CHOCOLATE CHERRY CHIA SMOOTHIE

If cherries were not so expensive,  I would have a serious addiction. Buying frozen cherries lower their cost, so it is a good fix for my cravings! This smoothie is so yummy and filled with superfoods: Cherries, almonds, chia, coconut water, and cacao nibs. It is perfect for breakfast, or on a hot summer day.

CHOCOLATE CHERRY CHIA SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups frozen cherries
1/2 cup almonds
2 teaspoons chia seeds
1 date, pitted
2 tablespoons cacao nibs
2 cups coconut water
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Preparation:

Put all the ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
Enjoy!

This will make 2 smoothies.

LENTIL TACOS

I just had a little Cinco de Mayo get together and made this lentil "meat" to use as a filling in the tacos. Because it is versatile and so yummy, the next day, with the leftovers,  I used it to make a Mexican rice bowl. I even ate some of it on it's own for a meal.  It was delicious both ways. Feel free to explore with this recipe. It is really great for entertaining.

LENTIL TACOS

Ingredients for the lentil "meat":

2 cup dry lentils
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
1/4 cup corn
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup veggie broth
2 tablespoons sundried tomatoes
1/2 of a chipotle pepper (about 1 teaspoon)
2 tablespoons coconut nectar (or agave)
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation for the lentil "meat":

In a medium saucepan, cook the lentils in 8 cups of water for about 30 minutes until they are very tender (they will be easier to mash if slightly over cooked).
Drain the water and reserve the lentils.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent.
Add the red pepper, celery, corn, and garlic and cook for another 4-5 minutes to soften.

In the meantime in a blender, put together the 1/2 cup of veggie broth, sundried tomatoes, chipotle pepper, coconut nectar, cumin, oregano, and the chili pepper. Mix until the sauce is thick and well blended.

Pour the lentils and the sauce over the onion mixture and cook a few minutes, mixing thoroughly. Mash the mixture slightly to give it more of a ground "meat" feel.
Season with salt and pepper.


To assemble:

12 taco shells
Lentil meat recipe
Toppings of your choice (vegan cheese, salsa, guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, rice, vegan sour cream...)

Serve about 1/4 cup of lentil "meat' in each shells, top with your favorite Mexican topping and enjoy!

Makes 6 servings

CHIPOTLE KALE CHIPS

Kale chips is my ultimate snack food. Because it is dehydrated, it is lower in fat, and it keeps all the nutrients intact. Kale has an ANDI (aggregated nutrient density index) score of 1000 which is the highest score possible. So go ahead and eat your greens!

CHIPOTLE KALE CHIPS

Ingredients:

3 large bunches of dinosaur kale
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 red pepper
2 tablespoons chopped sundried tomato
1 dry chipotle pepper (soaked for 1 hour to soften)
1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons Bragg liquid aminos
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
3 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt and pepper to taste


Preparation:

Remove and discard the center ribs and stalks of the kale. Tear the leaves into roughly 3-inch pieces. Wash the leaves and let them dry. While the leaves are drying,  mix together the remaining ingredients until smooth in a high speed blender,.
Place half of the leaves in a large bowl, pour 1/2 of the chipotle cheese, and toss with your hands until the leaves are thoroughly coated.
Place the leaves in a single, even layer on the dehydrator screens.
Repeat with the other half of kale and chipotle cheese.
Dehydrate at 105F for 12 hours, turning once 1/2 way through.

This will make 3-4 trays (8-12 servings depending on the size of your kale)

RAW TAHINI ZUCCHINI PASTA WITH MARINATED VEGGIES

I love tahini dressing. I seriously think I could drink it all right out of the blender. The other night,  as I just completed an 8 days green juice fast, I began to crave tahini dressing. At first, I was just going to put it over some veggies, but then I thought it would be great on some zucchini noodles.  It came out super delicious!

RAW TAHINI ZUCCHINI PASTA WITH MARINATED VEGGIES

Ingredients:

For the tahini zucchini pasta:

4 large or 6 medium size zucchinis
1/2 cup tahini
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tamari sauce
1/4 cup water
1 garlic clove
2 teaspoons chopped ginger root
Cayenne to taste

Preparation:

Using a spiral slicer or a mandolin, cut the zucchini into long, thin noodle shapes.
Place the tahini, lemon juice, tamari sauce, water, garlic clove, and ginger root in a high speed blender
Mix until you get a smooth consistency.


Ingredients:

For the marinated veggies:

2 carrots, sliced thin
1 cup brocoli florets, cut small
1 cup cauliflower florets, cut small (I used purple cauliflower but feel free to use any color)
1 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
Juice from one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a bowl, mix all the ingredients together and marinate for 10-15 minutes.
Place the marinated veggies on a dehydrator screen and dehydrate at 105F for 1 hour. This will soften them and give them a "cooked" feel while keeping them raw. If you do not have a dehydrator, you can skip this step. The veggies will be crunchier, but still tasty.

