Tag Archive for: vegan

Alternative Grains to Wheat that are Gluten-Free

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Increasing variety of natural, whole foods gives your body more variety in minerals, enzymes, energy and healing power. Unfortunately, refined, processed wheat has become the staple food in many people’s diets today. Of course, wheat also contains gluten, a protein that can weaken the micro-villi in the small intestine, decrease absorption rates and over time can also weaken the peristalsis function of the colon. Even if you’re not intolerant to wheat or gluten, adding different grains to your diet is a good idea.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.
It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

Whether you cook your grains or eat them raw (usually sprouted or soaked) is entirely up to you. Either way, your body will benefit from having less wheat and gluten. Don’t be afraid to add a cooked grain, such as quinoa or brown rice, to a delicious raw vegetable salad for a half-raw, half-cooked meal. Especially when transitioning to a high-raw diet, cooked grains can help you feel full and keep you on the path of natural, whole and pure foods.

Keep in mind that gluten is also found in kamut, spelt, barley and rye. If you are looking for a total gluten-free diet, you should avoid those grains as well.

Gluten-Free Grains

Buckwheat

Technically buckwheat is not a grain. It is actually a fruit seed related the the rhubard family. It has a nutty taste and goes well with root vegetables like carrots or beets, onions and mushrooms. Buckwheat is high in protein (particularly lysine), is a rich source of B vitamins, and is high in manganese and tryptophan. Because of it’s high amounts of flavonoids, particularly rutin, buckwheat helps maintain blood flow, strengthens the blood and protects the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol from free radical oxidation into potentially harmful cholesterol oxides. All these actions help to protect against heart disease.

Buckwheat is called ‘groats’ when unroasted (raw) and ‘kasha’ when roasted. In cooked food, buckwheat can be served as an alternative to rice or made into porridge. Buckwheat flour is great for making ‘healthy’ pancakes. As a raw food, buckwheat groats can be used to make a ‘raw’ porridge by soaking the groats overnight and adding cinnamon, dates, raisins and raw honey or agave.

Quinoa

Quinoa is a food from the ancient Incas, and although considered a grain, it’s technically part of the Chenopodium plant family. Quinoa has a light flavor and nice texture when cooked; it’s also easy to sprout. Quinoa is consider a complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. This makes it a great choice for vegans, vegetarians and raw foodists who are concerned with getting enough protein in their diet.

Quinoa is also a very good source of manganese as well as magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus. Can you imagine how much nutrition your body will get? You can make a delicious quinoa salad with finely chopped red bell pepper. tomato, cucumber, chopped parsley, raw apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper and sea salt.

Brown Rice

Brown rice has a much higher nutritional value than white rice because the outer layers of the grain are still intact. The processing and refining of white rice strips the rice of its nutrients. Brown rice is naturally high in B1, B3 and B6 vitamins as well as manganese and selenium. It is also a good source of dietary fiber.

Add some cooked brown rice to a salad of chopped cucumber, tomato and grated carrot. Drizzle with a mixture of tahini, water, squeezed lemon, cayenne pepper, cumin and salt. This makes for a healthy lunch or a great fast dinner. You can also use brown rice as a side dish to a main meal, adding some chopped scallions and minced garlic for flavor. Let your food be your medicine!

Corn

Many people forget about corn as a healthy grain option to add to the diet. Corn is naturally high in magnesium and helps to stimulate bowel function. It’s great for anyone suffering from constipation. Corn is an ancient grain that is high in B vitamins and carotenoid antioxidants and is another good source of dietary fiber.

Corn on the cob can be eaten either cooked or raw. If raw, simply cut the corn off the cob and add it to a salad. You can even eat the raw corn on it’s own with a dash of cayenne pepper and salt for a fantastic afternoon snack. Add raw corn to a fresh homemade salsa for some real raw food bliss!

A great snack for kids as a healthy alternative to potato chips or pretzels is to make homemade popcorn using the real kernels popped on the stove. Transfer the cooked popcorn to a serving bowl and drizzle with organic virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and nutritional yeast for a yummy ‘cheese’ flavored treat.

Corn can be genetically modified which is definitely a concern, but keep in mind that genetically modified wheat will soon be produced for mass consumption too. At least corn is less processed than refined white flour and doesn’t contain gluten. If possible, buy corn from your local farmer and be sure that he is not growing ’roundup ready’ corn (ie, genetically modified and owned by Monsanto).

Millet

Millet is a fantastic gluten-free grain, naturally high in protein, phosphorous, iron and B vitamins. When cooked, millet has a sweet buttery taste. Millet can be sprouted and eaten raw; hulled millet should be used for cooking.

Cooked millet can be served as a breakfast porridge with a variety nuts and chopped fruits. Ground millet can be added to bread and muffin recipes as an alternative to wheat. Sprouted millet can be blended with flax seed, carrot pulp, rosemary and cayenne pepper and then dehydrated for some yummy raw food crackers.

