Here are my top choices if I WERE visiting Los Angeles and wanted to grab a healthy snack or meal.

Santa Monica:

• Euphoria Loves Rawvolution on Main Street in between Venice and Santa Monica, fun part of town, 2 blocks from the beach. They serve vegan and raw food, sell a few supplements and raw desserts to LIVE for!  I bring my laptop or a book here and cozy up on their couch. They have open mic nights and special events for the community. It’s a very friendly environment, super casual and the staff are wonderful. 2301 Main Street, Santa Monica

• Santa Monica Co-Opportunity this is a lovely place to go if you want to get snacks for a picnic or a smoothie after gallivanting at the beach. It looks like a grocery store, but ohhhh, it’s so much more. You may not know that a supermarket can be cool, until you go here. Juice/Smoothie bar, best bulk variety items I’ve ever seen, and a whole refrigerated section dedicated to raw and vegan prepackaged foods. I’m here minimum 3 times a week! Corner of 16th and Broadway in Santa Monica.

• Planet Raw (owned by raw chef Juliano) Couldn’t leave this one out. To be honest, If I had the money, I would go nowhere else but here. It’s super expensive but the MOST creative dishes in the raw food world. Friends/other planet raw frequenters complain of the service and staff, that they are snooty and give off a bad energy. “Planet Raw  is among the quintessential So Cal dining experiences-attempting to be causal with absurd prices and pretentious attitudes.” from a past client.

HOWEVER, their food is OUT OF CONTROL. I highly recommended the Ariel Salad, which will give you your day’s worth of greens and energy, and I crave it often.  I almost always get a Chocolate “milk” shake, which is beyond my comprehension in tastyness. This place has a great location, blocks from downtown Santa Monica but the energy is much calmer and you would never know it’s inches from the famous 3rd St. Promenade. 609 Broadway, Santa Monica.

Silverlake/Hollywood:

• Cru is a sit down restaurant, great for a nice dinner. You can bring your own wine for a small corkage fee. They have both cooked vegan dishes and raw vegan foods, and I have never had a bad eating experience! “Artfully weaving Italian, Japanese, Tunisian, Thai and Indian flavors into a fresh interpretation of life enhancing gourmet food, including desserts that even the most health conscious individual can indulge in guiltlessly.” They also have uncooking classes here-which I will be teaching in June! Sundays 3-4:30p here’s the link! 1521 Griffith Park Blvd, Silverlake.

• Erwhon Natural Foods Market “Health Food Nirvana” is in West Hollywood. Similar to the experience of the Co-Op (see above) but a little more upscale. They have more of a selection (if it were possible) and the best part about this place is their tonic bar. You’ll find super knowledgeable staff and drinks you won’t find anywhere else.  Philosophie Green Dream is available to purchase here in their raw foods/superfood section!!! They have a great selection of raw living foods, vegan, specialty chef spices, local produce, macrobiotic diet and body ecology diet foods.  They also have great cheese, nut cheese and raw chocolate ingredients.  The bulk items are maybe 10% higher than whole foods for organics, but the selection is good.The tonics and vitamin selections are far superior to any juice bar I’ve ever visited in SF, NYC or London. They have tons of great events featuring organic gourmet chefs, raw foodists, and educational talks.  It is definitely more pricey than other “markets” so just be prepared. Don’t come for a big shopping trip, come for an experience. 7660 Beverly Blvd, West Hollywood.

• Cafe Gratitude: I go here when I need a “spiritual uplift” as Woody Harrelson said about this Cafe. The menu has so many inspirational dishes that are deliciously healthy. For a raw/vegan entree, I’m a big fan of “I Am Terrific”. The kelp noodles and the blend of basil, mint and cilantro really compliment the dish. For a cooked vegan dish, I highly recommend I really love the “I am Whole”…a bowl made with quinoa, sea palm, kale, carrots, homemade kimchi, candied almonds. I think that’s it. I get it every time I go there. It’s just the perfect balance of flavors and it’s filling and healthy. Apart from that I get a smoothie “I am Cool” with cocoa nibs and hemp cashew mint ice cream. mmm!!!It can get a bit crowded but go during non peak hours to enjoy.

