Ani's Raw Food Essentials!

Last week while checking out book's at Half Price Bookstore..I spied Ani's new book on their new release shelf.  I was thrilled to see a her book available there.  This is the first raw food book I have found at this bookstore.

Ani has done it again!!

Her recipes are uncomplicated and always bursting with flavor.

This book is a raw fooder's essential book.  If you are new to raw foods this book will fill you in on all the necessary info to get you started.  It even has recipes for Nontoxic cleansers.

Pictured above is Ani's RED PEPPER HUMMUS (BEAN-FREE)

I love hummus...but me and beans have issues...this no bean hummus is extremely flavorful, with a perfect texture for a spread or as a dip.  I opted for an orange pepper rather than red.

Inspired by Ani's un-cookbook I purchased some collards and made my first collard roll ups.

I just filled mine with what I had on hand....Avocado, red bell pepper, tomato, sprouts, Bragg's Liquid Amino's and dulse granules.

One of Ani's recipes stuffs them with her recipe for Avocado-Pistachio Pesto..mushrooms and some other yummy eats.

I was surprised at how mild the collards are and they held my wrap together very well.  I was quite satisfied after eating one of these.  My son enjoyed the other one.

I need a little more practice rolling these babies up.
I believe I started at the wrong end?

Mommy Menu's E-Book

I had the privledge of being a contributor to Samantha's Gibbs new e-book titled, " Mommy Menu's.  Samantha is a mommy blogger.  She is the founder of Color Wheel Meals , she teaches classes and has a Green Smoothie Challenge that you can get involved in on Facebook.
Samantha truly believes that the best nutrition is one that is based on unprocessed whole foods. She currently feeds her family a high raw diet that contains mostly of uncooked fruits and veggies. She is passionate about sharing her story and helping other families learn how to eat unprocessed in a processed world. She founded Color Wheel Meals on these principles and hopes to extend her passion for healthy food to others.


Samantha decided to reach out and contact other Mommy Bloggers that wrote blogs based on feeding their children healthy, fresh foods. She asked them if they would like to work together and compile some great recipes and menus that would be valuable to others. She also wanted them to tell their "story" or how they went from eating unhealthy to a more nutritionally balanced diet.  She ended up with 12 Moms who wanted to be a part of the project.


Each mom submitted their blog/website information, a detailed Bio about themselves, and a recipe for a Breakfast, Lunch, Snack, Dinner, Dessert, and Drink. They also provided pictures of some of their creations. The result is an amazing and inspirational E-book.
Samantha would love for you to receive this valuable Ebook so it is priced at only $12-this is less than a fast food meal for a family of four-these recipes may change your families life and health forever!

Here is the link to purchase this E-book through Paypal, please contact Samantha with any questions at ColorWheelMeals@Gmail.com

Please give up to 24 hours to receive the PDF file and please make sure that Paypal has your correct email address...if not please leave a note with your payment as to where you want it sent!

Thank you for your continued support!


I love this E-book and not because I am a part of it.  It has many mommy bloggers that I was not even aware existed.  There are so many wonderful recipes in this book.  If you are looking for a new and healthy way to feed your children, this is a great book to get you started....and if you are a seasoned raw fooder, you probably have all the ingredients on hand and will enjoy making and feeding these recipes to your family.  Most of them are extremely easy to prepare and you can mix and match up each bloggers recipes to fit your family and schedule.
You will also enjoy reading about each of these women's journey to a healthy lifestyle .  You may even be able to identify with their stories!


Samantha also has all 3 of her E-books in a bundle with the special price of $28
Here is the link to purchase all 3-books!


**I make no proceeds from the sale of any of these books..........
   But I am honored to be counted among the contributors.

The Wild Cow Restaurant, The Silly Goose Restaurant, Kristen's Raw Cinnamon Banana Bread Square's, Salad Recipes & The Grand Ole Opry Hotel

This past weekend my children and I drove to Nashville Tennessee to visit with my daughter and her hubs.  We visited the Grand Ole Opry Hotel.  They have 3 conservatory's (garden areas) which were beautiful!

