V6!

Kale
Cucumber
Fennel
Carrot
Apple
Celery

Kale provides a great source of calcium. Apple & carrot give a delicious sweetness. Celery & cucumber provide hydration during these warm days. Fennel smells like black licorice & is excellent for the digestive system. So much nutrition in a small jar of juice.

More ideas coming soon...

->->->->Roasted Chickpeas<-<-<-<-

Next time you're looking for a snack, get busy with this roasted chickpea recipe...


Ingredients:

Chickpeas
Olive Oil
Cayenne Pepper
Garlic Powder
Sea Salt


Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Toss chickpeas with olive oil, cayenne pepper, garlic powder & sea salt to taste in large mixing bowl.
Place on baking sheet & cook for 20-40 minutes, until browned & crunchy.
Turn/stir every 10 minutes to avoid burning.
Enjoy!

*Shout out to Debbie for the idea.

New Recipe------------->

Peace. If you end up trying the homemade sushi recipe from last night, here is something you can do with the leftover nori sheets. This one is inspired by Chef BeLive...


Ingredients:

nori sheets
cashews
sunflower seeds
strawberries
arugula
cilantro
alfalfa sprouts
lemon
olive oil
sea salt
garlic powder
paprika
bowl of water


Directions:

Finely chop the arugula & cilantro separately. Chop the strawberries as well & put them all off to the side.

Grind cashews & sunflower seeds (2 parts nuts to 1 part seeds). Place in a mixing bowl. Add olive oil & mad lemon juice. Stir until it becomes a paste. Generously add sea salt, garlic powder & paprika to taste, but don't OD because the strawberries will compliment later.

Spread the paste on the nori sheet, leaving a couple inches on the end farthest from you. Then add the alfalfa sprouts & arugula in the same fashion. Add the cilantro & strawberries to the middle only as pictured above & then roll up like a sushi roll. Remember to wet the end as you finish rolling so it sticks together.

.......Make Your Own Sushi.......

Peace. For some reason I always assumed it was mad difficult to make your own sushi. After spending 8 bucks on avocado rolls for the past year, I decided to try my own & not only was it cheaper, but it was pretty fun & easy too...


Ingredients:

Nori Sheets
Short or medium grain rice (I used brown)
Avocado
Cucumber
Zuchini
Carrot
Sesame seeds
Bowl of water
Brush



Cook the rice & let it cool
Slice the vegetables thin & long so they are about the same length as the nori sheet


Spread the rice out over the nori sheet, leaving two inches on the end farthest from you
Place the veggies in the middle so they cover the width of the sheet
Roll it up!
Have a bowl of water nearby & as you are about to finish rolling, sprinkle some on the 2 inches not covered by rice (this will allow it to stick) & finish rolling
Brush the outside of the roll with water & roll in a plate of sesame seeds so they stick
Let them dry before cutting
Cut each roll into 8 pieces & enjoy with chop sticks, soy sauce, wasabi and/or whatever else you desire!

------->FEAST<-------

Here's a random Monday night feast with some ideas to try in the future...


Ingredients: Spinach, carrots, onion, fresh garlic, lemon, sliced raw almonds, sea salt, black pepper, paprika

Directions: Boil spinach leaves & carrots until cooked. Saute onions & fresh garlic in pan for a couple minutes before adding in the cooked spinach, carrots & sliced raw almonds. When it is almost finished, squeeze a half lemon's worth of juice in with sea salt, black pepper & paprika to taste.


Ingredients: Sweet Potatoes, zuchini, olive oil, seasoning salt, chili powder, garlic powder, paprika

Directions: Cut sweet potatoes & zuchini into appropriate sized pieces. Combine in large mixing bowl with olive oil, seasoning salt, chili powder, garlic powder & paprika. Mix together well with your hands until they are covered in the oil/seasoning (try eating one raw, they are delicous!). Bake on 425 degrees for +/- 45 minutes, turning halfway.



