Go go gadget veggie salsa!

Seriously, a lot of my recipes come from sheer laziness. In this case I wanted to eat a lot of varied vegetables, but I'll be a monkey's uncle if I'm going to cook up 6 different dishes!

Do you have time for that? I do not. Please, I did not even have time to watch Lost or Battlestar Gallactica last week :-) I use my Franklin Covey planner to help me keep everything organized and make the most of my time. Last week Mr. Covey clearly said to me, "You are doing too much. Make a lot of 1 recipe and eat leftovers." I always listen to Mr. Covey.

So, I sent Max to the store with a grocery list full of vegetables. By the way, we've been doing really well this month keeping our weekly grocery bill to under $70. I think the best way to do that is to:
1. Eat what you have in the house already
2. Don't waste anything
3. Buy things that don't come in a package

What resulted was a lip-smackin', hip-shakin' veggie salsa that hit on pretty much every nutrient in the book. I served it over brown rice and black beans, but you could also add it to a broth for some soup, or mix it with marinara sauce and serve over pasta. It never hurts to have a big bowl of chopped veggies in the fridge for whatever comes up. So the question is, does this even count as a recipe? Probably not since I just sort of made it up as I went along!

Six Veggie Salsa
5 carrots
2 tomatoes
1 head swiss chard
1 cucumber
15 brussel sprouts
1/2 butternut squash
1 onion
1 head cilantro
1/2 bag frozen corn, defrosted
for dressing
1 lime
pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
approx. 1/4 cup each apple cider vinegar, umeboshi plum vinegar, olive oil and tamari

Chop all veggies (except corn) into tiny pieces or shreds. In large pan, cook onion and butternut squash until tender. Allow to cool. Toss everything with dressing and allow to sit for 1 hour so acid from dressing can break down chard and sprouts. Serve as you would salsa.

P.S. Head on over to Food Renegade for a chance to win free La Cense Grass-fed beef. It's the only meat I'll advocate – go for it!

Post Holiday Detox and a Sunny Segue into 2009

The reason it was so important for me to make my holiday cookies healthier is because I tend to eat a lot of cookies. And I must have eaten even more than usual because I'm up a few pounds and not thrilled about it. (btw, they got mixed but mostly good reviews from the family) Frankly, I haven't been getting to yoga as often as usual and that's probably got a lot to do with how I'm feeling too.

Besides the scale getting me down, I spent the holidays eating a lot of meat at relatives' dinner tables and of course en route to these tables at McDonalds on the Massachusetts Turnpike...sigh...my digestive system is still working it all out. Boooo. I'm going to chalk it all up to a reminder about eating well because I really don't feel great. Kinda grumpy. Kinda glum.

All I really felt like eating yesterday and today was salad. Nice leafy greens to wash it all away and leave me feeling a little lighter! Pictured above is a salad I made with lettuce, dinosaur kale, tomatoes, avocado, lemon juice, olive oil, cayenne pepper and ground flax seed. Also, a sandwich using leftover sundried tomato spread (a Veganomicon recipe!) and sprouts on sprouted grain bread. My belly said, "This is more like it!"


In addition to detoxing from the holiday food coma, Max and I are packing and getting ready for our trip to Puerto Rico! We're leaving in two days and will be back in 2009. I like that it's sort of a farewell to 2008 and sunny segue to the new year. But it's too bad about having to wear a bikini in a few days... When I get back I'm considering going raw for awhile, to get a fresh start on the inside :-)

What are you doing as 2008 wraps up, and to commemorate the new year?

Papaya Steak

I've been meaning to write this post ever since my bridal shower in July. My awesome friend Ellen planned the shower at Alissa Cohen's new raw vegan restaurant in Boston's North End, Grezzo. Sweet!

Of the group, only Ellen and I were familiar with raw food but everyone was adventurous. It was definitely a conversation piece as well: "How did they make these breadsticks? What on earth is THAT? What's kombucha?"

After our meal we had a special trip to the kitchen to learn a few things about preparing raw food. The chef showed us how to make a Papaya steak that looked remarkably like salmon. It's a hunk of papaya marinated in apple cider vinegar and spices. Tastes like chicken! Just kidding, it did not taste like chicken.

It tastes somewhat savory and definitely juicy though. I know because last weekend Max and I went back for dinner, and ordered the papaya. For $21 you don't get a heck of a lot of food (and raw vegans know you don't need much, but for the occassional epicurean adventurer, beware) but it sure was tasty with the accompanying garlicy 'pasta.' We also ordered an absolutely delicious Farmer's Market lasagna with creamy, creamy delicious nut-cheese. To drink I had a $5 stick of rosemary in hot water. Not raw, I suppose, and not worth $5, but interesting nonetheless.

