vegan, gluten-free, raw adaptable, makes 2 servings or 1 big bowl if you're hungry

I’ve been absolutely addicted to this happy bowl of explosive flavor bliss. It has been the perfect lunch and body fuel after my morning workouts, so I wanted to share it with you. Especially if you might think veggies and quinoa equates to boring and more boring.

Contrary to popular belief, quinoa is not actually a grain, but the seed of a plant, Chenopodim, which is related to spinach and swiss chard.  The many nutritional aspects make it so excellent for replenishing the body after a strenuous workout.  Quinoa contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein source (meat eaters take note). It’s very high in iron, manganese, magnesium, fiber, riboflavin, various antioxidants, vitamin E, and the omega fatty acids our brains need. Really, quinoa is one of those things that has practically a perfect nutritional profile.

Take all this power, add raw veggies and herbs, and you have something spectacular! The best thing about this recipe is that it doesn’t even have to be a “recipe”. You use whatever favorite veggies and herbs you have on hand. The key to the yummiest outcome is building flavor from the beginning on through the final toss of the dish. Nothing does a better job of that than adding aromatics like garlic and shallots, and then plenty of fresh herbs to finish. Dried ones work well too. I really love the hearty Italian flavor that oregano adds here (just make sure the dried herbs haven’t been in the pantry for 5 years).

Most all ingredients in this dish are raw, except for the quinoa.  I use packaged ready-sprouted quinoa, but opt to heat it through because the flavor and digestibility works better for me. Using a low sodium, organic, and home made vegetable broth adds a great flavor layer.  You can certainly choose to soak and sprout quinoa on your own for a raw application, just be sure to plenty season it.

Prepare the quinoa:

1/2 cup sprouted quinoa
1 cup vegetable broth
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 tsp minced fresh shallot
1/2 tsp sea salt
pinch crushed red pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a light boil. Reduce the heat to lowest setting, cover, and let simmer for 15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.

Prepare veggies:

Thinly slice and layer into a large bowl:

1/2 cup baby bell peppers in assorted colors
1/2 cup shiitake mushroom caps
1/2 cup fennel bulb
1/2 cup halved grape tomatoes

When quinoa is ready, tumble over the top of the layered veggies. Allow to sit for about 5 minutes. Then add:

1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup chopped fennel fronds

Toss thoroughly and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

<3, JMK

Yesterday my lovely daughter, Ciarra, and fur ball diva extraordinaire, Gorilla, spent the late afternoon in awe of the garden’s rapid growth of this past month. We had fun snapping pics, and since the rocket (a/k/a arugula) was rocketing and ready to pick, we took advantage of that too. It’s so cool how easily arugula, lettuce, and other leafy greens grow like wildfire in a pot!

Of the many bits I’ve learned about gardening during the last couple of months, one is not to waste money on things like self-watering seed starting systems. (But rats, I guess I already have.)  It’s a 72-compartment tray that comes with a watering mat, and a clear lid to mimic a greenhouse effect. Each tiny compartment is pre-packed with a dehydrated soil “tablet” and you simply add water and a seed to get it going.  Sounds easy, neat, and organized. And it just might be right for other gardeners, maybe in other zones?  FYI – I’m in zone 9, warm sub-tropical Florida, where I can see it needn’t be necessary, except during winter cold spells.

Most of the seedlings never even sprouted, and those that did pooped out in no time. I’m especially mourning the loss of all the romanesco that peeped out for a mere week. By contrast, ALL of the seeds that I threw into pots or direct-sowed are doing beautifully.  So, lesson learned. In this garden, no need for extra plastics, extra waste, and further wasted money!

Here’s Gorilla, Queen of Casa de Kalivretenos. She’s inspecting the romaine that’s thriving well in this big pot. About 3 weeks ago, in went some seeds and daily water, and voilà! I could harvest these sweet, young and tender leaves right now, but I really want to see them grow into lovely heads of romaine.

Also a few weeks ago, I noticed signs that the tomato, cucumber, and basil plants were coming under siege by some tiny unidentified predators.  I had heard about the relief that ladybugs can bring, as predators themselves of the pests that wreak the havoc.  So I ordered some and anxiously awaited the first ever live creatures to arrive at my doorstep via Fed Ex.

Releasing them was a curiously fun event. They really do come out of that package like an army.  I positioned the little mesh bag in various spots in the box garden, particularly those that looked they needed rescuing the most.

At first, the ladybugs sort of just ooze from the packet because there’s so many packed in there.  As I gently positioned the packet between the tomato plants, they marched right out and scattered onto the soil and up the tomato stems. They spread out all over the leaves, as if they knew what their mission was. Like live little swiffering agents. And then of course, there were a few that instantly flew up into the sky.

As the ladybug army purposefully spread throughout the garden, it wasn’t long before the lizards took notice. As long as I stayed right there, they’d stay at bay. But it was a bit saddening to know that really, this was like the mac daddy of buffets brought personally before them.  All in all, the ladybug army duration lasted about 24 hours. Do I think this was enough time to do their job and seize the plant invaders?  Yes, and notably so. But I’m not sure I would order 1500 ladybugs again, unless there was a major infestation going on, in which case, the ladybugs would be “special ops”.

Of the tomato world, there are four roma plants, a yellow teardrop plant, and a cherry plant. As you can see, they’re doing phenomenally well. Every day there’s a new tomato or two or three somewhere. The cherry tomato plant has shown the most gusto, at nearly five feet tall and LOTS of plump little tomato joys.

Again, here we have the Ruler of All She Surveys. Just to demonstrate how tough it is to be the Queen of All Beasts.

