Ecuadorian-inspired lentil cashew salad

A friend in college had me over for his father's good Ecuadorian cooking, and I remember the salad that was thinly sliced peppers and onions with cilantro, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mmmmmm!! This is not that, but inspired by that. If I had fresh parsley or cilantro, they'd be in this.



Ecuadorian-inspired Lentil Cashew Salad

Sprouted green lentils

Sliced, chopped, or finely diced bell peppers and onions

Lots of brown rice vinegar

Olive oil

Salt, maybe a little pepper (lentil sprouts are already peppery)

Marinate all day, and add in raw cashews (not soaked), at the last moment before enjoying! Herbs of choice beside parsley or cilantro could be basil or oregano.


Enjoy!~ laura

Baby Kale Dressing/Pesto

This would be amazing on pasta if you aren't raw... Or I think I will put in over sprouted green lentils with tomatoes... Mmmmmmmm! : D


Baby Kale Dressing:


1 bunch baby kale

1 clove garlic

Generous amount of brown rice vinegar

A few heaping spoons nutritional yeast flakes

A decent helping of olive oil

Dash of Bragg's Liquid Aminos, Salt to taste

Add any herbs and spices that suit your mood! Puree in food processor until smooth and magnificent!


Love to all~ laura

Kale Cadillac Smoothie

This smoothie has so much goodness in it, it is an amazingly delightful breakfast.. Light but nourishing! X


Kale Cadillac Smoothie



3/4 of a bunch of baby kale


1/2 each organic strawberries + blueberries (frozen berries are fine!)


1 + 1/2 organic bananas


1/2 or 1 whole avocado


A handful of raisins to sweeten, soaked are easiest to puree


A spoon each of chia seeds and ground flaxseeds



...Blend it up with a dose of cosmic love and gratitude! Blessings~ love to all... Laura

Incredible, Versatile Curried Cashews with Parsley

Oh man, this is Soooooooo good! The most delicious thing I've tasted in a long time! This photo doesn't do justice to the beautiful contrast of curry powder's bold yellow, parsley's bright green and if you wish, add some paprika on top or a tomato slice for red!

You can eat it straight like I did, or you can roll it into balls and dehydrate for a sort of falafel, or add some carrots and or onions and press into veggie patties. Fresh is best in my world, I don't need fancy shapes!


Curried Cashews with Parsley


1 big handful soaked raw cashews

1 small spoon Bragg's liquid aminos


1/2 clove fresh garlic

1 big handful parsley

A decent spoon of good curry powder

Small spoon olive oil


Combine in food processor until as consistent as possible, probably not smooth, but consistent. Maybe add a dash of salt.

Enjoy!!!! <3, laura

Popeye Fruit + Green Smoothie (Spinach!)

Finn approves! : D It ended up a little drab color-wise only because of the combo of blueberries and spinach yields a fairly neutral color! lol!

Popeye Berry Smoothie:

2 small bunches baby spinach- rip off at the main stems (ours is very dark green + delightful, from our Farmer's Market)

A big handful of organic blueberries

A small handful of organic strawberries

Juice of one lemon

A couple spoons of milled flaxseed

1 and a half organic bananas

Blend with gratitude and cosmic love, add a few raisins or dash of maple syrup or agave nectar to sweeten if desired...

Enjoy with a smile! : D

       with <3 for the whole universe~ laura

KALE CHIPS!!! : D

If you have or can find a dehydrator, you are set to make the greatest chip creation ever!!!!!
Wash and dry the kale, preferably organic, rub generously with olive oil and sprinkle on some sea salt. Dehydrate for about 4 hours until all the moisture is gone, and love up the delightful, crispy deliciousness!!!!! : D

With love~ laura

Wholegrain Blueberry-Sesame Muffins: by Finn's request! : D

This is my first time baking anything sweet since going raw, but the reviews are in and they get the approval of the toddler and picky adult male demographic representatives. ; )



Amounts are approximate because I cook by sight and feel more then measurement. Take heart because muffins are forgiving creations!


