Behold.........

(yes, that's my sons adorable face in the background)

my new Vitamix blender! Love, love, love it. I'm so glad I got one. Just going through the recipe binder that came with it, I am finding so many wonderful raw recipes that I can't wait to try. There's way better raw ideas in this binder than most websites I've come across.

We ended up buying it from Williams Sonoma. It was just under $500 after tax and they tried to upsale us on the Professional Series 200 model but the only difference between the two is the knob settings... not worth the extra $150 price tag when they both have the exact same motor and hp. Besides, I actually prefer the basic settings that I can control manually.

The thing is huge. I mean, it's colossal. I have only one place that it will fit and that's next to my sink.

Because I'll be using it 2-3 times a day I can't really be pulling that thing in and out of the cupboards. Oh, and it will definitely be left out for parties. Thanks to the recipe binder, I now have tons of frozen, natural, alcoholic concoctions in my arsenal. I will definitely be trying some of those out.
First on my list....

Whole Fruit Margarita
1/4 cup water
6oz tequila
2oz Grand Marnier
1 medium orange, peeled and halved
1 lime, peeled and halved
1 lemon, peeled, halved and seeded
1/4 cup + 2T agave syrup
6 cups ice cubes

Place all ingredients into the blender. Blend for 45 seconds (for a Vitamix, more if regular blender).
Pour in salt rimmed margarita glasses (if desired).
***I will also add fresh organic frozen strawberries or perhaps frozen mango...

Oh, and here's proof that my son does love raw food. Here's him eating raw corn chips WITH jalapenos... that kid loves spice! He'd eat as many as I let him.

Looking so forward to the weekend! Hope you all have a great one.

Day 30

So I made it! I'm so happy. It's 8:21pm right now as I write this on my last day of 100% raw-- although I will continue to eat raw for at least another month with only a few deviations, as I mentioned in earlier blog posts.

I have some bad news and good news. My blender broke- again. This is the second expensive blender we've gone through in a year. I have always used my blender a lot, even before this diet I averaged at least 5 uses a week. Now it's about 3 uses a day. And my second $100 blender broke. So.. the good news is that we decided to get a Vitamix blender! I'm so excited. I wasn't planning on getting one so soon but after putting $200 into blenders in less than one year, I may as well spend more and get the *best* since it's made for heavy usage. Plus it has a 7 year warranty. Me and Patrick are looking at it as a gift for staying on the diet. Like our dehydrator, we'll really get good use out of it. As much as I use a blender, it will be a good investment. I can even make my own raw almond, cashew, and walnut butter. Yum. The only thing that sucks is that it takes like 2 weeks to order it and stores in Dallas only have a limited supply of them. How long am I going to be without a blender? That really limits my meal choices because I use my blender for cookies, chips, crackers, smoothies, dressing, ect. It's going to be a real challenge eating raw without one for a few weeks. Plus, it comes at a time when I'm loosening the restrictions on my diet so this could be disaster. I have to be really strong! I thought about borrowing a blender from somebody that we know, or maybe even buying a cheap $30 one and just go easy on it. We'll see.
So tomorrow I am eating 100% raw and Friday I'm eating raw for breakfast and lunch, but will be having a yummy dinner and lots of wine. Can't wait!
:::pats self on back:::

Day 29

I can't believe I only have one day left in this challenge! I am so excited. And I'm not going to lie, I'm even more excited I get to eat sushi on Friday night. We're going to Tokyo One, our favorite sushi place. It's a very upscale sushi buffet and hibachi grill but they also have steamed crab legs, shrimp, fish, soups, etc. I used to treat myself to a couple tempura veggies but will definitely be staying away from anything fried and all white rice-- for now and for good. But I will be partaking in sushi, crab, shrimp and the hibachi grill. I'll be interested in seeing how cooked foods affect me, but mostly how all that protein will effect me. Every time we eat there, I never leave feeling overly full since it's all pretty healthy food but I have never gone this long eating so little protein so I'm going to *try* to take it easy. I'll be sure and report how I'm feeling afterward.

I still badly need to get some new recipes, I have just been very busy and a little stressed-- only because I have been so busy. Since I fall asleep every night before nine o'clock since starting this diet, my days have gotten a little shorter. Or maybe I'm squeezing more into the days since I have more energy. Either way, I prefer it this way but I do have a hard time keeping up with my blogs, let alone trying new recipes. I'm really excited to incorporate fish and shrimp into my diet one day a week starting on Monday. I need some variety.

One thing I can't complain about is the food prep this diet requires. I spend a couple hours in the kitchen a week making corn chips, crackers and chopping up bulk ripe fruit for smoothies for freezing. I find not cooking takes up less time and I have a lot less dishes to wash. Both pluses in my book!
One more day....

