Snacking

Yesterday I did not have much time for food prep as it was a dreaded Sunday, the day when all my homework must get done. I went to yoga first thing in the morning, so I also got a late start on eating which usually sets me up for snacking. But I love snacky days! They are so fun and random. When I got home Rob made me some carrot juice. For a long time I absolutely loved carrot juice, but lately it has been leaving a very bitter taste on the outsides of my tongue that make me not want to drink it. Not sure what's up.

This is what I snacked on:
1. Grapes and kiwi
2. 1 banana and some dates
3. leftover pesto and crackers, strawberries, parsley (my favorite green!)
4. More bananas and dates




Lately I have been feeling iffy about dehydrated foods, which is silly as I have been repeatedly craving raw pizza and crackers. So yesterday as a surprise Rob bought me some raw rye crackers from the store, the kind I'd been eyeing but been too cheap to purchase. But once I got the crackers, I found that I was disappointed and would have rather just eat some more yummy fruit with parsley. Last night I wished I had more strawberries so I could make a strawberry parsley fruit salad! Yum!

My phone call home to mom and dad yesterday revealed that my dad has just been diagnosed with diabetes. NOOOO!!!! It was fascinating though, because the day before I had read what Dr. Douglas Graham had to say about what causes diabetes. Knowing my family's diet, I can totally see what what happened. My family persists on mainly bread, cereal, rice, potatoes, and dairy products. My mom has chronic fat-phobia, so the low-fat part of the diet would be no problem for my family. But I have no idea how to get them off the highly processed low-quality grains that are probably the root cause of my Dad's diabetes.

According to Graham, diabetes results from not just eating too much sugar or too much fat, but eating too the combination of too much fat and sugar. Fat blocks insulin receptors in the cells, so that the cells are unable to get the energy they need from the sugar. The sugar remains in the blood, feeding a growing population of candida culture. The pancreas gets the message from the cells that they are not getting the sugar they need to function and starts cranking out the insulin...and ta-da, diabetes and chronic fatigue, among other symptoms.

I will seriously be considering my affection for raw desserts, which are generally a combination of fat (nuts) and sugar (dried fruit), but not before I try the chocolate and mint pistachio ice creams I just put in the freezer! I'll put the recipe for my ice cream in my next post. Until then, enjoy this recipe for some totally raw hostess cupcakes I made a few weeks ago. I got the idea for them online somewhere, but I totally forget where now. I am such a prolific internet stalker.

Hostess style cupcakes
Chocolate cake:
1 cup soaked cashews
a handful of soaked apricots and raisins
1/4 cup raw cocoa powder
2 tsp. psylium powder
Enough water to make a thick batter

Blend and spoon into cupcake tins. Freeze while you prepare the cream and chocolate sauce.

Cream filling:
1 cup soaked cashews
1/4 vanilla bean
6 or 7 honey dates, to taste, or other sweetener if you like

Blend. Remove chocolate cakes from freezer. Use a spoon to create an indent. Make it pretty deep, the cream filling is the best part :). Fill with cream and put back in the freezer. You can mound the top of the cupcakes to look like they rose in the oven, if you like.

Chocolate Sauce:
Cocoa powder
10 dates
1/2 cup water

Blend and pour over cupcakes. It will be more watery than the others, but don't worry it'll harden up.

Freeze until fairly solid and remove cupcakes from tin. You'll prolly want to let them thaw a little before enjoying. This was one of Rob's favorite treats- he ate almost all of them that same night! Maybe yours will last a little longer.