The Delights of Carob

I seem to be using a large amount of carob on my new journey which makes total sense to me. Carob is a natural chocolate substitute and I am a confirmed chocoholic, so it all fits together. I did start wondering about what carob is exactly - I know it’s natural but what does that mean? So I did some research and I was amazed at what I found. Carob comes from a tree and actually belongs to the legume family. The scientific name of the tree is Ceratonia siliqua and it is also known as St John’s bread.
The tree grows pods and this is what is used to make carob. They are green in colour and when they are ripe they turn brown. I was fascinated to discover that they take a whole year to ripen and that when they are ripe they fall off the tree.
The pods are naturally sweet and were the first source of sugar – long before sugarcane came along. It is used for so many things that its use as a chocolate substitute is relatively small. Amazingly, the carob seed was used to measure diamonds and other gemstones because its weight is so consistent. And this is where the word ‘carat’ comes from! Besides it’s rich history, carob brings richness to our diets as well. Over and above it’s awesome taste, carob is good for us.
It contains Vitamins A, B, B2, B3 and D as well as a whole host of minerals and is a source of calcium, potassium, riboflavin and is protein rich. It is safe for diabetics, fat free, has one third the calories of chocolate and is nonallergenic!
Isn’t Mother Nature absolutely wonderful? To think that she supplies us with this amazing food that tastes really good and it literally does grow on trees!

To eat out or not to eat out. That is the question.

One of the biggest initial challenges facing anybody who has changed their lifestyle, is to get their friends and family to see and understand what those changes mean.
Yes, I know we always used to braai a ox and have the local brewery's emergency number on speed dial, but I've changed now.
Yes, I know that chocolates always used to be my favourite prezzie ever, but I've changed now.
Yes, I know I always used to cook a huge Sunday lunch for you, but I've changed now.
You get the idea. And, of course, the bigger the change, the bigger the challenge.
And it's not just about getting them to accept the changes -it probably wouldn't be quite so difficult if it was - it's also about hurt and love. And this is where we have to tread so carefully. Bearing in mind that part of the reason we have issues - especially of the eating kind - is a reluctance to hurt other people. So instead of me expressing myself honestly to you and risk hurting you, I'd rather just swallow my feelings. And everything else I can get my hands on.
All of a sudden a lifestyle change involving a change of diet, beomes a behavioural change as well.
One which I don't know if I'm ready for just yet. It's one thing to know something intellectually, it's another to put it into practice.
So when my mother calls me up and says that she would like to take me out to dinner, it is not very difficult to say no. When she adds that she would really love to see my children and she knows that they would enjoy the evening, it becomes a little trickier. But still I bravely mumble my reasons for not being able to go. 'No, no, I don't think so...er...new lifestyle...er, only raw, yes yes that's right raw.'
My mother, being the skilled tactician that she is, saves her Ace for last. 'Your sister is in town and it's for your birthday.' I'm left with no choice.
'Yes mom. Thank you mom. See you there mom.'
So now I know that realistically speaking I will not eat raw food this evening. I say this because we are going to a sushi bar and as far as I know they don't do salads at sushi bars. I am faced with two options - and this is where I do have a choice - I can choose to beat myself up for the rest of the day or I can choose to plan my break from Raw. The beating up option involves a whole lot of negative self-dialogue along the lines of: 'Why didn't you just say no? You're so weak. How do you think you are ever going to be able to succeed?' in an ever-increasing downward spiral.
The planning option involves choosing to look forward to an evening out with my family. This way, I still feel good about myself and my day remains productive. I can ensure that I eat properly and well throughout the day so I that I am not very hungry this evening.
The most important thing about the planning option, is that I still feel good about myself. Whenever we make a radical lifestyle change we will be faced with opposition, challenges to our decision and loads of temptation to test our resolve. The important thing is to remember why we are changing our lifestyle in the first place. To feel good. About ourselves, about our bodies and about the way we are interacting with our environment. So let the pursuit of the feeling guide you. Choose the option that makes you feel good.
If you happen to be sitting in a sushi bar tonight and you hear somebody say, "Pass the sushi and hold the rice,", you'll know that I'm feeling good!

