Vampire Repellant Pizza

aka The 50 Garlic Clove Pizza

Last night, Evan's months-long dream finally materialized in this pizza. I had my doubts, but honestly it might have been the best pizza we've ever made. It goes without saying that anyone who plans on kissing anyone else in the house should be on board with eating it. Your house will smell, maybe for days, as will your person. I honestly feel sorry for the people who will be practicing yoga next to Evan this morning. We will be opening windows today to air out.

As with many of my culinary successes, this pizza's life started

with a Cook's Illustrated consultation. In this case, the crust and the basic sauce were taken from their Thin-Crust Pizza recipe.

There are two biggest contributions to pizza-dom it offers is a dough that ferments for 3 days and the cooking technique that involves moving the baking stone to the top shelf of the oven set at the highest temperature. But any favorite crust recipe would work.

Evan started separating the garlic on Friday and sort of overdid it, ending up with 106 cloves that filled a 4 cup measure. As much as he wanted to try to use them all, I think 50 is about the right number as too much more weight on the crust would have resulted in topping overload and a flimsy base. As part of the deal for me to make this, Evan and Ian were in charge of garlic peeling.

I put about 12 crushed cloves into a half cup portion of the basic sauce.

I roasted 2 dozen, working half of those into the dough as I rolled it. I would skip this step next time because it compromised the dough's integrity and didn't add anything flavor-wise. The remainder of the roasted garlic was put on top of the pizza that had already been covered with sauce, grated parmesan, and homemade mozzarella. Using roasted cloves was critical to forcing in every flavor of garlic possible. It really made a difference in the end product.

Using an neat little tool I picked up from Pampered Chef, the remaining cloves were sliced into paper thin wisps. Some of these were placed on top of the pizza in their raw state. Next, the pie was placed in the screaming hot oven to bake.

I sauteed the remainder of the paper thin garlic VERY gently in roasted garlic infused olive oil (just because I happened to have it to use up, regular olive oil would have sufficed.) I salted moderately at the sautee step and at the end. In order to taste the garlic, there must be salt.

After the garlic had turned a very slight golden color I drained it and patted

it dry. This left me with slightly crunchy, slightly sweet little garlic crisps that I topped the pizza with when it emerged from the oven. I gave it a sprinkle of basil and the 50 garlic pizza was done. It was even better with bit of crushed red pepper flake. The garlic was prominent but not burning or raw while covering the full spectrum of flavor. Anyone who really enjoys garlic will love it, as will anyone who really doesn't like other people standing too close.

I also made a regular mushroom/pepper pizza as well as a Gluten Free one using almond flour. The GF was okay, but honestly some things just can't be done justice without wheat and pizza crust is one of them.

Mozzarella!

I am so ridiculously excited that I just made my own mozzarella. I finally got around to reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (Barbara Kingslover) which has been on my book list for a long time. It's interesting, and while I thoroughly respect her 1 year local eating adventure, I simply couldn't live without fresh produce in the winter. But she inspired me, not only to focus more on buying local ingredients when possible, but also to make cheese. That process had been simmering in the back of my mind for a while, but it seemed now was the time to try it. In typical Renee fashion, aka impulsive, I ordered a $70 cheese making kit from the The New England Cheesemaking Supply Company. With dreams of aging my own cheddar, I chatted about how I was embarking on this new culinary adventure with my friend Naomi (bread baker extraordinaire) who promptly tossed me her leftover rennet and citric acid from her brief interest in the activity. Excitedly I began reading Home Cheesemaking book and quickly became intimidated. The process sounded daunting, with lots of caring for cultures and other unfamiliar things. I lost my nerve. I contemplated it for 2 days and decided to return the kit for a full refund. Now was not the time for me to receive the lesson of cheese-making. I would try the simplest cheese, mozzarella. Judging from the plethora of failures I read about online I figured that cheese alone would take several attempts to master.

I picked up a gallon of raw milk from the local farm. Armed with my donated rennet and citric acid, I followed simple online instructions for making the mozzarella.

It started with adding the acid, gently heating the milk, then removing from the heat and adding the rennet. This is the time it forms a curd. Mine looked different than the picture in the instructions. More lumpy like cottage cheese, hers looked smooth like pudding. Right here I thought I was going to be throwing out the batch. But I pressed on...

See, my curds looked scary BUT reminiscent of mozzarella so I kept the hope alive.

I drained my curd and then for kicks because my goal was shred-worthy mozzarella, I squeezed as much water out as possible while waiting for some clean water to boil.

Now here is the fun part because its like playing with grown-up playdough. Armed with rubber gloves, you submerge the ball of curds into 175 degree water and work it in and the stuff starts getting soft. At this time you pull it and knead it like bread until it becomes smooth and elastic. Re-dipping it in the hot water when it needs to be loosened.

And then you get.....

A beautiful 12 oz braid (or ball) of shiny mozzarella. Right before the last stretch and shape I added a tsp of sea salt to work into it. So now it is happily soaking in a salty whey brine in the fridge as it awaits its final destiny as the topping of Evan's 50 (or 104) garlic clove pizza tonight. It was so fun, easy, and satisfying to make. Now maybe I need to go re-order that advanced cheesemaking kit....

Coconut Lime Tart

This was an experimental mish mosh of two recipes plus my own ideas with pretty nice results for a 'not-too-sweet' gluten-free dessert. I chose to change the lemon curd recipe to lime to follow a mexi-cali inspired dinner of spicy Tortilla soup and a California chopped salad with grilled shrimp. Probably would have made more sense to take a picture of the pie before I cut it, but didn't think of it.

Crust:

Pre-heat oven to 350.

In food processor combine:

3/4 cup of blanched almond flour

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Pulse to combine.

Gentle melt over low heat:

1/4 cup coconut oil

Then mix the coconut oil with

1 TBSP agave nectar and

1 tsp vanilla extract.*

If the mixture seems too oily you could add more flour. Either almond, or if you have it coconut flour to get it to a press-able texture, much like a wet graham cracker crust mix.

Then press into a tart or pie pan. Bake until golden about 7-12 minutes. Then cool.

Filling:

In a double boiler over gently simmering water place:

6 TBSP butter

1/2 cup honey

When well combine mix in:

4 large eggs, beaten, stirring constantly.

Then add:

1/2 cup lime juice (about 4)

Grated zest from 4 limes

Continue stirring until mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. (like when making pudding). This can take up to 30 minutes.

Pour filling into crust and chill.

Garnish with fresh whipped cream.

*I just started making my own vanilla extract by placing 6 vanilla beans in a quart of vodka and letting it steep for a month. Theoretically this can be kept going indefinitely by adding more beans and vodka.

