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RAW FOOD – RAW DIET OR LIFESTYLE ? FIND OUT WHY MORE EATING RAW AND BENEFITS OF RAW FOOD WEIGHT LOSS

HOUSTON, Texas – July 14, 2010 – Chef Allie (http://www.askchefallie.com), Raw-MM-Good! founder and new author of ‘7 Secrets to Living Raw Foods,’ is speaking at Trinity’s Health and Wellness Fair, Wednesday, July 21^st, 7 p.m.  She was invited by Dr. Brian Anderson, Missouri City, Texas, to share the benefits of raw vegan eating.

While speaking to the health and energy benefits of eating a raw food diet, Chef Allie will demonstrate one of many simple, sumptuous, satiating raw recipes to the more than 100 enrolled participants who signed up seeking better health.  August 2004, Chef Allie changed to raw food-weight loss of over 70 pounds, gaining improved health and tremendous energy were benefits. Out of a desire to help others also live a more vibrant life, she trained at the world renowned Living Light Culinary Arts Institute, and is now an Associate Chef and Instructor, in addition to creating products, writing, teaching, and coaching.

Amie Harper reviewing Chef Allie’s new book for Basil & Spice, wrote: “ … non-intimidating and takes a holistic approach … (Chef Allie) is committed to helping people become healthier through a dietary regiment filled with colorful living foods with great taste that satiate one’s hunger.”  Michelle Bryant of ShelfLife@Texas, for The University of Texas at Austin, recently interviewed Chef Allie, exploring why the raw food lifestyle can help you – greatest benefits and advice for those of you interested in adding more raw food to your diet.

“It’s all about helping people,” says Chef Allie, “making your life easier, so that you can live more of the life you’ve dreamed.  Food fuels our bodies, and virtually every culture has a saying similar to ‘You are what you eat’; what I do is help you with the best fuel possible for your body, for a life full of health and energy!”  When you read in the news about the Gulf Oil spill impact on the food chain, or the recent Australian herbicide sabotage case (with herbicide’s used by standard farms daily), or about heart-disease as the number one killer of those with a Western style diet, and Cancer a close second, it certainly makes you think about what you can do to live better.  Raw living food is a direct, simple way of making a significant difference for yourself and others, and many have saved on medical costs too.

About Raw-MM-Good! and Chef Allie –  Raw-MM-Good! is a company providing raw vegan food instruction and coaching services, live and on-line, for when you want more energy in your life through the food you eat, while having it taste great too – Nutritious + Delicious. Raw-MM-Good! started as a part-time side-line for Chef Allie last year, while she worked and traveled full-time for a large, multi-national corporation.  As of this March, she expanded Raw-MM-Good! to a full-time venture.  Houston based, she works internationally.  Visit Chef Allie’s new blog at http://www.askchefallie.com to ask any questions you might have on this topic; she regularly responds to comments.  While visiting her blog, also sign up and claim for yourself the new, free, ‘Shorts’ Food Training Video series that she’s releasing this week, with tips, tricks, and tidbits you can apply in any kitchen.

Contact Information:

Raw-MM-Good!, Phoebe Joy

Phone: 832-397-6296

Website: http://www.askchefallie.com

Email us: media@askchefallie.com

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Originally posted 2010-07-14 11:57:37. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

When you’re eating raw food in the Winter, how do you stay warm? I’ve had this question asked by several students curious if not heating food, how do you stay warm. There are several things to know about this that I’d like to share with you below.

Of the options, I recommend doing them all, and combining them in a way that works best for you. First of all, I recommend herbal teas. Yes, you’ll be heating the water above 118 degrees, though this is a natural liquid that goes straight through your system, and you’re primarily drinking it both for the pleasure and the warmth. My favorites include an herbal Chai, a Tahitian vanilla, and Golden Ginger. Both the Chai and the Golden Ginger play additional roles here too, that helps even more.

