Phytofoods

Cleansing Winter Veggie Soup

2012-01-22T16:08:00.000-08:00

I love this soup. There are so many great things about it number one being that it takes no time at all to make. I have a friend here who is a breast cancer survivor and six years after her initial diagnosis and successful battle she (not surprising) had to have surgery due to intestinal difficulties. She called me wanting to know what to eat as nothing seemed to be sitting right with her after the surgery. I rattled off a list of ingredients....some of this, that, steam it, add ginger, miso-done. The next day I was at her house and she made this soup. Divine. I love the addition of sunchokes and winter squash keeping us in touch with the season. You could really add any veggies to this although this exact combination is super tasty. Eating this makes me want more healthy food. If you are interested in more recipes like this and giving your body a break, you can join nutritionist Andrea Nakayama and I for our seasonal Winter Cleanse starting February 4th. For more information click here.

Cleansing Winter Veggie Soup

ingredients:

1 1/2 stalks celery sliced

1 sunchoke cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 onion cut into chunks

1 carrot sliced

2 cups winter squash peeled and cubed

4 leaves green kale (lacinato or green leaf)

1/2-1 inch piece of fresh ginger peeled and sliced

1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves

1/4-1/2 cup chickpea miso or to taste

sea salt to taste (optional)

preparation:

Place celery, sunchokes, onion, carrot, winter squash, kale and ginger in a soup pot and add water to cover all vegetables by 1/2 inch. Place a lid on the pot and bring veggies to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Remove from heat and let cool a bit, about 5 minutes. Add all steamed vegetables with steaming liquid and parsley to a high speed or Vitamix blender (for smooth consistency). Blend until smooth and then add miso, blend again until smooth and add salt (optional) to taste.

Serves 4-6

Gluten Free Ginger Bread

2011-12-14T10:48:00.000-08:00

Holy moly....time has flown by. Pregnancy, work and a kitchen remodel have sucked me into a time warp. The kitchen should be done by January and Im so excited to get back in it cooking and creating more recipes. For the first part of my pregnancy I really didn't feel like eating much, so cooking was out of the question. I got by on very basic foods and felt quite sad that all of my kitchen inspiration had gone away somewhere. Around the 15 week time my friend Shawna started texting me recipes that she was creating. I would say this kicked me back into gear and soon we started a texting frenzy of different photos and recipes. Shawna is my magic baker friend and inspires me to take chances baking. Sometimes it can take a while to get it right, like with this recipe. It was started by her and we went back and forth testing it, I think a total of 7 times. This is the end result and Im quite proud of it. I even had a neighbor request it as her 5th Birthday party cake! It packs in protein, and some high iron foods which are great for pregnancy. I added powdered coconut palm sugar to the top. For directions on how to make powdered coconut palm sugar see Ali's Nourishing Meals blog.

Gluten Free Ginger Bread

dry ingredients:
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 cup teff flour
2/3 cup brown rice flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of cloves
pinch of allspice

wet ingredients:
1/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup coconut palm sugar
1 heaping teaspoon of grated fresh ginger
1/4 cup coconut milk, or other milk or milk substitute
2 eggs
1/2 cup coconut oil warm and melted
1/4 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Whisk together first 5 wet ingredients (including coconut palm sugar) and add the warmed coconut oil and hot water last. Whisk again until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet and mix until well combined. Pour batter into a lightly greased (with coconut oil) 8 x 8 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean. Let cool completely and top with powdered coconut sugar. Enjoy!

Peachy Mint Smoothie

2011-08-05T10:55:00.000-07:00

I go through phases of drinking the same smoothies morning after morning. Peaches are in season and the mint in my garden is going crazy, so this yummy Minty Peach Smoothie has been hitting my Vitamix every day. It gives me enough energy with the added coconut milk and hemp protein to last a good portion of the morning before I am hungry again. This recipe is just one of the many yummy recipes (over 40) I've created in the TrulyFood upcoming Summer Cleanse. I see this cleanse as a great opportunity for people to get in touch with seasonal produce and enjoy a nice cleansing week of smoothies, juices and light foods (great for the warm weather that finally reached Portland). Please join us if you will, and know that you can do this 7 day cleanse from anywhere. Click here for details and enjoy~

Peachy Mint Smoothie

1 1/2 cups peaches

10–12 fresh mint leaves

3/4 cup light coconut milk

1 1/2 cups coconut juice

2 Tbsp. chia seeds

1/2 tsp. maca

1/2 tsp. coconut oil

10–15 drops vanilla stevia liquid

1 Tbsp. hemp protein or Sun Warrior protein powder

Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. For best results, use a Vitamix high-speed blender.

Servings: 2

Strawberry Mint Coconut Pops

2011-07-08T14:20:00.000-07:00

I recently bought a flat of Hood Strawberries from Know Thy Food (best food buying group ever). I had to quickly freeze them before time ran out because, as a strawberry farmer once said to me ~"those Hood variety strawberries go bad if you look at them wrong." So I found myself with an overabundance of very ripe strawberries as well as massive amounts of mint growing in my garden. Add a can of coconut milk, some honey and vanilla stevia and these pops are a huge hit. As you know from other posts, I always try out recipes on the neighborhood kids. These definitely passed, and the slightly phallic shaped rocket popsicle molds were also a success (take that Mr. Ice Cream Man...just keep driving past my house with that catchy tune).

Strawberry Mint Coconut Pops
ingredients:
9 large strawberries (approximately 1 pound)
2-3 tablespoons honey
dash of vanilla bean powder or vanilla extract
10 fresh mint leaves
1 can full fat organic coconut milk
7 drops vanilla cream liquid stevia
pinch of sea salt

preparation:
Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze overnight or for 5-8 hours.

Sprouted Almond Nettle Pesto

2011-05-16T20:02:00.000-07:00

There are so many places around Portland to gather nettles. We usually go once a year and harvest a ton, make pesto, freeze some, eat some, and dehydrate the rest to use for tea. For this recipe I actually bought a big bag for 3 dollars at the Hillsdale Farmer's Market from the folks at Springwater Farm who, by the way, sell the most amazing mushrooms and fiddlehead ferns (its just a wild foods fest at their booth). I used what I had on hand at home and came up with this superb pesto recipe. When handling the nettles

Cucumber Wakame Salad

2011-04-26T21:18:00.000-07:00

One of the great parts of my job is to create recipes for seasonal cleanse classes taught by Nutritionist Andrea Nakayama and myself. Each time, I am challenged to create even more recipes than the year before. One of my goals for the Rejuvenate: Spring Cleanse was to include more seaweed recipes. Along with the Kelp Noodle Salad and Veggie Nori Rolls, I added a Wakame Cucumber Salad, which I love. Its great to have sitting in the refrigerator to snack on especially during a cleanse when hunger strikes. Wakame is one of my favorite seaweeds to work with. It is known as the womans seaweed and is actually an algae that is amongst the oldest living species on Earth. It has been used in traditional Japanese, Chinese, and Korean cuisine as an important health food. It is high in a variety of vitamins including vitamins A, C, E, and K, it’s a good source of minerals such as iron, calcium, and iodine, all important during a food based cleanse. For more information on our spring cleanse and to register Click Here.

Cucumber Wakame Salad

ingredients:

3 large Japanese or regular cucumbers

1 tablespoon sea salt

1/2 cup dried wakame

4-5 tablespoons brown rice vinegar or to taste

1 teaspoon raw honey, coconut palm sugar, or sweetener of choice (optitonal)

Sea salt to taste

instructions:

Cover the wakame with water and soak for 10-15 minutes. While soaking, thinly slice the cucumbers into rounds. Place them in a colander over the sink, sprinkle with sea salt, and mix together. Set aside for 10 minutes. Rinse them well and squeeze the cucumbers dry. Rinse and squeeze dry.

Combine the cucumber and wakame in a bowl, add the rice vinegar and sweetener, and mix well. Season to taste with sea salt and allow the salad to marinate for 20 minutes.

Serves 4-5

Almond Chia Crackers (vegan, gf, dairy free, egg free)

2011-04-07T14:28:00.000-07:00

Finally a cracker that fits all of our household food allergy needs AND its not in a package, its high protein, low carbohydrate, filling and crunchy (most important to the young boy). These can be made as a thicker cracker and baked for 10-15 minutes longer or a very thin crispy cracker baked for the amount of time below. I have added garlic powder and herbs, plain sea salt, and chopped fresh herbs...all turned out well. Isaac had the idea of making them a graham cracker....hmmmmmm, added apple juice, cinnamon and honey? I will have to play with that one! Enjoy~ and stay tuned for some new spring cleansing recipes using my favorite spring greens to help you ease into the TrulyFood Rejuvenate Spring Cleanse on May 7th!

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Smokey Cumin Roasted Vegetables with Chimichurri Sauce

2011-03-21T13:53:00.000-07:00

I love having a good portion of my meals be raw, fresh vegetables and the addition of this sauce to the roasted veggies is not only beautiful, its tastes amazing. I have used the Chimichurri Sauce as a salad dressing as well as a topping for baked ling cod or grilled salmon. This is adapted from a recipe by Lee Zucker of Eugene, Oregon (Lee owned and ran a Vegetarian restaurant there years ago). Keep in mind that you can use any root vegetables you want. Its hard to mess up this recipe!

Smokey Cumin Roasted Vegetables

ingredients:

2-3 medium sized potatoes cut into chunks

3 large carrots cut into chunks

3 medium sized turnips cut into chunks

1 large onion cut into chunks

4 garlic cloves, peeled

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 teaspoons cumin powder

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

1-2 teaspoons salt (add more at end to taste)

1/2 cup vegetable stock, chicken stock, or water

1 large sweet potato cut into chunks, placed into a bowl and tossed with 1 teaspoon olive oil, a dash of smoked paprika and a dash of cumin.

preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place all vegetables except sweet potatoes in a large baking pan or dutch oven. Toss well with olive oil, paprika, cumin and sea salt. Add stock or water to bottom of the pan. Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, stirring the vegetables every 10 minutes. After 30 minutes, add sweet potatoes and combine well. Bake another 30 minutes- again, stirring every 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. While vegetables are roasting, prepare Chimichurri Sauce.

Chimichurri Sauce

ingredients:

1 cup tightly packed Italian parsley

2-3 peeled garlic cloves

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup water

preparation:

Add all ingredients into a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Adjust salt to taste. Store in an airtight glass container for up to 5 days.

Roasted Hazelnut Spiced Mini Muffins

2011-03-01T11:41:00.000-08:00

The mayor of Portlandia held a press conference to let everyone know that the city is "ready" for the big snow storm. Well, the snow looked more like rain at first and it was a bit white out there this morning yet it melted completely by mid day. Needless to say, we were inside most of the day and I was able to mess with some of the spices sent to me by Frank's Finest LLC. I have to admit, I wasn't sure about using spice blends as I usually use single spices and adjust to my own taste. I am happy to say that every blend of Frank's that I tried I loved. His Dessert Blend is perfect for any muffin with its chai flavors and lovely lucuma and coconut sweetness.

Its great leaving these little muffins on the counter in my house and watching kids walk by and grab one, they slowly disappear over a couple of days. If you don't have mini muffins pans, you can make them in paper lined full muffin cups at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

Savory Beet Borscht with Cashew Sour Cream

2011-02-21T09:34:00.000-08:00

"The beet is the most intense of vegetables. The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire, the fire of discontent, not of passion. Tomatoes are lusty enough, yet there runs through tomatoes an undercurrent of frivolity. Beets are deadly serious."

-Tom Robbins, Jitterbug Perfume

Every time I work with beets this Tom Robbins quote passes through my brain. Its been years since I read Jitterbug Perfume yet I still refer to it as one of my favorite books. I think of Winter as the time of beet soups, roasted beets and pickled beets. This recipe can be made with or without the cashew sour cream, with regular sour cream, homemade vegetable stock, or chicken stock. I had a friend ask if she could substitute sweet potatoes for white potatoes and I think this would be delicious. One of the many beautiful things about borscht is that it is hard to mess it up! Try adding cabbage, parsnips or even some apples. Enjoy!

Savory Beet Borscht with Cashew Sour Cream

ingredients:

1 medium onion sliced into half moons

2 cloves garlic chopped

2 tablespoons ghee (or olive oil)

2 medium carrots chopped

2 small potatoes chopped

4 medium sized beets chopped

1 turnip chopped

4 cups homemade vegetable or chicken stock

4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons dried dill

salt and pepper to taste

preparation:

Heat ghee or olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute’ until soft. Next add carrots, beets, potatoes, and turnips and sauté for 10-15 minutes until vegetables start to soften. Add broth and bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in vinegar, dill and salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with Cashew Sour Cream (optional)

Serves 5-6

Cashew Sour Cream

ingredients:

1 cup raw cashews

2/3 cup water

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

pinch of sea salt

1 teaspoon nutritional yeast

preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. If you do not have a Vitamix or other high speed blender, soak cashews in water for one hour before blending.

