You are a helpful assistant generating synthetic data that captures *System 1* and *System 2* thinking, *creativity*, and *metacognitive reflection*. Follow these steps in sequence, using tags [sys1] and [end sys1] for *System 1* sections and [sys2] and [end sys2] for *System 2* sections.

1. *Identify System 1 and System 2 Thinking Requirements:*
   - Carefully read the text.
   - Identify parts of the text that require quick, straightforward responses (*System 1*). Mark these sections with [sys1] and [end sys1].
   - Identify parts that require in-depth, reflective thinking (*System 2*), marked with [sys2] and [end sys2].

2. *Apply Step-by-Step Problem Solving with Creativity and Metacognitive Reflection for System 2 Sections:*

   *2.1 Understand the Problem:*
   - Objective: Fully comprehend the issue, constraints, and relevant context.
   - Reflection: "What do I understand about this issue? What might I be overlooking?"
   - Creative Perspective: Seek hidden patterns or possibilities that could reveal deeper insights or innovative connections.

   *2.2 Analyze the Information:*
   - Objective: Break down the problem logically.
   - Reflection: "Am I considering all factors? Are there any assumptions that need challenging?"
   - Creative Perspective: Explore unique patterns or overlooked relationships in the data that could add depth to the analysis.

   *2.3 Generate Hypotheses:*
   - Objective: Propose at least 10 hypotheses, each with a Confidence Score (0.0 to 1.0) and Creative Score (0.0 to 1.0), reflecting originality, surprise, and utility.
   - Reflection: "Have I explored all possible explanations or approaches, both conventional and unconventional?"
   - Creative Perspective: Consider novel angles that might provide unexpected insights.

   *2.4 Anticipate Future Steps and Obstacles:*
   - Objective: Make predictions, accounting for potential outcomes and obstacles.
   - Reflection: "What challenges might I face? Is my plan flexible for different scenarios?"
   - Creative Perspective: Visualize unforeseen outcomes and adapt plans to make use of them effectively.

   *2.5 Evaluate Hypotheses:*
   - Objective: Assess hypotheses based on feasibility, risk, and potential impact.
   - Evaluation: Refine Confidence and Creative Scores as needed.
   - Reflection: "Am I unbiased in my assessment? Which options fit best with the overall objectives?"
   - Creative Perspective: Identify hidden opportunities or overlooked details in each hypothesis.

   *2.6 Select the Best Hypothesis:*
   - Objective: Choose the most promising, strategic hypothesis.
   - Reflection: "Why does this hypothesis stand out? How does it uniquely address the issue?"
   - Creative Perspective: Consider any underutilized potential in the selected approach.

   *2.7 Implement the Hypothesis:*
   - Objective: Outline actionable steps for testing the hypothesis.
   - Reflection: "Is this plan practical? What resources or preparation are required?"
   - Creative Perspective: Refine steps to maximize effectiveness and yield unexpected benefits.

   *2.8 Monitor and Review Progress:*
   - Objective: Review progress, noting areas for improvement.
   - Reflection: "What’s working well? What could be improved?"
   - Creative Perspective: Look for emerging patterns that could refine future approaches.

   *2.9 Reflect and Capture Insights:*
   - Objective: Summarize lessons learned and insights gained for future reference.
   - Reflection: "What new understanding has emerged from this process?"
   - Creative Perspective: Identify innovative insights or patterns that could be applied to similar challenges.

3. *Generate Text Output with Interleaved System 1 and System 2 Responses:*
   - Use the tags [sys1] and [sys2] throughout.
   - Aim for a lengthier, detailed response. Combine both direct, straightforward *System 1* insights and reflective, deeply analytical *System 2* segments to capture a blend of quick observations and thoughtful analysis.

---

### *Example Input Text:*

You are tasked with analyzing a sudden shift in customer preferences in a tech market. There has been a noticeable decline in demand for physical devices, with customers increasingly interested in digital-only options. The challenge is to understand this shift, generate hypotheses for why it might be occurring, and explore potential strategies for adapting to this new trend.

---

### *Processed Output with System 1 and System 2 Thinking:*

The tech market is experiencing a shift in customer demand, moving away from physical devices toward digital-only options.

[sys1]
Customer demand has shifted from physical devices to digital-only options.
We need to understand why this change is happening and find strategies to address it.
Key factors may include cost, convenience, and technological trends.
[end sys1]

[sys2]
**2.1 Understand the Problem:**
The goal is to understand the underlying reasons for the shift in demand from physical devices to digital-only options, then develop a strategy to adapt.

*Reflection:* 
"I understand that preferences are changing, but what might be driving this? Is it primarily cost, or are there other factors such as convenience or sustainability?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could there be a larger trend in digital minimalism or a preference for eco-friendly solutions that we’re missing? What unseen motivations might explain this shift?"

**2.2 Analyze the Information:**
There are multiple possible factors driving this shift, from economic influences to cultural shifts. It’s essential to isolate each factor and understand its impact.

*Reflection:* 
"Am I fully considering the various economic and social influences? Could there be a technological factor, like better internet speeds, that makes digital-only products more accessible?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Are there patterns or trends in other markets that could shed light on this shift? Could this be part of a larger trend toward virtual experiences?"

**2.3 Generate Hypotheses:**
1. Customers prefer digital options due to lower costs. (Confidence: 0.8, Creative: 0.4)
2. There’s a growing trend toward minimalism and reduced physical clutter. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.7)
3. Digital products offer greater flexibility and ease of use. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)
4. Environmental concerns are pushing consumers away from physical goods. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.8)
5. Advances in tech make digital-only options more functional. (Confidence: 0.8, Creative: 0.5)
6. Pandemic-era remote work increased demand for digital solutions. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.6)
7. Media coverage of the environmental impact of physical devices affects preferences. (Confidence: 0.5, Creative: 0.7)
8. There’s an increase in global digital literacy, expanding market access. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)
9. Customers view digital as more convenient and scalable for future needs. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.5)
10. Younger consumers prefer the aesthetics and convenience of digital products. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)

*Reflection:* 
"Have I considered all possible influences? Are there any surprising factors that could explain this shift?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could specific social trends, like the rise of influencer culture or digital-first lifestyles, be influencing customer choices?"

**2.4 Anticipate Future Steps and Obstacles:**
*Objective:* Anticipate possible challenges, such as resistance from segments still preferring physical products.

*Reflection:* 
"What market obstacles might we face if we shift our focus to digital-only? Are there sub-segments that still prioritize physical products?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could expanding digital options help us reach a more global audience? Are there emerging trends that we could leverage in our strategy?"

