Happy Thanksgiving!!

Good morning everyone. i'm up bright and early preparing some fabulous raw dishes for our thanksgiving feast. i want everyone to experience what this "raw food" stuff is all about. even if my family eats some of the typical cooked thanksgiving food, they will still benefit from having more raw foods with their cooked foods. remember, any time you eat cooked food always try to eat raw food before or with it to increase the enzymes coming from the food and help digestion.

last saturday was a fabulous day filled with wonderful wellness events. i started my day with my favorite yoga class in town at try yoga taught by shannon. my yoga classes truly balance me . days i don't go to the yoga studio i do my own practice at home but it is just not the same. i love the energy from class. next, i conducted my "basics of holistic nutrition workshop" at balance studio in bethesda. i provided a variety of raw food treats for everyone to experience. i love doing this workshop because it really opens peoples eyes to how much food contributes to ones wellness- and in so many different ways. next, i was on to my raw catering event. i catered an open house for a gyrotonic studio in DC called elements. it was fabulous!!! many of the attendees had never tried "raw foods" and they were excited to learn that not only are they delicious but they are extremely nutritious. many of the moms were excited to learn that everything is wheat/gluten and dairy free too. here are some of the items i served:

Flax Crackers

Red peppers, zucchini, red onion, agave nectar, lemon juice, garlic,

celtic sea salt, whole flaxseeds, ground flaxseeds

Mineral Crisps

Pumpkin seeds, black sesame seeds, white sesame seeds,

golden flax seeds, garlic, onion, dulce flakes, sea salt

Kale Coleslaw

Dressing: orange juice, miso, flaxseed oil, agave nectar, lemon juice, onion powder,

ground flaxseeds, garlic, powdered mustard

Salad: kale, cabbage, tomato, red onion, cayenne, celtic sea salt

Zucchini Hummus

Zucchini, lemon juice, flaxseed oil, garlic, paprika,

celtic sea salt, cumin, cayenne, raw tahini, sesame seeds

Sundried Tomato Almond Cheese

Almonds, light miso, sundried tomato, italian herbs, garlic, celtic sea salt

Herbed Almond Cheese

Almonds, light miso, cilantro, garlic, scallions, celtic sea salt

Raw goji Bites

Date paste, sunflower seeds, raisens, apricots, cacao powder,

sesame seeds, coconut, goji powder, sunflower meal

have a wonderful thanksgiving and enjoy every bite!!

be well, kelly

DC Greenfestival

I love the greenfestival!!

it is that time of year again- time for the annual greenfestival which is so energizing. this year it was bigger than ever. what i love the most about greenfestival is that there are thousands of like-minded people, in one room, who are passionate about becoming more green, sustainable and living eco-friendly. you can find anything and everything you could possibly want green including: home remodeling, architecture, bags, clothing, jewelry, food, books, magazines and more. they have an amazing kid section too to get the kids learning about living green young. i took mason and he had sooo much fun. we colored, painted and even decorated a leaf to be placed on a "growing tree"- all using recycled paper. then we explored the discovery jungle truck which transported you to the rain forest. he also enjoyed all the truly healthy food they had to offer- both free and for cost.

If you are not a member of co-op america i suggest you go on-line and sign-up right now. i'm a member of co-op america which is one of the main sponsors of the event. if you sign up to be a member at greenfest it is free. Co-op america provides you with everything you need to live a sustainable life including local green businesses that follow green practices and green investing.

for anyone interested in green living just get started small:
-use reusable bags- keep them in your car so you don't forget them
-recycle
-compost
-eat green: buy local organic foods from local farmers, shop at local farmer's markets
-use reusable water bottles: for mason i use born free and klean kanteen
-klean kanteen bottles are great for adults too.
-use green light bulbs
-ride your bike or walk more and drive less
gradually you can step up and make larger changes
-remodeling your home in an eco-friendly, sustainable way
-buying an eco-friendly car

with the holidays coming a great idea is to buy eco-friendly green gifts for your family, friends and everyone you want to show appreciation to. Some examples include:
-jewelry
-clothing
-books
-lotions and beauty products
-donations to organizations you know they are passionate about
-an eco-trip or adventure

live green everyday and make greenfestival part of your yearly schedule.

Live Green and Thrive!!!


kelly

Tai Chi

good morning everyone,

I had a wonderful wellness weekend. friday and saturday i attended a workshop on the fundamentals of tai chi. Tai chi is practiced by millions for its health and longevity benefits. tai chi is a soft martial art and involves slowly moving from one form to another (there are faster styles too). the goal of the course i took was to make tai chi accessible to everyone. it is really something that everyone can do. Tai chi has applications for balance dysfunction, orthopedic and neurological rehabilitation, pain management, cardiovascular and respiratory disorders as well as individuals with chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia. it can be taught individually or in groups and used in a variety of settings.
One thing that i loved about it is that it forces you to slow down and breathe. your mind and your body need to participate in every aspect of the practice. some of the guidelines for tai chi include: mindfulness, postural alignment, breath awareness, active relaxation, slow movement, weight separation and integrated movement.
If you are interested in taking local classes, the citydance center at strathmore offers them every sunday. register at www.citydance.net or call 301-581-5204.

