Good Nurture Recipes

Sweet Lemon Salad Dressing

2011-09-11T10:15:00.000-07:00

This is a bitter-sweet and most refreshing dressing to splash on top of your salad.

It makes about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 c. of salad dressing. Enough for 6 or more salads. Enjoy!

1/3 c. fresh lemon juice (remove the seeds, usually about 4 lemons)
1/3 c. apple cider vinegar
1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. honey or agave OR 1/2 t. stevia
1/4 t. sea salt
1/2 t. dried herbs of your choice (oregano, thyme, etc.)

Shake before pouring on the salad.

Quinoa Fruit & Veggie Chop Salad

2011-08-22T14:40:00.000-07:00

This is one of my new favorites. It is great to make extra for your dinner meal (yes, salad AS dinner), and good as a left-over for lunch!

Serves 2 generously, 4 perfectly, 6-8 lightly.

Fruit & Veggie Chop:

1 apple, cored and chopped (with peel on)
1/2 bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 c. grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 c. red grapes, halved
2-3 large kale leaves, chopped
1/4 c. red onion, finely chopped
1/2 c. dried cranberries
handful of each: basil, parsley, mint (chopped)

Dressing:

4 lemons, juiced
2-3 T. agave

Assembly

1 c. dry quinoa
salad greens - 4-8 cups worth

Directions:

Rinse the quinoa in a strainer. Bring 2 cups water to boil. Add quinoa, reduce to low simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff. While the quinoa is cooking, do steps 2 & 3.
Chop the fruit & veggies. Mix together in a big bowl.
Make the dressing by juicing the lemons, remove the seeds. Stir in 2-3 tablespoons agave. Pour 1/2 of the dressing in the Fruit & Veggie Chop and mix. This not only gets the flavors popping, it keeps the apples from browning.
ASSEMBLE: On a plate, put the quinoa on a mound in the middle of the plate. Surround the quinoa with fresh salad greens. Scoop the fruit & veggie mix on top of the quinoa and greens. Pour the remaining salad dressing evenly on the greens and fruit/veggie mix. (Or just mix it all together and serve!)

Apple, Mango, Strawberry Salad

2011-08-20T11:00:00.000-07:00

Here's a fresh and tasty dessert you don't have to guilt over!

Serves 4 (about 4 cups)

juice of 1 fresh orange
3 T. honey
1 apple (chopped)
1 mango ( peeled, pitted & chopped)
7-10 strawberries (chopped)
1/2 c. walnuts (whole or chopped)
4 dates (pitted & chopped)

Mix the orange juice and honey together. Mix all the chopped ingredients in a large bowl. Pour the orange juice mixture over the top and mix well. The orange juice keeps the apples from browning.

Serve fresh and cool.

Banana Nut Cookies

2011-07-08T16:38:00.000-07:00

This recipes is easy, nutritious and delicious (especially if you like banana bread!). This is what you get when banana bread meets cookie! Yum!

Makes 24-30 cookies. Prep time: approx. 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

1/4 c. dates, pitted
1/4 c. almond, hemp, soy or rice milk
1 c. walnuts
1 c. cashew nuts
1 c. shredded coconut, unsweetened
4 bananas
2-3 teaspoons cinnamon

Place nuts in food processor with the S blade and grind coarsely. Add dates and process until it's ground well, but not too finely. Add bananas, milk and cinnamon. Mix to form dough. Take teaspoon or tablespoon scoops and put on parchment paper on a cookie sheet (If you don't have parchment paper lightly grease the pan.) Flatten with a spoon (to form the cookie shape). Bake at 250 degrees for about 30 minutes.

* If you are trying to get your child to eat these but they aren't quite sweet enough, add a little maple syrup, brown sugar, or evaporated cane juice. Gradually, as you make more batches reduce the amount of sweetener.

This recipe was slightly altered from Joel Fuhrman, MD's book "3 Steps to Incredible Health" (Volume 2).

Mixed Green, Asparagus, Fennel Salad

2011-06-22T18:08:00.000-07:00

I'm keeping this simple... Sorry it's lacking quantities, but go with the ratios you'll enjoy!

Toss together

baby greens
chopped Fennel (bulb and leaves)
chopped asparagus (steamed or raw)
sun-dried tomotoes
almonds

Top with your favorite dressing or make it fresh and clean by mixing the juice of 1 lemon with 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of honey (that is per serving size) and drizzle on top.

Easy Mango and Rice Dessert

2011-05-03T18:14:00.000-07:00

This is super tasty. It's a quick variation of the Thai Sticky Rice and Mango dessert.

This makes about 4 servings.

2 c. Brown or White Rice - cooked & cooled
2 Mangoes - peeled and sliced
Maple Syrup

Cook your rice and let cool in the refrigerator. Peel and slice mango. Scoop rice onto a plate, bowl, or small dessert cup. Drizzle some maple syrup over the top of the rice. Top with slice mangoes.

If you want to stay truer to the Thai version, add some fresh or canned coconut milk to the rice.

TIP: Cook extra rice when making a meal for this fabulous dessert!

Rawish Chocolate Chip Freezer Cookie Bar

2011-04-30T07:09:00.000-07:00

This is absolutely a delicious and healthy sweet snack! It's full of protein and good fats, and is filling too! Ok, it's not as healthy as raw kale or broccoli, but for a sweet treat, it's pretty darn good! Use it as a mid-meal pick-me-up!

Makes approx. 40 bars

Ingredients:

Cookie dough

3 cups ground raw cashews
1 cup ground raw oats
(replace with another cup of shredded coconut for gluten-free if you can't find gluten-free oats)
1 cup shredded coconut
3/4 cup maple syrup
2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut oil
½ cup raw almond butter, sun butter, peanut, or nut butter of choice
½ teaspoon salt

Raw chocolate chips*

2 Tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 cup carob powder
1/2 cup cocoa powder
4 T maple syrup
2 teaspoon vanilla

*Chocolate Chip variations: (1) Use Raw Cacao Nibs (2) Use vegan chocolate or carob chips from store

Directions:

Mix Dough

Grind up raw cashews and raw oats in a food processor.

If your food processor is big enough, place the rest of the dough ingredients (not the chocolate chips) in the processor and blend until well mixed. Otherwise, removed the ingredients from the processor and mix all cookie dough ingredients into a large bowl mix by hand or with a spoon.

Mix until a dough forms.

Make Chocolate Chips

Mix all chocolate chip ingredients together in a medium sized bowl. Roll the dough out onto parchment paper and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes. Optional: Half way through at 15 mins., flip the chocolate sheet over for even freezing.

When chocolate is frozen, cut into chips. This is the fun part! I used a pastry slicer and it was SO fun making the chips.

Or Buy Chips: If you don’t have time, the ingredients, or just don’t want to make the chocolate chips, buy them ;) (I use a high-quality organic/vegan chocolate chip)

Mix Dough & Chocolate Chips

Mix chips into dough (do not add these to the food processor – mix by hand). If using a large bowel to mix, mix them in there. If you’ve mixed all your ingredients in a food processor, I just mix the chips in the lined pan.

Assembly

Line a 13x9x2 inch pan with parchment or wax paper.

Pour batter into the lined pan. You can mix up the chocolate chips right in here if you want too. Flatten with your hands to make it even. Put another piece of parchment or wax paper on top and continue flattening until smooth and even.

