Put a little Spring in your diet

With Spring just around the corner, now is the perfect time to revamp your diet. If you eat seasonally, you'll be happy to know that strawberries may start showing up at your local farmers market as early as April or May (at least they do around here). This is good to know, if you are thinking about whipping up today's snack in a jar (although frozen berries can be substituted in the meantime).

If you want to know the specifics, you need to also check out the following Q&A (that's where you'll find the recipe). I had the pleasure of having my questions answered by Joanna Steven and Tonya Kay, who co-wrote the “Raw Analysis Autumn’s Diet E-Book” and its followup, “Raw Analysis II: Spring Athlete Diet.”

The best part is that they are giving me the opportunity to GIVEAWAY a copy of their Spring e-book to one of my lucky readers. TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY, comment at the end of this post answering the following question: "Besides Joanna and Tonya, who else loves this chia pudding recipe, according to Joanna?"

FOR AN ADDITIONAL ENTRY, mention this giveaway on your site, linking back to this post (don't forget to leave a separate comment saying that you've done this).

TO INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING, head over to Joanna's blog and leave a comment on her chia post (comment again here to complete the third entry).

THE CONTEST ENDS ONE WEEK FROM TODAY (Thursday, March 18, 2010), so I can draw the winner the following day (Friday, March 19, 2010, which just happens to be the day before Spring officially starts). Good luck! Here's the interview:

Q: Joanna, I’ve heard that you discovered the raw diet in 2003 after reading an interview by Tonya Kay on bodybuilding.com. What about this interview made you decide to dig deeper for more information? How did you and Tonya Kay end up collaborating on two e-books, “Raw Analysis Autumn’s Diet E-Book” and its followup, “Raw Analysis II: Spring Athlete Diet?”

Joanna Steven: "At the time, I used to love to lift weights and was very much into developing a very toned, defined body (I especially wanted strong abs). I had been vegetarian for a while, and wanted to know more about the diet of other plant-based athletes.

"I was browsing through bodybuilding.com's interviews when I saw Tonya Kay's, and frankly, what first drew me in was not her interview, but her picture! If you take a look at it, you'll immediately notice her flat, very well toned stomach. I realize now that it was the first time I ever thought about changing my diet based on somebody's appearance.

"The vegetarian diet was all about the animals, and suddenly with the raw diet, it was all about me, something that I think is very important. After all, we're animals too! What she said in the interview was enough to convince me to give the raw diet a try; on raw foods, Tonya Kay healed her acne, successfully stopped taking medications for manic depression, felt joyous, and cut in half the time it took her to recover after training.

"When we co-authored the Autumn eBook, I wasn't raw yet. I wasn't sure what to do, what to eat, and while I wanted to be healthier, I was never the type of person to dive in first and figure out what to do next. I couldn't find anything online either, because no one had ever analyzed their diet and published the results. I thought I probably was not the only one with these questions, and contacted Tonya Kay. She was very enthusiastic about my idea, and started writing down every single thing she ate for me to analyze. Since she eats seasonally, it just made sense to make an eBook for each season."

Q: In these books, Tonya Kay’s diet is analyzed, checking to see if she’s getting adequate calcium, B12 and, of course answering the dreaded, “where do you get your protein?” question. What were your findings. Tonya, were you surprised with any of the information? Joanna, did you apply any of these answers to your own diet? Did you study yours as well?

Joanna Steven: "Tonya Kay's diet analysis was a huge help to me. She introduced me to things I had never heard of, like flax crackers, raw and organic nut butters, chia seeds, hemp products etc. (I was on a very mainstream vegetarian diet.) I progressively applied everything to my diet, instead of trying everything all at once, because I didn't start out with a Vita-Mix and Excalibur dehydrator, and I don't want others to think you absolutely need those items to be successfully raw.

"Actually, most of Tonya Kay's recipes do not call for blenders or dehydrators, except for the flax crackers of course, and even then she uses a solar powered dehydrator. She leads a very “green” lifestyle, uses a human powdered blender rather than the powerful Vitamix, and she can still be all raw, all healthy, all energetic.

"But to answer your other question, no I did not analyze my diet. I knew it was not optimal, since Tonya Kay was obviously a lot healthier than me at the time. Now, instead of analyzing my monthly food consumption (it's very time consuming) I just analyze the foods I eat regularly, like green juices, green smoothies, chia puddings, etc. It's important to eventually let go of numbers and learn to listen to our body's signs instead."

