Kayleigh's Walnut Pesto Pasta

This is for my very wonderful friend, Ms. Kayleigh Brown.

Raw Walnut Basil Pesto

1 c fresh basil

3/4 c walnuts

1/4 c extra virgin olive oil

3 or 4 cloves garlic

a generous squeeze of lemon juice

1 tsp sea salt

(3-4 tbsp of water as needed)

Directions:

Place all ingrediants in food processor and pulse like crazy.

Goes beautifully over zucchini pasta!

xxx

Day 3: Good to the Last Drop!

Today, a greens juice saved my life :-)

Upon rising: lemon water, probiotic and 2 shots frozen wheatgrass.

For breakfast, I enjoyed a vanilla peach smoothie (peach, coconut water, Sunwarrior vanilla, and coconut oil.)

snack: apple.

At lunch, I devoured a bowl of kelp noodles, layered with homemade hemp pesto.

snack: coconut water and wheatgrass

My glorious supper (above): kale, romaine, cucumber, bok choy, celery, ginger and lime.

I could have definitely added some garlic and/or chilies, but I am out :-(

Now the challenge will be to stay out of the kitchen until bed!

Big day tomorrow: I am leading Yoga in the Park, followed by Summer Solstice Mala --108 sun salutations for charity!

This may require one whole lot of juice ;-)

peace.

Day 2: Chocolate Covered Sabotage!

Wow!

This is good!

Likely, really, really good.

Good enough to mess up my detox (though it is technically allowed -- in moderation!)

It is good on smoothies. It is good on it's own. It is good mashed up with an avocado and stuffed in a romaine lettuce leaf.

I am sure that I could find an infinite number of uses for this outstanding product.

Fortunately, the bag is empty.

You can get yours at the Herb and Spice on Bank.

You may find me outside of the shop at 8 am, pacing back and forth, waiting for the doors to open...

Tomorrow, I am all about wheatgrass.

I can do better.

I swear!

Love,

K

Day One of CLEAN!

Today is my first day of the CLEAN program.

I picked up the CLEAN manual at Mother Tongue bookstore on Monday, and I figured I'd give it a go!

Over the course of my twenties, I have completed most other detoxes on the market: the Master Cleanse, juice fasting, mono-fruit diet, herbs, potions and lotions... but this time around, I am looking to create a healthy, affordable and sustainable change.

Not that I have a poor diet; I eat largely raw, mostly organic, high vibe living foods, with an occasional piece of seafood, cup of gelato, or slice of fresh bread tossed into the mix. The trouble is that I have a habit of consuming too many sweets and eating too late at night.

(Not to mention the wine... the artisanal cheese... the occasional Americano... all in good fun!)

Today is day One.

It is a moon day (full moon and eclipse!) so I did not have Mysore practice.

I wake at 5am, enjoy a double shot of wheatgrass, fire water, bio algae and a mug of matcha tea with coconut milk. After returning my e-mails, I blended up a beautiful blueberry smoothie (blueberries, dates, hemp milk and chia) and took my wonderful pooch, Guillaume, for a walk. Got home, showered, read twenty pages of a Thomas Hardy novel and biked to Hintonburg to meet up with an old friend and to teach my Wednesday Pranayama class.

After yoga, I treated myself to lunch at the Table. The Table (http://www.thetablerestaurant.com/) is a fresh, organic, vegetarian buffet. I have had mixed experiences here in the past, but today's fare was divine: Marinated dandelion greens, fresh sliced cucumbers, vegan broccoli slaw, and a heaping spoonful of mung bean salad. I am not big on beans in general, but I have to admit that it was colourful, tasty, and good for my belly. Oh, and I had a kombucha tea for dessert.

I have to load up big on lunch, because on the CLEAN program, dinner is a liquid meal.

On CLEAN, one eats three times per day: a liquid breakfast (fresh juice or smoothie), a solid lunch, and a blended dinner (smoothie, soup, etc.) No dairy, wheat, gluten, soy, corn or added sugar. Bananas, grapes, oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, pistachios, macadamia nuts, honey, nightshade veggies, shellfish, red meat, alcohol, tobacco, black tea, coffee, etc. are also off of the menu.

