Baking Day

If you always do what you have always done,
you'll always get what you have always got.

The boys are on their half term School holidays so I decided to get into the kitchen.
I had some Apples that needed using/eating so I read through my Raw Cookbooks and I decided to make some Cookies, but first I had to soak the Cashews for 8 - 12 hours which I did and last night I whipped up some Apple Cashew Cookies which are finished dehydrating this morning. They are very nice, and chewy.

Apple and Cashew Cookies
8oz Cashew, soaked
1lb Apples
4oz Raisins

Sweetner is not needed as the Apple provides sufficient sweetness.
You can add anything i.e. Goji Berries, Cacao Nibs, leave some Nuts chunky.

Puree Apple and Cashews to a puree
Mix in Raisins by hand
Dehydrate

I had a go at making some Raw Chocolate, although it is Dark Chocolate which I don't particularly enjoy, I have to say it was rather nice, quite creamy tasting and not as strong as the shop bought ready made Dark Chocolate bars and it did hit that Chocolate craving spot, unfortunately they stuck to the trays...ummm!
I read somewhere about adding Almond Milk to make more a Milk Chocolate, so I quickly made some Almond Milk. I hate waste so instead of wasting the Almond pulp I also made that into Cookies, Raw Almond Cookies, these are in the dehydrator as I type. I have made these Cookies before and I have to say, they are my favourite. The pic below is of the Apple Cashew Cookies.














Raw Chocolate and Apple Cashew Cookies.

Got to say, I made a GORGEOUS Salad last week, Sweetcorn Salad and this has to be my FAVOURITE Salad of all time.

Sweetcorn Salad
Sweetcorn, fresh from the cob
Sugar Snap Peas
Red Onion
Tomatoes
Cucumber
Olive Oil
Squeeze of Lime - I used Lemon
Pink Himalyan Salt

Stir and ENJOY!














Sweetcorn Salad

Well, Christmas is nearly upon us once again. I still have some Christmas shopping to do and ALLL the Christmas cleaning. My Christmas cleaning consists of every item of furniture and possession pulled out and every single little nook and cranny in this house cleaned = lots of exercise. I will start this cleaning next week when the boys are back at school.

Well, I think I will go and make the boys some Lunch, unfortunately they wont eat all raw meals but I don't mind making cooked foods for them, they are still young and I want them to have everything. I know they can have everything by eating raw but they wont eat all raw, I do sneak what I can into their meal and snack times.

Tonight I am going to put some seeds into soak and then I will get them into the sprouter tomorrow.

REMINDER TO SELF
Make some more Raw Bread.

OOps! It's Been A Week

If you always do what you have always done,
you'll always get what you have always got.

Sorry all, for not updating for a week.

Okay. I done the school walk this morning. I haven't been walking to school as much lately because Adam's friend has been calling on him to walk to school, but I done it today. I weighed in on Saturday (12stone 9.5lb)and I gained 0.5lb which the lack of walking could account to this small gain. I stood on the scales again the next day and I had already lost 1/8th of that gain, so again it is going in the right direction.

I put some Buckwheat, Linseeds and Wheat Berries into soak last night and when I got back from school I made this little lot into Bread.

Here is a pic of the Bread before it goes into the dehydrator.















And here is a pic of the Bread dehydrated...YUM! This is a different Bread recipe from the last Bread I made.















I done a huge grocery shop last week and I decided to try Kale. I have never had Kale before but I found a nice recipe on You Tube from Karen Knowler for Kale and Avocado Salad. I made this recipe today for Lunch and....WOW! It was DELICOUS!! So much so, I had the rest of the Kale for my evening meal tonight although I did put too much Salt into the Salad this evening, still nice though....MMmm!

KALE & AVOCADO SALAD
Kale, washed
Himalayan Salt
Olive Oil
Tomatoe's
Spring Onion
Avocado
Lemon Juice

Massage the Olive Oil and Salt into the Kale until it has wilted.
Add the Avocado and massage in also. You can just cut the Avocado into chunks and add it if you don't want to massage it in.
Add the Tomato and about 1/2 a Lemon Juiced.















This afternoon I made some Fake Bacon to have tomorrow with my Bread, a BLT for Lunch...MMmm. I put the Fake Bacon in to dehydrate whilst the Bread was dehydrating.

FAKE BACON
I Aubergine/Eggplant
1/4 C Olive Oil
1/4 C Ume Plum Vinegar
Cayenne

Peel and finely slice the Aubergine/Eggplant
Whisk the Olive Oil, Vinegar and Cayenne togther and marinate the Aubergine/Eggplant
Place in single layers onto a mesh dehydrator sheet (place a Teflex Sheet on the tray below to cathc drips)
Dehydrate
Turn once and continue dehydrating
This will go very crunchy.
Will keep in an airtight container for 1 week.

The Fake Bacon hasn't finished dehydrating here but this is to give you an idea.















