With only three ingredients: one banana , two tablespoons tahini and a cup of water, Paul Nison’s Banana Tahini definitely qualifies to be placed in the Minimalist Meal category.
Tahini, a paste of ground sesame seeds traditional used in hummus, may seem like an odd coupling with banana but it produces a surprisingly appetizing beverage. Preparation is a breeze, just a swift whirl in the blender provides you with a tasty, smooth beverage to please any grumbling stomach. My husband, the Man on the Raw, went as far as to say that he would drink this every day.
Which he proceeded to do the next day and the next and the next and the...well you get the picture. Like a mad mathematician, he added, subtracted, multiplied and divided ingredients to each batch to achieve a different version of the last. Below is the recipe he settled on to whet his appetite.
Bananahini
Inspired by Paul Nison’s Banana Tahini Drink, from The Complete Book of Raw Food
2 bananas 2 tablespoons raw tahini 1 tablespoon raw agave nectar (more or less to taste) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 cups water
Blend ingredients together. Serve on ice.
Note: Add a tablespoon of cocoa powder and another tablespoon of agave nectar and create a Chocolate Bananahini.
I'm truly sorry, I hadn't realized. Where on earth did the time go? And what was I thinking, being MIA for such a long time? Even though it was a tad over a year, it certainly feels like seven years in blogsphere.
For now, I won’t go into great detail of my comings and goings over the past year (it‘s not pretty, I assure you) but I promise to share a bit of the trials and tribulations of my existence a bit at a time as we move forward.
Yes, there are plans to continue my raw food adventures and to share them with you.
Presently, my husband and I have started a Juice Feast (length of JF undetermined) so consuming food isn’t on the agenda, but I do have taste-testers lined up to try recipes I create.
In the meantime….
…temporary. I’m merging Raw Test Kitchen and the Daily Raw Café. Basically, I’ll post a new recipe (one or two) and invite you to try it out and share how it worked (or didn‘t), photos, suggestions, etc. Please feel free to visit Raw Test Kitchen to try older recipes and get more details on submitting feedbacks.
I would like to leave a parting gift to make amends for my absenteeism. I share with you one of my favorite bedtime concoctions.
Caution: Driving is not recommended after consumption of this tea. Valerian and Chamomile are two ingredients that will cause you to drift peacefully to sleep only to wake in the morning, forgiving my poor blogging behavior.
The St. John’s Wort?
If your mood is on the depressed side (I feel a bit glum for my absence) invite St. John’s Wort to the party. To round out the guest list, and do your digestion some good, add fresh ginger. The smell is heavenly.
Good night and see you soon (I promise).
Terilynn
Sleepytime Tea ¼- ½ teaspoon Valerian herb ¼-½ teaspoon St. John’s Wort herb ¼-½ teaspoon Chamomile herb 1 small piece of ginger
1. In a teapot, bring water to a rolling boil.
2. Grate ginger until fine. There will be ginger juice, that’s fine, just add it to the herbs.
3. Place herbs and ginger into a tea ball. Close the tea ball and place it in your warmed teacup*
4. Fill your cup with 8 ounces of boiling water.
5. Cover cup with a saucer or small plate and steep your tea for 5-6 minutes to get the full flavor. Remove the tea ball.
Add a squeeze of lemon and a teaspoon (or two) of honey.
*To pre-heat your tea cup, pour boiling water in the cup and let set for a few minutes, then pour out the water. The tea flavor is more pronounced in a warmed cup.
Happy New Year everyone! I hope your 2008 is going as great as mine. I'm in heaven and I am so excited to finally share with you what I have been up to.
I started another juice feast on Dec. 1 and I'm blogging my experience at Inspiration:Life. Some of you might know that's how The Daily Raw Blog started. It was a blog documenting my first juice feast back in May that lasted 28 glorious days. From there The Daily Raw Blog took a life of its own with recipes and it was an outlet for my creativity to shine. I'm so blessed to have it and to have all of you guys be part of it. So thank very much.
And as an added bonus I met some really special people along the way. My husband has committed to going raw again in 2008 so if you can send him a silent prayer to get him going that would be appreciated. I have some really good recipes lined up for TDRC and my husband will be preparing many recipes for TDRC in the next few weeks so we have that to look forward to. Believe it or not he is the true talent in the kitchen. I'm lucky his talent just rubbed off on me. And the fact that I love raw food helps, too. ;)I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year!Peace and Love,Terilynn Garlicy Green juicemakes 1-1.5 quarts
1 pound of your favorite greens1 cucumber, chopped3 carrots, chopped1 garlic clove1 tablespoon hemp oil1-2 cups water
1 Place cucumber, greens, garlic clove and carrots in a blender* with the water. Blend until ingredients break down into a thick mixture.
