Bread......to eat or not to eat, that was my question?

Recently I conducted an experiment on myself, eliminating bread from my diet for 3 weeks & then reintroducing it. The results for me have been very clear  & confirmed my suspicion of bread in general not supporting a healthy diet for "Moi Bod"!   Bread may not affect many of you in the same way, so please don't think I am recommending you eliminate bread from your diet unless you carry out your own experiment & do your own research. I wanted to see the affects, if any, that I personally experienced..... how did my body feel after I ate it, was there any marked difference, what emotions did I have at the time of wanting to eat a heavy carb like bread, did I actually crave to have some at different times of the day & what was going on emotionally at that time if anything, & so forth....... the answer was Yes to all my questions with of course some added information thrown in for good measure!  The emotional insights as well as the impact bread was having on my body, was quite illuminating! Another point which I have considered is that it is really a processed cooked food & not a live living food, ( not the case if I look at sprouted Essene breads) so this is a further reason for me at least limiting it's consumption.

One could actually take this experiment even further by considering the affect of gluten on the body.
Gluten comes in many forms.
Wheat, barley, oats, spelt, kamult, triticale just to name a few of the grains containing gluten.
Hidden sources are often in soup mixes, salad dressings, sauces, crackers, certain vitamins, medications, stamps & envelopes you lick, even play-doh!
A complete list of foods containing gluten can be seen at www.celiac.com

About  the same time as I conducted my experiment, I was blessed to see a beautiful website ( in fact quite an exquisite one) called My New Roots.
Sarah Britton is the lady I have to thank as she gave this Bread Recipe (link mynewroots.org )  as an alternative choice for those looking for a healthier option; I have made it several times, I thinly cut it after it cools & it freezes beautifully & best of all.....I think it is truly delicious & you can use very versatile ingredients depending on what you have in your cupboard. It is obviously not Raw  for those who are strictly Raw, but I believe a lovely addition to any healthy diet. As it is a nutrient dense bread, I find one thin slice with avocado, tomato, lettuce & sprouts on it, totally yum & very filling.....perhaps a little cashew mayo to top it off!

Enjoy Sarah's Recipe.

Wholesome Vegan Bread Recipe (eliminating flour and dairy)

Ingredients;

1 cup sunflower seeds

2 tabs chia seeds

1/2 cup pepitas ( pumpkin seeds)

½ cup soaked & dried almonds

½ cup cranberries

1 ½ cups rolled oats ( use sprouted  buckwheat if looking for gluten free)

½ cup hemp seeds ( optional)

4 tabs psyllium

1 tea Himalayan salt

1 tab honey ( more if you want a sweet bread, can also use stevia)

3 tabs melted coconut oil

1 ½ cups water (a little more, if too dry…. needs to be sticky)                                                          

You can actually add almost anything you have as substitutes

Dried prunes, dates or maple syrup as the sweetener

Apricots, raisins, walnuts, poppy seeds are all very nice

Can add lemon zest, quinoa flakes instead of oats, amaranth or buckwheat.

Directions; Whisk up the water, honey & oil & add the other dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix with hands until dough becomes thick & sticky, but manageable ( may need more water)

Pour into a tin lined with baking paper, press down well as you go & smooth top with the back of a spoon; let sit on the counter for at least 2 hours. Can even make at night & leave sitting out until the morning before cooking….just fine!

Preheat oven to 150, cook for 20 mins only, turn out of tin & peel off paper, using it then to put under the bread with the topside down. Put in oven on bare rack sitting on the paper for a further 10 mins or so. Be careful not to overcook it. Let cool before cutting as otherwise difficult to handle. Freezes well.

Link  mynewroots.org

I also came across a Raw Bread Recipe you may like to try, I haven't made this yet but it looks good if you wish to remain totally Raw!
http://www.therawtarian.com/raw-bread-recipe-moist-spongy-loaves

Avocados...an irresistible treat at any time.

  I’m aware that avocados are often a child's  first solid food – and believe me, it is love at first bite!  These friendly fat fruits are a mainstay of any healthy diet and belong on every shopping list. Avocados have so many health benefits; the fact that they’re so delicious is almost a side note to why we should eat them.  But – like so much else on our beautiful planet – they make healthy living, delicious!

The typical avocado is about 250 calories, 75% of which are fat calories.  But wait – almost all of an avocado’s fat is monounsaturated – the kind we need to process the other less desirable kinds.  In fact, avocados are proven to decrease LDL (bad cholesterol) and increase HDL (helpful cholesterol).  Did you know avocados have more potassium than   bananas do? And extracts of avocado are being researched as aiding in the reversal of hypertension and diabetes mellitus.  And a new study out of Japan suggests that avocados may have an antibacterial component.    
                  Avocados are Truly Amazing.

        Here is one of Cherie Soria's favorite Avocado Soup Recipes with picture attached.

        Cherie continues to be a great inspiration to me, with her passion for Raw Food & her desire to share
         so freely with others; Thank You Cherie                                                

                                            Vitality Soup  Yield: 2 servings
         1 cup orange juice

        2 cups stemmed and chopped kale or other dark leafy greens

        1 small cucumber, peeled and chopped

        1⁄4 cup fresh parsley, basil, or dill weed

        1 tablespoon light miso

        1 tablespoon lemon juice

        1⁄2 teaspoon garlic, crushed (1 clove)

        1⁄2 green onion, chopped

        1⁄2 avocado, peeled and pitted

        Filtered water as needed for desired consistency

         1 Combine the orange juice, kale, cucumber,   lemon juice, garlic, miso, herbs and green onion. Blend        
           the mixture until smooth

         2 Add the avocado and blend again briefly   

The avocado originates in Mexico, the earliest reference to which dates around 10,000 BC.

The avocado tree also has a long history of cultivation in both Central and South America, with an avocado shaped urn found near the pre-Incan city of Chan Chan dating from 900 AD.The domesticated avocado tree we know today is descended from these ancient roots and provides us with this irresistible treat. Beside being a creamy, delicious alternative to dairy foods like sour cream and butter, not to mention making a wonderful base for chocolaty raw treats, the avocado is perhaps best know for its place in Mexican style cuisine.
  

                             Cherie also loves this Avocado-Pineapple Salsa; it is totally delicious!

        
Avocado-Pineapple Salsa

         Yield: 3 servings




     1⁄2 cup diced pineapple

        2 Roma tomatoes, finely diced

        1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1⁄4-inch cubes

        1⁄2 cup peeled, seeded, and finely diced cucumber

        1⁄4 cup packed chopped cilantro

        1 green onion, thinly sliced

        2 tablespoons minced red onion

        1⁄2 jalapeño chili pepper, seeded and minced

        1 1⁄2 teaspoons lime juice

        1⁄2 teaspoon salt

         Put all the ingredients into a bowl and stir to mix.

        Avocados are so satisfying and such a sensual food.  They are truly one of the best, most comforting
        foods we can include in a nutritious diet.