I wanted to post something quick and easy that you can make and take to work for lunch instead of going out to eat and making bad decisions ;) So this is just like a salad, except we use cabbage instead of lettuce and we use olive oil for the dressing. The cabbage will keep its crunchiness and will not wilt, even with the olive oil on it. Hence the reason we are using cabbage. Also cabbage is great for reducing belly fat. SOOOO.... this is what you need...
Ingredients: (You can 1/2 this if you just want a single serving)
3 cups green cabbage, thinly sliced
dash of sea salt
1 tomato, seeded & diced (just scoop the seeds out with a spoon when you cut it open)
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, thinly sliced
1 celery, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp onion, minced
1 tsp olive oil
*strips of carrot for garnish/color* optional
1. Put cabbage and a dash of sea salt into a bowl. Massage the cabbage for about 1 minute with your hands to soften it up.
2. Add all your ingredients. Mix!
*Now this will keep for a couple days in a container in your fridge. That's why I think it would be perfect to take to work so you have a healthy lunch for a couple days!
*After you slice and rinse your cabbage off, make sure you dry it. Shake the excess water off from your strainer, then I just use some paper towels and keep blotting it. You don't want to store it wet and also the olive oil won't stay on! If you're more advanced and have a salad spinner, well then, aren't you awesome!!?
ENJOY!!!!!
Here's a 'fancy' little dish that will make anyone think you are a five star chef! It's called the Tomato Stack. I eat this for dinner because it's very filling! It doesn't look like a lot but trust me, it's hearty! Oh, and super healthy, of course!
Now in this recipe I used my pesto from 'RAW SPAGHETTI AL PESTO' recipe. I will refresh your memory on how to make it at the bottom of the blog. If you want step by step pics, please see the Spaghetti recipe.
Equipment: Food processor/blender
Ingredients:
2 'beefsteak' tomatoes
*For the pate`*
1/2 cup sunflower seeds, soaked for 2 hours, drained
1/4 cup almonds, soaked 8 hours, drained
2 TBSP freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 TBSP celery, minced (chopped up real good)
1 TBSP onion, minced
1 TBSP fresh parsley, minced
PESTO recipe
1. Put your sunflower seeds, almonds, water, lemon juice, and salt in your food processor/blender. Keep stopping to scrape down the sides. (Patience is a virtue....)
2. Do this until you get a paste like substance. You want it to be able to stick together...
3. Transfer mixture to a bowl and add your celery, onion, and parsley until combined.
4. Now slice your tomatoes. You want 4 slices.. I sliced mine this thick...
5. Now stack 2 slices on your plate. Add a layer of pate` on it... don't be shy ;)
6. Add another slice of tomato. Put a layer of pesto... (The pesto and tomato is just DELICIOUS!)
7. Top with another slice.
Add some garnish! Make it pretty! :)
8. Serve with a fork and knife! Oh my goodness... this is so good!
*Notes *Left over pate` will keep in the fridge for 5 days.
*I used bean sprouts on top. They are inexpensive, cool looking, and nutritional..
*If you want to use this recipe for dinner, just soak the almonds in the a.m. (8-12 hrs) then soak the sunflower seeds the last 2 hours the almonds are soaking so they are done at the same time.
*Quick re-cap on PESTO!*
2 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves (again, don't be shy.. pack it in)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 fresh garlic clove, crushed
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 cup pine nuts, walnuts, or pecans
~Put basil, oil, garlic, & salt in food processor/blender.
~ONLY process until chopped (don't overprocess!)
~Add the nuts and process until smooth... stopping to scrape down the sides. Again, don't overprocess. You still want to see flex of nuts throughout the pesto!
~That's it! Store any leftover in the fridge up to 5 days!
*For step by step pics, go to my 'RAW SPAGHETTI AL PESTO' blog!*
This may be the easiest recipe of all time. So easy, I only have one picture. The ingredients listed are for a batch of cereal.. about 4 or 5 servings, depending how much you eat. Now this cereal is hearty, so don't let your eyes be bigger than your stomach! This is delicious and a great way to start your morning!
Ingredients:
3 cups of rolled oats
1 cup of raisins
1/2 cup of chopped almonds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
2 tbsp of RAW sugar (whole cane sugar) *optional*
1. Put all ingredients into a large bowl and mix.
2. Put desired amount in a serving bowl and pour almond milk over it.
3. Eat it!
*Notes: Store this cereal in a sealed container in your cupboard up to 3 months
*Rolled oats are found in the cereal isle next to the oatmeal. It comes in a cylindrical container. Get Old Fashion, not Quick.
*I roughly chop my almonds; you can always buy already chopped
*Look for sunflower seeds where your dry nuts are in those clear plastic containers. You can usually find a big container of them for about $2.50. If not, look in the baking isle and peanut isle. Be sure to get UNSALTED!
*If you don't want to make this much, you can 1/2 the ingredients.
*You can also serve this with fresh berries or a banana.
ENJOY!!
Before I became a Raw Foodist, I wouldn't buy certain fruits or veggies simply because I didn't know how to cut them. So I put together a few items that we use a lot and very easy tips to cut these things! Hope this helps...
