three things | the raw review

A guest post by Kelly Smith

If there was ever a soppy lover of raw food and an insatiable bounty hunter for all things nutritious and wholesome - you've just found them on this page. For me, it doesn't get much better than raw food and warm afternoons - preferably the two together but as long as there's raw food in the world and special people to help give it a platform, I'll be there with my trusty lasso. 

I'm super excited and delighted to share with you my recent experience with some highly nutritious raw food snacks and treats that I had the privilege of lassoing :)  Be sure to leave your thoughts and comments about any of these goodies.

Love & Light,

Kelly :)

Reishi Crackits, InSpiral

I was really excited to try these super-raw, dehydrated Reishi Crackits for the first time as I had been reading about tonic mushrooms and their mega, immune-boosting properties.

These particular crackits are flavoured with tangy onion, black pepper and herbs and boy, are they a heady treat for the senses - as I was to find when I got inside the packet. 

On smell, they have a sweet, smoky fragrance which I found particularly appealing. On texture, you get a nice soft chewy crunch which won't disturb your work colleagues or make you have to turn up the TV mid-munch. On taste, all those added flavours really do sizzle without being overpowering or leaving that unpleasant onion-taste in your mouth - most important if you're working around others!

Particularly note-worthy though is how nutritionally-dense these babies are. You'll find little gems such as almonds, sunflower seeds, carrots, courgettes, chia seeds and flax seeds - all packed tightly into a single crackit. Eating this variety of nuts and seeds in a compact cracker makes getting your daily protein and omegas so much more easier - I love that.

It gets better as these heavenly offerings are not only nutritiously raw but also vegan, wheat-free and soy-free. I'm a big snacker and am always seeking out healthy alternatives to biscuits and crisps. I definitely found it in the humble, nimble crackit.

Freeze-Dried Durian, InSpiral

Revered as 'King of the Fruits' in South-East Asian countries, though probably better known for its somewhat funky aroma.

I was extremely excited to try Durian for the first time, having absolutely no reference point for its taste, texture or smell but having read about its reputation as a vitamin and mineral-rich treat.

Living in a distinctly non-tropical climate (boo hoo) means it's very rare to find fresh Durian, so to be able to try the dried variety is the best I could hope for.

The golden jagged-edge pieces of this fruit mimic little shards of honeycomb - even down to its light, crunchy texture. Although the smell and taste bear no resemblance whatsoever. That's where Durian is in a class of its own. It has the most surprising taste - it's definitely not unpleasant - but it might not be what you would expect from its appearance.

Most tropically-grown fruit such as pineapples, mangoes and papayas are incredibly sweet to taste - even the dried out versions - but I didn't feel this was the case with dried Durian. Maybe it started out a little on the sweet side but as you get into the chew, this unique savoury flavour begins to take over.

I would even go so far as to describe the flavour as onion-like. I hope that doesn't put you off trying it! Just to be certain I wasn't going mad though, I asked some of my family members to try the Durian for themselves to see what they thought. Without my even mentioning the onion taste, everyone immediately said it had a soft onion flavour that was very savoury and enjoyable.

So there you have it - a tropical fruit that tastes like a savoury vegetable. Well, sort of. Try it for yourself and see what you think. 

Powdered Baobab (a.k.a The Feel-Good Fruit of Africa), Detox Your World

To fully appreciate the breadth of this super-fruit, allow me to quickly run through some of its vital statistics for you.

1. Natural multivitamin - super loaded with vitamin C, calcium, potassium, thiamin and vitamin B6. That all means that you'll benefit from increased energy and metabolism (hooray), a reinforced immune system (bye, bye bad guys) and
a reduction in tiredness and fatigue (now you're talking).

2. Rich in Fibre - astonishingly, Baobab is 50% fibre, half of which is soluble - easier to digest.

3. High in Antioxidants - Baobab really takes the prize here. It contains one of the highest antioxidant capacities of any fruit in the world! It has five times the antioxidants of Acai berries and twice that of Goji berries. Wow. Impressed? I clearly am.

