Green Smoothie Cleanse Recipes – Low Glycemic
Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on July 27, 2010 – -Our Summer 2010 Green Smoothie Cleanse is officially over, and we’re transitioning into the Post Cleanse Week. Chronic fatigue symptoms are abating, allergies are improving and the consensus is there is an overall increased sense of well-being the cleanse promotes. This week is as important as the cleanse week itself. This is wher new habits are formed and the imporvemetns made dueing the cleanse are either re-inforced or left behind. Continuing on a high raw food diet plan helps people sustain the benefits long term.
Here are a couple of delicious recipes shared by one of our Green Smoothie Cleanse Participants. They use in-season, fresh, raw and ripe produce and just the right amount of seasonings.
“Spring Garden Soup”
4 tomatoes
4 celery stalks
2 cups spring mix
2 cups romaine heart
2 limes juiced
1 garlic clove
“Spicy Garden Soup”
1 Tomato
1 English Cucumber
1/2 Zucchini
2 handfuls string beans
8 cups Spring Mix
1 garlic clove
1 ginger nub
1/4 cup lime juice
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups water
Blend and enjoy!
Love, Health and Joy to You,
Dr. Ritamarie
Tags: Adrenal Fatigue, Cleansing Programs, detoxification programs, Dr. Ritamarie, DrRitamarie, Gluten Free Diet, green smoothie, green smoothie. detoxification programs, Living Foods, raw and living foods holiday recipes, Raw Foods classes, vegan foods, whole foods
Posted in Adrenal Fatigue, Articles, Cleansing Programs, Detox Program, Fatigue Treatment, Gluten Free recipes, Raw and Living Foods | No Comments »
Green Smoothies vs Green Juice, Fruit Friend or Foe, and Other Controversial Topics
Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on July 1, 2010 – -
Green Smoothies have been my friend for close to 25 years now. My daily smoothie habit is a part of my life, just like brushing my teeth. When Dr. Brian Clement spoke here in Austin earlier this month, he brought up a very controversial issue…Green Smoothies vs Green Juices. He flat out said that green smoothies were “a step above soft drinks” because 90% or nutrients are lost through oxidation when the fruits and vegetables are blended.
I personally have a hard time with this. Nutrient destruction can occur as a result of damage by heat, light and air. The amount of damage is a function of severity and It is generally accepted that nutrients begin to be damages when heated above 118 degrees F. I have not found any studies that confirm this. In fact there is quite a bit of evidence that refutes this.
First of all we need to define what we mean by nutrients.
- Macronutrients: nutrients consumed in large amounts , ie protein, carbohydrates and fats.
- Micronutrients: nutrients consumed in small mounts , ie vitamins, minerals, enzymes
Not all are similarly sensitive to oxidation. Take minerals for example. You can leach them out with prolonged heat, but its hard to destroy calcium by blending. In fact, calcium becomes more available after blending because ti’s released form the cell walls, a feat ordinarily accomplished by stomach acid – which becomes deficient as we age and abuse our bodies.
The smoothie vs juice debate is a hot topic these days. Her’s an excerpt from an excellent article written by Kevin Gianni of Renegade Health. Kevin gave me permission to reprint it . Thanks Kevin. You saved me some precious time.
There are 5 important issues to address when discussing the Green Smoothie vs Green Juice debate, according to Kevin.
1. Oxidation
2. Fiber
3. Sugar Content
4. Available Nutrients
5. Ease of Making them.
Number 1: Oxidation
It’s said that high speed blenders can oxidize your nutrients so that when you drink a smoothie you won’t get the health benefit of it.
This is why you should drink juices instead.
This is false.
Victoria Boutenko did a study using potatoes in a blender and in a juicer and found that the potatoes in a blender oxidized much more SLOWLY than the potato juice.
- Fiber actually protects the smoothie from oxidizing quickly.
- Juices should be consumed right after you make them for the highest nutrient profile.
