Trail Mix

Effortlessly keep your metabolism strong by eating frequent snacks and small meals throughout your day! With organic nuts and a bit of organic dried fruit (and don't forget a hint of dark chocolate), trail mix is one of the staple snacks everyone should have available to enjoy whenever they need a quick snack.

2 cups organic raw walnuts
1 cup organic raw almonds
1/2 cup organic dried cranberries
1/4 cup organic dried raisins
1/4 cup organic dark chocolate chips

Mix all the ingredients together. Keep in a sealed jar and always available to grab a handful as a quick and necessary snack. Enjoy!

Spinach and Quinoa Salad with Avocado and Grapefruit

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  I actually do not like the grapefruit on this salad. I included it because the dressing is very good. I do highly recommend spinach, quinoa, avocado and walnuts together! An incredible combination of taste and nutrients. (You can eat the grapefruit on the side!) If you cook up a batch of quinoa and keep in a sealed container in the fridge it is always available to mix into a salad. To the quinoa you can add spinach, walnuts, avocados and any other vegetable and mix it with your favorite dressing. The dressing below is a good one. You can eat this for lunch or a snack more then once throughout the week! Just keep all ingredients separate until you are ready to toss together. This recipe makes one salad.
  
  Ingredients:
  organic baby spinach (about 4 ounces, but I just toss in a few handfuls)
  1 organic ruby red grapefruit, peeled and fruit separated, reserving 3 slices
  1/2 organic haas avocado, diced
  1/2 cup cooked quinoa (cook up 1/3 cup dry quinoa and you'll make 1 cup of cooked quinoa, you'll have enough to save for a second salad :))
  1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  For the Citrus Vinaigrette:
  3/4 tablespoon olive oil
  3/4 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  1 tablespoon chopped shallot
  salt and pepper to taste
  grapefruit juice from 3 reserved slices of grapefruit (if not using grapefruit you can use 3/4 tablespoon lemon juice instead)
  
  Directions:
  
  Rinse quinoa well under cold water. Place 1/3 cup dry qunioa into 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil. Turn down heat to simmer. Simmer 20 minutes. Lay out on a plate to cool. Peel the skin and white membrane off the grapefruit and separate the pieces. Reserve three grapefruit slices for the vinaigrette and squeeze the juice; set aside. Cut the remaining grapefruit into small pieces for the salad. In a medium bowl whisk the olive oil, grapefruit juice (from 3 slices of grapefruit), vinegar, chopped shallots, salt and pepper. In a large bowl toss spinach, quinoa, avocado, grapefruit and vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Raw Waldorf Salad

This is a brilliant remake of the original Waldorf salad. This salad is rich and hearty, and a satisfying stand-alone meal. It is packed full of healthy fats, protein and the only sweetener (besides the lovely fruit) are a couple of pureed medjool dates.

Complements: Live Raw by Mimi Kirk


For the Salad:
2 green or crisp, firm apples, coarsely chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
Handful of raisins; if they are not plump, soak in filtered water for 15 minutes
1/2 cup walnuts and pecans, broken or chopped
Generous handful of grapes cut in half, your choice of color
1/2 lemon, juiced

For the Dressing:
1/2 cup almond, soaked for 4 hours
1/4 cup pine nuts
3/4 cup water
1 clove garlic, crushed (I wanted a sweeter tasting salad (instead of a savory salad) so I omitted the garlic and added 1 teaspoon real vanilla instead)
Pinch of sea salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 medjool dates, pitted
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place all the salad ingredients in a bowl. Mix and set aside or cover and place in the refrigerator until you are ready to add the dressing and serve.

Place all dressing ingredients except olive oil in a high-powdered blender. Blend at medium speed while drizzling in the olive oil. Blend until creamy and smooth. I added a few tablespoons of water to make a thinner sauce. Chill for 4 hours (I did not do this step, I was a bit impatient to indulge in my salad).

To serve the salad slowly pour 1/3 of the dressing on salad and toss well. Use as much of the dressing as suits your taste. Place a lettuce leaf on a salad plate or in a shallow bowl. Place a large scoop of the salad into the leaf. Enjoy!

Raw Tacos

I could live off these for the rest of my life. They are that delicious.

Complements: www.mynewroots.blogspot.com

Walnut Taco Mix:
1 cup raw walnuts
1 tablespoon tamari (soy sauce)
1/8 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper (optional, but I highly recommend it)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

Put all ingredients in a food processor and pulse just to mix. Don't over-blend or you will end up with walnut butter.

