Archive for the ‘Recipe Ideas’ Category

5 Weightloss Tips to Try for 2 weeks with Guaranteed Results…

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

that won’t make you feel like you’ve given up the right to be happy. Because… above all else… you deserve to be Happy and Healthy (at the same time!).

1. CUT OUT SODA AND PASTEURIZED JUICE
Replace with water, Pellegrino, or unsweetened tea. I would recommend not even using Agave. Purchase the tea called “Throat Coat” by Traditional Medicinals. This tea is naturally sweet and adds a nice flavor and sweetness if you brew with other teas (more than one tea bag will make enough tea for a couple of sittings. And try Sun Brewing Your Tea). One beverage that I love is a bag of Throat Coat tea steeped for 10 minutes in a glass of ice cold Pellegrino. The bubbles help release the flavor of the tea, and it’s very much like a cream soda! YUM!

Another sweetener I recommend is Stevia (keep a little container in your purse and you can enjoy sweet beverages when you’re out and about without breaking the rule :-) ). A couple of tea spoons of Organic Coconut Sugar from Essential Living Foods, Raw Honey or Organic Grade B maple are okay after the two weeks. During this two weeks you really want to train yourself to appreciate beverages without sugar.

2. REPLACE RICE WITH SALAD GREENS
Salad is filling like rice, but it helps you get a little extra hydration and fiber – both keys to detoxification and cleansing. This is a very easy transition to make. At home, whether you’re making a grilled free-range bird or a stew, it will be just as satisfying over a plate of greens. Use pre-washed, organic salad greens or serve it over Raw Greens (use Kale, Collard, or Swiss Chard).

How to Prepare Raw Greens…
Wash a bunch of greens (shrinks to about half the size) and dry them with a clean towel. Tear the greens into bite-sized pieces and put them in a large bowl. Give the greens a few good scrunches with your clean hands. Throw a pinch or two of Celtic Sea Salt (less is more – the flavor of the greens is released with this method and they become very flavorful. The salt is mostly useful for drawing out the water and making them tender). Continue to massage until tender. (Optional) Add a couple of teaspoons, or to taste, of Organic Cold-Pressed Olive Oil or any oil you like (try Og. Raw Coconut Oil, Walnut Oil, or a dash of Sesame oil for an Asian flavor) and continue to massage gently until combine. The greens actually look like they’ve been lightly cooked, and they TASTE AMAZING. Add a teaspoon or two of minced garlic and/or dried/fresh herbs to REALLY TAKE THE FLAVOR UP A NOTCH.

3. REPLACE BREAD OR BUNS WITH LETTUCE, CABBAGE, OR COLLARD LEAF
Bread and concentrated protein like Meat or Dairy is the worst combination for your complexion and your figure. The combination is indigestible and mucks up your colon with toxins that make you old and sick, especially when eaten everyday, which is common in the West.

Try wrapping any of your favorite sandwiches or burgers in fresh romaine lettuce (or even iceburg if that is the only option – don’t be embarrassed. Ask the people at McDonald’s to do it. You’re worth it!), red cabbage, or a collard leaf (remove the thickest part of the stem – about halfway up the leaf). I sometimes even bring my own lettuce or greens if I have good organics at home. Bring it in a container in your bag and discreetly pull it out and put it on the bread plate while you’re waiting for your meal.

4. REPLACE KETCHUP WITH MUSTARD (not Honey Mustard. Plain Mustard)
Ketchup is full of empty calories. It spikes your blood sugar and sparks your cravings. This one little change, which will be one you’ll make regularly if you eat out, is a great exercise. Helps you practice preference in a way that really works for you, and this gives you power for the other choices in your life.

