Vol. 3, Issue 41, February 12, 2009

From the Desk of the Diva

Well, my little love-truffle, it's time for me to dust myself off, straighten my tiara, and start sprinkling sparkles everywhere again! I've gotta get my groove back, baby, and here's how I'm going to do it! I'm going to invite you to join me for a 90 Day Don't Be So Obsessed About What You Eat program!  I'm baaaaaack, and it feels GOOD!

I have something I need to share with you. Given that Valentine's Day is just around the corner I figured I'd let you all know that I have found "The One!" YES! Attractive, aesthetically pleasing, sophsiticated, silent and (*blush*) slippery and sexy, too!

His name is Kelp. Kelp Noodle, actually. I'm smitten. :-) And you will be too, if you decide to take advantage of one of the 18 cases we ordered! More on that in a moment!

At this time of the year when love is in the air more than at any other, I invite you to open your heart, your mind, and your horizons to the things that matter most: Cuddles, laughter and good friends. Don't worry as much about what you eat as how you love! Open up! Let it billow!! What if love really DOES make the world go 'round?

Here, at The Raw Divas, we reeeeally appreciate your support and hope you find some things in this week's issue that warm your heart, tease your tastebuds and heat things up in the bedroom, too. Remember, you don't need to have a spouse or romantic partner in your life to celebrate this season of love. Just let it flow, Chica!

In This Issue:

Tera's in looooove!

Recipe: Just Like Macaroni and Cheese

Feature: Valentine's Day Treats with Angela Elliott

Notes from the Diva

Article: Greener Valentine's Day with Tracy Neely

Other Steamy Suggestions Worth Checking Out Before V-Day:

7 Ways to Channel Your Inner Sex Kitten, with Ardis

Tera has fallen in loooove!

He's handsome, sophisticated and slippery when wet!

Ladies, we think this one's a Keeper!!

The Raw Divas proudly presents

Kelp Noodle

100% Raw Vegan, and OH SO scrumptious.

All anyone has heard out of Tera's mouth lately is..."noodle THIS," "noodle THAT" and "I loooove my noodles!" She loves them so much, in order to get the best price, she ordered 20 cases!!! But even Tera has admitted, there are only so many noodles you can eat in a day! And this is why we have 18 cases of noodles to share with you! We're selling these at our cost so you can try them, too! You will need to refrigerate these when you get them, and due to current permit limitations, we can only ship them to the United States and Canada.

May all your macaroni and cheese dreams come true!
(Without the indigestion)

ORDER NOW! Whoops!  Sold out!!

Just Like Macaroni and Cheese (Starring: KELP NOODLE!)

By Tera Warner

Instructions:

Rinse a package of noodley oodles. Strain them, and put them in a nice big bowl.

Add the following ingredients:

a sprinkle of olive oil

a pinch of good salt

a few tablespoons of nutritional yeast

a sprinkling of sundried tomato bits or olive slices.

Then, massage them with your fingers to make it all creamy and delicious.  Make sure the nutritional yeast "melts" and gets all dreamy and creamy.  Then gobble and crunch! Juuust like macaroni and cheese! Yum! Yum!

Warning:

Uh... I had to figure this out the hard way, folks. When I first got my kelp noodles, I was sooooo excited I decided to go on a kelp fast!   Kelp noodles only! 3 meals a day! These little buddies have NO fiber! So while they're slippery going in, they're not so slippery going out! if you over do it! Just a friendly warning! Wish I'd had one. ;-)

Raw, Unbridled Valetine's Day Treats for You and Your Beloved

By Angela Elliott

While everyone is out running around in a mad frenzy, here are some ways to celebrate Valentine's Day a bit more romantically and creatively. Last year for Valentine's Day, I made my son and Husband each a box of chocolate truffles. I decorated an old cigar box with hearts and I love you's, and on the inside I put candy paper wrappers filled with truffles. I enclosed a handmade card that told each one how much I loved them, my favorite things about them, and I included a favorite photo or two of us having a wonderful time together.

I wrapped everything up in a recycled gift bag, placed tissue paper inside and then tied it up with ribbon. Here's the recipe, so you too, can give your loved one a gift, they are not likely to forget!

These are the gifts worth giving, the ones that oooze your love and admiration for the special people in your life!

Angela's Top Secret Chocolate Truffles!

