*After The Cleanse*

[Sim]

mt~ Cattywampus?!!! That's a new one for me, but I know what you mean!! I'm pretty good with my crazy, extra sharp Cutco knives, but that mandoline really got me good. I think I really will stick with sharp knives and all the blades of the Cuisinart because at least I can unplug it and keep it from attacking me!
The spiralizer makes cool ribbons and juliennes, too, but it doesn't cut anything very thin. I'm thinking that thin is what I want for my body, not so much for my veggies (!!) because when I dehydrate, the thin things get a little too crisp.
But it's all in the experimentation anyway, so enjoy the ride no matter what you do.

Parsnips rock! They are a little sweet, a little nutty, and I don't know if they'll spiralize, but you can shred them like carrots. You cannot go wrong with parsnips.

Are you using all organic veggies? I'm trying to but it sure gets expensive up here in Connecticut. Is it the same for all of you? I'd think that in California, organic might be more plentiful but here, you have to practically mortgage your house to buy a grocery cart full. Still, I feel like I'd rather eat less quantity and better quality if I can. What do you think?

[mtmouse]

Have you ever looked at Alissa Cohen's books? On her website the stuff sure looks good. And since I'll probably place an order for a bunch of the food products, I thought I might add in the book. I haven't seen those others you mentioned, but if they're better I could save some money (which, as we said before, is serious on AC's site!).

I like what you said about stuff not tasting like cold leftovers! I follow the blood type diet, and a lot of the exact ingredients in your stuff aren't for me, but I'm used to substitutions and it all certainly sounds yummy.

And I have to admit that spiralized zucchini (or winter squash) sounds a lot more appetizing than cubed or even julienned zucchini, even with the same sauce. Maybe I'm just a food snob! I certainly know I'm a gadget addict, LOL. (I eat julienned zucchini in my salads all the time, though.)

I'm getting close!

[TeePee]

Hey Sim!!

I LOVE MATT AMSDEN TOO!! THOSE TACOS RULE!! I made them this week for like the 3rd or 4th time. That was the meal that sold me to never go back too!!!

I didn't do his alfredo, b/c i didn't have a coconut on hand today. The one I used was from Alissa Cohen, don't have her book, but it was online on a preview of the book. I have Carol Alt's but someone at work borrowed it. I also have Raw Food Real World, LOVE IT and going to restaurant next Sunday. They have treats on website which i've ordered then made the same thing from their recipes. I love to compare the bought version of it to my homemade version..Fun!!

So I don't have the Complete Book of Raw. May have to get that. Living Cuisine by Renee Underkoffler is a wealth of info. Almost encylopedia of ingredients, veg, fruit, seed, nut descriptions plus procedural info on soaking, sprouting, drying, etc. A great reference tool. I haven't tries as many recipes from her book, but those I have done, all good. So I wonder if "Complete....RAW" is similar?

Now, I really want some great knives!!! I had to buy cleaver for coconuts and last week new chef's knife!!

going to Whole Foods tomorrow on way to see friends brand new baby. She is soooo anti-raw & vegan, but she really wants me to bring her up one of my banana-almond milk smoothies!!

[mtmouse]

Sorry about "cattywampus", LOL. I don't know why I came up with that one! I probably even spelled it wrong.

Yes, I know what you mean about thick slicing for dehydrating. I've certainly had dried stuff get too fragile to eat. But I wonder if you dried it for less time? But at least that would make the spiralizer a good thing, no?

[mtmouse]

Aw, TeePee, now it looks like I'm going to be bankrupting myself over new books! Who knew this site would be dangerous to my ... wealth?

[TeePee]

you are right!! i dont even want to add up my spending. I know I dropped over $100 at borders when i was still on the cleanse!! THen I tortured myself reading it all. I get nothing done anymore b/c I'm always slicing, dicing, drying, AND BUYING!! At least i'm not buying any clothes. I"m just hoping all the old stuff will grow back into me soon!!!

[TeePee]

Oh, I'm trying to buy organic as much as possible. it's not as available in my town, just the basics. Whole foods 45 minutes away. But at my acme organic cukes $4 for 2. same for grapefruit. $4 for 4 gala apples. romaine like $5 !! there is an "organics" about 2 miles down road with the raw nuts and all, so that is cool. the produce is "okay" there. Somethings i just can't always get organic, so I have to go conventional or go without.