If you don’t like mustard, try oil & vinegar or fresh lemon. You’ll be surprised at how pleasing the natural flavor of food is when you just enhance it a bit with a little tartness. On the rare occasion that I eat French Fries, I love them with a spritz of fresh lemon juice and some black pepper. Try it today, and learn to love, not just the taste of foods, but the way you feel when you eat them…

5. SKIP THE SIDE DISHES AND DESSERT
If there’s a side dish on the menu that catches your eye, like the Truffle Mac & Cheese or the Scallop Potatoes, make that the center of your meal and order a salad without dressing to go with it. Your flavorful side dish will give your salad bulk and flavor.

After dinner, resist the urge to order dessert (at this point it is usually not more than an urge, or something we’re “used to”). While everyone else is halting their digestion with cheesecake, sip an herbal tea or black coffee and savor the temporary pleasure that everyone relishes around you. If you must enjoy a particular dessert, make it your meal and have it alone. Desserts are generally tough on digestion and sugar is tough on the liver, and as much as we enjoy them, we need to consider kindness when it comes to our most prized possession – OUR BODY

Bonus: Learn to drink coffee and tea black or don’t drink them at all, and refer to Rule #1.

Additional Bonus: Follow a Kosher Diet for the two weeks, or try Vegan.

After the two weeks, keep up these rules as often as possible. You will see your body and life become more beautiful everyday. I promise!

ENJOY!

P.S. If you think any of these rules are impossible, just ask yourself…


Do u like what u c when you look down? on Twitpic
…do I like what I see when I look down …?

Want to take it a few steps farther after you get through the two weeks, check out my blog for a Post-Holiday Cleanse

Or contact me directly. I am always happy to guide, mentor, encourage, and inspire.

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After-Clubbing Confetti Elixir

Thursday, March 11th, 2010

I often feel depleted when I get back from the club and sometimes I’d indulge in dark foods for convenience and pacification. I don’t have to do this anymore, because I know how to nourish and medicate myself in a more balanced and positive way. We can indulge and detoxify and even medicate ourselves with the right foods, any time of day or night. At least, this is what I believe and feel.

Tonight I got home after a great night of dancing at MJQ in Atlanta and made this amazing and simple elixir.


After Clubbing Confetti Elixir!
After Club Elixir

You do need a high power blender like the Vitamix for this elixir. Do yourself a favor and get one. Go to my Basics and Essentials page go through my affiliate code and get yourself free shipping.

Recipe: (serves 2)

1 Lemon, rind removed and pith intact
1 Sweet Orange, much of pith removed
1 1/2 Tbsp Bee Pollen
” ” Cacao Nibs
” ” Maple Syrup (Grade B)
” ” Coconut Oil
” ” E3Live Renew Powder
Pinch of Celtic Sea Salt
2 pinches of MSM Powder
Dash of Cayenne
Enough Pure Water to Cover

Blend and slow increase speed to highest. Take the speed high and low until the Elixir is totally homogenized and smooth. This is so good and so nourishing. You are going to love it! And your body definitely will!

ENJOY :)

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Arame Alfredo

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

Seaweed is one of the purest foods anyone has ever experienced. If you ever thought that seaweed was only for the Japanese, think again. Seaweed is the perfect food for anyone and everyone on this planet. We’ve been steered in the wrong direction in the West to think that the FDA or Kraft should be responsible for the bulk of what we eat. I now believe that human beings are innately good, because how else could we have been so gullible and led so far astray? We generally believe that we should trust and the media takes advantage of this. I will tell you right now that the food of the Earth, in all its purest forms, is the only food we would ever truly need. Seaweed is a perfect representation of what I mean.

Perhaps the most delicious and now detrimental foods that most of us love is pasta. So sad that your basic pasta, even if it is whole wheat, basically turns to a moldy, gluey mess in your intestines. Do you love pasta like I do, and miss it on the journey toward great health? Before you go running to Kraft begging them the create a healthy pasta, which is impossible in a laboratory, I urge you to consider your healthy and just-as-delicious alternatives already available care of Mother Earth…

