Mission accomplished! 30 days RAW!

Hello once again,  my lovelies! It is a beautiful day here in the "A": 72 degrees and sunny. I likey. April definitely brought the rain which is great and all, but I'm ready for some consistent sun in May. I've got cute ensembles to rock =)

So, what's been going on with my 30 day raw journey you ask? Well freshen up your (healthy) drink, sit back and follow me. We left off on day 20 when I was finally out of my seemingly emotional slump due to what I believe were detox symptoms. Days 21-30 were pretty much a breeze, and I didn't want it to end, except when I started having dreams of cooked food--namely hummus and flaxseed chips-on day 28. Whatever, chile. Who knows what that was about?

Let's go...

Days 21-30

Day 21 was a rainy Sunday. I woke up feeling pretty refreshed, which was surprising seeing that we stayed out late at our 80's Throwback party the night before. I made a big brunch for the fam (which they had no shame in devouring it in front of me!), while I enjoyed 1/2 an avocado with sea salt and pepper and jasmine tea with a dash of coconut sugar. I pretty much drank tea and water for the rest of the day. I had an orange and 2 bananas for lunch and my usual salad for dinner. Meals are starting to get a bit repetitive, so I'm constantly searching for new recipes, otherwise I just end up not eating enough or grazing on fruit.

Days 22 & 23 felt like I was in a groove. It was if I had been eating this way all my life and didn't feel like a "challenge" at all. My emotions were in check...I was just plain happy. At work, people were side eyeing me when I didn't participate in ordering out. I side eyed them right back. Cooked food just wasn't appealing to me at that time, especially "junk" foods.
On both days breakfasts were smoothies (I made an especially delicious one that I called "Tuesday Sunshine Smoothie" that made me rub my tummy and dance as I drank. Ha! Judge not lest ye be judged!
Lunch was a variety of fruit such as bananas, grapes, bananas, mangoes, figs, dried apricots, dates, strawberries, and blackberries. Dinner on both days was a very large (think huge silver mixing bowl!) mixed greens salad with veggies, avocado, and seaweed. On day 22 I did a great kickboxing routine, and Tuesday was a boot camp style workout. Good times!

Mixed greens, veggie & seaweed salad

 Sunshine Smoothie

1 & 1/2 bananas

1 yellow mango, peeled & diced

1/2 cup frozen peaches

1 medium orange, peeled, sectioned & seeded

1/2 cup pineapple & juice

1/4 cup frozen red raspberries

add purified water to desired consistency

blend & enjoy!

Day 24 was an all fruit day. All fruit...all the day long. Don't know why, but it sho was yummy. You know bananas was up in there (4), oranges (had about 3!), 1 yellow mango, grapes, and pineapple. Also drank tons of water, about 7 cups, and 3 cups of herbal tea. I don't need to go into my bathroom situation that day, do I?

Days 25 & 26 were like BOOM! POW! I mean, I felt like a damn superhero. This raw ish can get you in trouble; got you thinking you can climb trees barefoot and jump off of buildings and ish. Man! Anyway, since I didn't eat any veggies on day 24, day 25 started off with a deelovely green smoothie that was packed with veggie power. I also added 1 tablespoon of Trader Joe's "Very Green" dietary supplement powder for insurance. It has tons magical goodness in the form of alfalfa leaf, barley grass, chlorella, spirulina, etc. I'll post the label below. Breakfast on day 26 was a simple fruit salad.
Lunch was a raw avocado soup on both days (2 avocados, juice of 1/2 lime, 1/2 cucumber (peeled), 1/2 red pepper, cilantro leaves to taste, cumin to taste, dash sea salt, red pepper flakes, 3/4 cup of water, all blended. Um, hello..yum!) Dinner was nori veggie wraps on day 25 and mixed veggie salad with curry dressing on day 26. I drank 10 cups of water on day 25 and 12 on day 26. Go me.
Skin clear, allergies are much improved with very little mucous in the mornings (sorry), and my clothes are looser. Down 12ish pounds.

