Monthly Archives: April 2014

Why raw?

Why raw?
So what exactly are raw foods, and what makes them so healthy?
 
A raw diet is most often composed of raw plant foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds.  These foods deliver quality oxygen and water to your body, and they are a good source of antioxidants and fiber.  They are rich in enzymes and probiotics, which are important in metabolic and digestive function:  in short, they help make your guts work!  Raw foods also help balance your body’s pH, which makes you tired and achy when you’re feeling off.  Raw food is very cleansing, healing and refreshing to the body.  You don’t need to go all-raw to reap the benefits – try adding more of them into your daily routine and see how you feel.

Why are raw nuts and seeds good for you?

Why are raw nuts and seeds good for you?

Almonds:         Vitamin E, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Zinc

Benefits the bones, brain, heart, lungs and alkalizing to the blood

Brazil Nuts:     Amino Acids, Calcium, Selenium

Beneficial to the thyroid

Cashews:         Copper, Magnesium, Tryptophan, Phosphorous

Beneficial to the heart, prevent gallstones, good antioxidant source

Chia Seeds:     Omega-3, Fatty Acid, Calcium, Potassium, Antioxidants

Increases endurance in athletes

Hazelnuts:       Calcium, Potassium, Vitamin E

Benefits teeth and gums and heart health

Hemp Seeds:   Omega-3, Amino Acids, building blocks of Protein

Macadamia:    Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus, Selenium, Zinc

Benefits the liver, improve anemia and aids heart health

Pecans:               B-complex, especially high in B-6

Benefits the nervous system, pregnant and nursing women

Pistachios:      Similar to almonds, but higher in Iron and B-1, Protein

Benefit the heart, liver, kidneys, and intestines

Pumpkin Seeds:  Omega-3, B-complex, Calcium

Great for the heart, dry skin and brittle hair

Sesame Seeds:  Vitamin E, Iron, high in Calcium

Beneficial in preventing osteoporosis

Sunflower Seeds:  Zinc, B-complex

Benefits the prostate, heart, intestines, nervous system and eyes

Walnuts:   Essential fatty acids, Vitamin E, Calcium, Potassium

Very beneficial to heart health

Chocolate ‘Ice Cream’

Chocolate ‘Ice Cream’

Chocolate Ice Cream

Ingredients:

1 ¾ cup        raw cashews

1 ¾ cup        pure water

1 cup            maple syrup (organic and I like the light amber)

2 tsp             vanilla (I use alcohol-free from Frontier)

¼ cup           unsweetened cacao powder

(Up to ½ cup of the cacao for a more intense chocolate taste)

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender;  blend until smooth and creamy.

Pour into an ice cream maker and freeze according to instructions.

* I have small Cuisinart that I love.  It takes just 20 minutes.  If you are not going to enjoy right away put in a container; freeze for later and it is awesome.

Yields:  4 cups

Raw Veggie Burgers

Raw Veggie Burgers

 



3 tbsp fresh parsley or 3 teaspoons dry
1 tsp sea salt
2 cups carrots, peeled
1 cup celery, peeled
½ cup onion
1 large red bell pepper, peeled
2 tbsp coconut aminos

Put sunflower seeds into food processor and grind fine. Add parsley and sea salt, pulse. Place into a large bowl.

Place carrots into the food processor, grind. Mix into the sunflower mixture.
Grind the celery and onion. Mix into the sunflower mixture.
Grind the bell pepper, with the coconut aminos. Mix into the sunflower mixture.

~ You can grind all the vegetables together in the food processor, if you prefer. I like to do each one separately to have the distinction of each vegetable.

Using a 2-tablespoon scoop, place each burger on a dehydrator screen, lightly flatten; dehydrate at 115 degrees for 4-6 hours to desired outside crispness. (Turn over after 2-3 hours.) Makes 30 small burgers

If you prefer a larger burger, the 4-tablespoon scoop works great. Makes 15 burgers

You can do all sorts of things with the Burgers:

I like to use Bibb lettuce leaves like a tortilla.
~ Avocado and cucumber slices.
~ ‘Butter’ with hummus
~ Make a salsa.
~ Place on top of your favorite salad.