I love Zucchini noodles as an alternative, but even more do I love seaweed! At Planet Raw in Santa Monica, California; you can indulge in the “cheeziest” and creamiest Cheezy Kelp Pasta. Kelp pasta is actually a pale yellow/tan color, much like semolina pasta. Another great alternative is Arame. Let dried Arame soak anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours or more. This delicious and hearty seaweed, when soaked, ends up more “al dente” in texture than the Kelp pasta. The dark color of Arame is reminiscent of Spaghetti al Nero di Seppia (Black Squid Ink Pasta), which I find a pleasing color contrast under a creamy blanket of Cashew Alfredo Sauce and raw crunchy cauliflower. Throw some bright green finely chopped parsley and confetti specks of a ground peppercorn blend on top of that, and you’ve got a glorious banquet of textures and taste sensations!


Arame Alfredo

Amiable Arame Alfredo
*Soak enough Arame so that each diner gets at least half a cup. One package of 1.76 Oz. or 50 Grams will give you about 4 -7 servings.

*Break up enough fresh, raw and organic cauliflower so that each serving of arame is topped with a bit over a 1/4 cup. Make sure the pieces are quite small – about half of what you would consider bite-sized.

To make the sauce, blend the following in your blender/Vitamix…
1 cup of soaked raw cashews, or macadamia nuts
1/4 cup of EVOO
1 Tbsp of Miso (I used the Barley Miso for this and it was knock-out!)
1 small garlic clove, rough chopped
Juice of half a lemon
1 1/2 Tbsp of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
1/2 cup of pure water
Few pinches of Celtic Sea Salt to taste (savory is good because nothing else in the dish is salted, but do this to your liking and remember that guests can always add more salt if they like)

To plate…
Place a mound of Arame in the middle of your plate. Press the mound down slightly and top with the cauliflower, like eggs in a bird’s nest. Spoon enough of the creamy sauce onto the top so that it rolls onto the sides. Add chopped herbs like parsley, basil, or dill and only fresh ground pepper.

Buon Appetito and ENJOY!

(for another article about seaweed, go here.)

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Chocolate Pear Pudding

Sunday, February 7th, 2010

I love this recipe because it is versatile as a pudding or a smoothie. Most great smoothies are. Pears help keep you regular and they are low in sugar. Use them anywhere you would use apple (in green juice, desserts, etc.) Both Apple and Pears soften easily in a delicious combination of: a dash of apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, a pinch of salt or a dash of Braggs Aminos. Add berries or enjoy with a raw cheesecake, or just toss the marinated morsels in your mouth. So good!

Another delicious snack is sliced pears and avocado tossed in fresh lemon juice. Add a pinch of superior salt like Celtic or Himalayan to really bring out the flavors. Eating simply is the best thing you can do for your body and you’ll truly realize how much you actually do like the taste of unadulterated fruits.

Ooh! Can you see how the coconut oil glistens on this pudding. Eat this midday (around 1 p.m.) and give your liver a great gift!


Chocolate Pear Pudding

Chocolate Pear Pudding (serves 2-4)
2 Thai Coconut Meats
Water of 1 Thai Coconut (or all the water if you’re making smoothies)
1 Avocado
1 1/2 Tsp Stevia Leaf Powder (should be green, not white)
1 Dessert Spoon of Raw Chocolate Powder
2 Dessert Spoons of Coconut Oil
3 Tbsp Thick Rich Jacon Syrup (No Glycemic Rating – it’s amazing!)
1 Pear
5-7 Brazil Nuts (soaked for 3 hours – soak 2 cups’ worth and you can make milk!)
Pinch of Salt (Celtic or Himalayan)

Blend all the ingredients in a Vitamix. Pour into a bowl and let chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight and it will be ready for breakfast. Top with goji berries, sprouted and dehydrated buckwheat groats, and drizzle with Jacon. The only sugar is in the coconut water and the pear, but it’s so delicious who cares?? All you have to do is Enjoy!

Visit my Basics and Essentials page to get yourself these ingredients and a Vitamix today!

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Apartment Grown Food!

Sunday, May 3rd, 2009

So easy, any city dweller can do it.