Cashew "Sour Cream"
1/2 cup raw cashews
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
5 tablespoons water (approx.)

Put all ingredients except water in a high speed blender or food processor and blend, adding water one tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached. If you want a thick cream, use less water, for a thinner sauce, use more.

Raw Salsa:
1 cup chopped organic cherry tomatoes
1/2 organic red bell pepper, chopped fine
1/2 organic orange or yellow bell pepper, chopped fine
1/2 organic red onion or 4 organic green onions, minced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 clove garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 lime (about 1-2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon raw honey
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
pinch of sea salt

Whisk the garlic, lime juice, honey, olive oil and sea salt in the bottom of a bowl and set aside. Cut up the veggies into rather small pieces, chop the cilantro and add everything to the dressing bowl. Fold to combine and let sit for at least 10 minutes to allow the flavours to meld.

Other Raw Taco elements:
ripe avocado, cabbage, collard, kale, romaine or spinach leaves

Place all the prepared items out on the table. Start with a large lettuce leaf and layer in the walnut taco mix, cashew "sour cream", raw salsa and anything else you have included. Wrap up the taco and enjoy!!

Raw Salted Caramel Apple Dip

Everyone in the house will devour this dip! I am now infatuated with our new Vitamix and you will be seeing a lot of raw wholefood recipes being posted this coming year! (FYI: The dates take 2-4 hours to soak before making this recipe)

Complements: www.mynewroots.blogspot.com (One of my new favorite blogs!)

2 cups pitted Organic Medjool dates
1/4 cup raw nut or seed butter (I took 1/4 cup raw cashews and added them to the blender whole. The Vitamix purees them perfectly smooth)
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (or more to taste)
1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped (I used 1 teaspoon pure vanilla instead)
soaking water as needed

Soak dates for 2-4 hours in enough water (enough to cover the dates completely). Drain dates, reserving the soak water. Add dates to a food processor or powerful blender along with all other ingredients, except for soaking water. Blend on high until dates are smooth. Add soaking water, 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached (for a sauce to pour or drizzle, add more water). Store in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to a week. Enjoy!

Vitamix

A breakfast for champions! Why oh why did it take me 15+ years going through 3 magic bullets, 2 Cuisinart food processors and 2 Kitchen Aid blenders before I invested in the only machine I need!! If you have a Vitamix blender you know what I am talking about. If you want to wake up to fresh, organic, raw smoothies in the morning or chop, blend and mix anything your heart desires then I would highly recommend buying a Vitamix. Enjoy!

Caprese Skewers

2 cups cherry tomatoes
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, lightly torn
olive oil for drizzling
balsamic vinegar for drizzling
skewers

Begin with a fresh basil leaf, spear the basil followed by a cherry tomato and mozzarella cheese piece, as desired. Repeat with each additional skewer. Generously drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the skewers. Enjoy!

Peaches 'N' Cream

Amazingly refreshing and guilt free!! This is so very, very good.

Complements: Diet for a New World

6 ripe peaches, stones removed and sliced into thin wedges
2 cups raspberries, blueberries, strawberries or other berries in season (optional)
1 cup raw almonds
3/4 cup almond milk or other milk
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup raw almonds, toasted and slivered or chopped

In individual goblets, layer the peaches and berries. For the almond cream: blanch the almonds in boiling water for 30 seconds. Drain and plunge the almonds into cold water. Drain, and squeeze the almonds between your fingertips to remove the skins. Compost or discard the skins. Put the almonds, almond milk, maple syrup and vanilla in a blender and blend until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour the almond cream over the tops of the fruit and sprinkle with the toasted almonds. Chill until ready to serve, up to 3 hours. Enjoy!

Cannellini Bean & Artichoke Spread

A great spread to make ahead and serve for a summer meal. Use it as a dip for fresh harvested veggies or spread it on sprouted grain toast and top with a tomato slice!

1 garlic clove roughly chopped
1 shallot roughly chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/3 cup olive oil
1 - 14 ounce can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed (organic if possible)
1 - 14 ounce can of artichoke hearts or artichoke bottoms, drained
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
10-12 tarragon leaves (optional)

Place all ingredients in food processor with S blade and pulse to combine. Turn off processor, scrape down sides of bowl and then blend again until combines. Enjoy!

