Raw Liberty

Does Raw Food Make You Single?

It’s been a long time, too long, way too long since I last wrote anything on my blog, but maybe this will go some way to explain what’s been going on for me...

I have heard many people saying that they have been feeling major life shifts as we enter 2012 – no less for me, although my major life shifts actually began last year, and have been a very long time coming. This blog post has been mulling in my mind for some time, but I was finally inspired to share it with you, by one of my good friends, the gorgeous Emma Couttie of www.rawfoodscotland.com who recently wrote a blog ‘Does Raw Food Mean You’re Destined to be Single?’

Before getting to the point, I am just going to digress for a moment, to explain how the name of my biz came about and what it means to me...it’s about way more than food.

Raw: Pronunciation: /rɔː/adjective

       1. uncooked, as articles of food: a raw carrot.

       2. not having undergone processes of preparing, dressing, finishing, refining, or manufacture: raw cotton.

       3. unnaturally or painfully exposed, as flesh, by removal of the skin or natural integument. Stripped bare (nothing but yourself – my words)

 

Liberty: Pronunciation /ˈlɪbəti/noun

1. 1.       freedom from external or foreign rule; independence.
2. 2.        freedom from control, interference, obligation, restriction, hampering conditions, etc.; power or right of doing, thinking, speaking, etc., according to choice.

 

So, back to the point...Does raw food make you single? Let me share some of what has been going on for me. (Not the whole story...I could write a book! Perhaps I should? Maybe not...)

I started eating more raw food in 2006, my intention, solely I thought, naively I now realise, was to gain more energy, improve my health, feel and look better, and lift those ever increasing ‘dark’ days – you know the ones, when you wake up feeling  totally shite, and wishing you didn’t have to face the day. What I didn’t realise, and certainly didn’t expect, was that it would open me up to myself, give me a clarity I never thought possible, clarity about who I was, and who I was becoming, and what I wanted out of life. Raw food is not just about the food, it’s a whole person journey.  It can open up the potential for you to grow at a different rate or perhaps in a different direction than you had been before. And if your partner is not growing with you, this ‘stuff’ is bound to affect your relationship to some degree.

And so came the realisation that I had spent so many years trying to be someone I’m not in order to be ‘the person’ someone else wanted me to be...and what’s more, I was failing miserably at it! Worse still, I realised that I was losing me, my true self in the process!

This quote from of Neale Donald Walsch really sums up the situation (me being the ‘other’):

‘It is very romantic to say that you were ‘nothing’ until that special other came along, but it is not true. Worse, it puts incredible pressure on the other to be all sorts of things he or she is not.

Not wanting to “let you down” they try very hard to be and do those things until they cannot anymore. They can no longer complete your picture of them. They can no longer fill the roles to which they have been assigned. Resentment builds. Anger follows.

Finally, in order to save themselves (and the relationship), these special others begin to reclaim their real selves, acting more in accordance with Who They Really Are. It is about this time that you say they’ve really changed.’

...or in my case that I had a ‘psychological illness’ and was ‘out of control’

I lost count of the times I heard the phrase “Other people’s wives...” and rather than listening to my spirit which was screaming inside – “...but I’m not ‘other people’s wives’, I’m ME!”, I would dust myself down and try again to be someone I’m not.

The clarity I gained from eating a high raw diet, showed me that, in this internal struggle, I was actually losing, losing myself, losing me.

He once said, “I don’t want to be married to someone who eats raw food!” I think, though I may be mistaken, that the intention behind this declaration was – ‘Go back to being normal, eat the same way as other people’s wives’ etc. etc. etc. But that was the declaration he put out to the Universe....

