The Raw Diet?.... just maybe

After having a Facebook friend today post about this energy providing "green smoothie" she was drinking... I inquired and found out the ingredients. Already eating a vegetarian diet, I thought that any other unique way to eat and gain energy (other than coffee!)would be wonderful. As I was given the laundry list of items in the smoothie... I began to wonder...if I can drink all of this mixed together in a tasty smoothie... I can REALLY increase not only the servings of fruits and veggies I eat a day, but I can also really add a variety where if I was eating each individually I would only eat one or two things. She directed me to a website she likes, Green Smoothie Girl and the term Raw Diet finally made sense to me. After browsing the website, I came to a CNN article about a woman named Angela Stokes, and how she made a huge life change by following a Raw Diet. That then took me to her personal website, Raw Reform. Now after 12 hours.... I feel like I have had an epiphany. After going to the store this morning and purchasing 1/2 of the ingredients for the Green Smoothie (I was happy to have already had 1/2 of what I needed!!) - I prepared enough for 2 meals... it was my lunch and dinner. I even gave a glass to my 5 year old daughter who gave her seal of approval, proclaiming, "THIS IS DELICIOUS!!!" Soy is a huge protein source for me. Soy would not be something included in a raw diet. That would be my first little hurdle, would just to be thoughful of making sure I got what I needed. I think I might try for a 2/3 raw vegan diet (breakfast & lunch) and eat my normal vegetarian diet for my 3rd meal of the day. This website Starting a Raw Food Diet looks like it's going to be a good resource for me to start... I'll let you know how it goes!!

This Filled my blender completely... feel free to improvise,.. change ANYTHING!!
This is 2 Meals worth:

1 Apple (cored)
1 Banana
1/2 Avocado
1 Celery Stalk
1 c. Carrots
1 1/2 c. Kale
1 c.(Frozen)Berry Mix (I used Strawberry/Blueberry/Blackberry)
1 c. (Frozen) Pineapple
12 oz water (I used 8 oz water 4 oz 100% Acai-Pomegranate Juice)
2 TBSP Ground Flax Seed (you could use the Flax Seed Oil - but I couldn't find it)
1 6oz cup of Greek Yogurt (not RAW but I added it)

If you do a Raw Diet, or are interested in trying it... let me know.. I'd love to have someone to dialogue with!

$1 Off Morningstar.... You're Welcome!

Click HERE for a $1 off coupon for one of the new Morningstar Farms frozen entrees!

~Green Events in Indy~ NOW - APRIL!!!!

Winter Market
Now - April 24
Saturdays @ Indy Winter Farmers Market
9am-12:30pm
FREE

Going Green Festival
Indiana State Museum
Friday 9:30am - 2pm; Saturday 11am-4pm
$7 Adults; $6.50 Seniors; $4 Ages 3-12

Meditation Hike
Indianapolis Museum of Art
Every Thursday 4-5 pm
Meet at the Efroymson Entrance Pavilion.
Click HERE for more information
FREE

Footprints: Balancing Nature's Diversity
Indiana State Museum
April 1st-December 31st
Tues.-Sat. 9am-5pm & Sun. 11am-5pm
$7 Adults; $6.50 Seniors; $4 Ages 3-12

Rain Garden Basics
Indianapolis Museum of Art
April 8th: 6-8pm
$30 - Public, $21 - Members

Green Spring Cleaning Workshop
Morris-Butler House Museum
April 13th: 5:30-7:30pm
$10/person, $7/members

Urban Composting: The Demise of the Stinky Trash Can
Indianapolis Museum of Art
April 15th: 6-7pm
$35 - Public, $30 - Members

Earth Day Indiana Festival
White River State Park
April 24th: 11am-4pm
Click HERE for more info
FREE

Arbor Day - Indy Free Tree
Monument Circle
April 30th: 8am-2pm
FREE

Arbor Day Celebration
Indiana State Museum
April 30th: 9:30am-2pm
$7 Adults; $6.50 Seniors; $4 Ages 3-12

My Baby's Getting Some PIZZA!!!!!

Poor Joel is always getting all the toppings ripped off of his pizza just so he can enjoy a slice with the rest of us. Pizza (the easy dinner) definitley isn't easy in our home. Daddy is a huge carnivore, Joel can't have any dairy products due to his lactose intollerance and I am a vegetarian. We literally need 4 different pizzas because Skylar is sure to be difficult as most 5 year old do!! Tonight is Joel's night. I was super excited to find this at SuperTarget here in Greenwood. My baby's getting some pizza tonight!

Earth Hour 2010 - JOIN IN!

It's that time of the year again, Earth Hour 2010 happens in 22 days - March 27th at 8:30pm! Join the rest of the globe and turn off those lights. Please take a moment to watch the Earth Hour Video and see how you can make a difference.
Earth Hour Video

You don't no stinkin' dryer!

Considering it hasn't gotten above 30 degrees in the last 3 months, hanging up your wet clothes to dry on a clothesline will probably make some denim popcicles before giving you nice dry clothes. And unless you have a private yard with something to tie a line to, it also can be pretty tricky. A clothesline isn't usually an option in an apartment complex either. So with the bad weather, apartment living, and a broken dryer our family has made do, improvised, and realize the energy stealing appliance is completely unnecessary! All you need is an extra shower curtain rod and you can turn a small bathtub area into a perfect place to hang your wet clothes to dry. We have been dryer-less for 3 months now. Another upside is, once you hang the wet clothes up, once dry, they are already on hangers, no folding needed,...and a side bonus - no wrinkled clothes you forget to get out of the dryer and no static cling! You can also avoid the poisonous dryer sheets that so many use. So if you don't have the weather/sun to hang outdoors, the space, or your apartment rules ban the use of a clothesline, you can still go greener, ditch that dryer and drip those clothes dry! You can also count on your clothes shrinking less and lasting longer, which will also save you money long-term. The environment and your pocketbook will thank you!