Melt in your mouth tender is this quick-fix flavorful asparagus recipe.
2 bunches asparagus 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil juice of 1 lemon 1 clove garlic minced 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/4 tsp black pepper
Preaheat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse asparagus under running cold water. Break off woody stems of each asparagus spear. It will snap at a natural break point. Place spears in a large bowl. Toss with olive oil, juice from 1/2 lemon, garlic, sea salt and pepper until spears are well coated. Move spears to a large cookie sheet lined with foil and coated with cooking spray. Spread out with a minimal amount of overlapping. Bake for 20 minutes or until asparagus is fork tender. Remove from oven. Squeeze juice from remaining 1/2 of lemon over cooked spears. Season with additional sea salt and pepper to taste.
This vegan sweet potato recipe is easy to make and perfect for serving a large crowd. The banana gives it a rich creaminess and flavor. I am really happy with the way the topping turned out. You will find that it resembles in look, taste and texture a decadent and crunchy brown sugar topping.
4-5 lge sweet potatoes, scrubbed 1 ripe banana 2 tbsp. earth balance, melted 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk 1/4 cup agave nectar or honey 1 1/2 tsp egg replacer dissolved in 2 tbsp. warm water (if you use eggs in your diet, replace with 1 egg, lightly beaten) 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt
Topping 1/2 cup spelt flour 1 tsp stevia ( nu stevia brand) 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1/2 cup granola 2 tbsp earth balance (cold)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prick the sweet potatoes a few times with a fork or knife. Place them on a cookie sheet lined with foil. Bake for 1hr or until the potatoes are very soft. Remove from the oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh into a large mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Add banana and continue to mash until potatoes and banana are well combined. Add melted Earth Balance, egg replacer, almond milk, agave nectar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Mix well. Pour into a square baking dish coated with cooking spray. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, pecans, granola and stevia. Add agave nectar and Earth Balance. Mash together with fingers or a pastry cutter. Drop quarter size pieces of mixture over the top of the sweet potato mixture. Bake uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven. While the topping is still soft, delicately spread the topping with fork tines to make sure it evenly covers the top of the sweet potato mixture. Put broiler oven on. Put dish under broiler for 2 minutes or until topping is golden brown.
This is a very easy and refreshing way to serve cauliflower. You will want to make it every single day.
1 large head organic cauliflower 4 tbsp olive oil 1/4 tsp sea salt 1/4 tsp black pepper juice of 1 orange juice of 1/2 lemon 1 tbsp agave nectar or honey 1 clove garlic minced 2 shakes crushed red pepper flakes 2 tbsp toasted bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 400. Cut cauliflower into florets and place in a large bowl. Drizzle with 2 tbsp. olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Mix to coat. Turn onto a foil lined baking sheet. Bake until cauliflower is tender and slightly golden, 25-30 minutes. While cauliflower is baking, mix together 2 tbsp. olive oil, juiced orange, juiced lemon, agave nectar, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Once the cauliflower is done, put it in the bowl with the citrus mixture. Mix to coat. Put into a serving dish, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and salt and pepper to taste.
Praise Jamie Oliver and his Food Revolution. It's time for everyone to wake up and make drastic changes. No more playing ignorant for the sake of convenience! We are living in a world where disease and illness are killing us faster and younger than ever before. We are dying and our children are dying because we are nutritionally deprived. Yes, we eat the most, yet we are malnourished. Heart disease, diabetes and cancer are taking over because we eat too many things labeled as 'food' that are truly not safe for human consumption. Canned, processed, chemical-filled foods are KILLING US. Take a look at the labels. When the list of ingredients is long and the only words you recognize besides the main igredient are sugar and salt - it's not a safe option! Something is wrong when 8 year old children are being diagnosed with adult type-2 diabetes and 12 year old's have enlarged hearts and as much fat stored in their liver as an extremely unhealthy sixty year old. Wow, this generation of children is the first that is expected to die earlier than their parents.