Tonya Kay: "Joanna Steven and I co-authored this eBook as an athletic follow up to the standard "Raw Nutritional Analysis: Autumn's Diet," and let's just say protein wasn't the only nutrient this raw foodist was wondering about.

"My daily calcium intake averaged around a recommended daily allowance of 86%. All that 86% was comprised of was kale salads, wheat grass shots, sea weeds and algae.

"Then, I did a little talk down in Dallas, TX at Loving Food's Raw Potluck. Some wonderful chef placed upon the table Raw Tapioca Pudding. At least that's what I call it. I started making the pudding during my writing of this eBook, where I write down every gram of food I eat, and guess what I found: my recommended daily allowance of calcium skyrocketed from 86% to 106% by adding only 2 or 3 Tbsp. of chia seeds, the essential ingredient in Raw Tapioca Pudding! I eat them several times/week now, in addition to doing consistent weight-bearing physical play - my bones are definitely doing what bones do to be strong, that's for sure!

"And most comically important, the next time someone asks me if I get enough protein, I can arm myself with a swift “I get an average of 103% RDA of protein from kale, seaweed, sprouts and avocados without even trying on this raw vegan diet.” And I feel light and energetic all the while.

"The only official supplement I do take is B12. I have a lot of respect for the work and writings of Dr. Gabriel Cousens and after reading an article he wrote on "The Elusive B12," I was convinced. Dr. Gabriel Cousens is a doctor and raw foodist who runs a healing center called the Tree of Life on the Mexico/Arizona boarder. I respect him for his freedom from dogma and idealism. His conclusions are based in results. He has 100% success rate healing blood sugar disorders and considerable success with depression as well."

Q: Without giving away too much from the books, could both of you please tell us a little about your individual diet and workout plans, as I see, exercise is also a topic covered in the Spring follow-up.

Joanna Steven: "I am definitely not an athlete, and spend a lot of time on my computer writing for my blog, the Raw Mom and Raw Diva blogs, and packing/shipping orders for my raw food store, Sirova.

"But, I think exercise is very important, and I try to work-out everyday. I usually go through phases, where I will do yoga 99% of the time, and then suddenly switch to sit-ups, crunches, squats and similar exercises which are amazing to have a nicely toned body.

"Recently, my husband got some Ripcords, and I love them, too. Often, I'll use them in conjunction with other exercises, since they are great for the upper body. I try to fit in an hour of exercise a day on average, and naturally exercise more in the spring and summer.

"As for my diet, I usually wake up to a nice warm cup of lemon water, followed by 3 cups of green juice. I usually make 5 cups and drink the rest in the afternoon or in the evening. I'll work for a few hours, exercise, and then make a big smoothie (either a green smoothie or a nut milk smoothie). I'm usually on liquids until lunch, it allows me get a lot of work done.

"If I'm in the mood for solids, I'll usually have some chocolate GoRaw granola with Brazil nut milk. Lunch and dinner vary quite a bit. I am a bit fan of huge salads, with veggies, sprouts, sea vegetables etc.

"Lately, I've been loving raw wraps filled with veggies and slices of Dr. Cow cheese. I also love raw avocado-based soups, which I'll make when my husband wants something different (he's not a fan of raw soups). And when we manage to keep sea spaghetti from flying off the shelves too fast, I love to toss some with a raw pesto sauce. Best comfort food in the world!

"Snacks usually include chia puddings, an avocado-based chocolate pudding, or simply some fruits like bananas."

Tonya Kay: "As a professional dancer, I train an average of 17 hours/week. My activities include company rehearsals, gigs, dance classes, core training, physical therapy, Bikram yoga, hiking and dancing like at the club, of course!

"Unlike many other athletes, my sport is not competitive (with anyone but myself), nor does it involve a routine set of perfectible motions. A dancers' edge, rather, lies in her ability to maintain an expert level of strength, flexibility and coordination at all times, allowing her to master any motion the physical form might do, make it look easy, and bare her soul wide open while doing it.

"Consuming in-season, local, organic, raw vegan foods has been nothing short of miraculous in my life - as an athlete as well as a human being. Eating in-season, local, organic raw vegan foods, I am light inside, have a reliable energy source, recover quickly from stress and injury, sleep consistently and wake rested, fluctuate only 5 pounds either way around my average weight, build lean, long muscle effortlessly, and radiate a glow visible from the stage to the second balcony.

