Raw

Feb
18

Chocolatey Chia Seed Pudding with Cardamon Spice

If you live on “Planet Health” you’ve probably heard about Chia seeds. The super food miracle seed. Full of nutrients like Omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, antioxidants and so much more!! One spoon of this stuff is like getting a boost of good energy into your “system” and if it’s served as a dessert, even better (:

When soaked long enough in liquid, chia seeds will expand up to 12 times their size and will look like a thick jell/pudding . Pudding that is perfect for breakfast with cut fruit or as a chocolate desert. Flavor it any way you’ld like—vanilla, cinnamon, or coffee. In this recipe, I added Cardamon for that exotic essence, but make sure not to add too much of it because it could be overpowering. The only thing you need to do is blend chia seeds in a liquid (almond milk, coconut milk, or any other plant-based milk or juice) and flavor it to your taste, and 20 minutes later you’ve got yourself a healthy treat.

If you’d like to learn more about Chia seeds, check out this link.

Makes about four servings.

Ingredients

2 ½ to 3 cups Almond Milk

1 cup Chia Seeds

3 tsp Maple Syrup (you can add more or less depending on your taste)

1½ tbs Dark Cocoa Powder

Less than ¼ tsp Ground Cardamon

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Pinch of Sea Salt

Preparation

The cocoa powder does not blend easily with cold liquid, so you might want to stir it first with a smaller amount of the almond milk; then, add it to the rest of the mix and quickly blend some more to make sure there are no clumps.

Mix the rest of the ingredients together, blend well, and again make sure there are no clumps.

Let it sit in the fridge for at least a half an hour or leave it overnight.

I garnished it with cacao nibs. You could also sprinkle some cocoa powder on it.

Category: Blog, Easy & Simple, Gluten Free, Raw, Recipies, Sweets and Desserts, Uncategorized

Jan
9

Preserved Meyer Lemons

Meyer Lemon is a special lemon. It’s smaller and sweeter than other lemons; its rind is thin and delicate with a fragrant floral aroma. It’s less acidic and tastes like an orange and a lemon had a baby 🙂 That’s how I would describe it …

Usually, Meyer lemons are available only in winter. Some are darker in color, kind of a light orange color, which can be confusing. The first time I saw a Meyer lemon was when a co-worker brought it in to work. Thinking it was an orange, she bit into it–her face had the expression of a sour surprise …

A good way to enjoy them even when they’re not in season is to preserve them and make a preserved lemon condiment, which means to let them pickle in their own juices and salt until they become tender with perfect balance of tart , saltiness and a hint of bitterness (from the rind).

Most preserved lemon recipes call for at least 2 to 3 weeks before it is ready to be used. I find that with the Meyer lemons it’s much quicker. Five to seven days is enough; the thin skin and slicing them very thin speeds up the process. If you can’t find Meyer lemons, use regular lemons, but just keep in mind that they will take longer to preserve.

When ready, the liquid becomes thicker–almost like an oily jelly consistency. A deeper flavor will develop with time; the more it sits in the liquid the better. Oh… the flavor! So simple to make but yet so intense and bold.

If you’re like me, you will treat this stuff like a jar of gold… I add just a little bit at a time to stews, sauces, sandwiches, salad dressings; or garnish just like in this stuffed grape leaves recipe. Once it’s in the fridge, it’s good for up to 6 months.

Ingredients

4-5 Meyer Lemons

1 Tbsp. Sea Salt

1 Cup fresh Lemon Juice

1 Cup filtered Water

Preparation

First, wash the lemons and trim both ends.

Slice the lemons very thinly, and remove the seeds.

Combine the brine liquid and pour over the lemons in a glass bowl. Press down on the lemons a bit with a large spoon or fork to squeeze out more juice and to soften them. Make sure everything is submerged in the liquid and cover. Set aside for 5 to 7 days at room temperature.

When ready, transfer into an airtight container/ jar and store in the refrigerator.

You can always adjust the saltiness if it’s too salty for your taste. Just wash some in water before you use them or add more water into the jar.

Category: Blog, Dips and Spreads, Easy & Simple, Gluten Free, Raw, Recipies, Uncategorized

Oct
4

The Healthier Chocolate “Milkshake”

The Beauty and The Banana

I’ll do anything to get my daughter to eat more fruits and vegetables. It took about 7 years to convince her to eat a banana just the way it is. So I had to come up with creative ways to make the banana invisible. I mixed it in the chocolate “Milkshake” and she loved it! Yey! Every time she is willing to taste something new and she likes it, I mark an imaginary “V” in my mind for yet another Victory for me. I’m sure some of you know what I am talking about 😉 There is no need for convincing here… This shake is so delicious, healthy and easy to make and If you remember to freeze the bananas beforehand it becomes a frozen dessert no one can refuse!

*If you like, you can replace the almond butter with peanut butter.

Ingredients

2 Organic Ripe Bananas

2 Cups Almond Milk (play with the amount depending on and how smooth you like it)

1 Tbsp. Raw Almond Butter

1 Tbsp. Organic Date Syrup (If you have Dates, even better use 3-4 Medjool Dates)

1 Tbsp. Cacao Powder

1 tsp. Hemp Seeds (They contain complete protein, Omega 3 Fatty Acids and Fiber, this is Good stuff!!)

1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Preparation

Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.

Category: Blog, Breakfast, Drinks, Gluten Free, Kid Friendly, Raw, Recipies, Sweets and Desserts

Sep
25

Kohlrabi and Roots Salad with Asian Touch

I used to see kohlrabi only as a cooked vegetable in soups but since I learned about the benefits of raw food, I’ve been experimenting with the idea and discovering that almost everything is better raw. A great way to introduce raw hard vegetables is to cut them like noodles or slice them “paper thin”. To slice them super thin I used a Japanese mandolin. Please be careful if you’re going to use one! It’s easy to forget that your fingers are at the end of it and cut yourself. It wouldn’t be such a vegan salad if there is blood in it ha?! 😉

Colorful and fresh, this salad could complement any asian style meal and it’s also fun to eat it by itself with chopsticks.

Ingredients

1 Purple Kohlrabi

1 Green Kohlrabi

1 Golden Yellow Beet

3-4 Radishes

3 Celery stems

Asian Dressing

1 Tbsp Soy sauce

1 Tbsp Tahini

1/2 Lemon juice

1 tsp Ginger minsed super fine

1/4 Cup filtered water

1 tsp Maple Syrup

Black sesame seeds (I had the mixture with herbs)

Preparation

Slice the vegetables with a mandolin.

Whisk all dressing ingredients and pour over the salad, sprinkle with sesame seeds and…Done!

Category: Blog, Gluten Free, Lunch, Raw, Recipies, Salads, Uncategorized

Sep
17

Vegan Fresh Basil Pesto

I love the smell of basil. I think it has an effect on the mind. I can’t imagine sniffing fresh basil and feeling bad. Think of basil and the first thing that comes to mind is Pesto sauce. Basil combined with the little flavor bombs A.K.A Pine nuts is just a perfect match. If pesto did not exist, I would want to be the one to invent it. Every time I make home-made Pesto I feel like I have just created a magic potion. It doesn’t matter what I’ll add it to, it brings everything to the next level of goodness; Sandwiches, Pasta, Pizza or just as a snack with some chips and crackers. My latest “trick” is to layer it under tomato sauce on my Almost Home-Made Vegan Pizza for all those Green-O-Phobes :). There are many rituals and beliefs associated with basil. One that I especially like is that if two people smell a basil stem together they will remain friends forever. So go ahead and sniff some basil with someone you like 🙂