Living Foods

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Why eat more raw foods?
I'll chop this down to a raw word version that's easy to digest for anyone. When put into simple terms even the most difficult bio-chemical lesson can be easily absorbed by the brain.

ENZYMES are why. In a nutshell.

More specifically, digestive enzymes are the ones we really want to focus our attention on right now.

Our pancreas produces digestive enzymes to battle, fight, break down, and help the body absorb nutrients from our food sources. The more processed and cooked foods we eat the more enzymes our body has to put out in order to get any nutrients out of it.

Why? Cooking food destroys enzymes.... and pretty much all nutrient content. The more you cook it, the less nutritional value it has. When you pulverize and process food enough to shove it in a box or can and label it with an expiration date you've pretty much killed every bit of recognizable life that food has... or, had.

For more reading on enzymes, I recommend The World's Healthiest Foods page on enzymes. This is a great website, when you're done reading about enzymes you really should click over to their food list. This is a great tool to bookmark for those interested in what specific nutritional value certain raw foods have.

If a pregnant woman wants more folic acid (folate), yet despises orange juice... there's asparagus!
If you're feeling run down and depressed more than usual, you may need a vitamin B kick, why not have a banana?

The fresher your foods, the more nutrients you can get out of them Not only because they HAVE more nutrients than something that's been cooked to death, but because fresh foods also provide the enzymes your body needs to get those nutrients out and absorbed into your system. Fresh and raw food do a lot of the work for you so parts of you, like your pancreas and your colon, have less of a work load.

An overworked pancreas and colon are run down and tired and susceptible to illness... like cancer.

So be kind to your body, help it out a little... or a lot! Provide yourself with the simple tools your body needs to function! Even adding just one raw food to each meal will lighten the work load on your digestive system. Keeping raw and living foods available to grab and snack on makes it easy to do!

Plant a garden! If you can't plant a garden, plant a pot. Have a fresh herb pot in your windowsill or some sprouts in your fridge. If you can grow a food, make sure the produce section of your store becomes your FIRST and LAST stop when you go grocery shopping. Keep bananas around, Apples, carrots and incorporate them into every day routines. Have one raw side dish at every meal. Chop an apple or celery stalk or throw down a hand full of baby carrots.

Adding living foods to your life can and will add life to your living!

Raw Apple Crisp

4 ingredient Raw Apple Crisp

1 large Organic Gala Apple diced
2-3 tbsp Organic Raw Honey
1/2 cup Almond Pulp
Dash or two of ground Cinnamon

mix all of your ingredients together
You may want to heat your jar of raw honey just a bit by placing it into a cup of warm water, raw honey tends to be a little more on the solid side than conventional honey. Use 2 or 3 tbsp depending on how sweet your sweet tooth is.

Transfer your mixture into a small deep dish or cereal bowl

Mash it down hard using the back of a spoon. The harder you mash it the more the juices of the apple will be released! Mash it until the surface is smooth and even.

Turn the bowl over onto a serving dish, you may need to coax it out by running a thin knife around the edges.

That's it! Sweet, crispy and 100% raw apple crisp style treat packed with nutrients and quite satisfying!

Cucumber Avocado Lettuce Wraps

 I was combing the internet today seeking inspiration for a flavorful, raw afternoon meal, armed with a rock solid craving for cucumbers! I ran across a couple of different lettuce wrap recipes and mix and matched to make my very own creation! Cucumber and Avocado Lettuce Wraps! I'm in love! And it's simple. No need for any exotic ingredients, this is pretty straight forward.

Two things I purchased today to add a little oomph to a rather blandly flavored few days I've had are:

• Ground mustard seed (REALLY was hoping for whole seeds to grind myself but I settled)
• Celery seed 

Both of these ingredients can be used very sparingly and still add quite a savory and full flavor to dishes with a lot f juices... in this case, the cucumber has provided all the moister needed to bring out the flavors. In this recipe you'll be adding a  dash of each of these... one shake! Maybe tow.

What you'll need in addition to the spices (this recipe is for a single serving, since I'm on my own in this house with the whole raw adventure) Organically grown of course!

• 1/2 ripe avocado cubed
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• One small or half of one large cucumber, peeled and grated 
• Handful of halved grape tomatoes
• Fresh herbs, I insist that you use dill for this because cucumbers and dill go together like... well, cucumbers and dill! I also grabbed some basil and thyme from the garden.
• Romaine lettuce leaves
• Sweet red pepper to garnish

 Combine the avocado, lemon juice, cucumber, tomato, herbs and spices in a bowl mixing gently until all ingredients are happy together, but not so much that they're turning to mush.

