 Photo courtesy of Tricia Wang Hi everyone. Today’s post is written by Phe Gitsham, a Chinese medicine practitioner who lives in Australia. Phe has some really unique insights to share about what she has learned regarding the raw food diet, in terms of the traditional Chinese medicine perspective.
Generally practitioners of Chinese medicine tend not to be in favor of raw food diets, but Phe has an interesting way of explaining how raw foods affect our body, based on her personal experience eating raw, combined with her knowledge gained through theoretical study as well as clinical practice.
I am sure many of you will greatly appreciate her writing and if you have been searching for information on this topic I hope this post helps to clarify things for you.
Harmony with Living Raw Foods & Chinese Medical Diet Therapy: The Spleen Qi connection
by Phe Gitsham B.H.Sc. Chinese Medicine
www.acupuncturenaturalmedicine.com.au
If you are familiar with Chinese Medicine and raw food theory you may have come across the idea that the raw food diet goes against Chinese Medical nutritional theory. I’m going to explain how this conflict is not actual, how I believe Chinese Medical theory has sometimes been misinterpreted on the particular idea that raw food = cold food, and how Living Raw Foods are becoming an exciting new dialogue within Chinese Medicine. It is my experience that combining the alchemical wisdom of living foods with the understanding of food energetics from Chinese Medicine forges a nutritional theory of brilliance, where the whole becomes much greater and our food-as-medicine is closer to the harmony of the natural seasonal garden.
First, a little bit about the relevant terms being used in Chinese Medicine. Often when we translate complex words into other languages, we simplify them in a way that doesn’t imply important aspects of their real meaning. Anyone who has attempted to really translate the word Qi, or it’s 30 odd medical variants, into English has discovered this difficulty. The Chinese Medical term “Pi” usually translated as “Spleen” becomes really important when understanding digestion. A key here is to realise that the term Pi refers to spleen and/or pancreas, as the spleen organ system is inclusive of the pancreas. Examining the relationship between Spleen Qi and the pancreas, liver, enzymes and digestion resolves the understanding of how Living Raw Foods are great for nourishing digestion. I will explain more about this after a bit of background.
Chinese Medicine’s ancient treasure trove of medical therapies like acupuncture, bodywork called An Mo Tui Na, extensive herbal medicine & style of nutrition called Shi Liao dietary therapy all share the holistic eastern premise behind comprehending human health. The view is cosmic and fractal, that each human is a microcosm of the macrocosm and that each person’s health can be described with energetic maps of various climates and elements, as if we are each a garden, or ecosystem, influenced by the forces of nature that our planet reflects. ‘Health’ is inclusive of physical, mental and emotional wellbeing, but not limited to this, while aiming for optimum health and prevention of disease. Optimum healthy states are a result of balance and harmony within a living relationship between the elements and between various types of Qi, with different climactic natures like heat, cold, dry, damp and wind.
Chinese Medical dietary therapy, Shi Liao, goes beyond the nutritive components of each food’s value and also looks at the energetic thermal nature of the food, and how this interacts with the energies in the body, and which direction these energies go eg. ascending, descending, dispersing, consolidating, to the hands and feet or to particular channels. Each person is unique and while some may benefit from moisturising foods, others require more drying, some cooling and others warming as well as each person receiving the correct nutrition. It may be of medicinal value to eat a particular food only during some seasons, or even at certain times of day, while the same foods may have a less beneficial or even detrimental effect in a different season. In general, we want to warm in winter and cool in summer, but with each person presenting a unique and complex constitution and many different global climates, you can see that globally there would be a wide variety of foods and advice in actual application.
At the core of Shi Liao dietary therapy is the nourishing of the Spleen Qi. The Spleen Qi is the digestion master and is of the Earth Element. The ’spleen organ network’ includes the humble pancreas and is partnered with the stomach, as the earth element, the centre of the centre. Spleen Qi is responsible for the transformation and transportation of food and subsequent food substances. This means the Spleen Qi is the power or energy provided that breaks down food into its components then moves it along to where it needs go in the body, eg usable nutrients into the bloodstream and leftovers to the bowel for elimination. The stomach, small & large intestine also help with this and a large role is also played by the liver & Liver Qi. If there is a problem, we treat the Spleen Qi as well as any of the other relevant players. The Liver Qi makes things interesting, because while the Spleen Qi is presiding over transformation and transportation, the Liver Qi is the master of the ‘free flow of Qi’. So if anything is not moving or flowing where it should be, there is blockage and it comes back to the Liver Qi. The liver organ is also highly involved. Most of the digestive enzymes in the body are provided by the liver & the pancreas. Wholefoods, in their natural state also contain their own enzymes which can help us digest, if the food is not cooked or processed in a way that destroys the enzymes.
