CHERRY JUBILATION

A raw vegan dessert truffle with cherries, chocolate and Brazil nuts.

• 1/3 cup  coconut cream butter (Artisana is a great brand)
  
• 1/2 cup powdered carob
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp agave
• 2 tsp Stevia Plus powder
• 2 droppers dark chocolate Stevia liquid
• 1 cup fresh, pitted organic cherries
• 1 1/2 cup organic Brazil nuts
• ½ cup unsweetened carob chips
• 15 cherries, pitted and halved

Purée all ingredients in food processor except carob chips. When dough is formed, pull out blade and stir in chips. Form into balls and scoop into paper mini cupcake liners. Top each one with a cherry half.

Freeze for 15 minutes and they’re ready to serve. Store in refrigerator. Tops of cherries will get frostbite if kept in the freezer over 15 minutes.

Yield: 30

[caption id="attachment_562" align="aligncenter" width="263" caption="sea vegetables"]Now that I've begun getting sea veggies, I crave them. Every other day I have to have a seaweed salad or put them inside of something or else. I don't know if it's the iron I'm deficient in or just the abundance of nutrients, but they seem to sooth my soul. [/caption]

Common Sea Vegetables

• Agar:  This is a tasteless natural gelatin used to make gelatin-type desserts.  Available in bars or flakes, very high in iodine.
• Alaria:  Resembles wakame in appearance, taste, and nutrition, alaria is high in calcium, Vitamin A, and B vitamins.  Blackish green in color.
• Arame:  Similar to hijiki in appearance, arame is rich in calcium and iodine.  It has a delicate flavor.
• Carrageen:  Also called Irish moss, it is rich in vitamin A, iodine, and other minerals.
• Dulse:  Reddish in color with a soft, chewy texture and a salty, spicy flavor this is an appealing choice for those new to sea vegetables.  Dulse is high in protein, iron, potassium, and vitamins B-6 and B-12.
• Hijiki:  The strongest-tasting sea vegetable, is often paired with onions and rood vegetables or added to soups.  Dehydrated, hijiki looks like black strings.  Hijiki is high in calcium and iron.
• Kelp:  Light brown to dark green in color, kelp is similar to Japanese kombu and is used in much the same ways.  It contains a natural tenderizer.  Kelp is high in calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, chromium, and iodine.
• Kombu:  Sometimes called "natural MSG," kombu is used to brighten the flavors of soups and stews and to tenderize beans.  It is usually sold as dried strips that is blackish green in color.
• Nori:  Though deep purple in color, nori turns dark green when toasted which is how it is commonly sold.  Known for its role in sushi making, nori is available in pre-toasted, ready-to-use sheets and can be chopped or crumbled to use in soups and salads.
• Wakame:  The traditional leafy addition to miso soup, wakame has a mild flavor that works well in salads or stir-fries with other vegetables.  It is high in calcium, B vitamins, and vitamin C.

Sea vegetables are very versatile and are high in many trace minerals.  Dr. Tel-Oren (The Truth About Your Food) recommends that we have organically grown sea vegetables (algae) at least 3/4 times a week.

Small amounts can be added to smoothies, salads, uncooked soups, crackers and whatever else your heart desires. If you haven't tried sea vegetables, consider giving them a try!

Have a grateful day! :)

-S

Here are my Specials for the month of December. (Dec 3-25)

1. Yoga Challenge: How much yoga can you do in 22 days??

• feel more flexible within 3 sessions, more balanced & less stress within 1 session
• everyone can benefit from yoga-whether you are healing from an injury, trying to lose weight, gain strength, if you are new to the practice or feel intimidated by yoga: these private , one on one sessions will give you confidence and eliminate these blocks to a successful practice
• I come to your house with everything we need for the class.
  

*The first session is regular price of $60. Each session within the same week gets cut by $5. (HUGE SAVINGS!!!!!!!)

2. Philosophie Customized Cleanse: find a friend, roommate or co-worker to experience it together... Save $30!

• feel more energetic, more mental clarity, focus
• lose 3-5 lbs-while eating instead of fasting or drinking lemonade all day
• improve digestive health, clearer skin and eyes, balance hormones
• includes personal consultation and delivery
• see what other cleansers have said about their experience: http://www.thephilosophie.com/philosophie/philosophie-testimonials/
  

*$30 off 2 purchased 3-day cleanses (3-day cleanse: $300; must have same start and ending date)

3. Health Consulting: don’t live in Los Angeles? (or even if you do!)

• Trying to take gluten or dairy out of your life and need some help?
• transitioning to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle and looking for alternatives?
• curious about macrobiotic, body ecology or the raw diet?
• want a cleanse or workout plan designed especially for you??
• trying to lose weight and want support to ultimately feel your best? I’M YOUR GIRL!
  

