foodgasm.

                          
        So I talked about how important juicing was...at least partially, but what do you do with all of those beautiful, nutritious fibers that come out of the juicer. Sometimes it feels like you're wasting your veggies. I am very big on not wasting anything in life, but right now i'm going to talk about food. 

       We juice because our foods are depleted of vitamins and minerals from diminished unhealthy soils caused by lack of sustainable farming practices and large uses of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. In fact vitamin and mineral levels have decreased in some produce by over 75% in the past 20 years and that's before you cook it and get rid of some more.

        Juice is the savior that is helping us keep our health and vitamin levels up by putting them straight into our blood stream from the source, instead of making our body work to break them down before receiving the nutrition. Plus you are able to drink a whole head of kale...It would be quite hard to do all that chewing in one day. 

So, we want to juice, but what do we do with the pulp? In fact, one of my favorite parts of juicing has now become using the pulp. I have made veggie burgers and dips, but my favorite thing is probably raw bread/crackers. I take whatever I juiced, which is usually the recipe I posted in the last entry, and add any type of seasonings or other vegetables to the mixture and dehydrate it for 8-15 hours on 115. I usually add freshly ground flax seeds, onions, carrots, garlic, cumin, a little salt, and nutritional yeast because it gives you great vitamin levels and tastes great. I honestly like this better than regular bread, though I do occasionally eat sprouted ezekiel bread.

              

                                                            

        Now you make some hummus to dip it in or create a delicious sandwich! These are some pictures of some garbanzo beans which I just sprouted. Sprouting releases more nutrients and energy. Think about how much energy a seed must have in it in order to grow into a tree or a plant that is going to bloom fruits, you are receiving that energy! Now, with garbanzo beans I find that they are hard on your digestive tract sprouted, so I slow cook them at a low temperature after sprouting them. Here are some pictures of the sprouts...I'm a little obsessed with sprouting, I just think sprouts are so cute and it's cool knowing that I took part in that.  

     

             So after you have sprouted your garbanzo beans you can either cook them or just use them in the raw form. and here is a recipe that I usually go by..I don't have exact numbers though..

HUMMUS

All processed in a food processor....

Garbanzo beans

tahini

olive oil (keep this to a small amount to lessen fat)

garlic

lemon juice

water

miso also works really well and gives it a salty flavor, or you can add a little salt

this is the basic recipe... things to think of adding

                       cilantro

                       rosemary

                       basil

                       CAYENNE (i usually always add just a little)

                       red pepper

That gives you a general idea, but really just anything and it will taste amazing! So there's a cracker dipping option or a sandwich spread, for the crackers/bread I make

         Hummus has always been one of my favorite foods, but another GREAT spread is something I just recently started making large amounts of to keep in my refrigerator for SANDWICHES....yes healthy, raw sandwiches, that are so simple and easy for on the go eating. This spread is soooooo delicious and unlike most spreads, including raw ones, it is not that fatty and you are getting greens!

Macadamia Kale Spread

1/2 cup soaked macadamia nuts (to soften and remove tannins for easier digestion)

handful of spinach

handful of kale (OR MORE)

1 T nutritional yeast

juice of 1 lemon

1-2 T salt

2 T water or to desired consistency

                             

         And now it is time to make your scrumptious and satisfying raw sandwich! I like to put tomatoes, avocado, MACADAMIA KALE SPREAD, lots and lots of lettuce, sprouts, squash, zucchini, mushrooms, hummus, just whatever is in your fridge. This has been a great on the go lunch for me recently and I am so glad it is so nutritious, because it can be hard to make a quick salad that is satisfying and hard to take to work or class, this is perfect.