Chicago Raw Food Restaurants

Wow, I've been so lame about posting on here! Oh, and so many updates to make to the member directory section! Ugh. Sorry about that, really! I hope to get over this slump soon. Just have not felt like updating. So, I'll do this really quick to at least do something!!! I will add pics another day...hopefully lol.

I went to three restaurants, and it's funny because the order I went to them was from best to worst. lol I didn't plan it that way. Actually the one I was least excited about was my favorite! The one I couldn't wait to go to....well, let's just say I was less than impressed!

1. Borrowed Earth Cafe...soo good I had to try everything!! I spent about $90 for two people! lol But everything was soo good. I especially liked their ice cream and cheesecake. Justin didn't like the cheesecake but I think he was comparing it to real cheesecake too much! I think it was better than real cheesecake though-didn't make me feel all bloated and fat afterwards! The food was so good we weren't hungry the rest of the day. It was really nice inside, and the owners were very friendly as well. If I open a raw food restaurant I'd like it to be like this one!! Anyone in Michigan looking for ideas...I recommend you visit this one as well!

2. Cousin's Vitality- Very nice as well. Their were some menu items from the website not offered, the waiter didn't know what a few were (lol) and they didn't have the tea I wanted...but I do understand it's a raw food restaurant the food perishes quicker and its seasonal. I didn't get to try Rejuvelac but I did get to try Durian pudding. I really liked it, made me feel euphoric!!! Justin did not like the flavor of it lol. I think he's just not used to these exotic foods yet! But we liked everything else! I do have to say the tea they did have was really good! Pretty nice inside, and they had helpful phamplets on good water and what raw food is. I had a nice conversation with a customer-people were very friendly and relaxed. I liked all the plants they had in and outside the store. The neighborhood looked like Hamtramck, Michigan if it wasn't so scary! lol

3. Karyn's Fresh Corner- Wow, what to say that isn't mean. Let me say it was in a very nice neighborhood, and it LOOKED nice. Seemed to have a lot of good beauty products, and I got to try rejuvelac (which didn't taste horrible actually! ) That being said...the people were not helpful or friendly, and the person who rang me up messed up on my order. Let's just say he was so incompetent I didn't even bother to let him know because I figured it would be too much trouble to explain it!!! My sandwich (I got the hamburger) was HORRIBLE. I'm not trying to be mean...but I think people should know...it was single worst thing I have ever eaten! Ugh. So awful. They even screwed up Hummus. Maybe I'm spoiled for living in a city that is mainly middle eastern, so I know good Hummus...but this was so gross!!! People working in the bookstore section didn't even so much as say hello. I don't know, maybe it was an off day...a REALLY off day!!!

Everything but the Kitchen Sink Power Antioxidant Smoothie!

Before I get to the smoothie recipe, let me just say I reread my last blog and was amazed at how angry I was. Not because I never get angry (ha!) but because of where it was directed. If anything, I feel sorry for the people who have to promote Wendy's and Burger King! I'm sure the awful feeling that they get from doing that is punishment enough! They are just trying to make a living and survive the best they know how to at this point in their life! If they don't think they are doing anything wrong-well, karma will catch up with them eventually. I have always heard that if you are angry with someone it is because you see something in yourself you do not like-but usually I don't see that. So, maybe that is not true EVERY time-but there is some truth still in that phrase. I realized that I was so angry at them because my current job is one I am not proud of, and it is very draining on my emotional health and well-being doing something I do not feel is positive or uplifting-but I am going to change that SOON!! I WILL! Anyways, so my anger is more that there are even jobs like these-why food like this is allowed to be promoted-but not so much at the people doing it.


Ok, back to what you wanted to read probably! I didn't think I had any food that could be used for a recipe. You know what that's like I'm sure-you have some of this, some of that-but nothing that could make a whole recipe! So I decided to just throw it all together in a smoothie and to my surprise it actually tasted good! Usually I go for function (most amount of nutrients, antioxidants) and speed and easy to make....and not taste as much. Here it is:


Blend together:
Organic frozen acai
Organic frozen berry acai
A couple of handfuls of mulberries
A handful of goji berries (I'm not a big fan of goji berries, so you can add more if you'd like)
1 bottle of Kombucha (I used GTS Kombucha passionberry bliss http://www.gtskombucha.com/synergy.html )
Dash of raw cacao powder


You may want to add less Kombucha if you don't like it that much-because it is very strong. I didn't mind it because I wanted to use it before it expired, but if you are going for taste alone I'd suggest less!

