Backyard Gardening on the rise

With products like this one, it’s no wonder Backyard Gardening is seeing an upward trend. I’ve (well … my husband’s) been gardening for years and we love the convenience, savings, and better quality of food we get this way. Now that we’ve moved to another state and rent instead of own, we had to forego the big garden this year. However, I think I am in LOVE with this product from Backyard Botanical and it’s a definite must-have!! I’m already begging hubby to get it for me. I think *I* might even garden like this.

This is the STUFF, if I do say so myself. I really think this would make a great addition to any backyard ~ even if you have a larger garden plot. This would be great for lettuces, herbs, and other smaller items. I could also see this as an excellent solution for older folks who might not enjoy all the bending that a traditional garden requires.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that there is an opportunity to WIN ONE this weekend.

Check here for all the details: http://tinyurl.com/c3634y

A Refreshing Vlog

If you haven't already run across "Bunny Berry's" blog, you owe it to yourself to take a look. She's a gal who is chronicling her 100 day Raw Food Challenge in daily video blogs (vlog). As of yesterday, she was on Day 31.

http://bunnyberry.blogspot.com/

She's refreshing in that she isn't this uber-thin, already-got-the-"glow", high raw, I-can-do-this-it's-as-easy-as-breathing type of gal. She makes you feel like all us regular folks can perhaps give raw another shot -- and succeed.

WLIR featured her blog the other day. So, I started poking around on there and really enjoyed her candid, seemingly unscripted commentary.

More fuel for the "Let's Jump Back on the Raw Bandwagon" -- hee hee

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Year for New Beginnings

Numbers are important and associated with symbols, and no one knows that better than our Jewish friends. For them, "numbers have word meaning, which have picture meaning, which have sounds. The Hebraic Year 5768, which will encompass the Gregorian calendar’s Year of the Lord 2008 A.D., is “The Year of Samekh Chet!” That means we are coming into “The Year of the Full Circle of Life.”" Therefore, it is a year of New Beginnings! I've been told that the symbol for this year is an open gate.

That excites me and I fully intend to walk through that gate expectant for what 2008 will bring!

It is a year filled with potential and new beginnings! I'm taking that literally for both my spiritual life and my physical one. Starting the new year with 30 days Raw will be a challenge and, if I make it through, a new beginning with my health.

I want to "up the ante" this year - spiritually, emotionally, physically, mentally ...

How about you? Whether you make resolutions, list goals, or simply evaluate your life, the fading embers of the old year and the fresh beginnning of the new one make for an excellent time to re-evaluate, re-prioritize, and re-focus.

Have a Happy New Year!
I'm checking out of the blogosphere for a bit but will be back after the New Year. Posts around here have been few and far between lately. My plan is to post more regularly after the new year -- partly to chronicle my 30 days and partly to sort through the pile of raw/vegan info yearning to be added to this blog.

All the best!

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Nashville Raw Event

For those of you who don't get the Nashville Farmer's Market newsletter, here's a tidbit of information you might want.

Sandor Katz on Wild Fermentation
January 6, 3 p.m.
at the studio of photographer Thomas Petillo, 1015 West Kirkland
Avenue, Suite 203, Nashville
(Click for map)

Meet raw food expert Sandor Katz on the ultimate slow food technique: wild fermentation. Sandor is a national speaker and the author of two books, one has the wonderful title of "The Future Will Not Be Microwaved: Inside America's Underground Food Movements."
Slow Food is requesting a $25 per person donation. For more details you can visit Slow Food Nashville.

I don't know anything about Sandor or the technique, but figured I would pass along the information in case anyone else was interested.

That's all for now -- sorry it's so short.

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Rantings of an Overloaded Newbie

Take all the blogs, websites, advice, recipes, and mix in a helping of being behind in Christmas preparation and you've got a recipe for me ... on overload. :o)

I realized last night when I tried sorting and organizing my new bookmarks for all these raw, vegan, healthy websites and blogs (I think I'm approaching 200), that I am overwhelmed and quickly moving to shut down mode on it all. Not good!

Even wading through websites looking for recipes is overwhelming. "what if my family won't eat it, what if it's nasty, what if I waste my $$ and time and then still have nothing fit to feed them." It needs to be nutritionally balanced and I can't neglect to insure that food combinations are done properly. My customary "go-to" meals are definite "no-go" meals now, if I want to be healthy. And it seems to defeat the point if I fix raw/vegan for me and feed them something different. And I do feel guilty if I, for time, convenience, or lack of other ingredients, resort to feeding them typical fare. Sheesh!

In theory I know that healthy is best but have been programmed for all my life in a different fashion. Re-learning can be interesting but tiresome. I'm grateful that I have the ability to make this choice without any serious health issues prompting the change. However, because of that same fact the motivation for my change can wane. I think I will be great at this in the summer with all sorts of fresh fruit and veggies, but beginning this at the onset of winter might have been insane. ;o)

However, I am confident that my impending weight loss (yes, I am believing for it to come) will be a powerful motivator in and of itself. Now, if I can stand firm until then.

Ok, rantings are now over and we're moving on ...

Melodie B. sent me a link to this site. It's has a video documentary on what happens when folks from different walks of life -- all with diabetes -- go raw for 30 days. Check out the short trailer for the project.

Raw for 30 Days Documentary

It hasn't been released yet and it isn't the 'feel good film of the year' -- emotions run high and they don't sugarcoat some of the reactions - but it is yet another item in the mounting evidence that raw/vegan/non-processed foods are the way to go and the answer for so many.

