I’m always taken aback at the starkness of supermarkets. You walk in and the bright lights reflecting off white floors and rows and rows of food neatly stacked in plastic wrappers and shiny boxes are almost blinding. The shelves seem never ending and the food doesn’t resemble any of the ingredients that they are made of.

It’s a real contrast to a farmers’ market where there are baskets and boxes stacked up with raw foods tossed in them in no certain order. Unprocessed products, bright in color and texture are scattered around and you can touch them, smell them, ask the producer (the farmer) how they were grown, and even how to cook it. The only packaging you’ll find is a few rubber bands wrapped around a bundle of kale, or a glass jar filled with milk.

As the temperature hovers closer to the freezing point, it’s harder and harder to get really fresh food, but more and more shoppers are choosing local over industrial food and farmers are responding to the demand. Thanks to Seacoast Eat Local we can enjoy farmers’ markets 2-3 times a month. Farmers are offering winter CSAs (community supported agriculture) and local grocery stores are stocking up  on locally raised meat, cheese, yogurt and eggs.

The Seacoast Eat Local Winter Farmers’ Market are offered in Exeter and Rollingsford host more than 50 vendors selling everything from milk and bread to locally made sausages, spaghetti sauce, and soup. The next market is December 17 in Rollingsord at the Wentworth Greenhouses.  For a complete list of Seacoast Eat Local dates click here. For a list of other markets in New Hampshire and just over the border in Maine and Massachusetts click here.

Here are some CSAs you can join to ensure fresh food all winter long:
Meadows Mirth Farm, Stratham, NH: Farmers Josh and Jean offer a “Flexible Choice System” which gives CSA members 10% off their regular market price if you buy an annual share of $400. Throughout the year you get $440 worth of produce  and can add to your account at any time throughout the season. You can pick up at the farmers markets (Exeter, York, Portsmouth, Rollingsford).  They offer lots of root vegetables, kale, potatoes, garlic and more.

Wild Miller Gardens, Lee, NH– Similar to Meadow’s Mirth Farm, Wild Miller’s (no relation!) offers a credit system where you pay an upfront fee of $300 and then you receive a total of $330 credit at any of the farmers’ markets where they sell, or on their farm at your convenience.  They offer produce, meat, dairy, eggs and maple syrup.

Wolf Pine Farm, Alfred, Maine – Wolfpines’ winter CSA is a bit like a cooperative offering vegetables, meat as well as other pantry items such as pickles granola, sea salt, oats, cranberry sauce, dry beans and much more.  Food is delivered every three weeks. For Exeter residents they offer a drop off at Phillips Exeter Academy. Check out their sites for more drop-off points in southern Maine and the seacoast.

Tendercrop Farm, Newbury, MA – Just over the border in Newbury, Tendercrop is like a year-round indoor farmers’ market. They offer their own local meats and produce as well as meat from other local farms. They also carry flowers, baked goods and other packaged products such as crackers. They also have a very nice selection of cheese. It’s a pretty drive and worth a trip down if you can’t make it to the winter markets.

You can also get local meats in the winter at Philbrick’s Fresh Market (North Hampton and Portsmouth), On the Vine Marketplace and Portsmouth Health Food Center. Blue Moon Evolution restaurant sells eggs, yogurt and milk from Brookford Farm and I’ve seen local eggs at On the Vine as well.

Eat local, eat better.

It’s Thanksgiving and I have a lot to be thankful for this year.  I’m blessed to live in an area where I can grow my own food and buy it from local farmers. I belong to the Willow Pond CSA (community supported agriculture) and live just a few minutes summer and winter farmers’ markets.  I can stop by the Blue Moon Evolution to get lunch, dinner or a quick green smoothie and know that all the ingredients are fresh and local.

My clients, and the women in my classes are making better choices for themselves and their families and I’m seeing even see healthier options at birthday parties that my daughter attends. The farmers’ markets are packed and even the organic sections at supermarkets are growing. I think a food revolution has begun and new people are joining it every day.

Today I thought I would share the names and organizations of the people and organizations that I like to follow or check on periodically that provide relevant, insightful and informative research and recipes,  or that just that inspire me.

Enjoy your food today, but most importantly be thankful for your health, and your family and friends.

My favorite foodies:

Mark Bittman: Author of Food Matters, he gets the big picture, but also shares simple, tasty recipes.  He also shares his “favorites” at

NourishMD: Two moms; a doctor and a health coach. They provide recipes, health info and also sell some products such as probiotics. Sign up for their newsletter for lots of health tips and good ideas, support for how to feed your kids.

Fooducate: Sign up for their daily food and health tips or download their Iphone “Ap” so you can shop wisely.

Epicurious.com has a search engine to find recipes from bon appétit and Gourmet magazine.

