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Is Easter really an excuse to Eat chocolate + secret chocolate recipe

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 02:20:00 GMT

Its that time of year where everyone goes insane about chocolate why chocolate for Easter I ask?

Well Easter time is the symbol for re-birth. The eggs and the rabbits represent this. In some countries in Greece for example it is a tradition that eggs are dyed red to represent the blood of Christ but here they use real eggs so how did the chocolate eggs come about.

I am guessing this is now just a commercial invention which we are now hooked on.

So my question to you is how will you make your Easter healthier?

How about a Raw Chocolate Alternative. Making your own raw chocolate is easier than you might think. It comes down to three basic ingredients: raw cacao butter, raw cacao powder and a sweenter. My preferred sweetner for this is Xylitol and no its not a nasty chemical sweetner in fact Xylitol comes from a birch tree. It looks exactly like sugar but that is where the similarities end. Whilst Xylitol is just as sweet as sugar it has about 40% fewer calories and 75% fewer carbs. Most importantly it has a GI of just 7 therefore wont raise your blood sugar levels like regular sugar so is the perfect sweetner for anyone concerned about there blood sugar including diabetics.

So here is the secret recipe to make your own liquid chocolate which will be perfect for using for chocolate eggs, moulds making chocolate bark or even for dipping:

½ Cup Cacao butter

¼ Cup Coconut oil

1/3 cup Xylitol, powdered or coconut sugar

¾ Cup Cacao powder

Pinch Celtic salt

Variations: Add a different superfood or different spices cinnamon, star anise, vanilla or use any of the Culinary extracts mint, raspberry, vanilla, banana etc.. all cold pressed extracts from Medicine flower available from: www.conscious-choice.com

Method:

v Place the coconut oil, cacao butter and cacao powder in a blender and blend till smooth

v Add your variations and either set in chocolate moulds, chocolate cups, or use for dipping

v Place in the freezer to set for approx 20 min to set

v These are best stored in the fridge and will last approx 2 weeks.

Fe Fi Fo Fum – Where will my iron come from?

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 02:22:00 GMT

Fe Fi Fo Fum – Where will my iron come from?

Iron is an important dietary mineral that is involved in various bodily functions, including the transport of oxygen in the blood. Many enzymes throughout the body also contain iron, including those involved in energy production. Enzymes are the catalysts that drive many of the cells’ functions.

One of the common questions we have people ask is how to get their recommended daily intake of iron on a raw diet. The answer is as simple as incorporating the following four of the below groups of raw foods in your diet.

About one-third of the world’s population is iron deficient, with menstruating women at greater risk than men and postmenopausal women. The Australian Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) for iron is the amount of dietary iron required to meet the needs of most of the population. This amount is different for different age groups and life stages. For women, aged 19 to 50 this is 18mg, and for men over 19 and women over this is 8mg.

The type of iron found in plant-based products is called non-heme iron. Dr Neal Barnard nots that green leafy vegetables and sprouts and nuts are rich in a form of iron (non-heme) that is more absorbable if your body needs more iron and less absorbable when your body already has plenty of iron[1]. Avoiding dairy products also helps, because they contain virtually no iron and can actually inhibit iron absorption.

We have identified, four easy ways of obtaining your iron needs below.

1. Spirulina

Seaweed in general is a great source of iron. Spirulina has one of the highest levels, with a five gram serving of Spirulina providing over 25% of the RDI of iron for women aged 19-50 years or approximately 5 mg.

2. Nuts & Seeds

Nuts and seeds in general are a powerhouse of nutrients, including iron. Pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds are particularly surprising with over 3 grams of iron per 25 grams. 50 grams of hemp seeds (approx. five tablespoons) provides approximately 2mg of iron or approximately 10% of the RDI for women aged 19 to 50 years. Sunflower seeds have over 3 mg of iron per 50 grams whilst hazelnuts and almonds have approximately 2.5 grams of iron per 50 grams.

3. Sprouts

All you raw fooders already know about the incredible benefits of including these live beauties in your diet, however did you know that all sprouts, in particular lentil and mung beans are rich sources of iron with over 3 mg per 50 grams.

