Day 15 – Factory Farms and an Awesome Raw Cake

Most of the animal products consumed by humans come from factory farms which allow for the mass production of meat. Enormous amounts of pigs, cows, chickens, and turkeys are raised in small, confined spaces to produce meat, eggs, and milk. Animals are packed on top of each other and live in their own filth of pee, poop, and puke for the highest output at the lowest cost. Not exactly the lush green pastures or vast meadows the meat industry wants you to picture.

The crowded living conditions on factory farms require the use of antibiotics, pesticides, vitamin supplements, and growth hormones to reduce the spread of diseases, maintain animal health, and improve production. According to the FDA, 80% of all antibiotics sold are administered to livestock. These drugs are closely related, if not identical, to the ones administered to humans. As a result, people who eat animals fed with such drugs build a resistance to them causing antibiotics to be less effective when they are sick.

Factory farming increases the risk of transmitting contagious diseases on a global scale due to the great number of animals kept so closely and the wide distribution of meat to drug resistant humans.

How many people think about where their meat comes from? We need to stop assuming animal products are healthy and learn about the diseases and health issues caused by them as meat is much different today from the meat just 30 years ago. We all deserve to know about the food we use to fuel our bodies. Informed eating is the way to understanding the link between diet and well-being and making educated decisions about our diet.

On a happier note, I made a raw cake today. The crust is one I created the other day, but the cake itself was not blog-worthy. This one turned out awesome, and I’m sad to say there’s none left.

Raw Berry Cream Cake

Crust
1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 cup raw cashews
1 cup dates
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla
pinch sea salt

• Combine all ingredients in food processor until crumbly texture is reached.
• Press crust mixture into bottom of a spring-form pan and set aside.

Cream Layer
2 cups raw cashews
1/2 cup cold pressed coconut oil, melted
1/2 orange
pinch sea salt

• Juice and zest the orange.
• Process the cashews on their own until broken down.
• Add remaining ingredients to food processor and purée until uniform.
• Pour mixture on top of crust. Smooth with the back of a spoon and set in the freezer.

Berry Layer
1 cup frozen berries (any kind will do, I use a mixture)
2 Tbsp orange juice
1/2 tsp orange zest
2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

• Process all ingredients except for oil in food processor. 
• Once thoroughly combined, slowly add the oil while the food processor is running (so it doesn’t harden in chunks from the cold temperature!)
• Pour berry mixture on top of cream mixture. Smooth and refreeze.
• Once the layers are solid, transfer cake to the refrigerator.
• Serve chilled.