Fun and Mental Changes

This is a FitterTwit original folks! I literally was playing in the laboratory, uh, I mean kitchen, attempting to recreate one of my favorite Asian foods.... lettuce wraps. You will see in the pic that I used swiss chard for the lettuce. I DO NOT recommend using anything but iceberg lettuce. I really missed the cold crunch! But other than that, they turned out FANTASTIC!!! Lettuce Wraps 4 whole pieces iceberg lettuce leaves (NOT swiss chard unless you are ok with a much less crispy and tasty wrap) 1 Cup Raw Almonds that were soaked for four hours 1 Tbsp Miso 1 Tbsp Nama Shoyu 1 Tbsp Asian Chili Garlic Sauce/Paste (VERY spicy, please adjust to taste) 1/4 Cup Flax meal 1 clove garlic minced 4 green onions 1 zucchini 2 stalks celery Set the lettuce leaves in the fridge to get nice and cold. In a food processor add almonds, miso, nama shoyu, chili sauce, garlic, and flax and process until large pieces are processed and the mixture has the consistency of the chicken filling for lettuce wra...

Wow! I don't know what to say. While I know that "Thank You" would be totally appropriate to say to someone who has extended me this award... it honestly doesn't seem to be enough. Marie ... you are awesome and great and coming from someone whose own blog is such a great read, well, I'm so honored! Thank you. Along with Marie's MUST READ blog (click on the link above), here are some other great blogs deserving of such an award: http://www.rmaxinternational.com/flowcoach/ - I loved Body Flow the very first time I did it. It was the very first time that "playtime" was introduced into my exercise as an adult. The experience of laughing through an entire workout (burning loads of calories and sweating like it's raining) because I lacked balance and coordination made me go back for more. Even the instructor fell. I felt like a kid again! It was fun, tough and relaxing all at the same time. Because of my nail fettish, I have five nail blogs that I vis...

Here is my fabulous magic bullet concoction! Done in minutes and tastes wonderful! Lemon Cilantro Dressing 3/4 Cup celery juice 1/3 Cup fresh cilantro 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 3 Tbsp. raw tahini 1 Tbsp. flax oil (optional) 1 clove garlic In Magic Bullet, juice celery (using the bonus juicer attachment). Pour juice into bowl. Remove juicer attachment and celery pulp. Replace juice into blender attachment adding remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth (about a minute). This recipe is so simple, so quick and so yummy. This would also make a great sauce for grilled chicken or salmon! ***This is a modified recipe from Living In The Raw .

Ok, so I think that I've established how much I LOVE my magic bullet! I have owned one for a little while now, but today was the first time that I've ever used the juicer attachment (that's weird). I was in the process of making a veggie plate and needed to whip up a quick dressing. Of course I picked a dressing that called for juiced celery! Really? Juiced celery? I DID NOT want to pull out my juicer and all the attachments for 3/4 cup of celery juice. My light bulb moment hit.... the magic bullet juicer!!!! That's right! I almost forgot the magic bullet came with that. It's compact and would be PERFECT for 3/4 cup of anything! And since it is so small, I can also remove the juicer attachment and just use the blender attachment to whip up the dressing! Sometimes I am really brilliant. What would have been at least a half hour project of pulling out my juicer, all the attachments, putting it together, then prepping the celery, then disassembly and washing all the p...

Here is another amazing raw recipe that takes minutes to prepare but tastes incredible. The sweet of the balsamic vinegar with the tang of the apple cider vinegar... it just works! Here's the recipe. Click on pic to enlarge. Salad 1 medium head of cauliflower diced or processed in food processor (remove anything that isn't white) 3/4 Cup chopped yellow bell pepper 1/2 Cup finely chopped parsley 1/2 Cup finely chopped cilantro 3 sprigs of diced mint leaves (remove leaves from stems, discard stems) 1/2 Cup sliced Kalamata olives 4 chopped green onions (include the green tops) Combine above ingredients. Set aside. Dressing 3 tsp. apple cider vinegar 3 Tbsp. olive oil 1 Tbsp. lemon juice 2 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar 2 tsp. sea salt 2 tsp. black pepper 2 tsp. dill Taste dressing before combining with the salad to be sure it has the sweet/sour to your liking. I found that because my cauliflower head was a little on the big side, I needed to add a little more apple cider vinegar to make i...

