From ruby red raspberries to earthy dumplings with a difference, raw vegan chef Ani Phyo shows small treats can have a big impact. Ani shares two of her favourite recipes with Diary of a Vegan from her new bestseller: Ani’s Raw Food Essentials (see book for full recipe details).

CUSTARD TARTLETS
MAKES ABOUT 6 TARTLETS

To make tartlets, which are traditionally small pastry crusts, divide and press Basic Piecrust into the compartments in a tartlet pan to make individual mini pies. These tiny pies are filled with Whipped Cashew Kream, and topped with a variety of fruits for a beautiful display.

1 recipe Basic Piecrust (page 263), made with almond meal

2 recipes Whipped Cashew Kream (page 266)

Your favorite small fruits for topping each tartlet, such as 1 blackberry, 3 blueberries, 1 raspberry, or cacao nibs

Line the compartments of a tartlet or multiple brioche pan with plastic wrap first, then press the piecrust firmly into the pan. Remove by gently lifting up the plastic wrap.

Next, spoon the whipped kream into each tartlet. Top each tartlet decoratively with one type of fruit or the cacao nibs.

Serve immediately, or keep in the fridge.

Will keep for 2 or 3 days in the fridge.

KOREAN DUMPLINGS
MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Traditionally, to make dumplings, a shredded vegetable filling is enclosed in a circular wrapper that’s folded over the filling. It’s easy to make, but making your filling, then stuffing all your wrappers, can take a bit of time. This is a fun thing to do with friends and kids, as extra sets of hands will speed up your process.

WRAPPERS

1 recipe Tomato Wrappers (page 173), dehydrated as directed, cut into 16 squares about 31⁄2 inches across

FILLING
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS

1⁄2 cup Green Cabbage Kimchi (page 131), squeezed dry and sliced finely

(if you don’t have kimchi handy, see note below)

3⁄4 cup finely chopped lettuce, such as iceberg, bok choy, or romaine

11⁄4 cups finely chopped bean sprouts, or your favorite sprout

2 tablespoons finely chopped green onion (about 1 whole green onion)

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, for flavor, or raw if you prefer

Place all the filling ingredients in a mixing bowl and toss to mix well. Squeeze out all excess liquid completely before using. Make sure the filling is drained well, otherwise your wrapper will get soggy quickly.

Place a wrapper square in the palm of your hand, shiny side up. (The side that dehydrated against the Paraflexx liner needs to be facing upward.) Scoop 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of your wrapper, and fold and seal a pocket in the shape of a triangle. Then fold so that the two far edges of the triangle meet, and pinch together. See Mandu Making, page 238.

Serve with Soy Vinegar Dipping Sauce (page 239).

KIMCHI SUBSTITUTE: If you don’t have kimchi on hand, use . cup of shredded napa cabbage tossed with . teaspoon of Nama Shoyu or Bragg Liquid Aminos, a pinch of cayenne (to taste), 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, and 1 teaspoon of grated ginger. Set aside to marinate and soften for at least 5 minutes before using. Be sure to squeeze out all excess liquid before using.

Mandu Making

TO MAKE YOUR mandu, follow these easy steps:

• Make sure your wrapper is shiny side up. The side that was against the Paraflexx liner should face upward.
• Squeeze all excess liquid from your filling, the drier the better. Any moisture will damage your wrappers.
• Spoon a tablespoon of filling into the center of your square wrapper.
• Fold the wrapper in half to form a triangle, sealing in the filling, and secure the edges closed by pressing firmly.
• Join the corners of your triangle and secure into a ring shape by squeezing together. A drop of water on the corners will help to hold it together if needed.

Alternatively, instead of using dehydrated wrappers, which can tend to get soggy when filled with moist fillings, use very thinly sliced daikon radish. Set out at room temperature for 30 minutes to wilt and soften, then fill and fold over into a stuffed semicircle.

Find out more at www.aniphyo.com. Buy your own copy of Ani’s Raw Food Essentials here.

What makes a goji berry more nutritionally potent that an apple? Why is chocolate a certified love potion? Nutritionist David Wolfe shares some of the most life-supporting foods on the planet…

What are the best five superfoods and their benefits?
I have selected 20 of the world’s best superfoods and described their history and benefits in my book: Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future. Here are five of my favorites:

Goji Berry
A complete protein source, #1 in the carotene Zeaxanthin (orange-red pigment that supports healthy eyes), sesquiterpenes that increase the natural production of human growth hormone, rich in beta-carotene and liver cleansing betaine, one of the highest antioxidants sources known, #1 in Chinese medicine, delicious.

Cacao (raw chocolate)
#1 antioxidant food in the world, #1 magnesium/chromium/iron/manganese, rich in tryptophan, serotonin, and the bliss chemical anandamide, loaded with PEA (love chemicals), low in caffeine, high in theobromine (heart support), known to extend life.

Maca
This super-root from the Andes is known to contain 20 trace minerals, 17 amino acids, hormone pre-cursors, thyroid supporting compounds, and some essential fatty acids. Maca increases vigor in all ages and acts as an aphrodisiac when the endocrine system is topped up with maca nutrients.

