Something happens when you don’t have a regular schedule every day. Sometimes it means that you actually have to check your calendar to know what day it is, and sometimes when you live in Arizona you also forget when a new season really starts. When the temperatures rise up I recognize that it’s summer, when they cool… it’s winter.
This year for some reason it hasn’t really felt like summer to me until the last few days or so. I am still actually reveling in the fact that the evenings and morning are cool and inviting. I spent the last week doing a few night shoots followed by a few day shoots and even though I was having an amazing time and felt incredibly lucky and blessed to be a part of these projects, my system became completely confused. I realized after being up for a twenty-two hour stretch that perhaps a day of rest was in order to reboot and renew. Just that little bit of rest changes everything. And today I am ready to jump in to incorporating some healthy changes into my regular routine.
I came across Ani Phyo latest book and am completely intrigued. If you aren’t familiar with Ani she is a highly touted raw rood, organic chef, cookbook author and eco-stylist. With a half a dozen cookbooks under her belt she has made a name for herself in the raw, vegan and organic food movements. Now I know to a die- hard foodie or even anyone who enjoys a drive through now and again this may not sound appealing, but Ani’s latest book “Ani’s 15-Day Fat Blast” is perfect for those who want to flirt around with a healthier lifestyle and become leaner, lighter and tighter (with glowing skin) in the process.
I myself have gone round and round between eating vegetarian, vegan, and pescatarian (with a little poultry thrown in here and there) for decades. And though I always feel better when I eat well, the raw food thing has always had me scratching my head due to complicated recipes, odd ingredients and time consuming prep. But these obstacles are exactly why Ani has excelled in the raw food movement. Even raw food devotees sing her praises for taking prep and kitchen time down to minimum. And a bonus her chocolate cake is unbelievable! The recipe is below!!!
Vegetarian News had this to say about the book:
“We’re already huge fans of Ani Phyo’s raw-food cookbooks, so it’s only natural that we’re stoked for her newest uncooked cookbook. Fat Blast answers your questions and concerns about a raw diet, and, if you’re looking to slim down, offers an easy, all-raw plan that will help you lose up to 15 pounds in 15 days. Losing weight while enjoying sushi and dessert? That sure beats the Master Cleanse.”
You can find Ani’s book on amazon.com
RASPBERRY GANACHE FUDGE CAKE
Makes about 6 servings
Hello to “home-style” frosting—fresh and not from a plastic tub. Goodness without guilt. I use carob in my cake to cut down on the caffeine, and because I love carob for its malty rich flavor. This cake is to live for, it’s one of my favorites.
FUDGE CAKE
3 cups dry walnuts
2/3 cup unsweetened cacao powder or carob powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup pitted Medjool dates
FROSTING
1/3 cup semi-soft pitted Medjool dates
1/4 cup agave syrup
1/2 cup ripe avocado flesh (from about 1medium avocado)
1/3 cup cacao powder
FILLING
1/2 cup raspberries
To make the cake, combine the walnuts, cacao powder, and salt in the food processor and pulse until coarsely mixed. Avoid overprocessing. Add the dates and pulse until mixed well. Shape into 2 stackable cakes of desired shape and set aside.
To make the frosting, combine the dates and agave syrup in the food processor and process until smooth. Add the avocado and process until smooth. Add the cacao powder and process until smooth.
To serve, frost the top of one of the cakes with half the frosting and top with the raspberries. Stack the second cake on top and frost the top and side. Serve immediately, or place in the refrigerator for a couple hours to firm up.
The cake on its own will keep in the fridge for many weeks. The frosting will keep separately in the fridge for 1 week. The assembled cake with raspberries will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
