Overview

I was feeling a little home sick for the first time today. The longer i am here the harder things are (as normal) so i felt like a little passionate post would be good for today... enjoy.

No we are not fire fighters who save lives, no we are not athletes who have metals and no we are not famous and rich. We live our lives quietly backstage, all day learning something we love... Our hands are raw, are feet are numb, our legs give in to the burn. We are up too late and sleep too little, yet the work never seems to end, constantly distracted by the thought of what could be better. we live in a perpetual stink of produce and rarely have time to shower. Frustration fights its way to take over our confidence and at our weakest it may win. We forget there is an outside world and those who love us reach out to us to ground our busy lives. When we leave the kitchen we go to another, in hopes that if we tweak enough we can create perfection. we get tired we get cranky we get overwhelmed we get discouraged, we try to give up but in the end we never do, and never will because we are culinary students and we love what we do more then anything. Our hands ache to hold a knife and our bodies urn to be in the kitchen. We love what we do and we may never stop.

Step 1.

 

The first day of classes at the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute started on a Saturday, I wanted to give myself enough time to adjust to the small costal town surroundings before I jumped right into the learning part of my trip to Fort Bragg California. I was the first of my group to arrive at the Inn which was nice, I am very shy and it takes me a moment to warm up and open up to people. So I was very happy to have a moment alone to gather my thoughts before I began meeting a whole heap of new and different characters. To be completely honest, which is why I started this blog, in my head I was expecting everyone who walked through the Inn's door to have dread locks, be head to toe in hemp clothing and potentially smell of recreational drugs. Just goes to show how stupid and insulting my mind is, prematurely judging people who were coming to an unfamiliar place to do exactly what I had come there to do, and I was none of the things I assumed everyone else to be. The next person to arrive was my roommate, and the very first thing I noticed about her, other then her contagious positivity and pure joy of finally arriving, was that she had a luminous glow about her. I couldn't put my finger on it but something about her was just enlightening. She immediately broke the silence that I has been cowering in and invited me to meet the other girl she had arrived with, who was from Australia. Once again there was that glow, followed with a welcoming smile, and all my ignorant misconceptions of what my subconscious was expecting to come through the door vanished as one by one I met all the women who would be take the courses with me. Each of them drenched in the same luminous glow, and just oozing with excitement to begin the journey.


After a very successful trip to the school store to buy all our required reading, and materials we were all as ready as we could be for the unknown of what would be waiting for us on the first day of class. My fiancé had special ordered a hot pink chef coat for me that had "Chef Krysten" embroidered on the front, I was just itching to put it on and be in a kitchen. I was up at 6:45am, in the kitchen by 7:15, made a green smoothie and out the door by 7:30 to start the 0.6mile walk to school. It was a chilly morning and the bitter blasts of coastal wind did not help, but my anticipation was keeping me warm and motivated to continue walking. When we arrived we were given lockers, name tags, binders, asked to fill out paper work then led up to where class would be. For the first time in my entire life I made hast to sit at the very front of the class, and be one of the first students in their seat ready and eager to go. I gave my self a split second to breath as I patiently waited for the instructors and shivers of pleasure prickled my skin as I felt so positive that this is where I was meant to be. As soon as class started it was a whirlwind of learning, everything was meticulously mapped out, every demo and every lecture was timed perfectly to lead one right into the other. My brain was expanding at an exponential rate with all the new information being poured into it. So many door were being opened, so many myths being dispelled, all of my what ifs and hows were vanishing, all this in just the first day. I couldn't believe how much was crammed into 9 hours, and yet I couldn't get enough, I was at the edge of my seat waiting for the next day.
 

The Hippie House

I knew I was coming in to a culinary arts program, but what I didn’t know is that I would be walking in to a whole new world, community, family that would touch my heart and change my every thought completely.  The people I have met, from the moment I checked into the Inn have blown me away with the brilliant positive light they all glow with. People from all over the world, Australia, London, Rotterdam, Russia, Canada, and Korea.  Everyone with a different but intense and motivating story of why they are here, either their health depended on the life style change  or they are interested  in following their passion for good food with goodness in it. The place we are staying at is an old two story house till retaining its grandma charm from the gray colored carpets to the flower patterned wallpaper and has been transformed into an Inn

