Merry Christmas to me

Dr. Fuhrman is one of the leading doctors in diet-disease correlations. He is respected among his peers and Dr. Oz features him frequently on his show. Anyway, all this is just a preface to the fact that I ordered Dr. F's book last week and just received it today!

It was published in 1995, and he has since authored several other books. But I am interested in what he has to say about fasting, and perhaps some protocols.  I don't suspect there will be a lot of earth shattering news in these pages, based on what Charissa and I have already researched. However, I am always looking for that extra little nugget, that prepositional phrase which adds threads to the tapestry of our health.  Mostly, I am just looking for reinforcement, encouragement and support. 

The holidays are upon us, and we face food frenzies. Books like this serve as a helpful reminder, I think, to our worldview that our bellies are not our boss.  Or, at least, all the time. 

Personal Thoughts on Fasting for Health

I don't want to spend a whole lot of time redacting the science behind fasting. I trust you all can google that up yourselves. But I do want to tell you a little bit about my experiences with fasting thus far.

It's been about 18 months since I stumbled on this health protocol. I've done everything from smoothie, juice, raw, intermittent and water fasts. I can honestly say I've experienced benefits with all of them. But there was one time after this past Easter where my body felt awful the days following a fast. The jury is still out on whether that may have been due to vitamin and mineral deficiencies or because I was simply experiencing a new layer of detoxification.  Since I was not being supervised, I decided not to find out which one it was, and thus ate whatever I felt like my body needed to feel better. Fish, meat, bread..stuff I don't eat with a lot of regularity, but whatever had highly absorbable Vitamin B12, Iron and Omega Fatty Acids in it. It worked.

But fasting, when done properly and at the right time for your body and mind, has so many benefits that I can't even begin to describe. Besides detoxification (which is crazy amazing--and sometimes unpleasant--to watch your body purge junk through various orifices) and weight loss, there is an acute mental clarity and contentment that I've experienced, along with energy level increases.  In short, I often feel awesome and better able to handle life stressors during fasts.  Of course, when I began my first smoothie fast two summers ago, I was not in good spirits for the first three days. All of the detox symptoms such as brain fog, fatigue, moodiness, cravings, and halitosis were new to me. But since then, my mind and body have adapted somewhat to the process, along with now eating a LOT better than I used to, so I don't suffer as intensely from those unpleasant detox symptoms. Though, I will say it seems I often break out into cold sores on my lips when fasting, so there must be years of dormant, assuaged viruses that were not killed off with antibiotics that I used to take. They (the viruses) are, essentially, now getting starved to death out of my body.  And that's good.

One of the things I am trying to learn how to do better is re-feeding. Meaning, how to break a fast slowly and in a way that doesn't cause me to binge in moments of weakness.  I give myself a pass if it's fruits or veggies, but not only does binging harm the whole process of self control and eating right, but it can make people sick since the stomach often shrinks during a fast and is especially sensitive to large amounts of food. So it's important to re-feed the body slowly. Yup, still working on that.

Intermittent fasting is a neat little "reset" button when I'm in need of a quick cleanse. Whether it's a 36 hour water fast (which is as long as I will go unsupervised) or a shortened eating window during the day (like from 11am-5pm), intermittent fasting has helped me after attending one too many potlucks.  It also helps boosts human growth hormone (HGH) which is the anti-aging hormone. Hence, why I look like a five year old. Paaaahh-ha-ha. But seriously, my skin is smoother and often times gets noticed.

Final thoughts: I'll be interested to see how my perspective evolves over time as I continue to learn how to fast. Hopefully this is helpful for anyone who is curious about what one person has experienced so far.  My conclusions? Trust your body. Be sure your mind and support systems are on board when you start a fast. Don't push yourself too far. Fasting is not about meeting a particular number of days without food, but letting your body show you what it can do to heal, what it needs nutritionally and when. For some that's a couple of hours, for others a couple of weeks. Learn the differences between emotional hunger and true physical hunger. I still am, and will probably continue to for a loooooong time.  Overall, fasting can be healing, perhaps alleviate unnecessary medical bills, and lead to better quality of life and longevity.