Green Super Powers Smoothie

handful baby spinach

smaller handful kale

3 leaves green leaf lettuce

1 banana

1/2 cup pineapple & juice

1/2 cup strawberries

mint leaves to taste

1 tablespoon Trader Joe's "Very Green" powder

1 cup purified water

blend & bottoms up!

Trader Joe's (Darwin's) Very Green Supplement, $19.99 (35 servings per container, so it lasts quite a while)

Alfalfa leaf extract, barley grass juice powder, pea fiber, spirulina powder, green tea leaf extract to name of few of the powerhouse ingredients. Good stuff.

 

Days 27-30 had me feeling very apprehensive that this challenge was coming to an end! I felt like I wanted to stay raw a bit longer...then reminded myself that, duh, I could if I wanted to. No one was forcing me to go back to cooked food! Smh. Then, as if right on confused girl cue, I wanted to take a bite out of the black bean burgers I was preparing for my fam on day 28. Smh again. I didn't, but it did show me that I was putting too much pressure on myself to choose raw vegan vs cooked vegan. I decided to stay high raw (75-80% raw), and cooked healthy vegan whenever I feel like it. Done. Sheesh. Fruits and salads pretty much ruled these last 4 days. I had a fruit smoothie that my love made for me on day 29, but other than that, it was just fresh fruits. I made a new raspberry vinaigrette dressing on day 29 that came out of nowhere. I tossed it in a fruit, kale, and spinach salad that lasted 2 days. Day 30 was a raw guacamole dip and mixed salad that was pretty good. Ended on a really tasty note. Proud of me.

Fruit, kale, and spinach salad

Kale, spinach leaves (as much as you want)

strawberries

orange sections

pineapple chunks

1 banana

1/2 cucumber

red pepper

sea salt, black pepper to taste

raw pumpkin seeds sprinkled on top

Raspberry vinaigrette dressing:

1/2 cup raspberries

1/4 cup pineapple juice

red pepper salsa puree left over from my black bean burger recipe

(3 garlic cloves, 1/2 onion, 1/2 red pepper, 1 Turkish hot pepper)

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tbsp spicy mustard

1 tsp raw coconut sugar (or your choice)

dash salt & pepper

mix well in blender/food processor

Raw Guacamole w/salad



Well, that's IT, lovelies. I did it!!! Did anyone join me? Is anyone planning on testing the raw waters?If so, let me know. There's no experience like this one. Truly. Mental clarity, physical and emotional healing, and just increased overall appreciation for all things is what I toook away from this challenge.
Like I said above, I will be continuing my raw journey; it doesn't stop here. It's now a part of my life. I'll also be experimenting with more recipes, including desserts and will continue to blog about the experience.
Thank you again for ALL the support, emails, texts, encouragement, and shout outs! Love you guys.
To your health,


Love and happiness,


Nikki

Baking Bread...My New Obsession!

Ok lovelies, this post is completely off topic of what I've been talking about lately. Hell, it's not even vegan-related. However, in my quest to find the perfect tasting gluten free bread for my youngest son (aka the manchild), I've given up on the store-bought stuff and went back to baking my own.

Some may know that he is on the autism spectrum and gluten is not an ingredient I want in his food for various reasons. Gluten is a protein that exists in many grains such as wheat, barley, rye, etc. Some people cannot digest the protein (as in celiac disease for example), but for my son and others like him with autism, there has been a link between autism and the inability to break down gluten in their gastrointestinal tracts. This prompts the release of opiates. Yep! He basically gets high off his own supply. Poor guy! There is debate about this of course, but let's just say it has been medically proven in my son.

Since his gluten "addiction" has seemed to worsen over the past few months, I'm slowly removing it from his foods. The main source for him being bread, why not start there? I baked breads from scratch before, but with the use of a bread maker. I was nervous about how my "real bread" would turn out. I started out with a gluten free flour pre-packaged mix that I found at Kroger (about $4.99).