West African Creamy Yam Soup

2011-01-28T13:03:00.000-08:00

Here is one of the simple, nourishing soups we will be eating on the Revitalize Cleanse. It is adapted from a recipe by a woman named Lee Zucker from Eugene, Oregon. The title was West African Peanut-Yam Soup. I changed a few things and made this a bit more cleanse friendly. You could easily substitute the almond butter in my recipe for peanut butter, add a bit more ginger to spice it up, or a dash of coconut palm sugar to bring in more sweet. Enjoy, and don't forget our gentle Winter Cleanse starts February 5th with the recorded tele-class that will be available for you to listen to at any time. Group cleanse and online forum start Monday February 7th, hope to see you there!

For more information or to sign up for Revitalize: A Winter Cleanse Click here

West African Creamy Yam Soup

ingredients:

1/4 cup peeled chopped fresh ginger

4 1/2 cups water

3 garlic gloves peeled and chopped

1 onion chopped

3 large carrots sliced

1 large yam/sweet potato peeled and cubed

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3/4 cup creamy smooth raw almond butter

4 cups ginger broth (see below)

2 1/2 cups tomato juice (I recommend Bionaturae Organic Strained tomatoes blended to 2 1/2 cups)

optional:

dash of cayenne

1 teaspoon coconut palm sugar

sliced scallions

pumpkin seeds

to make broth:

Place ginger and 4 1/2 cups water in a medium pot and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook, covered for 30 minutes to an hour until broth is strong. Skim out ginger and set aside.

preparation:

In a large soup pot place garlic, onion, carrot, yam, ginger broth and cayenne (optional). If broth has reduced make sure vegetables are covered by adding water. Bring to a boil, reduce and simmer for 15-30 minutes until vegetables are tender. Working in batches, blend or puree vegetables and broth with the almond butter. Return to pot. Add tomato juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and stir in sea salt, lemon juice and coconut palm sugar (optional). Let simmer for a few more minutes and remove from heat. Spoon into bowls and top with chopped scallions and pumpkin seeds.

Serves 6

Grain Free Apple Spice Muffins (egg free, gluten free, dairy free)

2011-01-23T16:31:00.000-08:00

After 3 tries I think I finally have it! These grain free honey sweetened muffins have been a great addition to our family favorites. I've been enjoying them post workout, my husband eats them for breakfast on his way to work, and when I send one to school with Isaac I know he is getting a good solid full protein snack (without all of the funky gums and fillers that usually come with gluten free baked goods). They are slightly more dense than your usual fluffy muffin and they stay quite moist over a couple of days if stored in an air tight container. I used the Honeyville Almond flour. I tried the recipe with both blanched and unblanched almond flour and they both worked well. Enjoy!

ingredients:

1 1/2 cups almond flour

3/4 cup buckwheat flour

1/2 cup ground chia flour (seeds ground into a flour)

2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon cardamom

1 cup apple sauce

1/2 cup honey

2/3 cup milk or milk substitute (I used coconut milk)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean powder

4 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee

preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line trays with paper muffin cups. Add all dry ingredients to a food processor and pulse until well combined. Add wet ingredients and oil. Process for 1-3 minutes making sure all oil is fully incorporated. Measure 1/4 cup batter in each muffin tin making sure to smooth out the tops. Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Let cool completely before eating (if you can...they are best that way and will not be as wet once cooled).

yield: 12 muffins

Source: www.phytofoods.blogspot.com

Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup with Smoked Paprika and Herbs

2011-01-16T19:56:00.001-08:00

I had the house to myself this weekend which is a first and wow...it was so quiet. I had the opportunity to really focus and enjoy making this soup. Its a sort of spin off from the basic Hungarian Mushroom soup which uses a lot of butter and milk. My body doesn't react well to milk products so I decided to create a non dairy (vegan if you wish) version. A trick to doing this is using blended cashews and water to replace the dairy or cream. This soup would be great on top of a wild rice or other grain of choice~Hope you enjoy!

ingredients:

2 cups sliced wild mushrooms (crimini if wild are not available)

2 cups chopped onion

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons dried dill

2 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika

3 tablespoons tamari

3 1/2 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock

3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 cup raw cashews

1 cup water

Salt and Pepper to taste

Chopped fresh parsley

preparation:

Lightly heat olive oil in a medium soup pot and saute' onions until slightly soft. Add mushrooms, dill, paprika, and tamari and saute' 3 more minutes. Add stock, bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. While soup is simmering blend cashews and water in a Vitamix Blender. After 15 minutes reduce heat, add cashew mixture, lemon, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with chopped parsley and a slice of lemon.

Serves 4

Source: www.phytofoods.blogspot.com

Blueberry Peach Crisp

2011-01-08T12:59:00.000-08:00

This week I dipped into my summer stash of peaches and blueberries. It instantly prompted me to get out my Greg Brown CD and remember why I love his music, especially his song Canned Goods. Its all about tasting summer in the fruits and vegetables we preserve and store for the colder months.

'Cause the canned goods that I buy at the store

Ain't got the summer in 'em anymore.

You bet, Grandma, as sure as your born

Ill take some more potatoes and a thunderstorm.'

-Greg Brown, The Live One CD (my favorite)

Blueberry Peach Crisp

ingredients:

Topping:

1 cup oats (gluten free if you need)

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup finely shredded coconut

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of sea salt

1/2 cup coconut oil gently melted

Filling:

3 cups frozen blueberries

4 cups frozen peaches

1 tablespoon arrowroot powder dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

1/4 cup coconut palm sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of sea salt

preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange blueberries and peaches in a pan and set aside to partially thaw while you prepare the topping. For the topping, combine oats, brown rice flour, finely shredded coconut, coconut palm sugar, cinnamon and sea salt in a bowl. Gently melt coconut oil in a pan and pour over topping mixture. Stir in with a fork until topping is thoroughly coated with coconut oil. Next combine arrowroot with the water and pour over fruit mixture. Add coconut palm sugar, vanilla and sea salt and mix well until evenly coated. Sprinkle topping over fruit mixture in an even layer. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Warming Grain Free (and gluten free) Breakfast Cereal

2011-01-02T16:40:00.000-08:00

Its been a while since my last post. We have been traveling and celebrating and eating and cooking up a storm! I have a lot of new recipes to share with you and I wanted to start with this one. There seems to be a movement happening in this funny world of healthy eating. I've noticed a lot of people gravitating towards a lower grain and sugar diet and experiencing more clarity and energy, as well as less bloating. I have eaten a low sugar diet since 1996 when I was diagnosed with candida. I don't think about it much anymore, its just become the way I eat, or at least a constant in the ever evolving and changing way that I eat! This recipe has been an amazing addition to my morning routine. Its very very versatile so I am going to give you a basic recipe that you can feel free to add to. Here are some ideas for additions: Ground nuts or seeds (sesame or sunflower), dried fruits, fresh berries and/or other chopped fruits, raw honey, maple syrup, coconut palm sugar, hemp seeds, nut or any other milk (you get the idea...you could add anything). I hope you enjoy it, let me know what changes you make to the recipe~

Warming Grain Free Breakfast Cereal

ingredients:

1 tablespoon ground flax

1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds

2 tablespoons shredded coconut

2 teaspoons chia seeds

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of sea salt

1 vanilla bean seeded (optional)

7 drops liquid stevia (vanilla crème or plain) or ½-1 teaspoon raw honey (or any other sweetener you desire)

½ bosc pear chopped

1 tablespoon goji berries

coconut milk

preparation:

Grind flax seed into a fine meal and set aside (I usually grind about a cup and then just have it stored in the refrigerator for later). You can use a hand blender like the magic bullet, a Vitamix dry blade, or a food processor.

Place pumpkin seeds, coconut, chia, cinnamon, vanilla and sea salt in a food processor and process until finely ground (see below).

Transfer ingredients to a bowl and cover with hot water. Mix in ground flax seeds and stevia or other desired sweetener. Drizzle with coconut milk, top with chopped pear and goji berries, enjoy.

yield: 1 serving

Often I will make a large batch of this and keep it in my refrigerator in a mason jar so that is ready to go in the morning.

Source: www.phytofoods.blogspot.com

inspired by Andrea Nakayama of ReplenishPDX

Kelp Noodle Stir Fry

2010-11-28T18:58:00.000-08:00

I know some of us did a little bit of eating this past week. I find that even though I eat a very healthy diet, when I over eat I feel pretty crappy. Whenever I know I've eaten more than makes me feel light, I make myself something cleansing. Today I cut up a burdock root to put in this stir fry but it never made it into the cast iron pan. I ate the whole thing raw with a little sesame oil and ume plum vinegar (yum). I used all local veggies for this and had some leftover celeriac which I sauteed with some red peppers for a side dish (I used sesame oil, you could saute them in ghee, coconut oil, butter, or sesame oil and add a bit of brown rice, ume plum, apple cider vinegar or sea salt). This is one of the many cleansing, seasonal, and warm recipes we provide in our Autumn Cleanse which is being offered again as a post Thanksgiving treat. It felt so good when I did it last time, I think I am going to do again this week! Click here if you are interested in joining me~and remember, its not just for Portland people, you can do it from anywhere!

ingredients:

1 bag kelp noodles, drain water off, rinse and soak in water for 2-4 hours then drain and rinse again.

2 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 garlic clove minced

1 shallot (golf ball size) thinly sliced

10 shitake, maitake or chantrelle mushrooms sliced

½ cup peeled and shredded celery root or turnip

½ cup shredded carrots

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon tamari

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

½ teaspoon sea salt

optional: drizzle of hot pepper toasted sesame oil, chopped cilantro, chopped scallions

preparation:

Heat sesame oil in a cast iron skillet or other medium sized pan. Add ginger and garlic, and shallots and sauté for a few minutes until shallots begin to soften. Add mushrooms and cook for another 3-4 minutes or until soft. Add celery root or turnip and carrots and mix well. Add apple cider vinegar, tamari, toasted sesame oil and sea salt and toss to coat all vegetables well. Stir in kelp noodles at the end, mix well and turn off heat. Serve garnished with chopped cilantro or scallions and hot pepper toasted sesame oil for some heat.

yield: 2 servings

If you don't know what kelp noodles are check out their website for more information. Its a great substitute for regular noodles and they are high in necessary trace minerals.

Sauteed Wild Mushrooms with Burdock Root and Kale

2010-11-07T22:01:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love this time of year at the farmer's market. The contrast between the bright vegetables of summer and the gray Portland sky puts me in a state of euphoria. Now that might just be me, not everyone finds the sight of a bounty of vegetables orgasmic, I understand, yet I still encourage everyone (especially you Portlanders) to get out and go to the farmer's market. Get in touch with what is being grown in your area! One of the most exciting booths for me to visit is the mushroom booth. There are always new funky mushrooms to try. Last week I bought some black trumpet mushrooms and this week the lovely Maitake, also known as the "dancing mushroom" in Japanese folklore. It is known to be a balancing food that contributes to immune health.

This recipe is great for a quick lunch or dinner. Any protein can be added and the fresh burdock root contains polyacetylenes which are plant chemicals that are useful in fighting certain types of bacterial and fungal infections including things like ringworm and urinary tract infections. What a great way to boost your immune system going into winter. This recipe is one of many warming and immune boosting recipes in our upcoming Autumn Cleanse on November 12th (distance online class) and 13th (Portland live class). If you are interested and can't attend the live gathering on November 13th, you can listen to the class at your convenience over the weekend and join us starting November 15th for the group cleanse. For more information or to register click here.

Enjoy,

Andrea

Sauteed Wild Mushrooms with Burdock Root and Kale

ingredients:

2 teaspoons organic sesame oil

1 golf ball sized shallot sliced thinly into half moons

1 12 inch whole fresh burdock root sliced

1 cup chopped Maitake mushrooms (shitakes can be substituted)

1-2 cups lacinato kale cut into thin ribbons

1 tablespoon Ume Plum vinegar (or more if you like)

toasted sesame oil or toasted hot pepper sesame oil (optional)

sesame seeds (optional)

preparation:

Heat a cast iron skillet (or other) over medium heat. Add sesame oil and shallots and saute' until they start to soften. Add Maitakes and saute' a few minutes more. Placed sliced burdock root in the pan and stir well to combine all ingredients. Place a lid on the skillet and let the vegetables steam for a 3 minutes stirring occasionally. Continue to saute' until burdock is cooked through, a few more minutes. Add the ribboned lacinato to the pan and stir into mixture until the kale turns a bright green color. Turn off stove. Add the Ume Plum vinegar and toss well. I like to sprinkle toasted hot pepper sesame oil and sesame seeds on top before eating for a little kick.

Miso Lemon Almond Spread

2010-11-03T09:37:00.000-07:00

I've had some requests for this one so I thought I would go ahead and post it today. I ferment this spread which gives it a more tangy/cheesy taste. I think it tastes best that way. However, you could skip the fermenting part if you are in a hurry. Its very versatile, you could add any spices, more lemen, orange zest, or chopped fresh herbs like chives, cilantro or basil.

