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 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!
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?
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!
]]>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/
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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.
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!
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…
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.
… 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
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)
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
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
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 …
… 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.
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…
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.
• 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…
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!
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…
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…
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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…
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.
]]>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!
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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 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).
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When you notice the bright green in the 138 East 3rd 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!
]]>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.
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.
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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…
“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.
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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!
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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…
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!
]]>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?
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.
Some great ways to compost in winter…
Any other ideas? I will be happy to hear them from you!
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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).
Blend until very smooth ( a bit longer to break down all the chia seeds) and soak all the goodies in this goddess drink…
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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?
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…
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.
The way you harvest your grass is just as important to receive all the minerals and nutrients. Most minerals are close to the soil.
Good luck! If any questions, feel free to email me.
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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.
Try out what you like. This basic principle works for every pulp and you will have fun creating your own recipes. Enjoy your creations!
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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.
Pure and delicious! Have a wonderful New Year!
Hugs and love,
Marie-Claire
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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.
Enjoy your uncooked, cooked looking dish!
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