Another digression, sorry...For me, ‘raw’ and ‘liberty’ mean just that...a freedom to make choices. Having the freedom to choose what we eat, how we feed our bodies. In our society today we are literally swamped by food choices, from quick and easy fast food takeaways and microwave ‘ding’ meals, through a whole gamut to fresh organic fruit and vegetables. The spectrum is vast, overwhelming in fact. Ever been out for a meal and been faced by so much choice on the menu that you just didn’t know what to order? For me, food, the way we choose to nourish ourselves is all about that; CHOICE. It is my choice at this point in my life, to eat a high raw diet; it serves me, my body loves it, I feel more alive, and so much happier. But it is a choice, I’m not a purist, I don’t preach...If I wanted to eat a steak tomorrow, I could. (Chances are pretty damn high that I won’t, but if I chose to ...that is ok) So I made a personal choice to eat raw food. I have never pushed my choice on anyone else. I will cook meat, fish, dairy, for others if that is what they choose to eat (although I would prefer not to...) I respect their choice to eat meat etc. and will not push my choices on them; in return I would like my choices to be respected. I won’t ask or expect them to eat raw, as long as they don’t ask or expect me to eat cooked....We all have a right to freedom of choice don’t we?

...So back to his declaration; the one about not ‘being married to someone who eats raw food’. Now here’s a lesson in the need to be specific in what you put out to the Universe, because the Universe, in all its glory will deliver! Five years later, his manifestation has come to fruition...we are no longer together.

So...did raw food end my marriage? Make me single? I think, for the most part, no. There were so many other contributing factors at play, which I won’t go into here for personal reasons, but the part raw food played in all of this was that it brought with it  clarity, clarity to realise that I was losing the one thing that was truly mine, ME!, and that I had a choice – give up who I am and live my life trying to be someone I’m not, in vain attempt to make someone else happy, or be true to myself and live my life as ME. Is that really a choice? Simple as it may sound, it was the hardest choice I have ever had to make in my life, and believe me, it took years of heartache and soul searching to find the courage to take that leap of faith and believe in me, that I have a right to be me, that I am worth it.

Stacey Charter sums it up perfectly:

“There comes a time when you have to stand up and shout:
This is me damn it! I look the way I look, think the way I think, feel the way I feel, love the way I love! I am a whole complex package. Take me... or leave me. Accept me - or walk away! Do not try to make me feel like less of a person, just because I don't fit your idea of who I should be and don't try to change me to fit your mould. If I need to change, I alone will make that decision.
When you are strong enough to love yourself 100%, good and bad - you will be amazed at the opportunities that life presents you.”

And so here’s to Raw Liberty...freedom to be who I am, to stay true to myself, me, stripped back to who I am. I have committed to being myself (I can’t be anyone else, I’m a crap actress!) and so from now, anyone who comes into my life will have to take me as they find me, love me as I am..

...and so Does Raw Food Make You Single?.......

..... maybe there’s a ‘Part 2’ ;)  

Raw in Suffolk: Part 2

I enjoyed my weekend in Suffolk so much in April, that I had no option to go back again last weekend. In spite of major car troubles the previous week, but that's another story...

Over the past few months, I have been really working on self love, and one area I have determined to bring into my life is the all important me time! As a busy working mum, I often feel like I'm constantly spinning plates: work, home, kids, football, gym, cleaning, more work, ironing... you get the picture, it's so easy to get caught up in everything and lose your sense of self. I'm sure many, many people can relate to this. This year, I decided that each month, I would try to take time out of this chaos just for me. Sounds selfish? Yes that's what I thought too, but now I realise that this is actually necessary for me to cope with everything that life throws at me, and will benefit my family and work life in the long run.

To that end, I headed down to Suffolk to stay with Jenny at the UKs first Raw Vegan B&B (hopefully this will be the first of many!) in my 'only just fixed, soon to break down again' car!

Jenny and I took Ralph-her most adorable dog (and believe me, from a non-doglover, that is some compliment!) for a walk in her magical wood, which is now carpeted with the most beautiful bluebells I have ever seen.

Last month I sat in the 'manifestation tree' and gave gratitude for what I have in my life and opened myself to receiving new opportunities both in my personal and working life.

Since that day, the magic has truly been happening, with opportunities literally knocking at my door, well in my inbox to be precise! More about this to come another time, when these opportunities become more concrete.

