Friday!

I love Friday's! This morning I had my green smoothie I made it with frozen mango, pineapple, blueberries, strawberries, spinach, romaine lettuce, parsley, cilantro, collard greens, coconut oil, water and Merlin's herbal magic.

I found the site it's www.merlinsherbalmagic.com . The ingredients are maca, marshmallow root, slippery elm, triphala, ashwaganda, astralgus root, burdock root, dong quai, fo-ti root, kelp powder, licorice root, milk thistle seed, pau d'arco, sarsaparilla, saw palmetto berries, shizandra berries, suam, wild yam root, anise seed, cinnamon, ginger, bilberry leaf, catsclaw, cayenne, dandelion root, gingko leaf, gota kola, irish moss, olive leaf, passion flower herb, vanilla orchid bean. Every part of the body is covered with this stuff it's all wild crafted and organic. I put about a tablespoon in my smoothie everyday. It is a superfood, baby. A 170 gram bag is about $26 and lasts me about 2 months, way worth the money. So check out the website if you have a minute.

Going out to lunch with my good friend Beth Seiler of Trader Joe's. I can't wait to hang out with her we have such a great time together laughing about silly stuff. Our friends from Portland Alex and Coleen are coming in this weekend and they are going to stay at Mc Menamin's downtown, that should be fun. We just got a huge dump of snow up at Mt Bachelor so the guys are up at the mountain, shredding some powder. I wanted to go today, but I will have to save it for Sunday I think, hopefully there will be more powder. I'm spoiled, it's pow pow or nothing for me, since I don't have a pass.

Everyday I am just trying to add in more raw food, instead of giving stuff up I've chosen to add more good stuff. Last night I made my family some pork, with boxed mashed potatoes, which I don't even normally buy as I know better, but I just grabbed what they had at the store. I don't eat meat so I didn't eat any of the pork, but I took like 3 bites of the mashed potatoes and my throat was starting to swell up on the inside. When that happens I know that there has to be MSG somewhere in the food. Well I grabbed the box, and put alternative names for MSG in the google search engine. I discovered that one of the ingredients in the potatoes was in fact MSG in one of it's many disguises. Well one thing led to another, as so often does when using the google search engine. I learned a lot about how the food manufacturerer's have learned how to hide the MSG so that they can get away with putting it into our food supply. That in turn led me to the "cheeseburger act" which I guess in 2005 our good buddy (facetious, of course) GW Loser, passed a bill saying that big food corporations cannot be sued. It's called the personal responsibility act or something to that effect. I am all for personal responsibility but I think that these corporations are poisoning us with there freak foods, and they should be held up to more ethical standards and held accountable. This kind of stuff really makes me mad at our government's lack of ethics! Well I guess that's enough ranting for today.

If you leave with one thing from all this, please remember that you need to be your own advocate for health, don't count on the fact that your government has your best interest at heart, because they simply don't.

Take Care,

Jen

Raw food class in Sister's is full with a waiting list!

Hello,

My class in Sisters is full with a waiting list. I can't believe it. Thank you Kim Luckini licensed massage therapist, (who I hear, gives an amazing massage),for all your help in organizing this class for me. I am doing my kids vegetarian class not this weekend but the following weekend. I was just looking at this site called www.rawfoodtalk.com they have this before and after section that is just so inspiring, if you get a chance check it out.

So far today I have had raw granola which was made out of sprouted dehydrated buckwheat, sprouted dehydrated sunflower seeds, walnuts, pecans, orange zest, raw honey, dried blueberries, with some almond milk I made. Followed by my green smoothie made from pineapple, mango, strawberry, spinach, coconut oil, and some merlin's magic.(google it)

My husbands' friend Joe Curren and his lovely wife Teasha were in town, they went up to the mountain to go snowboarding. He is a surfer and amazing photographer, here's the link to his website: www.joecurrenphotography.com I made some wild salmon tacos, man were they ever good. We drank wine watched some cheesy television. How could I give up wild salmon? I'm definetely not there yet!

I have to make food today. I think I will make the raw alfredo dish, with zucchini pasta.

Take Care,

Jen

Cha Cha Cha Changes!