Anthro-apologists....

So I was looking for the new hideous Wendy's commercial about "meatarians," and couldn't find it. I did, however, find a rather funny article discussing anthropologists arguments that raw food diets were unnatural and that humans have adapted to cooking. I have to say the guy defending it got pretty mad about the anthropologists lack of evidence...yet, at the same time he did not have anything to back up what he was saying in those incidences either.

I don't need to research or argue to know that cooking just doesn't make sense-but I don't really ever think like normal people anyways. I've thought humans were pretty ridiculous and things annoy me-like why do we need to brush our teeth? Wear shoes? Cook our food? We are the ONLY things on earth that really does this. Ok, so some animals use tools, build homes, etc. but the extent that we do things is a bit much! Some would argue that shows our intelligence levels and that's what makes us the dominant species-but I have to say, if we are so freakin' intelligent, how come we don't realize the negative effects some of things we do? Or is it not that we are more intelligent than most species-but rather we are just the most selfish? Perhaps they know how to do the elaborate things we do, but realize it's not in harmony with the rest of the world and therefore not a good idea? Just because we CAN do something, or have figured something out other than what is natural does not mean we HAVE to do it. I hate to be cliche' here, but with great power comes great responsibility! If it's true we ARE more intelligent, than we need to be more responsible when we mess with the natural order of things. Sure, we may be able to come up with things, but I still think we are a long way away from improving upon the natural world just as it already is!
Anyone who argues that cooking is natural and have been used for centuries, blahblahblah, go and eat a Baconator from Wendy's and the next day eat a nice salad and some fruit and tell me which one makes you feel better! That's all the research you will need to do!

Despite some of the flaws in BOTH sides of the people arguing in this article, there is some good information backing up raw foodists and it was pretty interesting (although LONG-phew, and I thought I could be wordy when writing sentences-Harvard people, you beat me on that by a long shot!)
http://www.ecologos.org/wrangham.htm



Oh, and if you really want to be disgusted today, just search "Burger King Apple Commercial" on youtube and read the ignorant reponses to it! The video has been removed from youtube, but you can still read the comments of "dude, that's awesome, apple fries!" "what a great idea, now I don't even have to eat apples in their real form! My fat, slobby self can pretend I'm eating fries, heaven forbid I have to eat a real apple! Thanks Burger King!"

Ok, so maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, people didn't say that...but anything less than being appalled by Burger King's assumption that apple fries are "good or healthy" for children is disgusting in my opinion....I'd like to kick the Burger King "Dad" and take the fries away from the bratty little girl and make her eat a real apple every day for the rest of her life...now THAT would be a cool commercial.


I'm done ranting! :)

Colloidal Gold...

Wow, this stuff is amazing! I just got my sample in the mail from someone. I was feeling tired because I didn't get any sleep last night and I took two tablespoons and I feel WIDE AWAKE now. Before you go thinking it's all in my head-let me just tell you I am the biggest skeptic- I don't believe ANYTHING until I try it myself, etc. I was fully expecting this to take a few days at the very LEAST-I know any type of supplement, especially liquid-takes time to build up in your system and notice results. Soo I was VERY surprised how I immediately felt better. I can't wait to take more of this and see if it's just a fluke or if it really did make a difference!!

Colloidal Gold
https://www.noblelifeelements.com/tasterawfood

The Highly Sensitive Raw Foodist?