What a wonderful raw recipe! Please know that this recipe requires a dehydrator. The one that I use (and the one shown in the bottom pic) is an Excalibur dehydrator. It is quickly becoming my favorite kitchen gadget because the trays are square and flat and because the unit doesn't take up a lot of space. And when I say that it doesn't take up space, I'm talkin counter space AND vertical space. The dehydrator fits very nicely on my kitchen counter with plenty of space between it and the upper cupboards. That being said, ON WITH THE YUMMIES! Don't forget clicking on the pic opens it up bigger (to see all that herb action)! Sundried Tomato and Herb Crackers 2 cups Flax seeds 2 1/2 cups filtered water 1/2 Cup sun dried tomatoes, soaked in 1 cup water for 30 minutes 1 1/4 cups sunflower seeds soaked (be sure that water covers the seeds) for 1 hour then drained 1 Tbsp nama shoyu (unpasteurized or raw soy sauce) 1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp. freshly g...

"Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease."~ Hippocrates Because what we eat is broken down and absorbed by our cells, the phrase "you are what you eat" rings true. But just as there are natural forces that are within us to heal, there can also be natural forces within us to harm as well... depending on what we eat. So if you're eating sugar and fat and salt, what are THOSE natural forces doing to your body? I recently read and re-read an AMAZING book by David Wolfe called Superfoods, The Food and Medicine of the Future. It really hit home how the natural powers in the food we eat really do make us sick or make us well. Mr. Wolfe really touched on those foods that REALLY promote wellness in some pretty incredible ways. He calls them Superfoods. “Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.”~ Hippocrates Here are MY favorites: Raw Cacao - come on folks... CHOCOLATE!!! Definitely at the top of the list! And when sweetened with natura...

I am currently on day 21 of The Master Cleanse. Wow! Who would have ever thought that I could go so long without food? And I'm discovering a few perks to doing this. Last night a storm rolled in and I was unaffected! Typically, I would suffer a raging sinus headache, but I was fine. One of the super fun symptoms of detox during this cleanse is sinus drainage. Nice huh? Well, it turns out that it serves a purpose. If I never suffer another sinus migraine as a result of clouds and overcast (if that's the only benefit I got), it would be well worth doing this cleanse. There are a couple of things that I have done periodically during this cleanse to help my body detox and I wanted to share those with anyone out there doing The Master Cleanse for their health (*which should be everyone). The first thing is the dry brushing . I have noticed that it really does get the blood flowing first thing in the morning and my skin is super soft! I love that part. The second detox aid has been m...

After watching Food Inc. in HORROR of the fact that large food companies are getting themselves appointed to the VERY regulatory government seats that are supposed to regulate their safety practices, it occurs to me how important it is to stay informed America! That means removing the rose colored glasses and realizing that your government DOES NOT CARE ABOUT YOUR HEALTH! Realize that your health is ONLY your responsibility... NO ONE is going to care for you but you. So a good place to start is to simply read labels. Make sure that the food you are buying is organic. If you are buying food labelled "natural" or "all natural", chances are you are buying chemically tainted food. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulates and defines food labeling as follows: Natural - Food labeled "natural," according to the USDA definition, does not contain artificial ingredients or preservatives and the ingredients are only minimally processed. However, ...

