Ravishing Raw » Marie-Claire

Merry Raw Xmas

Marie-Claire — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 21:19:45 +0000

Why be afraid to serve your friends and family a raw Xmas meal? What makes you feel insecure about your first “give-it-a-go”? The food? The presentation? The comments? The skepticism? Yeah, I thought so.

Eating is a social matter and when we gather for a feast it can become even more stressful. But let’s go through some possibilities and solutions that really work. First ask yourself what matters the most: the food or the company. I do want to make one remark here…

Raw foodism is not about being fanatic but about finding the best solution that lies the closest to your principles and serves your guests as well. Feasting is about compassion, respect for each others choices and love.

A while ago I heard someone say that she refused to serve wine to her guests because nothing that was in combat with her raw principles would ever enter her house. Every guest who dared asking for a glass of wine or a beer got a sermon. I was very disturbed by this attitude and honestly, I wonder if those guests will ever return.

Raw food can’t be forced upon others. It is your choice, and others have to make their own. But what you can do, is make it look like something they know, serve it at your best, seduce them with your wonderful food, the love you prepared it with and leave them the choice. So…

Let’s forget about what they might think or say, give it our very best and blow them away.

Or… go for a good compromise that works for everybody and make “having a good time together” priority number one.

If you want to keep it all raw but want your family to have their own choices at the same time, organize your Xmas feast as a raw food potluck to which they can bring their own made salads.

My mother will take care of her own food as this issue has become too complicated for us and she knows best what she can eat without becoming ill.

I will make a raw cocktail with some snacks as an aperitif, raw dessert and cake for a coffee or tea afterward.

My sister is making vegetarian soup and steamed root vegetables with a nice sauce and puree.

I am adding a raw food dish to this assortment for those who prefer staying raw or want to try something new.

THINK OF A NEW CONCEPT

Let me give you an example. My family is extremely difficult when it comes to food. My mother is allergic to practically all foods, my sister and her boyfriend are vegetarian but struggle with stomach issues, my daughter is transferring to raw food, her boyfriend loves meat and fish, my father is a very conservative eater, my son is luckily opening up, his girlfriend eats in the best restaurants but doesn’t like trying what she doesn’t know and I am raw. Ok… What can we do about this? This is the question you have to ask yourself.

My sister and I met with our mother, we went through each course and decided on who would prepare which course.

How difficult can it be to look for a solution that fits everybody? Just as difficult as you wanna make it…

Last time when I made dessert for Xmas -a delicious raw chocolate mousse with coulis- my father asked a second portion, not knowing what he was eating. My mother said that he talked about it for days!

THINK OF A NEW WAY OF PRESENTING YOUR DAILY RAW FOOD

If you don’t feel comfortable about serving totally new recipes or if you are too busy around Xmas to spend more time than usual, be gentle to yourself. Just take the recipes that you really have in your fingers and plate them differently. By changing the way you serve them you can make them unrecognizable and glamorous! How?

Use a “ring” to serve your ice cream, pasta, guacamole or mushrooms in and they will look fancy!
With a small bottle you can “draw” your sauce on your plate. Try a square or a circle…
Look at the plate you will use. Does it have a detail you can use in the ornament you apply?
Let a color detail in your plate return in your food by adding it in a spice or herb on top
Try to look at the right proportions, find a nice composition, “paint” with your food on a white plate
Sometimes a nice fork or stick can bring a lovely idea. Have a look at the fruit sticks I made here below…
Look in your cupboards at what you have. A cocktail glass can serve to present your fruit sticks…
A piece of wood or a nice stone can make a wonderful plate for food!
Think “out of your boxes”, color out of the lines and you will be stunned with what you come up with

I hope this is shedding a light on your Xmas dinner. Enjoy creating! Please share your thoughts and habits with me in the comment box below. Merry Raw Xmas!

Raw Food & EFT, A Perfect Duo

Marie-Claire — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 17:36:18 +0000

When I cured myself of Fibromyalgia with raw food I knew there would never be a way back to where I was, health or diet wise. I was determined to only go forward and become 100% myself again. I didn’t allow myself any excuses to not commit and invest in my health every single day, whatever it would take. Health is a choice you make. Why let illness take away that choice if you can prevent so?

I have always been very conscious about my food. I was macrobiotic several years and mostly vegetarian since I was 19. I never smoked or drank alcohol. It was a complete surprise to me that my body totally crashed. A surprise? Working 2 full time jobs, sleeping 3 hours a night, raising two teens alone, dealing with extremely difficult life situations. I ignored about every signal in my body. I worked even harder! Until my body stopped me. It said; “And now it is enough!” And that was that. I couldn’t do anything anymore for years and was dying slowly.

It took me several years and 16 doctors to conquer Lyme disease, Candida, Tietze, Neuro Politis, Myelitis, the total burnout which resulted in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. I was completely exhausted from fighting when I cured the last ones myself by eating raw. But I was “cured”!

I wasn’t prepared for the new process that showed up after a while. The process of processing the years you lost, the friends, the social contacts, work, certain abilities. The process of accepting new limits you are experiencing, of learning about new boundaries within yourself. “Oh, I can’t run anymore” or ”I can’t remember anything about what you just said!”. The things I used to do in a wink now took a lot of time. I couldn’t follow the rhythm of the outside world and hated being slow. Me, who loved working at speed tempo and getting 10 things done at the same time. I had to accept a strange body but well, I wasn’t the type who wants to accept what can be changed. I was convinced I still had a choice and would find what I needed to become the person I loved.

Raw food had changed my life completely by healing my body and creating new opportunities. I became a certified raw food coach and started up my business. Even though I was doing well and I was thrilled by the possibilities of a new life and business I felt as if I still wasn’t the person I once was. Where was that cheerful person who was always laughing and motivating others? Where was that positive attitude others would pull themselves up to? Where was my sparkling spirit? I didn’t recognize my myself anymore. I missed me.

I was wondering what was missing in my food. Proteins? Iron? Antioxidants? Fatty acids? But my diet was so well balanced and my blood test so great! Which foods could I eat to become stronger and re-create the energy I used to have? I felt stuck within myself because I couldn’t pass the level I wanted to reach so badly. I started feeling fatigued and was sad.

Although I already had released a lot of emotional toxins by eating raw, fasting and detoxing intensively, illness had left its shadow over my thoughts. I didn’t like the way I was thinking and I missed my boldness, my self- trust and independent way of thinking. It was not obvious at all to break free of the isolation I had been in for 5 years. Noticing that it was “safe” in that cocoon made me realize that I would never be able to build up my business as I was planning on paper and vision boards. Playing safe wasn’t in my dictionary and yet that’s where I was exactly!

