Thailand’s Herb Gardens

Loving the herb garden here at the Ritz Carlton's Reserve at Phulay Bay in beautiful Thailand at Krabi. They grow their own herbs, in addition to super spicy red Thai chilies. We've been using these super fresh herbs in my Raw Food Lifestyle Classes this week. It's paradise here with tons of tropical fresh fruits like tamarind, papaya, jackfruit, and longan. And delicious Thai baby coconuts and cashews too. I think this must be Heaven!  

Ritz-Carlton’s Reserve at Krabi, Thailand

I'm made it safely to Krabi, Thailand where I'm relaxing at the villa now that prep for our 5-day Raw Food Lifestyle Retreat is finished for today. Super excited to be teaching Raw Food Lifestyle classes Wednesday thru Sunday here at the Ritz-Carlton's Phulay Bay resort. I've crafted exclusive Thai-inspired Raw Food, vegan, superfood, gluten-free recipes using local Thai ingredients. Plus, we'll be talking about treading lightly on the Planet, natural beauty, fitness, healthy detox, nutrition, and ways to lower stress while increasing vitality and longevity. If you're in Krabi, please join me here Wednesday thru Sunday!  We're going have tons of FUN!!!!  

March 2015 at the Ritz-Carlton Reserve

The beautiful Ritz-Carlton Reserve at Phulay Bay has invited me to develop an exclusive 5-day wellness program for their Thailand resort to launch in March 2015. This exclusive retreat will include vegan raw food cooking classes and recipes featuring local ingredients and flavors with a focus on the Home Chef, along with my eco-green living, healthy lifestyle, fitness, natural beauty, and detox philosophy. I will personally be at Phulay Bay teaching classes from March 18th to 22nd, 2015. These classes are complimentary to resort guests. And, guests completing all 5-days will receive a Certificate of Completion equivalent to my Level 1 Home Chef Raw Food Certification Course. So, please book your stay now at the Ritz-Carlton Reserve website, and join me at Phulay Bay! I look forward to seeing you in paradise.  

Giving Thanks Day

I wanted to share 3 of my favorite raw vegan superfood pie recipes for Thanksgiving. All 3 recipes are from Ani's Raw Food Kitchen: All American Apple Pie, Autumn Pumpkin Pie, and Pecan Chai Pie. I hope you will enjoy them! Wishing you a very happy holiday celebrating gratitude while counting our blessings. Let's all remember to tell our loved ones and those in our community how much they are appreciated. It's a wonderful time of the year to help those around us, and to give back. Helping others puts my own life into perspective for me. It reminds me to give thanks for the many blessings in my  life. I'm grateful to have my health, my friends and family, clean running hot water, organic produce, a safe comfortable home, and all 10 fingers and toes. On this day of giving thanks, what are you grateful for?

By |November 26th, 2014|Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen, Desserts, Gluten Free, RECIPES, Snacks & Side Dishes, Super Foods, Superfood, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole Foods|Comments Off on Giving Thanks Day

Summertime on the Slopes

  Big Bear Lake is a popular Southern California winter destination for playing in the snow. I didn't realize how many people go in the summertime to splash around on the lake and hike in the forest. We rode up the chair lift to the mountain top, found a ton of trails, and hiked for hours in the woods at 8,600 feet elevation! The air was super fresh, the pines smelled delicious, and the views were spectacular. Hiking in nature is the perfect way to recharge and to detox from urban life. It helps me relax and reconnect with what is really important to me….my health and happiness! I noticed a ton of people brought their mountain bicycles to ride along the many trails, and down the mountainside on the ski runs. That looked super fun, and I will be bringing my mountain bike next visit. Have you visited a winter ski resort in the summertime? I actually preferred it better in summer, since I am completely over snow now. Having grown up in freezing Buffalo, NY, if I never see snow again, I don't think I would miss it.          

By |August 7th, 2014|Beauty, Fitness, Green Living, Health, LIFESTYLE, Super Foods, Superfood|Comments Off on Summertime on the Slopes

The Power of Wheatgrass

Wheatgrass is liquid sunshine! A raw, vegan, mega-superfood! Just 2 ounces contains the same amount of nutrition as 5 pounds of organic vegetables. And, about 20% of its calories come from complete branch chain amino acids and protein. It's a powerful detoxifier for the liver and blood, neutralizes toxins and pollutants in our body, and lessens the effects of radiation. Wheatgrass cleanses the body of heavy metals too. I love GREEN! The color comes from chlorophyll, a very important phytonutrient our cells need to heal and fight disease. Chlorophyll also helps carry tons of oxygen to our blood. Lots of oxygen is always a good thing! Best taken on its own, fresh, and on an empty stomach so that its nutrients can be best absorbed. Most fun shared and enjoyed with friends and loved ones! xoxo  

By |July 23rd, 2014|Beauty, Farmers' Market, Fitness, Gluten Free, Green Living, Health, LIFESTYLE, Super Foods, Superfood, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole Foods|Comments Off on The Power of Wheatgrass