"The raw vegan foods I find most beneficial to my personal athletic training are first and foremost; water. I consider it a food, for certain, and choose to drink simple spring water or well water I bottle myself. In lieu of that, I get my 4-5 liters/day from a basic charcoal filtered tap water or as a last resort, refill jugs from reverse osmosis vending machines.

"I use water to hydrate, nourish, and "keep things flowing." For me to really accept water's energy into my body, the water must be cost-free and waste-free. I don't believe that the basic necessities of life, like air, water, sunshine, sleep and love should have a price tag. I also don't believe requiring the manufacture, recycle or waste of a petroleum plastic bottle have anything to do with clean water.

"Other vegan foods I find essential to my athletic training are leafy greens, like kale, romaine, green lettuce, and hijiki, nori, dulse and wakame sea vegetables. These foods have amazing alkalizing effects, which assure the body functions at its natural highest potential without inflammation, degradation or exhaustion.

"And, contrary to popular belief, muscle is built from amino acids. It is true that the body breaks down hard-to-digest proteins into amino acids, but why not give it direct access to muscle's building blocks by feeding it the most amino acid dense foods on earth - easily to assimilate leafy greens.

"Finally, water rich fruits, such as apples, kiwi, strawberries, cherries - AVOCADO! - they all have profound energy and mood effects. It's a natural high without the side effects, and when it comes to professional dance, the crowd expects more than a stellar athletic performance, they expect you to shine like a star doing it. Fruit highs are mandatory just before any performance.

Q: So, in your research, you found chia seeds to be an excellent calcium-booster. How do you incorporate them in your diets? Do you have a favorite recipe to share?

Joanna Steven: "I love chia puddings! I make them in so many different ways. I also make chia milk, but chia puddings are my absolute favorite, and my husband loves them, too."

Creamy Strawberry
Chocolate Chia Pudding
1/2 cup raw cashews
1-1 1/2 cups water
3 Tbsp. agave nectar
1-inch vanilla bean
1 cup diced strawberries
1 tsp. lucuma powder
1 Tbsp. raw cacao
4 Tbsp. chia seeds

Blend the cashews, water, agave, vanilla, strawberries, lucuma and cacao to make a creamy nut milk.

In a small bowl, or in 2 cups with 2 Tbsp. of chia seeds in each, stir the chia seeds with the strawberry milk until the chia seeds are well coated.

Drink immediately, or set aside until the chia seeds have gelled and you have a tapioca-pudding like bowl of deliciousness.

Q: Will there be Summer and Winter editions in the future? What projects do both of you have in the works? Where else can my readers find the two of you these days?

Joanna Steven: "Of course! The Winter edition is all done, we are just working on turning the manuscript into an actual eBook. The Summer edition should be done by August, I think.

"Aside from this, you can find my articles in the Raw Mom and Raw Divas blogs, Get Fresh, my own blog, and on my raw food store's articles database, Sirova. Get Fresh will be publishing an article about me in their Spring issue as well, for their “Day in the Life” feature. And of course, I post a lot on Facebook, and everyone is welcome to add me!

Tonya Kay: "I am excited about both the Winter and Summer raw nutritional analysis eBooks publishing digitally this year. And because Joanna is French, we are looking into expanding our reader base by offering all eBooks in the French translation! If you like my philosophy and writing, please check out my weekly green blog http://ecohearth.com/eco-blogs/clean-and-green-everyday.html.

"In my performance career, things are out of control! In a good way! This week I am co-starring on "House M.D.," April 20th; look for me stilt dancing on "Glee." In the month of March, I am performing live in Jason Alexander’s Reprise Theatre’s production of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum." I have just signed a series regular hosting role on a new t.v. series pilot. Look for me modeling with fellow vegan, Russell Brand, in his upcoming film, "Get Him To The Greek."

"In media involving the vegan community, I have played key roles in some high quality projects released this spring/summer. Check out http://rawmanandgreengirl.com - I did the voice of Green Girl and our first screening of Episode 2, a kid and adult-friendly animated short, premieres at the Green Lifestyle Film Festival March 20th.

"Also, it’s about time for a scripted full length film featuring vegan activists! Bold Native releases this summer and I play a lead in the film. The film’s lead characters are Animal Liberation Front activists and the storyline is full of education, emotional engagement and renegade action. Start following the film now on FB at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bold-Native/162792945925?ref=ts.

