Raw Kourt!

vertexx: kiwi’s are amazing

gypsyy-love — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:09:15 -0400

vertexx:

kiwi’s are amazing

happyrawness: YAY! story of my life

gypsyy-love — Wed, 22 May 2013 11:49:23 -0400

happyrawness:

YAY!

story of my life

fruit-not-fists: thebuddingrose: Blueberry-banana icecream...

gypsyy-love — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:52:11 -0400

fruit-not-fists:

thebuddingrose:

Blueberry-banana icecream underneath a palm tree

5 bananas, blueberries, water

One of my all time favorite combos

Raspberry Green Smoothie

gypsyy-love — Mon, 20 May 2013 11:02:39 -0400

Raspberry Green Smoothie (Raw Vegan):

1-2 cups frozen raspberries
210g frozen pineapple
350g frozen mango
3 bananas
spinach as desired (I usually do 4-5 cups)

Add all ingredients in blender with a little water and you’re done! So good and refreshing! Perfect high carb raw vegan dinner!

Weekend Recap (I'm TAN!)

gypsyy-love — Sun, 19 May 2013 21:28:00 -0400

Sidenote: this weeks posts will include my favorite organic/all natural beauty products and other exciting things, stay tuned!

Friday: Regular work day, lunch included crazy good veggie rolls (pictured) that were filled with strawberries/mango, cucumber, avocado, carrot and wrapped in romaine. I dipped the strawberry rolls in balsamic and the mango in my homemade cayenne honey vinegar.

Saturday: Started the day by playing tennis and laying out in the sun reading. Then babysat my ‘second family.’ We rode skateboards and bikes, played at the park, played freeze tag, had a dance party, and had so much fun. We always take silly pictures together, isn’t Abby so cute?!

Sunday: Lots of running around, got a pedicure, played beach volleyball with the family, watched my litlte cousins baseball game, did all my grocery shopping and errand running, cleaned, tanned, and brought lots of stuff to my apartment that has been at my parents house. Living on the third floor is amazing because I always have to make at least 2 trips when I get home and it’s a nice little work out. Today I made at least 10 trips from my car to the apartment and down to our storage in the basement, etc. so I incorporated a lot of ‘moves’ into my day today. Lots of running, lunges, stair climbing, arm work bringing in heavy groceries (yes I do curls and arm moves with the bags…).

It is usually “What I ate Wednesday” but I forgot and so many of you ask what I eat being a high carb raw vegan so here is Sundays menu:

Breakfast: 16 oz warm lemon water and 2 lbs of watermelon

Lunch: Green smoothie (spinach, mango, pineapple, banana, raspberry and water)

Snack: Fresh Squeezed orange juice and grapes

Dinner: Course one - Chocolate Shake

Course two - zucchini noodles with cayenne honey vinegar.

If you’re wondering about the order of things- yes it is very important. Here’s why: Lemon water should ALWAYS start your morning. It cleans you out and starts your body right. Melon should always be eaten in the morning (if you choose to eat it) because it is the fastest digesting fruit, it is processed within 45 min and if you eat it on top of other slower digesting foods it pushes them out without fully digesting causing gas and bloat, or gets stuck and ferments on top of the food in your stomach. My green smoothie was huuge and so filling! Lastly, all veggies and greens should be eaten as the last meal of the day, hence the course one and two. You should wait 30-60 min between courses. Greens (such as your zucchini noodles, salads, etc.) are eaten last because they take the longest to digest and need the whole night. Spinach or a similar green is the only exception and ONLY if you blend it in a smoothie with lots of fruit, you can eat it in the middle of the day. All of this info can be found in The 80 10 10 Diet by Dr. Graham.

I much prefer being active and having fun throughout the day if it is really nice out rather than stuffing myself in a gym and running like a caged animal. That’s saved for this week as the forecast is rain 4 days in a row! How do YOU incorporate exercise into your daily routine?

this would be me attempting to tan today…EDC is next...

gypsyy-love — Thu, 16 May 2013 22:16:00 -0400

this would be me attempting to tan today…EDC is next weekend and I am so pale! I have devoted this weekend to tanning and making flower crowns….xo

Karyn's Fresh Corner: Deep Dish Pizza

gypsyy-love — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:13:00 -0400

After class one day last week I stopped by Karyn’s Fresh Corner and picked up this deep dish pizza and some other treats. It would outstanding, the tomato sauce was my favorite, and it was filled with mushrooms, tri colored peppers, and more. I also got a sprouted lentil and dill soup, Hawaiian thin crust pizza, and a curried broccoli and cauliflower salad to have throughout the week.

I frequently post about my favorite raw restaurant in Chicago, Karyn’s. However, I think in all my posts, I failed to mention that she actually has four! In Lincoln Park, there is Karyn’s Raw Cafe which is connected to Karyn’s Fresh Corner. The Cafe is the sit down, and Fresh Corner is where you can make a big salad, get smoothies/juices, and food to go as well as homemade desserts, veggie chips, ice cream, and she also carries supplements, tonics, beauty supplies, cleaning supplies…it’s great! And on top of that, connected to these two is her Wellness Center where she holds seminars, classes, and all sorts of fun stuff!