La Tartine Gourmande: You’ll love the photographs by this French photographer, as well as her very simple recipes.

Environmental Working Group: They’re looking out for us in Washington and provide the latest research on environmental toxins, the farm bill and even a cosmetic database which helps you determine which soaps, shampoos and sunscreens that  are best for you and your kids.

I love cooking for Thanksgiving, but it can be a lot of work. If you’re looking to “get away from it all” you don’t have to go far to enjoy a one or two night refuge from and enjoy a home cooked meal.

The Wild Orchard Guest Farm in Deerfield, NH, run by owner Molly Grant, is offering a homemade traditional family style turkey dinner with all the trimmings, a crackling fire and a pastoral countryside to ponder over with a glass of red wine.

Sleep tight in one of the six guest bedrooms and enjoy a country breakfast with fresh eggs (from her own chickens), rashers of bacon, cranberry muffins…homemade jam and scones and more.

My daughter and I went to visit the Wild Orchard Guest Farm a few weeks ago to meet their mini horses Silver and Stormy and the resident peacocks, Pharoah, Admiral Bird and Isabella, New Hampshire’s only pure white peacock. We walked away with a few brilliant green and blue feathers and felt as though we had stepped back in time as we walked through the restored 1740’s farmhouse in Deerfield, New Hampshire.

The 100-acre farm is only about half an hour from Exeter and pulls you back in time to an elegant and simpler way of life combining fine American crafts and early American antiques around the house.

I enjoyed our tour of the guest house and learning about all the women they commemorate by naming rooms after women such as Nelly Bly, a 25 year old journalist, who, in 1889 circumnavigated in 72 days. Or, Eleanor Roosevelt, who they have a letter from because one of the owners of the home wrote to her and got a letter back. Or, Tasha Tudor, the children’s book illustrator.

The property holds on to tradition. Molly’s  and her step daughter continue to make hand-crafted leather shoes, that her husband’s family has been making since the early 1900’s. The Cordwainer Shop also offers private instruction for people learning the craft of shoe making.

For more information go to: http://www.wildorchardguestfarm.com/

Starbucks watch out. This chocolate smoothie rivals any 800 calorie chemical concoction from Starbucks, but it is low in calories and high in good health! And it contains no sugar. Make sure to get the raw cacao (don’t use leftover Halloween candy!). Raw cacao is loaded with antioxidants and fiber and is considered a super food.

Raw Chocolate Smoothie

Ingredients:

1.5 cups almond milk

1-2 cups cups water

1 banana1 heaping tablespoon raw cacao (not coco, the real raw chocolate bean)

1 large handful ice

1 teaspoon raw honey or agave (optional)

2 tablespoons Mila, Maca or other protein/fiber drinks

Directions: Mix all ingredients in blender. Serves 3.  Make this to taste. Sometimes I add two bananas instead of sweetener.  Freeze bananas for a creamier consistency. Also, if I don’t have almond milk, I just use water and add a tablespoon of raw almond butter.  These measurements are all estimates so taste and add more cacao or sweetener as you like.  Add some cold decaf coffee for a real Starbucks experience.

If you add lots of ice – this makes a really nice ice cream.

Following is a letter that Romeo Danais from General Butler Farm sent out to his customers that’s he has agreed to share with me. It’s about the arsenic that many bulk suppliers put in their chicken feed.  It’s important to start asking what the animals you eat, eat so make sure to ask your grocer or your farmer. If they don’t know, ask them to find out.

What do the words ‘chicken’ and ‘arsenic’ have in common?

Well, they shouldn’t have anything in common, but, the USDA and the FDA thinks its OK to put arsenic in chicken feed to reduce mold and bacterial growth.

Let me tell you an interesting story;

A few weeks ago, I had an ad in Craigslist for Chicken feet. Yes, as a result of processing my chickens, I have chicken feet for sale, for food. Yes, a lot of people eat chicken feet, and a lot of people use chicken feet for, well, for chicken stock. The chicken feet add a marvelous flavor and gelatinous texture to chicken stock. Anyway, sorry, I tend to digress on occasion.

So, I got a call on my chicken feet ad, and the caller asked if there was any arsenic in my chicken. “Arsenic in my chicken? Why would I put arsenic in my chicken?” was my response, and here’s what he went on to tell me.

For quite some time, his parents have been getting ever so more anemic and went to the doctors to figure out what was wrong. The doctors had all sorts of tests made up and found high levels of arsenic in their blood. They analyzed the water in their home, tested paint chips from each room, tested darn well near everything until they finally got down to diet. It seems the parents disdained red meat, including beef, pork and lamb and the exotics like bison, elk & etc. and settled on chicken for their animal protein source. In fact, they ate chicken 2 – 4 times a week, and liked it.