"I will be volunteering my time with the endangered Asian elephant in Thailand at the http://elephantnaturepark.org this year again, and I always post new media clips, photographs and journal entries at my personal website http://tonyakay.com.

Q: One last question, on behalf of my 7-year-old son: Tonya, what ever happened to The Creature (from “Who Wants To Be A Superhero”)? Will we be seeing more of her?

Tonya Kay: "Creature, from season 1 of Stan Lee’s "Who Wants To Be A Superhero," continued her many exciting superhero exploits after the 2006 airing: Creature appeared at San Diego Comic Con, FX Con, All Con and even Fetish Con several times. At http://kayosmarket.com, you can find Creature’s Fire Spinning Comic Poster, autographed glossy and other cool comic collectables.

"Unfortuantely, Creature, though we all know she is me, is a character that now belongs to SciFi and so my superhero exploits will now be found without code name, but valiantly and obviously myself: Tonya Kay!

"I’ve teamed up with several comic artists as a model and storyline muse for upcoming comics yet to be published, but do check out my work with famous comic illustrator, Jim Balent! You’ll want to purchase a few copies of Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose issue #59, in which I star with my whip, my fire and my female-empowerment message, for your son to read when he’s 18, since Jim’s beautiful comic artwork involves nudity in this case :-)

"Your young audience will enjoy my voice over work on Rawman and Green Girl: http://rawmanandgreengirl.com, as well as this old-time style radio story featuring me as Creature in voice: http://brokensea.com/feedback/. Enjoy!"

Eat this, not that

I'm not really a fan of these books, as they are based on making choices involving SAD (Standard American Diet) foods, without always considering the nutritional content. Yes, the selections are made with calories and fat grams in mind, but in my opinion, I think vitamin/mineral content should also weigh heavily in the decision process (a fresh fruit smoothie, although it may contain more calories, has got to be better for you than a highly-processed, sugary doughnut, right?).

But enough about that, as this post's topic is actually about something else; it involves the importance of researching your food before you eat it raw.

Not all produce is safe to consume in its raw state. Since I tend to be an adventurous eater, I always make sure to look up as much info as possible about a new (meaning new to me) food, before I put it in my body sans cooking.

The other day, I brought home a yucca root for the fun of it. Thank goodness I did my research, as I discovered that it is highly toxic in its raw state and must be cooked (I didn't post a pic of it on this site, so that my readers who didn't actually "read" this post wouldn't run out and buy one). With the increasing interest in raw foods, you would think they would post a warning on these things in the supermarket (something like a Mr. Yuk sticker on the yucca; remember those green frowny faces?).

Anyway, I just wanted to remind everyone to make sure you know what can and cannot be eaten raw before you try something new. Knowledge is power, and it can keep you safe, too.

Speaking of safe, I recently discovered that plantains can be eaten raw, thanks to the Fit on Raw website. I had always thought they needed to be baked, boiled and/or fried, but with a little patience, you'll find the sweetest, mushy stuff inside.

To make the Plantain Pudding on the site, you need to wait until the plantain turns entirely black and feels very soft and pliable. Here's what mine looked like when I cut it open (like when Han Solo cuts open the Tauntaun in "The Empire Strikes Back" to keep Luke warm inside. Yuck; let's get that image out of my head).

Instead of blending the plantain with banana, I just smashed mine in none other than my trusty snack jar. Between the plantain mush, I also layered some slices of kiwi and banana to jazz it up. I must say, this is really good stuff :-)

*****

By the way, I just wanted to mention that NaturalZing is having a product review contest. All customers providing a product review on their website/blogs, will be placed in a prize drawing for a $50 Natural Zing Gift Certificate.

E-mail Helen ("her name"@naturalzing.com) with a link to your review. To write a review on their site, log into your account, go to the product page and scroll down to find the review button on the bottom of the page.

Contest ends March 26. Good luck!

Oscar night gets catered by Pure2Raw

Okay, I know the title is a little misleading, but I'll get to that in a minute.

As I've told you many times in the past, my family has a tradition of getting dressed up and celebrating award nights, such as the Golden Globes, Emmy's and, of course, the Academy Awards (the Oscars). The other night was no exception.

My sister Lori and I (unfortunately, my other sister April couldn't attend this year) paraded around in old dresses (mine was really vintage, as it was once my mom's prom dress), while Hayden modeled a new one I had originally purchased for Easter. Here we are posed on the red carpet (sorry you can not see it, since this is just a head shot).