 

 

It turned out pretty good!He and the fiance LOVED it. Still, I wanted to use my own flours and other ingredients, so I searched the web.

 

 

I found this site, which has an amazing variety of not only gluten free breads but also paleo, yeast free, dairy free, refined sugar free...it goes on. Man! My head was spinning, but I did spot a multigrain recipe that looked good. I based the bread I baked on this recipe, but tweaked some ingredients. I went back to the Dekalb Farmer's Market here in Atlanta and did some shopping.

 

I subbed organic oat flour for the almond flour (although I will try it in the future), and since I couldn't find sorghum flour in the store, I subbed coconut flour. Megan stated coconut flour "would not work" with this recipe, but it turned out just fine for me. It just calls for a bit more liquid to be added to get the right consistency. I use almond milk in my breads because I find it adds a bit of lightness to the bread. Total liquid I used was about 1 1/2 cups. 1 cup water, 1/2 cup almond milk. I also used agave syrup instead of honey. I later found sorghum flour online at Amazon.com, and it should be arriving any day.

 

Fresh out the oven. Smell it?!!

Sliced easily. Think I'll slice smaller next time. He had ginormous sandwiches at school =)

 

 

That's it. It was simple to make, and smelled deeelicious! Of course, I'm doing raw now, so I couldn't taste it. Still was another hit with the fellas, so I'm excited to see what else I can come up with. I'm thinking raisin bread, or something vegan friendly. I have also started using organic coconut sugar, which is so much better for you than agave (in my opinion), and you can also bake with it so I will be trying it out in my baked goods soon.

Thanks to everyone who has been asking for the recipe. I'll keep posting more as I make them.

 

 

Love and Happiness,

 

 

Nikki



Emotionally Raw...20 Days

Back again, my lovelies to update you on this raw journey of mine. Are you all well? Good! I've got lots to share so let's get to it. Days 16-20 were a roller coaster, but I held on!

Days 16-20

Day 16 was like a gift from the perfect life fairy. I kid you not. Tuesday is usually a good day for me. Don't know why. I don't question it, I just ride the wave. Ha! I woke up feeling so clear headed and light inside. Very energetic. Still congested and "sneezy" since my arch enemy pollen was lingering around like an unwelcome house guest. I had resumed my intense workouts in the past few days and was about to do a kickboxing class, when my fiance said he wanted to "go shopping". Screeech! This from the king of frugal?! I quickly ate 2 bananas for breakfast, along with 2 cups of water. I also take water with me wherever I go. After shopping (he bought me 2 GORGEOUS summer dresses!), we went to lunch at Macaroni Grill in Marietta. I had a really great HUGE house salad and water with lemon. I was hungry by dinner time, so I had lots of fruit and raw nuts-I find that helps with any cravings. Grapes, blueberries, bananas, raw cashews & peanuts, and pineapple. I also had a cup of herbal tea before bed. Still sleeping well with vivid dreams, 6-7 hours/night.

My lunch salad at Macaroni Grill

Day 17 found me with a ton of energy, but not much of an appetite. Boooo!
I only had a small breakfast of 6-8 Medjool dates (I swear they taste like candy) and that was it. About 2 or so hours later, I had a banana and herbal tea for a snack. Lunch was a smoothie made with oranges, pineapples, and bananas. Dinner was a big veggie salad made with red leaf kale, carrots, avocado, onions, raisins, and spinach. Going to the bathroom is now my most frequent past time =\
I'm also noticing that I am always burping or gassy (not stinky tho! That's another plus to this whole raw thing). Morning breath is also waaay less offensive! Almost non-existent. I said almost. Skin is soft and clear. Wish my allergies would disappear.

