Chiffonade, from the French word Chiffon meaning "made of rags", is a cutting technique in which herbs or leafy green vegetables are cut into long, thin strips.
1. Stack the leaves, rolling them tightly, like a cigar.
2. Cut across the rolled leaves with a sharp knife, producing fine ribbons
or when your gut tells you to buy some limes (even though that aren’t on your grocery list; they are only 5 for $1 for Christ sakes) instead of listening to your not-so-adorable-today, three-year old screams at the top of her lungs for some gummy bears, please for heavens sake get the damn limes!
Or you might end of making a lemon pie, because you got plenty of lemons, those were on the freakin’ list.
Take note: I said pie and not tart. The catastrophe of being away from the raw kitchen for so long is all your neat tart pans and molds and other gadgets gets utilized as utensils in the kids’ sandbox.
'Want another sandy mud tart, mom? '
Now, I'm using an aluminum pie tin left over from Christmas.
Instead of making Matt Samuelson's Coconut Lime Tarts, I ended up with a very delicious Lemon Coconut Pie. Thank heaven's for disgruntle three-year-olds.
Lemon Coconut PieCRUST2 cups almonds, soaked for 6-8 hours
1 cup dates, pitted and soaked for an hour, reserve soaking water
4 tablespoon reserved date water
2 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
FILLING3 cups coconut meat (from 2-3 Thai coconuts)
1 1/2 cups coconut water 2 tablespoons coconut oil (liquid)juice of 1 large lemon1/4 cup agave nectar1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract1/8 teaspoon sea salt
CRUST In a food processor, process almonds, dates, date water, vanilla extract and sea salt until well combined. Remove almond mixture and press mixture into a 9-inch pie pan.
STRAWBERRY SAUCE Process strawberries and agave in a blender.
FILLING Blend coconut meat, coconut water, oil, lemon juice, agave, vanilla and sea salt in a blender; process until smooth and creamy. Pour filling into crust. Chill in the refrigerator for two hours. Drizzle with strawberry sauce before serving.
This post is dedicated to Bitt. She wanted to know about a product I use on a fairly regular basis. Mila.
Mila is created by a network-marking company called Lifemax. Mila "The Miracle Seed," as it is called by the company, is said to have the highest and safest concentration of Omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, fiber and phytonutrients of any source on the planet.
What makes Mila different from your basic, run-of-the mill chia seed? I really can't say. (Sorry, Bitt)
What I can talk about is what the information I have read from the company and I can share a bit of my own personal experience with the product.
To start off, I believe chia seeds (no matter the brand) promote weight loss and overall health. And I have enjoyed using it in my recipes. Yeah, chia!
What makes Mila...well...Mila?
Here is my contribution to the holiday. Please enjoy.
Essene Stuffing
3 cups diced Herb Essene Bread
¼ cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 In a large bowl, combine diced bread, onion, celery, poultry seasonings and sea salt.
2 Place mixture on Teflex sheet. Dehydrate at 100 degrees for 3 hours.
I'm taking next week off for Thanksgiving. I feel so blessed that my wonderful stepson has entered our lives again and I want to spend this week reflecting on what my family means to me.
I pray everyone enjoys the "day" and has a happy and healthy time. I'll see in a week or so.
Peace,Terilynn A special thanks to Beth and another kind person for sharing resources on where to get the Coconut Pipe Knife. http://www.superholder.com/product3.html ANDhttp://cgi.ebay.com/FURA-COCO-COCONUT-OPENER-TOOL-FROM-BRAZIL_W0QQitemZ250183400635QQcmdZViewItem
photo by [OP]
Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K, plus the antioxidant benefits of lycopene*. They are a fruit, but they are usually served as a vegetable.
*Lycopene is the pigment that makes tomatoes red. The redder the tomato, the more lycopene it has.