Fresh Berry Tart with a Raw Nutty Oat Crust

Fantastic, fantastic good wholesome whole foods fantastic! This qualifies for a dessert, snack or even lunch. A treat that you must serve more then once in a summer.

Adapted from: The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook

Crust:
1 cup raw pecans
1 cup rolled oats (if you are gluten sensitive then use gluten-free oats)
1 cup medjool dates, pitted
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
1/4 teaspoon cardamom

Berry Filling:
1 1/2 cup organic berry juice
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 cups fresh organic berries, such as raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries

To make the crust, place the pecans and rolled oats in a food processor fitted with the "s" blade. Process until ground, then add the pittled medjool dates, butter and spices and process until well combined. Place into an 8x8 inch square baking dish and firmly press evenly into the bottom of the pan. Place into the refrigerator to chill while you are making the filling. To make the filling, place the berry juice, corn starch and maple syrup into a small saucepan. Place pan over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. Turn heat down and cook until the mixture is thick and clear, stirring frequently. Remove pan from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes. Wash and dry berries and spread evenly over crust, then pour sauce mixture over the top of the berries. Chill for about 20 minutes before serving. Tart will keep covered in refrigerator for up to 3 days. Top with whip cream if you desire. Enjoy!

Cabbage Salad with Cilantro Vinaigrette

Here is a refreshing cabbage salad. This is one of my favorites. It is so easy and packed full of whole and healthy foods. You can serve this salad with most any dish. The best part is storing the leftovers in the refrigerator and enjoy eating it throughout the week as a snack. Or you can add any source of protein to the salad (marinated tofu, baked chicken pieces, ground nuts or garbanzo beans) and it becomes a satisfying lunch! Cabbage is a rich source of powerful phytochemicals. Raw cabbage is also very detoxifying to the body, improving digestion and elimination, while killing harmful bacteria and viruses in the gut.

Complements: The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook

Salad:
4 cups chopped Napa or Savoy cabbage
4 green onions, finely sliced
1 large carrot, grated
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (or any chopped up nuts!)

Dressing:
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
4 tablspoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
pinch cayenne pepper

Place cabbage, green onions, grated carrot, and toasted sunflower seeds into large bowl. Place ingredients for dressing into a blender and blend until smooth. Pour dressing over salad and toss well. Again, I store the salad in the fridge and eat from it for many days. Enjoy!

Sun Dried Berry Fruit Leather

Get loads of seasonal berries while you can! Support your local berry growers and pick them yourself or buy from a farmers market close to you. This recipe is great to do with kids. You have to have a bright sunny summer day and it takes some patients, but it is well worth the wait.

4-5 cups fresh berries (3 cups pureed)
1 tablespoon honey (optional)

Place the fresh berries into a blender with the honey. Blend until the berries are a smooth consistency. You should have 3 cups of fruit puree. If you would like you can press the puree through a cheese cloth to remove the seeds (this will give you a nice smooth fruit leather). I did not do this. I driedthe fruit with the seeds and all. Place a piece of wax paper onto an edged baking sheet (15x12 inch)(or any 15x12 dish with a slight rim around it). Pour the pureed fruit onto the wax paper. It should be about 1/4 inch thick. Place the dish in full sun for 6-8 hours. When it is all dry (the kids checked on it every hour or so) peel the fruit leather off the paper and enjoy!

Mock Tuna Salad

This is a very delectable sandwich spread. You can spread it on toast or use it as a dip. It is rich in healthy fats and high in protein.

1 (28 oz) can organic garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 avocado, mashed (I used the whole avocado and would highly recommend you doing the same :))
1/2 cup onion, finely diced
4 celery stalks, finely diced
1/2 cup diced dill pickles
garlic powder to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Process the beans in a chopper until they look like, well, tuna. You don't want to over process, you still want to have some texture from the beans. I used a potato masher and it worked great. Combine the beans with the mashed avocado, onions, celery and diced dill pickles. Add garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Combine all ingredients in bowl and mix well. Enjoy!

Ambrosia Fruit Salad

Our 7 year old daughter planned lunch for us today. It included Ambrosia fruit salad and whole grain spelt bread toast. She used the recipe from the book, "Kids Cooking". She was the cook from start to finish. It turned out lovely!

