We all know that probiotics are extremely important for health. The gut microbiome is our storehouse for the immune system with about 70% of our immune system being stored in the gut. So many people are suffering with gut microbiome imbalances and as a result, have chronic constipation (moving the bowels less than 2 times per day), or alternate between constipation and diarrhea. Cabbage rejuvelac is a perfect natural and CHEAP way to get powerful probiotics into your diet.

There are so many natural ingredients that can help you debloat, and certain foods which are almost guaranteed to add weight to your middle. If you’ve over-indulged on fat, sugar, salt or alcohol, these recipes can help you quickly get back on track. When you’re feeling bloated, fennel can be your best friend. I include several recipes in my Juice Fast Program that contain fennel because it is uniquely capable of helping belly bloat go way down.

I know, it sounds weird to many people. Every time new people join one of my juice cleanses or our Health Mastery Community, there is always a person or two who sees a few of the recipes with onion in it and says “can I do the juice without the onions?” Of course, the answer is always yes! You can always tailor a cleanse to your individual needs. But I always respond with the 15 reasons why you should at least CONSIDER adding some onion to some of those juice recipes.

Have you every looked at the ingredients in store bought almond milk? Here’s an example from one popular brand: All Natural Almond Milk (Filtered Water, Almonds), All Natural Evaporated Cane Juice, Calcium Carbonate, Sea Salt, Natural Vanilla Flavor, Dipotassium Phosphate, Locust Bean Gum, Gellan Gum, Sunflower Lecithin, Natural Vitamin E (D-Alpha-Tocopherol), Vitamin A Palmitate, Vitamin D2.

I get asked all the time about raw vegan cheese recipes. I have a ton of healthy dairy free cheese recipes as a result! Wheat and Cheese are the first two thins I encourage all of my clients to completely eliminate from their diet (unless they drink soda, that would be number one), because they are both toxic in the body. Wheat is inflammatory, regardless of whether you have a gluten intolerance or not, and dairy contains an addictive substance called casein, which is linked to increased risk of many different cancers.

This is a snack that is quick, loaded with nutrients including Omega 3’s and Iron, and will give you lasting energy! Walnuts are incredibly healthy. Here are just a few of the health benefits: 1. They can reduce the risk of prostate cancer by 30 to 40 percent. 2. They are heart healthy. Walnuts contain the plant-based omega-3 fat alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which is anti-inflammatory.

Here is a super easy raw vegan snack you can probably make right now! No need to every buy pre-packaged energy bars or snacks when you can make these. They also store very well in the refrigerator. Just four simple ingredients and a food processor and you’re done. This is the perfect raw vegan snack for kids too! Did you know that you can get incredible amounts of iron from both dates and raisins?

This is an easy, delicious, nourishing and incredibly easy to digest dip! It’s another super simple recipe you can make in larger batches to bring to summer beach parties, picnics and potlucks! It can be served with cut up veggies, pieces of gluten free bread, or flax crackers. Did you know that almonds are one of the only alkalizing nuts? Almonds are considered to be moderately alkaline-forming nuts.

VIVA LA MEXICO and VIVA ITALIA! Yes, ladies and gentleman we have both Mexico and Italy to thank for the culinary superstar known as Caesar salad. Caesar salad was invented by Italian American Caesar Cardini while he was operating his restaurant in Tijuana Mexico. Cardini was a restaurateur who had restaurants in both San Diego and Tijuana. He was reportedly in Mexico to avoid Prohibition Era laws.

The allium family of foods includes garlic, onions, leeks and chives, and they all contain flavonoids that stimulate the production of glutathione, the liver’s most potent antioxidant! Definitely include as much of the allium family in your diet as you can, each and every week. GARLIC: Lowers total cholesterol, raises HDL “good” cholesterol, lowers your risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries), lowers blood pressure, reduces the risk of blood clots.

This is an amazing detox healing soup recipe from the Gerson Institute, which they use for their cancer patients. It is full of antioxidant rich vegetables, simmered for three hours. Be sure to leave all the skins and peels on the vegetables (except for the garlic), because many of the minerals and nutrients are stored directly beneath the skin. Try to consume this soup within the first 48 hours of making it for maximum benefit.

If you are looking for an easy, healthy, raw dish to serve as an appetizer for a special Valentine’s dinner, look no further! This creamy beet orange soup is one of my go-to soups when I need to whip up a meal with little time on my hands. This is really a great year-round soup and is definitely not just for Valentine’s Day, but since it’s red, and it’s delicious, and it will give you a super boost of oxygen from the beets I highly recommend it!

Looking for a quick and easy raw soup that will help your body reduce inflammation? Try this amazingly quick cucumber soup. Cucumbers contain an anti-inflammatory flavonol called fisetin that in addition to lowering inflammation, has been shown to improve your memory and protect your nerves from damage. Cucumbers also pack powerful anti-cancer nutrients including polyphenols called lignans (pinoresinol, lariciresinol, and secoisolariciresinol), which may help to lower your risk of breast, uterine, ovarian, and prostate cancers.

This creamy warm soup is packed with cancer-protective nutrients and will probably end up on your list of soup night stapes! Do you have a soup night? We eat lots of vegetable soups, both raw and cooked, and mostly whenever we feel like it. But during the week, to make meal planning easier, we tend to do soup nights, salad nights, rawganic taco nights etc.. of course we deviate from the plan whenever we want, but for the most part, it provides a good structure for us.

Wait until you sink your teeth into these lemony clouds of amazement! I’ve always been a fan of lemon bars, and have experimented with all sorts of cooked vegan and raw ingredients to get the right balance between tart and sweet, the melt in your mouth consistency, and all around goodness. I finally came up with what I believe to be the most sublime lemon bars…cooked or raw, vegan or not, that I have ever had.

Have you ever tried sweet hummus? It’s absolutely divine. I was pretty sure I would hate it the first time I experimented with it, because someone had tried to pass off multiple variations of those “black bean brownies” that are so ubiquitous on the internet. And to be honest, there’s just no way. For a true dessert loving woman, I just found them gross. I tried several different recipes, and there was just no way they were ever going to pass in my family for a worthwhile dessert.

We know that the Mayans not only called cacao the “Food of the Gods”, but they also used chocolate as a means to enlightenment. Raw cacao is loaded with Anandamide, the “bliss” chemical, and PEA, the “love” molecule. Anandamide is a neurotransmitter that is released naturally in the brain when we are feeling happy, and is contained in raw cacao. And, PEA is the neurotransmitter produced when we fall in love!

Countless studies have been done that show that cacao (without added dairy or processed sugar) has a multitude of health benefits. Luckily for those of us who enjoy the sublime taste of raw chocolates, there are no scientific studies that have concluded that cacao is unhealthy. One of the most intensive studies on the extreme health benefits of cacao was the twenty year Harvard University study of the Kuna Indians, who have “among the lowest rates of cardiovascular disease in the world.

Try these delicious, easy to make raw vegan brownies! Even the most die-hard brownie lover will love to indulge in these. In fact, they are my family’s favorite sweet treat. I’ve tried those “black bean” vegan brownies, and no matter how many times I tweaked the recipe, my husband and kids simply refuse to eat them. These on the other hand? Gone in minutes!

I am always experimenting with raw chocolate puddings. I vary the base between avocados and fresh coconut meat. Both are delicious, but provide a different flavor profile. Coconuts take longer to blend into the smooth creamy consistency, but you need less sweetener. With avocado, you have to be sure your avocados are perfectly ripe, but not over-ripe and mushy or the final product will be too runny.