Jenny's Pesto Pizza (Not big news - but a good recipe, at least!)

My family and I love this recipe...well, it's not technically a recipe because you can essentially put whatever you want on top of this crust that comes in a mix....but you know what I mean.

The crust is made from a gluten-free mix by Namaste Foods.  You can find it in the gluten-free aisle of any health store in your area.  I buy mine at Good Earth Natural Foods.  A couple of things about his crust: The mix used to be the kind where you roll out the dough and bake.  We adored that crust.  But, they've come up with a new way to make the crust ( It seems like the mix contains basically the same ingredients, but I can't remember how to make it the old way). This new crust is easier to make (you make it into a cake-like batter, and then spread it out on a baking sheet or something similar), but it is a little tempermental.  For example, after baking, if you put a sauce directly onto the crust, it will turn into a mushy, not-so-crispy crust....YUCK! So below I will explain how I make my pizza so it doesn't have a gooey, mushy crust.

Keep in mind I put whatever I have in the fridge onto my pizza.  This is just one type that I like:

1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped (give or take)
1/2 head of broccoli, finely chopped
2 cups of spinach
Olive oil to drizzle on top (1-2 tbsp.)
Few tablespoons of dairy-free pesto (I use Sunridge Foods)


Garnish
Avocado chunks
Cilantro
Real Salt

After the crust is done baking, set oven at 300 degrees.  Add the mountain of veggies on top of the crust (bell peppers, onion, broccoli), spread a blanket of spinach over the veggies, and drizzle olive oil over the spinach. (I use olive oil in this case because the temp is low enough not to disturb the fatty acid chains.).  Put it in the oven until the veggies are warmed and spinach is slightly wilted.  Take out of the oven and drizzle some pesto over the entire pizza.  Since the pesto is on top, it won't soggy-up the crust! (I'm so smart, I know).   Then add your garnishes - the pizza won't taste nearly as good without the avocado, so don't forget!

Just looking at this picture makes me want some right now.  Mmmmm....

BIG Things

Stay tuned because we have BIG things coming.  BIG BIG things.  

The BEST Sundried Tomato Hummus

You remember how much I love sundried tomatoes, right?  Well, I also love hummus.  And together?  They are like.....MAGIC! 

My husband is always skeptical of my concoctions, but he can't stop giving me compliments on this recipe, which means a lot in my mind.  Also, my 1.5 year old totally digs it on a brown rice or sprouted grain tortilla for lunch.

One thing I love about this hummus is that it is a bit more creamy than most homemade hummus dips.  I have tried numerous hummus recipes and they are usually too dry for me.  So, I made this hummus how I like it!

3/4 cup soaked, cooked garbanzo beans (use canned if in a hurry)
3 Tbsp. sundried tomatoes, packed in olive oil
3-4 Tbsp. (one whole lemon) lemon juice
1 Tbsp. raw tahini
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. Real Salt
3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Put everything except olive oil in food processor and process until smooth.  Drizzle in olive oil.

YUM, YUM, YUM, YUM!!!

Two Great Minds Think Alike

Too funny - In the posts below, you will find that Annie and I responded to a reader's comment at EXACTLY the same time, in our own homes, on our own computers.  We then both published almost exactly the same message.  It's almost eerie....

Can She Do It? Yes She Can...Almost

Okay, so I got a little busy with remodeling my daughter's room and neglected to post.  But I'll have you know that I made it.  Well, I almost made it.  Last night we had people over for dinner and I thought it might be weird if I refused to eat the stuff I made.  So technically, I was one day + one meal short of my goal.  But it was worth it.  I made a vegan apple pie last night that seriously got me high.  