2 Strain the mixture in a nut bag or painter straining bag into a large bowl. Squeeze the bag to get all the juices out of the pulp. 3 Pour juice into a glass and add hemp oil. Don't forget to compote you pulp or mix with flax seeds to make crackers. *You can use a juicer instead of a blender. I use a blender because the clean-up is faster for the amount of juices I make. Also, please note if you use greens that are heavier in weight (kale, collards, etc.) a high-speed blender will work better at breaking down the greens.
Peaches are a good source of Vitamins A, C and E as well as high in fiber. Fun fact: In Japan and China, brides carry peach blossoms because peaches are a symbol of fertility and of affection.
1 peach, pitted, chopped 1 banana 1 cup young coconut water 1 cup ice cubes 1/4 cup agave nectar
Blend peach, banana, coconut water, and agave nectar until well mixed. Add ice cubes.
meat from 1 Thai Young coconut1 c coconut water or pure water1/4 c agave nectar1 t almond extract1/2 t nutmeg, plus extra
Blend coconut meat and water in a blender until smooth. Add agave nectar, almond extract and nutmeg. Garnish with extra nutmeg Author's notes: This milk is a bit thicker in consistency than almond milk and OMG does it taste delicious. (2)
This post is dedicated to my mom. She wants to start drinking Green Smoothies and needed a bit of guidance to the way.So this is for you mom.The genius that is Victoria Boutenko came up with the idea of a green smoothie. In her book "Green for Life," Boutenko discusses the healing potential of this amazingly tasty drink. The theory behind Green Smoothies is to get the nutritious greens (spinach, kale, lettuce, etc.) into your body in the most effective way without compromising your taste buds.The recipe I am providing is pretty basic and it's my favorite. But the possibilities are endless. Do a Google search and you can find numerous recipes, videos, blogs, etc. showcasing the Green Smoothie. Green Smoothie (2 quarts) 2 c spinach2 c water1 c ice2 very ripe banana 2 peaches2 T Agave Nectar, or to taste*Place spinach and water in blender and blend. I like to add the spinach first to make sure all the spinach is thoroughly blended. I'm not fond of green pieces floating in my drink.Add the peaches, banana, Agave Nectar and ice. I add each ingredient at a time, giving them their time in blender spotlight.*Our family doesn't use the Agave too much in the smoothie anymore because the ripe banana provides all the sweetness we like. I was surprised by this because I have a huge sweet tooth.If you drink Green Smoothies on a daily basis, eventually you do without the extra sweetener. Your body will just crave the greens and the rest will be fillers.Here's the Green Smoothie formulaGreens (the leafy stuff) + Your choice of fresh (or frozen) fruit + water + banana + ice = Yummy and very nutritious drink.Green Smoothie News You Can Use:Green Smoothies: An Easy Way to Love Greens By Victoria Boutenko Green for LifeThe Green Smoothie Experiment, Valerie Winters' blog focuses on her amazing six-month green smoothie journey. A must read!eMaxHealthMom, I hope this helps. Have a green smoothie (daily), live healthy and long.I love you, Terilynn :)
This is my husband's creation. He's a whiz (of the family) in making breakfast drinks.
Orangesicle Breakfast Drink 1 c coconut water 1/4 c agave nectar 1 orange, peeled, quartered 1 t hemp oil 1/2 t vanilla extract Tray of ice cubes
Combine coconut water, agave nectar, orange quarters, hemp and vanilla in a blender. Add ice cubes a few at a time to create a frothy drink. Serve immediately.
1 c soaked almonds 4 c water 1/4 c agave nectar (optional) Pinch of sea salt
Blend soaked almonds and water until thoroughly blended. Strain the milk through a nut bag into a large bowl.
Rinse the blender cup and put strained milk back in with agave nectar and sea salt. Blend.
Author's notes: I am not a fan of cow's milk. I have never like it, and probably never will. I can't wrap my brain around drinking milk from a cow. Strange to me. I think cow's milk is suppose to be for a cow's baby not humans. But hay, that's just me.
I do love almond milk and as you can see so does Sous Chef D.
Here's a great article on raw nut milks.
