Failed Experiment or a Happy Accident?

It's all about how we perceive the world: is your cup half full of half empty?

I was totally wiped out today.  I could not fall asleep until about 3 am and then I taught two fitness classes in the morning.  After a few chores my hubby commended that I rest.  Being the obedient wife that I am I complied. 

He went off to work and I got bored being a couch potato.  On top of that I was craving something sweet, which is an unusual thing for me.  So, I decided to experiment.  I tried making strawberry muffins, creating a new recipe.  When I was pouring batter into the forms I knew it was going to be a disaster, but was too tired to fight it.  However, when I tasted the batter it exploded my taste buds with day dreams of summer. 

Muffins did fail and ended up in the trash can, but... I whipped up a strawberry sorbet with many of the same ingredients and... I AM IN LOVE! The sorbet turned out not too sweet, just the way I like it.

While I was eating up strawberry goodness I remembered that I had a wee-bit of Coconut Bliss Dark Chocolate ice cream.  The marriage between the two turned out to be a perfect union.  Sweetness of the ice cream was balanced by tartness of the sorbet.  Now they live happily every after... in my stomach. 

So, here is the recipe.  [Since I piled everything in [but the kitchen sink ;)] in such a hurry I did not keep track of measurements, so I am gestimating them as much as I can.]

Vegan Strawberry Banana Sorbet
Ingredients

• 1 tbsp Toffuti sour cream
• 2 tbs Toffuti cream cheese
• 1/8 cup water
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup apple sauce, or 1/2 cup apple
• 2 cups frozen straberries
• 2 tbsp honey

Preparation

1. Place all ingredients into a blender and blend until strawberries get integrated into the mixture. 
2. Serve immediately [preferably with some Coconut Bliss ice cream ;)] or freeze for future indulging. 

I hope you make this happy accident in your kitchen and let me know what you think.

Tomorrow's Post

Don't miss tomorrow's post.  I will be interviewing Kristen Feola of the Ultimate Daniel Fast and we will even have a great giveaway for you--her recently published book on Daniel Fast, which already topped the charts by coming among Top 50 bestselling Christian books in the United States for January!

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 Kale Chips Revisited {Daniel Fast Approved Recipe}

About a month ago I blogged a recipe for Raw Kale Chips.  I made them personally then for the first time and, although I liked them, I did not think I would make them too often. I think that my husband had successfully changed my mind since. 

At the end of our 3-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse, which went fantastically by the way, he had a craving for chips.  Well, we could not have regular chips out of the bag, but GREEN kale chips fit the bill perfectly--we would still get our greens and his taste buds would be satisfied. 

I was preoccupied in the office, so the making of kale chips fell on hubby's shoulders.  After all he was the one who wanted them.  He came to the office, moved me away from the computer for a minute, went to this blog [yes, we go back to my blog for recipes I post! ;)], wrote down the recipe, and made kale chips on his own!

In a very few short hours the chips were done and I have to tell you they were A-MA-ZING! I ended up eating more than half of them.  They simply melted in my mouth.  I think he made them better than I did. 

this time we used purple kale

The chips are perfect for a cleanse, for healthy eating, and for Daniel Fast.  You simply cannot go wrong with making these. 

this is hubby's way of saying: "these are mine! get your own!" 

I see more kale chips in my future.

PS: If you do not have a dehydrator but would love to try this recipes, you can dehydrate chips in an oven, on low heat. It will still take a few hours; you might lose more enzymes that way, but the chips will still be great and nutritious.

Raw Vegan Kale Chips {Recipe}

I finally decided to make kale chips.  I have had them before but never made them myself.  My hubster seems to like them and I love to see him happy. 

I had a bunch and a half of kale left [used the other half for making green smoothies ;)].  I whipped it out, washed it thoroughly and... well, let me give you a step by step with pictures :).