Okay. That's it for now. All the best.

Oh yeah...as always, this post is not meant to diagnose, treat illnesses or be considered medical advice. Always check with your physician before trying a fasting regime.

Chocolate Hazelnut "Cheesecake"

Let's not waste time, shall we? 

Luscious, creamy, chocolatey, hazelnutty and decadent...need we say more? 

Crust:
3/4 cups almonds
1/4 cup pitted, packed dates
Cacao powder
1-2 teaspoons water

Grind the almonds in a food processor.
Add the dates and continue to process into a doughy texture.
Add cacao powder, to taste. Add a little water, if necessary to ensure the dough holds together when pressed.
Press into the bottom of an 8" spring form pan. Set aside while making the filling.

Filling:
3/4 cup irish moss gel*
1 cup water
3/4 cup cashews

3/4 cup hazelnuts

1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup cacao powder
6 drops stevia
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon himalayan salt
4 1/2 tablespoons melted cacao butter
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

Combine all ingredients but the butter and oil, until smooth and creamy.
Add the final two ingredients and blend to incorporate.
Pour the mixture over the crust and chill in the fridge until firm, at least 6-8 hours.

*If the gel is already chilled, pack it into the cup.

Chocolate Coconut Butter Topping:

1/4 cup Coconut Butter

1 TBS Coconut Oil

1 TBS Cacao Powder

Melt Butter and Oil and combine with Cacao powder in a small tupperware till fully mixed. Put in freezer till solid. When cheesecake is ready to serve, take the chocolate coconut butter block out of the freezer and tupperware and grate all over cheesecake to your liking. 

Apple Carrot Date Bites

If you were in my seventh grade Spanish class, or had the very same text book, the sentence "Tengo una cita con Anita," would bring back memories, yes? 

It was the very first Spanish sentence we learned, and, if I didn't know better, it was also probably the general demise of society as we know it.

I mean, who teaches a seventh grader to have a date with Anita? 

All kidding aside, that awkward introduction reminded me of my lapse of judgment in having dates, too.

 As in, the food variety

 ...of dates 

...in case you weren't following the transition. 

But seriously, pitted dates are an excellent natural sweetener to any snack. Rich in calcium, manganese, copper, iron, fiber, potassium B complex vitamins and other cofactor nutritents, dates pack a healthy punch as anti-inflammatory and cancer preventative, as well as an energy booster.

We haven't given them enough limelight, methinks. And there are soooo many uses like in the date-nut crusts for pies and raw fruit energy bars.  

Plus, after Halloween, who doesn't need a good transitional recipe to wean off the the toxic refined sugars?   

***HANDS RAISED AND FLAPPING NOT AS VIGOROUSLY DUE TO SUGAR BLUES***

Just look at these little snacks.  They might not seem uber glamorous, but they are soooo tasty. And easy, which is right up my and the whole planet's alley.  

Apple Carrot Date Bites

Four ingredients: 

Carrots, pitted dates, apples, cinnamon

You'll need a food processor. 

Put a cup or so of carrots in food processor and pulse till chopped small. 

Add about 5-10 dates (depending on your desired sweetness) and a teaspoon of cinnamon to the carrots.

Pulse till nicely incorporated into a chunky meal. 

Slice apples into circular discs. You can leave the seeds or poke them out if desired.  

Spoon out the carrot-date mixture onto apple slice and build sandwiches to however many layers you like.

You can slice the sandwiches in half, but it is recommended to actually slice them into quarters so you can simply pop the sandwich into your mouth without smooshing the filling out as you bite into it.

But, you do what you want. I went halvesies as you can see. 

If you try this recipe, please let me know what you think! 