Bee Pollen (not vegan)
This superfood is composed of 22 amino acids with higher amounts of the 8 essential amino acids than most high protein foods. Bee pollen is rich in B-complex, vitamin C, D, E, lecithin, cysteine, RNA, DNA, good calcium, magnesium, beta carotene, and selenium. Bee pollen reduces the production of histamine and lowers the allergic response. Bee pollen improves beauty as it helps clear acne and reverses aging and wrinkling. Athletes take it to increase strength, endurance, energy and speed; quicker recovery from exercise; return heart rate to normal; and to improves endurance for repeat exertion.

Camu Berry
The camu berry is an excellent source of calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, the amino acids serine, valine and leucine, as well as small amounts of the vitamins thiamine, riboflavin and niacin. Traditionally, camu has been used to support the immune system, maintain excellent eyesight, ward off viral infections, support strong collagen, tendons, and ligaments and decrease inflammation.

What are the best five superherbs and their benefits?
I am writing a book on herbalism at the moment. Here are some of my current favorites. These favorites shift slightly with the seasons and my location, nevertheless, they are fantastic superherbs.

Reishi Mushroom (spirit mushroom)
A tremendous shen (heart and aura) building herb known to the Chinese for 5,000 years. It’s immune modulating and is a great liver support herb, a heart tonifying herb (great for high blood pressure), and an adaptogenic. Reishi is one of the great providers for well-being on Earth. Reishi is found in forests all over the world.

Asparagus Root
The root of common asparagus is considered one of the greatest superherbs in Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic Medicine. It nourishes the kidneys and lungs. It nourishes the sympathetic nervous system and builds bodily fluids. Asparagus root is a tonic, adrenal rejuvenator, anti-ulcerous and anti-inflammatory. The root of asparagus is also used in the treatment of nervous disorders, dyspepsia, diarrhea, dysentery, tumours, hyperdipsia, neuropathy and liver disease. This plant is reported to have immuno-modulating and antihepatotoxic and activities.

Chaga Mushroom
Perhaps the most powerful anti-cancer herb in the world. Chaga is the highest antioxidant food/herb substance in the temperate regions of the world. Its extraordinary concentration of non-polar polysaccharides as well as betulinic acid have been cited as the major source of its immune modulating activities. Chaga has anti-inflammatory properties. Chaga tea is my favorite tea of all time.

Pau D’Arco (Lapacho)
This delicious tree bark from the Amazon and jungles of Central America contains powerful anti-fungal compounds. Pau d’Arco effectively fights fungal infections such as candida as well as cancer. This bark reduces fevers, assists in healing ulcers and is also used for venereal and rheumatic disorders. It is especially useful for fungal and viral skin disorders — especially eczema and herpes. Lapacho multiplies the body’s production of red blood cells. Pau d’Arco tea is often combined with an anti-viral superherb Una da Gato (Cat’s Claw).

Ho Shou Wu (Fo-Ti)
This prepared root nourishes and tonifies the kidneys, liver, and the blood. It is a hair restoring tonic (fights baldness). This root builds and replenishes kidney, adrenal, and sexual energy as well as increases fertility. This longevity tonic contains antioxidants that help produce the super enzyme SOD (super-oxide dismutase).

Are raw foods, superfoods, superherbs and spring water only for some types of people? Vegetarians for example.
Everyone can benefit from raw foods, superfoods, superherbs, and spring water including vegetarians, vegans, omnivores, and carnivores. As a point of reference, due to the danger of consuming animal products created by poor quality control, antibiotics, growth hormones, animal diseases such as Mad Cow, Hoof and Mouth, Blue Tongue, chicken cancers, etc, as well as greed, animal products are becoming less and less reliable sources of protein or any nutrition at all. Raw foods, superfoods, superherbs, and living spring water represent clean, safe, controllable resources for the food choices of the future.

Are these foods and herbs suitable for children?
Yes. Raw plant foods, superfoods, and superherbs are suitable for children. Certainly they are more appropriate for children than pesticide-sprayed canned baby foods, soy formulas, candy, breakfast cereals, factory-farmed meat, fish, and chicken products, and other heavily processed food items sold via marketing campaigns to parents and children. Consider the simplicity of a child eating an avocado, lettuce, an apple, blueberries, almonds, pumpkin seeds, etc. Children stand to benefit greatly from the addition of raw, organic plant foods, fresh juices, superfoods, superherbs (i.e. immune modulating medicinal mushrooms such as reishi, chaga, maitake, agaricus, shiitake, etc.) in their diet.

Who is it suitable for and for whom absolutely not?
I recommend 80% raw and organic plant foods in one’s diet, because this approach is relatively easy to attain for most people over a period of several years. This is, in fact, good enough for everyone to experience excellent improvements in their health. Those with sensitivity to fiber (cellulose found in vegetables) due to metabolism or a history of Crone’s disease need to make appropriate adjustments with the types of raw foods they are eating. All of us should be careful with ingesting too much sugar (fruit).

All of us can find benefits in drinking fresh celery juice. Raw berries are great for nearly every type of metabolism. Raw chocolate is wonderful for celebration, yet inappropriate for those with chocolate allergies or neurotic behaviors and addictions. Superherbs such as medicinal mushrooms (i.e. reishi, chaga, maitake, agaricus, shiitake, lion’s mane, cordyceps, etc.) are great for immune system nutrition.  Living spring water is excellent for folks looking to expand consciousness.