Well, last week I ordered some Raw Chocolate Powder, Raw Chocolate Butter and the 'Eat Smart, Eat Raw' Cookbook by Kate Wood, I have recieved the Book.... I have to say it is a FANTASTIC BOOK!! But as yet I haven't received the Raw Chocolate products. These items are very expensive. I thought maybe the Raw Chocolate was coming under seperate cover but there was no note inside the package with the book to say so, I'm in the dark somewhat. I have tried to contact these people but to no avail...as yet, I will just have to wait.
UPDATED
We managed to get in contact with the company and all is SORTED! They are actually very nice folk.

Tomorrow I am going to have a sweet dehydrating day.

Not Counting The Days

If you always do what you have always done,
you'll always get what you have always got.

I have decided NOT to count the days of my Raw Challenge, the reason being, this is a lifestyle change, a permanent thing, not a challenge.

Before I went to school this morning I done my usual cleaning and I also managed to clean the downstairs Loo before going out the door. When I got back from school I cleaned the Bathroom and got some washing going.
I then had a bowl of Fruit for Breakfast and then I made some Corn Burgers, here is a pic of them before they go into the dehydrator....that is my evening meal sorted, Corn Burger and Salad...YUM!















CORN BURGERS
2 Cups Fresh Corn, cut off the Cob
1 Jalapeno....I left this out, I ain't a Spice Girl rememberl....lol
1/4 Cup Red Bell Pepper
1/2 Cup Cashews
1 small Shallot, minced
1 Clove Garlic, minced
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

Add all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until the corn and Cashews have broken down, leave texture.
Using a ring mold put about 2 tbs of the mixture into the mold, remove the mold and continue until all the Burgers have been formed.
Dehydrate at 105 degs for 6-8 hours, flip after 3-4 hours.

I have also included a couple of pics of the DELICOUS Seeds I bought on Saturday.

Weigh In

If you always do what you have always done,
you'll always get what you have always got.

Here it is, my weigh in results for today.















I am still in the 12 stone's, that is....ermmmm I think 7 weeks now that I have stayed in the 12's.

SO, I have lost 3lb this week...WOOOHOOO - I am very pleased.















When I have reached goal I will still be eating the way I am now because this is a lifestyle change and it is for my health. Eating nearly all raw foods is working for me and because I am eating these foods I am barely ever craving the wrong foods and when I am I make a raw food sweet treat. I made Flapjacks a few days ago and last night I made some raw Macaroons, raw dark choccy though, I am not a fan of dark choccy but it helps. When I do crave something naughty it is for the taste and not because I am hungry, which I think is usually the case for everyone.....ummm - having said that, I have walked into town and back this morning and I bought some Stottie Buns, when I got home I did eat 2, unbuttered, I did this last week end also but as you can see from the pics above it certainly did not hinder my weight loss progress.

Oh! Just to let you know, I have been successful in staying 100% raw the last couple of days. This is now day 4 but I have had those Stottie buns this morning.
So, on day one I had 2 biscuits and on day 4 I have had 2 Stottie Buns.....not bad, not bad at all!!

JC
I didn't slice my raw Bread so thinly, I first make a Raw Bread batter and the batter is spread onto the dehydrating sheets and so it depends on how thinly it is spread that determines the thickness. It is very nice! I will make this often.

LATER...I popped to Tesco Superstore this afternoon to the 'Nutri Centre' to stock up on a few things. I bought:
Bee Pollen
Nutritional Yeast Flakes x 2
Coconut Butter x 2
Cacao Nibs x 2
Sea Salad
Bio Snacky Variety Seeds Pack
Extra Pack of Alfalfa Seeds
Extra pack of Broccoli Seeds
Organic Wheat Grain
White Miso

cost a pretty penny at £58.61 but these things last for AGGGGES!! And well worth every penny. You can't put a price on health!

Raw Day 2

If you always do what you have always done,
you'll always get what you have always got.

Well day 1 yesterday and already I fell...OOps! I had 2 Biscuits. No-one said it would be easy but I am more prepared today, day 2.

Oh! I forgot to show my pics of my Fruit Leathers that I made last week, and the kids LOVED them I hasten to add.















This is the before pic.
Pureed Apple, Strawberries, and I threw in a few Dates. I poured it onto the Teflex sheet and put it into the dehydrator over night at 104deg.

The reason raw foods are dehydrated at no higher then 115 deg is so that the enzymes are NOT destroyed in the food, so you get all the goodness, and the food lasts for several days or weeks even.















This is the after pic, pretty cool eh? And not bad for a first attempt.
I cut them up into lengths and I rolled them up so they were Fruit roll ups. I put them into the boys packed Lunches.

Now, this morning I took a pic of my sprouts which I thought I would share with you all.



















For Lunch today I am having an Avocado and Salad Sandwich on my Raw Bread that I made yesterday, a pic will follow.

I put some Oats into soak last night and I am making a Flapjack with those, a recipe from Kates Woods book.

For my evening meal I am probably going to make some Corn Patties and have 2 of those with a large salad....see, more prepared today.

I am feeling a lot happier today, not sure why but I wont knock it...teehee I love feeling like this.

Oh!! I nearly forgot, I am making some Hummus today also, how could I forget Hummus, it's GORGEOUS!!