  639 N Larchmont Blvd, 90004

dairy-free dessert

Beverly Hills:

M Cafe features Macrobiotic Cuisine—balanced, nutritious, creative cooking which can be enjoyed by everyone, not just vegetarians or people with dietary restrictions. The chefs prepare each item fresh daily, using only the finest ingredients without any refined sugars, eggs, dairy, red meat or poultry. Easy items to grab and go, or sit and have a bite to eat in the center of BH. 9433 Brighton Way.

Urth Cafe: For beautiful lattes, organic specialty salads and sandwiches, visit Urth Cafe. This is a good place to go with non-vegan friends because you’ll be happy and so will they! Something for everyone. 267 South Beverly Drive.

Lemonade is a new discovery of mine. They have delicious salads to chose from, and the secret is to have them take one scoop from each salad choice so that you get more options. (you get 2 scoops for each salad) Another good place to go with non-vegan friends, sandwiches and fish/poultry dishes.. but everything is clean and healthy! Oh, and definitely try their house-made lemonade! Peach Ginger was my fave!  9001 Beverly Blvd. (there’s also one in Venice on the corner of Abbot Kinney and Venice Blvd!)

We now know that some fats, specifically the omega fatty acids (also known as Essential Fatty Acids-EFA’s) are vital for health.

Omega-3 Fats

The king of the EFA’s are the omega-3 fats: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic aicd (DHA). Unfortunately, although DHA is  also an omega-3 fatty acid, it is NOT found in the other fats, so you have to find it elsewhere. (see below)

Plant sources of omega-3′s include nuts and seeds, especially flaxseed oil or ground flaxseeds. they are also found in lesser amounts in legumes, whole grains and green leafy vegetables. Coldwater fish like wild salmon are a great source as well. The adequate intake guideline developed by the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine recommends that men consume 1.6 grams of omega-3 fatty acids a day, and that women consume 1.1 grams daily. (unless pregnant or lactating, see below)

DHA’s and Pregnancy

During pregnancy, developing babies rely on their mothers to get needed DHA. Since DHA is derived from the foods we eat, the content of DHA in a mother’s diet determines the amount of DHA passed on to her developing baby. Unfortunately, the majority of pregnant women in the U.S. fail to get the recommended amount of DHA in their diets and DHA is not found in most prenatal vitamins. The good news is leaders in maternal health are beginning to educate women about the importance of DHA and some food manufacturers are starting to come up with creative ways to help people – pregnant and non-pregnant- get the DHA they need.

Current research suggests adequate levels of DHA may help increase a developing baby’s cognitive functioning, reduce the risk of pre-term labor and decrease the risk of postpartum depression.

Why do pregnant and lactating women, who so critically need DHA, find it difficult to get the recommended amount of this crucial nutrient in their diets? There are two primary reasons. First, during pregnancy the daily requirements of DHA increase from 220 mg to somewhere between 300 and 1,000 mg (depending on which expert you consult). Second, DHA isn’t easy to get in your diet, especially when you are pregnant. Significant amounts of DHA are found in animal organ meats and fatty fish.

My advice? Get a good DHA supplement from your doctor or from a health foods store. According to Dr. Barbara Levine, associate professor of nutrition in medicine at Weill Medical College of Cornell University, “the purest source of DHA is not the fish itself, but rather what fish consume: the ocean’s vegetarian plant algae.” Taking DHA supplements produced from marine algae is therefore a safe way for pregnant women to boost their fatty acid stores. (like the spirulina which is inside Green Dream powder!)