The point is: there is something in raw food, superfoods, superherbs, and living spring water for everyone. Especially in the beginning, eating 80-100% raw food is inappropriate for some people due to many reasons, including: being excessively thin, having very poor mineralization (poor teeth and bones), being too alkaline, and other extreme “vata” (Ayurvedic thin, nervous body type) conditions.

Is it easy or difficult to make? What do you have to take in consideration?
Start consuming superfoods such as cacao, maca, goji berry, marine phytoplankton, etc in a super smoothie every day. Simply replace heavily processed protein powders with real foods — superfoods! Take superherbs as deep nourishment and medicine. Drink fresh vegetable juice (celery based) whenever possible. Reduce cooked foods to one item per meal. Eat that meal with an organic salad.
Take raw, uncooking classes and/or read raw recipe books and find out how to make lasagnas, pizzas, breads, sauces, pates, desserts, and all kinds of other treats without cooking and without side effects.

Have fun with your food again. Discover natural highs. Go organic. End GMOs (Genetically modified organisms or Frankenfoods).
Avoid factory farmed animal products immediately — that means avoiding just about all animal products on the market today.
As fast as you can, slow down fast fooding. Fast food is completely toxic to a consciousness of abundance.

Is it easy to maintain, keep going?
Any of the superfoods and superherbs can be added into anyone’s diet. Simply discover the ones you like and stick with them. Get out a blender and make entirely new types of shakes, smoothies, and beverages out of superfoods. Make all kinds of teas with the herbs. Better yet, take your superherb tea and blend it with superfoods. Throw some raw berries in there and everybody is happy. Interestingly, superfoods and superherbs meet and exceed all our protein requirements, our vitamin and mineral requirements, glyconutrient (essential polysaccharide sugar) requirements, essential fatty acid requirements, immune system requirements, and so much more!

Superfoods can be (and should be) consumed raw because 150 years of research has now demonstrated that living, raw food is superior in vitamin content, enzymes, co-enzymes, usable protein, usable minerals, glyconutrients, and many other elements of nutrition. Additionally, raw food is natural. Raw is how Nature provides us with food.

Can you integrate it in a more traditional cooking way of life or do you have to go all the way?
By eating raw foods, one learns how to cook better. For example, one learns how to sprout beans first, then cook them, providing even more nutrition. Also, one learns the importance of eating salads with cooked foods. Another factor that raw foods teach us is simplicity. One learns how to eat simply and graciously. Cooking with raw coconut oil (which is resistant to rancidity and oxidation) can radically transform one’s favorite dishes. Raw coconut oil is even better to cook with than olive oil.

How can you make the transition the most easy? What disadvantages can you come across?
I have found the best way for people to eat raw food, superfoods, and superherbs is to add them to their diet without feeling like they are being deprived. I especially advocate fresh vegetable juices and superfood smoothies daily. Once people see how good they feel, then they naturally want to explore deeper.
Remember: the law of attraction is constantly at work. We can attract health and healthy foods into our life. My goal is to eat “the best food ever” — so I attract this all the time into my life. You can too. This is the power of a decision.

Is there any advantage in going raw for one day a week or does it do nothing?
Any amount of organic raw food helps! Any amount of superfoods and superherbs is better than none.
What we eat helps to guide our path. Eating determines what level of health our body will experience. Every bite of food put into the body should add to our strength, spirituality, and beauty. Each meal becomes part of who we are at the deepest level. A day of eating raw foods or a week or two of a raw-foods detox can do wonders for everyone. Consuming tonic superherbs does wonders to restore our immune system to a state of optimum vitality and health.

What about raw chocolate? Some more explanation?
People always ask me what I eat. Raw, organic cacao beans (raw chocolate nuts) are a wonderful part of my diet. Cacao is the superfood of the future. Cacao beans are truly the food of the gods; the best food ever! What is cacao? Cacao is the seed (nut) of a fruit of an Amazonian tree that was brought to Central America during or before the time of the Olmecs. Cacao beans were so revered by the Mayans, Toltecs, Mixtecs, and Aztecs that they used them as money!

The raw cacao bean is one of nature’s most fantastic superfoods due to its mineral content (magnesium, iron, chromium, phosphorus, manganese, zinc, and copper) as well as due to its wide array of unique and varied properties including an extraordinary content of: antioxidants, PEA, anandamide, and soluble fiber. Research has conclusively demonstrated that people who eat chocolate live longer and are less likely to experience a heart attack.

Since many of the special properties of cacao are destroyed or lost by cooking, refining, and processing, we feel that planet Earth’s favorite food is still unknown to most of us. Now we get to reconnect with the power of real, original, natural, dark, raw chocolate (no sugar, no additives). You can read more about the world’s greatest food in my book, Naked Chocolate.

Article reprinted with the permission of ECOLUXE magazine. Conscious Living—Luxurious Style.

I discovered vegan chef Christy Morgan on Twitter and instantly fell in love with her philosophy and her food. I asked the LA-based veganista, who has whipped up dishes for the likes of Alicia Silverstone, to share her journey, insights and one of her fave recipes…

How did you become the Blissful Chef?

