Feed The Body Well

Nourish yourself with an abundance of nutrients and you will be astounded by the body's powers

Though it sounds surprising, almost all people who are "overweight" are actually starving. They are starving of the proper nutrients, vitamins and minerals needed for proper cell functions. The brain recognizes this and sends a message of hunger. Unfortunately, most people have lost all connection to their cravings and fill them with high empty calorie junk foods. During transition to a whole foods macro-raw diet there is no need to change overnight. Simply adding in more living foods, smoothies, and juices will start to replace those missing nutrients. Very soon one starts to notice the cravings have diminished and there is no longer a desire for the empty calorie foods, rather a new joy and appreciation for whole living foods.

Proper digestion is key to nutrient assimilation. If your digestive track is sluggish and blocked the vitamins and minerals broken down from whole foods are not able to be absorbed into your blood stream. A diet high in fruits and vegetables helps, but is not always enough. Adding chia, flax, aloe, and psyllium husk to smoothies and other recipes are wonderful digestive aids. The very best thing you can do is add fermented foods like water kefir, rejuvelac, and kimchi to your health routine. Fermented foods help to balance the bacteria and keep the digestive track flowing. They are highly recommended in raw food and macrobiotic diets alike.

Once the body is receiving what it needs to maintain cellular functions, you won't believe what it is capable of. The body's incredible healing powers are being stifled by starvation and gut imbalances. Our human bodies have the ability to heal all illnesses quickly and produce glowing smooth skin, shining eyes, and healthy teeth and gums. Healthy balanced bodies give way to clear minds and a deeper connection to pure consciousness and overall spiritual well being!




Nori Sprout Roll with Kimchi Sauce
1 Nori Sheet
1/2 C Brown Rice (sticky leftover is best)
Cucumber matchstick sliced
Avocado matchstick sliced
1/4 C Bean Sprouts
Black Seseame Seeds


Place the nori sheet shiny side down. Place enough brown rice to cover the whole sheet leaving only abut 1/8 in. around the edges. Use a chef knife that had been dipped into cool water to press the rice down and even out. Line the veggies and sprouts across the rice about 1 in. from the top. Smear a bit of the sauce on one end of the nori. Using a sushi mat roll the nori sheet away from you and press down slightly to seal. Remove the mat and use a wet knife to slice the roll into 8 pieces. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with Kimchi Sauce (below) and Pickled Ginger.

Kimchi Sauce
Juice of 1 Lemon
2 Tbl. Kimchi
1/2 avocado
1 Tbl. Raw Honey
1 Tbl. Dark Miso
2 Tbl. Water

Place all ingredients into a high speed blender and process until smooth.
Use this tangy sauce for sushi dipping or on top of a sprout salad.

Make REJUVELAC
2 cups of organic wheat berries or other whole sprouting grains
Spring or filtered water.

Soak the wheat grains (berries) for about 8 hours after washing them well and discarding any dead, broken or discoloured berries. Drain and rinse them 2-3 times per day. The berries will take about 2 days to sprout, depending on the temperature, their quality, the water you use and other factors.

After the grains sprout about 1 cm, put them in a container and just cover them with spring or filtered water. After two days,the liquid should have a lemony smell and taste a bit like sparkling lemon water. Drain this and enjoy or store covered in the refrigerator.
Add fresh water to the soft seeds and make a second batch. You may repeat this several times.
Forget the yogurt! Rejuvelac has hundreds more beneficial bacteria for healthy digestion!

Macro-Raw Harmony

Make a conscious decision to see harmony where others choose to find contradictions

Raw food purist and macrobiotic teachers may both be appalled by my combination of the two paths to health. I have experienced times in my life living completely macrobiotic and others 100% Raw. During both extremes I felt great health, but never the total overall wellness that I do now being the macro-raw foodist. Each of these diets have documented healing every illness known and improved the health of millions.
Let's take a look at two food pyramids designed to sum up the diets.





In common they are plant based diets, mostly vegan with naturally sourced whole organic foods. On the raw food pyramid living leafy greens and fruits make up the base. The macro version base is whole grains and vegetables. Science has shown certain vegetables like spinach and broccoli to contain possibly harmful compounds in their raw state. Lightly steaming these may also provide greater amounts of antioxidants like beta-carotene and other carotenoids. Living raw foods with enzymes still intact are easily digested and super charge your bodies energy. Studying the pyramids and their many contradictions can leave ones head spinning. I have chosen to pick out the similarities in common and base my week on harmonious food choices. My raw food meals leave me feeling free and super-charged. In balance my macro meals ground and balance my body. I wish for my macro-raw way to bring others peace and harmony and the gift of total wellness!

