SWEET AND SAVORY SUMMER SALAD

Here's one of my favorite summer salads or should I say, more of a treat.  I love to make different versions of this wonderful dish which can accompany any light summer time meal.  Serve it as a snack or a side salad, you choose, it usually gets devoured in minutes anyways... :)  Enjoy!

SWEET AND SAVORY SUMMER SALAD

Equal amounts of
Watermelon
Pineapple
Cucumber
Avocado
Heirloom tomatoes
Daikon radish
Orange bell pepper
Yellow squash
1 Lemon,  juice of
Sea salt to taste
Chili powder

Chop all the vegetables into cubes or strips and place in groups on your favorite plate.  Squeeze the lemon juice on top, sprinkle with sea salt and chili powder to taste.  Voila!  Super tasty!

Bon Appetit!

Join the discussion!

What is your favorite summer salad? We would love to hear what it is! Share it in the comments below. 

 

 

 

CURRENTLY SIPPING ON: BLUEBERRY PINEAPPLE SMOOTHIE WITH SPINACH

Currently sipping on this delicious and refreshing smoothie.  Hope your day is fabulous!

BLUEBERRY PINEAPPLE SMOOTHIE WITH SPINACH

1-1/2 cup almond milk

2 cups spinach

3/4 cup frozen pineapples

3/4 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 cup frozen strawberries

 

Blend all the ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth.

 

Optional - top with shredded coconut and hemp seeds.

 

Sip and Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

THIS MORNING'S SIMPLE GREEN SMOOTHIE

 

This morning's quick breakfast... A simple green smoothie topped

with hemp seeds and sprouted buckwheat granola.

 

SIMPLE GREEN SMOOTHIE

 

1 cup almond milk

2 cups spinach

1 cup frozen mango

3/4 cup frozen pineapples

 

Blend all the ingredients in a high speed blender until

smooth.

 

Sip and Enjoy!

 

For more of the foods I eat, follow me on Instagram! :)

 

 

 

RAW JICAMA TACOS WITH SPICY CASHEW CHEESE

 

 

I think this has become one of my favorite raw meals for the moment!  My husband and I are taco fans and wow!  This dish is super refreshing and delicious.  This recipe was inspired by Gluten Free Cat. I saw this Raw Jicama Tacos with  Spicy Cashew Cheese recipe on Facebook and just fell in love with the idea.  Once I tasted it, I was sold.  It will be one of my go-to recipes, especially this summer.  Thank you Gluten Free Cat!

 

If you haven't tried jicama yet, I really encourage you to do so.  It's a refreshing and crisp and has a mild flavor that adapts to its surroundings.  It's a root vegetable native to Mexico and Central America and often is simply eaten peeled with a dash of salt, chili powder and some lime juice.  There are definitely many other ways to eat it and these raw tacos is one of them.  Check out these facts about jicama.

 

I also love this spicy cashew cheese recipe because there is no fermentation time. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

 

RAW JICAMA TACOS WITH SPICY CASHEW CHEESE

 

1 jicama, cut into round slices

Spicy Cashew Cheese - recipe below

Slice tomatoes

Micro greens

Baby spinach or your favorite leafy greens sliced thin

Gucacamole

 

 

Slice the jicama in thin round slices using your mandoline.  Soak them in lemon juice, if you have time, overnight.  Or, for at least 30 minute.  This will help soften the jicama if you cannot slice it thin enough and gives it flexibility.  Prepare all your other ingredients. 

 

 

SPICY CASHEW CHEESE

1 cup cashews soaked for at least 2 hours, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

2-3 slices of jalepeno pepper

1 clove of garlic

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/4 cup water - use a little more if needed

 

 

For the spicy cashew cheese, blend all the ingredients together in a high speed blender scrapping down the sides making sure that its all blended well smooth or to your desired consistency.  It is now ready to serve.  Makes about 1 cup.

 

To assemble the tacos place a few jicama shells together folded and fill with your ingredients and serve with limes.  The lime juice just adds that extra kick and zest.  And there you have it.

 

Bon appetite!

 

Join the discussion!

Do you have a favorite raw taco recipe?  We'd love to hear what it is. Please share in the comments below. Links are welcome!

 

 

NUTTY COCONUT CRANBERRY BARS



 

 

Many of you know that we love homemade bars here at A Simply Raw Life, this time though, I wanted to try one that was slightly different. I was inpsired by these bars I saw on Ascension Kitchen.  These looked so good and they turned out to be more versitile than I thought. Thanks Lauren!  Super delicious... Check it out...



