Diary of an Exfoodie

Fun with my dehydrator

Posted on July 30, 2010 by Neven Jones

I have been using my dehydrator a lot lately, which is very unusual for me. I’ve had it for about 8 months and have barely used it. I’ve made juice pulp crackers a few times and used it to marinate vegetables, but that’s about it. When I bought my dehydrator I thought that I would be making flax crackers, desserts and tons of raw granola. I’d see all these delicious recipes on the Internet and in cookbooks that looked really good, but were often complicated to make. Many times they would involve multiple steps and a long list of ingredients that I didn’t have on hand. This put me off using my dehydrator for a long time. I came to the conclusion that a dehydrator was for raw foodies who liked to bake before they went raw. I was never one who embraced baking, too strict. I’m more of a fan of eyeballing ingredients and substituting for what I’ve got on hand.

This week I decided to dust off my dehydrator and give it another chance. Maybe I would grow to love it, or at least like it. This change of heart came about when I was driving in the car with my son. I asked him to write down 5 things that he would like to have for breakfast. Lately he has been eating the same foods in the morning and I was a little desperate for ideas. The last time I tried something like this I got nowhere, but he was older now so I gave it another shot.

One of the foods on his list was granola. So I searched the internet for the some raw granola and I stumbled across this old recipe from Bitt. I was looking for a recipe that had buckwheat groats and that was simple. The recipe was delicious, my son LOVED it and so did I. I made a small test batch yesterday and so today made a bigger batch.

raw granola

I also dehydrated some buckwheat groats. just have on hand.

raw granola and buckwheat groats

I was feeling inspired to dehydrate some more, so I also made some eggplant “bacon”. I think it’s insulting to the eggplant to call it eggplant bacon. I’ve never been a bacon fan even in my meat eating days and now I can’t even tolerate the smell. I prefer to call it crispy eggplant.

Crispy raw dehydrated eggplant

It was really crispy, slightly sweet with just a hint of spice. It was fun making all those foods in my dehydrator, I started to like it more than I used to. However I still love simple water rich foods the best.

Posted in Raw Foods | Tagged dehydrator, Raw Diet, Raw Foods, raw granola | View Comments

I need more GREENS!

Posted on July 21, 2010 by Neven Jones

It’s summertime and for most of North America that means enjoying longer days in the warm sunshine and shopping at the farmer’s market. I love the Summer, but I miss the variety of greens that I enjoy in the Fall, Winter and Spring. In San Antonio it is way too hot in the summer to grow lettuce and other greens, that means I have to buy these staples at the grocery store. The downside to that is I’m greatly limited in what I can buy. It makes it very challenging to rotate my greens in the Summer.

My winter lettuce

Lately I’ve been eating only a bunch of greens a day, which is about 1/2 of what I normally eat. The reason for this drastic reduction in my consumption of greens is that I’m tired of eating the same ones day after day. This is my first full Summer on a high raw diet, I started eating this way this time last year. Since the diet was new to me then I didn’t notice that I would be faced with a lack of variety in the Summer. I know I’m lucky that we have a farmer’s market year round and that I can even get locally grown greens in the Winter. But still I really want more variety. To make up for this I tend to eat more sprouts and drink more wheat grass in the summer just for a change. I need more choices, after all greens are the main part of my diet. They are what keep me balanced, happy and craving free.

Variety is the key to success on the raw food diet, and lately variety is what I have been missing. I suppose I should go foraging for some wild edibles to solve my problem, I’m not confident enough in my plant identification to do that alone. Where is Sergei Boutenko when you need him? I do know that eating wild edibles will solve my problem, so I need to order some weeds from Seeds of Change and plant them. We all know that weeds are the only thing that will grow in extreme heat. I love summer, but I’m looking forward to fall when I can get three types of organic chard at the farmer’s market.