Spleen Qi deficiency can refer to pancreatic hypofunction which frequently means low digestive enzymes. One of the main problems with Spleen Qi deficiency is poor transformation & transportation of the nutritive substances in food, ie. poor absorption of nutrients from whatever you are eating. You can deplete your body, especially your pancreas of enzymes. Over time, enzyme depletion leads to poor digestion, low energy and food stagnation. Food sensitivities and some digestive allergies are extremely responsive to enzyme replenishment.
Living Raw Foods are foods that have not been heated above 47ºC in order to specifically keep their inherent enzymes intact. The idea that is often spoken in Chinese Medicine that all raw food has a cold thermal nature is not accurate. It is helpful to distinguish this from the specific advice that eating thermally cold raw food from the fridge all year round can damage your digestion. The Living Raw Food movement is a modern culinary alchemy incorporating many highly nutritious organic vegetable based foods in amazing ways, often using modern kitchen appliances that means the thermal nature of living foods can be controlled just as well as it can be with cooking, except with the benefit of not destroying enzymes. Infact, with cooking, the cooling nature of foods is damaged, and most meals become warming or hot. With raw food preparation we can enjoy the full spectrum from cold to hot simply by choice of natural ingredients, herbs & spices and a seasonal approach. It can be as simple as adding warming spices, or not eating icy things straight from the fridge in a cold climate. The body needs to convert our food and drinks to its own temperature of 37ºC to digest them. Many foods are also blended and micronized in raw food preparations, which also assists our body in digestion, because the larger particles are already broken down, fresh with enzymes and nutrients to be absorbed.
There are many ways to combine raw living foods and prepare them which can make cool things like salads thermally warm. This can include adding fresh ginger, spinach or spices to vegetables with a cold thermal nature, or occasionally using a dehydrator or steaming blender to gently warm foods. If you have a look at many raw food recipes, you will soon discover the artistry and advanced alchemy of food combining & preparation techniques make the Living Raw Foods nutritional approach a wisdom far beyond eating uncooked things from the cold fridge, or straight from the snowy winters of China prior to kitchen technology.
Living foods have their enzymes intact which makes them easier to digest while also not draining the pancreas and liver of the enzymes they produce. Living vegetables also contain solar photonic energy from the sun, in the process of photosynthesis. This “living light” energy is very abundant for human health & awareness.
The Chinese advice about not eating raw cold foods is referring to literally eating cold, raw items in China’s cold climates, in an otherwise mixed diet, which includes mostly cooked or processed items which contribute to having a stressed liver. The TCM pattern known as ‘Wood Invading Earth’ is a disharmony that results in Spleen Qi deficiency and digestive problems. It means that stress on the liver is interfering with the Spleen Qi’s job of transforming and transporting food nutrients. It is relevant to understanding how eating occasional thermally cold, raw food on a mixed cooked diet has a cold effect on the Spleen Qi. Eating the occasional raw food is also not enough to reveal the positive effects of raw foods as is experienced when approached with the holistic preparation of thermally balanced meals. The benefits for the liver & wood element once someone adopts a primarily living foods diet with enough raw leafy greens for detoxification is what makes the difference. Without this cleansing relief to the liver, the wood element can continue to invade the earth element and digestion is not properly restored.
The power of raw leafy greens leads to the Spleen + Pancreatic Qi increasing so much, its amazing to experience the pure vitality and clear awareness. The wood element no longer invades the earth element because of the cooling and calming effect on the liver of eating enough living leafy greens to support all of its detoxification functions. The medicinal value of eating enough living leafy greens is so important for the liver and Liver Qi and it is missing in many people’s modern diet. With a healthy liver and pancreas, the nutritive & enzyme replenishing benefits of live food takes effect upon nourishing the Spleen Qi.
