Planting seeds for a new Start

Last few days I have been working hard on preparing for the Sprouting workshop which took place last Wednesday with Linda Frees at Lola Rosa Park - It was an amazing successful activity, we were around 12 people, together we learned how to sprout, using three different methods, the Jars, the Soil and the bag strainer.

Just few days before, I have decided to prepare few bundled packages to sell during the workshop in order to give everyone the chance to try other seeds, and do some home discoveries.

Monday, I went and bought the seeds from Club Organic, bought the Big Jars to distribute to every participants as a take home sprouting kit, and I prepared 2 Jars with the different seeds, mix of Alfalfa and Red Clover in one, and a mix of Lentils and Mung Beans in the other.

I realized that I had lots of seeds that I can share, after filling all the 30 Jars, so I decided to do some search to find small jars which I can use as additional seeds for people to buy.

On the same night, after filling all the big jars, I realized that something is missing, the branding, and labeling each jar with what it contains.

I thought about creating the labels alone, after doing some research, I realized that I will need to photoshop, or illustrate some designs which I am not familiar with, so I contacted my brother's girlfriend, Monique Aoun, who is a talented graphic designer, and asked her to create something nice for the Jars.

at 2 am she started, and the second day I received an email with the design, sent to me at 3:30 am. I was amazed by her fast design, the image, and the connection to the nature, green, and sprouts.

Here is what she came out with and I am so grateful:

 

 With this, I created different bundles:
Love in a Jar - Health in a Jar - Positivity in a Jar
and other packages like:
Clear your Soul - Harmony - Love - Oneness - Clarity

All of this was prepared in less the 24 hours, all hand made, and most of the decoration was packed using recycled materials from home.

                                                    

I was super happy with the outcome, thanks to by brother Riad and Monique who helped in the process.

Here are some photos I am sharing from the event, enjoy!

Bundles

Linda and Reina

The participants

Sprouting with the Soil

Table & Jar Preparation

Sprouting using the Bag Strainer

Thanks again to all the participants, to Linda Frees and to Lola Rosa for hosting us.

Following this workshop, I realized that my first workshop of 2015 was sprouting, in a deep meaning, it is planting the seeds for new experiences - I wish you all start planting some seeds of life, and harvest all the positivity, love and harmony that it caries with it.

Looking forward to seeing you during another workshop.

Please visit Raw Love Recipes on Facebook to share the photos of your sprouts and on Instagram @RawLoveRecipes

Sprouting - Have you tried it?

My first sprouting activity happened, when Linda Frees, a Health Educator and Living Foods Instructor from Healthy Easy Green, passed by to my place to bring me the biomat to try out.

Knowing about what she does, her classes and all, I asked her about Sprouting, and she was so generous to show me how easy it is to sprout.

I had the materials right there in my kitchen, without even knowing it.

Materials:

- A Jar
- A Net
- Grains and Seeds.

I won't put all the details here as her and I are organizing an hands on workshop activity to learn how to sprout! Isn't that Fun!

The event is happening on January 14, 2015 at Flash Expresso, on 2471 Notre-Dame Ouest, Montreal, H3J 1N6 at 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm.

Learn how easy it is to grow your own fresh greens and sprouts in the coldest days of winter, right in your kitchen window. Enjoy beautiful fresh greens all winter long, for just pennies a day.
check all the details here:

InterNations
Facebook @ Raw Love Recipes by La Reina :


30$ Sprouting class includes:
2 Hours Sprouting Class
2 Sprouting Jars with Seeds
Espresso or Tea,
Brownies or Pain au Pomme

Bring your lovely smiles along!

Minimum number of attendees is 20 - the activity will be canceled if we have less then 20 attendees - so Invite your friends!

RSVP & Pay by January 8, 2015

I am ready to Sprout!

See you Wednesday January 14, 2015 at 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

La Reina

Tarte au Sucre

I have missed dearly writing and sharing my precious experiences in challenging myself in the kitchen, follow some recipes, read some un-cooking books, and live the adventures of creating.


I have been away from blogging, but was and still always available on Twitter, Facebook Fan Page and Instagram

Laying down on my couch, watching a recorded series on TV, on a very cold stormy, windy and snowy night. Looking into my old recipes, photos, and wondering how come I have too many that I haven't posted, or shared yet.

At the same time, I am preparing my dream idea to share it with a famous vegetarian restaurant in town, which within 2015 it will be revealed.

I got interrupted by a long interesting phone call which didn't allow me to finish writing and post on time.