4 cups for copped fruit (it is fall and she choose apples, oranges and grapes)
1/2 cup organic vanilla yogurt (it called for sour cream, but she made the decision to change to yogurt)
1 teaspoon honey
3 tablespoons coconut
1 handful of mini marshmallows (can't leave this out mom!)
a sprinkle of cinnamon (another change my daughter made, she added cinnamon (what can I say she is like her momma and has to tinker with the recipe :) )

Place chopped fruit into a serving bowl. Mix the remaining ingredients together and pour over fruit. Stir until combined. Serve right away. Enjoy!

Cauliflower and Kale Salad

Complements: adapted from Steamy Kitchen

6 large kale leaves (I mixed part kale and part spinach)
1/2 head cauliflower
1.5 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion (I used a few tablespoons)
1 teaspoon snipped chives
1/2 cup diced cucumber
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Tear the soft leaf of the kale away from the center stalk that runs throughout the length of the kale. Discard the tough stalk. Finely chop the kale leaves. Add to a large bowl, along with the cherry tomatoes, chives, onions and cucumber. Grate the cauliflower using the large holes of a box grater. Add to the bowl and mix. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and the olive oil. Pour dressing into the bowl and toss gently.

Garbanzo Bean Sandwich Spread

This garbanzo bean spread can be addicting as an open face sandwich on hearty toasted bread. I added avocado, bacon and tomatoes too!

15 ounces chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 whole celery stalks
2 tablespoons relish (or a dill pickle)
1/2 teaspoon onion flakes
2 teaspoon nutritional yeast (You can find this in the "natural food" section of a grocery store (often it is with the bulk items and you can buy just as much or as little as you would like) also any health food store will carry it (again check the bulk section before buying a big bag))
1 tablespoon tamari sauce (or soy sauce)
2 tablespoons real mayonnaise (or a vegan one)
1/2 teaspoon kelp (optional)

In a large mixing bowl, mash chickpeas with a fork until coarse and no whole beans are left. Alternatively, pulse beans in a food processor a few times, careful not to puree, and transfer to a mixing bowl. Shred celery with cheese grater or pulse a few times in a food processor. Transfer to the mixing bowl. One small dill pickle may be shredded or minced and used in place of the relish. Transfer to the mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine. Enjoy!

Cocoa Mole Smoothie

Complements: The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook

1/2 cup raw cashews (I have used almonds before too)
1 cup water (I like using vanilla Rice milk)
1 large frozen banana
1 to 2 tablespoons agave nectar
1 to 2 tablespoons organic cocoa powder (of course I use 2 tablespoons ;))
1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste (optional)

Place the cashews and water into a blender fitted with a sharp blade. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Then add the banana chunks, cocoa powder, agave nectar, cinnamon and chili powder; blend well. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Energizing Berry Nut Smoothie

I have mentioned this before while posting shakes. If you want to serve them extra chilled make sure you place fresh fruits in the freezer overnight first.

complements: The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook

1 cup raw cashews
1 cup milk (rice, soy or coconut)
1 cup frozen banana pieces
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup frozen cherries

Place raw cashews and milk in a blender fitted with a sharp blade. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Add frozen banana chunks, blueberrries, and cherries. Blend on medium-high until smooth. Enjoy!

Cooling Stawberry Orange Blueberry Smoothie

Freeze freshly picked strawberries and blueberries for a refreshing cool shake. It is like adding ice cubes to your drink.

2 cups frozen strawberries
1/2 cup fresh peach slices
1/4 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (or a blend of organic fresh juices)
1-2 tablespoons agave nectar

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

Spinach Salad with Pecans and Dried Cherries

All the flavors of this salad together are fabulous. The pecans almost didn't make it to the salad. The kids and I were eating them right out of the oven!

Complements: The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook

Pecans:
1 cup pecans
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
pinch sea salt

Salad:
8 ounces spinach leaves, washed and dried
1/2 small red onion, sliced into thin rounds
1/2 cup dried organic cherries

Dressing:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place pecans, olive oil, maple syrup, Dijon mustard and the pinch of sea salt into a pie plate and mix together. Bake in the oven for about 10 -12 minutes. Let cool slightly, and then remove from pie plate and place on a plate to cool. Pace spinach into a salad bowl. Add pecans, cherries, and sliced red onion. Place all dressing ingredients into a small jar with a tight fitting lid and shake well. Dress salad just before serving. Enjoy!