Saturday, November 10th, 2007

Food & Physical Activity

Happy Friday!!!

Yesterday’s Food:

3 Green Smoothies

2 Perfect Salads I wrote about the other day that I’ll include in the next Kristen’s Raw email Newsletter (sign up here)

Kombucha

4 dates and 2 bananas

Yesterday’s Physical Activity:

Swam 20 minutes (a.m.)

Weight lifting at the gym (Back and Bi’s)

60-minute walk under the stars at midnight

Today’s Food:

2 Green Smoothies

2 bananas

3 tablespoons of Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto (Recipe here scroll to Aug 23)

2 Big chopped veggie salads with a smashingly-delicious-never-to-be-duplicated-dressing-recipe. I took a couple tablespoons of the pesto and blended it with water, olive oil, garlic, basil, onion powder, Himalayan crystal salt, lemon juice….I think that was it. No recollection of amounts, but it’s so lovely. Damn proud of myself, but then again, when you’re working with nature’s fresh organic ingredients, it’s hard not to make something scrumptious.

Today’s Physical Activity: Want a reason to exercise? Read this great article.

Swam 2o minutes (a.m.)

90-minute walk under the stars

JOY

Joy is inside you. Not in attainment of things desired, nor in the achievement of goals made. But in the simple feeling that lies within you. Know that this JOY is unaffected by outer circumstances, and joy will be yours forever.

~Zen Cards by Daniel Levin

More Love For Hot Peppers

by Kristen in capsaicin, hot peppers

You know by now that I love hot peppers. It’s not only the endorphin rush that makes them fun, but they’re healthy, too. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications claims recent lab tests showed capsaicin (chili-pepper-derived compound) can kill cancer cells by attacking their energy source – without hurting healthy cells nearby. Plus, their anti-inflammatory action can help arthritis, and according to herbalist, Rosemary Gladstar, the concentration of vitamins help support immune function. Gotta love nature!

For some laughs, check out this video…looks like something I would do - Red Hot News

To Date or Not to Date…A Carnivore

by Kristen in carnivore, dating, the china study, vegan

This is a fun and interesting topic and here is my take. Yes, it’s okay to date a carnivore…because it’s possible that he/she won’t be one forever. And whether they go Raw, well, the same logic follows. I remember back in my carnivore days I went on a date with a vegan. I didn’t even know what the term meant at the time. He took me to dinner and I thought to myself, “What the hell? You don’t eat meat? Are you serious? What-evaah!” Even though the guy was nice, I felt uncomfortable dating someone who didn’t eat meat. I wondered how we’d eat together if we were ever to make a more permanent relationship of it. Looking back, the date taught me a lot. I learned patience with the subject and I try to answer people’s questions about it, without ever getting defensive. It’s the only way people will learn. As it turns out, when I became a vegan I was single, and not surprisingly, I wanted everyone to give me a fair chance. Keep in mind the following:

People don’t know what they don’t know. Although nature designed me to be an herbivore, my parents didn’t know that. I grew up like many Americans…eating meat. I didn’t know any better UNTIL I began reading and learning on my own. I try not to judge others and remember that they probably just don’t know any better either (there was, after all, a time when I didn’t).
Even after enlightening people on the topic, not everyone is ready to make a switch over night. It could take months or even years. When I met my boyfriend, I was vegan (mostly Raw) and he ate meat. I didn’t mind. I knew he was a smart fellow (after all, he was dating me, right? Haha) He was cool with the fact that I wouldn’t make him meat dishes and happy that I made him fabulous vegan and Raw vegan foods. When we went to dinner, that was the time he ate meat and I was fine with that. He respected me and I respected him. He knew it was important to me, so he made an effort to learn more. He was curious and an open-minded skeptic. He asked hard questions that we looked into and both learned from it. After about 8 months, he read the book, The China Study, and one day just stopped eating meat… in fact, he went High Raw at the same time. So, keep in mind, it could take the time to read books, see movies or just staying up all night talking about it on multiple occasions. My advice is to “be there” for him/her and make as many resources available as he/she wants and needs. What would not have worked, however, is dating somebody who either didn’t respect my decision, or care enough — or was too closed-minded to try to understand. Humility means to remain teachable, and I believe it’s a quality you want in a partner for all things, not just dietary choices.
Make terrific recipes and show him/her how easy it can be. Get your carnivore mate involved by asking him/her to pick out recipes for you to make. (Hey, it works with kids, why not grown ups? haha) Get their opinion and help them feel involved. If you’re set on only dating a vegan/Raw vegan and you have no idea how to begin. Then, pay attention to proximity. Spend time in places where vegans and raw vegans go… vegan or vegan-friendly restaurants, pot lucks, health food stores, retreats, classes for vegan/Raw vegan food prep, yoga classes, gyms or health clubs, hiking clubs, etc. — in fact, university campuses in general! :) A great place to get started is through meetup.com. It’s a useful way to find local groups of people with similar interests doing fun activities.