Assemble:

Mix the tahini sauce and the zucchini pasta together.
Place the pasta into 4 separate bowls. Top with the marinated veggies.

Bon appetit!

Makes 4 servings

WHITE CANNELLINI BEANS AND BABY BELLA MUSHROOM HUMMUS

My homemade hummus, with less oil than traditional recipes, and with veggies as a dipper, becomes one of the most healthy snacks to eat. It takes no time to make, and it is so delicious.

Filled with fibers, high in protein, and with and earthy flavor from the mushrooms, this recipe will make you want to eat it everyday!

WHITE CANNELLINI BEANS AND BABY BELLA MUSHROOM HUMMUS

Ingredients 

For the mushrooms:

2 tablespoons truffle oil
1 large shallot, chopped small
5 garlic cloves, chopped small
8 oz (227 grams) of baby bella mushrooms (usually the size of 1 container) chopped small
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
2 tablespoons parsley
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
Salt and pepper to taste

For the hummus:

3 cups cooked white cannellini beans (about 1 cup dried)
2 tablespoon lemon juice ( I used meyer lemons)
3 tablespoon tahini
1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste


Preparation:

For the mushrooms:

In a pan, heat up the truffle oil under medium heat. add the shallots and garlic.
Saute 3-4 min until fragrant and translucent.
Add the chopped baby bella mushrooms and the spices.
Cook another 10 minutes until the mushrooms are sweaty and tender.
Reserve

For the hummus:

In a high speed blender, put all the ingredients along with 1/2 of the mushroom recipe. Blend until smooth.
Remove from the blender and transfer to a bowl.
Toss the other 1/2 of the mushroom recipe into the hummus with a spatula.
This will add texture to the hummus.

Bon appetit!

MISO SOUP RAW FOOD STYLE

Miso soups are so good. :)

This version uses coconut "noodles" instead of tofu. Tofu is very high in estrogen, and usually has GMO's unless you buy organic. Whereas coconuts are full of potassium and electrolytes. They are considered a superfood. They are good for your skin, your teeth, full of antioxidants, and they speed up the thyroid. Coconuts allow our body to drop excess weight, help the absorption of fatty acids, and they are the closest thing to our blood plasma and mothers milk. So overall, a no brainer substitution.
Extra bonus: this recipe can be made in a flash when you need a quick meal!

Using hot water will still consider the recipe to be raw food as the ingredients are actually not cooking on the stove, but rather being warmed up by the broth, leaving the nutrients intact.

Enjoy!


MISO SOUP RAW FOOD STYLE


Ingredients:

4 cups hot filtered water
2 tablespoons tamari sauce
1 teaspoon fresh ginger
2 tablespoons miso (I like chickpea miso)
1 Thai coconut (meat only)
3 tablespoons wakame (seaweed), chopped
4 mushrooms, sliced thin
1 green onion, sliced thin
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In a blender, mix the water, the tamari, the ginger, and the miso together.
In the meantime, crack open the thai coconut with a cleaver knife.
Discard the water. You 

can drink it or freeze it for later use.


















Using a spoon, remove the coconut meat carefully so that you have one big piece.
Cut the coconut meat into fine slivers to resemble noodles. You want to make sure that they are very thin.


















Pour the miso broth in a bowl and add all the remaining ingredients.
Season with salt and pepper.

Bon appetit!

SQUASHTINI AND LENTIL BALLS

This recipe has a few steps but it is totally worth the effort. Make it for friends to impress at a dinner party.  They will not believe how delicious, different, and healthy this dish actually is.

SQUASHTINI AND LENTIL BALLS

Ingredients:

For the nut balls:

1/2 cup dry quinoa, rinsed under water for 5 minutes
1 cup dry lentils
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
3 celery, chopped
1 large carrot, grated
1 teaspoon ground sage
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 cup old fashion oat (use gluten free if sensitive)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon flax seeds
2 tablespoons Bragg liquid aminos
6 tablespoons water
Salt and pepper to taste
extra oil to lightly fry them

For the tomato sauce:

I tablespoon olive oil
1 large shallot, chopped (1/3 cup)
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 celery, chopped
3 cups tomatoes, peeled* and chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup veggie broth
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 tablespoons coconut nectar
Salt and pepper to taste

For the squashtini

2 large spaghetti squash, cut in 1/2 lengthwise and seeded
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

For the nut balls:

In a saucepan, bring the quinoa and 1 cup of water to boil.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes uncovered.
Turn off the heat and cover for an extra 5 minutes.

In the mean time in a separate saucepan, bring the lentils to boil with 5 cups of water.
Lower the heat and let it simmer for 25 minutes under medium-low heat. You will want them a little over cooked since we are going to smash them a little later on.
Drain the extra water once cooked and reserve.