A live food diet also resolves damp in many cases, because the greatest causes of excess damp are cooked fats & oils. A raw fat or oil is a different molecule to its cooked counterpart. Cooked or processed fats are very hard work for the liver. The liver is also impacted by toxins, stress & negative emotions, which I’ve barely mentioned, so you can see it’s easily one of the most overworked organs in our modern society.
Many people need to eat at least 70-80% living foods to experience this magnificent Qi boost with appropriate thermal combinations for their yin-yang constitution, made from wholefoods, seasonal to local climate. Chinese medical advice about avoiding cold foods is appropriate for a cold climate, so be aware of the thermal nature of foods so you can always combine living foods for complete nutrition.
I began to study Chinese Medicine when I was allergic to a list of foods as well as hypersensitive to much longer list of foods. It felt like i had to avoid most foods on this planet - including rice. I had many different symptoms and every Chinese Medicine doctor would take my pulse and gasp “Spleen Qi Deficiency”. I have tried and tested many different approaches to dealing with Spleen Qi deficiency. Acupuncture, chinese herbs & Shi Liao dietary therapy is amazing, and for some years it really improved my starting position. After completing my Chinese Medicine degree and some years of practice, I heard about Living Raw Foods and I instinctively began combining Shi Liao’s knowledge of food energetics with organic live vegetable foods. The results really put the icing on the cake for healing & optimum nutrition for me - pun intended! I now see those results with my clients & hear similar stories from many others out there. Its an exciting time in nutritional medicine.
You can contact me via my website www.acupuncturenaturalmedicine.com.au
I highly recommend reading Mizpah’s wonderful book, “The Raw Food Solution“. It was Mizpah and her husband Lujan Matus who really inspired me to fully explore living raw foods, for which I am so grateful. The results I have experienced and put into harmonious theory and practice with Chinese Medicine are just a part of a larger movement of realisation and genuine research that is bringing nutritional medicine to its rightful place, imperative for health, awareness and wellbeing.
 Photo courtesy of Elena's Pantry Looking for a healthy, crunchy treat to satisfy your cravings? Well today I have a fantastic recipe that is bound to become one of your favorites!
Candied nuts were originally invented in France using almonds with a creamy sugar coating. They came to America as part of the creole cuisine of Louisiana where pecans were substituted because they were abundant in that region. They were known as pecan pralines and became a common sweet treat in the south.
The usual way to make candied pecans is to coat them with a mixture of egg whites, sugar and spices and then place them in the oven to bake. But for this raw food version we first soak the pecans, which improves digestion and the availability of their minerals, and then mix with maple syrup and spices. They are then dried in the dehydrator until they become nice and crunchy.
These nuts are not only a great snack for the holidays, or anytime, but they also make a lovely gift. There are many ways you can use these nuts, limited only by your imagination. They are wonderful tossed on top of a salad (try spinach and strawberry salad), chopped and mixed into your morning oatmeal or as a topping for banana ice cream.
Sweet Spiced Pecans
Makes 2 cups
2 cups pecans, (soaked at least 4 hours)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch of salt
Add the maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to a medium bowl and mix well to combine. Add the soaked pecans and toss them with the mixture to coat well.
Spread the pecans on dehydrator trays with the teflex sheets and dehydrate until dry and crispy. This will probably take at least 24-36 hours depending on the humidity.
These nuts will keep for a really long time if placed in a sealed glass jar and kept in the fridge; at least two or three months. However, I seriously doubt they will last that long because they are so delicious and a very tempting between-meal snack.
This is one of the recipes that makes me happy that I finally made the decision to get a dehydrator, as there is no other way to create the same crunchy results and fantastic flavors on a raw food diet. But if you don’t own one yet you could experiment by putting them in your oven on the lowest possible setting.
Granted it’s not the most environmentally friendly way to go about it but you might love them so much that you are inspired to invest in a dehydrator. I love my fresh raw food but for certain recipes a dehydrator really adds that gourmet flavor and gives you much more versatility with your raw food creations.
 Photo courtesy of o5com Admit it!
This time of year the temptation to overindulge is at an all time high. The cookies and other holiday treats are everywhere and hard to resist!
If you make it through this holiday season packing on a few extra pounds, you’ll be just like the rest of us, setting New Year’s Resolutions to eat less and get in shape in 2012.
Luckily I’ve got the perfect solution to help you achieve your new year’s resolutions.