I just watched the GREATEST movie that I have seen this year. It was entertaining, informative and honestly had me glued to my seat. I did leave the theater with a question in the back of my mind as to whether Ms. Oprah Winfrey has seen it though because clips of her super famous "beef" case made a cameo. I hope she has seen it, in fact I hope that she screams to world what a 'must see' this movie really is. It is not unknown that recommendations from Ms. Winfrey is like money in the bank. However, this particular movie is so much more important than that and if ANYTHING deserves Ms. Winfrey's recommendation... it is THIS movie. I am still in shock and I honestly think that I might go see it again. I TRULY hope I see you all there. This is probably one of the most important movies Americans can see right now. It will make you realize that healthcare reform really isn't as big an issue for Americans as Americans think.... we really should be focusing our energy...

Here is a REALLY yummy and healthy recipe for Banana Cupcakes! This is a cake batter that is made from scratch, but is super easy. It makes me wonder why we don't make cakes from scratch anymore! Banana Cupcakes 2 1/4 Cups whole wheat pastry flour 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 2 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg 1/2 tsp. ground cloves 1/2 Cup agave nectar or maple syrup 1 small zucchini julienned 3/4 Cup unsweetened applesauce 1 whole egg 1 egg white 3 Cups mashed banana 3/4 Cup raisins (optional) 3/4 Cup chopped walnuts (optional) 1/2 Cup flax meal (optional) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together; set aside. Mix the agave nectar or maple syrup and applesauce together. Beat the eggs into the wet mixture. Stir the banana, zucchini, raisins and walnuts into the wet mixture. Add wet mixture to the dry and mix well. Fill cupcake wells 3/4 full and bake for 30-35 minutes. Batter can also be placed into into a 13 x 9-inch pan and baked ...

A while back I completed a closet conversion for my scrapbook addiction. I was so proud of the workability in such a small space that I wrote a blog post on it (you can see it here ). Well, since then I was honored to be asked to do it for someone else. So again, with the same sense of awe with what you can really do in such a small space... here is MY SECOND closet conversion done for Ms. Betty! And while my own closet was strictly for scrapbooking (yes, I installed lighting and even a table top), this new closet conversion was for general craft storage. I also want to say, and I've said it before, IKEA rocks! Most everything came from IKEA. It took me three days to complete and cost about $300 start to finish, INCLUDING the mobile, expandable sewing cart (look familiar?), shelving and storage tubs. The sewing cart runs about $125. The only storage items that were pre-existing were the black four drawer chest and a couple of tubs that you see on the upper shelves. Because of...

Here's a little something special that I whipped up this week for my in-laws. I am on the master cleanse right now, so you can appreciate the ENORMOUS discipline and focus to get these made because they looked (and smelled) so freakin good!!! I got the recipe inspiration from my absolute favorite raw food recipe book: Raw Food Real World. If you start these in the morning, they can be done start to finish in about 12 hours (total dehydration time). My advice is to prepare the corn tortilla batter and the "bean/meat" batter one right after the other in the food processor and then dehydrate both at the same time. That shrinks the actual preparation time so that your time in the kitchen is only about 45 minutes. To start: Defrost 3 cups of frozen organic corn (you can also cut the kernels off of 3 ears of corn), soak 1 1/2 Cups of sunflower seeds in natural spring water for 2 hours and soak 1 Cup of sundried tomatoes in natural spring water for about one hour. Then take a br...

Well, as I mentioned yesterday, I have a new toy for the toybox. I talk quite a bit about making exercise fun. Among my "toys" are super fun dvds (Turbo Jam is my favie), a stability ball, a frisbee, a jump rope.... these are all pretty much fun activity tools that warp me back to my childhood. Well get ready readers cuz I just got the mack-daddy for playtime! THE URBAN REBOUNDER!!! Wow! Is this thing FUN! And it folds to fit in a suitcase. This is some serious travel workout equipment. I cannot keep my hands off of it! I forgot how much I loved jumping! But beyond fun, it gets your heart rate up, is super low impact and surprisingly helps to cleanse your lymph system. Talk about your health benefits! Nothing else I own claims that kind of benefit. Here's a site that explains the detox benefit: http://www.healingdaily.com/exercise/rebounding-for-detoxification-and-health.htm . Just so everyone knows, I got it off of HSN.com for $99. It came with exercise dvds, a stability...

