Rawcation in Vegas!!!

Recently, Donna and I went on a trip to Las Vegas. Sin City seemed like an odd place to take our raw diet. We planned on spending our entire vacation eating organic produce, assuming that we wouldn't be able to find any other raw options. We figured we had been spoiled by having Berkeley, CA, so close. Fortunately, we were wrong.

We found a gem of a restaurant in a little strip mall on Lake Las Vegas. The Go Raw Cafe turned out to be an amazing find! We enjoyed it so much, we went back twice. Both visits were great experiences.

Somewhat hard to find... the cafe isn't visible from the road. It is in the back right corner of the strip mall, near the water.

Once inside, the cafe appears to be half retail store, half restaurant. They have a huge section of books, focused on raw foods. There is also a good selection of retail raw items. Several different types of different raw breads, cookies, chips, oils, etc.. and some raw vegan health and beauty items as well.

The staff was very knowledgeable and friendly. We found out that there are actually two locations. One on the east side of the city, and one on the west side. The location we visited was the original. We never made it out to the other location, but we did visit the original store more than once, so we could try as many dishes as possible.

On our first visit, we had what was called an Acai Rio Bowl, which was essentially served the way Acai is served in Brazil. It was blended, served in a bowl, and topped with a house-made, raw, granola. It was delicious.

Also, we had a wrap, which was collard green rolled around raw veggies. Donna enjoyed this dish more than I did. I just don't like collard greens as a wrap. I much prefer the nutritionally void, romaine leafs.

My entree was the best thing we had there by far. The "Cheezeburger" and "fries". It was a raw beet burger, topped with avocado, sprouts, tomato, and nut "cheeze", served on house-made raw bread, with a side of avocado "fries". (avocad0 breaded in flax seed, served with house-made "ketchup". This dish was AMAZING!! We also made sure to try a couple of different smoothies each visit. Some we liked more than others. But, the Kookies and "Kream" smoothie was the best. Coconut, banana, and dates, blended with cacao nibs and coconut meat.
The next visit, we tried the carrot avocado soup, which was OK. Donna's mom didn't like it, but it was also her introduction to raw food, so...

We ordered the "cheezeburger" and "fries" again, because it was literally THAT good, and I also had the PB&J with banana. I absolutely LOVED it! The house-made jam was awesome. Berry jam and almond butter on house-made raw bread topped with banana. It was delicious. We would both DEFINITELY recommend this place to anyone looking for a great, healthy place to eat in Vegas!

They have a website as well. You can shop online, and they even have a page showing you other raw restaurants around the world! Pretty helpful! Check them out at: http://www.gorawcafe.com/ or, if you are planning on being in the Las Vegas area in the near future...

Go Raw Café Westside Location 2910 Lake East Drive Las Vegas, NV 89117 Phone: (702) 254-5382 Open 9am to 9pm Mon.-Sat Open 9am-5pm Sundays The Lakes Center

Go Raw Café Eastside Location 2381 East Windmill Lane #18 Las Vegas, NV 89123 Phone: (702) 450-9007 Open 8am to 8pm Mon.-Sat Open Sun 8am to 5pm Smiths Shopping Center

Fermentably Unstable...

Our search for things that we CAN eat on our new raw diet, has had us scouring books, the internet, and restaurants, for ideas. We have definitely prepared some great meals. (and some not-so-great...) But one thing that we came across, that we have been eating forever, but didn't know was good for us... Kimchi! Or any other type of fermented vegetable for that matter, but Kimchi is definitely one of our favorites!

Throughout history, fermented foods have played a role in sustaining civilizations, and most cultures continue to consume these health-promoting foods. Fermentation was used primarily as a way to preserve foods, but ancient cultures also seemed to realize that they were very good for sustained health, though probably not fully understanding why. Many Americans today do not fully know, or appreciate, the health benefits of fermented foods, and therefore do not include them in their diet. Let's change that...

Fermented foods contain the beneficial bacteria Lactobacillus Acidophilus. This bacteria uses the starches and sugars in the fruits and vegetables, as its food. In the process of metabolizing the sugars, the bacteria produce several byproducts. The main byproduct, is lactic acid, which preserves food because it inhibits other bacteria that will cause foods to rot and spoil.