My business made me step out of my comfort zone. My first steps where very scary. I had to gather all my courage to publish my first eZine, my first blog, my first comments on facebook. I had to face my insecurity: “What will they think, what will they say, am I good enough?” Even knowing my capacities, my persistence, my qualities it was hard to believe that I still had those. My life had stood still for years and I now had to find out how to let go of the fear of living again and showing that I was still alive. I guess because I had been prepared for death.

Meeting Lydia Proschinger was the choice I could make. The choice I had no idea of. Oh of course I knew EFT and honestly? I had lost all my trust in therapists who gave up on me because I was hopeless. I wouldn’t accept my illness, no matter what they tried. Such as EFT. I looked at it as a useless trial to make money of harmless people. I was very skeptical towards each therapy that had the smell of “alternative”. Or no, towards all therapists!

Something in Lydia told me it would be different. We met, talked, I sensed her intelligence, her professionalism, her caring attitude and I stepped into her 7 week long VIP coaching program. It was a huge financial challenge for me but I knew that I didn’t want to live with that uncomfortable feeling of not being me ever again. I made the conscious choice to invest in myself and it was the best decision in a long time!

“A lot can happen in 7 weeks” she said at the start and I really had no idea what the hell could make such a big difference in such a short time. I didn’t know what to expect, where it would bring me, what she would do. What I did know was that I was doing the right thing, that I would open myself to what she would suggest and that I would work like crazy to get out of my impasse and make this program my investment worth wild!

As soon as I started implementing Emotional Freedom Techniques in my daily routine in combination with the power of raw food, I felt amazing shifts! The energy that I suspected in my body because of eating raw released itself. I had been building up energy but my thoughts had blocked it all that time. I felt as at the beginning of my raw journey, being able to move mountains. I overcame fears, mistrust, isolation. I stepped out of my cocoon in my first week already, I was able to reach out for help, for people I didn’t know. I was able to climb out of my negative spiral, think positive and really feel the difference in everything I did. I worked hard, did everything Lydia suggested me to do to step out of my comfort zone and be fearless. I started recognizing myself, I let go of old patterns, blocking thoughts and hurt emotions. I let go of the pain, immense sadness. I became myself.

EFT is real. It connected me within and made the missing links. The thought that really struck me was:” I didn’t miss the right food for my body but the right food for my thoughts!” This was a huge step in my healing process; realizing that I could not longer leave out one part of my body- mind- spirit circle.

Combining two most powerful tools for a healthy life means more power! EFT completes my lifestyle and adds new value to what I am doing. It will help others. I wanted to share this strong duo with everybody who needs and cares about connecting their body, mind and spirit.

Working with Lydia Proschinger was a very attractive idea and voilà, we now are doing this amazing event together in Brussels on October 8 and 9. Lydia introduced me to a health coach in America, Michael Morningstar who already made that same connection raw food-EFT. This is what changed in 7 weeks. I was able to re-create my life, be happy with myself, re-discover and release my strength I thought I had lost, release the stuck energy I built up with raw food and to step out of my comforting but oh so limiting cocoon.

I am ready to fly!

And you? http://ravishingrawevents.com/

Eat to Live & Learn to L.O.V.E

Brussels, Belgium

October 8 & 9

Don’t delay health. Decide now and grab your early bird price to save your front seat!

How to make your own plot

Marie-Claire — Sun, 15 May 2011 17:02:11 +0000

If you would like to grow your own vegetables but you don’t have a large garden or the soil isn’t suited, then square foot gardening is the solution. But also when you have a large garden and you want larger yields a plot is ideal for you. Another benefit is that you can totally control the quality of your soil if you are into organic vegetables. And I know you are or you wouldn’t even be here.

So I thought you might like to know how exactly to build your plot from scratch. When I was looking for one, I was disappointed by the prices. So I started looking around and could purchase what I needed for only half the price. The ready-to-use plots need to be assembled anyway so what’s the difference in time? Right. Reason enough to do it all by yourself, have the satisfaction of building it and saving money with which you can buy the soil.

After one hour you can admire your seedlings proudly standing happily in their new plot.

MATERIALS

3 beams of about 5,11 inches (or 13 cm.) to 5,90 inches (or 15 cm) high, and 70,86 inches (or 180 cm) long
Any pine beam you have laying around 4 times the length of the height of the first beams. (1,57 inches to 1,57/4cm to 4 cm)
Long nails
A hammer
A saw
A measure tool
A pencil
4 packs of organic soil of about 42 quart or 40 liter

Organic Soil

INSTRUCTIONS

Saw the square pine beams into 4 pieces (the height of your plot beams)
Saw one long beam (of 70,86 or 180 cm) in half . These are the short sides of your plot

Saw the long beam in half

Take the 4 short square pine beams and put them under each end of your long beams

Nail the corners together

Nail them together with two nails
Then nail the short side beams into the square pine beams. Done!

One more hit...

Now find a nice place in the sun in your garden and place it there. You can first put a special canvas in there to avoid the weed coming up but actually it works fine without it as they will die without having light.

Pour the organic soil into the plot

Open the bags of soil, pour and spread equally

Spread equally

Spray it with water gently until the soil is drenched well

Spray well with water

Now you can plant your seedlings or sew your darlings
Smile! You did it!

Smile and be proud!

Ravishing Juice Fast! Group Program

Marie-Claire — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 11:34:53 +0000

“RAVISHING JUICE FAST!”

HYDRATE, ALKALIZE, DETOX

Fasting on water and juices reveals a new life to you. It does to me. Each time it becomes easier to dive into juicing and each time you get more out of it. Fasting is such an ancient ritual and I remember so well when that period of 40 days was announced in school and we got a poster with 40 little windows. Each day we were allowed to open one and a “good action” was announced: “Be sweet for each other.” or… “Help your mom with the dishes”. It was fun to be sweet… Being gentle was connected to fasting. Back then it wasn’t juicing, but eating simple meals, no meat, no fish, no candy. And you know what? It felt great!

Nowadays we don’t know the meaning of fasting anymore, nor do we experience all the great benefits from it. When was the last time you were really hungry? When was the last time you stopped eating before you were completely stuffed? This is how most of us are used to eat; without thinking. No wonder the body becomes exhausted and is begging for some rest.

Well, this is what a fast does. It gives your body that well needed rest to restore and rejuvenate. It is giving you the opportunity to start a new, healthier and happier lifestyle!