Last weekend I went back to the same tree, reflecting on all the opportunities that had presented themselves to me, and asked for a sign that this was the right path. Shortly afterwards I found a white feather, and have been finding them ever since. To me the white feather represents a sign from the angels, that they're watching and that I'm making the right decisions.

There is so much synchronicity happening at the moment, it's not coincicence, it's co-incidence!!! I can really feel the magic happening! Watch this space!

I really value the opportunity to reconnect with who I truly am, time to meditate, connect with my spirituality and just be. This is the perfect place for me to do all of this, and I really feel rejuvenated; ready to face the world again, knowing that I can do so, staying true to myself whatever life may throw at me.

Another major factor in enabling me to stay true to myself is the opportunity to connect with like minded people and share a meal with people who aren't going to question my every mouthful or think I'm a freak!!! Jenny's monthly potlucks provide the perfect opportunity to do this. I'd recommend everyone who's feeling raw isolation to check out local potluck groups, and if you can't find one...start one!

A couple of days ago, my Mum told me she was telling someone who's into yoga and health, about me following a raw food lifestyle, only to find herself defending me to the comment "that doesn't sound much fun"... if only this person had seen our feast, the food was heavenly...

This was my first attempt at chocolate fudge cake,

layers of chocolate, chocolate cream and raspberry, mmmmmmmm! I'll definitely make this one again!

Jenny's Chocolate dipped strawberries...I can't believe she made them without licking her fingers!

These were by far my favourite treat!

I love greens salad!

Kelly's burgers, perfect with her tomato sauce and crispy onions!

Jenny's lasagne...I still find it hard to think that people actually make my recipes lol!!!

 

 

Sarah's Essene Bread

Lemon Cream Pie. Yes, even though I'm a savoury girl at heart, I made two puddings! Feeling very pleased with myself lol!

  

 

 

My lunch...now who says eating raw is no fun?!!!  

Raw Food House Party

We all know the importance of support when we take that step away from the 'norm' that society imposes on us, and choosing the raw path, is certainly one hellova step away from the norm! Particularly for me, being the only person choosing this way of living and eating in my family, it would have been hard if not virtually impossible for me to stick to my raw journey without support from other people who share my values.

Over the past few years, I have made some truly amazing people, with whom I have connected on so many levels.  This has really helped me stay true to my self and inspired me to keep going when things get rough. Now my closest friends are spread all round the country!

If you've been following my blog, you'll know how far I'm prepared to travel to maintain this support network...there was the mad trip to the Glasgow Meetup...three hours drive to Glasgow and two more to find the venue!!!, thanks to an inverted Google map and dyslexic receptionist for not helping me in any way whatsoever! Fortunately the lovely Gail had thought to save me some food otherwise I'd have travelled all that way for nothing, and would have just had to munch on 20 raw samosas that were in the back of my car!!! I'm grateful to Emma and Gail and their partners for stopping behind to chat after the meetup otherwise it would have been a bit of a wasted trip!

After this event, I was finally convinced that a sat nav was vital if I'm to stay raw and sane!!!! So, sat nav fully installed and the world is my oyster (not sure what the raw equivalent of this phrase is, but rest assured, no oyster is going to cross my lips!) So my next potluck destination was...Suffolk! Four and a half hours away!!!! This is getting ridiculous! ...Sadly for my poor car, a weekend in Suffolk with Jenny is just not to be missed, beautiful company, location and food, ( check back to my blog on 22/04/10) and since she holds potlucks every month, I guess that's where I'll be headed!

So, three hours north, or four and a half south...there must be something closer to home!!! And there is!!! This is when I discovered the Raw Food House Party!

It's a goup of wonderful people in and around Manchester (yes only 30 mins away!) who meet every month for a potluck and a chat! And that's where I found myself last night! Great company, and fabulous raw food, what more could anyone want in an evening!!!!

Fabulous spread!

My plateful, just had to try everything!

Broccoli and cauliiflower sushi

Curried mixed vegetables

So, my raw diary is getting full, as is my tummy lol!

