Photo Credit

This is a guest post by Ingela Johansson.

Maybe the benefits of raw food diet have you raising your eyebrows… The question is, are you ready to start eating a raw food diet and begin enjoying true raw food health?

You don’t have to eat a 100% raw food diet to reap the health benefits that come with it. The benefits of raw food diet run deep. Listen to your body, and do what feels best.

But do remember that the more natural foods you eat, the better it will be for your body, mind, and soul.

The Benefits of Raw Food Diet

So why should you start eating a raw food diet? You’re probably thinking about how hard it will be to transition and start getting used to a whole new menu. But I am here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be like that. The benefits of eating more raw foods far outweigh the hassle you have to go through in order to learn a few new tricks and recipes to make it work.

Did you know that most diseases are caused by unhealthy dietary choices?
It’s 100% true.

We don’t think about it when we eat food that isn’t healthy for us, but each time we put something like a candy or ice cream into our body we are hurting it. Our bodies are made for natural foods, because they provide the necessary nutrients for a healthy and vital life. Many who’ve suffered from illnesses and ailments have been cured when they embarked on a healthier diet because they finally allowed their body to start healing.

How to Transition & Enjoy The Benefits of Raw Food Diet

Incorporating raw foods into your diet can feel overwhelming when you don’t know anything about it. In reality, it is simple. Eat the fruits and vegetables that you desire, and eat as much as you want. When you’re new to eating a raw food diet almost anything is allowed, because it is a time of experimentation.

Try new things and see how they work for you. Check out some raw recipes, they are delicious!

Here are 3 simple ways you can get more raw foods into your diet.

1. Add Smoothies – I have always liked smoothies and found them to be an easy way to add more raw foods into my diet. You can start by drinking a smoothie instead of eating your usual snack between meals. Throw some bananas, spinach and berries into your blender and enjoy the ride.

2. Eat Fruit Before Your Meals – Eating fruit before your meals will decrease your appetite for cooked food, so if you’re planning to lose weight, this might be a good option for you. It is also good for reducing cravings. I sometimes get a craving for sweets after I’ve eaten cooked foods. This usually doesn’t happen if I eat fruit before my meal. Try it!

3. Have a Raw Day – One day of the week; immerse yourself into raw foods cuisine. Go to the your local store and buy a huge amount of organic fruits and vegetables. Having one 100% raw day per week can give your body a rest and let it heal and rebuild. Make it a day of relaxation where you take it easy and try new things.

Raw Foods Cuisine and Achieving Raw Food Health

Raw food health is not about following a strict diet, at least not for me. Like I said above, you don’t have to be 100% raw to get the health benefits raw foods give. Again, listen to your own body, and go at your own pace. Start small and make consistent changes. You will be amazed at where you land in a month or two. There are no rules, you can gain the benefits of raw food diet right now. You can make juices, smoothies, delicious raw brownies, or you can eat everything as they are. It’s completely up to you.

Now get out there and start enjoying the foods that will bring you vibrant health, energy, and joy.

Photo Credit

Ingela Johansson is in love with natural skin care. If you want more natural anti aging tips, you can visit her blog, where you will find topics ranging from how to find an eczema cure to learning how to start removing age spots.

Photo Credit

This is a guest post by Katrina Robinson.

It can be difficult finding great vegetarian recipes that are not only chocked full with antioxidants but also taste fabulous. What’s so special about antioxidants, you might ask. Antioxidants such as Vitamin C and Vitamin A help to prevent and slow the oxidative damage that is done to your body. When your body uses oxygen, the body’s cells produce free radicals, which can lead to heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Antioxidants help to prevent and repair damage that has been or could be done by these free radicals. So you can see why they’re so important! But now the trick is to find recipes that also taste great…well, I’ve found two fantastic recipes that taste fantastic and are filled with antioxidants! These recipes are for those who aren’t all raw. Not all the ingredients are vegan but they’re a great example of how to pack a lot of nutritional value into a recipe. Check them out below!