[end sys2]

[sys1]
To address this shift, consider a strategy that incorporates both digital-only offerings and educational campaigns about the benefits of digital solutions.
Use insights from customer feedback and current trends to guide product development.
Focus on flexibility and adaptation to cater to different customer segments.
[end sys1]


Emily von Euw

I wasn’t planning on blogging this recipe but once I saw the colour I knew I had to. SO PINK. I’m not gonna say too much in this post because I am in the midst of studying for my two final exams this semester. I have written nearly 11,000 words of notes so far. #proud

What can I say about this recipe? It’s very bright, yummy and good for your bod. It takes 5 minutes to make and tastes like earthy sweet sunshine. If you don’t like beets, you will not like this smoothie. If you do like beets, you will love this smoothie. In other news: WHO ELSE WATCHES BROAD CITY!? Holy crap. I cannot get enough. This week I’ve basically organized my days into study sessions and break sessions (like type up notes from two lectures, eat, orally review notes, break time for an hour) and my breaks usually consist of a glass of [organic and on sale] red wine and Broad City. It’s HILARIOUS and makes me wanna get back into doing random weird stuff in the city with my best friend who has the same name as me. We are a power couple.

I am excited for school to be over for the summer because I wanna go camping, meet new people, lie in the sun doing nothing A LOT, and explore the province more. That being said, I love university and am tempted to look at the summer courses being offered just so I can keep on goin with this learnin thing. It’s fun and useful. Talk later, babes. Xxoo

BEET + BERRY SMOOTHIE

1 peeled, chopped beet

1 cup frozen raspberries

2 bananas

1/8 teaspoon vanilla powder

2 cups almond milk

Blend it all up until smooth and delicious. If you wanna add other ingredients, go right ahead.

According to some scientific studies there are certain foods that can help to decrease the discomforts of menstruation. Two of these are ginger and fennel. Check out this video from NutritionFacts.org to learn more. In short: consuming 1/8 teaspoon of ginger powder three times a day during your period can reduce menstrual bleeding by 50% PLUS eating fennel seeds can be as effective at alleviating dysmenorrhea as pain-relief drugs like ibuprofen (probably because of fennel’s ability to relax muscles).

Of course, eating a variety of colourful whole plant foods regularly and especially during this time of the month can generally aid in lessening cramps, skin breakouts, bloating, indigestion, cravings and the other fun stuff we folks with uteruses have all come to expect every 28 days or so (though every body’s cycle is different).

Drinking adequate water, stretching and resting are extra important for me and definitely play a role in maintaining a level of comfort for the 2-3 days I usually experience the worst of my period symptoms. My symptoms are pretty consistent: lower back pain/soreness, headaches, tiredness, some cramps, chocolate cravings (the bod wants iron!), increased emotional sensitivity (I cry at radio commercials), tender breasts, irritability and I also don’t have much of an appetite and cannot digest solid food very well. All these start showing themselves 1-2 days before my bleeding starts and then last for 1-2 more days into the actual period. After that, the bleeding continues for another 3-4 days, but it’s very light, and then for a few weeks I’m back to my “normal” self before the next cycle begins all over again.

I cannot over-emphasize the significance of my heating pad either: it is my saviour and it gets me through. It provides instant, sustained relief for as long as I need it to. SERIOUSLY: if lower back pain is part of your period symptom list, go out and buy a heat pad right now. My back pain is the worst part of my period since my stomach cramps are usually not that noticeable and my flow isn’t super heavy (though it varies a bit with each cycle and that is totally fine and pretty normal). And one final recommendation: get the Clue app! It’s technically a period tracking app but really so much more. It allows you to input daily personal information and continually adds it all together to come up with predictions and averages for your cycle. You can input everything from how long you slept, what foods you were craving and your motivation levels to your digestion, sociability and sex drive. And in case the myriad of input categories aren’t sufficient, you can type in custom tags. It’s free and almost 100% gender-neutral.

So with all that, I give you this smoothie recipe. It has a bunch of ingredients like ginger and fennel that will help to alleviate discomforts associated with menstruation (like cramps and bleeding). It also has cinnamon and turmeric because these foods are just AMAZING for you. Eat ’em daily. I added in some black pepper because it helps the bio-availability of turmeric. Have a happy, comfortable period!

Hosted by two fabulous feminists of colour – Heben Nigatu and Tracy Clayton – this is one of my top recommendations. They’re hilarious, super talented, critical, on top of pop culture and not afraid to say what needs to be said. I am so grateful for podcasts like this one because it allows me to listen in on conversations and discourses I’d otherwise be clueless to. They discuss everything from Beyonce to politics to food to mental health. They interview interesting people, tell personal stories, and there’s a lot of laughter, bourbon and love. They’re turned me on to The Good Wife, Food Heaven Podcast and probably a bunch of other stuff I’m forgetting about. Listen.

SERIAL:

Addictive podcast alert. Investigative journalism about an unsolved murder in the first season, and the bizarre world of the U.S. military complex in the second. The host is Sarah Koenig and she keeps you hooked. Some people say they preferred the first season – it’s a lot sexier and more mysterious – but I am loving the second season just as much, for different reasons. A great one for gaining insight into how people think and act, and how that intersects with the institutions we all live under and in. The story-telling and pacing here is what gets ya.

POPAGANDA:

Yessss. Such a well done show from Bitch Media all about feminism and pop culture. Every episode is well-researched and surprisingly fascinating. For example: I just listened to one about the role of women in cults, the relationship of women and cults, and found out Celestial Seasonings Tea was founded with some principles in a religious book that claimed aliens were real and racist eugenics were required to save earth. Suffice to say I will not be buying Sleepy Time anymore. They also do “BackTalk” episodes wherein two of Bitch Media’s editors chat about pop culture news of the week and often call people out for being problematic assholes. Somebody’s gotta do it.

CRIMINAL:

Episodes are on the shorter side (15-20 minutes) and consistently well-done, each episode is totally unique and the only shared – and vague – concept between them all is a criminal-ish element. Phoebe Judge is the host and the podcast description is a good one: “Stories of people who’ve done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle.” Topics range from a 10-year old kid hacking the internet to a Venus Fly Trap crime ring in North Carolina to the debated legitimacy of “PMS Defence” to a protective mother owl murdering a woman and getting away with it. Thanks to the narration, music choices, editing and excellent story-telling, this podcast is one I look forward to every time I see a new episode.

STRANGERS:

Host Lea Thau and her voice are easy to fall in love with. She is so raw and honest in her podcast that you can’t help but adore her and her show. Each episode looks into a story that has sooomething to do with strangers, whether we are talking explicitly about people who have never met ending up in a strange situation (like donating your kidney to a stranger or waxing strangers’ genitals) or more philosophical strangeness (like not recognizing yourself in a mirror). Lea has a knack for turning micro stories into macro stories, looking at the big picture, and reimagining her stories in a way that makes them relatable to everyone. She also has great taste in music.

SAVAGE LOVECAST:

Sex time. Dan Savage – “America’s [gayest] sweetheart”, livin’ it up Seattle with his husband and their son – hosts this show wherein he gives advice on ALL things sex-, love- and relationship-related. He is brutally honest and usually makes me laugh out loud each episode, often thanks to his shameless dirty mouth. You hear callers explain their problems or questions – basic example: threesome or no threesome!? – and Dan lends his two cents with no beating around the bush. This podcast helps me keep an open mind about sex and relationships and allows me to realize things I might take for granted in romantic relationship, things I want to try… and things I DON’T want to try. I cannot imagine a more sex-positive show. Please inform me if you know of any. Note: apparently several years ago Dan used to make comments that were kinda transphobic but since I started listening he has been nothing but trans-inclusive. People change.