How to make Raw Vegan Kale Chips

the finished product

Ingredients

1. 1.5-2 bunches of kale [your choice]
2. 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice [about 1 lemon or lime]
3. 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4. 1 tbsp raw honey [optional]
5. sea or Himalayan salt to taste
6. 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds [optional] or soaked cashews

Preparation

1. take stems out of kale [the hard part], tearing it into smaller size pieces [you will see in the picture below]
2. combine ingredients 2-6 and blend in a high speed blender until smooth, or almost smooth
3. pour over torn kale pieces and massage in with your hands until evenly distributed
4. lay out kale on dehydrator sheets
5. dehydrate at 115-118 F for 6-8 hours or until crisp

steps 3-4

Conclusion: we liked the quickness and simplicity of the recipe. [I know that 6-8 hrs does not sound quick, but I am talking about prep time ;).]  It is a more attractive way to enjoy raw kale and get all of its benefits.  I can see making these chips in the future again. They turned out very scrumptious and the taste of lime on the chips was very juicy.

Enjoy!

Tomorrow's Recipe: Chickpea Curry {YUM!}

Raw Vegan Week Challenge: Day 6 {Avocado Veggie Wraps}

So, we made it another day on nearly 100% raw.  It is fabulous and I am feeling fabulous.  The craving for more cooked foods is nearly gone.  I think it is partly due to the fact that at least a part of my food intake is cooked. 

Yesterday, besides our green smoothies and fruit I whipped up a quick Cabbage Salad to go along with an Avocado Veggie wrap. 

Cabbage Salad

Ingredients

• 3/4 cabbage, shredded [I used my Mandolin slicer on .75 mm setting]
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tbsp vean mayo [I used Veganaise]
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups green peas [fresh or frozen] (optional)

Preparation

• After shredding cabbage place it in a bowl , adding salt, massage with your hands until juice starts to come out
• Add mayo and pepper, massaging both into salad
• Add remaining ingredients and mix

 Avocado Veggie Wrap

• Whole wheat tortilla [you can also use gluten free option]
• 1 tbsp vegan sour cream [I use Toffuti brand]
• Sliced onion
• Spinach [or lettuce]
• Green [or any other color] bell pepper
• 1/2 sliced ripe avocado

1. Pre-heat your wrap, adding remaining ingredients afterward.  
2. Salt to taste and enjoy! 

In the evening we were invited to a party, so I made a couple of apple pies-one to take with us and one to spoil my hubby.  He was extremely excited, as you can imagine, and was more than happy to help with peeling apples, while watching one of his shows on TV.

We had a great time reuniting with our friends, whom we have not seen for 6-7 years.  The apple pie was a hit and no one could believe it was totally vegan.  Demetrye even caught someone going for seconds and delightfully called her out on it.  They had a great laugh about it. 

[The recipe for this apple pie can be found in my newly released GUILT-FREE Delicious Vegan Desserts e-book.] 

Today I am making Hummus which will be served instead of sour cream in lettuce veggie wraps [same ideas as in veggie wraps, but instead of using a cooked whole wheat tortilla we use dark leafy greens].

I also indulged in a cup of hot cacao made with raw cacao powder and hazelnut coconut milk creamer.  It was SOOOOOOOOOOO good! 

Have a fantastic weekend, friends! 

Raw Vegan Week Challenge: Day 4 {Raw Vegan Corn Bisque (soup)}

The saga continues.  Last night we ended on a high note with a bowl of raw vegan corn bisque each, garnished with corn chips and 1/2 avocado [although I did find that the texture of avocado did not flow with the soup, so it won't be found there next time ;)]. This time around I added a little bit more water than usual, but the bisque came out delicious still. 

This morning we started off with Parsley green smoothie leftover from yesterday, later followed by spinach salad, garnished with Pineapple Salsa [from yesterday ;)], served with raw flax crackers. 