Wholegrain Blueberry-Sesame Muffins: (makes about 18 muffins)

2.5 cups stoneground whole wheat flour
2 tbsp. Baking powder (non-aluminum)
A pinch of salt
1 to 1.5 cups organic blueberries (we used frozen)
2 tbsp. Ground flaxseed
2 tbsp. Sesame seeds
1 tbsp. Chia seeds
3/4 or more (or less) sugar to taste
1-2 tsp. Cinnamon powder
1/4 cup olive oil

(Orange peel would go well, or lemon peel or juice if you are feeling the citrus vibe)


Bake on 375 degrees F in well-oiled muffin pan for about 25 minutes, until a knife inserted in center of the biggest one comes out clean. Turn off oven and let sit for 5 minutes. Take out and cool in pan 5 minutes, then carefully pry them out and cool on a wire rack!


Voila! Enjoy with smiles and gratitude, perhaps while looking ot the window, breathing fresh air and listening to bird songs, or your favorite tunes!

With all my love to all the universe!! ~laura

Vegan Pizza- for all you cooked food addicts ; )

Whole wheat crust, tomato sauce, green peppers, onions, vegan pepperoni (Tofurkey brand), and mozerella style Daiya (vegan, soy-free "cheese")!


Pizza Dough
(Bread-maker recipe, I imagine you can mix + knead it up yourself)


1/2 cup bran (I used oat, but wheat works too)
4 cups stone-ground whole wheat flour
1 tbsp. Sugar
1 3/4 tsp. Salt
2+ tbsp. Olive oil
1 3/4 tsp. Active dry yeast

For bread-maker, add all wet ingredients + sugar, then all dry, adding yeast to a well in center. Turn on to pizza dough setting. Ta da!!


For human-powered dough making, dissolve sugar in warmed water ( just over skin temp. Not hotter then 106 degrees F). Add yeast, let set a few minutes while you mix dry ingredients. Add wet to wet, then wet to a well in the center of well-mixed ingredients. Knead for 10 minutes (fold, push, quarter turn, over + over), rest 20 minutes, knead 5 more minutes, and cover with a towel to raise somewhere warm for 25 minutes.


Take dough and press onto well-oiled cookie sheet or pizza stone to desire thickness. A pastry docker can be used, or a fork for that matter, to poke holes in the center of the crust to keep it from getting too thick if a thinner crust is desired.


Spread on sauce, vegan pepperoni (or marinated tofu chunks, Tofurkey vegan sausage, white beans, etc.), add Daiya "cheese", and veggies, diced finely. We used peppers and onions as our stand-by, but green and/or black olives, artichoke hearts, roasted eggplant, pineapple chunks, or anything else you can think of possibly enjoying will do.


On Long Island, I first encountered "salad pizza"- a thin crust baked completely plain, the afterwards a garden salad of shredded lettuce, onions, tomatoes, etc. is added on top, dressed with Italian dressing. Pretty tasty!!


Bake your pizza on 375-425 degrees F depending on your oven and inclination. Keep your eyes peeled, but generally it takes 25-45 minutes depending on thickness, bake-ware, oven, altitude, and phase of the moon ; )

Yummy raw picnic! : )

Today's menu:

Carrot-celery salad with sprouted wheatberries (my original)

+

Dandelion pesto (idea from Prof. Johanna Sophia of Saratoga, from Sophia International Learning Center)


Carrot celery salad with sprouted wheatberries:

1 carrot
3 stalks celery
2 dandelion greens or a scant handful of fresh parsely
1/4 to 1/2 cup already sprouted wheatberries
Juice of half a lemon
Salt+pepper
First-cold press olive oil
A teaspoon of fresh grated ginger root

Mince carrot, greens + celery in food processor, add rest, relax and enjoy! Better after sitting a little while.

Dandelion Pesto:

Nuts, greens, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt. That's the basic plan for innumerable variations of raw-vegan pesto that I learned from Prof. Sophia.


This time round I used a huge bunch of dandelion greens from the yard, walnuts, lots of lemon juice, lots of garlic, some olive oil + salt.

Pesto is amazing on raw flatbreads, crackers, or by itself!

Blissfully yours, my dear sweet universe!... ~laura

Glory be!! Homemade vegan cheese!!!!! : D

Cheese-lovers, your lives are saved! This is cheap, easy and amazing!
A million thumbs up, and if cows had thumbs, they'd be up too!