Raw Falafel

Raw Falafel

1 ½ cups chickpeas, soaked 8 hours, doubles to 3 cups, rinse, sprout for 8 hours, then rinsed
1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked 6 to 8 hours and rinsed
1 med red onion, finely chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, pressed (1/8 – 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped, (or 4 teaspoons dried)
2 tbsp. lemon juice
¼ cup cold-pressed olive oil
1 tsp. cumin
¼ to ½ tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. Celtic sea salt

Puree the chickpeas and sunflower seeds in a food processor. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.

Place the onion, garlic, herbs, olive oil, seasonings into a small food processor or blender and puree. Add to the chickpeas and sunflowers seeds. Mix well, either by hand or together in the food processor.

Use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop. Place falafel balls on the dehydrator sheets. Dehydrate 14 to 16 hours, (or to desired crispness) at 115 degrees. Turn after 6 hours to get crispy on all sides. If you have a mesh sheet, place falafel balls on the sheet when batter has set for even dryness, without having to turn.

If using the 1-tablespoon scoop, reduce dehydrating time to 10 – 12 hours.

Serve falafels in lettuce or cabbage leaves. Add chopped tomatoes and cucumber. Drizzle with tahini sauce, if desired.

Tahini Dressing

½ cup cold-pressed olive oil
1 tbsp. lemon juice
¼ cup tahini
1/3 cup tamari (I use the coconut aminos)
¼ cup water
1 inch fresh ginger (or 1/8 tsp ground)

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.

Raw Chocolate Cheesecake

Raw Chocolate Cheesecake

Raw Chocolate Cheesecake

Crust
2 cups raw walnuts, or raw almonds
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1/4 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
2 tbsp. raw agave
1-2 tbsp. water

Directions:
• Place the nuts in a food processor, process until finely ground.
• Add the cinnamon and cacao; pulse to incorporate.
• Add the agave and water. Mix until sticky.
• Grease a 9” spring-form pan with coconut oil.
• Press in crust mixture. Set aside

Filling
2 cups raw cashews (soaked for 4 hours)
¼ cup water
6 tbsp. raw agave
¼ cup coconut oil, melted
½ cup raw cacao powder
¼ tsp. cinnamon (optional)

Directions:
• Place the soaked, rinsed cashews into a food processor.
• Add the water and process until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Add the agave and coconut oil, blend well.
• Add the cacao and cinnamon, process until the filling is smooth and creamy.
• Spread the filling onto the prepared crust. Cover and freeze for 2 hours before serving.

Storage:
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer.

Apple Banana Nut Muffins

Apple Banana Nut Muffins

Apple Banana Nut Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Sunflower seeds, soaked for 4 hours and rinsed
• 1 Cup Walnuts, soaked for 2 hours and rinsed
• 2 Bananas
• 2 Apples. Grated
• 8 Medjool dates, rinsed, peeled and pitted
• 1 Cup Raisins, rinsed
• 1 Tsp Cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp Coconut oil, softened

Process:

• In food processor, grind the sunflower seeds. Transfer to large mixing bowl.
• Chop walnuts. Place in mixing bowl.
• Grate the apples. Add to the mixing bowl.
• Put the dates and half the raisins in food processor and finely chop or puree. Add the bananas, softened coconut oil and cinnamon. Blend well. Transfer to mixing bowl.
• Add the rest of the raisins to the bowl and mix well. (If you don’t want the texture of the full raisins finely chop or puree as well.)

I use the 4-tablespoon scoop for the muffins. Fill and level the scoop with the batter. Place on dehydrator sheets. Dehydrate for 4 hours at 115 degrees. Remove the sheets and continue dehydrating for 8 – 10 hours. When the muffins are dry to the touch, cool completely and store in sealed glass container. They also freeze really well.

