Vegan Egg Nog [Veg Nog]? Yes Please! [Daniel Fast Approved Recipe]

If you did not know, I am not originally from the USA.  For that reason eggnog [or egg nog ;)] had never sounded attractive to me.  I never wanted to drink something with raw eggs in it.  Now, I  do know that the eggnog sold as the store is not really raw, but the whole idea of drinking an egg left my mind a little traumatized.  

I did taste eggnog on a couple of occasions but it did not stick with me.  No fascination whatsoever!  After changing my diet to vegan I had been delivered from the possibility of that ever happening at all. 

Interestingly enough during Christmas season as I was scrolling through some foodie blogs and saw an eggnog or two and decided to give it a whirl and try to create something similar, but better.  {Considering that I did not like eggnog it would be easy to do;).}

So, last night, on the way back from the gym I stopped by the grocery store to get my ingredients [unfortunately I had still forgotten one ;( --nutmeg].

This morning, right after brushing my teeth, I headed off to the kitchen to whip up my breakfast.  I made green smoothies for my hubby, who decided to go on yet another 3-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse [more about that in the next post], and magic happened!  I made my version of eggnog... but enough with the egg part, let's call it vegnog [veg nog].  Sounds awesome?  [SIDENOTE: I thought it did and that I was totally original until I just now googled my new cool term... *sigh* My bubble is burst!  I am not as original as I thought ;( .]

It was good... good enough for me to want to share it with all of you, so I had to make it again, to get all of my measurements down. 

Here it is, enjoy it!  And, by the way, this recipe is Daniel Fast approved too!

Elena's Veg Nog

Ingredients
try to use all organic ingredients if possible

• 2 frozen banans
• 1 ripe avocado
• 3 clementines
• 1-1.5 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2.5 cups coconut milk [I used SO DELICIOUS brand]
• 2 tbsp raw honey [you can use maple or agave syrup instead]
• sprinkle of sea salt [about 1/8 tsp or less]
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg, or to taste [as I mentioned I forgot to buy nutmeg but I wish I had it!]
• 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

 Garnish

• 1-2 tbsp chocolate shavings [vegan, of course ;)  I used my favorite Black & Green brand 70% chocolate]

Preparation

• Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.  Do not overblend, not to defrost the bananas completely.
• Sprinkle chocolate shavings on top and enjoy!

The Veg Nog was super delicious! I think I even slurped when I drank it though a straw, once I got to the bottom of my glass.

_______________________________________

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Raw Vegan Week Challenge: Day 2 {Water Kefir and How to Make It}

If you read yesterday's post you know that my hubby decided to go totally raw {vegan} for this week and asked me join him.  I wholeheartedly agreed, except I did not promise to be 100% raw, but about 90%.  It's not because I am not capable of it, but it was not in my plans.  So, yesterday I did all raw, except for a portion of my dinner, which was whole wheat pasta with beans, served with a great raw salad. 

Water Kefir and Kombucha Tea

Today I started my day off with a glass of maqui berry water kefir mixed with kombucha tea.  I made the drink myself, and it was to live for!  My hubby, who previously would not drink my kombucha, gobbled it up and asked for seconds... and thirds :)

[If you are not familiar with the benefits of fermented drinks and foods, I would suggest that you read a couple of articles I had previously written on the subject: Benefits of Fermented Food, and How to Make Your Own Raw Fermented Food; How to Make Raw Fermented Vegetables at Home and Kombucha Tea.]

It is not a secret that fermented foods/drinks offer a great source of good bacteria, which is much needed in our currently antibiotic driven world.  The media and even your doctors would have you believe that fermented dairy products, such as yogurt and kefir, are the only sources of probiotics [that is if your doctor even knows what probiotics are ;)].  I am not disregarding the fact that there is some beneficial bacteria in those products completely, because there is.  However, dairy is very harmful to your body and in the end the little good that it brings into your body will do more harm. [To find out more about the dangers of animal products, please consider reading The China Study by T. Colin Campbell.]  And what is a person who lives a vegan lifestyle to do as a better, healthier alternative to fermented dairy foods?  There are a few options: 1. Ferment your own raw vegan veggies at home--the process only involves shredding veggies, adding specific seasonings, stuffing ingredients into a jar and waiting about 4-6 days; 2. Making (or buying) Kombucha Tea  which will take 14-30 days, depending on the strength you desire your tea to be and 3. Making Water Kefir, which can take as little as 3 days.

All three are wonderful options.  Fermented Veggies can be eaten by themselves or added to salads and drinks can be enjoyed any time of day.  All have their place in a daily/weekly diet, but some take less time to make.  Water Kefir is a sure answer to a person with a busy schedule or with little patience ;).  I prefer to have both kombucha and water kefir available at all times and drink them interchangeably.  I add them to my green smoothies, I drink them plain, I flavor them, or even mix the two together.