Baked Apples with Walnuts and Dried Fruit

You’ll need the following for this recipe:

• 6 medium Golden Delicious apples
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• ½ cup of dried cranberries (raisins work, too)
• ½ cup apricot preserves
• 1 ½ cup apple cider
• ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a shallow baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Core all of your apples, creating a 1-inch-wide hole. Peel the upper third of the apples. Score the flesh about ¼-inch deep around the circumference where the peeled and unpeeled portions meet. Now cut a shallow crater around the top of the hole. This will help to hold the preserves that will go there. Set apples aside.
3. Put walnuts, dried cranberries, and coconut in a food processor and chop. Add lemon zest, maple syrup, nutmeg, and cinnamon and pulse several times to combine the ingredients.
4. Put the apples in the baking dish and press ¼ cup of the filling into each cavity. Spoon a tablespoon of preserves into the crater you created in each apple.
5. Combine the butter and apple cider in a saucepan and keep over low heat until the butter has melted. Now remove it from the stove and stir in the vanilla. Pour the liquid all over the apples.
6. Cover the apples with aluminum foil and bake on your oven’s center rack for thirty minutes. Remove the foil and baste the apples, then continue to bake (uncovered) for twenty to thirty-five more minutes, basting every ten minutes, until the apples are tender.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Vegan Spicy Beet Soup

You’ll need the following for this recipe:

• 6 medium beets (with skin; greens and stems removed)
• 2 cups water
• 1 ½ cup vegan vegetable bouillon broth
• 1 cup red wine
• 1 white onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup vegan soy sour cream
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 cups beet greens and stems, chopped
• 2 medium chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

1. Put the beets, vegetables bouillon broth, and wine into a large soup pot and add water.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for forty-five minutes to one hour.
3. Remove beets with a slotted spoon. Reserve the cooking liquid in the soup pot.
4. Once beets have cooled, coarsely chop. Set aside ½ cup of ½-inch diced beets for garnish.
5. Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat.
6. Add onion and brown sugar.
7. Saute for two minutes until sugar is dissolved.
8. Add the onion and brown sugar mixture, the chopped beets, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, soy sour cream, and chilies to the beet liquid in your soup pot.
9. Stir the mixture together and add to a blender in batches, mixing it until it’s smooth.

These are just two vegetarian recipes that are full of antioxidants and are downright tasty, too! Katrina Robinson is a freelance writer who blogs about a wide array of topics, from health to beauty to colon cleansing.

Photo Credit

Don’t have the time to go through the whole spellbinding archives? Start by the top 10 blog posts on Raw Foods Witch!

Why It’s Easier to Go Raw Than To Become Vegan

Who knew that going raw could be easier than just vegan? This post clearly explains that choosing a raw diet is not only easier, but also healthier than the common vegan diet.

7 Reasons I have a Love / Hate Relationship with Raw Food

There are always two sides to a medal, and having a raw diet makes no exception. Changing your diet can sometimes have an important impact on your everyday life. Discover the ups and downs of a life in the raw.

The Importance of Investing in Yourself & Your Health Without Giving Up

Changes towards a healthy lifestyle require commitment. By investing in yourself, you’re not only taking the first and necessary step towards a healthier self, but you’re also putting the basis of a sustainable self improvement.

9 Ways Raw Food Changed My Life

More than helping you to look and feel better, incorporating more raw foods in your diet can have surprising other benefits.

Set Yourself Up for Raw Success

Changing your diet can definitely bring some joy, but the road can also get rocky too. Avoid the common roadblocks of your journey to raw foods, and gear up for success with raw coaching. The group coaching session here might be already over, but personalized one on one coaching sessions are still offered.

21 Ways to Sneak More Vegetables Into Your Diet

Whether you’re a long-time raw foodist or just starting to take steps towards a healthier lifestyle, this post give you creative ideas to beef-up your daily vegetables intake.

Healthy Desserts: 28 Healthy Dessert Recipes in the Raw

Why do we love sweet food so much? It doesn’t really matter since you now have 28 healthy desserts you can eat everyday. This means 28 other delicious reasons to try raw food today!

How to Stay Raw When Dining Out at Restaurants

You don’t have to sacrifice your social life when committing to a raw diet. This post gives you great tips and ideas to eat raw at omnivore’s restaurants.

Why Food Allergies for Nuts, Gluten, and Milk are on the Rise and What to do About It

Food allergies and intolerances can silently sabotage your health. This video post clearly explains how food allergy works and what you can do to spot and prevent it to develop.

[Editor's Note: This is a crowd pleaser for both Thanksgiving and Halloween, and I'm republishing it because I added a new ingredient so read till the end to find out what makes this whole pie jive even better!]

This week-end it was Canadian Thanksgiving. Our thanksgiving happens earlier because our harvest season is shorter, and we want to enjoy it when it’s fresh!

