Traveling in the Raw

i often get the question "how do you stick with eating raw living foods even when you are on trips or out and about all day?" the key is to BE PREPARED. Today my husband, kids and I took a trip down to the Natural History Museum to see the Dinosaurs (it was dinosaur week at mason's school) and i knew we were going to be out all day so i had to be prepared.

As usual i woke early to make my green juice for the day. i went to my yoga class, took mason to karate and when we returned drank my green juice. now it was time to pack up for the dinosaur adventure.

For the kids i took a variety of snacks: carrots, apples, red peppers, date/oatmeal/raisen balls) and green smoothies that i made earlier in the morning.

For myself i took:


large bowl of sprouts including alfalfa, sunflower and broccoli with fresh squeezed lemon juice



big bowl of raw fermented sauerkraut- i make sure to get fermented foods into my diet every day!!

large cut up red pepper- this may have been the sweetest and juiciest red pepper ever!! mason shared it with me and he had red juice running down his mouth.
bag of carrots- i love the sweet carrots with the salty sauerkraut.
bag of lydia's organic green crackers- dehydrated crackers are easy to travel with! i like to eat dehydrated crackers with hydrating foods such as fresh veggies, sprouts, salads etc to rehydrate them. the added hydration makes them easier to digest.

some other tips and ideas for traveling raw:

-take avocado and sprouted nuts and seeds- they are easy to add to salads you get at any restaurant
-cut up raw veggies with a dip like zucchini hummus is simple and easy to take anywhere
-i have two large coolers that i take places when i'm going to be out all day- even if its just to the park. so get some coolers that you can keep in your car and fill them with yummy raw fruits, veggies, juices and smoothies.
-plan to juice for a day and juice enough in the morning to last you all day
-take nut milk smoothies or green smoothies and store them in your cooler
-make dehydrated nutrient-dense cookies for snacks for you and the kids while you are traveling.

all of these ideas will help you keep up your energy while you are exploring the world!!

We had a fabulous day and stayed nourished all day long!!!

Be Well, kelly

Simple Arame Sprout Salad

Hi everyone,

This week was a very busy week but busy with amazing events. I had two big raw food events. Tuesday night i had my "Intro to Raw Foods Workshop/Food Prep Class" and wednesday i catered a small event for a women's book club. the catering event included a 30 minute talk on the benefits of raw foods. i love connecting with small groups of women and introducing them to the Raw Living Foods Lifestyle.

My "Simple Arame Sprout Salad" is so easy, delicious and nutrient-dense. i demonstrated this at my raw foods class, prepared it for the catered event wednesday night and made it for myself and some other moms on friday- everyone loves it!!! You have to try it!!

1 bag arame- soaked 10-15 minutes and rinsed
1 box sunflower sprouts
1 large handful mung bean sprouts
1 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp chickpea miso- South River Co.
water

Whisk together tahini, miso and water (if you want a thicker sauce add less water)
Place arame and sprouts in bowl and mix with dressing.

i also like to add spirulina to the dressing or sprinkle it on top of the salad!!

Enjoy this salad by itself, on dehydrated crackers, wrapped in romaine or collard leaves, wrapped in nori or place it on green salads or sprout salads. Its also yummy with raw fermented sauerkraut.

i love eating this salad with Lydia's Organic Luna Nori Crackers!!!

Enjoy!!

Pics from "Intro to Raw Foods Class"

Thanks everyone for a wonderful Raw Living Foods Class. i am so very grateful to be able to do the work i love. i love inspiring others to live well and have fun while doing it. here are just a few of the yummy treats i demonstrated and discussed for the class:

My Daily Green Energy Juice- gotta have your daily plant blood!!


Nutrient-Dense Essential Sprouts- Eat sprouts Daily!!


A variety of pates: sun-dried tomato, almond ginger, curry and more...


Raw Fermented Sauerkraut- soooooo yummy and key for a healthy immune system!!!


Energy Balls with Sprouted Buckwheat


Fig Oatmeal Raisen Cookies


Nori bites: Almond Ginger pate on nori sheets dehydrated for a few hours


Dehydrated Crackers: sundried tomato/flax and green sunflower seed/flax


and these were just a few of the nutritious and delicious foods that participants got to enjoy!!

Be well and i hope to see you at my next workshop/class!!

Snowy Days & Warming Raw Living Foods

I hope everyone is enjoying the amazing snow!!! the boys and i have been having sooo much fun playing and sledding in the snow. see pics above!! i love weather like this because it gives me an excuse to relax and just be cozy inside with my family. i love putting on my cozy pants and sweater and knowing that i will be snugly and warm all day. eating a primarily raw living foods diet can be tough for some people during the cooler winter months. when its cold outside you think about steaming cups of hot cocoa, hot soups and dense cozy foods like fresh warm breads and cereals or bowls of hot oatmeal. i look forward to my "warming" foods when i come in from a day of playing in the snow. here are a few ideas to stay warm and cozy during the snowy days of winter:

-take your food out of the refrigerator so it is at least room temperature before you eat it. i take my juices out of the refrigerator at least one hour before i want to drink them.