4. Greens

Popeye had his spinach cooked, but 100 grams of raw spinach provides 2.7 mg of iron. 100 grams of dandelion also provides over 2.5 mg of iron, with the additional benefit of its liver tonifying properties.

There is currently controversy around the ability for high levels of oxalate found in spinach to iron to forming ferrous oxalate and rendering much of the iron in spinach unusable by the body, however some studies have also found that the addition of oxalic acid to the diet may improve iron absorption in rats over a diet with spinach without additional oxalic acid. Perhaps a good idea to get a variety of plant-based sources on iron so you are not relying on your spinach as the sole source of your iron.

Conscious Tip: To further boost your iron absorption add some orange or tomatoes to your greens, the vitamin C will increase iron absorption. Vitamin A (naturally high in carrots, spinach and mangoes) also helps to release stored iron, another reason to follow a rainbow diet.

[1] Nutritional Factors in Menstrual Pain and Premenstrual Syndrome
Neal D. Barnard, M.D.

Immune Boosting Winter Tips

Fri, 22 Jul 2011 14:39:00 GMT

The cold weather has officially settled in but that doesnt mean you need to indulge in high calorie comfort foods and skip exercise.

Our immune system takes a beating over winter with the cooler weather making us more succeptible to colds and flus. Some ways to boost your immunity and stay healthy over the winter are listed below:

Alkalize - our immune system is strongest in an alkaline environment. Bacteria and viruses love an acid environment, but cannot survive in a healthy alkaline state. Add more dark leafy greens such as kale, silverbeet and spinach to your diet which will not only boost your alkalinity they will provide a balance of vitamins, mineral and phytonutrients which will enhance the body's immune system.

Get plenty of rest and relaxation - Stress and tiredness weaken our immune system and we get ill much easier when we are run down. Our body naturally restores and recuperates during rest and sleep. Allow your body to recover and fight illness by getting 7-9 hours sleep each night. Yoga and meditation are great ways to relax.

Avoid bad habits - Convenience and pre-packaged foods, caffeine, alcohol and smoking are all harmful to the immune system. Cutting back on these and replacing them with whole foods, herbal teas and fresh juices and smoothies are a great way to support your body and get rid of cravings.

Work up a sweat - Exercise is a great way to warm up your body and keep you fit. By working up a sweat the body has an opportunity to release stored toxins through the skin the body's largest organ.

Drink plenty of water- keep yourself well hydrated by drinking at least 2 ltres of good quality water per day. This will help your body flush wastes and dilute mucous, helping eliminate bacteria and viruses which make us ill. Try our
Mega Hydrate a revolutionary product that helps rid your body of toxins and free radicals like no other supplement.

Strengthen your immune system with these foods- Dont wait till you get a cold try to include the following foods into your diet to strengthen your immunity naturally:
Garlic - has anti bacterial, anti fungal and anti viral action for protecting against infections
Seaweeds- touted as superfoods because they offer extraordinary health promoting compounds not found in any other land vegetables. They have anti cancer properties and help boost the immune system. We have a few varieties you can experiment with: dulse great in salads available in leaf or flake form, wakame great in a miso soup or salad, sea spaghetti and kelp noodles make wonderful healthy alternatives to pasta.
Shitake Mushrooms- used for thousands of years in Asia for there phenomenol healing properties. They contain lentinan an immune strengthener that stimulates the system to clear cancerous cells. Try our organic variety of shitake
Vitamic C- exceptional sources are of course citrus, broccoli, but even higher levels are found in Goji Berries, camu camu and even chia seeds!
Miso- a rich source of protein, fibre and B vitmins for energy production and nervous system health. Unpasteurised organic miso contains active lactobacillus, which aids digestion and strengthens immunity.
Vitamin D- Australia is well known for its abundance of sunshine. Surprisingly Vitamin D deficiency affects a large proportion of Australians today. Vitamin D promotes the growth and development of bones and teeth. It is also heralded as having anti-cancer effects and boosting immunity. Sunlight is the easiest way to obtain this vitamin however quite often we dont absorb it or we dont actually get out enough to see the sunshine. Try our incredible Raw Vitamin D3 to ensure you are getting the right amount this winter.

Pick a couple of suggestions from this list and stick to them to avoid the flu this winter season!