- Twin gear juicers like the Tribest are best for slowing the oxidizing process when you juice. (Sold in the Renegade Health store)
So the bottom line is this…
Smoothies oxidize slower, which means you will be able to preserve more nutrients for longer.
For oxidation, we like smoothies best.
Number 2: Fiber
Don’t we need fiber to prevent heart disease?
Why would we take the fiber out when we make a juice?
These are good questions.
First off, we do need fiber… but if we’re eating a high raw diet we’re getting plenty of fiber. Your body won’t miss the fiber from the juice.
Why take the fiber out of the juice?
For fast absorption (and maximum) of the nutrients.
A juice to me is like a power-packed supplement to your regular healthy diet.
For fiber, the smoothie has more, but the juice has a different purpose.
Number 3: Sugar Content
For sugar content, if you’re using fruits and sweet vegetables for your juices and smoothies you’re going to get sugar. Most people can deal with moderate amounts of sugar in their diet for an extended period of
time. (Higher sugar for shorter periods)
Because there is fiber in your smoothie, your body will absorb the sugar slower. This is good for your pancreas. When you juice fruit, you take away the fiber and this can cause your pancreas to struggle to regulate your blood sugar.
For this reason, I recommend smoothies with sweet fruits and veggies and juices with greens and low glycemic fruits like lemons and limes. This way you can enjoy your fruits without blood sugar spikes and enjoy a nice, clean green juice!
Just to recap, smoothies contain more fiber, don’t oxidize as fast, and allow for slower nutrient absorption.
Juices have less fiber, oxidize quicker and allow for quick absorption.
Now again, this doesn’t mean that juices are bad, they just have their place. We use them as we would a supplement. Drinking an organic vegetable juice is an opportunity to get great nutrients and minerals straight into your system.
4. Available Nutrients
When you juice a veggie, you strip away all the fiber. This makes the nutrients extremely available for your system to absorb. When you blend a veggie, you break down the fiber making the nutrients easier to absorb, but you still have a bunch of fiber that will slow absorption in your intestines.
For sugary foods this is ideal. For greens it’s good too, but not as good as a green juice. When it comes to readily available nutrients, juices take the lead.
5. Ease of Making Them
Smoothies hands down on this. Put your ingredients into a blender and turn it on. Cleaning with a blender is simple too. Rinse it out a bit, add some water and soap, then put it back on the base. Turn it on for a few seconds, then use a sponge to clean out what’s left.
Juicers are harder to clean because they have more moving parts.
To get the best of both worlds, you can use your blender to make juices.
Add your juice ingredients to the blender, add some water, and blend. When you’re done, strain everything through a nut milk bag and you have your juice ready to go.
http://www.renegadehealth.com/smoothieweek
Check out Kevin’s Smoothie Wee Specials…1/2 off Kevin’s “Smoothies for Optimal Health” book, and discounts on Kev’s Super Smoothie Powder.
For the second topic, Fruit friend or foe, we’ll continue tomorrow.
Bottom line: enjoy your smoothies and have juice too, for a powerful nutritional boost.
For a super powerful nutrition and energy boost, check out our Green Smoothie Cleanse as part of our “Drink Green Stay Lean” Coaching Program.
Love, Health and Joy to You,
Dr. Ritamarie
Tags: Adrenal Fatigue, Cleansing Programs, detoxification programs, Dr. Ritamarie, Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, DrRitamarie, green smoothie, Living Foods, raw and living foods holiday recipes, raw foods diet, vegan foods, Vibrant Health
Posted in Cancer Nutrition, Detox Program, Green Smoothies, Holistic Nutrition, Vibrant Health | 6 Comments »
30 Day Fun and Sleep Challenge: Recommitting to Health Goals
Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on March 6, 2010 – -I am making good progress towards establishing my healthy sleep pattern.
It’s always amazing to me how much power there is in creating a goal and committing to it.
