Clever cookie

It's been a while since I've used nuts in my food, so I thought it was about time.  Don't fret, it's not a huge amount, still trying to keep it on the low fat side of things.

This recipe is super easy, anyone can do it, it's not complicated at all and it takes seriously, next to no time, perfect for the time poor, or the really hungry!

Best of all, it's raw so doesn't require any cooking and it also keeps really well.  You can even freeze the cookies and then just fill them with the caramel when you are ready to serve them (highly recommend this).

Thumbprint Cookies with Caramel Centres

Makes 8

Ingredients

For the cookies

10 pitted medjool dates

1/2 cup of shredded coconut

handful of raw pecans

1 tsp of vanilla extract

For the caramel

10 pitted medjool dates

1 TBS of mesquite powder (optional)

pinch of Himalayan pink salt*

1/4-1/2 cup of water

Method

Place all ingredients for cookies in the food processor and process until mixture starts to stick together.  You should be able to roll them into a ball.  If the mixture is too dry, add more dates, if too wet, add more coconut.

Roll them into small balls and press them flat, making a dent in the middle with your thumb.

Set aside.

For the caramel, place all ingredients in the blender and process until super smooth.  Start with 1/4 cup of water and add more if too thick.

Mesquite powder will add a caramel flavour to the sauce so I highly recommend you use it. Also, whilst I don't add salt to my food anymore, I really think it brings out the caramel taste in this recipe.  

Once it's done, add some to the centres of the cookies.

I would recommend that you freeze the cookies for at least 1 hour as they will be soft otherwise, which is totally fine if you like it like that.

The recipe for the caramel yeilds quite a bit, about 1 1/4 cups so just store it in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid and you can use it to your hearts content.  Some ideas for this caramello deliciousness are:

• on top of your oats
• on top of pancakes
• as caramel fudge for your ice cream 
• on top of bananas and topped with some coconut

Now for something completely refreshing and fat free, some fruit pops!  Perfect treat for this hot and steamy weather we're having here in Oz at the moment.

Watermelon and Berry Pops

Makes 8

Ingredients

4 cups of watermelon

1 cup of berries of choice (I used strawberries and blueberries)

1/2 tsp of vanilla stevia liquid (optional)

Method

Blend the watermelon and stevia together until smooth.  Add it to your pop moulds and add your berries.

Place paddle pop sticks in the centres and freeze overnight.

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.

Salads are also great for summer, here's one I did today that was so tasty, even without the salt!  I really suggest you try it.  You could also double or triple the amounts and serve this as a side dish.  

Asian Greens Salad with Mango and Poppy Seed Dressing

Serves 1

Ingredients

200g of mixed Asian baby greens

125g of mango, thinly sliced

1/4 cup shredded carrot

1/2 TBS of dried cranberries

1 TBS of sunflower seeds

Juice of half a lemon

1 tsp of poppy seeds

1 tsp of dijon mustard

a few bits of alfalfa sprouts (optional)

Method

Mix the poppy seeds, mustard and lemon juice together well.

Arrange the rest of the ingredients on a plate and top with the dressing and sprouts.

How simple was that?!

As you can see, I'm all about fast and easy.  I don't believe that good, healthy food should be tedious or time consuming.   I know the pressures of being a busy parent/person, that's why I'm always trying to come up with delicious recipes that are time saving but still pack a flavour and nutrient punch.

Here's a really good example of cutting time but still getting a really good, hearty meal into you.

All you need is some cooked brown rice or grain of choice and the rest is raw.  I always make a cup of brown rice or other grain and store it in the fridge for when I'm ready to use.  1 cup of uncooked rice usually yields 2 meals for me (1 cup each serve).

So let me introduce you to the humble Dragon Bowl.  This is the simplest and easiest meal to make, and best of all, you can add whatever vegetable you have in the fridge and it will still be so damn tasty!  The secret is in the dressing you use.

I chose to use a tahini dressing for this and gave it a bit of an Asian flavour by adding some raw coconut aminos, which basically tastes like soy sauce without the soy (duh!).

So, in this little dragon bowl I have 1 cup of brown rice, 1/2 cup of shredded carrot, 1 cup of shredded purple cabbage, 1 cup of chopped kale and 1 cup of shredded cos lettuce (under the avocado).  I added some avocado to it, not much because I've got the good fats of the tahini, and voila!

You could also add some sriracha hot sauce on this, BOOM!

So go do it!

Peas, love and mungbeans

xxb

The budget post

Another reason that some people decide to do Raw til 4 is also based on their financial situation.  I get a lot of comments on my IG and that of others, that sometimes, buying large quantities of fresh fruit and vegetables, is not always feasible   
That's fine, and I totally understand where you're coming from if that is your situation, so here are a few dishes that won't break the bank.  

Vegetable Stir Fry with Sweet Potato Noodles

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 large carrot, sliced 
1 large zucchini, sliced
handful of green beans, chopped into about 2 cm pieces
1/3 of a medium capsicum, cut into strips
1 cup of broccoli florets
1/3 cup soy beans (I used frozen)
300 g of marinated tempeh or tofu (optional)
1/4 cup of water
1 low sodium vegan stock cube
2 TBS of coconut aminos or low sodium tamari
1 TBS of coconut nectar
1 tsp of grated ginger
1 clove of garlic, minced
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp of chilli flakes (optional)
250g of sweet potato noodles*


Method

Place a large pot of water on high heat to boil.  Once boiling, add the sweet potato noodles and stir.  Leave for 5 minutes.  Check that they are done, drain and rinse a few times.
Leave in colander to drain whilst you make the stir fry.