So how does it taste? When I got round to experimenting with this super-friendly super-fruit, I first diluted it into some pure distilled water to get the full impact. I was pleased to discover a very lemony, almost sherbet-like taste which was enjoyable and easy to drink. 

You could easily combine this powder with items in your regular juice or smoothie. I did this several times by mixing it with a combination of bananas, spinach, lemons and parsley. Whilst it's harder to pick out the delicate taste of the Baobab when its surrounded by other flavours, just knowing it was there and giving me a nutrient boost was sweet enough.

This super-fruit even tastes good all by itself. I've taken to scooping my finger into the powder and enjoying it totally neat - as if my finger was a replacement piece of liquorice in those much-loved sherbet dips. I think I've come to enjoy those tangy tongue tingling sensations a little too much.

So there you have it: three things, all raw, all delicious.

Look forward to posting more reviews here very soon...

Happy munching :)

raw food and soul adventure destination retreat announced!

Friends,

I've teased you with promises of a destination retreat for long enough, now I have a sneaky feeling that you'll agree: what I'm about to announce has been worth the wait...

You might have been expecting to retreat with me to Bali, and right until just last week, I was too. But expectations are toxic and I found that all the pressure I was putting on myself to fulfil this promise has been majorly taxing on my energy, creativity and productivity to make it an epic trip away.

I knew that this was not the right head space to be in during planning stages, especially since I'm well aware that my energy could contribute to your spiritual experience on a raw food healing escape. Still I just couldn't figure out what was standing in my way and why I was having obstacle after obstacle in regards to locking in Bali. So I put everything aside, lit up an incense stick, rolled out my mat, dimmed the lights and began breathing my consciousness into a deep sea of calm, until there was just you and me and the vision of the most unforgettable retreat for you.

When I opened my eyes, the clock said 1:11.

I have no idea how long my meditation went on for, but I do know two things for certain: 1). The incense stick has burned out long ago, so I would've been in deep for at least 15 minutes and 2). We are going to Vilcabamba, Ecuador!!!!

As I experienced this amazing realisation, I couldn't understand why something so obvious didn't come to me earlier. Well now that it has, it is not about to go anywhere. I've even set the date...

Mark your diary for six nights/ seven days over 19-25 November 2013.


What you may or may not know about Vilcabamba...

• It is home to my beautiful parents and their raw food restaurant Sungate 11:11.
• It is my own personal retreat destination, where I go annually to detox, reconnect and recharge.
• It is a tiny village entirely surrounded by majestic mountains.
• It is best known as the Sacred Valley of Longevity.
• It is a magnet for the most gifted, spiritual and loving people. If you don't consider yourself as such a person yet- Vilcabamba is the place where you'll discover otherwise.
• It has the purest air of any place I've ever been to on earth.
• It has uncontaminated mineral-rich earth which bears the most delicious, healing and organic produce for everyone and the majority of its inhabitants have direct access to natural spring water.
• It is the raw food capital of the world.

Now that you know our destination and the date -and before I send you an application for taking part- I want to make sure that this is a retreat which ticks off all the boxes for you.

If you can make it to Ecuador for a week starting 19th November, please tell me what your most ideal getaway will entail...

bloggers meet | vitamix's raw food supper club

Images by Tristan Glinski

Attention Attention to my UK foodie blogger followers!

Vitamix and I have teamed up to hold the first ever Vitamix's Raw Food Supper Club exclusive to bloggers in the UK.

This is your chance to get a glimpse of how the Vitamix can help support a raw food lifestyle, meet other virtual superstars like yourself, taste the most decadent and healthful dishes prepared by yours truly on the night and ask me any questions you have!

