Hello everyone and thanks for reading! Join me at my new site at...
www.worldredress.com
xoxo... Cat
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Monday, September 21, 2009
Just Eat It!
Raw and living food is very easy to make delicious because the food of the earth is delicious just as it is. I do like cooked food and eat it occasionally, but I have found that it requires more time, thought and effort to make it perfect. I'd actually venture to say that it is impossible to make raw food bad, unless you use an ingredient before it is ripe. My only issue ever is when the default method of sweetening is adding agave nectar or honey instead of adding another whole food ingredient like apples or mamey. Otherwise, just throw anything and everything all together, eat it, and love it!
This "pizza" is a perfect example of how raw food can be delicious without much thought or planning at all. I'll tell you my version which I created based on what I happened to have readily available at the time, but PLEASE feel free to experiment with making your own version. For instance, I would have added avocado if I had a ripe one, but I drizzled the pizza with tahini instead and it was just as delicious. What's really so great about this dish is that it is reminiscent of pizza - almost everybody loves pizza because it's easy and fun to eat. All you have to do is shove it in your mouth! Get creative because this is what will keep you traveling forward on your journey toward greater health.
"Rubbish" Pizza
Use a sprouted tortilla, or whatever tortilla/pizza crust you happen to have. Raw is advisable, but if you'd like to use a whole wheat pizza crust or tortilla that would be very good, too. Warm your pizza in a dehydrator or an oven at a low temperature for a more comforting effect.
1st Layer: "Massaged" Collard Greens
Juliane the collards to a quarter inch width. Add a pinch of salt (to taste) and 1 to 2 tbsp of EVOO and rub all of the oil and salt into the greens until they are as soft at you like. You could gently process the greens in the food processor if you want smaller bits, but you will want to add your love by using your hands to work the oil and salt into the greens before you process.
Spread/Place the greens onto the crust leaving only a half inch at most at the edges.
2nd Layer: Kimchi
You can find great unpasteurized kimchi in most health food stores. This is a wonderful enzyme-rich food if it's in it's raw state!
Create a layer on top of the greens with as much kimchi as you like. It can be spicy and you'll want to consider the tastes of whomever will be eating the pizza.
3rd Layer: Finely chopped Red Onion and sliced Olives
Use whatever olives you like. I used Kalamata olives. Capers would also be very good. Sprinkle as much as you like on top of the first two layers.
4th Layer: Dulse Flakes
Dulse flakes adds interest and nutrition to any dish. It's good with sweets too, like chocolate or fruit salad. That's another thing - Try breaking the barriers between "sweet" and "savory" to spark the intrigue of the pickiest eaters.
Sprinkle a few tbsp of Dulse flakes on top of the pizza to add organic minerals like iodine and iron, as well as Glyconutrients!
Finally, as I said earlier you could add chopped or thinly sliced avocado (the softer and riper, the better), guacamole, or do what I did which was drizzle the pizza with creamy, delicious (and vegan!) tahini. There are raw brands now readily available at most health food stores.
A drizzle of high quality EVOO wouldn't hurt either :)
Get creative and ENJOY!
This "pizza" is a perfect example of how raw food can be delicious without much thought or planning at all. I'll tell you my version which I created based on what I happened to have readily available at the time, but PLEASE feel free to experiment with making your own version. For instance, I would have added avocado if I had a ripe one, but I drizzled the pizza with tahini instead and it was just as delicious. What's really so great about this dish is that it is reminiscent of pizza - almost everybody loves pizza because it's easy and fun to eat. All you have to do is shove it in your mouth! Get creative because this is what will keep you traveling forward on your journey toward greater health.
"Rubbish" Pizza
Use a sprouted tortilla, or whatever tortilla/pizza crust you happen to have. Raw is advisable, but if you'd like to use a whole wheat pizza crust or tortilla that would be very good, too. Warm your pizza in a dehydrator or an oven at a low temperature for a more comforting effect.
1st Layer: "Massaged" Collard Greens
Juliane the collards to a quarter inch width. Add a pinch of salt (to taste) and 1 to 2 tbsp of EVOO and rub all of the oil and salt into the greens until they are as soft at you like. You could gently process the greens in the food processor if you want smaller bits, but you will want to add your love by using your hands to work the oil and salt into the greens before you process.
Spread/Place the greens onto the crust leaving only a half inch at most at the edges.
2nd Layer: Kimchi
You can find great unpasteurized kimchi in most health food stores. This is a wonderful enzyme-rich food if it's in it's raw state!