How do the Ginger and Chai help more? Well, they assist to warm you from the inside as well. Ginger is one of those ingredients that is both a wonderful digestive aid, having been used by the Chinese and people from India for thousands of years, and it also is a warming agent. So, it naturally helps the body’s regulating system warm you from the inside. So, Ginger tea can warm both from the temperature of the liquid, and from the herb itself. The Chai has several other warming energy ingredients that do the same, including cinnamon and clove.

Other warming agents that you can add to your food during the winter months include such things as Allspice, Anise, Caraway, Cardamom, Arugula, Paprika/Peppers and Cayenne, Cabbage, Carob, Carrots, Cherries, Chives, Cinnamon, Clove, Cumin, Dates, Fennel, Figs, Kale and Collards, Mustard, Oregano, parsnips, radish, raspberries, rosemary, sage, sweet potato, tarragon, thyme, turmeric, vanilla, and winter squash, to name a few. The Ginger, along with Olives, Garlic, Scallions and Onions are considered hot in energy even. So, this Winter, make a point of using some of these as ingredients in at least one meal each day, and if you tend to run cool generally, to every meal.

Another option for helping keep you warm in Winter is a little bit of exercise regularly. This also helps your body regulate itself and your temperature, with the deep breathing being a particular importance.

The deep breathing, especially using the Dragon Breath, can be particularly effective in warming you too. I’ll do best to describe it here … on the in breathe, keep mouth closed, somewhat constricting the throat so that you hear your breathe as you inhale, then on the exhale, pushing the air out through your mouth. Do this about 10 times in a row at a minimum. You can start to feel it work almost immediately.

To Your Most Vibrant Health, Chef Allie

Originally posted 2010-11-21 10:00:46. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Are you looking for a good food to take with you on the run? So many people are in a hurry, and comment that they’d like to eat better, though have a hard time working it into their schedule. Well, a great solution for this challenge is to make a batch of raw food energy bars to have available to take with you when you’re on the go. To help with this challenge, I created the following recipe for a quick grab and go food.

BANANA DATE ENERGY BARS ©
by Chef Allie

4 Bananas
4 Dates, soaked (min. 10 minutes) and pitted
2 T (up to 1/4 C) raw almond butter
meat of 2 young coconuts
2 T of Vitamineral Green or other green food powder, like Spirulina or Super Blue Green algae
1 scoop of Mila (alt. a high-grade of chia)
1 C of sesame seeds, unhulled, fresh ground for the recipe (a coffee grinder is perfect for this)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp nutmeg

1) In a food processor, mix all of the ingredients.
2) Shape portions into bars on a plate, platter, or cookie sheet.
3) Place in the refrigerator, and chill for firmness.

In an airtight container, in the refrigerator, these bars should stay good for about 1 week.

Note: Sesame seeds are about 50 percent oil, and 25-35 percent protein. They also contain vitamin E, iron,a lignin that is a powerful antioxidant and can inhibit cholesterol production, in addition to being one of the highest sources of calcium available by weight. With the loss of the hull, the seeds lose much of their fiber, calcium, potassium, vitamin B1, and iron – ergo the reason to purchase unhulled, and fresh grind for the recipe. Interestingly, in Oriental medicine, the seeds are used to prevent hair from graying. Use the unhulled seeds to make sesame butter (aka Tahini – used in making Hummus, among other things).

Note: Mila, a proprietary blend of four types of chia, is one of the highest sources of Omega 3 on the planet, and Omega 3 has been shown to be anti-inflammatory, and have multiple other major health benefits. If you are interested in purchasing some Mila, give me a ring at 832-397-6296, and with a credit card purchase, can have it sent directly to you wherever you like.

Please leave any questions or comments here, or on the front page.

