This recipe is a staple for my house! I make this at the beginning of almost every week, and as long as we don't eat it all, it will last up to 5 days in the fridge.
One of the best things about this recipe is that for every 2 tablespoons of Raw Zucchini Hummus you are consuming only 20 Calories! Which is half that of regular hummus!
Also consider, there's no sugar, no salt and minimal added oil! This is a great way to make eating raw vegetables interesting and an easy snack!
Sprouted Green Lentils are the most unsuspectingly delicious addition to your salad! Seriously!
Once these little beans are soaked and sprouted their nutritional value is doubled and they are soft enough to just pop into your mouth and eat!
If you're looking for a good way to spruce up your salad and add protein, I guarantee, you will enjoy this very satisfying twist!
First soak your Green Lentils!
1 cup Green Lentils to 3 cups water
8 hours later...
They should at least double in size!
Then drain water and rinse. They need to be sprouted. Either poke holes in the lid of your mason jar to allow for oxygen or just cover in cheese cloth and lay on its side.
12-24 hours later...
You should be able to see the little sprout tails growing. This means your lentils are alive and ready to offer you a huge nutritional punch!
Every cup has 7 grams of Protein. Loaded with Omega 3s and 6s, Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium!
This stuff is delicious! And, it's just as nutritious!
My Husband surprised me the other day by bringing home a new refreshing rawganic beverage!
Briefly:
This amazing beverage is High in antioxidants, loaded with B Vitamins which cleanses blood, improves energy levels and Prevents strokes. Also, Maple Water, is high in Minerals such as Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium and Manganese which are some essential electrolytes that help keep you hydrated, especially good for active people.
Never heated! Raw! Organic! and seriously, seriously tasty!
I highly recommend you try it out. In North Carolina, I found this for purchase at The Fresh Market. But please request this to be sold at your local supermarket!
It's also Eco-friendly! The trees need only to be tapped not destroyed to get this nature's nectar.
I hope you try it out! Let me know what you think!
I designed this recipe for a Rawganic dinner I was having with friends.
The food had to be palatable to meat eaters, children, and my husband, who has very high standards regarding food quality!
I gotta say: "I nailed it!"
The BEST part of this dish is that the entire recipe only has 10 grams of sugar and 1 tablespoon of oil! I have really chosen to make no compromises on healthful living in the creation of this meal.
When I first ate this meal I could hardly believe how delicious and flavorful it was! Real Food is truly powerful!
Thai Basil Mushrooms over Zucchini Noodles
with Spicy Almond Sauce
Mushroom Ragout:
2 Portobello Mushrooms cubed
10 Shiitake Mushrooms chopped
1/3 Yellow Onion chopped
1 Scallion thinly sliced
Mushroom Marinade:
1 tbsp Sesame Oil
4 tbsp Coconut Aminos
1 tbsp Water
1 Lemon Juiced
1 clove Garlic Minced
1 tsp Ginger Minced
1/4 tsp Red Pepper Chili Flakes
1/4 tsp Ground Mustard
2 tbsp Basil Chopped
~~Combine Everything into a large bowl and let stand for 30 minutes to soften mushrooms
Noodles:
2 Zucchini Spiralized
1 cup Sprouts (Sunflower Sprouts work best though all sprouts are delicious)
~~Blend all ingredients then stir into "noodles" until soft
Serve Mushroom Marinade over Noodles
-serves 2-
I feel confident after reading my recipe you are just as excited to try this dish as I am to have you try it!
I want to take a quick moment to discuss the protein value of this dish!
Being a vegan, protein is an important consideration and it also tends to be the first question anyone asks about when informed of my diet.
In each serving there are 16.5 grams of protein!
4 grams of protein from the Portobello.
2 grams of protein from the Skiitake.
4.5 grams of protein in the Almond Butter.
6 grams of protein in the Sunflower Sprouts.
Mushrooms, particularly Portobello and Shiitake, are an excellent source of protein to consider when meal planning! There are so many wonderful ways of getting your protein as long as you take a few extra moments to check into it!
I have been wanting to write this recipe up since my very first post!
