Raw Food for Pets

Hello Everyone,




My good friend had a family emergency, so I am watching her children for her until she gets back. This was great way to earn a little extra money while fulfilling my love for animals.



There are three of them.
A turtle named "Georgia" ( I sing the Ray Charles version to her.)














A cat , named "kat".

















and "Bo Jo" the little fur ball of excitement and energy. Pomeranian dogs or Pom Pom have a distinct behavior pattern. They are not like other dogs. I'm glad Bo Jo likes me and I'm very patient with him.
Seriously, if the behavior patterns are not acknowledge or dealt with in the right way, they can become stubborn, destructive and hostile.

Just look at the way he looks up at me. CUTE .

He is ready for his walk.


Kat and Bo Jo are the best of friends.


My friend started her pets on process pet food. Cooked meat, rice and vegetables are added to their diet. It will be impossible for me to give Kat or Bo Jo raw meat. They would turn their noses up at me. One day I will have a dog of my own and I will feed my pet raw meat. At first the thought of raw meat made me cringe. Being human, I'm concerned about bacteria, parasites and salmonella poisoning. I have to remember that a dog can dig up a week old buried bone and not die from eating it. There digestive system is very acidic. I don't know if the level are less when they eat process foods. I believe that feeding your pets raw foods will cause the vet bills to drop. Similar to humans going on a raw food lifestyle. I can't remember when I had a bad cold.
Many studies have been done on disease conditions in animals. I'm positive vets are seeing chronic conditions in animals that weren't seen years ago. Dogs and Cats are aging more quickly than normal and developing chronic illness symptoms. For example Cancer, is that really a normal disease for a dog or cat? Make me wonder what kind of ingredients are being allowed in pet food.
In nature, wild animals are eating enzyme rich raw foods. I doubt they are getting cancer. I think it is worth finding a program of raw foods that strengthens the immune system of your pets. Even better if the program closely resembles what they would get in wild.

Thank You for Reading
Peace and Light to You

Happy Easter

Happy Easter Every One,

I was searching for a vintage flower pattern for a future project and Dandelion Vintage online store had it. I fell in love with this green flower print. The cotton weave is strong and sturdy. I miss that in today's material. There was plenty material left to make a few garment pieces. My challenge was, how to make this flower print sophisticated and not resemble a 1950's country kitchen decor. I wanted a dress that look rebellious with neat tailored lines.


I added a solid green piece on top to break the pattern. The white piping around the armhole gives it an active look.


My coat from Sweden felt warm on this chilly morning. I wore my beloved boots from Fluevog and black lace tights.




I know it's Easter and they are making candy corn in pastels colors. Go easy on the SUGAR.
I think if I ate a small amount of Jelly Beans my teeth would fall out. When people become consciously aware of the impact commercial sugar has on the body, the crisis with obesity will almost disappear. Our society's intake of commercial sugar in energy drinks is alarming. I watched one man drink three cans for breakfast. I am looking for natural alternatives to increase my energy level. I heard that Chia seeds are filling and packed with loads of energy. I wanted to try the Chia seeds today. I saw a recipe for Chia pudding.


From the Alissa Cohen's "Raw Food for Everyone".

1 cup of almonds
1/2 cup Chia seeds
2 tablespoons agave nectar
Dash of cinnamon

1. Put the almonds and 3 cups of water in a Vita-Mix. Blend until creamy and smooth. Add the Chia seeds, agave, and cinnamon and pulse the blender several times just to mix. If it's not sweet enough, add a little more agave.
2. Pour the mixture into a bowl and chill for 1 hour or longer to thicken. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Enjoy.

Thank You for Reading
Peace and Light to You.

Meatloaf made of raw vegetables

Hello every one , Happy April 1st.

First time I prepared a Meatloaf. It has an unbelievable taste. Very hearty meal. I smothered this with a BBQ Sauce. It appears and taste like the real meatloaf that was served at Sunday dinner. For the Raw Foodist lovers, this is the best dish I made.
From the "Living On Live Food" by Alissa Cohen.