with ten rooms and one kitchen. There are 12 of us living at the Inn and there is never a dull moment. We start our day at 7am with multiple blenders and dehydrators going at once, everyone in the kitchen making green smoothies or creating snacks.  Along with the deafening sound of the machinery are the debates over the nutritional benefit of soaking or not soaking almonds; or if garlic is toxin or a tonic. The kitchen is small but with patience and a little understanding of the raw food inner workings we all manage to get something to eat, along with helping each other out by swapping produce or bartering for dates. When we gather in the kitchen all the different pieces of a full community shine through. We feed and support each other with zero judgment. Everyone is left to eat and “cook” how he/she would like but we are all there for each other to answer questions and find a solution even If we use a little help from Google to do it. Usually when you go to a group of people, school, party, sleep away camp, whatever gathering you may be at you will have an internal pull towards a particular group of people, or a person which is how we get our typical stereotypes of the popular group, nerds, jocks ect. I came into the house expecting cliques to form, and worried about which group would accept me, but that is not what happened at all. I did have that internal pull but not to a group or even to a person, but to everyone in the house. I could not tell you who my favorite person is, I could not tell you who I get along with most, and I won’t even call this a family because even in families there is a black sheep. That just is not the case in this fantastic group of brilliant individuals who, every day remind me that being her is right.

Once upon a Dream

So I figure I should actually have a post with a Disney Princess reference...

I am beginning to understand why Snow White ate a random apple from a scary lady in the middle of a sketchy forest, because she figured it would taste good. Doesn't mean it was going to be good for her (sleeping curse) but she said "it LOOKS delicious". I totally get that now, I could be reaching just a bit, but maybe it was a metaphor for how we ALL eat. It looks good, sounds good, seems harmless, but then later we pay the price. Snow White had a Prince who came to her rescue with a sweet kiss (awe) my "Prince" how ever is not so much a who but a how, if that makes sense?

What has saved me from my "curse" of lack of motivation, weight gain, chronic joint pain, migraines, mood swings, debilitating period cramps and even the occasional depression, was as simple as removing Gluten. Which is a huge thanks to my mom and dad who kept pushing me untill I finally saw the light (thank you guys!)  In two weeks I could sleep better with out agonizing knee pain. I was able to get out of bed on the first try and not feel so sleepy all day. It is such a miracle in my eyes how much my life has changed because my whole body feels better that at times I don't even believe it, and I am the one going through it all. But I promise you, at least for ME it has worked and I will never let myself get back to that point. I will never again say yes to my poison apple which is Gluten. So be gone sketchy Creepy old Lady, you will tempt me no more!

Its going to be a butt whoopin.

As I mentioned in my last blog post I have registered to go to school in California at the Living Light institute. I will be getting certified in Raw Food "cooking", but it wont just be schooling it will also be a life changing experience. I will be living a completely raw and vegan life for three months. So the moment I get on the plane and head to school, everything will be different and I plan on doing it justice by hopefully make it last for the rest of my life.

 

My New Years resolution for this year was not too complicated, I have tried the "I promise to work out more" or "I will focus on myself more", but I tend to forget what my resolution was and just go back to my slacker and distracted ways. So this year I thought I would try something different and just resolve to just finish what I have already started, becoming completely Gluten Free. So far (a whole 6 days) I am proud to say I have been doing a pretty good job at it. Being gluten free is just the beginning of  my preparation process for getting my mind, body, and soul ready for school, I have also cut back on how much meat I intake. I have been limiting myself to one animal product a day. I am hoping to cut out all meats from my diet at least a full month before I leave for school, my thought process for this is that I do not want to shock my body when I get there by all of the sudden not consuming any cooked foods or meat products. I want to be ready by also removing things like sugar, coffee, soda, cheese, and cooking with all fresh organic products. It hasn't been too hard like I said it has only been a week, but this is something I am so excited for and want to be at my best when I get to there so I can produce the best food possible. I am fairly confident i can do this, because I WANT to do this.

Gluten Free mix berry pie (thanks giving)

Tofu veggie stir fry

Gluten free southwestern turkey egg and cheese sandwich

 

saute veggies, with a quinoa patty topped with ham and fried egg

Not very good at this...

So, the worst blogger ever award goes to... Me! i don't know why i cant just stick to something. i get so sidetracked and ramble, then i give up which is a Horrible thing to do. i don't really have anything specific to blog about today other then say sorry to my ONE follower, and the 1,230 people who have actually read this jumbled. Sorry for not following through with the promise i made when i signed up for this blogging thing and update as much as i can. its not like my life is super busy, yet...