It's time to create awareness and make a change. The funny thing is, making fresh, wholesome meals does not have to be time consuming. Replacing dangerous foods with healthy options is easy. It is just a matter of trying. Add fresh green salads,tomato salad or lots of raw veggies to your meal. Make your own dressing to avoid all the sugar,salt and preservatives. Fresh or frozen veggies make easy stir-fry meals. Home made soups and stews are easy to make in your crock-pot. Every opportunity you have to replace processed food with fresh food will benefit your body.
Jamie is asking everyone to sign his Food Revolution petition. He will bring the petition to the White House as a way to implement change in the food service programs in schools. We can make the change at home, but we need the change to happen in schools too. Please go to Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution website and sign the petition for change.
Try this quick and delicious strawberry pie. It is vegan and sweetened with stevia and agave nectar.
Crust: 1 frozen vegan pie crust
Filling: 2 quarts fresh strawberries 1/2 cup of water 1 tbsp stevia 1 tsp agave nectar 3 tbsp cornstarch plus 3 tbsp cold water
Bake pie crust as directed on package for one crust baked shell. Cool completely on cooling rack. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mash enough strawberries to make 1 1/2cups. Put mashed strawberries and 1/2 cup of water in saucepan over medium heat. Add stevia and agave nectar and mix thoroughly. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and cold water. Add cornstarch mixture to saucepan, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Mixture will look pink. Cool mixture completely. (I put it in the refrigerator while I prepare the remaining strawberries).
Thinly slice the remaining strawberries and place in a large bowl. Add the thickened strawberry mixture (reserving 3-4 tbsp) to the sliced strawberries. Mix well and pour into your cooled pie crust. Spread the remaining few tablespoons of thickened strawberry sauce over the top of the pie.
This is the best Mac and Cheese. It is dairy free, soy free and fabulous. I use daiya vegan cheese. You can purchase it online at Pangea.
12-16oz cooked whole wheat or spelt elbow macaroni
1qt (4cups) rice milk or almond milk
4tbsp earth balance (soy free)
1/3 cup spelt flour
3 cups daiya shredded cheddar
1 cup daiya shredded italian blend
1/2tsp pepper
1tsp sea salt
Cook the macaroni 6-8minutes. Drain well (leave in colander). Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. Melt the earth balance in the same pot you cooked the macaroni in. Add the spelt flour and cook over low heat for 2 minutes stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Add the hot milk and cook for 2 more minutes - sauce will be thickened and smooth. Take pan off the heat. Add the cheddar and italian blend cheese, salt and pepper. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well.
Pour into a baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes at 375.
1 large butternut squash (approx 4lbs), peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 large apple, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 tsp curry powder 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/4 tsp white pepper 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/8 tsp nutmeg 3 1/2 cups vegetable stock 1 cup canned coconut milk 1/2 cup light agave nectar
Spray a 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place squash, apple, onion, curry powder, salt, white pepper, black pepper and nutmeg in cooker. Add broth. Cover and cook on low setting for 8hrs or 2hrs on low plus 3hrs on high. Transfer soup to a large pot or bowl. Pour 2-3 cups of the soup mixture into a blender. Add the coconut milk and agave nectar. Cover and blend until smooth and then return the pureed soup to the slow cooker. Blend the remaining soup in batches of 2-3 cups, until smooth and return to the slow cooker. Cook on high for an additional 15 minutes. Garnish with chopped apples.
Although a simple soup, it is extremely tasty and filling as a meal.
2 tbsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic minced 6 cups vegetable stock or broth 1 bunch fresh swiss chard 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp black pepper
In a medium size pot or dutch oven, brown garlic in oil until golden in color. Add vegetable stock or broth. Bring to a boil. Take washed swiss chard and rough chop into 2-3 inch pieces, keeping the stems separate. Once broth is boiling, add swiss chard stems. Turn heat down to medium. Allow stems to cook for 2-3 minutes and then add the remaining swiss chard leaves. Cook for 5 minutes or until swiss chard is tender. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve. *top with crumbled feta or grated ricotta salada - optional
This one is so delicious. You will not believe that it has no tuna in it.
