SimplyRaw with Natasha Kyssa

I had the unexpected pleasure of running into Natasha at my local Health food Store this summer while my boys and I were popping in to do a little shopping. I had met Natasha on Facebook, and knew she was on a book tour. It was a great meeting! She gave me a copy of her book and I devoured it. It is full of simple, straight forward and up to the minute, yet, timeless nutritional advice on a proper detox. I am inspired again to make rejuvelac- but now instead of making it with wheat berries, I am using her cabbage recipe:

• 3 ½ C purified water
• 6 C coarsely chopped organic cabbage

Blend until liquefied. Strain out the small amount of pulp through a Nut mylk bag.
Pour liquid into a sterile mason jar right to the top and cover tightly with a lid so no air gets in. Leave for 3 days to ferment. I use about 2 cups in my children’s green smoothie and they don’t even notice! This is FULL of healthy enzymes and lactobacteria. The rest I refrigerate until the next day and use in smoothies again. It can be drank on its own too, though I can’t imagine by too many kids!

Natasha shares about superfoods, colonics, socializing, skin care, and has oodles of wonderful recipes too!

Here’s a new favourite of mine from her book:

CREAMY CAULIFLOWER SOUP

• 2 C Almond mylk
• 1 med Cauliflower chopped
• 1 Red Pepper seeded and chopped
• ½ Avocado
• juice of 1 Lemon
• 2 T raw Tahini
• 2 T unpasteurised Miso (I use a mellow one)
• ½ Jalapeno pepper seeded and diced
• 2 cloves Garlic

BLEND UNTIL CREAMY.

Here is a recipe my boys are enjoying that your children can try:

CRÈME BUCKWHEAT

• 1C sprouted Buckwheat (even soaking for ½ day and draining and rinsing overnight works to soften, but waiting until it sprouts a tail is the best)
• ½ C purified Water
• 1 Banana
• ¼ C soaked Raisins
• pinch of Cinnamon

PROCESS until smooth. I add chopped apples on top.

Now, a little bit more about her book:

The SimplyRaw Detox Manual

by Natasha Kyssa

The modern world is a toxic place, and we’ve all become less healthy because of it, whether it is from the air that we breathe or the foods that we eat. Natasha Kyssa is a raw foods chef and lifestyle coach, and her company SimplyRaw helps people improve their health and wellbeing by integrating simple, natural-based guidelines into their current lifestyles. This informative and useful manual outlines Natasha’s twenty-eight-day detox program, which includes only raw and “living” foods (i.e., those that have been soaked, sprouted, or fermented). It is a gentle, effective method to cleanse the body of toxins and to provide optimal nourishment for healing. The author believes that we can heal ourselves naturally to mend the damage done to our bodies due to unhealthy environments and improper food choices.

Raw diets have become all the rage lately, but Natasha believes that proper digestion, essential for one’s health and vitality, can be greatly improved by a living foods diet. This manual, which includes 135 recipes as well as plenty of guidelines and background information, follows a proven approach to better health, natural weight loss, increased vitality, and healthy lifestyle changes.
Natasha Kyssa is a former international fashion model who has been a raw and living foods vegan for almost twenty years. At the age of forty-seven, she leads an active lifestyle and trains daily, including rock climbing, long-distance running, hiking, skiing, yoga, Pilates, and cycling. She attributes her strength, well-being, and youthfulness to her raw and living foods diet. She lives in Ottawa.

Why and when did you choose the raw food lifestyle?

I became interested in raw food approximately seventeen years ago while struggling with a very
debilitating eating disorder – specifically, anorexia and bulimia. Adopting the raw lifestyle not only
changed my approach to foods but completely transformed my life!

What are living foods?

Living foods are easy-to-digest foods that contain great amounts of enzymes and vital nutrients through
the process of soaking, sprouting and fermenting (for example, sprouts, soaked nuts and seeds, and
sauerkraut).

Your book is about detoxing. Why should we detox?

We are living in an extremely polluted world, and our health is threatened by the many chemicals in our air, food, and water. These toxins accumulate and can overload the body, causing various symptoms including fatigue, a weakened immune system, infection, weight gain, and vulnerability to illness and disease.

A detox program is an excellent opportunity to help the body remove some of the toxicity and reduce stress on the digestive system. It is the first step to bringing your body back to optimal health. When the
body is cleansed, it becomes more efficient with digestion and elimination. As a result, symptoms of illness often disappear and the body becomes balanced.

Is there a wrong way to detox?

Detoxifying in a harsh way, such as fasting or taking harsh products, can be harmful to the body – if not done properly. One must always make sure to return nutrients to the body so that it will not become depleted. There are a lot of detox products out on the market, but many of them are too abrasive and aggressive for the average person.

How does the SimplyRaw detox differ from other detox programs?

The SimplyRaw Detox Program is unique in that it focuses on nourishing plant foods and life-enhancing practices to incorporate into one’s daily life. Rather than popping a superficial “detox” pill or going on a restrictive fast, one instead learns to cultivate the necessary dietary and lifestyle
changes that help the body’s natural cleansing process. These high-quality living foods also help nourish and rebuild the body.

What is your favourite raw recipe?

I love all green juices and green smoothies. They not only nourish your body with alkaline minerals,
they’re quick, delicious and make you feel good. Smoothies are the perfect fast food!

Here is our family favourite smoothie:

SWEET MANGO SMOOTHIE

• 2 cups water
• 2 mangos
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 cup sprouts

Blend and enjoy!

www.simplyraw.ca