This is an old recipe that I have prepared, and it was one of the best pies: " Tarte au Sucre"

Tarte au Sucre

Ingredients of the filling:
3 cups Brazilian nuts
3/4 cup Date Paste
3 T.b.s. Maple Syrup
1 T.s. Vanilla Essence
1/8 T.s. Sea Salt
1/3 cup melted Coconut Oil

Ingredients for the Crust:
1 1/2 cups of Pecan nuts
1 cup Grated Coconut
3 T.b.s Date paste or 3 pitted dates
1/4 T.s. grounded Ginger
1 T.s. grounded Cinnamon
1/4 T.s. grounded Cardamon
1/4 T.s. grounded Clove
1/4 T.s. grounded Nutmeg
1/8 T.s. Sea Salt

Preparation of the Crust:
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Gives 1 Pie
Utensils: Food Processor

Add the Pecan in the Food processor and reduce to obtain pecan powder.

Add remaining ingredients and grind until obtaining a uniform crust with which it is possible to form a ball.
If necessary, add up to 1 Date or 1 T.s. of  date paste.

*Can be keept 2 weeks in the refrigerator in an airtight container.



Preparation of the filling:
 
Utensils: Mixer/Blender (Vitamix), Food Processor
Portion: 12
Preparation time: 15 minutes

Spread the crust in the bottom and the sides of a 22cm pie mold, preferably with a removable bottom.

In food processor, reduce Brazilian nuts to obtain a liquid and creamy butter. This process can last a few minutes.

Add the Brazilian nut butter into blender than add the date paste, the maple syrup, vanilla essence, and the sea salt. Reduce to a uniform and smooth paste.

Stir in the melted coconut oil while the mixer is still running. Let it run until obtaining a creamy and uniform mixture.

Empty the mix on the crust and place in refrigerator for about 3 hours, until the cake freezes.

*Can be kept 10 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container or 4 months in freezer.

I do hope you enjoy the smooth, mouth watering taste of the " Tarte au Sucre". I remember that it was a good hit when I have prepared a tasting get together. Friends and family loved it.

Recipe by: Crudessence Recipe Book
Made by La Reina

Bon Appétit!
 

A Life Change - More Powerful Healing Hands

Today, and after almost a year since I wrote on my blog, 8 days in difference, (for me 8 symbolizes Eternity) I felt like sharing a beautiful experience, I wasn't even expecting it was gonna happen to me.

Since the beginning of July, I have been juice fasting. Yes, it is a ritual which I have been following year after year, which is very much helping me go through a good cleansing. 20 days has passed and I feel more life has gone into me, and I feel Incredible.

(Juicing Recipes to be shared in a form of an e-book, stay tuned.)

Today, marks The Day I earned my Reiki Master Degree. It was a great honour for me, to have received a great initiation by my previous Master Elen, for whom I am so grateful. And  it was in the presence of my precious mother,  where lots of amazing bonding happened, who also became a Reiki Master.

I am, officially a Reiki Master, and I offer the world, every human, animal, the nature and living being all my gratitude and my love.

I will be available to answer your questions, offer you a distant healing if far, and one-on-one healing if I am in your area, in addition to soon starting to offer initiation classes.

You can easily reach me for your Raw Healing.
write me on Rawloverecipes(at)gmail.com and I will be here for you.

With love, harmony and positivity, I wish you all a beautiful night.
La Reina
Raw Healing

7 days Juice Fasting

Been few month since I have last written anything on my blog. Life has been busy, between a new job, my own company, my family and social life, time flew by. Although some updated, smoothies, juices and others are being tweeted and available on my Facebook fan page. But not details and full recipes on Raw Love Recipes.

Today, July 28, is my 7th day of Juice Fasting - I can't state yet my exact feeling, as some days I feel great, and others I feel tired, sleepy, and mostly hungry!

Last Monday, I have decided to jump into this kind of fasting, for the sake of my acne... been trying for the past 2 years to be acne free - this being adult acne... Unfortunately, it is not yet happening. I am giving myself another week to hopefully notice some results, but my challenge should go to 3 weeks! (Worried that I might not be able to handle it)

Family, during this month, are gathered everyday for dinner, and my mother is cooking all kinds of delicious meals, not only vegan or vegetarian, but still, when you can't eat anything, your mouth drops just by seeing FOOD.

I am drinking the food, that is the difference, mostly all kinds of Leafs, Vegetables, and Fruits. Looking for recipes online, and sometimes creating my own -

The first few days I juiced and I blended, juices, smoothies and soups, but in total I have prepared 24!
It is important to have all your ingredients Organic or Local. I can't say that such a diet is cheap, on the contrary, you use a lot more ingredients that you think you need... and when you get hungry, you will need to juice right away.

