Oil-free Raspberry Vinaigrette

Oil-free raspberry vinaigrette:
1 12 oz box raspberries
juice of 2 medium oranges
juice of 1 large lemon
salt and pepper to taste.

The directions are just one word-Blend.

From Eat Fresh in the City

For more information about the Sanity Health Challenge, click here.

Clean Green Fiend Smoothie

Clean Green Fiend Smoothie

Spring into Spring with this cleansing smoothie!

1 Cup - Fresh Spinach Leaves
2 Cups - Frozen Pineapple
2 Tbsp - Lime Juice
1 - Banana
2 tsp - Navitas Naturals Wheatgrass Powder
1 Tbsp - Navitas Naturals Hemp Protein Powder
3 Tbsp - Navitas Naturals Sprouted Chia Powder
½ Cup - Apple Juice or Peeled Apple
1 Cup - Green Tea (try Coconut Chai Green Tea for a tropical twist)
6 - Ice Cubes

It’s so easy to be green with this blend of protein, antioxidants, Omega 3’s and phenomenal flavor!
 
By: Navitas Naturals

Chipotle's Guacamole

Ingredients

6 large ripe avocados, peeled and pitted

1/4 cup citrus (lemon and lime) juice

3 cups fresh cilantro, chopped

1 1/2 cups red onion, finely chopped

12 large serrano chiles, seeded and finely chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Tortilla chips, for serving

Directions

1. Using a fork, mash avocados with citrus juice in small bowl.
2. Add cilantro, chopped onion, serrano chilies, and salt. Stir to combine. Serve with tortilla chips, if desired.

Deep Conditioning Treatment for Hair

Has winter taken its toll on your hair?

Try this DEEP-CONDITIONING TREATMENT
Take 2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil and 2-3 drops of Rosemary essential oil
Mix it together then work it into your hair from the root to the tip. Wrap hair with plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes, then shampoo as usual. Your hair will be healthy, shiny and hydrated.

For best results, repeat every 2 weeks.

Quinoa Granola Bars

Ingredients 

1 cup rolled oats

3/4 uncooked quinoa

2/3 cup nuts (almonds, pecans and/or hazelnuts have been tested and approved)

1/3 cup raisins

1/4 cup cranberries

1/3 cup prunes

2 very ripe bananas, mashed

Directions
Yields 12-15
Preheat oven to 160C/325F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine all ingredients except bananas in a food processor. Pulse until ingredients are finely chopped and stick together. Add mashed banana and pulse again until well incorporated.

Use the prepared baking sheet as surface and fill large cookie cutters with the batter. Gently remove the cutter to keep the bars in shape. Repeat until all batter is used up.
Bake 15-20 minutes. Let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Slow Cooked Whole Grain Cereal

You can either use one package of Kashi 7-Grain Pilaf, or any whole grains you desire.  (Whole oats, whole wheat, brown rice, barley, sesame, rye, buckwheat, millet, etc) - equal to 1 cup of grains and 5 cups of water.  

1 cup grain mix

5 cups water

1 tsp salt

You can double this as long as the ratio is the same.  Cook overnight in a slow cooker.  

The last 30-60 minutes of cooking you can add craisins for a bit of sweetness.  You can also drizzle agave or sprinkle stevia over it.  Great for crazy mornings!

Keysha's Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
chopped green onions
half of a peeled cucumber, chopped up
halved red grapes
3 T olive oil (to taste - could be more or less)
3 T white wine vinegar (to taste - could be more or less)

Directions:

2 cups water with 1 cup quinoa in a pot. bring to boil then cover and simmer on low for about 15 minutes (until water is absorbed). Then mix it with the rest of the ingredients.  Refrigerate until chilled. 

PB2 Shakeology Balls

Ingredients:

1 cup PB2 or Chocolate PB2 powdered peanut butter

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

1 cup quick oats

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 scoop chocolate Shakeology

Stevia, Truvia, or agave to taste

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl, throw in the peanut butters, oats, applesauce, Shakeology, and sweetener.  Mix together.  The consistency will be pretty sticky and gooey.