Then we went and got cappuccinos because we are not perfect people. It was the first caffeinated drink I've had in months and I was up all night. Lesson learned...

On another note, I will be away for a week at Kripalu starting, oh...in about 10 minutes! Very excited and will hopefully come back with some good topics to share.

Plant Blood

In order to detox my extremely toxic-feeling body I decided to go all-raw again for a week or two. After 4 days I'm already feeling major improvements, plus I lost about 5 lbs. as a side bonus. PLUS I had a really good day today – got a great offer on the condo I'm selling, discovered some old friends on Facebook, found some new yoga classes to teach, and am really enjoying this book I'm reading – but none of that has to do with the raw diet. Or does it...

Anyway, without going into too much detail, the raw diet is incredibly, er, cleansing. I was reading some blog posts the other day about fiber supplements. Ha! That's for wimps! I've been doing my usual fresh fruit and nuts for breakfast, a nut/veggie pate over salad for lunch, and tonight I made a Spanish rice dish with sprouted grains, tomatoes, peppers, etc.

The juicer is coming in mighty handy, and as I was looking for a way to get rid of some extra veggies in the fridge I looked online for some juice recipes. Kristen's idea for plant blood sounded cool, so I tried it tonight. Mine used 1 cucumber, 1 zucchini, 1 beet with greens, and 1 collard leaf. As I'm drinking it now I'm thinking it may have been nice to add an apple or something sweet. Next time.

More juicing, less ironing

My tablecloth was so wrinkled in this photo I had to do some quick retouching because I was too embarrassed to leave it as is. Still not perfect, oh well. Apparently I'd rather photoshop than actually iron...yes, that's true.

Anyway, we got some awesome wedding gifts. No kidding, it's way better than all the last 10 Christmases combined. Among the bunch is a Breville juicer from my Poppee. I don't think Poppee even knows what a juicer is or why I'd possibly want one, but bless him for choosing it off the registry. We've already made some orange juice with great success so today I found a recipe to take juicing a step further. This apple/parsley mixture was refreshing and delicious, my only regret that green apples are not exactly in season right now. I just did a little research about parsley though, and turns out it is pretty jam packed with vitamins A, C and K. The only thing is if you have problems with gallbladder or kidney stones you might want to skip parsley and other greens with oxalic acid.

Green Apple and Parsley Drink
from Living on Live Food
4 green apples
1/2 bunch parsley

Put it through a juicer and serve on ice.

Wakame? Wakayou.

In the past few weeks I've done embarrassingly little in the way of food preparation. Suffice it to say that I write this post while waiting for our chinese takeout to arrive. The wedding may be over but we're drowning in Crate & Barrel packaging and the back-to-work blues over here!

One meal I managed to scrape together a week or so ago was a Wakame Sea Slaw and Asian Style Tofu Burgers. The burgers were the same as any 'burgers' I have tried out of How to Cook Everything Vegetarian – just ok. They're painfully difficult to flip and I never know when they are done. These were a blend of tofu, scallions, whole wheat panko and asian seasonings. On the whole, unremarkable.

But the slaw was fantastic. The best part is that it includes a sea vegetable called wakame in a way I'd never thought to use it before. Like a salad green! Easy and tasty. Wakame, like all sea vegetables, is super full of nutrients and a healthy addition to any meal. But if you are like me, it's hard to know how and when to use the stuff.

Wakame Sea Slaw
adapted from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian
This recipe didn't make too much so I'd double it to have a good amount of leftovers next time.

1/4 cup mayo or Vegannaise
2 Tbl. rice vinegar
1 Tbl. tamari
1 tsp. agave nectar
1/2 cup peanuts (i used raw)
1/4 cup wakame
2 cups chopped Napa cabbage
1 medium cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
S+P

Whisk the mayo, vinegar, tamari, agave and peanuts in a large bowl. Add the wakame, cabbage, cukes, and pepper. Toss to coat in dressing. It is the liquid from the dressing that will rehydrate the wakame. Mix in cilantro, S+P and serve.

Spicy Tomatoey Chili That May or May Not Be Cooked

Ok I won't try to hide it: This is a raw food recipe. But what better time for raw veggies than the heat of the summer? And everyone likes cold, spicy tomatoey things, right? Think salsa. Think bloody marys. And if you'd feel better cooking some of these ingredients, you do it sista.

