Detox Day 3

Juice of one lemon, water, MSM, stevia, cayenne
Vitamineral Green & water
1/2 quart carrot juice & almond milk
1 1/2 quarts mixed vegetable juice (celery, cukes, broccoli, kale, parsley, lemon juice, ginger)
1 cup almond milk with 1 scoop vanilla Sunwarrior protein powder, Shapeshifter, 3 Jewels
1/2 quart coconut water with spinach blended
apple juice with bentonite clay/psyllium husk powder
miso soup
probiotics
zeolites
fulvic acid
parasite herbs (Clarkia)
Intestinal Movement


Today the hunger pangs have subsided quite a bit and my energy has been consistent all day.  The hubs made a veggie burger on a toasted sprouted bun and it didn't even phase me. I can't believe how great I feel physically and mentally. I almost felt high at one point. I hope the feeling continues. I could easily do another 11 days if it goes this well.

Btw, I slept 12 hours last night. That might be a record for me. It's typical to feel run down the first 2-3 days of a juice fast as well as feeling really cold. It's a good idea to start a fast over a weekend when you have no where to be. Stay home, stay warm and let your body adjust.

21 Day Detox - A New Health Journey

The past few months have been very frustrating for me. After all my efforts of eating and living a clean, raw life for the past few years my #1 nemesis has returned with a vengeance. Acne. It's something I've dealt with since my teens but lately its gotten out of control. It started a year ago when I got off birth control pills. I had been on them for years for hormonal balance. I was missing periods for months at a time and then I would bleed for weeks. I was scared to get off of them when I went raw because my doctor told me the irregularity would just come back. I figured if I was giving my body the best diet in the world, it would work itself out. So after 3 years, I tossed my pills and let nature take its course. Happy to say everything is perfect, i.e. on time, like clockwork. Phew! The only bad thing is, every month since stopping the pill, my skin gets more and more oily. So oily, I have breakouts on my face, neck, chest and back. I've been taking probiotics religiously and eating fermented foods in order to get the good bacteria flourishing. I've been cutting out sugar to keep my blood sugar balanced and prevent candida overgrowth. I've tried liver cleanses, sauna, MSM, zinc, neem, bentonite clay, honey masks, not washing my face, not wearing makeup, colonics, green juice, DIM, myomin, parasite herbs, fulvic acid, zeolites, chlorella and a plethora of other supplements. One thing I've never done is a long juice fast. I've done a lot of 3-5-7 day juices but this one will be 14 days of juices and 7 days of easing out of it with soups and smoothies. I would go longer but I actually need to get cracking on recipe development so this is my only window of opportunity.

I would love to hear feedback from anyone else who is struggling with the same thing and if you've been successful. FYI I had severe acne while on the pill, as well, that was corrected by going raw. This is a whole new thing I'm dealing with which seems to be an overproduction of testosterone (or drop in estrogen?). I'll keep you posted how things are going. Here's a recap of yesterday.

Day 1
Juice of 1 lemon with water, stevia, MSM and cayenne
1 scoop vitamineral greens in 8 oz. water
1 1/2 quarts green veggie juice
1 cup miso soup
1 cup almond milk with scoop of Shaman Shack Shapeshifter
1 teaspoon coconut oil
Evening: bentonite clay/psyllium husk with 1 cup apple juice (from Blessed Herbs colon cleanse pack)

I wasn't very hungry and had trouble taking down all the green juice for some reason. I was sluggish and fell asleep for 3 hours in the afternoon.  

Day 2

Juice of 1 lemon with water, stevia, MSM and cayenne 

1 quart watermelon/fennel/cuke 

2 cups orange juice/almond milk/pumpkin pie spice 

3 cups coconut broth

1 teaspoon coconut oil 

Felt energized when I woke up. Started the day off with 1000 mg niacin, 10 minutes of rebounding and 40 minutes of sauna. I have more energy today but some brain fog. It's only 3pm so I'll have more green vegetable juice before the day ends.  

To make Coconut Broth: 

Place 1 cup shredded coconut and 2 cups hot water in a food processor and blend. Strain out pulp using a nut milk bag. 

Bring coconut water to a simmer with additional 1 cup water, 1/4 cup chopped onion, 1 clove minced garlic, chopped cilantro, basil and lemongrass. Let simmer then strain. Stir in 1 tablespoon of miso once it has cooled a bit.

Let Me Be Frank, errr, Judita...

