RUBIES {what my regular cooked dinner looks like}

For whatever reason, I was having trouble titling this post; should I name the recipe that is included? Should I call it "What I Ate For Dinner"? Em was stumped. Then she remembered that while she was eating this giant bowl of colourful goodness (and inexplicably talking in third person), she couldn't stop thinking it was like she was eating jewels! Not in a "My Strange Addiction: Can't Stop Eating Precious Stones" way, but more in a "these colours are so vibrant it's like I am eating rubies or gems" kind of way... you dig? 

Anyhoo - the point of this post is to show you guys what an average dinner looks like for me these days. As most of you know - I do not eat a 100% raw diet anymore. I believe everyone should eat to feel their best and be their happiest; I've learned that a mostly raw diet does this for me. And no matter what, I always eat whole foods and vegan. 

So this recipe is a perfect example of what an "regular" dinner is for me right now. Sometimes I will go through phases where I just eat salad for dinner, or smoothies, or fancy raw meals or what have you; but generally-speaking it's a lot like this: steamed veggies with beans or tofu, and occasionally whole grains. 

I pretty much eat fruit all day, and then make sure that the majority of my dinner is straight-up vegetables (making my diet primarily fruits and veggies); I almost always steam my veggies, but sometimes I'll cook them at a low temperature in the oven. I aim to stay away from oils but occasionally I'll add a teaspoon of olive oil to soften up eggplant or tomatoes, etc.; and lately I haven't been making sauces either, instead just using a bit of Himilayan pink salt for enhanced flavour. I eat as many veggies as I want, but moderate the amounts of denser foods like whole grains and high-protein foods. Sometimes I'll just have a huge bowl of only vegetables like broccoli or potatoes; in fact, that's what I have been doing recently because I haven't wanted to cook brown rice or quinoa. Note: when I say "veggies" I am including non-sweet fruits in there too; like tomatoes, bell peppers, etc. Let's keep life simple, shall we? 

Summing it up: I eat raw all day, and basically all of that is fruit and greens in the form of juice, smoothies, or giant bowls of fruit. My dinner is a huge portion of lightly cooked vegetables, usually followed by a raw dessert since I always have one around (plus that's where I get my nuts and seeds in for the day). If you have any questions: please ask! I know many of you are new to this kind of lifestyle and could be confused about how and what to eat. I am here to help! *big smile*

Now onto the recipe. 

I used heirloom tomatoes from our garden and beets and yams from the farmer's market. I threw in some organic chickpeas - because why the heck not? The beets and yams were steamed. The tomatoes were drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with salt, then cooked at about 200 degrees until they softened up and got juicy. They are LIKE CANDY when you prepare them this way. Also: tomatoes, when gently cooked with olive oil, have more absorbable lycopene. Boom!

slow-cooked tomatoes with chickpeas, steamed beets & yams

1 cup cooked or sprouted chickpeas

2-3 cups chopped heirloom tomatoes

1 large peeled beet

1 peeled yam

Spices, salt, olive oil

Rub the tomatoes with olive oil and salt and then cook in the oven at about 200 degrees until they start to smell amazing and get juicy and soft. You can take them out whenever you want but I usually leave them in for 30 minutes or so. Steam the yam and beet until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Toss the chickpeas with your favourite spices (I used cumin, coriander and turmeric) and salt, if desired. Throw everything together and sprinkle on salt, pepper, curry powder, peanut sauce, or whatever else you want. Now nourish your body and soul.