I know a lot of us get involved in raw food for health reasons-but what about us who do it just because? Sure, there are those like me who get involved for mainly shallow reasons (I don't wanna age! wahhhh! Ok, yeah I want to be healthy but I really, really don't want to look old!) but maybe there is more to it? In order to do this lifestyle you have to be really dedicated. I've discovered that living in an area where I have to drive an hour just to go grocery shopping-that's a lot of work! It's HARD work for me. Mostly mental though-I know it's difficult because I'm making it-but that is still a very real problem-whether self created or not! Anyhows, I was reading about Highly Sensitive People (yes, it's a real condition so don't laugh-I might cry! lol) Seriously though, it's more than just being emotional-it's a condition (well it's not a condition in that it's really considered a disability-just makes you different-and in most societies I do consider that as bad as having a disability but to be noted it does have SOME good things too) where your nervous system is just more sensitive-sound,light, touch, to stress, and FOOD. So maybe a lot of raw foodists are highly sensitive people also? Surely highly sensitive people would be drawn to natural foods because their nervous system can't take the abuse of processed food as much. This might be why raw foodists also feel so spiritual. I really think that regular folks will notice a spiritual growth once they do raw foods as well because being at your ultimate health peak and thinking clearly for the first time in your life IS no doubt a spiritual event-but what about for someone already very sensitive? It must be mind blowing to them! Anyways, just thought it was interesting and I'd like to pass the word on because it's such a misunderstood trait to have-the more who know about it the better! Oh yeah, and if you meet some raw foodists who seem a bit moody and out there, this may be a contributing factor ;) I say this with love, but seriously, there are some crazy one's out there-but please don't let this dissaude you from raw foods!!!

http://www.highlysensitivepeople.com/
http://hubpages.com/hub/hsp

Raw Getaway this weekend!

This sounds really fun! No plans for the weekend yet? Than you have to check this out:

RAW GETAWAY RETREAT AT RONORA LODGE in Watervliet Michigan
with the Chicago Raw Community!
August 14, 15, 16
www.rawnora.com

www.rawfood.meetup.com/222

Raw Immersion Weekend!
Back to nature – hike in the woods, swim in the private lake, relax, rejuvenate
Raw Demos and Lectures, Gourmet Raw Meals, MI Organic BlueBerry Picking, Hands-on Prep Experience, Yoga, Foraging, Herb Walk, Raw Movies, Sweatlodge, Meditation, Wheatgrass, Green Juices, Green Smoothies, Infrared Sauna, Raw Ice Cream Social

Chefs Linda and Blake will wow you with their amazing raw menu
Beauty Star Lisa Persico as a speaker!!!
Other surprise speakers TBA

Held at Ronora Lodge’s Brand New Raw Villa just 100 miles from Chicago (www.rawnora.com)

All Inclusive!! Includes all meals, lectures, activities, retreat recipe booklet, resources, hands-on prep experience and carpooling coordination.

Friday through Sunday $215 camping, $250 indoors
Saturday/Sunday $175 camping, $200 indoors
Five Scholarships Still Available!

limited space – register now with Ariane rawgirlchicago@yahoo.com

Friday through Sunday $215 camping, $250 indoors
Saturday/Sunday $175 camping, $200 indoors

Pay thru paypal on the meetup (you can enter the correct amount for your stay, pls add $9 for processing)

or thru paypal to rawgirlchicago@yahoo.com

pls email me directly your cell phone info, and carpooling info
do you need a ride or can you give a ride? to how many people? what time can you leave (Fri or Sat) and from where are you leaving or would like to leave?

thanks!
ariane 847 674 2499

more info on:

www.rawfood.meetup.com/222

Tentative Menu:

Friday Eve Dinner
Stuffed mushrooms
Sesame Meatballs with two asian dipping sauces
Tomato Stacks
Crackers & Hummus
Marinated Collard Greens
Apple/Lemon drink with Mint

Saturday wake-up:
Wheat grass Juice and Coconut Water
Saturday Breakfast:
Smoothies - fruit & green
Fresh Fruit

Saturday Lunch - Mexican Fiesta:
Corn Salad
Tacos
Hot Sauce
Guacamole
Pico de Gallo
Mexican Spiced Cabbage

Saturday Dinner
Cucumber Soup
Mixed Green Salad w/vinaigrette & creamy dressings
Learn to Love Seaweed Salad
Blake’s Exciting Entrée

Saturday Evening after Sweat Lodge - Ice Cream Social:
Vanilla & Banana Ice Cream
Berry, caramel & Chocolate Sauces
Nuts

