Eating to Live

The Meat-Disease Connection

 

Dr. Fuhrman’s position on the consumption of animal products is pretty clear, meat and diary dairy products leads to disease like heart disease and cancer. Even “healthy” choices like fish and chicken put you at risk. Take a look at this section from Eat to Live:

There is a relationship between animal protein and heart disease. For example, plasma apolioprotein B is positively associated with animal-protein intake and inversely associated (lowered) with vegetable-protein intake (e.g., legumes and greens). Apolioprotein B levels correlate strongly with coronary heart disease.1 Unknown to many is that animal proteins have a significant effect on raising cholesterol levels as well, while plant protein lowers it.2

Scientific studies provide evidence that many animal protein’s effect on blood cholesterol may be significant. This is one of the reasons those switching to a low fat-diet do no experience the cholesterol lowering they expect unless they also remove the low-fat animal products as well. Surprising to most people is that yes, even low-fat dairy and skinless white-meat chicken raise cholesterol. I see this regularly in my practice. Many individuals do not see the dramatic drop in cholesterol levels unless they go all the way by cutting all animal proteins from their diet.

According to Dr. Fuhrman white meats are no savior either:

Red met is not the only problem. The consumption of chicken and fish is also linked to colon cancer. A large recent study examined the eating habits of 32,000 adults for six years and then watched the incidence of cancer for these subjects over the next six years. Those who avoided red meat but at white meat regularly had a more than 300 percent increase in colon cancer incidence.3 The same study showed that eating beans, peas, or lentils, at least twice a week was associated with a 50 percent lower risk than never eating these foods.

Chicken has about the same amount of cholesterol as beef, and the production of those potent cancer-causing compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCAs) are even more concentrated in grilled chicken than in beef.4 Another recent study from New Zealand that investigated heterocyclic amines in meat, fish, and chicken found the greatest contributor of HCAs to cancer risk was chicken.5 Likewise, studies indicated that chicken is almost as dangerous as red meat for the heart. Regarding cholesterol, there is no advantage to eating lean white instead of lean red meat.6

The correlation between disease and consumption of animal products seems very clear. Even newer research warns of heighten stomach cancer risk associated with eating processed meats, like sausage, smoked ham, and bacon. Reuters reports:

A review of 15 studies showed the risk of developing stomach cancer rose by 15 to 38 percent if consumption of processed meats increased by 30 grams (1 ounce) per day, the Karolinska Institute said in a statement.

These foods possess cancer-causing additives outside of meat’s normal cancer-causing agents:

The institute said processed meats were often salted or smoked, or had nitrates added to them, in order to extend their shelf-life which could be connected to the increased risk of stomach cancer, the fourth most common type of cancer.

If this information spooked you, you might want to consider Dr. Fuhrman’s advice, “The best bet for overall health is significantly limit or eliminated all types of meat—red and white.”


1. Campbell, T.C., B. Parpia, and J. Chen. 1990. A plant-enriched diet and long-term health, particularly in reference to China. Hort. Science 25 (12): 1512-14.

2. Descovich, G.C., C. Ceredi, A. Gaddi, et al. 1980. Multicenter study of soybean protein diet for outpatient hyper-cholesterolaemic patients. Lancet 2 (8197): 709-12; Carroll, K. K. 1982. Hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis: effects of dietary protein. Fed. Proc. 41 (11): 2792-96; Sirtori, C. R., G. Noseda, and G.C. Desovich. 1983, Studies on the use of soybean protein diets for management of human hyperlipoproteins, in Gibney, M.J., and D. Kritchevsky, eds. Animal and vegetable proteins in lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis. New York: Liss, 135-48; Sirtori, C.R., C. Zucchidentone, M. Sirtori, et al. 1985. Cholesterol-lowering and HDL raising properties of lecithinated soy proteins in type II hyperlipidemic patients. Ann. Nutr. Metab. 29 (6): 348-57; Gaddi, A., A Ciarrocchi, A. Matteucci, et al. 1991. Dietary treatment for familial hypercholesterolemia—differential effects of dietary soy protein according to the apoprotein E Phenotypes. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 53: 1191-96; Carroll, K.K. 1983. Dietary proteins and amino acids—their effects on cholesterol metabolism, in Gibney, M.J., and D. Kritchevshy, eds. Animal and vegetable proteins in lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis. New York: Liss, 9-17; Jenkins, D.J., C. W. Kendall, C.C. Mehling, et al. 1999. Combined effect of vegetable protein (soy) and soluble fiber added to a standard cholesterol-lowering diet. Metabolism 48 (6): 809-16; Anderson, J. W., B.M. Johnstone, and M.E. Cook-Newell. 1995. Meta-analysis of the effects of soy protein intake on serum lipids. N. Eng. J. Med. 333 (5): 276-82; Satoh, A., M. Hitomi, and K. Igarashi. 1995. Effects of spinach leaf protein concentrate on the serum cholesterol and amino acids concentrations in rats fed a cholesterol-free diet. J. Nutr. Sci. Vitaminol. (Tokyo) 41 (5):563-73.