The first event is this Thursday! It is sponsored by Vitamix, so free for you. Check it out:

Bloggers Meet: Raw Food Supper Club

*bloggers only*

Hosted by: Tanya Alekseeva and Vitamix
When: Thursday 6^th June: 18:00-20:00
Where: Covent Garden, London

How to register: Email Aaron ahuckett@publicasity.co.uk to secure a place. First come, first served. Invite is for bloggers only.

Images by Tristan Glinski

are you mostly acidic and prone to disease? here's how to find out and what you can do to change that...

Would you like to know:

1. why your weight won't budge even if you are doing loads of exercise?
2. what is making you acid? (it's not just about food).
3. whether you are mostly acid or alkaline?
4. what pH even means & how you can measure yours?
5. what tiny changes you can make right away to not only look younger, weigh less, look more radiant, but to feel better, more vibrant and more alive than you have in years?

Then, watch this video I made to answer your questions. 

For more incredible insights into what acidic deadly poisons are in most of our diets and to hear simple strategies to cleanse and alkalise your body, I'm holding a brand new webinar happening 8PM GMT Tuesday 28th May. 

Make sure you are registered, I believe this is the information everyone must know. 

Here's how to attend the webinar for FR*EE>>

dutch stroopwafels | raw food recipe | yes raw caramel and superfood biscuits too

Travelling is rewarding in so many ways. For me- the thrill of it continues well after a trip comes to an end, because there is no better way, than seeing another country, to return home full of inspiration to re-create a raw food version of their national dish. 

Last week, that country was Holland, but you might already know that from my latest post and restaurant reviews in Eating Amsterdam, Raw Food Style. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79Z13VFFJE8&feature=share&list=UUcZcGZ88-ZcXUWBpvUPk2oA


While visiting, my friend Jesse van der Velde interviewed me on how I discovered raw food for the first time and asked me to share some of my top strategies on creating lasting lifestyle changes, as well as my three very best healthy eating tips.

This inspirational man by the way is like the Tony Robbins of Netherlands! If you don't know him yet- meet Jesse, Europe's renowned personal trainer, power energy coach, author, star nutritionist and the mega sensation behind www.jessevandervelde.com , www.superfood.nl and www.detoxyourworld.com .

In our interview he asks me about my favourite superfoods, a question to which I shamelessly declare my love of mulberries for their toffee-like, chewy, caramel properties.

This caramel obsession of mine stems all the way from childhood, when my grandma- angels rest her soul- had a whole stack of it ready for me every time I came to visit. She would boil an entire can of sweetened condensed milk for something like 3 hours until it turned into gooey caramel heaven and grandma's house became the only place a sweet-tooth-of-a-child could ever dream of living in.

Well, Stroopwafels (which you may know as caramel thins, toffee biscuits, syrup waffles or treacle waffles) happen to be a hugely popular caramel syrup and baked butter batter treat, which originated in the Netherlands.

It was a no-brainer then, that as soon as I got back, I'd create my own healthy version of the most delicious biscuit in the whole entire world. [Disclaimer: This statement is so all mine, but I bet I'm not the only who thinks stroopwafels are the bee's knees to your tastebuds.]

DUTCH SUPERFOOD STROOPWAFELS

For the essentials
Food processor
Cookie cutter (I used a 4 inch food presentation ring)
Blender
Dehydrator (but you can also bake the biscuits in the oven, they will no longer be raw, but they will still be the healthiest gluten free biscuit you could get your hands on)

For the biscuit
2 cups walnuts, soaked overnight
1 cup hazelnuts, soaked overnight
1 cup hulled flaxseeds, dry
3/4 cup coconut palm sugar
2 tbsp mesquite meal / algarroba powder
1 tbsp maca root powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup pure water

For the caramel
1 cup pitted dates, soaked for a minimum of 2 hours
1/2 cup coconut butter, melted
1/3 cup coconut palm sugar
1/3 cup mesquite meal / algarroba powder