Chili (adapted slightly from Living on Live Food by Alissa Cohen)
3 cups sprouted whole wheat or whole (hulled, not pearled) barley (Wait, wait, stick with me here. If you are put off by the idea of sprouting anything, I suggest you just go ahead and cook your whole grains, then stick 'em in the fridge to chill before using in this recipe)
1/2 tsp. curry
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. cayenne
2 Tbl. chili powder
1 Tbl. italian seasoning
2 Tbl. Braggs Liquid Aminos (or just use some salt)
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 ear of corn, shaved (I used frozen corn, sue me)
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 1 orange
5 large tomatoes, diced
1 cup dates, pitted and soaked
1 cup sundried tomatoes, soaked

1. In a big bowl combine everything except dates and sundried tomatoes
2. In a food processor, blend dates and sundried tomatoes into a paste
3. Add paste to everything else, stir well. Easy peasey!

Faux Sour Cream and Onion Topping
2 cups macadamia nuts, soaked
1/2-1 cup water
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 cup onions, leeks or scallions

1. In a food processor, blend macadamia nuts, water and salt until smooth and creamy. Add water a little as a time, just enough to help the nuts blend.
2. I went ahead and cooked my onions because I REALLY don't like smelling onion breath for 2 days after eating them raw. So, your choice.
3. Combine onions with creamy mixture and chill. Use a dollop on top of the chili when serving.

Lazy Summer, Full Fridge

Between Boston Organics deliveries and overly zealous trips to Whole Foods, I've got produce coming out my, well, produce drawers. And for every ambitious recipe I dig up, there's a warm evening of "awww, screw making dinner."

So I propose a recipe-less summer. *gasp*

Here's how I do. Every day I've got at least 1 bean or grain type sprouting or already sprouted and ready to eat. At the beginning of the week I wash and chop veggies and make a big undressed salad in a big bowl in the fridge. And every other night or so, I throw some stuff in the magic bullet blender and create a fresh salad dressing. Combine those three things and I have a fast, healthy, tasty raw dinner (and 1 grumpy fiancé who has to fend for himself because he's not interested in this recipe-less summer)

Tonight I combined lettuce, tomatoes, celery, cauliflower, green pepper, adzuki sprouts, and radishes because I read that they help clear up mucus and I've had a bad head cold. For the dressing:

Fresh Dill Dressing
This doesn't count as a recipe. Blend oil, vinegar, S+P, small handful of fresh dill and fresh parsley. Everything to taste.

Unofficial Uncooked Breakfast Contest

After some trial and error I've come up with my favorite raw breakfast. Despite the fact that is does not include any pork products or come with piping hot coffee, I'll probably stick with it even (if and when) I give up on this raw food thing.

Reason #1
It tastes good, and it tastes like breakfast bc of the oats. Buckwheat and quinoa work, but they don't taste breakfasty. Y'know?

Reason #2
It's easy. No food processor.

Reason #3
It's cheap.

So here's it is, if this even counts as recipe:
Raw Oats and Fruit
1/2 cup whole oat groats, soaked 12-24 hours
Soak a few days' worth of oats at a time and keep in the fridge
1 chopped banana
1 chopped pear (or other fruit)
handful of strawberries (or other berries)
1 Tbl. organic cinammon
1 Tbl. raw local honey (or raisins, especially if the berries aren't that sweet)
1/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds (or other raw nuts/seeds)
1 Tbl. ground flax seed

Mix it up, preferably allowing time to sit for an hour or so before eating. Remember to chew, chew, chew those grains and pumpkin seeds or they'll fire straight through your system intact.

Burning out on Raw

No, not ME. My food processor. This raw food diet, JEEEEEZZ it's all blend this, process that, freeze this then blend together, process 'til smooth, and on and on. It's a workout for my mini-Cuisinart. When it starts to smell of burning I know it's time to give it a rest and switch over to the Magic Bullet for awhile.

The things I've been processing: frozen bananas, mung bean sprouts with almond butter, sprouted sesame seeds, macadamias, cashews and garlic, lemons with oil and apple cider vinegar, basil and oil, walnuts and dates...

It's pretty yummy. And I'm feeling great. After an initial few day of uncomfortable digestion issues, my stomach seems to have remembered how to digest raw food. And energy levels are way up. Usually my eyes start to droop around 10pm and I have 30 minutes to get myself to bed or else pretty much fall asleep wherever I am. But I've been holding out much later, and up early with no problem. That alone makes this diet worth it. Oh, and I've lost 5 lbs.

Today for lunch, Alissa Cohen's Apple Avocado Nori Wraps
It's just apple slices, Avocado slices, some lettuce and raw honey wrapped together with Nori sheets (not toasted). Taking it easy on the food processor for once!