Which leads me to this bit of information. i do have a big announcement, i have officially registered as a student at Living Light culinary institute in Ft Bragg California. That is about all the information i have at the moment, and want to give right now, i tend to be a little superstitious, but i do promise that i will be blogging the whole adventure while i am away at school.

A possible title for the time i am in California... "Surviving Hippie School".

Last but not least i wanted to make sure i say Merry Christmas Eve to every one who does read this. i never though i would have a "following" but i feel so blessed every time i see that little number of blog views go up. So thank you everyone, and from my family to yours... Happy Holidays!

Jet lag

I woke up the morning after I had arrived in Dubling feeling pretty decent, I think it was more my excitement pushing me forward. We got up and decided to go grocery shopping to have food on the 8ish hr road trip we would take stopping in Blarney and end up in Dingle. One of my favorite things to do when I travel is to check out the grocery stores. Something so simple that every country has tons of but they are all so different and unique. It gives you a small look into their daily lives and I love trying all the weird foods I can't pronounce. The typical Irish grocery store as I had assumed was loaded with potatoes and tons of different varieties of bread. We bought our supplies and were on our way.


 As soon as we hit the road I was out cold, missing the beautiful view of the cities on the way to our first stop, Blarney Ireland. Blarney is a place i am sure we all hear about, its bout as famous as clovers and leprechauns, but i didn't know much about it other then there was a big stone somewhere that stupid tourist like myself come from around the world to kiss. Locals probably wouldn't do it, and i have heard stories that the people who look after the stone piss on it every morning, but i had made it all the way here, i wasn't going to turn back now. Rain started to fall as we got out of the car. The chilly light Irish rain only added to the beauty of the surrounding area, giving the landscape a hush feeling and magical sense of beauty. We walked up the the entrance payed our fee and entered one of the most beautiful park i had ever seen. Lush bright green grass as far as i could see, giant old tree scattered all over the fields, even a small river ran through the park. Everything was so beautiful and so green. Had it not been raining i would have laid down and napped right in the middle of it all.

 

Don't worry, i didn't. I couldn't take a nap because as i kept walking i saw the Blarney castle poke through the trees and tower over the park.

 

when we arrived we looked for the way to the stone, and for some reason (excuse my ignorance) i had pictured the stone to be some were on the ground near the castle or inside of it, boy was i wrong. we started to climb up this very narrow and steep stair case, we just kept going higher and higher with tiny square windows giving us a glance at the every growing distance between us and the ground. it wasn't till way after that i learned that "Blarney's tremendous rectangular great tower,one of the very biggest in Ireland". Half way up my youngest sister realised this was going to be a rather intense height and the top and she headed back down, but i was determined to make it up there and kiss that rock no matter what.

Sure enough as we broke through to the top you could see right over the ledge of the tower straight down to the terrifying depths below. Not going to lie to you i was very scared, cried for my mommy to hold my hand for a while and contemplating going back down (I'm very scared of heights) but i didn't i pushed forward. we are at the very top of the tower the center of the tower is hollow and once again shows you the chilling view of how far you have come. we have to walk to the other side of the tower on a narrow path to get to where the stone resides. we are finally in line to kiss the stone and i eagerly watch the couple ahead of us move in for the smooch and almost cry out in terror at what i see happen. You have to lay down on your back, and are literally bending over backwards as you dangle over the ledge that looks straight down to the base of the castle and if they hasn't build a small grate there to "catch" you if you feel then you would fall straight down! i freaked and said i was not going to do it.

My dad who was very much tired of all my bitching said he was going to do it this was after he has gone on and on about how only stupid tourist do it and there is pee on the stone... he got on his back leaned all the way over and kissed it. i couldn't let him have the bragging rights for the rest of the trip so i swallowed my fear held my breath and got on the floor. then i realised that i am way shorted then everyone else i had seen go before me which would require me to dangle the entire upper half of my body off the side of the tower. the was a man there who helped everyone and he had a tight grip on me but i could help being scared as i looked down at the distance between when i was now and where i had come from. the man continued to lower me more and more as i still could not reach, i had even contemplated just sticking my tongue out and maybe just giving the thing a lick if my lips couldn't touch. slowly but surly i made it, and with an incredibly quick peck i was back on my feet again ready for the next adventure.