This Japanese cucumber plant has been a very happy one once it was thoroughly swiffered by the ladybugs. It has grown like a fast spreading vine, with plenty of little yellow flowers that will be future cucumbers. YAY!

And finally, just for today, there is the handsome red bell pepper plant. Obviously the pepper isn’t red yet, but it is another plant that is radiantly happy.  I took the photo of the mint because it was once in a small pot in the house and started to look sickly. Once I transplanted it in the box garden, it’s made a slow but strong recovery, and now I have enough mint to give my whole neighborhood very nice breath.

There’s plenty else going on that I have to save for a later post. Like the heirloom zucchini and squash that’s growing well right next to the front door. And random giant sunflowers planted throughout. Stay tuned! Gardening rocks!

<3, JMK

As a novice gardener, having these arugula seedlings sprout within two to three days is like a big pat on the back. And just at over a week old, they sprouted so abundantly that I went through the highly advised method of “thinning”.  That is, removing some of the sprouts (usually weaker ones) to make ample space between plants so that they can grow strong.  To my delight, all of the arugula sprouts were gorgeous, and so the flavor was too!

The flavor is definitely sharp and peppery like that of grown up arugula or rocket. But it’s actually a little more intense yet in a clean, distinct way. And with the delicate texture, it’s like sprinkling peppery, arugula happiness all over that which you desire. They go brilliantly on any salad, pasta, pizza, or in a mixed sprout salad. I was happy eating them as I picked.

If flavor and ease of growing weren’t enough to convince you that YOU should grow these too, they are packed with nutritional treasures. Like most sprouts, they’re full of active enzymes, vitamins A, C, B-complex, amino acids, and iron.  You just cannot have enough sprouts!

<3, JMK

raw & vegan adaptable, makes 6

My Greek husband is not a fan of stuffed peppers – in the traditional Greek, or otherwise method.  Honestly, rice or meat stuffed peppers have never appealed to me either, so I took the liberty to try something much more fresh and flavorful.  These did not disappoint.

As far as the family guinea pigs were concerned, it was the stuffing that was the star of this presentation. The peppers were just a vehicle to serve it. But I happened to think the peppers were just perfect, and how could you overlook those carnival happy colors?

I used ready sprouted quinoa (available at health food markets), and soaked it in hot water in a covered bowl for about 40 minutes until tender. You can cook quinoa according to package instructions, or keep it “raw” by soaking it for 24 to 26 hours, allowing it to sprout. The texture will be firmer to the bite and have a more “earthy” taste.

I also opted to roast the peppers conventionally rather than dehydrate them. For me, it does my stomach and taste buds better. Alternatively, you can pop them in the dehydrator after drizzling with olive oil, at 115∘until they’re soft but still hold their shape, about 6 hours.

Lastly, this recipe includes goat’s milk feta cheese. If you are vegan, omit it.

Begin with:

3 medium sized bell peppers, in an array of colors if possible. Just don’t choose green.

Preheat the oven to 375∘F. Halve the peppers lengthwise and remove the seeds. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of sea salt and rub it all evenly, from the backsides and throughout the cavity. Put them face down on a foil lined baking sheet and bake until soft but still retaining shape and bright color, about 15 to 20 minutes.

For the quinoa stuffing you will need:

1 cup quinoa, prepared as per package instructions or raw preparation
1 small zucchini, cut into small quartered chunks
4 oz. cubed goat’s milk feta
1/4 cup cured black olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/4 cup fresh chopped oregano
1/4 cup fresh chopped dill
1/4 cup fresh chopped chives
1 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
juice of 1 lemon + 1 tsp lemon zest
sea salt and fresh black pepper

To garnish & serve:

extra virgin olive oil
parsley sprigs
pinch sweet ground paprika

Assembly:

Combine all quinoa stuffing ingredients in a large bowl. Season to taste with sea salt n pepper. Gently toss until all seasonings and herbs are evenly combined.

Spoon quinoa mixture into each pepper. Arrange on a plate, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of paprika. Garnish with parsley sprig and serve.

<3, JMK

If I can do it, anyone can.  I’ve planted my real first garden – ever.  And I’m in love.

My grandfather always kept quite a large garden. As a kid I remember going out with him to pick tomatoes, okra, and all types, it seemed, of greens. But even though, well into my adult life it was condo dwelling and a self-perceived “brown thumb” that shied me away from anything more than potted herbs, or houseplants here and there. Well, I’ve lived in a house with a yard for the past five years, with more than enough space that had been staring at me everyday, waiting to be sowed.

In this space of 4 1/2′ by 10′, old shrubs and weeds were just…there. I’d daydream about all of the possibilities that could be housed in this nice and sunny symmetrical space. Then I’d get down to the garden department of Home Depot and be completely overwhelmed by the isles and isles of beautiful plants with unique requirements posted: annual, perennial, full sun, part sun, direct sow, sow indoors… uh, what? It looked as precise and nurturing as bringing home a new born baby. Then there’s the endless soils and fertilizers – potting mix, gardening mix, this mix, that mix.  Once again I’d leave shaking my head, “Um, no I am not ready for this kind of commitment. Surely I’m bound to screw up and kill something.”