Well it's been a while since I've written in my blog. I've been so busy with where my life has taken me. A lot of personal family stuff going on in the last few months, which I won't go into as I don't want to share such personal stuff with a bunch of strangers. I will reveal some stuff though. We are going to have to sell our house. Which is sad and exciting at the same time. My youngest son has lived his whole life in this house and that makes it hard, thinking of all the sweet memories of him crawling, climbing, etc. The good thing is I am rarely attached to material things, so I can separate myself from feeling a sense of loss. I know that something wonderful will come my way, it always does. This is where I feel that I am very lucky. So many people identify self worth with material things. The thing I will miss the most is the location, we are right downtown, and I love that! Being able to walk places and just the energy of downtown.

My rawfood business has changed to adapt to the economy. I still make food for a couple of people. I decided to start teaching raw food classes and vegetarian cooking classes. My first two classes did very well. It was so fun, to show people how they can add more raw foods into their repertoire. That has opened up some great doors for me. I am doing a big raw food class in Sisters, OR, which is about 20 minutes away. The class will be in April. I am back to working the ranch as well. A girls got to do what a girls got to do. The cool thing is it's outside and it's serene and I feel that I learn a lot from all the animals. They really are amazing creatures. I haven't been eating as raw as I should. I always have my green drink and try to make sure I get enough raw food in my day. I know I need to eat more, but sometimes it just doesn't sound as good as a burrito from Super B.

Last night I went to this silent auction for the new skateboarding park they are going to build. All these different artists designed skateboarding decks, and people bid on them. We didn't win the won we wanted but it was a fun night none the less. Well I will try to be a little better about writing, as it's very therapeutic. I've also been doing the Holosync meditations, which have been changing my life. I am saving up to buy it, I've been borrowing a friends.


I created this recipe with the leftover pulp after making Brazil nut milk, which is one of my favorite milks.

Cacao Bites

1/2 cup brazil nut milk pulp (This was from making brazil nut milk with 1 cup of brazil nuts)
1/2 cup walnuts
7 small dates, pitted
1/4 tsp. of salt
1 Tbl. coconut oil
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbl. agave syrup
1/2 cup coconut flakes, fine shred
a few dashes of cinnamon

Place all ingredients into a food processor until well combined. Roll into balls and roll into some coconut. Keep in the fridge and eat within a few days. Makes about a dozen balls.

Take Care,

Jen

The summer is almost gone..

Hello beautiful people,

 

Summer is almost gone. I love hanging out with my kids over the summer it's so nice to bond again with them. I have still been making food for a couple of people but, my business is fizzling out. I know it's not personal but it still makes me a little sad. I was finally doing what I want on my own terms. So when school starts I will be back to working on the ranch a couple of days a week and making food a couple of days a week. Today I made this really great dressing. I hope you like it..

Strawberry dressing

1 cup strawberries, remove green tops

1 Tbl. apple cider vinegar

1 tsp-1 Tbl. agave

1 Tbl. olive oil

Mix in the blender. It is so good people.

I also made the chocolate dessert from raw food real world..Yumaroo

It's been awhile..

When ever I see that I think of that song It's been awhile..I can drive people crazy with turning everything into a song. I have been a naughty girl. I haven't been eating a whole lot of raw lately. Let's just say I feel like a bloaty beast. Tomorrow I am back on the raw wagon. I have been craving a lot of crap lately. Crap like grilled cheese sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, etc. I am not sure why I am craving so much dairy. It really makes me feel gross and very uncomfortable. So why do I do it to myself? I am going to start cleansing. I will continue with my green drinks and I am going to try to go back to 3 raw meals a day. I have been doing 2 off and on, so it's time to step it up. Exercise wise I have been running a couple of times a week and I am doing like 300 total of  various styles of crunches, to get my gut into shape. I would like to shed 3o pounds. I know I need to lay off the wine, that is just adding too many calories to the mix. 

