ATV's Smokey Marinade

My garden is growing (more on that later plus a killer recipe!!), my herbs are growing and even our ladybug larvae and butterflies are growing. Yes we are raising ladybugs and butterflies, again. Years ago we had quite the butterfly habitat set up in our front and back yards. We also had ordered ladybugs and released them in the yard, hoping they would stay around--but they didn't. We were raising Monarchs. I really enjoyed that and miss it greatly. It is time to replant and get back to raising butterflies in a serious way. What a wonderful science lesson for the kids and so symbolic of what is to come on Easter Sunday; when we celebrate the Risen Christ. New life symbolized in a simple act of raising insects, respecting life in all forms, growing your own living foods, all become learning experiences and make me appreciate just how fragile and special living things and creatures truly are. (Right as I'm typing this our oldest child says, "Mom, look we have two adult ladybugs!!)  
Here are some of the kids helping me get the habitat set up.

The Day the Larvae Arrived

Ladybug Larvae Tube

Baby Caterpillars

Look how happy EJ junior is!! Too cute. He was so excited to get everything all set up. Just think how much they are going to freak out when they see the butterflies emerge from their chrysalis and see the ladybug larvae turn into identifiable, spotted ladybugs! I can hardly wait.
Well on to some food talk. A few weeks ago I made the most amazing marinade recipe from Addicted to Veggies blog. You can see ATV's complete post and recipe here.

This is one of those recipes that tempt me to lick my plate!! Seriously good, raw food!

Here is my version:

Vegetables

Organic broccoli, peeled stems and all

Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced

Marinade:

Scallions, sliced into rounds

1/4 C Coconut Aminos

1/4 C Grapeseed oil

1/3 C water

squirt of raw agave

fresh lemon juice

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

pinch of Himalayan salt

pinch of Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning

5 drops of liquid smoke

Put all of the marinade ingredients into a glass jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well. Pour over the broccoli and mushrooms. Allow to marinate overnight.

Warm the marinated vegetables in the dehydrator for 4-6 hours.

Top with fresh sunflower greens and raw sesame seeds. Enjoy!

I actually started eating this right off the Teflex dehydrator sheet but decided to plate it and sit down at the table and eat it properly--tempted to lick my plate clean, but I refrained.

+JMJ+ Today I am grateful for my simple meals this week and my growing garden!!

Body Language, Fasting and Recipes

We are still working on our "Good Words" this week as we tend to our individual weaknesses. Speaking of tending, I have been tending to my new little square foot garden and my potted herb garden all week, and everything is growing beautifully. It looks like things are growing overnight! I think my homemade compost is super charged or something. I have never seen plants grow so quickly.
 I am afraid to admit though, that I have faltered on my "Good Words". It seems like everytime I set out to work on something openly, the evil one latches on and drags me down. No sooner did I get it set in my mind that I was going to work on good words, and low and behold, over critical comments came spewing out of my mouth! Yikes. This is going to be harder than I imagined--working on my short comings requires focus and mental clarity or else I become so easily distracted from the task at hand. This leads perfectly into my focus for today. Friday for me is a day for fasting and abstinence. The perfect chance to regain control.
Read these beautiful words of John Paul II:
"Fasting means putting a limit on so many desires, sometimes good ones, in order to have full control of oneself, to learn to control one's own feelings, to train the will in good.
Fasting is being able to say "no", bluntly and firmly, to what is suggested or asked by pride, selfishness,and vice; listening to one's own conscience, respecting the good of others, remaining faithful to God's holy Law.
Fasting, finally means depriving oneself of something in order to meet the need of one's brother, becoming, in this way, an exercise of goodness, of charity.
Fasting, understood, put into practice, lived in this way, becomes repentance, that is, conversion to God."
Next week our Lenten focus will be "Good Signs". You know what I'm talking about--body language. Do you show negative or positive body language as you interact with others?? Facial expressions are a big one. The old saying, "If looks could kill". Boy I sure don't want to be giving away looks like that. It is really difficult trying to concentrate on your facial expressions for a given period of time. Try it--focus on what facial expressions you use out in public. Do you smile at everyone that you pass in the grocery store or do you stare staight ahead with a blank face?
I tried it yesterday when I went food shopping. I smiled at every person I passed and I am happy to report that they ALL smiled back. Two older men even said hello! It seems that we need to get back to the days of waving to our neighbor as we drive down the street and smiling at others as we walk pass, offering to open a door or help reach something up high for an elderly person who's a bit unsteady. Or better yet, saying hello, good morning or good afternooon regularly! Make it a habit to greet those you pass. People these days are afraid of one another, afraid of confrontation. It is really crazy in my mind. I am ready for a better sense of community. We all need each other and it is time that we start to make a change, one person at a time.
I am hoping to show a good example to our children so they can become pleasant citizens using friendly and polite body language, "Good Signs", to those they come in contact with and "Good Signs" here at home to my family members.We are constantly sending out signals to others by the way we dress, talk, act, and use our body posture.
What about food choices?? That is a huge sign showing how you feel about yourself. Good food choices can show others that you care about your health and well being. Food choices you make for your children can show how you care about them. People tend to watch more than listen. I have become more aware of the eyes on me over the years (my five children) and am trying to work hard on my "Good Signs". Let's hope I am more successful next week than I was this week!
Back to fasting. Fridays are a day for me to focus on Our Lord's Passion. One way I am able to focus is by limiting my food intake. Gentle fasting, with healthful green smoothies, fresh green jucies and fresh fruit juices.