Tip: You can take this time to pre-cut your cookie bars. Remove the top paper. Using a knife score or cut your cookies now, while they are soft. (Definitely do this if you don't have a large, sturdy chef knife.) Put the wax paper back on (removing air-pockets). I cut them into 5 x 8 rows.

Freeze for 1 to 2 hours.

If you haven’t precut your pieces, remove the cookie bars from the pan by lifting it with the parchment paper. On a cutting board, use a heavy-duty chef knife and slice into your cookie bars.

Keep cookie bars in an air-tight container in the freezer. They are best eaten mostly frozen, thawed for only a few minutes.

Divine Raw Orange Chocolate Macadamia Cookies and Bars

2011-04-08T20:19:00.000-07:00

I've played around with several recipes to come up with this Divine tasting cookie. I've made it in several forms and shapes, so you can decide how you'd like to enjoy the amazing taste of Macadamia nuts, orange and chocolate together! Of course you can leave out the chocolate dip and enjoy the fresh orange nut cookie on it's own too. For the most part, this recipe is raw. The maple syrup and depending on your source of a few other ingredients, may not be purely raw.

I hope you enjoy this as much as we do!

You'll need:

Food Processor

Dehydrator

The Cookie

1 c. Macadamia Nuts
1 c. Sunflower Seeds
1 1/2 c. Shredded Coconut
1 T. Ground Flax Seed
1/2 t. Sea Salt
1/2 t. Cinnamon
2 T. Fresh Orange Zest
1/2 c. Fresh Orange Juice
1/2 c. Maple Syrup
2 T. Vanilla

DIRECTIONS

In a food processor, blend the nuts & seeds until well grounded, but still somewhat chunky. Add the shredded coconut, flax seeds and salt. Pulse a few times until blended.

Put the nut mixture into a large bowl and make a well in the middle to add the wet ingredients. Add the orange zest, orange juice, maple syrup and vanilla and mix together in the middle. Then stir all the ingredients together.

TO MAKE...

Bars: Spread batter onto a teflex sheet.
Haystack Cookies: Scoop Tablespoon size mounds on teflex sheet.
Cookies: Scoop Tablespoon size mounds on a teflex sheet and flatten.

Put in the dehydrator, on 115 degrees, and dehydrate for 18 - 24 hours.

Once they are dry and cooled, you may choose to add the chocolate.

Chocolate Frosting (Option 1):

1 1/4c. Grated Cacao/Cocoa Butter (I used Navitas in a block form and use a grater)
2/3 c. Raw Cacao/Cocoa Powder
1/4 c. Maple Syrup
1/4 c. Coconut Butter/Oil
1 T. Vanilla
Pinch of Sea Salt

DIRECTIONS:
Combine ingredients in a pot. On the lowest setting on your stove, warm the chocolate and stir until Cocoa Butter is melted and all ingredients are thoroughly combine.

TO MAKE...

Bars: Spread on top. Put in the freezer for a few minutes to cool the chocolate. The remove to cut and place in freezer container. Keep in freezer to keep the chocolate firm.
Cookies: Dip into chocolate. Put in a container and keep in the refrigerator or freeze to keep the chocolate firm.

Chocolate Frosting (Option 2):

For a quick and easy chocolate, buy some vegan chocolate chips and melt. Spread or dip the same as in option 1.

Enjoy!

Flax-Seed Egg Substitute

2011-03-18T07:50:00.000-07:00

If you are going vegan and baking without eggs (or if you just ran out of eggs and happen to have ground flax seed [keep them stored in your freezer]), here is an easy egg replacement.

For each egg you need to replace, combine...

1 tablespoon of milled flax seed with

3 tablespoons of water

Mix it well and let the mixture sit for 1 to 2 minutes. Add to the recipe as you would an egg... note, doesn't work for omelets and egg scrambles!

Munchy Crunchy Cabbage Asparagus Salad

2011-03-06T11:30:00.000-08:00

This is super easy, just get your chopping hand ready!

You'll need:

Carrots -- chopped

Green & Red Cabbage (chopped)

Raw or slightly steamed Asparagus (chopped)

Slivered Almonds

Sesame Seeds

Toss together in quantities that please you!
Serve plain or with Bragg's Ginger Sesame Salad Dressing.

Delicious! Great to pack for lunches too!

Berry Cashew Ice Swirl Scoops

2011-03-06T11:17:00.000-08:00

Ok, this is essentially the exact same recipes as the Berry Ice Cake, except for it's now scoops instead of sliced cake!

This is an absolute family favorite, and a great source of nutrition with the berries and nuts!

You'll need...

a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix)

mini cupcake trays (or regular cupcake trays)

Ingredients:

4 - 5 soft dates, pitted and diced

2 c. cashews - soaked for at least 4-6 hours

4 c. blueberries, organic fresh or frozen (wild blueberries are our favorite)

or 4 c. cherries.

4. c. strawberries, fresh or frozen (if frozen, let thaw for at least 20 minutes)

3/4 c. agave, or maple syrup

1 T. vanilla

3 T. lecithin, non-gmo

1/4 t. salt

2-3 c. water fresh or frozen (I like to thaw the strawberries in luke-warm water. I then use the strawberry flavored water in the mix).

1/2 c. coconut oil or butter

Directions:

Blend the DATES and CASHEWS and about 1 c. of water in a blender for about a minute. Add the rest of the water and remaining ingredients - except blueberries or cherries. Mix until smooth. Remove 2/3 of the mixture and set aside.

Add the blueberries and mix until smooth.

Pour mixture 1 (without the blueberries) into the cups of a mini cupcake tin (or use a regular one for bigger scoops). Then pour the blueberry mixture. Stir very slightly and very gently to give a swirled looked. Cover with a wax paper or plastic and freeze. After a few hours, take the tray out of the freezer and dip the bottom in warm water or leave on the counter to thaw just a bit. With a fork or spoon gently twist and remove the "scoops" from the tray and put in a sealed container in the freezer until ready to eat!

Eat within 20 minutes of removing from the freezer.

Chocolate Torte Mini Cups

2011-03-06T10:53:00.000-08:00

Look out these little morsels are easy and delicious. And if eaten too late in the evening will keep you up with plenty of energy for cleaning your house! Created by blending only 3 ingredients, these are deceptively easy masterpieces for chocolate lovers and will be the hit of your party!

Here's what you need:
1 cup raw chocolate/cacao powder (I like Navitas Naturals)
1 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup coconut oil

Mini cupcake liners

Here's what you do:
Mix all 3 food ingredients in a blender -- or by hand if a blender is not available. Pour into mini cupcake liners until 1/2 to 3/4 full. Place gently in a tray with a cover and freeze. Keep in freezer until you are ready to eat! Keep cool or they will melt (which in that case, it makes for an excellent frosting!) Makes about 24-36 mini cupcakes (depending on how full you fill them -- and how much you sneak licks of the batter!)

Thank you Sarma Melngailis and Matthew Kenney for the Chocolate Torte Recipe (which is also pure heaven) in one of my very favorite raw food recipe books, "Raw Food, Real World". To learn more about Sarma and her raw food work, visit a fun and resourceful website: OneLuckyDuck.com.

** I label this as a nut-free food. But please be sure that the chocolate/cacao is free of nut contaminates.

Raw Beetroot Ravioli by GreenChef Chad Sarno

2011-03-02T09:21:00.000-08:00

This is heavenly! I've made this and similiar versions before and continue to absolutely love Raw Beet Raviolis! Here is a recipe by the amazing GreenChef Chad Sarno. This recipe was found on GLiving.com. For more outstanding recipes from Chad Sarno, please visit his website at www.rawchef.com. It will make your mouth WATER!

