the massage group experienced increased peak air flow, improved pulmonary function, and decreased levels of stress hormones. (Journal of Pediatrics, May 1998).
Inspiration to Go RAW!
A lot of people on the raw path have mentioned to me the pressure they feel to be 100% raw. My philosophy after being 100% for a long while and then shifting to around 90% or more on a given day depending on how I feel and where I am is that YOU should do YOU. Follow your bliss. Healthy living shouldn’t ever be strained or stressful. If you find yourself focused on trying to maintain dietary restrictions and it’s causing you drama, by all means necessary allow yourself more freedom. A lot of people can attest to the fact that there is something wonderful and even somewhat magical about being in the 100% raw zone, but anyone can get massive benefits just by incorporating more raw foods into their diet. The only way you can know it for sure, is to go for it! Check out below an inspirational post from my buddy Aiya, creator of Black Vegan Love who is currently on a 100% raw fast. -XoXo Raw Girl
When I first learned about a raw food diet in 2007 I was reluctant to try it. Being vegan with so many dietary exclusions (due to many many food allergies) was already difficult at the time, but to limit my diet even more?? I didn’t think I could do it. But nonetheless, my BFF Olayinka and I aimed to try it for at least a month. We had such an amazing healing experience, we ended up doing 100% rawfor 8 months. I even stayed raw during a trip to Paris (that ish was definitely a test of my will, with all their amazing culinary preparations lol).
I gotta be real with you though…
The first few weeks were a nightmare for me. I went through a detox to end all detoxes. I was tired all the time and had to virtually camp out beside the toilet. This lasted 3 full weeks. But after that first month passed something started to happen. I actually started to feel good. Not just kinda good, really really good! Like the best I’d ever felt in my life!
I felt blissful and light, my nose finally stopped running (was a problem since I was a child), I stopped needing to take asthma medicine. The occasional headaches I had disappeared. Menstrual cycles no longer were a problem. My overall energy increased. My stomach aches went away. Skin cleared up. My indoor and outdoor allergies became a thing of the past. And I became regular like nobody’s business (lmao, sorry had to go there lol).
Here’s a list of the foods that I couldn’t eat (since childhood) before going raw. All of which I could eat (and still can eat) afterwards.
Walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, kidney beans, split peas, lentils, chickpeas, pineapple, and a gagillion more!
To me it was nothing short of a miracle. I started tripping out over the prospect. Food can do this!?! Why didn’t anyone tell me this before!?! Who else knows about this? Lol.
This is why I have maintained an 80% raw diet since then, while always aiming for 100%.
But don’t take my word for it. Nothing to it but to do it!!
To learn more about Aiya, check out and like her page on Facebook: Black Vegan Love.