I got this recipe from: Living Cuisine- The Art and Spirit of Raw Foods by Renee Loux Underkoffler. This book is HIGHLY recommended for anyone interested in eating more vegan or raw foods, and definitely for those rebels who want to go all vegan or raw!! ; )



Take one cup of any raw nut or seed or combo, and soak overnight (6-12 hours). Drain, rinse, and put into food processor with 2 teaspoons unpasteurized miso. Pulse until mixed and chunky like cottage cheese.


Put in a clean glass jar in a warm place (preferably 85 - 95 degrees F) for 6-12 hours. Make sure to cover jar with cheesecloth or linen + a rubber band. Take the cheese, wrapped in cheesecloth, and wring all the whey out. You can put it in the food processor with a little olive oil and blend until smooth. You can also season it anyway you can imagine, be creative!


I made my first batch with cashews, and blended it only with olive oil + salt. It tastes a little cheddary, like those Wisconsin crock cheese things, but blended with olive oil, it tastes like American cheese!


Our lives are saved! Cows rejoice! Pity if you are allergic to nuts, but you can use seeds, like sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, and so on.

Blessings! Enjoy in radiant positivity!

: D ~laura

Pleasantly Surprizing +Satisfying Raw Veggie Soup

Dear Universe,
You may prefer this in the Summertime... You can add greens, enjoy with olive oil + salted kale chips, raw crackers, or a garden salad...

Raw Veggie Soup

One bowl:
3 soaked sun-dried tomatoes with extra soaking water, about one cup
2 stalks celery
1/2 carrot
1/4 onion
Juice of 1/4 lemon
Fresh ginger root, 1/4 x 1/2 inch chunk
6 soaked raw pecans
Salt to taste
Optional: red miso, bragg's liquid aminos, anything else you wish, fresh herbs, greens, etc.

Put everything into your food processor or Vitamix (lucky! : P Lol.)
And blend it up, using the soaking water from the tomatoes to thin to the perfect brothy consistency, in your humble opinion.
Enjoy in love, bliss and gratitude!

Offered w/ <3, Laura

Zucchini Jicama Salad

A light + fulfiling salad!! Enjoy! : )

Zucchini, sliced into thin coins or julienned
Jicama root, peeled and julienned
Soaked sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
Basil, oregano, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, salt, optional crushe red pepper!
Mmmm!

* walnuts would also go well in this...

Ginger Fruit Smoothie

Banana, strawberries, pineapple, hemp seeds, fresh grated ginger, love and cosmic gratitude!!!!     

 ~<3, laura

Caught me red-handed! Beet Salad

There are so many salad recipes for raw beets... They are earthy and sweet, colorful and cleansing... Perfect for Spring holiday meals.

Add any form of green herbs- dandelion, parsely, cilantro, chives, or other favorites to really complete this recipe. To make it a meal in itself, add raw nuts such as almonds, pine nuts, walnuts, or add sesame or hemp seeds.

This makes enough for 2-3 as a meal or for 6 as a light side... Enjoy in brilliant health + happiness! ~ <3, laura

Jicama Beet Salad

1 beet grated
1 carrot grated
1/2 small jicama root, peeled + chopped
1/2 finely diced fresh pineapple

Options:
Add 1/2 chopped greens
And/or
1/2 cup nuts or 1/4 seeds

You can juice a fresh lemon over it, drizzle on olive oil, add salt + spices or herbs of choice to completely change the flavor

OR just enjoy the fresh, light taste, welcoming the bright side of the year!

Juicing for Amazing Health

Fresh-made vegetable juice is incredibly healthy, and when you get the hang of how to combine different flavors, very delicious.

People have the habit of focusing on bottle fruit juices as being healthy, especially for children. Store-bought juice is pasteurized though, so many of the delicate anti-oxidants and nutrients are no longer viable, and they are certainly not fresh. In addition, many juices unfortunately have high fructose corn syrup added, and even those that don't contain a lot of sugar. Even naturally occuring fruit sugars that are healthy in moderation, can have an immune-suppressing effect just like any other type of sugar when taken in higher amounts, as is found in fruit juice.

