Day 8 part 2

Although I love being on raw food, cooking has always been therapeutic for me, so tonight I decided to give poor old Mr a break and cook him something 'boyish' (see rich, creamy, filling, hot). So, here it is, a curried roast vegetable pilaf with almonds and pepitas.

And here's the recipe for those of you who like the 'vegan' thing without the 'raw' thing...warning, this one has teeth! -reduce the chilli component if you don't like that 'sweaty' feeling after a meal..

Curried Roast vegetable Pilaf with Almonds and pepitas.

Pre-soak 1/4 cup almonds (6 hours or so) and roast buternut pumpkin and cauliflower with rosemary and garlic (I just roast the whole bulb and squeeze out the roast garlic)

Roast butternut pumpkin and cauliflower florets

Roast garlic

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp caraway seeds

1 tbsp chilli flakes

30g Nuttelex

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup soaked almonds, chopped roughly

2 tbsps pepitas

1 1/2 cups basmati rice

1/2 tin of coconut cream

1 brown onion finely diced

3 cups massel chicken stock, made up

handful of chopped flat leaf parsley

salt and pepper to taste.

Fry onion, garlic and spices in oil until fragrant, add vegetables and nuts and mix until well covered in spice mix. Add rice and stock,bring to the boil and simmer until liquid is almost absorbed. Add coconut cream and simmer on a very low heat until all liquid is absorbed, add chopped parsley just before serving.

Easy peasy. Mr is half way through his bowl and has worked up quite a sweat (this always happens when he eats chilli), but is enjoying it immensely and is intending to go back for seconds.

Now for the naughty confession;

I wonder if it's an effect of going raw that a normal glass of chardonnay tastes incredibly strong? I'm actually considering watering it down. Not 'considering'...done. What is going on with my tastebuds??!! Half wine and half water seems to go down better. Good Lord, at this rate I'm going to end up as one of those annoyingly healthy types that sneer at wine and ask for iced water...NO. Foot goes down now, that should never ever happen. Lydgate will be pleased to hear this next bit too....cigarettes are losing their shine. My body doesn't want them as much. Maybe I'll have to write a book entitled "How to quit all substaces: Go RAW". It should be noted that I have not aimed for either of these effects, they're just happening (much to my dismay!). However, it is more important to me to be healthy and have a body I love than to hold on to my 'armours'. After all, one rarely stays the same person for decades at a time. Most people go through fairly major life changes every decade or so. Interesting that the numerology analysis I did a few years back pointed to my 33rd year as a year of major change and upheaval. Interesting,-not necessarily true.

Hmmm, much pondering to be done here.