Vegetarian Forest

Let us say someone has just now become aware of the harmful effects of cooking and freezing food and now wishes to 'go raw'. The downside is that he is barraged with warring camps of raw food enthusiasts. Some agree on a few points but take sides and seek to disqualify the opposition on most issues. That to me IS the downside.Briefly, the major camps consist of:
Raw vegans who eat only raw plant food, but raise the temperature of 'raw' to 115 degrees FahrenheitRaw vegetarians who eat fruit, vegetables and sprouts, nuts, seeds, grains, legumes, eggs and honey but no red meat, and mostly no fish or poultry. For most vegetarians, eggs and dairy are included.The Raw Paleolithic diet is one of the raw animal food diets. The Raw Paleolithic diet includes raw meat and organs but excludes raw dairy, grains and legumes.The Primal Diet is a raw food diet which stems from traditional and primitive diets that include meats (fatty meat is preferred) and organs, dairy in all forms, raw eggs, honey, vegetable juice and some fruit with raw fat.Most versions of a raw food diet DO cause benefits. Some benefit is caused by the automatic elimination of all processed foods and additives - for instance, flour and refined sugar under all names.Some raw food diets allow table salt (or sea salt) to be a part of a raw food diet, not as a living food but justified by the fact that sodium chloride crystals are found in nature.Most of the talk and internet presence is about vegetarian and vegan raw diets all of which need various quantities of supplements to enable the dieter to get enough basic nutrition. Many people can get along for a while as vegans or vegetarians. The main visible side effect is looking very thin. The main experiential side effects can be fatigue, lack of energy, muscles weakening & vanishing, and reduction of bone mass.The history of body building has many important examples of what can be achieved on a raw paleo or Primal diet (reference: Muscle, Smoke and Mirrors, Vol. I - a complete history of body building viewable by Googling the author Randy Roach).According to the vegan/vegetarian plan, mother's milk is the only beneficial milk - therefore do you need to bring your mother when you go away to college or move out to start a career (to say nothing of having her available in the high school cafeteria)? Other than that, even raw milk from a goat or a cow is not recommended on the strictly vegetarian/vegan diet, nor are other dairy products or eggs.One goal of each of the raw food camps (vegetarian, vegan, paleo and Primal) is to eliminate any reliance on drugs or other medical procedures such as surgery. This is definitely NOT a downside in most cases, however the fact that the various camps fight against each other as to how this can best be done leaves the potential newcomer to raw food battle-worn and starved for some convincing evidence of the effectiveness of whatever camp he is most drawn to.Another fairly general goal of each raw food diet is to reduce intake of toxic matter and eliminate stored toxins. The ways of achieving this vary quite a bit from camp to camp. The ways a human body deals with toxins include proper functioning of circulatory, lymphatic and immune systems through the lungs, sweat glands, liver, kidneys and colon. The vegetarian raw food diets have a close reliance on repetitive colon cleansing through a series of enemas and/or colonic irrigations combined with fasts. Some downsides include that this is time consuming - plus one increases one's reliance on these man-made solutions instead of decreasing reliance. On the Primal Diet, there are NO recommended breaks from intake of proper food - even for a day - and there are several natural ways of bringing about proper elimination of toxins. For instance, proper elimination can be accomplished through lymphatic baths (see We Want To Live for details) and natural methods of elimination through the colon, which don't also flush away valuable bacteria.Some versions of the raw food diet are not helped by ongoing campaigns that only thin people can be good looking. Continuous and persistent ad campaigns show thin cover girls on popular magazines. Again the ways of achieving such thinness vary tremendously; there are many other ways for weight loss besides a raw food diet but in none of these diets is health given the #1 priority. In a truly beneficial raw food diet, health IS the priority.One would think that if our digestive abilities as humans were studied, more agreement could be reached. This study has been done but the results have been kept safely between the covers of a book, thus are not well known & thus the debate continues. Email the author of this article to ask for the summary paragraph about our digestive abilities.In summary, when one chooses to follow a raw food diet despite the downsides mentioned above, there are many sub-choices which require some due diligence. One must add in the time it takes to make or buy daily staples such as fresh vegetable juice and raw coconut cream. One must budget to cover the costs and one must find sources for various foods & feel right about whether or not they are all natural or have been fudged in one way or another.

