Karen Knowler * The Raw Food Coach

10 Ways to Create a Ravishingly Radiant Fresh Start! Part 3

Welcome to the third and final part of this 3-part series. So far we have looked at: Clear Your Mind, Indulge Your Vision, Freshen up Your Diet, Clear Your Desk, Streamline Your Diary, Re-Organise Your Office and Empty Your Car. Hopefully by now you will have done at LEAST 3 of those things if you're serious about cleaning up your act in 2012! This week, the final three: Spring Clean Your Home, Review Your Finances and Refresh Your Relationships. Ready to go? Let's do it!

SWEET 'N' SUCCULENT KALE AND AVOCADO SALAD

This salad is based on a recipe taught to me by top raw food chef and friend Chad Sarno. This is one of Chad’s all-time favourite raw recipes and it’s also one of mine too. I’ve been teaching this variation now for a number of years and everyone is AMAZED at how great it tastes. The beauty of this meal is that it’s delicious, filling and extremely nutritious – one of the best ways to get healthy greens and fats into your body in a way that feels good and looks good too.

 

EQUIPMENT

A good sharp knife – that’s it!

 

INGREDIENTS

8 generous handfuls of green curly kale
Sprinkle of Celtic sea salt OR Himalayan crystal salt
1-2 Tablespoons of olive oil
1 ripe avocado
2 large tomatoes OR a handful of cherry or baby plum tomatoes

OPTIONAL: 2 spring onions
OPTIONAL: 8 sundried tomatoes in oil
DRESSING: Squeeze of fresh lemon juice to taste 

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Chop the kale up into tiny pieces measuring roughly 1-2cm square and put into a bowl.
2. Add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil plus a small sprinkling of your chosen salt to the kale and massage well into the leaves until they are glistening and look succulent. If they need more oil, add accordingly.
3. Chop up 1 avocado into small pieces, add to the kale and massage in well, coating the leaves. It is fine to leave pieces of avocado sitting amongst the leaves as well as coating them.
4. Chop tomatoes into small pieces and add to bowl. Similarly, finely slice the optional spring onions and sundried tomatoes – both of which I personally love.
5. Mix all ingredients well by hand – a very tactile and delicious experience! Make sure that all ingredients are spread evenly throughout the bowl.
6. Sprinkle with some fresh lemon juice and serve as is or pile high on to a plate and garnish with tomatoes or olives. 

 

Raw Coach Top Tips:

• By adding the oil and salt to the leaves the kale releases some of its moisture thereby, making it much juicier in both taste and appearance. This treatment of kale makes it much more delicious and palatable, making all the difference for many people who ordinarily don’t like kale as is.

 

Want to see this recipe demonstrated? Click here to see how it’s done >>

© 2012 Karen Knowler WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE THIS RECIPE IN YOUR EZINE OR ON YOUR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes "Successfully Raw" - a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you're ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at www.TheRawFoodCoach.com.

Karen's World for 20 January 2011

There’s been an unprecedentated amount of talk about 2012 being THE year, the big, exciting, super-juicy year of all years, for all of us. I get that, I feel the same way. Having said that, now three weeks in to the New Year and I’ve since heard people saying how trying the first few weeks of January have been for them. I get that, I feel the same way! LOL

Whatever 2012 ends up being, what I can say for sure is that it’s going to be the biggest year of growth and change so far for TheRawFoodCoach.com, and last week I promised to tell you more, so here goes…

10 Ways to Create a Ravishingly Radiant Fresh Start! Part 2

Last week in Part 1 of this 3-parter we looked at: Clear Your Mind, Indulge Your Vision and Freshen up Your Diet. (If you missed part 1 and would like to read it, you can find it on my blog here). This week steps 4, 5, 6 and 7 of our magical 10 - any or all of which are going to help you break through some environmental "stuff" that will make room for much bigger and brighter things to come into your life. And yes, that might mean that your diet cleans up alongside the changes too! Just watch how closely connected all of this stuff is when you put it into practise in your own life... It never fails to amaze me!

VANILLA AND SESAME SHAKE

At this time of year you might want something thick and creamy to drink but that still tastes lighter than a heavy nut-milk if you're trying to lighten your load. I adore vanilla, so having a shake revolve around it is definitely a good thing as far as I can see! This shake feels very nourishing to the soul. Its creaminess is soothing, its “warm” taste welcoming. Yes, this is a “pleased to see you” drink that you’ll want to welcome on a regular basis. 