3. Singh, P.N., and G.E. Fraser. 1998. Dietary risk factors for colon cancer in a low-risk population. Am. J. Epidem. 148: 761-74.

4. Sinha, R., N. Rothman, E.D. Brown, et al. 1995. High concentration of the carcinogens 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo-[4,5] pyridine (PhIP) occur in chicken but are dependent on the cooking method. Cancer Res. 55 (20):4516-19.

5. Thomson, B. 1999. Heterocyclic amine levels in cooked meat and the implication for New Zealanders. Eur. J. Cancer Prev. 8 (3):201-06.

6. Davidson, M.H., D. Hunninghake, K.C. Maki, et al. 1999. Comparison of the effects of lean red meat vs. lean white meat on serum lipid levels among free-living person with hypercholesterolemia: a long-term, randomized clinical trial. Arch. Intern. Med. 159 (12): 1331-38.

A list of Acid / Alkaline Forming Foods

Human blood pH should be slightly alkaline ( 7.35 - 7.45 ).  Below or above this range means symptoms and disease.  A pH of 7.0 is neutral.  A pH below 7.0 is acidic.  A pH above 7.0 is alkaline. 

 

An acidic pH can occur from, an acid forming diet, emotional stress, toxic overload, and/or immune reactions or any process that deprives the cells of oxygen and other nutrients.  The body will try to compensate for acidic pH by using alkaline minerals.  If the diet does not contain enough minerals to compensate, a build up of acids in the cells will occur.

An acidic balance will:  decrease the body's ability to absorb minerals and other nutrients, decrease the energy production in the cells, decrease it's ability to repair damaged cells, decrease it's ability to detoxify heavy metals, make tumor cells thrive, and make it more susceptible to fatigue and illness.  A blood pH of 6.9, which is only slightly acidic, can induce coma and death.

The reason acidosis is more common in our society is mostly due to the typical American diet, which is far too high in acid producing animal products like meat, eggs and dairy, and far too low in alkaline producing foods like fresh vegetables.  Additionally, we eat acid producing processed foods like white flour and sugar and drink acid producing beverages like coffee and soft drinks.  We use too many drugs, which are acid forming; and we use artificial chemical sweetners like NutraSweet, Spoonful, Sweet 'N Low, Equal, or Aspartame, which are poison and extremely acid forming.  One of the best things we can do to correct an overly acid body is to clean up the diet and lifestyle.

To maintain health, the diet should consist of 60% alkaline forming foods and 40% acid forming foods.  To restore health, the diet should consist of 80% alkaline forming foods and 20% acid forming foods.
Generally, alkaline forming foods include: most fruits, green vegetables, peas, beans, lentils, spices, herbs and seasonings, and seeds and nuts.
Generally, acid forming foods include: meat, fish, poultry, eggs, grains, and legumes.
 
Shifting Your pH Toward Alkaline...
This chart is for those trying to "adjust" their body pH.  The pH scale is from 0 to 14, with numbers below 7 acidic ( low on oxygen ) and numbers above 7 alkaline.  An acidic body is a sickness magnet.  What you eat and drink will impact where your body's pH level falls.  Balance is Key !!!


 
This chart is intended only as a general guide to alkalizing and acidifying foods. 
 