Raw Beetroot Ravioli

by GreenChef Chad Sarno

SERVES 6-8

For the Ravioli:

1 Large Beet, slice paper thin rounds and marinated in garlic oil, salt and pepper

½ Cup Cashew Herb Bourson Cheese (see recipe)

Aged Balsamic

Green Garlic Oil (see recipe)

Minced Chives

Course Sea Salt to taste

Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

Allow sliced beets to marinate for minimum 1 hour. Lay sliced beets out, continue to scoop one tablespoon or so of the cashew cheese in center of each, cover with another sliced beet to complete the ravioli.

To Serve: on rectangle plate, place 6 ravioli in a line on center of plate. Finish each with minced chives, aged balsamic, cracked pepper and pinch of course sea salt.

For the Cashew Bourson:

2 Cups Cashews, soaked 12-14 hours

¾ Teaspoon *New Chapter Probiotics dissolved in 1 cup warm filtered water,

or 1 cup fresh rejuvelac (or other high quality powder probiotic)

2 TB nutritional yeast, small flake

½ TB onion powder

1 ½ TB chives fine diced

2 TB parsley fine minced

2 TB shallots fine minced

1 Tsp sea salt

Cracked black pepper

In highspeed blender, blend the soaked cashews with probiotics and luke warm water, or rejuvelac, until smooth.

Allow to sit in glass bowl covered with towel in warm place for 14-16 hours to culture.

When finished culturing handmix in remaining ingredients, and serve.

Chocolate Vegan Cupcakes

2011-02-16T13:08:00.001-08:00

Here is a fun chocolate cupcake recipes you can print out for kids. It is nut-free, dairy-free, egg-free and vegan! Great for school parties and parties with guests with these allergies. It DOES have gluten and sugar -- so we're comprising. But hey, it's a Party Cupcake!

(Make sure to check the ingredients (like the chocolate) to make sure they are free from these allergens too).

Ingredients:

1c. rice or soy milk
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
¾ c. sugar
1/3 c. olive oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 c. flour (+ 1/8 c. high altitude)
1/3 c. cocoa powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda (1/2 tsp. for high altitude)
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 (370 in high altitude).

Line muffin tins.

Mix milk, vinegar, sugar, oil & vanilla together in one bowl.

Mix flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a different bowl.

Mix liquid bowl with flour bowl until there are no lumps.

Pour batter into cupcake liners.

Bake for 15 – 20 minutes. (Until toothpick comes clean).

Remove & Cool.

Enjoy.

For fun visual printouts for the kids, click these PDF links. (It may take a little while to open)

http://www.goodnurture.com/recipes/cupcake1.pdf
http://www.goodnurture.com/recipes/cupcake2.pdf
http://www.goodnurture.com/recipes/cupcake3.pdf
http://www.goodnurture.com/recipes/cupcake4.pdf

Recipe slightly altered from from “Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World” by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero

No Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

2011-02-03T18:51:00.000-08:00

These are delicious and very easy to make.

Ingredients

3/4 cup maple syrup, agave nectar, or honey
1/4 cup coconut oil (or vegetable oil)
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder or raw cacao powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sun butter*, almond butter, or peanut butter
1-2 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup shredded coconut (optional – add more rolled oats)
1/3 cup sesame seeds (optional – add more rolled oats)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

In a saucepan over very low heat combine the maple syrup, oil, cocoa and cinnamon. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter, rolled oats, coconut & sesame seeds and vanilla until well blended
Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto waxed paper
Put in freezer to set, about 30 minutes.
Keep frozen. Delicious!!

*Use Sun Butter to make them Nut Free.

Berry Ice Cake

2011-01-28T07:51:00.000-08:00

This is an absolute family favorite, and a great source of nutrition with the berries and nuts!

Makes about 12-24 servings - depending on the size you slice it.

Also see Berry Cashew Ice Swirl Scoops

You'll need...

a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix)

a tart or cheesecake pan with removable bottom or a 13x9x2 baking dish

parchment paper (or wax paper)

Ingredients:

4 - 5 soft dates, pitted and diced

2 c. cashews - soaked for at least 4-6 hours

4 c. blueberries, organic fresh or frozen (wild blueberries are our favorite)

or 4 c. cherries.

4. c. strawberries, fresh or frozen (if frozen, let thaw for at least 20 minutes)

3/4 c. agave, or maple syrup

1 T. vanilla

3 T. lecithin, non-gmo

1/4 t. salt

2-3 c. water fresh or frozen (I like to thaw the strawberries in luke-warm water. I then use the strawberry flavored water in the mix).

1/2 c. coconut oil or butter

Directions:

Blend the DATES and CASHEWS and about 1 c. of water in a Vitamix/high-powered blender for about a minute. Add the rest of the water and remaining ingredients - except blueberries or cherries. Mix until smooth. Remove 2/3 of the mixture and set aside.

Add the blueberries and mix until smooth.

Line a your tart/cheesecake pan or 13x9x2 baking dish with parchment paper (this helps to remove it from the pan and cut it evenly).

Pour the strawberry mixture into your lined pan. Then pour the blueberry mixture and take a butter knife and swirl the two colored berry mixtures to a beautiful pattern. Cover pan with a plastic wrap and place level in a freezer. (If you are using a pan with removable bottom, make sure the bottom is secure or find a small cutting board or other support to put under the bottom until it is frozen).

It will take at least 8-10 hours for it to freeze. Remove from freezer at least 10-20 minutes prior to serving. If using a removable bottom pan, remove the side carefully and lift the wax paper with the Berry Ice Cake on it and place on a cutting board. Cut with a heavy duty knife.

If using a 13x9x2 pan, lift out the parchment paper with the Berry Ice Cake and place on a cutting board and slice with heavy duty knife.

Eat within 20 minutes.

Place the rest of the cake back in the pan and keep in the freezer.

Breakfast Rice Cake

2011-01-27T08:01:00.000-08:00

Here's a fun breakfast my daughter has loved lately.

You'll want to have:
* Pot of Brown Rice
(cook night before, takes about
40-50 minutes)
or a Pot of Quinoa
(cook night before or in the
morning, takes 15 minutes)
* Hemp or sesame seeds (or both)
* Flax and/or white chia seeds
(whole or ground) - optional
* Cinnamon
* Bananas
* Maple syrup or dark agave nectar

If you cook the grain ahead of time, in a pot warm up (per serving)
1/2 - 1 c. brown rice or quinoa
1 Tbsp. water
1-2 tsp. of ground flax or white chia seeds

(If you are cooking the grain in the morning, save any extra for the next few mornings).

With a measuring cup of 1/2 c. to 1 cup in size, scoop up a packed cup of cooked grain and put on a plate (it should be shaped and mounded).

Sprinkle with hemp or sesame seeds, cinnamon, and sliced bananas. Drizzle a little maple syrup or dark agave nectar on it and serve warm. Great served with fruit and a smoothie

Wilted Kale Pea Pesto by Rawxy

2011-01-24T16:35:00.000-08:00

Check out this delicious recipe by Raxy:

http://www.goneraw.com/recipe/wilted-kale-pea-pesto

Servings:

pea-pesto mixed with zucchini on top of a bed of wilted kale, finished with sun-dried cherry tomatoes.