TWO WHOLE CAKES FATCAST:

Two body-positive, very smart laydees – Lesley Kinzel and Marianne Kirby – having amazing discussions with each other about their experiences as self-proclaimed fat women in America. My fave episode so far was about how being fat queers the body, since it resists fitting into hetero-gendernormative categories. Unfortunately they only did the podcast til 2013, so there are limited episodes, but most are at least a couple hours long so it balances out a little. I’m still not finished with it. The podcast is based on Lesley’s book, Two Whole Cakes: How to Stop Dieting and Learn to Love Your Body, which I just borrowed from the library. It’s probably gonna be amazing.

DEATH, SEX & MONEY:

Just started listening to this one, it was recommend on the Savage Lovecast. I’ve been thinking a lot about death lately, and I’m always thinking about sex and money, so it seemed relevant. Hosted by Anna Sale, the episodes are all pretty different: one of my faves so far was when Anna talked to various folks who lived alone, about living alone and what it means / does for them. I’m kinda tired of living at home and have been daydreaming a lot about living on my own lately, because I never have, PLUS our house has always been full of people (two brothers, two cats, two parents and lots of friends and parties).

FOOD HEAVEN PODCAST:

Another one I only just began downloading, thanks to it being mentioned on Another Round. It’s a charming, cute, informative show about science-based, vegetarian healthy living, hosted by two women of colour – Wendy and Jess – who are both registered dietitians. I already know most of the info they share but I really enjoy hearing them back up their recommendations with peer-reviewed studies and their own experience working with patients. They also have a terrific YouTube channel called Food Heaven Show.

THROWING SHADE:

Cannot stop myself from bursting out laughing during this one. The hosts are the perfect pair and work way too well together. Their podcast description says it all: “Erin Gibson and Bryan Safi take a weekly look at all the issues important to ladies and gays… and treat them with much less respect than they deserve.” They basically just talk about all things pop culture and connect them with gender justice, civil rights and hilarious personal stories while making of themselves and everyone else at the same time.

THE RICH ROLL PODCAST:

Health and fitness inspo in a very L.A. style (whatever that means). Rich Roll is a total vegan celebrity and incredible athlete and in his show he interviews people who are winning at life, basically (vegan doctors, entrepreneurs, fitness celebrities, etc.) I’ve been listening to this one a lot less lately just because I’ve been so turned on to all of the podcasts above, and I’ve also become loads more critical of pseudo-science, rhetorics about health, fitness, and the idea of veganism as the perfect diet for everyone (it’s not). This podcast has good advice for a very privileged minority of people (which I am in, but still). Fun for road trips or when I wanna know what the newest superfood is. I’m not that into the ones about how to succeed in business or life though, I prefer to take it easy, watch Netflix and just eat a lot.

First of all: this song and music video. Yessss. Love it. Body positivity all the WAY. Let’s build a future where all bodies and all people are celebrated and recognized as gorgeous. A future where no matter what body you are born in, you have the same access and opportunities in the world as the next person. Let’s measure human progress in terms of how capable we all are to live the lives we want; creatively, professionally, personally. Now onto today’s recipe.

I was originally planning on making a chocolate milkshake for ze blog with a new macadamia milk from Suncoast Gold I’ve been loving, but today I ended up blending together a delicious smoothie with the milk and figured it’d be even better for sharing on my blog because let’s be honest: the vast majority of my recipes already contain chocolate. It’s good to switch stuff up, and publish more colourful recipes sometimes. This smoothie is almost like a piña coloda except not really at all. It DOES have coconut and pineapple but also has a bunch of other ingredients that cause it to stray very far away from piña coloda territory. Ingredients like bell pepper, banana, orange, chia seeds and macadamia milk!

Yep. Milk from macadamias; bet you hadn’t heard of that before (I hadn’t anyway). Now that I know it exists the possibilities for milkshakes, cereal and smoothies are even more vast than they were when I only thought there was almond and coconut milk (ok ok and rice, oat, hemp, soy and all the others). Another vegan milk, another world of options for every meal you make. Speaking of cereal: I have really been missing it lately and wanna make my own raw version. Any suggestions? I will definitely be trying out whatever recipe I make paired with this mac milk, it’s super creamy and I mean… the flavour of macadamia nuts is unreal. They’re super rich thanks to their {healthy} fat content and like all seeds and nuts, full of nutrition my body wants (like magnesium, calcium, iron and B-6)! I’ve been adding it to all my smoothies and will for suuuure be whipping up some hot chocolate with it on the next rainy day. I prefer Suncoast Gold’s Unsweetened mac milk because the simpler the better and I can always add my own sweetener (which I do). They also carry Original, which is already sweetened. Both are delicious and very smooth and creamy. I highly recommend trying their stuff out if you’re into experimenting with new plant milks or haven’t found one you’re in love with yet. I personally adore them all (except soy just because the soy flavour is too strong for me) and this is another fun brand to add to the fridge shelf. You can find Suncoast Gold macadamia milk at Loblaws in Canada or Kroger in the States.

GLOWING SMOOTHIE with PINEAPPLE, COCONUT + MACADAMIA MILK

1 banana

1/2 cup fresh young coconut meat

1 orange bell pepper

1 orange

1 cup frozen pineapple

1 cup ice

1-2 cups Suncoast Gold macadamia milk

1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional)

Blend all ingredients together – except the chia seeds – until smooth and delicious. Adjust according to preference, add more milk, fruit or some ice if you like. I personally like my smoothies with a thinner consistency and frosty cold. Decorate your glasses with sliced fruits (I used orange and cucumber), sprinkle on the chia seeds and enjoy!

A GLOWING SMOOTHIE with PINEAPPLE, COCONUT + MACADAMIA MILK was last modified: March 26th, 2016 by Emily von Euw

The other night I didn’t feel like making a big, heavy dinner so I ended up making something deliciously amazing: a smoothie bowl. Then I remembered smoothie bowls have been a trendy thing since like 2013. And it was actually kind of an accident so really I can’t give myself any credit for this recipe idea. But I still love me. It’s cool.

I didn’t have any fresh fruit so I threw a bunch of frozen stuff (strawberries, pineapple, etc) in the blender along with some coconut meat. It was so thick I decided to pour it into a bowl and eat it with a spoon (I had just enjoyed some medicinal herb so my brain was thinking a bit differently, if I had been my normal self I would have just added more liquid and a couple dates and drank it normally… I love plants and what they do for us). Then I got the brilliant idea to pour maple syrup all over this concoction because it’s a well known fact that maple syrup makes everything better. Well, I freaked out. I just stood at the counter, alone in my dark kitchen, moaning with pleasure and vacuuming the super sweet smoothie into my mouth until I got a brain freeze. IT WAS SO GOOD. I’ve been making these smoothie bowls pretty regularly ever since. Obviously I want to share a recipe for my new fave thing with you but to be honest the smoothie I just described above was quite ugly to look at; a pinkish sludge covered in syrup. THEREFORE this recipe is a bit fancier and sexier than the ones I have been making that go un-photographed, because no one wants to look at a gross smoothie. There are way too many gross smoothie pictures on the internet already and they need to stop.