"What's best? Soy milk, cow's milk, raw milk and fermented milk (kefir)" by Mike Adams at News Target.com http://www.newstarget.com/021986.html
My 16-year-old daughter starts school tomorrow and my 7-year-old starts soon after. Summer's almost over! What happen? It seemed like yesterday that summer break began. Any-who. These frozen treats are my way of keeping summer around a bit longer and have something fun for the kids to snack on after school. Cantaloupe Granita2 c chopped cantaloupe, approx. 1/2 melon, seeded1 c ice cubes1/4 cup agave nectarJuice of one half lemon juicePurée ingredients in a blender until smooth, then pour into a metal pan and freeze until mixture becomes a firm slush, at least 1 hour. Scrape with a fork and serve in chilled glasses.
I originally tried putting this recipe in the ice cream maker to create a smoother texture but the ice cream maker wasn't having it. So I let the blender do the grunt work instead. The same ingredients are used for the slushy and sorbet. It's just various freezing processes that make the differences in the two frozen treats.
Watermelon Slushy/Sorbet 4 1/2 c diced watermelon, seeds removed
1/2 cup agave nectar
Juice of one half lemon
1/8 t sea salt
Puree watermelon, agave nectar, lemon juice and sea salt in a blender. Pour mixture into metal container and place in the freezer for about 40 minutes. When it is semi-solid (with liquid beneath the surface), mash it up with a fork. Pour in a chilled glass for a Slushy drink.
To create the sorbet, Instead of pouring into a glass, take the mixture and refreeze again. When frozen, place in a blender and process until smooth. Refreeze until serving time.RAW NEWS YOU CAN USE- Ode to Raw Almonds
Okay it pays to read you email before you blog. I just got this "Raw News You can Use" sent to yahoo.com
This is from PRNewswire-USNewswire
The pasteurization of raw almonds have been postponed until March 1, 2008. Follow the link to the story "Controversial Almond Treatment Faces Delay" http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-06-2007/0004639546&EDATE=
"Calif. Almond Growers Seek Delay of Rule" By Garance Burket, The Associated Press
I came across one of the original articles about the raw almond contamination in 2004. The article is by Gary Gentile for The Associated Press. Have a look see. http://www.marlerclark.com/news/almonds7.htm
This beverage is all Man on the Raw's doing. It's funny because he'll create these wonderful things and doesn't use measurements and so I have to backtrack with him. Which isn't always fun.
But I love him all the same. He is quite fabulous in the kitchen, if I must say so. And I must. I have learned a great deal from him, even if he doesn't realize.
Citrus-Ginger Refresher 2 cups orange juice 1 lemon, juiced ½ tablespoon ginger 4 cups sparkling water
Are you having a party soon? Do you have your menu planned yet? Might I suggest the book “Raw Food Celebrations Party Menus for Every Occasion" by Nomi Shannon and Sheryl Duruz? And once it has been decided the menu will be one featured from the book, is it too rude of me to invite myself to the party?
After using “Raw Food Celebrations Party Menus for Every Occasion” there should never be a reason why anyone couldn’t effortlessly prepare a raw food meal and dazzle friends. NEVER A REASON. With six different menus to choose from, Italian, Thai, Brunch, Cocktail, Traditional and Light Luncheon buffet, Ms. Shannon and Ms. Duruz lay out the ground work for you.
Easy-to-follow recipes with step-by-step instructions, equipment lists and a “Planning Ahead” section makes it feel like these two ladies are in the kitchen with you. From someone who loves to prepare ahead, that section is my favorite.
It breaks everything down for you, from when to grocery shop, set the table, which components of recipes can be prepared ahead of time and so much more. Make sure you pay attention to the “Serving Suggestions,” sections. They are chock-full of useful tidbits for creating a memorable meal.
Last weekend, I created the Thai Menu as an early anniversary celebration. I didn’t prepare everything on the menu but the items I did make were visually stunning and tasted incredible.
Daily Raw Café Annversary Celebration On the MenuThai TeaThai Coconut SoupThai Cucumber Salad Phad Thai Phad Thai, pg. 35
Thai Tea (adapted from Raw Food Celebrations) 8 cups water 4 cups loosely packed Thai basil leaves (approximately 32 leaves) Juice of 2 medium-sized limes ¼ teaspoon stevia* 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh peeled ginger
Combine water and basil in a blender. Process until basil is chewed finely. Stain the mixture through a nut milk bag. Return basil water to the blender; add lime juice, stevia and ginger. Blend until well-combined. Serve on ice.
