Here’s an example of a recipe I created for Rivva:

Cafe Rivva’s Westside Post Yoga Refresher

(Serves 1)

½ c. blueberries

6 oz. coconut water

½ banana

½ tsp. spirulina

½ tsp. maca

1 c. ice

Blend all ingredients and enjoy.

Rivva also has organic frozen yogurt in a variety of flavors and amazingly fresh and creative vegetarian salads. What I like most about the salads is that you can pick a few different kinds (like the restaurant Lemonade) so that you have more choices on your plate.

The owner, Chris, is from Ireland and is an absolute gem. He’s so kind hearted and you feel that energy coming through the store and products.

I definitely recommend going in and checking out the place, if anything, just to try my smoothies!!

here are some reviews on Rivva!

**eater

**urbanspoon

**yelp

The Dead Food List

These items are often featured in raw food recipes, restaurants and products, but they are not commonly found raw. Many raw food websites, books, etc. have a “high raw” philosophy that allows for some cooked food. This list is intended to help you be aware of cooked items, so that whenever you want to, you can eat Purely Raw foods.

Several of these items are often labelled as “raw” and/or sold by “raw” websites, yet they have been heated. You can purchase a few of these items raw, when they’ve been specifically produced for the raw food community. The seller will usually mention the measures taken to keep the product raw in these special cases, when you are not sure, always ask.

We contact the producer no matter what the label says. More often than not, we find a step that involves too much heat. Please do the same. The more health aware customers contacting producers and suppliers about their methods, the better for everyone!

Agave Nectar

Has to be treated and altered from it’s natural state to taste ‘sweet’. Even when labeled or advertised as raw, if it is sweet, it has been heated. Some manufactures claim that lower air pressures can be used to keep the heat below 45c/115f  and thus producing sweet “Raw”? nectar.

Almonds

Many Almonds come from America, and those Almonds nearly always come from California. Because of a new law, (Sept ’07) all California Almonds produced are pasturised and therefore no longer raw.

Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

Made from a base of cooked ingredients.

Brazil Nuts

If shelled they’ve been baked, boiled or steamed. (substitute Walnuts, Pine Nuts or Hazelnuts)

Cacao

After harvest cacao pods are piled up to ‘sweat’ or ferment for 3 to 4 days. During this time the temps can reach above 140f. They are often heated again during the drying process. We would like to find a source for fresh cacao pods or cacao beans that will sprout, if anyone has one.

Cashew Nuts

Most cashews that are sold as raw are heated to shell and boiled to remove strong toxins. Even those that sprout and grow, make some raw fooders sick. (Substitute Pine Nuts, Hazelnuts)

Dried Fruit

Blanched, gassed, and high temp dried. (Dry your own fruit).

Frozen Vegetables

Blanched or boiled even when labelled “Fresh frozen”. It will make your recipes taste and smell off. (Fresh is best!)

Ground Almonds

Blanched before grinding. (Grind your own.)

Hijiki/Hiziki (seaweed)

Dried at high temps.

Juice

All packaged, bottled and canned juice is pasteurized unless it states clearly that it is not.

Macadamia Nuts

Dried at high temps. (substitute Hazelnuts or Sunflower Seeds)

Maple Syrup

After the Maple sap is taken from the tree, it is boiled to reduce it into syrup and make it sweeter.

Miso

Even un-pasteurized Miso is made from cooked ingredients.

Nama Shoyu

Made from a base of cooked ingredients.

Nori (seaweed)

Both black and green are dried at high temps. The colour is not a sure sign. Even ‘Clearspring’ brand when sold as raw.

Nutritional Yeast

Basically baked to kill the yeast. (substitute Pine Nuts, lemon and a little raw salt.)

Oats

Steamed to keep out worms in storage.

Olive Oil

Must say unfiltered and cold pressed and even then you should check with the producer. (substitute Avocado)

Olives

If canned, jarred or packed they’re usually cooked and normally in bad oils as well.

Peacans

If shelled they’ve been boiled or steamed. (substitute soaked Walnuts or Hazelnuts)

Sugar

All processed sugar has been boiled and dried at high temps. Even ‘Raw’ sugar is NOT raw and often dyed brown.

Tahini

High temps during processing. Even stone ground, unpasteurized and made with un-roasted sesame seeds does not ensure that it is raw. Check with the manufacturer. (substitute self-ground sesame seads and a little raw Olive Oil.)

Wild Rice

Neither wild nor raw. Blanched after havest to keep out bugs.

*Love. Love. Love. Love.

*Love and appreciate my body, even when it’s changing or different than what I wish it were.

*Get outdoors, in nature, even for just 10 minutes.

*Continue to inspire myself while inspiring others.

*Pamper myself in some way: a bath, a massage from my hubby, paint my nails, mini facial

*Get exercise, get the blood flowing, sweat.

*Make love, with my partner or with myself!

*Have quiet time where I shut down from the world, for even 10 minutes. Meditation, or just a time when I put my phone on silent and take deep breaths and appreciate.

*Read something that brings me pleasure.

*Eat something that brings me pleasure.

*WRITE IN MY JOURNAL! OR DRAW! express myself.

*Be forgiving: with myself and others.

*Snuggle with my dog. Let him lick my face. Life’s too short to care.

*Speak up for myself.

*Ride my bike.

*Be playful. Laugh. Giggle.

*YOGA. live it. LOVE IT. do it. on and off the mat!

*Eat beautiful, organic, natural foods. As many colors as possible!

*Take too many pictures.

