Dharma Yoga Nantucket

Personalized instruction in Classical Hatha Yoga
to students of all ages and levels of experience.

Posts Tagged ‘Raw food’

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Happy Thanksgiving! A Raw Pumpkin Pie Recipe.

Posted: November 16th, 2010

Pumpkin Pie

Who doesn’t love Thanksgiving, a holiday that revolves around EATing?  A day where we get to gather around the table and take a moment to reflect on all that there is to be thankful for.  There are no presents to buy, not much to do (except maybe watch a football game) so we really get the opportunity to enjoy each others company and just be.  My mother started a wonderful tradition many years ago.  Before we dig in to the feast, we go around the dinner table and talk about what we are thankful for.  When we first started doing this my sisters and I were much younger and we and would roll our eyes a little bit and play along to appease her.  Now it has become a most meaningful moment in the day.  It is so easy to focus on what is wrong in our lives or in the world.  By taking a moment to pause and share what there is to be grateful for, we embrace the true meaning of the holiday.

It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without pie and what better way to celebrate than with the quintessential Thanksgiving treat; pumpkin pie?  Try this raw version and you will be amazed at how delicious it is.

 

Pumpkin Pie

 

2 cups of soaked and dehydrated pecans

1 cup of pitted medjool dates

½ cup of raw coconut oil

½ teaspoon of cinnamon

 

Filling

2 cups of cashews soaked overnight

1 cup of sugar pumpkin juice

(To make the pumpkin juice: run ½ of a small seeded sugar pumpkin through a juicer)

½ cup raw agave syrup

½ cup melted raw coconut oil

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract

Pinch of cloves

 

Blend pecans in a food processor until ground into a fine flour like consistency. Add the dates and cinnamon and blend until it forms a sticky dough.  Press the dough into a 9 inch pie plate.  I like to flute the sides with a fork for a traditional old fashioned look. Place the crust in the freezer to set for about an hour.

 

Place all of the filling ingredients in a Vita Mix or other high speed blender and blend until smooth.  Pour into the crust and return to the freezer at least 2 hours or overnight.

Once the pie is set, you can store it in the fridge until dinner.

Enjoy!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Raw Cacao and How To Make Raw Chocolate Candy.

Posted: October 25th, 2010

Raw Cacao

It is that time of year when all thoughts turn to chocolate.  Halloween and chocolate candy, they just go together.  Even with all of our trick or treating many of us have  have never eaten “real chocolate”.  Most commercially produced chocolate bars, (think Hershey’s) only contain about 10% actual chocolate, the rest is sugar and fillers.

This year why not EAT some delicious real chocolate candy made with simple raw ingredients?  Making raw chocolate is probably one of the easiest things you can do. As a bonus it just happens to be good for you.   In fact, Raw Cacao is considered a super food. It contains theobromine which invigorates our entire system, phenylethalamine which increases our sense of happiness and well being, trytophan which elevates and stabilizes our mood, anandamide, the “bliss” chemical which relaxes the body and the mind. It is higher in anti-oxidants than green tea and wine. It also contains protein, good fats, calcium, carotene, thiamine, riboflavin, magnesium, folic acid, and the vitamins A, E, K.  It is rich in iron.  Super food indeed!

The most important part of this indulgent experience is to make sure that you use truly raw cacao. The health benefits are only derived from cacao in it’s raw state.  One of my favorites is Pacari from Ecuador.  It is organic, heirloom (never heated above 118 degrees), and single origin (not blended with cacao from other countries or regions).  These are 3 important things to look for when you are purchasing raw cacao.

The next part is to have fun choosing a mold.  There are thousands to choose from, ranging from bugs and spiders to hearts and flowers.  They are very inexpensive and can be used over and over again.

Basic Raw Chocolate

  • 1 cup of raw cacao butter
  • ½ cup raw cacao powder
  • 2 tablespoons of raw agave nectar

Melt the cacao butter over low heat.  Either in a dehydrator, in a double boiler with hot water, or in a sauce pan over the lowest heat.  If using the stove top method, you can keep an eye on the temperature with a candy thermometer making sure not to bring the cacao over 118 degrees.  Once it has liquefied, whisk in the cacao powder and agave until smooth.  Pour into a squeeze bottle and then fill the molds.  Set in the freezer for 5 – 10 minutes until set and then pop out of the molds.  Because are no chemicals or stabilizers in this yummy chocolate keep them in the fridge until serving time.

From there get creative!  You can add chopped nuts, coconut, or dried fruit.  Add pure mint extract for a chocolate mint.  Play with flavors and textures to recreate your favorite candy bar.  Indulge in a little raw chocolate and Have a Happy Halloween!