Sunday am before Yoga:
Wheatgrass Juice
Melon Soup
Green Juice

Sunday Brunch:
Almond Chai
Banana Crepes with Strawberry Sauce
Almond Berry Sandwiches
Spinach Salad
Sun Tea

Tentative Program:

Friday evening
6:00 - 7:00pm Check in with Appetizer Bar
7:00pm Social Mixer and Dinner
8:30pm Share Your Raw Food Journey

9:30pm Raw Movie or Game or drum circle

Saturday
8:00am wheatgrass shot w/ coco water
8:30am Yoga
10:00am Welcome with Green Smoothies - fruit
10:30am Berry and Peach-picking Excursion

1:00pm Demo and Lunch – South of the Border
2:30 – 5:30pm Free time: Hike, Swim, Relax, or Kayak/Canoe
5:30pm Food Demo (and Dinner Prep)
6:00pm Dinner with Guest Farmer Chad “Organic Farming”

7:00pm Top 10 Strategies for a Successful Raw Food Path by Lisa

8:30pm Sweatlodge or Raw Movie or Drum Circle
10:00pm Ice Cream Bar Social


Sunday
8am wheatgrass and green juices
9:00am Yoga or Meditation or Morning Walk
10:00am Getting the Glow with Superfoods by Lisa with Elixir Demo

11:00am Brunch
12:30pm Foraging/Herb Walk
2:30 pack up
3:00pm Depart

My refrigerator has multiple personalities..

...or maybe that's just me! The only thing I can really do is laugh when I look at it and see organic salad dressing next to regular ketchup, Kombucha next to coke, organic dates next to burger king...seriously, what is my deal?! lol


Ahh, one of these days I will go from transitioning to fully raw (ok, at LEAST 80%!)

In other news I did not have time to update the website this weekend because I had too much fun! I will get to it soon though, so check back for updated links in the directory!

Hope you all had a good weekend as well! Lot's of great events to wind down the weekend and get ready for a great new week-Yoga for Peace (check out the events calendar) Warren Farmer's Market, Gibralter Trade Center's Holistic festival, Vegan Feasts...wooohoo! Why am I still on the computer?! :)

Forgiveness

One common theme I've talked about with people interested in losing weight or learning about raw foods is a sort of feeling of guilt for allowing themselves to get overweight in the first place. This kind of thinking and feeling is not helpful for learning to do anything new-including raw foods! Until you can learn to forgive yourself, it will be hard to be healthy and to reach your ideal weight.

When you have a problem with someone else, it is easier to forget about this. Most people do not demand you forgive them, or that you ask for forgiveness. It's easy to just simply forget about the situation. Although the need for forgiveness in that situation is still there, it is not nearly as destructive to your well-being as the unforgiveness you have with yourself.

When you have a problem with something you did, it is still easy to ignore the situation, BUT it will never really go away. You can't escape yourself as easily as other people! If you do not actually forgive yourself, you will subconciously find ways to "punish" yourself until you do.

One added benefit of learning to truly forgive yourself is that it becomes much easier to forgive others. When you learn to master the ability to forgive someone (YOU) for doing something you had control over, how much easier to let go of pain and disappointment over something you had no control over (OTHERS).

Some things I have found that have helped me change negative patterns are hypnosis and tapping (or EFT-emotional freedom technique).

Tapping/EFT do not make you FORGET the pain others or yourself have caused to you, but they do make the emotions less intense, and therefore either to forgive. I'm not sure exactly how it works but anytime you repeat something many times, it helps to set new thought patterns.

Hypnosis cannot make you do anything you don't already want to do-so it's important to be in the right mind set and to really want to change when you do this. It only helps you eliminate old thought patterns, and replace them with the new, more positive ones.