What is Water Kefir and How to Make It 

So, what is Water Kefir?  It is a mixture of Water and Simple Sugar fermented by adding Water Kefir Grains to the mix.  The grains are nothing more than simple bacteria that loves sugar and grows on it.  The simplest recipe, once you have your kefir grains, is water and sugar, mixed in a glass container, with the addition of kefir grains.  The container must be covered with a breathable cover [I use paper towel and a rubber band] and placed in a warm place to allow kefir grains feed and grow on sugar.  Within 3-6 days, while bacteria is thriving on sugar, it produces gas, which creates soda-like effect in water [little bubbles and all].

Water kefir can be taken as is, or, if you want to make it fun and attractive to adults and kiddos alike, consider bottling it, adding various flavors, such as maqui berry powder, spirulina, berry juices. etc., and leaving it in a fridge for an additional couple of days.  You will be surprised the taste you get once you open your bottles, and the drinks will be soda-pop like [they will taste as if they were carbonated].  Super good!

You can also make coconut milk kefir with water grains!  Totally fun and amazing food.

I take it a step further with my water kefir.  I mix it with kombucha tea [1:1 ratio], which I make myself with green tea, [once tea has fermented (I like mine on a stronger side)].  I then add different flavors to it: today it was maqui berry powder and blue green algae [separate drinks].  I bottle the drinks and refrigerate them.  Ever since I started making kombucha/kefir this way I haven't been able to keep my hubby away from it!  It's a win/win for me and him.

Where to Buy Water Kefir Grains
All you need is a little starter kit.  Your grains will keep growing every time you feed them sugar [they are like little animals ;)].  The time might come that you might have to give your extra grains away :).

I am sure there are many sources of good quality grains, but I can only speak for the one that I used to get my  grains: meet the Kefir Lady of Real Kefir Grains. I spent only $20 on my starter grains, over 8 months ago, and have been drinking water kefir since.

If you decide to get kefir grains and try your hand at making your own water kefir, plain of flavored, let me know what you think of it and what recipes you come up with that I might want to try.

Raw Vegan Food Intake: Day 2
So, it seems that I digressed a little.  I was telling you what I had for breakfast today, which was maqui berry kefir+kombucha drink.  My hubby had a green smoothie for breakfast.  We snacked on fruit.

For lunch I made a delectable Cilantro & Spinach Salad using my new lovely salad spinner

• 3 large handfuls spinach, chopped
• 1 handful cilantro, chopped
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1 cup artichoke hearts [marinated]
• 1 ripe avocado, cubed
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds

For dressing mix:

• 1 tbsp Veganaiese
• 1 tbsp Better than Sour Cream
• 2-3 tbsp water
• salt to taste
• favorite seasoning

Pour over salad and enjoy!

Our dinner has not yet been planned, but I am already looking forward to having it :)

Have a fantastically healthful day!

Mango Peach Smoothie {Vegan} on a Hot Summer Day

While I was wediting [a photographer's way to say editing a wedding ;)], I had a craving for a smooth, cool, sweet drink.  In a minute I whipped up a delicious smoothie that I absolutely must share with you.  It does not only taste good, but it is great for you!  Loaded with enzymes, minerals and vitamins it will satisfy you and help you achieve better health at the same time. 

Mango Peach Smoothie
serves 3-4 people

Ingredients

• 1.5-2 cups filtered water
• 2 ripe oranges, peeled and seeded
• 2 ripe peaches, pitted
• 1 large ripe mango, pitted [I peeled skin as well]
• 2 tbs raw honey

1. Blend until smooth
2. add 2 cups ice and crush in a blender

Enjoy!

Raw Food Vegan Recipes: Day 7 of Raw Eatings The FINALE!

So, the final day of 100% Raw Food Intake [diet] has come and gone! IT IS FINISHED!

We had FUN being all raw. My creativity in the kitchen was taken to a whole new level. My sister, who is goind 30 days raw, was super excited when we joined her--she did not have to think about making her meals as hard, since I made over 90% of them. Last night, Day 6 of the Raw Food week, she expressed her regret over us hopping off the raw train-she was bummed! No more ready to eat meals! [although who knows about that ;)]

Does this mean that Demetrye and I will no longer eat raw? Not at all! In fact 70-80% of our diet is raw on a regular basis. So, we will still be drinking our green and fruit smoothies, eating lovely salads, making raw soups, but we will now also eat cooked beans, hot soups, and some bread. So, it is not a huge change.

Morning Smoothie

Strawberry Pear Smoothie

~3 cups water

~1 large ripe pear

~3 bananas

~2-3 quarts strawberries

~1 tbs honey for sweetness [or use less water]

Early Morning Snack

You might have guessed it--it was Okroshka. So, so GOOD and just enough to keep me going.

We finished off the last day with more Okroshka [for lunch] and I made a

huge green salad for dinner:

~Spinach

~Bell pepper

~Cucumber

~Tomato

~Green onion

~1 tbs toasted sesame seed oil

~1 tbs balsamic vinegar

~Salt and seasoning

Looking back now, the 7 days seem to have flown by. We did great—one day at time. The part we enjoyed the most about being all raw is feeling lighter physically, shedding a couple of pounds, being more focused mentally, and being more open spiritually—a good raw diet can comprise a great basis for a fast.