Sara left a comment on my "day 3" post informing me that she'll be embarking on a 7 day raw food detox starting tomorrow.  She asked for any pointers I might have.  Ask, and ye shall receive my friend.  Here are a few tips for Sara and any other of you fine folks who are interested in detoxing:


*Make a plan for EVERY day of your detox.  Be sure to include snacks in between meals.  This will help you avoid the "staring into your fridge" syndrome.  But don't be surprised if it still sneaks up on you.
*Do all your shopping on or before day 1, but be prepared to have to return to the grocery store several times that week too.  Epiphanies happen.  And you won't always have the right ingredients on hand.
*Dips.  And.  Sauces.  It's the only way to mix it up.
*Day 1 through Day 3 SUCK!  I'm just being honest here.  But Jenny and I both agree that if you can make it through Day 3, you're golden.  Day 3 really is hump day.  Until then, it's SHEER will power.
*Find a restaurant where you can get some sort of raw meal at least once during your detox.  It's a nice break from having to prepare EVERYTHING you eat and it's something to look forward to.  Lucky for me, Jenny had a hankerin' for Omars raw cuisine on Friday night and I was happy to oblige.  Then we hit a flick starring the girl that both of our husbands would probably leave us for...
*Be realistic.  You can't go into this thinking that it will be easy.  Trust me.  It's not.  But it's well worth it.  Find something that will keep you motivated.


If you decide to detox, you'll discover some interesting things about yourself.  You'll discover what your addicted to.  For me, it's starch and sugar.  The cravings were almost unbearable.  But only for sweets and bread.  And ALWAYS at the same time of day.  You'll also discover that your more powerful than you thought.  I know it sounds weird, but the most important part of this for me was finding out that I have the ability to commit to do something difficult, and to actually do it.  It also reminded me that I really do control my own life.  For the most part, our lives are a direct or indirect result of the decisions we make.  Even the small decisions.  If we make healthy choices, odds are, we will be exactly that.  Healthy.







  

Advise for a Cleanse

We received this comment from a reader, Sara.  I thought it was an excellent way to give some advise to those who are contemplating or beginning a cleanse. 


I have been contemplating revisiting a cleanse (my first one was a disaster...) and then there it was on your blog. If you believe in signs, that was a giant neon billboard saying DO IT!! I was really excited to see both of your recipes and comments, that gives me a good idea as to where to start. Tomorrow is the big day and I am nervous/excited, any last minute advice?

PS. absolutely love this blog, don't think that I have tried a recipe that I didn't like...and I've tried a lot of them!


My response:

Sara,

Soooo excited to see you doing a cleanse! It's hard, as you well know, but sticking to it is key. One piece of advise is to set yourself up for success.

1. Make sure you have planned out what you're going to prepare to drink/eat, and that you have all of the ingredients available. Also, give youself a bit of variety, if you can. If you are juicing, create different juices. If you are making smoothies, give yourself different flavors so it doesn't seem so torturous. If you're eating raw, make all different kinds of spreads, dips, and sauces to go on raw crackers, lettuce leaves, cabbage leaves, raw veggies, etc...

2. Write down your goals and post them where you can see them. You can write down temporary goals (do a cleanse for 5 days) or long-term goals (get my body healthy, overcome certain heath conditions, to not feel pain all the time, etc...)

3. Get support. Make yourself accountable to a friend or family member to ensure that you stay motivated.

4. PLAN to finish. A lot of people say that if you get past Day 3 it's a lot easier. The initial detox symptoms may "unmotivate" you, but cleansing is very mental. Think in your mind that you can do it.

We wish you the best of luck.  If you need help or motivation, you know where to come!!

Jenny

Detoxing Diets/Raw Recipes

Annie - Kudos for endeavoring on a raw food detox.  I'm all about cleansing and giving your digestive system a break in order to get rid of anything that has been hanging around for a while.

About a month ago, I went to my doctor (Dr. Hugo Rodier, a holistic M.D. who practices in Draper, UT) for a check-up to make sure my thyroid was functioning normally. The blood tests came back as normal, but in the meantime, he had me do a detox.  So for two weeks I ate nothing but raw vegetables, nuts, and seeds. And, luckily, I took some pics. So, if any of you are joining Annie in her raw food detox, the recipes below might come in handy.

