Wow what a wonderful week of exploration!! I have been sprouting barley & lentils, creating raw sushi delights, dehydrating, creaming and soaking seeds and nuts and learning what all the fuss is about with the very real and conscious way of life, that is being a ‘Raw Foodie!’.
There is a real community for people all over the world who are living the raw food revolution. There is a Raw Living Expo each year in San Francisco and like any other food category, awards ceremonies are held and folk are recognised for their passion for wholesome, nutritious and energising culinary delights. It truly is a way of life and while one may need a little preparation in the beginning to acquire some of the staple cupboard ingredients, once you have your basics and you have your passion, raw food preparation is so quick and easy and nutritious, it leaves you feeling more alive than ever before! with millions of textures and delicious flavours, created by pure living organisms, this food is truly an explosion of heaven in your mouth!
Not only is raw food a taste sensation but it is SOOOO good for the environment! Living this way reduces your use of plastic and packaging tenfold, it’s honestly remarkable! and instead of discarding your packaging you are putting nutritious matter and seeds back into the earth (even if you are living in a flat!) so can you do your bit for mother earth!? it’s certainly worth a try.
‘Raw’ is the last word in nutrition and it goes allot deeper than people might think… 80 million species on this living Earth exist on a raw food menu. Often it is the general consensus that raw food is bland and boring, I assure you this is not the case! Forget wilted lettuce leaves and celery sticks, you will be amazed at the flavours and texture raw has to offer and what is even better, is that what tastes great on the lips does wonders for your hips! Lets face it, we all want for food that we love and don’t have to feel guilty eating!
Ok without further a do… I’m going to get started on the sumptuous, vibrant, colourful and delicious menu creation I have come up with this week!
SPROUTING! Essential for the Raw Food Revolution!
Seeds, grain and beans are packed full of nutrients, that will nourish the plant until it matures. The germination process, simply put, is where all the proteins, vitamins, minerals and fatty acids that have been lying dormant become active and multiply. The way that you induce the activation process is by soaking the seeds and grains and giving them time to grow. Sprouting changes the consistency of the proteins in the grain, so that they are easier to digest, a great source of protein!
HOW TO SPROUT Place your seeds, beans, grains into a large bowl or glass jar and cover with filtered water. Leave for 8 hours, once soaked tip the water out and let them sit for another 12 hours in a colander, then rinse them the next day in the bowl and again tip the water out and leave them in the colander; until you can see their tails growing. For the recipe below Buckwheat and lentil take 2 days to spout. It is so much fun watching them grow!
LIVING BUCKWHEAT & LENTIL BREAD
(it’s wise to double or triple the recipe so you have some left over! you wont regret it! this bread is seriously amazing!)
1.5 cups of Buckwheat sprouted
1 cup lentils sprouted
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
2/3 cup of finely grated carrot (carrot pulp)
1 tsp Cajun spice
1 tsp Turmeric
Optional Rosemary & Sage fresh herbs (I added 5 Sage leaves and a sprig of Rosemary from my herb garden and it was worth it!)
Next…
Have your food processor at the ready.
Place the groats (sprouted grains) in a mixing bowl, add all your ingredients, and a little filtered water give the mixture a swirl and pour, in batches, into the food processor – wiz it all up. You may need to scrape the side down and wiz again until smooth. Because not everyone has a dehydrator, I went with a different option…. oil the bottom of a baking tray and place baking paper down in the bottom of the tray, scoop your mixture into the tray and smooth and level it out so that it covers the bottom evenly. Place in the over on a very low heat 40 degrees Celsius and leave for 4 hours. Take the bread out of the oven and let this come to room temperature turn over and peel off the baking paper and cut into squares – HEAVEN!!!
Atop with humus and parsley – this treat is so yummy that my whole family are begging for more! it’s the most rewarding feeling, knowing that people will love this and that there is great story behind it!
Stay tuned for the recipes of these delights!
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