As of today we are going back to adding some cooked foods to our diet, but we will still be eating about 70+% of our diet raw. I WILL indulge in some whole wheat homemade bread today, that much I know for sure :) and I will whip up a couple of warm dishes, and a hot bowl of vegan soup.

So, dear reader, have you followed all or a part of this raw week with us? How have you done?

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s post—I feel a giveaway coming on :) [must be all that raw food we had that makes me feel this way!]

Raw Food Vegan Recipes {Raw Desserts}: Day 5 of Raw Eatings

I  woke up with no sense of hunger at all. It took me a couple of hours to get there, which put me in a very exploratory and creative mood... for desserts :) [lucky for you].

I snacked on less than a cup of what was left over from Borsh and then went on a scavenge hunt through our fridge. I had plant to make a soup or salad and raw desserts.

A while back I found a way to recreate one of my all time favorite dishes--Okroshka--a traditional Russian cold soup, loved by everyone, especially during hot summer days. Between my sister and I we could probably eat a couple of gallons worth of it barely stopping for a break. However, the "veganized" recipe still had cooked ingredients... so this morning I did not only make a vegan, but also a RAW version of it.

Speaking of my sister... let me digress for a second, I think it is time I introduced her to you [although I do have more than one, but this one is a trooper--she went vegan over a year and a half ago, helped her body heal and now she is doing a 30 day raw challenge]... So, without further ado, meet Marina--the gorgeous lady on the left. Can you see how she is glowing?! ;)

Raw Okroshka [Cold Soup/Salad]
feeds 4

Ingredients

Part I-Hemp Milk

~4 cups water

~1 cup hemp seeds

~3/4 tbs honey

~1/4 tsp Himalayan salt

Blend in a high speed blender until seeds are completely ground--milk will look white.

Part II

~1/2 red bell pepper

~1/2 yellow bell pepper

~1 cucumber

~2 bunches of radishes

~2 springs of green onion, chopped
~1 avocado cut into small cubes

~1 3/4 tsp Himalayan salt [or to taste]

~5 tbs apple cider vinegar

~1 tbs balsamic vinegar

~1 tbs dried dill [if you have fresh-it will be the best to use, then use 2+ tbs chopped dill]

~juice of 1/2 lemon

~1 tbs Veganaise [totally optional and not necessary for perfection... I used it out of habit]

Preparation

~pour milk into a bowl, adding the rest of the ingredients to it, starting with salt, lemon juice, Veganaise and vinegars--whip until Veganise is blended in [if you decide to use it]

~chop peppers into tiny squares, or you can do what I do and grate them in a food processor--quick and lovely

~shred cucumber into small pieces [I used my Mandoline slicer on the finest setting, and at other times I simply grate it in a food processor]

~shred radishes with a grader or a food processor [my choice for speed]

~chop green onions
~cut avocado into small cubes

~mix all ingredient together and let marinate in a refrigirator for at least 30 mins.

~Enjoy!

Now for that Yummy, raw vegan dessert...

Strawberry Pudding
4 servings

Ingredients

~2 cups water 

~1 cup chia seeds

~2 cups strawberries

~3 tbs raw honey

~zest of 1/2 lemon

~1/8 tsp Himalayan salt

~4 strawberry  and 4 mint leafs for garnish

Preparation

~soak chia seeds in water for 20 mins, occasionally stirring-you will end up with a very gelatinous substance

~pour into a high speed blender [and you will need one for sure to ensure you end up with a SMOOTH, seedless pudding!--I used Vitamix 5200 for this task]

~add remaining ingredients [except for garnish]

~blend until smooth and seeds are disintegrated [you might have to use Vitamix's temper to push ingredients down in the beginning]

~you should end up with creamy pudding

~pour into serving dishes, garnish with sliced strawberry and mint leaf

~chill in the fridge for at least 30 mins

~and of course... Enjoy!

Mango Strawberry Smoothie

~2 cups water

~1 mango

~1 banana

~3 cups strawberries

~honey or dates for sweetness, if needed

Tonight we will end with a scrumptious green salad [see yesterday's post for the recipe]. 

I also made a SUPER delicious RAW VEGAN Cheesecake... however, I decided not to provide the recipe here.  I feel very special and very attached to it... :) I am going to feature it in my first ever e-cookbook [whenever I am ready to publish it]  and I thought that if I am going to give it away it will have to be in a very special way... SO, I will give my readers a choice to VOTE on a couple of options so I can decide how to do it: 

Option #1

I will have a Giveaway of the recipe  with ONE winner [I would run a special post for it]

OR

Option #2

I will have a Giveaway of the recipe with TWO winners [I would run a special post for it]

So, drop a note under this post and let me know what you think I should do.  Majority WINS!

Happy Raw Eatings!

Raw Food Vegan Recipes: Day 3 and 4 of Raw Eatings

My desire for food has diminished of the last couple of days.  It is not gone by any means, but I am just not ravenous hungry. Last night, however, I had a craving for bread... but that went away since.

Morning of Day 2 I started off by eating half of medium size Galia melon, later followed by a pear.