Now! Let it sit. Go do something else, fold the laundry, walk the dog, whatever. Just let it sit and soak itself up for a little while. Don't bother putting it in the fridge or covering it, you wont be gone THAT long. Just give it about 15 minutes or so to let all the flavors of the herbs and spices really leech into the natural juices of the cucumber.

When you come back give it another gentle stir and spoon onto your individual romaine leaves, and garnish with some sweet red pepper slices
.
I did three for myself and then my mom popped in and I forced one on her... she said it was very good so YAY... I totally agree, it's a very yummy dish. After 3.5 days of blandsville this was a welcome burst of flavor. I have a small amount left over that I'm going to store away for an evening snack. By then it should be busting at the seams with flavor!

If you try this recipe, or have a similar variation, please let me know in the comments!
OR
Find me on Facebook! ~~ The Manic Organic

Captains log

Day three on operation Raw Cleanse and I honestly don't have much to say about it. I feel great! So great I almost feel like I'm doing something wrong, but I'm totally not!

I'm a little envious of all the wonderful recipes I'm seeing other cleansers come up with, but my only reason for not being able to partake in such luxuries is that I've cut out all added oils and salts as well. Plus I really need to go shopping! I'm already out of all the cool stuff, I ate it first.

So my diet is pretty bland aside from a ginger or garlic kick here and there but I'm really learning to appreciate food in it's natural flavor state. I'm also drinking a lot of fresh juices wich are always very flavorful.

Today I started with a kale, carrot, apple, celery, lemon juice for breakfast after my coffee and I followed it with a big glass of water later in the morning.

I had some buckwheat hummus I made yesterday for lunch.
~~ Really simple! I just food processed some buckwheat I soaked over night  with half an avocado, a clove of garlic, some sweet red peppers, lemon juice and celery... zapped it all in the processor and I've been grazing on it since yesterday. A bit bland for the lack of oil and salt but satisfying for sure!~~

I've also sprouted some buckwheat , which took ONE DAY to sprout! I love that I can have a living food like that so quickly! Not sure what I'm going to do with it yet but I'm happy to have it! Even if I just eat it alone it's a nutrient packed living food! Can't go wrong there!

I've been snacking on nuts and seeds all day which is probably what keeps me from being hungry... I pretty much never feel hungry. I eat more-so out of boredom it seems.

I went to the gym and I've cut my normal 30 mins of cardio and 30 mins of circuit training down to a total of 45 minutes and backed off my normal intensity a bit. I'm concerned that my lack of significant protein intake may make a harder workout more difficult for my body to recover from.

Yesterday in addition to 30 minutes of cardio I got to play with a whole bunch of kids at a Children's Drum Circle that I organized to celebrate the first day of spring... the dancing and festivities were so energizing! For sure a great day for physical activities!

This picture sums up yesterday quite well!

Today is lame, almost as lame as this blog post! I'm going to bed now and it's 11:00 so I should get some good sleep... I just had another big glass of fruit and veggie juice and my dog ran past me with a diaper in his mouth so seems like as good of a time as any to end this incredibly boring blog post

Raw Almond not Tuna Salad

I've been playing around with what to do with all of this almond pulp I have left over from making Almond Milk and I came up with a great, light and fresh tuna salad style dish!

I used:
 1 cup fresh almond pulp (milked this morning)
1/2 small hass avocado
juice of one lemon
2-3 tbsp almond milk
1/4 cup chopped celery
handful halved grape tomatoes

First you have to make the avocado mayo!
I found a recipe online for this, but I'm choosing not to use any additional oils in my foods for now and this recipe calls for cold pressed olive oil, which I'm sure, after a nice whirrr in the blender makes for a very smooth and creamy "mayo". I'm using almond milk instead and it's come out quite nice!

Take your peeled half avocado , lemon juice and almond milk and mix until smooth.
No real need to use the blender unless you're using the oil instead of the almond milk.

combine the almond pulp and veggies in a separate bowl and fold in your avocado mixture.

if your finished product is too dry for your liking, add a bit more almond milks. Not a lot!

 Again, bad photo, camera will e back up and running soon!

I served mine on a bed of mixed greens. It's a nice, fresh and filling lunch or snack! Double the recipe to make more but go easy on the lemon juice or you'll end up with a very tart dish!

Twas the night before ...

Tomorrow is the day!

My camera has dead batteries so for now my photos will be phone pics, sorry for the downgrade, but it works

I've chopped, rinsed, stored away and prepared all of my gobs of food. I'm still trying to decide what to do with 25 pounds of carrots though, I have NO room left in my fridge. The top shelf contains food for my daughter, her cream cheese and pasta sauces *sigh* . She's prepared to do most of her own cooking, but at the same time I really don't mind making her food separately. I need to be OK with this sort of thing. I need to not pick and snack at my kids foods anymore anyway!