The boys decided to wear attire in favor of the flicks they were hoping would win something. Cameron's face is blue like the characters from "Avatar," and Jacob held up balloons like in the movie "Up."

In addition to the red carpet photo shoot, we also always make sure to cast our votes in all the main categories, as well as playing a round of award night bingo (the blocks are filled with possible sights, sounds and other happenings, such as a mispronounced name, crying, speech cut off my music, trip/fall, a certain color dress, etc.). Whoever has the most correct predictions, gets to pick what we're having for dinner the following Sunday.

Speaking of food, we mainly eat appetizer-like items on award night. My mom always makes sure to have lots of fresh fruits and veggies, nuts, etc. I also like to sometimes bring a little extra something special.

In the past, I've made "fried" in my dehydrator zucchini with raw marinara dipping sauce, layered nacho dip, mock crab cakes, raw chocolate dipped strawberries, etc., but this time, I let the twins do most of the work for me.

Lori and Michelle of Pure2Raw were generous enough to send some samples of their raw products they now ship out fresh from their online store. And, when I say fresh, it didn't take much time at all for it to make it to my front door. The package had the tastiest aroma that I just couldn't wait to try some.

But, I resisted enough to share them with the fam, all dolled up for the big night. I dressed the crackers and flatbreads subtly, as not to overwhelm their flavors. I whipped up a basic cashew/macadamia nut cheese with a hint of miso, which I spread on top and garnished with the following:


The Onion Free Spinach Flatbread (my mom's favorite) and the Swiss Chard Sesame Flatbread (I really enjoyed the chard) were the perfect shape for some asparagus stripes. The breads were all the seasoning needed.


The Rosemary Crackers were brightened up with some diced red pepper and raw olives I had gotten from NaturalZing (it was the perfect time to also introduce those to my family). These are similar to the extra yummy Rosemary Quackers from One Lucky Duck, but thicker. This allowed them to handle holding on to more toppings, while still retaining their crunch (this is a big deal in the raw food world).


My hubby, who rarely tries any of this stuff, actually preferred the Collard Green Onion Cracker to the basic rosemary ones. Thanks girls for getting him to eat his greens.

Now I kept the Brownie Bite and the Cocoa Kreme (it really had a creamy texture) to myself for an after dinner treat. I love how they hid the spirulina inside. You really get the chocolate flavor in these bites.

The only thing that could really make this post complete is to hear more about these treats from the girls themselves, who ever so kindly participated in my next Q&A. Check it out:


Q: How and why did you start your Twin Cakes Bakery? I hear your mom has helped a lot, even making special aprons for the two of you? Was she a baker? Possibly your inspiration?

Lori: "Our mom was known for her delicious banana bread! And a family tradition in our household was making Christmas cookies, which we did at a very young age. So I think that all had a part in the beginning of our love of baking.

"Baking just always felt right; when we did it, we loved every minute of it, no matter how long we were staying on our feet!

"Yes our mom has helped out a lot with our start of our bakery. She is the one behind majority of our wardrobe! She made our aprons, plus a few shirts, and all of our tablecloths, signs and towels. We use her aprons and tablecloths at our farmers markets, where we sell our baked goods and un-baked goods. Farmers markets are where our bakery began almost 3 years ago, and now we have moved to online bakery, as well as selling locally at the markets."

Michelle: "We have always loved baking. Mom did bake some, but it was really our second older sister that taught has to bake. She loved it, and we loved to eat what she made. Then, as we started to realize that what we were eating was making us sick (eating the typical SAD), we took most of the common allergens out of our diet. (we share more of our story on our blog www.pure2raw.com).

"Our sis was very sick, and she asked us to make her food she could eat. So, that is what we did. We took some of the recipes we grew up with and made them free of gluten, dairy, sugar, eggs, and corn.

"It was a long journey to get our bakery where it is today. We had a lot of trial and errors with recipes and finding the best quality ingredients we like in our products. We wanted to offer products that anyone could eat and enjoy it!

"We are really excited to announce that our bakery’s main online store is finally up and running. Our new site for our bakery is www.twincakesbakery.com. This allows others who do no live locally to still be able to receive our products. Our online bakery features our dry mixes, as well as our raw foods product line. We will be constantly adding more information and more products, as well as working on a cookbook."

Q: What lead you to try raw foods? Tell us a little about your experience studying under Matthew Kenney at the 105 Degrees Academy.

