The Perfect Smoothie Formula

Banana, mango, kiwi, pea shoots, chia seeds and coconut water

For those that don’t drink smoothies on the regular, working them into your diet can be a little daunting. There are so many ingredients to choose from it’s confusing where to start. Nearly all of my wellness clients have asked me for smoothie recipes. This usually perplexes me because well, I don’t have them. I simply toss stuff into the blender and give it a whirl.

I have been experimenting with smoothies for what seems like forever. Some concoctions work, some not so much.  Smoothies can be packed with lots of things or just 1 or two ingredients. You just have to take charge and make it your own. Some people like thin, juice-like smoothies and some people prefer thick, milk shake type smoothies. I fall into the latter category. In fact, I dig smoothies that I can chew, packed with crunchy almonds or granola.

While I don’t ever follow a smoothie recipe, there is a general formula or smoothie equation that works for me.  I didn’t invent (or patent – there I go, getting all legal and I haven’t even started my first day at Rutgers!) this formula. It’s not rocket science and you don’t have to have a culinary degree to follow it or to make a great tasting smoothie. I am sure someone, somewhere invented this wonderful smoothie formula and if I knew who, I would give credit where it’s due. Since I have no idea, I’ll just lay it on you:

Fruit + Greens + Protein + Binder + Liquid + superfood + spice (optional) = DELICIOUS, Healthy Smoothie! 

I don’t always follow this formula but when I do, the smoothie is always a hit. Here’s how it breaks down:

Fruit (1 serving soft and 2 servings frozen)- this can be anything, it all depends on your taste buds. However, experience has taught me a few things. I wouldn’t call them hard and fast rules as they are definitely subject to your personal taste buds and preferences. Good soft fruits for smoothies include bananas and avocados.  Now before you start freaking out about mixing avocados into something you’re going to drink, check yo-self! They are delicious.  You could also used organic canned pumpkin for a fall smoothie. Frozen fruits can also be anything that’s suitable to your taste buds! I find berries and cherries (antioxidants!), mango, pineapple and peaches to be my favorite.  For some reason I am not a fan of citrus in my smoothies so I save the oranges, lemons and limes for juicing.

Greens: (a handful) Dark, green leafy ones. These include spinach, kale, collard, swiss and rainbow chard and dandelion. I’ve even tried broccoli – I personally wasn’t a fan, but that doesn’t mean you wont love it. My go-to greens for smoothies is kale and spinach. There’s also a whole family of super greens that you can use including sea algaes and spirulina – be careful though, these have a distinct sea weedy flavor and you palate may not be used to it!

Protein: (1-2 scoops) Protein comes in many forms, in this instance I am referring to protein powders.  There are lots to choose from including whey, casein (milk), soy, brown rice, hemp, yellow pea, and different flavors including chocolate and vanilla.  I like Metagenics BioPure  (though it does contain whey and soy) and Nutivia if I’m staying away from dairy and soy.

Binder: (2-4 tablespoons depending on the type) yogurt, nut butters, oats, cooked quinoa, ground flax seeds, soaked raw nuts, regular nuts or oil (flax, coconut, hemp, almond etc.). The amount of binder is dependent upon the type you choose. Use your judgement here. For example, 4 tablespoons of yogurt, oats or quinoa is great. 4 tablespoons of flax or coconut oil may be a bit much!

Liquid: (1-2 cups) Water,coconut water, nut milks, So Delicious Coconut milk, green tea or chai or if you’re not worried about sugar and insulin response fruit juice like oj or apple.  I really only use coconut water and nut milk. For me, straight H2O is a waste when I can get all the benefits from coconut water.

Superfoods: (quantity depends upon the type). cacao nibs, gogi berries, chia seeds, maca, bee pollen. The superfoods you choose are basically dependent upon what fruit and liquid you choose for your smoothie. In my opinion, chia seeds, maca and bee pollen go with everything, while cacao nibs I save for banana smoothies.

Spices: (to taste) cinnamon, tumeric, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, anise, or cayenne. When adding spice to smoothies, it’s a good idea to think about spices in relation to baking. Cinnamon goes well with apples, pears and pumpkin. Chai type spices go well with banana and ginger will make your tropical fruits sing.