Day 25-28

Again, I haven't been writing much because I haven't really felt I had anything useful to add. I've pretty much found a new routine for myself over the past several weeks that involves waking at 5am and being home from the gym and showered by 7 am-- and that's with a 45 minute cardio workout. I am still loving the energy and weight loss I am experiencing and really excited to be only one size from my goal.

I am still experiencing cravings but I am wondering if it has to do with hormones, I think that it may. And I can't lie, I am really, really looking forward to my sushi meal on Friday night. I cannot wait for that. I'm also going to have some steamed crab and maybe a little hibachi, we'll see.

I made another batch of those freezer brownies and they are sooo delicious! One thing I didn't realize when I posted the recipe is that they are even better after being frozen 24 hours (but still easy to bite into). I also added slightly more almond butter and a few more dates this time for a moister, less crumbly brownie and it turned out even better than the last batch.

Still haven't gotten off my butt and tried new recipes. I've kind of been in party planning mode with my sons birthday party coming up. But even though I've been busy, I've managed to stick to the diet quite easily. If I'm in a rush, I just have a green smoothie for lunch (which happens quite frequently lately). I also pack things like nuts and raisins for when I know I'll be out for awhile.

Also, I have given up raw almond butter. It's just too expensive at $22 for a small jar (and it's even more on the internet, go figure). So from this point on, I'll be using roasted almond butter until I decide to splurge on a Vitamix, then I can make my own at home!

Day 24

Size 8 is sooo my bitch.
I went to the mall today and tried on all my jeans in a size smaller and they ALL required one size down. And all fit beautifully. I didn't buy any because I have one more pant size to go before I reach my goal, but I'm half way there! I'm so excited because it's only been 3 weeks and I've already dropped a pant size. The best part is I don't feel like I've been working that hard and I also don't feel deprived. I do miss some of the foods from my old lifestyle but my perspective has shifted 100% since then.
So now I'm wondering how long it will take to drop another size and whether or not I need to reconsider my goals.

Day 23

A lot of my clothes are getting too big. Some of my lounge wear is just hanging on me. I feel like I could possibly go down a size. I am feeling really tempted to get on the scale and see if/how much weight I have lost but I'm fighting that urge. I went on the South Beach diet last fall and dropped a pant size but that scale never ever moved after over six weeks. I definitely got smaller but didn't drop one damn pound. I got discouraged and gave up because I put so much importance on the scale. Looking back, the SB diet was not the right diet for me but it taught me not to put so much emphasis on weight. Right now I'm trying to focus on my overall health and eating vegan raw organic is the cleanest and purest diet so naturally, my body will find it's healthy weight on it's own and I don't need to even *worry* about what the scale says anymore. And I credit this diet for helping me realize that. I feel like I am thinking so much more clearly and making better choices because I'm able to focus and recognize these past negative behaviors and not repeat them again. But I'm still tempted to get on the scale. I'm just really curious, but I'm not going to.

Day 22

So I have decided to do another 30 day challenge after this one is over. I will have one cheat meal after this challenge is over, but it's just going to be one meal and it's going to be sushi so at least it will be raw :-) I have no wishes to go off this diet right now. I am loving it so much, I don't understand why everybody's not eating this way! On the next 30 day challenge I'm planning on introducing cooked fish and shellfish (probably usually shrimp or salmon-- possibly sushi), and only a couple of ounces and only once a week. I think shrimp is great because it's extremely low in calories but has tons of protein and we all know the health benefits of wild caught salmon. I will also allow myself one glass of wine a week. I'm interested in seeing how this effects me and if it effects me negatively, of course, then I'll stop but I feel there's a lot of health benefits to both wine and fish so I'm going to (cautiously) try them out. It's going to be trial and error as I experiment with different foods and see what works best for my body. I feel my body is functioning so well right now that if I introduce something my body doesn't like, I'll feel it's negative effects right away. I'll also continue blogging for the *next* 30 days after this challenge adding more recipes, ideas and tools I find helpful.

Speaking of... yesterday I made zucchini wraps and they turned out really good. They were a little crispy so I'm going to make another batch today using thicker batter and since these only take 4-6 hours in the dehydrator they can be ready by dinner time. Last night I made a little crispy sandwich with olives and tomatoes. It was yummy!



Zucchini Wraps
2 large zucchinis
1 1/2 cup ground flax seed
2 T Italian seasonings (I substituted 2T Kirkland organic no salt seasoning blend)
2 cups water

Blend in powerful blender until smooth. Spread on four dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 110 degrees for 4-6 hours.



Hope you are having a wonderful week!

Day 21

I want to share this recipe I made from "Raw Energy" by Stephanie Tourles. It was pretty good.

