And the Beat Goes On…

Happy Day!

How are you today??? Me? I’m okay.  A little bummed, but nothing to get upset over.  Although I may not like it when a “communication breakdown” occurs – it is after all expected in life!  Rather than getting upset over it or causing any kind of detriment to my day…the beat goes on!

Onto blogging!

Last night was the last and final batch of Rejuvelac from wheat berries.  It is technically my 3rd overall batch and I have decided to try another type of grain.  The next grain I am sprouting will be – Oat Groats.  I will let you know what the difference in taste is – if any!

So far I feel a HUGE DIFFERENCE with the Rejuvelac!

Clarity, Endurance, and a calmer vibration. When E3 Live is added to the mixture it is the most wonderful feeling!  Positive, ALIVE and absolute B-L-I-S-S!

As I was working in the kitchen last night, I came across one (there are 100′s by the way ) of my FAVORITE books – Recipes for Longer Life by Ann Wigmore.

Rejuvelac the “water” of the Institute, puts into your body the enzymes cooked food doesn’t.  Enzymes help freindly bacteria such as lactobacillus bifidus grow.  Lactobacillus  in turn gives off lactic acid, a natural astringent, which helps your large intestine maintain it’s natural, healthy, vitamin-producing environment.  This leads to a clean colon where sludge does not collect on colon walls, and where harmful, disease producing bacteria are unable to survive.

Since the Rejuvelac is pre-digested (fermented) the proteins are broken down into amino acids, and the carbohydrates into simple sugars.  These nutrients are assimilated by the body with little expenditure of energy.  Rejuvelac is rich in eight of the B vitamins, as well as vitamin E and K!

Great information, huh?  We can thank Ann Wigmore for this wonderful Healing Elixr!

Spent Wheat Berries

So my last adventure didn’t turn out to well when it came to the spent wheat berries…or so I thought!  I had initially set out to make ESSENE BREAD but it ended up being batter and/or oatmeal – rather than dough!

I attempted to make the best out of a bad thing and made RAW COOKIES!!!

Here they are!

They are actually good.  I was afraid for a moment, but my wonderful “taste tester” stepped in and made a happy face when he bit into the cookie!

Here is another shot!

Since I have approximately 4+ cups of wheat berries, I decided to place the other wheat berries into the Dehydrator to dry them out before I use them again.

Here they are about to go into the Dehydrator…

I will update what becomes of them tomorrow or the next day!  Hopefully my Essene Bread (RAW BREAD Adventure #2) will be much more successful…fingers crossed!

Sprout Updates

Look at these beauties! Radish Sprouts! When I pulled these out of the jar, I thought how fun it would be to make a dish around them! So that is what I will do tonight! (Do you see the little heart the leaves made? Right at the top of the cluster!) PURE LOVE!

Newest Raw Food Find

I mentioned the Mineral Rich Crusts in my last posting here and wanted to show you what the packaging looked like!  They are pretty tasty and very filling!

And finally…

No Impact Man Highlight of the Day

I think I have mentioned how the earth bestows wonderful produce upon me via customers and people within the community.

One of the most wonderful additions to my day on Monday was this gift!

This gift from the earth came via a very knowledgeable guy in the community.  He climbed his own tree and picked these avocados for me.  He says it’s better to give them to someone who will eat them rather than allowing them to fall and rot on the floor.  He also brings me these wonderful lemons.  He calls the darker ones Mandarin Lemons and the lighter ones the Sour Lemons.

I always use all of the produce he gives me and I am so thankful to both the earth and him for bestowing this gift of life upon me!  The universe always manages to encourage me!

Besides the “No Impact” of this guy using what is growing in the community, he walks everywhere – he NEVER drives, and he brought me a paper bag from his lunch to use as both the bag I would take the produce home in, but also to ripen the Avocados!  How much more “No Impact” could this guy be? Love it!

Here they are in the bag awaiting to be eaten! I placed them here among my DVD’s since I am usually picking movies out to take to the store or watch at home.  I figured if they were right in front of me, I couldn’t forget about them!

Okay, so let’s not pay attention to the fact that the bag says “The Hat” a local burger eatery in Los Angeles – known for their pastrami…life is funny that way..huh?

Thank you for reading!

Love and Light!

Namaste!

New Years Eve – Eve!

As we drove home from the shop last night it was FREEZING!  Least by California standards!  I know, I know – here in California we are big babies about the temperature!  I don’t know how some runners, raw foodies and vegans deal with zero degree weather! Eeek!

It was 48 degrees with winds at 15 – 20 mph!  I WENT RUNNING ANYWAY!  I figured if I could conquer the run last night, I would be alright to conquer my runs the rest of the week!  The weather promises to be windy and cold and I have made a promise to myself to continue running !!  The January 10k will be here soon enough! 