 Lots of lemon water and detox tea also help me to feel cleansed and refreshed. When I don't have to worry about my personal meal prep I am freed to focus on what is most important to me, and that is Christ. So here are some great smoothie recipes to nourish the body and help clear the mind of unnecessary worldly clutter. Enjoy!

Dandy Bluegreen Smoothie
by elizabeth @ raw living and learning

handful of fresh organic blueberries + 1/3 C frozen organic blueberries
2 small bananas
large bunch of organic dandelion greens
1 pear
1/2 scoop of "Vega"
2 C spring water



Dandy Bluegreen Smoothie

Apple Chia Green Smoothie
by elizabeth @ raw living and learning

2 organic apples
2 C spring water
1 T chia seeds
1 Bosc pear
large bunch of organic dandelion greens
handful organic baby spinach
2 small bananas
splash of almond extract

Apple Chia Green Smoothie

Fruity Green Smoothie
by elizabeth @ raw living and learning

2 large organic kale leaves
2 organic pears
1/2 an avocado
1/2 C frozen mango
1 small banana
2 C spring water

Fruity Green Smoothie

My Creamy Dreamy

by elizabeth @ raw living and learning

2 C spring water

1/2 scoop of Vega

1 and 1/2 frozen bananas

8 oz frozen organic blueberries

2 large collard leaves

1 small avocado

Starfruit Green Smoothie

by elizabeth @ raw living and learning

Blend 1 large starfruit with enough water to blend. Strain the juice through a strainer and return the  juice to the blender. Now add:

2 collard leaves

handful of parsley

2 frozen bananas

1 C frozen peaches

Kiwi Pear Green Smoothie

by elizabeth @ raw living and learning

1 pear

1 kiwi

2 bananas

2 collard leaves

2 C ice

1/2 scoop Vega

Now here are some great recipes from the magazine "Whole Living".

"Green Smoothie" from Whole Living Magazine

1 C kale or collard greens, firmly packed, coarsley chopped

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and coarse chop

1 large banana, coarse chop

2 and 1/4 C water

"Antioxidant Smoothie" from Whole Living Magazine

2 C mixed berries (9oz)

1 C unsweetened pomegranate juice

1 C water

+JMJ+ Today I am grateful for suffering. P.S. My spell check was not working so please forgive any typos. Peace!



Growing Good Fruit and My Blog AWARD

Today we woke up to a cold morning, for us that is. It was in the low 50's. I am still cold to the bone and trying to warm up with a cup of my herbal detox tea. Three warm little bodies crawled into bed with me this morning--that was nice. But reality hit and we had to get up and start our homeschool day. For theology today the focus is on "Growing Good Fruit for God", Five Ways to Become More Like Jesus. This is a wonderful Lenten activity written by Sandra Garant. The focus for the first week of Lent is Good Words; helping us to be   aware of the fact that our words are powerful. Our words can make wonderful things happen not only for ourselves but for others as well. Our personal focus will be on using manners, compliments that are sincere, being good listeners and praying more so we can hear what Our Lord is telling us through the scriptures.  I wanted to introduce the topic to our son today so come Monday we are ready to begin cultivating some good fruit!!
I can't help but think of my new little garden. As I tend to my delicate young plants it reminds me to be mindful of my words--sometimes I use words that produce bad fruit. This is one major area that I personally will be working on as I continue on my Lenten journey. My raw journey comes into play as well here. How can I make my body healthy and capable of producing good fruit? By filling it with the God given living and raw foods that I adore so much. And how does my raw blog fit into this life lesson? Well, I am delighted to say that I was nominated for an award. My thanks go out to the lovely and always kind Kelli who gives wonderful compliments and encouragement to her fellow bloggers = "Good Words". Big THANK YOU Kelli for thinking of my blog :) :)

