NYT Op-Ed: Chemicals in our Food, Our Bodies

By Nicholas D. Kristof

Your body is probably home to a chemical called bisphenol A, or BPA. It’s a synthetic estrogen that United States factories now use in everything from plastics to epoxies — to the tune of six pounds per American per year. That’s a lot of estrogen.

Read on...  

Yet another reason to eat a high raw diet! Why trust your food preparation to a corporation when you could buy the food and make it yourself -- at a reduced cost?

Final sprint!

I am rounding the corner and starting the last week of the 30-Day Raw Feast! (Yes, I am back to calling it a feast!)

Lunch today is pumpkin soup with fennel, red onion and zucchini croutons. Does this look as delicious to everyone else as it does to me?

Halloween Raw Chili Recipe

Happy All Hallow's Eve! What a great day to light the jack 'o' lantern, turn on some spooky tunes, and brew and stew a delicious autumn meal. In pagan religions, today marks the end of the harvest. Any food left unharvested on the fields tonight would be tainted by the living dead. Christians placed All Saint's Day (Toussaint here in France!) on Nov. 1 to Christianize the pagan holidays. To celebrate the beautiful autumn vegetables and start of the holiday season, I decided to make my first raw chili. And it was delicious! Recipe below and Halloween soundtrack in the sidebar for you!


Halloween Raw Chili Recipe
Serves 3-4 people

3/4 cup walnuts soaked
(If you have time to soak the walnuts the night before, let them soak for 6 hours or so, and then drain and dry. If you want to make the chili right now, start to soak the walnuts at the beginning of your preparation and you can use them this way as well).

For your chili base, add:
4 vine-ripened tomatoes seeded (they are a bit smaller than regular tomatoes)
10 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (water-soaked would be fine, but I cannot find them here)
1/2 each green and yellow bell pepper (or whatever colors you like)
1 stalk celery
1 hot pepper (or to your tastebuds)
1 garlic clove
3 T olive oil (cold pressed organic please!)

Process in a food processor at med-high speed, occasionally stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Process until all chopped (3-4 brief pulses) and then add your spices:
3 tsp cumin
4 tsp chili powder
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
Juice of 1/2 lime

Of course, these were the spices I had at home and felt like adding. Be creative! Fresh cilantro would be great, go spicier if you like, add onion powder, etc.


Then process the base again until it is purée, almost liquidy. Pour into a dish.

For your chili mixings, combine in a separate bowl:
2 vine-ripened tomatoes
the other 1/2 of your two peppers
3 shallots minced
2 mushrooms
the 3/4 cup walnuts, drained
3 tsp olive oil
2 tsp tamari
2 tsp agave
1/2 tsp sea salt

This is the mix that will make your chili chunky, so cut the veggies to the size you would like to chew. I did the peppers a bit bigger than the mushrooms, but next time, I would make the peppers smaller and the mushrooms bigger. The fleshy mushrooms are really nice combined with the crunchy walnuts.

Stir together to mix the flavors, then pour into your chili base.And voila, you are ready to serve. Eat and enjoy. Yum!

Half-way point

I am now in my third week of the 30-Day Raw Challenge. Today I will use the descriptor challenge because it does not feel like a feast. The fall weather is chilly, the office is chillier, and the thought of cold food for lunch was making me grumble. But, I made it through lunch without giving into my desire for the three cheese pizza and its heavenly smell that wafted around me throughout the entire meal. So why did I want to eat the pizza, and therefore why did I choose not to?

I believe the desire to chow down on the cheesy pizza came from the association I make between its smell and past happy pizza-eating memories. I link pizza with relaxed, fun times with friends and family, with parties and late night talk sessions, and all of these memories are bathed in warm lighting. The urge to eat pizza is not for the actual pizza itself, but for the associative emotions.

So why didn't I eat it? I reminded myself of the simple fact that we eat (or we should eat) for nutrition. There is no nutrition in a piece of pizza. The crust is dead (sometimes rancid) grains stripped of all nutrition, the sauce is processed (heated at high temperatures) and therefore inactive, and the cheese is most probably pasteurized (heated at high temperatures) and therefore dead as well. There are no live, active enzymes in the pizza. It adds no value to your body, and, even worse, requires that you spend energy digesting it. So instead of giving you energy, it depletes you.