Here is my Lunch.
My raw Bread has different seeds in it - Pumpkin, Sesame, Sunflower...MMMmmmm.
Inside my Sandwich I put shredded Iceberg, Golden Baby Plum Tomatoe's, Grated Carrot and Avocado, and IT WAS DEEEEELICOUS!! Infact, so much so, I had another one.

I think the next time I make this Bread...and I will, I will make it just ever so slightly thicker and dehydrate for longer.

33 Day Raw Challenge

If you always do what you have always done,
you'll always get what you have always got.

I weighed in last Saturday at a STAY THE SAME, better than a gain.
I am sure my body is reducing in inches because I tried on a pair of size 16 jeans...AND THEY FIT...WOOOHOOO - they are so comfortable, I just need to take them up.

I have decided to do a 33 day raw food challenge, to eat 100% raw for those 33 days.

I have had a HUGE bowl of Fruit for Breakfast and I am having a Spinach Avocado Salad for Lunch, not sure for my evening meal...YET!
I am going to make some raw bread this afternoon, and maybe some other lovely things, stock up a tad.

I soaked some Chickpeas and Mung Beans last night which are now in my Sprouter and when they are done I can sprinkle them on Salads and also make some Hummus...YUM! Love Hummus.

We are having major problems with those scruffy neighbours and everything came to a head last Thursday, they are disgusting folk.

LATER....
I got my raw Bread made and WOW! It is delicous, Adam likes it also.

DaDivastreet, the Beetroot Burgers were actually very nice and here is what went into them.

BEETROOT BURGERS

2Tb Flax Seeds, Ground
4 Beetroot
1 Large Carrot
1 Tomato
1 Red Chilli....I left the Chilli out, I'm no Spice Girl...TeeHee
1/2 Onion
4 Fresh Dates
150g/5oz Almonds, soaked 8 - 12 hours
1Tb Tamari
125ml/4 fl os Water

Process everything except Flax in a food processor using the S blade, when everything is a mush type consistency add the Flax, this will bind the mixture.

Shape into Patties about 2cm/1in high and 10cm/4in wide.

Dehydrate for 4 hrs, flip over and dehydrate for a further 2 hrs.
Serve with raw Ketchup and Salad.

JC, here is the Raw Hummus recipe

RAW HUMMUS

1cup. chick pea sprouts (sprouted overnight)
Juice of 1 lemon or lime
1 clove garlic
2 Tbs raw tahini
Optional seasonings: ground cumin, sea salt to taste, chives, paprika, cayenne pepper

Blend all of the ingredients. Add water to thin to desired consistency.

Halloween Month

If you always do what you have always done,
you'll always get what you have always got.

It is Halloween month, the month for Witches and Ghouls!...TeeHee
This year has flown over. I'm sure the older we get the quicker it go's by...Ah well.

The sun was shinning this morning...lovely!
I done the school walk again this morning. After I had dropped James off, I got chatting to another mother and I commented at how good she was looking, she seems to have gone from large to svelt over night, apparently she has lost 3.5stone following Weight Watchers. She said it has been hard and she has done a lot of exercise also...good for her! She has obviously worked towards looking slim so she deserves the praise. She said a lot of folk have been commenting and it makes it more worthwhile.

When I got back from school I had my bowl of Fruit Salad for my Breakfast and then I put some Laundry on to wash. I decided to make a start preparing my Beetroot Burgers which are now in the dehydrator.
The recipe was from my Raw Living Cookbook.




























They look like meat but I can assure you they are Beetroot Burgers, actually the mixture should have filled 2 trays but I think my Beets were a tad on the small side, so maybe lacking in some of the Beetroot.
After 4 hours I have to turn them over and allow them to dehydrate for a further 2 hours, that is the only thing with raw foods and dehydrators....the length of time, but that is where planning comes into play.
I will upload a pic of the Burgers when they have dehydrated.

Whilst preparing the Burgers I looked down.....AARRGGHH! I was wearing a white T Shirt BUT AMAZINGLY!! I am NOT wearing ANY Beetroot AT ALL!!

Oh! Nearly forgot, I bought some Fruit Leathers to try on James, and he LOVES them! So I am going to make some later and put them in the dehydrator. James asked me this morning if I would put a Carrot and one of the Tomatoes that I got from my friend yesterday in his Lunch today instead of a Satsuma.....very unusual for James.
Adam will eat anything and everything healthy or not but James has always been fussy. James will eat Fruit but he gets bored quickly but he certainly isn't getting bored with Fruit Leathers which are so good for him. I bought them from the Health Food shop last week and I read the ingredients and it just had Apple and Strawberries in. I also bought some from Asda on Monday and these ones had Apple, Strawberries and Dates in and he just LOVES them!

Well, I am now going to vacuum my Bedrooms, Landing and Stairs.














VOILA! Beetroot Burgers. I could have took a better pic.
Tomorrow I am going to have a couple of Burgers with a Spinach Salad, I will make some Cashew Mayo to go with them. I had half a Burger to try when I took them out of the dehydrator and...YUM!!

I am now going to whip up a Fruit leather mixture and put that into the dehydrator, this takes 12 hours to dehydrate.....in time for James and Adam to take some to school in their Lunch boxes.