This week I've been on a course where lunch was provided in the canteen. As we walked to the canteen the smells wafted down the corridor.......'Mmmmmmmm' was the general concensus of opinion around me, and me? ...holding my breath! Does our sense of smell really change that much when we go raw? Guess it does. Those cooked smells did nothing for me, and certainly didn't tempt me into the canteen! So if you're struggling to stay raw, believe me, if you stick with it, it does get easier, your senses will help you out! Luckily I'd brought my own salad and crackers, and braved the comments of...'Ooh you're sooo healthy!'

Oh, and I forgot to mention that we were split into groups according to our favourite Celebrations chocolate!!! Um...where does that leave me!!!

It's amazing how different it feels to be actually sharing a meal, rather than just sitting at the same table as someone whos is eating something totally different! And preparing food that is enjoyed by others is a real bonus! 

So, if you're struggling to stay raw, keep up your support networks, they're invaluable, and you'll be surprised hoew many groups there are springing up around the country, so you don't have to go to quite the lengths that I do!!!
 
 
 
 

The Benefits of Green Smoothies

Known for my love of green smoothies, so I'm very excited to have been invited to join the Green Smoothie Queen log team!

This is my first blog article for the GSQ http://www.greensmoothiequeen.com/en/visit-the-blog

I’m so excited to introduce a new member of the Green Smoothie Queen Blog Team, Lisa Simpson of Raw Liberty. Her articles will be featured on here every week and they will be chock-filled with great tips about greens! -GSQ

The Benefits of Green Smoothies

We’ve all heard the sayings, “Eat Your Greens” and “Greens are good for you”, but do you really know how true it is? Greens provide us with one of the most perfect forms of nutrition we can consume. They are loaded with amino acids, (the building blocks of protein), minerals, vitamins, fibre & chlorophyll. In fact the chlorophyll – the green pigment of a plant – is biochemically almost identical to human blood! This just makes it our perfect food! According to Victoria Boutenko greens are the primary food group that match human nutritional needs most completely.

Our bodies require a certain amount of nutrients to thrive. In drinking or eating something that is packed with nutrients you will find that you will be satisfied throughout your day and your cravings will be reduced accordingly.

Greens can be combined with any other food and enhance digestion by stimulating enzyme production. Therefore, the combination of greens and fruit in green smoothies is an ideal combination.

Green Smoothies are smoothies that are made with blended fresh leafy greens. It’s as simple as that. Often the greens are blended with fruits, which provide you with a delicious meal bursting with nutrition! However, as fantastic as greens are, we would have to chew them for ages in order to get them to the creamy consistency that is necessary for us to be able to take full advantage of all the nutrition they hold – the nutrients are stored within the plant’s cells and their cell walls need to be ruptured in order to release them; that’s where the smoothies come in. By blending your greens in a high speed blender, they are broken down at a cellular level which not only releases more flavour, it also makes the bounty of nutrients more readily available for your body.

So, what can Green Smoothies do for you?

Drinking a green smoothie everyday will:
* boost your immune system
* boost your mental performance giving you clearer thought
* increase digestive efficiency
* support weight loss
* balance body PH
* give you more energy
* reduce body aches and pains
* reduce acne
* reduce illness
* promote easy weight loss
* reduce craving for coffee and caffiene

… and the positive benefits goes on.

Green smoothies do look green admittedly, but they taste delicious and tend to take on the taste of the fruit in them. It is generally recommended to use 40% greens and 60% fruit, but of course you can vary this depending on taste preferences! You can use any green: experiment yourself, however, don’t use the same one all the time. It is important to rotate your greens to get a variety of nutrients and to respect the seasons. If you can’t grow your own greens, try to buy organic greens, they won’t contain pesticides and herbicides and will contain more nutrients than non-organic greens. If you can only buy non-organic, make sure you thoroughly wash them before blending.

This is my tried and tested recipe, specially for beginners.

In your blender place:
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup of another fruit (pineapple, blueberry, apple, peach, mango)
- 1 1/2 cup of fresh greens (kale, chard leaves, or spinach)
- 1-2 cups of water (or to desired consistency – I like to eat mine with a spoon from a large wine glass…oh so decadent!)

Blend, just long enough to make it smooth and creamy without heating it up and ENJOY!