Lori: "We got into raw foods from a client. She mentioned to us before if we could make some raw foods to sell. Michelle and I had briefly heard about raw foods though did not know too much about it.

"As soon as our customer brought this up to us, we went home and researched the night away. We were hooked on raw foods. And never looked back. We love the whole concept of raw foods from chef standpoints, but also as healthy individuals who wanted to feel great all the time.

Michelle: "Going to the first living foods culinary school was an amazing experience. Matthew Kenney is a Chef both of us look up to, and for me to be able to attend his school and work in his restaurant was unbelievable. I learned so much, not just about raw food preparation, but also how to run a raw foods restaurant.

"The experience is something I will never forget and will be forever grateful. Matthew is an amazing person. I was extremely nervous meeting him, but he is a very nice and generous person."

Q: Now that you've put out a new line of raw products, will you still be baking for your original customers? How have they accepted the raw versions on trial at the farmers market? Will you be offering any of these more elaborate treats online in the future?

Lori: "Raw foods is definitely a new concept with our locals here in North Carolina. Each week and each month, more and more people are becoming more familiar with what raw foods is, though it is still not easy and still not accepted to most (we feel it is lack of education).

"When people come up to our table at the farmers markets they get this scared look on their face once they hear that most items on our table are raw foods. They look at us as if we were speaking a different language or that there is something wrong with us. Then we get those individuals who are so intrigued that they try something and end up loving it! Most of our gluten free and vegan customers love our raw foods and can’t get enough of it!

"It is definitely a challenge everyday for us to educate others about raw foods and what raw foods can do for their health. But one challenge we are here to do and hope to continue to do!"

Michelle: "We introduced raw foods mid-season of our first year at the market, once we understood a little more about raw foods. We created treats that we enjoy and that is still the idea behind our raw food offerings today.

"Our raw foods we sell online are the same things we sell at the farmer markets, but at the markets we get to create fancier raw desserts. There are just some things that are not shippable, which is why we share recipes on our blog for people that are not able to get our goodies at the market. As we mentioned earlier we are working on a cookbook because we have so many recipes that we want to share with others!"

Q: This is the easy part; it's time to sell it: What are each of your favorite raw snacks currently available in your online store? You can name more than one :-)

Lori: "My favorite raw snack is the brownie bites; I love my chocolate. For more savory items, I love our pumpkin kale cracker. It was our first ‘green’ cracker we created. I love that it is full of pumpkin seeds and kale, which means full of essential vitamins and minerals. And for our flatbreads that is tough because really I love them all. But if I had to really choose I would pick the kale hemp seed flatbread and sunflower cheez flatbread!!"

Michelle: "I love our newest green cracker: the collard green onion. It has been a huge hit at the market; I just love seeing peoples reaction when they see collard greens together with the name cracker. And the taste just wins them over!!

"I love chocolate, but sometimes I just love snacking on our vanilla kremes. It is creamy and gooey with a crispy outside, just melts it my mouth.

"I honestly love our flatbreads, they all have different flavors and textures. It is hard to choose just one because I really do love them all. We created all the different flavors for our flatbreads to help people get a variety of greens and nutrients into their diet that they normally would not eat. We tell people use these flatbreads for their ‘bread’ so that way they are adding more nutrition to their diet! Our green product line was created to help others get more vegetables… mainly greens into their everyday life!"

Nature's candy necklace

When I stopped by Heathy's blog today, I was reminded of the candy necklaces I used to wear/eat as a child. You see, she is having a raw chocolate giveaway at the moment, encouraging her readers to reveal their favorite childhood treats and adulthood uses for chocolate, as entries for her contest.

First, I had to offer up a candy and a chocolate I would've been caught consuming back in the day. Always falling victim to cute packaging or a clever gimmick, I commented about my fondness for candy jewelry, which was probably highly influenced by my fashionable Nanny (my dad's mom). She is no longer around, but I still think of her whenever I see a pack of Junior Mints (my chocolate pick).

As for how I am consuming chocolate today, you all know how difficult that is for me to narrow down. Since I've been trying to clean up my diet a bit lately, I went with adding it to fruit-based smoothies and puddings. It only tastes like I'm being bad.

Speaking of fruit and candy necklaces, here is my updated version of the fashionable fare. I just strung some grapes onto some dental floss to wear around my neck. This also could be done with other berries or multi-colored dried fruit, otherwise known as "nature's candy" :-)

*****

By the way, if you want to enter Heathy's giveaway, hurry up and get on over there. You need to comment by Sunday, March 7 at midnight.