Let's start off with the pineapple! I hope after reading this, you will buy FRESH pineapple and steer clear of the can! ;)
First, pick a ripe pineapple. To find out if it's ripe, simply try to pick it up by one of the pointy green leaves that are on top, preferably in the center... it should come right off.
Now, twist off the greens with your hand...
Now before you cut it, flip it upside down for about 45 mins to 1 hour.. this will allow the pineapple's natural juices to run back through the fruit, since it's been stored upright...
Ok, so now we are ready to cut it. Cut the ends off first...
Now, start cutting the spiny skin off like this....
After you do this step, you may notice some round brown spots left behind from cutting the skin off. Remove this with the tip of a peeler (or small knife/spoon)
Next, slice you pineapple about 1-inch thick slices....
Now take the core out with a small knife...
Then cut it into chunks and eat it, or store it in a container in the fridge- ready to eat or put in your smoothie!!
Ok, next is the AVOCADO! To tell if it's ripe, it will be soft to the touch (but not too soft!)
So, take your avocado and cut it length wise, curving your knife around the pit. (Always rinse the avocado before you cut. Even though you are not eating the peel, you can still transfer dust/bacteria once you slice it).
Next, twist it open...
The perfectly ripened avocado will be yellow inside with a green perimeter. There may be some slightly brown spots, too. Now if you open it and it's completely brown, its no good! If it's completely green inside, it's not ripe yet. But pictured above is the perfect avocado!
Now scoop out the pit with a spoon. Season with salt, pepper, & garlic! (My mom loves hers with ginger!)
Scoop it with a spoon and eat it! Now if you want to slice it for salads or whatever, gently slice it BEFORE you scoop it out! Like this.... careful not to cut through the skin.
Ok, lets do a LEEK!
This is what it looks like just in case.... ;)
Now cut the dark green part off...
Now if you are going to cook a soup, throw the dark green part in there for flavor.. you can eat it if you like the texture. I use the bottom part raw as I would for onions.
I take my knife blade and insert it right above the root...
I don't cut the root off because it's holding it together. Otherwise, it would be really hard to cut. Now just bring your blade down slicing the Leek length wise...
Now do the same thing about a 1/2 an inch above the slice you just made...
Now it will have a fan-like appearance. This makes it easier to clean it and remove any dirt...
After you washed it, start slicing. You will notice they automatically cut into perfect pieces since you prepped it correctly!
Now slice all the way down as close as you can to the root...
Now throw it on a salad or sandwich!
Next up, a MANGO!
A ripened mango will be soft to the touch, like the avocado- not too soft!
First rinse the Mango. Now cut downward slightly off-center to avoid the large pit, like this...
Do the same thing to the other side.
Now cut the sides, curving your knife around the pit. You should be able to feel it.
Do that to both sides and you'll be left with a large, flat pit.
Next, take your Mango halves and slice them into small squares with a small knife...
Now turn it inside out....
Slice off the squares with a small knife. That's it!
Lastly, let's cut a CANTALOUPE... Same thing goes for a HONEYDEW.
You can tell a ripe melon by smelling the bottom. If you can smell the fruit, then it's ripe. If it's not ripe, leave it on your counter for a couple days...
Slice your Cantaloupe in half (or Honeydew), and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
Now cut it length wise down the center...
Next, take your blade and run it along the bottom right above the outer layer. Turn it around and do it to the other side.
*It should slice pretty easily if it's fully ripened*
Then cut down the center again.
Now cut it crosswise into chunks...
Now dump it into your smoothie or a container for later!
You should seriously have no mess!!
HOPE THIS HELPS!!!
These delicious cookies are a no-bake recipe, only using whole, raw ingredients. They are sweet without adding any sugar! By the way, these cookies take 10 minutes, tops!
What you need: Blender/Food processor
Ingredients:
1/2 cup raw almonds (no roasted or salted)
1/4 cup pecans
5 dates, pitted
1/4 cup raisins or dried cherries
1/4 tsp almond extract (in the baking isle, next to the vanilla)
dash of salt (sea salt is best)
1/4 cup almond flour (it's just almonds in the blender, I'll show you....)
1. First, lets make your almond flour. Place 1/4 cup of almonds in the blender/processor. Blend until you reach a flour consistency. It should take about 6 seconds!
Now you have your almond flour! Now here's your ingredients....
2. Now put your 1/2 cup of almonds and 1/4 cup of pecans in the blender and process until COARSELY chopped.
3. Add the dates and almond extract until mixture starts to stick together.. Don't Overprocess! You should still see chunks of almonds and dates!
4. Now add your raisins and just pulse it until they are mixed. Dump in a bowl.
5. Now scoop out a little ball and firmly squeeze in your hand, until it sticks together....
6. Now gently flatten it a bit until it looks like a cookie!
7. Place it in your almond flour and coat. Keep doing this until you made all your cookies!
8. You can garnish it with an almond or not.. but place this plate in the fridge for at LEAST one hour! Then enjoy!
*Placing them in the fridge allows the cookies to bind together since we didn't use any heat, eggs, sugar, milk.... this is all NATURAL! All RAW!
*
This recipe made 9 good sized cookies.. the pic only shows 8. I ate one ;) You will be surprised at how naturally sweet they are! Serve it with some Almond Milk!
MMMMMMMMMMM!