 

 



 

A dream is a wish your heart makes

When I was between the ages of 5-8 I saw a movie called The secret of Ron Insh, and I forever fell in love with the green isle. I even told people my name was Fiona and I was born in Dublin, because of my light skin blue eyes and few freckles everyone believe me, that is till my parents put a stop to it. I was literally obsessed with Ireland my whole childhood. I did multiple projects on the history and customs. In sixth grade when we did the Modle UN I insisted on being The delegate from Ireland because of my blood line to the country(which is true we do have Irish decedents). It wasn't just the movie that made me so passionate about a place I had never seen before, something about the mystery and magic, the tales the history, I could almost smell the grass and feel the breeze like I had been there. Like in some weird way going to Ireland was my calling, even now at 24 the pull has not weakened at all, I am just as enchanted by this untouchable world. only difference is after almost 20 years of wishing, at this very moment I am sitting in London England enjoying coffee waiting for my 12:45 flight to Dublin Ireland...

I arrived at about 2pm Dublin time 8am in my head, and was pick up from the airport by my dad who had already been there for a few nights with my mom and littlest sister. We rented a car and headed to the apartment they had rented. the city was very beautiful, hard to explain with its updated yet still original buildings, clean and not crowded at all. In my head I was expecting a city loaded with people and charged with hustling energy like London, but what I saw was nothing like that. I learned that in the entire country Ireland only has 4million people. Back before the great potato famine there were roughly 8million people in Ireland, 1.5mil migrated, 2.5mil died and with only 4mil living here now it's safe to say the country never recovered.

I did not get a moment to rest when I got to the apartment, I changed in to something a bit warmer and a little nicer and we headed out for a stroll through the Dublin city center.

Saw the pub streets and the shopping areas, explored till it was time for us to go to our dinner and show of folklore, fairies, and story telling at Ireland's oldest pub, The Brazen Head. the story teller told us all about the history of Ireland, the potato famine, and a few lessons about fairies. Then ended the evening with old Irish tales, it was so much fun and even educational.

 

The Grand Canal in Dublin Ireland, this was our view from where we stayed.

After such a long day and full night I slept a rock, and work up this morning packed up and ready to head to a town called Dingle, said to be a very magically charged location...

 

A Bunch Of Junk

Long time no blog, it has been kind of crazy in my corner of the world. My fiance and i have officially moved into our very first, very own house. I am spending today laying around the house trying to get a feel for my new surroundings, so this blog wont be as creative, witty, or what ever else my other ones are because I'm so deeply embedded in my fiances rocking chair watching as many YouTube videos as i can find of one of my favorite Broadway Actresses Susan Blackwell. So sorry about that, but i wanted to blog all this before i forgot it and then got mad at myself later on for not bringing it up...

I have taken the liberty of naming my new house Eco-Home, which i do not think my housemate are aware of yet, but i know they wont mind :) I gave it this name with the intent of shrinking our households carbon footprint on the planet. So most things i have bought for the house have been Eco-friendly. All my leaning supplies, dish soap, laundry detergent, bedding, towels, even my dinning room table was mad from used materials and none of it was hard to find or very expensive.

 

Lets start with my dinnng room table since it is one of my favorite peices in my house at the moment. I love to cook and I love having company over, the more people in your house the more its filled with laughter and positive energy. My fiance and i wanted something big and homie enough to fit at least 8 people. We also are very set on having all the elements in our home, we have a brick wall, wood floors, glass coffee table, steele legs on our chairs and  now rod iron on our dinning room table. We were very excited when we found this table at the very first stand alone Timothy Oulton store in the U.S. (who is now one of my favorite designers). If i could i would buy everything in that store, most of the things he creates are made out of recycled materials. Our table was made from wood off a 100year old Chinese Junk Boat, not only is it beautiful but its eco-friendly.

 

Hippie on Campus

So i am loving my new diet/eating life style, and i am not the only one who has noticed that when i do eat too many non raw meals i get angry and not as fun to be around. So i am not as strict but i am doing as much raw food and ZERO gluten, which is why i am blogging today.

My first day of school (again) was on Tuesday, and unlike most students going to a new school i wasn't worried about finding my classes or getting a parking spot, or even having all the required books (I'm a slacker). i was worried about what i was going to be able to eat. Here in Texas we don't get a summer, its more like Hell rises from the underworld and takes over the state for months. So walking from building to building with food in my backpack did not sound like fun to me. i decided that for the first day of school i was just going to wing it. i made myself an obnoxiously large batch of green tea and packed three KIND bars, hoping that would be enough to keep me from starving on a 8hr school day. i was all set and made it till around 3ish when i stumbled upon the Subway at school. The school i went to before had a Subway that provided gluten free bread, so i thought i would check it out. it did not have gluten free bread but it did have salads! i got myself a chicken salad and water bottle, i was excited about having some sustenance before my 3hr dance class. in my mind i was jumping for joy at the thought of having a salad every Tuesday and Thursday till i got to the register and the girl asked for $10somthing, ya a salad and water $10something at a school, as if students pooped cash. so scratch that idea off the list...