MEATLOAF

1 cup sprouted barley
1 cup walnuts
1 cup almonds
1 cup red bell peeper
1 cup portobella mushrooms
1 stalk celery
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, soaked
1 tablespoon onion
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1/4 cup oil
1 large clove garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger root
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. In a food processor, combine the almonds and walnuts and blend until fine.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
3. Remove from processor ans place on a mesh dehydrator screen. Form into a large loaf about 1 1/2 inches thick.
4. Dehydrate at 105 degrees for about 15 hours.
5. Place a layer of Mushroom Gravy, Marinara Sauce , BBQ Sauce or your favorite topping over the meatloaf and place back into the dehydrator for an hour or so to warm and solidify the topping.



The Barley grains are a very easy to sprout. One cup of grains take 6 hours to soak and 12 -24 hours to yield 2 cups of sprouted Barley. Make sure you rinse the grains 3-4 times a day. This is very important to keep the grains clean. In this picture, I'm adding the rest of the ingredients. I make sure my refrigerator is stocked ahead of time with food needed to prepare meals.





This does take on the color of red meat. Shape it and place in the dehydrator for 15 hours.
Enjoy !!














My green thumb is back. How do you like my Basil ? I used this to decorate my meatloaf. The fresh basil brings out such an aroma and taste to Miso soup. Saves money too.
A little history on Basil: Basil was once believed to be an elixir of love and used as a charm. The ancient Romans knew of its healing properties and used to aid digestion. It helped counteract poisons. The Egyptian Kings were buried with Basil in the great pyramids. My knowledge of it - taste good in tomato sauce.




Eating a Raw Food lifestyle maintains the body weight. I'm not interested in buying new clothes. In the past, numerous clothes were needed to accommodate the three sizes I would bounce back and forth with. My wallet is at ease and I can take my time to create and recycle clothes. I made this simple dress I'm wearing in the picture for the early spring. The teal color goes well with my new boots I got from John Fluevog. I had them for two months now and I've been wearing them almost everyday. The boots are not heavy and perfect for the early spring weather. This year, I will only purchase a pair of sandals and sneakers.


Thank You for Reading
Peace and Light to You

Art and Spirit

Hello Everyone,
New York City weather was perfect today. It was nice to see humanity alive and active in the sun. My two mile walk was enjoyable.


Friday the 9th I attended the " Art & Spirit" opening at the KNOX Gallery. They are located at 129 west 129th street. My good Neighbor Nate Ladson work is being shown there until April the 13th. Nate Ladson was born in South Carolina and grew up in the heart of Harlem. Mr. Ladson is largely self-taught. He did attend the Academy of Fine Arts. He has displayed his work in many shows. He was part of the exhibition at the International Center in New York and was one of the main artist in the Martin Luther King Art Show. His work has evolved into an abstract expression. Light is fused with color and direction.

"Explosion" 2011 by Nate Ladson

The other artist displayed the same theme of the inner soul in different mediums. I didn't have permission to take photos, but I was glad to sneak a picture of my neighbor's creation. I want to give Nate credit. The years that I have known him, he has maintain a clear focus and continued the inner spiritual struggle to awaken the positive forces within. This effort has polished his life as an artist and empowered his life. I have never known him to be stagnant. I observed his work through the years and his self-mastery is the most positive and creative energy that I have seen in long time. He doesn't have a website as of yet. I will inform you when he does.


As for Lunch I had a good meal today. Marinated Avocado. Carrots & Pecan Burgers with Spouted Wild Rice and Baby Arugula with Pear, Endive, dried tomato salad.


I've been looking for a new sauce to add to my menu. From the "Raw Food for Everyone " book by Alissa Cohen. This texture of the sauce is thinner than the real thing. To make this a thicker spread, place in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours.

QUICK MAYONNAISE

3/4 cup of almond milk
2 tablespoons avocado
1 1/2 tablespoon apples cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon of salt
3/4 cup of virgin olive oil

1. Put the almond milk, avocado, vinegar, and salt in a blender. Blend until combined.
2. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the oil through the hole in the top and blend until smooth.
3. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Enjoy.


Thank You for Reading
Peace and Light to You.