Earlier this year, I created a product with Jane Hardin, who’ you’ll get to officially meet before too long. She’s a registered dietitian who has completed training in Living Foods Nutrition and has a lot of experience working with terminally ill patients in a counseling capacity. We created a program called Creating the Vibrant Helath Mindset because we both have seen the mindset in making long lasting changes in your habits. This is the first of many projects we’ll be doing together.
This week, I’ve reconnected to the value of continuing to revisit my goals and make commitments based on these.
I’m pleased to report greater success on my sleep goal for yesterday! Yeah!
So here’s my report card for yesterday:
- 64 ounces smoothie/green soup – DONE
- Off computer by 11PM – Surpassed. I was off by 10:06PM!
- Sauna 30 minutes – missed this because I went to bed early!
- Bed by 11:30 – Surpassed - in Bed by 10:15 – My 11 year old son, Kevin, has recently been worried about the toxic smells at school. They watched a video about the dangers of marker inhalation, and talked about a 13 year old who died as a result of marker inhalation as a way to get high. Kevin accidentally got a big wiff of a marker at school the other day and got dizzy and light headed. Since then he has been reacting to smells, like air fresheners, wipes and cleaning supplies used at school. He is scared of dying from breathing them. He asked if he could sleep with me last night so he could feel safe. So he and I went to bed at 10:15.
- Fun reading for 15 minutes – missed this because my Kevin slept with me. Fun was talking to him and cuddling instead.
- Lights out between 11:45 and 12. Surpassed Lights out by 10:15
My commitments for today:
- Exercise 30 minutes
- Fun: Quality time with my husband – a date for dinner at Beets Cafe!
- water – 8 cups
- Get myself signed up to take the Vibrant Health Mindset Course and recommit to my own goals.
- Bed by midnight
How did you do yesterday? What are your commitments for today? Comment below.
Enjoy!
Love, Health and Joy,
Dr. Ritamarie
Tags: Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, DrRitamarie, fun, livingfoods, raw and living foods holiday recipes, whole foods
Posted in Articles, Exercise | 1 Comment »
Sunshine and Fun are Vital to Your Health
Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on February 28, 2010 – -It’s a beautiful sunny day here in Austin, today. Before I go outside and enjoy it, I thought I’d take a moment to connect.
I encourage you to please use your weekend to regenerate your energy from the week.
Get outdoors and replenish your vitamin D stores. I am discovering lots of vitamin D deficiencies in working with people lately. And be sure to refrain from washing with soap on the exposed areas for 48 hours after you get your vitamin D sunshine dose, or you may decrease your absorption of what your skin creates fromt he sunshine. It can take up to 48 hours for the Vitamin D to be fully absorbed. That explains why iI’ve been seeing deficiencies even in sun worshipers who dont use sunscreen.
Also important for your health is having fun. What will you do that’s fun today? Comment below. Please respect the importance of fun and recreation. They are up there with fresh raw and living foods and exercise.
If you live in or near Austin, join me and my friends for a raw foods potluck tonight. Go to www.drritamarie.com/potluck for more information and sign up to be part of the action at www.drritamarie.com/meetup.
Have a wonderful day.
Wishing you Love, Health and Joy,
Dr. Ritamarie
Tags: energy, fun, Living Foods, livingfoods, raw, raw and living foods holiday recipes, Raw Foods, recreation, sunshine, Vibrant Health, Vitamin D
Posted in Articles, Immune System Support, Raw Foods | No Comments »
3 Keys to a Vibrantly Healthy Valentine’s Day
Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on February 14, 2010 – -
Valentines Day is the LOVE holiday…the day when we express our love to the special people in our lives.
The tradition of Valentine’s Day is believed to have originated from the pagan customs of the Third or Fourth Century B.C., when the Festivals of Purification were celebrated in Ancient Rome. With the advent of Christianity, priests attempted to replace all ancient heathen practices, and in the fifth century A.D., they created its own holiday around the same date, and selected a saint who to honor for his devotion to love.
Traditionally, Valentine’s Day is a day when health takes a backseat as most people embellish their loved ones with chocolates, little candy hearts with sayings on them and all sorts of sweet, heart shaped treats and lavishly rich dinners.