HERE is a smoothie recipe including coconut oil!

and the majority of my desserts contain coconut oil, check out those recipes, too!

references and for more info:

The Coconut Miracle, Bruce Fife, 2004

Jon J. Kabara, Ph.D: Health Oils From the Tree Of Life

The Coconut Research Center: http://www.coconutresearchcenter.org/

She Knows-Pregnancy Website

Starting today, I am beginning a sugar challenge. My buddy, Erin from Well in LA has started the process and I am piggy backing on this escapade! As most of you know, I am 5 months pregnant. It’s really easy to fall into the trap of eating poorly when pregnant because, “I’m getting fat anyway, why not indulge?” I truly do think it’s fine once in a while, everything in moderation (including moderation!).  BUT, when growing a HUMAN LIFE–now is not the time to eat low-nutrient foods just for kicks. I’ve been hearing and reading about the way Jessica Simpson was eating during her pregnancy and it makes me want to throw up. Jessica shared, “Kraft mac and cheese with Lawry’s seasoning salt is the breakfast for pregnant champions!!!” I couldn’t eat that way if I tried! My body would dispute!! It IS difficult when you have certain cravings that are indeed intensifies when pregnant, but I’m here to support you! I’ll post tricks, recipes and tips here.

Extreme doesn’t work for me!

Many people have the wrong idea that people who consume a diet of exclusively raw foods or vegan are extremists who deprive themselves of all things delicious and decadent, namely sweets and desserts. It can’t be too much fun having a bowl of chopped broccoli for dessert, can it? Some assume that those who insisted that they did not eat sugar were lying, weird, or had no fun eating. After being raw for several months at a time and vegan for years, I now understand completely why people would give up processed sugars and I also understand how we can give it up without sacrificing the fun! Read on to learn about a healthy substitute for sugar, no matter what your needs are-from baking to a sweetening a smoothie.

Sugar-what’s the big deal?

Over the last few years, there has been a worldwide explosion in the prevalence of Type 2 diabetes – the third leading cause of death in the US. Type 2 diabetes occurs where there is sufficient insulin, but when insulin receptors become less sensitive.

This insulin resistance is the common factor in a cluster of cardiovascular disease risk factors known as metabolic syndrome. 20% of adult Americans have it, and it affects up to 40% of those over 60.

Eating sugar shoots our blood sugar levels up and triggers a spike in the hormone insulin, which is needed to prep our cells to absorb the sugar. If there are no other nutrients to sustain our blood sugar level, it crashes as quickly as it rises — and we crave another hit. This is how sugar addiction begins.

Moreover, sugar floods us with pleasure by stimulating the release of the neurotransmitter serotonin, and probably other mood-elevating substances. Scientists report that eating chocolate initiates a brain response similar to falling in love.

And so our brains have learned over time to equate the taste of “sweet” with a rapid infusion of energy and pleasure — a good thing when food was hard-won and life a battle to survive. Even now when we eat sweet foods, special taste buds trigger enzymes that prime our brain to anticipate this extra boost. With a balanced diet and a healthy metabolism, a calorie–control mechanism kicks in after a few minutes to regulate the desire for more food, including the satiety hormone leptin. But with too much sugar, we eat and eat and can’t get satisfied.

Another big difference between prehistoric times and now is that sugar back then came solely from complex natural sources that had other nutritional qualities, such as fruit, honey, bark, and leaves. And because naturally sweet food is seasonal, ripening with the sun in the summer or growing almost exclusively in warm climates, it was relatively rare in past times.

Sugar Alternatives

what is glycemic index? GI only measures glucose, so numbers don’t tell us the whole story; it isn’t measuring calories or other substances that impact blood sugar like sucrose or fructose.

Agave nectar: this golden or dark brown liquid is derived from the blue agave plant. It’s glycemic index (GI) is low-15. it contains slightly more calories than white sugar.  It’s best in soft-textured foods such as smoothies, drinks, salad dressings, pies and cheesecake. Can also be used in breads, cakes and cookies. Substitute 2/3 cup agave nectar for 1 cup white sugar; in baking, reduce other liquid by about one-third.