Her other two are Karyn’s on Green and Karyn’s Cooked. Being a raw vegan with soy and gluten allergies it is not as easy for my to eat at those two because they are mostly cooked comfort food involving some sort of soy or gluten.

If you are in the Chicagoland area I highly recommend you visit her!

overcomingtemptation: http://overcomingtemptation.tumblr.com

gypsyy-love — Wed, 15 May 2013 14:08:40 -0400

overcomingtemptation:

http://overcomingtemptation.tumblr.com

Strawberry Mango Banana Frostie!

gypsyy-love — Wed, 15 May 2013 09:19:07 -0400

Strawberry Mango Banana Frostie (Vegan, Gluten/Soy/Sugar FREE!):

6-7 Frozen Strawberries
1.5-2 Frozen Mangos
1-2 Bananas
Water

It was 80 yesterday and so beautiful, summer is here! I had to make a tropical frostie to celebrate. Put all ingredients in blender and blend! Here is the deal on the estimates for the fruit: Bananas, I have used 1 really large banana, or two small ones. Bananas can vary in sweetness and flavor so taste it, and decide how many to put in. For the Mango, I put in half of the bag I had from Trader Joe’s, same with the Strawberries. I have to do some grocery shopping and will pick up some more of them so I can give actual measurements. :) Enjoy!

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gypsyy-love — Wed, 15 May 2013 08:21:06 -0400

Mother's Day Weekend

gypsyy-love — Tue, 14 May 2013 16:55:05 -0400

I had such a beautiful Mother’s Day Weekend with my mom.

Saturday started with seeing The Great Gatsby, which was great. We saw it in 3D which I would also reccomend. We stopped for lunch in Water Tower and I headed to the salad bar and walked away with honestly, the best salad I ever had. I loaded it with a spring mix and my usual veggies and topped it with a fresh chile and lemon vinegar…to die for. Then we went shopping on Michigan Ave and I got a new loot of glitter make up for all the festivals I am going to this summer! My mom also got her make up done and walked away with a whole lot of un-sparkly make up but equally as beautiful ;) then we headed to dinner at my favorite restaurant, Karyn’s Raw Cafe. I had a Spring Roll appetizer and the Basil Scented Ravioli (Half moon shells filled with macadamia whipped crème dressed with an Italian olive marinara sauce) and my mom had Bruschetta and the Empanadas. Everything was delicious!

Sunday I met my mom and grandma at Fogo De Chao (a Brazilian steak house…..) for lunch because my mom swore they had an ‘out of this world salad bar.’ So I trusted her and in true fashion, she was right! I loaded my plate with lettuce, the best tomatoes I have ever had, broccoli, asparagus, onion, red and yellow peppers, cucumber, and hearts of palm. So yummy! It was great spending time with them. I got my grandma a massage and my mom tickets to the P!NK concert, she was ecstatic, especially because I am going with her! She loves P!NK and has wanted to go for years, so I am so happy to take her.

This is something that I have wanted to touch on for while....

gypsyy-love — Tue, 14 May 2013 09:43:00 -0400

This is something that I have wanted to touch on for while. Stick with me and read the whole thing aka my rant on Jimmy Johns and Subway until you get to the end, there are multiple points I promise.

In a business class yesterday they had a catered lunch of Jimmy Johns. Now- even for someone who is not vegan, this is actually the equivalent of pizza on a health scale. Bread = horrible. Preserved artificial GMO veggies, thanks i’ll pass. Lunch meat…oh yum that slimy salt infested dead animal? nah, i’m good. and you can’t forget the cheese avocado spread, to tie all the plastic food flavors together. The facts are simple. Jimmy Johns will NOT RELEASE THEIR INGREDIENTS. EVER. They are no where to be found, and good luck trying. I have personally called many managers, etc. to get ingredient lists because of my allergies, and nope, they will not even give you allergy info. In comparison, Subway does release their info, and as we know Subway’s slogan is “Eat Fresh” (where as Jimmy Johns doesn’t even claim that) and here are THEIR ingredients….yeah, never eating there again, right?

SO in this class, my team asked, why aren’t you eating the veggie sandwich? I said because I am a raw vegan. And they said ‘Wow that is incredible will power” (refer to picture above). Uhm, no it is not. I don’t sit there drooling at the food wishing I could have it day after day and/or starving myself. Willpower is, by definition, “training and control of oneself and one’s conduct, usually for personal improvement; the ability of a person to exert his/her will over the inhibitions of their body or self.” Will power would be conditioning myself to eat vegan and say no to other things. I choose to look at it this way: To me, those foods do not even exists. Look at fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds….THAT is food. Food Not some processed garbage. Therefore, I do not even consider it food, I consider it plastic GMO garbage, simple as that. Why would anyone put that into their mouth? Food is fuel, food is natural, provided by the earth.