I swooned. Especially since I just threw out our Halloween candy and was looking for something sweet and healthy to make.

This is great for kid snacks and dessert-lets (I made that word up, but you know what I mean?) at parties.  

This was taken from Youtube recipe video if you want to see the step by step process. 

Salud con citas! 

("Citas" is not the proper Spanish rendering of the food word "dates" ...BUT, it could also be read by adults as "To your health with dates" as in, your love life, or general ability to socialize with the opposite sex in an appropriate manner. That, my friends, is just merely more awkward wordplay for your enjoyment.)

Chow-Daaah!

Charissa and I are from New England. Our coastal culture is a source of pride and affinity toward all sea creatures. Meaning, eating them.  If it swims, crawls and wiggles, it's fair game.

We've grown up noshing on fish, quahogs, squid, shrimp, crabs, lobster, clam cakes, clam boils, seafood casseroles and bisques.  

So it should be no surprise that we sorta had chowder running through our veins, too. 

Which is also partly why we were overweight, obese and sick. Not so much from the seafood itself, (though maybe) but from the butter, heavy creams and breading that often married the cuisine. 

One day, as often happens here, I had no idea what to make for dinner. 

I had a bunch of odds and end ingredients that I couldn't configure into a meal. Potatoes, corn, onions and green onions. And cashews. 

But then it came to me.

I'd read somewhere about how to use nut creams as bases in soups and decided to give this a go as a chowder recipe.

Ingredients:

4-5 medium red potatoes, washed & unpeeled and cubed

1 yellow or white onion, diced.

4 stalks green onion, sliced

frozen or canned sweet corn

sea salt, pepper, cracked red pepper

Heat 4 cups of water on high to a boil. 

Add potatoes and onions for about five minutes

Turn down to medium high heat, add green onions then let simmer till potatoes are soft. 

Add corn, cashew cream & stir.

Add sea salt, black and red crushed pepper to taste.

Cashew Cream:

2 cups soaked cashews (for 1 hour)

4 cups water

Place ingredients in Vitamix and blend till creamy smooth. Put in a sealed refrigerator safe container. Cashew cream keeps for up to 3 weeks.  

++++

My husband was just as pleasantly surprised as I was. The cashew cream gave this chowder the creaminess it needed, and tasted great. The pepper, salt and cream added to the soft potato texture, and is just like I remember it back home in New England. 

As my relatives would say, "That's some wicked good chow-dahh!"

The Rules of Freedom

We often attribute good health to two things: nutrition and exercise. And often we'd be right; that these are the most integral components--foundational even-- in maintaining good health.

However, many experts take a holistic stance. Meaning, they explain that there are various other parts that contribute to our well being, too, including, but not limited to, our relationships, careers, finances, home environment, and spiritual food, just to name a few. Seems to make sense, right? And if we're honest with ourselves, we recognize how many of these factors are almost always in flux (given the amounts of stress placed on each), which can make life difficult to maintain healthy balances.

While I don't necessarily know exactly what "balance" means in terms of each person's health, but especially with mine, it doesn't mean I stop trying to "be" healthy. This, of course, never guarantees endless bliss and energy. In fact, some days trying to be healthy just plain stinks. But every so often clairvoyance comes, whether it's a great, feel good day, a wonderful edifying conversation, or the joyous peace in Jesus (even in the midst of a bad day) that reminds me I am God's child. It becomes clear that some of these things I can control, while others descend without expectation, and simply as a gift from God.  

So back to what I can control. Striving for good health, to me, starts with what I eat.  Though not the end all, it certainly helps sets the stage for a day of better nourishment. But then there are those darn cravings.  (And they don't go away, I'm told.)  Even the healthiest (and honest) gurus admit to caving in and binging from time to time.  While I've found that certain junk foods do not interest me like they used to, it's often likely that as soon as I mention one specifically, I start thinking about and wanting it!  Aren't we such weirdly wired creatures? I can't be alone on this, right?