Brown Rice Syrup: This dense liquid is made by fermenting brown rice with enzymes to convert starches to sugars. Thick, creamy texture, pale golden color and mild sweetness is reminiscent of butterscotch. It has a relatively low GI of 25. Same calories as sugar but only half as sweet, so you may need ot use more. This sweetener is best in soft textured dishes such as pie fillings, hot cereals, and sauces. Butter for crunchy items like granola or cookies versus baked goods because it makes them heavy and hard. Substitute 1 212 cups brown rice syrup for 1 cup sugar; reduce other liquid by 2 tablespoons.

Splenda: avoid this sweetener. Once it gets to the gut, sucralose goes largely unrecognized in the body as food — that’s why it has no calories. The majority of people don’t absorb a significant amount of Splenda in their small intestine — about 15% by some accounts. some side effects: Sucralose has been implicated as a possible migraine trigger.  Self-reported adverse reactions to Splenda or sucralose collected by the Sucralose Toxicity Information Center include skin rashes/flushing, panic-like agitation, dizziness and numbness, diarrhea, swelling, muscle aches, headaches, intestinal cramping, bladder issues, and stomach pain.

Organic granulated sugar: Unbleached, less processed granulated sugar cane. Not made from genetically modified sugar beets. Turbinado organic sugar (“raw sugar”) is slightly browner, with larger crystals. Essentially the same calories and GI as white sugar, but retains some of the mineral-rich molasses. This is best in anything that uses regular sugar; similar texture and adds no color. Substitute 1:1 for regular sugar.

Stevia: Derived from a shrub; now available in leaf form (ground or whole leaf) and as a refined liquid or powder concentrate. Usually sold in the supplement section. The raw leaf is 60 times sweeter than sugar; in concentrated form, stevia is 150 to 300 times sweeter than sugar. In South America and Asia, people have used raw leaf stevia safely for centuries. with zero calories, it exerts no impact on insulin levels (some studies suggest stevia may help control insulin levels). Late last year the FDA granted “no objection” status to Cocoa-Cola and PepsiCo to use stevia based products in beverages. Ideal for sweetening tea, lemonade or other liquids. Lacks bulk so it’s tricker for baking-works in cookies, granola and pies but not well in breads, cakes or anything where texture matters. In baking, replace 1 cup sugar with 1 teaspoon stevia powder (or liquid), plus 1/3 cup of a bulking agent such as egg whites, applesauce, mashed bananas, pumpkin puree, or yogurt; increase liquid by 2 tablespoon May add a bitter aftertaste so go easy!

Yacon Root Syrup: a specialty sweetener made from an Andean root which has many health-promoting qualities. It’s rich in potassium, phosphorus, chromium, calcium, iron and other trace minerals. It contains a whole B complex profile and important antioxidants. The root can also be found in dried powder or snackable “chip” form. Has been shown to be helpful for diabetics with a neglible effect on insulin. It improves digestive health because of the Fructans (FOS) that allow the body to use yacon as a prebiotic “food” for the digestive tract. Similar in consistency to maple syrup.

Xylitol: white crystalline alcohol powder once commonly derived from birch bark, now mostly refined from corn, berries and plums. Similar in appearance and sweetness to white sugar. This sweetener doesn’t metabolize as sugar, so has no effect on insulin levels. Contains 9 calories per teaspoon, about half that of sugar.  Shown to be effective in preventing tooth decay; may have positive effects on bone health. Note: EXTREMELY toxic to dogs. Xylitol dissolves easily in liquid; idea for beverages, smoothies, sauces and ice creams. Not suitable for yeast-based baked goods but works well in quick breads. A direct substitute for sugar. In recipes calling for high quantities, use equal parts xylitol and another natural sweetener to reduce xylitol’s potential bloating or laxative effects.

Fresh Ripe Fruits from Your Kitchen: This is the simplest way to get some sweet flavor into your foods. Ripe bananas in particular are very sweet and are commonly used in smoothies and blended foods. You may also want to chop or rehydrate some fruits you may have dehydrated in your own kitchen, or purchased in bulk at the natural foods market. Feel free to experiment. I freeze bananas once they ripen and keep them in the freezer to pop into a smoothie when needed.