Season: Available year-round but tomatoes are at their peak June-September
How to select: Choose firm tomatoes, richly colored and noticeably fragrant.
photo by babybee
How to store: Ripe tomatoes should be stored at room temperature and used within a few days.
photo by Pieter Pieterse
Tip: Don't store tomatoes in the refrigerator, cold temperatures kill the flavor and turns the flesh grainy.
Tomato Salad 6 large ripe tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces 1 small red onion, thinly sliced1 orange or yellow bell pepper, sliced in strips (de-seed)1/2 cup basil, cut into stripsHemp oil (or your favorite oil)
Apple Cider Vinegar
Sea salt, to taste
1. Place tomatoes in large salad bowl, add slice onions on top.
2. Layer with bell pepper and basil.
3. Drizzle hemp oil and vinegar over the top of salad. Sprinkle with sea salt and gently toss. Fun Facts: The tomato is in the same family as the potato, pepper, eggplant, and petunia (nightshades). Tomatoes are also known as the 'apple of love' There are at least 10,000 varieties of tomatoes
Today is the last day to win a Deni Automatic Ice Cream Maker from the sweetness that is HiHoRosie's Place. Hurry over.
You can’t get any simpler than Jameth and Kim’s Original Flax Crackers, p. 168.
One cup of flax seeds and 1 ½ cups water. There you go, that’s it.
Of course there’s the customary soaking of the seeds, using purified water and the dehydrating at 110 degrees for a day or two. Surely a small price to pay for a cracker filled with Omega-3 fatty acids.
The recipe is a basic flax cracker recipe. A great jumping off place to make your own creations, playing with spices and seasonings.
One of my favorites is raisin flax crackers, you don’t get a crispy cracker with raisins but I love chewy-ness of it.
What about you? What’s your favorite flavor flax cracker?
Recipe #46 of the Complete Book of Raw Food Endeavor. Loveliest Live Almond Hummus by Michal Adi, p. 275. I served this hummus with a simple cucumber, tomato and parsley salad.
February is coming to a close in a few days and I have to make the decision if I will do the NaBloPoMo again for March. I have my own ideas on it but I would like to open it for discussion with you. So what do you think? To daily blog or not? Leave a comment or answer the poll at the top left.
Fridays seem to be “Man on the Raw's Craft Corner” or something of the sorts. Here is a bookshelf he built for me so my favorite books and magazines can come off the floor next to my nightstand and have a home higher up on the totem pole. He’s so sweet.
Kind of like Michal Adi’s Pistachio Halvah recipe on page 295.
Man on the Raw found it sweet and tasty. It was a breeze to create in the food processor.
Don’t worry that the halvah crumbles a bit every time you cut into it, it is normal.
The primary ingredients for this raw version of Halvah are tahini, honey and shelled pistachios. Add a bit of vanilla extract and you have a delicious Middle Eastern dessert.
Today’s Cream of Shiitake Soup will be accompanied with a tale of break-ups.
My first major break-up, that I recall, was a silly little man-boy by the name of Fulton J. He had these striking, chocolate eyes that mesmerized. They gazed into mine and held tight, giving me the illusion that I was the only thing he saw.
On later recollections, his glare really resembled someone who smoked way too much ganja. None the less, he (and his eyes) were as smooth and charismatic as a 15-year old could be in bible camp.
That‘s where I chased him like an eager puppy. He loved the attention and he played with me, as long as I didn’t piss on his new penny loafers (to mark my territory, mind you) or until a new b**** came into the mix. Whichever came first.
To make long stories, shorter and to prevent opening old wounds, it was nearly 10 years of hooking up with Fulton J. and being tossed aside by him that I finally wised up and got him out of my system for good.
I never want to have anything to do with him, ever. He broke my heart.
During that time, my best friend Monique was there to pick up the pieces.
Monique and I met during 5th grade at Amesse Elementary School in Denver. I said something that made her feel bad to which she immediately set me straight. She told me if we were going to be friends I couldn’t be mean to her. I apologized and we have been best friends ever since.