Be creative, get wacky and follow your taste buds! You definitely don’t need to follow this equation if you learn (usually through trial and error!) that you want more or less of an ingredient in one or more categories. For example, almond butter and oats are both binders, but I sometimes I want both.

If this equation just isn’t enough for you because you’re truly a visual learner, check out my soul sister Taraleigh Weathers from the Healthy Human Magazine. She’s always got something cooking in her kitchen and this week it was smoothies!

For Love of an Avocado

Delicious avocado

Oh dear sweet avocado. I love this little fruit. The Hubs and I have an avocado plant at home (Avi). Avi is 3 years old and grown from seed by his grandmother. We’re hoping by this summer Avi will start producing delicious fruit for us to enjoy! So, allow me to go on a little about this beautiful fruit.

Besides its subtle, sweet flavor and silky texture, one virtue of the avocado is that only one-sixth of it’s fat is saturated, which is a much smaller portion than in meats, butter, cheese or even sour cream. The texture of a ripe avocado is actually a lot like butter. If you have a ripe avocado hanging around and you’re guacamole’d out, try using it instead of butter on your morning toast or bagel with a slice of tomato! You can also try avocado instead of cheese on your lunch sandwich. Try sprouted grains bread with tomato, watercress and avocado (add some turkey if you roll with the animal protein).

Avocado is also fabulous in salads!! My friend Missy (who is raw and fabulous) gave me this kale and avocado salad recipe during my first Vegan challenge, 3 years ago. It blew my taste buds away. Try it!!

Kale Salad
a head kale (any variety), shredded
1 cup tomato, diced
1 cup avocado, chopped
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenneIn a mixing bowl toss all ingredients together, squeezing as you mix to wilt the kale and cream the avocado. Dig in and squeeze it with your hands…I think food tastes so much better when you play with it first. 😉

Greens, Glorious Greens!

If I haven’t already told you, I have a love affair with Kale. It has been ongoing for a few years now. I don’t think we’ll ever break up. Kale is a member of the “dark leafy greens” family. Dark leafy greens include broccoli, kale, bok choy, napa cabbage, collards, mustard greens, watercress, broccoli rabe, dandelion, arugula, endive, chicory, lettuce, spinach, swiss chard & beet greens. They are some of the easiest and most beneficial vegetables to incorporate into your daily routine.

Greens, Glorious Greens!

They are densely packed with energy and nutrients, they grow upward to the sky, absorbing the sun’s light while producing oxygen.  What’s sunlight got to do with nutrition you ask? Well, Vitamin D aside, dark leafy greens contain chlorophyll. In case you’ve forgotten your high-school biology, chlorophyll is what makes life on earth possible. The oxygen we breathe comes from the chlorophyll in plants. To bring it down to its most simple terms: no chlorophyll, no human life.

How do greens benefit our bodies? Not only do green foods have heavy concentrations of chlorophyll that oxygenate the body, they also have enzymes that rejuvenate and are responsible for virtually every chemical reaction at the cellular level.  They are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous and zinc, and are a powerhouse for vitamins A, C, E and K. They are crammed full of fiber, folic acid and many other micronutrients and phytochemicals.

Their color is associated with spring, which is a time to renew and refresh vital energy. In traditional Asian medicine, the color green is related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity. Greens aid in purifying the blood, strengthening the immune system, improving liver, gall bladder and kidney function, fighting depression, clearing congestion, improving circulation and keeping your skin clear and blemish free.

Leafy greens are the vegetables most missing from the Standard American Diet, and many of us never learned how to prepare them. They can be prepared many ways, sauteed, steamed, braised, or even blended into your favorite smoothie! Start experimenting in the kitchen with greens. You can try out simple recipe below. Then each time you go to the market, pick up a new green to try. Soon you’ll find your favorite greens and wonder how you ever lived without them.

 Shiitake and Kale 

Sauteed shiitake mushrooms and kale.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 cloves crushed garlic
1 bunch kale, chopped
pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Warm oil in pan on medium heat with minced garlic until aromas of garlic are released, about 2-3 minutes.

2. Add chopped shiitake mushrooms, stir-fry for 5 minutes.

3. Add chopped kale, stir-fry for a couple of minutes.

4. Add a splash of water and pinch of salt to pan, cover and let steam for 4 minutes.

For more fabulous recipes check out the book Greens, Glorious Greens by Catherine Walthers. It’s jam packed with great (and easy!) recipes to try. So don’t be scared, get to eating your greens!