To speed things along, Dr. Junger recommends taking a good probiotic and a digestive enzyme at every meal. The program also encourages you to take a magnesium supplement (I love Natural Calm: http://www.naturalcalm.ca/) to help keep things moving ;-)

Oh, and drink water... lots!

Is it worth it?

Demi and Gwyneth say so. And so does Martha Stewart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJdiaiMTVak&feature=player_embedded

I would do almost anything for skin that glows, eyes that sparkle and for this strange blockage in my right ear to go away. I would love to sleep better, be kinder to others, and fly through my Ashtanga practice at 6 in the morning, without hijacking Tippy's coffee!

Tonight I will make a massive green juice with celery, cuke, kale, sprouts, romaine, apple, ginger and lemon.

I am supposed to eat a whole clove of garlic every day, but this has not happened yet --

Not convinced?

Learn all about the CLEAN program, download oodles of killer recipes, connect with other CLEAN detox participants, and check out some awesome videos at http://www.cleanprogram.com/

And, yes, it is FREE!

At least my $16.99 went to support an local, independent bookstore.

peas and veggies to all,

K

ps: I will post my favorite CLEAN meal of the day, everyday, in order to keep detox fun.

Do note that agave sweetened, raw chocolate pot-brownies would technically make the "approved" list :-)

Outstanding Raw Vegan Sushi

Outstanding vegan sushi takes a little bit of effort, but, boy, is it worth it!

This dish is sure to impress fish-lovers and tree huggers alike.

Fresh veggies, mineral-rich nori and creamy mac and pine nuts simply can't be beat.

An ideal hors d'oeuvre at your next cocktail party.

The Perfect "Rice"

1 and 3/4 cups peeled fresh parnips

3 tbs. mac nuts

3 tbs. pine nuts

1 tbs. flax or olive oil

1 1/2 tbs. agave

2 tbs. lemon juice

dash of sea salt

1 tbs. organic tamari or unpasteurized miso

Place all ingredients in the food processor and pulse until you achieve a perfect rice-like consistency.

Marinated Veggies for Sushi

1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-by-3-inch matchsticks

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch-by-3-inch matchsticks

1 stalk celery, strings removed, cut into 1/4-inch-by-3-inch matchsticks

1 scallion, white and pale-green parts, cut into 1/4-inch-by-3-inch matchsticks

1 cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch-by-3-inch matchsticks

1 yellow zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch-by-3-inch matchsticks

Marinate everything for 1-2 hrs. in

3 tbs. sesame oil

1 tbs. black seeds

1 tbs. organic tamari

2 tbs. lemon juice

Keep in the fridge until ready to use.

Extras

1 avocado, julienned

1/2 cup sprouts (clover sprouts, sunflower sprouts, etc.)

Directions

Place a raw nori sheet face-down on a clean counter.

Spread a heaping spoonful of rice over the first quarter of the nori sheet, leaving a good one inch margin at the side.

Layer a colourful array of marinated veggies on top.

Top that with a few chunks of avocado.

Place a healthy handful of sprouts over the avocado.

Roll it up!

Use your thumbs and fingers or a sushi mat and roll it up.

When rolling, tighten the roll every time.

Wet the edge and let the roll sit seam-down for 5 minutes before cutting.

Using a serrated knife cut the nori roll into 5-6 equal parts.

Use a see-saw motion to make a perfect cut.

Plate 5 nori rolls and garnish with garlic chives, edible flowers and sesame seeds.

Serve with freshly grated wasabi and organic tamari.

Enjoy!

For the Love of Ireland GreenSmoothie

I dunno what it is that makes the beer green (!) but this chlorophyll-rich, vitamin picked, Irish Green Smoothie will have you dancing a jig in no time!

Ingredients:

1 c pure water

large handful of baby spinach

1/2 ripe avocado

(if you are looking for something super creamy and comforting, add the whole avocado!)

1/2 banana

1/2 lime

large handful of ice

Combine all of the ingredients in a high speed blender. Blend until smooth.

Serve in a pint glass and enjoy in the sun!

This recipe serves one, but it is super-easy to double or quadruple.

We leprechauns travel in packs!

Love,

K

Baja Breakfast Burritos

For those of us not lucky enough to be south on Spring Break...

I chowed down on this awesome raw vegan burrito before hitting the hills at Ski Fortune this morning and I was out flying.

