I STILL have heartburn, I assume from the excess of wine 2 days ago. Have tried to eat alkaline today.

I had:

green smoothie (spinach, berries, banana, honey)
green salad with tomato and avocado
raisens
baked satsuma potato (was tired and desperate at bus stop- forgive moi! (I do!))
papaya
lychies
lettuce, cabbage, greens and avocado salad with spices and oil & vinegar, pecans
MonaVie
mushrooms with pesto dip

Got three more raw books in the mail today: Raw Chocolate, Naked Chocolate (yes, there is a theme here), and Raw Food for Busy People. Will let you know how they are after reading.

Definitely drank too much last night. My tongue has an icky feeling to it today. The morning green smoothie helped some, but I do need to watch my alcohol consumption, me thinks! Also, my teeth seem to be attracting some permanent grape stains (don’t have that problem with the non-organic stuff for some reason) Finally, I this came about later this afternoon- I have heartburn!

Today I had:

green smoothie
green salad with sprouts and tomatoes
kimchi and natto
MonaVie
papaya
banana-strawberry ice cream

I slept very soundly last night, and I reckon it was due to the fact that I consumed a relatively clean diet yesterday. Actually, I had another nap on Friday afternoon on my colleague’s couch - while he was there doing work in his office - and he noted how incredibly quite I was sleeping. Let me assure you, this is not my reputation. I am not a hardcore snorer or anything, but I usually have major heavy breathing. This has obviously not been the case of late.

I have been sprouting some beans over the last few days, and although they could stand a bit more time getting their greens out (they are still crunchy), I indulged in a few today. Sprouting is really not difficult. It’s just perceived as a pain in the butt because you have to remember to rinse them twice daily! It’s a habit, just like everything else. Personally, for some strange reason I associate my sprouts with sleep - I just rinse them before and after I hit the sack. C’est tout!

Today was a food-prep delight. I made 2 sauces and 3 veggie dishes. A mate came over for dinner and we enjoyed it all over a few flicks and lotsa wine.

Today I had:

green smoothie (apples, strawberries, honey, greens)
leftover Asian slaw
leftover cauliflower salad, with added olives (great addition!)
raw veggies dipped in green sauce
MonaVie
green salad with sprouts, mushrooms, and honey mustard dressing
humus and raw veggies
zucchini pasta and pesto (another version of the yummie green sauce)
banana icecream with cacao and walnuts
red wine (too much for sure…)

Today was a very green day. I finished reading Green for Life and was prompted with the help of the Rawvolution cookbook and my notes from a fast I did years ago in Koh Samui to do some food preparation, seeing as how fully stocked and colorful my fridge looks after having shopped last night before going out. I made 3 yummy dishes.

Green for Life is a publication of the RAW FAMILY and basically advises that we eat a variety of green leaves every day, and the easiest way to do that is through green smoothies. I guess I am on the right path in that regard. What I found interesting was the author’s analysis of the diet of our cousins, chimpanzees, who eat far more greens (in volume) than bananas or other foods. It makes sense that our diets should more closely resemble theirs than the Standard American Diet (SAD- appropriate acronym)

Today I ate:

green smoothie (berries, spinach, apple, banana)
cauliflower salad
Asian slaw
green lettuce dipped in green sauce
banana cacao ice cream
red wine

I brought leftover pesto and zucchini pasta to work today, but I have relearned that it is best to eat raw foods fresh. It was by no means off, but definitely was not tasty. I got a lot of work done after classes at the office, and then went out for dinner and drinks with a friend, ending up going off my raw diet in the process, though it could have been much worse. The salads I had were raw, and I asked them to hold the eggs, fish, cheese etc., but they still came with undesirables, such as bonito flakes (dried fish bits) that I had to whisk off. I broke down and had a few slices of fried gobo (burdock root) too, which I don’t regret, though it tasted greasier than I remembered. Can’t vouch for the dressings- I’m sure there was egg or dairy in the ceasar sauce, but I didn’t eat much of that.

Today I had:

mango smoothie
bananas
raisens
pesto and zucchini pasta
sunflower seeds
daikon salad, ceasar salad, and burdock root salad (raw-ish, but no no to the condiments)
red wine (not the healthy kind)

I had my first private lesson today coaching a lovely young man who plans to do his PhD in mathematics at McMaster University in my home country, so I was doubly pleased to take him on (his skills are fairly high, obviously, and he is motivated). I also took a great many hours preparing documents I need to supply for applications for a couple of full-time positions I’m looking at for next year. There are no positions advertised within cycling distance, unfortunately. I really am keen on neither moving house nor taking public transportation in rush hour to any employer. If I do get a new job next year, then, I may just be purchasing a car. I’ve really missed having a car actually, so this might be a good thing. I could finally go on trips and more easily shop at Costco. (Not that I am by any means far from Costco, but sometimes cycling home with all my paniers loaded feels like a major expedition!) I am doing my best to avoid worry about not finding full-time employment (the wallet is tight of late and there is no room for travel and savings, so I’d prefer not to continue this current situation for too long, though gees, it is nice not to be working so hard!). Worry is not positive energy and will do me no good. At least my health is in better shape than my wallet since starting this diet! On June 10th I have a free school health check. I am banking on my bad cholesterol levels having made a change for the better!

Today I ate:

melon
green smoothie
bananas
chestnuts
carrots, green beans with guacamole and hummus
zucchini pasta and pesto sauce
chocolate mouse (avocado, cacao powder, vanilla extract, honey)
chocolate ice cream (bananas, cacao powder, dates, walnuts)

I explored Matt Amsden’s Rawvolution cookbook today, written by a fellow Canadian who’s most definitely turned hippie and relocated to hippie land in California. He wears his hair long and curly with his brown, embroidered 70s clothes and patched jeans, and judging by his yoga poses seems to be quite a bendy boy as well. A few good recipes though. One of my favorites is the cauliflower salad, which I’ve adapted a bit by adding cumin powder. The result is a dish rather like tabouli, except the ground cauliflower takes over from bulgar or couscous. Very tasty indeed.

RAWvolution: Gourmet Living Cuisine

Today I had:

cauliflower salad
melon
fruit smoothie
raisens and cashews
cauliflower salad
banana and walnut icecream
mixed greens salad with avocado and olive oil
kiwis
bananas