Posted in Raw Foods | Tagged greens, High Raw, obsticles on raw diet, Raw food diet, Raw Foods, wild edibles | View Comments

A mini juice fast and some major decluttering

Posted on July 13, 2010 by Neven Jones

Yesterday I decided to do a one day juice/blended food fast to give my body a break. I have been eating a lot of salt lately, mainly in the form of miso. In just 6 days I had 6 bowls of miso soup, I love the flavor of miso, but that’s way too much salt for one person to consume in just 6 days. Doing a short fast was a great way to rehydrate my body so it could flush out all the extra salt. When I’m on a juice fast I consume a lot of greens and that makes my mind clear. It makes it easier to make decisions and to get myself organized.

And organizing is just what I needed to do. Lately I been noticing a lot of clutter around my house and have come to the realization that I may not be as neat as I think I am. I knew if I felt really good on the inside it would be easier to clean up what I had been putting off. The strategy worked well for me yesterday. I was able to clean up a lot of the clutter that I wanted to get rid of. I still have some more to do, but it was a great start.

I drank so many great juices yesterday. I started off with a carrot, celery, cucumber and kale juice. I also had a nice bowl of tomato, red pepper, celery, cucumber and garlic soup that was really delicious and very satisfying for my lunch. Throughout the day I had more green juice and my summertime favorite, watermelon juice. I added the blended raw soup in so I could have something savory and filling. When I drink nothing but juices all day I usually feel too hungry by the end of the day.

The next morning I woke up and had a shot of wheat grass juice followed by a delicious fruit smoothie. I was back to my salads by dinnertime. I enjoyed my fast, is was short but effective. My body feels better and my house looks better.

Posted in Thoughts | Tagged High Raw, Juice Feast, Juicing, Raw Diet, Raw Foods | View Comments

Transitioning to a raw vegan diet

Posted on July 12, 2010 by Neven Jones

I’ve stopped eating fish. When I look at a fish I don’t see food, I see a living being that I don’t want to eat. I knew this day would come soon because the last few times I ate fish, I didn’t enjoy it like I used to. I’ve been slowly cutting out animal products from diet for the past 2 years. Red meat was the first to go. I decided to stop eating it when I read that the FDA approved cloned meat. That was enough to make me lose my appetite for a food I once loved. Now when I look at a cow I can look into its eyes and see that it is a beautiful living animal with feelings. It is not food.

I’m really happy that I took it slowly, that was the key to my success. For most of my life I was a meat eater. I did have some periods where I stopped eating animal products, but I always went back to them because I thought I needed them for my main source of protein. I had a brief period where I ate a vegetarian diet, but stopped after a few months because I didn’t want to fill my body with soy products. It wasn’t until I started eating a lot of raw foods that I was able to stop eating all meat and dairy naturally. Eating a lot of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and especially greens made me crave animal products less and less.

Last month when I was in Montreal for the Canadian Grand Prix I realized I was ready to make more changes in my diet. One night I was having dinner with a group of foodie friends and everyone wanted to order the tasting menu, which was 5 courses and full of meat. If one person wanted the tasting menu the whole table had to get it. When you are eating with foodies they always want to get the tasting menu. The waiter was nice enough to make me a meat free, dairy free version with seafood.

The problem was that by the 3rd course I’d had enough, but the food kept coming. There was a time when I thoroughly enjoyed eating this way, I don’t anymore. I did enjoy having a long leisurely dinner with friends I just didn’t want to see another course with a piece of fish in it. It was just too much food. When I got home from my trip I was pretty sure I was done eating fish.

When you stop eating animal products you almost have to teach your body to know when it’s full. Meat and dairy have a lot of fat in them so it’s easy to feel very full after eating these foods. Greens, vegetables and fruits are very water rich and contain little fat so when you eat them you will not feel as full as you would if you had a steak. The benefit of eating a plant based diet is that you will feel light and happy after you finish eating your meal, not stuffed and lethargic.

