A Raw Food Diet

No, don’t worry, I have not picked up some new age diet. I have simply run out of cooking fuel.  When I was first being settled into my site I chose to buy myself a two burner gas stove and propane tank.  A gas stove is a significant convenience over the alternatives of a charcoal stove or a kerosene one.  Theoretically for me it is even more convenient as I have a gas station in my city that sells the propane tanks I need. 

This would be a simple bike ride down the road, if they ever had gas in stock.  With cooking three meals a day and a bit of baking to boot, last Saturday represents the second time I have used up my gas.  The first time I used up my fuel I was told it would be two weeks before more gas would arrive in Vogan and I quickly caved and had my tank refilled in Lomé.  This time, however, I did not want to go through that same hassle, and besides I was told more gas would arrive this past Wednesday, and then I was told it would arrive today (Friday) and now…maybe Monday? He’ll give me a call.

An unpredictable delivery schedule and my sheer laziness have placed me on a raw food diet, or to not confuse it with the fad diet, a diet consisting of raw foods aka I don’t cook ‘em.  There is street food available in town, but it is a bit of a hike to get to them and frankly I just don’t want to leave my house for every meal.  Before I realized it would be such a long time until I had fuel, I happily lived off my honey milk balls.  Oh yeah, oatmeal, peanut butter, powdered milk, and honey mixed into delicious goodness.  I unfortunately ran out of honey very quickly and while I still do it, plain peanut butter mixed with dry oatmeal is not as good.  As a healthier option though and to use the vegetables I had in my house I moved onto some glorified cole slaw. I have much cabbage, beets and carrots in my house—add a little vinegar and mustard and you have yourself a slaw, vary it a little with some soy sauce and you have a new one. For other meals bananas and avocados do just fine.

Searching for ideas for tasty foods I don’t have to cook, I came across recipes for people following the “raw food diet,” but besides an avocado chocolate pudding (yeah, sounds strange right? But is pretty good) very few of the recipes were useful at all because of all the bizarre ingredients they asked for. Where am I to get ground yellow flax, lucuma, and almond pulp?  I was really a bit disappointed and found no magical use for my peanut butter or cabbage. 

So, I am left with my slaw and my oatmeal.  But I will tough this one out, I am finding myself stubborn and giddy at the prospect of the challenge.  Now I just need to find a way to use those dozen eggs I bought just before running out of cooking power.  Maybe I’ll pick up body building and make myself some crazy raw egg protein energy drinks!  Six days and counting!