I’ve been studying plant-based nutrition for about eight years and teaching for four. I came up with the name “The Blissful Chef” as a way to brand myself and create an image that people will remember. The name fits me well, because to feel bliss is to experience true happiness and spiritual joy. My life, business, teachings, blog, and whole existence is all about spreading happiness and joy to others through food, and helping them access their bliss.

What inspires you?

In life, I’m inspired by all of my amazing friends that do what they are passionate about everyday and those who have dedicated their lives to saving animals. With cooking, I’m inspired by the changing seasons and the different produce that is available throughout the year. I love gardening, and find growing my own food to be a fascinating process. I’m also inspired by different cultures. Often times I just open the fridge, see what’s in there and whip something up.

Your fave raw vegan treats?

I love raw vegan desserts because they are made with wholesome ingredients and they are so rich that I only need a little to be satisfied. If I eat baked desserts, like Uncle Eddies cookies for instance, I can literally eat the whole bag in one sitting. I love raw chocolate, Earth Cafe pies, and my Heavenly Raw Chocolate Mousse.

If you could recommend one thing about veganism to someone who’s not, what would it be?

Eating a healthy, balanced, plant-based diet I feel is the best thing for our minds, bodies, spirits and for the planet. But if you can’t go whole hog overnight, then start by having two plant-based meals a day (or as much as you can). Slowly start transitioning the “good” things into your diet, like whole grains and dark leafy greens, then start taking away the not-so-good things (meat, dairy, sugar, alcohol, processed foods). I have some great tips on my blog for making the transition that are extremely helpful and realistic.

The 80/20 Rule
This is the only thing that keeps me sane and not OCD about my diet. If you can eat super healthy 80% of the time, you can let yourself be a little naughty 20% of the time. Hold on now, I’m not talking about having hamburger and fries for that 20%, but if you are at a party or want to go out to dinner with your friends you can have something fried or a piece of cake with frosting. I don’t compromise as far as eating only vegan foods, but sometimes I do eat sugar or have more oil than I’d like to when I eat out. I’m human too! I just have a rule that at home I’m making the healthiest food possible, with wholesome organic ingredients, no oil and no sugar. That way I can relax when I go out with friends.

It doesn’t serve you or your health to be fanatical about your diet. But it is the most important tool that you have for creating optimal health free of physical pain and mental suffering. Your food choices will affect everything in your life, so choose them well.

Check out The Blissful Chef blog for more ramblings from Christy Morgan, natural food chef and educator, who continues to study plant-based nutrition with the best in the field, has cooked for Alicia Silverstone, and continues to be sought out for her accessible approach to nutrition and holistic living.

Follow Christy on Twitter @TheBlissfulChef.

Avocado, Strawberry, & Grape Tomato Salad

Strawberries are the most popular berry in the world. They go great in salads and as a compliment to a savory dressing like Balsamic Vinaigrette like in this recipe.

1 head butter lettuce, leaves torn or chiffonade
2 avocados
1 medium carrot, thin julienne
10 grape tomatoes, quartered
6 strawberries, ends cut off and sliced
1 cup yellow pepper, thinly sliced
Pinch of pepper and sea salt

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
2-3 teaspoons maple syrup
¼-½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 clove fresh garlic, sliced (optional)

Preparation

Blend dressing ingredients in a blender or whisk by hand. Toss salad ingredients together with vinaigrette right before serving.

You just have to browse the web or your nearest book store to see the world is obsessed with dieting. Yet if statistics are accurate, we’re not just tipping the scales, we’re on our way to breaking them. It has taken many of us years of restrictions and meal replacements to figure it out: diets don’t work.

From calorie counting to cutting out carbs, a Pandora’s Box awaits those who still dare to follow the latest diet craze. Yet achieving and maintaining your ideal figure is actually more simple than what we’ve been lead to believe—and it comes with a bonus: vibrant health.

There is one major requirement that’s needed on this path to ultimate wellness and the body we’ve all dreamed of: taking full responsibility. Taking charge and becoming our own nutritionist and not relying on big business to deliver a magic bullet that is nothing more than body-disruptive chemicals dressed in drag.

Perhaps it’s an assumption to say most of us were taught the same stuff in school, none of which covered off real nutrition and how to actually apply it. Yet, the lesson of nutrition is one of the most important life lessons we can ever learn. We also weren’t taught that nourishing ourselves is actually fun and can lead us to a full, love-fuelled life. A nourished, healthy body results in clear thinking, more energy and, for many, a channel to the divine. No pill could ever compete with that.

Enter Lars Gustafsson: author, speaker, life and nutrition guide. Born in India to Canadian parents, he grew up living an authentic mix of tribal and western life. “This upbringing,” he says “created a balance between the scientific passion of the west and the ancient wisdom of the Far East.”

For 23 years, Lars has explored nutrition, fitness and healthy lifestyles. As founder of the BodyMind Institute—a global enlightened school of learning—he teaches that nutrition is so much more than just the food we eat. It’s the total way we nourish our mind and body.

In 2003, Lars introduced The BodyMind Nutrition Certification online programs to meet an emerging demand for true to life systems, formulas and programs, creating the opportunity for people everywhere to discover and pass on a nutrition and lifestyle process that creates a personal discovery of balance in body, mind and spirit.

