Chia Seed, Concord Grape, Pomegranate Smoothie

Pomegranates are locally in season in the Santa Barbara area and many of the local Framers Market have Red and White varieties. This is a very healthy fruit and combined with these other ingredients of Concord Grapes and Chia Seeds you have a superfood starter for the day! Chia Seeds is truly a superfood today it can be found at co-ops, health food stores along with Whole Foods. However you will pay perhaps around $14/lb, don't worry a pound goes a long way. Even better you can go to here and get it far cheaper at Raw Food World I am going to order 5 pounds for 32 dollars!!! I like Matt Monarch and Angela Stokes the mail order store remains in Ojai, CA now they are living in Ecuador
One reason I use a high speed blender such as Vitamix and Blendtec is that I can even throw a iphone and grind or masticate whole foods. For Pomagranets I use both the little fleshy seed arils, and the white pulp around the seed groupings. With the seeded Concorfd Grapes I make use of the seeds, and the Chia Seeds (presoaked in filtered or pure water) just becomes liquified.
It is shocking how much whole food goodness is discarded in the compost bin (or worse) whereas the First Peoples and other aboriginal cultures often made extensive use of the whole food. Don't be fearful of a watermelon or grape seed or some fruit pith!
This blended drink makes great use of all sorts of micronutrients that you could not find packaged in a store. Please start integrating whole foods into your diet. Your mind will recognize your body is loving you!

Just look at this purple goodness! I would wear it, but I will drink it instead!

Chocolate Mousse

Something decadent, something good, something nutritious, something healthy, something that pleases everyone. What could one do to satisfy all of those somethings? Chocolate Mousse of course!
Just look at the ingredients below and tell me you are on your way to wholesomeness.
Pictured below you'll see: Almond Milk (fresh and not from a box). (Soaked) dates, pitted and the water in which they were soaked in. Raw Almond Butter. Organic Raw Cocoa powder along with Celtic Sea Salt, and Vanilla. Fresh Mint. And the secret ingredient - Avocado! I just must add... don't feed your household members vitamin supplements, feed them whole foods! This recipe gives lots of vitamin B, antioxidants and other great goodness. Good lord is this good!

This is a recipe Amy bachelor provided me that I am currently using though you can find many variants. If that is not enough to keep you in chocolate heaven then you might want to go check these links to Raw Chocolate Mousse. NOTE: I prefer starting with dates as the sweetener, after tasting if not sweet enough add, coconut sugar or other quality sweeteners, agave being last on my list.

Almond Milk

Yield: 4 cups
Number of Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 cup almonds, soaked overnight in 3 cups of water with 2 drops of Nutmeg Young Living   essential oil
4 cups purified water
2 pitted dates
Pinch of Himalayan salt
Instructions:
1.Rinse and drain the almonds.
2.Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.
3.To separate the milk from the pulp, squeeze the mixture through a cloth mesh bag or a double layer of cheesecloth. Reserve the pulp for recipes or freeze for later use.
4.Serve at room temperature or chilled. Store in a sealed glass jar for up to five days in the refrigerator.
Comments:
•Make thicker or thinner by adding more or less water to the blender.
•Create taste variations by adding one to two drops of Young Living Essential Oils to the    finished milk. Try ginger, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, Thieves or Christmas Spirit.
****************************************************************************************************

Cacao Mousse

Yield: 2 cups
Number of Servings: 4
Ingredients:
1 avocado
1 cup almond milk (see recipe above)
6 to 8 dates, soaked and pitted, save the soaking water
½ cup cacao powder
¼ cup almond butter
Pinch of Himalayan salt
2 to 4 drops Peppermint Young Living essential oil
Directions:
1.Combine all ingredients, except the Peppermint, in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
2.Add the date soaking water, as needed, to blend more easily.
3.Add the Peppermint essential oil, to taste, at the end. Blend in briefly.
Comments:
•Try a different Young Living essential oil such as orange or tangerine.
•Try carob powder instead of cacao. It will be sweeter so use less dates.
Amy Bacheller, M.Ed, NC  ~  www.scentfromheaven-sb.com ~  415-450-5000

Just look how creamy and yummy this appears! Everyone loves this (Don't mention the ingredients till after the taste test, they won't believe you!) This is so good and healthy you won't be in trouble if you forget to eat the main course!

