Dehydrated Foods and Emotions

                        

The nice thing about dehydrated foods is that whilst we still have an addiction for cooked foods, eating these in moderation, eases the passage towards including more raw foods & variety in our diet. The thing to remember is that these foods are no longer live & vibrant although are considered raw in the Raw Food World, and they are very dehydrating if eaten without reconstituting them; an example of this is the wonderful array of crackers & breads that can be part of a raw food diet.

I have personally found that I have had an emotion "that I want my food to taste like everything I have ever known", which means at times, I am still seeking the pleasure of home cooked food associated with perceived mother nurturing issues as a child! This has extended beyond chosing living vegan foods over cooked vegan foods, to dairy products which of course are Not vegan.....cheese, glorious cheese in particular, being one of my big addictions !  It has been a gradual process eliminating cheese from my diet, & even now I struggle at times, simply craving it!!         

But am I craving the actual cheese or an unfullfilled emotion in that moment? For me, this has been very closely aligned with what I have previously considered & believed to be"mother nurturing" & when I am feeling lonely or unloved, these addictions for cheese in particular & also dairy products, kick in; at this point I need to Stop and fully Feel the emotion at hand, rather than raid the refrigorator looking for cheese...(any cheese at this point!) & each time I stop & do this, I find the process gets easier & the craving instantly stops. Another aspect to this has been sabotaging my desire to truly love & value myself in this same moment.........I intellectually know that living foods are the very best choice I can make, so why don't I automatically choose these delicious foods that God has provided each & everytime? What a gift to see & feel how closely my emotions are connected to certain foods. Knowing it intellectually is one thing, but feeling it in one's heart & experiencing it first hand, is quite another.

You may come to recognise that the "true power of raw organic lifeforce foods come from your own veggie garden or the farmer's markets." Connecting with farmers who love the earth and take pleasure in sharing the fruits of their labour with those who are connoiseurs of Earth's Bounty, is a real gift & one that will contribute to a healthier menu on family tables.

Raw Food Categories

                                      Top 10 Raw Food Categories for Vibrant Health

                                                  Plus fresh water, water, water!! 

1. Deeply colored foods high in phytonutrients and antioxidants that combat free-radical damage and promote eye health. Examples include blue or purple foods such as blueberries, blackberries, black mission figs and beets   

2. Leafy greens like collard greens, kale, spinach, Swiss chard, dandelion greens, beet greens

3. Yellow-orange fruits and vegetables such as squash, peaches, sweet potatoes, carrots; and red bell peppers

4. Grasses and algaes, such as wheat grass, barley grass, leafy green sprouts, blue green algae from Klamath Lake, spirulina and chlorella.

5. Foods high in vitamin C, such as lemons, oranges, grapefruit, peaches, strawberries, pineapples, mangoes, papaya, kiwi, cantaloupe, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, bell peppers, romaine lettuce, kale, and mustard greens.

6. Foods containing omega 3 fatty acids, such as chia, flax, and hemp seeds and dark green leafy vegetables like kale, romaine, and dandelion greens.

7. Foods containing selenium particularly Brazil nuts.

8. Foods containing zinc, such as pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, cashews, and lentils.                                                                                                               

9. Foods containing iodine, such as kelp and dulse.                                                      

10. Hydrating foods, such as juicy fruits, high-water-content vegetables, and of course good quality pure water.

Please remember that being humble ( which is fully feeling every emotion in the moment), following our passions and desires and actively pursuing Divine Truth & Love, goes hand in hand with eating good quality fresh living foods, drinking lots of quality fresh water and vibrant health.

    

Natural Sweeteners offer Healthier Choices

Natural sweeteners are generally used in raw recipes, here are some ideas that you may like to try.

.Blended Fruits
Unlike refined sweeteners, like sugar, blended fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals,and fibre. My favourites are blended dates, bananas, mangoes, apples, figs, raisins & pears. Obviously fruits have a distinctive flavor so use them in raw recipes where the flavor is a welcome addition. Dates have a mild flavor that is easily camouflaged by other ingredients; when soaked & blended they become a great binding agent in raw pie crusts; they are also an excellent sweetener to thicken raw deserts, cakes and sauces.

Rice Syrup
This is made from fermented rice; brown rice syrup contains trace amounts of B Vitamins, potassium, protein, and calcium. Their complex carbs break down slowly providing an ongoing source of energy.

Honey
Raw honey contains pollen, enzymes and trace amounts of nutrients. Honey is rapidly absorbed so it increases the blood sugar levels more quickly, so use sparingly for some health issues.

Maple Syrup
Maple syrup is made from the boiled sap of the maple tree. It is 65% sucrose & 35% water. Maple Syrup tends towards a caramel flavor.

Stevia
Derived from the leaf of the stevia plant, this herb has been used as a sweetener for hundreds of years. It has no calories, no affect on the body's production of insulin & does not elevate blood sugar levels. Only use tiny amounts as it is very sweet; it does have a slight aftertaste a bit like licorice which ca be neutralised by combining 1 part stevia with 12 parts xylitol.

Xylitol

Xylitol is anti microbial & it inhibits yeast.Xylitol is found in fibrous vegetables and fruits like plums, rasberries and cauliflower as well as in corn cobs.It has a GI of 7.

Agave
We find agave used in many raw recipes as it does not dominate the flavour you are looking for & sweetly blends well with most ingredients. It is plant derived & whilst varying view points can be found regarding agave, we used it extensively in my training. Please note however that it is considered a stimulant, so I believe, use in moderation.