The picture above is from one of them. The Hotel is huge and we got a good walk in after our lunch at The Wild Cow Vegetarian Restaurant!!  This place is sooo good!  They post part of their menu  each day on their site.  You can also get an all raw meal if you like. They have raw desserts and you can special order raw cakes or other dessert to take home.

Here is the ABOUT section for The Wild Cow:

 The Wild Cow serves vegetarian & vegan fare in a fun, casual environment in the heart of East Nashville.

We opened the Wild Cow to provide delicious, cruelty-free, healthy food to the people of Middle Tennessee. We will never support the inhumane and environmentally destructive factory farm system that dominates our agricultural economy, nor will we support corporations like Coke and Pepsi that thrive off of our addiction to sugar and artificial “food”. Nearly all of our food is purchased in it’s whole form, meaning we make almost all of our own sauces, dressings, soup stocks, etc. This means that we can name every ingredient in the food we serve!
It is our goal to bring people together for the love of good food in a fun & relaxed environment, while supporting our community and organizations that promote our philosophies.
We have a rotating charity of the month. January’s charity is Haleigh’s Haven, a local dog rescue & awareness group. For every dinner special we sell in January, we’ll donate $1 to them.

Right around the corner from The Wild Cow is The Silly Goose.  They are not vegan but it appears as if they have vegan/vegetarian options. They search for and buy local, organic, sustainably produced, minimally manipulated food.

*******************************************************************************
       What to do with Almond Pulp???
My family drinks almond milk daily so we always have almond pulp leftover.  Most of the time I just place it in a glass jar, then stick it in the freezer~adding to it until it is filled.  When I have several jars, I thaw them out and place the pulp into the dehydrator and dry it, then blend it in my Vita-Mix and I have almond flour.  Sometimes I thaw the almond pulp and make almond cheese ....But Kristen's got a great recipe that I will be using , and playing with in the days to come.....
        Kristen's Raw~Cinnamon Banana Bread Squares
Kristen's recipe is sooo simple and these squares are so yummy!  Next time I will be making a couple of batches.  I added broken raw pecan pieces to mine before dehydrating. You can follow the link above for Kristen's recipe.  You could also layer 2-4 circles of this bread and make a cashew frosting  for each layer to have a nice layered cake!!!  I had my cashews ready to do this, and when I was pushing my plunger into the Vita-Mix I pushed too hard and shaved off the bottom of the plunger....therefore I had plastic shavings in my frosting....oh well...next time..

Thanks Kristen for the great recipe!!

NO GRAIN TABBOULEH

2 bunches of parsley~chopped fine

1 c. hemp seeds

1/2 c. chopped mint or 8 tsp dried

1 bunch of green onions diced

1/4-1/2 t. black pepper

1/2 t. cumin

2 tomatoes chopped

2/3 c. lemon juice or lime juice

2/3 c. extra virgin olive oil

1 large or 2 med cucumbers seeded and diced

Cheezy Kale Salad

2 bunches of Kale de-stemmed and torn

add:

Cheezy Tahini Dressing~

blend together & pour over kale and massage

tahini

lemon juice

Bragg's liquid Amino's

1/2 c. of Nutritional Yeast

water to thin if necessary

You could also warm this up in the dehydrator

Layered Salad

in a 9 X 13 dish layer

Mixed baby greens or greens of choice

1 c. chopped celery

1 bunch of green onion chopped

1 bag of frozen peas

1/2-1 c. of raw walnuts broken up

I like to add 1 red/yellow or orange bell pepper chopped but didn't have one

Cheezy Mustard Dressing

1 small jar of Vegenaise

1/4-1/2 c. nutritional yeast

1/4-1/2 t. dried mustard

1-2 T. lemon or lime juice

water to thin

blend  and store in fridge..this will make more than you need for this salad

If you look closely,  you can still see the frost on the peas...this will not hurt the salad. I never wait until they are thawed to place on the salad.

My kids love frozen peas.

When my children were just toddler's I was visiting a new friend from church....she had two little girls.  We were there for lunch and she placed a handful of frozen peas on her kids plates and I thought, "Wow! I cannot believe she is giving her kids frozen peas!"  Well my kids loved them, and have been eating them ever since.  When they are frozen, they have a creamy, ice cream consistency.  They liked them so well, I tried frozen corn on them too...and they loved it.  You don't have to wait for them to thaw!! Go ahead and grab a handful of frozen peas and try them for yourself!  Let me know what you think.