Cashew-Cilantro Cheeze topped with Almond "Meat", tomatoes, avocado and red onion. If I had had more time, I could have fixed a salsa.

The recipe belongs to the wonderful Ani Phyo and you may watch Ani at work here:

http://www.welikeitraw.com/rawfood/2010/02/baja-taco-wraps-by-ani-phyo.html

The Cashew-Cilantro Cheeze is especially delicious and could also hold it's own as topping for zucchini or kelp noodles, or in a thai-inspired nori wrap.

Ingredients:

1 c raw cashews (soaked)

1/4 c cilantro

1/8 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 tsp garlic (I used 2 cloves)

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/4 c water (I used 1/2 c)

Toss sea salt and garlic into the food processor and chop until fine. Add cashews, lemon juice, and 1/4 c water, and process until smooth. Add cilantro and pulse until it has broken down. Ideally, the cheeze will be white with green specks.

Almond "Meat"

1 c raw almonds

1 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 1/2 tsp coriander

1/8 tsp sea salt

Chop almonds in food processor until you have reached a "ground beef" consistency.

Add all other ingredients and pulse until well-mixed.

variation: sub walnuts for almonds.

Directions:

Place either a romaine or collard leaf flat on a plate. Smother with Cashew-Cilantro Cheeze and top with Almond "Meat". Dress with thick slices of tomato, avocado, onion, olives and/or any other fixin's you may have on hand.

Enjoy in the sun and dream of the Mayan Riveria!

I had the joy of meeting Ani Phyo last summer at YogaWorks (Larchmont) in Los Angeles.

She is incredible sweet and promised to check out an Ashtanga class real soon!

Ani has several awesome unCook books on the market, including Ani's Raw Food Essentials, Ani's Raw Food Kitchen, and Ani's Raw Food Desserts.

Ms. Phyo's desserts will totally blow your mind. They are always a smash hit at birthday and office parties. No one will ever believe that they are wheat and dairy free!

Learn more about Ani at www.aniphyo.com

Watch Ani on Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmerman here: http://www.youtube.com/aniphyo

Love,

K

Raw Chocolate Boo-yah Brownies

Jodi, Johanna, and Sabrina from London, this recipe is for you!

This ultra-decadent brownie mix is quick and easy and definitely invites variation.

Base Ingredients:

2 c walnuts

2 c dates

1/2 to 2/3 c raw cacao or raw carob powder

1 tsp vanilla

dash of sea salt

Bonus Ingredients (because life RAWks)

you may add any or all of the following:

organic goji berries (or another organic dried fruit such as apricots or cranberries) , organic shredded coconut, raw slivered almonds, chia seeds, bee pollen, raw cacao nibs (can you ever have enough chocolate?), extra virgin coconut oil (adds a moist, creamy texture), or a touch of maca, cordyceps powder or blue green algae (for the die hard health enthusiast!)

Directions:

Pulse walnuts in food processor until chunky.

Add dates and pulse again.

Add cacao, vanilla, sea salt and all other magical ingredients and pulse until you have reached your desired consistency.

Fun Stuff:

You may form your brownies into balls and roll in shredded coconut.

You may press your brownie mix into a coconut oiled pan. Chill for 30 minutes and square off with a knife.

You may "ice" your brownies with cashew creme (1 c soaked cashews, 1 c pure water, quick squeeze of lemon and 1 tsp vanilla.)

You may crumble a brownie into a bowl and top with raw (or vegan) ice cream.

Raw Chocolate Boo-yah Brownies are loaded with Omega 3s, antioxidants, potassium, and magnesium.

They contain no added sugar and are 100% wheat, dairy, soy and cruelty free!

Enjoy all alone in the tub with a glass or wine, as a pick me up midday snack, as a quick breakfast or as an apres-ski treat!

xx

I Love GOOP!

I adore Gweneth Paltrow.

She is an award winning actor, super-mom, second series yogi and gluten-free chef.

Many of you may have seen gp with both feet behind her head in the riveting 2004 documentary film, Ashtanga NY.

I am greatly inspired by her blog/website www.goop.com where you can check out oodles of yummy recipes, avant-garde exercise and detox tips, the best places to shop, dine, vacation, etc. and sign-up for her weekly newsletter, GOOP!

