14 days fully rooooaaaarrrr!

Hello lovelies!

So the 14 days fully raw challenge is complete.  Have to be honest, I had cooked food a couple of times.  Once at a friend's lunch and on the last day of the challenge.  No excuses, I just got tempted by some delicious salads that had some cooked grains in them, tsk tsk!

Anywho,the reason I decided to do the 14 days was due to the numerous questions I was getting from people via the FB page about making a transition to a raw vegan lifestyle, or even just trying it for a period of time.

I did intend to post what I ate every day but it just got so crazy, you know, with life and all, that I actually missed a lot of days, sorry! 
Also, I didn't think posting photos of raw fruit, or salad would be very interesting, you can all do that right?
I did eat a ton of fruit and vegetables, and some raw nuts too.  Whilst I love raw, I really do, doing this really cemented in my head that I couldn't and wouldn't do it 100%.  I just felt that I was eating lots, and all the time, and to be honest, who has the time to be prepping and eating all of the time?  Summer is coming, I want to be outside doing stuff with the kids, my hubby, my friends, and not cleaning in the kitchen!
So, whilst I will always promote that raw fresh fruit and veggies should make up the bulk of all our meals, I do feel that for me, there is a place for cooked meals in my life!
But, at the end of the day, you have to do what's right for you and well, that's just what feels right for me.


I hope you enjoy the recipes!

Zucchini Spaghetti with Olives, Mushroom and Tomato
Serves 1

Ingredients

2 medium zucchini, spiralized into spaghetti
3 small mushrooms
1/2 tomato, diced
1/8 cup red onion diced
5 kalamata olives, diced
2 TBS nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper or to taste
1/2 lemon, juiced
Himalayan pink salt to taste

Method

Just mix all ingredients together until combined and serve.

Zucchini Fettucini with Spinach and Chilli Pesto
Makes 1 cup of pesto, but serving is for 1.

Ingredients

Pasta

2 medium zucchini, spiralized (save the peel and the core)
4 cherry tomatoes
1 TBS spring onion finely chopped
1 TBS parsley finely chopped
1 TBS of basil finely chopped
Some red cabbage for the plate

Method

Toss all ingredients together

Sauce

1 handful of fresh basil
1 handful of fresh parsley
2 handfuls of baby spinach
1/2 medium zucchini + the peel and left over core of the spiralized zucchini
1/4 cup of spring onion
1/3 cup of water
1/2 tsp of Himalayan pink salt or to taste
1/4 tsp of chilli flakes
2 TBS of hemp seeds

Method

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.  Adjust seasoning to taste.
Pour desired amount of sauce over pasta ingredients and toss.  Arrange the red cabbage on a plate, and place the fettucine on top.  You can eat the cabbage of course, but I also think it looks lovely.

Raw Burger Patty with Salad and Tomato Ketchup

Ingredients

Patties

1 cup of raw sweet potato

1 large field mushroom

5 TBS flaxmeal

3 pitted medjool dates

1 clove of garlic

1/3 cup spring onion

1/4 cup of capsicum

1/4 tsp of paprika

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp of dried oregano

small handful each of fresh basil and parsley

4 TBS of nutritional yeast

3 pitted kalamata olives

1 tsp Himalayan pink salt or to taste.

Method

Process until all combined. You still want to see some of the vegetables so don't process too much.

The mixture is wet and sloppy.

I just shaped them in my hand and coated them in more flaxmeal.

I kept two raw and I baked the other two and froze them for when I'm finished with the 14 days.

I think they would go really well with a side of sweet potato fries!

Tomato Ketchup

Ingredients

2 tomatoes

1/2 cup of sun dried tomato (no oil)

1/4 cup of lemon juice

3 pitted medjool dates

Himalayan pink salt to taste.

Method

Blend until smooth and some more juice or water if it's too thick. That is all!

I served it on some oak lettuce leaves with tomato, avocado, alfalfa sprouts and some of the ketchup on top.  I also added some more salad on the side, just some kale, more lettuce, cherrie tomatoes, carrots, and cucumber sticks.  Was delicious!

The following recipe requires that you sprout some chickpeas.  It's a fairly simple and inexpensive process and you can find out how to do it here.

I used 1 cup of dried chickpeas and used the whole thing after it had sprouted, to make the recipe.