By now, hopefully, you are excited by the positive benefits of green smoothies! So, I challenge you to replace at least one meal a day for 24 days with a green smoothie, on the upcoming 24-day Countdown to Christmas. Good luck!

Lisa Simpson

Raw Liberty.

Raw Transformation

Throughout my raw journey, I find myself constantly redefining who I am and how I want to live. I see every experience as being perfect for my physical and spiritual growth. I am moving into a new space in consciousness where I am willing to see myself differently, and create new thoughts about myself and my life.

A major part of this transformation took place over the last few days, when I attended an amazing, awe inspiring and deeply soul searching event: Karen Knowler's Raw Transformation Experience - where I spent 3 awesome days with Karen, met many amazing people, and made deep connections with some beautiful souls. Karen has the amazing ability to be down-to earth, inviting and approachable, whilst being a total inspiration, a true mentor and a raw goddess!

The food throughout the three days, lovingly prepared by the wonderful Russelll James, was absolutely amazing. We were blessed with an abundance of living foods from green smoothies to Raw Burgers - it was such a treat not to have to prepare my own food!

Karen and Russell also demonstrated a range of tantalising recipes from the quick and easy to more complex dinner party delights (including the Chocolate Vanilla Torte pictured)- which couldn't fail to inspire!

The Raw Transformation Experience took us on a life-changing journey from the time we feel that 'Inner Call' to the ultimate dream of 'Living Magically on Raw'. This journey is one of passion and clarity in which we created our own unique vision of our superhero self, and with Karen's expert guidance and support, we devised a rock-solid game plan that would support us internally and externally and keep us on track as we move towards our ultimate goal.

The event moved me in ways I hadn't pre-empted, and rocked my inner core. During a guided meditation, I had an amazing, goosebump inducing experience: I felt that I met and embodied my 'superhero self' - the me of my dreams. This has given me great strength. I now know that I need to look within to find my superhero, and can draw on her strength and courage at times of challenge, secure in the knowledge that she and me are now one; I'm no longer chasing her, but am able to live my dream - if I so choose.

A major emotional meltdown for me was the challenge to name and meet my nemesis. I recognise that the one thing that is constantly holding me back from really being free is that feeling of self-doubt which has been perpetuated throughout my life by negativity from those around me. Having opened myself up to this knowledge, I have made a commitment to myself to conquer my nemesis and set myself free. I have created my vision and know what steps I have to take to make that true for me on all levels, body, mind, heart and spirit. I now feel empowered to break through the barrier that has been holding me back and refuse to be pulled back into the spiral of self-doubt and self-sabotage. As I make choices in life around food, work, home, life...I commit to living consciously, to check in with myself to make sure that the choice is in alignment with my vision.

I feel I have gained deep clarity, focus and direction, and am ready to give myself permission to BE.

There is so much I could share about my experiences during this event... maybe I will one day.

To celebrate the end of our journey, we were treated to a raw dinner party and disco! We diner on the best food in the planet and danced into the night! The first of many such events I hope...!

Raw in Italy

I’ve just returned from a truly relaxing holiday in Italy, and am missing the sun sooo much back here in the UK! We stayed in a remote and somewhat basic apartment with a beautiful wisteria covered balcony which gave us a fabulous view over the Sorrento coastline! Ideal for soaking in  the sun, topping up with some much needed vitamin D, and relaxing with a good book!

Usually on holiday we choose to self cater as it’s easier to meet everyone’s food preferences that way, my husband loving his meat and me loving my salads! But the apartment seemed to conspire against us this year…The hob was decidedly dodgy – you had to turn all four rings on in order to get any one hot and then they seemed to turn themselves off at will! The barbecue was only just big enough for a sausage and after waiting four hours to cook tea one night, we decided it was a lost cause! Not that it bothered me of course, but a plate of salad doesn’t go down well too with my carnivorous husband!

