Food Reunion.
To sum up our Juice Fast Adventure; what started as a 10 day fast for my husband and I turned into a 7 day fast on day 3 then turned into a 6 day fast on day 6. We celebrated our victory (even though we didn’t make it to 10 we felt as though we had been foodless for a year) with a giant feast. This is not recommended by anyone who has any experience with fasting but we did it any way. Crepes with nutella, strawberries, ice cream and maple syrup tasted like heaven on earth and then very quickly felt like hell on earth. We both felt so sick yet it was so worth it!
We have done meal juice fasts since then replacing meals with juice but we have yet to do any more lengthy fasts. We talk about it often and are talking about doing one soon!
Juice Fast AKA Torture
About two weeks ago my husband and I watched a documentary which is why I find myself in my present starving state. Well I guess I am not starving just hungry…
After watching “Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead” and being moved by the transformative stories it told, we decided that we wanted to dable in the juicing movement. I went out the next day and bought a Jack LaLane juicer. We started by supplementing our meals with extra micronutrients by adding fresh veggie and fruit juices. This was great, the amount of nutrients that can be squeezed into a juice we could never squeeze into our tummies in their whole forms.
Next we wanted to try a full juice fast so after weaning ourselves off of meat and most processed foods(I may have indulged in a cupcake(or two) the night before)we begin a 10 day juice fast.
This was five days ago. The first day was miserable, I am a caffeine addict and so my body was going through withdrawl symptoms with a wicked headache. This was gone by the second day and I felt a strange clearing in my mind. Everything seemed heightened, my husband and I joked that we were taking the efficiency drug from the movie “Limitless”. Day three we did not feel so hot…this is when a deep desire for anything to eat set in… I wasn’t actually hungry just really wanted to eat something, anything. Day three was when our ten day juice fast became a 7 day juice fast :) Day four felt better now that the end of the fast was that much closer. I even felt strong enough to hit the gym(though I couldn’t run as long as before without stopping).
It is now day 5 and I need to stop pouring over recipes of delicious food as it is only adding to the torture. Over all I am glad we did it(and are going to finish the 7 days), I can only imagine the cleanse that my body is now experiencing and this is important with all the toxins in our food today. My husband has lost 8 pounds and I have lost 5, though we know it won’t stay once we start eating again it still feels good when you step on the scale and see it.
More updates to come on the next two days and the foodgasm that will occur when our first meal after all this happens…
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Mean green lunch!
Cucumber water with asparagus and feta scramble in a fluffy tortilla…
Some tips for making this meal:
1) Don’t over cook the asparagus, steam it with a small amount if water in a pan.
2) Add all ingredients to the eggs while they are still raw to keep it moist
Enjoy!
Multi-Purpose Maple!
Part Two
During these hot months of summer I have perfected the art of refreshingly cool drinks made at home! I was always turned off by the idea of making iced tea at home as it seemed so complicated…do I steep the tea in the hot water on the counter and then put it in the fridge or can I put it right in the fridge, do I need one of those iced tea machines, how long do I leave the bags in, can I pour the hot water into a plastic pitcher or do I need a glass one??
Cold brew iced tea has eliminated all this hassle, simple take 1/4 cup loose leaf tea(it works better than bagged) and combine with 4 cups purified water(for better flavor), If you have a bodum or coffee press this works best. Place it in your fridge with the plunger up and let it sit at least overnight(the longer you leave it the more flavor you get). This method produces a product that is more appealing to the eye and palette. Hot brewed iced tea is cloudy and has a slightly bitter flavor, this does not happen with the cold brew method.
Now finally coming to the part of this recipe that applies to the heading of this post, pour your tea over ice and sweeten with maple syrup! It is incredible delish, the syrup blends much better than sugar crystals and the maple adds flavor. Another great way to use maple in cold drinks is with iced coffee, same ease of blending and flavor addition apply. Maple syrup is my new vice and I am feeling a little like Buddy the Elf as I gush over its many uses :)
Maple and its many uses!
Part One.
Being Canadian I am no stranger to Maple Syrup, growing up it was a common substitute for sugar in our house. Consequently, when I found this maple sugar cotton candy being sold at a farmer’s market in Warwick, NY I just had to try it. This fluffy treat did not disappoint, the consistency was the same as its fluorescent colored cousin yet it’s flavor was delicate with just a hint of maple essence lingering in one’s mouth. Basically you get all the fun of traditional cotton candy without the typical guilt from eating food dye and sugar. Next post I am going to explore maple in refreshing summer drinks!
I want to apologize for my lack of food inspired bragging as of late. Truthfully I moved over the past two weeks and while it was totally worth it (I love my new place, especially the kitchen ) I have not been eating anything I am too proud of… Definitely nothing I would want to take a picture of or brag about. Yet, this past weekend as I made a trip into upstate New York my visit to Fratello a pizzeria in Warwick, NY ended the junk food marathon. The classic margherita pizza with fresh mozzarella, tomato puree and basil melted in my mouth. My secret ingredient to take any pizza meal to the next level is topping it with Caesar salad, the warm cheesy pizza and the fresh, crunchy lettuce are a perfect balance. I encourage everyone to try it!