Here are the guidelines given on Kelli's blog, where she posts about her receiving this award:

1. Thank and link the blogger who has given you the award.
2. Copy and paste the Logo in your blog.
3. Share 7 things about yourself.
4. Nominate 15 other Great Bloggers.
5. Comment and let them know of the award.

Seven Things About Myself:
1. I began dancing at the age of four. I took ballet, jazz and tap until the age of 16.
2. I love camping.
3. I still haven't completed our five children's photo or baby albums...lame I know!
4. I was a cheerleader in grades 7th-12th.
5. I am afraid of escalators and flying.
6. I wish I had the strength, and intelligence to be an organic farmer and also raise a few chickens. 
7. I secretly wish the rest of my family would choose to be vegan and even more raw. With the exception of honey--we love raw honey so they technically would not be true vegans, by some people's definition.

The Fifteen AMAZING Blogs I Nominate Are (I am inspired by each of them in one way or another; they do a great job blogging)
1. Addicted to Veggies
2. Family at the Foot of the Cross
3. Follow Your Bliss
4. Gluten Hates Me be But I'm Surviving
5. HiHoRosie's Place
6. Goodnes Me Goddess
7. it's a High Raw Life
8. One Woman's Creations
9. Our Raw Life
10. Queen of Kale
11. Raw Loulou
12. Backyard Organic Garden
13. Subsistence Pattern
14. The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen
15. Catherine et les fées
**I am adding one more, because I LOVE her blog and how dedicated she is to sharing healthy recipes!! Way to go Jane.
16. Blend It and Mend It
*******************************************************************
This morning I started out with a Mega Green Mango Smoothie. This baby was packed with 3 cups of organic spinach and also dandelion greens. The fruit portion consisted of frozen mango and fresh, ripe bananas.
Mega Green Mango Smoothie
4 cups organic baby spinach
8 dandelion green leaves
3 small ripe bananas
2 C water
1/2 C ice
handful of frozen mango
I tend to reverse the proportions of fruits to greens in our smoothies, making the green percentage higher than the fruit. This didn't happen overnight, yet very slowly so I could get the kids transitioned smoothly. They  prefer the higher green ratio to fruit--the greener the better for them. Gotta love it!! Moving slowly in this direction really paid off. I recommend this to anyone trying to incorporate green smoothies into their lifestyle. I literally began by only putting a few spinach leaves or other greens into a blender filled with fruit. Each week I would add in a few more leaves. I took my time and did not work up to high greens for several months. I also began adding raw green powders in increments of a 1/2 a teaspoon at a time. This also paid off as I can now add in an entire scoop when I have the powders on hand.
The remaining half of my breakfast was more like a snack than a meal. I made the most amazing Rawnut Caramel Dip last night and was looking forward to enjoying it today.

Rawnut Caramel Dip
by Elizabeth @ Raw Living and Learning
1/2 C soaked raw macs
1/2 C soaked raw walnuts
1/3 C soaked raw pecans
pinch of Himalayan salt
1 tsp pure vanilla
1/4 C raw agave
1/2 C date paste (dates soaked overnight in coconut water)
Blend until creamer in the blender. Add splashes of spring water as needed for proper blending.
Serve as a dip for apples and carrot sticks. Enjoy!

Well, I am off to notify the bloggers that I nominated for the "One Lovely Blog Award". I wish I could have listed more than 15, I enjoy so many great blogs!! Peace and Raw Health!
+JMJ+ Today I am gratful for the recovery of two sick kiddos--really had me in a tizzy. So glad it is over.

PEACE in P-E-N-A-N-C-E and My Raw Lenten Journey

There is PEACE in P-E-N-A-N-C-E . (Can you find it?)