The past few weeks I’ve been adding more cooked vegan foods in my diet just to experiment with feeling full without eating fish. I didn’t feel as light as I normally feel eating this way, but it was a good way to teach my body to feel without relying on eating fish once a week. I think I’m ready to go back to eating a higher percentage of raw foods I miss the clarity I had before. I will most likely save the cooked vegan foods for when I go out to restaurants and keep it raw at home. I’m much happier this way, a raw vegan diet is the best diet for me.

Posted in Raw Foods | Tagged High Raw, Raw Diet, Raw Foods, raw vegan, Transitioning to raw diet | View Comments

Trying durian for the first time

Posted on July 11, 2010 by Neven Jones

A few weeks ago I tried durian for the first time. Durian, also known as “the king of fruits”, grows in tropical climates and is native to Indonesia and Malaysia. Some say it smells like stinky gym socks, rotten eggs and sulfur. Although it has a reputation for being stinky, it’s also known for being delicious and healthy. After hearing people in the raw food community go on and on about how good they feel after they eat it, I knew I just had to try it. I headed to my local Asian market in search of some. I was expecting to find the durian in the frozen section and was happy to find fresh ones. Southeast Asia is a long way from San Antonio so I was hoping mine would not be spoiled.

I bought the fruit home and just stared at it. I wasn’t sure what to do next. I wanted to try it, but I was a little intimidated by it. It was so big and so spiky and it hurt my hand every time I touched it. I remembered that one of my favorite raw food chefs Ani Phyo did a great video about opening a durian, so I watched the video again. The next morning I decided I was ready to open my durian.

I woke up early and went to the kitchen and took it out of the refrigerator and quietly cut into it. I may have been quiet, but my durian wasn’t. The smell was so intense that it quickly filled the room after I made just a small cut into its flesh. If a smell could make a noise this one was screaming. My whole kitchen smelled like sulfur. It was intense.

I managed to get a section of fruit out just as my husband walked into the kitchen with a smile. His smile faded quickly as he was hit by the intense smell of my durian. He was coming over to give me a good morning kiss, but instead decided to hold his nose and proceeded to ask me “what is that horrible smell?” My son came into the kitchen shortly after that and was equally revolted by the smell. I must admit I had a hard time with the smell as well, but I still wanted to give it a chance. I put my small section of durian on a plate and sat outside on the back steps with my loyal dog. She was the only one who didn’t complain.

Isn’t she cute!

As I sat outside in the fresh air the durian smelled a little bit better and I was able to take a bite of it. It has a strange consistency, firm on the outside and soft on the inside. The outside reminded me of the “skin” on a custard that was left out to cool. I had only eaten two bites when my son came outside to tell me how stinky the kitchen was and that he hated durian. It’s hard to eat something when people keep telling you how stinky and gross it is. I gave the rest of the fruit to my dog, who couldn’t get enough of it. She ate the plateful and wanted more.

It’s not the most beautiful looking or smelling fruit so why does it have such a strong following? It’s because of its many health benefits. Durian is rich in amino acids, copper, potassium, vitamin C and vitamins B5 and B9. Although durian is mainly grown in Southeast Asia, it’s also grown in Florida and Hawaii. Next time I’m in Florida I’ll be sure to look for some so that I can taste what a fresh durian is supposed to taste like. Have a great day and be sure to check out my delicious recipe for a raw vegan pumpkin seed curry on mySA.

Posted in Raw Foods | Tagged Durian, fruit, High Raw, Raw Diet, Raw food diet, Raw Foods | View Comments

Delicious watermelon and lime smoothie

Posted on June 25, 2010 by Neven Jones

It gets hot in the summertime so it’s important to keep hydrated. Drinking water is important, but sometimes it’s nice to have something with a little more flavor that will still quench your thirst. This delicious watermelon lime smoothie does just that. I went to the farmer’s market yesterday and picked up a locally grown watermelon. It was big and really heavy, I could tell right away it was going to taste sweet. I prefer the taste of a seeded melon to the seedless variety. Besides it’s unnatural for a watermelon not to have seeds. Seeds are life. Sure its more work getting the seeds out, but it’s worth it.

