Vegetables with mint and parmesan

I had this for lunch today. Very simple and tasty!

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

1/4 red onion, coarsely chopped

1 c. peas

4-5 leaves fresh mint, chopped

a few pieces of roasted red peppers, coarsely chopped

salt and pepper

fresh parmesan

1. Steam carrots for about 5-10minutes until just tender

2. In another pan, melt about 1 t. butter over medium heat and add peas, onions, mint, and roasted red peppers. Cook about 5 minutes.

3. Drain the carrots and add to the rest.

4. Season with salt and pepper and cook about 1 minute more.

5. Pour into a bowl and top with grated parmesan.

Butternut Squash Fries

I bought a butternut squash and was going to make soup out of it, but then I stumbled upon an idea to make fries out of the squash. I thought this was a great idea. They turned out great and the kids loved them. The cutting up of the squash was a little labor intensive, but after that it was so easy.

butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed
olive oil
salt

1. Slice the squash into desired thickness pieces.
2. Place in a large bowl and pour a little olive oil and salt on top and toss to coat.
3. Place on a cookie sheet and bake in a 425 degree oven for about 30 minutes until crispy.
4. Stir about every 10 minutes during the cooking process.

Pineapple Carrot Cake

I was so surprised that this cake turned out so moist and yummy. I made it for Ryan's birthday. It came from the "Sweet and Sugarfree" cookbook. The recipe calls for crushed pineapple and cinnamon as a topping, but I made a basic cream cheese frosting for it.

3 eggs

1/2 c. butter, softened

1 c. unsweetened pineapple juice

1 c. whole wheat flour

1 1/2 c. white flour

1 t. baking soda

2 t. baking powder

1 t. nutmeg

1 t. cinnamon

3 c. grated carrot

Topping:

1 c. crushed pineapple

1 t. cinnamon

1. Beat together eggs, butter, and pineapple juice. Add flours, soda, powder, and spices. Beat well.

2. Stir in grated carrot and mix.

3. Spread batter evenly in a greased and floured 9 by 13 pan.

4. Top with crushed pineapple and cinnamon. (if using)

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees until browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Lemon Coconut Bars with Carob Fudge Sauce

Another great recipe from "Ani's Raw Food Kitchen". I used less salt than she calls for. This is so easy and so good, I love the carob sauce.

1 c. almonds, chopped

1 1/2 c. pitted dates, soaked for a few minutes to soften

1 t. vanilla

1 1/2 t. sea salt

zest from 1 lemon

Juice from 1 lemon, about 2 T.

1 c. dried shredded coconut

1. Chop the almonds into small pieces. Use some of the flour from the almonds to dust the bottom of a 9 inch square pan.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients including the chopped almonds.

3. Press into the baking pan

4. Chill for a couple of hours until firm. Then cut into squares, top with carob fudge sauce.

Carob Fudge Sauce

1/2 c. pitted dates, soaked and drained

1 c. water

1/2 c. carob powder

1/4 c. olive oil

1. In a blender, blend the dates, water, and carob powder until smooth.

2. Add olive oil and more water as needed to make the right consistency.

Will keep for 6 days in the fridge.

Carob Bread

My friend lent me this great book "Sweet and Sugarfree". It uses fruit and fruit juices as sweeteners instead of sugar. We have tried a few things so far and I've been really pleased. The recipes definitely aren't as sweet as your average dessert, but I feel better eating them and the kids love them, so it's great. Today we tried this Carob Bread, yummy!

I've changed a few things from the original recipes, mainly adding more whole grain and different oils.

1/2 c. carob powder

2 eggs

3/4 c. mashed bananas, about 1 large

1/2 c. water

2 T. coconut oil

3 T. canola oil

2 t. vanilla

1/2 c. oat flour

1 1/4 c. white flour

2 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1. In a medium bowl, mix together carob, eggs, and banana.

2. Add water, oils, and vanilla and mix well.

3. Add flours, baking powder and baking soda.

4. Pour into a oiled and floured 9 by 5 inch pan.

5. Bake at 325 for 45 mimutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

6. Cool on a wire rack and slice.

They suggest topping it with cream cheese. We ate it plain. You could top it with fresh fruit or a sugar free jelly. It turned out a little crumbly. Maybe I baked it too long.

Sesame Sunflower Bread

I really enjoyed this bread. It's made up of mostly seeds. I got the recipe from "Ani's Raw Food Kitchen". I really like it, but I think I will grind it up a little more next time.


1 c. ground flax seeds
1/3 c. whole flax seeds
1/2 t. sea salt
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. onion, chopped
1 1/3 c. water
2/3 c. sunflower seeds
1/4 c. black or tan sesame seeds


1. Mix flax seeds, salt, garlic, onion, and water. Add sunflower and sesame seeds and mix well.
2. Spread the batter into square shapes on plastic wrap on the dehydrator.
3. Dehydrate about 4 hours and then flip over. Dehydrate about another hour or until desired crispness.


I love these as a sandwich filled with veggies and cheese or whatever. And it's so easy!

Have you had your greens today?

