Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Raw Almond Cookies

Here we go again.  I started another raw food fast yesterday.  Well, mostly.  I am allowing myself a few very healthy cooked foods as well.   I might as well just declare 5 days a week raw food days.  I feel like I have 'gone raw' a lot lately.  I made myself carrot/ginger/grapefruit juice yesterday for breakfast, a salad for lunch, snacked on organic blueberries all day and had miso soup sans the tofu, raw vegan sushi and a small salad for dinner.  For dessert, a banana whip made using the Dole Yonanas machine.  It was just 2 bananas through the machine and a splash of organic vanilla extract.  Delicious!

After talking to a friend, I was craving a raw dessert or sweet that had more substance to it.  I have also been craving almond cookies for months...the Italian kind...so I threw some shit together in a bowl and Voila!  Raw Almond Cookies.  Seriously some of the best raw cookies Ive had and SO FREAKING EASY its ridiculous.  They have been taste tested by several and blog approved.  Let me know what you think!  =)
If you are vegan, you can substitute the honey with soaked and blended dates...I just really love honey!!

Raw Almond Cookies

1 cup almond flour
1/2 cup ground flax meal
1/3 cup raw honey 
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp pure almond extract
coconut oil 
slivered almond pieces

Mix the almond flour and flax meal together.  Toss in the honey and extracts and mix thoroughly.  Put a little bit of coconut oil onto your hands to prevent the dough from sticking to you too much.  Roll into 12 small balls and flatten in your hand then place onto a tray or cookie sheet.  Using a fork, dip lightly into the coconut oil (just to prevent sticking) and use the back to press the cookies flat on the tray.  Garnish each with 1 or 2 slivered almonds.  Place in the freezer for 30-60 minutes and then store in the fridge.  This only makes 12 cookies and they go too fast so I have no idea how long you can store them.  Between myself and my 2 kids, a batch of 12 doesn't last much longer than a few hours.  =)


Monday, May 5, 2014

Cinco de Mayo 2014 - A Collection of DHNs Mexican Recipes

Looking for some quick and easy recipes?  Here they are!  A collection of some of my favorite Mexican recipes over the years.  Just a few good ones to get you going.  The salsa is the best salsa recipe you'll find.  Do NOT waste money of jarred salsa.  That stuff is crap.  Spend $2.50 or less on a can of tomatoes (As much as Id prefer fresh....trust me on this....the can of tomatoes is the secret ingredient).  This recipe is so stupidly easy you'll wonder why you haven't been making it for years.  Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Restaurant Quality Salsa
From blog: http://diaryofahealthnut.blogspot.com/2013/05/feliz-cinco-de-mayo-belated.htmlIf you like more heat, add more jalapeno, or add habanero!  This is a fairly mild salsa, but as my husband (a self proclaimed hot pepper connoisseur, has noticed, jalapenos vary tremendously in heat.  While generally considered mild, we have come across plenty that have been as hot as habaneros.  Make the recipe as it is below, taste and if you need it hotter, just add more in.)

1 28oz can whole peeled tomatoes
1/3 onion (use yellow or red, whichever you have on hand)
1 large garlic clove
1/2 jalapeno
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 c cilantro (stems and all...just pack it into a 1/2 cup)
1/2-1 tsp salt (to taste)
pinch sugar

Process all in a food processor.  Start by only using 1/2 jalapeno and 1/2 tsp salt.  Add more as needed. 



Knock Your Socks Off Margarita on the Rocks
From blog: http://diaryofahealthnut.blogspot.com/2013/05/feliz-cinco-de-mayo-belated.html
Serves 2.  This makes a small sipping drink, so choose glasses that are relatively small.

1 Lime
1 shot Cointreau
2 shots organic tequila
4 drops liquid stevia extract
pink Himalayan sea salt
ice

Using a lime wedge, wet the rim of each glass.  Rim each glass in salt.  Cut the lime in half and cut each half into 4 wedges.  Place 4 wedges in each glass with 1/2 shot Cointreau in each and muddle.  Top with several ice cubes and pour 1 shot tequila and 2 drops each stevia into each glass.  Stir lightly.  Bottoms up!