It is so easy for me personally, to find true peace in penance because I trust that God's mercy abounds. It is during this time that we prepare to renew our baptismal vows through penance and reconciliation. This is a time to enter into the healing spirit of this season and restore relationships with our household, neighbors and most importantly, God. It can also be a time to heal the body with raw living, life giving foods.
When I think of this time of year not only do I think of fasting, abstinence and penance but I think of reconciliation and NEW LIFE. The word "lent" comes from the Anglo-Saxon word for springtime, lencten. The importance of the integrity of life and the preciousness of life. Life represented in new growth and life being protected from the moment of conception to the moment of natural death. And life as seen in the planting, sprouting and growing of life giving plants, nuts and seeds.
In celebration of life I finally got to accomplish one of my goals--the planting of my small garden. Plants need sunlight, water, and rich soil to help them grow. A garden needs to be nurtured to produce good fruit. Our Lenten growth is nurtured by the three disciplines of Lent: 
Fasting
Alms giving
Prayer
By tending to my garden and watching it grow I too anticipate God's grace to help me to grow in virtue. I hope to gain good fruit too from my wonderful little garden! All you wild bunnies and slugs stay away, please.

Half of my garden is in the yard, in a square foot box inspired by the book, The New Square Foot Garden. I have several varieties of tomatoes, Swiss chard, collards, strawberries, and red bell pepper. The other half of my garden is up on the second story deck in the form of potted herbs and sprouts on the sprouting rack and in jars on the kitchen counter tops.

Parsley (two pots)

Lemon Balm



Basil



Greek Oregano

Yesterday was the beginning of our family's Lenten Journey--Ash Wednesday. It was a day focused on Christ. We took the day off from school and began to plan how we each wanted our journey to unfold over the next 47 days. As a devout Roman Catholic, I love this Liturgical season. It is a very special and personal time for me. I will be sharing a bit more personal posts over the next 46 days showing how my raw journey melds so beautifully with my Lenten Journey! They just naturally go together. The cleanliness of my diet enhances  clear thoughts thus allowing me to focus and center on Our Lord's Passion in an intense way. Cleaner eating for myself will involve totally raw and living foods and the rest of the family will eat higher percentages of raw along with their cooked foods. But no meat or poultry will be consumed on Wednesdays and Fridays.  
Ash Wednesday--Abstinence and Fasting
What our day consisted of:

• Discussed and thought about each of our journey's.
• Two simple, meatless meals.
• Went to evening Mass, prayed and received our ashes.
• Scripture reading/reflection and the beginning of our "Scripture Tree" Lenten activity.

We made all of the felt symbols and banner.

Our tree starts out barren and dead looking as we think and pray about our sinfulness and the death of our Lord. New life is added each day as one more scripture passage is read and one more felt symbol is attached to our banner. As the Lenten season climaxes with Easter, we can see the life giving gift of His death and Resurrection. The beauty of Christ's life is shown clearly in the way our dead, brown branches will slowly be filled with blossoms; our symbols representing Christ's life on earth and his love for us all.
Our "Jesus Tree" is the best way I could think of to help the younger children learn and understand this pivotal time in our Liturgical year. This tree activity took about 6 six or more years to construct. That is because every time I decided to start working on it again a new baby was coming. So once the last three of the five babies arrived I made it a point to FINALLY get to use our "Jesus Tree" with the whole family. Hands on and very visual, making a powerful imprint on their imaginative and  sometimes wandering minds.
I hope you will enjoy some of my simple, clean, raw living recipes and may you too, in your own way, find true RAW living PEACE.



I began the day yesterday with a simple and hydrating blended green juice.

Dandy Cherry Blend
2 C water
7 dandelion greens
10 oz bag of frozen organic sweet black cherries
1 C ice
Blend into raw living goodness!

Lunch yesterday was light, simple and truly delicious. I was trying to restrict the amount of food at each of the small meals, so I could focus more on what I need to cleanse from my life so God can renew my spirit. I am trying to think of ways that I can draw closer to Christ, allowing Him to show me the areas I need to work on the most. My goal is to eat as clean and pure as possible. I have been incorporating herbal detoxifying teas as well. Boy do they work; really gets the system moving, if you know what I mean. It also settles an upset stomach almost instantly.

Hoping to take my cleansing to the next level, I am considering a juice feast, perhaps the last three days of my Lenten journey; Holy Thursday, Good Friday of the Lord's Passion, Holy Saturday, and then breaking the fast, gently, on Easter Sunday. I wish I could go to CHI to do a juice fast but I am just going to do my own here at home, hopefully.  A great book for juicing is, Juicing for Life. I will have enough recipes right there to keep me satisfied.
Here is a pic of yesterday's yummy lunch.