So my mom got me a great recipe book about balancing your pH. It focuses a lot on the importance of eating green vegetables. One thing I've tried is a green smoothie. I've added a few things to it. The first time I drank it, I had to kind of force it down. But by the third time I had it, it actually tasted good and I feel better too.


Really green drink
1/3 cucumber, peeled
4 stalks celery
1/3 bunch of greens, kale or turnip or mustard
1/2 lime
handful of spinach
1/3 avocado


1. Juice the cucumber, celery, greens, and lime together.
2. Place the juice in a blender with the spinach and avocado and blend well.

Amaranth

I tried a new grain the other day, amaranth. It's a very nutritious grain. I was thinking I was going to just cook it and eat it for breakfast topped with some nuts, coconut, and honey. But when I cooked it, I changed my mind. It's a very smelly, sticky grain. So I had to find a way to use it. I worked it into 3 recipes: pancakes, bread, and muffins.

Pancakes
1/2 c. white flour
1/2 c. barley flour, or other whole grain
1/4 c. cooked amaranth
1 T. coconut oil
1 T. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. vanilla
3/4 c. milk
1 egg

Mix all ingredients together and cook on a griddle over medium heat. Top with unsweetened applesauce or berries.

Apple Muffins
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. white flour
1 c. wheat flour
1 t. soda
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. coconut oil
2 eggs
3/4 c. applesauce
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. cooked amaranth
1/2 c. buttermilk
1 apple, peeled and chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400. Grease a 12 muffin pan
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, soda, cinnamon, and salt
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each.
4. Whisk in the applesauce, vanilla, and amaranth.
5. Whisk in the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the buttermilk.
6. Mix just until combined. Stir in apple chunks.
7. Bake 20-25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack in the pan.

I really liked these, but I think next time I would put in 2 apples instead of one.

Bread recipe to come soon.....

The best black beans and rice ever!

If you like rice and beans and coconut milk, then this recipe is for you! I often can't even wait for the rice to finish cooking, before I'm diving in for a taste!

1 c. dry black beans or 2 well drained cans of cooked beans
4 c. water (to cook the beans)
1 1/2 T. oil
2 T. chopped white onion
1/4 c. chopped green or red pepper
1 t. minced jalapeno
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1/4 c. long grained rice
1 t. chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 t. dried
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 (13 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 c. water
chopped cilantro for garnish

1. Cook the beans in 4 c. of water until completely cooked through.
2. In a large pot over medium heat, add oil, then the onion, peppers, jalapeno, and garlic for 1 minute. Add the rice and cook 2 minutes, stirring.
3. When the rice begins to brown, add the thyme, salt, pepper, coconut milk and 1/2 c. water.
4. Bring to a boil and add the bean and stir to mix.
5. Cover the pot, reduce heat to simmer and cook 15 minutes more. Remove from heat and leave the lid on for 15 minutes more.
6. Stir gently and add cilantro for garnish.

Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce with baked Eggplant

Raw Pasta Sauce

2-3 large tomatoes

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 T. olive oil

handful fresh basil leaves

few sprigs of fresh thyme

handful fresh oregano leaves

1 t. sea salt

3 dates, soaked in hot water for about 15 minutes

1/3-1/2 c. sun dried tomatoes soaked in hot water to soften

1. Put all of it in a food processor and blend to desired consistency.

2. Eat on pasta or spiralized zucchini

Baked Eggplant

1/2 large eggplant

1 egg

1 T. water

1 c. breadcrumbs

balsamic vinegar

olive oil

grated cheese of your choice

1 tomato, diced

1. Slice the eggplant into thick slices.

2. Combine the egg and water in a small bowl.

3. Place the breadcrubs in another small bowl.

4. Dip the eggplant slices in the egg and then the breadcrumbs.

5. Place on a greased baking sheet.

6. Top with the tomatoes and cheese.

7. Drizzle a little olive oil and balsamic on top.

8. Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes

9. Then broil for 3 minutes

The pictures don't do this meal justice. I really enjoyed it. Both recipes are quick and easy.

Grocery shopping

Whenever I talk about eating more fresh fruits and vegetables with people, their biggest concern is how can they afford it. So I thought I'd share my grocery list and tab with everyone. I went grocery shopping today and this is what I got that was food related. Maybe you're able to spend more or less, but I think we make out pretty well. I always shop the ads first, and then we buy a lot of what's on sale.

Sam's club
bananas $1.29
1 lb. fresh spinach $3.98
3 lbs. raw almonds $8.74
3 hearts celery $2.17
6 heads romaine $3.39
25 lbs. white flour $6.09
3 lbs. sour cream $3.49
2.5 lbs. turkey luch meat $6.98
4 lbs unsalted butter $5.77
Total with tax: $45.11

Whole Foods (bulk section)
0.68 lbs unsweetened shredded coconut $1.38
1.11 lbs millet $1.10
0.75 lbs red quinoa $2.24
0.68 lbs sea salt $0.40
Total with tax: $5.90

HyVee
2.01 lbs pears $1.99
1 cauliflower $.99
2.4 lbs nectarines $2.38
Total with tax: $5.72

Price Chopper
sliced bacon $1.98
1 cantaloupe $.98
3 lbs gala apples $2.00
2 lbs. angel hair pasta $1.58
white popcorn $1.39
1 bunch of cilantro $.79

