Have You Gone Raw?

Have you ever heard of the web site "Gone Raw"? No? Well, let me introduce you to a great little site that has grown by leaps and bounds. Gone Raw is a site where people who like eating raw gather to share recipes. You can become a member for free! Most of the recipes are the members own creations.

This morning I came across a recipe that I just have to share with you. It was created by the Gone Raw member "Kanayada" who has published three recipes in the last month since joining the site. I think she's got a thing for chocolate, which is fine with me!

Choco-Cherry Milk

1 serving

I just made this because I was craving the chocolate cherry ice cream recipe from this site but didn’t have any frozen bananas. It’s actually very tasty.

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 tablespoon cacao or carob powder
• 2 dates
• ½ cup fresh or frozen cherries

Preparation

Blend everything together and enjoy!

Of course just like Kanayada didn't have everything to make ice cream, I didn't have everything this morning for her recipe. So, I made some changes too. I didn't have the almond milk or dates (I know, dates should always be in the cupboard. But the go so well with almond butter as a snack!)

Here is my version:

Choco-Cherry Milk

1 serving

Ingredients

• 8 ounces water
• 2 tablespoons almond butter
  
• 2 tablespoon cacao or carob powder (I told you I like chocolate!)
• 2 tablespoons raw honey or agave (I used the agave last night to make another batch of "The Daily Raw's" Basil Limeade.)
• ½ cup frozen cherries

Preparation

Place water, almond butter and honey/agave in blender and blend for several minutes. Strain the mixture and return to the blender. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until frothy.

Either way I think you'll find this to be a nice refreshing drink. Thanks again to Kanayada and Gone Raw for thinking outside the box!

Jumping on the Bandwagon

I look around at some of the things going on in my life, and wonder if its really worth the energy. What are the most important things to hold onto? What should I be working toward?

Of course health has to be at the top of the list. But which way should I turn? There are gurus all around me. There's raw foodists, cooked foodists, fast foodists. There's fruitarians, vegetarians, and people who believe that we should eat nothing but meat. I feel like I'm on a merry-go-round, or a gerbil's wheel, running with no end in sight!

So I stop, take five steps back and shove everything off the table. I begin with a clean slate. There's only one thing to deal with. Me.

Its time to look at the person I have to face every moment of my life in this world. I have to look at where I am and where I've been. Until I see the path behind me, and where I stand, I'll never know whether my next step in life is the best for me, and only me.

Am I being selfish? Not at all. I'm honoring my life plan. Until I confront myself, and deal with my issues, I'm not able to help those around me.

So do I turn to books? Do I turn to CDs? Do I turn to the myriad of self-help websites on the net?

No, I turn to myself. I listen. I acknowledge. I honor.

Only after I turn inward, do I turn outward. I seek out those people who best fit my beliefs. I don't go for glitz, or baubles or beads. I go for substance. I don't look for the demagogues, the people who demand my respect, I look for the well meaning people who want nothing more than to share their knowledge with the community of the people around them. These are the people who understand that through sharing comes growth.

Its time to live life to its fullest. Its time to make your own choices. Choose your own plan and don't believe the snake charmers who offer the overnight silver bullet to be found in a raw foods lifestyle. It doesn't exist.

Raw foods are a tool to change a lifetime of existence. Raw foods are not the answer to your problems. Don't jump on the bandwagon until you're ready to deal with your life.

You are the only answer to all of the challenges you face. Listen to yourself first, then listen to those around you.

Suicide in the Heartlands

No, I'm still alive. No, I'm not dying. Its been one devil of a week, and I'm not adapting well to the changes in the season, and the changes I fail to acknowledge around me. Posting had taken a back seat for a few days as I've traveled the State working, and attempted to get life under control.

This weekend four of us ventured into one of the most well known shows in middle America. Its called the Circleville Pumpkin Show. Its touted as the largest free show around. There are parades, and food. There are shows and food. There are rides and food. There is culture shock.

I don't want to come off sounding snobbish, although I probably will sound just like that, but I really felt out of place. People were gobbling down thousand of pieces of pumpkin pie, pumpkin donuts, deep fried Swiss cheese, deep fried veggies, and the "awesome blossom", which is a deep fried onion. There were tons of pumpkin fudge, and pumpkin taffy, and pumpkin pizza being sold.

I walked around the streets looking at the people with their cigarettes hanging from their lips, and their stomachs sticking three feet out in front of them.

