My Health Journey - Ahi...Aha

So I am on a quest for healing. I have slightly altered my diet. I generally eat vegetarian...well, that is the easiest way to explain the way I eat. Technically, I'm considered a "pesco-vegetarian" because I eat fish, eggs, and dairy products. I don't have convictions about eating meat, I simply cannot process meat due to severe pancreatic damage. So, I have struggled with weight issues because I don't get enough protein. Last month I attempted NutriSystem for vegetarians (please note: I have no "beef" haa haa with NutriSystem), and became extremely sick. I was unable to process their food no matter how many enzymes I took. So, after two or three weeks of being off the diet and on the mend, I decided to go back to a diabetic/PV diet...it's just easiest.

I always purchase fish when I have the budget for it, and freeze it for when I don't. However, I generally only eat fish once or twice a week...don't know why, so I have a decent selection of fish in my freezer. My latest purchase was Ahi Tuna. I have never made Ahi before, so I took to the Internet to see what I could make. I came across this wonderful recipe at a men's fitness site (uh...another side note: I was not actually hanging out at the men's fitness site...I just googled ahi tuna and it sent me there. whew *wiping the sweat from my brow*). I did not notice the lovely picture, only that all the ingredients were live, fresh ingredients. I was soooo excited to make this, so I stopped by the Vitamin Cottage to get some ingredients I don't generally keep at the house, and went home to create my healthy dinner.
I chopped my jicima, tomato, cucumber, red onion, and carefully picked my cilantro leaves and arranged them beautifully on a nice platter (I must have the visual beauty of my chopping skills before I hastily toss them in a bowl). I then mixed my seasonings, as the recipe calls for, set it aside, and began making the salad. I mixed the juice and vegetables and realized it called for papaya vinaigrette. Ohhh man! So, I hopped in the car (hee hee) to get some papaya from the Safeway on the corner, and went home to puree some delicious vinaigrette. Having prepared all the food, the recipe then said to slice the ahi tuna in thin strips and serve it over the ceviche salad. OK...so maybe some of you know what ceviche is...I DIDN'T! I thought...oh no, this recipe is incomplete...it didn't even tell me how to cook the ahi! Panic hit, so I stopped and started over at the beginning (duhhh, about 3 times), each time stopping at the wine selection for serving. Finally, I read to the bottom and a rush of anxiety flooded me...OH NO, I'M SUPPOSED TO EAT THIS FISH RAW!!! What if I die! What if I get some kind of funky raw fish disease! When I finally calmed down, I tried it...oh...was it ever fantastic!!! I had a 3oz steak which I couldn't finish because I couldn't stop thinking about raw fish and grossed myself out (some things just have to grow on you). Since the recipe called for 2 steaks (tuna steaks that is), I made two but was quite nervous about putting the other steak in the refrigerator overnight...so I cooked it. Don't try this at home! I tried a bite ... I have never had anything so disgusting in all my life...had to discard my beautiful tuna. Lesson learned.

I thought about this event and reminisced back to a stint in my childhood. On Friday's, if all our chores were done, the family would go out for dinner and a movie. The twist to our evening out was that our dinner always consisted of ethnic foods. It was tragic dinning for a child...lol. The rule was "you don't have to eat it, but you do have to try it." I am thankful for that; if I had not experienced those days, I doubt I would have tried this recipe at all.

As for healthy, I have to say, this was the first meal in over a year that I did not experience any negative digestive effects. I felt great, I woke up feeling great...and ALIVE. haa haa

Click on the above recipe link if you would like to try this yourself...it's a lovely adventure.