Then finally one day last month, while sitting out on the patio enjoying an amazingly beautiful, warm sunny day, I gazed again at the space in front of me, sensibly.  I started doing a little research here and there, and used the collected inspiration by the growing movement of home gardeners. I thought, my gosh if it were that difficult, this planet would be barren. It would be contradictory to nature itself, plants cannot be this fickle! Back to the garden center I went, this time committed and with a plan which basically went like this:

1. After properly measuring the space, I bought some pressure-treated wood, had it cut to size by the nice wood guy at HD. It’s 10″ wide by 10′ by 4′ planks.
2. I got lots of good organic soil. Good all purpose soil for veggie gardens. And I got one small bag of seed starting soil. From what I’m told, the soil on our property is pretty good. But like a new mom, I didn’t want to take any chances.
3. I collected a bunch of herbs, and some starter veggies like tomatoes and peppers that looked perky and eager for Spring.
4. Marigolds were a must too. A BIG tip I got repeatedly is that they get along great in a garden, especially tomatoes, and keep certain pests away. Plus they’re so pretty, and cheap too.
5. All of this took about 4 total trips to HD, Lowe’s, and/or our local nursery.
6. And I did order a lot of seeds from a great company online, Burpee Gardening. Their site is awesome and user-friendly, they cater to the home gardener, and their site is packed with good info for novices.

That’s basically it. With help from the boys, we cleared the space, built the box, and raised a sprinkler that was already there.

So this is what I have going on.

My thriving herbs in pots:

• Globe basil (got this in pots and in the box garden)
• Lemon basil
• Cilantro
• Dill
• Tarragon
• Thyme
• Rosemary
• Garlic chives
• Spearmint

These are the veggies that are planted in the garden:

• Tomatoes: roma, yellow pear, cherry
• Peppers: red bell, yummies (small, mild, and orange), jalepeño, cherry, carnival
• Japanese cucumber
• Kaleidoscope heirloom carrots (orange, red, purple, yellow) – as seedlings directly sowed in the ground.
• Garlic – directly sowed in ground
• Shallots – directly sowed in ground

These are currently little seedlings that I’ve planted in their tiny crib pots:

• Florence fennel (small variety)
• Arugula

These are all waiting to be planted from seed:

• Zucchini: summer ball, Italian ribbed heirloom
• Squash: Ronde de Nice heirloom, golden bar
• Radish: French breakfast heirloom, watermelon
• Beets: Chiogga (red/white spiral flesh), Little Chicago (tiny red beets)
• Lettuces: romaine, bibb (red and green), baby leaf mix, microgreens mix
• Blue Solaise heirloom leeks (small bluish-green leeks)
• Romanesco

This whole process has brought me so much joy. I’m like an obsessed new mother. We’ve had absolutely beautiful weather, which makes it all the better to be outdoors. The garlic and shallots have begun to sprout, the plants that I brought home one or two weeks ago are happy and taller. Constantly I’m looking over everything, as if staring at it all will make it grow faster. If I’m having this much fun already, I can only imagine what the first harvests will be like. I cannot wait to share!

<3, JMK

Vegan adaptable, gluten-free, serves 4

Spaghetti squash is one of those wonderous, versatile things that can be dressed up a thousand different ways.  If you’ve never tried it, wait no longer. It’s a dieter’s best friend, no matter what the diet – gluten-free, few calories, little carbs, and as satisfying (well, almost) as a bowl of the real stuff.  On its own, the flavor is quite neutrally nice, which is why I prefer a more minimalist application.  No quality, fresh food should ever be disguised.

Roma tomatoes, a/k/a plum tomatoes are my number one crown jewel tomato variety!  Their rich flavor, low moisture, and low acidity make them the ideal tomato to make sauces and marinaras.  And when treated to a long spa of low temperature slow roasting, they become intense flavor bliss.  Their sweet, tomatoey rich goodness concentrates into something that’s like a condiment on its own.  This time I wanted to help them even more (as if they needed it) by making a confit – a fancy way to essentially say, tomato preserves. From the oven, I gave them a blitz in the food processor before adding them to a warm skillet to reduce and season.  Instead of using sugar (common for a confit) I played up their natural sweetness with good aged balsamic vinegar. Tomato LOVE!

Start with:

3-4 lb spaghetti squash

Preheat oven to 400∘F.  Cut the squash in half lengthwise, then use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Drizzle with a small bit of olive oil and rub it evenly on flesh. Sprinkle with a little bit of sea salt and pepper.  On a baking sheet, put the squash halves face down and roast for 30 minutes.  Take them out and carefully flip them cavity side up. They should be tender enough that you get that magic spaghetti when the flesh is scraped with a fork. Gently scrape away until you have a nice big bowl of golden strands.

For the tomato confit:

2 lb super ripe, vine fresh roma tomatoes
10-12 large garlic cloves
extra virgin olive oil
good aged balsamic vinegar
6 thyme sprigs
crushed red pepper
sea salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 325∘F. Slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise and place in a large bowl. Pull the leaves from 2 thyme sprigs, coarsely chop, add to tomatoes. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. On a foil lined baking sheet, spread out the tomatoes cut side up. Smash the garlic cloves with your knife and remove the skins. Take a clove (you can half cloves as well) and push them into the mushy, seedy center of the tomato halves. Throw over a couple of whole thyme sprigs.  Roast the tomatoes for about 6 hours, until they have shriveled and darkened but still have plumpness.

Remove thyme stems and toss tomatoes in a food processor and blitz to a coarse purée. Gently heat about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a skillet. Add tomato purée with a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, a tablespoon more of chopped fresh thyme, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Allow to heat through and slightly reduce at a gentle heat, about 10 minutes.

To serve:

Spoon confit over a serving of spaghetti squash. Drizzle with extra virgin, and more crushed red pepper and thyme leaves if desired.  Curls of parmesan cheese off the block sends this dish though the stratosphere. (Vegans – obviously omit the cheese.)

<3, JMK

Raw vegan, gluten-free, serves 4 sides or 1 all day long :)

This is a VERY addicting salad that will definitely get you into the spring season spirit.

