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 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
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.
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.
To commemorate Day 40 of My Juice Feast please enjoy a few Shazzie drinks. Cabbage and Carrot Juice, by Shazzie, p. 140 — pretty basic, tasted more like carrots than cabbage, which is a good thing when drinking cabbage. Brutus is Scared, by Shazzie, p. 139. I drank gallons of this juice all last week before I realized there was an actual recipe in the book. (no photo available)
Coconut Drink, by Shazzie, p. 142. Tastes a bit like an Orange Julius without the sweetness. Hopping Wild, by Shazzie, p. 148.
Take Shazzie's advice and work your way up the wild green ladder. Dandelions (my green of choice) are bitter and 10-20 leaves overpower the drink. And a bit of ramblings at Inspiration:Life.
Mango Soup by Shannon Isley, 100 This was a good soup and I threw caution to the wind and added a pinch or two of sea salt and it transformed into a very, good soup.
But then I got to thinking. When do you eat Mango Soup? When do you use mangos? They can kick off the day blended in a smoothie, maybe add a little something different to a salsa or chutney and a mango can be down right sensual eaten by itself. But when would you take the time to create Mango soup, if it were not for a special occasion?
It’s not a cozy tomato soup or brawny mushroom soup or even a soothing miso broth. Those soups are like your grandmother’s quilt…dependable, comforting. Mangos are definitely not, that. I suppose since mangoes are an aphrodisiac, Valentine’s Day is a fine time to dine on Mango soup.
image Just the sexiness of all the ingredients. The mango. Touching it, you should feel the skin give, its ripe suppleness is a perfect consistency for the soup. Go ahead, it’s alright to smile as the sweet juices and sticky texture drip down your arm and make their way to the blender. flint hill
Do you feel your heart race as your knife bites down on the red chile pepper exposing the heat. Did you gasp as the burning chile fumes arrived at your nose? Was that a smile as you thought of your dinner companion for the evening? I promise I won’t tell that you secretly added a few chile seeds to the blender. A little more heat won’t hurt anyone.
It’s fortunate that the coconut meat bestows richness to this seductive dish as the coconut water washes over the mixture; a cool breeze on an August day. Lime juice brings a bit of spunk with its tartness and sass.
libraryman And last but certainly not least, the ginger offers warmth, not like wool socks, yet reminiscent of the fiery lover who cuddles after. Happy Valentine’s Day.
Spicy Mango Soup 3 very ripe mangoes, peeled, flesh removed Meat and water from 2 coconuts, extra water as needed 1 small red chile, seeds removed, chopped Juice of 1 lime 1 teaspoon grated ginger ½ teaspoon sea salt
Combine mango, coconut meat and water, chile, lime juice, ginger and sea salt together in a high-speed blender; process until smooth and creamy. Chill for 2-3 hours before serving.
Marinated Baby Bok Choy Salad by Matt Samuelson, p. 64 The recipe gave the option of Baby Bok Choy or Bok Choy. I used the later. The "marinade" is a bit saucy, so go ahead and eat it with the salad. It has nice Asian flavors at work, throw some crushed red pepper flakes in it to add a bit of heat.
photo by Bruce Kerridge In Season: October-March Select: Look for Bok Choi that has firm stalks and fresh-looking leaves. Store: Keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Don't wash before storing or it will go slimy. Did you know? It's relatively easy to grow and is high in vitamin C, beta carotene, folic acid and calcium, as well as many essential minerals.
Elaina Love's "Give Me Greens!" Sweet Milkshake (p. 146) is a pretty cool milkshake. Really and truly. It's fun and frothy and it's a lighter shade of green. I was sceptical at first. Almond milk and bananas are tasty goodness, but to toss in Spirulina or Barley Green Powder for good measure? I don't know about that. Strange? Sure. Delicious? Absolutely! My husband gave me "that" look but he relented after my Adventurous Avery took a swig.
Today’s recipe started out as Shazzie’s Guacamole (p. 274) but spiraled into our own creation. I’m sure we aren’t doing anything new and spectacular with this recipe but it’s ours all the same. Or shall I say it belongs to Avery. She kind of took over the kitchen when avocados entered the picture. She should be called Baby Avocado, she eats them with a passion. Just takes a spoon and scoops the sweet flesh from its shell. She was very insistent when it came to preparing this recipe.
Guacamole 4 Hass Avocados, halved, pitted 2 tomatoes, seeded, chopped 1 red chile pepper, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped* 2 garlic cloves, minced Juice of two limes 1 ½ teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste
Scoop the flesh from the avocado halves into a large bowl, add the tomatoes, pepper, garlic, lime juice and sea salt. Smash all the ingredients together with a potato masher until you get a smooth, yet slightly chunky consistency.
*If a guacamole with more heat is what you seek, add the chile’s seeds to the mix.