1 can of chick peas (drained) 1/2 cup of Veganaise mayo 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 1 celery stalk, chopped 1/4 cup red onion, chopped 1 tbsp dried parsley 1 tbsp dijon mustard juice from 1/2-1 lemon sea salt and black pepper to taste
Place the chick peas in a food processor. Pulse a few times until the texture is coarse but not paste. It should resemble and have the consistency of flaked tuna. In a large bowl, mix the chick peas and all ingredients. Serve with fresh pita or over spinach salad.
I served my tuna over a spinach salad. Here is my recipe for a sweet and refreshing spinach salad with lemon agave dressing.
Raw Spinach Salad with Lemon Agave Dressing
1 1/2 - 2 cups fresh spinach leaves 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp light agave nectar juice from 1/2 lemon 1 tbsp pine nuts
Mix olive oil, agave nectar and lemon juice. Pour over spinach. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Top with Raw Vegan Tuna Salad.
I think everyone loves watermelon. But to be honest, I never ate a lot of it. It was like a forbidden fruit to me. It was so sweet and delicious that I assumed it was about as good for me as a piece of cheesecake. Wow, was I wrong.
First of all, now that I understand the importance of eating foods that are alkaline over acidic, I am over the top excited that watermelon is ALKALIZING! Alkalizing foods balance your body's pH level. A balanced pH level is necessary for optimum health.
Did you know that sweet, juicy watermelon is packed with some of the most important antioxidants in nature? Watermelon is an excellent source of Vitamin C and Vitamin A (notably through its concentration of beta-carotene.) High intakes of Vitamin C and beta-carotene have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and colon cancer, as well as alleviate some symptoms of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
Watermelon is rich in the B vitamins necessary for energy production, and a good source of potassium and magnesium which protect our bodies from so many diseases.
Watermelon is also a safe alternative to taking energy drinks. Watermelon has a high water content and lower calorie content than many other fruits. A whole cup contains only 48 calories, so it will hydrate you whereas caffeine-filled energy drinks will dehydrate you.
Watermelon also has a special cooling effect on the body and is exceptionally high in citrulline, an amino acid that our bodies use to make another amino acid, arginine, which is used in the urea cycle to remove ammonia from the body.
I am two months in to my new way of eating. I love it. I am satisfied, energized, all aches and pains are gone, and my excess weight is coming off faster than I could have ever imagined. So far, 35lbs in 60days. So, I talk about it with everyone and had a conversation with my bff/business partner on Saturday. He is always tired, and can't seem to get thru his day without an afternoon nap. When he takes vacations, or long weekends away from it all, he never seems to come back home refreshed. His work requires mental clarity, sharpness and long hours but... he is seriously always TIRED. He has been watching my progress every step of the way and has been so encouraging. He is not overweight and I have always considered his diet healthy (brown rice over white rice, sweet potato instead of white potato, wheat pasta instead of white pasta etc) He also works our regularly and his body reflects that. He knows that I put wheatgrass in my smoothies every day and I mentioned that green smoothies with wheatgrass would give him energy.
Well, he emailed me his diet and to put it bluntly - we were both shocked when we really looked at it on paper. Except for a daily banana and an occasional avocado or bit of tomato, everything he ate was dead. He was getting no nutrition. Just like me, all those years I was stuck on the high protein/low carb diet. I would never think of eating a piece of fruit!
Here is what he was eating:
Breakfast: wheat toast, scrambled eggs frm 1 whole egg and 1 egg white, sometimes avocado on top Lunch: grilled chicken, veggies & sweet potato 4pm: turkey wrap w/ corn tortilla, tomatoes, banana & mountain dew (to get off the couch & go to the gym! ) Dinner: salmon, brown rice & brocolli. Theeeeeennnnn the floodgates open & I wanna eat ALL the chocolate in the world but I don't! I'll have some small desert.