The problem was, it was store-bought chicken. Store-bought chicken that was raised in factory farms that +used a feed additive that reduced mold and bacterial growth in the feed and made the chickens look more pinkish in the meat and gave the skin a more yellowish color to it. That feed additive was low levels of arsenic. Arsenic, like in Arsenic and Old Lace! In fact, a person can survive low-level arsenic poisoning for quite some time. But, because of the way it damages cells – breaking apart the structures that allow cellular respiration - it turns out to be a quite dangerous carcinogen.

Unfortunately, this fellow’s parents were eating too much chicken that had the ‘acceptable levels of arsenic’ in it and his parents’ bodies weren’t expelling the arsenic fast enough, so they were becoming ever more anemic. The question came back up, “so, do your chickens have arsenic in them?” Well, I said no, but, I would call my feed supplier and find out for sure. I got his tel. number and assured him I’d call back.

I called Cargill (my bulk feed supplier) and asked about the arsenic. After verifying my account number and looking at my feed deliveries, the Cargill rep answered, “Romeo, from the beginning you specified no additives in your feed, as you didn’t want any antibiotics, growth hormones or chemicals. So, no, we didn’t add anything to your feed other than the basic grain meals that we use in chicken feed.” I asked if they added arsenic to ‘regular’ chicken feed, and he confirmed that someone ordering general chicken feed would have trace amounts added along with the usual list of additives.

I take pride in raising my chickens as naturally as your grandmother would have done;

Out in the yard on forage, eating bugs and worms and grass (just like chickens have been doing for millennia), along with additive-free grain meals, tomatoes and other produce from my garden, apples from my trees, etc. I even put a few tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar in their water to prevent parasites from ever getting into my chickens.

My chickens live for 14 weeks before they are ‘processed’, on the other hand, store-bought (on growth hormones and chemicals) are just 7 weeks old when they are brought to market. The chicken industry has made cheap animal protein available to the masses – unfortunately they have brought cheap animal protein to the masses – the operative phrase is “cheap animal protein” full of growth hormones, arsenic, antibiotics and who-knows-what residue in their flesh. Flesh that you ingest when you eat store-bought chicken.

Read the second paragraph of this first report and you may never eat store-bought chicken again!

http://blogs.forward.com/the-jew-and-the-carrot/136663/

http://blogs.plos.org/speakeasyscience/2011/06/10/playing-chicken-with-arsenic/

http://www.organicconsumers.org/foodsafety/arsenic060405.cfm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/08/arsenic-chicken_n_873299.html

http://healthland.time.com/2011/06/09/arsenic-chicken-and-old-regulatory-standards/

Please join us to celebrate local food on Friday, October 28 at the Exeter High School from 5:30 – 7:30.  All the food will be from local farms and local chefs will help us prepare the meal.

For more information on the harvest dinner and other Food Day activities at EHS, click here:

Exeter High to Celebrate NH Food Day

You’re Invited to Dinner

Tickets are $10 per person. Drop off your checks at EHS, or just come on Friday night!

Today is National Food Day!  We’re celebrating at Exeter High School this week with farmers, movies and a harvest dinner on Friday October 28. Students can sign up in the cafeteria or send a check made out for $10 to Exeter High School to Jeanne Pierce payable and send to 1 Blue Hawk Drive, Exeter, NH 03833. The cost is $10 per person.  Below is my tribute to all the great things going on at Exeter High School.

This past Saturday, I was invited to speak at the School Nutrition Association of  New Hampshire’s fall conference for food service staff and other state agency officials. My topic was how to get more greens onto the menu and I didn’t hold back. I brought beet greens, kale, chard, bok choy, turnips greens and was ready to “green” the cafeterias of New Hampshire.

My husband and daughter helped me set up and at 10:15 am I was ready to cook and preach the incredible nutritional value of greens.  My 25 minute session was one of four break out groups taking place at the same time including another one on knife skills. Participants would rotate between these sessions over two hours.

At about 10:16 one person showed up.  By 10:20 it was pretty clear that she was my audience. Yikes, I was devastated, but kept a stiff upper lip. I learned after my very short introduction, that the woman, Judy, was  in charge of reviewing all the state lunch programs for the state! I got my own private meeting – what a stroke of luck! I gave my spiel and cooked up some greens for her, and we had a very intimate talk about what’s going on in New Hampshire.  Luckily in the next three sessions nearly 100 people came to my session and I had a great day.

Judy told me how she makes dinner a priority at home and how much kids love to come to her house because she always has cut up fruit waiting and homemade meals. She’s a busy mom and her kids have sports, but she makes an effort to prepare a meal in the crock pot in the morning so when they all come home late from practice and work, that they have a warm meal waiting.

The question that faces us is how can the school lunch program encourage healthy eating habits at home?   As parents juggle work, life, kids, and spend less and less time to cook to cook at home – can the cafeteria provide a class room for kids and introduce them to new foods? Maybe get them to eat something that their parents can’t?

