Spring Clean Fuel

Feeling the joy and freshness brought by the spring time sunshine here in New England this week has me inspired to fuel my body and soul. I can't even believe all that I accomplished today and I credit it to my fueling food and natural Vitamin D burst. I woke early and had a huge glass of lemon water and calmed my body and soul with some simple yoga stretching. After that, I brought my new RawkStarz mobile to my mechanic and walked the 2.5 miles back home. Once home I made 60 ounces of:

Fuel Up Green Juice:
4 Cucumber
1 Head Romain
1 Bunch Mint
1 Bunch Parsley

1 Bunch Celery
3 Apples
2 LemonsFlying high on green juice, I went outside and cleaned our hen house (yes, we have vegan hen pets and don't eat eggs). The coop hadn't had a thorough cleaning since last fall and the job was tough. Outside I enjoyed watching our hens strut and peck in the sun while I tidied up the yard.
Back inside I made a huge bowl of:
 Refresh Spring Salad:
2 Heads of Romain, chopped
1 Carrot,sliced into matchsticks
1 Apple, diced
1/4 cup Goji Berries, soaked at least one hour
2 Stalks Celery, chopped
2 Tablespoons Sunflower Seeds
Simple Citrus Dressing
Juice of 1 Orange
Juice of 1 Lime
1 Tablespoon Maple

I enjoyed my refreshing lunch out in the warm sun watching my girls playing in the yard. Invigorated by my big salad, I went in and opened all the windows and did some deep spring cleaning. I poured my love and energy into cleansing and creating a refreshed space for my family. Even after several hours of house cleaning my energy revved high.
 In the evening I went out and watched my daughter's horse ridding lesson, soaking up some more sun. Back at home the girls and I threw together a delicious and nourishing macro meal with our limited pantry (I really need to grocery shop).
Quick Broccoli Saute with Tahini Sauce
1 Tablespoon Sesame Oil
1 Clove Garlic, chopped
1/2 Small Onion, chopped
1" Ginger, peeled and chopped
1 Carrot, sliced into matchsticks
2 Heads Broccoli, cut off stalk
1/4 Cup Water
1 Tablespoon Umbeshi Plum Paste
1 Tablespoon Tahini

In a large fry pan heat the oil. Add the garlic, onion and ginger. Saute on medium for two minuets. Add the carrots and broccoli and saute for 6-8 minuets. Blend the water, plum paste and tahini. Pour this over the veggies in the fry pan and turn off the heat. Mix in the sauce and cover to steam finish.

We serverd the Broccoli with brown rice, kimchi and baked tofu.
This meal was so calming and warming after a high powered day.

Saint Patty's Corned Portebellos and Cabbage Dinner and Raw Mint Chip Ice Cream

This macroraw girl loves great healthy pure meals and when I can please my family with old fashioned comfort foods while still keeping up my pure standards I'm over the rainbow. This past weekend I had a blast in the kitchen creating a Saint Patrick's Day feast for my husband and wee little leprechauns. No need to wait for next year, give these recipes a try today.




Gluten Free Ryeless Rye Beer Bread
Here is an awesome and simple beer bread recipe that can be adjusted to make many different varieties. I keep this recipe on hand when I want an quick bread to accompany soups or stews.

3 Cups Gluten Free Flour Mix (such as Bob's Red Mill brand)
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoons Caraway Seeds
2 teaspoons Finely Grated Orange Peel
1 Tablespoon Cacao Powder
12 ounce bottle Organic Gluten Free Beer
1 Tablespoon Molasses
1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, caraway seeds, orange peel and cacao powder in a large bowl mixing well with a whisk. Form a well in the center and add the beer and molasses. Stir well with a wooden spoon. Grease a loaf pan with coconut oil and pour in batter.
Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for one hour.


Corned Portobellos and Cabbage
I'm not Irish, but my momma would make up a corned beef and cabbage dinner every March and it was a feast to behold. Here is my kinder rendition. You could easily use seitan or other vegan meat substitute for my "corned" portebellos. The macroraw way stays away from gluten and soy, so portebello mushrooms is my go to meat substitute.