Before I give the recipes, I want to mention that there are many different types of detoxing diets.  If you are eating the Standard American Diet (SAD), eat a lot of cooked food, or have recently deviated from your healthy diet, then a raw food detox will serve you well(nuts, seeds, fruit, veggies, sprouts).  My diet consists of about 70% raw food already, and when I did my detox, I wanted to take a break from sugars in any form, so I chose not to include any fruits so that my body, especially my pancreas, could take a bit of a rest. (Also, some fruit is naturally slightly acidic, and on cleanses I prefer to eat/drink alkaline foods. ) 

If you want to go a step further, you could detox with a green smoothie diet (no solid foods).  Even more intense is the combination of juicing greens and drinking green smoothies.  You may choose to include, or not to include, fruits, depending on your preference.  I prefer not to include fruit, but many people choose to do so - it's whatever you deem the most effective or feel the most comfortable doing.

If you take it even further than that, you're on a juice feast.  Remember, I am not a doctor, but juicing, especially juicing green vegetables and green leafy vegetables, will allow your body to not only get rid of old waste stuck in your gut, but will enable it to pull toxins from your tissues and eliminate them, all the while flooding your body with phytonutrients and promoting healing.

I just finished reading the blog of Chris Sherry, who was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes and chose to reverse it by juice feasting.  He juiced for 92 Days!!!! He followed the book, There is a Cure for Diabetes by Gabriel Cousens, M.D., and David Rainoshek, two amazing people who promote raw food and natural healing. Personally, I have only done detoxing by taking herbs and eating alkaline veggies, seeds, and nuts, but my husband has done a juice feast twice (once for 14 days and once for 3 days) to help heal his arthritic body, with much success, and I have always wanted to try it. I believe the time has come and I shall embark on a juice-feast for 7 days in the near future. I haven't decided when, so I'll keep you all posted. 

When beginning a cleanse or detox, some people will experience detox symptoms (and some won't).  One of these may include a skin rash, in which the body is trying to eliminate toxins through its largest organ, the skin.  It also may include a fever or flu-like symptoms, or even a headache.  Usually these symptoms will last only a short while and then subside.  Some people like to get enemas or colonics on a cleanse to rid the body of toxins more easily. However, if you want to endeavor on an extended juice-feast, if you have poor health, or if you just want to make sure you're doing things correctly, consult a doctor or other professional to help you through this process.

With that said, here are a few recipes to keep your motor running while on a raw food diet:

Sundried Tomato Spread on Kathy's Krackers

I just recently found Kathy's Krackers at Harmon's grocery store and Good Earth Natural Foods. I love these crackers because they are made locally (Orem, UT), they taste WONDERFUL (especially the Salsa flavored ones), they are thicker than other flax crackers and can even be used for an open-faced sandwich, and are less expensive than other brands. I just received an Excalibur 9 dehydrator for Christmas, so I'm excited to make my own, but until then, I'm munching on Kathy's!

This recipe has been in the making for a while now.  I absolutely ADORE sun-dried tomatoes, and thus most sun-dried tomato dips/spreads/pesto sauces.  Only problem is, they cost a fortune!  So, instead of paying $3.70 for 8 oz., I decided I'd make my own.  Even though they're not organic, I use sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil from CostCo because they're cheaper.  I eat too many dang sun-dried tomatoes to be buying the best of the best...I go through those suckers like mad!

One good thing about this recipe is that it has a plethora of vegetables, so if your kids eat it on a rice cake or cracker, they will be getting their veggies too!!

Not to wait any longer - the recipe:

1 c sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil

1 red bell pepper

1 medium carrot

1/4 c diced red onion

2 stalks celery

3/4 to 1 tsp. Real Salt

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients except olive oil in food processor and process until semi-smooth.  Then open feeding tube while processor is running and drizzle in olive oil.  

Cucumber, Kale, Celery Juice

Juice:

1 cucumber

5 leaves Kale

5 stalks celery

I love this combination.  It seriously cleans you out!