I saw their complexions deteriorate by the second as they inhaled the grease, and drank the sugar infused lemonade and soda pop.


I'll admit that the four of us, Keely, Katie, Kara and myself, committed suicide in the heartlands. We wallowed in festival with our feed bags strapped to our mouths, and within one hour felt like lawn trout. We were bloated. We were sluggish. We were ready to curl up and sleep, allowing our stomachs to purge themselves of the infestation.

Am I glad that I assaulted my system? Did it really taste good? Was it worth it?

HELL YES!

I'm human. For this one afternoon, if felt great to get out in the clean fall air of small town America. It was nice to feel the press of the crowds and to get in touch with the people. To see the looks, and hopes on the faces, so many dreaming of a simpler time in their lives when the tons of pills, the horrors of war, and the fear of economic depression, did not weigh heavily upon their shoulders.

It reminded me of how much food is as much a method of communication, as it is nutrition for our bodies. When we venture into the world we must be the diplomats, honoring the choices others make, leading by example not by demand. Guiding not shoving. Listening, not threatening.

I'm glad I had that donut, that pumpkin cream puff, the deep fried onion rings with aged cheddar sauce that tasted like melted Velveeta, the deep fried cheese stuffed pretzel with nacho cheese sauce, the pumpkin pizza, the kettle corn, the pumpkin fudge, and the deep fried Swiss cheese, all washed down with the birch beer. The best thing we had was the bottled water. For an afternoon I was able to reconnect with my past and reinforce my choices for the future.

Oh, and yes, I feel like the garbage that I stuffed inside my system, just like everyone else does this morning in middle America. I just wish everyone else would realize why they feel like hell.

Oh God, I need a smoothie and a colonic....

A Special Twist

PINK BASIL FIZZ

1.5 cups Basil Limeade from "The Daily Raw Cafe"
2 T Agave Nectar
2 cup Frozen Strawberries
Club Soda


Place all ingredients, except for the club soda, into a blender and blend until smooth. Fill a glass halfway to the top with the Basil/Strawberry mixture, then top off with club soda. Decorate with fresh strawberry or mint!

My thanks to Teri of "The Daily Raw Cafe" for coming up with a great recipe to use as a base for this drink. The Basil Limeade is wonderful all by itself!

ASSAULTING THE SENSES

OK, so I'm not very good at puns. My attempt at humor can be more "pun"ishing than most anything else. But I try.

So what's my naughty little secret? What do I like to eat without abandon?

Salt!

.

We've heard all the bad things about this rock. It stops cells from growing. It kills food. It drives our blood pressure up, and causes us to retain water. Salt can harden our arteries and lead to a premature trip to becoming lawn trout. We even use salt to melt the snow on our roads so that we can deplete more of fossil fuels in search of more salt!

But there's one thing about salt that we can all agree on:

Damn salt tastes good!

Salt has taken on a new status in food preparation. The cardboard container with the little girl holding her umbrella has been relegated to the dark corners of the grocery store. Today salt is a gourmet item. You can buy salts of all kinds online. There's "truffles and salt" (3.5 oz. for a little over $22.00), or Murray River Pink Flake for $32.00 a pound!

I have my favorites. Himalayan Pink has a wonderful flavor. Mild, yet it does not have that harsh chemical taste. It make flavors jump in your mouth. Of course the Salish Alderwood Smoked Salt is orgasmic!




Just like anything we eat, salt can be dangerous. We must always seek a balance in our lives. I try to listen to my body. Sure there are things I might eat that are far from healthy, but that's my life and my right. But can you imagine a great Italian tomato sauce without salt?

If we can drink, and use a good wine to enhance our foods, and food experiences, there is no reason why we can't do the same with any food ingredient like salt. But just like wine, don't overdue it. Eat and drink responsibly!

Oh, and if you've got a "Whole Foods" in your area, the salts are carried back with the cheeses. Now if I can convince Don to expand his salt Rack I won't have to make the trip across town! (Go ahead and click on the link for a wonderful experience. NO, the Internet is not just for Porn!)

Now where's the shaker?

Where's Dr. Laura! LAURA GIVE IT BACK!

We Have Taken Control Of This Blog For A Special Announcement!

Why start another blog? Well, like Keely, I found myself wanting to touch on subjects that didn't deal with my raw food lifestyle. Those of you who have been following "Legally Raw" have seen me touch on politics, religion, sex, and other areas of interest.