Today i took  different approach, even though the salad was tasty. My mom is still in town and the family was blessed with some delicious Latin (Bolivian) home cooking, Locro ( i don't know how you spell that). Its a yummy chicken, rice and veggie soup with a Spanish flare was served for dinner last night and is lunch for today, paired with some sub pare gluten free crackers, and yet anoter giant bottle of green tea (3cups) i have obtained victory over the how to eat gluten free at school battle. i am also having a more eco friendly lunch by not having any garbage to throw away. Winning!

YAY ME!

Fresh and clean

i am going to start this blog by saying, no i am not a saint, no not everything in my possession is 100% eco friendly and organic and yes, i have shopped at walmart once or twice. Not everyone is perfect but what i am getting at is that i have a passion to learn and grow. As i look forward to moving into my first house with my fiance, it is a fresh clean start to living in a way it will not only bring harmony to our life but help make a positive impact on the earth, living together has a natural progression of, marriage, babies, and happily ever after... with all of that on my mind i would like from here out to just be full of ways to keep our home clean safe happy and healthy and do the same to the plant.

My mom, being the hippie i have always known her to be and my dad born in Portland Oregon, raised us with all the basics of a hippie life, love all, do no harm to people, animals, or the earth because all of those things lend a hand in the quality i life we have. The term you body is a temple was always push onto my sisters and i but obviously as children it made no sense. Some days i wake up and wish i had been some sort of baby genius and had retained and not fought everything my parents tried to tech me, that it all clicked when i was a toddler and that way i wouldn't have to start fresh so many times. But, life happens, we live and we learn.

My adventure for today is organic/eco friendly bedding. i mentioned this to my fiance and like a typical man his response was "whats wrong with the ones we have?' then i proceeded to explain to him what was so wrong with cotton, and i still dont think anything clicked. So for those of you who are like my fiance and need proof i have done a little home work for you. Some of this stuff i knew but still shocked me, it breaks my heart that we just let companies like the continue...

Whats wrong with cotton?


"The nonprofit Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) reports that cotton uses 2.5 percent of the world’s cultivated land yet uses 16 percent of the world’s insecticides—more than any other single major crop."

"Three of the most acutely hazardous insecticides, as determined by the World Health Organization, are well represented among the top 10 most commonly used in producing cotton. One of them, Aldicarb, “can kill a man with just one drop absorbed through the skin,” says OTA, “yet it is still used in 25 countries and the U.S., where 16 states have reported it in their groundwater.”

"that the fertilizers used on cotton are the most detrimental to the environment, running off into freshwater habitats and groundwater and causing oxygen-free dead zones in water bodies."

"A third of global cotton cropland and 45 percent of world cotton production now uses genetically engineered seeds. This poses a whole other set of issues, as some scientists fear that the proliferation of such “Frankenseeds” can lead to pest immunities and even the unleashing of so-called “super pests” that can resist virtually any pesticide."

Cooking to clean your system

There are a few things i want to blog about today, but knowing me i will only get through one topic. i finished my full week of just RAW food and passed with flying colors. i was not hungry and i was not sick, a few times my organs were tender but that is just the toxins being released from all the bad stuff i had eaten trying to get out of my system. i loved it i felt lighter and more alive. When i was younger my mom made my family do a raw food detox at least once a month. i didnt really know what for then but i know now and i will be keeping up with it. The day right after my Raw week i went to my in laws for fajitas, and i LOVE me some steak so naturally i had just a plate of fajita meat with the beans, no tortilla because i have been very good about being strictly Gluten Free. The next day i did not feel good, its my own fault i should not have gone from Raw food to fajita meat the next day, so now i am trying to get back on track, and what i have noticed is i am reaching for more Raw foods  now on my own. i feel better when i eat better. i still have not reached my goal weight but, i do feel lighter.

i was craving a way to put all my yummy veggie together and eat them at once, so i looked for ways to make some sort of bread... and i found one. it is absolutely delicious and you can edit the formula to make it sweet bread or thinner to make a pizza crust. i have already made it three times.
The Rawtarian

