It is the last day of 2010 and what better way to end the year with a home cooked or rather un-cooked meal. I scanned through my new recipe book which is named "Raw Food for Everyone" by Alissa Cohen and decided upon a dish called Buddha Bowl. Buddha is the enlightened one so I thought maybe this meal would bring me some good luck and enlightenment in the new year. Wishful thinking!
The dish consists of what Cohen considers a broth of dates, fresh ginger, scallions, jalapeno chili, garlic and coconut milk (its consistency did not remind me of broth but rather of a thick creamy sauce) and, a variety of mixed fruits and vegetables that are tossed into the broth. Produce such as ripe mango, avocado, daikon, carrots, spouted mung beans, bok choy, snow peas, and fresh herbs. I took her basic recipe and cut down the amounts in the broth, deleted the jalapeno chili and added red chili pepper flakes, and used sugar snap peas instead of snow peas (which was not a good idea because sugar snap peas are too fibrous raw). The dish looked lovely and tasted good, but really did not speak to me. I realized that as much as I enjoy raw desserts year round, I do not enjoy raw meals in the winter in New England. So, I decided to be creative and cook this meal instead.
I heated some oil in a stir-fry pan and added the cut up daikon, carrots, sprouted mung beans, bok choy leaves, sugar snap peas (much better cooked!), mint, and cilantro. I left out the mango and avocado all together and added baby spinach. This stir-fried for a few moments and then I added the original broth mixture along with peanut butter and cayenne. The result was much more to my liking. The warm, lightly cooked food felt better in my body and I really enjoyed the added peanut flavor. Therefore, it just goes to show that as well as culinary creativity and nutrition, it is important to be aware of what feels good in your body and spirit. I will continue to enjoy raw desserts, raw smoothies, and maybe some raw dips during the winter, but prefer my main meals to be lightly cooked and warmed.
Until next year...hope this new year brings you good food and good fun. Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!
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