Until today, we in Central Florida have lately been spoiled with temperatures that are more like early summer than late February or early March!  So this has been a wonderful light-weight but satisfying salad that I’ve been grazing off of during these warm days while getting my new garden started. It has a nice combo punch of crisp, cool, tangy, sweet, nutty, salty, and of course licorice-y.  Did I mention that I have a full blown fennel addiction?  I never buy celery anymore. For anything that calls for celery, I’m all in with fennel instead. Happily.

Textures – that is, the shape and size of the cuts of veggies matters. It really governs the flavor intensities and the entire flavor balance of a dish. In this salad, the fennel, green apple, and red onion are sliced mandoline thin. This keeps them from overpowering one another and creates a light, cool, crispness. I also prefer young, smaller fennel to larger bulbs. They’re much sweeter and milder.

First, thinly slice or use a mandoline:

1 medium sized fennel bulb, or 2 small bulbs
1/2 small Granny Smith apple
1/2 small red onion

Place into a bowl.

Coarsely chop:

1/2 cup of shelled pistachios and
a handful of fennel fronds and parsley

Finely mince:

1/2 of a seeded jalepeño or serrano pepper.

Add remaining ingredients to bowl. Finally, squeeze over the juice of a small lemon, drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil, and season to taste with a delicate sea salt (such as fleur de sel), and white pepper. Toss well and serve.

<3, JMK

Everything-But-The-Kitchen-Sink Empire State Juice :-)

Thanksgiving’s just around the corner, and this year I’m hosting the biggest gathering ever.  Eighteen are confirmed, maybe a few more, and it would be but a dream to say that every one of them would be down for a non-traditional, raw vegan Thanksgiving.

Yet the guests are well aware they won’t expect to find a turkey on the table, and I’m thankful for that open-mindedness.  I respect that they are still willing to compromise a carnivorous tradition to spend the holiday here in our home, in the spirit of togetherness.  Thanksgiving will be as it always has been, as is our everyday kitchen, vegetarian.

The menu’s almost finalized, and the spread will be magnificent and plenty! So in anticipation of that, I’ve decided to “rev down” my appetite, rather than the other way around. While we can all use a daily tall green juice, I’m revving it UP to keep my eyes no bigger than my stomach next week. Indulgence is synonymous with the holidays, but I don’t think it has to be.  I’ve made a conscious decision to preserve my energy to serve my guests, and the very busy schedule before me that will continue on through the New Year.

Typically I’m not big into juice cleanses or “feasts”.  Just the mental anticipation alone of setting up for all-juice-or-nothing, for any period of time, doesn’t resonate with my comfort zone.  This isn’t to be confused with me not being all for supplemental juicing, I am absolutely.  If juicing is to go on for any length, I prefer the graduation method (such as 1 to 2 large servings of green juice per day making up 2/3 of the day’s food intake). It gives my body a chance to adjust with greater success of 100% juice thereafter (again, only for a short time for me!).

I started the week by filling these lovely Smeraldina glass water bottles I’ve recycled with some high-octane green juice. Each bottle holds a perfect 32 ounces.  Yesterday I had one, today I’ve had two. If I’m feeling up to it, I might have three of them tomorrow. I think I’m just as excited about putting this case of water bottles to use.

I haven’t changed up the juice recipe much.  This particular blend, which I’ve called “Everything-But-The-Kitchen-Sink (cause it’s pretty loaded) Empire State Juice” (cause it’s in this nice tall pretty bottle) is a great balance of lightly sweet, tart, and aromatic.  As long as it’s yummy and doesn’t make me nauseous as green juice sometimes tends to do, I won’t change a thing.

3 Granny Smith Apples
1 big bunch green curly kale
1 English cucumber
1 fennel bulb
4 large celery stalks
1/2 head romaine lettuce
1 lemon
1 inch ginger knob
handful of mint
2 tbs primrose-flax oil (or oil of choice)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp sea salt

<3, JMK

Imagine standing on one side of a very large room full of furniture, and you must walk through it to get to the opposite side.  There’s no straight path, and you have to do it blindfolded. You’ll eventually get there, but not as efficiently since you’ll probably be bumping into things along the way.

Or, think about driving a car down the freeway and blowing out a tire or two. You’ve got to make it to the service station off the next exit, so you slow down and drive with the rims grinding on the pavement. The vehicle is operable, but at a significant handicap.

These are the types of disadvantages our bodies experience if we aren’t incorporating exercise into our daily lives.  It’s like operating at more or less, 50% capacity, depending on your age, diet, lifestyle, and physiological disposition.

The overall increase in raising health consciousness has been an incredibly positive and exciting movement of recent years.  But, the total picture of wellness and longevity is by no means one dimensional.  Even within the raw and natural foods sectors, there seems to be such an intense focus on diet alone that other crucial factors fall to the wayside. Even as my own self-descriptive tag line reads on the header of this blog, “well-being enthusiast”; I’ve spoken much less on that aspect and more on the “digest of a natural foods gourmet”.

Modifying your diet is certainly an ideal place to start, not matter what your goals might be.  You can jump right in by following a juice cleanse, getting into raw foods, or get on-board with one of the many, MANY detox programs out there.  But to neglect moving your body is like leaving the house with just one shoe.

And while we adults have lit the fire to heal our ailing bodies with major changes, our children are now at greater risk for health issues at a younger age than ever before.  The industrialized, sugary foods marketed at kids are even more visible and toxic.  This technological age of computers, video games, and cell phones combined with the deterioration of school physical education programs keeps kids off of playgrounds and bicycles.  When children aren’t introduced to consistent physical activity, implementing an exercise program as an adult can be considerably more challenging.

As Nike said it best, “just do it”. You should do it for more than what may appear to be obvious reasons. It’s not about spending two hours, seven days a week in the gym.  Nor is it about looking like a fitness model or achieving a rock hard body (unless that’s your goal of course :-) .

