Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K, plus the antioxidant benefits of lycopene*. They are a fruit, but they are usually served as a vegetable.
*Lycopene is the pigment that makes tomatoes red. The redder the tomato, the more lycopene it has.
Season: Available year-round but tomatoes are at their peak June-September
How to select: Choose firm tomatoes, richly colored and noticeably fragrant.photo by babybee
How to store: Ripe tomatoes should be stored at room temperature and used within a few days.
What causes cancer? What are the best new cancer drugs? Is there a natural cure? You’ll be blown away by the information you get at this free tele-seminar: Tuesday, December 16, 2008. Info here.
In this video a 14 year old Severn Cullis Suzuki speaks to the UN raising awareness on environmental issues. This inspiring and moving speach is just one of Severn’s many outstanding activities.
I post this video because it really shows the difference one single person, even a child, can make in this world.
Be inspired. The best thing you can do? You don’t have to be a Severn. Be the change you want to see in the world. Be the best example on environmental issues. It will create a domino affect. Doing great is contagious, others will follow you.
Eating vegan and/or raw food is a great step in this direction. Click the link below to read why eating a raw vegetable diet is good for the planet.
Today we have a very special guest joining us for a very special public service announcement. Daniel Vitalis and Dhrumil Purohit talk about their new joint project, findaspring.com
It’s time to reclaim our water!
Topics Covered
What are the benefits of spring water?
What’s the best strategy to go out and find a local spring?
Once you find a spring how can you make sure the water is safe to consume?
Besides drinking spring water straight up, what other ways can you use spring water in your life?
What are some the spiritual benefits of collecting water and truly being in nature?
Update: We’ve updated this post with a few more deals that were sent in. Check out the comments for a additional deals
A lot of wonderful companies have some incredible deals happening right now. And with the holiday season coming up we’d like to encourage you to “keep the money in the family” so to speak. If you plan on buying gifts, make a promise to buy only from purposeful, caring and compassionate companies.
This isn’t a plug just for the companies listed below, this is a plug for anyone or any company taking stand for people and the planet.
The following holiday deals include both Agave advertisers as well as deals that we’ve found on the surfing on the net. In full transparency We Like It Raw and it’s team members do not earn any commission on links or products featured on this list.
If you know of some deals we can add to this list, hit us up in the comments.
Holiday Deals
15% off Raw Gaia Skin Care Products Raw Gaia makes the world’s only living skin care products. They use only cold-pressed, organic, vegan ingredients. Raw Gaia is offering a special to all We Like It Raw readers: Get 15% off all their products when you enter the code “rawisgreat” in the check out process. Our personal favorite is the Floral Face Toner and the Sun-dried Green Clay Face Pack.
20% to 40% Your HealthForce Nutritionals Order HealthForce is the amazing company that is behind some of the highest quality whole food supplements out there on the market. Not only are they offering 20% off there four main products: Vitamineral Green, Earth Shot or MacaForce, Spiritulina Azteca, but they’ll give you 40% off your total order if you buy one of their packaged deals. For example, buy Vitamineral Green and Earth Shot and get them both at 40% off. That’s $11 to $22 off retail price. That is ridiculousl! I still don’t know how they pulled this off.
Unfortunately Exotic Super Foods in Queens, NY is going out of
business. If you live in the NYC area though you can help. The staff is
trying to do their best to clear out their inventory. All store
inventory is 20% to 40% off. They have snacks, books, frozen foods and
much more. Feel free to call them about specifics.
20% off at therawfoodworld.com 20% off coupon for ANYTHING in the store except appliances. The coupon code is ‘holiday’ and it is valid until January the 1st.
20% off all Nutiva Products when you use special We Like It Raw Code Nutiva, makers of fine hemp and coconut products, are offering We Like It Raw readers 20% off all orders when they use promo code “GLA” in their check out process. 20% off makes this a great opportunity to stock up on hemp seeds or Organic Extra-Virgin Coconut Oil.
SunFood.com offers Free Shipping
David Wolfe’s SunFood.com is offering holiday special where all orders
over $100 receive free shipping. SunFood has a great collection of DVD’s on raw and holistic living.
Free Gnosis Chocolate with your order of 5 or more bars Gnosis Chocolate bars are creamy, tasty, and made with tons of love. If you’ve never had one before, now is the perfect time to enjoy this ultimate guilt free indulgence. Founder Vanessa Bar is running a great special: Buy 5 bars and Receive 1 Pom Acai bar free. Buy 10 bars and Receive 1 Happy Holidays bar free. Buy 15 bars and receive 1 Pom Acai bar and 1 Happy Holidays bar free. Yum! My favorite is Mayan Heat. Special ends December 15th.