Cocao Figs

Figs are in season and locally available!  What to do? When in doubt add chocolate! Figs are full of calcium here's more from the wiki article: 

Nutrition

Figs are one of the highest plant sources of calcium and fiber. According to USDA data for the Mission variety, dried figs are richest in fiber, copper, manganese, magnesium, potassium, calcium, and vitamin K, relative to human needs. They have smaller amounts of many other nutrients. Figs have a laxative effect and contain many antioxidants. They are good source of flavonoids and polyphenols.^[3] In one study, a 40-gram portion of dried figs (two medium size figs) produced a significant increase in plasma antioxidant capacity.^[4]

Cooking at the very high temp of 105 degrees, just like a like my hot springs or tubs!

Here is the basic idea. Cut figs in half and scrap out the fig seeds placing into food processor. Figs, cocoa, cocoa nibs, some blackberries, a dash of salt, a little raw sunflower lecithin, along with coconut sugar to sweeten the cocoa does the trick! Fill the fig skins. Dehydrate until filling thicken and sets. You got a treat that is not too decadent but no longer ordinary!

SOL Festival

The 1st annual SOL Festival in Santa Barbara, CA (Oct 2, 2010) is a success! Why? Because I had fun, learned new things, had great food and even got a recipe for a delicious RAW Chocolate Mousse! To begin with for once I was so excited that I went to farmers Market early in the morning... try finding me at the market at 8:30 am! I quickly got home and prepared to come right back down to Vera Cruz park right across the street from the market.
What did I do? I went to some workshops most notably for me was worm composting. Elisa Robles (Worm Girl) provided a very informative discussion on the merits of worm composting along with handy tips. She consults in the local Santa Barbara area. Here is a quick little movie of her work.

Throughout the day when I was not at the main stage I also attended workshops on culturing food, and bees.
Beyond the exhibits what I found very entertaining was the competitive chef cook off!
(From The Daily Sound:) "Food Network Iron Chef, executive chef at Bon Appétit magazine, and local gal Cat Cora will demonstrate a three-course meal and announce the winners of the Santa Barbara Independent’s Foodie Awards. After that, she and Erik Talkin, executive director of the Foodbank of Santa Barbara County, will judge a competition between Chef Pink of Square One, Chef Budi of the Ballard Inn, and Chef Erik Stenberg of Fairview Gardens; local chefs who must make a dish using farmer’s market ingredients."

The three chefs which were provided with the secret ingredient Avocado (appropriate considering the Avocado Festival was occurring 12 miles away). (I had not realize that Santa Barbara County is the third largest producer of Avocados in North America!) They were each provided with $35 to quickly run through Farmers Market gathering ingredients to compliment an Avocado inspired imagination. Upon there return to the stage the culinary heat was on! To watch three chefs working under pressure was thrilling and got the adrenaline rushing... a pleasant surprise to me I noticed one of the chefs preparing a vegetarian meal. It didn't take long to realize that Chef Erik was not cracking oyster shells or other fleshly distractions.... just got down to core vegetables and fruits!

When the clock was up and the judges were seated out came the creations!

Naturally, the hippie, surfer dude, Fairview Gardens vendor and private chef was the winner!

Well, I don't have TV so I am not familiar with Food Network and Iron Chef and cook offs, but I was captivated by the whole process and it was down right exciting!

Next, I investigated the food court, all local organic foods and the price points were intentionally set to be affordable by all (the entry to the festival were free as well).

As I was munching away, I happily discovered a raw food demo coming next so I ate away and got my self over to one of three stages to find that an old neighbor and someone that I have participated in workshops with Amy Bacheller with her company Scent From Heaven. Amy is a graduate of Living Light Culinary Arts Institute in California. Along with her raw culinary certifications she provides aromatherapy services.

