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March 20

Our Raw Food New England Tour Pt.3
On our third day in New England we made our way to Exeter, New Hampshire to the Blue Moon Market and Cafe. This place was so cute and cozy, What I liked about it best was the atmosphere.
 
Here we are outside.
 
The Blue Moon has a yoga studio upstairs and they seemed to have a nice vegetarian and vegan menu selection. They had one item on their menu that was labeled raw, but at the last minute we realized it was served on an Ezekiel wrap which is sprouted, but not raw. This actually turned out really great though because they carry, in their market area, amazing raw onion bread made by a woman we visited later in our trip. So we spread the delicious nut pates and fresh veggies on the onion bread... it was delicious.
 
Here are my two cuties getting silly.
 
Little Lotus in here froggy boots that she was complimented on throughout our entire trip.
 
Next, we drove for about an hour to Salem, Massachusetts, the witch city! I really liked Salem. We were there in the off season so many of the witch museums were closed.
 
We stopped by the Witch Dungeon Museum although it was closed.
 
Then, we got silly at the Army surplus store on our way too one witch museum that was opened.
 
 
The witch museum was very sobering. They offered a visual presentation on the Salem witch trials. My favorite part of the presentation was the tour at the end. The presenters really surprised me with their views on the history of witches, present day witches and the basis of the scary witch persona. The tour constisted of several installations with a narated description. The first was of a very Earthy woman with a baby in her arms and bunches of herbs drying around her. She described that she was a midwife and healer. The next installation was of the popular scary witch with a green face riding a broom. She described how she was created to villainize the midwife/healer and make people replace their respect for her with fear. Another installation depicted present day pagan witches or wiccans. They described who they are and what they are really about. The last installation showed how perceived differences + fear = persecution.
 
We enjoyed a late supper at Alissa Cohen's Grezzo in Newburyport. Look at this amazing appetizer. It's called avocado skins. The avocados are dusted in an herbed nut flour and topped with raw sour cream, softened brocolli, and eggplant bacon... YUM!
 
That night Little Lotus and I got to meet several of Jerome's good friends Rahiem, Tyson, and Chris. It was great to meet them after hearing about them for so long. 
 
What a great day!
Stay tuned for more of our amazing adventures!
 


7:18 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

Affirmation #2
All of my effort goes rewarded. When I step out on a limb for my dreams I am fully supported. Leap and the net will appear.


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March 16

Our New England Raw Food Tour Part2
We bagan our next raw food adventure on Friday, March 5. We drove over to Beverly, Ma to visit Chef Rawbert's Organic Garden. On our way we stopped at a beautiful little health food store in Worcester, Ma called Living Earth to grab snacks and kombucha for our trip to Beverly.
 
Here is the beautiful mural on the side of Chef Rawbert's Organic Garden. Doesn't it make you feel like eating great organic food!
 
I was really impressed by the variety of chocolates and other sweet treats available to Chef Rawbert's. the picture below is of a delicious chocolate peanut butter cup.
 
And here is Little Lotus standing in front of a display case full of raw vegan treats.
 
I really liked to atmosphere at Chef Rawbert's Organic Garden. It was very cozy and comforting. As we walked in the front door we were welcomed by the sound of soothing running water from the fountain by the door. The atmosphere was very family friendly, even offering crayons and puzzles for children.
 
I began my meal with a refreshing Chai Frappe and we commenced to ordering, burgers, sushi, and a spinach onion pizza. Organic Garden has a wonderful selection of raw comfort foods and has the homey atmosphere that I have come to appreciate about some vegetarian restaraunts, but had yet to find in a raw vegan restaraunt. The next time we visit Chef Rawbert's I must try his living bagels! They staff was very friendly too. Here is our very knowledgable waitress with Little Lotus and daddy.
 
 
We ended our trip to Beverly with a trip to a little health food store whose name I cannot recall. My husband loves to search different health food stores for various herbs, supplements, and books that are new to him.
 
Stay tuned for Part 3!
 


4:27 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

Living Bliss Affirmation #1
"I am divinely on time and on purpose.
At this time I am exactly where I need to be to learn valuable information for my journey."


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March 13

Our New England Raw Food tour Part 1
We had a WONDERFUL vacation! We left for Massachusetts on Thursday the 4th, and I spent most of Wednesday making food for our trip. We had just received our Excalibur dehydrator so I made raw crackers and burgers for our trip. We were allowed to take a food bag on the plane because we were traveling with a child. Here is Little Lotus and I on the plane. Daddy was sleeping, but he doesn't want us to publish those pics...lol.
 