Why is wheat so bad for you? William Davis, author of the book Wheat Belly, explains it well. He says, “Eliminating wheat is the easiest and most effective step you can take to safeguard your health and trim your waistline. An interesting fact: Whole wheat bread (glycemic index 72) increases blood sugar as much as or more than table sugar, or sucrose (glycemic index 59). So, when I was devising a strategy to help my overweight, diabetes-prone patients reduce blood sugar most efficiently, it made sense to me that the quickest and simplest way to get results would be to eliminate the foods that caused their blood sugar to rise most profoundly, in other words, not sugar, but wheat.”

Davis also states,” Whether it’s for convenience, taste, or in the name of “health,” Americans have become helpless wheataholics, with per capita annual consumption of wheat products (white and wheat bread, durum pasta) having increased by 26 pounds since 1970. If national wheat consumption is averaged across all Americans – babies, children, teenagers, adults, the elderly – the average American consumes 133 pounds of wheat per year. (Note that 133 pounds of wheat flour is equal to approximately 200 loaves of bread, a bit more than half a loaf of bread per day). Nobody becomes diabetic by gorging on too much kale. But plenty of people develop diabetes because of too many muffins, bagels, breakfast cereals, pancakes, waffles, pretzels, crackers, cakes, cupcakes, croissants, donuts and pies.”

With rates of diabetes, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), colitis, celiac and cancer going through the roof and increasing every day, isn’t it time we started to make some serious changes to our diets?

More Healthy Recipes:

More on Gluten-Free:

Alternative Grains to Wheat that are Gluten-Free

by

Increasing variety of natural, whole foods gives your body more variety in minerals, enzymes, energy and healing power. Unfortunately, refined, processed wheat has become the staple food in many people’s diets today. Of course, wheat also contains gluten, a protein that can weaken the micro-villi in the small intestine, decrease absorption rates and over time can also weaken the peristalsis function of the colon. Even if you’re not intolerant to wheat or gluten, adding different grains to your diet is a good idea.

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.
It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

Whether you cook your grains or eat them raw (usually sprouted or soaked) is entirely up to you. Either way, your body will benefit from having less wheat and gluten. Don’t be afraid to add a cooked grain, such as quinoa or brown rice, to a delicious raw vegetable salad for a half-raw, half-cooked meal. Especially when transitioning to a high-raw diet, cooked grains can help you feel full and keep you on the path of natural, whole and pure foods.

Keep in mind that gluten is also found in kamut, spelt, barley and rye. If you are looking for a total gluten-free diet, you should avoid those grains as well.

Gluten-Free Grains

Buckwheat

Technically buckwheat is not a grain. It is actually a fruit seed related the the rhubard family. It has a nutty taste and goes well with root vegetables like carrots or beets, onions and mushrooms. Buckwheat is high in protein (particularly lysine), is a rich source of B vitamins, and is high in manganese and tryptophan. Because of it’s high amounts of flavonoids, particularly rutin, buckwheat helps maintain blood flow, strengthens the blood and protects the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol from free radical oxidation into potentially harmful cholesterol oxides. All these actions help to protect against heart disease.

Buckwheat is called ‘groats’ when unroasted (raw) and ‘kasha’ when roasted. In cooked food, buckwheat can be served as an alternative to rice or made into porridge. Buckwheat flour is great for making ‘healthy’ pancakes. As a raw food, buckwheat groats can be used to make a ‘raw’ porridge by soaking the groats overnight and adding cinnamon, dates, raisins and raw honey or agave.

Quinoa

Quinoa is a food from the ancient Incas, and although considered a grain, it’s technically part of the Chenopodium plant family. Quinoa has a light flavor and nice texture when cooked; it’s also easy to sprout. Quinoa is consider a complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. This makes it a great choice for vegans, vegetarians and raw foodists who are concerned with getting enough protein in their diet.

Quinoa is also a very good source of manganese as well as magnesium, iron, copper and phosphorus. Can you imagine how much nutrition your body will get? You can make a delicious quinoa salad with finely chopped red bell pepper. tomato, cucumber, chopped parsley, raw apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper and sea salt.

Brown Rice

Brown rice has a much higher nutritional value than white rice because the outer layers of the grain are still intact. The processing and refining of white rice strips the rice of its nutrients. Brown rice is naturally high in B1, B3 and B6 vitamins as well as manganese and selenium. It is also a good source of dietary fiber.

Add some cooked brown rice to a salad of chopped cucumber, tomato and grated carrot. Drizzle with a mixture of tahini, water, squeezed lemon, cayenne pepper, cumin and salt. This makes for a healthy lunch or a great fast dinner. You can also use brown rice as a side dish to a main meal, adding some chopped scallions and minced garlic for flavor. Let your food be your medicine!

Corn

Many people forget about corn as a healthy grain option to add to the diet. Corn is naturally high in magnesium and helps to stimulate bowel function. It’s great for anyone suffering from constipation. Corn is an ancient grain that is high in B vitamins and carotenoid antioxidants and is another good source of dietary fiber.

Corn on the cob can be eaten either cooked or raw. If raw, simply cut the corn off the cob and add it to a salad. You can even eat the raw corn on it’s own with a dash of cayenne pepper and salt for a fantastic afternoon snack. Add raw corn to a fresh homemade salsa for some real raw food bliss!