This RAVISHING JUICE FAST program is the right fit for you if you…

… are tired of being tired
… are longing for energy to do all the things you love doing
… are feeling fatigued constantly and can’t refuel your body and mind
… are feeling stuffed and bloated
… can’t lose those pounds which make you feel unhappy and uncomfortable
… want to make the transition to a healthier life or to raw food
… can’t concentrate anymore
… can’t think clearly anymore
… lost your appetite in life
… have skin problems
… have joint and muscles pains and you can’t move in the morning
… are suffering from ailments you can’t get rid of

I have been there too! After I was cured of several serious diseases my body was totally exhausted. So was my mind. After each cleanse I did I felt as if I took enormous leaps forward with my health. But it was only after the last one, a water and juice fast that I could tell the difference with other cleanses. It went much deeper and more thoroughly than any other cleanse I had done. The first few days are always a bit tougher, but soon you will notice that it is well worth it! Why? Simply because it gives you so much more than you could have dreamed of…

What will RAVISHING JUICE FAST bring to you?

You will look better and younger
You will get that youthful feeling back
Your skin will become beautiful
You will be refueled with new energy!
You will have more clarity and be able to concentrate better
You can think “light” and be more positive again
You will get to know yourself in a different way
You will learn to listen to your body and understand its signs
You will fit in your favorite little dress or pants again
You will start glowing
Your eyes will be more open and shining
You will feel goooood!

This program of 3 weeks starts on Tuesday, April 26,2011. More details will be revealed soon by email when you sign up here or in the box below.

Yes, I want to juice up my health and life!

A water and juice fast is not suited if you…

… are on medication or recreational drugs for a health issue (during a fast you can’t take any medication)
… are diabetic and on insulin for more than two years
In these cases fasting may cause too much poison to flow out of the lymph fluid into the blood too quickly

THREE WEEKS TO RAVISHING ENERGY!

WEEK ONE – HYDRATE

From day 1 till 3 we start up transitioning from solid to liquid foods slowly

We kick off with a tele seminar about transitioning and about water and juice fasting

I will give you some lovely, easy recipes for your transitioning days

Our one day long water fast starts on Friday after a (healthy) dinner time

I will guide you through by email

Saturday evening we start making lovely green juices!

Each day another ravishing recipe! (well, except for the water day)

WEEK TWO – ALKALINE

This is our green week! Don’t worry, it won’t be boring!

Because you will love love love my green juice recipes!

My teleseminar will reveal all you need to know about detoxing and how to understand your body

You will learn how to be gentle with yourself during a detox and how to remove toxins faster

WEEK THREE – DETOX

On Saturday starts our one week long, soft gallbladder flush combined with juices

I will talk to you about how to do your liver/gallbladder flush and what you can expect

You will receive a recipe for each day

On our last day I will cover your questions and talk about transitioning from juices to solid foods

Yes, I would love to be part of

RAVISHING JUICE FAST!

FLATTEN YOUR BELLY!

RAVISHING POWER!

Can you remember that first time you were riding your bike all by yourself without falling over? It felt like victory! This is the exact same feeling you get when you finish a fast successfully! You can move mountains, conquer the world… your world.

Fasting is very powerful: it is your own choice, something you really want because it frees you from …

food addictions

bad eating habits

emotional eating

… and dealing with those energy consumers means that your life will feel much better. All this energy that you once needed to deal with negativism and attempts to break vicious circles is now for you! You can now think your own thoughts instead of feeling guilty each time you can’t hold on to a plan. Fasting empowers you with new mental and spiritual strength!

Knowledge is very powerful and this is why I want to share mine with you. Because once you know how to ride a bike you will never forget again. I will teach you how to drive that bike, how to get up when you fall, how to take care of yourself, how to accelerate and breathe the air, how to drive straight towards your goal.
You will always have the recipes I give you, the leads I am guiding you with to do it on your own, the attractive and juicy handouts you will get, the MP3′s of our teleclasses and Q&A call. These are all very valuable materials, made especially for you to re-use each time you commit to another fast. They are timeless.

RAVISHING JUICE FAST

will bring you closer to a healthier and happier life for only

€ 295 – Appr. $437

Starting May 3, 2011!

And yes, this includes all that I will give you to make this fast successful! Meaning, a teleclass or open Q&A call each week, if you missed the calls no worries; I am recording them all and you will receive the MP3′s of each one of them, you will get ravishing recipes so you will love your juices, guidance and support all the way, attractive handouts and…

…the first three enthusiastic subscribers receive a BONUS 30 minute 1:1 coaching call with me (value €30-Appr. $43) taken at a mutually suitable time during our three weeks together)

SAVE YOUR SEAT!

And you will love your ravishing bonuses!

A lovely e-journal where you can keep track with your ravishing water and juice fast and write down your own green creations.

One chapter of my new upcoming eBook where I will explain you what the possible detox side effects are and how you can sooth them. A very valuable gift!

A fr*ee BONUS Q&A teleseminar at the end of our third week where I will tell you how to transition from liquid to solid foods and where you can ask all you want to know about how to move on from there. My surprise for you will be revealed at the end of this call.

Are you ready to commit to your health?

Kickoff is May 3, 2011!

Juice Up Your Health!

Yes Marie-Claire!

I can’t wait to start this 3 week long program with you and understand that I will receive following benefits from this Ravishing Juice Fast!

• Three teleseminars with you that will explain me everything I need to know to go on a water and juice fast in its most beneficial way

• An MP3 of each call so I can catch up if I couldn’t be on the call live

• Attractive handouts with juicy recipes for each day

• A weekly ingredients list for my shopping

• Guidance and support throughout my whole fast journey

• PLUS all your inspiring BONUSES!

I am very much looking forward to sharing all this with you! So if you want to invest in your health by being part of my program and taking this chance to have your cleanse by my side, then…

RESERVE YOUR SPOT!

and pay in full now for only €295 – Appr. $437

Take good care of your health today because tomorrow it might be too late.

Ravishingly Yours,

Marie-Claire

PS – Don’t delay! If you are still doubting but you can feel that this is what you need, than you are ready NOW. And NOW is the time to act if you want to feel better! I am so looking forward to helping you!

Disclaimer: This program is designed out of my personal experiences and knowledge to guide and support you on your juice fast. Please consult your doctor first if you have any health issues. Any nutritional guidelines or recipes given are for informational purposes only and are not to replace advice given by your qualified medical or alternative practitioner. In participating this program you understand that your choices in ALL areas are ultimately your responsibility.

