Vegannosaurus Rex

One of the things i have noticed since changing to a primarily raw diet is how much better my body ‘metabolizes’ alcohol. I put the word ‘metabolize’ in quotes because i am 100% certain i am using it out of context, but its a really cool word and i think most people understand what i am trying to communicate by using that word. My body seems to process alcohol much better than it did before. This isn’t trivial, its a very obvious and significant change. Changes I have noticed since changing to primarily raw diet:

• i don’t get as drunk as quickly
• i don’t get as ‘drunk’ period, meaning: I’m much more coherent and clear headed
• much less severe hangovers; if any at all
• recovery time is reduced to almost nothing

Okay, i realize that this is primarily conjecture, but it’s not trivial by any means. I have discussed this change with several important people in my life, family, friends, etc…I have noticed a significant change in how my body processes alcohol since changing to a raw diet. Of all the changes i have realize in the short time i have been experimenting with a raw die, this is definitely not the one of which I am most proud, but its a very real difference that has proven to pass the test of time.

The first book I referenced in beginning my raw food experimentation was ‘RAW FOOD real world‘ from Matthew Kenney and Sarma Melngailis, the founders of Pure Food and Wine in New York City. First of all, this book is beautiful, perhaps one of the most beautiful cookbooks i have ever seen. The design and layout is intuitive, there are ample pictures, all extremely appetizing, and the book as a whole is full of color.

The pictures in this book are beautiful, i wanted to make every single recipe in the book the first time i laid eyes on it, then i started reading the recipes… With eyes popping out of my head, and beads of sweat forming on my brow, i expressed slight trepidation upon first glance at this challenging cookbook. Katie offered sage advice, ‘I use it as inspiration.’ Well spoken. That’s exactly how i have been using it, and it works. The pictures of the final products are so beautiful it is very tempting to attempt to make each and every one of them from start to finish, but i’ve found it far more rewarding, at this early stage in my raw food experience, to use the recipes more as a guideline. Many of these recipes have multiple parts that each have their own recipe and come together to make a greater whole. Instead of diving in and trying to create the masterpiece, i have started by making some of the pieces of the puzzle and applying them to meals in my own way. Its a great way to become familiar with both the book as well as some of the ingredients and techniques, as well as build my confidence, which leads me to my next point.

For some reason i get an incredible sense of accomplishment when i make food from this book. I’ve never had issues cooking, or following recipes, in fact i think i’m pretty good in the kitchen, but i get an elevated sense of accomplishment when completing these recipes. I’m still fascinated by what can be done with raw food, i’m sure that is a contributing factor, and i have someone i can lean on for guidance, which is motivating. Whatever the case, this book continues to provide inspiration.

As amazing as the recipes are in ‘RAW FOOD’ the ‘real world’ section is fascinating. The authors illustrate the path upon which the traveled to a raw diet and lifestyle, and it proves very educational. I’m a huge fan of the tone of these sections of the book, the authors don’t preach, they merely explain the route they have taken. I have referred back to these sections many times, its a fun read. They are honest, sometimes a little too honest, and self deprecating, two characteristics I appreciate in people.

I took the raw ricotta i used in the lasagna from the previous post, blended it with fresh thyme, basil and oregano and wrapped it in spinach and voila, rawvioli!

add a little raw marinara…

I made my first attempt at raw lasagna. It was better than any lasagna i have ever eaten. I was craving it so much the next day that i made it again. And…its super easy.

Not only am i obsessed with food, but i am obsessed with taking pictures of food. Following is my step by step instructions for raw vegan lasagna, in pictures:

[step 1] chop fresh oregano, basil and thyme. Slice zucchini into thin lasagna ‘noodles’

[step 2] raw ricotta (recipe courtesy of Katie Foerter, seeking approval to publish here)

[step 3] thinly slice an heirloom tomato. For the record, I did NOT make this lasagna in a bowl that is the exact same color of this heirloom tomato on purpose, and i wish i hadn’t made that mistake, the lasagna gets lost in the pictures.

[step 4] cover bottom of dish with sliced zucchini

[step 5] spread a thin layer of raw marinara over the zucchini

[step 6] cover raw marinara with a layer of raw ricotta and sprinkle some chopped oregano, basil and thyme over the raw ricotta

[step 7] add a layer of thinly sliced heirloom tomato

[step 8] add a second layer of zucchini

[step 9] more raw marinara

[step 10] more raw ricotta and hopped herbs

[step 11] a final layer of heirloom tomatoes and chopped herbs

ENJOY!

I had the pleasure of meeting Dulce Vegan at the East Atlanta Farmers Market this past Thursday (9/20/07). Dulce Vegan makes delicious vegan desserts available at Inman Perk coffee shop (280 Elizabeth St./ Atlanta, GA 30307), the East Atlanta Farmers Market, or ordered directly from the source. I can attest to the deliciousness of the cupcakes if nothing else:

I have an unhealthy obsession with tacos. At one point in my life i would come home drunk and bid on various taco memorabilia, tools, accoutrements, anything you could imagine. Whatever my drunk ass bid on was greeted with surprise upon arrival as I never remembered bidding on any of the items i ultimately purchased, and that was half the fun. None of these items amounted to much, it was just a pile of taco crap, most of which has since gone the way of the dodo bird. Anyway, you get the idea, i like tacos. As I have adjusted my diet I felt this was an obsession that was going to have to fade, and have had some reservations about losing this dear friend. Well, i made my first stab at a raw vegan taco last night. I’ll admit that my expectations were low, but that didn’t stop me from putting some thought and energy into making the best raw/vegan taco possible. And it worked. SOOOOO simple, and so good. You could make these in your sleep, which is convenient because i had a dream about them the night after i made them.

