I've been excited to try this recipe since the weekend, and have had some kiwis next to the blueberries in the freezer since then in anticipation. Today I picked up an avocado at the market, and I just finished enjoying this delicious treat. They made their's a lovely, fancy swirl, but I'm into food being as easy as possible to prepare these days, so I just mixed it all together in the food processor, and used raw agave nectar instead of the stevia that they suggest. Mm!
Find the recipe, among many other creative and delicious recipes, here.
Can sweet cats compensate for mediocre photographs?
When I posted on here the other day, I noticed that the Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen had posted a recipe for the "Accidental Chocolate Cake". The fact that the cake looked moist without looking overly dense despite the fact that it contained absolutely no flour intrigued me. I decided to give it a try and ignore the fact that I'm fairly sensitive to almonds, chocolate and eggs. I make these indulgences more often these days, and they are always delicious, and I tend to recover much more quickly from the adverse reactions than I used to.
I don't really care so much for baking these days. After two years of spending so much time in the kitchen, the more simple the preparation, the happier I am. So when I set about finding a good chocolate frosting recipe, I was disappointed by either the number of ingredients in most, or simply the fact that I didn't have the ingredients on hand. I decided to try making one myself with an avocado base, which I knew would make it deliciously creamy and thick. Avocado works great in dessert recipes, although I am very partial to ones where the avocado doesn't become warmed. I find that when warmed, the more savory flavor of the avocado peaks out a bit too much. So wait for your cake to cool before spreading on the frosting. Even better, chill it in the fridge for a bit. (I found that this tasted even better the following day, with both the cake and frosting chilled.) This would also be delicious sandwiched between macaroons, filled into a crust for a delicious mousse tart, a dip for fresh strawberries, or one of your favorite raw desserts.
If the cake recipe that I used doesn't appeal to you, here are some other options to consider:
One of the most frustrating things for me about having seizures is the feeling that I am very limited in my holistic treatment options. For the first time in a long while, I have gladly surrendered to the medications prescribed to me by my neurologist, and though I haven't worked up to a dosage yet that can stop my seizures, I am already noticing a difference in my energy level, and feel optimistic. It is difficult, though, to deal with the fear of possibly losing health insurance in the future and losing my medication, or the possibility that eventually the effects of the medication will plateau, and I will have to begin the frightening process of accumulating more prescriptions to ensure a certain quality of life. It is not an option for me to continue to have seizures every day, multiple times a day, and to be so limited in my activities and mobility. But with all of the potential side-effects and concerns, I want to be sure that I do what I can to complement the treatments I receive from my doctors.
I find YouTube to be an excellent source for introductions into the various experiences of others with trying health problems, and introductions into the treatments that have worked for them. They are only this: introductions, and as with all information distributed on the internet, should be watched with a critical mind. But I find that they give me some sense of optimism. As far as natural treatments I have currently incorporated into my life, I try to drink a tea blend of skullcap and passionflower every day, and have begun energy work with a psychic medium per the recommendation from another person with epilepsy whose seizures stopped completely after energy work. I am planning on visiting a chiropractor as well, and hope that this will help.
Here are some of the videos that I've watched that I've found compelling and informative. Perhaps they will help you, as well.
This is an excellent overview of natural treatment options. I was pleasantly surprised to find that their knowledge of research into more rare forms of epilepsy is quite impressive, and even more thorough than many neurologists. I had to be referred to a highly specialized neurologist, in fact, to be able to work with someone who was actually aware of the hormonal-related forms.
The two other ladies that I know with epilepsy also do their best to avoid gluten. I have been on a gluten-free diet for at least two years now. I wonder how much worse the seizures would be if I was still eating it?
This is where I learned about skullcap and passionflower's beneficial impact on epilepsy, although this video is specifically about a form of epilepsy that I am not familiar with.
If you look up "epilepsy chiropractor" on YouTube, a ton of results come up with testimonials like this. I'm very curious to see if I have any results from it.