For LUNCH I made Raw Taco Soup, although this time I used 4 tomatoes, added 1/4 green bell pepper and reduced water to 2 cups to make it thicker. It was filling!

By about 4 pm I finally down the extra Banana Pear Green Smoothie I made yesterday.

Dinner

Dinner was more eventful.  I whipped up two batches of Raw Borsh, and my husband asked for a crunchy salad, so I made him one of those too.

Raw Borsh [Soup]
Feeds 4

 Ingredients
Part I
~4 cups warm water
~2 large stalks celery
~3 cups white or red cabbage
~3 tbs white onion
~1-2 garlic cloves
~5 tbs apple cider vinegar
~1 tbs balsamic vinegar
~1/2 bell pepper [any color, but I used red]
~3 tbs [or about 4-5 springs] parsley
~2 medium carrots
~3 cups [2 smaller size] beets
~1 small-medium avocado
~1/2 cup cashews
~1 tsp Kirkland organic seasoning
~1.5 tsp Himalayan salt [or to taste]
~black or white pepper to taste

Part II

~1 cucumber, shredded
~1 cup shredded cabbage
~1 cup green peas
~2 tbs chopped dill
~2 Roma tomatoes, cubed

Preparation

~Blend all Part I ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth (about 60 seconds) [I use Soup setting on Blendtec Total Blender]

~Pour into a bowl and add remaining ingredients; mix together
~Let marinate for 20-30 minutes
~Store in a fridge, if you don't finish the whole portion
~Enjoy!  Life is that simple!

Crunchy Sesame Salad

Ingredients

~5-6 leaves of dark leaf lettuce, torn into eatable pieces, or 3 cups of spinach
~1/2 red or orange pepper sliced into thing long slices
~1 Roma tomato sliced lenghtwise
~1 tbs toasted sesame seed oil
~Himalayan or sea salt to taste
~sprinkle of you favorite seasoning on top

Toss all ingredients together and serve!

Day 4
Morning Smoothie
Ingredients
~3 cups water
~3 springs mint
~1 orange 
~1 mango
~1 banana
~2 tbs dulse
~6 oz dark leafy lettuce
~dates or honey for sweetness, if lacking

I had a great workout and followed it up with 1 glass of mint water kefir [I will blog about that in the future].  After that I made Cabbage salad and more Raw Borsh [borscht, if you will ;)].

Cabbage Salad
~3/4 large cabbage, shredded very thinly
~1 cup yellow corn
~1 cup green peas
~2-3 tbs fresh dill, chopped
~sea or Himalayan salt to taste


Optional
~1 tbs Vegenaise [vegan mayo]


Preparation

~after shredding cabbage add salt and massage it into the cabbage with your hands for 1-2 minutes--this will let the juices out

~add remaining ingredients and let marinate for 10-15 minutes before serving

~Enjoy!

In the afternoon I attended a graduation party for my niece--she is smart, talented and beautiful--the whole package!  We all are so proud of her.  Zarina was a salutatorian of her class [along with a few more students].

On the way to the party I scored myself a whole flat of STRAWBERRIES!  I missed fresh strawberries so much over the last year that I think I might overdose on them :)

At the party I ate a HUGE green salad, which satisfied me until I got home... that is when true OVERdosing on strawberries happened. 

I made a couple of serving of a wonderful, refreshing strawberry smoothie, had Galia melon, some raw borsh, and more strawberries. 

Strawberry Banana Smoothie
~1.5 cups water
~2 quarts strawberries
~4 mint leaves [optional]
~2 tbs honey
~2 bananas

Blend everything until smooth. then add 2 cups of ice and crush on a slower speed.  MMMMMM..... MMMMMMM... so good!

Stay tuned for Day 5 Raw Food intake, as I explored the wonderful world of Raw Desserts [imagine strawberry pudding and strawberry chocolate cheesecake.... YUM!]

Happy Raw Eatings!  Drop me a note and tell me if you had tried any of the recipes yet. 

Green Smoothie Challenge Goes Global

We are now into the THIRD week of the 30-day Green Smoothie Challenge. I am excited about all of the results I am hearing about so far.

 

This morning I received an e-mail from a friend of mine who lives in Georgia. She started to follow the Challenge on her own. Then she started to tell her friends and family about it. Now her Mom and sister, all the way in Liberia [shout out to all of you in Liberia] are trying Green Smoothies AND Fermented Foods! How cool is that?!

 

In the spirit of all the green love we are spreading around, here is a ton of Green Smoothie Recipes for you to enjoy in the next couple of weeks. Anything marked with (*) is optional, but extremely beneficial.

 

Warning: Wheat Grass and Barley Grass may reduce lactation in nursing mothers.

 

SUGGESTION: Use organic ingredients as much as possible for better results.

 

[While you are getting ready to make green smoothies, I am raising a glass of water kefir to your health and to mine!  I will blog about Water Kefir soon ;).]