Fashion Tech and Chili

Hello Every one,

Monday I attending the first East Coast kick-off meeting of "Fashion + Tech NY / "A Conversation". The Hotel Chantelle open it's doors for the meeting and the members. Nice environment located on Ludlow street in lower Manhattan. It was hosted by Cristine Creamer and Owen Geronimo. The theme was "The New Economy and the Fashion World". The intention of the event was to bring together emerging designers and founders of fashion technology.
The meeting was enlightening for me and definitely worth sharing with my boss. I work with a designer who has a contract with a manufacture overseas. Every time an order comes in, we are writing down the information with pen and paper. It is a reality that a computer is used by every established business on the planet. At the meeting is was clear to see how the fashion industry is behind in the times. The meeting focused on two points.
1. Fashion Technology companies are changing the face of fashion.
2. How Technological solutions are impacting the future of fashion.
The speakers acknowledge the resistance in the fashion industry. They also explained how the new companies and the old ones are experiencing a huge profit by using technology. Lastly they expressed confidently how the fashion industry will greatly benefit with the transformation. The global market is expanding and shopping online is the new consumers preference.
Being a creative person myself, I do feel a little threaten by the technology. I feel something valuable is taken away from the whole experience of exploring fabric shops and finding that "magic" that brings your creation to life. Plus, life to life conversation is missing for me.

Here are some pictures from the meeting on Monday.

Christina Creamer (The Host) and a cinematographer by the name of
Patrick.
Patrick was doing his best to give me tips on how to capture more light for picture taking. But as you all know, I need to take a digital camera class.

Here are a few fashion technology speakers.


House party music was played

I love her shoes. They have feathers on them.

I wanted to prepare a raw food meatloaf, but my barley grains have not sprouted. This is a reminder for me to shop at health food stores that specializes in raw foods. Not every grain you buy in the health food store is Raw food approved. The government has their regulations and will do a light heat spray on grains and cashews to kill off bacteria. This heat process can prevent the natural process of sprouting. There are natural methods to clean food. My chickpeas have sprouted and I made chili. This was my main meal for the next four days. I served this over sprouted wild rice.




From the "Raw Food for Everyone" by Alissa Cohen. What a great dish to prepare. It takes on the flavor of a Mexican dish and can be serve over sprouted Wild rice or Quinoa.

CHILI CHICKPEAS

1 cup of diced tomatoes
1 cup diced red onions
1 cup corn kernels, optional
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 garlic cloves, grated
1 tablespoon Nama Shoyu
1 tablespoon of chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups of sprouted chickpeas

1. Combine the tomatoes, onions, corn, lime juice, garlic, Nama Shoyu, chili powder, and cumin powder in a bowl and toss well to mix. Add the chickpeas and mix well.
2. Marinate for several hours or overnight before serving. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days.
Enjoy.

today I'm wearing a thrifted "United colors of Benetton" wool sweater and my 1950's wool skirt.

The story behind my skirt. Originally it was a true 50's style circular skirt. This skirt was a whole lotta wool material. I had to re-shape it. I do imagine in the past, some young lady ice skating and never receiving an injury because the skirt provided cushion. You can see the texture below.

Thank You for Reading
Peace and light to You.

Food for the Heart

Hello Every one,
My adorable seven year old niece did this picture for me. She said "The heart is full of colors".
When you stop to think about this, she's right. The heart is more than just a muscle that pumps blood in our veins. It beats with vibrancy that gives energy and nourishment through out the entire body. We can feel the vibrating energy pulsating in our bodies after we take a run or a brisk walk. The heart stores emotions as well. Positive emotions strengthen the muscles of the heart while negative ones weaken the muscles. When you can acknowledge this beautiful vibration in your heart, you give permission to your heart to become powerful and strong. We can't see the rainbow of colors that exist in our hearts. We can feel their vibrations. What a beautiful vibration it is. This vibration can take you to a higher level. The more the heart vibrates, the more meaning and purpose you have in your life. Just think of all the love, passion and fire that is available.
The month of February is dedicated to the heart. I found the top foods that are needed to support a healthy heart.

Olive Oil
This lowers you LDL cholesterol levels. Look for the extra-virgin olive oil that are made from ripe olive, cold presses, stone crushed or unfiltered.

Oats
Contain a soluble fiber and reduces the cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels. I buy the organic steel cut oats and soak them overnight to eat.

Apples
Contains anti-inflammatory chemicals that will help prevent blood clots,

Almonds
Contain healthy oils and vitamin E that will keep cholesterol levels in check.

