Eating for Good Vision - Breakfast Featuring Raw Foods
Good general health is the foundation of good eyesight. Obtaining both nutrients (vitamins and minerals) for cell, muscle and nerve function, and enzymes for digestion (so we can break down the foods and assimilate the nutrients) is the primary goal. The foods we eat for good eyesight are basically the same foods as for good health, optimum weight maintenance and longevity (handy, isn’t it?).
When we eat can also be important, and the articles in this series will each feature a specific mealtime. We will discuss what the body is doing at different times of the day as we explore each meal.
Why do we eat? Of course we eat for comfort, company and out of habit, but from a beneficial nutrition sense, we can choose to look at meals for different purposes: to cleanse the body, to maintain energy yet lose weight, to build strength, and for enjoyment.
This article series will offer recipes for different meals in these various categories. Recipes are gluten free, sugar free (see our White Sugar Blues article) and mostly dairy free. They can be adjusted to be as vegan or as omnivorous as you choose.
Breakfasts
For breakfast the feature topic is enzymes and raw foods. Enzymes are the little-known heroes of digestion, weight loss and long term good health. They are the catalysts that break down food into materials the body can use. Enzymes are required to develop and repair the body. In fact every chemical reaction in your body takes place due to the action of enzymes. Enzymes provide the ‘spark’ of life energy in our food and in our bodies.
The human body requires a consistent supply of various enzymes, and our natural production of them declines as we age. Raw foods offer the best supply of naturally occurring nutrients, often already in the combinations needed for optimum use. Raw foods are your only truly natural source of the enzymes that will assist you to digest and assimilate your nutrients, and eliminate rather than store your wastes and toxins.
Processing, refining and most means of cooking foods destroys the enzymes and much of the vitamin content. It’s easy to see why many benefits are obtained when raw foods form the backbone of our diet. These include:
• Elimination of excess body fat
• Restoration of beautiful skin, hair and nails
• Improvement of digestive processes
• Improvement in the function of eye muscles
• Improved lens health and flexibility
• Increase in immune system capability
• Increase in energy and stamina
• And so much more.
Fresh (& preferably organic) fruits and vegetables are one source of enzymes and nutrients. The other is sprouted foods. Together they made up the group of foods called ‘living foods’.
The most common enzymes that are available from sprouted foods are:
• Amylase - carbohydrate digestion
• Protease - protein digestion
• Lipase - fat digestion
• Coagulase - assists blood clotting
• Emulsion - sugar conversion
• Invertase - sugar conversion. *
In his book Laugh with Health, Manfred Koch states “You can lose weight, if you ensure that at least 70% of the foods you eat, and drinks, are made up from living foods… You can eat large quantities of these foods and not add excess weight, if they are obtained in the natural state! There are numerous ways to combine living foods with cooked meals and numerous other ways that provide even better weight reducing abilities.”*
*Ref: Laugh with Health p113. Manfred Urs Koch, 1996, Mastertech Pty Ltd, Mt Gravatt, Australia
In addition, sprouted foods also supply proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, minerals and vitamins. These vary depending on the grain, legume, seed or nut being used. When sprouted, these undergo a transformation, from a latent (stored energy) form to a complete active living form. During this process the enzymes are activated, the starches and the fat are converted into natural sugars and the protein is converted into available amino acids. All of this means that every nutrient is readily usable - without your body expending any of it’s life energy to make them so.
Some sprouted foods are ready to eat after one night of soaking in drinking water. (Many nuts, seeds and some grains.) Other sprouted foods are only edible after soaking and some days of development (ie; alfalfa, bean sprouts, some grains.)
The feature breakfast recipe is Sprouted Meusli. Highly digestible, very nutritious and satisfying, this recipe has become a favourite for young and old. It is very quick to prepare in the morning, easy to do while traveling, and is definitely worth the trip to the ‘whole food’ store for organic ingredients, as they will store well.
Other raw food authors to look out for: Ann Wigmore, Leslie & Susannah Kenton. Angela Stokes lost over 70kg with a raw lifestyle, reversing morbid obesity - you can see more at her website http://www.rawreform.com.
Matt Monarch is a best-selling author on raw foods. Visit his site at http://www.rawspirit.org.
Breakfast time, from early morning to 12 noon, is the cleansing period for the body. During this time the body is still engaged in elimination processes. Ideally we can allow it to continue cleansing, supporting the body with what we eat. The most cleansing is fresh juices. (This means made and consumed immediately.) Fresh fruit is next, followed by fresh vegetables. (Although I find it hard to come at salad alone for breakfast!) However sometimes we need a morning meal that will give us sustained energy through to lunchtime. For those who are pregnant, breast-feeding, growing and doing physical labour, a building meal may be called for.