Healthy New Years Resolutions

Sat, 02 Apr 2011 04:04:00 GMT

New is the year, new are the hopes and aspirations and new are the resolutions!

Its that time of year again where you can wipe the slate clean and begin again.

I wish everyone a new year of Health and Abundance.

Being Healthier, losing weight and doing more exercise seem to be at the top of the list of the most common New Years resolutions. How many times have you made and broken new year’s resolutions to be healthier, lose weight or do more exercise? There are many reasons that

resolutions especially those dealing with changing your lifestyle don’t work including time, motivation and being overwhelmed with too many options and too much information on the right way to do things that can get in the way.

The key is to become clear on the things that are truly important in your life. Then make a list of what you want to improve upon and devise a strategy to achieve them. Make them realistic and gradually move towards achieving them. Lasting change is achieved with consistency and over time. Make sure your goals are measurable and empowering.

Instead of saying, “I need to lose weight”, you can replaced those words with, “I am making healthier choices about the foods that I eat” Be specific about the foods you are going to give up or replace them with some healthier options to adjust towards it in a smoother transition. All the little things do add up. Being healthy means making smarter choices. Even if you just adopt one or two changes you can be sure you are moving in the right direction. Some ideas to help you with replacing bad choices are listed below:

Replace the Following:	With:
Conventionally grown produce	Organically or locally grown produce, head out to a farmers market in your area for the freshest produce
White grains	Whole grains
Dairy butter	Coconut butter
Milk	Nut mylks, coconut mylk
Cheese	Fermented nut cheeses
White processed sugar	Coconut sugar, dates, stevia, agave
Red Meat, poultry, pork, fish	Replace animal proteins with plant proteins such as hemp, spirulina, dark leafy greens
Coffee, tea	Coffee alternatives such as Dandelion tea or Teecino, herbal beverages
Iodized white table salt	Natural sea salt such as celtic salt
Processed foods	Make your own healthy snacks

I will also be running some workshops in Sydney which may be inspiring: Salad beyond the greens and also
Summer living food essentials with guest speaker Dr Marilyn Golden speaking about weightloss

Happy New Year and dont forget that consistency is the key to achieving your goals.

Healthy Holiday Tips

Sat, 02 Apr 2011 04:05:00 GMT

6 Must know tips for staying healthy through the holidays

Now that the holiday season is fast approaching it can be a challenging time for some of us who follow a raw food diet. Being around family and friends that we love who dont necessarily follow our healthy choices can be a personal challenge. Quite often questions will be raised about your food choices. For some this is a dreaded moment for others this is an opportunity to teach others. I always look at everything as an opportunity be prepared to answer people's questions. In my personal experience I have found people to be very open and fascinated by my food choices and wanting to try my food. At the end of Christmas lunch when everyone has overeaten and drank way too much I always smile to myself and think wow these people really dont learn from previous years of overindulging and feeling worse for wear. For most the afternoon is spent sprawled on the couch with the body trying to process what just went into it. Save your self the pain this year by being conscious of your decisions.
1. Be sure to have fun but dont make food the sole focus for the Holidays.
2. Eat before you go to these holiday parties or family gatherings. If you fill up on salads and healthy prepared foods you wont want to indulge in anything else.
3.Bring a dish to share that you love so you wont feel deprived.
4.Make healthy treats and keep them on hand.
5.Drink plenty of greens whether it is a green juice, blue green algae, spirulina or green smoothies. These will help you feel energised slow down the hunger, give you fibre and encourage good digestion. Greens will also keep your sweet cravings at bay since the minerals in the greens are what our bodies are really craving.
6.Keep up with a regular exercise program dont slack off just because it is the holidays. This will help you feel energised and in balance.