Do It For Mental & Emotional Well-Being

Stress overload does some serious damage.  The collective stress alone that our world has experienced as of late has caused a lot of people to just lose it. Gone unchecked, mental and emotional instability can have serious health implications. High blood pressure, stroke, heart attack, adrenal overload, emotional eating, and depression are among these consequences, made even more complicated with a sharp rise in prescription drug “band-aids”.

Stress at some level is a part of life. You cannot control every event and circumstance that occurs, but you can control how you deal with it.  In addition to a positive attitude, regular exercise has a natural medicinal effect on the brain, with which the rest of the body will in turn benefit.  During exercise, those “feel-good” endorphins are released from the pituitary gland, creating a feeling of euphoria. Getting your body into a groove also raises seratonin, a brain chemical responsible for regulating mood and preventing depression. (Psychological trauma is another matter that should be treated under the care of a mental health professional.)

Getting yourself on a regular exercise regimen also involves setting goals.  When you set and accomplish goals, the mental and emotional gratification is extremely rewarding.  This helps us stay positive!

Do It For Weight Control

So you’ve got a little bit of weight to lose, or a lot.  Anxious to start shedding pounds, you might start an all-juice diet. Within the first few days, some weight loss is imminent.  But if you’re not including exercise to your plan, the chances of falling into that dreaded yo-yo scenario are much greater. Why?  Our bodies are pretty darned smart. We’ve got a built-in metabolic calculator that keeps track of movement = daily calories burned.  There are variables depending on female to male, and age.  Same is true for dietary requirements, but I’m attempting the general idea here.

Over time, the body’s metabolic calculator averages intake calories to calories expended through physical activity.  The more physically active, the more the metabolism kicks up and uses the intake calories more efficiently.  If you’re sedentary, a surplus of calories results in weight gain and body fat.  If you’re sedentary, and decide to go a “cleanse” type diet for a temporary period of time, the metabolic calculator thinks you’ve gone into starvation mode. The calories that were once coming in daily have suddenly ceased, and the calculator doesn’t recognize that you’re just sweeping house.  So at the end of the cleanse and back to regularly scheduled programming…boom!  The body frantically starts storing up all it can to protect itself from future perceived starvations = gaining weight back + a little more.

Getting your body moving is the vital helping hand for weight loss, no matter what diet you choose.  While some pounds shed is a direct effect of a change in caloric intake, daily exercise trains the metabolic calculator to burn calories and fat more efficiently, increasing metabolism for the long term.  Health.com has an article about this in more details, along with additional cautions on cleanse dieting.

There is a reverse scenario. Ever see someone who’s always working out, but their diet consists of empty calorie junk and fast food?  Likewise, their fitness goals and overall health would improve ten-fold by eating nutritious whole foods.

Do It With Yoga

When it comes to yoga, I’ll admit I’m quite biased because I’ve been practicing for more than 10 years. Fortunately there are many different styles to choose from, from the more physically dynamic (Bikram, vinyasa flow, ashtanga) to more gentle hatha styles.

Yoga is associated with that phrase, “mind, body, and spirit”.  And it’s not just a cliché, true yoga is the embodiment of the three principals. Taking a yoga class at a local gym rather than a studio, usually emphasizes more of the “body” portion.  Taking classes at a professional studio with an experienced instructor will ensure all three dimensions are incorporated, as this is what yoga is all about.

One of the most common misconceptions I hear from people who are apprehensive to take a yoga class is, “But I’m not flexible, I can’t even touch my toes”.  The reality is that the less “flexible” you are, the more you need it!  Yoga is about healing, balancing, and aligning the entire body through controlling the mind (meditation), physical practice using asanas (poses), and via pranayama (the breath).  Flexibility is not in vain, it’s not about being competitive with your neighbor next to you who’s putting her leg behind her head. Yoga is strictly an individual growth practice and each person has a unique benchmark.  Something that may seem simple to you may not be for the next, and vice versa.

Every asana is designed to strengthen and cleanse a deeper part of the body – the organs, glandular system, the muscles and vascular system.  A “yoga-high” is one of the best things you can ever experience as all those happy endorphins flow abundantly after a good class (especially of the more physical styles).  You body is literally wrung from the inside out, and nothing could be better to assist a cleanse or detox.  Yoga Journal is a great source to learn about all things yoga.

Do It For Inside-Out Cleansing

As I’ve just mentioned, yoga is a star for achieving this. But it really doesn’t matter how you work up a sweat, exercise keeps the body operating efficiently in every way.  The skin is the body’s largest organ, and through perspiration, you’re also kicking out toxins. You will also achieve a healthy, glowing complexion!

Do It For Your Heart, Muscular Strength, & Bone Health

Aerobic exercise is the king of keeping the heart muscle in shape. Cardiovascular work-outs are absolutely essential for weight loss and burning unwanted fat. Your present fitness level and goals determine the amount of cardio is needed in a week.  If the thought of running on a treadmill is dreadful to you, no worries! There’s so many ways to get your heart pumping like brisk walking around the neighborhood, playing some sports, or jumping on a rebounder.  Life123.com has some excellent info on getting started on a cardiovascular regimen.

Resistance training is obviously going to benefit strengthening and building muscle, but it also strengthens bones. Women especially should take care of their bones to guard against osteoporosis, and one of the easiest ways to do this is through a strength training regimen. It’s as simple as using your own body weight, or purchasing a simple set of weights to use at home (no gym membership necessary)! WebMD explains what a woman should do to get started with resistance training, and how this can curb osteoporosis in her future.

