Uncooked Burning Man Food - Easier and Healthier

Soon I'll attend the first official regional Burning Man event in Israel. This post is meant to share some food tips that will make your diet easier and healthier on the playa. No cooking and no cooling needed. During the nevada Burning Man event, I didn't need to cook any food and thus saved myself the needed settings for cooking and the time spent with it. Not that I say you shouldn't cook if you want to, but I personally prefer to experience other things on the playa. So, here I go with ingredients and then with some "recipes":

Nuts, Seeds, Muesli and Cereals

Natural and even roasted nuts and seeds can be eaten anytime anywhere. Often containing some good fats and proteins. Recommended: almonds, cashew nuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and whichever rock your boat.
Muesli and Cereals can be eaten throughout the day, either dry or with water (preferably cold). If you think one must add milk to it, think again. They're often sweet enough.

Dehydrated Fruits and Sea Weed

Try to focus on things you like and don't have much food coloring and preservatives. Peaches, Dates, figs, raisins, pineapple, banana and what not.

Sprout it all UP

Sprouting is so easy and ensures you have the freshest food at your finger tips. The effort is minimal and the results amazing. If you've never sprouted before, experiment with it at home first. To sprout lentils, for example, all you need is some container (a plastic box is fine), something to wrap it (a t-shirt or towel would be fine for that) and a sieve (you could use your hands if you don't wanna bring one). Cover the lentils with enough water and let them soak for a few hours (4-15 hours is fine). Use the sieve to drain the excess amount of water and cover the lentils in the container. Within 24-48 hours you'll see the sprouts and will be able to enjoy a fresh meal. If you leave them around for longer, consider rinsing them and draining the water every 24 hours. Eat them as is or dress them up and let them dance a bit before.

Sugar and Spice

Your favorite spices and dressings are a must. I recommend olive oil, chilly powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, paprika, cumin. Some like playa dust flavor or sparkles from a pony.

 

Fresh Produce

While fresh fruits and vegetables might not last long on the playa, it won't be a bad idea to bring them for your first and second days. Keeping them in a colder environment would mean they'd last longer. You don't need a cooler but can wrap them boxed (or not boxed) in your clothes to keep their temperature. Cucumbers, carrots, apples, oranges and whatever you like with slight preference to the harder ones that won't get crushed.

Tahini

Making tahini is quick, easy, tasty and full of calories and health. All you need is a bowel and raw tahini that you should be able to get at the store. If you're in the middle east, whatever you get is good. If you're anywhere else, try to get something from the middle east. Raw tahini can be used as is or to dress up some other foods. To make tahini sauce you simply mix the raw tahini with the following: water, lemon juice, salt, cumin, black pepper, chilly and paprika. The last 3 spices are not commonly practiced but be special and bring your own weird spices.

Canned Food

Perhaps not the healthiest choice but might be the easiest to handle as it'll be pre-cooked. Sweet corn, beans in tomato sauce, cooked chickpeas, green peas and many more. Mixing contents of different cans is a great way not to get bored.

Snacks

Energy bars and all sorts of of things in a wrap are easy to access and consume. Often much less healthier and more expensive than the previous options so it's only a good choice for the really lazy and sweet tooth oriented people.

Alcohol

While warm beers are not so much fun, red wine and a good scotch are. Alcohol has a lot of calories and while perhaps not the healthiest for your body, might be good for your mind. Remember to stay well hydrated while on the playa.

Tools

Can opener, plastic boxes, plastic bag for trash, spoon, bowel and possibly a knife are all you'll need to eat in style.

Recipes

Not really. Improvize. As long as it's made with love, it'll be good.

Interview on OpenMind.com.ua

Orest Zub is a talented Ukrainian entrepreneur and blogger I've met some years back when passing through Ukraine. Our paths crossed again a few months back in the south of Mexico and it's been a lot of fun to catch up. Orest requested an interview for his blog about Colnect and my lifestyle and he has now published it on his blog OpenMind.com.ua. As the post is in Ukrainian language, I've embedded the interview video (mostly in English) here below.

Memorial Day 2014

Israel has two national memorial days: one to remember the holocaust and the other to remember the fallen soldiers. Both of them, unfortunately, are well connected to my family and thus to myself. My grandparents on both sides have lost most of their family thanks to the Nazis. My father's brother died in the Yom Kippur war, never living to be 20. I can't even start to write anything of use about it. Amazing how the ultimate loss, like a stone thrown to a pond, affects all its surroundings.

So even if nowadays I don't live in Israel and am only visiting it, the personal family issues are always here.

Here's something I made and played some years ago, when my father was still alive. I composed a poem written by his brother Raanan. Raanan wrote the poem before starting his mandatory military service. My lame translation follows the video


"When you find my nose distorted,
lain on earth clods whose taste gone sour,
don't shed a tear.

Allot me a place
little and tiny
sealed by a seal
in a secret room.

Promise me only this
that at least once a year you'll remember me
and to the (soccer) field I've loved you'll take me back.

Let all know:
I've loved life
the thrill
the excitement
the winning

In the battle I've marched with no hesitation
Because the reasons and motives were clear to me.

Am I one of the many in whom the ideals have sunken in the flood of words?
Am I one of many who feel the depth of things? if at all...


"