“I believe in the scientific method, that there are natural laws that govern our physical universe … yet in these 23 years I have often found the ‘unexplainable’ happening all around me,” Lars says. “These have created questions which led me to find hard scientific data that hasn’t found it’s way into the mass media or awareness of the masses.”

“Over these years I found that I needed to personally experience something in order to accept it as fact.  In the end I have found that it is only through personal experience in the application of any information can you make your own informed decisions. Your own level of personal truth will grow according to your willingness to experience more.”

Most recently, Lars has teamed up with raw food nutritionist and expert David ‘Avocado’ Wolfe to deliver a program in raw food nutrition—a course that shares more than 15 years of David’s sought-after knowledge. With this course and other programs including 90 Day BodyMind Renewal and Sports Nutrition, the BodyMind Institute is changing the way we look at real nutrition, forever.

As a student of the BodyMind Raw Nutrition, the 90 Day BodyMind Renewal and the Nutrition I certifications, I wanted to reach out to Lars, to hear first hand how these online courses are bringing real nutrition to people at their own pace, in their own time. What I discovered is a man with a passion that goes beyond simply developing courses. Lars Gustafsson is making a difference, one person at a time through life-enhancing education that literally changes lives.

So passionate is he about reaching those who share his dream to make a difference, that with David Wolfe, Lars is offering free entry to the BodyMind Institute Level I BodyMind Nutrition Certification for those who sign up for David’s Raw Nutrition Certification. It’s a $1,500 gift, he explains, to reach those who also want to make a difference—to their own health, the health of others and the health of the planet.

“Let’s bring about a stunning shift to our planet together,” Lars (pictured left) says.

To find out more about Lars and the BodyMind Institute, please click here.

Main image courtesy alicepopkorn

I was going to highlight some great blogs that are dedicated to raw chocolate in all its healthful glory. Perhaps there aren’t too many around or I just got too hungry during my search and gave up too soon. The latter is probably true.

Being Easter for some, I wanted to write something about chocolate, but, to tell you the truth, all I can think about is eating it. So, the best option I’ve decided is share a recipe from one of my fave and oft-visited raw food blogs, The Raw Chef. Oh, and a great book from David Wolfe that’s dedicated to this widely adored, yet sometimes misused, food: Naked Chocolate: The Astonishing Truth About the World’s Greatest Food.

If you know of some great blogs that are all about raw chocolate, feel free to leave details in the comments!

For those who celebrate it, happy Easter… For those who don’t, who needs an excuse to eat something this delicious?

Chocolate Torte with Whipped Cashew Cream

For the base

1/2 cup cashews
1/2 cup pecans
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon melted cacao butter
1 teaspoon agave
1 teaspoon lemon juice

- Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until they bind.

- Press into a 9” springform cake pan and place in the fridge to set.

For the filling

1 cup Irish Moss paste*
1 cup cashews
1 1/2 cups cacao powder
3 cups grated or chopped cacao butter which has then been melted
1 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon tamari
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth and pour on top of the base.

- Leave in the fridge to set.

*Irish Moss paste can be made by soaking 1 cup Irish Moss in water for 3 – 5 hours and rinsing THOROUGHLY until rinse water turns clear (there’ll be a lot of sand in the moss). Then blend the rinsed moss with 2 cups pure water in a Vita-Mix until completely smooth. Leave to set in the fridge if not using straight away.

Chef’s tip: Add 1 drop of peppermint essential oil to the filling mixture for a mint chocolate variation.

For the cream topping

1 cup cashews, soaked for 2 hours or more
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons Irish Moss paste
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Pinch salt
1 tablespoon macadamia oil (optional)

- Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth.

- Serve with chocolate torte and fresh berries.

When my lovely friend Nikki over at Vegan Chickie posted this recipe on her site, I almost melted—just like the gooey raspberry sauce that tops this non-dairy masterpiece. Whipped up by her pal Sepia, this raw vegan cheesecake would, if you ask me, give any dairy-lover good reason to turn vegan and never look back.

To find more fab recipes, check out Nicky’s newly designed site right here: www.veganchickie.com. In the meantime, enjoy!

Ingredients:

For the Crust:
2 cups raw macadamia nuts
1/2 cup dates, pitted (medjools)
1/4 cup dried coconut

For the Cheese:
3 cups chopped cashews, soaked for at least 1 hour
3/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup agave nectar
3/4 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt (optional)

For the Raspberry Sauce:
1 bag frozen raspberries (or whatever berries you prefer)
1/2 cup dates

Method:

1. To make the crust, process the macadamia nuts and dates in the food processor. Sprinkle dried coconut onto the bottom of an 8 or 9 inch spring form pan. Press crust onto the coconut. This will prevent it from sticking.

2. To make the cheese, blend the cashews, lemon, agave, gently warmed coconut oil (do not use microwave), vanilla, sea salt (if using), and 1/2 cup water. Blend until smooth and adjust to taste.

 Pour the mixture onto the crust. Remove air bubbles by tapping the pan on a table.

 Place into the freezer until firm and then top with Raspberry Sauce.