Just DO It:  Tips For Getting Started & Sticking With It

1.  Find something you like to do. Yoga and running are for me, but bicycling and Pilates may be for you. Try out different activities to see what works best.

2.  Variety matters. Make it interesting. Even for the most disciplined die-hard go getter in the gym, incorporating a variety of activities in different settings is a must.  Who wouldn’t get bored staring at the same walls every day around an elliptical machine, or the same exact weight training routine week after week? Change it up, your body will appreciate it too.

3.  As with diet, what works for one may not for another. You might see more results doing a circuit training program, versus a few weekly spinning classes. Find the magical combo that tells you your efforts are working.

4.  Don’t overdo it! And be careful of burn-out. Slow and steady wins the race! Always listen to your body, and don’t push to hard or too fast no matter how excited you are that results are rapidly appearing.  This is also where tip #2 comes in handy. You don’t want to get bored or burned out.

5.  Don’t give up. Even the most successful of regimens, those that have dropped you 15 pounds and you’re seeing your abs and biceps define before your eyes, can halt to a plateau. Suddenly you’re wondering why those few pounds left over won’t come off, you wonder if your efforts have been futile.  Whatever you do, never give up. Hitting a plateau is normal. Remember that your uber-intelligent metabolic calculator is just temporarily making adjustments to all the good deeds that have been happening. Exercise should be for life, and maybe think about changing things up just a little. That could be all that’s needed.

6. Keep an exercise diary. I have kept an exercise diary for 15 years. Nothing could be more helpful, especially when beginning any new program. Logging your activities and your progress shows you in black and white your accomplishments, your growth, and keeps you on track.

7. Build a home gym - in your bedroom. You don’t need a gym membership, complicated equipment, or even a lot of space. A balance ball, a chair, and a rebounder are really all you need to be on your way to fitness.  Plus there’s such an abundance of home work-out programs than ever before, there’s really no excuses! There’s even cable network programs just for exercise.  Kelli Calabrese gives some great suggestions on building a home gym on a budget.

<3, JMK

{ God moving over the face of the water...}

It’s been a week since the big GREAT news!  As I start the day this morning I can still hardly believe this new reality, feeling as if I’ve dropped a 500 pound burden off of my back.  I have so much to say I can hardly keep it structured in paragraphs, much less a single blog post!

Over seven years after being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease, the greatest thing that could ever come from the recent tests I’ve undergone this past week is that it is officially in remission!  In fact, no Crohn’s was detected whatsoever, it has diminished, vanished, essentially POOFED!

I do have two wee little stomach ulcers, though…but what are mere ulcers? Now that I’ve slayed the dragon, no problem!  Piece of cake!

Recent history:

Rewind to about three weeks ago. I was sitting in my family physician’s office reviewing the latest blood work results.  I’d just undergone my annual physical, which includes a (more extensive than usual) blood comprehensive, the regular “physical” routine, and some scripts for gastro-related tests.  Something worth mentioning here are the other little pieces to the triumph: a vast improvement of my iron, hemoglobin, B-12, and vitamin D levels.   They were at an all-time low three to four years ago, and took almost equally as long to normalize.  Last year I underwent two iron infusions and was just shy of requiring a blood transfusion.  These types of deficiencies are unfortunately pretty common in people with Crohn’s disease.  Still, I’m in the low-normal ranges of each so I will not be taking it all in stride!

Lately I’ve been experiencing some different types of pain and discomforts, particularly on my left side beginning beneath my rib cage and descending.  It’s a different sort of pain than the typical Crohn’s flare, usually permeating from the right side.  In fact, I haven’t had any right-side flare-ups for many, many months.  Any complaints are in this new location and range in intensity, occurring several times per week and sometimes I don’t feel it for many weeks.   At its worst, it feels like burning, prickling, stabbing pain, or like many stabs at once as if something was inside of me trying to fight its way out.  Sometimes it’s like hunger so intense it’s gnawing, and wakes me up in the night.  And then there’s the spontaneous swelling and inflammation that literally makes me look 6 months pregnant!

So back to my family doctor, who is absolutely amazing (like a younger Dr. Oz – woot woot) and I drop in to see him every two to three months.  Prior to last month’s physical I had reluctantly agreed to try a new medication, Pentasa. It’s a little less aggressive than the norm and addresses the inflammation in inflammatory bowel disorders.  And it seemed to be working well.  One of the concerns of Crohn’s disease is that if it goes unchecked and not kept under control, it not only can worsen in its current location, it can spread to other sites, even to other organs in the body.

After sharing the latest abdominal discomforts with my doctor, our first concern was Crohn’s progression.  He immediately ordered a CT scan, and shortly thereafter I was back in the gastroenterologist’s office for the next step in diagnosis: the wireless capsule endoscopy.  If you’re not familiar with this procedure, it’s actually extremely cool.  First thing on a Wednesday morning, I swallowed a capsule containing a tiny camera that went on a 10-hour journey of capturing 360∘photography of my insides, from the esophogus, on through the stomach, the small intestine, and finally concluding somewhere at or around the large bowel.  The particularly neat and helpful thing about this procedure is that it can view areas of the small intestine that were otherwise too deep and evasive for doctors to see through other means.

{ Left: the camera capsule, right: image data recorder strapped around my waist }

I returned to the gastroenterologist late that afternoon to have the data recorder removed, and was informed by the physician’s assistant, “The doctor typically reviews the results on Fridays.  We’ll schedule you a follow-up for next week to go over them.”  Okay, sounds great!

So to my surprise, the very next (Thursday) evening, I received a phone message from the doctor at about 8:00 pm, “Please return my call immediately.”