A great snack for kids as a healthy alternative to potato chips or pretzels is to make homemade popcorn using the real kernels popped on the stove. Transfer the cooked popcorn to a serving bowl and drizzle with organic virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and nutritional yeast for a yummy ‘cheese’ flavored treat.

Corn can be genetically modified which is definitely a concern, but keep in mind that genetically modified wheat will soon be produced for mass consumption too. At least corn is less processed than refined white flour and doesn’t contain gluten. If possible, buy corn from your local farmer and be sure that he is not growing ’roundup ready’ corn (ie, genetically modified and owned by Monsanto).

Millet

Millet is a fantastic gluten-free grain, naturally high in protein, phosphorous, iron and B vitamins. When cooked, millet has a sweet buttery taste. Millet can be sprouted and eaten raw; hulled millet should be used for cooking.

Cooked millet can be served as a breakfast porridge with a variety nuts and chopped fruits. Ground millet can be added to bread and muffin recipes as an alternative to wheat. Sprouted millet can be blended with flax seed, carrot pulp, rosemary and cayenne pepper and then dehydrated for some yummy raw food crackers.

Why is wheat so bad for you? William Davis, author of the book Wheat Belly, explains it well. He says, “Eliminating wheat is the easiest and most effective step you can take to safeguard your health and trim your waistline. An interesting fact: Whole wheat bread (glycemic index 72) increases blood sugar as much as or more than table sugar, or sucrose (glycemic index 59). So, when I was devising a strategy to help my overweight, diabetes-prone patients reduce blood sugar most efficiently, it made sense to me that the quickest and simplest way to get results would be to eliminate the foods that caused their blood sugar to rise most profoundly, in other words, not sugar, but wheat.”

Davis also states,” Whether it’s for convenience, taste, or in the name of “health,” Americans have become helpless wheataholics, with per capita annual consumption of wheat products (white and wheat bread, durum pasta) having increased by 26 pounds since 1970. If national wheat consumption is averaged across all Americans – babies, children, teenagers, adults, the elderly – the average American consumes 133 pounds of wheat per year. (Note that 133 pounds of wheat flour is equal to approximately 200 loaves of bread, a bit more than half a loaf of bread per day). Nobody becomes diabetic by gorging on too much kale. But plenty of people develop diabetes because of too many muffins, bagels, breakfast cereals, pancakes, waffles, pretzels, crackers, cakes, cupcakes, croissants, donuts and pies.”

With rates of diabetes, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), colitis, celiac and cancer going through the roof and increasing every day, isn’t it time we started to make some serious changes to our diets?

More Healthy Recipes:

More on Gluten-Free:

Recipe for a Fresh Homemade Tomato Mexican Salsa

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This is a recipe that everyone loves! If you are in the middle of a fresh summer tomato bliss, this is the perfect recipe to use a lot of deliciously ripe tomatoes. You can either make this salsa mild or spicy, depending on your taste. If you make it for a party, you can easily make half of the recipe spicy and the other half with no jalapenos – that way everyone can have a taste.

Add this salsa to a salad, or serve with fresh cut veggies or raw flax crackers

I love to make this Mexican salsa for my family when I am home in the US, and even though they are not into the raw food diet, they still love this dish. You can serve it with fresh chopped cucumbers, raw crackers, or even roll into mini-tortillas with fresh lettuce leaves, salsa and julienne-cut carrot, celery and zucchini. There are many ways to serve and enjoy!

Raw Food Recipe: Fresh Tomato, Onion and Cilantro Mexican Salsa

  • 8-10 large ripe fresh tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1 – 1/2 large white onions, diced
  • 10 cloves fresh garlic, minced
  • 1 cucumber, peeled and finely chopped
  • 2 stalks of celery, diced
  • 3/4 – 1 cup fresh cilantro (coriander) leaves, chopped
  • 5-6 fresh limes, squeezed
  • 4 Tbsp. raw apple cider vinegar
  • Dash Organic Cayenne Pepper to taste
  • Dash Organic Cumin Powder to taste
  • Himalayan Salt to taste (about 1/2 tsp.)

Chop and dice all ingredients and mix everything well in a large bowl. Season with more cayenne pepper or salt as needed. It’s best to sit overnight and let the ingredients marinate; but as a minimum try to let sit for at least 2 hours before serving. Optional ingredients below can also be added.

Optional:
1 fresh jalapeno, diced or
5-6 pickled jalapeno slices, diced
2 Tbsp. raw honey

Raw Food Yummy Salsa!

Tomatoes are naturally high in lycopene, a type of anti-oxidant that helps to break down free radical damage in the cells. Garlic and onion and natural sulfur (cleansing) foods and have anti-parastitic, anti-viral and ant-fungal effects. Raw apple cider vinegar is excellent for digestion. Cayenne Pepper helps to strengthen the heart and circulation and is naturally cleansing for the liver. Eating delicious raw food recipes with family and friends is a great way to enjoy healthy food together and also share some of your raw food lifestyle!

Mexican Salsa Bliss!

Cilantro is known to be a natural chelator and is very good for removing heavy metal toxicity from the body. Fresh limes are great for alkalizing the pH, aiding in digestion and reducing any build-up from acid wastes.

Preparing food fresh and in it’s raw form gives you all of the best nutrients and of course will taste far better than anything in a jar or can! All-in-all this fresh salsa is extremely healthy and cleansing for the body, and is also a great choice for anyone currently on a detox diet.