Here is another picture from The Grand Ole Opry Hotel

Smoothies, Dandy Blend, Miso Soup & something Sweet

My young daughter is getting into creating her own smoothies~

today's smoothie

1 c. almond milk

banana

strawberries

1 squirt of vanilla creme stevia by Sweet Leaf

I'm a green monster smoothie girl~

coconut water

banana

kiwi

oranges

strawberries

carrot powder

beet powder

vanilla creme stevia

ice

I received my Dandy Blend today.  I put together a group buy to save on the shipping.  Dandy Blend is a delicious coffee substitute.  Of all the grain beverages out their this is the best tasting in my opinion.  You can make  Dandy Blend (faux coffee) Smoothie

1 to 1 1/2 c. almond milk

1 banana

1 T. Dandy Blend

1 T. chia seeds

1 t. maca

1 squirt of vanilla stevia

handful of ice

blend & enjoy

iherb has great prices on Dandy Blend!!! use the coupon code CUL059 to get $5 off.  iherb is a great place to order many ittems...check out their products!...and don't forget to use the coupon code above!!

check out the Benefits of Dandelion  

Dandy Blend details~

Refreshing Cold, Delicious Hot

Gluten Free
100% Caffeine Free
No Acidity
No Bitterness
454 Cups
All The Goodness of Dandelion In An Instant!
The Easiest Way to Get Dandelion in Your Diet
Rich, smooth full-bodied coffee flavor, but no caffeine, acidity or bitterness.
No additives or preservatives. Nothing artificial.
Totally water-soluble extracts of three roasted roots and two roasted grains. Nothing else.
No gluten. All gluten from barley and rye is eliminated in the extraction process.
Sweetness comes from fructose that occurs naturally in roasted dandelion and chicory roots.
No pesticides
630 mg dandelion/chicory extract per cup
Going from coffee to Dandy Blend is easy - there are no withdrawal symptoms.
May be suitable for people with diabetes. Ask your doctor.

Dandy Bland is so versatile that, depending on how much powder you use, it can be everything from a pleasant, nutty roasted tea to a rich, strong espresso. It also is the easiest way to get the benefits of dandelion root into your diet. Add one spoonful in a cup of hot or cold liquid, stir, and it is ready to drink. It makes a particularly good iced coffee for use in warm weather.



1 level tsp per 8 oz = tea-like beverage

1 rounded tsp per 8 oz = rich, full bodied coffee

1 heaping tsp to 1 tablespoon for an espresso strength beverage.

Coconut Pecan Bites

1 c. hemp seeds

3 C. unsweetened coconut

1/2 c. raw honey

1/2 c. raw agave

mix together and press into 9 x 13 pan

1 c. raw pecan ground lightly in vita mix

sprinkle over mixture and press into it

place in fridge until set

MISO SOUP

12 c. water

1 c. white mellow miso

1 pkg of green onions chopped

1 large pkg of sliced mushrooms (I chopped mine up)

1 strip of Wakame crumbled into soup

1-2 T. Bragg's Liquid Amino's

warm until miso is melted and mushrooms are al dente

Mediterranean Eats~and a confession

Tabbouleh

1 bunch of parsley~chopped fine

1 bunch of cilantro~chopped fine

4 tomatoes~diced

4-6 stalks of celery~diced

4 green onions~chopped

2 c. soaked bulgar or for all raw use hemp seeds

1/3 c. lemon juice

1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 t. cumin

1 T. plus 2 t. dried mint

black pepper to taste

Tonight we enjoyed this Tabbouleh with lemon Tahini dressing (tahini, lemon juice, Bragg's Liquid Aminos and water to thin)..I like to drizzle this dressing over my salad. On the table was garlic hummus and warm pita bread.  My husband's response to our meal tonight, "I cannot believe I am sitting here eating this...and it is Good!"....to which my youngest replied, "After 10 days of eating high raw vegan your taste buds can actually taste REAL food."  :)

My daughter took this picture of a smoothie she made this morning!!

almond milk

banana

apple

cinnamon

vanilla stevia

This was my daughter's dinner~lightly steamed veggies with edamame and garlic hummus & pita bread

Today my vegan son is working on eliminating a cold with lots of carrot juice,  fruit smoothies and some steamed veggies.