I shared this salad with a friend today over some much needed catching up, wonderful conversation, and laughter. She added a macro cooked millet with apples to the side to round out the meal. I adapted the recipe by Diana von Cranach found in Purely Delicious Raw Food Lifestyle Magazine's Spring 2010 issue. It's Asian flare combines nicely with macro-raw style.

Asian Slaw
3 C Carrots, grated
1 t Cumin
1 t Garlic Powder
1 t Coriander
1 t Cloves
1 t Freshly Ground Black Peppercorns
1 T Raw Honey
1/4 C Lime Juice
1 Red Onion, sliced
2 T Raw Cashews
1 t Black Sesame Seeds
Meat of 1 Thai Baby Coconut
1 Small Red Asian Chili, diced

Combine all of the ingredients(except for the nuts, sesame seeds, and coconut meat) to make the slaw.

Take an organic clean dark green Chinese or Russian Kale and chop it into bite size pieces. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and sea salt over the greens. Lightly massage the dressing in and allow the kale to rest for fifteen minutes or more. The greens will wilt and become very tender. Place in a large pretty bowl and top with the Asian Slaw.

Garnish the salad with the cashews, sesame seeds, and coconut meat.

Share with a special friend and enjoy!

Radical Foods

Embrace uniqueness, expand your mind, expand your palate.





I have always been intrigued by the small assortment of tropical fruits and vegetables in the supermarket. As a child I'd get a special thrill if my mother would buy me a coconut or mango on a shopping trip. Along my macro-raw food journey I've discovered that much of this uncommon produce is not only delicious, but high in essential vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. I'm actually rather concerned with the variety dwindling in the U.S marketplace. Even staple produce like tomatoes and apples once had thousands of varieties. Today they have been slaughtered off to only the hardiest few because of high yield demands and cross-country shipping.

A passion of mine it to seek out untypical foods, learn about their properties and uses, and experiment with them. My very favorite places to explore are Asian food markets. They are filled with foreign fare to excite my infatuation. Macrobiotics originates from traditional Japanese cooking. I visit the Asian market to get all of my macro staples, rice and other grains, sea vegetables, umeboshi and teas. However my favorite part of the markets are their produce sections.

On a recent trip to my local Asian market around my birthday I treated myself to all of the rarities on the shelves. One that I had never tried before was the Asian Long Bean, also called the Yard Long Bean. Similar to the American Green Bean, it can be eaten raw, but is a bit more tough. They are a great vegan source of vitamin A, vitamin C, protein and iron. I created a recipe based on light water steaming, common in macrobiotics. I made the dish a bit more spicy than would be advised for a macrobiotic diet, but I was in the mood for spice. A macrobiotic principal is to avoid most spices as they are too harsh for the body and create a more yin imbalance. However, I enjoy spicy dishes on occasion and believe they are fine in moderation as long as one is not trying to heal an illness.



Spirited Long Beans
1 Big bunch of Long Beans washed and cut into about 2" pieces
1 2" piece of fresh ginger
1 2" piece of fresh turmeric (also found in most Asian markets)
3-4 Thai hot peppers chopped

Fill a pan with about 3 inches of water. Grate the ginger and turmeric into the water. Bring this to a boil. Add the beans and peppers and let simmer for 7-10 minutes. Alternately, to keep the dish raw, place all of the ingredients in a large glass bowl and put in a dehydrator set to 105 degrees for 5-7 hours.

Back in Balance

"Your body is precious. It is your vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care"
- Buddha

I was flying high this past weekend, it was my birthday and I celebrate me to the extreme! I packed all of the things that bring me bliss into one lush weekend. My body had been treated to little sleep, restaurant food, muscle strain, and perhaps the worst culprit, my new creation...the Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Divine Decadence Birthday Cake

(Sorry, this recipe is too naughty for the Macro-Raw Foodist, however it will be featured in a recipe book I'm working on. Keep an eye out). Coming down from this overjoyed, blissful high all I could think about was regaining balance.

To ground and balance my body I needed a pure complete macrobiotic meal. I try and have at least one every week, but it had been longer than that. Life was busy and throwing together raw food dinners is much easier and faster. Macrobiotic cooking requires a bit more preparation, time, and care. I plunged into the kitchen and appreciated creating a harmonious meal. My children expressed gratitude for the familiar dishes and ate many bowls of miso soup. The food brought peace, fulfilment and calmness back to my body.





Care in preparation and mindfulness are most important when creating a balance of yin and yang for a complete macrobiotic experience



Brown Rice
For authentic macro rice use a pressure cooker. If you do not have one the rice may be boiled in a heavy pot.
2 c short grain brown rice
5 c water
1 piece of kombu
a few pinches of sea salt

Wash, rise, and drain the rice with loving kindness. Gently transfer it to the pot with the water and kombu. Bring to a boil on medium high heat. Lower the heat all the way down and let cook for 50 min. or until all of the water is absorbed. Sprinkle with a small amount of sea salt.

