But I can still find Champagne mangoes!  And no one can stop me from eating them. 

This salad has spinach, frisee, spring mix, thyme, papaya, mango, and strawberries.  I love thyme in salads!  The smell stays with me for a while and is very calming.

It’s massaged dino kale, red leaf lettuce, spinach, cilantro, cherry tomatoes, lemon juice, and a few sundried olives I still have from a long time ago.  Delicious. 

The new camera works great.  I just haven’t had many noteworthy meals as of late.  And the lighting in my kitchen in the new place is awesome for photos (except with white bowls, note to self).  Thanks again for the early birthday gift, Tracy!

I groan when I see some of my older photos, or photos I chose to put up, but I’m not a professional here.  The point of my search being  Urban Vegan’s cookbook is out in case you missed it. 

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Urban-Vegan-Sumptuous-Recipes-Favorites/dp/0762752815/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1255544906&sr=8-1

And pics of some of the recipes I tested (although other people tested FAR, far more):  http://utopiankitchen.wordpress.com/?s=urban%2Bvegan

I added this statement to my About page and also want to post it here.

UPDATE:  Note that in June of 2009, I sold/gave away many of my cookbooks.  I still have some and all of my raw books.  If you would like a recipe and I have it, I will give it to you.  However, I may not have all recipes anymore.  I apologize for the inconvenience.

All tomatoes, basil, and zucchini are local.  I’ve been devouring local apricots, cherries, blueberries, peaches, and greens as well.  If you’re in the Philadelphia area, try to visit the Clark Park or Rittenhouse farmers’ market this weekend!

Above is simply basil and tomatoes pureed/pulsed in the food processor over zucchini.

Photos courtesy of Orlando’s camera. 

This is the best type of dinner there is – a never-ending plate of fruit!

I feel this article clears up some confusion that exists with regard to raw foods, so I am going to link to it:  http://www.fredericpatenaude.com/blog/?p=210

(Disclaimer:  I am not saying 5-10% of calories from fat is for everyone; some people have severe emotional issues with food; others simply feel better at 15-20% calories from fat; anything higher on a regular basis, I feel, is going to result in 1) digestive issues 2) the dehydration, acidosis, and inflammation [three major causes of disease and wear-and-tear on the body] that exist in an animal-based and ALSO predominantly cooked and grain-and-legume-based non-animal-centered diet)

This is the beginning of the article.  Click on the link to read the rest of the article, along with many supportive readers’ comments who also feel better the more fresh/raw/ripe fruit and vegetables their diet contains!

—–

Why I’m So Mad at the Raw Food Movement Today

Last week I met someone whose story really moved me in a deep way.About two weeks ago, I was visiting Dr. Graham at his fasting retreat in Costa Rica, along with my girlfriend and my friend Roger Haeske.

Dr. Graham had generously invited us for dinner and also to spend the day visiting his retreat near the Chirripo Mountain in Costa Rica.

The place is absolutely gorgeous! It’s about 4000 feet in elevation, so the air is a little cool at night and in the evening, but it’s was superbly sunny during the day.It’s right next to the Chirripo River, with amazingly beautiful water and big rocks, with a ton of little pools to jump into.

In fact, I couldn’t help myself but jumping in — and found the water to be surprisingly “refreshing”.

Let’s say that it got the blood flowing, like the cold water I’m used to in Canadian rivers and lakes.

Fortunately, there’s a pool with warmer water as well.But let’s get back to my story.

For lunch, we had a delicious smoothie made with bananas and papaya. It was of a beautiful bright orange color. We ate it with a variety of greens such as lettuce and celery.

This is a great way to start your day!  Some people have been told or taught that whole grains are needed to make a complete, balanced, or filling meal.  As someone who is mostly grain-free, I feel incredible without whole (or refined) grains and on a raw, fresh/unprocessed diet.  I have said it before, but I’ll say it again – my skin has never looked better.  I have 10-year-old scars that are disappearing, previously keloid, red, raised, that on a healthy, mostly green vegan cooked diet did not disappear.    

Becoming a raw foodist isn’t a new fad; all other animals except humans (and the companions they feed with their processed foods) eat raw, and humans originally ate all raw as well.

Well, just as I got out the camera and turned it on to take a pic of my salad, I realized the camera’s done.  The screen doesn’t function anymore, and while I can take photos, I can’t SEE what I’m taking a photo of.  I don’t know if I dropped it or someone stepped on it.  Doesn’t matter.  It’s good to know before something important came up, like a trip to see family!

My post was simply going to be a recommendation on a way to prepare a salad differently, to chop it up finely.  I use plum tomatoes, jalapeno, minced by hand, add some garlic and lemon juice; then I let the food processor do some magic!  I throw in spinach, basil, cilantro, parsley, collards, red leaf lettuce, chives.  Put in a little at a time and pulse it until it’s finely chopped.  VERY easy and fast!  I believe the flavors can incorporate well this way, too, after you mix everything together.  Your salad will look like tabouli, and you may “trick” (oh, what a negative connotation for giving a person some amino acids!) someone you love into eating collard greens raw.

This, of course, is ONLY if I’m taking a break from my Champagne mango feast.

Hello, everyone!  Thanks for the comments on last week’s frequent postings. 

I have been making a dressing similar to the mustard-chive-date one that I posted, but I put in about 3/4 c. water, 2-3 dates, optional clove of garlic, pinch of pink salt, 1 T. mustard (dijon or stoneground), 6-7 spinach leaves or collard leaf, 2 T. basil, 1/2 c. cilantro, and 1/2 c. parsley, and just whirl it together in the Vita-Mix.  It turns out a beautiful green color and tastes delicious and rich, even with no added fat.  I commonly have cilantro, parsley, and basil on hand, but if you don’t, it’s fine to use just one or two of those. 

Enjoy the beautiful weather!

From Professional Vegetarian Cooking

Asparagus with mango, black sesame seeds, and a strawberry-basil dressing.