There were a few races I wanted to attend, but traffic and being in the car isn’t something I want to deal with during a holiday weekend. If you know what I mean! So I will be hosting my own mini race!  Between 11:30-11:45 pm I will be embarking on my own 5k!  Hopefully my taste tester will accompany me into this NEW YEAR RUNNING!!!

Sorry no pictures from the run, my camera wasn’t charged!

After my run, I lifted weights and headed into the kitchen! 

I went to the Rejuvelac brewing and witnessed a phenominal sight!  There were green sprouts coming out of the REJUVELAC!

WILD!  I thought how beautiful! How A-L-I-V-E! 

I think they sprouted because there are other sprouts growing in the kitchen – life is abounding in the Veg888 kitchen right now!

I am going to try and make a recipe I came across in an Ann Wigmore book – Energy Soup!  Followed by a Rejuvelac/E3 Live Cocktail and a run sometime over the LONG WEEKEND! The soup requires fresh sunflower sprouts, rejuvelac, etc. I will update later!

I also decided to take advantage of the fact that I have several jars FULL OF REJUVELAC!  I am making a Cashew Basil Nut Cheese! 

Last night I pulled out my trusty Recipe Book/Personal Journal.  In it were the basic instructions for a Cashew Nut cheese.  I got the recipe from somewhere on the internet!  I am always scouring for interesting recipes and have wanted to make this particular recipe for a fair amount of time.  I don’t know why I hadn’t made Rejuvelac before?  It would seem that I would have totally made it during the cleanse last year, but???? Well I suppose it doesn’t matter.  Slow and easy!  I’ll get there….

Basic Cashew Cheese

3 cups soaked Cashews

1 1/2 – 2 cups rejuvelac

Instructions: Place ingredients in the blender/food processor and blend until smooth!  Place contents in a glass and cover.  Allow to ferment for 24 hours!  Uncover and begin creating!!!

Here we are ALL COVERED!  I will do all of my experimenting when we get home this evening!  I would like to cover the cheese with some herbs and spices.  However, I was able to attain one of my KITCHEN GOALS!  YES!

I purchased some antique molds off of EBAY a few months ago and I am planning on using them for some Cashew Cheese experiments…stay tuned!  I will update soon!

Thank you for reading!

Love and Light!

Namaste!

Thursday’s Kitchen Report

Things have been moving along nicely in the Veg888 Kitchen lately.

Last night I jarred the THIRD BATCH/LAST BATCH of Rejuvelac.  This is the last and final batch before it will turn into a “bread”.

The wheat berries have tails that are about 2.5 cm.  They are happy little things!  They have turned a really interesting color.  Much like a cream color? or an eggshell color?  not white, but almost there???  The tails have tiny little fuzzy roots!  They also smell very “green” and VERY FRESH!

I placed the “spent” wheat berries into a glass container and popped them into the refrigerator.  This is supposed to slow down the sprouting process and since I have made ALL THE REJUVELAC I can…I am awaiting to RECYCLE & REUSE!

I will make the “bread” this evening and place it in the dehydrator over night.  I am planning on making RAW BAGELS with this batch.  My favorite non-raw bagel is an EVERYTHING BAGEL so that is what I am going for tonight!  Since my schedule it usually chaotic – I wasn’t able to make my Bagels/Essene bread.  I will update the process and the taste!

On Sunday (Dec 19, 2010) I began soaking more wheat berries and sprouted them over the next 2 days.  This allowed me to begin a new batch of Rejuvelac immediately after the final batch.

I was also able to wash the large container and refill it with “NEW” REJUVELAC within a 10 minute frame.  Of course this was going on at about 1:30 am.

Most of my kitchen experiments go on between the hours of 9:30pm – 3:00 am.  ESPECIALLY since running became part of my schedule in the evening.  When you go to bed at like 3 or even 4 am it is quite difficult to wake up at 6 or even 8 am. I am hoping to change my schedule a bit this next year.  My goal will be to get a good portion of my workouts done in the morning before I open the store.  In order to do this, I will have to have dinner AT THE STORE and get to bed by 11pm – Midnight.  Fingers Crossed I will meet this goal! (Along with all of my other goals on my list for 2011! )

Overall Rejuvelac Review

Although time consuming the rewards I feel from the Rejuvelac seem well worth the wait.  My tummy feels really good, I am very clear in my mind.  I don’t forget things AS MUCH!  I am able to execute tasks on my list for the day.  I am also able to keep a very good energy level sustained throughout the day.  No word on gray hair/dark hair – yet.  But a very good addition to my diet.

