Savory pasta with marinara sauce

Zucchini pasta is pretty much a staple in the raw world. It's easy, it's affordable, and it's approachable for those new to the lifestyle. However, it has always been one of my least favorite meals to make. Every time I would make it I would come to the conclusion that the taste was great but that there was something off with the mouth feel. I just didn't like it.

Then, the other day I just wanted it, bad. And so I began making the sauce, throwing things into the blender that seemed to work. I pulled out two zucchinis and then just stared at them. What in the world was I going to do with those two??

I didn't want to spiralize them. Though I love my gadget and I think it's the coolest "fancifier" in the kitchen, I just couldn't bring myself to have spiralized zucchini, again. While I was contemplating the last zucchini pasta I had I mindlessly grabbed my vegetable peeler and began peeling the zucchini. And then I continued ... and continued ... until I had beautiful zucchini ribbons.

Deliciously delicate ribbons.

I've used this technique before so I'm not quite sure what made it so special this time. This time, though, was the first time I used it for a simple marinara pasta dish. Finally, I felt like the dish was complete, was a joy to eat, and easy to create.

Even my SO liked it, which means that it basically rocked. (he's not a fan of, err, the raw feel ...)

The other trick that I used for this dish was inspired by Fully Raw Kristina (the cutest little 80101er ever) .. In one of her YouTube videos she strained her pasta sauce in a colander before using. I thought this was such a simple and genius idea and was also a little annoyed I didn't think of it myself! It is such a turn off when there is a pool of water at the bottom of my dish when I near the end ....

This winning idea and my AH-mazing marinara sauce paired with the ribbons really just made a fantastic meal. The funny thing is that all of these components are really things that are very simple and things that I do with other meals ... but together?! It's outta this world.

Simple Savory Marinara:

a recipe

1 pint grape tomatoes

3-4 sundried tomatoes, soaked in hot water until soft, roughly chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 T olive oil

1/2 red bell pepper, roughly chopped

1-2 T fresh oregano

sea salt to taste

Place everything into a high speed blender and blend until smooth, about a minute or two. Pour the sauce into a colander that is resting on a bowl and let it drain while you peel your zucchini.

Pasta:

the method

2 large zucchinis

1/4 t sea salt

Peel the outer layer of the zucchini and discard. Continue to peel the zucchini so you get ribbons, lengthwise. Continue until you reach the seeds and then discard the core. Sprinkle the salt over the ribbons and gently mix with your hands. Place this over a fine mesh sieve and let drain over a bowl. Once the water has drained out, gently squeeze the ribbons and pat with a towel to remove excess water and salt.

I separated the ribbons by hand, then placed in a bowl and mixed with the sauce. This isn't necessary but I found that the ribbons clumped together when I squeezed the excess water out of them ... do what you gotta do!

Try it out and let me know what you think! You can serve with fresh basil, like I did, pine nuts, raw olives, etc. 

Pizza from Real Raw

http://www.realrawkitchen.com/2013/06/recipe-pizza-night-raw-style.html
Pizza is just one of those things that is special, delicious, and always a cheat meal ... even when it's raw. I mostly avoid raw pizza because it's very heavy on the nuts and seeds (nut crust with a seed spread and nut cheese covered in veggies-soaked-in-oil ...). I also tend to stay away from pizzas because they also take a lot of work to make.

This is the way it is with most dehydrated foods. I treat my dehydrator like a mistress, visiting her in secret when the SO is away and only for very special occasions. Desserts make an appearance more often than dinners, but when I use the dehydrator I go all the way.

As a disclaimer, this recipe is a lot of work. It is not something I typically do and not something I'm proud to admit I spend my time doing. But when I do it I am so glad I did. It's like a really special meal; a gourmet take on pizza. So if you're up for the challenge then I think you will love this. If you're trying to make something quick and easy ... keep scrolling. 

Also, to be clear, no special talents are needed to make this. Just patience and time.

This particular dish was an excellent compromise for me. I got to indulge in pizza but then also stayed away from the heavy and hard-to-digest nuts. Instead, I used chia seeds and sweet potato as the base. It gave a lot of flavor but also left the crust a little bit chewy ... which I like.

I might add some hemp seeds the next time I make this just to try out the crunch-factor, and so if you're looking for a crunchy crust then maybe you can try that, this time.

You know what the most satisfying part about this pizza is? It was a success, even with my regular pizza-loving SO. He is not a fan of these "fake" versions of cheat meals, and he's especially not a fan of, what he calls, "that dehydrator taste". And even he said this was really good. So for me, I'm over the moon excited to share this with you.

Nut Free Pizza Crust:

a recipe

6 T chia seeds

1 sweet potato

1 handful fresh oregano

1 handful fresh basil

2-3 cups spinach

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 t sea salt and ground pepper

any other seasoning, to taste

hemp seeds (optional)

Put the chia seeds into a jar (about a 12 ounce jar will work, think: an old almond butter jar) and fill the jar with water. Shake vigorously and then place in the fridge for at least an hour, up to an overnight soak. Give it a shake every once in awhile to make sure all the chia seeds get nice and swell-ey. 

When you're about ready to start dehydrating the crust you can begin the next steps. Chop the cleaned sweet potato and place in your food processor. Process until it is broken down quite a bit, almost to a pulp. Then start add the oregano, basil, spinach, and seasoning, until it is all well incorporated. Lastly, add the chia seeds and then process until a dough is formed. This will not necessarily be dry like a dough but it will be pudding-like.