Before I get to the recipe and construction of these mini masterpieces I would really like to touch upon some of the health benefits involved in eating this snack!
The main focus will be on the Nori. Make sure you buy Raw.Organic. Nori! Below, I have pictured the package that I purchase, which can be found at most health food stores.
Don't pick up the Roasted Nori, it should say Untoasted on the packaging! The heating process of roasting burns off most of the nutritional benefits!!! :(
Nori is a Seaweed, or a Sea Vegetable! To many rawfoodists, Sea Vegetables are considered "Superfoods"!
One major element regarding the benefits of Nori is the Iodine content! Many Westerners are deficient in Iodine and there are very few natural ways to obtain this sufficiently, unless you eat the table salt that chemically adds it (which, I'm sure you can tell from my Italics...that is a bad decision). Iodine assists in healthy Thyroid function!
If that isn't sexy enough for you, Nori is also high in:
Iron
Fiber
Protein
Omega 3's
Calcium
Now, in one sheet of Nori you only get one gram of protein, but that sheet weights 2.5 grams total, which means Nori is almost 50% protein!! Sexy!
The Omega 3's help lower bad cholesterol (LDL)
Nori is free of Phytates! Phytates drastically reduce Iron absorption in the body but many foods considered to be high in Iron have Phytates a-plenty
So, Iron in Nori = Iron in your body!
Fiber helps digestion and aids in constipation relief.
The Calcium in Nori is complimented by equal amounts of Magnesium, which is needed for Calcium to absorb.
So..... now that you're totally turned on, we move to the Recipe :)))
1 sheet Raw Organic Nori
1/2 Sweet Potato
1/2 Cucumber
1/4 Red Bell Pepper
1 Leaf Red or Green Lettuce
1/4 cup Sprouts
It helps to have a Bamboo Sushi Rolling Mat but the job can still get done by hand on a clean, flat surface.
The Sweet Potato is placed through the juicer using the "homogenize" tool. This also works fine in a blender, I tried it out! -- make sure to include the skin, there's tons of Nutrients there! The Sweet Potato will, essentially, be replacing the white rice in sushi.
Pat out the homogenized/blended Sweet Potato, covering the first 1/3rd of the Nori sheet.
Julienne or slice your vegetables thinly and place them lengthwise across the bed of Sweet Potato.
Cover in sprouts and roll it up...
HOW TO ROLL RAWGANIC SUSHI!!!!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGrzkRcbrIw
Once rolled, slicing at roughly 1 inch intervals will most likely work best at keeping everything held together...
TADA!!!!!!
As a dipping sauce, I like to use Coconut Secret's Raw Coconut Aminos, adding a splash of My Husbands Rawganic Hot Sauce!! (Recipe to come ;)
I did not end up posting while I was on vacation, because I was way to busy vacationing!!! But here is a taste of what I got while on The Island of Enchantment !...
I got lots of Coco Frio!!!
translation: Cold Coconut.
PICTURE THIS...
You walk up to an open air Kiosk in a local market and ask for Coco Frio (who am I kidding, you ask for 6)!! The vendor goes to the back, grabs a Machete and whacks that coconut until the top bursts off. You are left with a perfect opening at the top to slip your straw in and then you get to sip on the purest form of Coconut Water there is!
I mean... no processing, never been oxygenated, un pasteurized.... FRESH!!!
Once, I got one that was so cold that it was like a slushy on the inside-- this was no 7 Eleven slushy! Real Deal!
And, just to put a cherry on top of all of this deliciousness, the price: $2!!!!
But seriously, I'd pay $5 any day for Real Coconut water! The Brand I highly recommend is:
Harmless Harvest 100% Raw Coconut Water
In a Blind taste test I probably couldn't even tell the difference between Harmless Harvest or the actual coconut! The reason is, Harmless Harvest produces really rawganic (raw and organic) coconut water. Which is why you find it in the refrigerated section and not on the shelf. They don't heat (pasteurize) their coconut water either, in that way the nutrients are preserved. It's delicious!
With all the health benefits of coconut water the seemingly high cost is actually a bargain!