...ALKALINE FOODS...		...ACIDIC FOODS...
ALKALIZING VEGETABLES Alfalfa Barley Grass Beet Greens Beets Broccoli Cabbage Carrot Cauliflower Celery Chard Greens Chlorella Collard Greens Cucumber Dandelions Dulce Edible Flowers Eggplant Fermented Veggies Garlic Green Beans Green Peas Kale Kohlrabi Lettuce Mushrooms Mustard Greens Nightshade Veggies Onions Parsnips (high glycemic) Peas Peppers Pumpkin Radishes Rutabaga Sea Veggies Spinach, green Spirulina Sprouts Sweet Potatoes Tomatoes Watercress Wheat Grass Wild Greens ALKALIZING ORIENTAL VEGETABLES Daikon Dandelion Root Kombu Maitake Nori Reishi Shitake Umeboshi Wakame ALKALIZING FRUITS Apple Apricot Avocado Banana (high glycemic) Berries Blackberries Cantaloupe Cherries, sour Coconut, fresh Currants Dates, dried Figs, dried Grapes Grapefruit Honeydew Melon Lemon Lime Muskmelons Nectarine Orange Peach Pear Pineapple Raisins Raspberries Rhubarb Strawberries Tangerine Tomato Tropical Fruits Umeboshi Plums Watermelon ALKALIZING PROTEIN Almonds Chestnuts Millet Tempeh (fermented) Tofu (fermented) Whey Protein Powder ALKALIZING SWEETENERS Stevia ALKALIZING SPICES & SEASONINGS Chili Pepper Cinnamon Curry Ginger Herbs (all) Miso Mustard Sea Salt Tamari ALKALIZING OTHER Alkaline Antioxidant Water Apple Cider Vinegar Bee Pollen Fresh Fruit Juice Green Juices Lecithin Granules Mineral Water Molasses, blackstrap Probiotic Cultures Soured Dairy Products Veggie Juices ALKALIZING MINERALS Calcium: pH 12 Cesium: pH 14 Magnesium: pH 9 Potassium: pH 14 Sodium: pH 14 Although it might seem that citrus fruits would have an acidifying effect on the body, the citric acid they contain actually has an alkalinizing effect in the system. Note that a food's acid or alkaline forming tendency in the body has nothing to do with the actual pH of the food itself. For example, lemons are very acidic, however the end products they produce after digestion and assimilation are very alkaline so, lemons are alkaline forming in the body. Likewise, meat will test alkaline before digestion, but it leaves very acidic residue in the body so, like nearly all animal products, meat is very acid forming.		ACIDIFYING VEGETABLES Corn Lentils Olives Winter Squash ACIDIFYING FRUITS Blueberries Canned or Glazed Fruits Cranberries Currants Plums** Prunes** ACIDIFYING GRAINS, GRAIN PRODUCTS Amaranth Barley Bran, oat Bran, wheat Bread Corn Cornstarch Crackers, soda Flour, wheat Flour, white Hemp Seed Flour Kamut Macaroni Noodles Oatmeal Oats (rolled) Quinoa Rice (all) Rice Cakes Rye Spaghetti Spelt Wheat Germ Wheat ACIDIFYING BEANS & LEGUMES Almond Milk Black Beans Chick Peas Green Peas Kidney Beans Lentils Pinto Beans Red Beans Rice Milk Soy Beans Soy Milk White Beans ACIDIFYING DAIRY Butter Cheese Cheese, Processed Ice Cream Ice Milk ACIDIFYING NUTS & BUTTERS Cashews Legumes Peanut Butter Peanuts Pecans Tahini Walnuts ACIDIFYING ANIMAL PROTEIN Bacon Beef Carp Clams Cod Corned Beef Fish Haddock Lamb Lobster Mussels Organ Meats Oyster Pike Pork Rabbit Salmon Sardines Sausage Scallops Shellfish Shrimp Tuna Turkey Veal Venison ACIDIFYING FATS & OILS Avacado Oil Butter Canola Oil Corn Oil Flax Oil Hemp Seed Oil Lard Olive Oil Safflower Oil Sesame Oil Sunflower Oil ACIDIFYING SWEETENERS Carob Corn Syrup Sugar ACIDIFYING ALCOHOL Beer Hard Liquor Spirits Wine ACIDIFYING OTHER FOODS Catsup Cocoa Coffee Mustard Pepper Soft Drinks Vinegar ACIDIFYING DRUGS & CHEMICALS Aspirin Chemicals Drugs, Medicinal Drugs, Psychedelic Herbicides Pesticides Tobacco ACIDIFYING JUNK FOOD Beer: pH 2.5 Coca-Cola: pH 2 Coffee: pH 4 ** These foods leave an alkaline ash but have an acidifying effect on the body.
UNKNOWN: There are several versions of the Acidic and Alkaline Food chart to be found in different books and on the Internet.  The following foods are sometimes attributed to the Acidic side of the chart and sometimes to the Alkaline side.  Remember, you don't need to adhere strictly to the Alkaline side of the chart, just make sure a good percentage of the foods you eat come from that side.
Brazil Nuts Brussel Sprouts Buckwheat Cashews Chicken Corn Cottage Cheese Eggs Flax Seeds Green Tea Herbal Tea Honey Kombucha Lima Beans		Maple Syrup Milk Nuts Organic Milk (unpasteurized) Potatoes, white Pumpkin Seeds Quinoa Sauerkraut Soy Products Sprouted Seeds Squashes Sunflower Seeds Tomatoes Yogurt

A Skeptic's Take on Raw Food

I love this article by raw skeptic Jason Kessler over at Food Republic.

