Raw Cereal

Here it is! This is one of my favorite breakfast foods, raw cereal. At first I was like, "Huh? Raw cereal? Sounds gross." It's anything but. If you like fruit and nuts you'll LOVE this. Plus it's fast to put together and sticks with you for hours after you eat it, giving you plenty of energy in the meantime.

Here's the recipe that I use which was roughly adapted from one I found online. You can use other ingredients that you have on hand--play with it and make it personal to your own tastes.

Raw Cereal

Quarter then slice one banana into a bowl.
Add one apple (I've had it both grated and chopped--either way is tasty but grating it tends to make the cereal a lot more wet)
Toss on a small handful of chopped almonds or walnuts
Add a small handful of sunflower and/or pumpkin seeds
Add raisins or chopped dates to the top
Sprinkle a generous helping of shredded coconut on top if you desire.
Drizzle with 1 tsp. of raw honey, dust with cinnamon.
Splash a small amount of almond or other nut milk on top.

Tah-Dah! All done and ready to eat.

Update

Hi everyone! Sorry to be incognito--it's been a busy month (or two). A few people have asked me how the elimination diet and attempts at healthy eating are going so I thought I'd post a little update.

I've been feeling great! I notice a big difference between days when I have a lot of fresh veggies and fruits and days when I don't. Even when eating gluten/wheat-free, which I've been doing for a couple of months now, I find it's still really easy to fall into the "carb trap." There are so many breads, bakery items, pretzels, chips, etc. , that are gluten-free that it's very tempting to reach for those instead of healthier options. And they're so easy! Who wants to juggle raw food while running out the door with a baby and six bags of accompanying baby gear in hand? I tell myself this but then think, "How hard is it to grab an apple or banana for the road?" Ummm, not really too hard, actually.

I'm finding that eating healthier is really more about mindset than anything else. If you sit around thinking about all the food you "can't" eat, you will be depressed. Trust me. Changing your eating habits is HARD. Especially in the beginning when you are trying to make the healthy changes and seeing little results. It takes time to feel better. It takes time to increase your energy. BUT I would highly recommend that you start with little changes that will have the most impact. For instance, cut out all white sugar. Or have a green smoothie in the a.m., if possible. It totally changes my day when I do. I feel more energy, less cravings, and just generally more upbeat. On the other hand, if I start my day with eggs and gluten-free pancakes and lots of maple syrup I feel sluggish. Which is okay, sometimes. I'm definitely not saying you shouldn't ever indulge--but if you're indulging every day like I was (sugar really ISN'T its own food group!) then there's a problem.

Social issues are maybe the hardest to deal with, especially when you're around family. And with the holidays coming up most of us will deal with this. "Have some of my homemade pecan sandies, dear. What do you mean you can't eat them? They're good for you--now eat up!" Okay, I'm exaggerating a little here, but I'm sure most of us deal with food pushers. I admit I AM a food pusher sometimes. Everyone handles family/food situations differently. I don't want to offend anyone and for a long, loooong time I let that be my guiding principle. "What will so-and-so think if I don't eat what she offers me?" You know what? Half the time the person offering the food to you is just being polite. She could care less if you eat it or not. And sometimes people tie their own guilt up with offering you food. They might feel better if you eat some of the "bad" food they've been eating--it's like a party! But will you feel better?

If it's something I really, really want I'll eat it. Like Thanksgiving--I didn't have any dessert but did have a couple of my sister's delicious homemade rolls. Yum. I try not to let other people pressure me into eating stuff, especially if it's something I don't really even like. There are a lot of polite ways to say no, but the most effective way I've found is to say "No thanks. Maybe later." At first I went on and on about all my weird food sensitivities and explained why I couldn't have such-and-such a food. Now I just say, "No thanks. Maybe later." I feel a lot less like a little old lady and spare the person a half-hour lecture on my food sensitives. Better for everyone!

I'm hoping to post some delicious healthy recipes here soon. I'm addicted to this raw "cereal" which is yummy, fast, and healthy. I'll get it up here as soon as I have a chance to photograph it, promise.

