I can't take full credit for the title of today's post, as it's actually the website, where I got a fun kit with the same name. I'll get to that it a moment, but first, here's what we made/ate today.
As you probably guessed from the above photo, it's another raw vegan cupcake. If you pan down further through this post, you'll see what makes this one so special and how it ties into today's topic.
I got the idea from the Ingredients for Life blog, where Stefania Moffatt posted about her baked version. I couldn't resist "rawifying" the brightly colored rainbow cake layers.
If you watch the blurry video below (I must have had raw whipped icing smudged on the lens), you'll see how Hayden and I did it:
If you don't have time to watch it right now, I'll let you know that I used my Rawified Pillsbury Halloween Cupcake as a base recipe, dividing the finely ground coconut/cashews into four bowls before adding the flavor enhancements/colors (green: lime zest and green powder, yellow: lemon zest and turmeric, orange: orange zest, turmeric and a touch of carrot juice, and pink: freeze-dried strawberries). Then, I took each color "flour" for a another spin, one at a time, in my mini food processor to thoroughly incorporate the colors.
I added only a fraction of the date paste to each of the color "flours," mixing them with a fork before layering in a reusable cupcake liner. I started with green, then topped that with the yellow, orange, and finally Hayden's favorite color, pink.
The top is iced with some leftover raw whipped icing (it keeps well in the freezer; thaws out in no time) and a sprinkling of extra zest and raw cupcake "crumbs." Hayden helped with the sprinkles :-)
I was planning on including our review of the Today I Ate a Rainbow kit at the end of the video, but as I predicted in the beginning of it, the camera decided to call it quits before I wrapped things up. Luckily, we noticed right away, turned the camera back on, and recorded a separate video for the review.
We were lucky enough to have a Today I Ate a Rainbow kit sent to us from Kia Robertson, who created the kit. Hayden and I are big fans of her site and the videos she makes with her daughter Hannah, the star and inspiration for Today I Ate a Rainbow.
Their videos are so cute and way more professional than ours. They even have a theme song (remember our cashew "cheesy" rainbow song in this old video?) and funny jokes, too.
But, back to the kit, which was created to get kids excited about eating a variety of fruits and veggies.
Each kit includes a chart to display on your fridge, grouping the names of various fruits in veggies into color categories. There are colorful magnets for recording which colors your child has eaten on a particular day. All they have to do is place them beneath the chart under the corresponding color. Four achievement magnets are also included.
To keep mom or dad in the mindset of making sure the house in stocked with multiple colors of fresh produce, the kit contains a shopping list pad, organized by the colors of the rainbow.
Hayden's favorite item in the kit is "The Rainbow Bunch" book with bookmark. The back of the book summarizes the point of the story, saying, "The Rainbow Bunch is a rhyming story that helps young children to understand why we need to give our bodies healthy food ... and what can happen when we don't!
"Poor concentration, obesity, lack of energy, weakened immune systems and malnutrition, are some of the very real consequences that our characters face as a result of unhealthy eating habits. This story has a happy ending because our characters learn how to become healthy Rainbow kids! Your child can become a Rainbow kid too ... they just need to get in the habit of eating a rainbow of fruits and veggies every day!
"Childhood is the best time to introduce and set healthy eating habits that will last a lifetime! Let The Rainbow Bunch show you how!"
Hayden has really enjoyed reading the book over and over, although she has always gravitated toward healthy food choices (she actually prefers this fruit-stacked slice of "cake" to my other raw versions ... unless it's chocolate, which this one has in the form of raw icing). Jacob, on the other hand, I have to remind him to make a rainbow of fruits and veggies on his plate each day. That visual alone makes a big difference.
Kia and Hannah are on the right track with this kit. A big thanks to them for sending it.
If you're interested in purchasing your own kit, head over to www.todayiatearainbow.com. It's also available on Amazon.com.
Today, we ate a rainbow. Did you?
Don't worry; this is not my last ever blog post. I'm just referring to the name of a product we got in the mail.
