raw Superfood Salad w Mustard Tahini Dressing

 

I've been eating this salad everyday this week.. ya know its just one of those things. I've got all the ingredients in my fridge and I'm just hooked.

Spinach

Romaine

Fennugreek Sprouts

Watermelon Radish

Tomato

Avocado

Sunflower Seeds

 Bee Pollen

Dulse

Dressing

1 part tahini

1 part mustard

agave

lemon

soysauce

water to thin it out

Kimchi

I've been wanting to do this for a long time. I made a version of kimchi once at school and it turned out beautifully.  Now, after much research, I'm ready to make my first home batch. 

A Korean staple, Kimchi is a fermented cabbage dish. Its loaded with enzymes and living bacteria that make your insides very happy (and healthy.) Plus its freakin delicious. This is one of those foods that people get seriously hooked on. You'll never forget it and always be wanting more :) Yes.

Traditional Kimchi is serious business, so I'll be the 1st to say that this is NOT an authentic Korean recipe. I'm fine with that. From what I understand nearly anything can be pickled or fermented so I'm gonna have some fun. Here we go... first homemade kimchi!!

I added Watermelon Radishes... one of the many loves of my life

Kimchi mix before soaking in the brine

Day 1 The Ingredients have just been rubbed with my chili 

paste & pressed down into the glass jar

 Day 3 Kimchi tastes fermented,  spicy and delicious.. ready to store in the fridge!

Shelly's First Kimchi
1 head napa cabbage, leaved cut in half down the vein (reserve the outermost leaves)
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 carrot, sliced thin
1 bunch scallion, sliced thin longwise
2 watermelon radishes, sliced thin
1/2 bunch cilantro, rough chopped

4T salt + 1 quart water (the brine)
2 T ginger, minced
2 T garlic, minced
1/2 T chili powder
1 T miso paste


you'll also need:
1 large mixing bowl
plates/heavy things to weigh down/submerge the mix
1 large glass jar/couple of mason jars/pickling crock

Wash all the produce thoroughly and chop. Toss everything together in a large bowl, besides the garlic, ginger, chili and miso. Mix the water with the salt and cover the vegetables with the brine. Then place large plates as weights on top of the mix to submerge it for a few hours (at least 2hours.) Then drain the mix.

Meanwhile, mince the garlic and ginger then mash it with a mortar & pestle to create a paste. Add the miso and chili and continue to mash into a paste. Its okay if it is chunky.

Rub all the veg with the paste. Make sure to incorporate it evenly. Now, you will add the mix to a large glass jar (or mason jars or pickling crock) and press down firmly for several minutes until the brine rises to the top. Place the outermost leaves of the napa on top of the mix as a natural cover. Put a lid on the jar. And wait :)

The next day you will press down firmly again on the cabbage to make sure the brine is covering all the veg. You can even taste it at this point! It should be delicious, but not quite fermented yet. That'll take a few more days. Once its fermented you can keep it in the fridge.. and eat as much as you want. Its great for you!

An alternative to pressing down on the kimchi everyday is to place weights on top of the mix to make sure it stays submerged. Id rather rub it down every day.. put some good loving energy into my veg.. and check out the flavor as it progresses. I'll keep you posted!

And now for some nutritional information that I copied & pasted from this website www.kuksuldo.com/kimchi

Well-fermented kimchi has anti-biotic functions as lactic acid bacteria produced in the process of fermentation that suppresses growth of harmful bacteria. This bacteria not only gives a sour rich flavor to matured kimchi but also prevents excessive fermentation by restraining growth of other bacteria in the intestines. Not only that, substances in kimchi prevent hyperacidity resulting from excessive intake of meat and other acidic foods. Most ingredients of kimchi are rich in water and low in other nutrients. However, lactic acid in kimchi restrains the growth of harmful bacteria in intestines and help relieve intestinal disorders. In addition, the lactic acid is efficacious for preventing adult diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and even gastrointestinal cancers. Not only that, the juice from vegetables and salt in kimchi help intestines remain clean. Some substances in kimchi help promote the secretion of pepsin (protein-digestive enzyme) and maintain the presence of a certain number of bacteria.