Pour everything onto a Teflex sheet and spread into a circle as big as the tray. Place into the dehydrator at 105-115, depending on your preference. Allow this to dehydrate for at least a few hours before flipping onto a mesh tray and peeling the Teflex sheet. I waited almost 8 hours, waiting until the entire top portion is dry to the touch.

The ends will curl up as it dehydrates, just as a warning!! Once it's flipped it flattens back out. Continue to dehydrate until dried, through. You can allow it to dry to your desired texture. 

Basic Marinara Chunky Sauce:

a recipe

1 pint cherry tomatoes

3-4 sundried tomato halves, soaked

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 handful fresh oregano

sea salt and pepper to taste

2 T olive oil

Place everything into a food processor and process until saucey, leaving some chunks behind. Pour into a colander that is resting over a bowl and drain the excess liquid while you work on the other layers.

Spinach Layer:

a method

2-3 cups fresh spinach

Run this through the food processor until chunky. Then squeeze the excess liquid out through a nut mylk bag so you're left with a nice, dry spinach pulp.

Marinated Mushrooms and Onions:

a method

2 cups mushroom slices, any variety

1/2 onion, sliced thinly

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/2 lemon, juiced

2 T olive oil

Combine the lemon, garlic, and oil in a bowl and whisk vigorously. Pour over the mushrooms slices and onion slices and let them marinate for a few hours to overnight. When you are about 3-5 hours away from serving the pizza, pop them into the dehydrator. The warmth and the juices wilt the veggies, giving them that sauteed feel.

To Do:

• Take the crust out of the dehydrator when it's done.
• Pour the drained marinara sauce over the top and spread out, evenly.
• Sprinkle the spinach over the top in an even layer.
• Spread the sauteed veggies over the top, evenly.
• Garnish with fresh herbs, like basil, and sliced tomatoes if you'd like
• Place back into the dehydrator to warm through, 10-15 minutes.

Take out, slice up and serve!

You can also add a nut cheese if you'd like. I'm curious what it would have been like with a cheesy sauce or drops of fermented macadamia cheese. But like I said, I really do not like eating such dense and dehydrated foods so I tend to stay away from them. But if you add some, let me know!

the lymph and exercise

Benefit 5 – Detoxification
Many of us do not realize that our breath is an important detoxification tool. The lower lobes of the lungs are loaded with 60-80% of the blood filled, oxygen rich alveoli that are dispersed through all 5 lobes of our lungs. Alveoli exchange oxygen for CO2 and efficiently remove the CO2 waste.
When you start to huff and puff through your mouth during exercise it is because the upper lobes are less efficient at removing the CO2 waste. Though the upper lobes can provide enough oxygen for exchange into the blood, they can’t remove the CO2 waste as well. The way to do this efficiently is to breathe deeply through the nose during a demanding activity like exercise.*
Benefit Six – A Major Lymph Mover
The rib cage is a dynamic series of levels with elastic recoil that massage the heart and lungs during breathing. When breathing through the nose the entire rib cage moves. When breathing through the mouth, only the upper rib cage moves, which forces shallow and inefficient breathing.
With deep, efficient nasal breathing during exercise, the rib cage acts as a lymphatic pump designed to move toxic waste out of the heart and lungs and pull toxic lymph from the Gut Associated Lymphatic Tissue or GALT.* (Look for my next series of video newsletters on the Miracle of Lymph.)
Proper breathing pulls lymphatic waste from various parts of the body,* such as the:

• digestive system – belly fat and bloating.*
• legs – cellulite.*
• feet – arthritis.*
• reproductive organs – hormonal problems.*

I have received numerous emails from folks who have seen dramatic improvements in all these areas just by following the nasal breathing principles in my book Body, Mind and Sport. In addition, they have experienced an overwhelming improvement in mood, energy and sleep.
There are many more benefits that I discuss in Body Mind and Sport that are too numerous to cover in this article. Let’s just say that I never thought the results from such a simple technique would be so amazing!

How Do You Do It?

Steps to Learn Nasal Breathing:

• Start nasal breathing by going for a walk. Walk intentionally slow for 5-10 minutes while you breathe deeply in and out through your nose. During this phase we are “exercising the lungs first”. While you are doing this, tune into the rhythm of the deep nasal breathing and notice the natural space or link that exists between each breath.
• Next, begin to increase the pace of your walk. As you walk faster, watch the rate of the nasal breathing.
• As soon as the breath starts to shorten or you lose that spacing between each breath, slow your walking pace down to the pace you started with. This process resets the breath rate to the original pace, or perhaps even a deeper, slower rhythm.
• Once the breath is reset, start to walk faster again while watching your breath rate. Typically you will see yourself walking faster than before but your breath rate will stay slow and stable while maintaining the natural spacing between each nasal breath.
• At some point, as you increase the walk/jog pace, the breath rate will shorten and you will need to slow down to reset the original slower and deeper breath rate. Then increase the pace again.
• Repeat this process and start enjoying exercise gains without the strain.
• Are you having difficulty breathing through your nose? Read about Shilajit in my free article Ayurvedic Fitness. You may also benefit from using Nasya Oil in your nose before exercising.

The Goal
The goal is to reach a level of respiratory efficiency which allows you to increase your pace while slowing your breath rate. The body will choose longer, deeper and slower breaths as you increase the pace of the workout.

This is “the zone” – a place where you feel both the freedom to move dynamically in your body and a total sense of peace and calm in your mind.

mango coconut basil wraps

WARNING: this. is. so. good.