Although, as always I took a good supply of flax crackers, granola, cookies etc and my trusty Tribest PB200, for making dressings, sauces and smoothies, they largely remained untouched!

http://www.ukjuicers.com/tribest-personal-blender?gclid=CJytu8zWm5wCFUoB4wodLiHidg

During the fortnight we were there I actually ate really simply with virtually no dehydrated food and I feel absolutely fabulous! There was such an abundance of delicious fruit and vegetables growing around us, just bursting with flavour! Oranges, lemons the size of grapefruit, peaches, kiwi fruit, tomatoes like I’ve never tasted before…. the list goes on… it was certainly no hardship to stay raw!

I ate fruit for breakfast and lunch and in the evenings we ate at nearby restaurants which served locally grown produce. I have always found it relatively easy to eat at Italian restaurants in the UK and likewise, eating raw in Italy is just as simple, there was always a selection of insalata on the menu. I would order a couple of salads, simply dressed with lemon juice and olive oil, my husband could have his meat, and the kids loved the pizzas and pasta. All happy – no need to compromise!

 

I feel amazingly energised!

Taking a break

I’m off to Italy for two weeks, and looking forward to spending time in the sun, eating lushious fruit….

I’ll blog about my trip when I return. x

Here’s what Karen Knowler has to say…

Karen Knowler says, ‘Awesome Raw Professionals I am currently working with to help them serve YOU’

‘Lisa Simpson | Raw Liberty – http://rawliberty.typepad.com/raw_liberty/ (Until her site goes live later this year)
- Struggling to enjoy raw because you home life is not as raw as you’d like it? Nagging partner or resistant kids? Fascinated by the raw food journey and wanting to explore it for YOU while living in a cooked food home? Lisa is the perfect teacher and coach for YOU.’

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=116103332528

Thank you Karen

A Taste Of Summer

I absolutely love the Summer – feeling the warmth of the sun on my skin, spirits lifted, the World seems to be fully awake, and the fruit tastes so divine! There’s something about summer that brings out the intense fruit  flavours. One of my favourite fruits is the mango, a real taste of summer!

What I really love about this time of year is the fact that for just a few short months we have the opportunity to buy some of  the best varieties of mangoes you could ever taste anywhere in the world. From April to August, we can buy imported mangoes air-freighted from the Indian sub-continent, which taste so much better than those we get from the main supermarkets all year round, which have been transported over land.

At the start of  the season  Alphonso mangoes from India become available,  then to my favourite – the honey mangoes from Pakistan which are available now.

They taste sweetly honeyed and fragrant. As they are not picked until they’re perfectly ripe and ready, their bright, beautiful flesh is so much smoother and creamier than the standard mangoes you get in the UK. Over here in UK, as far as I’m aware, they are not available in the main supermarkets. Possibly this is because they do not have a long shelf life and do not have a the uniform unblemished appearance, which many people seem to require  these days, at the expense of taste. However, they are available at many Asian stores found in larger cities.

Honey Mangoes are very versatile and easy to enjoy – on their own, as a mono-meal, in fruit salads, or tossed with red peppers and lime for a tropical salsa. I made a heavenly mango custard by blending 1 banana, 1 honey mango, 1T lucuma available from  Detox Your World, and a handful of goji berries.

Eaten when sitting  in the sun…bliss!

Lisa’s Super Summer Salad

I’m loving my salads at the moment, especially when eaten in sunshine!

This is very simple and quick to make as no measuring is required! – Just how I like my salads to be.

Toss several handfuls of mixed green leaves, whatever you fancy, with grated beetroot, diced mango, diced red pepper, diced avocado, chopped tomatoes and a handful of fresh sweetcorn.

Put equal quantities of fresh orange juice and oil in a jar and shake. Pour over the salad. Toss and eat in the sun! Lovely!

I like to use Braham and Murray’s Good Oil. It’s a pure, natural, cold-pressed  hemp seed oil which contains omega 3, 6 and 9. These essential fatty acids (EFAs) cannot be produced by the body and must therefore be supplied by our food. Hemp naturally contains high levels of EFAs which are fundamental to human health. The balance of omega 3 and 6 is the same as that of our bodies which makes it easier to absorb. It also tastes delicious and is great for dressing salads!