Fudge Brownies
8 Medjool dates, pitted
1 1/2 cups raw walnuts
1 cup raw oat flakes
1/2 cup raw almond butter
1/2 cup raw cocoa powder
dash of ground cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
coconut oil, raw and unrefined
1. Soak the dates for three hours in enough purified water to cover by 1 inch. Drain and reserve the soak water, if desired. It can be sipped chilled or used to sweeten a smoothie.
2. Blend the walnuts in a food processor to a moist, semi coarse meal, 20-30 second.
3. Add the dates, oats, almond butter, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt to the food processor and blend until a cohesive, moist-but-not-sticky dough forms, about 30 second.
4. Oil an 8-inch square pan with coconut oil (I just used a 12 cup cupcake pan). Using your hands or a spatula, press the dough into the pan to a thickness of about 3/4 inch.
5.Place the covered pan in the freezer for 2 hours. Remove and cut the brownies into 1 1/2-inch squares.. Store in a tightly sealed container in the freezer for up to 3 months or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

I also made the most delicious smoothie today. It was definitely my most delicious one to date. My son sucked his down and wanted seconds. Here's a rough estimate of what I threw in the blender.
2 cups spinach
2 cups pineapple (frozen)
2 cups mango (frozen)
1 large banana
1 cup blueberries (frozen)
1 cup filtered water
Puree and serve. Delicious.

Hope you all had a happy Monday!

Day 18, 19, 20

So I haven't updated in a few days. I have been really busy and didn't feel I had anything new to add. I'm still loving the diet, still feeling great and sticking to it without any problems.
I went to Grapefest yesterday (a local wine festival that happens every September). I was interested in how I was going to have a good time without funnel cakes, corn dogs and drinking copious amounts of wine. While I did have one glass of wine, I stuck to my raw diet otherwise and *still* managed to have a great time. Who knew?
In an effort to kick up my exercise routine I have added 15 minutes onto my cardio workout for a total of 45 minutes working out. After doing this on Thursday I realized I really should have done this a long time ago and my ultimate goal is to move up to 60 minutes of cardio a day, not only for weight loss but for overall health.
My only downfall on this diet is that I do see where somebody can get bored eating the same foods. While most of them are delicious, it does get redundant. But this is ultimately my own fault for being too lazy to look into new recipes. I want to buy the tool that turns zucchini into noodles for raw sphagetti but I've been too busy to look into that. Gotta put that on my list of to-do's. We have been eating a lot of salads. A lot. I do love salads but I need to start testing more recipes. I did buy a couple of raw cookbooks at Barnes & Noble and was quite pleased with their large selection of raw eating uncookbooks but a lot of it seems sooo complicated and there's so many ingredients. I'd rather just throw a salad together. The books I ended up walking away with are "The Art of Raw Living Food" by Doreen Virtue and "Raw Energy" by Stephanie Tourles. Both of these books had easy, manageable recipes but I have been so busy I haven't had the time to dive into them yet.
But one thing always remains, no matter how bored I sometimes get on this diet, I have never come close to going off of it. I'm actually scared to eat cooked foods right now. I know that will pass but I don't want to mess with this great thing I have going here. My husband has lost about 10 lbs on this diet and is looking sooo slim (he looked good before dropping the 10 lbs). He's also loving this diet and is constantly thanking me for getting us both on it. So still nothing but good things to report!

Day 17

As I was paying bills earlier in the week I noticed an unusual overage in our checking account. I assumed maybe some payments didn't go through yet, but nope, everything was paid. I guess not going out to eat and cutting out drinking completely has really given a break to our checking account. We did frequently go out to eat and now the only eating out we do is a salad bar to go or the raw restaurant in Dallas. We also used to average a couple of bottles of wine a week and Patrick drank about a six pack a week-- and he likes very expensive beer so I guess the savings makes sense. People always talk about how it's cheaper to eat junk food than health food and I've always found that to be a cop out. I completely understand not being able to afford getting everything single thing organic and unprocessed but even if you are not eating raw, there is tons of inexpensive healthy alternatives to processed crap and honestly, a lot of that processed crap is expensive. I love what Any Phyo says about "not having a bargain body" and that she won't put harmful things into her body to save some money. I totally agree. As much as I love shopping, I'd give that up in a second if it meant I had to go back to eating the crap I did in my single days. I suppose it's a choice as to how you want to invest your money and I choose to invest in my health and the health of my family and looking at my checking account, it's actually cheaper, a lot cheaper, for us to eat raw. I'm pretty pleased with that.