Later I had to email Amy and ask for the recipe which she generously provided. I have been winning converts every since watching her yummy demo!

Almond Milk

Yield: 4 cups

Number of Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 cup almonds, soaked overnight in 3 cups of water with 2 drops of Nutmeg Young Living   essential oil

4 cups purified water

2 pitted dates

Pinch of Himalayan salt

Instructions:

1.Rinse and drain the almonds.

2.Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

3.To separate the milk from the pulp, squeeze the mixture through a cloth mesh bag or a double layer of cheesecloth. Reserve the pulp for recipes or freeze for later use.

4.Serve at room temperature or chilled. Store in a sealed glass jar for up to five days in the refrigerator.

Comments:

•Make thicker or thinner by adding more or less water to the blender.

•Create taste variations by adding one to two drops of Young Living Essential Oils to the    finished milk. Try ginger, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, Thieves or Christmas Spirit.

****************************************************************************************************

Cacao Mousse

Yield: 2 cups

Number of Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 avocado

1 cup almond milk (see recipe above)

6 to 8 dates, soaked and pitted, save the soaking water

½ cup cacao powder

¼ cup almond butter

Pinch of Himalayan salt

2 to 4 drops Peppermint Young Living essential oil

Directions:

1.Combine all ingredients, except the Peppermint, in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

2.Add the date soaking water, as needed, to blend more easily.

3.Add the Peppermint essential oil, to taste, at the end. Blend in briefly.

Comments:

•Try a different Young Living essential oil such as orange or tangerine.

•Try carob powder instead of cacao. It will be sweeter so use less dates.

Amy Bacheller, M.Ed, NC  ~  www.scentfromheaven-sb.com ~  415-450-5000

If that is not enough to keep you in chocolate heaven then you might want to go check these links to Raw Chocolate Mousse.

Here are some more pictures from our local online news: edhat

I look forward to attending the festival next year. Thanks to all of the great efforts of volunteers and participants! Yum!

Almond Butter

Fat Uncle Farms - the best Raw Almond Butter

Life is good in the area for many reasons. If you desire to eat food grown local here there are two nuts that you can find plenty of; Almonds and Pistachios. Even better both the nuts can be found raw. In Santa Barbara our Farmers Market has the good fortune of Fat Uncle's Almonds from Wasco, CA. Grown over the mountains in southern San Joaquin Valley (this is family owned). Occasionally they have green almonds at the market, it is fresh vital and easy to bite into. Transported into the Carpinteria area they run their kitchen and produce a range of Almond products including the butter which in the case of raw they refrigerate and chill and then keep the grinder cooled to maintain it's raw goodness. These are great folks. I have to be quiet disciplined to make a little pint tub last all week. Great for spreading onto Banana or Apple. Sometimes I make a sprouted buckwheat granola-like bar, sometimes I make a sweet flatbread and both are great for spreading the almond butter. Sometimes I am decadent and I will stir in cocoa, maca, mesquite, and when I am being a beegan some bee pollen as well. It is very good! I don't know if they ship out of the area. Although the law is changing again in regards to pasteurization of nuts. Raw can still be sold at Farmers Market and under 100 pound shipments.

If you are still doing peanut butter now is the time to explore other nut butters. At your health food stores not only will you find Almond Butter, but around here I can find Almond, Pecan, Cashew, Macadamia along with other nut butters both raw and roasted.

Delicious Raw Almond Butter

Almonds are super healthy and nutritious.Edger Cayce recommended to eat three almonds a day. 

Raw Almond Milk 

I do get Raw almonds as well for Almond Milk. Almonds and other brown nuts are soaked to release enzymatic inhibitors. For Almonds I soak for 4-8 hours and then rinse. I will then make milk or dehydrate to firm back up. Additionally after soaking Almonds you could apply seasoning and then dehydrate to make a wonderful snack food. When you make Almond Milk do not discard the Almond pulp simply dry and store in the freezer (for short time periods) in an airtight container. Then you can use as Almond flour to use in Cookies, Flatbreads and other nutty recipes. Almond Milk will last about 3-4 days and will start to sour which is ok still, but it will be disgusting in a week. Almond milk will separate simply stir or use a lecithin while making (I have a good raw sunflower lecithin).

