Eating is such a passion and a pleasure…especially for us foodies. It’s not just about swallowing something down because it’s good for me. I choose to experience my food with all my senses. If I don’t really enjoy my food, the way it smells, looks and feels in my mouth, then I feel something in life is missing and I don’t feel as passionate about anything. An example of this is when I do my monthly 5-day fasts- although I know fasting is good for me, I am not as motivated to enjoy life during that time. There is nothing wrong with loving food, in fact, we are created to enjoy food so that we stay alive. I know this is why I became a raw food chef and now run a culinary institute in one of the most abundant places on earth (Bali), because I want to share with people how to make anything they love in it’s healthiest form. The biggest “challenge” or caveat with eating for pleasure is to avoid the foods that give us gallbladder attacks (or cancer, diabetes or some other awful fate) and enjoy the foods that make us beautiful and vibrant and in love with life!
The best foods are whole foods, fresh foods and colorful, seasonal fruits and veggies. What I love about eating raw foods is their crispy freshness and dazzling colors. If you are wondering how to be more “raw” or more healthy, then my suggestion is to add as much fresh, alive food to your diet so as to feel good all the time (try some of my recipes to get started). If you are feeling crappy because you are detoxing, then back off a bit (just enough to feel the flow again) and if you are feeling crappy because you are eating poorly, then for God’s sake, add some juiciness into your life in the form of raw juices, salads and veggie pates (just enough to feel the glow again). Maybe, for starters, instead of going 100% raw at the beginning, just make sure that 50-60% by weight of what you consume is raw and cut out the sugar. Vegetable juices are one of man’s greatest creations because they clean out your body, get rid of sugar cravings and make you feel the glow. Crunchy ,sliced cucumbers go a long way in cleaning out your organs and flushing your system too. When you eat cooked meals, remove the bread or rice or other grain (or eat them in extreme moderation), and instead have your beans, or other proteins on a bed of greens or chopped cucumbers and tomatoes or shredded carrots or bean sprouts. Everything counts so be aware of what you are doing and why.
Enjoy your food, and make it real, fresh and whole (believe it or not, you can make (or buy) breads, pastries and cheeses made from raw nuts and seeds), but if you find yourself eating something cooked and heavy now and then, just be sure to balance it out with a big fat salad or green juice. In the end, a life lived with happiness and a positive grateful attitude will go a lot farther than stressing out about how raw you are or how many calories were in that cake. And if you are someone on the opposite end of the spectrum (meaning you don’t or won’t eat it if it’s raw or organic) then your challenge is to be open-minded to trying something new. Who knows, there might be a whole new you waiting to emerge!
Be Flexible – Enjoy LIfe More and Stress Less!
Beautiful Beet Hummus
Makes 2 cups (serves 4)
1 cup peeled, chopped red beet
1 cup chopped zucchini
¼ cup raw tahini
¼ cup white sesame seeds
2 TBS lemon juice
1 teaspoon high mineral salt
2 large cloves peeled garlic (or similar amount of ginger root)
1 teaspoon paprika powder
½ teaspoon cumin powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
2 TBS olive oil (EVOO)
- Place all ingredients in the blender in the order listed
- Blend on high until smooth.
- Serve in a white bowl with sliced beets and sprinkle with sesame seeds, paprika and olive oil
- Dip will keep refrigerated for 10 days
