Raw Foods Diet & Raw Food Weight Loss Blog

Continuing with our week of ways to keep a sharp mind, let’s focus on the one widely accepted indicator for dementia or alzheimer’s: heart disease. If one wants to dramatically reduce the chances of brain degredation, the first step to take is keeping the heart healthy.

The key advice most health specialists agree on when it comes to a healthy heart is the reduction (ideally eliminatain) of unhealthy fats in the diet. The unhealthy fats are usually seen as solid fats, like butter, margerine, and shortening. However, it’s important to not overlook the fats that are also found in meats. By substituting unhealthy fats with something healthier for your heart (like extra virgin, cold-pressed olive oil), as well as transitioning to leaner meats if you are a meat eater, you will be taking some important steps in keeping your heart healthy, as well as your mind.

While eliminating the unhealthy fats from your body, it’s also equally important to include more fresh vegetables, nuts, and fruits which can help heal the body. Although studies haven’t been conclusive, there is strong evidence that individuals who regularly consume fresh, water-rich vegetables and fruits tend to have a lower incidence of memory loss.

Today’s recipe is not only free from unhealthy fats, it also contains a good amount of magnesium and potassium (found in the broccoli and the walnuts), both which have been found to lower blood pressure and reduce heart palpitations.

Walnut Pesto Broccoli

• 2 heads broccoli, chopped into small bite-sized pieces
• 2 cups, firmly packed basil
• 1 1/2 cups walnuts
• 1/2 to 1 cup olive oil (depending on desired consistency)
• 1-2 Tabelspoons lemon juice (to taste)
• 1 tiny clove fresh garlic
• 2 teaspoons quality salt (or more, to taste)

Directions:
Remove the tough outer peel from the broccoli stalks. Chop broccoli into small, bite-sized pieces. Put aside in a large bowl.
In a food processor, place basil, walnuts, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt. Process until you create a nice pesto sauce, adding more oil to achieve the consistency you prefer.
Massage pesto sauce into broccoli pieces and set aside for a while, allowing the broccoli to soften a bit.
Enjoy!

Remember, the stronger your heart is, the sharper your mind is going to be! So, be sure to limit unhealthy fats and meats while also increasing fresh vegetables, nuts, and fruits  (particularly those loaded with magnesium and potassium) in your diet. Also, remember to come back tomorrow for more tips and a new recipe to help keep you fresh and mentally focused.

_______________

Photo by Ross Castrow on Flickr (Creative Commons).

Here it is…the Queen of all Juices! It’s cooling, cleansing, light, easy, delicious, pretty, promotes weight loss, energizing, vibrant, and FUN!

Can one simple juice really be so wonderful for your body? Yes!! Following is the recipe, as well as some highlights about the ingredients and why it’s so great for your body.

Cooling and Cleansing Juice

4 medium apples
1 large lemon
6 medium stalks celery

Directions:
Use only organic produce. Wash apples, lemon, and celery. Cut into sizes that can fit into your juicer‘s opening. Juice all (including skins of apples and lemon) and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 438
Protein: 4 grams
Carbohydrates: 119 grams
Lipids: 1 gram
Vitamins: 36% of daily needs
Minerals: 21% of daily needs

Lemons are mostly known for their Vitamin C levels, but there is so much more to this fruit than a vitamin. Lemons are known to aid the liver, bringing about cleansing action, aid digestion, support the immune system, inhibit cell division (thus limiting chances of cancer), eliminates many cancer-causing chemicals from the body, dissolves calcium deposits in the body, and aids in weight loss. Not bad for a bright, juicy, sweet-sour fruit!

Celery is incredibly healing for the body. Not only does it decrease the chances of cancer being developed, it’s a delicious way to reduce blood pressure. When juicing, try to use the leaves as well as the stalks, since the highest percentages of potassium, Vitamin C, and calcium are found in the leaves. Celery acts as a diuretic in the body, allowing excess fluid retention to be released. It also helps balance hormones within the body, which can be a welcome benefit for women suffering from PCOS and other menstrual disorders. Note: The hypoglycemic qualities in celery help balance out the sugar from the apples in this recipe. So, many who are sensitive to sugar may actually be able to tolerate this drink.