When Is It Okay To Eat Raw Food?

An exploration of that which can never be cooked

By Jason Kessler 

A wise man once said “Oh baby I like it raw. Yeah baby, I like it rawwwww.” That man was Ol' Dirty Bastard. Since I'm neither old nor dirty, I don't share his sentiments. I've never been much of a fan of the raw movement. Sure, I like a good salad every now and then but a low-temperature meatless world is not a world in which I'd like to live. So when I was invited to M.A.K.E., the new home of all things raw in the LA area, I was more than a little skeptical. In fact, I scoffed. Audibly. I know there's a ton of health benefits to eating raw, but I couldn't get past the nagging question that kept popping up in my head: Can raw food actually taste good?

M.A.K.E. comes from Matthew Kenney, who's made his name on raw cuisine with a Food & Wine Best New Chef award and some Beard nominations along the way. Now's he got both restaurants and cooking schools in Chicago, Oklahoma City and Santa Monica, with more on the way. Unfortunately, the menu looks like an Onion parody of a raw food menu. The first thing listed is a dish centered around “tree nut cheeses,” and after that you get crunchy word combos like “sous-vide portobello” and “cashew yogurt.” As you can imagine, I was ready to hate it. Then something weird happened – I tasted the food. And I liked it.

The turning point came when they set an order of kimchi dumplings in front of me. Traditionally, you can't make dumplings with raw food because you have to cook the dumpling skins to make then, um, edible. M.A.K.E. doesn't cook anything so they had to come up with an alternate, and their substitution is pretty genius. They use a super-pliable wrapper made with dehydrated coconut. I honestly didn't care what it was made out of. I just wanted more. The only thing that matters to me is whether or not something tastes good and these dumplings, my friends, tasted great.
In retrospect, I haven't had a lot of experience with raw food. I've gone down the vegan path far too often and I've had issues with vegan food for years. I never understood why anyone who consciously eschews meat would want to dine on products made to taste and look like meat. Seitan, tempeh and the rest of those meatstitutes (that's the mash-up of meat and substitute, not meat and prostitute) are heavily processed and always end up making me feel like I've consumed a bowling ball. It's amazing that in our new gluten-averse culture, vegan restaurants are peddling gluten like it's the second coming of pork. Realistically, if you've decided not to eat meat, why are you pretending that you're eating meat? All those vegan “buffalo wings” and “sausages” and whatever else you can put into quotation marks are just poseurs. 

Raw food doesn't have that problem. Sure, it pretends to be dishes you know and love. The “lasagna” on the M.A.K.E. menu is really just a stack of sliced vegetables with some pesto, but at least all the ingredients can legitimately be classified as food. As the meal came to a close, I found myself with a new attitude towards going raw. Can raw food actually taste good? You bet it can and, oh baby, I like it raw. Yeah baby, I like it rawwwww.

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Raw Buckwheat Bread Recipe

From Russel James The "Raw Chef"



My Mediterranean Almond Bread caused quite a stir when I posted it, getting me some very kind comments on various discussion boards. It’s so fantastic to know that something I’ve created has helped someone find a piece of the puzzle that they so needed to help them live a healthier life, in this case, an alternative to bread. That tactile feeling of holding something when eating (get your head out of the gutter!) is very important to me, as it is to a lot of people.

When I mentioned, what seems like ages ago, that I was developing a nut-free version of my bread I had quite a few emails asking me for the recipe. So here it is, and I have to say I’m very pleased with it and have been enjoying mushroom sandwiches for weeks now, they’re so great – once you have the bread made it’s so quick and easy to build a sarnie! Enjoy!