I loved Monique like a sister, that‘s how close we were. If it ever possible for two only children to break free from that “me only” habit and love another as a sibling. But that‘s how I loved her.
Monique has been there for me through thick and thin and she has always been my cheerleader. She has loved me even when I couldn’t find the strength to love myself.
I, for her, have given her positive and happy-go-lucky inspiration. I tried to remain upbeat and
optimistic when she refused to. And I, at times, provided the voice of reason.
Unfortunately, I had to listened to her same issues surface again and again with a supportive stance. By supportive, I mean without comment that would set her into attack mode. She had endowed with me with a the gift of holding my tongue.
Enter juice feasting. I am cruising along, detoxing crap, purging old habits, getting out everything that's on my mind that would be beneficial for me. Not a good thing if your best friend is Monique.
Again making that long story, short.On Wednesday, February 10, 2010, when she mentioned taking a break from the friendship, I thought it a bit harsh that many, many years of friendship could be tossed aside with such ease.
Monique stated that since I said something that made her feel bad she thought it best we end our relationship.
This time around, I did not apologize. After several man-boys, birth of 7 children between us, tragic deaths, ups, downs and whatnots... after 30 years of friendship, Monique has broken up with me.
I want to get her out of my system for good. I never want to have anything to do with her, ever. She has shattered my heart. On to soup. Cream of Shiitake Soup to be exact. This particular soup really has nothing to do with the story. Well, except this is the first day I hadn’t got that sinking feeling in my stomach from thinking of her. That alone is a reason to celebrate with a soup.This soup started out as Shazzie’s (p. 97) until I realized I didn’t have half the ingredients required for completion. I guess coming out of the fog that break-ups provide, I missed a few steps.
No worries, I promise I am okay. After twice-a-day Bikram sessions and running endless miles on the treadmill, I feel better than yesterday and twice as good as the day before. And so is this soup.
Although, Man on the Raw, didn’t enjoy it. I was surprised that he didn’t, it smelled amazing to me, very rich. But when he reacted so negative about it, I couldn’t resist I had the tiniest bit of a taste of the broth (I know, I know the juice feast). I thought it had a nice earthy taste to it. A statement in which Man on the Raw proclaimed, “Earthy?!? More like dirt.” Well, you my dear readers will have to be the deciding vote. Try it and tell me if you taste “earthy” or “dirt”. Just remember, I'm the one going through a break-up.
Cream of Shiitake Soup
2 cups fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
4 tablespoons Nama Shoyu
2 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups almond milk
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons parsley leaves
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
Red pepper flakes
Parsley
Slice 1 cup of mushrooms and place in a bowl. Finely dice the remaining 1 cup of mushrooms and place in a second bowl.
Add 2 tablespoon Nama Shoyu and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to each bowl. Toss to coat. Marinate mushrooms for 1 hour.
Combine the sliced mushrooms, almond milk, red onion, parsley leaves, garlic and sea salt in a blender. Puree until smooth and creamy.
Transfer to a bowl and add the diced mushrooms to the soup. Garnish with red pepper flakes and parsley, to taste.
Recipe #42 of the Complete Book of Raw Food Endeavor - Shazzie's Cream of Shiitake Soup, p. 97
Recipe #43 of the Complete Book of Raw Food Endeavor — Shazzie's Almond Milk, p. 184
I have been using a lot of garlic (upwards of 4-6 cloves) in my juices lately and peeling garlic has been such chore.
Until I purchased peeled garlic and it's such a lifesaver. I just open the container and pop the cloves into the juicer. Easy.
I would recommend purchasing your peeled garlic at an Asian market compared to a chain grocer. Not only is Asian market's garlic fresh with no preservatives but it's super inexpensive. Keep in the refrigerator and it will last a good while.
I wanted to share how talented and creative Man on the Raw is. Here are a few things he has created over the last week or so.