After looking it over, he decided that he would immediately begin to incorporate raw foods into his diet. He is eating lots of raw fruits and veggies, salads and smoothies and guess what? Just a few days in and here is his testimonial to how he is feeling:
"I am truly blown away at how full I feel and how satisfied I am, eating what I'm eating....what I'm finding the MOST satisfying is the total guilt free eating...I just love the whole thing. I feel like everything I have ever craved and felt so so guilty eating I'm just not craving anymore. I even made a whole wheat pasta the other night w/ tuna and loaded it up with brocolli and carrots and I was so satisfied later. I actually see a difference in my energy levels. I still get tired but it's a different tired. It's just normal tired. It's not like "oh my god I can't go up the steps" tired."
This is a very informative video on beginning a raw food diet and transitioning to one. The steps are simple and including starting your day with a glass of lemon water. One of the most amazing benefits of eating raw, or even incorporating more raw foods in your diet, is that you will feel satisfied, cravings will disappear because your body is truly being nourished by the live foods you are eating, and you will have lots of energy. An added bonus for those who are overweight or struggle with weight loss, is that the pounds will fall off. When your body is being fed, real living food - not canned foods or chemicals, your body can easily digest and metabolize what you are giving it.
squeeze your way to health and wellness with lemons
Drinking lemon water is the easiest thing you can do for the health of your body and one of the most important things too. Lemons are readily available year round and if you are committed to a healthy lifestyle, you are already drinking water, so quarter up a lemon and squeeze into each glass of water you drink.
Drinking a glass of water with lemon first thing in the morning, gets your body ready to better digest the food it is going to receive that day.
Lemons are alkaline and help to balance your body's pH level and promote weight loss. They are an excellent source of Vitamins C & B, plus they contain calcium, magnesium and potassium.
Lemons are a diuretic and they help to flush out toxins and infections. They are an excellent liver tonic and blood purifier. Start squeezing!!
One of the most amazing things that happens when you make a commitment to eating 'green'. You begin to see food in a whole new light. I used to see the foods I ate as foods I had to eat or could crave and not eat, or would cave in and eat after I told myself that I deserved to eat it just like everyone else at the table. The entire time, seeing food as my enemy and always feeling 'deprived'. Food was something that I would suffer through and eat because it was part of my diet plan or I would temporarily enjoy a major 'cheat' feeling sick with guilt with every bite, knowing that it would ultimately harm me. How wacked out was that? And I would get caught up in eating low carb/high protein foods (mostly chicken, turkey and salmon. occassionally beef). Fruit was taboo - too much sugar. Veggies - cooked, cooked, cooked. Dairy, dairy everday - does a body good, right? Don't forget the coffee and lot's of crystal light sugar-free drinks and sugar-free pop. Now that can't hurt, it doesn't have any harmful calories! And despite my best efforts - I would be hungry and crave sweets (oh - and of course, that wasn't my body being malnourished because everything I ingested was a chemical, dead animal or dead plant. That, my doctor said, was supposedly my inner child being starved for some affection or trapped by some type of childhood abuse which led to a lack of willpower ( NOT!! on all counts) But the truth is - I felt sick and sluggish. My body hurt and to add insult to injury...not only was I not losing weight, I was actually gaining 20lbs or more per year - on a DIET.
So, now for the shift. The second I made the switch in my mind (something A Course In Miracles calls The Holy Instant) I began to see food as a source of nutrients and nourishment from God. I thought about how my body would benefit and heal from the food I was about to eat. Would it give me energy and clarity to get thru my day? Would it digest and metabolize and feed my organs and blood? Would it eliminate toxins and provide me with vitamins? That, right there, is the key to it all. Thinking about what you are eating and the best way to eat it to reap the health benefits is the single most important change you can make. Once you do, you will eat the right foods, which leads to you feeling full and satisfied, which leads to a healthy, energized body.