"Country Strong" may not have faired so well at the box office -- BUT Gweneth is a menace cooking up bibimbop on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rJ2JC5QXf4

Love,

Katie

3 Quick and Easy All-Star Almond Recipes

Raw Almonds are Amazing. They are loaded with protein, vitamins B and E, manganese, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc and heart-healthy fats.

These super-nuts are guaranteed to boost your mood and put the shine back in your skin.

There are so many great ways to enjoy raw almonds.

Here are three of my favorites:

Raw Vanilla Almond Mylk

1 cup raw almonds (soaked overnight)

3 cups pure water

1 vanilla bean or 1-2 tsp vanilla extract

3-5 soaked organic dates

dash of sea salt

Rinse the soaked almonds and blend with the water until smooth.

Strain the mixture through a nut mylk bag, cheesecloth or strainer into a bowl.

Pour the fresh mylk back into the blender and toss in vanilla and dates. Blend until silky smooth.

Store mylk in a glass jar in the fridge.

Enjoy Vanilla Almond Mylk on top of chia porridge or raw cereal, as a base for smoothies, in your coffee or tea, or simply sip it on it's own.

Yum!

Spicy Almond Pate

2/3 cup whole almonds (soaked overnight)

2 stalks of celery, chopped

3 spring onions (green onions, scallions)

1 carrot, chopped

lemon juice from half a lemon

1/2 tsp dulse

1 tbsp cayenne pepper powder

sprinkle of sea salt

Process all ingredients in the food processor until you have reached your desired consistency.

Serve over top of a green salad, in a nori wrap, on flax or chia crackers, or use as a dip for your favorite veggies.

Almond Coconut Cookies

2 c whole almonds

1 c raw almond butter

1/4 c organic unsweetened shredded coconut

3 tbsp local raw honey

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp organic vanilla extract

5 or 6 Medjool dates, pitted

Blend the almonds in food processor until coarsely chopped.

Transfer the chopped almonds into a large bowl and add in the raw almond butter, organic shredded coconut, raw honey, sea salt, and vanilla extract.

Stir until a stiff, very chunky dough forms.

Using your hands, thoroughly mix the dough and shape into ping-pong sized balls.

Slice the dates lengthwise and cut the halves into slivers.

Lightly press a sliver into the center of each cookie for decoration.

Store the cookies in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 or 3 weeks.

Variation: for added fun, toss in a handful of raw cacao nibs and/or organic dried fruit into the mix!

Love,

K*

I am Grateful for Cafe Gratitude!

I am celebrating the grand opening of the brand new Cafe Gratitude in Larchmont Village with their absolutely stunning Key Lime Pie.

It is a serious act of self-restraint to pour all the filling into the crust without first devouring it with a spoon!

Coconut Crust

1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded dried coconut

1 1/2 cups raw walnuts or macadamia nuts

Dash of sea salt

1/2 cup medjool dates, pitted and chopped

1 tablespoon raw agave nectar

Key Lime Filling:

3/4 cup lime juice

2 medium avocados

1/2 cup + 1 tbs agave

1/4 cup + 2 tbs coconut milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp salt

2 tbs lecithin powder

1/2 cup + 1 tbs coconut oil, melted

Blend all ingredients except coconut oil and lecithin until smooth. Add these and blend some more. Pour into coconut crust. Set in the fridge or freezer.

An extra special thanks to jb for taking me out to my very first Cafe Gratitude meal.

Love.

Katie's Whale of a Kale Salad

Kale is a nutritional powerhouse. And when I eat this salad, I feel like gold!

Ingredients:

1 bunch organic kale, washed and chopped finely

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 ripe avocado

juice of 1/2 lemon

8 to 10 cherry tomatoes, diced

3 scallions, chopped finely

2-3 tablespoons goji berries, cranberries or raisins

Love

Top with slivered almonds or white sesame seeds

Directions: Wash and chop kale and toss with olive oil and sea salt. Massage the kale greens until they become slightly tender. Scoop in avocado and massage it into the mix. Add lemon juice, tomatoes, scallions and dried berries of choice. Garnish as desired.

I am so happy that I love this salad. For years, I struggled to tolerate kale in almost all of it's many forms: kale chips, kale juice, kale in smoothies, etc.