Mixology 101

This week I did something different with my juicing. Instead of making up 3 days worth of juices already mixed, I made up pure juices and kept them separate, so I can mix them myself during the day.  First were the base flavors from foods that produce a lot of juice to serve as the "backdrop" to whatever flavors I wanted to add.  I did a large bottle of apple and I had a large bottle of orange and a large bottle of coconut water. I also did two small bottles as the star greens,  one small bottle of parsley juice (about 4 large bunches) and one spice jar size of kale (1 bunch).  This way I can mix as I go depending on what I want and Ian can always have plain fresh apple available.  Though I do find the apple is super strong at full potency so I dilute his by half with water.  He is a purist and not interested in green juice unless its in my glass and I ask him not to drink it....which I do purposely. Kids. 

I had read something that reminded me that iron can only be absorbed in conjunction with Vitamin C and that parsley is very rich in iron, so I thought...parsley and orange...it was delicious!  This morning is apple, coconut water, kale with a twist of lime.  

In the future I could see having one of the base flavors be tomato, cucumber, carrots, or pineapple. With small shot sizes of cilantro,  peppers, celery, and beet.  The possibilities are endless.

I heard, or read, to use a green juice base as the start of a smoothie. I haven't tried this yet, but I am not a fan of thick chewy smoothies, so I think this would lighten up a green smoothie to a place where I might enjoy it.  We'll see..

I am not a fan of commitment or structure and I find that some juice goes to waste if I have the flavors pre-mixed because I am just not in the mood for the same thing I was 2 days before when I made it.  I can mix as I go and have my own personal raw juice bar at my disposal, without having to lug out the juicer every day and deal with the clean up.  Works for me!

A word about juicers...

My first juicer was a Breville Juice Fountain. It is moderately priced, works quickly, juices large pieces of fruit without cutting, and has a relatively quick and easy clean up. This is the juicer I recommend to people starting out and wanting to see if they will enjoy juicing.  It is a centrifugal juicer, so a grater blade rips and shreds the incoming food and the centrifugal action flings the pulp out one side into a waiting container and the juice pours forth from the other.  Most of the lower models of juicer work this way, but they either don't work well, require you to cut the fruit into tiny pieces or clean-up is such a hassle you won't ever want to juice.  The Breville juices VERY quickly, which is nice.  The downsides to this type of juicer is that the pulp is still wet so there is some waste of potential juice and the action of the juicer produces a lot of heat and introduces oxygen which denatures the enzymes so this is a juice that you should ideally plan to drink immediately. Oh, and it sounds like a helicopter is about to land in your kitchen. I have used the well known Jack LaLanne Juicer and found it very cumbersome and a pain to clean.  After 1 year my Breville stopped working and I had gotten what I had wanted to from it and knew I wanted a higher model.  Breville very promptly replaced my juicer and gave me a new one, which I turned around and sold on craigslist to put towards a higher model.  In the interim, I juiced with my Vitamix, which offers the same speed and enzyme destroying oxygen introducing problem as the Breville but it worked for the short term. In the vitamix, I just made an ungodly thick smoothie out of whatever I wanted, poured it all into a nut milk bag and squeeze the juice from the pulp.  By the way, all the pulp from any juicer gets fed to our dogs who have been thriving on 100% raw food since 2001, so none is ever really wasted. Rinds and peels go into the compost. 

I currently have 2 juicers.  After almost a year of Vitamix style juice that progressed to not bothering to juice, I got a GreenStar juicer. This one works by twin gears (with teeth) slowly grinding the food, pushing the very dry pulp out one spout and dripping juice into a waiting glass.  This one does not heat the fruits and veggies in any way, exposes it to very little oxygen so the juices last longer and taste better; up to 3 days in the fridge when properly stored.  The clean up is slightly more labor intensive than the Breville ,but not significantly, and I now only use it 2-3 times a week instead of daily.  Oh and it's quiet!  The GreenStar also can grind nutbutters and makes 'n'ice cream too.  I couldn't be happier with this purchase.  It's only downside is if I am out of juice and am running out the door and want something, it isn't a zippy process.

My second juicer is the Juiceman Jr. I picked up at a yard sale for $3.00, missing the food pusher part that I need to order.  It is your basic centrifugal juicer like the Breville only with less parts.  I picked it up thinking it would go in the RV or I'd pass it on to a friend who wanted to try juicing for a time to see if they like it. I tried it out and it is super fast and easy to clean. So its great for needing something quick while running out the door.  

Here are some of my favorite juices, please feel free to post your favorite combos. I am always looking for new ideas.

Apple/Kale/Lime

Tomato/Red Pepper/Carrot/Parsley/Onion/Garlic with smoked salt and cayenne (V8!)

Pineapple/Lime/Cilantro

Cucumber/Parsley/Spinach/Celery/Lime/Lemon

Apple/Cucumber/Lime

Apple/Carrot/Ginger - This one is a classic and Evan's favorite.

The Monarchs in Mystic

I was so excited to attend a talk by "celebs" in the raw food world, Matt Monarch and Angela Stokes Monarch.  Both have followed individual paths into raw foodism that ultimately crossed and culminated in their recent marriage.  Matt Monarch has been nourished by a raw vegan diet for 11 years and travels to share his experience with this diet. His business is Raw Food World, a website containing all your raw food culinary needs. Sometimes, he has some good sales going and it is worth being on his mailing list for the coupon codes.  His new bride Angela Stokes has a very well publicized story of her impressive weight loss (160 in 2 years) and physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual transformation.  She gained her following in the blogosphere and has since published several pamphlet style books and at least two real ones. They both create a show on Youtube about healthy raw living. 

The evening was coordinated by our local raw foodie community organizer, Gina. The evening began with a scrumptious dinner of pate stuffed tomato, kale salad, and onion bread.  The ladies of Citrus Juice Bar and Cafe in Mystic did a lovely job pulling it all together.  The small space was filled, about 30 people were there.  The Monarchs arrived, we all sat and watched them unload their merchandise and chatted until it was time for the talk to start.  I sat next to Gina's dad and raw food author, Frank Ferendo, with whom I have developed a friendly relationship via our blogs and on Facebook.  He is the author of the book Reasonably Raw, which is available through amazon.com.  I have browsed this book and would recommend it to anyone who is curious about the lifestyles and the reasoning behind it.

Frank's most recent blog post on the Monarch's visit was very amusing and offered a glimpse of his experience having these raw celebs stay in his house.  However, I am compelled to comment on some of his observations and offer a bit of a different take on the evening.  Please stop here and read Frank's post on this because he sums up the content which I am not going to repeat here in full.  

Back to our Sunday evening talk...