Summer Lovin' Ceviche
From blog: http://diaryofahealthnut.blogspot.com/2013/05/you-put-lime-in-the_20.htmlMakes enough for an appetizer for 6-8 people
1 1/2lb your choice mix of shrimp (peeled & deveined), scallops, cubed halibut or cubed sea bass.
Juice of 8 limes
1/2 medium red onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
1/4 c seeded, peeled and diced cucumber
2 green onions, diced (white and green parts)
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 jalapeƱo, diced
generous pinch salt
generous pinch pepper
small pinch sugar

Put seafood into a shallow bowl.  Pour lime juice over and add remaining ingredients.  Toss together, cover and refrigerate for 4 hours, stirring occasionally so that all of the seafood gets coated and 'cooks'.  Serve cold with a slotted spoon to lightly drain the juice off.  If not serving all of it at once, keep the remaining ceviche stored in the juice in the fridge.

**Note: Oh yeah....this recipe is also naturally Gluten-Free and if you are vegetarian, I am that covered too!  Just substitute roughly chopped oyster mushrooms and add a dash of black Hawaiian salt.  The oyster mushrooms have a briny flavor, much like seafood and the black Hawaiian salt has a little ocean-y flavor.  Just a dash so it doesn't overpower.  

Street Tacos
1/3 c finely chopped white Onion
1/3 c chopped Cilantro
Juice of 1 Lime
1-2 Tbsp Oil made for high heat cooking
1 Bag either Gardein 'Beef' Tips (You can use another meat substitute but I think these are the best for this!)
1/4 c White Vinegar
1/4 c Soy Sauce, Tamari or Braggs Liquid Aminos (<--can be used interchangeably.  I used Braggs)
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce (or vegan Worcestershire sauce)
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
non-stick cooking spray
Corn tortillas
Lime wedges

Mix first 3 ingredients and set aside.  Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add your 'meat'.  As soon as the meat starts to cook add the vinegar, Braggs, Worcestershire, chili powder and garlic powder.  If using Gardein, use a spatula to break apart the 'meat' chunks in the skillet as they soften to make smaller pieces.  Stir the meat in the skillet until most or all of the liquid has evaporated.  Remove from heat.

If you have a flat-top stove, just use the stove top itself.  This will make a mess, but the results are the best.  If you don't have a flat top stovetop, then use a cast iron skillet or flat griddle.  Turn the heat on a small burner to medium.  (If using skillet or griddle, turn heat to med-high and wait for it to heat up)  Spray the non-stick spray directly onto one side of the corn tortilla in a circle around its perimeter.  Throw it oil-side down onto the burner.  Use a spatula to move it around so the oil coats the entire side and while its cooking, spray the side that's facing up.  After about 30 seconds, before the edges get crisp, flip it over.  Before the edges are crisp, Remove to a plate.  Repeat with as many tortilla as you'll need.  This oils up and softens the shells, just like the authentic ones.  

Now, fill each tortilla with just a little bit of meat (authentic ones are not stuffed...they use minimal filling so you can almost fold it over taquito-style.



Pico de Gallo (aka Salsa Fresca)
2 Lg Tomatoes, chopped
1/2 c Cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1/2 Lime
1/4 c Red Onion, diced
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 - 1 Whole Hot Pepper of Choice.  I used 1/2 Serrano.  My husband prefers a whole habanero.  If you like it milder, use 1/2-1 jalapeno.
S & P to taste
dash extra virgin olive oil
dash red wine vinegar
1 tsp Dulse granules (optional - I add it without telling anyone to boost the mineral content...it's loaded!!!  and no one is the wiser.  Shhhh....)

Toss all ingredients together in a bowl and serve with your favorite tortilla chips.


