Mayor Bloomberg wants all New Yorkers to eat less salt, thereby asking the restaurant industry to lower their salt usage. Wanna know what I think? Eat at home more! Make food yourselves! You have all the control over your diet this way. Have to eat out 3 meals a day 7 days a week? Well, besides there being much wrong with this lifestyle you also have no control over what goes into your body. However, order green salads with olive oil and vinegar, no added salt. In all the restaurants I've worked in, which tally over a dozen, any chef is willing to make a low-sodium meal upon request. Pretty soon, New Yorkers will be hand-fed tablespoons of mysterious green goo, if Bloomberg gets his way.
Stand up for yourselves and eat responsibly.
Showing posts with label Diet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Diet. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Heard on the radio
The secret is out of the bag. Vegetarianism helps the planet!
On NPR today, just in time for the glutinous holidays, an impressive chunk of time was devoted to a show about vegetarianism, health and global warming. The segment was called, Healthy Planet, Healthy People, and focused on how what is good for the planet is actually good for us too. They discuss how going vegetarian is the easiest thing you can do to counteract global warming. At least on privately-funded radio we can still seek the truth. I hope they do this every Sunday.
Included in the segment are interviews with vegetarians and their personal experience as to why they chose that path. Even though animal cruelty is a big motivator for some of us, sometimes health and science are also factors. It's interesting to hear other points of view and a wide range of topics all converging around my favorite subject: Vegetarianism. The show also offers advice to those who are interested in changing their eating habits, so I recommend it to newbies. I must add my two cents, however. They recommend taking it slow, like cut out bacon this month, sausage the next, and so on 'til you're meat free. I recommend cold tofurky. I understand maybe eliminating red meat, then chicken and fish, and perhaps that might be an option for you, but try to nip that bad habit in the bud and just end your relationship with the burger. Meat will probably end up grossing you out before you know it anyway.
Think about what you eat this Thursday on Thanksgiving, and bring a veg option to dinner, just in case. Remember, Mother Earth will thank you.
On NPR today, just in time for the glutinous holidays, an impressive chunk of time was devoted to a show about vegetarianism, health and global warming. The segment was called, Healthy Planet, Healthy People, and focused on how what is good for the planet is actually good for us too. They discuss how going vegetarian is the easiest thing you can do to counteract global warming. At least on privately-funded radio we can still seek the truth. I hope they do this every Sunday.
Included in the segment are interviews with vegetarians and their personal experience as to why they chose that path. Even though animal cruelty is a big motivator for some of us, sometimes health and science are also factors. It's interesting to hear other points of view and a wide range of topics all converging around my favorite subject: Vegetarianism. The show also offers advice to those who are interested in changing their eating habits, so I recommend it to newbies. I must add my two cents, however. They recommend taking it slow, like cut out bacon this month, sausage the next, and so on 'til you're meat free. I recommend cold tofurky. I understand maybe eliminating red meat, then chicken and fish, and perhaps that might be an option for you, but try to nip that bad habit in the bud and just end your relationship with the burger. Meat will probably end up grossing you out before you know it anyway.
Think about what you eat this Thursday on Thanksgiving, and bring a veg option to dinner, just in case. Remember, Mother Earth will thank you.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
I have to admit, Barbara Kingsolver was one of my favorite authors for a long time, so when her most-recent book, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle was loaned to me by an Epicurean co-worker, I dove in, ravenous for what she had to offer.
The premise of the book is a hot topic in today's' green-minded culture. Eat local, eat only what you can raise yourself or what's in season, and relish the treasures of your community. Kingsolver and her clan moved to the Southern portion of the Appalachian Mountains with the goal of raising her family on the fruits of the land. She is not a vegetarian and I cringed when I read the part about her raising her own turkeys for food, but I'm also inclined to doff my hat to her; that she can raise her own food and feed her family. She is adamant about the sources of other meats, insisting on locally, grass-fed varieties, so that's all I'm going to mention about the meat-eating, but still, her approach is a noble one, ensuring that at least the animals she does consume, led a decent life eating good food too!
I haven't finished the book yet, but I am already under the influence. For years I tried to eat locally, (I think it's called macro-biotic), and with the exception of bananas or citrus fruit, managed to subsist fairly well. Today, I know a lot more than I did then.