Sprouted Chickpea Falafel

Makes 16 falafels

Ingredients

Sprouted chickpeas

1/4 cup of sunflower seeds, soaked overnight and rinsed 

1 clove of garlic

1/4 medium red onion

1 cup each of fresh parsley, mint and coriander

1 tsp of Himalayan pink salt or to taste

2 TBS of unhulled tahini

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/4 tsp ground coriander

Pepper to taste

Method

Place all ingredients in food processor and process until smooth.    Adjust seasoning.  You then shape them into balls.  I used a heaped tablespoon for each ball.  I made half raw, and then baked the rest at 180 degrees celsius for about 10 minutes.  No more or else they will be dry.  You can freeze them too and just take them out when you need them.  Pretty good I think!

Now for some sweet stuff! Blood oranges have been delicious lately so I put them to good use and made some dessert.

Blood Orange Cheesecakes

Makes 12 individual cheesecakes

Prepare a 12 capacity muffin tin by lining them with patty cases.  Set aside

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh raspberries

3-4 thinly sliced blood orange cut into small segments for decorating.

Base

1/2 cup raw almonds

8 medjool dates, pitted

1/4 cup dried coconut

Method

Place all ingredients in food processor and process until mixture holds together.

Place a large TBS into each prepared patty case and press down with fingers until even and smooth. Place in freezer.

Filling

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight and rinsed

1/4 cup of liquid sweetener of choice (I used maple syrup but rice malt syrup is good if you are avoiding fructose)

1/2 cup blood orange juice (freshly squeezed)

1/4 cup lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

1 TBS of orange zest

1/2 cup of coconut oil (liquid)

Method

Place all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.  Adjust sweetness if desired.  I would recommend using powdered stevia, maybe try a sachet/tsp at a time.  Adding more liquid sweetener may mean that your tarts won't set, be too liquid when they defrost.

Pour filling into each prepared case, decorate with raspberries & orange segments and place in freezer to set.  A couple of hours will do.  You can keep them in the freezer and just take out 30 minutes prior to serving to soften.

The next recipe is the cake I made for my birthday, I had planned on making a delicious cake made out purely of fresh, raw fruit but I wanted the rest of the family to enjoy it too, and being the last day prior to my next challenge, I saw only fitting to make the following:

Chocolate Mousse Tart with Smashed Raspberries
Makes 1 cake (i used a small heart shaped tin)

For the base, line your tin (feel free to use whatever tin you have) with some cling wrap, then make the base using the above recipe. You could add some raw cacao powder to make it extra chocolaty but I didn't.  Place in freezer whilst you make filling.

Ingredients

Filling

1 cup of raw cashews, soaked overnight and rinsed
1/4 cup of maple syrup
1 tsp of vanilla extract
2 sachets of stevia powder
1/4 cup of coconut oil (liquid)
2 TBS raw cacao powder
1/4 cup of raspberries

Method

Place all ingredients (except raspberries) in a food processor and blend until smooth.  If it's too thick, you may need to add some water, 1 TBS at a time until it's still thick but able to be blended.  Make sure you scrape down the sides first before adding more water to incorporate all ingredients and if you still can't blend it to smooth, then add a bit of water.  If you're not too concerned about it being fully raw, you could use some almond milk or other nut milk of choice.
When ready, take out the prepared base from the freezer, pour over the raspberries, then pour in your filling and place in the freezer for a couple of hours to set prior to serving.
Once ready, get it out of the tin, place on plate and pour the raspberries over the top.

Smashed Raspberries

Ingredients

1 cup of raspberries
4 TBS of maple syrup

Method

Mash everything together until it becomes a liquid.

Here are some of the other meals that I had whilst on the challenge:

Salsa stuffed avocado with cauliflower and red cabbage rice

Acái, raspberry, coconut and banana smoothie 

Work lunch with left over cauliflower and red cabbage rice

Strawberry and banana smoothie topped with everything

Veggie plate with pumpkin seed hummus

with chocolate protein ice cream & cookie crumbs

Green smoothie and salad with left over sprouted chickpea falafel

Crunchy Asian salad with seasoned seaweed

beetroot, carrot, cucumber, lemon, blood orange, celery mint, kale, ginger  juice

apple pear rawnola with fruit, coconut, activated buckinis and strawberry coconut ice cream

Nori rolls and fruit platter

Neapolitan chia overnight oats with homemade chocolate almond butter

If you want any of the above recipes, please send me a message and I will post it for you. Some I have posted on the FB page and some on Instagram so check that out first.  Name is Onehungrymami for both.

So off to the next challenge I go, yep, sugar free for 8 weeks, yes my friends, that also includes sugar. Y I K E S ! !
Will post all about it so don't worry, I'll let you know how it goes.