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Green Smoothie news and other notes

As all of my regular readers know and most of the others will recall, I am very new at this. So, I finally worked up the courage (and finally getting a blender capable of making a true smoothie instead of a 'lumpy' helps too) to make my first neon green smoothie. I kept the ingredient list simple - juiced two apples, added two big handfuls of kale, and then a banana - and I can honestly say that it RAWked! (sorry - I couldn't help it) Now, I'm a big fan and look forward to my neon green fix in the AM.

I don't know much about food combining yet but am learning. So, I'm sure there are better combos out there. The way I figure it though is if I can't choke it down, it doesn't do me any good either. So, at least I am starting to get good stuff in my system, right?

To that end, when I saw this post about Green Smoothie Queen from the Raw Divas I was excited! I think I managed to finagle a few of my friends to give it a try with me. :o)
Even if you are not interested in the Green Smoothie aspect, they have a really cool green jug that they are selling that would work just as well for water or any other beverage. So, go check it out.

Here's a little reading on the benefits of green smoothies (as opposed to just eating greens or juicing): http://www.emaxhealth.com/14/1182.html
They also list a few recipes at the end as well.

Here are a couple more ~
http://www.vegfamily.com/vegan-cooking/totally-smoothie.htm
http://goneraw.com/recipes/58-Green-and-Gone-Smoothie


Raw in the New Year Update:
Quite a few of you are jumping on board with the raw "experiment" in the New Year. Just to clarify, you don't have to be 100% raw to do this with us. Some are aiming for 80/20 and others are varying their days of participating. So, feel free to join up no matter your motivation or food plan. The point is to do this as a group, to support one another, and share detox and recipes too. :o)

For anyone interested, we will be taking "Before" pictures at the tasting night. While not required, we thought these "Before" shots would be fun to pair next to an after shot when we have completed the 30 days. We will be planning the rest of the tasting night soon and will keep you posted.

Also, instead of starting January 1 -- what do you think about waiting a few days? This way last minute guests (and the treats they brought) can be cleared from the house and aren't staring you in the face mocking you as you embark on this healthy phase of 2008!

(Leave a comment or send me a message and let me know if you have any preference)

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Alissa Cohen on YouTube

Ok ... how about a fun post with videos after a busy holiday?!?!

Here are a few videos I found on YouTube that feature Alissa Cohen. The first one is from NBC's Today Show and the second from Tyra Banks.





And here is the one from Tyra's Diet Wars:



Enjoy!

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I've located a few more local resources that might be of interest to some of you out there.

Local Resources:
Shannon Rose Live! -- local lady with raw classes, recipes, and information.
Beautiful on Raw -- featuring reviews, resources, books, and more from Cordova, TN

Nashville Raw Foods Support Group -- found on meetup.com
As stated on their website:
"Gain support and encouragement from other raw fooders in the area and share meals, recipes, books, ideas and friendship together on a monthly basis. This group is for everyone interested or just learning about raw foods as well as for those that are stuggling or have already "gone raw." You don't need to be 100% raw, all eating paths and lifestyles are respected."

You can also find a list of other local farms and such on these posts:
Local & Noteworthy, part 1
Local & Noteworthy, part 2

Recipe link from Trisha G.:
Trish recently sent over a recipe that her crew liked a lot and I tried it with mine. I'm including the content of her email in this post so you can see the substitutions she made. I think I will try these substitutions next time with my family too.

Hi ladies! Just passing along a recipe that I served tonight. The kids and I loved it, Brian ate it all and said it was good, but said it's not his favorite. I'm ok with that. ;-)

Here's the link. I grew up with my Polish step-dad's family serving cabbage rolls at family meals. LOVE those! This is very similar, but in a much easier casserole form.
I made a couple of substitutions. I used a bit more cabbage than the recipe called for, substituted Kashi pilaf for the rice and used two cans of diced tomatoes and one can of tomato sauce and added a bit more water. It says to cook until the liquid is absorbed, but with all the liquid from the tomatoes and extra water, that would have been hours. I just watched it for the cabbage to be good and tender. It was yummy!! My boys asked for more and more until we finally just had to make them stop eating. That's when I knew they liked it.

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Revvin' Up the Raw

As I have mentioned before, after the first of the year some of us plan to take the plunge and try a 30-day, 100% raw adventure. Anyone is welcome to join us and if you are in the Nashville area we will get together a few times before, during, and after for encouragement and recipe sharing.

I'd be lying if I didn't admit that part of my interest in the raw food lifestyle is for weight loss, and ultimately better health. I know weight loss should not be my only motivation but I can't help but be intrigued by the volume of positive weight loss stories. I'm looking forward to giving that another go. It took me nearly two years to lose 50 pounds (most of which I have regained) with tradional dietary approaches. Prayerfully, it won't take that long when I am eating properly and have certain food items out of my diet altogether.

So, on that note, I thought some Before/After inspiration might be in order for those of us gearing up for the adventure!

Take a look at this site: Raw Reform
This is an amazing site with lots of good information on it. There's a store, a forum, lots of resources (links, recipes, etc.), and basic information on making the switch to raw. But what I'd like for you to notice is that, in addition to the before/after shot of herself on the homepage, she has a large list of other Before/After Shots to inspire you. Not only have they lost weight, their complexion and overall appearance looks better too.

Additionally, she links to several other Before/After Galleries. In addition to being inspiring, they prove to me that you can lose weight, no matter your age, with proper diet and exercise and without modern pills and procedures.
Other Before/After Inspiration:

• Paul Nison's Gallery
• Shazzie's List (be sure to click the names or photos for their story and more photos)
• Alissa Cohen
• Audrey Walker
• Dixie's Story
• Raw Food Info's List -- lots of links to other success stories

So ... after taking a look at that inspiration, if you want to join us please email me or post a comment to this entry and I'll make sure you get all the details in plenty of time.

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