Ani's Raw Food Essentials - Ani Phyo [25]
Rejuvelac contains friendly bacteria necessary for a healthy colon and for helping our body remove toxins and is a good source of B-complex vitamins and vitamins C and E. It’s made using any cereal grain, such as barley, oats, rye, wheat, unhulled millet, or buckwheat, and any whole-grain rice. Each grain creates its own unique flavor. I personally prefer the taste of kefir, then kombucha, to rejuvelac. Rejuvelac has a tart lemonade flavor.
REJUVELAC
MAKES ABOUT 2 QUARTS
For best results, you want to use fresh, organic grains when making your rejuvelac. Use a 2-quart wide-mouthed glass mason jar to make your brew.
2 cups grains (any cereal grain or whole-grain rice will do)
Filtered or spring water
Place your grains into your 2-quart jar, and fill with water to rinse. Pour off any floating debris and cloudy water. Fill the jar again and rinse until the water is clear. Then, add new water to fill the jar to 1 to 2 inches from top. Let the grains soak for about 12 hours.
Pour the water out of the jar by tipping it carefully. Add fresh water, and rinse and drain the grains well. Try to leave as little water in the jar as possible between rinses. Set the jar someplace dark between 68° and 80°F and sprout the grains for 24 to 72 hours, until a tail grows out at the end of the seed. Rinse the grains a couple of times daily while sprouting, draining well.
Next, fill the jar almost to the top with fresh water, leaving a couple of inches of air. Cover with a coffee filter, and secure with a rubber band. Place the brew in a dark cabinet and let ferment for 24 to 72 hours at room temperature (between 68° and 80°F). You’ll know it’s ready when it smells fermented and has a tart lemonade flavor.
Pour the brew through a plastic strainer into a large bowl, to remove your grains from the rejuvelac. You could make another batch of brew with these grains. It won’t take as long to ferment but won’t be as strong, either. Use these sprouted grains to make a raw cracker or cereal (see pages 112 and 63).
Will keep for several days in the fridge.
4
BREAKFAST
BREAKFAST IS MY most important meal. It fuels me up and powers me through my day. Enjoying whole raw foods for breakfast will fill your body with vitamins, minerals, and powerful antioxidants to give you a powerful head start to your day.
I was inspired to create the following recipes because it’s near impossible to go out to enjoy any breakfast or brunch that’s free of wheat, gluten, soy, and dairy. And, as with every other recipe in this book, raw is not synonymous with giving up the delicious tastes of your favorite foods. This chapter includes breakfast goodies such as crepes filled with fruit, kream, and chocolate; savory scrambles; vegetable quiches; toast with jam and butter; biscuits and gravy; and cereals that are great to take with you on the road.
What a great way to start every day!
CEREALS
The simplest cereals are made by placing nuts, seeds, and/or dried or fresh fruit in a bowl, and enjoying with your favorite mylk. However, I also have recipes that are a bit more complex—and totally worth the effort. Buckwheat Crispies in a bowl with mylk is reminiscent of a crisped rice cereal. Oatmeal and porridge can be made in a food processor, and superfood chia seeds thicken into a gel when hydrated in your favorite mylk.
DRIED FRUIT, PECAN, AND COCONUT RAWNOLA
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
A simple mix of coconut, pecans, and your favorite dried fruits. A great travel food, this cereal can be enjoyed everywhere with a splash of your favorite mylk.
¼ cup shredded, dried coconut
½ cup crushed pecans
¾ cup mixed dried fruit, such as cranberries, raisins, cherries, and/or blueberries
Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Toss to mix well, and serve with your favorite nut mylk.
I like to make a large recipe of dehydrated buckwheat