Published March 23rd, 2007
in RECIPES, california, gluten free, gluten free diet, health, japanese, local, lunch, raw food diet, salad, vegan and vegetarian.

I made these gorgeous nori rolls last night for my dear friends, and they loved them. Super delicious, and easy to make. Please note this recipe uses raw soy sauce. So to make this recipe work for those on a gluten free diet, substitute sea salt instead.
Nori is a sea vegetable that comes in sheets, so it’s great for minerals from the ocean. Look for raw nori if possible. If it doesn’t say ‘raw’ it’s cooked.
Begin by using your blender:
Cashew Kreme
1 cup cashews, soaked overnight and rinsed well if possible
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon nama shoyu (raw soy sauce, if possible)
1/4 to 1/2 cup water, as needed
Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth, adding just enough water as needed. Set aside.
Next, prepare your veggies:
1 carrot, small, slice into long strips
1/2 red or yellow bell pepper, slice into strips
2 green cabbage leaves, slice
3 Tablespoons ginger, chop
Now, layer onto the bottom edge of your 3 nori sheets:
1 c sliced cabbage (this will act as a dry barrier between the moist Kreme and your nori sheet)
3-4 Tablespoons Cashew Kreme
3-4 strips of carrot
3-4 strips of bell pepper
1 Tablespoon chopped ginger
Roll up your nori from the bottom into a roll. Slice and enjoy!
Published March 23rd, 2007
in california, drink, gluten free, gluten free diet, health, local, lunch, raw food diet, roadtrip, vegan and vegetarian.
After 4 days of Expo prep and activities, I needed an afternoon in the sunshine to rejuvenate. And where better than Huntington Beach in beautiful sunny SoCal! It was 85 in mid March if you can believe it!!! 
Whoa! What a wild 3-day weekend it was indeed. The Anaheim convention center was packed with natural product enthusiasts, and SmartMonkey Foods had a great booth in the organics hall. I gave many talks/recipe demos from my upcoming book, “Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen”. And got overwhelmingly positive response all around. Folks were so nice, supportive, and enthuiastic about my uncooking shows and book. Fun Fun.
Published March 6th, 2007
in biodiesel, california, health and roadtrip.

I love riding around in my friend’s VW diesel, which runs on biodiesel. Biodiesel’s made from renewable resources and has lower emissions than petroleum diesel. And…it decreases our dependence on foreign oil and contributes to our own economy.
For more info on biodiesel and other renewable fuel sources, check out the film Freedom Fuels. It’s free to download!

My mom Jae and brother Max at our organic date farm just east of Palm Springs in Southern California. We love visiting there, and we always make sure to stop at the hot springs along the way. All the palms you see are date palms.