Thursday 8/16/2007

Morning to everyone! Finally, the weather has cooled down into double digits - so I am in a good mood. You know, no matter what you eat when you don't have AC and the weather is too hot, you can't feel good. Note to self, next house must have AC!!! So, anyways, it's thursday which means only one more day of this week. So thrilled! We are having a yard sale this weekend so it should bring in a little more money and clear out our closets. My husband is a junk collector (although don't call it that to him in person) so we have too much stuff in the house. So glad he agreed to getting things out and selling everything. Yay! I am not much of a duster, so I am glad to get rid of things. Materialistic things just do nothing for me, they are just something that I have to dust. haha

On food, we are having a little time lately getting good fruits and vegetables. The weather has been really hot and humid - which means bad crops. So, we haven't been eating the best lately because there are just not enough options that are tasty. In fact, we have tried to eat a few different kinds of fruit this last week and just threw it away. Now, I am a frugal person so this isn't something that we do often. So disappointing. Plus, there is only so many nuts cheeze one person can eat. We are pushing on those and trying to find some new ideas. We are thinking about getting the "Raw Food" uncooking book to get more recipes. I'll let you know what we decide. :)

2 Fantastic Raw Foods!

Two very special ingredients to a raw foodists:

1. Raw Pumpkin Seeds: These have been studied by scientists all around the world and the results were astonishing. They found that these little guys actually helps aid against prostate cancer!!!

2. Oat Groats: As many of you already know, oatmeal that we as humans generally eat everyday are not on the raw food diet. Many people are confused about this realization though. It is a fact that oats are heated above the 105 degree temperature to remove the husks from the oats. These heated oats are called "rolling oats". The oats that anyone can eat while on the raw food diet are called "oat groats". Oat groats are actually the whole oat and no heating has been performed on this natural fiber. It is essential that the body gets fiber to get everything regular, and these oat groats are the perfect source!

We purchased these two bags for less than $3.00 at a little Mennonite Grocery Store in the country. We were amazed to find these two little fantastic finds and for a very low price!!! Saving money while eating raw just means you have to look around more before you start purchasing. There are cheap locations or there are more expensive ones, just look around for the best prices!

Tuesday 8/14

As each day passes, it is just another step towards my inner health and mental stability goal. Eating raw is not just about eating healthy foods, it is about fueling the body to get the optimum energy as possible. In addition, essential vitamins help to support not only the body but also the mind. There have been cases that were studied when a person eating SAD has drastically changed attitudes after starting the raw food diet. Therefore, each day I try to think about how healthy I feel compared to the previous days in addition to how I feel mentally. I realized that yesterday I ate 100% raw food and today I open up feeling wonderful, even though I got only a few hours of sleep. Getting back to a healthy lifestyle is so important and my entire body and soul are enriched by it.

Fuel for thought: Does your current diet distract your mind from your religion?

Living Pasta w/ Olives & Tahini Sauce

Lately I have been getting a lot of recipes from goneraw.com since real raw foodists love to help others like me out. This one was created by a wonderful buffalorising raw vegan. It tastes wonderful. It almost tastes like alfredo sauce! Yummy!!! (sorry, I was so hungry I forget to get a picture... I will make it again and add one for you.)

Ingredients

• 1 zucchini, sliced thin (we sliced ours with a peeler to make flat pasta)
• 1 summer squash, sliced thin
• 1 head broccoli florets, chopped
• raw olives, sliced
• ½ cup tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 lemon

Preparation

Prepare zucchini and squash to look like pasta. Sprinkle with olives and broccoli. In a cup, mix tahini, garlic, lemon juice and salt. Pour sauce over pasta and enjoy in a warm sunny spot.

Falafel Balls Recipe

This is another great recipe that I got from goneraw.com. It is posted by earthintruder.

This is an image of the balls after they were created. There is a little olive juice on the plate, looks rather gross but that is all it was...
This is a view of the falafel balls on a collard leave - eaten like a taco! Yum!!!

Ingredients

• 2 cups sunflower seeds, unsoaked
• 1 cup corriander, chopped (we used only about 2 tbsp)
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• couple pieces onion
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• squeeze of lemon
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 pinch sea salt
• cucumbers, sliced
  
• carrots, sliced
• olives, sliced
• mung bean sprouts
• collard leaves
  

Preparation

In a blender, Grind sunflower seeds into fine powder first. Soaking these seeds would be best, but you don’t have to. Then just add all other ingredients. Sometimes I add bellpepper, carrots; just whatever I have on hand.

