Raw Food

Our oldest daughter is an avid volleyball player.  This summer she began struggling with forearm muscle pain after long practices with lots of hitting and serving.  She took several weeks off and it seemed to improve.  During that time, we alternated with heat and cold.  We followed a hydro therapy protocol of 1 minute hot, 30 seconds cold for 7 minutes followed by 5 minutes of hot soaking.  We also used Castor oil for massaging.

However with volleyball tryouts and the start of the JV season, the pain and swelling have returned.  We started applying warmed castor oil on a piece of cheese cloth on her forearm, then we wrap it in Saran Wrap and use a heating pad on top of it.  She's also taking a magnesium/potassium supplement, CoQ10 and Grape-seed extract.  On Friday last week she went to our chiropractor and he adjusted her elbow.  She did not like that as it was extremely tender and the adjustment was painful.   So while we wait for the family doctor appointment (tomorrow) and the start of Physical Therapy (Friday); we've taken the plunge and started a raw foods diet cleanse.  Today is day 3 and I thought I'd share some of our food creations.

Let me start by mentioning that at first eating solely "raw" may seem impossible especially given that raw foods include; nuts, seeds, vegetables and fruits.  That's it!  Just 4 food categories to choose from.  The good news is that there are many individual foods to try in each category.  I have been Gluten Free for several years now and dairy free since I was 15 but prior to this, Cassie included all food groups in her diet.  So for her this challenge is an extreme lifestyle change but one she's embraced in hope of eliminating the painful inflammation in her forearm and elbow naturally.


Our lunch success came in the form of an avocado wrap.  I gently mashed 2 avocados in a large glass bowl, added diced tomatoes, red onion and juice from a half a lime.  Seasoned with a little sea salt and pepper, tossed with a fork and spread on Romaine Lettuce leaves.  I was shocked when both girls loved it and my husband did as well.  Our two boys refused to try so I can't rightfully say whether they would like it or not.  Surprisingly too, was how filling the wraps were.  We each ate about 3 and had a piece of fruit to go with it.

 
The other big hit was a raw brownie recipe I found online http://wayfaringchocolate.com/2011/01/18/raw-brownies-with-chocolate-icing-of-pure-amazingness/

Basically the brownies are made from walnuts, dates, cocoa and the frosting is made with avocado, honey, cocoa, cinnamon.  They are stored in the freezer and are oh so heavenly!

 Tonight we are tackling a "raw" pizza with a cashew crust and cashew cheese.  The toppings marinated for part of the afternoon. The pizza looked gourmet when finished.  Initial reactions were positive from everyone except Thomas who refused to try.  However, after a slice, the novelty seemed to wear off.  It wasn't that it tasted bad, it was just heavy in your stomach.  The crust and the cheese layer are made with cashews, while the sauce layer used sun dried tomatoes and a tablespoon of honey.  It would be good on crackers but since crackers aren't raw, we are going to try the leftovers on cucumber slices tomorrow.  I was proud of everyone for trying it though.