This will be one of the recipes I provide in the upcoming Autumn Cleanse that I co-teach with Nutritionist Andrea Nakayama of ReplenishPDX. If you are craving the opportunity to sink back into your body, slow down, and enjoy a week of easy and nourishing food for your mind body and spirit then please join us! We are excited to offer people the option of attending locally or participating in an one of our teleseminars. Class Dates: November 12th (on-line) & November 13th (live in SE PDX) Group Cleanse Start Date: Monday, November 15th. Please click here for more information or to register.

ingredients:

2 cups almonds soaked overnight, strained and rinsed

3 tablespoons mellow white miso

1 garlic clove

2 tablespoons lemon juice

preparation:

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add a little bit of water or more lemon to help blend if needed. You could also do this in a food processor. Place mixture in a jar or bowl and cover with a coffee filter and rubber band, or towel, and let sit on counter at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight until it starts to ferment and becomes bubbly or fluffy. Strain through a nut milk bag or cheese cloth squeezing out any excess liquid and place spread in a bowl adding optional fresh herbs or spices you might like. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This recipe uses the whole almond, with the skin, which creates a bit more of a pulpy texture. I love it the way it is. Alternatively you could blanch the almonds or remove the skins for a very smooth,white chevre type spread. Serve on sliced cucumbers or apples for a yummy snack.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Honey Apple Fruit Leather

2010-10-24T21:25:00.000-07:00

We are up to our ears in apples in the house. I've made apple sauce, spiced apples, apple muffins, apple juice, apple chia cookies, apple smoothies, and apple fruit leathers! I've owned an Excalibur dehydrator for about 4 years and I love it. Its easy to use and clean and I've made some amazing snack foods in it like my Kale Chips and also great wrap alternatives like coconut wraps. Many people invest in a dehydrator and then ask me what to do with it. These fruit leathers are very easy to make and and also a way to get into the swing of dehydrating. I am going to cut some of mine into fun shapes and bring them to our neighborhood Halloween party. I am also going to make a big batch of my Raw Chocolate Truffles which were a big hit last year. I know Halloween is a challenging time for a lot of parents who strive to feed their children healthy food so I thought I would include a list of links to healthier alternatives to candy (brought to you by my TrulyFood business partner Nutritionist Andrea Nakayama)

*Raw Honey Sticks

*Oskri Nut, Seed or Coconut Bars

*Caveman Bars

*Organic Fruit Leathers-Cliff makes one that Isaac loves

*Xylitol Fruity Mints

I ended up ordering the honey sticks as I had just come home from seeing the movie Queen of The Sun. It is such a beautiful film, it actually brought tears to my eyes...and took me on a trip back in time to my organic farming days. Its a film that addresses the global bee crisis from a number of different perspectives. Its important that we are all aware of what is going on with our bees and our ecosystem. Please check to see if this film is playing in your area and go see it!

Boo!

-Andrea

Cinnamon Honey Apple Fruit Leather

ingredients:

8 medium Fuji apples (or any you might have), cored and cubed

1-2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/8-1/4 teaspoon sea salt

optional: 1 vanilla bean seeded or a dash of vanilla extract, 10 drops liquid vanilla cream stevia, or 3-4 tablespoons organic raw honey.

preparation:

Blend all ingredients until very smooth and pour 2 cups per dehydrator sheet (on teflex). Spread until thin and smooth.

Dehydrate 5-6 hours or until dry. Turn off dehydrator and allow to cool completely. Peel off of teflex sheet and cut into desired shapes/pieces.

Easy Caesar Dressing

2010-10-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

I taught a class yesterday on dehydrating and one of the recipes was for dehydrated almond croutons. We decided to serve them on top of a caesar salad...only problem was that we didn't have all of the ingredients for the dressing. I knew I had one filed away somewhere and sure enough, I was able to improvise and come up with this. Some people like a very lemony caesar dressing so feel free to add more lemon to this if you would like (my husband informed me that he thinks it could use more lemon and of course I disagree, ha!) I served mine over this amazing heirloom mix of salad greens. It would be great tossed with Romaine lettuce or used as a dip with cut up vegetables for kids. Hope you enjoy!

Easy Caesar Dressing

ingredients:

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup olive oil

2 ribs celery chopped

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon lemon juice

3 tablespoons wheat free tamari

2 tablespoons chickpea or mellow white miso

2 teaspoons honey or other sweetener of choice

1 tablespoon dulse flakes

1 garlic clove (minced if you don't have a high speed blender)

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

preparation:

Blend all ingredients until smooth (preferably in a Vitamix or high speed blender) and serve on chopped Romaine or any available salad greens.

Chia Doodles (grain free, egg free, dairy free, and delicious)

2010-10-02T17:28:00.000-07:00

Round two of these cookies and I think I have it! The first round was made with ground cashews, which you could still use. I actually liked them with cashews but I was walking through the Portland State University Farmers Market today and I saw this- a little voice inside my head told me to try the cookies with it:

I love the taste of them and I also love the fact that they are grown right near my house! Actually I think any ground nut could replace the hazelnuts. I used ground, roasted hazelnut flour which gives the cookies a nice earthy Autumn taste. Any chopped fruit (dried or fresh) or nuts could be added for extra flavor. The apple taste is subtle so if you want more of it, I would add some chopped to the batter.

Chia Doodles

ingredients:

1 cup chia flour (ground chia seed, in a coffee grinder or Vitamix dry blade)

1 cup roasted hazelnut flour (can also be ground at home)

1 teaspoon ginger powder

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4-1/2 teaspoon sea salt

3/4 cup coconut palm sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup peeled and chopped apples

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup gently melted coconut oil

preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl (mix very well) and set aside. Place apples, melted coconut oil and vanilla in a blender and blend until smooth. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix well. Using a 1 tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop cookie dough onto ungreased baking pan and flatten a bit to form a cookie shape. Bake at 350 for about 13 minutes (depending on your oven). Cookies should be a little brown on the bottom. Remove from baking sheet and let cool completely on a plate (if you can) before serving. Yields 18-20 cookies.

I hope you enjoy the cookies, I know I did...a bit too much I think!

For you local Portlanders, don't forget about my Preserve Your Harvest Dehydrator Class coming up next Sunday, October 10th. It is geared towards people that own a dehydrator but don't quite know what to do with it, or feel stuck with ideas of things to make using it. For more information and to register Click here.

Hope to see you there!

-Andrea

I almost forgot~my friend Ali of Whole Life Nutrition hosted a great blog event titled Ideas for Packing a Healthy School Lunch where she rounded up a number of different blogger recipes (including a couple of mine) and created one post linking to some fabulous recipes and information on feeding children well rounded meals while they are at school. For any parent interested, this is a great resource. Click here to read.

Red Lentil Dal with Coconut Milk

2010-09-25T16:16:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is the recipe for Red Lentil Dal with Coconut Milk. I remade the Brown Rice and Lentil Dosas and I have to say...I like them even better with the dal. I fermented them just a bit longer which resulted in a lovely sourdough taste that complimented this soup so well. This soup is so easy to make and served with a steamed grain and salad is a great solution when you are looking for a quick meal. I hope you enjoy!

Red Lentil Dahl with Coconut Milk
ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves of garlic (1 teaspoon minced)
1 onion (small/medium) chopped
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup red lentils
1-2 tablespoons madras curry powder
3 cups water
1 cup tomatoes chopped
¼ cup full fat coconut milk
½ lemon juiced

preparation:
Heat olive oil in medium sized sauce pan or cast iron skillet. Saute garlic and onions until soft, add lentils and curry powder and salt to coat. Add water and cook 30-40 minutes until lentils are soft. Add tomatoes and cook another 5-10 minutes. Stir in coconut milk and lemon juice. Add salt to taste.

Upcoming Events:
New Class!
Are you wondering what to do with all of this beautiful Northwest harvest?
Preserving Your Harvest: Using A Dehydrator to Create Warming Healthy Autumn Snacks
In this class we will teach you how to use a dehydrator to create healthy, locally grown, seasonal snacks.

Apple Pear Ginger Fruit Leather, Spicy Chocolate Corn Tortillas, Warming Spice Nuts, Crispy Nori Snacks, Savory Almond Croutons, Fall Harvest Savory Onion Bread

Date: Sunday October 10th

Time: 11am-1:30pm

Where: 3836 NE Davis Street home of Freshly Wild

Cost: 45.00 includes demonstrations, recipe packet, and samples of our easy to make delicious snacks

Click here to sign up and reserve your spot!

TrulyFood News:

Your Vibrant Child Class Announcement:

We’ve had so much fun hosting the Your Vibrant Child teleseminar series and the information presented has been invaluable to parents interested in improving the diets of their children or families. We know how hectic Summer can feel for some families so we’ve decide to open up the class again for registration. If you are interested in joining our community of thriving families please go to www.yourvibrantchild.com.

Brown Rice Lentil Dosas with Spiced Apples

2010-09-22T09:05:00.000-07:00

As you know, I recently developed a recipe book for the Adoption Nutrition website. I spent many days trying to develop an injera recipe (FAIL). If anyone out there has one, please pass it on! I sent out a cry for help to some friends and my good friend Shawna said "why don't you do a dosa recipe"? Hmmm, why don't I? With the help of Shawna and my Vitamix, I made these and they were delicious. I started the fermentation process early in the morning so therefore they were ready the following morning. I ended up filling them with spiced apples as a breakfast type crepe and YUM! In my next post I will give you a delicious Red Lentil Dahl with Coconut Milk recipe if you are in the mood for a savory dish with your dosas.

BROWN RICE LENTIL DOSA

ingredients:

1 ½ cups brown basmati rice

¾ cup green lentils

sea salt

Coconut oil or Ghee

preparation:

Rinse and soak 1 1/2 cups basmati rice and 3/4 cup green lentils in separate bowls, for 4 -6 hours or overnight. Drain and rinse both well, making sure to get any dust or dirt off. Place soaked ingredients in a high speed blender adding up to ¾ cup water and blend until smooth (like cream of wheat). Alternatively you can grind each separately in a food processor, adding up to 3/4 cup warm water each to process and then mix them together gently in a big bowl. The dosa batter should be the consistency of a cake batter and pourable. Place in a ceramic bowl and loosely cover with a tea towel and a plate. Let sit in a moderately warm place for 24 hours to ferment.

After 24 hours you should notice tiny bubbles and a pleasant yeasty smell. Add a small amount of salt, about 1/2 teaspoon, and a ¼-3/4 cups warm water for ease of ladling.

Heat a medium sized skillet so that drops of water dance and skitter (too hot is water disappears right away, too cool is bubbling in place). Put 1-2 teaspoons of ghee or coconut oil, adding a little more after each dosa to keep the pan oiled. Use a ladle with a flat bottom if possible, scoop about a 1/3 of a cup into the center of the skillet, then use the bottom of the ladle to make a spiral from the center of the dosa outwards, so that you spread the batter fairly thin into a small pancake size. Cover and let cook for about two minutes on the first side, until lightly browned, and flip. Cook uncovered for about a minute on the second side, until lightly browned.

Keep in a warm oven while you make more. Fill with anything, the tradition being potatoes with cumin and spices and onions, or you could make something like I did with the spiced apples.

Spiced Apples

ingredients:

1 tablespoon coconut oil or ghee

4 apples peeled and sliced thin

juice of 1 lemon

3-4 tablespoons honey or maple syrup

pinch of sea salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon arrowroot powder dissolved in 1/4 cup water

preparation:

Place coconut oil or ghee, apples, lemon, honey, sea salt and cinnamon in a pan and heat on medium stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes. Combine arrowroot powder and water and when arrowroot is dissolved fully, add to apple mixture. Bring to a boil and simmer until apples are desired consistency. I like my quite cooked down which takes a good 15 minutes or so.

Special Announcement!

Andrea (my TrulyFood partner), and I would like to cordially hand you the keys to attend one of the BONUS CALLS we have set up for our Your Vibrant Child class participants.
This Thursday we'll be hosting a conversation with the lovely Cristina Proano-Carrion, Professional Therapeutic Aromatherapist and owner of Aromandina.
Even if you're not a member of the Your Vibrant Child community, you can join us for this special event. That's how much we want to share Cristina's wealth of info. with you!
You're Invited!
Join us this Thursday for our special Your Vibrant Child BONUS CALL with Cristina from Aromandina. We're very excited to bring you Cristina's inspired and enlightened approach to therapeutic healing through the use of essential oils. And as if it couldn't be more timely, she'll be discussing techniques for boosting immunity.
Mark your calendars for Thursday, September 23rd.
The time is 6pm PST / 9pm EST.
Here are all the details for accessing the class:
Title: TrulyFood: Your Vibrant Child & Aromandina
Date & Time: Thursday, September 16th at 6:00pm Pacific
Listening method: Phone or Web Simulcast
To attend the event click right here.
Or phone in to listen. . .
Phone Number to Dial: (503) 290-5016 (on September 23rd)
Enter Conference ID: 842566#
Note: You can click here to find local access numbers.
We're super excited to bring you this FREE content.