What would it be like to enjoy the magic of your Valentine’s Day love connections without compromising your health and your waistline?
Here are 3 key strategies that you can use to create new and memorable health promoting Valentine’s Day rituals.
1- Celebrate and thank the one person you can count on to be there every moment in your life, through thick and thin, good times and challenging ones and until you take your last breath…YOU. Do something special for yourself. Self love and care is health care. One of the best
ways to improve the quality of your health and increase your energy and longevity is to consistently make time to reward and acknowledge yourself.
Take a minute right now to stroke and massage your shoulders, arms and hands. Doesn’t that feel great? Plan a time for a candle-lit hot bath, or an evening in bed to read, write or meditate. What’s your favorite pass time? What do you love to do? Reward yourself by scheduling time to do it. Schedule it right NOW.
Jot me a note in the comments box and let me know how you plan to show self love.
2- Create special treats for your loved ones using whole, fresh, organic and living foods.
As a special Valentine’s Day gift from me to you, I created a recipe sampler you can use and enjoy.
http://www.drritamarie.com/candy.htm
3- Make aphrodisiac foods a part of the celebration, to spark some passion into your love life. These traditionally include:
- Almond – aroma is supposed to induce passion in a female.
- Arugula – has been documented as an aphrodisiac since the first century A.D.
- Avocado – The Aztecs called the tree the “testicle tree”.
- Basil – Is supposed to stimulate the sex drive and boost fertility.
- Chocolate – contains PEA, a neurotransmitter that stimulates a feeling of love and connection.

- Fennel – a source of natural plant estrogen, fennel was used in the early Egyptian times as “libido enhancement”.
- Figs – An open fig is said to resemble the female sex organs and traditionally thought of as sexual stimulant.
- Garlic – is said to stir sexual desires.
- Mustard – is believed to stimulate the sex glands and increase desire.
- Pine Nuts – have been used to stimulate the libido as far back as Medieval times.
- Raspberries and Strawberries – are described in erotic literature as fruit nipples
- Vanilla – The scent and flavor is believed to increase lust.
Do you have any favorite aphrodisiac foods? Submit your recipes and a description of the aphrodisiac properties of the food here:
http://www.drritamarie.com/newsletter/contributions/
I’ll be choosing one to publish in this month’s newsletter, which will be sent on Thursday February 18.
Please comment below… what are your valentines day plans?
Happy Valentines Day!
Remember to download your Valentines Day Recipe Sampler HERE and have fun!
With Love, Roses and Raw Chocolate Kisses,
Dr. Ritamarie
Tags: Add new tag, aphrodisiac, chocolate, gluten free holiday, Holiday Recipes, Living Foods, livingfoods, raw and living foods holiday recipes, Raw Foods, Valentines day, whole foods
Posted in Articles, Gluten Free recipes, Raw and Living Foods | 9 Comments »
Avoid Adrenal Fatigue by Taking Time For Self Care
Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on February 2, 2010 – -So what does adrenal faigue have to do with self care? Everything. When you take care of yourself, your stress levels go down. And when your stress levels decrease, that’s a good thing for you!
Do you have any idea what happens on a physiologic level when you gt stressed out, worry about the future or fret about he past? Your body releases a cascade of chemicals designed to help you escape from tigers. Your heart rate speeds up, your blood pressure elevated, your sex drive goes away and your digestion shuts down. Does that sound like the rpescription for a healthy, energetic and happy life? Certainly not
The stress hormone cortisol gets secreted into your blood stream, and makes trouble throughout your body. Sure, it helps you to fight tigers, but that’s not going to help you much when you’re getting all stressed out about the state of the economy. And it certainly doesn’t help you to think of creative ways you can deflect economic trends and prosper in spite of the world around you. In fact, it does just the opposite.