Now, when I go to Whole Foods, because the farmer's markets have ended for the year, I scan the tags looking for locally grown food. Tomatoes, forget about it. The closest tomato I can find is shipped from Florida. Luckily I still have some growing on my back porch, but I've harvested the last few before the frost and dread life without tomatoes. Avocados? Lettuce? It all comes from California, and this is Kingsolver's main contention. We've been spoiled by luxurious produce shipped from all over the world, oblivious as to what the cost on our environment is. I spotted these lovely oranges that looked great for juicing, bu when I saw they were from South Africa, I quietly passed them by. Kingsolver, equates calories with gas mileage, and in one instance, says that eating an apple from Washington State for someone on the East Coast is similar to driving 3 hours to walk 3 miles on a treadmill. Kind of counter-productive. In a time when global warming is directly linked to issues such as these, I want to take my part in this mission and try not to eat something, just because it's exotic, looks delicious or I need it for my recipe. Chances are that that red, delicious apple, might not taste as tasty as it looks. My boyfriend thinks I'm crazy, but I put my foot down at unnecessary items that have been shipped across the ocean.
For a raw foodist like myself, it is especially difficult. We subsist on nuts, that are primarily grown in places like Thailand, and while I grapple with that issue, I must remember to choose other items that haven't travelled as far for the rest of the meal.
Right now, I'm really digging squash, all types, simply steamed and topped with my own fresh-grown parsley. You can also make a nice squash mash, with steamed squash processed with olive oil and herbs. In the northeast, pickings are slim, but this is also the time of year when home-cooked foods, like root vegetables and onions can make a great meal. Stews really benefit from local produce. Can't live without that avocado? Well neither can I, but at least if we take small steps in passing by those delicious fruits from South Africa, we are making a difference.
The premise of the book is a hot topic in today's' green-minded culture. Eat local, eat only what you can raise yourself or what's in season, and relish the treasures of your community. Kingsolver and her clan moved to the Southern portion of the Appalachian Mountains with the goal of raising her family on the fruits of the land. She is not a vegetarian and I cringed when I read the part about her raising her own turkeys for food, but I'm also inclined to doff my hat to her; that she can raise her own food and feed her family. She is adamant about the sources of other meats, insisting on locally, grass-fed varieties, so that's all I'm going to mention about the meat-eating, but still, her approach is a noble one, ensuring that at least the animals she does consume, led a decent life eating good food too!
I haven't finished the book yet, but I am already under the influence. For years I tried to eat locally, (I think it's called macro-biotic), and with the exception of bananas or citrus fruit, managed to subsist fairly well. Today, I know a lot more than I did then.
Now, when I go to Whole Foods, because the farmer's markets have ended for the year, I scan the tags looking for locally grown food. Tomatoes, forget about it. The closest tomato I can find is shipped from Florida. Luckily I still have some growing on my back porch, but I've harvested the last few before the frost and dread life without tomatoes. Avocados? Lettuce? It all comes from California, and this is Kingsolver's main contention. We've been spoiled by luxurious produce shipped from all over the world, oblivious as to what the cost on our environment is. I spotted these lovely oranges that looked great for juicing, bu when I saw they were from South Africa, I quietly passed them by. Kingsolver, equates calories with gas mileage, and in one instance, says that eating an apple from Washington State for someone on the East Coast is similar to driving 3 hours to walk 3 miles on a treadmill. Kind of counter-productive. In a time when global warming is directly linked to issues such as these, I want to take my part in this mission and try not to eat something, just because it's exotic, looks delicious or I need it for my recipe. Chances are that that red, delicious apple, might not taste as tasty as it looks. My boyfriend thinks I'm crazy, but I put my foot down at unnecessary items that have been shipped across the ocean.
For a raw foodist like myself, it is especially difficult. We subsist on nuts, that are primarily grown in places like Thailand, and while I grapple with that issue, I must remember to choose other items that haven't travelled as far for the rest of the meal.