NUTTY COCONUT CRANBERRY BARS

 

Note:  Remember that it's is preferrable to soak the almonds and cashews first and then dehydrated until they are dry to activatge your nuts and seeds, which give you added nutritional benefits.  Of course, if you don't have time or do not have a dehyrator, this recipe still works just as fine.

1 cup of raw almonds
½ cup of shredded coconut
1 cup of cashews
½ cup of dried cranberries
¼ cup of hemp seeds
¼ cup of chia seeds
¼ cup of coconut butter
¼ cup of raw honey
4 tablespoons of coconut oil
4 Medjool dates
pinch of sea salt
Zest of one lemon

 

In the food processor, chop up the almonds for a quick second to chop them into smaller pieces.  Add the coconut, cashews and chopped a little more for a few seconds.  Transfer the mixture into a large bowl.  Add the hemp and chia seeds.

 

In the food processor add the coconut butter, honey, coconut oil, dates, salt and lemon.  Mix together unitl well combined into a nice paste.  Now combine this mixture to the dry mixure and and fold it in with your hands combining it well.

 

Press the mixture well into a 8" x 8" baking dish that is lined with parchment paper and chill in the freezer for 1 hour.  Now it's ready to be cut and eaten!  Makes about 10 bars.

 

Store the remaining bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

 



I also have used these bars as grawnola and crumbled it on top of a smoothie bowl, ice cream, and fruit.  In the photo above, I topped it on my Chocolate Almond Milk Ice Cream.  So delicious!

Enjoy!

Join the discussion!

If you have a favorite dairy free ice cream recipe, feel free to share it in the comments below. Links are welcome!

 



RAW ZUCCHINI RAVIOLI STUFFED WITH ASPARAGUS TOPPED WITH LEMON CREAM SAUCE

 

I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend.  I got some inspiration from one of my favorite cook books, Raw Food Real World.  Now this may look complicated, but it really isn't.  I always tell people it's all about preparation and then presentation.  I am still working on my presentation, but to be able to stick to your raw food routine, preparation is key.  If you have the ingredients on hand at your finger tips, making your next raw food masterpiece won't be so daunting.  If you can, do a once over and make over your pantry and refrigerator and have it include all the necessary ingredients you will need to make your favorite raw food recipes. 

I took one of the recipes from Raw Food Real World and did a little twist on it.  I didn't have any fresh coconuts on hand so I zucchini as the layers.  The taste was wonderful and I love the cashew lemon cream!

RAW ZUCCHINI RAVIOLI STUFFED WITH ASPARAGUS TOPPED WITH LEMON CREAM SAUCE

For the Asparagus and Mushroom Filling

 

1 small bunch of thin asparagus

1/2 pound cleaned crimini or porcini mushrooms, sliced. (You can use any of of our favorite wild mushrooms)

1-2 table spoon extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

Pinch of sea salt and fresh ground pepper

 

Cut the asparagus into half inch lengths at a diagonal, discard the woody ends.  Toss with the sliced mushrooms into a medium bowl along with all the seasonings.  Spread out onto the dehydrator sheeet and dehydrate at 115 degrees F for 2 to 3 hours or untill they taste like they are sauteed and tender.

 

For the Lemon Cream

 

1 cup raw cashews, soaked 2 hours or more

1 cup water

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon raw honey

1 tabelspoon lemon zest

Sea salt to taste

 

In your high speed blender, puree the cashews, water, lemon juice, honey and lemon zest until smooth.  Add more water if you need to in order to ge tthe creamy consistency desired.  Season to taste with salt.  Transfer the sauce in a bowl or covered container.

 

For the assembly

 

2 - 3 medium sized zucchini, preferrably straight zucchini and not curved ones

Ground Pepper and chilli powder or other fine herbs to garnish

 

Peel the zucchini and cut off the ends.  Cut the zuccini down into 2 to 2-1/4" pieces.  Then slice them lenthwise to maxinum 1/8" thick "sheets" for the ravioli stacking. 

 

Place 1 piece on the plate then fill with the asparagus and mushroom filling, place another zucchini sheet on top, then add a little more filling on top.  Drizzle on the Lemon Cream sauce and garnish with herbs or ground pepper,or like I did with some chilli powder for some kick.

Enjoy!

 

Join the discussion!

Do you have a favorite raw Italian recipe? We would love to hear what it is! Share it in the comments below.

 

Links are welcome.