2nd Annual 31 Day Totally Raw Challenge: Starts August 1st.

Hello Friends,

I just wanted to pop in here and let you know about my 2nd annual Personal 31 Day Totally Raw Challenge.

This year I have decided to do something a bit different. Instead of going at this alone I have invited my friends on FB to join me in a private FB page as I up the ante from 80% to 100% raw for the whole month of August.

I am a firm believer that whole health is not only about food. It encompasses every aspect of our lives and one of the most important aspect of health is movement, physical activity, gets the heart pumping, the lymph flowing, and the body as a whole works much better. So this year my personal challenge is not only to eat 100% raw but also to incorporate more physical activity into my day above of my normal yoga practice.

I would love you to join us for a month of sharing your daily health intention, your insights, your favourite recipes, photos etc.

It is absolutely free and you will meet new friends who are making their way to better health with raw.

One questions that I have been asked is do I have to eat 100% raw to join in? Absolutely not, that is my goal and my intention, however if that is what you want to do that will be entirely up to you and should be based on where you are on this journey.  So if you are new to raw, you can start by simply adding more raw fruit and vegetables into your day. If you are already doing that you may want to now make 1 meal 100% raw, which one and how again will be totally up to you.

To join in, visit and like my Facebook page here: www.facebook.com/RawFoodYogini. To gain access send me a personal message with your intention to join in and share and you'll be added to the group.

Hope to see you there!

Blessings,
Fortunata
The Raw Food Yogini

A Great Dish for Summer Gatherings

We have been experiencing very hot and humid days this past week and there is nothing better than getting out to your favourite beach and enjoying some time splashing in the water and having a great picnic with family and friends.

Not sure what to bring to a potluck picnic?

Try this nice crunchy salad and wow your friends.

Enjoy!

Mission "Figs" are in Season!

Ever since I was a child I've always enjoyed figs both fresh and dried.  

Living where we do we don't often fid fresh figs, but when they are finally in season I tend to indulge in these wonderful gems of goodness.  

Figs have amazing health benefits, from boosting your antioxidant levels to reducing inflammation. They are fibrous which, may help improve gut mobility and are high in potassium which is important in heart health.

A great way to enjoy figs other than simply on their own is to toss them into a great green or spinach salad with a light balsamic vinaigrette.  I love them in smoothies, light tasting and hits the spot.  Below is one of my favourite "fig" smoothie recipes.

Enjoy!

Fortunata

Perfect Drink for the Long Weekend Ahead

A very refreshing drink to enjoy this holiday weekend.

It's quite easy to make and will be a hit with your family and friends.

Enjoy a glass by the pool, sitting out on the deck, or take it along on a hike to cool you off and refresh you along your way.

Have a happy and safe holiday weekend my friends.

Fortunata

Apple Rhubarb Lemon-Aid

Perfect drink for a hot summer's day!

2 Granny Smith Apples
6 inch rhubarb stalk 
1/2 Lemon

If using a masticating juicer be sure to chop rhubarb into small pieces and juice directly with apple pieces. This will help prevent clogging the pulp chute on your juicer.

Strain juice through cheese cloth to remove excess pulp.

Add equal volume of filtered water for a lighter tasting juice and pour over ice.

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Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Wow, It's been awhile since I last posted here on my blog.

Lots of people have been checking into my blog over the last few months which makes my heart sing as I see that there are so many of you that continually come online to check out recipes.  Would love to hear from you as to which recipes you have tried and how you liked them.

Throughout these last couple of months my focus turned more toward my health. Lots of reading, lots of contemplation, and lots of compassion as I began to take baby steps to transitioning into the experience of juicing for health along with raw foods.

Totally new to juicing I was not sure how I would feel and was reluctant to take those steps.  Throughout March I began juicing periodically.  I guess it would have helped to write it all down in terms of what was happening each day but felt that I needed that time for myself to really experience what changes were occurring and how to adapt to juicing more throughout the day.

As April 1st approached I knew I was ready to at least juice throughout the day and enjoy a salad with my evening juice. The first few days were okay.  I really thought it would be harder to keep it up. It did really help to have a salad for dinner with a juice as well.  There is just something to be said about actually chewing.

I was very surprised as to how much more energy I experienced just after a few days of juicing.  I have to admit it was pretty shocking as I do get an energy burst around day 3 every time I go from 80 to 100% raw during my 28 and 31 day raw food challenges but this was way more.

No adverse detox symptoms were felt until around day 15. Feeling tired, a mild tummy ache and headache.  Resting at this point and not overly doing was the key to get through the detoxification. Drinking lots of water helped too.

Here we are already almost at the end of June and I am still juicing at least once a day and sometimes throughout the day.

Juicing in combination with smoothies and raw food has really been life changing.

Cheers to good health!

Fortunata
The Raw Food Yogini

A Hardy Breakfast

One of my yoga students asked me last night for a hardy raw breakfast recipe as he is very active and needs something that sticks to his ribs in the morning to get him through a busy day.

Here is a recipe that will surely do just that.

Enjoy.

Keep rawk'n it out in your kitchen!

Cheers,
Fortunata

Maple Walnut Overnight Oats

Soak 1/3 cup steel cut oats overnight in water at room temperature.
Remove soaking water and rinse removing as much water as you can.

To the soaked oats add:
4 tablespoons chia seeds,
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts,
Cinnamon,
1 cup almond milk
2 tablespoons maple syrup, or sweeten to taste with date paste or sweetener of choice.

Allow to sit until it thickens.  May need to add more almond milk if it gets too thick.

Top with a few chopped walnuts and a drizzle of maple syrup.