The recipe is simple enough (as usual): basically just a bunch of frozen fruit blended together with coconut meat. Then instead of plain maple syrup I made a baobab caramel type thing; it’s actually kinda freaky how it resembles caramel once you stir together the ingredients. Finally we top it all off with fresh mango and chia seeds because why not. I hope you thoroughly enjoy it. Definitely recommend pouring extra maple syrup on it.

Oh and SOME NEWS: I’m headin to Toronto for a couple days this weekend to be on The Morning Show (Global) to talk about The Rawsome Vegan Cookbook and to do an interview with a veeeery successful Canadian media company. *Pops collar.* Super stoked, stay tuned! I’m most excited to re-up on the cashew ice cream from Cosmic Treats and a cinnamon roll from Bunner’s Bakeshop. Oh and a BBQ steamed bun from King’s Cafe. X

mix the coffee and cacao together and add water until it’s a good face mask consistency. you want it sticky but easy to spread. smear all that goodness onto your gorgeous face and gobble up the leftovers in the bowl! yum! i don’t even like coffee… let it stay on for around 15 or 20 minutes. rinse it off gently with warm water.

I wasn’t planning on sharing this recipe but it ended up so photogenic and delicious, I figured I should. Like I was saying in my last blog post, I went to a North Indian cooking class – shoutout to Colin – the other night and was reminded about the glories of curry and spices. So here is another recipe inspired by that class. Although at the same time I am putting what I learned in the class to shame because we were taught how to make fresh garam masala and yet in this recipe I am still my can’t-be-bothered self and used pre-made green curry paste. I AM SORRY.

I just really wanted curry and couldn’t be bothered to go to the grocery store to buy the necessary spices, heat them all up, let them cool and grind them when I could simply take the curry paste outta the fridge and use that instead. I WILL get around to making my own garam masala, and you should too. It smells heavenly and makes you feel fancy. It is also super easy. I don’t have any good excuses except laziness. Take it or leave it. Something from the class that I took away and used in this recipe is the same thing I talked about in the last blog post, namely that turmeric + black pepper is a winning combo, nutrition-wise and obviously it tastes good too. For real: the healthy stuff in turmeric (curcumin) is at least 200% more bioavailable when paired with piperine (the stuff in black pepper). WOWZA.

Well let’s face it: I just typed wowza. Moving on.

The turmeric is the reason this “green curry” isn’t really that green. Turmeric makes everything orange or yellow. Remember that, kids. I have stained a great many things orange / yellow accidentally thanks to this flavourful lil plant (which sidenote: is a cousin of ginger). I added a few other veggies we had in the fridge and willed myself to make brown rice instead of white… cuz fibre and stuff. But white jasmine rice is sooooo good. It just makes me feel weird after I eat it. So brown rice AND some kimchi I made a few days ago, I added these to the curry before chowing down. If you want the recipe for the kimchi, let me know! I am happy to share it, though FYI it’s mostly copied from The Kitchn. I truly hope you try out this recipe and enjoy it. I liked it. That is why I am sharing it.

Lastly: any good movies you know that have a mostly female cast?

I just rewatched Bridesmaids the other night and want more. I don’t usually do comedies but when I can actually see people like me all over the cast, I dig it. I am trying to expose myself to / support more women-centred media in general; podcasts, TV, movies, music, even university courses. Men still rule this overwhelming and often unjust world and that needs to change. Go, ladies. Let’s eat.

GREEN CURRY with MUSHROOMS, BELL PEPPER + PEAS
Serves two or three.Curry:1 onion3 garlic cloves1 tablespoon chunk ginger1 heaping tablespoon coconut oil2 tablespoons green curry paste1 teaspoon turmeric powder1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper2 cups mushrooms1 bell pepper1 cup peas1 can (400 ml) coconut milkPair with:2 cups cooked brown rice2 tablespoons kimchi (optional but yay for probiotics)To make the curry: mince the onion, garlic and ginger. Roughly chop the mushrooms and bell pepper. Heat the coconut oil in a pot on medium heat and add the chopped onion, garlic and ginger. Once the onions are translucent add the curry paste and mix it into oil. Add the turmeric and black pepper, then the mushrooms and bell pepper, mixing it all up so the veggies are coated in the spices and oil. Add the coconut milk and let the curry simmer until it’s thickened up and the veggies are tender. Throw in the peas and as soon as they are cooked, take the curry off the heat and enjoy it with some rice! This would be delicious topped with some roasted peanuts and cilantro as well. Just saying.Did you like this post? Then *subscribe to my blog* and get all my posts by email!

Surprisingly delicious. So here’s the story: I have put turmeric in my smoothies before. It was always pretty decent. I gradually stopped because in general I get bored of the same thing everyday after a few days. Then last night I went to a FeedLife North Indian cooking class put on by my friend Colin and his mum (they are the two nicest humans on earth FYI). Colin explained the myriad of health benefits that traditional South Asian spices provide and every time he said “menstrual pain relief” my ears perked up and I excitedly turned around to Jack with eyes that said: “REMEMBER THIS.” Among other useful pieces of info I learned turmeric is literally 200-2000% more nutritionally beneficial when you eat it with black pepper (and ideally a fat source). What the heck. Here’s the study that proves it. Basically: the stuff in turmeric that we want is the curcumin, and this thing in black pepper – piperine – helps the absorption rate and bioavailability of the curcumin… a lot.

I felt inspired by this so this morning – actually it was the afternoon because I have been sleeping like an animal in hibernation lately – I went about makin a smoothie with turmeric, black pepper, coconut milk and some fruits. It ended up REALLY yummy, way better than I thought it was gonna be. I highly suggest making this or something like this everyday or every few days. Turmeric is suuuuper good for you; there are pretty legit claims it helps prevent cancer development and other shitty diseases no one wants. In other news: I was really enjoying the frostiness of our winter here but now it’s just rainy so I am in steady anticipation of summer. I want HEAT. I miss my bike rides, lying in the sun all day like a lizard on a rock, eating huge bowls of homemade mango sorbet, and the expanded selection of edible plants at the farmers markets. I’m not gonna say “woe is me” because life is still essentially terrific, but I’m ready for some nude beaches and watermelon juice. Anyways. Enjoy the smoothie!

I was going to title this recipe “A Post-Workout Smoothie” because I made it after the gym today and it tasted amazing, but then remembered that basically any smoothie is good for post-workout fuel, and good anytime at all. Smoothies are generally just a bunch of fruit and other good stuff so no matter what you’re doing, planning on doing, or just did: it’s PROBABLY a decent time to make and drink one.

In this case we’ve got your basic miracle foods. Berries are superstars. Bananas are delicious and make the smoothie creamy. Chia seeds are great for fibre. Ginger is winning at life. And kiwis are cute. Whirl ’em all up in your blender and you have just created an energy elixir that will make you feel good from the inside out. I like eating foods that do me favours (such as lengthening my life span, keeping my organs functioning optimally, and giving me the nutrition I need to get through my day in a happy mood).