Raw Tacos 
Romaine Lettuce Leaves or green leaf lettuce 
Taco Nut Meat 
Tomato, seeded and chopped 
Cilantro, chopped 
Avocado, chopped 
Limes, cut into wedges 
Easy Taco Nut Meat 
1 C Raw Walnuts 
1/2 C Sunflower Seeds 
1/3 C Sundried Tomatoes, coarsely chopped 
2 Tbsp Shoyu 
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar 
3 Tbsp Chili Powder 
Put all ingredients into food processor and pulse until well combined and 'meaty'. Do not process into 
powder! 
Assembly 
Spoon a few Tablespoons of the Nut Meat onto romaine leaves, top with tomatoes, cilantro and 
avocado. Squeeze some lime onto it and you’re done! 
Variation: Use pico de gallo or guacamole instead of plain ‘ol tomatoes and avocados. 



Thursday, March 20, 2014

In a Pickle!

Wow.  Just wow.  It has been a damn long time since I have blogged.  Like, 9 months?  I could have grown a baby in the time it took me to get off my lazy ass and finally post a recipe.  Its not that I don't have them.  On the contrary, I have loads.  Its that I am too busy and that when I'm not too busy I'm too lazy to take the 30-60 minutes it takes to write a blog, take photos, choose a photo, edit said photo and then post the damn thing.  I promise to be better because I have a load of really insane recipes, some of which prove to be complete culinary orgasms.  This does not fall short. 

My husband has an obsession with pickles.  For many years up until recently he bought Claussens.  They were the right amount of sour and dill and he liked the crunch as opposed to those nasty flaccid jarred pickles they sell in an unrefrigerated aisle near the olives.  Not only would my husband eat an entire jar of pickles in 2 days by himself (sometimes 1), he would drink the pickle juice afterwards.  Totally grossed me out.  On a regular basis.  I hated that he ate them.  Have you read the ingredients?  He would buy the pickle halves and wholes since he ate them so much it seemed the spears wasted precious pickle-eating time by having to fish through the jar for another one after each.  Then I read the ingredients.  One of the jars (although I can't recall which) had high fructose corn syrup...the bane of my existence!  BUT...the same flavor dill pickle cut differently did not have high fructose corn syrup in it.  Why, pray tell, would Claussen have to put HFCS in a halved pickle but not in a spear?  Asshats.  That's why.

After a few mediocre attempts and a few more great attempts, I have finally perfected the Almighty pickle.  Better than Claussen.  Much, much better.

 



This recipe will depend on the number of cucumbers you use.  I didn't count mine, so bear with me.  Try it.  I promise.  They are delicious. 



Refrigerator Pickles
4 Quart size Mason jars
Roughly 12-16 kirby cucumbers (pickling cukes)
6 c water
2c white vinegar
1.4c + 1 Tbsp sea salt (I prefer pink Himalayan)
4 cloves garlic
4 tsp pickling spice
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh dill

If they have not already been refrigerated, refrigerate cukes 24 hours. 

Bring water and vinegar to a boil.  Add the salt and turn heat to medium and stir while salt dissolves.  As soon as salt is dissolved, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.  This may take a while.  (Insert Jeopardy music here).  Don't get impatient.  Not hot.  Not warm.  Room temperature.  Or cooler.

Set out your mason jars.  Halve your garlic cloves.  Tear your bay leaves in half.  In each jar place 1 2 halves of garlic, 1/2 bay leaf, 1 tsp pickling spice and 1 sprig fresh dill.

When water and vinegar are cooled, remove your cukes from the fridge.  Cut just the end tips off.  Half or quarter them lengthwise, whatever your pickle preference may be).  Stuff as many as you can into each jar.  When all jars are full, carefully (you may want to use a funnel here) pour the liquid over the cucumbers to cover them.  Twist caps on tightly and refrigerate.  Three.  Count them, 1, 2, 3 Days.  After 72 hours your pickles are done and delicious.  You can thank me later.  =)