Oatmeal

This is the first recipe I worked out when I went raw. I actually haven't had oatmeal in weeks, but it is so delicious and I highly recommend it for the transitioning period, and for when you need something extra "rib-sticking". It really is way better than the cooked version, in my book. And I've always been a fan of well-prepared Irish porridge...

The night before:

Soak 1/2 C. steel-cut oats in 1 C. spring water.

Soak 1 C. nuts in water to generously cover (almonds, pecans, macademias, or mixed).

In the morning:

Rinse oats and put in breakfast bowl.

Rinse nuts well and put in blender.

Add 2-4 C. spring water to blender (the less you add, the creamier the mild will be), plus a dash of Himalayan crystal salt, a dash of Tahitian vanilla extract, and some sweetener of your choice to taste (raw agave syrup, honey, or soaked dates).

Blend nut milk & strain through nut milk bag (clean nylon stocking will do, I hear).

Pour milk over oats. Sprinkle with dash Himalayan salt & a little agave syrup.

Add combo of chopped nuts, dried or fresh fruit.

My favorites toppings: Pistachios, dried cherries, & sliced banana.

Note: You'll have leftover soaked nut pulp from making the milk. Keep it in the fridge and use it later to blend into a molded nut pate (almond butter is good binder), some halvah (add almond butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and pine nuts), or cookies for the dehydrator (I made some nice carrot-raisin cookies that tastes like carrot cake!).

The quest begins for great naked food...

From childhood I have been enchanted by the alchemy of tastes that can be concocted over the stove, and by my teen years I had fallen in love with the whole ritual of dining, especially in fine restaurants. I eventually worked as a waiter and captain in a few of the country's best restaurants--The Ryland Inn, Gotham Bar & Grill, Union Square Cafe--and loved to attempt to duplicate, in my coarse fashion, the creations that I served to guests in these special places. I enjoyed cooking for my own pleasure and for the satisfaction of pleasing others, and especially appreciated foods from exotic parts of the world. Nothing formal or fussy (no chef, I)--just the love of good eating.

Also from childhood, I've had a passionate interest in matters of health & healing, particularly from a mind-body, metaphysical perspective; perhaps there's another blog on that topic. But in that vein, over the years I tried all sorts of dietary approaches, including cooked-food vegetarianism several times, which I never felt resulted in glowing health for my constitution. Eventually, I settled into a lifestyle of cooking highest quality, certified organic ingredients, with lots of fresh fish and berries.

But then I reached a crossroads where the most important thing to me became renewal and rejuvenation, and establishing MASSIVE health and vitality in myself... and this is what led to my switching to a raw diet.

So, my culinary adventuring starts anew as I get to explore the amazing "zing" of raw foods on the palate, and to learn how to combine & prepare them in ways I've never experienced before. Numerous times I have been bowled over by the simplest discovery. For example, who knew that steel-cut oatmeal soaked overnight could be eaten raw, and that, mixed with some homemade nut-milk, soaked pecans & macademias, a few raisins and dried cherries, and a dash of vanilla, is far more delicious than the cooked variety? I have also discovered the amazing properties of raw chocolate--we always knew that in our hearts, didn't we?--and the fabulousness of young coconuts.

All my new favorites and staples will find their way here. I hope others find them useful. And along the way, I'll be sharing the journey on a more personal level at my other blog, This Raw Life. Come by and share your comments. There's a whole world of bare-naked, uncooked cuisine to discover, and what's the point of doing it all alone!?