TROPICAL CHOPPED SALAD WITH PINAPPLES AND AVOCADOS

 

 

I am really loving this salad right now.  I know, I know, I say this with almost everything that I post.  But, his is one of my really one of my favorite salads right now.  It's sweet and savory... what a great combination and super easy to boot!  It's perfect for this really hot weather we are having right now.

 

 

TROPICAL CHOPPED SALAD WITH PINEAPPLES AND AVOCADOS

 

Equal amounts of:

Chopped and jicama

Chopped pineapple

Chopped spinach

Chopped tomatoes

Chopped avocado

 

About half the amount of chopped red onion and chopped cilantro

 

Lots of lemon juice and sea salt to taste

 

Toss everything together in a bowl and its ready to serve.  So easy and delicious. 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Join the discussion!

 

Do you have a favorite tropical salad recipe? We would love to hear what it is! 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.

FAVORITES LIST: RECIPES I WANT TO TRY!

Happy Friday Everyone!  Hope you have a wonderful Friday and a fabulous weekend.  Weekends are when I cook the most, so I start drooling over recipes I want to try come end of the weeks.  Here are some of what I have been drooking over...  Enjoy!

 

Raspberry Mango Parfait by The Global Girl

 

 

 

Chilli Thai Kelp Noodles by Rachael Campbell



 

Raw Buckwheat Porride DeLuxe by Green Kitchen Stories

 

 

 

Raw Lemon Cupcakes with Pistachio Nuts buy Love Raw

 

 

 

Avocado Lime Soup by Russell James the Raw Chef

 

 

 

Raw Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake by One Green Planet

 

 

 

Banana Chocolate Caramel Ice Cream Cake by This Rawsome Vegan Life

 

 

 

Raw Vegan Zuccini Nest Lasagna by jarOhoney

 

 

 

Delicious Raw Carrot Cake by Just Glowing With Health

 

 

 

Raw Onion Rings by Rawmazing

 

 

 

Baked Sweet Potatos with Mango Dipping Sauce by Let's Talk Fitness

 

 



Join the discussion!

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



SESAME KIMCHI SPREAD AND FILLING

This post is the second part to my Kimchi with Endive and Carrots recipe.  This recipe is probably one of my favorite raw recipes that I learned from my experience at the Matthew Kenney Weekend Intesive course that I took.  It's one of the best flavors in raw cooking that I have savored thus far.  I just love the taste of the kimchi mixed in with a few additional ingredients.

You have to make this when you get a chance.  So delicious!

SESAME KIMCHI SPREAD AND FILLING

1/2 cup cashwews, soaked 1-2 hours

1-1/2 teaspoon tamari

1-1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1-1/2 teaspoon raw tahini

1/2 teaspoon agave

1/2 cup kimchi, drained

Process the cashews, tamari, sesame oil, tahini, and agave in the food processor until combined and you get a chunky consistency.  Add the kimchi and pulse a couple times until mixed but don't process too much.  Voila!

You can spread or stuff this onto your favorite vegetable or include it in your favorite raw wrap.

I also made veggie chips and ate it as a dip. So divine!

Enjoy!

Join the discussion!

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



DAY 2: MOSTLY RAW FOOD CHALLENGE

Day 2: Mostly raw food challenge

It's been one day and I feel really good! The first day is always the hardest. But I stuck to my guns especially since I was going to have to tell you all what I am eating. LOL! 

My husband is doing the food challenge too and he said he felt so good all day. He had to take a class and he said he stayed focused the whole time. I agree with him, I already feel more focused and my body seems really happy with what's taking place thus far. 

So, here's what I ate: 
Breakfast: Kale Coconut Smoothie
Snack: same smoothie from breakfast
Lunch: Asian Salad with seasoned rice vinegar & toasted sesame oil ( the easiest and best dressing ever) 
Snack: nuts, dates, and an apple
Snack: Ginger Veggie Smoothie
Dinner: Veggie stir-fry with steamed organic red rice

Kale Coconut Smoothie

2 handfuls of kale
1 cup almond milk
1 cup water
Juice from 1 lemon
1 or 2 dates depending on how sweet you want it or how sweet your bananas are
2 bananas
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla
1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
1/4 cup frozen peas

Directions: blend kale and liquids first. Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend till smooth.

This makes enough for 2 smoothies one I can enjoy now and the other for a snack. 

Ginger Veggie Smoothie

2 handfuls of spinach
2 carrots
2 Celery Stalks
1 Apple
A chunk of ginger
1 Tablespoons Black strap molasses 
2 Cups water

Directions: add everything to the blender and blend until smooth. If it comes out too thick add more water. It should be smooth and easy to drink. But depending on the size of your carrots or apples that could change how fiberous the drink is. 

I drink a 1/3 now and save the rest for a snack. I get about 3 out of this depending on how hungry I am.

Join the Discussion: 

How was your first day of the food challenge? What is going to be your staple food to get you through? 

