healthy snickers and summer harvest tacos

last weekend i tried to make chocolate cream caramel bars from this rawsome vegan life. since i didn't have or feel like making cashew butter, i used chunky peanut butter instead. i'm not sure why the chocolate layer didn't get thick and creamy, but the result tasted just like a snickers bar. all who had a sample loved them, so i will definitely make them again.

last night's dinner was a team effort of slicing and dicing. john and i used golden summer squash, corn, sweet bell pepper, cherry tomatoes and romaine lettuce from the csa along with an avocado, black beans and spiced walnut meat to make a flavorful vegetable taco. even kati found them to be enticing.=)

to warm the vegetables but keep them raw, i just tossed them in lemon juice, olive oil, agave and spices, then stuck them in the dehydrator on 115 degrees for about an hour.

it seems everyone around me is getting creative in the kitchen. my brother has been cooking, and he and his friend exchange pictures of their meals. i told him to start a blog! my mom just made eggplant parmesan for the first time and can't wait to make it again. i could talk food all day. it inspires me to hear what others are making. what have you been whipping up in your kitchen?

raw ranch dip and fruit roll-ups

i'm grateful to live in the "garden state" and have access to amazing local produce. white and purple bell peppers are grown at my organic csa. i've never seen such peppers before - the white one looks glow-in-the-dark! incorporating these peppers into our repertoire was a must as they were too pretty to pass up.

... then john requested i make meredith of the raw seed's noritos again, but this time asked me to recreate his favorite dorito flavor - cool ranch.

meredith's original raw noritos recipe calls for a red bell pepper to get that orange color. *light bulb moment* to keep our noritos ranch-y, i thought to use the white bell pepper and modify the recipe with help from carmi's ranch dressing recipe. the result - a delicious raw cheezy ranch sauce perfect for ranch noritos, crackers, dipping, and topping raw tacos.

raw ranch dip

inspired by meredith of the raw seed and carmella of the sunny raw kitchen

1 1/2 cup cashews, soaked

1 white bell pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder or 1 tablespoon fresh onion

1 teaspoon sea salt, more or less to taste

1 teaspoon dried or fresh parsley

juice from 1/2 a lemon

2 cloves garlic

blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy (high speed blenders work best). you may need to add a bit of water. garnish with chili powder (optional of course).

...

the ranch dip was so tasty, i decided to mix some with flax to make crackers. i love using flax seeds because a) they are nutritious b) they are inexpensive and c) they make a nice crunchy cracker.

 raw ranch flax crackers

using the corn and jalapeno from the csa, i dehydrated these crunchy chips...

raw tortilla chips

and we had a mexican feast with ani phyo's nut meat on collard wraps smothered in salsa, guacamole and raw ranch dip.

there goes the purple pepper!

...

for dessert and breakfast, on the same day, we enjoyed raw crepes with coconut cream and local jersey peaches and nectarines. mmm!!!

raw banana crepes are basically fruit roll-ups. there was an abundance of ripe fruit in our kitchen, so i made lots of them with peaches, bananas, pears, and strawberries.

fruit roll-ups are really simple to make - just blend ripe fruit with a little lemon juice (to keep them from browning). spread the mixture in rounds on teflex sheets and dehydrate at 115° until dry but still pliable (about 8 hours).

homemade fruit roll-ups are perfect for kids and adults with a sweet tooth, and are a much healthier alternative to sweets with artificial ingredients like high fructose corn syrup and dyes.