Wow... what a title huh!?! It's true though according to Jay Kimiecik, "Intrinsic Exercise" is the way to get there. According to me... HE'S DEAD ON! But I think there is a variable missing from his theory: the individual's present health. For years I have been on a quest to rehab my body from my past poor diet and exercise habits to the toxic chemicals doctors prescribed to me for years after I sustained an injury. These factors and more led to chronic fatigue, and were quickly snowballing into other serious conditions. I was in a very bad toxic way. Can anyone out there relate? While during most of these rehab years I did exercise, it was always a "something I have to do" and not "something I GET to do" because I just didn't feel good. Toxicity can be paralyzing. But a year and a half ago, things changed. I had just completed my third Master Cleanse and decided to incorporate raw food into my diet in a major way. I suddenly felt wonderful...

I can't help but wonder about this health care reform issue. There are so many issues to consider, but for me the first and foremost is the fact that EVERYTHING the government has promised the American people (when going against America's wishes) has not worked. A LOT of promises were made that have not come to fruition (fraudulent in my opinion). At this point anything regarding health care reform, coming from the government, can it be believed? Can we expect just more empty promises with self servicing agendas attached? I keep hearing over and over that the American public isn't listening, but in reality, it's that the government can't be trusted. Like any other relationship like that, it is toxic and needs to be purged. Now beyond my personal belief that the government NEEDS to be overturned, I have a stronger belief that it is up to ALL of us to STOP being dependent on our government or insurance companies to take care of us. Both are businesses and corruptly ru...

Well, I am on day 8 of the master cleanse and reading more and more information about the health benefits of a prolonged fast . A prolonged fast seemed impossible to me just a few short years ago when I first did The Master Cleanse. Honestly, I didn't think I'd make it the first day. But here I am doing it again, and I feel fantastic. I have energy and an amazing realization that I am a recovering food addict. But I also realize, biochemically, I wasn't the only one. Because the processed foods that we eat CREATE food addicts. Unbalanced sugars (man made) wreak havoc on our systems, causing deficits that lead to cravings that lead to eating more unbalanced sugars. It really IS a vicious cycle. But balanced sugars are complete and whole and don't break down our bodily systems, instead, they build them up. The sugars I'm talking about are the sugars we get from fresh fruit and vegetables. You don't hear about people being addicted to either (although I swear I am ...

I did a post a while back about the nutritious sweetener for the lemonade on the Master Cleanse: maple syrup ! In fact, for quite some time now it has been my only sweetner (well, that and agave nectar... YUM!). But why maple syrup... isn't honey the magical sweetener? First, let's consider where both come from. One comes from a tree and the other comes from flowers, but is predigested and then regurgitated by a bee. Can you guess which is which??? hahahaha ! Really though, just the idea that an insect's already digested nectar from a flower lends to the idea that the nectar is already devoid of nutrients when it's vomited back up. Isn't that the whole point of digestion? To pull the nutrients from whatever it is you have ingested. So is it safe to say that honey is a bi product ? Or even a waste material? I would certainly call MY vomit a waste material... what about you? But beyond the gross visual I now have in my head of honey, I also have a real concern about ...

Could you imagine living a life that is garbage free???? Wow! There are people doing it! In a previous blog post , I talked about the pretty small changes I'm making to make my world a better place, but then I read about these people who are REALLY making a difference and it truly blows me away. I mean to the point that I too want to make a difference too. Well, there is yet another couple who is working to rid their lives of garbage for one whole year. I would think that after a year of learning how to live garbage-free, that it would just become a way off life. And maybe that's what they're hoping for. That's what I'm hoping FOR them! :) They just started their Green Garbage Project last month (in July) and will be sharing weekly how the efforts are going. What perfect timing! They expect to have tips and tricks to share, so it will certainly be worth tuning in. I'm hoping that they talk about the ENTIRE process: the good, the bad... and the ugly! I really wa...