Raw buckwheat bread
Makes 18 ‘slices’
1/2 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups sun dried tomatoes
3 cups sprouted buckwheat
1 cup flax meal
3 1/2 cups peeled courgette (zucchini), roughly chopped
2 cups apple, cored and roughly chopped
3 tabblespoons lemon juice
2 avocados
1 large onion
1/2 cup minced parsley

- Process the olive oil, sun dried toms, sprouted buckwheat, courgette, apple, lemon juice, avocados, onion and herbs until thoroughly mixed.
- Transfer to a large bowl and mix with the flax meal by hand. The reason you do this separately (not in the processor) is that you are likely to have too much mixture for the size if the processor at this point, and when you add the flax meal it will become quite heavy and sticky and overwork your machine.
- When mixed, process the whole batter in the machine again, but in small batches to achieve a light fluffy texture.
- Divide the mixture in half and place on Paraflexx sheets on dehydrator trays.
- Use a spatula to spread the mixture evenly to all 4 sides and corners of the Paraflexx sheet. If mixture is too sticky you can wet the spatula to make things easier. With a knife score the whole thing into 9 squares.
- Dehydrate for 2 hours and then remove the Paraflexx sheets by placing another dehydrator tray and mesh on top and invert so that your original sheet of bread is upside down. That will allow you to peel the Paralexx sheet off and continue to dehydrate the underside of the bread.
- Dehydrate for approx 8 hours more (do this overnight so you’re not tempted to eat it before it’s ready) or until bread feels light in your hand. If the pieces don’t fully come apart where you scored, use a knife to cut them.


Cashew Mayo
1 cup cashews
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon agave
- Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth.

For the mushrooms pictured…
- Cut portabello mushrooms into thick 1cm wide strips. Marinade them for a couple of hours or overnight in equal parts of tamari and olive oil.
- Arrange them on a dehydrator sheet and dehydrate overnight.

25 Years Earthside

 Yesterday I celebrated twenty-five brilliant years on this Earth. Birthday's always get my gears going and combined with my love of patterns, synchronicity and symbols, 25 was a real show. 

When I was nineteen, I became my own person. My dad who always, always, always bought me a pre-discussed (usually expensive) never a surprise gift for Christmas, decided to get me a juicer. This was long before I knew anything about the healing powers of eating raw produce. Little did I know that this juicer would become somewhat of a magical talisman for my future.  I was beginning to wake up to the world around me. A year away from home was for me like the third day of a water fast; the day when you peacefully surrender yourself to a new way of functioning, confident that you will persevere . The fear and reservations you held in the past are just memories and you feel a tangible shift in presence.

Twenty-one was a time of reflection and inner dialogue. 

"Why did I do that?"

"Should I have done this differently?"

"Where would I be if I had chosen this?"

"Am I on the right path?"

When I was twenty-one I was very busy, fully stimulated socially, mentally and financially (job). However, six months before my birthday, my dad was given five months to live. He had cancer. I didn't know it then but he did everything right. I don't believe I could have saved him with raw food, herbs or prayers. It was too late. I have never seen anyone face death as gracefully as my father. I could go into detail about his demeanor and attitude but I think it would be better to just call it angelic. He was an angel. Selfless and the embodiment of peace. I have no doubt in my mind that experiencing his spirit in this time has left a deep, imprint on my life and how I've evolved. 

The doctors gave him three days in the beginning of the end. Three days turned into a week.  That was mid-Ocotober. Very slow days passed and I was forced to return to my job across the state. He was in good hands and I went in peace, saying goodbye and happy journeys. Three days turned into three weeks and my birthday was inching near. I knew the minute I left his side he was going to go on my birthday. With every week that passed the doctor's foretold "expiration date" the knowing grew stronger. I walked to work that day alone and in meditation. I knew he was gone, like a radio station in my head stopped broadcasting and there was a new silence. 

A call and local bouquet of wild flowers sent from my mother confirmed my intuitions, and entangled in my sadness was an undeniable spark of joy. My dad gave me a wonderful present that day, one that maybe only I could appreciate. He gave me validation that there is magic in this world. He gave me the gift of inner reflection guaranteed one day a year. He completely ripped out the possibility of that ever present self-loathing, self-doubting, nit-picking, over-analytical monster that often bares it's teeth right around our birthdays. Simply put, he gave me a sort of "reset button" that I can push every year. It brings me back to him and what he embodied and I am overjoyed to have the opportunity once more, to emulate and better myself. And this brings me the most purest of peace.

I wish to all of my faithful readers, close friends and farthest of strangers to grab life by the branches and find this peace in yourselves. Do not wait for a sign, post your own.

“You often meet your fate on the road you take to avoid it.”
― Goldie Hawn

- Keela

Raw Food Recipe: Simple Coconut Curry (with video!)