Step 1: Raw Marinated Corned Portobellos

10 Baby Portobello Mushrooms washed and quartered into chunks
2/3 Cups Coconut or Liquid Aminios
1/4 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Pickling Spice
1 Tablespoon Fresh Thyme
1 Tablespoon Fresh Sage

Whisk the aminios, vinegar, spices and herbs in a shallow bowl. Add the mushrooms and set in a dehydrator at 115 degrees for two hours.
Portobello mushrooms absorb the marinated and wilt just as if cooked in the dehydrator. This way you keep part of the meal raw and the mushrooms living enzymes available to your body.
Alternatively the mushrooms can be marinated for a few hours and sauteed in a pan.

Step 2: The Cabbage and Veggies

4 carrots, sliced into about 1/4 inch rounds
1 white onion, roughly chopped
1/2 head cabbage, roughly chopped
4-5 baby red potatoes quartered (I used some tiny purple and fingerlings from my farm CSA)
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon sage
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons organic mustard
2 teaspoons horseradish
2 teaspoons apple cider wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Heat a large stock pot over medium heat. Add the olive oil and onions. Saute until the onions are soft. Add the herbs, salt, mustard and horseradish and saute a few minutes. Add the vinegar, carrots, potatoes and cabbage. Add enough water to just cover veggies and let simmer until everything is soft about 30 minutes. Add fresh pepper and salt to taste.

Serve the cabbage and veggies in a large platter with corned portebellos on top family style with beer bread and vegan butter.




Mint Chip Raw Ice Cream
We'd never forget dessert on a special holiday. I had bought a beautiful full mint plant at our farmers market the day before and was inspired to make mint chip raw ice cream.

Meat of one young coconut, about 1 cup
1 cup cashews, soaked at least 2 hours, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup coconut nectar or maple syrup (maple not raw, but good)
pinch sea salt
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
6 Tablespoons fresh young coconut water (or water)
1 dropper ChlorOxygen (optional for green color)
2 Tablespoon Cacao Nibs

Blend all except the nibs in a high speed blender. Pour into the bowl of an ice cream maker and follow the manufactures instructions. After a few minutes of churning add in the nibs.

May the treasure at the end of the rainbow be yours to find!

 

 

 

 

 

S'more Lovin'

Last year for my birthday I spent the day creating The Divine Decedent Raw Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake. It was fun and amazing and eventually became my most requested recipe. For the past few months I've had another exciting raw cheezecake creation on my mind.
Last week for my birthday I made the magic happen and created The S'more Lovin' Raw Cheezecake. It is decedent and delicious and I was thrilled with the graham cracker that I made along with it. I have many thrilling ideas for other creations with them for later. For today, I present to you (drum roll):

S'more Lovin' Raw Cheezecake

Step 1: Graham Cracker Crust and Topping Crackers
-1 3/4 Cup Coconut Flour (Coconut Secret Brand or process your own by grinding raw dried flakes)
-1 3/4 Cup Oat Groats that have been soaked, sprouted, dried and milled into flour
-1/4 Cup Water
-1 Tablespoon Coconut Nectar (may substitute raw honey or maple)
-1 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
-1 teaspoon Cinnamon
-Pinch Sea Salt

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. You should have a soft dough.
Cover the bottom of you springform pan with the dough pushing up the sides a bit. Save about 2/3 of the dough for topping crackers. Spread the remaining dough out the teleflex sheet of your dehydrator into a rectangle. Put both the pan and the dehydrator tray into the dehydrator set at 115 degrees. The crust should dehydrate for at least 6 hours. Less for a softer crust longer if you'd like it to be crisp. After 4 hours remove the crackers and score them into squares and prick with a fork to make marks like the original grahams. Flip your crackers after 4 more hours and dehydrate 4 or more hours until crisp.

Step 2: Chocolate Cheezecake Layer
-2 Cups Cashews (soaked at least 3 hours and rinsed)
-1/3 Cup Raw Cacao
-1/2 Cup Coconut Nectar
-1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt
-1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
-1/2 Cup Water
-3/4 Cup Coconut Oil (melted)

Blend the first six ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth. Slowly add in the coconut oil while blending. Pour onto the graham cracker crust and freeze until set at least one hour.