In a small bowl, combine the coconut aminos, nectar, garlic and ginger.  Taste and adjust according to taste (more aminos, more nectar, e.t.c).  Set aside.
In a medium sized frying pan or wok, add the water and dissolve the stock cube over medium heat.  Once the stock cube is dissolved, add the vegetables and place lid on top so that the veggies can steam, stirring occasionally.
Once the veggies become vibrant in colour, add the prepared sauce and tempeh/tofu. Stir, and place lid on again.  Lower to low heat until veggies are done.

Transfer the noodles back into the big pot and add in the contents of the frying pan.
Stir to combine vegetables, sauce and noodles.  Add cracked pepper to taste and season if needed.
Serve immediately with a sprinkle of the chilli flakes if using.
*I bought my noodles from the Asian supermarket.
P.S, feel free to use any veggies you have :)

Another great dish to make that is budget friendly (and raw) is nori rolls.  I've always loved sushi and going to sushi bars but if you can't get there or your wallet won't currently allow for it, try making them at home.
They are super easy, all you need is some nori sheets and a mat and you are good to go.
What I love the most about making them is that you can do just about any flavour combination that you want, like or desire.
I just love, love, LOVE them!
Here's one platter I had for lunch today, it was divine!  They are also good to make ahead of time for those of you who need to plan and prep your meals.  They keep well as long as they are refrigerated.

The platter above has 3 types of nori, here are the combinations:

• carrot, coriander and hempseed rice (process 1 carrot, 1 TBS of hemp seeds and a small handful of coriander with 1/8 tsp of garlic powder, 1/8 tsp cumin powder, 1/8 tsp of onion powder), apple, avocado, cucumber & capsicum.
• baby spinach, capsicum, cucumber, mango, & avocado.
• beetroot, cucumber, capsicum, apple, coriander and avocado.

If you need to learn how to roll, please youtube it, it's pretty simple though.

These little parcels of goodness taste so good, no sauce required!

Time for some sweet, sweet, deliciousness!

This here was an epic breakfast parfait.  I don't have a name for it so I'll just tell you the layers and you can make it yourself if you wish.

But before I do that, I'll just tell you that I used local hand picked and vine ripened peaches to make one of the layers.  Ok, so I've always thought I had eaten my fair share of good tasting peaches, but let me tell you, THESE peaches were out of this world!  They were so juicy and sweet, it's like nothing I've ever tasted before.  It made me a little sad too because once upon a time all our fruit and veggies tasted like this.  Now we get a watered down version of everything because things have to be picked green and artificially ripened so that they can transport well.  But, let's not dwell on the negative, the good thing is that these peaches were well, peachy!

The thing on top is not a cherry but a cherry plum.  Have never seen those before and they were also delicious!

Ok, but now for the layers:

• banana beet ice cream: 2 frozen bananas, 1/4 of a small beetroot.  Process until smooth and ice cream like.
• peach banana ice cream: 2 frozen bananas, 2 peaches.  Process until smooth and ice cream like.
• Blueberry pear sauce: 1/2 cup blueberries, 1 pitted medjool date, 1 large ripe pear, water as required.  Place all ingredients in the blender and blend until smooth, add a little bit of water at a time until you get the desired consistency.

Fruit I used to layer: kiwi fruit, cherry plums, monkey bananas.

So there you have it lovely people, some recipes to get your tummies smiling and your bodies moving.

Peas, love and mungbeans

xxb

No oil? No Sweat!

To follow on from the last post, here is a recipe that sticks to the high carb low fat principles of a 801010 diet but allows for cooked foods.

It's an easy recipe and one that will please little kids and big kids alike, I know my little ones munched it all up, probably because they love all things pasta, like most kids.

The hubby was loving it too, being filling and all.  

That's one of his main complaints when it comes to raw food, he's still hungry after a salad of some sort.  Here's a happy compromise.

Creamy Pumpkin, Peas & Sage Pasta

Serves 4 as a main meal

Ingredients

3/4 packet of pasta of choice (I used corn pasta to keep it GF)

1 1/2 cups of pumpkin puree

1/2 medium brown onion diced

3 cloves of garlic

1 cup of vegetable stock (low sodium if possible)

1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk

2 TBS of nutritional yeast

10 sage leaves, finely chopped

1 cup of peas (frozen or fresh)

Method

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook to packet instructions. Drain. 

Meanwhile, add the onion and garlic to a non-stick frying pan and add about 1/4 cup of water on medium heat.  

Stir until the garlic and onion turn translucent and soft.  

Add the pumpkin puree, vegetable stock, almond milk, nutritional yeast, peas, and half of the sage. 

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce is slightly thickened and reduced. Season with salt and pepper to taste if using.  I just added some cracked pepper.

Add the pasta to the sauce, and mix well. If you are making this ahead of time, I suggest adding the sauce just prior to serving as it can become dry if you let it sit.  

Sprinkle each serving with the remaining sage before serving.

Easy peasy and not a drop of oil in sight!