After my doctors appointment today
 I made a new acquaintance while standing in front of the freezer section of the health food dept. of our local grocer.  It is always cool to run into people that you can share about a healthy living lifestyle.

While sharing I said that I had been vegan for a few years....but I should have said vegetarian.....my children are always correcting me when I do this....I regularly eat the vinegarette at Chipotle which is not vegan, even though I am not sure what it is that is in it that is not vegan.(if you know..I am curious)..and I have had some raw milk cheese on occassion over the last few years, and some crabmeat a few times...I do not want to be misleading and felt the need to clarify....I do eat a high raw vegan diet with those previous exceptions....

My son is a strict vegan (6 yrs.) and my vegetarian daughter began her journey into veganism Jan 1, 2011 and my (omnivore) husband decided to go vegan Jan 1, along with my daughter!....so to support my family, I have decided to give up the vinegarette...the cheese is easy, besides is smells like wet cow....the only time I had it around the house was 2 maybe 3 times a year for my daughter....so now that she is vegan, it's gone!

So if you're a regular reader or a new one and are wondering...now you know

I hope that my family can be an encouragement to you and yours as you journey to better health through dietary/lifestyle changes.

We have experienced many health benefits and trust that you will to as you make positive changes in your own life.

Blessings

quick note about my broken wrist....well it is not broken anymore...I went to the surgeon today...he has released me to get therapy.... my arm atrophied while being in the cast and I need to get strength and range of motion back.  Cosmetically, my wrist has changed a bit, but it does not affect the mechanics of my potential mobility...so hopefully with some therapy I can get back to normal again.  He could do surgery with the hopes of it looking like my other wrist again...but, I am not too fond of surgical procedures/risks...so I'll just get a pretty bracelet to wear! 

Dreaming of Green Smoothies & Honey Cinnamon Walnuts and Almonds

Yes,  I've been dreaming of green smoothies.....this one has

Coconut water

strawberries

banana

orange

mango

spinach

vanilla stevia

ice

oh yeah~

sometimes I had barleygrass & or wheatgrass powder and spirulina

Honey Cinnamon Walnuts & Almonds

I blogged about these the other day.  I made them for Christmas and they are delicious.

First I soaked walnuts and almonds overnight.  Then I drained and rinsed them a couple times.  I placed the walnuts in a bowl, drizzed cinnamon, honey & agave. (about 1/2 and 1/2 of both sweeteners to avoid the sugar impact of the honey) pinch of Himalyan salt. Mix until well coated.  Placed in the dehydrator set below 115 degrees and dry well. Store in fridge.  I used the leftover sweetened mix for the almonds

Brad's Raw Chip's Review~The King of Kale Chips!!

Many thanks to Brad at Brad's Raw Chips for sending me this package of goodies!  I have reviewed some of his other chips here.

Inlcluded in my box were Nasty Hot Leafy Kale, Naked Vegan Cheese Leafy Kale, Vampire Killer Leafy Kale and Red Bell Pepper Chips.

Vampire Killer~2.5 oz. INGREDIENTS: KALE, RED BELL PEPPER, CASHEWS, SUNFLOWER SEEDS, LEMON JUICE, SCALLIONS, NUTRITIONAL YEAST, GARLIC, HIMALAYAN SEA SALT

These kale chips have a wonderful garlic/scallion flavor that is subtle and delicious.  Vampire Killer are my son's favorite!

Nasty Hot~2.5 oz. INGREDIENTS: KALE, RED BELL PEPPER, CASHEWS, SUNFLOWER SEEDS, LEMON JUICE, JALAPENO PEPPER, NUTRITIONAL YEAST, HIMALAYAN SEA SALT, CAYENNE PEPPER

These are my favorite!!! I love hot and spicy.  They have a nice kick that keeps you wanting more!