I went to Barnes and Nobles to look for the 80/10/10 book but, they don't have it and sounds like they can't order it. Job wise things haven't been going well 1 lady decided she was tired of eating raw. The other lady cut back from 5 dinners and lunches a week to 2 dinners and lunches a week. The other person is still ordering the same amount but, I am not going to be able to survive off this. So unfortunately, I will have to get a regular job. The job market here sucks! They pay $8 an hour, that's what I made when I was  20 year old. Sickening isn't it. I have management experience, cooking experience, animal experience, tour guide experience. So something great needs to come my way, and soon. So if anyone in the Bend cyberspace has a great job that pays more than $8 an hour keep me posted. Or if someone needs me to help them in New Zealand speak up.

Raw Recipe 

 Jen's Raw Taco's 

Taco Meat

1 cup walnuts

1 cup pumpkin seeds

2 1/2 tsp. cumin

3 tsp. onion powder

3 tsp. garlic powder

3 tsp. tomato powder( if you can't find, place a couple sundried tomatoes into a coffee grinder)

4 tsp. chile powder

1 1/2 Tbl. olive oil

2 Tbl. water

Take the walnuts and pumpkin seed and pulse in a food processor until it resembles ground meat. Place into a large bowl and stir in the other ingredients, you may have to add additional teaspoons of water to make it a little wet. Set aside

Guacamole

2 avocados

1/8-1/4 cup of sweet onion

1/4 cup diced tomatoes

1/2 a lime squeezed

1/4 tsp himalayan salt

couple turns of fresh pepper

Mash ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

Salsa

2 heirloom tomatoes, chopped (reserve 1/4 cup of the chopped tomato)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

1 clove of garlic

1/4-1/2 tsp himalayan salt

a couple dashes of tapatio hot sauce(not raw, but it's just a couple of splashes)

1/2 a jalapeno, diced fine

Place everything but 1/4 of tomato, onion and jalapeno into blender or food processor. Blend together then pour into a bowl and add the extra tomato, onion and jalapeno

Additional things you'll need: lettuce for wrappers, shredded cabbage, and a side of LOVE.

Take your lettuce leaves (I used butter lettuce but romaine or any other kind you have should be fine) sprinkle the leaf with the taco meat top it off with the guacamole, salsa, and fresh cabbage and enjoy your tacos.

Hope you like them..

Take Care, Jen

School's out today!

I've been crazy busy...I am helping to coordinate a fundraiser. A family that used to be in my oldest son's class, was involved in an explosion. This event sounds unbelievable, but it's true. This event really made me take stock and just appreciate and be humbled by the fact that things can be changed in a moments noticed..

check out this website..  www.caringbridge.org/visit/jrlitehiser

This guy sustained 80% of his body burned, 70% of his burns were 2nd and 3rd degree burns..He has  a wonderful wife and two lovely children..It just made me think, hard and long about how our life can change in an instant.

This Saturday, June 14th is a  garage sale with 50% of the benefits to go towards the J.R. Litehiser fund. 

I organized the bake sale portion with 100% of the profits to go to the fund. I am anticipating a huge turnout..

I spent hours e-mailing people encouraging them to come and support this event,,

Please help me to help this family contact me at jenreed1023@gmail.com or donate to any U.S. Bank under the account of J.R Litehiser.

Thanks,

Jen Reed

P.S. recipes to come soon..I promise..

Going to Michael Franti on Friday the 23 of May!

This week has been good. I get to go to Michael Franti and Spearhead tomorrow night at the amphitheater here. I am so excited about that. I contacted his people to see if they wanted any raw food. 

Well this week I created a couple of desserts one was an oat groat crust with raw chocolate on top. Here is the recipe;

Oatmeal Chocolate Bars

1 Cup almond meal

1 Cup raw oat groats, soaked for 12 hours and rinsed a few times

2 Tbl. almond butter

2 Tbl. cashew butter

1 Tbl. tahini

2 Tbl. agave

2 Tbl. coconut oil

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Raw chocolate sauce either the one from raw food real world or whichever one you choose.

Mix everything but the raw chocolate in a food processor until blended well. Spread 3/4 of the mixture in a 8 x 8 glass pyrex dish and dehydrate for 5 hours at 105 degrees. Put the 1/4 of oat mixture aside. After the Oat mix comes out of the dehydrator spread the raw chocolate sauce on top and sprinkle remaining oat mixture on top. Place in the fridge until set up and then eat.