I had found a recipe for something called "vanilla cream" that looked pretty good - it has soaked cashews, agave, vanilla, salt, coconut butter, and the meat & milk from a thai coconut. Blended together on high speed via my Vitamix, it became creamy and thick. I froze it, and wa-la, ice cream!
While it was freezing, I decided to make the raw chocolate I was craving yesterday - it's basically the chocolate frosting recipe from the brownies I make. I sat at the computer and had my fingers do the cleanup for the blender. =)
I thought it'd be cool to have the vanilla ice cream with chocolate topping, it's the consistency of hot fudge so...why not? But once it had been on the ice cream for about a minute, it hardened up and was like it's own identity in the ice cream instead of mixing in. I love it when I accidentally come across new creations! This one takes a *bit* of planning (mostly just the soaking of the cashews, but then also the freezing of the ice cream) but will definitely be my go-to if I want something sweet.
Except that I still need to see if it's going to affect me negatively - it does seem to be alot of "sweet" (meaning agave, I guess) compared to what I'm used to - fresh fruits & veggies. I can feel my heart has sped up from the sugar (even though it's natural) already. Hmmmm. Probably not something to eat EVERY day, but definitely a treat to have tucked away!
I've also read that you can make vanilla ice cream using simply just frozen bananas. Supposedly if your food processor is able to whip it well enough, it loses it's banana taste for the most part, and is exactly the consistency of ice cream! I'm going to try that with my chocolate sauce next, and see if it cuts down on the blood sugar issue.
This morning I weighed in at 133.8! I was HAPPY about that. I am going to wait to weigh in tomorrow, and if it's lower then that's what I'll record for my week 10 weight.
My first midwife appointment was supposed to be for today, but she called to say she'd been up all night with a birth and could I come in tomorrow instead? I was so disappointed...all the kids were ready and we were about to head out the door in about half an hour. I was looking forward to stopping at Trader Joe's on the way - it's 36 miles away but pretty close to the birth center so if I ever was to go there, it'd be piggybacked onto an appointment. I've never been! I've heard they have frozen cherries there...and I want to see what else they have.
So I'm going to get ready to go all over again tomorrow, and head out - my birth center is about 35 minutes away.
Oh! I went on Trader Joe's site and found out they're opening a new store just 7 miles away from me! Yay! Of course, it is right next to the only health food store in the city that is comparably big - and takes about 15 minutes to get there - hmph. Someday they'll figure out that THIS side of town needs one too!
Yesterday was day #3 of being 100% raw - I am LOVING how easy it is for me right now. Usually I am wrestling with these whispers, cravings, urges, whatever - they knock and knock and knock on my mind and it's like I have this NEED to eat xxx (cooked) and if I don't eventually give in, it drives me nuts! For right now I feel this inner calm, no storms brewing - and I think part of it is because I have quite a few recipes I want to try, and I have lots of options (ingredients - fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, coconut, cocoa powder, etc) all around me.
It's hard not to want to buy raw treats online, though! I came across this company that sells sprouted sunflower seeds that they season and then dehydrate. Oooooh yum!!!
I LOVE sprouted sunflower seeds, I can eat them by the handful, they're juicy and crunchy and really really good for you - great "smoky" taste too. I've dehydrated them before and they were yummier like that - but never added seasoning. They're $3.49 for 5oz PLUS shipping - I know, ouch. But so tempting.........!
Now is when I wish I was still selling on Ebay, and doing my newsletter. When it was "live" I had quite a few members and it was two-fold - they would pay monthly for the membership but also, I could promote certain products, mostly my 2 ebooks, and get INSTANT cash pretty much! To spend on extra things. But I don't wish for the work it was, no way no how. I HATED that part. So I love my freedom now, and will be thankful I don't have to work on the computer at all. And maybe I can slip in a few orders here & there online.
I've ordered treats before that were raw - and been disappointed with most of it. At least, the chocolate stuff, and the bars. They make them sound so tasty, and I think the problem is that you picture/taste the SAD version in your mind. It's not that they are good in their own right, it's just that they are a different sort of good and rarely resemble that actual same taste as the cooked version.
I have ordered seasoned nuts that tasted pretty darn good, raw ones, BUT - they almost always sit like lead in my stomach and give me trouble. I think that perhaps seeds would be different, though - sunflower seeds especially seem to do OK for me.
Today is a beautiful day, 71 degrees and partly sunny - right now there is not a cloud in the sky and Marie5 & Jack3 are playing outside and it's only 9:20. I plan to lay in the sun on the trampoline during naptime today - it's so therapeutic, and the Vitamin D is wonderful. Marie loves to bring her blankets out there and take a "nap" with me. The two little ones will be sleeping and the rest will be at school - I love May for that reason! I get many peaceful, restful afternoons. I love summers too, though, for their lazy no-schedules-to-follow days. Even better that I'll be raw this summer, life is a delight!
We moved all our children from the city elementary K-5 school in our neighborhood, to a small country K-8 school this past year. Oooooh it is GLORIOUS driving them to school in the morning! I love it SO much - it is like a breath of fresh air, first thing in the morning - literally!
This is often what I see when I am driving - especially on a sunny day like today. Countryside at it's finest, and it is a 20 minute round-trip drive. I grew up in the country and my roots are there - I often long for the fresh air and beautiful scenery. We're lucky to live on the edge of town, so when you leave our neighborhood you are pretty quickly in the country with fields and many country homes with barns, cows, and white picket fences. I love to go running because it's so beautiful, especially in the early morning with the crisp, cool air that whispers of a hot sunny day.
Oh lots to read in this post!
ReplyDeleteI made the banana ice cream before and it's every bit as good as they say and what's even better is that bananas are naturally sweet so I didn't even put any sweetener in mine. I think it would be good with your chocolate topping too. Whenever you make an old staple or a new recipe can you post it? I'd love to try some of the stuff you survive on!:):)
A new school! how do the kids like it? I LOVE driving in the country....that's why I like driving my kids to the work parties...I get to drive in the country:)