A while back, I won a box of That's It. fruit bars from Tashina of LogicalHarmony.net (she is currently looking for new contributors for the site; I'm thinking that I'd like to apply). I thought it would be so much fun to do a video of Hayden with the bars (if she liked them, which I'm sure she would and did), like the other kids on the That's It. website.
Patiently, we waited for them to arrive, but alas, there were no bars showing up at our house. Since we were still interested in receiving our prize, I contacted Tashina, who was immediately on the case.
I explained to her that it was not a big deal; I didn't actually pay for the bars. But, she wasn't about to give up so easily. She made sure I got them, as promised.
When it comes to contests, I understand that these things happen (I suspect it was my fault anyway, as I was missing a piece of my contact info in my first twitter direct message; I sent it later, which probably caused the confusion). I have no plans of holding this against the company/having this influence my review in anyway, especially since we did actually get the bars in the end.
As soon as we received our package, we decided to do an impromptu video to show our initial thoughts on the bars in our very first taste test (due to the satisfying chunky texture of the bars, they immediately reminded me of Larabars without the nuts; you can see what they look like unwrapped in the video). That's right; we've never tried these before the camera started rolling.
Our box was filled with 4 apple-pear bars, 4 apple-cherry bars and 4 apple-apricot bars. I immediately went for the apple-cherry, while Hayden quickly devoured her apple-pear bar; she wouldn't even share it with me.
When we turned off the camera, she attacked the box, begging for more. Being that they are essentially just dried fruit bars (and nothing else added, which makes them far better than some of those heavily processed fruit snacks; That's It. fruit bars are free of preservatives, added sugars, and sulfur/sulfites), they were as sweet as candy to her. She would have loved these for Halloween (we'll have to remember that for next year).
I always believe fresh fruit is best, but these bars are convenient for on-the-go and for a special treat. I just need to make sure I hide the box from Hayden. She's already figured out how to open them up herself :-)
Thanks again Logical Harmony and That's It. fruit bars. These are really "delicious" (Hayden says so in our video). Now we need to find out where we can buy more.
At the end of the summer, I decided it was time to try out some new (as in new to me) natural skin care lines to switch up my routine a bit. There was nothing wrong with the one I was using (you may have seen me mention Pangea Organics on my site, which I still love); I just wanted to see what else was available.
First, I was lucky enough to receive some amazing products from 100% Pure, and even shared my excitement about them in a video and post. I'm still a huge fan of the line, and totally recommend just about all of their products. Currently, I can't get enough of their bath washes and lotions, the kid-friendly ones being my fave (I put them on my Christmas list to be replenished then; I think my hubby got the hint :-).
Around the same time as I got the 100% Pure products, I came up with the idea to put some supermodel skin care lines to the test on my site, as well. I had already been placed on the mailing list to try Christie Brinkley's natural vegan line, and had been thinking about purchasing some of Miranda Kerr's KORA Organics products.
Then, Carol Alt started following me on Twitter, and I was reminded of her amazing Raw Essentials line that came out a while back (I can't get enough of the body oil from her line, which I have pictured above and is mentioned in the video below; it is so much better for you than most body oils on the market). I was so curious about the raw products, and since I eat a high raw diet, it seemed like the perfect compliment for the health of my skin. Here is a recent video I found of her promoting her line (she looks so gorgeous in it):
Carol had the three main products (cleanser, moisturizer and eye cream) packaged together on OpenSky, so of course, I purchased them. The plan was to include them in my future supermodel skin post.
To my surprise, I just couldn't wait for that post to tell you about my thoughts on Raw Essentials. I have yet to receive Christie Brinkley's samples, and I haven't gotten around to buying any of Miranda's (a rep from the company said they were hoping to sell a trial pack on the site in October, but I never saw one). Also, Carol's line exceeded my expectations, making it difficult for me to hold out for the other lines to arrive.
Basically, I just had to tell you about it now. Perhaps I'll still review the other two in the future, but in the meantime, I'm basking in my healthy Raw Essential glow.
The Refreshing Face Wash smells so sweet and delicious (like some candy or dessert from my childhood). It's nearly good enough to eat. And, since it is raw ("never heated over 115 degrees," according to the packaging) and natural, it might even be safe enough to eat, but I wouldn't recommend it (nor am I sure about that).