 

Kimchi has played a role as an important source of nutrients in fermented vegetables during the long winter months.  It has different kinds of nutrients based on materials and the level of fermentation. Usually, the materials used in making kimchi have few calories and low levels of sugar, but contain high amounts of fibers, diverse vitamins (especially vitamins A and C), and minerals (such as calcium and iron). The nutrients produced during fermentation (lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid) help protect against cancer and germs. The fiber in cabbage is not a nutrient, but it aids digestion, allows smooth movement of food through the intestines, and helps prevent constipation and intestine cancer. Red chili peppers and garlic help to lower blood cholesterol and aid in blood clotting. The nutrients and activities of the various micro-organisms produced during fermentation are also very beneficial to the human body Lactic Acid Bacteria The well fermented kimchi has more lactic acid bacteria than yogurt. This bacteria is known to be especially good for the intestines and has anti-germ functions. Acetic Acid Acetic acid is produced differently according to the materials used, fermentation temperature and period, and level of salt. The flavor depends on the level of acetic acid. Overall, kimchi that is fermented with less salt at a low temperature has a better taste. Amino Acids The special flavor of kimchi depends not only on acetic acid, but also carbon gas, condiments, and amino acids. Amino acids are produced by breaking down protein in pickled fish paste and oysters. Researchers have found that kimchi contains 17 different kinds of amino acids Vitamins Kimchi has high levels Vitamin B, C, and Beta Carotene. The levels of Vitamin B1 and B2, and B12 double after a 3 week-fermentation period.

 

raw Muesli FlatBread

Muesli FlatBread

from Renee Loux's Living Cuisine The Art and Spirit of Raw Foods

2 c whole oat groats

1 c buckwheat

1 c flaxseeds

1 c raisins

1 c dried apricots (i used goji berries)

1 c chopped almonds (i freakin forgot to add these)

1/2 c pumpkin seeds

1/2 c sunlower seeds

1 T cinnamon

1 t salt 

Fresh batter prior to dehydration

Served with cashew butter, honey, banana, cacao nibs, bee pollen & maca powder

raw Coconut Curry Spread

1 c dry coconut
1/4 cashews
1/2 c milk/water
1 t tumeric
1 T ginger
salt
pepper
curry powder or garam masala to taste

You can water this down and use it as a pasta sauce, spread it on sandwiches, lettuce wraps, crackers or fresh vegetables

Sea Vegetable Salad

The benefits of eating sea vegetables are immense. They are loaded with vitamins, antioxidants, enzymes and minerals like iodine, vitamin B, vitmain K, folate, magnesium, calcium, iron, and tryptophan. Once ingested they help to regulate blood sugar and carbohydrate metabolism, they bring valuable anti-inflammatory cardiovascular benefits, they play a role in reducing the risk for estrogen-related cancers, plus they help make you look and feel fantastic!

Thankfully, my pantry is currently stocked with sea vegetables.
I use kombu whenever I cook grains, beans, and soups. It add loads of nutrients,especially minerals, and aids in the digestion of your food. And you'll never even notice it was there.. you just pull it out and discard it after cooking.
Dulse granules and strips are also quite versatile, subtle and delicious. The granules can be sprinkled into smoothies, salads, pretty much anything.. and all youll notice is red specks and a maybe a slightly salty flavor. The Dulse strips can be fried in a little oil and eaten on a sandwich.. my classmates and I used to make DLTs all the time w avocado.. dulse, lettuce, tomato & avocado.. yum!
Wakame rehydrates into green strips that are perfect to toss into salads, soups and sandwiches.
Hijiki rehydrates into brown strips and is great served with vegetable stirfrys.

Many sea vegetables can be added to super food snacks like bars and cookies too. Look forward to lots of sea vegetable focused recipes coming soon!

Recently, on a visit to the local Japanese grocery store, Asahi, I picked up this 

GORGEOUS bag of mixed sea vegetables. It was a little pricey, 

$18.99!! but totally worth it. Ill get at least 12 servings from this bag, 

because the seaweed rehydrates 8 to10x its dehydrated size!

Here is a photo of the sea veg, immediately after I covered it in cool, filtered water

And, here is 5 minutes later after it has been completely rehydrated.

I drained it well and added it to a spinach salad for lunch. Delicious!

The sea vegetables that are included in this mix are Wakame, Suginoriaka, Suginoriao, Akanori, Tsunomataaka, and Suginorishiro. Lucky me! I couldn't pass this up.

raw Portabello Patties

 Portabello Patty, served on Italian Flatbread with Cashew Cheez

There are endless ways to produce a veggie burger at home, raw or not, and they are sooo much healthier than the ones you buy at the store.
Looking in the freezer at the grocery store.. you've usually got 2 options. Wheat gluten and soy protein isolate. Okay, so they're not the woorrrst ingredients in the world, but they certainly arent the best either. They are definitely overused, not very easy for our bodies to digest, and besides protein & fiber they dont have many nutritional benefits. Not to mention the vast majority of soy is genetically modified.
So stay away from it and explore the world home homemade veggie burgers! Make a big batch, freeze a few, and you'll always have some on hand. YES!

after 14hours in the dehydrator

This recipe is from one of my very favorite raw & living foods "uncook" books. Its called Living Cuisine The Art and Spirit of Raw Foods by Renee Loux Underkoffler. I halved this recipe and it made 5.5 large burgers.

Portobello Patties
makes 10-12 patties
2 c walnuts
4c chopped portobello mushrooms
3T evoo
3T nama shoyu (raw soy sauce)
1T apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic
1 c chopped red onion
1/2 c chopped basil
1/2 c chopped parsley
1 T dried oregano
2c chopped zuchinni
1/2 c chopped celery
2 T nutritional yeast (optional)
1-2 t sea salt

Soak walnuts in fresh water for 2-4 hours. Drain and rinse.
Chop portabello mushrooms. Toss with olive oil, nama shoyu, and apple cider vinegar. Allow to marinate at least 30minutes. The mushrooms can be marinated a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator.
In a food processor, finely chop garlic, onion, basil, parsley and oregano. Add soaked walnuts, chopped zucchini, and celery, and chop finely. It may be necessary to scrape the sides of the food processor with a spatula and continue to chop to a smooth consistency. Drain off the marinade from the mushrooms. Add marinated mushrooms and chop in a few pulses to mix, but do not blend smooth. There should be a savory texture to the mixture. Add nutritional yeast, if desired, and season with salt.
Form patties out of 1/2 c of 1c of the mixture. Place patties on nonstick sheets or wax paper. Dehydrate at 108 for 12-20 hours or until a crust has formed. Flip over patties and return to the dehydrator, so that the underside dries.
The patties are best with a crust on the outside and moist inside for a savory texture. The patties can also be dried thoroughly for longer storage and spritzed with fresh water to moisten before serving. Store in a resealable bag, or storage container in the fridge.    

raw dough before dehydrating

raw Italian FlatBread

 
This is another recipe from Alissa Cohen's Raw Food for Everyone. Once I get the hang of these techniques Ill be writing raw recipes of my own.

Makes 5-6 wraps

2 c coarsely chopped carrots
1/2 c sun dried tomatoes, soaked in 1 c water
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 celery stalks
3 garlic cloves
1/4 c pitted black olives
1/4 x mixed chopped herbs, such as parsley, basil, oregano
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 t sea salt
2 c ground flax meal
1 c almond flour

Put the carrots in food processor. process to a fine pulp, then transfer to a large bowl.
Put the tomatoes and a few tablespoons of soaking water into the food processor. Blend to a consistensy of tomato paste. Add the bell pepper, celery, garlic, herbs, vinegar & salt to the food processor and process until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl w the carrot pulp.
Fold in the flax meal and almond flour into the vegetables, using a spatula to blend well.
Drop the batter in heaping 1c measures onto Teflex or wax paper lined dehydrator racks. Using an offset spatula dipped in water, (I used my hands) spread the batter into six 12-inch circles (i did rectangles) about 1/4in thick. Dehydrate for 6 hours, or until the wraps are dry but not too hard. Remove the racks from the dehydrator, turn them over, and remove teflex. dehydrate for an additional 2hours, or until pliable and not too crisp. They need to be flexible enough to fold into wraps. Wrap and store at room temperature for up to 5 days.  

raw Morning Noon & Night Pancakes

This is another recipe from Alissa Cohen's Raw Food For Everyone. I have had my eye on this recipe for a good 8months now, and I am so stoked its finally happening. She says they should dehydrate for 16hours.. but these have been in my dehydrator for 4days now, and theyre still slightly doughy. I need to get the Excalibur. I bought the l'equip dehydrator because its smaller but still efficient. I like it, but I want the best.

These are freaking delicious and healthy.. next time I would use less agave nectar though. They're a bit too sweet for my taste. The end texture is like cookie dough. Not exactly what I had in mind, but still delicous, so I threw em in the freezer & will make some yummy desserts with them in the future.

Pictured with coconut cashew creme, bananas and cinnamon

Alissa Cohen's Morning Noon & Night Pancakes
*I made 1/2 of the following recipe and substituted 1/2 the pinenuts for cashews

2 c pecans, soaked for 8hours
*1 c pinenuts
 *1 c cashews
2 ripe bananas
1 c agave nectar
seeds from 2 vanilla beans
1t sea salt
2 c blueberries, muddled

Put the soaked pecans, pinenuts (and cashews,) bananas, agave, vanilla seeds, and salt in a Vita-Mix blender. While the machine is running, carefully remove the lid and using a rubber spatula,  stir the mixtire along to make sure it is continuously running over. Add a Tablespoon of water if necessary. Blend until smooth. Using a spatula, fold in the muddled blueberries.
With a ladle, drop 1/4c measures of batter onto Teflex-lined (I use wax paper) dehydrator racks, leaving at least 1/2 in between the pancakes. They should be thick like pancakes, about 1/2 in thick, not thin like crepes. Dehydrate 8hours. Flip the pancakes onto clean Teflex sheets and dehydrate for 8more hours. These should be soft and fluffy and have the consistensy of a pancake. Dont dehydrate them for too long, they shouldnt be hard.
Cover and refridgerate for up to 3 days. Garnish with bluberries and coconut cream.

Fresh pancake batter before dehydrating

after 24 hours of dehydrating

raw Berry Asparagus Salad w Avo Dressing

Salad
spinach
basil
mint
blueberries
strawberries
sugarsnap peas
asparagus
fennugreek sprouts
slivered almonds
cacao nibs

Dressing
2 small avacados
juice of 3 oranges
salt
dry herbs
onion

raw Buffalo Lentil Tenders w Cashew Cheez

I'm on a raw kick. Ever since I ended my fast I've been indulging 

and experimenting with raw cuisine and i'm prettttyyyy excited about it.

These tenders crack me up. Their bright orange color and flaky texture actually looks like a chicken tender. Weird. This recipe isnt mine. I'm going to be following raw recipes for a while, then making a few of my own additions, and eventually figuring it out on my own.
Ive been studying raw "un-cook" books for a few years now, I have some practice from school and home, but it takes a lot of planning and dedication to follow a strict raw diet.
On top of all that, you need kitchen appliances like a Vita-mix blender, food processor, spiralizer, dehydrator, and a fully stocked fridge & pantry. I've acquired all of the tools and ingredients and I'm finally ready to dive in. Let's go!

From Alissa Cohen's Raw Food For Everyone
makes about 12 tenders

2c coarsely chopped carrots
1 small shallot
2c sprouted red lentils
2t cayenne pepper
1 t salt
1/4c apple cider vinegar
2T extra virgin olive oil

Put the carrots and shallot in a food processor. Process until finely ground. Add the lentils, cayenne, salt, vinegar, and olive oil and process until a batter forms. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides as necessary.
Divide and shape the mixture into "tenders" approximately 1/2 in thick by 3 in long and 1 1/2 in wide. Place the tenders on a teflex-lined (or wax paper) dehydrator racks and dehydrate for 4 hours. Carefully flip the tenders over so the other side has an opportunity to dehydrate. Return the racks to the dehydrator and dehydrate for another 2 hours. The tenders sould be firm and moist, not dried out. Enjoy immediately or cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

I think the 2t cayenne is a little much for some people, so you may want to cut back a little. I dehydrated these for almost 24hours. I own the l'equip dehydrator and it isnt as powerful as Excaliber, so it usually takes a little longer. Plus, I wanted them to get extra crispy on the outside.

Cashew Cheez
3/4 c almond pulp (leftovers from milk-making)
1/3 c soaked cashews
2 T pinenuts
water to cover
tamari
garlic
dry herbs
lemon
salt

Process until smooth in blender, season to taste.

This is a photo of the raw batter, before dehydration.

Fenugreek Sprouts

My Favorite Sprouts!! You should be able to find whole fenugreek 

in the bulk spices at your local health food store.

Soak the seeds in a bowl of water overnight. In the morning rinse and drain well. There are a variety of containers available to sprout in. I have been using the Sprout Master and couldn't be happier. The Easy Sprout Sprouter is another good one, or you could use a mason jar, with a mesh lid. You can buy a mesh lid, or simply buy some screen at your local hardware store, cut it down to fit the top of your jar, and wrap a rubber-band around it to hold it in place. The point is, that the sprouts need air to breathe, and they need to be able to drain well, or else they'll mold.

Day 2 after soaking. You'll need to rinse the seeds 2-3 times a day with cool water. This keeps them moist and prevents them from drying out. The Sprout Master makes this so easy. The trays are stackable, they come with dividers, so you can sprout a huge variety of seeds at once. Plus, the bottom of the tray is a screen, so you just hold it under the faucet and rinse!

Day 3 Fenugreek is usually used as the main ingredient in Maple Flavoring. They smell and taste slightly of maple, mostly they just have that slightly bitter sweet green sprout taste, we all know.. but whats reeeaaallyyy cool about these sprouts is that THEY MAKE YOUR SWEAT SMELL LIKE MAPLE SYRUP. dead serious.

Day 4 Fenugreek seeds are an essential ingredient in Indian cooking. They're also frequently used in some parts of Africa, where they'll soak them and cook them like lentils. They're great in a soup or stew or pot of rice. You can just throw them in at the start of the cooking process, so they'll soften.

Day 5 Many sprouts can be placed in the window at this point to develop chlorophyll. They'll turn green, thats how you know its working. Chlorophyll is an essential nutrient for healthy blood and good energy.

Juice Fast

3 Days into the Juice Fast portion of my Spring Cleanse.. and I feel amazing.
Heres the scoop: For 9 days I did the Master Cleanse (see previous post.)
Then I transitioned that immediately into a Juice Fast. Which technically should be called a JUICE FEAST. Check out all these fruits and veggies I'm getting!!
I haven't eaten any food in 11 days.
This is awesome. I felt absolutely stellar at work today, like there is a light at my core, just bursting forth into everything. Like ecstasy. I was a ball of happy energy all day, and since Ive got home, Ive just been bouncing around my apartment.
Its probably not for everybody, but I think I really needed this. Making this commitment has arose a wave of physical, emotional, and spiritual rejuvenation in my life.

Shelly's Kitchen Sink
1/4 head Romaine
Big Handful Spinach
1/4 bunch Parsley
1 Cucumber
2 stalks Celery
4 Orange Carrots + 1 Purple Carrot
1 Pear
1 Apple
1 inch or 2 Ginger
1/4 of a Beet


This is my GO-TO feel GREAT drink any-day, but especialllly when I'm juice fasting. During a juice fast, I can get by on 3 of these a day and feel MARVELOUS.

This is a variation of my favorite juice ever, Main Squeeze's Ring of Fire. The juice that started it all.. my first :) And when I brought my juicer home for the first time, you better believe that I made a huge pitcher of Ring of Fire & drank that whole thing.