To Your Most Vibrant Health, Chef Allie

Originally posted 2010-09-19 11:00:47. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

This time of year, when the Berries are oh so sweet, and ripe, and delicious, it’s a great time to take advantage of them, and store some away in the freezer for a Winter’s day, if you have the space. It’s also a great time to enjoy my “Berry Antioxidant Smoothie”; see recipe below. Berries are such wonderful supports to our bodies, helping fight the free radicals that come from stress, poor eating habits, and sedentary lifestyles. The immune system needs all the help it can get!

And, a great resource to review what the benefits are of those wonderful berries is Rawsome! by Brigitte Mars. She created a Raw Foods Encyclopedia in the front of her book that is jam packed with valuable nutritional information. For example, she shares that Blueberries are “sour, astringent, and moist, with a cold energy. They contain beta-carotene, vitamin C, iron, and potassium, and are rich in silicon, which is believed to help regenerate the pancreas.” And, for Raspberries, did you know that they are members of the Rose family? Brigitte indicates that Raspberries are “warming, sweet-and-sour berries .. known for their high content of vitamin C and potassium … also contain pectin, which is useful in “setting up” of jams and jellies.” And for Strawberries, she says they are “sweet, sour, cool, and moist … rich in flavonoids, vitamins B, C, and E, and iron … also contain ellagic acid, which is a potent anticancer compound.” The important thing to remember about berries is that they are on the list of top ten most contaminated fruits and vegetables when you purchase them grown by standard farming. So, ensure you’re buying these Organic!

Berry Antioxidant Smoothie ©Copyright 2010 Chef Allie

Ingredients:
1 -2 frozen bananas (frozen after you’ve peeled them, otherwise, they get mushy and unusable)
1/2 C Acai/acerola frozen berries (alt. raspberries or strawberries)
1/2 C Blueberries
1 – 1.5 C coconut water (alt. plain purified water)
1 tsp vanilla
pinch Himalayan pink salt
1 scoop Mila [Mila – highest grade available; Awesome source for Omega 3s and 6s – source: http://allie.lifemax.net (alt. 2 T Chia seeds)

Blend in Vitamix, or other blender, and enjoy the fruits of the season.

Originally posted 2010-08-12 11:14:27. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

So, it’s the start of the New Year again. I find it a good tool for motivation that does work for me. Back beginning of 2006, I used it to return back to a 100% raw food diet, followed by a 60-day juice fast starting in March that year. This past 6 months, I’ve felt like I wasn’t eating optimally for my body, and have gained some weight again. So, to drop back to what feels good, and clean out the system, and give the body organs a rest, I’ve felt that it was once again time for an extended fast.

So far, having started Jan. 5, and now on day twelve, it’s fairly simple. When I feel lazy or am crunched for time, I just make a Master Cleanse mix, though the sweetener that I use for my version is Coconut Nectar. This way, I can avoid the sugar glycemic swings. For those who aren’t familiar with the Master Cleanse, this is 32 oz fresh water, 2 Tablespoons of fresh squeezed lemon juice, 2 Tablespoons of your chosen sweetener, and a dash of cayenne.

People frequently ask how I can do a fast like this, especially for long periods of time. I find that as long as I keep the fluids coming, keep hydrated, then I’m satiated, or not hungry. If the hunger seems to creep in fiercely, then I make a fresh green juice and add a Tablespoon of hemp oil to the drink. The fat from the hemp oil is good both to stop the feeling of being hungry, and also important to help oil the brain. So, on a long fast, it’s good to add the hemp oil at least every couple of days anyway.

Some folks are carrot people. Some folks are apple people. I find the carrot too sweet, and so I use apples as my primary green juice base. Other really juicy items I use include cucumber, celery, and also, I really enjoying zucchini this go round too. And when I want something savory, I add garlic to the mix. The more fruity drinks, I often add ginger for a bit of a lift or zing. On the greener drinks, I also add a Tablespoon of Vitamineral Green; I’ve found it to be one of the best green powders both for taste and completeness.

I expect this fast will last at least thirty days, just to reset the body systems, and make sure the pipes are cleaned out well. If you have any questions on the Master Cleanse, a Juice Fast or Juice Feast, please send me a message, and I get back to you personally.

