We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming for an update on the results of our International Green Smoothie Day Challenge Contest Winners.
If you weren’t around on International Green Smoothie Day (August 15), we put together a fantastic list of Sponsors!
We had quite a few people from around the world joining us for that adventure, and in the spirit of Green Smoothie Community, we gave away great prizes to contest winners.
Ripple Maker Award
wins a Blendtec Blender!
Andy Reed, L. Ac., Dipl. Ac. NCCAOM
Living Foods and Ancient Folk Healing
Wind-River Acupuncture
windriveracupuncture@gmail.com
Green Moustache Award
Excalibur Dehydrator
Winner: Jennifer Strilchuk
mymindfulreflections.blogspot.com
Our whole family has had a blast on this green smoothie challenge. The green goodness has us all feeling so full of LIFE! My girls had so much fun giggling goofy giggles about their green smoothie mustaches. I just had to share!
Best Green Smoothie Recipes
Win a signed copy of : Green Smoothie Revolution
from The Raw Family
Blueberry Bliss: Christine Hansen
Mid-Summer’s Eve Cosmopolitan: Tamara Premer
Strawberry Fields by the Sea Melissa Hurt
Passionately Deluxurious Smoothie: Nathalie Blechner
Purple Velvet Smoothie: Juliette King
Top Testimonial Prize:
12 month subscription to Living Raw Magazine
The one year subscription includes 6 issues and postage anywhere in the world, valued at approx $50 USD.
Winner: Jet
I started as a vegetarian when I was 14, but gave up when as a married woman I tried to start a family and had a miscarriage. I was frightened (unnecessarily) about my diet having a bearing on my ability to conceive and started to incorporate fish and some meats back into my diet. Two children later, I found it difficult to get back to being vegetarian when the rest of the family were eating flesh foods so it wasn’t until my eldest turned 10 and was continually asking to become vegetarian that we made a pact, that we’d both go veggie as long as she would eat what I say she needs to eat for her health. She’s now almost 17 and I am happy to say we are both very healthy!
My husband and son are another matter. My husband is overweight despite cycling everywhere in his job, he suffers from Ulcerative Colitis for which I have had him on organic Molasses since April and currently he has no symptoms. At the start of the year we had a very stressful time as we both thought he had Colon Cancer, all the symptoms seemed to fit but two colonoscopys later we discovered he had UC running the entire length of his Colon and ten biopsies confirmed it was consistent with UC. The hospital have had him waiting 5 months until he sees the Consultant, this appointment is in two weeks from today and meanwhile he has been cured by my Molasses experiment, or so it seems! Would you believe they actually never prescribed him any medication, even though he was passing a LOT of blood every day? I think they will be very surprised at his turn-around in health due to the Molasses. Because of his experiences with his Colon health my husband is quite sceptical about eating a lot of greens and fruits, but he has been gradually coming around to the idea and in fact yesterday he tried my smoothie when I got a takeaway from a Juice Bar. He didn’t like it, due to the seeds haha! But I am going to continue to push the idea for him.
My 13yo son and I are both asthmatic, although I’m very well these days. Both my son and my husband eat a largely vegetarian diet for ease of cooking on my part, however they both supplement their diets with meat wherever they get the chance (lunches, eating out, and the occasional home cooked meaty meal). He has been suffering during the school holidays with wheeziness which has just about gone since he has been sampling my smoothies this past few days! He has noticed the benefits and we have been discussing the potential for his health if he starts having a green smoothie each day. I always hold out hope that he will become vegetarian full time, since he can see how easy it is for me and not to mention cheaper! I believe I have brought my children up to understand the basis of good nutritive foods and this coupled with knowledge of raw foods will give them a great start in their young adult lives when they become more independent.
My husband and I did a month of raw eating back in 2007 but we both found it very difficult. I seemed to be constantly trying to think of things we could eat and chopping ingredients. It largely consisted of raw patés and salads, and lunchtimes we were generally just eating a plate of greens with nuts and things. It became very boring and a real chore to chomp through. One thing I have learned from International Green Smoothie Day is that a glass or two of highly nutritious drink can contain all I need, including the fiber often lost through juicing, with no reason to feel I am missing out on the digestive process begun in the mouth by chewing one’s food. I think a lot of people just gulp down juices in the name of health, lacking in fiber and not bothering to chew, partly because they taste ‘like medicine’ because they haven’t got enough sweet fruits or water and because they don’t feel the need to chew - no skin or bits of pips or seeds. Of course, juices have their place in our diets, but the fiber lost along with some of the vitamins, minerals, fats, amino acids and other properties is a real waste unless the pulp is used to make raw crackers etc.