This is a slight variation on the traditional Italian chestnut cake which is made with olive oil and rosemary. Using chestnut flour and adding carob to the ingredients, make this cake tastes like an incredibly rich chocolate cake. Keep in mind that when mixing chestnut flour, the batter might seem very runny. The chestnut flour will very quickly absorb the liquids ingredients. Chestnuts are traditionally dried out in Italy above the hot kitchen on thin slats for 8 months which make the nuts incredibly dry. They are then ground into a fine powdery flour.The dried cherries in the recipe go very well with the earthy flavours of the chestnut, carob, walnuts and vanilla, while the fresh cherries in the salsa give the cake a fresh fruity finish. The fruit part of the recipe can be changed to pineapple (dried and fresh); apricots and even prunes with fresh plums for the salsa.20 dried cherries, halved / ½ cup dried cranberries4 tbsp good quality dark red grape juice1½ cups (240 g) chestnut flour1 tbsp corn starch3 tbsp vegan carob chips1 tsp baking sodapinch of salt½ cup walnuts, chopped, toasted in the oven, then ground finely1 tbsp hazelnut / macadamia nut butter2 tsp + 5 tsp walnut oil2 - 3 tbsp maple syrup, warmed1¼ cups apple juice12 walnut halves1½ cups chopped fresh black cherries Pre-heat the oven to a hot 220°C (430°F). Brush a heatproof ceramic pie dish (square or round) with walnut oil, or use a silicone baking dish.
Soak the dried cherries or cranberries in the grape juice for an hour, or preferably overnight.
Place the chestnut flour, corn starch, carob chips, baking soda and salt in a bowl and stir to mix. Add the fine walnuts.
Add the nut butter and 2 tsp of walnut oil and the apple juice to the flour and stir until combined. This is a runny, cream-like dough.
Drain the dried fruit and discard the soaking liquid (or drink it). Stir the dried fruit into the batter. Pour the batter into the baking dish. Place the walnut halves on the cake and pour the remaining 5 tsp of walnut oil over the batter.
Bake in the oven on the middle shelf for 25 - 27 minutes until firm. It is normal for the cake to crack all over the surface. Place a sheet of tin foil over the cake for the last 10 minutes if it is becoming too dark.
Remove the cake from the oven. Pour the warm maple syrup over the cake so that it can be absorbed.
For the salsa: Blend ½ cup of the cherries in a liquidizer to a purée. Stir in the rest of the cherries.
Serve the cake warm, or at room temperature. Cut the cake into slices or squares and serve with the cherry salsa on the side. Makes enough for 8 generous portions.Hint: By changing the dried fruit and fruit juice in the recipe, one achieves a completely different taste to this versatile cake recipe. Try for instance chopped fresh pineapple with cinnamon and coconut milk; or white grape juice with halved black grapes and vanilla powder.

This meat-free & dairy-free potato salad will have you getting rid of the usual & predictable conventional potato salad for sure. In the event your family holiday gatherings are anything like mine, people are asking "where is the potato salad" as soon as they hit the door. This dairy-free, Curried Potato dish is a far cry from the everyday "yellow" or "southern style" potato salad that you've been served year-end and year out. Add a little spice and a unique flavor to your holiday menu. Your guests will welcome the change!Dairy-Free Curried Potato Salad Recipe:Potato Salad Dressing:Ingredients:·Vegetable or Olive Oil for sautee·Small chopped red onion·1 chopped red bell pepper·1/2 small finely chopped jalapeño pepper·1 teaspoon celery salt·1 teaspoon ground cumin·1 teaspoon ground coriander·1 teaspoon turmeric·2 tablespoons of curry powder·1 cup of raisins (make sure you soak them first in hot water)·Fresh juice of 1 lime or lemon·1 cup of Veganise·2 teaspoons of chopped cilantroDressing Directions:1. In a small skillet, drizzle oil, over medium heat, and allow to get warm. Add the onions, bell peppers, and jalapeño peppers. Cook vegetables until they are soft. Next, add the celery salt, cumin, coriander, turmeric, and curry powder. Cook for about 5 minutes. To de-glaze the pan and get the spices from the bottom of the pan, drizzle some lemon juice in the pan.2. In a food processor or blender, add the vegetable mixture and raisins. Pulse until chopped and smooth. Add half of the lime or lemon juice and the veganaise and cilantro and continue to pulse. Next add the dressing to a bowl and add the remainder of the lime or lemon juice. Stir well and refrigerate.Salad Ingredients:·1 pound of cooked and cubed red skinned potatoes·1/2 pkg of drained extra firm tofu·1/2 cup of raisins (make sure these have been soaked in hot water)·Chopped cilantro (optional)Salad Directions:1. In a large bowl, crumble the extra firm tofu (with your hands). Next, add the cubed potatoes, raisins and cilantro and toss well.2. Next, add the dressing to the salad and mix well. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.Which dishes do you "traditionally" serve during the holidays? Is potato salad among them? What are a few of your favorite potato based meals?