Happy New Year, Chef Allie

Originally posted 2012-01-16 17:33:12. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

So I was looking for something new to make as a dinner salad for tonight, and also looking to see what I had available in my refrigerator as an inspiration. I developed this yummy, creamy dressing. If thinned with additional water, or even a little celery juice, it could also be made into a soup. If thickened, via leaving out the water, it could also become a dip. So, it’s a versatile recipe, depending upon your needed purpose. It came out sort of like what one might use for a Ceasar Salad, and could be treated similarly … I did.

Celery Fennel Herb Dressing
© Chef Allie
Equipment: Vitamix or other blender
Yield: ~ 1 1/2 C

Ingredients:
2 small heads of romaine lettuce, chopped bite size
2-3 stalks of celery, chopped
all sprigs from top of a fennel bulb + top quarter of fennel bulb (sm-med size bulb)
4 T lemon juice
3 1/2 T olive oil
1/2 C purified water
4-5 small icicle radish
1 T fresh chives, chopped
1 tsp dried basil (alt 1 T fresh, chopped)
1 tsp dried thyme (alt 1 T fresh, chopped)
1 tsp Himalayan pink salt
Dash of Cayenne

Directions:
Place the romaine in a large salad bowl. In a blender, process all remaining ingredients until smooth and creamy. Pour the mixture over the romaine, and toss, so that all of the romaine is well coated.

Suggestion: Sprinkle rawmesan [aka raw parmesan] cheese (you can purchase or make it; let me know if you need a recipe for this too) on top, or pine nuts, or crumbled walnuts

This is such a filling, flavorful and satisfying dish, that you’ll feel quite complete … though, if by chance you do have huge appetite, feel free to add a pear or apple to compliment the meal.

Oh, and if you have some dressing left over, it should keep in the refrigerator for about 3 days in a sealed glass container.

Enjoy! – Chef Allie

Originally posted 2011-06-10 00:45:14. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The Raw Food Lifestyle is much more than just eating raw foods, at least from my experience.  It is about supporting yourself, your family and friends, and your environment in ways that will help improve your life, and the lives of those around you, as well as make a difference in supporting the health of the planet.  So, in the train of thought, I like to continually pass along other resources that have assisted me in this way, and may also be of value to you.

Here are some additional favorites that you might also find helpful:

Cranio-sacral techniques can release tensions and trauma from your body permanently, which can help you to make better decisions overall about and for your most VIBRANT life!  For Best of the Best cranio-sacral work/training, take a workshop with Dr. Michael Aaron in San Francisco area July 8 – 11; sign up via: http://www.cranial.org , and mention my name in the comments box, or call them at 650-773-4191 for more details.

Happiness is a topic most of us feel passionately about … we want it, we search for it, we seek it in all we do.  Another wonderful friend, Peter Levine, from England, has just released his AWESOME new book, ‘the Mechanics of happiness, Engineering A Positive Approach to Your Life.‘  Rather than being ‘mechanical’, he’s written an uplifting, book, alive with opportunities for awakening, for the novice and those who’ve been traveling the path for many years.  This is a masterfully written, outstanding resource!  Find out more about this book at: http://www.themechanicsofhappiness.com , and a portion of each book sale goes to support Habitat for Humanity too!

And, for those who have any kind of business where they speak to persuade, whether it’s to peers, co-workers, in sales, on-line, or with groups (and this can add value with your spouse and children too!), this upcoming July 20 – 22nd event with one of my teachers, Armand Morin, might be just the thing to take you to the next level …because, it’s official… the Persuasion X seminar is now available for the general public:  http://persuasionx.com/x.php?af=903175
———————————————
Please Be Warned…
———————————————
* This is not just “any seminar”.

It is a VERY pricey event for high level marketers.  Armand doesn’t want just “anyone” getting a hold of these techniques.

* This event is NOT for everyone.

