Earth Hour: Lights Out for the Planet IT"S HERE!!

It's Tonight!
We are making banana splits, playing music (the girls and daddy are) and board games by the firelight and candles!
What are your plans? If you need ideas, here is what we did Last Year for Earth Hour!

My next post I will share how it went!
love the earth, do you really have a choice?
deb xoxoxooxo

Recipes for the Weather Robot Team !

If you were at the Green living demo today, here are the recipes I talked about. All are raw except the hummus, so enjoy and thanks for listening to me today!
deb
Green Smoothies: Fast and Easy

Freeze ripe, peeled bananas- 2 or 3 per batch
2-3 handfuls of organic, well washed baby spinach
2 cups spring water

Blend it up and enjoy! Makes around 3 cups.

Options:
Add cinnamon, ½ Tsp
Add raw agave 2 Tsp
Add hemp seesd ¼ cup
Add other fruits and go wild!
Use mild greens in place of spinach such as collards (remove the stems), romaine lettuce, swiss chard (remove stems)
Use mint leaves for a fresh taste
Add Lemon juice for zing
Grated fresh ginger spices it up a bit, 1 tsp
Add a small zucchini to make it creamy and thick
Add avocado for creaminess




Ranch Dressing/Dip 
Posted on Raw Freedom Community

www.sunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com

For those missing that hidden valley feeling.

Soak time: 1-2 hrs
Preparation time: 5 Minutes
Number of Servings: 24 (or 3 cups)


Ingredients
1 1/2 cups nuts (cashew or mac or combo) soak them for a creamier dressing (1-2 hrs is fine, then drain)

3/4 - 1 cup filtered water for blending

3 tablespoons lemon juice (translates into approx 1/2 lemon)

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons agave (or 3 soaked dates)

2 cloves garlic

1 teaspoon garlic pwd

3 teaspoons onion pwd

1 teaspoon dill

1 tablespoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon basil


And to add after it's done:
1/4 cup finely minced parsley
another 1/2 t dill, minced



Directions
Vitamix blend all ingredients till creamy and smooth except the last 2, then once blended, stir in the last 2 ingredients.

Thickens in fridge.

Thin to desired consistency if using as a dressing- or toss into wet lettuce leaves as is.




Carmella's Notes: 
~ This yields quite a bit of dressing, so you might want to consider halving the recipe.
~ Last time I made this, I completely forgot to put the dates in and it was still outstanding.






AMEN to Plant Based Diets!







Chewy Chocolate Freezer Fudge from Raw Food, Real World

2 cups almond butter (one 16-ounce jar)
¼ cup raw cocoa powder (or use raw carob powder, or a combination of both)
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup ( you can use raw agave nectar)
1 heaping tablespoon coconut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-teaspoon coarse sea salt

In a large bowl, combine the ingredients and stir well. You can also use a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, but it's more fun to do by hand.

Spoon the mixture into little candy molds, flatten with a spoon, and cover with parchment or wax paper. Or line a square baking pan with parchment or plastic. Place the fudge into the pan and cover the surface with parchment or wax paper, pressing down evenly to flatten. Place in the freezer to chill. If using the pan, remove from the freezer after an hour or so, flip it out of the pan onto a flat surface and cut into squares or rectangles. These should be stored, covered, in the freezer.




Tasty Vegan Hummus
Hummus can be used in many dishes, but I think it's best straight up. There are so many variations of hummus out there that you could likely make a different one every day of the year! Play around with this basic recipe. This is a fabulous vegan appetizer to serve at a cocktail party, or allow guests to graze before the meal is served. This is great in wraps that use Collards and veggies, add some hemp seeds too!
2 1/2 cups cooked garbanzo beans (may also use canned beans)
1-2 cloves of garlic
1-2 green onions, chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil
Lemon juice
Roasted sesame tahini
Cumin
Salt and pepper
Paprika, for garnish
Pine nuts, for garnish
1. In a food processor, place garbanzo beans. Add the rest of the ingredients, to taste, until you simply melt from the purely delicious taste. ;O)
2. Place in bowl. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with paprika and pine nuts. Serve with warm soft pitas, or pita crisps -- heat oven to 400F, cut pitas in half and lay halves on a baking sheet, bake until crisp, break into bite-sized pieces.
Yield: 3 cups hummus (+/-)
Variations:
Add your favorite spicy flavors to "up" the heat quotient
Saute the garlic, or some chopped yellow onions, until softened before adding to hummus

Add some diced pimento pieces to add a little color and a bit of zing


Here is the Reccomended Reading list from the class:

Reccomended Reading:
The Plant Based Diet and the Environment:
The China Study by T. Colin Campbell
Mad Cowboy by Howard Lyman
Omnivores Dilemma and In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan
May all Be Fed by John Robbins

Vegan Cooking and Raw Foods:
Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen by Ani Phyo
Everyday Raw by Matthew Kenney
Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero
Vegan Planet by Robin Robertson
Generation V: Teen guide to going Vegan by Claire Askew

Podcasts free at itunes store:
We Like it Raw
Vegan World Radio
Green TV
Planet Green
TED talks

Websites: Vegan Information
www.petakids.com
www.tcolincampbell.com
www.VegCooking.com
www.vegfamily.com
www.vegnews.com
www.teachkind.org
www.veganhealth.org/articles/realveganchildren

Websites: Environmental Info
www.ecobunga.com
www.pathtofreedom.com
www.wfaa.com/projectgreen
www.treehugger.com
www.gliving.com
www.earthhourkids.org

Websites: Raw Vegan Information
www.debbiedoesraw.blogspot.,com (Shameless Plug)
www.welikeitraw.com
www.naturemoms.com
www.rawmom.com
www.rawfamily.com

All Signs Point to Raw...

