Day 15 (30-Day Green Smoothie challenge)

FROM MY KITCHEN TO YOURS: CARLIFORNIA ROLLS (SUSHI MADE EASY)

Hello everyone and thanks for stopping by today to read my little insights. Today was a fantastic day. I woke up with joy on my face and a heart full of gratitude. So if you don't mind I want to take a few seconds and be thankful for all that I have.

To the Earth: Thank you for staying rich and resilient.

To the Trees: Without you there'd be no functional ecosystem, I thank you for that.

To the Fruits : For your sweetness ever true, you satisfy my sweet tooth like no other and enrich my insides with vitamins and minerals.

To Vegetables: Green and red and yellow, in vibrant colors you live to sustain my cells and build me up to the best of me.

To Seeds and Nuts: Nutty-nutty me loves you to pieces. You provide me with energy and good fats that melt away and never stay on my hips.

To the Sun: Queen of rainbows, excellent provider of vitamin D, without you I'd be oh, so gloomy.

To the Rain: Water, the giver of life, the purifier, eliminator and transporter. You wear many hats. My hats off to you.

To the Organic Farmers: You truly know what patience is all about. Thank you for caring and taking the time to grow all these foods with abundant love. Your love is felt and can be seen in the beauty of me.

To the Community of Raw foodists: Thanks for your constant support as seen in all the great cookbooks and blogs.

To God the creator and author of life: If we go back to basics as in the garden of Eden, that which you provided for Adam and Eve is all that we truly need to fully sustain us. After all, out of earth (dust) you made us and just makes sense that those things that grow alive out of this same dust are what we need to stay alive, in that way we can be in sync with our own. YOU are awesome!

I am very blessed and grateful that I have the opportunity to have what I have and be able to eat the way I eat. I am in constant praise and thanksgiving.

Today I made myself the easiest smoothie:

2 bananas
1/2 bunch of spinach
1.5 cups of water

A yummy-delicious-nutritious green rejuvenating elixir

I made the best tasting raw/vegan carlifornia rolls for lunch (sushi)

3 nori sheets
3 Tbsp peeled and grated parsnips (they look like albino carrots)
1/2 cup thinly sliced cucumber
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
1/2 cup clover sprout (or sprout of your choice)
drizzle of agave
drizzle of Bragg's aminos or nama Shoyu

Lay a nori sheet flat and brush down with a little water
add grated parsnips, cucumbers, carrots, avocado and clover sprouts (you can use which ever sprouts you have). Drizzle some agave and Bragg's over filling and tightly roll into cylindrical shape. Use a knife and cut into desired shape. I was almost tempted to eat it long like that, it smells so good and tasted like the best sushi I ever had, just without the fish and rice. WHAT A LUNCH! Even non-sushi lovers will love this version.

Enjoy!

Day 14 (30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge)

A FEW OF MY FAVORITE READS...WITH A GLASS OF CANTALOUPE SMOOTHIE

Whew! Sorry for posting this late today. I have been very, very busy. Just came back from the whole foods market with lots of stuff for the coming week's menu. I can hardly wait to make some raw/vegan sushi. I think my mom will be pleased that I no longer eat raw fish, lol. I also bought some raw cashews for next week's Alfredo sauce. The fresh basil I got will be used for some pesto I will be adding to my lasagna, YUM! I never liked lasagna (except for my mother in-law's which is TASTY) but now I get to make my own raw lasagna. That will be an experience. For smoothie veggies I got, parsley (I love parsley), arugula, rainbow chard, kale(yes), spinach (a must) and some endive (this is packed with B vitamins). As usual I bought lots and lots of bananas, I can't live without it.

For the first time I bought some jicama (pronounced 'hee-ca-ma'). I plan to use them to make some raw french fries and some raw/vegan burger patty which I will make with the some of the baby bella mushrooms, hmm, I can't wait for that. Anyway, it is always fun going shopping and trying new recipes. I hope you try some for yourself and if you do I hope you like it.