Whether you decide you want to stay as raw as possible by eating the very cleanest of foods or you want to take this time to nurture your body with a little more decadence make the most of it and enjoy where you are at on your healthy journey:)

David Wolfe's Australian Tour details

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 12:41:00 GMT

David Wolfe is all set to tour Australia again next February for what is going to be a superfood fueled explosion of raw food mania. For anyone who hasnt yet heard of David his nickname is 'Avocado Noni Cacao' he is the wolrd authority on raw foods, natural healing, longevity, chocolate and having the best day ever! David is a renowned lecturer, acclaimed author and one of the most sought after health and well being experts touring the world today. So we are very priviledged to have him come and share his expertise with us. I am even more priviledged to be hosting the event in Sydney which is going to be THE place to be for a weekend conference to rival the best of the Longevity NOW events David has been holding in the last year in the USA. This is the opportunity everyone's been waiting for, to get more information as David takes you on a journey through the secrets of wellness and longevity and reveals his brand new discoveries in the cutting edge world of health. From Superfoods to herbs, from living warter to raw cacao, from bad oestrogen to calcium, from candida to bone health, from immunity to longevity and from 2012 and beyond. These events will blow you away with the content, information and wisdom imparted to thise like minded souls who come to share in this great experience.

These events are sure to sell out as they did earlier this year so be sure to book your tickets soon and take advantage of the special draw as well! More info can be found on the following link: www.davidwolfeaustraliantour.com

I am very excited to be hosting the Sydney event and will have a stall there with lots of goodies so please stop by and say hello.

Spring Detox

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 06:43:00 GMT

Spring Detox

On Sunday I ran one of my favourite classes Spring Detox with guest speaker Dr Marilyn Golden and what an incredible speaker she was! I have heard lots of speakers talking on natural health and healing, mostly in the USA along my travels and Dr Marilyn Golden would have to be one of my absolute favourite as she is able to validate everything with her medical background. Not only has Dr Golden practised traditional medicine she has also studied homeopathy, clinical nutrition, aromatherapy, phytotherapy, traditional Chinese medicine, menopausal medicine and laser therapy and acupuncture.

Because of her comprehensive qualifications in most disciplines of healing, Dr Golden integrates all systems of diagnosis and therapy to achieve an optimum healing results.

To find out more about Dr Golden feel free to go to her website www.marilyngolden.com.au

Oh and she has also been a raw foodist for 7 years!

Being Spring time detox is the word of the month. It is a perfect time of year to cleanse your body after eating heavier, more warming foods throughout fall and winter.

Why is cleansing/detoxing so important?

v In today’s society, we are exposed to more pollutants than at any other time in history. Drugs, processed foods, sugar, alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, stress, pollution, etc..

v Lack of sleep, exercise, sun and fresh air also contribute to a toxic overload.

v As a result the body has to work harder to eliminate these substances, which can lead to toxic build up.

v These toxins are often stored in fatty cell membranes and fat cells throughout the body. This can interfere with the vital functioning of the cells.

v Accumulation of toxins can contribute to fatigue, aches and pains, poor short term memory and concentration, bad breath and foul body odour, constipation, IBS, acne and skin rashes, premature aging and some chronic health challenges.

There are many different detox programs available these days which can be a bit confusing and overwhelming. Below are some simple diet changes you can make today to reduce your level of toxicity and help your body detoxify naturally.

Helpful Detox Tips:

Avoid processed, packaged foods as much as possible.
Eliminate foods containing artificial colours, flavours, additives, flavour enhancers, preservatives and hydrogenated fats.
Eliminate all caffeine, dairy, meat, butter, chocolate, beans, eggs, corn, soy, salt, sugar, grains, nuts and oils. Once you get the hang of it, it's really quite easy.
Avoid smoking cigarettes, taking any recreational drugs, and limit alcohol consumption as they are highly toxic on the body and put extra strain on the liver and kidneys.
Avoid carbonated drinks and reduce caffeine as much as possible, except for green tea which contains many antioxidants and helps boost metabolism.
Skin Brushing. With the skin having the largest surface area the skin acts as a back up for all other elimination organs. Skin brushing is an amazing way to drain excess lymph and cleanse and detoxify your body the easy way. Just 10 minutes every morning will tone your skin, keep it soft and smooth, improve your complexion and stimulate your immune system.
Avoid chemicals in the rest of your daily life e.g cleaning products, cosmetics, deodorants
Eat lots of green sprouts like snow pea shoots, sunflower greens, buckwheat greens, alfalfa sprouts, radish, mustard and broccoli sprouts which are amazingly high in protein, vitamins, minerals and enzymes (you can learn how to grow your own sprouts by coming to the sprouting and fermenting class on the 31st October)
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Drink plenty of good quality water and fresh green vegetable juices
Try using a sauna or steam room a few times a week
Get sufficient sunlight
Get plenty of sleep to help the body rejuvenate as the body needs all the energy it can get to rid itself of toxins
Try meditating once a week
Do aerobic, resistance and stretching exercises daily. They also help to speed up the detoxification proces
Drink the juice of one lemon with warm water and a pinch of cayenne pepper when you wake up. This helps to open the circulatory system and alkalinize the body fluids, which speeds up the rate of detoxification.