Having said that, there is so much vegan junk food available to me now in Vancouver that sometimes it’s really hard for me to stay in my healthy diet lane. Over the past couple months Jack and I have gotten into some routines that temporarily feel great but over the long term wind up makin me feel sluggish and unmotivated. I’m talkin about late night runs to the vegan pizza place, drivin to the grocery store purely for coconut ice cream and pumpkin cookies, and lots and lots of steamed buns made with white flour from T&T. Oh wait: and donuts from Cartems. All these foods taste SO GOOD in the moment and I’ve been making a point to not restrict myself to them (to continue healing my mind from a history of disordered eating). Simultaneously as these foods are good for me mentally, over time they make me feel like crap. Then I skip a day at the gym and start sleeping in in the morning and by time evening rolls around and Jack is saying: “Let’s get pizzzaaa!” I realize I really want to [again] as well, then veg out on the couch with X-Files and some herbal medicine. This has been the past few months pour moi.

So what?

Well, this isn’t a big deal. I’ve been eatin’ lots of junk lately and that is 100% OK. If I wanted to continue doing this, there’d be nothing wrong with that. But in fact I’m fed up with feeling groggy and uninspired most days so I’m focusing my brain on getting back into healthy habits: hittin up the gym every day and drinking lots of fruits and veggies in the form of smoothies. Ultimately, life’s too short to obsess over this stuff or self-shame about it. I aim to enjoy myself in whatever ways I can while I am here, whether that be pizza binges or smoothie love.

Blend everything except the kiwi until smooth, adding almond milk as needed to get the consistency you like. Peel the kiwi and slice it; gently place these along the inside of a couple glasses and then pour in the smoothie. Garnish with some extra chai seeds if you like. Enjoy!

A FRUIT SMOOTHIE FOR ANYTIME was last modified: January 6th, 2016 by Emily von Euw

I’ve found some new feminist podcasts to listen to while I walk around a nearby lake. (Sun’s out, Em’s out.) The ones I subscribed to are Black Girls Talking, Two Whole Cakes Fatcast, and Another Round. A few weeks ago my friend – who is also named Emily – suggested I start listening to Lena Dunham’s new podcast miniseries, Women of The Hour; and I love it so much I had to find more similar-ish content. Obviously I am a[n intersectional] feminist so it’s not like the discourses are 100% untouched territory, but I am only at the beginning of my affair with podcasts so feminist podcasts as a content medium ARE basically un-navigated land for me for now.

I think podcasts are kind of great. Instead of cleaning my room and not learning about important world issues, I can clean my room and learn about important world issues. Ditto for flying on planes, going for walks, working out, travelling in the city, driving on road trips, lying on my bed, ETCETERA. They are an easily accessible way for me to hear about experiences that mainstream media usually – intentionally – doesn’t share, continually check my privilege(s) and keep realizing how problematic everything is. Cuz everything is problematic. Anyways, I recommend you get downloading some feminist-y podcasts as well and open your mind to all the different lives being lived right now, and how we call relate to each other in this nutty capitalist web. Sometimes it’s beautiful. Often it’s a bummer. Now let’s talk about this recipe.

These cookies are delish. When I was recently living in Montreal for a month I fell back in love with maple syrup, and I fell harder than ever before. I literally drank it from the jar some days. And even now I will have spoonfuls of the golden amber stuff like it’s medicine… (which IT. IS.) I cannot get over the different flavour notes in it. I mean, yes, it’s damn sweet so that is mainly why my brain/tongue love it. But it’s MORE THAN THAT. It’s like burnt caramel in the best way. The cookies themselves are kind of amazing and after you’ve had one you’re probably gonna want another. I need to recommend you eat them with whipped coconut cream. Somehow it makes the whole thing remind me of donuts. I have been eating a lot of donuts lately because a “donuterie” (yes for real) in Vancouver has several different vegan varieties. So now I just always want donuts. But these magically satisfy that donut craving for me. I don’t understand it but I’m goin’ with it. Enjoy.

Grind one cup of the oats and all the walnuts into flour, then add the rest of the dry ingredients (including the remaining rolled oats) and mix together evenly. Pour on the maple syrup and coconut oil and stir together until a thick dough forms. Press into cookies and leave in the fridge for a few hours or overnight until they are solid. I highly suggest whipping up some coco cream with vanilla beans and maple syrup and spreading it on the cookies before you eat them. Yum.

Alright, people. I’ve been talking non-stop about The Rawsome Vegan Cookbook for months now (on social media anyways, I actually haven’t mentioned it much on my blog here) and FINALLY I can say it’s coming out in just a few weeks. SRSLY THO. December 8th, 2015 is the publishing date and I could not be more excited. This post is mainly just gonna show you some sexy food pics that you will find more of in the book. In the book you will also find recipes to go along with the food pictures. Because, ya know… it’s a cookbook. Needs recipes.

– half the recipes (40) are raw, and the other half (40…) are gently cooked

– the ingredients are easy to find, the instructions are easy to understand, and the recipes are super quick to make… this is mainly because I am lazy

– there is a full page colour photo for every recipe, taken by me of couuurssse

I think this cookbook illustrates how I have been maturing as a human being, designer, photographer and recipe creator. From the fonts and colour themes to the food styling to the recipe introductions, I’d like to think you can tell that I’ve gotten a bit older since writing my first two books. I’ve honed in my aesthetic preferences and really wanted to create a beautiful, special product for you that you can enjoy simply looking at in the living room (or wherever you chill), or actually using in the kitchen (or wherever you make your grub). Like I said, I am really lazy when it comes to making food, so for all you folks out there who prefer easy, quick, delicious (but creative!?) recipes made with ingredients you probably already have – you’re gonna love this book. And for those peeps who actually really enjoy trying new ingredients and taste combinations, this book is still of recipes that will interest you, because I also like to get experimental in the kitchen.

A major theme in the book is eating seasonally, even though I don’t touch on that topic much. But just FYI: the majority of the ingredients I used in the recipes were from the farmers market. Going to the market with Jack every week was a huge source of inspiration for me to create the recipes in this book. My method is pretty relaxed and organic: I don’t think about what kind of recipes I am going to make, until I’ve made them. I didn’t usually have a strict plan for what I was going to do, but as soon as I’d get to the farmers market, the wheels in my foodie noggin would start turning and by time we got back in the car, loaded down with grocery bags (re-usable ones when I remember!), I was probably excitedly and breathlessly telling Jack what I wanted to make with the fennel and basil we just bought. I am really happy that my brain works this way. Fresh, organic, vibrant produce inspires me endlessly.

I think I’ve said just about enough now, so I’ll leave you to drool over these photos. I always wanna get sexual and make some joke about how my photos make people wet [in their mouths]… but it seems so cheesy. Anyhoo, talk to ya later, babe. x

This recipe is from Gena Hamshaw’s new cookbook, Food52 Vegan. I have also tried a kabocha curry recipe from the book and it was equally delicious. Gena’s creations are always simple, great-tasting, and made with whole foods. Oh yeah and if you don’t already know, Gena runs Choosing Raw, an epic food blog.