*If you don't have a juicer, you can whiz the veggies in a blender and put it through a nylon sock or nut milk bag (found on Amazon.com for $6). 

Day 3

I'm exhausted and my head feels foggy.  I have to pee, like every 15 minutes.  I'm irritated.  I don't feel energized.  I don't feel cleansed.  I just feel hungry for a GINORMOUS hunk of bread.  Word to the wise: don't start your detox when your pms-y.

However, I will press on.

GAH!

Day 2 (and a few recipes)

I was this close to throwing in the towel tonight.  No joke.  THIS close.  But right as I was reaching for a bagel, my cell phone...buzzed (actually it's more like a beep, but you get it right?) to notify me that someone left a comment on our blog.  And of course it was none other than my cousin (who literally oozes coolness by the way) asking me how day 2 went.  "Thou shalt not disappoint thy favorite cousin in law".  I think it's commandment #11.  And so?  I whipped up another green shake and chugged it.  I'll tell you what though, that bagel has never before seemed quite as tantalizing.  Need.  Yeast.


Thanks Anna.  You saved my bacon.


Here are a few of my favorite recipes so far:

Raw Tomato Soup (fyi: if you don't like raw soups, this probably isn't the recipe for you.  Just sayin')

2 big tomatoes

1 clove garlic

1/2 tsp himalaya salt (real salt will do)

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cumin

1 young coconut, water & meat

1-2 tsp freshly grated ginger

dash of cayenne

juice of 1/2 lemon

dab of raw honey or agave

Put all ingredients in blender.  Garnish with avocado slices or fresh parsley.

Butter Lettuce Wraps with a twist

1/2 cup soaked hazel nuts

1/2 cup soaked sunflower seeds

1/2 cup soaked almonds

1-2 sticks celery (chopped)

   1/2 of a small white onion

   2 cloves garlic

   1/2 cup water

   1 tbs. grapeseed  oil

   1 tbs. agave nectar

   3 tbs. lemon juice

   salt and pepper to taste

   head of butter lettuce

Process everything except the butter lettuce in a food processor or blender.  Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of the nutty filling in each of the lettuce leaves.  Garnish the top or sides with chopped or sun dried tomatoes.

Green Shake Numero Dos

2 big handfuls of spinach

1/4 english cucumber

1 granny smith apple, cored

1 frozen banana

few sprigs parsley

juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 cup coconut milk (or water)

1/2 cup almond milk

enough ice to make it...frosty

Blend all ingredients in blender.  Make your kid taste it first.

Detox Day 1

One down, six to go.  I stuck to the plan, but DANG, I've hit my threshold for fiber consumption.  Things seem to be...moving right along.  I felt great until about 3:00 when I had to start telling myself, "self, you DON'T have to have a 3:00pm sugar fix".  Not to mention the Diet Coke headache.  I know what you're thinking, but truth be told, I only "fell off the wagon" like 3-4 times/week over the holidays.  And compared to my Coke consumption last year at this time?  That's just a bump in the road.  

ANNIE'S 2010 DETOX - the concept

Is it just me or is there a certain element of blah-ness permeating the air.  I just feel...blah.  It could be that the anticipation of Santa's arrival is now over.  It could be that there are aren't any parties left to look forward to.  Or it COULD be that I've downed more sugar over the past two weeks than I normally would over a 6 month period.  Um, yes.  I believe it's the latter.


Now, I know.  I've talked about maintaining balance in life and not getting too "nazi-ish" when it comes to eating healthfully, but I've really stretched my description of "balance" lately.  And I believe it's time to whip out the grey trench coat and little black mustache.  But just for a week.


Tomorrow?  I'm starting a raw food cleanse.  Don't freak out.  No weird teas or supplements.  Just good wholesome stuff grown in the ground (or above the ground, or on the ground - whatever).  I really just want to clean out and reset my system.  And maybe clear up this sugar induced break out.  I have absolutely NO intention of staying on this for longer than 1 week.  But honestly, it'll be a serious miracle if I even make it that long.  So to up my chances of success, I'm going to report to you.  Every day.  And if you feel so inclined?  Join me in my endeavor.  I could use a little comradery (comradery, comradery, it just looks wrong, comradery.  Whatever, I'm leaving it).