My friend, Tera Warner and her special guest fitness pro, Teresa Tapp are teaming up to help you make your new year’s resolutions STICK in January 2012! The combination of green smoothies and T-Tapp fitness will make for the most potent green smoothie detox EVER:
Green Smoothie Detox
The program starts on January 2nd, but registrations are happening now! Sign up and don’t miss this chance to get on board and make 2012 your healthiest year yet!
With the 21-Day Green Smoothie Detox and 15 minutes a day of simple exercise you’ll be starting off the year looking and feeling better than ever!
You and I both know that usually by January 5th the commitment to stick to our resolutions is already waning. This year you can have your own cheerleading squad and personal resolution coach to help you stick to your guns, go green and get fit!!
Green Smoothie Detox
And just a reminder, my book, The Raw Food Solution, is still available at $10 off until January 1st 2012 when the price will return to normal.
 The Raw Food Solution - $29.95 $19.95
 Photo courtesy of Veganbaking.net Eggnog is a holiday favorite that traditionally is made by blending milk or cream with eggs, sugar, nutmeg and often some form of alcohol such as brandy, rum or whiskey. So, obviously traditional eggnog is not a raw vegan friendly option. But today I have a recipe for you that provides the comfort of the regular version, while also being a healthy alternative.
To replace the dairy and egg we start with a thick and rich cashew nut milk. For this nog we are using cashews because it keeps things simple by avoiding the need to strain the milk. Ideally you want to soak the cashews for about two hours before blending.
However, if you prefer to use another variety of nut, simply blend your favorite nut with the water and then strain through a nut milk bag. This will ensure your nog has a nice, smooth texture. Good alternative choices would be almonds or Brazil nuts. You can also choose to strain the cashew nog if you like a really silky-smooth consistency.
Added to our creamy cashew milk are fresh dates, which provide sweetness as well as creating a thicker texture than other types of sweeteners, such as agave or honey.
The finishing touches that help round out the flavors of this nog are vanilla, nutmeg and cinnamon. The spices are a traditional ingredient in eggnog and they also add a warming quality that soothes the senses and assists digestion.
You can adjust the consistency of the nog by adding more or less water according to your preference. Some like it really thick and creamy, while others prefer it to be lighter. You may also adjust the sweetness to taste.
Healthy Holiday Cashew Nut Nog
Makes about 3 cups
1 cup cashews, (ideally soaked for two hours)
3 cups water
1/2 cup dates, pitted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Place everything in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. If you prefer to serve it warm, and if you have a high-speed blender, you can continue blending until it reaches your desired temperature. Alternatively you can gently heat it on the stove-top.
To preserve the enzyme content you want to check the temperature as you go. If you can dip your finger in without burning then the enzymes will remain intact. If it is too hot and burns your fingers then the temperature is too high.
It will keep for at least two or three days in the fridge but if you do make it in advance I recommend blending it again right before serving to ensure the texture is smooth, as well as warming it up. The weather here in Costa Rica is quite warm so a chilled nog goes down nicely here, but I know most of my readers are experiencing winter at the moment so you will probably prefer to serve this warm, or at least at room temperature.
 Photo courtesy of Floridecires If you whip up a batch of this to take to a holiday gathering you can be sure there is something healthy available that will sustain you. And your family and friends will also enjoy this without even realizing that it is sugar, egg and dairy-free!
You can also add this to your coffee or tea as a milk or cream alternative. Another idea is to use it as a base for a smoothie, adding fresh fruit such as bananas and oranges. What a delicious way to get a nutritious start to the day during the holidays!
I hope you enjoy it and wish you all the best for a happy, healthy holiday season.
 Photo courtesy of Elena's Pantry Candida is a form of yeast that is present in everyone but only poses a challenge to our health when it begins to proliferate out of control. This can be triggered by a number of factors with some of the most common including the use of antibiotics, birth control pills, immune imbalances and digestive dysfunction.
It is generally accepted by those in the alternative health care community that dietary adjustment is of paramount importance in the process of recovery from candida, primarily involving the elimination of sugar and other high carbohydrate foods including fruit and whole grains. However, it is important to realize that these foods are not necessarily the “cause” of candida, but rather their intake can exacerbate the condition when it has already become established.
The subject of the management of candida with a raw food diet is extremely controversial and one of the most debated issues for those eating raw foods. Even among the prominent raw food experts and leaders in the raw food movement there are many differing opinions on the best type of raw food diet for candida.