Pineapple with a Crunch!
1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple, diced
raw honey- just a drizzle
raw black sesame seeds
sprouted buckwheat crunchies
sunflower sprout garnish :)

So on to today's food. Breakfast consisted of a Berry Green Smoothie.



 Berry Green Smoothie

 Dole frozen mixed berry blend

2 C water

2 very small bananas

3 C organic baby spinach

Lunch involved a delicious oil free dressing on top of a sprouted fruit salad. I have been enjoying the lightness of oil free dressings lately. I really like how I feel after having a large salad topped only with more living foods in the form of an oil free vinaigrette.

Sprouted Fruit Salad

broccoli sprouts

sunflower greens

diced pineapple

diced organic strawberries

raw sunflower seeds

fresh Greek Oregano, cut onto strips

fresh Lemon Balm, cut into strips

Oil Free Fruit Vinaigrette

1/3 C diced pineapple

1/3 C diced organic strawberries

1 T balsamic

1 tsp raw honey

2 leaves of fresh Lemon Balm

Blend well in a personal size blender.



Dinner tonight will consist of zucchini pasta made with my spiralizer, tossed with some Arame, diced tomatoes, organic red bell pepper from the Farmer's Market, some of my herbs and a drizzle of scallion and garlic dressing. Simple and delicious. I adore seaweed!!

 Peace and RAW Health!

+JMJ+ Today I am grateful for the chance at a fresh start and the peace I feel in Christ's love.

RAW Onion Bread and a Dip Recipe

Inspired once again by the remarkable Lisa at Raw on $10 a Day or Less, I decided to break down and make another batch of raw bread that uses flax meal. My attempts in the past have turned out bitter tasting, raw bread that landed in the trash. Well this time I was convinced that I could make this work. How can you go wrong with one of Lisa's amazing recipes? This bread is nothing short of spectacular!! I am in LOVE with this raw onion bread.

I followed Lisa's recipe closely with the exception of using my leftover carrot/veg/fruit pulp. I make it a habit to freeze my juice pulp for future raw bread and cracker recipes. I was composting it but now I realize it is more valuable in my raw recipes. I have enough other kitchen scraps to compost, so this precious pulp goes into the freezer now.
I spread the dough quite thin on the teflex sheets, almost as thin as a wrap.

 For several weeks I have been enjoying many recipes with this raw onion bread. I sliced it into squares and froze the slices, separated by waxed paper. They thaw in less than 5 minutes and taste just as good as the day I made them.
Here is a fantastic recipe I made the other day. It works great as a dip or a spread.
Spinach Guacamole Dip/Spread
by Elizabeth @ RAW Living and Learning (March,2011)
1 large Haas avocado
1 scallion, rough chop
2 C loosely packed organic baby spinach
juice of 1 lemon
1 Roma tomato, cut up into chunks
small bunch of fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove, center stem removed
pinch of red pepper flakes

Directions: First process the avocado, spinach and lemon juice. Next add in the diced Roma, scallion, cilantro and spices. Pulse until just combined.
Use as a dip or a spread for raw sandwiches or sushi.



SPINACH GUACAMOLE DIP

 Here is how I served this wonderful spread, topped with some of my homegrown sprouts of course!

+JMJ+ Today I am grateful for my new tiny garden. Yes, I finallly got my square foot garden stared. More on that later. :)

FRESH New Look and The Story of Cashews

I couldn't resist when I saw this design for the blog. I wanted to jump right into the laptop and start munching away. Hopefully it will get others drooling or at least thinking about fresh, living, raw foods.
I have been experiencing even more of the benefits of the raw living foods lifestyle lately and one of them is even more ENERGY! The last few nights I have been so wide awake and full of life that I can't go to sleep--let me re-phrase that, I don't even think about going to sleep because I feel so awake and energized. When I finally do retire I wake up feeling refreshed; something that never use to happen when I was eating a high amount of cooked foods. I use to wake up feeling more tired than when I went to bed, my eyes would be puffy, muscles ached so badly I had to almost hobble to the bathroom, and I felt like I couldn't even think straight. Not to mention that my head would be so jam packed with sinus pressure and congestion that I swore my head was going to explode. So why the change? Why so alert at night and full of energy? I think it may be due to the fact that I have increased my raw intake to the maximum possible. And I am eating an insane amount of fresh sprouts!!! As of right now the only things in my diet that may not be 100 % raw are what I would consider "condiments/flavorings". Things like Dijon, real maple syrup, vinegar, carob, and the occasional cashew.
Cashews are never truly raw no matter how many people want to believe they are. Not sure if there are companies out there that can steam them at temps lower than 110 degrees--that would be something fun to research.
 Cashews have to be steamed in order for the "nut" to be firm enough to remove it from the shell. Go figure--who would have known? I never knew the true story of cashews--like I said the other day, I am so grateful for the new knowledge I am acquiring as I maneuver through this journey to optimal health. I heard the true story for the first time at our last Meetup.