And that's okay. For me, and most of us, it's simply about being honest. In spite of cravings and shortcomings, I love learning about how nutrition improves health and can heal, especially when people are in crisis. That's what has intrigued and motivated me the most to help create this blog. It's never been just about losing weight, but about presenting the growing scientific and medical evidence which shows that we can reverse many diet related diseases like diabetes, inflammation and cancers.  I myself was on the precipice of some very serious arthritis, which has since significantly subsided. Also, my husband's IBS is gone. Aaaaand we've both lost weight almost effortlessly. All through eating a highly raw and plant based diet.  Yes, we still have the occasional junk food fest, and cook more in the winter months. Only now, when we start to feel off, healthier habits have been ingrained and we have more tools to help get ourselves back on track.

Nevertheless, the other, more holistic point experts make is if you want to eat chocolate cake, bacon or fried chicken on occasion with the people you love and love to spend time with, then that can be--and IS--as much of a health protocol as juicing and eating kale by the truckload. Seriously. There's evidence to back up the good feelings and immune system boosts we receive by simply feeling secure, loved and taking pleasure in our food.

It's all actually quite freeing, don't you think? As a wise woman once told me, "It's all about knowing the rules, and knowing when you can break them."  . . .Okay, she was referring to grammar, but I think there's a take away in that for our health, too.

Yes, whole foods and exercise are the foundations, the "rules" if you will, for good health. But each of our bodies are a labyrinth of intricate wirings, of chemical reactions and fluctuating hormones which all need to be fed differently throughout our lives.  And while I will continue to recommend to anyone who wants to know how we've gotten healthier on what to eat --through a plant based diet rich in greens, seaweeds, fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and whole grains --sometimes one does themselves a better favor to dance a jig around the kitchen table with their toddler ...while eating cake. We'll work on whether it's a raw food cake later.

Salud!

Vitamix Promotion!

Photo courtesy : The Vitamix Blender

Both Charissa and I are Vitamix customers. And we can't say enough wonderful things about this product.  Besides the early morning smoothie routine, we make dressings, desserts, and soups with this thing.  You've all seen our recipes, yes?  If not, here you go. At least one step in almost every recipe calls for blending.  

As Charissa mentioned in a previous post, we've tried many blenders. Some of them were okay for a little while, but none of them stood the test of time. Either they didn't have the strength to hold up to our daily needs, or were awkward and downright dangerous to use.  After hearing many great things about the Vitamix (a five year warranty, easy to clean and use, and makes SMOOTH smoothies), we finally decided to invest . Well, I did first. Then after my annoying but rave reviews, Charissa saved her pennies and got hers. 

Several months and recipes later, we couldn't be happier with our investment. It's amazing how appetizing and gourmet the Vitamix makes our food appear.  But this is the blender that many restaurants use, after all. Plus, it helps get a ton of nutritionally dense, plant based foods and smoothies into our diets that we wouldn't normally if we had to prepare it non-blended. Especially greens. 

Photo courtesy of
green_smoothie.jpg

When I learned Vitamix is always looking for happy customers to promote their product,  we didn't hesitate at the chance to join their affiliate program. We love it, use it every day and want to help others get healthy too,  We receive a small commission on each sale if you order through us. The incentive for you is you get free shipping directly from the company by using our promo discount code. And if you are satisfied with your product, you can become a future affiliate, too. 

Vitamix stands by its product. As mentioned, there is a five year warranty, and if anything (ANYTHING!) goes wrong with it, Vitamix will make sure you have your blender back in working order-- as the high speed, state of the machine-that-can-liquify-wooden-blocks that it is. (When you're blending frozen bananas or anything dense each day, that point comes in handy.)