Day 16

So not much new to report today. Everything has been going pretty well. I feel better, I look better because I am better. I have begun getting cravings again, however. It's not a big deal but it is new. But in a way I think having to ward off hunger is a healthy thing. I think as a woman and somebody who really loves to eat, it's a behaviour I have to learn to handle. And I've been handling it well.
I've also gone to the gym almost every day. I've been preforming well. I probably need to step it up a notch, though. I'm bad at that. I am good at getting comfortable in an exercise routine. I'm a lazy exerciser, that's what I am. But exercise is essential for me. Without it, my body WILL gain weight no matter what my diet is, but throw a bad diet into the equation and you have a very plump Melissa!
So my main goal was to fit into my pre pregnancy jeans but now I'm realizing my body has changed so much and those jeans are sooo low, that will never be a good thing after having a baby. Never. Nobody should see that. Soooooo I decided to just fit into my pre pregnancy size, which isn't too bad because it's only technically once size. I was a 4/6 pre pregnancy and now I'm an 8- sometimes a 10 but usually an 8. My main goal is to get into a size 6 in the style of jeans I wear now-- not my pre pregnancy jeans. I'm going to donate those. Somebody is about to get a very beautiful wardrobe :-(

Day 15

Yay! I made it half way! Although I should share that I've already planned to stick to a 99% raw diet until I reach my fitness goals, then I'll probably do 80-90% raw a la www.diaryofanutritionist.com. I really lover her approach. If I keep going at the rate I have been this past two weeks, I'll probably reach my goals in one to two months. We'll see.....

Well, my sweet potato chips turned out horrible. I'm pretty sure the problem is that my mandolin didn't get them quite thin enough (even though I used the extra thin setting). Sweet potatoes are a harder consistency than regular potatoes, I learned that when I began making sweet potato fries for my son. So I guess I'll put the sweet potato chips idea on the back burner for now. I could try them with regular potatoes but I don't feel there's a whole lot of nutritional benefit so we very rarely eat them.... maybe red potatoes? I can also try zucchini chips. Either way, back burner for now.

Thai coleslaw for dinner tonight. Yum...
Thanks for reading!

Day 14

OMG- I LOVE Whole Foods. I found *everything* I needed that I couldn't find at my conventional grocery stores/farmers market. I also stumbled upon a lot of raw food...raw cookies, crackers, granola, sprouted seeds-- even their deli had raw ready-made salads conveniently labeled "raw vegan". They also have every organic fruit/vegetable I couldn't find at my usual stores not the mention the largest organic mangoes I have ever seen. They were 2 for $5 and that's actually a great deal because these are literally twice the size of an average mango which means lots of raw mango ice cream this week.

We also went back to Cafe Bliss. Once again the main courses were only okay but their desserts were wonderful. I really wanted their chocolate brownie but they weren't serving it today. I told the waiter how disappointed I was but he assured me that the peach pecan cheesecake and chocolate truffle were good and oh, he was right. They were delicious. My son was going nuts for the chocolate truffle. And the waiter didn't charge us for a dessert since I was dissappointed about the brownie. It wasn't necessary at all, but a really nice thing to do. The service there is really good.

So the fruit leathers I made last night turned out really good. Their not quite like Fruit Roll-Ups.... I mean they look like them but the consistency is a little bit tougher. But they are still really yummy and good for when you want to just gnaw on something but are not necessarily hungry. The recipe is simple, just blend 4-6 peaches and about 5 apricots in the food processor until smooth. Poor onto paraflex sheets and dehydrate until dry. Mine took about 16 hours at 115 degrees.

Right now I have sweet potato chips in the dehydrator but I don't think they'll turn out very good. I used the extra thin setting on the mandolin but they *still* look a little too thick so we'll see but I have a feeling they'll be sweet potato jerky.

Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

Day13

Feeling great! Not much more to report but still feeling and sleeping very well. I have peach and apricot fruit leathers in the dehydrator and when those are done I'm going to make sweet potato chips. My mandolin finally arrived today so I can't wait to put that to good use.

And we are off to Cafe Bliss for appetizers and desserts tomorrow along with Whole Foods. I can't wait to check out their selection of raw!

Day 12

Still feeling good and waking energized. I set the alarm for 5:30am but wake up at 5am on my own. And it's not a "crap, I don't want to get out of bed" wake-up but an "okay, I'm up, time to start the day" wake up. I love it.

I ate too many home made corn chips today. I've been doing really good about not overindulging on bad raw foods but today was the exception. I probably had about 500-600 calories worth, I was a bit out of control. All I could eat for dinner was salad greens because nothing else sounded good. So noted, my body does not like a lot of corn. Big shocker.

I'm going to make todays post short because were about to put my son to bed and I'm not really feeling well due to all that damn corn! But we are planning another trip to Cafe Bliss and Whole Foods. I've never been before so am excited. I heard they have raw cheescake so that should be interesting!