This is the end result with some fake chicken nuggets & a lemon wedge in the mix.

---->Recipe<----

Happy Monday. Here's a random dish I came up with this weekend that turned out really good. Enjoy!


Ingredients:

Collard Greens (1 bunch)
Kale (1-2 bunches)
Fresh Garlic (1 small bulb)
Red Onion (half)
Sliced Almonds (large handful)
Sea Salt
Black Pepper
Lemon
Olive Oil
Butter or Vegan Butter Substitute


Preparation:
Rip greens into small 1-2 inch pieces
Dice onions
Finely chop garlic
Boil greens until cooked
Strain them in colander
Saute onions & garlic in a small amount of olive oil & butter substitute for 1-2 minutes
Stir in cooked greens & almonds
Squeeze in 1/2 lemon's worth of juice & cook until the greens soak up the flavor
Add sea salt & black pepper to taste
Enjoy!


^^^^Click the above pic to enlarge^^^^

Apple Cinnamon Walnut Raisin Oatmeal

Lately I've been eating about 60% raw foods, but this time of year we tend to crave something hot & substantial. Try this on a cold winter morning...


Ingredients:

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup walnuts
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 granny smith apple (cut into small chunks)
1 3/4 cups water
cinnamon


Stovetop:

Heat water until boiling
add oats, walnuts, raisins, apple
turn to low-medium heat for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently
add cinnamon to taste

*The raisins & granny smith apple add plenty of sweetness, eliminating the need for brown sugar. A little rice milk can be added if you prefer. Enjoy!

Recipe

Peace peace - here's a homemade salsa & guacamole recipe to start the week!


Ingredients:

Roma tomatoes
Red onion
Avacados
Cilantro
Lime
Sea Salt
Jalapeno Pepper (not in the pic)
2 mixing bowls


Salsa:

Dice 6 tomatoes
Dice 1/4 to 1/2 of the red onion
chop cilantro (about a half cup or so)
finely chop 1 jalapeno pepper
combine in mixing bowl
add sea salt to taste
squeeze in a 1/2 lime's worth of juice & mix everything together
adjust levels if desired

*remember when it comes to the jalapeno that you can always add more, but you can't take any out.


Guacamole:

Mash avacados until creamy
stir in a couple big spoonfuls of the salsa
squeeze in a lime's worth of juice
sea salt is optional

if there's any leftover lime, add it to a glass of water :)

These amounts can be scaled down too - sometimes when it's just me, I'll use only 1 tomato & 1 avacado. Enjoy with chips or sliced cucumbers!

It's a Bird, It's a Plane...No It's Soupergirl

Just read an inspiring article in Flavor Magazine titled The Adventures of Soupergirl. Sara Polon started her own business creating healthy, delicious vegan soups with the freshest local ingredients and delivering them to people's homes and offices in Washington DC. Every Monday the Soupergirl website posts which soups will be available the following week. You can place your order online and the soup will be delivered the following week.

Polon said that after reading Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma, she decided to team up with her mother (alias Soupermom) and launch her business. She said, "A lot of people want to eat locally. They want to eat healthfully. But nobody has the time. And we're filling that void." She also added, "Luckily, we live in an area where we have four full seasons. And with each season comes new produce."

Polon shared her recipe for Gingered Sweet Potato Soup in the article.

Yields: 7 cups

2 teaspoons olive oil (as needed)
1 medium leek, white part only, cut in half lengthwise, rinsed well, thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
One 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped (set aside some grated ginger too)
4 cups vegetable broth
Salt to taste
Cilantro for garnish

Heat oil in soup pot over medium-high heat. Add leeks and carrot and cook, stirring until they begin to soften (2-3 minutes). Stir in sweet potatoes and chopped ginger. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until sweet potatoes are soft (about 30 minutes). Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth. If it is too thick, add water. Salt to taste. Before serving, add some grated ginger for extra sharpness. Top with cilantro.