Ingredients:

1 cup raw walnuts

2 tablespoons agave syrup

1 tablespoon vanilla flavor by Frontier

1/2 cup pitted soft dates

1/4 cup coconut water

2 tablespoons of raw carob

2 tablespoons raw cacao nibs

Directions:

Blend all the above ingredients except for the raw cacao nibs in a food processor until smooth. Mix in the raw cacao nibs by hand. Shape the mixture into truffle shapes, sort of like an egg shape. Dip each truffle in a mixture of 1/4 cup powdered raw cacao, 1 tablespoon raw Rapadura brand sugar, 1 tablespoon raw carob and 1 tablespoon raw coconut flakes. Grind the cacao, with the sugar, carob and coconut in a coffee mill or spice mill until it becomes a fine powder. Place each truffle into a paper candy wrapper and let sit in the fridge until ready to pack in a box. These keep well in the fridge or freezer, but can be left out initially for a few hours to give as a gift.

*A Romantic Bath For Two*

I love romance! Every year, I pick roses from my garden or ask a neighbor if I can pick theirs. I spread rose petals all over my living room, then I light candles and place them all over the living room and the kitchen. I will usually buy a small bunch of daffodils or tulips for the kitchen table. I love Frank Sinatra for every romantic occasion because let's face it, no one does romance like Frank! Don't forget the importance of a bath for two. Only if your kids are out of the house, of course.

Bath Salt Ingredients:

1/2 cup baking soda

1/4 cup Epsom salts

10 drops cinnamon essential oil

10 drops Ylang Ylang essential oil

Directions:

Put baking soda and Epsom salts in a food processor and grind into a fine powder. Transfer powder to a bowl and add the essential oils and stir well. Spoon mixture into a glass jar.

**A Romantic Meal For Two**

Dinner is usually a three course event starting with a salad, the main event entree and finally finishing with dessert.

Greens Can Be Sexy, Too, Salad

Ingredients:

6 cups of your favorite mixed salad greens

1 avocado, cubed

1/2 head of radicchio, chopped

Edible flowers and sunflower sprouts

2 green onion, chopped

Directions:

Arrange the salad greens on each person's plate, then place the radicchio, avocado, and green onion on each person's plate. Surround the salad with edible flowers and then top the salad with sunflower sprouts on each plate.

Siippery When Wet Dressing

Ingredients:

2 cups almonds, soaked and drained

1 clove of garlic

1 cup of cilantro

Himalayan salt to taste

Cayenne to taste

3/4 cup water

Directions:

Blend everything in a blender until smooth and drizzle over individual salads.  For a thinner dressing, add more water

"Ravish Me!" Ravioli Alfredo

This is your main meal and the feul that will inspire your man to ravish you after dinner. ;-)

Ingredients:

2 cups almonds, soaked and drained

2 cups zucchini

2 teaspoons Himalayan salt

1 clove fresh garlic

2 teaspoons oregano

Directions:

Process the above ingredients in a food processor until creamy. Transfer creamy mixture to a bowl and add 1/2 cup minced sweet onion and 1/2 cup minced bell pepper by hand to the mixture. Leave large butter lettuce out long enough to wilt, remove the heavy center vein . Place 1 tablespoon of mixture into each lettuce leaf and roll to wrap up tightly.

Dreamy, Creamy Noodle Sauce

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons mellow un-pasteurized miso

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 cup raw pine nuts

1/2 cup cashews soaked at least one hour and drained

1 clove fresh garlic

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Himalayan salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

1/2 cup nut milk

1/2 cup zucchini, peeled and chopped fine

Nutritional yeast to taste

Parsley for garnish

Directions:

Blend everything except the parsley in a blender and blend until smooth. Place four raviolis on each plate and top with Alfredo sauce. Garnish all around the plate with parsley and serve.

**The Dreamy, Creamy Finale**

Finish it off with a stawberry on top! Where you take it from here, we leave to your imagination!

Strawberries and Whipped Cream

(from the best-selling book, Alive in Five)

Ingredients:

1 cup macadamia nuts, soaked and drained

1/2 cup water

5 pitted soft dates

1 teaspoon agave syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla flavor

1 tablespoon cold pressed coconut oil

Directions:

Blend all the above ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Dip strawberries in the decadent whipped cream and smile at your loved ones.

Join Vanessa Stewart And Learn How To
Attract More Love and Romance In Your Life
With Feng Shui Tips for the Bedroom!

Hey, my little Buttercup of looooove!

You know what's worse than eating nachos at midnight or diving into a chocolate bar when your heart aches?

Feeling guilty about it. ;-)

Chin up, Sunshine. You take life so darn seriously.  Go easy on yourself. You're WONDERFUL just the way you are!