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR A DIRECT LINK TO THE VITAMIX SITE WITH A CODE FOR FREE SHIPPING, WHICH IS A SAVINGS OF $25 ($35 in Canada). If you don’t like ordering over the Internet, you can call Vitamix Account Mgr. JP Minard and order directly from him at his direct line of 440-782- 2303 (800-848-2649 Ext 2303). The discount code if you do it that way is:

06-007869.

If you've been researching which kinds of equipment to buy to improve your health nutritionally, I can't think of a better way to accomplish that than with a Vitamix blender. Especially since out of all my gadgets--the dehydrator, spiralizer and food processor-- I use the Vitamix most. 

Please save your time and money--learn from Charissa and me and our multiple expenditures on inferior blenders. Unless you're in a financial pinch and want to have a cheaper product for the time being (believe me, I understand how that goes), we suggest skipping the hassle altogether. Don't endure undesirable chunky smoothies, blender motor burnout and overall poor quality and use. Consider buying a Vitamix. It's a worthy investment.  

With the help of this product, we've sustained our healthy BMI's for over a year! 

 Order online or toll free. And don't forget to give them the discount code! 

www.Vitamix.com, 800.848.2649. Discount code: 06-007869

Hooked on a Feeling

It's now been about two and half years into this health conscious trek and things are going pretty well. I've managed to keep my weight in a normal, healthy BMI range (for me, is 144lbs-174lbs) for the past year, staying anywhere between 160-170lbs.  For my height (5'11''), that's really good. Especially since I've been exercising for fewer minutes than I have in my entire life, but with higher intensity.  (HIIT or Peak 8 training, as it is known.)

Nevertheless, this process has had its ups and downs. During Lent this year I felt absolutely fantastic, as I was on practically a 90-100% raw, plant-based diet.  After Easter, however, I introduced some vegan and cooked food, and started to feel fatigued and run down. I don't blame the cooked food entirely since I'd also experienced high raw days and still felt off.  I decided to look into the common deficiencies of raw foodists and vegans, and Vitamin B12 ranked high.  So I ate some (fried!) seafood and more meat on occasion throughout the summer, and that seemed to help. But then I started to get a little achey in the joints. Coupled with diminished exercise, family stress and not getting what my body really needed, I was feeling frumpy and worried that I'd lost that great feeling of vitality I'd grown to love just a few months prior.  I decided the diet needed a clean up and to look into Vitamin B12 supplements.

It's been about a month on the Vitamin B12 supplements and I'm feeling really good. After about two weeks I completed a seven day water and juice fast, and was able to manage it well. Now that I'm back on a high raw and vegan diet AND exercising more consistently, I've got that awesome feeling back, especially after an interval workout. I joke with my husband that my skin "feels like it's breathing"when I get off the treadmill; cool and radiating, like I've got icy hot on it. The truth is, with all the greens and superfoods like spirulina and chlorella we're eating, my skin IS getting more oxygen. So I'm not off base there.

Kevin Gianni of Renegade Health speaks to these issues of feeling like crap even if you're eating healthy. Take a look at his suggestions in getting bloodwork if this means you. As I've told many friends who have tried the raw and vegan diets with or without immediate success, "Do what feels right for your body! Go slow! Or maybe not yet!"  There are wonderful books that will back up the science behind eating a certain way, but if you don't feel good that way for extended periods of time, then it's probably not right for you.  Or right for you right now.

I never ended up going to the doctor since my energy bounced back, but I am curious what proficiencies or deficiences my bloodwork would show. Perhaps that will be a future post.

But this is the reason Charissa and I named our blog "Get Dense." The irony behind improving health, in general, seems obvious, right?  Eat better and exercise. Duh, yeah?! But there's always room for individual, unique situations--and one ought NEVER feel guilty about it if it doesn't match a particular dietary lifestyle. That's why God gives us doctors, nutritionists, naturopaths, personal trainers, and the ability to read, etc., ...to help us. While these services are never a guarantee to feeling better and healthy, it's just nice to know that people care for our bodies and minds, that we can take steps in the right directions, and all the while God is attending His mercy to our souls through these vocations. Because, let's face it, even when we suffer, are sick and in pain, and die, this is a sign to our neighbor of the sin and evil in this world, which God uses to point us straight to the ultimate remedy and cure, the cross.