As parents, and teachers and food staff, do we sometimes close the door to this notion because kids say “no” once to something? Do we give up and say, oh well, I tried. My kid just doesn’t like vegetables? Do we give up too easy by limiting their exposure to new foods and not having a conversation about why these foods are important to our bodies and mind? And, our environment?

This last year, I’ve seen Jeanne Pierce, who heads up food services for all the Exeter schools put her money where her mouth is.  Jeanne has made the choice, which is not always the easy one, to bring in healthier food to Exeter schools. The schools serve kale chips (and yes, the kids love them!) make homemade salad dressings, pick fresh food from their community garden, and buy  fresh local produce every week from several local farms.

This week, as part of Food Week, she is serving some local food every day, is featuring famers at lunch every day to talk to the kids, and is hosting a harvest dinner (Friday at 5:30). The school is also hosting a showing of the movie Greenhorns  at an assembly to help show kids that getting back to “farming” is actually something that more and more young people are getting inspired to do.

I say “hats off” to Jeanne Pierce who is combating  complacency and embracing change, not just because the government is telling her, but because she knows it’s the right thing do to and that if we just put our minds to it, change can happen.  As president of the School Nutrition Association in New Hampshire this year her motto is “stand up for change” and she’s doing just that!

She’s thinking WAY outside the “lunch” box and looking at opportunities to not only buy her own food from the source, including beef from her a school cow.  She’s not saying, “kids won’ eat new things,” she’s saying “let’s try it” and see what happens. She’s showing leadership and bringing her staff on board to support the change, even if it means more work from them to peel potatoes, or cut up fresh carrots.

It’s important to have regulations, policies, and support from our government, but when it comes down to it, creativity doesn’t come in a box, or as a policy or as a directive. It comes from within. That’s where change begins.

If you sat, quietly and listened to your body, what would it tell you? Are you low on iron? Are you hormones out of balance?  Is your stomach too acidic?

I learned from some farmers at a conference last spring on “pastured animals” that when cows are deficient in certain minerals they seek out them out for example by gnawing on tree bark.

Are we as humans that “in tune” with our bodies?  All cows do all day is pretty much eat grass. But we humans are busy. We’ve got alarm clocks ringing, never ending “to do” lists, demand schedules, emails to return, phones to answer, a house to clean… Our mind is spinning with things to accomplish.

But what if you slowed down your body, quieted your mind and listened, really listened, to what you need to not only nourish yourself with food, but also to find more peace, balance and passion in your life?

I’m excited to be partnering with yoga instructor and life coach, Tara Whitney, to do help you just that. During four two-hour seminars, Tara will start out with simple meditation and yoga exercises that will slow your body down, clear your head, and challenge you to listen to yourself.

I will introduce you to a new way of thinking about food that doesn’t focus on deprivation or dieting, but listening to what your body needs.  We’ll use tools such as food and mood journal, menu planning and we’ll also do some body cleansing to help your body clear out the toxic debris so you can hear you’re your body needs. I’ll be offering up superfoods to help you recharge your battery and get you out of your food rut.

The program is designed to help you:

• increase their awareness of how certain foods impact your energy level, mental clarity and hormonal balance
• strengthen your body and help build flexibility
• incorporate yoga and meditation practice into your busy schedules
• connect and build a supportive community with people on a similar journey
• prevent disease and chronic health problems.

Invest in yourself:
The fee is $175 and if you bring three of your friends – one of you goes free or you each pay $130. Classes start this Thursday, October 13 from 7:00-9:00 pm. Other dates include October 20, October 27 and November 3.

The classes will be held at Seacoast Power Yoga at 109R2 Water Street overlooking the Exeter River.  To register go to www.seacoastpoweryoga.com.  More classes will be scheduled starting in January. Please email me at tracey@traceymillerwellness.com  if you’d like to be notified of upcoming events.

For more information on the program and instructors go to www.seacoastpoweryoga.com or www.traceymillerwellness.com.

Fall has landed and it’s time for hot soups!  There is nothing better than a nice bowl of broth, bisque, gumbo or chowder to fill your belly and nourish your soul.

One of my favorite fall soups  is a “butternut apple soup” that is creamy, earthy and if you use the some tart apples makes you pucker up for more.  I got this recipe from Joan Pratt, who just recently retired from Apple Annie orchards in Brentwood, in her book Take the Apple, Essays, Poem, Recipes from Apple Annie.

A late frost decimated Apple Annie’s trees last year, but this year the branches are weighed down to the ground with apples and they are ready for the picking.  The new owners, Lauri and Wayne Loosigian are featuring music on Sundays and are now selling homeade apple cider donuts.