Right now, I'm really digging squash, all types, simply steamed and topped with my own fresh-grown parsley. You can also make a nice squash mash, with steamed squash processed with olive oil and herbs. In the northeast, pickings are slim, but this is also the time of year when home-cooked foods, like root vegetables and onions can make a great meal. Stews really benefit from local produce. Can't live without that avocado? Well neither can I, but at least if we take small steps in passing by those delicious fruits from South Africa, we are making a difference.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
For the Love of Raw
I've begun a new blog, to replace Wandering Cup and to embrace the raw foods lifestyle that has taken over my brain. It's unfair to bog down this blog with all things raw, so I deemed it best to begin again with a new scope in mind. If you are interested in raw foods, please join me at For the Love of Raw. Recipes, reviews, insights and observations coming soon to a blog near you.
Monday, June 23, 2008
it ain't easy bein green part II
I went raw in April. It's been a full two months, I've lost fifteen pounds, can finally wear a bikini after 32 years of life, have boundless energy, glow like a Mohegan sunset blah blah blah. People notice, they say stuff, like, "you are glowing", "you look amazing", and wow! I didn't expect eating living foods to impact my life so dramatically, that it would affect so intrinsically, the way I look, the way I feel and the way I live.
Going raw has impacted the amount of trash we produce. Eating only bulk nuts and produce, we soon realized that we buy hardly any packaged foods! After about a month, we are one less bag of trash per week. If I didn't have a tiny fire escape in place of a backyard, I'd probably be composting. But here in the inner city, the squirrels and pigeons would soon mess that up, let alone complaints from my neighbors. That doesn't stop me from growing herbs, tomatoes and peppers in my limited space.
OK, so you ask, what is the hard part? It is simply being able to interact with human society. Limiting what foods you eat, first as vegetarians, next as vegans and now as a rawist, I'm about as far out there as possible. (I guess there are fruitarians, but I'm not going there anytime soon.)
I find that I avoid going out to dinner with friends, or insist on Japanese or a place where I know I can eat things that are good quality.
For my birthday a few weeks ago, I couldn't avoid dining out and opted for Japanese both times. At least there I can have miso, seaweeds and salad. Both times, though, I sacrificed a little of my ethics and chowed down on avocado rolls. The rice was surprisingly OK for my tummy, though later I regretted eating off my diet. In retrospect, however, I think I would skip the rice, ask if they can roll a roll sans rice, or just order another salad and hang in there.
I also ate at Horizons, the local vegan restaurant in Philly. My friend, while chowing down on tofu asked why I don't eat it, "is it because it's so processed?", she asked. I didn't want to get into a conversation about processed foods while she was eating a processed food, so I nodded and continued to eat my raw avocado-cucumber soup and chopped spinach salad.
The big deal is summer barbeques. I can't manage, never really enjoyed, the smell of charred meat wafting in my hair, my clothes, making me smell like a bloody steak. It's become so bad that often, even on the most mild of days, when there is a BBQ in my neighborhood I am forced to close my windows and put on the air conditioning to keep the offensive smell out of my home. This year, I've been invited to a pig roast and part of me wanted to say I was insulted that I'd be invited to a party where a pig is roasting on a spit over a flame. Needless to say, I politely declined, despite the fact that we are guaranteed a meat-free grill. I just can't be a part of this All-American tradition of eating roasted meat in the summer. Going raw has cemented this fact, and I simply choose to not take part.
My friends, I'm sure, find me a drag. I wonder if I'm just not invited out because I'm so difficult. I often wonder if they discuss what a downer I am, and I'm getting insulted at people's comments about my weight loss. People think because I found a successful diet that keeps weight down, keeps me healthy, that I'm a target for derogatory comments about the way I eat.
I say fuck 'em.
This weekend a trip to Atlantic City was preceeded by about an hour of prepping foods for the trip. A simple Almond pate, leaves of romaine, fresh tomato, avocodo and sprouts yeilded enough food to keep us sated for the day, along with fresh fruits, coconut water and a raw trail mix. Later in the evening, hunger struck, but luckily we were able to eat Japanese, yet again, subsiting on seaweed salad and miso, ending up happy and full. Earlier in the day we were foiled by buying smoothies off the boardwalk, finding that the peaches had been canned in a sugary syrup, making my smoothie inedible. Ew, did I just eat high-fructose corn syrup? We add sugar to everything in America, even the most perfect fruit, which should be relativly easy to obtain in fresh state this time of year in New Jersey. My new way of looking at things...if you want something done right, do it yourself.
It's been a learning process and I love preparing foods at home with my partner. We've grown together as part of this new lifestyle and I woudln't change it for the world. Now, will the rest of the world please wake up!