I gotta run though, Rick and I are making some seaweed salad. I am hungry and have to go eat. Tomorrow I will introduce you to another new recipe. Don't forget to make your green smoothie and stay healthy. I am going to leave you with something delicious:

Banana Shake:

2 frozen bananas (or 1 cup of ripe frozen strawberries)

1/2 cup almond milk

2 tsp agave nectar or organic grade B maple syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Blend all until creamy smooth. YUMMY!!!

Day 13 (30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge)

FROM MY KITCHEN TO YOURS: Zucchetti and Marinara Sauce...YUMMYLICIOS :-)

Let me quote Aunty Cathy, "There is a God." Today I made the most delicious and filling meal since starting this challenge. I made raw marinara sauce with zucchini pasta. There is nothing you can't make on this diet. I am sold. I had Rick and a friend of ours try it and she thought it was cooked. She was so pleasantly surprised that she had another mouthful. Once you start to try different recipes on the raw food diet, you begin to wonder if God intentionally put certain foods for this reason only. For example, I thought the zucchini pasta would taste a little weird or starchy, thing is, it has no taste at all but gives you the feel of pasta in your mouth and taste buds. This is absolutely incredible. I am looking forward to start making raw breads and crackers. For this thanksgiving I will be making a raw, meatless, meat loaf, some raw pizza and a raw raspberry white chocolate cake. What a bountiful feast it will be.

I realize it will be hard for all my wonderful non-vegan friends, but thank God they are so awesome and understand that this is my choice. We can always enjoy the best of both worlds. I also realized that the places I used to eat at before will no longer be the places I go to now. I love to cook at home anyway and if I have to eat out, I will make it a raw/vegan restaurant. I have been scouting for some in my area and found a few great ones. Price range is perfect and all worth it. I want to give my body the best it needs to be fully functional and vibrant. I thank God everyday that I can be able to do this and I praise him for his bounties, the incredible edibles he masterminded.

Here is the Recipe for my mouth-watering lunch:

You need a veggie-slicer or spooroli to slice the zucchini or turn it into angel hair zucchetti, lol

Zucchetti:

1 organic zucchini.

add sprinkle of black pepper and some salt and toss zucchetti then keep aside.

Marinara Sauce:

1 10oz ripe grape tomatoes

1 cup oil-packed sun dried tomato

1/2 red bell pepper (deseeded)

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp sweet basil

1 tsp oregano

1 garlic clove (crushed)

1 jalopeno pepper (optional) or dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

Blend all together in a food processor with an 'S' blade, till smooth. Pour over bed of zucchetti and enjoy.

Sometimes the truth 'stinks'

Do your due diligence and be in the know and not in denial. Sometimes the truth 'STINKS' just take it with a pinch of Stevia....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3hMn2enc7k

Even my grandfather in-law used to say these things some twenty years ago. The truth is there for those who seek it.


~B.

Day 12 (30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge)

FROM MY KITCHEN TO YOURS: COCONUT CHEESCAKE ON CHOCOLATE CRUST

Going raw is by far the best, the simplest and most nonrestrictive diet I have ever been on. The reason I say this is because I don't feel restricted at all, whereas on other diets I have felt the need to sneak things I wasn't suppose to be eating from time to time. At the end you find yourself back to square one trying another new diet in search for the one where you won't feel that need to binge. Isn't this what yo-yo dieting is all about? When humans feel the need to fight or resist something, the more they feel they need to give in to that temptation or situation. Restriction is a very frustrating feeling. on the raw diet, I don't feel any restriction whatsoever. I feel like I'm eating what I'm suppose to be eating because my body is not craving anything I used to like before, even white chocolate, can you believe that? even white chocolate.

I admit the first few days can be very daring because your body is undergoing this new change and your taste buds have to learn a whole new experience. I used to look at the behaviors of some raw fooders and think they were a little you know what, lol, but now I understand where that passion comes from. It is a passion for life. I've never felt more alive. When I was a vegan I thought I had reached the pinnacle of healthy living (no offense to vegan, veganism is awesome much better than the Standard American Diet) but then I've taken it one step further to being raw and vegan and it is an ethereal experience. I feel like my body is at peace with itself. There is no bickering from brain to stomach, lol or from liver to gut. All my insides are in harmony, no one is nagging their 'neighbor' , they are all brothers and sisters in unity working to provide the best for me. I feel like a queen. I do.