Greening your Smoothies

Greens are everywhere – power greens, supergreens, fresh greens, wheatgrass shots …but what are you supposed to do with them? Greens can be a little bit overwhelming when you’re first trying to incorporate them into your diet. People always ask me how to add them and what to do to make them taste good. The first thing I look to when answering this question is my Blendtech!

Adding greens to your favorite fruit smoothie is a fabulous way to get the power packed nutrients that greens offer. Now I know, the color that greens turn smoothies can be a bit off putting. Most of us aren’t used to drinking something that looks like toxic sludge or worse, something bright green *gasp!* – it looks like slime, not food!! Well, it is food…and it’s food that’s great for you. My simple advice, get over it! And if you just can’t get over it, do what my boyfriend Stephen does, drink it with your eyes closed.

Ok, so now you’re going to take the green smoothie plunge, but you’re not sure how. Well, it’s super easy! You can start by adding fresh greens to your smoothie or a super greens supplement. If you’re adding fresh greens, the ratio for a green smoothie should be 60% fruit and 40% greens (collard, spinach, mustard, kale, or swiss, green or red chard). You really can’t make a mistake, more fruit, less greens and add your favorite liquid and blend. I often use coconut water or just plain water. Sometimes I use fruit juice, but this does up the calorie content of the smoothie. I also like to add my own nutritional boosts to the smoothie like maca powder, acai (pronounced ah-sa-eeee, which is available in the freezer section at Whole Foods or your local health foods store. I usually choose the sugar free acai), flax oil, hemp seeds or almonds. You can add a little honey or agave for sweetness.

Pineapple Mango "SuperGreens" Smoothie

You can find a number of fabulous supergreens in Whole Foods or your favorite health foods store. They range from froze wheatgrass shots to powdered supplements. When buying supergreens supplements it’s important to choose organic. Supergreens are super concentrated which means, if they’re not organic, you’re also going to get super concentrated pesticides- yuck!! I use Green Magma Barley Grass Juice Powder or Pure Synergy.

There really isn’t a specific green smoothie recipe to follow, it’s kind of like a stew, a little of this and a little of that to suit your tastes. Just experiment and see what works for you!.

Terra’s Favorite Green Smoothie

1/2 c. Diced Mango
1/2 c. Diced pineapple
Coconut water
1 Frozen Wheatgrass Shot
1 tbsp of Green Magma Barley Grass Juice Powder

Put it all in the blender and blend! This smoothie will come out electric green with a sweet tang because of the mango and pineapple. It’s my favorite!!

The Wonders of Maca: The Peruvian Ginseng

Maca Root: the Peruvian Ginseng

Maca, the superfood of the Incas has been around for at least 10,000 years. It’s a radish like root vegetable grown in the mineral rich volcanic soil in the Peruvian mountains. While people in the US recently discovered the power of the maca root, it has been used by the Inca people and their herds for thousands of years to combat stress and thrive in higher altitudes.

Maca is a well known endocrine modulator, or an endocrine adaptogen, which works on the pituitary through the hypothalamus, communicating with all the glands of the whole endocrine system.

Maca is super-charged with over 60 micronutrients. It’s 40% potassium and 10% calcium. It’s high in phosphorus, magnesium, silica and zinc. It also contains vitamins A, B, C, D, E, B12, B1, 2 and 3. It hast 18 amino acids and 20 fatty acids, so it just may be the strongest root on earth without natural stimulants. Maca also contains important hormonal precursors and sterols proven to assist the human body in a number of ways including boosting your energy and mood!

Maca’s hormone balancing properties can boost your libido, sooth menopausal symptoms, increase sperm cell production, improve testosterone levels and eradicate symptoms of impotency.Some may not enjoy the taste of maca on its own, but it’s pretty easy to incorporate it into your diet. Simply mix maca powdered root into any of your favorite drinks or food. You can buy maca from any of your favorite natural foods stores including Whole Foods, Deans Natural Foods and Nature’s Corner.

Because maca increases libido and fertility, it’s fabulous for preconception health. Maca stimulates graffian folicals– (stimulates fertility) by controlling estrogen. Levels that are high or low at the wrong time either keep a woman from becoming pregnant or keep her from carrying to term. If you are interested in using maca for preconception health I suggest talking to you doctor and finding out your progesterone levels.

