Raw Chocolate Mousse

This is another recipe from the raw foods class I took. Avocados help to make the mousse creamy, and it has a richly chocolate flavor. This recipe was perfect for Valentine's Day, served over some fresh strawberries. I froze the leftovers and enjoyed it the next day too!


Ingredients:
-2 medium avocados
-1 cup rapadura or date sugar (I used date sugar)
-1 tsp. vanilla extract
-1/4 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
-3/4 cup organic cocoa or raw carob powder
-3/4 cup water, plus additional water to thin*


Directions:
1. Process at the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Add additional water, if necessary, to thin to the desired consistency.
2. Enjoy immediately, or freeze in ice cube trays. Thaw for 5 minutes before serving.


*I used fresh coconut water in place of the water, and added fresh coconut meat to the mousse when blending.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

The recipe for this soup comes from my lovely friend Ashley's food blog. I made a few changes (mostly out of necessity), but it's pretty much the same. It's a very simple recipe, but the results are delicious. Smooth and creamy, and chock full of vegetables, I have a feeling this is going to become one of my favorite recipes.


Ingredients:
-2 T. olive oil
-1 small onion, chopped
-2 carrots, sliced
-1 red potato, cubed
-About 15 oz. of roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped*
-4 cups vegetable stock
-1 t. agave nectar


Directions:
1. Sauté the onion and carrot in the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Once the onion is soft, add the broth, potato, and peppers. Bring to a boil, then down to a fast simmer. Cover partially and simmer for 25 minutes or so, until the potatoes are tender.
3. Once the potatoes are cooked, add the agave nectar. Pour the soup into a blender (in batches if needed) and blend it up (or use an immersion blender if you have one). Pour back into the pot and serve!

I sprinkled some roasted sunflower seeds over the top, and Ashley served hers with some homemade croutons. Yum!


*I didn't have a jar of roasted red pepper on hand, so I just roasted some myself. Two medium peppers worked perfectly.

Brown Rice and Spinach Soup

I came up with this recipe because I wanted to eat Italian wedding soup, but I didn't want to use pasta. Or meat, obviously. So, I substituted brown rice for the pasta, and beans for the meat for a simple, scrumptious soup!


Ingredients:
-2 T. extra virgin olive oil
-1 large onion, finely chopped
-8 cloves garlic, minced
-1 cup brown rice
-16 oz. frozen chopped spinach (can use a 10 oz. package instead)
-10 cups vegetable broth
-2 cans cannelloni beans
-juice from 1/2 lemon (optional)


Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot, and add the onion and garlic. Sauté, stirring frequently, for a few minutes until the onions are soft (but not browned).
2. Add the spinach, broth, and brown rice. Bring to a boil, and then cover and simmer until the rice is fully cooked, approx. 30-45 minutes.
3. Turn the heat to low, and add the beans. Cook for a few minutes to warm the beans.
4. Stir in the optional lemon juice to add a nice brightness.

Quinoa Tabouleh

I found this recipe for a gluten-free tabouleh on the Whole Foods website. It's light and refreshing, but next time I may skip or reduce the cucumber. I also tossed in some chickpeas that I had in the fridge.

Ingredients:
-1 cup quinoa
-1 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
-5 green onions, finely chopped
-2 cups small grape tomatoes, halved
-1 cucumber, peeled and seeded, thinly sliced
-Juice of 1 to 2 lemons, more to taste
-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
-Sea salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to taste


Directions:
1. Cook quinoa and allow to cool.
2. Combine all ingredients together in a large serving bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Serve room temperature or chilled.

Yumm! Sauce and Yumm! Bowls

Café Yumm! is a restaurant in Eugene, OR that my sister raved about when she lived there. She brought home a bottle of their unique sauce, which is eaten on a salad. I found a few recipes for the sauce online, played around with the amounts and ingredients, and I was pretty please with the results.


Ingredients:
-1/2 cup oil (I used safflower)
-1/2 cup almonds
-1/3 cup nutritional yeast
-1/3 cup garbonzo beans
-1/3 cup soybeans
-1/2 cup water
-1/2 cup lemon juice
-2 garlic cloves
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 tsp. curry powder
-1/2 tsp. oregano


Directions:
Blend nuts, beans and oil in food processor. Then blend in yeast and liquids one at a time. Puree until smooth.




Once you've made the sauce, you can make yourself a Yumm! bowl. For mine, I layered salad greens, brown rice, black beans, chopped black olives, salsa, sliced avocado, and topped it with Yumm! sauce. Delicious!

Raw Mediterranean Kale Salad

Recently, I went to a raw foods class at Whole Foods, taught by Chef Mehmet Ak. He taught us how to create four amazing dishes, including this kale salad. I'm not a big fan of raw greens, so I wasn't sure if I'd like this salad. I was pleasantly surprised- it's delicious!