Feel good Foods

I went shopping at Whole Foods with my mom yesterday to get some things for a recipe i will post next blog, and i came across something really interesting while i was in the snack bar isle looking for my absolute favorite treat the KIND snack bars. i looked on the shelf above me and saw something i hadnt seen before (mostly because i have blinders on when i shop so i dont over spend) a granola bar called Kutoa, but that wasnt even the most interesting part about this treat. What is said on the box and wrapper is what caught my attention the most. "buy a bar, feed a child." So naturally i grabbed one and began reading. Every bar you buy, send a nutrition pack to a hungry child. The nutrition packs that WFP delivers are packed with the vitamins, minerals and micronutrients essential for maintaining bodily functions, growth, immunity, productivity and prevention of mortality among vulnerable populations. They are delivered to children between the ages of 6 and 59 months and effectively alleviate malnutrition and the diseases that coincide.

That wasnt even the best part, right next to the Kutoa bars was another box with a pleasant message Two Degrees Food's box said "for every bar you buy we donate a meal to a hungry child". Their mission is to empower you, the consumer, to help feed 200 million hungry children through just Two Degrees of separation. After all, in today's world, none of us are that far away. Instead of grabbing just any snack, you can go for one that feeds your hunger and helps do the same for another.

Other foods that give back:
Specially Foods

Rishi Tea

Savannah Bee company

KIND snacks

Do Goodie Brownies

Numi Tea

Kindness is alive and thriving

Tim and Mackenzie recovery

Friday the 27, Mackenzie Kelly and Tim Bales were headed back early from our family vacation at Lake Buchanan. Around 9:45 am on highway 67, Bono, TX (outside Cleburne) they were in an accident with two tractor-trailers headed West while Kenzie and Tim headed east toward home. Kenzie's car reportedly drifted into the lane of oncoming traffic and clipped the back end of the first 18-wheeler. This first hit sent them spinning into the second semi that had been following the other. This is all according to the two truck drivers, the only witnesses, but highway patrolmen have agreed that all marks on the highway support their story. The back half of Kenzie's car was left in the road.

while Kenzie and Tim, in the front half, were thrown 500-700 feet from the road.

Both were intubated by care flight paramedics on the scene the who descirbed the accident as "the worse accident i've ever seen somebody survive from 15 years of working", and delivered them to the trauma ICU unit at Harris Methodist Hospital in Forth Worth. As of Saturday August 4, both Kenz and Tim have been moved out of the ICU unit.

Tim and Mackenzie recovery

Kenz is looking forward to finishing her stay at Harris hospital while Tim is making progress with inpatient rehabilitation. Both are expected to make a full recovery.

but as is the nature of our health care system this comes at a high monetary cost. That's where we come in. Anything we can give to these two families, wether it be donations or prayer, would dramatically relieve the burden that has been pressed upon them.Please find it in your time, wallet, and heart to give a little to somebody in great need. Tim and Kenzie have been fighting for their lives, it's time for us to join the battle. Thank you in advance for all of your support.

Please be a hero

Hippie in the kitchen

Growing up in a Latin family and traveling all over the world food has been one of the biggest influences in my life. i may not remember where exactly we were or who it was with but i remember the aroma and tastes of the meal, the warm or cooling sensation as the food traveled to my tummy and filled me with a yummy joy. My mother and grandmother always instilled a sense of pride in the food we prepared, being careful not to cook anything in a bad mood so we don't feed anyone negative energy. Every house my family has lived in has always been very warm, open, and friendly, no one comes in with out being ask if they are hungry or thirsty, and even if they are neither a drink and meal is brought to them anyways. Not matter how your day goes a good meal and a smile can change everything.

For years i have wanted to cook but i feared that if i finally let my little secret be known then no one would take me seriously. What kind of life will cooking provide for me, its not a real job. i figured it was best for me to just keep my passion for food under wraps and continue to look for something else to do. Wasn't till my mom came to visit and flat out said i needed to go for it that i let myself believe in me. So now i am working on going to a Raw Food culinary school and i am so excited i cant stop thinking about it, but because i am a little superstitious i will stop talking about it for now.

This is what i have been up to this week, busy busy busy. My mom has pretty much dared me to eat nothing but raw food this week so i am having fun finding different ways to eat my fruits and veggies.

 Raw veggie sushi. i marinated the carrots in apple cider vinegar, red chili flakes and honey to give it a bit of an Asian kick, and some extra flavor so i wouldnt have to use soy sauce. 