(thats a trash bag full of lemons and granny smiths on the bottom next to a mountain of celery, under gobs of lactinato kale, beets and cucumbers. In my fruit basket I have a ton of bananas, oranges, more apples and avocados plus sweet red peppers and tomatoes)

I've stored and packed raw seeds and nuts and I have some almonds soaking for the morning.
I've made a beautiful tray of cut up, bite sized fruits and veggies and I sliced a whole mess of lemons to be readily available. Having easy access to snack-ons and lemon for my water will make it more likely to happen!

I really hope to come out of this with a new habit of prepping all of my produce the minute I bring it home. I have a terrible history of things getting shoved to the back of my fridge, never to be seen again in their normal form. Black slurry's of half rotted goo and unrecognizable dried bits are re-discovered some time later. No more!

My juicer, blender, cutting board and hand juicer are set and ready to go! Pictured here with my soaking almonds, a bit of fresh aloe I plan on using in my morning smoothie, and my farewell glass of wine... last bit of alcohol for TEN DAYS! Ay dios mio...

To me, this cleanse not only represents my desire to re-boot my body and give it a much deserved clean slate, but also a re-boot of how I approach the food in my home. I want to respect it more and really take time to care for it properly. I will remind myself every day, before every bite, that I'm rich. I'm completely wealthy in food!

I will appreciate what I HAVE instead of complain about what I DON'T have.

I'm not a complainer to begin with when it comes to not having "stuff", but I have a desire to put forth significant effort to be TRULY grateful for what I have day to day especially pertaining to family and food... the two most important things in my life.

... this cleanse is for ME, I'm doing this for MYSELF ... and I deserve this!

There are two more blogs going on for this very same cleanse! Totally worth a read, there's a LOT to be learned from all of the different takes and different approaches to a venture like this!

Check them out!
RAWdiculous 
and
In search of balance (I totally covet her awesome jar set up)

Word of the Day

What is "ORGANIC"?

What does this word mean to you?
(this moment provided for pondering)

This is a multidimensional word that, I feel, is under used in all of it's potential forms and functions.
Allow me to explain... lets take down the definition! :

or·gan·ic (ôr-gnk)
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or derived from living organisms: organic matter. (So, right off the bat we learn that everything that lives, breathes, and grows is itself Organic... you're organic, I'm organic, the ficus is organic, ect. We don't have to be free of chemicals to be organic! We don't have to be made from whole grains to be Organic! We don't have to be free of hormones or donuts to be Organic! We ARE ALL ... Organic at the start!)
2. Of, relating to, or affecting a bodily organ: an organic disease. (even our insides and the things that affect our bodies are organic! That cold bug, that virus, that pimple... all Organic!)
3. a. Of, marked by, or involving the use of fertilizers or pesticides that are strictly of animal or vegetable origin: organic vegetables; an organic farm.
b. Raised or conducted without the use of drugs, hormones, or synthetic chemicals: organic chicken; organic cattle farming.
c. Serving organic food: an organic restaurant.
d. Simple, healthful, and close to nature: an organic lifestyle.
Here we have the main stream idea of what it means to be Organic. This is where the word changes a little from a multi-0definition all inclusive explanation of all things living, to the specific use of separating the things we eat into groups of those that are grown with assistance in the form of chemicals (that are often NON-Organic) also knows commonly as "conventional" and the things we eat that are grown without the assistance of chemicals, known lovingly as "Organic".
4.a. Having properties associated with living organisms. Oh hey! This means You and I are Organic! We already touched on this point, but it's nice to re-visit it... especially since THIS is the basis of my post.. THIS is the point, if you will...
b. Resembling a living organism in organization or development; interconnected: society as an organic whole. Oh, getting deep... feel like an ant hill yet? Maybe you should!

~~~~

OK so dictionary.com also offered number 5 though 8 in this definition which all relate to chemistry and politics. But my purpose behind this post has been realized in the first 4 sections already!

We often over (or under) use the word ORGANIC and isolate it to the #3 definition of and relating to what we eat and how what we eat is produced.


Before adopting a more healthful lifestyle I think it's vital for a person to take a step back and recognize themselves as being an ORGANIC ORGANISM! 


We're all part of this planet and just as our planet itself is an organic organism, so are we! Both individually and as a whole...


We are not defined by the medications we take or the jobs we have or the cars we drive. Being surrounded by non-organic organisms does not take away from the fact that we are still organic through and through 24 hours a day.


Consider this a bit, especially if you feel your lifestyle doesn't offer up a space for organic living... you're already doing it! You just need to decide how supportive you want to be of what you already are