September 16, 2010

Incorporating more raw foods into their diet has helped Dee Philiph and her husband, Ken, lose weight and find more energy.

“There are so many things you can do to take better care of yourself,” Dee said.

The new Lenox couple recently hosted a raw foods picnic for 35 people in their back yard. They presented guest speakers and shared recipes using raw foods.

“We believe that eating raw foods helps with digestion and energy,” Dee said. “We’re not raw foodists, in the sense that we only eat raw food. We’re just people who are interested in adding more raw foods into our bodies.”

Raw foods are generally higher in vitamins and nutrients, she said. Many processed foods, she added, can slow her down, making her feel tired.

Dee likes to start her day with a green smoothie, made with lettuce, kale, spinach and fruit. she also makes spaghetti from zucchini using a spirooli slicer and pierogi shells from jicama sliced very thinly on a mandoline. she fills them with dates, pine nuts and cashew cheese.

“Since I’ve been making zucchini spaghetti, regular pasta makes me tired,” she said.

In the two years since they embraced this style of eating, Dee, 60, has lost 20 pounds, Ken, 66, has lost 40.

“And we’re not on any medications,” Dee said.

She admits to the occasional break with form. “We’re not depriving ourselves. I still eat my dark chocolate.”

Many of the foods they eat come from their backyard garden. They grow sweet potatoes, string beans, kale, lettuce, carrots and tomatoes in their garden, which is spread across beds on their 2 / 3 -acre lot.

“Basically, we live by the saying, ‘Eat raw and organic when you can, otherwise bless the rest.’”

The Philliphs are also interested in the effect food has on the mind.

Dee gives talks on the Ener-Chi of Food at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills. she emphasizes the importance of eating in a serene environment and of choosing foods that have been minimally processed.

DEE PHILIPH’S RECIPES

Alternate fresh fruit on a bamboo skewer. Cube apples and soak in lemon water to avoid browning (oxidation). I used pineapple and papaya because of their enzyme content, which helps with digestion. try to use organic strawberries because of the spraying of the conventional ones. Avoid using types of melon, because these fruits take a lesser time for the digestive process. these should be eaten alone and in the morning. Fruits are best when eaten alone, as a meal in the morning, when the stomach is empty of other foods.

This is a great substitute for regular pasta. Since it is so filling, you won’t want to eat as much, compared to eating spaghetti, which basically goes through your system like paste. the spirooli slicer is easy to use and is very versatile. the green skin can be removed from the zucchini, though I prefer to leave it on for added nutrition. Cut both ends off and process through the slicer. Air dry or eat it after it is sliced. It is best to keep it raw for the nutrition. once foods are cooked, you lose the enzymes, which help digest our foods. there are great recipes for raw pesto sauces, marinara sauces and even raw alfredo sauces on the Internet or through raw cookbooks.

SUNDRIED MARINARA SAUCE

1 1/2 cups tomatoes, seeds and juice removed

1/8 to 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons tamari or organic nama shoya (unpasteurized soy sauce) or coconut aminos

2 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoon chopped yellow onion

1 to 2 peeled cloves garlic, sliced

1 cup sundried tomatoes.(Can soak these for awhile.)

Pinch of sea salt

Basil, oregano or any seasoning that you like

Blend the above ingredients in a blender, Vita mixer or food processor. put a dollop atop the zucchini spaghetti on your plate. Don’t mix with bowl of spaghetti. It will get soggy.

6 to 7 plum tomatoes, chopped and seeded

1/2 mango skinned and chopped into small chunks

1 clove of garlic minced

1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or sesame oil

6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped finely

Celtic sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1 to 2 teaspoon date sugar or coconut sugar for sweetness

A sprinkle of kelp and/or dulse for flavor

Add any extra seasonings to the bruschetta mixture to taste

Mix by hand all ingredients and place on a third of an inch of fresh cucumber slices that have been scored on the sides and part of the seeds removed.

RAW APPLE CARROT SALAD

2 organic sweet apples cored and grated or processed with spirooli

4 organic carrots scrubbed and grated

3/4 cup organic raisins or currants

1 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed (Take the pulp from orange and process in blender with small amount of water to thicken salad)

3 to 4 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed

1 teaspoon ginger root freshly grated

Sprinkle of shredded coconut to mixture

1/2 cup of walnuts or pecans can be added to mixture (optional)

CASHEW CHEESE PIEROGIES

Cashew Cheese filling:

2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 to 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked and dried

1/2 cup pine nuts (can also use macadamia nuts or a combination)

2 to 3 medjool dates soaked and seeded

Add a small amount of coconut nectar, agave or Grade B maple syrup to sweeten, as needed.

1 small jicama, peeled and sliced very thinly into rounds with a mandoline slicer

In a high speed blender or Vita mixer, combine all of the filling ingredients and blend until the resulting cashew cheese is uniform and smooth. using a spoon, place a small dollop in the center of one of the jicama slices. Fold in half, creating a half-moon shape. the edges should stick together and create a seal. Repeat until all the jicama and cheese are used. Experiment with other fillings, such as veggie pate, chopped fruit, hummus, salsa, chutney, bruschetta.

6-8 medjool dates, soaked in water (drain, rinse and pit and keep some of the water if needed for mixture)

3/4 cup unsweetened cacao powder or carob powder

2 to 3 teaspoon coconut oil melted

1/8 to 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut

Sweeten to taste with raw honey or coconut nectar or maple syrup Grade B

Put everything into a food processor and mix. Add extra sweetener to taste and date water in order to form a ball. Shape into small balls and place in small candy paper cups. these can be rolled in chopped nuts or coconut. use coconut oil on your fingers and hands when rolling into balls. Refrigerate or freeze. Enjoy. You can add ground flax seed or other seeds into to mixture for added nutrition.

Eat simply and consciously.

Prepare your foods with LOVE.

Eat raw and organic when you can and bless the rest.

Eat surrounded by nature when possible.

Don’t eat mad or angry.

Think of all the people who have come in contact with your food, that is why it is important to bless what you eat.

Eat a rainbow of colors (Not M & Ms).

Meals and foods should be for nourishment and enjoyment.

Have an attitude of gratitude for all that you have.

Your food should be your medicine and your medicine should be your food.

For more information, call Dee Philiph at (815) 485-4824.