Do you remember Adam and I were going raw? Do you remember thinking to yourself "they're crazy... it's autumn... she loves to cook... what on earth will Emily eat..."
It's been hard, yes, but not impossible. The key has been to explore the correct percentage of raw foods considering our lifestyle, the season, etc. I realized on day one that 100% raw was not going to be possible. Entering Autumn in New England I couldn't imagine an absence of homemade soup simmering on the stove, warm cinnamon scented desserts emerging from the oven, bread rising. And let's not forget a ten year old in the house who really, really enjoys a hot meal. We are still finding the balance, right now trying to work with at least 50% raw. While this might not seem like much to raw food purists who tend to reach for at least 70% raw, in comparison to the Standard American Diet it's pretty high.
The photo above is of Pasta Puttanesca, raw style. It's common in raw cuisine to use zucchini as pasta - either julienned or spiralized - sprinkled lightly with sea salt and left to sit for just a few minutes - it does indeed soften and become noodle-y. You can twirl it with a fork!
It becomes wildly obvious within a short amount of time that significantly increasing your raw food intake has major health benefits. When I follow a vegan diet I notice similar feelings, clear mind, energized body... things like that. Eating raw puts you on an even more elevated plane energetically. There is a certain vibration that exists unlike anything I've ever known. I have no doubt that there are medicinal benefits to this way of eating. Food becomes a tonic, every single bite delivering life force, prana.
I'll be continuing to share about this little life experiment of ours, and Adam has some incredible observations from a male perspective too, if I could ever pin him down to write them.
Yummy things like raw muesli using freshly made almond milk with all kinds of nuts and fruit and green smoothies have been staples. I'll try to share how we make green smoothies tomorrow.
But today, I woke up and the house was freezing. I am refusing to turn the heat on until the end of October. My bones were cold and my body needed to be warmed from the inside out. I had only one thing on my mind.
Chunky Monkey Oatmeal... which it turns out is super hard to photograph.
I would eat this for dessert as happily as I would for breakfast. It's hard for me to write recipes as I am very much a throw as you go cook. But I'll try because I think the world could heal on this stuff... this, and green smoothies.
Chunky Monkey Oatmeal
makes 1 generous serving
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (not quick oats)
- 1 cup water
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 banana, peeled and chopped
- small handful chocolate chips
- small handful chopped walnuts (maple glazed are nice, homemade.)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla yogurt (optional)
- maple syrup or brown sugar to taste (1-2 tablespoons)
Combine oats, water and cinnamon in saucepan. Heat over medium to medium high heat just to a boil, stirring often. Turn heat down just a bit, add chopped banana and sweetener. Simmer for a couple minutes, stirring. (I like my oatmeal barely cooked - to me it's best when the starches are just released but the oats are still a bit chewy. No mushy oatmeal for me.) Stir in nuts. Pour mixture into serving bowl and top with chocolate chips and yogurt if using. In no time at all the chips will begin to melt and will swirl into the oats as you stir.
Oh man, writing this makes me want another bowl...