If I stay on a good rotation, I think everything will work out fine.  Last night as I began sprouting more Sunflower Seeds and Radish Sprouts, I began to think of what I was REALLY doing.  I knew I also needed to begin sprouting NEW wheat berries Thursday evening, this way I would be ready with proper wheat berry sprouts once the next THIRD batch is ready.

I also want to add more “Sprouted Greens”  to my diet.  While reading the “Thrive” book by Brendan Brazier I came across some helpful information on Sprouted Greens.

“RAW enzyme rich sprouts are plentiful in all three food components: simple carbohydrates, amino acids and fatty acids.  They are predigested so the body does not need to produce it’s own enzymes, plus the nutrients are in a usable form-a considerable net gain of total energy suppled by the food.” Brendan Brazier, Thrive

It also went on to say “The sprout occupies a transitional phase in the plant life cycle.  Having yet to form roots, the sprout, a new growth from the germinating seed.  Once activated by moisture, enzymes begin to utilize nutrients supplied in the seed as a rapid growth fuel.  The plant equivalent to mother’s milk, densely packed nutrients in the seed quickly convert the sprout into a plant with leaves…throughout the sprout’s rapid growth phase, digestive enzyme inhibitors are expelled; proteins are converted to amino acids, and fats to essential fatty acids, making a very efficient food.  Power packed with vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll and enzymes, since sprouting enhances the efficiency and nutrient value of the seed.  Sprouts, because of their HIGH pH level, will also help alkalize the body ” Brendan Brazier, Thrive

I have to kick training up a notch if I am going to finish the 10k which will be January 29, 2011. (Not that far away mind you!) So there will be more recipes to come!

There doesn’t seem to be the usual excitement for Christmas this year.  I don’t even hear people say they are going to buy gifts -or- that they are celebrating Christmas!?  I wonder if it’s the rain or the finances???

No Christmas Tree in my shop or at home.  Just lots of Sprouts!  Life!

The rain seems to have subsided -for now-.  I woke up to the Sun this morning but it seems to have disappeared since!

Love and Light!

Namaste!

Sprouting ~ An Introduction

“The health of the physical body should be the concern of every aspirant to the higher life. Spiritual evolution requires refinement of man’s vehicles. In order to attain purification of the physical organism, the body must be provided with proper nutrition.”

While reading through various books, magazines and articles on the internet I have come across the healing properties, importance of, and complete joy of growing sprouts.

Sprouts * Sprouts * Sprouts

All different kinds!!!

Why is the importance of SPROUTS?

Sprouts are very nutritious because they contain all elements a plant needs for life and growth. The endosperm of the seed is the storehouse of carbohydrates, protein, and oil. When the seed germinates, these become predigested amino acids and natural sugars upon which the plant embryo feeds as it grows to maturity. When used as food, the life force is released and supplies the energy which is capable of generating healthy cells in the body and supplying us with new vigor and life.

What are their healing properties?

Sprouts can retard the aging process, since they contain ample amounts of male and female hormones, available in their most assimilable form. Research shows that sprouts are highest in vitamin and mineral content. Sprouts should occupy a prominent place in the diet. A seed sprouted increases their nutritional value many times over.

Not only are sprouts healthy, they bring immediate beauty to your day!! Who doesn’t need beauty and love????

JOIN THE RAFFLE AND ADD HEALTH TO YOUR LIFE!!!

You can See the Original Posting here!

There are two types of sprouts…

SEEDS – contain a great deal of phosphorous, an important mineral for spiritual aspirants, who want to increase their alertness and mental abilities. Phosphorous is also necessary for healthy bones and teeth, a fact which makes sprouted seeds desirable for babies and children.  Sunflower seeds are rich in vitamin B and D and all the essential amino acids. Sesame seeds are a rich source of calcium, iron, phosphorous, niacin, and protein.

GRAINS – These sprouts contain vitamins C, E, B complex, magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, sodium, potassium, protein, enzymes, chlorophyll, and possibly B-17. (In its cooked form, wheat is unacceptable to some individuals, causing mucus congestion, allergic reaction, and constipation. In its sprouted form, a large portion of starch is converted to simple sugars, making it a wholesome food acceptable to many who would otherwise need to eliminate wheat as a food source). Buckwheat, a food rich in lecithin and rutin.

So there you have it!  A little bit of info on sprouting.  I will continue to post information about sprouting as time goes on.  I will be sprouting Sunflower Seeds and Peas first.  (If possible I will do a time lapse viewing of the sunflower sprouts.)  Wouldn’t that be cool?!  I just have to figure out this entire camera thing.  Technology! Technology!

Thanks for reading!!!

Namaste!