As it happens I had two social gatherings to attend, one all raw and the other not so much. What’s a girl to bring to please such different groups?

Luckily I have been immersing myself in the wonderful world of raw desserts for the past few weeks so it was just a matter of choosing one recipe from my new book “28 Desserts You Can Eat Every Day“.

I decided to go with the Raw Pumpkin Pie, using freshly cut pumpkin. Jack-o-lanterns are totally appropriate here at the Raw Foods Witch site.

How to Make a Raw Pumpkin Pie Video

Raw Pumpkin Pie Recipe

If itʼs not Autumn and you canʼt get your hands on a fresh pumpkin you can use a variety of replacements: from butternut squash to sweet potato.

Raw Pumpkin Pie Crust

• 2 cups pecans or walnuts
• 1/2 cup soaked dates
• Dash of sea salt

Blend the crust ingredients in a high speed blender or food processor, then evenly distribute in the bottom of a pie plate.

Raw Pumpkin Pie Filling

• 2 cups shredded pumpkin, butternut squash, or sweet potato flesh
• 1 cup soaked dates
• 1/2 cup soaked, washed Irish Moss
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. freshly diced ginger
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1 tsp. coconut oil
• Dash of vanilla
• 1/4 cup almond milk or water to help blend

What is Irish Moss?

Don’t worry if you don’t have Irish Moss, just skip this ingredient and put your pie in the freezer before serving. Irish Moss helps the whole pie gel together better, because it is a fibery seaweed product that blends well. Irish Moss is full of super gentle fiber, it’s got great mineral content because it’s seaweed and it makes for great looking pies!

Make sure to wash the Irish Moss thoroughly to remove any sand or salt. Otherwise you’ll get a crunchy salty pumpkin pie, which is not exactly what we’re going for here!

Making the Raw Pumpkin Pie

If you donʼt feel like shredding the pumpkin by hand, simply cube and place in a high speed blender or food processor until itʼs nicely chopped.

Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend until nice and smooth. You might need to add more liquid to get it to blend well.

Pour into crust, then chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving. This dessert might not seem overly sweet, but trust me when I say it can rival even the most traditional of pumpkin pies.

Get More Delicious Free Dessert Recipes

If you liked this raw pumpkin pie recipe, you’ll find it and more great desserts in my new book!

I’ve put together free a downloadable ebook called “28 Desserts You Can Eat Every Day”. Yep, that’s right I’m giving it away for free!

Grab your free copy of the 28 Desserts You Can Eat Every Day ebook now.

Feel free to share this ebook with all of your friends and family. I really want as many people as possible to experience these healthy desserts.

Have you ever had a taste of freshly made vegetable juice? It’s one of the most nourishing foods out there. And today I’m going to show you just how to make this type of fresh veggie juice.

How to Make Vegetable Juice Video

Veggie Juice Ingredients

The beauty of making vegetable juice is that you can pretty much improvise with what you’ve got in your kitchen or garden.

That being said, here’s what I used in this particular juice.

• Carrots (tops and all)
• Apples
• Ginger
• Celery
• Parsley

Juicer Recommendations

I’ve heard great things about the Breville Juice Fountain, and many raw foodies recommend it. One of the benefits is that it’s a good quality juicer, for a pretty fair price.

It also has a wider opening, so you don’t need to cut fruits or vegetables as small to get them juiced.

The juicer I own is the Omega J8005 Nutrition Center Single-Gear Commercial Masticating Juicer. What I like about it is that you can use it to make green juice, and other treats like nut butters, raw fruit sorbets and ice creams, and baby food.

It’s got a heftier price tag, but because it uses a mastication system you’re actually getting more juice for your buck. Before I got this blender I always cringed when I saw how much juice was left in the pulp. Now the pulp is totally dry.

What is Your Favorite Mix?

I’d love to know what your favorite mix of vegetable juice is. I’m pretty partial to my “Beet Goes On” beet juice recipe. What else do you like to drink?

Photo by Rachel

I write a lot about green smoothies and the benefits of drinking green smoothies. I’m also a huge advocate of juicing your greens. But one of the important aspects of drinking your greens is the rotation of plants.

Let me explain.

When you consume the exact same variety of green leafy vegetables, your body is always getting the same nutrients. Each variety of plant will give you different nutrients, minerals, and antioxidants.

But it goes even further than that. You see, each plant has a self-defense mechanism to keep animals from completely devastating their favorite plant. For example, if monkeys loved spinach and decided to eat all the spinach around then the plant could not procreate and it would die out.