Raw Food Tour Through New York 7

Marie-Claire — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:17:57 +0000

I have always valued the old saying “Save the best for last”. This is how I learned eating the back end of asparagus first and enjoy that smooth, soft, delicious, melting top as the last and ever lasting memory of this delicacy. Another delicacy I saved for last is…

PURE FOOD & WINE and ONE LUCKY DUCK

When you travel to New York and are raw – or even not raw-, Pure Food & Wine is a “must have experienced” culinary adventure! I am looking for the right superlatives now but the only satisfying one is the experience itself. So just get over there and order the best raw meal you had in times or maybe even since… ever!

Pure Food & Wine has a warm glow. Red as wine seats, a slightly mysterious, sexy atmosphere and a waiter who didn’t mind asking in the (closing) kitchen if they wanted to make an extra effort for a visitor from Belgium who didn’t make it in time… That was last year. I was so happy when he walked in with a stunning raw meal of which I have been dreaming of ever since.

So when I returned this year, my first thought in the city was returning to this amazing restaurant. I was not the only one… The weather was nice and the place was loaded. But no worries. There is always a saving angel around the corner!

You may call yourself One Lucky Duck when you have the privilege of taking a bite in the best hemp seed burger on this planet! Wow! I couldn’t help myself from moaning each bite and oh how I would love, love LOVE to have that recipe!

I overate in the deserts but I HAD to try their lemon bar, their famous moonie I read about and another chocolate treat I couldn’t resist. This One Lucky Duck is the take out of Pure Food and Wine around the corner. It is only a small place but you can sit down at one of the few tables with heavenly food if you are… lucky.

Chelsea Market at 75 9th Avenue (between 15th and 16th Streets) is the hippest place I saw in a while. Although it is huge it has a nice vibe, there is a lot to see and discover, no matter what you are looking for AND they have a lucky duck over there too!

You need a quick bite, an organic juice? Simply walk in, grab your choice, sit down and eat while watching people walking by. I couldn’t resist their T-shirt and am looking forward to reading and try out some recipes in my new Sarma book. (I was hoping the hemp seed burger would be in there but no!) This MUST be their best kept secret to lure foreigners back to their place and you know what? I don’t mind…

Raw Food Tour Through New York 6

Marie-Claire — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 19:34:13 +0000

I made acquaintance with this lovely store through my friend who wrote down the name and asked me how I would pronounce it. He was surprised that I had it right from the first time because you can give it a twist. Just try yourself…

LIVE LIVE

Another alive food store where you can purchase all your raw goodies and superfoods is Live Live. I love the name! Simple, easy to remember, to the point, sharing a beautiful message and vision. I wish I had come up with it myself as this was around the time I was looking for a name for my business myself.

The open space is very inviting and calming and oh, how nicely every product is put down with great care! It is just lovely to look at them. Nice packages, other choices than I saw before what makes it even more interesting to investigate them.

The owner is a very helpful, friendly man to whom it is nice talking to. His own Live Live brand is offering superfoods and green powders, something to keep in mind for when I want to extend my own offers on my online store in the near future.

It never gets boring to spend time to your health in these kind of places! They offer natural beauty and if you never taste Brad’s Raw Chips before and have been looking for them, then this is your chance.

Raw Food Tour Through New York 5

Marie-Claire — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:37:22 +0000

If you are looking for the best juices with the most nutrients but you can’t afford a Norwalk juicer, you can stop at Liquiteria and buy the taste of your choice.

LIQUITERIA

Liquiteria is a very attractive juice bar where you can take out the loveliest juices. The place isn’t big but very busy. I liked the fresh spirit inside, with growing wheatgrass and a bright sunlight color on the walls, a high fridge loaded with bottled juices. It is always nice to read how others combine their juices and the funny names they come up with.

The eye wants something too and Liquiteria understands how to play with that principle. The bottles look nice, the labels clean, their branding rocks in every corner.

I had seen the Norwalk juicer on pictures and in movies but never for real. And oh, they had two of them in the back. I always thought they were much bigger but no, they seem to be elegant, up to date and hip. Dr. Norman Walker was a true “avant-garde” designer in his time to invent a juicer which seems to be the best looking one I ever saw. It has a touch of “Bauhaus”, a bit of “Art Nouveau” and fits right into the 21st. century. He must have known his machine would be timeless because of its exceeding quality. I wish I had a picture of these beauties in the back!

But Liquiteria has more than liquid meals. The oatmeal breakfast suggestion looked tempting, even if it wasn’t raw. If you are a vegetarian or not 100% raw, you will surely enjoy their lovely organic wraps and vegetarian meals such as homemade soups, granola and sandwiches. For me though, Liquiteria will always be connected to Dr. Norman Walker and his world class juicer!

Raw Food Tour Through New York 4

Marie-Claire — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:29:35 +0000

Even while driving or walking through the city you will bump into natural markets where you don’t expect them. This one was a nice extra with a lot of organic choices!

LIFETHYME NATURAL MARKET

LifeThyme Natural Market reminded me of my favorite Westerly place; they offer everything to keep you healthy and raw. Each time I visit the green department of no matter what organic supermarket in New York I am pleasantly surprised by the enormous offer in organic vegetables and fruits. When I compare this to any supermarket in Belgium, I can only welcome the enthusiasm of these city natives. Why? Organic supermarkets can only exist and survive through their loyal consumers.

So I am wondering even more what is happening in Belgium where people seem to be pretty conscious about health and where the trend is to eat more fresh food. This is such a great evolution! But… where do we have to purchase these healthy foods? Two cities further away?

I am also experiencing it as a problem of integration. Our bio products are still labeled as a “side” product for a small minority, so not really interesting for expended departments in supermarkets or even natural supermarkets on their own. Therefor it also becomes a viscous circle of demand and offer and as long as there isn’t enough choice, people won’t be motivated to sell more organic produce.

I wish I could say that every city in Belgium has one substantial supermarket which is providing all these rich segments of organic foods. Our supermarkets offer ‘bio’ products, but mostly those have the look of overtime vegetables and fruit. Certainly in smaller health food stores. Or the offer is so restricted that you have to spend time looking for them between the usual produce.

You can only tell that they are “bio” when they are wrapped in plastic and labeled “bio”. Where is the logic I often wonder. Where is the logic of people having to beg for more organic foods in their regular supermarket? Who is responsible for this lack of consciousness? If even regular requests of a client aren’t been taken seriously?