Day 18 was quite interesting. I woke up feeling pretty good. Worked out first thing (kickboxing and some yoga), and had a deeelicious Berry Banana Smoothie for breakfast. Snack was a handful of raw pumpkin seeds and 2 Medjool dates. Drank lots of water this morning, about 4 cups already. The day was uneventful until about 1 or 2 pm. I began feeling very anxious and wasn't sure why. I used to suffer from panic attacks, and it almost felt like the beginning of a panic attack which was very concerning. I also started to feel very tired physically and mentally. I don't know if I was having an emotional detox ( I talk about this in my first "raw" video), but it was not fun. I went on to eat a couple of oranges and bananas at work and drank about 4-5 more cups of water for the day, not including 2 cups of herbal tea. I didn't eat my salad for dinner.

Berry Banana Smoothie:

1 med-large frozen banana

1/4 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 cup strawberries

1/2 cup pineapple chunks w/juice

3/4 cup frozen peaches

Blend!

Day 19 had me feeling a little better, but still emotionally flat.Wth? I wanted something crunchy with my breakfast so I had raw cashews and a fruit salad. I have to say my taste buds appreciate food in its natural state now. I can actually taste the flavors of each food I eat without having to season it or drown it in sauces or dressings. I was off from work that Friday, and slept most of the early part of the day. Maybe I just needed some rest because I woke up and had a smoothie my fiance made for me and went back to sleep for the night!

Day 20 Hallelujah. Woke up feeling like my fabulous self again! Lol. My energy was back. I jumped out of bed, but not before reminiscing on the dream I had about being married to Lil Wayne and...well, never mind. I've lost about 8-10 pounds so far for those who are asking. I didn't really weigh in on the first day, so yeah. I had a green smoothie for breakfast (spinach, kale, 1 banana, and pineapple). So good. I caught up with my best friend on the phone, talked with another girlfriend, went to the nail salon, and then shopping for the 80's Throwback party my fiance and I were invited to that night. Somewhere in there I fit in a mango and 2 bananas for lunch, 4 cups of water, and 2 nori rolls with lettuce and avocado for dinner. The party had an open bar, and this was the first time in recent memory that I partied while drinking only water all night...and had a blast!!! Go figure. Btw, I was Jody Watley and he was a B-boy =)

Nikki "Watley" wearing the fiance's B-boy glasses

MC Roc in the house!

There you have it...my crazy emotional detox days. I'm thankful for them, though because it means I've let go of whatever was buried deep down unbeknownst to me. I'm currently on day 24 and am almost sad this is coming to a close. I do miss rice and beans, and hummus, to be quite honest. Other than that, I feel amazing. We'll see what happens! Thanks for hanging with me again. Be well.


Love and Happiness,

Nikki

 

Still Raw!

Hello lovelies! I hope you are all well.

I want to take a moment to send my condolences to all affected by the horrible bombings in Boston last week. As a runner, it made me physically sick to imagine feelings of euphoria and triumph turn to fear and pain. As a human being, I am saddened by some who choose to also call themselves human, yet bring themselves to commit such unthinkable acts against others. My heart and spirit is encouraged, though. I know as a people, overall we are still good, kind, and full of love. RIP to all those who lost their lives, and peace to all those they left behind.

Well as promised, here is an update on my 30 day raw challenge journey! Today is day 15 (cheer, roar, clap..take your pick)!!! Dare I say that I feel like this could be a MAJOR change in my life? I know it may be a bit premature as I'm only 2 weeks in, but I feel so amazingly fabulous that I can't imagine not doing this from here on out. At least 80-85% raw, while incorporating some of my faves such as brown rice, beans, almond milk, and grains into the other 15-20% of my diet. Let me slow down...and take you back to the last 5 days =)

Days 11-15

Day 11 was a pretty good day. My diet is pretty much the same now daily. Over the past year I have grown to love bananas, which is funny because I used to hate 'em. Since on this raw challenge, I have been eating them like I'm a baby monkey. I had 2 for breakfast along with an Ataulfo, or yellow mango. Lunch was another banana and an orange. I snacked on raw nuts and dried cranberries and later had more fruit for dinner. I had no veggies today. Not sure why, but wasn't really wanting any. I drank about 6 cups of water and had 3 cups of herbal tea. My skin is softer and the eczema that occasionally flares up on my hands are gone.