Peas, love and mungbeans

xxb

disruptions and goings on

Oh my, it's been way too long since my last post, my sincere apologies!
We have now moved, and we, as in me, are slowly settling in.  The family has somehow slid into a nice little routine, and my girls have just bounced into the swing of life at the new digs like it aint no thing.  
Oh to be young again, and so bloody adaptable.  
I should really be glad, and I am, don't get me wrong.   Just a little bit envious of their innocence and non-attachment to their old life.
As you can tell, I'm having a harder time adjusting to the new space, so my head space has not been the best of late.  Really unmotivated, and just generally feeling out of sorts.  I don't know if I've ever told you this, if you know me, you've probably guessed, but I'm a stickler for routine.  
Like a true Virgo, I love order and everything in it's place.  In my head that is, my house is another issue!  But, let's end the rant there, I don't want to bore you with my current emotional sensibilities, this is a food blog after all.
So, for the sake of my sanity, I will do just a few recipes, mainly the ones that people have been screaming at me for on IG. Thank you if you are following my journey on IG, you keep me motivated and definitely push me to pull my finger out and get to it.
So, without further delay, here are the recipes.

Spinach and Chickpea Pancakes
Makes 2


Ingredients 

2/3 cup garbanzo and fava bean flour*
2/3 cup water
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tsp Himalayan pink salt or to taste
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup of spinach leaves

Method

Heat a medium-large non-stick frying pan on medium heat.
Place all ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth.
Pour enough mixture to cover base of frying pan once it's hot, turning pan to fully cover.
Flip pancake over when bubbles start to break the surface and the sides are cooked and can be handled without breaking.
Repeat with second pancake.
If you find the mixture too thick, just add a little bit more water.
These pancakes are a little dense so I found them to be quiet filling.
*I use Bob Red Mills

I served them with a tomato medley salad with coriander and lemon juice, and also some pan seared mushrooms with lemon thyme. 

I used the left overs the next night, toasted them and served them with a simple red lentil curry.  Here's the recipe for the curry.

Red Lentil and Kale Curry

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 tsp of grated ginger

1 clove of garlic crushed

1/4 cup brown onion chopped

1/2 TBS of curry powder (or to taste)

1/4 tsp dried chilli flakes (optional)

1/2 cup red lentils

5 very ripe tomatoes, blended (or 1 can of organic crushed tomatoes)

2 cups of pumpkin cubes

2 cups of chopped kale

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/4 cup chopped coriander

Himalayan pink salt to taste

Method

Add the ginger, garlic, onion, chilli flakes, pumpkin cubes and curry powder to a large non-stick frying pan that has a lid.

Pour about 1/2 cup of water and cook until onions are soft and translucent.  

Add the lentil and tomatoes, stir, and cover with lid.

Keep cooking and stirring, adding more water to prevent it from drying, until lentils and pumpkin are cooked.  Once they are ready, add the kale, stir until it wilts.

Remove from heat, pour in lemon juice and mix through.  Season with Himalayan pink salt to taste.

Serve with some of the toasted pancake on the side and top with fresh coriander.

Now here's an idea for when you get stuck for meal ideas, and you want something quick, filling and low-fat.

Make some delicious nori rolls!  Given, you do have to have nori sheets in your pantry but that should be on your staples list my friends.

The kids love it and you can get them to roll a few.  Yes it's messy, but they love it.

You don't have to make them raw of course, you can use lots of fillings, like left over brown rice, or quinoa.  You could also get super creative with other grains like millet or barley if you are not gluten sensitive.

I just love stuffing them with different veggies, it's like a salad wrapped up in some sea vegetable goodness.

I've got links to how to make these on the right hand side but here are some that I made using grated beetroot and grated carrot, and just adding whatever I had in the fridge, which happened to be some avocado, capsicum, zucchini and pickled ginger.

But seriously, the sky's the limit so let your taste buds guide you.

And here are some delicious treats I made last week.

The recipe is on the Facebook page but for my friends without Facebook (yes, they do exist), here it is.

Strawberry Cream Tarts

Serves 8

Ingredients

Filling

2 large strawberries, sliced thinly

1 cup raw cashews, soaked & rinsed (for at least 30 min or overnight)

1/4 cup liquid sweetener of choice

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or water or any other non-dairy milk)

Base

8 pitted medjool dates

1 cup raw almonds 

1/4 cup shredded coconut

2 Tbs raw cacao powder

1/4 cup liquid sweetener of choice

(I used coconut nectar)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pinch Himalayan pink salt

Method

Base

Line an 8 capacity muffin tray with patty cases and set aside.

Process all base ingredients in a food processor until it holds together, like when you make bliss balls.

Press about 2 large tbs into bottom of patty cases. Set aside.

You will have some left over, use this to decorate the top of the tarts & to munch on 

Filling

Blend all ingredients except strawberries, in a powerful blender, until smooth & silky.

Set aside.

Slice your strawberries into thin slices and place 1 slice into the prepared patty cases. You will have some left over to decorate the top.

Fill each case with cashew cream mixture and top with some more sliced strawberry & crumbs from base.

Place in the freezer to set. When ready, about 2 hours, take out & let thaw a bit before slicing. 

These will melt so you need to eat them whilst they are still a bit chilled. They don't usually last that long when they are out.

The beauty is, you can make a large batch & keep them in the freezer, ready to have whenever.