Bottom line: If you meet a carnivore who is crazy about you, then that person will be excited to learn more and support you. Odds are in your favor, in my opinion, and they won’t be a carnivore forever.

Cosmic Carrots with Deviled Mango Dressing

by Kristen in carrots, dressing, Kristen Suzanne, mango, raw recipes, salad

This salad is gorgeous, vibrant and absolutely delicious. Click on the picture to enlarge it and you’ll see what I mean!

Dressing Yield 1 1/2 cups
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon vegan, organic white wine
1 mango, peeled, pitted, and chopped
2 dates, pitted
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan crystal salt
1/8 teaspoon red Limo pepper*
2 carrots, sliced into thin rounds, using a mandoline or v-slicer
Garnish: 2-4 leaves fresh basil, chopped

Blend all of the ingredients together (except the carrots and basil) until creamy. Drizzle a few tablespoons of the dressing over the sliced carrots. Garnish with a few leaves of fresh basil, chopped.

*Red Limo pepper is available online at NaturalZing or substitute with cayenne pepper, of which you might want to add a little more.

Kindness

Through kindness, the world softens.

Be kind to all beings and things.

In this way, creation returns to its natural state of beauty.

~Zen Cards by Daniel Levin

My Story of Food Obsession

by Kristen in Kristen Suzanne, raw

I used to be a big food worshipper with an over-the-top appetite. Seriously. I used to proudly boast to my male friends that I could “out-eat” them…not the most feminine challenge. At restaurant buffets, I would bring 2-3 plates full of food back from my first trip to the buffet bar (one in each hand plus one plate balancing on my forearm). But, I didn’t stop there. After the main meal, I would use a dinner size plate for the dessert table. I mean, come on, you can’t fit three desserts on that tiny plate they try to give you, right? And, how can you possibly choose only one dessert from all that are available? I had to at least try them all.

Basically, I loved food. I come from a family that is in the restaurant business and I grew up following my mom around the kitchen. My “high” in life came from the weekly trips to the grocery store with my mom, where she let me help her pick out ingredients. It wasn’t long before I became a little obsessed with food. In fact, it was not uncommon for me to think about what I was going to eat for lunch when it was only breakfast, as well as eagerly anticipating dinner before my lunch even started. And, I was always hungry.

The challenge was that being in shape and maintaining a healthy, slim waistline was, and still is, important to me. I feel the healthiest, sexiest, most playful, and have the most energy when I’m not carrying around extra weight (even if it’s only five pounds). Therefore, always being focused on food, eating a lot, AND trying to stay slim made my life quite a challenge. But, when I went Raw things changed. Whereas before I found myself with a crazy hunger, after starting to live the Raw lifestyle, I began experiencing a healthy appetite that was appropriately hungry before eating and adequately suppressed after eating. Now, I’m not obsessed with food and eating like I used to be. As a chef, I still get excited about food preparation, but now I’m content to eat the same delicious Raw vegan food for 2-3 days straight. I tend to drink the same smoothies for breakfast days in a row and it’s not unusual for me to eat the same Raw desserts over and over. Nowadays, my focus falls on getting fresh organic ingredients for my meals, but that’s about it. Life is healthier, simpler and much more enjoyable.

I think one of the reasons I was always starving in the past is because I wasn’t getting the proper nutrition I needed. My body was crying out for nutrients that were not to be found in all of the cooked food I consumed. Finally, I listened to my body’s cries for nutrient dense, uncooked food. When this happened, my hunger (and obsession) decreased, almost magically, and I was able to focus on other things…like my life.

When you say good-bye to something in your life, especially something like food that you’ve lived with for so long, it can be a tough transition for your mind (and your body). My advice is to take your time and enjoy the journey. Raw can seem like such a huge change, and indeed it is if you go 100% overnight. But, you don’t have to go 100% in the beginning (or maybe ever for that matter) to have some amazing results. Just start eating “more” Raw and listen to body as you go. You’ll probably find yourself in the same boat as many others….it becomes so delicious and healthy that you get excited about adding more and more Raw to your life. I find that the only people who question living a Raw (or high Raw) vegan lifestyle are the people who haven’t tried it. So, if you’re one of those people…to you I say…go ahead and just try it. See for yourself how easy it is and how great you could feel.