Ingredients:

Wilted Kale

1 bunch of kale
olive oil
lemon
sea salt
squeeze of dijon (optional)
dash of apple cider vinegar

pea-pesto

3/4 C peas (I used frozen organic as I couldn't find fresh)
handful of fresh parsley, minced
2 T of your favorite pesto

2 zucchini, julienne
sea salt to taste
handful of sun-dried cherry tomatoes

Preparation:

Cut, wash and dry kale. In large bowl, add remaining ingredients and massage for approx 5-10 minutes. Set aside.

Mash peas with large fork and combine with pesto, minced parsley, zucchini and sea salt.

To serve; layer zucchini mixture over wilted kale salad and garnish with sun-dried baby tomatoes.

Enjoy!

To view a step by step and more images, visit http://rawxy.com/?p=1271

Dahl Soup

2010-12-16T16:46:00.001-08:00

This is our favorite dahl soup. Simple and kids like it! I use this portions, as we love left-overs. It makes about 12 - 16 servings.

16 c. water or vegetable broth
2 c. red lentils
1 t. turmeric
2 t. cumin powder
2 t. curry powder
1 onion, diced small
1 T. olive oil
1 -2 potatoes, diced small (optional)
1 bunch of cilantro (optional)

Bring water/broth to boil. Add potatoes (if using) and lentils. Saute onions in oil until translucent. Add spices and saute for 1 minute, stirring. Add onions and spices to water/broth and lentils. Cook at least 30 minutes on med/high. Simmer for 10 or more minutes until the lentils break apart.

Serve with chopped cilantro.

Enjoy.

Quinoa Salad w/ Apples & Almonds

2010-11-07T05:47:00.000-08:00

Quinoa Salad with Apples and Almonds

by Kathy Farrell-Kingsley
http://familyfun.go.com/recipes/quinoa-salad-with-apples-and-almonds-876990/

Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) has a mild flavor, a pleasantly chewy texture, and a higher protein content than most other grains. Combined with fresh fruit, crunchy nuts, and a light citrusy dressing, it makes a healthy picnic side.

Ingredients: * 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
* 2 cups water
* 2 tablespoons honey
* 1/4 cup lemon juice
* 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
* 3 tablespoons olive oil

* 1 cup peeled, diced tart apple, such as Granny Smith
* 1 cup finely chopped celery
* 1/3 cup golden raisins
* 1/3 cup finely chopped parsley
* 1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds, toasted
* Coarse salt and pepper

Instructions

In a medium-size saucepan, combine the quinoa and water, then bring them to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the quinoa is tender and the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl, stir, and let it cool completely.
In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, lemon juice, and salt. Gradually whisk in the oil until blended.
Add the apple, celery, raisins, parsley, and almonds to the quinoa and toss the ingredients well. Add the dressing and toss once more to coat the salad. Season it with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature. Serves 6 to 8.

Nutritional Information
Per serving (2/3 cup): Calories 206 ● Total Fat 9 g (14% DV) ● Saturated Fat 1 g (5% DV) ● Cholesterol 0 mg (0% DV) ● Sodium 194 mg (8% DV) ● Total Carbohydrate 28 g (9% DV) ● Fiber 3 g (13% DV) ● Sugars 12 g ● Protein 5 g (9% DV)

Percent daily values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Tips:: Make-Ahead Tip: This salad can be made the day before, covered tightly, and refrigerated.

Raw Healthy Donut Balls

2010-10-28T12:05:00.001-07:00

Makes about 20| Time: 20 Prep | Equipment: Food Processor

These are like a cross between cookie dough and donut-holes, but WAY healthier and incredibly delicious!

Ingredients:
8 Dates, pitted
1 c. Dried Papaya, diced*
---
1 c. Almonds (or almond meal)
¼ t. Sea Salt
¼ c. Shredded , Dried Coconut (very fine)
--
1 t. Vanilla
¼ t. Cinnamon
1 T. Maple Syrup

Mix the dates and the papaya (or other dried tropical fruit) together in a food processor until gooey and it balls up. Remove it from the food processor and put aside.

Mix the Almonds (or Almond Meal), sea salt, and shredded coconut in the food processor until finely ground. Add the dates and papaya (or other dried fruit) and remaining ingredients in the food processor until it forms a moist dough.

Scoop a tablespoon at a time and roll into balls. Now they’re ready to eat. They go FAST!

*Feel free to replace the dried papaya with other tropical fruits.

Butternut Squash Soup

2010-10-18T06:53:00.000-07:00

Thank you Jen for this divine recipe! It is now one of my favorites. It is warming with a nice zing of sweet spice.

Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash
3 onions (more or less to taste)
3-4 apples
1 inch ginger root (peeled)
8+ c. vegetable broth or water

Cut butternut squash in half. Remove seeds. Skin and dice. ** (see easier version)
Remove skin from onions. Cut in half and slice.
Keep skin on apples. Slice and remove seeds.

Take the cut butternut squash, onions, and apples and put them in a large baking dish.Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes, until soft and nicely roasted.

Remove roasted vegetables from oven. Place them in a large pot and cover with vegetable broth (about 8 cups). Cut the peeled ginger root into tiny pieces and add to soup. Bring to boil. Cover for about half an hour over medium heat.

Puree the soup in a blender or a submersible mixer.

Serve warm. Enjoy!!

** If you don't have time or just want to make the preparation of the butternut squash easier. Cut it in half and remove the seeds. Line a cooking sheet with either parchment paper or foil. Place the cut sides face down. In a separate baking dish, cook the onions and apples (covered). Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes.

Raw Goji Granola

2010-10-15T06:51:00.000-07:00

This is absolutely delicious! I like to make extra!

Makes approx. 18 cups/servings
Time: soak 8 hrs; mix 15 min; dry 20-24 hrs.
Equipment: dehydrator or oven

Ingredients:

1 c. Quinoa or Millet
1 c. Buckwheat (raw/white)
1 c. Sunflower Seeds (raw)
1 c. Pumpkin Seeds (raw)

* Soak above in filtered water overnight

1 c. Goji Berries (soaked 10-30 minutes)
¾ c. Flax Seeds
¾ c. Hemp Seeds
1 c. Raisins
½ c. Shredded Coconut (optional)
2 Apples (sliced thinly)
2/3 c. Agave Nectar
2/3 c. Maple Syrup
2 T. Cinnamon

Directions:

Soak quinoa (or millet), buckwheat, sunflower and pumpkin seeds for 8 hours or overnight. Soak the goji berries for 30 to 60 minutes. Take stem off apples and slice in half. Remove the seeds. Take a mandolin or slicer on a grater and very thinly slice the apples. Then chop slices into about 1 inch pieces. Use a knife if you don’t have a slicer, but keep the slices very thin.

Combine all the ingredients except the agave, maple syrup and cinnamon in a very large bowl. In a small bowl, mix the agave, maple syrup and cinnamon and pour it into the large bowl of seeds. With your hands or a spoon, mix well. Scoop onto a dehydrator sheet and spread out flat. Dehydrate at 115 degrees F. for about 8 hours and flip onto a new dehydrator tray with teflex and continue dehydrating for another 8-12 hours or until desired dryness.

If Baking in the Oven: If you do not have a dehydrator, you can bake this at 250 to 275 degrees for 45 minutes. Check it at that time. If the edges are done, remove, and continue baking checking it every 15 minutes to remove the edges so they don’t become burnt. It should take about 1 ½ total baking time to complete.