Here are some snack ideas for everyone in the family!  They take next to no time to prepare and you'll be surprised, you probably have all these things in your pantry and fridge already.

raw cacao nibs + peanut butter + frozen bananas = the best ice cream ever!

thinly slice some apples, add some homemade vanilla almond butter and top with a salsa made with kiwifruit and strawberries.

1 banana, homemade vanilla almond butter and your favourite yummies as toppings

Homemade hummus with your favourite veggies and pickles

And one last one that got a lot of likes on IG so I thought I'd better post a recipe for it although you can find recipes for chocolate mousse and vanilla chia pudding if you use the search option.  Anywho, here it is.

Chocolate Mousse and Vanilla Chia Pudding Parfait
Serves 1

Ingredients

Chocolate Mousse

1 ripe avocado
2 TBS raw cacao powder
1 frozen banana
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup maple syrup or to taste
1 pitted medjool date

Vanilla Chia Pudding

1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup unsweetened almond milk or non-dairy milk of choice
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 TBS maple syrup

Layers

4 TBS shredded coconut
4 TBS activated buckinis
4 TBS puffed millet
1 cup raspberries (I used frozen and thawed them first at room temp)

Method

Vanilla Chia Pudding

Place all ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake the beejebus out of it repeatedly until all ingredients have mixed through.  Pop it in the fridge whilst you make the mousse.

Chocolate Mousse

Place all ingredients, except raw cacao powder, in a powerful blender and process until super smooth.   Add cacao powder and continue to blend.  Taste and adjust sweetness if needed.  You will probably need to scrape the sides as you go.
It should be fluffy and delicious.  It may also taste avlot like avocado.  If you don't like that, you may need to add more banana.
Place in the fridge.

When the chia is set, start layering.
Here's how I layered mine but feel free to do whatever your heart desires.

So there we have it, a rather late post but hope I've covered some recipes that people will enjoy. Will endeavour to be more contemporaneous with my future posts.
Thank you for your patience and on going support of the blog, IG and the FB page.  Deadset legends, the lotta ya!

Peas, love and mungbeans

xxb

Juicy juicy yum yum

I really should have written this post about 2 weeks ago but I let time get the better of me.  Reason being, it was still fresh in my mind what I had to tell you, now I have to delve into my fish brain and try and recollect all the great memories that was my juice and smoothie fast.  

As you know, I did the May Juice and Smoothie Festival at the beginning of May and it went for 5 days.  Like with any new thing you do, the initial first days are challenging but then it was smooth(ie)sailing :)

I'm not lying, whilst the beggining was difficult, after the third day I felt positively euphoric!  Yes, not quite like having a flashback of times in my crazy young girl days, but better.  
I had so much energy, I would bounce out of bed hours ealier than anyone else, ready to rampage through the day.  It was a little bit weird yes, but, it was also a very productive time and it has set some great new habits.  
I'll explain......because I was getting up before anyone else was around, not able to make noise goodness forbid I wake up the bear and cubs, I had time to try new things.  Guess what I did.  Yes, that little thing I've been dabbling in here and there.  MEDITATION.

Oh my golly goodness, I tell you what, it is really something.  Now I'm not saying I'm an expert in the discipline of zen, not at all, but, I am managing to do about 30 mins 3X a week.  Now that is huge for me.  I can barely get my mind to stop whilst I go to sleep, least of all when I'm awake.  

But don't ask me to explain further.  I can't really pin point exactly what's good about it, just that it's a lot of little things.  Like the way your body tingles when you start coming back to the moment.  Or the way you can just let things go, like, really let go.  Without mumbling angry swear words under your breath and stuff.  I really hope that with continued practice, I will be able to remain calm in all situations.  Hmmm, you gotta aim big right?

So, meditation was one amazing thing that happened out of the fast, the other great thing was all the support we gave each other during that time.  I started a FB page so that everyone could share their recipes, answer questions, make suggestions e.t.c., and it really was invaluable.  Everyone's vibe was so totally on par, and it made it so much easier.  

It was such an amazing experience, I'm actually doing it as a monthly thing.  So feel free to join the FB group and get into it!  Highly recommend it, your digestive system will thank you for it.

Ok, so now you know how it went, let's get into some recipes.

Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding with Activated Buckini Granola & Persimmon

Serves 1

Ingredients

2 TBS chia seeds

1/2 cup water

1 cup of sweet pumpkin*

1 ripe persimmon

2 dates

1/8 tsp each of ground cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg.

Method

Make the gel by mixing the chia and water and set aside.

Blend the remainder ingredients until super smooth. Add water until you get it to a desired consistency. Not too runny.

Mix with the chia gel and place in fridge overnight or for 30 minutes.

To make the granola, just mix 1 cup of activated buckwheat with what ever dry fruit, superfood powders, yummies, you want to add.

I added goji berries, pecans, cacao nibs, maca powder, mesquite powder and raisins.

Now all you have to do is layer your chia pudding with fresh chopped up persimmon and the buckini granola.

Easy Peasy!

*feel free to use cooked pumpkin if you want.