I like to put these in a large collard leaf and stuff it with raw olives, cucumber, red onion, tomatoes, shredded carrots, and beets. Then top it off with tahini dressing mixed with dill and lemon. Its SOO delicious! yummy!

Tahini Carrot Salad Recipe

This has to be a favorite of my own recipes. It is simple and contains all the ingredients that all raw vegans should have in their kitchens. This stays fresh in the fridge for about three days in total. We ate it just as a side dish and then we had it on plain salad the next day. It doesn't require salad dressing!!

Ingredients
2 carrots, shredded
1/2 small onion, shredded
1 cup lettuce, shredded
1/4 cup craisins or raisins
Sesame seeds

Sauce
2 tbsp tahini
1 mini lime, squeezed with a little lime zest on top
1 tbsp dill

Mix the sauce into a small bowl. Add more lime juice if needed to make it creamy. Mix all ingredients, including the sauce, together in a medium bowl. Sprinkle with sesame seeds for calcium! It should look almost like the traditional SAD diet's cole slaw. Enjoy!

Tahini Carrot Salad Photos

On Friday, my husband and I were really hungry and there was nothing in the house. We purchase groceries on Saturday so we were a little lacking in the food department. I created this new recipe that I have coined Tahini Carrot Salad, original hunh? haha

Raw Tea

After going raw vegan, I really missed my hot tea throughout the day. Right now it is in the summer, so it isn't that much of a problem. But on those cold mornings, I still crave warm tea. So, I purchase organically grown tea that can be drunk cold or warm. I like to warm some filtered water to 105 degrees and drink the tea that way. No, it isn't as hot as I would like it however it tastes wonderful and it is all natural! Here are two selections that I really enjoy.



Now, the first container is actually from China however can be purchased in some Chinese stores. It does come in a cute metal can which can be used for other uses around the house. We store dried herbs in it, like mints and lavender. By reusing the can, we found that our dried mints actually start tasting like the original tea! The second selection is called Yogi Tea which has now gone organic. It contains fragments of goji berries and traditional green tea leaves. Yum! Sometimes you just need a little tea to get through the day!

Food for Thought

A Large part about being a raw vegan is turning earth friendly. Therefore, my husband and I try to be as green as possible. It is sometimes more expensive however we feel that we are setting a great example for others while also making a better place for our children in the future. So, we try to purchase as much locally grown produce that choose organic farming methods of farming.
We like to decorate our house with edible, delicious produce instead of plastic items that will never reach our landfills.
In addition, we like to grow our own produce as much as our garden can contain. We also like to dry our herbs and spices to make sure we can last through the harsh winter months without purchasing anything from the store.

This also means dried flowers to go around the house for decoration.

Blueberry Porridge Recipe

This is a fantastically easy and inexpensive recipe for a raw breakfast.

Ingredients
1/2 cup frozen blueberries (we freeze our own however store selection is okay)
1 ripe banana
1/4 cup crasins (these are just sun-dried cranberries)
1/2 cup chopped up buckwheat, soaked overnight

Directions
Blend everything together in the whirlpool and enjoy! It turns out a wonderful redish/purple. It is sweet and perfect! In the winter, try placing this over the stove-top until 105 degrees. Basically I just place my finger in it and if it is warm, it is ready.

Blueberry Porridge Photos

Since we get very bored with breakfast, I always try to mix things up a bit. Sure, shakes are my favorite however in the Midwest, fruits are very minimal at times between harvests. So, here is a wonderful breakfast porridge that anyone can create at home.


This is what it looked like going into the whirlpool!This is what it looked like coming out! It is a gorgeous red color!

Zucchini & Mushroom Lasagna Recipe

This recipe was taken from goneraw.com, thanks minibeast. When we chose to create our masterpiece, we make a tower for looks instead of the traditional look. It tastes the same, just takes a few extra minutes. We did enjoy this recipe however we felt that next time we would cut the seed paste in 1/4. We thought it tasted best without much on it.

Ingredients

• 1 zucchini
• 1 cup cashews
• ½ lemon
• 1 dash pepper
• 1 dash sea salt
• 1 sprinkle basil (I used dried, but if you have fresh, I'm sure that would taste better!)
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1½ tablespoons nama shoyu
• 1 squirt agave nectar

Preparation

1. Slice the zucchini thin (this will be your noodles) and put it aside in a soak of warm salt water.

2. Throw your cashews, the juice of the half lemon, a dash of pepper, a dash of sea salt, and a sprinkle of basil in a food processor. Pulse a few times, while slowly adding a few spoonfuls of water, until it’s about the consistency of ricotta cheese. Taste it, and add more salt/pepper/basil to your taste.