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How to Make Fresh Sprouts at Home

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Sprouting your own nuts and seeds is so easy and it’s a great way to really get connected back to the growing power of your food. Sprouts provide an excellent plant-based source of protein year-round and when you make them at home, you can eat them as short or as long as you like. They are also extremely affordable for those of you who are trying to add more raw foods to your diet but have a limited budget to spend on raw food.

Mung Bean and Lentil Sprouts: Raw, Vegan Live Food!

Fresh sprouts only require some water and a nice, mold-free environment to grow. I usually recommend starting with mung beans, lentils, wheat seeds, quinoa, alfalfa seeds or radish seeds for beginnings. These sprouts are all very easy to grow and will build up your confidence to later try things like pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, mustard seeds, sesame seeds and garbanzo beans. Keep in mind that when sprouting lentils, you need to buy whole beans (not halves).

Fresh Lentil Sprouts: Full of proteins, enzymes & fiber

You can add sprouts to salads or raw soups for a nice garnish and added ‘crunchy’ texture. You can also make an afternoon snack using a few different types of sprouts and simply sprinkle with cayenne pepper, extra virgin olive oil and some sea salt. They are delicious! Be careful not to eat too many sprouts at one time as they can cause excessive gas, especially if your system is not used to them.

The real benefits of eating sprouts are that they are not only high in protein but they are also a great source of enzymes. All natural, not in any pill or supplement!

Mung Bean Sprouts: Add a small handful to salads for a fresh, crunchy texture

I recommend using 100% cotton bags for sprouting because they allow air-flow into the sprouts and they are designed to not have any standing water, which can often be a problem when using jars or sprouting trays. The bags only require a quick rinse with water 2-3 times per day, and in just a few days, you will see your sprouts happily growing! When I first looked online for cotton sprout bags, I was disappointed to only find nylon bags being sold, so I decided to have my own made! I now have them available for sale at the Healthy Bliss store!

The bags that I sell include a complete set of instructions for both sprouting and for using cotton bags to make your own nut and seed milks.

The instructions for sprouting are:
    Soak overnight (8-10 hours) in a glass jar, using 2/3 beans to 1/3 water.
    Empty beans or seeds in the sprouting bag and rinse well with water. Rinse until the water runs clear.
    Hang moist bag in your kitchen or in a dry place (away from windows and direct sunlight).
    Rinse bag with fresh water 2-3 times per day.
    Check for readiness after 1 day. When at desired length, put entire bag in the refrigerator and continue to rinse one time daily.

The following are some yummy sprout recipes from the book Ann Wigmore’s Recipes for Longer Life. There is so much you can do with fresh sprouts – get creative, have fun and enjoy!

Recipe for Alfalfa & Avocado Salad (For 2 – 4)
    3 Cups Alfalfa Sprouts
    1 Avocado
    1 Tomato
    1 Stalk Celery
    2 – 4 Tablespoons Minced Onion
    1 Teaspoon each : Cayenne Pepper, Kelp

Mash the avocado with folk, and chop tomato. Put both in blender and process for 4 – 5 seconds, just until both are mixed together. Put the other ingredients in a serving bowl and pour the sauce over all.

Variations : Instead of blending, cube the avocado and tomato, and use a different sauce to dress the salad.

Recipe for Complete Protein Salad Snack (For 1)
    1 Cup Wheat Sprouts
    1 Cup Chick Pea Sprouts
    2 Tablespoons Minced Parsley
    1 Teaspoon Vegetable Seasoning (Cayenne Pepper, Cumin and/or Chili Powder)
    1 Teaspoon Kelp
    3 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
    1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

Mix the sprouts together with the minced parsley and seasoning. Pour the liquids over all.

2 Sprout Nut Seed Milk Cotton Bags + eBook – Raw Food Cooking
$15.99

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Spirulina: 60% Complete Vegetable Protein Green Superfood

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Superfoods are getting more and more popular these days, and it can start to get overwhelming to decide which ones you need and what is most important to add to the diet. Without a doubt, spirulina is a superfood that I would definitely recommend because it has so many nutritional benefits, it’s easily available and it’s not that expensive. What more could you ask!

Spirulina Superfood

Spirulina is a blue-green algae that grows in fresh water. It is cultivated, dried and sold either in powder, tablet, capsule or even ‘crunchy’ form. You can easily add the powder to your daily smoothie, but if you prefer you can simply take one tablet daily.

Dr. Morton Walker in his book The Chelation Way, explains the nutritional benefits of spirulina:

‘This fresh water algae has the highest conversion rate to sunlight – 8% – as compared to other plants (3 to 5 percent). Thus, spirulina brings you the most potent form of nutritional benefits derived from photosynthesis of the sun’s light. It is a complete vegetable protein and is the source of practically all the vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes, trace elements, cell salts and chlorophyll your body needs for almost perfect nutrition.

Essential minerals in spirulina include iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc, potassium and others. It also contain B complex, especially B-12, so that spirulina could be an important food supplement for vegetarians. One tablespoon has one and a half more niacin than a half-cup serving of brown rice. This plant is so packed with power, in fact, that the authority says you could actually live on just two to three tablespoons a day. It is concentrated nutrition.’