I challenge you to go even a week without processed sugars. You’ll not only notice a difference in your energy levels, but you’ll notice how addicted you actually are!! Explore these different options above and figure out what works for you and your body. Let me know how it goes, I am here to support you!

Kale Juice

This is an incredibly healthy, refreshing way to start your day. Kale is full of calcium and antioxidants and just about everything else—it’s one of the best things you can put into your system. Kale and other green vegetables are super alkalizing for your system, and therefore helps to cleanse the body. When juiced with a bit of lemon and agave, kale turns into a sort-of grassy lemonade.

No worries if you don’t have a juicer, a blender and a sieve do the trick.

• 1 bunch of organic kale, stems removed and leaves washed
• 1 green apple, juiced
• the juice of 2 small lemons
• 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of agave nectar (optional)
• 1/2 cup cold, filtered water

Combine everything in a blender and blend until completely pureed. It might take a little bit of time and manpower to get it going. Strain the juice through a fine sieve or colander into a bowl, pushing down on the solids with a kitchen spoon being sure to extract all the juice. Taste the juice and add a bit more lemon or agave if you think it needs it. Pour into a glass and drink up!

My son, Kai, is 17 months old. His first solid food was butternut squash pureed, followed by a puree of green vegetables.He didn’t have any sugar until a few months ago when he went to a birthday party, and to be honest, he didn’t even care for it much. I was terrified once he had the processed kind of sugar he’d never want to go back to his clean ways of eating.

His palate is so sophisticated now. He can eat anything no matter where we go. He loves spicey foods- he’s happy and at home in any Indian restaurant and equally safe at sushi or any other ethnic cuisine. We’ve traveled to Paris and Tel Aviv and South America and he’s happy no matter where we go and what we feed him. This takes a little more effort on my part, to pave the way to healthy foods being part of his normal routine.

Phases and Bumps along the way

Sometimes he’s not in the mood for a certain type of food. He’ll push things he’s loved for months away or throw it on the floor for our dog to eat. My trick is to lay out ONLY fruits and vegetables to start with– a huge variety– some cooked, some raw. Some warm, some cold. All different colors and flavors to entice his little appetite. He LOVES organic frozen veggies, which makes it super easy for me. He especially likes peas & lima beans, eating them one by one. I don’t usually add any butter or salt to the veggies because he eats them without. So what’s the point? He takes “butter” (Smart Balance) on his gluten-free waffles in the morning as a treat and loves it, but doesn’t expect it yet. He’s never touched syrup and there’s really no reason to introduce it.

The best time to give him the foods he’s not in the mood for is when he’s super hungry after playing outside. Sometimes I just need to give him a “gateway” food to get him started. When he was super little just a few little Organic Puffs would do the trick. Now I’ll give him half a piece of an organic cookie or  the green flavored Pirate’s Booty (our version of junk food) and after a few of these snack items he moves right into veggie land. Works pretty much every time.

Other days he just doesn’t feel like sitting in his high chair and eating. On those days I let him run around and snack as he pleases. He’ll graze on the veggies and fruit I put on a plate on the coffee table and run around and grab what he wants when he chooses to.  Many parents are really militant about kids sitting in their chairs and eating, and I understand their feelings. I get that sentiment, that it’s more “proper” to eat meals sitting in their high chair. With my lifestyle (always on the go) and my manner (I’m not a very “proper” person myself) I allow him to guide the way, as the most important thing to me is Kai getting the nutrients he needs to GROW “properly”, while being a formal “correct” child falls a bit lower on the priority list. Every child is different. Some kids really need that type of structure to stay well behaved. Kai is (luckily) really flexible and adaptable with my crazy “on the go” lifestyle. I’m pregnant again, who knows how this next baby will be