(Right:) the beginnings of raw creme brulee. Cashews, pine nuts, honey, vanilla, lemon juice, and coconut oil. it turned out the way it was supposed to but, it still ended up tasting like cashews. So i am going to stay away from sweet treats made of nuts and stick to more fruit based items. But over all not too bad.

(Above:) the finished product of my Raw creme brulee. looks good and tastes good 

One for One

it didnt take long for me to hit the jack pot on wonderful companies that give back to suffering communities. Each link led me to more and more foundations that touched my heart. People tend to forget that those in need dont just need food and water, but also need, shelter, schooling, books, work, medical attention, protection, and love. if i wasnt a broke college student then i would be broke from pouring my money into products that produce good.

When i was in Morocco a few years ago we stumbled upon a hole in the wall store where all the organic, handmade, products were created by women for women and to benefit the female community of Morocco. That little hole in the wall company was such a motivation. i love people with passion and good work ethics, not that i am any kind of super women or have created anything marvelous, but i do tend to dream big. i came upon this site and have become some what infatuated with it and what it stands for. Sseko, the products are beautiful and the story behind the shoes is equally beautiful.

As i have mentioned multiple times, i tend to be a hippie, i dont need many material things, i keep a positive attitude, very appreciative of the free love movement, and i love all things classic/old school. So when i fell upon this website i was very tickled. Out Of Print takes a lot of the things i enjoy and puts them on a t-shirt, that not only looks cool but gives back.

i dont like conflict, i am not much of a debater, and confrontation it an event i dont want a ticket to, so i like to use other methods to show where my loyalties lay. Things like wristbands t-shirts and bumper stickers are right up my alley....      
(Threats for thought $8 tank)

i in no way claim to be fashion savvy or great with clothes in anyway. i see something i like and i wear it. But i know there are people out there who put a lot of effort into how they look before they leave, and i wish i had that kind of dedication, but i dont. i hear the word trendy, or fashionable and i think expensive. So i found this website that has trendy fashion friendly clothing that is organic, vegan, recycled and fair trade. So all you dedicated clothes lovers, here is something for you too :)
Fashion Conscience

Actions speak louder then words

i am not going to get into it because i dont know enough about the details, (i tend act on my hippy instincts and just promote free love for all) but this whole Chick-fil-a thing has got me thinking. i want to make sure that at least 90% if not all of the things i use, wear, eat, and do to reflect how i feel in my heart and promote health and happiness through out the world. i already buy most (if finances let me) groceries and cleaning products at Whole Foods, which supports local farmers and small family owned companies, i have even found some of my favorite items there that i dont think i could live with out. So now i would like to start buying all organic Eco-friendly, clothing such as organic cotton, hemp, soy, or bamboo. The Natural Clothing Company says "the conventional cotton is one of the most toxic crops on Earth, using insecticides which might cause cancer, skin problems, and deprive soil of life."   i know most of the items wont be very fancy or as fashionable (not that i have ever wont best dressed) but i will wear my new earth healthy threads with pride knowing that i can help sustain a family or villages simply by buying products that are focused on changes for good. i know i am just one person but that is all it takes to at least start. For the rest of my life i will be needing to buy clothes, so why not buy some that will not only clothe me, but will help others at the same time leaving No One Without. For my first tiny mark of change i bought a tank from Threads For Thought.

Clothing for a causes

Sseko's

Kayu

silver lining

Things have calmed down a tiny bit in the trauma department, and by calm down i mean my cousin is once again heavily sedated. as long as she is feeling little to no pain it eases my heart and I'm sure brings my uncle the tiniest sense of peace.

i blogged a few weeks ago about my parents being in the country (they live in Romania at the moment i don't know if i mentioned that) my father and littlest sister are getting ready to head back tomorrow and i thought i should update on my diet that my mom has been so helpful with... i honestly could not be happier! in 3weeks i have lost 5lbs, and its not just the weight i am delighted with but i have lost 3 inches around my middle i can finally SEE the difference. i did not get a gym membership i am not "working my ass off" and i am not on any pills or juices or weird serums. All i am doing is using the My fitness pall app on my phone (get it! its amazing! My Fitness Pal) to restrict my calorie intake to between 800-1000 calories a day. i am eating only one cooked meal with an animal protein (i love meat, good hormone free meat is SO good for your body) a day so most of the foods i eat are raw, such as salads and veggies with humus. Nothing fancy just enough to not be hungry, which i haven't been hungry. I have COMPLETELY removed all addicting foods such as bread, sugar, dairy, caffeine and alcohol. i have not in anyway touched wine, beer, or liquor in three weeks, not only do i feel fantastic but it has helped my getting healthy process tremendously. i cant believe i didn't know that the key to wight loss was all in getting rid of the sauce. i was eating healthy and running but i was still having drinks on the weekend which was 2 steps forward and 12 steps back. So my tip to everyone trying to get healthy, in shape, and loose weight. Keep moving and stop drinking.