Yes, you can argue, but it tastes good. Does it? Our mouths are trained to enjoy the tastes we feed it. If you eat salt on every meal, you will need and crave more salt for the food to taste good. Likewise for sugar and fat. And it works the other way too! Eating crunchy fresh vegetables and juicy fruits trains your mouth to crave natural sweetness, textures and flavors.

So I steered away from the pizza and headed to the salad bar. Made a big bowl of carrots-cucumbers-tomato-lettuce-pumpkin seeds-alfalfa sprouts, and added lemon juice on top as I find its acidity really helps cut down on mouth cravings. One of my objectives for these 30 days is to retrain my mouth and break mental associations with food. I have made it for 16 days, I am more than half-way there! Just need to make it through today...

Mamma Mia!

My first package of raw food arrived from the UK. I ordered it from a site called Mamma Earth, which I discovered through the Google ads on this blog. How's that for targeted advertising! As there are no raw food stores in Paris, I am so excited to discover that I can have raw food delivered with minimal shipping fees to my home. My first package of goodies consisted of Supreme Greens powder, several packets of raw crackers, and raw cacao in both powder and candy bars.

Raw chocolate is a superfood. There is an excellent post titled 'All Things Chocolate' on The Sunny Raw Kitchen where Camilla quotes from the book Naked Chocolate:

 ...David Wolfe and Shazzie teamed up a few years ago in order to write their book "Naked Chocolate", in which they reveal "the astonishing truth about the world's greatest food."

According to David, "Every study on chocolate is pointing to the same conclusion: there is something in chocolate that is really good for us. That something is the raw cacao bean, the nut that all chocolate is made from. The cacao bean has always been and will always be Nature's #1 weight loss and high-energy food. Cacao beans are probably the best kept secret in the entire history of food."

And Camilla goes on to write...

In a pamphlet prepared by my friend and Raw Chef Chantale, I just learned that aside from being the best known dietary source of magnesium, raw cacao is exceptionally high in sulphur (the 'beauty mineral'), rich in antioxidants, is an anti-depressant, AND an aphrodisiac! In fact, the cacao bean "contains over 300 identifiable chemical compounds, making it one of the most complex foods known to man."

These laudations combined with my occasional chocolate craving (see previous post 'My Raw Hiccups') inspired me to taste raw chocolate. First I tried the Ombar with coconut and cashews. The chocolate has a similar consistency to the crumbly portion of chocolate truffles with the smoothness of coconut butter. It is good, but the coconut butter is a bit overpowering for me - I like my chocolate pure. Then I tasted the Conscious bar which is pure chocolate with a hint of cinnamon. Fudgey delicious, and one little piece really hits the spot. And wow, chocolate with cinnamon is a great combination! I am very pleased to know I now have nutritious candy bar options to satiate my chocolate cravings.

But the best was yet to come. I decided to try the raw cacao powder by making a raw chocolate mousse. Mamma mia! Absolutely divine!

Easy raw chocolate mousse recipe 
With approximate measurings 
* Use a ripe avocado as the base, blend it in a blender with:
* Agave syrup (or a natural sweetner of your choice, I used a little less than 1/4 cup)
* Coconut butter (optional - I added it for the consistency, 1 T)
* A dash of cinnamon (also optional - you can add vanilla bean, orange zest, however you fancy your chocolate!)
* Cacao powder (1 T or more if you want it super chocolatey!)
* Blend and voilà, you have the tastiest, chocolatiest, most delicious raw mousse imaginable!

My first taste of the spatula reminded me of eating raw brownie dough. Simple to make, delicious and nutritious! Enjoy!

My raw hiccups

I am now into week 2 of the 30-day raw challenge/ feast. Attempt number 1 failed after 6 days for a combination of reasons, all of which I seem to have magically resolved! I expect a new crop of obstacles to pop up shortly, but so far, attempt number 2 is going remarkably smoothly. I thought others might be interested to hear, and perhaps discuss?, the first set of issues I faced, so here is a quick recap.