Just about everyone loves apples and knows the famous quote: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” But did you ever wonder why an apple is considered so healthy for the body? In the skin of apples are compounds that protect against cancer. Not only that, apples are known to help prevent alzheimer’s disease, lower cholesterol, protect bones, reduce asthma problems, prevent breast, lung, colon, and liver cancer, and aids in weight loss. All of that from one simple fruit!

As with any food, moderation and variety is the key. Consuming this drink can be very cleansing for the body, flooding your system with much-needed vitamins and minerals. In order to meet all your body’s needs, however, you’ll need to consume a variety of fruits and vegetables. This juice is one I return to often, fully enjoying the light, vibrant feeling I experience after drinking it. It’s a great way to bring a boost of instant energy into your day and I recommend drinking it first thing in the morning for that reason!

What’s your favorite juice recipe? Share it in the comments, now–we’d love to hear from you!

Today we welcome Shea Lynn Baird from Monday Night Live. As you may recall from a few weeks ago, Wendi and KDcat visited with Shea and her husband Stephen during their 2010 Trip. While there, they all attended a raw food meetup, and Shea brought a wonderful Thai salad. She shared this delicious creation with all of you in this special guest raw chef edition of Makin’ It Monday, below:

Recipe

• 1/2 jar raw almond butter
• 2 large jalepeno peppers
• 3 large cloves of garlic
• about a 1-2″ piece of ginger
• juice of 3 large limes (or lemon)
• 1+ Tbsp. tamari
• dash of sweetener (maple syrup shown in vid)
• water as needed for consistency

Blend this dressing in a Vitamix and serve over a large salad of parsley, tomatoes, cilantro, romaine, cabbage, and avocado.

As always, we’d love to feature YOU on a Makin’ It Monday Guest Raw Chef Edition. For details on that, click here.

Today we welcome Melissa Sokulski from BirchCenter.com and FoodUnderFoot.com for another episode of Pure Jeevan’s Makin’ It Monday “Guest Raw Chef” edition. In this episode, Melissa demonstrates how to make raw tortillas (this recipe uses a dehydrator). You’ll be amazed at how pliable these tortillas are!!

Here’s the recipe: Blend approx. 5 cups of vegetables and a into a soup. Melissa used zucchini, tomatoes, cucumber, celery, and garlic, along with 1 – 2 tsp. lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. olive oil, 1/2 tsp. coriander, 1/2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp. sea salt, and a dash of cayenne pepper. Once it’s blended, add in 1/4 to 1/2 cup of ground flax seeds and blend again to mix. Pour a few cups onto your dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 105 degrees for 6 to 8 hours. Then flip and continue dehydrating for 1/2 to 1 additional hour.

These look AMAZING! Let us know what you think if you try them. We’ll be trying these VERY soon. THANKS, Melissa!!

Want to Host a “Guest Raw Chef” Edition of Makin’ It Monday? 
  
We’d love to have you do so! Just see this earlier post for the guidelines. We’d love to feature you here on our blog, even if this is your first time wearing a raw chef hat!

The other day I made a recipe from “Rainbow Green, Live-Food Cuisine” by Dr. Gabriel Cousens. I modified his recipe a bit and what resulted was amazing. Perhaps the original recipe tasted even better, but this is what I did with it.

Sweet Pepper Marinara Sauce

(Serves 4)

1 very large red bell pepper, deseeded
1 very large yellow bell pepper, deseeded
1 1/3 cups tomatoes
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano

I placed all of the ingredients into the Vitamix blender and blended until it was smooth. It is delicious! I served this on top of some “meat”balls from a recipe I didn’t like very much (so I won’t be sharing that). You can serve this on top of spiralized veggie “pasta” and enjoy it that way, as well!