Miso Soup
2 quarts water
1/4 c soaked wakame
6-8 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced
1 c of sliced fresh daikon
1 1/2 tbl. barley miso, puree in 1/4 c water
2 tbl. chopped scallions

Bring the water to a boil and add wakame, mushrooms, and daikon. Let simmer for 10-12minutes. Turn the burner off. Add the miso that had been pureed in water and top with scallions.

Boiled Bok Choy
3 Bok Choy, separate and wash
Water

Place about an inch of water in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Add the Bok Choy and simmer for 3 minutes. The Asian green should become tender, yet stay slightly crisp. Drain and rinse under cold water.

Red Lentils
3 c red lentils
5 c water
1 piece of kombu, soaked
3 medium onions chopped
2 tbl. fresh parsley chopped
pinch of sea salt

Wash, rinse, and drain the lentils with loving kindness. Place them in a pot with the water, kombu, and onions and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to medium-low and cook for 40 minutes. Add the chopped parsley and salt and cook uncovered for another 5-7 minuets.

Baked Tofu
1 block firm tofu
2 tbl. light sesame oil
1/2 cup rice flour
1 tsp. powdered fennel
1 tsp. powdered cloves,
1 tsp. powdered star anise
1 tsp. ground white pepper

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees. Slice the tofu into half inch thick slices and place on a towel to drain. Mix the flour and spices on a plate. Pour the oil onto a cookie sheet and place it in the oven to heat. Dredge the tofu slices in the flour mixture and place them on the pan. Bake for 10 minutes and turn over. Bake for another 10 minutes and remove from oven.

Gomashio
A Japanese condiment which may be used to add flavor to macrobiotic dishes
2 tbl. sea salt
1 cup black or white sesame seeds

Grind together in a coffee grinder, high speed blender, or traditionally in with a suribachi.

May you live in peace and balance.

Gomashio Cookie Cravers

Listen to your body, it will never steer you wrong

Around a year ago, when I first delved into the raw food way, I noticed that I could hear my body. Actually hearing our bodies is something that we take for granted as children. Young children don't eat things that don't appeal to them. They know when they are hungry. For most adults that intuitive feeling around eating has long been forgotten. We follow our minds and not our stomachs in our food choices. Bombarded by ads, sugar, empty calories, and all the misconceptions surrounding nutrition, we're led to destroy our digestive tracks and along with it our natural cravings and ability to truly hear our bodies. After feeding my body the super rich living foods that it needed and detoxing my digestive track, I began having certain strong cravings. I was surprised that the strongest of these was for sweets.

I listened to my body and ate a ton of fruit and raw food desserts. I was confused because the sweet cravings never ceased. Then I read a story written by Victoria Boutenko in which she told of her similar experience. Her research led to find that many sweet fruits such as strawberries are so because they absorb a lot of magnesium from soil. Therefore, she hypothesized that a craving for sweet foods must indicate the bodies deficient in magnesium. Boutenko's further studies found that sesame seeds are one of the greatest sources of magnesium. Just one ounce of the little jems contain almost 100mg and 277mg of calcium. That's triple the amount found in cows milk. Following her advice I made and drank a huge amount of sesame seed milk everyday. After about a week, I was eating a banana and could not believe how sweet it tasted to me, almost too sweet. I realized that my craving for sweets had completely diminished.

I haven't had the sesame seed milk for quite some time. Last night, standing in front of my pantry I noticed the jar of black sesame seeds. They looked so appealing, I just had to have some. I sprinkled a couple of teaspoons onto a salad and they tasted amazing. After the salad I kept thinking about those precious seeds and was lead to create this new recipe for Gomashio Cookies. Gomashio is a staple condiment in the macrobiotic kitchen. It is simply ground up sesame seeds mixed with sea salt.

GOMASHIO COOKIE CRAVERS

1 cup raw walnuts
1/2 cup raw black sesame seeds
2 tbl. raw cacao (also high in magnesium)
4 tbl. raw honey
1 tsp. pure vanilla
1/2 tsp. Himalayan pink salt

Grind the nuts and seeds into a flour in a high-speed blender. Transfer the flour to a bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine and form a slightly sticky dough. Roll into cookie balls. Enjoy!

I use walnuts in the recipe because they are the only truly healthful nut, in that they contain greater omega 6's than 3's. If you prefer almonds could be substituted, but you may need to add a tablespoon of water to help the dough stick. You may also use white sesame in the recipe in place of the black. I choose black ones since they credited in Asia for glowing, lustrous skin. Vegans may substitute the honey for agave or brown rice syrup, I love the taste and feel of honey, so I choose to be a BEEGAN!