Day 11

First, let me just say last night I had the most wonderful thai coleslaw. It was sooooo good. It has a lot of ingredients and a bit of prep work but it was well worth it. It has such a depth of flavors, it all really came together well. When I was looking for an asian slaw recipe, this same recipe kept coming up so I thought I'd give it a try. Soo glad I did. Anyway, here's the link to it:
www.rawfreedomcommunity.info/forum/showthread.php?t=1405


I also tried Any Phyo's lemon cupcakes and *I* thought they were horrible. Really bad. But my son and my husband love them and think I am nuts. Still, I'm not posting the recipe because I think it's pretty gross.

I'm still feeling great, have no cravings and lots of energy. I get loads more done in a day now than I ever did eating cooked food. Also my dry skin issue corrected itself and is no longer a problem. I'm also still waking at 5 am and feeling great and ready for the day. I have never...ever... EVER experienced that. My husband has yet to and he's on a raw diet with me- although he has given up coffee! I'm proud of him for that because I know it's not easy.

So right now I have more corn chips in the dehydrator for tomorrow night nachos. I'm also putting apricot and peach fruit leathers in the dehydrator after the chips are done. We'll probably also be going back to Cafe Bliss this weekend, but only for appetizers and desserts. I hope I can get that chocolate brownie again. That was delish!

Now I'm about to enjoy some of Ani's oatmeal cookies with ice cold almond milk. Yum!

Day 10

Since I am *such* an early riser now I have decided to start going to the gym at 5:30am now. It's working out well. I hate exercising right before lunch and my son is having some major (late) separation anxieties at the day care so I'm going to try this awhile. For years I've always exercised later in the day, probably because when I started I was still working and couldn't get to the gym until after work. I guess it was habit. So I was a little tired and sluggish this morning but still had a great workout and even made it to the stair stepper. It was also nice not constantly worrying about my son as he was home with my husband.

I went to Central Market today to stock up on some raw essentials that I've been lacking: raw honey, raw green tea, coconut oil, flax seed oil and nama shoyu. They didn't have everything I need so I guess I'll have to go to some super healthy health food store or possibly the internet.

So while I was at Central Market today I forgot where the restrooms were. I've been there at least 100 times and I had to ask where they were. Also, yesterday morning I forgot how to get to my gym. It's like five minutes from my house, right next to my favorite grocery store. I have read this brain fog is detox so I'm not alarmed at all, it's just odd. I feel like I have dementia or something. I'm sure it will pass, though.

Okay, time to come clean. The bad things I have been doing. Well, not too many of them. I'd still consider myself 99% raw. I have hot tea. I have since bought raw green tea but won't give up my vanilla chai decaf because it's good and I think it's good for me. I also had half a glass of wine a few nights ago. I've also had questionable salad dressing (it's a balsamic vinaigrette that probably had some unraw sugars in it). Oh, and I also had some dilled jalapenos. I have no idea if those are okay. But that's it. It's hard to be 100% raw all the time but I do the best that I can. I'm not going to beat myself up over things that I feel are itty bitty in the grand scheme of the overall big-picture-importance of the diet.

I'm planning on making a lot of things in the next week: apricot and peach fruit leathers, corn tortillas, chocolate covered bananas, thai coleslaw, green onion dressing, and tonight I'm making lemon cupcakes (another Ani Phyo recipe). I'll also be making more Italian flax seed crackers and jalapeno corn chips. They are delicious. Even my son is eating them. He's always been a healthy eater but this diet has gotten him on so many raw foods, I love it. Since that's all that's really around he hasn't had much of a choice (although we still give him meat and cheese and some cooked food).

Still feeling good, still seem to be losing weight, sleeping great. Nothing but good things to report!

Day 9

Still feeling great-- especially because I finally slept through the night last night. It was a beautiful thing. I had so much energy at the gym today, it was unbelievable. I feel so much more..... powerful.... and faster, stronger, I don't tire as easily. I'm also still not having any cravings. Raw food seems to be satisfying me pretty well. The only bad thing is that it is messing with my cycle. I'm not sure if it's a temporary thing or what but that's a mild concern.
Okay, I made these corn chips in the dehydrator and oh..my...gawd... they are soooooo yummy. This is definitely my favorite raw recipe but it has tons of calories so I have to use them more as a condiment. I got this recipe from http://www.rawthenticsoul.com/.

Jalapeno Corn Tortilla Chips
3 cups fresh raw corn
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow or red bell pepper
1/2 small yellow onion
1/4 c golden flax seed (about 1 cup ground)
1/2 c hemp seeds (I didn't have this so I used sunflower seeds.)
2T lime juice
1 or 2 jalapenos (I used two, it's very spicy but we like spicy)
1/2t chili powder
2t each of cumin and sea salt
In food processor or blender, mix the corn, onion and bell pepper until smooth. Add and combine the remaining ingredients
Spread out very smoothly onto a paraflex sheet. The smoother and thinner you spread the batter the crispier the chips will be.
Dehydrate at 115 degrees for 8 hours then flip. Dehydrate until crispy (took about 20 hours for me).