I have not read Matt Monarch's book. My impression of him prior to meeting him was that he was a simple guy, maybe a surfer,  from CA who happened into this lifestyle and shares what he has learned along the way.  I've never been blown away by his information, but I like his website for ordering products.  Hearing him talk, pretty much left me with the same impression, except dial it up to full-on CA frat-boy surfer dude. That's not a bad thing at all, but for me it did not serve the spiritual message he was trying to impart. I respect that he makes absolutely no claim of being an expert on anything except his own personal experience. He does share some gems if you can hang in there and listen for the inspirational nuggets between product placement and high colonics.    Personally I would like to see him tune into the audience a bit more.  A room full of newer raw foodies and the rawcurious, might benefit from hearing colonics exist once or twice, but it is a big leap for someone coming off a standard cooked food to want to go get their insides professionally Roto-Rootered once a month.  I've been in this lifestyle for 2 years and I personally am not interested in hearing a 30 minute focused sermon on the importance of colonics, let alone locating, traveling to, and shelling out for such a service.  I see the potential benefit in removing the decades of mucoid waste we've accumulated and how that might help some people but the whole time we heard about Matt's intestinal sludge I was empathizing with those people in the room who might have been hearing about this for the first time.

Another main focus of Matt's talk was the progression of a cleaner and cleaner diet to the point of ultimately becoming a breatharian, someone who lives on only air, sunshine and universal energy.  This isn't the very first time I have heard Breatharianism but I have yet to come up with an ACTUAL Breatharian to read about in cyberspace.  They are a bit like the Loch Ness Monster; existing primarily in theory and imagination. I am certainly not closed off to possibility, but at this time it is not on my bucket list to become one. The human being is an amazing creature and I can imagine a being so evolved and tuned into G*d and Universal Energy enabling them to subsist on simply fresh air and sunshine. It is a beautiful, but esoteric, concept. I envision this would be a state achieved by someone on a deeply spiritual life path, perhaps a Buddhist monk.   I think most of us can agree no matter our religious tradition that people like Jesus Christ, Buddha, Ghandi, and presently the Dali Lama or Thich, Nhat Hanh are rather highly evolved spiritual teachers. We study their lives, their teachings and emulate them.  These are some of the most highly regarded spiritual leaders of our past and present and as far as I know none of them aspired to be a Breatharian, so for me this is more a hypothetical state of nirvana than a tangible, useful concept. 

Matt did talk about his products and while I am not offended by the idea that the Monarchs did a talk and sold products from said talk, I was sort of turned off by his self stated "extremism" and pushing of certain products and superfoods. Extremism, in and of itself, is unhealthy. If you self-identify as an extremist, then to me that says, "I am unhealthy. I am not balanced. I do not feel good about my choices."  This is different than someone PERCEIVING what you do as extreme as I am sure many people think what I do is extreme.  And that is a subtle but key difference. Being in spiritual alignment with your choices are a key to healthy living, someone else's judgements of what you do are of no consequence. That's their stuff. But to say "I am an extremist"  invalidates the message.  He illustrated how extreme he is by repeating it several times.

 I understand the Superfood concept, thanks in great part to Gina and lots of reading.  There  is a place for some Superfoods if you gain benefit from them.  I am not averse to trying something here and there and seeing if its worth incorporating into my diet. However, I have noticed that within the Superfood movement there are members whose energy is that of a drug addict.  The desire to take something in powdered or pill form in high quantities or just a lot of different ones seems excessive sometimes and it is that energy that turns me off.   I'm all for filling in an obvious nutritional gap or solving a health challenge or imbalance nutritionally, but popping and pushing pills, powders and tinctures is a real turn off.   The raw food movement would serve society by helping people discover the tremendous benefits of raw food in and of itself.   Recipes, tastings, success stories, acceptance, open-ness, and love, that is what inspires people to make healthy choices for themselves.  

The Monarchs brought the contents of their warehouse with them for sale. I admire that they are living freely, traveling, and funding that travel with these personal appearances and product sales.  Anyone who makes a living doing what they love and believe in, serves the greater good.  It was a LOT of stuff for a small space.  They sold a lot of it too.  They have a good thing going. Very smart. Free from the rat race, I can totally get on board with that. 

After Matt's talk, came a short break for shopping and chatting  I asked Matt a few questions about a product he was selling.  I will admit that this was more to see if he was as  "connected" he as he claimed.  I had a strong sense of disconnection from him even though his words were all about being spiritually evolved.   His words conflicted with his being.  He didn't look like the glowing, centered person that I had thought he would.  Maybe it was shyness, maybe he was distracted because their vehicle was towed, but if there was any word I would use to describe Matt it would be DISconnected.   This was disappointing.  He had spoken for a while about his very recent recovery from an intense case of canine scabies he contracted when he rescued some puppies from Mexico.  Instead of pharmaceuticals he chose to use some of his superfood products and supplements in high doses. This coupled with the description of his ongoing bowel cleansing leads me to believe he is currently undergoing an intense detox and healing crisis. Suffice it to say, maybe he just wasn't himself.  We all have off days, nights....weeks sometimes.   

And then came a breath of fresh air.  Every woman is a Goddess, but the woman in raw food worthy of the title Raw Food Goddess, is Mrs. Monarch, Angela Stokes.    Open, sweet, witty, lovely, a ray of sunshiney "good" vibes, Angela delivered in 10-fold.  Her personality really came through during her brief talk on her journey since becoming raw and the unfolding of her life.  She was a charismatic speaker and very funny.  I think the whole room was captivated by her.  It is pretty obvious when someone eminates light and love.  People are drawn to these beacons in our life and Angela delivers this in her talk.  She spoke about her state of being at 300 lbs and how she transformed physically, mentally, and emotionally.  She spoke from the heart. She didn't spend much time on any particular product, just a few common sense ideas.  For example, how easy it is to sprout seeds and how this old school raw food technique needs a revival.  She spoke a bit about her new book Raw Emotions, and I think she sold out her stock of them while she was speaking. People were jumping up to grab their copy off the shelf, myself included.  She was a real person and a beautiful example of what can be achieved with a clean diet.  I went to this event really needing some inspiration, my raw food intake has waned over the last 8 months and I have the excess weight and mood swings to show for it.  I really needed some inspiration and she delivered.  Her book, Raw Emotions, is about how to deal with food addictions and the mental, emotional, and spiritual journey that accompanies a change in diet and lifestyle.  While it focuses on raw food,  I can see this book helping almost anyone whether Weight Watchers, South Beach or any number of other lifestyles resonates and works for you. None of them will work long term unless we heal internally as well.  Raw Emotions addresses the unfolding of self during a health transformation.