Wet your hands in water, then roll the mixture into Ping-pong sized balls.  

Place on waxed paper or a plastic plate.  Put in the freezer until firm, or enjoy right away if you can't resist!

Makes 12

per serving (2 cookies): 135 calories, 8 grams protein, 13 grams carbs, 7 grams total fat, 3 grams fiber, 13 mg sodium

Chocolate Mousse

My cousin made this for my 40th birthday dinner.  I loved it.  I mean, LOVED it!

12 ounces of firm silken tofu, crumbled

1/4 to 1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa 

2 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt, optional

Directions:

Place all ingredients in food processor and blend several minutes until smooth and creamy.  Chill in the refrigerator until serving time. 

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Quinoa is actually a seed that cooks up like a grain.  It has a mild, nutty flavor and is high in essential amino acids.

Serves 2 as an entree, or 4 as a side

1 1/2 cups quinoa

3 cups water

1/2 cup cooked organic chickpeas (or half a 15 ounce can of organic chickpeas)

5 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup hulled hemp seeds

1/2 English Cucumber, diced

2 tablespoons capers

3 large spicy olives, pitted and chopped

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

juice of one organic lemon

sea salt

Directions:

1.  To cook the quinoa, rinse well, then cover with the 3 cups of water; bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.

2.  Put the quinoa, chickpeas, tomatoes, hemp seeds, cucumber, capers, olives, and pine nuts into a bowl and mix well.  Drizzle with lemon juice and add salt to taste.  Depending on how juicy your lemon is, you may wish to add more.  You can serve this warm, chilled, or room temp. 

Rip's Big Bowl

Start your day off right!  This is one powerful breakfast.  You can vary the ingredients based on the fruit in season, and use fresh or frozen fruit.  It only serves one.

1/4 cup of old-fashioned oats

1/4 cup grape-nuts or ezekial brand equavalent

1/4 cup bite-size shredded wheat

1/4 cup Uncle Sam Cereal

1 T flaxseed meal

2 T raisins

1/2 handful of walnuts

1 banana, sliced

1 kiwi, sliced

1 grapefruit

3/4 cup plant-based milk such as coconut or almond milk

Directions:

Toss all of the ingredients except the grapefruit and plant-based milk in a bowl.  After cutting the grapefruit in half, use a small, sharp knife to remove the segments.  Add the segments to the top of the bowl and squeeze in the juice.  Top the bowl with plant-based milk.

Variation:  Add peaches, cherries, mangoes, blueberries, or red grapes.

From the book Forks over Knives

Avocado Dressing

This dressing is ideal for Southwestern salads.  It also works well on bean salads!  

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves, minced

3/4 cup soft avocado

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

2 T lime juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Put all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until well combined.  Refrigerate overnight to blend the flavors.

For more information about the Sanity Health Challenge, click here.

Hearty Dal Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 1/4 cups water

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger

1 tsp paprika

freshly ground black pepper

1 cup dried red lentils

one 15-ounce can chikpeas, drained and rinsed

one 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes

2 cups chunked yukon gold potatoes

1 T lemon juice

1 to 2 tsp chile paste

2 cups chopped chard

sea salt, optional

Directions:

1.  Heat 1/4 cup of the water in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes until softened. 

2.  Add the ginger, paprika, cumin, and black pepper to the pot and stir well.  Add the remaining 3 cups water and the lentils, chickpeas, tomatoes, and potatoes.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 50 minutes, or until lentils are tender.  Add lemon juice, chile paste (start with 1 tsp and add more to taste), and chard.  Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until chard is tender.  Season with a bit of sea salt, if desired.  Serve hot.

From the book Forks over Knives

Zingy Italian White Bean Soup

You will need to wash and soak the dried cannellini beans over night so plan ahead!  This recipe serves two people generously, so if you are making it for a crowd, increase the ingredients.  Start cooking the beans before you begin chopping the vegetables and they should be ready to go by the time you are ready to make the soup.