Green Dream and Philosophie superfood blends save the day

When all else fails, I can make a Green Dream smoothie and at least feel good about Kai getting all the nutrients and greens he needs for the day. In one smoothie I can be sure he’s getting good fats, vegan sources of protein, no weird fillers and nothing processed. This makes things a lot easier and makes me feel secure in what he eats for the rest of the day. Lately one of the only ways I can consistently get green veggies into his body is through smoothies. And that’s fine with me! Sometimes in the morning I’ll add Cacao Magic Mylkshake powder to his oatmeal or even a dash of Green Dream. Other times I’ll sneak it into an “ice cream” where I blend frozen bananas, spinach and green dream or cacao blend. These tricks ensure the love of my life is getting everything he needs nutritionally. Not to mention the hubby benefits from these tricks as well! If you’re interested in buying Green Dream, Cacao Magic Mylkshake or Berry Antioxidant blends, email me: sophie@thephilosophie.com and mention this post for a mommy discount!

I’m not sure where the “green” phobia in kids begins, but I can’t help but think it’s from parents trying to drive the foods down their kids throats. Kai loves Green foods and actually gravitates towards these foods vs running away from them. I think this practice starts early, but that you can retrain your kids brains by sneaking greens into a smoothie or into an ice cream… so they don’t feel they are missing anything. I mean let’s revisit Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Suess! In the end, he lovessss the Green Eggs… it just took TRYING them!

In Gratitude and Elmo obsessions,

Sophie

PS. SPEAKING of Green Eggs… an easy way to make your own Green Eggs is to blend the eggs and fresh spinach in the blender until smooth. Then cook as you normally would! Kai loves them, your kids will too!

While all raw foods contain enzymes, the most powerful enzyme-rich food is sprouted seeds, grains, and legumes. Sprouting increases the enzyme content in these foods enormously.

A diet rich in enzymes can increase energy and stamina, as well as support weight loss, healthy skin, and overall good health.

Here is a delicious recipe for a raw, vegan smoothie that’s especially full of enzyme rich foods to aid in digestion.

Enzyme Rich Tummy Tamer

• 2 C coconut water
• 1/2 C fresh or frozen papaya
• 1/2 C fresh or frozen pineapple
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• few fresh leaves of mint

Raw Food Diet: Eliminate the Damaging Foods

The number one benefit for eating a (mostly) Raw Food Diet is that you are (mostly) eliminating all the processed foods that are DAMAGING to the body. For people eating the ‘Standard American Diet’ (SAD), this is a hard transition to make, but a worthy one. The most important thing is to get MORE raw, natural, unprocessed foods into your daily habits and hoepefully take out some of the cooked, unnatural, processed ones. (which cause food addiction)

Eating enzyme-rich raw foods is not the main reason why people heal and regenerate their bodies. They heal because they are leaving out all the damaging foods. Now don’t get me wrong… these enzymes and raw foods are GREAT and they do nourish the body, especially if you are consuming them as vegetable juices and smoothies. When you cook food it changes in its molecular composition, which in turn makes foods more damaging to the body.

Most important take-home message: You can eat enzyme-rich raw foods until you are blue in the face, and you are not going to heal unless you also eliminate these processed foods from your intake.

We can help you! Start with a Universal Luv Pak (long distance cleanse program) and we’ll work from there.

zuddhagirls@gmail.com

To make dairy-free mylk, you can use pretty much any seed, grain or nut. I like almond, oat and coconut mylk the best. Experiment with your own taste buds  to see what works for you.

Mylk Ingredients:

• Nuts or seeds of choice
• Pure water
• sweetener of your choice (a few soft dates, raw honey, raw agave or stevia)
• 1 pinch of unprocessed sea salt (optional)

To create Mylk:

1. Soak nuts or seeds (almonds and hazelnuts for 8-12 hours, sunflower seeds or brazil nuts for 3 hours) I like to soak the nuts before bed and then in the morning it’s ready for biz-nas!

Before blending...

2. Place soaked nuts or seeds in a blender so that the nuts are even with the level of the uppermost part of the blades.

..after!!!

3. Add pure water to just cover the nuts and blend until smooth. Add more water until desired consistency is reached.

4. Sweeten to suit your taste buds with a soft date or two, raw agave, raw honey or a packet or drop of stevia (if you use too much stevia, it will become bitter). Strain with cheesecloth or a nut milk bag.

