Thai Basil Mushrooms Over Zucchini Noodles with Spicy Almond Sauce

This dish is Amazing!!!

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)

Spicy Almond Sauce:

1/4 Cup Raw Sprouted Almond Butter

2 tbsp Water

5 tbsp Coconut Aminos

2 tbsp Basil minced

1 tsp Ginger minced

1 clove Garlic

1/8 tsp Cayenne (to taste)

1/4 tsp Chili Powder

~~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 hope you enjoy this dish as much as I did!

 Let me know your thoughts!

Rawganic Sushi

Rawganic Sushi!!!

Raw, Vegan, Organic, Nutritious, Delicious!!

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 hope you enjoy! 

Coco Frio!!

My Husband and I are Loco for Coco!!

 

 

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!

 

Give it a try and let me know what you think!