A Git-Fiddle out of a cigar box. It‘s very intricate, the neck is made from wood with inlay made from peach wood . He also made an amp from a thrift-store tin and a speaker from one of the kids’ broken toys. The amazing thing is that the fiddle plays and the amp and speaker work. It’s amazing what you can do with scraps. Wicked.
His Valentine’s Day gift to me was a fruit and vegetable sculpture which I immediately juiced. Very nice. To top it off he bought me a sugar cane to chew on.
In return I made him a chopped salad with Matt Amsden’s Sweet Basil Oil Salad Dressing (p. 88).
My mother asked me to write something to help my Aunt Gigi get on a path of healthier eating. And although I would be the first to say “Go Raw” I realize saying it is much easier than doing it.
If I can offer Aunt Gigi a smoothie or salad recipe here or there, she could take baby steps into more greener pastures.
But first I should remind her of the reasons why incorporating more fruits and green leafy vegetables into her meals (and less of the processed, dead crap) is beneficial to her health. Also, exercise is a must with our family history. You feeling me?
So here are the Top Five Reasons you, Aunt Gigi should eat healthier.
5. You gain a tremendous amount of energy to continue to stay out all night dancing.
4. You feel good. Just ask the man who was rubbing up against you on the dance floor.
3. You become positive and happy without doing major drugs.
2. Your mind becomes sharp and alert, so when you get pulled over, you can think of something clever to tell the police officer.
1. You live longer. I’ve got a few bucks on you outlasting mom, do me proud.
Love you both,
Terilynn
Recipe #39 of the Complete Book of Raw Food Endeavor is Rhio’s Marinated Collard Ribbons (p. 65).
Now this is a risky recipe for Aunt Gigi to try because I don’t think any woman in our family, excluding myself, has ever eaten collards raw.
I believe that there is a family law, punishable by death, which states collards (or mustards, or turnips) greens must be cooked a minimum of 8 hours or until the paint wears from the walls, whichever happens first.
Trust me Aunt Gigi, these marinated collards are delicious and you will enjoy.
Spicy Marinated Collardsadapted from Rhio's recipe
1 bunch collard greens, stems removed, cut into thin strips (Chiffonade)2 tablespoons olive oilJuice of one lemon2 teaspoons sea salt1/4 teaspoon cayenne peppera pinch of red pepper flakes
In a large bowl, combine collard strips, olive oil, lemon, sea salt, cayenne and red pepper flakes.
Massage the collards with your hands. Cover the bowl and let set at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
A Blended Salad is a mixture of raw, leafy greens and other foods blended together to create a smooth, creamy consistency. Eating a salad prepared in this manner is quick, convenient and increases absorption of important nutrients.
Recipe #37 of the Complete Book of Raw Food Endeavor.
This is a pretty standard recipe and the beauty of the salad is you can add your favorite vegetables to eat.
Blended Salad by Paul Nison, p. 93
1 handful leafy greens (lettuce and spinach work best)
1/2 cucumber
1 stalk celery
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 handful sunflower sprouts (optional)
1/2 red pepper (optional)
1 avocado
1 teaspoon flaxseed oil (optional)
1 tomato
Blend all ingredients and serve.
Asparagus
Select — Spears with a vibrant color and no bruises or blemishes. The buds at the tip should be tightly close. Peak Season: March to May
Store — Remove any bands that bind the spears together and put the bases of the steams in a jar filled with 2” of water. Change the water daily to keep asparagus fresh longer. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Trim — Hold one end of the asparagus spear in each hand and bend the stalk. It will naturally break at the point where it is tough.
Recipe #35 and #36 of "the Complete Book of Raw Food" Endeavor
Asparagus Avocado Salad by Rita Romano, p. 54
Honey Mustard Dressing with Poppy Seeds by Elaina Love, p. 85
This refreshing salad combines the crispiness of asparagus with creamy avocado and tangy grapefruit.
image Detoxifynow.com
On an episode of "He Said She Said" Man on the Raw and I talked about food combining and offered an overview of the principles of food combining. I wanted to touch base with it again after Traci left a comment on the post.