Create a layer on top of the greens with as much kimchi as you like. It can be spicy and you'll want to consider the tastes of whomever will be eating the pizza.
3rd Layer: Finely chopped Red Onion and sliced Olives
Use whatever olives you like. I used Kalamata olives. Capers would also be very good. Sprinkle as much as you like on top of the first two layers.
4th Layer: Dulse Flakes
Dulse flakes adds interest and nutrition to any dish. It's good with sweets too, like chocolate or fruit salad. That's another thing - Try breaking the barriers between "sweet" and "savory" to spark the intrigue of the pickiest eaters.
Sprinkle a few tbsp of Dulse flakes on top of the pizza to add organic minerals like iodine and iron, as well as Glyconutrients!
Finally, as I said earlier you could add chopped or thinly sliced avocado (the softer and riper, the better), guacamole, or do what I did which was drizzle the pizza with creamy, delicious (and vegan!) tahini. There are raw brands now readily available at most health food stores.
A drizzle of high quality EVOO wouldn't hurt either :)
Get creative and ENJOY!
Monday, September 14, 2009
Food-Free Lifestyle: Jericho Sunfire
Such an amazing video that highlights the life of Jericho Sunfire, a man who lives a food-free life. He subsists on the energy that is all around us... cosmic energy. He is in extreme physical health - the video shows him performing difficult exercises with ease. Your first thought may be that he's probably emaciated, or all "Breatharians" are, but this is actually not the case. Mr. Sunfire looks as healthy and alive as any other professional athlete.
It was his journey into rawfoodism that eventually brought him to his food-free lifestyle.
Really makes you think: If people can live completely food-free, then we can certainly take a moment before we eat to choose the best possible food for ourselves and this planet. Is that Philly cheese steak really worthy of you, or even some of the walnut and date treats that so many raw foodists love. We actually ask quite a lot from our bodies because of our addiction to the enjoyment and distraction of eating.
Choose whatever lifestyle works for you, but remember to consider the "slave driver" addiction can be.
Now I want to refer to Gwyneth Paltrow's lovely newsletter GOOP. This particular issue is all about addiction. Here's a very important excerpt...
Our addiction to the concept of self is the most deeply ingrained and the hardest to overcome. To do so we have to begin by seeing into the truth that there really is no self. The self is just a concept, an agreed-upon notion, much like that of a corporation. Over a period of 80 to 100 years, the CEO and all the employees will have changed several times. The product and even the name of the company may also have changed. So what is the company? In fact, there is no company, other than a legal agreement that it exists and persists over time as the same company. The self is just like this. We know that before there was a concept of self, there was no such thing called the self. We all agree when a baby is born that this baby is a self and has a self. But the baby doesn’t have a concept of self. We build that concept up over time, and the more time and energy we invest in the concept of self, the more attached, or addicted, we become to the notion that “I” exists as a separate, solid and permanent entity. Moment by moment, day by day, year by year, the more we have invested in this notion, the harder it is to free ourselves from the addiction of self. Once we have truly realized that there is no self, the easier it is to drop our addictions.
-Zen Master Dennis Genpo Merzel
And, some wise words from Michael Berg, co-director of the Kabbalah Centre™, about overcoming addiction...
Three essential things we can do to begin the process of leaving addictive behavior behind:
1. Realize these yearnings are coming from a true place (our soul) telling us we need to do more, and we can do and be more.
2. Begin a process of both realizing and connecting to our true essence by focusing, meditating and becoming more conscious of our thoughts, behaviors and true potential.
3. Do actions that take us out of selfish behavior. Become a more giving person. This helps us be less busy with ourselves.
Good luck with your journey, and ENJOY!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
How to Masticate Properly
or
How to Chew Properly
This is a very important skill and before I share a certain salad recipe with you, I must make sure that you are a "conscious" chewer.
Very important... eat in calm and pleasant surroundings. Resist the urge to eat when stressed or rushed, like when you're driving or when you know you have to be at a meeting in 15 minutes.
With each bite, envision the food in your mouth. See it swirling around your tongue and crushing between your teeth. If it is raw food you're eating, fully experience the burst of flavors, textures, and sensations from all the different living ingredients. Do this until the food has disappeared from your mind's eye. Try not to consider your next bite until your mouth and your mind are empty.
okay. Here's the salad. This recipe can be three different dishes depending on the preparation you choose. If you know you may not be serving the salad to conscious chewers, you may want to turn it into a soup or slaw. Presenting different textures, especially if your aren't working with many ingredients, is also a great way to add excitement to a meal.