On the one hand raw food experts, including Dr. Gabriel Cousens, founder of the Tree of Life Center in Arizona, and David Wolfe, author of “The Sunfood Diet Success System”, agree with the commonly accepted opinion that a high-sugar diet can be an important contributing factor in the development of candida. They advise adhering to a low glycemic diet that completely eliminates fresh fruit in the primary stages of treatment.
However this approach has been brought into question by Douglas Graham, author of the “The 80/10/10 Diet”. He believes that the true cause of candida is unrelated to fruit intake but rather occurs when there is an excessive intake of fat.
A high intake of fat results in a reduced sensitivity to insulin by blocking the normal function of insulin receptors. This causes sugars to remain in the bloodstream longer than usual and the high blood sugar level exacerbates an overgrowth of yeast. He says, “the way out of this cycle is not to eat less sugar, but to consume less fat. When fat levels drop, the sugar starts to get processed and distributed again, and the yeast levels drop because there is no longer excess sugar available.”
So what is the best type of raw food diet for eliminating Candida?
Everyone is different so I cannot recommend a single dietary approach that will work for all people. Some individuals do well on high-fruit regimes, while others still struggle with candida after months or years of following low fat raw vegan diets. Others do better on low glycemic eating plans or on a raw paleo diet.
But pretty much anyone who has had experience with attempting to manage candida while eating a raw food diet agrees that the most important dietary pattern to avoid is the combination of high fruit and high fat. When fruit intake is high, in the presence of a simultaneous high intake of fat, this reduces insulin sensitivity, with the result that the body is less able to effectively metabolize fruit sugars.
The sugars are not transported into our cells in a timely manner, so they stay in the bloodstream longer than usual, keeping blood glucose levels high. Consequently the sugars remain available to candida organisms for a greater amount of time, supporting their overgrowth.
This is why some of the worst foods for candida are desserts like cookies and cakes. Even more so than simple sugars, the combination of sugar and fat - such as in a cheesecake for example - will promote the growth of candida. Even raw food versions of sweets and desserts, including foods like energy bars containing a combination of dried fruit and nuts, have a similar effect for those who are struggling to overcome candida.
Here is a link to a recent article that I wrote about overcoming candida with a raw food diet where I highlight the use of raw foods for the treatment of candida.
If you’ve been successful treating candida with a raw food diet I’d love to hear about your experiences and what has worked for you.
 Photo courtesy of D Sharon Pruitt Recently I released my first book about the raw food diet called The Raw Food Solution: How to Create Vibrant Health with a Raw Food Diet. At the moment the book is available in eBook format and the paperback is on schedule to be released in early January.
Today I am announcing a special offer for my readers with the opportunity to buy the eBook for $10 off the regular price of $29.95. This means that until January 1st the eBook will be available for just $19.95.
If you’ve been thinking about getting started on a raw food diet in the new year this book will give you all the information you need. It includes advice on creating a nutritionally optimal diet, insights on common mistakes made by those eating a raw food diet and over fifty raw recipes.
I wrote this book with the intention of sharing my personal experiences with a raw food diet as well as the information I have learned about the practical aspects of eating raw. Diet and nutrition is what I am most passionate about (especially delicious healthy food) and my journey with health promoting diets and formal study spans over two decades.
During this period I experimented with many different approaches to eating but the raw food diet has enhanced my life to a far greater degree than any others, resulting in significant improvements in my health and well being.
I also feel greater emotional stability and enhanced awareness with a much higher perception of the quality of the foods I am eating and the way they affect me on many different levels.
And as an added bonus I simply love the food! Raw foods have so much more flavor and we now have so many options in regards to choosing foods that taste fantastic, especially since raw foods have gained greater popularity in recent years.
The approach that I recommend if you want to start eating raw is to go slowly and focus on healthy foods that you enjoy eating. To truly support your health a change in diet should be thought of as a lifestyle upgrade rather than a short-term fix.
So with this way of thinking you can appreciate that there is no need to rush the process. By adding in the healthy foods that you like to eat, you will improve your nutritional status, which leads to reduced cravings for the other stuff that might not be so good for you.
Additionally it is not necessary to be 100% raw or completely vegan to reap the benefits of a living foods lifestyle. Certain cooked foods and high quality animal products can be included in small amounts. Most raw food experts agree that so long as you consume at least 80% of your diet as raw foods, then you will experience significant improvements in your health.
