Pimp Your Ride

Yesterday I tackled a serious topic over at Raw Food Rehab. It's tough because it affects so many people's lives.....overcoming obesity once and for all. If you feel like you are constantly in a battle with your inner "Feast Beast," then this discussion is made for you. It's my most burning heart's desire to help point you in the direction of real and lasting help. I also understand that not everyone wants the information that I am sharing today, and that's ok....I just feel compelled to get it out there. So here goes.....

So much has been written and said about the reasons for obesity that it is little wonder that we (people who deal with fat related issues) have had a difficult time doing anything about it. Here are some actual examples from the "Why I am Overweight" list that have been shared (some of these have come right out of my own mouth):

"I think it started during my adolescence, when I was in puberty and started to want to go out with boys. My mother was against me dating, so she started over-feeding me. I guess so that I would get fat and be ugly and then the boys wouldn't look at me."

"I'm just naturally overweight. My body has a slow metabolism. My mom, dad, grandparents are all overweight."

"I eat to push down feelings that are coming up. I just feel like I have this bad energy coming up and I feel like I have to push it down or I feel totally miserable. After I eat, though, I feel even more miserable and guilty and then I just say who cares and I eat even more."

"I was molested as a child so I got fat to prevent any more sexual attention. That didn't work because my step-dad (or whomever) just kept violating me and I kept eating that way in an effort to get even with my mom who did nothing to protect me from this."

"When I think about memories from my childhood I get all uptight and end up raiding the refrigerator. I must have been abused or molested or something. I can't even remember. I guess I'm just eating and getting fat to protect myself somehow."

"Having a baby totally changed my body."

"I reward and punish myself with food. Sometimes I eat when I'm guilty as punishment and sometimes I eat too much to reward myself when I've been good."

"If I feel depressed or lonesome, I binge on sweets. It is a tranquilizer to me. I feel good for awhile, but then I feel shame later."

"I haven't been praying or calling on my Higher Power enough."

"I control others buymy eating. They know if I get mad I'll start eating too much. It doesn't really work, but that is what I do. Actually I comfort myself when I don't get my way and when I can't control others."

"For me hunger is an emotion and I can't handle it except by eating something."

"Eating has become a substitute for love. It fills me up when I feel emotionally empty."

"I've been so hurt by personal relationships and I guess I'm just hiding in this fat body."

"I haven't been working the program like I should."

"I'm co-dependent/an empath and that's what causes me to overeat. I cover up my emotions when my inner child is hurting."

People who persist in believing the above statements will probably not be able to solve their over eating and food dependencies. That is because the above statement don't explain why one is overweight and eating too much; they only describe ones way of thinking as they are downing another cheese covered omelet. These ideas of past roots of present behaviors provide a powerful support for compulsive overeating but they offer NOTHING in the way of personal transformation and change.*

If you feel like you are ready to overcome your Feast Beast once and for all, check out *Taming the Feast Beast* How to Recognize the Voice of Fatness & End Your Struggle with Food Forever.

Vegetarian Wine Dinner at The Canebrake

On Tuesday, April 20th, my husband Gordon and I drove the easy 45 minute jaunt to the southeast of Tulsa to The Canebrake. As I had mentioned in an earlier post, we were invited to come be part of their Earth Day Celebration which included a most amazing 6 course vegetarian dinner, wine paring and cooking demonstration. We arrived at the resort around 3 pm which gave us plenty of time to check in, get settled and take an invigorating hike around their lush and well cared for grounds. In the above slide show you can see a glimpse of some of the serene surroundings we enjoyed as we explored.

After a fun filled afternoon, we worked up a great appetite and were so excited and ready for the special dinner at 6:30pm. Sam Bracken, co-owner and chef de cuisine, did an amazing job of organizing, preparing and presenting each course in an elegant, yet fun and informative way. The kitchen & wait staff created an amazing atmosphere in which all of the guests thoroughly enjoyed every element of the event. We received culinary demonstration, instruction and recipes for each dish, which was right up my alley! To see a complete listing of what was on the tantalizing menu, click here.

After dinner we enjoyed visiting with members of the Canebrake staff and shopping a bit in their well appointed eco & yoga friendly boutique. I was able to get a new yoga mat (badly needed) and Gordon found an awesome all weather jacket with the Canebrake logo at a great sale price! We also picked up a special candle and bar of soap.

As we arrived back to our retreat room, we had a surprise waiting for us on the deck. Mr. & Mrs. Peacock were perched on the railing and allowed us to get close enough to touch their silky feathers. They were such beautiful birds and we felt pretty VIP to have had an after dinner visitation by these two special Canebrake pets!

