Day number whatever

I started halfway through the day on the 8th, so I'm all sorts of lost on what day it is. But I don't really care. The number isn't what's important. It's the result. 

Loving the juices still. Following my bod's cues. I love that feeling of complete satisfaction that comes from sucking down a seriously fresh live juice. It's like every cell in my body is saying "ahhhhh" all at once. It's awesome! I don't get that from Cheetos. Or hot dogs. Or ranch dressing. Or sodas. Or ice cream. Or even cheese or milk. I did eat a bowl of raw spinach with a few strawberries and a couple wedges of mandarin orange topped with chopped pecans last night (modified a salad at the restaurant). Went to visit family out of town yesterday and their dang juice bar is closed on Sundays. What a dirty rotten trick to play, closed on Sundays just like Chic-FIL-A.  At least I didn't have to settle for Subway. 

I thoroughly enjoyed that salad (no dressing) but it didn't satisfy like the juices. 

I have been craving more savory juices lately and had very little sweet ones today. I like that. It's unusual for me. 

Coolest thing- I have zero cravings. Blows my mind. 

I have been prepping some raw snacks for later. Dehydrator goodies. And soaking almonds to dehydrate for almond butter. My mother-in-law said she has never tried almond butter so I would like to make some for her. Supa-fresh!

I was making some raw "cheesy popcorn" which is cauliflower bits covered in a sauce of coconut oil, cayenne, paprika, Himalayan pink salt, turmeric, lemon juice, and a good bit of nutritional yeast, tosse together then dehydrated to make little crunchy bits of cheesy flavored goodness. Normally I would be raiding the dehydrator and snarfing the florets before they were done, but I did a little taste test of the sauce to make sure the mix was right and the second I put my fingertip on my tongue it's like my body rebelled. Instant heartburn! I've never had a reaction like that! I chalk it up to my bod saying she'd like some more time with just juices. -No problem, honey! 

I had three or four bunches of bananas ripening on the counter the other day so I made banana chips and topped a few with strawberries to see what would happen. 

Say hello to Strawberry Banana Chips! 

I love how they sort of fused together. I also love the way their colors change. I might be a weirdo for preferring my banana chips like this, but they taste like banana and they have this gloriously old fashion look to me. They've been antiqued. Haha!

 Just the way I like it. 

I've had them covered in lemon juice before being dehydrated to preserve the color. That way is good as well. The end result is more yellowish white and tastes like lemony bananas. I will definitely be making some more of those another day. 

My fabulous little three cup food processor came in today! I am spastically excited about it but no one here knows because I haven't even opened the box yet. 

I am getting ready to paint some larger pieces and need to rearrange my work space. When I do, there will be a lot more room in the kitchen for kitchen stuff. 

I am sooooooo looking forward to separate studio space. But for now, this will have to do. 

Can't wait to make some raw hummus, and almond butter, and walnut pate, and who knows what else with my sweet food processor!!!!! Eeeeeee!!!

Next appliance on my list is a coffee grinder to grind nuts and seeds. 

Get this- my son's school's Parent Teacher Organization (for whom I proudly volunteer) said their sales of chili in the concession stand - like the kind of chili  that goes on chili cheese fries and frito pie- has dropped dramatically. They started sticking healthier options without ring pushy about it and the kids responded beautifully. I'm talking yogurt, carrots, edamame, pickles- over candy and Doritos. How freakin awesome is that?!?  

Give the kids a little fun education on eating healthy, then have some healthy alternatives at hand and low and behold! they are taking the healthier options!!!!!

Raaaaaamblin'

Ugh and yay?

I'm on day three! Woohoo!!!! I decided to keep going. No set number of days. Just gonna roll with it until I feel like the juices aren't cutting it or until I break and snarf down some raw falafels. I've been drooling over Raw recipes. Raw falafels and cashew mayo are two recipes I definitely want to master.

Most of today was faaaaaantastic! Then I waited too long to get a juice in this evening and felt jacked up for hours. Wild, eh? I think my body kind of went into panic mode so I had three juices and am sipping on some nettle leaf and camomile tea steeped with a few orange peels from my fresh OJ. Much betta! 

Gotta tell ya, grabbing the monster bag of oranges instead of the few on the shopping list has been a Godsend! Some of my favorite juices so far have been the ones with orange in them. So I add more. And then I have some for a snack. And I have some more for a snack between snacks... Lovely lovely orange juice!

I saw a big bag of grapefruit at the store. You're next, grapefruit. Beware! 

Oh! Get this--- I had a little epiphany today. I think the main reason I found juicing so difficult in the past was because I would make the juices ahead of time and drink them throughout the day. I've noticed that the flavor changes relatively fast, like within 45 minutes to an hour, the taste goes from luscious and crazy satisfying to bland and blah and ugh and hungry. It is a little time consuming, but fresh is definitely the best. 

I think adding the nettle leaf tea is good too. Yum and loaded with goodness. 

It's late. I'm going to bed. Still itchy. Still congested. Loads of energy throughout the day, though. 

Once upon a time....

That's how every story starts, right? 

Here's mine:

Once upon a time I was fat and unhealthy my whole life. True story. 

Dark circles under my eyes, awful acne, and a fourteen year rash that nine different doctors couldn't help with. (Turns out the rash is an autoimmune response aka gluten intolerance.) Frustrating. And depressing!

Then, in 2009, my mother introduced me to juicing and raw foods. I lost 30lbs in 3 months, looked and felt amazing for the first time in my life!!! Then I met one of my dearest friends (pretty sure we have been sisters before in another life) at a raw food restaurant in Austin. Ermugerd, that place made this uh-MAZING curried carrot soup. I drool.  

Time flew, and I did a lot of backsliding and eating junk food, drinking sodas and not getting the nightly walk/runs I had gotten used to when I initially went raw. Now I am back to 172lbs (5'7") and tired of feeling like hammered dog poo. 

I found that healthy mindset switch and flipped the sucker to "on" and am rocking day two of a who-knows-how-long juice feast. 

This blog is my very own accountability buddy. 

I have done a few short juice feasts before (the longest was like 14 days) but never felt this good going into it. I have a few more tricks up my sleeve this time. My BFF turned me onto the Gerson therapy. 

My skin was super itchy last night and this morning. I have snot pouring out of my face, and yesterday I was a snarling, bed-headed mom-beast (did I mention I have two children? Ages 7 and 2. Bless their hearts for having to put up with me).

This morning I have way more energy than I have in a long time! Woke up with the hubby. Ironed his clothes for the day, had my morning lemon water and am still wide awake and looking forward to the day. Awesome!!!! 

I pulled some recipes off of justonjuice.com's 3 day juice feast and am in love with the Bruschetta tang recipe. Super simple and freakin awesome. I took the pulp from that recipe the other day and made some patties. Added chopped walnuts (already soaked), a bit of onion powder, lemon, and a touch of Bragg's aminos then dehydrated them until they had a nice little crust. They smell amazing. But I can't tell you how they taste just yet. I popped them in the freezer for another day. 

That's all I have to say today. Peace out, homeskillet.