The face wash has aloe in it, which is evident in its texture and appearance. It looks and feels like pure aloe (not the green stuff marketed for applying to sun burns). It cools and moisturizes your skin, and leaves in soft and residue-free. I just wish it came in a pump rather than a tube, as it pours out rather quickly.
The All Day Revitalizing Face Moisturizer smells just as yummy as the cleanser. It comes in a cute little pump, perfect for travel, that administers the exact amount I need. It, too, leaves my skin soft and free of residue (unlike some of my kitchen concoctions).
The best product of the three is the All Day Eye Cream. Although it comes in a very tiny 0.5 fl oz container, there is definitely enough inside to conquer and fine lines and puffiness for a long time. It brightens and smooths, and doesn't feel greasy. As I'm now in my mid-thirties, this eye cream may quickly become my best friend (well, not literally, but you get what I mean).
I'd show you a pic of my results, but Hayden managed to bop me in the lip right before I considered taking one. I was getting her dressed, helping her pull up her pants, when she decided to jump up and down (she's so excited about being able to leave the ground). As I lean over, she jumped up. Her head hit my lip, which then hit my tooth. It's a little swollen. I guess it's more natural than collagen injections (not that I'd ever get those). Too bad I'm only swollen on one side. Ha ha :-)
Hope you are all having a lovely Monday. What are some of your favorite natural beauty products, and have you tried any of the ones I mentioned in this post?
Yes, I know that my usual raw kitchen assistant's name is Hayden (who is still here with me today), but the two of us (Hayden and I) are showing off a recipe we made from the book, "Evie's Kitchen: Raising an Ecstatic Child," by Evie's mother Shazzie.
I have wanted this book for so long that I can't believe I hadn't picked one up myself (oh, that's right; it's from the U.K., which means it's not just sitting on your average U.S. bookstore shelf). Luckily, I scored a copy from Joanna Steven's blog (you may recall the interview I posted with her on my site a while back). Thanks so much Joanna; you have no idea how happy I am to get this.
First of all, I have been thoroughly entertained by all the info provided in the beginning of this book (don't you love it when the text is just as good as the recipes), presented in Shazzie's own Shazzilistic way (yes, I just made that word up; if you're not familiar with her, check out her website and you'll see why it makes sense). She invites you into her and Evie's world, sharing photo by beautiful photo (she really is raising an adorably glowing child), stories and memories.
Shazzie recognizes that what works for Evie may not be a one-size fits all approach. Don't let your child be a science experiment; instead, make sure you do your best to feed them healthy food, provide them with the nutrients they need and know when to seek assistance if you feel your child is lacking in something.
However, if your child is blessed with the mature palate and an abundant access to nutritious and ecstatic (Shazzie explains what this means in the book) foods like Evie, he or she will most likely fare well eating this way. Yes, there are the usual kid-friendly snacks, smoothies and desserts with cute names (Hayden loves the Zebras and wants to make Evie's Oompa Loompa Cake), but the book is also packed with recipes to entice the taste buds of a more experienced raw foodie (I guess you could call Evie an experience raw foodie, as she has actually been raised on raw foods since before birth), like Russell Brand's Hair Fell on My Plate.
The photos are bright and practically pop off the page. With Halloween almost here, it's no surprise that we had our eyes on the Halloween Howlers, but in the end, opted to quickly blend up a simple mango pudding from the book (okay, maybe it's not as simple as Hayden's mango puree, but it's still easy to just toss all the ingredients in and blend).
To jazz up our puddings for the holiday, we dressed them up to look like Jack-O-Lantern faces. They were almost too cute to eat (although I tasted mine in our video, and Hayden only admired it long enough for me to shut off the camera; then, hers was gone, too. Yum!).
You could do the same thing with your favorite raw pudding, but I advise garnishing with actual ingredients in your pudding, like we did with the mango and hemp seeds.