The healthiest way is to make fresh juice using organic (chemical-free) vegetables, maybe a little fruit at times, and to sip it. The longer the juice waits the more of the beneficial properties that will be lost.

A good juicer isn't cheap, but it is an investment in family health, and most well-made juicers last a long time.

Commonly juiced are beets, carrots, cucumbers, kale, celery, ginger, garlic, parsley, apples, and wheatgrass. I personally like juicing rhubarb in the Spring for a cleansing, tart beverage. I also love adding zucchini to a green juice mix to sweeten the flavor. Juicing is a wonderful way to utilize the late-Summer overabundance of zucchini!

Beets prepared for juicing, shown in the photo, were left alone and made a very enjoyable juice. Don't be nervous- beets will make your trip to the bathroom colorful, that is normal! Beets are great blood and liver cleansers.

*************************

Do you have any juice combinations that you'd like to share?

Do you have any juicing questions? Please, ask away!

Veggie 'meatballs'

These are simple and delicious! They make for great vegan spaghetti and 'meatballs', or change the spices (add fennel and crushed red pepper flakes) to use these as a faux Italian sausage.

dried White beans, cooked in a slow-cooker on high 6-8 hours until well done
bread crumbs
whole wheat flour
dried oregano, thyme, parsely, and garlic granules
salt
Combine all but the flour. Puree with a blender, and add flour slowly, a couple tablespoons at a time, mix thoroughly by hand, aiming to achieve a very stiff dough. Refrigerating the dough for at least an hour before cooking helps it to stay together.

You can bake the little veggie balls on an oiled cookie sheet, or I chose to sautee in a little less then 1/4 inch of high heat oil, like safflower. Keep moving them as they become golden/medium brown. Serve with tomato sauce.

For a gluten-free version, perhaps sticky white or brown rice would work, possibly adding GF cracker crumbs as well.
Enjoy in good health and clear conscience! Namaste!

Lentil Carrot Soup

Fall is a great time for vegan soups, stews, and chilis. This soup is simple, hearty, and delicious! We used crumbled chunks of whole grain bread to toss is, but crackers, brown rice, or barley are also great toss-ins as well.
Start this in the morning for dinner, or before bed for lunch.

dry Lentils de Puy (french green lentils)
carrots, peeled and cut crossways into coins
a head of garlic, chopped or minced
oil of choice
lots of water (3 times as much as lentils for stew, about 5 times as much or more to make this a brothier soup)
a few servings of "better then boullion" vegetable base (available on the Nature's Place ailse at Hannaford)
dried spices to taste: garlic powder, ginger, parsely, cilantro, curry powder
a decent serving of salt
Put it all together on high setting in your slow cooker and let it go for 8 hours or more! Check in when you can, about midway if possible, and adjust the water level if you need to. Enjoy!

VEGAN Recipe: Simple Black Beans and Barley with Winter Squash

I'd like to start sharing lots of beautiful vegan recipes. Hope you enjoy!
SIMPLE BLACK BEANS AND BARLEY WITH WINTER SQUASH

winter squash of choice~ here we used spaghetti squash, but butternut or acorn, or any others for that matter, are perfect

dry pearled barley

dry black beans

1 onion, size of choice
vegan broth or boullion or concentrate

grapeseed or safflower oil, or other non-gmo, high-heat oil

oil of choice for drizzling
sea salt

The method: I put dried black beans in a crockpot to simmer all day, about 12 hours, or you can do them overnight. With them I added plenty of water (at least 3 times the amount of beans), dash of salt and splash of real maple syrup, but blackstrap molasses is wonderful too. I coursely chopped an onion and tossed that in midway through.

For the barley, I threw it in a rice cooker with 2.5 times as much water as barley. You can use vegetable broth or add some concentrate such as Better Then Boullion's vegetable base. It can be started around the same time as the squash.

I used grapeseed oil on a baking sheet and on 375 degrees F let a lovely spaghetti squash bake. It was seeded and place shell side up. It took about 55 minutes or so to cook.

I tend to love simplicity, a good sprinkle of sea salt, a drizzle of grapeseed oil and voila! But you can actually change this dramatically with your choice of herbs and spices. Cumin and chili powder with the beans or thyme and a tiny touch of nutmeg with the barley make a very different dish!