Delicious, absolutely delicious. I surprised even myself yet again. I made two fillings, one was a pretty basic guacamole:

• cilantro
• avacado
• roma tomato
• red onion
• salt
• serrano chile
• garlic
• lime juice

and the other a salsa/pico de gallo mixture:

• roma tomatoes
• cilantro
• red onion
• garlic
• sweet white corn

The guacamole is the same basic recipe (i add a touch of this or that from time to time) that I have been making for 10 years, as you can see from above, its nothing extra special. On paper, the salsa mixture looks super simple as well…its all in the corn. I kept the corn kernels whole, right off the cob, and i cut the tomatoes fairly large, you could fit 3-4 pieces on a fork, keep it nice and chunky:

This meal wasn’t totally raw, i did use a tortilla, slightly toasted. Line the bottom of the tortilla with some guacamole, top with the pico de gallo mix. Absolutely delicious. Enjoy.

I had an epiphany tonight. Raw corn on the cob.

I didn’t discover this on my own, mind you. That honor goes to the beautiful and multi talented Katie Foerter, a raw/vegan chef here in my hometown of Atlanta. I need to get that introduction out of the way because she will appear in many posts moving forward. She’s my raw diet spiritual advisor. I ask her endless questions regarding a raw food diet and raw food preparation, and she is always more than gracious in responding to my inquiries and encouraging my experimentation. I owe her a debt of gratitude i will never be able to repay.

ON WITH THE CORN…

I have always loved corn, especially on the cob. I remember watching my father have to cut the corn off of the cob when i was a kid due to his dentures. It was too painful for him to eat the corn directly off of the cob. I always thought he was missing out on something special, and as odd as it sounds, i think about my father meticulously (he does everything in this manner) cutting the corn off of the cob so as not to miss a single kernel. Its as if he was eating the corn off the cob, but with a knife instead of his incisors.

‘JERSEY CORN’

My father’s side of the family is from New Jersey. Anyone that has spent any time in New Jersey understands three things, New Jersey is proud of their corn, their tomatoes and the fact that New Jersey is considered the ’safest state.’ That last distinction is a reference to the fact that they have the lowest amount of car insurance claims per capita than any other state. Jersey Corn, white and sweet. I’ve never met anyone from New Jersey (most of the people are relatives) that wasn’t proud of ‘Jersey corn.’ And, to be honest, for good reason.

My grandmother used to make this wonderful dish for Thanksgiving every year, Jiffy Corn. Whew, its corn nirvana. A box of Jiffy Corn mix, creamed corn, multiple ears of fresh corn, cheese, butter. Oof, i need a nap. My grandmother’s Jiffy Corn always seemed like dessert, in fact, i used to get a second helping in place of dessert. I actually made a vegan version of this dish for Thanksgiving last year, its was surprisingly close to the original, and was a huge hit with everyone, carnivores included, but that’s a post for another day.

REKINDLED LOVE AFFAIR

Recently, this past summer in fact, my love affair with corn was rekindled, in the form of grilled corn. Myself and another friend, Erlene Zierke, had an ever so slight obsession with ‘grilled cron.’ Many (and by ‘many’ i mean 3) a summer night were spent grilling corn over the gas grill at Erlene’s apartment. Techniques were researched and studied, the corn was shopped for at multiple venues, and most importantly, cron was eaten in abundance. I really like corn.

Enter Katie. Upon meeting Katie she began her slow (4 week) sales pitch of raw corn on the cob. I was surprisingly skeptical. I literally never even considered eating corn on the cob raw, until, and i’m not kidding about this, the week before meeting Katie, and then it was only in passing, because, quite frankly, it sounded ridiculous. So, back to the sales pitch:

‘try biting into corn on the cob raw, its so sweet and so juicy. The first time i had it the corn juice was running down my arm and it was a really bright yellow, when have you ever seen bright yellow juice come out of cooked corn?’

I was still skeptical. Biting into a raw ear of corn just seemed…odd. Well, i bought two ears of corn yesterday at the Dekalb Farmers Market with the idea of using them in a salsa i was making for raw tacos. I made the ‘mistake’ of articulating how proud i was of myself for buying, and intending to eat, raw corn while on the phone with Katie this evening. Oops. The gauntlet was dropped. It was demanded that i bite into a cob of corn right there on the spot…while on the phone with her. I resisted, hemmed and hawed for a bit before deciding it was much easier to just agree with said female than try to resist.

Ummm….Raw corn is an elevated experience. Take a boiled, or grilled, ear of corn and elevated all of the aspects of the experience. The texture, juiciness, flavor, sweetness. Raw corn is amazing, truly. Its everything corn is, then add a little more. Crunchy, juicy, sweet, uber-flavor. I was truly overwhelmed by the sweetness. I think i said, about eight times, ‘its so sweet’ on the phone.

Try raw corn on the cob. Its rawsome.