One of the effects of cortisol is cortical inhibition. That means, it temporarily shuts off the higher-level thinking center of your brain. This is important when you’re fleeing the real tiger, because solving economic problems would be counter productive when those big teeth are about to turn you into lunch. Cortisol activates the primitive parts of yoru brain, the survival centers. It also causes damage to a part of your brain called the hippocampus, which is responsible for short term memory. “Brain fog”, forgetfullness and lack of focus are sigs of adrenal fatugue.
Cortisol also inhibits your immune system and its ability to fight off invaders, to maintain balance, kill cancer cells, and keep you healthy. Cortisol also makes you fat, especially around the middle. Why does stress make you fat? Well, stress leads to increased production of cortisol, which triggers a mechanism in the body to release more sugar into the blood, because you’re going to need it to escape the tiger.
The release of sugar into the blood causes the release of insulin because insulin is what is needed to remove the sugar from your blood and get it into your cells, where it’s needed. That’s great when you have a real tiger chasing you. And it doesn’t present a problem when the stress response is infrequent and short lived. The problem is, in our modern lifestyle we get stressed often and we stay stressed for long periods of time.
And as if it’s not enough to be more prone to illness and cancer, stress kills your sex drive! And it stresses your mitochondria so they can’t produce enough energy, so you get tired.
If being a stressed out sick and overweight individual with no sex drive and no memory does not sound like fun to you, then you need to learn how to take care of your needs and transform the stressful responses to recharging ones.
In my Transforming Stress teleseminars I describe some of my favorite techniques for turning the stressful times into positive physiologic responses, using the power of appreciation.
I recorded a video on how to make the time for self care, in spite of your busy schedule. Consistently taking time for self care allows your adrenals to restore, and can even reverse adrenal fatigue.
What do you do to take care of yoruself everyday?
Write it down below for me.
Thanks,
Love, Health and Joy,
Dr. Ritamarie
Tags: Adrenal Fatigue, Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, DrRitamarie, Exhaustion, fatigue, fatigue symptoms, Gluten Free Diet, livingfoods, raw and living foods holiday recipes, raw foods recipes
Posted in Adrenal Fatigue | 1 Comment »
Peppermint Patties Go Raw: Gluten Free Raw Food Recipe for Superfood Candy Made with Hemp Seeds and Green Powder
Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on December 19, 2009 – -My latest Yummy treat – I just made this as a variation of my Peppermint Patty Recipe from Healthy Halloween Treats , a complete guide to raw and living foods, gluten-free recipes for Halloween.
This 100% raw foods recipe is also gluten free and sugar free. Much better for you than the peppermint patties you may have eaten before. It’s high in omega 3 fats from the hemp seed, selenium from the brazil nuts, copper from the macadamia nuts, chlorophyll from the greens and antiviral lauric acid from the coocnut. They are very low glycemic, as they contain no sweeteners. If you prefer the filling a little bit sweeter, you can add 1/4 cup pitted dates.
Super Food Peppermint Patties
by Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo
Ingredients
Filling
- 1/2 cup hemp seeds
- 1/2 cup brazil nuts
- 1/2 cup raw macadamia nuts
- 1 1/2 cup dried coconut shreds
- 1/8 teaspoon green stevia
- 1 Tablespoon each chlorella and blue green algae powder (or your favorite green powder)
- 3 drops peppermint essential oil
Chocolate Coating
- 1/4 cup cacao paste, softened in the dehydrator for 15 minutes at 115 degrees or in a double boiler
- 1/8 cup cacao butter, melted as for the cacao paste.
- 1/8 teaspoon stevia
- 2 drops mint essential oil
Directions:
- Process the filling in food processor until almost smooth.
- Press the filling into silicone molds, disposable mini cupcake papers, or any other shapes desired. If you prefer, you can spread it on a piece of wax paper and score into desired sizes.
- Freeze the filling for at least half an hour.
- Stir all sauce ingredients together in a small bowl or blend in blender.
- Pop the filling from the molds or cut into desired sizes.
- Dip the filling pieces into the chocolate sauce (you may need to re-soften it unless you made it right before dipping.)