1 cup dried cannellini beans (white Italian kidney beans), soaked

1 unsalted vegetable bouillon cube

4 garlic cloves, minced

half a red onion, diced

2 stalks of celery, diced

3 stalks of fresh fennel, or half a fennel bulb, diced

1 zucchini, diced

1 bunch of fresh spinach, chopped

1 tsp oregano

4 fresh sage leaves, chopped

1 tsp parsley

1 tsp sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon

Directions:

1.  Drain the beans, then put them in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer until al dente (this is after soaking overnight).

2.  In a large soup pot, dissolve the bouillon cube in 1/4 cup water over medium heat.  Add garlic and onion.  Cook, stirring constantly, until they sweat.  Add celery and fennel with a pinch of sea salt.  Allow the vegetables to heat through and soften.  Cover the vegetables with spring water, and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

3.  Add zucchini, spinach, cooked beans, oregano, sage, parsley, sea salt, and black pepper.  Simmer for another 5 minutes, or until the zucchini is cooked, but not mushy.  Turn off the heat.  Squeeze the juice of a whole lemon into the soup.  Adjust the seasonings to your liking and serve.  

From the book Forks over Knives

Bean and Barley Chowder

Barley is an excellent source of Soluble Fiber!  This means that they act as a prebiotic.

The longer you cook this thick and hearty soup, the creamier and richer tasting it becomes.

Ingredients:

8 cups water or vegetable broth

1 cup dry baby lima beans, soaked overnight and drained

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped carrot

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

1/2 cup pearl barley

1 T crushed garlic

1 tsp thyme

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Place water and beans in a large soup pot and bring to a boil.  Add remaining ingredients, except salt and pepper.  Return to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until barley and beans are tender and broth is creamy, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve hot.

Recipe from Forks over Knives

Baked Lentils and Rice Casserole

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 cup uncooked wild and/or brown rice

1 cup dried lentils (red or green)

1 can crushed tomatoes, with juice

1 T. chopped fresh or 1 tsp dried rosemary

1 T chopped fresh or 1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp chopped fresh or 1 tsp dried oregano

4 cups vegetable broth

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a large, deep baking dish, combine onion, rice, lentils, tomatoes, rosemary, basil, oregano, and vegetable broth, and stir gently.

Bake, covered, for 90 minutes, stirring every 30 minutes to prevent sticking, until bubbly and browned.  Serve warm.

Add a side salad of mixed greens!  Lentils are one of the most nutrient dense foods around.  Loads of fiber, protein, iron, and folate!  

Happy Birthday Strawberry Cupcakes

This past weekend was my daughter's 6th birthday.  She chose a Strawberry Shortcake themed party, so I made these Strawberry Cupcakes from The Joy of Vegan Baking. 

1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

1 T white distilled vinegar

1 tsp vanilla extract

8 oz crushed or pureed strawberries (I blended fresh strawberries in my Vitamix, but you could use frozen as well)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly grease standard muffin tins or fill the muffin cups with cupcake liners.  

Mix together the flour, baking soda, and sugar in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, and vanilla.  Add the pureed strawberries and stir to combine.  

Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients, and add the wet ingredients.  Stir to combine, but do not overstir.  The batter will be a bit frothy.  Pour the batter into the muffin tins, filling ONLY halfway.  

Bake for 30 minutes for cupcakes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and put on a wire rack to cool.

Make sure the cupcakes are very cool - you can even refrigerate them.  When they are warm, they are crumbly.  

I used the following frosting recipe from 1000 Vegan Recipes:

1 cup spectrum organic shortening

4 cups confectioners' sugar

2 T coconut milk

1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream the shortening until light and fluffy with an electric mixer or a kitchenaid. 

Add the sugar, coconut milk, and vanilla, and mix until thoroughly combined.  Continue mixing for about 2 minutes, until the frosting is smooth and stiff.  Put in icing bag and swirl on top of the cooled cupcakes, or spread with knife.