(If you want them more like cookies, the 2-tablespoon scoop is perfect. Drying time is similar.)

Zucchini Spaghetti with Pesto and Marinara

Zucchini Spaghetti with Pesto and Marinara

Pesto:

1 cup            Raw Macadamia nuts

1 cup            Fresh Basil

1 clove         Garlic, minced

1 tbsp.          Lemon Juice

1 tbsp.          Cold pressed Olive Oil

1 tsp             Sea Salt

1/4 cup        Water  (More or less for desired texture.)

Put macadamia nuts in a food processor, pulse.  Add the rest of the ingredients and process well.

Marinara:

2 cups           Tomatoes, chopped (I use plum, peel and I take out the seeds)

1 cup             Sun-dried tomatoes, soaked for 1 hour, chopped

½ tsp.           Red pepper flakes (optional)

2                    Dates, peeled, lightly chopped

½ tsp.           Sea Salt

Put all the ingredients in the food processor and process until smooth, or texture you like.

Pasta:

4-6               Medium Zucchini

With a vegetable peeler, peel the zucchini.  Use a spiralizer, if you have one; the zucchini will look like spaghetti.  Or, use the vegetable peeler to shred the zucchini; looks like fettuccini.

Garnish:

12                Kalamata olives, pitted, lightly chopped

Putting together:

Place Zucchini into a large bowl.  Toss well, with the Pesto.  Lightly toss with the Marinara and the Kalamata olives.

7 Benefits Of Quinoa

7 Benefits Of Quinoa
1. Quinoa is one of the most protein-rich foods we can eat. It is a complete protein containing all nine essential amino acids.
2. Quinoa contains almost twice as much fiber as most other grains. Fiber is most widely known to relieve constipation. It also helps to prevent heart disease by reducing high blood pressure and diabetes. Fiber lowers cholesterol and glucose levels, may lower your risk of developing hemorrhoids, and may help you to lose weight (it takes a longer time to chew than does other foods because it makes you feel fuller for longer and is less “energy dense,” which means it has fewer calories for the same volume of food).
3. Quinoa contains Iron. Iron helps keep our red blood cells healthy and is the basis of hemoglobin formation. Iron carries oxygen from one cell to another and supplies oxygen to our muscles to aid in their contraction. Iron also increases brain function because the brain takes in about 20% of our blood oxygen. There are many benefits of iron; it aids in neurotransmitter synthesis, regulation of body temperature, enzyme activity and energy metabolism.
4. Quinoa contains lysine. Lysine is mainly essential for tissue growth and repair.
5. Quinoa is rich in magnesium. Magnesium helps to relax blood vessels and thereby to alleviate migraines. Magnesium also may reduce Type 2 diabetes by promoting healthy blood sugar control. Other health benefits of magnesium include transmission of nerve impulses, body temperature regulation, detoxification, energy production, and the formation of healthy bones and teeth.
6. Quinoa is high in Riboflavin (B2). B2 improves energy metabolism within brain and muscle cells and is known to help create proper energy production in cells.
7. Quinoa has a high content of manganese. Manganese is an antioxidant, which helps to prevent damage of mitochondria during energy production as well as to protect red blood cells and other cells from injury by free radicals.

Nutty Flax Crackers

Nutty Flax Crackers

1 cup            raw pecans or walnuts

1 cup            raw sunflower seeds

1 cup            raw almonds

¼ cup           ground or unground flaxseed

1 med           tomato

1 cup            onion

1-2 tsps.     sea salt

  • Add all ingredients to a food processor.  Process, until well blended, but still a little chunky.
  • Spread onto dehydrator sheets.  (I like to place another Teflex sheet over and use a rolling pin.)  Score, for desired size of crackers.
  • Dehydrate for 12 hours at 115 degrees.  After 4-6 hours flip the crackers for even drying.  (Longer if desired.)
  • Store in glass container.