=)

Fruits and Veggies F(e)ast Conclusion + lots of yummy food!

i've got some catching up to do! our wireless router has been giving us troubles, so i haven't been able to use the laptop. another snowstorm came, and john, biggles and i have been in the house for what feels like weeks! of course i'm enjoying it, the homebody that i am! lots of time to play in the kitchen and with my sweetie pies keeps me happy. =)

mrs. bigglesworth writes, "thanks for all the kind words!" in response to her compliments. =)

we made it almost 5 days on our fruits and veggies f(e)ast. after a trip to whole foods, i caved and savored the tastiest handful of cashews ever! though tough at times, the f(e)ast was very refreshing and i'm so glad we went through with it. the experience was an opportunity to reevaluate and reconnect with our food choices. we watched Food, Inc. again, and i thought a lot about elvis and the veal calves on Peaceable Kingdom. i want to remember those animals every time the thought to choose dairy crosses my mind.

we feel really good, and we'd like to continue to eat the foods that make our bodies feel aligned and well. green smoothies will continue to be consumed daily, and i'd like to make sure fruits and veggies make up a large majority of our diet.

i was really itchin' to get in the kitchen, especially since the f(e)ast gave me time to organize my recipes and come up with a meal plan system that i think will work for me.

for dinner on day 5 i made asian-style veggies with ginger sauce over jicama rice. it was DELICIOUS. very light but nourishing.

Asian-Style Veggies

choice of :
mushrooms
bok choi
yellow and red bell pepper
zucchini
broccoli
snow peas
mung bean sprouts

chop veggies and marinate in equal parts olive oil and tamari. to serve slightly warm, dehydrate a few hours at 115°F.

Jicama Rice

1 jicama, peeled and chopped
a handful of cilantro

in a food processor, pulse both ingredients until jicama resembles rice. that's all! =) 

Ginger Sauce
by Carmella 

1/4 cup sesame or cold pressed olive oil
2 tbs lemon or lime juice
2 tbs tamari
2 tbs grated ginger
1 soft dates
1 garlic clove
3/4-1 tsp red pepper flakes (depending on how spicy you like your food)

blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender.

you can also serve the asian-style veggies and ginger marinade over zucchini pasta or brown rice vermichelli.

kelli's notes:
next time i would add more mushrooms, as i really enjoyed the "meatiness" they added to the dish. i used just one tablespoon each of the lemon juice, tamari, and ginger for the ginger sauce.

~*~

that night i whipped up some flax crackers to eat with my "tuna" the next day. (if you haven't noticed, i'm very excited to be "eating" again! =)

Oh My this is a Tuna!
posted at the Raw Freedom Community Forum by ocean

1 Cup Sunflower Seeds (soaked)
1 Cup Raw Walnuts (soaked)
1/8 Cup fresh squeezed Lemon juice
1/2 Tsp. Garlic (minced)
1/2 Tsp. Kelp flakes
2 Tbs. Nama Shoyu (i used tamari)

In FP blend seeds, nuts, lemon juice, garlic, kelp and Nama Shoyu. Transfer to bowl and add:

1 pickle chopped (Bubbies pickle)
1 Tsp. Ume Plum vinegar (i used apple cider vinegar)
1 Tsp. Herbamare seasoning (didn't have)
3 Tbs. Bubbies pickle juice
1 Tbs. fresh Dill Weed (chopped)
1/4 Cup Onion (chopped)
1/4 Cup chopped Celery
1/8 Cup Parsley (chopped)

~*~

i had a much needed d-day on what would have been day 6 and dehydrated herb pizza crusts, Raw Food Real World's soft corn tortillas, ani phyo's black sesame sunflower seed bread, nori snacks, and potato chips.

on what would have been day 7 i made ani phyo's sun burgers and catsup with the sesame sunflower bread. bad move. my system was not ready for the onslaught of nuts and flax, and after eating half of the sun burger, my body naturally did a "flush". though terribly gross and painful at the time, i felt much better after, and learned some very valuable lessons: take it slow, and don't overdue it with the nuts!

don't think we'll be making this one again. 

since i felt well enough to enjoy some dessert later (yippee!) we made gena's amazing banana soft serve with almond butter and heathy's chocolate sauce from her Just Desserts ebook. (yes, there were nuts, but just a little! =) if you haven't tried this "ice cream" yet, you must! all that is needed are frozen bananas and a food processor.