I think I'll begin with a green shake tomorrow morning.  Then maybe a LARGE salad w/ romaine, grape tomatoes, sunflower seeds, cucumbers and olive/lemon juice dressing for lunch.  I think I might go with raw tomato soup (recipe coming) for dinner.  Possibly I'll throw in a blueberry almond shake for dessert (possibly, ha...possibly).  At least I have a plan for day 1.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

I'm going to tell you a secret.  Jenny is out of town.  She has left me here completely unsupervised, and consequently has left me no choice but to post a recipe that would probably not pass the "Jenny-test".  But it's Christmas time right?  And we all need a little wiggle room during the holidays.  Enjoy!!!

Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup wheat flour

1 1/2 tablespoons poppy seeds

1 1/2 tablespoons corn flour

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

5 tablespoons vegan butter

1/3 cup sugar (you can substitute 1/2 for honey)

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon organic vanilla

2 tablespoons rice milk

2-3 tablespoons water

dash of baking soda

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Mix flour, poppy seeds, corn flour, nutmeg, salt and baking soda together.  In a separate bowl, cream butter, sugar, lemon juice, zest and vanilla together.  Add the flour mixture to the margarine mixture and mix lightly.  Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water at a time and knead very lightly until the dough comes together.  Don't add more water than necessary.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Pinch a tablespoon of dough, forma ball and lightly press it flat on the baking sheet.  Bake until the edges are lightly brown (about 18-20 minutes).  Cool on a wire rack and store in an air tight container.  This yields about 13 cookies.

Raw, Gluten-Free, Sprouted Cinnamon-Raisin Granola

I should probably just call it "granola" for simplicity's sake, but I wanted ya'll to know what you're getting into here: HEALTH!  I've been on a raw-kick for a little while now, and simulateously I've been trying to find a great alternative for cold cereal, so I concocted the BEST granola ever.  It's extremely healthy and the easiest recipe ever! Actually, I made several different kinds of granola, but I shall share just one recipe this time. Eat it for breakfast or a snack with fresh almond milk, rice milk, or hemp milk, or put it in a baggy as a snack for your kids on outings.  My 1.5 and 3 year old kids love it!!

2 cups raw buckwheat groats (health-store bulk section or online.)**
1 cup raw walnuts
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup raw hemp seeds (health-store bulk section)
Either: 1 dropper vanilla-creme stevia OR 1 Tbsp. vanilla (I use alcohol-free)
1/2 to 1 tsp. cinnamon

Place buckwheat, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, raisins, and hemp seeds into separate bowls and fill with room- temperature water until seeds/nuts are covered.  Soak about 8-12 hours (or overnight) and then rinse thoroughly.  Place walnuts in food processor first.  Then add remaining ingredients.  Pulse until desired consistency is achieved.  Scrape out granola and place onto dehydrator trays for about 12-24 hours.  If you don't have a dehydrator, place on cookie sheet or other oven-safe dish, set your oven to its lowest setting, and leave oven door open until granola is dried.  This will ensure the enzymes aren't totally wiped out! 

*This recipe only lasts our family about 2 days, so I usually double it.  Also, I use vanilla-creme stevia because the vanilla I buy is expensive, and this recipe uses it up fast. Vanilla-creme stevia is a health-store product, and is expensive, but it lasts a LONG time because you only have to use a little bit in recipes.

**Buckwheat is not a grain, but actually a fruit seed related to rhubard.  It does not contain gluten and is therefore suitable for those who have a gluten-intolerance or Celiac Disease. 