- Place carefully on a piece of wax paper to harden. Store in refrigerator or freezer.
Chocolate topping variation
- 1/4 cup cacao powder
- 1/8 cup melted cacao butter
- 2 drops mint essential oil
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
Other Variations
You can add a couple of drops of mint essential oil to your favorite chocolate sauce or any of the chocolate sauce recipes in my books Healthy Halloween Treats and Healthy Holiday Traditions: Nourishing Recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Celebrations. Both of these books are filled with gluten free raw and living foods recipes for holiday treats using health promoting ingredients.
Enjoy this recipe.
Love, Health and Joy,
Dr. Ritamarie
Tags: Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, DrRitamarie, Gluten Free Diet, gluten free holiday, Halloween treats, Healthy Holiday, Holiday Recipes, Living Foods, livingfoods, Omega 3 Fats, raw and living foods holiday recipes, Raw Foods, raw foods recipes, selenium, whole foods
Posted in Articles, Gluten Free recipes, Healthy Holiday, Raw and Living Foods | No Comments »
Hanukkah in the Raw: Living Foods Version of Traditional Latkes
Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on December 14, 2009 – -
When I first met my husband I had no idea what a latke was, nor did I know very much about Hanukkah. Having grown up Catholic the only thing I’d learned was that Hanukkah was like Christmas, only they got presents for 8 days instead of 1!
I’ve come a long way since then. Now I know quite a bit more about the holiday, and the meaning behind it. I’ve also taught myself to make healthier versions of the traditional foods. My favorite is latkes. Latles are potato pancakes and are traditionally served on the first and last nights of Hanukkah, at least in my husband’s family. Traditional latkes are made from potatoes, onions, flour and egg, and are deep fried in vegetable oil. They come out crispy and very greasy. Quite frankly, all that grease just never appealed to me.
So my first experiments were created by simply using non-gluten flour in place of the unbleached white, flax or psyllium seed in place of the egg and a bit of olive oil, brushed on before baking instead of frying. They were a bit hit with my family and friends.
Next I experimented with substituting some or all of the potatoes with shredded broccoli stems, daikon radish or zucchini. I got to the point where I could make them without any potatoes, and my kids still loved them. I was happy because they were eating lots of veggies!
Finally I took it to the next level and created a recipe that I could “low temperature bake” in the dehydrator. These are uncooked and maintain the full spectrum of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes of the raw ingredients. I served them side by side with the cooked potato version and most of my friends preferred the raw ones.
I put all of the variations of the recipe in my new e-book Healthy Holiday Traditions: Nourishing Recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Celebrations.
I’m sharing the Living Latkes recipe here. The book has recipes for raw dairy free versions of applesauce and sour cream too.
Living Latkes
by Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo
Equipment Needed: Dehydrator and Blender
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds of a combination of shredded daikon radish and broccoli stems
- 1 medium onion
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) tahini
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil (optional)
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup water
Directions
- Shred daikon and broccoli stems and place in a large bowl.
- Shred or thinly slice the onion and add to bowl with the daikon and broccoli.
- Blend the tahini, pepper and salt and add to bowl with vegetables. Mix well with your hands.
- Brush with a thin film of olive oil, if desired.
- Form into patties and place on the mesh tray of your dehydrator. Dehydrate overnight, up to 12 hours.
Serve with apple sauce or nut sour “cream”
Shared with love from Dr. Ritamarie’s Healthy Holiday Traditions: Nourishing Recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Celebrations.
Enjoy, and have a happy healthy holiday.