3. Remove the whole cake from the pan while frozen, and place onto a serving platter. Defrost in the refrigerator.

I love eating out and especially if what I’m eating is going to contribute to great health! If you’re ever in LA, check out Planet Raw in Santa Monica—one of the best known raw vegan restaurants around. I’ve reviewed it to whet your appetite…

A NATURAL STATE If you hadn’t heard of raw food aficionado Juliano and happened to stumble upon his restaurant in LA’s famed seaside suburb of Santa Monica, you’d be forgiven for wondering where the grills and ovens are. Here, words such as bake, boil, steam and barbeque are left at the door of the nearest fast food joint. At Planet Raw, it’s all about food preparation that keeps nature’s (organic) food in its natural state, with life-giving enzymes kept fully in tact to give you a boost that, quite simply, no other form of food preparation could. Yet, it’s important to know that carrots and beans on a plate it’s not. Food here is prepared with loving care, with many ingredients spending long, lazy hours in food dehydrators before being whipped up into gourmet works of art at the instruction of the “guru” himself, Juliano.

GOOD TIMES While optimal health through good eating is obviously important at Planet Raw, this is one must-visit restaurant that also knows how to have a good time. From organic espressos to the wine and elixir bar, a night (or day) out with Juliano is guaranteed to put a spring in your step.

MENU FAVORITES Whatever your pre-conceived ideas are about raw food, be prepared to leave them at the door. The Planet Raw menu is packed with incredible flavors in a menu that literally has a dish for every taste—from the “bacon” western double burger, with its side of more-ish zucchini fries to the green curry pasta (made from zucchini) dripping with a Thai nut curry kream and topped off with coco-noodles. Dessert (which Juliano suggests you eat at the beginning of your meal for your health’s sake)  is also an experience to behold. I say go for the chocolate parfait or the “best ever cheeze cake”.

THE LITTLE EXTRAS Planet Raw is more than just a restaurant with great food and friendly service. Here, you can sign up for Juliano’s raw food classes, his seven-day detox program and stock up on all sorts of healthy goodies from kombucha
(a cold Chinese tea packed with probiotics and natural vitamins) to the God of all food processors, the Vita-Mix, should you want to give raw food preparation at try at home. While you’re there, be sure to grab a copy of Juliano’s “un”cook book, titled Raw: The Uncook Book: New Vegetarian Food for Life—also available on Amazon.

TIP For those who are serious about raw food, inquire about Juliano’s certified raw chef program, which is said to be one of the world’s best.

609 Broadway, Santa Monica, CA 90405, U.S.A
Phone (310) 576-3180
www.planetraw.net

Juliano’s butternut squash soup pic courtesy: Swellvegan.net

Obtaining optimal health, eating living foods and detoxifying isn’t as difficult as it may seem, says New York-based clinical nutritionist and yoga instructor to the stars, Kimberly Snyder. It’s all about knowing how and having fun with it. The result—radiant beauty that glows from within—is well worth the effort.

I was fortunate to meet with Kimberly while she was in LA last year. During our chat (and snack of delish homemade raw cacao balls she brought with her) Kimberly shared all sorts of great tips about veganism and the raw food lifestyle.

Below are some of her top tips for staying young and healthy. For more fabulous vegan and living food insights head to Kimberly’s blog at www.kimberlysnyder.net. Enjoy!

1.    Max out on raw greens. Uncooked greens and vegetables are a powerful beauty secret.  The living enzymes in uncooked greens and vegetables contribute to skin health by acting as catalysts that assist body processes like digestion, detoxification, and rebuilding.  For example, by assisting the body’s energy-intensive digestive process, enzymes free up energy for other tasks, like repairing and rebuilding the skin- the largest organ of all.  Unfortunately, the valuable enzymes, proteins and vitamins found in plants are heat sensitive and can be damaged or destroyed by normal cooking temperatures.  In fact, cooking can easily destroy a food’s entire enzyme reserve.  So pack as many completely raw greens, salads, veggies, sprouts and fresh herbs into your diet as you can! An easy way to get a large amount of easily digestible greens is from a green smoothie.  The simple recipe is available online at www.kimberlysnyder.net.

2.    Add açai to your diet. Açai is loaded with beneficial nutrients and antioxidants, including Omega 3 fatty acids, amino acids, minerals, key vitamins and fiber.  The Omega 3 fatty acids found in Açai maintain the structure and fluidity of cell membranes, facilitating the inflow of nutrients and the outflow of waste products, promoting youthful, smooth and radiant skin by keeping skin cells hydrated and strong.  Acai is a key component of The Solution, as it is also extremely beneficial when applied topically.

4.    Drink detox tea. Our bodies are constantly exposed to toxins from the environment, our diet and chemicals from products we put on ourselves.  Over time, these toxins promote illness and can accelerate skin aging.  The liver is the blood’s filtering system, and when it becomes overloaded, the liver stops effectively filtering and neutralizing the toxins that enter the body. These excess toxins continue circulating and are deposited in fatty tissue, building up over time. The long-term effects of toxic overload are manifested externally in the form of wrinkles and spotted, leathery skin.  One of the easiest and tastiest ways to promote healthy liver function is to drink detox tea 2-3 times per week.  The recipe is available online.