There are many free and low cost hypnosis audio files on the internet, and my favorite EFT videos are at http://www.tapping.com/videos.html

Michigan Endangered Species

Well, this doesn't relate to raw food in Michigan, but in a way it kind of does. Raw/living foodists, vegans, vegetarians tend to care about the environment as well.I was at the Detroit Science Center (http://www.detroitsciencecenter.org/home.htm) and saw Mysteries of The Great Lakes (http://www.detroitsciencecenter.org/theaters/IMAX.htm) on the IMAX. While it talked about other species that were endangered, it focused on the Sturgeon. It's almost completely extinct. A fish that has survived for such a long time, and we have now managed to almost completely destroy. Amazingly enough, when people settled in Michigan they killed these fish just because they were ugly! Now suddenly people care. For more on the Sturgeon and other endangered fish and plants: http://www.glsc.usgs.gov/main.php?content=research_sturgeon&title=Fish%20at%20Risk0&menu=research_risk_fish

It's just amazing to me what we have done to this state. Don't even get me started on importing trash from Canada.(http://stabenow.senate.gov/stoptrash/faq.htm)

I guess I should just be happy that people are FINALLY starting to care. Better late than never I suppose. I'm so sick of people in Michigan just sitting around and complaining about things and not DOING anything. I hear it all the time. We have (or HAD probably now) one of the richest counties in the country (Oakland County) and I'd dare say one of the laziest. Anyone who would like to challenge me on this, I'd love to know what Oakland County has done to help the state of Michigan. Please, I'd love to find out I'm wrong on this!

Maybe raw food could bring new economic help to this state- raw food restaurants, products, etc. I'm excited for the film industry to come here, but we need to do other things as well.

One thing I know is that it will not change by sitting around doing nothing!


Get educated on the issues of this state- from the Detroit Zoo possibly closing, to the problems with the mayor, economy, trash, and the pollution of the Great Lakes.

Than DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

http://www.greatlakesforever.org/html/meetlakes/fanfacts.html

http://www.wecansavethegreatlakes.com/
http://www.cleanwateraction.org/mi/Save.htm
http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12141_12168---,00.html
http://www.turnmichiganaround.com/

This state is worth helping, and worth saving!

• The Great Lakes are the largest group of freshwater lakes in the world, stretching more than 90 thousand square miles and covering an area larger than Minnesota or New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island combined.
  
  
• Recognizing the Great Lakes’ great size and the important role they have played as the transportation hub of eastern North America, sailors and landlubbers alike have alternatively christened the Lakes the “sweet water” and “inland seas,” and “America’s fourth sea coast.”
  
  
• The Great Lakes are an international treasure, containing 18% of the entire world’s fresh surface water supply.

• Each year, nearly 157 billion gallons of water is permanently lost from the Great Lakes drainage basin (the surrounding land and waterways that drain water to the Lakes). That’s more than 4,000 gallons for every one of the basin's 37 million residents! As shocking as current withdrawal levels may seem, they’re but a fraction of what we could soon lose. Everyone who lives in the Great Lakes drainage basin relies on the Lakes for their drinking water. Twenty-six million residents use water withdrawn directly from the Lakes, while 11 million intercept Great Lakes groundwater as it drains to basin tributaries and the Lakes themselves. With demand for fresh water increasing across the country and the world, special interests are pushing to actually buy and sell Great Lakes water for a profit.Read more about Great Lakes water supply.
  
  
• Although Lake Superior is the most remote of the Great Lakes, it is far from immune to the threats of pollution we commonly associate with the more populous and developed Lakes Michigan, Erie and Ontario. Lake Superior, because of it’s large surface area, is particularly susceptible to airborne pollution, including mercury-laden smoke from coal-burning power plants and agricultural pesticides carried by winds from places as distant as Georgia and other southeastern states. This problem is exacerbated by Lake Superior’s long retention time (how long a drop of water stays in Lake Superior before flowing on to Lakes Michigan and Huron). While Lake Superior currently has lower levels of mercury, PCBs and other toxics harmful to wildlife and human health than any other Great Lake, it “holds on” to dissolved pollutants for a longer period, allowing them to build to much higher concentrations. Read more about Great Lakes water quality.
  
  
• Of all the Great Lakes, Lake Erie is the most susceptible to eutrophication and the presence of “dead zones”. Due to the heavy urbanization and agricultural use of its surrounding lands, Lake Erie is bombarded by massive amounts of untreated sewage dumping from cities and livestock facilities, as well as polluted runoff contaminated by failing septic systems, excess lawn fertilizers and pet feces. This increased organic matter and the abundance of light in Erie’s shallow depths encourages rapid plant growth. Once those plants die and begin decomposing, they use up all available oxygen. The result is “dead zone” where little if any life can survive. Read more about Great Lakes water quality..
  