Craving for a salty snack, chips, cookies? You can easily make the right choices here and grab those tasty kale chips. Remember that whatever bad food is teasing you, you can choose for the healthy version of it and enjoy its delicious taste without any guilt!

Hungry while shopping? You know what that means; you will load your basket with everything you weren’t planning to buy. I love these smoothie bars where you expect them the least! The smoothie of your choice is made fresh while you are waiting, you get new inspiration watching someone else making it, bye bye hunger and you can keep going if you have to run off to work. This town offers healthy fast food everywhere!

Oh and they have all these organic seeds, beans and grains… not always easy to find! LifeThyme surprised me pleasantly with their complete offer from foods to live made smoothies to organic body care at 410 6th Avenue (between 8th and 9th).

Raw Food Tour Through New York 3

Marie-Claire — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 22:35:25 +0000

New York is one big contrast! You can go from a huge Whole Foods Market to a small, charming raw food store and be just as excited and enchanted. Oh I love New York!

And …

HIGH VIBE

When you notice the bright green in the 138 East 3^rd st NYC, NY. 10009, you know that you are at the right place. This facade with its nicely displayed windows is so inviting that you simply HAVE to open the door and check out what it is behind it. To me, it is raw paradise. The store is using every square inch at the fullest to please your hunger for superfoods, organic body care, whole foods supplements, raw food goodies and knowledge.

You will be welcomed warmly and whatever your question about a product, you will get a satisfying answer. I was pleased to meet Bob Dagger, the owner, who is always looking for the best for his store. I especially like the variety of products here and you can tell how much love and effort is put in expanding the huge offer. There is always something new to discover and this time I noticed mushroom powders such as Reishi and Chilajit, Tocotrienols, Sunflower and Soy Lecithin, vanilla powder and yum, raw Manna bread! I tasted their two Zana Juices, a very powerful probiotic drink made of fermented cabbage. I could buy the whole store but only had one suitcase…

It is good to visit places like these where you can immerse yourself and broaden your raw horizon. It is by buying completely new products and trying out their possibilities that you can discover new tastes and textures in your recipes. This is what keeps your uncooking exciting, fresh and new. New, high quality products motivate you to go deeper into the culinary world of raw food and feel the excitement of eating healthy. Oh my, I can talk hours about this!

Another section which gives me the high vibes is the lovely book department. It is so good to see a library this expanded. I bought Matt Amsden’s book but felt like buying the whole series of Dr. Norman Walker and more. It is just so nice to have all that choice and to be able to browse through books instead of ordering them online without seeing or smelling. I like to hold books in my hands before they become mine.

So if you are in New York, be sure to hop over and get the good vibes at High Vibe!

Raw Food Tour Through New York 2

Marie-Claire — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 20:15:58 +0000

Even if you haven’t planned your day and you are out of vegetables and fruit, you can find organic produce very nearby your place in New York. If you are staying in a hotel room you can have a daily visit to get some greens and make a salad or a smoothie with a personal blender. I saw very handy, small packages with green powders, enough for one smoothie. So if you are traveling to New York, you don’t even have to bother taking your superfoods.

WHOLE FOODS MARKET

I knew of the many outstanding Whole Foods Markets in New York but when we discovered this huge, clean building which seemed very new, I was stunned by their green mission on all levels.

It was exciting to wander through the wide paces and see all the green departments. Everything is available here, from organic and locally grown produce to superfoods, wheatgrass powder, ecological cleansing products, kitchen tools, bamboo cutting boards and organic body care. And oh, I even found my favorite probiotics there!

It was amazing to see how all healthy choices one can make are displayed here. Even if shopping in small stores can be more personal, I liked spending time here because it is so synoptic and clear where you have to be for what you are looking for. These Whole Foods Markets are all over town, no matter where you are living or staying. What a lovely motivation for whomever is choosing to eat raw or healthy while traveling or living in a city.

It isn’t difficult to make healthy choices in New York, despite what many people might say. Yes, the prices are higher than when you walk into a McDonalds and order your hamburger. But there is no price on health, the most valuable good we own.

Raw Food Tour Through New York 1

Marie-Claire — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 20:28:02 +0000

My trip to New York was in one word… ravishing! Even though my favorite store Westerly was closed due to renovations and Raw Soul is no longer active as a restaurant I was delighted by the new places I discovered and the known ones I re-visited.

I was sitting in a Starbuck cafe drinking a mint tea, looking at people passing by and thought; “Let me count how many people on ten are overweighed.” I was shocked that the number was “ten” during that next minute. How ironic and sad to see this in a city were magnificent whole food stores are within reach behind every corner, where organic and raw foods are for sale in many supermarkets and lovely specialized stores, where communities are organizing themselves to sell organically, locally grown produce at affordable prices.

New York is full of opportunities to make healthy choices. My dear friend guided me through town from South to North so I could write about these lovely places. This healthy raw food tour will show you where to go if you are living in this wonderful city. Or if you are raw and visiting New York but don’t know where to go to, then be my guest and put your teeth in the juiciest, biggest apple you ever had…

THE ORGANIC AVENUE

“Welcome to the Space of Love” it says on the blackboard at the door of 116, Suffolk Street. And oh my, you do feel welcome between all the lovely bottled juices, alkaline water, superfoods, friendly smiles, the beautiful bar, the inviting wooden table. The space is grand, clean, simple, tasteful, peaceful and perfect for the many events the Organic Avenue organizes. In April for instance, you can join them for a three day long workshop with James Russell. I wish I was there!

I talked to the lady of the house and when she heard that I am a raw food coach she invited me to organize one of my events at her place. I was, AM thrilled and so looking forward to giving my first raw food workshop in New York.

But a lot more is going on at the Organic Avenue. They make gorgeous juices and smoothies. You want to do a cleanse but have no juicer? Order your cleanse and it will be delivered right at your door in a cool box. You can’t get confused; the bottles are numbered and you don’t have to worry about anything. It can’t get much easier than that!

The Organic Avenue has charming cafés and shops all over town, you can check out the locations here, they are within everybody’s reach. My dear friend who guided me and I enjoyed a wonderful mint smoothie in a cute bottle and went off to the next stop.

Water & Juice Fast

Marie-Claire — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 22:44:54 +0000

I just finished my water and juice fast. The day I started, 17 days ago, I didn’t even know I was going on a fast. Me, who loves visualizing a goal first before starting anything substantial. I still do value the importance of starting with a strong mindset but this time my only thought at the start of that day was; “I don’t feel like eating today, only drinking water”. And that’s how it started.