*$29 off a package of 4 phone/skype/email sessions (regularly $249) or $49 off a package of 6 (regularly $349)

email: Sophie@thephilosophie.com to BOOK YOUR CLEANSE OR YOGA SESSIONS TODAY!!!

Check out this recent article on fasting from NPR!

For thousands of years, beginning with philosophers like Hippocrates, Socrates and Plato, fasting was recommended for health reasons. The Bible writes that Moses and Jesus fasted for 40 days for spiritual renewal.

"Glycogen is necessary for thinking; it's necessary for muscle action; it's necessary just for the cells to live in general," says Dr. Naomi Neufeld, an endocrinologist at UCLA. Neufeld says most adults need about 2,000 calories a day. Those calories make energy, or glycogen. Neufeld says it doesn't hurt — it might even help the body — to fast or stop eating for short periods of time, say 24 hours once a week, as long as you drink water.

"You re-tune the body, suppress insulin secretion, reduce the taste for sugar, so sugar becomes something you're less fond of taking," Neufeld says.

Eventually the body burns up stored sugars, or glycogen, so less insulin is needed to help the body digest food. That gives the pancreas a rest. On juice diets recommended by some spas, you may lose weight, but your digestive system doesn't get that rest. Mark Mattson, a scientist with the National Institute on Aging, says that when we convert food into energy, our bodies create a lot of byproducts we could do without, including free radicals. "These free radicals will attack proteins, DNA, the nucleus of cells, the membranes of cells," Mattson says. "They can damage all those different molecules in cells."

And even if you don't fast, Mattson says that simply limiting the calories you consume may be beneficial. He points to studies where rats and mice were fed every other day. Compared with those fed normal daily diets, there was a reduction in disease among the rats that were severely restricted in their food intake. Mattson says those findings hold promise that humans could also benefit from partial fasting.

Mattson thinks partial fasting has numerous benefits, from improving glucose regulation, which can protect against diabetes, to also lowering blood pressure. Some animal studies have also shown that partial fasting has very beneficial effects on the brain, protecting against Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and stroke.

Partial fasting may even extend lifespan because eating less sends a message to the cells of the body that they should conserve and use energy more efficiently.

"When they're exposed to a mild stress, [the body's cells] sort of expect that maybe this is going to happen again," Mattson says. "So maybe next time I may have to go longer without food, so I'd better be able to deal with that when it comes on."

Proponents say small, short-term studies find that complete fasting lowers blood pressure and reduces cancer risk. But Dr. Naomi Neufeld worries that complete fasting could be harmful. After the first few days of liquid only, the body uses up all its stored glucose to make energy. And then it turns to other sources, including fat and muscle. (juice/smoothie fast ensures you get all the nutrients you need while still obtaining the benefits mentioned above)

check out the full article here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16513299&sc=nl&cc=es-20071223&sc=emaf

Natural Organic Food

Consuming natural organic food is incredibly important, but the reason why isn’t always understood or clear. I’m writing this post to take a more in-depth look at some of the issues surrounding organic food and to help dispel common assumptions and bring a dose of reality to the table. One reality for me is that organic food really does TASTE BETTER. I am shocked just about every time I bite into an organic kiwi when compared to a regular one. Why? What makes it taste so much better? and what does it take for something to earn an "organic" sticker? Read on to answer these questions!

1. Why does Organic Food taste so much better??

Flavor in organic foods is so much better because of the healthy, well-balanced soil it grows in. This is why so many top chefs insist on using organic food in their recipes. Obviously, tastes and flavors are a personal matter, so see for yourself!

2. What does it take for the USDA to approve a food as "organic"?

• “Organic agriculture is an ecological production management system that promotes and enhances biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity. It is based on minimal use of off-farm inputs and on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony.

• “‘Organic’ is a labeling term that denotes products produced under the authority of the Organic Foods Production Act. The principal guidelines for organic production are to use materials and practices that enhance the ecological balance of natural systems and that integrate the parts of the farming system into an ecological whole.

• “Organic agriculture practices cannot ensure that products are completely free of residues; however, methods are used to minimize pollution from air, soil and water.

• “Organic food handlers, processors and retailers adhere to standards that maintain the integrity of organic agricultural products. The primary goal of organic agriculture is to optimize the health and productivity of interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals and people.

Okay... so what is organic food? summary please!