Note: If the mood strikes you, add a handful of cilantro leaves and a tablespoon or two of chopped white onion . We were out, but I know for a fact they are welcome additions.
Today was all about finding lost friends, connecting with relatives and re-discovering old recipes.
Can you tell I spent the entire day on Facebook?
I had the pleasure of spending time in Facebook chat with my cousin’s wife Michelle. She and I never really spoke at any great length, and I’m afraid the 15 minutes of “chatting” on the computer is the longest time we have conversed.
There was a time she hosted the Fourth of July and I brought ingredients for a salad and she very kindly let me have her kitchen. I remember the conversation was mostly about the food. Small talk, you know. There might have been mention of lack of a good cutting knives or blender or something of the sort. Through it all she remained wonderfully gracious. Even while I typed, I pictured her warm, friendly smile and how her eyes squint a bit when she was really tickled. She is a lady I would like to get to know better.
Angela, Angela, Angela. What can I say about Angela? The fact that she’s drop-dead gorgeous comes to mind. But why don’t I share the first time I realized she was my best friend.
You know how you are friends with someone and you have fun together, you hang out all the time and share secrets, but, you don’t really know if it’s truly friendship or acquaintances.
Maybe if you are lucky, you settle into a routine and one day someone introduces you as "my friend so-and-so." But most of the time you just don’t know. The dear that Angela is, spared me of that whole guessing game. One day after a day of not doing too much, she handed me a little red envelope and told me to open it later when I was alone. Long-story-short, inside the little red envelope was a little white card with the world’s best penmanship stating the most beautiful words of friendship that a person could write to another. That was about 12-13 years ago and I still have the card. Somewhere, tucked away in a box of my treasured documents. Thank you Angela for today’s lengthy conversation and for being my friend.
In the midst of Facebook and phone conversations,
I prepared two recipes that were one of the first ones made when I purchased The Complete Book of Raw Food several years back. So in honor of Angela, I give you dishes that are tried-and-true and they can never do you wrong, Almond Milk and the Best Ever Almond Nut Pate.
Both are no-brainers. They are simple to make, provided you have soaked almonds handy, and the nut pate is very flavorful.
And for Michelle, a recipe that I’ve never discovered before, will call upon again and again and was a much needed breathe of fresh air, The Sunrise.
Recipes 18, 19, 20 of the Complete Book of Raw Food Endeavor
Almond Milk, by Elaina Love, p. 182 Best Ever Almond Nut Pate, by Rose Lee Calabro, p. 249 Sunrise, by Shazzie, p. 154
My son, Bishop, loved your delicious banana ice cream. And I appreciated the fact that it was super easy to prepare; just throw frozen bananas into a food processor to create a creamy dream of a dessert. Also, thank you for the pointer about topping the sweet treat with nuts, carob powder or soft fruit. I choose chopped walnuts. I do wish you would have given me fair warning about the importance of eating this dish immediately, it was a soggy mess after 15 minutes or so out of the freezer. I just have one tiny, itty, bitty question. What does “Whip the Mister” mean?
Green Onion Dressing by Jalissa Letendre, p. 83 I love scallions. I prefer to call them by their nickname green onions.
Although, rumor has it that they are too different beasts altogether. I guess, technically speaking, scallions are younger and do not have a bulb whereas green onions have a small, partially-formed bulb. I haven’t been able to wrap my brain around if a green onion is a scallion is a spring onion is a…well, if anyone knows for sure please give me the 411. Green onions are my favorite bulb, next to the light bulb. It’s the mildest flavor of the Allium Genus family which includes garlic, onions, leeks, chives and shallots. And best of all, unlike “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,” commercials with lost puppies finding their way home and boys, green onions never made me cry.
Oddly enough, I never ate a raw green onion until I first embraced the raw food lifestyle some six odd years ago. And though I wasn’t always faithful to raw foods, I remained steadfast with green onions. I consumed the bulb and stem, chopped in salads, soups and juices. I have been known to eat them straight from the ground in our garden.
Prior to preparing Jalissa Letendre’s, it did not occur to me to create a dressing with green onions. If you share my passion for green onions (or if you just like a really good dressing) try it. It’s very fragrant and it hits all the required spots on the taste buds. Based on the smell alone I would recommend you buy the book just to make the dressing. My husband thought it was just as good as the Ranch Dressing, if not better. I made a simple mixed greens tossed salad and he ate it up like no tomorrow. And as you can see, Avery seemed to enjoyed it too.
Green Onion Dressing, p. 83 Marinated Baby Bok Choy Salad, p. 64 Almond Milk, p. 182 Jameth and Kim's Original Flax Crackers, p. 168-169 Falafels, p. 230-231 Walnut Pate, p. 258 Rejuvelac, p. 9