Frank states in his post that he doesn't think eating better makes you more spiritual and this a main point I disagree with.  I completely accept that may not be how it works for some people, I am one of the ones that it did for this way.  As I have stated in many past blogs, dis-ease comes from within (spiritual) to without (physical) with shifts in the emotional/mental realms along the way. While the SHIFT must take place spiritually, in that, one must awaken and consciously take the reigns of their health, the healing happens in the reverse order of the disease.  Physical to Spiritual.  When the physical body begins to heal, it exposes what's gone off in the mental, emotional, and ultimately spiritual realm.  Those things must be healed too or the old patterns will come back whether with food or another type of addiction.  Angela's thoughts in Raw Emotions address exactly this topic. I have only just started it, but I hope to write more about this book once I finish reading.

I am sure every member of the audience that night took something different away from the speakers and each other.  I am sure different aspects of the talk resonated for different people. Some people in the audience seemed to be really connecting with the idea of colonics and asked about seeking one out locally. It was of service to some. This experience re-affirmed for me that we receive exactly the experience we need to learn a lesson and grow.  It also served as the catalyst I needed to re-examine my own recent choices.   Every interaction is significant because we've called it to us vibrationally; it already exists within us in order to manifest in our experience.   I find my work right now to try to be present for those moments so that I can grow from them and attempt to handle uncomfortable ones gracefully. It is hard work, that I find so much easier when I maintain a diet high in raw foods. I've noticed that most of my blog posts are written when I am maintaining close to 100% raw.  In this space I feel most creative and clear.  The times the blog is quiet is usually because I am not making the healthiest choices and am feeling too blocked and uninspired to have anything to share. 

I honor the people who share their personal journey openly as it helps me illuminate my own path. It gives me new ideas. It stretches my mind about what is possible. I take some. I leave some. I learn from all.  So thank you Matt, Angela, Gina, Frank, and all the other blog, book and message board authors and speakers who so openly share what you do to ultimately inspire people to find their own truth and lead fulfilling lives. That's the goal really, isn't it?

Orange Julius Smoothie

I re-created the mall classic Orange Julius in raw, vegan, processed sugar-free form.  It's my new favorite and it keeps well (actually gets better!) sitting in the fridge so I make a huge batch. It only lasts us about 2 days though.

2 cups of fresh squeezed orange juice

2 oz irish moss (cleaned well, soaked, rinsed, and drained)

1/4 cup of macademia nuts 

2 oranges, peeled

1/2 banana

6 TBSP vanilla water*

2 TBSP agave nectar (to taste) -optional

Blend the irish moss with 1 cup of OJ until smooth and creamy. Then add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.

Vanilla water is 3 fresh (soft) whole vanilla beans blended with 1 cup of water.  I make this up and it lasts me at least a month in the fridge.  You could use vanilla extract or scrape a vanilla bean, but you'd need to experiment with the amounts. I like my Orange Julius very vanilla and I love seeing the little vanilla speckles in it.

I enjoy mine over ice with a straw for an authentic "hanging at the mall when I was 16" experience.

Keeping Hydrated

I've recently been making a bit of an effort to stay better hydrated. I've never been much of a water-drinker so this is more of a chore than anything else.  But I wanted to blog briefly about my new work-out beverage of choice: fresh coconut water.  This is considered one of the purest forms of water on the planet with an electrolyte profile and composition similar to human plasma, nothing hydrates quite like it. (It has been said that coconut water has been used for blood transfusions during war).  I've been hitting spin class 2-3 times a week.  From my experience, in order for it to be a good spin class, one must leave looking like they just took a shower.  Therefore, hydration is key.  Since starting to bring one bottle of coconut water and one regular filtered well water, I have noticed a marked increase in endurance. I feel like I can push myself harder and have more energy for the duration.  So I highly suggest fresh coconut water from young thai coconuts for all your aerobic activity needs.  If you can't or don't want to obtain fresh water, then there is a product called vita-coco that claims to be fresh and unpasteurized. Not sure if its any good but worth a shot.

Most Whole Foods carry young coconuts in the produce section. For my local readers, Puritan and Genesta in Mystic also carries them. I generally order them by the case (or two) from Whole Foods to take advantage of the discount. I have ordered through P&G, Sandy's Fine Food Emporium in Westerly, and Belmont Market in Wakefield.  And if you do order them be ready to use the meat too....if not, send it my way. I freeze it in 2 cup portions and use it for soups, desserts, smoothies and more! 

CH-CH-CH-CHIA!

And no, I am not talking about the pet. Well, ok, same seeds different purpose.  I have read about "chia seeds" on various blogs, in articles, and on message boards. Usually a reference to having Chia seeds stuck in ones teeth. Hmmm, ok. Another type of seed to make a milk out of or throw on a salad perhaps?  So the last time I did a raw food bulk order Chia Seeds were on sale so I bought a bag...not having a clue at how to use them.  

They arrived.

They are tiny.  For some reason, just tossing them onto a salad didn't seem right they were too small. Intimidated by how to use this new ingredient, I tossed them in the pantry closet until I was inspired to experiment with them.  I began searching for recipes online.  I found LOTS of information about Chia seeds and how fantabulous they are. Rich in Omega 3's. Score! I don't eat meat or fish, so these fatty acids usually have to be purposely consumed.  I found a great informational site here.  So if you interested, go and read about them.  Don't worry, I'll wait.

Back?  Ok.  So now that you know they love water and love to absorb water and athletes use them to stay hydrated and apparently warriors survived on just Chia seeds or something like that, so I figure I'll try them.  I made a simple nut milk, sweetened with dates and flavored with real vanilla bean. (Scrumptious, intoxicatingly scented soft, fresh organic vanilla beans from the same bulk order).  Then tossed the chia seeds in.  In 20 minutes, voila!  Yummy, raw vanilla "tapioca" only with chia seeds.  Ian gobbled his up after he added some strawberries that he cut himself.  I mixed some silky carob powder (another experiment the same order) in and added rasberries and enjoyed a chocolate pudding dessert. Delicious.  Ian is already excited for breakfast tomorrow as I am imagining a bowl of chia pudding with fresh berries and bananas and maybe a drizzle of the fresh, local maple syrup we picked up last weekend at Uncle Buck's in Ashaway.

That's if the pudding makes it until tomorrow morning. Good thing its quick and easy to make!   

There are two other new ingredients/products I tried recently and I hope to blog more about Kelp Noodles and Wild Irish Moss soon, so stay tuned.

Purely Delicious

A couple of weeks ago I finally had the pleasure of dining at Pure Food and Wine  (PF&W) in NYC when we visited our friends Keith and David and attended the Westminster Dog show, where our girl Camber was being shown.