According to the nutritional information supplied by Spirulina Planet, ‘Spirulina has 60% easy-to-digest complete vegetable protein without the fat and cholesterol of meat. Spirulina is also the richest source of natural beta carotene, ten times more concentrated than in carrots. It is also the richest source of B-12, richer than beef liver!’

Spirulina is known to be an excellent source of iron. If that wasn’t enough, it’s also a very good source of chlorophyll, known to be a natural cleanser for the blood and a natural detoxifier.

If you are already making a daily fruit or green smoothie, it’s very easy to add 1-5 grams (1 Tbsp. is ok) to your smoothie. A simple recipe would be:

Green Smoothie with Spirulina

In a blender, blend:
2 cups water
1 handful fresh spinach
1 medium banana
3 fresh peaches or nectarines, cut into slices (no seeds)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp. spirulina powder

Spirulina Crunch

One of my favorite ways to enjoy spirulina is in the ‘crunch’ form. You can find these at spirulinaplanet.com or online at different raw food websites. It is so delicious and the crunch doesn’t have any ‘pond scum’ taste.

My friend Anita Cheung at i-detox.com showed me how to make a great trail mix using the spirulina crunch. She mixes dried goji berries, raw pumpkin seeds, cacao nibs and spirulina crunch for a superfood snack extravaganza. My preference is to mix dried raisins, dried goji berries, raw pumpkin seeds and spirulina crunch. Yum! What a great snack to take on the road for the day or while traveling! Just a little bit fills you up too!

I also like to sprinkle some spirulina crunch to salads occasionally just for something different.

If you decide to use spirulina powder, you can add 1 Tbsp. to a sweet fruit smoothie and the taste is usually hidden. An example is 1 Tbsp. spirulina, 1 cup fresh pineapple, 1 banana, 1/4 cup fresh strawberries, 1 cup water, 2 Tbsp. ground flax seed blended in a blender.

You can even add spirulina to plants or home vegetable garden as a way to mineralize the soil and give more nutrients to the plant. Once a month, add 1 tsp. or 1 spirulina tablet to the soil near the base of the plant. Water the plant or garden normally.

Imagine all the good you are doing for your body just by adding this one superfood to your diet. Your body will thank you with more energy and power to get you through a healthy raw food day!

More on Green Smoothies:

How to Make Kombucha, a Naturally Fermented Health Drink

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Kombucha is considered to be a health drink because it contains natural bacterias that can help replenish the bacterial balance in the colon. The kombucha itself is the yeast/bacteria combination which is formed into what is called a ‘SCOBY’ or Symbiotic Colony of Yeast and Bacteria. The SCOBY looks like a slimy pancake; some people refer to it as the ‘mother.’

All information in this article is for educational purposes only.
It is not for the diagnosis, treatment, prescription or cure of any disease or health condition.

GT Kombucha

The ‘mother’ kombucha culture is what is used to make your own kombucha batches at home, in the same way that people brew their own beer. The kombucha drink will also become ‘fizzy’ when fermented, but the alcohol content is extremely minimal.

You can start your own kombucha culture by buying a container of GT Kombucha Drink from any WholeFoods store. Drink enough of the liquid to leave about 1/4 inside the glass; leave out at room temperature with the cap off but covered in cloth. In about one week, you will see your very own SCOBY pancake floating on top and you are ready to start fermenting!

All of the details on how to make your own Kombucha at home are detailed in the above video, filmed at my friend’s organic farm in Maui, Hawaii. Here is a brief set of directions which I received when I purchased my SCOBY online through Dom’s Kefir Grains:

Directions for Kombucha:

1. Prepare tea with 4 teaspoons of conventional loose tea or 4 teabags in 4 cups of boiling water. Steep for 5 minutes. (Green tea, black tea or a combination is suitable).

2. Strain tea in an 8-cup glass jar and dissolve 1/3 cups sugar (either raw sugar or organic refined white sugar).

3. Let sweetened tea cool to room temperature, then pour kombucha ‘mother’ with the solution in which she was stored.

4. Place a clean cloth or paper napkin over the mouth of the jar and secure in place with an elastic rubber band.

5. Ferment, leaving undisturbed, for 7-12 days at room temperature range of 19C – 25C (66F – 79F).

6. Strain kombucha tea and repeat the whole process.

As for how much kombucha to drink daily to enjoy it’s health benefits, I would recommend about 1-2 cups per day or 250ml- 500ml daily. It’s a nice refreshing drink to enjoy on a hot day, and the natural bacteria will help with digestion and even can help stimulate the bowels, thus avoiding constipation. Kombucha can help lessen any overgrowth of candida and is good for anyone suffering from intestinal parasites. If you are addicted to pop or soft drinks, and are looking for a fizzy drink that is still considered healthy, kombucha is the drink for you.

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Featured Superfood – Green Powder Blend Vitamineral Greens

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High-Quality Organic is a ‘must’ with Superfoods!