Super Maca Smoothie
2 Tablespoons of Maca Power
1/2 Cup – Milk [rice, almond, oat, hemp, soy or dairy]
1 Tbsp. – Almond or Peanut Butter
4 Dates
4 Ounces – Plain or Vanilla Yogurt
1 Tsp. – Bee Pollen
1/2 Tsp. – Cinnamon

Food Updates and the Processed Vegan Trap

So it’s day 4 of our own little vegan challenge and and I must say that I am insanely proud of the Hubs. He’s still going strong and even starting to get excited about vegan cooking. The Hubs loves to cook and he loves to cook meat so it’s pretty amazing that vegan cooking is getting him excited! I’ll be honest, I had my doubts that he would even last 24 hours!

Day 1 of the vegan challenge started with Sunday morning breakfast. Sorghum flour pancakes and tofurkey breakfast sausage.

The Happy Hubby Cook

I topped mine with a little organic peanut butter, fresh sliced organic strawberries and bananas.  Hubs topped his with Earth Balance and Eaton’s Vermont maple syrup. I think VT maple syrup is the Hub’s third true love (next to myself and Stella of course). Thankfully,  we still have more than 30 mini bottles left over from our wedding!

peanut butter, strawberry and banana vegan pancakes

I am not much for eating the processed faux-meats, but the Tofurkey breakfast sausage was really good. Hubs LOVED it. I learned early on in my first vegan challenge in 2009 that just because something is vegan does NOT mean it’s healthy.  I spent the first challenge trying to replace the things in my diet I thought I “needed.”  Of course I really didn’t need them. Eating processed vegan crap is just as bad as eating processed normal crap. After the first 20 days I realized that I had actually gained a significant amount of weight. Since that first challenge I have been extremely conscious about what sort of processed meat/dairy substitutes I choose. Vegan challenge 2 and 3, I eliminated the processed stuff entirely.

The Hubs is making it a bit more challenging for me this time around. This is his first time attempting a vegan diet, and he feels he needs the substitutes (just like I felt I needed them!) so I want to support him in any way I can!

Dinner on night one was my vegan stuffed peppers. Recipe here. I love these peppers and could eat them more than once a week. Hubs? Not so much. He doesn’t even like regular stuffed peppers. (I don’t get it. But there are LOTS of taste differences that we have that I don’t get – and that’s another blog entirely). Night 2 I compromised and we had veggie burgers on sprouted grain english muffins with Daiya cheese. I could have made healthier veggie burgers from scratch, but we all lead busy lives and we wanted quick and easy. Frozen it was.

Southwest Organic Sunshine Burger on a 7 grain sprouted english muffin with Daiya cheddar cheese and honey mustard accompanied by a fluffy garden salad.

Hubs had his veggie burger with chips and apple sauce (such a kiddo!) and I had a leafy green salad (boston lettuce, mesclun mix, cucumbers, tomatoes, red bell peppers and carrots). The entire meal was delicious.

I am trying to get Hubs to eat more veggies and less processed stuff. It’s not an easy task. We’re taking baby steps. I’m just grateful he agreed to do the challenge with me, it really makes life SO much easier when I don’t have to drool over his Friday night pizza!  This morning I made him drink a green juice consisting of a head of kale, 4 celery stalks, a cucumber, an apple, a lemon and some ginger. If he won’t eat the fruits and veggies, I’ll make him drink them! I can be sneaky about navigating the processed vegan traps! 🙂

Tonight we’re having vegan mac & cheese, sauteed broccoli and carrots and a garden salad. I’m excited to test out the vegan mac & cheese recipe I found. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Any new vegans get caught in the processed vegan trap?  How did you find your way out? 

Living Green: Choosing Pesticide Free

Ok so here goes the first installment of April Greens and Living Green. Of course the first thing I’m going to talk about is the food we put into our amazing bodies.  Conventional foods are waxed and shellacked with pesticides, herbicides and fungicides and washing them off doesn’t remove 100% of the chemicals. Once the crops have been sprayed, the plants absorb those pesky chemicals. Chemicals are literally in the produce we eat! ugh!