I am constantly discovering new ways to improve my health.

I look forward to a healthy old age because I take loving care of my body now.

~ I Can Do It Cards by Louise L. Hay

Tuesday’s (MORE) Exercise & Food

by Kristen in aging, exercise, green smoothies, raw food

I’m going to start working out twice a day a few days a week (aka “double workouts”). The goal is more physical activity in my life, which is important for slowing down aging. I saw Dr. Oz on Oprah yesterday drinking green juice (Yay! We’ll be mainstream before we know it), and he was discussing the importance of physical activity (I love how he described having muscle on your body to burn more calories and chew up the fat).

I work out quite a bit, but I want to kick it up a notch on some days. When I was a competitive bodybuilder, we had “double workout days” before competition, and it made huge improvements in our physical composition. To give you an idea of what I’ll be doing, my double workout days will consist of doing any of the following twice a day (each single session lasting between 20-60+ minutes, depending on the intensity): swimming, long walk, jog, jump rope, tennis, hiking, lifting weights, etc. In fact, I might go to the gym and do chest weight exercises for 45 minutes and go back later to do 30 minutes of tricep exercises, while throwing a little cardio into the mix. Now, I’m not gonna get all crazy here…but my goal is to make sure I’m more physically active. I spend a lot of time on sitting on my butt in front of my laptop, so I want to shake it up a bit…even if it means taking an extra walk or an extra 15 minute swim in the evening.

Today I swam laps (I love Arizona….swimming under the warm sun in November), and tonight I’ll take a long walk under the stars with my dog (3-5 miles).

Food:
Breakfast: large organic smoothie (water, bananas, parsley, spinach, fresh cranberries, and some red jalapeno pepper)
Lunch: A Perfect Salad…so delicious! It’s basically plenty of chopped veggies with a fabulous tahini dressing. I’m emailing the recipe to my newsletter subscribers this month, so if you’re not signed up yet….hop over to Kristen’s Raw and do it. Some recipes are only available to my subscribers so that you feel extra special.
Snack: Kombucha
Dinner: Large portion of A Perfect Salad again because it’s scrumptious, alongside a small green smoothie. Also had 2 bananas.
After Dinner Treat: organic tea sweetened with stevia or agave
Extra after dinner food: I’m hungry so I’m having another green smoothie

In what ways are you moving your body?

10 Things You Should Never Buy Again

by Kristen in earth, eco friendly, green living, vegan

You probably know by now that I’m all about LIVING THE RAW VEGAN LIFESTYLE, and that means my actions are beyond what food passes my lips. I’m also trying to be as green as possible. Here is a helpful list from Co-op America Quarterly (Fall 2007) for 10 Things You Should Never Buy Again to help preserve our home, earth:

Styrofoam cups
Paper towels
Bleached coffee filters
Overpackaged foods & other products
Teak and mahogany
Chemical pesticides and herbicides
Conventional household cleaners
Higher-octane gas than you need
Toys made with PVC plastic
Plastic forks and spoons

PLUS 5 MORE:
Farm raised salmon
Rayon
Beauty/Body care with phthalates and parabens
Cling wrap
High VOC paints and finishes

Check out all the great specifics here.

And, did you know that you can recycle your compact fluorescent bulbs by taking them to your local IKEA store? Details. Another option – you can order a Sylvania RecyclePak for $15, which is a special lined box for 8 average CFLs. The fee covers shipping to and recycling at Veolia Environmental Systems. Cheers to our earth!

Oh, and by the way…One of my favorite shows on CNBC, Mad Money with Jim Cramer, is focusing on Green companies this week. It’s been great so far, as I’ve learned about Green technology companies as well as companies making changes to be more Green (like Wells Fargo). Whether you invest in the market or not, it’s great because it can help you make educated choices as a consumer… maybe you’ll choose Wells Fargo over another bank because they are doing so much to be Green. I think he’s doing Green all week, so there are still some days left to check it out.

Kitchen Sink Smoothie & The 7 Mysteries of Life

by Kristen in green smoothies, gym, Kristen Suzanne, Reading, SBUX, smoothies

Today I made a smoothie that had pretty much everything in it but the kitchen sink; hence, the name (I am creative, aren’t I – ha ha). I threw in spinach, carrots, cranberries, kiwis, apples, dill, red jalapeno pepper (of course!), red bell pepper and water. When I had all the fruits and veggies in the blender waiting to get blended, I thought to myself, “Damn, it’s so pretty! All that vibrant, fresh produce.” Then, I blended it and it looked kind of like…well, something from a swamp. Oh well, it was soooooo tastey.

