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!