***Why raw?

Serious Winter Chili (vegetarian)

Mmm-kay.  Where do I start?  I've been down and out for a variety of reasons lately most of which are health related.  I know.  The irony.  But one thing's for dang sure.  I am more thankful for good health (generally speaking) now than I've ever been.  I took a little trip to the emergency room last weekend after a nasty run in with food poisoning.  And even though it was a miserable experience (praise morphine), I spent the whole time thinking about the many many people who are forced to venture into that building far more frequently than anyone would ever hope to.  And for far less pleasant kinds of treatment. And just for a moment, I felt lucky.  But then I called Jenny and I was all like, "Baaaaaaah, I'm siiiiiiiiiick, and my husband is out of towwwwwn."  And what did she do?  Of course she was like, "let me take your kids, let me bring you dinner, let me buy you a Hummer."  What?  Your friends don't do that?  Sucks to be you.  


Seriously though.  What a gal.  Thanks m'love.


Anyway, let's focus here.  So by the time I felt up to making dinner for the first time in a month, I knew I was going to need to make something phenomenal.  I had a hankerin' for some thick, hearty, chili.  And so it was.


You're most likely going to read this recipe and think that I'm NUTS.  But rest assured.  I'm not nuts.  I'm just hungry.


Serious Winter Chili

3 Tablespoons olive oil or grapeseed oil
1 1/2 cups (about 2 small) chopped onions
8 large garlic cloves (yes, 8)
2 19-ounce cans red kidney beans
2 19-ounce cans dark kidney beans
1 envelope taco seasoning (you can use chili seasoning too)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
3 cups vegetable broth
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 6-oz can tomato paste
3-4 Tablespoons cocoa powder


Heat oil in large sauce pan over medium heat.  Add the onions and garlic and saute until translucent.  Add beans, taco seasoning, basil,  oregano, and thyme.  Stir 2 minutes.  Mix in tomato sauce, tomato paste, vegetable broth, and cocoa powder.  Simmer until thickened to desired consistency.  I sprinkle a little rice cheese and cilantro on the top and serve with some avocado slices.  It wouldn't hurt to throw in a chunk of crusty wheat bread too.

Curried Quinoa

In case you're stuck in a rice-and-beans rut and don't know what to make for dinner tonight, here is a sneak-peek into what I'm making. It's from Ancient Harvest's recipe collection, and is so easy, fast, and yummy....One of my husband's all-time favorites.   I'll be sure to post the pic after I make it.

Curried Quinoa

1 c Quinoa
1.5 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil (Of course, I use Grapeseed Oil)
1/2 Onion, diced (about 4 or 5 oz.)
1 tsp. Grated Fresh Ginger Root
1/2 Fresh Green Chile (finely chopped). (Sometimes I add a whole green chile for my flavor!)
1 heaping tsp. Turmeric
1 heaping tsp. Coriander
1/4 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 3/4  cups Water
Salt to taste (I use Real Salt)

1.  Rinse quinoa with cold water using a fine mesh filter.

"Quinoa is coated with a natural substance called saponin that protects the grain by repelling insects and birds.  Rinsing the quinoa is important to avoid a raw or bitter tate.  You can tell if there is saponin by the production of a soapy looking suds when the seeds are swished in water."

2.  Place oil in a heavy saucepan, add diced onions, and saute on medium-high heat for four to five minutes.

3.  Add the ginger root, chile, and quinoa.  Cook for one minute, stirring constantly.

4.  Stir in the turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, and Real Salt.  Cook for one minute, stirring constantly.

5.  Add the water and bring it to a boil.  Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.

6.  Stir in peas.  Cover and cook for four or five minutes or until peas are tender and all the water has been absorbed.

7.  Fluff with a fork before serving. 

This recipe says it will serve 6-8 people, but we usually use it as the main dish, and not a side dish, so I usually double the recipe and then just save whatever is left-over for lunches.  Plus, my husband loves it so much he eats a ton.

Hope you like it!  If you don't, just bring it to our house and we'll eat it up for you!