-Start by making the biscuits first. Finely chop all the walnuts and hazelnuts in a food processor, add all the remaining biscuit ingredients, apart from lemon juice and water, then process again to combine. Add the lemon juice and water, then process one last time until the batter has your desired consistency.
-Spread the biscuit mixture over a teflex sheet of your dehydrator tray, carefully evening it out with the use of a spatula. The thickness should be about 0.5-1cm if your cookies are going to dry in one solid form. Use a cookie cutter or a food presentation ring to create as many cookies as your dough allows.
-Dehydrate at 115 degrees F for 8-12 hours, turn the dough plank over onto a mesh sheet and place another mesh sheet or even two over your cookies, so there is some weight on them and they don't start curling up at the edges whilst drying. Return to the dehydrator for another 8-12 hours.

-To create caramel, you will need either a Vitamix or a powerful food processor. Transfer all the caramel ingredients into the machine and blend on high, while using a tamper or a pulse button (if using a food processor). Continue to blend until you reach a smooth, sauce-like consistency.
-Spread the caramel over each biscuit, you can then either eat right away (you will want to, believe me!), return to the dehydrator for another 2-4 hours to make it more dense or transfer to the fridge for 1-2 hours to make it more solid. Note that if you transfer to the fridge, it is best for the stroopwafels to remain there until serving, as they would start to moisten and soften later while 'defrosting'.

Are you in love? Me too!

eating amsterdam | raw food style | reviews

I love Amsterdam. Period.

It wasn't my first time paying the Netherlands a visit last week, but it was the first time since the birth of Better Raw. And because now I was seeing everything through a different lens, you can argue that this was really the first time after all.

Come on a mini walking tour with me...

Wondering along Amsterdam's canals 

This makes me want to live in a house boat

Cute + stylish + historic + fresh + cosy + adventurous = all in one apartment, only in Amsterdam

Like a flower to sunshine

Bicycle central!  Sis- you'd love this!!

Getting amongst it.

Backwards, yet makes so much sense.

I had all sorts of intentions to try every single raw food cafe in the city, but... 1). I underestimated how many choices were available, especially that I was only there for 30 hours. And 2). I didn't expect to be catered for by the most beautiful hosts with their delicious homemade smoothies, pesto courgette pasta, raw chocolates and chia puddings.  

As awesome as that is for me, I'm not so sure that Marjolijn and Jesse have plans to open their own restaurant any time soon (they already run www.superfood.nl and www.detoxyourworld.com), so I figured that even if I grabbed a small snack somewhere, I could report back to you on what raw food eats are available in Amsterdam... 

Our first stop was the Superfood Centre, an all-in-one wellbeing hub (check out the people working out in the background at 9am Sunday morning). I just arrived then and wasn't hungry for the big selection of their cereal bar/ snack/ chocolate/ superfood range, but they had a juicer, which may as well have been called 'the transportation device to heaven' and at that point I wouldn't have known the difference. 

 

Eazie was a lunch time stop. To be honest it wasn't on my list and I was heading elsewhere, but the fact that it said 'Salads, Woks, Smoothies' caught my eye and woke up my hunger. I had their basic Greek salad and the most delicious 'Crazy Coconut'- banana, pineapple, orange, coconut smoothie. This I think is a great example of one of many restaurants, where you can find a full raw meal, without it specialising in our funky cuisine. 

Juicy Details at Schiphol Airport was a very VERY exciting discovery and made me seriously wonder why every airport doesn't have a juice bar. Flying is so taxing on our immune system, but a juice or a whole food smoothie before and after a flight is all that is needed to rebalance, ground and reinvigorate our precious body.

Here are some of the places I never made it to, but hopefully if you visit Amsterdam, you can benefit from these suggestions...

The Soulsister sells vitamins, superfoods, natural cosmetics and it has a wheatgrass bar! You could even grab yourself a handy booklet called InLivin' The Good Life Guide To Amsterdam, while you are there. 