PF&W, for those that don't know, is THE raw, vegan restaurant.  All menu items are completely free of animal products and are not heated to temperatures greater than 118 degrees to preserve the nutrient content.  Most are organic and locally sourced whenever possible.  The atmosphere is sexy and inviting and the fare, nothing less than magical.  

It should be said that being relatively comfortable in the kitchen myself, I am not easily impressed with restaurant fare as most things I feel I can make better and obviously cheaper at home. Though there is a lot to be enjoyed when dining out as I do love having meals prepared for me on occasion and that goes a long way contributing to my enjoyment factor.  

Last summer, my friends Kelly, Jennifer, and I dined at Grezzo, the raw vegan restaurant in Boston opened by raw food guru Alissa Cohen.  The food was ok. Granted, I ordered the most unique items on the tasting menu in the name of research and development for my own creations. I was underwhelmed with the creativity and most of all the lackluster flavor and textures. I had to actually ask for sea salt as the meals were not seasoned at all.  One dish was called "ravioli, yet was simply sliced tomatoes covered with a bunch of microgreens - hardly a display of culinary expertise. However,  Kelly and Jen seemed to enjoy their meals so maybe I was being overly critical as I was prepared to be dazzled.  It's fair to say that while I was thrilled to finally try the restaurant owned by one of my favorite raw cookbook authors, Sarma Melngailis, I was not expecting the magic about to cross my palate.

Our reservations were for 7 pm on a Sunday evening.  The mood entering the restaurant was cool and sophisticated with the black and red tones and dimmed lighting.  The owner was tucked into the corner at her table having an intimate dinner meeting.  Our server was informative and friendly and when asked for suggestions, its safe to say he did not steer us wrong.  We began with the most delicious fruited sangria I've ever had and the evening was off to a very good start.

For the first course,  Keith and I shared the cheese plate.  Three types of nut-based cheeses were served along side rosemary crisps (a dehydrated raw cracker).  Now, I make raw cheeses from nuts. And so far, I have enjoyed them but they are decidedly more a spreadable cheese than a cutting cheese and the flavor is good, but its from the herbs I have added. These SLICEABLE nut cheeses tasted like, well, cheddar. So from the first bite I already had a clue that there were some seriously talented raw chefs hard at work in this place and I was increasingly excited for the remainder of the meal.  I have no idea how one creates a sliceable nut cheese so for now, I am on research quest to discover whatever this technique is.  The cheeses were also served along side an orange blossom honey which complimented the plate very well.  Evan ordered some form of cabbage roll containing a spicy fermented asian cabbage called Kimchee.  I apologize for my spotty memory of every dish on the table as it was a few weeks ago and I really should have taken detailed notes.  I do remember that Evan devoured his first course with gusto telling me between bites that I have to figure out how to make it.

For the main course I ordered a tomato tostada at the waiter's recommendation.  Honestly the details of this dish remain fogged by the euphoric enjoyment that ensued after the first bite.  The crunchy tostada layers, I assume made of dehydrated corn, were layered with delicious mexican ingredients including the most delectable southwestern flavored sauce. I dare anyone to try that and be able to distinguish a difference between it and a sour cream based sauce.  Try as I would to discern the components for future home re-creation, I couldn't. The flavors were too beautifully married, balanced to perfection and rather than dissect the ingredients I gave up and savored the experience.  

For dessert I ordered an apple galette with cinnamon ice cream and cinnamon syrup. Fully expecting it to be excellent, I was not disappointed.  The apples were tender, even though raw, as they seemed to be sliced very thin, possibly with a mandolin, to create the right mouthfeel of cooked apples.  Not sure if they were slightly dehydrated as well, but I am thinking no.  They were artistically pressed into a rectangle shape and served covered in a cinnamon syrup ( my guess, cinnamon and agave nectar) and cinnamon ice cream.  Raw ice-creams are generally made of young coconut meat and sometimes cashews.  I make these at home frequently and mine are never the correct texture for ice cream as the water content generally makes them freeze too hard so they lack some essentially creaminess.  Also the flavor usually carries a distinct background of coconut unless covered up by a very strong flavor such as chocolate or mint.  This however, was just ice cream. Indistinguishable from the very best of dairy based ice creams with the notable exception of them being easy to digest and, most of all, HEALTHY.  

After the ice-cream I was bowing down to the raw food gods and goddesses that work their magic in that kitchen because I was finally able to experience a restaurant meal that I did not feel I could duplicate at home.  I did quiz the waiter on the ice-cream components and technique however I was unable to figure out how to get my ice cream to be even a fraction as good as theirs so I am going to pass it off as they must have a really good commercial ice cream maker.  (After 2 weeks I am making some progress in this realm and am planning to try the cinnamon flavor today actually.)

I left the restaurant on a high...because that's what raw food does. It delivers the highest nutrient content, live enzymes and life energy to the body in the most easily digestible and delicious form.  As Keith most aptly stated, it feels like you had a decadent dining experience but without the aftermath of feeling bloated and lethargic.  You feel ALIVE just like the food. After all, you are what you eat.   Evan's comment was that we would need to eat there every time we visited the city. I heartily agreed.  It's not often that I am left in culinary awe and I will welcome that experience every chance I get. 

The following day I did take a walk over to Pure Juice and Take Away, the little juice cafe by the same owner.  I ordered a pint of cookies and cream ice cream and a raw mallomar. You know, those childhood favorite of graham cracker and marshmallow's covered in chocolate?   Well PF has taken these to a whole new level, a sophisticated, healthy level.  I enjoyed one with a cup of tea that afternoon.  Dessert that evening was my raw ice-cream....which I finished for breakfast on Tuesday morning.  Yes, raw ice cream for breakfast, what could be better?

Cookies 'n Cream

Raw Mallomar

Gypsy Soup

My favorite cooked dish this past winter has definitely been Gypsy Soup. A friend originally gave me the recipe because it is out of the newer edition of The Enchanted Broccoli Forest cookbook. However you can google the name and a close version of the recipe will come up. I dislike being tied down to a recipe and this is such a great one for using up veggies that are going soft so really play around with it. The spices used are what give this soup its interesting flavor, the vegetables are unimportant. The technique and order of additions to the pot do make a difference in the final outcome. I'm not good about "amounts" because I don't measure but for the sake of recipe writing I'll estimate them.

In a big soup pot gently heat some olive oil, let's say a few tablespoons. Coat the bottom of the pan. You want the heat at medium-low.

Add:
1 diced onion and let that carmelize while you chop and add the remaining veggies.
2-3 stalks of celery, diced (use the leafy green parts, if you have them)
2-3 carrots or 1 large sweet potato diced
1 diced bell pepper, any color

Let these all slowly carmelize and soften for a few minutes. Then add optional fresh veggies that you are using up such as diced summer squashes, green beans or broccoli.