Raw Taco

2010-10-15T06:47:00.000-07:00

Vegan, Raw, Serves 3-4
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. walnuts (raw)
2 Tbsp. soy sauce (or Nama Shoyu)
2 tsp. cumin seeds (ground or whole)
1/4 tsp. chili powder
dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
---
6-8 butter leaf lettuce (or other large leaf lettuce)
1/3 onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, & sliced
handful of cilantro leaves
salsa of choice (optional)

With a knife, chopper or food processor chop walnuts. In a bowl, mix together soy sauce, cumin seeds, chili pepper and cayenne.

Using the lettuce as the taco shell, fill with walnut "meat", chopped veggies, cilantro leaves, and salsa (optional).

Enjoy! These are quick, delicious, and remarkably satisfying.

(altered from "RAWvolution: Gourmet Living Cuisine", by Matt Amsden)

Raw Almond Milk

2010-10-15T06:46:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite milk, and it seems to last longer in the refrigerator than softer nut milks.

♥ 1 c. Almonds, Raw & Soaked for 4+ hours
♥ 3 Dates, pitted (optional)
♥ 4 c. Water
♥ Handful of Ice Cubes (optional)
--
♥ 1/4 c. Agave Nectar
♥ 1 T. Lecithin (optional)
♥ 1/2 t. Coconut Oil (optional)
♥ Pinch of Salt

Soak Almonds for 4 or more hours. Put the water, almonds, dates, and ice in a high speed blender for a few minutes. I add the ice so that the mixture doesn’t heat up too much.

Strain milk through a milk bag. Keep the pulp in an airtight container the freezer (or refrigerator if you’ll be using it soon) for other recipes (like Almond Chocolate Chunk Cookies).

Put the strained milk back in the blender and add the remaining ingredients. You may add a little more water if desired. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

If you or your family drinks a lot of milk, double this recipe.

Autumn Fruit Salad

2010-10-15T06:43:00.000-07:00

Vegan (Optional), Serves 8

This is a delicious and beautiful salad made from fresh, healthy ingredients. I've heard many comments on how people expect something 'unhealthy' to be in it because it tastes so good! If you've known me for a while, you might have seen this before, but it's worth digging out again! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 c. grapes
2 c. apples
½ c. dates, pitted
½ c. dried apricots
½ c. walnuts

6 oz. vanilla yogurt (dairy, soy, or coconut)
1 Tbsp. orange juice
2 tsp. honey

Directions: Wash the grapes and apples. Chop the grapes in halves or quarters. Core the apple and dice. Chop up the dates, apricots and walnuts. Stir in yogurt, orange juice and honey.

Serve chilled.

Thanks Mom for sharing this wonderful recipe!

Sun-Dried Tomato, Portobello, Onion Pasta

2010-10-15T06:40:00.000-07:00

Vegan, Cooked, Serves 2-3

Ingredients
♥ 1/2 c. (dry) sun-dried tomatoes
♥ 1 c. spring water
♥ 1 Portobello mushroom
♥ 1 onion
♥ 1 Tbsp. olive oil
♥ 3 cloves garlic
♥ handful of fresh herbs (oregano or basil)

♥ Rice Pasta Noodles of choice

Directions

Soak sun-dried tomatoes in water overnight, or for at least 2 hours prior to use. Save water.

Cut the Portobello mushroom in half then in 1/2 inch slices. Cut onion in half then in thin slices. Sauté in olive oil for 20 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Remove sun-dried tomatoes from water, but preserve the water. Dice up the soaked sun-dried tomatoes.

Mince the garlic. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, soaking water, and garlic to the mushrooms and onions and sauté for another 10 minutes.

Add fresh herbs and stir.

Serve over pasta noodles or toss into pasta.

Soup: Sweet Potato, Black Bean Chili

2010-10-15T06:35:00.000-07:00

Vegan, Cooked, Serves 4-6

Ingredients
♥ 8 c. Vegetable Broth or Water
♥ 1 Sweet Potato, peeled & diced small
♥ 3 Tomatoes, peeled & diced
♥ 1/2 Onion, diced
♥ 2 c. Black Beans (pre-cooked or canned)
♥ 1 c. Corn, fresh or frozen
♥ 2 T. Miso Paste (any color)
♥ 1 T. Chili Powder
♥ 1 T. Cumin Powder

Add after soup has cooked
♥ 2 Avocados, peeled & diced
♥ 1 c. Cilantro Leaves
Directions

Put the first set of ingredients in a large pot and bring to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer on low for 30 minutes, or desired tenderness of vegetables. Season with salt and pepper to your preference. You’ll need more salt if you used water instead of broth.

Add the avocado and cilantro before serving.

Squash Patties

2010-10-14T16:15:00.001-07:00

Ok, I love the name... but eating them is even are even better than saying the name!
Thank you Venus and Marilyn for the idea!

4 c. Squash. Peeled, cooked, and mushed (I used butternut squash)
1 c. Hummus. (I used sun-dried tomato flavor)
1 to 2 c. Quick Oats (or bread crumbs, almond meal, or other bready substitute)
2 Eggs or 2 T. flax seeds soaked in 1/2 c. water
Salt and/or season to taste.

Mix all ingredients together. Heat a pan on the stove to medium heat. Slightly oil. Drop 1 Tablespoon to 1/3 c. batter on pan and slightly flatten. Cook for a few minutes on each side until done. Enjoy!

Green Alkalizing Drink

2010-09-14T09:03:00.000-07:00

Here's a green drink I like to start my day off with. I make this recipe, that makes about 5 cups that I drink all morning long. This is an acquired taste, but once you do, it is super refreshing and makes the whole day better.

In a Vitamix or blender add:
1 stalk of celery
1 - 2 leaves kale or a handful of spinach
1 pear or apple, diced
1/2 - 1 lemon, peeled and diced
2 c. water
3 handfuls of ice

Blend well, drink right away. If you save some for later, chill and stir well as it separates fast.

Simple Summer Soup

2010-09-12T07:19:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Bridget Mars for this recipe.

Simple Summer Soup

2 ears of corn cut from the cob
2 avocados, peeled
1 or 2 tomatoes
1 teaspoon Celtic salt
2 cups water

Put all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse! Voila

Raw Mini Pizzas

2010-09-09T06:01:00.000-07:00

Thank you David Wolfe at Sunfood.com for this great Raw Pizza Recipe!

Raw Mini Pizzas

(Serves 6)

Our Raw Mini Pizza recipe offers a delicious delight that features an amazing combination of raw ingredients and can be customized to your tastes. It's easy to make, great for you and tastes wonderful at any time of day.

Ingredients:

2 cups sunflowers seeds
2/3 cup soaked flax seeds (soak with 2 cups water)
2 cups veggie pulp or processed carrots
1 cup celery
1 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes

Preparation:

Blend the ingredients in a food processor including some of your favorites such as garlic, onion, Italian seasoning or sea salt. Spread on a Paraflexx sheet and dehydrate at 95 to 105 degrees until dry (approximately 4-5 hours or until dry on top). Cut into 4" X 4" squares and top!

Toppings:

Top with your favorite ingredients for your own personal pizza experience. Here are some of our favorites:

Olives
Olive Oil
Tomatoes
Onion
Guacamole
Salad Booster

Note - The pizza "crust" also works great for sandwiches or breakfast

Wake Me Up Irish Oats (Slow Cooker Style)

2010-03-08T15:49:00.000-08:00

Want to wake up to a nice warm breakfast, already cooked? Try this out! We've been enjoying it during the cooler winter mornings.