How to Make Saurkraut

2010-09-12T13:47:00.001-07:00

A couple of weeks ago my son Isaac took a trip to a local farm and came back with 5 HUGE cabbages, so what else would we do but make saurkraut! Saurkraut is something that is easy to make and full of healthy, friendly bacteria which helps strengthen the immune system, reduce chronic inflammation, heal a leaky gut, aid digestion and more. I love this quote by Sandor Katz: "Fermentation is a transformative action of microorganisms that digest plant and animal matter and turn it into more elemental forms...As far as I can tell, there is no food that does not have some history of fermentation, and there's no region of the world that does not use it". Sandor is the author of Wild Fermentation. His story is amazing and I encourage everyone to at least browse through his book. Here are directions from Sandor on how to make saurkraut. In the photo above you will see my Harsch Gairtopf Fermenting Crock Pot (10 liter), which I love. I also use the Fermented Vegetable Master, which is a very easy way to make a smaller batch and the kraut is always fantastic.

Saurkraut

Making Sauerkraut is Easy!

by Sandor Ellix Katz, the creator of this site and the author of Wild Fermentation: The Flavor, Nutrition, and Craft of Live-Culture Foods (Chelsea Green, 2003) has earned the nickname "Sandorkraut" for his love of sauerkraut. This is Sandorkaut's easy sauerkraut recipe, one of more than 90 ferments included in his book.

Timeframe: 1-4 weeks (or more)

Special Equipment:

Ceramic crock or food-grade plastic bucket, one-gallon capacity or greater

Plate that fits inside crock or bucket

One-gallon jug filled with water (or a scrubbed and boiled rock)

Cloth cover (like a pillowcase or towel)

Ingredients (for 1 gallon):

5 pounds cabbage

3 tablespoons sea salt

Process:

Chop or grate cabbage, finely or coarsely, with or without hearts, however you like it. I love to mix green and red cabbage to end up with bright pink kraut. Place cabbage in a large bowl as you chop it.

Sprinkle salt on the cabbage as you go. The salt pulls water out of the cabbage (through osmosis), and this creates the brine in which the cabbage can ferment and sour without rotting. The salt also has the effect of keeping the cabbage crunchy, by inhibiting organisms and enzymes that soften it. 3 tablespoons of salt is a rough guideline for 5 pounds of cabbage. I never measure the salt; I just shake some on after I chop up each cabbage. I use more salt in summer, less in winter.

Add other vegetables. Grate carrots for a coleslaw-like kraut. Other vegetables I’ve added include onions, garlic, seaweed, greens, Brussels sprouts, small whole heads of cabbage, turnips, beets, and burdock roots. You can also add fruits (apples, whole or sliced, are classic), and herbs and spices (caraway seeds, dill seeds, celery seeds, and juniper berries are classic, but anything you like will work). Experiment.

Mix ingredients together and pack into crock. Pack just a bit into the crock at a time and tamp it down hard using your fists or any (other) sturdy kitchen implement. The tamping packs the kraut tight in the crock and helps force water out of the cabbage.

5. Cover kraut with a plate or some other lid that fits snugly inside the crock. Place a clean weight (a glass jug filled with water) on the cover. This weight is to force water out of the cabbage and then keep the cabbage submerged under the brine. Cover the whole thing with a cloth to keep dust and flies out.

Press down on the weight to add pressure to the cabbage and help force water out of it. Continue doing this periodically (as often as you think of it, every few hours), until the brine rises above the cover. This can take up to about 24 hours, as the salt draws water out of the cabbage slowly. Some cabbage, particularly if it is old, simply contains less water. If the brine does not rise above the plate level by the next day, add enough salt water to bring the brine level above the plate. Add about a teaspoon of salt to a cup of water and stir until it’s completely dissolved.

Leave the crock to ferment. I generally store the crock in an unobtrusive corner of the kitchen where I won’t forget about it, but where it won’t be in anybody’s way. You could also store it in a cool basement if you want a slower fermentation that will preserve for longer.

Check the kraut every day or two. The volume reduces as the fermentation proceeds. Sometimes mold appears on the surface. Many books refer to this mold as “scum,” but I prefer to think of it as a bloom. Skim what you can off of the surface; it will break up and you will probably not be able to remove all of it. Don’t worry about this. It’s just a surface phenomenon, a result of contact with the air. The kraut itself is under the anaerobic protection of the brine. Rinse off the plate and the weight. Taste the kraut. Generally it starts to be tangy after a few days, and the taste gets stronger as time passes. In the cool temperatures of a cellar in winter, kraut can keep improving for months and months. In the summer or in a heated room, its life cycle is more rapid. Eventually it becomes soft and the flavor turns less pleasant.

Enjoy. I generally scoop out a bowl- or jarful at a time and keep it in the fridge. I start when the kraut is young and enjoy its evolving flavor over the course of a few weeks. Try the sauerkraut juice that will be left in the bowl after the kraut is eaten. Sauerkraut juice is a rare delicacy and unparalleled digestive tonic. Each time you scoop some kraut out of the crock, you have to repack it carefully. Make sure the kraut is packed tight in the crock, the surface is level, and the cover and weight are clean. Sometimes brine evaporates, so if the kraut is not submerged below brine just add salted water as necessary. Some people preserve kraut by canning and heat-processing it. This can be done; but so much of the power of sauerkraut is its aliveness that I wonder: Why kill it?

Develop a rhythm. I try to start a new batch before the previous batch runs out. I remove the remaining kraut from the crock, repack it with fresh salted cabbage, then pour the old kraut and its juices over the new kraut. This gives the new batch a boost with an active culture starter.

Gamja Jeon (Korean Pancakes) with Cho Ganjang (Soy Dipping Sauce)

2010-09-06T21:12:00.000-07:00

I was recently asked to develop recipes for the relaunch of an oversees adoption nutrition website (www.spoonfoundation.org). My job was to choose 5-7 countries most common for adoption and develop recipes for adoptive parents to share/prepare with their children. I had so much fun with this project and thought I would share the recipes with you over the next month or so. I am not a huge egg eater, but this recipe was great and fun to eat with the tangy gingery dipping sauce. You can wrap up pieces of the pancake in lettuce leaves and dip it like a spring roll. Please take the time to check out SPOON foundation and their story, its quite amazing and also very eye opening. Nutrition makes such a difference especially with these little babies.

Gamja Jeon (Korean Pancakes) with Cho Ganjang (Soy Dipping Sauce)

ingredients:

½ cup shitake mushrooms chopped

1 clove garlic minced

1 zucchini shredded

2 small red potatoes shredded

¼ teaspoon sea salt

dash of pepper

¼ cup brown rice flour

2 pastured eggs

2-4 tablespoons sesame oil

preparation:

Place first six ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add brown rice flour and stir to coat. Add eggs and mix until fully incorporated. In a medium sized skillet, heat 2 tablespoons sesame oil on medium-high heat. Using ¼ - ½ cup, measure batter and pour onto heated skillet. Fry on each side until golden brown. Serve topped with chopped cilantro and Cho Ganjang dipping sauce.

yield: 4 medium sized pancakes

Cho Ganjang (Soy Dipping Sauce)

ingredients:

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons wheat free tamari or soy sauce

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon sesame oil

preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a small dipping bowl and whisk.

Easy Guacamole

2010-08-30T21:40:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried a lemon cucumber? I promise, you won't be sorry. They are so delicious that I carry them in my purse and eat them like apples during the day when I need a snack. I wish I could eat them all year long but sadly enough, I can't so I try to come up with as many ways as possible to eat and serve them during the late summer. I have to admit, they taste best to me simply sprinkled with sea salt but that can get old fast so I decided to make good old guacamole and use my cucumbers as "chips" (along with more early girl tomatoes as you can see). Its a very simple recipe that can be made more spicy by adding chopped jalepeno or onion and a dash of cayenne. Enjoy!

Easy Guacamole

ingredients:

2 medium sized ripe avocados

3 small red garden ripe tomatoes or 2 large ones, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 lime juiced

3-4 tablespoons chopped cilantro

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon onion powder

preparation:

Mash avocados with a fork, add chopped tomatoes, garlic, lime juice, salt and onion powder. Mix well and add chopped cilantro last folding it in to the guacamole. Serve with sliced cucumbers or tomatoes.

Peachy Salsa

2010-08-22T20:30:00.000-07:00

I went to the farmers market yesterday, um, and today (I'm a little obsessed) and of course had to buy all of the different tomato varieties. I love the heirlooms but I have to admit that I am excited to eat the Early Girl variety the most right now. Sigh...I used to grow them on my little farm in Santa Cruz, California and every Saturday, woke up at 4am to drive into San Francisco for the Embarcadero market to sell our organic cut flowers, vegetables and our little money maker, the Early Girls. They are sweet and firm and make a great salsa especially with all of these peaches that I have been buying by the case. I served this particular salsa with fresh halibut tacos that my husband claimed were the best yet (and he is a tough sell). So, I hope you enjoy this and if you want the fish taco recipe join our TrulyFood Facebook page...it is posted there and also one of the recipes we gave out in our Your Vibrant Child teleseminar series class. Happy Harvest!

Peachy Salsa

ingredients:

5 small/medium sized (Early Girl if you can find them) tomatoes, chopped

1 cup peaches, peeled and chopped

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 lime juiced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro (loosely packed)

1/2 teaspoon raw honey

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional)

preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let sit for 15-20 minutes before serving (if you can help yourself!)

Refresh, A Summer Cleanse

2010-07-23T11:20:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

Yes, that's right...its time for our seasonal cleanse! This summer join the Andreas of TrulyFood (our joint company) for our 4 day quantum summer smoothie and juice feast. We combine our nutritional and culinary expertise to bring you a detailed and outlined protocol and support system that promises to enliven, invigorate, and refresh your body, mind and spirit and give your immune system the helping hand it will thank you for in the months to come. This 4 day cleanse is offered at a summer discount price of 67.00. Please click here for more information and the full class flyer. I am really looking forward to doing the cleanse myself and excited about the easy meal prep every day (I mean throwing everything in the blender for an instantly delicious meal!) Here is a yummy seasonl berry smoothie recipe to get your blender warmed up!

Blueberry Bliss Nectar

1 cup brazil nuts soaked 4-6 hours, drained and rinsed
3 dates (softened in warm water)
¼ vanilla bean or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch sea salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 teapoon maca powder
1 teaspoon raw honey or to taste

Blend brazil nuts, dates, vanilla bean seeds, sea salt and cinnamon in a blender until smooth. Strain through a nut mylk bag. Pour mylk back into the blender and add blueberries, cinnamon, maca and honey. Blend until smooth.

Raw Strawberry Cobbler with Cooler Whip

2010-07-13T20:38:00.000-07:00

This is one my all time favorite summer recipes. It is so easy to make and also quick which makes it a great recipe for potlucks. I created a cashew cream topping to go with it, kind of a healthy alternative to Cool Whip. Remember that stuff? I'll admit, I used to love it when I was little. My mom even had a famous recipe made with Cool Whip and cranberries...a hit at all holiday parties. Im hoping she will use this recipe to take it's place from now on!

Cobbler

ingredients:

Filling:

2 lbs. organic strawberries
½ cup raisons soaked in water for 2-4 hours
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
juice of half a lemon
2 Tablespoons raw honey
1 tsp vanilla bean
¼- ½ teaspoon sea salt

Topping:

1 ½ C pecans
¾ C dates
pinch of sea salt

preparation:

Place 1½ cups sliced strawberries, drained raisons, cinnamon, lemon juice, honey, vanilla, and sea salt in a food processor on or high-speed blender. Puree until completely smooth and creamy. Set aside.

Slice remaining strawberries and place in a glass or ceramic dish. Gently toss with pureed mixture.

In a food processor pulse the pecans and dates until evenly mixed. Crumble and even layer over the strawberries.

Cooler Whip

ingredients:

¾ C cashews soaked overnight and rinsed
¼ C maple syrup
¼ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lemon zest
½ vanilla bean
Water to blend

preparation:

Blend all ingredients until smooth

Some Announcements:

My TrulyFood business partner, Nutritionist Andrea Nakayama was interviewed by Parenting Unplugged radio show. You can listen to her on the show talking about kids, nutrition, cleansing, and the Your Vibrant Child program by clicking right here.

Refresh: A Summer Cleanse

Speaking of cleansing, mark your calendars! We're getting ready for the summer cleanse. This is your chance to get fresh and also jump start your immune system for the colder months. Live class will be held on Friday, July 30th, with teleseminar to follow that weekend. Stay tuned for more exciting details on this TrulyFood Cleanse.