Next add the dried spices:
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper. This simmers in the soup for so long it adds a nice warming sensation every bite similar to when cayenne is added to chocolate, but go easy or you'll end up with spicy soup.
1 TBSP basil
2 tsp tumeric
1 TBSP cinnamon
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Salt to taste. I use about a TBSP at this point and maybe more later. People. Good soup is seasoned correctly, which means it is salty. If you salt early in the cooking process (any recipe) the food just tastes properly seasoned and not like freshly added salt. Food that is not seasoned before it is done cooking requires that the consumer salt it later and then it, well, it just isn't
as good as it could have been. Salt now, please.

So once this is all cooking add a box of veggie broth/stock and a can of diced tomatoes with their juice. Bring to a simmer. At this point, the original recipe calls for a can of well rinsed garbonzo beans (chicpeas), but I prefer brown rice pasta. Either broken up spagetti or ziti. Cook until pasta is done. At the end I also like to add a good handful of frozen peas and frozen corn. Add water if it got thick. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. YUMMY!

Tonight I was wanting something bread-like so I made a quick vegan cornbread. It was the perfect thing for dipping! This is a huge pot of soup. Good for the three of us for several days. I like leftovers. Consider halving or freezing half if you don't need as much, though I always find previously frozen soups are sort of lackluster.

Woefully negligent...

I've been negligent of my blog, you would think that this would have meant I've been busy and really its not. I've just been lazy.

We've been having a beautiful summer, its the first summer where we have not over extended ourselves with plans, trips, and commitments. Nearly every weekend has been a relaxing time, sticking close to home and enjoying friends and of course, Ian.  

Following closely on the heels of the Vitamix arrival, I was able to finally purchase the Excalibur food dehydrator to add further variations and dimensions to our raw food cuisine.  While I am far from 100% raw and don't really have the desire to become so, I've been enjoying the ability to make healthy snacks of different textures.  The experiments include a delicious fresh blueberry jam (blueberries, agave nectar, lemon, and dates). Half of this batch became fruit leather which Ian enjoys.  Corn chips came out only ok. They are good, but I think that recipe is going to need some more tweaking.  The winning recipe that has come out of the dehydrator has definitely been the cinnamon buckwheat cereal. I've made two batches of this so far and it is a yummy, crunchy, filling, and nutritious breakfast or anytime snack. Made with germinated buckwheat, maple syrup and cinnamon  it is made even better with sliced banana, strawberries and almond milk.  Even Evan enjoys it and my mom took home a container of it to snack on. 

I scored today at a local farm. I went in to buy nectarines and corn on the cob and noticed a box of tomatoes by the door. When I inquired the owner told me they were "# 2's".  The #1's were on display for 3.89/lb. The #2's were not aesthetically perfect with tiny lines or scars on them and therefore the whole box (24 lbs!) was available for $10.00. I was thrilled at this find and now have about 6 trays of tomatoes dehydrating in the Excalibur. I also made a large batch of fresh salsa and a delicious tomato based vegetable juice...with some to spare. 

Tonight we are off to the beach to have a picnic and fly Ian's new kite.   

Post-Fast Report

I ended up completing a 4 day fast on raw juice which I am pretty pleased with.  My goal is to build up to a 6-8 day fast since real cleansing doesn't reportedly start until day 5 of a fast. But overall, I am glad to have a done this practice. Baby steps! My body is trying to re-start digestion now, it's still a little sluggish.  But I feel lighter, cleaner, and clearer in mind, which is the whole point and the exercise in discipline is always a good thing.  I am going to continue juicing until dinner for a while.  I definitely renewed my love of juice. Over the past few days I enjoyed a variety of fresh juice including; pineapple, pineapple-cilantro, cucumber-pear-ginger-cilantro-mint, spinach-apple-lemon, and carrot-apple-ginger, just to name a few. Several were just "everything but the kitchen sink' vegetable concoctions.  I found they tasted great with ice cubes made from coconut water.  The chlorophyl in green juice is similar to hemoglobin and coconut water is very similar to blood plasma, so together they make a wonderful combination both delicious and nutritious.  I equate drinking freshly extracted juices to be as good for adults as mom's milk is for babies and toddlers. It's the perfect food.  Ian even helped himself several times to my green veggie juices. What a great way to get green food into kids!

Spinach Strawberry Salad

I had this at a family cook out recently and it appeared mostly raw. My aunt gave me the recipe and I only had to tweak it a little bit.

Salad

1 bag baby spinach 

1 pint strawberries, sliced

1/2-3/4 cup walnuts

Poppyseed Dressing

1 vidalia onion, chopped 

1/3-1/2 cup agave nectar (adjust to desired sweetness)

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar (Fresh lemon juice would probably be very yummy too)

1 tsp dry mustard powder

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds.

Add first five dressing ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth. With the blender running, drizzle in the olive oil to elmulsify.  Turn off blender and add poppyseeds. Pulse once or twice just to mix in.

I used part spinach and part rainbow chard for the salad since I've been getting a ton of it from our CSA.

Glorious Week of Summer

We've had a beautiful week. The weather has been summery and warm but not too humid and Ian and I have managed to get to the beach three times.   On Monday we met our friend Christine and her children at Ninigret Park where there is a small pond and sandy beach as well as a playground. Ian finally overcame his recent fear of playing in the water and had a blast splashing about.  On Wednesday we met our Mom group friends Kirsten and Kristen and all the kids at the same location.  And finally today my friend Carrie, who is my parents neighbor in MA, came to visit with her two children and we spent a few hours at Quonachataug Breachway where there is a great little strip of beach along the salt ponds. 

On Tuesday the electrician finally completed wiring our new whole house fan, the Airscape 1.7.

It's relatively quiet and after running for three evenings in a row, our whole house feels very cool, in fact its downright cold in the morning.  It's taken a few days to master the art of strategic window opening, but I think we have the hang of it now. As soon as the day warms up, we shut all the windows and close blinds on the sunny sides and the house pretty much feels like it has been air conditioned.  I think this might have been one of our best investments.

On the raw food front, I have recently felt like my eating had gotten a bit out of control.  I pretty much started veering off the raw food path last month during the graduation/birthday/father's day hoopla as well as other cookouts and never seemed to make it back to a healthy way of eating. One thing I have over the past year eating raw foods is that SAD or cooked foods are ADDICTIVE! Once I have some, I can go a few weeks before I finally get back on track. This week was that week. Eating when I am not hungry, finishing my plate even when I am full, or eating by the clock have all contributed to some major binging and an increasing scale to show the damage. Yesterday I finally had enough, bloated, grouchy, and feeling overall ick, I began my second juice fast.  I did one last October for about 2 days.   