Breaking the rules

This morning. I have things in the refridge I need to use. I want to experiment. I know it may not food combine well. (If reincarnation does not exist) I may only live once. Ponder, ponder. I give up, when in doubt make a smoothie.

This is mostly local and in season: Cantaloupe, blackberries, figs, and almonds. I shall add a banana into the unholy vat of deliciousness. I verify my recklessness with some internet searches. I verify that you can eat Cantaloupe seeds, I find some recipes including Cantaloupe with nut milks, I verify that is not food combining at it's best.

Local Cantaloupe, Blackberries, Figs & Almonds

Here goes:

1 whole small Cantaloupe everything except the shell or skin.

1 whole Banana

4 Figs

1/2 cup of blackberries

2 cups Almond Milk (made with Soak almonds, small amounts of vanailla bean, coconut sugar, salt

Taste great and smooth texture

Looks purple - good sign I like the color.

Taste Delicious!

If it digests poorly and my guts wack out I promise I will come back and append.

There you have it, life is all about (calculated) risk!

Raw Corn Chips with Lime and Cilantro

Corn is in season and so are salsa ingredients!

Gather your ingredients. Here I have a lime (orange skinned), jalapeño ,onion, garlic, corn and a variety of peppers some mild. (Not pictured are salt and cilantro.)

It is all so easy, you don't need a recipe. All that is required are the ingredients you choose to use along with a food processor and a food dehydrator.

I started by processing garlic, onion, and lime. After that was pureed. I added all sorts of wonderful peppers and pureed that as well. And then comes the corn! Cut the corn from the cob and puree. I guess all of this could be added and just pureed at once. I seem to like to do it in stages.

Oh yes, add a little sea salt and cilantro and taste. If it taste good pureed then it will taste great when dried.

Once everything is combined I am likely to mix in a cup or so of fresh ground flax seed (meal). I grind as needed as flax meal goes rancid quickly and loses it's omega-3 goodness. After the final taste test and adjustments I then spread on my drying teflex drying sheets and place in the dehydrator and score to the desired shape and size. I slow cook at 104 degrees until it is crisp to the break.

Meanwhile I am busy making fresh non-cooked (raw) salsa. Just cut and dice and combine. I think we could guess (or backward engineer from your favorite salsa) our chosen ingredients. I always enjoy using lime and cilantro along with tomatoes, garlic, jalapeño, onion and other neat and available ingredients (peppers are in full swing at the markets now). Guacamole is simply the salsa combined with fresh avocados. Salt to taste.

Fresh Chips, salsa, and avocado!

There you have it! (Raw) chips and guacamole is a full and very healthy meal! Here below is a simple bell pepper bowl which I eat when I finish the guacamole

Yum, yum!

Back Home - Farmers Market!

Farmers Market! Summer is here and it is in full swing!

Santa Barbara Tuesday on State St.

Santa Barbara Tuesday on State St.

Farmers Market is the best way to acquire food short of gardening and farming yourself! I am very fortunate to be in an area where the Farmers Market is very strong in the area and well attended. Wherever you are if you have not found your market yet please do! Facebook has a page: I Support Farmers Market. "There are 6132 local Farmers Markets in the US. There are only 4100 Walmarts. Farmers Markets and local Farming help regions be self sufficient and promote safe food. Farmers Markets provide more Organic Choice and CSA. Join & share this."

Living here in Santa Barbara here are a couple of great references: Santa Barbara's Farmer Markets. A Farmers Market nearly every day here, my two favorite days being Saturday and Tuesday. (Pictures are from Tuesday on lower State St.) Another is Edible Santa Barbara and I certainly should mention and plug Santa Barbara's SOL Festival coming up Oct 2. "Sol Food Festival is a one day community created festival to raise awareness of the Sustainable, Organic and Local food systems of Santa Barbara County."