Unlimited Health seems to have it all- a health foods store, a yoga centre, as well as a juice bar, restaurant and a bistraw, where you can get some apparently delicious salads, quiches and cakes to eat in or take away.

Golden Temple has been recommended to me for their raw chocolate slice and other cakes on the permanent desserts menu, but if you would like a three course raw food meal, reservations will need to be arranged in advance. 

Bolhoed looks really good for a vegan (not raw) option and by the sounds of the reviews, definitely a place I'd like to pay a visit, especially being so near Anne Frank's House and Noordermarkt.

Did I miss any of your favourite raw food eats? Maybe even just a vegan option? Let me know in the comments below...

sungate 11:11 - south america's newest raw food restaurant

Do you remember me posting this image of the most gorgeous garden in the whole entire world? 

It is my parents' back yard in Vilcabamba, Ecuador. It is also the venue to the newest and most raved about raw food restaurant in South America!

If you follow Better Raw on Facebook, you would've seen the announcement there already. But since such sacred space is currently only available to a maximum of 20 people, you may have

already learned how fast all the spots sell out after the release of a new menu, every three weeks. 

My mum Elena, the talent behind all the culinary creations and my dad Vladimir, the best waiter/ marketer/ delivery man/ cleaner/ dishwasher/ adviser/ recipe approver, are the amazing team behind every colourful and nourishing dish at Sungate 11:11.

If you are in or near Vilcabamba, make sure to book for what could very easily be the highlight of your travels. And such a tasty one!

Here are all the details of the upcoming set menu lunch:

Here are some examples of their past menu options:

What did I tell you? Sounds amazing, right?

Remember to book for the next lunch happening on Saturday 25th May and please give my parents a cuddle for me!

delicious alkalising pesto courgette noodles

As I make final adjustments and recipe testing for my online 28 day program- ACID ALKALINE BREAKTHROUGH (make sure you are on the list to get the scoop once the freebies are ready), there's one recipe I can't quite wait to share with you. I tried and I tried to wait patiently and post it once the program is announced, but think it is so good, so cleansing and so alkalising, that you really deserve it NOW. None of this waiting around...

Serves 4

For the noodles

4 medium courgettes

For the pesto sauce

2 cups basil, packed tightly

2 cup spinach, packed tightly

1 cup extra virgin olive oil (or flaxseed oil)

1/2 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup brazil nuts

juice of 3 limes

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 tsp Himalayan salt

To serve

tomatoes, marinated mushrooms, sauerkraut, salad greens, anything goes!

- Use a spiraliser to make spaghetti out of courgettes

- Pop all the dry pesto ingredients (everything apart from the oil and the lime juice) into a food processor and process until finely ground up. You may need to keep scraping down the edges with a spatular

- Add the oil and lemon to the food processor and pulse the sauce for a final mix

- Pour the ready pesto over spiralised courgettes and stir it through

- Serve immediately with any other salady bits you like or let it sit and marinate in all the juices

eating budapest | raw food style | mannatural review

I can now tick Budapest off my must-see-while-in-Europe list! As true as that may be, there is so much more to this majestic city, than simply ticking it off however. It is a destination which deserves to be on everybody's list of places to visit. 

I was blown away by how much there was to see and do, even when taking a stroll along the river. Its Prague-like layout, Rome-like greatness and Russia-like feel brought a mix of emotions for me and I felt like the luckiest girl to have Elliot there to experience this city with.   

We arrived on Saturday night and left on Monday (today!), but the sun cracked up its rays enough to inspire and fuel me enough to return home and blog about it right away. Here's our Budapest in 1,5 days...

We felt like we arrived in Disneyland, when we got to the Vajdahunyad Castle. It had such a magical feeling to it. I bet it will be amazing in winter too, when the water freezers over for iceskating here.

Heroes Square was quite a site to marvel at. It was outside the hall of arts and surrounded by art and gold museums. 