Total with tax: $9.38

Walmart
1 Quart Dannon plain yogurt $1.00 - I had a coupon for $1 off, it was $2 originally
1 large baby kosher pickles $1.58 - I had a coupon for 50 cents off
Mayo $2.50
5 lbs sushi rice $5.32 - this is cheaper at Asian stores bought in a 20 lb. bag
chili powder $.50
2 lbs. brown rice $1.52
1 large bunch of green onions $ 1.18
1 large bunch of kale $1.18
4 cobs of corn $1.00
2 cucumbers $1.00
Total with tax: $18.06


Aldi

1 crm chkn soup 0.59

1 28oz can diced tomatoes 0.89

2 14 oz. can diced tomatoes w/ chilies 0.98

1 can pineapple 0.89

1 frozen orange juice 0.82

1 can mushrooms 0.55

2 avocados $1.98

1 box Bran Flakes cereal $1.49

5 oz. grated Asiago cheese $1.99

1/2 gallon 2% milk $1.41

canola oil $2.49

olive oil $3.49 - this is much cheaper bought in bulk at Sam's

1 box shredded wheat $1.89

8 oz. mozzarella cheese $1.49

4pk chocolate pudding 0.88

2 lemons 0.58

2 limes 0.58

2 lb brown sugar $1.24

16 oz. whole wheat pasta $1.09

1 bag frozen peas 0.95

1 bottle of ketchup $1.19

1 large box of raisins $1.79

3-2lb bags of carrots $2.97

2 lb green grapes $1.58

2 lb red grapes $1.58

2 dozen large eggs $1.94

1 watermelon $2.49

Total with tax: $44.89

Grand Total:$129.06 for two weeks

I do one large shopping trip like this every two weeks. The following week I spend about $20 to replenish some of the fresh stuff. This total may seem like a lot, but we almost never eat out, so this is breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for our family.

My Lunch Today

Today I just wanted to have a simple sandwich with vegetables, didn't feel like any meat. I went to the Louisburg farmer's market this morning and so I had fresh zucchini and tomatoes on hand.

flatbread
gorgonzola cheese
tomatoes
5 or 6 slices of zucchini
basil (fresh from my garden)
balsamic vinegar

1. toast the flatbread or your choice of bread.
2. Sautee the sliced zucchini over medium heat in butter until browned
3. Sprinkle a little balsamic vinegar on one piece of bread
4. Build the sandwich with tomatoes, then zucchini, cheese, and basil.

I thought this was so good! I love fresh veggies from the market!

Buckwheat cereal

I saw this idea in "Ani's Raw Food Kitchen" and finally tried it today. All you need is Buckwheat Groats. I got them at Whole Foods in the bulk section.

1. First soak the groats in water for 6-8 hours. Rinsing and draining about once every hour.
2. After the soak, rinse and drain well.
3. Then lay out pieces of wax paper on your dehydrator trays and spread out the groats evenly among the trays.
4. Dehydrate for 3-5 hours until all the water is absorbed.

I ate these tonight topped with sunflower seeds, coconut, and a little bit of juice. They kind of reminded me of grape nuts. You definitely have to chew, but a great way to eat your whole grains. In the cookbook, she tops her groats with carob almond milk. I've never been much for milk on cereal. I imagine they would be good with some full fat yogurt, none of that fat free stuff. I've been reading a lot about how all the low fat foods are actually filled with tons of chemicals. For some reason this is just occuring to me. Besides, the full fat yogurt tastes so much better!

Fajitas

We love Mexican in this house, and fajitas are such an easy thing to make. The other night I threw together something really easy and it was so yummy.

Chicken:

chicken breast

few dashes of cumin

fresh oregano, chopped

coconut oil, for cooking

Vegetables:

chopped zucchini

chopped onion

chopped green peppers

So all I did was chop the chicken and then cook it in about 1 T. coconut oil over medium heat, adding the cumin, oregano, and salt if desired.

Then I sauteed the vegetables in a little coconut oil until soft but a little crunchy.

We topped them with lettuce, tomato, cheese, salsa, fresh lime juice, guacamole, fresh cilantro, and sour cream.

I used some tortillas but also had it in a leaf of romaine lettuce. Here's my tortilla recipe, it's so easy and makes about 20 small tortillas. I put half in the fridge and throw the other half in the freezer in a plastic bag.

Homemade Flour Tortillas

1 ½ c. wheat flour
1 ½ c. white flour
1 t. salt
1 T. baking powder
Pinch of sugar (optional)
3-4 T. oil
1 c. water

Mix together flour, salt, baking powder, sugar and oil. Add water and mix with hands. Form into a large ball. Divide into about 20 smaller balls, depending on how large you want the tortilla. Roll each ball flat with a rolling pin and cook on a hot ungreased griddle. Use medium heat. Cook for about 20 seconds on each side until lightly brown on each side. Store in the fridge or freeze. To reheat and soften, rub tortilla with a sprinkle of water, wrap in a damp towel and place in a sealed container until you’re ready to serve them.