It's Alive But At Least It's Not Looking At Me

Yup, I'm doing it. Alissa's book, Living on Live Food, did not have me at hello. But a few friends of mine have tried the raw food diet...one look at their smiles and clear skin made me curious. Then I read the book and realized she maps out an entire menu for 30 days, including shopping lists. Brilliant. Easy wins every time. Suprisingly and happily, my fiance was willing to give it a go. And so it began, three days ago.

The Raw Food Diet is more than just eating raw food, it's eating raw VEGAN food. So oysters don't count. Or raw milk or whatever. Nope, it's all vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds and sprouted grains. And that's just about...it. The short story is that raw, living foods have enzymes that cooked foods do not have. Those enzymes make the food you eat more nutritious and efficient. It's a very clean way to feed your body that sounds extreme at first. But what's more "extreme" – say, eating a fruit salad for breakfast or eating genetically modified, chemically treated processed cornmeal in a muffin? Or cheese pizza complete with added antibiotics and growth hormone?

So far I've lost 2 or 3 pounds (which is part of the experiment but not a goal) and I feel very energized. Still waiting for my skin to clear up, and any other evidence of miraculous healing. As for what we're eating, my food processor has never seen so much action! Using a vegetable peeler I've made "noodles" out of zucchini, summer squash and carrots. Sauces are usually some kind of nuts blended with lemon or orange juice. Oh, and the Mock Salmon Pate has been a big hit over salad with some capers. I've also been eating sprouted quinoa with fruit for breakfast and a date-nut torte for dessert. Not bad at all. If I had a larger food processor it would be downright easy. And if I were willing to drop $200 on a dehydrator we could actually make crackers or bread of sorts.

Disclaimer: this diet isn't easy on the digestion system at first. But I think that's because your stomach isn't used to it, and there's a lot of cleaning to be done. See, I enjoy this sort of thing in a weird way, so if you do too, check out the book and be prepared to drop some bank on organic produce.

With Silver Bells and Cockle Shells

My garden grows a little differently than most. For starters, um, no dirt. I like that. It's a garden of lentils, chickpeas, wheat berries, maybe some sunflower seeds. Pretty good for an apartment, right?

I'm talking about sprouts. You've had 'em. Beansprouts? Maybe alfalfa sprouts on a salad or in a wrap? Did you know you can grow your own? And you don't need a fancy sprouter from the natural food store, or sprouting bags, or any equipment at all. You need a bowl. Got that? Good. Let's go.

So why would anyone want to grow little tails out of perfectly good beans or grains? It's really about the nutritional value and digestibility of these things. When sprouted, live enzymes activate and provide your body with a true superfood. So that's pretty cool. But what I've found out is that sprouting makes really yummy things to eat and it's kind of fun. I sprouted some lentils (which I don't generally like that much) but when sprouted they actually became sweet and tender. It's almost like a hard, dry grain or bean 'cooks' itself. You can just pop 'em in your mouth. Or put them on salad. Or mix them with other veggies or hummus.

There's lots of info on the web about sprouting, just google it and you'll get tons of advice. The reason you can sprout these things is because they are alive. When you cook them, the enzymes die. But water them and they grow. Simple! Now there are a few things you should NOT sprout because they'll be toxic, like kidney beans. Don't do those. Some safe bets aside from those mentioned above: adzuki beans, almonds, amaranth, navy beans, pinto beans, lima beans, flax seed, kamut, oats, sesame, soybeans, and spelt.

Very basic directions: Soak the grain or bean overnight, then drain. Leave 'em in the bowl. Twice or three times a day, rinse them. Within a few days they'll sprout, and you will be an awesome sprout grower.

Saving on gas and electric, and sticks

One guy a billion years ago rubbed two sticks together and created fire. Ever since, his discovery has been right next to the wheel in terms of importance to the human population.

But the Raw Food movement thinks healthier eating is all about ditching fire and the whole notion of cooking. According to Gabriel Cousen's Conscious Eating, cooked food loses 80% of its natural energy. Eating food raw means that you'll consume all important live enzymes and detoxify your system that is probably full of putrefied meats and environmental toxins.

Sounds insane to most of us, but in an effort to eat less processed food I can see how raw food is the least processed of all. And maybe while we're at it we can learn a new kitchen trick or two. Even if you don't have a dehydrator or juicer there are raw food recipes you can try. Alissa Cohen's new raw food restaurant, Grezzo, has recently opened in Boston's North End. Here's a simple recipe from her website:

Mock Salmon Pate
2 cups walnuts
2 stalks celery
1 large red bell pepper
1 large scallion
½ -1 teaspoon sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Serving suggestions: This can be served on a plate as is, over a salad, rolled up in a green leaf or spread on crackers.