Step 3: Marshmallow Layer
-Meat of 2 Young Coconuts (about 1 1/4 cups)
-1 Cup Cashews (soaked at least 3 hours and rinsed)
-2 Tablespoons Coconut Nectar
-1/8 teaspoon Sea Salt
-1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
-1/2 teaspoon Maca Powder
-1/2 teaspoon Mesquite Powder
-1 teaspoon Lucuma Powder
(Maca, mesquite, and lucuma powder are superfoods, here they help to give the creamy, caramel flavor of a toasted marshmallow. However, any or all of them may be omitted if you do not have them on hand)
-1/2 Cup Fresh Young Coconut Water
-1/2 Cup Coconut Oil (melted)

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until very smooth. Pour the marshmallow on top of the set chocolate layer. Place in the freezer to set overnight or at least 5 hours.

Step 4: Fudge Sauce Topping
-7 Dates (soaked and pitted)
-1/4 Cup Cacao Butter (melted)
-1/2 Cup Cacao
-2 Tablespoons Coconut Oil
-1/4 Cup Water

Blend all ingredients well in a high speed blender. Pour into a squeeze bottle or decorator bag. Drizzle around the top and edges of your set cake.

Use the finished topping graham crackers to decorate the top of your cake.
Start the Bon Fire and Enjoy!

Feed Your Face

With the endless list of chemicals to avoid in beauty products I choose to create my own blends of cleansers, moisturizers, and masks. I hardly ever put anything on my skin that I would not put into my body. The fact is, our skin is our largest organ and everything that touches our pours is absorbed into the body.
I like Dr. Bronners baby formula castile soap for washing my face and body. I add organic pure essential oils depending on the season or skin condition. My skin is acne prone and combination, so I usually add a few drops of tea tree oil for it's anti-bacterial properties to my facial cleansing blend. I use Dr. Bronners with peppermint, clove, neem, and cinnamon oils for tooth brushing. I like adding peppermint oil to my body wash for an invigorating morning blend and lavender for a calming evening bath.
Today I came across a NY kombucha brewing company that sells kombucha clay masks. I though that was a great idea. I love my home kombucha brew, but never considered putting it on my skin. A quick google search led me to find that there are even two well know skin care companies using the fermented tea in their products. They claim that the kombucha not only detoxifies, but also hydrates the skin as it improves skin elasticity, improves skin tone, texture and clarity as it brightens the skin. Finally, kombucha as an active ingredient also combats the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines.
I came up with a clay mask of my own using my favorite Redmond Clay , my home brewed rooibos tea, and wheatgrass powder. The clay pulls toxins from the skin and can even be ingested and used to pull toxins from the intestines. The wheatgrass fights bacteria and calms and reduces inflammation along with providing many nutrients.

Detoxifying Kombucha Wheatgrass Clay Mask
-Makes one application
-1 Tbl Clay Powder
-1 tsp. Wheatgrass Powder
-2 Tbl Kombucha
Mix well to form a paste. Cover the facial skin coating evenly and allow to dry for at least fifteen minutes. Great time for a short meditation! Rinse well with cool water to remove.

I also like to use some fresh aloe to cool and rehydrate after a clay mask application.

Remember don't put anything on your beautiful skin that you wouldn't eat!

Magnificent Mochi

Mochi is one of my favorite macro comfort foods. It is a sticky rice that has been pounded or processed into a glutinous cake. Mochi is traditionally made into treat and eaten for celebrations around the Japanese New Year. However, the rice is very versatile and can be made into all types of sweet and savory dishes.
Mochi is fun and simple to make at home, here you can find a simple recipe that I have used in the past: Homemade Mochi. Be sure to use a short grain organic brown rice in place of the white in the recipe. High in fiber and a slow release carbohydrate, brown rice is also loaded with selenium and manganese. Brown rice is a macrobiotic staple that is prized for balancing yin and yang.
Today I used a store bought version to create an apple cinnamon mochi danish. Mochi can be found in the cooler sections at Whole Foods or your local health food store. Baked in the oven it reminds me of a soft fresh baked bite of bagel.

Simple Apple Cinnamon Mochi Danish Bites
-Mochi cut into 1"-2" squares
-1 tsp. cinnamon
-raisins
-1 apple chopped
-brown rice syrup/ maple/ or coconut nectar (optional)

 

Pre-heat oven to 400. Place your mochi squares at least two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake the mochi for 10-12 minutes until it puffs up and just begins to brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool just a bit. Use a small knife to pierce a hole into each piece of baked mochi. Stuff the mochi pieces with one or two pieces of apple and raisins. Sprinkle with cinnamon and drizzle with syrup. Place the tray of prepared mochi danish bites back into the oven for a few minutes just to warm. Enjoy!