Fruity offerings

I figure I should probably do a wrap up of the I Quit Sugar 8 Week Program.
I'll be honest, I caved after the 6 week mark.  All those beautifully ripe bananas where calling my name!  So essentially I didn't finish the program but I'm cool with that.
It was ok at the beginning, I felt really confident, and I had so much fun experimenting without fruit but it started to suck big time after week 5 for me.  Here's why:
I was eating a lot of cooked foods, especially for breakfast and it didn't really sit well with me.  Don't get me wrong, I don't think it's bad to eat cooked foods, but for breakfast?  Yummy, yes, but for me, long term, no.
Second thing:  I was eating a lot of nuts to make up for the calories I was missing from fruit.
Now I love nuts as much as the next person, but eating too many just makes me feel heavy and blocked up.  Not nice and not for me.
Thirdly, I dearly missed fruit.  
So, after thinking about the journey and reflecting back on how I was feeling throughout the challenge, I decided that I had given a pretty good go of it, so didn't feel terrible when I chose to stop after the 6th week.
Here are my thoughts on the program:  If you have no idea about nutrition, it's a good place to start.
If you are a vegan, there are some good options but the menu is heavy on eggs, dairy and fats.
If you are a low fat raw vegan, sorry but the menu doesn't really cater for you, apart from some juices, and smoothies.
Would I do it again, probably not.  Purely on the grounds that I already don't eat refined sugars, only fruit, and I don't see an issue with this.
Like I said, the program is great for non-vegans and I've even spoken to a few people at work who have noticed since giving up sugar, that their rheumatic pain has diminished.  
And, the most important lesson for me is this:  there are a million food philosophies out there, just like there is a million different individuals, therefore, research, try and stick with the one that makes you feel best.
Well, what makes me feel best is eating raw fruits and vegetables and I'm sticking with that!  As much as I can anyways, can't say I've given up cooked foods forever, just that when i do eat them I'll make sure that they are high carb and low fat.

Ok, enough of that.  

Now that I'm back on fruit heaven, I've been making lots of, you guessed it, fruity yummies!
I'm going to share my faves so far, hope you like them too.

Fresh Fig Tart with Banana Carob Cream
Makes 1x 12 cm tart

Ingredients

Base
4 medjool dates
4 sundried figs

Filling
1 large fresh fig
2 frozen bananas
2 TBS carob powder
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Line the tart case with some baking paper and set aside.

Base
Pulse all ingredients in the food processor until it's the consistency of a chunky paste.
Place onto lined tart case and flatten out with fingers, including around the sides.  You may need to wet your hands, it can be quite sticky.

Filling
Place all ingredients, except the fig in the food processor and process until it resembles soft serve ice cream.
Use this mixture to fill your prepared tart, level with the back of a spoon.
Cut your fig and place on top.
Serve immediately or place in the freezer without the fig and have it another day.

Did you know that the easiest thing in the world to make is ice cream.  You just need some frozen bananas, which you chop up and put in your food processor or blender.  Depending on quantity I use the food processor for 2 or less bananas and the vitamix for more, but you can use whatever works for you.

All you have to do is process/blend until it becomes thick and creamy, and gives the consistency of soft serve ice cream.

Next step is to eat it with glee OR add your desired flavourings.

If I'm not having a green smoothie, I'm having ice cream for breakfast.  That's just how I roll.

Vanilla and Mulberry Ice Cream with Fresh Fruit

Serves 1

Ingredients

4 frozen bananas

1 tsp of vanilla exact

1 handful of mulberries

1 kiwi fruit, chopped

1 cup of papaya, chopped

Method

Place the frozen bananas in machine of choice and process/blend until the bananas reach soft serve consistency.  Add the vanilla extract and process some more.

Take out half, that's your vanilla layer.

Add the mulberries to the left overs and process until they break up a bit but not completely.

Layer your fruit with the ice creams and your done. 

Didn't I tell you!

Dark Cherry, Carob and Coconut Ice Cream
Serves 1

Ingredients

2 frozen bananas
2 TBS carob powder
2 TBS coconut flakes
small handful of pitted dark cherries (I used frozen) + 5 for decorating.

Method

Place all ingredients in the food processor (except decorating cherries) and whizz away until magic happens and it turns to ice cream
Serve on top of some of the decorating cherries and with a cherry on top and some coconut and carob.

And here are some of the other stuff I've been stuffing my face with:

Spicy Cauliflower rice with pineapple, corn, tomatoes, capsicum, olives and guacamole.