1 c. Irish (steel cut) oats
4 c. water
dash of salt
1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix the ingredients together in a slow cooker before going to bed. Make sure it is on a safe counter top (tolerating the heat). Turn it on low and let it cook all night. Wake up to the smell of breakfast!

Top with your choice of
milk of choice
maple syrup (optional)
bananas (sliced)
raisins
walnuts
flax and/or chia seeds (ground in coffee grinder or whole)

Cream of Carrot Soup (Raw)

2010-03-08T15:48:00.001-08:00

We've been enjoying this soup. It's quick and easy -- if you have a Vitamix or high-powered blender!

Serves 2-3

3 carrots, chopped
2 stalks of celery
2 c. almonds (soaked for 6 hours in water)
2-3 cloves of garlic
2 c. water
1 1/2 c. orange juice
1 t. nutmeg

In a blender, process all the ingredients until smooth and creamy. Mix longer to make it warm. You can then warm this slightly on the stove top if you wish. To preserve the enzymes, you won't want to warm it past 118 degrees.

(From Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine by Gabriel Cousens, M.D.)

Chia Pudding (Raw)

2010-03-03T10:16:00.000-08:00

This is a sweet, comforting and healthy snack, breakfast or dessert that couldn't be easier! Makes about 4-6 servings each.

VANILLA CHIA PUDDING
1/3 c. chia seeds (preferably white, dark ok)
1 c. milk of choice (rice, soy, almond...)
1/4+ c. maple syrup
1-2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. cinnamon (optional)

or...

CHOCOLATE CHIA PUDDING
1/3 c. chia seeds
1 c. milk of choice (rice, soy, almond...)
1/4+ c. maple syrup

2 T. raw cacao/chocolate powder
1 tsp. vanilla (optional)

Mix ingredients in a glass bowl and stir well, removing any clumps. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes or cover and refrigerate. This pudding will keep well in the refrigerator for days.

Make a chocolate/vanilla parfait or swirl! These two are outstanding together!

(Adapted From "Living Raw Food" by Sarma Melngailis)

Chia Fruit Spread

2010-03-03T10:14:00.000-08:00

Serves 2

4 T. fruit spread, jam or jelly (strawberry, blueberry, etc.)
2 T. water
1 T. chia seeds
Mix together and let stand for 30 minutes. Spread on toast or bread. If you are using strawberry jam, the chia seeds actually look like strawberry seeds! A great way to disguise this super-food to your kids. And remember the high fiber content will slow the absorption of the sugar!

Apple Buckwheat Cereal (Raw)

2009-08-28T08:56:00.001-07:00

In a food processor blend until smooth the following ingredients.

♥ 1 apple (diced & seeded)
♥ 2/3 c. maple syrup
♥ 1 t. cinnamon (ground)
♥ 1 t. sea salt

Then add
♥ 2 c. raw/white buckwheat (that has been soaked 1+ hours)

Blend until buckwheat has been partially ground. It will look like soupy oatmeal.

For Raw version:
Spread on teflex dehydrator sheets (on dehydrator tray) and dehydrate until dry, flipping and removing the teflex sheet 1/2 way through. Crumble into cracker or cereal size and store in an air-tight container.

Oven version:
If you don't have a dehydrator, spread the batter on parchment paper and cook in oven at lowest setting until dry. Crumble into cracker or cereal size and store in an air-tight container.

Date Kale Wrap

2009-03-10T18:06:00.000-07:00

Thanks to David Wolfe for this simple and complete snack. My daughter loves it and calls them "Date Burritos". Eat for small meals, a side treat, snacks, or dessert! Feel refreshed and energized! It doesn't get much simpler than this!

Medjool Date (pitted) (Fresh and soft are best)
Large Kale leaves (raw)
1/2 Avocado (pitted, skin removed and slicked) - optional
Raw (unroasted) Almonds - optional

Slice the long stem and middle seam out of the kale leaf. Slice each side in half to make 4 pieces of kale. Or just be creative and slice to whatever size you prefer. Pit the dates, cut in quarters. Put the avocado and/or almonds (optional) and date slice in the raw kale leaves. Wrap and eat. Repeat. Enjoy!

We make a whole plate full to munch on during the day.

Curried Red Lentil,Sweet Potato Soup

2009-02-24T10:01:00.000-08:00

This is a tasty, healthy, and kid-friendly soup that is easy to make. It was inspired by "Vegetarian Pleasures" by Jeanne Lemlin. See bottom of the directions for ways to improve on the kid-friendliness of this recipe.

SERVES 4

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups red lentils
4 cups water
1 sweet potato
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion (diced)
2 garlic cloves (diced)
3 teaspoons turmeric
2 teaspoons cumin (ground)
1 1/4 teaspoons coriander (ground)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions
1. Rinse the lentils in a strainer under cold running water (preferably filtered). Pick them over and discard any small stones. Put the water and salt in a medium-sized sauce pan. Bring to boil. Add the rinsed lentils, reduce heat and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Scoop off any excess foam on the top and discard.

2. Peel (optional) the sweet potatoes and dice into 1/2 inch pieces. Add to lentils and continue cooking.
3. Dice the onions and and garlic. In a small skillet, heat the olive oil, onions, garlic and spices over low heat. Cook and stir for 5 minutes or until the onions have become soft and translucent.

4. Add spice mix to the soup and continue to cook and occasionally stir until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add more water if soup is too thick.
5Tip for kid-friendly. Reduce or don't add the garlic, onions and/or cayenne if you have a spice-sensitive kid. And if your kid is picky on texture, you can put the soup in a blender (make sure you hold the top down firmly so you don't have a hot-soup explosion) and a few ice-cubes and serve 'smooth-style'

I've posted this on RecipeZaar so you can have the Nutrition Facts on this too!
http://www.recipezaar.com/curried-red-lentil-sweet-potato-soup-357618

Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies

2008-12-11T09:50:00.001-08:00

What do you with the left over moist almond meal from making almond milk? Make cookies! And what better combination than milk and cookies! (Milk recipe to come).

Ingredients:
1 c. (packed) almond meal (fresh & moist)
1 t. coconut oil
1 T. (heaping) maple sugar
1/3 c. maple syrup
1 - 2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. sea salt
1 T. (heaping) fresh, ground flax
2 T. (heaping) cacao nibs

Directions:
Mix all ingredients but together in a bowl. Add cacao nibs and mix. Scoop 1 Tablespoon and roll in palms to form a ball. Then press place on a texflex sheet and flatten with your palm.

Place in dehydrator on 115 degrees for 4 hours. Remove texflex and place on screens for another 2 to 4 hours or until desired consistency is met. Enjoy!

Chocolate Sun Truffles

2008-12-10T19:36:00.001-08:00

These delicious truffles are nut-free, chocolatey and won't last long!

Ingredients:
1 c. raw sunflower seeds
1 3/4 c. raw cacao powder
1/3 c. coconut butter/oil
1 c. maple syrup
dash of sea salt
raspberries, strawberries, cherries (optional)

Coating 1:
Shredded Coconut

Coating 2:
1/4 c. Shredded Coconut
1/4 c. Cacaco powder
1/4 c. Dried Maple Sugar

Directions:
Place sunflower seeds in food processer and process until it is a fine meal. Add the cacao powder and salt. Mix. Add the coconut butter and maple syrup. Blend until smooth.

If you are using Coating 2, mix all ingredients in a separate bowl.

