EASY JUICE-BASED MEALS

  This week I took lunch with me to work instead of eating out (in which cases I mostly eat plain salad with soy sauce and bread). I came up with a simple plan how to fix both breakfast and lunch simultaneously in two steps.

Cucumber-avocado soup with wholemeal spelt flatbread.

Step 1: The previous evening make two juices. One is fruit-based for breakfast the next morning, and the other veggie-based for lunch the next day. Store in air-tight glass jars in the fridge.

Step 2: In the morning Vitamix your fruit juice with a big bunch of green leaves until creamy and smooth. Voilá, your breakfast is ready!
            Now Vitamix your veggie juice with one ripe avocado until creamy and smooth. Voilá, your lunch is ready! Pour back in the glass jar and take to work.

The beauty in juicing is that you can combine nearly anything together, and still come up with a nice taste. Natural tastes of fruits and veggies are so subtle that they mix well. I usually buy whatever is in season in the grocery store, and either make single juices or combinations according to my imagination. It´s all good for me!

  Now that I´ve been juicing mostly every day for a month, I can honestly say I´m feeling the difference. It is simple to put it in a nutshell: I feel satisfied. Never did think a thin cup of liquid could fill me up, but it does! It is a different, new kind of fullness I can feel in my throat rather than stomach. When I´ve had enough, the thought of more food & juice starts to feel repulsive. And it takes a lot longer to feel hungry again than before. I´d like to think it is because of the abundant amount of nutrients I´m getting now. No matter what the reason, I feel better and stronger now.
  I´d had a juicer for  years and years, but never did I drink juices this much and regularly. The biggest reason for that was that my old juicer didn´t extract as much juice from the same amount of produce as my new one, making more go to waste.

This is apple juice blended with two leaves of kale. Kale makes a nice, thick froth.

3/4 cucumber juice, 1/4 apple juice blended with 1 small avocado. Needs no salt.

  I´m impressed by the power of juice!

SAUTÉED WEEDS

  I´m all nuts for wild edible greens now! It´s been a rainy spring, which apparently has made the "weeds" grow luscious and generous. I´ve been collecting them almost daily with my three-year-old daughter, trying to pass down the knowledge. =)

  Today I boiled the first new potatoes of the season and served them with sautéed wild greens and tofu for the whole family.

A pan full of the most nutritious and natural greens ever, straight off our yard (we never fertilize).

This time there´s goutweed and fireweed, seasoned with fresh chives and lovage from the garden.

The recipe (serves 2-4):

4 cups (1 liter) freshly picked mild-tasting wild edible greens
a bunch of chives
a few leaves & stems of lovage
2 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil
soy sauce

+ Chop the greens and lightly sauté in a skillet in little olive oil with the garlic.
  Serve over potatoes (or rice or pasta) and drizzle soy sauce over it.

  Super healthy, nutritious and free of charge! Can it get any better?

I HATE KALE- GREEN CHOCOLATE SMOOTHIE

  My ten-year-old son hates vegetables. Cucumber and potatoes are the only things he´ll eat without a suffering face. But behold, Vitamix to the rescue! I have found a sneaky way to incorporate raw leafy greens into his diet, without him refusing one bit. In fact, he now asks for kale almost daily!

Chocolate smoothie, what a perfect way to start the day (and hide greens)!

A high-speed blender makes an unbelievably creamy and smooth texture. This stuff is very different from the produce of an "ordinary" blender, that leaves the smoothie more or less chunky.

The recipe (serves 1):

1-2 handfuls of kale (or other leafy greens)
1 banana
5 medjool dates
1-2 Tbsp cacao nibs
vanilla
3 tsp cacao powder
1/2 avocado
1-2 cups soymilk (for him, for myself I use water)

+ Blend everything until creamy and smooth.

This is satisfying and filling, and keeps us all going until lunch time.

TODAY´S GREEN SMOOTHIE

  This is the third day of gulping down masses of green smoothie. Here´s what nourished me today:

Looks delicious like this too, but I would not enjoy eating the greens whole. Blending magically makes the tough greens "disappear", and what´s left is a sweet fruity flavor.

A two-quart (liter) pitcher full of green gold... heavenly.

Here we go again! Yum!

