Pineapple Juice, Dehydrator Times, & Nori

Both my boyfriend and I started yesterday off with slightly sore throats, and believe it or not, I thought it was great because I *just* read that pineapple juice relieves it.

So we started our morning with each a juiced  glass of:

1/4 pineapple, skin and all

1/2 apple

1/4" ginger

I made us each a glass from the above recipe. 

Then I went back to bed and slept some more.  In all, I had a very quiet day, with my biggest achievement being walking the dog who was looking at me with big eyes.  Oh, and I slipped the lasagna into the dehydrator at around 2 so that it could continue doing its thing until dinner.

Dinner turned out well, with the lasagna finally being dry enough!  I've come to have no patience (or to use that tired, authoritarian school quote, 'zero tolerance') for soggy foods due to taking gourmet recipes out too soon.

This happens when you plan for them to be done by dinner time (either that day or the next, lol) and they are less than perfect but you take it out and eat it anyway because, well, it's dinner time, damn it!   

I don't want to do that anymore, after recently spending a lot of time prepping pizza, enchiladas, and tacos...only to feel disappointed after all that prep and waiting.  And always because of taking things out 'because it's time to eat' rather than 'it's really ready.'

My boyfriend doesn't seem to mind and loves the flavors and gobbles it down.  True, the flavors are there, but for me, it's a lot to do with texture and I don't like mush unless it's supposed to be mush. (Trying to think of examples of when I like mush, and not coming up with any...) Anyway, so the lasagna made it to the next day's dinner, and it was worth the wait!

In other news...

So, Mike called...you remember, from Whole Foods...about the Nama Shoyu.  Turns out they don't carry it in their Canadian stores.  His phone message was really helpful, though, as he directed me to Amazon, where I could apparently order it for 16 bucks for a couple bottles.  He said he thought that was a good deal!

I appreciate the customer service in a big way, and was impressed with the care he took, even though he was delivering less than optimal news.  Optimal would have been, "I've got 2 bottles set aside for you here at the store!" lol

I got wondering how the almost-used up bottle of Nama Shoyu got in my fridge, then, if it wasn't from WF, or from Capers, with whom they merged.  It wasn't until a couple hours after his message that I remembered that I got it from a local raw food supply store here in town, and well, DOH.  So I'll just go back there in the next couple days and pick some up and get on with these kale chips I'm hankerin' for.

While at WF the other night, I did pick up some dried Nori sheets.  Apparently, Nori is purple until it's lightly toasted, when it becomes green, so since these are dark green, I guess they aren't raw, but whatevs... I don't like fishy tasting stuff, am not even slightly a sushi fan, but  want to add 'sea vegetables' to my diet, mainly for the iodine.  If I can get myself to like it, I'll earnestly search locally for the raw kind.

UPDATE about the rawness of the nori sheets... turns out, they only looked dark green because of the packaging, and they are in fact, dark purple.  So, these are raw!  Yay!  Now, I hope they're good... lol

So tonights dinner is going to be Savoury Nori Snacks with a large salad

Savoury Nori Snacks
From Raw Pleasure Australia's free ebook

2 cups sunflower seeds, soaked 6-10 hours
2 tablespoons lemon juice (can mix it up with lime and some orange too)
3 tablespoons sultanas/raisins/currants
2 cloves large of garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
6 raw vegan nori sheets

Blend all but the Nori sheets into a thick paté

2. Lay out 1 Nori sheet and spread some paté on (about ½ cm thick).

3. Place another Nori sheet on top and press down

4. Continue until Nori/pate is finished

5. Dehydrate on a teflex sheet for 3 hours at 130 degrees °F (54 °)

6. Flip over onto a mesh sheet (dry side down) and lower temperature to 115 °F (46 °C).

7. Dry until crispy! It's easy to cut them in slices with a big pair of scissors after they have been drying a couple of hours. Cutting them up helps them dry faster too.

Variations: Other favorite spices or flavorings as desired (chili, rosemary, basil, olives, tomatoes)

Note: It's very important for taste/texture/nutrition to soak the sunflower seeds.

So I'll report back in with photos, and update when I've eaten some...let ya know what I think.
UPDATE UPDATE:  OH MAMA!  Savoury Nori Snacks are to LIVE FOR!!!  They are not fishy at all... the pate and nori mixed together just makes these sooooo delectable!  To quote the Great Steve:  "Damn!  We're havin' THESE again!"  I'm so happy that I have found a truly delicious way to eat seaweed, without 'putting up with it', but really LOVING every bite.  Yay!  Go make these!  (I'm putting them in their permanent home in Soups and Side Dishes.)  I served us 3 rolls each, along with a gorgeous salad (complete with 'homemade' alfalfa sprouts, ha, fresh from the sprouter) and pineapple-raisin cookies that I made from left over pineapple/apple/ginger pulp.  Just added flax and raisins and Bob's yer Uncle.  Delish!!!

 


And now...

Things that make me happy...

My Gratitude Book:

My assortment of flea market photos from other peoples' old family albums...bittersweet to find them there, but I get tickled about carrying them to their new home (mine) and loving them anew by using them as painting inspiration.  I fall in deeply love with these familiar strangers, and adopt them as my own.  (said the crazy lady.)

Have a beautiful day, Rawkers!

xo

Rawkin'