I only had a 24 hour long water fast. Simply because I wasn’t prepared mentally for a longer one on purely water and I was longing for juices. So juicing it was. I drank water each day as long as I could and made a green juice in the evening.

The second day I thought that it would be nice to hold on for two weeks. I posted a few sentences on face book and my water/ juice fast was born. I received so many comments and likes on that post that I was stimulated to update everybody day by day. The comments and emails where wonderful, right from the heart, grateful for being so inspiring.

The second week a new illumination came to me and it felt so natural to do a liver/gallbladder flush. I had done one last year with light meals but what if I would combine it with only water and juices? Wouldn’t that make a perfect combo? It turned out to work just fine and what more, I didn’t have to go through the mental preparation of another cleanse. It is good to do a gallbladder flush at the start of each new season and since spring is in the air…

I was so pleasantly surprised and touched by what all my face book friends wrote me that I became just as inspired! I became aware of how much this topic is appealing to people and how scared many of them are to start a fast alone. I also became even more aware of how alive the wish is to get rid of all junk and toxins in the body, the wish to feel good and healthy.

This is when I knew I had to take this momentum and do something with it. I started writing an eBook about fasting and what the possible side effects are, based on my experiences and what I had been reading before. I felt that the eBook would help but still, something was missing. I want to guide you through this fast personally.

This is why I am writing a program for you if you want to go on a fast but are postponing the moment because of numerous reasons. Maybe you are wishing that you could do it but that it feels lonely somehow. What I noticed during those weeks of intense interaction with others is that the fear of doing a fast is mostly doing it alone and not being able to hold on to it. Well, you are not alone if we do this together. You will feel motivated, supported and strong in your commitment to your health.

When this juicy program will be up? I hope very soon! I will keep you updated for sure. There will be a free tele call first to tell you all about the program. I can’t wait to share my experiences, to walk and support you through each step of the way!

Gorgeous Green

Marie-Claire — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 19:13:33 +0000

A lovely dish doesn’t have to be complicated. With only a few ingredients you can create the most gorgeous meal in a few minutes. If you like looking at food as I do, try out other ways to cut a vegetable and play with colors in one tone. Plate it differently than you usually do and it will add that extra you need to feel special…

TOOLS

A potato peeler
A bowl

INGREDIENTS

1 cucumber, peeled
2 spring onions, sliced thinly
1 clove of garlic, minced
A handful of parsley, minced
Olive oil
Some apple cider vinegar
Some black pepper

THE MAKING OF…

Slice the cucumber in half, length wise
Start slicing thin, long slices of your cucumber until it is all gone
Place the slices in a bowl and throw all the other sliced and minced ingredients on top
Be generous with your olive oil
Pour a bit of apple cider vinegar on top
Mix with your hands without squeezing until everything is mixed and coated
Let it marinate for a half hour

NOTES

These gorgeous greens are a delicious side dish for a salad or raw burgers. You can present them in a small bowl on the side when you have guests. They make each recipe beautiful and fresh!

Bon Apetit!

Composting In Winter

Marie-Claire — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 18:28:30 +0000

: Compost before…

Ice, snow, hard soil, a frozen compost heap. Winter is hitting harder than in a long time. As long as it is not freezing you can rely on composting the usual way. But what if the compost container is more than full, totally frozen and covered up with loads of snow? Where can you leave your compost in winter? Throw it in the garbage bag where it will get too heavy to carry out on the street? Scrape off the snow and heap it up on your compost until it falls over? Or wait, maybe you can get creative with it?

Composted... rich soil

Pulp from juicing, peels, cores… when you are on a raw food diet you have a lot of vegetable leftovers. So let’s think of some solutions to recycle them in a useful way. Because this is what it also is about in a raw food lifestyle; living consciously and think of environment friendly solutions for detritus.

: Peels

Some great ways to compost in winter…

Pulp from juice

Use your juice pulp to make lovely crackers, burgers, meatloaf, even cookies…
No garden? The plants in your house will thrive on these precious nutrients!You have a garden but no compost container? Just dig a whole and use it as container for all your peels and cores.
If you have a high speed blender, you can liquify them and pour the “smoothie” on the soil of your garden.
If you like growing wheatgrass on your window sill, nurture it with this vegetable liquid to add more minerals to the soil
Too much juice pulp to process into your food? Your pets will be happy with such varied meals!
Chicken love all leftovers of vegetables and fruits
No pets or chicken around? Maybe your neighbor or a friend does
If you don’t have a garden, your neighbor or the farmer in your neighborhood might be very happy to return your organic leftovers to their soil
No garden? The plants in your house will thrive on these precious nutrients!You have a garden but no compost container? Just dig a whole and use it as container for all your peels and cores.
If you have a high speed blender, you can liquify them and pour the “smoothie” on the soil of your garden.
If you like growing wheatgrass on your window sill, nurture it with this vegetable liquid to add more minerals to the soil
Too much juice pulp to process into your food? Your pets will be happy with such varied meals!
Chicken love all leftovers of vegetables and fruits
No pets or chicken around? Maybe your neighbor or a friend does
If you don’t have a garden, your neighbor or the farmer in your neighborhood might be very happy to return your organic leftovers to their soil

Any other ideas? I will be happy to hear them from you!

Juicy Hamburger

Juicy Crackers!

Super Chia Smoothie

Marie-Claire — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 11:26:06 +0000

You will love, love LOVE this smooth smoothie! I do! I am enjoying it right now while I am writing. I simply have to share this wonderful recipe which started in some kind of a minor because I was out of bananas and leafy green vegetables and didn’t feel like going out in the rain. My throat was feeling soar since last night and I felt tired when I woke up this morning so I had to make a super smoothie fast!

I was wondering how to replace the smoothness of a banana in my smoothie. I opened my fridge, hm, soaked chia seeds could do the trick. And ripe pears for some sweetness. My favorite loyal coconut oil would help too for sure. This is how I brew this overnice super boosting smoothie. After drinking one glass I feel the energy coming back and the sourness has gone.

This smoothie is packed with essential fatty oils (3 to 10 times the oil concentrations of most grains), proteins (one and a half to two times the protein concentrations of other grains), linoleic (the unsaturated fatty acid which the body can’t produce) and calcium ( it contains the important mineral boron, a catalyst for the absorption of calcium).