Naked Vegan Cheese~2.5 oz. INGREDIENTS: KALE, RED BELL PEPPER, CASHEWS, SUNFLOWER SEEDS, LEMON JUICE, NUTRITIONAL YEAST, HIMALAYAN SEA SALT

I have to say that Brad's Kale Chips are so much better than my own!  I normally make only vegan cheese kale chips and my family love them....but Brad's is the King of Kale Chips in my house now.  All of the flavors are sooo delicious. They are not overpowering, yet very flavorful. The kale is delicate and not too fiber-y.  The stems are even delicate.  He must  use very young kale, because what I am purchasing is tougher...and I am buying organic. 

I wish he sold them in bulk....!!!

Brad is not paying for this review...I am free to say what I like...

 I REALLY LIKE THESE CHIPS AND WISH BRAD GREAT SUCCESS!

(I've posted a picture of an open carton below)

Red Bell Pepper Chips~3.0 oz. INGREDIENTS: SPROUTED BUCKWHEAT GROATS, FLAX SEEDS, CARROTS, RED BELL PEPPER, EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, HIMALAYAN SALT, ONION, GARLIC.

These chips rawk!!! I tried these before and liked them but I have to say this time they have a better flavor.  Not sure if Brad made any changes but the flavor is more intense and the chips are very crunchy!  I could eat these every day.  My son thinks these are the best, so I better have him hide the bag so I don't eat them all!

Here is a link to Brad's website.  Find out where to purchase these raw chips and other flavors....Meet Brad.....He even has a few recipe video's......Brad also does Lifestyle coaching.

Rawdawg Rory's Carrot Cake~Yummo!

Last week Rawdawg Rory posted this recipe on his blog and I had to make it.  It was very easy to make and only took about 30 mins. to put together.  My family loved it.  It actually got better as the days passed.

The only difference between Rawdawg's and mine is that I used blood oranges...mmmmmmmmm

Click here to go to his blog for a demo of how to make the frosting

Carrot Cake ~ Rawdawg Rory's recipe

This batch is for either 1 layer or a small cake! For an approx 2″ high by 8″ round cake, go ahead and repeat this recipe!



1+1/2 cups of almonds
1 cup of rough chopped carrot
1 cup of dates
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
pinch of sea salt



Place the almonds, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in your food processor and grind until you’ve turned them into “flour”. Remove to a bowl. Put your carrots into the processor and grind down finely. Now here’s a tweak option, you can use the carrots as is to make an extremely moist cake or you can place them in cheese cloth or a juice bag and wring them out a bit.. I left mine juicy.

Mix the carrots and flour together in a mixing bowl and divide in half . Place half the carrot/flour mix into the processor and grind with half of the dates, repeat with the leftover ingredients, this step may seem tedious, but it’s to make sure the dates are finley ground down and the finished cake well combined. Now gently press the mix into a greased 8″ spring form pan and allow to set in the fridge for 30 minutes while you make the frosting..

Orange Vanilla Creamy Frosting ~

1+ 1/2 cups of cashews, soaked for an hour to soften (you can sub macadamia nuts if you like
1/2 cup of dates, pitted
juice of 2 oranges
3/4 tsp of the fresh orange peel
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract (or a 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla bean seeds)
pinch of sea salt

Blend everything until smooth and creamy in your blender. If using a standard blender, you can soak the dates in the o.j. before blending to soften them up.

I had a lot of extra frosting leftover and we ate it like pudding!! mmmmmmmm.

Every Recipe of Rawdawg's is delicious....you can get his recipe books on his blog link above.

French Toast~ "The Rave Diet & Lifestyle

Over the holiday's I've been reading several books, watching some informative DVD's and working in the kitchen.  One of my picks is~"The Rave Diet and Lifestyle" &; "Eating"(DVD) by Mike Anderson.  I highly recommend this book  to anyone wanting to educate themselves about nutrition/lifestyle and health.
I'm in the middle of watching, "Mike's Beautiul Life" by M. Anderson and it is great so far....this guy is funny too, which always makes a documentary easier for the children/husband to watch....but even if he didn't have a sense of humor the material presented will knock your socks off and open your eyes to what is going on with our food and government.

