Raw Sprouted Almond Milk

The first time I made homemade almond milk I did not have a nut milk bag and I used a fine mesh strainer and it was a disaster!  It was so thick and grainy that it was like eating porridge.  Actually I don't think I owned my Vitamix at that time and I used a regular blender as well--two big mistakes.  And to top it off I served it with oatmeal...what a mess!  I don't think that my husband really ever recovered from that breakfast and so we have been buying almond milk ever since.

So since I have been fasting and eating (well drinking) really healthy I decided to make my own.  Have you ever read the side of the box of Almond Milk?  If not, here you go:  Filtered Water, Almonds, Calcium Carbonate, Tapioca Starch, Sea Salt, Potassium Citrate, Carrageenan, Sunflower Lecithin, Natural Flavor, Vitamin A, Palmitate, Vitamin D2 and D-Alpha Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E)...what?  The two ingredients that concern me the most are the Carrageenan and Palmitate.  Carrageenan is a preservative that has been linked to colitis and tumor production in animal studies :-(...Animal studies bum me out)...and, Palmitate is used to add texture to processed foods and is linked to the risk of developing heart disease.  You would probably need to consume an incredible amount of these compounds on a daily basis to be adversely affected, but do we really need all of this stuff in our food?

Now, take a look at the ingredients for homemade almond milk:  1 cup organic raw almonds (sprouted), 3 cups filtered water, 2 pitted dates, 1/4 vanilla bean pod (seeds only), or 1 tsp vanilla extract, and a pinch of sea salt (optional).  That's it and you can really taste the difference!

To sprout the almonds, I soaked them in filtered water in the fridge for three days, changing the water twice daily (morning and evening).  And to keep it raw, I soaked the dates in water overnight as well so they were soft for blending.  Also while blending, the Vitamix can really heat liquids up if you leave it running for several minutes, so I blended for a minute, turned it off and blended it again to make sure that I stayed below 105 degrees.  This recipe makes about 3 cups of milk.  I wouldn't say that it's cheaper making it yourself, but it is definitely better for you and tastes great too!  Can't wait for my husband to try it in his cereal...I know I will be redeemed!

 

 

Raw Carob-Strawberry Hemp Smoothie

This smoothie is so yummy and with good for you ingredients that I really didn't know what to call it...how about Yummy & Good For You Smoothie!  I don't like smoothies made with fruit, but sometimes in the afternoon around 3-4pm, I seriously need a pick-me up...especially since this is day 19 of my juice fast.

This smoothie isn't sweet at all...it is fruity but not very sweet tasting.  I prefer carob powder over cocoa powder, but a lot of people don't like carob because they are expecting it to taste like chocolate.  Carob is similar to cocoa, but it is naturally sweeter, fruitier, contains less fat and has no caffeine.  I find cocoa powder more bitter and so I always need to add additional sweeteners.  But if carob is not for you then by all means use raw cocoa powder instead.  However, you may need to add more strawberries or dates if you want a sweeter smoothie.

And what makes this smoothie really good for you is the raw hemp seeds...packed with five grams of protein per tablespoon.  And not just any old protein, but a complete protein with all the essential fatty acids, as well as vitamin E, and Omegas 3 and 6!

So pull out the blender and whip yourself up this delicious and nutritious smoothie for an afternoon pick me up...and guaranteed the kids will love it too!

Yummy & Good For You Smoothie

1 cup organic raw almond milk (I make my own and I'll post the recipe tomorrow)
1 small organic banana
2 organic strawberries
1-2 tbsp organic raw carob powder (I used two), or raw cocoa powder
2 tbsp organic raw hemp seeds
1/2 cup ice

 

Kiwi-Cucumber Cooler

Well it's day 15 of my juice fast/cleanse and I'm doing great!  I get a little hungry now and then but for the most part I feel really good.  I have a lot of energy, I've lost 10 pounds and believe it or not the whites of my eyes are brighter!  Which scares me a little bit...was there something wrong with my liver before I went on this fast?  Anyway, at least I'm going in the right direction.

I don't know how long I will remain on this--I just take it day by day but most likely I'll stay on this course for 30 days.  To keep the weight loss from slipping any further I've added more smoothies to my diet.  I drink a high protein smoothie every day now instead of every other day.  And I've also added a savory vegetable broth as well.  Some times I want something hot and soothing, especially since we've had a lot of rain lately.