Drinking water all the time is also important, so keep a bottle at hand all the time. I add lemon to my water from time to time. I will need to buy jars in order to prepare natural flavored water.

One problem I have been having for the past few days, even with all the juicing, is constipation.
It is not a subject you want to know or hear about, but this is a major importance for your body to function. When we were young, my father used to tell us the story about the body organs, asking us the Question: "who is the most important organ in the body?", giving us a choice between the "Brain" and the "Anus". We thought it would be the Brain, but not exactly, as if the Anus decided to stop functioning, then most of the body organs fail to do their job.

I have done few readings, tried yesterday warm water with Lemon, added castor oil in my juices, it worked a bit for a day, I am worried that this doesn't work later in the coming days... as the body needs to eliminate all the waste, and surely I don't want my skin to get irritated by this ... I prefer to start having a clearer skin.

Anyhow, that last part was a bit personal, but I am sure you mostly have this problem too from time to time.

Looking forward to juicing for the coming week, hoping I won't loose lots of weight as this is not my aim as I weight only 123.4 pound.

I will post all the juices, recipes, ingredients and pictures for you if you wish one day to give it a try - best timing is spring, summer or Autumn, don't do it in winter as it is too cold, and our body needs to be warm.

Here is a preview of what I have prepared so far:

Finally my Dehydrator!

Yes!!! Finally I have received a dehydrator. My amazing mom bought it for me as a gift so I can start creating new recipes which needs dehydration like bread, burgers, chips, fruits, etc... .

And, to challenge me, the family has decided that I prepare the lunch for Sunday, a raw vegan lunch which needs dehydration.

This  dehydrator holds 5 plates, and has different temperatures. I mostly might use 40 degrees tops.

 

Dehydrator

 So the menu for tomorrow will be:
Om Burger by Crudessence, which needs a chapati bread, and the meat, both dehydrated, the bread for 5 hours and the meat for 8 to 10 hours.
Stay tuned for the recipes!

La Reina

Dragon Fruit

 

Have you ever seen this fruit before? You might have while shopping at the grocery store, but have you had the curiosity to taste it? Well, I have, it has a sweet good taste, and the fun is that I can add it to my smoothies!

The story is that I didn't buy it, it was my lovely brother-in-law, who knows that I like to try new fruits and discover new tastes so while he was shopping the other day, he thought about buying some.

Dragon Fruit

What do you know about the dragon fruit?

It is know as Pitaya or pitahaya is the fruit of several cactus species. "Pitaya" usually refers to fruit of the genus Stenocereus, while "Pitahaya" or "Dragonfruit" always refers to fruit of the genus Hylocereus.

It comes from a cactus called the dragon fruit cactus plant, which only blooms at night. This fruit typically grows in tropical, dry or subtropical environments. The fruit can be eaten fresh or dried, and both forms are full of nutrients and health benefits.

Fiber

According to NaturalFoodBenefits.com, dragon fruit is a good source of fiber, with nearly 1 g of fiber for every 100 g of fresh dragon fruit. When dragon fruit is dried, the fiber content rises even more, with 10 g of fiber or more found in 100 g of the dried fruit, depending on how much water the dried fruit has. Eating the skin of this fruit adds to the fiber content--just make sure the skin is free of mold and dirt.

Cholesterol and Fats

Dragon fruit has low amounts of cholesterol, and has minimal amounts of fats that raise cholesterol levels, states the Diabetic Life Diet website. The cholesterol in dragon fruit comes from the many seeds that are in the fruit, sometimes thousands of seeds in one piece of fruit. When you eat dragon fruit, the seeds are extremely small and diffused throughout the fruit, so it is impossible to remove all of the seeds prior to eating. These seeds add fat and protein to the fruit, but the majority of fat in the seeds is the good kinds of fat called monounsaturated fat.

Vitamins and Antioxidants

The dragon fruit is chock-full of vitamins, including vitamin C and antioxidants. The amount of vitamin C in each fruit can vary, depending on soil nutrients and differences in dragon fruit cacti, but the website Dragon Fruit Pitaya Fruit estimates that approximately 50 percent of your daily vitamin C requirement can be met by eating 100 g of dried dragon fruit or 1 kg of fresh dragon fruit. Other nutrients in dragon fruit include carotene, phosphorus and vitamins B1, B2 and B3, according to Agriculture Business Week. Antioxidants help destroy free radicals in the body, which are molecules that may cause cancer, cardiovascular issues and other health problems.

Effects on Diabetes

Dragon Fruit Pitaya Fruit notes that the fruit can help control glucose levels in some people with Type 2 diabetes. If you have diabetes, it is best to talk to your doctor about the possible health benefits of dragon fruit.

Reference: Livestrong