Going raw has impacted the amount of trash we produce. Eating only bulk nuts and produce, we soon realized that we buy hardly any packaged foods! After about a month, we are one less bag of trash per week. If I didn't have a tiny fire escape in place of a backyard, I'd probably be composting. But here in the inner city, the squirrels and pigeons would soon mess that up, let alone complaints from my neighbors. That doesn't stop me from growing herbs, tomatoes and peppers in my limited space.
OK, so you ask, what is the hard part? It is simply being able to interact with human society. Limiting what foods you eat, first as vegetarians, next as vegans and now as a rawist, I'm about as far out there as possible. (I guess there are fruitarians, but I'm not going there anytime soon.)
I find that I avoid going out to dinner with friends, or insist on Japanese or a place where I know I can eat things that are good quality.
For my birthday a few weeks ago, I couldn't avoid dining out and opted for Japanese both times. At least there I can have miso, seaweeds and salad. Both times, though, I sacrificed a little of my ethics and chowed down on avocado rolls. The rice was surprisingly OK for my tummy, though later I regretted eating off my diet. In retrospect, however, I think I would skip the rice, ask if they can roll a roll sans rice, or just order another salad and hang in there.
I also ate at Horizons, the local vegan restaurant in Philly. My friend, while chowing down on tofu asked why I don't eat it, "is it because it's so processed?", she asked. I didn't want to get into a conversation about processed foods while she was eating a processed food, so I nodded and continued to eat my raw avocado-cucumber soup and chopped spinach salad.
The big deal is summer barbeques. I can't manage, never really enjoyed, the smell of charred meat wafting in my hair, my clothes, making me smell like a bloody steak. It's become so bad that often, even on the most mild of days, when there is a BBQ in my neighborhood I am forced to close my windows and put on the air conditioning to keep the offensive smell out of my home. This year, I've been invited to a pig roast and part of me wanted to say I was insulted that I'd be invited to a party where a pig is roasting on a spit over a flame. Needless to say, I politely declined, despite the fact that we are guaranteed a meat-free grill. I just can't be a part of this All-American tradition of eating roasted meat in the summer. Going raw has cemented this fact, and I simply choose to not take part.
My friends, I'm sure, find me a drag. I wonder if I'm just not invited out because I'm so difficult. I often wonder if they discuss what a downer I am, and I'm getting insulted at people's comments about my weight loss. People think because I found a successful diet that keeps weight down, keeps me healthy, that I'm a target for derogatory comments about the way I eat.
I say fuck 'em.
This weekend a trip to Atlantic City was preceeded by about an hour of prepping foods for the trip. A simple Almond pate, leaves of romaine, fresh tomato, avocodo and sprouts yeilded enough food to keep us sated for the day, along with fresh fruits, coconut water and a raw trail mix. Later in the evening, hunger struck, but luckily we were able to eat Japanese, yet again, subsiting on seaweed salad and miso, ending up happy and full. Earlier in the day we were foiled by buying smoothies off the boardwalk, finding that the peaches had been canned in a sugary syrup, making my smoothie inedible. Ew, did I just eat high-fructose corn syrup? We add sugar to everything in America, even the most perfect fruit, which should be relativly easy to obtain in fresh state this time of year in New Jersey. My new way of looking at things...if you want something done right, do it yourself.
It's been a learning process and I love preparing foods at home with my partner. We've grown together as part of this new lifestyle and I woudln't change it for the world. Now, will the rest of the world please wake up!
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
The Mad Cowboy
Howard Lyman, the former cattle-rancher turned vegetarian who is probably best known for getting Oprah to say she'll never eat another burger, was on Coast to Coast Saturday night, http://www.coasttocoastam.com/shows/2008/05/18.html, discussing the USDA's new bill, The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act and Mad Cow disease in America. Mad Cow and avian bird flu loom as some of the biggest threats to mankind and unbeknownst to us, our government is turning a blind eye to the situation and keeping their fingers crossed. Makes you feel safe, right?Haven't eaten meat in a decade and think you're in the clear? Hungry yet? Mad Cow can incubate in your system for years! By now, most of us know that animals prepared for human consumption are more than likely injected with hormones, coated with chemicals., mishandled, deprived of necessary sunlight and pastures and possibly diseased. Lymnam's interview goes into much much more and I urge you to take a listen.