EQUIPMENT

Blender 

 

INGREDIENTS

1 cup sesame seeds
2 large bananas
2 cups water
3 Medjool dates
1 Tablespoon vanilla essence OR 1/2-1 vanilla pod

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Place all ingredients into a blender and blend on full power until all of the sesame seeds are fully broken down. [NB: Owing to the size of the seeds this may be hard to do – if you prefer no lumps at all you will need to mill the seeds in a nut mill before blending with the other ingredients.]
2. Taste test for sweetness and add more dates if required.
3. When you have your perfect blend, write it down, pour it out and find a soft spot on your lounge floor. Bury yourself in cushions and sip, slurp or savour, depending on your mood.

 

Raw Coach Top Tips:

• If you’d like to add more flavour to this basic mix, try playing with varying amounts of any (but not all) of the following: mesquite powder, coconut butter, cacao nibs or raw carob powder.

© 2012 Karen Knowler WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE THIS RECIPE IN YOUR EZINE OR ON YOUR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes "Successfully Raw" - a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you're ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at www.TheRawFoodCoach.com.

10 Ways to Create a Ravishingly Radiant Fresh Start! Part 1

I'm kicking off the New Year with some life change assignments for you! Well, you know what a fan I am of upgrading your life as you upgrade your diet - to me the two absolutely go hand in hand. So if you're ready for a better experience of life and living this year in many different dimensions then grab a pen and paper and prepare to complete the first 3 assignments on your list of what will, before the month is out, become 10.

Ready to freshen things up a little? Read on...

ROCKET, SPINACH, BANANA, STRAWBERRY & DATE SMOOTHIE

Not getting enough greens? Green smoothies can take care of that. And what's more they're so quick and easy to make that I defy anyone to come up with an excuse as to why they can't drink at least one a day!

I've heard of some incredible changes happening to people who have embraced the green smoothie into their world, one of the most impressive being a personal friend who I completely trust reporting that his grey hair returned to its original black due to daily green smoothie consumption. Now that's just one reason of many, there's also reports of much improved energy, calmer moods, stronger nails and much more besides. Even some serious healing stories. So, to get you started, here's one I came up with live on stage a few years ago and served to the 40 people at my class... it packs a punch, but a lovely one!

 

EQUIPMENT

Blender 

 

INGREDIENTS

1 large ripe banana (or 2 small ones)
1 handful of fresh strawberries
1-2 Medjool dates (depends on sweetness)
2 large handfuls of organic rocket (arugula)
3 large handfuls of organic spinach

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Put all of your fruit, peeled and de-stalked, into your blender first (it's important that you put the fruit in first as it creates the juice which the greens can be blended into).
2. Wash your greens and add to the blender.
3. Blend everything together thoroughly until a thick but bit-free consistency is achieved.
4. Taste-test: If it's not sweet enough add more dates; if it's too sweet add more spinach.
5. Finally, if you prefer your smoothie more runny, simply add water to reach desired consistency.
6. When you're happy with taste and texture, pour into a tall glass and swoon! Feel the green goodness flooding into you!

 

Raw Coach Top Tips:

• I usually make 2 pints worth (the above recipe will make roughly this amount if you add water) and drink one immediately and put the other into another pint glass and keep in the fridge until later in the day. The later makes for a great afternoon "snack" or a satiating pre-dinner filler.

© 2012 Karen Knowler WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE THIS RECIPE IN YOUR EZINE OR ON YOUR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes "Successfully Raw" - a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you're ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at www.TheRawFoodCoach.com.

New Year Detox Ideas

The start of the year is, of course, the perfect time to do a clean up. It may be that your eating over the festive period was so off-beam that you need a few days to ease back into healthy eating (notice: we are 9 days in already!), or it may be that you are ready for something a little more radical.

Here follows some info about how to do a 2 day or a 5-7 day detox. Choose what feels right and then give it your all. Ready?

RAW MINCE PIES

This week, a guest chef spot for Russell James!

A few years ago Russell created this brilliant recipe for raw mince pies which could quite possibly be the best mince pie recipe on the planet. Well, Russell has kindly allowed me to share his recipe with you - please trust me when I say this is a recipe that is REALLY worth making! (I don’t give my weekly chef spot up lightly!)

