In December 2004, I got my first raw food book called "Raw: The Uncook Book: New Vegetarian Food for Life"  by Juliano Brotman.  In the next few years I purchased seemingly every raw food cookbook that came out.  I followed a combination of the raw food diet, specific carbohydrate diet (SCD), and the paleo diet for several years losing a total of 20 pounds and feeling great.  People would tell me, "You look healthy."  I haven't heard that comment in 3 years.  From 2009 forward, after several extremely stressful events in my life and tired of deprivation, I diverted from that way of life. I would like to try to incorporate more of those recipes back into my life.  I guess as far as food and diets goes though, I'm a commitment-phobe.  The second I say I'm going to go all raw, I will zip over to a cheese frenzy (and not a raw cheese one!).  Perhaps John Mellencamp put it best in his song, "Between A Laugh And A Tear,"  "I know there's a balance see it when I swing past."  John wasn't applying his lyrics to a steady path between denial and overindulgence in terms of food, but there you go.  You never know where you'll find your lessons.

Anyway, let's just say in the culinary beauty of life, I will try it all.  Julia Child, if you lived a few days before your 92nd birthday eating cream and butter and sugar--all in moderation--and enjoying life without restrictions, then I think you are the model to follow.  So today just happens to be a raw food offering.  Enjoy!

Ani Phyo is one of my favorite raw food authors with "Ani's Raw Food Kitchen" being at the top.  Here's my variation of her "Very Blueberry Smoothie" from that book.

3 cups water
2 cups of a combination of frozen blueberries and bing cherries
1/2 c. walnuts
1/2 of a date and walnut bar (only contains dates/walnuts/and crisped rice)  no gluten
2 T. organic coconut oil
1 vanilla bean