So check out No! You're Kidding! when you get the chance, and...

Be afraid.... be very afraid....

We now return control of your mind to you, just don't waste it!

I HAVE BEEN SAVED!

No, not that! I'm not running for a political office here in the United States. Besides I'm a Raw Buddhist Lawyer. (Now that should make your head spin!)

I have found the recipe that I've been looking for this past week. I wasn't planning on posting anything for another day or two, but I've got to share this one.

I can be lazy. I'm human! Live with it!

I can't stand making almond milk. Let's be honest here. Soaking the almonds, blending the almonds, and straining the almonds, is nothing more than a major pain in the ass.

Now I'm not so lazy that I'll go buy a box of almond milk. Its not raw. OK, neither will our almonds be raw because of the idiots in our Federal Government who are listening to the lobbyists, who are paid by the people who want to sell the new machines and make money (Gee, is money really the root of all evil?) by killing our food, so they can make more money selling their drugs. (Sounds like we're playing "Kevin Bacon" doesn't it?) Besides, boxed almond milk is too expensive, and usually tastes like crap.

In walks Kate Wood (LOVE YOU KATIE!) with her book, "Eat Smart, Eat Raw". On page 156 you'll find:

Nut Milk

2 Tablespoons almond butter
8 ounces water

Blend for a few minutes. Strain and serve. Add date, banana, or apple concentrate if sweetener is desired.

How much sweeter can making almond milk get. So I say get lazy. There's nothing wrong with saving time. Oh, and go buy the book!

Kara and Murmur too of course. (Yeah, don't worry. The person this last sentence is meant for gets the hidden message. Just keep wondering. I'm not telling!)

How Time Flies!

Has it been five days since my last post? It seems like only five hours! Sorry, but life's been tough, and my heads been spinning from all the work at work.

I know, I know, stop whining, we've all got a lot of work! But its a national past time for Americans, ranking right up there with baseball, football, Britney Spears' private parts, and the drugs we take. Isn't America a wonderful place to live? We can be so high class at times!

The really nice thing about whining is that it takes our mind off of all the more important things in life. No, I'm not back to Britney. I'm talking about your life.

NO, not your life in a "tabloid" way. Sorry, unless you're married to an alien (outer space alien), or have the inside track on where a politician hides their brains these days, your life just isn't interesting enough to make one of the rags (i.e. Fox News).

What I'm talking about is your day to day interactions with yourself. This doesn't include the person you love and live with, your children or anyone else that you co-exist with. I'm talking about that person you look at every morning in the mirror.

Don't try to break the mirror. Just remember that you're not stuck with that person. You can change who you are. You can wear different clothes. You can stop your road to cancer, and throw away the cigarettes. You don't have to eat the same foods as everyone else eats for fear of being considered crazy.

Let's stop and look at that last sentence. That's so well written I think I'll repeat myself. Add a little color and bold type. You don't have to eat the same foods as everyone else eats for fear of being considered crazy.

Guess what? There are people out there who already think that you're crazy. They think you're crazy because you cross your legs when you sit down. They think you're crazy because you snort when you laugh (that one can be hard to refute!). They think you're crazy because you are you!

Should you care? Many of you do care. But you can't do a thing about anyone's but your own thoughts. You can't control what anyone does with their own lives. The only person you can control is yourself!

Oh, I hear it now. But I love them! IF YOU LOVE THEM LET THEM GO!

We've all heard that line before: "Let them go". I consider this the true meaning of love. Let the person walk their own path. Let them make their own choices. Let them learn their own lessons. This doesn't mean turn your back on those you love. Your job is to stand beside the path, and be ready when they ask for help. Your job is not to lead them down your path. Let them walk their path, as you walk your path.

So don't worry about the looks you get when you sit down with your Tiffin full of medjool dates stuffed with almond butter, a fluffy green salad, and a great big piece of "Spinach Stuffed Meatloaf" from The Daily Raw. You've got the right to make your own decisions as to how you want to lead your life.

Thank those around you who mean well, and let them continue on their own path. Don't be surprised if one of those people approach you on the sly and ask for more information on your raw lifestyle. Give of the information freely, without being dogmatic, or preachy. Even the carnivores have a right to eat the little animals of the world.