Pacari Cacao can be found at:

http://www.therawfoodworld.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=100148_100215_100335

Chocolate molds can be found at:

http://www.amazon.com/ keyword: chocolate molds

Pick Your Own Tomatoes at Bartlett’s Farm with Raw Bloody Mary and Sun-dried Tomato Recipes.

Posted: October 5th, 2010

On Saturday, Bartlett’s Farm held pick your own tomatoes day. It was a little slice of heaven walking through the fields, canvas bags in tow, and filling them to the brim with all the delicious varieties.   At only one dollar per pound, it was the deal of the season.  Walking up and down the rows, I was mesmerized by the colors, the ripeness, the abundance.  Our fellow pickers were smiling and happy, sharing ideas and recipes.  It was a true example of the joy that can be found in the simple moments of the everyday.

Now what to do with 17 pounds of tomatoes?  First, share a few with friends, then get to work preserving the last taste of summer.

Tomatoes are full of wonderful vitamins and minerals. Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, E, K, niacin, and folate.  Potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, calcium, sodium, iron, manganese, copper, zinc, and chromium. Various studies have shown that the lycopene in tomatoes can help reduce chances of prostate cancer, stomach cancer and colorectal cancer. Lycopene is considered a “miracle” anti-oxidant that may help to stop the growth of cancer cells.

Dehydrating tomatoes is a great way to preserve them without a lot of messy work. Once they are dried, you can reconstitute them by soaking them in some hot water.  The flavor is rich and concentrated as a tomato paste would be. If you don’t have a dehydrator you can dry them in the oven at the lowest setting.

Dehydrated Tomatoes

  • Slice tomatoes about ¼ of an inch thick
  • Lightly sprinkle with sea salt
  • Place on dehydrator trays so that they do not touch.
  • Set dehydrator to 135 – 140 degrees (the temperature of the tomatoes will remain below 118 degrees)
  • Dehydrate for approximately 12 hours.
  • You can store them in a cool dark place in an air tight container for 6-9 months, or in an airtight container in the freezer for up to one year.
    • 2 large tomatoes
    • ½ cucumber
    • 1 celery stalk
    • 1/3 bunch of parsley
    • ½ lemon peeled
    • 1 tablespoon of freshly grated horseradish
    • Pinch of sea salt
    • Water as needed

    • Oven option:

    Place tomato slices in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Set oven to 200 degrees, Allow the tomatoes to dry in the oven about 8 hours or until they become shriveled, checking frequently during the last couple of hours to ensure that they don’t scorch.  Cracking the oven door open can help prevent the heat from getting to high.

    The easiest fresh tomato juice can be made in a Vita Mix or other high speed blender.  No scoring, no peeling, no boiling, no waste just fresh delicious juice!

    Joann’s Veggie Mary

    (You can substitute ½ of a fresh jalapeño or a pinch of cayenne powder for heat)
    Puree all ingredients in blender.  Serve with cucumber stalk.

    

Juicing for Your Health.

Posted: September 13th, 2010

Beet_juice-01

Red Sky at Night

  • 6 carrots
  • 1 apple
  • ½ beet
  • 1 inch knob of ginger
Juice together and drink immediately.  If ginger is not your thing you can omit it.  Yum!

Ted’s Green Juice

  • 3 large leaves of Swiss chard or Spinach or Kale
  • 1 cucumber
  • ¼ lemon
  • A handful of parsley
  • 1 apple (quartered, seeds removed)
Juice together, and then drink immediately.

Check out:

Amazon.com for a great selection of juicers at prices for every budget.

Delicious Young Thai Coconuts.

Posted: August 23rd, 2010

The young thai coconut is one of my favorite things to eat.   In Sanskrit, the coconut palm is known as kalpa vriksha, meaning “tree which gives all that is necessary for living”   Both the liquid and the meat inside are very different from a traditional brown skinned mature coconut.  The liquid is almost clear with a faint scent of almonds and the meat can vary from thin and soft  to a thicker meatier texture. Coconut meat is an excellent source of medium chain fatty acids, protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Fresh coconut water contains lauric acid, b vitamins, potassium, and electrolytes. Eating a coconut can prevent heart disease and lower cholesterol.  It can instantly rejuvenate you when you are feeling dehydrated.

Where to find them?  That can be the tricky part.  If you live in a city you are in luck as they are readily available in any Asian market.    Whole Foods and Fresh Direct are now carrying Young Thai Coconuts every day in the produce section.  Most major grocery stores can order them for you if you ask.  You can also order on line, but the shipping cost due to the weight of the coconuts makes ordering this way extremely expensive.

Do something wonderful for your health, drink fresh, delicious coconut water.  Use the meat in smoothies instead of dairy or soy for a rich creamy consistency.  Seek them out, it is worth the effort.  Happy coconut hunting!

 

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