Doll’s Weekly Adventure to the Market (Raw Food on a Budget!)

by Doll Creelman

As I began my search for information on this topic I realized that most raw food educators share the same basic principals with all of us. My intention here is not to rehash what’s already out there but to shed some light on the day to day realities and costs of living raw.

For many of us beginning a raw food lifestyle has it’s own challenges. The high cost of fresh produce can add one more level of frustration. My hope is that I can in some way make this journey a little less financially burdensome. No, I have no cash to send your way just my own ideas ready to share.

Monday’s shopping:

With plan and list in hand off I went. There are 3 or 4 grocery stores within reasonable driving distance of my home that have special displays of reduced produce. That’s where I go first. The ripe racks usually price bags of produce at .99/1.49/or 2.49. Guess that keeps it simple for everyone.

This week was a little disappointing. Here’s what I found:

2 or 3 bags of radishes, with tops on

3 or 4 bags of oranges (priced a little high for me)

1 small bag of potatoes (no weight listed)

4 bags of apples (mixed types)

1 bag of limes (had no idea how many were in the bag. Too many to count in a hurry)

1 package of mangos

1 package of peaches

1 bag hot peppers

1 package of grapefruit

What I bought:

Mangos

Radishes (for Nick. Not my favorites)

Peaches

Grapefruit

Like I said, disappointed!

The mangos are not soft or over-ripe. A find actually that I will enjoy some time next week. The peaches went through the juicer right away.

The rest of my groceries I paid full price for: romaine, carrots, cucumber, avocado, lemons, raw organic almonds, red lentils, roma tomatoes, bananas, 1 lg orange, Brussels sprouts, small unwaxed turnip,.

The almonds came it at $12.18 so a very large part of the total.

Now, I don’t know if you see this as a lot or little but for me it was right on the mark for what’s normal for me.

Today I went to my local store and picked up the rest of what I needed for the week. Carrots, cabbage and 1 sweet potato. $10.82

Total for the week: $60.45

Nick and I budget $400/month for the 2 of us. I might need to purchase more bananas or pears this week but will see how I make out. I did still have some produce in the fridge from last week.

Here’s the fine print: I choose organic when I can. I live in Eastern Ontario, Canada (to give you an idea of the season so everything is shipped). Also, my dollars are in Canadian Funds.

For me the bottom line: I set my budget amount. I make a list. I alter it when I see what’s reduced and plan my meals from there. Works for me!

What’s on your list today?

My Christmas Gift to You!

I’ve just wrapped up the Editor’s letter for the December issue of Pear Magazine. In that letter, I included this Christmas special that I am excited to also share with Raw Mom readers for their young children.

I wrote….

“…On the subject of smiling, it warms my heart when young children (and their parents) smile at the illustrations and story in a project near and dear to my heart, my children’s book: A, B, C — Come Look For Me! In the Spirit of Christmas and in remembrance of the gifts that the Three Wise Men presented to Baby Jesus, I am offering the e-book version of my children’s book for only Three dollars. Yes, $3! The captivating A, B, C — Come Look For Me, beautifully illustrated by Brandon Hunter, is written in rhyme and promotes alphabet learning through a fun Hide-n-Seek adventure. Give the gift of literacy and watch the roads children will travel…”

I certainly have some fond memories of visiting pre-school and kindergarten classes in Virginia Beach and Florida to read this fun book to the future scholars and their teachers. As I sat on the floor with the children and shared the story, my heart smiled at tiny, innocent fingers pointing at and calling out letters that the Letter A and its new friend were searching for during their Hide-n-Seek adventure!

Click here to read reviews about A, B, C — Come Look For Me! and/or to download the e-book as a Holiday gift for your children or others you know.

Have fun creating reading memories this Holiday Season!

Joy to the World,

Penny

Creating holiday memories that can last a lifetime

Christmas is fast approaching. Are your kids as EXCITED as are mine? Isn’t it incredible how ALIVE and exuberant and full of mirth and glee they can get? I don’t know about you, but I am in awe. Unfortunately, I never seem to really enjoy Christmas. But this year, I decided to do everything in my power to not feel like Scrooge. I am no Chris Kringle, but I did something this year which really seemed to stir up my Christmas spirit.