[mtmouse]

I buy organic whenever I can, but I also use a list of "Top 20 Foods to Buy Organic" (which I found online), and I will relax on others to save money.

[Sim]

Oh my oh my!
More books to buy! More lists to look up? More recipes! Oh my!
TeePee, you are soooo right! I too never get things done anymore! I'm always reading something online, soaking, draining, drying, chopping (including thumb)...at least it's better than always eating! And where is that restaurant???
I want Raw Food Real World because you rave about it and Living Cuisine, because even though some of the books have good information, none of them have ALL the info. The nice thing about The Complete Book of Raw is that it's a compilation of all the best recipes from all the chief raw gurus and so far, they've all been super and I'm not kidding. But as you said, just eating those tacos (tacos? Well, I don't know about that; without a corn tortilla, I can't classify it was a taco. It's much more of a wrap...a totally delicious wrap, couldn't get enough!!) was enough to make me ask why I would ever want to go back to eating any other way.

mtmouse~Too funny! "Dangerous to your...wealth." Yes!!!! I'm still playing with the temps on the dehydrator versus thicker/thinner...even the failures aren't failures And I like the word "cattywampus"!!! It's perfect! Thanks for the tip on the list of important organics to buy. It's so helpful!

Alissa Cohen's website IS dangerous...I'm desperately trying not to order snack stuff online, but it all looks so good. I keep reminding myself that the cleanse took off 29 pounds, Raw has enabled me to eat hearty and I've put back on 4 pounds, not too bad because it's been stable since the first week, and it's probably because I don't snack on anything except veggies. I'm gonna make sure my size 4 jeans keep me on track. (I didn't weigh this little even when I was BORN!) I'm not bragging, I swear. I'm just amazed that this is happening and that I'm actually eating practically as much as I want to (except for those tacos...could have eaten them all night!)

I have one suggestion: get the best knives you can afford. The sharpest knife can do anything and it's worth the expense, same as a juicer, same as that Vita-mix that I'm coercing my family to buy me for my birthday. Knives are really super-important. I have Cutco, but only because my son was selling them and he got me a set for free because he was so good at selling. At $800 for the set, I couldn't have afforded them, but for free, well

Okay, so here's one more thing to think about: I'm starting to formulate a plan in my head to attend Chef/Instructor classes at Living Light Institute or one of the others because I can see a real need for education here. Plus it's absolutely wonderful food. I wanted to make sure I'm committed to this and to tell you the truth, I have absolutely no desire for cooked food. It's weird, very weird. Like a light switch...and I'm not normally like this. Kind of like what Matt Amsden experienced. Very interesting. Anyone else interested in maybe taking a trip to California or somewhere for a short weekend or week course on Raw? Just a planning thing in my head for the future. Maybe. Something to think about.

Off to try to attend to the rest of my life. Have a great day all!

[mtmouse]

mtmouse~Too funny! "Dangerous to your...wealth." Yes!!!! I'm still playing with the temps on the dehydrator versus thicker/thinner...even the failures aren't failures And I like the word "cattywampus"!!! It's perfect!

Hee. I could have just said "they don't come out even". I just got out a beet to slice and dry, and I decided to try the Cuisinart, since I just had the two halves of the beet. I used the 4-mm slicing attachment. My Cuisinart is old now and the bowl lid tops have broken, and so I have to push down manually on the top to get the thing to turn on. As such, it got started before I was ready, and brrrrrrp! there went all the slices. And they weren't at all even (all cattywampus!). Some look like they'd be fine, some I can practically see through already.

That's why I was thinking the mandoline might give one better control. Besides, as I said, I've already sliced off part of my thumb! But I'll probably just go back to using a knife and eyeballing.

Oh well. As you say, even the failures turn out okay. I put the slices into the marinade I'd done this morning for my eggplant pieces (which are already partly dry) and I'll see how the various thicknesses turn out. (BTW, I wouldn't change the temperature on your dehydrator--it should be right around 100 or 106. Rather, change how long you leave stuff in there to get the desired result. I think you can kill enzymes at 120, right?)