I have been playing with this idea for quite some time better never brought it to life because I can't bear to part with a juicy ripe mango without first devouring it and I can't handle the thought of not eating coconut meat straight from the coconut.

Finally, I did it anyway. And BOY am I glad I did. This was so simple and pretty easy and was THE BEST raw wrap I've ever had. Even my hubby loved it and he hates anything that comes from the dehydrator! (#hashtaghubbyapproved)

If you do not have a dehydrator then my heart aches for you only because you will not be able to make this. I do not think a dehydrator is worth the money in a raw kitchen .. sure, it's a neat gadget but most of the food coming out of it isn't that great and isn't truly fresh and raw like I believe in, anyway. Every once in awhile, though, I get my money's worth. It's usually in the form of kale chips. This time it was a wrap.

If you're like me and you do not own some serious coconut-opening tools then use a chef's knife and open a coconut like the video demonstrates above.

I lined my wraps with my turmeric sauce and julienned cucumber and carrot, sliced green onions, fresh lettuce, and a couple slices of avocado. I served an enormous salad alongside it that had a head of romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, green onion, diced cucumber, and a couple tablespoons more of turmeric dressing. 

Mango Wraps:

a recipe

1 juice mango

1 cup young coconut meat

handful fresh basil

Add the mango to your high speed blender. Take your coconut meat and chop it up finely (this helps the blender) and add to the blender. Blend on low to incorporate the ingredients. Increase the speed and use your tamper to push the ingredients down. Blend on high until everything is completely smooth. Pour into a bowl.

Cut your fresh basil chiffonade style and add to the mango-coconut mixture. Stir everything together and then spread onto a Teflex sheet for the dehydrator. Dehydrate at 105 degrees until dried but still flexible. Peel off the liner and use as a wrap!

YUM! I hope you get to try this out and experience the bliss that is in a wrap

mini falafel salad

I love falafel. I love how silly it sounds, I love how flavorful it is and I love how versatile it can be. Traditional falafel, however, isn't all that healthy. It's deep friend and sometimes greasy. So even when I'm at a restaurant that serves authentic falafel I steer clear for fear of what it might do to my digestion and/or skin.

Then, I discovered the falafel wrap at Cafe Gratitude in California. Ever since then I've been hooked. It has single-handedly changed my views on dehydration and imitation raw foods (my general opinion is that dehydration is a pain and imitation foods are an insult to the original raw food creations we could be making). 

When I left California I was so sad to also be leaving Cafe Gratitude. Then, two years later, I finally thought: 

why don't I make my own falafel?

Duh. So simple. And it's probably easy.

In fact, this was incredibly easy. I just looked up traditional recipes and made note of the underlying flavors and consistency. Then I threw a bunch of things in a food processor, scooped out mini ball shapes and plopped them onto a dehydrator sheet.

If you don't have a dehydrator sheet you can bake at a low temperature. Though, be warned, I have not baked these so I don't even know a suggested temperature or duration.

Mini Falafels:

a recipe

1 1/2 cup walnuts, soaked

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/3 cup each fresh parsley, cilantro

1 1/4 t cumin

1/2 t dried oregano

2 T olive oil

1/2 t sea salt

1/4 t ground pepper

~2 T water, as needed

Combine the greens, oil, water, garlic and spices into a food processor and process until a paste/liquid forms, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Once the liquid forms, add your walnuts and process until a dough forms. Be careful with the water, it is needed more to facilitate the processing than as a major component; too much will make it too wet

Scoop out, using a Tablespoon measurer, and place on the mesh sheet of a dehydrator tray. Mine only made about 6 mini falafels. If you want more, double the recipe or add another cup of nuts. Dehydrate at 105 overnight. The outer layer should be firm and almost crispy. The inside should be soft but dried.

Serve as you'd like! I served mine with a zucchini hummus dressing over lettuce and zucchini noodles. YUM!

Let me know what you think when you try them!

xo

pasta marinara with grated parmesan

For some reason I was craving this dish for an entire week. So when I finally got to it you can only imagine how excited I was. Everything came together so beautifully that it made this dish even more special.

There's something so special about fresh and ripe food. Preparing food becomes so much more meaningful when working with whole foods. The fragrant smells of the basil, oregano, garlic ... it fills my kitchen and my heart. I become transported into another time and place whenever I'm preparing a meal.

The washing, the drying, the chopping, the spiralizing, the grating ... and then that moment when it all comes together and looks just as beautiful as it tastes... it's just such a wonderfully peaceful experience for me. So many people ask me, "but isn't it so hard to eat that way?" Nope. Not at all. Because to me this food is a healing experience, a beautiful form of art that serves as a way to express myself creatively.

And that is a beautiful thing.

Basic Marinara Sauce:

a recipe

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

3-4 sundried tomatoes, soaked and chopped

1 clove garlic

1 T fresh oregano

1 T fresh basil

sea salt and pepper to taste

Blend everything on high until smooth. Pour into a strainer placed over a bowl and let it drain while you work on your zucchini. I used a spiralized zucchini for this dish, but you can use any veggie and make it into a pasta, if you'd like.

Easy Raw Parmesan:

a recipe

1 Brazil Nut

I'm not even kidding with this. Just grate one Brazil Nut over your pasta and voila!!

noodles with cheezy sauce

http://www.realrawkitchen.com/p/the-recipes.html

A raw kitchen will likely have lots of little gadgets to help you get creative with your food. The problem with this is that it can run up the tab on your kitchen tools. I don't know about you but I can hardly afford to have the nicest tools on the market, let alone all the tools on the market. So I've found ways to get creative, or simply use the cheap versions only to find they work just as well!