Pear and Avocado Soup, Salad, or Slaw
(For best results, all ingredients must be organic and/or raw.)
1 Pear
1 Ripe, but Still Firm, Avocado (about same size or slightly larger than the pear)
4 tbsp Flat Leaf Parsley
2 tbsp Coconut Oil (Gently Melted)
1 tbsp Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
few pinches of Celtic Grey Sea Salt to taste (or other high quality, not dried salt)
For Soup:
Blend in a Vitamix. Try to use a softer avocado for the soup. Add a bit of water or coconut water to make it easier to blend. Consider leaving the salting up to your guests. Garnish with a bit more parsley and cayenne pepper if you like.
Here's what the combination looks like as a salad. Pretty, ain't it?
For Salad:
Chop the pear into bite-size pieces. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and use a spoon to scoop out bits of avocado about the same size as your pear pieces. Roughly chop the parsley. Throw the three ingredients into a bowl. Add the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and salt. Toss and serve.
For Slaw: (You can serve this as a side dish, with chips or crackers, or in a nori roll with a savory seed/nut pate and greens.)
Chop the pear and avocado into small bits, or process gently in a food processor. Finely chop the parsley and combine with the pear and avocado. Finish as you would the salad.
Enjoy!
How to Chew Properly
This is a very important skill and before I share a certain salad recipe with you, I must make sure that you are a "conscious" chewer.
Very important... eat in calm and pleasant surroundings. Resist the urge to eat when stressed or rushed, like when you're driving or when you know you have to be at a meeting in 15 minutes.
With each bite, envision the food in your mouth. See it swirling around your tongue and crushing between your teeth. If it is raw food you're eating, fully experience the burst of flavors, textures, and sensations from all the different living ingredients. Do this until the food has disappeared from your mind's eye. Try not to consider your next bite until your mouth and your mind are empty.
okay. Here's the salad. This recipe can be three different dishes depending on the preparation you choose. If you know you may not be serving the salad to conscious chewers, you may want to turn it into a soup or slaw. Presenting different textures, especially if your aren't working with many ingredients, is also a great way to add excitement to a meal.
Pear and Avocado Soup, Salad, or Slaw
(For best results, all ingredients must be organic and/or raw.)
1 Pear
1 Ripe, but Still Firm, Avocado (about same size or slightly larger than the pear)
4 tbsp Flat Leaf Parsley
2 tbsp Coconut Oil (Gently Melted)
1 tbsp Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
few pinches of Celtic Grey Sea Salt to taste (or other high quality, not dried salt)
For Soup:
Blend in a Vitamix. Try to use a softer avocado for the soup. Add a bit of water or coconut water to make it easier to blend. Consider leaving the salting up to your guests. Garnish with a bit more parsley and cayenne pepper if you like.
For Salad:
Chop the pear into bite-size pieces. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and use a spoon to scoop out bits of avocado about the same size as your pear pieces. Roughly chop the parsley. Throw the three ingredients into a bowl. Add the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and salt. Toss and serve.
For Slaw: (You can serve this as a side dish, with chips or crackers, or in a nori roll with a savory seed/nut pate and greens.)
Chop the pear and avocado into small bits, or process gently in a food processor. Finely chop the parsley and combine with the pear and avocado. Finish as you would the salad.
Enjoy!
Friday, June 26, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Responsible Luxury
As your veritable fortune quickly comes into existence, you'll want to start thinking about the best ways to experience luxury.
Let's shed some light on the subject...
Here's a lamp made out of found objects covered with knitted plastic bags. Check out more of these amazing designs from Swiss designer Anne-Cécile Rappaport.
Got a need for all-electric speed? It's called the Tesla Roadster and Ooooooh baby, this ride is sweet!
Go to the website for Tesla Motors. This website is so delicious. Visualization is an important part of acquisition.
There's no better combination than sexy cars and sexy ladies.
Let's treat these ladies right...
The most extraordinary eco-friendly bra we've ever found! A knock-out design that is both wireless and lightly padded for support. Made of a unique fabric created from pine tree trimmings!
Order online or check out more from FaeriesDance.com
Now, for the common shoe addiction. Mind you, I'm not a huge fan of shoes and I do believe we should wear them as little as possible. But if you've got to wear them to pass as human, might as well make 'em super sexy (and not to mention, VEGAN)!
Order these or other hot, vegan shoes at mooshoes.com
Need help aligning with your fortune? Watch this...
Count your blessings and ENJOY!
Let's shed some light on the subject...
Here's a lamp made out of found objects covered with knitted plastic bags. Check out more of these amazing designs from Swiss designer Anne-Cécile Rappaport.