3. In a small bowl, whisk with a fork the sesame oil, nama shoyu, and a generous squirt of agave nectar. Add the mushrooms, and toss to coat.

4. To layer the lasagna, lay some zucchini flat on a plate, spread on some of the nut cheese, and then a layer of mushrooms. I made two servings with this recipe, each had three layers.

5. Eat!

Zucchini & Mushroom Lasagna Photos

So, my husband was thinking that he could really go for some good Raw Lasagna. So, as good raw foodists, we went and made a raw selection - without the guilt like cooked varieties.


Here is a shot of the mushrooms that we used - just regular old mushrooms from the grocery store. Usually we would use a Japanese mushroom such as Shitake however the store didn't have any for some reason... These worked fine though.
Here are all the ingredients to make the lasagna - it's very inexpensive! Note: we buy our olive oil in bulk - so the one we used was cold-pressed, not colavita.

This is the final photo - it looks wonderful. This photo was taken with my cell phone so it isn't very clear - sorry.

A side view. Again, it looked much better in person. Yum!

Fresh Italian Wrap Recipe

Nope, I didn't forget about placing the recipe up here. Just wanted to make you hungry first...

For the Wrap
Collard Greens
Italian Green Olives, sliced
Cilantro, chopped
Basil, chopped
Sundried Tomatoes, chopped
Sprouts (any of your choice, I used Mung Bean Sprouts)
Green Onions, minced
Avocado, diced
Tomatoes, diced

Sunflower Cheeze Sauce
1/2 Cup Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup Soy Sauce
3-4 Cloves Garlic
2 Cups Ground Sunflower Seeds

To make Cheeze, place all ingredients in a blender on high until smooth.

To Assemble
Place the collard leave on a plate. Spread a little of the cheeze on the bottom and throw tons of delicious toppings on as possible. Eat like a taco!

Fresh Italian Wrap Photos

These wraps were created by Matt Amsden and seen on The G Living Network. They are wonderfully tasty!!! We ate them two weeks ago and then had to have them again the next week.

This is the basic topping selection that was placed on our table. We had a movie night, so these were perfect to just set out and make something when we were hungry. Yum!!!

So, after I had finished nippling on all the different topping, I placed a little of each on a Collard Wrap. You can eat it like a taco.
This is just a side view of the entire Italian Wrap. The only thing to be careful of is to not place too much on the collard leave - it is hard to put in your mouth. haha

Monday 8/13 Food Supply

After a very short weekend, Monday has come around the corner once again. It seems like ever since my husband and I started to do house repair work, the weekends never seem long enough. Last weekend we painted our garage door and window. At first it doesn't sound like a lot of work but after seeing the condition the garage was in, we knew it was going to take awhile. We live in a house that is over 70 years old, so repairs are a bit longer than in a newer house. But, who can complain about the unique old-fashioned house architecture! This weekend we chose to repaint some decorative fencing that is on top of our roof. It is almost like a "fake" porch in a way - with white fencing on top. Anyways, it was a lot of work. We have one more section to go and two more porches to do.

But, you aren't here to hear about our painting work I am sure. :) So, after our Saturday full of painting our house, we went to a great concert. It was a big band that plays every week at a Chicago's oldest Jazz Bar. It was held in a location that holds a few gardens, so it was beautiful! The best part was walking through the gardens and seeing all the trees, shrubs and flowers in their natural state. We got some great ideas for our own personal garden! Plus, I made a great Japanese bento!!! Most of it was raw however some of it was vegan only. I forgot to take pictures though, sorry. :(

Coming up next are a few recipes that I really enjoy to make with photos!!

Head Spinning Blueberry Shake

This morning we had a wonderful blueberry shake that I thought everyone should try at least once! It is sweet but is 100% natural and contains essential nutrients to get you through the day.

1 cup blueberries
seven ice cubes
1 banana
1 cup spinach
1 squirt agave nectar

Blend everything together and drink with a large straw. We like to use "bubble tea" sized straws. They are extra large and can be purchased at any Chinese store for about $1 per 20.

