Day 6/ Cheezy Corn Chowder

I actually made this last night...I found this recipe on the LifeIt Community Forum (Join The Lifeit Detox 28 Days Raw Food Cleanse), and they got it from www.rawfoodtalk.com.

Cheezy Corn Chowder

1 c corn kernels (I used frozen)
1 clove garlic
1 T onion
1/4 c cashews (I used sunflower seeds)
2 T nutritional yeast
4 baby carrots (or 1 regular one)
1/4" ring of red pepper (I used green pepper)
2 T olive oil
1/2 - 1 t psyllium (depending how thick you wish chowder to get) (I just added more corn/less water)
1 t cumin
1/8 t nutmeg (I didn't have any nutmeg, so I used ground ginger)
1 T parsley (I think she means fresh, but I used dried)
1/2 t salt
grind pepper to taste
2 c water

blend in hi speed blender till very creamy
add :
1/4 c more corn kernels
1 T parsley

and warm up on stove till warm enough to eat.

I never knew that raw foodists could heat up their food until I read this. I've since learned that as long as the food is not heated above 108-115 degrees, all is good... the enzymes are still intact. I took it easy and only heated up the soup to lukewarm because I don't have a food thermometer, but that was still a lot better than having to eat the soup ice cold (especially since I used frozen corn).

This soup was delicious...it felt fresh and good. The nutritional yeast I guess is supposed to make it taste "cheezy"...I didn't really taste a particulary cheezy taste, but the corn had a really nice flavor that was just plain delicious.

I have been doing a lot of reading about raw vegans...so far my assessment is that everyone has an opinion! Here's mine: you have to do what is best for you.

Long-term, I can see myself having a diet of about 80% raw, but occasionally I will want a piece of baked fish. Also, I am still interested in raw dairy products as well (I have since learned that not all raw foodists are vegan!).

Raw milk and raw cheeses are harder to find, but are nutritionally easier to tolerate than even organic dairy. The pastuerization process destroys the enzymes that are needed to properly digest milk, which is why people who thought that they were lactose intolerant can actually tolerate raw dairy products.

However, the LifeIt Detox is a 28-day cleanse, and like all cleanses, it is designed for a specified period of time. So during this cleanse, I'm abstaining from all cooked food and dairy products (except for my occasional slip-ups that I write about).

TMI (too much information) warning...

One of the benefits that I am already seeing on this cleanse is that (okay this is embarassing but it's the truth) for a long time I've been having a problem of being "backed up". Just a few months ago, I had tried everything but still couldn't go for over a week. But since I've been doing this cleanse, I'm regular again. So right away that is a sign that my body is giving me to let me know that I'm on the right track.