Aspiring Raw Foodie

I struck gold at the Salvation Army yesterday. Being more involved with raw foods lately, I've been wondering how "uncooks" get their foods perfectly sliced and grated. I came across this great 6-in-1 tool yesterday and snapped it up. I'm not usually a kitchen gadget kind of girl, but this will really save me time preparing yummy raw food meals.



I also made a delicious key-lime pie yesterday. It's raw, so that means dairy-free, sweetened only with raw honey, and full of good and healthy ingredients. Oh, and it tastes fantastic, too--rich, creamy sweet and delicious! If you're interested in raw foods but feel overwhelmed, I'd highly recommend "Raw Food Made Easy," by Jennifer Cornbleet. It's really basic and she give some great information and simple recipes. Plus, it's where the pie recipe came from, so you can make your very own!

In a land of plenty

It's easy to forget we live in the land of plenty. Even during this economic downturn, most of us have much, much more than people in other countries even dream of having. Running water, electricity, a vehicle or two, the ability to cool or heat our homes with the touch of a button or the turn of a dial, food in the cupboards.

I've been thinking a lot about the food issue. I like to buy organic foods as much as possible, but sometimes choose conventional products because of the cost. "Well," I sigh to myself, "It must be nice to be able to buy all organic foods at the natural foods market, but I guess I'll have to make do with this."

The thing I need to remember, as I'm dumping spoiled leftovers into the compost (which I hate doing, by the way), is that I have much, much more than many others I share the planet with. Most of us don't have to hunt for food in garbage dumps or cans to survive. People I know don't worry if that last chunk of bread they have will last another two days and feed the hungry bellies of their family.

Feed my Starving Children is an organization which I recently learned about. They provide simple meals to starving children around the world. A meal through FMSC for six children costs $1.00 to produce and 94 percent of all donations go directly to food costs. They also offer hands-on volunteer opportunities if you live in the areas where the food is combined and shipped (see their website for details).

Eat Well--Anywhere

In Mary Jane's Farm (June/July) I came across this interesting link to the Eat Well Guide. The guide assists you in finding fresh, local foods in whatever community you're visiting. Visit the website for a free online directory. The guide includes, "farmers' markets, CSA programs, partner organizations, water-conscious ratings, and vegetarian eateries."

Just in time for summer travels!

Healthily Ever After

*Photo courtesy of Windows

I'm re-reading an excellent book, Feeling Light. I love, love, love it. This is the second time I've read it, but I think I will keep it around for quite a long time for reference. It's one of the only weight loss type books that I would recommend to anyone. It incorporates a whole range of things to do to keep your body healthy, strong, and fit--both mind, body and spirit.

As I've mentioned before, I don't believe in diets. Of course a lot of people lose weight on a diet. But what happens when the diet ends? The weight, and usually even a bit more, comes right back on.

Feeling Light is a holistic approach to losing weight and being healthy. One of the most important pieces of the "plan" if you want to call it that, is this piece of advice: Don't worry about all you can't have, think of all you can. In the book, the authors are speaking to the fact that often people think that eating healthfully is some sort of punishment. "Oh, I'll never be able to have cookies and ice cream again!" Instead of thinking this way, the authors suggest that someone look at the 101 different types of produce that's available to them and all the ways that they could prepare and enjoy it. (And by the way, I would never, ever subscribe to the notion that cookies and ice cream are completely forbidden. Just that they're best eaten in moderation.)

This type of thinking can easily be transferred to other areas of our lives. What if, for instance, instead of thinking of all the things we can't afford, we thought of all the great things we already have? What if we spent a little time thinking about the parts of our job we loved, instead of the one or two aspects that are annoying? Instead of thinking about all that is wrong with our lives, what if we looked at the ways we could make it better?

Attitude is such a huge factor in our perception of the world around us. And you don't have to be a Pollyanna to see that a more positive attitude really can make a difference.

An un-diet revolution

I have been thinking about food a lot lately--or rather, my relationship with food. During my pregnancy, I've had to change my eating habits. I've been a lot more conscious about what I'm eating; trying to eat more protein, less sugar, more fruits and veggies, less "white" stuff. While all these changes have been positive, there is part of me that misses being able to eat what I want.