So since yesterday I have been enjoying a hearty array of fresh organic fruit and vegetable juices and, you guessed it, the vitamix has been doing the work.  I simply add the fruits and veggies to the blender and let it whir and then strain the liquid through a nutmilk bag.   A nutmilk bag, I recently learned, is a shrunken down bag used to strain paint. So after spending $15.00 on my first one, I got three today at the hardware store for $6.00.  Score!  

In any case,  its pretty amazing how satiated I am from juice. The beauty of a juice fast is you get all the benefits of a fast (toxin cleansing, digestive rest, etc) without suffering because your blood sugar is kept stable and your body is flushed with all the vitamins, enzymes, and water that it needs.  It's like feeding your body liquid gold.  Since your body is not using its energy to digest anything, it can do other things like eliminate waste matter, bolster the immune system, make new cells, etc.   I feel wonderful! The bloating is gone and those pesky 7 lbs are melting away.  I've found fasting, even just fasting on juice until dinner for a few days, is a great way to break through a weight loss plateau if that is the goal.  For me, the raw diet is not about losing weight, which is probably why I've ate this way more and more over the last 12 months.  It is a lifestyle that resonates for me and I'm enjoying the journey without any particular destination.  

The other beautiful thing about a juice fast is it re-calibrates my palate and my feeling of fullness. Simply, I just make better food decisions for a long time to come after I break the fast.  Not sure how long I'll go on this one, but the second day has been pretty good so I think I'll keep going.

Rawcreational Activities

I've been having a great time with the new Vitamix blender or, as I like to call it, jet engine with a blender on it. It has made new recipes possible and old recipes even better. This past week I tried several recipes and have really enjoyed the results

One night we made a beautiful cold cucumber soup, from a recipe my friend Kirsten gave me. It was really simple to do and I added chopped cucumber for something textural interest. We paired it with some raw vegetable spring roll wraps (shredded zucchini & carrot, cilantro, mint & scallion) with a mango dipping sauce and a "peanut" (almond) dipping sauce.
Another night I prepared a raw alfredo sauce, which turned out creamier and more delicious than the unhealthy cream and cheese based sauces. I served it over spiraled summer squash noodles with spinach and marinated portabello mushrooms. It was divine!

Raw Freedom Community (RFC) is one of the best resources I have found for raw food creations and most of my recipes I have either gotten direclty from there or gotten ideas from there and then morphed to my pleasing. However today I tried a Raw Cheddar Sauce from that site and its probably the best nut based cheese I've had yet...and I"ve had some good ones. I actually had not decided how I was going to use it before making it, and considered my options as I licked it off a spatula. As it turned out, Ian came in asking for lunch. I spiraled off a couple of zucchini and we both enjoyed a raw vegetable version of the all time kid favorite, Mac n' Cheese. It was super yummy.

For a family BBQ on Friday I brought a veggie lasagna. I've made several versions of this in the past, but the sauces were incredibly smooth this time thanks to the Vitamix. All of my SAD (Standard American Diet) family members seemed to enjoy it. And they devoured the triple berry cake with black rasberry sauce. I overheard someone say that the worst thing they could say about the cake was that it was healthy. Unfortunately, I did not take any photos of the cake, but I included a photo someone else posted from RFC. Mine looked pretty much the sameThe last thing I made (and the only thing I can think of right now) is a brownie with caramel sauce. I haven't taken a picture of mine yet, but maybe I will tomorrow. They are wonderful for a chocolate craving and because they are made from raw chocolate, which is a superfood, my body is also nourished as I indulge in these treats.
Now I am saving up for a food dehydrator, which should even further expand my rawcreational activities in the kitchen!

I'm In Love

I am head over heels for a new love.

He's big, he's black, he's got buttons that I know just how to push to make him groan.

He's everything I ever wanted and didn't know I wanted. 

The way he makes me feel, like I can accomplish things before I never thought possible.

He's the one I have been waiting for, the one I can't live without.

So goodbye old reliable, you've been great while I was waiting for The One. 

But even you know you don't compare.

He's a machine. 

He's beautiful.

My mother-in-law can have her little one back.

My Vita-Mix is here.

Favorite Salad

Made one of my favorite summer salads for lunch today.

2 av0cados, diced large

2-4 tomatoes, diced large

corn from 2 cobs (uncooked)

a handful of cilantro

a squeeze from half a lime

a drizzle of your favorite oil (I used Hemp Oil today)

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Toss and enjoy!

 

Dinner Yum

Last night was a perfect summer evening. It was Friday. Evan came home from work early and we went out for a family bike ride. When we got home, I pulled together a quick evening meal.

At about 3 pm, I had marinated portabello mushrooms in balsamic vinegar and olive oil and set them in the sun to warm up. I stuffed those with my homemade (raw, vegan) garlic cheese made from cashews (similar to the recipe in the link, but not exactly) and placed them on top of a bed of fresh romaine from our weekly CSA haul. I topped the salad with diced red peppers and zucchini and sliced tomatoes. We finished it off with a drizzle of more balsamic vinaigrette. On the side was raw corn on the cob (cooked for Evan). Ian's plate consisted of a few salad ingredients wrapped in rice paper.

Ian ate about 4 of these style veggie wraps the other night, but tonight wouldn't touch it. When corn is available, he often doesn't see anything else as food. He usually happily eats raw corn, but he had to be like Daddy so he ended up asking me to cook his too. When I was pregnant with him, corn on the cob was one of my cravings and I ate a lot of it. It must have imprinted on him.

We washed it all down with herbal ice tea made from half fresh pressed apple juice and half herbal tea (lemon zinger and rasberry zinger). It was a light and refreshing meal that we enjoyed on our porch. If you have never tried corn on the cob raw, you don't know what you are missing. When it is in season and fresh, it is delicious, crunchy, sweet and needs no condiments. It is also easier to digest than cooked corn and digests as a vegetable instead of a carb. (Note to those who are carb conscious!)