Got a need for all-electric speed? It's called the Tesla Roadster and Ooooooh baby, this ride is sweet!
Go to the website for Tesla Motors. This website is so delicious. Visualization is an important part of acquisition.
There's no better combination than sexy cars and sexy ladies.
Let's treat these ladies right...
The most extraordinary eco-friendly bra we've ever found! A knock-out design that is both wireless and lightly padded for support. Made of a unique fabric created from pine tree trimmings!
Order online or check out more from FaeriesDance.com
Now, for the common shoe addiction. Mind you, I'm not a huge fan of shoes and I do believe we should wear them as little as possible. But if you've got to wear them to pass as human, might as well make 'em super sexy (and not to mention, VEGAN)!
Order these or other hot, vegan shoes at mooshoes.com
Need help aligning with your fortune? Watch this...
Count your blessings and ENJOY!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Find Your Path
I love you all, so I'll be frank...
If you have a tendency to freak out about "dogmas" saying that the people around you are preaching that their way is the way and blah blah blah... turn the finger around for just a moment.
My experience with people who preach "down with dogma" is that they are usually the ones who are most enslaved by dogmas, either created by themselves or "gurus."
Because really, if you live a life of freedom of choice, you're more likely to see the information from others as just that, information. Sure, people get passionate and even ridiculous about what they believe works for them. Let's take the information and applaud them for being passionate about something besides tabloids or television! And hey, if it is tabloids or tv they're being "dogmatic" about, here's a great opportunity to exercise your compassion.
Let's go back through the history of the word dogma. First off, it isn't a bad word. Dogma refers to "a system of principles or tenets," as defined at dictionary.com. The word got a negative connotation for several reasons, one being some less-than-excellent occurrences where people were murdered or excommunicated for speaking against the dogmas of a church. Okay, this is a total bummer, but dogma, the word or what it stands for, is not to blame. It's people.
Now don't get me wrong, I love people. But sometimes it's hard for these gentle, glorious creatures to take on some good ol' fashioned responsibility.
I felt compelled to talk about this after reading Anthony Anderson's blog (www.rawmodel.com) about giving up veganism. After a long stint of my trying to fit in with raw foodists, all the while knowing that I would probably never come to see myself as a 100% raw foodist. (I'm not big on labels so even if I did only eat raw food I'd be reluctant to label myself a "raw foodist.") Yes, I love the techniques used for raw cuisine and I will continue to go periods of time only eating raw/living foods. It really is a beautiful way to prepare food and as I've said in previous blog posts, it's one that we should regularly consider seeing as it uses much less nonrenewable energy, if any at all. My issue is that the trend with the lifestyle seems to be following dogma over listening to your body and considering the principles of alchemy and basic nutrition. For instance, eating whatever, whenever as long as it is a nut, seed, vegetable, or fruit and as long as it never reached a temperature of over 118 degrees Fahrenheit to stifle cravings is less-than-excellent if you still find yourself puffy, pissed, and unable to get out of bed before 9 A.M.
Dehydrating is indisputably better than cooking. Does this mean that one should never eat cooked food while eating dehydrated food with complete abandon? I beg to differ. To a raw foodist at whatever percentage he/she chooses to eat raw, dehydrated food should be treated as cooked food and it needs to be balanced accordingly. Why? Because the act of dehydration removes water from the organic structure of the food. Seeing as all food you eat must be turned into a liquid, the water must be reintroduced somehow and that water will either come from your body or the foods you choose to eat with the dehydrated food. This is where proper balance and food combining comes into play.
Water is also the element that receives prayer or vibration, which is very important for proper digestion. Consider an effectively combined veggie sandwich of cucumber, sprouts, tomato, lettuce, onion, olive oil, and raw Celtic sea salt on whole grain baked bread just as lovely a combination as that veggie sandwich on a dehydrated bread, commensurate with your desire for either and your gratefulness for having it.
Deliberate the frequency a food takes on if the thought before eating is "yeah, I'm overeating, but at least it's raw" (translation: I do not deserve the best.) or "at least I'm eating raw food instead what those idiots I work with are eating" (translation: disempowerment - my best is dependent on outside forces). These disordered thoughts create disorder in the organic water of the food, and this is another aspect of "you are what you eat."