And the ever controversial issue of epilepsy and medical marijuana. There are so many stories out there like this young man's. I, unfortunately, do not respond well to smoking any sort of substance, as it really fires of my nervous system regardless of the substance, but if I am able to get my hands on a tincture, I will eagerly try it. From what I've read, it is important to have the Indica (sp?) strain rather than the Sativa when it comes to treating epilepsy.
As noted in the first video, neither these people, nor I, am advocating weening off of meds. Epilepsy is a serious disorder, and should be treated appropriately. What is important, though, is to find the highest quality of life possible, and if any of these options aid that, then they are worth a go in my mind.
Have you had any experiences with these treatments, or any others?
I find the term "slaw" to be one of the most unappetizing sounding words, probably because coleslaw is one of the most unappetizing dishes, so I apologize for not being able to come up with a more creative name for this, or perhaps you will thank me for lending it a new, entirely appetizing association. This dish is so delicious, and has become such a staple in my diet, that I feel compelled to emerge from my nearly permanent hiatus on this blog to share it with you. It is exceptionally easy to make (as most raw food is), and the most exotic ingredient in it, really, is the kale. I hope that you try it, and love it as much as I do. (I just polished off my third bowl in two days.)
I like to make this big batch, and keep the leftovers in the refrigerator for easy meals. This is even more excellent after chilling in the fridge, especially the next day, so I highly recommend it. Feel free to cut it in half, though, if you only have a smaller amount of the ingredients on hand. This is a versatile recipe, so eyeballing the amount of vegetables is okay. If using the cashews instead of the sunflower seeds, the salad will be lent almost a Waldorf salad sort of taste, so feel free to run with that and add some grapes and walnuts, too!
RAW KALESLAW
ABOUT 8 LARGE RED RUSSIAN KURLY KALE LEAVES (approximate if your bunch includes a variety of sizes. This could be about 3/4 of a bunch, depending.)
8 BRUSSEL SPROUTS
2 LARGE OR 4 SMALL APPLES, PREFERABLY GALA OR PINK LADY
2 CUPS RAW SUNFLOWER SEEDS, OR RAW CASHEWS
JUICE OF 2 LEMONS
SPLASH OF APPLE CIDER VINEGAR (RAW, WITH THE MOTHER!), OR ABOUT 1 TBS
1/2-1 TBS RAW AGAVE NECTAR (if using cashews instead of sunflower seeds, omit the agave, as the cashews are naturally quite sweet)
ABOUT 1 CUP WATER
SEA SALT TO TASTE
POUR THE SEEDS OR NUTS INTO A FOOD PROCESSOR AND GRIND UNTIL FINE. (I USUALLY LET IT RUN UNTIL I'M DONE PREPARING THE VEGETABLES.) WASH THE KALE, BRUSSEL SPROUTS & APPLES. DESTEM THE KALE AND TEAR IT INTO SMALL PIECES. LOP THE ENDS OF THE BRUSSEL SPROUTS OFF, AND CUT THIN SLICES ACROSS THE WIDTH OF THE SPROUT AS FAR AS POSSIBLE. SLICE LENGTHWISE ONCE YOU CAN'T HOLD IT ANY LONGER WITHOUT CHOPPING OF YOUR FINGER TIPS. SLICE THE SIDES OF THE APPLE OFF OF THE CORE, AND THEN DICE THE FRUIT. MIX THE KALE, SPROUTS AND APPLE TOGETHER IN A LARGE BOWL. ONCE THE SEEDS OR NUTS ARE FINELY GROUND, WORK OUT ANY LUMPS WITH A FORK, AND MIX IN THE REMAINING INGREDIENTS. POUR OVER THE VEGETABLES AND MIX VERY THOROUGHLY. I FIND A ROUNDED SPATULA TO BE BEST FOR THIS STEP, AS IT HELPS TO MIX UP THE SAUCE THAT POOLS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BOWL BEST. SERVE IMMEDIATELY OR CHILL FOR MORE FLAVORFUL RESULTS.
Through exploration in cooking and herbalism, I hope to continue to learn, heal and to share with you the fruits of my experiments.
Recipes shared here will typically be free of gluten, dairy, eggs, sugar, corn, soy, yeast, peanuts, and many other common allergens and ingredients that I won't bother listing.