As a seasoned vegan I know damn well what happens to cows in slaughterhouses and on dairy farms and that's one of the biggest reasons why I don't eat meat. For Howard Lymnan, a fourth-generation cattle rancher who got a tumor after pouring chemicals on the backs of cows, he is vegetarian for the plain reason that humans in general have to much protein, cholesterol and fat in their diet, coupled with the insider knowledge of what, exactly, goes into our food supply. Coast to Coast is on late at night, but that didn't stop me from staying up into the wee hours entranced by his tales of truth and horror.
The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act was put in effect in order to place stricter penalties on those who try to discourage others from the consumption of animal products. Because Animal Rights activists serve as bigger threats than other terrorists? uhhmm ...But even if you speak the truth?
Can't get Coast to Coast? then check out the Lymans' website: www.madcowboy.com
As a seasoned vegan I know damn well what happens to cows in slaughterhouses and on dairy farms and that's one of the biggest reasons why I don't eat meat. For Howard Lymnan, a fourth-generation cattle rancher who got a tumor after pouring chemicals on the backs of cows, he is vegetarian for the plain reason that humans in general have to much protein, cholesterol and fat in their diet, coupled with the insider knowledge of what, exactly, goes into our food supply. Coast to Coast is on late at night, but that didn't stop me from staying up into the wee hours entranced by his tales of truth and horror.
The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act was put in effect in order to place stricter penalties on those who try to discourage others from the consumption of animal products. Because Animal Rights activists serve as bigger threats than other terrorists? uhhmm ...But even if you speak the truth?
Can't get Coast to Coast? then check out the Lymans' website: www.madcowboy.com
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Gwyneth Relates
Remember a few years ago when Gwyneth Paltrow came out and openly admitted she was macrobiotic? (ahh the horrors!) Remember when she had the Chinese Cupping all down her back with an-open backed dress? (I've done it, it's awesome and I can totally understand why she wanted to show that off, that's a lot of stagnation!)
Well, Gwyneth has long been viewed as kind of an enigma in Hollywood, she's a bit quirky a bit off, kind of new age, experimental and eats weird stuff. Well, not anymore, Gwyneth has returned to eating fish and dairy and admits she has unhealthy vices. Read the article here: http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20200197,00.html?xid=rss-topheadlines
I'm kind of disappointed. I can take or leave most of her movies, though I liked Sliding Doors and Sylvia, she really stood out as someone in Hollywood that didn't give a shit, someone I could relate to, not that I'd given it much thought beyond today, someone kind of in tune with herself. I think it's because she had kids. Kids change people, they tend to eat more sugar and more junk food, in general, I mean I don't have statistics to back it up, but it's a well-founded theory based on the vast array of parents I've come to know over the years. A dietary observation, if you will.
Anyway Gwyneth shows off that she's normal, kind of, in this article and I'm really disappointed that she eats dairy.
Well, Gwyneth has long been viewed as kind of an enigma in Hollywood, she's a bit quirky a bit off, kind of new age, experimental and eats weird stuff. Well, not anymore, Gwyneth has returned to eating fish and dairy and admits she has unhealthy vices. Read the article here: http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20200197,00.html?xid=rss-topheadlines
I'm kind of disappointed. I can take or leave most of her movies, though I liked Sliding Doors and Sylvia, she really stood out as someone in Hollywood that didn't give a shit, someone I could relate to, not that I'd given it much thought beyond today, someone kind of in tune with herself. I think it's because she had kids. Kids change people, they tend to eat more sugar and more junk food, in general, I mean I don't have statistics to back it up, but it's a well-founded theory based on the vast array of parents I've come to know over the years. A dietary observation, if you will.
Anyway Gwyneth shows off that she's normal, kind of, in this article and I'm really disappointed that she eats dairy.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Going Raw
About two months ago, my boyfriend surprised me with the purchase of about 5 raw food cookbooks. I wasn't sold on the whole raw idea, since having eaten at a few strictly raw restaurants in the past, while my taste buds were impressed, my stomach, the following few days was a mess. Nevertheless, my interest was piqued. I know, I know, the raw food craze hit years ago, but I never said I was one to follow fads. Being a vegetarian for over 10 years, a vegan for almost 3, going raw seems like a natural progression.