Black Bean Brownies

Okay so I know by the title you might think, totally gross, but these are actually really good. I found this recipe on this great blog www.101cookbooks.com. I love her recipes. I changed a few things, of course, but I think they turned out so great! You won't believe there's no flour or grain in them!

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate *(I used cocoa powder and oil)*
1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups soft-cooked black beans, drained well (I used white beans)
1 cup walnuts, chopped
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
¼ cup carob powder (original recipe called for coffee granules)
¼ teaspoon sea salt
4 large eggs
1½ cups light agave nectar (I used honey)

*I don't buy the block unsweetened chocolate. For every ounce of chocolate you need, just combine 3 T. cocoa powder and 1 T. oil.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 11- by 18-inch (rimmed) baking pan with parchment paper and lightly oil with canola oil spray.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on high. Stir with a spoon to melt the chocolate completely. (I skipped the melting because I used cocoa powder and oil) Place the beans, 1/2 cup of the walnuts, the vanilla extract, and a couple of spoonfuls of the melted chocolate mixture into the bowl of a food processor. Blend about 2 minutes, or until smooth. The batter should be thick and the beans smooth. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the remaining 1/2 cup walnuts, remaining melted chocolate mixture, carob, and salt. Mix well and set aside.

In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer beat the eggs until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the agave nectar and beat well. Set aside.

Add the bean/chocolate mixture to the carob/chocolate mixture. Stir until blended well.

Add the egg mixture, reserving about 1/2 cup. Mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1/2 cup egg mixture until light and fluffy. Drizzle over the brownie batter. Use a wooden toothpick to pull the egg mixture through the batter, creating a marbled effect. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the brownies are set. Let cool in the pan completely before cutting into squares. (They will be soft until refrigerated.) Best when refrigerated for a few hours first.

Benefits of cilantro

I just read this on a raw recipe website and thought I'd share it, very interesting. I love me some cilantro!

More Love for Cilantro
Free radicals are everywhere - in the water we drink, food we eat, and in the air we breathe. The main defense to free radicals (coming from pollution, x-rays, radiation, chemicals, heavy metals) are antioxidants. Cilantro leaves are rich in calcium, iron, carotenes, and vitamin C, which it happens are great antioxidants. A Japanese investigator, Yoshiaki Omura, has made the revolutionary discovery that cilantro can mobilize mercury and other toxic metals from the central nervous system if large enough amounts are consumed daily. Reuters reports that cilantro contains a chemical which has been found to kill the Salmonella bacteria that cause foodborne illness.

The heavy metal detox capabilities of cilantro should also make it of great use in the treatment of depression, Alzheimer's disease, lack of concentration and other related disorders. In other words, this herb can apparently help to keep you happy, focused, and sane! Just eat it, don't smoke it.

Mango Avocado Salad

This really is one of the simplest salads and it combines some of my most favorite foods, mango and avocado. I found it on a raw website.

2 Ripe Mangoes, peeled, pitted and chopped
1 Large Avocado, peeled, pitted and chopped
1 Tablespoon Lime Juiced
2 Teaspoons Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Cilantro Leaves (I used more cilantro, love it!)
1 Tablespoon Black Sesame Seeds (I used regular sesame seeds, because that's what I had)

1. Combine all ingredients and gently hand toss.

Caesar Potato Salad

This is a great twist on a potato salad. A combo of caesar and potato, yum!

1 1/2 lbs. small red potatoes
1 T. oil
1/4 c. green onions, chopped
3 T. fresh parsley, chopped
2 T. balsamic vinegar
1 T. lemon juice
2 t. dijon mustard
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
1 c. romaine lettuce, finely sliced
1/4 c. parmesan cheese
croutons, optional

1. Wash the potatoes. Steam covered about 18 minutes or until tender.
2. Let them cool and cut into large cubes or wedges.
3. Combine the oil, onions, parsley, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper.
4. Pour over the potatoes and stir gently.
5. Cover and chill.
6. Add lettuce and cheese and toss gently.

Cucumber, Tomato, and Onion Salad

I love this salad, so quick and easy and perfect for the summertime when homegrown cucumbers and tomatoes are in large supply. When it's hot, it's great to have something fresh!

1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and diced
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped

Dressing:

2 T. vinegar

2 T. canola oil

handful chopped fresh parsley

2 t. sugar or agave

1/4 t. pepper

1/2 t. salt

1. Put cucumber, tomato, and onion in a large bowl.

2. Combine all dressing ingredients and mix well.

3. Pour dressing over vegetables and stir.

4. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least one hour to soak in the flavor.

Pancakes with fruit pudding

We don't do syrup in this house, but we love pancakes each Saturday morning. Regular syrup is just full of sugar and fake maple flavoring and I can't afford the real maple syrup. Growing up my mom would make pancakes and "fruit pudding" to top it with. Basically it's just a smoothie on pancakes. We love it, the recipe is easy and you can use whatever fruit you have on hand.

fruit of any kind

plain yogurt

spash of juice

ice

1. Blend it all and pour on your whole grain pancakes. Goodbye to sugary junk, hello yummy healthy breakfast!

*tip for adding more veggies into your kids meals: I use my leftover veggie pulp from juicing in lots of things. I throw a handful of carrot pulp in pancakes or muffins. The kids never notice. You could just finely shred carrots if you don't have a juicer. Any extra they can get is worth it!*

Noodles with Peanut Sauce

I got this from a book "100 Best Vegetarian Recipes". But of course I changed and added a few things. I think it's physically impossible for me to follow a recipe exactly. But I've used the base of it twice and really enjoyed it. I'm sure it should feed at least two people, but I eat it almost in one sitting. I'm not really in to calorie counting. I feel like if you eat more nutrient dense foods, what's the point. I enjoy what I eat and work hard by exercising.