And the cravings? Out of control! I have had cravings in the past but nothing like this--it feels like PMS cravings every day. All someone has to do is mention the word "chocolate" or "ice cream" and it's all I can think about.

Luckily, I've been pretty moderate in my weight gain throughout my pregnancy. I can see how easy it would be to just say, "Oh forget it!" and gobble down any old thing, but I try hard not to do this. I grew up with a weight problem and I certainly know first hand how very, very hard it is to lose weight.

All of this brings me to a point (don't worry, I DO have a point!). It reminds me about the importance of non-dieting. Several years ago, after many, many failed attempts to get "control" of my weight, and fluctuating between losing and gaining over and over again, I decided that I'd had it. I read a book by Geneen Roth, started eating whatever I wanted whenever I was really hungry, and began to live in a whole new way.

That's not to say that my weight and body issues were cleared up overnight, but I see the reading of that first book as the beginning of a different way of life.

It seems that everywhere I go, every group of women I talk with, all have the same feelings about food. They feel out of control. Or they are very much in control, to the point where it takes over their whole life. Working out for several hours a day and obsessing about calories is just as unhealthy in my opinion, as being overweight.

Where does this obsession with food and our bodies come from? The media definitely plays a role. So did our parents and other family members during our formative years.

A few organizations are determined to put an end to the dieting obsession. Read about the organization Overcoming Overeating here. Find out more about learning to eat more intuitively here. I also came across this interesting looking book here.

Un-dieting or non-dieting should be explored much more in our American culture. Living isn't about deprivation or extravagance, but a fine balance between the two. And the freedom one can enjoy when not controlled by thoughts around food and appearance are just the tip of the ice burg.

Going Local

Localvore (also called locavore) eating is gaining popularity. If you aren't familiar with the term, it basically means eating foods grown as close to you, normally within 100 miles, as often as possible. There have been a lot of books written on the subject. One I would HIGHLY recommend is Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" Excellent book and very informative without being preachy.



I have to admit that eating locally is not something I do very well. In fact, my friend Renee recently mentioned in an email the importance of eating locally, and how if we continue to choose cheap foods from other countries, our own farmers will eventually be put out of business. Well, that got my attention. Though I try to buy organic foods at the grocery store, make food from scratch as much as possible, and frequent the local farmer's market in the summer, I do these things more for health than any else's well being.



I am especially guilty of this in the cold weather months. I LOVE tropical fruit in winter--bananas, mangoes, pineapple, dried papaya--love it, love it, love it. In fact, I'd have to say that it's what I eat most of, after the organic apples which are grown heaven knows where.

Strawberries, grapes, cherries, blueberries--the list goes on and on. And that's just the fruit! So, my friend's observation has really gotten me thinking. How could I incorporate more local foods into my diet, especially in the cold winter months? Is it really hopeless? Am I destined to a fate of dried local apple slices and potatoes for months on end?

I interviewed a wonderful woman named Robin a few months ago for an article I was working on. Robin heads up the Mad River Localvores here in Vermont. She is completely, utterly dedicated to this movement and shared with me that she and her husband are complete and total localvores, other than the spices that they cook with which come from non-local sources. When I asked how she survived the winters without lettuce, grapes and other warm weather produce, she told me that it's just something you get accustomed to. She said my reaction is typical (which made me feel only slightly better) and that it's really just about making different choices. Over time, it becomes second nature. As an added benefit, when you do get local foods like peas, greens and asparagus, you tend to appreciate them a lot more.

Maybe it's time to borrow "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" again from the library. It's definitely time to think about how I can grow, buy, and preserve more local foods for next year's cold winter months.

Healthy Planet, Healthy You

Boy, I really wanted to add another rhyme to the title, like "Healthy Planet, Healthy You, in 2002!". But of course, I'd be a few years off.

It's hard to believe that it's nearly 2009! This last year has been one of changes for me--big changes. First, I quit my job to go out on my own with my writing career. Exhilarating. Wonderful. And scary. Worth it? Absolutely. But that just wasn't enough fear for me to feel in one year, so then I decided I was ready to be a mom. And poof! Just like that, I was "with child". (Must be that healthy vegetarian diet!).