*I used NuNaturals Pure White Stevia Extract
Thai Cucumber Salad (recipe from Raw Food Celebrations) 6 Kirby cucumbers or other small cucumbers, thinly sliced 1 red bell pepper, sliced 2 limes, juiced 4 green onions, chopped 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves 2 tablespoons light agave syrup
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until serving time. This can be made the night before.
Sometimes I am not in the mood for another green juice or I'm too lazy to pull out the blender and make a smoothie. And if a tray of granola isn't in the dehydrator as we speak and my almonds aren't in a bowl of filtered water, then I am short out of luck, in the breakfast cereal department. In the raw food land of soaking, sprouting and dehydrating, I was hard pressed to find something substantial and quick to eat without too much prep time. Until chia seeds entered my life.
Who would have thought the little seeds that sprouted on the bodies of clay rams, cows and kittens provided more than a catchy jingle and goofy 80s entertainment?
The Aztecs did. Warriors and runners are believed to have sustained themselves for an entire day on just a tablespoon of chia.
Nutritionally, those little buggers are high in omega 3 fatty acids, protein, fiber and calcium.
But this isn’t history or nutrition class. Think more weird science. Particularly, the fun and bizarre gelatinous effect it has on whatever it touches. It’s way cool, it‘s kind of like the blob, without the gore.
Try it. Place 1 tablespoon of chia seeds in an 8-ounce glass of water or juice and wait 15-20 minutes. Well, what are you waiting for? Go on, I’ll be here when you get back. See what I mean, isn’t that the coolest? Who knew? If you add some lemon or lime juice and raw agave nectar and you have a cool, refreshing drink.
Chia Fresca Serves 1 Juice of 1 lemon 8 ounces cold water 1 teaspoons raw agave nectar, or more to taste 1 tablespoon chia seeds Mix lemon juice in water; add agave and chia seeds. Vigorously stir until all the seeds are wet and no clumps appear. Let sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. If texture in your drink is too much for you to handle, try a breakfast pudding on for size.
Chia Pudding Serves 4 1 cup raw cashews 3 cups water 2 tablespoons raw agave nectar, or more to taste 1 tablespoon organic vanilla extract pinch sea salt ¼ cup chia seeds
Place the cashews and water in a high-speed blender and blend on high speed until smooth and creamy. Transfer the cashew mixture to a bowl; stir in agave, vanilla and sea salt.
Add in chia seeds and continue to stir until all the seeds are well incorporated into the cashew mixture. Let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. You can eat it right away or it’s even better placed in the refrigerator overnight and eaten in the morning. The chia pudding will have the consistency of tapioca or rice pudding.
This is kind of thick for a flan and it doesn't have the jiggle of flan, but I love the name.
Flan de Coco y Chia 2 cups cashews, soaked for 1 hour 1 cup coconut meat ½ cup coconut water ¼ cup raw agave nectar ¼ cup Chia seeds 1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt
Puree the ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth. Transfer the mixture into a mini spring form pan. Chill overnight in the refrigerator or until mixture firms up.
Caramel Sauce 1 cup dates ¼ cup water juice of one half lemon 1 tablespoon coconut oil 2 tablespoons maple syrup (not a raw product) ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Soak dates in the water and lemon juice for an hour. Reserve soaking water. Process soaked dates, coconut oil, maple syrup and sea salt in a blender. Using soaking water one tablespoon at time, blend until you achieve a smooth creamy consistency. Carefully unmold the flan onto serving plates. Drizzle caramel sauce over the flan.
*This is a post I originally wrote on the Amateur Gourmet's community forum.
Mango Selection: If you are eating a mango straight, go for one that is not overly ripe. Choose a mango that is plump and heavy for its size and has a nice sweet fragrance.
How to cut a mango
A mango has a flat, oblong pit in the center of it. Hold the mango with one hand, stand it on its end, stem side down.
With a sharp knife, cut from the top of the mango, down one side of the pit. Then repeat with the other side.
Take a mango half and make lengthwise and crosswise cuts in it, avoid cutting through the peel.
Cut away the mango pieces from the peel.
This milkshake is very delicious and satisfying. For this recipe, choose a mango that is very ripe. Mango Milkshake
Meat from 2 ripe mangos 1 cup cold almond milk 1/16 teaspoon NuNaturals NuStevia Pure White Stevia Extract
Blend ingredients. The mixture should be smooth and slightly thick.