Nature’s system is so smart because it knows that it’s important to keep greens around (hello! most nutritious food pound for pound!). So green leafy plants actually have a minute amount of alkaloids, which act like a poison if ingested regularly.

That’s where rotating your greens comes in! If you switch between different types of green plans, your body’s immune system is actually getting a boost because it is working on different alkaloids all the time.

So my recommendation, backed up by Victoria Boutenko is to switch between at least 10-12 types of greens. You can have say two or three days on one green like spinach, and then two or three days on kale, then two or three days on gai lan, you get the picture.

This actually ties in well with the Traditional Chinese Medicine system of hot and cold foods. Some people do well on certain types of greens, while others are better off with different types.

I think it’s super important to swap greens regularly! Oh, and the reason we don’t need to focus on swapping fruit as much as greens is that fruit were designed to be eaten and spread by animals. Greens would rather grow, and have their seeds blow in the wind or be pollinated by insects.

Greens are the most powerful healing foods out there, so it’s great to make them a staple part of your diet!

List of Greens to Get You Started

Your best bet is to go to a farmer’s market and look a the vast array of colorful greens. Pick some up, smell it, ask the farmer what it tastes like, and give it a try! If you’ve got the space and inclination, I’d highly recommend you start a garden. Plant a few of these vegetables and see which ones you like!

• Spinach
• Swiss Chard
• Kale
• Bok Choy
• Gai Lan
• Dandelion Greens
• Mustard Greens
• Carrot Tops
• Yu Choy
• Sunflower sprouts (sprouts in general)
• Romaine lettuce
• Buttercrunch lettuce
• Boston lettuce
• Arugula (Rocket)
• Collard greens
• Cabbage
• Watercress
• Purslane
• Sorrel
• Tatsoi
• Turnip Greens
• Radish Greens
• Beet Greens
• Basil leaves
• Coriander / Cilantro
• Parsley
• Mint leaves

What other greens do you enjoy?

There are literally hundreds of different green edible plants out there. Which ones are your favorites and what have you tried that you didn’t quite like?

One of the questions I get asked all the time is what do you do when you have guests over? Especially if your guests are not raw or even aware that you’re into eating more raw food.

Well there’s a simple way to deal with that. It’s all about making food that most people would recognize, except instead of buying it in a can or a box you make it yourself.

With that in mind, I’d love to share with you a recipe that is a huge hit with both raw and non-raw friends and family.

My Wicked Guacamole Recipe

Most people will thank you for serving up such a fresh wholesome snack. With the rampant access to unhealthy snacks, everyone is working hard to make healthy choices. You’re actually making it easy for them to eat right!

If you’re really worried that people will want something that’s not raw – you can pair this guacamole recipe with some organic corn chips or some raw crackers.

The dinner itself can be a more traditional dinner with some cooked options. But you can rest easy knowing that you’ve plied your guests with more than their recommended dose of veggies for the day!

More Raw Snack Recipes Coming Your Way…

On the guacamole video page you’ll notice a sign up box to get more recipes. Once you’re on that list you’ll get access to my upcoming free recipe book.

So go ahead, get on the goodies list – and let’s make some delicious snacks for ourselves!

1. Drink Green Smoothies.

If you’ve been here before, you’ll know how much I love green smoothies. Blend 60% whole fruits, 40% green leafy veggies, add water, and you’ve got yourself the best tasting veggie dish ever.

Fresh zucchini pasta!

2. Use vegetables instead of pasta noodles.

You can get a Spiral Slicer or a Mandolin Slicer at most cooking stores, but failing that just use a vegetable peeler to create fun noodle shapes out of veggies. Try zucchini, spaghetti squash, and eggplant. Top with your favorite pasta sauce.

3. Dehydrate some Kale Chips.

Instead of reaching for those starchy potato or corn chips, why not get your greens in? You can dehydrate your own kale chips with a dehydrator, or alternatively use your oven on the lowest setting. You’ll find the kale chip recipe here.

4. Guzzle some Green Juices.

Green vegetable juice is on equal footing with green smoothies. (Read the juicing vs. blending post.) You’ve got all of those nutritious green minerals and vitamins, and they’re going straight into you without the fiber.

5. Puree vegetables into soup.

You can either use a blender or a juicer to make fresh, yummy veggie soups. Try a mix of carrot and cucumber and add your favorite spices, or give it a little kick with some fresh ginger.