I'll be honest. I'm a bad blogger. Over the years, I have made so many promises to myself and to you, my readers, that I would be better about posting, but the thing is, I'm just not a blogger. I'm usually self absorbed in one or more projects, that when I take a breather from them I don't have the energy to sit down in front of my laptop and write what's on my mind. Things really took a nosedive when I started writing Going Raw and since I'm out of the blogging habit, it's just gotten worse. I feel bad and I'm sorry. I get sad when my favorite blogs go on hiatus. (Gliving, We Like It Raw). I don't know how people have the time to write so much while living busy lives. Kudos to you Gena at Choosing Raw who is in med school, counseling clients AND making recipes and to the busy moms, Kristen's Raw, PURE mamas and Simple Life Journey. Ladies, please share with me your blogging/social media secrets.

But at the least, I can do this much. I can give monthly updates and will try to tweet more (I've gotten a little better at this) and update the Facebook page more often. I've got plenty of good intentions but I will stop here and under promise and over deliver. Deal?

So here's the latest news:

Going Raw is doing amazingly well. It's gotten great reviews and is currently on back order. New (updated!) copies will be in stock middle of September.

I just got back a few days ago from the Hot Chefs, Cool Kitchen showcase which will be available online in two days. Click here to get access to 80 delicious recipes and 24 food prep videos from some of the hottest raw food chefs out there!

I have a Raw Food 101 class in Long Beach, CA on Sept. 11th from 1-4pm. If you know of anyone who needs help getting started, send them my way. I show how to do the basics easily and deliciously. It'll be very informative and will give you a chance to ask all your pressing raw health questions. P.S. classes make great gifts!

I am doing tons of recipe development for book #2. Hoping to hunker down and put it all together early next year.

I am in pre-production for a TV pilot. Yes, another raw food chef trying to get a TV show. This one is different than the usual "stand and stir" but that's about all I can reveal for now. Wish me luck!!

I am doing one-on-one health counseling (via phone) for women who are looking to lose weight, gain energy and recapture that youthful radiance. I offer a free initial consultation to talk about your health concerns and goals. I only have time for a few more clients so if you're interested, please get in touch soon. Check out my health coaching website for more information about my program.

That's about it for now. Lots more stuff on deck but I'll save it for another post.

Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend!!
xoxo
Judita

Brooklyn's Smorgasburg

I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I stumbled upon this food fest on the Williamsburg waterfront last Saturday. I thought I was going to a regular ol' farmer's market but what I got was a foodie's paradise of artisan culinary delights. I wasn't sure what I could find in terms of raw, living cuisine but appreciated the many different offerings among the 100 or so vendors at this now two month old weekend event. I discovered all things pickled, fermented, grass-fed, rooftop grown and lovingly prepared. Luckily, I hit the raw food jackpot starting at the Skytown booth where they were serving up some kale salad and red coleslaw. I couldn't decide which one I wanted so they gave me half and half. Delish. I washed it down with some chamomile moon brew and continued on.

Next up I discovered banana soft serve ice cream by Rob & Anna's. This is the most simple of raw desserts if you have a masticating juicer. All you do is freeze bananas and run it through. Voila, incredible creamy, dreamy banana ice cream. They had several different enticing toppings like peanut butter sauce, nutella, nuts and granola but I went with the raw raspberry coulis. Isn't it just stunning?

I found a couple smoothie vendors but after my dessert I didn't really want any more fruit but good to know for next time.

I also came across some kombucha on tap by Kombucha Brooklyn. For $10 I got a big bottle of nice bubbly, well fermented 'booch. Next week I can refill my bottle for $8 or go to Urban Rustic a few blocks away during the week. Sweet!

There was also rooftop grown produce available but personally I'd rather eat produce grown in the country than the city in terms of high vibe, clean food but I thought it was cool that it there are urban farmers out there making it work however they can.

I definitely left very satisfied and am so excited about coming back each weekend to try out some new things. I only wish they had more seating available. If you want to grab a meal and walk along the water and enjoy the city view it's great, but if you're a grazer like me, going booth to booth, it's a little inconvenient. Otherwise, awesome event worth visiting at least once this summer if you're in NYC.

Product Review - Sea-Clear Miso Paste

Though the days are starting to warm up here in southern California the nights are still cool and, more often than not, inspire me to fix a cup of herbal tea or miso soup as I read and answer last minute emails before bed. A couple months ago I picked up a really unique miso paste from Matt & Angela Stokes-Monarch's booth at the Longevity Conference. The product has been around for a couple of years but it's the first I've ever seen of it so I thought I'd share.