5. Make only what you will use in a day or two. Refrigerate.

(These mylks will go bad after about 48 hours)

Vanilla Hemp Seed Mylk:

• 1/4 cup shelled hempseeds (buy them in air-tight containers, not from bulk bins where they can be rancid)
• 1 liter pure water
• 1 pinch of unprocessed sea salt (optional)
• sweetener of your choice
• vanilla pod or a few drops of vanilla stevia instead of sweetener

To Create Mylk:

1. Place the hempseeds in a blender with just enough water to cover them and blend well.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until smooth.

3. Strain in a mesh strainer and drink! Refrigerate the remainder.

Optional: for a thicker, more omega 3 rich milk, soak 1/4 cup flax seeds for 2 hours, then rinse and blend with hemp seeds.

*If you want to make these mylks chocolate for a kid or for a yummy treat, add raw cacao powder at the end of the final blend. It tastes DELICIOUS and no one will ever know you are drinking something with amazing superfoods, antioxidants and health benefits!!!

I stared at my fruit bowl today and felt sad. My pears and apples were going to go bad any minute and I knew we wouldn’t eat them in time. There were just too many. What to do?? Make a raw pie crumble of course!! This dessert can obviously be just made of apples and use as many different varieties as you like.

Ingredients for Crust:

* 2 cups almonds (soaked 12-24 hours)

*2 cups pitted dates

*1 tsp orange or lemon zest

Ingredients for filling:

*5-6 organic apples

*3-4 organic pears

*1 cup raisins (soaked several hours in just enough water to cover them)

*2 tbsp ground flax seeds or psyllium powder

*2 tsp cinnamon powder

*1/2 tsp allspice powder

*1/2 tsp nutmeg powder

*1 pinch Garam masala

To make crust:

place all crust ingredients in a food processor and process with the S blade until it resembles dough. It will form a ball in the processor, then you know it’s ready! Press into a pie plate or 9×12 pan.

To make filling:

*Core and chop the apples and pears into medium sized pieces. Place half the apples into a food processor along with the rest of the ingredients, including the water from the soaking raisin’s, and process until smooth. Set aside the mixture in a mixing bowl.

Place the rest of the apples in food processor and pulse until a chunky texture is achieved. Mix the batches together. Pour into the pie shell or pan and enjoy!

Letting the pie settle in the refrigerator for a few hours will stiffen up the filling. Or place in the oven on low for a few minutes with vegan ice cream on top! yum!

Garnish with apple slices and sprinkle spices on top!

Mindfulness

A sadhana is a type of mindfulness practice, a way of fully participating in something. Yogis believe everything has its own sadhana, including eating and cooking (or ‘uncooking’!). Here are some suggestions to get the most out of the food you eat and to promote optimal digestion.

• *Eat your main meal before 2p and don’t eat anything after 7p. this will allow your body to digest the food more fully. Try to eat at the same time every day.
• *Chew your food slowly and with reverence.
• *Eat organic, fresh foods as often as possible.
• *Prepare your own food, using your hands as much as possible instead of spoons, mixers, or processors. Think of cooking as a meditation practice. then eat with your hands as well, making the connection between your hands and you belly. (Ethiopian Cuisine is a great idea for group get together’s!)
• *Don’t cook or eat when you feel agitated or distracted. You infuse the foods you prepare with your energy and emotions. Cooking with loving attention brings joy to those who eat your food.
• *Always say a prayer of gratitude before you eat. (or just acknowledge the foods beauty and how luck you are to eat it!)
• *Stop eating before you’re full. Yogis fill their bellies only two-thirds full: one-third with food and one-third with liquid. The remaining third should stay empty to help the stomach digest properly.
• *Take a walk after eating; don’t go to bed right after a meal.

“there are some people who eat an orage but don’t really eat it. They eat their sorrow, fear, anger, past, and future. They are not really present, with body and mind united.” -Thich Nhat Hanh