*After The Cleanse*

[Res]

Egads this place has exploded! Coming back after being down, and I'm mean all the way down with the flu from hell.

I'm so happy to see all this chatter and all the amazing stories and recipes! When I'm up to it I'm going to try them all.

Love to all of you,
~Res

[TeePee]

Hi everyone,

Sim, the restuarant Pure Food and Wine is in Manhattan. I was in NYC at Christmas, but didn't make it there. Their menu is online. I can't wait. About the tacos, in the Raw food real world book is a recipe for corn "taco" shells. I think that is what i'm going to order next week at the restaurant, then make them at home. And if you do decide to buy that book, buy it online. On her website oneluckyduck.com you can even get it signed by author/owner and it is cheaper than I paid at Borders.

Just dropped almost $200 at whole foods. Stocked up on nuts and stuff tho. Bought the celeriac to make that Rawvolution soup. Prob tomorrow. I think I want to make ice cream too. I bought the book Vice Cream about 2 years ago after my first cleanse, along with the ice cream attachment for my KitchenAid mixer. Gotta tell ya, it is freakin awesome. I remember from two years ago!! bought strawberries tonight to make it with!! YUMMM.

So, Cali, huh? My good friend (who looks insanely identical to Matt Amsden) lives about an hour north of Rawvolution. I saw they were having a big opening today of their new sister store. DAvid Wolfe was speaking and they were having food samples AND A RAFFLE FOR A GREENSTAR!! It came in my email newsletter. I would love to do a class for a weekend, if not too expensive. Something to think about for summer maybe....

[TeePee]

Oh no, where is AMA? Hope no one else is off chopping fingers!!!

[AMA]

OH MY GOSH - I AM SO FULL!

Fetticini alfredo has done me in! i used the 'living on live food' receipe (cut in half) and ate only about 1/4 - but ooooh i'm stuffed. Note: most of the ingredients have been refrigerated and are cold so after i made this dish, i placed my portion on a plate and stuck it in the 'Big E', because it's always on, while i cleaned the kitchen. So it took the chill out and i found it more enjoyable.

I really wouldn't want to tally up the AMEX charges this week for the new RAW lifestyle. Thanks SIM i ordered the Omega, but if you order it with the VITA-MIX, yup i did, more savings. also some sprouting trays, and 5 additional TEFLEX sheets for the 'BIG E'. Oh, then had to make a trip to Barnes & Nobles, 5 more books to do what everyone else is doing, reading, planning, making lists, then slicing, dicing, soaking, drying, etc.....

WOW - i really have been consummed with this whole process - sure hope it curtails soon. But now i have Matt's taco wraps on the mind - thanks you guys . I made stuffed mushrooms (eat smart, eat raw - kate wood) yummy! 4 hrs. in the BIG E and R-E-A-D-Y!! Drying now is a rack of falafel (sprouted the chick peas myself )

The ORGANIC dilemma - definately buy as much as you possible can afford of organic produce. If you read about all the pesticides, herbasides, and all the poisons sprayed on regular produce, you really don't want that polluting your now cleansed beautiful bodies!

So Road Trip, i think it's a great idea. SIM & TEEPEE do you realize that we're all on the East Coast? Here's another idea . . . you could come to my house, Alissa Cohen is supposed to be opening a restaurant here in N.H., we could hire one of her instructors to come in and teach us for a couple of days. I've already met someone from Alissa's training and she is a ''''real stitch''''; i could contact her. MTMOUSE too. (oh and don't fear the mandoline)

SIM - be safe!

[AMA]

Coming back after being down, and I'm mean all the way down with the flu from hell.
~Res

RES - Hope this post finds you feeling better. Welcome Back

[TeePee]

Hi AMA,

I have more of the alfredo sauce and red sauce from last night left over. I got some zuchinni tonight for it, but I'm too tired. I am pretty hungry tho. I think I may just drink some almond milk. It is so cool to be able to make your own milk isn't??

Road trip and Alissa Cohen sound cool!! A lady I work with wants me to do a raw food lesson at her church next month. I hope I can pull if off!! I would love to really learn so much more!!!

Gotta go eat or drink something. Havent' had much today...

Res, hope you feel better soon!!!

[Sim]

Hi Kids~ This is a group email note, as are all of our notes, actually...I think I just love you all...Wow..we (collectively) are an impressive group!

First of all, Res I'm so glad you're back among the living! The flu is possibly the worst of all plagues because you know you won't die, you just feel like you will...welcome back!

mtmouse~ I've been reading up on the "Big E", as AMA calls our new "ovens" and the expert, Victor Kulviniskas, recommends starting foods out at the highest temps (145º) for two or three hours and then turning it down to 100-105. He says the dial setting is the temp of the food, not the dehydrator and it takes a long time for food to get to that temp therefore, if you start something out high, it just quickens the evap process but then you turn it down and it won't kill the enzymes. Pretty smart guy. He says he's tested foods cooked even to 145 and they're still enzyme-alive. It tried it on some fruit and it works: 2 hours at 145, then 2 more at 105 and I had perfect dried apples, banans, and pineapple, cutting the time in half, which was his aim exactly. Try it...all the info is in the booklet that came with the dehydrator.

