My Name is Melissa and I live in beautiful Nauvoo, IL. This is a blog to record my journey on raw food. I will share with you my first 30 days on raw food, some of my favorite recipes, and some very helpful websites. I am sharing because so many people have asked. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at ctradams@juno.com



My Favorite Raw Salad Dressing
Garlic, Ginger Dressing
1 1/2 c. Cold Pressed Olive Oil
1/3 c. Garlic Bulbs
2 Tbs. Ginger (about a 1-2 in. section depending on thickness)
3 Tbs. Nama Shoyu
1/2 c. Fresh squezed lemon juice

Blend all ingredients in a Vita-Mix or high power blender until smooth. This dressing is VERY yummy!

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Gratitude



This month is a relflection of Gratitude with it being the spirit of Thanksgiving. I have been extensively teaching my children the history of Thanksgiving. I am teaching them the good, the bad, and the ugly of the first Thanksgiving. I hope and pray that what I am trying to get through to them will work. I REALLY want my children to learn to have a constant feeling of gratitude. I believe with gratitude we will find true joy in life. Having gratitude helps to keep us from feeling sorry for ourselves and our situation.

I am SO grateful for the knowledge Heavenly Father has given me about my health. I am even more grateful that I never give up on myself. I KNOW that I will master my natural man some day. I do know what is best for me, and it isn't always what I think it is. I am always learning and growing. I realize now that I don't have to be perfect. I do always have to be trying though. Sometimes in my quest to be perfect I stop trying altogether. So with that being said, I will NEVER stop trying! I love myself and know that my Father in Heaven loves me. Each day a little more motivation comes to me! I can and I will take care of this temple in which my spirit dwells; for THAT is the only true way I can show thanks for my body!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Letting go of the Control

I feel bad that I let so much time go w/out blogging. Life is great and I have learned and grown so much in the past few months. I have learned a lot about myself, my eating habits, and my family.

I love life, I love people, I love my family, and I love food. However, my love for food is a love/hate relationship. I wish ALL food was good for you, made you healthy, and never made you gain a pound. Wishful thinking just doesn't get you any where! However, I find that my relationship to food has everything to do w/my relationship to my Heavenly Father. If I let Him be in control of my life, then I, in turn, am in more control of my life. However, the more I try to control things on my own, the more I lose control.

So, one would say, "Then give up the control!" Oh. . .ok. . .that is easy! Duh! Guess what folks? It's NOT easy! We, by human nature, are control freaks. We must be in control of what happens in our lives, when it happens, who it happens with, how it happens, and in most cases, even why it happens. However, I am learning that the more I give in, the more I get in return.

So by holding on so tight, I wasn't able to get my stinkin' hand out of the cookie jar. I knew that I could do it by MYSELF because I am a strong woman. We are only as strong as our relationship with the Savoir. I have found that my level of dependance on him determines my level of happiness. This is not to say in anyway that we should not make any decisions w/out Him. On the contrary, I believe He wants us to take our decisions to Him and pray for His help.

I choose to eat healthy and I know I cannot do it alone. I don't HAVE to have the support of others as I thought I did. I just need devine intervention. I WILL make healthy choices both physically and spiritually. My husband taught be that all we need to do is PREPARE. It is an acronym for Pray, Read scriptures, Exercise, Plan, Accomplish, Review, End your day w/prayer! Do this daily, and ALL else will take care of itself.

HAVE A HAPPY HEALTHY DAY!