Dried Fruits
Dried fruits have a stronger distinct flavor but can be used to thicken & bind deserts. Mission Figs complement chocolate, raisins give depth to cracker crusts. When blended with their fresh counter part, they create a thick mousse.Organic is recommended

Coconut Palm Sugar
This is reported to be dehydrated sweet juice of the coconut palm sugar blossoms; it is high in potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron and b vitamins

Yacon Syrup
This is made from the root of the yacon plant. It provides fuel for your intestinal microorganisms & very few calories. It has been used in South America to lower blood sugar.

This listing is far from complete but you can see that sugar does not make my list! Healthier choices are readily available & are always worth considering.

Free Recipes

Cherie Soria, the Director of The Institute of Living Light In the USA is an Internationally known 30 year Raw Food pioneer, Author & Speaker. I am grateful to Cherie & the Institute for supplying  me with some of these Recipes whilst I was training as A Gourmet Raw Chef; I hope you Enjoy them. Thank you to those who came up with such delicious combinations & thank you for being willing for me to share these recipes with you all.

Fresh Raw Almond Butter
Yields 2 cups
3 cups almonds, soaked & then dehydrated
Pinch Himalayan Salt
Put the almonds & salt in a food processor with the S blade & process for 5-15 mins until the almonds turn to butter. You can add date paste or honey if you wish to add a sweetner
Stores in the refrigorator for up to 1 month.
All nuts & Pumkin Seeds or other seeds can also be used in the same way

Bon Bon Sauce ( Has a flavour of peanuts)
Yields 1 cup
1/2 cup raw tahini
2 tabs r fresh ginger, grated
2-4 tabs, lemon juice to taste
3 tabs agave
2 tabs tamari
1/2 tea garlic, crushed
purified water as needed
Combine all ingredients in a high powered blender & puree until smooth
Stores in the refrigorator for up to a week
This sauce is beautiful with Asian inspired fresh Vietnamese Salad Rolls or Veggie Wraps

Pineapple Lemongrette
Yields 1 1/2 cups
1 cup dried pineapple soaked for 1 hr in water
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tab lime juice
1 tea hot mustard
1/2 tea Himalayan Salt
1/4 tea powered mustard
1/4 tea pepper
1tea garlic, crushed
Blend all ingredients well, delicious over fruit or a vegetable salad
Stores in the refrigorator for up to 4 days

Red Pepper Remoulade
Yields 2 cups
1 1/2 cups red capsicum, seeded & chopped
1/2 cup pine nuts or cashews, soaked for 2 hrs, rinsed & drained
2 tabs purified water
2 tab lemon juice
2 teas sweet paprika
2 teas hot mustard
1 tea garlic, crushed
1/2 tea onion powder
1/2 tea Himalayan Salt
1/4 tea pepper
Blend until smooth.
Stores in refrigorator for up to 4 days
Delicious over raw quiche, pizza or thinned as a dressing.

Carrot Apple Pineapple Kuchen Cake
Yields 8-9" Cake
4 apples cored & grated, squeeze out excess juice & reserve juice for another use
1 cup dates, pitted & chopped
1 cup dried pineapple, chpped finely
1 cup dried apple chopped finely
3 cups carrots, shredded
1/2 cup shredded dried coconut
2 teas ground cinnamon
1/4 tea ground nutmeg
Hand mix everything together well &then  put in the food processor with the S blade, pulse
Do not over process or it will become wet & mushy.
Press mixture into a 8-9" cake tin & chill for at least 1 hr
Stores in an airtight container in the refrigorator for up to 3 days
Raisins or walnuts can be added for variation, & the cake can be frosted  with the cashew cream recipe below if desired, & sprinkle with shredded coconut as a garnish

Cashew Cream Frosting
2 1/2 cups presoaked cashews
1 1/2 cups almond milk
3/4 cup agave syrup
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tab vanilla
1/8 tea salt
3 tabs lecithin
1 cup coconut oil
Blend everything until creamy, 3-5 mins, except the coconut oil & lecithin. When complete add these. Make sure consistency is right for spreading by putting a very small sample in the freezer briefly to cool & set, if still runny add more coconut oil. It should be firm to touch & thickened throughout

Another Recipe for Cashew Cream Frosting is simply using 1 cup of cashew cheese ( recipe below) & combine with 3 tabs agave & 1/4 teas almond essence, chill for 1 hr before frosting the cake

Pecan Pate
Yields 5/8 cup
1 1/2 cups pecans
2 tabs leek or green onion, minced
1 1'2 tabs lemon juice
1/2 tab tamari
1/2 tea garlic powder
1/4 tea Himalayan salt
Place nuts in a food processor fitted with the S blade & process until medium ground. Add other ingredients & pulse, but do not over process.
Add 2 tabs minced parsley & pulse to mix
Store in an airtight container in the refrigorator for up to one week

Cashew Cheese
Yields 2 cups
2 cups cashews, presoaked for 2 hrs
1 or more cups of purified water
1/4 tea probiotic
Blend everything until smooth
Place in a bowl in a warm location to ferment for 8-12 hours
Store in a sealed container in the refrigorator for up to a week. Season or sweeten as desired before using

Zucchini Pasta ( Noodles) with Cashew Dill Sauce
Yields 3 cups

Pasta
4 Zucchinis
 
Cashew Dill Sauce
3/4 cup Cashew Cheese ( recipe above)
1 tea nutritional yeast
1 tea light miso
1/2 tea onion powder
1/4 tea garlic powder
1/4 tea Himalayan salt
pinch nutmeg
pinch pepper
2 tabs purified water or more to thin as needed
1 tab fresh dill

For the Pasta Spiralise the zucchini into fine or medium spirals or using a vegetable peeler, peel long broad strips
Sauce place all ingredients in a blender except the dill, blend until smooth & creamy, add the dill & blend only to mix & toss sauce through the zucchini noodles
Leftover sauce can be stored in a sealed jar in the refrigorator for up to a week