Did you know that low quality superfoods can legally use cheap ‘fillers’ and low quality ingredients? Especially when buying Superfoods, beware of low quality green food products. There is not currently a lot of regulation on these powders. Many superfood companies are taking advantage of that, offering high-priced products with lots of cheap fillers and very small amounts of pure ingredient. Watch for added fillers such as rice powder, bran, oats, apple pectin, barley malt, large amounts of lecithin or added sugar. This is an example of when 100% organic really does make a difference. Be sure your superfood is 100% certified organic!

Vitamineral Greens Powder Superfood

I recommend Health Force Nutritionals Vitamineral Green as an all-over high-mineral high-quality superfood to add to your Green Smoothies. The quality is superb – 100% TruGanic (beyond organic), 100% pure Super foods. Nothing added, No fillers, not Diluted. No synthetics. Just like we like it! You don’t have to be Raw or Vegan to experience the benefits of this product.

A green powder blend is a great addition to any diet because it helps you to build your mineral reserve, increases the variety of green you are getting on a daily basis, provides extra chlorophyll in the diet, adds a good source of vegan protein and helps to maintain a healthy alkaline pH.

Some people even claim to have a reduction in sugar cravings when adding high-mineral green powder blend to their diet. Read this testimonial:

‘I have used this product with great results. After one week using 1 tablespoon per day, I noticed a huge drop in cravings. I didn’t crave sweets or junk. I was just simply not hungry. This can probably be attributed to high mineral content within the product. I have read that constant food cravings are related to mineral deficiencies. Maybe its mind over matter. Either way it works.’

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Raw Food, Vegan and Organic Options in Seoul, Korea

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There is hope. You can find some healthy restaurants and vegan, organic foods in Korea. Hopefully this guide will help get you started.

Loving Hut Mushroom Salad

For a healthy vegan restaurant, be sure to check out the Loving Hut. They have a nice green salad which is all raw, and 2 mushroom salads which are not raw but I do recommend that you give them a try. According to their mission statement, they put loving intention into their food. I’m going to honest and say that I don’t think they are MSG-free, so watch out for those vegan sausages, soy proteins and other flavored faux meats. The Loving Hut also sells some vegan cakes, vegan bread, vegan ice cream and some organic body products too. There are locations throughout South Korea and many in the Seoul area.

The Loving Hut
http://lovinghut.kr
Locations throughout Seoul (check website)

Cafe des Verts, Seoul

If you are looking for organic coffee, there are a few options. One is Cafe des Verts in Gangnam-gu. They have organic coffee to enjoy in the cafe but also sell it to take home. 18,000 KRW will get you 200 grams of organic coffee from either Colombia, Ethiopia or Brazil.

On their online shop, they have the organic coffee and also many organic teas for sale including Organic Blueberry Rooibos Tea. Remember, if you are doing coffee enemas, you absolutely should be using organic coffee!

Cafe des Verts
http://www.verts.co.kr/
2F Donghoon Tower, Gangnam-gu (check website for other locations)

Another place for organic coffee in Seoul is the Cafe Il Cipriana in the Jongno-gu area. This is a quiet little cafe tucked just off the main road, and they sell all organic coffee, smoothies, salads and panini sandwiches.

Cafe Il Capriani
10-6 Gahoe-dong, Jongno-gu
+82 (0) 2 762 5825

Organic Veggie Store

Between the Angsuk Station Exit 2 and Cipriana, I found another Organic Store selling fresh produce and some products. The produce looked very good and I would definitely recommend that, but the packaged items they sell were a bit of a mix, and many of them are things which I would not ‘approve’ as healthy. Just an example to not trust all items in a shop because the sign outside says ‘organic.’ Look for hidden sugars and MSG for sure. They did have Olive Leaf Extract though which I highly recommend as a natural anti-biotic and immune booster.

If you are looking for supplements, try the Noble Shop. They have flax oil capsules, vegan B12 tablets and Evening Primrose Oil amongst other things. They also carry some good body products, including the ‘Kiss my Face’ line, Lamas Beauty and an entire range of make-up products that were not tested on animals. On their website, I even found a Garden of Life at-home Detox Kit called ‘Raw Cleanse’ for 70,000 KRW!

The Noble Shop in Korea
http://veganshop.co.kr/

Hansalim store in Seoul

Another good resource for organic body and home products and also organic fruit and veggies is the Hansalim Store. They probably have the best prices of all of the places I visited, so I highly recommend them. The only catch is that you have to be a member to buy there, and I think you need to be a permanent resident of Korea. So try to find someone who can sign up for you – it will be well worth it. They do home delivery for members and you can also order from their website.

Hansalim
http://www.hansalim.or.kr/
Many locations throughout South Korea (check website)

Don’t forget that in normal supermarkets throughout Seoul you can buy buckwheat noodles for just 5,000 KRW. This is a great alternative to wheat for anyone cooking at home.

Finally, a new service has just recently been launched in Seoul and that is fresh organic fruits and vegetables home delivery service. This I highly recommend – I mean, how could they make it any easier?! The project is called Veggie Hill, and they work with local farmers outside of Seoul to get the best quality fruit and veggies. You can order by email, phone or online.

Veggie Hill
http://veggiehill.com/
010 2781 0772

For information on yoga classes, healthy events and to buy Himalayan Salt Crystal Lamps, check out the Mind, Body Seoul Studio in Itaewon.