One of the must stop is to visit the sprout booth and Norma. I think a third of my veggies come from this very booth!

Sprouts - The living food! Vital good for you and I!

This booth is well supported and they stay busy serving the public!

I owe Norma's dad (the founder) along with herself a world or perpetual thanks. I hope to visit her soon in Ojai and tour her small farm operation. There are many reasons today why I choose to patronize Norma (I do sprout my own Buckwheat Groats). One big reason is that her farm is on well water whereas I just have city tap water and do not have my own filtration yet. Another big reason is the diversity of choice. My kitchen would be overran with sprout jars to have the variety I have now grown accustomed to.

Norma has now taken on the business from her dad; growing and marketing.

Sprouting of course is generally the easiest gardening you will ever undertake. Here are some references: Sproutman Publications, Good Sprout News, Sprout People.

Sprouts certainly can be eaten raw and is great for salads and sandwichs. However if you cook consider simply putting sprouted lentils on top of rice as it finishes providing a light steaming. All of the raw foods I make like flatbreads have a large portion of sprouts as part of its recipes.

My Treasures! Micro Green Mix, A basic salad mix, pumpkin and sunflower sprouted seeds, sprouted lentils.

Road Trip Eating Raw (mostly)

I recently took my annual road trip to Oregon Country Fair and Breitenbush Hot Springs in Oregon with Stops in Mt Shasta, CA going and returning to my home in Santa Barbara, CA. I wrote in a prior post in regards to gathering living water along the way, so I kept myself well hydrated the entire trip, but how was it to be doing my first major road trip as Raw?

I have long time affiliations to these places and events that I love and cherish so much. I moved to Oregon in 1983 specifically to involve myself to Breitenbush and Oregon Country Fair. I lived at Breitenbush in the time of communes (today it is a worker owned co-operative). I have been juried to the fair as an artist since 1985.

My first sampling of raw food (beside salads) was as part of the food booth crew to Patty's Pies (the inaugural year of the booth in 1983) at the fair, where we made raw fruit pies. This year Patty's Pies (and I) celebrated it's 27th year at the fair!

Woody in Tie-dye taking a break outside of the booth. OCF '83.

How did I fare?

I did some advanced prepping before departure. I had a wonderful sprouted salad (thanks to Norma's Sprout booth) at Farmers Market here in town. I had my home made miso/tahini salad dressing as well. I made flatbreads to take, along with cashew spread. I prepared my Spirulina chips for snacks along with soaked almonds that I dehydrated, additionally I had a variety of fruits and veggies. And plenty of chia seeds to soak for breakfasts! I figured if I could take care of breakfast and lunch, then I could find cooked vegan choices along the way.

My first day was a long 10 hour day and I was assisted by two coconut chocolate smoothies with the water and meat, both very filling and stimulatory! That brought me to great water that I gathered that evening when I arrived at dusk. The following morning, I went to a local coffee shop for a bit of internet time and simply had a green tea and a vegan squash sweet bread. I stopped by Mountain Song Natural Foods for some provisions, again what does one do....get more fruits and veggies. I also found some raw treats too! A quick stop to Mt Shasta City Park where one finds the headwater of the Sacramento River a very cold spring gushes from the hillside. I have gathered water here since 1984 and let me tell you if you travel the I-5 corridor in Northern CA this is an essential stop as you can be at this great water source within 5 minutes of the northern most exit for Mt Shasta. After filling my 5 gallon jugs to take and share at the fair. I made a quick lunch before departing for what I call home - Oregon.

This is where I made my first obvious discovery - bell peppers make wonderful bowls! I made an avocado spread, adding a mix of red star nutritional yeast and sesame seeds. With that I had my flatbread, cashew and avocado spread with red bell pepper and salad sandwich along with a salad with my salad dressing, yum! day two doing well! I saved my new bell pepper bowl in my cooler for the next day.