6. Try new vegetables and find creative ways to eat them.

See what’s available in your area and surprise your senses with exciting new vegetables. Why not chop broccoli up into salads? Shred some turnips, or use Bok-Choy as a dipping veggie.

7. Shred carrots, cabbage, and other “tough” veggies into an easy slaw.

With a food processor or by hand, shred those tough “winter veggies” into an easy to enjoy slaw. You can top it with your favorite salad dressings or invent your own. Plus it’s so easy to grab some in a container when you’re on the go.

Photo by Tamara P.

8. Marinate vegetables.

Chop up some of your favorite vegetables and marinate them for a few hours to soften them up and give them that extra taste. I like a mix of olive oil, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. I’ve marinated mushrooms, broccoli, string beans, asparagus, and the list goes on.

9. Make your own pasta sauce, and add chopped or pured veggies.

If you usually buy pasta sauce, why not chop or puree your own fresh vegetables into it to make it that much healthier? Alternatively you can make fresh veggie pasta sauces with your blender.

10. Steam a sweet potato.

This isn’t raw, but then this isn’t about being 100% raw. If you’re craving that warm comforted feeling, reaching for a steamed sweet potato is a healthy non-processed starch way to go.

11. Add a green powder to your drinks.

If you’re on the go and fear not being able to get enough greens in, then green powders are the way to go. I recommend a blue-green algae like Spirulina, and there are tons of other great green powder products. Add them to your water, smoothies, or on top of salads.

12. Make an avocado chocolate pudding.

Check out Erin Huggins’ take on a raw chocolate avocado pudding, rocking the yum. It’s so easy to make and kids will love it!

13. Eat celery sticks and other veggies with almond butter and a drizzle of sweetener.

Turn ordinary vegetables into satisfying sweet, salty, crunchy snacks. Experiment with different nut butters, and your choices of sweetener like raw honey or stevia.

14. Cut up greens & other veggies and add to grain dishes.

It doesn’t matter if you eat cooked or raw quinoa, brown rice, or barley, you can still use this tip. Simply chop up fresh vegetables like spinach, cucumbers, and other veggies and put them into your grain dishes.

15. Drink Raw Gatorade.

Instead of reaching for a sugary drink after a work out, why not embrace the fruit and veggie duo in Raw Gatorade? To make raw gatorade blend water, bananas, and celery.

16. That’s a wrap.

You can make tons of great vegetable rich entrees with wraps. Simply wrap veggies up in a leaf or a gluten free tortilla, and add your favorite sauces or spices. Even the wrap itself can be a vegetable, like a collard leaf, a cabbage leaf, or even a lettuce leaf. Yum!

Photo by Darwin Bell

17. Make veggies available at all meals, and not just as a side dish.

Yes, that means breakfast too! The key to eating more vegetables is to treat them as a central theme to all meals.

18. Make a vegetable sandwich with anything that won’t fall out.

When eating out ask for a vegetable sandwich instead of the extra heavy meaty variety. With a veggie sandwich you could end up with a lovely looking salad, between 2 slices of bread. You can make raw bread in a dehydrator, so don’t discount this option if you’re all raw!

19. Make your own veggie salad dressings & dips.

When you blend your own salad dressings, you can sneak more veggies into the dressing itself too! Try blending avocado, cucumber, as well as sea vegetables and add some spices. Yum.

20. Have sliced veggies on hand at all times, and get yourself a good dip for snacking.

We’re a lot more likely to reach for the veggies instead of the chips if they’re already in snack form. When you get home from a shopping trip, wash and cut your snacking vegetables and store in the fridge for easy access. Then either make your own delicious veggie dips or have a healthy alternative on hand for when the snacking strikes!

21. Eat your salad before your main meal.

This ensures you get your veggies in before you get full. Plus a good salad before a meal will keep you from overeating the foods that aren’t as good for you.

Looking for more in depth Veggie Sneaking Tips?

Get the Top 5 Witchy Ways to eat More Veggies, and download your free special report. You’ll get weekly recipes and tips via The Cue. You’ll also get the 5 week ecourse called Feel Light – Take Flight & watch your energy soar.

Sign up free now.

Do you still crave that warm chewy-comfort food feeling from your raw food? Then chances are the dehydrator is what will solve your issues.

What is a Dehydrator?

(Click here to watch the video on YouTube if you can’t see it here.)