More on Traveling Raw:

Raw Food Recipe – Delicious Waldorf Salad

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WALDORF SALAD Recipe – Vegan & Raw (serves 2)

Yummy Recipe for Raw Food Salad: Waldorf Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 apples (any style)
  • 3 celery stalks
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins, ideally soaked for 2-3 hours (can replace with dried cranberries as well)
  • 2 cups fresh chopped pineapple or 2 cups green grapes (sliced into halves) or 4 kiwi fruit (peeled and chopped)
  • 1 1/2 cup dried walnuts
  • 1/4 cup fresh green onion (chives) finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh grated carrot

Dressing:

Blend together in a Blender or Mini-Food Processor:

  • 3-4 walnuts
  • 1 Tablespoon sweet mustard (or 1 tsp. dried mustard seeds)
  • 2 Tablespoons organic raw apple cider vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons organic extra virgin olive oil (or less)
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons raw honey or 2 soft dates
  • 1 teaspoon Himalayan salt
  • A few Tablespoons of water – to get the consistency you want. (Alternatively you can add some pineapple and apple chunks into the blender)

A delicious raw food lunch!

Toss salad ingredients with your homemade dressing before serving.

This can be eaten as a healthy, filling breakfast or a nice tasty lunch. If you want to serve for dinner, you could serve the salad on a bed of romaine lettuce, just for good presentation.

Note: In this recipe, I don’t soak the walnuts. Their taste is better enjoyed when crunchy, not soft. Of course, you can always do what feels best for you! Enjoy!!

More Healthy Recipes:

Organic Vegetarian Food & Raw Restaurant in Dubai, UAE

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Organic Supermarket & Cafe

Yes! You can be healthy in Dubai…I saw it for myself on a recent trip there! My first stop was at the Organic Foods & Cafe, a cafe and health food store. I was very impressed to see a good selection of organic fruit and veggies and not overly expensive for Dubai. Try the organic mandarin oranges – wow, so delcious! The supermarket has a good selection of superfoods, supplements, vegan foods, gluten-free items, grains, seeds, nuts and vegetarian products.

The Organic Foods & Cafe has 2 locations: the Dubai Mall and the Greens. The Cafe has a nice selection of salads and juices in addition to some vegetarian foods as well. They have a delivery menu for pizza. I asked them if it was possible to order other menu items for delivery and they said ‘yes,’ so don’t be afraid to ask!

More info at organicfoodsandcafe.com. Dubai Mall, Lower Ground Floor: 04-4340577. Greens:04-3617974.

In the Dubai Mall, I also managed to find Juice Master, a fresh juice bar that serves juices, smoothies and wheatgrass shots. Try JM’s ‘Dreamy Detox’ juice, made from apple, celery, cucumber, ginger and lemon. Finish that with some fresh wheatgrass, and wow…you’ll be ready for the Burj Khalifa (the world’s tallest building)! Jason Vale, otherwise known as the ‘Juice Master,’ is the UK’s best-selling author on juicing and health.

Find out more at juicemaster.com. Dubai Mall: Lower Ground Floor.

Magnolia Cafe, Dubai UAE

My favorite stop in Dubai was at the Magnolia Cafe in the Madinat Jumeirah Resort. Magnolia is not exclusively raw; it does have cooked vegetarian dishes on the menu.

Every selection is labeled with a V (vegan), N (contains nuts), R (raw) and/or O (diabetic friendly). Gluten-free items are also available upon request. For those reasons, Magnolia is a great choice for anyone with food intolerances or allergies. Be sure to call ahead if you have special dietary requests.

Magnolia at Madinat Jumeirah

The prices at Magnolia immediately make you remember you are in Dubai, so don’t expect any bargains. But, if you are looking for some gourmet, well-presented raw food dishes, then you won’t be disappointed.

For vegetarians, Magnolia offers cooking classes by Chef Gaby. She offers a class called ‘Rich Flavors – Low Fat’ with Asparagus Jelly, Datterini Tomato Broth, Biarritz Stuffed Baby Peppers and Summer Pudding with Lavender.

Magnolia Cafe is only open for dinner and closed on Tuesdays. For more information, go to jumeirah.com. Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates: 4-366-8888.

Beach Yoga in Dubai

While at the Madinat Jumeirah, be sure to try their Yoga Class on the beach.

It’s a relaxing, beautiful and natural setting right on the beach with a full view of the sea and Burj Al Arab in the distance. The class is one-hour Hatha and Astanga infusion and it’s within the private beach of the resort. They have sunrise and sunset classes, and also offer a 90-minute full moon yoga class.

When you enter the hotel, go to the Talise Spa to register; from there you can either take a buggy or walk to the beach.

Contact 4-366-6818 or go to their website for more details.

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Rasayana Raw Food Vegan Restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand – Yum!

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Rasayana Retreat, Bangkok

Rasayana Retreat, Bangkok

I’ve just got to tell you guys about this amazing restaurant in case you didn’t know, yes there is a 100% raw food restaurant in Bangkok – Rasayana Retreat, just off of Sukhumvit Soi 39 near the Emporium Shopping Mall. It is well worth the trip.