Made with sprouts, mango, capsicum, red cabbage, baby spinach and served with a side of papaya

Baby spinach with peaches, figs, strawberries and spanish onion

Cos lettuce with mango, blueberries, kiwi fruit and lemon juice and an orange & raspberry crush

Spiced pear & apple crumble with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce

Berry banana smoothie with fresh fruit, homemade raspberry & lime chia jam and mint

Banana matcha smoothie

Raspberry & Pear chia jam folded through coconut chia pudding

This is typical of my work meals.  If I work in the a.m I take a breakfast smoothie and salad for lunch

Zucchini fettucine two ways:  sundried tomato sauce on the bottom, avocado & basil on the top

All the recipes are raw vegan, all of them are low fat.  Notice I'm not avoiding fats, just eating them in smaller amounts and good fats from avocado, never oil, and I've also added some chia to supply essential omega 3 fatty acids.  

Hey, we all need fats, just not in the amounts that you normally find in foods.

I should also tell you, I haven't been adding salt to my food still.  Funny, for such a salt lover, you do get used to it.  It's all a matter of changing your taste buds by feeding your body the good stuff.  Eventually, that's all it will crave.

If you want any recipes for the above dishes, let me know, but if you do a search, you'll find I've done similar recipes before.

Sending lots of good vibes your way!

Peas, love and mungbeans

xxb

Herb it up

I've cut out salt as you know, and will try to do my best to maintain this as a constant rather than a sometimes, but it will be almost impossible to do this, specially if eating out because just about everyone uses salt as a seasoning, specially restaurants/cafes.  That's cool, I'm not a believer in extremes so it is what it is.
But this got me thinking about my food and how I would adapt to make up for the salt.  I'll be honest, I think salt does bring out the flavours, but what are the alternatives?

There's a few things:

• dulse:  a type of red algae that has been around for yonks and is widely used as a snack or flavour enhancer.  It's a good source of minerals and vitamins compared with other vegetables, and contains all trace elements needed by humans, including iodine.  It also has a high protein content.
• kelp granules: another sea wonder, same properties as dulse and used in the same way.  
• nutritional yeast: a type of deactivated yeast that is sold as yellow flakes or powder.  It is a source of protein and vitamins, especially the B-complex vitamins, and is a complete protein. It is also naturally low in fat and sodium and is free of sugar, dairy, and gluten. Sometimes nutritional yeast is fortified with vitamin B12.  It has a cheesy flavour and is great when making the popular 'cheese' sauces for zucchini pasta.
• herbs:  herbs are an amazing addition to any dish, both savoury and sweet, and we are lucky that we are able to get just about every herb, year round.  A trip to the Asian supermarket is a revelation in herbs (even if you can't read what they are or how to use them).  I say, just have fun with it, and try them out.  My favourites to use are mint, coriander, parsley and basil.  Yes, I'm a bit boring where herbs are concerned but I have been experimenting with some Vietnamese herbs so I'll have a recipe for you using those.
• spices:  it's no wonder that they were once used as a form of currency, and there is a plethora of spices to liven up just about any dish.  My favourite to use are cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, ground coriander, smokey paprika and pepper.

If you are trying to give up salt and love Asian cooking that contains tamari or soy sauce, you could opt for coconut aminos which are a lot less lower in salt and contain natural sea salt rather than the bleached white stuff that is not good for you at all.  I've only been able to find raw coconut aminos through iHerb.

I would also recommend using Celtic sea salt or Himalayan pink salt as alternatives to table salt.

So here's a recipe using some wonderful asian herbs that I found.  The one on the left is called sawtooth coriander (Ngò gai)and the one on the right is called rice paddy herb (Ngò om).  They are both so fragrant and delicious.  As you can tell by the name, sawtooth coriander has a really strong coriander taste and the rice paddy has a citrus/cumin flavour.  Both delicious, both worth trying.  I am told that they are important herbs in the delicious Vietnamese sweet and sour soup.

Sawtooth coriander is also known as culantro (not cilantro), and used a lot in Central American cooking, specially bean based stews.  Yum!

Crunchy Asian Salad with Vietnamese Herbs & Mango Ginger Dressing

Serves 1

Ingredients

Salad

2 medium zucchini, julienne

1 small carrot, julienne

handful of bean sprouts

1/4 of medium red capsicum, julienne

6 snow peas, julienne

1 bunch of bok choy, chopped

1/2 cup of fresh mint, thinly sliced

3 sawtooth coriander leaves, thinly sliced

4 sprigs of rice paddy herb, leaves removed

hemp seeds (optional)

Dressing

1/2 mango

1/4 medium red capsicum 

1/4 tsp grated ginger

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 medjool date,pitted

Method

Place all salad ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

In a large bowl, mix your salad ingredients except for the hemp seeds. 

Pour over the sauce and toss well, serve with the hemp seeds sprinkled on top if using.

This salad can be made with whatever vegetables you have and love and is good when you want to use up any veggies that may be nearing their use by date.

Hope you try it and like it!

Peas, love and mungbeans

xxb