Tailor your breakfast to the needs of your body and your day. What we don’t want to do is overload the body with heavy carbohydrates and proteins or overwhelm it with sugars and fats, especially without the assistance of some raw food enzyme providers. So even if having a big ‘fry-up’ for breakfast, do try to include some tasty raw veges to munch alongside. If having cereal or toast, add some fresh apple, banana, paw-paw….. Or try some of the recipes below.
I always suggest having a fresh squeezed juice first thing in the morning (don’t hesitate to add some psyllium husks to gently cleanse the colon), then breakfast 30-60 minutes later. Between these two is an excellent time to exercise.
Breakfast Recipes
For cleansing:
Grated Apple with Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
1 to 2 crisp apples
Juice of ½ orange or ¼ lemon.
Cinnamon, nutmeg.
Peel apples partially or not at all. Grate them on medium size holes. Place in a bowl and pour orange or lemon juice over. Allow to sit for a minute or two. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Consume slowly, chewing and enjoying the flavours.
You can also add other grated or chopped fruit such as pears, kiwifruit, berries, paw-paw. If you wish to add banana, eliminate the citrus juice.
To cleanse, sustain energy & build nutrient levels:
Sprouted meusli recipe
Please use organic ingredients as the taste and nutritional quality is greatly reduced with the use of non-organic nuts, seeds and grains.
All quantities are approximate. You can alter them to suit your tastes, just remember that the nutrients and enzymes are in the whole seeds, nuts and grains, with the rolled grains and fruits only providing a tasty platform. Proportion is the key to the enjoyment of this meal.
When you know how you like it, mix up enough for a week or so (as below), then store in an airtight container, in the fridge if there’s room, or in a cool, dark place.
Base:
5 cups Rolled Oats
Opt: substitute Rolled Barley for some or all of the rolled oats (try half).
2 cups Hulled Sunflower Seeds
1 ½ to 2 cups Pepitas
2 cups Sultanas or other dried fruits
Opt: 1 to 2 cups sesame seeds
3 cups of one or any mixture of the following:
Almonds
Walnuts
Pecans
Hazelnuts
Experiment with adding small quantities of whole oat groats and/or pearl barley.
Daily:
The night before, take about ½ cup (adjust to your appetite) of the mixture and place in a bowl. Cover with plenty of good drinking water. (Leave at least an inch or so of water over the top of the mixture, as the mixture will approximately double.)
Cover with a plate or lid and leave OUT OF THE FRIDGE, overnight. In the morning drain and add chopped fresh fruit. My preference is one good crisp organic apple, unpeeled.
This mixture does not need milk, as the rolled grains create their own as they soak. Leave some of this nutritious fluid on your meusli if you enjoy it milky.
For building body strength and sustained physical energy:
Stirred Eggs with Spring Onion
2-3 eggs
3-5 spring onion tops (chopped to ½ - 1 cm pieces)
Good olive oil or butter (no margarine or cooking sprays)
Pinch Himalayan or other good mineral salt (optional)
25gm feta cheese (optional- don’t use if cleansing, if using feta don’t use salt)
Lightly coat pan with oil or butter, heating to a medium temp.
Gently combine remaining ingredients, without whisking or beating. Pour into warmed pan and allow to sit. When a cooked layer forms gently push it to one side, tilting the pan to allow uncooked material to move onto the opened area. Or, lift the cooked layer and allow uncooked material to move underneath. Gently flip areas if needed. Do not overcook. If not using feta, sprinkle with a morsel of good salt if desired. Serve with an accompaniment of sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumber, sugar snap peas or other crisp and tasty raw veg.
If you require more carbs, add a toast replacement accompaniment of brown rice or rye crackers.
For a strengthening, sustaining and comforting treat:
Rice apple porridge with coconut cream
Quantities are approximate and can be altered to taste.
1/2 to 2/3 cup per person cooked brown rice
(see upcoming Lunch article for preparation suggestions)
1/2 to 1 Apple per person (peel the apple partially or not at all)
1/4 cup per person coconut cream or milk
honey or maple syrup to taste
Optional:
A few drops of vanilla extract
A dash of cinnamon
A sprinkle of nutmeg
Fresh strawberries
Cook the rice, chopped apple, coconut milk and vanilla on low heat, stirring frequently. When apple is cooked to taste remove from heat. Taste first before sweetening, as it may be quite sweet already. Add maple syrup or honey if needed. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. Top with a couple chopped fresh strawberries if possible.
In the next article, Lunch, we will feature the topic of Brown Rice vs White Rice, and continue with some easy to prepare and yummy recipes.
All recipes are by Carina Goodrich unless otherwise noted.