This is my most popular video by far with over 3,000 views on my YouTube channel. It's hard to find a young thai coconut this time of year especially here in Oregon. I've started buying the dried coconut from Costco and re-hydrating it. It's AMAZING. I've used it to make coconut yogurt and raw whipped cream. I hope you enjoy. Stay tuned for my next post for the incredible benefits of the coconut.

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Creamy Apple-Anise Soup and Pumpkinseed Cheese

 I hope you learned something you didn't know about anise in my earlier post I've drug the big yellow bottle of anise seeds usually reserved for my loose incense out of my personal apothecary trunk. Let's see what I can come up with. Until then, here's a mouthwatering recipe featuring anise. Enjoy!

__________________________________

Recipe by Golubka

• Course/Dish: Soups
• Meals: Lunch
• Main Ingredient: Almonds, Apple
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Equipment Needed: Blender, Dehydrator
• Serves: 1-2

 

Description

This is a yummy and healthy soup with unusual flavor combinations such as apple and anise that really work well together. Almond milk as a soup base is a great idea, and is an "open canvas" for layering flavors. Also, this creamy base is an ideal substitute for milk based soups perfect for vegetarians and vegans.

Ingredients

Almond Milk 
1 cup almonds - soaked overnight
3 cups water
3 dates

Creamy Apple-Anise Soup
 2 cups almond milk
1 fennel bulb - roughly chopped
1 large apple (any kind) - cored and roughly chopped, reserve 1/4 for garnish
1 handful fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 small chili pepper - seeded
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

Pumpkinseed Cheese 
1 cup pumpkin seeds - soaked overnight
1/4 cup purified water
1/8 cup lemon or lime juice
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Garnish
 the reserved 1/4 of apple - cut in small cubes
pumpkin seeds - optionally soaked and dehydrated for extra crunch
drizzle of chili olive oil (optional) - olive oil mixed with chili powder
fresh mint or cilantro leaves

Methods/steps

Almond Milk

1. In a high speed blender, thoroughly combine all the ingredients.
2. Add a bit more oil if necessary to coat all the mushrooms.
3. Use 2 cups of the milk for soup, and if you have some left over, enjoy it with your breakfast or cookies.

Creamy Apple-Anise Soup

1. In a high speed blender, combine all the ingredients until smooth.
2. Adjust the salt and spices.
3. Garnish with the cubed apple, pumpkin seeds, and a drizzle of chili olive oil.
4. Before serving, heat up in the dehydrator or serve chilled.

Pumpkinseed Cheese

1. In a food processor, blend all the ingredients until smooth.
2. Thinly spread onto Teflex sheets and dehydrate at 115F for 6 hours.
3. Flip and remove the Teflex. Break into pieces and dehydrate for another 2 hours.

Additional Tips

I often daydream about food and make up different recipes while doing things unrelated to cooking. Well recently, in the middle of a daydream, I got an idea for making a soup that would have nut milk for its base. I imagined a bowl full of soup that is "blond" and creamy, and became excited about the possibilities of the milk's earthy flavour.
It took quite a bit of experimentation until I was able to minimize the ingredients to two simple companions to almond milk - apple and fennel. Combined with the milk's nutty taste, the two bring a sweet and fresh presence to the bowl. The spice of chili and coriander deepens the flavour and ties the whole thing together with a slight kick. The use of nut milk instead of whole nuts makes for a much lighter soup.

Anise Health Benefits

 

Anise is one of the oldest spices known to mankind. It is a relaxant and stimulant as well as a tonic and is helpful for stomach and lung trouble.
________________________________________________________ Anise For Relieving Asthma and Bronchitis
Anethol, the oil that is found within anise, is used in modern cough medicines and to relieve asthma and bronchitis.

Anise As The Perfect Digestion Aid
The seeds of anise are licorice flavored and are used in breads, liqueurs, pastries and candies. The Romans used anise to flavor cake that they ate after their meals to improve their digestion. Many cultures make anise flavored liqueurs that are given with meals, since the essential oil in anise helps with digestion, eliminates gas and helps ease cramps and stomach troubles.

Anise For Boosting Lactation
Due to the milk stimulating effect anise has on women, it is one of the most recommended herbs to be taken by nursing mothers to boost lactation.

Anise As A Breath Sweetener and Mouthwash
Anise is commonly used in India where it is added to curries and used after meals to sweeten the breath and treat indigestion. Its antibacterial and antimicrobial properties make it an effective mouthwash.

Anise For Easing Flatulence
Anise tea is a quick, dependable way to ease flatulence. It also stimulates the appetite and promotes the digestion of fatty foods.