  
• Today’s commercial fishery harvest of 63 million pounds may seem large, but peak harvests were achieved in the late 19th century at 147 million pounds! Initial harvest declines were largely due to over fishing, but habitat destruction and invasive species are the greatest challenges of today.
  
  
• More than two-thirds of Great Lakes fish species spawn in wetlands, and many rely on near shore vegetation for food and shelter. Wide-spread alteration and destruction of these habitats – including 75% of Great Lakes shoreline and 2/3 of the region’s wetlands – harms native fish. Read more about habitat protection.
  
  
• Since the 1800s, more than 160 aquatic invasive species have become established in the Great Lakes. These invaders include the sea lamprey, zebra mussel, round goby, quagga mussel and spiny water flea, and often infiltrate the Great Lakes via shipping canals and transoceanic vessels. Invasive species threaten the survival of our native fish, wildlife and plants and upset the balance of the Great Lakes ecosystem. The effects of such invasives can be drastic, as in the early 1900s when the sea lamprey was first introduced to the upper four Great Lakes. Within roughly 20 years, Lake Michigan’s lake trout population had declined by 95%, a loss from which it has not yet recovered today. Read more about Great Lakes invasive species.
  
  
• Today, the greatest source of invasive species - such as the zebra mussel and spiny water flea - in the Lakes is ship ballast water. Cargo ships that carry millions of tons of goods to and from Great Lakes ports every year rely on “ballast water” to help stabilize their ships on the seas. When these ships pick up new cargo, they can dump tens of thousands of gallons of ballast water – often taken from distant seas – into the Great Lakes.
  
  
• In 2002, 23% of Great Lakes beaches were closed for at least a day – and 14% were closed for more than 9 days – to prevent the spread of waterborne disease. Bacterial and viral pathogens are introduced to the Great Lakes from overflowing sewage plants and polluted runoff from our yards, streets and farms. Read more about Great Lakes water quality.
• *From: http://www.greatlakesforever.org/html/meetlakes/fanfacts.html

Organic Farmers

I'm sorry to admit that I have not once gone to a local farmers market! Not ONCE. Shame on me! Starting my own business while working full time and going to school full time, didn't allow for much time! The first job I got out of college required me to travel all the time. I'm so done with this madness! I want my free time back!!! Anyways, I really have been wanting to go to one but didn't know any farmer's markets around here that had organic produce. I'm not buying produce unless it's organic-local or not. I just don't want the chemicals! I can take a little less nutrients from it being shipped since I do eat some superfoods-but chemicals, no thanks! Wow, I'm rambling. Anyways, someone emailed me about organic farmers in Michigan! I will be updating the links section this weekend so check back (have some co-ops and some potlucks to add) but wanted to add the farmer's information right away(be sure to check out the website at the end also, has a website for organic farmers in Michigan).

Certified Organic Blueberries

Pleasant Hill Farm

John VanVoorhees & Joan Donaldson

5859 124th Avenue
Fennville, MI 49408

Telephone: (269) 561-2850

E-Mail Address: sparrow@i2k.com

Website: http://www.pleasanthillblueberryfarm.com/

Fresh blueberries U-Pick in Season the month of August and then sell frozen blueberries in 5 lb. and 30 lb. boxes all year round. U-Pick 2008 prices are $2.50 per pound.

Certification: Oregon Tilth Certified Organic; Farm Size: 100; Sales: On-Farm, Co-op, Wholesale, Buying Club, Retail Store, U-Pick, Restaurant

Sustainable Grown Blueberries; Not Certified Organic

Coyners Blueberries
Jerry and Barbara Lawrence
7101 Gillette Rd
Flushing MI
Telephone: 810-659-6677

Fresh blueberries U-Pick during season of August

Farm Size: 10; Sales: U-Pick
Hours: Mon-Sat 8am-8pm during season

Farm is 70 years old and growing organically for 5 years

Certified Organic Pears, Raspberries, Peaches, Strawberries

Kismet Organics

6828 118th Ave.
Fennville, MI 49408

Telephone: 616-510-9113 or 269-857-9998

E-Mail Address: kismetorganics@yahoo.com

Website: http://www.kismetorganics.com/

Located at the corner of Blue Star Highway & 118th Ave.