6 oz. cooked pasta, whole wheat preferably
1/8c. creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 T. soy sauce
1/2 T. rice vinegar
1 t. apple cider vinegar
1 t. sugar or honey
1/2 t. sesame oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 T. chopped scallions
1 -2 T. carrot pulp, optional, I've always got some pulp from juicing around and this was great to just throw in, I didn't even notice it.
1 c. cooked peas
1 large handful of fresh spinach, torn
1-2 T. seame seeds

Combine all ingredients except for the pasta, peas, spinach, and sesame seeds in a bowl and mix well. You may need to use a blender.

Add the remaining ingredients and stir, enjoy!

Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho

Another great recipe from "Ani's Raw Food Kitchen", man I love this book. At first when I made it and didn't use the toppings, I thought it was gross. But toppings made all the difference. I didn't even stop to take a picture of it, it was that good. I love soup and the thought of cold soup just seems ridiculous, but this is so yummy and healthy I think I've changed my views.

3 tomatoes, heirloom if possible
1 T. honey or pitted dates
1/2 c. brazil nuts, soaked (I used soaked almonds because that's what I had)
1 c. extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 t. black pepper
1 T. Bragg's Liquid Aminos, (if you don't have this, you can just use soy sauce, it's just not raw)
4 c. water

Toppings:
tomato, diced
cucumber, diced
cilantro leaves
avocado, diced

1. Blend all the soup ingredients together in a blender.
2. Put some soup in a bowl and load on the toppings! So good, I think I'll make it again this week!
This will keep for 3 days in the fridge.

I LOVE raw cooking because it's sooooo easy, just chop and mix and you're done!

Chicken Salad Wraps with curry dressing

Just made this combo up myself and I really enjoyed it!

2 c. chopped cooked chicken breast or 1-13oz. can chicken breast
1 baby kosher dill pickle, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
about 2 T. red onion, chopped
1/4 c. almond pulp from almond milk or 1/4 c. chopped almonds
1/4 c. mayo, approx.
1/4 c. plain fat free yogurt, approx.
dash of red pepper
pinch of sea salt
1/2 apple, grated

Toppings:
tomatoes
cucumbers
avocados
peeled carrot
curry dressing (recipe in post below)

1. Mix the first 10 ingredients together and spread out in romaine lettuce leaves. Top with your choice of toppings and dressing and enjoy!

Creamy Curry Dressing

I found this recipe in "Ani's Raw Food Kitchen". I did change a few things though. It called for more curry. I like curry okay, but it's not my favorite. I ate it on just a regular sald and it was very tasty.

1 t. curry powder
1/2 apple, cored and diced
1 clove garlic
1/2 T. grated fresh ginger
1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 t. sea salt

Just throw it all in a blender and you're done!

Sprouting

I tried sprouting this last week for the first time. Sprouts are so easy to grow and packed full of nutrients. They're also really cheap to do. I sprouted green lentils and alfalfa seeds. I read this great book, "The Sprouting Book" by Ann Wigmore. It gave really simple instructions on how to sprout. I purchased the seeds and lentils at Whole Foods. I put them on my sandwiches and salads. They will keep for up to 2 weeks in the fridge, after sprouting.

Alfalfa Seeds

1 T. alfalfa seeds

1 quart size ball jar

screen or clean pantyhose

rubberband

1. Put the seeds in the jar and cover with filtered water. Soak for 4-6 hours. Cover with a screen or pantyhose and a tightly fitted rubberband.

2. Drain the water and run water over the seeds through the screen. Drain and set upside down at a 45 degree angle on a drying rack.

3. Let drain and put in a dark cupboard.

4. Rinse once in the morning and once in the evening.

5. Seeds will be at desired length of 1"-1 1/2" in 3-5 days.

6. The last day, put in indirect sun.

Lentils

1/3 c. lentils

1 quart size jar

screen or clean pantyhose

rubberband

1. Pick through the lentils for any broken or split ones and discard them.

2. Put them in a jar and fill with filtered water. Soak for 10-12 hours.

3. Drain and follow the same rinsing directions for alfalfa seeds. But do not put in the sun on the last day.

4. Will sprout to 1/4"-3/4" in 3-5 days.

A Salad to go with the dressings

Lately I've been just throwing together a salad everyday for lunch. I just throw a whole bunch of things that are in my fridge into a bowl and top with a homemade dressing. The other day I put this one together and topped it with the honey lime dressing below.

1/2 apple, chopped
handful of shredded coconut
handful of sunflower seeds
handful of chopped strawberries
handful of soaked almonds, chopped
1/2 head of romaine, chopped

Dressings

Here are two dressings that I just whipped up the other day. They are pretty similar.