Vanilla Bean Ice Cream & Cacao Chia Pudding Breakfast Parfait

Serves 1

Ingredients

Ice Cream

3 frozen bananas

1/2 tsp vanilla bean powder (I use Loving Earth)

1 Tbs lemon juice (to keep it from going brown) 

Method

Blend all ingredients to ice cream consistency 

Chia pudding 

2 Tbs chia seeds

3/4 cup water

1 Tbs raw cacao powder

Method

Shake and leave to set, pref overnight or at least 30 mins. You can add a sweetener to the chia but I left it out. The ice cream is sweet enough & I just wanted the taste of chocolate! 

Layer and enjoy.

Apple, Coconut & Raspberry Crumble

Serves 1

Ingredients

apple crumble

1 large apple 

1 medjool date 

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 

Method

process all the ingredients together in your food processor until chunky. 

raspberry chia pudding 

2 TBS chia gel 

1 cup raspberries blended (fresh or frozen) 

Method

Mix ingredients until well combined.

the rest

1/2 cup activated buckinis 

1 tsp raw cacao nibs 

1/4 cup shredded coconut 

3 fresh raspberries 

Method

Mix buckinis and cacao nibs together. 

Place most of the buckini mixture on the bottom of your serving bowl, saving some to sprinkle on the top. 

Top with the apple crumble mixture.

Then add coconut (leave some for the top), followed by the raspberry chia pudding. Top with the left over buckinis, a little coconut and the fresh raspberries and you're done! 

Coconut Chia Porridge with Bananas & Berries

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 young coconut*

1 cup chia gel

1 tsp pure maple syrup

1 banana

1/4 cup raspberries & blueberries

1 TBS activated buck inis (optional)

Method

Blend the flesh and water of the coconut until it forms a creamy smooth consistency.  Add your syrup and blend again.

Mix through your gel and set aside.

Arrange some banana pieces on the bottom of your serving bowl/glass, pour the prepared coconut porridge and then top with more banana, berries and sprinkle of buckinis if using.

YUM!

*you can also use canned coconut milk if there's no coconuts lying about.

And here are a couple of ideas if you're running out of raw breakfast options:

Banana Beet ice cream with buckinis and fresh fruit

Green smoothie with fresh fruit, buckinis, goji and coconut

Apple, cinnamon & date rawnola with chocolate banana milk, green juice and dragon fruit

Green smoothie and custard apple

Raw ice cream: vanilla bean, chocolate almond crunch, raspberry swirl

Mono meal: papaya & fresh lime

Green smoothie, flax meal and raspberries with fresh fruit

Superfoods Chocolate Mousse Pots

Serves 2

Ingredients

1/4 cup chia seeds

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

2 TBS raw cacao powder

Add the above ingredients to a glass container with lid, shake it like a polaroid picture and leave in the fridge overnight to work it's magic.

The next day, blend with: 

2 medjool dates

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

4 TBS sweetener of choice (e.g maple syrup) or add extra dates.

1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional if you want to take it to the next level)

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional if you want to get all Mayan and go to Mexico)

Make sure your blender is cranked to it's fullest blending power and do it until it turns into a smooth and airy delicious mousse.

Top with goji berries and enjoy.

Raw Chocolate Bark

Makes about 8 pieces

Ingredients

2 TBS cold-pressed organic coconut oil

1 TBS raw cacao powder

3 TBS shredded coconut

3 tsp pure maple syrup

2 TBS goji berries

2 TBS raw almond flakes/chunks (whatever shape you want really)

Method

Melt oil if it's solid, you can do this by putting it in a glass container than on of a steamer.  Blend all ingredients together until combined.  Spread on a tray lined with baking paper and place in freezer to set.  When ready, about 20 minutes, take out and chop into desired shape pieces.  I like mine a little rustic :)

And now for some savoury bits.......

Fennel, Endive and Ruby Grapefruit Salad

Serves 1

Ingredients

3 cups of endive 

1/2 large ruby red grapefruit, peel and pith removed

1/2 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1/2 lemon juiced

2 tsp wholegrain mustard

Himalayan pink salt to taste

Method

Layer your endive on a plate.  Pour your lemon juice in a medium bowl and add your thinly sliced fennel (stops it from browning). Remove the fennel, leaving behind the juice, and layer on the endive.  Slice the grapefruit into chunks and layer over previous ingredients.  Add the mustard to the left over lemon juice, along with the salt and mix until it combines well, drizzle over salad and serve.

Fig & Beetroot Salad with a Raspberry Vinaigrette & Walnuts

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 cup baby spinach 

1 large beetroot* sliced into wedges 

2 medium figs quartered

5 walnut halves

1 cup raspberries 

1 TBS apple cider vinegar

Method

Arrange baby spinach on the bottom of a serving plate, add the figs, beetroot wedges and some of the raspberries on the plate.  Sprinkle on the walnuts.

To make the dressing, mash the left over raspberries with the back of a fork, and mix through the acv.  Spoon over the top of your salad.

*cook the beetroot before by wrapping them in foil and throwing them in a moderate oven until tender.  I do about 3 at a time, with some sweet potato also, and keep them in the fridge to add to salads at a later date.  Meals in seconds!

Speaking of which......