The next morning we went for another brisk walk around the grounds before checking out. We were amazed by the silence and peace that we felt. We realized how desperately we need to plan a special time to just be alone together, away from the daily grind and responsibilities we both face each day, at least once a quarter. Even though we were only 45 minutes away from home and it was a getaway for only 24 hours....we felt refreshed, refueled and ready to rebook our next stay at the wonderful Canebrake resort! See you in May!

Also check out this brilliant & impressive fact about The Canebrake.

A Day In My Life

Often people write to me asking if I can share with them what I eat in a day. I've never really officially tackled putting a food log together, but felt that as we are just starting to find our stride with this new 11 Week Initiative on Raw Food Rehab, it would be an appropriate time to share the flow of my personal eating habits with all of you.

Remember, the following menu plan is based on a typical day. I veer off to incorporate a little gourmet raw food entrée or wonderful raw dessert when I feel like putting a bit more elbow grease into it, but what you see below is the simplicity of how I dine on a daily basis. I am also not 100% raw all the time, nor do I feel compelled to make my diet into something that feel like religious dogma. My plan is really simple as I just purpose to eat as well, real and raw as I can on any given day.

Upon Arising: Drink 2 tall glasses of pure water w/ fresh lemon juice (take 4 MSM capsules)

Before Noon: Green Juice, usually a bit sweet....sometimes I make a smoothie, but it depends on my mood (I take a Multi-Vitamin & B12 at this time) additionally, I may go for some fresh fruit, but usually the 32 oz of juice satisfies me for a few hours

Lunch: Blended Soup (sometimes it's a salad or marinated veggies)

Mid-Afternoon: Savory Green Juice

Dinner: Hummus or a seed pate w/ cut carrots, zucchini, red bell pepper & celery

an Epic Salad w/ delicious dressing and/or a simple raw entrée

I often snack on kale chips, corn chips or flax crackers if I feel the need to nosh! I also make an effort to drink pure spring water throughout the day, in between meals.

Many of my very favorite recipes can be found in my book, Raw Food Cleanse, and my eBook, Healthy Raw Solutions.

Here is what a typical shopping list looks like for me:

apples

berries

pineapple

bananas

lemons

limes

celery

cucumbers

zucchini

broccoli

beets w/ tops

carrots

cabbage

tomatoes

ginger

LOTS of leafy greens (including kale, dandelion, arugula & romaine)

shallots

garlic

apple cider vinegar

cold pressed olive oil

stone ground mustard

raw tahini

raw honey

flax seeds

hemp seeds

sunflower seeds

*I do buy organic or at my local farmers market whenever possible*

Regular healing herbs/spices I use often & try to grow:

basil

cayenne

chives

cilantro

jalapeño

mint

oregano

parsley

rosemary

turmeric

thyme

I am also growing several wild edibles this year like; nasturtium, lambsquarters, purslane, and beetberry.

I also encourage you to check out John Koehler's amazing videos on how he is planting a sustainable, survival garden in his yard. His lifestyle totally inspires me to take my love of real food to the next level!

Celebrate Earth Day at The Canebrake

My husband, Gordon, & I have been invited to attend a most spectacular gourmet vegetarian celebration of Earth Day 2010 at our beloved getaway, The Canebrake, next Tuesday evening. If you've been reading Real Food Tulsa for awhile you may remember our unforgettable stay there early last July....if not, I encourage you to read about our experience here.

The Canebrake is Oklahoma's first and only Eco-Certified property, so if you can be near the Wagoner/Fort Gibson Lake area in Oklahoma this coming Tuesday evening, we would love to connect with you for this amazing eco-friendly, sustainable vegetarian food demo/dinner party in celebration of Earth Day!

April Earth Day Dinner Menu

Amuse

Yucca root chips with Neosho River Ranch dressing

Appetizer with Morning Fog Chardonnay Wente 08’

Pan seared Seitan, grilled sweet onions, and zucchini in puff pastry served with

Blue Mornay sauce

Salad with Sauvignon Blanc Louis Mel Wente 08’

Fruit and vegetable salad with roasted pistachios

And Marsala vinaigrette

Intermezzo

Green grape sorbet

Entrée with Sandstone Wente 07’

Cannellini bean stuffed eggplant parmesan with roasted red bell pepper marinara

And basil oil drizzles

Dessert with 07’ Wente Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon

An assortment of white and dark truffles

The Finest Mix of Holistic Living Blogs Online

Brought to you by my good friend, Dhrumil Purohit, of We Like It Raw - Masala a collection of the finest holistic living blogs, is back and better than ever.

