Learning to prepare healthful cuisine is fun and easy!
Okay. You can start off simply! My number one recommendation to anyone wishing to implement healthier food choices is breakfast!
In the beginning, replace your cereal, toast, oatmeal, bagel, eggs or whatever with this: The Green Smoothie! Although there is the word *green* in the title, it doesn't have to taste like your lawn!
If you are new to eating green leafy veggies or any veggies, then start with this recipe. If you are used to eating green salads, vegetables or drinking veggie juices, simply use more leafy greens in your smoothie. *A high speed blender is recommended as you will achieve a much smoother smoothie. But, if you do not have a Vitamix or BlendTech yet...do not fear! A regular old blender works fine! Especially the older models! Say..70's or 80's built! Yeah!
Your Basic Startin' Out Green Smoothie!
16-34 ounces good water (more water = thinner smoothie. I like mine thinner!)
2 small or 1 large banana for sweetness. (Or 1 apple or 1 pear!)
1/2 cup PACKED spinach leaves. (FRESH! Do not use the pre-frozen stuuf. Although you can buy your bags of spinach and then freeze them, that's okay!)
1 tblsp. Flax meal (or flax seed if you have a high speed blender)
Blend it up and drink! Put a couple of ice cubes in there to get it nice and cold and remember...adjust the ingredience to suit your taste and where you are on your green intake. When you are new, use more sweet fruits or less greens then gradually add more greens. Spinach and Romaine are the most beneign in taste, but you can use any green really!
Starting off with this hydrating body fuel, you are guaronteed energy! After you have your smoothie, if you get hungry later on, then have your cereal or toast. But before long, you'll feel how your old breakfast makes you feel and you'll stay away from it! My suggestion? Drink your smoothie. And then if you get hungry before lunchtime, eat some fruit. Any kind! If you are really craving eggs and bacon then eat and avocado. The whole thing if you want. The good fats from the avocado will satiate the protein cravings (also satisfies sugar and other fatty cravings) and yet it will digest and eliminate quickly leaving you feeling satisfied, light and energetic! more energy for other things!
Other smoothie combos? Pear/Parsley (one of my favorites!) Apple/ Spinach; Pineapple/ Romaine; Mango/ Kale....mix it up! There are so many combinations and you can add more green into each smoothie if you like. Pears, apples, romaine, parsley, cilantro, lemon and water blended together will aid in a steady detoxification of your system! Start each morning with a delicious, green smoothie and see how your life changes!
Enjoy!
A Helluva Halva
There are many raw versions of this tasty treat. Here is one!
2 cups raw almonds (*optional: soaked overnight and peeled in the morning.)
1/4 cup raw almonds, unsoaked, ground in coffee grinder
1 1/2 cups raw tahini YUM!
1/4 - 1/2 cup raw honey (to taste) or agave, or dates even!
Beans scraped from 1 vanilla bean or 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch sea salt
In a food processor, process the almonds until fine crumbles, then add everything else and process until nice a dough-y consistency! 1-2 minutes.
Cover the bottom of a casserole dish with a thin layer of almond flour and then press the halva dough into the dish until the dough is evenly about 1/4" thick or so. Cover in wax paper and refrigerate until firm. Cut into rectangles or circles! Refrigerate until ready to eat and Enjoy!
Alternately, you can scoop the halva dough, about a tblsp. at a time and then roll it in the flour, creating a halva donut hole. If you want holes, then skip the baking dish. After the dough is well blended, scoop it, roll it into a ball and then roll the ball in the almond flour to coat. Refrigerate and then eat!
*NOTE* have multiple copies of this recipe on hand if you are serving it to others, they will invariably ask for the recipe!
In the beginning, replace your cereal, toast, oatmeal, bagel, eggs or whatever with this: The Green Smoothie! Although there is the word *green* in the title, it doesn't have to taste like your lawn!
If you are new to eating green leafy veggies or any veggies, then start with this recipe. If you are used to eating green salads, vegetables or drinking veggie juices, simply use more leafy greens in your smoothie. *A high speed blender is recommended as you will achieve a much smoother smoothie. But, if you do not have a Vitamix or BlendTech yet...do not fear! A regular old blender works fine! Especially the older models! Say..70's or 80's built! Yeah!
Your Basic Startin' Out Green Smoothie!
16-34 ounces good water (more water = thinner smoothie. I like mine thinner!)
2 small or 1 large banana for sweetness. (Or 1 apple or 1 pear!)