• Integration of raw and society. My first hiccup was self-consciousness. This came to the fore most prominently at work and when eating out with friends. There is a long discussion thread on this topic at rawfoodtalk so I will not go into all the aspects of this topic, but I have two key takeaways which I hope will be helpful to others. One, the individual constitutes society, and, therefore, society takes the form and substance that we individually give it. And two, most people are not concerned about what others eat. Of  those who are concerned, some will be genuinely interested to learn about the decision to go raw, and others will feel threatened and challenged by a choice that is different than their own. But this will happen with any topic that is based on a personal decision. So I got over myself and scratched self-conscious from the list.
  
  
• Eating in restaurants. This is related to issue #1 above. Ordering raw on a menu in Paris can be difficult, and raw vegan is extremely difficult. The options are less (if any), and ordering a small green salad for dinner while your friends eat savory, larger meals can make you feel isolated. Eating together is a social behavior, and changing this behavior is not easy. You are breaking years of habit and associations you have formed between food and friends. As I have done several cleanses in the past, I do have experience breaking food habits, so I immediately recognized the thought process and questions I had to address to get over this one. In the end it boils down to one question: Do you choose to eat this food? If yes, then be happy about your choice. And spending time with people is what makes memories, not the food that is on your plate. (Ok, in some instances this will not be true - if I am ever lucky enough to be at Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck, I will probably not be eating raw...).
  
  
• Chocolate cravings. No need to go into details on this one! But there is raw chocolate, and from what I have read about it, it is a superfood high in anti-oxidants and rich in essential minerals. So I have ordered raw cacao powder as well as raw chocolate bars from Mamma Earth, a UK-based website selling raw food products. It is suppose to be delicious, stay tuned for a future post!

Ode to Auchan

At first you might not see the beauty in Auchan. It is a supermarché in France similar to a super Stop&Shop in size, design (or lack of), and products on offer. The first comparison between the local Parisian outdoor market selling beautifully displayed fruits and vegetables and the large cavernous busy Auchan might lead you towards the outdoor market. But don't leave quite yet. Stop and pick up a panier to do a little exploring because Auchan offers an excellent selection of food for your vegan and raw meals!

Top 5 reasons why I love Auchan*

1. Bio, locally grown vegetable and fruit section - moins cher!
Auchan has a great selection of organic fruit and vegetables grown in France and neighboring countries. And, since it is Auchan, the prices are very reasonable. In addition, this section is right next to the fresh juice counter (pressé orange juice and strawberry/grape juice available everyday) and the exotic fruit section from Asia. Yum, yum and yum!

2. Pousses!
Sandwiched between the iceberg lettuce (Auchan caters to all tastes!) and the mache is a beautiful assortment of organic sprouts! Mustard sprouts, alfalfa, red radish, white radish, and broccoli sprouts are all alive and happy in their little boxes. I do not know any other marché that sells such a variety of organic sprouts. Again, the prices are excellent.

3. Nuts!
As Auchan is on the outskirts of Paris (no hypermarchés allowed within the Peripherique), the shoppers tend to be from a variety of cultures - lots of Asians, Arabs, Africans etc. Auchan knows its demographics well, and provides food options to meet all culinary needs. This includes a row of dried fruits and nuts - raw and with no added salt or spices - located directly next to the vegetable section. Stock up on 1kg bags of almonds and 1kg boxes of dates. Other goodies that regularly make their way into my panier are pignoli, walnuts, and coconut.

4. Organic food aisle!
Smiling and pleased with your rainbow-colored food basket, now you walk straight down the corridor past all the aisles of dairy, processed foods, and cleaning products. Right before the alcohol section (which offers a good selection of organic wines!) hang a left and you will be on the organic food aisle. See, you can completely bypass the rest of the store where the majority of the shoppers are, for a relaxed and tranquil shopping experience. Everything you could want is here including agave syrup, vanilla pods, teas, honey etc. In addition (and this is my favorite!) there are bins of organic beans, rice, seeds, nuts and dried fruit! My favorites are the sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, figs, walnuts, apricots and dates. These dates are Divine, with a capital d.