Alternatively some people do better with dramatic changes because it can kickstart motivation and help to release negative habitual patterns. Generally you will know if you are this kind of person and if so I encourage you to go for it, while maintaining awareness because with every significant change there is a potential for a snap back in the opposite direction.
If you’ve thought about trying a raw food diet to lose weight, overcome chronic health problems or enhance your physical and mental performance you will find the knowledge to make it work for you in The Raw Food Solution.
The book will be available at $10 off until January 1st 2012 when the price will return to normal.
The Raw Food Solution - $29.95 $19.95.
Thai food has to be my favorite by far. There’s no other cuisine that offers so much dramatic contrast and packs a punch of flavor with an incredible balance between spicy, sweet, salty and pungent, with that extra-special umami element.
Most people are familiar with Thai dishes such as their noodles - the most famous being Pad Thai - and curries such as Green, Red, Yellow, Penang and Massaman. And I admit that when I traveled to Thailand I couldn’t resist trying a few of these dishes. (My favorite was the Penang curry).
But you may not realize that Thai cuisine also features fantastic salads of many different varieties; something which is fairly unique among Asian countries where, for the most part, foods are generally cooked.
Thai salads are fresh and light and often contain a combination of raw fruits and vegetables, with other ingredients such as nuts like cashews or peanuts. Other additions may include glass noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or unusual items such as banana flowers, pomelo and wing beans.
One of my absolute favorite Thai salads is the green mango salad. While green papaya is also delicious, I prefer the flavor of green mangoes, which are very distinctive with somewhat floral notes. Green mangoes also take better to a richer dressing than papayas, which benefit from a more subtle approach.
The usual base dressing for a Thai salad includes lots of fish sauce and sugar with spices such as garlic and fresh or dried chillies and fresh herbs.
In this recipe I use tamari to give the salty and umami taste that would normally come from fish sauce. Raw coconut sugar gives an authentic Thai flavor and adds a richness to the dressing that I prefer in comparison to a more neutral sweetener such as agave.
For the spicy element I like Thai Kitchen red curry paste because it has a combination of Thai spices, adding more complexity to the dressing than simply using plain chili.
Jungle peanuts add a delicious contrast of flavor and texture, while adding protein and fat to the dish, making it more satisfying.
Thai Green Mango Salad with Jungle Peanuts
2 green mangoes
3 tablespoons tamari
4 tablespoons coconut sugar
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon red curry paste ( I prefer Thai Kitchen brand)
1 cup cilantro, chopped fine
Handful of jungle peanuts
The first step is to julienne your green mangoes. You want to select mangoes that are very hard for this recipe. Peel the mangoes then slice them.
Cut the slices into a fine julienne. You should end up with something that looks like this.
To make the dressing, combine the remaining ingredients, except the cilantro and jungle peanuts, in a small bowl and whisk together. Taste the dressing and check the balance of flavors. If you want more sweetness add extra coconut sugar or stevia. If it needs more spice add more curry paste or fresh chili.
Remember that this dressing will lose some of its intensity when you add it to the salad so the flavors should be stronger than how you would like the final dish to taste. As is, this dressing is not very spicy, so if you like the heat I definitely recommend adding some extra spice.
Add the dressing to the mangoes and toss to combine well. Next add the chopped cilantro and toss again.
To complete the meal I topped it with some jungle peanuts.
These ancient, heirloom nuts are hand planted and harvested in the Amazon jungle. They are free of aflotoxins - toxic substances made by molds - that are found on commercially produced peanuts.
Jungle peanuts are raw and contain 25% protein, which is higher than any other variety of nut. They are also a rich source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and vitamin E. They don’t taste the same as roasted peanuts but I do actually really enjoy their subtle, rich and earthy flavor.
If you don’t have jungle peanuts you could substitute with raw cashews or chopped Brazil nuts. Or, if you like, regular roasted peanuts, if you can find an organic and aflotoxin-free source.
Here is the salad with a generous topping of jungle peanuts on the top. I served it on a bed of iceberg lettuce with a cooling portion of sliced cucumbers on the side.
This salad will have you dreaming of a visit to Thailand. I know it awakened my memories of being in Thailand and I can’t wait to go back if the opportunity arises - hopefully soon. I would go just for the food alone! (Including the durian, which I miss so much since leaving Asia).