Also, I try and change up my juices everyday, but I always include a "green juice" of some sort and alternate certain juices if they have higher sugar content such as beet and carrot, or sweet potato and orange.  I also keep track of the amount of sugar/carbs, protein and fiber in an app on my iphone.  It helps me track if I'm using too much fruit in my juices and smoothies.  But for the most part, I follow the 3:1 ratio of veggies:fruit.  However, if I have four juices a day, then the fruit can add up and so I always drink a pure vegetable juice as one of my juices.

Kiwi-Cucumber Cooler 

3 or 4 kiwi ripe kiwi depending on size
1 cucumber
1/4-1/2 bunch spinach
5 sprigs of mint
1/4-1/2 small lime (I wanted to use Key limes but the store didn't have any)
1/4 cup coconut water

I like peeling the kiwi because it keeps the juice vibrant green but you can juice the skin.  Once all the ingredients are juiced, I stir in the coconut water.  If you want it thicker you can blend in fresh coconut meat or an avocado.  This will also be a great refreshing summer drink served over ice pool side!

Enjoy!

My Juice Cleanse...Day Eight and Counting!

For the past eight days I have been on a Juice Cleanse.  Normally, I wouldn't do something so drastic...it's not like eat a bad diet or need to loose weight but I just haven't been feeling well--very fatigued.  So I went to see my doctor and she did the standard blood work-up and referred me to a nutritionist.  I've never had any interest to see a nutritionist, but I thought it can't hurt and I was curious.  Well, it was basically a waste of an hour and $320 dollars, which thankfully was covered under my insurance, but still.  The first thing she asked me is where I get my protein from since I am vegan...seriously?  She then recommended a diet of 1800-2200 calories per day, based on my activity level and that I should consume 75 grams of protein per day!!!  I almost laughed.  This is so old school.  Seventy-five grams of protein per day would put a strain on my liver.  I believe that my protein should fall in the range of 10-20% of calories consumed.  Anyway, she gave me a booklet with food groups for managing diabetes and I was on my merry way.  Again, diabetes??? my glucose level is 81! 

 

So here I am on day eight of my juice fast.  Why, I'm not sure but I do feel better.  Don't get me wrong, this is not a walk in the park.  Some days I feel great, full of energy and not even hungry and other days I'm sluggish and starved.  I basically drink three 16-20 juices per day and since I don't need to lose weight, every other day I blend up a fiber-protein packed smoothie, full of calories, but low on the sugar.  However, I still have lost about five pounds, perhaps more.  I also drink herbal tea and a liver cleansing turmeric-ginger-lemon concoction in the evening.  I'm not certain how long I plan to stay on this, but for now it's working for me!

Farmer's Market Run

Below are some of my favorite juices I have been making:  Beet Blast, Creamy Greens and Sicilian Screamer.  Not certain why I give them names, but it's more interesting than red, green and orange juice drinks...:-)!  Each recipe makes 16-24 ounces of juice depending on the size of your veggies.  During the work week I usually juice everything at once and seal the juices tightly in mason jars to prevent oxidation.  This way, I can take them to work without losing nutrients and having them oxidize.  By the way, juicing is not cheap.  Everything I purchase is organic and I spend about the equivalent of $20 per day or more on my juices.  This does not include my normal grocery list for items that I purchase for my husband's breakfast and dinner.

Beet Blast

Beet Blast
1 small-medium beet
1 green apple
1 small-medium cucumber
2 carrots
1/4 inch slice of lemon
1 inch piece of ginger

Creamy Greens

Creamy Greens (My favorite--I could drink this all day!  You juice first and then pour it into a blender and then blend in the avocado...just delicious!)
1/4 or 1/2 fennel bulb depending on size
1 small green apple
1 green ripe pear
1 small-medium cucumber
1 stalk celery
1/2 bunch spinach
1/4 inch slice of lemon
1/4 avocado

Sicilian Screamer

Sicilian Screamer (This is another personal favorite.  Add a couple dashes of your favorite hot sauce, cayenne pepper or a seeded red fresno chili for the heat to taste.)
3 large or five small-medium ripe tomatoes
2 or three carrots depending on size
1/2 red bell pepper
1 small to medium cucumber
1 stalk celery
4 sprigs parsley
1/4 inch slice of lemon
Hot sauce to taste

If you're interested stay tuned...more of my favorite juice recipes to follow...Sweet Potato-Cantaloupe-Orange-Carrot-Turmeric, and also a Fennel-Grapefruit-Apple-Spinach, basically, one of my favorite salads in a glass!  To your health!