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups flax seeds
• 2.5 cups water
• 1/2 onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp Kirkland organic seasoning
• Himalayan salt to taste

Preparation

• Place all ingredients, except for flax seeds into a high speed blender [I use VitaMix 5200]
• Blend, slowly adding flax seeds [you might have to use temper to push seeds down, as the mixture is going to thicken up very quickly]
• Blend until seeds are ground up
• Transfer onto dehydrator non-stick sheets [I ended up with 3 1/2 sheets]
• Dehydrate at 118 F for 4 hours, flip cracker sheet over, off the non-stick sheets, score break lines with a knife, so it will be easier to break crackers into squares when they are done
• Dehydrate until crisp

We also indulged in maqui berry kombucha.

In the afternoon, to get away from my ever present PC I took a break and did Power Yoga [I am feeling great and full of energy (and hungry) after it].

Now I am going to get off line and grab something simple and delicious to eat :)

Have a fantastic, healthful day!

Raw Vegan Week Challenge: Day 3 {Pineapple Salsa}

Before I tell you about my raw food adventures let me tell you this: I am very excited... once again :)  CSN stores contacted me and offered to do another review of their products.  How can I say no to that?  I am always itching to try new gadgets.  I have even been tempted to visit their dining room chairs section.  My dining room set is getting up there in age and I have to either replace it or find a way to freshen it up... Decisions, decisions, decision... Knowing myself, though, I will probably end up getting another kitchen gadget ;).

Now, let's get to business: The raw week challenge continues.  My hubby, who initiated the challenge, had struggled a couple of times with his desire for baked sweets.  I had actually enjoyed watching him being tormented, because he tries to trick me into asking him for sweets, thus creating an excuse for him to have some too.  Thankfully I am not easily tempted by sweets, and I also have an iron will.  

Last night, as we relaxed, we caught a few minutes of the Cake Boss on TV.  Hubby's puppy eyes made their way to my face, locking onto my gaze: "Would you like me to go get you a chocolate cake, dear?" he said.  I tried holding myself from bursting with laughter, but, alas, I simply could not hold it in. "No, thank you!" I said, nearly rolling off the couch.  Poor guy, he seemed crushed... and I loved every second of it ;)

I know that makes me sound cruel, but this is a great opportunity for him to exercise self-control when it comes to sweets, and... I will reward him at the end of the week with my famous vegan apple pie. 

Today we had a Parsley Green Smoothie

• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup George's Aloe Vera
• 2 oranges
• 2 bananas
• 2 handfuls of baby spinach
• 1 large handful curly parseley
• 2 tbsp flax seeds
• 2 tbsp dulse flakes

For lunch I made Pineapple Salsa and served it with organic, baked corn chips*

• 1/2 pineapple, chopped into small cubes
• 2 cloves crushed garlic
• 1/4 cup dices onions
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 ripe avocado cubed
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped into small cubes
• Himalayan salt to taste
• a dash of your favorite seasoning {I use Kirkland Organic mix}
• 2-3 tbsp organic extra virgin olive oil
• 1-2 tbsp raw honey [only if your pineapple is not sweet enough on its own]

Mix all ingredients and serve with chips

*even though the chips that I served were not raw they were still a good healthful option.

I have not yet made any plans for dinner, except that I am making some incredible flax crackers--they are dehydrating as I am typing this post. 

Good and healthful day to all of my readers!  If you have any simple, yet fantastic raw recipes that I could use during the remainder of this week, please do share with me.

PS: I am preparing my next Newsletter edition, in which I will talk about electrolytes [what they are and what to do with them ;)].  So, if you have not yet signed up for the Newsletter, scoot on over to my blog and sign up to get your copy!  There will be a very special offer in it... I promise!

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!

Raw Vegan Week Challenge

My lovely hubby decided to challenge me to a whole week of raw eating this week.  That was not in my plans!  However, I love him too much not to help him--he wants to do it to lean out a little more to show off his six pack.  I told him that I will do my best but did not commit to 100% raw, although I think I will be sticking to at least 90% raw vegan diet this whole week. 

Going raw does not require much preparation, if you have done something like this before.  We went to a couple of stores yesterday and loaded up on tons of fresh produce.  We are READY!