SERVES: Makes 15 pies

 

EQUIPMENT

Food Processor, Blender, Dehydrator, Pastry cutter, Baking tray

 

INGREDIENTS 

For the pastry
1 cup almonds
1 cup walnuts
1 cup pecans
1 cup raw jumbo rolled oats
20 dried soft apricots

For the filling
7 soft dates
Juice of 1 orange
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 apple
½ teaspoon mixed spice
1 cup raisins

For the cream
1 cup courgette (zucchini), peeled and chopped
¼ cup agave nectar
1 cup cashews, soaked 2 hours
1 teaspoon psyllium husk powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 

DIRECTIONS

1. Soak nuts overnight and fully dry them in a dehydrator.
2. To make the pastry, first process the nuts and oats in a Vita-Mix dry jug or coffee mill so that you end up with a fine ‘flour’.
3. Transfer the mixture to a food processor with an ‘S’ blade. Add apricots one at a time until the whole mixture becomes sticky. If you are using apricots that have been soaked, you may find that you already have a dough-like consistency. If the mixture isn’t forming a ball in the processor at this point then add some water (soak water if you soaked the apricots) a few tablespoons at a time until it does.
4. Roll out the mixture on a flat surface so that it is about twice the thickness of a pound coin. If mixture sticks to the rolling pin, mill some more oats to dust the rolling pin with. Alternatively you can wet the rolling pin; either works well.
5. Using a pastry cutter that will cut a base to the required size for your baking tray, cut the ‘bases’ from the rolled out dough. Place these in a muffin baking tray that has been lined with cling film. You will need to re-form and re-roll the dough to get the most from it. Use any left over dough to build extra pies!!!
6. Remove stones and flowers from dates and place in food processor. Add the orange juice, zest and mixed spice. Process and add water as needed to produce a creamy consistency. Mixture will need to occasionally be scraped from the sides of the processor using a spatula.
7. Chop apple into small pieces and add to mixture. Process for a further 15 seconds. Add raisins to mixture and stir in with a wooden spoon/spatula.
8. Remove bases after the 3 hours and fill with raisin mixture.
9. To warm the pies, return them to the dehydrator on mesh sheets for as long as you can keep your hands off ‘em!!! They should be ready after an hour.
10. Whilst they are warming, process the courgette (zucchini), agave and vanilla in a blender until smooth. Add the cashews and process again until mixture becomes smooth again. Add the psyllium and blend a final time. When fully blended leave the mixture to firm up for 5 minutes. Transfer this mixture to a piping bag and pipe onto the warmed pies. You are now ready to enjoy raw mince pies with whipped cream!

 

Raw Coach Top Tips:

• Don't skip the whipped cream part as it's so worth it. But don't stop there! Put a raspberry on top, it looks amazing and it really adds to the overall eating experience. Mmmm!

© 2011 Karen Knowler WOULD YOU LIKE TO USE THIS RECIPE IN YOUR EZINE OR ON YOUR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes "Successfully Raw" - a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you're ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at www.TheRawFoodCoach.com.

Should *You* Be Eating Raw This Christmas?

The picture left is of the raw food pizza I teach in my “Raw Food Made Simple Training”. It's also the same pizza recipe that was once seen by six million viewers live on TV being sampled by Lorraine Kelly, and it's also the same meal that I have been known to eat as my main course Christmas Day!

Yes, pizza for Christmas lunch - quite a concept!

But of course there are no end of possibilities about what we could eat this Christmas Day, however, what my concern is, in this article, is Should *You* Be Eating Raw This Christmas? Read on to discover why my question is as layered as the festive trifle!

"A Raw Christmas"

Now what's the first thing you think about when you hear those words? Be honest!

If it sounds like music to your ears then that would suggest that to have a Raw Christmas this year is what's right for you, both at the below surface level and ideally in real life. If, on the other hand, it makes you think of isolation and standing out like a sore thumb from your companions, then it will be worth reading on. And if it sounds like something truly awful that really isn't on your agenda, then you're definitely in the wrong place (at least as far as this article goes) and I congratulate you on your clarity! Happy Christmas, now go and have your fun!!

So this article is really for those of you who *think* that you'd like to be raw, but at the moment are yo-yoing between being ruled by your heart, your head, your eyes, your beliefs, your worries, and your belly! Which I think, if I know you at all, dear readers, is where most of you are going to be right now...