This drink isn’t quite as thick as a traditional smoothie, it’s more refreshing and easier to drink in large quantities without feeling too full. Begin by filling your blender with cubed watermelon and add to that the juice of 1/2 a lime. Add more lime for a sharper taste. If you want a little spice add in a little jalapeno.

Simply blend and enjoy.

It’s the perfect drink to along when dashing out the door in the summer heat. Enjoy.

Posted in Recipes | Tagged High Raw, Raw Foods, raw vegan, smoothie, summer drink, summer fruits, watermelon | View Comments

Staying raw at the Canadian Grand Prix

Posted on June 16, 2010 by Neven Jones

I was in Montreal this past weekend with some friends for the Canadian Grand Prix. I loved watching the F1 race, but let’s face it raw food is hard to come by at most sporting events. It was a three day event so on the first day I took a few apples, a banana, raisins and some cashews with me. It wasn’t enough food. I was really hungry by the afternoon so my husband and I decided to walk around.

We came across this place called Liquid Nutrition. They sell fruit smoothies, nuts, pasta salads and meal replacement bars.

I was so happy to see that all of their smoothies were made from frozen fruit and fruit juice. I ordered one immediately. It was very good, a little sweeter than I’m used to drinking, but I was thankful to be drinking it. It filled me up long enough to stay at the track for a few more hours to watch practice rounds.

By the time we got back to the hotel I felt like crashing. My husband asked me why I was so spacey. I wondered the very same thing, until I realized I hadn’t had any greens the whole day. I told him I needed to go to Crudessence, a raw vegan restaurant in Montreal, immediately. I needed a green juice and some greens stat! I couldn’t get there fast enough. We were meeting some friends for dinner later that night, but I knew I needed to load up on greens before I went to dinner so that I could feel like myself again. I had been away from my juicer for a long time.

Before I got to Montreal I was in NY for 5 days visiting family. I did manage to sneak in a visit to Pure Food and Wine, but I was way past due for another green juice. By the time I arrived at Crudessence I was full of emotion. I was excited because I could finally have a green juice, I was also sad because I wanted to stay for dinner and finally I was feeling lucky to be there at all.

I ordered a delicious green juice. It was light, delicate and refreshing. I sipped it slowly as I looked at the menu. I decided to order a salad as well. I knew I was going to have a large salad for dinner, but I needed to make up for the greens I didn’t eat at lunch. The salad I ordered was mainly sprouts on a small bed of greens. It was really delicious.

By the time I got to dinner, I felt balanced and happy again. I felt ready to socialize. I love fruit, but if I eat too much of it with any greens I tend to get spacey. The next morning I decided to have a salad for breakfast and just take my own food to the race track. We went to MBCo, a local boulangerie, for breakfast. I loved the ambiance there. They are super friendly, play great music and take great care in preparing the food the serve. We go there every time we are in Montreal.

They made me a delicious arugula salad loaded with tomatoes, cucumbers, grilled asparagus and mushrooms. It was delicious. I ordered the same one for lunch. They packed it really well and put the lemon vinaigrette dressing on the side for me so that my greens wouldn’t wilt.

When I was ready to eat my lunch I paired my salad with some delicious “craque-lin” crackers I got from Crudessence. It was such a great lunch. The crackers were really good; they are a mixture of ground flax seeds, sprouted sesame, sunflower and buckwheat. They also have a slight hint of onion, garlic and sea salt.

I’m so glad I took my own food with me I felt balanced and happy all day. Staying raw while traveling doesn’t have to be a challenge. If you plan ahead and research what is around you will be successful. If I can manage to eat high raw at the Canadian Grand Prix, you can do the same at any sporting event.