Complementary Membership to Philosophers Notes You know all those spiritual and personal development books that you’ve been meaning to read? Well our good friend Brian Johnson (founder of Zaadz) has summarized over 35 of the hottest titles out there and made them incredible easy to access in PDF and MP3 form. Originally when I heard of Philosophers Notes I thought, “Why would I only read a summary of the book? Wouldn’t it just be best to read the full book?” Then I realized that Brian has summarized so many selections that I haven’t yet read that I use could use his summary as an indicator for whether or not I wanted to dive deeper into the book and actually purchase it. Brian is giving away over 1,000,000 free memberships to Philosophers Notes.
Free Digital Copy of EnlightenNext Magazine Get your free digital edition of the inaugural issue of EnlightenNext magazine. No gimmicks, just a free online copy of the hottest, hippest magazine dedicated to spiritual discourse
Free Smile Cards, an opportunity to make someone’s day Smile Cards are markers of a newfangled game of tag, where “you’re it” because someone has done something nice for you. Then it’s your turn to do something nice for someone else and, in the process, pass the card along. This is a game of pay-it-forward: anonymously make someone smile, leave behind a card asking them to keep the ripple going. It’s easy and fun. Download a free template online or request free printed copies to be sent to your address. Donations welcomed.
It’s been almost a month since I returned from the West Coast and I just realized that I hadn’t shared all the beautiful moments I had experienced, with you. I will pick up after the whole CBS adventure, and then travels to LA and San Francisco. During that period I also visited San Luis Obispo, Eden Hot Springs, The Tree of Life, Scottsdale, and finally Florida.
(AmyRuth loading nut mylk into Brandie’s bike so she can drive it to the cafe)
San Luis Obispo I was blessed over a year ago to meet a new friend AmyRuth on MySpace. We chatted for a while, and then little did I know at the time I also met her roommate Brandie. We all met this year in person at Raw Spirit Festival and they invited me to hang out with them for a few days at their place in San Luis Obispo.
Brandie owns Smiling Dog Café, and works there along with AmyRuth. Smiling Dog Café is a branch off of Smiling Dog Yoga Studio, and did I mention it’s raw! How cool is that? You can get your stretch-on during your yoga class, and then get to head out with a green juice or yummy dish in-hand.
One of the reasons I wanted to spotlight them was because they are a shining examples of raw foodists that really walk the talk. From the moment I walked into their house I immediately felt at home. Brandie offered me her bed (cacao colored organic sheets) while she slept in the living room. I tried to protest, but they don’t play games. As I strolled through the house I saw the following:
Every spice and superfood in giant mason jars taking up multiple shelves on an entire wall of its own.
Five jars of kombucha fermenting on top of the refrigerator.
Six jars sprouting upside down in multiple sink strainers
Refrigerator full of greens, dips, and even a strawberry sauce, yum!
Every appliance imaginable including 3 dehydrators
Organic bathroom products
Outdoor garden
Mini outdoor greenhouse with sprouts growing
Clothes drying on a clothes line
But more than their raw prowess in the kitchen and eco-green lifestyle, these ladies open their house every week for a raw food potluck for anyone in the area. Even if you’re not raw, or just down on your luck, you can come by and enjoy a beautiful raw meal with lively souls radiating pure light and energy. I got to experience two of these wonderful parties while there, and had a great time. That is the true Raw Spirit. Thank you both.
Tree of Life I swung through Patagonia for a day to celebrate our birthdays with my good friend Savrah. When scorpios unite, beware! Savrah leases a home in Patagonia that she opens up for raw roommates. Most of the people that live there work for The Tree of Life or Vivapura, both companies that hold it down in Patagonia. You may also be able to rent a room or couch for the day if needed, so contact her ahead of time if you’re in the area.
I had chatted with my friend Courtney Pool during the day and decided that I needed to visit the Tree of Life at least once before heading out. So I drove on over to enjoy a special lunch that they had put together and synchronistically caught my friend Dart (check out his pics and tell me raw doesn’t give you muscle) just heading out for his lunch break. He hoped in the car as we drove in, filled our plates, and hung out with Courtney and crew. I didn’t really get a chance to explore the compound this time around, but I did get to enjoy the wonderful scenery and beautiful people. The food was amazing, even the shot glass full of sauerkraut juice I was dared to drink was pretty good.
