Raw Energy

During our pre-trip shopping, I came across a book that I purchased for travel entertainment called "Raw Energy-124 Raw Food Recipes for Energy Bars, Smoothies and Other Snacks to Supercharge Your Body" by Stephanie Tourles.

While I have no intention of restricting myself to a completely raw diet, I can see the benefit of increasing my intake of raw foods. I feel similarly about vegetarianism. I see the benefit of taking a break from meat now and then but have no desire to completely eliminate it from my menu.

The primary attraction for me to eat more raw foods is the increase of natural enzymes in the food which aid in digestion. We all have digestive enzymes in our bodies but various health materials I have read agree that as we age (especially if we have not eaten properly throughout our lifetimes) we begin to loose that valuable enzyme action and depend more on our foods (or medication) to aid in digestion. I want enzymes.

Plant foods that have not been heated beyond a certain temperature are considered raw and are live with naturally-occuring enzymes. I have already delved into this arena with my juicing, salads, and date cookie recipes. This book adds all sorts of possibilities to my menu: granola bars, nut milks, vegetable chips, cookies & squares, smoothies, juices and more. All the recipes that need sweetening use Agave or Maple Syrup which are natural products that I am willing to use. (By the way, even Stephanie, the queen of rawness, uses maple syrup which she admits is not a raw product!)

A good portion of the recipes involve using a food dehydrator which I don't currently own but due to my thrifiness during our recent trip (no spa visits or shopping sprees), I was able to purchase one from Costco.ca when I got back. It's not a pretty appliance and it's home is going to be our basement laundryroom, but the price was right and the company is 2nd best in reputation. My real attraction is to the Excalabur which would look oh so nice on my kitchen counter but it's all about $$$$.

So my new appliance should be delivered today or tomorrow and I've already picked some recipes to try right away starting with zucchini chips. I consider it my nutritional editorial duty to forge into the world of rawness & dehydration and take you with me via blogland! To go where no Cassidy has gone before...