(the only exception is the Vitamix. It is, unequivocally, the best big purchase I've ever made. And they currently have an increased selection of reconditioned blenders for significantly less!)

I am often asked about what tools I use in order to create certain dishes. I'm fortunate enough to have a small collection of fancy gadgets in my kitchen, but I thought I'd introduce you to a few gadgets just in case you haven't had the pleasure of using them for yourself, already.

Let me introduce you to the Mandolin. It is such a neat and affordable gadget that is easy to use and can be used in many different facets. I like to make noodles with it, sometimes, and also make slices when I'm layering fruit or making dehydrated chips. It allows you to quickly slice up your food without worrying about whether or not you've made even slices.

For this particular dish I was feeling drawn to the mandolin, as opposed to the usual spiralizer, and so I quickly sliced and shredded my veggies for this amazingly simple and delicious meal. I served it with a garlic-tahini-zucchini sauce and sprinkled nutritional yeast over it.

Simple Noodles:

a method

2 large zucchinis

1 large carrot

Using a mandolin (carefully) shred your veggies using the thinnest slots available. Below is the mandolin that I use in my kitchen and it works perfectly. Please be careful, we've had some mandolin accidents in our kitchen, so go slowly!

 

Simple Cheezy Sauce:

a recipe

1 zucchini, chopped

2 T tahini

1/2 lemon, juiced

2-3 T nutritional yeast

1 clove garlic

 2-4 T water

Combine everything in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour over the noodles and mic until coated. Top the noodle with a little bit more nutritional yeast for some extra cheezy flavor!

Lasagna

Fine Dining Italian-style ... all RAW

One of my favorite meals growing up was lasagna. The cheesy and saucy goodness had me going for seconds and thirds. I still feel the same about lasagna, but this time around I have a guilt-free version that leaves me so energized that I can continue with my very busy day (instead of going into a food coma).

I also took the opportunity to sub in walnuts instead of the usual cashews or almonds in this cheeze to up my Omega-3 intake. It's important to balance our omegas as most people in the U.S. are largely out of balance. It is important to our health and is fairly easy to correct when we become cognizant of our intakes.

 For the "pasta"

1 very large zucchini

Using a mandolin, or a thick vegetable peeler, slice the zucchini lengthwise to get your pasta for the layers in the lasagna. Sprinkle with about 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt and gently coat each slice. Set in a colander to drain the excess water. When it is drained you can gently squeeze out the excess water and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside until you're ready for this masterpiece.

Omega-3 Ricotta Cheeze

1/2 cup walnuts, soaked overnight

1/4 cup water (reserve from soaking water)
2 tablespoons light miso paste

1/2 lemon, juiced

1 handful of fresh basil

1 handful of fresh oregano

2 cloves of garlic (depending on your love of garlic)

Soak the walnuts overnight, in the fridge (the omega-3 oils go rancid if not kept refrigerated). Chop the basil, oregano and garlic and place in a high speed blender with the walnuts, water, miso and lemon juice. Blend until creamy and/or fluffy. I blended mine with a bit more water so it was creamy, like a spread. I saved some to use in sandwiches instead of mayo ...

Clean Marinara Sauce

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked for an hour (the real kind, not the kind reserved in oil)

2-4 tablespoons of water (reserved soaking water)

1 medium tomato, chopped or 1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 handful of fresh basil

1 handful of fresh oregano

1 clove of garlic, chopped

1/8 of red onion, chopped

The sun-dried tomatoes should be just that: sliced tomatoes dried naturally. As such, they will be rather stiff and hard to blend. So soak them in a bowl with water for about an hour. Place everything in a high speed blender and blend until chunky, or to the texture you like. Use the soaking water for the tomatoes to adjust the consistency.

I'd recommend pouring the sauce into a strainer and place over a bowl. Let that drain while you work on everything else. This will allow the water to release so the overall lasagna is less watery.

Spinach-Basil layer

1 food-processor full of fresh spinach

1 handful of fresh basil

Place the spinach and the basil in a food processor and pulse until it is chopped, but not too mushy. Take everything out and strain either in a nut-mylk bag (cheese cloth) or a strainer to remove excess water. 

Assembly

Once everything is ready use a baking dish to assemble. I used a medium sized dish as I am preparing this for just myself. If you are using a traditional sized baking dish you may need to adjust your portions, increasing them by 2x.

Cover the bottom of the baking dish with zucchini slices. Dollop on the ricotta in a thin layer and spread until even. Do the same with the marinara. Sprinkle some of the spinach-basil mixture over the top. Continue with this layering pattern until you cap it off with your last pieces of zucchini. Then put a layer of the ricotta and a layer of the marinara sauce and swirl it together so it gets the nice "just-baked" look. 

Place in a dehydrator for an hour or two at 140 degrees to get the top nice and crust-like and to warm it through.

SOO yum. You can really taste all of the fresh ingredients in every bite. And non-vegan approved !!!

One note on the fresh process, though: as with all fresh fruits and vegetables, the ingredients contain a lot of water. This is best when served immediately after it is warmed so the ingredients don't release too much water and make a soppy mess. If that is the case, simply absorb the water with a clean napkin. 

Crunchy Napa Cabbage Asian Slaw with Sugar Snap Peas, Radishes, Almonds (and Cilantro?)

(Makes about 6 generous servings, recipe adapted slightly from The Sunset Cookbook.)

1 small head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced then coarsely chopped (about 3-4 cups shredded cabbage)
1 C thinly and diagonally-sliced sugar snap peas
1 C radishes, sliced into half-moon shapes
1/2 cup sliced green onion
1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional, but if you're a cilantro fan I would use it)
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Dressing:
1 T white wine vinegar
1 T Splenda or sugar (use Splenda for The South Beach Diet)
1 tsp. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. crushed garlic puree
1/4 tsp. Asian sesame oil
1/4 tsp. ground ginger puree
1/4 tsp. (or more) Sriracha sauce
1/3 cup mayo or light mayo

Thinly slice Napa cabbage, then coarsely chop to make 3-4 cups shredded cabbage. Trim both ends of sugar snap peas, then thinly slice on the diagonal to make 1 cup sliced peas. Trim both ends of radishes and wash if needed, then cut in half lengthwise and cut into half-moon slices. Slice green onion to make 1/2 cup. If using cilantro, wash, spin dry or dry with paper towels, and then chop enough to make 1/2 - 3/4 cup chopped cilantro. Put Napa cabbage, sugar snap peas, radishes, green onions (and cilantro if using) into salad bowl.

In a bowl or glass measuring cup stir together the white wine vinegar, Splenda or sugar, soy sauce, garlic puree, sesame oil, ginger puree, and Sriracha sauce. Whisk in the mayo until ingredients are well combined.

Toss salad ingredients, add enough dressing to coat ingredients, and toss again. Toast the sliced almonds in a dry pan over high heat for 1-2 minutes (just until the nuts are fragrant). Add almonds and toss gently. Serve immediately.

At my house this didn't last long enough to know whether it will keep in the refrigerator!


This printable recipe from KalynsKitchen.com.

pizza

http://livingfoodbliss.com/pizza/

Okay, we had soooo expected raw “pizza” to be some kind of cardboardy stop-gap attempt to fill emotional cravings left by abandoning carry-out pizza forever. And we were so very wrong! Not only is this recipe super-tasty-amazing in its own right, but our taste buds can testify it holds its own against your old favorite slice. We were definitely surprised. The flavors pop and so many subtleties tantalize the tongue, creating an experience we found to be even more satisfying than what cooked pizza used to deliver.

This recipe is fun too. A day before you plan to serve your pizza, it’s time to make the crust. It spends almost a day in the dehydrator, filling your house with the delicious aroma of tomato and basil the whole time. This builds anticipation. *grin* Then it’s time for the creative part– what toppings do you want on your pizza? While the crust is finishing doing its thing, you gather together the goodies you want on top, make the cheeze and sauce, and then it’s time to put it all together. Spread the cheese on the crust, pour sauce over cheese, add your toppings and you’re ready to eat!
This recipe comes from Fresh by Sergei and Valya Boutenko.

CRUST

2 cups golden flaxseeds, ground
1 cup water
1 large red onion, coarsely chopped
2 large yellow tomatoes (We used red since that’s what we had. The color of the tomato affects the color of the crust, so yellow presumably makes a more pale crust)
4 or 5 cloves garlic
1/4 bunch fresh basil
1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 or 2 tablespoons raw honey
1 teaspoon sea salt
Grind flax seeds in a VitaMix blender or coffee grinder. Blend all remaining ingredients in a food processor and then mix with flax seeds. Spread onto dehydrator trays in desired shape (we made individual-sized pizzas) and dry for 16 hours at 110º. Flip pizza crust and continue drying for 5 to 7 hours at 110º. [Kat's note: The first time we made this, we used Gabriel Cousen's new finding that it might be healthier to dehydrate high-moisture foods at up to 145º for the first hour or two, turning the temperature back down for the remainder of the time. He has said that this approach still preserves the enzymes but that on the whole it is still being researched by his team. The next time we made the crusts, we followed the Boutenko's recommendation of keeping all foods as close to body temperature as possible. That time, the crust retained more moisture and was more chewy; it also absorbed sauce. David liked the chewy type better, while I liked how the higher temps gave it a bit of crunch around the edges and made it a little less messy to eat.]

CHEESE

1 cup cashews
1/4 cup lemon juice (some prefer to cut this by a third or so)
1 or 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 or 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast (we add extra sometimes)
Blend until smooth. Spread cheese onto pizza crust.

SAUCE

1/2 cup dried tomatoes, soaked in water 10 minutes
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
1/4 bunch fresh basil
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon raw honey
1 teaspoon salt

Blend all ingredients in food processor until creamy. Pour sauce over pizza. Add toppings. Some folks like to pop the pizza back in the dehydrator for awhile after dressing it– but we were too eager to EAT! (and it tasted great)

TOPPINGS

Recipe suggests toppings such as olives, onions, dried mushrooms, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, basil leaves.
Our toppings as seen in the photo (and they were yummy!!)

• dried oyster mushrooms soaked in water with some salt
• raw crimini mushrooms lightly marinated for about an hour in Nama Shoyu, olive oil and a bit of maple syrup (or agave – just a drizzle). We marinated them in the bottom of the dehydrator (on 110º) while the crusts were finishing
• fresh organic pineapple
• baby onions (or green onion bulbs)
• snips of green onion (or chives)

http://livingfoodbliss.com/

Raw Vegan Cheese

 

by Susan on February 4, 2009

Life got exciting today. I made my raw food recipe for raw cashew cheese and it turned out great! I have been preparing raw food for some time now but the cheese, the ones that you have to make and set-up for a day, seemed a little daunting. Well, as my friend Michael often says, sometimes you just have to pull the bands back and let them fly. I’m glad I did. A few handfuls of cashews, some rejuvelac, and a little patience turned out a delightful cheese spread that is a welcome addition to any raw diet.

If you are wondering what rejuvelac is, it is a fermented liquid made from sprouting wheat berries that is said to be high in enzymes, friendly bacteria, vitamins and minerals. It is known as a health drink. If you have been following this site, you know I am sprouting a lot of wheat berries these days. I decided to put some of those sprouted wheat berries to work, make some rejuvelac and then, the cheese.

Rejuvelac

• 1/2 C sprouted wheat berries (sprouted just until tails start)
• 4 C filtered water

Place the wheat berries and the water in a jar. Leave in a warm place for 24-48 hours. You will see a little fizz. The liquid should be a little tart but not smell off.

Cashew Cheese

• 2 C Cashews
• 1/2 C rejuvelac

Cover cashews with water and soak overnight. Drain off water. Place cashews in Vitamix and process with rejuvelac until a smooth paste forms. You can add a dash of celtic sea salt. Line a strainer with 2 layers of cheese cloth. Spoon mixture into the cloth. Set in a warm place and let set for 24 hours. Form into the shape you want. I coated the outside with cracked pepper. Put in refrigerator to finish setting. Store in the refrigerator for about a week. Serve with Onion Sunflower Seed Flat Bread.

alternative to kale chips

Loved the base of this recipe but I like a lot of flavor so I spiced it up a bit more using; juice of 1 lemon, Tbls. of Nomishoyu, 1/2 of a red bell pepper, 1 small tomato, instead of dry chipotle spice I used the chipotle in adobe sauce using 1 of the peppers in the sauce plus a Tbls. of adobe sauce. OMG amazing!!! this sauce is good on just about anything.

Chipotle Kale Chips

The taste was pretty much the same for all. You can go very easy on the olive oil. They dehydrate very quickly (4-5 hours) so, start them early in the day and you will have a great snack for later. My biggest challenge with these was to not eat them all before I got the picture taken! Make a lot as they dehydrate down quite a bit.

Kale Chips

For all versions: wash and spin dry 2 bunches kale. Remove the tough spine and tear into bite size pieces, keeping in mind that they will shrink in size as they dehydrate.
Version One:

• 3 T Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Sea Salt

Combine olive oil and sea salt in large bowl. Stir in kale and coat. Place on dehydrator sheets and dehydrate at 115 for 4-6 hours or until crisp.

Dinosaur Kale

Version Two:

• 3 T Olive Oil
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• 1 tsp Thyme

With food processor running, drop garlic in. It will mince. Add oil and thyme. Place mixture in bowl and follow directions above.

Green Kale

Version Three:

• 1 clove garlic
• 1 C Cashews, soaked at least 8 hours, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 C Nutritional Yeast*
• 1/3 C water
• 2 T Olive Oil
• 1/2 tsp Smoked Paprika
• 1/4 tsp Chipotle (spice)
• Pinch Sea Salt

With processor running, drop in garlic and mince. Add the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth. Pour over kale chips in a bowl and massage until kale is coated. Dehydrate on screens at 115 for 4-6 hours or until crisp. *Nutritional yeast is not raw but used frequently in raw food recipes.

v

If you put a dry paper towel in the sealed container you keep them in they stay crispy much longer:)

Apple Cider Vinaigrette Recipe

http://leitesculinaria.com/90736/recipes-apple-cider-vinaigrette.html

• Quick Glance
• 5 M
• 5 M
• Makes a scant 2/3 cup

 

 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons apple juice (or substitute apple cider)
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Make Easy Holiday Fudge Bites

Directions

• 1. Pour the apple juice and vinegar in a small bowl, add the salt and several generous turns of black pepper, and stir to dissolve the salt. Whisk in the olive oil and use immediately.

Banana Cinnamon Crepes

Banana Cinnamon Crepes:

a recipe

2 very ripe bananas

1/2 cup flax meal (ground flax seeds)

2 T cinnamon

1/2 cup water

Combine everything in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Spread out onto your Teflex liner in your dehydrator and dehydrate at 105 for 8-10 hours. Check on it frequently. At about 3-4 hours, when it is mostly dried on the top, you can flip the tray onto another mesh tray and peel the liner off. Score the layer into whatever shapes you'd like (I did 4 squares) and continue to dehydrate until completely dried, though not crispy. 

I stuff mine with fresh fruit and leftover chocolate pudding. Drizzle with sweetener (I use maple syrup). 

This is the perfect treat for a special morning or evening dessert. It's so easy, too!

MUSHROOM ONION YAM BURGERS

 

 

 

 

 

I don't feel like I am missing anything when I eat a good veggie burger; all I want is something dense, flavourful, and hearty to bite into and it's really easy to get that with fresh ingredients. Plus you're getting multiple servings of vegetables in for the day, as well as - with this recipe - some super foods like chia and hemp seeds. But to be honest, I think any edible raw plant can be seen as a super food. I don't miss one thing about meat burgers. A round of rotting, ground-up flesh that was once a sentient being who had a mom? Sorry I'm not drooling... I'll stick to eating veggies.

There is ALWAYS a new study excitedly telling us Westerners that a previously unheard-of herb recently found in the jungle has an antioxidant level off the charts and has a specific nutrient that fights cancer so we should all be sure to include this specific plant in our diets from now on. I feel like no one is getting the broader picture: we should just eat more plants, they are powerful medicine. Like the brilliant Michael Pollen wisely advises in his best-selling book In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Bam. Also get in some sunshine, lots of clean water, plenty of z's, a few laughs and a good workout - that is health! There is nothing complicated about it, nor should there be. The simplest solution has the highest chance of being the right one.

Okay getting completely side-tracked but my mom just came in here and handed me a bag full of raw macadamias! Oh. My. Nuts. I am so excited. It's not a huge bag but it cost like $25, so I will savour every macadamia as if it were gold; actually gold probably tastes gross and macadamia nuts are more valuable in any case so scratch that - I will savour every one for the delicious, creamy, crunchy, wholesome treat it is.

Aaaaaanyways - back to burgers. These babies are keeping things juicy and satisfying with only the freshest ingredients and mind-blowing flavours. If you like yams, mushrooms, onions and tastiness then you will love these. I know a lot of you like to keep fat to a minimum (I'm with ya) so these are very low-fat. You're welcome. Hehe.

Of course... we all need fat in our diet so when you ARE looking to get your daily intake, go no further than this chocolate buttercream tart (or any dessert recipe on my blog). Hurray for omega-3's and all the other vital nutrients nuts, avocados, and coconut oil give us! Life is goooood and this song makes it better. So do raw vegan burgers. Let's dance and live long.

yam mushroom onion burgers: makes about 12

Burgers:

1 peeled yam

3-4 chopped white mushrooms

1 peeled, chopped onion 

Salt, pepper and coriander, to taste (and whatever other spices you like)

2 tablespoon chia seeds

2 tablespoons hemp seeds

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1/4 cup raisins 

Toppings:

Sliced onions, tomatoes, avocado, nut cheese, lettuce, cilantro, ketchup, hummus (all optional) 

Buns:

Swiss chard leaves or chickpea bread

To make the burgers: pulse all the ingredients in your food processor until it becomes an orange-y mush. Not the most pleasant-looking but it should taste yummy. Form the mixture into patties (mine were about 1/4 cup) and dehydrate for 5-7 hours, or until they are dark and hold their shape. I put mine in the oven at 200 degrees because I'm not too picky about specific temperatures. 

Top off with your condiments and wrap up in green lettuce goodness!

The Miracle of Lymph

by John Douillard on January 21, 2010 · 6 Comments[post_view]

Posted in: Bone, Muscle & Joint Health, Detox & Lymphatic Health, Digestive Health Issues, Food Sensitivities, Immune Health, Panchakarma

Tagged as: allergies, colds, constipation, diarrhea, digestion, flue, immune, immunity, iodine, iodine deficiency, john douillard, lifespa, lymph, lymph nodes, lymph system, lymphatic, lymphatic system, stress, Video

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Understanding the lymphatic system provides insights into the body’s profound ability  care for itself. In Ayurveda it is the first system we treat, but in the west, it is simply not addressed until a diagnosis of cancer is made.
Perhaps the most forgotten, under studied and least understood system in the body is the Lymphatic System. The lymph travels with the nerves, arteries and veins and is by itself twice as big as the arterial blood supply system – and maybe twice as important. The Lymphatic System removes waste and from every cell in your body while regulating the immune system.
When I co-directed a cancer center with Deepak Chopra, one of my jobs was to train and certify medical doctors in Ayurvedic medicine. My medical doctor students were constantly telling me, “We were never taught such details about the lymphatic system.”  They knew it was a place where cancers resides and were taught to remove cancerous lymph nodes, but the purpose of this system was never really discussed…

Treating the Cause
In the west, when we go to the doctor for a blood test and are told we have high cholesterol, we are prescribed a statin drug to lower the cholesterol and prevent heart disease.  However this doesn’t treat the cause of the high cholesterol. While lowering cholesterol is important, combining western medicine strategies with natural strategies including lifestyle and diet is also important.
The most important question that often eludes western medicine is, “What is the cause of high cholesterol?” The cause may be  related to excess stress which causes poor drainage of the lymphatic system. This system drains waste from the blood and just about every other cell in your body.  Doesn’t it make sense that if we measure the blood as it goes into the cell, we should also measure the filtered blood or lymph as it leaves the cell?  The ability for the blood to enter and leave a cell and intracellular spaces as lymphatic fluid is one of the most important processes in the human body. Without it we would die in just a few hours.

Your lymph is your body’s biggest drain – keep it unclogged.

Keep Your Body’s Drains Clean
The lymphatic system is like the drains in your house and the blood is like the faucets. If the drains are clogged in your sink or toilet, do you only clean out the faucets? I hope not! You would clean the drains. The biggest drain we have in the body is the lymphatic system, which can stay clogged for many years. This forces us to adapt to an environment of toxins that stresses and weakens immunity and other important pathways of detoxification.
As we all age, it is the ability to detoxify well and eliminate waste efficiently that will determine longevity and optimal health.
When the lymph system becomes congested and loses its ability to remove waste well, the body will start to speak to us. The signs of circulatory congestion ensue. The key is to learn to listen while the body is still whispering and not until it starts screaming.