Butternut Apple Soup

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil (or butter)
2 cups onions, chopped
1 rib celery chopped
4 teaspoons curry powder
2 medium butternut squashes (about 2-3 lbs each) peeled, seeded and cut into one-inch cubes
3 medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped
3-5 cups water, chicken stock or vegetable broth
1 cup cider
salt and pepper to taste
Grated apple, yogurt or fresh sour cream to taste

Directions
In a heavy kettle sauté onions, celery, and curry powder with olive oil or butter. Cover and cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes or until tender.  Add squash, chopped apples, and liquid (enough to cover vegetables). Reduce heat and simmer until squash and apples are cooked through.  Puree until desired consistency.  (Joan Pratt, Apple Annie’s Orchard)

Achieving an optimal state of well being is a journey, not a destination.

We all want to make long lasting changes, improve our daily habits and embrace a more vibrant way of living. This program will help you get past obstacles and will propel you along that journey.

Tracey Milller and Tara Whitney as they guide you through a 30-day transformation program including four two-hour seminars focusing on information, practices and techniques that will have an immediate impact on your life.

Your program will include a food journal, menu planners, dozens of recipes and cooking tips, guidance on meditation, yoga poses to do at home and weekly support and coaching.

This program will:

• increase your awareness of how certain foods impact your energy level

• strengthen your body and help you become more flexible

• teach you how to incorporate healthy habits into your busy schedule

• connect you with a supportive community on a similar journey

• empower you to bring more mindful practices into your life

Dates:  Thursday, October 13 Thursday, October 20, Thursday, October 27 Thursday, November 3

Time:  7– 9pm

Where: Seacoast Power Yoga, 109R2 Water Street, River Front, Exeter, NH 03833

Cost: $175/4-week program ($150 if you register before October 6)

Register www.seacoastpoweryoga.com or info@seacoastpoweryoga.com

Your $175 includes a food journal, menu planners, dozens of recipes and cooking tips, guidance on meditation, yoga poses to do at home and weekly support and coaching.

www.seacoastpoweryoga.com • www.traceymillerwellness.com

About Tara Whitney

Tara Whitney is a Certified Baptiste Vinyasa Yoga instructor and a 200 hour registered teacher with Yoga Alliance. She is also an Associate Yoga Life Coach. Tara attended her first Baptiste Power Vinyasa yoga class in Cambridge, MA in 2000 to find relief for an aching body from years of biking and running. She fell in love with not only the physical side of the practice, but the transformative and life changing principles that come along with it. She started teaching shortly after her move to the Seacoast in 2008. Tara is passionate about sharing this practice and inspiring others. She opened Seacoast Power Yoga in July, 2011.  Tara lives with her husband, three children and two dogs in Newfields. You can find out more about Tara and her studio at www.seacoastpoweryoga.com.

About Tracey Miller

Join me in a webinar on “Farm to School for Parents: How to Get Involved: on Tuesday at 1:00 EST sponsored by the National Farm to School Network.  I will be sharing the story about how we started the Exeter Community Garden.  The format is very informal with plenty of time for Q&As.

For more info click here. To register (it’s free), click here.

Exeter High School has been harvesting all the vegetables we grew over the summer including peppers, carrots, lots of tomatoes, herbs, eggplant and more! If you’re interested in helping out or want help starting a garden in your community, give me a shout at tracey@traceymillerwellness and join Citizens for Community Wellness.

Four weeks and close to 100 raw meals, plus snacks, I’m back to being a cooked foodie.  A few “cooked” exceptions, but stayed pretty true to raw even through camping, eating out and juggling more than one meal each night for my family.

That said, I have lots of new recipes and a new appreciation for nourishing my body with food full of enzymes that makes it easier to digest and easier to get all the nutrients.

The great things about a raw diet:

1. For the most part, when you’re eating 100 percent raw, you have very few cravings. The first few weeks I had no desire to eat processed or cooked foods.
2. Your enery level is sustained throughout the day – no highs and lows.  Good energy from early morning to bedtime and you sleep well.
3. You are really, really regular.
4. It makes you even more aware of how processed our diet is, which gets to be even more unappealing.

The challenges of eating 100 percent raw:

1. It is very difficult to go out to eat. Not just because you’re only eating raw, but because what everyone else has looks good too…temptations.
2. You have to be very creative and try new recipes, or salads get boring.
3. Everyone thinks you’re weird.
4. I did miss (not crave) cooked food, like a baked potato or fried eggplant.

So, now I will find a better balance…more raw foods in combination with some cooked foods. Pumpkin soup here I come.

Just back from a hiking trip this past weekend where my five-year-old daughter and I and some friends hiked up to Mizpah hut in the White Mountains. The hut is an Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) hut which provides some real luxuries for hikers including a bunk bed, blankets, running water, compost toilets as well as dinner and a hearty breakfast.