This morning I made Banana Pear Green Smoothie: 

• 3 cups water
• 2 bananas
• 1 pear
• 3 tbs flax seeds
• 3 large handfuls spinach

For lunch I made a cucumber salad, almost all raw:

• 1 English cucumber, sliced on a mandolin slicer, or you can slice by hand
• 1 avocado, cubed
• a handful of marinated artichoke hearts, chopped [optional]
• 2 springs green onion, diced
• 1 tbsp vegan mayo [Veganaise]
• Himalayan salt to taste

In the afternoon I attempted to make raw Squash soup and found out that this is one of those foods that I prefer cooked instead of raw.  I am not a big fan of sweet soups to start with [although I seasoned mine with salt it still was sweet], but blended raw squash simply was not too pleasing to my palate.  So, I abandoned the soup for sliced avocado sprinkled with salt and drizzled with raw honey instead, following up with a crisp apple served in the same manner. 

I am content for now, but have an intense power yoga class coming up tonight so I need to prepare myself for after the work out snack.  [If you live in/around Westerville, OH area, come to join me for a Power Yoga workout at Power Shack, located at 6363 Copper Rd. Westerville, OH at 6:45 pm on Mondays and Wednesdays.  You will be glad you did because you will feel fantastic afterward!]

So, any other vegan raw foodies wanna-bes out there?

And since I do not consider a post complete without a picture, here is a recent one of me my hubby snapped:

Have a fantastic 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!

I Am Now Sweet {Ripe Organic Fruit Storage}

I spent most of the day peeling ripe organic fruit so it can be frozen to be used later on, when the season is over. I got a huge box of oranges, peaches, mangoes, cantaloupes and other delicious fruit. While I was peeling and cutting the juices were running over my hands and, I think, it marinated me ;), so I am pretty sweet ;)

Have a fabulously sweet Sunday!

{how about this sweet looking honeycomb? ;) local and organic!}

Salad: Green and Red with Fat Free Raspberry Vinaigrette

A quick summer salad I made to satisfy the crunchy craving I had all day long.

Green Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette 

• 2 hearts of Romaine Lettuce, chopped
• 1 bell peppers, thinly sliced in rounds
• 2 pickling cucumbers, thinly sliced
• 2 kiwi fruit, skinned and sliced

Fat Free Raspberry Vinaigrette

• 8-10 oz raspberries, fresh or frozen
• 3 tbs raw honey [or to taste]

~Blend in a high speed blender.
~Pour over salad and enjoy.

Absolutely delicious!  Satisfy your summer crunch!

Cookie Dough Vegan Ice Cream {Raw}

If you are working on losing weight you have to drop a lot of unhealthy habits, but you still want to indulge some of the cravings.  If you are like my husband you like sweets... no, you LOVE sweets an cannot imagine your life without them.  Well, you are in luck!  Eating healthy does not mean depriving yourself--deprivation is for serial dieters.  We, on the other hand, eat as much as we need and treat ourselves to yummy desserts all the time. 

Interested?

Here is a quick and simple ice cream recipe that is Weight Loss approved. 

Cookie Dough Banana Ice Cream {Vegan} 

2 LARGE servings, or 4 smaller servings

• 5 ripe frozen bananas
• 2 large handfuls raisins [make sure to get the ones that are sugar, chemical and oil free]

Preparation

• Blend both ingredients in a food processor until smooth.  You might have to stop a couple of times to push the mixture down to the blades. 
• Serve immediately, or freeze in a Popsicle for for later indulgence
• You can also add frozen strawberries, dates and other wonderful guilt-free ingredients. 

Enjoy guilt free summer dessert!

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: Day 6 of Raw Eatings

Hello, loves! Can you believe we made it through Day 6 of all Raw? We have not gone hungry at all. Although we had a few cravings here and there and certainly miss some of the cooked dishes, we are having FUN! Just read all of the previous posts about each day’s food intake

Day 1

Day 2

Days 3 and 4

Day 5

Doesn’t it all look fabulous?!