This year I drove directly to the fair from Shasta and got there in time for my supper and I simply repeated my lunch.

Preparing a lunch at Mt Shasta City Park, CA

Open face sandwich!

My next neat discovery was my breakfast routine that I enjoyed most of the trip. The night before I soaked Chia Seeds(adding a spice mix I had made prior to leaving with cinnamon, cardamon, and a little cocoa). I took half a melon and after deseeding I cut a stair step to enlarge the bowl of the melon and placed Chia Seeds adding shredded coconut and blueberries as a topping. It was very nice and good - the soaked chia seeds with melon felt very hydrating and was helpful as the Oregon summer had finally begun.

Melon/Chia Seed breakfast at OCF '10.

My food supply and ice magically held until the food booths started serving on Thursday. Food booths at the fair are to be embraced rather than avoided like a state fair (please don't confuse the events)! Although there is a smorgasbord of good healthy choices there is not a pure raw food booth (yet, hint, hint). But there are plenty of vegan choices. So after my Thursday breakfast it was prepared foods by others. I found plenty of salads and a favorite was a hybrid of (cooked) tempeh and (raw) salad. The two standout favorites for cooked food for me is "Ring of Fire" and "Matty's Peruvian Food" booth. So I ate cooked, but man did I eat well! This year I avoided many of the decadent non vegan treats I have enjoyed in the years past. I did not feel food deprived by any means. I did find a smoothie booth that had wheat grass they made from a hand grass grinder - labor intensive, made as you waited and good and fresh. I had one or two a day.

All good things come to a close and on Monday after the "barter fair" following the official fair itself it is time to venture on. Next stop Corvallis, OR and to my old stomping grounds, "First Alternative Food Co-op" where I easily stocked up on - what do you get - fruits and veggies! At the coop I did manage to find micro greens (sprouts) for my salad for the week. I did break down and get my most favorite salsa in the world, Emerald Valley Salsa (regrettably now bought out and in Kent, WA). I had to get chips for that retro taste of when I lived in Oregon ten years ago.

That Monday I was to meet with an elderly computer client of mine that moved from Santa Barbara to Corvallis two years ago. So I took him to my favorite chinese restaurant in Corvallis (where I used to live) to China Delight where I turned my friend Cal onto the "Sesame Tempeh" dish. Yes, it was cooked, it was fried, but old habits do not die easily and it was delicious! (They still recognize me after being gone ten years and only there once a year!)

From Monday evening through Friday. I managed to have raw breakfasts and lunches. And I took my suppers at Breitenbush - they were all "special diet" and vegan (they serve vegetarian but rely upon a lot of diary).

My food held out for my Friday travels back to Shasta, where I once again overnighted on MT Shasta and gathered more water, and had raw food for my big driving day on Saturday from Shasta back to Santa Barbara. When I arrived home I had a young thai coconut from the co-op in Corvallis, and frozen fruits in the refridge so I made a smoothie for supper. There you have it I started and ended with coconut smoothies. And remained easily 70% raw, and ate very well the entire trip. With a little bit of planning and some foods from home it is possible to be raw or vegan and survive!

If you ever have the opportunity - Oregon Country Fair and Breitenbush Hot Springs are the greatest thing Oregon has to offer and the best in the world! And don't forget get your fresh water at Mt Shasta!

Gathering good spring water - living water

Good - Living Water is getting harder and harder to come upon so when water is found it is something to treasure and appreciate! Daniel Vitalis is a living water advocate and has a website Find A Spring to locate good springs throughout the world. Please particpate if you find a spring enter it, just get out and locate and enjoy good water! I occasionally go to the mountains outside of Ojai to gather water.

Bellyache Springs, Ojai, CA (You climb the waterfall and follow creek to source ((maybe 1oo yards). The water does not give a bellyache!)

Now Water from my recent travels!