Scientific research shows that fermented foods aid in digestion, support immune function, and increase overall nutrition by adding B vitamins and anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Consuming foods that contain live lacto-bacillus, can have serious digestive health benefits.

Kimchi,a fermented spicy cabbage, is a staple food in Korea. It has long been studied for its medicinal, antimicrobial, and anti-aging properties, and is available in many grocery stores today. But, in the US, Sauerkraut (fermented cabbage), Tempeh (fermented whole soy bean), and Kefir and Yoghurt (fermented milk) tend to be the more popular fermented foods. Kimchi has far more flavor than any of the others. And who doesn't love spicy food?

Something to note... The Sauerkraut you buy in the store may have little to no live active lacto-bacillus cultures because it is pasteurized, which kills the bacteria. But you can make your own very easily. Salt, water, vinegar, and your choice of veggies, are the base for any decent fermented concoction. Play with it and come up with your own delicious recipe! You can make it as spicy or mild as you want.

Fermented foods can not only be a great source of variety in your diet, they can be an important way to build your intestinal health and immune system. If you find you can’t acquire a taste for fermented foods, you can always fall back on probiotic supplements that contain beneficial bacteria, as a last resort.

Check out our collection of fermented goodies! And YES, they are as good as they look!!

Try out a few different combinations,and see what YOU like!

Favorite seasonal fruit of the moment

We've all seen them and some may even be slightly confused by them....Pomelos.

Pomelos (citrus maxima or citrus grandis) - also called Chinese grapefruit, pommelo, pummelo, and Shaddock (named after an English Captain that brought them to the Caribbean in the 18th century). They are native to Malaysia and parts of Indonesia. 

Pomelos smell and look like grapefruit but are so wonderfully different. They are typically larger than your average grapefruit, have a lemon-lime yellow skin with pale white or coral pink flesh, and can be sweet at times. They are rich in Vitamin C, Folic Acid, and Potassium. 

Bet you didn't know (cuz I didn't either!)......the grapefruit is the result of a pomelo and orange cross. Also, a tangelo is the result of a tangerine and pomelo cross. And a pomelo itself is not a hybrid, it is its own species. 

Mike thinks pomelos "aren't worth it." There is definitely no immediate satisfaction with pomelos (well, if you don't use a knife).  It is a bit tedious peeling away the massive skin and rind to sometimes find the core of the fruit to be really small. Incredibly disappointing. He truly doesn't have the patience for them, but no worries because that just means more for me!

The Chinese believe pomelos are a sign of prosperity, abundance and good fortune. Hence why you see them everywhere around ChinaTown, especially this close to Chinese New Year! Well, if they bring good fortune in the coming year then I am SO adding them to my regular grocery list. 

How to pick the right Pomelo: 

1) Look for a blemish free and nicely colored exterior.
2) Look for a fresh sweet citrus scent when you smell it.

3) Feel the weight - The heavier the fruit the better. If it is too light, the core might already be dried up. 

Raw! Nom Nom Nom...

Eating is the best part!

It's been 5 days since we started our raw diet. We started the week by loading the fridge full of fruits, veggies, nuts, and seeds. Lots of kale, chard, lettuce, cucumbers, peppers, onions, tomatoes, radishes, bananas, blueberries, blackberries, mangoes, melon, pears, oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, grapes, cherries, sprouts, herbs, spices, raw nuts, raw seeds, etc...

But, after reading through a few books and websites, we quickly realized that we could make meals with our raw food, that would be way more fun. So we started brainstorming...

The first night was nothing too interesting. Just a salad. Dressed with the juice of an orange, and raw olive oil. Boring. Definitely not anything to get excited about. Donna hated it because it was bitter. I actually like bitter, but even I got bored with it pretty quickly. It was definitely better the next day for lunch. All the avocado had mashed into everything else, making more of an avocado dressing. Yum.

The second night was definitely more interesting. We had a Talapia and mango Ceviche, which we ate with cucumber chips.
Easy dish...

