Creamy Raw Sun-Dried Tomato Basil Sauce

At Sprouts Natural Market in Temecula (not to be confused with Sprouts Farmer's Market), they offer raw foods demos a few times a month. A few months ago, they featured this recipe that was simply delicious. The recipes that day were made using new raw products made from coconuts. The line is called Coconut Secrets. They have coconut nectar, coconut aminos (much like Bragg's) and coconut vinegar. I am sure that there are other that I am forgetting. Anyhow, I fell in love with this sauce when I sampled it at the store and finally made it myself just the other day and was reminded of how delicious it was. Here it is:

• 2/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/2 cup raw organic cashews
• 6-8 fresh basil leaves
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup coconut aminos
• juice of 2 lemons
• 1/4 cup coconut nectar
• 1 heaping tbsp chopped red onion
• 1 med size garlic clove
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp oregano
• black peppercorns and/or sea salt to top it off

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor.

This recipe makes a good amount.

With all the zucchini I've had in my garden this summer, I sliced one up like "noodles" with my mandolin and topped with this sauce. It can also be used as a dip. I used some yummy seed crackers to dip. Enjoy!

Fall Boot Camp Registration!

What is boot camp?

Boot camp is an hour long intense cardio and strength exercise circuit routine designed to meet the fitness needs of each individual. Boot camp workouts are efficient because you work your entire body-- heart and muscles--by going from one exercise to another with little to no rest. The workouts involve calisthenics like pushups, jumping jacks, crunches and other weighted and non-weighted exercises. Boot camp is appropriate for all levels of fitness. The difference lies in the intensity and effort you give it. In boot camp, your challenge is to take your body to its limit.

When: Fall classes will be held every Monday and Wednesday evening from 7:00-8:00 pm.(Class time may be adjusted slightly as it begins to get dark earlier.) First class is Monday, September 13 and the last class of the session is Wednesday, November 3.

Where: Harveston Community Park

Cost: $30 one time start up fee (which includes equipment fees, weight loss assessment, body analysis and recommendations) and $48 per month. For returning participants, the cost is $96 for 8 weeks of boot camp.

Payment options are as follows:

A) Pay start up fee and monthly fees up front and receive a discount. Price will be $120 ($6 discount) for 8 weeks of boot camp classes and weight loss monitoring.

B) Pay start up fee and first month ($78). October payment ($48) is due on October 4.

C) For returning participants, you can pay $96 up front or divide payment into two installments of $48 each.

Contact: For more information or to register, contact Stephanie Holloway at the Power to Do Group Fitness by calling (951) 541-8345 or thepowertodogroupfitness@hotmail.com

14 Days of Beauty: Day 14, The Legs

At some point today focus on your legs. Your legs ground you. Your legs are strong. Treat them with the respect that they deserve. Whether you give your legs a much needed toning workout, a soak in the bath, or a nice self-massage, pamper them today. Often we neglect this part of our body because and tend to hide them behind a pair of pants. Follow this routine today and you will be glad you did.

1. Perform a leg toning workout. Try squats, lunges, dead lifts, and/or calf-raises.

2. After your strength routine, soak your legs in a lavender salt bath. Lavender is soothing and salt draws toxins out of the skin.

3. Wrap your legs in towels that have been soaked in hot water.

4. Spray your legs with rose or lavender water.

4. Use coconut oil or any other natural oil and give your legs a little massage. Start at your ankles and massage in a small circular motion, working your way up to your thighs. Move back down to your ankles again and work in long upward strokes. Massage improves circulation and can smooth out cellulite.