Tomatoes.
Are packed with Lycopene which helps reduce heart disease risk.

I'm in the mood for tomatoes. Here is a quick recipe from the "Raw Food Made Easy" by Jennifer Cornbleet.

CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP

3 ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 ripe avocado, chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced fresh dill weed or basil or 1/2 dried.

Place the tomatoes, water, garlic, onion powder and salt in a blender and process until smooth. Add the avocado and olive oil and blend again until smooth. Add the dill weed and blend briefly. Just to mix. Serve immediately.
Enjoy.

The Highest Joy

Hello Every One ,
When ever an obstacle appears in front of me, I ask myself "What is the highest joy I can feel right now". This question immediately brings me to a higher state of life. Being in a higher state of mind reduces the amount of stress, fear and tension. When you are in a good state of mind, the solution comes quickly.
For those of you who are out there looking for jobs....... DON'T GIVE UP AND DON'T LOOSE HOPE. I wanted to share my recent job experience. I was one of the 250 people hired for this new department store opening up. After the first five months, employees were being replaced one by one with new employees. The environment became a negative place to work . The constant conversion on the job was, " will I be next" or "when will it happen to me".
With that tension in the air, we found ways to keep positive. My co-workers were like an extended family. How heart breaking it was to see co-workers loose their jobs. Here's the sad thing, you were "let go" the same day you were told. The company gave no warning or an extension of time to look for another job. Most jobs will give a person at least one month . My time came when I was called in the manager's office, I knew what was happening. I asked myself the question.........."What is the highest joy I can feel right now".
I walked in the office with a smile. My manager couldn't get over my composure. I was given the " Nice person but we have to let you go speech". Personally, I feel these jobs are so afraid of loosing money that they will let an employee go after a certain time to avoid paying out any kind of insurance or benefits. This would explain why so many people are working without benefits or health insurance.
This was my answer to the "Highest Joy" question................... Now, I have the time to ask myself " What do I really want to do with my life".
The month of January was ending when this occurred . The next two weeks was an emotional roller coaster. One part of me was very appreciative that I was given the gift to be creative and the other part was scared and wanted to run out and job hunt immediately. My determination was to honor my creative gift and give up that conditioned belief that living a life as a creative artist was hard. This was a turning point in my life. I finally stop the inner battle and said enough is enough with taking on jobs that are not honoring who I am. Then I prayed a whole lot and wrote out my plan in my note book. The tittle for the page was "By the end of the second week I will be hired". Week number one: I worked night and day on my fashion portfolio until it was finished. Week number two: Made a list of all the dress manufactures in the city I was going to call. GUESS WHAT , I got hired on Tuesday.
Here I am in the below pictures. My job is working as an assistant to a designer by the name of Li Gioia. I asked if I could take pictures of her two surplice wrap dresses. She was very nice about it. I just wanted to share this experience to encourage those of you who might be looking for work and feeling down. It is up to you to create what you want in your life. GO FOR IT !!








Went to one of my favorite health food stores,"Bell Bates" and got a good sale on Portobello mushrooms. Tonight I'm preparing "sausage patties" for the next couple of days. It will take three hours in the dehydrator. Meanwhile, the "Falafel" dish is ready for dinner.
From the "Raw Food for Everyone" by Alissa Cohen.












FALAFEL
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons Nama Shoyu
Juice of 1 lemon
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups almond flour

1. Put the parsley, cilantro, and mint in a food processor. Blend to chop coarsely. Add the cumin, Nama Shoyu, lemon juice, garlic and salt and pepper and process to combine. The mixture should be wet.
2 Turn on the food processor and slowly add the almond flour. Stop the machine frequently to scrape down the sides. Drizzle in 1/4 to 1/2 cup water until a dough forms with the consistency of wet sand.
3 Divide the mixture into 6 portions using an ice cream scoop. Place falafel balls on a Teflex-lined dehydrator rack and dehydrate for 10 to 12 hours. Flip and dehydrate on the other side for an additional 2 t0 4 hours, until crisp on the outside and soft in the middle. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 days.
(I made a Cashew Dill Sauce to go over the Falafel)
Enjoy!

Thank You for Reading
Peace and Light to You.