TeePee~Pure Food and Wine in Manhattan? Sounds like an evening out to me! I live an hour from the city. If you want something from there, I can get it and send it to you. Thanks for the savings tip on Raw Food Real World. I guess that makes me One Lucky Duck! Are you making your ice cream out of bananas? I have a Kitchen Aid too, but I think I do it using the blank plate of the Omega. I've been holding off trying because I'm a sweets addict and so far, my only vice has been medjool dates...can't get enough and I feel guilty with every bite. But ice cream season will be upon us soon and I'm working up to it...let us know how it comes out. I'm signing up for the RAWvolution newsletter...sounds great. I already get the Living Light newsletter and it's always interesting and has great recipes and cooking class videos. TeePee, I KNOW you can pull off a cooking class, don't be afraid. Lucky ladies who get to benefit from you...

AMA~ Where did you get Living on Live Food? Sounds like you like the recipes a lot. Good! More info, more money to spend! Wait...that's bad!
I love your descriptive "Big E"...up here in CT, the Big E is the gigantic State Fair that features, of course, as much regional and "Fair" food that anyone could eat, along with the 4H shows, tractor pulls, and pie baking contests. Even New York City people wait for the Big E. I'm going to use the term to refer to the dehydrator. It's funny! So where did you wind up ordering your Vita-Mix from? My Omega came from happyjuicer.com and it arrived THE NEXT DAY, which was fantastic BUT since they were in CT, I had to pay sales tax ($12, not too bad, considering I got it for $211, instead of $249). And you made falafel AND stuffed mushrooms already? Good girl! Those are my next projects...I've got the chick peas trying to sprout as we speak. Do they really sprout or are they like sunflower seeds that soak, rinse, and then are left for a couple of hours, called sprouted, but nothing grows out of them.

I think we should all do a class together, although I'm feeling like I'm a little less capable than y'all...of course, I do have one less thumb to work with, but I'll catch up!

One more question: did you kids buy a nut milk bag, sprouting bags, jars, trays? How are you managing that part of the cuisine?
I'm planning on a huge garden this year....a first for me because I'm a known Black-Thumb gardener who can't even keep a cactus alive. But I have my Burpee Seed catalogue and I'm going for it, one thumbed or not! Sorry for the long email, but I do feel like I'm just chatting with my friends...

[mtmouse]

mtmouse~ I've been reading up on the "Big E", as AMA calls our new "ovens" and the expert, Victor Kulviniskas, recommends starting foods out at the highest temps (145º) for two or three hours and then turning it down to 100-105. He says the dial setting is the temp of the food, not the dehydrator and it takes a long time for food to get to that temp therefore, if you start something out high, it just quickens the evap process but then you turn it down and it won't kill the enzymes. Pretty smart guy. He says he's tested foods cooked even to 145 and they're still enzyme-alive. It tried it on some fruit and it works: 2 hours at 145, then 2 more at 105 and I had perfect dried apples, banans, and pineapple, cutting the time in half, which was his aim exactly. Try it...all the info is in the booklet that came with the dehydrator.

Oh, that's interesting! I'll try it that way and hope you're right!

[TeePee]

HI Sim,

How's the thumb?? I decided if I slice things very very thin on the mandoline and get any fingers, it will only take a thin piece of finger off!!! I've already done that about 3 times. I have learned to use the finger guard!!

I want to start a garden too. I am a black thumb as well, though. I still can't even believe I'm soaking things!! I had a basil plant last summer and it died. That alone would really help.

The nut milk bags- I bought two- from oneluckyduck. I use them all the time. I got a nice carafe from bed bath beyond and it is always full of fresh alomond milk. IN raw food real world they have a 30-second nut milk reciped and a fresh nut milk recipe. 30 second is:

2 heaping tbls raw almond butter (0r any nut)
2 cups water
pinch sea salt
2 tbls agave nectar or 1 packet stevia
1/2 teasp vanilla extract
1 tbl coconut butter (optional- i have not used)

blend till smooth. yum

long version:

1 cup raw almonds, soaked 4 or more hours
4 cups water
1/4 cup agave nectar or raw honey
pinch sea salt
few drops almond extract (optional-- i have used the vanilla)
1 tbl lecithin (optional- i have not used)

blend nuts and water on high for about 2 minutes. Strain thru nut milk bag or mulitple layers of cheesecloth. Rinse blend cup and place milk back in it with th remaining ingredients. blend to combine. taste for sweetness

This version is really just as easy except having the almonds already soaked when you are ready. The straining takes about 2 minutes. I generally have tried to keep it on hand. Makes a great smoothie with frozen banana pieces. (I have seen somewhere that you can use the remaining almond pulp to make "pie crust" or "almond flour" with, but haven't done it yet.)

I am trying to take some time today to get all the receipts and warranty info from all these new gadgets together!! Especially with the long warranty the vita-mix and cuisinart provide!!

Also bought some regular potatoes. Can I make chips out of them? What's the best way? I know there are a million recipes online, I just thought one of you may have one you've tried. Also got beets. Didn't one of you girls do beet chips??

Thanks for the vote of confidence on the class. I have about a month to prepare for it. I teach first grade, so adults should be a snap!!

I bet you are all slicing, dicing and dehydrating!!!

[TeePee]

OH, did any of you do any of the raw recipes that are in the big spiral recipe book that came with the Vita-mix? Wow, some of them sound pretty good, too. I just looked through it again as I'm getting my receipts together! Some yummy spreads. They are by Brenda Cobb from Living Foods Institute. I can't wait until summer for more time AND FRESH PRODUCE!! Or at least spring break. Have you guys read from the Boutenkos that after the first winter of being raw, you should have a much higher resistance to the cold?? That in itself is a reason to stay raw for me!!! If we can get thru this winter raw, summer will be heaven!!