Though organic food can be produced with certain synthetic ingredients, it must adhere to specific standards regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Crops are generally grown without synthetic pesticides, artificial fertilizers, irradiation (a form of radiation used to kill bacteria), or biotechnology. Animals on organic farms eat organically grown feed, aren't confined 100 percent of the time (as they sometimes are on conventional farms), and are raised without antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones.

A few more terms for piece of mind:

• Organic: A USDA-regulated label that says no pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, antibiotics, or growth hormones were used. Produce, meats, and dairy with a USDA Organic seal are 100% organic, while other foods may use the designation if 95% of their ingredients are organic.

• Natural: This label, regulated only for meat and poultry, signals that no artificial ingredients have been added. Don't confuse the term with nutritious when, say, reaching for the Cheetos Natural Cheese Puffs.

• No hormones administered: An unverified certification that a cow was never given hormones in its lifetime. A "no hormones" stamp on pork and poultry is entirely irrelevant since, by federal law, chickens and pigs may not be given hormone injections.

• Cage-free: This egg carton label means nothing nutritionally and not much ethically. Cage-free hens can still be packed wing-to-wing in a windowless indoor space.

• Free-range: This USDA- defined, but unregulated, term means that a bird has outdoor access for more than half its life. Still, many free-range chickens live in crowded barns, with access only to a cramped yard.

• Grass-fed: Indicates only that a cow ate grass at some point in its life—always true, even of animals raised on big commercial farms. Look for "grass-finished" beef (the animal ate only grass in its final weeks) or "100% grass-fed."

• Pastured or pasture-raised: Though unregulated, this term usually means that an animal has roamed grassy fields throughout its life.

Healthy food - Healthy Body

Bottom line: eat as many healthy, organic foods as you can for a healthy body and mind.

Organic foods may have higher nutritional value than conventional food, according to some research. The reason: In the absence of pesticides and fertilizers, plants boost their production of the phytochemicals (vitamins and antioxidants) that strengthen their resistance to bugs and weeds. Some studies have linked pesticides in our food to everything from headaches to cancer to birth defects — but many experts maintain that the levels in conventional food are safe for most healthy adults. Even low-level pesticide exposure, however, can be significantly more toxic for fetuses and children (due to their less-developed immune systems) and for pregnant women (it puts added strain on their already taxed organs), according to a report by the National Academy of Sciences.

Pesticide contamination isn't as much of a concern in meats and dairy products (animals may consume some pesticides, depending on their diet), but many scientists are concerned about the antibiotics being given to most farm animals: Many are the same antibiotics humans rely on, and overuse of these drugs has already enabled bacteria to develop resistance to them, rendering them less effective in fighting infection, says Chuck Benbrook, Ph.D., chief scientist at the Organic Center, a nonprofit research organization.

Is buying organic better for the environment?
Organic farming reduces pollutants in groundwater and creates richer soil that aids plant growth while reducing erosion, according to the Organic Trade Association. It also decreases pesticides that can end up in your drinking glass; in some cities, pesticides in tap water have been measured at unsafe levels for weeks at a time, according to an analysis performed by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). (To find out about the safety of your tap water, visit the EWG website at ewg.org/tapwater/yourwater.) Plus, organic farming used 50 percent less energy than conventional farming methods in one 15-year study.

When is it worth the extra $ dough $?
If you can afford it, buy local and organic. Farmers' markets carry reasonably priced locally grown organic and conventional food; to find one in your area, go to localharvest.org. If you can't always afford organic, do spend the extra money when it comes to what the EWG calls the "dirty dozen": peaches, strawberries, nectarines, apples, spinach, celery, pears, sweet bell peppers, cherries, potatoes, lettuce, and imported grapes. These fragile fruits and vegetables often require more pesticides to fight off bugs compared to hardier produce, such as asparagus and broccoli. Download a list of produce ranked by pesticide contamination at foodnews.org, an EWG website.

When shopping for organic foods, always look for the USDA seal on any kind of packaged food. For meat and dairy, this seal ensures you're getting antibiotic- and hormone-free products. When buying meat or produce that isn't packaged, look for a sign stating that it's organic, or ask someone that works there!

http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/ofp/ofp.shtml

http://localharvest.org

http://foodnews.org

In-Fighting in the Organic Movement: www.thedailygreen.com/2007/07/18/in-fighting-in-the-organic-movement/4075/

When It Pays to Buy Organic: www.consumerreports.org/cro/food/diet-nutrition/organic-products/organic-products-206/overview/index.htm<

Good source of organic information and news: www.organicconsumers.org

Visit eatwild.com for farms that sell pastured products

Read more: http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/definitions/Organics#ixzz0UeFN4nKa

After visiting San Francisco about 5 times in the past 2 years knowing fully well about Cafe Gratitude, I finally made it. And it was more than worth the wait.

cut to today: walking about 20 blocks, taking the Bart and 2 buses, I arrived. I am here.

it's no wonder it's such a challenge for people to stay healthy, and especially raw, while traveling. Most people won't endure the above trek in order to achieve a healthy meal.