Wish me luck!

Peas, love and mungbeans

xxb

week 11? I think that's right!

Yes it's true, I've lost count.  That's how quickly time flies when you're having fun :)
Last time I was super excited about my dinner at Quay restaurant.  Well that has been and gone and it was an amazing experience.  Not so much for the food (sorry to say), but for the look of delight on my boy's face when he dug into that snow egg.  It was worth it just for that.  I've never seen anyone, let alone a not so dessert orientated person, love something so much.  He actually went on to describe each layer.  VERY cute.
Not to say the food was bad, it was not.  The food was beautiful and fresh but I just found it a little bland.  I know it's because it's obviously meant to be eaten with whatever animal protein they put in and taking that away disturbs the fine balance of flavours and textures so I'm not complaining.  I knew what I was getting into........but there was still a little part of me that hoped that they would get a little creative.  A fruit salad for dessert? Not for that price!
But this is not a restaurant review, and my experience (food only) is just my opinion and nothing else.  I still think they make amazing food and everything that came to the table was impeccably presented.  And the last thing I'll say is that we had THE best seat in the place, thanks to my lovely friend Dea for organising it.

Now to what's been happening since then.  As you know, I did the liquid detox, that was good and I highly recommend it.  And then I was meant to do gluten-free October.  I must admit, I have failed that miserably!!
You see, I have this routine at work where I'll take my break, go for a long walk, and on the way back, stop at the organic bread shop, get a soy flat white and a vegan fruit bun (best going around).  Now, I love this little routine of mine and breaking that was worse than going gluten free.
So, for that reason, I have not being able to do gluten-free October.  The smell of their lovely sourdough rolls and those damn gooey, fruity buns are just way too much for this girl to bear!! Damn you organic bread bar, why are you so damn tasty and deliciously yum?  Really, if you are in the neighbourhood, get yourself there and give their bread a go, they also make a great coffee.
So, how do I break this little routine of love?  I do something radical that's what.
I go on a 21 DAY RAW VEGAN ADVENTURE!!
Yes friends, it's true, nothing simple for this crazy girl.  Is it the green smoothies going to my head?  Maybe.
I figure the only way to do something right is to just throw yourself in the deep end.

So today is day 1, and I chose today because it will mean that day 21 will culminate in doing the raw food workshop at Sadhana Kitchen.  A little treat for all my hard work.
I don't think I've really thought this adventure through, otherwise I probably wouldn't have done it.  It dawned on me today that for the next 21 days, well 20 now, I won't eat anything warm or enjoy a hot soup, e.t.c.
ARGH! How will I cope?
Oh well, decision has been made so here I am.
Breakfast and lunch are easy, but what about dinner?  I normally love baking veges, I love eating quinoa with everything, and nothing beats a warm pudding with almond custard when you want some comfort food.
I don't have a dehydrator which is used a bit I imagine, but I do have this cool little tool called a spirooli.  If you are thinking of trying a raw diet, even for just a little while like me, I highly recommend getting one.  And it's not like you won't ever use it again.  For under $40, it's not a bad little gadget to have.  But to that later.

Here's how my day went today.

Breakfast

Green Overnight Oats
Serves 1

Ingredients

1/3 cup wholegrain rolled oats
1 banana
1 cup spinach/kale
200 ml almond milk
200 ml coconut water
1 TBS chia seeds
1 TBS hemp seeds
1 tsp raw mesquite powder
1 tsp spirulina
Handful of berries

Method

Blend all ingredients together except for oats.  Place your oats in a bowl or whatever container you're going to be eating it from tomorrow, and pour in your green smoothie.  Stir to combine and refrigerate overnight.  Top with fresh berries the next day and enjoy.

Morning Tea

I normally have a coffee (and a fruit bun!) but I can't have that now, so instead I made myself a juice.

Purple Haze

Ingredients

1 green apple

1 pear

1/2 lemon

4 spinach stalks

2 cos lettuce leaves

1 cucumber

1 knob of ginger

1 beetroot

2 carrots

3 stalks of celery, tops included

Method

Place it in your juicer and drink that baby ASAP!!

Lunch

Sushi and Salad with Tahini & Tamari Dressing

serves 1

Raw vegetable sushi

                                         

1 nori sheet                    

alfalfa sprouts                  

red capsicum strips              

yellow capsicum strips           

cucumber strips

avocado slices

Salad

mushrooms

broccoli

red capsicum

Dressing

2 TBS unhulled tahini

1 TBS tamari

2 TBS water

1 TBS lemon juice

sesame seeds to sprinkle on top

Pickled ginger

Method

You will need a bamboo mat for rolling.