Scoop 1 tsp of truffle at a time and put in the palm of your hand and roll into a ball. Roll in either Coating 1 or Coating 2.

I like to keep these in the refrigerator and serve cool. To keep longer, you can put them in the freezer. (However, the later is usually not a problem as they go fast!)

Makes 56 (1 tsp each) small truffles.

Serving idea: Serve with raspberries, strawberries or cherries. For a nice look, you can put them in a mini-cupcake wrapper with a berry.

Enjoy!

Chococado Pudding

2008-09-24T19:23:00.000-07:00

This is a very delicious Chocolate Pudding made with the healthy fats of avocados and coconut oil. Very tasty!

Ingredients:
* 3 Avocados
* 2 T. Coconut Oil or Butter
* 1/3 c. raw honey
* 1/3 c. agave or maple syrup
* 2 pkt. stevia
* 2 - 3 heaping T. cacao powder
* 1 t. cacao (coco) butter (optional)

Mix all ingredients together (by hand, mixer, blender, Vitamix or whatever) and eat. I mix them together in a Vitamix blender until slightly warm and eat right away. Smooth, creamy and delicious!

Makes 2 cups. Depending on serving size, should serve 4 people.

*Note: Go ahead and mix and match the syrup sweetners (agave, honey, maple syrup, etc.) to measure to 2/3 c.

Chicken-Not Nuggets

2008-04-07T18:49:00.001-07:00

Having a toddler, nieces, and nephews that love 'nuggets', I've been playing with a possible RAW, Vegan replacement for 'chicken nuggets'. So far, I've come up with this recipe that both my husband and daughter like! It's not a complete replacement for taste and texture, but a pleasing substitute!

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 c. Almond Meal1/4 c. Nutritional Yeast
1 T. Flax seed, ground
1/8 t. nutmeg
1 ¼ t. Celtic Sea Salt (fine)

Mix together, set aside in bowl.

Nuggets:
1 c. Sunflower seeds (soaked)
2 c. Cashews (soaked)
1 Zucchini
¾ c. Kelp Noodles (Sea Tangle)
½ c. Flax Seed
2 T. Nutritional Yeast
2 t. Salt
½ t. Onion Salt(or more to taste)
¼ t. Celery Seed
¼ t. Cumin
1/8 t. Nutmeg
Pinch Garlic Powder
Pinch White Pepper
¼ c. Spring Water (more or less)

Place ingredients, minus water, in a food processor. Process and add water until a chunky, oatmeal cookie batter consistency, not too smooth. Scoop out with a tablespoon and shape to a nugget, roll it in the crust and put on a dehydrator screen. Repeat until used up.

Dry at 145 degrees for 1 hour, than at 100 degrees for 12 – 24 hours, until just damp in the middle. Serve warm from dehydrator. I freeze extras and warm in dehydrator before eating.

Makes 36.

Nutty Caramel Dipping Sauce

2008-03-26T20:54:00.000-07:00

This is a very easy and tasty dipping sauce for kids and adults alike. It is excellent with apples, pears, celery, carrots, and other fruit and vegetables.

Ingredients
¼ c. Cashew Butter
¼ c. Almond Butter
¼ c. Agave Nectar (light)
¼ c. to ½ c. Water (start with less and add more to desired thickness)
Dash of Salt
1/4 t. vanilla (optional)

Directions
Place all ingredients in bowl and stir until smooth.
Yep, That’s it! Enjoy!

Banana Date Shake

2008-03-15T21:11:00.000-07:00

Here's a creamy and rich shake that has a nice touch of cinnamon to it. It's not only a family favorite, but a favorite of my 4-year-old niece too!

Ingredients:
8 Dates, pitted
1 c. water
1/3 c. agave nectar
4 Bananas
1 T. raw almond butter
2/3 c. vanilla cream (see recipe on this site), or vanilla ice cream of choice
2 c. ice cubes

In a blender or Vitamix, blend the dates, water, and agave until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until creamy shake consistency. Serve immediately.

Mint Chocolate Chip Shake

2008-03-08T21:08:00.000-08:00

Yum. This is refreshingly cool and filling too!

Ingredients:

1 c. vanilla cream (see recipe)

1/2 avocado, ripe

30 mint leaves, fresh

1 T. cashew butter

1 T. hemp seeds

1/2 t. super green powder (like Sun Is Shining)

1/2 c. agave nectar, light

1 T. cacao powder

1/3 t. peppermint oil

4 c. ice cubes

1-2 c. spring water

1 c. cacao nibs

Directions:

Put all the ingredients except the water and cacao nibs in a blender or Vita-Mix. Fill water to top of ingredients (or a little less). Blend and add more water if needed. Put cacao nibs in and pulse to chop a little more. Serve immediately.

Vanilla Cream

2008-03-08T20:58:00.000-08:00

This is a great cream to put on desserts or eat all by itself. We will even put it in an ice cream maker for ice-cream, put in ice-cube trays to put in smoothies, or just through in a tub in the freezer as a quick ice-cream. I use this in many other recipes too! (Which is also why I'm posting it!) My daughter loves it for 'ice-cream' nights.

Ingredients:
1/2 c. cashews (soaked for 4+ hrs) or macadamia nuts
1/2 c. coconut meat (of young coconut)
2-3 T. coconut water/juice (from young coconut)
1/4 c. light agave nectar
1/4 c. coconut oil or butter
1 T. vanilla extract pinch of sea salt

Directions:
Place all the ingredients in a Vita-Mix or high powered blender (again, you'll need the horse power to really blend this). Chill in the refrigerator.

Note: This recipe (only slightly altered) is from one of my favorite recipe books, Raw Food, Real World.

Dill Pickles

2008-03-08T20:49:00.000-08:00

I love dill pickles, so I was happy to create this raw recipe that is great on raw sloppy joe's, sandwiches, and all by themselves!

Ingredients:
1 cucumber
1 c. fresh dill, slightly chopped
3/4 c. apple cider vinegar
2 c. spring water
2-3 T. agave nectar, light
1/2 t. celtic sea salt

Directions:
Slice cucumber. I use a mandoline slicer with the ripple cut. Put the cucumbers in a quart canning jar. Mix the remaining ingredients together and put in the jar with the cucumbers. Chill. Give it at least an hour or two before eating. These won't last as long as traditional pickles, but then again, they don't last as long because I eat them! Enjoy.

Salsa

2008-03-08T20:41:00.000-08:00

Here's a traditional salsa that is very satisfying. Reduce or eliminate the hot pepper, garlic, and onion for sensitive tummies and/or children.

Ingredients:
1/2 pint organic cherry tomatoes
1/4 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 to 1 red jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (amt. to taste)
juice of 1/2 a lime
1 to 2 c. cilantro (to taste)
1/2 t. chipotle powder
1/2 t. cumin powder

Mix together, serve chilled.

Apple Cinnamon Bars (Raw)

2008-03-06T10:49:00.000-08:00

This is a great sweet snack for kids and adults alike. It’s chewy and has a lot of cinnamon-apple flavor. It’s great to bring along when traveling and is a family hit for us!

You can also make these into cookies by rolling the batter into balls and pressing flat. However, I’ve found this to be a lot of work and they aren’t quite as pretty.

Equipment: You’ll need a food processor and dehydrator for this recipe.