Posted in Raw Foods | Tagged crudessence, eating raw at sporting events, eating raw while travelling, F1, High Raw, MBco, Montreal, Montréal Bread Company, Raw Diet, Raw Foods, Travelling | View Comments

Lunch at Pure Food and wine

Posted on June 9, 2010 by Neven Jones

Every time I’m in New York City I dream of eating at Pure Food and Wine, this week I finally had the chance. It was a beautiful sunny day so I sat outside in their garden with my son ready to enjoy a great lunch. I felt relaxed as soon as I sat down, the garden is like an oasis in the middle of the city. It felt really good to be surrounded by so much greenery. It made me want to drink a green juice. I immediately ordered the jolly green; a delicious blend of greens, cilantro, lime and pineapple. It was refreshing, sweet and smooth.

My son ordered the banana nut shake; a flavorful blend of banana, nut milk, cinnamon and vanilla. It was rich, creamy and delicious. This was my first time eating at a restaurant that was 100% raw. It was so nice to know that I could order anything I wanted on the menu. I felt so free. I didn’t have to ask if anything had dairy in it. I wanted to try everything.

I finally settled on the lasagna since I heard so much hype about it. I just had to try it for myself. My son didn’t order anything since he had just eaten lunch.

I was never a big fan of cooked lasagna. I’ve always felt that noodles layered in sauce and cheese and topped with even more cheese was just too heavy. The raw version however, is amazing. When you order a lasagna dish, raw or cooked, you are expecting something a bit hearty. I wanted to feel full, but not stuffed.

The presentation was really beautiful, I knew it was going to taste good just by looking at all the fresh ingredients. The zucchini looked like it was slightly marinated because it was pliable. I liked that it didn’t taste too raw and crunchy. The lightness of the zucchini was also a nice relief from the richness of the nut puree. I enjoy eating nuts, but sometimes nuts can really overwhelm the flavor of a dish. I found the nut puree to be just rich enough and was balanced nicely by the tomato sauce and the pesto. It was a really delicious combination. I felt satisfied after I ate it, but not overly stuffed. It was the perfect amount. I really wanted to try one of the desserts, but I was too full. I’m looking forward to my next visit. I may start off with some raw ice cream that way I’ll be sure to try it.

Posted in Thoughts | Tagged Green Juice, High Raw, Pure Food and Wine, Raw Foods, Raw lasagna | View Comments

Inspiring small gardens

Posted on June 1, 2010 by Neven Jones

Hope everyone is having a great day. I wanted to share a post I recently wrote on mySA about inspiring small gardens. I love looking at gardens when I travel to a new city or walk my dog in my neighborhood. I especially find small gardens in unexpected places very inspiring. The photo above is of a small urban garden planted in someones front yard. I hope you check it out!

Posted in Thoughts | Tagged inspiring gardens, Raw Foods, small garden, urban garden | View Comments

Stop growing so fast

Posted on May 31, 2010 by Neven Jones

I hope everyone is enjoying their Memorial Day. Last week was such a big week, my son graduated from Kindergarten and school came to an end. I wasn’t prepared for either event.

Yes, that’s my son’s tie, it was his idea to wear one! He was very excited to graduate, and I was excited to see him graduate as well. Still I couldn’t help but think that I was losing my little baby. He looked so grown up as he stood on the stage with rest of his class. They were all so excited at the thought of going to first grade next year. It was a very emotional day.

Just when I thought he was so mature and growing up too fast, he turned into a little boy again. We headed outside to take pictures, but him and his friends decided that looking for bugs was more interesting. It was fun watching them lose themselves as they played with the bugs. School is officially over and ready or not it’s time for summer vacation.

I’m planning to travel a lot with my son and visit the rest of family who is scattered all over the US. He will also be going to some really fun day camps. I’m looking froward to spending more time with him before he enters first grade. This is such a special time for both of us. Have a great day and be sure to check out my latest post on mySA. It’s about the importance of eating greens.

Posted in Thoughts | Tagged bugs, first grade, growing up, kindergarten graduation, Memorial Day, summer vacation | View Comments