Love, Health and Joy
Dr. Ritamarie
P.S. Even if you’re not Jewish, the latkes are worth making. Everyone loves them.
http://www.DrRitamarie.com/WinterHolidays
Tags: Christmas, Christmas recipes, Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, DrRitamarie, gluten free christmas, Gluten Free Diet, gluten free holiday, gluten free latkes, gluten-free vegan latkes, hanukkah, Hanukkah recipes, Healthy Holiday, heathy hanukkah recipes, holiday diet, Holiday Recipes, holiday survival, latkes, Living Foods, livingfoods, raw and living foods holiday recipes, Raw Foods, raw foods diet, raw foods recipes, raw latkes
Posted in Gluten Free recipes, Healthy Holiday, Raw and Living Foods | 1 Comment »
Healthy for the Holidays: Nourishing Foods for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Years Celebrations
Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on December 9, 2009 – -By
Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo
I can’t believe that it’s almost Christmas? I’m really not ready at all! I haven’t started shopping, writing cards or even finished putting up my tree. My family celebrates both Christmas and Hanukkah, bringing together the best of my husband’s family traditions and mine. And Hanukkah is just a few days away.
I used to bake a lot for the holidays, but since I no longer eat sugar, flour, butter and all the ingredients of my old favorite recipes, and I prefer to eat raw and living foods, I had to develop new recipes. My favorites were for cookies, especially gingerbread, cranberry bread and pecan pie. My new recipes taste as good or even BETTER than my old favorites.
The foods that used to fill my holiday plate did nothing to enhance my health and did everything to clog my arteries, raise my blood sugar, expand my waistline and left me feeling sluggish, bloated, and foggy headed.
When I eat the foods I make using my new recipes, I feel great! I no longer feel bloated or exhausted after eating my favorite Christmas cookies and pies.
Even if you’ve been dedicated to vibrant health for a long time, staying strong and true to your health commitment is a challenge when you’re surrounded by the smells and tastes that remind you of past holidays and connect you with family and friends. You may have even learned to equate these foods with love.
The pressure from friends and family to eat the old favorites can be overwhelming, especially if you’ve only recently adopted healthy eating habits. Add to that the magnitude of the long holiday to-do list (shopping for, wrapping, and exchanging gifts; sending cards; decorating; and making food) and it’s only natural for you to become overly stressed or anxious.
You may have grown up using food to comfort and soothe you.
Certain aromas may remind you of the comfort of grandma’s house on a special holiday, or a special person or feeling that you became connected to early on in your life.
Rather than giving in to temptation, or depriving yourself of tasty foods and feeling angry and resentful about it, you can learn to recreate your favorite holiday meals in ways that are delicious, nutritious and fun and easy to make.
http://www.drritamarie.com/WinterHolidays
Since I’ve been married to Scott, I’ve learned to make Hanukkah foods, too, like latkes with homemade applesauce and dairy free sour cream.
I’ve been working on putting all of these recipes together and finally have them ready in the form of a book. By the time I finished putting in all the recipes and tips for creating low stress holiday celebrations, the book ended up being over 160 pages! And the recipes are all gluten-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free, and made with whole, fresh, plant-based, raw and living foods.
http://www.drritamarie.com/WinterHolidays
I’ve put together a couple of very special packages that include my new book, “Healthy Holiday Traditions: Nourishing Recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Celebrations”and I’m ready to share them with you!
So go on over to
http://www.drritamarie.com/WinterHolidays
and reserve your copy. The book is in e-book format, so you can download it instantly. I’m working on getting a printed version available too, and those who purchase the e-book during the next couple of weeks will be offered the print book at for a nominal upgrade fee.
I’m so excited about this.
I’ve added some juicy new bonuses, for a limited time only, and a very special “Deluxe Holiday Toolkit”. When you order the e-book, one of the bonuses you’ll receive is access to an online video of me making some of the recipes.
Here’s a comment from someone who watched the Holiday Video when I offered it with the Thanksgiving Feast book:
I just watched the Holiday recipe video…OMG, it was WONDERFUL!!!! And so helpful! I bought the e-book, but it makes such a difference to actually see you putting the elements together!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CREATING THIS VIDEO!!!!
I look forward to hearing from you. The message I’d like to hear is how you stayed healthy throughout the holidays, had lots of energy and enjoyed the connection with your loved ones while eating delicious foods and having a blast.