My youngest has successfully been vegan now for several days...she says it's not that hard because she is feeling better~  :)
Prior to her decision to going Vegan, she was a lacto-ovo vegetarian...with an occassional indulgence in organic chicken....and very light on the lacto-ovo side.

While reading the Rave Diet book I found several recipes in the back of the book that would make my family very happy.  One of them is French Toast....as you can see these are cooked items.  I did not try it but my kids loved it!

French Toast

In blender:
2 med. bananas
2/3 c. water
2 T maple Syrup
1/8 t. ground cinnamon
place in flat shallow dish and soak bread slices 1 min on ea. side.  cook until lightly browned. top with fruit, fruit preserves or maple syrup
4-6 slices of gluten free bread

I used Earthbalance olive oil spread in the skillet.

check out The Rave Diet & Lifestyle

Banana Coconut Pie ~"Thrive" by Brendan Brazier

I'v been reading ....."Thrive"~the vegan nutrition guide to optimal performance to sports and life by Brendan Brazier.  His book has a 12-week whole foods meal plan, overe 100 wheat-, gluten-, and soy-free recipes.  Included are exerecise-specific recipes for pre-workout snacks, energy gels, sports drinks, and recovery foods.   You may be thinking that this book is only for an athletic person...NOT....this book is for anyone wanting to improve their health/diet and to look and feel better.

I decided to make one of his recipes over the holiday's....it was shockingly delicious!  This dessert could actually be used as a meal replacement, it is so packed full of goodness.

Banana Coconut Pie

Crust: 1 cup fresh or soaked dried dates, 1/2 cup shredded coconut, 1/2 cup ground flaxseed, 1/2 cup hemp protein, 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger, 1 tsp lemon juice

place in food processor until doughlike, remove and spread into pie plate; pack down
Filling: 2 bananas, 1 pear, 1/2 cup shredded coconut, 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, 1/4 cup hemp protein, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger, 1/2 tsp salt

process until creamy and spread out evenly over crust

Topping: 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, 1/4 cup sunflower seeds, 1/4 tsp cinnamon

process by pulsing a few times and spread over pie filling



Enjoy!

 

check out Brendan's book

Happy New Year! Hubby's new goals...

I'm still mentally and physically working through my broken wrist issues....I did manage to get my treadmill moved to a warm location and started using it again.  I am hopeful to establish a new routine of walking and whatever yoga & pilates I can manage....I'm still high raw vegan...but I can feel my body becoming soft with lack of exercise. One day at a time.....

My husband lost track of his goals last year and fell off the wagon...he stayed mostly vegetarian until half way through the year and then started sliding back to his old habits.  His primary reason for going veg last year was to participate in a Biggest Loser contest...but......this year he has a new attitude and reason for becoming vegan.  He has watched some educational video's that have given him a new direction in thought......"Healing Cancer From the Inside Out" and "EATING."..both by Mike Anderson, and "Simply Raw".
His goal this year is for health and his desire not to support the forces that are destroying our land and people.
He just started a couple days ago and I can already see the whites of his eyes clearing and he feels more energetic.
I  prepared several smoothies and a large mixed green salad with rice, black beans, corn salsa & pico for his time away from home.  He also carries fresh fruit, raw trail mix and granola.  He does not eat all of the items he takes, but he has them available and they provide variety.  For sucess, it is best to be prepared.
When he arrived home from work today I had  almond cheese and a veggie plate (cukes, grape tomatoes, green pepper) on the table.  For his dinner I made brown rice, onion, broccoli and topped it with Daiya Cheddar Cheese vegan) and paprika.  This was very filling and the brown rice thing reminded me of the Broccoli Rice casserole I used to make...but this one was much better and better for you....no creamed soups/dairy.
His smoothies today had:
water
banana
pineapple
granny smith apples
blueberries
carrots
handful of almonds
Garden of Life Superseed powder
Nutribiotic Vegan Vanilla Rice Protein Powder
this batch made about 12 cups....these smoothies are filling and stick with you....my husband likes them...not me...I like a more simple green smoothie.  He drank a little half of it today and will finish it off tomorrow.

I am still waiting on my reader to download my pics onto the blog.....then I'll post more recipes...
BTW~ Rawdawg Rory's Raw Carrot cake is the bomb!!