  
 
 
 
We had a layover Dallas, Tx then flew on to Logan Airport in Boston where Jerome's father picked us up in his bright yellow Hummer. As soon as we got to town we shot over to Alissa Cohen's Grezzo. The food was delish! I had the very satisfying and yummy Greek Pizzetta, Jerome and his father had a special called Land and Sea which was an earthy combo of mushrooms and sea veggies. Little Lotus had the Chocolate Torte with Alissa's famous gelato. We all had various nut milks.
 
Little Lotus and I with Chef Sam and Hostess Lucy at Alissa Cohen's Grezzo in Boston.
 
Little Lotus took this pic sitting at one of the cozy candle lit tables at Grezzo in Boston
 
We ate our food From Grezzo in the car during our 65 mile ride to Spencer where Jerome's Father, stepmom, and little brother and sister live in a wonderful big country house. We caught up with the family and went to bed to rest for our next adventure.
 
Stay tuned...
 


12:22 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

March 12

Travels
My 7 day juice feast (with a little break) was wonderful! So many amazing benefits like greater digestion and a slimmer face. Our New England travels were so amazing! We visited wonderful raw food restaraunts in 3 states and met lovely raw foodies and chefs. We've just returned home and I'm feeling extra excited about our online business and raw food creativity. Will write more tomorrow as it's getting late.
Love Love Love


7:29 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

March 01

Getting Mineralized Over an Amazing Weekend
I LOVE JUICING!
I have had a phenomenal weekend and a magical Monday. So Saturday was the third day of my juice feast I had planned to take break-fast Saturday night because we had been invited to a dinner party prior to deciding to juice feast and the hostess made raw food specifically for our family... so nice! During the day I enjoyed about 50 oz of fresh orange juice and lots of herbal tea. I am absolutely in love with fresh OJ. After watching a video by Jay "Juiceman" Kordich about the benefits of juicing our citrus fruits in a juicer rather than a citrus juicer my OJ has become a completely different drink. Mr. Kordich describes in this video that a citrus juicer breaks open the cells in the citrus fruit and releases the juice within, but if you peel just the colored peeling from the outside of the citrus fruit, leaving most of the white pith, and run the cirtus fruit through a juicer, you end up with a much more nutritious juice. You can see that video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=633-YOorfi8.
 
The dinner party was really phenomenal. It was great to connect with so many kindred spirits in one place. I have met some wonderful people in Oklahoma City, but had yet to feel like we'd really hooked into a community. Now I know even more wonderful folks who are into natural living, homeschooling  and other things that are really close to my heart.
 
BECOMING MINERALIZED!
On Thursday, when I decided to begin my juice feast, I was just beginning my moon time (menstruation) for the month. After being on a raw food diet for some time my moon time has become very gentle and pretty short and light (about 1 1/2 days of flow and 1 day of spotting). One thing that does persist though is a monthly migraine headache. To give you a little history, as a teenager each month my moontime was long and painful. This persisted into my early twenties. I also have a long history with migraines. I can remember having debilitating headaches at age 7. As I became a vegetarian, then vegan, then raw vegan I still experienced persistent headaches. In the last few years I've noticed that my moontime, no matter how gentle will be accompanied by a severe headache. My husband, with wonderful timing, has been researching magnesium. He's found that about 85% of Americans are deficient in this mineral. Unbeknownst to me, he had purchased magnesium oil and gel on our last trip to the health food store. On the first evening of my juice feast I experienced a severe migraine. This made sense to me as headaches often accompany detoxification. But the next morning I woke up with the same headache at the same intensity. My husband suggested that I rub magnesium oil on my forehead. I had often taken magnesium to soften my menstrual cramps and I even took it to relieve afterbirth pains after giving birth to my daughter so I knew it was a powerful muscle relaxant. I began to rub the magnesium oil into my temples and my headache became less and less severe. I then rubbed the gel all over my body. It burned a little, but my headache then was lessened by about 90%. I was amazed! Throughout the day it went away. Saturday evening, on my way to the dinner party I began to get another headache. As many of my friends can attest, when I begin to get a headache there is no turning back. Although headaches are a symptom of dehydration, I can drink a large bottle of water and still get the headache that's on it's way. I was really worried that we may have to leave the party as soon as we get there. When we got to our destination I drank a small glass of water and my headache immediately vanished! I had been rubbing magnesium gel on my body for a couple of days at that point and it was obviously working. My history with severe headaches and painful mestruation and the immediate relief I received when giving my body a big dose of magnesium leads me to believe I am one of those 85% of Americans deficient in this mineral. I cannot tell you how relieved I am to have found a solution. Keeping in mind the amount of people who experience regular migraine headaches, menstrual cramping and even very very painful birth and afterbirth, I wonder if a big dose of magnesium is a simple and overlooked solution for many of us. I absolutely LOVE this path of wellness and self-care.
 