If you have no intention of speaking from stage, then it’s definitely not for you.

If you don’t plan on hosting a teleseminar in the next year, this isn’t for you.

If you aren’t someone who plans on selling any kind of product or service in the next
year, don’t click the link below.

http://persuasionx.com/x.php?af=903175

However if you want to learn the powerful techniques to help you win over any audience and dramatically improve your sales, then click the link above.  I know you’ll enjoy it.

Take care.  And, if you have questions about these, or other resources, or just would like to ask a question, please see my other posts on http://www.askchefallie.com, or post a question there to me, and I’ll get back to you shortly.

-Allie

P.S  Click on the link below right now if your interested in this one because the seminar offer expires soon. (oh, and he’s also offering, via the video, 1 extra free ticket for you, so you could split the cost with your partner or buddy and go for half the price, plus for the first 50 people, he’s offered to pay their hotel rooms)
http://persuasionx.com/x.php?af=903175

Originally posted 2010-07-06 05:00:14. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Food is an emotional topic for most people in some form or fashion. Many of our earliest memories are connected with some favorite food smell, like a dessert from a family Holiday gathering. Admittedly, some have trauma experiences around food as well … some adult insisting that the plate has to been clean before leaving the table or being forced to eat something that made one sick. Those types of experiences have long lasting impacts on our psyches.

Then too, there is so little support in our society for people actually eating well. The government subsidizes the meat and dairy industries, though not fruits and vegetables. It all ties back to the money trail, and keeping people chronically ill, and therefore usually taking a large quantity of pharmaceuticals, feeding into the big corporations bank accounts. When people are chronically ill, they have a hard time thinking clearly, and making good decisions for themselves, typically falling back into what is easiest, which usually turns out to be the societal norm. Also, that usually keeps them sick to death, literally.

As a foodie, I’ve insisted that food taste good, in addition to being healthy. Also, I understand that people will likely only stick with something if they can find an easy way to incorporate a change into their lives. Even when we make changes, no matter how strong our commitment, given the lack of support generally for anything other than the norm, we may fall off the wagon. How do you handle it when you fail to live up to something you value? That is a key to success. If you beat yourself up, feel guilty, those behaviors that I’ve experienced and find totally unproductive, I would ask you, if like me, perhaps there is a kinder, gentler, more compassionate way you could find with yourself to allow for the slip, and just stay committed to the overall direction. Sometimes it comes in giant leaps, and sometimes, despite a backward direction, the progress is in baby steps. We win as long as we keep our commitment, refusing to give up, and eventually, even though it might sometimes seem like we’re headed in the opposite direction, we move forward to success.

Related to raw foods, that might mean that you’re not 100% raw, even though you believe in it being the most optimal way of eating for the human body scientifically. Accept that, and perhaps agree to at least stay vegan for a while, even though it’s cooked. Or, whatever other step you need to take in order to live your life. Just remember to stay committed, keep reading about the topic, keep interacting with others going in the same direction, keep the faith that eventually you will reach your goal. We all have challenges to overcome, and food choices can be a major one for many of us. Please contact me if I can in any way be assistance with your journey.

All the Best,
Chef Allie

Originally posted 2012-02-23 18:04:56. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Sixty (60) days on a juice fast …

That was my first experience with extended  juicing, and the raw food diet.  I lost over 25 lb.s during that juice fast, and all except the initial week while detoxing, felt AWESOME!  Energy, Energy, Energy!!!  Now, I do my best to do at least a 30 day juice fast every year; it helps re-set the body systems, give them a rest, and clean out anything that’s just not quite what it should be.  Other than a water fast, a juice fast is the quickest way to clean out the body.  Now, while I HIGHLY recommend juice fasting, if you’re already ill, especially, you must be careful how fast you detoxify (clean out the body) since the illness is already an indicator that your body is too overloaded.  It took a while for your body to get that ill, and if you go too fast, there could be serious impacts for you.  So, the first time you do a long juice fast, I would recommend that you work with someone who knows what they’re doing.  I can recommend John Rose, who has been helping people from all over the world, some even famous, with juice fasts for over twenty years now.  John can be reached at 713-789-2223.  Let him know that I sent you.