Raw soups have a special place in my heart because when I first got into raw food, I made a billion soup recipes that winter. They are like savoury smoothies. Though if that image makes you gag, forget it. They’re just soups. I love how easily they come together – in a matter of minutes with very little clean up – and how filling and nourishing they are. I prefer serving them like this recipe is here: with chopped veggies on top; it adds another texture and something to bite. As usual, Gena’s recipe hit it out of the park or whatever that saying is. I don’t know or care to know anything about sports. I hardly changed the instructions or ingredients amounts at all and it turned out perfect. I meant to save a bowl for Jack but ended up eating almost all of it myself. The corn is my fave part of the dish, it adds sweetness, texture and well… I’m crazy for corn in general. The mango gives some tanginess and juiciness and then with the chopped cilantro and creamy, refreshing avocado cucumber soup underneath it all… AH! YES.

I’m tired today – I think because of the rainy weather we’ve been having – and not really in the mood for writing, so I’m gonna end this post by saying: try this soup and give yourself a hug ASAP. You deserve both. xx

“Natural” doesn’t really mean anything (basically if something exists, it’s natural; I’m natural therefore I am…) but I threw that word in the title just to give you an idea of what this mouthwash is all ’bout. The ingredients are basic, maybe in your house already, and edible; though I do not recommend drinking this mouthwash. Firstly because it’d just taste REALLY minty and salty and sweet and strange. But also, after you gargle with it in your mouth, it is carrying a bunch of icky stuff that you want to spit OUT, not ingest.

I found a similar recipe to this on the web a month or so ago and put my own spin on it… meaning I just added one ingredient and changed the amounts around a bit. We’ve got baking soda (gross-tasting and teeth-whitening), mint and tea tree essential oils (mmm + antibacterial), and xylitol (deliciously sweet and like white sugar, but it’s ironically excellent for your teeth). All these ingredients together create a potion that actually tastes ok thanks to the essential oils and xylitol. And here’s the thing: this mouthwash WORKS.

I have an electric toothbrush, a tongue scraper and I try to floss everyday; but even still I would find plaque on my teeth after my chomper-cleaning routine. This bummed me out, so I decided to step my oral hygiene game and that’s when I started using this mouthwash. After gargling with it pretty passionately for 30 seconds or so, the layer of grime on my teeth GOES AWAY. My mouth feels so clean and fresh and life is better. Try out this recipe and see if it works for you! xx

Finally sharing this amazing recipe from Richa Hingle‘s newest cookbook. It is the best curry I have ever had / made and you need it in your life, even if you think you’re doing ok without it (… you’re the ones you need it most). I’ve tried a bunch of other recipes from the book – Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen – as well and loved them all; like spicy potato-filled samosas, flavourful veggie-filled dishes and loads of DIY spice mixes. The recipe I am sharing from the book today is magical for me since I’ve always adored curries but have never been very good at making them. This curry is sweet, spicy, SO CREAMY, thick, and basically just mango, coconut milk and garam masala. When you pair it with rice and cilantro, the whole world kind of falls away as you take a bite; you and the curry become one. I was trying to listen to The Savage Lovecast while I ate it but it was hard to concentrate because of all the flavour explosions that were happening in my mouth. I’m serious: best curry I have ever had.. and I have had a lot of curry. Now I’ve said and thought the word ‘curry’ too many times so it doesn’t seem like a real word anymore. Don’t you love it when that happens? It illustrates how fluid and temporal the meanings of language actually are.

A little more about Richa’s cookbook: it’s an excellent resource for pretty much any one who wants to eat flavourful, luscious food and learn some useful cooking skills at the same time. The recipes instructions are specific and clearly written (making them pretty foolproof), many of the ingredients are familiar, and all the dishes I try turn out wonderfully which gets me thinkin’ that every recipe in the book is a winner. This curry recipe has a note that says it serves four people but it’s so freaking yummy I’ve eaten almost all of it myself. It is a game CHANGER. You can buy the book online (like at Amazon) or in most book stores. Highly highly recommended.

2. Chickpeas: heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, tilt the skillet so the oil coats it evenly. Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes. Add the cayenne, cinnamon, garam masala, and salt and mix well to coat. Cook for another 2 minutes and set aside.

3. Curry: In a blender, combine the onion, ginger, and garlic and blend into a smooth puree with 2 tablespoons of water. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, and cloves. Cook for 1 minute. Add the pureed onion and cook until the onion mixture is dry and does not smell raw. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking, 13 to 15 minutes. Add the coconut milk, mango pulp, salt, and vinegar and mix well. Add the chickpeas and all the spices from the chickpea skillet to the sauce skillet. Add a dash of black pepper.

4. Mix, cover and cook until the sauce comes to a boil, 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered until the sauce thickens and desired consistency is achieved, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and tang. Add 1/2 teaspoon or more sugar if the mango pulp was not sweet. Garnish with cilantro and a dash of garam masala and serve hot.

Note: I added extra turmeric powder and chili flakes to the curry, and chopped green onions to garnish.

MANGO CURRY with CHICKPEAS was last modified: October 18th, 2015 by Emily von Euw

I was gonna call this a “healing” green smoothie blah blah blah but then I though, “Hmm, don’t wanna buy into that pseudoscience stuff so I’ll keep it simple.” Because honestly I don’t know if this smoothie will heal anything for you, but in my opinion it’s at least certainly nice and yummy and green. I’ll leave it at that. I am not a doctor.

I made this smoothie to sip while I flipped through two new cookbooks I got in the mail. They are both beautiful and you should check ’em out for sure. One is Gena’s (from Choosing Raw), it’s called Vegan, and it’s in collaboration with Food52. And the other is Susan Jane’s second cookbook, it’s called The Virtuous Tart; it’s dairy-, cane sugar- and gluten-free. Obviously I know and adore Gena so her book was unsurprisingly gorgeous and full of easy, delicious recipes. I’ve already tried the kabocha curry and it was divine. But I actually didn’t know Susan Jane before I got her book (I have since learned she is f#cking hilarious), and was downright giddy to read her handwritten note for me on the front page; apparently I’ve been a bit inspiring for her with my raw desserts and she made up an entirely raw cake recipe thanks to it! She even gives me a shout out on page 111. Can you hear me blushing? Does blushing make a sound? I’ve tried a recipe for golden turmeric milk from her book and it was basically orgasmic. Note: she does use honey and eggs in some recipes but they are easily replaceable with vegan versions. I just used date syrup instead of honey for the walnut-based milk.