A jar full of memories

The other day I mentioned having the opportunity to visit with my grandmother, something I enjoy very much. I have such fond memories of all the times we've spent together and look forward to so many more.

One Christmas I made her a present. Okay, so maybe I've done this quite a few times, including jewelry (like the necklaces I remade for my mom and sisters this year), a bag with photos of Jacob on the front, the very first scarf I ever knitted, etc. But this particular handmade gift stands out in my mind the most (hers, too).

I made her a jar full of memories. I decorated a candy jar and fill it with memories handwritten on small sheets of paper. Each memory was then rolled up, wrapped in a piece of lace and tied shut on either end with tiny ribbons. I also included instructions, advising her to open one each day for the next month, although she was tempted to go through them all at once.

I probably would've wanted to do the same thing. It's nice to reminisce, especially about the good stuff, like what's in today's jar. It's inspired by a recipe I once found on the GLiving site, while I was an active member on their message board. This also is where I first came in contact with Kristen of Kristen's Raw and Blaqberry of Hi-Rawkus (ever heard of them? Sure you have).

The original recipe (although reposted again back in August) was one I made frequently a few years back. It's GreenChef Jana's Organic Red Mango Mousse and Berry Parfait. As usual, I didn't follow all of the directions, but the results were similar. Mine included all the same flavors with the addition of some raw macadamia nuts (I also used a handful of shredded coconut in place of the coconut butter). Just look how beautiful the colors are in my jar (I also adore how this thinly sliced strawberry looks like a heart on my spoon).

GLiving is also the site where I first discovered Juli Novotny of Kookie Karma. She is actually the one who got me into making yummy raw treats. I should be posting a Q&A with her soon, probably next week, so stay tuned :-)

Get up and get moving

Yesterday was busy, full of errands and quality time spent with family. Hayden and I went to my mom's house to help her make jewelry for the craft table at church, as well as to visit with my grandmother and aunt, who stopped by. We also went to my in-laws for dinner.

In all this running around, I had to pack an on-the-go meal in a pinch. I tossed together a layered salad and grabbed a Vega bar and a banana to go with it. Not the most elaborate meal, but it kept me going.

I really enjoy opportunities to get out of the house. I'm not a fan of a sedentary lifestyle, and neither is my hubby, who can't sit still for a minute.

Which brings me to my first Q&A of the Day (no, the subject is not my husband, but she's a mover and a shaker); in an effort to bring some new life into this blog, I decided to start highlighting some of my fellow bloggers on occasion. First up is Joy of R3 Fit Show.

You may recognize her from her appearance on "Wife Swap," as the thought came to me while catching a rerun of the episode on television the other day. Rather than chilling on the couch during it, she had me motivated to get up out of my seat.

Get to know her and you'll realize she's an inspiring lady, who has her clients' best interest at heart. So, get up from your computer and let loose a little bit, as you read today's Q&A.

Q: What did you learn from the other family on "Wife Swap?" How have things changed? Out of my own curiosity, are you still taking all of those supplements, and if so, what are they and why would you recommend them?

A: "The main thing I learned from "Wife Swap" is that we all have something to contribute to others. Many people loathe change because they think that it requires more effort, but change is a natural part of growth. I actually call myself a student, because an "expert" can sometimes feel that they have "arrived" and their learning is over.

"Since "Wife Swap" we have more fun as a family. Business has its place, but our family time is necessary and FUN!

"Yes, I take supplements. I rotate about a dozen supplements such as Bee Pollen, hemp seeds and flax seeds. On a daily basis I take my fantastic 5: Virgin Coconut Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar, B-Complex, Mochatonix (healthy coffee alternative) and Thermochrome (helps with satiation and burns calories and fat). Some people ask if supplements are necessary on a healthy diet and my answer is if your eating is an A, supplements will take your health to an A+! "

Q: I see that your boot camp is as popular as ever; even the kids are getting involved. What are some fun ways to work out with children to make it a family event? What exercises do you advise doing?

A: "Kids naturally love to move and it should be encouraged. As a parent, your kids should never be able to beat you running unless they are a Pro-athlete or Olympian.

"Kids should get physical in 2 ways: 1.Structured sports, dance and p.e. etc and lifestyle activities such as riding bikes, running in parks and playing kickball.

"As for adults, my advice is to have high intensity training (HIT), as your main course fitness regimen with a specialty fitness as a side dish. Side dishes can be yoga, spinning or Zumba. Your energy will be through the roof and your body will look AMAZING!!!"