Here is a list of some of the health benefits of coconut water:
Low Calorie, Low Sugar, Natural Hydration
Lowers Blood Pressure
Helps Kidneys to Filter Blood
Helps Muscles to move and Nerves to work
High in Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium--(electrolytes) working to balance the body's blood chemistry
Cytokinins which have Anti-Aging and Anti-Carcinogenic properties
The Bio Active Enzymes aid in Digestion and Metabolism-- potentially leading to weight loss
If you were dabbling with the idea of beginning another healthful habit, open up some coconut water and sip away!
Harmless Harvest even makes flavored coconut water!!!
The Husband likes the Cinnamon&Clove and I looOOoove the Dark Cacao! This becomes my dessert many afternoons!
As we were wrapping up our week and thinking about our super exciting trip to Puerto Rico, husband says:
"Do you think it would be ridiculous to bring our juicer?"
My response:
"Probably."
Husband says:
"I'm gonna bring it!"
So here we are with our juicer in our carry-on waiting to board! (The wheat grass is in our checked bag)
I know that after traveling and in need of an energy boost I will turn to husband in gratitude as we indulge in our green juice:
2 handfuls Spinach
2 Stalks Celery
2/3 of a Cucumber
2 handfuls Kale
1/2 cup Daikon Radish
1/2 cup Mung Beans Sprouts
Ginger, apx. 1 inch chunk--ginger helps regulate body temperature, so I'm hoping it keeps me cool as I travel into tropic climates 😅
I try not to add fruit to my juices just cuz of all the excess sugar.
This means my juices taste, not....eh...the best. However, if you add just half an apple everything is much more palatable.-- make sure to leave the seeds in, they have healthful properties too!
This juice is high in zinc which supports the immune system.
Traveling--trapping yourself in a small room of a hundred people, thousands of feet in the air--always puts your immune response to the test.
Also, I am an anxious traveller and when stressed, the body will deplete its zinc rapidly!
I'm looking forward to a Happy and Healthy vacation! Expect the next post to be from the beach!
I have only even read just a handful of blogs in the past.
I am writing this via inspiration from My Dear Friend K-Dogg! Thanks K-Dogg!
Due to a lot of interest in my most recent Facebook Post on my Raw Dinner, I feel this is an easy way to reach a broad audience of Recipe Hunters and Health Seekers!
I would like to begin by introducing myself as a Mostly Vegan Lady.
I occasionally eat Croissants.
Maybe someday I won't, but for now... occasionally! I used to eat them more. Baby steps.
I have been Mostly Vegan for 2 years and haven't eaten meat in almost 5. My husband joins me on this lifestyle journey and has a significantly more (Righteous)extreme approach. We balance each other nicely. He does a lot of research on all this healthy stuff, so he will be acknowledged often as my reference and muse :)
So on to the good stuff...
Raw Burrito/Burger (it isn't really like either of those but... it's super delicious)
Nut "Meat":
1 Cup Brazil Nuts (soaked for 6 hours)
1 Cup Sweet Potato
1/4 Cup Red Onion
2 stalks Celery
1/2 tsp Fennel
1/2 tsp Caraway
If you have a juicer use the "homogenize" tool and just add everything in, otherwise a Blender/Food processor will do the trick.
Stir In:
2 Tbsp Parsley
2 Tbsp Cilantro
1/4 Cup Green Onion
1 Stalk Finely chopped Celery
2 tbsp. Raw Coconut Aminos (you could also use Braggs' or Nama Shoya)
Use Collard Greens for the wrap!
Place "Meat" and fixins in the center along the spine.
I use:
Lettuce
Bell Pepper
Tomato
Onion
How to wrap:
After spine is built nicely with nutritious Fixins, fold the bottom of the leaf stem up.
Fold the top of the leaf to fit underneath the stem. The stem acts as a reinforcement here.
Fold over one side and turn until everything is tucked away nicely.
This is more presentable and easier to eat when cut on the diagonal, but Husband prefers it cut right down the middle in half.
Either will do.
Don't let it become a conflict of debate within yourself or with others. Diagonal or Straight!?
-- Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this process and I will try to clarify--
Good Luck! Enjoy!