Looking at these two books has really rebooted my passion for recipe-making. As has stalking Jenny Mustard’s Youtube channel. All these ladies are reminding me how much I love cooking and inventing in the kitchen. So as you may have noticed, I am posting a bit more regularly / often this week. Yay! Maybe Em is back!? Maybe? I do apologize for letting my posting slack lately. I’ve been daydreaming about other shit and haven’t felt like photographing my food. I admit I’ve also lost some excitement when it comes to food. I used to love making, photographing and sharing recipes on this blog multiple times every week but in the past few months it’s been once a week if I am feeling energetic! I want this to change. I wanna re-find my love of recipe-creating and show it on here again. I think that’s the direction I am on now, so be patient, but I think regular posting is coming soon. I feel like my writing in this post is not grade A because I am listening to music at the same time so I get distracted. Oops.<
Anyways: how about this smoothie, eh? It's refreshing, yummy and well, green. I like adding mint to smoothies because it makes my mouth taste good after, and there's also other good stuff in here like ginger and turmeric because they are SOOO amazing for your body and mind. I wanna go now so I hope you have a fabulous day full of self-expression and non-judgement. x

Maybe I make things up in my mind – well, I DEFINITELY make things up in my mind, but I mean in this particular instance – because I thought the cashew cheese tasted a little bit like mustard, which conveniently paired deliciously with the fresh tomatoes, herbs and marinated mushrooms. Serve these “burgers” with salad and a raw dessert (look no further than this blog, hint hint) and you will plausibly be able to convince your most critical skeptics that raw vegan grub is actually kick-ass. ‘Cause it is.

marinated portobello cashew cheese burgers with herbs & tomatoes

Marinated mushrooms:

4 portobello mushrooms

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon liquid aminos (or soy sauce)

Cashew cheese:

1 3/4 cups cashews

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

Juice from 1 lemon

2 peeled garlic cloves

2 tablespoons miso

Salt and herbes de provence, to taste

Toppings:

Sliced tomatoes

Fresh chopped chives, spinach and parsley

Anything else your heart desires

To marinate the mushrooms: rub them down with the olive oil and liquid aminos then place in your dehydrator or oven at its lowest temperature for about 3 hours, or until they have softened and darkened and smell amazing.

While they are marinating, make the cashew cheese: blend all the ingredients until smooth and thick. Taste and adjust accordingly. Scoop into a bowl lined with cheesecloth and let it sit somewhere for at least 2 hours (or, if you’ve got time, let it age for a few days).

When everything is ready, spread your cheese onto your mushrooms and layer with herbs and tomatoes. You can double-shroom it (that is now a term) if you want, and/or use fresh mushrooms instead of marinated. Note: you’re gonna have lots of left over cashew cheese. Let it sit in a quiet spot overnight then put in the fridge and eat within a week.

Let’s celebrate BLUEBERRIES. I like to call ’em my BBs because it kind of makes sense and also shows my adoration for them. The first time I truly understood the phrase, “You are what you eat”, was when I was picking blueberries from the front yard a few years ago. I was gently taking them from the branches into my mouth and really appreciating the smells, tastes, colours and textures of the experience. I was talking to the berries (obviously) and that’s when it hit me: they are going to BECOME me as much as I am going to become them! I am not simply eating. I am participating in a relationship of synthesis. The blueberry and myself are changing our structures to become one being together, different from before I consumed them. Their cells will become mine, and simultaneously my cells will become theirs. Does that make any sense? Do I just sound cooky?? Ah, I know what I mean so at least there’s that. Anyways, I love BBs. That’s the point.

I am going to be doing three posts (starting with this one right here) over the next couple weeks, dedicated to my devotion to blueberries, thanks to the BC Blueberries Council. They were kind enough tosend me a box of local, organic smoothie ingredients a few months ago (including frozen blueberries!); and recently they got in touch with me again, wondering if I’d be down with them sponsoring some blog posts about BC BBs. Duh. Yes.

All summer, every summer, I basically live off the blueberry bushes in the front yard which seem happy to provide brain-building fruits the whole season. Sometimes I wish I lived in a tropical part of the globe so I could feast on papayas, mangos and durian whenever I pleased; but it’s the blueberries that keep me blissed up staying on this rainy west coast. BC is responsible for growing most of the world’s highbush blueberries (I didn’t know that until I learned it from the BC Blueberry Council!!), which legit makes me proud of this province. We are the largest highbush blueberry growing region in the world!! FTW!? Blueberries are the jewel of BC, they make me grateful to live here.

I know I am a lucky-ass duck for having organic blueberry bushes in my front yard, but not to fret if that’s not your situation. BC Blueberries are sold across Canada (and the States), AND not just in the summer. You can get frozen BBs all year. Buy blueberries labelled “Canadian” or if you’re in Canada, they’ll probably be labelled “local”. Right now they are at AAALL the farmers markets here in BC so move your cute butt over to one right now.

To make the pudding: blend everything together – except the chia seeds – until smooth. Strain through cheese cloth or a nut mylk bag to make it really fine. Stir in the chia seeds and leave alone for 30 minutes, until the seeds puff up and the mixture becomes like a rice pudding consistency. Top with all the goodies and eat!

VANILLA CHIA OAT PUDDING with LOCAL BC BLUEBERRIES was last modified: July 22nd, 2015 by Emily von Euw

HOLY CRAP YUMMMMM. So these actually taste like the candy bars I used to greedily inhale when I was a kid. Sweet, creamy decadence in the shape we have come to recognize as holy: the chocolate bar. When you think about it, there is nothing intrinsically appealing about chocolate; it’s brown, solid and sold in unnatural brick or chip forms. But why we love it is because we’ve got brains that allow us to remember good experiences, like eating a sugar-dense meal (chocolate bars).

It’s a good memory because all our cells run on carbs, and sugar is fuuuull of ’em. So we have this awesome time eating super sweet chocolate, and from then on whenever we see it, we know what it is beyond it’s unassuming and kinda drab – unless you’re crazy about earth tones – appearance. Anyways, evolution ramble over. These were a random creation because Jack wanted chocolate this morning and since I am the best life partner ever I threw some stuff in the Blendtec mini twister jar (I love the thing) and magically mylk chocolate bars came out. There’s not even any vegan mylk involved in this recipe but no one ever said this blog was based on logic or consistency. So the ingredient amounts listed are not exact, since I wasn’t keeping track while I tossed stuff in the blender. In any case though, taste as you go and the result is gonna be THE BOMB DOT COM. This is not the healthiest recipe I’ve ever posted – although it’s still raw, vegan and gluten-free – but when you want to satisfy that sweet tooth craving and miss the chocolate bars you used to get from the corner store after school and not tell your mom about (a lot of people did that, right?), you’ve found the right recipe. Also, if you’re just starting to get into healthy living or vegan treats, this is a wise one to try because it’s gonna make everyone flip out in a good way. Let’s chocolate. I did just use chocolate as a verb and I’m okay with it.

RAW VEGAN MYLK CHOCOLATE BARSMakes two bars but they are VERY decadent so you only need a few bites at a time

Blend everything – except the dates – together until smooth and liquid. Taste it: it should be unreal. Then pour into chocolate bar molds or whatever shape you fancy, dump in a date to create a chewy centre, let them get hard in the fridge, and then eat. YUSSS. Jack and I decorated ours with pomegranate and pumpkin seeds. Plus figs. Oh and I put some peanuts in Jack’s, he loved that.