Baked Sweet Potato with Coleslaw and a Beet, Apple & Pepita Salad

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato

1 kale leave, stalk removed

1/2 avocado mashed with a little bit of lemon juice

1 tsp chilli flakes

1/4 cup white cabbage, shredded

1/4 cup purple cabbage, shredded

1/4 cup carrot, grated

2 TBS finely sliced parsley

1/2 medium beetroot, julienne 

1/2 medium apple, julienne

1 TBS pepitas

1/2 lime, juiced

1/3 cup raw cashews

1/2-3/4 cup water

1/2 TBS nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp raw unpasteurized brown rice miso

1/2 tsp dried dill

1/2 clove of garlic

Himalayan pink salt to taste

Method

Soak your cashews in water and set aside.   Wrap your sweet potato in foil and place in a moderate oven until tender.  Anywhere between 30-40 minutes.

Whilst sweet potato is cooking, and cashews are soaking, make the beetroot salad by mixing the julienne beetroot, apples and pepitas together with the lime juice and add some salt to taste.

Put aside.

When cashews have been soaking for about 30 minutes, rinse and drain them, and place them in a powerful blender with water, nutritional yeast, miso, dill and garlic.  Blend until super smooth, and adjust seasoning.

To make the coleslaw,mix together the cabbages, carrots and parsley, add some of your cashew dressing (you will have some left over) and mix through until all is well coated.

Take your soft sweet potato out of the oven, careful not to burn your fingers! Peel skin back and make cut along the front and push them apart wide enough to fill with the finely sliced kale leaf, and top that with the avocado mash.  Sprinkle on your chilli flakes.

Now add your coleslaw and beet salad and there you have it.

I also added some sauerkraut because I love it and it's good for your guts.

Beetroot and Zucchini Fritters with Chimichurri
Makes 10-12 fritters

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 cup GF flour (i use Bob Red Mills)
3/4 tsp xantham gum
1 TBS GF baking powder
2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
1 medium beetroot, juiced and pulp reserved
2 medium zucchini grated, juice squeezed out
1 tsp chilli flakes
1/4 cup sunflower seeds

Method

Add the acv to the almond milk in a small bowl and set aside.
Sift the dry ingredients together and mix well.  Make a well in the centre and add the rest of the ingredients.  Mix well.
The mixture will be thick in consistency.
Heat a non-stick frying pan and add about 1/4 cup of the mixture to the hot pan.  Turn over after a couple of minutes, or when bubbles start to appear at the top.  Because it's a thick mixture, I used the back of my pouring cup to spread it out a bit.
Repeat with the rest of the mixture until all used up.

Chimichurri
Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients

1 bunch continental parsley
1 clove of garlic crushed
2 TBS lemon juice
2 tsp lemon zest
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 small red chilli (deseed and remove membrane if you don't like it hot)
1/4 tsp dried oregano
Himalayan pink salt and pepper to taste

Method

Chop parsley and chilli finely and add to small glass jar.  Add all other ingredients and mix thoroughly.  Adjust seasoning.
Will keep in an airtight container for 7 days.

Add it to everything, or use it as a salad dressing.  YUM!

 The next day I used them as a base and added some homemade tomato sauce on the bottom and topped them with tomato, red onion, baby spinach, figs and topped them with a parsley pesto.

Quinoa Nori Rolls with Pickled Ginger and Tamari

Serves 1

Ingredients

2 Nori sheets

1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa

1/4 cup finely chopped tomatoes

2 TBS finely chopped red onion

Veggies of choice, I used:

Sliced cucumber

Sliced red capsicum

Sliced avocado

Salad greens

Pickled ginger

Tamari

Method

Mix the cooked quinoa with the tomatoes and red onions and mix through.

Lay the nori sheets on top of a sushi mat, then place the cooked quinoa on top, leaving about 2 cm free at the end furthest from you.

Lay the rest of your ingredients on top in a line on the edge closest to you, then carefully start rolling away from you, concentrating on making the roll tight.  Remove any excess quinoa, pat a little bit of water on the edge before you roll it down.  Hold down for a little while until it sticks together.  Then cut to desired sizes.

Serve with some pickled ginger and tamari.

I also made some raw nori rolls.  I just filled it with grated carrots, cucumber, sprouts, capsicum, tomato and apple.  Delicious and super quick!

Zucchini Spaghetti with Creamy Sundried Tomato Pesto

Serves 1

Ingredients

For the pasta:

2 medium zucchini

2 TBS finely diced red capsicum

1 cup baby spinach

1/4 cup sliced mushrooms

1 TBS hemp seeds

For the pesto:

1/3 cup raw cashews (soaked & rinsed)

3/4 cup water

1 TBS nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

1/2 tsp raw unpasteurized brown rice miso

1/2 cup tightly packed basil leaves

6 sundried tomatoes (rinse off the oil)

1 small garlic clove

Himalayan pink salt and pepper to taste

Method

Spiralize the zucchini on the spaghetti setting and place in a medium bowl.  Add the rest of the ingredients, except the hemp seeds and set aside.
For the pesto, add all ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth.  Adjusting seasoning if required.
Pour some of the pesto (there'll be some left over) into the pasta ingredients and toss gently to combine.  I use my hands to make sure each and every strand is covered with the delicious sauce.
Place on serving plate and sprinkle with hemp seeds.
Store the left over pesto in an airtight container with tight fitting lid, it will keep for 4 days but mine never lasts that long!

And here are some meal ideas in case you need more:

Kale, avocado & pomegranate salad with heirloom tomato steaks

Salad in a jar with parsley pesto

Salad with baked pumpkin, raisins, broccoli and a lemon tahini dressing

So there you have it lovelies, another month gone.  Well nearly, but can you believe we're nearly half way through the year, already!!