1/2 cup PACKED spinach leaves. (FRESH! Do not use the pre-frozen stuuf. Although you can buy your bags of spinach and then freeze them, that's okay!)
1 tblsp. Flax meal (or flax seed if you have a high speed blender)
Blend it up and drink! Put a couple of ice cubes in there to get it nice and cold and remember...adjust the ingredience to suit your taste and where you are on your green intake. When you are new, use more sweet fruits or less greens then gradually add more greens. Spinach and Romaine are the most beneign in taste, but you can use any green really!
Starting off with this hydrating body fuel, you are guaronteed energy! After you have your smoothie, if you get hungry later on, then have your cereal or toast. But before long, you'll feel how your old breakfast makes you feel and you'll stay away from it! My suggestion? Drink your smoothie. And then if you get hungry before lunchtime, eat some fruit. Any kind! If you are really craving eggs and bacon then eat and avocado. The whole thing if you want. The good fats from the avocado will satiate the protein cravings (also satisfies sugar and other fatty cravings) and yet it will digest and eliminate quickly leaving you feeling satisfied, light and energetic! more energy for other things!
Other smoothie combos? Pear/Parsley (one of my favorites!) Apple/ Spinach; Pineapple/ Romaine; Mango/ Kale....mix it up! There are so many combinations and you can add more green into each smoothie if you like. Pears, apples, romaine, parsley, cilantro, lemon and water blended together will aid in a steady detoxification of your system! Start each morning with a delicious, green smoothie and see how your life changes!
Enjoy!
A Helluva Halva
There are many raw versions of this tasty treat. Here is one!
2 cups raw almonds (*optional: soaked overnight and peeled in the morning.)
1/4 cup raw almonds, unsoaked, ground in coffee grinder
1 1/2 cups raw tahini YUM!
1/4 - 1/2 cup raw honey (to taste) or agave, or dates even!
Beans scraped from 1 vanilla bean or 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch sea salt
In a food processor, process the almonds until fine crumbles, then add everything else and process until nice a dough-y consistency! 1-2 minutes.
Cover the bottom of a casserole dish with a thin layer of almond flour and then press the halva dough into the dish until the dough is evenly about 1/4" thick or so. Cover in wax paper and refrigerate until firm. Cut into rectangles or circles! Refrigerate until ready to eat and Enjoy!
Alternately, you can scoop the halva dough, about a tblsp. at a time and then roll it in the flour, creating a halva donut hole. If you want holes, then skip the baking dish. After the dough is well blended, scoop it, roll it into a ball and then roll the ball in the almond flour to coat. Refrigerate and then eat!
*NOTE* have multiple copies of this recipe on hand if you are serving it to others, they will invariably ask for the recipe!
Basic Seed Pate
1 1/2 Cups Sunflower Seeds, soaked over night or minimum 2 hours
1 1/2 Cups Pumpkin Seeds, soaked overnight or 2 hour minimum
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup os Organic Tamari or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
Optional:
Parsley, garlic, cilantro, carrots, celery, red bells.....Do it up! The recipe above is the base. Combine your favorite vegetables and herbs either in the big mix above or individually as you serve up your pate. (This way you can change up the flavors each time you eat it!)
This is enough to last you a while, even if you eat it everyday! It will keep for 2 weeks covered well in your refrigerator. (I do not think it will last that long!)
One of my favorite ways to enjoy this pate is cutting a red bell pepper in half, removing the veins and seeds and filling it will a scoop of pate and topping it off with a nice 1/2 avocado! YUM!
1 1/2 Cups Pumpkin Seeds, soaked overnight or 2 hour minimum
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup os Organic Tamari or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
Optional:
Parsley, garlic, cilantro, carrots, celery, red bells.....Do it up! The recipe above is the base. Combine your favorite vegetables and herbs either in the big mix above or individually as you serve up your pate. (This way you can change up the flavors each time you eat it!)
This is enough to last you a while, even if you eat it everyday! It will keep for 2 weeks covered well in your refrigerator. (I do not think it will last that long!)
One of my favorite ways to enjoy this pate is cutting a red bell pepper in half, removing the veins and seeds and filling it will a scoop of pate and topping it off with a nice 1/2 avocado! YUM!