I know that some of you are thinking that the only way you could do raw for a week… or whatever length you are thinking about, is if I moved in with you and made all of the meals. Well, as fabulous as I am [and I am pretty much all that and a cheesecake (not a bag of chips! ;)], I am certain that by looking at the recipes I posted this week you realized how EASY it is to make these meals yourself. The ingredients are very simple--I made sure not to introduce anything so different that it would scare you, and the process of making these dishes is simple and time saving! You will spend little time in the kitchen if you start your raw week all prepped [grocery shopping, meal planning]. If you feel that you get stuck in the kitchen it would be for only one reason—you are loving the exploration part of it! That simple!

Having said that I am ready to tell you what we had on our Day 6 of all Raw Vegan Food intake.

Morning Smoothie—one of my favorites:

Strawberry/Banana/Spinach Green Smoothie

with a little zing to it!

• 3 cups water
• 2 quarts strawberries
• 2 bananas
• 2 huge handfuls spinach
• 1-2 inch long ginger root
• 2 tbs dulse flakes

Delicious! Will have you asking for more! Ginger is optional, but is SO great for your health that you would be amiss not to include it. Dulse flakes are great for overall health, and especially for your thyroid gland, and your hormone health.

Want to know what I had for my morning snacks? I will tell you: and orange AND a delicious, creamy, melting-in-your-mouth, chocolaty, fluffy… Chocolate Cheesecake! Yum! Yes, I had cake for Breakfast!  No guilt, but a side of hot cup of tea!

If you want to take a chance of getting a recipe for the cake see what I said about it in yesterday’s post and share your thoughts ;).

Lunch

I went out to lunch [a very rare occasion for me indeed—I prefer making my own meals]. I met with a very dear photographer friend over lunch to share ideas, thoughts and to catch up on our lives. I had a HUGE green salad with cucumbers, shredded carrots and sprouts served with in-house made vinaigrette. 3 hours later I still felt satisfied.

Afternoon Snacks

After getting home around 5:30 pm I snacked on... the cheesecake.  Yes, indeed, it must sound wrong, but it really wasn't.  With the extra boost from raw cacao and other ingredients I had enough energy to complete a 4-mile walk around the lake, help my sister shop for a new appliance, grocery shop and make dinner!  Not bad?!

Dinner

Having made Okroshka [my and my sister's weakness] the day before dinner was a no brainer!  I shopped enough to make Okroshka... times 4!  Yes, I increased the ingredient list times 4 and made that much of it!  Between myself, hubby and my sister half of it was gone the same night.  Tons of wonderful liquid with fresh veggies!  What we did not finish at dinner is going to be split for lunch... although mine might be gone WAY before that time.

Enjoy your raw meals, loves!  I will chat with you tomorrow abour our final day 100% RAW!

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. 

Raw Food Vegan Recipes: Day 2 of Raw Eatings

I missed my alarm this morning! Sheesh! So, instead of following through with my grand plat to make 2 huge salads I ended up grabbing random fruit and making 2 smoothies and heading out the door---all in 30 mins! And I managed to put make up on and get my hair looking decent. I think I deserve an award!

Snacks

So, my snacks this morning [not all at the same time] were: small avocado, an orange and a Roma tomato.

For the rest of the day I am going to snack on: banana, pear and Galia melon [oh so delicious]!

Funny thing happened, though. In the morning I e-mailed my sister, who is doing 30 day raw diet, and told her “I am making a smoothie in my stomach—first down went avocado, later an orange… I think I shall have a tomato in the next few minutes ;)” And her response was: “Let me know when you get to the blending part.” Oh, my! Ha-ha-ha-ha… the mental images of that actually happening was bombarding my mind left and right. I could not stop laughing! That was my RAW humor for the day :)