Which brings me to the point of my post--healthy eating and a whole foods diet. Now, if you read all the studies, statistics, books, magazines and other information that inundates us on a daily basis in regards to losing weight and being healthier, you can easily become overwhelmed. I know I am. While information about what's healthy and what isn't is beneficial, I think it can all get to be a little bit much.

Recently, I've been reading Michael Pollan's, "In Defense of Food". I find his philosophy of healthy eating simple and astute. Ready? Here it is: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." That's it! Simple? It would seem so until one heads into the local grocery store and finds 20 "ingredients" listed on popular favorites that you can't pronounce. Pollan states that we should shop like we were with our great-grandmother. If she wouldn't be able to recognize the food item or ingredients in it, that's our cue to leave the food on the shelf.

For the past couple of months I'll admit I've been doing more of a grab-and-go style of eating than is healthy. On top of that, I've been seriously craving sweets and letting myself have them with a little too much abandon. Oh, it starts innocently enough. "Just a couple of hard candies after lunch with a cup of cocoa." But then later in the day the cravings get worse and I feel like crap after plowing through a bunch of cookies or leftover sweets we have in the snack cupboard. "But I'm pregnant! I can't be held responsible for these horrible cravings!" And, I don't know if you are like this or not, but the more I try to restrict myself, the more I want something. The problem is that if you eat a lot of junk, it's taking the place of good, healthy foods that your body really needs. This can set off more cravings and additional craziness in the kitchen.

So I'm trying a new tactic, one that for the past few days I've been doing it, has been working beautifully. Forget what I "can't" have and focus on all the awesome foods that I haven't been making room for. Mangoes. Fresh pineapple. Dried figs. Fresh vegetables prepared in a new delicious marinade. I thank my friend who kindly sent me, "Vegan Express", a new cookbook that is giving me lots of inspiration! And amazingly, so far, after eating lots of fruits and veggies and healthier meals, my sugar cravings are nearly gone.

On top of the wonderful way that you'll feel if you start eating healthier, eating a plant-based, or even decreased meat diet has many benefits on the planet. Global warming is being attributed to, in part at least, the amount of land that is being used up by animals which will later be slaughtered. Methane, produced by animals (ahem) gas, is seriously hurting the atmosphere as well. It might seem funny, but it's actually a really serious problem. Read more about it here. So, we can actually save two of the most important things that we have at our disposal--our health and the health of our planet--by choosing to eat in a healthy, more responsible way.

And on top of all that, it's yummy.

A Healthy Start

Photo courtesy of publicdomainpictures.net

Well, here we are. The week that marks the official beginning of the holiday eating season. What foods lie in wait for us in the weeks ahead? Pies, cakes, pastries, stuffing, meats and cheeses, white rolls with butter, fudge, Christmas cookies, wine, cocoa, fondue--the list goes on an on.

I'm certainly not posting about all of this to rain on anyone's parade, least of all my own. I love the holidays and I love the special foods and smells that are only around once a year.

But one thing I hate is getting sick after Christmas. It never seems to fail--after the parties are over (sometimes before), I come down with a bad cold and/or flu. The cause? Too much unhealthy foods, particularly sweets, not enough fruits and veggies, too little sleep, too many gatherings. I'm worn out and exhausted and my body is run down.

While I don't want to be one of those people who munches plain carrot sticks and sips seltzer water at parties (not that there's anything wrong with that), I do need to learn to exercise more moderation. Christmas cookies? Absolutely my favorite Christmas treats. So maybe I can overdo on the cookies and not take any pie, which I really don't care for. If there's a party planned for this evening, maybe I can nap this afternoon so that I don't get overtired. Being "with child" this year offers me the perfect excuse to take even better care of myself.

I have already been feeling the effects of overindulgence. Though the only cookies I have in the house are of a low-sugar variety (animal crackers and homemade biscotti), it's easy to reach for those in place of fruit or other healthier options. Last night I was browsing some of my favorite blogs and re-read a couple of posts on the Happy Foody site. No matter what, Sara has the ability to inspire me to want to eat better and live more "cleanly".

