We Aren't So Different, You and Me

We still have people ask us all the time what we eat. Someone talking to me this morning (as she sipped her carton of Atkins milkshake and nibbled on some Atkins snack bars) expressed her concerns over how much time it would take to eat a more plant based diet. We have been so conditioned to pick something up effortlessly. If it satisfies our addictions, that is so much the better. I don't mean to get all preachy on anyone, but that's not the way it's supposed to be.


Genesis 3:8 - 19 - And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food... And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die... And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat... And unto Adam [God] said, "Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."

My take on this is that we're not supposed to be able to pick up a bag and munch away. We have to work very hard for the money it takes to buy that bag of food even if we are not growing it ourselves. Something is a little disconnected when we have to work that hard for something, and yet we do not try to get the most nourishment possible from the effort.

One of the biggest arguments I hear about a plant-based diet is that it is too expensive. We need to think of our food as nutrient/$ instead of pounds/$ or satisfaction/$.

I think a lot about the garden of Eden. There are Adam and Eve able to eat any delectable piece of fruit imaginable. The fruit sprang forth from the trees with no effort required on their part: no tilling, no hoeing, no back-breaking weeding chores. They didn't even have to water the plants. Then suddenly everything changed as a consequence to their disobedience. Suddenly their dietary needs changed as their body chemistry became what we know it to be instead of immortal. When fruit could be found, they had to be on their guard against the thorns, fungus, and diseases that might infect their food. They had to learn to be hunters and gatherers. Grain had to be consumed to provide quick energy when fruit was not available: more calories were needed in their new occupations, yet these calories were less available. The need and search for calories would have been all-consuming. Talk about expensive! We really have no idea!

Today our quest is NOT for the most high calorie food possible as was theirs. In fact, our shelves are lined with low calorie prospects so that we don't consume too many calories. Yet what is the purpose of food? We forget that the function of food is to provide our bodies with the calories needed to carry out their daily work, internally and externally. We talk alot about nutrients, but aren't they only a side benefit to the calories. If we are eating high quality foods that supplies our caloric needs, won't we be getting the nutrients that we need?

Ah, but therein lies the rub... high quality foods are not so easy to be found. If we think of food in its true light, we find we have quite a bit in common with our ancestral parents. May your search for the foods for which you are the best suited result in a lifetime of joy and happiness instead of one filled with pain and suffering.

This week was a busy work week, but we still played with cheese a little bit. We finally got some of our cashew cheese into the cheese press. It has to be in there for 2 to 3 days, and we screw the follower down each day a little more as the liquid drains out of the cheese. I'll try to remember to chronicle that with more pictures as it goes along.


The other cheese experiment was with our queso verde. We love it, but because it was not a fermented cheese, it tasted good when fresh, but not so great after a couple of days. I have been milling this around in my head for a couple of months, so today I tried it as a fermented cheese. Those of you who try it will have to let me know what you think. Darius and Alicia loved it! It was quite tasty if I do say so myself.

When asked this morning how we make up the menus, I responded that we eat what our customers ask for. Here's theirs and our meals this week:

breakfast every day:

fruit and / or fruit juice

This is eaten throughout the morning until our bodies indicated it is time for something more substantial. Occasionally, we will have buckwheaties to dip our bananas in (Buckwheaties are sprouted buckwheat that has been dehydrated. They taste a little like Post Grapenuts.) or some honey almond butter for dipping some apple slices.


I have really been liking a green drink Roger has been whipping up: 1 apple, 2 stalks of celery (he actually uses 4 of the celery tops we cut off from our snack celery), 1/4 lemon, cucumbers (1 large regular or 2 small pickling or baby cukes), and a large handful of whatever greens are in the fridge, usually spinach or kale. This makes one serving. We run it through our Omega auger type juicer.

Lunch. This is usually our most substantial meal of the day. When we are traveling, Roger fixes us a beautiful salad to pack in our cooler.


As an aside (this is a blog, and asides are what make them what they are!), I must make note of the progress Roger has made in the kitchen. This is a guy who used to have a hard time finding a loaf of bread with which to make a sandwich. He has become quite the wiz in our new lifestyle and is quite (surprisingly) helpful. He makes the best salads in the house, and his juices are great too. He is also our no-net artisan. We all have our specialities, but it has been such a surprise to see him doing his part in the kitchen. He is also the one that keeps the dishes caught up so we (who really don't like doing dishes too much) REALLY appreciate that part of his help. So as a tribute to him, THANKS, ROGE! Oh, and as seen in this photo, he is our fruit pie man. None of the rest of us have the patience for it!


This fruit pie is his gift to Alicia for her birthday. This was her requested birthday dessert, so Happy Birthday, girl. May you have at least a million more.

substantial meals this week:

Saturday, 13 March - Waldorf salad on top of spring mix greens. This salad topping is a mixture of a couple of different kinds of apples, walnuts (soaked and dehydrated of course), raisins, and celery dressed with avo mayo. We do love our spring mix too from our farmer in Gainesville.

Sunday, 14 March - As I've mentioned before, we don't usually eat breakfast on Sunday unless it's a couple of bananas as we run out the door for church. This week we're heading to Jacksonville for church as our little twin granddaughters are being blessed. I guess we'll pack a lunch to have afterwards before we head back. How about sprouted garbanza bean hummus served with baby cuke spears, baby carrots, zucchini chips, and some pita chips?

Monday, 15 March - Green spaghetti (previously one of our favorite meals made with regular pasta - in fact, my youngest requested this as the meal at the rehearsal dinner before his wedding...) Our raw version: queso verde tossed with shredded zucchini. Sliced tomatoes on the side.

Tuesday, 16 March - Carrot raisin salad served atop some shredded Romaine lettuce; broccoli cheese soup; sprouted grain crackers or everyday bread if desired.

Wednesday, 17 March - No Net Tuna serve atop greens. Tomato salsa is nice with this, or just sliced tomatoes. No Net Tuna is made with sprouted sunflower seeds, lots of celery, mustard seed, "pickles", kelp granules, and avo mayo.

Thursday, 18 March - How about a nice hearty fruit salad dressed with vanilla sylk? This week we have kiwi, pineapple, apples, oranges, blueberries, and strawberries to choose from. Vanilla sylk is made from cashew cheese, vanilla bean, lemon juice, Irish moss, and honey. Yummy!

Friday, 19 March - spinach salad with candied pecans and sliced anjou pears, dressed with raspberry vinaigrette. How about a nice miso soup on the side?

When we have another meal, and the children almost always do, it is fruit, or veggies sliced up and dipped in ranch dressing or honey almond butter (depending on the veggie). If we're really hungry, we'll have a salad or a quick soup. Sammies are nice too: just spread some avo mayo or ranch dressing on everyday bread and top with a few lettuce leaves and some sliced tomato. We love an olive up on top too.

Desserts this week? We've got chocolate macaroons, pumpkin pie, key lime pie, some vanilla ice cream, and rawky road. Sometimes a dessert makes for a nice evening meal all by itself. Hoping you have a delicious week too. I'm planning on it!

Btw, our ice cream is the best we have had at any restaurant we've been to. We've tried ice cream at them all, including New York City and Miami. (Well, we haven't been to California yet, but we'll bet our ice cream matches up to theirs as well...) Anyway, we make vanilla almond mylk and mix a whole batch with young thai coconut meat until it is thick and creamy. Then it goes into a real ice cream freezer for a while. It is so smooth and delicious. We like it with various toppings including "marshmallow" or blueberry coolis.