Thanks again Joanna for sending me this amazing book. I can totally see you raising your cutie pie (her son is a handsome little guy; love the guitar pic) on these recipes, too :-)
If you follow me on Twitter, you may have caught me tweeting about what (make that who) Hayden is going to be for Halloween. She looked so cute playing in her costume that I decided to snap these quick preview pics for you.
So, who do you think she is? I think the hair (and the title of this post) kind of give it away.
I've been wanting her to be Rapunzel for Halloween since around Christmas time last year. I saw the wig in a toy catalog, and just had to find an excuse to get it for her.
You may recall that she didn't have much hair leading up to that point, which makes it even cuter to see her with golden locks down to her feet (the wig actually goes all the way to the ground; I might have to braid it to prevent her from tripping on it). She also thinks it is fun to match her dollie.
Rapunzel was also my favorite fairy tale growing up, so I guess she was bound to be the pretty princess at some point (you have no idea how excited I was when Disney finally made a Rapunzel movie).
Anyway, I just wanted to share my little princess with you. What is everyone else going to be for Halloween? I need to come up with something for myself, as I'm participating in a Trunk-or-Treat (although I'm planning on giving out something other than candy; maybe something with a Halloween theme).
For those of you looking for food in this post, here's what I'm having for dinner. It's just a simple salad with mixed greens, romaine, shredded cabbage and carrot, mushrooms, snow peas, red bell pepper, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, Bragg's Liquid Aminos, ginger, cayenne pepper, garlic and sesame seeds. Spicy!
Have a good evening!
Don't worry mom; I'm not getting into the specifics as to how my hubby and I "created" my little masterpieces (this is a kid-friendly site). Instead, I'll be reviewing a book about how to raise happy, healthy children, entitled "Creating Healthy Children Through Attachment Parenting and Raw Foods," by Karen Ranzi.
Part of raising happy, healthy children includes giving them the love and attention they deserve, which is why it took me a bit longer than expected to get through the 400-plus pages of this amazing book. It's obviously not due to lack of interest in the subject (believe me; I enjoyed reading this one when I had the chance), but because I sometimes have trouble finding a moment to sit and read something that's not geared toward a younger audience (no wonder Hayden and Jacob are usually involved in my blogging, and when we read together, it's most likely Dr. Seuss, Sandra Boynton, etc. Jacob reads above grade level books independently).
I'd assume that Karen Ranzi (who so generously sent me her book to review. Thank you!) would totally understand, as attachment parenting has been so important in raising her own children. She writes about how she would make herself available to them, eventually opting to homeschool, although that's jumping to the middle 0f the book.
Ranzi addresses just about every topic on the path to creating healthy children, starting not only with the mother's lifestyle, but the father's as well. She talks about consuming a healthy diet (raw food being the optimum choice) and taking the time to detox prior to conception (water fasting is discussed).
Other topics include how to ensure all nutritional needs are met on a raw food diet (why to eat fresh, local and organic, whether or not to supplement, food combining, etc.), exercise, home births, her views on circumcision, skin-to-skin contact, breastfeeding, co-sleeping, attachment parenting, homeschooling, the truth about vaccines and more, all the while sharing her own personal story with you. By the end, you really feel like you've grown to know and love her beautiful family, and have been inspired by their natural lifestyle.
Her book is backed by and full of research from highly respected experts and well-known members of the raw food community. If you've ever doubted this lifestyle or found it difficult to explain your choices to others, this book is definitely for you.
I, myself, have had issues defending my dietary choices to friends and family. Armed with the information in this book, I feel more confident in my decision to eat raw foods.
Speaking of raw food, there is a recipe section in the middle of the book which provides kid-tested/-approved food ideas for the whole family. Some are Karen's personal family recipes, while others were contributed by raw foodies like Rhio, Nomi Shannon, Cherie Soria, Brigitte Mars and more. Even recipes by her own children are featured inside, such as Marco's Strawberry Splash (Hayden enjoys this smoothie with a handful of greens tossed in, as well as Marco's Banana Splits with Strawberry Sauce pictured at right), Gabriela's Stuffed Tomato (apparently, it was her specialty as a young child, but continues to be a favorite; I'm a fan of this one) and B.A.T. (a dish created by both Marco and Gabriela; you'll have to check out the book to see what it is).