Ingredients
5 apples, cored (peel them if you want)

¾ cup agave nectar
1¾ cups soaked almonds
1½ cups raisins
¾ c. shredded coconut
2 T. cinnamon

Preparation
1. Slice half on the apples either in a food processor with a thin slicing disk or using a mandoline. Shred the other half. Place in a large bowl.

2. In a food processor, coarsely grin/chop the almonds and half the raisins (3/4 c.), add the agave nectar and cinnamon and process until still coarsely ground.

3. Add almond mixture to apples along with the shredded coconut and mix well (hands work best).

4. Spread and press the mix into large ½ inch thick squares on 3 to 4 teflex sheets and place in dehydrator.

5. Dehydrate at 145°F for an hour and then 105-110°F for another 12 - 24 hours, until a chewy-dry consistency. **Half way through the drying process remove the teflex sheet by putting a drying rack on top of the bars (like a sandwich) and carefully flip. Then cut the bars with a pizza cutter or knife and continue drying.

Adapted from a recipe in Rawvolution, by Matt Amsden.

Banana Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes

2008-02-27T21:32:00.000-08:00

What a delicious treat! And what a fun and festive delight to serve at parties, especially in place of cupcakes for kids!

5 or 6 Bananas (peeled, cut in 1 inch slices)

1 small box of Raspberries (or berries of choice)

Cacao Frosting (below)

Cacao Frosting:
1 1/2c. Cacao Powder

1 1/4 c. Maple Syrup

1/2 C. Coconut Butter/Oil

1/4 c. Cacao Butter

Warm the Coconut and Cacao Butter in a glass container surrounded by hot water until it is liquid. Mix together.

Cupcake Assembly:
Put Chocolate frosting on cut bananas and place a raspberry on top. Put on a tray in the refrigerator and serve soon (before the bananas turn).

Alfredo Zucchini with Peas & Peppers

2008-02-27T17:13:00.001-08:00

This meal is rich, creamy, and when served slightly warm, is really satisfying! It's an excellent transitional recipe for those new to raw foods.

Alfredo Sauce
3/4 c. coconut water
2 T. Lemon Juice
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 t. salt
1 c. raw pine nuts (soaked for an hour)
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 c. young coconut meat
1 t. yeast
1 t. raw honey (2 t. if you want it sweeter)
pinch of all spice
pinch of pepper

Directions:
Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until very smooth. If using a vita-mix, this also warms the sauce and it's ready to serve over noodles. Otherwise, slightly warm in pan or dehydrator before serving.

Other Ingredients:
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
1 c. Peas (warmed in warm water if desired)
4-6 zucchini: (peeled and made into noodles using a vegetable Spiral Slicer, Mandoline, or creative knife work.)

Put noodles on plates, mix with sauce and top with bell peppers and peas or mix all ingredients together. Serve slightly warmed.

Note: The Alfredo Sauce was inspired by and altered from the wonderful Matt Amsden, in his book RAWvolution.

Blueberry Banana Smoothie

2008-02-24T12:19:00.000-08:00

We drink this one almost every morning! The great thing about the blueberries (besides their awesome nutrient and antioxidant performance) is that it has a great color to 'disguise' other things (like super-green powders) in it! (Yep, a mom-trick!)

Ingredients:
1 c. frozen blueberries (wild or organic)
1 c. bananas*
1/2 - 1 t. super-green powder (like SuperMineral Green or Sun Is Shining)
Liquid of Choice (in combo or alone)

Milk of choice (raw nut milk, rice, soy, etc),
Apple Juice
Purified Water

For those who like it sweeter, add:
1/2 - 1 T. raw sweetener like Agave Nectar, Raw Honey (not sugar or artificial sweeteners though)

Directions:
In a blender, put all the non-liquid ingredients in. Then add the liquid ingredient(s) of choice to fill to the top of the other ingredients. Blend until smooth. Serve Cold.

*NOTE ON BANANAS: For better smoothies, cut up a bunch of ripe bananas in about 1-inch pieces and freeze. When making smoothies, grab the frozen bananas. This lends to a more milk-shake like texture! Yum!

Chocolate Brownie Swirl Rolls

2008-02-24T12:10:00.000-08:00

Let's me just say... divinely delicious! This is best kept in the freezer and has a nice soft/crunchy texture to it. The hardest part about this recipe (besides needing the right equipment) is not eating all the brownie batter while waiting for it to dry! I barely had any left to make this piece you see here because of my nibbling!

Ingredients

Chocolate Brownie Part
1/4 c. yacon syrup
1/4 c. raw honey
2/3 c. maple sugar/powder
1 c. raw cacao powder
2/3 c. raw cacao nibs
1 t. goji powder
2 T. (heaping) raw almond butter
2/3 c. cacao butter
1/2 c. coconut butter
1/8 c. + spring water

Vanilla Filling*
1/2 c. cashews (soaked for 4+ hrs) or macadamia nuts
1/2 c. coconut meat (of young coconut)
2-3 T. coconut water/juice (from young coconut)
1/4 c. light agave nectar
1/4 c. coconut oil or butter
1 T. vanilla extract
pinch of sea salt

Directions

Chocolate Brownie: Put all the ingredients in a Vita-Mix or very high powered blender (you'll need it). Blend until smooth. Place batter on 1 or 2 teflex sheets and spread 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Dehyrate for 24 - 36 hours. It will still be a little soft. Move to parchment or wax paper (carefully) & pace in the refrigerator to firm a little before going to assembly step.

Vanilla Filling: Place all the ingredients in a Vita-Mix or high powered blender (again, you'll need the horse power to really blend this). Chill in the refrigerator.

Assembly: With the Brownie flats on wax or parchment paper, spread the vanilla filling thinly on top. Carefully roll the brownie and wrap in parchment/wax paper and freeze. Before you are ready to eat, take it out of the freezer for 5-10 minutes. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Refreeze whatever you don't eat.

Notes : To give you a size idea, that strawberry in the picture is HUGE! I created the chocolate brownie part of this recipe from the top of my head, but the *vanilla filling is a very slight variation from the GREAT and highly recommended book Raw Food, Real World.

Healthy Pasta Noodles

2008-02-24T12:04:00.000-08:00

Pasta doesn't have to be nutrient and fiber deprived to be enjoyed. Did you know you can make or buy pasta that isn't just white flour? Check out some of these ideas!

1) Zucchini or yellow squash noodles. (Make using a vegetable Spiral Slicer, Mandoline, or creative knife work.)

2) Kelp Noodles

3) Gluten-Free Rice or Corn pasta

4) Quinoa Pasta & Products

5) Whole Wheat Pasta

(The picture above is zucchini noodles made from peeled zucchinis using a Mandoline, sliced thinly.)

Kid's Raw Pasta Sauce

2008-02-24T11:59:00.001-08:00

This is a very easy and smooth sauce for kids. Place it on top of your pasta of choice For raw pasta, try making zucchini or yellow squash noodles with a vegetable spiral slicer or kelp noodles.

Ingredients
3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked or oil-packed
½ red bell pepper, chopped (about ½ cup)
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1 T. fresh basil
1 t. dried Oregano or Italian herbs
¼ t. sea salt
½ - ¾ c. water (more or less depending on desired consistency)

Directions
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. The blender, especially if using a high-powered one or Vita-Mix should warm the sauce as it blends. If not using right away, place in refrigerator. It should keep for three days. Warm gently in a sauce pan or blend again in a mixer before serving.

Notes I created this recipe using an alteration of Jennifer Cornbleet’s Marinara Sauce in her Raw Food Made Easy cookbook.