They're still adding sites to the list everyday so if you have a recommendation, drop them a note in the comments section of this post.

I'm so honored that Raw Food Rehab's YouTube channel made the list, as did my personal blog, Real Food Tulsa. Excitedly, I also spotted a number of other RFR member's on the list:

Debbie Does Raw

Wendi Dee @ Pure Jeevan

Rawdawg Rory

Shannon Marie - Rawdorable

Julie's Raw Ambition

EarthMother's In The Raw

Sunshine Boatright

Natalie Lussier

Terilynn's Daily Raw Cafe

Susan Power's Rawmazing

And there is so much more! On Marsala you'll find suggestions for Top Sites, Friends, Shows & Podcasts, Health Stars, Twitter Stars, Recipes & Uncooking, Personal Development and Green Living. Dhrumil is really working to represent the cream of the crop in the natural health, raw food, holistic world, and Marsala rawks. Enjoy!

Foodie Friday - Just Beet It!

Liver Cleansing Beet Salad

taken from Healthy Raw Solutions

Beet greens, from 2 beets, chopped

1/2 cup green cabbage leaves, shredded

1 tablespoon scallions, chopped

1 medium beet, shredded

2 small carrots, shredded

1/2 avocado, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons Nama Shoyu or Bragg's Amino's

fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, nama shoyu, garlic and pepper. Massage ands marinate the cabbage & beet green mixture and allow to stand for at least 10 minutes. Create a bed of the greens on a dinner (or salad) plate. Arrange the sliced avocado, topping with the shredded beets and carrots. Dust with a garnish of celtic sea salt, fresh pepper, and hemp seeds.

Pure Vitality

from Raw Food Cleanse

1 small beet

6 carrots

1 organic lemon

1 small piece of ginger (less than a 1 inch pc)

1 granny smith apple (optional)

Run all ingredients through a juicer and enjoy!

As we begin this next 11 Week Initiative, we'll be working on healing our bodies from the inside out. Liver and gallbladder health is going to be a focus and I would encourage you to view the videos by Sandra Cabot, MD in our Wellness Center for more information on this potential missing diagnosis in your health/weight loss equation.

Healthy Raw Solutions - Newly Updated Ebook

Just in time for Spring & Raw Food Rehab's upcoming 11 Week Total Health & Weight Loss Initiative! Are you ready to kick start your 11 Weeks with a goal-setting, vision inspiring, motivational raw food solution eBook? Healthy Raw Solutions is a newly updated version of the very successful New Year's RawSolutions eBook that we used at Raw Food Rehab as a help to our last 11 Wk. Initiative. Simply click on the photo of the eBook at the right of this post to order your copy for just $5!

I promise that this gem will exceed your expectations with 45 delicious and cleansing raw food recipes (10 newly added), most of which require nothing more than a knife, cutting board and a blender.

This eBook will act as a companion to successfully steer you into an empowered upcoming 11 Weeks, helping to equip you with recipes, focus and purpose!

New Soul Food

Soul Food Soup

1 carrot
1 stalk celery
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 zucchini

1/2 cucumber

1/2 avocado

small handful cherry tomatoes

1 small shallot

1 small clove garlic

1 lime, juiced

splash of apple cider vinegar

1 tbsp raw honey

pinch of sea slat & fresh cracked pepper, to taste

1-2 cup of water, to blend

If you don't have a high speed blender, just chop your ingredients in smallish pieces. Blend all the above ingredients until smooth and creamy.

For a chunkier soup add in:

1/4 cup celery, minced
1/4 cup fresh tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup cucumber, chopped

These ingredients also make a welcome & healing addition to the mix:

sunflower or buckwheat sprouts
cayenne or 1/2 jalapeño, seeded & minced

turmeric, grated (or the dry spice)
smoked paparika
basil or other Italian herbs

Also....today I'm thrilled to announce Raw Food Rehab's very own, in house raw food chef, Michelle K., has just released her brand new blog/website and DVD - It's A High Raw Life. Please go visit & show her some big love!