AMC asked people with dietary restrictions to call ahead. I was hesitant to call ahead and tell them I was only eating raw food, but called anyway to tell them that my child is gluten free, and that although I didn’t expect any fuss, that I was eating raw foods this month.  When checked in, the staff said they had a spinach salad waiting for me for dinner. The salad was great and hit the spot after our two-hour hike in.  Luckily I had brought some dehydrated cereal that I had ordered from Lydias along with some almond milk so I had a really good breakfast too.

The next day however, was an 8-mile hike out with the first mile straight up, then some traversing, another hike up to two 4,000 footers and then a rocky trip down, which was almost as difficult as the hike up as our legs were tired.

We were all hungry and thirsty as we sprinted across the finish line into the parking lot. (Yes I held my daughter’s hand the last few yards as I was very proud of her for making the trip down!!) We went out for pizza to reward ourselves.  I made sure to touch base with the waiter to tell him my “focus” on raw and since he made the salads he seemed very accommodating when I asked him for whatever living vegetable he could find to put on the salad.  I was ravenous.

I felt assured though that my salad would satisfy me – the only problem was when ALL the pizzas came out, and no salad, for about 15 minutes!!  So I sat there watching everyone eat pizza!! Torture!!!!  Finally the salad came and I ate every bite, but still felt hungry when I left the restaurant.

Grateful at the finish line

Raw Confession
The next morning I woke up hungry and had some avocados and tomatoes for breakfast, but was still hungry and craving protein!!  My daughter wanted to go to Polly’s Pancakes in Sugar Hill for breakfast. I was shaky and felt like my body really needed some protein… like eggs, maybe a sliced of their smoked bacon and maybe even a bite of a pancake. So, I listened to my body and ordered some eggs and bacon!! I was really nervous it would make me feel tired after and may not digest well, but actually felt fine.  I did notice more cravings the next day though.

This is the tough part about any diet (or challenge), you do limit yourself!

So, one relapse, but already trying lots of new raw recipes this week including sushi wraps and raw cheesecake!!!

I haven’t told my family that I am only eating raw food. They will think it is strange. I was thinking though, if someone from outer space came down and I explained to “it” that I ate only food that came directly from the source such as trees, bushes, and plants, etc., “it” probably wouldn’t think it was so strange. On the other hand, if I told “it” that most people ate food that came from a far away factory, was heated, reshaped and stored in plastic, or a box, and was pretty much devoid of life, I think “it” would think that was more strange.

I continue to have zero cravings. My body is getting what it needs and therefore isn’t screaming out for more. The food is not loaded with sugar, fat and salt, the three things that food manufacturers like to put in our food to keep us coming back for more. The rich fiber in whole foods keeps me satiated for hours and when I’m hungry, my tummy tells me, not my brain.

My favorite dinner, which has been a big hit among friends and family, are lettuce wraps, or as my husband calls them, lettuce dogs.  These open face “dogs” can be topped with just about anything.  My base has been a slaw, topped with avocado, nuts, and sometimes cherry tomatoes, but I’ve also done some with veggie hummus (see previous post).

The slaw consists of a light dressing. I did take the liberty of using some toasted sesame oil which is not raw. But I loaded it ginger, raw agave for a sweetener and a splash of rice vinegar. I added lots of chopped cucumbers to the slaw, minced onions, and some shredded carrot for color. A mix of green and red cabbage really adds color.  Other toppings might include fresh herbs such as parsley, basil or cilantro.  Raw apple cider vinegar is also tangy. Add grey Poupon for a bit of a bite.  I will miss these lettuce wraps as I head out for an overnight “hut” trip. Maybe I’ll find some nice blueberry bushes to snack on.

Basic Breakfast Granola with oatmeal

One of the main reasons I decided to go “raw” for four weeks was to expand my horizons and force myself to learn some new recipes that I could continue to enjoy all year round.  After the first week of mostly salads for breakfast, lunch and dinner I’m slowly trying some new recipes. My “go to” cookbooks are Carol Alt’s, Eating in the Raw, and Raw for All, by Chef Frank Giglio and also the Raw Food Institute which is sending me new recipes and tips daily as part of their “Rawgust” program.

The amazing thing is that I have had very few cravings.  I think because by body is getting so many nutrients that I just don’t desire food in between meals. Not that I don’t get hungry – but I don’t wildly crave food – like that second potato chip or the afternoon snack.

I’ve made several new entrees including some lettuce wraps – or lettuce dogs, as my husband called them as they were more open face I guess than wraps -  they were do outrageously delicious. My daughter loved them too!

Another two staples that have been spicing up my meals have been a “hummus” made with sesame seeds and yellow zucchini from the Raw Food Institute and an Olive Tapanade from Frank G’s cookbook.