Anise has also been shown to increase libido in both men and women, treat impotence and ease menstrual cramps.

_____________________________________________________________

Amazon has a great deal on bulk, organic anise seeds. I also love to check Etsy for any local/home harvested seeds.

Rawpalooza - Discover the benefits of a raw food lifestyle

(NaturalNews) Although I'm not 100% raw, I value the raw food diet as a powerful detox, cleansing and healing therapy available to anyone. Thanks to the word spreading about positive results, the raw food movement continues to grow, and more people realize the benefits of consuming fresh raw fruits and vegetables, nuts and even raw food smoothies. Eating more raw, organic foods has been shown to reverse the aging process, increase longevity, accelerate weight loss, and open the flood gates for improvement in all areas of your life.

We partnered with Steve Prussack (Editor of VegWorld Magazine/ Host of Raw Vegan Radio) to bring you a program to provide the keys to superior health, conscious growth, and spiritual evolution. Our intention is to clear away the confusion about healthy living and help you overcome the misinformation that has been prevalent in mainstream society. We have brought together the world's leading experts, pioneers, and inspirations in raw food living, consciousness, spirituality, and wellness to showcase the latest insights, research, and practices that are proving to reverse/prevent disease, create more vibrant lives, as well as transform individuals all over the world.

Here is just a sample of what you'll discover with the Rawpalooza Home Program: Everything you need to know about thriving on a raw food diet Proven methods of body purification and cleansing How to eat raw food on a budget Secrets behind the 80/10/10 diet The magic of green smoothies Do you NEED to be 100% raw? Sustaining on a raw food diet Raw food cleansing Vs. dieting Eating raw food for your personality type .The biggest raw food controversies revealed Amazing secrets about raw food for rejuvenation and longevity How eating late at night can sabotage a healthy lifestyle Common mistakes made on the raw food diet Vital breakthroughs about the energy of food Get it here.

If that weren't enough, you'll get: The truth about Superfoods and Hhrbs How to live on $1 a meal Tricks of the ancients that are MORE useful today Raw foods vs. living foods The #1 problem people face when doing a cleanse and how to overcome it How the raw "movement" has changed in 21 years Can a raw food diet cure diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and arthritis? Is cooking really harmful to food? Eating raw foods in the winter Breakthroughs in intuitive eating Raw food in the mainstream.

Everything you need to know about raw parenting Your raw lifestyle and dating Revolutionary secrets of the hardcore health warrior The essentials of juice fasting/feasting The Rawpalooza Home Program features over 40 audio mp3s and transcripts with incredible leaders such as Victoria Boutenko, Dr. Jameth Sheridan, Markus Rothkranz, Gary Null, Dr. Doug Graham, Charlotte Gerson, Bo Rinaldi, Jay "Juiceman" Kordich, Dr. Will Tuttle, and many more. It's your life...

Raw Inspiration #001

Herbal Wintertime Detox Tonic

These winter months bring all sorts of surprises. I like to think I stay ahead of the game by regularly drinking hot teas and tonics. Below is a wonderful and truly informative article by Candis Cantin Kiriajes. 

 

Tonic Herb Theory for the Western Herbalist 

It goes into great detail on:

• Cleansing
• Vital Energy Tonics
• Blood Tonics
• Warming Tonics
• Supporting Vitality

 
 
  Here was my tonic of the day. It was an intuitive tonic. I don't just use detoxifying herbs in my detox tonics and teas. I try and  pinch in some herbs for energy (because serious ddetoxing is tiring).

 

 

Here also is a wonderful book by a legendary practitioner:

  

Testing A Skin Care Regime...