The recipe for "Tummy Settler" by Victoria Boutenko (makes 2 quarts/liters):

3 cups romaine lettuce
1 cup parsley
3 cups pineapple chunks
2 bananas
3 cups water

+ Blend all until smooth.

SLICE N´ STACK PIZZA BITES

  This has got to be the easiest, fastest, and healthiest form of pizza imaginable. I made these for lunch in a super hurry last weekend:

A plate full of bite-size pizzas just waiting to be stuffed in my mouth! And in they went, up to the last piece...

The "crust" is a slice of zucchini, a tomato slice has the role of sauce, and a slice of cheese (goat´s in this particular stack) on top, seasoned and garnished with fresh oregano and basil.

The recipe (for 1):

1/2 zucchini
2-3 tomatoes
3 1/2 oz. (100g) cheese (preferably organic goat´s)
fresh basil and oregano
sea salt
black pepper

+ Slice the veggies and cheese. Sprinkle a serving plate with sea salt lightly, then stack the ingredients and season with black pepper to taste. Enjoy!

EATING PLAN FOR SAMHAIN

 My stomach has gotten picky lately, so I´ll have to make some changes to my usual eating habits. It is unhappy with cooked vegetables, nuts and seeds (much fat in any form), and legumes. I don´t know why, and how long it´ll last, but for now I need to replace those foods with something else.
  So here is a brand new, healthy and slimming, eating plan for Samhain, with a new perspective. It now includes some organic dairy and even fish once a week.

 9.00am Breakfast:
 a cup of green tea
 a green pudding made with leafy greens, fruit, and vegetables

Green pudding made with dinosaur kale, zucchini, banana, and water.

1.00pm Lunch:
a cup of water + 20 drops of Echinacea extract
raw-food meal + an avocado, or 3.5 oz. (100g) cold smoked salmon (once a week), or 7 oz.(200 g) cottage cheese

A sample lunch of veggie dip, the sauce made with either avocado or organic sour cream.

4.00pm Tea:
a cup of green tea
a generous cup of flavored yogurt

Yes, dinner is really this simple, a bowl of yogurt. This one is apple & cinnamon flavored. It provides some fat, protein, and good bacteria for the gut, and acts as dessert for the day. Going cold turkey with sugar does not work for me. This much I allow myself.

7.00pm Snack:
a cup of green tea
1-2 apples

9.00pm Nightcap:
a cup of herbal infusion + soymilk
(and raw vegetables if hungry)

Saturdays: feel free to eat your favorite foods!

  This plan bases on one I created when I was sixteen, and lost nearly twenty pounds with it. I was way too skinny then, but luckily soon I left for the U.S. for a year as an exchange student, which fixed the problem more than enough. =)
  I use Erica Palmcrantz-Aziz´s book to guide me with the daily lunches. It keeps the menus varied and interesting without having to think for myself. =)

  I hope my stomach will agree with this plan, as it did twenty years ago. Wow.

ELIXIR OF YOUTH

  A couple of weeks ago I bought a few cans of mild cider at a grocery store, and the cashier lady asked me for id. Me! You need to be 18 here to buy it, and I´ll be 37 next month! Yipee! I thanked the nice lady and told her how she had just made my day. =)

  Every now and then I hear people say how I look younger than my age, including a top photographer (in which case I lost a photo shoot because of looking so young =(, and the head of my modeling agency). My age is not yet an issue to me. 36 is totally young these days. After all, fifty is the new thirty now!

  Still taking care of oneself helps to keep the good looks, and makes you feel great. One of the secrets to a lively and healthy (a.k.a. youthful) appearance is raw leafy greens. The darker the better. I prefer fresh greens over dried superfood ones. Now kale is in season, so it is time to enjoy it.
  After getting a high-speed blender (Vitamix) for Christmas last year, I have been able to enjoy super smooth green juices. They say that when food is broken down to such tiny particles, your body can use it up better. So I figure blending raw leafy greens I get the most out of them. I prefer blending over juicing because then the juice still includes all the fiber too.

A fountain of youth, raw green juice with pulp.

    The recipe (for one):

5 leaves dinosaur kale (or any available raw leafy greens as much as your taste buds can tolerate)
4 sprigs of mint (or any fresh herb desired to taste)
20 drops of Echinacea (I use merely for taste, but possible health benefits are only a big bonus. My aunt has used it for decades, and swears on it´s cold-preventing properties.)
water

+ Blend the kale and mint in a high-speed blender with 1 1/2 cups water until all smooth. Add water enough to reach 2 cups. Pour into a glass and add the Echinacea drops. Stir and drink with your lunch for extra boost.
  Shine, radiate, and get ready for compliments!

WILD GREEN SAUCE WITH BROWN RICE

  Beltane begins my harvesting season. Nature is now abundant with new, fresh, tender, soft, and mild-tasting wild edible greens. It starts small and slow, but after a short while there is so much food around that it makes me cry inside not being able to collect them all!

  Wild greens have been on my menu, daily, for about two weeks now. Together with my daughter I have also collected and preserved them in the freezer. It is easy to add greens in nearly anything, but my favorites now are a green drink and a green sauce over grains/potatoes.

The recipe (for one):

1 handful wild edible greens (I used dandelion, stinging nettle, and bishop´s goutweed)
1/2 - 1 avocado
1/2 clove garlic
pinch sea salt
water

+ Blend everything in a high-speed blender until the sauce is rich and creamy. Check for salt.

Enjoy over brown rice, or as a dip with oven-baked potato wedges. This sauce makes me feel happy and bubbly inside. Makes for a great, energizing, lunch!

EATING PLAN FOR OSTARA

  My goal in eating is to stay healthy, slim, and energetic without having to count calories. Also I loath cooking, so I want to get by as easy as I can. My diet is mostly vegan, of which some is intentionally raw. I have found that juiced and blended foods suit my stomach well, so those are included  in this plan.

 "Daily essentials" make for the stem of my eating plan for this Ostara:
1. 1-2 cups of veggie juice
2. 1-2 cups of green smoothie
3. 1/2 cup of raw dip/sauce

  In addition to the previous I can eat pretty much whatever I want, including unhealthy desserts like milk chocolate.

  Another corner stone of the plan is the time of eating. I will try to finish eating for the day by 5pm. That supports the studies showing that it is in our genes not to eat in the evening or at night, and that only through this daily "mini fast" can our bodies do their job properly.
  After 5pm it is all about drinking water and brushing my teeth, which helps reduce my cravings. =)

Breakfast (by 10am): 
1-2 cups of veggie juice (with some apple or other fruit in it to give a bit of sweetness)
nuts or bread

Lunch (around noon):
1-2 cups of green smoothie (including greens and 1/2 an avocado, the rest is up to the content of the fridge)
pasta, rice, bread, tofu, etc.

 Dinner (by 5pm):
about 1/2 cup of dip/sauce with chopped veggies
1-2 cups of green tea with soymilk
dessert of choice (I´m forever addicted to chocolate...)

  The idea for each meal is to eat the daily essential first, and then have whatever (vegan and quite low-fat) I want according to my appetite.

  Two incredibly inspirational raw-foodists out there are Ms. Tonya Zavasta and Ms. Mimi Kirk. I want to be like them when I grow up!

KID APPROVED GREEN SMOOTHIE

  Like mother like daughter... It amazes me that a nearly-two-year-old can like raw foods and smoothies.

  We offer our children all sorts of foods, including meats (and eggs and dairy to our girl, who is not allergic to them), and they can choose for themselves what to eat.
  My son excludes all veggies and most fruit, and likes grain and meat. My girl on the other hand excludes most meats, eggs, and fish, but indulges in raw veggies and fruit, along with grain. Is it the man-gene that makes boys resent veggies?

  The sight of our breakfast made me laugh outloud yesterday:

Sweet green smoothies. 2 cups ( 5 dl ) for mommy, and 1/2 cup ( 1 dl ) for daughter.  The recipe: 1 Granny Smith apple, 1 banana, 1 stalk celery, 2-3 handfuls greens, small handful of stinging nettle (or any wild edible green, if available), water. Blend all in a high-speed blender until smooth, add water to your liking.

  In addition to the smoothie, I offered her fruit-flavored soy yogurt, rice cakes with margarine, and grapes. She didn´t want any of those, but instead pointed at a kettle, in which I had just cooked some beluga lentils for lunch. Holy moly is she healthy! She ended up having green smoothie and lentils for breakfast.

  It is said that small children know to eat instinctively. They know when, what, and how much to eat. I believe that can apply to us grownups too, as long as we choose from healthy foods. You know you are hungry for real, if a bowl of oatmeal sounds inviting...  =)

VEGGIE PATTIES & GREEN JUICE

  My husband inspired me to try these veggie patties by bringing home store-bought ones the other day. He is a big-time meat eater, but praised those veggie patties to heaven and back. Of course I had to try them. Well, not bad, but at the same time I was thinking how they were nothing out of this world, and that I could easily make patties equal to his find. But I would make them even better by keeping them vegan (no dairy or eggs) and gluten-free.
  I made my version of the veggie patties today. They were so good (yet easy to make), that I want to share the recipe.  This is one of those foods you can eat as much as you like without getting fat. (I ate half of the amount the recipe makes  =).
 

This is my whole lunch today. The content on the white plate ended up in my Vitamix, and became a nutritious green juice. (Oops, I now notice that the frozen nettle I added in the juice is missing from the picture.)

The recipe for the veggie patties: In a big bowl, combine a generous 1/2 cup (1,5 dl) of soy flour, another generous 1/2 cup (1,5 dl) of buckwheat flour, 3/4 tsp Herbamare, and 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme. Pull out any veggies you have in your fridge, including carrots, and grate/grind about 1.5 lbs (700 g) of them finely. (I found carrots, zucchini, onions, and bell pepper in my fridge today.) Mix in with the flour and add about 2 Tbsp olive oil too. Form patties, place on a baking tray lined with a baking sheet, and bake in the oven at 450 Fahrenteit(230 Centigrade) for 15-20 min.

The recipe for a refreshing, and somehow summery, green drink: mix in a high-speed blender one Granny Smith apple, a one-inch (two-centimeter) piece of fresh ginger with peel, a handful of wild edible greens if available, and as much of any salad greens you can tolerate, with some water. I added water enoug to reach 2 cups (1/2 liter) altogether. Even my nearly-two-year-old liked this juice! She has proven to be a hc-raw-foodist.  =)

  Have a happy and healthy day, loaded with positivity!

SEASONAL & LOCAL LUNCH

  A big brown paper bag full of root veggies arrived at my doorstep today. Once again my neighbor, the friendliest organic veggie farmer, delivered awesome food to ous: potatoes, carrots, parsnips, root celery, beets, onions, and cabbage (not a root, I know =). Those are pretty much the only fresh, local and seasonal food left at this time of year over here.

  After a few weeks of eating mainly raw veggies, I decided to try cooking for a change. Here´s what I made:

A delicious veggie casserole with coconut milk and a green juice.

The recipe (yields 4): Peel, chop, and sauté the following in olive oil in a skillet: 8 egg-sized potatoes, 2-3 carrots, 1 onion, 1 beetroot, 1/2 zucchini, and 2 stalks celery. Season with salt, pepper and an herb of choice. Butter an oven dish, and place the veggie mixture in it. Pour 1 cup ( 2 dl) of coconut cream/milk over the casserole, and bake in a 350 Fahrenheit (180 Centigrade) oven for an hour. (We went outside to play in snow until the food was done.)

This nettle &  cucumber drink delivers raw goodness to the meal. Last May I collected some wild edible greens from our yard and put them in my freezer. Freezing is my favorite way to preserve greens. To make this drink (for one), I took three sprigs of nettle and a 2 inch (5 cm) piece of cucumber, and blended them in my Vitamix with enough water to make 2 cups (5 dl). To my surprise the taste was so mild, that I did not need to add any seasoning.

  The olive oil and coconut cream make sure this casserole is not something I would call light. But eating a normal-sized portion, which in this case is 1/4 of the batch, will make sure I don´t get fat. When combined with the beautifully green drink, this lunch left me feeling satisfied and energetic. So good, that I ate another portion for dinner! Really nice.

SMOOTH GREEN BREAKFAST

  Breakfast "porridge" made entirely of fruit and veggies makes me feel good and energetic. Unlike I imagined, it is not too light a meal. The key is to add something more heavy in it too, like banana or avocado, besides the usual apple and celery.
  This porridge does the trick for me:

Mild and yummy green porridge. Eating my greens as a porridge, instead of the usual smoothie, feels more satisfying. I do have green tea on the side too, to rehydrate me after the night´s sleep.