Wildflowers from Boca Cave area, OR and above the old ski bowl, Mt Shasta, CA

In my annual trip to Oregon I always gather water at various locations along the trail of my travels. I always drive a grueling 9-10 hour day just to get to Mt Shasta before dusk. I gathered water in four significant places for me. I started at Mt Shasta City Park, CA at the Headwater of the Sacramento River (5 Gals, 64 oz). In the Breitenbush Summer Homes at Breitenbush, OR (5 Gals) and nearby Boca Cave (32 oz). Back to Mt Shasta were I gathered water from snow melt and glacier (1 Gal, 32 oz) and the city park (4 Gals, 32 oz). I arrived back home with 5 Gals and gave away 1 (lucky soul).

Here is a - video - I took of the headwaters of the Sacromento River at Mt Shasta City Park.

Mt Shasta City Park, CA. I gathered 5 Gals here on the way north and another 5 Gals on my way south.

Boca Cave looking onto Pahtoo or MT Jefferson, OR

Year round water drips from the back wall of Boca cave this took about 15 minutes to fill.

I have 32oz in the refridge for a water ceremony coming up soon. Special prayer and evocation for healing and purifying. This medicine goes down well, yum!

I also gathered a gallon from this very spot at around 8000' on MT Shasta, CA

This is above Panther Meadows (which has a true spring) and the old ski bowl at Mt Shasta, CA. This is a seasonal stream as opposed to a spring. Glacial and snow melt.

Other links in regards to Daniel Vitalis:

Daniel Vitalis - Facebook

Find A Spring

Gathering of the Raw Foodies II: Daniel Vitalis on Water II; RO Water, Distiling,... - Youtube

Daniel Vitalis on finding springs in your area & reclaiming your water - We Like It Raw

Natural Spring Water w/Daniel Vitalis pt2 - Matt Monarch's Blog

Daniel Vitalis talks Natural Spring Water & Much More – Part 1 of 9 - Health realized

Daniel Vitalis Part II: Water Gurus, Water Filters and Bottled Water - Natural News

Go to Find A Spring and find water near you. Happy hydrating!

Busy summer time to wake up the blog machine!

This summer has gotten off to a busy start! First, The oil blowout. I have been busy trying to learn about hydrocarbon toxins and corexit 9500 and how that impacts people (yes, of course I am very concerned about the health of the gulf and it's aquatic health and sea life as well). In regards to that I started a Facebook group named: HealthDespiteOil. It's purpose is to serve as a clearinghouse to gulf oil and associated toxins along with information to help people stay healthy or recover health. Secondly, I had my annual two week road trip to Oregon.

Soon I will write about how I survived raw in a cooked world. Ok, back to food.

Coconut Chia Dessert

4 Layer Raw Dessert

Top layer: Raspberry

Coconut Meat, Coconut Water, Fresh Ginger, Coconut Sugar

Coconut Water in Chia Seeds with Cardamon

Lowest layer: Cherimoya, Cinnamon, Maca

Let the Chia seed set first and layers chill

layer into dessert glasses and serve

I got a date!

Dates and then more dates! Dates are still in season at the local Farmers Market (yes dates are plentiful in Southern California)! Dates are a very healthy treat or substitute for sweeteners in recipes. I have a couple of desserts I want to make this week so I stocked up at the date stand. I choose three varieties out of about eight available. Wow. I got some Medjool, Deglet Noors, and I forgot the third (I will take pics and get names next week.) Typically we can count Dates to be low in cholesterol, low sodium, high fiber, some minerals, the negative has a lot of sugar. With that said keep in moderation, and find creative ways to substitute as sweetener. What am I going to do? I got some to mix with snacks, I will be making a Raw Fruit Pie and using a date/nut crust, and I am making a Coconut, Chia Seed, and breadfruit dessert. I will post as I make.

Along with Farmers Market, I always try to get wheatgrass juice from the local sprout booth. Here is a double shot next to fresh squeezed orange juice with a blackberry to serve as a chaser (not that I needed one). Because not only did I get dates, wheatgrass, I go a 25 lb bag of Organic Oranges for ten dollars! How can you beat the Farmers Market in our area. Except for my love of young coconut and fresh Turmeric I am on my way to being a localvore! YeeHaw another label!