I am also loving a David Wolfe’s Basic Breakfast (from Carol Alt’s book) which I combine with some soaked oats. (Although I’ve learned that the oats are not really raw because they are steamed. But they are used in raw cook books so I’m going with it.) It is very hardy and really sticks with me.

Here are two recipes:

Hummus with Veggies

Ingredients:

1 yellow squash

1 cup raw sesame seeds, soaked for 8 hours then drained

1 small clove garlic
1/4 cup lemon juice1 Tbs cumin

Directions: Blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until creamy. Serve with a side of veggie sticks or raw crackers for dipping.

Here is my David Wolfe Recipe for a morning cereal with almonds:

Basic Breakfast Granola

2 cups raw almonds, soaked for 8 hours and then drained
½ cup raisins
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Raw honey to taste
1 tablespoon distilled water (optional)

Directions:

Place the first five ingredients in a blender. (I used a cuisine art). Add honey and a drizzle of water. (Because this makes more than 1 serving, I did not add the honey, but just add it to each serving.  I also topped this with almond mylk and soaked some oats over night (with a squeeze of lemon juice or raw apple cider vinegar and combined it with the granola.)

Raw tomato sauce with yellow squash pasta

I’m on my my third day of raw foods and I feel great. I get hungry frequently, but don’t have “cravings” so I have time to fix something to eat before I start grabbing unhealthy snacks.  I haven’t had much time to try new recipes so I’ve been drinking a smoothie for breakfast with fresh almond milk, Mila, a chia seed which has lots of protein and fiber and Omega 3s , blueberries, strawberries and a banana. I snack on some greens or carrots in the late morning.  For lunch, sliced cukes tossed with raw apple cider vinegar, onions, salt and pepper, along with sliced tomatoes and whatever lettuce or greens I can get. I’ve been loving the arugula from Stout Oak Farm tossed with a lemon vinaigrette and raw pine nuts.  In the afternoons I’ve been making another smoothie with raw cacao, almond milk, a banana, ice and some more Mila.

I need to start getting creative or I might start looking for more options that are not cooked. Tomorrow I will try raw oats with almond milk and nuts. Last night I made a fresh, uncooked, tomato sauce, one of my favorite summer entrees that I typically serve over pasta.  This time, I took a peeler and sliced some thin strips of yellow squash and served the sauce over top. It was delish and provided the substance that I needed to go with the tomatoes.

Bottom line is I feel great so far and am not missing meat, or processed foods!

P.S. If you’re looking for more tomato recipes, check out all my tomato recipes here:

http://traceymillerwellness.com/?s=tomatoes

Hopefully the 4^th time is a charm. I picked up my computer yesterday  from the “Geek Squad” because it was had a bad disease and was suffering from low energy, low performance computer, inability to perform simple tasks and basically it was driving me insane.  After three Dr. Geek visits, the cure was to strip it down and reinstall the software.

Do you ever feel that your health is underperforming?  Low energy or memory retention a problem?  Can’t find the right files in your brain to help you complete your task?  Ready to crash?!   Maybe a change in diet will help you!

After years of tweaking my diet, I find it suits me pretty well, but, with summer in full swing and lots of good fresh produce available, I’ve decided to go completely raw for 4 weeks.

My staple foods will be lots of smoothies, nuts and salads, but I will try some new recipes to broaden my horizon.  I will be joining the Raw Food Institutes “Rawgust” to get some inspiration and ideas and hope to gain some expertise in sprouting foods, and finding some good recipes for dehydrated food, particularly things like crackers that I can nibble on when I need something crunchy.

Here are some of the benefits of a raw food diet from the Raw Food Institute and info on their “Rawgust” in case you want to join in the fun! I’m going for 28 days since I started a bit couple days late.

• Increased energy
• Better digestion
• Weight loss
• Reduced risk of heart disease
• Reduced risk of diabetes and cancer
• A great sense of wellbeing
• Improved skin appearance
• A connection to your food and surroundings
• A highly ethical and sustainable diet

How can you refuse that?!  Join us as we rapture the raw.

This past weekend my husband, daughter and I picked 5 pounds of blueberries at Blueberry Bay Farm in Stratham.  I love the mindless task of picking fruit and also listening to other familys’ conversations as they meander down the rows of blueberry bushes. One family was having so much fun the kids didn’t want to leave.  “I wish we had more time today,” one boy told his mom. “Can we come back tomorrow,” his sister said.

Blueberries shipped from California cost up to $4.00 for just a few ounces. We paid $2.25 a pound and also got the satisfaction that comes with the picking them ourselves.

Here is a recipe for a blueberry lemonade we made adding some basil to give it a more grown up taste. My 5-year-old daughter loved it too and I didn’t feel bad that she had 2-3 glasses of it because I used just a little raw honey so it wasn’t overly sweet.  Play with this recipe until you get it just right.