Foods that assist in the detoxification process:

Thankfully there are many foods which help the body in detoxifying.

Green Foods- these are our greatest friends in the pursuit. They help us in detoxifying the liver. They have great chlorophyll content and be eaten in many diverse forms; raw, juiced, blended and in salads. The Chlorophyll rids the body of harmful environmental toxins from smog, heavy metals, herbicides, cleaning products and pesticides. Fill your refrigerator with blue green algae, barley, wheatgrass, kale, spinach, spirulina, alfalfa, rocket, and any other dark leafy greens you can get your hands on. Vary your greens every week.

Garlic- this pungent bulb stimulates the liver in producing detoxification enzymes that help filter out toxic residues in the digestive system. Adding garlic to any dish will help aid in detoxification.

Sea vegetables. In addition to containing all the minerals known to be important in human health, and most likely many that have yet to be discovered, sea vegetables are powerful detoxifiers. They have the ability to bind heavy metals and carry them out of the body. They are also rich in nutrients and phytochemicals. They are loaded with chlorophyll, fiber and minerals including significant amounts of sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and many other trace minerals naturally found in the ocean.

Lemons, oranges and limes – These citrus wonders have a great ability to convert toxins into water soluble components. They aid the body in flushing out toxins, as well as jump starting the digestive tract with enzymatic processes. They also aid the liver in it’s cleansing processes.

Vitamin C is one of the best detox vitamins around as it transforms toxins into digestible material.

Sesame seeds – helps fight chemical imbalance and toxin build up. Sesame seeds contain sesamin and sesamolin, two substances that are thought to prevent high blood pressure and protect the liver against oxidative damage.

Broccoli Sprouts – Extremely high in antioxidants, broccoli sprouts can help stimulate the detoxification enzymes in the digestive tract like none- other. The sprouts are actually more effective than the fully grown vegetable.

Mung beans- The mighty mung bean has been used by Ayuervedic doctors for thousands of years. It is incredibly easy to digest and absorbs toxic residue on the sides of the intestinal wall.

Fruits – these are a natural cleanser. They are rich in antioxidants, vitamins like Vitamin C and fiber.They are extremely high in liquid content so as to help the body wash out toxins.

Cruciferous Vegetables- Studies have shown that eating foods in this family speeds your livers ability to detoxify toxins. They are also known to prevent cancer. The cruciferous family includes: kale, cabbage, bok choy, broccoli. Cauliflower, brussel sprouts, mustard greens, turnips, watercress and rocket.

Chia and flax seeds – prebiotics for gut bacterial growth and hormone detoxification

Chia seeds are one of the best sources of fiber. They are fabulous colon cleansers and actually clear out the digestive tract so that you absorb more nutrients and eliminate waste more efficiently.

Wheatgrass- is a powerful detoxifier, liver and blood protector. It cleanses the blood, organs and gastrointestinal tract of debris. It restores alkalinity to the blood and contains many beneficial enzymes.

Well what a list. Hopefully some of you are halfway there already with some of these. Test some of these tips out for a week and notice how it makes you feel. Try to incorporate some detoxifying foods into your daily diet. Most importantly is to have fun with it.

Winter warming ideas

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 01:23:00 GMT

As the weather is getting colder some of you who are still new to raw foods may be wondering how stay warm and raw in winter.

What do you do on these cold days when snuggling under a blanket with a hot drink or bowl of hot soup sounds too tempting. Salads and smoothies are definitely not our first choice when trying to keep warm. Do we abandon our raw food diets whatever level we are at in favour of warm soups, casseroles, pizza, lasagna and hot porridge?