Place the nori sheet on top of bamboo mat, spread the top with sprouts, making sure you leave about 1 cm at the edge so that it can stick and make a perfect roll.

Arrange your vegetables close to one edge, and with the bamboo, roll towards the other edge, holding tight as you roll in order to make a neat roll.

Add a little bit of water to the exposed edge so that the roll seals and you don't get any explosions.

Chop up the vegetables for your salad and arrange on the plate.

For the dressing, mix all ingredients together until you get a runny but thick consistency.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds.  You will have enough dressing left over to use on another salad if you don't eat it all as you go :)

Obviously you can use any vegetables you desire and try different types of sauces for dipping.  This is just what I had at hand.

It was yummy, fresh, and surprisingly filling.  I just love the crunchiness of the vegetables, especially the raw broccoli.

Now to the Spirooli.  For something that is advertised as a meat grinder, it definitely gets a lot of work moonlighting as a raw food kitchen MUST.

Dinner

Zucchini Pasta with Basil and Spinach Pesto

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 zucchini

2 cups basil leaves

2 cups spinach chopped 

1/3 cup avocado

1/4 cup raw pine nuts + a few for garnish

1 clove of garlic

2 TBS nutritional yeast

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp sea salt 

2 TBS lemon juice

zest of above lemon

6 sun dried tomatoes, cut into strips

10 kalamata olives, sliced

Method

Use the spirooli to create your zucchini pasta, put aside.

Alternatively if you don't have one, just julienne your zucchini.

In a food processor or blender, place all your ingredients except tomatoes and olives.

Blend until you get a creamy consistency.

Mix with your pasta, tomatoes and olives.

Serve and sprinkle with some whole pine nuts.

I had to finish it all off with something sweet, so I whipped up a tropical fruit smoothie.

Tropical Smoothie

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 banana frozen

1 mango cheek

1 cup papaya chopped

1/2 cup pineapple chopped

1 cup coconut water

2/3 cup full fat coconut milk

Shredded coconut for garnish

Method

Just blend it already!

Throughout the day I also munched on fruit and had a few of dates and raw nuts (i know, i know, my sweet tooth)!!

Surprisingly, I didn't miss my coffee, though I will miss my barista and the whole routine of it :(

But it won't be forever, coffee and fruit buns, we have not broken up, we're just having a little break from each other, and think of the make-up munch? Ooh, I'm swooning as I type.

So, here I go again, into the unknown, attempting to gather as much information as possible about this way of eating.  I have to say, so far so good, but then again, it's always easy to be enthusiastic at the beginning.  

With a little bit of luck, a lot of positivity and hopefully some help from my friends, I'm sure this will be another adventure/challenge I can get through.  

Gluten-free October, you have not completely defeated me, I've just found a new way to get through you.  Wish me luck!

Love,peas and mung beans

xxb

week 6 and test results

There's nothing I love more than having a good, hearty breakfast.  Porridge really is my favourite breakfast to be had as the possibilities are endless.  I never do tire of it and it really keeps me going until mid morning.

But with the weather beginning to heat up, I've got to find a new way to enjoy my oats without having to cook them.

Enter the saviour, overnight oats!!

Essentially bircher muesli with a few tweaks :)

Here's a quick recipe to get you started on what I've found, is the beginning of a serious addiction.

Basic overnight oats

serves 1

Ingredients

1/4 cup of wholegrain oats

1/4 cup apple juice

1/4 cup non-dairy milk of choice

2 tsp chia seeds

1/4 fruit of your choice

Method

Mix all ingredients together and leave in fridge overnight.  Oats will become soft and chia seeds will expand with the fluid giving the finished product a thick consistency.

Here's the flavour I'm flogging at the moment.

Choc-berry overnight oats

serves 1

Ingredients

1/4 cup wholegrain oats

1/4 cup apple juice (freshly squeezed if you have the time)

1/4 cup almond milk 

2 tsp chia seeds

1 Tbs hemp seeds*

2 tsp raw cacao powder 

2 tsp raw mesquite powder* 

1/4 cup strawberries chopped

1 Tbs shredded coconut

1 Tbs of raw flaked almonds

Method

Place in screw close jar and shake it.

Place in fridge overnight and be ready to have a seriously delicious breakfast in the morning.