TOOLS YOU NEED

A blender
A sharp knife
A cutting board

INGREDIENTS FOR ALMOST 1 QUART

About 3-4 cups rejuvelac (you can also use water, tea or coconut water… but the rejuvelac is so great!)
1 C soaked chia seeds
2 C blueberries (when you take frozen berries in winter, you don’t have to add ice)
2 ripe pears
2 TBS coconut oil
2 tsp maca
1 tsp bee pollen
2 TBS supergreen powder (Amazing Grass is very good and tasting lovely!)
2 TBS hemp seeds
2 TBS honey

THE MAKING OF…

Blend until very smooth ( a bit longer to break down all the chia seeds) and soak all the goodies in this goddess drink…

TIPS

Chia seeds have no taste so you can easily add other flavors while enjoying all the great nutrients of chia (EFA’s!)
You can add chocolate, goji berries… their rich flavors will always take over from the chia seeds
Soak a few cups of chia seeds overnight and store what you don’t need in a sealed glass container in the refrigerator; they stay good for two weeks
Chia seeds can help you to lose weight because of their good fats. Moreover they are very filling and help you control hunger in a natural way

Green Green Grass Of Home

Marie-Claire — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 13:58:44 +0000

Grown wheatgrass

Nothing is as simple as growing grass and yet… a lot of people seem to have trouble to get those green blades up and ready to juice. So I thought it might be a good idea to tell you how you can be successful in growing your lovely waving grass in the light at your window. What are the most common problems I hear about?

Mold
The berries take a long time to sprout
The grass is growing irregularly and much too ‘thin’

I must say I had some trouble when I started too. All you need is a little bit of practice and some good tips. When you have a problem, ask yourself what is the cause and you go on from there to find your own solution. But you won’t have to with this little guide…

Green Green Grass Of Home

Let me start from the beginning; sprouting the berries. The first times when I was sewing my wheatgrass, ( and I bet a lot of starters do) I simple threw the seeds in a tray with organic soil, drenched it with water and put it up in the light because when you need to grow something, it needs light no? Nope, it doesn’t! Actually seeds need to be in the dark to be triggered and sprout. They need that signal; “you are under the ground so better start growing so you can see the light!” To grow your grass easier, you have to help it a bit by soaking and sprouting the seeds first.

Soaking

SOAKING BEFORE SEWING

Rinse one cup of wheatberries so eventual residue can come off
Soak them covered up with pure water overnight
Next morning rinse them until the water is clear
Put them in a sprouting bag or jar and turn the jar upside down so the water is removed and the seeds can’t get moldy
Cover up with a dark towel and place them where you don’t forget about them
Rinse them 2 to 3 times a day
When they get their little tail, they are ready to sew

Ready to sew, the tails may even be smaller

SEWING

Take a plastic tray that is perforated (this is important so the seeds will never be too wet and grow mold)
Make a layer of organic soil of about 1.96 to 2 inches (the quality of the grass is depending on the quality of the soil!)
Wet the soil but don’t make it too wet (mold)
Now you can sew your sprouts; very thick! You may not see any soil anymore or you will only have some poor blades)

Every day!

Spray the seeds
Take a piece of newspaper, make it wet and cover the tray with it (this way the seeds can keep the moist they need)
Place this tray in a dark, cool place
Wet the newspaper every day, and spray the soil and seeds very well(this way you won’t get too much water in the tray)

White Grass After Two Days

After two or three days, you will have lovely white grass
When it is about 2.7 inches or 7 cm high, take the newspaper off, get it out of the dark and bring into the sunlight!

Into The Light

Now the miracle happens and it is always lovely to see it happen; photosynthesis turns the grass green and makes it grow
After about 7 days, your grass will be about 6 inches or even more

Ready for Harvest

HARVEST & JUICE

The way you harvest your grass is just as important to receive all the minerals and nutrients. Most minerals are close to the soil.

Harvest

Take a sharp knife or scissors and cut off the grass as close as possible to the soil.
The best way to get all the juice out of grass is juice it with a slow juicer or manual juicer.
If you don’t have either of them, you can make a diluted version with your blender: put two handfuls of grass in it and pour a little bit of water on top to get it going, blend and strain through a fine sieve or a nut milk bag. This juice is not as strong as the real thing, but it is still better than having none. This is how I did it until I could buy my slow juicer.

Wheatgrass Juice From The Blender

TIPS & NOTES

Don’t blend grass too long in your blender; it may dull the blade
Mold can be caused by too much water, but also by too few water! When you spray your seeds, you have much more control.
Choose a very good organic soil to benefit your grass at the fullest! Grass absorbs about 97% of all minerals in the soil; so if you want to have good quality wheat grass, the soil has to be rich in minerals.
Buy organic seeds who will give you all you need.
Something I always do to give my soil extra vitamins and enzymes is when I rinse my smoothie glass, I use that water to spray the grass. If it doesn’t help, it sure won’t harm and by the way; I am sure it is the best fertilizer for my grass.
Don’t let the seeds sprout too long. Don’t wait with sewing until their tail is very long; it will take away their strength and they will grow slow and look poor. A little tail is all you need; the wall is now soft enough and the sprout is ready to grow.
Wheatgrass can be different depending on the kind of seeds you bought. Some seeds give long, narrow blades as the ones I was growing above. But you will also notice that other pictures have grass with wider blades. I prefer those because they are much juicier.
If you always want a tray ready, start a system with a routine that keeps you juicing and drinking this healing grass.
When you have mold, you can’t juice the grass anymore. Throw it upside down on your compost; it brings oxygen in compost.
You can grow and harvest one tray twice; it will look rougher and not as long anymore but just fine to juice!
The grass will “eat” all the soil and form a “mat” with the roots. This is first class compost!
A great organic brand for wheatberries is Geo. The seeds are strong and the grass is …. sweet and green! To purchase feel free to visit my website.

Geo seeds and their grass

Good luck! If any questions, feel free to email me.

Juicy Crackers

Marie-Claire — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 22:53:58 +0000

Juicy Crackers

When you juice a lot you will often wonder what to do with all the pulp. Throw it away in a garbage bag? Throw it out on your compost? Feed it to the pets? Crackers are a wonderful, tasteful, economic solution and will save you a lot of money. Just think of what one small pack is costing and you will know how much.

Juice all day long and make a tray in the early evening for a nice and warm breakfast the next morning. This makes a lovely recipe for early, dark winter mornings when you are aching for some warm comfort while the house is warming up.

The principle is very easy and you can add whatever you like. As each juice and the variety of juices you make throughout the day is different, each tray of these crackers will have its surprising tastes. A good timing to make a new batter is around 5 or 6 pm or when you stop juicing. You will still have the time to flip your tray after the first drying period of 4 to 5 hours. Then you can go to bed with a smile. The dehydrator will do the rest overnight while you are having juicy dreams.