Why Dehydrate… aka What Does a Dehydrator Do?

A dehydrator is a tool that uses low temperatures and a fan to dry food. It essentially removes the water from food, but it keeps the enzymes of your raw food intact.

In my opinion dehydrated foods are not the easiest thing for your body to digest: it’s not the closest thing to nature. Essentially you don’t have the water content and that means it’s not the ideal food.

That being said, I think dehydrated foods are a great way to transition to raw food, and even as a great gluten-free treat. Most of the dehydrated foods can replace the textures and tastes of the most addictive foods like bread, cookies, and chips. Who wouldn’t want that?

How to Dehydrate Raw Food

Most dehydrators come with a temperature setting, and as long as you are dehydrating at temperatures below 112-118F you’ll be keeping your ingredients “raw”. (See what is the raw food diet here.)

Photo by Jacqueline

Use a Dehydrator to Preserve Excess Produce

If you’re lucky enough to have an abundant garden (or just a great deal of fresh local produce) then you can use a dehydrator to preserve your harvest.

Simply clean and cut your fruits or vegetables and place on your dehydrator trays. Depending on how watery the produce is you might need to dehydrate for a longer time. Dehydrated fruits and veggies make great snacks, or can be used to top salads or in sauces and soups. Yum!

Make Raw Kale Chips

In my weekly ezine I wrote about a recipe for yummy kale chips. (Subscribe if you want to receive recipes every week!)

• 1 Bunch Kale
• Sea Salt
• Olive oil
• Diced Garlic
• Juice of Half a Lemon
• Pinch of Cumin

Wash the kale and then cut it into 3 inch long strips. Keep in mind that these chips will get smaller as they dehydrate. Put the sliced kale in a large bowl and add the olive oil, sea salt, diced garlic, lemon juice, and cumin, all to taste. Get your hands in there and massage the ingredients into the kale.

Wait for 10 to 20 minutes: the kale leaves should have shrunk a little bit. Now place your marinated kale on a dehydrator tray and turn the dehydrator on to dry for about 7 to 8 hours at 115F. You’ll be crunching these awesome kale chips so fast you’ll need to make a second batch! Be sure to experiment with different spices and mimic your favorite chips.

If you want a closer look at the process of making kale chips take a look at this post by Dhrumil of We Like it Raw.

Make Fruit Leathers

Making fruit leather is one thing that reminds me of being a kid and eating those sugary processed fruit roll-ups. Of course when you’re in charge of what goes into your fruit leather you can make them as healthy as you want! Why not dehydrate a green smoothie to take with you on a hiking trip?

1. Blend your favorite mix of fresh fruits (and/or vegetables!) until smooth. You may need to add a bit of water if your blender cannot process it well, but try not to add too much.
2. Spread the mixture on a teflex sheet or piece of cellophane. It should be about 1/4 inch thick, but you can experiment with different thicknesses.
3. Place the sheet in your dehydrator and dry at 110F-118F for about 4 hours.
4. When the leather is dry enough, peel it off the sheet and flip it over to dehydrate on the other side, and place it on the mesh of your dehydrator. So that both sides dry. Dry for another few hours until it reaches a malleable but dry consistency.

Enjoy as a snack or use it to wrap other ingredients in, let your creativity run wild.

Unlimited Uses for a Dehydrator

Although I always tell people that they should consider investing in a blender before a dehydrator, dehydrators can be fun. I’ll definitely be posting new recipes and ways to make use of your dehydrator.

Recommended Dehydrators

Depending on how much you care to spend you can get a really good Excalibur Dehydrator or pick up one of the less expensive types at most kitchen stores.

I’ve had my Excalibur Dehydrator for almost 3 years now and I love having the option to make dehydrated crackers, cookies, and fruit leathers.

What’s Your Favorite Dehydrated Snack?

If you’ve ever bought dehydrated snacks or have your own dehydrator, what’s your favorite recipe? Let us know in the comments!

What if you could drink a magick potion that would revitalize you, clear your system of unwanted toxins, and take less than 13 minutes to make? Green Smoothies can do just that, and much more.

1. All you need is a blender and an open mind.

The great thing about green smoothies is that it doesn’t require much to get started. (You could invest in a Vitamix for silky-smooth shakes, but that’s totally optional.) My biggest suggestion is to give green smoothies a try before you get a better blender. That way you’ll be convinced of their effectiveness.