 

Pineapple Radish Green Smoothie

Serves 4 [about 64 oz]

• 3 cups water
• 1/2 ripe pineapple
• 1 ripe mango
• 2 bananas
• 6-7 oz radish greens [yes, you can eat those too!]
• 1/2 cup goji berries*
• 1/4 cup dulse flakes*
• 3T hemp seeds
• for my 16 oz. I added
• 1T maca powder*
• 2T wheat powder*

Smoothie turned out very sweet and delicious [actually too sweet for me]. No sweeteners [i.e. honey, agave, dates, etc.] were needed.

 

Orange Radish Smoothie

Makes 64 oz

• 3 cups water

• 3 oranges

• 2 bananas

• 1/3 pineapple

• 6 oz radish greens

• 4 tbs hemp seeds*

• ½ cup goji berries*

• 3 tbs cacao nibs*

 

For my personal serving I added

• 1 tbs barley grass powder*

• 1 tbs maca powder*

 

 

Goji Delight

Makes 20 oz

• 1 cup water

• 1 orange, peeled

• 2 dates, pitted

• 3 tbs goji berries

• 1 tbs wheat grass powder

• 3 cups mixed dark greens

Slightly tart, not to sweet, just what I like!

 

 

Simple Greens

makes 14 oz

• 1 orange

• 1 cup water

• 3tbs goji berries

• 1 tbs barley grass powder*

• 2 cups mixed greens

 

Lambquarters Delight

Makes 32 oz.

• 2 cups water

• 1 banana

• 4-5 plums

• 2 handfuls [about 5-6 oz] lambsquarters

• 1 tbs wheat grass powder*

Very light to taste. Refreshing.

 

Bock Choy Plums

Makes 64 oz.

• 3 cups water

• 2 oranges

• 1 banana

• 4 plums

• 6-8 oz bock choy

• 3 tbs hemp seeds

• 3 tbs goji barries*

• 1/4 cup dulse flakes* +

• 4 dates for sweetness, if needed

To my individual drink Added

• 1 tbs wheat grass powder

• 1 tbs maca powder

 

Raspberry Lambsquarters

Makes 36 oz

• 2 cups water

• 2 oranges

• 2 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen

• 4-6 oz lambsquarters

• 8 pitted dates for sweetness, or honey to taste

 

Feel free to substitute the ingredients, as you have them available, and to share it with others. Please come back and let me know if Green Smoothies are making a difference in the way you feel on a daily basis.

REMINDER: If you missed it, I amhosting an Artisana Coconut Chocolate Butter giveaway. Today is the last day to enter!

Nettle (Tea and Benefits)

After recently reading about one of my long lost herbs on Raw Epicurean blog, I reintroduced it into my diet. I drink it now at least once a day. I prepare it by pouring cold or lukewarm water over a couple of teaspoons of nettle and letting it sit anywhere between 30 minutes to overnight. Click on the link to read about all of Nettle’s benefits.

I drink it without any additives—the taste is very mild. However, if you are a beginner and want to cover up this new (to you) taste, then you can drop a spoonful of honey or brown rice syrup or a few drops of vanilla.

(The color on the image is not the best, as it was taken with my cell. It looks much better in real life.)

Enjoy! And drink to your health!

Daniel Fast-Vegan Recipes, Day 3 Recap and Day 4

Day 3 was our “eating our leftovers” day, although I purposefully was making more than enough for the two days before that so our food would last us longer. Today, Day 4, will be no exception—leftovers and green smoothies.

So, for us it was: yams, borsch, and green smoothies. Today it will be: green smoothies, fruit, nuts, brown rice mixed with corn and beans.

For Dinner I am planning to make Falafels that I spotted on a blog I follow: BitterSweet Vegan Recipes. The author of the blog is quite a lady--whips up new amazing recipe accompanied by gorgeous images all the time. Thanks, Hannah! [By the way, Hannah has a book published, for those who love to indulge in some vegan dessert, and a few e-books you can find on her site. Although my overall guidelines are much more strict, I find a lot of inspiration on Hannah's blog.]

For now, here is a recipe to the smoothie I whipped up this morning. Enjoy!


Pear Green Smoothie [nourishing recipe]
Makes 2-3 servings2 cups water

• 1 large ripe pear
• 4 plums
• 4 cups beet greens [for protein, iron and chlorophyl, among other wonderful things]
• 1/4 cup dulse [for iodine--great for thyroid health]
• 3 tbs hemp seed [for your protein, Omega 3, 6, and 9]
• 3 tbs maca poweder [iron, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6 and a whole lot of other great things along with a boost of energy]

Blend everything until smooth and enjoy it! It is pleasantly sweet.

Tonight, if I whip up something special, which I am planning to do, I will make sure to take some images so you can actually see what I am talking about [I love recipes with images myself]. So, until then, stay strong and...

LIVE AN UNPROCESSED LIFE!

Raw Chocolate Hemp Milk-Vegan Recipe

Delicious food was on my radar today. I craved CARBS and to satisfy them I whipped up a glass of Raw Chocolate Hemp Milk... but that's in a moment. Before I get there, I will tell you all about my lunch... just because I want to ;).