I’m lucky to live in the Garden State. New Jersey is bountiful in produce production; there are fresh options everywhere you turn. Of the thousands of growers in New Jersey, only a select few farms in New Jersey that are certified organic, pesticide free and sustainable (check the Northeast Organic Farm Association of New Jersy for a list). So now you’re wondering, “do I buy organic produce that is imported or a non-organic from a local farm” It’s confusing, I know.

Before I offer any hard and fast rules to navigate the organic maze of confusion, I should offer up a little education on pesticides. In pretty simple terms, pesticides and fungicides are toxins designed to kill things. The logical conclusion would be that we as humans shouldn’t injest toxins designed to kill other organisms! Logic aside, research has shown that even small doses of pesticides and other toxins are carcinogenic, can negatively affect the nervous system, disrupt natural hormone patterns and cause eye and lung irritations. TheEnvironmental Working Group noted that even small doses of pesticides can cause long lasting damage to human health during fetal development and childhood.

Given the damage that can be done, it’s important to educate yourself about pesticides and choosing clean or organic produce. EWG conducted extensive research and analysis based on data collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. With this information EWG created two lists: The Dirty Dozen and The Clean 15. The Dirty Dozen lists the produce with the heaviest pesticide loads and the Clean 15 lists produce with the lowest pesticide loads.

EWG found that by avoiding the top twelve most contaminated produce and eating the least contaminated instead, consumers lowered their pesticide intake by almost 80 percent! “Eating the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables will expose a person to about 10 pesticides per day, on average. Eating the 15 least contaminated will expose a person to less than 2 pesticides per day.” EWG has a full list of 47 fruits and vegetables ranked in order from highest pesticide residue to lowest. You can also download a pocket sized version of the Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15 here.

So, to answer the question, “do I buy organic from Mexico or a non-organic from a Jersey Fresh Farm?” it depends. Our first choice is always locally grown organic produce, but there are always exceptions. For those exceptions we offer these tips:

1. Download the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15. Start to understand what is “clean” and what is “dirty” and choose your produce accordingly.

2. Wash your produce. There are lots of veggie wash products on the market today, but a little water and fresh lemon juice works fine too!

3. Peel, Peel, Peel! If do buy non-organic produce from the dirty dozen list, remember to wash it and then peel! We know that some of the best nutrients in an apple or a peach is contained in the peel, but it’s just not worth the risk. A new study just linked exposure to pesticides with a 70 percent increased risk of developing Parkinson’s Disease!

4. Talk to your local farmers! At every farmers market or roadside vegetable/fruit stand, there is a wealth of knowledge behind the table. Get to know your local farmer and learn about their sustainability practices. Know where your food comes from! You may be surprised to learn that while their produce is not USDA Certified Organic, it may be grown in a sustainable manner with limited use of pesticides.

I hope this helps a bit! Every time we buy organic produce we are voting with our wallets and making a choice for a more sustainable future!

Dinner, Night 1

Night 1 of the vegan challenge, my favorite stuffed peppers.  These have been a staple in my diet for quite some time now. They’re perfect for any season and you can tweak the recipe and the vegetables you use to the season and/or your liking

Vegan Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients
4 large bell pepper (your choice of color)
2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup black beans
1/2 cup salsa (I used Green Mountain Gringo)
1/2 cup corn (canned or thawed, frozen is fine)
sauteed veggies of your choice (I used zucchini, onion, mushrooms, carrots and broccoli)
Shredded “cheese” (I used vegan cheddar, but if you want full dairy, go for it)
cumin, salt and pepper to taste

Start cooking the quinoa (remember to rinse before you boil or it gets sticky!!)
Saute your favorite chopped fresh veggies in olive oil with fresh minced garlic.

Add salt, pepper and cumin to taste (I like a lot of cumin – at least 1 tsp)
Rinse black beans and set aside.
Cut peppers in half (lengthwise) – try to leave the stem intact so the filling doesn’t fall out and remove inside and seeds
In a large bowl mix quinoa, salsa, black beans, corn and sauteed veggies. – taste, add more salsa if you like.
Stuff peppers with quinoa/black bean mix.
Place stuffed peppers in a glass baking pan with a 1/2 inch to 1 inch of water in the bottom, cover with foil.
Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes to brown/melt the cheese.

Enjoy!!!