Wednesday Aug 8, 2007

I have been so busy lately, it is crazy. I work from home so one would think I would have more time than working out of the house, that is not true though. Anyways, I am writing now so I do not feel as bad. I have been really busy trying to get some new recipes in our household to change things up a little. Fruit is getting more expensive, due to it going out of season. So, I have had to start making food again instead of just eating an entire watermelon. I guess it is better though to assure I get all my nutrients. So the next few posts are going to be pictures and recipes. Enjoy!

Friday August 3, 2007

Angel thinking in our garden this morning

Yeah! It is finally Friday - this week has been a hard one for me since I was sick. Finally I am feeling much better, with a slight nose issue. I am drinking lots of water and hoping my raw vegan diet is going to succeed this bad case that I have had most recently. I am positive though so I am sure it will work. It's better than taking chemical based drugs! Then again everything...

So, anyways, today is Friday and I am really looking forward to the weekend. Tomorrow morning is our neighborhood farmers' market - that means good food is coming our way! Once a person becomes more involved with healthy eating, helping support the local farmers' is a major part of life. Plus, the food is usually much better since most products are 100% organic! Yum! In addition, supporting local farmer's keep the economy thriving and protects overproduction of mass produced marketplaces such as Wal-Mart.

Today, as I stated I am feeling a ton better... Last night I cracked open a watermelon and ate about half of it for dinner. There is nothing like fresh farm grown watermelon. We like the sweet variety that almost looks black on the outside - I would suggest it to anyone. Plus there are almost no seeds. Right now they are in season for the Midwest so it is the perfect time to feast on them. The season will be over soon and apple season will be coming around the corner, so take advantage now.

My husband and I cheated on our raw vegan diet though for lunch. We had pasta (the Italian kind with the whole through the center and looks like spaghetti) with sun-dried tomatoes, onions, purple cabbage, fresh herbs and some sea salt. Yum!!! It was the best! Oh, and we crumbled a little Gorgonzola cheese on top. I am addicted to cheese, after growing up near a cow farm, so I could never 100% give up cheese. Moderation is the key though I think. I think there is a lot of confusion though on the idea of cow milk. Not all farmers' have machines to milk the cow and not all over feed to produce milk. If machines are not used for milking cows, it does not hurt the animal. In addition, if a cow was not milked, it would not live a healthy life. I suggest if you are going to cheat on cheese to look into the cow farm before purchasing your cheese. Look for a good one!

Tonight I believe I will feast on watermelon again and my husband will eat a "loaded" salad with raw carob brownies that I made the other day. We love those!

I'm a Farmer, kinda...

Since my husband and I have purchased a house we have been dabbling with a little farming. When I say farming, I mean we grow a few vegetables, which we are very proud of at the moment. There is nothing like growing one's own fruits and vegetables and then placing it on the table. Yum! Here are some photos of our treasures:


Tomatoes:
Yellow Peppers:
Peas:
Lettuce: We aren't sure what happened to the poor Bibb Lettuce. We were told we had to it out however we aren't sure what that means. If anyone has any idea, share please!!!

Thursday August 2

Can you believe it is already August 2!! I am so amazed, time just flies when you are busy. Since I started to work from home, I think time has started in doubletime instead of standard 4/4. Sorry, music education is coming out in me for some reason. Hmm.. That brings to mind my trumpet, maybe I should start playing it again. Used to be one of the best, now I am lazy and haven't taken the time to pick up the trumpet for a while, except to move it from one room to another. haha

Anyways, yesterday I was really sick. I think my illness was from taking too much medicine all at once. The other day I explained that I was having issues with my sinuses at night. So, I started to take a decongestant in the morning (since I can't breath when I wake up) and then I took a sinus/allergy pill at night before bedtime. I am not a medicine pill popper, so even though these pills are all over the counter, I still felt very bad. I am not sure if it was the medicine or just my body using all my energy to fight off my sickness with sinus issues.

As I was sitting on the sofa I decided that I was not going to waste my time with medicine. That is exactly what I did, stopped everything. I feel better today so I am hoping that my issues are gone. I did wake up with a slight nose issue however that will hopefully purge from my body also. I am relying on tons of water and healthy food to heal my body at this moment. I am impatient to feel better however I am going to try to wait this thing out. The living energy food that I am taking should help out immensely. I will keep everyone updated.

As promised, I took some photos the other night of the Italian Wraps that I was making at home. I took the photos from my cell phone, so the pixels aren't very clear. Here they are:

The Italian Wraps were delicious! If you want the recipe, leave me a message and I will gladly send it over. It is amazing!!