Veggie Smoothie -You can do it!

When I realized I didn't add any fruit to the blender, I thought it would be a rough go drinking down this smoothie...but it wasn't.  The coconut water adds a great flavor so don't leave it out.

1/3 of a peeled cucumber
1 kale leaf washed
1 large carrot peeled
1 handful baby spinach
1/2 small red beet peeled
1 1/2 cup coconut water
1 Tbsp Hemp seeds
1/2 Tbsp chia seeds
2 Tbsp raw walnuts

Blend til smooth and enjoy!
Just think of all the vitamins and minerals you are fueling your body with!!  Vit A, E, C, K, Magnesium, Iron, Calcium, Protein, Unsaturated fat, Potassium, Zinc, Folate, B6, Riboflavin, Manganese, Copper.

Lentils

Lentils makes a great meat substitute for tacos or taco salad
13 g Protein, 20% Iron, 15 g Fiber, (and great Folate) in 1/4 cup dry lentils make this a power food.

1 cup lentils rinsed
3 1/2 cups filtered water
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 small onion finely chopped
1 celery chopped fine -optional
Sea salt
Cumin

Rinse the lentils and add to the saute pan. Add the water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and Simmer with lid propped until lentils are soft - about 40 minutes if you live in Denver.  In separate pan saute garlic, onion and celery in olive oil for 5 minutes.  Add to cooked lentils and season with sea salt and cumin to taste.  
*If you prefer a one pot method, begin by sauteing the garlic, onions and celery in large skillet (that has a lid).  After 5 minutes, add the rinsed lentils and water to the skillet and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer with lid tilted for 35-40 minutes  then season to taste.

Raw Cheese Cake - you will love!

1 cup raw almonds
1/4 cup pitted dates
1 cup soaked raw cashews
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup raw honey
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup water

Soak cashews 1 hour and drain.
In small blender, first combine almonds and dates and blend to make crumble for crust.  Press into muffin cups or medium size dish.  In empty blender, combine remaining ingredients until smooth.  Pour mixture over crust in muffin cups and freeze at least 1 hour before serving.  Serve with sliced fresh strawberries.  Yum!  Everyone loves this cheese cake!

Raw Apple Tortillas

Get out your dehydrator -these are awesome grain free tortillas.  Make them in the morning and they are ready by dinner.
Makes 16 small tortillas   or 8 large wrap size tortillas

Ingredients:
2 granny smith apples
2 peeled carrots
1 garlic clove
1/4 of a medium yellow onion
2 cups filtered water
2 limes juiced (1/3 cup lime juice)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
2 cups flax seed ground

Blend everything in the blender adding ground flax last. The flax thickens the mixture quickly and may cause the blender difficulty so add it last.
Pour batter in 4 sections on dehydrator Teflex sheet and spread 1/4 inch thick to make a small tortilla about 5 inch diameter.  Dehydrate at 108 degrees for 4 -5 hours then flip over onto screen tray and continue to dehydrate another 2 -3 hours.

Strawberry Chocolate Not Ice Cream

This truly is my own creation and my mom's favorite!

2 frozen bananas
8 large frozen strawberries  (frozen berry mix works great too)
1 TBSP raw cacao powder
3 to 4 Tablespoons walnuts
1/4 tsp salt -optional

Blend until smooth.  You will need to use the blender's stomper several times to work it to smoothness.  Serves 3-4

Mango Sorbet

This sorbet is refreshing and delicious!  Serves 4-6

3 cups frozen mango chunks
1/2 - 3/4 cup Almond milk -remember to buy without carrageenan*
2 TBSP fresh Basil leaves
1/4 cup honey

Blend until smooth - Enjoy!

http://ohsheglows.com/2013/01/07/carrageenan-in-our-food/

Homemade Veggie Tortilla Chips

I've been trying out recipes using my dehydrator (with a thermostat) as a tool to keep my food raw. This means that the food is dried at a low 108 degree temperature so as not to kill the living enzymes and nutritional value.  You will need a high power blender and lots of flax seeds to make these chips.


Start by soaking 3/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds in filtered water while you prepare to blend remaining ingredients.
4 tomatoes
2 peeled carrots
2 celery stalks
3 garlic cloves
1/2 yellow onion
handful of cilantro leaves
1 red bell pepper
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp cumin
1 lemon juiced
1 lime juiced
Chili powder or taco seasoning to taste - optional

Blend above ingredients including soaked/drained
pumpkin seeds.  Next, grind 2 to 2 1/2 cups flax seeds in separate blender. A small coffee grinder works really well for grinding flax seeds.  Add ground flax a little at a time to blender until desired thickness. (too much flax can over heat the blender) Once well blended, pour out onto dehydrator sheets (Teflex sheets or Excaliber sheets) and spread relatively thin.  Dry at 108 degrees until top side is dry (4-6 hours).  Flip and continue drying with just the screen tray for another couple hours.  I usually dry mine over night and flip them in the morning for another couple hours.  Let cool. Break into chip shapes and store in air tight container.