............onto tomorrow!

Day 8

So I want to update and share some recipes I've tried.

Today I made these cookies. Sooooo good. I tried them with a new little find of mine-- almond milk. Oh..my...gawd... almond milk is sooo good. It's like a slightly sweet full fat milk but has half the calories and fat of 1% and the same amount of calcium. I'm going to switch my son from cows milk to almond milk. I believe it's healthier. Anyways, here's the cookie recipe.

Any Phyo's Oatmeal Cookies
1 cup raw oats
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup firmly packed Medjool dates
1/2 cup raisins (I used 1/4 cup raisins and added dehydrated banana slices. I also added chopped nuts to the recipe).

Combine the oats and cinnamon in the food processor and process into small pieces. Add the dates and process to mix well. Add the raisins and pulse to mix. Press about 3 tablespoons of the dough into cookie cutters on a sheet tray lined with parchment or roll the dough into balls and flatten.
Serve immediately or store in a sealed container or bag.
Will keep for a week at room temperature or for many weeks in the refrigerator or freezer. Thaw for 15 minutes before eating.

Here's another one. These crackers turned out really good but I wish I had made them thinner. The thicker they are, the chewier they are. I guess it's a matter of preference but I prefer the taste of one batch being broken up into two trays as opposed to all on one tray. Makes for crispier texture.

Italian Flax Seed Crackers
1 cup flax seed
1 cup fresh diced tomatoes
1/2 bell pepper
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes
1/2 large onion, chopped
1/2 clove garlic
Blend all ingredients in blender or food processor. Add water if too dry. Press mixture into paraflex sheets. Make sure mixture stands only a couple millimeters tall (the thicker the cracker the harder to eat and longer to dry). Score the size of crackers you like with a spatula before dehydrating. Dehydrate at 115-125 degrees overnight and flip when dry. Dry to completion. Store in airtight container.

I also made kale chips and nobody in my family liked them, including me. I love kale in savory soups but it was too bitter for the dehydrator. I was disappointed because everybody on the internet seems to love them.

I tried corn and zucchini tortillas but forgot to add the olive oil so they didn't work out. I started over and decided on jalapeno corn chips instead and that's what's in the dehydrator right now. I'll try tortillas again tomorrow.

Still have lots of energy and no cravings so that's good. I'm also loving trying all these new recipes. So far so good!

Day 7

So this is the end of week 1! Yay! I made it a week. And I am feeling better and better every day. All of my cravings have disappeared for now and I have lots of energy. Even though I haven't weighed myself I know I have lost weight. I put on a pair of jeans that were too small for me last week and today they were too big in the waist. I have never shrunk my waist that fast, it's strange. It must be all the healthy fats and lack of starches.

We at at Cafe Bliss in Dallas today. It was different.... not as good as I hoped but definitely interesting and I'm glad we went. We ordered the enchiladas (corn tortilla, kale, cashew sour cream), avocado sandwich, pad thai, brownie and cheesecake and we all shared everything. The desserts were wonderful. So good. We all enjoyed them. The pad thai was made out of kelp noodles that were an odd texture. They were okay, but it was the sauce that needed some kicking up. It was a bland dish. The sandwich was okay, it was way too messy to eat like a traditional sandwich and their dressing wasn't very good but I'm glad I got to see how proper raw bread is supposed to be out of the dehydrator. Now the enchiladas were really good. It was interesting and I would order those again. We'll go back.

I've been having a little insomnia the past couple of nights. I woke up after only 5 hours of sleep again today. So I was wide awake at 3am and never did get back to sleep. It's so odd. I feel like I want to go clean the house and start the day... at 2am. It's nice to have all this extra free time but it weird. I read that it's the souls way of saying I need time to ponder things.

So nothing but good things to report. I feel better, I look better, I am better.

Day 6

I'm feeling really good today. I went to the gym then stopped by the farmers market to get some fruits and vegetables. I actually ate at a salad bar today. I couldn't eat much but it was sooooo good. It's the first time I had an actual salad since going raw since I avoid olive oil most of the time so it felt like a treat.

I noticed today that my hands are really dry.... dry like it gets in the middle of winter so I'll have to apply Burt's Bees hand salve. I've had it forever but rarely use it because it's such a heavy hand cream but my hands are that dry. But there is definitely more good than bad, no doubt. Today I noticed my nails are very strong, and long. I had strong nails before I had my son but since giving birth, they are flaky and bend easily. Now they are as strong as pre-pregnancy. I also think more clearly and have more focus. I suffered from mommy brain and now I feel like a fog has lifted, and it's only day 6. What else can be in store? It's exciting.