I’ve just started with a couple of herbs, basil and rosemary. Check out my first batch of fresh basil!

Basil Leaves

I wanted to do some internal house cleaning, so I ended up putting this whole batch into the blender with some olive oil, a splash of raw apple cider vinegar, sea salt and garlic. Made this into a dressing for a bulky salad of dandelion greens, sprouts, radish, nori seaweed bits, and just a few crushed walnuts.

It’s great to eat a cleansing salad like this and the KEY is CHEW CHEW CHEW. Visualize the food inside of your mouth (no, you can’t see it with your eyes, but you can see it with your tongue), and do not swallow until your food is chewed most excellently. Improper mastication is a real problem for one’s digestive health.

Here’s the rosemary plant!

My New Friend

I clipped several branches today and processed that with some Celtic sea salt to make rosemary salt. I sprinkled the salt on another cleansing salad and it was oh so nice. The salt is easy to make. Start with 1 part rosemary and 2 parts salt. In a food processor, pulse the herbs and add the salt in batches until fully combined and the rosemary is little tiny bits. Do not over do it – you just want the salt and rosemary to come together.

Another ritual I’ve acquired is brewing sun tea.

Sun Tea

Green Tea with Acai and Lemon Grass (this is the second go with the lemon grass, which are the twigs you see in the bottle)

Sun brewing is great for any tea, but you really want to try this with delicate teas like green or white teas. Green teas generally need to brew at lower temperatures (175 degrees), and if you’re pouring hot water from a kettle over the leaves it’s best to let it steep for 3 and NOT MORE THAN 5 minutes, or else it will get bitter. You don’t have to worry about all of those rules with sun tea. Throw your most delicate teas into a glass jar or bottle and leave it where it can get direct sunlight (the picture above was taken in the morning. it gets direct light later in the day). Just forget about it all day, then bring it in at night and voila! Perfectly brewed.

I happened to acquire some fresh dried lemon grass from a friend’s garden, which I’ve been using for sun tea. This one is best after at least a day and a half, but normal teas usually just take a day. Play around with it and see what works for you. Try using any herbs or hearty flowers from your garden.

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Want a sandwich? Try a nori roll :)

Monday, April 13th, 2009

If eating raw means lots of salad and dessert for you, remember your friendly sea veggies. It’s ideal to get some seaweed into your body everyday. Seaweeds provide you with…

MINERALS: this is what you’re made of!

POLYSACCHARIDES: highly complex sugars which are essential for longevity. Daniel Vitalis, the superfood elixir guru, calls them “computer chips” for the immune system which “activate the longevity code in cells.”

GLYCONUTRIENTS: Recently discovered. David Wolfe describes them as “elastic proteins.” These are also a sugar, but a bitter sugar. Seaweed is the only food that contains all 8 glyconutrients. Many health experts see the study of glyconutrients as an integral part of the future of medicine.

Here’s David Wolfe with some powerful information about seaweed:

David mentions 4 seaweeds in particular that will give you all 8 glyconutrients. These are Kelp, Dulse, Nori, and Sea Lettuce. Stock your cupboard with these seaweeds and you always have a nutritious snack or tasty condiment.

Nori is the wrapper for sushi and is readily available. It’s generally toasted, so look out for the kind that isn’t toasted if you want to stay raw. You can find nori as sheets or as flakes. If you buy the sheets, you can put anything on it that you would normally put on a sandwich, roll it up, and presto! I usually add lettuce or salad greens, tomato, zucchini, and nut/seed pate. You could also add sprouts, or use tofu if you just want to be vegan and not raw.

Here’s a simple and delicious way to incorporate the 4 seaweeds into your lifestyle.

Not-Just-Nori Roll

Nori Rolls

Toss a salad of mixed greens and dress with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, and pepper. Add shreds of dulse, and sprinkle with Kelp powder and Sea Lettuce flakes.

Set a piece of nori out on a DRY, clean surface (becomes wilted and hard to work with if it gets wet). Put a nice mound of salad across the middle of the seaweed so that it looks like a green French flag (the salad is the middle stripe).