When I first started raw veganism (2 years ago, I was cooked vegan before that), yes it was will power. Every time there was a family Birthday or barbecue (which is about every week in the summer) of course there is dessert. So I would have my salad and grilled veggies, and then come time for dessert I started saying…NO. Because I had always made excuses. Oh it’s a special occasion, I’ll have a cookie. Let’s celebrate this, have a brownie. Happy Birthday, eat some cake. You could literally make an ‘excuse’ to eat dessert for every meal every day, that is how much it is offered. So I started saying NO. There is NEVER an excuse or occasion to slip up on your healthy eating, because it is not a DIET it is LIFESTYLE. EVERY day is a celebration of LIFE, and you don’t need junk food to cut it short. You need natural foods that help you thrive to enjoy every day of your life. So after I started saying NO every time, people stopped asking. Then you start to forget what it tastes like, and you start to learn how bad it is for you. Then you don’t even consider it food. Would you eat a shoe? No it is not food. So why would you eat junk food? IT IS NOT FOOD!

So sure, start off as will power, and just start saying NO. There is no excuse to eat anything that is not organic fresh produce. There are no ‘cheat meals or days’ because it is not a DIET it is a LIFESTYLE and you can do it. I am now following The 80 10 10 Lifestyle and have never been happier. I highly recommend the book!

Anyone have Thoughts? Questions? Message me :)

RawKourt! Chocolate Shake

gypsyy-love — Sat, 04 May 2013 11:31:00 -0400

RawKourt! Chocolate Shake (vegan, gluten/soy/sugar free)!

2 Frozen Bananas
1 Raw Banana
1-2 scoops Navitas Raw Cacao Powder
Ice Cubes/Water

Put all of the bananas in the blender. Start with one tbs of the powder, you can always add more. Then blend- you will have to push the bananas down (that is why a VitaMix is crucial, use their tool for that). If you would like it colder, throw in some ice cubes. If it is too thick, add a little bit of water. This shake is very customizable, and can range from a chocolate frostie/shake texture to a chocolate milk consistency all depending on your preference. I generally use about 2 tbs of powder for 3-4 bananas.

Click the word “Navitas” up in the ingredient list to visit their website. This powder is my personal favorite because it is low in fat. At Whole Foods I have compared many cacao powders and this one is the lowest in fat and calories while containing the same nutritional benefits. It has 1.5 g fat and 60 calories per 2.5 tbs, where as most have 9-15 g fat and 150+ calories for 2 tbs. On a high carb raw vegan diet, that is a HUGE difference!

Blood Oranges contain Vitamin C & A as well as...

gypsyy-love — Fri, 03 May 2013 12:12:00 -0400

Blood Oranges contain Vitamin C & A as well as calcium…read about all the benefits here.

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gypsyy-love — Fri, 03 May 2013 12:05:55 -0400

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gypsyy-love — Thu, 02 May 2013 16:18:02 -0400

Do you know the brand you bought? the only ones i'm finding are $30 =/

gypsyy-love — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:05:18 -0400

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=spiralizer I have the first one, and my dad has the second. they both work great. So they are roughly $20 and you should get free shipping! I think my mom found them on sale like on groupon or something so maybe that’s why it was only $10!

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gypsyy-love — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 09:29:41 -0400

RawKourt! Spaghetti

gypsyy-love — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:13:49 -0400

RawKourt! Spaghetti (Vegan, Gluten/Soy/Corn/Dairy/Sugar FREE!):

Tinkyada Gluten Free Spinach Spaghetti Noodles
Lucini Rustic Tomato Basil Sauce
Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds

Directions: Cook pasta according to package (this one is in boiling water for 15 min). Drain. While Pasta is in strainer, add pasta sauce and cheese to the pot. Heat until sauce is warm and cheese is melted. Put pasta in bowl and top with cheesy sauce!

Tips: The packages are really equal, in the sense that for one pack of pasta a whole jar of sauce and one pack of cheese is the perfect proportion. So, you can make it all at once, or little by little when you want some. I split it up into 3 different nights.

Also, these exact brands are not mandatory, however I have made this dish numerous times with all different noodles and sauce (always Daiya cheese though) and this is my favorite combo. This is my absolute favorite tomato sauce, and you can’t beat how nutritious these noodles are. Other good options are gluten/corn free quinoa shells, brown rice fusilli from Trader Joes, or any other pasta that you like but I strongly encourage one without gluten and corn. Simple ingredients like brown rice, water, quinoa, spinach, etc. should be all that is in them.

Nicole looking amazing on her vacation in St. Barts this past...

gypsyy-love — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 18:30:00 -0400

Nicole looking amazing on her vacation in St. Barts this past weekend! Nicole has come such a long way, from over weight, underweight, pregnant, and now I think she has looked the best she has EVER. Tracy Anderson is her trainer, and is clearly really good for her. Nicole looks slim, toned, and happy! She eats super healthy and as we know is a huge advocate for the Pressed Juicery. She has always been my fashion idle, now add body inspiration too!