The purpose of a raw food cleanse, sometimes called a raw food detox, is to eliminate and cleanse the body of stored toxins. This is accomplished using only raw and preferably organic foods. A raw food cleanse can last anywhere from 7 to 90 days depending on what particular cleansing instructions you choose to follow. The goal of a raw food cleanse is not only to eliminate stored toxins, but also to give your organs such as your kidneys, gall bladder, intestines, stomach, pancreas- all your organs- a rest from the efforts of processing hard-to-digest food products. This type of cleanse will result in a higher level of noticeable wellness and health.Specifically, a typical raw cleanse will not only utilize 100% raw natural foods, but will also eliminate foods such as meat, dairy, grains, sugar, flour, cooked foods, preservatives, artificial additives such as MSG, coffee, other types of caffeine, soda, artificial sweeteners and alcohol. Just removing all of these foods from your diet will naturally elevate you to a healthier state of being. The most effective food to cleanse the body is raw, unprocessed, natural food. This is because raw organic food has about 80% fewer toxins than standard processed foods.Raw food is an ideal internal cleanser. This is because raw is natural food. Unprocessed/unheated food is unharmed by the damaging effects of heat and in this perfect state, can effectively help the body release toxins and also nourish and heal the body.The raw unprocessed, natural food used in this type of cleanse should also be organic. Organic foods are "clean foods," and are free from the harmful pesticides sprayed on conventionally grown foods. The pesticides used on conventionally grown foods also depletes the soil of nutrients. So when choosing organic you are not only "eating clean," but the level of nutrients is greater, which is important, especially during a cleanse.Another important part of this type of cleanse is simply pure water and lots of it. Since you are encouraging your body to release stored toxins, drinking water helps to flush these toxins out of your body through the kidneys and even your skin. Water is a vital component of skin tone, brain function, metabolism, digestion, every organ system of your body. While pure water should be an important part of every day living, drinking water during a cleanse is more necessary to thoroughly rid your body of wastes and toxic materials.Fasting may or may not be a part of a raw cleanse. Water-only fasting is an ideal way to quickly rid the body of toxins. Combining a single day or even a few days of water fasting with a raw detox plan is less severe and more gentle to the body than fasting for several days.
Another important component of a raw detox is exercise. Exercise moves the lymph fluid though our body, helping to remove cellular waste products. Exercise is the only way to move the lymph. Exercise also helps to tone the body while you are losing weight and aids in reducing any uncomfortable side-effects of the raw cleanse, such as a possible bout of constipation.Who Should Do a Raw Food Cleanse?A raw cleanse or detox is beneficial to anybody who wants to be healthier and wants their body to operate at peak performance. This internal cleansing will show on the outside and some of the noticeable benefits of cleansing internally will manifest themselves in better looking skin, weight loss, more energy and healing.Even if you are eating totally raw now, doing a raw cleanse is helpful because this type of cleansing gives you different tools to add to your raw food diet. Some of these "tools" can be a day or two of juice feasting, a day or more of water fasting, a day of eating concentrated greens, and so on. The different tools will vary according to the type of raw food cleanse that you choose to do. No matter where your health is, cleansing using raw food for a specific amount of time will help you to achieve your optimal level of health.Benefits of a Raw Food CleanseWhen you start to cleanse or detoxify your body you will notice numerous wellness benefits including weight loss, a better complexion and increased mental clarity. Some people have reported that aches and pains are reduced or eliminated and other health challenges have cleared up.A raw cleanse is an excellent weight loss diet since it is both very safe and extremely effective. For those who do not need to lose weight such as athletes, pregnant women or those at their ideal weight, but want to be more healthier, feel better and look vibrant as well as other health benefits including ridding their body of toxins, a raw food diet cleanse is ideal. All you have to do is simply add more calories in the form of nut milks, juices and/or greens.A raw cleanse is beneficial for health and wellness for those don't want to go totally raw with their daily diet. Doing a raw food cleanse for a week or more will not only cleanse the body of stored toxins, but will contribute to overall wellness since it offers the organs a rest from the difficult task of digesting hard-to-digest substances and those lacking in nutrients such as meat, non-raw dairy products, processed and cooked foods. A raw cleanse is also an ideal, but not a necessary way to start a raw food diet. After finishing a raw food cleanse, you have the option of continuing to eat only raw food to help you go on to better health and wellness.How Often Should I Do A Raw Food Cleanse?The choice to cleanse your body is totally up to you. While some do seasonal house cleaning, others think of an internal cleansing as "personal house cleaning" and do a cleanse seasonally. Others may do a cleanse whenever they feel their body would benefit from it. The exact frequency and times of cleansing is totally personal and up to you. Your body will thank you and reward you every time you do a cleanse.How Do I Start A Raw Food Cleanse?If you are interested in doing a raw food cleanse, my advice is to seek out a knowledgeable person who will help you in doing a cleanse. This can be a holistic doctor, a naturopath, a health coach or someone who is simply helping others to eat raw and has helped other to do raw cleanses. You should not make up your own type of cleanse, especially if you have never done a cleanse before. Your cleanse instructions should include a specific meal plan for each day of your cleansing so that you can have your food prepared. I had the opportunity to interview Jinjee Talifero, creator of the 21 Days Raw Cleanse. Read that interview and learn about the raw cleanse she has successfully guided many through at http://www.raw-food-diet-magazine.com/raw-food-cleanse.html.No matter what particular type of raw cleanse you do, a raw food cleanse is a gift that you are giving to your body and your body will thank you by giving back better health and vitality.