Scottsdale As I was finishing my tour, before heading back to the East Coast, I stopped off at the Mandala Tea Room. They offered some yummy raw food snacks but more importantly a nice variety of delicious and soul satisfying selection of teas. The cool thing about it was I got to sit near the window, on the floor, Indian-style. I loved it!
Florida Not long after I arrived back on the East Coast I quickly decided to visit a friend in Florida. I mainly enjoyed the warmth and vitamins of the much-needed sun, but also made sand castles, went to Universal Studios and saw animals, and rode my first “real” rollercoaster.
That’s right, 32 years old and I finally did it. Why did I wait so long? I could never fit in the seats before. First coaster I was on I closed my eyes the entire ride as the machine climbed, teased, and then dipped with enough G-force to pin my head permanently against the platform behind me. I sent out a Twitter about it and was immediately told by two friends that I wasn’t allowed to leave until I experienced a rollercoaster with my eyes opened. So I did, and it was amazing. I was able to actually meditate through the first one and it felt really good. The second time around I was yelling! Woohoo!
Eden Hot Springs My adventures at Eden are a blog on its own – due to come shortly. It will include everything from my first sweat lodge experience, finding inner strength, sun gazing on top of a mountain with new friends, rattlesnakes, swimming in hot springs in the nude, and…. letting go of my iPhone, kind of. This was one of the most memorable growth experiences I have gone through to date. Keep your eyes peeled for this upcoming blog.
Sneak a peek at the pics before the blog by clicking here.
Reclaiming Your Power More and more these adventures keep bringing up the following lessons for me:
Be your own guru, doctor, and lover. Self-love and empowerment is key. The only things I focus my attention on arw those that point back to me. When you capture the true essence of loving yourself you will discover magical perfection in every moment.
The Universe is always conspiring on your behalf. There is nothing that could ever happen that could go “wrong.” Don’t judge events, just be in the moment and recognize them as growth opportunities.
Be the change you want to see in the world. Anyone can be a raw foodist, but I challenge you to the following: Do you open up your home to others, is your house a sanctuary of love? Do you love and accept everyone, even those pounding down burgers or living lifestyles you don’t agree with? Do you see God in everyone’s eyes you meet, or are you looking for faults or things to compare yourself with?
Its time to reclaim your power, take back your responsibility, and shine!
My name is Rawbin. I’m addicted to raw food and sparkly sunshine. I have two cooked teens and a non-raw husband. I began my raw journey early summer 2007. Rewind a few years to see health issues including allergies, abdominal surgeries, and weight problems. Fast-forward to present and find I’m feeling symptom free almost all the time. I’m thinner and healthier. When I stick with raw food and remain meat, gluten, & preservative free, I notice that my mind is clearer, my energy is high, and my need for sleep is low. Unfortunately, I get to feeling so great, that I feel invincible. I occasionally go into denial or, in a way, self-sabotage. I start thinking that maybe I could eat a little cooked food, some wheat or cheese, perhaps? But then I only crave more. Sometimes I can get away with it, but often times it hits me hard with belly pains, acne, & headaches. I get bloated, crampy, sluggish, and irritable. A few days all raw and I’m feeling magically healed again!
Each morning I get up with the sunrise. I have certain things I do every morning, but try as I might, I can never do it in the same order every day, making it difficult to stick to a set routine. Let the dogs out. Put on my yellow bumblebee boots to feed the horses. Lure the escapee goat back into her pen. Make a green smoothie, which I share with my family. Make salad for hubs and daughter. Rough house with the dog. Offer fruit & veggie scraps to chickens. I skin brush, then bathe, but I only shampoo my hair once a week. I try to check email and twitter messages last, because they’re distracting.
In my ideal routine, I intend to exercise, practice the piano, or do housework, but often those things are forgotten until bedtime, when I vow that tomorrow, I’ll do it first thing.
Recently, my “routine” has been altered because we’re working on the grandparent’s old place, built in 1920 called Bayfields. We’ve been camping there a few nights a week, fixing, winterizing, running back and forth for school, work, and feeding animals. The house has no cable TV, no phone, and no internet connection. Cell phones have no bars. It’s peaceful.