Seriously, time flies when you're having fun.

Peas, love and mungbeans

cleaning up my act

As promised, I am going to post only clean eating recipes for the month of January.  I'm on a clean eating mission and all will soon be revealed!  
Doesn't that sound so mysterious? The other reason why I'm on a mission is for purely selfish reasons, and that's because I want to be the healthiest that I can be.  I figure by looking after myself, inside and out, I will hopefully set a good example to my two girls.  This world has gone crazy, and I can't imagine what the future holds, so at the end of the day, without health, we can't navigate through all the amazing, crazy and scary stuff that may lay ahead.

I've been doing quite a bit of reading lately, and like with everything, I've taken the information and have adjusted it to suit me and my lifestyle.  I haven't changed the way I eat that much, just avoiding some things.  I have however, changed the order in which I eat them.  If you are interested in health, you should really check out some of the principles to eating outlined in "the beauty detox solution" by Kimberley Snider.  Can't recommended it enough.  
So without further delay, here are some recipes that I've been flogging of late that are clean, lean and deliciously good for you.

Green Smoothie
Makes about 1 L

Ingredients

1 ripe banana (frozen if you have it)
1 ripe pear
1 stalk of celery
1/2 mango
1 cup of spinach
1 cup of cos lettuce
1/2 lemon juiced
1/2 tsp spirulina
1 tsp flax seed oil
1 TBS raw lucuma powder (optional)

Method

Process all ingredients in a high powered blender with ice and 400 ml of water until super smooth.

I make this smoothie everyday and it's my breakfast.  It's fair to say that I'm addicted and I don't think I'll ever give it up.  

After a mug of warm water and lemon, I have 1/2 L of water with a probiotic and then have this.  Delicious and filling. 

Best of all, you can tweek the recipe to add the fruit and vegies that you like.  I find this combination works for me.

Lunch is usually composed of large salads so here are some of my favourites, along with some other more dense dishes.  

But don't be fooled, salads are just as filling!

Kale and Bok Choy Salad with Avocado Dressing

Serves 1

Ingredients

4 stalks of kale of choice

2 bulbs of bok choy

5 cherry tomatoes

1 cup of mixed leaves

2 stalks of celery

1/2 cup red capsicum

1 TBS nutritional yeast

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

1/2 avocado

1/2 lemon juiced

himalayan pink salt and fresh crushed pepper to taste

Method

Tear the kale leaves into bite sized pieces, this will give you the opportunity to massage your kale*.

Chop the rest of the ingredients, except avocado and lemon juice, into bite sized pieces and place in to a large bowl.

Mash your avocado and mix with the lemon juice and season.

Add nutritional yeast and cayenne pepper to the salad. 

Pour avocado mix to the salad, and using your hands, combine gently to coat all veggies.

Serve and munch.

*massaging kale makes it go from fibrous and bitter to silky and sweet.  Take bunches of kale in both hands -- with the fibrous ribs removed -- rub them together and repeat. You'll notice a visible change as you do this; the leaves will darken, shrink in size and become silky in texture.

Bok choy is delicious raw, and along with other asian greens, are my new favourite addition to salads.

Everyone has their own version of pumpkin soup, and it's one of those dishes that I find really comforting and filling. Here's my version.

Pumpkin Soup

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 cups of pumpkin (I cut my pieces small so that they take less time to cook)
1 cup of carrot (as above)
1 stalk of celery sliced
1 ear of corn
1/2 cup brown onion diced
2 cloves of garlic
1 vegan stock cube

Method

In a medium pan, add 1/2 cup of water, onions, garlic, celery, carrot and pumpkin.
Place lid on top and cook over medium heat until onion becomes translucent.
Add stock cube and enough water to just cover the pumpkin, replace lid and cook on low-medium heat until vegetables are tender.
Remove from heat and blend with a stick blender (If you like it thinner, add more water, if you like it thick, cook with lid off if there's too much liquid for your liking).
Slice kernels from the corn and add to soup.  Cook on low for another 7 minutes.  Just enough to cook the corn kernels.
Season if desired and serve.

I'm lucky to live in such a diverse area of Sydney, so a quick stroll to my local shops had me musing over some giant looking green mangos.  What to do, what to do?  
Here it is:

Vietnamese Green Mango Salad Rice Paper Rolls
Makes 8-10

Ingredients

1 cup peeled and grated green mango
1 1/2 cups of baby spinach chopped
1 cup of bean sprouts
1 small carrot shredded
1 cup of mint leaves
1/4 cup of chopped raw almonds
2 TBS coconut sugar*
2 TBS lime juice
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp himalayan pink salt
8-10 pieces of round rice paper

Method

In a large bowl, add the vegetables, mango and mint.  Combine the sugar, juice, oil and salt separately and stir until sugar dissolves.  Add this to the vegetables, along with the almonds, and toss gently to combine.
Put some water in a plate and lay out a thick kitchen towel next to it.
Soak rice paper round in the water for about 10 seconds or until it starts to go a little bit soft.  Place it flat on the towel.
Place a small handful of filling in the centre (about 1/2 cup).
Fold in the sides and roll up the wrapper to make a spring roll.
Place the roll on a plate, seam side down, and repeat with the rest.
Position them so they don't touch or they will stick to each other.  Cover the rolls with a damp paper towel.
Serve immediately or you can wrap them individually in glad wrap and eat at a later time.