I want to stress that during "Everything I Eat -Raw" thus far, I am not practicing food combining at all.
Not to say that I won't. In between Living Light's culinary school creations, I actually was thinking about trying different raw food "diets" (mono, juice feasting *a third one? IDK*, 80-10-10, etc.) and documenting those experiences. For now, I am enjoying sharing the raw goodies that are out there to be had.
On to the question.
Traci asks
"What are examples of "concentrated carb/concentrated protein?"
Concentrated Carbohydrates are considered foods that are on the the top of the glycemic index, mainly starchy vegetables and fruits.
Here is a brief list of various vegetables and fruits carrying a high glycemic index:
Vegetables
artichokes
carrot
corn
parsnips
potato
squash
sweet potato
yam
High glycemic fruit
blueberries
dried fruit
figs
grapes
kumquats
loganberries
mangoes
mulberries
pears
pineapple
pomegranates
prunes
watermelon (however, it has a low glycemic load)
Examples of concentrated proteins
bean sprouts
dairy products
garbanzo sprouts
lentil sprouts
raw nuts
nut butters
seeds
seed butters
sunflower sprouts
Other resources on raw foods and food combining:
Raw Food Living has a chart with digestive times.
Raw Food Explained offers several articles on the subject
Food Combining for Optimal Health by Angela Stokes-Monarch
Food Combining Wallet Card
Thursday was a full day. I went to not one Bikram Yoga class but two, plus played basketball with Man on the Raw and our 10-year-old Donavan. The juice feast has given me an excess of energy and I'm taking full advantage of it. Dave Klein's Ginger Ale, (p. 146) was a good, energizing drink to get me through my busy day.
I want to pursue my Raw Chef Certification. Pretty neat goal, huh? It has been something I’ve wanted to do for a very, very long time. That was one of the reason I started the Daily Raw Café. It is a safe haven to help develop my skills until I could one day learn from the big boys.
As a mother, there is always, and I mean always that realization that you can’t make a move in life without taking in consideration of the children.
A father may say he understands, but unless he’s a single father or a saint, his first thought is how a situation will work for him and then it trickles down to wife, children, dog, etc.
It was brought to my attention that maybe I should discard this pipe dream of raw food culinary school until the children are old enough to fend for themselves. A suggestion of the children staying with their father while I go to school out of state for 4 months was suggested and the answer was no, children need to be with their mother.
It was mentioned that if their father had a chance to go away for 4 months to pursue whatever he choose that would be okay because he’s a man. I’m sorry, but what century are we in?
I understand that I took on a huge responsibility with having children (so did dad by the way) but where is it written that a mother’s personal fulfillment is placed on hold until her youngest’s 18th birthday? Or that mothers are welcome to have personal growth as long as it doesn’t interfere with raising their offspring. I really want to see this documentation, preferable something that is notarized.
So in the midst of finding balance with doing what I want to do and being a good mother, it’s a wonder I found time to create Chad Sarno’s Carrot Pineapple Shortcake with Mesquite Flour and Sweet Cashew Cream Cheese (p. 310) (Okay, Avery helped), go grocery shopping, help my son make his school project, submit some job applications, do some laundry, yada, yada, ya... The cake was very good, my children (and their father) ate it up.
Elizabeth Jarrard!
You are the winner of Jennifer Cornbleet’s “Raw for Dessert.“
Simply email me the address you want your prize mailed to and you should have it before Valentine’s Day.
Here is what Elizabeth had to say when asked, “What are your Valentine’s Day plans?”
“this book looks amazing!!!!i would love to check it out! v-day? relaxing with some friends-can't wait!”
Happy Valentine's Day Elizabeth, I hope you enjoy the book!
.jpg)