-prepare raw soups in your vitamix or any high-powedered blender and then warm them on the stove to below 118 degrees. my go-to winter hearty soup is blended zucchini, red pepper, tomato, lots of greens and sprouts as the base of the soup. i place it on the stove and add raw fermented sauerkraut and loads of sea veggies including strips of nori. finally, i add slices of avocado and a sprinkle of sea salt. this is such a satisfying warming soup.

-warm foods by blending them longer in the vitamix. when i make my nut milk shakes i blend them for a while to get them warm. this also make them frothy which i love!! my favorite right now is a combo of almond or cashew milk, sun warrior vanilla protein, a little maca and bee pollen. if i want a hot cocoa sensation i will add carob and place the mixture on the stove for a few minutes. this creates a thick rich satisfying drink!! sooo yummy!!

-right now i'm also loving "manna" bread. this is not a truly 100% raw product and it does contain wheat but it is made of sprouted grains, nuts, seeds and fruits. it is cake-like and very dense. i like to put it in the dehydrator briefly to warm it up. take your time and remember to chew your food well. my favorite is the sunflower seed!!!

-another meal that i had not eaten for a long long time but takes me back to childhood is a bowl of warm cereal with bread and jam. so i recreated this sensation with a healthy version. i used lydia's organic raw cereal with almond milk. i blended my almond milk with two dates and warmed it on the stove before pouring it over the cereal. i let it sit for a little to soften the cereal. then i spread some blended apricots on my raw seed bread. the best was dipping the bread and spread into the warm cereal. this was a fabulous meal that took me back to childhood!! of course this is not something i would eat daily because it is very dense and does not provide me with optimal energy. but wow it was satisfying at the moment.

-sprouted grain bread sandwiches can be a hearty meal in the winter. i warm the bread in the dehydrator and spread avocado on both slices. next sprinkle a little himalayan sea salt, dulse, kelp and sea lettuce. add loads of alfalfa sprouts and broccoli sprouts (or any sprouts you love) and strips of nori. i love this combo right now. i eat it will a big bowl of radishes,carrots and red peppers. sooo refreshing and filling.

-start everyday with a mug of warm water with lemon!!! have a cup of tea between meals or at the end of the day. teas to try include: goji, rooibos, pau d'arco and ginger.

so these are some ideas to keep you eating raw living foods even on the snowy cold days!!!

stay warm and be well, kelly

Detox Day and Connections

what an amazing day. days like today make me appreciate everything i have and everyone in my life. I notice that days that i cleanse and detox i feel very connected- connected in all areas of life- my yoga practice, my interactions with my kids, my relationships with clients, my inner thoughts and desires, my creativity and more. when you detox and cleanse you have more energy to put towards living life optimally because your body, mind and spirit are not spending the energy digesting foods.

i cleansed yesterday and today by doing:

warm water and lemon
kombucha tea
green juices
almond milk, sun warrior protein powder and bee pollen smoothie (i add this because my goal is not to lose weight and i need more calories at this time)

today was an amazing overall wellness day too:

woke early to make my green juice and nutmilk for the day
drank my kombucha tea while working with clients
my yoga class today was a wall class and this is a great way to really get connected with each pose. you know you are connected when you feel "light" in the poses. we worked alot of upper body strength with headstands, handstands, crow, twisting crow- they are very energizing.
next i saw my bodywork professional who has been working on structurally realigning areas of my body. today we worked on opening up my shoulders and releasing my neck and jaw. wow!! i felt light and open walking out of her office.
next i drank my green juice while organizing work papers and doing emails.
back to the studio to see clients
sipped on my almond milk smoothie while working with clients
had an energizing meeting regarding a project i'm involved with that you will all hear about soon- it has to do with my GREEN JUICES!!!
tonight i had my third colonic out of my series of three that i do seasonally. i suggest that everyone try this if you have not already. i know its not for everyone but it is sooo healthy for you. Remember that if your colon is filled with stuff you will not be able to assimilate nutrients. so occasionally you need to get things cleaned out.
then i ended the day with another kombucha tea, spirulina and chlorella.

WOW do i feel refreshed and rejuvenated

so my advice to everyone is to take the time and energy to cleanse the body, mind and spirit so that you can truly connect with yourself and the world around you. Live every day like it is your last. live every moment like it is the last.

be well, kelly

Introduction to Raw Living Foods Workshop and Food Preparation Class

Join me for my, "Introduction to Raw Living Foods Workshop and Food Preparation Class."