That said, here’s a sample of my week, my way:
Thursday Up with the sun. Worked in the kitchen, preparing raw dishes to share at the Spirit Bliss Thanks Living Dinner. Made sprouted almond milk (needed the almond pulp for Coconut Maca Cream Pie). Pot of teeccino(pretend coffee) to drink with my almond milk. Mesquite Apple Pecan Crisp. Kale salad using fresh picked kale from my sister’s garden and a raw tahini dressing. Saved coconut water in a cool green jar. Finally, I whipped up a huge green smoothie using all leftover scraps: almonds, coconut water, banana, kale, spinach, pecans, maple, and apples. Printed labels for my dishes, listing their wholesome fresh ingredients. Sewed smiley-face-flower-patches onto my old jeans to make them feel special again. On the way to visit my parents before dinner, I snacked on avocado and raw flax crackers. I hiked with my sister around Bayfields to share plans for next year’s orchard, barnyard and garden.
We arrived at Spirit Bliss Farm with 2 pies, a salad, and “fresh squeezed” coconut water. I was blown away by the spread of great looking food and was glad I had my camera with me! I was especially thankful, because my hubs voluntarily came with me, giving up his annual day of S.A.D. feasting to try out my world. He couldn’t have picked a better day than this one! The drive was beautiful, the day crisp, cool, and sunny. The place was filled with wonderful friends and there was plenty of yummy food sampling. There were Natural Zing samples. There was homemade sauerkraut and raw pumpkin nut-cheez-cake.
At one point, Jeff, president of Natural Zing, asked if anyone wanted to go out and pick up Mike, a stranded motorist. Not knowing who Mike was, but thinking if he’s raw, he should be here, I volunteered. As my hubs handed me the car keys, he asked me, “Do you know this guy?” Well, no, but I left Spirit Bliss armed with cell phone, a GPS, and Mike’s number. When I arrived at the gas station I found Mike and Iva, who I remembered meeting before. They were happy, grateful, and hungry… a perfect combination for a Thanks Living Dinner, don’t you think?
Friday Woke at sunrise craving raw pie. Posted a slideshow on Twitter, labeling food pics before I forgot what they were. Off to Bayfields to meet with repairman. While he tinkered in the basement, I tinkered in the greenhouse. As I set my first 2 plants (cilantro and basil) in their sunny new home. Scavenged the fridge for food. Opting for portables, I grabbed celery and clementines. Later daughter practiced driving, picked up book drive donations, to my sister’s, where we dug up kale plants and lettuce seedlings. Back at Bayfields, hubs convinced me to “just be still” for a moment. At dusk, we were outside admiring the beauty of fall. We dined together, I had kale salad. They had sad spaghetti. I shared greens, tomatoes, peppers, and celery. We enjoyed apple crisp. I could hear them whispering secretly, sneaking cookies in the kitchen. I ate a piece of raw cashew/cacao cookie from my purse.
After dinner movie plans were next door home. We puttered around a while, changing lightbulbs, pulling off wallpaper, poking into closets… The movie was good (Michael Clayton) and microwave popcorn was served. So much for a 100% raw day. I polished off a whole bowlful without guilt.
Saturday Woke up at Bayfields, glowing windows. Looked outside to see the sun just peeking up over the water. By the time I found my camera, the sunlight was blinding. Filled the blender with celery, agave nectar, spinach, greens, almond butter & coconut oil. No vitamix, so it was lumpy/stringy. Shared with hubs, who was careful not to complain… we all have a 2nd toothbrush for our 2nd house, but he doesn’t want to encourage a 2nd vitamix. Finished off apple crisp. While sitting at the bay window watching swans glide by, my daughter and I sat and talked. Grabbed an avocado and hopped in the car filled with trash bags full of wallpaper and prehistoric drugs from medicine cabinets, first to the recycling center, then home to feed hungry animals. With vitamix, I blended up more maple/mesquite/cinnamon sauce for another apple crisp. Whipped up raw tahini dressing.
Dinner with Mom and Dad suddenly became a traditional turkey dinner for nine! I grabbed a bowlful of kelp noodles with cooked vegetarian spaghetti sauce. Out to the market for more food. Back at Bayfields, I noticed sails and little boats were just put away for the winter. In the kitchen, my brother and I worked as we chatted. He cooked beans while I made salad. He put out a veggie platter while I sliced apples for the dessert. My sister-in-law and I peeled potatoes. We all sat together, I had portabella mushrooms, leftover kale salad, serving of mashed potatoes(not raw). Everyone tried my raw dessert except Dad. With his diabetes, I hoped raw food would help him. He refuses to try anything raw and tonight was no exception. Maybe I should tell him it’s cooked.