More great benefits of the amazing sesame seed from www.vegpeace.org:

Sesame Antioxidants
Sesame seeds are loaded with powerful antioxidants: IP-6 (AKA: Phytate; one of the most powerful antioxidants yet found, and one of the most potent natural anti-cancer substances. Especially abundant in grain and sesame.), lignans, sesamin, sesaminol, sesamolinol, sesamolin, pinoresinol, vitamin E, lecithin, myristic acid, and linoleate.

Lignans are fat-soluble antioxidants such as sesaminol, sesamolinol and sesamolin. They prevent free radical formation, and scavenge free radicals that have already formed. Black sesame seeds contain higher levels of antioxidants than brown.

Sesame Antioxidant Research
◦Sesamolin inhibits lipid peroxidation (free radical formation).
◦Sesame has a variety of effective antioxidants.
◦Antioxidant activity of sesaminol in defatted sesame flour protects against oxidative stress from dietary cholesterol (so don't eat just the oil).
◦Sesamin decreases formation of inflammatory prostaglandins.
◦Sesame enhances antioxidant activity of Vitamin E. Sesame lignans have a sparing effect on Vitamin E, preventing damage to Vitamin E.
◦DHA (from fish oils) decreases Vitamin E level, sesame raises it.
◦DHA (from fish oils) creates lipid peroxidation (free radicals), damages red blood cells. Sesame decreases the damage to fats and red blood cells, raises Vitamin E levels.
◦Sesamin decreases breakdown of Vitamin E.
◦Sesame provides gamma-tocopherol (an especially helpful form of Vitamin E). Sesame lignans lower cholesterol levels, flax lignans don't.
◦Sesame muffins significantly raised gamma tocopherol levels in people. Muffins containing the same amount of gamma tocopherol from soy or walnut didn't do anything. Gamma tocophorol is a very effective form of Vitamin E.
◦Sesaminol more effective antioxidant than alpha-Tocopherol (most common form of Vitamin E).

Even More Good Things Sesame Does
◦Sesame lignans improve fat metabolism in the liver.
◦Sesamin could help control hypertension, and prevent blood clots that cause strokes.
◦Lignans such as pinoresinol “may play a major role in the health promoting effects of the Mediterranean diet”. (They're talking here about olive oil, but sesame is a better source.)
Sesame Prevents Sunburn, Skin Cancer
Dietary Tocotrienol Reduces UVB-Induced Skin Damage and Sesamin Enhances Tocotrienol Effects in Hairless Mice - Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology

Sesame Oil Heals Burns
Sesame oil burn ointment decreases pain, helps heal wounds. Moist exposed burn ointment (MEBO) contains sesame oil and herbal extracts. MEBO decreases pain better than conventional medical treatment, so that burn patients need fewer opiates. The sesame oil ointment controls infection as well as the conventional treatment does.
Sesame oil ointment helps heal chronic wounds, skin ulcers.
Sesame oil, used all by itself, has a reputation in Ayurveda as a burn treatment.

Rawfully Good Baby's First Birthday Cake

Good food from the beginning is a gift of lifelong health and prosperity

Raw food desserts are almost always filled with nuts. Many raw pies call for two or three cups of nuts for the crust alone. For me, that's an insane amount of fats and too much of an imbalance of omegas. For these reasons I eat fruit for desserts and save the fancy raw recipes for parties and potlucks.

Recently I was honored to be asked to make the birthday cake for my sweet surrogate twins first birthday. Instantly I knew that I wanted it to be raw
and filled with life force energy to empower their little bodies. On top of my reasons for avoiding nuts, young children shouldn't have nuts because of the high potential of allergens. A dilemma arose, how was I going to make a raw cake without nuts? After much experimentation I came up with a beautiful, delicious cake made entirely of fruit, flax and chia seeds!






Crust and Fondant Topping:
4 Bananas
1/2 cup Flax

For the crust and fondant like top I blended four bananas with a half of cup of flax seeds in a high speed blender. I spread this mixture onto two dehydrator trays covered in teleflex sheets and dehydrated at 105 degrees for five hours.
I took a 9" spring form pan and placed one dehydrated banana sheet in the bottom, letting the edges fill in the sides and cut the excess off the top.







Filling:
2 Thai Baby Coconuts
2 Bananas
1/2 cup Chia Seeds
Variety of Tropical Fruits - Mango, Papaya, Pineapple, Banana...whatever you like.

For the cream filling I blended the water and meat of two Thai baby coconuts with two bananas and the chia seeds. I alternated layering this filling with slices of tropical fruits.

After three layers of cream and fruit I placed the other sheet of dehydrated banana on top and cut it to fit. This looked like



a fondant covered cake. Then I used strawberry slices and blueberries to decorate. I let the cake set in the refrigerator overnight. It sliced beautifully! The twins, and everyone at the party loved it!





Please visit http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Cartwheeling-On-Clouds-Photography/134314226654689 for more pictures of the Super Twins First Birthday Party