Kelp Noodles

I think I just discovered the LOVE of my life: Kelp Noodles.  Have you ever heard of them?  I was shopping at the health store with my kids the other day, and they literally jumped out at me.  They knew I wanted to eat them ;)

I have been doing a ton of research lately on the thyroid as I have a family history of hypothyroidism.  Iodine is especially important to thryoid function and kelp is one of the very best sources of it. (Sea vegetables in general are great for our health, yet not many people consume them.)  These noodles are made of kelp, sodium alginate (sodium salt extracted from a brown seaweed), and water.  Each serving (4 oz.) of kelp noodles contains 15% of your daily value for Calcium, 4% of your daily value for Iron, and many trace minerals (including iodine).  While I don't pay too much attention to calories, I find it worth mentioning that they only contain 6 calories per serving!! In what other food can you intake 15% DV Calcium and 4% DV Iron in 6 calories?  I honestly do not know of any other. 

I called the company to find out more about the noodles...They informed me that they are, indeed, raw. My next question is: How did they get them to be white when kelp is usually green...isn't it?

One more thing: They are a little more crunchy than regular pasta noodles, probably because they are raw.  My 3-year old son saw me eating them, and wanted to try.  I gave him some, and after about 5 minutes of eating, he asked, "Why do they sound like that?" Meaning, he could hear himself crunching the noodles in his head ;) 

The other day, I was in a hurry to make a concoction and my body has been craving light, raw foods after consuming warm, heavy foods during the week of Thanksgiving.  I immediately thought of one of my favorite things to eat : guacamole wraps using butter lettuce leaves.  So I made a quick guacamole by mashing one avocado and adding about 1/4 cup, medium organic salsa to it.  (Of course, fresh guac is always superior in nutrition, so use Annie's guacamole recipe if you plan to make this).  I  didn't have butter lettuce on hand, so I used a leaf of romaine lettuce, threw on some kelp noodles, and smeared on some guac.  Delicious!  The noodles are very neutral (acutally, you can't really taste them at all), so you can use them in any recipe.

The following day, I made a cashew white sauce to pour over the noodles.  It was tasty, but was very mild, in contrast to the dips-with-a-kick I usually make.  I want to mention that I do not eat cashews very much because I don't usually like the taste of them, plus they are a bit more acidic than other nuts.  Nonetheless I wanted to try a white sauce, and they were staring at me in my pantry, screaming to be used. I was actually happily surprised when I tried the sauce and liked it, cashews and all.  So, I will divulge this recipe, but beware:  I've only made it once, and it was on a whim, so you might need to adjust things a bit. 

Cashew Noodle Sauce:

1 c raw cashews
Juice of 1 lemon

1-2 tsp. Trocomare seasoning (can find it in the Health Store)

2 tsp. olive oil (optional)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Fresh ground pepper, to taste
Water (about 1 cup)

Put all ingredients, except water,  into a food processor fitted with an S-blade, or a blender, and process until smooth.  Add water until you achieve desired consistency. 

Trocomare is my new favorite seasoning...it's mild, which is different than the seasonings I usually use, but is a welcome change.  It contains organically grown celery, leek, onion, other herbs, and guess what else? KELP!!  More iodine for the thyroid - hurray! 

I want to work on a ginger, tahini, sesame sauce to pour over the kelp noodles one of these days...And knowing how excited I am about these noodles, I will probably concoct the sauce tomorrow.  I'll be sure to update you on any yummy recipes I use the noodles in.

Elana's Pantry Butternut Squash Soup/ Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

All week I have been trying out different concoctions for Thanksgiving.  The reason you haven't seen any posted is because I botched most of them! So, instead of trying to get them "just right", I resorted to making a recipe from a blog I know is reliable: Elana's Pantry.  She is gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and probably lots of other "free"s that I'm not remembering. 

This is her Butternut Squash Soup: It's so easy and tastes great.  My husband, who doesn't usually like creamy soups, gave it the thumbs up ;)

If you're looking for an easy side-dish for Thanksgiving, here is my recipe for Roasted Fingerling Potatoes:

Yellow and Purple fingerling potatoes

Grapeseed or Coconut Oil

Herbs de Provence

Real Salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Poke potatoes with a fork.  Spread potatoes on a cookie sheet and coat them with oil.  Sprinkle Herbs de Provence and Real Salt on potatoes.  Bake until tender (about 30 min.)