Workout: I’m going to the gym today for my legs/shoulder workout…working on building more muscle, building my bones and burning fat all day long. (I like to keep a toned body shape.)

Reading: I love to read. It’s one of my favorite ways to spend time. I used to frequent places like SBUX (ticker symbol for Starbucks) while reading for hours on end…sipping a soy cappuccino…hhhmmmm, the memories. Nowadays, I indulge in Starbucks on very rare occasions, so I don’t visit them for reading as much. However, I really love reading at places outside of my home, so I found new experiences. In Arizona, this is fun and easy because we’re surrounded by big sassy hotel resorts with beautiful gardens, bonfire pits, golf courses, pools, and fancy lobbies with comfy couches – all perfect for curling up with a good book. So, after my workout tonight, I’m going to one of my favorite spots in Scottsdale to sip some herbal tea while reading a great book, The Seven Mysteries of Life, by Guy Murchie.

What are some of your favorite books? Anything really great that changed your life and that you recommend?

Find your self a new nourishing spot.

~Juicy Living Cards by SARK

Into the Wild – Movie, Food Intake & Exercise

by Kristen in exercise, Into the Wild, Kristen Suzanne, raw food, Veg News

I recently saw the movie, Into the Wild, and was inspired to think “outside the gym.” So, Friday we took our dog hiking (into the wild – well, kind of wild). It was gorgeous, relaxing, exhilarating and best of all…fun. It’s important to find physical activities you really enjoy because it’s the easiest way to get more exercise into your life. Other ways I get more physical activity…hula-hooping (I’m lousy, but it’s fun), dancing (lousy here, again, but I love it! I think I heard the words, “Girrrl, you ain’t got NO coordination!” – haha, oh well), and playing golf and tennis (all of these qualify as great physical activities). Oh yeah, and when I go to the store, I park way out in BFE so I get more walking into my life.

Saturday, I went to the gym and lifted weights (chest/tri – heavy weight and low reps). I want to build more muscle to burn more fat all day long. Sometimes weight lifting is fun and sometimes it’s just “okay,” so I rely on great music to keep me motivated. Same story for the gym cardio. I do have days when I’m not thrilled to be on the treadmill, but when I have a great magazine (my favorite is VegNews!) or a super book to read, then I truly look forward to my time with the treadmill or stairstepper. It’s about being smart and making it work for you.

Food for Friday and Saturday are the same (I don’t mind eating the same delicious food a few days in a row).

Breakfasts: 1 qrt Smoothie (water,bananas, cranberries, basil, red jalapeno pepper)
Snacks: Kombucha
Lunches: 1 qrt Smoothie (replaced cranberries from before with Raw chocolate)
Dinners: Large portion of Carrot Pasta with Indian Marinara
Desserts: Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake

Zen Mind – Experience all things with the enthusiasm of a child, as if you were seeing it for the first time. This is the Zen Mind. Always new, always aware, always that of a beginner.

~Daniel Levin, Zen Cards

A FANTASTIC Gift Idea!

by Kristen in green living, holidays, raw, vegan

Here is a cool idea that I’m so excited to do this holiday season – I’m asking family and friends to go vegan for 5-7 days, as their gift to me. (Asking them to go Raw is probably too much of a stretch, so I’m starting with vegan. Next year I’ll hit them up with Raw! Remember, baby steps are important.) It’s a chance for them to feel great, learn about the health benefits, reduce their carbon footprint, see how simple it is, and hopefully start making better choices about their food in the future. This is a great gift for any occasion (birthday, anniversary, etc).

With the money they won’t be spending on me, I told them to buy a few staples to last the week (soy or hemp milk, fresh/frozen vegan foods, fresh Raw produce, etc). I’m providing them with a shopping list and I offered to go with them to show them how easy it is. I’ll also give them simple and delicious vegan recipes (as well as easy and great Raw recipes), a list of restaurants in their areas for great vegan food (I’ll use the Internet for areas that I’m not familiar with), as well as giving them ideas for breakfasts, lunches and dinners. The goal is to give them everything they could possibly need for making the week easy and fun. I’m also giving them a free vegetarian starter kit from “GoVeg” www.goveg.com that I pre-ordered early to arrive in time.

Let life scoop you up and change you somehow

~Juicy Living Cards by SARK