Raw Spiced Persimmon Cheeze-Cake

Serves: 10+

Ingredients:
Cheeze:
1 1/4 C. Macadamia Nuts (soaked for 3-7 hours)
2 Medium Ripe Bananas
1/2 C. Melted Raw Cocoa Butter
1 Vanilla Bean’s worth of Vanilla Granules
1+ C. Water
Persimmon Layer:
5 Ripe Persimmons
2 t. Pumpkin Pie Spice
Crust:
2 C. Raw Pecans
7 Large pitted Dates
1/2 t. Salt
2 T. Raw Cacao
Directions:
1. Soak the dates for the crust at least three hours ahead of time. Set aside.
2. Blend the nuts, bananas and cocoa butter adding just enough water to properly blend. You want the end result smooth and free of chunks and grainy bits. Fold in the vanilla granules and set aside.
3. Blend persimmons and spices in a high speed blender until persimmons are the texture and shininess of yogurt. Set in the fridge to cool. The mixture may settle like gel but is easy to break up with a whisk or wooden spoon later.
4. In your blender (preferably a smaller blender) or using mortar and pestle, blend the soaked dates and cacao powder until you form a nice paste.
5. In a food processor, pulse your pecans until a majority of the pieces are no smaller than half a pea. Fairly course.
5. Mix cacao paste into pecans.
6. Line a spring form pan with saran wrap or some kind of baking paper. Line both the sides and bottom.
7. Press crust mixture evenly in the bottom and sides of the pan. I like to use something flat like the bottom of a measuring cup to pack the crust and even it out as well. I like to make the sides at least two inches high.
8. Start with half of the cheeze mixture, spreading it evenly as one layer, using the back of a spoon to even out the batter. Next half the persimmon gelee. Again, the rest of the cheeze and lastly the rest of the persimmon gelee.
9. To be safe, I would let it set in the fridge for six to ten hours. You could also freeze it, remove from spring form, plate, thaw and then serve.
Bon apetit!

Raw Vegan Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce

From TheVeggieGal

Lately I have been learning more about the RAW food diet and decided for my son’s 3rd birthday I would make a RAW-Vegan Cheesecake. I also made a non raw vegan chocolate cake since chocolate is his FAVORITE thing. He had a piece of both cakes along with some vegan chocolate ice cream. He was spinning around with quite a sugar high after that.

I have to say this is not my own recipe it is the standard one that is all over the Internet and who knows who the originator of it was. I did make my own little adjustments to it so I will just post it exactly as I made it since it turned out AMAZING!

I had a couple of pieces left over so my daughter took them over to her friends house and they all loved it so much they made it for their daughter’s birthday the next week!

As anyone who was researched raw foods knows that raw food recipes can be full of fat because of the nuts and the use of oils. I am usual one to keep the oils to a minimum in my recipes but I did not follow that rule here at all.

This cheesecake is fresh, amazingly tasty and full of fat but some would say it is the “good” fat, you decide that for yourself or just forget about it and enjoy an amazing piece of RAW-Vegan Cheesecake!

I am going to post some of his birthday party pictures below and some of them are blurry but I HAD to share anyway. My camera died after the cheesecake pics so I had to use grandma’s and it would not work well for me (I’m sure user error-duh!).

The official birthday cake was a chocolate cake (the recipe is not posted here-was one I found on vegweb) so everyone had two choices. I hand made the frosting and used a all natural food coloring and it did not turn out the color I wanted. I was supposed to be a red and blue but ended up pink and purple but he did not even notice.

RAW-Vegan Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce
Makes 1 pie tin

Crust:
2 cups raw nuts of your choice (I used a combo of pecans, macadamia and cashews)
1/2 cup dates, pitted
1/4 cup shredded, dried coconut

Filling:
3 cups raw cashews (I only had 2 1/2 cups so I used 1/2 cup macadamia and yummy), soaked overnight or a couple hours minimum if you don’t have a Vitamix  

1/2 cup agave nectar
1/4 water
1/4 cup lemon juice (could use lime too)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup coconut oil, melted (set in a warm bowl-do not heat if keeping it really RAW)
Shake or two of sea salt

Raspberry Sauce:
1/2 bag frozen raspberries
4-6 dates to taste
1/4 cup agave or more to taste and thickness desired (supposed to be runny enough to drip over cheesecake)

Start with making the crust first by blending the nuts and dates in a food processor or vita-mix until well broken down and you can squeeze it together between your fingers.  Add the shredded, dried coconut and blend for a second or two more.   Press into a 9 inch pie tin, making sure to press up the sides to the top.  Set aside.

Drain the nuts from the soaking water then blend them along with the agave, water, lemon juice, vanilla, melted coconut oil, and salt until very smooth.  You can adjust the flavor as needed here.

Pour filling into prepared crust, tap on the counter to remove bubbles and smooth the top.

Place into the freezer for a minimum of 3 hours or until very firm or even slightly frozen.  This cheesecake is best taken from the freezer 10-15 minutes before serving so it is still cold and firm.  If it is left out too long it has a key lime pie consistency, which some like but I don’t so you decide.

Next make the raspberry sauce by blending the raspberries, dates, and agave together until very smooth.  Chill in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat the cheesecake.

When ready to serve you can cut it easily with a knife because it is frozen.  Place each piece onto a plate and top with desired amount of raspberry sauce.  ENJOY!