Everyone, to one degree or another, is hooked on the feeling of wanting to be healthy and feel great. Who could blame us? Yet the only real guarantee in this life and hereafter is God promising and providing means for our spiritual health of salvation, forgiveness and eternal life daily in Jesus through Word and Sacrament.

The rest is just gravy.

Wait. Not gravy . . .smoothie.  :) 

Lemon Honey Cheesecake

You all just as well surrender. SURRENDER!

Life is preeeetty darn good over here in the nutrient dense corner. 

Ya know, with all the suffering and deprivation and stuff . . .pffft.

Yes, folks, this Lemon Honey Cheesecake looks as good as it tastes. 

Strike that. 

It tastes even better than it looks . . .and the finished product/presentation is quite lovely, you must admit. I mean, for an amateur like me.

C'mon, your salivary glands are piqued and running just looking at those limes, imagining the sour citrus and sweet honey creaminess of the filling.  

They should be. This dessert's 'Da Bomb!'  Just a little last summer sweet 'hurrah' before Fall kicks into high gear.

Oh, and guess what's on top? 

Sweetened. Frozen. Mango. 

I'll give you a minute to pick up the pieces of your craniums, as I'm sure many minds have just now been blown.

. . .

Okay, you ready to hear how this RAW recipe goes? 

Prep:

Know when you're gonna wanna serve this. Unless you go the vegan route (using non raw nuts, soaked for just an hour) which you can prepare in a couple of hours, you will need at least 1 day in advance to get the ingredients ready.

The night before: 

1. Soak 3 cups raw cashews in water overnight.

2. Peel and slice 3 ripened mangoes. Place in freezer bag. Put in freezer overnight.

3. Make 2 cups Irish Moss Gel (Or, if you don't have Irish Moss, just soak 3.5 cups of cashews)

The Day Of:

Make crust:

2 cups almonds (or macadamia nuts)

1 cup pitted dates

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 TBS Honey

Food process nuts for about a minute until it becomes a course meal texture. Add rest of ingredients and  process till the mixture becomes sticky. Add a tsp water if not sticky, then process.

Take crust mixture out and mold onto 9 inch springform pan. (See picture above) Set in freezer.

The Filling: 

3 cups of soaked and drained cashews
4 peeled lemons
1.5 cup raw honey (or agave nectar)
1x tsp vanilla essence

2 cups Irish moss gel

Place all ingredients in blender for at least 1 minute and until creamy smooth.

Spoon mixture out and onto the crust. Spread it across to the edges of the springform pan nice a flat and put in freezer to set. (At least 30 minutes before adding topping)

Okay, now the topping!

Take the frozen mangoes out of the freezer and place in blender.

You can add stevia or some honey to kick it up a notch. Or not, if the mangoes are naturally sweet and ripe.

Blend till creamy smooth.

Ladle out onto the top of the set cheesecake filling. Put back in the freezer for about an hour then serve.

Be sure cheesecake is not frozen, but nicely set so you can cut slices. 

Like so . . .

. . .and like so. 

Oh! Add a little lemon or lime zest to the topping, if you like, with a citrus fruit decor of your choice. It will be sure to tantalize the eyes and make your guests think you're a gourmet chef. Look out, Gordon Ramsey.

This cheesecake will serve up to 8-10. 

This recipe was inspired by Alison Andrew's version on her site.

Avocado Reubens

Okay, you can laugh at me. 

Wait, I haven't told you for what yet. 

So these first two pictures are of the first sandwich I made, and the last two are of the second. 

Can you tell the difference?

The second one's a little sturdier, toastier and, perhaps, more photogenic. 