Ceviche:

• 2 fresh Talapia filets
• Juice from 1 lemon
• Juice from 1 lime
• Juice from 1 clementine (or "cutie") tangerine
• 1 Mango
• 1 large jalapeno
• 1 small orange or yellow bell bepper
• 1 large or 2 small green onion/s
• a handful of cilantro
• sea salt
• fresh cracked pepper
• raw olive oil

Cucumber chips:

• 3 cucumbers
• ground cumin
• sea salt
• fresh cracked pepper

For the ceviche, simply dice each ingredient, mix together, and cover with citrus juices, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Let marinate for at least 10 min, then serve.

For the cucumber chips, slice cucumbers into large, long, thick chips that can hold the weight of a pile of ceviche. Then toss all the cucumber strips with the sea salt and cumin.

No pics of the ceviche, but it was beautiful and delicious! And the cucumber chips were awesome even by themselves!

Last night was the best meal night, yet. We had a tomato gazpacho and a cucumber and radish salad, with home-made avacado dressing. But the best part was dessert. I invented my first raw recipe. Mike's chocolate cherry biscotti. They are SO good! Yet every ingredient is good for you. Superfood desserts! This could get fun!

Tomato Gazpacho

• 3 tomatoes
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 large or 2 small green onion/s
• 1 clove of garlic
• sea salt
  
• fresh cracked black pepper
• 6 basil leaves
• raw olive oil

Add all ingredients to blender or food processor, and blend to desired consistency. We both like our gazpacho chunky, so we opted to leave out some of the tomato, so we could chop it up and put it in the bottom of the bowl. Then we poured the soup over the tomato, and "POOF"! chunky tomato gazpacho. Garnish with basil and olive oil. Then serve. The gazpacho was awesome, but we were glad we had a salad as well. The difference in texture is definitely welcome. Here's the salad:

Salad:

• 2 cucumbers, partially peeled
• 5 red radishes
• 1 watermelon radish
• 1 green onion
• juice from 1 lemon
• sea salt
• fresh cracked black pepper
  

Dressing:

• 1 avocado
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 green onion
• 1 tbsp raw pistachios
• sea salt
• fresh cracked black pepper

For the salad, simply slice everything into even sizes, then toss with lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. For the dressing, blend all ingredients together, then add olive oil until it reaches your desired consistency. Now for our FAVORITE part! Dessert! The secret of this dessert, is the secret of MOST raw desserts... DATES! Dates are the secret sweetener and binder for most good raw desserts. I saw it used in a few recipes, and quickly caught on to why it was being used, then I came up with my own variation. This is a small recipe, but can be multiplied and made in larger batches. Just cut it up, store it in ziplocks, then put it in the freezer.

Mike's RAW Chocolate Cherry Biscotti!!!

Biscotti:

• 6 pitted dates
• 2 tbsp raw cacao nibs
• 1/4 cup raw walnuts
  
• 1/4 cup dried unsulfured cherries, chopped

Put everything but the cherries, in the food processor. Blend until well mixed. Pour it out into a bowl, and mix in the cherries. Then spoon it all out into any kind of flat-bottomed dish. Spread it out to an even 1" thickness. Cover and freeze. You can freeze it overnight, but it really doesn't take more than 20 minutes to set. It won't actually freeze, but it will be perfect for cutting into biscotti-sized slices. Enjoy!

The biscotti was a perfect ending to our raw evening. We were both very satisfied, and inspired to try other raw creations very soon. The one thing we really want to get our hands on right now, is a food dehydrator. That is going to change everything. Look for those recipes in the future. Stay tuned for more recipes, and news of our progress.

Our Commitment

Starting January 1, 2011, we are going RAW! We begin our journey through the living food movement.

We (Donna & Mike) have committed to changing our lifestyle. For the better, of course. We will not just experience the living food movement but embrace it fully. The goal is to be mindful about what we put in our bodies and reap the health benefits of eating and living clean.

This blog will showcase our trials and tribulations of the raw food diet and lifestyle. We hope to share knowledge, recipes, random food bits, and our success of a healthy life.

Become a fan and join us in our journey.

The Final Countdown

"What?!?!? Why?!?!?"

This is my expected reaction from most people, when I tell them about what my girlfriend and I have decided to do. Especially folks back home in Mizzoruh. I mean Misery. I mean Missouri...
I am sure the whole concept will seem pretty silly to most people in middle-America.

We have both committed ourselves to living the next year, completely "in the raw"!