5. Auchan Bio cleaning products!
Auchan offers their own line of organic cleaning products for dishes, clothes, surfaces and glass. And as they are produced by Auchan, the price is cheaper than many of the brandmark products. I have compared the Auchan organic cleaning products to those from Monoprix and prefer the efficacity, odor (or lack of), and strength of the Auchan products.

So, if you are in Île de France, stop by an Auchan and enjoy the many delicacies it offers. Great people watching too!

* I love grocery stores and food markets. One of my favorite places to visit when in a new city or country is the local marché. Therefore, my ode to any particular store can be trusted as coming from someone who has great authority on the topic.

Raw lasagna

My first raw lasagna! This was a simple one - zucchini for the noodle strips, raw marinara sauce, and mashed avocado for cheese. Creamy, great flavor, and overall delicious! I made walnut paté meatballs to accompany it. Next time I will add one layer of the meaty paté, and attempt to make a pignoli cheese as well.

100% bio 100% gourmand!

If you are fortunate enough to be exploring Lyon, from Presqu'île walk up the steep Montée de la Grande Côte (be sure to stop in the various galleries and studios to check out the local art) to the Croix-Rousse area. Venture along Rue Imbert-Colomés while pausing to open random doors to explore the traboules (hidden passageways and courtyards) along the street. Then be sure to stop in Toutes les couleurs, a 100% vegan, organic restaurant that offers the tastiest, freshest produce in Lyon.

I requested a raw salad and Agnes the chef presented me with the above - sweet fennel, figs, beet root with ginger, two types of sprouts, grapes, radish, onion, baby zucchini, red cabbage, two types of lettuce - it was absolutely divine. For dessert I had fresh strawberries with a raspberry coulis made with agave syrup (none of the desserts use sugar).

In a city renowned for its charcuterie, this restaurant is a true find!

Toutes les couleurs

26 rue Imbert Colomès

69001 Lyon (M° Croix-Paquet)

Is it rice or is it cauliflower?

The market was selling beautiful organic cauliflower heads, so I could not resist buying one. Usually I steam cauliflower and add it to a curry or a spicy peanut sauce. But how to eat cauliflower raw, and in a more exciting way then simply munching on crudités? A little Google search brings up cauliflower raw fried rice recipes. You make the cauliflower "rice" in a food processor with the S-blade. I overprocessed it a bit - but take a look at this picture! Looks very similar to rice!

I topped it with a mung bean-carrot-cherry tomato-green pepper mixture coated in mock peanut sauce.  Peanuts are roasted, so this sauce uses almond butter (almonds ground in a paste), tamari, ginger, garlic, lemon juice and water. Delicious!

the Green Smoothie breakfast

I had been reading rave reviews about the benefits of green smoothies. The difference between green juice and a green smoothie is the latter is made in a blender, not a juicer. Grab handfuls of green leafy veggies - spinach, kale, lettuce, herbs, add some fruit for sweetness (fruits that can be juiced in a blender - grapes, pineapple, watermelon, berries, pear), add water and blend. Green smoothies are praised for the energy they give and for filling you up. Liquefied food is easier for your body to digest, and unlike juices, the fiber is not removed in the smoothie, so it is a more filling drink.

So this morning I made my first green smoothie - 3 handfuls of spinach, 1 handful of mint, and 2 handfuls of dark purple grapes from Spain. (They are my favorite ones but I do not know their proper name, they are smaller and sooooo sweet).

It blended right up! And it is delicious!! I am amazed! You have to "chew" it a bit in your mouth, especially since there were seeds in the grapes (grapeseed - very nutritious!) but this is an absolutely delicious and healthy way to start the day!

For the curious and the converted alike, here is a link to 70 Green Smoothie Recipes.

Enjoy and happy health!