Your Vibrant Child

TrulyFood's exciting new tele-seminar is off to a great start. And it's not too late to join us! We're still accepting students until the second class on Thursday, July 22nd. What this means for those of you sign up now is that you get to start right away! Check out the many features of the course on the Your Vibrant Child website and know that the benefits for you, your children, and your entire family are a healthier lifestyle that will carry you into the school year and beyond. Greater focus at school, less colds and flus, and fantastic new after-school snacks and holiday desserts that will become family favorites.

Join us for this whole family transformation.

*TrulyFood is the creation of Andrea Nakayama of Replenish PDX and Andrea Livingston of Phytofoods.

Happy summer~

Andrea

Zucchini Pasta

2010-07-05T12:41:00.000-07:00

Zucchinis everywhere! This is the beginning of the "too many zucchini's" season for most gardeners. I am usually at a loss for what to do with all of the summer squash even one squash plant can produce. A couple of years ago I ordered this trusty little kitchen tool on amazon.com. Its called a spiralizer. This means it can spiralize different vegetables into great looking noodles for either a garnish or to eat.

There are two types that I have experience with. One does more of an angel hair type pasta and is called a Saladacco Spiral Slicer. The one I prefer is the World Cuisine Spiralizer. I like it because it makes thicker "noodles" which you can then massage with a little sea salt to soften. I just bought the book Fast Fresh and Green where Susie Middleton sautes her zucchini noodles in olive oil or butter to soften them. This may be a better bet for kids if your children protest the the raw noodles (and also a great way to get the veggies in). Here is a raw pesto sauce recipe for you to try out. You can omit basil, add other herbs or use sundried tomatoes for extra flavor like I did (in photo above).

Pesto Sauce

ingredients:

2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons chickpea or mellow miso

2 garlic cloves minced

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon nutritional yeast (optional)

1/4 cup walnuts, almonds or pine nuts

preparation:

Combine first six ingredients in a food processor and pulse until basil leaves are chopped. Add nuts and process unitl the desired consistency is achieved.

*Don't Forget~

Your Vibrant Child teleseminar starts this Thursday. Join nutritionist Andrea Nakayama and I for some eye opening information on how to:

*Introduce nutritious foods that your kids will love

*Remove the anti-nutrients that can make your child sick

*Understand why and how to do it!

*Become part of a revolution of parents who are gracefully guiding their children toward the vibrancy they deserve

CLICK HERE for the Your Vibrant Child website and more information on how to join us!

Strawberry Dreamsicles

2010-06-21T13:59:00.000-07:00

I did see the sun today, I swear...for at least 10 minutes. I was talking to my friend in Arizona and she pointed out that at least we have the most incredible berries in the country and this in fact can brighten anyones day! Before our introductory Your Vibrant Child call (which by the way you can still listen to by clicking here) I developed a few treaty recipes as freebies for the people signing up. This is one of them, made from fresh Oregon strawberries...yum. Thats what everyone that tried them thought too. I have been enjoying the coconut palm sugar as it is a nice low glycemic option. Feel free to substitute sweeteners of your choice (honey, maple syrup, stevia etc). Just taste along the way and adjust the sweetness.

Strawberry Dreamsicles

ingredients:

1 can coconut milk
¾ cup frozen thawed or fresh strawberries
½ cup coconut palm sugar
pinch of sea salt
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

or

1 vanilla bean, seeded
juice of ½ lemon

preparation:
place all ingredients in a blender or Vitamix and blend well until smooth. Poor into popsicle molds and place in freezer for 2-3 hours or until firm.

Yields 8-10 pops

Chia Chocolate Cookies

2010-06-12T17:04:00.000-07:00

I ate way too many of these. I couldn't help it and I love that they are gluten free, grain free, dairy free, low glycemic, high protein, high fiber and high in good fats. Kid tested and approved, PLUS...they take about five minutes to prepare and 11 minutes to bake. Enjoy~

Oh, and don't forget to sign up for the Your Vibrant Child: Truly Food Ways to Nourish Your Family Toward Health, Balance, and Vitality FREE teleseminar this Sunday June 13th at 5 PST eastern 8pm EST. Along with the sign up you will receive three more healthy, whole food, dessert recipes.

ingredients:

1 1/2 cups almond meal

1 cup ground chia "flour" (finely ground, you can use a coffee grinder or Vitamix dry blade)

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons organic cacao or cocoa powder

3/4 cup coconut palm sugar (plus some if you like sweeter cookies)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup melted coconut oil

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla exract

preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together eggs and vanilla. Add to dry mixture along with melted coconut oil. Mix well. Using 1 tablespoon measure cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet. Press into cookie shape. Bake for 11 minutes at 350.

yield: 3 dozen small cookies

Green Soup...again and again!

2010-05-27T09:28:00.001-07:00

The rain is still here in Portland and it's feeling more like Winter than Summer. Cold and windy calls for a nice warm soup. This soup is so easy. It can be served many different ways and can be modified to suit your own personal tastes and nutritional needs. You can make it with a vegetarian or non-vegetarian broth, corn or not, blended or not....you choose! This version was created by my son Isaaac.

Isaac's Green Soup

2 tablespoons ghee/olive oil

2 medium sized shallots, sliced into half moons

2 cloves garlic minced

3 medium sized red skin potatoes cut into 1/2 inch cubes

4-6 cups broth (or enough to cover veggies by 2 inches)

8-10 oz. corn (fresh or frozen..organic non gmo of course!)

3-4 cups green leafy kale, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Saute shallots and garlic in ghee until soft, add potatoes, broth, and corn. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes until potatoes are soft. Add kale and simmer for another 2-3 minutes. I like to eat the soup as is.....Isaac likes it blended so I just remove some of the soup, add a few more fresh kale leaves, and blend until smooth which creates a bright green "fun" soup to eat. Here is a simple vegetable stock recipe or you could follow directions for this Medicinal Chicken Stock by Frank Giglio.

Homemade Easy Vegetable Broth

ingredients:

4 tablespoons ghee or olive oil

4 onions cut into large chunks

4 shallots cut in half

4 celery stalks sliced

3 teaspoons sea salt

2-3 tablespoons thyme _

1 bunch parsley

4 quarts of water

preparation:

Heat oil on low/medium heat in a large pot and sauté onions, shallots, garlic, celery and thyme for 7 minutes. Add salt, water and parsley. Bring to a boil and lower heat and simmer for 1-2 hours. Strain and store in glass jars until ready to use.

Makes 4 quarts (enough to store and use some later for other recipes)

Other News!

I am co hosting a free teleseminar with Andrea Nakayama of Replenish PDX.

If you are a parent and wonder how food choices can make a difference in your child's life then

Please Join us!

Click here to read the full flyer and sign up ( you will also receive 3 of my kid tested and approved dessert recipes with the sign up).

Wild Weed Salad with Spicy Hemp Dressing

2010-04-11T17:25:00.000-07:00

Spring is definitely here in Portland. I went to the farmers market last week and was thrilled to find an abundance of edible weeds, in particular Miner's Lettuce and Chickweed. Miners lettuce (Clatonia perfoliata) is in the purslane family and grows in shady areas in spring when the weather is moist and cool. It is high in Vitamin C and Iron. It gets its name from the miners in California who ate it to avoid scurvy. Chickweed (Stellaria media) is a common garden weed and a favorite food of birds (possible why it is called Chickweed). It has many health benefits as a food and a topical ointment (made into a salve). It is high in vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, gamma linolenic acid, and zinc. My son Isaac loves these weeds. He is not a big fan of regular lettuce but he loves something about these edible weeds. Here he is to talk all about it. I had to edit the video way down as he decided to tell numerous stories during filming. Also, its a bit fuzzy as the sun was actually shining right in our window in Portland (a rarity these days).

I love the simple mix of Chickweed and Miners Lettuce with with this Spicy Hemp Dressing:

Spicy Hemp Dressing

1/2 cup hemp seeds

1/2 cup water

pinch of cayenne (more if you like spicy)

3-4 tsp tamari

pinch of salt

juice of 1 1/2 meyer lemons (if you can find them, otherwise regular organic lemons)

1 teaspoon of yacon syrup, honey, or maple syrup

*blend above ingredients until smooth and then add:

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

blend until you see flakes of green (do not over blend)

AND...I am teaching another seasonal cleansing workshop with the lovely Andrea Nakayama of Replenish PDX.

Rejuvenate: A Spring Cleanse

please click here for more information

Friday, April 23rd local class
(SE Portland location)
5:30 - 7:30 PM

Saturday, April 24th tele-class
9:30 - 11:30 AM PST

Group Cleanse (wherever you are!)
begins Monday, April 26th
ends Sunday, May 2nd

cost: $127/person

Nettle Mint Goji Tea

2010-03-25T19:44:00.000-07:00

In 1996 I had the privilege of working for a well known herbalist named Christopher Hobbs. At the time, I was a trained organic gardener and he hired me to help install a medicinal herb garden. In exchange, I was able to attend herb classes he taught in Santa Cruz, California. This was my introduction to medicinal herbs and the incredible ways they can be used in teas, tinctures and in cooking to help enhance and heal our bodies. Years after my initial introduction to herbs, I still mess around with different infusions, concoctions, decoctions, and macerations. A couple of weeks ago I made this tea for a class I co-taught on Superfoods with Andrea Nakayama of Replenish PDX. Nettles are in season, mint is starting to pop up in the garden again, and I used the goji berries to sweeten the tea. People were surprised at the sweetness of the tea, and I had a number of requests for the recipe.

Nettle Mint Goji Tea

1/4-1/2 cup dried nettles

1/2 bunch fresh mint (I used spearmint)

1/4-1/2 cup goji berries

8-10 cups filtered water

Boil water, add all other ingredients. Simmer on low for 20-30 minutes, strain out herbs and enjoy!

*For more information about the wonderful herb Nettles go to the Replenish PDX newsletter

P.S. I will be working at a retreat this June with Chef Dalia Cohn and Dr Alejandro Junger...please join us if you can~see details in the link below.

http://www.tibethouse.us/calendar/view/101796/4e

Food Challenge and Nettles

2010-03-13T19:34:00.001-08:00

I have been following chef Frank Giglio on Twitter and always find his perspective and recipes very interesting for a number of reasons. He is a classically trained chef and was also very involved in the raw vegan food movement for a number of years. I find he and his wife Camille (aka SuperGojiGirl) to be a great examples of people that are true to their own path towards health even if it means changing/growing into beliefs that better serve what is good for their own bodies. Too often I come across people that sacrifice their personal health for an idea of how humans "should" eat (vegan, vegetarian, "dairy is the devil", protein with every meal, fat free, etc). They are obviously suffering yet unwilling to bend to make changes towards better health. I recognize it because I have been there myself and each time I adjust/make changes I feel so grateful in the end that I can share my discoveries with others.

Anyway, this past week I participated in Frank's Food Challenge. I offered a list of items I had in bulk in my kitchen and in turn, he created a recipe and emailed it to me. Below is the list of ingredients I had along with the recipe created. I made the vegan version of this recipe which could easily be converted to a non vegan meal by using a chicken/beef stock and adding meat into the soup. So here goes the Food Challenge!

I had in my kitchen:

Shallots, Garlic, Acorn Squash, and Greens (Winter Bor Kale)

Fresh Nettles (picked by these two cutie kids Isaac and Nina):

Note on Nettles from Andrea Nakayma of Replenish PDX:

The health benefits of nettles are plentiful. Nettles are a kidney tonic with diuretic properties that allow for the release of water soluble toxins. They provide relief from the allergies that plague many in the spring, because they improve our resistance to pollens and molds. Nettles enrich the blood and ameliorate high blood pressure levels. From a Chinese medicine perspective, they build overall chi—or energy flow in the body. And nettles are an adrenal tonic, boosting our ability to handle the stressors that life presents with more vigor and equanimity.

How to Eat:
Nettles can be used much like spinach or any other mild tasting green. However the sting of the stinging nettles must be disabled before the nettles are consumed. This can be done through cooking, pureeing, juicing, or blending. The stinger is also deactivated when the nettle leaves are dried or powdered.

How to Harvest:
Nettles are only good to eat when they are young and tender, before they flower. When gathering, unless you are well trained at avoiding the stingers, wear long pants, long sleeves, and rubber gloves. You can use scissors to cut them and carry them home in a paper bag or a basket. Once in the kitchen, use gloves or tongs to handle the leaves. Before you cut any leaves form their stems, be sure that you have properly identified the plant.

AND FINALLY~

Here is the recipe Frank offered:

Peel half the acorn squash and dice into small pieces...set aside.

Take 2 shallots (about the size of two golfballs worth) Peel and slice into rounds.

Slice a few garlic cloves

In a half gallon sauce pan, warm ghee on medium high heat. Lightly saute the shallots and sliced garlic until they begin to brown. Once they take on a nice caramel like color, add roughly 4-5 cups of stock or water. (See stock recipe below).

Add in a bay leaf, as well as a quarter cup of nettle leaf (I used fresh nettles and added about 5-7 nettle leaves). Allow to simmer for for 15 minutes.