Carefree love and giggles,

17 Tips for a Greener Valentine's Day

By Tracy Neely

The words "Valentine's Day" conjure up different thoughts for different people, but I think for some, the word LOVE comes to mind.  These days, it is all about consumption, which is a little sad.  Did you know, about 1 billion Valentine's Day cards are sent globally, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas.

Let's show some extra love for the environment and carefully consider what we buy, even Valentine's Day can be greener and healthier.

Here are some great tips that nurture and nourish your soul:

1. If you're going to buy Valentine's Day cards, buy recycled or tree free paper
2. Make your own cards using recycled paper
3. Create small love notes and put them in areas around your home where someone will find them, what a sweet surprise
4. Better yet, skip the paper and send your love an e-card
5. If you're going to buy chocolates, buy high quality fair trade and organic chocolates
6. Be creative and make your loved ones a creative dish infusing chocolate into the recipe
7. Create an intoxicating beauty treatment for your special honey
8. If you decide to send your loved ones flowers, please buy organic flowers free of those nasty pesticides. Keep the chemicals out of your home. And if you prefer to give something other than cut flowers with their limited life, small potted plants will not only keep on giving, they'll also help out your indoor air quality.
9. Make a donation to your favorite environmental organization on behalf of someone special
10. Make a reservation at a restaurant specializing in organic or locally grown food.
11. If you want to be adventurous, use ingredients from your garden and put together a fabulous dinner
12. Buy someone special a gift certificate for a holistic therapy (e.g. facial, massage, body treatment)
13. Sit down with your children, nieces, nephews, cousins, grandchildren and create a Valentine's Day card from recycled paper and create a non-toxic ink from crushed berries
14. Visit your local nursing home, you'd be surprised at the number of people that have no one to visit them during special days
15. Gift someone underserved with a membership in a green local and organics food co-op
16. Be open to receive whatever the universe has to offer
17. Cheer someone up with a heartfelt smile

These are just a few ideas to tickle your fancy, but the best gift of all is spending time with friends and family on this special day!

Recipes

Chocolate & Honey Body Scrub

2 cups honey

2 cups brown sugar

6 tablespoons chocolate (dark) grated

½ cup grapeseed oil

In a mixing bowl, combine the honey and grapeseed oil.  Stir in chocolate and sugar mixture completely.  The consistency should be grainy and thick.  Apply the scrub to the skin and gently massage all over the body.  This concoction is good enough to eat, but if you must, rinse with water in a shower.

Rose Body Butter

8 tbsp shea butter

8 tbsp cocoa butter

8 drops rose essential oil

Add the shea butter and the cocoa butter to the top of a double boiler and heat until the wax and cocoa butter have melted.  Remove the pan from the heat and add the drops of rose essential oil.  Stir continuously until the mixture thickens.  Pour into a container and set aside to cool.  Apply to the body when you want an intoxicating fragrant moisturizer for the skin.  Store body butter in a cool dry area.

Nourishing Rose Lip Balm

2-1/2 tsp beeswax

7 tsp sweet almond oil

1 tsp honey

3 drops rose essential oil

2 drops lavender essential oil

3 tsp calendula oil

Place beeswax, sweet almond oil, honey and calendula oil in heat-safe measuring cup or bowl and place in double boiler, or a medium saucepan of water over low heat.  Allow hot water to melt ingredients, but prevent from boiling, remove from heat immediately and add essential oils.  Stir entire mixture until all ingredients are well combined.  Once mixture has solidified, pour into lip balm tin and allow to cool completely, uncovered, before sealing or using.

Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place. - Zora Neale Hurston

Simply Raw:  Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days

This movie follows the lives of 6 people with "incurable" Type 2 Diabetes who use the raw food diet to get off insulin andreverse the disease.

Watch the clip.

Share with someone you love.

Banana Pancakes

By Shayla Roberts

This one takes a little planning because they are dehydrated.  However, it is SO worth the effort...my family loves these, especially my husband (whose mama made him pancakes EVERY morning when he was a little boy...).  I make HUGE batches of pancakes to use up those "over-ripe" bargain bananas!

Ingredients:

2 cups flax seeds, whole, soaked for a few hours

3-4 (or more) bananas

1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup liquid sweetner of your choice (I choose agave)

Juice of 1 lemon

Directions:

Process the heck out of this in a food processor, drop by the tablespoonful onto teflex sheets, press flat (to about 1/4-3/8 inch).  Dehydrate on 105 degrees for 2 hours, peel them up and flip them onto mesh screens for another 2-3 hours.  Don't over-dry these!

I serve these with agave nectar for syrup, along with a few banana slices to pretty them up.  You can also use some Frontier brand alcohol-free Maple extract to flavor your agave, to give it that authentic "maple syrup" taste.

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