After arriving... again after ordering, and while eating...and once again after I am finished: I feel such gratitude.

I feel thankful for this beautiful food, for the love and intention that goes into every bite and sip, for the gracious and kind staff, for small details such as the Question of the Day (today's: What are you devoted to?) for The Present Moment, and for my deep awareness of my body and my health to bring me to such a conscious place for lunch.

Here's what I ordered: 'I Am Healthy" Green Veggie Juice, followed by "I Am Giving" Asian Kale Salad with Teriyaki Almonds, sea vegetables and sesame seeds. For dessert (you can't skip dessert when doing a review for a restaurant-it wouldn't be fair) I had the raw Pecan Pie called "I Am Perfect" with Pecans and Dates and a Macadamia nut crust. mmmm. Afterward, while walking around the beautiful store, letting my food digest and my heart absorb my surroundings, I sipped on a cup of mint green tea with ginger and spices. ("I Am Charmed")

I consider it a treat to be in such an amazing environment. I definitely don't take it for granted. Every time I walk in such a place, i feel humble and gracious.

I feel at home here. I can sit Indian style like I would at home. I can ask questions that matter to me and know that they will be acknowledged and respected. There is a lot of love being felt here... the staff just had a group hug, for example. This is exactly how life is in my bubble, in my head, in my heart.

For now, all i can say is that until I can create my own sanctuary, my own yoga studio-juice bar-restaurant-safe place...

I'll be venturing to Cafe Gratitude to fulfill these desires.

The first step in taking on any new type of diet or nutritional plan, or attempting to lose weight, is absolutely to cleanse/detox.

My personal training and private yoga clients constantly talk to me about their physical goals, usually losing weight being at the top of their list.

Where to start

My advice is always the same. Start with a cleanse. You need to press the "restart button" before you begin something brand new. Your body, specifically your digestive system, is much like a computer and you're trying to download a new program. If you haven't restarted your computer in months, maybe even years, your computer will be running slow and sluggish.

When we regularly ingest processed foods, meat and dairy products, our digestive and lymphatic systems become overloaded, or congested, leaving excess toxins to remain rampant in the blood and in the digestive system where they cause chronic illnesses and diseased colons.

Great internal healing occurs when we cleanse through organic, primarily liquid based, raw foods. Uncooked foods maintain the enzymes within the food, as oppose to cooked foods which destroy the natural enzymes. After we eat cooked foods, it takes a lot of energy from the body to produce these enzymes in order to aid in the digestive process. In addition, because the raw food is also mostly liquid (smoothies, juices, teas, gazpacho's) it doesn't demand much from the body in order to break it down.

By allowing our systems to work less, we free up that energy to concentrate on healing. Raw vegetables, fruits and their juices, fresh air, and sunlight alkaline the body. They carry a negative charge, magnetically attaching the the acidic wastes and literally puling them into the eliminating channels for release. In addition, alkaline-forming foods are so beneficial because they help magnetize waste matter out of the bodies cells.

Are there any difficulties?

Raw foods help our digestive systems to heal, which allows our lymphatic systems to discharge these congestive toxins. This process can be uncomfortable.

Some possible side effects of detoxification include a temporary loss of energy, headaches, nausea or diarrhea. This is merely evidence that your body is throwing out those accumulated toxins.Some people will experience childhood illnesses or past experiences. If you experience low energy or bowel irregularities over a long period of time, you may have an overgrowth of yeast, or Candida, in your intestines.

How should I cleanse?

There are many different ways to detox. There's the lemonade diet. There's potions and colon cleansers. Fasting. Laxatives.

I personally believe the most gentle and nutritious way to detox is through raw food and juice cleanses. I either provide these cleanses (actually creating and making the cleanse for you) or, if you don't live in Los Angeles and/or it's too expensive for you at the moment, I can consult and guide you through your process via email/phone. See the testimonials page if you want to see what other clients have said - They all agree that with a healthy body come endless benefits.

If eating raw foods isn't right for your body, I can guide and support you through other nutritious cleanse methods, such as body ecology diet, gluten-free, dairy-free, macrobiotic or vegan.

As its strong orange stalk disappears into the roar of the juice machine, you can almost hear it shouting, "you'll never find a better juicing vegetable than me!" As far as juicing goes, this bold member of the parsley family is pretty much king-and a carotenoid king, at that.

what are the health benefits to carrot juice?

