Delicious Dinners

Zucchini Pasta with Tomato Mushroon & Asparagus

 

Most of us are bought up in a culture where dinner is our main meal. Not only is it traditionally our largest meal of the day but it also symbolises coming together, especially for families. Food is so about so much more than what we put in our mouths. Every celebration, reunion, meeting, birthday, Christmas, Easter and even wakes all happens around food. I think that most of our cravings are related to the ‘when’ and ‘why’ we usually ate something. The smell of bacon reminds us of relaxing Sunday morning breakfasts, donuts of special treats usually centred on a fun time such as a party or outing. Hot bread coming out of the oven and everyone getting excited about having that first piece, then watching the butter melt on it.

 

I am able to admit that I still enjoy those smells but actually can’t even remember the last time I ate any of them. They just don’t appeal to me as food. I explain this to people by saying that I also like the smell of frangipanis and roses but I don’t want to eat them. The smell gives me more pleasure than actually eating them does. Eating them would take the pleasure away and they would actually make me feel quite ill. I find that I am now at a happy place of enjoying the smell, the memories they represent, and I am happy to leave it at that.

 

Here are some of my favourites:

• Zucchini Pasta with Italian tomato sauce, mushrooms and asparagus.
• Zucchini Carbonara.. made with Cashew cream
• Curry Cauliflower couscous with corn salad 
• Raw lasagne 
• Zucchini Cannelloni with Walnut Spinach filling and Tomato sauce 
• Savoury Italian nut patties with salad and coleslaw 
• Corn Chowder and crackers 
• Raw sushi 
• Raw Burritos.. made Cos lettuce leaves filled with blended salad, avocado and sprouts

Most of these are quick and easy. With the right equipment anything can be put together in a short amount of time. And I always find cleanup to be just as quick and easy when preparing nothing but fresh raw food.

 

I have always followed dinner with a serving of fruit.. I know it’s not what you are supposed to do but as much as I have tried not to do it, it just seems to cause me more grief that good! So I just do it and enjoy it. I sleep much better on a full stomach than an empty one. I do try to finish eating at least an hour before I go to bed. I have tried not to do this but found that I was waking during the night and was not able to go back to sleep. I then discovered that I was hungry!  So now I get my fill and sleep soundly. As I have always said .. Do what works for you. I know many people that eat very little in the evening.. I commend them for that. They are lucky. But I have learnt to embrace and enjoy my own ways and don’t let them bother me anymore.

 

Healthy eating also involves a Happy & Healthy relationship with food.. love it and embrace it, it is not our enemy.. it is there to nurture us! As long as it is good quality, clean, fresh and unprocessed it is your friend.. ENJOY

 

Curry couscous with blended salad, rocket & avocado.

Raw Pizza

Vegie Pasta with Nutballs