3.    Switch to Celtic sea salt. Celtic sea salt is unique among salts because it is a sun-dried – a process that allows 70 minerals and trace elements, enzymes and even marine microorganisms to remain intact.  Other sea salts are kiln-dried, which causes valuable magnesium and most other minerals to evaporate.  Normal table salt is the worst of all, being irradiated and denatured sodium chloride.  It not only has no nutritional benefit, it depletes the skin’s natural hydration.  So make the switch to Celtic sea salt!

5.    Eat more onions. This everyday food has a considerable amount of sulfur, which helps cleanse the skin and liver and rebuild connective tissues like collagen. Onions are also an exceptional source of usable quercetin, which works to eliminate free radicals, protects and regenerates crucial Vitamin E and decreases capillary fragility.

6.    Add sea vegetables to your diet. Sea vegetables are about 12 times richer in minerals than average vegetables.  They are an especially good source of iodine, which regulates the metabolism by feeding the thyroid, iron, B6, B12, and magnesium, which opens over 300 different detoxification pathways in the body. You can throw sea vegetables such as dulse, hijiki and arame in salads or make nori wraps stuffed with salad.  All are available at any health store.

7.    Sprout your seeds and nuts. A raw, dry nut is dense in calories and encased in inhibitor enzymes, which keep it from sprouting before it is in a safe environment.  The sprouting process changes the constitution of the nut, making it more like a plant.  The nutritional benefit is that the proteins in sprouted nuts are more easily assimilated by the body.  Here is a simple method for spouting almonds: Cover almonds in filtered water in a bowl and place in your refrigerator for 24 hours. Rinse well several times. You should peel off the outer coating of the almond before eating.  A handful is a wonderfully nutritional, filling snack. Throw a few in a bag and take them to work!

8.    Snack on figs. Figs are an excellent blood purifier. Since blood transports nutrients to cells throughout the body and face, the cleaner the blood the more beautiful the skin. The tiny seeds in figs are not only packed with nutrients, they help draw out and dissolve waste, mucus, and toxins from the intestinal tract. Raw and dried figs both give these great benefits.

9.    Eat olives and olive oil. Olives are the most mineral and calcium-rich fruit of all. They are high in magnesium, amino acids and beneficial omega fatty acids. Olive oil is a superior source of squalene – an unsaturated oil and an oxygen carrier that smoothes the skin and is an excellent antioxidant.

Photos courtesy Kimberly Snyder

As more Westerners begin to embrace the life-enhancing benefits of natural therapies, understanding what treatment works best for what condition can cause a headache itself.

Holistic health care, unlike Western medicine, treats the whole person to identify the cause of each symptom. As each body is different, treatments are then tailored to the individual—to not only cure dis-eases but also help people live continually in optimal health.

The Health and Vitality Center’s Dr Shiva Lalezar says many people who deal with fatigue, for example, may overcome it with controlled doses of Vitamin C—a common vitamin which has a profound positive effect on immune cells and is specifically anti viral when given intravenously.

“It helps patients live a vibrant life filled with energy, stamina and mental clarity through diverse natural treatments including infusion therapies,” she says.

“A 24-year female was presented to my clinic with worsening fatigue in the past six months. She also had enlargement of one lymph node in her neck which was biopsied and found to be non cancerous.  All her blood work was also normal.  She was however feeling worse each day and had quit working out and was dragging herself at work.  She could not get out of bed in the morning and this was affecting her work.

Dr Lalezar said she did a series of blood work and found two viruses to be extremely high (Epstein Bar Virus and Cytomegalovirus).

“She also had high Candida antibodies and a low Vitamin D level. I placed her on high dose Vitamin C intravenously once a week and gave her Ribose powder (the monosaccharide sugar backbone for RNA and DNA), probiotic and placed her on a Candida-free diet.”

The doctor says within three weeks the patient’s energy level went from 50 percent to 80 percent and has been able to work out and function better at work.

According to life food expert, David Wolfe, switching from a junk food diet to a completely raw lifestyle, without adding supportive herbs such as reishi, may relax the body’s immune system and create a breeding ground for Candida.

“Whenever we have eaten anything in our life, our immune system is reactive to it,” Wolfe says. “Why? Because it’s Shakey’s Pizza, it’s Fruity Pebbles, God knows what else … Hershey’s chocolate bars, and our bodies go what the heck is this? The food comes in, the immune system is activated, white blood cells multiply—this happens every meal for years.”

“When we get on raw food, we don’t have that reaction and our body goes ‘whoa’ and it can be lulled to sleep. So our immune system can become susceptible because we’re not crying wolf on it. Very important concept. The mushrooms (reishi) keep all that buffered so our immune system doesn’t go to sleep.”

I recently caught up with Dr Lalezar to chat holistic health care:

What is one natural therapy everyone should know about and why?

DR LALEZAR: High dose Vitamin C because Vitamin C boosts up the immune system, fights against bacteria, viruses, and cancer. Vitamin C can be taken orally in the form of buffered Vitamin C up to 10,000mg per day. Oral Vitamin C however can be hard on the stomach and may cause diarrhea. Patients who need high doses of Vitamin C (10,000‐75,000 mg) can be given IV infusion. They see immediate improvement in their health.

Explain allergies and how they can be best treated?