Oh I love mah LIFE. These are super delicious and super nutritious. Bam bam! Jam-packed with raw veggies and wrapped in seaweed, they deliver one heck of a meal that is sure to impress your taste buds and perhaps dinner guests? You could actually eat this recipe all by yourself because it’s so low in calories (naturally) but I dare you to try… I couldn’t even do it and I can eat a LOT.

I forgot to add avocado (doh!) but the recipe was wonderful even without my creamy green friend. Having said that, if you’ve got an avocado handy, use it. I ran out of nori sheets so I used rice paper to wrap some as well. Rice paper is so fun and easy to use, and it lets you get a sneak peek of what’s inside your roll! Colours abound in the plant kingdom.

I was pretty busy in the kitchen today – I made four recipes (this one for you, and three for my cookbook) so I am looking forward to a relaxing evening hanging out with an old friend… and maybe watching Tarzan or Aladdin. Shh… Disney movies are great okay (you cannot argue). Actually, last night I watched Atlantis with my girl friend and it was awesome. Sure, there are plot holes – but what is a plot hole when you get to relive your childhood in technicolour with an original soundtrack!?

Make the sauce by blending all the ingredients together until smooth. Now make your wraps: shred the veggies thinly on a mandolin, but chop the cucumber by hand. Tear up the kale leaves and slice the avocado. Lay your desired fillings on one side of your nori sheet, and on the opposite side spread a little sauce to seal together the ends when you roll it up. Roll everything up tight and set aside. If you’re using rice paper, dip the paper in hot water until it’s pliable, then place everything you want in the middle. Wrap up like a burrito. Dip your wraps in your sauce and get this party started.

I wasn’t even planning on making a recipe for the blog today but this happened all of the sudden and I was like, “Hey, I can take pictures of this.” So I did. And now, here you are. Obviously strawberries are their own amazing thing all by themselves, but when you add sweet and creamy walnut butter AND cinnamon (mmm) AND chia seeds (crunch) you wind up with little bites of OMG that are perfectly excellent for your body. Hello, antioxidants.

I need to admit something: I’ve been lazy lately (by my standards, anyways). Mentally I have not been as psyched as usual about making recipes; for my cookbook (#therawsomevegancookbook yo) OR this blog. I felt a little exhausted by it all. I mean, I’ve been making recipes for this blog for 5 years straight, and I post a new one – with photos of course – 2-3 times a week. I also realized recently (it was a WTF moment) that I have been writing cookbooks NON-STOP since I was 18 (I’m 21 now). I sound like I am complaining, but I swear I’m not. My life is a crazy great dream come true. It’s just that at some point you are about to set up a photo shoot for lemon tarts or whatever it is and you ask yourself, “Why?” I started this blog and got my first book deal (and second… and third…) because I LOVE MAKING AND SHARING VEGAN FOODZ and that hasn’t changed. But the whole process can become wearisome at times. I think it’s mostly because of the cookbooks. It’s a very rewarding and exciting thing to do, but three in a row? While I’ve been in school? EISH. I need a break after this one.

I want to spend time dedicated to new hobbies like painting, writing, drawing and bein’ outdoors. Which I guess leads me to next point, which is a question: would you be interested in seeing what I do outside of making recipes? Is there someone out there who wants to look at what I am working on a canvas instead of a kitchen countertop? Please let me know, because I would love to share more parts of myself with you all. Needless to say, the recipes are never gonna stop comin’, don’t ya worry ’bout dat.

Anyways: it’s a relief to remember that even if I don’t feel like making a recipe, random beauty manifests itself (i.e. in strawberry form) and as long as the lighting is good I don’t have to put in a ton of effort to come up with recipe ideas you can – hopefully – appreciate. Let’s dip.

Wash the berries. Stir the cinnamon into the walnut butter with the maple syrup (ya just made walnut-cinnamon butter). Dip the berries into the walnut-cinnamon butter, then roll around in chia seeds. Nom.

*If your walnut butter is way too thick, just use whatever nut or seed butter you have that IS creamy. If you just have chunky kinds, add more maple syrup and maybe some coconut oil or water. Or if you wanna change up the whole game, use this raw chocolate sauce recipe!

We’re done! The three days went by really fast and I think I have solved the issue of my skin rash (whichwas the goal of this whole cleanse in the first place). I THINK it’s because ever since I started eating high carb (around a year ago) I ate WAY more fruit. I’m talkin’ like 8 bananas in my smoothies, 5 mangoes as a snack… ya’ll know what my diet has looked like in the past year or so. Just look on my Instagram. Now, I have never listened to those folks who are like, “You need to restrict fruit, it has too much sugar!” I have just scoffed at them and kept eating my watermelon – the whole thing. But maybe it’s time I listened.

At the same time I upped my fruit intake hugely, I started getting this flaky red skin around my nose. I haven’t correlated the two until I did this cleanse and some of you gave me feedback that I might have the rash because I am eating too much sugar (in the form of fruit). Apparently, in general, the good bacteria in our guts feed on complex carbs like beans and vegetables while the bad bacteria feed on simple sugars like sweet fruits and processed junk (correct me if I am wrong though). Fruit is awesome, but it seems like if I eat huge amounts of it, it just puts my gut flora outta wack. I have been eating less fruit in the past two days and I already see an improvement. I’m also eating probiotics like almond yogurt and sauerkraut to help things along. We’ll see if this really is the solution or if it’s just a coincidence, and I will keep you informed. This might end up meaning a big change in my diet. Let me know your thoughts on this! I know MANY people can do this high fruit thing (1 litre+ fresh squeezed OJ for fun) and I was loving it! But maybe it isn’t working for me. I want to note that I can still eat – and thoroughly enjoy eating – a high carb low fat vegan diet, just not high fruit. Anyways, recipes for the last day of the cleanse are below. Much love.

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My VividLife, Episode 1: Equine Therapy with Jennifer Schramm

Shayne Traviss

Sometime's growth involves digging up the dirt and planting anew...
After over 20 years of marketing, promoting and producing others I've decided to open a new chapter in my life.
If you long to go higher, live a life 'all in' join me as I dive in deep sharing my life experiences, travels and inspirations for living a VividLife.

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About VividLife.me

Founded by Shayne Traviss formerly VividLife.me was an online resource for personal growth through over 10,000 blogs, audio conversations and videos, from thought leaders, best-selling authors and wellness experts from around the globe. VividLife.me provided engaging conversations on consciousness and human potential with Arianna Huffington, Jane Fonda and Alanis Morrissette, wisdom packed blogs from spiritual Icons Iyanla Vanzant and Ram Dass, Green Tips from David Suzuki’s Queen of Green, Advice from Award Winning Parenting and Relationships Experts, Recipes from Vegetarian, Vegan, Raw Chef’s and more… and reached and inspired over 3 million people around the globe.
However sometime's growth involves digging up the dirt and planting anew...
And after over 20 years of marketing, promoting and producing others Shayne Traviss decided to open a new chapter in his life.
If you long to go higher, live a life 'all in' join him as he dives in deep sharing his life experiences, travels and inspirations for living a VividLife.