I also have another Ani Phyo recipe to share. I made this today and after I blended it up I gave a bite to my son. When I put it in the freezer to set, he melted down because he wanted more- he was so upset! I love how much David is liking raw food. He has always had a good diet but he is eating all of these raw recipes I'm making- especially the sweets.

Mango Ice Cream
2cups frozen mangoes
1cup filtered water
1/3 cup agave nectar (I like the organic blue agave)
Blend in blender and serve. For a sorbet, freeze for 30 minutes. Will keep for several weeks in the freezer.

I asked my husband who has lost 6 pounds how he is feeling and he is feeling great. I don't weigh myself but my clothes are definitely fitting looser. If I lose one pant size during this 30 day experiment, I will be ecstatic!

Also, I have tomato flax seed crackers drying in the dehydrator right now so I'll post a review on those as well as Bliss Cafe. The crackers are a Karen Knowler recipe and it looks really yummy. I hope it's good. I have to wait 6 more hours and the anticipation is killing me!

Day 5

So not much new to report. Still feeling good and energized. Also still getting cravings. I'm never going hungry but I still want something cooked to eat. But I am also craving raw foods, too-- something I never used to do. I ate them because they were good for me, but I never craved raw carrots or anything!

I am also having some dry skin issues. I have read about this being an issue for raw foodist so I covered myself in body oil. That should help. I also have red splotches of dry skin on my face, something I have never had before so I know it's the diet, so I have to be diligent about applying moisturizer.
Another thing, I woke up wide-awake at 3am today and couldn't get back to sleep. I know I need less sleep on this diet, but this is getting ridiculous. I have always had my full 8, usually 9 hours of sleep but now I'm down to 5 hours? Odd. And I no longer need coffee. I wake up very clear minded and energized. This is definitely a first for me.
So I am seeing more positive than negative and that's the important thing.
My meals for today have been more of the same so I won't bother to post them. I need to get some new recipes! I bought a few organic mangoes yesterday and I'm going to try out Ani Phyo's raw mango ice cream. It looks simple and delicious, just waiting on the mangoes to reach peak ripeness. I'm also planning to make flax seed crackers in the food dehydrator this weekend. If anything turns out good, I'll be sure and post recipes.

Oh, and tomorrow me and my family are checking out this place:
www.blissrawcafe.com in Dallas off of Greenville. I'll be sure and post a review. I'm so excited to be able to go out to eat!

Day 4

Wow, I am feeling really, really good and energetic today... after
(not)cooking, cleaning, laundry, running around and going to the gym.

I woke up at 6am and could not get back to sleep. This is the third day in a row. One thing I remembered yesterday is that I gave up coffee. Duh. This is probably a huge reason for my tiredness and napping (as I mentioned yesterday my husband has not had any of the detox symptoms-- he is still drinking coffee.) Either way, I think I may be done with detox and/or caffeine withdrawal symptoms because I feel so good today.

So here's what I ate today:
Breakfast: Green Smoothie (spinach, strawberries, peaches, an apple)
Lunch: 1 slice of Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted bread with avocado and tomato, red cabbage slaw and watermelon
Dinner: Tacos with romain lettuce and tomatillo salsa (blend 4 tomatillos, 1 onion, 3 cloves crushed fresh garlic, 1 jalapeno, juice of one lime, cilantro, and salt). Leftover cabbage slaw, fruit
Snack: two Ani's Trail Mix Cookies, grapes, dehydrated fruit (pineapple, bananas- dehydrated at home, no added sugar)

I feel very satiated. I don't feel as if I'm constantly starving like I thought I would. I also haven't felt "full" or overstuffed at all. I just feel satiated. Although, I must say, I do still crave cooked food. Every now and then out of nowhere *brisket tacos* or *lasagna* or *margarita* will pop into my head but I've found the best thing to do is just think about something else...... yeah, that's all I got for now. I hope the cravings subside soon-- they supposedly will. I should add that I haven't even been temtped to give up, not even close. I'll definitely finish the 30 days, the only question is What happens after that? I already acknowledge that I will not become 100% raw. I love cooked food too much... Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. Enchiladas. Brisket tacos. I can't and won't give those up. So I'm looking at best case scenerio: raw every day except for dinner one or two nights a week. worse case scenerio: eat raw for breakfast and lunch only, cooked dinner. Every day.