My knight-in-shining-armor picked me up for lunch and I had overall only 30 minutes to whip something up. It had to be something very quick and easy, and totally vegan, of course. Green Salad was a must, since I have been craving greens lately. But what else? Luckily I had a couple of huge potatoes, peeled and ready to go. So, while I chopped greens, I fired up the stove and got potatoes to cooking.

Green Salad
It was super simple: green leafy lettuce, 4 stems of celery, chopped, 1C of chopped parsley.

For dressing I combined 2T balsamic vinegar, 2T extra virgin olive oil and 3T sesame seeds.

Toss everything together and voila--salad served. If you so desire you can add your favorite spice [I added Kirkland Organic Mix], and a tad of salt.

Potatoes
While my 2 extra large potatoes [chopped] where boiling with a tad of Himalayan salt, I sauteed 1/2 chopped onion in 2-3T extra virgin olive oil.

When potatoes were done, I had mine one-and-only mash them up in a little bit of boiling water [I did not strain potatoes completely], then we poured sauteed onions over potatoes and our lunch was ready!

Simple and simply delicious!

Now I am going to get to that Raw Chocolate Hemp Milk I mentioned.

When I got home from work I was craving carbs and could not seem to find a way to satisfy myself. After cleaning the kitchen a brilliant idea hit my taste buds. As much as I wanted to stay away from bread today, I was craving a slice of home-made toasted bread with a dash of salt on it and something creamy and sweet to contrast it. So... Raw Chocolate Hemp Milk was born.

Raw Chocolate Hemp Milk

Ingredients

• 1/3C raw whole hemp seeds
• 1 1/4C warm water [you can use cold water if you wish]
• 2 tsp raw honey
• dash of salt to balance out the sweetness
• 1 heaping tsp raw cacao

Place all ingredients into a high speed blender and blend for 45-60 sec. If you wish you can strain hemp milk through a nut bag or a piece of cheese cloth, but I did not mind having everything left in my milk--after a minute in the Vita-Mix the seeds get pretty disintegrated and only added to the richness of the milk.

I had not one, but TWO servings of this deliciousness! Maybe one too many, but at least my craving was satisfied.

I toasted my home-made wheat bread on a heated skillet, having spread a tad of olive oil on both sides and salted it with Himalayan Salt. All I can say is YUM!

Hope you can satisfy your cravings with some awesome vegan food as well, when they come, so there is no sense of guilt, as you would have it after a pint of Ben and Jerry's ;).

Have a good night!

This recipe is linked to in

Smoothies are Always Popular

Not all smoothies have to be made with greens! Sometimes, especially when you entertain, it is great to make cold fruit smoothies to quench hunger and indulge one's taste buds.

Three of my teenage nephews are visiting this weekend. We were sitting down for dinner when one of them asked: "Aunt Elena, do you have fruit?" It was so cute, because there was sitting a basket of fruit right in front of him, but he was working his way to something different. "Well, yes, I do," I replied. "Do you still have your blender?" "Oh, but of course, dear." I replied again. "Well," he said almost sheepishly, "can we make smoothies then... after dinner." And smoothies did we make!

So this movie is named in honor of my nephew.

Yanis' Fruit Smoothie

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 4 bananas
• 4 frozen plumbs
• 1 ripe pear
• 2T honey, only if there is not enough sweetness

Blend all ingredients until smooth. If you desire extra thickness, add frozen fruit at the end or add 1 cups of ice at the end.

When the three of them and my hubby got done with the first round, Maxim, my other nephew, wanted MORE, but with less bananas [different people, different tastes]. So we made up another one.

Maxim's Fruit Smoothie

• 1C water
• 1 banana
• 2C raspberries

Blend until raspberry seeds disintegrate, add

• 1 pear
• 4 frozen plums
• 1T honey, if needed

Believe it or not, the second blender-full of the second smoothie is already gone, and now my handsome men are enjoying a movie: "Inkheart".

Have a good night, everyone, and a good week!

Green Smoothie Paradise: Persimmon Smoothie

I had a great workout today. While I was working out at home, Demetrye went off to the gym and had a power work out also. When he got home we thought it was a good time to refuel our muscles and get ready for a holiday detox at the same time [getting a head start is a great plan]. No better way to detox, of course, than with green smoothies, especially for beginners. While enjoying the sweet taste of fruit we can simultaneously enjoy the benefits of chlorophyll and multiple nutrients found in greens.

So, today's special, and super delicious smoothie was:

Persimmon Smoothie [YUM!]

makes 32 oz [3 servings]

[hand model: my husband]

Ingredients:
*2 cups water
*3 ripe persimmons
*3 stems [with leaves] mint
*4 cups [2 large handfuls] kale [I used purple kale]
*2 tbs hemp seed
*2 strands dulse

-Starting with water add greens add all ingredients into a high speed blender, and blend, slowly increasing speed to highest, until completely smooth.

The smoothie is very refreshing and you won't even know it has greens in it, if you are sensitive, or just starting out. So, enjoy it!

Have a stress free, UNPROCESSED Christmas and a New Year!

Let me know how you are planning to detox and shed extra pounds accumulated this holiday season. I am very interested to know.

Thanksgiving Adventures!