 The presenters at our Raw Living Foods Group Meetup explained why they do not use cashews in their recipes and substitute either pine nuts or macadamias whenever cashews are asked for in a recipe. That is what I will try to do from now on as well. It just makes good sense.
 Read this "Story of Cashews" and educate yourself about this amazing food, even if it is not raw-- it is still amazing. I have a recipe to share using cashews that is posted below, but in the future I will substitute macs or pine nuts--or better yet, hemp seeds!!
 The Story of Cashews
from The Nut Factory
The delightful cashew nut is loved by everybody. Cashews are a product loved by the wealthy nations and provided for by the poor nations. It is closely related to the Mango and Pistachio plants. Cashews are found growing on cashew trees or "bushes" near the equator. The cashew grows wild in brazil and in cashew plantations in India where the cashew was transplanted into a cashew crop.
Origins
The first western people sighting the cashew tree was by the Portuguese. They invaded Brazil in the 1500's. Portuguese seamen brought the seeds of the cashew nut tree from Brazil to be planted by the early settlers along the east coast of Africa. The trees took root and thrived. It was not long before cashew trees were growing wild along the entire coast of Mozambique. They spread to Kenya and Tanzania.
Uncared for and uncultivated, the ripe nuts were primarily harvested by the African natives. Later, they were sold to the Portuguese traders who in turn disposed of them to merchants who then shipped the nuts to India where they were shelled.
Cashew Apple +Nuts
Eventually, India grew their own cashew tree and the Kerala State (India) Cashew Association is now the largest exporter of cashews in the world. Forteleza, Brazil, ships the second largest quantity of cashews and the two areas represent over 80 percent of the world supply which is around 4 million cases (50 pounds per case). Africa is a distant third. The India crop harvests in May and the Brazilian crop harvests in October.
The Cashew Tree
Cashew trees flourish in extreme heat in the tropics and are readily found near the equator. The tree isn't more than 30 feet tall (like an apple or cherry tree) and often they are mistaken for bushes because the limbs spread easily, strike the ground, and reroot themselves. The trunk is gnarled and tortuous, giving the tree an unkempt appearance.
The Cashew Apple
The highly unusual cashew fruit consists of both a crab apple (called the cashew apple), and a kidney bean shaped appendage on the end of the fruit called the cashew nut. The apple is shaped like and is the same size as a pear; when ripe, it is a brilliant yellow, red or scarlet color. Like all fruit trees, a flower emerges and the nut grows from the center of the flower.
The receptor or "apple" is a later swelling between the flower and the nut - forming the cashew apple. After harvesting, the cashew apple keeps for only 24 hours before the soft fruit deteriorates. The cashew apple is not commercially important since it spoils quickly, but local people love the fruit. To harvest the nut, the ripe apple is allowed to fall to the ground where it is easily gathered by natives. The apple and nut are separated.
The gray/brown cashew nut hangs like a nose at the end of the cashew apple. The nut shell is 1-1/2 inches long and kidney shaped. The nut is found on the end closest to the cashew apple. The other end is honeycombed with cells. These cells contain a toxic resinous fluid called cardol that blisters the mouth. For many years, the cashew was referred to as the blister nut.
Inside the hard shell is a slightly curved white cashew kernel which is about 7/8 inches long and is wrapped in a thin brown skin called a testa which is removed during the processing. The cashew nut, therefore, has two shells - the hard exterior shell and the testa.
Processing the Cashew Kernel
There are two ways to remove the cashew shell, the inside fluid and the thin brown skin. Washing the raw nut in a water bath and storing it in moist heaps or silos for 12 hours makes the shells brittle as long as they maintain 7% to 10% humidity. The shell will rupture and liberate cardol fluid.
The older method is to roast the whole nut in shallow pans over an open charcoal fire with constant agitation. The process was used in native marketplaces and was dangerous and disagreeable. Shells burst, spurting the caustic fluid and releasing clouds of acrid fumes which blistered the skin. At the same time, the heat caused the caustic fluid to dissipate.
Modern extraction methods are to put the nuts in a large perforated cylinder which rotates at a declining angle above the heat. As the nut travels down through the roasting cylinder, the liquid flows from the shell and is collected in troughs and commercially sold. Some kernels get scorched because they become overheated near the bottom of the pile. These become second and third grades in quality. As the nuts emerge from their journey, they are water sprayed and set aside to cool and dry.
Nut cracking in small batches is done manually by native laborers. They place the nut on a hard flat stone and crack the brittle shell, hitting it with a wooden mallet.
The India Cashew Association Marketing Letter