This is going to be a serious life change for both of us, as we have slowly declined into pattern of take-out and microwave meals. We eat out WAY too often. Treating ourselves to fancy restaurants and gourmet food is a monthly, if not WEEKLY occurrence! We feast on appetizers. Gorge on main courses of red meats and heavy pastas. Then we pack in a final decadent dessert. Usually chocolate. Usually delicious. ALWAYS too much!! All the while, drinking cocktails, beers and wine, never questioning how much we've just put in our bodies, or what it might be doing to our insides. Every night ends the same way... the uncomfortable feeling of being stuffed with WAY too much food... and the unavoidable need for sleep. Then we head straight to bed, filled with who knows how many different ingredients, and we leave our bodies to sort out the mess.

Over the long term, this sort of indulgence has taken a serious toll on our bodies. We have both gained a ton of weight, lost a ton of muscle, and we are CONSTANTLY tired. My skin looks awful. My hair is dry and brittle. Huge bags under my eyes. Granted, this is due to more than just what we've been eating. It says more about how poorly we have been taking care of ourselves overall. Lack of exercise. Lack of sleep. Lack of sun. Lack of fresh air. Lack of vitamins and minerals. Just lacking... period.

So why the raw food thing?

• Raw foods are better nutritionally, so you eat less to satisfy your nutritional needs.
  
• The heat from cooking depletes vitamins, damages proteins and fats, and destroys enzymes which the body needs for digestion.
  
• The more raw food you eat, the more you feel satisfied, and have more energy on smaller meals.
  
• Raw food has the best balance of water, nutrients, and fiber to meet your body’s needs.
• Raw foods have more intense flavor than cooked foods, so there is no need to add salt, sugar, spices, or other irritants to your digestive system or over stimulate other organs.
• Raw foods take little to no preparation, so you spend less time in the kitchen.
  
• Easy Clean up!! The kitchen will finally stay clean!
• Eating a diet of raw foods is scientifically proven to reverse or stop the advance of many chronic diseases, including heart disease and cancer. Cooking, creates free radicals, which are the major cause of cancer. When you lower the number of free radicals your cells are bombarded with, you lower your risk of cancer.
• A raw food diet can protect you from the small stuff too,like colds, flu, and other viruses.Raw foods help maintain a healthy body, and a healthy body is far more resilient.
• As long as you combine raw food properly, you will soon reach a point where you no longer suffer from heartburn, gas, or indigestion. Things like antacids will be a thing of the past.
  
• Eating raw saves you money!

So it begins...

We chose New Year's Day as the beginning to our journey into the realm of the raw. It seemed like the best day to turn over a new leaf. In addition to eating raw, we will both quit smoking, and begin working out. We both got gym memberships, and we're already coming up with as many ways as possible to stay off the couch, and away from the TV. There's no cable TV at our house, but we are notorious for wasting entire evenings with Netflix and Hulu. This will all come to an end on the 1st. There are SO many interesting things to do around our city, that we are REALLY wasting our time when we veg out on the couch. There are trapeze and trampoline classes, bike trails, hiking trails, kayaking, swimming, rock climbing, surfing, pilates, yoga, and about a million others. Plenty to keep us busy.

As we head down this road, we will be documenting it via this blog, posting updates on our progress and/or regress, and overall feelings along the way. We will post the day to day happenings, but also, recipes, links, menus, nutritional info, and other pertinent information that comes up on our journey. Our hope is that this lifestyle will have a significant change on our health, and our experience will inspire others to make the same necessary improvements to their own lives.

There are 2 days left before our new beginning. So, I have of course been gorging on anything and everything that I won't be allowed to have. Probably not the best way to ease into something new, but easing has never been my style. I'm a "cold turkey" kind of guy. But if I know I'm about to be without something, I indulge in as much of it as possible until the very last second. I've been chain-smoking, and eating junkfood. Definitely NOT proud of myself. But in a couple days.....

I hope you check back frequently to see how we've progressed. I have a feeling once we start to see changes, they will be pretty dramatic. Until then, here are some websites to check out if you yourself are interested in the raw food movement, and how it might benefit you:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_foodism - Wikipedia article explaining the raw food movement
• http://www.rawguru.com/
  
• http://www.rawfoodlife.com/
  
• http://www.thebestofrawfood.com/
  
• http://www.rawfoodexplained.com/