In the middle of all the family chaos i wanted to cook, cooking brings me a little harmony so i made some raw brownies with raspberry sauce. Very simple, it also takes a cup of dates but i threw the bag away before taking the picture. So you dump all ingredients into a food processor, smoosh into a baking dish, then let it set in the fridge for a few hrs. All i did for the raspberry sauce was process fresh raspberries with some agave and pour on top. it looks like meatloaf but i promise they are brownies.

chaos

A lot has been happening in the past few weeks. My fiance and i were looking for a new house, then he had to get surgery on his wrist to fix an injury he sustained last year. That same day i received some very bad news about my little cousin, she was in a car accident involving two 18wheelers and is now in critical condition. Most families when they hear news like this it brings them together and makes them stronger, but in my families case i don't think it is possible for us to get any closer or stronger as a whole. She has been in the hospital since Friday (4 days) and every single day there has been 10-20 people there for support. After a while the nurses had to come out and tell us that "only immediate family can stay". We all looked at each other and wondered what that meant? as far as we were all concerned we were ALL immediate family. Even for my 24th birthday which was in the middle of the week everyone still cleared the day to have a birthday party with cake and gifts just like we have done my whole life. Every birthday, graduation, big announcements, no matter how big or small the whole family gathers. When i first moved back in the country i was alone no friends no job hadn't started school yet and didnt even have a car. My aunt and uncle let me live with them and my cousins let me use their car so i could have a job. i cant imagine not dropping my whole life to lend a hand or be there for any member of my family and it shocks me that there are people who arnt close to their relatives, but i guess that is just how i was raised and i feel so blessed that my upbringing was so focused on family first because i would not be the person i am today if it wasnt for that mentality.

All for one and one for All

Never focused

Seriously I am the worst blogger ever, I really hope I don't have any devoted readers because I just can't seem to focus on keeping on track with this thing. Which is ironic because I always have so much to say.

I can't remember where I left off so I will just tell you what is going on now. last weekend I went on a family reunion coast trip with my family in law, I'm sure in reading the word in law most people cringe a little well don't worry because I happen to be one very lucky girl who has found the family in law of her dreams. They are fun, loving, supportive and very accepting. My fiancé is a very successful person who has accomplished all of his goals before the age of 25 and I am well, slacking a bit in the motivation department, so for my in laws to still love me as sweetly as they do really is a blessing.

Yes I did say coast trip, yes that does mean bikinis and no I did not meat my weight loss goal, big shocker. I was a little self conscious but nothing a few beers can't fix. For the most part I avoided gluten by bringing my own sprouted corn tortillas for sandwiches, I also brought a bunch of mason jars full of detox and green tea too keep my metabolism up. The good thing about trips especially coast trips is that you tend to keep active. Even. Simple game of catch phrase kept me on my feet, an laughing till I hurt.

My parents had arrived from Romania (where then live for now) a few days before we left for the coast, so my mom along with her natural dieting was waiting for me when I got home. My mother is one of the smartest people I know when it comes to eating/cooking/living healthy. If there was every anything wrong with my sisters and I she would turn to herbs to solve the problem and it always worked. Growing up lots of people have given my family grieve for our unique ways of eating, but my mom has yet to be wrong. So now that she is here I am on a very very strict diet of only organic, healthy foods. No sugars no gluten or bread type products, no dairy, and limiting the amount of food I eat. Basically getting rid of all addiction foods as my dad likes to put it.

Americans in general tend to over eat, the portions that are served as huge. For example one of my favorite meals is a #2 at McDonalds which is TWO cheese burgers fries and drink, then the big Mac is two burgers on top of each other. We all just stuff our faces till we can't eat thinking the feeling of being full Is the sign of stopping, when really we should stop way before feeling full. With in three days of eating only heathy foods I have seen the difference in how much I can eat now.

If anyone lives in the Dallas Tx area and is interested in seeing what the Raw food movement is all about check this place out. Formally know as Bliss now known as Be Raw. DELICIOUS