Alas, I have found a winner!

Loving what's Left...

I made a bunch of fantastic salads over the weekend, and this morning, I am left with a collection of tasty dressings taking up valuable room in my fridge. As an alternative to enjoying the same salad again, I opted to spirialize some zucchini and indulge in something exciting and new!

It takes no time at all (I recommend the Benriner Cook Help, available through Amazon.com) and any vegetable will do (carrots, beets, daikon radish, squash). I often mix several vegetables in the same dish -- what colour!

Spirilizing fruits and veggies is a great way to sneak valuable nutrients into your child's body.

Today's Special:

2 cups cashews, soaked
1 1/2 cups water
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper

I love to top creamy white dressings with tomatoes, dulse, and/or fresh cut herbs.

For a healthy lunch on the go, wrap your creation in a large collard leaf and you're out the door!

Superfood Coconut Cream Pie

I love coconut, and boy, is there a lot of coconut in this pie!

Coconut water, coconut meat, coconut butter, coconut oil...

However, with no added sugar (sweetened with dates), this pie is a nutrient loaded, bang-for-your-buck, superfood extravaganza!

What started out as the Cafe Gratitude Coconut Cream pie took a significant turn when I opted to add cacao. Next came vanilla, maca, magic mushrooms... marine phytophankton and 2 oz of e3 Live... a hint sea salt and a whole lot of Love.

You'll know the pie is ready once the taste testing is out of control!

Crust: organic raw macadamia nuts, dates, coconut flakes, vanilla bean, sea salt and cacao nibs.

Bliss U

SimplyRaw Potluck tonight at 7pm!

You are all invited to join us tonight at 7pm at 174 First Avenue in the Glebe for a delicious raw food meal and a special presentation by Dr. Michael Kiriac about holistic cellular nutrition.

Every adult should bring a dish to serve 8-10 people. Please bring your recipe (so we can share them on the SimplyRaw website) with the complete list of ingredients for those with allergies. We'll be awarding prizes for best dessert & best main dish of the evening, as voted by everyone in attendance.

If you need some suggestions or advice about preparing a raw vegan dish, please check out:

• www.rawfoods.com/recipes
• SimplyRaw Recipes Section

*Love*

Karma Yoga Opportunity

Dear Ottawa Yoginis,

Jonathon at Icon Imaging is still on the lookout for yoga/dance models for his upcoming book and gallery show. Proceeds from this project will go to support the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. This cause is very close to my heart and I would encourage you all to participate!

And, to be perfectly honest, the shoot was oodles of fun.
Check out his blog: http://www.iconimaging.blogspot.com/ for more information.

Namaste'

Vanilla Ice Cream with Magical Mulberries

100% cruelty free!

1 c raw cashews (soaked 4 hours)

1/2 c local raw honey

1 1/2 c pure water or coconut water

2/3 c coconut oil

1 vanilla bean or 1-2 tsp organic vanilla extract

handful of organic dried mulberries*

dash of salt

Love

*may also use goji berries, cacao nibs and/or your favorite nut or dried fruit.

Blend all ingredients until super-smooth. Either pour into ice cream maker and follow manufacturers directions, or pour into a chilled glass bowl and pop directly into freezer.

For the best breakfast ever, top with fresh fruit and vanilla crispies.

oneluckyduck.com/store/product-details.php?id=591&cat=77

Enjoy!

Katie's Favorite Pesto

I was inspired to play with garlic on this incredibly cold day!

Hemp Seed Pesto

1c hemp seeds

2c fresh basil

4 cloves garlic

1c extra virgin olive oil *

juice of 1/2 lemon

dash of sea salt

love

* may also use 1/2 c olive oil and 1/2 c hemp oil

Process hemp seeds, basil, garlic and 1/2 c olive oil in the food processor. Scrape down sides. Add lemon juice and sea salt. Turn the processor back on and pour in remaining 1/2 c olive oil while running.

Enjoy over top of gluten-free pasta, as a spread for wraps or flax crackers, as a dip for fresh cut veggies, or eat it all alone with a spoon!

Coconut Carob Snowballs

Made for the super folks at AYO this morning.

www.astangaottawa.com

Love, coconut, carob, vanilla, local honey, coconut oil.

Stephen, you are a wonderful teacher!