Honey Lime Dressing
1/2 lime, juiced
1 T. honey
3-4 T. olive oil
pinch of sea salt
a few dashes of oregano

1. Mix well.

Lime Cumin Dressing with chopped Apricots
1/2 lime, juiced
1 T. honey
3-4 T. olive oil
dashes of cumin
pinch of sea salt
4-5 chopped, dried, apricots

1. Mix well and let soak overnight in the fridge so that the apricots can soak it up.

Another grain for breakfast

Yesterday morning I had millet for breakfast. When I told Martin I bought millet, he looked at me like I was crazy and said "We fed millet to the birds when I worked at the pet store." My response was "My mom fed it to us when we were younger and I liked it." It's a small yellow, ball shaped grain. You cook it with twice as much water as grain for about 20 minutes. Just bring the cereal and water to a boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes or until tender.

I added a little agave nectar, chopped almonds, and shredded coconut to mine. It was yummy!

It's good to try a variety of different grains. There are so many out there. I think wheat is definitely important, but it's important to try other kinds too. They all have different nutritional content and fiber amounts.

I love the bulk section at Whole Foods. That's where I buy most things. It's perfect because you can get a little amount to see if you like it. I buy my steel cut oats, millet, sea salt, shredded coconut, and sesame seeds in bulk. It's not very expensive. There are suggested directions on how to cook the grains on all the bins in the store.

I also purchased the agave nectar at Whole Foods. It's kind of pricey, but I bought a small container for about $5 and it has lasted me about 2 months so far. I don't use it for everything, mostly for shakes or for granola breakfasts. It is actually 25% sweeter than sugar, but doesn't cause a spike in your blood sugar, so that's a better choice in my opinion. If you don't have agave nectar, you could certainly substitute honey.

I love the steel cut oats! They are just the whole grain groats sliced up into 2 or 3 pieces. It's nice to have a little texture, as opposed to mushy oatmeal.

Banana Oatmeal Cookies

I got this recipe from a book called "No Flour, No Sugar". These cookies are so easy and so healthy.

3 ripe bananas

2 c. quick cooking oats

1 c. chopped almonds or walnuts

1/2 c. raisins or cranberries

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. vanilla

1/4 t. salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Grease a cookie sheet

3. Mash the bananas in a large bowl. Add all the other ingredients. Drop the batter onto the cookie sheet using a tablespoon. Flatten each one slightly. Bake 12-15 minutes or until the centers are firm. These cookies are best well done and crispy. Makes about 36 cookies

Granola Breakfast

I've been having this breakfast for the past few weeks. I absolutely love it! It's so good and so satisfying. You don't even have to cook it.

steel cut oats

almonds (soaked 4-8 hours), chopped

unsweetened, shredded coconut

cranberries or raisins

1/2 apple, chopped

cinnamon

agave nectar

1. Soak the steel cut oats in water overnight, about 1/3 c. oats

2. In the morning, drain the water from the oats and rinse and drain again

3. Add desired amount of all the rest of the ingredients

4. Stir well and enjoy

Composting It

We started composting a few weeks ago. This is my first ever attempt at it. Ryan and I collected some worms on a rainy day and then added some more that we bought at the store. My friend gave me a bucket and some coffee grounds. It's been a really fun thing for Ryan and I to stir it and add all our peelings from the kitchen. We are really putting all our pulp from juicing to use. I hope it works out good and we can have some great soil for our herb garden this spring.

Salads Galore

This came from a book called "Soup Makes The Meal" but I altered a few things.
Strawberry, Cucumber, and Kiwi Salad
1 large cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and chopped
pinch of salt
1 pint ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 kiwi fruit, peeled, halved, and sliced
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 T. balsamic vinegar
2 t. olive oil

Place the cucumbers in a large bowl and salt lightly. Add the strawberries, kiwi, sugar, vinegar, and olive oil. Stir well. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.


Tomato-Basil Citrus Salad (from a Raw book, but can't remember which one.)
1 medium grapefruit, peeled, seeded, and chopped
6 roma tomatoes, chopped chunky
1/2 bunch fresh basil, chopped
1 T. olive oil
1 T. balsamic vinegar
1/4 t. sea salt
chopped fresh parsley

Peel all skin off of the grapefruit, then chop. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly in a bowl. Refreigerate.


Cranberry-Almond Carrot Salad
8 carrots, grated
1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped
2 T. olive oil
1/4 c. dried cranberries
1/4 c. almonds, chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 t. sea salt
chopped fresh parsley
Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Let sit at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the cranberries to soak up the flavors.

Homemade Ice Cream

My juicer does so many things. The other night for book club, we were supposed to bring something that reminded us of childhood. I brought banana ice cream. For my first birthday, I had a cake made out of banana ice cream and cookies. All you do is take frozen bananas and push them through the juicer, and you're done. The other night for Kate's birthday celebration, we made strawberry sorbet. I just put frozen strawberries through the juicer and that was it. We topped it with coconut and chopped almonds. So easy, healthy, and tasty.