When I'm at my healthiest and most cleansed, I'm able to follow a basic schedule of eating/drinking. I'm never ravenous and I just listen to my body to see if I might need some cleansing greens, a good helping of fat like coconut oil, and/or a savory chewy crunch like walnuts or brazil nuts. I can think clearly before I put whatever it is into my mouth and consider "should I actually be drinking something first... yeah, if I take this time to respond to my e-mails [or create a blog post ;) ], that's enough time for the drink to be absorbed so the bulky salad I'm going to have won't be swimming in a sea of coconut water (or whatever the beverage happens to be)."
Life is a blessing. You are life. You are consciousness. Praise yourself and the foods you choose to put into your body. You are magnificent. You deserve the best... ALWAYS.
If you have a tendency to freak out about "dogmas" saying that the people around you are preaching that their way is the way and blah blah blah... turn the finger around for just a moment.
My experience with people who preach "down with dogma" is that they are usually the ones who are most enslaved by dogmas, either created by themselves or "gurus."
Because really, if you live a life of freedom of choice, you're more likely to see the information from others as just that, information. Sure, people get passionate and even ridiculous about what they believe works for them. Let's take the information and applaud them for being passionate about something besides tabloids or television! And hey, if it is tabloids or tv they're being "dogmatic" about, here's a great opportunity to exercise your compassion.
Let's go back through the history of the word dogma. First off, it isn't a bad word. Dogma refers to "a system of principles or tenets," as defined at dictionary.com. The word got a negative connotation for several reasons, one being some less-than-excellent occurrences where people were murdered or excommunicated for speaking against the dogmas of a church. Okay, this is a total bummer, but dogma, the word or what it stands for, is not to blame. It's people.
Now don't get me wrong, I love people. But sometimes it's hard for these gentle, glorious creatures to take on some good ol' fashioned responsibility.
I felt compelled to talk about this after reading Anthony Anderson's blog (www.rawmodel.com) about giving up veganism. After a long stint of my trying to fit in with raw foodists, all the while knowing that I would probably never come to see myself as a 100% raw foodist. (I'm not big on labels so even if I did only eat raw food I'd be reluctant to label myself a "raw foodist.") Yes, I love the techniques used for raw cuisine and I will continue to go periods of time only eating raw/living foods. It really is a beautiful way to prepare food and as I've said in previous blog posts, it's one that we should regularly consider seeing as it uses much less nonrenewable energy, if any at all. My issue is that the trend with the lifestyle seems to be following dogma over listening to your body and considering the principles of alchemy and basic nutrition. For instance, eating whatever, whenever as long as it is a nut, seed, vegetable, or fruit and as long as it never reached a temperature of over 118 degrees Fahrenheit to stifle cravings is less-than-excellent if you still find yourself puffy, pissed, and unable to get out of bed before 9 A.M.
Dehydrating is indisputably better than cooking. Does this mean that one should never eat cooked food while eating dehydrated food with complete abandon? I beg to differ. To a raw foodist at whatever percentage he/she chooses to eat raw, dehydrated food should be treated as cooked food and it needs to be balanced accordingly. Why? Because the act of dehydration removes water from the organic structure of the food. Seeing as all food you eat must be turned into a liquid, the water must be reintroduced somehow and that water will either come from your body or the foods you choose to eat with the dehydrated food. This is where proper balance and food combining comes into play.
Water is also the element that receives prayer or vibration, which is very important for proper digestion. Consider an effectively combined veggie sandwich of cucumber, sprouts, tomato, lettuce, onion, olive oil, and raw Celtic sea salt on whole grain baked bread just as lovely a combination as that veggie sandwich on a dehydrated bread, commensurate with your desire for either and your gratefulness for having it.
Deliberate the frequency a food takes on if the thought before eating is "yeah, I'm overeating, but at least it's raw" (translation: I do not deserve the best.) or "at least I'm eating raw food instead what those idiots I work with are eating" (translation: disempowerment - my best is dependent on outside forces). These disordered thoughts create disorder in the organic water of the food, and this is another aspect of "you are what you eat."
When I'm at my healthiest and most cleansed, I'm able to follow a basic schedule of eating/drinking. I'm never ravenous and I just listen to my body to see if I might need some cleansing greens, a good helping of fat like coconut oil, and/or a savory chewy crunch like walnuts or brazil nuts. I can think clearly before I put whatever it is into my mouth and consider "should I actually be drinking something first... yeah, if I take this time to respond to my e-mails [or create a blog post ;) ], that's enough time for the drink to be absorbed so the bulky salad I'm going to have won't be swimming in a sea of coconut water (or whatever the beverage happens to be)."
Life is a blessing. You are life. You are consciousness. Praise yourself and the foods you choose to put into your body. You are magnificent. You deserve the best... ALWAYS.
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