In a wok or large pan, heat up the olive oil under medium heat.
Add the onions, garlic,  and cook 4-5 minutes until translucent.
Add the celery, carrots, spices, and cook another 4 minutes.
In the meantime, grind the old fashion oat, the chia seeds, and the flax seeds in the coffee grinder (or blender) until it has a "flour" consistency. You can do it in batches. This will act as a binding agent for our balls.
Once grinded, add the  oat "flour" mixture. Mix well.
Add the Bragg liquid aminos and the water, and cook another 3-5 minutes. The consistency should be sticky.
Add the cooked quinoa, the lentils, the salt, and pepper.
With a potato masher, mash the lentil mixture a little bit until everything is well blended.
Form little balls with the mixture and fry them over a little bit of oil in a large pan, turning them gently, until they are a little crispy on the outside. You will probably need to do this in batches.
Put on top of the squashtini and sauce.
Should make 25-30 balls.

For the tomato sauce:

In a sauce pan, heat the olive oil under medium heat. add the shallots and garlic and cook 4-5 minutes until translucent.
Add the Tomatoes and the wine, cook for 4-5 minutes.
Add the broth, the basil, the sundried tomatoes, the coconut nectar, the salt and pepper, and cook another 20 minutes until vegetables are tender.
In a blender, put in the sauce and pulse a few times quickly, leaving some chunks.

For the squashtini:

Line an oven tray with parchment paper.
Season the spaghetti squash with salt and pepper.
Place flesh side down and roast at 375 F for 45 minutes until fully cooked. Remove from the oven and let the squash rest until cool enough to handle.  Using a large kitchen fork, scrape the strands of squash from the inside of the skin.

To assemble:

Toss the spaghetti squash in a pan with the hot tomato sauce for just long enough to get hot.
Serve in individual plates with nut balls on top.

Bon appetit!

BLACK BEAN STEW

A warm, slightly spicy stew for those cold winter days. Nothing is more comforting!
Black beans are so good for you. They help regulate blood sugar. They are good for the digestive tracks and our hearts. They are rich in folate, fiber, magnesium, potassium, iron, and antioxidants. They are also a great source of vegetarian protein that will leave you satisfied and full. Black beans are undoubtedly my favorite bean.

Ingredients:

2 cups dried black beans (about 4 1/2 cooked)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 onions
4 garlic cloves
2 cups celery, chopped in 1/2 inch sizes
2 cups carrots, chopped in 1/2 inch sizes
2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped in 3/4 inch sizes
2 cups kabocha squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4 inch sizes
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
20 grape tomatoes, cut in 1/2
4 cups veggie broth
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon curry
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup coconut milk

Preparation:

To prepare the black beans:

Soak the beans in about 8 cups of water overnight.
Rinse with fresh water before cooking.
To cook: Bring about 8 cups of water to a boil. Add the beans, bring to a boil, then simmer for about 90 minutes, or until tender.
To add flavor to the beans you can add a piece of kombu (seaweed), or cumin to the cooking water, or cook in veggie broth. ~All optional
Drain the cooking water before using.

To prepare the stew:

In a large pan or a wok, warm up the olive oil under medium heat, and add the onions and garlic.
Cook for 4-5 minutes until translucent.
Add the celery, carrots, sweet potatoes, kabocha squash, cauliflower, and grape tomatoes to the pan. Mix well, and cook another 5 minutes.
In a blender, mix the veggie broth and the sundried tomatoes together.
Add the broth mixture in the pan along with the spices (except the cilantro).
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and cook another 30 minutes.
When the vegetables are tender, add the drained black beans, fresh cilantro, and coconut milk.
Mix well and cook a few more minutes to heat up evenly.

This will make 4 large portions.

Bon appetit!

CHIPOTLE PIEROGIES RAW FOOD STYLE

The spicy cashew cheese and the refreshing jicama go so well together in these little pierogies. This is definitely a recipe to make for friends that are new to raw food to get them "hooked", and it is pretty easy to make. The cashew cheese filling works well on it's own too as a spread for sandwiches, a dip, or as a kale chip flavoring cheese. It is so versatile and I have used it in many ways!


CHIPOTLE PIEROGIES RAW FOOD STYLE

Ingredients:

1 jicama, peeled
1 chipotle cheese filling recipe


Chipotle cheese filling recipe:

1 1/2 cup raw cashews (soaked in water for 2 hrs minimum then rinsed)
1 small roma tomato (about 1/4 cup chopped)
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon Bragg liquid aminos
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano


Preparation:

To make the jicama wrapper:

Use a mandolin and slice the jicama into paper thin rounds. Set aside

To make the cheese filling:

In a high speed blender, put all the ingredients together and blend until extra creamy. Put in a bowl and cool in the fridge for at least one hour to harden a bit before using.

To assemble:

Place a small dollop of cheese filling on the jicama rounds and close them in half like a pita pocket.

Eat them as fast as you can or somebody else will! ;)

Bon appetit!