My kids and I have enjoyed testing out these recipes in our raw kitchen, so today, Hayden and I decided to show you a couple of her favorites from the book (maybe one day, her own recipes will be published, as well, like her NB&J Salad and Peach Banilla N'ice Cream Cupcake). She loves to have a "Rise and Sun Shine" in the morning (Jean Oswald's contribution to this book and "The Health Seeker's Yearbook." The dish is pictured at the top of this post; we added a smile that can be seen more clearly and intact in the second photo of it), even if the sun isn't shining (it's been raining all day, which explains the terrible lighting in our video and photos).
She also likes traditional Ants-on-a-Log (Karen didn't forget to include this kid-friendly favorite; even non-raw foodies consider this a staple in their house) and Marco's Banana Splits with Strawberry Sauce.
His banana split is so much simpler and easier to make than the one I entered in the Hot Raw Chef 5 in 5 contest. Hayden likes to turn Marco's recipe into a hand-held version by placing some of it in a Romaine leaf, referring to it as a banana dog. You may recall me making these for my son and I a few years ago on this blog (above is a photo of our usual banana dog with pear "fries," while below is a pic of the split served in a similar fashion), as a raw way to celebrate the end of tax season with my accountant father (you'd have to read the post to understand the significance).
Hayden especially likes to serve her banana dogs with nut butter in a Romaine leaf (sounds a lot like her NB&J salad in another format, with bananas in place of the fresh concord jelly), but back to the book review.
My favorite part of the book is the collection of stories from other families with similar lifestyles. Some of the people profiled may already be familiar to you, while others you'll be glad to have finally met. Whether they are living the ultimate natural lifestyle in a tropical setting, growing their own food, bathing in pure rainwater, etc., or just extending their gratitude to Karen for introducing them to raw foods, you'll be sure to relate to at least one of them.
It's no surprise that it took Karen about 7 years to put all these stories, research and other information together into a very impressive book. It is worth the read.
When I was little, I watched "The Incredible Shrinking Woman," which was the inspiration for this title (she shrunk due to testing out an experimental perfume; now that's a warning to be careful with what you put on your body). Lily Tomlin just cracked me up in it, as well as in "9 to 5," another of my favorite flicks back then.
To this day, I still think of the part (in "9 to 5") when she's running and pushing what she thinks is her boss's dead body on a stretcher through the hospital, every time I'm making a quick grocery run (okay, so it's not a hospital, nor is there a dead body involved, but you should see me push that cart through the store in a rush). I also picture her dressed like "Snow White," and later confessing she "thought it was Skinny & Sweet" that she put in Mr. Hart's coffee (I guess you'd have to see it to know what I mean).
Well, I assure you there are no poison apples in this post, but they are tempting. I tested out Family Fun Magazine's idea to make mini caramel apples by using a melon baller to scoop the apple into the perfect round bite-size shapes. I quickly dipped mine in some raw nut butter and rolled them in chopped raw chocolate (any raw chocolate bar will do) and nuts. You could also make a raw caramel out of date paste, nut butter, pure maple syrup and vanilla, like I've posted about in a full-size version (or just date paste, if you make it out of good quality caramel-tasting dates).
To add interest, I garnished my mini nut butter apples with a tiny baby spinach leaf, to look like a fresh apple leaf. I even continued the trend with my other two mini treats.
You may also recall the raw version of "dirt & worms," I made on my site a few years ago. If not, let me refresh your memory.
Basically, "dirt & worms" is a kid (and kid at heart) treat made out of cake and pudding, to represent "dirt." Then, gummy worms, candy bugs, edible plants (herbs or greens; mint is used a lot), etc. complete the look.
I usually whip up a raw avocado-based chocolate pudding and sprinkle raw "cake" crumbs (leftovers from making raw cupcakes, crumbled up Larabars, etc.) over the top. Then, I add dried fruits (cut and shaped like worms), a cinnamon stick stem, spinach leaves and set it in a pot to really make it appear authentic.