Mushroom Bulgogi Taco Recipe

I like to make my Mushroom Bulgogi with mushrooms, instead of beef. This is one of my favorite recipes, and perfect to wrap in a leaf or inside a thinly sliced daikon radish... like a taco!! ….Like in the photo above (courtesy of Vegetarian Times Magazine). In addition to this recipe tasting delicious, mushrooms are a super food that boost our immune system while helping us fight illness, disease, and even cancer. Check out the recipe in this month's June 2014 issue,  and on their website: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/mushroom-bulgogi-filled-daikon-wraps/   Enjoy it! xo

By |June 26th, 2014|Article, Gluten Free, Main Dishes, PRESS, RECIPES, Snacks & Side Dishes, Super Foods, Superfood, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole Foods|Comments Off on Mushroom Bulgogi Taco Recipe

A Warm Green Salad Recipe

I've been playing with fire! I'm enjoying lightly sautéing fresh vegetables and then tossing them hot into a big salad bowl full of fresh greens. Today, I cooked up some garlic in coconut oil with halved cherry tomatoes and chopped broccoli. I added it to a big bowl of chopped up romaine, spinach, arugula, and mixed it all up to allow the cooked veggies to wilt the greens. I finished it off with capers and artichoke hearts. No dressing needed, as the capers and artichokes add saltiness and pickled tartness, while the garlic adds pungency. Give it a try, this salad is to live for! And yes, I do still consider this salad a vegan raw food…. Warm Green Salad 3 cloves garlic, chopped, to taste 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cup baby broccoli, chopped 1 Tablespoon coconut oil 2 cup romaine, chopped 1 cup spinach 1 cup arugula 3 Tablespoons capers 1/2 cup artichoke hearts Warm up your pan on medium heat, add coconut oil and garlic. Sauté until soft. Add tomatoes and broccoli. Lightly cook, to desired consistency. Place romaine, spinach, and arugula into a large mixing bowl. Top with cooked vegetables and toss to mix well, wilting your greens. Add capers and artichokes, and toss to mix well. Serve and enjoy!

By |June 17th, 2014|Dressings & Salads, Gluten Free, Main Dishes, RECIPES, Snacks & Side Dishes, Super Foods, Superfood, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole Foods|Comments Off on A Warm Green Salad Recipe

Strawberry Superfood Beauty Shake

  Shakes and smoothies help me kick start my day by food fueling my body with nutrients and superfoods that keep me at the top of my game. The blender 'chews' up the food for me, so it's easier to digest, and leaves me with more energy. Plus, on super busy days, it's just easier to for me to blend, rinse out my blender container, and then drink my shake on-the-go or while typing on my keyboard. This recipe is made with antioxidant-rich strawberries (it's strawberry season!); healthy fat and omegas from almond, flax, and hemp; maca and cacao for energy and mood-elevation; buckwheat (a complete branch chain amino acid) for protein; camu camu for vitamin C; MSM for building connective tissue and the collagen in my skin; and sweetened with stevia (my favorite non-glycemic, non-caloric sweetener). Drink up and get your glow on! Strawberry Superfood Beauty Shake 2 cups organic strawberries, fresh or frozen 2 Tablespoons raw almond butter 2 Tablespoons flax meal 1 teaspoon camu camu 1 Tablespoon maca 1 teaspoon MSM 4 drops stevia Blend with about a cup or 2 of filtered water, to desired consistency. Pour into your favorite glass. Serve topped with cacao nibs, hemp seeds, and sprouted + dehydrated buckwheat groats. Enjoy! xo  

By |June 11th, 2014|Desserts, Drinks, Gluten Free, RECIPES, Super Foods, Superfood, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole Foods|Comments Off on Strawberry Superfood Beauty Shake

Eat Your Sunblock

I do love the sun! Just 20 mins a day is enough to give us our recommended daily levels for Vitamin D. But, when I'm in the sun, I do make sure to cover up my face with a huge hat and sun glasses (to avoid those dark spots us Asians get…they are our 'wrinkles')….vanity! LOL. Beware of chemicals in most sunblock lotions. Instead, we can EAT our sunblock. Here are some raw, vegan, gluten-free super foods that are high in antioxidants to help destroy free radical damage from the sun:  Spinach, kale, broccoli, carrots (lutein) - Dr Salvador Gonsalez of Harvard University says “our data is the first of its kind to suggest that lutein may have the potential to act as a preventative agent against UVB-induced skin cancer. In addition, these data suggest that lutein protects the skin against damage caused by exposure to UVB light, further validating our position that lutein is a critical component to overall skin health.” A study in the International Journal of Cancer found that a serving a day of leafy greens reduces the recurrence of skin cancer tumors in patients by more than 50%! Green tea, black tea, cacao (polyphenols) Brazil nuts (selenium) Tomatoes (lycopene) Chia, flax, walnuts, algaes like chlorella and spiraling (omega 3s) So eat up, and get outside! Summers here, and there are many fun trails to hike…like this one in Joshua Tree National Park…my favorite place on Earth!  

By |May 29th, 2014|Beauty, Fitness, Gluten Free, Green Living, Health, LIFESTYLE, Super Foods, Superfood, Travel, Vegan, Vegetarian, Whole Foods|Comments Off on Eat Your Sunblock