And the Winner is...

We are so excited to announce the winner of our very first giveaway!  Congratulations to

 La Guera Salsera!!

Just e-mail Jenny @ LuckyJPM@gmail.com and leave your address so we can send you the tahini!! (And now that you have some tahini, you'll have to tell us what you think of the falafel after you make it!)

We are very appreciative of all of the comments we received.  To be honest, it was a really hard decision to make.  We know that each person that commented took time out of her (no guys commented) day to do so.  Now we have a little more insight into who our audience is, and will hopefully be able to cater to your needs accordingly. 

We will have another giveaway in the near future so stay tuned!

Baked Asparagus/Sweet Potato Fries

Having a hard time coming up with sides dishes? Here are a couple that will accompany almost any meal:

Baked Asparagus

                  

1 bunch of asparagus

Grapeseed Oil/Coconut Oil

Real Salt


Rinse asparagus and pat dry. Spread the stalks out on a cookie sheet. Brush with grapeseed oil and sprinkle with Real Salt.  Bake in oven at 350 degrees until tender, and a bit crispy at the top (about 20 minutes).  This is how I like it; if you prefer it firmer, bake for less time.

FYI:  I don't bother to snap off the woody, bottom part of the asparagus stalk. It's actually not an essential part of preparing asparagus.  My family just munches it down until it gets too fibrous.  If I were having company over, I would probably take the time to do it, but with two kids hanging on my legs, no thanks.  And I say that with all the love in the world toward my kids...

Sweet Potato Fries

2-3 Yellow or Orange Sweet Potatoes*

Grapeseed Oil/Coconut Oil
Zip (http://www.spicehunter.com/)
Real Salt

I recently discovered the sweet taste of yellow sweet potatoes.  I like to use them to make these fries because they seem more like the "real" thing, which is helpful if your children are transitioning to a healthier diet.  They are also splendid merely baked - I don't even dress them with anything.  So yummy!  I'm digressing...

Wash and peel potatoes.  Cut potatoes into fries about 1/2 " wide and 3-4" long and spread them out on a cookie sheet.  Don't cut them too thin because they shrink as they bake. Brush your cut fries with grapeseed oil, sprinkle with Real Salt and Zip (or your favorite seasoning), and cook in a 350 degree oven until tender and slightly crispy.  It usually takes about 1.5-2 hours, depending on the size and quantity of fries.


*Click here to learn the difference between yams & sweet potatoes

Why the confusion?

In the United States, firm varieties of sweet potatoes were produced before soft varieties. When soft varieties were first grown commercially, there was a need to differentiate between the two. African slaves had already been calling the ‘soft’ sweet potatoes ‘yams’ because they resembled the yams in Africa. Thus, ‘soft’ sweet potatoes were referred to as ‘yams’ to distinguish them from the ‘firm’ varieties.


Today the U.S. Department of Agriculture requires labels with the term ‘yam’ to be accompanied by the term ‘sweet potato.’ Unless you specifically search for yams, which are usually found in an international market, you are probably eating sweet potatoes!

Sweet Potato Hash or Mash

Sweet Potato Hash Or Mash

3 medium organic sweet potatoes or garnet yams

3-4 tablespoons almond or soy milk

2 tablespoons vegan butter or 1 tablespoon grape seed oil

1/3 cup chopped parsley

3 teaspoons fresh thyme (I've used dried too - works fine)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped white onion

3 teaspoons garlic powder

1-2 dashes cayenne pepper

Cook sweet potatoes in oven.  Cut in half and scoop out the flesh.  Add all other ingredients and mix with a fork.  You can also make some patties out of the mash, roll them in a little whole wheat flour, and fry them up in a little grape seed oil for a tasty hash.

Also, the giveaway is still going on (it ends Wednesday, the 18th), so be sure to leave a comment if you'd like to be included :)