The Law of Attraction and Coconut Noodles

The Law of Attraction

I am compelled to give a brief explanation of the Law of Attraction as it is bound to be a recurring theme in my posts. The Law of Attraction is based on the knowledge that all matter in the universe emits an energetic vibration. Living beings emit a stronger vibration than inanimate objects (though they emit a weaker vibration) and each vibration attracts a similar vibration. So when one offers a thought with a strong vibration (indicated by the amount of emotion one feels when thinking the thought) its vibration attracts more thoughts similar to it and eventually leads to the physical manifestation of that thought in the person's experience. Therefore nothing in life is meaningless and nothing in anyone's life is accidental or coincidental. Everything in our reality is created by the person who experiences it, whether positive or negative. Therefore we can all become conscience creators of our reality simply by offering thoughts purposely. An incredible book, called Ask and It is Given, explains this in detail as well as how to use this to bring positive things into your life, with the underlying theme that you must always do what feels good. When you feel good you are in vibrational harmony with Source Energy. One may refer to Source Energy in a number of ways, such as Vital Force, Universal Energy, or GOD. As such Source Energy is where we all come from, where we all return to (purposely) and is within each of us. We are never fully disconnected from this Universal Energy, however everyone is at different degrees of connection at any given moment and the level of this connection can be determined simply by how we feel. When you feel good, you are connected. When you don't feel good, you aren't and your job is to find a way back to connection (=feeling good.) When you feel good, you attract good things and the Universe continues to expand, giving birth to new wants and desires. There is never an end to the journey or the wanting so it is important to enjoy the process and attract desirable experiences. That's the quick 2 cent tour of the theory.

This theory was introduced to me by a homeopath I was working with last year (the birth of the thought), and it intrigued me so I searched out more resources (attracted more thoughts). The theories behind this really tied my scientific side into my spiritual side and it simply works for me. Some people find spiritual guidance through their chosen religion and relationship with GOD and that is great. There is no one correct path. For me, the concept presented in this way resonates for me and I feel it is helping me grow in ways I never imagined. I also like the tangibility of it. When I started exploring this, it was simply a matter of observation to realize that the theory had some truth in it. Examples of its truth became apparent as soon as I started looking, which in a way is proof of the theory itself. My positive attention turned toward this subject and proof of its truth started appearing to me...via the Law of Attraction. Amazing.

...And Coconut Noodles

Well this entry turned out to be more about the Law of Attraction than it did about Coconut Noodles. I thought they would receive equal billing, but alas they don't. What I have to say about coconut noodles is this: One of my two new favorite ingredients for food preparation is Young Coconuts (or Thai Coconuts). They are a young (duh) coconut with the green outer covering shaved off, but the furry brown nut still covered in white fiber. When cracked open you get the delicious fresh and cleansing coconut water which is fantastic in smoothies and a soft, jelly like coconut meat. The very young coconuts have very soft jelly which is great for smoothies, puddings, and ice-creams, all dairy-free. I am planning to make an ice "cream" as soon as my second new favorite ingredients arrives. Organic, raw Agave Nectar which is the sweet nectar of a cactus. A great sugar substitute that does not cause an insulin spike nor does it have any chemical aftertaste like the unhealthy sugar substitutes that are so common. I love it in my (raw) lemonade which is super simple. I juice a whole organic lemon, fill the pitcher with water and add agave to taste. It's very refreshing.

I ordered a case of young coconuts from a local produce market and processed them this morning, freezing the extra meat and water for future use. I used the more firm meat to cut thin noodles and saved them for lunch. I then created a raw "peanut" sauce (actually raw almond butter) that was nothing short of incredible, covered the noodles and topped them with grated carrot and diced cucumber. It was HEAVEN. I filled Boston Lettuce leaves and ate them like wraps. Even better was Ian devoured them which pleased me. He even ate raw vegetables dipped in the incredible "peanut" sauce. It was my favorite raw food dish yet. YUMMY. It's really important to me that Ian eat enough avocado and coconut because they are full of the healthy fats so important to his growth, and since he doesn't drink cow's milk I try to pay attention to stuff like that. I'm really looking forward to making the ice "cream"next week. Truly healthy, guilt-free, you-could-eat-it-for-breakfast, ice"cream".

Labels

I'm not a fan of labels. They are so formal and final. I have an internal struggle against being dogmatic about beliefs and allowing myself freedom to make choices. Being labeled automatically triggers a desire to rebel...against myself, sick huh?

I was contemplating the term VEGAN. An awful sounding word, isn't it? It sounds so, empty, yet snotty and militant at the same time. As in,

"I am VEGAN. I wield pointed carrot sticks for nourishment and as weapons against meat eating neandrathals."

It also feels so FINAL, like a vow of celibacy. "From this day on, I vow against the consumption of anything tasty of animal origin, never ever again will I allow myself to sink so low." See, that's just not me. Culinary pursuits are an art form, an outlet for my own creative energy. I respect when others practice this art, no matter their medium. Though for my own consumption I prefer that a slab o'meat not be the star of the show.

The first self-proclaimed VEGAN I met was 10 years ago at one of my college work study jobs. She, above all else, shaped the nuance of this word for me. VEGAN was a nice enough person but I distinctly remember her statement that she was the healthiest person she knew, as she sipped her bottled Evian, which, no doubt, she recycled. At that point in my self evolution, I found her intimidating and self righteous. Maybe I still would. Or maybe it's just a matter of perspective and now I'd find her enlightened. Maybe others find me intimidating and self righteous. I guess its all a matter of the shoes we're standing in at the time. No one likes to have their own "truths" challenged. But, if a belief is so readily challenged maybe it warrants re-examination? The universe serves us up constant lessons (which I've learned we call to us through the Law of Attraction.....another topic...) and when we are bothered by something, well, that just means there is something to be learned. It's hard to remember this in the heat of a moment, but I try to.

In any case, I also remember an end of summer barbeque at VEGAN's house where her carnivorous housemates were not allowed to grill animal flesh on her side of the grill. At the time, I didn't understand the need for territory delineation on a Weber. Was she afraid that steak would leave animal cooties on the grates that would jump onto her veggie burger? For health reasons, I understand that grilling creates carcinogens but that would be true for food of animal or vegetable origin. In any case, it seems that people who choose a cruelty free diet are usually doing so for animal rights reasons, and those people appear more directed and purpose driven in their choices. While the health conscious folks seem less militant in their ideals. Just an observation from these worn-down, fleece-lined slippers.

I feel better physically and contented spiritually when I avoid meat and dairy. But in the end, I eat what I want when I want. For the last 5 or 6 months, that choice has been primarily for organic, plant based foods, and increasingly raw, organic, plant- based foods. Occasionally I enjoy the eggs that my friend, Kelly, generously gives to us. Ultra fresh, free range, organic eggs from happy and well loved chickens. I don't have any problem with that...right now, but who knows? I may grow to feel better avoiding them too. My spirit feels lighter knowing I am not contributing as much to the factory farming industry or negatively impacting the environment with animal product consumerism. On the contrary, I also enjoy dining out and not nitpicking over every ingredient in my meal. Life is too short for that. I eat what I want to eat and most of the time I want to eat plant based food. And when I don't, I don't. Call me crazy, but please don't call me VEGAN.