Hello, blogosphere! I cannot believe that I had not blogged for almost two weeks. With Thanksgiving and many other things my life has been a whirl-wind. No excuse, but I had learned to take my life easy to maintain peace in my heart.

We had planned a small Thanksgiving dinner with a few family members—we were supposed to have 10 people total, so I was going to cook up a storm… A couple of days before Thanksgiving our guest list swelled up to 31 people, and on the day of the holiday we had 35 people neatly packed between our dining and living rooms. With only three vegans in the house: my husband, my sister and myself, we ended up asking every family to bring a couple of their favorite dishes (just imagine if I had to cook for 35 on Thanksgiving day!)

I ended up making mashed potatoes, an apple and celery salad (variation of what you will find here. Super delicious!); I made apple pies and Raw Alfredo Zucchini Noodles.

Apple and Celery Salad
• 3 large apples, chopped into small pieces, or sliced on a mandolin slicer
• 1 bunch of celery, cut in the same manner
• 2 cups of spinach, thinly sliced or chopped
• 1-2 large cucumber, sliced in a same manner as apples, only larger
• [cucumber can be substituted with a zucchini, or you can use both]
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons honey
• Dash of sea or Himalayan salt
• 1 cup walnut pieces [optional]
• 1-2 ripe avocados mashed up with a fork
Mix all ingredients together—serve immediately or refrigerate.

In the last few days I restarted my green smoothie intake. Today I had a very feeling smoothie for breakfast.

Chard and Banana Smoothie
Makes 3-4 servings
• 3-4 large leaves chard, stem included
• 2 cups water
• 2 large ripe bananas
• 3 tbsp hemp seeds
• 3 plums

Tomorrow I will add a review of an Gluten Free, fantastic new flour I discovered—it is super delicious, super moist and is my new favorite. Stay tuned!

GLUTEN FREE--DAY 7 [CONTINUED], with a DASH OF PERSONAL CARE

The day is far from being over, but I felt like adding another post--I am on vacation and away from home, so I actually have time to blog, while my hubby is napping.

After a work out I made a very nourishing facial mask, and even talked Demetrye into pampering himself with me, although the way he was grimacing you would have thought I was torturing him. He probably did it just to show that guys don't do that, but he did it for me ;) The mask was inspired by a post from another blogger. I made a very slight modification

Facial Mask

• 1 apple (I only had Lady Pink with me)
• zest of 1 lemon (I peeled mine with a knife and let Vita-Mix blender handle the rest)
• 1 tbs honey
• 3 tbs water

I blended everything up in the Vita-Mix, spread some on my face and kept the rest to mix into a green smoothie.

I let the mask settle into my skin (15-20 mins) and then washed it off with a warm washcloth. My skin felt grate and grateful afterward.

With the remainder Demetrye made us a green smoothie. I would call it Facial Mask smoothie, but it would sound a bit too gross, so, I will call it

Nourishing Spinach Smoothie

• 1 apple
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tbs honey
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbs hemp seed
• 1 banana
• 1 big manly handful of spinach
• if you need more sweetness, add dates or honey

The smoothie was great. After it, we kicked back to indulged in one activity that always brings us closer together: reading. I am about get back to doing some more of it.

For dinner, I am contemplating on making either Ploff or Roased Potatoes again, to satisfy Demetrye's craving, along with a large green salad.

Until tomorrow: have an amazing Gluten Free day!

GLUTEN FREE-DAY 5! AND GLUTEN FREE FLOUR

I am still going awesome and strong-had only one momentary temptation so far. Yesterday I was eating one of my favorite soups-Borsch-which I always, always have with bread, when I felt like reaching out and grabbing a slice of freshly home-made, crunchy bread. I didn't, of course!

Yesterday I snacked on walnuts, almonds, raisins. My green smoothie of the day (though I had 2 different ones) was made by my hubby and was quite... well, not as flavorful as I would make it, but it served its purpose. We were painting a room in the house yesterday, so we certainly needed an extra oomph to get toxins out of our systems.

Spirulina Smoothie

• Big bunch of Radish greens
• 2 cups raspberries
• 1-2 cups water
• 2 heaping spoons spirulina
• dates, to taste

I slept like a baby afterward.

While I am going Gluten Free, I was contacted by folks from GrainFree Gourmet and informed of their Almond Flour. I am going to get my sample soon and see if it truly works. I will make sure to post a detailed review here. I was told that it is amazing, so we will see. Stay tuned for that!

Meanwhile, I and my husband are getting out of town for a few days on a mini-vacation. I will be making most of our meals, with his help, so, I am hoping to blog from there a little also.

If you are following me on my GF journey, drop a note and let me know how you are doing.

Till next time: LIVE AN UNPROCESSED LIFE!

GLUTEN FREE--DAY 3!

Morning Food intake of our Third Day of Gluten Free Living:

Orange/Banana Smoothie
4 Servings

• 2 oranges
• 1 banana
• bok choy (8 large leaves--which helped me finish my reserves of bok choy so I can switch to different greens tomorrow)
• 3 tbs hemp seed
• 7 dates
• 2 cups water

Snacks/Lunch

• Leftovers of Foonchyoza with Tomato Salad [super delicious!]
• Teeccino with honey

I am not sure what I will be having for dinner yet, but will update this post as soon I figure it out.