Once the liquid becomes nicely flavored by the nettle, add the chopped squash and a large handful of the greens. Continue to simmer until the squash is cooked thru. Season to taste with salt and lemon zest. Serve with spelt tortillas (which I did and it was great). I followed Frank's recipe and used coconut oil for the vegan version.

And Voila!!!

YUM. I absolutely loved this soup. It was easy to make, my whole family and even my neighbor tried it and loved it~Thanks Frank!

Here is the stock recipe I used:

Homemade Easy Vegetable Broth

ingredients:

4 tablespoons ghee

4 onions cut into large chunks

4 shallots cut in half

4 celery stalks sliced

3 teaspoons sea salt

2-3 tablespoons thyme _

1 bunch parsley

4 quarts of water

preparation:

Makes 4 quarts (enough to store and use some later for other recipes)

Ginger Infused Miso Soup

2010-02-28T12:32:00.000-08:00

Happy Spring from Portland. The weather is changing, and changing again. It seems to be going from warm and sunny to cold and rainy. Its just the kind of weather that breeds coughs and colds, especially in this Pacific Northwest dampness. This time of year I try to focus on eating to keep my immune system up. Lately I have been developing recipes to share with those trying to overcome a bug in their system. One recipe I love is Ginger Infused Miso Soup. The ginger and miso both warm the body and are excellent digestive aids. I will often have this soup for breakfast to give my body a nice, grounding start to the day.

1 tablespoon sesame oil/toasted sesame oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 shallots sliced thin

4 carrots, cut into matchsticks

10 shitake mushrooms, sliced thin

8 cups water

2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger

2-3 cups broccoli tops

2 cups sliced cabbage or thinly sliced kale (optional)

2 tablespoons tamari (optional)

sliced scallions (optional)

2-4 tablespoons miso depending on how much miso flavor you might like

Heat oil in a dutch oven or large soup pot. Add shallots and onions; saute over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add carrots and mushroom and saute for another minute. Add water and ginger. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn heat off, add broccoli and cabbage or kale (optional), return the lid to the pot and let sit for 5 minutes. Add miso, tamari to taste (optional) and sliced scallions. Serve alone or over kelp, or buckwheat noodles.

*apapted from a recipe by Cynthia Lair. I LOVE the videos on her website, they are hilarious!

www.cookusinteruptus.com

Thai Salad Wraps

2010-02-21T19:37:00.000-08:00

Last week I was running errands and ended up in the neighborhood of Fubonn, the largest Asian shopping center in Oregon. I decided to pick up some young Thai coconuts there for smoothies and other fun culinary creations. At the end of the week I ended up with about 4 cups of saved coconut meat so I decided to experiment with some dehydrated wraps. Here is what I came up with. If you don't have access to a dehydrator or coconut meat I suggest using a romaine lettuce leaf or making the Thai Cabbage Slaw as a side dish to any Asian inspired meal...it is so yummy on its own!

Wraps:

3 1/2 cups well packed coconut meat

2 medium zucchinis peeled and chopped

1 small red pepper chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 cup filtered water (or enough to blend)

1 cup of ground golden flax seeds

Add all ingredients except flax into a high speed blender and blend until smooth, adding the water a little bit at a time. Blend ground flax in at the end just until well incorporated. Pour 2 1/2 cups onto each teflex sheet and spread to 1/8 inch thick (about as thin as you can get it). Dehydrate for 4-5 hours at 115 or until dry enough to flip onto mesh screen (peeling teflex sheet off). Continue to dehydrate until dry but pliable (like a fruit leather) for 30 minutes to an hour. Remove and cut each sheet into 9 squares. Recipe makes about 27 square wrappers.

Salad ingredients:

1/4 green cabbage, sliced very thin

1/4 red cabbage sliced very thing

3 carrots, shredded

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

10 mint leaves sliced thin

1 red bell pepper thinly sliced (optional)

4 scallions, thinly sliced

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss well.

Thai Dressing ingredients: (inspired by Elaina Love)

1 cup raw tahini

2-3 tablespoons grated ginger

5 tablespoons lemon juice

1-2 tablespoons raw honey to taste

4 Tbs. wheat free tamari

1 cloves garlic

3/4 cup shredded coconut

1 jalepeno pepper chopped (include seeds if you like spice)

1 1/2 -2 cups water

Blend all ingredients for dressing and pour on top of salad and mix well...enjoy!

I like to keep the dressing and salad separate until I am ready to wrap and then I toss the salad with a little dressing, add a few tablespoons into a wrap and drizzle some extra dressing on top.

Quick Pickled Burdock Root

2010-02-07T20:27:00.001-08:00

Burdock root has become one of my favorite medicinal foods to eat. It is considered an alterative herb which means that it will gradually help restore the proper function of the body and increase health and vitality. It is an easy plant to grow and is considered a common weed in many parts of the world. Many people prepare it as a tea or decoction (boiling it for 10-15 minutes) and it can be an acquired taste which is why I like the idea of pickling it. My 5 year old eats it and considers it just like any other pickle. Burdock helps clean the digestive system and supports liver heath and is an excellent herb used to treat skin conditions such as eczema (working from the inside of the body to treat external skin conditions). This recipe is very easy and if the tamari is something you are not interested in using, just use filtered water and extra apple cider vinegar.

ingredients:

4-5 medium burdock roots

1 quart sized mason jar which will be filled with:

1/3 apple cider vinegar

1/3 wheat free tamari

2-3 garlic cloves

1-2 inch piece of peeled and sliced ginger

directions:

Wash burdock root and scrub any soil residue off of the root. Slice into rounds and place in a small saucepan slightly covered with water. Bring to a boil and lightly steam just until its still slightly crunchy and remove from heat. Place burdock, ginger and garlic in your jar. Fill jar 1/3 full of apple cider vinegar, 1/3 of tamari and 1/3 of the steam water. I usually can't wait more than a day to eat this yet the flavor does improve over time. Store this in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Winter Root Vegetable Soup with Coconut Cream

2010-02-07T19:02:00.000-08:00

Having been an organic farmer (in what seems like a past life) my body naturally craves those grounding root vegetables as soon as the weather turns cold. I usually plant my own garden with root veggies in the late summer hoping that my son doesn't make a game out of pulling them all out of the ground before mid winter. This year I was not so lucky. Everything was gone by November (but those carrots were soooo sweet!) I created this next recipe during a week of the warm winter cleansing workshop I taught.

Winter Root Vegetable Soup

3 tablespoons coconut oil

2 onions sliced
2 carrots sliced

2 parsnips peeled and sliced
2 turnips cubed
1 cup celery root cubed (1 medium sized root, outside thick skin removed)
1/2 cabbage sliced
2 tablespoons peeled chopped ginger
3 garlic cloves chopped
2-3 teaspoons dried thyme
1 medium sized butternut squash peeled and cubed
3 pears (preferably bosc) cubed
1 can coconut milk
5-6 cups vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste

On medium heat melt coconut oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, parsnips, turnips, and celery root (shown in photo above) and saute for 10 minutes until roots begin to soften. Next add the cabbage, ginger, and thyme and stir until cabbage starts to soften. Last add the broth (make sure all vegetables are covered. Add more broth at this point if needed), winter squash, pears, and coconut milk (I like to reserve some of the cream from the top of the can of coconut milk to swirl on each bowl I serve). Bring to a boil and simmer on low heat until all vegetables are soft (about 25-30 minutes). Puree in a blender, add salt and pepper to taste as well as more broth if you desire a thinner consistency.

Revitalize: A Winter Cleanse

2010-01-27T14:30:00.001-08:00

Hi All,
Just a quick note to let you know about a winter cleansing workshop I am co-teaching this Friday. You can find all of the information here http://phytofoodspdx.com/classes-events.
If you haven't checked out my new website, browse around and take a look. More recipes to come next week!
-Andrea

My Morning Smoothie

2009-12-29T11:08:00.001-08:00

I've been drinking smoothies every morning now for years. I've noticed that my taste for what to put in them changes with the seasons and also with what my body is calling out for nutritionally. Winter is a little rough here in Portland, with the lack of sun and abundance of rain. I woke up today feeling gray like the skies and decided to add some extra superfoods to my smoothie. I included links for you to read about each one. Also, I like to blend for a while so that the smoothie is room temperature and I am not drinking an icy drink on an icy day. Enjoy!

My (current) Morning Smoothie

1 young Thai coconut (water and meat)
or
1 can coconut juice
1 tablespoon Pure Synergy
1/4 vanilla bean
or
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 tablespoon hemp protein powder
1 tablespoon Health Force Nutritionals Warrior Food
1 ripe pear
1/4 cup frozen blueberries or strawberries
1 handful of kale leaves
1 teaspoon raw honey(great information on the health benefits of raw honey)
1 tablespoon Lucuma powder (optional)
15 drops Marine Phytoplankton (optional)
Probiotic Immune Support (New Chapter brand)
pinch of sea salt

Ch Ch Ch Chia

2009-11-30T10:20:00.000-08:00

Do you remember this?

Chia Pudding/Cereal

I used to think that chia was just for fun...as in soak the seeds, spread them on your chia pet and literally watch them grow! I was surprised to come across readings that outlined some of the incredible health benefits of chia seed.
Chia is a tiny black or white seed that was used as a staple food by the Indians of the southwest and Mexico. It is used as a high energy food and has been recorded as far back as the ancient Aztecs. Chia absorbs more than ten times its volume in water and forms a gel that makes a great base for puddings and helps keep your body hydrated. Chia is a rich source of fiber, calcium, B vitamins, and Omega 3 fatty acids. It is a complete protein, helps regulate digestion, control blood sugar, and is high in antioxidants.
I started experimenting with different chia pudding/breakfast cereal type recipes. Some worked well, others made me feel like I was eating slimy food that I knew was good for me. Here is one that works really well. Some of the ingredients might not be easy to find so I have added optional substitutions for you. Basically you can make a chia pudding out of any liquid that tastes good. For example if you have a favorite smoothie recipe, make the smoothie and take two cups of liquid and pour it over 1/4 cup of chia seed, let it sit for a half hour to two hours and voila!

1/4 cup chia seeds
2-3 cups coconut water (or filtered water)
meat of one young Thai coconut (you could also use a tablespoon of your favorite nut butter)
1 vanilla bean (or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract)
1 tablespoon raw honey (or agave, maple syrup, or other favorite sweetener)
pinch of sea salt

Blend coconut water and meat, vanilla, honey and sea salt in a blender until smooth. Pour over chia seeds and let set in refrigerator for thirty minutes to two hours (the longer the better). Once again...you can make this recipe using any ingredients that make a smoothie like texture. Sometimes I add fresh or seasonal berries, apples, pears, almond butter, lucuma, carob powder, cacao powder.....etc.
Good luck! Let me know if you try it and what your favorite chia recipe is.

I Love Green Juice.

2009-11-10T12:03:00.001-08:00

I used to think that green smoothies were the love of my life. I still love them but I have a new joy...green juice! I have always juiced and enjoyed it but I decided to make it a daily thing in my diet recently. I try to have at least one quart of green juice a day, preferably first thing in the morning followed by a chia seed pudding a couple of hours later (recipe to come in next post). Last week I participated in my first group cleanse with Elaina Love, David Rainoshek, and Chris Whitcoe. It was all raw and living foods for a week, one day of blended food and one day of juice and water followed by a flush (Kris Carr who wrote the book Crazy Sexy Cancer has a great article on her site at crazysexylife.com/2009/the-gallbladder-flush). Back to the green juice. I have been enjoying the same juice every morning now for about a couple of months and it looks like this:

Green Juice
1 bunch of celery
1 cucumber
7 kale leaves (curly or lacinato kale)
1/2 bunch of parsley
1 lemon
1 apple

I have a greenstar juicer and I absolutely love it. Its the only juicer I have owned so I'm not sure if there is something better out there but most people who have the greenstar also give it a thumbs up. If you don't have a juicer you can always blend up your vegetables and then strain them through a cheesecloth or better yet a nut milk bag which you can purchase on Elaina Love's website at www.purejoyplanet.com.

Truffles mmmmm....

2009-11-01T13:06:00.000-08:00

Every year in our neighborhood families get together and create a Halloween celebration without the added corn syrup, hydrogenated oils and FD&C reds, blues, etc. We make home made treats or crafts and our kids go from house to house gathering their treats. This year I had a request for these chocolate truffles. You can make them in a food processor or a high speed blender. They are easy, I promise! I added cacao/cocoa powder to make chocolate truffles but you could omit the chocolate, add more coconut, dried fruit, nuts, cinnamon, anything you might like. Its hard to mess it up with this base of ingredients here. Enjoy!
P.S. I notice a number of my posts are on chocolate (must be getting towards the holiday season). Don't get me wrong, I love it and there are numerous health benefits. I do however limit my consumption of it and try not to feast on it everyday!