Symptoms of Lymphatic Congestion

Do you experience any of the lymphatic congestion symptoms on the left? And this is only the short list! Almost every condition and disease process can be linked to poor waste removal in the lymphatic system.
The lymphatic system is unique because it has more than one function. Not only is it designed for detoxification, the immune system’s B and T cells are most active in the lymph nodes of the body. If the lymph is boggy and sluggish our immune response may  be compromised.
3 Major Causes Of Lymphatic Congestion

1. Stress has been identified as the cause of about 80% of all disease. The chemistry of stress is degenerative and lymph congesting.
2. Chronic Digestive Imbalances like constipation and diarrhea due to irritated intestinal villi are classic causes of lymph congestion.  As the majority of the lymph in the body surrounds the gut (Gut Associated Lymphatic Tissues GALT), the quality of the villi are critical for proper lymph flow, detoxification, assimilation and immunity.
3. Iodine Deficiency is also a common cause of lymphatic congestion.   Iodine protects us from a toxic environment and supports the lymph at the cellular level.

Stress Creates an Acidic Environment
When under stress, the body is forced to manufacture and secrete excess stress fighting hormones to boost energy..  The waste products of these hormones are called free radicals, which may be a leading cause of aging. What’s worse is that these hormones and the free radicals are very acidic, which alters the blood and intracellular chemistry to become less alkaline and more acidic.
Eat with the Seasons

Eat like a squirrel: Enjoy nature’s harvest.

The lymphatic system  drains best  in a more alkaline environment. This is illustrated in nature when we watch squirrels eat nuts in the winter. Nuts are an acidic warming food that helps insulate the squirrel from a cold winter. Acid foods that are typically harvested in the winter help the body hold onto fats, proteins, minerals and vitamins. If a squirrel ate broccoli during a cold Vermont winter they would alkalize their systems, trigger a lymph detox and likely freeze to death. Fortunately broccoli doesn’t grow in Vermont in the winter so most squirrels don’t run into this problem.
Humans on the other hand did not get this memo. We seem to eat anything anytime and have truly lost our connection to nature. The harvest is our link to nature and the preventive medicine that ensures that our delicate balance with nature is always maintained.  If you are interested in digging deeper into the relationship of our health and nature’s harvest, please read my book The 3-Season Diet.
How to Treat Stress
Stress creates an exhausting chemistry and often leaves us depleted. Once exhausted, the body does not have the energy required to stay calm under stress and to sedate ourselves so we can stay asleep at night. This can create chronic fatigue, mood issues and  irritability.
Please review the Winter Grocery List and eat more of the foods on that list through April.

• Read up on an herb called Ashwagandha, which is a deep rejuvenative for the body and the mind.*  Take 2 caps, 2 times per day after food for one month.

Hydrate to De-congest Your Lymph

Sip warm water every 10-15 minutes for 2 weeks.

While still wrapping up winter and preparing the body to cleanse this spring there are a few lymph moving techniques that are very appropriate and necessary for this time.
One of the most common causes of lymph congestion is dehydration. Water and only water can adequately rehydrate the body. The best lymph moving re-hydration technique is to sip hot water every 10-15 minutes throughout the day. Do it religiously for one day. If by the end of that day you are experiencing a dry mouth and are now thirsty for this once tasteless sip of hot water, this is a good indication you are dehydrated and your lymph is congested. If this happens, try this re-hydration therapy: sip hot water every 10-15 minutes for 2 weeks straight. Keep a thermos of hot water nearby to make it easy to follow this protocol.
In addition to sipping hot water as part of the lymph moving re-hydration technique, try to drink 1/2 your ideal body weight in ounces per day for two weeks as well. For example, if you weigh 140 lbs, drink 70 ounces of water (almost 9 glasses) per day.
De-congesting Your Lymph
If you are experiencing any of the lymph related symptoms mentioned above then please consider preparing your body for a cleanse this spring  or with an herb called Manjistha, which means ‘red root.’ Please read up on Manjistha as it is my favorite lymph de-stagnating herb and may be just the right support  to start getting your lymph moving now before you detox.* Take 2 caps, 2 times per day after food.
Remember, before you jump into a cleansing program of any kind, be sure that the detoxification channels – namely your lymph – are moving. Detoxifying the body into a congested lymphatic system is one of the main causes of detox and cleansing reactions, which are easily avoided with the right preparation.
Eat Beets

A fresh beet every day is your lymph’s best friend.

As Manjistha is a red root there are other red winter harvested lymph movers that we should be gobbling up right now. Beets are at the top of my winter lymph moving list. They are the red, lymph movers of winter, so eat lots of them. Even one a day, grated, raw or cooked, with a little lemon and Dijon mustard is a tasty lymph moving treat.
Beets also have one other very important property that make them the top food on my list right now. They thin the bile*. Bile is responsible for about 80% of the immune response in the gut, it regulates the stool, digests good fat and gets rid of bad fat.* After a long winter of heavy, high protein, and high fat holiday foods, the liver and bile may become sluggish. Beets, as part of our lymph moving pre-cleanse, are a perfect addition. I love a fresh glass of beet, carrot and winter kale juice this time of the year.
Exercise for the Lymph

Let your dog show you how to take the “work” out of your workout!

In my last video newsletter, Enjoy Exercise Every Time!, I discussed the amazing lymph draining benefits of proper exercise with nasal breathing. This was the topic of my first book, Body, Mind and Sport.
Since we breathe 26,000 times a day, we might as well breath properly so that each breath can potentially boost our immune system, remove toxins, relieve stress, flush our lymphatic system and optimize the function of our heart and lungs.  When we don’t breath properly we increase stress, get sick more often, and hold on to toxins.