Day 12 started with a fruit cooler for breakfast: 1/2 cup seeded watermelon, 1/2 cup strawberries, 1/2 cup blackberries, juice of 1 lemon, 1 peeled orange, 3 cups water and 2 tsp agave nectar blended. Really refreshing! I bottled and refrigerated the leftovers. Lunch was a spinach, kale, cucumber, and tomato salad with my home made curry dressing. I forced myself to have 2 bananas and an orange for dinner later that night. I was not hungry at all. I only drank about 4 cups of water today and had 2 cups of herbal tea. I have to increase my water intake to flush these toxins out and keep hydrated! My allergies are still irritating me. I wake up very congested still.

Day 13 started out with any innocent desire to have something different for breakfast and turned into a trail mix buffet of sorts. I received a call from my cousin in Canada and we were on the phone for about an hour. By the time 10 o'clock rolled around, I had eaten more than a handful of raw cashews, dried papaya, raw hazelnuts, raisins, and dried pineapple. I felt bloated and thought that it felt like a bit of a binge, but guilt has no business here so I let it go. I had a banana and some dried seaweed for lunch with herbal tea and water. I had fruit for dinner as the fiance and I watched a movie later. I'm in the bathroom so much, I might as well slap on a diaper =\
My sleep continues to be good with very vivid dreams. I sleep about 6-7 hours a night and feel rested.

Day 14 was a BEAUTIFUL, beyond day. Although I still woke up congested, once I hit the shower, my nose and sinuses cleared up and I stopped sneezing like a fiend. The fiance wanted to picnic in the park and that's what we did. He made a smoothie for my breakfast before we left: strawberries, blackberries, bananas, coconut and dates. Bam! Delicious. I packed a ginormous salad for the both of us, sandwiches for the manchild, a bottle of wine for the fiance, hummus and chips for the both of them, and fruit and water for me. We sat by the water at Sweetwater Creek State Park, played some Teena Marie and had a blast. Dinner was more salad for me and water. I feel noticeably lighter and my clothes are a bit looser. I haven't weighed myself in a while. Maybe I will tomorrow.

Day 15 has been a bit of a stomach churner. Literally. I swear it's like I can actually FEEL and HEAR all the food I eat digesting! Weird. I'm still congested, but not as bad. I had 2 bananas and some of my watermelon cooler drink for breakfast. I felt a bit tired today so I had a 2 hour nap from about 12-2pm and that did wonders. I snacked on raw cashews, papaya, seaweed, strawberries and blackberries. Dinner was leftover salad from yesterday's picnic. I drank 8 cups of water today and had 1 cup of herbal tea. I made sesame-ginger stir fried rice for the fam's dinner and for a split second, I thought I wanted some rice. This was the first time I've had something close to a craving since I've started. I even baked bread last night for the manchild without a second thought. Thankfully, as quickly as the thought came, it was gone. I'm actually excited for the the next two weeks.  My fiance says I smell like berries. I didn't believe him until I smelled my arms. I actually SMELL like fruit. Awesome!

 Picnic Salad

 Yellow Mango

Toasting life with my love

 Picnic basket

Well, there you are. I'm truly loving this challenge. I want to incorporate more veggies because it seems like I'm eating more fruit than veggies. Which, I'm not sure that it's necessarily bad, but I want to make sure I'm getting all my nutrients. I'll probably do another vid tomorrow. Until next time,


Love and Happiness,

Nikki

Two Cent Tuesdays!

Hello again my lovelies. I know it's almost Valentine's Day, but um, Happy New Year (and Chinese New Year)! Hope you're having a helluva time keeping up with all of those resolutions you made so far =)

As for me, I've decided to be a bit more consistent with my Two Cent Tuesdays. I know! That's big news, right? It is for me...I realized that I can still be on track with curbing my spending and review products I already use. No need to go crazy buying things just to review! Light bulb.