5. Now put your feet up and elevate your legs. Rehydrate with a class of water with lemon and cucumber. Relax and last but not least: BREATHE! :)

14 Days of Beauty: Day 13, The Breath

I can't stress the importance of taking a few moments each day to focus on just breathing. Having been sick for the past five days for the first time in way over a year, I have been reminded to focus on the breath. Of course we do not need to focus on breathing in order to survive, but we want to do more than just merely survive. We want to shine. We want to be radiant. When we simply breathe to exist, we do not use the full capacity of our lungs. Our breathing is shallow and short. We breathe in this manner even when we exercise at a vigorous intensity. Take a few moments today and breathe deeply. Fill up your lungs to their full extent and exhale everything out; ridding your body of old stale air and toxins. Taking in more oxygen brings more oxygen to the blood and to the brain. The brain requires more oxygen than the other organs in your body. If it doesn't get a sufficient amount, the result is mental sluggishness, negative thoughts, depression and, eventually can affect the vision and hearing. Oxygen supply in our body declines as we age or if we live a poor unhealthy lifestyle. Oxygen is the most importnat, vital and essential nutrient in our bodies. It is vital for efficient functioning of the brain, nerves, glands and other internal organs. We can survive without food for weeks and without water for days, but without oxygen we will die within a few minutes.

Vist the following website and try breathing exercises listed here. Try to take the time each day to focus on the breath. This is the practice of pranayama in which you exercise breath control.

http://www.yogapranayama.net/

14 Days of Beauty: Day 12, The Stomach

We all want a beautiful stomach, right? Well we all can have one. Aside from keeping your skin nice through exfoliation and moisturizing, we also need to focus what is inside. Inside the core of our body is life. Many of our organs are encased in this area and just beneath the skin, we have muscles! We want to see those muscles. This takes focus and sculpting. First, we should talk about the importance of BMI and waist circumference. Carrying extra weight in your belly area can be dangerous and can put you at risk for heart conditions. For men, having a waist circumference of more than 40 and for women, having a waist circumference of more than 35 puts you at a high risk for serious conditions. What to do? First, you MUST watch what you eat. Losing weight is about cutting calories and committing to an exercise routine. However, more than 80% of your results come from how many calories you consume. I cannot stress this enough: Do not reward yourself with a giant piece of cake because you had a hard workout that day. This type of thinking must be reversed. Do not blow your hard work in a workout by eating badly.

Now back to having that beautiful stomach. In conjunction with a healthy diet and consistent cardiovascular exercise, the following routine done consistently will get you a beautiful stomach in no time. There is no equipment required....just floor space. How easy is that?

• Bicycle crunches Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Put your hands beside your head. Bring knees up to about 45- degree angle and slowly go through a bicycle pedal motion. Touch your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee. Keep even, relaxed breathing throughout.
  -Lie on the floor and lace your fingers behind your head.
  -Bring the knees in towards the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the floor without pulling on the neck.
  -Straighten the left leg out while simultaneously turning the upper body to the right, taking the left elbow towards the right knee.
  -Switch sides, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee.
  -Continue alternating sides in a pedaling motion for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.

• Vertical Leg Crunch
  -Lie on the floor and extend the legs straight up with knees crossed.
  -You can place your hands on the floor for support.
  -Contract the abs to lift the shoulder blades off the floor, as though reaching your chest towards your feet.
  -Keep the legs in a fixed position and imagine bringing your belly button towards your spine at the top of the movement.
  -Lower and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.

• Long Arm Crunch
  -Lie on a mat and extend the arms straight out behind the head with hands clasped, keeping the arms next to the ears.
  -Contract the abs and lift the shoulder blades off the floor.
  -Keep the arms straight and avoid straining the neck. If you feel neck pain, take one hand behind the head while keeping the other arm extended.
  -Lower and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.

• Reverse Crunch
  -Lie on the floor and place hands on the floor or behind the head.
  -Bring the knees in towards the chest until they're bent to 90 degrees, with feet together or crossed.
  -Contract the abs to curl the hips off the floor, reaching the legs up towards the ceiling.
  -Lower and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.
  -It's a very small movement, so try to use your abs to lift your hips rather than swinging your legs and creating momentum.

• Plank
  -Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor.
  -Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows.
  -Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.
  -Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominal to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air or sagging in the middle.
  -Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps.