Colour Me Happy

arugula pesto / raw, oil-free, 3 ingredients

Without getting into too many defining labels, I'm realizing how well high carb / low fat / mostly raw / plant-based is working for me.  Since I've become more mindful of my fat intake, I feel much better.  I have more energy, & my digestion doesn't feel so heavy.  Even though the food in Eden was beautiful, fresh, raw, & made with so much love, much of it was more typical "raw cuisine": dehydrated & higher in fat than I've been eating recently.  It was a good comparison though, because I'm reassured what I've been doing lately suits me.

On Monday, I'm going to talk a little bit about how I'm eating lately, why, & assure you I'm not afraid of fats; but today, I just want to share simple, beautiful food.

I am not avoiding fat by any means, but I am choosing whole food sources, like avocado.  Something hit me recently: oils aren't whole foods.  I know - pretty obvious, but I was caught up in how "good" they are for me.  Oils are a fully refined substance: 100% oil/fat, as in no fiber, no proteins, no carbs left behind.  The extraction process, whether hot, cold, etc. is by definition turning a whole food, such as an olive, into a fractionated one: oil.  This really hit me as I've become mindful of the percent of fat in my overall caloric intake.  I have realized how much fat even just a little oil adds, because again, it's 100% fat.

I don't want to stress you out with one more health thing to worry about or convince you to give up oils, but it certainly doesn't hurt to sit back & consider where most of your calories are coming from.  There are definitely those that are less bad than others, but the more nutrients we get from whole, unrefined sources, the better.  It's only made me feel better anyway. 

I guess I'm in a raw kick on the blog this week & wanting to share some of my creations.  I have a bag of fresh pine nuts in the fridge, which have lent themselves perfectly to homemade pesto with various greens.  Because I'm already getting the perfect amount of fat from the pine nuts here, I didn't want to add oil.  I wondered if just lemon juice would work without over-powering the pesto.  So far, it has wonderfully.  Arugula is such a strong, peppery green, it holds up well to the lemon's tartness.  We love this with fresh basil as well.

This raw pesto lets the simple list of fresh ingredients shine.  Because the pine nuts are fresh, this is truly raw.  Straight from the shell, these nuts are soft & meaty, unlike the dry, hard variety you'll find in the store.  Their flavor is more mellow, & I am always thrilled to find little road side stands or trucks selling brown paper bags full of pine nuts.  This bag is from my trip home in December, & they have kept well in the fridge.

My current favorite combination with pesto might seem kind of bizarre: pineapple & berries (blue or black preferably, though strawberries will do).  I thin the pesto by whisking in water & toss it all together in a salad of romaine or even butter lettuce.  If I use arugula, I snip fresh basil or lemon balm to toss along with it.  It helps balance the strong bitterness of arugula.  Mango also goes really well with arugula.  Dave likes drizzling this pesto right over roasted potatoes, & a basil version was awesome on pizza last Friday.

• 1 - 2 cups arugula or 2 cups basil
• 1/2 cup pine nuts (fresh if possible)
• lemon juice from one lemon

First chop herbs & pine nuts in a food processor or high-power blender; add lemon juice & blend to desired consistency.  Sometimes I like it sort of rough; other times I like it super smooth.

*I know something this simple might not be worthy of the "recipe" title, but I just want to share pesto can be made without oil.  This had never crossed my mind until now!

my final plea.

I don't ask for much very often, right? 

Did you enjoy my raw lemon mango tart recipe?  If so, PLEASE vote for me here, because the contest ends today.  Simply "like" it using the Facebook link off to the right side.  If you REALLY like it, please share it with your friends on your FB wall.  I really need your votes!  I would love & very much appreciate your support.

lost in sedona.

We lost Eisley this weekend.

Dave found her.  Thank God.

I can only begin to understand what parents who lose a child go through.  Despair.  Helplessness.

Sunday was the worst day ever, & then the best day ever.  Somehow we got too far ahead of her while trail running in Sedona.  I stopped to wait for her, decided I was going to pick her up & walk the rest of the way (it was hotter than we had expected), but she never came.  I slowly started retracing my steps, gaining speed as I rounded each bend & met empty straight-aways, until I was sprinting my hardest in sheer panic.  Once I hit the shadey spot we had last stopped together for a drink, I completely lost it.  Fortunately Dave was close behind, attracted by my yelling, & now, crying.  Where the fuck was she?  Wandering off, especially in the middle of a run, is not in her nature.  Wandering off trail is not like her either, since she prefers softer ground.  Oh my god, a coyote got her; but there was no blood. 

We think she must have stopped to do her business, & then got distracted sniffing around in the shade just off the trail.  I must have passed her in my state of panic.  Dave must have passed her too.  At one point she must have headed up the trail, thinking we were ahead.

I think I can keep a cool head, unless I'm personally, emotionally attached to the situation.  I was terrified & not in the least bit ready to accept I may have just lost my little girl & best bud.  After spreading off trail & wading through jabbing stickers for what seemed like an hour -- even though it was likely half that -- Dave told me to start walking back to the FJ slowly, calmly, & quietly.  Listen for her in the bushes, you know she's quiet*, he reminded me, as he ran ahead to see if she was waiting.  (*Eisley doesn't usually bark.)

Maybe it's just his nature or maybe it's his experience as a firefighter/EMT, but Dave can handle stress.  He knows how to assess situations, determine probable outcomes, accept what he can no longer control, & do what needs to be done.  He does this all while staying super calm & collected.  Not only was he handling the fact we couldn't find Eisley, he was also handling me.  Believe me, he & I both know he would have been carrying me out of there had something happened to her.

As he ran up the trail, he suddenly noticed a couple little shadey spots.  She would like this.  He stopped to look around, calling out her name.  As he circled a tree, he gently whispered her name.  Moments later she came running down the trail, a look of confusion & worry as her eyes darted around.  She caught sight of him & sprang forward to attack his hands with her tongue.  "Allie, I found her!"  I've never run so fast.

::sigh:: for safe puppies...& for amazing husbands who always seem to know exactly what to do.  Needless to say, our family time has felt a little more intimate & special the last couple days.

~

I meant to share a couple snippets of our weekend but got carried away with this story.  It's nearly as draining to recap it, so why don't you just link to your favorite photos from the weekend in the comments for me?  I'd love to see your happy moments.

lemon mango tart / raw, nut free

Imagine biting into a perfectly tart lemon bar:

Sour from the citrus hits the back of your tongue, balanced out by sugary sweetness filling the rest of your mouth.  Your teeth gently press though a crust that doesn't need to be overly flashy -- just the perfect combination of soft & firm -- lemon is the star after all. 

It is no wonder they are one of Dave's favorite treats.  What are in lemon bars anyway?  Mostly eggs & sugar?  Whatever it is, they are the perfect balance of gooey filling in a soft bar you can pick up without having it fall to pieces.

I wanted to create a raw dessert with a texture similar to traditional lemon bars.  The recipes I found online either yielded a treat Lara Bar-esque or were creamier than I was after.  My ah-ha moment hit while eating one of my desert island foods. 

I love mangoes - especially champagne mangoes - & they are perfect when you are after a sweet, gooey filling.  This dessert is not traditional by any means, & I decided to go with two small tarts instead of bars.  The first bite is a subtle sweetness from the mangoes, but it's quickly overtaken as lemon floods to the back of the tongue.  Even though mangoes play a crucial supporting role, lemon is definitely still the star here.

While this crust isn't anything like the traditional's, how could a crust made entirely of dates be anything but amazing?  I think a fine almond meal crust would be really fantastic too; but I kept it simple with dates & a little coconut.  (I didn't want to use nuts.  To be completely honest, I intentionally kept the fat at less than 10%.)

The dates can be tricky & sticky; just keep pressing & working it, sliding your finger along the corner.  It's worth it!  And you'll be left with plenty of yummy date butter to lick from your fingers.

**This recipe is a submission for a raw food contest.  If you like it, PLEASE go here to vote for my tart by "liking" it on Facebook.  If you really like it, please share it on your wall with your friends & family.  I rarely enter competitions -- & ask for votes -- but I'd really love & appreciate your support!  I hope everyone is having a fun, active, & delicious Memorial Day!

See all of the yummy raw food recipes at facebook.com/fullyrawkristina.

• ~1.5 cup fresh dates
• 3 tablespoon dried coconut (optional)
• 6 champagne mangoes
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest

• two small tart pans or one deep, square dish

In a food processor, puree about 1.5 - 2 cups fresh or soaked dates with the dried coconut (optional) to form a paste.  I found the date paste easier to work with after letting it firm in the freezer for a minute or two.  I plopped a couple balls of paste into the center of each tart pan & placed in the freezer while I made the filling.  Press into two, (*parchment-lined) mini tart pans (or the bottom of a larger square pan for lemon squares).

For the filling, combine lemon juice, zest, & 3 chopped champagne mangoes.  Puree.  With the food processor running, slowing add 3 more chopped mangoes & puree until smooth.  If slightly runny, allow filling to set up in freezer for a few minutes; then pour over tart crusts.  Allow the tarts to set up in freezer for at least one hour.

You can carefully remove the tarts from each pan using the parchment paper, but the dates are kind of sticky & this is a little messy.  They make a pretty dessert served right in the tart pans.  *Don't bother lining them if you plan to serve this way.

 

food combining / the melon rule.

The first time I heard about proper food combining, I thought, wow that's extreme.  It made sense, & I didn't doubt it worked.  My "diet" is already pretty "restrictive" though (even if I don't feel restricted. make sense?), so I didn't necessarily want to add one more layer.

As I have transitioned to primarily low fat raw, I've naturally gravitated toward the rules of food combining.  One of the main reasons was realizing how fat was likely interfering with nutrient absorption.  Wow, what a difference (digestive-ly).  Simple meals really do digest best.  If you want good information about food combining see Sarah B.'s post.  She offers a great pdf, which Dave printed & laminated for me.  I turned it into a magnet & hung it on the fridge for easy reference.

While it wouldn't hurt to be more mindful, I'm not here to convince you to subscribe to proper food combining rules.  Like I mentioned, I wasn't interested initially, even after reading Sarah's informative article.  No one could have convinced me to try it.  It just happened organically.

However, I will encourage you to follow at least one rule:

the melon rule.

Cantaloupe have become one of my favorite breakfasts, especially as a smoothie.  I scoop the flesh of two melons into a blender (some days I add a little coconut water), blend until very smooth & creamy, & drink from a large mason jar.

If I have the patience to let it chill in the fridge for a few minutes, it's even yummier.  I love this pretty orange treat in the morning; it's sweet, insanely creamy, & delicious.  My biggest problem is I drink it too quickly -- & that's a lot of smoothie! -- but I intentionally make a large serving, because...

melons should be eaten alone. 

They digest rapidly & cause any other food present to ferment.  Many might not know this about eating melons, so I want to pass this information along.  I think it is ok to add fresh herbs to your melon.  I just love mint with watermelon. 

If you've never blended up cantaloupe before, you're in for a treat.  Enjoy summer's melons!  Just try to savour them alone.

snapshots / eden

Dave is really talented at capturing photos at dusk.  Every once in awhile, I get lucky.  I didn't get very lucky in Eden.  Dave is going to help me become more familiar with my camera, so I can show you Arizona's amazing sunsets.  I do have a couple "sunset" photos from Eden, but they don't really capture how moving it was. 

What I really love is morning light though.  It just works for me, without a lot of extra effort or camera rigging.  Most of these snapshots are from morning walks with Eisley or my friend, Tara; the rest were taken around dusk.  I don't have any photos of myself; apparently Billa was my muse much of the trip.  I don't think I photo bomb too often & only when a place is very special to me, so I hope you enjoy these.

Eden is magical & healing.  We slept under the stars beneath a beautiful, draping tree (photo above with Eisley's blanket hanging from it).  The moon was bright & huge; it woke me nearly every night.  A small, flowing stream trickled downhill, radiating heat & creating steamy channels as it entered & left each hot spring pool.  The warm pools embraced our tired bodies in the early mornings & evenings; some hot enough, we could only stay in for a few minutes.  During the heat of the day, the cooler, natural swimming pool, slick with moss, welcomed our naked bodies. 

We wrapped our hearts around nature, were reminded how precious she is, & breathed her in.

We were in the midst of amazing, natural medicine: the pools themselves & the life surrounding them.  I slathered mud all over my body the last morning of our stay, feeling it pull taught over my skin as it dried in the sun & drew toxins out.  I was introduced to yerba mansa, an unassuming broad-leafed plant with tiny white blossoms (fifth photo from bottom).  Chewing half a leaf completely warded off a deep bronchial cough that had crept up suddenly; it was gone by the end of the day.  We ate raw food, watched the sun set from the mesa, shared stories, & embraced new friends. 

watching the sun set

Why does it take something as phenomenal as an eclipse to make us stop & acknowledge the sun?

Since Eden, I've been striving to be more mindful of both sunrise & sunset, embracing the daily cycle as it folds around us.  Noting sunrise comes more naturally to me.  I, like Katie, love early mornings, & the sun spills through our french doors.  Morning rituals don't have to be a grand gesture or hippie ceremony; it doesn't even have to happen at the exact moment the sun rises.  Sometimes, it's simply sitting outside while I eat breakfast or watch Eisley play in the grass for a few minutes.  Some mornings, it's just stopping for a moment to breathe & quiet my mind.  A morning yoga practice is also a wonderful way to greet the day, & I always water our herbs in the morning light.

Sunset can more easily elude me though.  It is easier to start the day mindful, peaceful, & observant.  The distractions that arise later in the day are what get me.  Walking Eisley with Dave brings us back to connect with nature - the Arizona colors of the setting sun are insane.  Now that it is nice & summery, taking dinner outside more often seems like a wonderful idea.  AcroYoga with Dave on the grass could be pretty perfect in the evening too.  When we are out bouldering or climbing after work, our walk back to the car always seems to happen around sunset.  This can be magical.  Tell me, in what ways do you slow down in the evening & embrace sunset?  Could you see the annular solar eclipse yesterday?

I'm in an especially nature-loving mood.  If you are too, Lakshmi posted a beautiful tribute to Mother Earth: a lovely reminder to build a harmonic relationship with her again through peace, love, & mindfulness.

you should get a dog.

Eisley has been especially affectionate the last couple days. 

I'm not sure if it's all the bonding we did in Eden or the fact we get to spend all day together again or the long walks we've been taking, but she's my little shadow more than usual -- & I get kisses all the time.

I just love her.

Everyone should have a dog.  Seriously, even if you don't think you're a dog person, you probably are.  I met a man in Eden who had recently adopted a beautiful pit bull per his wife's insistence.  Supposedly, he doesn't even like dogs, but man was he ever smitten with their pup.

You can't share your life with these beautiful companions & not end up about a thousand times happier everyday.

Seriously.

goddess.

oh wow.

this place is beautiful & magical.

it touched me with all its subtleties & gentle power.

i'm not ready to be back online yet.

nope - because what i was reminded of is nature.

for all the talking & sharing & looking & surfing & pinning we do, we've lost touch with the core of it all. 

it's more than just loving nature...it's l o v i n g nature & connecting. really.

i have more photos & maybe even thoughts to share -- though there is not much point in putting what i realized into words -- but for now, i'm still mostly offline.

leaving for Eden.

Yesterday I left for Eden, Arizona to enjoy hot springs & the desert sun.  I cannot imagine a better way to decompress after the school year.  My days will be filled with clean food, yoga, therapeutic soaks, self-reflection, & writing.  Eisley is with me.  I have been looking foward to this little camping trip for weeks & found it difficult to stay focused until my finals were over.

My last final was Thursday, & I am so ready for summer.

 

 

 

These are my intentions.  Are you ready, summer?  GO!