1 8.5oz jar sun dried tomato halves with extra virgin olive oil* 2 large tomatoes 1 red pepper 1 clove garlic 4 leaves fresh basil 1 tsp oregano 1/2 tsp sea salt 1/2 tsp black pepper
Mix all ingredients together in a food processor. Add additional sea salt and pepper if needed. * I use Bella Sun Luci Sun Dried Tomato Halves with extra virgin olive oil and italian herbs. If you use seasoned sun dried tomatoes, taste the mixed sauce before adding garlic. Make sure the jar you buy does not have any sugar in it.
My good friend Johanna, sent over her recipe for ratatouille. Yes it's cooked, but it is Vegan-delish!
2 T OLIVE OIL
2 MED ONION, CUT IN WEDGES
2 MED ZUCCHINIS, CUT IN THICK STRIPS
1 SM RED PEPPER ALL PEPPER CUT IN SQUARES
1 SM YELLOW PEPPER
1 SM ORANGE PEPPER
2 CLOVES GARLIC, CRUSHED
1 MED EGGPLANT - HALVED, CUT IN CHUNKS
14 OZ ORGANIC CRUSHED TOMATOES
DRIED BASIL/ OREGANO OR FRESH HERBS TO TASTE
FRESH GROUND PEPPER
FRESHLY CHOPPED BASIL AS GARNISH
SAUTE ONION OVER MEDIUM HEAT, ADD ZUCCHINI, PEPPERS, GARLIC. STIR 3 - 4 MINS. ADD EGGPLANT, TOMATOES, SPICES. BRING TO BOIL THE SIMMER TIL SOFT AND TENDER. SERVE OVER PASTA, WHOLE GRAIN CRUSTY BREAD.
This is a delicious, hearty meal that you will want to eat every single day.
creamy avocado sauce 1 medium avocado, peeled and pitted Juice of 1 small lemon 3 tbsp olive oil 3 tbsp water 8 fresh basil leaves freshly ground black pepper to taste freshly ground sea salt to taste
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until mixture is the consistency of sour cream. Add more sea salt and pepper to taste. Set aside while you make your zucchini pasta. *You will only need 1/2 of the avocado sauce to make the zucchini pasta recipe below.
zucchini pasta 1/2-1 cup of cooked wheat pasta (I use Barilla Plus) 1 medium zucchini shredded on grater to resemble strings of spaghetti (discard center with seeds) 1/2 of the creamy avocado sauce 1 small tomato chopped 1 tbsp pine nuts 1-2 tbsp raw goat cheese shredded freshly ground black pepper to taste freshly ground sea salt to taste
In a large bowl, combine hot pasta with raw zucchini. This way the pasta will wilt your zucchini. Add 2-3 tbsp of the creamy avocado sauce and combine all together. Transfer to a smaller serving dish. Spoon the remaining creamy avocado sauce on top of the pasta. Add chopped tomato, pine nuts and goat cheese. Season with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt. Makes 1 serving.
Peanuts are acidic and Almonds are alkaline. A simple change you can make in your diet is to replace your acidic peanut butter with alkalizing almond butter. The more alkalizing foods you eat, the better you will feel. Eating too many acidic foods leads to low energy, headaches, joint pain, gastritis, hives, acid indigestion, muscle pain and more. Every acidic food that you can replace with an alkaline food will be very beneficial for your body. It will help you to feel better and lose excess weight.
Try to buy raw almonds and raw almond butter. Make sure your almond butter contains only almonds - no sugar!
The benefits of Almonds: . alkalizing . heart-healthy . high-protein . high-fiber . great source of vitamins B2 and E, magnesium and potassium
Although this smoothie is not green in color, it is packed with flavor and antioxidants. This is fantastic for a late afternoon pick-me-up.
Here is what you need: 9 - 12 large fresh strawberries 1 celery rib 1/2 large apple 1 banana 1/4 - 1/2 lemon 1 acai smoothie pack-thawed* (I use samazon brand - unsweetened) 1/2 - 1 packet of NuStevia or 1tbsp. light agave nectar (for sweetness)
If using a blender, blend all ingredients and enjoy. If using a juicer, blend all ingredients except for acai smoothie pack and sweetener. Pour juice in to large glass and stir in acai smoothie pack and sweetener.
balance your pH level for ultimate health and optimum weight loss
Here is the bottom line: alkaline foods make your body healthy - acidic foods promote disease.