2008 fresh pears beginning in August thru September with different varieties ripening throughout the month. Some Summer & Fall raspberries available this season.

In 2008 Season will also have strawberries, raspberries and peaches.

Certified Organic Cherries

Northstar Organics

1139 Forrester Road

Frankfort, MI 49635

Telephone: 231-352-4865

Website: http://www.northstarorganics.com/

Fresh and organic: black and gold sweet cherries, Montmorency red tart cherries. Frozen and pitted Montmorency cherries in 28-lb. tubs. Dried organic tart cherries. Black and gold cherries available from approximately July 1-July 30. Montmorency red tart cherries available from approximately July 15-Aug. 5. Frozen Montmorency red tart cherries and organic dried cherries available all year. Certified Organic, Synthetic Chemical-free, Integrated Pest Mgmt. Farmers Markets, Web Sales, Phone Orders, Mail Orders, Retail Stores, U-Pick, Farm Stand. Elberta Farmers Market. Farm stand and u-pick open 8 a.m.-7 p.m. daily during July. Please call to ensure that product is ripe and available. Three miles west of US-31 via Grace Rd. or River Rd. Follow to Forrester Rd.

Certified Organic Strawberries, Blueberries, Asparagus, Salad Greens, and Other Vegetables/Herbs

Ware Farm Bernie and Sandee Ware 9094 Alkire Road Bear Lake, MI 49614 Telephone: 231-864-3242 E-Mail Address: warefarm@coslink.net Website: http://www.csafarms.org/warefarm.asp All of our produce is certified organic: strawberries, and blueberries. Asparagus, salad greens, other vegetables, and herbs in season. Pickeled asparagus and hand-made pies. Farmers Markets, Retail Stores, Restaurants, U-Pick, Farm Stand, CSA farm. Elberta Farmers Market, Manistee Farmers Market, Traverse City Farmers Market. Bay Bucks, Project FRESH coupons, Senior Project FRESH coupons Certified Organic and Certified Biodynamic Apples, Apricots, Peaches, Sweet Cherries, Blueberries, & Raspberries Walton Orchards Bruce Walton 2671 M-115 Highway Frankfort, MI 49635 Telephone: 231-654-7679 or 231-645-7679 Also, check the Local Harvest website: http://www.localharvest.org/ for other local organic farmers/growers. In addition, Northwest Michigan has a website for the growers in this area. Here is their website: http://localdifference.org/farmsearch.asp.

Goal Setting Help

I had been discussing on a raw food forum about staying motivated with little support. Than I read this article in Delicious Living Magazine about websites that help you track your success and network with other people. It helps keep you accountable in your goal setting. If you are like me, you have many, many people who would encourage you to NOT eat raw food either from fear of it causing you to not be able to go out to eat anymore, or some insecurity whenever you try to better yourself, to simple misunderstanding of what raw food is. So any kind of encouragement and support is good!
Here are the sites:

http://www.stickk.com (wager on yourself, promising to meet a certain goal. If you don't make it, stickk makes you ante up to a friend of your choosing or donate money to your favorite charity. lol)

http://www.sparkpeople.com (name your fitness or weight loss goal, and they offer tips. Fitness minute section helps you keep track of how much time you've exercised during a given month)

http://www.thedailyplate.com (track your weekly food intake and exercise, and it helps you manage your fitness or weight loss goals, and network with other members)

Mulberries

Here we go round the mulberry bush
The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush
Here we go round the mulberry bush
So early in the morning

This is the way we wash our clothes
Wash our clothes, wash our clothes
This is the way we wash our clothes
So early Monday morning

This is the way we iron our clothes
Iron our clothes, iron our clothes
This is the way we iron our clothes
So early Tuesday morning

This is the way we mend our clothes
Mend our clothes, mend our clothes
This is the way we mend our clothes
So early Wednesday morning