So smooth... Spinach breaks down very well in a blender, but other greens are just as good. Actually it is important to use different types of greens for variety, not stick with just one or two.

The recipe (for one):

1 pear
70 grams spinach
half an avocado
water

+ First blend the spinach and some water in a blender until the spinach dissolves. Then add the pear and avocado. Give it a whizz, adding water if desired.
  So simple, so soft and healthy.

  Have an energetic super-day!

BASIC RAW LUNCH

  I like to think that raw equals fresh. Who wouldn´t prefer fresh? It is always the best. And fresh this lunch is!

Inspired by Erica Palmcranz Aziz, I eat a big salad for lunch every day. The base is always a pile of green leaves, which I like to strip thinly. Another staple of mine is fermented cucumbers, which is a newcomer in my diet. Up until now the only fermented product I ever tried was sauerkraut, many different kinds, and for some reason it is so repulsive to me that I gag. But these cucumbers are from another planet. I´ve grown a little addiction to them actually. Having a varied salad for lunch every day is totally handy. I can throw in any veggies, or even some fruit, I have in the house, and therefore hardly anything is wasted! Like today I baked scones to my kids and their friends. I added peeled and grated zucchini into the dough to make the scones more juicy, and was left with a pile of zucchini peels. Well, into my salad they all went without trouble!  How cool is that?

Today´s salad was made of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, zucchini peels, papaya, fermented cucumber, and arame seaweed. On top I always add a rich dressing to combine the flavours. The dressings vary from day to day.

  The recipe for the salad dressing:

3/4 dl sunflower seeds
1-2 dl water
1/2 - 1 dl fresh herb(s)
a pinch of salt
1/2 avocado

+ Run the sunflower seeds in a food processor until finely ground. Add water, herbs, and salt. Process until smooth and the consistency as thick or runny as you like. Add the avocado. Process one last time.
  Pour over the salad, give it a mix, and eat it all!

The original recipe for this dressing (called the coriander dressing) is from Erica´s book. It called for lemon juice and coriander, neither of which I used. I did not have coriander ( I used basil ), and I´ve decided to omit lemon and lime juice. They make my teeth erode more, which according to my dentist, they have done quite a bit already. (Maybe I´ve eaten too much in my life  =).

  So far this dive into raw foods has been a pleasant experience. Non-cooking is easy and quick, and very little dirty dishes producing. I feel lighter, and even after a meal (when I still stuff myself!) I can run the stairs up without trouble. Although avocado and nuts/seeds are eaten a lot in raw foodism, I have not yet gained any weight. Even my stomach has stayed happy. So far so good!

CAULIFLOWER SALAD

  I´m on my six-week journey to raw foods, to see how my body likes it. Here´s my latest dinner:

This picture reveals just how much I eat... I always use this big bowl when making salad. Eating small amounts just makes me angry!

Along with the salad I ate a home-made whole wheat bun. Obviously that is not raw, but I promised myself before beginning this experiment, that I could eat one portion of cooked grain per day to prevent possible unpleasant cleansing side-effects (like headache or nausea).

  The recipe:

1/2 a small cauliflower
1 tomato
5cm piece of cucumber
fresh mint
fresh parsley
fresh chives
5 black olives
a handful of lettuce
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
a pinch of salt

+ Mince the cauliflower into small crumble-like texture in a food processor. Chop and slice the other veggies and herbs. Combine and toss all ingredients in a bowl.

It was delicious! And I was surprised how well it kept me satisfied (nearly four hours).

  Mabon is a great time to try raw foods. Now the markets are full of fresh produce, and the selection of locally farmed veggies and fruit is at it´s best.

EATING PLAN FOR MABON

  Hello raw food!
  After cooking quite a bit during Lughnasadh, I´m happy to give all it up and try some non-cooking for a change.

  I have always been fascinated by the idea of eating completely raw, uncooked, food. It just sounds so natural, and I wonder why we ever wandered off that path anyway...

  I´ll give it a try for the next six weeks. Like this:

7-9am Breakfast: Fruity porridge (fruit/berries blended with some greens into a thick smoothie, then sprinkled with a seasoning like ginger or cinnamon)

Apple, pear, and celery porridge with cinnamon.