A bit of fun in the park next to the Time Wheel, which we somehow managed to miss. Maybe less fun next time.

The Szechenyi Spa Baths! I've never seen anything like this- everyone takes advantage of the city's thermal system while soaking up the rays outdoors.

A travelling tradition- why not do a few push-ups? When in Budapest...

At the top of the National Gallery looking down at the Funicular (I just love it how this name has 'fun' at the front of it) and the Chain Bridge.

Here's a closer look at the legendary Chain Bridge. It's one of many bridges linking the Buda and the Pest sides of the city, but tends to be the most well known.

We took a boat tour along the Danube River and here is the Hungarian Parliament. It's 500 metres long and is apparently the 2nd largest parliament building in Europe. Impressive! But which is the largest?

This bridge is called the Freedom Bridge. Elliot was certainly feeling free on it.

Just as I thought the city baths were the most fascinating thing I've seen, here is a Chapel in the Rock, which we decided to visit because it looked cool from outside. It was such an amazing experience! It also happened to be a Sunday, when a church service was on. Singing and praying right inside low ceiling caves with hundreds of people spread around various corners- it was a sight to remember.

One of the awesome looking Hungarian restaurants on Vaci Street. The Great Market is at the end of the street and I wish we had more time to check it out. We initially ended up on the street because someone recommended that we visit 1000TEA, a little tea house, but it was also closed on Sunday.

A very Hungarian dish- everyone seems to be into their pickles. So I joined them. Happily.

Chain Bridge and Royal Palace lit up at night. This city really knows how to look its best at all times of the day (and night).

One of the ruins on Margaret Island. Wish we brought our running shoes- the entire island had a soft cushy rubber track along its circumference for runners. Everybody's needs considered. 

And the final stop during our flying visit definitely had to be Budapest's only raw food cafe! Mannatural is conveniently located right by the Parliament building. I marked it on the map even before I found our hotel.

When we made our way down the steps, the first impression wasn't the fact that it was in a windowless cellar, but rather the funky whiff of cabbage, which is the smell you had no way of escaping. If you like cabbage, you'll be in heaven. There's cabbage of every kind- picked cabbage, creamy cabbage, red cabbage with beetroot, curried cabbage, coleslaw, spiced cabbage, mixed cabbage salad, cabbage and cabbage. As much as I do love my cabbage and sauerkraut, I also love Elliot, and Elliot was not enjoying the smell or the vibe.

All the smoothies were pre-made and sitting in jugs ready for the Monday lunch rush. I was fascinated with the flavour combinations of blends such as beetroot and kiwifruit, also black sesame, poppy seed and dates, but went for the non-adventurous option of berry, apple and orange. I would've definitely gone for the poppy seed option if the milk was strained without all the bits.

The cakes looked far too good to pass on and even though both Elliot and I weren't ready for them, we opted for the take-out option and unwrapped them at the airport to have with a cup of peppermint tea, prior to departure. The lovely girl at Mannatural recommended her favourite, which was a lemon cake, so I went for that, but for Elliot it was only ever going to be chocolate. I loved the fact that all the cakes were nut-free and they just used dates and coconut oil for the top with added flavour depending on the cake. The bottom was made of coconut, dates, fruit and physillium husks. The texture was gorgeous, but as much we both enjoyed the 'lemon' cake, it tasted nothing like lemon, rather toffee-like due to all the dates. The chocolate cake was unfortunately left very much untouched once we sampled a helping of what tasted like a 'healthy combo' of bananas and raisins mixed in cacao. 

Hats off to Mannatural for taking the risk and leading the way on the raw food front in Budapest. It was amazing to see a queue of people waiting to be served lunch and I hope your efforts and talents continue to spread. Perhaps when we return next time, the raw food scene would've evolved and I'll be writing an entirely different review with a big shame-on-me cross all over this one. For now however, it is fair to say, that we were left... Hungry in Hungary.