Sea-Clear is labelled as a fermented probiotic cleansing superfood that contains:

100% Organic Non-GMO, Non-Pasteurized Miso (soy)
Kelp
Chlorella
Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
Turmeric
Black Pepper

I mix 1 teaspoon in a mug with warm water and sip slowly. Some days I like to add one small, freshly pressed garlic clove or a few instant wakame flakes. It tastes fabulous but my husband is not a fan of the garlic breath so I usually skip it. It is, afterall, right before bedtime...

This has become my favorite night time treat for many different reasons. One, it contains probiotics. Do I even need to explain how important it is to have beneficial flora in your gut? If you're not sure, read The Body Ecology Diet by Donna Gates. I have adopted her recommendation of eating fermented foods regularly and found that it lessened my sugar cravings and has improved my digestion considerably.

Secondly, kelp and chlorella are great for radiation toxicity. Chlorella is useful for removing heavy metals while kelp contains iodine and other minerals. Ever since the Fukushima disaster I have been upping my intake of chlorella tablets and iodine drops. It's hard to say how much the west coast will be affected by the radiation fallout but it's better safe than sorry. We already know the disaster is way worse than Chernobyl and are still waiting for the whole truth on how bad the situation is.

Thirdly, it's alkalizing which is important for pH balance. We underestimate how much stress from day to day living can make us acidic. An acidic state steals calcium and magnesium from our bones and tissues. Make sure you're giving your body lots of alkalizing foods like green vegetable juice, green leafy vegetables and low sugar fruits like lemons and berries.

Fourth, each serving is only 30 calories and 4 grams of protein. This is a great treat to have in the evening or as a snack if you're craving something salty, nourishing and comforting without weighing you down. You could also use it as a dip or as a seasoning to blended salads (savory smoothies).

Lastly, it tastes SO GOOD! It's not fishy or strange just very pleasant, salty and flavorful. It's vegan, raw and gluten-free.

Here's more info from the Shaman Shack website:

Sea-Clear may be our top unsung hero. This live-food cleansing product is the result of 3 years research and development by Rehmannia. Based on the Russian research into modiflan and fucoidan after the Chernobyl disaster, it was determined that fermented kelp can 'chelate' metals and radiation from the body. We ferment kelp and chlorella help remove metals from the body and support the thyroid. We mix these into an organic, non-GMO miso made in Southern CA., with raw apple cider vinegar and add a few spices. Some of our raw foodist friends love this product added to their recipes. Sea-Clear is salty tasting, but contains only full spectrum sea salt. A little goes a long way!

Great as a condiment for spreads, or mixed into salad dressings or dips. A teaspoon can be taken diluted into a glass of water at night to promote restful and detoxing sleep.

14 oz jar

Buy it here from Shaman Shack.

How Do I Get My Family To Go Raw?

I get this question in my email box so often I decided it was high time to write a blog post about it. I think it's great that so many moms out there are looking to improve their family's diet and I understand what a challenge it is to make changes when you're busy and not sure where to start. I hope the following recommendations are helpful but please feel free to chime in with comments. I'll update this post with feedback from any of you moms who have been successful at this and can offer additional tips.

First off, let me tell you how NOT to get your family on board. Make a proclamation like Moses on the mountain that the family is now officially raw and from here on in everything will be uncooked unless approved by mom. This will put fear and trembling in the heart of anyone within earshot so let's not go overboard here, OK? 100% raw diets are not the goal here, healthful eating is, so don't feel like if the Boutenko family did it you should be able to convert your family without a hitch, too. I believe the best way to change your family's diet is to do it:
*slowly
*with excitement
*and possibly without letting the other family members know what you're up to

1. For starters, add in raw and healthy foods gradually while crowding out the unhealthy junk.

2. Take the family to the farmer's market and let the kids pick out colorful fruits and vegetables that they would like to try.

3. Find recipes that are easy that kids can get involved in making. An internet search for "raw food for kids" will give you a plethora of websites. Here's an ebook to check out.

4. Plan ahead what you want to make for the week. Do the food shopping and make components like salad dressings, raw flax crackers, granolas, and snacks on the weekend when (if) you have more time. Make enough to last a couple weeks.

5. Don't put a lot of extra pressure on yourself just to be raw. Do your best and get the healthiest alternatives if you have to buy pre-packaged/prepared foods.

Here's a few ideas to get you going on your game plan.