11.30am -12.30pm Lunch: A large salad consisting of greens and veggies, tossed with a dressing that includes good oils, nuts, seeds, and/or avocado.

Random mixed greens and veggies, fermented cucumber, and seaweed tossed with a rich pinenut based dressing. Amazing!

3-4pm Dinner: An actual meal that requires some uncooking, like soup, zucchini "pasta" with a sauce, paté, couscous, etc. (Experimenting with recipes from books and online.)

Parsnip and rucola couscous with pear and pumpkin seeds for dinner.

6-8pm Supper: A raw dessert, like chocolate pudding, apple pie, citrus mousse, etc.

Chocolate cake for supper. I have a strong sweet tooth, and I eat a dessert every evening.

  Three years ago I attended a raw living foods hands-on course. I hated it. The foods we made there were terrible, and I sealed my hatred towards sauerkraut. Never, ever, again! But the course taught me that living foods were not my path. I can´t do fermenting, dehydrating, or sprouting all the time. Too hard core for me. I´m a simple gal, and I want my food to be that way too. Eating is important, we are made of the stuff we eat, but there are other things in life too. Food should not take up too much of our attention or time.

  Two years ago, when pregnant with my second child, I craved raw food like nothing else. I went for two weeks on raw food only. After the third month of expecting, the crazy craving subsided, but I still ate raw foods occasionally.

  Now it´s been a while since I last got a kick from raw food.  I´m optimistic now, because I have found an amazing instructional book, which keeps food prep easy and quick. No gimmicks, nasty sauerkraut making, running the food-dehydrator for days, or sprouting my brain out. Peel, chop, and eat is more like it.
  Usually I don´t like to advertise anything, but this Raw Food book by Erica Palmcrantz Aziz is great. This Mabon I will consider it my Bible. There are listed different cleanses, from 1 day to three weeks of duration, of which I go for the longest one. I´m not looking for a quick fix, I like to do sustainable changes. And I hate dieting!

  To find raw recipes you can try this, this, or this. But the web is full of other places too.

P.S. I do not expect to make it through without some cooked grain, like rice or whole grain bread. I allow myself to have some in the evenings if I really crave it. But the goal is as listed above, and I´m hopeful that the cravings will subside gradually as time goes on... I need to remember to be gentle with myself, and keep enjoying life. It is not about restriction, it´s about loving myself!

DETOX MORNING DRINK

  Sometimes I just crave green drinks. The urge comes and goes, but I interperate it as my body´s way of telling me it is time to take it a little lighter for a while. As my body is my temple - my home - I need to respect it´s needs.

  Here is what I had for breakfast the other day:

A large plateful of veggies...

... blended into a smooth green drink. It is amazing how much greens fit into a 1/2 liter pint!

The recipe for "Triple Green Juice" (serves 2) :

3 cups chopped fresh kale
1/2 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 seedless cucumber, chopped
1 carrot, chopped, or 1 apple cut into 4 pieces

+  Place all ingredients in a juicer and squeeze, or puree in a blender with a little spring water.

   I did not have kale, so I used lettuces and some wild edible greens from the garden instead.
  The taste was definitely healthy and surprisingly  pleasant! Another positive surprise was to find out that I did not become hungry until three hours later, only a little before lunch time anyway.

  The inspiration overall, and then the recipe above, came from Mayumi Nishimura´s book, Mayumi´s Kitchen, which I bought recently. She introduces a loose approach to macrobiotism, petit macro. That seems like an easier path into the somewhat confusing world of macrobiotic eating and lifestyle. I´m very excited about the world petit macro opens the door to!

EAT YOUR WEEDS- BREAKFAST

  Don´t hate your weeds, eat them!

  Here is one way of doing it:

Grab a bunch of wild edible weeds. This is what I had for breakfast this morning; lamb´s quarters. Yes, the whole bouquet. The taste is so mild and pleasant, that it can be eaten like common lettuce. Depending on what weed is in season, adjust the quantity to your taste buds (the level of bitterness varies quite a lot depending on the weed you choose). 

Chop the weed up finely, and add in enough plain (soy) yogurt to make a spread. Season with salt & pepper, chili, and your favorite herb. Mix and spread on whole-grain toast. Top with a sliced veggie. Yummy and healthy.

I eat as much as I want without guilt. Often that is four slices per morning.