Savoury Tarts - the Best Kind

I am extremely proud of myself today! Besides the fact that this is my 8th day of being a 100% Raw Foodist, I also managed to go to the movies and remain true to my new lifestyle. Some of you might not think this is a big deal, but believe me it is a huge deal. Number 1, in my previous life as a indiscriminate eater, I used to love popcorn! A huge bucket of the stuff loaded with those delightfully deadly spices.
I firmly believe that anyone who has a eating disorder and is trying to change to the Raw Food lifestyle needs to first take care of the snacking!
I dealt with this by making my own snack box and taking it into the movies with me. I had raisins, pumpkin seeds and pecan nuts all mixed up together and it was brilliant. I feel hugely relieved because I was really concerned about the snacking thing.
So what's on the menu today?
I have made 100% Raw Savoury Tarts. These have taken time but boy they are worth it! The buckwheat firstly needs to be soaked overnight and then sprouted. The buckwheat gets mixed with baby marrows, spices, flax seeds, tomatoes and garlic. Then it goes into the dehydrator for about 10 hours.
It makes a gorgeous base - a very healthy alternative to pastry!
I then made Sunflower Cheese and added tomatoes, chives, sweet basil and spices and then topped the buckwheat bases with the mixture. The end result is a gorgeous tart that even the most dedicated pie eater will enjoy.

Absolutely totally divine, totally raw and totally healthy!

The Magic of Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds break the traditional belief that snacking isn't good for you. They are one of my favourite snack foods and they are so healthy, you can indulge without any guilt.
For the vegans out there and those of you who might be contemplating a raw food diet, 100g of pumpkin seeds contain 54% of the recommended daily allowance of protein! AND they are much easier to digest than a cow!
They also contain the amino acids tryptophan and glutamate, which are natural anti-depressants and mood stabilisers, so they really are a feel good food.
Pumpkin seeds are also excellent for the complexion, as they contain 234% of the recommended daily allowance for Vitamin E.
They are rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acids like oleic acid, which is good news for people who are watching their cholesterol levels.
Pumpkin seeds are also loaded with vital minerals like manganese, potassium, calcium and iron. It's almost difficult to believe that so much goodness can be contained in one little seed.
The best way to eat them - and when I say best I mean healthiest - is raw, i.e. without being roasted. Heat kills nutrients and this is why raw food is so good for you.
To get your kids to eat them, a very good way of disguising them is to soak them for a few hours and then mix them up with a mixture of carob and dates. Carob is a natural chocolate substitute which is as good as the real thing. Dehydrate them for a few hours and the end result is a yummy chocolate covered pumpkin seed which your kids will gobble up. If you love chocolate the way I do, you'll do your fair share of gobbling too!
For the more mature palate, spice them up with chillies and you have a snack that will leave you gasping for more!
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And in the beginning...

So before I started this blog, I read this article which said that you should tell people why you are blogging. So in this first post, that's what I'll deal with. I'm blogging because I want as many people as possible to benefit from what I've learnt and if I can make some money in the process, even better. (The article said that blogging was a good way to make money so tell me when you want my bank details, ok?)
I first encountered raw foods when my life partner was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma. The diagnosis was a huge shock to us, to the extent that I found myself unable to pronounce the words 'metastatic' or 'melanoma' for a few days. That whole story is his to relate, so I'm not going to be sharing much of it here with you, suffice to say that that was when I discovered raw foods.
Both of us are not inclined to accept accepted ideology as gospel, unless we have examined it from every angle and have found it to be true. So we researched western treatments, eastern treatments and a few inbetween. One of the things we discovered were amazing stories of total cures of all sorts of diseases, brought about by a simple change of diet. And so that's what we did. Sorry. And so that's what he did.
I tried but wasn't very successful. So in the years since then - he is now totally 100% cancer free - we have probably been about 50% raw. Before winter hit us I had done 3 weeks of totally raw food and lost 10kgs. Winter was just too cold for me and I went back to cooked food. However the benefits I felt in those 3 short weeks were nothing short of amazing. The weight loss in itself was a definite 'Wow!' and then there was my complexion, my energy levels, my joints were bending again and my brain felt like it had woken up after having been asleep for ages. Emotionally I felt lighter, cleaner and 'clearer. I don't think there is a diet that I haven't tried. I've counted calories, and points, and food groups and eaten egg shells (aargh!) and never, ever felt like I do when I am raw. And so the decision was made. I turned my back on all things cooked and am now a raw foodist. At the time of writing this, I am in my 5th day. A round of applause please. Thank you, thank you!

So this blog is about my raw journey, the foods that I am eating, the way that I am feeling and the weight that I am losing.
Yeah Babe!
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