Well I have a few other ideas. I would like to inspire you with living raw foods this winter and challenge you to stay mostly raw with some helpful hints and tips that will make it easier to eat living raw foods in winter. A common misconception that most people have is that raw foods are cold foods. In winter we can still create warming foods in a different sense by using ingredients that warm the body from both a thermal and energetic perspective. Confused??

Well let me explain. When we think about warm or hot, we usually associate it with temperature. In Chinese medicine the bodies metabolic temperature is affected through the foods we eat. Metabolic temperature is different from body temperature which is measured using a thermometer. Metabolic temperature is the heat energy generated through all your organ systems from the food that you eat and that your digestive system burns. Still confused??

Let me put it into perspective. Ginger and cayenne are both energetically warm. They have the ability to push the deep energy and blood up and out to the surface of the body, thus raising the metabolic temperature, even if served as part of a cold salad for instance, the effect is still the same.

So if you are wanting to stay on a mostly raw or exclusively living raw food diet this winter, but are not looking forward to cold salads, read on for a variety of practical tips for making body-warming raw food dishes. The good thing to know is that heating anything above 44˚C will destroy the enzymes, vitamins and denature the proteins resulting in food that is less nutritionally beneficial. Fortunately we can enjoy warm foods and still maintain the life giving properties of the foods at the same time. Living foods can be comfortably heated to 44˚C and still maintain their nutritional integrity. Once heated to this point the food should be eaten straight away as it cools down much quicker than cooked foods.

These are some of the many ways to enjoy living foods in winter:
Creamy soups and smoothies can be heated by using warm liquids or simply running the blender for longer. This may take a couple of minutes. Monitor the temperature as you go to ensure that the food doesn’t get overheated. Alternately soups can be heated over a bain marie or in the dehydrator or even in a saucepan on the stove, as long as the temperature is monitored. There are fancy cooking thermometers these days with extension probes
that can be used to monitor the temperature. Once you get a sense of what 44˚C feels like the first few times you will then be able to just use your intuition.

Wash your refrigerated produce in warm water or place them in a warm water bath for a few minutes to take the cold edge off them.

Use a dehydrator to warm dishes like casseroles, pizza, lasagna. The wonderful thing about the Excalibur dehydrator is that the shelves are large enough to fit a casserole or baking dish. You will be surprised to see that the dishes can even come out looking virtually cooked.

When heating foods in the dehydrator, the temperature can be set to 60˚C for up to two hours initially without overheating. If you dont have a dehydrator you can simply warm your food in your oven at its lowest setting with the door slightly ajar. This technique works quite well too.

Dehydrated crackers and breads can be very warming and comforting on cold days. Make a variety and always keep them on hand, preparation is the key to the success of a raw food diet.

Herbs and spices can be used to create internal fire. Nothing gets the digestive fire going like a sprinkle of ginger or cayenne pepper! If physically warming your foods is not an option then the liberal use of warming spices can create internal warmth. The warming herbs and spices are: Chili peppers, cinnamon, clove, dill, fennel, garlic, onion, parsley, rosemary and wasabi.

The Chinese medicine approach to classifying foods as warming can be used to create raw winter meals that are soothing and nourishing.

Most root vegetables are classified as warming as they take longer to grow. Corn and most nuts and seeds are also warming. Grains tend to be a warming food as well.

Grains can be sprouted and made into hearty crackers, breads, casseroles, cereals etc.. Be careful to choose the grains which are most alkaline forming - buckwheat, quinoa and amaranth are the most alkaline and nutritious of all grains.

Warming vegetables as classified in Chinese medicine are cabbage, cauliflower, watercress and mustard greens.

Warm beverages are very soothing and satisfying in the cold weather. Warm apple cider can be made by juicing apples and spicing with cinnamon, cloves and ginger and warming using any of the techniques described above.

Hot cacao also makes an amazing supercharged beverage. Made with nut milk, cacao powder, sweetener of choice and even a spice such as cayenne would make an amazing Mexican spiced hot chocolate drink.

Also worth a try is Loving Earth’s Raw Chocolate Coconut Butter blended with warm water for a truly satisfying hot chocolate in seconds.

Warming up to Living Raw foods should now be a breeze!