ON A PERSONAL NOTE: HOW I GOT STARTED

 

 

 

Written by contibutor Jean-Marie Payne of Btanjerine and A Simply Raw Life.  Jean-Marie is a cancer survior who turned to Raw/Vegan food to combat this terrible disease with success.  

 

How I got started

 

So, Switiching to an all Raw/Vegan lifestyle isn't easy. Back in July when I made the switch it was out of necessity and so the switch happened literally over night. One day I was eating my normal Standard American Diet and the next day I was eating Raw/Vegan. The thing that proved to be the easiest and simpliest way for me to change so quickly was smoothies. I was drinking 3 very large smoothies a day... Each one was probably 32-38 oz each... and let me tell you if you drink that much green juice a day, there just really isn't enough room for that much food... LOL!! But what was great about this was they tasted good and I didn't have to think much about food. Just blend and go. And my body didn't have to do too much work in digesting either. We started experimenting and we did chocolate smoothies, fruity smoothies, and even some with just veggies... and just to make it fun I would sometimes just pick a color and everything in my fridge that was that color had to go into the smoothie... You would be so surprised at what tastes good in a smoothie. One of my favorite finds was zucchini. It has no taste and is packed full of nutirents and so in my smoothie they would go...

 

My challenge to you is try drinking 2 large smmothies a day and see how you feel at the end of the week or 10 days... You too will be loving your green smoothies, your new out look on life, and your new body!! Let me know how you feel after you do your week challenge...

My favorite smoothies drink base:

 

SMOOTHIE DRINK BASE

 

1 Banana

Hand full of Kale

1 cup of Almond Milk

1/4 cup frozen green peas or 1/2 to 1 fresh zucchini

1 date

Add anything else and you are golden

(if you need more liquid add water)

 

Chocolate powder gives you a dreamy chocolate shake

Strawberries & pineapple & coconut flakes gives you a more tropical feel

Anything is possible!!!

 

I always tried to drink one smoothie without nuts. Here's what I would put in this one:

 

FRUIT & VEGETABLE SMOOTHIE WITHOUT NUTS

 

1 or 2 Carrots

1 celery stalk(which is great for depression or sad thoughts)

1 orange (peeled), hand full of spinach

1 apple, ginger(just a small piece) & water.

 

Blend in the blender or vitamix. and strain out half of the pulp. I think the fiber is good thats why I don't juice this one. But it is super fiberous so if you can stand it drink everything. But for me I would just strain out part of the fiber.

Don't forget to add parsley when you have it. It is a super food and it has only a few properties less than wheat grass. And the taste isn't too bad. 

 

And remember you can top off your smoothie with chia seeds, fresh berries. gogi berries, coconut and the like.  Skies the limit!

 

 

Enjoy!!

 

 

Join the discussion!

Do you have a story about how Raw or Vegan food changed your life or a fabulous smoothie recipe? We would love to hear what it is! Share it in the comments below. Links are welcome.

 

RAW VEGAN VEGETABLE SUSHI ROLL

 

I  just love how these came out.  I posted my sushi rice salad last week HERE which was super delicious.  My life has been a bit crazy these past couple of weeks, but I finally was able to get this post up for you.  It may take a little practice to roll these babies, but the key is to keep everything tight and tucked in.  Now-a-days, there aren't set rules as to what you can put into a sushi roll so, be creative and use your favorite veggies.

 

 

Prepare your favorite vegetables cut into long strips.

 

The rice is made of Jicama that has been processed in a food processor.  But don't process it too much or it will become too mushy.  Then put the Jicama in a cheese cloth and squeeze out all the water.

 

 

RAW VEGAN VEGETABLE SUSHI ROLL

Start with the jicama rice as I noted above and drizzle in sushi rice vinegar, about 2-3 table spoons.  Taste as you pour it in, some people may not like the strong vinegar tasate. Then lay out the rice on a sheet of nori on top of your sushi rolling matt.  You can get these at most asian food store for cheap.   Lay a small amount of vegetables in the center.  Don't stuff it or you will not be able to roll it and it will not stay closed. 

 



 

 

Take the edge closeed to you along with the mat and tuck it over and under the vegetables.  Form it with your hands on top of the mat and slowly inch by inch pull the mat away from you and shape the roll with your hands as you keep pulling it out.  Let it sit for a few minutes as you roll all your rolls.  Then cut using a very sharp slightly wet knife.  And voila!

 

 

Super delicious and not too difficult.  Just give it a try and practice a few times.  You can also make this vegan and use your favorite rice.  Rolling with rice may be slightly easier as it is more sticky but both are very tasty.

 

Here are shots of the nori and seasoned rice vinegar I used.

 

 

 

Enjoy!!

 

Join the discussion!

Do you have a favorite Vegan or Raw Sushi Roll recipe? We would love to hear what it is! Share it in the comments below. Links are welcome.