SUMMER’S CAP BEAUTY PANTRY POST
Summer Sanders love for food and plant wisdom runs deep. She's the founder of a high vibrational superfood cafe and cold-pressed juice bar, Local Juicery, located amongst the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona. Summer has studied the relationship between whole foods and health through various angles within her roles as a Certified Raw Food Chef, Holistic Health Coach, Sports Nutrition Specialist and personal trainer. Her blog, Strong + Radiant, showcases her expertise and offer viewers a variety of plant based recipes, inspiring reads from those in her community and plenty of health and fitness support.
What is your food philosophy?
Food is energy, it’s information and it holds unique vibrations and I truly believe that where we are emotionally while preparing food has so much to do with how it’s enjoyed and assimilated into the body, we can infuse our food with love and good healing energy. I believe it’s important to really develop a relationship with your food, taking time to prepare it, paying attention to the unique properties of the produce, knowing when it’s ready to be consumed, or when it needs another day in the sun… I think knowing our food on this level can really be a wonderful benefit to our health and keep us really engaged in what and when we’re eating.
I think Mother Nature did it right, there is no need to majorly intervene with her masterpieces. I love lots of raw plant based foods, a ton of veggies and herbs, broths, veggie soups, greens as often as possible, and non sweet or very lightly sweet cold-pressed green juices. I use collagen protein, pasture raised local eggs and grass fed butter, but rarely eat animal products other than these. I always buy organic, and as local as possible. I love to indulge in pleasure foods here and there so I loosely follow the 80/20 rule. I don’t bulk shop for produce, I like to buy what I need the day I’m using it… I actually really enjoy the market and grocery store experience. I try to soak any grains or seeds we eat.
I also deeply feel that when offered a meal from a gracious host it’s important to show gratitude even if the foods served maybe are not in your normal routine. It’s important in my life to not become so restrictive or dogmatic that I can’t enjoy a meal that’s served to me in the home of a friend or host. I experienced this in Mexico in 2013, I was a raw foodist and very into my ways, we went to a small village with our friend who was hosting us and a dear family friend of his served us a home cooked meal in their very humble home, I could sense they had given us the best of what they had and they didn’t have much. I had to get over myself and my “diet”. I’m so glad I did because the deep love and connectedness that I felt at the meal left a lasting impression.