RAW DESSERTS

Instead of saying, "Let's eat healthier!" say "Let's try some new, fun recipes!" For most, the word 'healthy' translates into 'not tasty'. If you've tried raw foods you know that it can be crazy delicious especially the desserts. Switching out processed sweets for raw desserts is easy and no one has to know the better. Get Jennifer Cornbleet's Raw for Dessert: Easy Delights for Everyonefor some easy recipe ideas. Raw mousse, brownies, apple cobblers are all really easy to make and don't require dehydration. My book Going Raw has some easy chocolate chip cookies, mousse, brownies and ice cream recipes as well. If you're too busy to make ice cream at least switch out the nasty dairy ice creams for coconut based ice creams like Coconut Bliss or Purely Delicious coconut ice creams. They are coming out with sugar free varieties made with stevia instead of agave that taste just as good as the leading dairy ice cream brands out there.

BREAKFAST

After you have the family hooked on raw desserts, move on to breakfast. I don't know who is going to turn down a luscious fruit smoothie for breakfast. I like them with almond milk or coconut water and handfuls of spinach and kale but maybe save the green smoothies for another day if you're just starting out. In the morning whip up a some seasonal fruit smoothies and add that into whatever your family's breakfast regimen is. Let the kids pick out their favorite fruits and allow them to make their own smoothies if they like. Down the road throw in a little spinach. It won't change the flavor but will add some great minerals, protein and chlorophyll. Also, throw in a little bit of fat like coconut oil, hemp seeds or avocado so you're satisfied longer. The best thing about smoothies is they're fast and easy to make and the combinations are endless.

If your family loves cereal and milk, you can substitute sugary processed cereal for your own homemade muesli. Here's the recipe from my book:

Muesli Bowl
Makes 8 servings

1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup shredded coconut
Dash of cinnamon

Sweeten to taste if needed or add sliced bananas, chopped apple or blueberries.

You can quadruple this recipe by combining all the dry ingredients and then store in a large container so it's ready to go all week long. If you have a dehydrator then I highly recommend my Maple-Pecan Granola from my book. It's high in protein and really satisfying.

For milk, I prefer to make my own nut milk by blending 4 cups water to 1 cup soaked raw almonds or Brazil nuts. Strain and then keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you don't have time to make your own, unsweetened organic almond milk from the health food store is still a good alternative.

Another good breakfast idea is chia pudding (see my book) or just a good old fruit salad with nuts and raisins thrown in.

Manna bread is great if your family likes bread or muffins. They're sprouted, yeast free loaves baked on the outside but still raw on the inside. The Cinnamon-Date manna bread tastes like the best bran muffin you've ever had. Unfortunately, they're not gluten free.

LUNCH/DINNER

In the warmer months it's a lot easier to get folks eating more salads because it's cooling and light. Instead of making salad just as a side dish though, make it the main course but add in some satiating ingredients like plump heirloom tomatoes, avocado, nuts or raw nut/seed pates, broccoli, fresh corn on the cob, or even some lightly cooked ingredients like blanched asparagus, baked root vegetables, squash, black beans, tempeh, quinoa, millet, or barley or wheat berries if you're not gluten intolerant. The Protein Crunch Mix from my book really hits the spot if you're a protein type like I am. A great raw dressing like garlic tahini or basil vinaigrette will tie it all together.

If you have a dehydrator, try making my raw Veggie Burgers. You can serve them wrapped in lettuce or on a sprouted bun with all the fixings. They keep very well in the refrigerator so you can double the recipe and have plenty on hand for a quick meal.

My wild rice recipes are great too if you have a dehydrator. Once you've soaked the rice overnight it doesn't take long to prepare a veggie rice pilaf or my Broccoli and Mushroom Wild Rice recipe.

Hearty recipes that don't require a dehydrator are zucchini pasta dishes, veggie sushi rolls and collard wraps. These are great for kids to get involved with as well. Soups are also really easy to make and enjoyable like my Creamy Tomato Basil soup and Cucumber Gazpacho, which is a favorite with my cousin and her three little girls. They loved it so much, they ate it everyday for two weeks weeks.

Collect some raw food recipe books for more ideas. My personal favorites are: I am Grateful, The Raw Food Revolution Diet, and Raw Food Made Easy because they're easy and all the recipes taste delicious. My favorite healthy cooked recipe books right now are Color Me Vegan, Vegan Table and Vegan Yum Yum. Also easy and with some rawish recipes. You can also find tons of free recipes online.

Do you have any tips to add to this? Would love to hear how you got your family to go more raw!