So far I, although it is only day 3, I have noticed an improvement in my overall well-being: I am feeling lighter and I dropped 1 (one) lbs., although I was not trying to.

My husband is also still going strong, although bread is one of his weaknesses. One of my sisters also joined me on this quest and so far I have heard no complaints.

How is your Gluten Free journey going? Drop a Comment and let me know.

GLUTEN FREE-DAY 2!

Food intake today--all totally Gluten Free!

Morning Smoothie
Serves 3-4

• 6 large leaves bock choy
• 2 cups water
• 1 orange
• 1 plum
• 2 bananas
• 3 tbs hemp seed
• 6 dates

Lunch/Snacks

• Large green salad with Cashew Ranch dressing
• Potatoes
• Pumpkin Bisque

Everything was absolutely delicious!

Dinner (we were invited to a birthday party)

• Boiled potatoes
• String Beans with other veggies (steamed)
• Vegetable soup

How is your Day #2 being Gluten Free?

Simple is Great when it comes to Food

I know that I have previously mentioned that lately my life has been crazy busy. With a full-time job, a photography business (a wedding and 4 sessions in a week time, for example), and house renovation underway I feel that I have no time to eat or sleep. One last thing that I would want to worry about, although in any other time I would thoroughly enjoy it, is being creative with food. Anything that might take more than 1-20 minutes is out of the question at this point in my life. But, regardless of my busy schedule, I want to make sure to feel my best, to ward off any problems or illnesses. That is where Raw/Vegan living comes to the rescue. Fortunately eating healthy can be very simple… It is as simple as making a green shake in the morning, grabbing an apple or a banana for a snack, of anything else you can imagine, and heading out the door.

After staying up until almost until midnight last night, laying floors with my hubby, we were totally exhausted this morning. I had no time to prepare anything… literally. We had a choice between herbal tea or a green smoothie for breakfast. Demetrye made the right choice… and I was off to make a green smoothie. Here is what I came up with (it was great and simple too):

Rainbow Chard & Apple Smoothie

Served 2
· 1.5 cup filtered water
· 3 large chard leaves (stem and all ;))
· 2 Fuji apples, cored and quartered
· 2 tablespoons hemp seeds

I threw all ingredients into my Vita Mix, and our breakfast was done in less than 5 minutes!

So, see, folks, there is no excuse not to eat healthy and stay well. I actually get quite tired of hearing people complain of how time consuming eating healthy is. It might be, if you are thinking about gourmet foods, but not if you resort to simplicity and consume foods in near their original state, with little or no processing. What could be easier than grabbing an apple or a banana? You don’t have to slice, dice or sauté. All you will need to do is bite and chew. That is it!

So… no excuses! Ok?!

Until next time: Live an Unprocessed, Simple Life!

Apricot Smoothie: Raw, Organic, Vegan

Summer is one of my favorite seasons for many reasons. One of them, though, is completely for gastronomic reasons—I enjoy foods in the season they are supposed to be the best, the ripest, the most nutritious. So far I have already indulged in treats that I don’t get most of the year: watermelon, fresh tomatoes, cucumber, cherries, and now apricots among the rest of God’s wonders.

Eating seasonal produce allows our bodies to store up on much needed vitamins and nutrients from divers sources. Apricots, for example, are loaded with Vitamins A and C [among others, of course] and potassium. Nutrients in apricots can help protect the heart and eyes from degenerative diseases.

One of the easiest ways to consume apricots, and the most enjoyable, of course, is by simply eating the soft fruit. No thrills, no whistles, no bells. There is barely anything like biting into the fruits soft skin, and experiencing a small explosion of the fruit’s juicy contents in your mouth. Even my little 11 months old niece thinks so.

However, there are other simple and enjoyable ways to eat this delightful fruit.

Apricot Smoothie

Ingredients
• ½-1 cup water
• 1 cup ice
• 10-15 ripe apricots
• Honey or agave/maple syrup to taste, or use dates instead

Preparation
• Blend all ingredients, except for ice, until homogenous;
• Add ice and blend until it’s been crushed
• Enjoy!

It is simple, yet very delicious. If I have any apricots left by the week’s end, I might even make fruit roll-ups and make ice cream with them.

Enjoy the rest of your day! I hope to see you at the upcoming Wellness Society Meet-Up (taking place tomorrow; details HERE).

Meatless Monday in Washington... and Everywhere Else

Happy Monday!

As you are either starting, continuing or finishing today, remember that today is Meatless Monday!

To join the movement click here: Join The Movement!

Food intake today (for the work-day):
• Cup of Teeccino with 1 teaspoon of honey
• Green Shake: apple, beet greens, water, 2 tsp Spirulina
• Bowl of raspberries with 1 tbsp of honey
• Slice of raw bread (gluten-free, of course ;) )
• Side of potatoes under a blanket of greens with fresh lime juice as my dressing
• 1 pear