Little did I know that every bite of food we eat, is either acidic or alkaline and directly affects the health of our body by balancing our pH level or sending it way out of balance, which leads to aches, pains, tiredness, digestive trouble and disease.
What is pH? pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution on a scale of 1 - 14, with 1 being most acidic and 14 being most alkaline. A solution whose pH is 7, is said to be neutral, that is, neither acidic nor alkaline.
How does that affect my body? Just as pH levels in your soil determine the health of your plants and vegetables, your pH level determines the health of your body. Your pH needs to be alkaline in order for your body to be energized and purified. An alkaline body will have a robust immune system and will not invite disease.
The pH balance of your blood must be between 7.35 and 7.45 in order to have an adequate amount of oxygen. As a result, your blood will take what it needs from the other organs in your body in order to balance itself out. This causes the other organs in your body to fluctuate in their pH range. When that happens, your body is out of balance. You are becoming more acidic. You are becoming sick.
Which foods are alkalizing and will help me to regain my health and lose weight? Which foods are acidic, unhealthy and making me fat? Glad you asked! RAW Green leafy vegetables are your best source of alkaline foods (spinach,kale etc), with wheatgrass way at the top of the list. Almonds, avocados, lemons, limes and coconuts are great too. Acid Foods include sugar, coffee, tea, dairy (especially from cows), all animal foods, peanuts and every kind of junk food/processed food you can imagine and have most likely eaten! I found a great list of acid/alkaline foods on the website http://www.thebestofrawfood.com/ . Here is the link to the list. You should download it, print it and keep it on your fridge. Acid/Alkaline Food List.
Everything I have read, seems to repeat the same thing, that 75% of our diet should be alkaline foods and most people are eating 80% acidic foods and only 20% alkaline.
If you have never been able to lose weight and didn't know why. You, like me, will now be able to change all that.
If you have been tired, lacked concentration, had aches, pains, digestive trouble, and a weak immune system...You, like me, are on your way to better health.
If you would like more information on acidic vs alkaline foods, I highly recommend the following book:
eating green for weight loss brings many more healthy benefits
I recently made the decision to start eating " green". After trying every diet on the planet since the age of 8, I have failed miserably at weight loss. Not for lack of trying or commitment. I would rarely lose, maintain if I was lucky, and most of the time, I would gain. Bad advise from my doctors only made things worse. First I was told, take these pills. I was also told I had no will power! Next, the doctorly advise was, don't eat carbs, and that means absolutely no fruit, and go ever so sparingly on the vegetables. Then I was told eat proteins and healthy carbs. Then I was told drink water and eat no fat. The list goes on and so I tried. Nothing worked!!!
A few months ago, I kept getting this message in my head. "Raw Food." I ignored it and heard it again. After a few weeks, I could not ignore the message, which I am convinced was a divine intervention.
Five weeks ago, I made the decision to begin a predominantly vegan diet infused with lots of raw food. (I say predominantly vegan because I do use goat cheese but omit all other dairy. In the few short weeks, since I have began, I have lost an amazing 25lbs. Yes, me, the girl who doctors said had no willpower and no metabolism. I have never felt more satistfied and am eating so much more than I ever did before. Because I am now eating natural, fresh, alkaline foods, my body knows how to process them and the fat is literally melting away.
The most surprising thing of all, is that the weight loss was my real reason for eating "green", but now, it is almost secondary to the wonderful things happening to my body. No more aches and pains. My energy level is high. I sleep thru the night and actually wake up rested. Even my skin is smooth and vibrant.
Weight loss might have been the catalyst to get me eating green, but I am finding that my entire body is benefiting because for the first time ever, it is being properly nourished.
Posted By: jeanette On: 2009-09-08 09:49:23
Posted By: jeanette On: 2009-08-17 09:31:52
Posted By: jeanette On: 2009-08-15 09:10:48