If I'm making a big batch for me and the kids I just throw it all in a big bowl and cover it, making sure I mix all the ingredients thoroughly.

You can really let your imagination run away with this recipe and try all types of combinations.

Here's a few ideas:

• Grated apple, raisins and cinnamon.
• Carrot, ginger and nutmeg (using freshly squeezed carrot and ginger juice).
• Pear, almond and vanilla.
• Green monster (blend kale/spinach and spirulina with almond milk and juice and then add to other ingredients)

*raw mesquite powder can be found at health food stores, it is high in protein and has good quantities of calcium and magnesium, as well as containing lysine which is really good for people who get recurrent cold sores.  It's also low GI and has a yummy caramel taste.

*hemp seeds are big in the U.S where I first came across them but you can still get them here.  Hempseed's amino acid profile is close to "complete" when compared to more common sources of proteins such as meat, milk, eggs and soy. Hemp protein contains all 21 known amino acids, including the 9 essential ones adult bodies cannot produce. 

They also contain essential fatty acids (omega 3,6,9 & GLA)so double bonus.  

Pretty healthy and nutritious breakfast if you ask me.  

You can double the measurements if you like, but I always like to have a piece of toast with my breakfast, so this serving size is perfect to allow a bit of room for that without feeling stuffed.

Hmmm, I have been having a lot of grains lately, if I'm not careful I'm going to turn into one.  Don't know what it is, just my body craving the extra energy I guess.

And speaking of grains, I've been craving risotto lately.  

For some reason, I have acquired a lot of lemons. Oh yes, that's why. I was intending on making some preserved lemons but I need a hell of a lot more in order to do that.  That, and my pickled onions, will have to be another post.  But I digress.....

Here's a recipe I came up with tonight to fix my risotto craving and to make use of all those lemons!

Lemon and herb risotto

serves 4 as a light meal

Ingredients

1 Tbs coconut oil

2 cloves garlic crushed

1 medium brown onion diced

1.5 cup arborio rice

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup lemon juice (about two lemons)

2 Tbs of lemon rind grated (from above lemons)

500 ml vegetable stock liquid (i make it with boiled water and vegan stock seasoning)

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbs parsley chopped

1 Tbs dill chopped

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Method

Heat coconut oil in a heavy based saucepan on medium heat.

Add garlic and onion and cook until translucent, being careful not to burn.

Add rice and stir until all rice is coated and continue cooking like that for approximately 4 more minutes.

Add wine, lemon juice, lemon rind and stir until most liquid has evaporated.

Add stock a ladle at a time, being careful not to squash the rice when you stir and waiting until most of the liquid has evaporated before you add next ladle.

Should take about 25 minutes until all stock is gone and liquid has evaporated.

If you're rice is not cooking, turn the heat down and cover with a lid for a few minutes.

You're rice might cook before you have finished adding all your stock.  Leave it as is, if you keep adding, you'll end up with a mashy mess!

Once rice is cooked, turn the heat off and add seasoning to taste, as well as herbs and walnuts, reserving some for garnish.

I served this with a side of baked vegetables.  

I hate wasting so I grabbed whatever was on it's way out.  Today was a mixture of fennel, carrot, capsicum, spanish onion, zucchini, cauliflower, sweet potato and pumpkin.

I always dry bake my veges (no oil) and toss them with white wine vinegar and evoo once they are done.  Voilá, roast vegetable salad!

I find that when I dry bake, the leftovers last a little bit longer in the fridge. I can stretch them out to fill in sandwiches or if it's pumpkin, I can use in cakes or mash and add it to my oats for breakfast.

I really love pumpkin, it's super versatile.  I mash it and use it as butter when I'm making sandwiches for the kids, or blend it with chickpeas, tahini and lemon juice for a quick pumpkin hummus dip for our afternoon snack of vege sticks.  Kids love it :)

Now, to some health news.

I finally got my blood results back and it was what I expected.  I'm low in iron and zinc.  My iron stores are not too bad so that's a good thing and the best part is that I can do something about it.

So I have purchased the recommended iron + vitamin c tablets, a zinc supplement and a good multivitamin.  I now have to be religious about taking these.  I'm planning on having my bloods done again in another couple of months to see if it has improved.

And whatever the outcome of those results, well, I'll just have to cross that bridge when I get to it.

I am positive that I will get my levels up and I'm going to be more diligent in regards to adding more iron and zinc rich foods and so on.

So many vegans do this lifestyle successfully so I will try and get some tips from all the amazing support that there is out there.

Watch this space

Peas, love and mung beans

xxb