Shelly's Light my Fire
3 Jazz apples
1 Valencia orange
1 Navel orange
1 blood mandarin
1 purple carrot
1/4 large beet
ginger
handful of spinach

Master Cleanse

I recently "master cleansed" for 9 days. For those of you who aren't familiar with the concept.. for 9 days, I didn't eat any food. I only drank mineral water and water that had been mixed with lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper.

On day 9 I began incorporating vegetable juice, whatgrass shots and miso broth.

Today is day 10. I'm still juicing, I haven't eaten anything yet, and I feel amazing. I plan to continue for a few more days, then break my fast with a raw salad.

During the fast, I have managed to keep a 40hour work week, volunteer 4 mornings on a farm, and dog-sit an 80lb Weimaraner.

I've been getting 8-9hours of sleep, have only needed 1 mid-day nap and managed to keep good energy all day.

On day 9, in the afternoon, I began to get irritable, and decided to transition from the Master Cleanse to the Juice Fast.
Within an hour I felt completely euphoric. I had a ton of energy all day and even had a hard time falling asleep. In the late evening, when I began to really wind down, I was hit by an intense stream of focused and creative thoughts, which I spent hours cultivating and recording.

I often cleanse with the change of the seasons, but nothing this intense. Usually, on a cleanse I will eat very small and nutrient dense meals. I really enjoyed my experience this time and in the future I plan to do more juice and liquid fasting.
Initially, this experience was meant to make me feel better. At work, I eat a huge variety of foods.. its my job. All I do there is learn, teach and share food knowledge. I eat a lot.
And since we just got through the holiday season, Ive been a little off my healthy game, and maaaaybe drinking a little too frequently. 
This cleanse is a way to reset my body and mind to begin this new season. By only in-taking these liquids I was able to release a lot of toxins from my body and take in a ton of nutrients. Not to mention, my skin and hair look great, I'm much more energetic, happier and I've dropped at least 12lbs.

This turned out to be a very rewarding journey for me. I'm able to reflect more clearly on the role that food plays in my life. I've gained spiritual, mental, emotional and physical reward from making the effort to abstain from food for this long, and I believe, that for the long term, this will be a very impacting experience on my life.

Master Cleanse Drink
2.5 quarts water
1.5 c lemon juice
3/4 c grade B maple syrup
1t cayenne

I made this drink fresh every morning in a big glass jug and brought it to work, and to the farm, with me. This recipe should make 10 8oz servings, which was perfect for me. Some days I drank all of it, other days I had a little leftover.

The lemon juice helps release toxins. People worry about the acidity of the lemon, but in reality lemon juice becomes alkaline inside the body, which means tremendous benefits.
The calories in lemon are 95%carbs and 5% protein.
Lemon contains Vitamins C, A, E, Folate and Choline, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and other trace vitamins and minerals.

The grade B Maple syrup is where I was getting my calories. In 3/4 c maple syrup there is about 630 calories, 159 g of carbs and 159 g of sugar. Its also loaded with the minerals manganese and zinc. It contains vitamins A, B2, B5, B6, Folic acid, niacin and biotin.

Cayenne Pepper coats your throat, giving you a "just finished eating" feeling. It contains vitamins A, E, C, B6, K and manganese.

Fresh Almond Milk

Soak Almonds overnight. In the morning, pop them out of their skins.
Its easy! And fun : ) 

Then put them in a Blender. You should blend 1 part almonds with 3-5 parts water. Blend it good.

Here, I'm using my nut milk bag to squeeze the milk from the almond pulp. There will be quite a bit of pulp left behind, once you've finished squeezing the milk out of the bag.

Alternatively, you can push the milk through a fine mesh sieve.

Reserve your milk in a jar and store it in the fridge. Use it in smoothies, soups, sauces, breakfast, just drink it, do whaaatever you would normally do with store bought milks. And enjoy :)

Stay tuned for recipes using the reserved pulp. I often will blend it with mustard, herbs, tamari etc and use it as a spread. You could dehydrate it and use it as almond flour. You could ferment it and eat it like a funky cheese.. You could sweeten it up serve with breakfast or dessert.. oh the possibilities..