So stick around to see what shenanigans I've been up to on my quest to find products I absolutely need in my life!


Apricot Oil

I discovered this oil by accident. I was shopping for avocado oil that I normally use in my hair and on my skin, and GNC was out of it. I read that Apricot oil was good for dry skin, so I decided to try it. Let me say that it did not disappoint. This oil is light, non-greasy, and absorbs really well. I ended up using it mostly on my skin and noticed it cleared up the eczema flare on my hands almost immediately. Looking for Vitamin A, E, and essential fatty acids? Check. It reminds me of sweet almond oil in texture and properties. Great also for psoriasis, dry, dull hair, and even scabies (ew!)

  Now Solutions apricot oil $4.99, GNC
Bottom line: Recommended


Benefit Cosmetics
benefitcosmetics.com

So it was my birthday on January 25th, and of course I made my annual pilgrimage to Sephora for some new goodies. I tend to splurge in there, but the good thing is you get a freebie on your birthday. Yep.
This year, I received the They're Real mascara mini and Watt's Up soft focus highlighter for the face. The price for the two on Benefit's website are $10 and $30 respectively.
The mascara's wand has a cool shape, and my lashes definitely rivaled the look my Maybelline Mega Plush Volume mascara currently gives me!
The highlighter looked okay under my brow line and on my cheekbones, but it was nothing mind blowing. I may have to go back to the store and have a demo of how to apply since this is not something I normally wear. I checked their website to see if their products are cruelty-free (owned by twin sisters Jean and Jane Ford), and the answer was somewhat ambiguous. They say that they don't test on animals, but also state that no company can completely make that claim...huh? Read for yourself here.

 

 Bottom line: Somewhat recommended. I would definitely purchase the mascara, but not quite sold on the highlighter for myself...yet. Especially for $30!


Sephora

 My new obsession is pink/purple lip color, so I tried several different shades while at Sephora for the perfect shade. I ended up choosing the 12 Hour wear Jumbo Liner Crayon in Lilac Shimmer, which is actually for the eyes. The color was perfect, and it does go on with a smooth, almost powdery feel. I make sure to wear lip balm first to prevent my lips from drying out and looking like a crazy person. It's also waterproof so I can eat and drink without having to reapply constantly throughout the day.
Sephora, $14

 
Loves it!!

 

 Bottom line: Highly recommended 

 

 Susan Nichole Handbags

I have been a fan of Susan Nichole vegan handbags for a couple of years now. I finally treated myself to one for Christmas. After rocking lots of high end leather bags for years, I was skeptical about "vegan" accessories because I hadn't found any that lived up to my taste...until now. These bags are fab, hot, and most importantly cruelty free. I was feeling kinda "hobo" and ordered the Meghan bag in gold. Since I was on their email list, I receive offers for special sales and other perks; to that end, I received my bag for only $38 versus the $125 it is sold for. Heeeck yeah!
The bag itself is very spacious, colorful with a funky burgundy strap that I wear across my body. I get lots of compliments on it.
Of note, on their website, you can learn how to enter to win a FREE BAG of your choice every Thursday at 10pm EST on Twitter and Facebook. Really simple to enter.
They even let you return your bag/wallet for recycling once you're done with it...AND they give you a $10 credit towards your next purchase for doing so! What else do you NEED??

Ivy in Dark Green, $125

Miss Betty in Oatmeal, $150

Meghan in Gold, $125 (but I received for $38)


Bottom line: With both fabulous fashion pieces and conscientious business practices, it's a no- brainer. I will definitely be a repeat customer. Highly recommended.


There you have it. Overall, I was very satisfied with the products/merchandise I purchased. I'm excited that some or all of this helped you guys. Thanks again for all the messages and love you all have been showing me here, on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. We're gonna keep this thing growing!!!

Until next time,

Love and Happiness!!

Nikki