*you can find coconut sugar at your local Asian grocery store.  Alternatively, use brown sugar or maple syrup.

Dipping sauce
Makes 1 cup

Ingredients

1/2 cup tamari
1/2 cup lime juice
2 TBS coconut sugar
1 TBS lime zest
1 fresh red chilli sliced or chilli flakes

Method

In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients.  Serve along side rolls.

Ok, so my rolling technique leaves much to be desired but it's nothing practice won't fix.  I guess I'll just have to keep making more of these little buddies :)

And whilst we're on Asian flavours, here's a raw vegan recipe for one of my favourite dishes, pad thai.

Raw Vegan Pad Thai
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 zucchini spiralised or thinly sliced into sticks
1 large carrot shredded using potato peeler
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
Small handful of enoki mushrooms, roots discarded
1 cup red cabbage thinly shredded
1/2 cucumber thinly sliced, a few slices for garnish
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup bean sprouts
10 cherry tomatoes halved
1/2 cup fresh mint chopped
1/2 cup fresh coriander chopped, extra leaves for garnish
2 TBS activated sunflower seeds
1 red chilli (optional)
2 TBS tamari
2 TBS lemon juice
1 1/2 TBS almond butter

Method

Combine vegetables, herbs, and seeds in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari, lemon juice and almond butter.
Pour over salad and use your hands to gently combine so all veggies are coated in the dressing and you don't squash them.
Place large handfuls on a plate, decorate with cucumber slices, fresh coriander springs and chilli.
Fresh!

This next salad is good for when you are entertaining.  It's super easy to make and really is a crowd pleaser.  Again, you can add whatever you have available, as long as you have the brown rice.  I take this whenever I'm going over to someone's for a meal/bbq.  This way I'm guaranteed to be able to eat something :)

Brown rice and roast vegetable salad

Serves 8

Ingredients

1 cup of brown rice

2 cups of sweet potato diced

2 cups of pumpkin diced

1/4 cup dried cranberries

2/3 cup red capsicum diced

1/3 cup red onion sliced thinly

1 cup of fresh mint chopped

1/4 cup activated sunflower seeds

2 tsp wholegrain mustard

2 TBS raw unfiltered apple cider vinegar

2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

Himalayan pink salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method

Cook brown rice to cooking instructions.  Make sure you wash and soak first.  At least 10 minutes.

In a preheated moderate oven, place a lined tray with your pumpkin and sweet potato.  Bake until done (about 25 minutes).

Once the rice and vegetables are done cooking, place in a large bowl, and toss with the herbs, capsicum, onion, cranberries and seeds.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mustard, oil, vinegar and seasoning.

Add to salad and toss to combine.

Serve as a side or more as a meal.

This recipe keeps well so you can make this and keep it refrigerated to take for lunch to work.

Sticking to grains, the following is a my version of a macrobiotic meal.  

Mami's Macro Bowl

Serves 1

Ingredients

1/2 zucchini cut into match sticks

1/4 large red capsicum sliced into sticks

1 bulb of bok choy chopped

1/4 cup of leek sliced (white part only)

5 oyster mushrooms sliced

1/2 cup wombok thinly sliced

2 cm piece of ginger

1 TBS organic raw unpasteurized brown rice miso

1 TBS tamari

1/2 cup of water

Method

In a large frying pan, add water and place on medium heat.  When water starts to heat up, add miso and tamari.

Mix until miso is dissolved.

Add vegetables and cook on low heat until vegetables are just soft.  DO NOT OVERCOOK!  The macro gods will be upset.

Grate the ginger and squeeze out the juice and add it to the vegetables once the heat is turned off.

To serve

1 cup cooked brown rice

1/2 cup organic sauerkraut (I used Eden organics brand)

daikon raddish cut into match sticks (small handful)

purple carrots cut into match sticks (small handful)

1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts

Arrange in a bowl and enjoy.  Make sure you always eat the sauerkraut first.  It will get the digestive juices flowing and CHEW YOUR FOOD for as long as you can.

Chewing your food well, ensures easier uptake of nutrients by the body, and it also gives your brain time to register when you are actually full.

Moving on to a different grain, the king of grains if you ask me.

QUINOA!

Curried Quinoa Stuffed Baby Pumpkin

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa rinsed and drained

1/4 cup brown onion diced

1 garlic clove crushed

1/2 vegan stock cube

1 1/2 tsp curry powder

1/4 cup cauliflower florets chopped

1 TBS raisins

1 ear of corn - kernels removed

2 TBS fresh parsley for garnish

2 baby pumpkins, scrubbed, tops removed to be used as lids, seeds scooped out.

Method

Pre-heat an oven to 180 degrees celcius.  Line a tray with baking paper, place your pumpkins and lids on tray and place in oven to bake, approximately 25 minutes.

In a medium saucepan, add your quinoa, curry powder, onion, stock cube, cauliflower, raisins and corn kernels.

Add one cup of water and cook with lid on until quinoa has soaked up all the water,it should look more or less translucent when it's cooked.

Take out your pumpkins from the oven, stuff with quinoa mixture, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Like a warm hug!

More clean recipes to come so keep your eyes open and your tummies rumbling!

Peas, love and mung beans

xxb