A photogenic sandwich. Wow. That's what our blog posts have come to. 

But you know what I mean, right? 

Okay, NOW you can laugh . . .

Here's the recipe for this absolutely delicious lunch that serves 2.

Ingredients

4 slices good quality rye bread

Thousand Island Dressing (see recipe below)

1 firm avocado, halved, pitted, removed from skin and thinly sliced

Sea salt and ground pepper

1/2 cup sauerkraut

1 firm tomato, thinly sliced and patted dry with paper towel

Directions

Lightly toast bread and spread all slices with dressing. Place sauerkraut on bottom slices. Distribute avocado slices evenly on top of sauerkraut. Season avocado with salt and pepper. Top avocado with tomato and bread. Cut sandwich diagonally and serve with extra dressing on the side.

Thousand Island Dressing 

1 cup vegan mayo

1/2 cup ketchup

3/4 cup dill pickles diced

Pepper

1/4 cup pickle juice

(Mix all ingredients in a container. Serve.)

Recipe credit: Roberto Martin, "Vegan Cooking for Carnivores." 2012

Frozen C.B.A. Dessert

Hello!

Don't mind if you do, right?

C.B.A. (or at least C.B.) is a staple in our house. See Son below.

C.B. stands for Chocolate Banana.

Adding the A is because we had extra avocados lying around. 

Yup. Avocado. There's the A.

But just look at this fresh treat. You'd never even know there was avocado in there.

And the taste? 

Very sweet, smooth and chocolatey.

A sure crowd pleaser.

So let's get to it, shall we?

Ingredients:

2 frozen bananas

1/2 avocado

1/4 cup cacao (or cocoa) powder

2 tsp stevia (or other sweetener)

1/4 cup almond milk (optional--no almond milk makes dessert stiffer for longer)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Pack all those ingredients into your high speed blender. 

Side view above.

Aerial view below.

Then BLEND, using a tamper to get all chunks smooth but not too loose. 

This batch may be too loose because of the almond milk. 

Since I have piping tools, I decided to get fancy and put the CBA in a piping bag and swirl it around in a cute dessert cup.  

But you don't have to. It certainly will taste the same right out of the blender and into your mouth. (In case bowls and cups and motivation are scarce.)

If you do happen to find motivation, toppings are always a nice way to dress up the dessert. Especially if you're having guests over. 

I chose chopped walnuts. Shredded coconut, cacao nibs, sprinkles . . .you name it and/or have it, do it.

Eat up before it turns into a milkshake.

Or don't. That's good, too. 

This recipe serves 2. 

Spring Rolls

Spring rolls are such a delightful treat around here. You can stuff the wrap with whatever your heart's desire. Then add a little dipping sauce and this can be an appetizer or main course. 

Rice wrappers are one of the most unique food inventions I've ever come across. These buggers will wrap and stick like glue with just the littlest bit of water.  

Odd, they say each package holds "approximately" 12 wrappers.
 I've never had one with less than 15!

I've found pie dishes with about a cup of water work best to soak the wrapper for about 5-10 seconds before stuffing it.

Place the damp wrapper on a cutting board or dry surface . . .

. . .and stuff it!

Since we try to eat lighter and raw as often as possible, I stuffed the rice wrappers today with whatever veggies I had in the fridge: avocado, green pepper, red onion, shredded carrots, celery, and cilantro.

Then you wrap it up like a burrito...the bottom part folds over the veggies, then bring up the sides and roll it away from you nice and secure. 

You'll see what I mean about how easy it is as it sticks together.

I had enough veggies for about 9 wraps 

(Hmmm, I spy only 7. Someone dove in early!).

Oh, wait, that was me. 

Then I made the dipping sauce.