Well, so many people have asked for my coconut cheesecake recipe so here it is.:

Crust:

2 cups of walnuts, soaked and rinsed

1/2 cup raw cacao beans (ground)

1 tbsp agave nectar or raw honey

sprinkle of salt

Process nuts and cacao in food processor with 'S' blade until crumbly and then add salt and agave or honey till it starts to stick together. Press into a pie plate and keep aside.

Filling:

2 cups raw macadamia nuts, rinsed

1/2 cup raw shredded coconut meat (just the white part)

juice of 1.5 oranges

juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup raw honey or agave nectar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

dash of salt

Blend everything except shredded coconut until mixture is creamy. If you don't really want to chew on the coconut then blend all together, if not, after mixture is creamy just mix the shredded coconut into it. Spread mixture over crust and freeze for about 2 hours or more if you prefer. serve with blue berry syrup if you choose.

Blueberry syrup:

2 handfuls of fresh blueberries

2 Tbsp of agave nectar

dash of salt

Blend till it's liquefied.

Enjoy!

Day 11 (30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge)

FROM MY KITCHEN TO YOURS: G'RAW'NOLA AND ALMOND MILK

Good day folks. I am feeling super today. Woke up bright and early and went for a 20 minute jog. I made myself a great smoothie (from one of the ones below) and then Nina and I made some fresh almond milk and g'raw'nola. Don't forget to scroll all the way down to view our slide show with some of our delicious recipes. I must start by giving you the recipe of my breakfast.

G'raw'nola and Almond Milk:

1 cup almonds (soaked over night)

4 pitted dates

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups f water

Mesh bag or cheese cloth

Blend all the ingredients together till mixture is milky. Strain using a mesh bag or cheese cloth. You will have to milk it like you're milking a cow to get all the almond milk out. Save almond pulp for another recipe later.

For G'raw'nola:

1/2 cup almonds (soaked, dried))

1/2 cup walnuts (soaked overnight and dried)

1/2 cup sunflower seeds (Soaked and dried)

1 cup dark raisins

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 golden raisins

sprinkle of salt

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Chop in a food processor with 'S' blade till coarse. I like chunks of nuts but you can choose your own consistency. Add almond milk to it and some blueberries or sliced bananas and devour.

Yummy!

Day 10 (30-Day Green Smoothie Challenge)

FROM MY KITCHEN TO YOURS: FYR'S MOCK 'CHICKEN' SALAD

It's a wonderful, wonderful life! If you were feeling as good as I am today, you'd be singing that song too. My cravings are gone, cravings for processed foods and cooked foods. When I get hungry and I'm in a grocery store, I don't feel the need to grab a 'nutritious' (even that!) bar and munch as I walk in our out of the store. THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE! My brain is still trying to wrap itself around the idea that I don't want anything except raw-vegan, live foods. I wake up every morning with a sprint to my feet and don't feel that tired I-just-want-ten-more-minutes-to-sleep effect. When I open my eyes, I am wide awake and ready to tackle the day.

Today I made a delicious green smoothie for breakfast and I can't wait to show and tell you about my very filling lunch. But first, here is my green smoothie recipe:

Strawberry-banana-kale smoothie:

3 ripe baby bananas

1 handful of fresh strawberries

4-5 kale leaves

Juice from 1 orange (freshly squeezed)

1 Tbsp flax seed

1.5 to 2 cups of water

Now, to my delicious lunch which left me full and completely satisfied. Here is the recipe:

My Stuffed Red Bell Pepper: (as pictured above)

1 large red bell pepper (cut open and seeded and set aside)

1/2 cup walnuts

1 tsp fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 tsp fresh garlic, minced

1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 medium size onion, chopped or sliced

1/2 small green pepper

salt to taste

sprinkle of black pepper

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/4 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp lemon, freshly squezed

1/2 medium size avocado

Blend everything except red bell pepper in a food processor. Add more salt or some cayenne to taste. Scoop filling and pour into 'cup' of large bell pepper. Enjoy.