Healthy Heyday At My Book Release Party

Here's a post from my new friend, JodyLynn, who came to Au Lac Sunday night to celebrate the release of my book. Her blog Healthy Heyday is a great collection of healthy living and raw lifestyle. Check it out!

Going Raw with Judita Wignall (Raw Judita)
By JodyLynn, on May 2nd, 2011

Last night, the hubs and I went to Au Lac Restaurant to attend a quaint soiree for the book release of Raw Judita‘s new book “Going Raw.” I was extremely excited, first of all, to go to Au Lac (my most fave raw restaurant) and secondly, to finally meet Judita “live” in person. Since going raw in 2009, I have followed her blog, Raw Judita. This red-headed, red hot, raw food vixen is a soulful gem that exudes pure, raw, organic wholesomeness. Bluntly, she is absolutely gorgeous!

Judita and I

yum-deli-oh-ish-ous!

Entering the room, the vibe and energy made beautiful music together as they danced on my senses. The tone was set for a “rawsome” evening. Just as Judita promised there would be spinning beats (pretty cool tunes, I must say), samples to taste (and they were, oh, so yummy!), and her new book “Going Raw!” The samples, recipes from her book, were delicious! We sampled the Orange-Cranberry Oatmeal Scones, Trail Mix Energy Bars and Mexican Spiced Brownies. My favorite was the Mexican Spiced Brownies…do die for…I mean it – just shoot me! The book…well it should be wrapped and put on the top shelf just like Playgirl. Seriously, the book contains “food porn.” Not only are the recipes tantalizing to the taste buds, the photography is exquisite – true “eye candy.” The content of this book is lethal to your health…you must get it, read it and I guarantee you will live happily ever after! After perusing this 192 page treasure, which also comes with a bonus DVD featuring raw food kitchen skilled included, I was so inspired to try a new recipe, continue on my journey to eating “clean” and live my life deliciously. :-) Judita makes it easy peasy for anyone to delve into the “raw food world” without inhibitions only abandon…GO FOR IT! I am highly recommending this book to peeps that are curious about raw, wanting to add more veggies to their diet, and/or wanting to make a change in their lifestyle. Although I have been raw since 2009, I gained great ideas and knowledge from this well-thought out guideline to “eating well and being well!”

From rockstar to rawkstar, Judita is a model, actress and musician – as well as a Certified Associate Chef and Instructor AND a Certified Benefits of Raw Food Nutrition Educator. WOW! From whatever angle … creativity is flowing and glowing from this vibrant veggie vixen.

The hubs and I, as usual, savored our meal at Au Lac – so insanely delicious! As you can see, once again, I dove into my grub without taking a photo of it’s beautiful presentation. Not to fret, I got the last dregs of my Humanese Soup. This soup literally makes my innards sing! SOOOOOOO good! We devoured the Chimichurri bread – just melts in your mouth. We split the Chips and Salsa. Everything is raw, but tastes amazingly like cooked food. For our hour plus ride home we each ordered a drink – the hubs got the Chocoholic and I chose the Hawaiian Blend. yum. :-)

It was nice to mingle and talk to Judita and like minded peeps. I also got to meet Julie Morris. What a doll! Julie has a book coming out late spring called Superfood Cuisine. It is a definitive guide to cooking with superfoods. Can’t wait! :-)

As you can see I had quite the “rawsome” time…check back as my “rawsome” weekend continues.

xo

Lady Talk

A month ago I tweeted that I had picked up these magical feminine napkins at the Health Freedom Expo. I was so impressed with the claim that they ease menstrual discomfort I bought 4 packages. Well this past weekend I got to put them to the test and, sadly, they did nothing for the cramps, bloating, lower back pain, etc. But in their defense I think they are still a great product. Here's the lowdown from their Facebook page:

Discover our 7 layers of protection

- Premium soft cotton surface
- Soft leakage lock layer
- Super absorbent water retention layer
- Biodegradable polygel maximizes top surface dryness
- Breathable bottom layer helps eliminate excess moisture and heat
- Easy to peel back adhesive improves fit and comfort
- Anion core strip for menstrual discomfort relief (no relief for me, but maybe it will work for you)

I was told they are non-chlorine bleached and biodegradable and at $2 a package, I think they're a great value. Find out more at Empowerpads.com

A Spicy Twist On a Raw Favorite - Mexican Spiced Brownies

Here's a recipe from my book "Going Raw" that is one of my all time favorites. Unfortunately, a typo made it into the book that I wanted to let everyone be aware of. On page 134, I listed 3 tablespoons cinnamon while it should have only been 1 tablespoon. So in light of this blunder and in celebration of the release of my book, I think it's best to give the recipe away as a freebie. I apologize in advance to anyone who ends up makes this recipe with three tablespoons, but hey, at least cinnamon is good for your blood sugar levels which you'll need after diving into this sweet and spicy chocolaty goodness.