Move Well and Enjoy,

kelly

Raw Vegan Chef and Instructor

hello everyone, i'm very happy to say that i graduated from The Living Light Culinary Institute this past weekend. i am now a certified raw vegan chef and instructor. this was an amazing program that taught me more than i ever expected. i was a foodie before going to Living Light and i'm even more of one now. i just love creating nutritious and delicious meals and snacks for everyone to enjoy. i will show the world that food does not have to be bland or unsatisfying to be healthy. one of the keys is taking the time to prepare and make your food with love. i love taking my time at the market to pick out the best of each piece of produce i buy. of course you should always buy organic but remember to also buy local and seasonal produce. another important thing to remember is to eat food when it is ripe. ripe produce has the most enzymes and will digest the best.

in the near future i will be offering a variety of classes to teach you how to prepare these amazing foods for yourself. in addition, i will offer classes focused on the science of raw food nutrition and why you should choose not only to be a vegan but why a raw vegan. i'll keep you updated.

eat well, kelly

Back To Living Light

hi everyone, i'm back at The Living Light Culinary Institute in California. i'm here finishing my raw vegan food chef and instructor certification program. i love being surrounded by like-minded individuals and sharing their experiences and ideas. every morning we are filled with E-3 live, green smoothies and green juice. I love having my green juice made for me everyday. typically at home i make and drink at least 50 oz a day-having it made for me is fabulous. today we made a fantastic Not-Tuna Salad made with almonds, sunflower seeds and many of the veggies and seasonings that are typically in a traditional tuna salad. some of the benefits of eating this compared to the typical tuna salad are that you are not getting all the mercury in tuna and the not-tuna salad is more alkaline compared to the acid ash tuna and mayonnaise in typical tuna salad. For lunch we had a feast of greens, sprouts, raw sauerkraut, marinated onions, not-tuna salad, pizza flax crackers and a yummy dijon dressing. in our afternoon lab we experimented with blooming wild rice to make an asian-style wild rice. then we crafted vietnamese salad rolls with a variety of cabbages and south east asian sauces- soooo yummy. i loved the wild rice with the sauces!! this will be a great transition dish for many people who are transitioning from typical cooked food to raw foods. look out for more about my raw food journey.

be well, kelly

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Nutritional Tip -- Get your greens!

One of the keys to living a healthy, vibrant life is providing your body with all the nutrients it needs to function at its best. In observation of breast cancer research month, it's important to recognize that current research shows that eating certain foods can decrease your risk of breast and all other cancers. There are a few simple things you can do to optimize the cancer-fighting potential of your plate.

First, try to increase the amount of organic, raw, whole fruits and vegetables in your diet. Second, be sure you are eating a wide variety of these fruits and vegetables. Eat from the rainbow! You'll know you are getting a diverse selection of phytonutrients and antioxidants when your plate is filled with a selection of colors.

Easier said then done, you say?

Here are two simple ways to increase the amount of health-boosting fruits and veggies in your daily eating plan:

Make fruit be the first thing you eat every day and make a smoothie that is filled with fruit to enjoy throughout the morning. Smoothies are great because you can take them on-the-go. Try to vary the fruits you use, including strawberries, blueberries, goji berries, mangos, papaya and anything else you love. One caveat: if you eat melon, try not to mix it with other fruits because it does not digest well when combined.

To increase the amount of veggies you eat daily, be certain to eat a large colorful salad every day. There are so many greens to choose from to keep things interesting, such as arugala, watercress, cilantro and romaine. Pile on the sprouts: clover, alfalfa, and broccoli. Add in chopped raw veggies like red pepper, carrots, cucumbers and shredded beets. Sprinkle on some sea vegetables such as kelp, nori or dulse for a mineral boost. Add some good fats such as avocado or olives and make a simple dressing of hemp oil or flax oil with lemon juice and herbs of your choice. Et voila! A nutrient-dense meal that puts you well on your way to getting your 5+ servings of vegetables a day.

By making these two simple changes in your daily eating schedule, you can help prevent a variety of health issues and keep your body and mind functioning at their best. Keep things simple and your body and mind will thank you.

Be Well, Kelly

Eat Simple

hello everyone,
i'm back from my amazing experience at Living Light. i will be returning in october to finish the chef program. i'm so excited. i love learning about new flavor combinations and raw food preparation techniques. i've been experimenting with many different foods since returning. this past weekend i made a fabulous raw pizza that included a crust made out of soaked and sprouted nuts and seeds and veggies, a raw pizza sauce made with tomatoes, veggies, garlic, onions, sun-dried tomatoes and more and finally a raw almond cheese. i then layered on a variety of sprouts and veggies. it was fantastic. my son loved it too.

as much as i love learning how to make many of the raw gourmet foods (and i love testing them all out) the important thing to remember is to still keep your food intake simple. be mindful of food combining and how you feel when you eat certain foods. raw gourmet foods can be very heavy and filled with nuts and seeds. you don't want to overindulge on nuts and seeds. be sure to get plenty of organic raw whole fruits and veggies into your diet. Drink lots of filtered water and hydrating foods. eat fruit and green smoothies and fill them with superfoods. drink green juices everyday. do a shot of wheatgrass or E-3 live everyday. eat a large salad filled with a variety of greens, sprouts and colorful veggies everyday.

Eat simple and your mind and body will thank you for it.

i'm currently 5 months pregnant and have just amazing energy. i love being pregnant and knowing that i'm fueling my baby with the most amazing foods and nutrients. i'm back to my daily cardio, weekly yoga classes and regular pilates and gyrotonic exercise workouts. it feels so good to keep the body moving.

Daily foods/wellness today:

woke around 5
water and elliptical for 30 mins
home yoga practice
water with supplements: pre/post natal, b-complex, iron
shot of E-3 live
shake: coconut water, berries, goji berries, pure synergy, chlorella, acai powder, romaine lettuce and kale
green juice: celery, cucumber, kale, romaine, lemon and apple 40 oz
water and supplements: DHA, D3, MSM
gyrotonic exercise workout at studio
raw veggies: carrots and red pepper
large green salad: variety of greens, variety of sprouts, kelp, tomato, raw sauerkraut, 1/2 avocado, kelp, nori, dressing of hemp oil and lemon juice, and a few raw crackers made with soaked and sprouted nuts and seeds and veggies
water

be well, kelly