For the past few years I have made little handmade dolls for children in orphanages abroad. Each doll takes me 5 hours, because I do not have a sewing machine and so I stitch them by hand. I start in March, and just work away until Christmas. I love these dolls so much and wish every child in the whole world could have one! Unfortunately, they are costly to make because the materials I use are things like real lambs wool, beautiful velvet and felt, and high quality cotton knit so that they will be durable and last. I made them for Landon and Liam when they were babies, and they still sleep with and love their ‘little friends’. So, I had the idea to create a charity called THE LITTLE FRIENDS FOUNDATION.

Unfortunately, this may be the last year I make these little heirloom dolls, as they are so labour intensive. I am actually not as crafty as I like to make it seem, but I do love to show my kids that it isn’t necessary to BUY everything and so I am determined always to TRY and make what we want. I made Christmas angels for our tree one year and gave them out as gifts for neighbours, friends and family.

In the past, our family has also sent socks and tooth brushes and balloons to children’s hospitals and orphanages~ these items do not weigh much and so the shipping is very manageable. It is a JOY to give and my kids have always gotten the feeling that they are so lucky and are grateful for what they have.

Well, THIS YEAR, I did something that has really been inspiring to me. Maybe it just feels so good because it was so simple and yet so heart-felt. I simply wrote out letters to all the people in my life who bless me with their love and friendship. I really thought about who is in my life and what they mean to me. It is, well, very touching to say the least.

I also decided to create these love-letters on a bigger scale and invited the 400 members of our Tae Kwon DO club to write their letters of appreciation to the Master Instructor and what a beautiful outpouring of love he is going to receive this Christmas when he opens the box…

So then, going over-board as I do in everything, I decided to continue by organizing this type of gift-giving in my children’s school.

The wonderful point I am making, mostly to myself, is how easy it is to truly give when you give from the heart. Neither time, money or other resources being in short supply will stop you if you just tune into what is INSIDE YOU to give. Our hearts are so full, yet often the clamour and distractions of normal life drown out our deeper knowings. This year, I would encourage all moms to write a little message to your child or children, and perhaps keep this as a beautiful little tradition for every year at this time. My son even wrote one for HIMSELF!

Blissful Blessings through the Holidays all you beautiful, amazing Moms! Here is my holiday painting I mad with all of you in mind.

In-JOY,
Shannon

Divalicious Thinkables

“If you don’t like something change it; if you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.”

~Mary Engelbreit
“Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.”

-Margret Thatcher

Saturday Morning in the Kitchen with Angela Elliott

Are you nuts about macadamia nuts? Well, then I’ve got some good news for you: macadamia nuts are cholesterol-free, generally low in sodium and a great source of vitamins and minerals.

Macadamia nuts contain significant amounts of fiber and the B-complex vitamins. Macadamia nuts also contain small amounts of selenium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, iron, and magnesium.

Like all other varieties of nuts, macadamias also contain antioxidants associated with a decreased risk of certain types of cancer, like breast, cervical, gastrointestinal, lung, stomach and prostate cancer. Isn’t that wonderful?

The most amazing thing about macadamia nuts is their natural oils. They are high in heart-friendly monounsaturated fat, which contains oleic fatty acid as well as Palmitoleic fatty acid (also present in fish oils). Macadamias come in tops for containing the highest amount of monounsaturated fatty acids in a natural food. WOW!

Mac Shake Cheese

Ingredients:

1/2 cup raw macadamia nuts
1/8 teaspoon cold pressed olive oil
4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/8 teaspoon Himalayan salt

Directions:

Process macadamia nuts in a food processor until you get a fine meal consistency.
Add the olive oil and pulse chop until ground. Add nutritional yeast and salt and pulse chop lightly until you get shaker cheese consistency.

Oh, and macadamia nuts are truly wonderful when it comes to your skin too.

Macadamia nuts Contain: Palmitoleic acid, 60% oleic acid, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids-Remember those?

They contain the highest level of palmitoleic acid of any plant oil. This is found in human sebum among the young, but the level dramatically drops in mature skin. Using macadamia nut oil and eating macadamia nuts on a regular basis would benefit both the young, in between, and the old. Macadamia oil tones aged or dry skin, as well as softens skin. Macadamia oil heal wounds and can be an aid against sunburns, because the fatty acids present in macadamia oil are helpful in maintaining the skin’s critical water barrier functions.

So go ahead eat those decadent macadamias and eat them with a big cheesy grin too, because they are good for you and tasty too!