Anyway I am rambling LOL.
I didn’t hold an ‘event’ unless you count the event itself of taking more green smoothies in, realising several things including those described above, and also the fact that I can ‘get by’ with just my little stick blender! It suits my tastes fine but I’m not so sure I’ve converted hubby just yet as it’s not quite ’smooth enough’ for him. I’ve educated and spread the word at my local juice bar, who are considering adding greens to their menu of available fruit and veggies, and I have gotten my parents interested in eating more things raw including Beets!
I’ve also realised I don’t ‘need’ to buy lots of raw superfoods like Maca, Mesquite, Lucuma, Blue Green Algae, et al to have a healthy balanced raw lifestyle and I am looking forward to setting out to be High Raw once again, with no guilt trips when I feel I want something cooked.
I feel I am off on my path once again; I just took a diversion is all! Thank you so much everyone for this opportunity to take part, learn more, feel more and share more!
Most Elegant Green Smoothie Presentation Award
Angela Stokes and Matt Monarch donate a set of their 8 e-books
Winner:Family Morning Smoothie
by Julia Mauch
We have two boys, 13 and 17! They fight over the fullest glass, even if it’s just by a smidgen! And our granddaughters love to drink this from their “sippie” cups. Minus the nuts and flaked coconut, of course!
Approx. 2 cups of different greens (see below)
2 cups restructured alkaline water
Pulse blend until liquefied
2 T. of flaxseed oil
1/4 cup of fresh coconut water from a baby Thai coconut
1 cup almond milk (optional) made from raw almonds is extra wonderful!
1/2 avocado (optional)
4 frozen strawberries (may use any other berry such as blueberries, raspberries, or all together)
2 frozen bananas
Fresh or flaked unsweetened coconut (optional)
5 pecans or almonds (optional)
Raw agave nectar to sweeten
Pulse blend until smooth. Blend for approx. 10 seconds, and then turn on high for another 20 seconds.
Mild tasting Greens I’ve had success with:
Beet Greens
Chard
Baby Spinach
Dandelion greens
These greens are GOOD, especially kale, but I use sparingly for my boys because they don’t like a strong ‘green- tasting’ smoothie:
Kale
Collard
Top Powder Room Posters (2 Winners)
The Raw Vegan Network Member’s Recipe e-Book A Collection of Our Favorite Raw Vegan Recipes from Around the World
Winner: Jennifer Strilchuk
One highly effective 1-on-1 Magick Power Session with Nathalie Lussier
Winner : Juliette King
We had so many Generous and Fantastc Sponsors that we had Prizes Galore and we ran out of categories… *giggles*
So here’s the list of ALL the prizewinners!
One pair of handmade earrings from
Leslee Feiwus Jewelry
Winner: Anna Jonsson
Raw Breakthrough/Elements for Life
2 Coaching sessions (a $200 value).
Winner: Jane McDermott
3 raw cookbooks..”DINNER TONIGHT
Margaret Bauer
Isobel Phillips
Darya Slyusaryeva<
Paul Nisson
Raw Life
3 books of raw knowledge
Winners: Annabella Cruz
Karla Morelli
Jane McDermott
Raw Fun Family
Wild Edible Book - Starter Guide
Winner: Jane McDermott
Serenity Spaces
1 Book Celebrating Our Raw Nature
Winner : Karla Morelli
Parallel Perception
‘The Art of Stalking Parallel Perception’ the eBook version of the book It is in the genre of self-improvement and new age
Winner: Beth Grant
Jaydee Sperry
Infinite Birthing
A raw, vegan pregnancy related consultation. This would be valid for pre-conception, pre-natal or post-partum and infant care/feeding. This service provides a comprehensive evaluation, with a one-hour long phone conversation and ’plan of action’.
Winner: Virginia Morrison
Eat Sprouts
Plans to build Automatic Sprouter which I sell for $9.95 at eatsprouts.com.