~*~

happy birthday to me! 

today is my 29th birthday. it was an awesome day! the weather was chilly, but super sunny with snow all over the ground, giving my backyard the feel of a ski resort. sun poured in through our windows as we enjoyed a citrusy-mexican meal, reminding us of summer. the best of both seasons in one day! oh yes, and john did all the dishes! =)

Raw Tacos

serves 4-6

(adapted from Joz's Fajita's)

2 portobello mushrooms or 6 button mushrooms, sliced

1 red or yellow bell pepper, sliced

1 zucchini, sliced

1 yellow squash, sliced
handful chopped cilantro

1/4 C. tamari*

1/4 C. olive oil*

1 Tbsp chili powder

pinch of cayenne pepper

in a large bowl, mix all ingredients. you can allow the vegetables to marinate all day, or place in dehydrator at 115°F for a few hours. serve when veggies look "cooked".

*in my opinion it's best to start with about 2 tablespoons each of tamari and olive oil. mix well to coat all veggies, then add more if needed.

we made our taco's in Raw Food Real World's Soft Corn Tortillas, then topped with Nacho Cheeze (Carmella's adaptation of Kristen Suzanne's Cheesy Nacho Sauce) and Holy Guacamole!, my adaptation of Carmella's Guacamole Supreme . so fulfilling and flavorful, and one of our favorite raw meals thus far!

Carmella's Guacamole Supreme

2 ripe avocados
1⁄2 cup diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp. lime or lemon juice
1⁄4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp. finely chopped green onion, rinsed
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. cumin
1⁄4 tsp. cayenne (or mince in fresh, hot chilies with seeds removed)
1⁄2 tsp. celtic salt
mash all ingredients in a bowl with fork or potato masher, folding in the tomato last.

kelli's notes:
i use 1/4 tsp. onion powder in place of the green onion and just a pinch of cayenne.

Carmella's Nacho Cheeze

Adapted from Kristen Suzanne's Cheezy Hemp Nacho Sauce

1 1/4 cup cashews, soaked
1/2 cup yellow bell pepper
1/4 cup red bell pepper
1/4 cup water
1 medium carrot
2 garlic cloves
2 tbs nutritional yeast
1 tbs lemon juice
2 tsp lime juice
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp chipotle powder or cayenne (use less if you prefer it not too spicy)
2 tsp taco seasoning

Blend all ingredients in high speed blender until smooth.

kelli's notes: 

this cheeze sauce is AMAZING!!! i had to halve the ingredients to fit them in my magic bullet, as the recipe yields plenty of sauce!

Sweet Lime Cilantro Dressing

(makes about 1/3 cup)

3 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp agave
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1/4 C. cilantro
1 garlic clove
pinch cayenne
pinch salt
pinch cumin

blend all ingredients until smooth.

~*~

that's all for now! enjoy your weekend, and have a lovely valentine's day, mi amours! 

xoxo

linner

we were hungry hungry hippos this afternoon so i made us a mexican lunch/dinner = linner (or dunch). very yummy but it looks like a mexican food bomb went off in my kitchen. i'll get to it later.

the soup was a modified version of Vegan Yum Yum's black bean soup. the corn fritters recipe was also from the Vegan Yum Yum cookbook, but i made them with gluten-free all purpose flour. before i dug in i topped the fritters with a bit of tapitío and guac. for the taco salad i sauteed bell peppers and squash and topped with guacamole.
(i ♥ guacamole)

i'm off to indulge in my newest obsession - online scrabble.
ta ta for now!

italiamexicasian salad

i decided to infuse my three favorite ethnic flavors to create this savory portobello mushroom steak with pesto salad.

mushroom marinade

(for 2-4 portobello mushrooms)

2 Tbsp shoyu or soy sauce

1 Tbsp olive or sesame oil

1 Tbsp water

1 garlic clove

1 tsp lime

1 Tbsp margarita mix (optional)

place ingredients in one gallon plastic bag with mushrooms. allow mushrooms to marinate at least 20 minutes in fridge.