Mexican Spiced Brownies
Makes 12 to 16 servings

I’ve always loved spicy chocolate so I made this version with a bit of a kick. If you prefer less heat cut the cayenne by half. To make it kid friendly omit the cayenne all together.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Chill time: 1 to 2 hours

Brownie Base
4 cups walnuts*
2/3 cup raisins
2/3 cup Medjool dates
2/3 cup cacao powder
1 tablespoon Mexican (ceylon) cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons finely ground star anise
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
pinch of sea salt (optional)
2 tablespoons water

*preferably soaked 6-8 hours and dehydrated but not crucial

1. Place walnuts into a food processor and grind into the consistency of a meal. Don’t over process or it will release too much oil.

2. Add the raisins and dates and process until the mixture is well combined.

3. Add the cocoa powder, cinnamon, vanilla, star anise, cayenne and sea salt and process again until mixture is sticky yet still crumbly. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

4. Add the water and mix well using your hands. It should start to resemble a dough.

5. Press mixture into an 8 x 8 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper or plastic wrap.

Frosting
1/2 cup maple syrup or agave nectar
1/4 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid
2/3 cup cacao powder

1. Add maple syrup to the blender first followed by the coconut oil and cocoa powder. Blend well until smooth.

2. Spread topping over brownies and chill at least 1-2 hours.

3. Remove brownie by lifting up the parchment paper and slice into desired size pieces.

Store in the refrigerator for up to one week or in the freezer for one month.

Chef’s tip: Try substituting cayenne pepper with chipotle or ancho pepper for a whole new experience. Chipotle is smoky and spicy while ancho is mild and sweet. For a traditional brownie omit cayenne, anise and cinnamon.

For more great recipes check out my book Going Raw from Quarry Books!

Snack Attack!

I went to Expo West a couple weeks ago to check out the latest happenings in the health food world. Though I wouldn't say much of the food offerings were exactly health food, it's good to know there are a lot of companies who are at least making an effort in changing the Standard American dinner plate.

I didn't discover anything super innovative this year but the trend toward using stevia as a sugar substitute in products was definitely prevalent. NOW foods have really stepped it up on creating a non-bitter stevia liquid that is raising the bar across the board. So Delicious is coming out with a sugar free line of their coconut milk and coconut ice creams using stevia that were very, very good. I was blown away by how great their sugar-free ice cream was in particular.

After I made the rounds on the main floor of the expo I went down to the lower level (or 'hot new products' section) where my favorite raw companies were handing out delicious samples. I made a bee-line to Hail Merry, whose snacks I fell in love with last year, to see what was new for this year. Behold Merry's Myer Lemon Miracle Tart.

There are 3 servings in one tart. The "miracle" is not eating it all in one sitting.

This was sooooo goooood. Very tart and lemony, just the way I like, and has a creamy, melt in your mouth sort of cheesecake consistency. Very much like Earth Cafe desserts. It's incredible. The crust which is made of almond flour, coconut butter, palm sugar and sea salt is thick and buttery tasting. My husband and I had a fork sword fight over the last few morsels.

A couple other fun snacks new on the market were from Earthlings Organics who also make raw, vegan, gluten-free treats. I anxiously ripped open their chocolaty Vital Bites superfood cookies soon as I got home.

You had me at cacao.

These are really tasty, brownie type bites made of dates, almonds, coconut, cacao and mesquite. The label says "may contain immeasurable amounts of love and hard pieces." I only tasted the love.

I wasn't sure I'd like the Ceremonial Green Tea Matcha Bar as much as I did.

Made with coconut, almonds, pumpkin seeds, figs, agave, matcha (green tea) and lemon, it had a really nice crunch and texture. Not bitter at all from the matcha, I mostly picked up the coconut and lemon flavors. I liked that it wasn't too sweet and didn't taste like a typical dehydrated snack. This is something I would keep in my purse when I'm on the go.

For more snack ideas why not purchase my book Going Raw? I've got lots of fun snack recipes and more. Available May 1st, pre-order it here! www.rawjudita.com