This is the way we sweep the floor
Sweep the floor, sweep the floor
This is the way we sweep the floor
So early Thursday morning

This is the way we scrub the floor
Scrub the floor, scrub the floor
This is the way we scrub the floor
So early Friday morning

This is the way we bake our bread
Bake our bread, bake our bread
This is the way we bake our bread
So early Saturday morning

This is the way we go to church
Go to church, go to church
This is the way we go to church
So early Sunday morning

I think I finally know why those workers were so full of energy that even after all their chores that they felt like spinning around the mulberry bushes! They were eating the mulberries for energy!


It was time to go grocery shopping so I had run out of food. Desperate, I snacked on some mulberries I had bought awhile and since forgotten about because I didn't like them. I have to say, they are growing on me! At first I didn't like them, but the more I eat them the better they taste. I find that a lot with raw food-so if you don't like something immediately, try it again a few times before you give up on it! I really can't even describe them other than they are sweet, but not too sweet. They taste like potpourri. lol I guess you just have to try them yourself to really understand. I can assure they are not like anything you have tried before though. They even have a weird texture that is hard to explain!



I bought mine from:







Just a few of Mulberries health benefits(do a google search for more fascinating info. on the mulberry):

Cancer Prevention
Mulberries are a good source of resveratrol, a potent phytonutrient also found in grapes that researchers believe can prevent cancer and aid in the fight of existing cancers.

Life Extension
Because of their resveratrol content, mulberries may be a tool in one's life extension arsenal, as resveratrol has shown in several studies to extend the life of mice.

Blood Tonic
In Chinese medicine, mulberries are considered a blood tonic, meaning that they cleanse the blood and increase its production, strengthening the entire system.

Kidney Strengthener
In Chinese medicine, mulberries are believed to strengthen the kidneys.

Liver Cleanser
In Chinese medicine, mulberries are believed to be effective in cleansing the liver.

Better Hearing and Vision
In China, tea made with mulberry paste is believed to strengthen one's hearing and vision.

Constipation Cure
In Turkey, a treatment for constipation is to eat white mulberries on an empty stomach with a glass of water.

Anemia Treatment
Because they are quite high in iron, mulberries are a great food to use in the treatment of anemia.

Cold and Flu Treatment
In Turkey, mulberry molasses is used as a treatment for colds and flu. Their effectiveness in this way may be due to their high vitamin C content.

Premature Gray Hair Remedy
In several countries, mulberries are considered an effective remedy for prematurely gray hair.

A Zerbo Friday

Can I just say how much I love that store? :) They were giving away a free book today. How lovely. I had two smoothies (yes, both for me!) and a not raw, but still better than the junk I've been eating lately-sandwich. The sandwich had hickory smoked tofurkey, vegan cheddar rice cheese, veganaise, mixed greens,mustard, onion, anezekiel 4:9 bread. Ahh, why do I eat junk? I know I have to drive farther and spend a bit more to get to health food stores, but it's so worth it. The last week I've been feeling blah and depressed, and as soon as I had that good food I felt instantly better! I can't wait to move closer to Zerbo's!

The smoothie's were interesting-their menu is at http://www.zerbos.com/retailer/store_templates/am_custom_page.asp?storeid=5DDC50E796734E49AEDE162FFC8CABF9&pageID=1471&RedirShopperID=5DDC50E796734E49AEDE162FFC8CABF9


I had the Green Energy (minus the raw power-ugh, that stuff is so not agreeable with me!) and the Mistake :)

#8 GREEN ENERGY
STRAWBERRIES, PINEAPPLE, 1/2 APPLE, KALE,
SPINACH, DANDELION, GINGER, RAW POWER,
COCONUT WATER, AGAVE NECTAR
BASE: WATER (IF NEEDED)
SUGGESTION: ADD CINNAMON OR CARDAMOM

#10 THE MISTAKE
PINEAPPLE, AVACADO, GOJI BERRIES,COCONUT
OIL, GREEN VIBRANCE, HEMP PROTEIN, AGAVE
NECTAR
BASE: HEMP MILK



Yum! :) I'm happy now :)