I'd given up fried foods over two years ago, with the very very occasional indulgence. I make the effort to incorporate a salad with every meal, something I learned from my mother and have carried with me for life. I add fresh fruit to every breakfast. Keeping those ideals in minds, the transition to raw is easy!
At first, I curled up each night with a new book, reading the recipes, swallowing advice, trying out salads and other simple, basic recipes, all the while becoming really intimidated. Eating raw food seems expensive! You need a good food processor, a high-powered blender, a food dehydrator, sprouters, and a juicer. All in all expect to drop about $1000 to truly benefit from raw food and start living with ease. I found it extremely difficult to practice raw food living without any major kitchen appliances other than my dilapidated old blender, so the first big purchase I made was a decent food processor. I cannot tell you how much easier it all became. I also bought a sprouting jar, (or you could just put cheesecloth over an existing jar) and before you know it, you'll be munching on your very own fresh sprouts that you can add to salads and wraps! It's easy and fun to watch them grow.
I've been living pretty healthy for a while, so the transition for me was pretty easy. Every day or so, I'd wander into the grocery store and stock up on a few more items from the bulk section; almonds, cashews, dates, unsulphered dried fruits and raw nut butters and before you know it, I had a pretty well-stocked pantry. Going raw means I had to give up a lot of my favorite foods: rice, grains, peanut butter, noodles but I also discovered that I got to keep a lot of familiar foods around, like miso, steamed greens, raw nut butters, and off course nuts, fruits and vegetables.
Tofu, I learned, is highly processed and hasn't been fitting into my life style for a while, so giving that up was a snap. Besides being highly processed, soy is also one of the largest commercially grown crops around and if not organic, you are literally welcoming pesticides into your body. No thanks! Most raw foodies say that tempeh (organic) is okay, on occasion, because, it's fermented whole soy beans with some enzymes preserved. Steam it lightly for easy digestibility. Although I hardly ever go out to dinner anymore, I know that I can choose tempeh and feel pretty good about my choice.
I would say I'm at about 80% raw right now. I'm waiting for my dehydrator to be delivered as I write, and that should open up another door. It's nearly impossible to make breads without the dehydrator, so for sandwiches, everything is raw but the wrap.
So far I've made my all-time favorite Kale Salad (watch for recipe later this week, it's too delicious not to share), A sausage-like pate made with fennel and sunflower seeds, (I can't get enough, makes great sandwiches and tastes amazing), beanless hummus, a strawberry pie with raw almond crust and cashew lemon creme (helloooo!), Broccoli mashed 'potatoes' with miso gravy, the list goes on. Making raw food is trial and error too, expect to be disappointed until you get it down. I made a raw cous-cous out of cauliflower and couldn't even eat it, I added too much lemon and ruined it. Last night I added hemp oil to my favorite Kale Salad and had to fight off a gag-reflex (hemp oil is fishy to me and I never liked seafood). Raw garlic can be a shock to your system, so you might want to cut the amount to a quarter of the recommended serving.
I thought it would be expensive, keeping all these nuts and seeds on hand, but its really not, you just have to learn to anticipate what you'll be eating later in the week and learn to plan a little bit better. I haven't had too much difficulty throwing together a last-minute meal with a well-stocked pantry.
Watch for more stories as I delve further into my foray with raw foods.
I'd given up fried foods over two years ago, with the very very occasional indulgence. I make the effort to incorporate a salad with every meal, something I learned from my mother and have carried with me for life. I add fresh fruit to every breakfast. Keeping those ideals in minds, the transition to raw is easy!
At first, I curled up each night with a new book, reading the recipes, swallowing advice, trying out salads and other simple, basic recipes, all the while becoming really intimidated. Eating raw food seems expensive! You need a good food processor, a high-powered blender, a food dehydrator, sprouters, and a juicer. All in all expect to drop about $1000 to truly benefit from raw food and start living with ease. I found it extremely difficult to practice raw food living without any major kitchen appliances other than my dilapidated old blender, so the first big purchase I made was a decent food processor. I cannot tell you how much easier it all became. I also bought a sprouting jar, (or you could just put cheesecloth over an existing jar) and before you know it, you'll be munching on your very own fresh sprouts that you can add to salads and wraps! It's easy and fun to watch them grow.