Be open to the world around you, and allow others their freedom. We live in a wonderful time. There are so many challenges and opportunities for growth in our world. But first we must learn to listen to those around us, and allow them their freedom too! (Oh, could that open a whole different train of thought!)

As a side note, I had a wonderful experience last night! (There's a tabloid writer somewhere just hoping that this will be the next paying article...SORRY!) I love teasing a friend about her email program. She uses Outlook (OK, that's a really big mistake. Check out Mozilla and their browser's ThunderbirdFirefox! Neither program has locked up on me yet, Bill Gates!). Every now and then Outlook changes the dates. I'll get a response from her to a recent email that appears to have been sent three months earlier.

This person has her own blog. I noticed last night as I was catching up on some 125 blog entries that I've missed over the last several days that she posted on March 10, 2007, and sent her a note that her computer "barfed" again.

Each person sees life differently. She's used a different date format. 3-10-2007 isn't March 10, 2007, its the third day of the 10Th month, 2007 or October 3, 2007.

Remember, or worlds are different. Accept that truth, and then revel in the experiences, and choices before you. Live life to its fullest, and never be afraid to say you're wrong....

Thanks again for the lesson:



(I just love the country western theme. Oh, I've got some better pictures. I'll share them, and tell you more about her next week. I just won't share all the pictures I've got. She's definitely "Daddy's Girl".)

BEAT ON THE BRAT WITH A BASEBALL BAT!

"We have received an inestimable gift. To be alive in this beautiful, self-organizing universe - to participate in the dance of life with senses to perceive it, lungs that breathe it, organs that draw nourishment from it - is a wonder beyond words."

Gratitude: Where Healing the Earth Begins
By Joanna Macy
Shambhala Sun, November 2007

I stopped by my local bookstore this evening on the way home from work. Keely's off to her mother's until Friday, and I'm free to run around the house in my underwear without being yelled at. (Hey neighbors! You thought the full moon had set? HAH!) Of course, I make no promises that I'll publish this post without some type of typographical errors, (or saying something to subject me to the wrath of Keely) but I'll give it a shot!

Joanna Macy's article was the first thing I opened the magazine to as I took it out of the bag. I thought what a wonderful quote to use for this posting. So sitting down with my laptop, Star Trek Voyager playing on the TV in the background, and The Ramones singing "Beat on the Brat with a Baseball Bat", I went totally blank.

I'll speak to Macy's quote latter this week, but something more important came to my mind, based upon this experience. I remember hearing David Wolfe talk once about how he tried to use every minute, in every way possible. At that time when he ate his breakfast, he'd sit reading a book.

How many of us will sit and watch TV while eating, or think about how we'll get the kids to soccer, softball, baseball, that meeting with their parole officer, bible class, or an myriad of other topics? (I wonder how many of you just passed over the parole officer without a second thought?)

This isn't the first time, or the last time, I'll refer to Buddhism. I'm not out to convert anyone, as it is not a religion but a way of thought. It helps me center my thoughts when the world gives the illusion of spinning out of control. Buddhism talks about living in the present, and dealing with that which is before you.

When we listen to our child, spouse, coworker, or fellow human, we should listen, and not think about our next appointment, or meal.

When we walk down the street, we should put one foot in front of the other, feeling the slap of our foot on the concrete or earth.

When we pick up an apple, and bite into its flesh, we should experience our teeth cutting through the skin. We should embrace the gift of how readily the flesh gives of its juices to provide nourishment to our bodies. We should taste the earth that grew the tree, and the rain which watered the tree to produce the fruit we eat.

No matter what we ingest we should honor, and thank the food for what it gives us. Not only should we honor the fruits of the earth, but we should honor our body by picking the right fuel to provide the nourishment our body needs to carry it through life.

Never think that the foods that I eat, or any "raw foods guru" says you must eat for proper nourishment is correct. We are each individuals, and must discover that which is best to maintain our body in proper relationship to our environment. I don't believe that an Eskimo could exist on the same diet that someone living along the Amazon would need to survive.

Don't try to pack every activity known to humanity into your day. When you eat, try doing nothing but eating. Listen to that which you ingest, and honor those who brought it to your table. Experience your food, don't inhale your food.

Through right action, the enzyme rich foods will digest easier, and provide that needed to enhance your lifestyle.

Oh, and don't play the Ramones while eating or typing. There's a time and a place for everything. Punk rock does absolutely nothing for the digestion, or your train of thought. Might not help the headache either.