Big Game Day Salsa

Nothing is better than homemade salsa...well...except homemade guacamole!  I just can't bring myself to purchase store bought salsa unless it is made fresh daily.  Making salsa is so easy and there is no recipe.  Some people like a chunky salsa such as pico de gallo, or a charred smokey salsa, but I have always preferred a simple blended salsa without a lot of chunks.

It all starts with the best tomatoes you can find because this is the base.  In the summer I use juicy heirloom tomatoes, but in winter the next best option is canned San Marzano Crushed Tomatoes.  From there you can build on flavor with finely minced white onion, garlic, jalapeno and cilantro.  And finish with freshly squeezed lime juice and sea salt.  

So simple, so yummy...and good for you too!  Enjoy the game and the food tomorrow...go Denver...Omaha!!!

 

Mexican Yuba Omelet

I love using yuba (tofu skins) because it is so versatile.  It's great for wrapping/stuffing, stir-fry's and soups.  You can purchase yuba at an Asian market, but I get mine freshly made at my local Sogo Tofu shop.  This yuba omelet tasted like the real deal because I also added shredded firm tofu, mixed with turmeric and black salt found at my local Indian market.  Black salt is an Indian spice that tastes like sulfur and imparts an "egg-like" flavor.  It is "rose" in color instead of black and a little goes a long way because it is very salty!   

For the enchilada sauce, you can purchase store bought or make your own using my recipe.  I cut the recipe in half for this dish, but if you want to make the full batch, you can store it in the fridge for a couple of weeks and use it for another meal.  For my avocado emulsion I used:  1/2 large avocado, 1 cup water, 2 tbsp vegan sour cream, a handful of cilantro leaves, the juice from a 1/2 lemon or lime, and salt and pepper to taste--then blended until creamy.

 

And now for the filling...the best part!  I used everything that I love in an omelet or burrito.  I pan roasted baby fingerling potatoes, and sauteed red bell pepper, onion and garlic.  I also sauteed one link of Artisan Tofurky Andouille Sausages (had this in my fridge and wanted to use it up), but sauteed cremini mushrooms would of been my first choice.  I then added fresh spinach, salt and pepper to the mix and cooked until just wilted.

To assemble, I unwrapped the tofu skin.  Depending on the size you may need to cut the tofu skin, but since they are rather thin I like to leave them big so that when I stuff, roll and wrap, I get double the coverage.  I placed a layer of shredded Daiya Havarti Style Wedge on the bottom, followed by shredded tofu mixed with turmeric and black salt, followed by the potato/veggie mixture, topped with more cheese and wrapped it up like a burrito.  I then added a little olive oil to a saute pan and browned on both sides before placing in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes just to make sure that it heated all the way through and golden brown.

Remove from the oven and top with enchilada sauce, avocado emulsion, cilantro and finely sliced green onion.  Perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner...I could eat these every day stuffed with a different combination of ingredients and sauces!  For my next one I'm going to stuff with a stir-fry mixture of fresh veggies, grilled teriyaki tofu and serve with Asian dipping sauces!  YUM!      

Roasted Wild Mushroom Pizza Blanco

I never got my oven fixed last week but when I turned it on the other night it worked perfectly.  I'm sure eventually I'll need to call in the repair guy, or get a new one, but until then it's nice not having to spend the $100 plus!  I'd rather spend the money on quality ingredients to make delicious food!

For this pizza I used a gluten free cornmeal crust.  I really didn't like the crust that much...it was chewy and didn't brown properly and I much prefer an extra-thin crispy crust for my pizza.  I do like using gluten free pizza crusts, but this was not one of them.  However, the toppings were amazing! Here's what I did:

  
I pan roasted both cremini and oyster mushrooms in olive oil, fresh thyme and salt and pepper until lightly golden brown.  While the mushrooms were roasting, I caramelized sliced red onions in olive oil and set aside.  I then sliced baby creamer potatoes about 1/8" thick and sauteed them in olive oil until golden brown.  

To assemble the pizza, I brushed the dough with extra virgin olive oil and then spooned about 1/3 cup of my homemade creamy pasta alfredo sauce on the bottom.  I topped the sauce with one cup of shredded Daiya Harvarti Style Cheese Wedge, followed by the roasted mushrooms and then the onions.  After baking the pizza I topped it with fresh arugula tossed in a little evoo, s&p, and finished with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes.

If you make the alfredo sauce the day before and purchase a pre-made pizza crust, then this is an easy Friday night dinner after a long week at work!  And it was delicious!  Now I've got to figure out what I'm making for tonight...stay tuned...will post this weekend! 

Happy Friday!