  This breakfast is simply good. For you, your wallet, and the environment!
 

EATING PLAN FOR LITHA

  Time to start welcoming Litha! What a better way to tune in than with food? 

  At summer it is easier to eat light. I´m taking advantage of that by ripping my diet off of excess fat. As Dr.John McDougall puts it "The fat you eat is the fat you wear". He just makes sense. And I feel more energetic eating less fat.

Caught having second servings!

Breakfast:
1/2 liter green tea + soymilk
whole grain bread with yogurt-weed-spread (grab a cupful of edible weeds from the garden, mince them and add enough plain soy yogurt to form a spread. Season with an herb, salt and pepper, and chili.) and sliced veggies on top

Lunch:
1/2 liter water
1. Kissel/flavoured water and cardamom bun/bread
2. Potatoe salad (including new small potatoes, finely chopped pickles, mustard, plain yogurt, lemon juice, salt & pepper, and chives) with cold-smoked tofu
3. Summer soup (new potatoes, chopped carrots and cauliflower, peas and corn, a veggie bouillon and soymilk included in the broth, topped with fresh parsley) with rice cakes
4. Green salad with dill dressing (plain soy yogurt, dill, garlic, salt & pepper, and lemon juice) and whole grain bread
5.  Non-grilled veggies (marinate your favorite chopped veggies, like mushrooms, broccoli, and summer squash in a store-bought marinade overnight) with corn and vegan weenies
6. Fresh cabbage soup (fresh new cabbage, onion, garlic, carrots, veggie bouillon, salt & pepper, bay leaf, and fresh parsley) with whole grain bread
7. Italian salad (cooked macaroni, finely chopped bell pepper, peas, corn kernels, tomatoe puré, plain soy yogurt, salt & pepper, pickles, topped with chives. This is good both warm and cold.)

Italian salad for lunch.

Afternoon:
1/2 liter green tea + soymilk
oat porridge + soymilk + salt + jam

Evening:
1/2 liter hot cocoa (2dl soymilk, 3 Tbsp prepared cocoa powder, 3dl hot water)
rice cakes
(if more hungry, include a big fresh vegetable salad with your favorite dressing in moderation)

When testing this plan, I accidentally lost weight. So what this does is gives me more room to eat desserts like chocolate pudding and candy. Sweet!

SUMMER SMOOTHIE AND CARDAMOM BUN

  During hot days of summer I fancy some more fresh and light foods. And raw foods. Today was a hot day, and this is what I whipped up:

A smoothie made with nectarines and wild edible greens, plus cardamom & raisin bun. All on the healthier side of choices, of course. =)

A delicious way to eat my fruit and veg.

I simply love buns. But they take quite a bit of time to make, so the bread machine to the rescue it is! A device I got for a present many years ago. I don´t use it like all the time, but it is handy when I don´t have the time to bake "properly". I figure it is better to eat home made, whole wheat bun (no matter if it is made with a bread maker) instead the other option, which is store-bought, made with white flour, cow´s milk, and eggs, in any case. The more nutrients and less additives, the better.

The recipe for the summer smoothie:

any seasonal fruit/berry, as much as you want, combination or single (I used four small nectarines)
any desired flavouring, such as lime zest, cardamom, mint, ginger, etc. (I used none, but would have added mint, had I had any =)
wild edible greens/weeds (I threw in some willowherb)
(little honey if needed)
water

+ Combine all in a blender, adding enough water to reach the desired consistency.
  This smoothie can be either thick or thin, depending on preference and ingredients used.

The recipe for the bun:

3 dl soymilk
50 g vegan margarine
1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 dl sugar
5 dl whole wheat flour
11g (1 bag) dried yeast
1 dl raisins

+ Pour in the wet ingredients, then the dry, except for the raisins. Start the machine using the regular/most common program. When the machine is nearly done kneading the dough, throw in the raisins. This will keep them from being mashed into bits.
  Enjoy the great aroma until you hear the "beep", which gives you the permission to start munching. As much as you want, this is not fattening. It has lots of fiber, so it will keep you full until you have used up the calories in it.

  After having this today, I immediately started thinking about other versions of the smoothie. More like flavoured waters, which have been so popular these past years. How about cucumber & lime flavoured water? Or strawberry & peach? The options are unlimited.