Sunday Woke late today (6:30am) Slept with daughter because she’s still a little “creeped out” in the creaky, old house. From under the covers I had a full view of the 2nd floor patio. Grey day. Wet oak leaves blown into little swirls around the corners. Hubs left to feed hungry creatures at the other house. Made a green lumpy with green powder(my mix of spirulina, barley & wheat grass), bananas, almond butter, and young thai coconut. My daughter eats her usual bowl of cereal with milk. She declines a green lumpy.
Hosted coffee hour at church with my best friend this week. She brought cookies and cakes. I brought fruits and veggies. My older daughter was packed and ready for her ride back to college. Car stocked with raw snacks and two dogs. First pit-stop, with my permission, both girls ran to a fast food restaurant. I walked the dogs and ate in the parking lot while they were inside. Rain combined with holiday traffic, a 5 hour drive became 8. Car filled with the smell of clementines. Said our goodbyes and younger daughter and I headed back. Driving home was easier, less traffic, but encountered snow and fog. I had walnuts, grapes and celery for munching. I ate all my carrots and both grapefruits, not because I was hungry, but because I was tired and munching kept me awake. Eventually pulled off to nap on an exit ramp for a few hours. Got home at 2:30am.
Monday Slept late, daughter missed the bus, rushed morning routine. To Bayfields to shampoo carpet. I ate a plate of leftover sad food from Saturday night. Contained foods I’m allergic to. Shampooed the carpet a second time. Very perfumey smell. Best friend brought fresh greens from her garden. I really wasn’t hungry and was totally regretting my food choices that morning. We shared raw lunch with my tahini/spinach/basil dressing on tomato, red pepper, and celery. Then warm portabella mushrooms with shitake mushroom gravy. Still tasty apple-no-longer-crisp for dessert.
Home to shower and change for Annapolis Chorale practice. I finally got my voice back! At practice they always have water and cookies for sale. I brought a bag of organic apples to place on the sale table so people have a healthier choice. They sold 2.
Tuesday Woke with sinus headache. Wheat or carpet shampoo? Sometimes headaches go away on their own and since it was mild, I opted for not taking anything for it. Had a simple green smoothie of just spinach and grapes. Dropped off daughter at school with 7 boxes for book-drive.
Drove to Natural Zing for an experimental workday. Ate the sweetest clementines and cherries together during the drive. Jeff greeted me with my favorite snack: a Wild Bar! I admired pounds of packages of raw cacao, goji berries, nut butters, and spiced olives. Thought up a nice mental shopping list as the day went on! During lunch back at Spirit Bliss, I grabbed red chard from the dome to snack on as I worked. Jeff gave me a mini tour of what was growing. Was excited to see volunteer parsley sprouting in big patches outside. He said I could have some for my greenhouse! I blended a kale, banana smoothie for lunch using their blendtec. Helen brought in leftover raw pies from the Spirit Bliss dinner.
Headache was so bad that I was no longer hungry. Smells, sounds, and light were overwhelming. Migraine- full swing. I needed 2 excedrin and 6 hours of darkness. I tried not to complain, but I did anyway. Whine, whine, whine. Driving home I arranged for someone to meet me halfway. Daughter drove me home and offered me excedrin. Then I went straight to bed.
Wednesday Woke without alarm, feeling magically better. Discovered their produce scraps still waiting in the kitchen. Chickens were happy to see me. Offered horses our corncob door ornament. Onion bread for the dehydrator, opened last young thai coconut and made savory soup for breakfast. Later, I drank the coconut water while eating grapes. Worked on computer, phone calls, cleaned kitchen, then rewarded myself with a sweet maca nog from last of almond milk. Herbal tea with honey. Lunch was sea tangle kelp noodles with raw cashew alfredo sauce (takes 30 seconds with vitamix).
Out the door to choir practice with daughter. Bayfields dinner, eating spinach, young greens, tomatoes and tahini dressing in the kitchen. Must sleep, another exciting day at Natural Zing!
Yeah, I’m liking it my way.
Rawbin is a happy, sparkly, deeply compassionate person who also happens to be a core member of the raw food community. She lives in Maryland with her two kids and husband.Rawbin blogs and updates her twitter regularly.
photo by babybee 
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