With a good juicer, and single auger style is best at an affordable price to help keep the enzymes intact, you can make a juice and clean up in about 20 – 25 minutes, making a Quart of juice.  I personally use an Omega 8003, the Greenstar is another good one, and so is the Sampson.  A website that I like with good prices on juicers is EZJuicer.com, and I can also help anyone interested in purchasing a Sampson http://tinyurl.com/nhgxx3.

On a juice fast, you drink about four quarts of juice each day – could be five for guys or gals who are working out strenuously.  Of these quarts, I preferred three quarts be green, vegetable juices, and one quart be fruit.  The fruit was usually just too sweet for me generally, that first juice fast.  Though, this last fast that I did in the fall for 45 days, I wanted more fruit.  Your body will be a good guide for what you need.  In big cities, juicing can sometimes be made even easier by purchasing quarts of FRESH juice from the store or at a juice bar – and, make sure it’s fresh, rather than pasteurized.  The enzymes are killed in the pasteurized juice, and that doesn’t do you any good.

Juicing doesn’t have to be part of the Raw Food Diet, though is it a great support, and generally a good way to start and/or end the day.  Jay Kordich (he’s one of my friends on Facebook; you can connect with him there) is an example of someone who has lived by this example, and he’s vital and active still in his 90s.  Another great resource for information, besides Jay, are books from Dr. N.W. Walker, D.Sc.; Dr. Walker wrote, ‘Become Younger’ and “Fresh Vegetable & Fruit Juices’, two wonderful, short books, that are a wealth of support information for anyone interested in juicing.  It’s all for the purpose of living, truly living, a VIBRANT life!  If you are curious about more information on the raw food diet, please see the other posts here at http://www.askchefallie.com, or feel free to post any questions that you have.  I am always happy to assist you with additional information and resources as you explore and educate your self on ways to feel better and live the best life you can live!

Originally posted 2010-07-08 13:15:53. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

“The Live Food Factor
A Comprehensive Guide to the Ultimate Diet for Body, Mind, Spirit & Planet”
by Susan Schenck, L.Ac., M.T.O.M.

While this book has been published for a few years (First pub. 2006), it is one to bring to the attention of anyone curious about raw food, or who wants to investigate the scientific basis / rationale for eating a raw food regimen. The author terms this a comprehensive guide, and it does cover a wide spectrum of areas related to eating raw foods.

Schenck includes upfront, Ten reason to stop cooking, including the super health, mental agility and health, weight loss and beauty, emotional balance, spiritual growth, economy, pleasure, ecology, free time, and longevity. I would personally add to this overall quality of life, which does incorporate many of these aspects. She has extensive testimonials in the book too. Then Schenck launches into the Science of eating raw foods, covering topics such as our views of disease and its treatment, 29 experiments that have been conducted with cooked vs. raw food, an exploration of the toxicity of cooked food, a section covering the ingredients for raw, and then another section on the history of the movement back to raw food. Schenck then moves on to Getting Started with eating raw food as a lifestyle, what to expect, including a section on controversial nutritional issues and common pitfalls to avoid, and a FAQ section. She wraps up the book with a nice variety of raw food recipes, just a few in each type (soups, entrees, desserts, etc.). She has one of the few recipes for Raw Chocolate that I’ve seen in all of the books that I’ve read/own/used, and they’re both tasty and easy too, for those who like chocolate.

For those who are of a skeptical or scientific leaning, I would definitely recommend this read. It is one of the books that I recommend students take a look at to investigate on their own raw food journey. If you have any comments or questions, on this post, please leave me a message or note via http://www.askchefallie.com, and I will personally respond back to you.

Originally posted 2010-09-06 12:00:08. Republished by Blog Post Promoter