An ORV, Original Raw Vegan


Hi happy herbivores!
So much fun stuff to talk about but I am going to let the pictures do the talking. I must say, it has been a great week, despite the cold I am now getting rid of. Only lasted a few days, but not fun. It's the first one in a year so here's to a good immune system!

The week went like so:
A Raw Food Meet up at Revvells, got to meet some really nice folks and Happy Oasis, queen of the Raw Spirit Festival!
Please check out Revvell and Husband Bo Astrup a webinar/podcast expert, what great people and they do so much for raw folks! I brought a Thai Salad from Matthew Kenney's Outstanding new book "Entertaining in The Raw".

This is a MUST OWN book, I just am loving it, the salad was delicious and I am still using the dressing, yum, spicy and sweet!

Revvell
Happy Oasis

Happy had some really fun stories to share, she is a world traveler and spreads the word on Raw Spirit everywhere she goes!
Please check out the Raw Spirit Festival, there are 3 locations this year. It is a lot of fun and the food and spirit is great!



The next day, I went with 80 second graders to the LA Zoo. Now, I know that zoo's are a controversial topic, but I took the opportunity to talk to the kids about endangered species, how animals live in the wild and what their diets consist of. With the exception of the big cats, wolves and a few other carnivores, they are.. drum roll, RAW VEGANS!!!!!! Who knew?? Well we all should know that! I think the kids got it.. but they just wanted to act like monkeys and hug a lot. Girls!
Sam and Her Pals at the Zoo, Hugging, Again!
Chimps So Like Us, like Jane Goodall says!





Next Post: Green Lifestyle Film Festival!


APPLE BAG UPDATE!!!!!!
The Apple Bags are On Their Way! Finally!
And Finally, a Malcolm Update:

Malcolm in his sweater, not all that thrilled about it..
Stay tuned for some sweater crafting, where I take this thrift store find for five bucks and cut and paste it to Malcolm's specs!
He will wear it and be able to walk, yes!!
Really, he prefers nudity.. fur kids! what can you do?
Malcolm Au Naturele


world peas
deb xoxoxo

The Importance Of Inclusion

Like all new moms, I marveled at Sam's ten fingers and toes, her perfect soft skin and healthy newborn tests.
Not all Mom's are so lucky, not all kids are so blessed.
But how do you tell your kid about those who are disabled? How do you make sure that they are kind and compassionate towards those who are different from themselves?

Here is a recent example of a lesson in inclusion, of treating others, no matter how different, with the same care you would treat your best friend.
A new girl joined Sam's class recently. A very big, obviously older, new girl.

Sam started talking about her to me, it went like this:

Sam: Joanie really smells bad Mom. And she can't read and she is mean to all the girls.
Me: She is mean to you?
Sam: Well, she only likes the boys. And she gets in trouble for copying other peoples papers. I think she is dumb and mean.
Me: Let's talk about this....

Which entailed trying to explain to Sam that some people have trouble learning. We have no way of knowing what conditions she is living in, she may not have a real home or anyone to make sure she studies or bathes. Looking at her, it is apparent that she is repeating this grade, perhaps more than once. So I am guessing that she has some learning issues. I advised Sam to try to understand that she does not have the same life that Sam does, to be emphatetic and kind.

Sam still reports to me about Joanie. I feel sad for this child, "disabled" in a way that is nearly invisible to most. But today, as we walked by Joanie playing basketball with a boy today, she called out happily "Hi Sam!" And Sam returned the greeting, just like she would  a good friend.

Of course, there are children much worse off than Joanie.  Check out what CVS is doing to help disabled children have a better chance at a rewarding life.

And remember, all kids need help, either with learning to be inclusive of disabled or different seeming people and those who are disabled.

with love for all
deb

13 Years: We Are Still Married

February 17th, 1996 Princeville Kauai


February 2009 at Au Lac
Warner, Me, Jazmine (4 1/2) and Mom



Why Is this Woman Smiling?
Yes, it's true. 13 years ago, my husband and I joined forces in Princeville Kauai on a very cold Feburary day. Through the occasional white knuckler to the sweet calm waters, in a marriage that sometimes resembles the "It's a Small World" ride and sometimes is more "Thunder Mountain" (The Waterfall part at the end), we are still married. Happily, most of the time.

And that's a good thing.

My family.. gotta love em.
ahhhh.. at last.. hence, the grin...my anniversary gift

Here is a pictorial of our celebration.. it's 5:30am here and I have to get on my bike soon.. so here you go, feast your eyes..
I love you Grinch...

Hubby Knows how To Pull out All the Stops!
Raw California Rolls: Chef Ito is a Genius

Vegan Spring Rolls at Au Lac: Tasty, Delicious, mostly raw
Sam Eating Her Veggies!
My Sweet Sam and I
California Rolls
Humanese Soup: My Fav
The Best Raw Dessert, It's a Rainbow of LOVE!

With Love
The Youngs xooxoox