To make a mini version, simply make mini raw chocolate cupcakes with a hallowed out well to fill with the raw chocolate pudding of your liking. Sprinkle some cupcake crumbs over the top and garnish with a goji berry "worm" (stick about four goji berries together and form it into a worm shape) and some tiny baby spinach leaves.
If you really want to jazz these mini "dirt & worms" up, try serving them in teeny tiny flower pots. So cute :-)
To complete the tiny trio of treats, I made a raw version of a smiling popcorn ball or rice crispy pumpkin.
Instead of popcorn, I substituted a raw cereal, much like in these treats I posted about on the Natural Zing blog (I used to blog for their site when I had more time; you can find more of my 2010 posts for them there). I had some leftover raw whipped icing (from making these Halloween cupcakes and these Star Wars ones, too), so I dyed it orange with a little carrot juice and mixed it in the raw cereal (you could use a premade raw cereal or your own; even plain soaked/sprouted/dehydrated buckwheat will do) to bind it together.
The sticky treats were then formed into mini pumpkin shapes and decorated with chopped raw chocolate (I was out of cacao nibs) to create a smiling face. Then, I placed a mini baby spinach leaf on top to add some color and tie it in with the other two minis. I also let them set in the fridge to help firm them up a bit.
All three treats can be served on toothpicks, but be careful to remove them before serving to a small child. Happy early Halloween. What are your raw treat plans?
*****
On another note
Like I said in the beginning of the post, I think it is important to be careful with what you put on your body. There are plenty of natural options on the market now that still let you be a girlie girl (or properly pampered guy).
Of course, you know I'm a huge 100% Pure fan. In fact, I just ordered some more products from the company yesterday, including that naturally-scented, kid-friendly gift set I mentioned in my 100% Pure post. I had hoped to get the strawberry ice cream one, but it was sold out (I guess you all beat me to it). We got the chocolate mint ice cream scent instead (still a yummy smelling choice).
I also opted to test out Carol Alt's Raw Essentials line (I've been very curious about this line, because it contains raw ingredients ... and because Carol looks amazing), purchasing the basic products in a set via OpenSky. I just got them a couple days ago, and I must say, I am loving them so far. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to post more about them soon (they smell really good, too).
As you probably guessed from the above photo, it's another raw vegan cupcake. If you pan down further through this post, you'll see what makes this one so special and how it ties into today's topic.
If you don't have time to watch it right now, I'll let you know that I used my Rawified Pillsbury Halloween Cupcake as a base recipe, dividing the finely ground coconut/cashews into four bowls before adding the flavor enhancements/colors (green: lime zest and green powder, yellow: lemon zest and turmeric, orange: orange zest, turmeric and a touch of carrot juice, and pink: freeze-dried strawberries). Then, I took each color "flour" for a another spin, one at a time, in my mini food processor to thoroughly incorporate the colors.
I added only a fraction of the date paste to each of the color "flours," mixing them with a fork before layering in a reusable cupcake liner. I started with green, then topped that with the yellow, orange, and finally Hayden's favorite color, pink.
We were lucky enough to have a Today I Ate a Rainbow kit sent to us from Kia Robertson, who created the kit. Hayden and I are big fans of her site and the videos she makes with her daughter Hannah, the star and inspiration for Today I Ate a Rainbow.
Each kit includes a chart to display on your fridge, grouping the names of various fruits in veggies into color categories. There are colorful magnets for recording which colors your child has eaten on a particular day. All they have to do is place them beneath the chart under the corresponding color. Four achievement magnets are also included.
Hayden's favorite item in the kit is "The Rainbow Bunch" book with bookmark. The back of the book summarizes the point of the story, saying, "The Rainbow Bunch is a rhyming story that helps young children to understand why we need to give our bodies healthy food ... and what can happen when we don't!
Hayden has really enjoyed reading the book over and over, although she has always gravitated toward healthy food choices (she actually prefers this fruit-stacked slice of "cake" to my other raw versions ... unless it's chocolate, which this one has in the form of raw icing). Jacob, on the other hand, I have to remind him to make a rainbow of fruits and veggies on his plate each day. That visual alone makes a big difference.