Grading
This manual cracking results in many broken kernels which bring a lower market price. Cashews are graded on how white they are and how broken the kernel is. There are four color grades, four styles of break on the kernel and six sizes (or maximum number of kernels per pound).
1. is the whitest kernel and the best


2. is lightly scorched


3. is scorched and dark


4. is extremely dark and not in much demand
We purchase many grades and sizes because our customers have different needs. That's why the price varies as the nuts get larger and whiter. Whole sizes cost more than pieces. We buy the top grades of cashews - only the whitest and highest quality.




Zucchini Noodles with Garlic Cashew Cream Sauce

 Zucchini Noodles
1 zucchini, use vegetable peeler to make noodles
1 Roma tomato sliced thin, garnish
fresh cilantro, garnish
Garlic Cashew Cream Sauce
1 cup cashews, soaked (but really use macs/hemp/or pine nuts:)
1 garlic clove, inner stem removed, skin left on
1 tsp Pink Himalayan salt
1 T raw honey or 1 pitted date (optional)
1/3 C or less of spring water (for blending)
2 T fresh cilantro
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
fresh ground black pepper
~Blend all of the above ingredients in a small bullet-type blender until creamy smooth.

Raw Asparagus with GCCS

So now I know the truth and will never be fooled by labels that say "Raw Cashews". You must know the source of your foods, so you can be sure of what you are putting into your body. I have learned in life not to take another person's word as the final answer, I must research for myself and then compare notes and make up my own mind about what is true or not. That can be applied to all aspects of life; educate yourself and be amazed at what you can discover.
So what do you think of my new look?? I really like it and hope you do too.
Peace and RAW Health! elizabeth
~JMJ~Today I am grateful for three little warm snuggle bugs that crawled into my bed this morning. What a great way to wake up!!

Strawberry Pear Dressing

Strawberry Pear Dressing

This morning my daughter and I went to our 100% organic market and bought some amazing, fresh picked, local produce. I was literally picking it out of the boxes that they just unloaded from the truck, before they even had a chance to place it on the shelves. It was picked just hours prior!! I spied the most beautiful burgundy red leaf lettuce, a variety called Black Sampson I think, and I just had to have two heads of it. I also got some fresh picked strawberries, kale, heirloom tomatoes and other things. We headed home and I began thinking about my lunch recipe. I had some fresh arugula at home and wanted to make a pear and arugula salad. But now that I had this beautiful red leaf I switched gears, used the pear in a dressing with some strawberries and the juice of a Meyer lemon and created a different salad that turned out beautifully. The result was a sweet yet tangy fruit dressing, completely void of any oil, on a large bed of fresh, tender greens--it was spectacular.

Red Leaf and Arugula Salad

organic red leaf lettuce--Black Sampson

organic Arugula

1 scallion, diced

broccoli sprouts

organic strawberries, sliced

black sesame seeds

Arrange the lettuce on a plate and top with scallions, broccoli sprouts, sliced strawberries and some black sesame seeds. Serve with Strawberry Pear Dressing.

Strawberry Pear Dressing

by Elizabeth @ RAW Living and Learning

1 organic pear, skin on, remove seeds

3 organic strawberries,  green tops on

juice from 1 large Meyer lemon or two small Meyer lemons

In a small food processor, process all of the ingredients until smooth.

 The pink color was just beautiful, the pictures do not give it justice.

Enjoy!

+JMJ+ Today I am grateful for fresh picked, right off the truck, organic produce.