I figured fitting in a fruit smoothie this morning was the perfect way to start my day. I put spinach, frozen strawberries, an orange and a banana in the blender with a little honey and water and viola! A yummy, filling smoothie which will hopefully give me the energy I need for the busy day ahead of me.

Check out these recipes on Happy Foody for some smoothie inspiration. Or check out the Green Smoothie Girl's site--You'll be craving a smoothie for yourself before you know it.

Healthy AND Delicious

This weekend I was re-reading another old favorite from my simple living library--Janet Luhrs's "The Simple Living Guide" I was re-inspired by her chapter on nutrition. Fall is a time when I feel my best--I don't know about any of you but there are certain seasons when I feel great, inside and out, and others (like late spring) when I feel icky and out of balance.

Anyway, in reading the chapter on nutrition, the author talks about the importance of whole, unadulterated foods and trying to eat foods as close as possible to the way they are found in nature. By doing this, we can feel our best, build our immune systems, and generally be our healthiest.

The author bases a lot of her health nutrition on that of the Seventh Day Adventist Church (though she is not an Adventist herself). One of the things that Adventists traditionally believe, is that the body needs good, nourishing foods and then time to digest them properly. Luhrs talks about their belief that one should eat their largest meal at breakfast, the second largest at lunch, and a very small, or no, supper. Meals should be spaced about 5 hours apart and one should eat a LOT at mealtimes, as snacking is not looked upon favorably.

I'm not one for a lot of "rules" around food--having grown up in a house where we were always "all or nothing" eating (either all trying to be super healthy or all scarfing ice cream sundaes). I try to be very moderate about my eating habits. However, I did take the authors suggestion of making a pot of healthy, whole grains and having that with fruit for breakfast. I found a recipe for Crockpot Cobbler and scoured my kitchen cabinets Saturday night, putting together the ingredients in my trusty crockpot. This is a great way to use up some of your fall apples AND any stale granola you might have lurking in your cupboards. Plus, it's super easy and fast to make.

It was delicious--warm and creamy, low in fat and high in fiber. And it was a real treat to smell breakfast already cooking when I got up on Sunday morning. I felt like I was at a B&B!

This morning I made up a large pot of kidney beans, from dry beans I purchased at our local natural food store this weekend. Dry beans are a HUGE savings and really aren't that time consuming to make--they just require a little pre-planning to soak before cooking. I'm going to make chili and Mustard Baked Beans with them, and will use any leftovers in my salads. I think I'll try to find a whole grain cornbread recipe to go with both dishes.

Here's to cooking healthy AND delicious foods!

Roasted Veggie Goodness

I've been a vegetarian since I was nine years old. Well, let me re-frame that--I was a vegetarian from the ages of nine and probably 22, but then I started eating fish occasionally. So I guess I'm not a true, official vegetarian anymore.

However, over the years, my interest in healthier eating has really grown. I was one of those unhealthy vegetarians for a long time, one that didn't care much for vegetables and wasn't careful about protein intake. That's all changed (thank goodness). Now I love most vegetables and I try to make sure I'm getting an adequate amount of protein daily.

One of my favorite ways to cook vegetables is to roast them. If you haven't tried roasting vegetables yet, you absolutely must. Roasting brings out the natural sugars in the plant foods, making them sweet, chewy-crisp, and delicious.

The sandwich above is one I came up with this week and is YUMMY! Plus, it's healthy.

Here's the recipe:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread a little oil around a cookie sheet and cut your vegetables up, laying them all around the sheet. Try to leave a little space between the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes, turn veggies over and bake another 10 minutes. (Tip: Vegetables that are hearty like portobello mushrooms, winter squash, sweet and white potatoes, carrots, etc., roast very, very well).

While your veggies finish roasting, toast a crusty roll and spread with a thin layer of wasabi or chipotle mayo (add a bit of wasabi or chipotle paste to the mayo in a separate dish and stir well). On top of that, add a thick layer of hummus, then layer on your roasted vegetables. Eat open-faced.

Afterwards, make sure you tell me if you eat this and how much you loved it--because I just know you will.

Happy roasting!