Here is the second recipe from the Black Sesame series. Black Tahini
Midnight Milk 1 cup black sesame seeds, soaked for 4-6 hours 1 quart water 2 tablespoons raw agave nectar (or your favorite sweetener) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch of sea salt
Combine soaked seeds and water in a blender. Strain the milk through a nut bag into a large bowl.
Rinse the blender cup and place strained sesame milk back in the cup with agave nectar, vanilla extract and sea salt. Blend.
“Everyone has a doctor in him or her; we just have to help it in its works. The natural healing force within each one of us is the greatest force in getting well. Our food should be our medicine. Our medicine should be our food. But to eat when you are sick, is to feed your sickness.” — Hippocrates
Reading “Power Juices, Super Drinks: Quick, Delicious Recipes to Prevent & Reverse Disease” by Steve Meyerowitz (aka The Sproutman), I couldn’t help but think of Hippocrates's quote. In its essence the book embodies the quote.
Meyerowitz creates a medicine chest, in book form, filled with juice, smoothie and tea recipes for just about whatever aliment plagues you.
Achooo! Bless you. Try the “Vitamin A & C Potion” on page 116 to put that cold in check. The juice is filled with carrot, red pepper, spinach, collard greens, kale and spirulina to help rebuild your immunity.
Feeling blue? Perk up into a “Heavenly Peace,” p., 139, by blending cashews, cantaloupe, wheat germ and water. The anacardic acid in the ingredients has been used as an anti-depressive.
Can’t fall asleep? Drink “Good Night Tea,” p. 257, one bag each of Valerian, Passion Flower, Chamomile and Hops, an hour before bedtime. You will be counting zzzzz’s in no time.
This book was constantly by my side as a reference during both my juice feasts. If you are ready to be your own physician this book is a good starting point.
Rejuvelac is a fermented liquid used to improve digestion and as a starter for raw nut and seed cheeses, yogurts or as flavorings in soups, sauces or drinks. It is rich in enzymes and contains eight of the B vitamins, vitamins E and K. You can make Rejuvelac with sprouted wheat berries, rye, quinoa, oats, kamut or barley.
Day-by-Day Plan for making Rejuvelac Adapted from Steve Meyerowtiz and The Complete Book of Raw Food, p. 9
1 cup Soft Wheat Berries Filtered Water
Day #1: Make sure your jar and any utensils you are using have been thoroughly cleaned to prevent contamination during the fermentation process. Place wheat berries in a gallon (or ½ gallon) jar.
Add about 1 quart filtered water. Cover the mouth of the jar with a piece of cheesecloth and secure with a rubber band. Soak the berries for at least 8-12 hours.
Drain the berries, rinse them with water and drain again. Place the jar upside down at a slight angle to drain off excess water. Once water is drained, place the jar upright in a cool, place away from direct sunlight and allow to sprout. Day #2: Rinse and drain the berries twice, morning and evening. After each drain, place the jar upside down at a slight angle to drain off excess water. Once water is drained (about 5-10 minutes), place the jar upright in a cool, place away from direct sunlight and allow to sprout. You will see little tails develop.
Day #3: Rinse and drain the berries twice, morning and evening. Once drained, remove the cheesecloth (discard it) and fill the jar with approximately 3 quarts (or 1 ½ quarts for a half gallon) of filtered water . Secure the jar with another cheesecloth and rubber band; place in a warm area of your home, somewhere between 68-90 degrees. The warmer the surrounding temperature, the faster the wheat berries will ferment. It should take between 36–48 hours depending on the temperature and the strength/flavor desired.
If you see a foam forming on top, then it should be ready.
Day #5: Pour your first batch of Rejuvelac into quart Mason jars and store in the refrigerator. It’s ready to drink. Rejuvelac should have a slight yeasty smell with a lemon-like flavor.
Day #5: 2nd Day batch of Rejuvelac: Do not rinse the wheat berries. Pour 3 quarts of filtered water into jar with sprouted wheat berries and allow to ferment another 24 hours.
You can create a 3rd Rejuvelac batch by repeating Day 5. I wouldn’t recommend extending it a fourth day.
You can compost the sprouts or give them to squirrels, rabbits or birds. Rejuvelac may be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week as long as the taste still agrees with you.
Strawberry Fizz Serves 2-4 ½ cup frozen organic strawberries 1 cup Rejuvelac 1 tablespoon raw agave nectar
Process ingredients in a blender.
Want to win a copy of "Power Juices, Super Drinks: Quick, Delicious Recipes to Prevent & Reverse Disease?" Giveaway here.
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