Join Us for Our Next 11 Week Initiative

Lots of members have been asking me to share more about the results from this past Vault. I shared the statistics and weight loss totals from our "biggest losers" on Tuesday's video/discussion, but I thought it would be fun to offer you some actual comments, quotes and feedback that came in during the final weigh-in from participants at the end of this past 11 Weeks. These are all from members who completed the last Initiative and the Vault Experience:

"My total weight lost: 13 pounds! I'm sooooo happy and couldn't have done it without you guys! I'm definitely in for the next Vault." ~ Karen

"I have found a peace with eating this way. I also suffer from depression having retired abruptly recently, those feeling s have declined considerably and this has given me new direction in my life. I was never sick just overweight and tired all the time. There is a vibrancy to the way I feel when I consume raw foods. When you feel and see the changes in yourself, you want it for everyone. The missionary zeal is hard to contain so your focus on learning everything you can on your current messiah. There is a lot out there to learn and it will take years to digest the new panacea." ~ Chris (dropped over 15 lbs)

"Total weight release was 20.5 lbs! Already ready for the next initiative, to see what I can release before our daughter's wedding end of June!" ~ Karen J.

"I have been high raw for several years, so didn't expect dramatic changes. My goal was to stay 100% raw and although I had some slips with traveling and more-than-usual stress at work, I keep coming back to the best way to eat and live!" ~ Teresa

"I lost 12 LB. but I believe I will do better next time because of the change in seasons. I will be 70 on May 2nd. I am aiming at losing about 40 more pounds and get down to about 190. My health is real good. I just have to live the lifestyle. I know what to do, so I'll be back there in the Vault this next time!" ~ Papajoe

"I lost a total of 27 LBS & I had so much fun! Thank you for the chance to get myself in gear!" ~ Em

"I released 18.2 pounds! And I feel better than I have in years. I also have a raw food buddy that lives down the street from me who was part of the first Vault. Her daughter (who is now in college) use to babysit for my daughter, but I never knew she was into Raw until I saw her on this website. She has been a great resource too. I also went to have my cholesterol checked last week. October 2009 my cholestrol was 257.....March 2010, my cholestrol is now 181. No drugs were involved - diet only! :) Much love and hugs to all the Vaultings and RF rehabbers!" ~ Sandra L

"I have lost a total of 15.5#'s this 11 week initiative and a total to date of 55# since going raw!" ~ Judy

"My weight actually went up a bit, but I lost 2.5 inches. What I have gained out of the Vault is that I know I feel best the more raw I eat both mentally and physically. I'm more active physically than I was before and I know that is because of the inflammation going away in my foot and joints. I have hopes that in this next vault I will begin to show some success in the weight loss area. I also think it will be easier for me to maintain eating more raw this next go around because I got through the mental issues of switching to raw this go around." ~ Jackie

"My ending weight is 158, which means I lost 10 more stubborn pounds!! Praise the Lord & pass the cauliflower 'mashed potatoes'!!" ~ Penni

"I dropped 21.4 lbs. in this Initiative & along the way, my 11 year old daughter also lost 18 lbs.!! My husband, who started this wk with 1 smoothie/day and daily 2+ mile walk with me, lost 4 lbs...See you back in the Vault in 2 weeks!" ~ Debbie V.

"My eyes are clearer, my skin is better, and I dropped a size or two in clothing having dropped 14 pounds. This is a long term lifestyle choice for me now. I can't imagine going back to my former diet and I was already wheat, dairy, and soy free!" ~ KJ Lively

"I'm looking forward to the next 11-weeks. I have been working out to Jillian Michaels' 30 day shred workouts, and they are brutal. My weight hasn't changed much from the start, but I have lost an inch everywhere except my thighs (probably because of all the squats). Overall, I'm feeling good, and I'm in training for my first 5K coming up in 2 weeks! I still plan on being in the best shape OF MY LIFE when I hit 50 approx. 1 year from now! See you back in the Vault." ~ Tanja

"My total weight lost was 20 lbs.!!! Praise the Lord!" ~ Rita

"I found the weekly weigh in helpful for accountability because it was a way for me to gauge what I needed to focus on. I never before had such a good relationship with the scale. My husband hasn't ever seen me at this weight before! Even on those weight gain days, I was glad to know where I was at. The support of the online community is the number one factor in my weight loss success and self esteem boost! I'm in this as a lifetimer....see you in the Vault 2.0!" ~ Michelle K. (lost 12 lbs & 6 inches)

....And this was one of many awesome quotes that came in today as people were requesting to join the Vault:

"Penni - This is exactly what a I need. I know nothing about raw food. But I got your book and I'm ready to jump in! Heck, even my blender is from the 70's--just like the cellulite on my thighs. Hope to get rid of them both and be able to feel fantastic all the time!" ~ Marcia B.

I hope you will consider signing up to join us in our upcoming 11 Week Total Health & Weight Loss Initiative. It is not necessary to join The Vault to participate. To sign up for the 11 Week Initiative which begins Saturday, April 10th, Go Here. And to apply for The Vault 2.0, Click here.