Deep Purple

TOOLS YOU NEED

A juicer
A dehydrator or oven
A large bowl
A wooden spoon or a spatula

INGREDIENTS

The pulp of your daily juices
1-2 C grind flax seeds
1 C grind nuts to your choice
Herbs and seasonings which fit to the taste of the pulp
Sea salt to taste
Some pure water or original juice, depending on how much pulp you have

THE MAKING OF…

If you like your crackers with a “clean” color, don’t mix the pulp of the different juices you made but separate them
If you don’t mind mixing, stir the pulps until well mixed
Grind the nuts you like in your crackers and throw the flour in the bowl with the pulp
Add the herbs and seasonings you think will fit with the taste of the crackers, spicy, Mediterranean or sweet…
Taste, taste, taste and adjust until you say “Mmmm!
Grind your flax seeds and mix everything very well
Now add the water or juice you need to have an easy consistency to spread out on your tray
Spread the batter on a teflex sheet or parchment paper and make squares so you can break them easily when ready
Place the tray in your dehydrator
If you don’t have a dehydrator, you can use an oven on the lowest temperature, not higher than 118°F or 42°C . Leave the door a little bit open so the water can evaporate and your crackers will be crunchy
If you put your tray in around 5 or 6 pm, you can still flip it over after 4 to 5 hours
Let it dehydrate until the next morning and they will be perfect for breakfast

Try out what you like. This basic principle works for every pulp and you will have fun creating your own recipes. Enjoy your creations!

Green Juicy Crackers

Happy Raw Year!

Marie-Claire — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 23:18:15 +0000

A small but oh so nice treat for your guests on New Year’s Eve are these olives and marinated vegetables. Easy, colorful and delicious. Even if your friends don’t like raw food, they won’t notice the difference and lick their thumbs and fingers.

Happy Raw Snacks

A home party doesn’t require that much work if you present daily snacks a bit different. A lovely snack are olives and colorful marinated vegetables. Some crackers left? Place them next to this tempting food with a few dip sauces and your friends can create their own snacks with what you are offering. Happy Raw Year!

Find some nice cocktail skewers, look for ‘something else’ and your olives will look fancy.

Party Olives

MARINATED VEGETABLES

TOOLS YOU NEED

A sharp knife
A cutting board
A bowl

INGREDIENTS

A red bell pepper
A yellow bell pepper
An orange bell pepper
2 C cherry tomatoes
4 spring onions
A bunch of parsley
Sea salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Fresh herbs; a few sprigs of thyme, oregano, basil
Olive oil

THE MAKING OF…

Make small nice cubes of all your vegetables
Cut the cherry tomatoes in 4 parts
Mince all the herbs and spring onions
Mix everything in a bowl
Pour olive oil generously until the veggies are moist
Add some sea salt and pepper
Cover up and let sit for a half hour, but when you leave them soaking overnight, they will be heavenly soft
To have more effect, dehydrate them on a teflex sheet for two hours

Pure and delicious! Have a wonderful New Year!

Hugs and love,

Marie-Claire

Hot snack

Super(b) Smoothie

Marie-Claire — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 11:18:19 +0000

The less I think about what to put in my morning smoothie, the better it gets! Of course you have to be lucky with the individual tastes of the vegetables and fruits you grab because they vary every day. But well, I was lucky and if you have sweet pears and bananas available nothing much can go wrong with this combination.

Slamming Smoothie

TOOLS YOU NEED

A blender
A sharp knife
A cutting board

INGREDIENTS

4 small leaves of kale (or two large ones)
A frozen banana (you can take unfrozen too)
A sweet pear
Fill up your blender with spinach
A grab of parsley
A handful of Goji Berries (it adds sweetness and so many great nutrients!)
1 tsp beepollen
1 tsp Maca
1 TBS coconut butter
Rejuvelac (see the recipe here; I added slices of lemon and mint to this batch)

THE MAKING OF…

Throw everything in your blender
Blend and chew that smooth smoothie! Cheers!
Super Smoothie

Marinated Mushrooms

Marie-Claire — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 16:10:28 +0000

Raw?

Winter, snow, freezing wind… I am aching for warmth inside of my body. Sure, my green smoothies help but when dinner time is there, I want more. I bet you do too! I learned that when you cheat your ‘eye’ with the food you make, you feel warmer just by looking at your plate. Making or finishing off dishes with raw food that is looking as if it is cooked is a trick that works every time. How you can change that raw view into a softened, wilted look?

It is very simple. Marinate your vegetables. Slice them very small, cover them up with olive oil, add a spoon of hemp oil for great omega’s and… you know what? Let me put it down here in a simple, fast and delicious recipe for two persons. This is a lovely side dish which combines so well with nori rolls or on top of a pizza or pasta to get that cooked look or simply mixed with salad.

TOOLS YOU NEED

A sharp knife
A large bowl
A (wooden) spoon
A dehydrator or oven (optional)

Organic Mushrooms

INGREDIENTS

About a half pound of mushrooms to your choice
Enough olive oil to moist the mushrooms (be generous)
A TBS of hemp oil or sesame oil (optional)
A big bunch of finely chopped parsley
Whatever herbs that can enhance that wild taste of mushrooms; chive, rosemary, thyme, oregano… (optional)
Sea salt to taste
A tsp of kelp granules (optional but great if you have thyroid issues)
Juice of a half lemon
Some apple cider vinegar (optional if you added lemon juice but a nice touch)

Wild herbs to add

THE MAKING OF…

Sliced

Chop up the mushrooms into fine slices and throw them in a large bowl

Pour enough olive oil to cover up

Pour your oil generously over them so they can soak in it

Add your herbs and other ingredients

Add the herbs of your choice, the salt, the lemon and apple cider vinegar and enjoy the odors!

Mix well and let sit

Mix well with a spoon or your hands
Taste if it is to your taste and add what you want more in there
Set it away for about twenty minutes; the mushrooms will wilt and start looking cooked!
For maximum effect; put it on a tray with teflex sheet and warm it up for an hour in your dehydrator
Add some extra olive oil so they still stay moist while dehydrating

TIPS

You can easily make one pound of these marinated mushrooms. They will be even better the next day!
You can add them with another recipe then and they will give another extra dimension
You can marinate whatever you like to look cooked; peppers, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes …

Enjoy your uncooked, cooked looking dish!

Mixed with cherry tomatoes