My First Raw Food Holiday is Thanksgiving
Cranberry Cashew Wrap, Mashed "Potatoes", "Gravy" and Raw Pumpkin Pie
How did you eat?
Did you eat turkey on Thanksgiving?
This would have been good addition to my dinner!
It Can Be Done!
Raw Food Thanksgiving! Not positive that I could do this, dipping my toe into waters that many have not before me, I enjoyed my first totally raw Thanksgiving.
Oh, sure, I had an attempt last year, but succumbed to a bit of this and that from my husband’s organic deli Thanksgiving dinner as I haven’t actually cooked anything since 2009. If I’ve eaten cooked food it had been take out or restaurant food.
I made my mind up at least a week before and several days prior began to gather my raw ingredients, knowing I should have plenty and a variety of food in the house. One of my great raw favorites is cranberry relish, easy to make, lovely flavor and full of tradition for the holidays. I have often combined it with cashew cream, but this time to make it even more Thanksgiving like, I added sage and thyme to the cashew cream, and put it together with butter lettuce to create the ultimate fresh Thanksgiving wrap.
Mashed potatoes and gravy was my main dish, consisting of cauliflower (some people make a cooked version of this for lower calories than real mashed potatoes), blended in the vita mix with cashews, distilled water, garlic, and then created gravy blended from miso, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, onion, and a few touches of spices.
Asparagus, raw, very thin, with a light coating of olive oil and sea salt, was my starter, and I had been nibbling on it for an hour or so, staved off my hunger as my husband’s heating meal wafted out of the oven and to where I could smell it.
Of course, I had blended a raw pumpkin pie recipe the night before the holiday, and it sat frozen, cut and ready for eating after my raw feast. Actually, I had already cheated and had a tiny, small, slice during the Macy’s Parade this morning for breakfast because I couldn’t wait.
As we sat at the table together and I focused on the goodness of my own food, and it tasted great. I had taken enough time with it so the flavors were good, and it was all things I had not had for a while, so I truly looked forward to the prospect of relishing the fresh flavors. I enjoyed my renaissance and rebellion and now know that I can do a holiday as a raw foodie, unfettered by the traditions that hinge on beliefs that are not relevant for me anymore.