Q: As for your diet, do you have any foods you consume on a regular basis? A favorite recipe? Lately I've been making jars full of snacks to take on the go. What would you put in your jar?

A: "I have just completed my 1st book called, "R3 Diet" (Reverse, Retrain, Rebuild). It is after years of testing many known and unknown diets on my clients and I. I promised myself not to ever release it until I knew that it would work on at least 95% of the people who did it and it satisfied the emotional, psychological and nutritional aspects of eating.

"It is based on a high raw eating plan and 4 meals a day with NO SNACKING in between. The book has to go through the promotion phase before I can retail it. In the meantime I just launched a membership site that is an online community tips, videos, recipes and my articles. You can join that and get all the info you need to be successful."

Q: What does the future hold for you? Any projects in the works? What would be your words to live by?

A: "My purpose in life is to help people get fit and stay fit in the fastest and safest way possible. I know for a fact that I can help anybody lose weight and get healthy. But the #1 thing I have to conquer within people is their mindset.

"I have to change their minds about their self worth. I have to change their minds about eating. I have to change their minds about fitness. I have to change their minds about their capabilities and I have to change their minds about love.

"Love yourself and the process and its simple. Loathe and resist the process and it seems impossible.

"What is in the future for me? The sky is the limit. I do not use media, radio, magazine, appearances or my boot camps to show my knowledge or talent. I use them as channels to spread a powerful message on health and fitness that once learned, can be used over and over again throughout life."

*****

Okay, so maybe I still need a snack in my jar to get me through the day. If you do, too, don't forget about my offer for a free 8-ounce bag of chia seeds with any $40 purchase from NaturalZing through Friday, March 5, 2010. Just use the code "CHIADORABLE" at checkout.

Double the recovery

Another day, another jar; this one inspired by the lovely Pure 2 Raw twins, Lori and Michelle, who commented, "umm what should you do next...maybe something with colorful layers, we made raw lemon blueberry cheesecakes the other day, layered, so pretty, maybe something with vibrant colors like that." They've been whipping up jar-worthy treats and photographing them in twos for a while now.

I guess I could've done a decadent lemon blueberry cheesecake layer dish, but opted instead for another version, packed with nutrients to help my body recover from the stresses of a hard day. Surprisingly enough, it still contains the same flavors.

And guess what?! This jar wraps both of the girls' passions all into one; it doubles as a dessert, as well as a recovery pudding (make that two recovery puddings).

Lori and Michelle (I actually have a sister named "Lori Michelle") are the go-to girls for decadent desserts (they have their own bake/unbakery), as well as fitness inspired nutrient rich foods. Although I enjoy a treat like theirs every once and a while, I especially like to hear about their workout plans, smoothies, puddings and energizing snacks.

The twins are also Brendan Brazier fans, so I thought it only fitting to layer this parfait out of his recovery puddings. One is my lemony version of his original recovery pudding from "Thrive." As you know, I like to substitute the tofu for avocado and play around with the other fat source in the recipe (I used walnuts this time instead of the hemp oil); I also added lemon (the twins make a lime pudding, which would be good in this) in place of cocoa, but don't worry, it's still in the other layer.

I kept the updated recovery pudding from "The Thrive Diet" basically the same. It has blueberries in it, which pair nicely with the lemony pudding. The recipe calls for either carob or cocoa powder. Since I opted for the cocoa (no surprise), the purple hue isn't as bright as I'd like (so I sprinkled my usual goji berries on top), but the taste is worth it.

I put some of the pudding in my jar for later, and layered up the rest in a mug for instant gratification (look at those yummy swirls inside). Lori and Michelle could just divide the two between them for the perfect amount.

Please excuse the Starbucks mug, as it is just something I had lying around from my coffee consuming days. Now I use it for my Teeccino, tea or green smoothies. The girls also have a yummy way of perking up their day. Check out their green coffee.

Anyway, I hope you are off to a fun start. If you have a moment to make it (I suggest tackling the lemon one first, so you don't have to clean the blender in between), take this pudding in a jar with you today. This time, you've got an extra one to share.

By the way, has anybody had a chance to layer up their own jars? How about the milk and "cookies?" Juli Novotny posted about it on her site (I can't wait to tell you more about her and her new products soon; I'll also be guest posting with another raw cupcake on her blog). Whip up your own and show us what you've got :-)