DL: There are different forms of allergies. An IgE mediated allergy causes hives, swelling, throat tightening, and shortness of breath. This is seen with bee sting, certain medications, and highly allergenic foods such as shrimp, peanuts, strawberries, and shellfish. Allergies of this nature can be quick in onset and cause anaphylaxis and death.

Another type of allergy is IgG or IgA mediated and they are more insidious and less obvious. Patients may not be aware that their daily symptoms are due to an allergic reaction or food sensitivity. Milk, wheat, soy, eggs, beef, and citrus fruits are the most common food allergens.

Patients may experience vague symptoms such as fatigue, muscle aches, brain fog, irritability, mood fluctuations, dark circles under the eyes, inability to lose weight or gain weight, and many more! Allergies are best treated with elimination of the food, and strengthening the immune system with (omega oils), probiotic, Vitamin C. Antidote drops are also very powerful in treatment of allergies.

For someone who has only known the Western way of medicine, can you explain holistic care?

DL: Holistic care is combining the best of conventional medicine along with natural and nutritional medicine, and tailoring an individualised treatment plan. A holistic medical doctor is well aware of the benefits and side effects of medications and can use alternative medicine to treat a patient and gradually wean them off medications in a safe manner.

A holistic approach is to investigate the causes of the disease and encourage lifestyle modifications to treat and prevent disease. Orthomolecular medicine is a field that uses diet and vitamins to open up healthy pathways in the body and optimise functions of organs. Holistic treatment approaches are highly individualised for the unique needs of each patient.

What is your definition of an optimal healthy lifestyle?

DL: My definition of an optimal healthy lifestyle is eating (organic, natural) foods including  fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates and raw nuts. Moderate exercise including aerobics, weight training, yoga, and Pilates is encouraged. Meditating at least 10 minutes per day and most importantly practicing self-love. Balance work with fun. Spend time with family and friends. Take a good multivitamin and (omega oil) daily.

How connected is the food we eat to the way we think, move, react etc?

DL: We are what we eat. The food we eat directly affects our way of thinking, actions, and behavior. A diet high in sugar causes mood disturbance, fatigue, memory impairment, brain fog and muscle spasm to name a few. If we don’t expect an alcoholic to behave normal, why do we expect a sugar addict to do so?

What ailments would people would be surprised to know can be reversed?

DL: Many ailments can be reversed if they are properly diagnosed and the causes are investigated and eliminated. Rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus, Diabetes, Hypertension, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, Menopause and Andropausal symptoms, attention deficit disorder, depression, and anxiety can all be reversed with proper diet, nutrients, detoxification, vitamin infusion therapy and lifestyle changes.

What factors do you believe are contributing to the explosion of cancer cases?

DL: Poor diet, nutrient deficient soil, pesticides, chemicals, fumes, plastic, and toxins are contributing greatly to the explosion of cancer cases. Today one in every seven women is diagnosed with breast cancer. By 2010, 50% of the population will be diagnosed with one form of cancer.

For more information on the Los Angeles-based Health and Vitality Center visit online at www.healthandvitalitycenter.com

Main photo courtesy lepiaf.geo

Eating raw, live foods enliven cells and contribute to a better functioning body. As more people awaken to the incredible benefits of this natural way of eating, the global ecology also begins to flourish. But besides grabbing an apple, how can eating raw become convenient to keep up with a busy lifestyle?

While mastering dishes such as sun-baked pizzas, mock salmon sushi or gourmet tacos (such as the delish one above, from Gourmet Vegan Chef) can undoubtedly take a little time, there are high quality options for raw foodies on the run.

Registered nurse and natural foods chef Alice Benedetto turned her passion into an organic raw-food product that gets my seal of approval (I’m addicted, actually). Raw Revolution Organic Live Food Bars, available at various international wholefood retailers and on Amazon.com, are gluten free, vegan and free of wheat, corn, soy, trans-fat, cholesterol and refined sugar.

“When I made raw snacks for my son as an alternative to high sugar processed snacks, friends also loved the taste and suggested selling them. That seemed impossible. As a single mother of an active two year-old, working full time, how would I start a business?” Alice says on her website www.rawindulgence.com.

“I found time to develop the Brownie, tested them out and got great response. Even the average person, not just a health food nut, loved the taste.”

Raspberry & Chocolate and Spirulina & Cashew are a must try, as much for the superb taste as for the health-boosting enzymes that are very much left in tact in this generous-sized bar.

Some of my other faves include:

Pure Bar — made with cold-processed fruits and nuts, these organic, vegan and kosher-certified bars were also created by a busy mother after her daughter decided to become a vegetarian at six. Available at selected retailers and also from Amazon.

LÄRABAR — is simply fruit and nuts. Each bar has no more than seven ingredients. There’s no added sugar, is gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, vegan and kosher. Available internationally at natural, conventional and specialty grocers.

Righteously Raw Maca Bar — Vegans everywhere, rejoice. This decadent, raw, organic food bar has no sugar, no dairy, and isn’t pasteurised or homogenised. With ingredients such as cacao butter, cacao powder, khadrawi dates, lucuma, coconut oil, agave nectar, vanilla bean and Himalayan pink alt, it’s little wonder The Health Ranger named it his favourite too.

Main photo courtesy Geoff Peters 604