Here's what I threw in the blender:

1 TBS lemon juice and lime juice

1 cup liquid aminos (or whatever kind of soy sauce you use)

1/2 cup water

2 cloves garlic

A small nob of ginger, peeled

1/2 cup cilantro

A squirt of sriracha, as desired

2 TBS organic peanut butter

I tell you what, this dipping sauce really highlighted the celery in the spring rolls for me. It was so savory, tangy and fresh. 

In the past I've added hemp seeds, almond butter (a little more filling) and cabbage. The sky's the limit. You can add meat and even fry these bad boys up.

This recipe took me all of about 20 minutes; to cut the veggies up, wrap 'em, and blend the sauce. 

Not bad.  

Yup, somebody had a bite or two too.  

Potato Latkes

Not only did I get a yummy dish, but an educational one. Did you know latkes date back to the Maccabees and are entrenched in Jewish history?  

Latke means "little oily thing."  They are a part of Hannakah cuisine which dates back to 171 BC. The Maccabees derived the affinity for eating things cooked in oil after winning the battle over the Syrian-Greeks. When they reclaimed and cleansed the Jewish Temple they rid it of the idols. Then, using a golden menorah,  they lit it inside the temple with a little purified olive oil. According to tradition, the oil lasted for eight days, a miracle, and which is exactly the time it took to press fresh oil. And thus, the commemoration continues to this day. 

Are potatoes the only thing we can fry up to be latke-like? According to Ms. Glazer:

In fact, nowhere does it say that you can't forgo the potatoes altogether and make your latkes out of zucchini, beets, carrots or other vegetables. Because when all is said and done, it is not the potato per se that should take center stage on Hanukkah. What facilitated the Miracle of the Oil was not the pancake but the little olive, whose oil played an integral part in various ceremonies in the Temple, including anointing royal personages. Indeed, the word "Messiah" is derived from the Hebrew word Mashiach -- "anointed one." 

Fascinating. 

Finally, Glazer rounds off the history lesson with the health knowledge of the ages: 

"In biblical times, pure olive oil also enjoyed widespread use as a remedy for wounds, sores, chills and aching throats, ears and muscles. Long before we knew that it contained healthful monounsaturated oils and helped lower cholesterol, olive oil softened the cracked hands of the shepherd and the shoemaker, protected the tender skin of babes and relieved the tired traveler -- and, no doubt, the Maccabees as well."  (Glazer, "The Little Pancake with a Big History." Los Angeles Times, 2008)

Now that you know all this, there's no need to feel guilty about eating fried anything anymore, right?  

Well . . . let's just say that a little oil, as the Maccabees realized, goes a long way. Enjoy. 

Vegan Potato Latkes

 Ingredients

4 large unpeeled russet potatoes, scrubbed clean, and grated.

1/2 large white onion, grated

1/4 cup organic, unbleached, all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise

2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper

High-heat oil such as safflower or grapeseed oil (OR OLIVE OIL), as needed.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the grated potatoes, onion, flour, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper.  Toss the mixture gently with your hands until all the ingredients are well incorporated. 

Heat a large nonstick saute pan over high heat. When the pan is hot, drizzle about 2 tablespoons of oil into it. 

While the oil is heating, shape about a 1/4 cup of the potato mixture into a small disk. Carefully place the potato cake into the pan and fry until crispy on the one side.  Work in batches and fry as many cakes as you can per batch without crowding the pan. 

Gently press down on each cake while it is cooking.  Flip the latkes only when one side of each is sufficiently crisp and dark brown, about 5 minutes.  

When the latkes are done, season them again with salt and pepper and place them on a paper towel-lines baking sheet to drain excess oil.  

Top with any number of things: Sour Cream, Applesauce, diced tomatoes, etc.  

Recipe courtesy of Roberto Martin, Vegan Cooking for Carnivores, p. 54

Just a side note: I only used 2 medium sized red potatoes, and made my latkes a lot bigger than what the recipe called for. It was fine for the three of us, whereas the recipes states it will yield 30 latkes. 

That's a latta latkes!