Raw Rag™

Possibly the most unhealthy recipe I've ever seen

When I was reading this recipe to a close friend, he kept saying, "No, that's not for real!!!" But it seems it is, or at least the recipe appears in a cookbook that is selling fairly well on Amazon (in fact, #7 in U. S. Regional/South cookbooks). Regardless your decision about what kind of diet you think best supports health, I am willing to bet this recipe may not fit what you have decided.

The recipe was included in an article in Tulsa World. Excerpt:

GARTH'S BREAKFAST BOWL
Serves 4
2 tablespoons butter
8 large eggs
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen hash browns or tater tots, thawed
1 pound pork sausage
1 pound bacon
1 (9-ounce) package cheese and roasted garlic tortellini

Click to read the rest of the ingredients, plus steps for preparing this dish.

On the other health hand, read what Carolyn Myss has to say about diet (see first quote.)

Image credit: People.

 

Nut-milk & fruitola sundae for breakfast: A recipe from serendipity

Breakfast today was delicious. It came together a bit by accident, and, step by step, I will tell you how.

Last week, I made some granola approximating the Apple-Cinnamon Maple Pecan recipe from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Eating Raw. I could not find any raw buckwheat groats at either Whole Foods or Vitamin Cottage so substituted raw barley from the Whole Foods bulk-bins department. So the recipe was 

• I-1/2 cups raisins soaked for at least 1 hour (up to overnight)
• 2 cups raw barley, soaked for at least 12 hours in the refrigerator (I soaked mine for 24 hours)
• 1 cup water (the recipe says filtered but I am not that fussy; may be in the future but not now)
• I medium apple chopped in the food processor with the "S" blade
• 6 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup of pecans soaked for at least an hour and chopped into small pieces (I just broke them up with my hands)

Put apple pieces, water, raisins, syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla in food processor with "S" blade or blender and blend on low until the stuff forms "a chunky paste." (Note: the recipe calls for 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg here, too, but I left that out.)

To combine these ingredients, I used the food processor, and made a horrible mess; some of the liquid ran out of the machine and on to to the counter and floor. For my Regal model,

Typical breakfast: Cow Popsicles

Even though they taste faintly like hay, I look forward to green drinks for morning meals. In truth, I have never tasted hay but can imagine the taste a cow experiences when chomping. Because of the greens, that taste is a part of my green smoothies. Don't misunderstand me -- they are pleasant and appetizing.

Because the drinks are also cold, nearly frozen, and sweet, I call them Cow Popsicles. They are bovinely divine.(Sorry, but it just seemed like the right thing to say.)

The general recipe I am now using for my morning drink:

• 3 large leaves of greens (today: one each of kale, bok choy, and collard)
• 3 ice cubes
• 1 heaping tablespoon of raw cocoa (I use Navitas brand)
• Sprinkle of cinnamon
• At least 1/2 cup of frozen fruit (today: 1/2 frozen banana and about 1/3 cup of Rader Farms Nature's Three Berries)
• 1 or 2 heaping tablespoons of seeds (today: 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds)
• 1 to 4 heaping tablespoons of nuts (today: just 1 tablespoon of almonds; I usually use more and mix with other nuts such as cashews, macadamias, pecans, or walnuts)
• At least 1/2 cup of fresh fruit (today: none)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons of shelled hemp seeds (today: 2 tablespoons)
• 1or 2 pitted dates (today: 1 date)
• You may need to add up to 1 cup of water to get it to blend smoothly (today: about 3/4 cup of water)

Of course, all ingredients are raw. Throw them all in the VitaMix and blend your Cow Popsicle.

This lifestyle, the way I am approaching it, is experimental and flexible. I use the some-of-this-some-of-that method. Play! Think of yourself as an artist or a kid. Use your imagination and draw masterpieces.

Quick post before I forget what I put into my breakfast smoothie today

Today's breakfast drink is delicious! What an appreciated and welcomed difference from yesterday. I chose the ingredients using my intuition, and trying to be aware of what in the refrigerator was "calling."

I threw all this into the VitaMix and processed it into an eye- and palate-pleasing smoothie:

• A big kale leaf
• One peeled orange (left seeds in)
• 3 tablespoons of shelled hemp seeds
• Half of a frozen banana
• 3 baby carrots
• 2 ice cubes
• 1 tablespoon of raw walnuts
• 1 tablespoon of raw cashews
• 2 tablespoons of raw sunflower seeds
• 1 cup water

I gave Edd a sip, and he said, "I want that recipe to make my lunch!"

Because of the kale, this smoothie is a pretty green. As soon as I figure out how to take photos with my phone, I will include food pics here in posts to come.

The first day's not so good so far

Welcome, everyone. Inspired by watching over 3 hours of Alissa Cohen teaching two people how to prepare what appeared to be delicious raw food dishes, I decided today was the day to embark on the raw food lifestyle.

Great start. I had to force myself to finish my breakfast! I created it in the VitaMix and threw in the following before making a smoothie: A whole pink grapefruit, one date, two heaping tablespoons each of Macadamia nuts and sunflower seeds, two ice cubes, 1/4 cup of water, and one tablespoon of shelled hemp seeds. 

This concoction was so bitter (maybe more dates would have helped?) that I had to drink slowly and think of other things. Thinking of other things, distracting myself, is not consistent with one of my goals for this new regime: Mindful eating and really attending to each bite (or sip). Tomorrow's breakfast will be more worthy of mindfulness, I pray.

Lunch was a bit better: Big bowl of shredded cabbage (from a bag of already-prepared cabbage for slaw), a sliced tomato, a sliced avocado, a slice of sweet onion diced fine, and a couple of tablespoons of sunflower seeds, all dressed with some cold-pressed olive oil and apple cider vinegar. Much too bland for my tastes. In fact, this lunch was downright boring. I have much learning to do, it seems.

In the interest of learning, I am now going to continue reading The Living Foods Lifestyle. And maybe take a nap while waiting for that raw food buzz to kick in. The first day is too soon for the rise in energy, I guess, because I am sleepy. Maybe the boredom is causing the fatigue?

Note: Please feel free to post your favorite raw food recipes in this blog's comments section. I would appreciate them, and any other good ideas and advice for this lifestyle.