Lay slices of tomato, zucchini, or whatever other veggies you crave across the top of the salad. The put 4 or 5 tablespoons of nut/seed pate on top of the veggies. Try to make your placement of veggies and pate even across the seaweed so that you get equal amounts of all ingredients in each nori roll that you slice.

Take the bottom of the nori and fold it over the veggies as you tuck all of the filling under with your fingertips. Continue to roll until you have a cylinder of stuffed-nori goodness. You can seal your nori roll with liquid by rubbing a left-over piece of tomato or a lemon wedge at the end of the nori sheet just before you finish rolling. Gently cut 5 or 6 pieces with serrated knife. Keep a wet towel handy for wiping the knife between slices if you want to stay neat and tidy with each slice.

Here’s a recipe for a Sunflower Seed Pate. It’s great for Nori Rolls, Lettuce Wraps, or with a crudite.

Meaty Sunflower Seed Pate:
1 cup sunflower seeds, soaked and drained
3/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked and drained
1 garlic clove
2 tsp salt
1 tsp each of chili power, ground cumin, and curry powder
1/2 cup of irish moss gel (very easy to make and a recipe is easy to find on the internet)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp black pepper

Blend until smooth in a food processor.

ENJOY!

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Cat makes dinner

Wednesday, February 25th, 2009

Following my very first entry for this blog, I made a delicious dinner and decided I must share it with you.

My philosophy on food is to do what feels good. I am an advocate for raw foods and living food, but I also like to create dishes that integrate these disciplines with some cook foods, for those who are considering a transition for themselves or others. All the dishes I make are vegan and at least 75% raw.

Here’s how to recreate the tofu dish. It’s pretty fancy and would be great for a veg date at home ;) I will make a separate video for the Mexi “meat” – it is an easy and delicious spread that will wow any raw foodist or meat eater!

Miso Marinated Tofu
w/ Asian Kale Slaw and Spicy Sesame Sauce
(Serves Two)

Ingredients:
7 oz. (half block) Extra Film Organic Tofu
1 garlic clove, chopped
same amount ginger, chopped
1 1/4 tsp Red Miso (Organic, Unpasteurized)
1/4 cup soak water from sundried tomatoes or plain water
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp Bragg’s Amino Acids

Drain the tofu and slice into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place the slices in a glass baking dish. Combine the other ingredients and pour over the tofu. Let the tofu marinate a few hours or overnight (the longer the better). Occasionally flip the slices and baste them with the marinade.

When the slices are done marinating, pre-heat your oven for the lowest setting (or turn on your dehydrator). Pour the marinade and all the little bits of garlic and ginger into a dish and set aside. Bake the tofu in the low-temp oven for about 45 minutes to an hour.

Now, make the Asian Kale Slaw:
4-5 leaves of Lacinto Kale, shredded/julienned
2 tbsp Cold-Pressed, Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Sesame Oil
1/4 cup Fresh Basil leaves, julienned
1 tbsp Red Bell Pepper, small dice
1 Green Onion, sliced (green part only)
2 tbsp Avocado, small dice

Massage the Kale with the oils, then mix well with all of the ingredients except for the avocado. Once everything is well combined, gently stir in the avocado.

Finally, we have our Spicy Sesame Sauce:
1 tbsp Tahini
2 tbsp seed/nut milk
Remaining marinade
1 Jalepeno, chopped
1/4 EVOO

Blend all of the ingredients in a blender. Keep the blender running and add the EVOO in a thin stream until emulsified and creamy.

Now we’re ready to plate the dish.

Remove a lightly-baked tofu plank from the dish. Place in the middle of the plate and put a small handful of the Kale Slaw on top. Top with another tofu plank and place another spoonful of the slaw on top. A fresh tomato slice and a basil leaf makes a lovely garnish. Put the sauce in a squeeze bottle and squirt it in a elegant fashion about the plate.

Enjoy!

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