Cantaloupe Cocktail

A full day of unlimited melon intake (served alone in its natural state) is the best way to lead into and also exit from a water fast. Upon completion my last water fast, I found myself eating melon for a longer period than the single following day (mainly due to the fact that Summer has just ended and I happened to have an abundance of varying types waiting to be cleared out to make way for Autumn harvest). As such, I grew a bit tired of melons in plain form and opted to toss a few extra ingredients into the bowl with the remainder of my cantaloupe. 

The end result was something I feel is perfect for any time, as it is incredibly delicious and simple. 

I used:

• ½  Medium sized cantaloupe, cubed
• Juice from 4 limes
• 5-6 leaves fresh mint, cut chiffonade 
• 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stir well, and enjoy!

Pumpkinseed & Macadamia Nut Pesto

• Basil - 1 large bunch (preferably Genovese, though lemon basil or a blend of the two could also work quite well)

• Pumpkin seeds, raw, green variety - ½ C to 1C

• Macadamia nuts - ½ C to 1 full Cup (these should near-match the amount of pumpkinseeds used and will be added in gradually, so please adjust measurements according to your own flavour & texture preferences)

• Garlic or garlic scapes - 4 or 5 cloves (or according to personal preferences)

• Extra virgin olive oil (unfiltered, first cold press) - ¼ C to ⅓ C (please adjust according to texture & personal preferences)

• Celtic Sea Salt - to taste

Blend all ingredients together in food processor (reserving basil until the end), using pulse mechanism. Add basil toward the end, still pulsing (maintains texture) until mixture has reached desired consistency.

Fava Beans: Fabulous Iftari Feasting

What a wonderful treat to have found a big pile of fava beans (amongst other goodies) in my farm delivery this past week! It had likely been an entire year since having had any legumes at all, so I was excited to see these pretty little gems nestled amongst piles and piles of kale...

It took me a few days to actually come to terms with breaking open pods to awaken sleepy little beans, but once I began to shell them I felt my heart begin to smile.

They were so cute in their soft, fuzzy little pod beds; still clinging to their umbilical growth lines. Such little things may often go unnoticed in most kitchens, but for some reason I still find so much delight in these seemingly insignificant discoveries!

Once the childlike Beans of Fava had been uncovered and released from their cushy pod-beds, I was then faced with the task of making them go farther than I had initially imagined. The pods themselves make up a huge bulk of "who" they appear to be upon harvesting, but once shelled the little beans are substantially lesser in volume. As such, I opted to make one small salad and use the rest for a true bean hummous to serve with dates for Iftar.
Here's what I came up with:

Fava Bean Salad

Fava Bean Hummous-filled Medjool Dates

Health & Beauty: Benefits of Water Therapy

For excellent health benefits, it does one well to drink between 1.5 and 2 litres of purified or spring water (I use spring water, from artesian wells) upon awakening each morning. This water should be consumed alone, on an empty stomach (preferably all in one go). Drinking through the teeth is the method I had been taught originally, and it has served me well for quite some time. In fact, I have been doing this religiously for well over a decade and have found the majority of the dry skin issues I once had for many years to simply disappear... never to return!

After consumption of water, it is of vital importance to wait at least three quarters of an hour (I wait at least one full hour) before consuming anything else.

This therapeutic cleansing method will hydrate the body, cleanse/regulate the colon, repair many physical ailments, and increase overall well-being.

In addition to so many of these aforementioned wonderful virtues, this routine will also assist in management of body temperature and provide maximum hydration for the day ahead (hence alleviating the need to worry about whether enough water is being consumed throughout the day). This is the perfect heat management for hot Summer days, and also a wonderful way to maintain soft, supple skin during the especially drying Winter months.

Here is a simple explanation of the entire process (courtesy of vegsochk.org):

The Dirty Dozen

As someone who consumes 100% of my food intake in raw form, I aim for 100% organically grown, each and every time. As such, the vast majority of my food and ingredients are obtained farm-direct (or farmer-direct from local markets).

Although I find this method to be simplest for my own peace of mind, I fully understand that there are still many people who rely on commercial shops for their fresh, raw produce. For those who cannot deal directly with farmers ALL of the time, my advice is to use the Environmental Working Group's "Dirty Dozen, Clean 15" list as a reasonably acceptable go-to buying reference:


Another thing to consider is the fact that most "Dirty Dozen" (chemical/pesticide-laden) items are available at the majority of farmers markets across the US (& beyond). I would be most inclined to buy these items from trusted local farmers, and only "Clean Fifteen" items considered for purchase in shops.

Please feel free to comment with any thoughts on this. All insights are welcome & encouraged!