Sorry about all the "Master Cleanse" posts, but since not eating is kind of consuming my life today... I find myself unable to think about anything else to blog about. But this blog post is really great with a super master cleanse tip and a mega HIGH FIVE product. Most anyone completing a cleanse knows that while one's body is detoxing, there is often an unpleasant body odor that accompanies until your system in clean. But the reality is that I don't want my husband to know about this odor... if you know what I mean. Enter Soaptopia ! Every time I have ever done the Master Cleanse, I have made it a point to only use all-natural toothpaste, shampoos and soaps. Since I'm trying to get unhealthy chemicals and toxins out of my body, it never made sense to put more back in while doing it. Unfortunately it's very hard to mask BO without chemicals... well, until now! I was at Whole Foods today to pick up some Master Cleanse staples and bumped into a display table wi...

Most "Lemon Heads" know that The Master Cleanse includes a lemonade made with cayenne pepper. I know that lemon is a cleaning agent as well as breaks up mucus (sorry... kind of gross), but what about the benefits of the cayenne? I mean, come on! Cayenne pepper in lemonade, that can't be good... can it? YES! It not only tastes good, but is so good for you. There's just something about that sweet and spicy mix that just really works. Ask any culinary guru... they'll tell you. So, I just finished reading The Healing Power of Cayenne Pepper by Dr. Patrick Quillin because, while doing this cleanse, I just HAD to know... "Why cayenne pepper?" . Wow... GREAT book! It's not a thick book at all, but is FILLED with wonderful homeopathic uses for cayenne pepper. From allergies and asthma to obesity to ulcers (yes, I said ulcers), this book has got some amazing information in it. And while I certainly appreciated practical information to increase one's heal...

Yep... just another one of the terms of endearment that my husband uses to describe me... what can I say, I love candles! As a matter of fact he doesn't just leave it at that, he adds (when telling people about my love for candles) that the house goes up 40 degrees when I light them. Whatever! He loves my candles and the warmth they give during the winter months is magical. Candles really ARE magical! They are associated with granting wishes. Whether we burn candles while petitioning God or blowing out the candles on our birthday cake... those candles symbolize our prayers going to heaven. Yah, I'd say that's pretty magical! So today I'm going to share some of the magic with a little craft project that I made a while ago. The pillar candle that I used is a PartyLite pillar candle. PartyLite is my candle of choice because they burn so cleanly and because the melted wax doesn't burn the skin... LOVE THEM! I also used some sale items I got at my local craft store. I pi...

Yesterday, I blogged about my Master Cleanse journey... the fifth time around. It got me REALLY thinking about fasting for spiritual connection and, of course, took me to my Bible. As I stated yesterday, I first did the cleansing for health and found something more. :) So after looking through my concordance, searching my Bible and hopping online (I found this REALLY great site ), I've come to some conclusions. Fasting seems to me to have been something that was done when making requests to God and also something that was done in thanksgiving after the fact. Fasting was also done in preparation for coming events. Why? Why all the fasting? And why is fasting deemed so unhealthy in today's day and age? Why do people shy away from something that sounds pretty "normal practice" to me. Exodus 34:28 So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. I ...

I am a HUGE fan of fasting for health , but what about those who fast for spiritual connection? Was I always a fan of fasting? No! As a matter of fact, there was a time when I thought I would never be able to fast at all. First of all, I LOVE food and second, I usually get sick if I skip meals. So when my sister introduced me to The Master Cleanse, explaining that the lemonade that is utilized for the cleanse is consumed throughout the day providing calories and energy, I was seriously on board. The first time that I tried The Master Cleanse , I was amazed at how easy it was... and how hard. I obsessed about food the first three days of the fast, but realized that I never felt hungry. There were days of super low energy and days that I felt like I could move a mountain. And I suppose I was moving a mountain because by day seven I was in utter shock that I had gone that many days without eating. But what was really interesting is that I discovered why people fast for spiritual connectio...