Ingredients:

1 handful of fresh basil
1 heaping cup of fresh, just picked blueberries
¼ cup raw, local honey
2 lemons
4+ cups water

Directions:
Instead of just squeezing the juice from the lemons, I cut off the peel, took the seeds out and added the entire lemon.  You get more bang for your buck and it makes the lemonade a little frothy. Add in the rest of the ingredients and blend in a blender for a couple minutes.  Serve over ice with a wedge of lemon.  Enjoy!

I found this recipe for a sweet, hardy lentil salad in the book, Raising the Salad Bar, by Catherine Walters.  It’s a meal in itself and can be served on a bed of lettuce or for fun, in a red pepper as a side dish.

Lentils were one of the first foods to be cultivated and were used by the ancient Greeks for both medicinal and culinary purposes.  Lentils do not need to be soaked before cooking and only take about 30 minutes to cook.  They are rich in folate (pregnant women take note) and antioxidants as well as other minerals.  In the “bean” category they have the highest rating for nutritional density as part of the “Aggregate Nutrient Density Index” which rates foods by level of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and antioxidants. So eat and be healthy!

We’ve been getting lots of scallions from our local farm which I’ve been adding to just about everything I serve (eggs, salads, soups,etc). I’ve made it with both the regular green lentils and the French green lentils which the recipe calls for. I like the darker French lentils, but the regular ones work in a pinch. The red pepper adds some nice color and since it has an olive oil base, it can sit on the picnic table for a while…

Happy 4^th and hope you don’t eat too many hot dogs!

Serves 6-8

1 & ½ cups French green lentils, rinsed
1 bay leaf
Salt
1 carrot peeled and shredded
1 red bell pepper, cored and finely diced
¼ cup chopped scallion greens or minced parsley (or both!)
½ cup raisins, roughly chopped
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

Vinaigrette

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon maple syrup
¼ cup EVOO
¾ teaspoons salt

Directions:

Fill a large saucepan with water, add the lentils and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until lentils are cooked, about 18-20 minutes. The lentils should be tender, but holding their shape. Drain lentils well, add a few pinches of salt and shake a few times as they cool to release steam.

When cool, combine the lentils, carrot, red bell pepper, scallions, parsley and raisins in a serving bowl. This salad tastes best at room temperature on the day it’s made. When ready to serve, add the dressing to the salad and mix well. Garnish with chopped walnuts.

David Wolfe holds up a chaga mushroom from a Birch Tree.

I had the pleasure of seeing raw food guru, David Wolfe, speak at a small theater down in Connecticut this past Thursday night.  I was invited by my friend, Lisa Wilson who runs the Raw Food Institute in Washington, DC.

This is the second time I’ve seen David speak. The first time was as a student at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. I remember distinctly after his speech saying, “I want what he’s having.”  I never became a raw foodist, but aspire to at least try it for a few weeks…hmmm, maybe this August….  David radiates happiness and in addition to being brilliant, his mental clarity and energy is unbelievable. He spoke Thursday night for nearly five hours and didn’t miss a beat covering a myriad of topics such as medicinal mushrooms (chaga can be found on birch trees in NH!), juicing, herbs, dentists, and a million other topics.  There is no way I could summarize what he said, but I picked out a few of his quotes to give you the “flavor.”

(On juicing) It’s a cosmic giggle.  Like liquid plumber at the beginning.

Celery juice is the antidote.

I grew up on jiffy peanut butter.

If we’re going to bank on anything, let’s bank on mother nature’s food.

What’s better than organic? Growing it yourself.

You do a good thing like a cleanse or a fast. You deserve a reward. What’s the reward? Chocolate. The most edible love is chocolate.

I’m a member of the chocolate party.

Where our attention goes, our energy flows.

When you are healthy, you are actually alive in your body.  If you are in pain, you are not alive in your body.

If I walk that path of non harm, then it will guide me.

It’s always time to start living…always too early to start dying.

Berries are the best news ever.

Beet is the word on the street.

Chocolate is the number one food for your heart. It cuts your risk of heart disease in half.

If you grow your own food, you save yourself from all addictions.

The shoe disconnects you from all reality.

You do the right thing and you just never know what’s going to happen.

Avocado is literally saving our a-s-s!

Are you a raw foodest, or a cooked foodest?

Are you a be-er, or a do-er?

When you are reaching for a carrot, you are not reaching for something else.

The potato chip. An imposter for seaweed.

Plastic bottled water is estrogen water.

Sugar feeds infections. That’s a known quantity.

And, I’ll end with a slide that David had with this quote from George Washington Carver:

“Reading about nature is fine, but if a person walks in the woods and listens carefully, he can learn more than what is in books, for they speak with the voice of God.”

Keep an eye out for more recipes with raw ingredients on this site…