Woke up, Got out of Bed, Dragged a Comb Across my Head

I really enjoy Cherimoya a soft bread fruit with large almond-like seeds. It is native from the Andean highland valleys of Peru, Ecuador, and Chile. It is one of the earliest recorded New World fruits. Often found juiced and in smoothies in Chile, but it can be found in fish dishes and other non-fruit like recipes. It can simply be scooped and eaten by spoon as well as pureed as ingredient for pudding or ice cream! The taste is pear like but unique. Cherimoya is loaded with potassium, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. It also grows in areas such as Santa Barbara, CA so it is a fresh, local seasonal food. If you do have the good fortune of finding it in a Farmers Market don't let the large sized fruit which is green skinned and spiny-like dissuade you from trying it. Talk to the vendor and ask of possible uses or recipes. You will typically purchase as hard and let ripen and soften. For today's breakfast I simply sliced in half and de-skinned lying upon a plate like chicken breasts. I then sprinkled some Nutmeg and dried ground Vanilla Bean onto the fruit. I continued by smothering in a orange-mango puree sprinkling some chopped sprouted Almond Nuts on top and garnished with sliced cherries around the plate. I didn't de-seed the fruit because I wanted it halved so you have to bite around and spit out the seed as it is inedible.

Picnic with wild foods

Salad with wild foods added

Nasturtium Wrap

Nasturtium Wrap

Nasturtium Wrap

Picnic! What a spread! Raw flat breads, fruits, spirulina chips, salad, tahini-miso salad dressing, nasturtium leaves, avocado, cashew spread, fennel, mustard, nasturtium flowers.

Today I went to my favorite trail in Santa Barbara's front country. I like to go where there is a year round spring nearby with a nice vantage point overlooking the ocean. I brought food up for a picnic. Along the way to my destination I gathered a little bit of wild foods to contribute to my meal. I found wild Fennel leaves and flowers, Mustard flowers and Nasturtium leaves and flowers. These are several plants illuminated by Brigitte Mars whom gave a wild foods hike here last week. I used the flowers as garnish to the salad and mixed the feathery Fennel leaves into the salad. I then made use of the Nasturtium leaves to make veggie wraps with the salad.

It was so good and satisfying to discover the bounty of edibles growing all around my walk. How local is that! With thanks to Brigitte for alerting me to the possibilities of this wonderfully bountiful Mother-Earth! What a special Mothers Day all too rarely we reflect that that includes the planet as well. I will never forget that the earth is always ready to nourish if we but open our eyes.

Spirulina chips

Spirulina Chips!

I am going for a hike today, and so yesterday I wanted to make a fun snack that was not too sweet or salty. And what I did was dehydrate some Spirulina chips. This is very similar to how you would make fruit rolls in a food dryer. I use an Excalibur food dehydrator but you can mimic and approximate by setting to the lowest temperature in the oven and placing in the broiler or with the oven door ajar. The real goal with Raw food is to not heat above 104 degrees. Above 120 degrees you start to destroy the nutrients.

Here is my basic recipe:

2.5 cups of blended or pureed Banana's and Cherimoya (optional)

1/2 cup ground sprouted almond flour

1/4 cup Black Sesame Seeds

1/4 cup Chia Seeds

4 tablespoons Spirulina Powder

2 tablesoons Maca Powder (optional)

2 tablespoons Lemon Juice

Take 4-5 banana's and puree. I had Cherimoya (bread fruit) ripe and thought that would be nice added. Then mix in all ingredients except the Chia Seeds. Add Chia seeds right at the very end and then mix into mixture (Chia and Flax will gelatinize and stiffen if allowed to set). Spread thinly onto drying trays at 105 will take about 4-6 hours (depending on humidity, etc). After spreading I used something circular to cut shape to the chips.

After drying store! Yum now I have a healthy snack to take on the trail! With no added sweetener beyond the fruit!