Raw Truffles

1/4 cup coconut butter softened (I put mine in my dehydrator at 115 for 30 minutes or so, you could do it on the stove or rest the jar in a bowl of hot water)
1/2 cup agave or to taste
2-3 tsp maple sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 vanilla bean seeded
pinch of sea salt
2 cups shredded coconut

Combine all ingredients except shredded coconut in a vitamix, blendtec, or food processor. Add shredded coconut a little at a time until smooth. Once combined and as smooth as you can get it transfer to a bowl and add:
1 cup of cocoa/cacao powder
and/or
Any chopped dried fruits, nuts, spices you might like.
Place bowl in refrigerator for about 30 minutes until the mixture has set and can be easily formed in to balls. Using a 1/2 teaspoon measure out and roll into small truffles. I like to roll mine in extra cocoa/cacao powder or coconut. Store in refrigerator. Yum.

Easy Raw Chocolate Torte

2009-10-20T19:12:00.000-07:00

This is an all time favorite with my family and friends. It is very easy to make, kids love it and its a great dessert to wow people with that aren't familiar with raw food! Any nuts can be used for the crust. I prefer to use pecans. Be careful not to over process the crust as the nuts will release oils and it will become too greasy. Enjoy this torte topped with fresh fruit (strawberries or raspberries) or sprinkle shredded coconut on top. Keep it refrigerated until serving so that it is nice and chilled. If left out at room temperature for too long it will soften (still yummy but not as much like a pie, more like a pudding). Enjoy!

Crust:
2 cups pecans
½-1 1 cup pitted medjool dates (or enough so that when you squeeze the crust it holds together)
1 teaspoon coconut oil
Pinch of sea salt

Pulse nuts in food processor until slightly crumbled. Add dates and pulse a few more times. Add coconut oil and sea salt. Pulse until uniform and crust holds together when you squeeze it between your fingers. Press into bottom of classic 10 inch tart pan.

Filling:
2 cups cashews (not soaked)
¾-1 cup cacao powder
1 ½ cups water
½ cup coconut oil
¼ cup agave (or to taste if you like it sweeter, less for more bitter)
½ vanilla bean seeded
Pinch of sea salt

Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Pour over crust and refrigerate until firm (1 hour in refrigerator, ½ hour in freezer)

Buckwheat Granola

2009-09-24T19:20:00.001-07:00

Buckwheat Granola
6 cups buckwheat soaked overnight
6 apples
¼-1/2 cup agave
½ lemon juiced
2 tbsp carob powder
1 tpbsp mesquite powder or 4 tablespoons cacao powder
¼-1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 vanilla bean seeded

Soak buckwheat overnight. In the morning drain and rinse well removing any gelatinous material. Put drained buckwheat in large bowl and set aside. In a heavy duty blender blend apples, lemon, agave, vanilla and salt. Add mixture to buckwheat and mix well. Next add carob powder and mesquite or cacao powder and again mix well. Finally add shredded coconut and combine. Spread on teflex sheets at ¼ inch thick and dehydrate 8 hours or overnight. Flip and dehydrate until crisp (another 12-18 hours). Yields 5-6 Excalibur dehydrator trays worth of granola! Serve with fresh fruit and nut mylk...enjoy!

Cilantro Sunseed Pate' Wrapped in Marinated Collard Greens

2009-08-30T16:42:00.000-07:00

A few friends have asked how to make the wrap in the photo at the top of my blog. Here is a video of how to do it. It hope to make more of these videos soon!

Greens:

8 leaves swiss chard, kale, or collard greens, thick stem removed, washed and spun
1 lemon, juiced
sea salt

Pate:

1 c sunflower seeds, soaked 2-4 hours, drained and rinsed well
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 limes, juiced
1 tbsp red onion, chopped
¾ c cilantro, chopped
½ tsp sea salt
pinch of cayenne or jalapeno pepper (optional)

Wrap:

1 avocado, thinly sliced
1 mango, thinly sliced
1 red pepper sliced
optional: sprouts, shredded carrots, chopped cilantro

Sweet Cashew Hempseed Treats

2009-08-27T19:20:00.000-07:00

Raw food recipes have a reputation of taking forever to make (and honestly some do take a lot of prep time, forethought and dehydration, soaking, etc). My goal for these blog recipes is to make them suuuuper easy for you throw together. There will be a few that take some time but here is one that is very easy, delicious, healthy and kids love it! Enjoy...

Sweet Cashew Hempseed Treats

1 1/2 cups cashews
10 dried figs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla or 1/2 vanilla bean seeded
1 tablespoon raw honey (or agave)
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1 tablespoon raw cacao powder or cocoa powder(optional)
Pinch of sea salt

Pulse Cashews in a food processor until finely ground. Add the figs one at a time until the mixture holds together when you squeeze it between your fingers. Next pulse in the vanilla, honey and last the hemp seeds, salt, and cacao until all is combined well. I like to roll mine into little balls or you could press the mixture flat in a small pan and make bars out of it.

Goji Berry Dressing

2009-07-31T21:48:00.000-07:00

Goji berries, also called wolfberries, are small red-orange berries that grow on a shrub native to China. They are rich in vitamin A, are incredible antioxidants and have been used for over 6,000 years by herbalists in China, Tibet and India to boost the immune system, nourish the liver, help eyesight, improve circulation, regulate blood pressure and promote longevity. I try to add them to as many smoothies, deserts, and salad dressings as possible. I threw this together yesterday and my whole family loved it. You could use any herbs, I just happened to have cilantro around. Enjoy!

Goji Berry Dressing
1/2 cup goji berries soaked in water for 1-2 hours or until soft
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3 teaspoons raw honey
1/2 cup grapeseed oil or olive oil
1/4 cup cilantro

Blend until smooth using 1/4 cup of the soak water from berries to help blend.

Afternoon Delight

2009-07-22T21:12:00.000-07:00

It has been soooo hot here in Portland (mid to high 90's). In between camps, swimming pool runs, hikes, bike rides, gardening and work I often find myself needing a little afternoon pick me up. I went to my refrigerator today and found a huge containter of blueberries waiting for me (a common sight in our home during Portland berry season). I threw together this smoothie and it definitely did the trick! Blueberries and cacao are of course high in antioxidants and the coconut water is a great electrolyte replacer. In this particular smoothie I added coconut butter for a creamy consistency. You could also use almond butter or a banana and it would taste great! Enjoy!

Afternoon Delight Smoothie
2 cups coconut juice
1 cup blueberries
1-2 tablespoons raw cacao powder (or organic cocoa powder)
1 cup ice
1/2 vanilla bean or a dash of vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons raw honey
1 tablespoon coconut butter or almond butter
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of cayenne
pinch of sea salt

Blend until smooth

Plant Food

2009-06-26T21:03:00.000-07:00

Isaac disappeared outside for a while and came back in with a handful of english peas and a nice bunch of baby carrots from our garden. It is amazing to me that my five year old can grow his own food. He knows how to plant, water seeds carefully, weed and harvest. I did not formally teach him, he has just been there with me and helped, year after year until finally this year I gave him his own little plot. I've also noticed his habit of going to the garden when he wants a snack. It makes me hopeful that these experiences will provide a solid foundation for healthy food choices throughout his life. I want to encourage parents (and non parents) to try growing some of your own food. It is an important thing to consider, especially when basing ones diet around plants...right? Currently we have an overabundance of lettuce and cilantro in our garden. This has inspired me to create many new salad dressings. I finally wrote one down and it has become a favorite around here. We use it on salad greens and massaged into shredded cabbage for a nice slaw. Enjoy!

Tangy Cilantro Vinaigrette
Juice of 3 limes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup flax oil
1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves
3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon nutritional yeast (optional)

Place all ingredients except cilantro in blender and blend until smooth. Add cilantro last and blend again until you can see small green specks.

Ingredients Film

2009-06-11T05:43:00.000-07:00

I woke up this morning with this film on my mind. Did you know that a family farm in America closes every 15 minutes? That is 33,000 farms a year. Organic farming sits close to my heart. I dedicated many years to it and feel a certain responsibility to get the message out about supporting the occupation (which by the way is no longer listed on the United States census as a occupation). I am familiar with a number of the farmers in this film as it is shot in and around Portland. The message is important. Please watch the trailer at:
www.ingredientsfilm.com

Spring Salad with Italian Herb Dressing

2009-06-02T18:27:00.000-07:00

I looked out into my garden after a few 90-degree days here in Portland and was shocked to see the amount of greens ready to harvest. I threw together this salad made of bok choy, pea shoots, red leaf lettuce, bok choy raab, cilantro, fennel, and chive flowers and topped it with my favorite Italian Herb Dressing.

Fresh greens make a huge difference in the quality and nutrient value of the salad. If you don't have your own garden, you can find a nearby farmers market, or consider growing salad mix in a container. The best part? When you harvest, cut the lettuce about 1 inch about the soil line, and it grows back within days giving you numerous cuts and many salads to eat!

Italian Herb Dressing
2/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup flax oil (or 1 full cup olive oil)
6 tablespoons lemon juice
1/8 cup water
4 teaspoons agave
1 large garlic clove crushed
2 teaspoons italian seasoning mix
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

Combine all ingredients in a a blender or place all ingredients in a bowl and whisk.

Coconut Yogurt/Pudding

2009-05-30T21:28:00.001-07:00

I love using young thai coconuts to create pies, puddings and yogurts. The yogurt is a great alternative to dairy/soy yogurt and making it yourself is easier than you might expect. In this video I show you how to make a Vanilla Lemon Pudding/Yogurt that is not cultured. To culture this you would simply add 1 capsule (1/8 teaspoon) of your favorite probiotic powder and let the yogurt sit overnight at room temperature OR place it in a dehydrator at 100 degrees for 3-6 hours. For more information on cultured foods please see Dr. Ariel Policano's blog at www.livefooddoctor.com. I made this recipe lemon flavored but any 1/4 cup of seasonal fruit can be added. Some of my favorite flavors are strawberry, blueberry and mango. For instructions on how to open a coconut and remove the meat see my previous post http://phytofoods.blogspot.com/2009/05/how-to-open-young-thai-coconut.html

Enjoy!

Lemon Coconut Pudding/Yogurt

2 cups coconut meat
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 vanilla bean seeded
1 tsp lemon zest
juice of 1/2-1 lemon (or 1/4 cup of any fruit)
1/4 cup agave

Blend in Vitamix until smooth.

How To Open A Young Thai Coconut

2009-05-20T20:42:00.001-07:00

I have had many requests for this one. Look for my Lemon Coconut Pudding recipe in a couple of days. Good luck!

Marinated Bok Choy Salad

2009-05-14T20:12:00.001-07:00

Spring is the season for these beautiful baby bok choys. They can be found at many local Portland farmer's markets including the Portland State University market and the Hillsdale market.

My good friend Dr. Ariel Policano ND, host of the blog talk radio show Food Awakenings, gave me a few important nutrition facts about this recipe. Bok choy is high in Vitamins A & C, beta-carotene, calcium and Vitamin B6. Sesame oil has both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids and is actually less prone to oxidation than flax oil because sesame oil contains sesamol and sesamin which are natural antioxidants. The ginger in this recipe acts as a digestive aid, and garlic has innumerable health benefits ranging from antibiotic to cold preventative to promotion of healthy cholesterol levels.

Marinated Bok Choy Salad

5 baby bok choys
1/4 c sesame oil
1 tbsp nama shoyu or wheat free tamari
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1-2 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice
1-2 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp fresh ginger, minced
optional:
1 garlic clove, minced
shredded carrots, cherry tomatoes or other vegetable
1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Keeps in refrigerator for 3-5 days. Serves 4.

Buying Local

2009-05-04T12:21:00.000-07:00

I was reading through the Menu For The Future handbook put out by the Northwest Earth Institute and came across this question: "What images does the word 'farm' evoke for you?"

I spent many years working on organic farms, and because of this, I am a big advocate of supporting local farmers. If you do not grow our own food, it is important to acknowledge those who do. I try to menu plan for the week so that I can visit one of the many local farmer's markets and pick up my produce. For a list of markets in your area visit www.localharvest.org. Yesterday, I was lucky enough to make it to the opening day of the Hillsdale Farmer's Market in SW Portland. I picked up some beautiful produce and will be making a marinated Bok Choy salad for you later in the week. During the spring and summer, I will be visiting other markets and local farms and posting video reviews for you all to see. The Hillsdale market is a nice-sized market full of local produce, mushrooms, seafood, flowers and more. My favorite vendors that you will see in the video can be found at:

Gathering Together Farm, gatheringtogetherfarm.com

Cherry Country orchard, www.cherrycountry.com

Greenville Farms, 503-359-4763

How To Grow Your Own Sprouts

2009-04-25T19:27:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!
This is the first of many video blogs I plan to post for you. A lot of people have asked me about growing sprouts so here you go!

Simple Steps To Growing Your Own Sprouts:

1. Soak seeds overnight
2. Drain and rinse seeds two times a day for the next 3 to 4 days
3. Set fully grown sprouts in windowsill for one day to "green" them up.
4. Remove seeds by rinsing with sprout lid on or in a bowl of water with a strainer.
5. Store your yummy sprouts in a covered container in your refrigerator and continue to rinse two times a day...enjoy!