*Keep learning and growing. Evolving is what life is about!

*remember it’s OKAY to be WRONG.

*Share with EVERYBODY.

*Express gratitude, send thank you cards. Remember Birthdays.

Ingredients for Raw, Vegan Pesto Kelp Noodles:

*2 packages Kelp Noodles

*2 large bushels of fresh Basil leaves

*1 Cup fresh Spinach

*1/4 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil

*1/2 Cup raw Pinenuts

*2 fresh Garlic cloves

*1/2 Teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt

pinenuts

Directions:

1) soak kelp noodles in warm/hot water for at least 20 minutes. Drain and  wring out excess water.

2) combine all ingredients in food processor/Cuisinart (except kelp noodles)

3) taste the pesto. It may need more sea salt or garlic for your taste. Also, if it’s too chunky, add more olive oil or a little bit of filtered water. If it’s too watery, add more pine nuts or spinach/basil.

Pesto Kelp Noodles

If you want a variation, try my recipe for Cheezy Kelp Noodles!

I love this recipe for raw, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. They taste like the raw cookie dough we aren’t supposed to love and eat while we’re making “real” cookies… only these are egg-free and completely safe to eat a ton of! Now I’m sharing the recipe with you, for your noshing pleasure.

Recipe for Raw Chocolate Chip Cookies

*2 C nuts (soaked almonds)

*1/2 C dates

*1 tsp vanilla extract

*1/2 tsp sea salt

*1/4 C coconut oil, melted (not in a microwave)

*1/4 C-1/2 C chocolate chips (depending on your love of chocolate)

Directions

1. With a food processor, grind up all above ingredients except the chocolate chips. If you process them for a long time they will taste much more like cookie dough, if you process for less time they will have a nutty consistency which is fun and tasty, too!

2. After processing to desired consistency, drop the chocolate chips into the dough and mix with a spoon. Then pulse 3-4 times to mix it and grind the chips into the mixture.

3. Take a cookie sheet and spread the cookie dough into the pan, using your fingers to press into the corners and flatten into one even, level, layer.

4. Put in the fridge or freezer for 30 minutes to an hour to harden.

5. I then took it out and used heart cookie shape cutters but you can roll them into a ball and leave them that way, use another shape, or take the ball and flatten it into a round “cookie”. sky’s the limit! ENJOY!!!

blending the crust

For the Crust

2 cups raw macadamia nuts OR a blend of almonds, walnuts and pecans
1/2 cup dates, pitted
1/4 cup dried coconut

For the “Cheese”

3 cups chopped cashews, soaked for at least 1 hour

blending the "cheese"

3/4 cup lemon juice (or lime juice-i used limequats for this! so delish)
3/4 cup honey
3/4 cup coconut oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon celtic sea salt (optional)

For raspberry sauce:
1 bag frozen raspberries (or blackberries/strawberries)
1/2 cup dates

DIRECTIONS

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

To make the cheese, blend the cashews, lemon, honey, gently warmed coconut oil (do not use microwave), vanilla, sea salt, 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 in the freezer until firm. Remove the whole cake from the pan while frozen and place on a serving platter. Defrost in the refrigerator. (the more defrosted the better the taste)

To make the raspberry sauce, process raspberries and dates in a food processor until well blended. (Do not use a blender for this or the raspberry seeds will become like sand.)

finished product!

I could REALLY use your help! 20% of the contest is up to you!!!!

www.hotrawchef.com

THANK YOU THANK YOU!

making carrot juice!

This means that the pancreas is forced to work harder with a cooked food diet. “Although the body can manufacture enzymes, the more you use your enzyme potential, the faster it is going to run out..” wrote Dr. Edward Howell, who pioneered research in the benefits of food enzymes. A youth of 18 may produce amylase levels 30 times greater than those of an 85 year old person.

Some excellent food sources of enzymes are: papaya, pineapple and sprouted seeds. Science cannot duplicate enzymes because they are the stuff of life itself. Only raw food has functional “live” enzymes. Therefore the liver, pancreas, stomach and intestines must come to the rescue and furnish the requisite digestive enzymes to the individual nourished solely on a cooked food diet.

This extra activity can be detrimental to health and longevity because it continually taxes the reserve energy of our organs. Furthermore, cooked food passes through the digestive tract more slowly than raw food, tends to ferment, and throws poisons back into the body. Colon cancer is 2nd to lung cancer as a killer in America and is related, in various ways, to eating enzyme-deficient cooked food.

All raw foods contain exactly the right enzymes required to split every last molecule into the basic building blocks of metabolism: Amino acids (from protein) glucose (from complex carbs) and essential fatty acids (from unsaturated vegetable fats.)

This isn’t a post to say you should ONLY eat raw or living foods… just to try and incorporate more in your diet. Even once a day is a great treat for your body!

Recipe:

*8 oz Coconut Milk (coconut butter + filtered water) or Almond or Oat Milk (can buy boxed)
*2 Tablespoons Cacao Powder
*2 Teaspoons Cacao Nibs
*1 scoop (2 Tablespoons) Protein Powder of your choice (Raw, Brown Rice or Whey)
*2 drops of chocolate stevia concentrate
*2 drops of vanilla creme stevia concentrate
*handful or two of ice

Optional:

*maca powder- 1-2 teaspoons
*banana or dates (take out the pit!) for sweetener instead of or in addition to stevia
**toppings: buckwheat grawnola, goji berries, cacao nibs

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 4 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. ALAS, 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 daily.  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.  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.

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 and 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.