Please comment below and let me know what your favorite holiday foods are. If health enhancing versions of them are not already in the book, rest assured they’ll be in version 2. And if you contribute a recipe or idea that makes it into the second edition next year, I’ll be sure to send you a free copy.
Go ahead and let me know what foods you really love and have a healthy and happy holiday season.
Love, Health and Gratitude,
Dr. Ritamarie
http://www.drritamarie.com/WinterHolidays
Tags: Christmas recipes, Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, DrRitamarie, fatigue symptoms, gluten free, Gluten Free Diet, gluten free holiday, Hanukkah recipes, Healthy Holiday, holiday diet, Holiday Recipes, holiday survival, Living Foods, livingfoods, New Years Recipes, raw and living foods holiday recipes, Raw Foods, raw foods diet, raw foods recipes, vegan foods, whole foods
Posted in Articles, Gluten Free recipes, Healthy Holiday, Living Foods, Raw Foods, Raw and Living Foods | No Comments »
Gluten-Free, Holiday Treats – Organic, raw and whole Fresh foods
Written by Ritamarie Loscalzo on December 7, 2009 – -Tis the Season to Be Jolly

Holidays are about connection and love, not fretting about food and worrying about feeling deprived while everyone else is stuffing themselves with sugar and fat. If you are dedicated to staying healthy and vibrant throughout the holiday season, yet still have a desire to fit in, and enjoy the holiday cheer, there are lots of resources for you. Here are a couple:
1- If you live in or near Austin, you’re in for a treat. There’s no reason to feel deprived this holiday season. You can enjoy delicious Holiday Cookies – Raw, Vegan, naturally sweetened and gluten Free- festively boxed and ready
to give as a gift or as a treat for yourself. Karen Osborne, my dear friend and the Fresh’n Fun Living Co-op Manager, talented chef and recent graduate of Living Light Culinary Institute in California has created these beautiful and delicious gift boxes for you.
The boxes include a dozen holiday cookies, and will be ready for pick-up in the
Austin area beginning in mid December. The boxes contain 2 each of the
following:
German Chocolate Brownies, Pecan Pie Squares, Not Oatmeal Raisin Cookies,
Lemon Cookies, Rocky Road Brownies and Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies.
Carob can be substituted for Chocolate in these cookies…please specify
your preference when you check out.
Supplies are limited so order early. Orders will be processed on a first
come, first served basis.
Schedule:
2 dozen boxes will be ready for delivery on Dec. 13 or any day of that week
2 dozen boxes will be ready for delivery on Dec. 20.
Each box is $30. Please specify Chocolate or Carob when you order.
To place an order, click on a link below and specify the number of boxes you
desire in our secure shopping cart.
An e-mail will be sent out when the boxes are ready with dates and locations for pick-up in the Austin area.
1 Cookie Box for the week of Dec. 13 $30.00
1 Cookie Box for the week of Dec. 20 $30.00
2) You can learn to make cookies and close to 100 other delicious holiday foods. It’s easy to do when you ahve the right recipes.
My new book, “Healthy Holiday Traditions: Nourishing Recipes for Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s Celebrations” will be announced very soon. We’re putting the last minute tweaks on the bonus and graphics pages on the web page. We’re even offering it as a part of a Deluxe Holiday Toolkit. Those who ordered the toolkit have already received the book.
If you already know you want it, you can get it right away by going to www.IndulgeWithoutBulge.com There are over $100 in bonus gifts being offered. When you get the deluxe toolkit, one of the bonuses is an instantly accessible online video of demonstrations of 9 of the recipes.
There are also some blog posts from last year and this, and some tips in my newsletter, www.drritamarie.com/newsletter
Love, Health and Joy,
Dr. Ritamarie
Tags: Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo, DrRitamarie, Gluten Free Diet, gluten free holiday, Healthy Holiday, holiday diet, holiday survival, Living Foods, livingfoods, raw and living foods holiday recipes, Raw Foods, raw foods diet, raw foods recipes, vegan foods, whole foods
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