Raw Strawberry Pie Yum......

2009-04-12T17:57:00.000-07:00

Organic strawberries are starting to pour in from California. I picked up a couple of pounds the other day and made this pie. I adapted a recipe of Matthew Kenney's from his book Everyday Raw. He is one of the original owners of Pure Food and Wine in New York.
FYI....I tested this out on 5 different children and they all loved it! My son Isaac does NOT like crust (as he informs me every time I make a raw pie) so I pour some into a little bowl for him to eat like a pudding.

Raw Strawberry Pie

Crust:
2 cups almonds or pecans
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract or half of a vanilla bean
4-5 medjool dates, pitted
pinch of sea salt

Filling:
2 cups cashews soaked 1-2 hours
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4-1/2 cup agave
3/4 cup fresh strawberries
3/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean (I prefer the bean)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Topping:
1-2 cups sliced strawberries

Crust:
Place almonds or pecans in food processor and process with the S blade until crumbled. Add coconut oil, sea salt and vanilla and pulse a couple of times. Add the dates last, one at a time and pulse until the crust holds together when you squeeze it between your fingertips. If the crust does not hold, add more dates (again one at a time). Press into oiled (with coconut oil) tart or pie pan. Chill in Freezer for 30 minutes before adding filling.

Filling:
Blend all ingredients well in a Vitamix blender if you have one. Pour part of the filling into the pie crust (just enought to cover the bottom). Take some of the strawberries you cut up for the topping and scatter them on top of the filling. Pour the rest of the filling on top and place in freezer for 1-2 hours until firm. Decorate with the rest of your cut up strawberries. This pie needs to stay refrigerated to keep its firmness so make sure you keep in cold up until serving!

Raw Chocolate

2009-02-26T16:11:00.000-08:00

I recently attended a raw food desserts class taught by Chaya Ryvka Diehl (www.thelivingvision.com) at People's Food Coop in Portland, Oregon. During the class we sampled and created three recipes that contained raw cacao (chocolate). There is so much information out there about cacao/cocoa and I would like to share some of that basic information including the history and nutritional benefits of cacao in its raw form.

First of all, what is the difference between raw cacao and conventional cocoa? I hear this question a lot. Cacao beans are the seeds of the evergreen cacao tree which is native to Mexico and now grows in many tropical regions around the world. Conventional chocolate is processed by fermentation. During the process the cacao beans are heated up to temperatures around 125 degrees. Raw cacao is the unheated processed bean of the cacao pod. Raw chocolate producers either skip the fermentation process completely or ferment the beans only slightly before drying them. Here I am at the Hilo, Hawaii Farmers Market holding a beautiful cacao pod.

The history of cacao is fascinating (if you are into food history). According to Cameron L. Mcneil, editor of Chocolate in Mesoamerica: A Cultural History of Cacao (University Press of Florida, 2006).

For many pre-Columbian cultures of the Americas, cacao seeds and the comestibles produced from them were literally part of their religion and played a central role in their spiritual beliefs and social and economic systems. In isolated areas these traditions continue to this day. Parts of this plant have been consumed in Central and South America for thousands of years. For many of the ancient and modern cultures in these regions, cacao was not only an important part of religious rituals, but also a component of beverages and foods, a topical cream, and an ingredient in medicine. It reached its height of importance in pre-Columbian Mesoamerica, whose northern limit begins in Central Mexico, and which then encompasses Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and western Honduras. Mesoamerica is renowned for its myriad highly stratified societies including the Olmecs, Maya, and Mexica (Aztecs). Cacao played a central role in the complex elite culinary traditions and practices of these cultures.

For more information on the history of cacao you can go to :
http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/2008/05/history-of-cacao-and-chocolate.html

There are many nutritional benefits to eating raw cacao. Cacao is higher in antioxidant content than green tea, red wine, or blueberries. It is a rich source of magnesium, calcium, zinc, iron, copper, sulfur and potassium. Cacao also contains dopamine and anandamide which are neurotransmitters associated with feeling in love as well as theobromine which can produce an effect similar to caffeine.

Raw cacao is one of my favorite things to experiment with in the kitchen. I want to share a delicious and easy recipe that I know. I love it because it uses avocado as the base. Avocados are full of vitamins and minerals, contain essential fatty acids and are a good protein source. Keep a lookout for my next post. I will talk more about avocados and give you some great recipes. This raw chocolate pudding takes 5 minutes to prepare and honestly, kids love it. Also, it is a great alternative to store bought pudding. Enjoy!

Raw Cacao Pudding:
1 ripe avocado
5-6 tablespoons unsweetened raw cacao powder or organic cocoa powder
1/4-1/2 cup agave syrup

pinch of sea salt

pinch of cinnamon (optional)

1 vanilla bean, seeded or 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup purified water

1. Combine the avocado, cacao/cocoa powder, agave syrup, 2 tablespoons of the water, and the vanilla extract and cinnamon in a food processor fitted with the S blade and process until smooth. You can also use a blender for this.
2. Slowly add the remaining 1/2 cup of water and process again until well blended. The more water you add, the thinner the pudding will be.

Kale Chips?

2009-02-17T17:32:00.000-08:00

Who would think that those two words go together so well? I initially came across the idea of kale chips on the internet. I was looking for a healthy alternative to the processed corn-potato-rice-soy-chips that my son, husband, friends and family all love. These don't exactly replace those chips for the average chipaholic but what they do is provide an incredibly nutritious snack that you can take on the go and know that you are putting something healthy into your body (for all of the health benefits of greens please see previous posts).

These kale chips have been an incredible hit with many kids in my neighborhood who's parents claim that their child "does not eat kale". Most are utterly shocked when their child eats one, and then another and another of these. This has happened to at least three children, including my own, that have tried them.

Here are a few different options for making kale chips. You do need a dehydrator to make the best raw/live version of these. If you do not have a dehydrator try putting them on a baking sheet in your oven for an hour at 200 degrees. Check them periodically and adjust the time until they are crisp. If you are using a dehydrator, spread them on dehydrator trays and dehydrate at 115 degrees for about 8 hours. I like to make them in the evening and put them in my dehydrator right before bed so that they are done in the morning when we wake up.

Go ahead...try it! Let me know the results.

Option #1 Tangy Tahini

2 large bunches of kale (I prefer green leafy kale but you can use lacinato aka dinosaur kale)

1/2-3/4 cup tahini

1/4 cup tamari or shoyu

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup water

1-2 cloves garlic

juice of one lemon

pinch of sea salt

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

handful of herbs (I prefer parsley)

Directions: Wash kale thoroughly and remove the thickest part of the stem. Tear kale into larger than bite size pieces and set aside in a large mixing bowl. Combine all other ingredients in a blender until smooth. Combine mixture with the kale and massage it in with your hands making sure to thoroughly coat all of the kale with the sauce. Dehydrate/bake according to directions above.

Option #2 Cheezy Chips

2 bunches of kale washed and torn etc.

2 1/2 cups raw, unsalted, preferably organic cashews soaked for 4-6 hours (drain and rinse after soaking)

2 red peppers, seeded and chopped

1 clove of garlic

juice of 2 limes

1 teaspoon salt (adjust to more if needed)

Prepare kale and put aside in a large bowl

Blend red peppers, garlic, lime juice and salt in a blender. Add cashews and blend to a creamy consistency. This also makes a great mock "cheese" to add to wraps etc.

Combine mixture with kale. Massage in with your hands. Dehydrate/bake according to directions above.

Quick and Easy Kale Chips

2 heads kale washed and torn etc.

1/4 cup Tamari

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

2 tablespoons Nutritional Yeast

Prepare kale and put in large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with tamari, olive oil and nutritional yeast. Massage in with hands and spread on dehydrator/baking sheet. Dehydrate/Bake according to directions above. Easy!

Kale Salad

2009-01-03T21:10:00.000-08:00

Kale Salad
I am always looking for different ways to prepare raw salads. This one has been a hit with adults and children. It uses raw kale but you would never know it. Massaging greens with a little sea salt breaks down the cell walls of the plant and allows it to become soft, as if it were cooked. This recipe is adapted from a recipe by Cherie Soria, my teacher at the Living Light Culinary Institute. Kale is easy to grow and does well in cooler climates like the Pacific Northwest. It is part of the Brassica family and is high in vitamin A and C, manganese, dietary fiber, calcium, copper, vitamin B6, and potassium.

Dressing:
4 tablespoons olive oil or flax oil (I use flax)
3 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons light miso
1 clove garlic, crushed
1-2 teaspoons agave or maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard or pinch of ground mustard powder
1/8 teaspoon Himalayan Crystal Salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Salad:

1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and cut into ribbons
1/4 head cabbage, shredded
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup thinly julienned red onion (optional..I don't use it when kids are going to be eating)

Directions:
1. Combine ingredients for dressing in a bowl and whisk to a smooth consistency.
2. Chiffonade the kale into thin strips and massage with a small amount of salt to soften.
3. Toss just the kale with dressing and massage for three minutes, add the rest of the salad ingredients.

Green Smoothie

2008-12-11T19:29:00.000-08:00

GREENS GREENS GREENS

Can we talk about green smoothies?

If you don't know already, green smoothies are a fantastic way to get a good serving of fruits and most importantly greens into your diet and your child's diet. Greens are high in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K. If you would like to know more about green smoothies please read Victoria Boutenko's book Green for Life. She also wrote an important article talking about the benefits of green smoothies that can be found on her website at:

http://www.greenforlife.com/ode.htm

Here are a few of my favorite facts from her article:

1. Green smoothies are very nutritious and easy to digest. When blended well, all the valuable nutrients in these fruits and veggies become homogenized, or divided into such small particles that it becomes easy for the body to assimilate these nutrients, the green smoothie literally starts to get absorbed in your mouth.

2. Green smoothies are a complete food because they still have the fiber.

3. By consuming two to three cups of green smoothie daily you will consume enough greens for the day to nourish your body, and they will be well assimilated. Many people do not consume enough green leafy vegetables.

4. Green smoothies are easy to make, and quick to clean up after.

5. Green smoothies are perfect food for children of all ages including babies of six or more months and great for introducing after mother's milk.

This article pretty much says it all. If you are worried about your child meeting their nutrient needs, especially during times of sickness or food protest, please try the green smoothie. There are numerous recipes for a good smoothie. Here is my favorite:

2 mangoes

1 cup parsley

3-4 kale leaves

1-2 cups water or coconut juice

1 frozen banana

3-5 ice cubes

1/2 lime juiced

pinch of sea salt

Place chopped mango, kale and parsley in a blender. Add coconut juice or water along with ice cubes, lime and banana. Blend until the mixture is smooth. A normal blender will require longer blending times. Also, make sure the thicker stem/rib parts of the kale are removed before blending if you do not own a Vitamix or Blendtec blender (recommended if you are going to do this everyday).

Fruits, Veggies and Children

2008-10-09T20:50:00.000-07:00

Parents ask me all the time about raw fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and how to incorporate them into young children's diets. I have memorized a few recipes for my son’s favorite healthy snacks, but the truth of the matter is: kids are particular (or just plain picky)! What works for Isaac might not work for other kids.

Before launching into recipes, I'd like to start by making a few simple suggestions:

Start kids eating healthy foods at a young age (like very young....when they start solids). This can be as easy as pureed raw organic fruits and vegetables. Be creative, mix and match...see what interests your child.
Always present a new food option during a low-stress time, at the dinner table, or with adventurous playmates. Be consistent and serve one vegetable at a time at each meal. For example, I served broccoli for a week straight, every night at dinner. For the first few days, Isaac refused and then he eventually ate it and it became a staple food in our diets.
Get them involved in the food preparation. Examples would be: washing lettuce, using the salad spinner, washing vegetables, pressing the on button on the blender or cuisinart (Isaac's favorite)

And the most important of all:

4. Grow a garden and watch what happens to your children!

In our garden, we have snap peas, lettuce, tomatoes, collards, kale, basil, cucumbers, chard, cilantro, zucchini, spinach, beets, carrots, and strawberries. My son was born when I worked as Bastyr University’s garden manager. As Isaac has grown up in my gardens, I have noticed how he and his friends touch, smell, and taste everything. They seem so at ease and curious while running out, picking something, and just eating it right there in the garden. I'm constantly amazed by how adventurous Isaac is with the vegetables, fruits and herbs he will eat straight out of our garden: basil, cilantro, collards, tomatoes, kale, cucumbers, radishes, carrots, strawberries, zucchini, lettuce, and more.

Here is a little video of Isaac and his friend Frances enjoying freshly picked tomatoes. They were so content to grab a tomato and sit on a bench together while pretending to be stuck in a traffic jam. Frances’ mom and I lost track of how many vegetables they picked and ate that afternoon. I can’t think of a better way for our kids to ruin their dinners!