How to Eat A Jackfruit

Jackfruit is amaaazing. 

But it does seem like a very intimidating fruit, at least that's how it seemed to me the first time my partner brought a whole one home. They require a bit of prep and a few items to make sure you don't get full of latex.

First off, you'll want to gather a few thing: a good large knife, a non-absorbant surface to place the jackfruit on while you cut and harvest, some coconut oil (or something neutral) and two bowls. One bowl will be for compost and the other for fruit and/or seeds depending if you eat as you go or collect it all for afterwards.

Oil up your hands and the knife before anything.

Let's Start!

Cut the jackfruit in half, as above.

Then, cut off the middle stem part as best you can. This will make getting the fruit out easier.

Now the fun part begins!

Start pulling out the magical pieces of fruit as you can see my partner doing. Take out the seed and the membrane covering it. Eat or place in bowl.

You can keep the seeds and either roast or boil them for a snack.

Someone LOVES jackfruit and was patiently waiting for her share as we went along.

This is what the fruit actually looks like up close. It has an amazing sweet taste and a chewy, juicy texture. Ours didn;t have a ton of fruit this time around. For a 9kg fruit we got a meal's worth of flesh.

The aftermath!

You can find Jackfruit at most Asian grocers. Try to get a whole one! They aren't usually ripe enough when pre-cut and will ripen on your counter if you buy them whole. You can also try out frozen jackfruit if you just want a taste before the big commitment of buying a whole one.

Enjoy!

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Sweet Surrender Zucchini Pasta

This summer has my food cravings going through different seasons every other week. Last week, it was fall, I wanted warmth and density because of the colder days and chilly evening. This week, it's bright and sunny and calls for fresh no-cook meals.

Since I do strive to live a raw lifestyle, with tons of fruit and veggies in their most natural form, I love those days when I just want fresh and raw foods. It's also a perk cause it means not having to turn on the stove or the oven. I find that I get my most creative when experimenting with my raw savoury dinners, where the sky is the limit and I love surprising people with the versatility of raw foods, without even venturing into the gourmet aspect of it.

Right now, almost all I can think of is fresh corn. I've always looked forward to this time of year, simply because I can indulge in mountains of it without killing my wallet. I've gotten more picky about my corn in the last few years though. I prefer local and refuse to eat any of it if I cant be 100% sure that it isn't GMO. So organic is the best way to go, or just talking to the farmers at the local farmer's market where there is tons of organic produce that isn't necessarily certified.

GMO's are a big issue right now, with so little testing being done before they hit the market, and the testing being done is usually solely by the manufacturers, there are too many side effects and unanswered questions for me to justify thinking they are truly safe. There are some great documentaries on the subject, like "The World According to Monsanto", "Seeds of Death" and the like. The independent studies that have been conducted, have shown some effects that I'm not willing to take a chance on!

Onto happier topics.

This pasta is quite delicious and overt-fat-free, although I have been known to add a little avocado now and again. It's incredibly fresh. No boring salads on this table.

Sweet Surrender Zucchini Pasta

Ingredients:

- 2.5 cups corn, raw.
- 1 date, soaked for about 10 minutes.
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 cup water
- Pepper, to taste.

- 4-5 medium zucchini, spiralized or peeled into ribbons.
- 3 medium tomatoes, diced.

Blend all the sauce ingredients in a high powered blender until smooth but still retaining some texture.

In a large bowl, pour sauce onto noodles then add tomatoes. Add extra pepper if desired.

Enjoy!