So we'll see how I feel in 30 days. I'm already sold that I can at least do breakfast and lunch, no problem. But I need to keep exploring new recipes and ideas for inpiration for dinner ideas. We are a family of eaters and dinner hasta be good! I'm also hoping my tastes adapt and I'll be craving raw food and not cooked. I can feel them beginning to adapt but more of a transition needs to take place.
Anyways, thanks for reading!!

Day 3

Today was a lot better. I had more energy and took a shorter nap :-) Unfortunately, I didn't make it to the gym today because I had way too much running around to do and a messy house to contend with so took my day off. I also wanted to give my body a break since I've been feeling so run down lately.
AND.. I found two awesome recipes. One which is about to be my dinner and the other dessert. I had a little sample of both and they are spectacular.
The first recipe is from www.diaryofanutritionist.com. I love this blog. I love this nutritionist. I love how she does a lot of raw eating, but she doesn't beat herself over the head with it. She eats cooked food as well and all is extremely healthy and she ties it all in with beauty as well. It's all very interesting to me. Her blog has given me a lot of ideas and inspiration. So tonight I made her Portobello and Cabbage Slaw Tacos which can be found on her site. I left out the mushrooms because she pan seared them but I made the slaw and it is un.believe.able. Sooo good. This will definitely become a staple in our diets.
The second recipe is from the book Ani's Raw Food Desserts. My husband was nice enough to pick this up for me the other night *hint*hint* Yes, he loves sweets.
Anyway, here's the recipe: (I substituted walnuts because Sprouts only had raw mixed nuts. I doubt there's much of a difference in taste).

Ani Phyo's Trail Mix Cookies

3/4 cup of almonds
1 t ground Cinnamon
Pinch sea salt
1/4 cup walnuts
1 cup pitted Medjool dates
2T raisins
2T sunflower seeds
Combine the almonds, cinnamon, and the salt in the food processor and pulse into chunks. Add the walnuts and pulse into chunks. Add the dates, raisins, and sunflower seeds and pulse to mix well.
Scoop the dough by 1 1/2 tablespoons onto a sheet tray lined with parchment and flatten into cookies.
Will keep for a week or more in your fridge or for several weeks in the freezer (thaw before eating).

So onto Day 4!

Day 2

So basically I'm so tired I almost don't even want to write this post.

I got up with a lot of energy after taking a two hour nap yesterday and falling asleep promptly at 11pm. I went to the gym and had a good amount of energy but got tired 10 minutes into the workout. I finished but it was a struggle. After putting my son down for his nap at 2pm, I took a two hour nap- again. This is two days in a row. I'm.... not a nap person at all. The only time I have ever taken naps was when I was pregnant.
From what I'm reading, my body is trying to detox so I will feel tired, have breakouts and may even get sick. Yippee!

Oh, but the good news is that I discovered two great raw food items. The first is Food For Life sprouted corn tortillas. Delish! These will save me. I love, love corn tortillas. Also, I discovered coconut water. It's delicious and I have a little after coming home from the gym. It has tons of potassium and is extremely hydrating. My sons loves it as well. My husband, not a fan. Boo.


Anyway, this is what I ate today:

Breakfast- large apple, plum, grapefruit
Lunch- Green Smoothie (arugula, blueberries, pineapple, flax seed), carrots, watermelon
Dinner- raw veggie tacos- Food For Life sprouted corn tortillas, red and yellow bell pepper strips, red onion, pico de gallo, guacamole.
Dessert/snack- Watermelon, peach

So that was my day. I'm ready to crash on the couch for the night. I should report that my husband is eating the exact same diet as me and is having none of these symptoms. Lucky ducky.

Day 1

I'm tired. And I have a headache. And I'm tired.

I went to the gym today and got tired pretty fast. I did my regular workout but wanted to stop half way through, but didn't. Even though I worked out for the same 30 minutes as usual, I burned less calories. Hmph. Oh well. I also skipped the stair stepper. I'm *up* to 5 minutes (woo-hoo). That thing kicks my butt. I just couldn't do it today, but will start again tomorrow.
Another thing-- I am also coming off of being sick for a week- but with plenty of time to heal. I started feeling better last Thursday and today is Monday.. so I'd say long enough to ensure I'm 100% before working out again.
I also did some weight training. Only upper body and only 4 exercises. Starting off slow.

So food for today: I should mention everything is organic.

Breakfast: Green smoothie (handful of fresh spinach, handful blueberries, banana, 1T flax seed) and a grapefruit
*coconut water after workout
Lunch: 1oz slivered almonds, handful grapes, handful carrots and a plum.
Dinner: Mixed bowl of avocado, tomatoes, lime juice, cilantro and a Green Smoothie.
Night time snack: frozen grapes

So that's that. Day 1 has been a little rough but it is to be expected. I forgot to take my "before" picture so I'll take it tomorrow. Me tired. nighty*night.