Ode to my juicer

About a year ago, I bought the Jack LaLane juicer. It was good and did well for us, but about a month ago, the motor started smoking. So it was done. Luckily my friend Tony had just given me a Champion Juicer. It had been sitting in storage for many years at his house, so he offered it to us. All we had to do was order two replacement parts. The Champion Juicer is the king of all juicers. My mom has one that she bought before I was born. So that's over 27 years ago, and it's still going strong. The juicer makes juice, of course, but it also makes nut butters and ice cream out of frozen fruit. We are so happy to have it. We enjoy fresh veggie juice everyday!

Doesn't this look yummy! All the vitamins and minerals!

from this into this!

The green juice is made up of spinach, cucumber, celery, parsley, lemon, and ginger. It's not the most wonderful tasting drink, but soooooo good for you!

Interesting Breakfast

I've seen this recipe in lots of different ways in many cookbooks. When I first saw the ingredients I thought what an interesting idea. So I tried it! The other morning, things were busy and I wanted something quick that wasn't poured out of a box, so I made it! You know what, I liked it! The hardest part was pushing away Ryan from eating all of it!

Avocado, Banana, Carob Pudding
1/2 avocado
1 medium sized, ripe banana
1 T. carob powder

1. Mash banana and avocado together and mix in the carob.

That's all and you're done! Serves 1
This is way easier than boxed pudding and so much better for you!

Yummy lettuce wrap fillings

In the raw food cookbooks there are a lot of recipes for pate's. I've tried a few of them and have realized I can easily make up my own combos. It's so easy. I make enough to serve 4 and then eat it for lunch the first day, and it store it in the fridge for the next 3. Then it's so easy to have lunch ready to go. I've been doing the same with the smoothies, so now I can make things up one day and be ready for breakfast and lunch, the next 3. I love it! It makes my life so much easier and I feel better when I eat more fresh! So here's one I tried the other day.

1 c. wanuts
1/4 c. flax seed meal
4 carrots, shredded
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/2 lime, juiced
2 t. onion powder
1 t. paprika
1/2 t. dill
1/2 t. sea salt

Additional ingredients:
Romaine lettuce leaves
chopped tomatoes
avodado
green onion, chopped

1. Place all above ingredients, walnuts through sea salt, in a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Spoon some into a Romaine lettuce leaf and top with optional extra ingredients.

I thought this would be weird at first, but I really enjoy them! Soooooo easy! Serve with a side of fresh fruit! Enjoy! Serves 4.

Raw and dairy free smoothies galore!

I've had a great time experimenting with raw smoothies lately. First I looked through a great cookbook "Ani's Raw Food Kitchen" by Ani Phyo, for some beginning ideas. This cookbook is the best I've seen so far, I love it! All of her recipes got me thinking of my own smoothie combo's. So here's a few I've experimented with.

Orange, Vanilla and Coconut Smoothie
2 oranges
1 t. good quality vanilla
1 T. shredded coconut
1/4 c. of almonds soaked in 1 cup of water for 2-3 hours
1 T. coconut oil
2 t. agave nectar**

1. Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. It will be a little chunky. Serves 2. Will keep in the fridge for 3 days.

**Agave nectar is an alternative to honey. It's extracted from the agave plant and is vegan. It has a low glycemic index to prevent a spike in blood sugar. It is 25% sweeter than sugar. You could substitute honey if you don't have agave nectar.

Carob, Strawberry, Coconut smoothie

1 1/2 cups strawberries
1/4 c. cashews
1/4 c. pitted dates soaked in water to soften
1 t. good quality vanilla
1 T. coconut oil
1 T. carob powder
1 c. water
1 T. flaxseed meal

1. Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Serves 2. Will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Pina Colada
1 1/2 c. water
1 c. fresh cut pineapple
1/4 c. almonds, soaked in water for 2-3 hours
1/4 c. pitted dates soaked in water to soften
1 T. coconut oil
1 T. shredded coconut
1 t. vanilla
1 T. flaxseed meal

1. Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. Can be refrigerated for 3 days. Serves 2.

I actually prefer these smoothies the day after I make them.

Nutritious Peanut Butter Fudge

I know, you're reading the title and thinking how can that be. But this is so good! It comes from my mom, the healthfood expert in my life! She made this as I was growing up and I remember turning up my nose to it, as most teenagers would. But I made it today and realized how good it is. It's so easy and so satisfying!

1 c. honey

1 c. natural peanut butter

1 c. sesame seeds

1 c. carob powder**

1 c. raw sunflower seeds

1/2 c. raw shredded cocnut

1/2 c. raisins

1. Mix the honey and peanut butter together in a bowl. Then add the rest of the ingredients.

2. Mix well and divide and roll into logs.

3. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in the fridge.

4. Cut into slices when serving.

**If you don't know what carob powder is, you can buy it at whole foods. It's an alternative to cocoa. It doesn't have any added sugar or caffeine. It's from carob beans and has a different taste but really good!

On a side note, I bought raw shredded coconut at Whole Foods yesterday and it is so yummy! So much better than the regular sweetened store bought kind. It wasn't expensive either. It's about the same price as sweetened and is so worth it! I added it to a smoothie yesterday and it made such a difference. That pina colada smoothie recipe is soon to come!

Sorry the pictures are not the best. I'm not a pro when it comes to photography, and our camera isn't the most advanced.