Kale! This cabbage is nicknamed the “Queen of Greens” as it is one of the most nutrient rich vegetables. If you want the complete rundown of the nutritional benefits check out; http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/the-truth-about-kale. In an attempt to eat something good for me I tried this dehydrated version of kale as I had been told it was similar to chips. It was nothing like chips; the texture was prickly and awkward to eat, the flavor was bland and had a rancid after taste. I double checked with the establishment that I purchased this from and they told me it was not rotten. I have eaten kale steamed with carrots, feta and quinoa, this was delicious thus I know kale has potential. I have not given up on finding new ways to include kale in my diet on a daily basis but this version will not be making a reappearance any time soon.
Oh Texas…you make good food. This gelato is amazing, I have enjoyed the rich deliciousness of gelato worldwide and nothing compares to Paciugo!
Have you tried this new yogi fad? Kombucha is a fermented tea that is supposed to be very good for you. I am accustomed to drinking/eating strange things because they are “good” for me so I found this mild. Yet some people are quite put off by it’s vinegar flavor and the strands of the culture floating around inside of it. Try the flavored versions if you are nervous, the flavor trilogy by the brand Synergy is my favorite!
Stone Barns Farm
This center for food and agriculture appeals to every fiber of my being. Not only are they farming in a sustainable way they are also advocates for the food education movement that is spreading across the country. The farm has ties with the Rockefeller name and is a memoriam for Peggy Rockefeller as “she was deeply committed to farmland preservation and the protection of family farming”; I think Peggy and I would have been kindred spirits. Unfortunately the day I visited (about a month ago) was quite chilly and a little foggy. Nonetheless I was so excited to be there that nothing could spoil my day. I started my exploration in their cafe where I ordered several different things for my family and myself; including latte’s, cookies and brownies, open-faced sandwiches and soups. I thought that the latte was surprisingly sweet sans sugar, the baked goods were warm and simple, the sandwiches were delicious because of their fresh ingredients and the soup was the only disappointment. My family was actually disappointed by most of the food yet I think that had a lot to do with the price more than the flavor. Their lack of enthusiasm couldn’t put a damper on my anticipation as we had not come for the café but rather for the farmer’s market and the education. The market was a grand spread of vegetables, meats, cheeses and breads. The cheese and bread stands were not from Stone Barns Farm yet everything else was. Everyone I talked to was very educated on the products they were selling even going as far as offering a private tour of the slaughter house when I showed interest in knowing how they handled their animals. I purchased spinach, parsnips, a whole chicken, eggs and bacon all of which was nurtured (cooked) into a delicious dinner the next night.
After dropping everything off at our car we went on a guided tour of the whole property, which we paid ten dollars per person for (well worth the money). The woman who took us around was very approachable and knowledgeable. There were several children on our tour and she did a great job of balancing the information she provided between the differing interests of the adult and children audiences. We saw the fields that were quite barren and empty at that time, yet I could see the potential. The tisane garden was just starting to turn green again and we even saw the honeybee hives. The greenhouse was a personal favorite of mine as it was lush and overflowing with every variety of greens I could imagine. There was a young boy with curly blond hair that was about 4 years old running around playing in the dirt. He was the son of one of the farmers and he ushered us into the greenhouse flapping his hand in a wave like motion that was adorable, you could tell he was used to having strange people in his “playground”. As his father explained some of the different things they were growing and the methods that they used, the little boy brought each one of us a turnip and told us to eat it. Mine was covered in dirt but I rubbed it off and took a bite, it tasted so earthy and clean. He then told me I was eating the wrong part; I should eat the stem “because it tastes like candy”. Yes, I was speechless this little kid had just compared a turnip to candy. I was skeptical but tried the center part of the stem and he was right, it was sweet and crunchy, like a candy!
Next the tour took us to the animal pens, where we saw sheep, pigs and chickens. All of them had open areas, fresh air, sunlight and features tailored for their specific needs. For example, the pigs had special feeding troughs that simulated the digging they would have done with their snouts in the wild. The guide mentioned while we were outside of the chickens habitat that these were the older chickens that were on their way to the soup pot next. This disturbed the children in our group greatly however the guide handled the situation very well explaining that it was important to know where our food comes from. She told them that the chickens had lived a good life and that death was a natural part of existence. As someone who has struggled with guilt at times for eating another living thing, I found this to be an enlightening moment. The chickens in front of me where no longer the adorable little chicks I envisioned when feeling torn about eating my lunch. They were old and honestly quite ugly as they were missing most of their feathers, the guide told us that the older they get the more aggressive they are and they attack each other. It’s almost as though they would just kill each other if we didn’t; and for a moment as reminiscent of Disney as this sounds, I felt that eating animals when they had received respect in life and death was only natural. Overall, I ate good food, bought fresh ingredients for a delicious home cooked meal and learned a lot about myself, agriculture and life.