Green Smoothies

Banana Pear Green Smoothie

• 4 cups water

• 2 bananas

• 1 large pear, seeded

• 1 bunch of dinosaur kale

• 1 spring of mint

Pear Spinach Green Smoothie

• 4 cups water

• 2 bananas

• 1 large pear, seeded

• 2 springs of mint

• 2 huge handfuls [about 8 oz] spinach

Spinach Sesame Salad
Ingredients
• 2 huge handfuls of spinach [yes that is my official measurement unit ;)]
• Mint leaves [off 1 spring of mint]
• ½ red bell pepper sliced into thin long slices [cut lengthwise into about 8+ slices]
• 1 Roma tomato cut in 6-8 long slices [cut lengthwise]
• ½ large zucchini cut in rounds
• 1-2 tbs toasted sesame seed oil
• Sea or Himalayan salt to taste

Preparation
• Toss all ingredients together and let marinate for about 20+ mins
• It is irresistibly good, so enjoy!

The rest of the day I snacked on fruit--no recipes needed :)  I did make a HUGE mistake though--after getting home I had not one, but two large mugs of cacao made with raw cacao [totalling about 3 tbs].  I regretted it all night long [drinking it that late, that is (about 6 pm)]--I was up until 2 am this morning and kept waking up even after that.  Lesson learned--drink cacao ONLY in the morning and ONLY mixed in green smoothies... with a rare exception!

Glass Drinking Bottles in Longview, WA

Now, on a whole different note: I am huge proponent of using only glass containers, especially for drinking and for any hot substances.  Not too long about I was sent a couple of nice glass bottles by a Canadian company to do a review.  The bottle are nice, but the price tag is... well it is unbelievable!  Last night I got out to look for new scales and stopped by Ross... Lo and behold, they carry glass bottles that look almost identical to the ones I got, only slightly bigger, and... about $30 cheaper.  So, if you are in Longview/Kelso, WA and need a good drinking bottle that won't leak from the top [as does my $30+ bottle] head on over to Ross and claim yours for only $1.99!  It is in the same isle as their kitchen gadget section, all the way on top shelf.  You simply can't beat that deal.

Happy Raw Eatings, loves.  I will chat with you all tomorrow.

Raw Food Recipes: Day 1 of Raw Eatings

Good morning, loves!

What a great first Raw Day we had! But… preparation is EVERYTHING!

First, I got geared up: I used my Blendtec Total Blender and VitaMix 5200 6-7 times yesterday. They are truly an investment in our health! I actually had them running simultaneously when making green smoothies in the morning—saves a lot of time!

Second, I went shopping yesterday and, behold, this is how my fridge and my counter look now—totally fresh and totally raw! We are ready to rock and roll.

Yesterday’s food intake was delicious and more than enough—green smoothies, fruit, and raw soups were flowing abundantly. Even my 81 yr old mother, who still gets on me once in a while for rejecting even fish [that is a biggy in her mind] has joined the raw train—not purposefully but by default, since I am making all the meals. Yesterday she had only ONE cooked meal! That is it!

About a month ago she went to see a doctor—she’s been having problems with her hip—to see if she needed a hip replacement. Thankfully he said NO, not yet, gave her a shot and sent her home with instructions to cut down calories and lose weight. What a smart man! Because he is a doctor she naturally listened to him and it now opened a huge window of opportunity for me to get her health in order. She is drinking smoothies/green smoothies every day, raw soups and blended fruit are abundant. She has not time to miss her dairy [although she is still having some, and dairy is her weakness]. She already lost about 10 lbs! That is one month! Isn’t that awesome?!

With that said, here are all of the recipes for the yesterday.

Green Smoothies

I made large portions, since I am feeding 4 adults.

Each of the recipes made up to 64 oz~

If you are going to use frozen corn, like I did, start running the blender with water first and other ingredients first, then pour corn in slowly, so it won’t freeze up.