Well, “holy shit” is all that went through my head.  Why is he calling me the very next evening?  This cannot be a good thing! I’m always the optimist, but since when does a doctor call you at 8:00 at night to tell you everything is brilliant!

“You have two new ulcers and some inflammation,” he proceeded to say after finally frantically reaching him, “We need to schedule you immediately for an upper endoscopy, biopsy, and a colonoscopy.”

Lovely!  The news sent shudders of worry and fear right to down to my bones.  I’ve been working hard for years to do the right things, to be conscientious of diet, my emotional and spiritual well-being, and to always keep a positive and progressive mindset that my body can – and will – heal itself!  As much as I like and respect my doctors, as confident as I am in their competency, they always heir to a side of caution which doesn’t so much sound like the rosey things we’d like to hear.  And that is okay and predictable.

That subsequent weekend brought on some blue worry and anxiety, to say the least for my husband and I.  He had once lost a spouse to cervical cancer, and couldn’t bear the thought of anything like that happening all over again.  I felt terrible for him, and tried to be as optimistic as I could.  But the reality was I had bought into the doctor’s news as an interpretation of bad news.  Never mind having to undergo a drug induced stomach flu in preparation for the colonoscopy – 12+ hours of sheer misery!

But cutting to the chase, after Monday’s examinations, the doctor gave word to my husband as I was still under sedation, “There is no Crohn’s present, the large intestine and colon look great, we just now need to diagnose the cause of the stomach ulcers…”

WOW.  I mean, WOW!!!

And to no surprise, he cannot really give an explanation except to say that “it happens”.

Cleaning up diet and healing with raw food:

Ironically, during this past week I’ve been contacted by a few Crohn’s sufferers or who have an afflicted loved one, that are so very anxious for help and anything they can do within their own empowerment to help them overcome it.  The common question asked by these most recent contacts, as well as with most others in the past is “does diet really make a difference?”  And my answer is absolutely, positively, without a doubt, and most certainly in light of this most recent news…YES!!

What I cannot confirm at this point in time is exactly how or what, very specifically and singularly in terms of my diet (if anything), may have sent the old Crohn’s packing.  I suspect it was combination of choices, exclusions, and a cumulative effect of dietary changes over time.

I also don’t believe that healing is limited to a physiological level, you need to also involve your mental, emotional, and spiritual states of well-being – essentially your whole Self must be involved.  For purposes of keeping this posted contained and focused, I will speak mostly of the dietary aspects as they pertain to Crohn’s.  I could so easily parlay into other very relevant pieces of an overall picture of health.  And these are important too, which I’ll save for later postings!

We’re all at a different benchmark when attempting to heal from chronic disease or any overall health matter.  No two people walk the same path or fight the same exact battles.  We all heal at our own pace.  It is no different for Crohn’s disease.  The cases range from minor, as mine was considered, concentrated in a small area, or it could be much more severe, extensive and widespread.

I’ve been on such an amazing journey these past 10-12 years, with diet being just one single aspect.  I thought that describing pertinent events and breaking them into a timeline – excerpts from my “health diary” if you will – would be helpful.

My overall health before Crohn’s was historically very good. I’ve always been very physically active and slim, and at times was unknowingly and inadvertently at risk of being underweight because of Crohn’s.  I am 5′-4″ and currently stay at about 11o pounds, and was 100-105 in my 20′s.  Before the time line below, I took for granted that I could eat most anything at any time. After all, if you’re not overweight, no worries right?  Wrong.

1999-2002:  Some of the worst and most painful symptoms I’ve ever had came after eating red meat.  I didn’t eat it often, but began to notice this common denominator.  One night after having an all-American supper of filet mignon and potatoes, followed by being bedridden in horrible pain for over 3 days, I said, “no more”.   It was around this time that I’d also taken notice of certain dairy items.  I remember having similar painful reactions after eating ice cream or drinking milk products, however, no discomforts with cheese or yogurt even to this day.  Pain to a lesser degree came with eating popcorn or any corn products.  In 2000, I began my yoga practice, and found the course only natural to explore vegetarianism, which I began to do gradually.  Still, I would occasionally eat poultry, seafood, cheese and yogurt.  At this time, I had not even been officially diagnosed with Crohn’s.

2003:  This was a bittersweet year.  I had just received my Raja-hatha yoga certification and felt healthier, more energetic, centered, and knowledgeable about nutrition and well-being than I ever had in my life.  I was even teaching healthy cooking classes privately and for groups, tying it in with the nutritional aspect of my certification, expressing my love for beautiful, vibrant, healthy cuisine!

But in April, the typical debilitating abdominal pain I had grown so used to over the years came back one night and not alone. This time, more severe symptoms surfaced.  I woke up at 4:00 am with a fever accompanied by vomiting and bloody diarrhea, and the pain was more excruciating than ever.  I checked into the hospital knowing something was very wrong, where I remained for 4 days.  There, I went through an extensive barrage of testing and was ultimately diagnosed with Crohn’s disease.

I’ll never forget my initial meeting with the hospital’s gastroenterologist.  He handed me a huge stack of information about Crohn’s and IBD and “the LIST”.  The LIST was seemingly endless columns of “possibly” offensive foods.  And then of course there was the medication, some of which was intended to be on a permanent basis.  I was prescribed Remicade, a brand med for treatment of autoimmune disorders ; Cipro, an antibiotic, Prednisone, a steroid medication; and oxycodone for the pain.

After reviewing the LIST I wondered what on this Earth was left for me to eat besides mashed peas or baby food?  It included virtually every fruit and vegetable I loved, and that I relied on for nourishment.  At this point I’d been 100% vegetarian for over a year, and while I understood the concept of a process of elimination to alleviate food-aggravating symptoms, I felt I’d already accomplished much by my present diet and becoming a vegetarian.  The thought of taking meds for the rest of my life just sounded impossible and miserable and  I thought there must be a better way, a natural way!