Simply Hearty Kale Salad
1 bunch lacinato kale (or other variety)
1 ripe tomato, diced
red bell pepper, diced
1 avocado
hempseed oil (optional)
juice of 1 lemon
sea salt (optional)
pinch cayenne pepper
nutritional yeast (optional)
Lots of raw food enthusiasts have a salad like this. It is awesome. Clean and stem you kale and then tear it into little shreds. If you are using flax oil, then pour a little on the kale, maybe 1 Tblsp. and begin to massage into the shredded kale. Add the avocado and squish it up REALLY well into the kale. Massage it into the leaves, rub it it good! Your kale will begin to soften up a bit and soak in the oil from the flax and avocado, Then add the lemon juice, pinch of salt and acyenne and if you like the nutritional yeast addition, then add it to your liking. Mabye a Tblsp. or more! Mix it in very well and then enjoy in a beautiful bowl or plate. Even better, use two bowls and enjoy it with someone else.
Filled with living enzymes, proteins, chock full of B vitamins and the most important ingredient love, this salad will nourish the mind, body and spirit.
1 ripe tomato, diced
red bell pepper, diced
1 avocado
hempseed oil (optional)
juice of 1 lemon
sea salt (optional)
pinch cayenne pepper
nutritional yeast (optional)
Lots of raw food enthusiasts have a salad like this. It is awesome. Clean and stem you kale and then tear it into little shreds. If you are using flax oil, then pour a little on the kale, maybe 1 Tblsp. and begin to massage into the shredded kale. Add the avocado and squish it up REALLY well into the kale. Massage it into the leaves, rub it it good! Your kale will begin to soften up a bit and soak in the oil from the flax and avocado, Then add the lemon juice, pinch of salt and acyenne and if you like the nutritional yeast addition, then add it to your liking. Mabye a Tblsp. or more! Mix it in very well and then enjoy in a beautiful bowl or plate. Even better, use two bowls and enjoy it with someone else.
Filled with living enzymes, proteins, chock full of B vitamins and the most important ingredient love, this salad will nourish the mind, body and spirit.
(N)ice Cream
Ice cream that truly does a body good! (Not milk based!!!) I will save the dairy newsletter for another time. (coming VERY soon!) Let's get back to this quickie newsletter that containes a quickie recipe!
-Freeze 3-4 very ripe bananas over night or for a good long while!-Place frozen bananas in a food processor and process until they look like soft serve. (maybe 2 minutes)
-Optional: add the seeds from 1 vanilla bean pod to the processing. (just slice the bean open length-wise and use the dull edge of a knife to scrape them out)
-Scoop it up and serve it up!
*Quick Fudge Sauce*
-1/2 cup of maple syrup or agave or honey (agave if diabetic)
-1/2 cup of raw cacao (check out Whole Foods or local health food store.)
-1/3 cup of organic raisins soaked in just a bit of water for about 20 minutes
-Pinch Celtic sea salt.
-Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean pod or 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract.
-Blend it up in a high speed blender, regular blender or food processor until smooth. The high speed blender will get it perfectly smooth, the others will do allright.
-Drizzle over your banana soft serve and top with raw walnuts. Oh Boy is right!! You can eat this for dinner and feel great about yourself afterwards!
In Peace,
Kirsten
-Freeze 3-4 very ripe bananas over night or for a good long while!-Place frozen bananas in a food processor and process until they look like soft serve. (maybe 2 minutes)
-Optional: add the seeds from 1 vanilla bean pod to the processing. (just slice the bean open length-wise and use the dull edge of a knife to scrape them out)
-Scoop it up and serve it up!
*Quick Fudge Sauce*
-1/2 cup of maple syrup or agave or honey (agave if diabetic)
-1/2 cup of raw cacao (check out Whole Foods or local health food store.)
-1/3 cup of organic raisins soaked in just a bit of water for about 20 minutes
-Pinch Celtic sea salt.
-Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean pod or 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract.
-Blend it up in a high speed blender, regular blender or food processor until smooth. The high speed blender will get it perfectly smooth, the others will do allright.
-Drizzle over your banana soft serve and top with raw walnuts. Oh Boy is right!! You can eat this for dinner and feel great about yourself afterwards!
In Peace,
Kirsten
Great Middle Eastern-ish Salad Dressing
1/3 cup raw tahini
1/4 cup flaxseed oil (coldpressed)
1/4 cup olive oil (coldpressed)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup Tamari or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1 garlic clove (optional)
Blend it all up and add it to salad or dip veggies into it. YUM!
1/4 cup flaxseed oil (coldpressed)
1/4 cup olive oil (coldpressed)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup Tamari or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1 garlic clove (optional)
Blend it all up and add it to salad or dip veggies into it. YUM!