Quinoa Salad

Here's what I ate for lunch today!
Ingredients:
Cooked Quinoa topped with sliced avocado, red bell pepper, cucumber and seasoned with salt and pepper. ( black beans and cumin would be great to add as well)  I used homemade veggie chips to scoop and eat the salad with.

Nutritional Value -High
Quinoa is a great source of Protein, B vitamins, Manganese, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, and Fiber
Red Peppers are high in Vitamin C (like 300% daily value), Vitamin A (97% daily value), B6, Folate.
Avocados are high in good calories Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats Omega 6 and 3, High in Vitamins E, K, C, Folate, Potassium, Magnesium, Manganese, Copper.
Cucumbers have Vitamin K

Clean out the fridge Veggie Stir Fry

Veggie Stir Fry      Wash and cut all veggies ahead of time for quick assembly.  Cook Rice

3 garlic cloves chopped

1 onion chopped

2 stalks celery chopped

1/4 head green cabbage  chopped

1 cup thinly sliced carrots

½ head cauliflower cut into bite size pieces

½ head broccoli cut into bite size pieces

1 Red Pepper/yellow/orange too chopped

1 zucchini chopped

½ cup frozen corn

1 cup frozen green beans or snow peas

Begin by sautéing garlic, celery, cabbage and onion in 3 TBSP oil on low medium heat for 3 minutes

Add all veggies in order of list

Let simmer 5 min

Add pink sea salt and pepper

Add a little water and 2 TBSP tomato paste, or veggie broth, or 1/2 cup Coconut Aminos for soy sauce substitute

Simmer 10 -12 minutes until carrots are tender

Don’t over cook!  We want enzymes in our food

Serve over cooked brown rice or quinoa

Kale Soup

A Yummy Meatless soup our dear friends Tammy and Bruce shared with us. Since my kids don't like big chunks of veggies, I blend veggies on low to get the veggies finely chopped

1 finely chopped medium onion

1 finely chopped Anise root (Sprout has the best price for this in organic)

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tablespoon of tomato paste

1 1/2 Cup of diced carrots

1 celery stalk -optional

1 can of chicken broth (optional)

2 cans of Butter beans (rinse)

1 bunch of organic kale (chopped)

Salt, pepper, and red crushed pepper to taste

1 1/2 teaspoon of Italian herb seasoning

1 handful of pasta

Roughly cut up all veggies first

Heat olive oil in a pot over low medium heat.

Add garlic, onion,  celery (if using) and anise.  Stir for 5 minutes until soften.

Place in blender on low setting to chop finely along with 1 cup water.

Return to pot

Add carrots, kale, and broth to blender.  Blend until carrots are finely chopped

Add to pot

Bring to Simmer for another 7 minutes then add tomato paste.

Add Italian herb, red crushed pepper then add water (around 7 cups)

Cover and cook until carrot is tender but not overcooked

Add butter beans.

Season to taste.

Optional -Add pasta and simmer for 5 min on low heat.  Cover pot and turn off heat so pasta continues to cook

Teriyaki Merinade

Taken from "Everyday Classics" by Alexa Croft
coconut aminos is an excellent replacement for soy sauce.  It's in a bottle similar to soy sauce at Sprouts, whole Food, or Vitamin Cottage

1/2 cup coconut aminos 
2 Tbsp melted honey
1 1/2 Tbsp minced ginger root
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sesame oil if grilling meat or veggies  -optional

Combine all ingredients in a pint jar with lid and shake.
Use this to merinade chicken or veggies for 4-5  hours before grilling
Can also use this in your veggie Stir Fry recipe.  Add 1/4 cup merinade to large skillet of veggies and simmer 10 minutes on med to low heat

Macadamia Cream Sauce

Looking for a Dairy Free Alfredo Sauce?  This is yummy!
Taken from the recipe book "Everyday Classics"

3 TBSP avocado oil or olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic
1 cup hot filtered water
1 cup raw macadamia nuts
2 TBSP raw white sesame seeds
1 1/2 TBSP nutritional yeast
1 TBSP lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper

Saute onion and garlic in skillet with oil over low heat. (If you want this to be a raw recipe, do not saute the garlic and onions.)
Combine everything into blender and blend until smooth.
Serve over raw zucchini noodles, steamed veggies, or pasta

Best Gluten Free Pancakes Yet!

This is my version of a pancake recipe that comes originally from the recipe book "Everyday Classics" by Alexa Croft   I love that the batter cooks up quickly unlike so many other gluten free pancake recipes I've tried.  This recipe has been doubled to accommodate a family of 8.

2 2/3 cup warm water (filtered is best)
4 TBSP chia seeds blended in to meal   (or 2 TBSP chia and 2 TBSP flax ground)
1/2  cup melted honey (on very low heat)
6 TBSP melted coconut oil
4 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups Gluten Free flour  -  I used the following:
     -2 cup garbonzo flour
     -1 cup brown rice flour
     -1 cup millet flour
1 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder (aluminum free)
1 tsp baking soda   

Combine well.
Add sliced bananas, mini chocolate chips, or blueberries to batter once poured onto the griddle.
My kids ate them without syrup...so they must have been plenty sweet from the honey.