I've been living pretty healthy for a while, so the transition for me was pretty easy. Every day or so, I'd wander into the grocery store and stock up on a few more items from the bulk section; almonds, cashews, dates, unsulphered dried fruits and raw nut butters and before you know it, I had a pretty well-stocked pantry. Going raw means I had to give up a lot of my favorite foods: rice, grains, peanut butter, noodles but I also discovered that I got to keep a lot of familiar foods around, like miso, steamed greens, raw nut butters, and off course nuts, fruits and vegetables.
Tofu, I learned, is highly processed and hasn't been fitting into my life style for a while, so giving that up was a snap. Besides being highly processed, soy is also one of the largest commercially grown crops around and if not organic, you are literally welcoming pesticides into your body. No thanks! Most raw foodies say that tempeh (organic) is okay, on occasion, because, it's fermented whole soy beans with some enzymes preserved. Steam it lightly for easy digestibility. Although I hardly ever go out to dinner anymore, I know that I can choose tempeh and feel pretty good about my choice.
I would say I'm at about 80% raw right now. I'm waiting for my dehydrator to be delivered as I write, and that should open up another door. It's nearly impossible to make breads without the dehydrator, so for sandwiches, everything is raw but the wrap.
So far I've made my all-time favorite Kale Salad (watch for recipe later this week, it's too delicious not to share), A sausage-like pate made with fennel and sunflower seeds, (I can't get enough, makes great sandwiches and tastes amazing), beanless hummus, a strawberry pie with raw almond crust and cashew lemon creme (helloooo!), Broccoli mashed 'potatoes' with miso gravy, the list goes on. Making raw food is trial and error too, expect to be disappointed until you get it down. I made a raw cous-cous out of cauliflower and couldn't even eat it, I added too much lemon and ruined it. Last night I added hemp oil to my favorite Kale Salad and had to fight off a gag-reflex (hemp oil is fishy to me and I never liked seafood). Raw garlic can be a shock to your system, so you might want to cut the amount to a quarter of the recommended serving.
I thought it would be expensive, keeping all these nuts and seeds on hand, but its really not, you just have to learn to anticipate what you'll be eating later in the week and learn to plan a little bit better. I haven't had too much difficulty throwing together a last-minute meal with a well-stocked pantry.
Watch for more stories as I delve further into my foray with raw foods.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Yogurt, enzymes and BIG COW!
Have you noticed lately, how yogurt is being marketed to young women to aid digestion? Yogurt provides live enzymes that help to digest food and provide healthy flora in your digestive tract. Even Silk Yogurt, a vegan brand, has jumped on the bandwagon, touting live cultures to aid digestion.
You know what else has live enzymes? Nearly every raw food and vegetable. Sprouts, nuts and raw fruit and vegetables can provide that same ease to your digestion that over-processed dairy and soy-based foods can. Squeezing lemon in your water every morning or putting a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in water, with a little agave syrup can perform the same function. Eating chewable papaya enzynme tablets is a yummy, (note the word usage) cheap way to add enzymes to your diet.
This over-saturation of the dairy section in your grocery store, with brands like Activa and Nutriva, whatever, are merely ploys to get people to eat MORE dairy. Wake up people! Instead of having a salad with fresh veggies, indulge in an over-processed, sugary snack that will help you to digest even more dairy. Go figure. Are people too lazy to eat fresh foods, opting for conveneince? Well, in America yes. If it's on TV it must be good for you.
You know what else has live enzymes? Nearly every raw food and vegetable. Sprouts, nuts and raw fruit and vegetables can provide that same ease to your digestion that over-processed dairy and soy-based foods can. Squeezing lemon in your water every morning or putting a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in water, with a little agave syrup can perform the same function. Eating chewable papaya enzynme tablets is a yummy, (note the word usage) cheap way to add enzymes to your diet.
This over-saturation of the dairy section in your grocery store, with brands like Activa and Nutriva, whatever, are merely ploys to get people to eat MORE dairy. Wake up people! Instead of having a salad with fresh veggies, indulge in an over-processed, sugary snack that will help you to digest even more dairy. Go figure. Are people too lazy to eat fresh foods, opting for conveneince? Well, in America yes. If it's on TV it must be good for you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