Ingredients:
-2 small bunches dinosaur kale (aka lacinato or blue kale), stems removed
-3/4 tsp. sea salt or tamari
-2 T. extra virgin olive oil
-2 T. lemon juice
-3/4 tsp. black pepper
-1/4 cup pine nuts
-1/4 cup golden raisins, soaked 10 min, drained and rinsed

Directions:
1. Stack two (or more) leaves of kale together and roll tightly. Cut the kale crosswise into very thin strips. Repeat with remaining kale leaves. Add 1/2 tsp. of sea salt and massage the kale well with your hands, in order to soften the kale. (Really rub the kale together. The kale will change color slightly, having the appearance of being blanched). Add the lemon juice, olive oil, remaining sea salt, and black pepper, and toss well with your hands, working the dressing into the greens. Gently toss in pine nuts and raisins.

Variations:
1. Substitute 1/4 cup sliced kalamata olives for the raisins.
2. Eliminate the raisins and pine nuts. Add diced tomato and avocado.
3. Add agave nectar and curry powder to taste.*


*This is the variation that I prepared. Spicy, slightly sweet, and super healthy!

Homemade Hummus

I've always wanted to make homemade hummus, but I've never gotten around to it. I bought tahini for another recipe, so I decide to take the plunge. I made both regular hummus (which had a healthy amount of garlic) and roasted red pepper hummus.

I used two recipes I found here and here. I might try the peanut butter hummus next...although I'm not sure about that. :)

Ingredients:
-1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
-1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
-3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)
-1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
-2 cloves garlic, crushed
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-2 tablespoons olive oil


Ingredients:
1. Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.


That's it! Yum!

Tortilla Espanola de Raquel

Don't let the name fool you...this dish is similar to a potato omelet. It requires few ingredients, but a little patience.


Ingredients:
-5 cups potato, diced
-1 cup onion, diced
-1 t. paprika
-8 large eggs
-1/8 cup milk (can omit)
-vegetable oil
-S/P

Directions:
1. Mix potatoes, onions, paprika, and a dash of salt and pepper.
2. In a large skillet, heat a few tablespoons of oil. Sauté potatoes and onions until well cooked but not mushy. Make sure to stir constantly to prevent the potatoes from sticking.
3. While the potatoes cook, whisk together the eggs and milk in a large mixing bowl. Once the potatoes are done, add them to the eggs and mix well.
4. Add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet, and reheat over a medium high heat. Pour the potato egg mixture in, leveling it out with a spatula. Cook over medium heat, allowing the bottom to set.
5. Once the bottom half of the tortilla has set, use a large dinner plate to either slide the tortilla out of the pan, or invert it completely onto the plate. Your goal is to flip the tortilla over in the pan so the runny side can cook and brown completely.
6. When both sides of the tortilla are fully cooked and browned slightly, you're ready to eat! Allow the tortilla to sit in the pan for a minute or two to firm up completely, and then place on a large plate. Serve the tortilla cut into wedges.
7. Enjoy this dish either hot or cold. It's delicious either way!

"Three Sisters" Stew

Looking for a vegetarian-friendly main course for Thanksgiving, I stumbled across this recipe. Everyone loved the complex flavors and smooth texture.


Ingredients:
-1 large butternut squash (about 2 lbs)
-1 T. olive oil
-1 medium onion, chopped
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-1/2 medium green pepper
-1/2 medium red pepper
-14 oz. can diced tomatoes, with liquid
-2 cups cooked pinto beans
-2 cups corn
-1 cup vegetable stock
-1 small fresh hot chile, seeded and minced
-1 t. cumin
-1 t. oregano
-S/P
-3 to 4 T. fresh cilanto, minced


Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds and fibers. Cover with aluminum foil and place the halves, cut side up, in a foil-lined shallow baking pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until easily pierced with a knife but still firm. When cool enough to handle, scoop out the pulp, and cut into large dice. Set aside until needed.
3. Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.
4. Add the squash and all the remaining ingredients except the last 2 and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently, covered, until all the vegetables are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. If time allows, let the stew stand for 1 to 2 hours before serving, then heat through as needed. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro. The stew should be thick and very moist but not soupy; add additional stock or water if needed.

Shepherd's Pie

A hearty and easy meal that's sure to please!

Ingredients:
-1 clove garlic
-2 large carrots, diced
-2 medium onions, chopped
-1/4 cup celery
-2 cans pinto beans
-2 small cans mushrooms
-14.5 oz diced tomatoes
-15 oz canned corn
-1 can peas
-1/2 t. dried parsley
-1/2 t. marjoram
-8 cups mashed potatoes
-40 oz cheddar cheese, grated
-parsley flakes
-S/P


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Sauté garlic, carrots, onions, and celery until soft.
3. Add beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, corn, peas, parley and marjoram. Stir well.
4. Turn heat off under pan, and let filling sit.
5. In a large bowl, combine mashed potatoes and cheese. Season with salt and pepper, and add about 2 T. of the parsley flakes.
6. Pour the vegetable/bean mixture into a 9x13 casserole dish. Using a spatula, spread cheesy mashed potatoes over the top, coating evenly.
7. Sprinkle the top with parsley flakes, and put the Shepherd's Pie into the preheated oven.
8. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden brown.


This recipe is perfect for leftovers, as you can add or subtract the vegetables in the filling, and use up any extra mashed potatoes!