Chai, Chai Baby

Before I became a Chai addict, I was a coffee addict. It was an easy cross over when I was trying to kick the java beast. While tempering my coffee addiction, I started supplementing with chai lattes. I always loved the taste of chai, but since I was a coffee girl I rarely ordered them from my local barista, and never made them at home. Oh how the times have changed….

Homemade Chai Latte

Here’s a super easy chai tea recipe. This is a great recipe to make at home because the simmering pan fills your home with the delightful smell of spicy chai!

Awesome Chai Tea
—————————–
1.5 cups of water
1.5 inch cinnamon stick
10 cardamom pods
10 whole cloves
6 oz non-milk of choice (soy, almond, oat, hemp or coconut. So Delicious vanilla coconut milk is my favorite!)
2 tea bags of unflavoured black tea (Darjeeling is a good choice)
Sugar/Honey/Agave -Sweetner-of-choice to taste

Put water in a pan and add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and cloves. Bring water and spices to a simmer and then cover and let simmer for 10 minutes. Add soy milk and sweetner (omit milk here if you intend to freeze the chai for later or make a latte – see note below) and bring to a simmer once again. Add tea bags, cover pan, turn off the heat and let sit for 2 minutes. Pour into cups and enjoy! If you have a cappuccino maker you can foam the milk instead of adding it to the pan.

This recipe will make 2 servings. You can easily double/triple/whatever these proportions, make the whole thing without the milk and then refrigerate or freeze the tea and spice mixture for easy chai-on-demand.

Crazy, Sexy, Change

It’s that time of year again… Vegan Challenge, 21 Day Jumpstart, whatever you want to call it….30 days meat, egg and dairy free. April 1st is V day!

As I mentioned in my earlier post, this time around I’m taking a different approach.

I think I may have even talked the Hubs into doing it with me! I know, pick your jaw up off the floor. My former junk food vegetarian turned insatiable carnivore husband has tentatively agreed to do this year’s Vegan challenge with me. I am beyond shocked and completely ecstatic. Do you have any idea how hard it is to be vegan with someone who demands meat and cheese not only daily, but with practically every meal?!? Don’t get me started. I am simply grateful and counting my blessings that he’s choosing to join me.

This isn’t my first time in the vegan rodeo, I’ve dabbled and experimented here and there. However this is the first time I am taking a spiritual approach rather than a health coach approach. I have begun to feel more and more that meat is inhibiting not only my yoga practice, but my spiritual growth in general. I have been told by friends that eliminating meat from my diet will improve my meditation practice. I’d like to explore that.

I just reread Crazy, Sexy Diet by Kris Carr (side note, I have an uber girl-crush on her from her infectious energy to the hot pink streak in her hair) I plan on watching Vegucate and sneaking in one more Jivamukti master class to amp myself up for spiritual veganism.

In addition to cutting out meat and dairy I am committing to a daily meditation practice and continued affirmations. I’m going to need support in this

Here are other things I will be doing:

• Looking to friends and wish-they-were-more-than-facebook-friends for support.
• Taking it one day at a time.
• Juicing!
• Upping my orders from Suburban Organics. Large Fruit and Large Veggie boxes here I come!

While I am approaching this challenge from a spiritual perspective, here are some things I will NOT be doing:

• Getting all PETA crazy. As time goes by I am developing more and more compassion and trying not to turn a blind eye to the way animals are raised for food in this country. I’ve eaten organic, grass-fed, free-range for many years. I know that its not really enough and I AM getting there. In my own way, in my own time.
• Turning into a proselytizing vegan. Who knows how I will come out on the other end, vegan or 90/10 (I’m currently about 80/20). I will promise you, and all my IIN alum that I will never turn into a militant vegan. What works for one may not work for another….and it may not work forever, only time will tell. I DO know, this ADK Jersey Girl don’t play dogmatic!

I have day dreams of going raw. I am hoping that timing this challenge and the change of season will conveniently lead me to a high raw diet for the summer. I just need a new dehydrator for that one!

On a side note, I’m running the NJ Rebel Race on April 14th and I’m curious to see how my vegan diet will affect my energy during the race and in post race recovery. Any vegan endurance/obstacle race junkies out there??

Signing off from my IPhone (and in bed!)
Peace and INspiration,
Terra