Raw Thai Pasta

Raw Thai Pasta

They have great juices, soups, salads, mains and desserts – all at very reasonable prices.

My favorites are the Hawaiian Pizza, the Thai Pasta, the Thai Lemongrass (Tom Kha) Soup and the Strawberry cake, just to name a few.

The Thai pasta noodles are made from strips of coconut flesh and zucchini; the sauce is made fresh using tomato, beet root, chili, garlic, ginger, raisins, macadamia nuts and kaffir lime leaf. It’s a must-try for raw food visitors to Thailand!

Always something new to try!

Always something new to try!

The Tom Kha soup is a blended raw soup made with coconut water, coconut flesh, lemongrass, galangal, lime, kaffir lime leaves, avocado, miso and salt to taste. Wow!

You’ve gotta taste it to experience it for yourself! They offer daily specials as well.

Nice healthy outdoor setting

Nice healthy outdoor setting

Best of all is they do great takeaways, so what I normally do is go there on my last night in Bangkok and order takeaways for my long flights, that way I have beautiful fresh raw food for my plane journey. They give you all the salad dressings in separate containers and I’ve never had a problem taking any of it on the plane.

Rasayana also some yummy raw snacks for sale like Macadamia Nut Bread, Raw Brownies, Raw Donuts, Beet Root Cookies and Seed Bars, so stock up while you’re there!

You can find healthy food in Bangkok 🙂 Let’s all support Rasayana so they stay around for a long time to come!

To get to Rasayana Raw Food Vegan Vegetarian Restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand, take the sky train to Phrom Prom station, and exit towards Soi 39. From Soi 39, you can take a tuk tuk taxi directly to Rasayana for 30 Baht. It’s about a 5-minute ride or a 15-minute walk.

Tell the manager, Norah Jones, that J.lo from Koh Samui sent you 🙂

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Great Quotes from Fred Bisci, a 100% raw food vegan for over 45 years!

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Jennifer with Fred Bisci in Perth, Australia

Jennifer with Fred Bisci in Perth, Australia

‘Wherever you’re at, you’ve got to make the commitment that you want to change.’

‘Most diseases begin with inflammation.’

‘A lot of people who wrote these books were not doing it themselves.’

‘Dairy products won’t do anything for you. They are not conducive to good health.’

‘We all have influence on our genetic expression through the power of our thoughts.’

‘There is a real problem with our perception of protein. We must realize that there are quality proteins in greens.’

‘Cells can speak to each other.’

‘The thoughts we entertain become a reality.’

‘Every time I see someone who looks exceptionally good, I say here’s my chance to learn something, and I ask them what they are doing.’

‘DNA is not destiny.’

‘Green juices are the Great Neutralizer.’

‘Don’t expect others to change their lives to accommodate what you’re doing.’

‘Live together with those not living our lifestyle. You don’t have to save or convert them. You don’t have to convince them for your own ego. There is more to life than what you are eating! Don’t talk about food all the time because it’s boring, and you will turn people off! You might think you know something about another person, but you don’t.’

‘I am grateful every day when I wake up and my name is not in the obituary that I have another day to go out and do what I love.’

‘We can change the world, one person at a time. I believe we have a Divine destiny. We can do this.’

‘Coffee is a disaster.’

‘I don’t think about food much anymore. My most important connection is my spiritual relationship with the Divine.’

‘I view myself as an instrument of fulfillment for other people, and we can heal people more not by talking about what they eat but by focusing on unconditional love – that is how we can heal the world.’

‘I am personally an 80-year old planning my future.’

‘Don’t focus on circumstances, stay focused on where you are going, it’s all about your vision, where you want to go. Don’t take your eye off the ball!’

‘When you tell me you’re ready, then we go to the next level.’

Check out Fred’s book: Your Health Journey – Discovery Your Body’s Full Potential. It’s a great read!

More reflections from the Fred Bisci Australia Tour:

Fred Bisci Australia Tour 2009 in Perth – Raw Food Healthy Journey

Fred Bisci Raw Food Australia Tour 2009 in Perth – Fred Bisci Interview

More Video Interviews from the Fred Bisci Raw Food Seminar in Perth, Australia

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More Video Interviews from the Fred Bisci Raw Food Seminar in Perth, Australia

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So much inspiration and motivation and loving people at the seminar, thank you Perth and thanks to the raw food community who took me in and gave me a home during my stay, especially Rachan of Raw Hope, a non-profit group of local raw foodists who gather together for raw food pot lucks and picnics in the Perth area. Thanks Rachan, I miss that banana ice cream!!!

 


A sneak peek into a local Raw Foodie’s kitchen in Perth – see what he’s got un-cooking!

 


Yum-yum…free samples!!!

 


Check out the best part of any raw food seminar – LUNCH!

 


Meeting the local practitioners in Perth…

 

Check out Fred’s book: Your Health Journey – Discovery Your Body’s Full Potential. It’s a great read!

More reflections from the Fred Bisci Australia Tour:

Fred Bisci Australia Tour 2009 in Perth – Raw Food Healthy Journey

Fred Bisci Australia Tour 2009 in Perth – YouTube Clips

Great Quotes from Fred Bisci, a 100% raw food vegan for over 45 years!

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