Going Raw

So the past few weeks I've been looking into eating raw. I have been able to go through some really great cookbooks and get some ideas. I went to Whole Foods and got some ingredients to get me started. It wasn't the cheapest trip, but some of the things I bought will last a long time. I'm so excited! I tried three new recipes today! It's so great and easy! You just throw most of it into a food processor and you're good to go. No cooking and creating more dirty pans, and I'm saving energy and money! Tonight I made a raw pasta sauce. I was really nervous about serving it to Martin, but he really liked it. It was different that it's cold, but he ate it over noodles. The recipe calls for spiralized zucchini or squash, but I figured I'd ease him into it. The flavors are so amazing in raw food! I don't look at cooked food the same way anymore, so bland and so much loss of nutrients. I don't plan on going totally raw, it can get really expensive, but I'm going to try for at least 50% of my diet. So lots of my recipes upcoming will be more focused on raw cooking! Hope you get inspired to fuel your body with more live food!

Oatmeal Raisin Bran Muffins

1 c. whole wheat flour

1/2 c. oats

1/2 c. wheat germ

3 T. brown sugar

1 1/4 t. baking soda

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

2 eggs

1/2 c. buttermilk

2 T. oil

2 T. flaxseed

2 T. honey

2 T. molasses

1/2 c. raisins

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray muffin tins with oil.

2. In a large bowl stir together the flour, oats, germ, baking soda,baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, mix together eggs, buttermilk, oil, flaxseed, honey, and molasses until smooth. Stir in the raisins.

3. Add to the dry ingredients and stir just until blended.

4. Spoon into the muffin tins filling to 2/3 full. Bake 12-15 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in the pan for a few minutes, then remve.

5. Makes 12 muffins

Orange Yogurt Muffins

These muffins are so yummy! Originally they were just white flour, but I changed that, along with some other things, and they still taste great and are so moist!

2 oranges

3 T. sugar

1 1/2 T. water

3 1/2 T. butter

2/3 c. whole wheat flour

2/3 wheat germ

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1 egg

1 egg white

1/2 c. plain yogurt

1/2 c. milk

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees and spray muffin tins with oil

2. Grate the zest from the oranges. Combine the zest, 2 T. of the sugar, and the water in a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat for about 2 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Add the butter and stir until melted. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, stir together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and remaining 1 T. sugar. Set aside.

4. In a larger bowl, whisk together the eggs, yogurt, milk, and orange mixture until smooth. Add the dry ingredients and stir just until blended.

5. Spoon into the muffin tins about 3/4 full. Bake 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan for a few minutes, then remove.

6. Makes 12 muffins.

Green Smoothie

Smoothies are great! I usually just clean out the fridge and throw whatever fruit I have in one.

This is what I used in one from the other day.

1/2 pear

1/2 apple

1/2 banana, peeled

1/2 orange, peeled

handful of fresh spinach, washed

1/2 cup of plain, fat free yogurt

1 T. flax seed meal

ice cubes

little bit of water or soy milk

Blend all ingredients together and enjoy! Serves 2

Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet potatoes are full of good vitamins, a lot more than regular potatoes. They are great as an alternative to regular fries and so yummy.


Sweet potatoes
canola oil spray
seasoning salt (optional)


1. Peel potatoes and cut them into sticks
2. Spray a 13 x 9 pan with canola oil spray
3. Spread out the potatoes and spray lightly with canola oil spray
4. Sprinkle with seasoning salt if desired
5. Bake in a 450 degree oven
6. Stir and flip the potatoes about every 6-8 minutes
7. Bake for 15-25 minutes depending on desired crispness

Fried Plantains

These aren't the most healthy food, but I love them! So simple and so good! They're a great side to tacos or enchiladas. They're cheap too, only 54 cents at Wal-Mart.

1 plaintain

canola oil

kosher salt

1. Peel and slice plaintains 1/4inch thick.

2. Heat a little bit of oil in a skillet over medium heat, just enough to cover the bottom.

3. Lay slices of the plaintains in the skillet and sprinkle with a little bit of kosher salt.

4. Cook for a few minutes until brown and then turn over and cook on the other side.

5. Drain on paper towels

Beans

I love adding beans to my diet in any way that I can. They're full of fiber and protein. It's so much cheaper to buy them dry, in bulk. So I soak them overnight in water. Then I rinse them and bring to a boil. Then simmer for about an hour or until done. Then when they are cool, I put one cup of beans in a ziploc bag and lay them on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer.

They're easy to pull out of the freezer and add to recipes. I add beans to almost anything: salads, soups, or eggs in the morning.

Creamy Vinaigrette

This dressing was actually given to me by my friend Kelley. It's by far my favorite dressing right now.

Creamy Vinaigrette
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup cider or balsamic vinegar, or a mixture
3 cloves garlic, minced, or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tb. honey
1 tsp. each salt and black pepper
2 tsp. each dried oregano and basil
3-4 stalks of celery
Dried chili peppers (optional)

Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.The celery makes the dressing creamy, and helps hold it in an emulsion (so the oil and vinegar don't separate so much). You can make the dressing without it, too, if you want.

Before Blending

After