Winner : Angela Randels
Radiant On Raw
15-page report called “Five Steps to Raw Success That Will Make Your Raw Journey a Breeze”
Kathy Burkholder
Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods & Oils
A package. (A t-shirt or tank top and a product + literature and stickers)
Winner: Kari Powell
Ely Organics
Bottle of Tropicana Body Milk
Value: $28:95 USD
Winner: Rhonda Hovden
Kristens Raw
3 books (print) for people in continental U.S. And 3 Ebooks for others outside continental U.S
Winners: Paul Rauh – South Korea
Tandi Hartle – US
Avril El-Amin - US
Linda Germany – US
Tahnee Benson- Australia
Frederick Patenaude
Uncooking DVD’s
Winners: Melissa Scavetta
DebK
Raw Radiant Health
Ebook titled: ‘Raw Radiant Health’s Favorite Summer Recipes’
Winner: Erika Scheidegger
Movement As A Way In
Jenn Givler
Fitness EBook
Winner: Alexandra Paine
Elixir Craft Mastery
Free digital copy of ElixirCraft Mastery
Marie-Lies Van Asten
Two $25 gift certificates from Affordable Mineral Makeup
http://www.affordablemineralmakeup.com/
Winner: Darya Slyusaryeva
Free “10 emails Holistic Stress Management coaching services” ($100 value)
http://holisticstressmanagement.com/
Winner: Alexandra Paine
Tropical Tune-up and Relaxer
Green juices don’t have to mean shots of wheatgrass. They can be delectable when made properly, and they are quick to make, too. For green juices to be palatable, you need to add the secret ingredient: fresh lemon juice. Lemon juice will take away the green taste and add a refreshing lemonade like flavor to the juice. Adding a little spiciness with ginger juice will make your green juice even better. By drinking 30 ounces of green juice a day, you can consume a whole head of lettuce on average without even noticing it! Don’t forget to add dark leafies such as kale.
People on the SAD (standard American diet) often equate salads with boring. Growing up in Europe where bottled salad dressings are hard to come by, I had to learn to make my own. Try your hand at new recipes such as sweet dressings with mangoes, or spicy dressings with mustard, or even fat free dressings with blended tomatoes and fresh herbs! When I don’t have time to make an exotic dressing, I simply mix olive oil and raw apple cider vinegar at a 2:1 ratio, add a pinch of sea salt, a little mustard, and sometimes a little crushed garlic.
When I eat out at restaurants, I’m often disappointed by the salad selection. You can make large, delicious and satisfying salads without having to resort to the traditional iceberg lettuce, cucumber and tomato. Try layering lettuce with peeled citrus fruits and avocado, or tossing spinach with strawberries! Try different greens, such as arugula (also called roquette) with fresh mushrooms. The possibilities are endless.
The Raw Vegan Network Member’s Recipe e-Book
I had spotted his Osterizer some time ago and decided that it would be perfect for trying out some kitchen experiments for raw foodists on a budget!
If, like me, you cannot afford a new Blendtec right up, you will need to care for your existing blender so that it survives long enough to be replaced! So here are a few tips I’ve figured out (usually the hard way lol) to help your blender:
I do hope that this helps you to enjoy your existing blender longer whilst you save for a new Blendtec. I’m certainly looking forward to purchasing one!
Happy Thursday Everyone! Well I’m back and feeling quite fabulous. That little sick invasion was just what I needed to get myself refocused. Ever since I got my appetite back I have been on a mostly liquid diet of smoothies, juices and teas. Oh yes, and I have to share. Just to prove that we can all learn from each other….I made my first parsley smoothie. I had never even thought of using it before I heard Tera raving about it. It consisted of celery, parsley, pineapple, raw honey and coconut water. It was quite an inventive smoothie if I say so myself. I have a fridge full of celery that my body has been craving. I have been using it for wonderful juices, but this morning I realized that I can now blend this in my new awesome 
at Whole Foods, just on a whim. I had already read through many uncook books and Dr. Cousens’ Conscious Eating, but something drew me to this book without really knowing much about the Boutenkos. I was really surprised by this raw book. For the first time in very long time, I found a book that I couldn’t let go of. I read it every chance I could. It was so easy to read, and for the first time some of the raw food concepts became very clear to me. In the book Victoria goes into depth about green smoothies and the many benefits of consuming them. Ever since then, I switched fruit only smoothies to green smoothies. When ever I introduce someone else to green smoothies I reference Victoria’s 
2 cups baby spinach (so sweet and gentle, perfect for getting your system use to raw greens)
