Long weekend is over and I am ready to plunge into another week of healing, learning and enjoying life.
The last weekend was spent in preparation for a surprise visit of my brother and his family (apparently it was not a surprise for me, since I had to do all the planning). I organized a family get-together, which involved doing things that I would not normally be found doing. Want to know what those things are?
• Buying milk
• Witnessing a making of kefir (a souring process of milk) and cottage cheese
• Baking and slicing pizza with lot of meat and cheese toppings
• Serving foods with all kinds of animal products
• Discovering I had developed a gag reflex to these foods
• Watching my family indulge in sickness causing foods and being unable to do anything about it (well, this part is pretty normal in most of our lives though)
• I also was reminded that “normal” people have dessert with their tea (in addition to loads of white sugar they down in it)
Now, I know some of you hard core vegans/raw foodists would not have done it, but to me family relations still do come first. It was interesting for me though, to discover how my body reacted to, not the sight, but the smell of these foods. My Mom was making a dish with meat, and when she threw it in a pot to fry, I smelled death… When I opened a container with potato salad the smell of eggs almost knocked me off my feet.
I also discovered that some of my relatives are talking about Demetrye’s and my dietary lifestyle as one that is cult-like and life-threatening. Apparently I am too thin for their taste (although I am slightly bigger than I was when I moved away in 1998, but I know they have to find a reason to disapprove of what would otherwise convict them), too pale (not too much sun in the state of Washington, and I refuse to “visit” tanning booths), and our obsession with food is more like idol worship (although I spend less than half of the time my family would in the kitchen prepping food and more time enjoying other things in life). The most ironic part of it was that our plight was discussed by two of my overweight brothers.
On a brighter side I got to see my brother, 1-year old nephew, whom I have not seen before and meet my new sister-in-law for the first time, who turned out to be a wonderful and charming woman. And… I concocted a new salad dressing, that I hope you will make and enjoy over your green salad.
Tahini Salad Dressing
• 4 tablespoons Tahini paste*
• Fresh lemon juice of 1 lemon
• Sea salt to taste (optional)
• 1-2 teaspoons of raw Agave syrup or honey (optional)
• Filtered water (the amount depends strictly on how thick or runny you like your dressing)
All you have to do is combine these ingredients and you are done. I place my ingredients into a glass jar, cover with a lead and shake until well-blended.
Next time I make this dressing I will also try adding a clove of minced garlic.
*Tahini paste is made from crushed sesame seeds
Tahini is a source of calcium, protein, B vitamins, essential fatty acids, vitamin E and good source of the amino acid Methionine. Methionine is an important contributor to liver detoxification and helps with the absorption of other amino acids. Lemon juice in vitamin C, among many other wonderful things. Vitamin C is imperative for calcium absorption, so this dressing is a double-whammy—you get your calcium and ensure that it is absorbed into your body at the same time.
Have a wonderful week, and remember that OUR HEALTH IS A BYPRODUCT OF THE CHOICES WE MAKE and FOODS WE EAT.
The last weekend was spent in preparation for a surprise visit of my brother and his family (apparently it was not a surprise for me, since I had to do all the planning). I organized a family get-together, which involved doing things that I would not normally be found doing. Want to know what those things are?
• Buying milk
• Witnessing a making of kefir (a souring process of milk) and cottage cheese
• Baking and slicing pizza with lot of meat and cheese toppings
• Serving foods with all kinds of animal products
• Discovering I had developed a gag reflex to these foods
• Watching my family indulge in sickness causing foods and being unable to do anything about it (well, this part is pretty normal in most of our lives though)
• I also was reminded that “normal” people have dessert with their tea (in addition to loads of white sugar they down in it)
Now, I know some of you hard core vegans/raw foodists would not have done it, but to me family relations still do come first. It was interesting for me though, to discover how my body reacted to, not the sight, but the smell of these foods. My Mom was making a dish with meat, and when she threw it in a pot to fry, I smelled death… When I opened a container with potato salad the smell of eggs almost knocked me off my feet.
I also discovered that some of my relatives are talking about Demetrye’s and my dietary lifestyle as one that is cult-like and life-threatening. Apparently I am too thin for their taste (although I am slightly bigger than I was when I moved away in 1998, but I know they have to find a reason to disapprove of what would otherwise convict them), too pale (not too much sun in the state of Washington, and I refuse to “visit” tanning booths), and our obsession with food is more like idol worship (although I spend less than half of the time my family would in the kitchen prepping food and more time enjoying other things in life). The most ironic part of it was that our plight was discussed by two of my overweight brothers.
On a brighter side I got to see my brother, 1-year old nephew, whom I have not seen before and meet my new sister-in-law for the first time, who turned out to be a wonderful and charming woman. And… I concocted a new salad dressing, that I hope you will make and enjoy over your green salad.
Tahini Salad Dressing
• 4 tablespoons Tahini paste*
• Fresh lemon juice of 1 lemon
• Sea salt to taste (optional)
• 1-2 teaspoons of raw Agave syrup or honey (optional)
• Filtered water (the amount depends strictly on how thick or runny you like your dressing)
All you have to do is combine these ingredients and you are done. I place my ingredients into a glass jar, cover with a lead and shake until well-blended.
Next time I make this dressing I will also try adding a clove of minced garlic.
*Tahini paste is made from crushed sesame seeds
Tahini is a source of calcium, protein, B vitamins, essential fatty acids, vitamin E and good source of the amino acid Methionine. Methionine is an important contributor to liver detoxification and helps with the absorption of other amino acids. Lemon juice in vitamin C, among many other wonderful things. Vitamin C is imperative for calcium absorption, so this dressing is a double-whammy—you get your calcium and ensure that it is absorbed into your body at the same time.
Have a wonderful week, and remember that OUR HEALTH IS A BYPRODUCT OF THE CHOICES WE MAKE and FOODS WE EAT.