Pineapple/Blackberry Green Smoothie

~3 cups water

~1-2 cups blackberries

~½ pineapple [peeled from the outer skin [you don’t need to core it if you have a high speed blender]; chop in smaller chunks to add to blender

~1 orange, peeled and seeded

~2 full stems of mint greens [with leaves]

~1 bunch of chard

~3 tbs dulse

~8 dates, pitted [for sweetness, optional]

~2 tbs chia seeds

Banana Beet Green Smoothie

~4 cups water

~3 bananas

~2 tbs maca powder [optional]

~5 dates, pitted

~1 Bunch of beet greens

~Handful of spinach [optional]

~2 tbs chia seeds

Banana Pineapple Green Smoothie

~4 c water

~1 banana

~½ pineapple [peeled from the outer skin [you don’t need to core it if you have a high speed blender]; chop in smaller chunks to add to blender

~2 full stems of mint greens [with leaves]

~½ bunch chard

~Handful of parsley

~5 dates, pitted [optional, for sweetness]

Raw Soups

Get ready for a delight galore. Today’s star was Corn, so all of the soups will have some corn as an ingredient.

Each recipe will feed 4-5 people comfortably.

Corn Bisque

Ingredients

Part I

~2.5 cups warm water

~4 cups frozen corn [you can use fresh, if you have access to it]

~2 cloves [medium size] garlic

~Himalayan salt and pepper to taste

Part II

~1-2 cups corn

Preparation

~Blend Part I ingredients until smooth

~Pour into a large bowl and mix in Part II ingredients

~Enjoy!

~[you can also add a handful of sunflower seeds for crunch]

Corn Chowder

Ingredients

Part I

~2 cups warm-hot water

~4 cups frozen corn [you can use fresh, if you have access to it]

~2 cloves [medium size] garlic

~Himalayan salt and pepper to taste

~1 tbs cumin

Part II

~1/3 medium size jicoma root, cut in a food processor to look like rice [I put it in chunks an pulse a few times]

~½ green [or any other kind] bell pepper, chopped into small [very small] cubes

~2 cups corn

~2 medium avocados, cubed

Preparation

~Blend Part I ingredients until smooth

~Pour into a large bowl and mix in Part II ingredients

~Enjoy!

Taco Raw Soup

Ingredients

~3.5 cups water [cold, warm or hot]

~2 Roma tomatoes

~2 stalks celery

~6 tbs corn

~2 medium carrots

~2 springs of green onion, or 1/4-1/3 cup white onion

~1 handful [yes, I did not measure it!] of cashews

~Few springs of parsley

~1 clove of garlic

~1.5 tbs chili poweder [or taco seasoning]

~½ tbs cumin

~¼ tsp white or black pepper [optional]

~1 tsp Kirkland organic seasoning

~Himalayan salt to taste

Garnish

~3 small-medium size avocados, cubed

~2 Roma tomatoes, cubed

Preparation

~Blend ingredients in a high speed blender [I used Blendtech Total Blender’s Soup function]

~Pour in a bowl, add garnish and serve!

~It will make you lick your bowl!

Raw Bread

I also made an attempt at making quick raw “bread” to go with Taco soup, but it needs perfecting. However, if you want to give it a whirl, here is the recipe [remember that it is not perfected yet!]

Ingredients Part I

~1 cup presoaked and dehydrated oatmeal groats

~1cups presoaked and dehydrated almonds

Ingredient Part II

~2 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice

~¾ tsp raw honey

~1 tbs raw coconut butter

~½ tsp Himalayan salt

~1 ¾ tbs water

Preparation

~Blend Part I ingredients in a high speed blender [I used VitaMix 5200] into fine flour

~Pour into a food processor

~Add Part II ingredients and pulse until combined

~Take out by hand and press “dough” into small blocks [I came away with 6, which was sufficient for 4 people]

~Serve with Taco soup

If I ever get to perfect this recipe I will let you know :)

I also had a green salad:

~Mixed spring greens

~Cherry tomatoes

~Sliced cucumber

~Sprinkle with lemon, spices and salt and you are set!

Well, folks, I hope this will be enough to keep you going for a day or two! I will continue with our intake tomorrow.

Happy Raw Eatings!