• high in Vitamin C which is great for maintaining the appearance of our skin by slowing the decline of collagen
• our most delicious source of beta-carotene (plant version of vitamin A), which is our most famous antioxidant (posses life extension properties that protect us from the toxic effects of free radicals)
  
• Best known for helping our eyes. Beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin all concentrate in the retina of the eye.
  
• And carrots enhance the overall function of our immune system by increasing the production and performance of our white blood cells.
  
• The pectin in carrots lowers serum cholesterol levels.
• Carrots are beneficial for dry skin problems such as psoriasis.
• They also reduce the risk of stroke
  
• and as if that wasn't enough, they counter the symptoms of arthritis and rheumatism

No wonder carrots were my favorite veggie growing up! I must've known inherently :)

---------------------------------

For this Tasty Raw Carrot Juice recipe, be sure to buy organically grown.

"Bunny Love"

-7 oz organic carrot juice

-2 oz organic pineapple juice (organic frozen is best, either buy it whole and cut it to freeze or buy pre cut)

-1-2 oz organic fresh ginger root (it really adds a zing so be aware to add it a little at a time until you get used to it)

-1-2 tablespoons bee pollen

directions:

1) juice the carrots and ginger together in juicer (and pineapple if fresh)

2) put juice into a blender and add the pineapple if frozen (1 Cup)

3) add the bee pollen, it will add a creamy consistency

4) add ice if the pineapple isn't frozen

• 2 cups raw hulled Sunflower Seeds (soaked & sprouted)
• 1/2 cup raw and hulled Sesame Seeds
• 1/2 cup Hemp Seeds
• 1/3 cup Red Onion
• 1 cup Parsley (chopped)
• 2 Lemons (juice of)
• 4 medium cloves Garlic
• 1 tsp Paprika
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
• 1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper

1. Wash hulled Sunflower Seeds, and soak in water for 4-8 hours. Rinse and drain and place in a colander or sprouting container for 2 hours at room temperature (for Sunflower Seeds to sprout).

2.Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth (if the blender is having a difficult time blending, you can always add 1/4 Cup water to get the blender started).

3. Chop up fresh veggies to dip into... or use dehydrated crackers for a hummus-like dip! Enjoy :)

For natural energy, I try and chose natural and healthier options. I have begun thinking about this daily energy as a process of ups and downs, rather than something continuous and constant. It's more natural to have a low period or two during a day versus constant up because of band aids and quick fixes (coffee, stimulants, etc).

Move over, wheatgrass. There's a new superfood in town.

I have been adding blue green algae to my routine for about 2 years now and I've really noticed a difference in my energy level.

There are two kinds of blue green algae: that from fresh water and that from the ocean. The fresh water blue green algae is from a lake in Oregon called Klamath Lake. The blue green algae from the ocean is termed Spirulina and comes in a powder/flake or tablet form. I add spirulina flakes to smoothies and juices or sprinkle it onto a salad. I take blue green algae in liquid form and usually take a shot of it in the morning and mid day during my energy shift. Lately I've been putting the liquid algae (I use E3 Live brand) into an ice cube tray and dropping it into a glass to melt so that I have an ounce or two at my finger tips instead of freezing and defrosting the whole bottle once or twice a day. I found that I got lazy and would rather not go through the process before I was putting it in an ice cube tray.

The technical term APHANIZOMENON (genus) and FLOS-AQUAE (species) are actually zoological terms of classification that literally mean "invisible living flower of water" in Greek.

Algae capitalize on the direct energy of the sun more than any other food. Primitive as they may appear, most are highly efficient photosynthesizers. Algae utilize light energy from the sun, carbon dioxide from the air, and hydrogen from the water to synthesize its bio-chemicals. Klamath Blue Green Algae is unique among all food grade algaes in that it also metabolizes molecular nitrogen directly from the air to produce proteins and other nitrogen containing bio-molecules.

What are the benefits to adding this to your diet?

• increase in mood and mental clarity
• Immunity booster
• for healthy hair and skin
  
• fights off aging (powerful antioxidants-fight free radicals)
  
• feel good food-helps with serotonin
• detoxifies our bodies: liver, GI Tract
• Green Foods in general help with cholesterol problems (regulates gallbladder and liver)
• 10-30x more nutritious than land vegetables

You can begin feeling the effects of blue green algae by trying Spirulina in your smoothie at a juice bar (most have it) or you can try a shot of E3 live. I would suggest trying it a few times before purchasing it to see how it works with you and if you like the effect on your body. I've tried several supplements or superfoods some people LIVE by, only to find out it makes me feel off. These are all suggestions, find what works with your body, experiment with many options, and ask lots of questions!!