2. Green Smoothies are quick to make.

If you’re in a rush you can get a green smoothie ready and blended in less than 13 minutes. You can just blend and go while you drink the green smoothie on the run. You could even make a green smoothie ahead of time. Then store half of it in the refrigerator using a glass mason jar and it will still taste great one day later.

3. You get a steady stream of energy. (No crashing!)

You won’t experience the up-and-down spikes that you might from an all fruit smoothie when you make it a green one. That’s because the fiber rich greens slow down the absorption of fruit sugars, providing you with just the right amount of energy and nutrition at a pace that your body really loves.

4. Green smoothies can be enjoyed year round.

When your garden is overflowing with greens, just whip up a couple of batches of green smoothies and enjoy these inexpensive nutritional drinks. You can also benefit from green smoothies in the winter, by using frozen fruits and greens that you might have preserved from the summer. Green smoothies provide you with a lot of options all year round.

5. Green smoothies are ideal for weight loss.

Whenever you feel a craving coming on, make yourself a green smoothie instead of indulging your craving. (If you’re having a lot of trouble with cravings, consider hiring me to do a Magick Power Session and we’ll eliminate them together.) Green smoothies help cut cravings because they are satisfying and provide your body with tons of nutrition.

6. Greens are the most Under-appreciated Superfoods.

We all know green tea is great as an antioxidant. What is green tea made of, if it’s not greens? Skip the middleman and just increase your intake of greens. Green leafy veggies are great because they have tons of cancer fighting properties, immune system boosting vitamins and minerals. Upping green leaf intake has been shown to reduce heart disease and prevent other degenerative diseases. That’s what I call super. To find out more about greens, get my free special report.

7. Satisfy every taste bud.

If you have a sweet tooth you’ll enjoy making green smoothies with lots of fruit. If you want something a little edgier, you can add some Raw Chocolate powder and make it a nutritiously devious dessert. If you want to replace a meal, you can make savory green smoothies using ingredients like tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, and even spices to make it a satisfying hearty meal.

Fancy a bowl of a witch’s green magick goop?

8. You Get to be a Modern Witch

Modern witches use blenders to make their magick potions, because cauldrons are so 13th century. Making green smoothies is a lot like casting a spell or making a magick potion. It brings out the childlike qualities in all of us, and it even sets the magick of healing in motion. I like to eat my green smoothies in a bowl with a spoon, because it’s even more like a witch’s mysterious bubbly concoction.

9. Get your daily portion of fruit and vegetables.

One green smoothie probably contains more fruits and vegetables than most average Americans eat in a day. It’s one of the easiest ways of increasing your fruit and veggie intake. Plus you don’t need to carry an easily bruised banana around.

10. Chock full of amino acids.

If you’re worried that you’re not getting enough protein, increase your green smoothie intake. The more greens you eat, the more amino acids that you provide your body with. Your body uses these amino acids to produce protein.

11. Indulge your creativity and experiment.

You can throw almost any fruits or veggies into your blender and it will turn out tasting pretty good. (It helps if you follow some basic guidelines, of course.) Green smoothies give you the flexibility to create your own recipes, but they’re also a great way to use up leftovers.

12. Green smoothies are chimney sweepers for your body.

Over time, food that doesn’t get digested properly can get stuck in your system and become a burden on your elimination organs. Green smoothies act as a chimney sweeping brush to flush out all that toxic waste. The more green smoothies you drink, the cleaner your bowels will become, and the better your elimination. If you want to feel great, make it easy for your body to take the trash out. Oh, and that helps with releasing weight too!

13. Green smoothies are a great addition to any eating plan.

What I like about green smoothies is that they can act as a “gateway drug” to raw foods. It’s so easy to just add a green smoothie to your current diet. There’s no reason not to give it a try. If after a couple of months you’re feeling great, you might choose to increase your raw food intake a little. That, my friend, is the power of green smoothies.

The Basic Green Smoothie Recipe

Feel free to use this basic green smoothie base and experiment. (Remember #11!)

• 2 Bananas
• 1 Peach
• 5 Strawberries
• Handful Spinach (increase greens gradually over time, and you’ll find you crave more of them!)
• 1 cup water

After you make your first green smoothie, you’ll want to learn about trying new recipes and rotating your greens here.

What Are YOUR Favorite Green Smoothies Recipes?

I’d love to hear what your favorite green smoothie recipes are! I know there are tons of variations out there, but which one is YOUR favorite?