(Photo: my wonderful, dehydrated coconut strips. I'm in love!)
The macaroons I started making yesterday didn't look much different today than they did when they went in to the dehydrator. However, they were a bit more stiff and had a harder "shell" on the outside, and are soft on the inside, like the macaroons we're used to. They dehydrated for about 17 hours. They are very coconutty, which makes me happy. Felicia likes the sweeter macaroons (from the half I made with more dates) and says they remind her of the baked ones she's had in the past. I still say that I would better appreciate them as macaroons if I had rolled them in coconut. Other than that, they're all right. I don't see myself snacking on them, but not because they taste bad; mainly because I just don't have a taste for sweet snacks that imitate junk food. I seem to gravitate more towards sweets that come from fruit, especially if it's a "mild" sweetness like with coconuts. (I have another fresh young coconut just begging to be used in a smoothie tomorrow morning).I'm going through that period where I'm again tired of the food I eat. Same 'ol easy-to-make salads and variations of the salad, sometimes on ezekiel bread, sometimes in a bowl. Being a student I just don't put any time into coming up with new foods to try. It's not like when you're bored with the standard American diet and can remedy things by tossing into your grocery cart a few Lean Cuisines you never tried before.
I regret not having a lot of experience with fresh vegetables and fruits in my life. Eating fruits and vegetables really shouldn't be a struggle. The only reason it is, is because society has geared us towards industrially-processed meals. We've become used to having foods boxed/bagged/canned/jarred up and shipped to us from all over. I'm used to grabbing an American or Thai or Indian or Mexican or Chinese or Italian or Greek meal and popping it into the microwave. Voila- a new meal every day of the week. No preparation and little cleanup.
With raw, I've had to learn a whole new lifestyle of slow-living. I plan ahead, and I set aside preparation time for chopping things up. I've been known to spend over an hour preparing a meal these days. Not often, but it has happened. Chopping up herbs, fruits and vegetables, grating garlic, etc. takes time. Now, it may sound like I'm complaining but I really cannot complain. I feel healthier just from the act of putting all these fresh flavors together each day! I also love knowing what is going in my mouth. Since January I've ingested much less sodium, no transfatty acids, and little in the way of unpronounceable flavoring/coloring chemicals (Ironically, I get those in my Centrum!). I don't crave or binge any longer. How could I complain? I just need time and money to experiment with new foods. As a student I don't have the money to waste on a vegetable I've never eaten before- if I hate it, I'm out some money I could have used towards gasoline. This summer, however, I will work more hours and will also have extra time to experiment with my menu. I'm looking forward to June!
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