But in the meantime this should satisfy any yearning for Thai cuisine. And it’s got me thinking of an idea to recreate a raw version of a Thai curry.
So how about you? What’s your favorite Thai dish? And have you found any raw substitutes for traditional Thai meals?
Raw granola can be a delicious breakfast treat for those of us eating a raw food diet. I don’t eat it all that often but I do I enjoy it on occassion, especially as a postworkout meal or on a lazy Sunday morning.
Unfortunately most of the commercially available raw granolas are sweetened with agave, which is very common in raw food diets. But the effects of agave on health has recently been brought into question and many are turning away from agave in favor of alternative sweeteners.
Despite the claims that raw agave is a low glycemic sweetener, I find that it has a destablizing effect on my energy and awareness. Personally I seem to do better with other sweeteners such as coconut sugar and dates, even though in theory these are more likely to disrupt blood glucose balance. Which just goes to show that personal experience sometimes does not correlate with what we expect based on the theory.
Sometimes I make my own granola but I also appreciate the convenience of buying it ready-made so I was happy to discover a brand of raw granola that uses dates instead of agave as the sweetener.
I’ve previously written a blog post containing my reviews of several different brands of raw granola but I have never tried this particular granola before. It is created by a company called Go Raw and they make a few different flavors including Original and Apple Cinnamon.
But I was most interested in their Chocolate Granola with Hemp so I thought I’d give it a try. To be honest, I wasn’t really expecting much, since I have previously tasted some of their other products, including their cookies and flax crackers and didn’t really enjoy both the flavor and texture. However, I was pleasantly surprised by this granola and found it to be just as good as some others that I have tried.
I definately appreciated the use of dates as a sweetener and found this granola to be nice and crunchy with pretty balanced flavors. The addition of coconut was a welcome contrast. I found myself wanting a bit more of a chocolate flavor, but maybe that is just my personal preference.
Normally I like to eat granola with almond milk but I have a 5 pound bag of hemp seeds in the freezer so thought I would experiment with making a hemp seed milk. To keep the fat content on the lower side I used half as many seeds as I usually would, and used some vanilla rice protein in its place.
The result was pretty good. Not quite as creamy as almond milk but the flavor and consistency was satisfying and worked well with the chocolate granola and sliced bananas.
Vanilla Hemp Protein Milk
Makes about 2 cups (enough for two or three servings)
2 cups water
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1-2 scoops Sunwarrior Vanilla Protien (or your favorite vanilla protein powder)
2 teaspoons raw honey
Pinch of salt
Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately.
I’ve never tried storing this milk but it should keep for at least two days in the fridge. It may separate a little but will be fine if you give it a good shake.
So if you are looking for a high protein raw breakfast that tastes great, why don’t you try this hemp seed milk with your favorite raw granola.
 Photo courtesy of Jules:Stonesoup Raw broccoli is not really something that is easy to be passionate about. Personally it took me a long time to warm up to the idea of eating raw broccoli. My digestive system is very sensitive and this is a food that requires a little special treatment to improve both its flavor and texture to make it enjoyable to eat in its raw state.
I’ve blogged before about my Marinaded Broccoli Salad, which was the first recipe I created using raw broccoli. This delicious salad opened me up to the possibility of consuming this health promoting vegetable in its optimal state for obtaining its nutritional benefits.
However, even still, I rarely find myself craving raw broccoli and don’t really eat it that often. For me, it is much easier and more appealing to eat a bowlful of steamed broccoli, and I know I will digest it seamlessly.
But not wanting to give up on the idea of a raw broccoli salad I decided to give it another try, with a different type of dressing based on raw cashews. This is a creamy dressing with a touch of sweetness. The salt, lemon and vinegar act to break down the tough cellulose fibers in the broccoli, softening it and enhancing digestibility.
This is the main secret in the success of a raw broccoli salad, in addition to making sure you cut your broccoli into small pieces, which serves to increase the surface area available to the acid and salt in the dressing.
In this recipe raisins and cherry tomatoes add a nice contrast of flavors. If you have some fresh sweet corn this would be a fantastic addition as well.
The dressing makes enough for two salads and will keep for about a week so you can use the extra to make another salad during the week. It also would make a great sauce to add extra flavor to wraps or sandwiches.
