30 Day Raw Challenge Ready, Set...Go!

My friend and organizer of the Manchester Raw Food Meet-Up, K.O. has posed a 30 Day Raw Challenge. Over twenty people signed up and I'd never be one to turn a challenge down. Plus, it's come at a perfect time for me. Coming back from a week away and feeling a little down, I hadn't been treating my body as the temple that it is over the past few weeks and boy was I feeling the effects. My skin is dry and my face and neck have broken out horribly. I've gained about 10 lbs. and feel sluggish. Also, with my next surrogacy transfer possibly weeks away I want to be as clean as possible. The challenge was to go %100 raw for 30 days and well that's not much of a challenge for me since I've been raw for up to 8 months at a time in the past. Therefore I'm taking on the challenge and making up my own cleansing plan along the way.
The official start day was Saturday April 14th. I began on Friday the 13th (what better date!)with a twenty-four hour water fast. I drank about 200oz. of pure water with lemon and sometimes a few dashes of cayenne to keep it interesting. In the evening I had a cup of daily cleanse tea which I purchase from The Mustard Seed herb shop in Nottingham, NH. The tea contains dandelion, burdock, fenugreek, pau d'arco, red clover, parsley, marshmallow root, nettles, slippery elm, ginger, clove, and yarrow. I placed the herbs in a mason jar and let it brew in the sun for several hours. Fasting improves circulation and the body's capacity to eliminate and helps rebalance our unnatural cravings by eliminating the chemicals or properties that cause them resulting in better overall health.

My idea for the thirty days is to have juice in the morning, followed by a huge green smoothie and a salad or other vegetable based raw dish in the evening. Adding in more pure water with lemon, at least 100oz. every day is key. I'll be eating large amounts of greens and fruit, other vegetables, and some small amounts of seeds. Most importantly, I'll be getting back to my routine of daily yoga, walking and running. I feel like the planet has aligned for me to be successful once again. We have had unbelievable weather for this time of year in the northeast. I can't help but be outside on my kayak, in the garden and the forest soaking up this beautiful sun and getting a ton of exercise without even thinking about it.

Feeling great, super powered and ready I began Saturday with a beautiful juice thanks to my sweet friend Rachel for letting me borrow her Omega juicer since my older centrifugal juicer died. I love the Omega and am saving up for a masticating juicer of my own. Even my partner and youngest daughter tried and liked this juice, it has a sweet apple taste!



Day 1 Juice
1 bunch celery
1 bunch kale
a handful of parsley
4 red apples sliced and seeded
1 orange peeled


Well it's already day three as I write this and I've been keeping to my plan and feeling amazing. I'm just bursting with energy and my skin is beginning to feel and look better. I've been skin brushing and applying coconut oil daily and aloe to my face along with soaking up plenty of natural vitamin D. I plan to post here each night for the remaining 26 days as a journal of this challenge. I'll try and record my success, trials, and recipes to inspire and enlighten.

This was dinner on day 1:

Sprout Tuna Lettuce Wraps
1/4 C Mung Bean Sprouts
2 C Alfalfa Sprouts
1 C Radish Sprouts
1/3 C Sunflower Seeds (soaked)
3 Stalks Celery
1/4 C Chopped Onion
1/2 C Hemp Seeds
2 Tbl. ACV
1/2 C Dulse soaked or 2 Tbl. Dulse or Kelp Powder

Process all ingredients except for Alfalfa and Radish Sprouts in a food processor. Pour the mixture over the sprouts and mix to combine. Spoon into Romaine Lettuce and top with tomato slices.

This was dinner on Day 2:

Hemp Broccoli Salad
3 Bunches of Organic Broccoli Crowns washed and stems removed
1/2 C Hemp Seeds
1 Apple Sliced and Seeded
Juice of 2 Lemons
2" Piece of Fresh Ginger
1/2 C Raw Raisins
10 Grape Tomatoes Sliced
2 Tbl Sesame Seeds
1 Tsp. Sea Salt

Place the broccoli in a large bowl. Process the hemp seeds, apple,ginger and lemon juice in a high speed blender. Pour the dressing over the broccoli and add remaining ingredients. Top with sesame seeds.Toss and enjoy!

For a treat last night I made banana ice cream:
The pure local maple syrup is not "raw", but in my book is the best sweetener. The sap it's made from is the food of big strong maple trees and loaded with high minerals. Raw honey or agave may be substituted to keep it truly raw.
Maple Ginger Banana Ice Cream
2 Sliced Frozen Bananas
A Few Shavings of Fresh Ginger (use a peeler and your taste guide)
1/4 Tsp. Fresh Nutmeg
1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon
1 Tbl. Maple Syrup
1/4 C Hemp Seed Milk
Place in high speed blender and blend until smooth. You will need to use the stamper liberally for this to blend well.