To put a smile on your face

Nothing like a happy bowl of greens and seeds to make me smile. Have a great day!

Naked

Just around the corner from our office headquarters I happened upon a restaurant serving fresh, vegetarian salads, sandwiches, and juices. Great variety of offerings for those in Paris looking for whole grains, veggies and fruit for lunch. And the interior is unique for Paris, spacious and light colored wood. If you are on Champs-Elysées or around Saint-Philippe-du-Roule, I recommend you stop by.


Naked
40 Rue de Colisée
75008 Paris

I had a salad with fresh herbs topped with sunflower and pumpkin seeds, and pineapple for dessert.

Une gousse de vanille bourbon

My search for raw vanilla extract lead me to a package of 2 vanilla pods. They are organic, from La Patelière, and I bought them at Auchan. A most amazing discovery! I grated a bit of the pod into the almond cream last night, and the deliciously sweet heavenly aroma is still floating in my kitchen. These are absolutely divine. If you have never prepared food with vanilla in its raw form, I highly recommend it. The package directions state you can also dunk the pod in the food you are preparing and the aroma will mix with the ingredients. Quel bonheur!

Day 2

To rid myself of any white sugar temptation, I brought the lovely organic madeleines I had at home to work today and distributed them around the office. Hope the free sugar does not result in any bad kharma. They were organic, bio as we say here in France.


Day 2 of the 30 Day Raw Extravaganza went off without a hitch. Banana and Kusmi tea for breakfast, asparagus with mock salmon paté and a red cabbage-mesclun-pignoli salad for lunch. Pear for a mid-afternoon snack.


Dinner was delicious - zucchini angel hair pasta with marinara sauce. The two pictures on the left are the zucchini angel hair pre-sauce, and with the deliciously chunky sauce.

Dessert was strawberries with almond cream. Yum!

Off to upload Episode 3 commentary to Facebook - Gossip Girl Commentary: XOXO by T & S If you watch Gossip Girl, check out the group!

À demain!

Day 1

Today was a great kick-start to the 30 day challenge/feast. As I was working from home, it was a bit easier too as my kitchen is stocked with fresh fruits and veggies, sprouted quinoa, fresh herbs, and soaked nuts and seeds.

Before breakfast I hydrated with water touched with a drop of food-grade Hydrogen Peroxide. Yes, it's healthy (diluted!), and it adds free radicals to your blood which is a good thing! Adding extra oxygen helps stabilize all those free bad radicals in your body. And you will notice the change, such as clear eyes and skin. A touch of oxygen is especially great for urban dwellers like moi-même.

Breakfast was a green juice: 2 turnips, 1 cucumber, 3 carrots, 1 tomato, knob of garlic. I always fill a shot glass with the fresh juice and mix it with spirulina. I call it the Good Morning! blue green energy shot.

Mid-morning snack of banana.

Lunch was a maki roll of mock salmon paté wrapped in nori, and a pear-strawberry-mesclun salad. I had the mock salmon paté already prepared, so it took 5 minutes to whip up. Recipe for the paté is from Jennifer Cornbleet's book: Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People Great book! Simple, easy recipes that don't require a dehydrator or fancy (expensive) ingredients.

Mid-afternoon snack of avocado boat (1/2 an avocado) overspilling with tomato-cilantro-redeyechili salsa. Yea, it was spicy. And a handful of dates to satiate my sweet tooth.

Dinner is going to be zucchini soup; also a recipe from the above lauded book. Deelish!

See you on Day 2, and until then, be sure to do something to celebrate your health.

Prologue

Hi! Today is Day 1 of my embarkment upon the 30-Day Raw Challenge. Errr, let's cross out Challenge, and replace it with... Feast! Yes, the 30-Day Raw Feast! Why look at the next 30 days as a challenge?

Rawfoodtalk.com is a great discussion board for all interested in a vegan raw lifestyle, and I would not be able to undertake this journey without the support of this site, so thank you Alissa Cohen!

Now that props have been given, onto the good stuff. I will be recording my raw food journey here, so happy that you want to follow along. Feel free to join me on the raw journey!