Broccoli Salad with Creamy Cashew Dressing
Serves 3-4
Salad:
1 medium head broccoli, chopped into small flowerets
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1/4 cup raisins
Dressing:
1 cup cashews
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons raw agave
1 tablespoon coconut vinegar
1/2 tablespoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons EFA oil (or hemp seed oil)
To make dressing combine all ingredients in a blender except the oil and blend until creamy. Then slowly add the oil in a drizzle with the motor of the blender running on low and blend until just combined,
To make the salad combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Add about half of the dressing and mix well to combine. Place in the fridge and allow to sit for at least one hour. This will taste even better the next day!
We enjoyed it on a bed of lettuce tossed in a simple dressing of hemp seed oil and lemon juice with some fresh corn. You might also choose to serve it with baked potato.
This is a pretty sturdy salad that would travel well making it ideal for work lunches or for a picnic or potluck.
If you’ve been hesitant to eat raw broccoli so far I recommend you give this salad a try. You might discover that raw broccoli can actually taste good this way!
 Photo courtesy of I likE plants! I am always excited about the discovery of a new and delicious fruit and one of the real joys of traveling in tropical countries is that I have had the opportunity to taste so many different fruits.
My latest obsession is the mamey sapote, which is a fruit native to Cuba, now commonly found throughout Central America, as well as Florida. According to hearsay, when the fruit was introduced to other regions of Central America, people actually used to engage in physical fights just so they could get their hands on these unique fruits!
On the outside they are not much to look at with a tough brown skin that has been described as a cross between sandpaper and peach fuzz. But open them up and you reveal their vibrant salmon colored flesh surrounding a large seed, similar to that of an avocado.
I actually first tried them around this time last year but only once as they are not generally available here in Costa Rica. These wonderful fruits have just started popping up at the markets in the last two weeks so I was happy to try them again and they are even better than the ones from last season! The flavor and texture is really quite unique and unlike any other fruit I have ever eaten before.
The mamey sapote has a mildly sweet and earthy taste with a fragrant aroma. I would describe them as being reminiscent of sweet potato with a moist flesh that can range from creamy to somewhat fibrous. Their color is almost exactly like a sweet potato and they are both a rich source of beta carotene. Mamey sapotes also contribute significant amounts of niacin and potassium.
Baked sweet potato is one cooked food that I do enjoy, and if I had access to good ones I probably would eat them from time to time. The sweet potatoes at our local market are really starchy and pale so I don’t even bother.
But I would much prefer to dine on mamey sapotes any day! They provide me with a feeling of comfort and deep nourishment, while also being light and really easy to digest, which are the qualities I tend to really appreciate in any food.
Storage and ripening of mamey sapotes is a little tricky. They are ready when they are soft to touch and they should have a fair amount of give when pressed gently with your fingertips.
I have found the ripening process to be really unpredictable. One day they can be rock hard and the next day perfectly ripe and ready to eat. At this stage if you leave them any longer than a day they will become over-ripe and pretty much inedible. I’ve also found that a batch of these fruits don’t all ripen at the same time.
Sometimes I feel like I am at their mercy - forced to wait until the sapote decides it is ready to be eaten - and I have to be patient as I check them each morning, as well as many times during the day, just in case. Out of about twelve sapotes I’ve only had one that failed to properly ripen and at $1.50 a pound I can accept this small percentage of loss.
I could provide you with a recipe using these fruits but frankly they are so good by themselves that there is no need to do anything other than slice them in half and scoop out the inner flesh with a spoon. The ones we got this week were large enough to be a meal in themselves and they have been a favorite item on my breakfast menu.
My husband decided he doesn’t really like them due to the mild astringency that some of them can have, especially on the flesh that is in contact with the skin. But for me this is very minor and is not always noticeable. Besides, this leaves me free to indulge, while he enjoys his papaya and banana, so it works out well, for me!
In case you find yourself with a whole lot of ripe sapotes they do freeze well and I think the frozen sapote would probably make a really delicious smoothie. Traditionally they were used to make ice cream and milkshakes with vanilla and nutmeg so you could improvise a smoothie with almond milk, frozen sapote and these flavorings and I am sure it would be amazing!
If it does so happen that we ever have an abundance of sapotes I’ll try it out and let you know. In the meantime, if you have an opportunity to try a delicious, ripe mamey sapote, let me know what you think. I’m sure you’ll love it!
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