MAGIC!
Even more magic happened today. Little One and I stopped at the store to purchase some things for the week and our upcoming trip to Massachusetts. After the cashier rang up our order I ran my bank card and it was denied- twice. I was really concerned because I knew I had just made a deposit so I asked the cashier to suspend our order so that I could call my bank. As I was on the phone with my bank another cashier began loading my items back into my cart. When I got off the phone the cashier loading my items told me that the woman behind me in line had paid for my order. It was a big order! Her only request was that I pay it forward. I was shocked, and so happy. I don't even know what she looks like, and she didn't leave her name or contact info. She anonymously did something amazing for me. WOW. 
 
Wishing you JOY beyond measure,
Asante
 


7:07 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

February 26

Second Day of Juicily Feasting!
Today has been an interesting juicy feasty day. First, I woke up with the same headache I went to bed with. I know it's just a symptom of detox, but it was so uncomfortable. I couldn't believe my head was still pounding when I woke up! I drank a big jar of water, took a hot shower, and rubbed magnesium oil on my temples, then I rubbed magnesium gel all over my body. To my surprise it burned quite a bit, but my headache was reduced by about 90%.
 
Although I really wanted to rest today, we had an errand to run in preparation for our trip to Massachusettes. It turned out okay though. My energy levels are fine. Last night my mind was racing for food, but today not so much. So far today I have loved:
Herbal detox tea &
Celery, apple, broccoli, parsley, lemon juice
The broccoli in the green juice was so refreshing. It's flavor really stood out to me. My palate has become much more sensitive from just one day of juice feasting. I can already feel amazing things happening in my body. I feel clearer, my face is a bit leaner, and my skin in a bit clearer. I'm amazed by these wonderful things, but I'm not surprised. I think juice feasting or healthy fasting is a wonderful tool in a radiant health tool box.
 
So now I'm on the way to stock up on delicous stuff to juice.
Wishing you Love Love and more Love,
Asante
 


4:34 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

February 22

Finding Balance
My recent lesson has been balancing the different roles in my life. I'm sure this is a universal challenge. Balancing our roles as parents, partners, amazing people, writers, artist, etc. Balancing the needs of our families and the needs of our soul. We've recently connected with a group of homeschooling parents who meet a few times a week. I'm really excited about that, I think it will give me a chance to have grown up conversations and give little one a chance to run and play like the wild thing she is.
 
I have a new raw sweet that I love so much... wild raw unfiltered honey! It's so different from the average honey sold in most grocery stores. Our whole family loves it so much that we've just had 15 pounds of it delivered! It's such a complete food not just a sweetener. Since it's unfiltered it still contains the bees wax, propolis, and pollen. It smells and tastes to complete. I know some vegans don't eat honey, but we do. We prefer to purchase either local or wild honey.
 
In Love Joy & Peace
Luvli Lotus
 
 


7:18 PM GMT  |  Read comments(0)

February 25

Juice Feast Day 1
Two days ago a really wonderful person sent an email to me asking about juice feasting. I'm so happy she did because I realized that's exactly what I needed. Although I eat amazing raw food everyday, I 've been feeling a bit full. So I've commited to a 7 day juice feast and lots of rest and water. We're leaving for Boston, Ma next Thursday so that gives me enough time to have a nice juicy cleanse. We were invited to a gathering on Saturday where the beautiful hostess is incorporating some raw food just for us so I'll take a small break-fast Saturday night.
 
Today I have enjoyed:
lemon,parsley, cucumber, celery, pear juice
red cabbage, kale, cucumber, carrot, lemon juice,
and lemon apple juice.
I'm about to bliss out on a big glass of water next.
 
Today I was invited to speak at an Earth Day Festival in Knoxville, Tn. I'm so excited! My vision is traveling and speaking about raw food and exhibiting my books and other creative things... it's manifesting. This opportunity has inspired me to contact other festivals for oppportunities to speak and present raw food workshops. There is an amazing saying that I love, "You already have everything you need". I'm not sure who said it, but I was introduced to the philosophy in SARK's book Succulent Wild Woman. It's so true. So many dreams and blissful visions are so close and within reach if we will only believe in ourselves.
Love Love Love
Asante


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