In this workshop you will learn the basics of why raw living foods are beneficial for your health and how to incorporate them into your daily eating plan. You will learn about the nutritional benefits of the raw food diet including vitamins and phytonutrients, enzymes, water, proteins, fats, digestion, assimilation and elimination and acid-alkaline balance. You will learn what food groups and specific foods are most beneficial to eat and which ones are not so beneficial to eat. In addition you will learn where you get your protein on a raw food diet, food combining, weight maintenance and adapting to a raw food diet. Most importantly you will walk away with the knowledge of how to make raw food preparation simple and easy and incorporate it into your daily life.

You do not have to be 100% raw to benefit from the raw living foods diet. This class will teach you how to incorporate more raw living foods into your diet in the most simple and nutrient-dense way. This class is great for anyone wanting to improve their health through nutrition. The raw food diet has been shown to improve a variety of health conditions including diabetes, cholesterol, blood pressure, weight issues, skin issues and more. Raw living foods are used by athletes to improve their training and help the body in its repair processes. Start incorporating more raw foods into your infant, toddler and teens' diets. This class is great for parents who want to set a positive example and show their kids what and how to eat for life. Raw foods can help everyone increase their daily energy and feel more vibrant.

Foods that will be demonstrated and/or discussed include: raw nut and seed milks, green juices, juicing, smoothies, nuts and seeds, pates, marinated salads, soups, sprouts, sea veggies, fermented foods, wraps, superfoods, supplements, dehydrated foods such as crackers and cookies,
raw desserts and more.... Raw food resources will also be provided.

I graduated from The Living Light Culinary Institute in California and am a Certified Raw Living Foods Chef, Instructor and Educator.

You can learn more about me and my Nutrition and Raw Food services at www.bradleywellness.com

When: February 23, 2010
Where: 4604 Dorset Ave. Chevy Chase, MD 20815
Time: 5:30-8:00
Cost: $75.00
To register call or email Kelly Bradley. Space is limited so please register ASAP. Payment is required in advance to reserve your spot. Send check to 4406 Jones Bridge Road Bethesda, MD 20814
i hope to see you there!!

202-320-5025, kelly@bradleywellness.com, www.bradleywellness.com

Wellness Rituals

January is almost over which means that many people's new years resolutions are starting to dissolve. i don't like the term "resolution" but no matter what you call it everyone makes new years goals, resolutions, changes etc. one of the best ways to be certain you accomplish your goals is to create daily rituals that support that long term goal or resolution. when i'm working with my patients and clients one of the most important things we talk about at each session is creating daily rituals that support the goals or changes. Daily rituals are individualized per person because each person has to look at their entire lifestyle to create daily rituals that work for them. most importantly you must enjoy and love each daily ritual.

i challenge you to take a look at your daily rituals and decide which ones are truly benefiting you and which are sabotaging your goals. but don't forget that you are not living just to reach a goal. you are living for each moment and you want to enjoy every moment of life. so create daily rituals that allow you to thrive and be happy in the NOW yet prosper in the future.

i always reevaluate my daily rituals and change them according to what is going on in my life at that time. I'm working on a few new business projects so i have reorganized some of my daily rituals to fit in time to accomplish my work goals. i've added some new wellness rituals including weekly manual bodywork, infrared sauna sessions and endermologie. i'm connecting with some amazing like-minded practitioners which always energizes me. i schedule in alone time with each of my boys because i feel that one on one time is very important.

in general my daily rituals are:

wake 5ish
drink warm water and lemon as i prepare my green juice


organize and play with the kids
sip on kombucha tea (i've been loving this lately)
work days i go to the studio to see patients and clients, other days i take mason to nursery school and have time to connect with owen, go to the market etc. i love going to the market. i can't wait for spring for the wonderful outdoor markets. even going to the market for me is a wellness ritual. i know everyone there and we are always talking nutrition and fresh organic foods and recipes.
9:30 yoga class everyday!! MY LOVE!!! it balances me mind body and spirit!!!

work days i go back to the studio to see patients and clients, other days i get work done while the boys are napping. when i'm home with the boys we always do some outdoor activity or playdate. i love getting them out in nature as often as
possible.

when i'm home with the boys this is my time to do some home-spa treatments like my avocado honey facial mask or jojoba oil hair treatment. i walk around the house with a green face!!!
prepare food with mason (owen just watches at this point) and eat a nutritious dinner
i finish eating for the day around 5pm (6 at the latest) so i have plenty of time for my food to digest which will allow me a full restorative night sleep.
get boys ready for bed, bedtime rituals
dry brushing and shower
some nights i'll do a little work
i write in my journal every night before bed.
mindful meditation- i reflect on the day and set intentions for the next day
deep breathing
to bed by 9pm most nights.

so that is an example of my daily rituals right now. if i'm working on a big project i fit in more time for work. if i feel i need more rest i will be sure to get more sleep or schedule a bliss day. you need to take responsibility for your overall wellness by creating daily rituals that nourish your needs.

Happy Daily Rituals!!! Be well, kelly