I began the quest for what diet and lifestyle methods delivered the true meaning behind “let thy food by thy medicine”.   The first truly inspiring person that I immediately fell in love with was Christina Pirello, who had healed herself of leukemia through a macrobiotic and vegan diet, and Chinese medicine.  When I came across one of her books, “Glow”, it became my bible.  She introduced me to macrobiotics and so many other simple ways to alternative health, and the book served as a major platform as I dove into the under-workings of food industry, planetary health, veganism, alternative healing, essentially an entire new world!

2006:  Until now, my flares were occasional and fortunately none as severe was what landed me in the ER three years ago.  During 2006, there were many changes in my life, mostly quite positive, exciting, and many in a short period of time.  I moved from South Florida to Orlando, got a new job, got married, moved again, and gained an instant household of five – and that’s all a very brief list.  During our hot honeymoon phase of marriage, we were also living up our love for food, traveling, and celebrating a bit too much with the bubbly and wine!  Although my husband is a vegetarian, he’s a very liberal JUNK food vegetarian, so I was starting to eat things that weren’t typical for me (if it sounds like it is all his fault, well of course it is :-) .  I was eating a lot of pasta, fried food, processed mock meats, butter, and cheese – not at all my norms.  Slowly but surely it began to catch up.

Now regardless of the splurging and careless eating, I couldn’t help but notice several books with “raw” on their spines high up on my husband’s library shelf.  Of the most notable, Juliano’s “RAW”.  I had heard of the raw diet over the years, but never did I do any research because like many people do, I’d dismissed it as a diet of boring and more boring – sprouts, plain salads, and little else.  I thought that I was WAY too much of a foodie, and a raw food diet wouldn’t be any better than the LIST of doom!

2007:  On the heels of increased flares, and additional new concerns such as acute anemia, menstrual issues, aches, pains, and depression, I began to slightly panic again when my doctor suggested medications.  I jumped right into the raw food lifestyle to learn everything I possibly could.  An internet search brought me to well-known Angela Stokes-Monarch and her incredible weight loss story.  From there, the search results became viral it seemed, with case after case of people who had healed their chronic conditions with raw food.  I also quickly found out that the food is anything BUT boring, especially when July brought me my first visit to Pure Food & Wine in New York City.  I was immediately on board!  I became so excited about the new adventure and world of raw food that I started this blog.

2008-2010:   Things did get worse before they got better.  I was on and off of medications, struggling with iron, vitamin D, and B vitamin deficiencies.  I was trying to continue exercising regularly but it was more sporadic because of deficiency fatigue.  My menstrual cycles were crazy, my tummy was always upset.  There was a great deal of stress going on in our family life.  I had to have two iron infusions, which is basically liquid iron administered over several hours via IV port.  However, despite all this I kept good consistency with my diet by keeping at least 80% of my intake raw and eliminating anything processed.

Eventually, my energy, nutrient levels and overall health began taking a gradual incline.  And since January of 2010, my iron levels have been sustained in low-normal range.  This alone has given me so much more energy, so I’ve been exercising regularly five to six days a week by running, resistance and weight training, and doing yoga. And of course, my diet has continued high raw, which brings me to the present day.

Just a few of the key foods?  GREENS….I eat a lot of greens and I can’t emphasize enough how important they are!  Human blood is so similar to chlorophyll, and the nutrients found in dark leafy greens nourish and heal, literally giving us life!   I also eat a rainbow of antioxidant rich foods, like blueberries, strawberries and colorful bell peppers.  Coconut water is also magnificent for healing and hydration.  I am now healthy and Crohn’s free!

Tips for your own journey to healing:

1 – Acknowledge that the dis-ease exists, but do not fuel it by believing in its power over you.  Healing occurs in leaps and bounds when you awaken to the psychological effect, and how much of the dis-ease resides in the mind.  I never realized just how true this was until I was told I was in remission.

2 - Acknowledge the dis-ease exists, but do not fuel it by taking your health for granted!  If you make progress but revert to not-so-good habits, it’ll bubble up and remind you.

3 - Don’t identify yourself and who you too much with the dis-ease.  We do this so often (“Hi I’m Julie and I have Crohn’s disease”) and don’t even realize how the dis-ease begins to define who you are, which empowers it to become permanent.  You are not your dis-ease!

4 - Everyone has a unique relationship with their dis-ease, and therefore you have to find your unique inner strength, mental, emotional, and dietary combination to overcome it.  Dis-ease exists not at just a physical level, but it is only at the physical level that medicine or diagnosis can assist.  Heal your entire being.

5 - Keep an open mind and an open heart to healing.  But don’t blindly follow advice because someone swears by a single “miracle” method, especially if that method is being sold in a box or has a lofty price tag.  Take in as much information as you can learn and use your inner guidance, wisdom, and discretion.  We all have this internal compass.  Find what works for YOU.

6 - Take care of the physiological aspect of wellness with diet and exercise, but be flexible because not all habits need to be etched in stone.  When we put all of our efforts and faith in a single routine or habit, it leads to being stuck in a rut and may create road blocks to recovery.  Be aware that what works for our bodies one day may change in the future.

7 - It is okay to take medications, and it is a personal decision whether you decide to or not.  Choose wisely and if you must take them, do not rely on them as a permanent lifeline, but just as a temporary bandage while your body heals.

8 - DIET DOES MATTER.  EAT YOUR GREENS, LOTS OF THEM.  Eat something green with every meal, the more green, the better.  GREENS HEAL.

<3, JMK