cilantro/basil pesto

(for two)

1 C. fresh cilantro and basil* combined (i used 1/4 C. cilantro/3/4 C. basil)

1/2 C. nuts (i used 1/4 C. each almonds and walnuts)

1/4 C. olive or sesame oil

1 garlic clove

pinch of salt

optional:

few pinches of cayenne*

few tsp orange juice concentrate

a splash of shoyu or soy sauce

blend ingredients in food processor until smooth. add a few Tbsp water to get a thinner pesto for salad topping.

salad

mixed greens

sliced zucchini

sliced green pepper

sliced avocado

chopped tomato

black beans

cilantro

i feel the best order to create this salad is:

1. marinate the shrooms and get them in the fridge

2. place black beans in a bowl with a few splashes of shoyu/soy sauce and lime juice

3. make pesto

4. cut veggies

5. heat shrooms with marinade over medium heat (about ten minutes).

6. assemble salad while shrooms are cooking.

7. top salad with sliced mushrooms and pesto, and enjoy!

~*~*~*~

* i just received an email today with the following information about basil and cayenne.

basil - has been used to treat constipation, diabetes, diarrhea, respiratory disorders, impotence and allergies. also aids digestion and said to provide fast relief from gas.

cayenne - some herbalists believe its the most useful in existence. high in vitamin A and C, calcium and potassium. aids digestion by helping your body to create hydrochloric acid, which is necessary for good digestion. some say its been known to stop heart attacks in 30 seconds. can help skin conditions and alleviate itching.

taco salads and trellises

animal-friendly cooking makes me happy =)

blue corn tortilla chips topped with yellow squash, portobello mushrooms, black beans, red bell pepper, avocado, cilantro, and romaine lettuce. YUM!!!

gourmet bibb with cukes, green olives, red pepper, black beans, and smashed blue corn chips
(for the dressing, whisked together olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, red chile, garlic and onion powder)

~*~*~*~

look at what a great job johnny boy did making the trellis! it's better than i could have imagined. i love it. i asked him to build me two more for next year's squash and melons! =) we'll see...

don't be jealous of my trellis =)

i also added twine to the cage to help my sugar snap peas out. this plant grabbed on and forced out a bloom within hours.


i hope to build something nice for them to climb next year. i have a feeling this winter will be dedicated to garden planning (or lesson planning!) maybe both! =)

the first pea

portobello mushroom taco salad with guacamole and corn pico de gallo

jesus spreadable christ on a cracker, this taco salad was the best i've ever had! (i read that cracker thing last night and find it necessary to use it often now. sorry missy =)

seriously, the addition of cilantro puts any mexican meal over the top. and it's inexpensive! i will be growing it myself this summer so if all goes to plan, i may have some to share!

to make this tasty taco salad for two, you will need:

2 portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 tomato, diced
1 avocado
1 lime
corn on the cob
cilantro
seasonings
peppers or onions(optional)
1/2 can refried beans
1/2 bag tortilla chips

first gather the ingredients and get the water boiling for the corn. as soon as the water begins to boil, add corn, cover, and cook 2-10 minutes, depending on how soft you like it.

meanwhile, place sliced portobellos in a skillet over medium high heat with a few Tbsp water (enough to cover the bottom). sprinkle with seasoning (i used garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin, chili powder, and salt). allow mushrooms to steam until tender, stirring often and adding water if needed to keep the mushrooms from sticking.

as the corn and shrooms are cooking, make guacamole and corn pico de gallo. dice your tomato, peel your avocado, and slice your lime. (you may also want to start heating your refried beans in a small sauce pan over medium low heat).

guacamole:
mash avocado, half a tomato, cilantro, juice of half a lime, seasonings, and peppers if you'd like

pico de gallo:
mix half a tomato, cilantro, juice of half a lime, corn cut from one cooked cob (tongue twistas!) and diced onion if you'd like (i didn't use peppers or onions and it was still really flavorful)

happy belated Cinco de Mayo!!!

=)